Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Make Your Own Bubble Mailers


I have decided to make Tuesdays "Tutorial Tuesdays" on my blog! Every Tuesday I will post a craft tutorial. These will be sewing, crafting, crocheting, etc. The first tutorial will show you how to make your own bubble mailers. Imagine the smile on the recipient's face when they receive something in a mailer that you made yourself with fun patterned paper! They are easy to do and you do not need a lot of materials.

Here is the link:
http://blog.shoplet.com/office-supplies/diy-custom-bubble-mailers/
Would love to see pics of your handmade mailers!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Getting My Craft On

It seems that lately I've been focusing more on cross stitching and sewing so I haven't crafted in quite some time. So, Monday morning I got the urge to do some crafting instead of sewing. I had bought a few supplies some time ago but just never got around to doing anything with them (I'm the only one that does this right?). I happened to find some jumbo paper clips and wondered what I could make with them. As it happened, I have a bookmark that is made with a large paper clip. It has a rubber frog on top of it (love that bookmark!). I thought I could make bookmarks with the clips, but what could I use for decoration? Ah-Ha! I have covered buttons! So I dug out some scrap fabrics and my covered buttons and proceeded to make four bookmark clips. I love how they turned out. And they were so cute, I decided to put them in my Artfire and eCrater shops.Since making the bookmark clips was so fun, I decided I would do some more crafting. Last night, being Tuesday, there was nothing on TV I wanted to watch, so while watching Celebrity Apprentice on Hulu, I made some barrettes. Some were made with mini roses and some were made with bug buttons I happened to have (no end of supplies in this house). I think they turned out rather cute. They're also listed in my Artfire and eCrater stores.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

What's Cool About This Country

People that know me, know I love this country. They also know that I believe in my 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms. They also know I enjoy guns and target shooting. Having said this, let me tell you one reason why this country is great:

Today me, Mike, and Mike's buddy Kevin went to a gun raffle. This gun raffle was sponsored by the PA State Police. At this raffle, there were probably 200-300 people. Not radicals, not violent people, not people who were ready to "rise up" against the government...just regular folks like you and me. And while sitting there observing all these people having a good time, meeting with friends, meeting new folks who also shared their interests, it occurred to me that I love this country and the people in it. No, let me restate that: I am IN love with this country and the people in it.

Now some might say that because these people--these regular folks--would be "crazy" or "violent" because we were, after all, at a GUN raffle trying to win GUNS. And we were also drinking FREE beer!! Lions, and tigers, and bears OH MY! Alcohol and firearms, why someone is bound to get hurt! Don't be shocked--no one did. No fights broke out, no protests were held, and at the end of the day, everyone left as peacefully as they came. Some happier than others because maybe they had won a gun or some other prize they were raffling off.

Oh, and did I mention that it was held by the PA STATE POLICE? Oh, I think I did. Did I also mention how many officers were actually there--off duty---enjoying the raffle themselves? A LOT. So much for crazy, gun toting Americans!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Deals of the Day


I love a bargain! Yes I do. And today I got one that I'm SO excited about! I had to pay a visit to my local JoAnn's store to buy more felt for my counting book (still in the process of making it but will post when finished). While there, two of the associates were trying to decide which tote they wanted to purchase. Then one of them informed me that these totes were on sale for $4.99--they were regularly $14.99!! Well, I had to go take a look for myself.

So I walked around the corner and couldn't believe what a bargain it was! These are nice sized totes--big enough to carry my laptop (which is what I plan on using it for), they have two side pockets (one inside, one out), PLUS they are reversible! Thick batting is also used between the fabrics to give it a very cushy feel--perfect for protecting my laptop. They only had three colors to choose from, but since I'm not picky, that was fine by me! This blue one is the one I chose.

Another bargain I got today was this adorable pattern. It's by Simplicity and they are also on sale for $1.99 each. I love it! I can't wait to make some of these cute baby things!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Cupcakes & Ice Cream

Isn't it funny how certain items become popular? I always wonder how these things start. Who decides what is to be popular and what is not? And once something does become popular, why must we all have it? I have noticed that cupcakes are the "in" thing right now. Not just the food itself, but anything having to do with cupcakes. You see them all over: shirts, purses, toys, book covers, even wall art.

