Thursday, January 9, 2020
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Cruising with Confidence Class Coming Soon
Boise Community Education's Winter Catalog came out today. Guess whose class - and picture from Alaska - made the front cover?
Registration is open!
Class details can be found here. I’d love to have you join me!
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
String Snowball Ornament and Winter Decor DIY Craft Project - Tutorial Tuesday
Today's project is doing double duty as a Christmas ornament and an after-Christmas and still-winter snowball decoration. We're working with string and glue so you better cover that work surface - it might get messy!
To make these you will need:
Check out the video for the step-by-step how to directions for the homemade string snowball Christmas Tree ornament craft project:
To make these you will need:
- String, twine, or yarn (I'm using cotton crochet thread.)
- White glue
- Water
- Sponge brush
- Balloons
Looking for more Christmas ornament ideas? Check out these projects!
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.
Friday, December 27, 2019
The Final Friday 15
Way back when, our daughter kept telling us not to leave a bunch of stuff for her to get rid of. (Like when we're dead and gone and she has to clean out the house.)
We listened to her. Several years ago we sold our big two-story house and moved into a small two bedroom manufactured home in a retirement community. Got rid of couches and sofas and chairs. Coffee tables and end tables and lamps. TVs and a double digit number of bookcases. Desks and printers and computers and office supplies. Teaching materials. Camping equipment and Christmas decorations. Dressers and oh-so-many clothes. And much more stuff we haven't yet missed.
We thought we had done pretty darn good. Once we were settled into this new place we had room for everything. No storage unit needed, no boxes of junk thrown in closets. It all fit just fine. But then I started looking around and realized we still had too much stuff. So these past two years I've been working on getting rid even more things.
Thus the Friday 15 was born.
Every week I made it a goal to get rid of 15 items by Friday. Between the things I took photos of and the things I didn't, over the course of two years I've gotten rid of 2,000+ things. (How is that even possible?!) The Idaho Youth Ranch Thrift Store was the recipient of most of the donations, with the garbage and recycling bins getting another chunk. I sold a slew of things on eBay and a few items even made their way into our daughter's house.
Thanks to the Friday 15 I now have empty drawers in the bathroom, empty cabinets in the kitchen, and empty shelves in the closets. It's a nice feeling. It's allowed us to live my collect moments, not things mantra.
Letting go of the stuff has lightened our loads and cleared our minds. As embarrassing as it may be to show some of my discarded stuff off to the world, I'm okay with it. The end result is so worth it. While I'll never be done-done, I'm as close as I'm going to get for a while.
If you're ready to consider downsizing your own life and want to explore more about the how and why, check out The Minimalists. Life changing.
Goodbye junk. Goodbye Friday 15. Goodbye 2019.
We listened to her. Several years ago we sold our big two-story house and moved into a small two bedroom manufactured home in a retirement community. Got rid of couches and sofas and chairs. Coffee tables and end tables and lamps. TVs and a double digit number of bookcases. Desks and printers and computers and office supplies. Teaching materials. Camping equipment and Christmas decorations. Dressers and oh-so-many clothes. And much more stuff we haven't yet missed.
We thought we had done pretty darn good. Once we were settled into this new place we had room for everything. No storage unit needed, no boxes of junk thrown in closets. It all fit just fine. But then I started looking around and realized we still had too much stuff. So these past two years I've been working on getting rid even more things.
Thus the Friday 15 was born.
Every week I made it a goal to get rid of 15 items by Friday. Between the things I took photos of and the things I didn't, over the course of two years I've gotten rid of 2,000+ things. (How is that even possible?!) The Idaho Youth Ranch Thrift Store was the recipient of most of the donations, with the garbage and recycling bins getting another chunk. I sold a slew of things on eBay and a few items even made their way into our daughter's house.
Thanks to the Friday 15 I now have empty drawers in the bathroom, empty cabinets in the kitchen, and empty shelves in the closets. It's a nice feeling. It's allowed us to live my collect moments, not things mantra.
Letting go of the stuff has lightened our loads and cleared our minds. As embarrassing as it may be to show some of my discarded stuff off to the world, I'm okay with it. The end result is so worth it. While I'll never be done-done, I'm as close as I'm going to get for a while.
If you're ready to consider downsizing your own life and want to explore more about the how and why, check out The Minimalists. Life changing.
Downsizing in 2019
Downsizing in 2018
emptied my computer trash |
Goodbye junk. Goodbye Friday 15. Goodbye 2019.
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
How to Make a Scrap Fabric Potholder - Tutorial Tuesday
Today's potholder project will help you get rid of some of those odd-shaped Christmas fabric scraps you may have floating around.
