tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60088057183550811102024-03-12T20:22:15.172-07:00The Quirked MuseIn my never ending search for vintage and antique images to use in my ~tinyartjewelry~ I come across many amazing ones that won't be used in my craft, but are very inspiring none the less.
This blog is dedicated to my finds of such, and taps into "what were they thinking" in a nouveau sort of direction.
Along the way, I may share a new design or two of my jewelry or some sort of rambling to amuse myself and just maybe you too.~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-55723177940108200482012-07-12T06:48:00.000-07:002012-07-12T07:00:13.041-07:00You all been looking for me?<strike><strike><strike><strike><strike><strike></strike></strike></strike></strike></strike></strike><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoMhb8NBMIKqqSZIMpUNGKqFn34qx0dxKkNMXdVI4_gLkEhzCr5mBL_H8Hz2ziNq8CrfHcNirunSmgspdg-Rs3aUYdr3XuNcAwCGE-OETnRRywBVxAQhfm-8EGwTjQjPQ0GXBLqfpwVo/s1600/1003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="288" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoMhb8NBMIKqqSZIMpUNGKqFn34qx0dxKkNMXdVI4_gLkEhzCr5mBL_H8Hz2ziNq8CrfHcNirunSmgspdg-Rs3aUYdr3XuNcAwCGE-OETnRRywBVxAQhfm-8EGwTjQjPQ0GXBLqfpwVo/s400/1003.jpg" /></a></div>
I am sure that anyone reading this has not been anxiously pacing,waiting for my next post. But I thought I would pop in to let those who may happen to stumble upon this that I am alive and well. You feel all better now, right?
Anyway, life is as always hectic and only so much time in the world. I havent abandoned the blog...in my thoughts anyway.
I still have many intentions of getting back to this but its summer and its hot and what else can I use as an excuse.
So in the meantime, please keep in touch on my Facebook Page. Come give us a "like" and please do interact there. I would love to hear from you.
You can find me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tinyartjewelry2">www.facebook.com/tinyartjewelry2</a>
Hope to see you there!~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-30433970017543967872011-09-01T09:52:00.000-07:002011-09-01T09:53:31.395-07:00Where you been hiding?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xwP3-jx19jY/Tl-1uXdcbZI/AAAAAAAAAPk/ADI6vSZr6Ho/s1600/fishbabies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 258px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647432265922014610" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xwP3-jx19jY/Tl-1uXdcbZI/AAAAAAAAAPk/ADI6vSZr6Ho/s400/fishbabies.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />The first of September. Always an important date to me. Where many people look to January 1st to assess their lives,set goals and make changes,for me its September 1.<br /><br />There are alot of reasons why. For one,the summer is winding down,although the 90 plus degree days we are having wouldn't let you believe so. I just don't get much done in the summer. The studio/office is on the second floor and sucks in the afternoon heat so it generally leaves me nodding out because it just gets to uncomfortable to be creative.<br />I guess too that its just my mindset that summer is a time to goof off. Just can't seem to shake that.<br /><br />So,with those thoughts behind this blog post today,I am getting down to business and will be creating lots of new designs and pieces in the weeks to come.But I have another idea as well!<br /><br />I would like to start something new with the blog. Something that will intertwine with the ridiculous posts I have always done.<br />I have met so many interesting people through my jewelry. My customers inspire me and keep me going.<br />I would love to feature them along the way in this blog.<br />If you are/have been a tinyart customer,and you have something you would like to share, please email me and let me know.<br />Whether its what you do for a living, a hobby, a pet,or how you wear your jewelry....whatever it is,drop me a line.<br />And even if you have never bought a piece but enjoy looking at it...that's OK too!<br />I would love to feature you!<br /><br />So just like in the postcard at the beginning of this post...I'm coming out of hiding and I hope you will too. I'd love for you to let me feature you in by blog!<br />~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-88302695339256209562011-03-04T08:52:00.000-08:002011-03-04T09:13:40.684-08:00It takes two to Kangaroo!!So have I kept you confused with the "Fill in the Blank" contest results?? Said I would let you know on the 5th, then said I was running ahead and would post yesterday.<br />And here I am today,finally getting around to it! So I guess technically I am still ahead of schedule! <br />Well lets start with first things first! The original card with out my photo shopping out the words that were on it.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HeTIzoLaJYI/TXEZxbtMluI/AAAAAAAAAPY/e3RQQmmJC2w/s1600/kangaroo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HeTIzoLaJYI/TXEZxbtMluI/AAAAAAAAAPY/e3RQQmmJC2w/s400/kangaroo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580269750330365666" /></a><br /><br />So apparently this is a French Kangaroo! Admittingly it still leaves much unanswered!<br />I absolutely loved your ideas and thoughts about what it was! We did have two people guess Kangaroo and I will be contacting them to offer them 25% off any one item.<br /> <br />As for the winner of the pendant..well that honor goes to Jenny Neal who was randomly chosen using random.org. Jenny thought this postcard was all about staying warm,like many of you did. She is really enjoys jewelry that has a personal touch.<br />I am awaiting the arrival of a picture that she thinks she would like in the pendant/pin. I hope that it will turn out to be a nice piece for her. <br /><br />Thanks to all who participated and made this alot of fun for me. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the future!~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-1835398410211935982011-02-13T17:00:00.000-08:002011-02-14T06:54:41.755-08:00"Fill in the Blank" GiveawayI have been wanting to have a giveaway for sometime now and am happy to announce "Its here!!"<br />Its called the "Fill in the Blank" Giveaway for several reasons. For one,you fill in the blank of the pendant/pin I have created for the giveaway. Here is a picture of it. Its is a silver plated oval that measures around 2 1/4" x 2". <br />I've included a picture of it with an image set in to give you an idea of what it would look like. On the back is a pin back that has a loop so you can wear it as a pendant also. <br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uwtmVAY88tc/TViOP7LAOtI/AAAAAAAAAPI/JPFPbPKAuTE/s1600/fillinblankmain.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uwtmVAY88tc/TViOP7LAOtI/AAAAAAAAAPI/JPFPbPKAuTE/s200/fillinblankmain.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573360943104015058" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VausoHZeahM/TViOPx8qiPI/AAAAAAAAAPA/JAAEsOSmjqg/s1600/fillinblank4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VausoHZeahM/TViOPx8qiPI/AAAAAAAAAPA/JAAEsOSmjqg/s200/fillinblank4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573360940627953906" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ITSp8U5jv5A/TViOPjvaM_I/AAAAAAAAAO4/dKnvUdMKAU4/s1600/fillinblank2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ITSp8U5jv5A/TViOPjvaM_I/AAAAAAAAAO4/dKnvUdMKAU4/s200/fillinblank2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573360936814261234" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HkkW05nIwEc/TViOPYSGx2I/AAAAAAAAAOw/I1jCURUYTnc/s1600/fillinblank.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HkkW05nIwEc/TViOPYSGx2I/AAAAAAAAAOw/I1jCURUYTnc/s200/fillinblank.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573360933738563426" /></a><br /><br />Fill in the blank with what ever you like! It could be your own pet,person,thing or any subject matter you choose. Pick any image from my store if you like or you can choose something else. We'll discuss that when you win!<br /><br />Another reason I call it the "Fill in the Blank" give away is one of the ways to enter is to fill in the blank on the picture below. <br />I came across this old photograph and find it rather amusing. On the original something was written that described what this is a picture of. Post a comment on this blog post about the photo below for an entry. I would love to see your responses! <br />If someone happens to mention in their post something that relates to the original that will gain them another entry. I will post the original with the words at end of contest.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AGTKqRySNaM/TViPCdhXRqI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/nu8S74IOqpE/s1600/FILLINBLANK.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AGTKqRySNaM/TViPCdhXRqI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/nu8S74IOqpE/s400/FILLINBLANK.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573361811318064802" /></a><br /><br />A third reason I am calling it "Fill in the Blank" giveaway is my way to introduce a new idea for my shop. It will be fill in the blank jewelry. I will be creating pieces that have no image but can be purchased and finished up at your request with your choice of image.<br /><br />A few other ways to gain an entry is to follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway and liking me on Facebook and leaving an entry there as well.<br />Contest entries will end on February 28th and winner will be announced on March 4th on this blog.<br />Also any purchase in my shop till end of February will be worth 5 entries.<br /><br />So once again here are the way to get your entries:<br />1. Write a comment here about the picture. **1 entry**<br />2. Comment that relates to original saying on photo gets **1 entry**<br />3. <a href="http://twitter.com/tinyartjewelry">Follow me on Twitter</a> and post tweet about giveaway **1 entry**<br />4. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/tinyartjewelry2">Like me on Facebook </a>and leave comment **1 entry**<br />5. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/tinyartjewelry">Purchase any item in my shop</a> till end of February **5 entries**<br /><br />Best wishes and see you on March 4th with the winner.