Silly Rabbit, Dreams Are For Kids

Got a graphic itch, or some fashion art you could love to see rocked by the hippest kids in the park? Threadless Kids: It's a community. It's a tee-shirt shop. It's a never-ending contest for wannabe graphic designers. All of the above! Threadless Kids comes out with incredible new tee-shirt designs every week, because fans of the Threadless ethos submit their own designs and the community votes on what's hot. The winning designs are the ones that Threadless chooses to put into production for their line of designer kidwear — like the strikingly surreal Silly Rabbit, Dreams Are For Kids by Keith Kuniyuki. And guess what? — they do adult sizes, too! Thanks, Meredith, for word on this site: I sense that there's a birthday gift for my soul-of-the-boho-gypsy-artist 14-year-old niece, somewhere in the pages of Threadless!

Nouveau Victoriana for the Ladies Who Lunch

The dainty collage of 19th-century letters and cards, screened on a sturdy aluminum lunch box, makes me think of Victorian ladies, elegantly disposed upon a picnic lawn... This "lunch bucket" would be quite the gracious item to tote your sandwiches to school or work! Durable and resusable (and thus, environmentally friendly) — and pretty beyond the average lunch pail — it's new from the Victorian Trading Co., $19.95 for a limited time.

Mock Croc Backpack

It's the mock crocodile fabric that makes all the difference to this simple backpack, as modelled by young Vanessa. Or, more precisely, I think it's the combination of the deep-red mock croc flap (and handles!) with the lush-flowered fabric of the bag itself. Either way, I feel twinges of greed... This scaled-down feminine backpack is the work of Sarah Leak, the driving spirit (and mad quilting fanatic) behind the Quilt Fabric Delights online fabric ship.

Pop Art for Breakfast

All the weight-control guru types tell us not to skip breakfast, but c'mon, how realistic is that? I can barely manage to get my act together enough to grab a cup of coffee on the way through my kitchen. Given a choice between a bowl of Kellogg cardboard and an extra fifteen minutes of sleep, I know which one has more appeal on the average morning! But toast, now — how challenging is it to find time for a bit of toast? Target's pop art toaster, which "prints" your choice of 6 designs on the bread as it toasts it up, is just amusing enough that it might be the push a lazy girl needs to do that whole blood-sugar-level stabilizing breakfast thing, and face the day all energized. Maybe. But the lovely Italian Pink makes a good point on this — In the morning, still trapped in the haze of sleep, all tousled and goopy-eyed and foggy in the brain... who is going to want to fiddle around changing disks on the damn toaster as a way to start the day. But the toaster is, you have to admit, very retro-cute. And maybe someone else would volunteer to make the toast, all thoughtful and romantic-like? Certainly, if a couple slices of smiley-face toast were to appear before my eyes... maybe some of that homemade cinnamon-oatmeal bread, with just a touch of honey, and a cup of free-trade java on the side... I'd probably be prepared to re-think this whole breakfast-eating idea.

Crochet Gnomes

Secretly fond of garden gnomes though I must confess to be, there's something vaguely disturbing about these little crochet fellows. You'd almost suspect them of getting up and wandering about in the night, tying knots in yarn, upsetting the tea caddy, teasing the cat... Mahar Drygoods offers the 6-inch crocheted gnome "from the fertile imagination of Amy Gaines at Purl," including a classic red-and-white-spotted toadstool and little patch of turf with a cunning flower. They're made of soft acrylic yarn with plastic safety eyes, felt appliques, stuffed with polyfil and weighted with plastic pellets. Just keep your eye on the gnomes, that's all I'm saying. [via Rare Bird Finds]

Easy Start to Decoupage

New to the paper arts? Quick-start your first decoupage project with Decopatch kits if you like, for convenience and a boost of confidence. Decopatch® is a playful adaptation of the French word découpage, or découper, meaning to cut out. It is the creative art of assembling, pasting and varnishing paper cut outs to decorate objects, from simple designs to complex works of Art. It's a single-brand source of decoupage supplies, all the craft glues and finishing products you'll need, as well as a beautiful array of designer papers and paper mache shapes to decorate. The way I see it, a line like Decopatch takes a lot of the what-product-will-work guesswork out of a new craft technique. How-to books and decoupage project ideas are available as part of the Decopatch line, but I have faith — even if you're a decoupage beginner, once you get started you'll quickly gain confidence — with no shortage of creative ideas for surfaces to decorate with glorious pattern and colour!

Recipe for a Perfect Wedding Keepsake

Oops, sorry! All of my recipes have moved over to the new DomestikGoddess.com. You can find a nice handy index to all my recipes, organized into categories and updated as more are posted, at http://domestikgoddess.com/recipes/. Enjoy!

Jello Pudding Wallet

Four pockets mean that this JELLO vinyl billfold wallet can hold up to 8 credit cards, which should be enough to do anyone in an emergency. Right? More importantly, it not only features "some yummy lookin' chocolate pudding" in all its commercial glory — it also has your pudding-making instructions on the back. Because... You never know when you might need to whip out your wallet and instruct a complete stranger on how to make pudding. The wallet is Bliss by Heather, who was just 5 years old when her grandmother taught her to sew — possibly so that she'd make her own kewpie-doll clothes and let Granny get back to the roller-rink? We can't be sure... but we do like the results of those sewing lessons!

Sell Out Your Personal Closet

The average person has over 200 clothing items they don't wear anymore, we're told... and somehow, looking in my closets, I don't have any trouble believing that. Embarrassing but true. So in a weak moment, over a friendly weekend glass of wine, Sheila talked me into joining in on a neighbourhood yard sale... It's one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time — either that, or open a Museum of '90s Fashion Disasters — but now I'm having, er, sober second thoughts about a yard sale... The strain! The hassle! The hauling stuff outdoors at the crack of dawn! And oh, what if it rains on Yard Sale Day? Now, I haven't tried out Personal Closet yet — because I just found the site about an hour ago, that's why! — but it's looking like this could be a much better way to get my closets cleaned out/ organized, and pick up some spare cash! PersonalCloset.com is a place regular, ordinary people can buy, sell, and donate their new and lightly used clothes without the uncertainty of an auction environment, nor the extra auction-related fees that add extra expense and confusion. No listing fees or commissions. It's free — what a concept. You register at PersonalCloset.com — then click the account activation link in the Welcome email they'll send you. That's it, they say. Then you just go ahead and post your clothing-related items for sale. Seems to be quite straightforward, easy enough. The biggest problem I see with this site, right now, is the temptation to splurge on other people's gently used clothing items — a Louis Vuitton bag or a pair of thigh-high dancer boots, anyone? I call dibs on the Anne Taylor Loft black hoodie, priced at $5, and maybe the Land's End shorts, same price...

Pizza Scissors

Just when you'd think there's no new gadget left to be invented for the kitchen, here's the Scissa Pizza Cutter. It's one-part scissors, one-part flexible spatula that's kind to non-stick pans — lets you grab a slice without half the toppings sliding off when you try to cut your pizza. Ingenious! The nylon base is heat-resistant and won't scratch your cookware or serving dishes. The blades are hardened stainless steel. The handles are all ergonomic-comfy. And the whole thing is dishwasher safe. £19.95 at Silver Nutmeg.

Really Green Lawn Furniture

How much oxygen did your furniture produce today? "In our version of the future, the things we loaf about on indoors will be as beneficial as the stuff that grows out back," Greg Tate tells readers of ReadyMade magazine. "In the meantime, sculpt lawn furniture from the lawn itself" — with Greg's step-by-step DIY instructions. Unlike your standard-issue sofa, this lush greenery is totally organic, requires no synthetic finishes, and can be brought to life, Golem-style, from salvaged dirt. St. Augustine tiles create a seamless living upholstery, or try wheatgrass for a durable alternative. Finally, here's an outdoor couch you'll never have to fuss about! Cat hairs or drink spills on the furniture are no problem — although you might need to mow your couch from time to time, depending on the type of sod you've chosen to use. (Consult your local garden center for suggestions of what type of grass would work best in your garden's climate.) I so want to make this sofa! Or maybe a pair of big fat armchairs in a nice conversational grouping... And wouldn't it be fun to experiment with tiny low-growing flowering plants on the green sod? — doilies! a decorative upholstery patttern! antimacassars! — or, better yet, a dwarf shrub in one corner, pruned in the shape of a throw pillow... My only question is, where on the property would this piece of lawn furniture be best situated? Because "placement is key," as Greg warns. "There'll be no moving once you've begun." [Thanks to Sumangali for telling me of this project!]

