Job Progress!

A friend helped me get an interview with her company. I would be doing reception and a little bit of telemarketing for the insurance company. $9/hr and 12-15 hours a week in the evenings. It could lead to part time so its worth a shot! I interview with them on Wednesday. This also allows me to keep my current job during the day which between the two should hopefully give me about 30 hours a week. Not my dream, but its a big step in the right direction!

So the first 2 goals will be to get my desktop fixed and go to the eye doctor! Plus pay off some of the smaller bills hanging over my head.

Everyone be my cheerleader this week!

As for today, we're heading to the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri. Its a wonderful place that is free and open to the public. You can learn all about birds and how they're being saved and returned back into the wild by loving volunteers. If you live in the St. Louis area, its a MUST see.
http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/

I'll hopefully have some photos to post later! And hopefully these clouds move on and the sun comes out. The high today is 61, but right now its still pretty chilly.

The Return of Life Inside The Internet!

Yes lovely friends, I'm back again!

This blog is taking on a new form and a new purpose.

Over the past few months I have been on a very crazy journey. I became very ill the beginning of summer and a relationship I thought was rock solid fell apart. After several ER visits, moving home and finding a new job I underwent gallbladder removal surgery. Post surgery to now I have lost 50 pounds. I still am struggling financially, big time, but I do my best to not let it hinder my motivation and determination.

I still craft and I do my best to cook. Sadly, while at home, cooking is less and less of a hobby for me. This is a hobby I greatly miss.

I closed my craft business in December of 2012. My focus is on myself, my health, and looking for a career.

I decided to revive this blog as a sort of journey blog. I wouldn't call it inspirational or "life changing". This is just a blog for people who maybe are living a life like mine. Maybe they're down on their luck, too. Or maybe they just wonder "how does she do it!?"

Ok, so what will I be posting?

Recipes and crafty ideas are still a foundation of this blog. You will also see photos from adventures around my beloved home of St. Louis, updates on my search for a career, and various thrifty adventures as I try to save money but still make the most of groceries and sales. Eventually, hopefully, you will see my adventures in apartment hunting and ownership and possibly even a few posts on "Ducky buys a new car".

But for now, my beloved readers, lets take this one day and one post at a time. Lets all make the most of what's around us in our lives and live just a little bit more.

So where am I beginning from?

• Well, I am Ducky.
• I am 28 years old. 
• I live with my mother and step father in Saint Louis, Missouri.
• I currently work for a restaurant chain, working few hours and for very little pay. But hey, something is better than nothing these days.
• I have an excessive amount of medical and financial debt.
• I am still battling GI issues and take regular medication. I also see a doctor every 3 months.
• My wonderful boyfriend lives 100 miles away as he finishes school.
• I currently weigh 180lbs. At my heaviest I was almost 230lbs.
• I have a chemical imbalance in my brain causing depression and anxiety issues. I go to therapy 1-3 times a month depending on my needs.

Now that you see my baseline all of you will hopefully see these things improve as time goes on.
Step one being a better job; a career!

So wish my luck my wonderful readers. It will not be easy! But lets do this, together.

Tomorrow is always a new chance to try.

Painted Button Photo Frame

I was looking for a way to present payment options at craft fairs. It needed to be something that draws the eye to it. I found this crafting idea while digging through some pins on Pintrest and figured I'd give it a try!
Pardon the paper on the inside being printed a bit lopsided. Our printer is having alignment issues lately.

Tuna and Cheddar Stuffed Pockets

A quick and very easy lunch time treat!

I make these quite often and they always turn out great. Plus they're snack friendly or kid friendly.

There are also many variations on the recipe, which I will mention towards the end.

Honey Sesame Chicken - Six Sister Stuff Recipe

My latest goal is to master crock pot recipes. Tonight was my first real adventure so I picked a recipe that was simple and sounded fantastic!

The recipe itself is clear and easy to follow. We decided to omit the sesame seeds because I have dental issues.

Here is the recipe from their page:

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
Recipe adapted from: Baby Center

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs would be fine too)
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - doesn't really add heat, just adds more flavor)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

Directions:
Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.


*You can also sprinkle more red pepper flakes on top if you want more heat.

Here is a photo of my result:

I added some steamed veggies to complete the meal!

"But how is it?"
Fantastic! The chicken is tender and sweet and the flavor is just amazing. This is a recipe that is going in the favorites pile!

Please follow their blog for more recipes and fantastic things!
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com

Mason Jar Soap/Lotion Pumps - How To

Repurposing mason jars is a great and popular eco-friendly idea right now. I had a whole box full of them just sitting in my basement, so I decided to put them to use!

Here is my very easy How-To on making Soap/Lotion dispensers from recycled mason jars.

What you will need:

• Mason Jars with lids
• Soap pump with tube. I get mine from my local hardware store
• Hot Glue
• Craft Glue
• Acrylic Sealer (make sure it is waterproof)
• Paint and Embellishments as needed
• Drill or large metal punch

Make sure your mason jars are clean and dry.

Use the drill or metal punch to create a hole in the center of the metal disk in the lid. It should only be big enough to fit the pump through. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to fit the pump.

Paint your disk any color you see fitting. I recommend either spray paint or craft paints. You may need several coats. I leave these overnight to dry completely.

Then take the jars OUTSIDE to spray them according to the Acrylic sealer's directions. Leave these to dry for time stated on the can.

Glue the edges of the metal disk to the metal ring from the inside.
This prevents the twisting motion of taking the lid on and off from rubbing off and destroying the paint. Please use a limited amount of glue. Only enough to adhere the lid to the disk. The lid will still screw on and off normally. DO NOT screw on the lid until the glue is dry, otherwise you risk gluing the lid to the jar itself.



Insert the pump into the hole. I recommend using a little bit of glue to attach the pump to the top part of the jar, creating a seal.
Next flip the jar lid and pump upside down and use the hot glue gun to completely glue the pump in place. I use a lot of hot glue to ensure the pump is sealed and that any metal edges around the hole are covered. Since the pump will have a large amount of pressure on it when used, it is important to make sure it is secured.

Add your embellishments and decorations as you see fit!

I usually leave all the glues to dry for about 24 hours, just to make sure everything is dry and set. After this time you can screw the lid onto the jar itself!

From painting to gluing and the finished product each jar takes around 3 days for me to make.