Living Like We Mean It

Sports Pit

2011-03-07T08:04:00.000-05:00

That is where this country keeps pouring its money... that is what we are investing in. So sad. I just can't stand the fact that our nation so heavily rewards those who are only rated on a limited ability, an ability that really has no productive addtition to our society. I do not doubt that there are generous atheletes that give back, but the whole system is generally directed towards a negative path. There is a reason that most commercials related to sports are focused on sex, alcohol and sodas. These are some of our countries worse crutches, so why do we continue to pour our money in the pit? The truly productive individuals, especially teachers, are so underpaid. Our schools are falling down around us. We continue to cut programs, especially the arts, but sports stars are living fantasy lives. Kids are not trying to get the great grades, they are spending all their time, dreaming about making it big in the sports field because that is where the money is. And then people wonder why our country is failing. Why can't we wake up and stop obsessing about men and women playing professional sports?

Bus Bully & Safety Solution

2011-01-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

Our Government continually cuts funding for schools but then wonders how what is wrong with our country. We need more money in our schools. We need to invest in the education, protection and mental health of our youth.

One of the things that amazes me is we have one adult on our buses. One adult to drive, load and unload and monitor behavior. Is this beyond ridiculous to anybody else. We are willing to put the safety of our children at risk because our schools do not have the funding to hire two individuals per bus. Just think how dangerous it is to drive and watch what is happening with 40 kids all at the same time. Why is our society OK with this!?!? Have we really come to just accept that education is not a priority because of cost....

How can this be changed? When will the money in this country start going to where it is needed as opposed to where it is wanted.

The OMG! Find for Today....

2010-12-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

are these amazing Dansko Professional Clogs:

These fabulous shoes can be found at 6pm.com for 30% off!!! I can not rave enough about danskos, both their comfort and quality are top notch! Click here to check them out plus a wide range of other danskos on sale.

And, right now, ebates is offering 2.5% cash back at 6pm.com... it may not sound like much but it adds up over time. Click here to check out ebates.

Oh So Pretty! Find for the day....

2010-12-04T11:08:00.000-05:00

I love the web site 6pm.com and am always excited by the fabulous deals they have to offer. Check out this sweet Fossil bag, 60% off!

Find it here.

And to add to the savings, ebates is offering an extra 2.5% cash back at 6pm.com! You can sign up for ebates here.

History in our schools

2010-09-11T21:59:00.000-04:00

This post is based on my thoughts in reaction to a friends post on facebook referencing her 10 yr old daughter's fears in reaction to a video of the 9/11 events.

I do believe all of our history, the good and the bad, needs to be taught in our schools but I believe it needs to be taught based on an age appropriate basis. Subjects involving death, terrorism, suicide, etc should be screened carefully and worded appropriately based on age. Yes, history happened, yes we need to learn it all, but some of it is pretty scary, violent, horrific stuff (i.e. concentration camps, mass suicides, etc.), so maybe like movies, content should be rated as to what age group it is suitable for.

I think any video where people are dying should be a high school type of thing. Showing a video of buildings full of people falling to the ground does not exactly rate at middle school level in my mind.

Ranger

2010-07-19T22:09:00.000-04:00

The puppy has taken over our lives. Don't let his little innocent face fool you. He is a master manipulator, hell bent on eating anything and everything that will easily lodge in his throat, an adept sock/underwear thief, who, when in stealth mode, can poop in ten seconds when in the house (even though it is a process that takes 30 minutes when in the yard). Ahh, life with a new baby, I had forgotten what it was like.

Summer Survival - the bickering

2010-07-09T18:59:00.000-04:00

Oh the bickering, whining, picking, and boredom. Entertaining the kids during summer break sometimes feels like it should be a full time job. My kids are in bickering mode which leads to a lot of tattling and whining. I am so ready to just put them all in their rooms and tell them they have to read quietly the rest of the summer.... I can only dream LOL! I wonder what other mom's are doing to keep their kids preoccupied during the summer.

Handmade In the Bathroom

2010-06-24T16:40:00.001-04:00

I love handmade soaps. Well, to be honest, I love not only handmade soaps but also handmade lotions bath bombs, body scrubs... the list goes on. And a great place to shop for these is on Etsy.
I have bought from KB Shimmer and absolutely adored all the goodies I received. Check out these from her store:

Top Picture: Pink Sugar Bath Bombs Set of 3

Middle Picture: Good Morning Citrus 9oz Jar Sugar Body Polish Scrub

Bottom Picture: Rosemary Mint Essential Oil Soap

Just a few of the pros of buying handmade bath products:

Direct sales, straight from creator to buyer

Less packaging

A complete ingrediant list

Contact with the creator so all questions can easily be answered

Fabulous customer care

Shopping local to support local artisans

Handmade soaps contain glycerine

I think everybody should give handmade soap a try!

Introducing our Jack Rat!

2010-06-21T23:56:00.000-04:00

I have been keeping a eye out for a small dog for my son, be it on the down-low... I have a lot of anti-pet people who think anybody is insane for adding responsibility on to a busy life via a non-human extra mouth. But I really feel like our house was missing something since our yellow lab passed away last summer. I mainly wanted to get a dog for my son, who I feel needs a little boost. I think he sometimes feels a little neglected in the middle of his two sisters. Well, a neighbor posted on her facebook account that she had Jack Rat puppies, they are a mix between Jack Russell Terriers and Rat Terriers. So we received our new puppy, Ranger, on Sunday and I am tickled pink with this little guy! Nights have been a little rough but so far, he has been a dream puppy. So cute and energetic.

Last day for Kohls 30% off

2010-06-16T10:46:00.000-04:00

This is a great time to shop at Kohls, just use coupon code SAVEINJUNE to get 30% of your order. Today is the last day for this coupon code. Shipping is free if you spend $75 so make sure you spend that amount. Kohls is so great about returns, you can just order things to try and if you don't like it, next time you head out to Kohls, you can always return it. I also find that I can get toys at Kohls marked way down. Don't forget to check their seasonal clearance. They have the most awesome garden flags and they are priced anywhere between $2.99 and $5.99 at times, then take 30% off of that! Now that is a bargain!

Crafting is my obsession...

2010-06-14T17:18:00.002-04:00

So when the diynetwork had a run of handmade/handcrafted shows on during the day time hours a couple of years ago, such as B. Original and Creative Juice, I was completely glued to the TV, just soaking it all in. So, thanks to that and my love of Etsy and youtube videos and crafting web pages, my brain is bursting with snippets. And the problem with my snippets, they never have the pertinent info that makes it possible for me to locate the information again, ugh! Like the name of the artist, or even which show it was on. I once saw an episode that was on book binding, it was filmed at the artist's studio and she made incredible books and I loved her technique. I want to try something similar, and I think I remember enough of what I saw to make it work, but I would LOVE to see the video again, just to have her name to show off her books to all of you. I have searched Google, HGTV and youtube but no luck. Oh, if only I could get paid for the time I sspend searching for things on the internet. It really is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, only the haystack is the size of Texas!

PS Did you know Cathie Filian has a shop on Etsy? How cool is that?

Shopping Like I Mean It!!

2010-06-12T11:06:00.001-04:00

I am a huge on-line shopper and I am proud to admit it. I find I save big bucks by utilizing all of the fabulous online tools. I am a member of ebates. I do get a $5 kickback for every individual I get to sign up, but those have been far and few between because I think a lot of people are very cautious about signing up for money related things on the internet. I have read some sketchy things about ebates, there are some spyware programs supposedly associated with the site, but I still can't help but sing its praises. I have gotten $388 in cash back since joining. And I tend to order over the internet as opposed to going to the store in order to get the cash back and take advantage of on-line coupon codes that I would not get in the store.
We purchased our Washer and Dryer from Home Depot and got $45.33 back through ebates. That is cash that the average Joe going to the stroe would have never seen!!!

Today: MY ON-LINE SHOPPING at KOHLS
Sometimes the cash back isn't really worth mentioning, like today I shopped on-line at Kohls where the ebates cash back was only 2%. But get this... I used the 30% off coupon code (no, I did not receive it in the mail, but shopping on line does not care if I do not have the paper in my hand, all I need is the code *wink*) and I used a Dockers 15% off code for 2 pairs of shorts for the hubby, they were originally $44, on sale for $21.99, yet with my 15% and 30%, I got them for $13.08 each! And I forgot to mention FREE SHIPPING! So why would I drive the hour to kohls? I also saved the gas money too!

Shopping on-line works! I will talk soon about coupon codes!

Ahh! Refreshing!

2010-06-09T00:21:00.000-04:00

In my opinion, this is the perfect drink.
First, an insulated stainless steel water bottle, check out this new Kleen Kanteen water bottle:

Then regular old tap water. That's right, it is best to go for the tap when in need for water. Avoiding bottled water and drinking from the tap means less plastic in our already overburdened landfills. Check out this comparison of bottled and tap water to see why the tap is the better choice.
And then add my most favorite drink find:

I have been using the crystal light drink mixes even though I was not tickled pink by their ingrediants, but they have recently come out with this mix which has no artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives... woohoo... I think people could hear me cheering throughout the grocery store. True, the little packets are quite trashy ;) but all for all, I think this is a perfect trio: tap water, stainless steel water bottle and naturally sweetened drink mix. Now that's worth a toast.

Drowning in chemical data

2010-06-06T14:34:00.001-04:00

I feel like I have gone in circles for the last two hours trying to pin down my feelings about Parabens. I know, I'm strange, spending all that time chasing facts, near facts, half-truths... but I was determined to make a conclusion that was backed by fact about these chemicals and post it on my blog.
Here is some of what I have found:
From Wikipedia: Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.
From FDA: FDA believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing parabens. However, the agency will continue to evaluate new data in this area. If FDA determines that a health hazard exists, the agency will advise the industry and the public, and will consider its legal options under the authority of the FD&C Act in protecting the health and welfare of consumers.
From Breast Cancer Fund: Parabens are a group of compounds widely used as an antifungal agent, preservative and antimicrobial in creams, lotions, ointments and other cosmetics, including underarm deodorants. They are absorbed through the skin and have been identified in biopsy samples from breast tumors.
And through my research I was brought to the Cosmetic Ingrediant Review: Mission: The Cosmetic Ingredient Review thoroughly reviews and assesses the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics in an open, unbiased, and expert manner, and publishes the results in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. And I found this report put together by them. Here is an excerpt:

Toxicological Data

Chemical Disposition, Metabolism, and Toxicokinetics

Rabbits orally given butylparaben (0.4 or 0.8 g/kg [2 or 4 mmol/kg]) excreted 0.2-0.9% of the ester by 24 hours. Within the same period, 25-39% 4-HBA, 15-29% p-hydroxyhippuric acid, 5-8% p-carboxyphenyl glucuronide, 10-18% p-hydroxybenzoyl glucuronide, and 7-12% p-carboxyphenyl sulfate were recovered.