For this project you will need:
Ready for the directions? You can find the step-by-step how to tutorial for the patchwork quilted scrap fabric potholder right here:
For this project you will need:
- Fabric scraps, cotton
- 8.5" x 8.5" piece of backing fabric, cotton
- 8.5" x 8.5" piece of cotton batting
- 8.5" x 8.5" piece of Insul-Bright
- Some type of adhesive - basting spray
- Pinking shears
- Pins or Clover Wonder Clips
- Iron
- Sewing machine
- Matching thread
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting ruler
- Cutting mat
- Template downloaded from here (print 2)
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.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
How to Make a Quick & Easy Gift Card Holder - Tutorial Tuesday
Tutorial Tuesdays are back!
If you need a super-fast gift card holder, I've got you covered with today's project. I think it's probably the fastest thing I've ever made.
For this project you'll need:
If you need a super-fast gift card holder, I've got you covered with today's project. I think it's probably the fastest thing I've ever made.
For this project you'll need:
- fabric
- felt
- pinking shears
- Pins or Clover Wonder Clips
- Iron
- Sewing machine
- Matching thread
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting ruler
- Cutting mat
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.
Looking for more different card holders? Check out these projects!
Ready for the easy directions? The step-by-step how to tutorial for the quick and easy homemade gift card holder sewing project is right here:
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Free Ebook on Cruising
Want to know more about cruising? How does a free eBook sound?
Pick up your FREE copy of Cruising with Confidence today!
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Sapphire Princess Month-Long Cruise Wrap-Up
E and I talk a lot about how lucky and thankful we are that we were able to make this trip. We talk about the number of pinch-me moments we had. About the new learnings and the questions those learnings have raised. How perceptions and beliefs and a lot of misunderstandings permeate the world. While we didn’t venture into the far-reaches of the interior, by going ashore we got a taste of the culture, religion, and people.
Here are some highlights of our trip, a cruise spanning 8,260 Nautical miles. I've added some tips you may find helpful. You'll also find links to some of the past blog post in case you want more details of the specific port.
The Ship
Our first cruise ever was on the Diamond Princess, the sister ship to the Sapphire Princess. Our second cruise ever was on the Sapphire Princess. This ship is one of the reasons we fell in love with cruising and it taught us what cruising was all about. Obviously it worked out well because we flew thousands of miles to sail on her again and we would be more than happy to do it some more.
Yes, she's older now. But I'm okay with old. If you are a glass half-full kind of person the ship was great. If you are a glass half-empty person you would find things wrong with the ship.
She does have the wonderful wide Promenade deck.
She also still has mailboxes. Yay. |
Gotta love the USB charging spot in the lamps! |
Since she's been in Asia for so long not everything is just in English. |
In case you're interested in officers |
The Cabin
We started out in an inside cabin but the non-stop noise was so loud we had to do something about it. In hindsight we should have expected the big, empty space might have been some kind of machinery.
Tip: Stay away from these cabins on the Caribe Deck on the Sapphire Princess.
We were moved to an obstructed oceanview cabin and had a much more peaceful sleep.
The Food
We ate at the buffet for breakfast and lunch. We also ate at the grill and pizza out by the pool and Alfredo's as well. No complaints on any of it, other than after spending two months on the Royal Princess it's hard to go back to the old type of Princess buffet. Although I have to say the omelets here are 1000% better than those on the Royal.
Ingredients are all mixed in and eggs are light and fluffy. Yum. |
Tip: If you want to use Sterling Steakhouse as a specialty dining option, know it is not always available. Since it shares space with the back part of the buffet, it’s closed during the busy buffet times. Embarkation day, port days, and Crab Shack days are those days on the Sapphire Princess.
Pirate Drill
Yes, we had a pirate drill and no, it didn't have to do with the Suez Canal. It's all about the High Risk Area (HRA). Click here to find out all about the drill.
The ports on this cruise were the big draw for us. To be able to start in Civitavecchia, Italy gave us a chance to redeem ourselves. Actually, more for me to redeem myself as the family travel planner. I did a better job of booking flights that were manageable for E, and staying near the port for a couple days of rest before the cruise gave him time to recoup. It left him much better equipped to handle the rest of the trip. We stayed at the Borgo del Mare just outside of town. It was quiet and their restaurant was just 13 steps from our room. We'd definitely stay there again.
Homemade pizza in Italy? You betcha. |
Naples, Italy was the first of the ports we'd never been to before. We took a ship tour in the afternoon. Now that we know how close the ship docks to the city we'll do our own thing next time.
Tip: It's a short walk out of port to get to whatever you might need.
We were supposed to be in Messina, Sicily but the port wound up being closed because of bad weather. Still having to navigate the Strait of Messina, we saw 70 knot winds that kept us rocking and rolling throughout the unplanned sea day. On the log of the cruise it said we had Force 11 winds. According to the Beaufort Wind Scale, seas are 37-52 feet high with those kinds of winds. No wonder we were being bumped around so much! It also explains why I saw waves crashing over the windows on Deck 5 and why we had things wind up on the floor.
