A to Z favorites.... V

Valerie Tyler jewelry....
this one in particular, the earthy colored abacus necklace, is one of my favorites... but she has many, many beautiful things! Find them here....





Vain and Vapid blog....

check it out here!

... the name means "living earth" and is inspired by their dedication to living in harmony with nature - for a healthier life now and for future generations.

All of their products reflect a commitment to:

ecology and elegance: The finest goods that uniquely fuse exceptional quality and design with eco sensitivities.

organic, sustainable sources: The purest ingredients and sustainable resources possible - selected to be the best available.

earth and people friendly: Partners and suppliers who share our values and work to make a positive difference in the world.

handcrafted by artisans: Distinctive goods of uncommon value, handcrafted by passionate designers and artisans. celebrate life: Celebrate life and human spirit by honoring traditions from cultures around the world.

check them out! find them here.

Quote of the Day

"There are really only three types of people: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who say "what happened?"
- Unknown Author

Friday funnies....

funny signs....

all found via AmyOops.com

if it's too small to read, you can click here

via

Broken heart....

I haven't blogged this week. I have been a little pre-occupied.

I've had a broken heart before... actually, many times... but it has always been "theoretically"... now it seems that the light of my life... my favorite little man, actually does have a "broken heart."

Ever since my husband (actually my ex husband) was killed in a car accident back in January, the main purpose of my existence has been my little grandbug... he is my light, my joy, my everything!!! He is just 16 months old and on Monday we found out that he will need open-heart surgery.

It seems that he was born with two holes in his beautiful little heart. One has actually repaired itself (the worst one)... but the second one is going to require surgery.

What he has is called a Atrioventricular Canal Defect and it will require them to actually cut open his chest... break his sternum... take out his heart.. empty it, apply the patch and return that beautiful little heart to this beautiful little man.

Quite daunting... I've spent this week questioning, and researching to find out everything we can.

They are going to wait until he gains some weight and is a little stronger before the surgery - probably not until the summer... but it has been very stressful, to say the least.

Please, keep him in your thoughts and prayers....comments from anyone who has had experience with this sort of thing would be greatly appreciated.

Quote of the Day

"Regardless of circumstances, each man lives in a world of his own making."
- Josepha Murray Emms

Friday funnies...

How to hide your boyfriend from your parents..... found via

found via

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

this one's long... but worth it

Hell, Explained By a Chemistry Student

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.

With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, "it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you", and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over.

The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct...leaving only Heaven thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting "Oh my God."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A"

via

Quote of the Day

"It is essential to learn to enjoy life.

It really does not make sense to go through the motions of existence

if one does not appreciate as much of it as possible."

- Mihaly Csikszentmihalhi

Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is a Microcrystalline variety of quartz.

Named for its rosy pink color, this variety of quartz can be pale pink to peachy in color.

The gem gets is color from trace amounts of Titanium, and it is commonly included with tiny rutile needles. Usually found in large aggregated masses.

and from my geology class last summer.... this is a member of the quartz family it shares the same properties as the rest of its large family: hardness of 7, white streak, no cleavage.

... so what can rose quartz do for you???

Rose quartz is known as the love stone. When worn in jewelry the wearer feels a sense of self-worth.

Healing properties of Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz has a gentle vibration of love for the owner. It gives inner peace and helps in all matters pertaining to love in all its forms. Rose Quartz opens the heart to love. It also helps as a rejuvenator to the skin. It is a lovely stone for a young person.

and then pair it with sterling silver....

Silver is a mineral that is said to mirror the soul, strengthen the connection between astral and physical bodies, and enhance intuitive and psychic energies. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. It is also purported to attract, enhance and store the energies of gemstones, as well as draw out negative energies.

so.... I'm thinking that if you wear this bracelet you'll be able to not only feel peaceful and worthy of love, but you'll be able to express that feeling when it's most important!

I just purchased bunches of rose quartz and this bracelet was the first creation... you can find it for purchase in my Etsy shop by just clicking on one of the photos... but there will be many more rose quartz pieces to come!!!

Quote of the Day

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them. "
- Lady Bird Johnson

It's a sunny day!

Sunny Day Happy Face has included my 'boy named sue' bracelet in her quilt of etsy shops... check it out here

thanks Sunny Day! you can read more of her blog at sunnydayhappyface.blogspot.com

Quote of the Day

"Devote to better living the energy that you could spend in criticism."

- Imelda Shanklin

Friday funnies....

A 6 year old and a 4 year old are upstairs in their bedroom.

‘You know what?’ says the 6 year old. ‘I think it’s about time we started cussing.

The 4 year old nods his head in approval.

The 6 year old continues, ‘When we go downstairs for breakfast, I’m gonna say something with hell and you say something with ass.’

The 4 year old agrees with enthusiasm.