With that in mind, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and make some cupcakes. Not the kind you eat (to be honest, I'm not much of a "cake" eater. I know, I know, there's something wrong about that)but rather the kind you can hang on your wall. And they turned out cakefabulous if I do say so myself! These would be SO cute hanging in your kitchen, bakery, craft room..even your little girl's room!And what would a cupCAKE be without a little ice cream to go along with it? So, I made ice cream cones too! They are creamtastic! Best of all, these could go in boys' rooms (the girls can't have all the fun!).So if you're hungering for some cute wall decor, drop in my shop and buy yourself a half dozen cupcakes and a couple of ice cream cones! I can also customize these in colors of your choosing too of course :)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Redesigned Teething Toys

If you had read my previous post you know that I and other sellers have had problems with a certain patent. Due to this, I have decided to redesign my teething toys to prevent etsy from pulling my toy sets yet again. I must admit, it does irritate me to no end that I have to do this because of this woman who seems to have the idea that no one other than herself may use ribbon loops on any baby items.

Be that as it may, I did sew on my ribbon loops in another fashion before I decided to just redesign them altogether. Since her patent reads that the ribbon has to be sewn INSIDE a seam, I decided to sew them to the OUTSIDE back of the toy. Now, this probably would've worked, but there was a bit more work involved and it was a bit more difficult to topstitch neatly around the toy while making sure the ribbon stayed in place.
So, because of this, I just decided that a redesign was in order. So, my NEWLY designed teething toys only have ONE ribbon loop that holds the teething ring. Because I can no longer put more loops around the toy, I decided I needed to add something to make up for the loss of the ribbons. So I put a squeaker inside! Maybe babies would actually prefer the squeaker to the ribbon loops anyway. After all, they do like making noise lol.
So, there you have it. And to be quite honest, I hope I sell more of these than "you-know-who" sells of her TAGGIE blankets and toys! So there!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Patent Problems

As some of you may know, some sellers on etsy and ebay have had some of their handmade baby toys/blankets removed because of patent infringement. There is a company called Taggies, Inc and they are going to handmade selling sites, stores, online shops, etc. getting baby toys/blankets that have ribbon loops on them removed because they infringe on their patent. The woman who has the patent is named Julie M. Dix.

Now, according to quite a few people, these toys/blankets have been around for quite some time (as far back as the 70's) so for this person to have a patent on something she didn't quite "invent" herself is beyond belief, but to have items removed is even worse. Especially when some of these items are obviously not infringement. I did find out that if it can be proved these items were actually made (via photo, article, etc.) before 2003, then it would make her patent null & void since, apparently, she is NOT the inventor of these toys/blankets.

There are a great number of sellers out there who are getting very weary of her antics. She has gone above and beyond to harass some sellers. It is my belief that she has a serious power trip going on. She seems to think that using ANY ribbon loops on ANY type of item is infringing on her patent. She also seems to think she owns any word associated with "taggies". While she may have copyrights to the word "Taggies", as far as I am concerned, she does NOT own the words, "tag", "taggy", or any other word of that nature.

I have had my teething toy/wrist rattle sets removed because of this woman. And I am more than a little infuriated. I have revamped them and relisted them on etsy. I opted to cut my ribbon loops so that they are now separate pieces of ribbon. I left one loop to hold the teething ring. This should not infringe on her patent since I only have one loop (her patent refers to having loops ALL the way around the toy).
But, we shall see what happens because it appears that etsy won't get into this mess and if she says someone's toy/blanket infringes on her patent, they just seem to pull it without reading the patent themselves to verify this information. Which also infuriates me. Etsy has said that they are only a marketplace and therefore won't get into any legalities. However, I do think they owe it to their customers to at least make sure their items infringe on a patent before they take said patent holder's word for it and just pull items.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Art Aprons

I decided to take a break from my Christmas crafting (yes, that’s right, I said “Christmas”) to try something new for my shop. I hadn’t listed anything new yet this year and thought that I really needed to do that. So, I perused my ideas list and decided to try my hand at making art aprons for kids.