Unleash Your Creativity

If there's one secret to happiness in this life, I think, it's the ability to create something new of your own. To snatch an idea from thin air, turn it around, and make it your own. To capture that small spark in time and space... Whatever the means — writing, painting, sculpting, sewing, photography, crafting, filmmaking, music, scrapbooking, cooking, dance, gardening, popsicle-stick construction, or restoring antique automobiles, whatever the means of expression — Creativity is as essential to human life as... as... as a well-rounded diet and a good night's sleep. The most unhappy people I've met are those who have made no place for creativity in their lives. Perhaps the imagination that we're all born with as children was repressed, somehow, along the way... Or perhaps they are simply paralyzed by adult insecurity? Because I do firmly believe that every child is born a creative and original being. One of the best gifts we can give ourselves as adults is permission to create, to let that child's imagination come out to play and express itself. That way lies joy and personal fulfillment. To keep poking myself out of my own creative rut, one of my regular visits is to the Creativity Portal. You never know what you'll find there — inspiration and information and encouragement, all in there together. This week, I found Dan Goodwin there. I liked what he had to say, signed up for his newsletter, and downloaded his free Explode Your Creativity! e-book. Here's a sample of Dan's coaching style, just to whet your appetite: Unleash Your Creativity — 7 Common Creative Blocks & How To Overcome Them by Dan Goodwin As anyone creative knows, being able to unleash your creativity is often easier said than done. Being more creative would come more readily if it wasn’t for the many different types of creative block we experience as artists and creative people. But there is hope, and many ways to deal with these creative blocks. The first step, as with anything that holds us back, is to recognise the block for what it is, throw a light on it, rip off its mask, get it out in the open. Once we can see what we’re dealing with, part of its power and negative impact is already reduced. So here are 7 common creative blocks and how you can begin to recognise and overcome them. Creative Block 1: “I have no new ideas”. You feel like every idea you come up with is just the same as your previous ones, or worse it’s only a weak imitation of a previous one. Solution: If what you’re doing isn’t working, try something completely different. Radically change one element at least – the medium you’re creating in, the style you’re using, the time you create, where you create. Shake up your routine and see what difference it makes to your creativity and ideas. Creative Block 2: “I'm scared to create something different”. You feel stuck and limited in what you create but fear trying something different in case it turns out to be disappointing. Solution: You don’t know until you try. Maybe by writing haikus for a while instead of another novel, you’ll discover a whole new side to your creativity and add a deeper dimension when you return to your previous type of work. Creative Block 3: “I don't know how to create anymore”. Maybe it’s been a while – weeks, months, even years – since you last created and you fear you’ve lost the ability. Solution: Start small and create regularly. Whatever your main creative medium, by committing to a daily journal entry, poem or sketch, and building up the amount you create, you’ll slowly and surely rediscover your creativity. Creative Block 4: “My work isn't good enough”. You don’t create because you’re always disappointed in your work or feel others will be. Solution: Let go of perfectionism! One of the most dangerous creativity killers is trying to create perfectly. Aim instead to create the best expression of your creativity at this time and then move onwards and upwards to your next creative project. Creative Block 5: “I don't know what to create.” You have so many ideas and possible projects, you’re just overwhelmed and don’t know where to put your energy and focus first. Solution: The best place to start is somewhere. It doesn’t matter where you start, just start. Whenever you’re creating, you’re evolving and learning about yourself. Pick one project, commit to give it your best for 2 weeks then review and either continue with it or take what you’ve learnt to a new project. Creative Block 6: “I always mess up my creative projects”. You feel afraid of creating more because you don’t want to make a mess or “waste” your artist materials or time. Solution: Often, the joy of creating is in the messy bits! If we never mess up, make mistakes, or create outside our comfort zone, we never progress. Making a mess in the short term leads to a greater knowledge of your creativity in the long term, and therefore more rewarding, fulfilling and enjoyable work. Creative Block 7: “I never finish a creative project, why bother starting?”. You have a string of unfinished projects hidden away in dark cupboards and are stuck between feeling you should finish them and wanting to start something new. Solution: You don’t have to finish projects if they’re not working. It’s braver to actually realise that this isn’t the right project for you right now, take what you’ve learnt and apply to something you’re more into, than to freeze up and stop creating altogether. It’s not failure, it’s good self awareness. These are just 7 of the most common creative blocks we experience. How many have you been affected by in your creative life? What steps can you take TODAY to identify just one of these blocks and help you unleash your creativity? One great step you can take to learn more about how to unleash YOUR creativity is by signing up to "Create Create!" - Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin's free twice monthly ezine. Do it today, and get your FREE copy of the “Explode Your Creativity!” Action Workbook, at www.CoachCreative.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Goodwin EzineArticles.com | Unleash Your Creativity

Vintage Children

Pictures speak louder than words. And that's a good thing... because I don't even know where to begin to describe Fiona's "Experiments in paper, fabric and anything mixed media," over at The Decorated Surface. See the Vintage Children on fabric pages, which stole my heart. And for pure inspiration, those Little White Inchies — tiny perfect bits of white-on-white fabric collage, just one inch square.

Lavendar Wreath

Okay, now here's exactly why it so ticks me off that lavendar plants are just barely hardy in my zone 4 (windy) garden — a pretty wreath of lavendar blossoms, accented with one tiny perfect rosebud in a bow of raffia. This is one of the bountiful variety of lavendar wreath styles at Hood River Lavendar, Oregon — certified organic, too! If you can make an evergreen wreath, and a grapevine wreath, and a wreath of dried autumn leaves... this would be totally do-able! The trick, of course, is to have an ample supply of lavendar to make enough bunches for an entire wreath... So I offer up this floral inspiration for you lucky crafting gardeners in a milder climate, who can grow beautiful thick lush lavendar plants 'til the flowers come out of your ears... or who live within an easy jaunt of Hood River's lavendar U-Pick!

Andy Sanchez Rustic Furniture

Ancient juniper trees become astonishing rustic furniture in the skilled hands of Andy and Aaron Sanchez. No harm to the environment in this tree-harvesting, however! — these New Mexico craftsmen use dead-standing trees that have succumbed to old age — New life for old wood, an act of respect and reclamation that makes beautiful use of each fine old juniper tree's unique characteristics. I first determine how best to use the wood, utilizing the natural features as much as possible and book-matching the pieces. If there is a natural hole in the wood, we often fill it with polished marble or semi-precious stones, accentuating the wood’s splendor. Finally, after hours of sanding and polishing, we apply several coats of oil and wax, sometimes taking weeks to complete an inviting finish. To begin to appreciate what a remarkable line of wooden furniture this is, just take a look at the custom vanity countertop, which was featured in Architectural Digest. The owners of the Colorado home where the counter was installed went to New Mexico to pick out their own piece of alligator juniper — this one, with lichen still attached! Enjoy the gallery of these unique fine furniture pieces at AndySanchez.com, or sneak a video peek at the workshop:

Greek Vegetable Penne

Oops, sorry! All of my recipes have moved over to the new DomestikGoddess.com. You can find a nice handy index to all my recipes, organized into categories and updated as more are posted, at http://domestikgoddess.com/recipes/. Enjoy!

Professionals with a Passion... for High-End Residential Painting

Catchlight Painting describes itself as passionate about painting, and their portfolio shows the (inspiring) proof. Anyone who has ever attempted to paint a stair with ornate balustrade will marvel at some of the fine residential painting that these guys do! We're talking renovation here, so I'd have to guess it was hand-painted on site, not disassembled? Either way, wow! In fact, the painting portfolio has so many lovely residential jobs — heavy on the upscale neighbourhoods of the greater Boston area, like Beacon Hill, so posh that even I have heard of them! — it's hard to choose a favourite. But I was most enchanted by the old farmhouse kitchen in Sudbury, Massachusetts: "updated but in keeping with the period style" as witnessed by the vertical beadboard that clads the kitchen island. Clearly, these people are expert painters... and Nigel Costolloe, the owner of Catchlight, Inc., knows his stuff. He's been a member of the PDCA (Painting and Decorating Contractors of America) for years, and his company just earned its accreditation with that organization — quite prestigious! It's too bad that the CatchLight blog (which is, actually, the part of their site that I've been engaged to review) has only been active since February. I wish there was more reading material there — because what I see on the blog is certainly worthwhile, starting with the most recent post on Redecorating With Color. More important for potential customers, however, it provides an amount of detailed company background information — the kind of things that you really do want to know before you hire any kind of contractor — like their security and drug-testing policy on employees, for example and even (how clever of them to think of this!) a reassuring bit about the use of portable toilets for employees out on the job site... A bit of blogger-to-painter advice for Catchlight — Please, don't let this blog fall idle, as company blogs often do — you're onto a rather good balance between general interest and customer communication... The article on low-VOC 'green paint' products, for example, will interest a great many people, from potential customers to DIY painters. It'll be interesting to see what pops up next! The sense I get, from the overall tone of this site, is this — here's a painting company with the pride in craftsmanship one all-too-seldom sees these days. Catchlight comes across as a truly professional painting company that makes an effort to see the project clearly from the homeowner's point of view, and to respect as a home the house that they are painting... I only wish that the same could be said of every contractor in the painting business!

Coffee Cup Tower

This nifty space-saver coffee cup tower includes 6 ceramic coffee cups and the stand, from Graham and Green's wedding-gift suggestion list. A version of the coffee cup tower is available with espresso cups and saucers, if that's your preferred java style — equally colourful and space-saving!

How To Set Up A Writer's Home Office

Writers! If you're looking for an example of a woman who has built a successful freelance writing career on the back of the internet, while keeping the home fires burning... you couldn't do better than to learn from my long-distance freelancing friend, Sharon Hurley Hall. (You'll find her firmly fixed in my blog roll, for good reason!) Here, Sharon shares (from hard-won person experience) her practical how-to advice for arranging a room to work well for you, the freelance writer: How To Set Up A Writer's Home Office by Sharon Hurley Hall Freelance writing is popular career choice because it allows writers to work from home and set their own hours. New freelance writers need to make sure they have everything they need to support their writing. Here's how to set up a good work from home environment for a writer. A Writer's Office Every writer needs a place to work and a home office is one of the best places for writers. What a writer's home office looks like will depend on the budget. Some writers will be able to set aside a room for writing. Other writers may prefer to set aside a space for their home office. A writer's home office needs to be quiet and large enough to contain a desk and a chair. Most of the other equipment needed will fit on or under the desk. The writer's chair needs to be comfortable and should fit under the desk. A writer's home office can be just like a normal office. Family photos on the desk will make the writing environment pleasant. Make sure the desk has room for a cup of tea or coffee - freelance writers spend a lot of time at their computers. Any drinks should be kept well away from the computer, though. Writing Equipment A computer is one of the most important pieces of equipment for a writer. A basic PC is not expensive and can even be bought on Ebay. The computer should have a keyboard, a mouse and a modem or networking card. A better option for writers is a laptop. A laptop or notebook computer allows writers to write anywhere. Modern laptops also allow writers to connect to the internet from anywhere. An internet connection is essential for researching writing and receiving email from editors and publishers. Dial up is a good basic option, but if writers need to submit images with their writing, they may be better off with cable or DSL. Writers may find it useful to have a printer for printing out articles. This allows writers to check their own writing for errors. There are also some publishers who only accept hard copy writing submissions. A laser printer gives a crisp, sharp look, but an ink jet is a good option for writers on a budget. Writers will also need some way of taking notes if they do interviews. This could be a notebook and pen, which can be kept on the desk. A better option is a recording device of some kind to allow the writer to have a record of interviews and conversations with people. This can be a tape recorder, digital recorder or personal digital assistant (PDA) depending on the writer's budget. Organizing The Writing Environment Once a writer has got a desk, chair and the right equipment for typing articles and taking notes, s/he will need a way of organizing the paper that covers every writer's desk. This could be a series of file folders or filing trays to contain copies of email or snail mail letters to and from editors and publishers. A good filing system is essential for writers. Writers need to keep track of what articles have been commissioned and when deadlines are coming up. Writers should also save copies of bills for travel and other expenses so they can claim tax relief or expenses. Tip: Writers can print a list of their ideas for articles or stories and stick them up near the desk. These ideas may spark other ideas for writing and will help writers to have a goal when they sit down to write. Sharon Hurley Hall gives writers advice on how to get paid to write. Sharon is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor who writes on freelance writing skills and writer promotion for InspiredAuthor.com. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit doublehdesign.com. Article Source: EzineArticles.com | Sharon_Hurley_Hall | How To Set Up A Writers Home Office