In dogs, intravenous (i.v.) injection of butylparaben (50 mg/kg [0.26 mmol/kg]) and oral administration of butylparaben (1000 mg/kg [5.148 mmol/kg]) resulted in a 48 and 40% recovery, respectively, of the administered dose in the urine as the 4-HBA conjugate of glucuronic acid within 30 hours. In a similar study in which dogs were given an i.v. injection of butylparaben (100 mg/kg [0.515 mmol/kg]), pure ester was recovered in the brain, spleen, and pancreas, and high concentrations of metabolites were detected in the liver and kidneys.

Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have been conducted reporting the permeability of butylparaben through skin. In these studies, butylparaben usually exhibited low penetration, retention in the epidermis, and/or hydrolysis in the skin.

And this report goes on to include chinese hamsters, rats, mice.... and suddenly I found myself majorly depressed... right back in my Gulf Oil Spill state of being....
And, on top of all of this, surfing these web sites, I found heaps of other things that I had no clue about and was reminded of others that I felt just as strongly about (like formaldehyde in baby shampoos... please buy castille hand made soap as an alternative). And here is am again, feeling like an extremeist, standing on my soap box shouting the warnings and knowing that when you hit that point, people stop hearing and start shaking their heads about how sad that crazy person is. But the point I want to make is that being aware is the most important part of all of this. It does not mean you have to radically change your life, but it does mean you are armed to make decisions when shopping in this chemically laden world.

Oh, I almost forgot, please check out the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.

So excited about a new craft idea! Just need supplies!

2010-06-05T14:55:00.000-04:00

My etsy store has been closed for quite some time. This mainly occured because of the renovation, and now that my life is coming back together, I have a really exciting new idea for a craft to sell but I am having some trouble finding the supplies I need. The main thing I am looking for are hanging objects with a considerable amount of weight. I am thinking of a variety to give the line of items a lot of diversity, but right now I would be happy to find where I could buy these glass faceted balls at hopefully a wholesale price. Anybody have any thoughts?

Thanks!

My several thousand new children...

2010-06-04T15:51:00.001-04:00

Yep, I am the proud mama of several thousand honeybees.
I have two hives that I keep on our property out in the country, about 12 miles outside of town. I put the bees in their hives mid-April and it has been quite an adventure ever since. Bees are amazing creatures and it has been fascinating to watch them build their combs and raise young, working to store nectar and pollen as they go. The whole queen/worker/drone relationship is amazing to witness first hand. Both of my original queens have been de-throned. One of my hives is flourishing with a healthy laying queen, the other hive is in dire straights with no queen and a laying-worker, which means one of the worker bees has started laying eggs, which are unfertilized, meaning they will be drones. It is all quite amazing and stressful also.
Bees produce two amazing products: honey and beeswax. Recently it has been brought into the spotlight that there are many dangers related to parabens. Beeswax is a fabulous, safe alternative. Local honey can help with allergies and it is an all natural sweetener just to name a few of it's fabulous qualites. I will have more to come in the topic of my adventures in beekeeping.

Sunscreens to try

2010-06-03T14:24:00.000-04:00

The website thedailygreen has a fabulous list of sunscreens that are free of suspect ingredients. I will be writing soon about another ingredient they mention in this article, but for the time being, check out their sunscreen list.

Sunscreen Woes - Beware of the Oxybenzone!

2010-06-02T10:13:00.004-04:00

So, being that the fam is now spending the majority of the day outside, sunscreen has stepped up into the spotlight and in the last week or so, I have heard some reports that made my head spin about a very common sunscreen ingrediant: Oxybenzone.
Check out this article on Planet Green.
Reading about the hormonal effects of this stuff is quite scary. Any chemical that is absorbed by the skin and can "possibly" cause hormone disruption should at least come with a warning. This chemical is found in many children's sunscreens so start reading the ingrediants.
Here is another article reported by the Environmental Working Group based on research by the CDC.
Here is what I have gathered about oxybenzone:

It is an anti-inflammatory which means as you burn, you do not realize you are burning until it is too late
linked to allergies
linked to hormone disruption
linked to cell damage
reports that it impacts the hormones of fish
low birth weight baby girls

Sources for this information are EWG, Super Eco and Planet Green

We can see the light....

2009-09-12T21:38:00.006-04:00

at the end of the renovation tunnel. It has been a long hard... sometimes very hard, summer. Our renovation began in April and we are waiting on some final cabinet pieces (which includes our bathroom vanity) which will then allow the painters to finish and that will pretty much be the conclusion of this adventure. We have gone from this:

which was the room in use as a nursery, later to be a jumbled craft/toy room.

to this:

you can see the frame for the tub in the bottom right.

to a fabulous master bathroom where I actually fit in the bathtub!!

I really can't believe it is almost done. I spent so much time worrying about my design choices, the tile colors, the fixture choices, paint colors.... there just were so many decisions and they had to all add up to a completed picture that at one point I wasn't even sure if I remembered what it was. I just look around now in amazement that it all worked out. To see my thoughts and ideas in real life and see they my choices were good and that it all works! What a load off!

The awesome graphics around my master tub are from LeenTheGraphicsQueen.

The master bath was added, we also renovated our original bath. I will post that next.

I LOVE Bugs!

2009-09-06T21:21:00.005-04:00

I love taking pictures of flowers and especially flowers with bugs in them! Here is a picture I took in the dunes on my vacation to Ocean Isle Beach, NC.

So, imagine my excitement when my mom pointed out an article in the Richmond Times about a bug photo class taught by renowned Wildlife Photographer Lynda Richardson at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens! I attended the class in August and had such a great time! Here is one of the shots I took at the butterfly house.

Lynda did point out that there was something seriously wrong with my viewfinder on my camera. I just thought it was my glasses but come to find out, my camera is sick, but my pictures still come out fine. That was a definite bummer but... life goes on... and at least it still works.

My Abandoned Garden...

2009-06-02T22:14:00.003-04:00

My poor neglected yard. With everything going on inside the house and the workers stomping through my borders, I have basically given up on my flowers this year. But, this little beauty popped up in one of my front yard borders and I have enjoyed it thoroughly. I don't think I planted it, I am not sure how it got there, but it sure has been pretty to look at. It closes each evening and opens with more flowers each day. I especially love that a random one or two white blooms will pop out just to change things up. I think God sent this little plant to help me feel better about not having time for my flowers.

Good Lord, Somethin's got a hold on me!!!

2009-05-28T23:37:00.002-04:00

That is what I think was the thought running through kitty Jack's mind this morning. Let's start at the very beginning... and that is when my daughter woke me this morning, holding the clock beside her bed, which is now my bed, because my "real"bed is currently covered with parts of ceiling and wall due to the downstairs renovation. So... anyway, she is atnding there pointing out what time it is, and I am like, "that's great, 10 more minutes" until I realize that would only be true if the hour said 6 instead of 7... WE OVERSLEPT!!! Well, by this time the bus has gone and I have to take the kids to school anyway, so no need to kill ourselves rushing. So we all make our way downstairs. I am in the kitchen making breakfast and I can see to the back of the house from where I am. All of a sudden there is this amazing loud, and chaotic commotion from the back of the house. I am like "WTH!" thinking th plumbers have come in and started hurling stuff into the back room. Something is flying through that room with great speed and noise. It hurls by again and it is large and cream colored. It almost looks like something has come alive. Then it flies by again and I realize it is a Pottery Barn Bag, one of the large paper ones with handles, and my brain is unable to compute this.... why and how is a bag flying around the room? Then I realize the bag is attached to our black cat, Jack... mind you, all this is happening in seconds and the confusion and dismay is spreading like wildfire. Greta, has shot through the house like she is sure the devil has entered our house, Megan is screaming, Kaileigh is crying and the bag is still flying around the house with me in hot pursuit and of course Jack still attached and thinking his life is going to end any second. So, finally, through some merciful miracle, the bag releases Jack and he is free.

It took a good thirty minutes to calm the cats, console Kaileigh and return the house back to order... well, what little order can be found in a house under renovation. Ahhh, yes, life at my house.

Charlie

2009-05-20T12:01:00.001-04:00

Charlie
Originally uploaded by BackwoodSophisticate

Our Charlie Dog passed away last night. He was only 7 years old. He was diagnosed with lymphocarcinoma just a couple months ago. His only symptom at that time was enlarged lymph nodes. He stayed strong and healthy unil the last few weeks when he began losing weight. He was wagging his tail and enjoying watching us play ball yesterday afternoon. He definitely was quiet and taking it easy but his passing last night was unexpected, even though possibly a blessing in that he died on his own terms and still able to get around and enjoy his family. He will be missed. Rest in peace Charlie-Dog.

Help! I am addicted to facebook!

2009-05-11T23:37:00.002-04:00

Yep, i have become a hostage of facebook. So, if you were wondering, that is where I am, catching up with old classmates and long lost friends. It is a fun site! Also, the home renovation is in full swing. We are living in a completely altered state of existence which involves constant moving of our belongings. I have found it is a lot easier to just send stuff to Goodwill than find a place to stash it. I am wondering what I will be missing when it is time to resume our normally scheduled life ;) And don't even get me started on the absurdities of home loans/refinancing/equity... blah!!!

More bathroom absurdity

2009-04-14T12:56:00.002-04:00

So, this find makes me giggle. And also makes me ask, "Really?". I am thinking it is probably not nice to pick on these designs, because obviously, some find them to be fabulous... but sometimes a little laughter at the expense of high-design is just what you need to get through something as trying as a renovation. See the whole story here.

While researching for the bathroom addition...

2009-02-28T10:04:00.003-05:00

I come across some very interesting ideas for the bathroom. I try to be open-minded, seeing as everybody's perspective is different, but I have to say I think I found the UGLIEST bathroom ever! I think one of the things that makes it so ridiculous is the lack of practicality. Really, people? Really?

Obviously, this bathroom is not meant for somebody who will ever allow a child to use it, but from my mom perspective, what a nightmare!! Here is the link for the article, http://www.bhg.com/decorating/room/bathroom/bathroom-project-ideas/?page=4.

Such a sweet shop

2009-01-27T11:59:00.004-05:00

Have you seen this shop on etsy? It is called Tangerine Studio and I am so taken with her artwork. Her paintings do a phenomenal job of capturing the spirit of animals. She does commissioned pieces, you can find the pricing info on her blog The Bee Charmer. Here is one of her paintings.

Bernese mountain dog art by Maggie Crawford

Some Woodsy Picks

2009-01-26T18:59:00.008-05:00

I have been shopping on etsy for quite some time now. I actually started under the user name boogiesgalore... and, holy cow, I just looked it up and I joined in November of 2006. I had no idea it had been over two years. But my 85 pages of favorites makes more sense. I have no idea how I managed to accumalate over 800 favorite shops, but they all are important to me. I go through them and I honestly "know" each of them. I sometimes am a tad frightened at how many etsy shops I "know".
So, I picked these gorgeous woodsy finds from page 84 of my 85 pages of sellers. I have bought from two of these sellers and just haven't been able to make up my mind on a favorite to purchase from the other two shops, they have so many wonderful things.

Grassy Hill - Original Fabric on Wood Art by shellieartist

The Artful Raccoon Print 8.5 in x 11 in by johnwgolden

Squat orb ground sphere - an ikebana style vase by Earth N Elements Pottery

Earthy Pine Cone wrap scarf by circularaccessories

Enjoy!

Enamel Me Please

2009-01-22T23:11:00.006-05:00

I am loving the look of enamel on metal. And it does not take long to find some gorgeous enamel pieces on Etsy. Check these out:

Red-Hot-Enamel-Poppies-Hook-Earrings by jewelrybynatsuko

teeming (necklace) new by smashing

Double Copper Enamel Rubber necklace Prairie Collection by Steinvika

Aqua Enamel,Red Glass Flower and Sterling Silver Earrings by sweetVintage

Jack & New Camera

2009-01-22T18:10:00.001-05:00

Jack
Originally uploaded by BackwoodSophisticate

Our little kitty is growing like a weed. When we first got him, he immediately came down with a bug that sent us back to the vets for an antibiotic, but looking at him now, you could never guess he was the lethargic, bony, homely creature he was 4 weeks ago. All of his energy is back, he runs around here like his tail is on fire. He can run up the steps like speed racer. I adore him!!
My new camera is going to be so much fun. Ii can not believe how wonderful it is to finally take a picutre without a delay. I always missed the good shots with my Kodak, every time I take a picture with my new Canon and it happens when I touch the button, it makes me want to do a happy dance. Woo Hoo!

What a day! Guess what I saw this morning...

2009-01-20T23:09:00.002-05:00

So, today is such a momentous day in our history, I was excited about it anyway. But then driving to drop my daughter off at the babysitters, I saw something so cool, it made the day even better.
Above our town office building, in the sky, I saw two large birds, they were flying erratically and I soon realized they were fighting. Then I saw something fall from where they were in the sky and land in a parking lot adjacent to the town offices. That was when I put it all together, they were two Bald Eagles, one had a kill and the other was trying to take it. I was so tempted to pull in the parking lot to get a close look at what they were fighting over but I was in quite a rush. As I drove by I got a pretty good look and from driving by three more times today, (always running, to work, from work, to home) I was able to determine it was an adult duck!!! Crazy huh? Sad that they would not come back to get it, I guess the area was too busy for them.
Anyway, I thought that was so cool. Living near the river, we get some awesome views of our nation's bird. They are so majestic and impressive.

I did it!

2009-01-17T00:07:00.002-05:00

I just bought a new Canon Rebel XS with two lenses. I waited 'til the last minute and when I went to purchase it, many of the sites I had been watching had removed the deal I had my eye on but I was able to grab it at newegg.com so check it out here. That really made me realize how much I had really wanted it. Yay, now I am excited!

Hmming & Hawing

2009-01-15T22:47:00.002-05:00

I am thinking about purchasing a new camera. I am just not sure if I want to commit that much money to that purchase. It is a hard decision for me to make because that is money I could commit to one of my other hobbies. I have so many hobbies, sometimes I feel like I am the ultimate Jane of All Trades. I was just discussing with my hubby how hard it is not to have one stand out natural gift. I would love to be a stand out artist/photographer/seamstress/fiber artist/cook/builder.... something... if I could just find that thing I excel at. I can sew a pillow, I can install a new doorbell, I can knit a scarf, I can take a really good photo, I can cook good spaghetti, I can build a document in any Windows Office Application.... I can do it all, and I can do it well, but I am not a star. I think it is my lack of ability to commit, or possibly I can say it is my ability to easily pick up new things. And my love of variety and all things interesting.
So, that leads me to the camera purchase. It is a big decision to spend $500 on a camera, quite a commitment, but it is my favorite hobby, and taking pictures of the family is a good thing. I think I am going to go for it.

Our family is crazy

2009-01-15T08:06:00.003-05:00

Honestly, our family is whacky. For example:
Yesterday, my son comes home from kindergarten all excited about movie night at his school. I figure it would be fun to take the whole family so we decide to eat quick and get to the school a little early to get good seats. They are showing Kung Fu Panda. So, I grab his bookbag to double-check the flyer for the start time, yep, it is 7:00pm so we order dominos pizza and chow down. We did good with the time and were all piled in the truck by 6:42, blankets for the kids to sit on, all wrapped up in our big jackets (it is cold outside). The school is about a mile from our house. We are all like "whoohoo, movie night! this will be fun!".... about half way there, my 10 year old daughter pipes up "I sure hope we have the right night" and it hits me, I never checked the date on the flyer, I was just riding on the planning ability of a 6 year old. Well, we come in view of the school and, wow, it sure looks empty. My hubby pulls around to shine the lights on the sign out front "Movie Night 7pm Jan 16th". Hmmm, well, we called the movie dry run a flying success and decided we will be well prepared for the real thing on Friday, LOL! Since we were all out we decided to go to the grocery store and actually accomplish something. Our family is so crazy.

Our new baby

2009-01-03T09:55:00.002-05:00

Our new baby
Originally uploaded by BackwoodSophisticate

Here is our new resident. My daughter has been asking for a kitten forever so we decided to get her one for Christmas. I went to the local animal shelter the Saturday before Christmas. There were about 12 kitties in the cat room. There were some real beauties in there. One was a gorgeous white and grey long hair who looked like he was about to bust with personality. His cage was a mess, food everywhere, paper all tore up and when I took him out to see, he clawed his way right up to my shoulder and behind my head. I figured he might have a little too much personality for our house and knew he would have no problem getting adopted so back in the cage he went. Well, when I had walked in there, there were a few plain jane kittens, two black ones and I think two grey ones. I decided to hold this pitiful looking black one. Well, he laid out in my crossed arms and slinked his way from one elbow to the other, finally rolling over on his back to get me to pet his belly. He was a ugly little thing, fur all dry, filled with white flakes, nose all icky, dirty.... pitiful. So I put him back. My plan was to ride to Richmond to check out the kittens at the PetSmart so I left the shelter but it was not long before I was back asking if I could get the little black kitty tested for Feline Leukemia to make sure he was healthy. They took him across the street and tested him. I waited for the results and it was negative, yay! So that was the decision maker, he was going to be ours. I filled out the paper work and asked if they could hold him until Wednesday. It was a LONG three days and I was excited to go pick him up. I met my mom at the shelter and she took him to the vet to get his shots and deworming. I met her after his appointment and took him home and put him in my daughter's room in with a bow on his carrier, a bow on a litter box and a bow on his food dishes. Them mom went and got the kids. When Megan walked in, I fussed at her to pick up her bookbag and take it to her room. She walked up stairs and there was a long pause.... then a giant gasp and she came running down the stairs asking if it was for real. She took him out of his carrier, with tears in her eyes and told me how he was the best present ever! Since being home with us, he has gotten all those icky parasites out of his system, his fur has gotten shinier and he is beginning to put on weight. I don't think he had much more time left if he had stayed in the shelter. He literally was being starved by the parasites. He did catch a cold when he got here, but with antibiotics, that cleared up quickly. He still is bony but he has so much more energy and is now acting like a lively, active little kitten. Greta has finally accepted him and they are playing like best buds.

Latest Treasury West

2008-12-18T16:06:00.002-05:00

Latest Treasury West
Originally uploaded by BackwoodSophisticate

I think these rainy days are getting to me. I have a nasty case of the blahs.
Check out this treasury on etsy.

Last minute toy shopping?

2008-12-14T20:24:00.003-05:00

Here is an awesome bargain for you:
Go through ebates (you can use me as a referral if you are not a member richandmels@verizon.net) and link to the Scholastic store. That will get you 10% cash back through ebates. Then when you check out through scholastic, enter the code FNFAM, that code gives you another 25% off! They have a fabulous selection of toys, everything from eeboo to Leap Frog and of course tons of fabulous books.
I bought a ton of last minute gifts and the shipping was only $8.27 and my savings will be about $56 for a $173 order. Yay! I love to save!!

My exciting thing...

2008-12-12T15:47:00.004-05:00

Here it is! This is what I was so excited about. I was OK'd to do an article for Etsy about shopping local in Virginia. Please check it out and check out the awesome etsy shops I featured.

AND... tomorrow is another thing I am sooooo excited about: Tomorrow I am going to a craft show in Richmond, VA.

A lot of the crafters scheduled to be there are etsy crafters, some are featured in my article. I can not wait to shop!!

Hanging in here

2008-12-10T21:16:00.003-05:00

I am still waiting on my possible good thing...
But, on another note, I have been so busy with work, I have hardly had time to think about it.
Work has been crazy and life has been crazy.
I am organizing our Christmas pageant at church. Our kids are so fabulous. They really make me laugh. But, boy, do they wear me out.

So, have you heard about this crazy act that was passed by our government? They are requiring that all items manufactured that could be marketed to children 12 and younger must go through Government approved testing in order to be sold?
I absolutely adore buying handmade, especially for my children. Knowing where my children's toys are made and in what conditions is such a fabulous benefit to buying handmade. It is nice not to have to wonder if the item I am buying was made by a machine run by a child or an overworked, underpaid factory worker. It is nice to know that it is made with a joy of the art of making. But the government is making it nearly impossible for small business toy makers to continue. Check it out and alert your congressman or senator to how you feel about this.

As a consumer, this act infuriates me. I buy handmade, I love that handmade items are available to me, that I as a consumer, can judge a toy by it's original maker, is a right I believe I should have and the fact that the government is trying to block me from buying from those I wish to buy from by shutting them down with absurd laws absolutely infuriates me. Our government is OK with having toys made in sweatshops by impoverished people who are being taken advantage of by their governments, but it is finding a way to block positive, small businesses from being available to consumers.... I just don't get it!!

