Tuesday, September 23, 2008

~ SUNSHINE AND SMILES ~


^)_^()_^()_^)_^()_^()_^)_^()_^()_

S*M*I*L*E*S

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I hope everyone loves smiles as much as I do.
I smile a lot throughout the day and everytime I do I love it!

When I hear of people who are feeling down or sick from colds etc, I always wish I could make them feel better right away by giving out hugs.

I'm one of those huggie people who wants to give the entire world a big ol' hug and make everything better.
Yes, my la~la~land.
Not reality, but it's the way I feel.
I of course wish it was that easy, but alas, it is not.
...~ "some people don't even want things to be better..."

And some people don't even want things to be better. Yes, unfortunately that is true. Some people are chronic complainers and if they didn't have anything to complain about, they'd be all out of sorts, and wouldn't know what to do with themselves.
Hey, to each their own.

At one time in my life I was around too many 'down' people and it really brought me down being with them. I did manage to figure out what was happening to me and made sure I was around more positive and happy people.
Now when I come in contact with someone who is down, I try to help them to see the brighter side of life, and if they don't want to, ... I move on.
Someone once told me that I should look at myself as
"the highest rung on
the ladder".
In other words, I am the most important person in my life.
That is not to say that I am above the rest in any way, nor better than the rest. No. It just means that I have to treat myself well. That
I am important.

If a person doesn't look after themselves first and foremost as important, they can't expect anyone else to. Nor can they be ready to look after anyone else in a positive manner.
This statement is so incredibly true...

Have you ever heard the phrase,
"Take care of the caregiver so that the caregiver can take care of others".

Wow! Do you know how important that phrase is???

If a Caregiver gets run down physically, or emotionally, well who can they help?
No one!
...............
A Caregiver needs to look after Number ONE (themselves).
Then they can focus on others more effectively.
Now this doesn't matter if you are a MOM,
a support worker,
or a friend going through some rough times with a close friend or relative.
You have to look after yourself in a positive way
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
to be effective to helping others.
I learned a lot when I learned this fact. It was so helpful.

Get the sleep you need.
Get the food you need.
Get the support you need.

Look after yourself first.
NOT out of selfishness, but rather out of requirement of refuelling.

Take the time to refresh resources.

Always accept smiles and sunshine into your life.
They are precious commodities and oh so needed for our well-being.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

PLEASE COMMENT...


BLOG ETTIQUETTE
__________
When you read a blog...


Add a few pleasant words to make someone's day a little brighter.



Thanks!
~ UxCritter ~



P.S. I'd love to hear if you are interested in getting a FREE trial of my essential oil blends in the FREEBIES GIVEAWAYS blog below.

~.~.~.~.~ ~.~.~.~.~ ~.~.~.~.~~.~.~.~ ~.~.~.~.~ ~.~.~.~.~ ~.~.~.~.~

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

FREEBIE GIVEAWAYS !!!!

FREE PRODUCTS !!!!
...................................................

To get a free introductory sample of my new essential oil blends, read on ....
~
And MY FAV'S are ...

A KITCHEN COUNTER SPRAY


For more info. click here > http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15277911


FALL REVIVER


For more info: click here >http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15266956


BALANCE

For more info: click here> http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14738590

To get a FREE sample:

Just get 5 of your friends to look at my etsy shop, and then comment here on my blog about what their favorite item is in my etsy shop mentioning that you referred them.

I have a shop with over a hundred crafting ideas as my shop involves 3 family members. Literally something for everyone.

When there are 5 comments referring you as a candidate to try my free samples I will create a RESERVED listing for you and you can purchase at no charge to you. I only ask for your feedback on the item of your choice once you have tried it. This will help me to determine whether to open my second shop offering these essential oil blends or leave them in my UxCritter shop.

my Etsy shop
http://www.uxcritter.etsy.com

my blog you are on already here is where you need to get 5 friends to comment on my shop items and refer you as a candidate for a FREE offer.
http://www.uxcritters.blogspot.com

Don't forget to mention to your contacts that you need a referral and the product of your choice of my essential oil blend can be yours FREE! If they purchase from my shop, you will recieve a bonus gift.