Sustainable Fashion: Soybean Baby Clothes

Hemp has lots of good company in the green fashion world, nowadays... New materials made from fast-growing bamboo, and fleece fabric created from recycled plastic pop bottles, and natural fibres like cotton, linen, silk, when they're produced to organic standards... But did you know there's yet another fabric alternative to the environmentally demanding man-made synthetics? This is new to me — soybean fibre! Soybean fiber is an eco-friendly and advanced textile fiber using renewable natural resources as raw material. It is being touted as the "vegetable cashmere". It has an incredibly soft to the hand feel, luster, loft and drape, combined with durability. Its porous structure and grooves on the fiber surface bring excellent wet permeability and warmth retention to keep babies warm and dry. The whole idea behind the sustainable clothing movement is to use renewable raw materials or materials that would otherwise be wasted, to produce high-quality products that will last. BabySoy is one of the companies leading the way with a whole line of design-conscious earth-friendly infant clothing — made from soybean fibre. I was surprised, frankly, by how reasonable the prices are! $28 for the reversible year-round hoodie, for example, or $11 for the slip-on pants. Soft soy baby blankets, cute little double-knot hats, one-piece suits and bodysuits, shirts, cardigans, even soy-fibre bibs and baby socks are available in the collection. Available in sizes from newborn to 24 months. And even the factory that produces the BabySoy clothing is "green" as well, using limited water and power for its production. This all just makes such good sense to me:– Protecting the environment is all about making our world a safer and healthier home for the future, and especially for our kids and grandchildren, right? So what could be better than to lean toward green with baby's own clothing!

BYO Lunch Insulated Totes

Way beyond brown-bagging it, Wrapables has a nice selection of chic sleek containers for whatever you take for lunch: 1. Cosmopolitan Insulated Lunch Tote in a trendy black-and-white print with, surprise! baby-blue handles. Thermo lining keeps your meal warm or cold. 2. Built NY Lunch Tote, insulated for hour of temperature control, opens up to a placemat when you're ready to chow down. 3. Milano Lunch Tote is a stylish take on the traditional lunch box in zipper-closed insulated neoprene, with acrylic handles and a handy exterior pocket for extras.

What to Feed a Rock Star

Three ingredients went into this "strange brew" at Life's Roadside Diner of Synchronicity: 1. A writer pal dropped me a note yesterday looking for a bit of help on his new novel. Specifically, he was looking for ideas on what his (very strange) main character might cook for a (disturbingly) special dinner... 2. ... which made me think about what our food choices say about us. Who in your household is most likely to finish off a day-old pizza for breakfast? How old do you have to be before Froot Loops lose their appeal? And if you see a girl on a TV show who's eating ice cream straight from the tub, don't you know she's just been dumped? Exactly! 3. ... and then Separate Sound dropped the word about a very unusual cookbook. It's called I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen with Your Favorite Bands — which just may have joined my list of all-time favourite book titles! Here, food writer Kara Zuaro collected their favourite recipes from all sorts of musicians — including indie icons like the Violent Femmes, Belle & Sebastian, and They Might Be Giants; current favorites like Franz Ferdinand and My Morning Jacket; and up-and-coming acts like Catfish Haven and Voxtrot. Some recipes are inspired by a particular song in the band’s repertoire, others are taken from real-life experience. Each one bears the often quirky stamp of its source — while these are thoroughly tested, cook-from-me recipes, Zuaro has left the musicians’ wording and instructions intact, which makes for a collection that’s as much fun to read as it is to use. Clearly, this is the only cookbook to grab, the next time Tommy Lee drops by your place for after-gig eats...

Make Your Own Roman Shades

I love the clean lines and tidy folds of Roman shades (also known as Roman blinds), especially at a window where a heavier or fussy window treatment wouldn't be appropriate. My friend Julie has lovely homemade Roman blinds in every window of her house. Some are fitted inside the window frame opening, and topped by a valance. Others, designed to add extra insulation value to the more weather-battered windows, hand outside the width of the window opening and fasten to the edge of the trim with hidden magnetic strips — clever and effective to stop a draft! This past weekend, Julie came over and we walked around with measuring tape and swatches of fabric, making big plans. She talked me through the process while I made notes, and you know I was completely astonished at how totally "do-able" this project could be! Okay, it's a little bit fiddly to be sure to get things measured up right — and I had to look at one of my existing, store-bought Roman shades in order to figure how how to run the cord through — but I'll definitely be doing this again. Why? The beauty of making your own window treatments, besides the money-saving aspect, is that you can get exactly what you want — no compromise. So plan ahead when you're buying new bedding, for example, and pick up an extra flat twin-sized sheet to turn into matching blinds... or make over a vintage lace tablecloth into a window shade... show off your personal style — the possibilities are endless! Supplies to Make a Roman Shade: Fabric Light to medium-weight fabrics work best for Roman blinds, as heavy-weight drapery fabric won't fold as neatly when the blind is raised, creates a fair amount of bulk at the head of your window, and can put unnecessary strain on your mounting hardware. Lining fabric Think about using an insulating or heat-reflecting fabric as your liner, if energy conservation is part of your window-covering plan. Strips of wooden or plastic dowelling I'd recommend using wooden dowels (dowelling) instead of plastic, because it's less likely to develop a warp or bend if your window gets a lot of strong hot sun. Nylon cord Use a thin braided nylon cord, like the kind you see on store-bought blinds. Small plastic rings About a half-inch in diameter should do it. In the case of your rings, do go for plastic — it will help the cord to slide more smoothly. Acorn And what the heck is an acorn, you ask? In this context, it's the proper name for that little weight thingie that dangles at the end of your blind cords. You thread the cords through the hole in the acorn, then tie a knot. Acorns come in all styles and finishes, by the way, from a classic blend-with-wall white ceramic to a shiny golden gilt. I like a nice natural-finished wooden acorn to match the window trims in this old house, but it's all a matter of taste... Velcro The stick-and-sew kind is easiest to work with. The strip comes in a roll so you can buy it as one long piece and cut off the length you need, as you need it. Other: • 1" size wooden batten, the width of the blind • Wall cleat • Screw eyelets, four. Sew... now what? Well, I'm not lending you my friend Julie to show how to put it together! I still need her expert advice for the window shades for my sunroom makeover. But there's plenty of help to be had — truly, making a Roman shade is much easier than you would think, with nothing more that a bit of guidance... The best free sewing instructions for a Roman shade I've found so far are at Alternative-Windows.com, complete with clear diagrams. The directions are for a lined plain Roman blind that's fitted onto a wooden batten, simple, elegant, and versatile. But if that's not quite what you have in mind, they also sell the 150-page Just Blinds e-book with instructions for 27 window treatment projects, including 3 styles of Roller Blind and 11 styles of Roman Blind.

My Backyard Garden

Once you start looking, those ladybugs show up everywhere! These real-life full-bleed photographic lady bugs appear on cheerful greeting cards (pack of 6). Blank inside, to make of it what you will... for any occasion. Experience the lost art of letter writing and give ‘em a memento to hold on to. The ladybug cards are on Cafepress at My Backyard Garden — which is not mine, actually, but Melissa's in Ithaca, New York. (While you're there, check out the Lily Magnet, too!)

Good Egg Footstool

If you've ever wondered what to do with all those empty cardboard egg cartons, besides: (a) using them to organize your craft stuff or jewellery or coins, (b) tearing them up to put in the compost, (c) crafting up some rather peculiar cardboard tulips, or (d) planting flower seeds in them... Here's an elegant alternative — (e) for egg carton? — to fire up your imagination for creative recycling projects: Artist Inna Alesina makes her Good Egg footstool from 100% recycled paper pulp egg cartons, and colors them with a water-based fabric dye in terra cotta, green, blue, or beige. As a footstool it can be used upright or on its side for a relaxing rocking motion; it also makes a sturdy base for a coffee table. To clean, just vacuum. Place out of bright light to preserve the intensity of the color. Sturdy? Inna's own personal egg-carton footstool has withstood use by two adults and two small children for six years — and it "still looks good." [via The Eco-Modernist]

Are You the Next Great Handbag Designer?

Does your creative bent lean towards designing your own fab purses and bags? Here's your chance to be discovered! Marie Claire and Glam Media have joined forces to create a competition for aspiring handbag designers. Submit your handbag sketches on Glam.com. From there, Marie Claire and Glam.com readers will vote online for their favorite handbags each week, and the top eight finalists will have the opportunity to create the handbag they've sketched. Our panel of judges will then pick the top handbag, and the winner will be flown to New York to be a guest accessories editor at Marie Claire for the day. After the competition, the final eight bags will be auctioned for charity on eBay.