By skipping the port of Messina we got to pick up Santorini, Greece instead. It was still stormy and the tender ride was rough. (Thankfully E stayed behind.) The tenders were bouncing up and down against the dock and it required some big Greek men to lift many of us out of (and put us back into) the tender. Most dangerous tender docking situation I've encountered.
Blue roofs but no blue sky. |
Rhodes, Greece was another rainy island. It was beautiful but our guide took us to an additional shopping "opportunity" and prolonged the tour longer than was expected. As we weren't shoppers it didn't work out so well for us. But it was a beautiful island and I still took lots of photos.
Tip: If your Princess tour goes to a gold shop and you need to use the restroom, head there first before looking around. Once in the store's door, take a right, then a left, and go quickly past the museum-y section. The restrooms are on your right.
Gorgeous colors despite the rain |
Tip: Be prepared for a very full day of seeing interesting things on both sides of the canal.
We were heading southbound so Africa is on the right and Asia is on the left. |
Tip: If you plan on going to Petra like most passengers did, be prepared for weather changes. While the temperature was comfortable at the ship, it was mighty cool in Petra.
Abu Dhabi was so beautiful and new and shiny and was where we did our first Hop on Hop off tour.
Tip: If you want to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the only one that non-Muslims can enter, go first thing in the day. By the time our bus made it there the place was crazy-busy.
Dubai is where we had our second Hop on Hop off tour. A HOHO shuttle picked us up at the port and dropped us off at the Dubai mall so we could start one of the routes. It has three routes and I'll tell ya, it would be practically impossible to make it around all three of them unless you left on the first HOHO out and never stopped anywhere. Dubai was beautiful and worth a multi-day trip.
Tip: It's easy to take advantage of the Princess Shore Excursion Price Guarantee for Hop on Hop off tours. You'll receive 110% of the difference between what you pay to Princess and the bus company's (always) lower online price. For Dubai we each received $20.63 back in onboard credit because of the difference.
Burj Al Arab |
Muscat, Oman was another Hop on Hop off tour. It was limited to one loop and dropped off at the end in the city if you wanted to stay longer. There was a shuttle that would take you back to port. Muscat was the cleanest and most conservative of our ports. Even the tour bus drivers were dressed traditionally.
Colombo, Sri Lanka was the port we were cautioned not to expect too much from. We took a city tour were pleasantly surprised. We saw oh-so-much and oh-so-many people from oh-so-many walks of life.
Port Kelang (for Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia
We had a tour scheduled for this last port but I had to face the whole hindsight is 20/20 thing. A long tour with a long bus ride in a hot port really didn't make sense on the day before two long days of travel. We skipped the tour and I learned a lesson.
Tip: There are ample shopping opportunities in the port terminal if you don't want to venture too far in the heat.
Oh yeah, and a long walk to even get to the terminal building. |
As much as I would have loved to spend a couple extra days in Singapore I had jury duty calling my name. We spent the day at the airport as we waited for our multiple flights home.
Tip: If you have time to kill at the airport, make your way to Jewel, the mall complex connected to the terminals. You'll find food and shopping, but the most amazing part of the space is the tallest indoor waterfall in the world. The thing is huge at 130 feet.
Neptune Pool, midship by Movies Under the Stars |
Here's what I can tell you about this itinerary...This cruise with these unique ports is the by far the best way to increase your knowledge base about the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East. TV (and cable news) does it no justice. It’s far different than what you see in person.
Tip: Go with an open mind.
Other Things
Time Changes. We moved the clock forward eight times in the past month for a total of seven (7!) hours lost.
Tip: For those thinking of this itinerary, consider doing it in reverse so you gain seven hours instead.
Tip: For those thinking of this itinerary, consider doing it in reverse so you gain seven hours instead.
Tip: Be available for your cabin steward when requested. There are certain days and times he either needs to return (or pick up) your passports. You'll need to sign off that you have them in your possession.
Sick People. If you cruise long-term you run into lots of sick people. On seven day cruises folks might get sick a few days in but then they go home and you don't know about it. But with this longer cruise, you're with the passengers for a whole month. You see them starting to get sick (meaning they start sneezing all over everything), get really sick (meaning they cough all over everything), and then get you sick. It's inevitable.
Tip: Keep anti-bacterial hand cleaner with you at all times. I do think using it after every single thing I touched helped me stave off the illnesses as long as I did.
Passenger Make Up. It seems most of the passengers were in their mid-60s, adventurous, and kind, polite, friendly, and relaxed. And (bonus!) super-easy going in the elevators. We did have a handful of kids onboard and for the most part they weren't unruly.
Would we do it again? YES. And no. Have you ever had an experience so great you don't want to do it again because you're afraid next time it won't be so perfect? This cruise has been like that for us. We want to preserve the amazing experience. Since I’ve documented it online I’ll be able to look back in my old age and see this was one of the best cruises the best cruise EVER.
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