New Stuff

Today I added another new creation to my Etsy store... I love the juxtaposition of the feminine and masculine... a nice yin/yang sort of thing.

It can be found (for sale) - along with many other fabulous things on my website at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6935971

WD-40 Not so useless information

Ok.. for years I have been considered the queen of useless information. But ha-ha!! I have some little known information that might actually be useful! I bought some WD-40 today to quiet a squeaky cupboard door that has been annoying me since I moved in my apartment 3 months ago. Of course it worked great... then - I was bored and decided to find out more about what WD-40 could do.... I've heard rumors. Guess what? There are so many things this stuff can do! It's like duct tape!! A million uses! Here are a few....

1. Protects silver from tarnishing (tried it... yep!)


2. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings


3. Gets oil spots off concrete driveways


4. Gives floors that 'just waxed' sheen without making it slippery


5. Keeps flies off cows


6. Restores and cleans chalkboards


7. Removes lipstick stains


8. Loosens stubborn zippers


9. Untangles jewelry chains (yep again!!!)


10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks


11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill


12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing


13. Removes tomato stains from clothing


14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots


15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors


16. Keeps scissors working smoothly


17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes


18. Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide


19. Rids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises


20. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open


21. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close


22. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers


23. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans


24. Removes splattered grease on stove (really works~!!!)


25. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging


26. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell)


27. Removes all traces of duct tape


28. I have even heard of folks spraying it on their arms, hands, knees to relieve arthritis pain


29. One fellow claims spraying it on fishing lures attracts fish.


30. Let me close with one final, wonderful use, the favorite use in theState of New York--WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.

truly amazing stuff, huh?

Feeling Neglected...

My blog is feeling neglected. I can't believe it's been almost 2 weeks since I posted last! I'm sorry blog. I'll try not to let it happen again.

Would it help if I showed you the new earrings I made? They're little turquoise ones... quite lovely actually. Turquoise is considered the most efficient healer, providing solace for the spirit and well-being for the body. It dispels negative energy and clears the electro-magnetic smog. Physically, it is excellent for exhaustion, depression or panic attacks.

These can be found in my Etsy shop along with a few other new things I've created.

Where's my shop? How can you find it? Just go to
http://monaco.etsy.com/

Today is National TELL A JOKE day

Let's get serious now... I'm not kidding. Today is National Tell a Joke Day. I hope your day is filled with chuckles and laughs.
No doubt about it. Today, will be a fun-filled day, with lots of laughter. To fully participate and enjoy this day, just tell some jokes. You can do it in person, or pass along a few humorous emails. That's easy enough to do. The more jokes you tell, the more fun this day will be. We also encourage you to listen to many jokes today. Everybody is getting into the act, and in order to "tell a joke", someone has to be present to "listen to a joke".

Here's one to get you started....
One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her son into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?".The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug."I can't dear" she said. "I have to sleep in Daddy's room".A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The big sissy".

Changes...

I believe in the healing powers of mother nature & her stones... Today I made this necklace... it's a fabulous stone called mookite (or mookaite) from Western Australia...

Mookaite's main purpose is to promote the acceptance of chance, and to encourage the desire for variety and new experiences. They also believe it promotes inner calm while simultaneously promoting the desire for adventure.

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." ... Andy Warhol

Change can be quite scary and exciting at the same time... I've been going through a lot of changes lately... a divorce, new apartment, making new friends, new grandson, and a new Etsy store (my online shop). I have known for some time that changes needed to be made in my life, but the question had always been: “How do I muster up the courage to make the changes that I so desperately want to make?” Not making changes has always been easier for me... even when I was in a quite painful situation - at least there is comfort in the familiar and I just stuck it out.. hoping for change - but not creating any significant changes myself.

What happens if we don’t heed the wisdom in our hearts that may be telling us it’s time for a change?
We risk getting stuck in a life-long rut and living a “status quo” life, which may remain the same without any change for years, and, worse yet, a life in which, we may never realize our fullest happiness and potential.

Ok... so I made a change... a BIG one and I'm terrified.... Sometimes I sit and wonder what it is that I'm afraid of, and other times I wonder what it is I'm not afraid of. What is running away? Changing? Not changing? Should I have stayed??? I'm 45... been married three times... When does that statute of limitations run out when you can really change your life?

I have no answers yet... but I'm working on it!

Creating Yourself...

A quote I have, sitting on my desk, haunts me....
"Life isn't about finding yourself... Life is about creating yourself..."
So.... I have decided to live by a Golden Rule to do three nice things for myself each day. To create a fabulous new me..... My intention was to give myself a "gold star" for each thing I did for myself each day.... I began to use this 'gold star' system to give myself kudos for a two-mile walk, for meditating, for connecting with a friend, etc.
It only took 11 days, however, for my stars to shine dimly next to entries like: flossed, paid bills, ate vegetables.

Why is it that we don't take the time to be good to ourselves and then wonder why others aren't good to us?? If we don't believe we deserve goodness, then why would others believe it?

I recently attended an Alanon meeting where I heard the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Well, it's official - I'm insane.

I'm on a sort of toxic roller coaster relationship ride and have been for three, four years now. Like one of those old coasters built out of wood in the sixties. Maintenance has been sporadic and left for far too long, but the ride is familiar, and with familiarity comes comfort and the memory that it used to be a good ride, despite what it might be now.

How is it that we can sort through our memories and only retain the good ones regarding relationships?

I remember being a child.... the beauty and innocence of a little girl who loves herself, unconditionally. Who knows what she wants and how she wants to be treated. When she wanted attention, she demanded it! When she needed time alone, she took it.
Where does this go???

Does it change when we refuse the brussel sprouts and we're made to eat them anyway? When we're told we have to color inside the lines?

Where is the transition to not feeling worthy of all that you want, all that you deserve... and become what others expect of you? When do the lines blur and we lose ourselves completely? At what point do we settle?

I'm going to create a NEW self... or perhaps an old self...... I want to return to a childlike mentality in all my relationships. If Billy throws dirt in my face, I want to stalk away with my pudgy arms folded, telling him I won't be his friend because he's mean - and then just STOP, cold turkey, being his friend! I'm going to hang out with the friends who help me up, and wipe the dirt from my sleeves... with the friends who laugh at my jokes and trades me ho-ho's for my granola bars....

I am going to spend more of my time and energy on creating myself... my authentic self...and not be so concerned about what others think. I'm going to become my own best friend and treasure the people I find along the way who love me just the way I am!

This day in history...

Champagne is invented by Dom Perignon. (1693) I'll drink to that! Care to join me? ... and to mark our glasses we can use these wine charms!

They're for sale in my Etsy Shop!! http://monaco.etsy.com/