Free Moment of Serenity

If you are anything like me, you are stressed from time to time. The daily tasks, work, social life, cooking, cleaning etc... can all be a little overwhelming at times. A while back I learned about Wisdom Hypnosis and the certified hypnotist behind it, Debbie Lane. She has this awesome CD that I've become quite addicted to called A Quiet Moment and every time I listen to it I feel the stress melt away and then I go on about my day. Well, now you can enjoy a moment of serenity too for FREE!!! On her website is a free MP3 called Serenity. It's a wonderful way to recharge your personal batteries and just have a few minutes for yourself. I strongly encourage you to check it out HERE

On a side note...I'm hoping that within the next week I'll get to meet with Debbie Lane for one of her sessions to do an article on hypnosis for my biweekly column "My First Time" in the tbt* and then post the full report of my experience here ;) I wonder if I can actually become hypnotized for the first time? hmmmmmm....

5 Under $5 from tbt* Friday 12.16.11 Edition

Check out my article in the tbt* today HERE 

FREE

Hanukkah runs Tuesday evening through Dec. 28, and the Chabad of St. Petersburg kicks off the eight nights with a giant menorah lighting in Straub Park at 5:30 p.m. in St.

Pete, with an acrobatics show by Liang Patti. That same night the free Hanukkah on Ice party for families brings classic Hanukkah songs to the Countryside Mall ice rink in Clearwater, as well as doughnuts, latkes and a giant menorah lighting at 6:30. The skating is free but you have to RSVP at yichabad.

com or call (727) 789-0408. Other community events include a menorah lighting at Hyde Park Village in South Tampa Wednesday at 6 p.m. and a giant popcorn menorah, with dancing, singing, a juggling show and food on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Surf Style Mega Store, 311 S Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach.

FREE The late-rising moon on Friday makes for an ideal night of Stargazing at the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve in Citrus County. The evening begins with a laser show of the fall constellations and several large telescopes will be available for viewing the bands on Jupiter and its moons. Arrive before sunset at 5:30 p.m.

Bring a flashlight and bug spray. The preserve is at 1001 Old Rock Road, Yankeetown. (352) 447-5439.

FREE

At Art on the House , admission to the Tampa Museum of Art's galleries is free on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. instead of the normal $10 admission. The museum is now exhibiting work by photography pioneers Berenice Abbott and Larry Silver, as well as Janet Biggs, the New York video and performance artist who is an important figure in the world of video art. Tampa Museum of Art 120 Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa.

FREE Do you have a struggling reader?

Have them Read to Tucker , the cuddly Welsh springer spaniel who has been trained to listen impartially. He'll be at the St. Pete Beach Library on Tuesday and Thursday and also on Dec.

27 at 4 p.m., 365 73rd Ave., St. Pete Beach. Free.

$5Last year's Lucky Ducky Derby on Ice , a fundraiser for Feeding America, had almost 20,000 rubber ducks released in Garrison Channel, creating a sea of yellow. This year's derby will take to the ice rink at Curtis Hixon Park. Purchase a duck for $5, then watch as children skate around and pluck the ducks from the ice to win prizes such as club seats at a Lightning game or a new TV. It starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at at 600 N Ashley Drive, Tampa. Adopt a duck ahead of time online at luckyduckyderby.com or call (813) 254-1190, ext. 210.

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 12

These 12 days have flown by! Figured I would end on something simple and fun-Custom Gift Card Holders
Items you will need:
1. Red, green and white felt
2. Glue
3. Christmas stickers, beads, glitter and/or sequence
4. Posterboard
5. Scissors
6. Glue
7. Black marker
How to:
1. Draw some shapes onto posterboard a little bigger than a gift card. Shape idea include: stockings and mittens (like shown in the pic), Christmas Trees, gingerbread men, etc... Just keep in mind you will be creating a pocket to hold a gift card
2. Cut out the shapes and trace them onto felt with black marker. You need two matching pieces of felt for each card holder
3. Using a line of glue around the edges, glue the two pieces together to create the pocket.
4. Using stickers, beads and accessories decorate the gift card holder however you would like.

