Alex Anderson's Essential Sewing Tool Update and MORE!!!

Can someone please tell me why these things keep happening to me? I really need a job with Consumer Reports....or my version would be Common Cents Reports (rare commodity).

Ok, I'm minding my own business (a lie, I never mind my own business) clearing some things off a table in the basement (more about that later). I find an old vase I made when I took a pottery class several years ago. I love it so I brought it upstairs to hold some "overflow" pens. My husband complains there are too many pens in the container (yea....why dear? perhaps because you keep bringing more home every day in your pocket from work.....could not possibly be that....it must be your frugal wife out buying tons of pens just to fill containers). I pull out the pens and what do I find all over my hands and fingers???? Not RED CRAYON....but BLUE INK. Jeeeeezzzzzz Ooooooooo Peeeeeeetttttzzzzzz!!! This gal needs to avoid all trouble honestly.

I'm feeling sort of smart right? I head for the laundry room and get the WD40. After all, if my memory serves me correctly (not too often) the web site said it takes ink off skin. So I take my smart self into the kitchen and spray it on my hand. Then I begin wiping. Did it come off? Heck no.....only took a tiny bit off. So I marched my smart self back into the laundry room and got the De-Solve-It and sprayed that on my hand. Did it come off? You better believe it did!!! Score a point for De-Solve-It.

How about that pen container.....smart self says to self......self.....this is ceramic....what is going to take that nasty ink off of this....or do I just throw it in the garbage and go to bed. Never that smart!!! I'm going to get my camera and do before and after pictures (boys are in bed and husband is spending time with Giant Ginger (his girlfriend).

I spray De-Solve-It in the container thinking if it took the ink off my hands it is sure to take it off the ceramic container. NOPE!!! No go. No budge.....no nuttin. So being as I have a can of WD40 handy I give it a healthy spray. It took most of it out. What did not come out with the WD40 came right off with one of those Mr. Clean sponge babies.

Yes I've lost my mind again....."Gone Nuts and Ain't Commin Back"....is the title for my new book!!!

So there you have it.....you got the skinny on the subject. Back to the fun part....why I was re-arranging the furniture in the basement. I went to yet another garage sale (ok, several....lying again) and I found this credenza for $50.00. I was able to put lots of my scrapbooking supplies and photos away tonight. It is really a nice piece of furniture and I thought it was a steal for $50 (the better steal was stolen right out from under me....a Featherweight for $40.00...gritting of teeth in the background).

Then we had dinner. Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy.....ok so that is not mine either....stole that from the Wiggles. Then pizza and mac and cheese. I tell you this so you don't think I'm some amazing person able to go to the YMCA, drop off and pick up kids from VBS, go to the post office, pick up an order, garage sale, go to the dermatologist office and pick a large black bag full of weeds from my yard and make a terrific dinner and pay my taxes.....don't happen here!!!(did I mention the 2 loads of laundry too?).

Well.....I'm still standing and I'm headed off to bed. Ya'all can read my adventures in the morning while I'm running out the door again (last day of VBS).

Thanks for all the great comments. When the new tool by Alex Anderson is out I'll be sure to post it on my blog.

Thread Carousels are available on my website for those of you who inquired today. Here is the info about the Carousels being in Quilting magazines:

1. QUILTERS MAGAZINE. ADD ON PAGE 93 OF THE AUG/SEPT ISSUE.
2. QUILTERS NEWSLETTER Q LAB SECTION PAGE 57.

Well I know Virginia but not Alex. No one who reads my blog seems to know Alex. Girls you gotta get out there more.....get me some "pull" with Alex....we need those tools before anyone else gets them....right?

Smiles,

Kelly

PS....I'm happy knowing Virginia.....I can wait for Alex to call....not long though.

A Zillion Uses for WD40

(Edited 7/24/09) See Bold type below.

I received several e-mails asking how I knew what to use to get the red crayon out. To be honest, I really didn't know what to use exactly. I did have the De-Solv-It in the laundry room. I've used it for lots of things before. Then I just remembered WD40 has a Zillion (yes I'm exaggerating.....do you think someone can count to a zillion?) uses so I just gave it a try. I didn't have much to loose at that point....other than my sanity and that was already long gone!!!

This is only a partial list. Click here for more.

