Happy Birthday, Helen and Paul!

Friday was the official Happy Birthday for Helen and Paul!  Our Polish twins (from different years and different parents, but never mind that) are officially one year older :)

We found this card that is perfect for Helen (thanks to JaneSays over at Etsy).

We also wanted to help Helen decorate her office at work (she mentioned she need to get more things in there). We asked Annya, also at Etsy, to help us with this by making a custom painting. Check it out:

The black kitty is Annya's signature character. The cow is the background is one of the herd that [Steve and] Helen care for at the Erskine Farm. As you can see, kitty is feeding the cow an apple. I think it is so cute! You just can't go wrong with gifts from Etsy!

Happy Birthday, Paul and Helen!

Have a great day!

Oooh, Jewelry!! And Other Stuff

More of my Etsy shopping has paid off! Yesterday I received a pair of earrings and a matching necklace that I got from MPS Craftworks. Of course I had to wear them today!  Pretty, huh?

Last night was pretty productive for us. We took a nice walk, did some clothes shopping for Michael's upcoming work trips, I did cat letters (TYs for SCFAW), and I worked on our Home Inventory.  Home Inventory?  The background: I got this from Lifehacker on Monday:

Featured Download, downloads, household, mac os x, security, windows

Know Your Stuff Inventories Your Home

Windows and Mac OS X: Offered as a free download from the Insurance Information Institute, the Know Your Stuff Home Inventory software is a full-featured tool for cataloging your possessions in case disaster should strike. Wizards guide you through the basic setup of your inventory, then using Know Your Stuff's simple interface you can add rooms and items to the inventory. For each item you enter you can assign photos, receipts or appraisals, make/model/serial number, quantity, and replacement cost.

There are guides to help you get started on the Know Your Stuff web site, very helpful if you've never done a home inventory before and aren't sure where to start or what to include in it. Obviously if you invest the time and energy to create a home inventory you'll want to make sure the it's is secure. From the Know Your Stuff application you can export the file you've created and save it to external media or to a remote location, upload the file to Vault 24 (a remote backup solution integrated into the software, which unfortunately costs $15 a year) , or you can go the old fashioned route and print the inventory off and store it in a safe location. The Know Your Stuff Home Inventory software is a free download for Windows or Mac.

Know Your Stuff Home Inventory Software [via Download Squad]

Being ever worried about an unforseen disaster (one of my many sweetly paranoid quirks), I downloaded and installed the software on my Mac last night. I got most of the living room logged, and now need to take some photos (I'll also do some videos in the upcoming weeks). This is something most of us have on our "to do" list, but I for one have never taken the time. Getting through a room left me with a sense of accomplishment.

Tonight will be haircuts (I know -- our lives are soooo exciting!).

Have a Happy Day!

morgueFile

This is one of those posts that started out with no direction... I thought, "What the heck am I going to write about today?" I suppose if I were a normal person, I just would not have blogged today. Therein lies the problem -- I am not normal :)

My original plan was to randomly post some files from morgueFile.com. morgueFile is a great resource if you are looking for a free, high resolution image for corporate or public use. I used a photo from there for Steve's Etsy banner.

This is the orginal image:

http://storage1.morguefile.com/images/storage/m/maja176/lowrez/Tusse_och_blandat_025.jpg

Which I made into the banner you saw this weekend:

There is so much cool imagery that it is worth stopping by the website when you have can't think of one simple thing to do on the net... Here are some of the recent images in their archive:

http://storage1.morguefile.com/images/storage/s/somadjinn/lowrez/IMG_4907_i.jpg

Kruger Park scenery, South Africa

http://storage1.morguefile.com/images/storage/h/hogg/lowrez/hogg_P7150056.JPG

http://storage1.morguefile.com/images/storage/s/somadjinn/lowrez/IMG_4031_s.jpg

Giraffe @ Kruger National Park, South Africa

http://storage1.morguefile.com/images/storage/d/dustie/lowrez/lake-ann-waterfall-orig_2.jpg

Have a happy day!

Happy Birthday, Steve!

Friday was Steve's birthday.

As you may realize by now, I usually do birthday posts after the big day, unless we've given our gifts before the birthday. So, my wishes online seem belated, even though they are pretty much on time in person. Glad I explained myself!

We began the quest for the perfect gift by asking ourselves the question we ask for each of our friends: "What would _______ like for their birthday?" Steve opened a store on Etsy in May to sell jewelry he makes, vintage jewelry, and other specialized items. Check out some of his items below.