Other crafts for the 12 Crafts of Christmas:
Day 11 Stockings
Day 10 Christmas Tree Earrings 
Day 9 Wooden ornaments
Day 8 Beer Glasses
Day 7 SnowGIRL ornament
Day 6 Red Ball Snowman Ornament
Day 5 Christmas Wreath
Day 4 Snowman Banner
Day 3 Candy Cane Ornament
Day 2 Polka Dot Votive Holder
Day 1 Snowman Votive Holder

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 11

Sorry for the delay in posting this. Day 11 was a little nuts for me!
so...here we are at Day 11-stockings
Items you will need:
1. About a yard of fabric
2. Sewing machine
3. Poster board
4. Batting for quilts
5. Pencil
6. Scissors
7. Thread for sewing machine
8. sewing pins
9. Ribbon
10. Fabric pencil
How to:
1. Draw an outline of a stocking on the posterboard as big as you want it then cut it out
2. Using the fabric pencil trace the stocking template onto the fabric. You will need 4 pieces.
3. Cut out the fabric
4. Cut out 2 pieces of batting about 1/4 inch smaller then the 4 fabric pieces.
5. using sewing pins to keep everything in place stack 1piece of fabric on top of a piece of batting and then another piece of fabric creating a sandwich. Sew together removing pins as you go.
6. Repeat step 5 with the remaining pieces
7. Sew the two "sandwiches" together
8. Turn the stocking inside out to hide frays
9. sew a loop of ribbon on to hang

Other crafts for the 12 Crafts of Christmas:
Day 11 Stockings
Day 10 Christmas Tree Earrings 
Day 9 Wooden ornaments
Day 8 Beer Glasses
Day 7 SnowGIRL ornament
Day 6 Red Ball Snowman Ornament
Day 5 Christmas Wreath
Day 4 Snowman Banner
Day 3 Candy Cane Ornament
Day 2 Polka Dot Votive Holder
Day 1 Snowman Votive Holder 

Lisa Casalino's 2nd Annual Caroling in the Park! 12/19/11

Lisa Casalino will host her 2nd Annual Caroling in the Park on Monday December 19, 2011 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

This free event in Hyde Park Village is a great opportunity to gather with friends and sing Christmas Carols and get into the holiday spirit.

Hyde Park Village is located at

1621 W. Snow Circle, Tampa, FL 33606

 

RSVP HERE

All you need to bring with you is a flashlight as song books will be provided to guests that RSVP!

Here is a list of songs the group will be singing (In case you want to practice!):
1.The Christmas Song
2. White Christmas
3.Joy To The World
4. Jingle Bells
5.We Wish You A Merry Christmas
6. Silent Night
7.Hark The Herald Angels Sing
8. Deck The Halls
9.Let It Snow
10. Winter Wonderland
11.Jingle Bell Rock
12. Rocking Around The Christmas Tree
13. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
14. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
15.O Come All Ye Faithful
16. The First Noel
17. Frosty The Snowman
18. The 12 Days of Christmas
19. Sleighride

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 10

Today's craft is Christmas Tree Earrings
I would recommend buying the kit and following the instructions in it. The kit is on sale for just $5.99 right now and you can buy it HERE

Other crafts for the 12 Crafts of Christmas:
Day 9 Wooden ornaments
Day 8 Beer Glasses
Day 7 SnowGIRL ornament
Day 6 Red Ball Snowman Ornament
Day 5 Christmas Wreath
Day 4 Snowman Banner
Day 3 Candy Cane Ornament
Day 2 Polka Dot Votive Holder
Day 1 Snowman Votive Holder

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 9

Today's craft is wooden ornaments. Jo-ann's is selling wooden pieces in the shapes of footballs, hearts, footballs, apples, etc... The painted ones are $0.59 each and the unpainted ones are $0.29 each.

For the football pictured here I purchased one that was already painted & added a USF sticker to make it perfect for a Bulls fan! The apple I painted and added words. Then, I added string to the Bulls ornament & ribbon to the apple & had 2 quick & simple ornaments in less than 15 minutes :)

Items needed include:
1. Wooden pieces
2. Acrylic paint
3. Ribbon & string
4. Stickers & glue
5. Any other adornments you want on your ornaments
Forgive the low quality image. I will add a nicer one as soon as I get access to my computer!

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 8

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 8- Beer Glasses!
Okay okay, so this isn't my best work, but it gives you the idea of what you can do as a gift for a guy! The Dollar Tree has these awesome beer glasses and they have some beer mugs as well that when painted make a great gift ;) Give it to him with a 6 pack of his favorite beer and he won't even notice if the art on it isn't perfect. Bonus tip: If you want to give him an assortment of beer visit a tap house that sells by the bottle and get 6 different bottles to give with the glass!


