What Not To Make

What? It is the age old tradition - make a New Year's Resolution and then break it and feel guilty until February!!! I propose instead, let's all make a New Year's Intention - and then not feel like its black and white - just try for something and when you lag or slack, pick it up again. Just a thought...and apparently not just mine-- take a look at this great blog post by Merlin Mann I like what he has to say and how he says it -- so no use reinventing the wheel - (hey another entry for this blog?!)

Yeah I know, I probably already have the paper makers and art teachers ready to beat me with their wooden frames. Unless you are looking for a new craft to try, paper making seems to be a lot of work for not a lot of product. First let's take a look at the supply list (stolen from www.tappi.org -- Paper University): What you'll need: papermaking mold (screen) and deckle toilet tissue, facial tissue, or paper towels large mixing bowl wire whisk or hand egg beater large plastic bin large enough to accommodate the papermaking mold and deckle kitchen towel, newspapers, or paper towels, folded spatula rolling pin cookie sheet or other flat surface glitter, confetti, dried flowers (optional) For those who know me, this is just way too many things for me to seek out. You can buy a kit, and those can cost from $11-$50. It also takes a long time and is messy. Just by looking at the pictures from various websites on paper making.... it doesn't seem socially friendly. You need a

You know those machines - they sell them at Christmas time. They call them Fry Daddy or Fry Baby or Fry Mama or whatever. It is a table top appliance with one purpose. Deep frying foods. And it has a handy plastic lid that seals the grease for the next time you want to deep fry foods. That's right. Fill it up with fat, deep fry your fries or your shrimps or your tempuras or your chicken fried steaks. Then wait til it cools off, and seal that fat up until the next time you want to clog your arteries in the comfort of your own home. Okay - let's get to the obvious part of the blog - - Why you shouldn't deep fry your own food. #1 If you do as the Fry Daddy says, you're keeping oil sitting around in your home for lengths of time which make my food poisoning meter go bing bing bing. #2 If you do not and you throw out the oil, you've spent some cash on a whole lotta oil every time you deep fry. (oh yes, and if you do this, you don't need a fry daddy, just a pot) #3

Yes, Native Americans did it with great style and panache -- You can do it yourself based on this handy dandy site from the National Parks Service. Tandy sells kits to make them . The kit for an adult pair of mocs is $34.99 #1 - Where are you going to wear moccasins? #2 - Do you have leather sitting around your house waiting to be sewn into moccasins or other shoes? #3 - Moccasins are cool and all but lack any arch support. (on considering this, I totally need to make a pair of moccasins!) Now onto "real" shoes. I know, I know - they don't make those Elf Boots that we used to wear back in the 1980's. But that is no reason to go try to make a pair yourself. (yes I have considered this) Handmade boots and shoes - like the kind you can have made at Renaissance Fairs are CRAZY EXPENSIVE!!! Why? Labor baby. Its all about Labor. Now custom made shoes would be sweet! But I am just too much a cheapskate to shell out $300+ for a pair of shoes I'll wear out in l

Ok, so this isn't really a "What not to make.." but more of a "What not to do..." I know those who can't deal with another human touching the insides of their car may be more sensitive to this issue, but for the other 99.5% of car owners who just want to do the usual maintenance, be very happy that it's well worth the $$$ to just pay for your local oil changing service station to do this. First of all, take a look at the many steps an oil change can be: DIY How to change the oil in your car . I didn't even want to read after bullet point 3. Second, your car will probably take about 6 quarts of oil. 1 quart will run you anywhere from $4-7 each... which makes your total price for just the oil at least $24. That is well more than half of the cost of a basic oil change. Not to mention.. how do you plan to get rid of the old oil you just drained out of your car??? Third, how long would it take you to do this... 1,2, 3 hours?!? And forget about it if

What?!! Am I crazy? I am advising you never to knit a sweater! Here's why you shouldn't bother to knit a sweater. 1. If you knit a sweater for your boyfriend, he will break up with you. AKA "The Sweater Curse" This is a common topic among knitters, the curse of the sweater to your romantic relationship. Somehow, it is surmised, a man will read into the fact that you invested dozens of hours into creating a garment just for him as a symbol of your commitment to the relationship. It scares him and he runs for the hills. Don't believe me? What about the wikipedia article , the daily knitter article , the you knit what article , oh dear I could just go on and on. 2. A sweater off the rack is loads cheaper than a sweater you make yourself. Seriously folks, a sweater you knit yourself is made from wool from your local knitting shop or other appropriate place. A skein of yarn worth knitting a sweater from will cost you anywhere from $5 on up. A sweater wi