B-Movie Star

Well, I saw some Halloween Candy already in the aisle at the grocery store and that made my heart skip a little beat. I don't know why, but Halloween just cheers me up. I am planning on doing the Halloween countdown in October again - it's so much fun - but I've found a little preview that I have to share with you early.

You can download these FOR FREE from Paperglitter - they are so adorable huh?  She also has tips and ideas if you don't want to use them as cupcake toppers. - Heck you could even just cut them out and hang them up for decorations - or attach them to strings and make a mobile. Anyway, they are cute, and they are making me me think about Halloween . . . get excited!

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the manifesto of encouragement

right now:

There are Tibetan Buddhist monks in a temple in the Himalayas endlessly reciting mantras for the cessation of your suffering and for the flourishing of your happiness.

Someone you haven't met yet is already dreaming of adoring you.

Someone is writing a book that you will read in the next two years that will change how you look at life.

Nuns in the Alps are in endless vigil, praying for the Holy Spirit to alight the hearts of all of God's children.

A farmer is looking at his organic crops and whispering, "nourish them."

Someone wants to kiss you, to hold you, to make tea for you. Someone is willing to lend you money, wants to know what your favorite food is, and treat you to a movie. Someone in your orbit has something immensely valuable to give you -- for free.

Something is being invented this year that will change how your generation lives, communicates, heals and passes on.

The next great song is being rehearsed.

Thousands of people are in yoga classes right now intentionally sending light out from their heart chakras and wrapping it around the earth.

Millions of children are assuming that everything is amazing and will always be that way.

Someone is in profound pain, and a few months from now, they'll be thriving like never before. They just can't see it from where they're at.

Someone who is craving to be partnered, to be acknowledged, to ARRIVE, will get precisely what they want -- and even more. And because that gift will be so fantastical in it's reach and sweetness, it will quite magically alter their memory of angsty longing and render it all "So worth the wait."

Someone has recently cracked open their joyous, genuine nature because they did the hard work of hauling years of oppression off of their psyche -- this luminous juju is floating in the ether, and is accessible to you.

Someone just this second wished for world peace, in earnest.

Someone is fighting the fight so that you don't have to.

Some civil servant is making sure that you get your mail, and your garbage is picked up, that the trains are running on time, and that you are generally safe. Someone is dedicating their days to protecting your civil liberties and clean drinking water.

Someone is regaining their sanity. Someone is coming back from the dead. Someone is genuinely forgiving the seemingly unforgivable. Someone is curing the incurable.

You. Me. Some. One. Now.

. . . . . . .

SPREAD THE RA-RA. ADD TO THE MANIFESTO. ENCOURAGE.

This was taken from "WHITE HOT TRUTH" Blog - go there and read more inspiring posts - you really should . . . GO.

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I found this over at Executive Homemaker and I just love it! Each pebble inside the jar has something that we can take a few moments to enjoy and refresh our souls.

How many times a day do we pass up the chance to do the things we really love? I presume, with all the workload we have set out for ourselves, we sometimes barely have enough time for the important things. This inspired me to create a jar filled with ideas on how I would like my time to be spent. So every day, I take a dose (or more when I feel the need) of these inspiring pebbles.

Click on the photo above to head over there for a tutorial to make one for yourself. She also has a printable file with ideas of what to put on your pebbles . . .

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I was over at John Rozum's Blog and I see that he has a mention of it being Ray Harryhausen's birthday - so of course I had to run right back here and do the same, because I'm just a big copycat like that!!! Actually I wanted to tell you to go over to his kid's blog and read his post there - nice work and very well said!  He also posted this link where you can check out all of  Mr. Harryhausen's creations.

I think I'll watch Jason and the Argonauts tonight . . . or maybe Clash of the Titans . . . or The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad . . . who can choose just one?!

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So it's summer, and the insects are out in full swing - and that includes those pesky mosquitoes! Man, I hate those things! I know when you go out early in the morning or in the evening to do your gardening, watering, what-have-you, because you're trying to beat the heat - THAT'S when those little buggers are most active! Guess you can't win - you're either hot or bitten, take your pick!

I know there are plenty of insect repellents on the market, but most of them seem kinda "iffy" as far as the chemicals they are using. I hate when they leave you smelling so unpleasant and feeling greasy. If you don't shower right away the smell can get on your furniture or bed clothes . . . yuck! Here are a few ideas that I ran across at Re-nest to keep the mosquitoes away:

1. Make friends with bats. Some bat species can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour! You can attract these beneficial bug eaters by installing a bat house in your yard. Visit Bat Conservation International for installation advice and to buy a shelter or get plans to build your own.

2. Grow catnip (and other plants). Plant some catnip (Nepeta cataria) in your garden; not only will it repel mosquitoes, but you'll get some pretty flowers, too. Other mosquito-repelling plants include rosemary, marigolds, citronella grass, and lemon balm.

