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Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category

From Garage to Bedroom: An Old Chair Gets a New Look

Posted in About me, Creativity, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 2, 2012| 7 Comments »

giving an old chair new life
If you’ve got the urge to spruce up your place and don’t want to spend a lot of money, go shopping in your own home first. Odds are you already have something in your home or garage that can be upcycled into something fabulous. Two weeks ago the decorating bug bit me and I’ve been busy transforming my oldest son’s former bedroom into a guest room. Gone into storage are his Pez collection and other bric-a-brac that he hasn’t looked at for over a decade. A new bedspread and throw pillows turn a formerly male-feeling room into a much brighter space. By hanging a painting taken from another room and placing one of my chintz teacups on the nightstand, the room instantly becomes inviting and cozy. “A small chair for guests to sit on or to put their luggage on would be a nice addition,” I think to myself. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on it, though. That’s when I remember an old chair in the garage. Buried under a pile of crap and with water-stained legs and a flat sticky seat, I’d almost forgotten about the chair I purchased over 20 years ago for my first furniture refinishing project. Time flies while you’re raising three kids.

I wanted to give the chair a shabby chic feel, so I did a little research on glazing furniture and then went off shopping for supplies. It was a relatively easy process and I’m really pleased with the chair’s transformation. It’s the perfect addition to my updated guest room!

Paint Supplies:
paint supplies for glazing furniture Kilz Primer
Satin or gloss spray paint
Glaze
Test-size flat paint, tinted to desired color
Wood glue, if necessary
supplies for glazing furnitureSmall paint brush
Rags, old ripped up tee-shirts worked great
Plastic container
Measuring cup
Paint stick
Bucket of water

Supplies for reupholstering:
batting for reupholsteringThick batting for cushion and thin batting to wrap around the seat

fabric for reupholsteringUpholstery fabric for seat cover and black fabric for underneath the seat
Large piece of paper, pen, and ruler for seat cover pattern
Supplies for reupholsteringStaple gun, hammer, and safety goggles

Instructions on Glazing the Chair:
1. Remove seat.
2. If the chair is wobbly, remove braces, gently knock apart the chair frame just enough to apply wood glue into the spaces. Screw back on the braces or use a vise grip to hold the parts together. Let glue set.
3. Minimal sanding is required, because the chair is meant to have an aged look and slight defects and imperfections are desired.
4. Spray one to two coats of primer, letting each coat dry thoroughly.
chair after priming
5. Spray with base paint as many times as necessary to get even coverage, letting each layer dry sufficiently.
6. Watch instructional videos Glazing Furniture 101 at All Things Thrifty.
7. Mix together 1 cup glaze with 1/4 cup paint in plastic container.
8. Brush on some of the tinted glaze and wipe off with a damp rag. Repeat process until all areas of the piece have been glazed. Rinse off rags in water as you go along. Layers of glaze can be reapplied for a darker look. Chair after glazing

Instructions on Reupholstering the Seat:
1. Remove tacks or staples from the seat cover underneath the seat.
2. Make the fabric pattern: using the seat as a template, trace around it on a large piece of paper. Determine the thickness of the batting you are using for the seat. Add this amount to the perimeter of the seat tracing. Add another inch or so to allow for stretching and tacking the fabric onto the back. Seat cover pattern
3. Cut out the seat fabric using the outer line. Cut the thin wrap-around batting using the second line in from the edge. Cut out the black fabric (for underneath the chair) using the third line from the edge. And finally cut the dense batting the size of the seat tracing.
4. On a clean surface with the right side of the seat fabric facing down, place the thin batting over the fabric. Next add the thick foam batting and then the seat itself.
5. Staple through the layers along one side first and then pull the layers taut on the opposite side and staple them down. Repeat with the other two sides. Adjust the corners and staple them down.
6. With seat cushion facing down, place the black fabric on top of the seat. Tuck under the raw edges and staple all the way around the seat.
7. Screw the seat bottom back on the chair and stand back and admire your fabulous creation!
Completed glazed chair

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/28/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Helping Others, Husbands, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 28, 2012| 2 Comments »