•Prevents rust on tripods
•Removes gaff tape
•Removes old cellophane tape
•Removes ink from blue jeans
•Keeps sewing needles from rusting
•Cleans metal figurines
•Cleans piano keys
•Adds moisture to and preserves ivory and bone items
•Shines mother-of-pearl accessories
•Removes glue from carpet
•Keeps curling iron from sticking to plastic crafts
•Spray sewing thread to prevent breakage
•Removes rubber cement
•Removes glue from paneling
•Removes adhesives from sewing machines
•Removes stickers from guitars
•Spray on hands before using heavy adhesives to prevent sticking
•Removes rubber cement from clothing
•Protects metal bars on glockenspiels (without google...or any other resource...does anyone know what a glockenspiel is?)
•Cleans Hemming dies
•Prevents rust on jewelry forging blocks
•Protects DJ components from rusting
•Coat electric guitar pickups to prevent rusting
•Cleans synthesizer keys
•Coat collectible metal toys before storing to prevent tarnishing and corrosion
•Removes stickers from piano keys
•Protects antique toys
•Cleans potentiometers on guitar amplifier
•Cleans and protects collectible cans
•Cleans glue from antique bottles
•Cleans old coins
•Cleans microphone cables after rental
•Cleans and protects chrome on bass guitars
•Removes ink from hands (Edit: Not for Kelly Jackson...see post of 7/24/09)
•Cleans electrical contacts on slot racing cars
•Shines doll shoes
•Gets glue stains out of jeans
•Cleans piston valves on horns and tubas
•Keeps clay from sticking to molds during crafting
•Removes play-dough from hair
•Removes stickers from Hummel figures
•Cleans antique guns
•Shines seashells
•Helps lubricate fretboard on guitars
•Keeps flight controls for model aircraft in working order
•Prevents detail from sticking to cast material in resin-kit model production
•Gives a great shine to flat surfaces for stock photography
•Removes duct tape
•Helps hone stones
•Polishes seashells
•Cleans ostrich eggs for craft use (Now ya know I really need WD40 for this!!!)
•Gives virtual rocks a clean shine (Is this a joke? I did not write this....HONEST)
•Keeps model trains rust-free
•Drives out hard to remove debris from rock samples
•Protects HAM radio antennas from moisture
•Cleans tin-plated parts on model trains
•Keeps moisture and corrosion from building on the control cables of model airplanes
•Use the WD-40 Smart Straw to help clean frets on guitars and prevent strings from rusting
•Keeps trigger on glue gun from sticking
•Lubricates needles on knitting machine
•Penetrates stuck walking foot on sewing machines
•Lubricates piano lid hinges
•Lubricates air nozzle of balloon pump
•Lubricates piano leg casters
•Lubricates tuning mechanisms on graphic equalizers
•Frees up stuck keys on organ
•Lubricates gear trains on servo motors
•Lubricates bass drum and high hat pedals
•Lubricates and improves electrical contacts on model train tracks
•Lubricates antique toy trains
•Lubricates end pins on cellos
•Lubricates stuck parts on vintage 8 mm film projectors
•Unsticks piano keys
•Stops knitting machines from binding
•Lubricates latches on saxophone case
•Loosens end joints on flute
•Lubricates crank motors on antique mechanical phonographs
•Unsticks keys on baritone horns
•Soak clarinet joints to loosen pins for easy dis assembly
•Lubricates soap box derby wheel bearings and spindles
•Lubricates piano hammer action in pianos
•Lubricates guitar case latches
•Lubricates flute joints and screws
•Lubricates rotors on French horns
•Lubricates wheels on tuba case
•Lubricates tuba valves
•Frees stuck slides on brass instruments
•Lubricates landing gear on model airplanes
•Lubricates tuning gears on guitars
•Lubricates robot joints
•Loosens arm and leg joints on porcelain dolls
•Lubricates valves on peck horns
•Lubricates model airplane linkages
•Lubricates joints of artist’s easel
•Lubricates craft punches
•Lubricates "fine tuner" screw on stringed instruments
•Keeps the throttle cable on my model airplane working smoothly
•Use the No-Mess Pen to lubricate the area under the hook of a sewing machine
•Makes rusty piano strings pliable again

I am so glad they did not write me and ask me to compile a list for them. I'd be very busy for a very long time. Before I finished I bet I'd be looking at lots of wrinkly Tattoos and listening to the golden oldies (Rap Music).

Smiles,
Kelly

Much Better Day

This is the inside of my dryer today :) It is spanky clean.

What pray tell allowed this miracle to occur, you may ask. First I used De-Solv-It to wipe out the dryer. Afterwards I cleaned the dryer with Dawn dish soap and water on a cloth. Nice and clean. Then I turned the dryer on high and ran it for 20 minutes with a white cloth inside. When I opened the dryer I found only two small areas to clean.

Then I took the WD 40 and sprayed all the clothing that were red streaked. I re-washed the clothing on the hottest cycle. That took out most of the red crayon. There were small red areas on a few things so tonight I got Spray and Wash and it is all out. Can you believe it? I'm so glad my mother did not shoot me....I would not have been able to enjoy a clean dryer. Oh the joy I would be missing. ROFL

I was so over tired yesterday. I finally got into bed and went sound asleep. Then in the middle of the night I heard this faint crying. I checked the boys, they were fine. I checked all the TV sets and the radios. They were all turned off. Then I figured it must be a toy in the basement so I went down there. Nope. Hmmmmm.....when I came back upstairs I passed my purse on the kitchen counter. That is where the sound was coming from. I opened it up and in my wallet I found my credit card.....it had been so badly abused during the past week it was whimpering and crying. Guess a wedding will do that!!!

Got Ya!!!

Smirky Smiles,

Devilish Kelly