3. Light a candle. If you're averse or allergic to citronella, or want something more beautiful (and, yes, more expensive) than the typical citronella candle bucket, you might like these mosquito repellent candles from Hillhouse Naturals. Made with soy and ingredients like eucalyptus, lemongrass, and mint, they come in concrete containers that can be reused as planters.

4. Buy a natural bug repellent. Conventional repellents contain the chemical DEET, which may be toxic and harmful to the environment. We've had good luck with the plant-based Repel Lemon Eucalyptus. For more alternatives, see the Daily Green's list of 7 Natural Insect Repellents.

5. Or blend your own. For a DIY mosquito repellent, you'll need essential oil and something to mix it with, like vodka, olive oil, or witch hazel. For best results, combine a few different essential oils such as lemon eucalyptus, citronella, cinnamon, cedarwood, and juniper.

They have a recipe at Mother Earth News if you feel like making your own repellent:

Herbal Insect Repellent

2 1/2 teaspoons total of any combination of the following essential oils: basil, cedarwood, citronella, juniper, lemon, myrrh, palmarosa, pine, rose geranium and/or rosemary (available at health food stores)

1 cup 190-proof grain alcohol (available in liquor stores)

Place ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Transfer to small bottles for storage. To use, rub a small amount on any exposed skin (test first to be sure your skin will not be adversely affected by the repellent) or dab it on clothing.

Experiment a little to find which essential oils work best with your body chemistry. If you’re lucky, you also will like the way they smell; otherwise, add a few drops of peppermint oil to fine-tune the fragrance.

And if you're feeling REALLY inspired and crafty here's a recipe from Positively Splendid, via  Tip Nut so you can make your own repellent candles (click on the image to go directly to the tutorial!)Good luck - I hope this helps keep you bite free this summer!

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I just happened to run across these two different ways to make your own flowers - they won't wilt and you can even give them as gifts!

The first one is no sew flowers from Made: A Creative Collection. These no sew flowers are so cute and I can think of a million variations of these that would be so cute. I'm putting them on my list to do this summer! Click on the link to get to the tutorial to make them yourself.

The other project - also going on my to do list - is this CUTE cork board with paper flower tacks. Oh. my. gosh. I find this so adorable! This idea and tutorial comes from Greenbean's Crafterole.  Both of these projects are soooo easy! What are you waiting for!? Go get the glue gun!

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A Very Special June Designing Duo (x2)

Tiger Lily's Digis, Tink's Trinkets, Fr Designs, lotte + line design, & Sugar Moon Designs have teamed up to create a fun and vibrant summer grab bag.

There are 4 mini kits, 2 alphas, and a pack of solid papers.
From now until June 6th it is on special for $3.50.
After the 6th the price will be $5.

Here are some close up images of what's inside the Grab Bag:

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I ran across this today, and I just love the idea. I love doing little kind annonymous things like this - it probably gives me way more happiness than the person who is on the recieving end - that is the great thing about kindness though, it comes back to you so quickly and is usually doubled in size.  If you want to download a free copy of the Kindness Lolli-Flowers head over to kind over matter and you can, as they say, "Leave them around town, on door steps, you or your children can pass them out to your neighbors, give them to your grocery store or post office clerks, teachers - & the list goes on! Just print, cut, insert your favorite lollipop -- & give!"

So simple and wonderful - head over there!!!!

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I love Kiwis, but everytime I peel them, they end up looking a little mangled.  Today I ran across this most ingenious technique to remove the fuzzy skin and I thought I would share it with you!

How do you go from this:

to this:

well, I can't give away the secret! You'll just have to click and zip over to Our Best Bites for the, so- simple -why -didn't- I- think- of- this, answer. Or maybe you already knew it and I'm the last to know. That's happened before. Well, it's still pretty cool! Go check it out!

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Here's a really sunny recipe that Gabby and I made the other day.  It turned out really good - better than we expected, and it didn't last very long around here. I found the recipe on the Taste of Home website, so you know it's good, right? Okay, so it's not the most health conscious recipe, but for a spring brunch, let's say, it's good!

Lemon Bar Trifle

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 1 cup butter, melted

LEMON LAYER:
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1-3/4 cups cold water
* 3 egg yolks, beaten
* 2/3 cup lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

CREAM CHEESE LAYER:
* 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
* 3 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
* In a small bowl, combine flour and pecans; stir in butter. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
* In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and flour. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
* Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon peel.
* Transfer to a large bowl. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Cover surface with waxed paper; refrigerate until chilled.
* In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Crumble the baked pecan mixture; set aside 1/2 cup for topping.
* Just before serving, in a 3-qt. trifle bowl, layer 1 cup each pecan mixture, lemon mixture and cream cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 9 servings.

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