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) Butterfly

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly photo by Linnell Chang

Looking through a large kitchen window facing my backyard, I mindlessly wash dishes while my eyes take in the outdoor activities. Birds line up on a shepherd’s hook patiently awaiting their turn at a feeder. Butterflies busily flutter from blossom to blossom. Bees hover over the fountain and then stop to get a sip of water. I reach across the clutter on my kitchen counter for a basket containing gifts from my husband. He knows me too well – he knows I’m an information junkie. I pull out the binoculars he bought for me and zoom in on a feeder. Yes, just as I thought – there’s a new visitor to my yard. Carrying the basket of gifts outside, I thumb through the pages of the bird book he gave me and say in amazement, “How about that!” as I identify the little bird. Looking across the yard I see a black speck on a white chair. The speck is actually a butterfly – a Pipevine Swallowtail to be exact. And just how do I know that? My thoughtful hubby included a book on butterflies, too. He knew I would say, “I wonder what kind of butterfly that is?” So, tonight when my husband comes home from work and finds a pile of dishes in the sink, I’ll just have to say, “It’s all your fault!”

#1 – You Need to Know
Knowing that I post a lot of lists on ways to improve life, I hesitate to post yet another one. But when I remind myself that the premise of this blog is “sharing and encouraging joy in life,” I feel good about sharing another thought-provoking list. From Marc and Angel Hack Life is this list of 11 Things Everyone Needs You to Know. Below are the 11 “things” to tease your thoughts, but do give yourself a gift and read the entire article – it’s not very long at all:

1. You never really know how much the people around you are hurting.
2. The most important trip you will likely take in life is meeting others half way.
3. Relationships don’t create happiness, they reflect it.
4. Compassion comes back around.
5. Timing is everything.
6. Actions are the loudest form of communication.
7. A healthy relationship keeps doors and windows open.
8. People are more what they keep silent than what they say.
9. What others say and do is often based entirely on their own self-reflection.
10. Sincerity is giving without expectation.
11. Not every relationship is meant to last forever.

#2 – Short Stuff
Massage step Being short and only getting shorter, I have difficulty stirring tall stockpots for an extended amount of time. My arm gets so tired from being raised above shoulder height. Step stools never work, because they don’t allow me to work on adjacent burners without having to step up and down. Here’s a good idea and another thoughtful gift from my hubby. He bought me a massage step. Massage therapists use these when they work on larger clients. For me, a massage step provides a strong stable platform to stand on and to move about on when I’m cooking. No more dead-arm stirring and shoulder aches for me. If you’re short and need a lift, here’s the link to where my hubby purchased my massage step.

#3 – Uplifting
In certain areas around the small town of Águeda, Portugal, umbrellas decorate the skies. This colorful art installation is not only beautiful to look at, it also provides shade from the warm summer sun. Click here to see more photos.

#4 – The Power of Words
In its brief 1:47 minutes, this video depicts the power of words and how words can be a gift to others. “Change your words. Change the world.”

#5 – The Most Useful Gift
I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a fabulous weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/21/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Red Bartlett Pears

Red Bartlett Pears by Linnell Chang

The first day of autumn tip-toes in this Saturday. Nowhere is the change of seasons more evident than at farmers’ markets. Displays of summer produce, such as musk melons and heirloom tomatoes, nestle up against fall standouts, such as pears, apples, and butternut squash. Are you ready to let go of summer and welcome in fall?

The changing of seasons creates a whole-body, sensory reminder of the passage of time: Our internal clocks try to adjust to the changing lengths of day; our sense of taste and smell reacquaint themselves with seasonal palates; our eyes feast on the shifting colors around us; our skin begs to be covered or uncovered; our ears pick up once familiar sounds – birds chirping, winds gusting, air conditioners or heaters humming, leaves rustling, fires crackling . . . . At the beginning of each season, I always say “This one’s my favorite!” And so it is.

#1 – Pears
Pears are good sources of phosphorous and Vitamin A. When selecting pears look for firm, well-colored, aromatic fruit with no blemishes or bruises. Ripe pears should be refrigerated and will last anywhere from 2 days to a week. If they are not ripe, put them, bottom-sides down, in a paper bag and store in a cool place. To hasten the ripening process, put a banana or an apple in the paper bag with the pears. Visit local farmers’ markets to find more varieties of delicious pears.