A flashback to my childhood

2008-12-06T21:22:00.002-05:00

These videos bring back memories of my youth. My dad was a huge Ray Stevens and Jerry Clower fan. He used to laugh and laugh. He had a ton of Jerry Clower tapes and we would sometimes sit around and listen and laugh. Have you ever heard these?

I am so excited!

2008-12-05T00:00:00.002-05:00

I am so excited about something, it is not that big of a deal but still exciting. But... do you ever feel like when you are excited about something, especially when it is something that seems like it may be a little too good to be true, you are afraid to talk about it because it may not come true. Even though I try not to be supersticious, I have this real difficult time with feeling like a lot of things in my life get jinxed. So, this thing, I think it is going to happen on Wednesday... and if it happens, I will tell you about it. And then you will be like...
"jeez, was that what it was... why in the world would you not talk about that?"
And I will feel silly.
But right now, I just can't talk about it, LOL!

Thinking Ahead is for Losers!

2008-12-03T20:34:00.003-05:00

Umm... not really, I am just spiteful in my envy of those who actually pay attention to the calendar and realize that October means December is coming. Instead, I see October as just the beginning of fall and surely there is plenty of time before winter and I am sure if I started thinking of winter/Christmas things I would be totally crazy.... WRONG... LOL!!!
I will always be a last minute person. Planning just does not work for me. Which in some ways can be a positive, I tend to enjoy the minute and not worry about planning this and that only to have it interrupted by the unexpected. But, of course there are the cons, like running out to WalMart at 10pm on Thanksgiving eve to buy supplies for making that appetizer for Thanksgiving Day. Or realizing all my great plans for ordering fabulous presents for friends and family needed to be done weeks ago as opposed to right up to the last day to ship deadlines.
Well, I hope I can still find some items to purchase that are ready to ship. Shame on me for putting things off again.

SOAP! A slight addiction...

2008-11-30T22:35:00.004-05:00

I think I may have a bit of a soap addiction. I love handmade/natural made soaps and bath products. I have purchased from nine different etsy shops and also sampled a local soap shop and two popular big name, yet still small, shops. I just love handmade soap and bath products.
I would love to share some of my favorites with all of you and encourage you to try handmade bath products. Supporting small business is always a good thing, but also there is a lot less packaging which environmentally is a huge plus and the products do not involve a mysterious manufacturing process that could involve unknown chemicals, unknown labor conditions, etc.

Of my purchases, here are my favorites:

roseofsharonacres tooth chips:
If you want truly clean teeth, like after the dentist clean, I highly recommend you try toothchips. I am so lazy in the bathroom so I sometimes grab the toothpaste tube instead of these, and if I do that for a while and then go back to the tooth chips, I can actually taste all the gunk (gross, I know) that my toothpast has been missing. I thought the fowl taste was the tooth chips, but after using them for a while, you will find the taste improves as your mouth becomes cleaner.

This fabulous shave soap from Gudonyatoo:
I have the grapefruit version of this shave soap in my shower and I adore it. Works great for shaving but I also have used it for my body and hair with great results. This bar lathers easily, is nice and dense. It has lasted ages and I love it!

The best soap EVAH! This pomegranate soap by Old Dominion Soap Company:

These soaps nver get slimy, they lather really well, nice and sudsy and the bars are very dense so they do not wear disappear quickly.

And this massage bar from lush:
I use this as a lotion bar. I must admit, I haven't had it in a while but when I did have it, I loved it. The smell seems a tad strong at first but it grows on you quickly.

Ugh! SPAM!

2008-11-29T00:19:00.002-05:00

Some spam creature took over my following list! Now I have to wade through a zillion posts about payday loans to see what everybody is writing about. I can't find it on my following list to remove it. UGH!!! Go away SPAM CREATURE!!!

Please watch this:

2008-11-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love a sale?

2008-11-23T22:11:00.006-05:00

Have you searched "Sale" on etsy lately? It is a fun way to spend an evening Christmas shopping. So many fabulous deals on such amazing products! Check out these finds:

This fabulous pillow by floradora for only $10:

This gorgeous purse from ReFabulous on sale for $32:

And this stunning necklace by acornbeach, a steal at $20:

I hope you take a little holiday shopping time to browse etsy. The treasures are bountiful and well worth the extra effort to dig up.

Warning! Potential Cuteness Overload

2008-11-21T08:46:00.005-05:00

Hey, I warned you, LOL. These are just the most adorable little faces!!! So much fun searching baby knit on etsy.

Links for images starting top, left corner:

Yowza! It is COLD!!!

2008-11-20T08:09:00.006-05:00

So, it has gotten downright chilly here in Virginia. So I fished out my fingerless gloves I bought from lazytcrochet last year. She custom made these for me and they fit... well... like a glove, LOL. These are fabulous for wearing at work where it is always chilly (or maybe that is just me) and because my fingers are free, I can still type. Also great when you are a mom, cause all moms know how hard it is to zip zippers, wipe noses and buckle carseats when you have your fingers covered with slippery, bulky material. I love these gloves and have decided I definitely need some more.
Etsy is a fabulous place to purchase knitted and crocheted goodies! So much to choose from! I have bought a purse (also from lazytcrochet) and also washcloths. Check out MFcrafts for more goodies made from yarn. I adore my washcloths/dishcloths and am planning to never purchase a manufactured wash cloth or dish cloth again.

Have you tried Ebates?

2008-11-14T23:53:00.003-05:00

I am a member of a web site called ebates and it is totally been awesome! I have been a member for a little over a year now and have earned $146.35 in cash back since joining. The hard part is I always get self concious when trying to convince folks to sign up, because there is a referral bonus so I have a feeling a lot of people push it to try to make money that way. But I have only referred a handful of people. But my experience with ebates has been such a positive one, that I decided to at least share it once on my blog to give others the opportunity to at least check it out.

If you shop on-line, then ebates will work for you. You just link to stores via ebates, the stores are willing participants, then ebates tracks your purchase at the store and you get a designated cash back amount. Also, it has tons of store coupons and deals available. I shop kohls on line all the time so I get cash back from that purchase. I have also gotten cash back from stores like target, officemax, J Crew, Old Navy, etc.

I really can't say anything bad about the site. It is so easy, I haven't gotten any spam, just the requested emails, and getting cash sent directly to my paypal account every three months just for shopping online is awesome. And, like I said before, you just shop as usual at the store, except you click through ebates, no forms to fill out, not records to keep.

And, once you sign up, you can refer friends and earn cash back that way too. If you have a lot of friends to tell, it is a great way to make some extra spending money.

Thanks for checking it out.

I hope everybody who shops on line checks it out because the cash back is there waiting to be taken.

Happy Birthday to My Little Man

2008-11-05T23:16:00.008-05:00

Nov 2004

Nov 2005

Nov 2006

Nov 2007

Nov 2008

My little guy turns 6 today. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. He is such a small little guy and so sesitive and talkative. I am so proud of how he is doing in Kindegarten. He is so laid back and totally takes things as they come, no worries. He has had a fun birthday today with dinner at church and ice cream sandwich sundaes when we got home. Tomorrow we head to the mountains, to Massanutten for the weekend which is a fall tradition for us. The kids are so excited.

So Sweet

2008-11-01T13:51:00.001-04:00

So Sweet
Originally uploaded by BackwoodSophisticate

The little ones had a blast this Halloween. As usual, our street was absolutely swamped with trick-or-treaters. I love it! It was like one gigantic neighborhood Halloween party. All the kids were super sweet and we had so much fun handing out candy. One year we are going to have to count the trick-or-treaters o find out how many we actually have, but I know it is definitely over 100.

She does scary good

2008-11-01T13:47:00.001-04:00

She does scary good
Originally uploaded by BackwoodSophisticate

Megan loves to dress scary. This year she was queen of the dead and I think it turned out awesome. She loves to be dressed up, but she is kind of funny about things feeling strange. Getting her to hold still for the makeup is always a chore. And it took a lot of convincing to get her to wear the necklace I made but she was very happy with the final result.

Shame on Leapfrog!!

2008-10-30T22:25:00.003-04:00

I am at a place in my life where my main focus is on simplifying and going back to the basics. So, maybe that is what has made me a tad overly sensitive to this commercial. Cause let me tell you, it really gets my blood to boilin'! For real... this company that is supposedly all about education is bashing a book on TV? See, as a kid, I would have thought that giant encyclopedia of amphibians was awesome. And here is this idiot, dressed as a frog, all happy that these kids would prefer to have a book read to them, a book that is Spong Bob Square Pants that reads to them.... No Parent Needed, No Imagination Needed, heck.... basically No Brain Activity Needed.... AAARRRRRRRGGGHHH!!! OK, I have let myself get wrung up again.

See, I see it on Wednesday nights at church. I work with the kids, grades 3 through 7. I asked these kids to play charades. The influence of video games and the lack of cooperative problem solving was almost painful to watch. They can not think of things on simple terms. Everything was like video and TV today, ultra complicated and blown way out of normal perspective.

Anyway... I could go on. But I think you get my gist.

PS I do not think this is a bad thing for kids to have as long as it is part of a varied experience with books. I just think bashing a "plain ol' book" was the wrong approach for leapfrog to take and it got me a little tiffed.

Fabulous 2009 Calendars

2008-10-27T22:32:00.009-04:00

As December apporaches, now is the time to start calendar shopping for 2009. Calendars make great gifts and calendars from etsy are an awesome way to dress your space up with some gorgeous art. Just with a quick search, I found some amazing calendars. Check out some of my favorites:

Calendar 2009, 11x8.5 by Olga Cuttell:

Lauren Alexander Art Calendar 2009:

2009 Calendar - New Modern and Contemporary Calendar - Three Trees - Chubby - Talisman:

2009 gorjuss Calendar:

2009 Screen/Gocco Printed Botanical Calendar:

Calendar 2009 - A Year of Photos:

Have you found your perfect calendar yet or have one you would like me to check out? Please post it in the comments.

New Finds: Colorful Art

2008-10-23T08:17:00.004-04:00

Check out these recent discoveries of colorful stores in the world of etsy:

Birthday Goodness!!!

2008-10-21T08:20:00.007-04:00

Well, my birthday was on the 16th so I think it is high time to give a report of the birthday goodness that took place. I do believe I had a fabulous birthday! I mentioned in the post before this that I got an awesome CD from hubby and kids, but I did not mention I also got cheesecake... yum!!! As for my picks on etsy:

I got this beautiful necklace from the fabulous accessoryalamode

I am getting it stamped with "Trust in the Lord" and a pink pearl in the middle.

I also bought myself this cute tote from Midnightcreations

And, one of my favorite gifts was from my mom, BUTTONS!!

And I used those cool vintage beads to make these earrings:

which can be found in my etsy store.

Sunday Night Inspiration

2008-10-19T22:52:00.006-04:00

I adore Alison Krauss. My hubby gave me a CD, Max Lucado 3:16 Songs of Hope, for my birthday that has Down to the River to Pray on it and it got me surfing on the internet, searching for more Alison Krauss. I came across this Jay Leno clip and thought it was very beautiful and wanted to share with others who might enjoy it.

Why Not?

2008-10-18T00:01:00.004-04:00

Why not switch to a vegetable protein deodorant such as this wonderful deoderant by GudonyaToo? I know there are plenty of reasons out there on the internet to doubt there is any danger of using aluminum based deodorants (because I searched) but I also know there are some out here who believe there could be links between deoderant and alzheimers and deoderant and breast cancer (because I found those too). So, I guess my thought is: Why even risk it when there are fabulous, handmade, awesome working deoderants available on web sites like Etsy? I have been using deoderant from GudonyaToo for at least a month now and I LOVE it. I sweat a LOT (embarrassing!) because when I get anxious I sweat, and since I have a little issue with anxiety, I get anxious a lot. So, I figure if this stuff has me still smelling not stinky after 36 hours (which it does) then this is such an awesome alternative to that harsh chemical stuff that is mass produced... and where exactly is deodorant made....? Oh, but I digress. My point is, this stuff really works, it is great, so why not try it?

WooHoo! I won something!

2008-10-15T22:10:00.003-04:00

Yay! I am so excited to win something! I won an awesome key fob from Sew Much Detail.
There are lots of awesome shops being shown off on the Fabulous Fun Finds blog. I highly recommend checking it out.

Really! You got to try this!

2008-10-12T18:36:00.005-04:00

So, I have a bit of a mission in the bathroom... to find the ultimate in hygiene/skin care products.

I have done a lot of testing and trying of different hand made soaps. Many I have loved... some... not too impressed by, but one soap has stood out above and beyond the rest. I was surprised by the one that impressed me so much because I bought it at a local soap shop. I have ordered handmade/all natural soaps from the big names, the little names, the much bragged about and the stumbled upon and this is the one I reccommend.

SimplyPom

Old Dominion Soap Company is a great little shop. I blogged about one of my visits to the shop a while ago. Since the purchases that day, I have made an internet order to purchase 6 more bars of the soap and have been using them. I have very dry skin and eczema so I was ecstatic (can you tell?) to find a soap I loved.

It is snowing in Idaho

2008-10-10T23:08:00.002-04:00

Holy cow! I knew this was going to happen. Winter is going to totally sneak up on me. I just came across this photo in miss courageous' photos in flickr and it really kicked my butt into gear. I am the type who buys a cute beach print fabric and plans to make a cute tote for the summer. I miss the first summer, and decide I am definitely not going to miss next summer. So, I keep seeing the fabric during the winter, and think, as soon as it starts getting a little warm, I am going to make somethig beachy... but surely it is too early now... So, now it is fall, the fabric is still in my stash pile. Why? Because darn if the summer did not come and go like a flash again. I really just need to flip my creating schedule and make summer stuff in the winter, fall in the spring, winter in the summer and spring in the fall. LOL!

Training Wheels - Just Say No!

2008-10-07T21:28:00.005-04:00

I honestly believe this is a must have for every child wanting to learn how to ride a bike. We bought our daughter a Strider Running Bike for her birthday when she turned three. It is an adorable pink bike. Well, my girly girl, who is not a big fan of biking quite yet, was more interested in her princess stuff and it wasn't long before her big brother had swiped her new bike out from under her.

His bike was a John Deere bike with training wheels and it had been a struggle to get him to ride it. He just did not feel comfortable with the tippy feel of it and constantly turned back to the little kiddie tricycle we have. Well, it was not long before he was zipping around on this pink Strider Running bike. He would build ramps and little bike trails all over our backyard. The thing weighs barely anything so it allowed him total control. He would even ride it over the compost heap. So, not too long ago, my husband went ahead and dug out the John Deere bike and took the training wheels off, put my son on it, and he was riding a two wheel bike in two days!! I don't mean just going straight, he could make a U-turn in the street, I was floored!

My best friend in town bought one for her kids (she has 4 kids aged 5 and under) and within a few weeks the two older ones were riding their big kid bikes and the 2 year old was riding the strider.

And.... even cooler, the customer service rocks!!! My son somehow broke the seat on ours. I emailed the company and they were sending out the new seat within that day!!! So cool!

Thoughts on Made in China

2008-10-03T08:18:00.005-04:00

This post mainly inspired by this documentary I saw on Discovery channel:
Koppel: The People's Republic of Capitalism
I do not like posting controversial thoughts, and I am not sure if this is going to upset anybody, but I have had some thoughts rambling around in my brain and I feel like I want to think it out via blogging. So, this might ramble a bit.
I have been trying to support the shop local concept. I like the concept of supporting local businesses. I switched my prescriptions from Rite Aid to the local pharmacy, owned and operated by one of our local guys. I have been anti-buying mass produced items from foreign countries.
Then I saw a documentary on China and the economy in that country. That really tore me up, seeing how poorly that country lives and how much some of those girls depend on the meager income (and I am talking meager as in $20 a week). So, I was feeling bad thinking I should only buy local when they rely so heavily on their factory jobs.
But now I am getting upset. My thought is this.... all this talk about raising the minimum wage here in the US and other things, like the vast amounts of Made in China items lining the shelves... are we not as a country condoning the mistreatment of chinese citizens and other cultures who are similarily underpaid by importing from them. If I go and take advantage of that super low priced electronic gadget at WalMart, am I just as responsible for the way those individuals are having to live? I feel like we are taking advantage of every one of those people working their tails off, making next to nothing and here we are, as a country demanding more money for jobs that are exactly the same. Which means employers will continue to move their companies to other countries to take advantage of a Government that does not give its citizens much protection from being taken advantage of. I get the feeling that as long as we are doing OK (which I do realize, our country has plenty of problems, I just mean relatively), then we are fine with taking advantage of the cheap prices produced at the expense of other humans.
Isn't there a middle ground?
What are your thoughts on all of this? Any thoughts on a solution? Are you for a rise in minimum wage? I just want to think this through with you guys.

WooHoo! I have been tagged!

2008-10-02T14:17:00.003-04:00

I have been tagged by Stephanie, check out her awesome blog: Three Loud Kids

Here are the details:

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are my 7 random facts:
1. I can never stick with one thing. I get obsessed with a hobby or idea, spend all my time doing that thing for a while, then get bored and move on to something else.

2. I adore fall, it is my favorite season.

3. I just started a new job as a church secretary.

4. I have been to three different colleges and am still never got a degree.

5. I am a huge chicken when it comes to conflict and am always second guessing everything I say.

6. I love taking pictures of nature.

7. I love my cat, Greta, but I am pretty sure she does not like me, LOL!

Here are the 7 people that I am tagging!

Andy Mathis

The Peach Tree

Little Peanut

retro mama

Valerie at Felted Treasures

Twiddlestix

Lisa from Teddy29

Child Led Play

2008-09-25T15:08:00.009-04:00

So, I have recently read that child led play is becoming a thing of the past. This makes me sad. Kids are getting involved in more sports at earlier ages, replacing the much needed and beneficial child led play with adult led play which is much more about the rules and much less about the imagination and the ability to create and work together without adult rules. In my opinion, it is important to encourage child led play as much as possible in all ages, including the older ages, as high as 6th and 7th graders, not just in pre-schoolers and elementary ages.

I love the web site hearthsong.com. It has a lot of toys and activities that encourage creativity and imagination. One of my favorites are play silks. These can be bought on a toy web site or a web site that sells dyed silk scarves. These scarves open up so many opportunities for role playing and creative play.

Another fun addition to the toy closet are a good set of stilts, especially fun for the older kids. These help with developement of balance and motor skills. And they are great fun for kids when they have more than one set. They can have obstacle courses or races.

Stacking toys are also tons of fun. Another that my kids have is this Star Stack Ups set. They have had so much fun seeing how high they can stack them and then knocking them down with the ball included.

I LOVE Etsy!!

2008-09-19T09:32:00.004-04:00

I made this treasury this morning. I want to show my support for etsy. I love the site and I love shopping on etsy!!!

Working on my Birthday Wishlist

2008-09-17T22:37:00.002-04:00

So, I am really doing some heavy duty window shopping on Etsy. I have a birthday coming up in mid-October and I want to send everybody to my favorites for some birthday ideas. But, I almost feel overwhelmed trying to make decisions. I LOVE etsy!! The talent on there is amazing. And having it all so accessible, it really is a wonderful thing. Some of my favorite things come from etsy, and I am talking everyday type things. Some may think Etsy is only for high dollar specialty/boutique type items since it is all handmade, but oh contraire.
For example, the shirt I am wearing right now is one of my favorite shirts:

I got this shirt from maryink and I adore it!! Even cooler, I got another shirt free, she was having a sale, and that one is another extreme favorite. Make sure you check out the Saturday Night Specials on the Etsy forums to catch awesome deals like that.

And this butter dish is something we use everyday:

I got this from utilemud and it is so beautiful yet totally functional.

And this is my favorite washcloth:

I bought this from MFCrafts and have since gone back for more to give as gifts.

So, after seeing all these fabulous things I already own... and they are only a very teensy percentage... I bet you are dying to see this fabulous birthday wish list. Well, I will share as soon as I can narrow down some of my choices. I have such a hard time just picking one or two items from each store. I want it all... LOL!

Learning to Say No

2008-09-15T13:40:00.004-04:00

I think this lesson can be applied to everybody's life. It was part of my Bible Study I taught this weekend, but I think one of the main concepts could be used by everybody and I think it makes decision making a little bit easier. First, know your priorities. And my sister made a good point that it is best to have three or four priorities. If you find you have like 20, then you need to work on narrowing that down first, before yoou even worry about this step. Then, base your decision on those priorities, if it is something that will bring you closer to fulfilling your priorities, then say "Yes" but if you find it goes against those priorities, then be strong and just say "No".

Today was my first day at work. It went well. I did not have much to do, because I not been trained on the main tasks, but I handled the phone and worked on my Happies. I got 50 nearly completed. WooHoo! Now, I need to figure out what to use to punch holes in the corners. They won't fit in a standard paper punch and I don't want to spend $15 on a jumbo paper punch at Wal Mart. Maybe my leather phunch will work... or maybe I need to pull out my drill... that could be a disaster in the making.

I am Proud of a Local Business

2008-09-12T14:46:00.007-04:00

This morning I heard a truck backing up in the street outside my house. No big deal, but I peeked out to see if it was our gas guy and realized the neighbor was getting gas delivered. Then I noticed the truck and it made my heart swell. This is a local Virginia gas company. They could easily go about their business delivering gas and not worry about the world. With gas prices as high as they are, I am sure their budget is just as tight as everybody else's. But sitting outside my house was a shiny pink truck making a statement that could very well save a life. I am tickled pink that they have taken the cause of Breast Cancer Awareness this far. No little bumper sticker here... the whole truck was pink, even the underside. I called the office and she was delighted that I noticed the pink truck and said a second one was soon to hit the road. Yay for them!!!

Buyer Show and Tell in Virtual Labs

2008-09-11T09:47:00.003-04:00

I attended a virtual lab yesterday that was a Buyer Show and Tell. It was great fun to talk about wonderful finds I have found on etsy but I was upset more people did not show up. We created the above treasury by showing off favorites... which I love to do. I am finding it difficult to find a place to talk shopping on etsy. Things get buried immediately in the promotions forum. I can post finds here but I like to "talk" about things. I find that it is fun to make treasuries to show off my finds, but these days, with well over 1000 treasuries out there, it is difficult to even wade through that area of etsy.
I am definitely more of a buyer than a seller, but the etsy community seems to be mostly for the sellers.
So, if you like to talk shopping on etsy, and you have found a fun place to do it, let me know. Also, if you are a buyer, please check the virtual lab schedule and check out the next buyer show and tell. It is tons of fun to make a treasury and show off the really unique things you have found while shopping.

One Hundred and Fifty Happies

2008-09-10T22:37:00.004-04:00

That is what I am working on right now.

So, I am thinking you are wondering what the heck a happy is... cause I didn't know myself until recently. A happy is a little gift you get in your program package at a women's seminar my church is hosting on the 20th and 21st of this month. Every year, this group of ladies puts together a seminar hosted at a local church. This year, the seminar is at our church and we are pitching in. Usually the happy is donated, this year, no happies. I could not sit idly by and let that travesty occur, so up went the hand and in the second, I became commited to making 150 happies to give out at the seminar. So, I am making little scripture books. I designed the above cover in photoshop. Inside the mini book are scriptures associated with a time of need, for example: When you need courage for a task.... Joshua 1.

So, now these need to be printed out on card stock and stapled/tied into little books. I think they will turn out cute.

That Crazy Lady with the Camera

2008-09-10T08:43:00.004-04:00

I am pretty sure my neighbors think I am some crazy woman. I think they probably can figure out I am taking pictures of the flowers when I am outside with my camera but I think they probably start to question my sanity when I am laying on the ground under a bush or hiding in the azaleas. Then they see me in my compost pile taking pictures of the rotten pumpkin. And then, to top it off, I am in the front yard taking pictures of some weird thing propped on an old wooden ladder... LOL! I am sure I am a sight! None of them have ever asked me what I was doing. And when we talk they never bring it up... that makes me pretty sure they think it is something unspeakable. So funny!!

Above are some recent butterfly shots I have taken in my yard. Check out my flicr site for more photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/backwoodsophisticate/

Looks Like I am Going Back to Work

2008-09-05T23:20:00.002-04:00

At least part time. I talked to my pastor on the phone tonight and he offered me the church secretary job I applied for. Kaileigh will spend the mornings, Monday through Thursday, with a very nice lady who I have known for a long time and babysat my niece. I am really just going with the flow on this and seeing where it all leads me. I am hoping to use my gifts to serve God the best I can and I think this position will give me that opportunity. I am also still planning on working with the youth, especially on Wednesday evenings.

Still waiting and S-P-U-D

2008-09-03T22:56:00.003-04:00

Well, I still have not heard about the job at the church. I am really feeling that I would be fine either way, whether I got it or not.

The two oldest have started school this week. Ryan is struggling with the exhausting schedule. He is so cranky by the afternoon, I can really tell it is tiring him out. I am sure that will improve with time but I do see now that pre-school could have helped with that adjustment.

Megan is loving middle school. I am so happy with her teachers and the fact that the school has been newly renovated. I really believe this is going to be a great year for her.

Kaileigh is enjoying being home alone but I am finding that she has a tendency to want to watch movies all day. It is hard not having Ryan here to play with her. He always was so good at convincing her to go play outside.

Tonight was the start of our Wednesday dinners at church. We take a break during the summer. I went ahead and took care of the kids during the bible study. We made cards for some of our church members who were recently in an accident. Then we went outside and played a ball game called S-P-U-D. It was fun but boy am I tired and sore now, LOL. I am no spring chicken.

This is adorable

2008-09-02T10:23:00.002-04:00

This little puppy by Jtnee is beyond adorable. Jtnee has been in my favorites a long time and I love checking this clay artist's shop from time to time to see what fabulous new creations have been added there. Another favorite of mine in this shop is the skeleton figures. They crack me up. Please check this shop and you will see what I mean.

Visually Stunning Item Shots on Etsy

2008-08-28T15:17:00.002-04:00

One of the benefits of shopping on etsy is enjoying the imagery of the listings. I love the fact that I can be shopping for an item, such as a scarf, and be stopped in my tracks with a visual treat such as this:

This image is one of the shots of ecological artist's Cochineal Pink Scarf.

The colors are so bright and vivid within the shot and I love the chickens, Mr. tough guy rooster strutting his stuff with a hen in his wake. Looks like something out of a children's story. And all of this topped off by the hanging wisteria blossoms. Fabulous!!

Even Pneumonia can't slow him down

2008-08-27T08:50:00.005-04:00

My little guy is such a trooper. I took him to the doctor last Thursday for his school physical. My thinking was that since he no longer was running a fever, he was on the tail end of the summer flu he had picked up. My hubby was also recovering from his bout with the same flu. Well, you can imagine how shocked I was when the doctor listened to his lungs and told me he had pneumonia and also an ear infection! Yikes! Poor little guy. We were all amazed that he was not complaining of any pain. So he has been on an antibiotic and seems to be doing much better, even though he wasn't doing so bad at the time. My mom guilt kicked in because I felt bad I did not realize how sick he was, but this kid is so hard to read. He is such a ham and so sweet even when he is sick. I shot some video of the two little ones playing ball on Monday. He is really feeling much better now, as you can see in the video. They totally crack me up.

Weekend in DC, Sickies & Job Interview

2008-08-20T17:47:00.003-04:00

Well, as summer as winding down, I am looking more and more towards the arrival of fall. My oldest is off visiting her dad in North Carolina, and I miss her and am ready for her to be home. Also, the sickies have descended upon us, some horrible fever/aches/chest congestion thing that has had by son and hubby in a pretty pitiful state of existance. Luckily, hubby was not too sick this weekend to enjoy our trip to DC. We stayed at a really cool hotel in Arlington and enjoyed biking, hiking, dining and shopping in the Northern Virginia area.

Driving home Sunday, I got a call about a job I had applied for, they wanted me to interview Monday. With hubby being home sick, I was able to meet for the interview. It is a part time secretary job in my church. I think it is the perfect job for where I am at right now, but I wasn't really thinking of working so all of this is kind of sudden. I guess I am not going to worry about it until they offer me the job, then I will go with my gut. I think I am ready for a bit of a break, my nerves have been a bit on edge being with the kids all day, every day, so part time may be the perfect answer.

I have started a couple of new projects. With the cooler weather, I am feeling more like creating. I find having a three year old is a major road block on the crafting super highway. She is not like my other kids, very into everything and always grabbing and touching. I let her do her own crafts, but most of the time she ends up coloring herself or stuff around her. She is definitely my handful. Yes, a break may be just what I need.

Poor, mis-treated blog

2008-08-12T12:24:00.005-04:00

I have been a terrible blogger! The summer has been so hectic and recently I have been on a crafting hiatus, not really by my own choosing, just not feeling very inspired these days. Also, it does not help that my craft room is still turned upside down from some major redecorating and re-organizing that I can never seem to get finished.
As for the book Last Child in the Woods, I started it, and it is so good, but it brought me quickly back to my days as a Wildlife Management Major at Virginia Tech and my anti-textbook gene kicked in and I was immediately put to sleep. I don't know why things like dates and historical facts are an instant cure for my insomnia. But, I quickly remembered the many unfinished/dropped college classes and decided to try the book again later.
Instead, I have read Redeeming Love (which was one of the best books I have read in a while) and Sundays at Tiffanys (which was great light reading for vacation).
I am feeling the summer burnout and am so ready for fall. I am hoping the recent cooling spell we have had will get my crafting juices flowing. Also, I have two kids getting ready to go back to school. I hope that will help... but, then again, I have just applied for a part time job at my church, so that may completely turn my world in another direction. I just wish decisions were easier for me.

Let's Read this Book

2008-05-15T18:18:00.003-04:00

I have been dying to read this book and it is time for me to go ahead and buy it and get to reading. The website by the author, Richard Louv is jammed packed full of wonderful links and resources. I have heard so many wonderful things about this book.

So, who is going to join me? I think I am going to order my copy tonight.

I will let you know when I get it.

Resisting Urban Sprawl

2008-05-11T23:09:00.004-04:00

Every minute, 2 acres of land is lost to urban sprawl.
I have titled this not fighting urban sprawl, but resisting urban sprawl because for many like us, being landowners, it is about the resisting of the temptation of the big bucks. All around my area, landowners are cashing in big, selling their fields for property development. We are talking profits that can range up beyond a million.
My dad farmed the land, and now that he is no longer with us, we rent the property to be farmed. But the profits from renting barely cover the cost of the taxes. I can not blame those who choose to sell, it is their right as landowners, they earned that right as United States Citizens. But is selling the right thing to do....
From 1982 to 1997, the US population grew 17%, but land development grew 47%
Many would say it is simple to decide, of course you do something like a conservation easement or sell your development rights... but a decision like that is a major decision, one that can not be undone. That can be like somebody handing you a check for 1 million and shaking your head no.
I do love this quote from The Progressive Farmer magazine, the March 2008 issue, where the gentleman was asked, after selling his rights to development in order to protect his farmland, if he was robbing his children of their future inheritance. His response: "I have the opportunity to farm this land because previous generations preserved it. What gives me the right to determine that this farm is not to be farmed by future generations?" Oh, I love that quote!!

