Quote of the Day

"We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."
- Joseph Campbell

111

I've had a strange run-in with the number 111 today.... in my regular etsy shop (monaco.etsy.com) I've sold 111 things... in my "supply" shop on etsy (extrastuff.etsy.com),

I've sold 111 things. I went to buy from someone today (jewelrythings.etsy.com) and they've sold 111 things. I went to renew one of my listings (the man in the moon) and it had exactly 111 views.....I haven't checked my email in a day and a half...when I did check it today I had (come on!! take a guess!!!) YEP! 111 unread emails..... hmmmm.... think I should buy a lottery ticket??? or perhaps I should buy 111 of them!

Quote of the Day

"We are all cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out."
-Ray Bradbury

Happy Belated Easter!

I can't believe I've not posted in three days... my how time flies...

Look how big my little grandbug has gotten!! ---->>>>>

Wow! He's still too little for candy, but the Easter Bunny brought him lots of fun stuff!

This year I hosted Easter dinner... just seven of us... not much fuss, but it was fun! I made this fabulous glaze for the ham with bourbon, coca-cola, dijon mustard and honey hmm, hmm good!

My 'great-uncle' came - who I just adore... and it got me thinking... why do we call grandfathers "grand" and uncles "great?" hmmm... well, my 'great' uncle is actually now a great, great, great uncle... that made us all smile :) ...and I think it's just GRAND!

Also, why do we celebrate some 'eves' and not others? There is Christmas eve, and New Year's eve... but not Easter eve???

Anyone know why????

Quote of the Day

"Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while."
-Kin Hubbard

Get Free Stuff!!!

Have you seen the new freebies??? I've added quite a few in the past week or so....
scroll down and look on the right side of this blog.... get free stuff!!!!

TO MY FRIENDS WHO ENJOY A GLASS OF WINE

AND THOSE WHO DON'T...

As Ben Franklin said:

In wine there is wisdom

in beer there is freedom

in water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink one litre of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than one kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in feces.

In other words, we are consuming one kilo of poop!

However, we do not run that risk when drinking wine and beer (or tequila, rum, whisky (or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and / or fermenting.

Remember:

Water = Poop

Wine = Health

Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information.... I'm doing it as a public service!

A friend of mine (or perhaps a drinking buddy!) sent me this... I thought I'd pass it along!

Quote of the Day

"The fact that nobody understands you, does not necessarily mean that you are an artist. "
- Unknown

Living Green

I've been trying to find gifts for my grandson.... it's harder than I thought it would be!

First, try to find something for a toddler that doesn't light up and make noise! Whatever happened to creative play? I don't want to teach him that you can always 'touch a button' and be entertained. I think it's important for kids to use their imaginations....

Second, with all the recalls of the past year I want to find safe toys that also help me feel confident about the impact of my purchase not only on my grandson but on the environment and workers across the supply chain.

I've done a little research and thought I'd share my findings...

The member businesses of Co-op America's Green Business Network are screened for their commitment to people and the planet. You can find this listing online at GreenPages.org

You can shop with confidence knowing that these businesses carry the most responsible products for your family. I've also come across some great shops on Etsy.com... individual artisans who spend their time and care creating unique, well-made toys.

Here are a few of the things I've come across.. most of which I've actually purchased - so I know they're great!

Every kid needs a sock monkey! I bought this one for my grandson at Christmas... You can find bunches of them on Etsy.com but this is the one I bought... from KellyJeanDesign it was super reasonably priced too! Only $16.00!
and best of all.... he loves it!!!

I've never met a kid that doesn't like to play with balls... Fair Trade Sports Balls is a member of the Green Business Network - you can be assured that no child labor is involved in their production and that workers receive a living wage in a healthy work environment.... and they donate all of their after-tax profits to children's charities!

For the younger set... thepolkadottotspot on Etsy makes beautiful handmade cloth balls with a little jingle bell inside! Only $10.00! She makes loads of fun blocks and balls in a variety of sizes and fun colors.