Getting a store set up from scratch can be a big deal. It is done in stages, as each store owner has time. We wanted to help Steve customize his store front, so we made him a banner (the actual banner is larger, but has been downsized to fit this blog)

and an avatar.

Store owners usually include goodies with their shipments. We thought it would be fun to get him some Mini Cards from Moo so he can include samples of his other work, along with his contact info.

Aren't they pretty?

Of course, every gift needs a card (not that boys care too much about that). This one, from Miller Manor Designs, suits him well. What man doesn't love his tools?!

Happy Birthday, Steve!

Smiles!

Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase... And other Blogs

I was reading my Kayak.com blog and came across an interview with Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase. The interview asks Betty, an anonymous flight attendant of 21 years, about the podcasts she's been doing for 2 1/2 years. It was very interesting.

So, I decided to check out Betty's blog/podcast. The posts seem to be once a month. The most recent, A Priest An Archaeologist and An Appalachian!, is pretty cute. Betty shares some of her more offensive stories, specifically those that she featured in previous podcasts and got some flack for, as well as some that include bathroom humor.

The 30 minute podcast was light and entertaining. I've subscribed for a monthly giggle.

I have also updated my BlogRoll. I've been reading these feeds for a while and thought you might like them too:

• Hostess with the Mostess™ - Fabulous Finds for Contemporary Entertaining
• JaneSays - Fresh and Fun
• Kayak.com Blog
• Little Bit Funky - My Life is a Beautiful Mess
• On the Dot Creations
• The Merry Martini

Smiles!

Happy Birthday, M!

I am back from my whirlwind trip to Kansas City. Along with my father's big event, there was another very important event last Friday: my friend Melissa's 35th birthday!

Melissa and I have been friends since 2nd grade. We remember all the silly things we did together throughout the years, including our teen years. We've had lots of fun, as well as some learning experiences as teens, and came through it all as friends. What more can you ask for? I look forward to her emails throughout the week and really don't feel the gap between here and KC...

Anyway, I wanted to do a little something special this year for her birthday. April at JaneSays made me a custom card to give her

insert image

I asked Leesa at handgrown Pottery to make Mel a special plate.

I think it turned out so cute!

I hold all of my friendships dearly, especially this very special one.

Happy Birthday, Melissa!

Celebrations and Miscellany

What a nice week it has been!

We had dinner at Texas Roadhouse Wednesday night with Paul and Deb. We had a lovely time catching up on our camp and theirs. We sure miss seeing them on the weekends... We exchanged birthday gifts while we were there...


Deb got me this beautiful necklace and earrings from Fire and Thyme (an Etsy shop in Northborough). Aren't they fabulous?! Thank you, Deb!




I got her this pretty dish from handmade Pottery and this cute card that coordinated from JaneSays (of course both Etsy shops, which I have mentioned over and over because I love them!). It was pretty fun to celebrate an Etsy birthday!

We are taking today off for an early start on the Memorial Day weekend. Four days of relaxing will be nice!


Every time I walk by my Anniversary roses from Mike, amazed that they still look so fabulous.


Yesterday I cut their stems and put them in a different vase. They are now a more petite arrangement. I can't believe they look so good after 19 days!

As you may have surmised, this is another post of miscellany... I got a new hair dryer back in March. Mine had been getting hot in the electrical cord (never a good sign), then sparked and went "PFFFFT" while I was using it one morning. This caused quite a scene as I screamed, threw it to the ground, then attempted to explain to Mike when he came running. Anyway, I got an Elchim Professional 2001. It was a little pricey (though I paid $67 compared to the current price of $80), but well below the suggested retail of $125. I know, I know, that is a lot of money... I was crossing my fingers that I would like it.


(Mine is all black) I have to say, I have been using the new dryer for 2 months now. I absolutely love it. It dries my hair in half the time any other dryer has taken, and has caused so much less damage. I have been wishing that either a) there was a travel version, or b) it was way cheaper, so that I could get one for camp. I just can't justify the cost for the estimated 35 days of usage a year... I definitely recommend it if you have thick hair (like I do) or curly hair (like I don't).

So, enough of that little plug!

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Mother's Day Goodies

Happy Mother's Day to all moms, especially my Mom and Michael's Mom!

I did my shopping for Mother's Day so far in advance that I've been itching to share the fun things we got. I had to wait for the actual day to pass; now that it has, here goes!