Thanks! ~ UxCritter

Come on in and win a prize today!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Video Promotion

VIDEO PROMOTION
PROMOTION ~ PROMOTION ~ PROMOTION
my newest enterprise on Etsy:


Check out my newest listing on Etsy. I can custom make a video for you!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15191101

Here's HARVEST MOON PAPER'S video I created for her Etsy shop.

Please have a look and give it some luvin' ....


Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I TOOK UP THE CHALLENGE.....



WEEKEND TO END BREAST CANCER !
...........................................................

I took up the challenge!
(in 2 challenges.. I entered a BOOB challenge on Etsy too. .BOOB entries are in my shop now )

Weekend to End Cancer OTTAWA

I discovered this website via another fellow Etsyian's blog, and was overjoyed to be able to help in some way to "Help The Cure".

Loopy4ewe's Blog:

http://loopy4ewe.blogspot.com/2008/09/proceeds-go-towards-breast-cancer.html


BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

_______________________


My contributions:

...with me being a CritterNut...




I made cat toys with my home grown catnip. It is organic and very strong scented. I decided to create a cat toy in the shape of the Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon design, and fill it full of strong cat mint. I always double the thickness of my cat toys so they last so much longer and hold together better and the contents of the dried leaves cannot easily come through the toy.


They come highly recommended by my cats, the neighbour's cat who steals them and takes them to his house, and any cat who's tried one of my cat mint toys! S*T*R*O*N*G & F*U*N

~

These toys I've created are crocheted and embellished in various ways with ribbons, flowers and beaded lace.




The Bath Salts

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These PINK bath salts are available in ROSE scent, MULBERRY, STRAWBERRY PEACH, and CHERRY.

A nice sample size for your bath, or for a foot soak and hand soak for manicures, pedicures.

Epsom salts are the ulitmate soak. Great for soothing soaks to relieve stress, calm aching muscles, reduce swelling and absorb odors.

Bath Salts and Cat Toys ~ for this special campaign will be availabe in my Etsy shop as soon as I can get them listed online.

UxCritter.Etsy.Com

Please check often and see not only these new items, but all the fun regular items my family and I create and list in our shop when we have new ideas.

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Monday, September 8, 2008

CHILLOSOPHER SPEAKETH! ...

Well, though I didn't get an exact, "yes", to linking to, or including the Chillosopher's editorial on my blog here. I'm going to take this email as a yes. (be sure to check out the October issue of CHILL Magazine with this great article Scotty wrote below. Available at The Beer Store now.)
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Hello Paula!

... Would love to evolve our brand and our CHILLosophy through blogs such as yours, and yes I have lots to say to those willing and eager to listen.

In essence, CHILL Magazine is striving to become the “After 5 and week-end” specialists, with the mandate of helping people slow down, relax and simply CHILL!

Our take on fall, is much like our take on everything we cover; “Positive”. In a media world steeped in negativity we are trying to evolve a Positive News Network through CHILL Media Inc. As we all know there is a silver lining in everything; it simply depends on one’s personal perspective. We do not want to appear Pollyannaish, just positive, because T.V, daily newspapers and a host of other mediums provide us an over-fill of gratuitous sex, violence and depressing facts, and often forget that a little humour, a lot of fun and some insightful and uncanny ideas on how to spend our downtime is essential to our sanity!

...
P.S We are re-launching our website on December 1st, and it will include a complete design refresh and a daily blog!