~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com96tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-21948526917702153622011-01-22T11:41:00.000-08:002011-01-22T12:22:54.103-08:00Ruby, don't take your love to town<div><br /></div>Well into the New Year and desperately trying to get on with a productive life here.<br /><div>Priorities set...eyes focused...step by step.<br />Been on my mind to get familiar with my silly old blog once again and today it hit me right in that part of my brain where thoughts start racing and making no sense to anyone else but me perhaps.</div><br /><div>I came across this postcard the other day and just knew it had to be my next post.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TTs1QAaBPpI/AAAAAAAAAOk/MDCRKyLsOeY/s1600/giantchickens.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TTs1QAaBPpI/AAAAAAAAAOk/MDCRKyLsOeY/s400/giantchickens.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565100313649692306" /></a><br /><div>The words on the card in case you can't make them out are " We don't want to go to the city".</div><div>And I can only imagine why. First guess is that those giant chickens have some very meaty thighs and the man needs some easy cash.<br />My second thought is that he is some sort of chicken pimp and wants to make these two ladies chicks of the night. </div><div>Third guess is they have a phobia of the city. Perhaps the sounds,sights and smells are just too foreign to them.</div><div>Fourth guess, they are afraid they will like the city too much and not want to come back to their families. Reminds me of the other day when someone who just opened a Facebook account posted a thought about maybe they would try Farmville. I along with others posted thoughts like" No,please don't..don't....you'll never come back.",having known those who have tried it as well as other Facebook oddities and are perpetually living in their alternative world.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever the case this image than hit that one particular neuron in my brain that held that held the song from the late 60s made famous by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town" Covered by the Killers a few years back in a strange up tempo beat to such a depressing song. Either way not a song I really want reverberating in my head.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes its best to not wander to far. Like this rabbit I just saw on the video below.</div><div> Maybe she didn't want the responsibility of being a mother. Maybe she made her BFF a chicken and didn't want to make her feel left out. Maybe she drank to much one night and gave birth in the wrong place.</div><div>What ever the case, she didn't wander to far and things are working out ok. </div><div> Really gives new meaning to what I have heard about rabbit tasting like chicken.</div><div>But lets all hope that not be the case with these little bunnies. May they have a long and happy life. And that those of you who have set yourself new goals and things to aim for don't wander to far off our paths. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><object width="416" height="374" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=world/2011/01/21/pkg.nz.cross.species.parents.tvnz"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=world/2011/01/21/pkg.nz.cross.species.parents.tvnz" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-43032805743567336632010-11-17T16:00:00.001-08:002010-11-17T16:11:48.859-08:00My Unauthoritative Review<div class="hreview"><div class="item"><p>Yeah,so I haven't posted in a long time and no I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Life is just way to hectic and blogging is a luxury! I have turned to tea having found <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Teavana</span></span> to help soothe my tired soul. Just got a new shipment today and tried a new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">chai</span></span>. Its one of their new blends for 2011 and its called <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Taj</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Masala</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chai</span></span> Black Tea. My review of it for what is worth is about all I will have to say. Then off to make another cup and finish some jewelry. Wish I could share a cup with you!</p><p><a href="http://www.teavana.com/">Originally submitted at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Teavana</span></span></a></p></div><p><strong class="summary">Very Good! Thumbs up!</strong></p>By <strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Tinyart</span></span></strong> from <strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Joliet</span></span>,IL</strong> on <strong><abbr style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; TEXT-DECORATION: none" class="dtreviewed" title="20101117T1200-0800">11/17/2010</abbr></strong><br /><p></p><div style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://images.powerreviews.com/images_merchants/stars/10487_stars_small.gif); MARGIN: 0.5em 0px; WIDTH: 83px; BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0px -144px; HEIGHT: 15px" class="prStars prStarsSmall"></div><p></p><div style="DISPLAY: none"><span class="rating">4</span>out of 5</div><p><strong>Tea Body: </strong>Medium</p><p><strong>Tea Flavor: </strong>Spicy</p><p><strong>Pros: </strong>Aromatic, High Quality, Fresh</p><p><strong>Best Uses: </strong>Anytime</p><p><strong>Describe Yourself: </strong>Health Nut, High-End Shopper, Health Conscious</p><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 1em" class="description">I am very picky about <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chai</span></span> tea and like mine with a pepper kick to it. When I saw there wasn't even any pepper in this one, I was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">hestitant</span></span> about ordering it. <br pr="xalan://com.pufferfish.core.beans.xmlbuilders.xsl.Functions">Just made my first cup and have to say I am very happy with it. The ginger and cinnamon come through strong and give it a really nice flavor. Now if it just had some pepper in it I would give it a5 stars! Hey..maybe I will just throw in my own peppercorns!</p><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0.5em">(<a href="http://www.powerreviews.com/legal/terms_of_use.html" rel="license">legalese</a>)</p></div>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-47706552436348200272010-09-07T09:11:00.000-07:002010-09-07T10:51:34.828-07:00Special Bonds, Special Pieces<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TIZoZRqKszI/AAAAAAAAAOI/-We-w2hAHcA/s1600/TerziGlamourLadyBorzoi19.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514209577208034098" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TIZoZRqKszI/AAAAAAAAAOI/-We-w2hAHcA/s400/TerziGlamourLadyBorzoi19.jpg" /></a><br />One of my all time favorite images to use in pieces of jewelry is the one above. It was was done by a early 1900's postcard artist named <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Terzi</span>. I think its the fact that it really depicts the wonderful bond, unlike any other that we can have with our pets, that makes this image tug at my heart.<br /><br />I almost lost one of my Italian Greyhounds about a month ago. Still not sure what happened but the most likely cause of his sudden extreme illness was ingesting something toxic. Haven't a clue as to what that could have been. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">When</span> he was at his worst, I tried to talk myself into rationalizing that "well, we have to say goodbye to them all someday" to cope with it. But it wasn't until I let it hit full in the face that I could embrace the specialness of that bond.<br />All the thoughts and memories of the past 12 years of what my special friend had shared with me, and gotten me through began flooding my mind as well as my tear ducts.<br />Thankfully he pulled through and seems to be totally back to normal.<br /><br />I think that is why I have enjoyed so much doing the a couple of pieces in the last month that weren't pieces of jewelry but what I call desk art. Miniature pieces measuring just under 3" that can be propped up on a tiny easel.<br />The first one was an order that a very special lady named Joan in New York ordered for her niece. Joan is in her 80's and not been feeling well for awhile now. Rather than let it get her down she regularly orders pieces for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">friends</span> and relatives, by sneaking photos of their pups to me. We then work up a piece together to surprise them with. This last piece was to be a piece of "desk art" of the families new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">labradoodle</span> pup named Murphy. Joan finds embracing the joy of owning a dog and sharing a special piece with the person makes her feel better. I think that is so sweet and really shows what a special person she is.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TIZrui3nMGI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/fUP8D52B7fY/s1600/murphypic.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 323px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514213241139966050" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TIZrui3nMGI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/fUP8D52B7fY/s400/murphypic.jpg" /></a><br /><p>The next piece a customer ordered for a friend who had recently lost their pug. She wanted a little charm to have by the ashes of her beloved <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Saidie</span>. I suggested a piece of "desk art" Kendra really liked the idea and below is the result.<br /></p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TIZtHOPEe3I/AAAAAAAAAOY/_wQix9i5kcw/s1600/finishedsaidie.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 391px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514214764609567602" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TIZtHOPEe3I/AAAAAAAAAOY/_wQix9i5kcw/s400/finishedsaidie.jpg" /></a> </p><p>I really enjoy making these little depictions of love and being a very <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">minuscule</span> part of that special bond of these wonderful pets and people. I hope I will have more to do in the future as it really makes my day to send one of these pieces out in the mail! </p><p>I hope that you embrace the specialness of having a pet in your life,whatever the type or species, and all that they give to us each day.<br /></p>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-56091814452324806552010-07-08T14:20:00.000-07:002010-07-08T19:04:34.949-07:00Just Chillin...its Summertime!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TDZFKj9FfMI/AAAAAAAAANo/Zv9m5C3fOcM/s1600/frogdude2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 293px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491652843377360066" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TDZFKj9FfMI/AAAAAAAAANo/Zv9m5C3fOcM/s400/frogdude2.jpg" /></a><br />Well I have to admit that I kind of disappeared a bit before the official start of summer here, but you have to understand what its like in these Midwestern states.<br />Just outside Chicago in the burbs, we wait and wait for the good weather to hit. So the minute it even seems remotely like summer, I'm off! Off duty, off kilter, off track ...I am just plan off!<br />Been playing a bit of hooky, but honestly, I really don't subscribe to the notion that "summertime, and the living is easy" theory.<br />Seems like things shoot into high gear with just so much to do!<br />What does get easier is dressing! I think what I like best is the fact that I can finally go out of the house with tank top,shorts and flip flops. Just throw on a flowing long summer dress and sandals and be off! There is something liberating about it.<br />I think the vintage postcard of the frogs above says it best.<br /><br />I have to admit I do enjoy the extra yard work, and watching my garden evolve from year to year. Its still has a way to go but it is a work of labor and love. I love playing with the palettes re gives us and moving or adding plants to get just the right contrast in color or texture.<br />Today I finished a pin that features a feline gardener who is looking for a new garden to tend.<br />Its in my etsy shop but here's a sneak peek of it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TDZGY9X8_HI/AAAAAAAAANw/vgC1krfRCns/s1600/sadkittygardener.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 377px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491654190230731890" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/TDZGY9X8_HI/AAAAAAAAANw/vgC1krfRCns/s400/sadkittygardener.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><p><br /><br />If you would like to read about what shes looking for in her new job just go <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/51082573/the-gardener-cat-pin-new-garden-wanted">here.</a> She is also attending a party of a very ambitious blogger named Rory who runs the show over at Tools are for Women Too Blog. In her clever way to support fellow etsy sellers she is hosting a party. To crash the party and find out what its all about, simply go <a href="http://toolsareforwomentoo.blogspot.com/2010/07/times-are-tough-thursday-link-party-1.html">here!</a></p><p>Well thats it for today! Time to fire up the grill, sip on a cold beer while cooking dinner. Then perhaps after cleaning up a few more weeds will be pulled before jumping into the pool for a final cool off for the night! Need to savor as much as I can, because it will be gone all too fast! Hope your summer is as enjoyable as mine has been so far!</p>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-72236568128148085482010-04-16T08:48:00.000-07:002010-04-16T10:22:10.843-07:00Sometimes being human just isn't enoughIt's great being human, isn't it? I mean when you can remove yourself from the mess humans have made here on planet earth.<br />I love that fact that we have the ability to rationalize,spiritualize,be logical,methodical,be proactive or complacent and many other abilities to deal with life on a daily basis.<br />But for me, sometimes it just isn't enough being human. I really need the aid of my dogs, parrots, the big rabbit outside who keeps trying to build nests in my backyard,and the serenade of the songbirds who always manage to sing on key.<br /><br />I am not sure that I have a favorite animal, but if I had to choose I believe it would have to be a dog. If only because they are the easiest to "take with you" on daily errands,outings and vacations,etc. so that indeed they truly can become a big part of our life.<br />I recently heard a dog trainer criticizing a client on TV for being to human with her dogs. She was treating them as her children and had a complete wardrobe for them,etc. I understand the gist of what she was saying and agree that dogs need to be trained "as dogs". However, I think it is almost a part of our human nature to give them human qualities..go figure.<br /> And let's face it, humanizing our dogs is big business today. Clothing, jewelry,furniture, you name it, you can buy it for them! So why is this? Quite puzzling really.<br /><br />It really is nothing new. When I look at vintage and antique artwork it is full of little animals of all sorts being portrayed in human clothing, and carrying on all sorts of human activities.<br />Bonzo is a good example of that. I am always running across Bonzo postcards and they without fail make me smile. I would love to pretend to be an expert on the history of them and the artist behind Bonzo,George Studdy, but to be honest I am not. So if you would like to learn more about the two of them I will leave that to the real experts. A great website to learn more is <a href="http://www.studdying-with-bonzo.co.uk/">Studdy-ing with Bonzo</a>.<br />In case you have never seen Bonzo, here is an example of a postcard with him. Something about that chubby little belly makes me want to poke at him and hear him giggle just like the Pillsbury doughboy.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S8iTV0pHqLI/AAAAAAAAANg/uXGrBlDyskI/s1600/BONZO1127.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 257px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460776551304374450" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S8iTV0pHqLI/AAAAAAAAANg/uXGrBlDyskI/s400/BONZO1127.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Just as Mr Studdy found inspiration in the human side of animals,so I must carry the same gene. As do so many others. I want to give props to a talented artist, Maggie who creates beautiful things out of her love of animals. Check out <a href="http://www.maggiesangels.com/index.html">Maggies Angels</a> when you have the time. It was her tweet on twitter that got suddenly jarred my brain into a blog post. She posted a link to this video which is an absolute blast! Its from Hungary which proves that not only is this great love timeless, but universal. If this doesn't make you smile..well then you just aren't human!<br /><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pkPNa4DBFHI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pkPNa4DBFHI&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-23353034936653424032010-03-28T12:53:00.000-07:002010-03-28T21:06:17.803-07:00Honey, have you ever seen a man knit socks?Apparently the words in the title of this blog were once uttered by the seventh president of Israel, Ezer Weizman in 1994. This was said in a phone conversation to a woman soldier who had successfully appealed the Israeli Air force to open its pilot course to women.<br />Not about to get into any insightful discussion about politics, genders or anything deep,for that matter. My capacity for "deep thoughts" at the moment falls somewhere in between Jack Handy's and Sponge Bob.<br /><br /><br />However I do feel impelled to share a rebuttal of sorts with a picture I found recently that I find both endearing and humorous at the same time. It dates in the 1940's and I have no history for it. But as they say, a picture can be worth more than a thousand words.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S6-21lRFDEI/AAAAAAAAANA/_G608dLHfic/s1600/menknit1942.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453778705422027842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S6-21lRFDEI/AAAAAAAAANA/_G608dLHfic/s400/menknit1942.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I have to admit I admire anyone who can knit or crochet. There is something so Zen,useful and creative about it. Maybe someday I shall take it up. But for right now I can only find inspiration in those who can and do.<br /><br />I did create my own little shout out to those knitters who like me, get a bit manic in their need to create and to have supplies to do so. With me,its beads,more beads and all the thousands of little goodies that go into creating jewelry. Never seem to have enough, although I seriously have a stash large enough to keep me creating for the next 5 years.<br />The knitting mania necklace was created with that in mind, and was itself inspired by a 1900's advertisement for a yarn company.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S6-5NdAHvtI/AAAAAAAAANI/rg7N9qPJiVA/s1600/knitaway.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 327px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453781314543533778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S6-5NdAHvtI/AAAAAAAAANI/rg7N9qPJiVA/s400/knitaway.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><p>The necklace should you be interested can be found <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42350768">here </a>in my etsy shop. </p><p>One final inspirational bit on knitting is to me, phenomenal. I found it thanks to <a href="http://www.petapixel.com/">PetaPixel.com</a>, a fantastic photography blog. Be sure and check it out. They featured a great commercial developed for a natural gas company. It really is fantastic,and to take the liberty to finish up on the question asked in the blogs title..."Yes real men do knit..awesomely!" If you care to watch the "how they did it" video, check it out<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ-mVJEbJpE"> here </a>after watching the piece below. </p><p></p><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rUFnH7KYMFE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rUFnH7KYMFE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><p></p>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-53972723352061860562010-02-18T18:28:00.000-08:002010-02-19T08:04:25.167-08:00Will the real Miss Sunshine please stand up?I received an email today that maybe you've seen. It has many different female celebrity's shown both with and without makeup. If you haven't seen it email me and I'll send it your way. It's quite surprising!