Yukon Suspension Bridge, BC, Canada

It's Wanderlust Wednesday! Today we're talking about the Yukon Suspension Bridge in Canada.

(If you would rather watch a video instead of read this posting, take a look at this video here.)

It might seem strange to get off a cruise ship in Skagway, Alaska and wind up in Canada just a short time later.

  Looking for more things to do on your Alaskan cruise? Check out some of the other things we’ve done!

Why come all the way to Alaska to just go into Canada? To conquer a fear of heights.

The population of Skagway runs around 1,000. During the summer season it doubles, but back during the height of the gold rush the population of Skagway was as high as 30,000. (I love the days when there is only one ship in town.)

A lot of passengers take the train trip when in port. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad – built during the Klondike Gold Rush – is an “International Civil Engineering Landmark” and shares honors with the Eiffel Tower, the Panama Canal, and the Statue of Liberty. 

Since we’ve ridden the railroad more than once we now skip it and do other things.

On this particular day the other thing involved a passport to get into Canada. A Klondike, suspension bridge, and salmon bake tour. As our bus headed into the Yukon Territory we had beautiful views.

Our close up glimpse of a bear was so close I couldn't even get the whole thing in the picture!

While I did enjoy the scenery and wildlife, I really was taking this excursion to the Yukon Suspension Bridge to conquer my fear of heights. It certainly was the best place to do it.

See that bridge over the canyon? That's where I'm headed.

As I got closer, my heart started beating harder. I was scared.

 Once on the bridge you can look down and see the water through the bridge. Even scarier.

After making it across the bridge you'd think my fear would have abated. But I have to walk back across it.

I talked to myself all the way. What did I say? Oh God. Take a step. Oh God. Take a step. Oh God. Take a step.

This afternoon was the time to overcome my fear of heights. I walked all the way to one side of the suspension bridge and all the way back across the same bridge. No one to hold my hand, no one to cheer me on. Just me and my fears. (Did you know suspension bridges move when people walk on them? Yikes.)

The trip was worth it. Fear conquered and just look the view from the middle of the bridge. Spectacular! Would I do it again? Absolutely!

DIY Fabric Carrots to Sew - Tutorial Tuesday

Need a quick and easy sewing project to decorate your home for spring or Easter? Make your own homemade fabric carrots!

My eyes have always been bad. Since fifth grade when I got my first pair of glasses, my prescription keeps changing for the worst. I can't see a darn thing without glasses. You'd think that at some point in my life I would have started eating carrots to help with the eyesight but I don't do carrots.

Eating carrots are a no-no for me, but sewing carrots is a yes. A nice and easy springtime project.

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

For today's fabric carrot project you will need:

• Fabric for carrots
• Green fabric for the leaves
• Fiberfill stuffing
• Rotary cutter
• Cutting ruler
• Cutting mat
• Scissors
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Hand needle
• Matching thread

Now available in my Etsy shop as a digital download with the written directions, step-by-step photos, printable templates, and link to the tutorial video. Click to find out more!

Looking for something else? 

Check out some of my other Easter sewing and crafting projects!

Otherwise, you can find the step-by-step how to tutorial for the homemade fabric carrots sewing project here:

Sunday Sew-In: How to Make a Scrap Fabric Potholder

“She replaced her phone, closed her eyes, and forced herself to begin measuring flour, sugar, and butter. For some reason mental baking usually sent her right to sleep.” 
― Roisin Meaney, Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes

I love to bake. Cookies and cakes and fancy desserts. But I can't eat any of those things anymore so no baking here. Heck, I don't even cook. Breakfast? Yogurt. Lunch? Pepperoni stick, string cheese, and three crackers. Dinner? Usually a TV dinner or pizza delivery. We've gotten very, very, very lazy. It's cold, it's windy, and there is snow on the road. These are the days we go nowhere and do nothing.

Being today was a Sew-In Sunday, and being that hubby burns potholders on the heating element of our oven, I decided it was time for a new one. A potholder, that is. (Although a new stove is going to have to be not far behind.)