#2 – Nature and Art

Neil Dawson Sculpture in Gibbs Farm

Neil Dawson Sculpture in Gibbs Farm

On a beautiful piece of land, complete with rolling hills and adjacent harbor, exists a spectacular sculpture collection. Gibbs Farm in New Zealand is home to more than two dozen enormous pieces of artwork. This interesting juxtaposition of calming rural scenery and contemporary art can be seen by appointment only and is definitely on my bucket list of things to do! Check out some of the installations and their descriptions on Twisted Sifter or go to the Gibbs Farm link above.

#3 – Sugar, Sugar

This week I read an online article in a Harvard Medical School publication regarding computer games and brain fitness. The article states, So far, it looks like simply playing games that require concentration won’t help you remember important names, faces, and appointments. What can work are practical tools designed to address specific problems encountered in daily life . . . to stay sharp, your mind needs regular workouts in creative thinking, problem solving, and intellectual focus. To stretch and exercise your brain, choose an activity you enjoy—reading, playing cards, or doing crossword puzzles are some good examples. If you’re feeling ambitious, try learning to speak a new language or play a musical instrument.

Well, I just discovered this Sugar, Sugar game in which a player has to figure out ways to funnel sugar into coffee mugs. I believe this game, and the others I’ve linked to in the past, all require concentration AND problem-solving. And since the Harvard article says that learning a new language is good for the brain, why don’t we just play our favorite games in different languages?

#4 – Eyes: Windows Into You

Eyes are not just the windows to your soul. They are also windows into your health. According to this pictorial article, “Eyes can be very helpful when it comes to diagnosing an illness.” Reading this article keeps you more in tune with what your body’s telling you and that’s a good thing.

#5 – The Two Most Important Days

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/14/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Photo by Linnell Chang

As if on a trampoline, squirrels jump through the canopy of my Japanese Maple tree. Every year they bounce and weave their way around the delicate branches in search of winged-seeds also known as samaras. Literally going out on a limb to get to these seeds, the squirrels break branches as they go, leaving behind branches bent at 90-degree angles and piles of broken branches below. Trying to keep an open mind, I remind myself that squirrels also need to eat. But thanks to a new bird feeder and some messy-eating birds, enough bird seed manages to fall to the ground to feed the squirrels and some ground-feeding birds, too. So far, so good – no new broken branches in sight.

#1 – Be Open

Photo by Linnell Chang

How open to life are you? Is your nose so close to the trees that you can’t see the forest? Leo Babuta wrote a post for Zen Habits titled How to Become Open to Life. Even if you feel you already lead an open life, this article is a good reminder of some of the ways we close ourselves down.

#2 – It’s Not What You Think
Imagine pairs of gummi worm chromosomes or ocean waves constructed on a roll of painter’s tape. Artist and photographer Kevin Van Aelst creates fascinating images and brings new meanings to “mundane and relatable artifacts of our daily lives.” His images force your brain to be open, to ignore the expected, and to focus on the grander idea.

#3 – Dishwashers Aren’t Just For Washing Dishes!
Are you open-minded enough to steam fish fillets in your dishwasher? Check out the versatility of this appliance by reading 6 Unconventional Uses For Your Dishwasher.

#4 – A Meal With Imagination
Even with an open mind, you wouldn’t eat the spaghetti made in this video! The fun food comparisons highlight the creativity of this production and make it enjoyable to watch.

#5 – Do Everything
“Do everything. Love as much as you can. It may hurt, but it helps us grow. Give all you have . . . you may be poor but you will be content. Always forgive . . . your heart can not afford not to. Teach what you know and learn what you don’t. Stay open to all.”
Unknown

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/7/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Organization, Pets, Photography, Style and fashion, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2012| 1 Comment »

After a day filled with swimming in the pool and catching Frisbees at the park, Buster, my grand-dog, wasn’t busting any more moves. Although still a pup, his grandparents managed to wear him out. By the time his parents came home from their honeymoon, a few weeks later, he was one tired dog. Life’s tough when you’re a spoiled puppy!