Going Green for the Wrong Reasons

2008-05-08T23:40:00.001-04:00

OK, I am pulling out my soap box, which usually means I am about to stick my foot in my mouth because I stink at speeches and usually say things in a way that they come out completely different than I mean. But I need to vent. I really appreciate the whole going green concept. I am especially fond of the shop local and buy handmade movements. But I am finding that there is a growing number of corporations who are trying to make a public statement by appearing to go green, but are they really?
What has spurred this rambling of thought, those gosh darn reusable shopping bags hanging in the checkout aisle at WalMart. Every time I see them with there "Plastic or Paper? Neither." slogan I feel a little mini throw up trying to happen. I totally understand some people may disagree with my reaction, but I honestly can't help it. Seeing those bags with WalMarts logos plastered all over them, like they are so environmentally conscious... ugh!! See, I live in a small town, and I know a lot of people look at those bags, and think, oh how wonderful, WalMart is trying to be environmentally friendly... whatever!!! It is all show. It is politics and advertising at it's finest. It is all about money.
People, please, please, please buy your shopping bags from somebody who hand makes them. I look around my small town and see what WalMart has done and it makes me sad.
Just one thing I read tonight I would like to share.... remember when you had to pay quite a bit of money for things like toasters and coffee makers, and they were simple machines without digital buttons and computer chips, and when they broke, you took them to the repair shop to fix them. Now, we buy these things yearly and they continually get tossed into the landfills. Things have changed so much, I think it is time to look back on things and find out how to live a little more simply and a little less wasteful. Cheaper is definitely not always better. Find a local fruit stand, or handcrafter and try to pick one thing that you can buy that is locally grown or made. And, the next time something breaks and it is simply thrown away, try to think of another way to create the same end result that will not result in a large hunk of plastic and metal ending up in a landfill in a year's time.
Do you feel like I am lecturing, I hope not. I am by no means living a simple, handmade life, but I am focusing on making steps, and even if they are small steps for me, they are going in the right direction.

These boots are made for.... all kinds of stuff

2008-04-29T21:11:00.000-04:00

I am so in love with the leather from my old early 90's Nine West boots. It is gorgeous and soft. And for this reason, I just keep making all kinds of cool stuff with it. My latest was this beautiful amber ring.

Other items made from these boots are:

Earrings

More Earrings

Vintage Button Bracelet

Wallet

& More

I love reclaimed leather!

Busy weekend!

2008-04-27T22:44:00.001-04:00

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity. I barely got a chance to visit my etsy site this weekend. Saturday started bright and early at 7:30 am in my hometown getting together with hundreds of volunteers through Operation Inasmuch. I have a few more pics at my flickr site. A bunch of community churches pitched in to volunteer time, money and effort to make a difference in our community. Everybody had assigned jobs and blue shirts could be seen from one end of the county to the other doing good for others. Our free clinic got fresh paint on the trim, the social services office got a fresh coat of paint, people's houses got painted and repaired, prayer shawls were knitted and it just keeps on and on. My job was to go around and capture these events on film. I do not have my memory card back but I did have a few pictures of the opening ceremony on my internal memory. Operation Inasmuch is based on this verse: "...Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Matthew 25:40

After I was done with my job, I went home and met up with the family and we headed to Pocahontas State Park for a bike ride and some outdoor fun. By the time I got home around 7:30pm, I was ready to pass out. But... my oldest daughter is turning 10 on Monday and her birthday party was planned for Sunday, after church. So, I pulled most of my supplies together and hoped I was ready for the next day.

We were like a whirlwind coming out of church today. But we were able to get everything else we needed, get to my Mom's and with the help of family and friends we celebrated and decorated all at the same time. The party was fabulous. I once again was reminded how blessed I am with the people I am surrounded by. My daughter had a great time and by the time we got home this evening I was ready to pass out in the bed... which I did while everybody watched the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie.

Shew! I am glad Monday is coming... I need a break from my weekend.

Hope all of you had a nice weekend too.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

2008-04-22T22:45:00.000-04:00

Well, today is Earth Day... which means you may be wondering what you can do to make a difference. Well, here are some quick and relatively easy changes you can make.

Instead of plastic bags, use reusable bags for groceries and produce:

Check out the counter at the top of this website, click here
That is a lot of bags. So using reusable bags can make a difference and buying them handmade is even better:
bagsforelephants has this awesome tote

Or how about giving a card made from recycled paper that can be planted and grows beautiful flowers. This card is from recycledideas:

Or, you can buy something that was made from an item headed to the dump, like this wallet in my shop that was created from an old pair of my boots:

Some Etsy Finds for You

2008-04-21T23:08:00.000-04:00

I am feeling a little boring today, can't quite think of anything to blog about, so I figured I would show off some of my recent etsy finds, being that shopping on etsy is one of my favorite pasttimes. These are beautiful items that I would totally own if I had money to spend right now. But, I am willing to share them with blogland because I really would love to see them find a good home, even if it is not mine.

First, this amazing apron from kitchenbrats shop which is on sale for $15:

Next are these adorable magnets from nutnutgood's shop, all four for just $6:

And last is this beautiful vase from bridgemanstudios' shop, just $15:

So, go ahead and please buy these so they will stop nagging me.

The Spring Bada-Bing was so Awesome!!!

2008-04-20T19:57:00.000-04:00

I had a great time at the craft show today. I got a super Swag Bag which was filled with goodies. My purchases today were:

a magnet from CRV photography. I have always loved this image and have used it in treasuries.
kiwi earrings I have been drooling over forever from inedible jewelry
and barrettes and a fabric scrap bag from The Monkey and Me which you can see in the photo above

I saw so many of my favorites, I love going to craft shows where etsy is going to be represented. I kind of feel like I am seeing famous people. Some really amazing artists who I adore and were there:

aekeith who has the most amazing stained glass creations and is also cute as a button.
gemmafactrix who has been a favorite of mine for so long. She has these amazing new rings made with glasswork beads that are so beautiful. Keep an eye on her site for those.
beeskneesstudios aka otter and the bee beautiful and whimsical illustrations and now felt critter maker extrordinaire. I got a button in my swag bag of one of her little farm animal prints... umm, can we say happy dance?
modernjune was right next door and her little kids' aprons were so adorable, but I think my favorite was the adult cupcake apron.

I could go on and on.... It was just an awesome show... I know, you are jealous, LOL.

WooHoo! I am going to a craft show this weekend!

2008-04-18T08:12:00.000-04:00

And, not only any craft show, but The Boss of All Craft Shows. The vendor list is fabulous!! And, I am getting a day away from my kids!! Not that I don't love my kids, of course, but every mommy needs a little break and I can't imagine any other thing I would rather do than shop at a craft show.
The craft show is at Plant Zero. What an awesome looking place. I saw wished I had followed my gut in high school and gone to college for a degree in the arts. I thought people would laugh at me and call me silly. So, off I went to Virginia Tech (which is an awesome school) as a Veterinary Medecine major. That did not go quite as planned, but it is funny how life tends to lead us back to where we are supposed to be. Now that I am a SAHM, I have the opportunity to follow my heart and focus on creating things. Yikes! I have digressed.
So, on Sunday, I will be at the craft show!!! Yay!
First I have to get through Saturday, which consists of me having a Yard Sale in the morning and helping host Ladies NIght Out at church in the evening and celebrating my sister's birthday somewhere in between.

Buy Handmade: Etsy Cards

2008-04-16T08:26:00.000-04:00

There is an amazing selection of handmade cards on Etsy.com, so I wanted to take a moment to point out four etsy artists who make amazing cards. I also want to encourage you to buy handmade cards as opposed to the mass produced cards available in the stores. You may ask: Why buy handmade?

Here is a great link for info on that: http://www.buyhandmade.org/why-buy-handmade

Also, on that site, you can make a pledge to buy handmade.

For me personally, it means so much to me that I am buying something that involved the hands of an individual, and that dedication and passion goes into each card. Also, when buying handmade, especially cards, you are buying individual works of art. The makers of these cards put a little of themselves into each card. You are not buying a cookie cutter illustration that has been over-analyzed and over-tweaked by industry people. you are buying something that comes from thew soul of an individual.

Another reason, the price of store cards continues to rise. Why pay such a large sum of money for a mass-produced card when you can get so much more for the same amount of money.

I have highlighted four card makers from etsy and I encourage you to check out their stores and buy some handmade cards.

twiddlestix designs

fresh line illustration and design

moonmum

pixiepaper

Please check out these terrific artists.

Is it a macaroni noodle necklace?

2008-04-15T13:48:00.000-04:00

Sometimes... not always, but sometimes I wonder if I am just that kid who spends all day, struggling with diligence over that beauteous work of art, beaming with pride and joy as I add each piece and each splotch of color, then with an exuberance that resembles a golden retriever puppy, I put the newly created object out there, and the world, like a young mom, smiles and says all these wonderful things but deep down inside knows it is just a macaroni necklace.

I made the above wind chime for my mom. It is sitting on my craft table, waiting to be given to her. But then that feeling, that familiarity hit me, like I knew I was resembling something... then I realised, what it was, I was feeling like the sheepish kid handing something to my mom that I had made with my own two hands.

As a child, I was famous for spending all day on a project and then getting frustrated and throwing it in the trash. The sometimes imperfection and uniqueness of handmade has always something I have struggled with. With my own children, I encourage them in that their mistakes make things unique and wonderful. And I am sure my mom said the same things to me. But I would never believe her.... kind of the same way my kids are. Being a perfectionist and having a fragile self esteem makes it difficult for me to put my work out there.

But, I have made great stride in dealing with this, I am so proud of my Etsy store and I always feel good when I look at the things I have for sale there. But for some reason, a lot of the old feelings of inadequacy can seep back in when it comes to making something for my mom or family. So strange.

Yes, folks, another Gudonyatoo rave

2008-04-14T00:15:00.000-04:00

I usually prefer to showcase the less well known artist on Etsy, but I got to tell you guys about this deodorant. It did something miraculous, I tell you, it conquered the stink of my tween on a hot day of playing hard and getting sweaty! I was not a fan of having my daughter use deodorant, but the girl was so stinky, I knew people could smell her. So I got her some deodorant, which went against my gut intuition but something had to be done. Well, when the over the counter stuff started irritating her skin and making her all itchy, I decided to spend the little bit of extra money and try some handmade deodorant. This deodorant worked fabulously and I can give it to my daughter without the fear of all of those chemicals... especially the aluminum. I can honestly say I am not up on the Alzheimers research, so I don't know if they still consider aluminum to be a possible risk factor, but after seeing my grandma struggle many many years with that debilitating disease, I felt a slight bit unsure when I bought my daughter deodorant from the store. Well, who knew handmade deodorant would work better! She had no itchy arm pits and she even said she felt less sweaty. AND, I smelled her arm pits and they smelled.... good.... I know, it is so hard to believe, but it is true. I am a true fan of Gudonyatoo!

Attn Etsy Shoppers: Tonight is SNS Night!!!!