For this project you will need:

• fabric strips*
• backing fabric*
• hanging loop fabric*
• cotton batting and/or Insul-Bright 
• pins and Clover Wonder Clips
• iron
• sewing machine and matching thread
• basting spray or powder
• rotary cutter, cutting mat, cutting ruler
• walking foot (optional)

*all fabrics need to be 100% cotton

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Click to get your copy of the written version of the pattern today!

The written pattern contains step-by-step how-to directions, photos, and a link to the video tutorial to make a 9" x 9" quilt-as-you-go potholder from fabric strips.  It's an instant digital download PDF pattern so you can get started on your project right away.

Looking for something else? Check out some of my other kitchen sewing and crafting projects!

I also made a zippered pouch, watched NASCAR on TV, and fed the baby kitties every three hours. A busy, not-lazy Sunday.

Beds on a Cruise Ship - Presto Chango

It's Cruise Ship Saturday! Today we're talking about bed configuration.

“It was truly an abomination of nature that one always found the most comfortable spot in the bed five minutes before one had to leave it.” 
― Mia Ryan, The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown

When was the last time you slept on the upper bunk of a bunk bed? Have you ever? If you've traveled in an Amtrak sleeper car like we did a few years back, the answer might be yes. If you've traveled on a cruise ship with more than two people in a cabin, it'll be another yes.

If you haven't cruised before you'd be surprised to find that bunk beds are standard. Traveling with another couple? You won't be booking a cabin with two queens but one with four twin beds. Adults or kids, it doesn't matter. Someone is going to have to take the top bunk.

Take a look.

You can have a queen bed ...

That can be converted into two twins...

That becomes a cabin with bunkbeds. 

I call bottom bunk. 

The Friday 15 - Oops, I Mean 95

“Having too much of anything results in chaos, confusion and clutter.” 
― Geralin Thomas, Decluttering Your Home: Tips, Techniques and Trade Secrets

Have you ever looked at your things and wondered why you had so much of a certain item? I just did.

When I first started the Friday 15 it was easy. Getting rid of 15 things every Friday? No problem. We had a significant downsizing happening a couple years back but I knew there were still things needing to head out the door. As the weeks have progressed I've had to get creative in where I looked.

• Ebay has been very helpful in getting things gone. 38 items sold in the last two months. Yay.
• Even though we don't pay for magazine subscriptions we still have things coming in the mail. AAA sends VIA, AARP sends their magazine, Princess Cruises sends theirs, and thanks to TMobile Tuesday Women's Day is now heading in the door. Read them quickly and then away they go.
• Tutorial project samples. I've been filming tutorials but usually have no need for the things I've created. Usually it's because I had already made the item long ago but needed a new one to show the step-by-step process.
• Sewing room and office junk. We technically no longer have an office but we do have a corner where we keep some things. Too many things. Like page protectors.  

Thanks to all of those places where I usually find extra stuff, today's Friday 15 is actually a Friday 95.

• Two items on eBay. (It was a slow week.)
• Five magazines.
• A cord holder. (I kept the new one made in the tutorial so the old one is going away.)
• A clipboard. Didn't need it for the other tutorial.
• And a grand total of 86 never used page protectors. (Seriously, I counted. What the heck???)

Dominica

“What i like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” ― Karl Lagerfeld

I have a list of things I've either done or want to do at different places around the world. It's broken down by country and/or island. Some places have five things I want to do. Some only have one.

Dominica is one of the places that I can pretty much check off as finished. I've snorkeled over the Champagne Reef, a place where very warm water from underground volcanic activity seeps through the floor of the ocean. The result is a warm and bubbly snorkeling experience.

I've sat on a ship docked at the container port and watched a rainbow form over the rainforest.

I sat long enough to see a double rainbow form.

But probably the most favorite thing was sitting on deck and watching local kids play soccer near the water's edge.

Make a Pot Handle Cover - Tutorial Tuesday

One last project for today. A quick and easy pothandle cover.

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Now available in my Etsy shop as a digital download with the written directions, step-by-step photos, printable template, and link to the tutorial video. Click to get it now!

Looking for more kitchen ideas? Check out my other projects!

Find the how to tutorial for the homemade fabric pot handle cover made from fabric scraps right here:

Here is the new updated pattern, also: