I’m Addicted To Swagbucks

I love Swagbucks.  For anyone out there who doesn’t know about Swagbucks, allow me to enlighten you.  It’s a search engine with perks.  As a writer, I’m always looking things up online.  Normally I’d just head on over to Google and type in the keyword(s) and/or phrase and go from there.  Nothing magical, nothing wonderful.  Then I got started on Swagbucks and I’ve been having a ball ever since.  Not only do I get to do the same thing as I did on Google, but I get rewarded for it as well.

The thing to keep in mind with Swagbucks is that you DO NOT get points for each search.  It’s random and only comes up every so often, but it does come up.  I usually get anywhere from 5 to 15 points within the first couple of searches, then I might not get another one for the next 50 searches.  But that’s not the only way to get points.  You can get daily points by voting in the daily poll, checking out the survey page each day, filling out special offers, and even by shopping in their online store.

So, what are the points for???  As I just said, there is an online store complete with items for sale that can be purchased with Swagbucks.  This can be anything from wallpaper for your computer’s desktop to a 32″ HD, flat screen television.  And yes, that one takes a heck of a lot of bucks to get.  The ones I’m aiming for are all the gift cards that can be purchased with my Swagbucks.  A $5 Paypal card is 700 points, while a $5 Amazon.comgift card is only 450 points.  My goal is to get either the $25 or $50 Amazon gift card.  Although I have to be honest and say that it’s cheaper to get 5 $5 cards than the one $25 card.  Why???  I have no idea but whatever.

So if you’re looking for a way to get rewarded for searching online, check out Swagbucks.  You won’t become a millionaire, or even close for that matter.  But you might be able to gain enough points to get a new t-shirt, a ring, or even a big screen TV.  And all because you went to search for something you wanted to find anyway.

NaBloPoMo Challenge September

Well I did it again—kind of an extension from yesterday’s post.  I’ve jumped in with both feet to endure another full month of the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month).  The theme for this month is ART!!.  That’s cool because that’s actually a very broad subject and there are a lot of topics that can be covered under this category.  Art is more than paintings and pictures.  It can be about craft projects (my quilts), written arts, dance, music, and just about anything else that takes a bit of creativity to achieve.  That could even be in the form of work.  (eeewwww, there’s that word again).

I’m a huge lover of the arts.  I can’t honestly say that I understand some things that people consider art, but it’s not my place to judge.  If there’s one person who loves it, there’s surely more.  And that’s the key to being an artist, finding those people who share in your vision, your feelings.  They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there’s nothing more true in the world of art.  What one person finds as beautiful is hideous to someone else.  It all comes down to personal preference.

This could be an awesome topic for my blog.  Let’s see if I can keep it up for another month, seeing as how I’m also going to try and keep up another blog for the entire month.  My Redhead Rants blog has also been added to the blog pool for the month, so now I have to make time to keep 2 of them up every day.  I don’t have quite enough grey hairs yet, so this ought to do it.  LOL

I Did It

Holy Moley, I did it.  This is the last day of the month and I’ve managed to put up a post every day.  I can’t believe that I actually did it, but Whoo HOOO!!!!!  And yes, I kinda cheated on a few of those days by posting something that I’d written months and even years ago, but it kind of fit in with the whole “green” theme.  I was recycling old material and using some of my stranger works as filler to get me through the entire month.

And thank you Gina for all the comments.  They made it more fun for me to keep posting.  And reason to keep it going on again for next month.  I may not have gotten a lot of important stuff added, but I kept it up each day and that’s amazing for me.  And I can’t wait to see what next month’s NaBloPoMo theme will be.  Not that I’ll stick with that theme for the entire month, but it will be nice to have something to work from.

Plus I have to keep everyone up-to-date on the quilt.  I’ve almost gotten all of the last pieces cut out and am about ready to start on getting the last blocks sewn together.  Once it’s all in place, I’ll get the entire thing put together and post more pics.  And I also want to get started on those Christmas ornaments and see what else I can come up with.  It will be interesting.

So, thanks to anyone who stopped by on a regular basis this month.  It was a total blast, and I’m hoping to do it again starting tomorrow.  LOL.  We’ll see though.  I might use one of my other blogs instead, or I might try and keep more than one blog updated daily.  That would be something, that’s for sure.  LOL

Spinach Strata

54 Ritz crackers
2 10-oz pkg frozen and chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
10oz. Muenster cheese, grated
2-1/2C milk
5 eggs
2T Dijon mustard
1/2tsp liquid hot pepper seasoning
2 cloves of garlic, minced

In 2-qt shallow baking dish, arrange 18 Ritz crackers in 3 long rows. Combine spinach and 2C grated cheese; sprinkle half mixture over crackers; repeat layers. Top with remaining crackers; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

In medium bowl, beat together milk, eggs, mustard, liquid hot pepper seasoning and garlic. Pour evenly over mixture in baking dish. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until puffed and golden. Cut into squares to serve.

A Real Freebie Site

There are a lot of sites out there that claim to have free samples all over the place. Many of them do, but expect you to fill out a survey or add your cell phone number in order to get your free products. That sucks. First of all, I don’t like giving out my cell phone number for the fact that I end up getting charged $10 for something that I had no intention of ever using. Or worse, something I didn’t even know was there. Then the hubby yells and things just get complicated and it’s just not worth it.

But thanks to the diva over at Mommy Wants Freebies, I’ve found a really cool little site filled with freebies. And not unrealistic freebies, but the kind that you’ll eventually get to hold in your hands. And best of all, there are no surveys to fill out, no cell phone requirements, and no hidden fees or promises. The site is called Free Samples Without Surveys and that’s exactly what it is. No bells, no whistles, no promises that will never come true. Just a little blog where you can find real free samples to things like shampoo, hair color, and food items. Sorry kids, no free laptops here.

The best part about this site is that the webmaster tells you on the front page what to expect. They also tell you what to watch out for when looking for free samples on other sites. They don’t hold anything back, but they’re not rude about the way they put it either. It’s an awesome site and there are links to all kinds of free samples. I’m pretty impressed so far. I haven’t put in for any of the samples yet, but I do like the no-nonsense approach to the site.

So, if you like free samples, check out Free Samples Without Surveys. You won’t find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but you will find real freebies and real samples without having to give out all your personal information in the process.

My Favorite Craft Site

I’m a sucker for a great craft site.  I love finding patterns for all kinds of things, including things that can be made from items I already have lying around the house.  That’s why I love FaveCrafts.com.  This is by far my favorite craft site on the entire Internet.  They have patterns and ideas on just about every type of craft you can imagine, and then some.  They’ve got patterns for quilters, knitters, crotchers, and everyone in between.  And they’ve got an entire section on making crafts out of used items or things you probably already have at home.

Another thing I love about this site is the fact that they’ve got an entire section of e-books that you can download for free.  I’ve already downloaded the Recycled Crafts book and noticed that they’ve added a couple more since my last visit to this section.  Might have to check out the Father’s Day ideas book, already have the Mother’s Day version.

Seriously, if you’re looking for crafting ideas, check this site out.  I’m not endorsing this site because I’m gonna get something for nothing.  They don’t even know I’m doing this.  I just really love this site.  Whatever type of craft you enjoy, there’s something here that will spark your interest.  And if you’ve been looking for new projects to try, this is the place to stop.  Check it out, you’ll be glad you did.

Preparing for the Holidays

Yeah I know it might sound odd, but I’m already starting to prepare for the holidays.  Seriously, I’m trying to get a jump on the whole thing and actually be ready for Christmas this year.  I posted about looking for Christmas ornament patterns, but I’ve also started getting some shopping done.  Nothing extreme yet, but I’m getting there.  I still have to get through the month from hell, or as everyone else calls it “October”, before I can really get into the whole shopping for Christmas presents.

I’ll probably end up making most of my gifts this year, especially for my friends and co-workers/customers/people that come into my restaurant and just hang out. (Gina-lol).  I’m the kind of person who wants to give everybody something, even if it’s just something silly.  Unfortunately, God decided to make me a poor person and I can’t give to everyone like I want to.  So, that means I have to improvise and do something creative.  The creative part isn’t the problem.  It’s the making-it-look-like-it-does-in-my-head thing that’s the problem.  I get a cool idea and in my head, it’s perfect.  When I’m done, it’s not even close and I get frustrated and I throw it away and I give up.  Yeah, I know.  Not the best way to handle the situation, but I never claimed to be the smart kid.

Anyway, if anyone has any cool ideas for home-made Christmas ornaments or gifts, leave me a comment and I’ll check it out.  I love Christmas and I want to pass that happiness on to everyone I meet.  Whether they be in person or online, I think we should all take one month out of the year to spread a little joy and friendship instead of hate and discontent.