<br /><br /><br />It ends in saying, that you should feel great seeing these woman as they really are, and actually I have to say that I closed the email saying to myself smugly "Well, I ain't so bad after all."<br />But as the day went on I thought about it again. Whats the point in trying to look good if these women look so bad in "real" life?? I mean whats the point?? Who are we really kidding?? Twisted thinking, I know.<br />But it does make you think about how much we are affected by what is perceived as "real" in the life around us and whats not.<br />Maybe its always been a little bit that way.<br />Take a look at some of these vintage pictures from the 1920's, and you tell me...are these woman really all that they are presented to be?<br />Example #1:<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S3368s2OkcI/AAAAAAAAAMo/rKV9VcCzZys/s1600-h/1920bonnethat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 260px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439779845671129538" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S3368s2OkcI/AAAAAAAAAMo/rKV9VcCzZys/s400/1920bonnethat.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Quite seriously could this woman really be so happy? I am quite sure those little bow lips are painted on because she just couldn't bring herself to smile. And she is probably wearing the little elf <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">hoodie</span> to hide a really bad hair day.<br />She just seems to glow with innocence. Who knows though really?? Maybe behind those clasped hands she hides some sort of deadly weapon. I for one just can't trust her.<br /><br />Example #2:<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S3371f9z0VI/AAAAAAAAAMw/BcXf4N6gd04/s1600-h/1920snootyhat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 255px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439780821465813330" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S3371f9z0VI/AAAAAAAAAMw/BcXf4N6gd04/s400/1920snootyhat.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This woman seems to be just oozing with self confidence. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Impeccably</span> groomed.<br />Maybe she just appears this way as she is actually sat down on the hat before placing it on her head and this is just her way of dealing with the pain of it all. And to think those in her time probably aspired to be just like her. </p><br /><p>I do have to admit though that I do need some visual aid some days to get through them. The lack of sun here this winter has had a worse than usual effect on my spirits. Its amazing how when we get a sunny day, my spirits just shoot through the roof. Now <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">that's</span> visual aid for you!Seeing everything in a nice sun shining light. But for those days when the clouds gloom overhead I created the "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41012741">Miss Susie Sunshine</a>" pin using a vintage image from the 1930's. Pin it on when you feel anything but sunshiny and pretend. Just maybe you'll have a better day.</p><br /><p></p><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S33_xKiePHI/AAAAAAAAAM4/_8UiiuM73BM/s1600-h/sallysunshine.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 346px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 364px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439785145041042546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S33_xKiePHI/AAAAAAAAAM4/_8UiiuM73BM/s400/sallysunshine.jpg" /></a>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-33251674564044156402010-01-21T19:52:00.001-08:002010-01-22T19:41:37.007-08:00Was that a Lucid Dream or what?My whole day has been sort of a blur. Surreal. I have no clue what I accomplished. Sort of like a swirl of emotions and thoughts. Hazy. Much to melodramatic, but with quiet undertones.<br /><br />I figured it would be best to try and pull myself out from the rubble of my mind. Maybe some music might help me be more productive and focused.<br />Turned to my friend Pandora radio and selected my station. Nothing to loud today,needed something quieter. Music started. Ryan Adams was first. A song called "Stop". Whoa,not sure that helped. Love the song but I find myself sinking a bit more into the melodramatic laced with despair.<br /><br />Couple of other songs came along that I think got me on the right track. Don't remember what. Then all of a sudden I get hit with this sound that was like a swirling ocean and waves. Waves of beautiful sound. I know I am scaring you now.<br />But stay with me...it all turns out o.k.<br /><br />Get up from my jewelry making and go back to the computer to check out what it is I am hearing. Hilary <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stagg</span> is the artist and the song is "Pleasant Dreams".<br />I start to research him and find out that he loved to scuba dive, plays an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">incredible</span> electric harp, and had an untimely death. Can't find out how he died though. Cut off. Gone. So of course my melodrama intensifies.<br /><br />The next hour is a little bit blurry but I find myself reading about lucid dreaming. I hate to sound stupid in case this is a well known deal but I had no clue.<br />How people try to pull themselves into their dreams at night and make them go the way the want them to go.<br />All these techniques to achieve it.<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Geez</span>, its hard enough for me to remember the proper brew time for white,green or black tea let alone learn how to dream. How on earth could I possibly learn how to be a lucid dreamer?<br />Besides I always thought the best part of hitting the pillow was "lights out". This is all so confusing.<br />Thank goodness that I came across the following video. The wonderful insanity woke me up!! Its called Lucid Dreaming in a Holographic World.<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz038IUgU4qnVeL9nSngALH2hHPjkcKmAzdT6TssfkU5NwrW5QolHYQGB3trvpbptz0TcBNp79-HxHwcUlbVA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br />Not sure my reality will let me delve into my dreams right now, but at the same time my dreams will never leave my reality.( Am I sounding like the video?)<br />And you know what? I think that once in awhile my dreaming pays off a little.<br />Like the necklace below that was created out one of those moments. Its called<br />"Dream a Little Dream with me."<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S1ks8laVGAI/AAAAAAAAAMg/WcFyOnqA7VM/s1600-h/dreamig3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 331px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429420245118162946" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S1ks8laVGAI/AAAAAAAAAMg/WcFyOnqA7VM/s400/dreamig3.jpg" /></a><br />I hope you enjoy it. Oh! And do me a favor and look up Hilary <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stagg</span>. His music may do wonders for you on those dreamy sort of days. And to quote Steve Tyler...Dream on baby ..dream on!~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-19028759837911948502010-01-07T17:18:00.001-08:002010-01-08T21:21:18.454-08:00Turn up the fire and stay put, you broody henWe are not even officially a month into winter. So why then does it already feel like eternity?<br />I really do like many things about winter:<br />Roaring fires going all the time in the fireplace, pots of soup on the stove, warm cozy sweaters, frosted trees.<br />I have come to the conclusion though, I may be one of those persons who suffers mentally from lack of sun. We have had so much grey dreariness already, that its amazing that I can still function. But then again.....<br />I get somewhat agoraphobic at times. Rationalizing yet another reason of why I just can't go here, or there, and just need to stay in.<br /><br />Is that so bad though? I mean look at the money I save in gas and at the stores.<br />As far as social gatherings, I just choose them carefully.<br />And I think that is wise. Why waste your time with people who may just annoy you.<br />For example, just take a look at this picture below:<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S0aNPq6ioXI/AAAAAAAAAMI/U0OFWrzuUFs/s1600-h/isabella.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424178101571723634" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S0aNPq6ioXI/AAAAAAAAAMI/U0OFWrzuUFs/s400/isabella.jpg" /></a></p><p></p><p><br /><br />Would you really want to be sitting around this table for a good time? The dude in the white tights kicking the greyhound looks to be a real gem. Not to mention he is about to crush the dog under his chair when he comes down with the back legs of it.</p><p>And the guy across from him handing the food to the young woman. ****shiver up the spine**** His posture and gaze say it all. The Talking Heads said it best .. "Psycho Killer <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Qu'est</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">que</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">c'es</span>t."</p><p>OK, so maybe I am reading into it a bit, but does this look like a warm friendly group? No, it doesn't. There doesn't seem to be one person at this table that would make it worth my time to leave the house. So I rest my case. Sometimes it just better to stay in.</p><p>Even chickens know that. I actually don't know much about chickens, but I have a wonderful customer named Tara who raises them. And houses them in the most artistic beautiful housing known to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">chickendom</span>. </p><p>She makes little videos of them, and the one that caught my attention is of her chicken Peaches (who is a salmon <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">favorelle</span>..I have no clue what that means but thanks for sharing Tara) Anyway, I know she can relate to what I feel sometimes. She just doesn't want to get up and go anywhere. Who knew chickens could be so personable.</p><p></p><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxFbu9k-3fc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxFbu9k-3fc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Which leads me to thinking of a necklace I make that I call "Are you crawling back into your shell or bursting out anew and ready to go" <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37872759">necklace</a>. Yep, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">that's</span> what I really call it. Check it out below. But just so you know there is no confusion on my part right now. I'm crawling back in,baby. Hibernation,here I come.