Normally when I start a new project, I get a bit excited and nervous at the same time. Excited because I love to create. Nervous because there is always that fear that things won’t work out how I would like and I will be forced to give up. Not that I’m a quitter! It takes quite a few tries at something before I will actually give up on it. Mostly because I’m stubborn and I. MUST. WIN.

With this in mind, I was quite surprised at how fun and easy these aprons were to make! So fun in fact, that I’ve made three of them in the past two days (all three are listed in my shop) which is pretty good for me since I’m usually a one- project-a-day kind of person.Oh, and not only were they fun, but they were a great way to use the HUNDREDS of fat quarters I have in my stash J Ok, that last was a bit of an exaggeration, but you know what I mean!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Logo Bookmark Tutorial

I truly appreciate my customers. As a thank you, I like to enclose a free gift with every order. Something small, yet something that will let the customer know I appreciate their business. I've been giving away corner bookmarks, but I thought, "What about full sized bookmarks"? And wouldn't it be neat if I could put my logo on them so the customer would remember my shop? So, how to do it?

I decided to use my shop banner for my design. I resized it to 35% (you may have to play around to get yours the correct size)and printed it out. Then I cut around it with decorative scissors. I cut it small enough that I could put a background behind it to make it "pop" a bit more.Next, I needed to make a background. I used solid color card stock (but you can use designed card stock if you wish). Using my bookmark lamination sheet (mine measures 2 1/8" x 6" but you can buy them in various sizes), I made a template. You will have to make this slightly smaller than your lamination sheet. If you are using 4"x6" or 5"x7" sheets, you can make these any size you wish. Just cut them out after you've laminated them. I drew as many backgrounds as I could get onto my card stock sheet. I did manage to get six out of an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet and 12 from a 12" x 12" sheet.Apply double sided tape to the back of your design. Center over your card stock background and tape into place. I decided to write my shop site on the backside.
Place your bookmark into your lamination sheet and laminate! Now you have a nice little gift to give to your customers!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Why Women Shouldn't Take Men Shopping

Anyone that knows me knows I love a good laugh. My aunt recently sent me this joke and it had me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. I thought it would be fun to pass along and maybe if you're having a bad day, this will make you forget about it for a brief moment. Enjoy!
*****************************************************
After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Target.

Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is like most women - she loves to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Target.

Dear Mrs. Samuel,

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and
have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Samuel, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people's carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: He made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away'. This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money.

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' EMTs were called.

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed
through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'

And last, but not least:

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.' One of the clerks passed out.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Being There

My little great nephew Brody (whom I refer to as my little leprechaun)was born on New Year's eve two years ago. I didn't get to see him in person until he was 18 months old. It's very difficult when you live 750 miles away from your family and only see them once a year. Especially when the little ones seem to grow so fast!Because of living so far away, I don't get to go to very many b-day parties or family events. But, thanks to modern technology and the internet, I was fortunate enough to attend little Brody's 2nd b-day party yesterday. How is that possible you ask. Why the answer is just a download away--Skype. I had recently discovered this wonderful program shortly after I received my laptop. My laptop has a built-in camera and I was so excited to discover this because now, even though I can't be at family events and holidays in person, I can still "be" there.Niece Amy and my Brother (her dad) Bub.

So, thanks to Skype I got to visit with family and friends for two hours while they gathered together to celebrate the New Year and little Brody's second year of life. It was a lot of fun and I along with my family, enjoyed it. Now if only they could invent a computer that would let you give real hugs and kisses.Amy (Brody's mom) & her newest, Chase

Friday, January 1, 2010

Reorganization

I am generally an organized person. I like to keep things neat and pretty and in their place. However, sometimes I get distracted (or to be more blunt: lazy) and don’t keep things as organized or as neat as I intend to. During the Christmas holiday, I became quite busy with orders and because of this, I found that I had made a mess of my fabric. I kept telling myself, “When the rush is over, I’ll straighten it all out.” I really did have the intention of doing this, I swear!

After things slowed down, I thought that I had better do something with my fabric mess. While looking at it I also came to the decision that I no longer liked the way I had it arranged. I have had my fabric arranged in different ways twice now. First I had it wrapped around cardboard. Same cardboard they use in the fabric stores only cut down to size. That worked pretty well but I decided to change that because it wasn’t very convenient when I had to unroll all the fabric off the bolt for smaller pieces.