Weird Gardens

Timmerman Daugherty is reinventing herself, changing from an attorney into an artist. And, she says, it's "a transition much easier to make than you would suppose, especially when you start with your house and gardens as your pallette." It started with the winter blues: I wanted my small rowhouse garden to be aesthetically pleasing - at least to me - all year, not just during the growing season. One Friday evening I discovered a pile of rusted and beautifully shaped boiler parts in my alley; they became the fencing for my new rust garden. Although I never was much good at traditional gardening, it turned out that in the artful arrangement of trash I had found my calling. The rest, as they say, is history. Timmerman was raised by Quaker parents with a strong recycling ethic, and practiced her creative "dump-shopping" through the sixties and seventies. Nowadays she shops in her neighbourhood alleys and in thrift shops, and collects the stained-glass discards of other artists to create her works of whimsy. I had been raised to consider yards decorated with pink flamingos, elves and gnomes, plastic ducks, shell mosaics and shrines to dead pets to be vulgar. Now the creation and study of such yards is my passion. She confesses to having a garden gnome — but only one! Because, after all, as garden art goes, a gnome statue is just not weird by the Weird Gardens standard... In Timmerman Daugherty's garden, you're just as likely to find a pair of mannequin legs waving gently in the breeze, or Yoda poking up his wizened little head from an expanse of silvery mosaic tabletop, stained-glass flowers among the fairy lights, and a twelve-foot-tall tree made of recycled bottles...

Wedding Day Emergency Kit

With so many small details to keep track of, no wonder a bride can get so stressed out on her wedding day. Any small thing that goes wrong will seem like a major disaster, if she's trying to create the perfect "Big Day" to remember with pleasure through the rest of her married life... Dial it back, Bridezilla! Bridal Survival just got a little bit easier, with the clever Deluxe Bridal Emergency Kit. It's a thoughtful collection of all the bits-and-pieces that a bride-to-be would need to get through those last-minute wedding emergencies: This kit contains full sized white chalk, eye drops, toothpaste, toothbrush, sewing kit, white thread, candy, deodorant, tampons, breath mints, cotton buds, double sided rescue tape, comb, clear nail polish, deluxe wet towelette, paracetamol, pen, indigestion tablets, sewing kit and much, much more! The bridal emergency kit is packaged in a high-quality Uchi faux-leatherbag (a choice of four colours), a keepsake gift that the newlywed is sure to use long after the honeymoon is over, for any other little emergencies... [via Beauty and Lace]

Fine Homes to Dream On

Call it a character flaw if you will, but I've never actually yearned for a Scottsdale mansion. Until my interior designer pal went to Arizona a few years back, to be wined and dined by the Sub-Zero Wolf appliance folks, and return with tales of glamorous golf courses and hot-air balloon rides over the desert, I have to confess I'd never even heard of Scottsdale. It seems to be the virtual mecca of luxury homes — who knew?! Perhaps I've led a sheltered life... True, I was briefly and very youthfully married into the Montreal country club set, as I may have alluded to in some unguarded moment, earlier on... and it may be that experience that cured me of any lingering dream of mansions, who knows? So I hesitated, quite naturally, when asked to review the live-the-dream luxury homes site of a team of Scottsdale realtors headed by Lesley Martinson. In my experience, clients seldom enjoy a display of cynicism at the expense of their corporate values, especially in a sponsored review... And my own lifestyle values are quite firmly routed in this century-old Maritime farmhouse, thank you very much! But what's life without a challenge? So here's the deal: The Scottsdale Fine Properties website is set up in frames, and maybe it's designed for an IE browser only (I use Firefox), but some of the frame contents (home listings, especially) get served up with a black background against which the dark text is all but unreadable. Open the frame in a new window, however, and it gets a white background: a pain from an ease-of-use standpoint, but not an insurmountable problem. My bigger problem is with the navigation menu, on the left. It's not clear, unless you're already intimately familiar with the Scottsdale area and/or the company's site structure, what you can expect to find at the end of each link. The title attribute — the text that pops up when you hover over a link — is wasted with "Link 1," Link 2," and so on. Okay, let's turn to the Site Map — nope! It's just a text-link replica of the nav menu. No joy there, and no insight. I still don't know what to expect from "Dream Home Finder" versus "Luxury Showcase" versus "Our Listings" — or from "New Home Developments" versus "Desert Bay Builders"... All conscientious and ethical, however, I persist... (By the way, the pictures of all those luxury homes are breath-takingly gorgeous! Nothing short of inspirational, too, if you're looking for decorating and landscaping ideas to swipe from the rich and famous!) ... and before I know it, an hour is gone. See, I stumbled across SFP's "Search Nationally and Internationally" function (it's under the Dream Home Finder link, by the way) and — whoa, Nellie! There's fun to be had here! The first thing I did was check out the listings for oceanfront estates in eastern Canada, of course... Can we show you something in a modest "family compound" with guest cottage and outbuildings, situated on a half-dozen acres of priceless Nova Scotia waterfront? Or an undeveloped ruggedly romantic chunk of Campobello Island in the Bay of Fundy, between New Brunswick and Maine? — it was good enough for Franklin D. Roosevelt's family cottage, you know... Okay, Scottsdale realtors, you got me! There's something to be said for vicarious travel and daydreams with vaulted ceilings, French doors, fin-de-siecle antiques, a private wharf, a hand-built stone wall surrounding a formal garden, a gatehouse for the staff... Tomorrow, I'll be browsing the upscale housing market in Ireland. Or maybe the United Arab Emirates. Or the Dutch West Indies. Well, you get the idea. This site should come with a warning to unwary freelancers: Caution, may be hazardous to your online productivity! Now, there's a nice bit of irony. But I'm still "just looking, thanks!" Really. Really.

Practical Wedding Gifts that Newlyweds Can Really Use

When we got married, we received a ton of gifts from family members of all kinds, ranging from towels to a weird statue of a hobbit to a knife set to towels to a handmade quilt to towels. Needless to say, we still have plenty of towels. Does this wedding story sound familiar? Trent of The Simple Dollar has deftly put his finger on the wedding guest's biggest problem... You're invited to a wedding, you want to bring a gift to show your affection and best wishes in a tangible way, but you don't want to make a disastrous wedding gift choice — Oh look, yet another blender! How, er, thoughtful of you, Jen, thank you so much... What to do? Trent has kindly drawn up a list of books and gadgets he's calling The Frugal Wedding Registry: Wedding Gift Ideas To Help Put That Special Couple On A Sound Financial Path. Today, though, there are only a few that really stand out from the pack, gifts that really stuck with us and proved to be really useful in our life. In every case, these gifts were ones that helped us to be more frugal and do more things for ourselves. They’ve saved us money, saved us time, and helped us to build a richer relationship. A crock pot, for example. You can't go far wrong with a crock pot... and a decent cookbook. Me, I always like to give the young couple a gift that will keep on giving, and bail them out at tense domestic moments — a toolbox filled with all the basic essentials to keep the home intact and running smoothing. A hammer, screwdriver set, adjustable wrench, that sort of thing. And, just to be realistic, I always toss in a roll of duct tape and a tube of crazy glue. Maybe some picture hangers and a lovely assortment of electrical fuses... The exact selection of items for the Bridal Tool Kit will depend a bit on how "handy" either member of the couple might be, as well as where they're going to be living, like whether there's a competent super in the building or a kind plumber who's living next door! Okay, a tool kit is definitely not the most romantic wedding gift, but don't you think that the newlyweds will probably get all the scented candles and monogrammed towels they'll need, from other guests?

Cat Face Plates

My mum loves cats. How a cat-lady raised a dog-loving daughter is a mystery to both of us... but that's besides the point right now. The point, as I see it, is the perfect Mother's Day gift to the woman who gave me Life Itself... as she has been known to remind me... weekly... Artist Laurel Burch's favorite cats take the place of honor at the table. Each plate is a work of art, richly colored with classic cat designs from the famous artist. The ceramic plates are suitable for display and safe for food service. Cat face plates, or Burch's plates in the shape of sitting cats — equally colorful and fabulous — are at Flax Art & Design.

Fly Away Home: 5 Irresistable Ladybugs

If it seems like we're obsessing on a ladybug theme lately, you'll just have to blame the following: Maggie, whose little girl was given a way-cool ladybug play tent by her adoring grandparents... a double-layer gauze-and-gingham Japanese fabric with dainty little ladybugs, spotted by friend Sheila at ReproDepot last week... Marcia's ladybug doll over at Macaroni Monologues... and the real little ladybugs who are emerging into sunshine at the corners of my upstairs windows, a welcome sign of Spring! ...and the ladybug "find" that's totally stolen my heart — Saints and Sinners "Fly Away Home" art yarn, by Barbe Saint John: A grassy lawn with tiny flowers make up a vacation spot for the ladybug family. This yarn was hard to photograph but is so pretty and tactile in person. Spun from lots of different combed wools, with a bit of firestar in it for a really bumpy lumpy grassy effect, mostly greens but a bit of dirt brown and seedling pale green too. Added are 5 tiny yellow daisies, lots of little white flowers and about 18 or so lampwork glass ladybugs. This would be gorgeous in a shawl or wall hanging.

Mmm, Tasty Vanilla for Bath and Body

Vanilla is a popular fragrance for several very fine reasons, not the least of which is the effect it has on men! Scientists have studied this, truly... Vanilla and cinnamon both seem to rank highly as scents that are attractive to men. Apparently they have some sort of chemical impact on the part of the male brain that decides what's most desirable. (Is it a coincidence that vanilla and cinnamon are both food-related? I think not!) My mother, who was a glam young thing in her day, says her college roomies used to raid the kitchen cupboards for vanilla extract when they ran short of perfume! Speaking of Mother... Body-pampering bath products in vanilla-based scents are a fairly safe bet for a Mother's Day gift, if you're not sure what fragrance she usually picks. I like the lovely flask that holds Beauty Banquet's Vanilla Bubble Bath (and coordinating body lotion). Very nostalgic, very milady's boudoir. For gift giving —       presentation is everything! — Wrap up a sweet vanilla treasure in earth-friendly recycled kraft-style paper, tied with a length of natural raffia, perhaps with a few real sticks of cinnamon tucked in under the bow. Or swathe a boxed gift set in a floaty organdy scarf instead of wrapping paper, very romantic and feminine... And just because your mother is, well, your mother... that's no reason why she shouldn't be gently reminded of those madcap young days, when she was the Belle of the Campus, dabbing vanilla behind her ears on her way out to the big pep rally...

Silly Putty

Oops, sorry! All of my recipes -- food recipes, pet treat recipes, and how-to-make for crafty stuff like this -- have moved over to the new DomestikGoddess.com. You can find a nice handy index to all my recipes, organized into categories and updated as more are posted, at http://domestikgoddess.com/recipes/. Enjoy!

Wild Clutch

Recently I raved about a spring quilted purse by Janese Patanella... Now here, in an entirely different mood, is a bold-patterned, bright-coloured fabric clutch bag that she's just added to her line. Janese says she chose to make one of her catch-all clutch bags with this fabric because she wasn't too sure if an entire tote bag in this wild pattern might be too much of a good thing... But then her customers saw this fabric and the orders for other styles of bags started rolling in. See? It's true, it's true — Wild is good!!

The Inspired (and Inspiring) Entrepreneur

April can be a difficult month for many of us, and this April seems to be more difficult than usual... the world being the complex and conflicted place it is. APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain. ~ T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land So, if one can spread a little hope and joy... I read the most inspiring story, this morning! It's by Wendy Piersall, what she calls The Biggest Blog Post of My Life: Let me start at the beginning. Not at the beginning of this blog. Not even at the beginning of this decade. I’ll start at the beginning of my career. Why? Because this is a journey that has been tragic and difficult, exhilarating and amazing. I want to start at the beginning, because I want you to see yourself in this post. I want you to come with me, because I want you to write a post like this yourself someday, too. (Oh, God, I’m crying already.) Wendy's story is one of a brave strong journey that will bear golden fruit in May with the launch of "Inspired Business Growth", part of the new Entrepreneur.com site for Women Entrepreneurs. Her strength is remarkable and inspiring. But another lesson I take from this story is the power that one small act of caring kindness, stranger to stranger, can have in changing someone's whole life direction. Read all about it on www.emomsathome.com.

Clean Up Like a Fairytale Princess

If anything short of a six-in-hand pimped-out pumpkin could lighten up a Cinderella's household chores... it might be this whimsical hand-painted dustpan and broom set... The ridiculously adorable cleaning tools are designed to nest sweetly together, while a heart-shaped magnet on the back will stick them to any metal surface for tidy storage or display. When the queen of the castle must lower herself to menial tasks, let this prince and princess help. Designed by Créa Créa, Paris, from Flax Art & Design.

Funky Chicken Pin Cushions

I haven't mentioned it for a while, but the hunt for the perfect pin cushion continues... to go to the birds... Web-Goddess gives a nice clear set of free illustrated instructions for sewing up a set of funky chicken pincushions, and they do have a certain appeal. A traditional take on the same basic idea has the chicken made up of log cabin quilt squares. You can find a free pattern for the log cabin chicken pincushion at Quilting Works, or get it ready-made by lanningslee on Etsy. Either way... a great project to use up scraps of fabric... and, hey! a perfect "impulse item" to make for a fund-raiser bazaar or craft sale.

Cute As a LadyBug

Lady bugs, as you may know, can be a gardener's best aphid-eating friend. I happily let the little darlings over-winter in my house, which just goes to show how seldom I vaccuum-clean the corners of the bedroom windows! Ladybugs in the house? Why, yes — It's a joy at the end of a long winter, to see those cute round spotted beetles come out to enjoy the spring sunshine. Okay, every so often one confused little red lady ends up doing the breast stroke in my tea cup — ah, it's a small price to pay for the happy heralds of another gardening season! But I know that not everyone is keen to share their home with real live insects, no matter how cute, no matter how beneficial they may be... And that's where a ladybug theme in home decor items comes in... like an easy-clean plush ladybug rug, or an appliqued sheer organdy curtain sprinkled with colourful springtime images of ladybugs, flowers, and butterflies (both at HomeVisions.com). A natural theme for a child's room, or a kitchen, or a sun room... totally in tune with the trend to "bring the outdoors in" and embrace all things natural. With a ladybug theme, you get all the whimsical joy of sharing space with ladybugs — but the actual beetles themselves can stay outdoors in the garden!

Allium Sensation

It's simply not possibly to choose a favourite of Stephanie Andrews' incredible flower paintings. That said, I love the energy of her "Allium Purple Sensation I", an acrylic on canvas portrait of one of my best-loved garden plants. Any plant in the Allium family (ornamental onions) gets put automatically on my best-loved list, actually. To begin with, they're trendy as anything, these days. All minimalist and sculptural... Better yet, the range of allium varieties is large enough to suit every taste — pink, yellow, purple, white, many colours in sizes ranging from a few nches tall to the three-foot giants. Best of all, allium is truly an easy perennial plant to grow, perfect for a difficult garden or an inexperienced gardener. Alliums tend to be drought-tolerant (excellent for arid southern gardens, or for those of us who like to treat potable water as the precious limited resource that it is). Allium are sun-loving flowering plants and can happily survive where other plants would shrivel and dry out, returning to flower (and multiply) year after year. They also tend to be winter-hardy — tough enough to be grown successfully, many varieties of them, in zone 3 and even zone 2 — I know this from the reports of brave gardening friends who live in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. As long as the allium bulbs aren't planted in a heavy wet soil where they could rot out, they're pretty much tough enough to survive whatever you throw at them. And beautiful, too! No wonder that artists like Stephanie Andrews are inspired to paint those airy allium spheres... Or that Ann Wallace offers Art Nouveau allium embroidery in a linen pillow (or as a kit to craft your own)... Or that Chain of Beads is showing a pair of allium-inspired earrings, all round and open, solid yet airy, with tiny crystals to suggest the tiny starry flowerets that make up the allium bloom... I'm still looking for an allium motif in a quilt — that would be stunning!

Grow a Plant, Get a Secret Message

Thanks to Marc at the Garden Desk for the tip-off on Magic Sproutz — fortune-telling plants in a can! Well, it's the gardener's equivalent of a fortune cookie, really... Open can, add water and moderate light, watch the plant pop up in a couple of days... and read your secret fortune message on the seed casing! I can't believe they are billing these fun little things as toys for kids. Oh, sure, no doubt they'd go down big in the elementary school set... but what about the rest of us? No office cubicle should be without a plant — it might as well be a happy little plant with a secret to share...

Pink Camo Tooth Fairy Pillow

Life can be rough for a mythical being, these days... The poor Tooth Fairy shouldn't have to fumble around in the dark of a child's bedroom when she comes to collect that baby tooth. Not when a simple little pillow with a pocket can make the busy Tooth Fairy's job so much easier ... and help her avoid the risk of waking the little one, too! This cute tooth pillow in pink camouflage fabric (Bunnies and Bows) is hand-sewn and personalized with the name of your choice. A matching toddler's travel pillow is also available.

SIGG Bottle Art Design Contest

Artists and graphic designers, how would you like a chance to see your own hip design on the next SIGG water bottle? SIGG Switzerland, makers of the fashionable and eco-friendly beverage bottle (without which my own life would be quite dry and much less colourful), are putting on a design contest. From April 22nd through June 1st, visit www.MySigg.com to grab the template and get started on designing your own SIGG bottle. All visitors to the site can view submitted designs and vote on their favorite entries. The winning bottle will be produced by SIGG in time for this year's holiday season and sold exclusively in Patagonia retail stores and on www.MySigg.com. A percentage of sales from the winning bottle will be donated to the Surfrider Foundation. This is a chance for all you artists to express your eco-outlook on life. But wait, there's more! The top ten finalists (based on voting by MySigg visitors) will receive a free SIGG, and their designs will be submitted to the panel of judges who will select the overall winner. The grand-prize-winning artist will have their design produced and sold in Patagonia stores and on MySigg.com — plus, 100 SIGG bottles of his/her own original design to pass out to your posse. Not to mention, the major boost of putting this coup in your resume or portfolio!

Hot Lips Phone

Channel your inner Warhol and take it over the top with one of pop culture's most enduring icons... The high-camp glossy red lips telephone (Graham and Green) could very well be the perfect companion piece for a mod cube table in clear perspex, maybe a cluster of black leather pouffes and block-printed pillows, all floating on a retro white shag rug. After all, if a thing is worth doing... it's worth over-doing!

Wearable Art... with Hamster

Truly, it puts a song in my heart to know that artists are still out there, in the business of breaking down our cultural boundaries, challenging the eye, and shaking up even our relationships with domestic rodents. Photo by Kevin Rolly You thought the Hamster Shredder was a clever design? Check out the Hamster Dress! The designers have knocked my socks off with their bright bravura, combining a pet's exercise system with wearable art — this, even though I came to it semi-prepared, by way of Kasey's McMahon's CompuBeaver, where taxidermy meets high tech... Artists Vanessa Bonet and Kasey McMahon made their collaborative debut as Psycho Girlfriend in May 2005. They have combined their creative ideas into a unique medium that focuses on "wearable art" pieces made from unusual materials. If you're in Los Angeles on the weekend, April 21 and 22, 2007, you can catch Psycho Girlfriend's wild and crazy awesomeness at the Brewery Artwalk.

Getting Started in Knitting

Learn How to Knit: Knitting Help offers 150 free knitting videos, including basic techniques for learning to knit: casting on stitches, knit and purl, increase, decrease, binding off (or castng off) and more... They also offer quite a library of free knitting patterns for beginners as well as those with more advanced skills. Large Needles + Fancy Yarn "Ironically, simple knit or crochet stitches on big needles look fantastic in fancier yarns, because the yarn can do all the work for you," says Natasha, she of the Luxe Yarn. A simple knitting pattern and a pair of large needles means the project will go quickly, too — always encouraging, when you're getting into a new craft for the first time! Knitting for Newborns Maybe you've heard that charities and hospitals all over the world need an endless supply of tiny warm hats hats for premature newborn babies? Or maybe you're expecting a "new arrival" of your own and getting the nesting instinct? The BBC's Sideways Knitted Baby Cap pattern is free, and it's quick and easy for even a newbie knitter. Knitting Ideas and Inspiration The Victoria & Albert Museum has a fabulous "online exhibition" (under Fashion, Jewellery and Accessories" section, all about knitting. For inspiration, read other people's stories of learning to knit and get inspired by the knitted works on view — or post your own to show and share. (Tip: check out all the wonderful free knitting patterns from the 1940s!)

