Hockey Door Signs

When my boys have out of town hockey tournaments, we like to decorate the doors at the hotel rooms so the players can find each other.  This is one I  made this last year using the Cricut.  I found glitter and silver paper at Walmart.  Each kid had their own picture taken while playing in a previous game.  The cartridge used was Sports Mania.  For the skate laces I used shoelaces.  I bought the longest ones and cut them in half so each package could be used for 4 skates.

Antique Singer Sewing Machine Base Made into an Outdoor Table

 These singer bases were sitting at the family farm so we thought they would make study and durable bases for an outdoor table.  We bought some cedar boards and screwed them together with  2 x 6s. We finished the bases by sanding with steel wool and covering  with black outdoor spray paint. We then attached the top to the bases.  We sanded and varnished the tops.   We ended up sawing off the wheels of the bases to lower the total height of the table to accommodate our outdoor chairs.

Tractor Seat Stool

We wanted some extra seating on our patio.  We took this old tractor seat and bolted it to a stump.  It is quite comfortable and even has a little bounce to it.

Refurbished Antique Maytag Washer

We had an old Maytag washer with ringer and thought it would work good as a cooler.  My husband removed the ringer portion (sat on top)  and took out the motor.    We still have to set up the drain to let out the melted ice.  For now we use a Styrofoam container to put the ice in, but when it is complete we will put it directly in the box. 

Making Plum Wine

My sister- in- law graciously let me pick some of the wild plums they had growing in their yard.  I have made wine before but only from a box and really wanted to try making if from fresh fruit. My one other attempt at wind from a can a blackberries ended in disaster when the glass carboy fell off a table and broke, leaving a glass shard filled sticky mess! This time I opted for a plastic carboy! I found a recipe online but ended up having to change it a bit. This is what I did.





Makes Three gallons


Ingredients




9 pounds pitted plum

1 1/2 gallons water

6 pounds sugar

11/2 teaspoon acid blend (I used 1/2 tsp due to my wild plums being acidic)

11/2 teaspoon pectic enzyme

3/8 tsp wine tannin

3 teaspoon nutrient

3 Campden tablets, crushed (I ended up not using)

1 package wine yeast

1. First I washed the plums. I had a hard time figuring out the best way to pit them. Because they are so small I thought it was going to take forever to cut the seeds out. What I ended up doing was squeezing them until the pit popped out. I then placed the pits in a bowl with a little bit of water. This way I could wash the seeds to use the pulp that was attached to the seed. What was left of the plum I put in the nylon straining bag, skin and all.

2. Once I had the bags full, (I ended up using two of them) I tied off the tops and placed them in a 3 gallon food grade bucket.(Primary fermentor) I then added the water.










3. Because I did not have any Potassium Metabisulphite on hand. (thought I did and was really worried about what do to next. I consulted a wine making supply store and they said that as long as I put the yeast in right away, (and my yeast is stronger and does not let any other yeasts in the fruit take over) I should be fine. ) Normally I would have added either 3 campden tablets or equivalent Potassium or sodium metabisulphite to kill any existing foreign yeasts before adding my yeast 24 hours later.

4. So along with the yeast, I added the pectic enzyme, tannin and the yeast nutrient. Because wild plums are already acidic, I decided to add less acid blend then my recipe called for, so I added 1/2 tsp. (found this out by researching the Internet.)


5. I then mixed it all together and used a spoon to mash the plums that were in the bags to extract as much juice from them as I could.


6. I did this every few day, mashing and stirring and then recovering the bucket.


7. After 6 days, I was ready to transfer the wine to a secondary fermentor. This is when I used the 3 gallon plastic one. I was told that I could have used a 5 gallon one as well, but it is best to use one that will allow for the least amount of air space to prevent other bacteria or yeast from growing. As the juice ferments, the oxygen turns to carbon dioxide and takes up that space. So I siphoned the juice out and into the 3 gallon carboy. I put in the plastic plug and added the air lock, (lets out the O2). The juice actually smelled and tasted pretty good. I was told if it smelled like vinegar, then a foreign yeast would have taken over and I would either have to turn it into cooking vinegar or throw it out. I was happy to see that it smelled and tasted like the beginnings of a good wine.

