Pattern for a Braille Knit Blanket

My mother-in-law is a fabulous knitter. World class, ribbon winning, old world knitter. I could spend a lot of time and a big thesaurus describing the goodness of her knitting.

Many years ago, MIL made an alphabet blanket for a newborn baby. The letters were sunken in and each letter had a different color of yarn. At the time, my mother was working with a main-streamed (public school) blind girl. I asked MIL if she thought she could do a  Braille version of the blanket for my mother's student. I think her answer was "Sure". I forgot about the project until a week later when my MIL came to me with different styles of knitted Braille dots. In that week, she had done research on Louis Braille, the Braille language and how Braille is used around the world. My MIL is a physicist and loves knowledge. A few weeks later, she had a Braille blanket.

Each strip was done in a different color, for the sighted, and a different textured yarn, for the blind.

The blanket in this picture is a later version made for my mother.

Jessica, my mother's student, loved it. She was just learning Braille and was thrilled that a non-blind person knew it too. Jessica's mom wouldn't let her use it and hung it on the wall. My mom had to convince her that it was made to be touched and used.

MIL went on to create blankets for my mom (above picture), my blind aunt and a few for the Lion's Club to be used in their auctions.

I don't knit so I don't understand the pattern. PDF version PDF

Carla’s ABC  Braille Blanket   2015 © Part 1 of 2

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        a               b               c               d               e               f               g               h

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....2.....5....X

X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        i               j               k               l               m               n               o               p

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X

X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        q               r               s               t               u               v               w               x

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....X....+.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....X....1.....4....X

X....2.....5....X....2.....5....X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X

X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....6....X....3.....6....X....+.....6....X....3.....6....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        y               z              #1                              #2                              #3

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....4....X

X....+.....5....X....+.....5....X....+.....5.........+.....+....X....+.....5.........2.....+....X....+.....5.........+.....+....X

X....3.....6....X....3.....6....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

       #4                              #5                              #6                             #7

YYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....4.........1.....4....X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........1.....4....X....+.....4.........1.....4....X

X....+.....5.........+.....5....X....+.....5.........+.....5....X....+.....5.........2.....+....X....+.....5.........2.....5....X

X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

       #8                              #9                              #0                               !               ?

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....4.........1.....+....X....+.....4.........+.....4....X....+.....4.........+.....4....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

X....+.....5.........2.....5....X....+.....5.........2.....+....X....+.....5.........2.....5....X....2.....4....X....2.....+....X

X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....4....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        J                               e               s               s               i               c               a

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY..........,YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........+.....4....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....x....+.....4....X....+.....4....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+.........2.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

X....+.....6.........+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        C                               a               r               o               l               y               n YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........1.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1..........X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X....1.....4....X

X....+.....+.........+.....+....X....+.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....5....X....2.....+....X..........5....X....+.....5....X

X....+.....6.........+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....6....X....3.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        B                               r               a               i               l               l               e

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....+.....4....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+.........2.....+....X....2.....5....X....+.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....2.....+....X....+.....5....X

X....+.....6.........+.....+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X....3.....+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

        R                               e               a               d                               m               e

YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............YYYY............X

X....+.....+.........1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....+....X....1.....4....X..........+....X....1.....4....X....1.....+....X

X....+.....+.........2.....+....X..........5....X....+.....+....X..........5....X..........+....X..........+....X....+.....5....X

X....+.....6.........3.....+....X..........+....X....+.....+....X....+.....+....X..........+....X....3.....+....X....+.....+....X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

In Braille

 

        a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h

        i   j   k   l   m   n   o   p

        q   r   s   t   u   v   w   x

        y   z      #1      #2      #3

           #4      #5      #6      #7

           #8      #9      #0   !   ?

            J   e   s   s   i   c   a

            C   a   r   o   l   y   n

            B   r   a   i   l   l   e

            R   e   a   d       m   e

 

Bobbles are on the 8^th row.

 

I made each row of Braille a different color and a yarn with different feel.