Children's Organic Hemp Sneakers! These sweatshop-free, chemical-free, cruelty-free, leather-free children's shoes are vegan and are made with only environmentally sound materials, including organic hemp uppers and soles made from reclaimed used tires.For toddlers and beginning walkers, our vegetarian kids sneakers are the ideal first shoe: supportive, soft, comfortable, durable, fair-labor produced, and 100% vegetarian. Only $25.00!!
Buy them and all sorts of products that are "safe for your baby, the planet, and all animals" at KidBean.com

Kate’s Caring Gifts brings you the very best natural, organic, and ecologically sustainable products that you can find anywhere.

These wonderful toys and books are made from durable, recycled material. The proceeds from the sale support the Golden Gate National Park Conservancy, a nonprofit nonprofit membership organization created to:
*Preserve the Golden Gate National Parks,
*Enhance the experiences of park visitors, and
*Build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future.
...and they're only $6.95!!

Stump Pond Woodworks has been delighting children with these toys for over a quarter of a century. For safety and durability, they use native hardwoods finished only with non-toxic drugstore grade mineral oil. For safety,no soft pine, paint,stain or breakable plastics are used in any of my 25 toys and puzzles. Made right here in the USA... This fabulous pull toy is handmade and is still only $22.60!!
I could go on and on.... I found so many wonderful things in my search that it would take pages and pages to show you... but the main point is...
You can make a difference! You can support businesses devoted to environmental sustainability, social justice, and healthy living. We can teach our kids to make a difference too!

Quote of the Day

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right."
- Henry Ford

Growing up isn't funny!

Sad Fact:

Children laugh about 400 times a day, while adults laugh on average only 15 times a day.

Perhaps these can help....

• Why don't cannibals eat comedians? They taste funny.

• Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.

Man said to God --- Why did you make women so beautiful?
God said to man --- So that you will love them.
Man said to God --- But why did you make them so dumb?
God said to man --- So that they will love you.

___________

There were 11 people hanging on to a single rope that suspended them from a helicopter trying to bring them to safety.
Ten were men; one was a woman.
They all decided that one person would have to let go because if they didn't, the rope would break and all of them would die.
No one could decide who it should be.
Finally the woman gave a really touching speech, saying how she would give up her life to save the others, because women were used to giving things up for their husbands and children and giving in to men.
All of the men started clapping.

Headed South!!

Gee... with all this snow (24 inches here!), I wish it were me heading south.... but at least some of my little creations are headed that way!

The newest shop to carry monacodesigns?.... Lola's Boutique in Alpharetta, Georgia!! YAY!

"Our goal at Lola's is to dress all our Divas to feel good about themselves
not only on the inside but always on the outside. "

Check 'em out!!!

(all packed up & ready to travel)

Increase your Vocabulary... help end World Hunger

YAY! Fun and useful!!

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

This is fun! Play the vocabulary game and if you get the meaning of the word correct, they will donate grains of rice to Third World countries. I did it and it was like a game! I donated 2860 grains of rice today!

Here's what they have to say.....

"How does playing the vocabulary game at FreeRice help me?

Learning new vocabulary has tremendous benefits. It can help you:

• Formulate your ideas better


• Write better papers, emails and business letters


• Speak more precisely and persuasively


• Comprehend more of what you read


• Read faster because you comprehend better


• Get better grades in high school, college and graduate school


• Score higher on tests like the SAT, GRE, LSAT and GMAT


• Perform better at job interviews and conferences


• Sell yourself, your services, and your products better


• Be more effective and successful at your job

After you have done FreeRice for a couple of days, you may notice an odd phenomenon. Words that you have never consciously used before will begin to pop into your head while you are speaking or writing. You will feel yourself using and knowing more words.

FreeRice runs the site at no profit and the rice is distributed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).

Quote of the Day

"Live radically, because your time to make a difference on this globe is short."
-Brendan Beale

what to do with this?

Ok.. I just got this fabulous Italian square... it's not really a bead really, not a button..... but it is sooo cool!


And I know it wants to become something even cooler!! I just haven't figured out what yet. It's nice and large... 1-1/2" square.... beautiful coloring... hmmmmm ...

I don't want to "drill" it, but the hole is too far down to use any sort of jump ring... not sure if a leather cord would do it justice!
Wire wrapping just doesn't seem to fit this piece either.....


.....any suggestions?

Quote of the Day

"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm."
- Henry David Thoreau

I bought a tomato today...

I had this incredible urge for the taste of a good, old-fashioned BLT sandwich. Remember when you were a kid and got to eat tomatoes right off the vine? I remember almost celebrating the first tomatoes! Well, I guess I was feeling reminiscent today and that is the taste I wanted. So I walked up to my local grocery and bought what looked like a perfectly ripe tomato!

I was practically tasteless!! I was sooo dissapointed. So much so, in fact, that I did a little research on "modern-day" tomatoes to find out what happened! Thanks to http://home.nycap.rr.com/ this is what they said! (and I quote)

#1 - The red tomatoes are really green tomatoes! (Yes, you read it correctly) It's no magic trick, but a feat of modern science.
Ripe tomatoes are very soft, so they are picked green. Instead of letting them ripen, however, they are piled into a gas house and exposed to ethylene gas.
Why ethylene gas? This is the same chemical that the tomato gives off internally when allowed to naturally ripen. The gassing tricks the tomato into producing that nice red color. It looks ripe to us, but it's not.

#2 - Home cooks and restaurants have told the growers that they wanted a firmer tomato. They don't want a mushy tomato - they want a firm one. A harder tomato means less juice - and a less appetizing salad veggie. Too bad they didn't ask the consumer.

#3 - Supermarkets want a tomato that looks good. No one wants to buy a damaged or bruised specimen, so the tomato producers have bred a tough skinned tomato so that it looks good on the grocer's shelves.

Terrific... it looks good, it's easy to cut, but it has no taste?!?

I guess I'll stick to organic - or wait until August when everyone who has a garden can't give 'em away fast enough. Too bad I can't control my cravings to coincide with specific seasons!

So then I walked up again later and got a terrific bottle of Chardonnay... now all is right with the world again....

Quote of the Day

"I'd rather regret the things I have done than the things that I haven't."
-Lucille Ball

One of my favorite stones....

Hematite.... I'm not even sure why, but I seem to use a lot of hematite in my jewelry. Maybe it's the steely-grey color I'm so fond of.... maybe it's because it feels cool to the touch, like metal. I love metal.

Whatever the reason, I like this stone and thought I'd share some of the unique characteristics of it with you!

Hematite, an oxide of iron (Fe2O3), is also known as "red iron ore" and in 1967 was designated as the State Mineral of Alabama!

Hematite is a silvery, shiny opaque stone that almost looks like metal. Hematite is heavy and relatively hard oxide mineral, that constitutes the most important iron ore because of its high iron content (70 percent) and its abundance.

As hematite hardness is 5.5 - 6.5 it will scratch glass, but is in turn scratched by quartz.

This crystal is the most recommended stone for grounding and is associated with the Root Chakra, by encouraging ones survival instincts and is centering.

Hematite condenses scattered feelings, turns fuzziness into mental clarity, enhances concentration, memory, practicality, helps those who study, do bookkeeping, detailed work and helps with sound sleep.

Spiritually, it enhances astral projections, promotes balance, focus, convergence and concentration of energy. Helps increase courage and will-power.

Physical Healing.... mineral and crystal healers associate Hematite with blood and use it in their rituals for treating blood-related illnesses such as hemophilia, anemia, heart, kidney and liver diseases, cardio-vascular weakness, menstrual cramps, and nose bleeds. They also recommend it for use in treating the stress of jet lag, birth and surgery, tumors, insomnia, leg cramps, nervous disorders and fevers. Hematite was also a Native American remedy for dental problems, pimples, canker sores and alcohol abuse.

Quote of the Day

"The problem with winter sports is that - follow me closely here - they generally take place in winter. "

- Dave Barry