Items you will need:
* White Folk Art Enamels Paint
* Black Folk Art Enamels Paint
* Q-tips
* A Beer Glass
* Assorted brushes
* A cookie sheet
* An oven
* Styrofoam Plate
* Rubbing Alcohol

Instructions:
1. Clean the exterior of the Beer Glass with rubbing alcohol.
2. Pour a little paint onto the Styrofoam Plate and paint any image you want onto the glass.  Don't paint the bottom. Let it sit to air dry 30 minutes.
3. Pour another color of paint onto the Styrofoam Plate. After letting the first layer dry paint additional colors on top of it. For example-in the above photo I painted the white layer for the cards first and let it dry before adding the details in black. Let is sit to air dry an hour
4. Place a cookie sheet into a COOL oven and place the air dried painted candle holder onto the cookie sheet.
5. Close the oven and set the oven to 350 degrees. Then set a timer for 40 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off turn off the oven immediately and leave the item in the oven until it is completely cooled down.
7. Once the oven is cooled down voila! you have a hand painted Beer Glass! Add beer and you're all set!

Other crafts for the 12 Crafts of Christmas:
Day 7 SnowGIRL ornament
Day 6 Red Ball Snowman Ornament
Day 5 Christmas Wreath
Day 4 Snowman Banner
Day 3 Candy Cane Ornament
Day 2 Polka Dot Votive Holder
Day 1 Snowman Votive Holder

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 7

Today's Craft is an adorable snowGIRL ornament! Tomorrow I won't post a snowman or snowgirl I promise! I'll instead post a craft that you can make and give as a gift for a guy.

Items you will need:
1. 3 wooden spools (these usually come in sets of 10 at Jo-ann's for under $3
2. 1 wooden doll head (these usually come in sets of 6 for under $3)
3. 1 mini doll hat (I've seen sets of 10 for about $3)
4. 1 poinsettia floral pick (should be able to get one poinsettia floral pick with 3-6 little poinsettias on it for about $1.50 or less)
5. Glue (I have found craft glue works best)
6. A black marker
7. An orange marker
8. Large Needle and string.


Instructions:
1. Glue the three spools together
2. Glue the head on top
3. Using a large needle thread some string through the doll hat. Use enough string to be able to hang it on a Christmas tree.
4. Pop of one of the poinsettias from the floral pick and glue it onto the doll hat.
5. Glue the doll hat to the doll head
6. With the markers make a face and then create dots on the spools for the body

Other crafts for the 12 Crafts of Christmas:
Day 6 Red Ball Snowman Ornament
Day 5 Christmas Wreath
Day 4 Snowman Banner
Day 3 Candy Cane Ornament
Day 2 Polka Dot Votive Holder
Day 1 Snowman Votive Holder

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 6

Day 6- Snowman Ornament. Okay okay...if you have not figured it out by now...I really like snowmen. Maybe it's because of my frustration over the fact that in Florida we can't build them?

Items Needed:
1. Red Ball Ornament (You could also use green or blue. Silver and Gold don't work as well with the paint)
2. Sponge brush
3. Assorted paintbrushes (Could just use Q-tips for a simple snowman)
4. White acrylic paint
5. Black acrylic paint
6. Orange acrylic paint
7. assorted acrylic paint colors for the hat
8. Red fabric ribbon (again could use a different color ribbon depending on your preference.)
9. Styrofoam plate

Instructions:
1. Pour a little white acrylic paint onto the Styrofoam plate. With the sponge brush sponge a circle onto the front surface of the red ball ornament. Let it dry for a few hours.
2. Pour a very small amount of black paint and orange paint onto the Styrofoam plate.
3. Then with either a q-tip or a brush paint on the nose with the orange paint and then eyes and mouth with black paint. If you don't want to "draw" or don't think you can create the details just use dots for the black eyes and mouth. Let it dry again for a few hours.
4. If you are happy with just eyes, nose and mouth and having a simple snowman, then feed the red fabric ribbon through the hook on the top of the ornament ball. Tie it into a bow so that you can hang it on the tree and you're done.
5. To add extra detail use additional colors to paint a hat onto the snowman, then dry again, add the ribbon and then hang it on the tree ;)

Other crafts for the 12 Crafts of Christmas:
Day 5 Christmas Wreath
Day 4 Snowman Banner
Day 3 Candy Cane Ornament
Day 2 Polka Dot Votive Holder
Day 1 Snowman Votive Holder

BOGO at Chase Club Today Only 12/5/11

I've talked about Chase Club in the past! Every month they have free comedy shows, they have an awesome ladies night, karaoke there is a blast and basically I just like the place! Check out my review of Chase Club on Metromix and then buy today's Groupon. It's like a BOGO because you buy one certificate for just $15 and you get $30 worth of drinks for that price! HERE is the Groupon deal! Buy it now!

More info about Chase:
Chase Club is located at the corner of Countryway Blvd and Linebaugh Ave next to Publix.