Carla’s ABC  Braille Blanket   2015 © Part 2 of 2

In English

+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+...XXX...+.........+.........+.........+...XX....+.........+.........+.XXX.....+.........+...XXX...+...XXXXXX+........XXXXXX.....+

+.XX..XX..+.........+.........+.........+...XX....+.........+.........+.XX......+.........+..XX.XX..+...XX...XX.......XX+...XX....+

+XX....XX.+.........+.........+.........+...XX....+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+.XX...XX.+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+XX.......+..XXXXXXX+..XX....XX...XXXXX.+...XX...XX.......XX+...XX....+....XXXXX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX...XX......XX.+.........+

+XX.......+.XX...XX.+..XX.XXX.+..XX...XX+...XX....XX.....XX.+...XX.XXX+...XX....X.........+XXXXXXXXX+...XXXXXX+......XX.+.........+

+XX.......+.XX...XX.+..XXX....+..XX...XX+...XX....+XX...XX..+...XXX..XX...XX....+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+XX.......+.XX...XX.+..XX.....+..XX...XX+...XX....+.XX.XX...+...XX...XX....XXXXX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+XX....XX.+.XX...XX.+..XX.....+..XX...XX+...XX....+..XXX....+...XX...XX........XX.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+.XX..XX..+.XX...XX.+..XX.....+..XX...XX+...XX....+..XX.....+...XX...XX...X....XX.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX......XX+...XX....+

+...XXX...+..XXXXXXXX..XXX....+...XXXXX.+..XXXX...+..XX.....+...XX...XXX...XXXXX+.........+XX.....XX+...XXXXXXX........XXXXXX.....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+........XX.XX......+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........XXX.....,+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+......XX.+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+...XXX...+...XXXXXX+........XXXXXX.....+

+......XX.+.........+.........+.........+.XX......+.........+.........XX........+.........+..XX.XX..+...XX...XX.......XX+...XX....+

+......XX.+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+........XX.........+.........+.XX...XX.+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+......XX.+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+.XX....XXXXX.....XXXXXXX.....+...XXXXX.+.........+XX.....XX+...XX...XX......XX.+.........+

+......XX.+.XX...XX.+.XX....X.+.XX....X.+.XX...XX.+..X...XX.+.XX......+..XX....X+.........+XXXXXXXXX+...XXXXXX+......XX.+.........+

+......XX...XX.+.XX...XX......+.XX......+.XX...XX.+......XX.+.XX......+..XX.....+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX.....XX.+.........+

+......XX.+.XXXXXXX.+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+.XX...XX.+......XX.+.XX......+...XXXXX.+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+XX....XX.+.XX......+......XX.+......XX.+.XX...XX.+......XX.+.XX......+.......XX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....+XX....XX.+.........+

+.XX..XX..+.XX....X.+.X....XX.+.X....XX.+.XX...XX.+..X...XX.+.XX......+..X....XX+.........+XX.....XX+...XX....XX......XX+...XX....+

+..XXXX...+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+..XXXXX..+.XX....XXXXX.....XXXXXXXX....+...XXXXX.+.........+XX.....XX+...XXXXXXX........XXXXXX.....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+XXXXX....+.........+.........+........XX...XX....+.........+XXXXX....+.XX......+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+...XX....+

+XX..XX...+.........+.........+...XX...XX...XX....+.........+XX..XX...+.XX......+.........+.........+XX.......+.........+...XX....+

+XX...XX..+.........+.........+........XX...XX....+.........+XX...XX..+.XX......+.........+.........+XX....XX.+.........+.XXXXXX..+

+XX..XX...+.XX..XXX.+..XXXXXXX+...XX...XX...XX....XXXXX.....+XX..XX...+.XX....XXXXXXX....XX.XXXX....+XX...XX..+..XXXXX..+...XX....+

+XXXXX....+.XXXXX...+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX...XX....+XXXXX....+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XXXX..XX...+XX..XX...+.XX...XX.+...XX....+

+XX...XX..+.XXX.....+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX...XX....+XX...XX..+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XXX....XX..+XX.XX....+.XX...XX.+...XX....+

+XX....XX.+.XX......+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XXXXXXX....+XX....XX.+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XX.....XX..+XXXXX....+.XXXXXXX.+...XX....+

+XX....XX.+.XX......+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX.........+XX....XX.+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XX.....XX..+XX..XX...+.XX......+...XX....+