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S0aU_PDA_pI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/a4LTA_AWh_o/s1600-h/crawlout2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 362px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424186615306190482" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/S0aU_PDA_pI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/a4LTA_AWh_o/s400/crawlout2.jpg" /></a>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-32069888917789344282009-12-14T19:53:00.000-08:002009-12-26T11:29:07.599-08:00I'll pass on the Green Fairy<script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />try {<br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-6883094-4");<br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br />} catch(err) {}</script><br /><br /><br />While I was enjoying a glass of some great French wine, I happened to come across a poster for a different beverage that I have since learned has quite a history to it.<br />I have to admit that my only knowledge of it was quite limited. The only info I had of it came from a number of years back.<br />My oldest son, and a friend of his were here cooking for a crowd of people who were going to invade my house. They were sipping on a strange bottle of alcohol, and cracking jokes while they were chopping, dicing and sauteing.<br />When I questioned them, they only laughed, and mumbled something about "wormwood", "banned" and "it makes people insane". Let me just add that they were legal and over the age of 21, lest you think I was some sort of irresponsible adult.<br />So being the responsible adult that I was I just buried what they said quickly in my subconscious. I mean I had a houseful of guests coming for dinner. I really couldn't deal with the fact that the cooks were drinking some strange green liquid that might render them psychotic.<br />The night finished out without any need to call in the medics and I forgot about the mysterious bottle of potion...whatever it was.<br /><br />Then I came across a few antique posters that all had something in common...absinthe.<br />Quite the history which would require lots of typing here so rather, should you want to learn more, one of the foremost expert websites out there on the subject is <a href="http://www.oxygenee.com/index.html">here</a>. Drink up on knowledge of this legendary drink often nicknamed "The Green Fairy".<br />So this is what those two were up to that day in my kitchen. Think I will stick to my French wine.<br /><br />But I will share one of the more famous posters from the Victorian era that has a cat lapping up a glass of absinthe.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SycRCaUCAxI/AAAAAAAAAL4/xhgmDVPLHvw/s1600-h/absinthe-cat-food-meme.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 347px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415315810057061138" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SycRCaUCAxI/AAAAAAAAAL4/xhgmDVPLHvw/s400/absinthe-cat-food-meme.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p></p><br /><p>Having had cats that indulged in catnip, I cannot even begin to figure out what a cat that indulged in absinthe w0uld be like. Cat nipped cats zoom and fly through the house and stare at things that aren't there. So a hopped up Green Fairy cat would probably see flying Tinkerbells all over the place.</p><br /><p>Makes me think of a pair of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34234597">earrings</a> I made with a cat that has the largest glowing eyes. Its a Victorian image I used so could absinthe be whats behind those eyes and that wry little smile?</p><br /><p></p><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SycSrLRgTDI/AAAAAAAAAMA/I92QuZScd94/s1600-h/tudecat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 389px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415317609906195506" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SycSrLRgTDI/AAAAAAAAAMA/I92QuZScd94/s400/tudecat.jpg" /></a>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-31448538417513260382009-12-04T10:42:00.000-08:002009-12-04T14:45:57.911-08:00At A Snails PaceTodays blog will be short because quite frankly I shouldn't be writing a blog today.<br />I am backlogged, sidetracked, and not being much of a frontrunner because the load is heavy and the pace to fast. Jewelry orders streaming in, lots of "social" things to run to, and duties to attend and I don't know where to start. So my favorite thing to do is to STOP!<br />And just daydream for a few.<br />Today took me to thinking of how awesome it would to be Gary in Sponge Bob right now and just slow down and play (probably shouldn't have shared that). Which made me think of two pieces of jewelry that I have sold a few of.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35993203">A snail pendant :</a></strong><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SxlanpsUeNI/AAAAAAAAALo/lfizwj5PrwE/s1600-h/snaikspace.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 329px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 342px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411456064515504338" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SxlanpsUeNI/AAAAAAAAALo/lfizwj5PrwE/s400/snaikspace.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />and also a pair of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35993283"><strong>snail earrings.</strong> </a></p><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sxla7nwlz7I/AAAAAAAAALw/Wa3YDrE1Sxw/s1600-h/snailer.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 353px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 388px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411456407593930674" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sxla7nwlz7I/AAAAAAAAALw/Wa3YDrE1Sxw/s400/snailer.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><p>Maybe people like them because it helps them chill in this busy world. But I don't think it hurts to think like a snail once in awhile. I came across an awesome video today from the French animation series called Miniscule that proves this point. And inspired me to stop the dreaming and get moving!!! </p><p></p><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_sKhCw4fATo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_sKhCw4fATo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-52478788440226999552009-11-24T08:46:00.000-08:002010-01-08T07:36:13.566-08:00PB & J's, Ham & Peas, are what Retro is to Tuesdays!So thought I would give this blog hop called Retro Tuesday a whirl because I am all into dredging up things from the past.<br />And speaking of dredging,the lost art of covering things with flour, sugar etc that in later years became known as "Shake and Bake", this is the time of year that many of us become lost in our kitchens cooking.<br />Be it that the colder weather has us seeking out comfort foods, or because we tend to congregate in each others kitchens more often, home cooked meals take on a new meaning in ones lives as the days draw darker earlier.<br />Many seek out to be the best cooks they can, some bask in the glow of some new found recipe that has become a hit.<br />Some,as yesterdays blog alluded too, try to remain healthy in their consumption of daily meals.<br />I do think though I have come up with a new goal to my kitchen duties.<br />I must never, and I repeat NEVER create a meal that will spawn such horrible effects as seen in these vintage ads below.<br />To do so would would not only freak the ham out of me but could definitely offend my friends and family as I swiftly throw their children out of my house.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SwwQzTRNLRI/AAAAAAAAAK4/cMUUo9yi864/s1600/insame_child_wants_ham_ad.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 333px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407715726096936210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SwwQzTRNLRI/AAAAAAAAAK4/cMUUo9yi864/s400/insame_child_wants_ham_ad.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SwwRCGRolQI/AAAAAAAAALA/EF2TtyIEhRM/s1600/insane_child_with_sandwich_ad.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407715980307109122" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SwwRCGRolQI/AAAAAAAAALA/EF2TtyIEhRM/s400/insane_child_with_sandwich_ad.jpg" /></a>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-72724421479331645152009-11-23T15:37:00.000-08:002009-11-23T18:26:10.659-08:00For Healths SakeAlways have thought that taking care of ourselves is an important thing. And I have to admit, through the years I have had my share of arguments with family,friends and doctors alike in how I chose to remedy certain ailments when they hit the household.<br /><div>Can't say that I was always right, but lots of times I was. It just makes so much sense to me to try and let the body take care of itself using natural remedies rather than the " drug for everything" mentality.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Maybe it was growing up on the tail end of the hippie era. Which I guess is sort of a paradox, because where I didn't seem to care what drug I ingested to alter the chemical state of the brain and perhaps do irreversible damage (no lets rephrase that...DO irreversible damage), I felt as long as I ate my healthy granola and kept my fiber intake good, all was well.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>But I grew up and left many things behind, but not my quest for the next natural cure.</div><br /><div>I can distinctly remember once when my toddler son ( who is now 34) was running a fever due to some virus. No drugs to ward that fever off...no siree! I stuffed his socks with garlic and had him sip on a bottle of pomegranate juice. This was of course before pomegranates were found in everything from martinis to chocolate. He eventually forgave me. </div><br /><div>Actually he has turned into somewhat of his own health nut and we both share the love of wheat grass juice. Where he grows and juices his own, I use a dried wheat grass powder.