Address is
12129 W Linebaugh Ave
Tampa, FL 33626

Happy Hour
Monday - Friday 2pm-8pm
Sat & Sun Noon - 8pm
2-4-1 Drafts, Liquor & Wine


Thursday Nights Ladies Night

The Chase Club is Tampa's best friendly neighborhood cheers bar.

Best of the Bay Happy Hour.

Nightly drink specials

Happy hour 2 pm to 8 7 days a week.

Well over 150 Micro brews and Imports

Games and entertainment for your enjoyment including Golden Tee golf and Silver Strike Bowling

Tampa Bay's best rated Karaoke show every Thursday Night beginning a 9:30 PM and Ladies Night. Ladies drink FREE from 9Pm to 11 and half price the rest of the night.

Live acoustic music Friday's from 6pm to late.

Hospitality industry welcome. 20% off for all hospitality industry people. Tuesday nights is Hospitality night and all hospitality workers get 30% off.

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 5

Now before you all freak out on me and run away with your tail between your legs, you should know that making a wreath for Christmas is much easier than it looks. All you really need is to figure out the colors you want in it and that is the hardest part.

Items needed:
1. Green Wreath- Joann's sells these as cheap as $1.99 during its sales for the season!
2. A bow. You can either make it by hand or they sell lots of premade ones
3. Ornaments. There are lots of little trinkets that are perfect for wreaths in the floral section at Joann's that you can get as cheap as $1 each or less depending on the sales. The floral picks that have flowers and other adornments attached to a long piece of green wire have always worked best for me. The above wreath has about 12 floral picks in it along with one big bow
4. Green floral wire
5. Wire cutters or heavy duty scissors that can clip wire

Instructions:
1. Place everything on top of the wreath to see how it will look. Arrange it and rearrange it until you think it looks perfect. I often will take a picture once its perfect so that I remember how it looked as I'm securing everything to the wreath.
2. Insert the floral picks into the wreath one by one and twist the wire around the back to secure it.
3. Add the bow to the top, middle or side. Whereever you like it and secure to the back of the wreath with floral wire.
4. For added security I often go back with floral wire and wrap it around my picks and my bow just to make sure that while its hanging nothing falls off. Some folks I know will secure it with a hot glue gun. I personally don't because I prefer to change out the picks annually so that my wreaths are different each year.

Other crafts for the 12 Crafts of Christmas:
Day 4 Snowman Banner
Day 3 Candy Cane Ornament
Day 2 Polka Dot Votive Holder
Day 1 Snowman Votive Holder

Free Candy Canes at CVS This Week!!!

Free candy canes at CVS this week! If you bring your CVS rewards card and buy a box of candy canes for $1.27 you get $1.27 in Extra Care Bucks back to use on something else. It's like getting it free! Price valid through December, 10, 2011.

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 4

Wooden Snowman Banner:
Why make it difficult by finding all the supplies when you can just buy the Wooden Snowman Banner Craft Kit from Oriental Trading Company? Buy this awesome kit HERE and you can make 12 Wooden Snowman Banners. They can either be used as hanging decorations on the wall or ornaments on a bigger tree. Final products end up being about 6" in length. They are so cute and come with instructions for the best way to put them together.

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 3

Day 3. Sorry I'm posting this a little late, but hey- it's still December 3 in California for a little while longer. Therefore-here is Day 3's Craft!

Candy Cane Ornament:

Items Needed:
*Pipe Cleaners
*Red Beads- the three pronged beads are preffered
*White Beads- again the three pronged beads are preffered

Instructions:
1. Cut a pipe cleaner in half and at one end place a red or white bead and wrap the pipe cleaner around it once to secure it.
2. String the beads onto the pipe cleaner. Red, then white, then red, then white until you get to the end of the pipe cleaner.
3. Secure the last bead on the pipe cleaner by wrapping it with the end of the pipe cleaner.
4. To form a "cane" simply bend the pipe cleaner into a J shape.

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 2

 

Today's Christmas Craft is green and red polka dot candle holders.  See day 1 HERE

Polka Dot Candle Holders

Items you will need:
* Red Folk Art Enamels Paint
* Green Folk Art Enamels Paint
* Q-tips
* A Glass Votive Candle Holder
* A cookie sheet
* An oven
* Styrofoam Plate
* Rubbing Alcohol

Costs to expect: Enamels paint is about $2 each. You can get votive holders for $1 or less at Wal-Mart and the Dollar Tree.