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I want to thank Scotty Stevenson for his superb email and wonderul reflexes at a "red light" stop in traffic so he says, when he initially contacted me with a brief but unconcise message which he later clarified in the above message. Not exactly a "yes" to my querey... but I'll take it as such. LOL

Thanks Scotty!!!! (on with the FALL WHISPERER's words of wisdom............)
....................................................................................................
MESSAGE FROM THE CHILLOSOPHER

"It's hard to believe it folks, but yes, SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER. I know it seems like only yesterday we were packing away the parkas, happily looking forward to everything that the golden season has to offer, barbecues, cottages, a game of golf, tossing the football, mountain biking, fishing, tennis, ball games, outdoor concerts, an evening run or morning swim, pints on the patio, beach volleyball, flip flops, T's, back road drives, roller coasters, theme parks and most importantly long lazy SUNNY DAYS!

Therein lies the problem. We couldn't enjoy any long lazy sunny days, because we were forced to endure record-breaking weeks of rainfall.
We couldn't take back road drives as a result of soaring energy costs, and almost everything else we listed was weather dependant, so our options were pretty much limited. We could complain to our co-workers and neighbours about the cost of gas, and the terrible weather, we could recoil into our couches and watch endless hours of old TV programs, but if you think about it, we are essentially acquiescing to the weather and the economy, and how Canadian would that be?

Yes, it was all starting to dampen our spirits also, that is until we hooked up with George Stroumboulopoulos. His infectiously positive personality reminded us that life is good, and we shouldn't let a little downpour get us down. Interviewing the interviewer (on a rainy day nonetheless), the reigning icon of Canadian chat even had us excited to say goodbye to Summer.
WHY?

Because that means the start of the NHL, the NFL, College ball and the NBA. Sixty days from another World Series and 90 days before another great Canadian party at the 96th Grey Cup. The start of beer league hockey, touch football, wings and beer after the game, the new fall TV schedule, kids back to school, the Toronto Film Fest, US Open tennis, fall golf and lots more. Reviewing the past several years, well, it may even mark the start of Summer if we get our traditional September and October 25+ temperatures. And last but not least, a new season of The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos, which means more George!
Yes, life is good!

So get out and enjoy the last lazy days of Summer, prepare your goodbyes, and get ready to kick back and settle in for an exciting new season. Is it easy to forget about your worries and the state of the world? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Worth the effort, ABSOLUTELY!
Find something you love to do and just do it.

Cheers,

Scotty Stevenson
Your friendly neighbourhood Chillosopher"

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beer~beer~beer~beer~beer~beer~beer~beer
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Look for the October edition of CHILL at The Beer Store starting September 29th.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

The CALL of FALL ........



Fall is calling.

_______________________

~

How many of us want to listen right now???


Um, not me!

Not just yet.

How about you?

I am sorry Fall, but I am not answering your call at the moment. I just haven't finished with Summer. Perhaps because summer didn't give it's all this season. I think it is still wanting to show us it has something up it's sleeve. A few nice days maybe?


Then again, I read a magazine article that really helped me to 'deal with' this super fast spin through summer we had, that seemed to bring on fall way too early, and rob of us our sweet summer-time fun. Right now I am waiting to hear back from the editor to see if I can add the article in here. I really enjoyed his message in it.


* waiting for permission to insert a magazine article blurb here about Fall.
The editor wrote an article about the current seasons in Canada, and I really would like to link to it here.

Until the decision is in, the article is "The message from the CHILLOSOPHER, a.k.a. Scotty Stevenson, editor of Chill Magazine."

You can check out the website,


Unfortuneatley you can't read the article there. Which I wish you could. I commented on the site about that too. Hopefully they change that and add in the editor's message online. That is why I want to be able to show you the article here.


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~

ETSY FOR HANDMADE
FALL TREASURES
__________________________

Shop HANDMADE @ Etsy.com !



You'll find all your Fall needs at Etsy, and don't forget to shop early for all your Christmas prezzies too! Take the stress off the busy season, buy early.
~
And a MUST READ ARTICLE FOR ALL ETSY MOM'S
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FALL RECIPES

**********

Love this magazine "WHAT'S COOKING".



kind of neat how you can turn the pages online!