</div><br /><div>Ahhh,nothing like sipping down what tastes like a bucket of rain water that grass clippings have been sitting in for a week. Yum!</div><br /><div>I am not sure what enthuses me more, the oxidation of my blood by this wonder sludge or the fact that I regularly buy it and will soon be receiving my very own free tee shirt that says <a href="http://www.amazinggrass.com/grassheads.html">I am a Grass head</a>!<br /><br /><div>You know its not that I am totally against the conventional methods of medical care. Its just hard to trust the "Big pharma"</div><br /><div>I mean these are the same people that in the 1950's were running ads like the one below.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SwssJKZ58WI/AAAAAAAAAKo/-W7bnQidKl0/s1600/benzedrine3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SwssJKZ58WI/AAAAAAAAAKo/-W7bnQidKl0/s400/benzedrine3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407464313511866722" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm sure you can't read the small print so let me do the honors.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Why is this woman tired<br />She may be tired for either of two reasons:<br />~ because she is physically overworked. If this is the case, you prescribe rest, because rest is the only cure for this kind of physical problem.<br />~ because she is mentally "done in." Many of your patients -- particularly housewives -- are crushed under a load of dull, routine duties that leave them in a state of mental and emotional fatigue. For these patients, you may find 'Dexedrine' an ideal prescription.<br />'Dexedrine' will give them a feeling of energy and well-being, renewing their interest in life and living.<br />Dexedrine* (dextro-amphetamine sulfate, S.K.F.) is available as tablets, elixir, and Spansule* capsules (sustained release capsules, S.K.F.) and is manufactured by Smith, Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia<br />*T.M. Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. Patent "<br /></span><span><br />Rolling Stones didn't sing "Mothers little helper" for nothing. And of course there are so many other examples why I just find it a little hard to trust every drug band wagon that comes rolling along. Like the H1N1 shot. Sorry....I will take my chances with the swine flu rather than inject myself with a mix of ingredients that could be more harmful than the disease.<br />But for those of you who don't know where you stand here is a handy video of how to make your own flu shot.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I88fDGPA7wM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I88fDGPA7wM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /></span><br />You might also want to invest this informative little pin I made that shows how the swine flu is really spread. It could save lives.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Swsu6aTenEI/AAAAAAAAAKw/yksNKOpiJEs/s1600/catswine.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 328px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Swsu6aTenEI/AAAAAAAAAKw/yksNKOpiJEs/s400/catswine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407467358616722498" border="0" /></a></div>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-79830882507166994032009-09-29T07:30:00.001-07:002009-09-29T09:35:56.305-07:00When Fish FlyIts funny how in my childhood days I loved fishing. My aunt and uncle would often take us fishing and I have many great memories.<br />Whether it was the time my aunt tied a little string around a crayfish's neck (do they have a neck come to think of it?) and I walked it like a little dog, or the great picnic lunches we would have, or cooking the freshly caught fish, I am not sure, but it was great.<br />And there were the trips up north with my parents, renting a cottage off the lake and getting up at the crack of dawn to go see what bounties we could reel in.<br /><br />Somewhere down the line though, something clicked or snapped, depending how you look at it.<br />I suddenly found the whole fishing thing a little disconcerting.<br />Still love spending time with family, still love great picnic lunches, still love nature.<br />But hooking and reeling in the things...ewwww...can't do it....just can't do it.<br />I remember my Dad always told me that they didn't feel anything. Well I bought it then, but sorry I can't buy it now.<br /><br />I realize fish may not have the most magnetic personalities, and its not exactly a creature you would want to cuddle. But just try watching one lay there on the boat gasping its last breathe and look at those glass like eyes and tell me you don't see something of a personality?<br />Sure they are different. I think the French novelist Andre Gide put it best, "Fish die belly upward, and rise to the surface. Its their way of falling." So is that any reason to persecute them?<br /><br />I often come across many vintage images where fish are depicted in many strange ways, from serving martinis, bowling, to romancing their significant other. One of my favorite is from an 1800's image that I use in a popular pin I sell that I like to call "Thick Lipped Smoked Fish" for short.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SsIeS1t5XVI/AAAAAAAAAKA/SvsPs-uAiiQ/s1600-h/smokedfish.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 288px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 288px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386901413294595410" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SsIeS1t5XVI/AAAAAAAAAKA/SvsPs-uAiiQ/s320/smokedfish.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This recent discovery below is a bit strange. Can't quite make out the meaning behind it but its interesting, to me at least.<br />The woman is holding a fish that seems to blend in with her dress all neatly wrapped in a bow. Fashion accessory? Maybe to attract the menfolk? Or is it simply supper on its way home?<br />Whatever the case sweetie, I would watch out for the fish flying above you. May be a hostile family member ready to drop some bait that might just catch you. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SsIgWSaQ-fI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/TkQbrqO0hA4/s1600-h/fishfantasy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 225px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386903671559748082" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SsIgWSaQ-fI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/TkQbrqO0hA4/s400/fishfantasy.jpg" /></a>And finally there is the awesome animated short on BoingBoing I came across. One from the PSST!3 series where three teams of collaborators combine their work.<br />Its the first in this series,called "Omar" by Doug Purver I was especially fond of although all 3 are great. I have added the full version below called "Omar and his Skyhook" but if you would like to see it combined with 2 other short animated clips that merge into one,heres the link for that. <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/17/bb-video-omar-hot-pu.html">http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/17/bb-video-omar-hot-pu.html</a></p><p>So hope you enjoy it. I may just sign out with the name "Hypocrite". Because where you won't find me fishing again till fish fly, I have to admit that you will be able to find me chowing down on sauteed trout, baked salmon, or a nice slab of seared ahi tuna whenever possible. My bad.</p><p><br /></p><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p-NjmBx_-1Q&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p-NjmBx_-1Q&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-14339117280484558852009-09-21T20:25:00.000-07:002009-09-21T21:10:23.589-07:00Being all grown up can bring you downThe other day I was visiting at a friends house who was watching her 18 month old grandson.<br />The other adults in the room seemed to disappear into the back ground as I got drawn in by watching the little guy. It suddenly struck me how badly I wanted to be a child again and find the greatest joy in the simplest of things.<br /><br />He was entertaining himself by simply going round and round a chair. He would do it several times and then just burst into laughter.<br />It was infectious laughter that made me want to strip myself of my adulthood, and dive into the simple joy of young childhood.<br />Think how much easier life if we would deal with our problems by looking at everything through a child's eye.<br /><br />For instance I just spent about 20 minutes trying to get a blanket to be balanced on the spin cycle. Every time it would hit full speed, boom, off it would go because it wasn't balanced right. So I would open up the washer and readjust. Over and over again. All the time watching the clothes through the front load window.<br />Frustrated beyond compare. Ready to blow the thing up.<br />But how different it would have been had I had a child's mind.<br />Spin a little..boom... I let out a loud laugh. Spin a little...boom... I run in circles and fall down.<br />I become mesmerized by the blanket turning and spinning and tumbling.<br />I could have probably carried it on for twice as long and walked away with a smile on my face.<br /><br />Probably even the scenario I had today of trying to help another who was depressed would have been so much easier. Instead as an adult I had to rationalize,empathize,and vocalize just so.<br />It left me feeling drained and in a lousy mood.<br /><br />But had I been looking through a childs eye, I would have probably just made funny faces to make the poor depressed soul feel better, or offered them my cookie and we probably both would have walked off hand in hand singing a little song together.<br />I wouldn't have had to think so much about what to say. I would have only felt what it was I needed to do to make them feel better.<br /><br />Oh well. Such is life. And I guess there is always the exception.<br />Came across this antique postcard the other day and it only goes to show, that even a childs mind can have a dark side. At least I didn't kill anyone today.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SrhJpYzcqmI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/wmu0p399WEc/s1600-h/killtedybear.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384134329903131234" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SrhJpYzcqmI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/wmu0p399WEc/s400/killtedybear.jpg" /></a>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-87337996488901788882009-09-10T19:22:00.000-07:002009-09-11T08:28:36.872-07:00Of Replicating Pods and SlugsThe whole summer has been extremely strange.