So then I decided to roll it and put it in baskets. That worked pretty well for awhile but when I would buy new fabric, I would have to try to jam it in it’s proper basket. I was running out of room! So I had to figure out another way to organize my fabric.
I was inspired by fabric sellers on etsy and the way they would have the fabric stacked in their pictures. It looked so pretty and neat! But how much room would that take up (I’m limited on space)? Well, what the heck, I decided to try it out.
It took me a couple of tries to figure out how to fold my fabric so it would fit neatly in the metal cubes I use. I did manage to get it accomplished in less than a week though! And I am quite pleased with the way it looks. I can also shuffle through them and see what I have on hand easily enough. I still kept the stacks in themes (animal, baby, novelty, misc, floral, and flannel). That was one thing I didn’t want to change when I decided to reorganize.

I liked the way it looked so much, I decided to do my fat quarters the same (they’re stacked on top of the cubes)! So, how do you like it? If you have any fabric organization tips or techniques, I’d love to hear/see them because, I’m sure, I will reorganize again in the future. I guess I like change.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Are You Scared?


This is Brody.
He's a year old.
He weighs 18 lbs.
He likes to steal his Mom's food after he's eaten all his.
He doesn't care.

Mom is pregnant with his baby brother.
She's hungry.
He doesn't care.

Mom asks for a bite of HER sandwich.
Brody's baby brother is hungry.
He doesn't care.

This is the face Brody makes if she tries to take back her sandwich
Are you scared yet?

Monday, October 26, 2009

And the Winner Is....

The winner of the tote giveaway is Christian!! Congrats!! I'll just need an address so I can send you the tote! Thanks for entering!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Art Case

Last year I had made my little great nieces and nephews coloring totes for Christmas. They were tote bags that were the perfect size for holding a couple of coloring books and a box of crayons. They absolutely loved them! Being the person I am, I always look for ways to improve some of the things I make (either I'm a perfectionist or just plain anal--you be the judge).

While getting a cross stitch project all ready to work on, I took a look at my project case. Inspiration! Why couldn't I take this same idea and make an art case for kids? Maybe instead of just holding a couple of coloring books and box of crayons, it could hold a bit more. I have had this idea brewing for some time now, but of course as usually happens, it got put on the back burner while I worked on other projects.

A couple of nights ago, I thought to myself: Christmas is coming. I have a few baby items in my shops now, so I should work on something for older children. What about that art case idea?! Sure! Why not? So the other day, I made a sketch of my idea. Then I proceeded to figure out measurements, etc (all the "fun" stuff!). And walla! I have made my first art case! I must say, it turned out quite well--the first time! I know, right? When does anything ever turn out right the first time lol.

So here is the finished product! It will hold 12 crayons and markers (each in it's own pocket), coloring book(s), activity books, or whatever books you choose to put in it. It also has a pouch so your budding artisan can store scissors, stickers, glue, etc. I had planned to put a sketch pad in it, but not quite wide enough. It will hold coloring books and other books though so I'm debating whether I should make it wider for a sketch pad.

So, let me know what you think! I would love to get these listed in the shop ASAP so any suggestions or ideas for improvement will be very much welcome! Also, should I include the supplies (crayons, markers, coloring books) or no? Or should I make that up to the buyer? And most importantly, how much would you be willing to pay for something like this (with or without supplies)?

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Tote Giveaway


Are you looking for a new tote but don't want to pay a lot of money? How about a free one? I am having a giveaway for this cute little tote. It would be perfect to carry to the beach (for those of you who aren't freezing this time of year), shopping, or you can use it for your every day bag!

It's made of brightly colored cotton fabrics and contains plenty of pockets to keep your essentials well organized.

Top and lining of bag feature bright blue striped fabric while bottom and handles of bag are black with brightly colored stars. Front and back pockets have brightly colored stripes on a white background.

There are seven various sized pockets inside. Bag closes with a magnetic snap that is located on the tab and body of bag. Batting is used inside of bag for durability and stiffness.

