I started a new feature here on the blog called Jo’s Favorite Finds. In these posts, I’m going to share some things I’ve discovered. You might already know about them…and some you might not. Here are today’s featured items.
A sweet blog reader sent me these scissors after watching my free-form piecing Youtube video. I was struggling with an old pair of cheap scissors that I should probably just throw away. Oh my. I love these and should buy more. They are Karen Kay Buckley’s Scissors. You can find them HERE.
A blog reader asked how long the blade is. They are upstairs so I’m going to guess and say they are 3-3 1/2″ long. They are such nice scissors. I love them. THANKS SO MUCH!
My bed looks like a mess but… I had to leave it like this so you could see my latest favorite find…a weighted blanket. I had one and used it last winter but it was too heavy and I’d get too hot. I didn’t know a lot about weighted blankets at the time so went by the charts and they suggested I get a 20-pound version because of my size. It was too much. I bought this twelve-pound version and I LOVE IT. I got it HERE on Amazon. I typically keep it under my quilt but I had to have a photo so you could see what it looked like so I snapped a picture before I changed the sheets. This one is PERFECT for me.
I really do sleep MUCH better with it. The weight kind of calms me down. I don’t wake up as much in the night either. I used to wake up every night to go to the bathroom. I don’t as much since I’m sleeping with the weighted blanket. I think I must sleep a little deeper.
I need to buy another one as Kelli sleeps here after working overnight shifts. She steals mine off my bed. I think I’ll just buy another for the bed she uses.
I got new dog tags for Rosie and Izzy. I thought personalized dog tags would be expensive. NOPE! I got these from Amazon. HERE is the link.
You can pick from several shapes. Both sides can be engraved. I put the dogs’ names on one side in capital letters.
I put my name and phone number on the back.
The tags were only $3.99 each. They came really quickly too. I am very happy with them.
I am a sucker for Facebook ads. I saw this game in an ad and went on and bought it. Everyone loves it! You can find it HERE. It’s a wooden hockey game. A game lasts about five minutes. Young and old can play together. Here are Karl and Carver playing.
There is a rubber band. You can see Carver pulling a puck back. He will let it go. There is a hole in the middle and players are supposed to try to get the pucks through the hole. The winner is the person who has zero pucks on their half of the playing board.
I like it because it’s quick. We pull it out when Carver gets antsy waiting for supper. It’s easy, quick clean up and it occupies him for a few minutes. Carver giggles the entire time he plays. It’s hilarious to watch him play.
The grandkids keep losing my remote. Well, it isn’t exactly lost, I just can’t find it for a couple of hours. I got frustrated and ended up on Amazon ordering a two-pack of replacement remotes. It was only $12.99 for two. You can find Roku remotes HERE. I figured that it was better to spend the money than to be so frustrated.
They came a few days later. WHEW. I had that problem solved.
It just so happened that Kalissa came on the same day the remotes arrived. She came in carrying a package. She said she was so frustrated with her boys losing my remote that bought me a Tile. I hadn’t heard of that and didn’t have a clue what a Tile was.
Apparently, it’s a tracker. They have many different sizes and styles of these. They have ones that can slip into your wallet or purse. They have ones like this and also in a couple of other designs. They are great to put on your keyring if you’re one to lose your keys.
They are programmed through blue tooth. I can take my phone and pull up the app, press the button and the tile will beep and I can find the remote.
Transversely, I can go to the Tile that is with the remote and push the tile button twice. My phone will start beeping and I can find it. Hallelujah!! I misplace my phone all of the time.
You can have multiple Tiles and control them all with your phone. I know my son Buck could use one on his keys and his wallet. He misplaces them ALL of the time.
I wanted to make sure to share this because if you’re looking for a present for someone who has everything, this might be something different. You see the many different Tile options HERE on Amazon.
I can’t tell you how often I contact the kids via Messenger and tell one of them to call me so I can find my phone. This saves me so much embarrassment!!
That’s what I have for you this time around. Do you have any favorite finds that you’d like to share? Please them in the comment section. So many of us are shopping and are trying to find something for those hard-to-shop-for people. Help us out by sharing your finds.
**Before I go**
Did you see the live video I did last night? My daughter Kalissa helped me with it. I had a great time doing it. If you missed it and want to watch you can push the arrow button and watch it here or you can go to Youtube HERE, save the video, and later watch it on your television or device.
Everyone wants to know if I’ll do another live…I might. It all depends on the response I get. So far, so good…
Great gift ideas here today, did you list a source for your weighted blanket as well? I have a busy day here today preparing for Thanksgivung! I was going to check out the scissors but for some reason I did not hook up with your link.
Hope you and your family will have a great Thanksgiving!
The weighted blanket I bought was this one. https://amzn.to/3EQOHoC
I have used the tiles when I took a group of developmentally delayed adults to Disney in Florida. They had some freedom but we could find them quickly if they disappeared a little too long. Now I use them to track my phone and wallet and remotes. Love them
I made a Weighted quit a few years ago and what makes it weighted is that the “batting” is actually regular felt from a fabric store. It makes it quite heavy, and so warm. I have washed it twice and the felt stays just fine…No wrinkles etc. I use it in my big recliner chair when I don’t feel good or have had surgery.
