Duct Tape 101 Uses

I was talking with my friend Pat about the duct tape sign I made last week and of course there my mind went...off to research about duct tape for some new sayings for a series of duct tape signs. Anyway, after spending Friday night googling duct tape, I found the history fascinating. The things people use duct tape for are also very creative. So I decided to share with you some of the history and uses of duct tape since it's creation...



According to Wikipedia, duct tape is a vinyl, fabric reinforced tape, that was first developed during WW II as a water resistant, sealing tape for ammunition cases. It has many other names including "Riggers Tape", "100 MPH tape" and "Hurricane Tape".

Post WW II, people starting using this wonder tape on heating and cooling applications, that's where it's current name has derived from. But alas, it fails miserably after time with sealing duct work for which it has been named. Many local building code prohibit the use of duct tape on duct work due to it becoming brittle.









But given that it failed miserably in the heating and cooling world, apparently it is a mainstay staple in many homes and even on the Apollo missions to the moon. Even in outer space, you never know when you would need some duct tape.

In fact, during the 1970, Apollo 13 mission, duct tape played a critical role in getting our astronauts home safely. It helped when the CO2 modules had to be retrofitted while the astronauts were orbiting the Earth after an explosion aboard the spacecraft. It also was used on the Apollo 17 mission to extend the fender on the moon rover. Boy those boys at NASA think of everything...Wonder what their emergency tool kit looks like for when they go traveling in space!






In the medical world, duct tape was thought to be able to remove warts, but conflicting studies have revealed that duct tape isn't any more effective than conventional treatment for warts. But hey, if you have a piece of duct tape and a wart...it can't hurt to try.








As has been depicted in many television and action movies, duct tape is an a must have. It is commonly thought of as a quick and cheap fix and is usually associated with men. I guess no self-respecting man would be caught without a roll or two of duct tape. Just ask MacGyver!







Duck Products, annually sponsors a yearly competition for the most stylish prom outfit created from duct tape. The winner receives a college scholarship....not bad for being a little creative! Other fashion items that have been created out of duct tape are wallets, handbags, belts and Halloween costumes. There have also been a few street rods that have been tricked out using duct tape! Who knew? LOL!






Duct tape comes in many colors. I guess to color coordinate with our home decor? And like any women with her favorite shoes in every color, I guess you just have to have a roll of each. So next time your in Walmart, pick up a few rolls.

As always these as well as many other signs can be found on my etsy. Til next time.

The Morning Quips

I have a new line of small saying signs that I'm going to try out on etsy. Nothing too fancy...just some quotes and quips....hence my name for them "Morning Quips". Just a little saying to maybe bring a smile to your face when you read it.



Of course we all know how true this one is...









Another favorite! I can't help myself! Quips are like potato chips...you can't have just one!







Of course these are words every mother is waiting to hear! I may never hear them! LOL!








And this one is perfect for me! LOL! Pass the chip bag! LOL!








Blaming goes on a lot in my house...It's not me! I didn't do it...I could go on and on! LOL!







And this one has to be my all time favorite....what man doesn't have at least 3 rolls of duct tape?

As always you can find these and many more signs in my etsy shoppe. Be sure to drop in often to get your Morning Quip.

My Eco Wall

This is my "eco wall" as my neighbor from Ecuador calls it. We planted pole beans along the edge and provided them with a string trellis to climb on and boy did they ever climb. We've gotten quite a bunch of beans so far. I love to throw a pot full of green bean, potatoes and a smoked ham slice on the stove and let it simmer...one of my favorite dinners! No muss...no fuss!

We also have tomatoes and carrots in that bed now. We did have radishes and lettuce but it's too hot here for them now. We will replant that for the fall.




This is the two cucumber plants that are at the end of the bean bed. We also trellised those and boy have they produced cukes for us. My hubby had me get "diva" variety cucumber plants from one of the local garden centers to plant. They are one of the best tasting seedless ones out there.



As you can see the cucumbers have taken over. Josh decided to add more to the trellis so now the plants are growing up the garage roof. I don;t know how much bigger they can get, but I guess we will find out.