I will update when I get to the next step!

Las Vegas Trip Report Spring 2014

Just got back from Las Vegas with a great bunch of friends. We had a fantastic time and I want to record and share our experience so that others can benefit from it. We got a really great deal on tickets! I got mine directly from Delta.com and just happened to be looking on a Tuesday. From MSP to Las Vegas they were only $199 round trip! I had a BOGO voucher so for my friend and I that made them $100 each. I also discovered that at the time, they give you an upgrade price for first class. I do not think it is always this low but the offer was $59 each way. I thought, what a great way to surprise my friend so I went for it! I only did it one way and later went back to see if I could add the other direction and the price was then over $400. Bummer! So it always pays to at least look when booking a ticket!

Day 1
I had rented a car from Avis before we left. I like using this company because you can return the car at the hotel (partners with Mlife hotels (www.mlife.com) (From the Mlife website click on Avis to get the promotion code.) We only rented it for one day and that way we saved on paying for additional transportation from the airport to the hotel. I usually get a really good rate, but this time waited too long and the ONLY type of vehicle to rent that was less then $100 was a convertible. (It was listed at $64 prepay before fees for a 24 hour rental). I knew we wanted to get off the strip for the day since we were going to be there very early in the morning so I booked it anyways. When we got to the Avis desk, we found out they were sold out of convertibles! We were pretty disappointed and I was really unsure how that could happen when we had prepaid. They did offer us a higher class car, but to us that did not seem like a fair deal since we really wanted something that we could take the top off. After some searching they did offer us a jeep that had a soft top. After making sure that it was not too huge a vehicle for me to drive (they also offered us a larger 4 door that looked like a tanker and I am sure I would never have been able to see over the dashboard ) we started asking about how to take the top off. We, along with a maintenance guy tried for an hour to figure it out. The Avis guy ended up cutting a strap to try to secure the top down (the other side strap was already broken) and used bungee cords to secure it in place. Overall they were very great about the whole thing, even allowing us to NOT be required to put the top back on when we returned it (would have been impossible anyways) and gave us free gas and an extra hour in the morning if we needed it, all because of the inconvenience.

It ended up being perfect for us to use because we after checking into the hotel we headed up to Mount Charleston. I love the fact that Monte Carlo is SO close to the airport…..3.8 miles to be exact! And if you ever take a cab, always tell them to take Paradise road. You are only on the strip for a block and a half so even if it is busy it seems to take less time then the freeway. On the way to the mountain we made a stop at In and Out Burger which is a great treat since we don’t have one back at home. Their fries are the best! We then headed up to Mount Charleston which is about 45 minutes away. Down at the strip it was about 80 degrees that day and in the Mountains it was only 60degrees F! With the top permanently down….we had to Crank the heat up to stay warm!! We hiked and visited a resort. The views of the desert were great too.! Driving back to the strip was not easy because of the high winds, the speeds people go on the freeway and the top being down in a box-like vehicle…but we made it back to the hotel safely (even thought my hands felt like they were permanently formed in the gripped position because of my death grip on the steering wheel to keep the jeep in my lane!

That night we used Myvegas http://www.myvegas.com rewards to see Men of the Strip. (Special showing as part of a reality show. ) What can I say….we had no idea what to expect and it was actually really fun because of the atmosphere. It was in a bar with tables and you could dance or visit. Much different from Thunder from Down Under where you just sit in a chair the whole time. The host was a bit annoying however, seeming to want to relive his past way too much and singing songs from his old “boy Band” very much off key. The show itself was entertaining and very high energy. Enough said…

After that we met up with some more friends that had just gotten in. We headed up to the Foundation room, another Myvegas reward. We actually felt pretty special going up there, like true socialites! The view was amazing and it was just a great place to hang out and talk and listen to music.
Whew! That was a lot in one day