#1 – Hallie Paints
I love animals and I’m a sucker for dogs. Knowing that about me, you’ll understand why I had to post about a blind dog who paints and raises money for an animal rescue program. Read Hallie’s story, watch her paint, and then take a look at some of her work. Perhaps, you have the perfect spot in your home for one of Hallie’s works of art?

#2 – Top Tips
Who doesn’t like a tip that either saves you money or makes your life easier? Here are a few sites to check out:

Food Tips That Will Change Your Life
“Freeze grapes to chill white wine without watering it down.”

Unique and Useful Tips!
“Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.”

Coupons and Sales
“The Body Shop is offering free shipping with your order of $30 or more for the rest of today, 9/7 only.”

#3 – Time for a Shuffle Break?
Sometimes my blog posts write themselves and sometimes they need a little more help. Whenever I feel creatively blocked, I seek out one of my block-busters. Besides twirling my Greek worry beads and turning the handle on a little music box that plays “If I only had a brain,” playing computer games also helps me to relax and channel my creativity, not to mention procrastinate. Here’s a game called Shuffle that I just discovered. Play it and see if it doesn’t help you unwind a bit.

#4 – A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

“Conversations are at the heart of what it means to be human.” Theodore Zeldin
Photo by Steve McCurry

To visit photographer Steve McCurry’s blog is to go on a journey – a journey around the world and into the lives of others. His photographs provoke emotion and the accompanying quotes inspire.

#5 – Internally and Eternally Young
“Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair. In the central place of every heart there is a recording chamber. So long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer and courage, so long are you young. When your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism, then, and then only, are you grown old.”
― Douglas MacArthur

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/24/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Organization, Photography, Recipes, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The outside temperature says it’s another hot summer day, but the heat doesn’t stop me from going outside with my camera. I know I will never get this day back again, so I seek to capture bits and pieces of it to enjoy and to record in my memory. Looking through my camera lens, I see things differently. Something mundane or ordinary becomes extraordinary when focused on intently. If you always look at things from the same distance and in the same way, they will never change. However, if you zoom in on them, you might see them in new and exciting ways.

#1 – Creativity in the Kitchen
Creativity reigns in the kitchen if you think outside the box. Here’s a series of ideas from Easy Food that are so interestingly-good, they need to be shared!

#2 – Reuse It!
While cleaning out my craft closet this week, I came up with a way to keep my many spools of ribbon from becoming a tangled mess in their tray. After cutting tubular accordian-foam sleeves, that protect fruit packed in boxes, into narrow bands, I placed a band around each spool of ribbon. Each band gently prevents the ribbon from unrolling. These bands work so much better than rubber bands, which can crush the ribbon, or tape, which can leave a sticky residue on ribbon. I’ve also used these foam sleeves to keep my rolls of wrapping paper from unrolling and for protecting fragile Christmas ornaments while they are in storage. Three ways to reuse something that’s normally tossed away!

#3 – Dimensions in Art

Sculptural Painting by Shintaro Ohata

Born in Hiroshima, Japan, artist Shintaro Ohata creates work of art that depict the “little things in everyday life.” His charactersistic style tells his stories by combining 2-D and 3-D elements – by placing sculptures in front of paintings. Additional dramatic effect is created in his artwork by his extraordinary ability to paint light and by his use of a young girl as his subject and representation of youth.

#4 – Cases for Cheer
Here’s an example of someone who looks at and thinks about pillowcases differently. When her Great Aunt Willie passed away from ovarian cancer a few years ago, 10-year-old Madison Zenker, founded Cases for Cheer, a nonprofit that makes and donates colorful pillowcases to cancer patients. Now thirteen-years-old, Madison continues to bring cheer to those going through cancer treatment and is a wonderful example of how someone so young, with a simple idea and the desire to help others, gives hope for the future of our world. If interested in donating funds, fabric, or time to Madison’s cause, check out Cases for Cheer.

#5 – Fountain of Youth
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
Sophia Loren

Tap into your “fountain of youth” this weekend by doing something you love!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/10/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 10, 2012| 2 Comments »

Walking down the “white” carpet with a smile on my face and a handsome young man on my arm, I spied a dozen cameras pointed at me. For a fleeting moment, in my pretty dress and sparkling shoes, I felt like a celebrity. I wasn’t a celebrity, but I was something better – a very happy mother-of-the-groom being escorted down the aisle by the best man, my charming oldest son!