To enter giveaway, just visit either (or both) of my shops and let me know which item(s)you like best.
www.LilBitSassy.zibbet.com
www.LilBitSassy.etsy.com

For extra entries, tweet about it, post it on Facebook, blog about it, or follow my blog. Just post separate comments with links.

Giveaway ends Oct. 25th. I will post winner's name on the 26th. Be sure to post a contact link (email, blog, twitter, FB, etc.)

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

More Interesting Facts

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S. Treasury. --Well that might've been true LAST year.

Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

It is impossible to lick your elbow.

The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska

The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)

The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%

The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $16,400

The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair..

The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

San Francisco cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David
Hearts - Charlemagne
Clubs -Alexander, the Great
Diamonds - Julius Caesar

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987, 654,321

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace

Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession

Q.. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A'?
A. One thousand

Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers have in common?
A. All were invented by women.

Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey

Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day

Did you try to lick your elbow?

How Did that Phrase Come About?

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have, 'Rule of thumb'

Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden'.. .and thus, the word GOLF entered into the English language.

In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase...'Goodnight , sleep tight'

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.' It's where we get the phrase 'mind your P's and Q's'

Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. 'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Wrist Rattles


I am so excited about my latest project! I have made quite a few of these and they are so fun! Introducing wrist rattles for babies. They feature cute prints that babies will love. Each of them are stuffed lightly with polyfil and contain bells for a soft jingling sound when baby shakes his/her arm. Velcro on the bands make these fit even the smallest wrist. These are listed in all my shops and would make a great addition to your gift basket--or stocking stuffer! Christmas will be here before long!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Why I Love Charm Packs


I love charm squares. What are charm squares? They are precut coordinating squares of fabric (usually 3-5” squares) that come in 20-80 piece packs. Why do I love them? There are several reasons. For one, they are convenient. They are the perfect size for smaller projects. Being precut also means that some of the prep work has already been done—mainly the measuring and cutting of fabric. They’re also all the exact same size. Which means better uniformity in projects.

I also like the fact that they come in such wonderful prints, from babies to florals. You can also find them in cottons, flannels, or even home décor fabrics. You can make anything from quilts to totes with them. I have used them for sachets, coasters, totes, purses, and baby toys (I’m not a quilter). I’m sure in the future I will find even more projects in which to use them.

I also like the value factor. They usually cost $5 per pack and up (my quilt shop usually sells them from $6-$8). It all depends how many charms are in the pack and the designer. Let’s say for example, you purchased a pack of 40 charms for $8 and you wanted to make coasters with them. You could make 20 coasters (since they are usually coordinating fabrics, you have a front and back piece). You have spent 40 cents per coaster (not counting your interfacing). Now is that a bargain or what!

So the next time you visit your local quilt shop, take a gander at what charm packs they may have. You may be surprised at the variety and what you can make with them. You don’t even have to be a quilter to love them!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Taggy Toys


So what do you think? This is my newest project: taggy pillows! Aren't they cute? I was inspired to make these because my great nephew has a tag fettish. He has to have his blanket when he goes to sleep but not for the blanket itself, it's the tag he wants. That left me wondering what I could make for him that he would like as much as his blanket? Maybe some kind of toy with silky ribbon on it? And that's why I decided to make these taggy pillows.

They're soft and squishy and the ribbons are silky and soft. They are 4 1/2" square so they're perfect for little hands to hold and squeeze. I've been making them out of bright fabrics that babies like. They also have two plastic rings attached to give teething babies something to chew on. These can be removed for washing. You can find these and others in my etsy or artfire stores. They would make a great gift basket item!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The History of Sayings

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500's:

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & sold to the tannery.......if you had to do this to survive you were "Piss Poor". But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot......they "didn't have a pot to piss in" & were the lowest of the low. In Britain, in the 19 th century,the government imposed a tax on windows.The really poor bricked up their windows,to avoid paying the tax. Hence,they.."Did n`t have a pot to piss in, nor a window to throw it out of "..

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June.. However, since they were starting to smell . .. . brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip an d fall off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs.."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a thresh hold.

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus,someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer....