Loved the live stream last night. The only problem was that right when you were answering my question, my husband started talking to me and I missed the answer! Now I need to try to find it without spending a lot of time re-watching what I already saw.
So many great ideas for all sorts of uses.
We have a 5 pound twin size weighted blanket that was given to us as a Christmas present a few years ago. I also sleep with it. Not all the time, just when I have a restless day/night. As you know, thyroid issues can really disrupt daily life, and the weighted blanket helps me to have more than just 45 minute cycles of sleep.
I watched most of your Facebook Live video last night. Well Done!! I hope that you will consider another one and share more of your creative skills.
The scissors look extremely useful. I have a pair of KAI scissors that I use all the time, but this pair may be good for my workshop/retreat/travel sewing case.
Enjoy each day with your family and all your beautiful grandchildren.
Sunshine and Smiles,
Donna
Jo, I really enjoyed your live stream on YouTube last night. You answered a variety of questions, showed several examples in quilts and cross stitch and allowed us into your kitchen! Very fun–we even got to see Rusty!
Thank you so so much for the YouTube of your live Facebook!! Like many, I’m not on FB. Look forward to that. Those KKB scissors are the best—I like the small ones a lot too.
Loved your YouTube video last night! I read your blog every morning and really appreciate your hints and tips.
I like all of your posts. However for some reason I no longer get email notifications of your posts. I used to get notifications via email everything you posted. Now I see them sort of hit and miss on Facebook and blog loving. What’s changed?
We know it’s an issue. We’re working on. It’s kind of a growing pains thing we are working to try to find the best solution. THANKS for letting us know.
Hi Jo, I’ve enjoyed your blog for a while now, thanks for the great content.
Look into follow.it for email subscriptions. We run a local news site and started using it when feedburner retired. We use the paid version (about $10 a month) otherwise the notification email has too many ads for our taste. There are a lot of options out there and it does take time to wade through them. If only it was as easy as we all think it should be!
I had to resign up again, a couple weeks ago. They now come in my email again.
Well I mostly listened to your live feed on YouTube as I’m a bit under the weather. My internet is extremely slow and once I finished, it said the live stream had ended 51 minutes earlier..lol. In the future I’ll probably just wait and watch it later on YouTube but I wanted to support you in your first live venture. It was probably my aching head, but the glare of the light on the ceiling and cabinet really bothered me. Again it was probably me as I might not have noticed had I been feeling well. I’ll definitely be watching future episodes!
We will look into that. Thanks for letting us know there was a lighting issue.
Loved the live last night. Please do another! You did fantastic.
I also love the Karen Kay Buckley scissors. I have the longer pair and two pair of the very small size. I’d like to get this length also.
I have used the tiles when I took a group of developmentally delayed adults to Disney in Florida. They had some freedom but we could find them quickly if they disappeared a little too long. Now I use them to track my phone and wallet and remotes. Love them
Jo, I have all 3 sizes of those scissors. Use them constantly. Initially I did not like the serrated blades but I truly love them! Also, wipe your phone number out on the dog tags in the photo. You do not need some cyber crazy or scammer to have your phone number public internet access. Thank you for all your sharing!
Jo, thanks for the hockey game tip. I’ve been trying to find something for my grandson who plays hockey. His birthday is Dec. 30th (turning 8) , so it’s always tough to find something different and fun so close to Christmas. I think he’ll love it (and so will his two older brothers!). Thanks again!
I watched the Facebook replay. I agree that the ceiling light was annoying. I do suggest that when Kalissa tells you a question could you repeat it because I couldn’t hear her talking. You might also be aware that when you showed something that had words on it it was all backwards. There’s supposed to be a way to turn that around but I don’t know it. I liked your list of Christmas ideas. We love the tiles. I even read somewhere that a lady slipped a card one into her husband’s wallet because he is getting forgetful and she was worried when he went out for walks. Oh, maybe I could just do this for my hubby for when we go shopping. I’m always loosing him in the hardware stores! lol
Enjoyed your video, hope you do more. You always have so many helpful hints. I had never heard of the Tile; I definitely need one.
Kay Buckley scissors are the best ever! Everyone needs a large pair and a small pair. The small pair are kept on the sewing machine for snipping threads, etc. So worth the money.
I watched the live video on YouTube. You did great! So did Rusty. :-)
I definitely enjoyed your video! Keep doing them.
I am glad I am not the only one that loses her phone. I have an Alexa and ask her to call me. Just so no one checks my Alexa, no one knows. LOL. Happy Thanksgiving.
I thought your you tube video was great, I really enjoyed it. Happy Thanksgiving.
I’ve had Tiles and they are great. If I had a dog, I put one on the collar. The only problem I had w/them was that they were not easily attached to certain items . . . mainly my phone and iPad. I tend to lose both all the time. I solved that by using Skype! I have Skype on my laptop (that I NEVER lose!) and my iPad. If I can’t find either my phone or iPad, I just call myself using the Skype app.