My Blog has Moved!

To www.natashalh.com

Yes, that's right, I am moving my blog. As in totally moving it, not just moving the hosting. It is a very long story and I will have www.diaryofaplagueyear.com redirecting to my new blog in about a week, but I've already moved all the content and set it up on Bloglovin' Please, please, re-click follow on Bloglovin' if you want to stay following my blog!

This move means that any existing links to my old custom Blogger domain won't work any more. I am sorry. The old posts are available on my new blog so if anyone feels like it's vital they link to an old post, it's still available at a new address.

I have many reasons for this move. It's a hassle for everyone, I know, but I've had some annoyances and hiccoughs with transferring my domain name and these problems made me stop and think. They should be resolved within a week, so I could just take a wait and see approach. The thing is, I'm not satisfied with that.

My ponderings have lead me to the conclusion that Diary of a Plague Year just isn't a forever kind of name for me. It's a play on a Daniel Defoe novel no one is familiar with, so it just ends up sounding long and weird. Plus, it was started as a sort of year long journey through my two semesters of grad school while balancing work, school, and crafting. As of today, I'm basically only a crafter and grad student, and I'm half way through the so-called 'plague year.' Basically, my 'old' blog has a mental expiration date on it. Sure, I'm only half way there, but why wait another half a year to change everything when it will be even more difficult?

So please come on over and join me at the new blog - you can even go find your old comments! Everything's there and, by later today, I plan to have a pretty useful edition of "Tutorial Thursday" ready for you! I hope to see you there.

Homemade Gifts

Somehow, homemade gifts seem to conjure up images of child-like, glue-covered messes and otherwise amateurish efforts. This doesn't have to be the case. You can make inexpensive, personalized, hand-crafted holiday gifts for the people you care about, but you have to plan ahead. Most homemade gifts take time to complete - what you don't pay in a dollar cost, you do pay for in your own labor.

The project below is proof than homemade gifts can be beautiful. This particular piece of embroidery is a recreation of a Medieval reliquary bag and it has a particularly long and tragic story. I made it for my mother for Christmas almost four years ago. Well, I actually made two, which is the long and tragic part, but this is the only surviving one. And, technically, it isn't finished - it's supposed to have tassels. Problem is, as you can see, it's still with me and there are no tassels attached. I've made several sets, but I never like any of them. I did give it to her at Christmas, but...well...I think I've had it more time since then than she has! But that's beside the point. It is here to illustrate that homemade gifts can be beautiful.

You don't have to spend dozens of hours embroidering, though, to create a thoughtful, hand-made gift. Below are several DIY tutorials for great homemade gifts that you might want to consider for the upcoming holiday season. I saw Christmas merchandise in Michael's craft store last week! If they're counting on getting you in the mood this early, why not avoid last-minute frantic gift-finding by crafting your own presents now?

How to Make a Reusable Coffee Sleeve
Link roundup for Homemade Gifts for Women and Girls
Another roundup of Homemade Gifts Men Actually Like
Decorate your packages in style with this handmade bow tutorial

Natasha Hoover

Return from Hawaii

So, clearly I didn't have the time to update while actually in Hawaii, and my cell internet signal was patchy to non-existent, depending on my specific location. My hopeful trip to Venice Beach didn't work out because, due to the famous LA traffic, the bus website was estimating I would spend an hour each way - after getting to the bus station from the airport. Combine this traffic with equally epic security line wait times at LAX to create the decision to just stay in the airport!
The good news about the long layover is that, while you do generally have to pay for wifi at LAX, you can actually gain free access by taking a quick survey. It really is short and non-invasive: it asks how long your layover is, how you plan to use the connection, and how long you plan to use it for. Quick and easy free Internet!
Speaking of free - nothing can beat free activities! As promised, I've written my first piece about low-cost activities in Hawaii: snorkeling at Sharks Cove. Unlike some other sites that charge an admission fee or for parking, snorkeling at Sharks Cove is completely free. Beautiful water, lots of fish, and live coral make this inexpensive stop the perfect addition to an Hawaiian trip.

Sharks Cove, North Shore, Oahu

Going to Hawaii

That's right- tomorrow morning at 5:30 I'll be getting on a plane to begin my journey to Hawaii. For amazing photos in the near future, make sure to check out Stalking the Wild Snark. Or, you can stay tuned here for advice on fun, inexpensive (or even free) things to do while traveling to and staying in Hawaii. My first money-saving tip is don't check a bag. If you only bring a carry-on, you can save money and time (and maybe some frustration and days of waiting for your belongings, too). Yes, you can travel for more than a weekend using just a carry-on. It's pretty easy, as long as you know how to pack and TSA carry-on regulations. Don't believe me? Learn how to pack your bags correctly!

Frugal Living Tip #5 - Forage for Free Food

No, I'm not talking about dumpster diving or becoming a freegan. There are an amazing number of free, edible plants growing in most areas, including cities. Some of the most annoying, invasive 'weeds' are actually nutritious food! If you want to know more about how to forage for food, even if you live in a city, check out my hub on urban foraging. You may walk past a free lunch every day and not even realize it!

A word of caution, though, after you learn a bit about edible plants, it may become impossible for you to stop looking for them everywhere! I can't even go for a jog without wanting to stop to collect edible plants - that is how abundant they are, even in a city.

The edible tip of a catbriar vine, one of the most common edible plants

Cheap, Easy Meal Ideas - the Ramenttata

It's been longer than I would have liked since I last posted, but I've been busy writing and making things (and that's what it's all about, right?). Today, I want to share something I put together. It's a recipe for a filling meal that costs less than 50 cents. I know that sounds impossible, but it can be done. The dish is called a 'ramenttata' and it uses ramen noodles with an egg base. I calculated the cost of ingredients for one of my ramenttatas at a mere 36 cents! That's pretty much unbeatable. If you wan to learn how to cook one of these for yourself, find out here.

Frugal Living Tip #4 - Save Money by Planning

I just came across the article on HubPages. It is a thrifty mom's suggestions on how to save money on back to school supplies. Her children are young, but adult students can benefit from these tips, too. I'm returning to grad school next month and I need back to school supplies. Everyone knows the stereotypes about starving grad students! Well, they have their basis in fact. I can certainly put her advice to use when I get printer and notebook paper.

TwinsTimes2, the hub author, has another fantastic suggestion. Most office supply stores offer a rebate on empty ink cartridges. I used to work at Staples and I frequently processed used ink cartridges and helped customers earn rewards that can be used like cash in store. The hub author and a friend went in together to purchase 500 used ink cartridges on eBay. They paid $40 each. Then, she took the maximum allowable amount (10) to Staples and ten more to Office Depot. She earned $20  at each store for the month to spend on anything in store. She already made back her investment. Now, she can return 10 to each store every month for 'free money' to use in the store. Why did I never think of this?!

The author also shares her secrets on how she plans ahead and only purchases items that are on sale in the weeks leading up to school. Stores have pens and pencils on sale one week, paper the next, and so on. Instead of rushing in and buying everything at once, she returns for several weeks to make the most of the deals.

I can't wait to find some used ink cartridges and turn them into cash! They only need to be in good repair and capable of fitting in a currently in-use printer and you can get the in-store equivalent of $2 for each one.