#1 – Taking Better Videos on your Smartphone
If someone was taking a video of the wedding processional using their smartphone, I hope they read “How Can I Shoot Better Video On My Smartphone?” first. Whether you’re a paparazzi or a parent or a grandparent trying to record special moments, you’ll benefit from these helpful tips provided in this Lifehacker article.

#2 – Those Deceiving Snacks!

It’s easy to be confused about which snacks are healthy and which ones are not. Most snacks start out with a healthy ingredient, but become unhealthy as other ingredients are added and processing takes over. Here’s a list of 50 Seemingly Healthy Foods That Are Bad for You from Shape Magazine. To whet your interest, I offer you the first dozen offenders on the list:

1. Microwave Popcorn
2. Light Salad Dressing
3. Trail Mix
4. Granola
5. Artichoke Spinach Dip
6. Flavored Fat-Free Yogurt
7. Dried Fruit
8. Flavored Soy Milk
9. Energy Drinks
10. Smoothies
11. Turkey Sandwich
12. Parfait

#3 – Creative Billboards

Creativity knows no bounds, as is illustrated in these billboards from around the world.

#4 – Food to Go or Go to Food?

Every month, somewhere in this world, there’s a food show, food competition, or food festival being held. If you like to travel and if you like to eat good food, you may want to arrange your travels around food festivals. Here are just a few on my food “bucket” list:

January – Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie (World Pastry Cup), Lyon, France

February – Salon du Chocolat (in French), Marseille, France

March – Paris Cookbook Fair, Paris, France

April – The Great American Pie Festival, Celebration, Florida

May – International Biscuit Festival, Knoxville, Tennessee

June – Arcata Bay Oyster Festival, Arcata, California

July – Garlic Festival, Gilroy, California

August – Maine Lobster Festival, Rockland, Maine

September – Ludlow Food Festival, England

October – Truffle Festival, Alba, Italy

November – Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, Kona, Hawaii

December – Baker’s Market, Vancouver, BC

For a more comprehensive list of food festivals all year long, go to foodreference.com

#5 – I Believe
“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”
― Audrey Hepburn

Have an unbelievably great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/3/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, inspiration, Marriage, Pets, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My BFF (Best Friend Forever) and I have known each other for forty years now. Next week we will celebrate our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. How time flies when your life is filled with love.

#1 – Rescuing Dogs
I don’t know anything about the organization Hope For Paws, but if you love animals, particularly dogs, as much as I do, you will cry while watching the rescue videos on its site. If you would like to adopt/foster the puppies in the video below, please contact the Bill Foundation.

#2 – Don’t Throw These Away!

My neighbor and I were commiserating the other day about how we can never throw anything away, because we know we can ALWAYS find another use for it. In Don’t Throw That Old Pallet Away, you’ll see some pretty amazing ways to repurpose old wooden pallets. Don’t you just love creative people!

#3 – It’s Okay to Be Negative

Art By Tang Yau Hoong

The space around and in between subjects in an image or a piece of artwork is called negative space. According to Wikipedia, “Negative space may be most evident when the space around a subject, and not the subject itself, forms an interesting or artistically relevant shape . . . .” Check out these 22 Artworks With Clever Use of Negative Space and see how Malaysian artist Tang Yau Hoong manipulates negative space in his work.

#4 – Pictures of the Day

Photograph by Don McLeish

Who doesn’t love a great photograph that tells a story or transports you to another place? You won’t be disappointed by these Top 50 ‘Pictures of the Day’ for 2012. They’re almost as good as the 2011 series.

#5 – The Paradox of Love
I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.
Mother Teresa

Have a lovely weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/13/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Helping Others, inspiration, Organization, Parenting, Style and fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 13, 2012| 2 Comments »

With only a few weeks left before my son’s wedding, I am the picture of calm. Why then, does everyone ask me, “How are you doing? Are you stressed, yet?” Each time I smile and calmly reply, “No, no, of course not. I’m fine!” Their questions create momentary panic, though, and I begin to doubt myself. Should I be stressed? Why aren’t I stressed? Have I forgotten to do something? There must be something I’ve overlooked, because I’m not stressed. Then my “To Do” list pops into my head and I mentally review all the things that still must be done prior to the wedding. No worries, I have things under control – at least the things that I can control!