We started out with a pretty card to celebrate the day. Thanks April at JaneSays!



Mom and I have been told that we are very much alike (I suspect you'll agree if you know us both). We thought this dish was a perfect way to commemorate that. Thanks to Leesa at handgrown Pottery.



We all need something pretty, and you can't beat earrings. Jo at i dream i can fly Artisan Jewelry hit the mark with these.

Michael got his Mom a whole host of cards. The sneaky guy sealed up the ones from him before I could photograph them!



This is the card from both of us.



We also got her some flowers. Aren't they pretty?!

More than anything, Mother's Day is about saying I Love You and letting your mom know she is special. Moms -- You're the best!

Confessions of an Etsy Addict

We're all addicted to something, right? Right? Oh no, I didn't hear the response quite as loud as I had hoped...

I've mentioned loving Etsy on this blog before. It is full of neat one-of-a-kind handmade treasures. I haven't spent all that much money, but I have gotten some real gems. Among my favorites right now are JaneSays and Little Bit Funky (JaneSays turned me on to Little Bit Funky). Both offer handmade cards and are high-spirited and happy. How could I resist?!

Look at this card I got for a baby shower...

Really cute, huh? It cost me $2.75. You don't get Hallmark for that and this is one-of-a-kind.

And look at this birthday card

Also $2.75 and so very pretty!

I got other cute ones, but some of my loyal blog devotees would have their upcoming holidays ruined, so I can't show them... Hee hee! Can't wait to give them.

Our friend Steve does beautiful jewelry and chain maille.... I can't wait for him to get his Etsy shop open. He is going to rock!

Happy Smiles!

There Are Many Little Things We Can Do to Save the Earth

I just got a fabulous new book by Joanne Yarrow called 1,001 Ways to Save the Earth (I purchased mine at Uncommon Goods; the link for the book is directly from the publisher; you can also purchase from Amazon). It has all kinds of things we can do to help save our planet. Many of the tips are so easy to accomplish. Mike and I are doing several of the things she mentions already.

Here are a few of the ones I found particularly interesting (all are quoted directly from the book, my thoughts are italicized):
Tip #55

A more seductive candlelight Traditional paraffin-wax candles are petroleum based. Once lit, they emit toxins such as acetone, benzene, lead, and mercury into the air. Beeswax and soy candles, by contrast, are toxin free. Not only do they provide a healthier atmosphere for romantic dinners for two, but the pleasant experience will last longer, as these natural candles burn for 50 percent longer than synthetic ones. (My notes: There are lots of pretty handmade soy and beeswax candles on Etsy)

Tip #62

Glug down some organic milk If you're trying to "go organic," milk is a good place to start. The price difference is marginal, but the health benefits are significant: organic milk contains much high levels of nutrients - for example, up to two-thirds more omega 3 essential fatty acids - than intensively farmed milk.

Tip #95

Little helpers Put your children in charge of some green tasks around the home - such as checking that lights and appliances are switched off, looking after the composting, or feeding the birds - and reward them for doing well. Find something they enjoy, and the habits are likely to last a lifetime.

Tip #132

Unplugged Electronic applicances can consume almost as much energy during the time they're in standby mode as they do during the relatively small portion of the day when they're actively being used. Unplugging electronic equipment can cut your household electricity bill by up to 10 percent. This is particularly important in the case of pieces of digital equipment, which often use more energy than their analogue equivalents. (My notes: Check out a great system called Bye Bye Standbye. The kit includes two outlet converters and a remote for $34.95. You can add onto the system (additional kits are most effective and you get another remote). I am really trying to sell Mike on this one -- I think it would be great)

Tip #156

Bamboo bathrobe Bizarre though it sounds, tough bamboo fiber makes luxuriously soft towels. Bamboo is three times more absorbent than cotton and boasts antibacterial, antistatic, and antifungal properties. It grows quickly and without need for pesticides, which makes it a fantastically eco-friendly material. Ask any panda! (My notes: Consumer Reports agrees with the benefits of bamboo. They reviewed four different bamboo/cotton blend towels and rated them in this order: Land's End Cotton/Bamboo [score 73], Lenox Platinum Collection [score 67], cb2 Crate & Barrel Bamboo [score 65] and The Bombay Company Estate ***now out of business [score 62]. I just got the Lenox Platinum Collection at considerable savings on Amazon, using their 4-for-3 sale. I got 4 $20 towels for $60 (with one free).