+XX...XX..+.XX......+.XX...XX.+...XX...XX...XX...XX....X....+XX...XX..+.XX...XX.+.XX.....XX.....XX..+XX...XX..+.XX....X.+...XX....+

+XXXXXX...+.XX......+..XXXXXXXX...XX...XX...XX....XXXXX.....+XXXXXX...+.XX....XXXXXXXX...XX.....XX..+XX....XX.+..XXXXX..+...XX....+

+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+.........+

+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Copyright 2015 - Carla G,Messina

 

Idea suggested by Vicki Scott,                   Size 5 needles

 

Cast on 153 stitches, The borders are 6 stitches in seed pattern (purl in the knit and knit in the purl),After the border is done then the row starts with 6 seed stitches and 6 knit,Change color and knit 129 stitches,Finish with 6 knit and 6 seed stitches in the second border color,The bobbles are placed on the 8^th rows.

  

Bobble stitch - On a jersey base (one row, purl the next) as follows: - k into front and back of same stitch until 5 stitches are on the one stitch, turn, work 4 rows in the five stitches, then slip the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th stitches over the 1^st stitch, With the bobble stitch, you loop the bobble stitch stem tightly by the yarn on the next purl row,

 

The bobble must not be able to be pulled through to the other side or the braille characters will be incorrect,There is a bobble on every eight row and 5 stitches between bobbles,Tack down bobbles.

 

The rows of all X’s are purl.  The columns of X’s are purls on the knit side.  The reverse rows are all purl. 

 

The only exception is the upper left hand corner with the Y’s.  Question, Which way is up?  The Y’s are tactile marks for the blind.  The X’s are for the sighted.  The +’S and .’s are knit stitches.

 

The revere side of a row in English is knit in the knit and purl in the purl.

 

The bold face characters are for the blind.  The normal font is for the sighted.

Nexxus #HairThatMoves VoxBox from Influenster #sponsored

I got picked for the Nexxus #HairThatMoves VoxBox from Influenster and I am pretty happy about it.

So, I didn't wash my hair everyday. I have very thin hair and daily washing is a bit too rough and can make my hair fall out. Adding to that, our water is terrible.  I thought Nexxus was in for a battle.

When I do all three steps, my hair is wonderfully bouncy the next day. My curls are curly and have lots of body.

Step 1: Shampoo.

I liked using the shampoo as an almost daily shampoo. My hair is too thin for daily washings. I was able to use it as part of the 3-part system as well as a stand alone shampoo.

Step 2: Conditioner.

This is a nice and thick conditioner. It was a bit heavy for daily use. Sometimes, I would skip the conditioner and go straight for the oil treatment step. I liked it as part of the 3-step but it was too heavy for my thin hair.

Step 3: Oil.

I *really* like the Oil.  There were days when I skipped the conditioner and did the oil treatment after washing my hair. I liked that the oil provided a type of softening of my hair without the weight of a conditioner. The bottle says the oil can be used on wet or dry hair. For me, it was better on my wet hair than dry. On my dry hair, it weighed it down and made it feel a bit greasy.

Would I buy?: Yes.

The Nexus #HairThatMoves 3-step Oil Infinite System is Harley the dog approved!

I received these products complimentary for testing purposes.

Review of Crimson Peak

I'm a fan of Pacific Rim. I like bit bots and I can not lie.

I was looking forward to seeing another film from Guillermo del Toro in another genre I like.

When I got home from watching the movie, I told my husband and son all about my trip to the movies. I had a weird guy in my row. He felt the need to speak to everyone in the theatre (not during the movie) and moved around during the movie. Weird couple that moved away from weird guy twice. Couple in the front that asked the usher about getting RiffTrax to the theatre. I also told them about the 'prize' I found in my popcorn.

I didn't want to leave because I discovered it as the movie started and didn't want to miss a moment of del Toro imagery. It was a piece of the popcorn machine.

My son finally asked, "But did you like it?".

I don't know.

I am a fan of the gothic genre. I am a fan of del Toro. I don't think I am a fan of this movie. That doesn't mean I didn't like it.

Dear Guillermo,

Please stop casting Charlie Hunnam as an American. He can't do the accent and he sounds weird when he tries. He is pretty. His acting isn't bad. His American accent is bad.