View from Foundation Room
Day 2
Since I still had the car for the morning, I was able to pick up some other friends from the airport. Again so nice to be close! (Right on Las Vegas Blvd, Left on Tropicana and right on Paradise and you are there!)
That day we ate at the Pub in Monte Carlo. When we had booked the room, we had gotten a great deal through Facebook (Monte Carlo) under Society 96. I am not even sure what that means but we got great rates and $75 food credit that could be used over the two days. Before leaving for Vegas I had found tickets to Jeff Civillco (www.jeffcivillico.com) on ebay and got them for $7 a piece. On the ticket it said additional tickets could be bought for $10 a piece. This was a great deal for all of us and so we walked to The Quad for the 4 pm show. It was an entertaining show and we sat right up front. Not sure how he balances a full size ladder on his chin but he does!

Walking towards the Quad, we discovered a new area that was not yet open when I was there in November. It is a boulevard with restaurants and a new hotel called The Linq. At the end is the new High Roller which is the highest observation wheel in the world at 550 feet. We were interested in how much it cost so we asked and we told it was FREE this day only as they were testing their systems. What great luck! Normal prices were $25-$35. We decided to see the show first and then came back to ride it closer to sunset. Each pod fits around 40 people and it is very comfortable. I do not like heights and I get motion sick but you could not even feel that you were moving. It was very neat and I would actually pay to go on it again.

On the way back from the ride, we stopped at Planet Hollywood to redeem a groupon. I had found a deal that if you open up a new account you get $10 off your first order. We got the 2 Yard Size drinks at Fresh Grill in the mall part of the hotel, so each drink came to $5.50 and was enough for all 6 of us to share!

For dinner that night we went to Nine Fine Irishman at NYNY. We all redeemed myvegas rewards so knocked $80 off our bill. The food was excellent, especially the house salad (who would have thought!) and the Pot pie!! The atmosphere was great too with new outdoor seating.

That night too we wanted to go dancing, so earlier I called the concierge to get on a “list” I am not sure if this always works but it had in the past. They said they got us on the list for Hakkasan at MGM! Yea I was excited because I had always wanted to go there. Well…..we got there and stood in line and found out we were NOT on the list. Luckily the concierge person I had talked to gave me the host’s names so after talking with him, and pleading…he let us in! FUN and crowded place to be!

Day 3
By now in the trip we have really spent NO money on Food, $2 each on drinks, and $7 to $10 on Entertainment, thanks to myvegas game, groupon and ebay! We used myvegas reward to eat at the Monte Carlo buffet for breakfast. The food was pretty good and there was a lot of variety. Later we hung out at the Monte Carlo pool and soaked in the sun and used the lazy river. It was windy but warm in the sun and a LOT better then the weather in MN.

Later in the day, we ate at the Aria buffet again using myvegas rewards. This also was a good buffet with a lot of variety of dishes to try. Earlier in the day, I had to check out of my room and into another one because of booking under a different promotion code. The first two days were under a mlife promotion and the last two under the Society 96. At the desk I asked if I could upgrade to the Hotel 32. I did not expect to get it for free but was willing to pay because it was well worth it to me having been there before and especially being with a group of people. Because it was now a Monday they had a loft for me and at a reasonable price! I could not pass this up! The room is 1400 square feet, has an awesome coffee maker, a lounge with appetizers in the evening and light breakfast in the morning. Yea! So that evening all 8 of us could hang out in our room comfortably, eat a little and get ready for the show.

We all got free or discounted tickets to Zarkana at the Aria with myvegas. It was a great show with lots of acrobatics and skill demonstrated by the actors. This is the third Cirque show I have seen and it was my favorite, followed by Beatles Love and KA.

That night I had also preplanned a Limo to pick us up and take us to the Las Vegas sign and then to downtown. This is really a great way to go downtown with a group of people as we found out when we took cabs back to the strip later in the evening. The limo was only about $30 more because the most a cab fit is 4 people. (so you would need two). Also , a cab in the earlier evening would cost more because you would get there slower due to traffic. The limo we paid for 1 hour so we were able to make other stops. We learned how to play Craps downtown too at the California and we all came out winners!