How to:
Super simple!!!
1. Clean the exterior of the Glass Votive Candle Holder with rubbing alcohol.
2. Pour a little green paint onto a Styrofoam Plate. With a Q-tip paint dots onto the glass in whatever pattern you would like.
3. Pour a little red paint onto a Styrofoam Plate. Now take the Q-tip and make red dots on the exterior to foll in the spots where there is no green paint. Let is sit to air dry an hour.
4. Place a cookie sheet into a COOL oven and place the air dried painted candle holder onto the cookie sheet.
5. Close the oven and set the oven to 350 degrees. Then set a timer for 40 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off turn off the oven immediately and leave the item in the oven until it is completely cooled down.
7. Once the oven is cooled down voila! you have a hand painted Polka Dot Candle Holder! Add a tealight and you're all set! (Giving it as a gift? Place it in a little party bag and twist tie it shut-you can get 20 at Wal-Mart with twist ties for just $0.97- then either wrap it in a gift bag or give as is.)

5 Under $5 from tbt* Friday 12.2.11 Edition

Check out my article in the tbt* today HERE 

FREE

Meet actress Jane Seymour and furniture designer Michael Amini at a tour promoting their furniture collaboration and book signing. The first 50 people receive a free, signed copy of Seymour's book, Open Hearts , or Amini's book, Grand Tour . They will be at Kane's Furniture, 6222 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

FREE
Virginia pop-rock act Parachute , recently seen at Orlando Calling, is putting on a free show Saturday at Push Ultra Lounge. The band, known for singles like She Is Love and Under Control , has had songs featured on One Tree Hill , 90210 and Vampire Diaries . The show starts at 8:30 p.m., but get there early because it's first come, first served. Push Ultra Lounge, 128 Third St. S, St. Pete. (727) 895-7874.

$5Ruskin is to tomatoes what Idaho is to potatoes. This weekend, the Tomato and Heritage Festival celebrates the vital place the salad staple holds in the town's history.

Browse the marketplace with arts and crafts and handmade items for sale, enjoy country and bluegrass music, play in the children's area, shop the plant show and sale and more. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at E. G. Simmons Park, 2401 19th Ave. NW, Ruskin. Adult admission is $5; kids 12 and under free.

$5Studio@620 is opening its space fo r PAM: Poetry Art and Music to create an environment for artists, musicians, poets and free-thinkers to participate in collective creation. The event will feature the walls of the studio as an open canvas for visual artists and an open mic for musicians and poets. It starts at 7:30 p.m. Monday at 620 First Ave. S, St. Pete. studio620.org.

$5Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry has an early present for us. Everyone is admitted to MOSI's exhibit galleries for just $5 on Saturday, instead of its regular $20.95 admission. There are lots of hands-on activities (our favorite is the bed of nails that surprisingly doesn't hurt because the weight is evenly distributed), and from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., clowns from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus will teach 'children of all ages' the science that plays into their tricks and special effects. The museum is at 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa.

12 Crafts of Christmas-Day 1

In an effort to prove that you don't have to be Martha Stewart to make gifts by hands for folks I took a page from the Dealicious Finds site to show the readers of The Famous Ashley Grant and Tampa Bay Freebies my 12 Crafts of Christmas!

So, without further adieu...today is Day #1!!! The Snowman Candle you see at the top of this post is easier than you can imagine to make!

Items you will need:
* White Folk Art Enamels Paint
* Black Folk Art Enamels Paint
* Q-tips
* A Glass Votive Candle Holder
* A Sponge brush
* A cookie sheet
* An oven
* Styrofoam Plate
* Rubbing Alcohol

Costs to expect: Enamels paint is about $2 each. You can get votive holders for $1 or less at Wal-Mart and the Dollar Tree.


How to:
Super simple!!!
1. Clean the exterior of the Glass Votive Candle Holder with rubbing alcohol.
2. Pour a little white paint onto a Styrofoam Plate. Sponge it onto the exterior of the Glass Votive Candle Holder. Don't paint the bottom. (For best results dab the sponge to coat the surface, don't stroke in lines.) Let it sit to air dry 30 minutes.
3. Pour a little black paint onto a Styrofoam Plate. Take the Q-tip and make black dots on the exterior to create a face. Let is sit to air dry an hour
4. Place a cookie sheet into a COOL oven and place the air dried painted candle holder onto the cookie sheet.
5. Close the oven and set the oven to 350 degrees. Then set a timer for 40 minutes.
6. When the timer goes off turn off the oven immediately and leave the item in the oven until it is completely cooled down.
7. Once the oven is cooled down voila! you have a hand painted Snowman Candle Holder! Add a tealight and you're all set!