<br />Weather that never let us know that it really was summer. Just sort of this confusion as to had it arrived, and was it staying.<br />Add to that the fact that my time was totally not my own and I ran from this to this to that, and it just never really felt like "Summertime and the living is easy."<br /><br />As I finally had some time to actually weed today, I had time to gaze at what was/is my garden.<br />Yes,it has been an object of neglect, but most neglected gardens seem to at least produce, but just in amongst a mess of weeds.<br />My vegetable garden this year was not only hidden in weeds, but what it did produce seemed to be spawned from some distant planet. Little watermelons that morphed into baseball size sludge. Tomatoes that sometimes decided to grow round but many that looked like a horrible tumour growth, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">mojito</span></span></span> mint that changed color on me and several species of plants that just seemed to disappear, perhaps being eaten by something.<br />And that something could have been slugs. There seem to be slugs everywhere.<br />The other day my daughter put a blanket on the ground to enjoy a "picnic" lunch with my granddaughter, and soon they were infiltrating the blanket and moving in for the kill.<br />Hundreds of them.<br />Made me think of the following 1900's postcard. This guy has a serious problem in more ways then one and much milder than mine. His grubs seem exceptionally dangerous and his veggies are downright freaks.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sqm4GF684bI/AAAAAAAAAJw/IClz_T1Sv2E/s1600-h/grubpatrol.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380033644678930866" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sqm4GF684bI/AAAAAAAAAJw/IClz_T1Sv2E/s400/grubpatrol.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p></p><br /><p>So its with a sense of sadness but also relief that I watch the darkness fall earlier every night. Not quite the summer that we will be able to relive in pictures looked at over and over again, or one where we can <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">reminisce</span></span> over the bounty of garden goodies we grew. But a relief also because many good things were accomplished too. Maybe looking forward to the fall will bring even greater adventures in living.</p><br /><p>At least I didn't have replicating pods in my life. Got 11:00 minutes? Enjoy 11:00 minutes Space Ghost, Stephen Wright and replicating pods. Insanity...but I love it.</p><br /><object width="420" height="339"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x1iywj_space-ghost-coast-to-coast_shortfilms"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x1iywj_space-ghost-coast-to-coast_shortfilms" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="339" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x1iywj_space-ghost-coast-to-coast_shortfilms">Space Ghost Coast to Coast</a></b><br /><i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/NPIcartoons"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">NPIcartoons</span></span></span></a></i>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-77704770538297764682009-09-08T11:06:00.000-07:002009-09-08T12:00:02.774-07:00Life's a circus full of cheap funTimes are tough, and we hear about it everyday. People are spending less on lots of things, especially non essentials. Like eating out, the newest fashions and entertainment.<br />Wanted to share with you some of the many ways one can be entertained at home with out breaking out your wallet.<br />All one has to do is look to the past, and see how much fun they had in the good old days.<br />For instance,the circus! Who doesn't love a circus? Well those who are afraid of clowns, and those who hate seeing animals abused, and those who have a morbid fear of a tent collapsing on them like the scene in Dumbo.<br />But asides from those people, there is alot of fun to be had by going to a circus.<br />But whats so great is that many of these acts can be duplicated right in your very own home!! Yes,you and your family can gather around and have your own circus!<br />Just take a look at some of these fine circus acts that can bring the house down in an uplifting way.<br />The first act I came across from around 1910 was labeled in French as "La Femme Insensible".<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SqajZImsMEI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/BIPirbPqVQQ/s1600-h/insensiblewoman.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379166457142456386" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SqajZImsMEI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/BIPirbPqVQQ/s400/insensiblewoman.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Which translates to ...you guessed it... The Insensible Woman.<br />Its such a shame that we have forgotten to value this lost art. What could be grander than sitting around watching a woman be insensible?? Priceless! And to think I could have gotten paid back then for being hormonal.<br /><br />Once you become bored with that how about an act called the French Kangaroo. Sure to fool all your friends and family and bring you hours of fun.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SqajjXjONYI/AAAAAAAAAJY/qCOgpdD7GSA/s1600-h/kangaroo.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 248px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379166632953132418" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SqajjXjONYI/AAAAAAAAAJY/qCOgpdD7GSA/s400/kangaroo.jpg" /></a><br /><p>How did they pull off those realistic ears?? Lots of practice I am sure!</p><br /><p>And finally something to have your little pooch involved in too! Some family fun and keep your family pet active at the same time.<br />Grab your tennis rackets and give that pup the ride of his life!! Sports juggling! Something we can probably all give a try.</p><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sqalc48f4XI/AAAAAAAAAJg/4KpjD4GE-cU/s1600-h/juggler.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 262px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379168720681689458" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sqalc48f4XI/AAAAAAAAAJg/4KpjD4GE-cU/s400/juggler.jpg" /></a><br /><br />So let me know how it goes. Fill me in on how your family enjoys these activities and any others you might dream up to stay afloat in this hard economic times. <p></p><br /><p>I'll leave you with one other idea, that unlike the previous makes lots of sense, involves real life, and causes no harm to others! They had it right back then,and its still a great idea today. Get out and enjoy nature. This vintage image inspired a necklace of a woman getting it just right. Dirt cheap, inspiring and full of wonder.</p><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23174305"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 351px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 328px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379169887180228946" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SqamgyfbCVI/AAAAAAAAAJo/-PZE74_vaCs/s400/silence1.jpg" /></a>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-34315151885616673142009-07-16T08:27:00.001-07:002009-07-17T07:54:58.950-07:00I love to dance,and any reasonable semblance of itI just love to dance!! Now bear in mind, I don't even watch "Dancing with the Stars" because it will only zap my joy in the fact that I can't <em>really</em> dance. The kind of dancing I do is "for the sheer joy of it" dance. The kind that just sorts of oozes out of you. The kind I feel when I have a rush of endorphins on the treadmill and suddenly wish I was on a dance floor so I could be dancing to the tune on my ipod rather than running.<br /><br />I recently made the piece below as a pin or desk art, not so much because I thought it would be the best looking brooch I ever made, but because it is just to fun of an image to not look at.<br />From the early 1900's this chick is moving to her own unique beat and I just gotta love it! Only goes to show that some things never change. Dancing is here to stay, no matter what your style is.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sl9ZASwo0zI/AAAAAAAAAI4/KQl1Nf1p6qM/s1600-h/raindance2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 196px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359099943164891954" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sl9ZASwo0zI/AAAAAAAAAI4/KQl1Nf1p6qM/s200/raindance2.jpg" /></a> The joy of dancing takes on all sorts of forms. From the barest stripped down of just merely jumping up and down to the beat, to the most intricate of well thought out steps. </p><p>Came across the following antique postcard and have to wonder however, where does one draw the line?? Maybe if I could talk to this woman and find out just what she was feeling. Is this interpretive dance of a spear of asparagus?<br /><br /></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sl9Md-aMj-I/AAAAAAAAAIg/Zt6EyqFlaZA/s1600-h/weirddance2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359086159446970338" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sl9Md-aMj-I/AAAAAAAAAIg/Zt6EyqFlaZA/s400/weirddance2.jpg" /></a> I think what makes me want to dance even more is the fact that we are not alone in this world in us wanting to groove to the beat. Please click on the link below napoleon and snowball to read an interesting article on this fact and even better yet check out the video at the top,watch and then smile. And when you are done, you tell me who dances better? And tell me too, could you watch it and sit still in your seat??<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sl9YigND2xI/AAAAAAAAAIw/ugeEWYh_K0E/s1600-h/snowballpromo.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359099431377689362" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sl9YigND2xI/AAAAAAAAAIw/ugeEWYh_K0E/s400/snowballpromo.jpg" /></a><br /><p><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103629651">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103629651</a></p><br /><p></p>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-36341354423082355552009-07-01T08:46:00.000-07:002009-07-17T20:46:02.625-07:00A spin on real timeSo only a mere two months since I have logged into my blog. Not bad for being comatose.