Kitty Light

Smooth sitting kitty-cat gives off a soft glowing light that's as comforting as a happy cat's purr... It's available in red, orange, yellow, or white. £65 at WhippetGrey.co.uk. There are so many unique objets for home and garden at WhippetGrey — all so beautifully presented like a magical pop-up book! — you'll need to set aside some time to look around! Better yet, download the catalogue...

Jar of Whimsies

Now there's no excuse for feeling that life might be drab, dull, routine, or lacking in creativity — not when a Jar of Whimsies could be yours! One Good Bumblebee kindly scours the world for vintage trinkets and whimsical treasures, and packs them into delightful surprise-pack jars. ...a crafter's new best friend, a treasure lover's dream come true, and a collector's jack pot! The 30-ounce plastic jars (3.75" x 6.25") are packed with over 100 whimsy-filled items to make the crafter's heart beat fast, such as: vintage cotton spun mushrooms ribbon gold foil leaves miniature toys vintage costume jewelry wooden spools vintage lace clothespins typewriter keys jingle bells vintage marbles glass vials millinery supplies vintage beads sugared fruits antique skeleton keys vintage game pieces watch parts glass glitter, imported from Germany foil dresdens vintage swizzle sticks charms and so much more... Each individual Jar of Whimsies is different, so when you get one its actual contents will come as a delightful surprise! They look gorgeous placed on a mantle or among a stack of books on a shelf. Or you can pour everything out and have the time of your life digging through your loot. You won't find junk in these jars. We fill each one with things we hope will inspire you and ultimately remind you to find happiness in life's littlest treasures.

Deer and Apple Trees

Another snow storm today... my orchard work is falling far behind! There's a lot of pruning apple trees that needs to be done in spring. Early April is the best time for pruning any kind of fruit trees, here in gardening zone 4, but it's a hard physical chore that's all too easy to put off when the weather doesn't cooperate! The native white-tailed deer have come out of the deep woods to help with the orchard pruning — as you can see in this picture I took one early evening, this past weekend — but I've yet to figure out how to train the animals to nip off only those tree branches that I want to have trimmed! Okay, I can't resist! Just one more deer-in-snow-eating-my-apple-trees picture...

Confidence in a Box

What a lovely gift for anyone who is trying to change his or her life for the better! After reading about the anxiety and negative self-talk that held me back from finishing that dratted book I was trying to write, Anne Maybus sent me a beautiful email with a virtual box of self-confidence attached. Here is Anne's thinking: Confidence is a strange beast. It is born into some people. Others gradually discover it as they grow. Many people never really have it. This really upsets me. I don't want to see anyone not fulfill their potential. So I have an idea. Confidence in a Box. Do you know someone who could use a Box of Confidence? Pass it on! Truly, Anne's email made my day! — and now I keep my Confidence right here on my desktop, where I see it first thing every morning when I sit down to work. It's a positive reminder that all things are within our reach... if we are prepared to believe that dreams can be achieved, if we only will give ourselves "permission" to work toward what we want and deserve.

Paint a Vegetable Garden on Your Old Mailbox

Decorative painter Lesie Pease (who does an awesome side-line in dog portraits, by the way) provides a fun how-to tutorial for recycling a rusty old metal mailbox... with the magic of colorful craft paints. She's picked a vegetable theme for the rural-style mailbox, with realistic little mushrooms, radishes, purple potatoes, green peppers, a whole veggie garden! I especially like the clusters of green peas (perhaps a pun on her name?) and — too clever! — a carrot for the traditional "you've got mail" flag. The step-by-step photos... don't they make you just want to rush out and give some sort of metal box a painted makeover?

Table Top Wine Bar

Why hide your pretty wine glasses in a cupboard? Simple, elegant, sturdy, and versatile, the wine glass and bottle holder from Minnesota Iron Works keeps glasses and vino conveniently at hand... I like iron pieces for their ability to add just the right touch of essential black to many styles of home decor, as well as their strength and durability. Essential in Tuscan or French Country decor, the graceful black iron curves work equally well in a minimalist urban setting... And this wine-bottle holder is a particularly clever design (patent pending, not surprisingly!). It will hold a single wine or champagne bottle, up to 4 inches in diameter, and 6 stemmed glasses up to 9 inches tall. Set the bottle upside-down to keep the cork moist in storage, then stand it upright when you're ready to open and pour! The handle easily slips on and off, as you like it... and the bottle holder will also accept a cylinder-shaped vase if you'd rather display a bouquet flowers and keep your wine stashed away in the cellar. This strikes me as a patio-perfect tabletop accessory — and an excellent wedding gift idea! — for $32 at Etsy. But it's only available in the United States, sadly, at the present time.

A Normal Room

Oh, c'mon, you know we've all done it! You're strolling through a new neighbourhood on a summer evening, glancing at the miniature theatre sets of undraped windows, where the light inside illuminates other people's lives for just one passing moment... I've always loved to catch a glimpse of the interiors where strangers live. It probably comes from those college years of travelling home by train at holidays, rattling and swaying through the night past all those anonymous homes... Admiring a wall colour here, deploring an over-couch department-store painting there, wondering if that floor lamp would suit your own space.... Perhaps you've done the same? Now you can indulge that natural curiosity without feeling quite so much like a "Peeping Tom" —Normal Room shows you interior design and home furniture from all over the world. Search by country or location, by caption or keyword, even by the occupants of the home... A kitchen in France, a lounge in Ireland — Random rooms!

Art Deco Ladies

A tip of the spring bonnet to Anne for pointing out Australian artist Wendy Hoare's Art Deco Ladies: I have found these ladies who are stunning and the way they are painted makes them look just like flowers. They are quite unique and very art deco. I couldn't agree more! And the Art Deco style is both playful and enduring in its graceful graphic appeal... just look at the flirty Philomena... Wendy Hoare began DecoArt Creations as a way to launch a second career — one that would tap into her love of illustration while allowing her to work at home and stay close to her two young children. Wendy now supplies artwork for children's rooms online and to a number of children's interior retail outlets in Melbourne, Australia. In fact, she creates whimsical art for all ages — and last spring, she was commissioned to create artwork for Australian Country Style magazine's May 2006 issue.

How to Beat Procrastination and Finally Write Your Book

In that last wild week of finishing up writing the book that was a "Work in Process" for seven long years, here are a few little things I learned to help get to that final page. If You Really Want To Write A Book: Turn off the television. It sucks up precious time and brain cells. If you can't turn off the boob-tube because other people feel a desperate need to watch, take yourself away from it. Television is death to any kind of original creative work, not to mention concentration! Set a deadline that's physically possible, but not too far in the future. Too tight a deadline and you may be tempted to throw your hands in the air and give up when the going gets hard. Too slack a deadline, and you may find yourself frittering away a lot of good writing time and then scrambling madly under pressure as the deadline comes near. Make a public statement of your intentions. Say something quite specific, like, oh, "I will finish writing this dratted book, and I will be ready to proofread the manuscript by this time next week!" Publish it on your blog, announce it to your writers' group or yoga class, take out a classified ad in the paper — whatever it takes. The idea is to hang the threat of public humiliation over your own head, so failure is not an option. Set aside any idea you may have that every word must be perfect. Even if perfection was possible, it's a moving target — your definition may change tomorrow, so don't waste time and energy trying to reach whatever it may be today. Just keep moving forward, writing the very best you can without going nuts. Keep your focus set on the short-term goal. Never mind the proper format for a manuscript — you'll take care of that when the writing is done. Never mind finding an agent or publisher — unless you've got a book to sell, or at least a proven track record and a knock-dead book proposal, that's not relevant at the moment. And certainly, never mind the dreams of movie adaptations and international paperback reprint deals! For now, your only task is to do the writing. There you have it, that's what I figured out. And I'd love to hear any tips for sticking-to-it that you might have discovered, in the course of any kind of long hard project!

Luxe Art Yarn

Hand-spun, hand-dyed, and flocked with dainty flowers, Natasha Fialkov's smoke and lilacs art yarn is almost enough to make those old knitting needles click into action all by themselves. These are "warm fuzzies" of great beauty — it's easy to see that Natasha (LuxeFibre.com) has a background in Fine Arts! i knit and crochet for boutiques, have my yarns and fibres in yarn boutiques as well as my website and here. i spin and dye my own fibre, and try to squeeze in as many other things as i can.... everything is made by me in a non smoking house with cats who are forbidden to come in my studio... Art Yarn in Home Decor? Or, what about this one? Entirely different in mood but equally exciting for special knit or crochet projects, the spring pansies bulky art yarn from the artist's personal stash... If, like me, you don't feel your knitting and crochet skills are quite brilliant enough to be worthy of such glorious yarn... I could see this yarn wound artfully through a grapevine wreath, for a Spring door decoration, or even arranged in a simple wooden bowl to create a unique acccent on a side table...

I Finished Writing That Dratted Book

I did it! It took me seven years of researching, writing, and expert procrastination, but I've finally finished writing that dratted book that's been hanging over my head for all that time... Sit down, have a glass of bubbly for me, while I tell how it got done: One week ago... Life coach Thea Westra challenged me to identify my most important life goals. I put on my thinking cap, and when the steam started coming out of my ears — on 06 April 2007 — I wrote this: Around here, we call this state of petrification a case of "deer in the headlights" — a deer on the road will stand still, staring into the lights of on-coming traffic, rather than make a leap for safety. Do I want to be the literary equivalent of roadkill? Especially when the end is so very near... The answer was clear. So I wrote this: I will finish writing this dratted book, and I will be ready to proofread the manuscript by this time next week! That was last Friday.     Today is Friday, one week later...         Goal achieved! In fact, I finished last night at 8:37 p.m., believe it or not! And here are a few things I learned in this jam-packed, fun-filled, head-down, race-to-the-finish week of writing: My Tricks to Help a Stuck Writer Complete a Book There you have it: I did it — you can do it! ...whatever your goals may be!