Love, Me

I think Crimson Peak would have worked better as a mini series. I would give del Toro more time to develop the characters and to develop the reveal. For me, there was too much time on the set-up of characters and story and not enough time on the reveal and motivations. The last 1/4 of the movie felt rushed. I wanted to know more about the ghosts and their motivations.

If del Toro had put a 10c sticker in the corner of the poster, I would have loved the gothic romance reference. I read a lot of gothics. The 10c was the price when they were considered 'pulp fiction'.

Most of the gothic romances were written in the 60s and 70s. Later stories had more paranormal elements. A gothic can have a range of none to some paranormal things going on before it gets reclassified as a paranormal. Crimson Peak reminds me of many of the gothics I have read.

I enjoyed the visuals. The mansion was delightfully spooky. The characters were dressed for their parts. The villains were in dark colors and the heroes were in light colors. I have read that del Toro is very conscious of color when he makes a movie. Except for Hunnam's accent, the acting was good.

Will I see it again?

Yes.

Kleenex Pocket Packs #sponsored

Crowdtap and Kleenex sent me a lovely package of Kleenex Pocket Packs so I could give them a test and practice some kindness around town.

Kleenex and Crowtap wanted me to take pictures of me being kind to people by giving them either individual tissues or the entire packet. I liked the idea of sharing but, it's hard to get pictures of kindness when you are the one giving the kindness.

"Before I give you a tissue for your sneezing attack, let me snap a picture!"

I didn't do too well on the photo-challenges for this sampling.

There is an elderly man at the library who is always on the computers when I drop off or pick up my books. I noticed him sniffling the other day so I gave him one of my packs. He was very grateful but a bit embarrassed so I didn't ask to snap his picture.

On trash day, after I tossed my used poop bag in a full trash can, my dog decided to poop again. I used one of the tissues from my pocket pack to clean it up. I wasn't going to use my poopy hand to take a picture.

Honestly, I didn't need a sampling to know about the positive reasons for carrying Kleenex around with me. I bring a pack on all of my airplane travel. There is always a reason to need a tissue on an airplane. Tiny drink spilled, runny nose, dry air made my eyes tear, and many other in-flight incidents. I'm already a fan.

I received a sample of Kleenx Pocket Packs for testing purposes.

Review of Apple & Eve #sponsored

So, I got to test some Apple & Eve products for Influenster. A very tasty VoxBox.

 

I've been a fan of the Apple & Eve products for a long time. It was one of the few brands that carried an apple cranberry juice without a lot of added sugar. When I'm feeling a bit under the weather, I reach for Apple & Eve juice.

 



This VoxBox secured my fandom of Apple & Eve. I sound bit commercial-y but, it's true. Finding products that are committed to the health of my family is important to me.

So, we got a 1qt container of Organics Orange Pineapple, one 8.25oz Organic Quenchers Razzberry Apple Splash, one 8.25oz Organic Quenchers Berrylicious Lemonade, and one 8.25oz Organic Quenchers Fruit Punch Burst.

The boy liked the lemonade but thought it needed more lemon. I liked it. We both really liked the Orange Pineapple. It was a race to get to it. We plan to use the coupon from the box to buy more. It had a nice bright taste which is surprising for a boxed drink. There are other flavors and we plan to try them all.

Harley the photo-bombing dog strikes again!

 

Here is my unboxing video on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ln4mG1x4Jg

 

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

Sampling Johnsonville Fully Cooked Breakfast Saussage #sponsored

Through CrowdTap, we got to sample Johnsonville Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausage - Turkey.

I had planned to have breakfast for dinner, show off some breakfast foods and feed the whole family (including the dog). It didn't work out that way.

We had a busy week and I didn't have the time or energy to do a big meal. Johnsonville to the rescue. My son was able to make himself sausages in the morning to eat at home or take to the bus. He's 11 and this is the perfect level of cooking for him in the mornings.  He really liked the independence and the ability to take them on the go.

I did find some time to take a few pictures of his entire breakfast one morning because he left everything out. :-) The Boy left out his protein & fruit smoothie and a piece of apple bread so I used them in the picture. I think the apple bread was for his lunch. 

