You've GOT to be kidding me!

Ok.. if you read my post from last week about ridiculous instructions found on household products...you already know that I'm sort of a geek when it comes to finding things like this... and guess what~ I've discovered even more!! Yep! Here's a few....
On Sears hairdryer: Do not use while sleeping.
(Gee, that's the only time I have to work on my hair!)
On a bag of Fritos: You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.
(The shoplifter special!)
On a bar of Dial soap: Directions: Use like regular soap.
(and that would be how?)
On Nytol sleep aid: Warning: may cause drowsiness.
(may cause drowsiness???? One would hope!)

and the best one yet............

On a child's Superman costume: Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly.
(Oh go ahead! That's right, destroy a universal childhood belief!)

Have you taken the Pledge yet?

Wow... Christmas is in less than 8 weeks.... scary! So here's a suggestion on how to make the whole shopping nightmare easier and more meaningful this year.
Make something instead of buying! Yes, you can do it! Trust me, there's something you can make for just about anybody on your list, and people really appreciate the time and thought involved.

No time you say? Well, than you can at least buy handmade. Sure, you can go to the mall, wade through crowds of people, and buy something just to buy it.... or, you could go online to someplace like etsy.com, where everything you see is in stock and hand-crafted, and you can pick out a thoughtful and unique gift for pretty much everyone on your list. One place you could visit (of course) is http://monaco.etsy.com/

Why buy handmade you ask????

When you choose a piece of handmade artisan jewelry, you are purchasing a piece of work directly from the artist's hands. This gives it special meaning and value. Much thought and design knowledge has gone into creating your special jewelry piece. Handmade artisan jewelry makes a very special gift. It shows you've taken the time to select a piece not found in a department store or produced on the mass market. This will be reflected in the beautiful craftsmanship that the individual artist adds to the piece. There's also the option of having a custom design created by the artisan exclusively for your special gift giving needs. You can enjoy developing a handmade jewelry collection for your own needs.When you buy handmade jewelry, you're getting the highest quality components and design because the artist has complete control over each phase of the creative process. You'll have a unique piece of handmade jewelry you can wear with pride. Jewelry is all about expressing yourself the way you see fit! Jewelry can change the way you look and feel. Have fun developing your own signature look!

So check it out, and if you're with me on this, take the pledge at http://www.buyhandmade.org/. And pass the word along to your friends, family, and coworkers - make it a great holiday for them, and for the crafters and artists they'll be helping to support. I'll be posting updates to let you know how my shopping is going - feel free to do the same in the comments section of the posts. Thanks, and happy shopping!

Seriously Folks.....

Ok.. it's official - truth is stranger than fiction. I have this odd habit of reading things to find typographical errors and just silly information. I swear I could write a book on these! Over the past 2 weeks I have been reading ingredients and instructions on things I found in my apartment. Following is a list of some of the most ridiculous things I've found. Remember... these are actual things on actual products... how stupid do these manufacturers think we are? The sad thing is that I'm sure they had to put these on their labels for a reason...

• Energizer AAA 4 Pack "If swallowed, promptly see doctor."
• Domino Pure Cane Granulated Sugar "Ingredient: Sugar"
• Fritos "You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside."
• Hormel Pepperoni "Do not eat packet."
• Dremel Electric Rotary Tool "This product not intended for use as a dental drill."
• Zantac 75 "Do not take if allergic to zantac."
• Nabisco Easy Cheese "For best results, remove cap."
• Fix-a-Flat "WARNING: Do not weld can to rim."
• Heinz Ketchup "Instructions: Put on food"
• Unknown 500-piece puzzle "Some assembly required."
  
  ....and these were just ten items I found in my home!! Stay tuned... I'll be on the lookout for more!

The Front Page of ETSY!!!

YAY!! One of my necklaces (the light blue one called 'icicle') made the front page of Etsy.com !!!

For those of you unfamiliar with Etsy, it's this wonderful place to buy and sell all things handmade. I've been selling there since June and have always wanted for one of my pieces to be on the front page - and today it was!!! YAY again! But, as luck would have it, I missed it! Thank goodness for FABULOUS people like Carol Emma (she has two shops on Etsy - check them out!!)

http://carolemma.etsy.com/ where she sells her gorgeous jewelry, and

http://highwoodstudio.etsy.com/ where she sells her inspirational cards (they're beautiful! I have some framed in my apartment!)

Ok.. without further ado... my appearance on the front page!

and now for the close-up!

Free Stuff!

Have you seen my list of free samples? I've just added some more today!

...just scroll down and look for the list in the right column of this blog and click away! I've tried them all - just love getting free stuff in the mail!! YAY!!