When the mother walks into the kitchen and asks the 6 year old what he wants for breakfast, he replies, ‘Aw, hell, Mom, I guess I’ll have some Cheerios.’

WHACK! He flies out of his chair, tumbles across the kitchen floor, gets up, and runs upstairs crying his eyes out, with his mother in hot pursuit, slapping his rear with every step. His mom locks him in his room and shouts, ‘You can stay there until I let you out!’

She then comes back downstairs, looks at the 4 year old and asks with a stern voice, ‘And what do YOU want for breakfast, young man?’

I don’t know, he blubbers, ‘but you can bet your fat ass it won’t be Cheerios!’

found via

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found via

Quote of the Day

"The errors to avoid are those that eliminate opportunities to try again."

- Lazar Goldberg

A to Z favorites... U

Useful Books.... each and every book has been joyfully handcrafted from start to finish by Cindy Leaders of Toccoa, Georgia.

"These books beg to be used. Their greatest hope and desire, like the Velveteen Rabbit, is to be loved into well-worn keepsakes. "

Most of the folios are ripped by hand so pages start out with the comfortable look and feel of a deckled edge.

She makes 'reinvented' journals out of wonderful old books - perhaps she could turn your favorite childhood book into a journal! I'd love to have a Harold and the Purple Crayon journal - wouldn't you? or maybe Goodnight Moon... hmmm...

I think my favorite journals Cindy makes are the ones I've shown here... made from and actual Whole Foods grocery bag!
find it (and all her Useful Books here)

Usona Home Furnishings.... I'm totally in love with this store!!!

Usonahome.com..... of course, nothing has prices.... and you know what that means... but how cool is this shop!?!?!?!

Upholstered Coffee Table
Upholstered low table with castors. Wood frame with removable fabric.

... Isn't this fabulous??? find it here

URBAN FLEA
design is design is design: loving the high and the low since 2008.

I love this blog... I should add it to my "blog roll" which hasn't been updated in quite some time...
http://www.urbanfleadesign.com/

Quote of the Day

"Live in your hopes and not in your fears. "
- Johnny Majors

Friday funnies......

Why did the chicken cross the road?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialog with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves tocross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of crossing?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmers Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like the other side. That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

Quote of the Day

"You are responsible for the world that you live in." - August Wilson

Blast off!

Oh my goodness! I was lucky enough to go to the Cleveland National Air Show on Labor Day... all I can say is "WOW" and why didn't I ever go before???

It was friggin incredible! I wish my pictures could do it justice but all I had was this cheap little camera...

The day started out early (well 9:30 is early for me) and we got to walk around and see the military airplanes.... let me tell you I have a whole new respect for our armed forces...

can you imagine working with all that instrumentation???

Check out the size of these things!!! It's amazing that they can even fly. The engines alone are 27 feet long!I was just in awe.... ...then there was the Shockwave Jet Truck.... it went from zero to 300 mph it 11 seconds!I loved the biplanes and their amazing stunts... this pilot, Sean Tucker did a solo performance and then performed stunts with his son in another plane! I actually felt sorry for this guy's wife... can you imagine your husband and your son doing this for a living?
Then there were the parachute jumpers from the Army... airplanes were actually circling them while they were free-falling!look how low to the ground these planes come! I swear my stomach ached just watching them....and then, of course, the finale... the Navy's Blue Angels. They fly in formation only 18 inches apart at 600 mph!!!!
Holy crap! I was thinking... most people I know work in offices, or retail, or factories.... can you imagine this being your job?

The entire day was just thrilling... and lasted til 6:00! We had perfect weather for it too. If you've never gone, I really recommend it. It was simply beyond words....

Quote of the Day

"Expectations tend to be self-fulfilling."
- Unknown Author

A to Z favorites.....T

Fabulous TOASTER! by george watson from uk

designer's own words: There has been little development of the toaster since the start of the century, whilst other appliances have developed and improved incorporating new technologies and thinking, toaster have remained relatively untouched. When the toaster was first invented eating toast was a social activity that took place on the breakfast table, these days toasters have been relegated to cheap plastic objects hidden away in the kitchen landscape. This toaster is designed to engage the user, re-invigorating the social context of toasting by questioning everything about what we toast with today.
can be found here....


self-taught metal artist Timothy Adams....
find these and more here...

TaskWatch whiteboard is a wall-mounted write-on/wipe-off panel with a clock in the middle. You can use markers to write all sorts of messages or draw images beside the relevant hour, which makes TaskWatch a helpful tool for organizing one’s time or sharing information with co-workers.

Thumbthing
A brilliant new invention forreading books – it makesreading more comfortable.
Also use it as a bookmark.
Ideal for reading in bed, or in the bath or on the beach. Great for commuters.
Everybody will want one,everyone should have it.

find it here

To-Do Tatoos......oh come on... admit it.. you've scribbled your "to-do" list on your hand before, right? Why not do it right??? found via fred & friends ..... here