 

So, I recommend Johnsonville Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausages for those who have busy schedules. I also recommend them because they are tasty. :-)

 

I received a sample of Johnsonville Sausages from Crowdtap for sampling purposes. All opinions are mine.

Cottonelle Sampling #Sponsored

I got samples of Cottonelle Flushable Cleansing Cloths from Cottonelle and CrowdTap. I received these products complimentary from CrowdTap for testing purposes.

The weather was nice here in Maryland, school starts on Monday and my guys like making fire so, we decided to do a camping trip.

 

We are lucky, the bathrooms at Little Bennett Campground are well maintained. They aren't luxurious but they are clean.

I may have smelled like campfire smoke and was kinda dirty by the end of the camping adventure but, Cottonelle helped me to feel clean after using the bathroom. It sounds hokey but it's true. It was very humid this weekend and the only time I felt clean was after using Cottonelle.

I also used them for late-night-pee-in-the-woods time. Yes, I properly disposed of the used cloths. The travel size was great for the tent and for carrying to the "comfort station".

What "Admin please delete..." Really Means

I am the admin for a medium-sized (9,000+ members) Facebook group and I have seen many types of members come through my group. The majority of people who join a group do so to get resources related to the group topic. The majority of the people who join a group are very nice people.

I do my best to run a pleasant group. I try to use nice words in my reminders to follow the group's rules. I only have one rule that when broken, will get someone deleted from the group. There is only one phrase that will make me very grumpy.

"Admin please delete if not allowed..." This phrase is usually followed by something that is either not related to the group or something that violates the rules of the group. To admins this means the poster didn't bother to read the rules, hasn't spent enough time in the group to see what gets posted or doesn't care about the group and just wants their post to be seen.

Maybe this real-world example can explain:

The Library

Recently, you have seen a lot of posts about The Library from your friends. A segment about The Library appeared on one of those morning talk shows. A friend recommended that you try The Library. Everything you heard made The Library sound great and you decide to try it.

You go to The Library! Good for you for trying something new!

Posted on the door of the library is a sign that reads "Quiet, Please". As you enter The Library, you remember an article about The Library and that people in The Library also like classical music. You find a classical song on your phone, hit play and turn up the volume. As you walk past the librarian, you say "If music isn't allowed, please tell me to turn it off" and keep walking.


Admin please delete? Okay, since you asked so nicely...

I got a free sample of Weight Watchers ice cream from Influenster. We chose the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Bars and the Divine Triple Chocolate Bars.

Both treats were nice and sweet and made a great treat for a hot day. The ice cream in both bars is a bit fluffy. My son said the flavor tasted "spread out". I'm not 100% sure what that means and his explanation didn't help. The flavors were nice but not intense.

I would buy these again. #sponsored #WeightWatchers I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. #weightwatchersicecream

Sampling for Cesar! #sponsored

Harley, the 5lb Maltese, and I got samples of Cesar Home Delights from Cesar Dog Food and CrowdTap. I received these products complimentary from CrowdTap for testing purposes.

Harley is a picky eater. By picky I mean she is a bit underweight and would rather go without food than eat something she doesn't like. Yes, she is under the care of a vet. Some dogs are low-volume eaters.

I wasn't sure what would happen with our samples of Cesar Home Delights. There was the chance that she wouldn't eat anything and I would have to leave a doofy sample report. Good news! I can leave a good report.

A little background. Harley is a rescue. She came to us about 3 years ago, we turned her in to the Humane Society and adopted her officially 2 weeks later. She's a nervous little dog but wants to love and be loved. Because she has hair and not fur, her primary food is AvoDerm dry Revolving Menu.

I gave Harley a new tray once every 48 hours so she could fully enjoy each flavor.

 

I first gave Harley the Cesar Home Delights slow cooked chicken & vegetables dinner. She normally prefers chicken and turkey flavors to beef, pork, fish or venison. Harley enjoyed it. The wet food was a nice change from her normal dry food.

The second tray was Beef Stew. She really loved that flavor! I was surprised because she normally prefers poultry. Harley "wolfed" down the tray and looked at me for more. She refused to eat her dry food.

The third tray was the Pot Roast with Spring Vegetables Dinner. Harley ate about 1/2 of the tray for dinner and came back for the rest a few hours later.