#1 – Room in a Box

For the last couple of years, my motto has been, “Less is More.” This new outlook of mine will shock those that know me as a collector and part-time hoarder, but it developed as I moved child after child out of their apartments and into new ones. When I saw this clever Room in a Box , my first thought was, “Wow, that would be so easy to move!

#2 – Sew and Sew

I could write a book about my recent woes with seamstresses. I ordered and purchased a dress from a bridal store for my son’s upcoming wedding. After two rounds of alterations, the dress was so tight, I could not move in it. When I complained about the fit to the dress designer/owner of the shop, she said, “You didn’t tell me you wanted to move. I thought you just wanted to look good in the pictures!” Seriously! In desperation I bought another dress to wear to the wedding and had the alterations done at the major department store where it was purchased. When I received the altered dress, I was disappointed to discover that one of the darts was noticeably puckered all along the seam. When my other son, the best man, took his dress shirt and wedding suit jacket to yet another place for alterations, one jacket sleeve turned out shorter than the other. The tailor had neglected to measure both of my son’s arms. I’ve learned my lesson and thank goodness I found a skilled seamstress who corrected the others’ poor workmanship issues. If you’re looking for a tailor/seamstress, make sure to read this article 10 Tips for Finding Your Perfect Tailor first!

#3 – Deal or No Deal?

A game of chance and a fun diversion from working at the computer, this game is very much like its television version. Deal or No Deal tests your luck and intuition. Select a briefcase and set it aside. Open up one briefcase at a time, hoping that you don’t come across the one that contains $100,000,000 because you want that amount to be in your briefcase. During the process the bank will tease and entice you with different dollar amounts to buy you out. On my first go-round my instinct led me to set aside briefcase #4 and I won a million dollars! If only it could be that easy!

#4 – Career Advice
What if you could receive career advice from someone at the very top of your chosen field? Let’s say a Nobel laureate. In the article, Careers Advice from Nobel Prizewinners, a few Nobel laureates were asked what advice they would give to someone planning a career in physics. Although their exact replies centered on scientific studies, the heart of their advice applies to any person pursuing any career:

1. You need passion.
2. Mentors matter.
3. You have to go out on a limb.
4. A dose of humility helps.
5. You can’t do it all.
6. Pursue your passion.

#5 – Do What You Came Here to Do
It is very important that you only do what you love to do. You may be poor, you may go hungry, you may lose your car, you may have to move into a shabby place to live, but you will totally live. And at the end of your days you will bless your life because you have done what you came here to do.
— Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/6/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »


Zooming in on three bees crawling on a purple thistle flower, I snap a photo and say to my husband, “Do you see what they’re doing?” As we stand in the warm Southern California sunshine, he replies, “Spreading pollen?” I look at him and say, “Yes, but they’re also ‘thistling’ while they work. Get it?”

#1 – Signs of Happiness
If you are happy, you will recognize these signs of happiness. If you are not happy, well, maybe it’s a sign that something needs to change in your life.
10 Signs of True Happiness - Networx

#2 – What About You, Now?
Mick Ebeling, the founder of the Not Impossible Foundation, poses these questions to people he meets, “If not now, then when? If not me, then who?” In this TED video he talks about how he and a team developed an invention that unlocked a paralyzed artist’s lost world.

#3 – Mind Games
Like your body, your brain needs exercise to stay in tip-top shape. After you do your morning stretches and exercises, sit down and play a few brain games. Play Mind Tree every day to keep your brain agile and alert. It will challenge your skills in logic, awareness, arithmetic and memory.

#4 – Love Stories

I’ve previously posted links to the blog Marc and Angel Hack Life and to its sister site Makes Me Think. I love reading both sites because they make me think and they inspire me to be better and to do more. 60 Tiny Love Stories to Make You Smile is a nice combination of both blogs.

#5 – The Best Day of Your Life
“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.”
Bob Moawad

Enjoy your weekend!

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