Mariannes Motifs

Today's Post Brought to You by Pyrex

So my scheme today is that I bought a vintage Pyrex bowl during my thrift shopping, and have listed it on eBay.  Apparently 60's and 70's Pyrex is getting to be a hot collectible.   Let's hope we get some bidders - I started it at .99 cents and it has pretty low shipping so I am sure it will sell to someone.  I always prefer to start my eBay auctions low with now reserve and decent shipping.  I want the stuff to sell!  I like to also offer a "Buy it Now" option with a price I would be very happy to get.  That way if someone doesn't like the uncertainty of the bidding process they can do the Buy it Now.  Others looking for a low price plus shipping (Which is the way I like to search eBay) will be happy about the cheap first bid.  Once you get that first bid things are just a lot better, right?

Vintage Pyrex Crazy Daisy / Spring Blossom Mixing Bowl

Made $1.62 on Squidoo

I would just like to report that my Squidoo page Coolest Knitting Patterns using just squares and rectangles just made me $1.62 in revenues.  Add this to the $14 and change I made from my Amazon affiliate sales  (See search Amazon box to your right if you are in the mood to shop and I get a 4% commission) and I am just rolling in the dough.  Rolling, I tell you.

Actually if you are a knitter wanting to know about super easy patterns made with squares and rectangles the page is a great collection of free and cheap patters.  Some are very simple, like the knitted kitty and bunny.  Other's are more complex modular knitting.  If I do say so myself the page is a great collection, and loom knitters really love it as it is a bit more tricky to increase and decrease on the looms as compared to needle knitting so loom knitters really like squares and rectangles.

Spin Gym - new verson of "buzzer" or "button on a string" toy

Is it me or does this thing look like those old fashioned toys with the wood spinning wheel?  The "button on a string?" or native American buzzsaw.

Forbes Riley does do some great infomercials though.

Click here for the Spin Gym, if you insist.

Cute Alert - Mini Keurig One Cup Brewer

Is this not the most perfect thing for a college student, studio apartment, or to keep on your desk at work? 

I have the Keurig B60 singe cup coffee brewer and I just love it.  It boils water so fast for tea, and the coffee K-Cups come in a huge variety of super yummy coffee that never goes stale.  They also have hot cocoa K-Cups.

When I get my next job I think this would be the cutest addition to your cube at work.  Never settle for crappy office coffee again!

Cell Phone Shopping

When my contract with Sprint is up, I am considering whether to get an iPhone, or a new Blackberry.  A lot of it will depend on who my next job is with.  If they support ActiveSync or if the Notes iPhone connectivity comes out, I will go with an iPhone.   If not, a Blackberry, perhaps the Blackberry Bold might be in order.

I like the applications available for the iPhone - they really give it great exstesibility and a major fun factor.  And I am a sucker for cool gadgets.  Plus, my Dad has one and really, can I be out-cooled by my pops?  Apparently so.

I saw that Bestincellphones is having a free cell phone sale and on their Sprint page they have a Blackberry Curve as one of the choices.  If I had a Curve I could use it with Typepad for blogging from the phone as they have an application for that but it does not work on my model of Blackberry.

I wish they had the Blackberry Bold in their list of free Sprint phones. 

I sure hope things pick up in the job market next week.  The kids are predictably driving me crazy!  I took them to the library today and I was going to take them to the inflatable place, but they were fighting and I decided not to reward bad behavior.  So they stayed home and watched videos they checked out from the library.

Freelancing

I've written 9 articles for textbroker clients so far and I am really enjoying the challenge.  I am eagerly awaiting having the articles rated by textbroker.   They have different levels of ratings for their writers, and the higher your rating the better you are paid for each assignment.  I started as a three and I see that they do have a number of assignments at level 4 but I have not seen any listed yet at level 5, which I understand is difficult to attain.

Looking up textbroker tips, I found a very interesting blog written by a newly minted freelance writer.  She seems to give a lot of great advice on starting out in freelancing, particularly using Internet tools.  It's called Adventures in Freelancing.

Holiday Gift Idea - Coolest thing edition.

I have found the most awesome idea for a holiday gift this year - TOCS Watches

Featured as one of Oprah's O List, holiday edition, the TOCS watch line features bold colors, glitzy designs, and best of all some of their models feature solar power with a battery backup that never needs winding or replacing.

They remind me of today's version of the Swatch watch when that brand was the newest and biggest thing when I was in high school.  My favorite is the Ani-Digi Solar Alarm Chrono model.  I think it looks so sharp and I love the solar aspect.  Very eco-cool.  They come in a number of cool colors - I even saw a transparent one.

Here is some info from tocswatches.com on this solar model:

Powered by the sun (or indoor lighting), this watch features a lifetime battery back up system. This is a watch that never needs winding. Quickly tell time using either analog or digital displays. Also features a Reminder Alarm plus Digital Chronograph stop watch and Dual Time Zone.

The hottest model they have selling right now is called the glitz.  It has very cool stylized numbers on the dial - the 8 is the biggest number and has sparkle.  Here is a picture of the analog round glitz model.  As you can see it would be a very hip Hanukkah gift.  Purchase TOCS online.  They range between $45 and $60.

 

Zales coupon code

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for your girlfriend, wife, or mother?  Really, there's no better gift than jewelery.  It fits, it lasts, and just about everyone likes to have a beautiful piece of shiny goodness to wear.  One of my favorite memories is of my 30th birthday when Jin bought me a diamond tennis bracelet.  When I came in the kitchen there was a teddy bear on the table with a single rose and on the Teddy Bear's wrist was a gold and diamond tennis bracelet.  That totally took away any bad feelings I might have had about turning the big 3-0.

Ok, so if I have sold you on the idea of jewellry for the holidays now you need a deal.  Here is a Zales coupon code.  Use code ZALESWELCOME for $50 Discount on Orders of $200+ & Free Shipping.   Also check out savings.com for lots more coupon codes.

Here's a gift idea for some very pretty sparky diamond earrings any woman would love.  And with the $50 off and free shipping its a good deal too.  I like these because they are classic, but there are a lot of other choices like black diamonds, ones with square cuts, etc.
 

3/8 CT. T.W. Diamond Solitaire Stud Earrings in 14K White Gold

ITEM #: 17498130

$229.99

Free Books & Starbucks card for writing reviews

Check out this website - its called ReaderSpoils.com.  The idea is that they charge authors of self published books or new books $15 per review.  For readers, the author provides the book (usually downloadable ebook) free of charge and ReaderSpoils gives the reviewer a Starbucks giftcard.

This is a pretty clever business model - I wish them success.  Who knows, I may even try it out.

I signed up for textbroker.com earlier this morning.  They are a website that brokers between people needing copywriting, and writers for hire.  I hope I get accepted for that. 

I also went to the library this afternoon and checked out a bunch of books - Job Hunting for Dummies being one of them.  :-)

Georgia Unemployment Information

Rather than mope around I am going to jump right into the fray and start taking care of business.  I have my own advice page What to do if you are laid off of course but its been a while for me since I have been in this position.

First I am looking up how to apply for unemployment in Georgia.   Here is the list of GA unemployment offices which they call  GDOL Career Centers.  Once you file you can Certify for Benefits over the Internet.

As soon as I get that taken care of I will start working on the resume and get it posted up on Monster.com.

See, I have a plan.  I feel a little bit better now that I have a plan.  Now I have to go over and vote for Jim Martin for US Senate.