Cleveland ROCKS some more!

I had a request from a wonderful fellow Etsian to create keyrings with my Cleveland Rocks in addition to the necklaces I've been posting! I LOVE when I get feedback like this - because, in fact, I hadn't thought of making keyrings with them before. This is fabulous! Now the Cleveland rocks really get a chance to get around!!

Something new!

I love to make jewelry... don't get me wrong... but for years I've wanted to work with metal. Maybe it's the years I worked in the metal finishing industry, but I love metal! I love the look and feel of the industrial world. At a recent show I met a fabulous local Cleveland sculptor, Jerry Schmidt, and he is teaching me how to weld, and grind, and create all sorts of wonderful things from metal!!! (here's a link to his site http://www.schmidtsculpture.com/)

Here's my first piece.... I'd LOVE to hear your comments... good AND bad (seriously! how will I ever learn if I don't get construstive criticism??)

Win a $65 shopping spree on Etsy!!

Cleveland Handmade, the Cleveland, Ohio etsy Street team I belong to is having a scavenger hunt called:"Show Cleveland Some LOVE!"go to http://clevelandhandmade.com/ to enter for a chance to win $65 to spend in any of the 13 participating shops (one of the shops is mine, of course!)... or you can break it up and spend it any way you like between those shops.

See the entry form for a list of shops! there's something for everyone! :)

Feeling a little low?

Do you perform five acts of kindness in any given day? That's the number of good deeds that boosts your sense of well-being and happiness, according to research by Lyubomirsky. Your karmic acts can be minor and unplanned - giving up your seat on the bus; buying an extra latte to give to a coworker. You'll find that the payback greatly exceeds the effort. "You see how much you're appreciated and liked by others," she says. Be sure to keep up the good work: When Lyubomirsky asked her study subjects to space their five good deeds over the course of a week, the actions started to seem routine and lost some of their therapeutic effects. But don't fret if you can't make the quota daily. "Being spontaneously kind also delivers rewards," she says.
So now you're asking....How can I help others—and help myself?

Incorporating kindness into your daily life isn’t difficult. Here are five easy things you can do to help others—and yourself:
*Volunteer. Research shows that people who volunteer just two hours per week
(about 100 hours per year) have better physical health and are less depressed.
To find volunteer opportunities in your area, visit Volunteer Match or contact your local church or school.
*Informally offer help to family, friends, and neighbors. Lend a needed tool, bring dinner to someone who’s sick, feed pets for neighbors on vacation, or offer a ride to someone who lacks a car (like me!!).
*Donate. It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. Hell... it doesn't have to be money at all! Check out my last blog post! Look for opportunities to give within your means. You’ll help make the world a better place and make yourself feel better too.
*Listen. Sometimes all that's needed is someone to lend a sympathetic ear to make them feel heard, cared for & loved. Make other people (& yourself) smile. The easiest way to make other people happy is to act happy yourself, even if it’s not how you feel.....So like the old song says, 'Put on a happy face.'
Talk as if you have self-esteem and are outgoing and optimistic.
"Going through the motions can awaken the emotions.”

You can help too!

Ok.. so my FABULOUS daughter got me a sewing machine for my birthday! (actually, I think it's a bribe so I'll make cool things for my grandson and for her.. like halloween costumes!) But I LOVE it! and it's also going to allow me to help 16 children in Ethiopia, Africa.

Check out this blog http://www.umbrellachild.blogspot.com/m/

These kids need school supplies, and clothing. Now that I have a sewing machine, I'm going to sew some clothes for these beautiful children. If you'd like to donate materials or even some clothing please let me know! The material does not have to be new... in fact, I'm making them skirts and pants out of some of my old clothes and t-shirts. Recycling is the best!! How about you??? Do you have some old clothes that I could re-purpose??

Let me know! I'll take photos of everything I make and post them here for you to see before I send them off! We need to send these by mid-November. Thanks!

The BEST diet!!

Granted, this weight-loss program won't shed pounds as quickly as plans more firmly rooted in that familiar diet-and-exercise mantra. But hey, there is that "fun factor" to consider. Instead of counting carbs or calories, this math involves kisses...

Published research indicates that each passionate kiss burns between 6 and 12 calories, depending on the level of enthusiasm," says Betty Goldblatt, RD, MPH, publisher and co-founder of Environmental Nutrition newsletter. That's close to what's consumed while jogging for one minute. At three kisses a day, every day, that amounts to burning 9,855 calories a year -- totaling about 3 pounds of weight loss.!

So... looking for a fun way to lose some excess pounds? I would suggest that instead of having a late-night snack that contributes to weight gain, maybe you substitute it with a late-night romp!