 

 

 

 

I would say that our sampling was a success!

Quick Review of Carefree Acti-Fresh

 "I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

I got a nice little box filled with a package of Carefree Acti-fresh panty liners. This is my review. :-)

The good: The Carefree liners are small and easily fits in small places. I have one in my travel kit. I used them while on a visit to Disney World not for my period but as a <ahem> protection against leeks. They worked well.

The bad: The liners are very short. These are great for very light days.

Because of the small size, they fit in travel cases, purses, wallets and pockets. If you are petite, these will be a good size.

#refreshvoxbox
#FreshisFierce

Rock The Lunchbox! #RockTheLunchbox #sponsored

Thanks to Influenster and #RockTheLunchbox I got to sample a few products. I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I've been doing bento boxes for my son recently. I do it for me as much as I do it for him. Bento boxes come from Japan and are a lovely way of presenting a meal to go. They can be as simple or as fancy as the bento maker wishes. I like making bento-style lunches because it is a way to keep myself interested in making lunch. The packing can be just as boring as the eating if lunches become routine.

Anyway.

I got to sample products from Annie's Homegrown, Honest Kids, Rudi's Bakery, and Applegate. I already liked these companies so I was thrilled to sample them. Coupons are available at the Rock The Lunchbox site. Coupons are good.

 

Influenster sent me a lovely packet of coupons so I could go and pick the flavors and types I wanted.

 

I picked good flavors and types.

 

I bought a house favorite with the Annie's Extra Cheesy Cheddar Bunnies. I have to hide them because these go fast in our house. We bought these before sampling and we will continue to buy them. :-) The Extra Cheesy Cheddar Bunnies have a nice rich cheddar flavor and a good crunch. If you like Goldfish, you will also like Annie's Bunnies. Personally, we prefer Annie's. 

 

 

Another brand that we use regularly in our house is Applegate. This was the first time trying the Half Time packs.

 

I really like these. Sometimes, it is nice not to have to pack a lunch. My son thinks these boxes are a treat and they make my day  little easier.

 

So, a friend of mine was planning a last-minute trip to Disney World and wanted my input. After rescheduling twice, she called me for a quick get-together at Starbucks. Between her questions and my liking to talk at people, we were there for three hours. Thinking I would get something to eat at Starbucks, I didn't, and thinking that I would get home in time to start dinner and eat lunch, I didn't, I was starving by the time I left. Luckily, I had purchased, and put in the cooler bag, one of the Applegate Half Time packs.

 

I had a great and healthy snack. The turkey and crackers were tasty. The non-colored cheese was good. My son ate the yogurt and gummies. He liked both and enjoyed the games on the box on the way to his doctor's appointment.

 

 

The Applegate Half Time packs come with games and fun stuff.

The Boy also drank one of the Honest Kids drinks. He doesn't like the grape, he prefers the lemonade. I like the grape because it is a nice light fruit drink.

The Udi's bread was used for sandwiches. We kinda found it dry. I used it to make French Toast and everyone in the family loved it. Make French Toast with the Udi's Cinnamon Raisin.

Annie's Crackers	#RockTheLunchbox		@annieshomegrown	Annie's Homegrown
Honest Kids	#RockTheLunchbox		@HonestTea	Honest Tea
Rudi's Bakery Bread	#RockTheLunchbox		@rudisorganic	Rudi's Organic Bakery
Applegate HALF TIME	#RockTheLunchbox		@Applegate	Applegate
Annie's Frozen Snacks	#AnniesHomegrown		@annieshomegrown	Annie's Homegrown

Terms

The Federal Trade Commission requires testing program participants to disclose that they have received products for complimentary testing purposes in all review materials. Please note that failure to abide by these rules may result in suspension from Influenster. Please refer to the following rules and guidelines:

Writing a blog post?

Copy & paste this line at the bottom: "I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

Filming a video?

Do a dramatic reading of the following: "I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes." You can also copy & paste this text in the "About" section of your video.

Posting to Twitter, Facebook and/or other Social Media?

Make sure you include the appropriate hashtags/tags (ex: #RockTheLunchbox, #RockTheLunchbox / @influenster) and mention that you were give this product complimentary in your post.