Repurposed Magic

My mom traveled back for a visit a few months ago, bringing with her a delicious treat from New Zealand -- Pavlova Magic. It's a powdered mix in an egg-shaped container. You whip it up, bake it, and enjoy! This stuff is meringue extraordinaire! Crispy like baked meringue on the outside, soft and spongy like angel food cake on the inside.

If you really want to taste one, you can. You can buy one on Amazon, but it will cost you a hefty $24 once you pay for shipping! Not exactly a bargain for those of us... Up Over? What is the opposite of "Down Under," anyway?





Regardless, what we discovered is that once you've enjoyed your Magic, you can re-use it! With a wooden ring (too big to be a choking hazard) secured inside, it can take on a new life as a baby toy.

I can't be sure, but I think he has dreams of being a quarterback...

Thanks for the Pavlova and the idea, Mom!

By the way, I am told by my New Zealand contacts that the Pavlova originated in New Zealand. Apparently Australia has some delusions about taking credit for it...

Homemade Dryer Balls

When my dryer balls bit the dust after a year of use, I decided to find something different.

(Plastic) + ($14 for 1 year of use) = (Time for a change)

And while I was at it, a more natural solution seemed like a good idea.



I found a quick and easy tutorial here. I was able to make four decent-sized dryer balls out of one skein of Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool, so it was about $5 or $6 at JoAnn's after a coupon. I'm guessing they'll last longer than the plastic balls, too.

How well do they work? That's kind of hard to evaluate, but I know it doesn't hurt to have them in there! They do seem to cut down on drying time and static cling. My dryer is super slow, so any help is appreciated.



I'm just glad I remembered to snap a picture before I started using them -- they do tend to pill!

For a Friend

Botanicals on the outside, a bit of Pride and Prejudice on the inside, and plenty of space for thoughts and dreams.

Dressing Up the 'Fridge

I am not fond of personal injury lawyers.

That's probably not how you expected this post to begin, but I assure you that it is relevant. And as a caveat, I have nothing personal against personal injury lawyers, and I'm sure there are some that are honest and scrupulous. It is their effect on healthcare that I am not so keen on.

"But before I am run away by my feelings on this subject,"* I should get back to the point.



For not being overly fond of personal injury lawyers, I had a remarkable number of their magnets on my refrigerator. You know, the kind you peel off of the (also remarkably numerous) phonebooks you get every few months? Does "sticky residue" ring any bells? Yes, those magnets! I'm so cheap that I can't bear to buy fancy decorative magnets.

So with the help of some scrapbook papers, a sticker or two, and some photo squares, I obscured those unsightly ads once and for all. It was super-cheap and super-easy, leaving me wondering why I didn't do it sooner.

My 'fridge would thank me if it could.



*Many thanks to Mr. Collins from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice

And the Living is Easy

Over the weekend we made the rather long trek to the beach, since it's been about two years since we've enjoyed the gorgeous waters of the Gulf Coast. We're just not beach people. But I've been hankering to get my feet wet for a while, and Pablo was kind enough to oblige me!

It was also Little Man's first time in real water (since his baths in our bathroom sink don't really count).

He wasn't too sure about the whole water thing -- but he sure looked smashing in his shark swim trunks and sleek shades. They showed off his rolls of chub to perfection. Oh, the chub!

Summertime is in full swing here in Florida, and the living is easy (in the shade).

Although there's nothing easy about getting the sand out of baby rolls as deep as the Grand Canyon. Believe me.