This bed had 2 squash plants in it. They have both perished from powdery mildew so no more squash. We do have 3 pepper plants, a row of beets, 2 rows of carrots and some newly sowed radishes in there. Also 2 cherry tomato plants are on the end. We will soon get put in a few broccoli plants and start spinach again.


The crepe myrtle has sprouted and is filling in nicely since we cut it back. My impatiens in the hanging baskets are doing nicely too. We were over watering them for awhile there as there was a lack of communication as to what was watered and when.

My boys and I enjoy taking care of our gardens. Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Wrong Answer! Witches Always Get The Last Word

Don't you just love this sign? I sure do! Poof and he's gone! LOL! A few new signs for the upcoming fall season.




I love this one too! It can be displayed all year long over a bar area or in that special man cave!



As you can see I still have much to learn with my new camera...I haven't got the lighting quite right but I have learned how to crop a picture, so we are making progress!

Oh We Oh, Yo Ho!

I visited the Land of Oz again...can't help myself. I got my new camera on Friday and boy is there a HUGE learning curve as you can see in the first picture. I need to learn "how" to crop using the new cameras program. It's much different than my previous one. I took this picture using my new camera...see told you! Need to learn to crop.

I take no responsibility for this song being stuck in your head now. Do you know who the Winkies are? Besides being the inhabitants of Winkie County they were the Wicked Witch of the West Soldiers. I've included a map of Oz.






Each section of Oz was ruled by a witch. The worst were the Wicked Witch of the East, which Dorothy dispatched to the great beyond in the first scenes of the movie and her sister ,The Wicked Witch of the West,which Dorothy melted in the final part mistakenly splashing water on her, while trying to extinguish the scarecrow who the W.W. of the West set on fire.

Glinda, the Good Witch of the South is thought to be the most powerful of the four witches. She and her nice counterpart to the North wear white flowing dresses much like a fairy godmother or sorceress. While the W.W. of the East and West both were black..sort of sinister if you ask me.




Glinda the Good Witch told Dorothy that she did have the power within herself to return to Kansas...in fact she had it all along. All she had to do was click her heels 3 times and say "There's No Place Like Home". Of course Dorothy was the one who disappeared from Oz. This picture was taken with my old camera...



And the final sign I absolutely love...it's what someone would of or could have asked the scarecrow. Heck I might even hang one in my house...




I hope to get better at adjusting to my new camera and look forward to seeing the quality of the pictures it can take. Anyway, for now...Oh We Oh, Yo Ho! LOL! Couldn't resist! And as always you can find my new signs in my etsy shoppe.

Broken Camera

I have to say that my Sony Mavica has finally given up on me. I tried taking pictures with it over the weekend and while it would take the pictures...at least I thought it did, it wouldn't load them up to my laptop. UGH! It also had that sickening burnt electronic smell when I open the door to the disk drive to take out the mini disc. Although I guess I can't complain as I had this digital camera for 9 years.

We have been looking or should I say, I've been drooling over a new DSLR camera. I've been looking at Canon's as that's the kind of SLR camera I have along with a few lenses. So I was looking for a camera that I could use these lenses with.

After getting a recommendation from a photographer that has been my neighbor at one of the craftshows that I do, he recommended a Canon 50D. Well looking at the 50D I decided it may be more camera than I really need. So after more research, we settled on an Canon Eos XT1. It's been ordered and now to wait for it to arrive.

I feel so lost without my camera now. I have so many new signs and things that I have painted to take a picture to show and list, that I'm busting at the seams here!
So hopefully sometime by the middle of next week, I'll be back to taking pictures. In the meantime, I guess it's back to work for me. So til next week take care.

New Etsy Treasuries for OFG

Always looking for ways to promote Old Farmhouse Gathering group on etsy, the members create treasuries promoting other members items. It's such a awesome and selfless act. Anyway, four members took the time to create some awesome treasuries for the group this morning.

If you have a chance stop by and click and comment.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=63328

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=63313

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=63408

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=74076

For two of the members this was their first time making a treasury. I think that everyone did an awesome job, first time or old master!



Thank you all the treasury snaggers for taking the time to promote the OFG team. Thank you for including my signs in some of these treasuries also.