Color Trends - Beyond Wasabi Green

Lesley Hamilton, one of the color gurus behind the incredibly popular wasabi green, talked of color trends and made a few predictions on CBC radio this morning. In times when our minds are on war, she says, people are traditionally more conservative, trending toward neutral colors for high-end consumer goods that they are unsure they'll be replacing in the near future. Bright and trendy colors show up more in fashion, when the world gets serious... Other current events come into play, too. The recent growth in interest in Japanese culture will continue with an expanding appreciation of Asian style, Lesley says, when the 2008 Olympics set for Beijing. Our growing concern for the environment means that nature will continue to be an important inspiration for colors in both fashion and home decor. (I've always maintained that green is a neutral, in fact! — and it plays so well with every other color.) Green is the color that the human brain can process most easily, Lesley explains. Our eyes can discern a wide range of greens, and we find the color restful. In contrast, yellow is more complex and challenging. If you're going to use yellow in the home, do so judiciously. I've found that yellow is great in a kitchen, or as a strong accent in a living room, but perhaps not the best color for a bedroom or other area where a more soothing, less stimulating color might be a better choice. Lesley Hamilton predicts that yellow will be the next hot color trend for fashion, however, and "I'd go with canary or dandelion; stay away from mustard yellow." Like orange, Lesley's current favorite fashion color, yellow can convey that you are a vivacious and lively person. In the home, however, "vivacious and lively" may not be the effect that's wanted. More likely, we want people to feel relaxed and welcome in the environment we've created. The home is a refuge from the over-busy outside world... and soothing, restful colors from the blue and green range provide that background. If you love bright lively trendy colors, by all means go wild with those shades as an accent — throws and throw pillows, tabletop accessories, lamps and shades, even area rugs can be changed up to follow the trends in fashion while keeping your investment in home decor from getting outdated too quickly.

The Amazing Hamster Shredder

So, it's tax time, right? And taxes mean paperwork. Great tall piles of highly confidential files, just stuffed with all the information that an identity thief might need to swipe your name, your credit, your savings, your home... Papers that just scream to be shredded into tiny little pieces... Now here's the earth-friendly solution to your office chores: Despite it’s evil-sounding, doom-inspiring name, the Hamster Shredder from Tom Ballhatchet may prove to be one of the most ingenious energy-saving, fraud-combatting, quirky little gadgets around. Look closely. See? The hamster does the work! When he runs on his little exercise wheel, as hamsters do, the pretty red gears will turn... And not only does the hamster shred your confidential papers, the little pet can make his own bedding while he's at it. Gadgets don't come much greener than a Hamster Shredder, baby! Unless you go dump the shredded paper (with or without hamster poop) into your compost bin, for a bonus load of fraud protection and environmental good karma. [via Techzi.net]

Urban Canvas Bungee Bag

A mixed-media design of high voltage power lines, crisp and urban-hip in a combination of stitching and screen printing, makes this handmade bag (Puckish)interesting enough — oh! — but just check out the bungee cord handles! The outside is made from sturdy duck-canvas and the inside from soft, patterned cotton with an interior pocket and snap closure. The comfy 20" bungee cord handles give the perfect amount of stretch. The size, 13 x 10 inches, means this bag is large enough to tote your notes, but compact enough to swing off your shoulder. (Hmm, I do believe I've got a spare bungee cord in the basement...) The High Voltage Bungee Bag is $68 at Elsewheres.

An Artist's Garden of Lampwork Glass

Josephine Brooks became a lampworker by accident. She married "a pyromaniac" who enjoyed silver smithing. "I enjoyed it too," she says, "since I was the happy recipient of his creations. Because of his interest, I started beading." At the time there weren’t nearly as many lampworkers as there are now and good beads were hard to come by. So I ordered a beginning lampwork kit for my hubby... He made some beads and then made some more. I watched with growing fascination. Eventually I sat down and made some beads and then made some more. And then I told him to go back to silver smithing because the torch was mine! That was in 2002. I’ve been playing with fire and glass ever since. This rose turned out really great. The glass I used has lots of color variations in it that make the petals look more natural... Pink Rose Sculptural Garden: Handmade Lampwork Beads by Josephine Brooks. And it was by happy accident that I discovered Josephine Brooks's lampwork beads — hopping link to link among artists and crafters to a world of colour and whimsy... One look at Josephine's handmade lampwork beads is ample evidence of the artistic vision, steady hand, and high level of craftsmanship that are required by this form of glass craft. Lampworking is a glassworking technique where the craftsperson uses a controlled flame to melt and shape the glass. It takes its name from the earlier use of oil lamps in the craft, now largely replaced by small torch as a heat source. That's why, nowadays, you may also hear the terms flamework or torchwork instead. As an art form, lampworking dates back to the earliest days of glass. It truly burgeoned in 14th century Italy, indisputably the art-glass capital of the world, and travelled from there throughout Europe. "In the 1850s," Wikipedia tells us, "lampwork incorporated into glass domed paperweights, primarily in France, became a popular art form, still collected today." Certainly, the Victorians were mad for lampworked glass, as the fine detail made possible by the technique had a natural appeal to that era's great love of embellishment. Through the 19th century, when colourful glass beads were in high demand in international trade, the basic beads were mass-produced in a factory, then decorated by hand in one of the most labour-intensive techniques known to beadwork. And labour-intensive it clearly is, particularly in this day of cut-rate off-shore industrial production of goods! It's the time and expertise required that makes lampworking so compelling — and why an expertly-crafted lampwork art bead can have an enduring value as an heirloom and collectible.

Flowers on a Quilted Bag

Among the ranks of crafting moms, busily turning a hobby into a home-based business, is Jenese Patanella of Knoxville, Tennessee, mother of two teenage girls. She was in the corporate world for 25 years... but her passion is sewing. These days you'll find her in a corner of the family room, sewing up her bags and purses in fabulous quilted fabrics. My daughters really wanted a very expensive named brand purse. I said no, but I would be happy to make one for each of you. They received so many compliments from their friends about their new purses... here I am with J.PAT PURSES. What I really like about the design of her zipper-closed pink-and-green quilted purse — besides the bright and happy flowered fabric — and besides the generous number of pockets (4 on the outside, one interior) — is that Jenese has used a heavy-weight interlining on the bottom. That means the purse can stand up on its own when its empty, so convenient for rummaging around for your lipstick in the restaurant powder room! On the Hunt for Faux Flowers... You can find more of the colourful quilted J.PAT PURSES on Etsy.

A to Z Fabrics Information

You too can make a confident fabric choice in the middle of a chockful-o-fabrics big major craft-and-sewing store! Just brush up a little first with the Fabric Dictionary, courtesy of J&O Fabrics. It's got information on every kind of fabric you can think, listed from A to Z, from Acetate, Alpaca, and Appliqué to... has anyone invented a fabric yet that begins with Z? Because, who can keep on top of the new materials, and the revivals of retro materials, and the introduction of materials from other parts of the world? Take barkcloth (or bark cloth) for example. It originally referred to fabric made from the bark of trees. Today, the term describes fabric with a bark-like surface texture. Bark cloth is now most often made from 100% cotton.The bark cloths made today often have vintage designs reminiscent of those used during the heyday of bark cloth: the 1940’s and 50’s. See? Good to know. I think you'll find the Fabric Dictionary is a truly useful resource — whether you're an experienced needle-wielding artiste, or just beginning to dabble in the crafts and sewing world.

If Claude Monet Did Hand-Crafted Beads

Heather Powers' line of polymer beads is equal parts art and craft, perhaps because the Texas resident is also a professional illustrator of children's books. • Polymer clay beadmaking tips and free lessons from Heather. She studied Fine Art painting, drawing and printmaking at Kendall College of Art & Design where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Inspired by Monet's paintings, these beads are hand-painted with oil paint and liquid polymer clay. The color is baked into the bead and then sealed with an acrylic glaze so it will not come off. The design evolves around the bead, and each one is unique. • Monet's Garden at Giverny, France. On the Hunt for Faux Flowers... Heather Powers' dreamy Water Lily Beads, and other exceptional polymer beads she has made, are waiting for you at HumbleBeads.com [H/T to Craft Synergy]

A Child's Views on Easter

Oops, I just realized that I messed up a link I'd posted earlier to Coach's story about his little daughter's ideas about the Easter story... Easter, God, Jesus and six year olds — My six year old daughter has just started school at a Catholic school and has therefore been learning about the Easter story. She has had some refreshing insights into religion lately Don't miss her explanation of where the chocolate eggs come into the picture! Too cute! So here it is again, a wee smile for your Easter Sunday: http://www.cantcoachthat.com/index/site/easter_god_jesus_and_six_year_olds/