Friday, September 5, 2008

~ The Joy of Treasuries on Etsy ~



* I created this treasury that is still in the current treasury list until tomorrow. These are some of my favorite items from what is know on Etsy as "hearts". I included a couple of the comments from my treasury comment list. My comments are full and no one can leave anymore comments. I find it difficult to delete any comments, but it is wonderful to see them filled up. It shows that a treasury has been 'loved'. lol ; )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Another Treasury
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~
I don't think anyone ever tires of creating Treasuries on Etsy.
~
It's such a joy to see new items, new shops, and to bring those items and shops into view to share with everyone else who enjoys looking at the treasuries.
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At the same time the featured shops receive wonderful promotion in the spotlight.
~
It just makes everyone feel so good!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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Hearted Shops ~ Favorites of mine:
Shown in the order of the above treasury photos: if you love the featured items in my treasury photo above, be sure to check out the shop links below to enjoy them even more!
SouthamptonCreations's shop ~ i see the tiny toes photo just sold!!!! Yeah Southampton!
ShineYourHineySoap's shop ~ I just had to buy that awesome oatmeal soap!
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* check out nancywallis' blog :
She has blogged about treasuries too! Oh such a wonderful processs these treasuries!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

A VERY GOOD DAY TODAY!


It's only Thursday. Not Who Haw it's Friday. Not the weekend either..... But it was still a very good day!!!



Dre had her baby!!!

Dre, is shop owner of Willowcatstudio on Etsy.


*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

We've all been waiting for baby Willow for awhile now, as she was a little late arriving.

The Canadian thread on Etsy has been all a flutter and today was no exception! Actually we're all the more a flutter now!

Congratulations Dre and Hubby! And happy day for big brother and big sister too!!!
..................................

I made some more pies today. So we might as well enjoy some while you're reading the blogs!

Cherry, or Apple????





I'm having cherry pie myself...............mmmmm.

And if anyone can tell me the secret as to how to keep my oven clean after the pies overflow from bubbling over. I'd love to know! I do put a lot of filling in my pies, but I didn't think it was too much. I'm very consistant though on having my pies overflow, make a smoke show in the kitchen from the burning sugary syrup on the oven floor, and having to scrub the mess it makes after the pies are done.


Wednesday, September 3, 2008

HAVE SOME PIE WHILE YOU'RE HERE...


~Apple Pie ~
~
Not one of the prettiest pies I've made. I tried a new crust recipe. I still like my tried and true recipe that is literally a bear for punishment and can handle working it over and over again.
~
Not usually a good thing to do with pie crust recipes, as it toughens then up. But because my favorite pie crust recipe I usually use is made with brown sugar, it can take a lot of reworking and still it's light and flakey.
~
A great recipe, especially if you enjoy the little tykes helping you in the kitchen. My kids have always enjoyed baking and helping me in the kitchen.
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My favorite Brown Sugar Pie Crust
>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<~<
(from Home on the Range)
~
5 cups flour
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
dash of salt
1 lb. lard
1 egg
water
1 Tblsp. vinegar
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Mix the flour, brown sugar, soda and salt together in a fairly large bowl. Cut in the lard (with pastry blender or fingers) until the mixture is crumbly.
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In a measuring cup, beat the egg slightly and add water to make 3/4 cup liquid. Add the vinegar and mix slightly. Add to the flour mixture and stir until mixed.
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Keep in a plastic bag in the freezer. Whenever you need some let the dough thaw, use whatever is necessary and then refreeze. This stuff is a bear for punishment - it takes freezing and thawing and beating about and still comes out flaky and tasty.
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Warm handed people do have to take care, however. Sometimes in working the lard into the flour, the lards gets soft too quickly and the whole thing turns to a sticky ball. A light hand is the secret.
~
~ Bon Appétit~