Tip #172

Say no to junk mail Protect your home and office from an avalanche of junk mail by registering with a mail preference service. (My notes: I used Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Services to remove our names from mailing lists and prospect lists. It was free, though they did require a credit card for identity verification. I also removed my name from pre-screened credit offers using OptOutPrescreen.)

I have only read through the first 250 tips in the book and have found that will be valuable for years to come. This book will definitely be a desktop top resource for me.

Completely Unrelated Addition

This is a completely unrelated post, but I have to add it. I got a message from Melissa with a link to this video and it is so great, I can barely contain myself. Enjoy!

These Are A Few of My Favorite... Links!

I was chatting with someone at work on Monday about my favorite new website. The person I was speaking with shared their favorite site as well. That's when the thought hit me -- we should all be sharing our favorite sites! Why keep them to ourselves when we can interest each other.

So, here goes. I hope you find a little something here for you... And, be sure to leave a comment with your favorite site(s) to share with others!

Etsy
What it is: a place to buy and sell handmade items
Why I like it: What better concept could there be? This site opens up opportunities to shop for handmade, often one-of-a-kind, goods that you just can't find someplace else. They offer a myriad of search tools -- shop local, shop by color, shop by material, the list goes on and on -- and there are literally thousands of unique items to see in the virtual store. I've made a few purchases in the month since I've discovered Etsy: a neck cozy, a felted bowl, a ceramic dish, and some paper goods (for Fiona and Connor).

Paperback Swap
What it is: A place to swap books online
Why I like it: I got turned onto this site after hearing a Sunday segment on a local news channel. Mike really pushed me to look into it because he thought I would like it. That was in July 2005. I have mailed out 217 books to other members and received 169 books from other members since I joined. The club estimates that I have saved $760.50 since joining; that is calculated based on a cost of buying a book new at $4.50 (oh, puhlease, maybe at a used book store). I feel my savings are at least twice that. The concept is simple: you post books to your account. You get 1 credit for each book that is requested (2 for audio books) and you pay the shipping to the other member -- usually around $2.15. In turn, you request books from other members at the cost of 1 credit (2 for audio books) and they pay the postage to you. The site has wish lists, ways to manage your virtual bookshelf, and many useful goodies.

Peerflix
What it is: A place to buy/trade used movies
Why I like it: We tend to watch most movies one time. The ones we have purchased just accumulate dust. This site lets us post our movies for sale. The site sets the market value of each title (based upon a variety of criteria -- supply, demand, format, etc...). Other members can buy my movies for the listed price, plus shipping (~$0.75) and a transaction fee ($0.99). When you are done with a movie, you post it on the site and wait for someone to buy it. Prices do flux a little, but it is no muss, no fuss. I get movies when they are available, and if I really like them I just keep them.

All things Google
What it is: I think we can skip this...
What things I like: You all know what a Google fan I am but I want to give special mention to a few of the services/tools that I used most often. I love my Gmail. I think anyone can sign up now, but if you are interested and need and invite, let me know. I use Google Reader for my RSS feeds. It is very flexible and easy to use. I love my Google Toolbar; it allows my to add buttons for shortcuts (to Google services and services offered by others, like Facebook). No more typing in addresses for me; my toolbar has a button for everything I care about. One click and I am there. That includes an entry for my Google Bookmarks -- portable bookmarks that are with me anywhere that I log into my Google account.

I can't wait to hear your favorites!

Etsy is Awesome!

Click To Play

I first discovered Etsy a few months ago. I thought it was interesting, but was too busy to really think about it. This past weekend, our friend Steve was talking about some jewelry on Etsy. It sounded vaguely familiar, but no bells went off. Today I was looking at my Firefox bookmarks and I saw Etsy there... Hmm... I thought, I should look at the site again.

OMG! It is so great. Everything on the site is handcrafted. And the product offerings are so vast. What's more, the site is set up beautifully with tons of ways to navigate. Do you know you are looking for something that is chartreuse? Etsy can help you, just Shop by Color. Want to buy local? Use the Shop Local link and enter your locale. Want to look at things randomly, then use Pounce!. In addition to the innovative search methods, the tried and true Categories (like Accessories, Art, Bags and Purses, etc...) exist along with a search utility.

There is so much on the site that if you don't have a clue what you want, starting out can be difficult. If you find that to be the case, try using the Gift Guides. There are lots of ideas to get you started in your search for the handmade. Check it out and let me know what you think!