Spring Tips for Exterior Painting

When you think about painting the outside of a whole entire house, even a small house can seem a daunting task! It's easy to see how vinyl and aluminum siding got so popular in areas of North America, like here in the North-East, where wood-clapboard exteriors are traditional... Even if your home is cladded with paint-free siding, however, there's still the trim, window frames, doors, eaves to be freshened up for spring! It's not just about the looks of your house, either. Keeping the paint coat in good shape will help to protect your home from weather damage — which saves you a lot of effort, time and money in the long run. For best results, of course, a painting job calls for advice from the professionals... Spring into Exterior Painting: Four Tips from the Paint Quality Institute by Debbie Zimmer The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute With warm weather just around the corner, it will soon be time to begin those home exterior painting projects. No matter if you’re contemplating a whole house re-do or a simple front door color change, spring is the perfect time to spruce up your home. And, a fresh coat of paint adds not only to “curb appeal” but also helps to protect what is probably your largest investment—your home. To get picture-perfect, long-lasting results, follow these four basic rules for a successful and attractive exterior paint job. 1. Prepare the surface properly. Anyone who has ever painted knows that there is a natural tendency to start applying paint as quickly as possible. But even the best quality paints can fail if they are applied to a dirty or unsound surface. Before beginning to paint, make sure the surface is clean and free of chalk and dirt. Use soap and water with a scrub brush, then rinse, Or, consider using a power washer, when may be rented or purchased. Treat any mildew on the surface with a 1;3 mixture of household bleach and water Apply the mixture and allow it to remain on the surface of 20 minutes. Be sure to wear eye protection. Remove any loose, flaking or peeling paint by scraping, sanding or wire brushing. Feather back rough paint edges by sanding. If you are repainting a glossy surface, be sure to sand it so that the new paint will adhere better. And, spot prime any bare wood. Finally, brush off any dust or particles left from the sanding and scraping prior to painting. 2. Buy top quality acrylic latex paint. To get a durable paint job, be sure to purchase the highest quality paint. A top quality acrylic latex paint is an excellent choice for most exterior applications. These paints have superior adhesion, and will maintain a tight grip on a properly prepared surface. This helps prevent premature paint failures like blistering, flaking and peeling. Another plus with top quality acrylic late paint is its flexibility, which enables it to expand and contract with the surface below when temperatures rise of fall dramatically. This adds to the life of the paint job. 3. Use the right tools and brushes. To get the best results from your top quality paint purchase apply it with good quality brushes, rollers and other applications equipment. They’ll make the work more effortless and help you apply a thicker, more uniform coat of paint for a better-looking, longer lasting paint job. With brushes and rollers, be sure that you have the right type of applicator for the paint you are applying. Use synthetic-bristle brushes and synthetic-nap rollers for latex paints. Finally, when choosing brushes, use those that are tightly packed and well-balanced. 4. Paint in the right weather conditions. Weather conditions play an important role in both paint application as well as the long-term performance. Choose the right type of day to do your exterior painting. It’s best to paint when the weather is mild but not to hot and when there is little or no wind. It’s also best to avoid painting in direct sunshine, since the surface of your house can be 10 or even 20 degrees hotter than the air temperature, which can cause the paint to dry too quickly. By painting in moderate weather, you’ll get the best performance from your paint and your effort. Tackling exterior home painting projects add both value and protection. By following these four simple steps, you’ll get a long-lasting and attractive finish. For more tips on home exterior painting, visit www.paintquality.com, where a great paint job begins.

Light Bulb Chandelier

Think you're not the chandelier type, or that your place is too small to bring off the dangley-crystal-on-ceiling look? Think again! Go for a small-scale chandelier for a single light bulb... light bulb bling... and enjoy the hottest trend in decorative lighting. My First Chandelier is "a lampshade for your bare and lonely light bulbs" out of Austria, at Walking Things. Simple in concept, stylish in execution, this light bulb chandelier sports the essential dangling chandelier crystals on a donut-shaped disk. Slip it onto the lightbulb, and your ceiling fixture is all dressed up! It comes in three styles — with a transparent acrylic disk in white or neon red, or a disk of ultra-chic high-gloss finished steel. Each of the twelve sparkling crystals is chosen to represent a different period in the history of crystal glass. or... Do It Yourself Crafty types, run with the inspiration! Want a little DIY guidance to make your own lightbulb bling? Tsia Carson and the Supernaturale artistes have published a great set of illustrated instructions for the similar "Chandy" in Craftivity: 40 Projects for the DIY Lifestyle (on Amazon), just one of the funky and off-beat DIY craft projects you won't find detailed anywhere else... Or create the miniature chandelier of your recycling dreams using bits and pieces of old chandelier crystals salvaged from yard sales, wired together as the spirit moves you... We don't have to remind you to stick with heat-proof materials, do we?

Mirror Shadow Boxes

What's better than a shadow box for displaying all those collectibles and objets you treasure? A mirror box, that's what! Mirror-backed, wall-mounted shadow boxes are made of solid wood with beveled edges and an ebony stain. Each comes with hardware for wall mounting and can be mounted horizontally or vertically. At Sprout Home.

Craft Call - Hunt for Faux Flowers

In honour of Spring — and because I can't wait for the garden to "bust out all over" — and inspired by a recent post on the Guild blog... I'm looking for floral arts & crafts to showcase here through the coming week. Love the flowers that never fade! Glass, metal, wood, fabric, lace, weaving, whatever... folk art or fine art... Have you spotted any gorgeous flower-themed pieces lately that you'd like to share? Leave a comment and let me know! And don't forget to add a link, so we can find the artist's work online. (Yes, that's right. Go ahead — use this space to promote yourself or your crafty pals! How else can we know where you are?) Just 3 small guidelines:         1. Find me a flower....         2. Make it a hand-crafted flower... and         3. The original work of one individual artist. I have a weakness for struggling artists who do one-of-a-kind pieces, by the way... hint, hint! And if something extra-special catches my eye, the artist will get a special write-up with photos and artist's statement, plus all the info that a prospective customer would need to get in touch and buy your stuff. So, how about it — Faux flowers, anyone?

Salvaged Street Sign Decor

Boris Bally transforms old street signs into one-of-a-kind chairs, tables, home decor and serving pieces, even distinctive pop art jewelry... "a piece of raw American culture... an artistic trophy of our daily urban environment." He handpicks the raw materials for their thickness, condition, color, and graphics. These industrial-strength pieces celebrate a raw American street look. They are as tactile and beautiful as they are strong and unique. [the artful home: Guild.com]

LED Faucet Light

Transform an ordinary water tap into a stream of mystical crystal-blue light, with the Faucet Light that installs in less than 1 minute on most standard taps. Turn the water on, the light goes on! Water off, light turns off, too! It's all done with an internal pressure switch that activates a long-lasting bright blue LED light, hooked up to a fully enclosed battery pack. Batteries not included, as the saying goes, but what do you expect for $12? Fun and functional for a kid's bathroom, but even better to add excitement to your wet bar or kitchen sink when you throw a cocktail party! Or if you want a little mood lighting while you brush your teeth... Even better, Perpetual Kid also offers a temperature controlled faucet light that changes color (blue to red) as the water temperature goes from cold to hot. For $20, that practically counts as a home-safety essential!

The Goals at the End of My Rainbow

Contentment is a lovely hum of happiness la la la that plays in the background as the days gently unfold... a soothing, pleasant way to live. But without a nagging discontent of some sort, how can we move forward to something more, something better, something even more fulfilling? Being contented is no way to get ahead in this world — and I am ridiculously contented with my simple little life la la la — Time for a kick in the pants! When life coach Thea Westra tagged me for a goal-setting meme, then, I knew it would be difficult. A meme does take a lot of time, too. But I've never gone wrong yet in following a suggestion that comes from Thea... My Top Three "Gotta Get It" Life Goals We are supposed to give 5 to 10 big shiny sparkling over-the-rainbow, pie-in-the-sky, marvellous, life-altering goals, according to Alex Shalman's official rules for this meme. As Thea put it, Here are my top 5 to 10 goals that I gotta’ get so that I can truly say I have achieved my wildest dreams in life. These are best, most exclusive, and over-the-top goals that I can pick off my goals list. But honestly, I think I've done quite brilliantly here, just to shake off the Curse of Contentment (inertia?) enough to define three major "gotta get" goals. So here they are: 1. Financial security would be high up on the list... Please note that we're not talking about the bank accounts of the rich and famous, here. Sure, one is supposed to "dream big" but whatever the driving force for happiness in my life might be, I've been around the block know enough to know that the country-club lifestyle is not it for me. Been there, done that, moved to the real country. Financial security, to me, means being able to order up a load of manure for the garden without consulting the bottom line in my cheque-book first. Or hiring some big brawny guys to come in and prune the apple trees for me, so I can spend that time and energy on something totally frivolous — like training my dogs to do parlour tricks. It means, above all, being able to pick and choose what projects I take on. I'm heartily sick of writing scripts for documentaries that are someone else's passion, as glamorous though film work may seem. I would dearly love to be able to say No thanks from time to time — even when no other paying job is lined up to replace it. My clever plan for achieving that goal? Royalty payments... I want them to continue for years, more of them, and from more sources! Which leads me to my second goal: 2. Finish this book that's been hanging over my head for almost 7 years... For some reason, although I'm passionately interested in the project, the writing of it has been very hard. It may be partly because I made the mistake of letting people know I was working on it, so now it seems like many eyes are watching the progress (or lack of progress), and partly because my last book, last spring, did not do as well as the publisher and I had hoped it would, so there's a psychological hurdle to get over. The ever-popular fear of failure. Public failure, to boot! Around here, we call this state of petrification a case of "deer in the headlights" — a deer on the road will stand still, staring into the lights of on-coming traffic, rather than make a leap for safety. Do I want to be the literary equivalent of roadkill? Especially when the end is so very near... I will finish writing this dratted book, and I will be ready to proofread the manuscript by this time next week! 3. Self-confidence is an intangible life goal, but vital — and clearly related to my struggle with the aforementioned "dratted book"! I don't know what happened... no big crisis or trauma... but somewhere along the line it seems that the habit of negative self-talk took root. (I think it feeds off a streak of perfectionism that's grown stronger through the rough-and-tumble of the years, combined with that freakish Canadian-female need to please everyone on the entire planet.) So I need to re-learn that it's okay to stumble, as long as themovement is still forward in a spirit of discovery. I was bold and fearless, once — could've been a pirate, truly! — nothing daunted! I will be so again. Right now, I'm fearlessly tagging just a whole whack of interesting bloggers for this meme (you can check the rules here) — Mark (Me and My Drum) Holly (Holly's Corner) Linda (Words of a Self Proclaimed Wisewoman) Traci (simple SAHM) Rhea (The Boomer Chronicles) blogpaul (blogPaul[a]) Kate (kate blogs about writing & web design) Sarda (Fish Feet) EJ Cooksey (Make Money Online The Quick and Easy Way!) Stevarino (Your TakeOff Hat) Kristen (Kristen's Cosmic Fabulosity) Jenny (Green Mommy) Jim (I'm forty-what??!!) Robin-Ann (Robin-Ann.com Web & World) Jean (Sound Wisdom) Elise (Frugal for Life) Lisa (Work at Home Mom Revolution) kellypea (kellementology) Coach (Can't Coach That) Teresa (Georgian Blues) (Forgive me, gang, but this exercise was so enlightening and productive, I feel the urge to "pass it forward" with a lavish hand!)