2008-04-12T13:47:00.000-04:00

I love to shop on Etsy!!! I am probably more of a buyer than a seller seeing that I have 54 purchases and only 15 sales. I am obviously not breaking even here, LOL! So, I am always shocked at the fact that the SNS goes relatively unnoticed by buyers only. I am not speaking of all buyers, but I think quite a few buyers do not venture into the forums so I think they miss this awesome opportunity to shop handmade on sale. That is a shame because the deals to be had on the SNS thread are awesome!! And, if you venture into the SNS Companion thread in the Etc forum, you will find that sellers are actually giving away free things.... I'm dyin' if I'm lyin' (little Jerry Clower impersonation there). So, buyers, please come check out the SNS thread tonight and do a little handmade bargain shopping. I will come back later with the link to tonight's thread.
Come and shop the SNS Sale Thread!!

EtsyRecycle Yahoo Group (and my Great Aunt)

2008-04-08T22:47:00.000-04:00

Today I joined the EtsyRecycle Yahoo Group. The reason it happened today was due to my genetics. Yes, that is right, my genetics. I have hoarding in my genes. I hate to throw things away. My grandfather's shed was like a farming museum... but that is not the worst of it. My dear Great Aunt (that is pronounced "Ant", remember I am a country girl) Virginia was a for real hoarder. And she was also a collage artist and up-cycler before it was cool. Every Christmas, each family received from her a Reader's Digest, but it was not any old Reader's Digest, it was a transformed Reader's Digest. All year long, she would cut out clippings from magazines and newspapers and glue them to the pages of the Reader's Digest and create a new book. And it is not until this instant that I realize how for granted we took those books. I can not even imagine the amount of time she spent cutting and gluing and I am not sure I ever read any of them. It hurts my heart and makes me wish I had one right now to read. Anyway, back to the hoarding, she would hoard magazines, newspapers... all kinds of stuff, it was piled all around her house. And she had a terrible husband who was mean and scary (he really was a mean man) and would smoke his pipe and fuss at us kids and he was missing a lot of fingers and he was always dirty.... anyway, I digress... where was I? Oh, yes, Aunt Virginia's books... it is in my genes to be a mixed media artist. My Aunt, who we thought was crazy and maybe a little scary, put so much time and energy into those books, and being ungrateful little kids, we thanked her (my family was strict on manners) but we never appreciated those books like we should have.
So, back to the point, I had to do a flyer for Ladies Night out at the Movies for church and I used this really nice card stock. Well, when I cut the paper in two it bugged me that the image was not centered so I cut each flyer to center it. This left me with a huge pile of cardstock strips. Being the pack rat I am, I could not stand the thought of throwing perfectly good card stock strips away, so I posted a thread in Techniques and Materials and somebody pointed me to the Yahoo group, EtsyRecycle. So, I am now an official member and I am looking forward to participating. And, tonight, I am going to say a little prayer to my Aunt and thank her for all the time and energy she put into those books each year and hopefully one of my Mom's sisters kept one because I would love to have one to remember my aunt by and acknowledge the fact that I am probably a lot more like her than I ever realized.

Crafting Slump or Idea Overload?

2008-04-07T22:53:00.000-04:00

Which ever it is it is driving me crazy! I keep thinking I am in a crafting slump... I think I might have crafting block.... but then again, I think my brain is overloaded with ideas and I just can't pick something to start on. A lot of times I find the hardest part of a project is just getting started. Once I am going, I go, but it is just getting it rolling that I have problems with. And that comes down to the fact that I have a zillion ideas rolling around in my head but I can't seem to commit to just one. I have this amazing vintage tablecloth I picked up at an antique mall. I LOVE it! But I want whatever I make with it to be fabulous. So I keep changing my mind on what it should be. I think apron, then I think a little toddler skirt, then maybe a tote bag, or possibly a purse... and that is just the table cloth. I also just started making plant stakes from clothes hangers and old wool sweaters and vintage buttons. The listing of the one I made does not do it justice so I need to retake the pictures. I have donated it to Idol Gives Back so if it does sell, it would be great to be able to pass the money on to a good cause. I really want to make more... but then there are so many other things that are calling me...
I think it comes down to my one major hang up: an inability to focus! But like I said, once I get going that is not a problem. So, tomorrow, seeing as my Bible study is cancelled, it gives me the perfect opportunity to grab something and commit. Hopefully, my update tomorrow will be all about my work in progress.

Adventures in tooth chips

2008-04-06T15:30:00.000-04:00

Well, I purchased the above tooth chips from Rose of Sharon Acres back before Christmas. The description of them in the listing made a lot of sense. Also, since it is handmade, I know the ingrediants that are used to make it, I know where it is being made, unlike the stuff on the grocery shelves. Not to mention the benefit of the lack of expensive, landfill filling packaging.
So, since I bought these back before Christmas, I bet you are wondering why I am just now getting around to reviewing them. Well, I have to admit, the thought of putting soap in my mouth kind of goes against a lot of deep seeded dislikes... like the taste of soap in my mouth... or at leat the thought of it. But, I finally decided I was being silly and tried these.
So, I followed the directions and found out soap foams up very easily with a tooth brush. It was simple to get a good sudsing and a thorough clean. I rinsed three times like the directions said. I must admit, the taste was definitely not "oh, yum, cinnamon!" but it also was definitely not "oh, I think I am going to be sick", it just kind of tasted soapy with a not so bad taste of cinnamon on top. So, I figure for all the benefits I am gaining, a not so great taste is really not that big of a deal. I am liking the tooth chips!! Definitely giving these a thumbs up! They come in a variety of flavors, with or without neem oil.

Scrubbed Clean Hair

2008-04-04T08:35:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like the feeling of a sea salt scrub for your hair. This shampoo by Gudonyatoo is absolutely fabulous. Because it is loaded with sea salt, when you first put it on your hair, it has a feel very similar to a buffer face scrub, which feels awesome on the scalp. But it is by no means harsh. The salt quickly dissolves and a foamy lather builds quickly. I love this shampoo! Perfect alternative to the mass produced, chemical filled, animal tested options found on the store shelves. And, probably waiting for me now at the post office is the conditioner. I have been using my hand made soap to condition my hair, and that does work well, but I can not wait to give this conditioner from Gudonyatoo a try. I like the citrus blast scent a lot, but my conditioner is in the tahitian vanilla scent. Oooo, can't wait!

I've Been Tagged

2008-03-30T18:16:00.000-04:00

I was tagged by twiddlestix designs (who makes awesome cards!) with Seven Random Facts so here goes!Here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

OK... seven random facts.... here goes:

1. I have ridden in a tractor, a combine, a bulldozer, tractor trailor and basically any other vehicle you can find on a farm. My dad was a farmer and I was by his side most of the summer.

2. I love horses, but I am scared of them at the same time. They know this and tend to push me around. I worked on the horse farm at Virginia Tech for one summer. I loved it but was scared to death I was going to get run over by a horse, LOL.

3. I love trees!!! My favorite tree is a japanese maple. They are all over the campus at Virginia Tech and when I bought my house, I was so excited to have one in my front yard. I love that tree.

4. I traveled to France when I was in 10th grade. I went with my school. My camera broke so I have no pictures of the trip and I can barely remember most of it... except getting a little tipsy at a discoteque and make a bit of a fool out of myself.

5. I own about 300 acres with my mom and sisters. We rent it to my uncle to farm, but I sometimes think I need to figure out a way to bring our land back into the family. But when you own something with three other adults, it is sometimes easier to just ignore it than to make decisions that everybody can agree on.

6. I worked for the phone company for 7 years. Our department checked the listings in the phone books nation wide. BORING! Worst job ever, but at the same time, it was one of my biggest blessings.

7. I was a single mom when I had my first child. When I was pregnant with her, I moved into a river cottage that only had a log stove for heat and I lived there alone. My mom lived about 10 minutes away and she was who I called in the middle of the night when I went into labor. She drove me to the hospital and she and my two sisters were in the room with me when I had my daughter.

Here are the seven people I am tagging:

muffin top designs

crazy times candle & bath

MandyMagoo

LazyTcrochet

Shellie Mitchell

Art 2 the Extreme

Taffy Talk

My Roots

2008-03-26T20:33:00.000-04:00

I grew up on a farm. My dad was a full time grain farmer and also an avid conservationist. I adored my dad. He passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1996 when I was a Sophomore in college. My grandma still lives on the farm. I now live in town which is about 15 minutes from the farm and the house I grew up in. I miss it now that we are no longer directly a part of it like we once were. It is nice to visit and I love to see my kids run around on the farm when we visit Grandma. The above photo is my daughter and niece at the Easter Egg hunt we had on Saturday.

I think the way I was raised has a huge impact on the style I have in my crafts. I love nature and I love all things that grow. I am so happy spring is here and that I will be spending more time outside with the kids.

Nothing is safe from becoming something else.

2008-03-21T23:30:00.000-04:00

At least that is true for my house. I can barely stand to throw anything away without staring at it for a few minutes and wondering if it has a new life as something else. Tonight, it is one of those times where there is no doubt. I was inspired to do the above treasury by the task I was performing when the treasury opened. I was cutting apart Kaileigh's old amber teething necklace. The amber on this necklace is gorgeous! I bought this from a reputable source, spent quite a bit of money on it, and my daughter decided when she was about 2 to bite one of the beads off. That is one of those fun memories I will have for a long time. I remeber where we were when I realized she was fiddling with something in her mouth. But that is my Kaileigh, always straight to the mouth, or on the skin or on the walls... always wherever it does not belong, LOL! So, I am cutting all the tied beads from this necklace and thinking I would love to have myself a stretch ring and the treasury became available. Yay!!

I like this treasury alot! Hope you do too.

How aware are you?

2008-03-18T22:38:00.000-04:00

My husband is a huge bike hobbyist! He loves mountain bike racing and just recently got a brand new mountain bike for Christmas. So, I am always kind of interested in the biking items available on Etsy and am always amazed at the items I find on there. These people are amazing (speaking of all the phenomenal artists on etsy.com). Check out some of the items I found:
BMX Bike Onesie
Sea Poetry
Ride My Bicycle Felted Purse
Hi Bicycle
Bicycle
Organic Cotton Bicycle Shirt
Bicycles are for lovers
Lomo Bicycle
Old Bike 2
Rustic Bicycle Chain Birdhouse
Circuit Board Keychain
Fence With Bike
Bicycle Shoe
The Dead Bicycle
Little Bike Pouch
Bicycle Clutch

Aren't all of those awesome?
Now, on to this awareness test. How aware are you?
Find out by clicking here: Awareness Test