<br /><br />Have no idea where the time went except that it seems as if there is no time these days.<br /><br />"Summertime and the living AINT easy" is my tune.<br /><br />Seems like things always speed up a notch or two as soon as we can start opening the windows around here.<br /><br />Wonder if it would be great if we could somehow control time. Speed it up when things are boring and slow it down when we really want to savor it longer. Put it into warp speed those bad days so we cannot even absorb them. And then bring it to a crawl when the days are so good we never want it to end.<br /><br />Put just a little spin to life?<br /><divbut><br />Take for instance this antique postcard. These frogs seem to be in a hurry. But then why don't they just get off the snails? But on the other hand maybe they really just want to experience life at a snails pace. What ever the case thought it was a cute enough to share,besides the fact that it was the only I could come up with that would somewhat congeal with the time theme.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SkuMmm7r-eI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/glXlwHKco-Y/s1600-h/7903_1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353527176973777378" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SkuMmm7r-eI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/glXlwHKco-Y/s400/7903_1.jpg" /></a>Also wanted to share with you this awesome video called Spin which got me thinking about the whole time thing. And somehow inspired me to get myself a little more in the right gear.<br />You may have seen it already as it seems to have been up on the net for some time. However, I just came across it. And thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you do too. If only to have the luxury of this little spin on time.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oP59tQf_njc&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oP59tQf_njc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-34795249475729840352009-04-29T10:40:00.000-07:002009-04-29T11:31:06.650-07:00A Leap of LoveI am excited!! I am going to be in a wedding in the UK in July!! Yep,that's right.<br />Going to be walking down the aisle. Right smack dab in the middle of the brides bouquet. You read right. In the middle of the bouquet.<br />Had a lovely customer named Emily purchase "My tiny leap for houndkind" pin which is pictured here.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SfiWkfI0OfI/AAAAAAAAAH4/g4EUigV9DsU/s1600-h/tinyleap.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 297px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330175712570915314" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SfiWkfI0OfI/AAAAAAAAAH4/g4EUigV9DsU/s320/tinyleap.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />She is getting married in July, and she had this to say,<br /><br />"I deliberately went for your pin because I have been searching high and low for a whippy item that I could incorporate into our big day & to be honest so many of the other whippy bits and pieces I've seen the dogs are really ugly! I then saw your pin and it reminded me so much of my beautiful boy Bailey that I knew it would be perfect to add to my bouquet so that I could have him close to me on the day.<br /><br />I got Bailey from whippet rescue and had him for 8 years, he was my pride and joy and the absolute love of my life, he was without a doubt my soul mate. Tragically whilst my mum was looking after him for me for a few days he was hit by a car and killed instantly.<br /><br />Although this has been the cruelest of blows for me I am slowly learning to remember him and smile and that is exactly what I will be doing on the 4th July this year as I walk up the aisle!I have also named all of our tables after our pets and the top table is called Bailey after my little man."<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SfiWNonN6dI/AAAAAAAAAHw/GEWa_fKSmEo/s1600-h/bailey.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330175319977355730" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SfiWNonN6dI/AAAAAAAAAHw/GEWa_fKSmEo/s320/bailey.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I really love being a "part" of peoples lives in ways I never would have imagined.<br />The image of that pin actually is a bit of digitally altered art from, would you believe it, the 14th century! To me its such a timeless piece of art that seems to have such a modern look to it and captures the joy of a hound freely leaping through the wide open spaces. It has such a happy feel to it and I am glad that Emily chose it to remember her Bailey on her special day.<br /><br />Seems like no matter where we are in the stream of time, that bond we have with our pooches will always be there, as will true love of the human kind.<br />So while we are on the subject of romantic love, thought I would share a postcard from the late 1800's.<br />We often hear comments these days of "Where are our youth headed" these days.<br />Well if this image is depicting anything of life back then, think this pair got quite an early start down the road called "TROUBLE"!</p><p><br /></p><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sfia_c4dxVI/AAAAAAAAAII/v4Qz0EFar0A/s1600-h/littleboygirlmoon.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 258px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330180573868442962" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/Sfia_c4dxVI/AAAAAAAAAII/v4Qz0EFar0A/s400/littleboygirlmoon.jpg" /></a>~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008805718355081110.post-59993561391657830512009-04-15T11:04:00.001-07:002009-04-15T18:03:40.858-07:00Be afraid, very afraid....I for one, have never understand the morbid fear of dentists. Whats the big deal?? Not that I have really enjoyed my trips through the years to keep up the pearly whites, but really nothing to stress about. I guess you could compare my attitude to be similar to the woman in the early 1900's toothpaste postcard.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SeYi6N9yL4I/AAAAAAAAAHY/M5LR2EYtmY8/s1600-h/toothpastelove.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 226px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324981992988749698" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SeYi6N9yL4I/AAAAAAAAAHY/M5LR2EYtmY8/s320/toothpastelove.jpg" /></a><br />Well, OK probably not that sedate and contemplative. Who knew brushing the teeth could be such a deep moving experience?<br />I guess being the blind optimist that I am, I figured all of our dental encounters would leave us with fresher breath, whiter whites and stronger healthier teeth. We might even come away with such a positive experience that we would be much like this young woman who went in to have dental surgery and came out smiling even though they stitched her finger to her gums.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SeYkk06ZvBI/AAAAAAAAAHg/U083nS_A7zc/s1600-h/detal.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 195px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324983824509680658" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SeYkk06ZvBI/AAAAAAAAAHg/U083nS_A7zc/s320/detal.jpg" /></a> But this week has changed everything. All my growling at my husband, who has a phobia about anything medical, "Quit being such a baby, its just the dentist". Or telling friends who faced extractions, "Aw, you'll be fine. That's what they make vicodin for".<br />Having had all three of my older children as well as myself have wisdom teeth pulled, I was not at all worried about my 18 year old son having his pulled out on Monday. Worst was I was going to have to kill about 2 hours waiting and getting him situated back home. After all, the oral surgeon said they were very easy teeth and it was going to be a piece of cake. </p><p><br />So when they finally called me back ,I waltzed leisurely into the discharge area. There he sat still barely able to open his eyes. I turned my attention to the nurse who began to spill out all the instructions. Along with the tidbit,"Oh,and he swallowed some gauze" without missing a beat. I looked back at my son and observed what to me appeared to be an impression of a drunken pelican trying to swallow a whole fish. I interrupted the nurse and asked "Did the gauze go down? Why is he swallowing like that?".<br />"Oh, he is just probably really dry" and went on to more instructions, like gauze of all things, and salt water rinses. As she rose to open the exit door, my steady peer at my son fighting to swallow became more apparent. I told her I was not comfortable leaving as it appeared something was wrong.<br />So she proceeds to try and get him to drink some water which leaves him choking and gasping for air. They take him back to a room,send me back to waiting room and an hour later come back and tell me he is fine now. So I gather up his things and we head home. Granted,he didn't seem to be gulping anymore.</p><p>That night at home when we tried to have him eat or drink, it always ended up the same way. After a few sips, he coughed everything up. I did some research on google and seemed to come away that swallowing can be a difficulty after oral surgery and just figured this was what he was dealing with. Stupid me.<br />In the morning on Tuesday I checked on him very early to find out that it was still happening. Few sips and he would feel it all build up in his chest and he would cough everything out.<br />Now a frantic call to oral surgeon was placed. Next thing I know we are whisking him to hospital to have an endoscopy. And lo and behold...gauze. Because I am just plain weird I am posting the actual picture of the endoscopy and the offending gauze.<br /><br /></p><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SeYpQQAtHgI/AAAAAAAAAHo/olf2691z50Q/s1600-h/throat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 253px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324988968564760066" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUCDIK6Mmkw/SeYpQQAtHgI/AAAAAAAAAHo/olf2691z50Q/s320/throat.jpg" /></a></p><p>On the upside,the oral surgery went great. No swelling,bruising,and hardly any pain. <br />Just a near choking death incident. What more could you ask for??~tinyartjewelry~http://www.blogger.com/profile/04727967493523306231noreply@blogger.com1