And that's the truth...Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Cat Blankie Giveaway



Isn't this cat blankie adorable? These are so great for babies, toddlers, or younger children. They are made with soft, cuddly flannel and measure 19" wide x 22" high. They're small enough that a toddler can carry them around quite easily without dragging them on the floor. The face is made from fleece that has been hand embroidered and appliqued onto the head. Safety eyes will not come off.

These have been toddler tested and approved. How, do you ask? It just so happened that my friend had her two grandsons yesterday and when I showed them to the youngest (who is just under two years old), he loved them! These would make great gifts.

Now, that all that is finished, would you like to win one? Here's how: just tell me a funny children's story or something hysterical that they've said. You can also earn extra entries by posting this on your blog or tweeting about it (leave links for me and extra comment(s) that you've blogged and/or tweeted). That's all there is to it! Also make sure I have a way of contacting you if you are the winner. I will pick the winner on August 1st.

Good luck!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar

No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice. Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey

He handed me a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.' Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' I said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.'
Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.' Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal,Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.'

As they were pulling away, Wally handed me another laminated card. 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.'
And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' Harvey asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?' Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining!

Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'' 'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers weren't friendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'

'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. How about us? Smile, and the whole world smiles with you.....The ball is in our hands!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Animal Blankies

After deciding I wanted to focus more on making baby/children items, I came up with these animal blankies. I had a pattern of the monkey, but after I made it, I thought I should come up with more animals. So, I made a teddy bear, cat, lamb, frog, and robots. I daresay they came out cute! Since these little blankies woke up my creative side, I have a list of other animals I'd like to try to make also. So I may be working on these for quite some time!

These are made from flannel fabric so they are nice and soft. The faces are made with fleece that are appliqued onto the heads. Face features are hand embroidered. They do have safety eyes but I guarantee these cannot be pulled off! These are the same type of eyes they use on stuffed animals. They measure 19" wide x 22" high so are small enough that a toddler can carry it around without tripping over it.

These are listed in my etsy shop as well as my Artfire shop. So, if you have a baby shower or b-day coming up, these would make great gifts!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Letter from Iraq

I know I normally blog about my business, but I felt the need to blog this letter from a soldier. I couldn't agree more with what he has to say and wanted to pass it on. Maybe people will stop and think about it and change the way they feel about certain things.

WRITTEN BY A SOLDIER IN IRAQ.

Okay, I need to rant.

I was just watching the news, and I caught part of a report on Michael Jackson . As we all know, Jackson died the other day. He was an entertainer who performed for decades. He made millions, he spent millions, and he did a lot of things that make him a villain to many people. I understand that his death would affect a lot of people, and I respect those people who mourn his death, but that isn't the point
of my rant.

Why is it that when ONE man dies, the whole of America loses their minds with grief. When a man dies whose only contribution to the country was to ENTERTAIN people, the American people find the need to flock to a memorial in Hollywood , and even Congress sees the need to hold a "moment of silence" for his passing?

Am I missing something here? ONE man dies, and all of a sudden he's a freaking martyr because he entertained us for a few decades? What about all those SOLDIERS who have died to give us freedom? All those Soldiers who, knowing that they would be asked to fight in a war, still raised their hands and swore to defend the constitution and the United States of America . Where is their moment of silence? Where are the people flocking to their graves or memorials and mourning over
them because they made the ultimate sacrifice? Why is it when a Soldier dies, there are more people saying "good riddance," and "thank God for IEDs?" When did this country become so calloused to the sacrifice of GOOD MEN and WOMEN, that they can arbitrarily blow off their deaths, and instead, throw themselves into mourning for a "Pop Icon?"

I think that if they are going to hold a moment of silence IN CONGRESS for Michael Jackson, they need to hold a moment of silence for every service member killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . They need to PUBLICLY recognize every life that has been lost so that the American people can live their callous little lives in the luxury and freedom that WE, those that are living and those that have gone on, have provided for them. But, wait, that would take too much time, because there have been so many willing to make that sacrifice. After all, we will never make millions of dollars. We will never star in movies, or write hit songs that the world will listen too. We only shed our blood, sweat and tears so that people can enjoy what they have.

Sorry if I have offended, but I needed to say it. Feel free to pass this along if you want...

Remember these five words the next time you think of someone who is serving in the military; "So that others may live..."