Day 4
Today we ate an early lunch one more time at the Pub to use up more of our $75 credit. We then walked around the strip to site-see. We all hung out it Hotel 32 for a while and then went out to eat. In the evening, we went back to Nine Fine Irishman to eat again because some in the group really wanted the pot pie again it was so good, and I had the house salad again, yum! I had a delicious Guinness too and asked for some sweet syrup to lessen the bitterness. Best beer all weekend! Some of us then went to the Piano Bar for dancing at NYNY, and the cover was only $5 to dance!

Day 5
Because we had booked a loft at Hotel 32, it included a limo ride back to the airport. What a great deal!! Overall awesome and memorable vacation with great friends! There are so many fun things to do in Las Vegas besides gamble. Cannot wait to go back! Before I had left for vacation I also used Social Rewards with the Total Rewards Program and had accumulated $60 in comps. I did not even get a chance to use them! So I will have to go back! We also plan to keep playing myvegas to earn even more comps. It leaves room to spend money on other things we would not normally be able to do! Overall I saved over $350 and as a group saved much much more!

Las Vegas trip Report Spring 2014 (myvegas rewards only)

Las Vegas April 2014! 

We had a great time with a group of friends that go back to our high school and collage days.  We all started playing myvegas before the trip some much longer then others, so that we could enjoy the rewards together. Here are some of our experiences:

 We used Myvegas  www.myvegas.com rewards to see  Men of the Strip. (Special showing as part of a reality show. )   What can I say....we had no idea what to expect and it was actually really fun because of the atmosphere.  It was in a bar with tables and you could dance or visit. Much different from Thunder from Down Under where you just sit in a chair the whole time.  The show itself was entertaining and very high energy.  It was such a great reward because it is something we never would have known about without seeing it as a reward from myvegas.  I had always hoped that something unique and special would become available on one of the days we planned to be in Las Vegas, and we got really lucky.  I had saved LP for just before our  trip in case this were to happen.

After that we met up with some more friends that had just gotten in.  We all headed up to the Foundation room, another Myvegas reward.  We actually felt pretty special going up there, like true socialites!  The view was amazing and it was just a great place to hang out and talk and listen to music.  Again this is something we never would have done or known about without having the reward to redeem.

                                                             View from Foundation Room

 For dinner the next night we went to Nine Fine Irishman at  NYNY.  We all redeemed myvegas rewards (some of us for the buy one meal get one free and some for the $25 food credit.) The food was excellent, especially the house salad  (who would have thought!)  and the Pot pie!!  The atmosphere was great too with new outdoor seating.

Day 3
We used myvegas reward to eat at the Monte Carlo buffet for breakfast.  The food was good and there was a lot of variety. It was nice because our plans changed and we were able to return a different reward and redeem the one we wanted right on the spot.  We just headed to the MLIFE desk which took just a few minutes and then right to the buffet.

  Later in the day, we ate at the Aria lunch buffet again using myvegas rewards. Some of us had engough points for free lunch and some for the buy one get one free offer.  This also was a good buffet with a lot of variety of dishes to try.

We all got free or discounted tickets to Zarkana at the Aria with myvegas.   It was a great show with lots of acrobatics and skill demonstrated by the actors.

  Playing Myvegas allowed us to save money on food and entertainment and at the same time allow us to splurge on other things such as a limo ride and a room upgrade!

     Loft at Hotel 32

                                         Limo Ride to Las Vegas sign

What a great vacation!   As soon as we all got home we started playing again to save up for next year!  We have  several other  friends that have been playing and will be joining us as well. It is crazy how the game was such a part of our vacation, from helping us decide where to eat, what shows to see, to being a topic of discussion of strategy over a beer.  A few of us were even playing it while on vacation!  It leaves room to spend money on other things we would not normally be able to do!  Overall I saved over $350 and as a group saved much much more!   Thanks Myvegas!