How To Make a Magnetic Test Tube Terrarium or moss on your fridge is way cooler than mold

I have been slowly adding some test tube terrariums to my Etsy shop- they are for charity and quite different from these, but I thought I would give you a little look into how the terrarium part is made.

To make one of these you will need:

1. a test tube with cork stopper
2. pen and paper (don't worry you won't have to actually draw anything)
3. a neodymium magnet - I never work with these things because they are way too strong for my usual work (and scare me)
4. rocks
5. charcoal (think fishtank)
6. moss (or some small terrarium plant) and dirt
7. some kind of long skinny plastic thingie
8. super glue


1. Put some super glue on your magnet and gently but firmly place your test tube on to the glue

(try not to glue your fingers together, break the test tube, cut yourself with the broken glass or screw this up in some other way - at this point you are probably thinking that it might be easier to just buy one of these from me and that is exactly what I want you to be thinking)

Hold it in place for a bit and then let it set- prop up the other end with another magnet- over night.

2. Roll your paper around your pen to form a tube (the paper should be longer than your test tube) and place the paper in the test tube

3. Add some rocks, followed by some charcoal followed by some nice rich dirt

4. Remove your paper and tap down with your plastic thingie

(if you try to use a metal thingie, it will mess with your magnet and you will be sorry, but again it may get you thinking you should just buy one from me, so maybe go ahead and stick a screwdriver in there)

5. Carefully drop in your moss (or plant), tap it down gently with your thingie, mist with a few drops of rain water (or tap water, but collect some rain for future waterings- I say give the moss what it would naturally get)



6. Cork that baby up and hang it up somewhere you will get to see it. By the way there are over 12,000 species of moss- I recommend Jersey moss because it is very hardy having grown up listening to all those awful Jersey jokes- which are untrue ... mostly.

Friday Finds - Spring Means CAMPING because campers have smore fun!

1. eden sunglasses by kaenon
2. patagonia lithia dress
3. gregory backpack
4. fadeout eyelet top
5. north face dome tent
6. orly genger by jaclyn meyer rope necklace
7. perception tribe kayak
8. cheerful welly print by sloeginfizz
9. collective names of animals t by xenotees

This month's Friday Finds are brought to you by the amazing wedding photographer Kella MacPhee. Thank you Kella!

Thoughtful Thursday - oh yes, you can

ust about everything worth doing is worth doing because it's important and because the odds are against you.

If they weren't, then anyone could do it, so don't bother.

Conversation by Seth Goden, Photograph by Adi Levy (of his mom)

NO Whining on Wednesday - feelin' lucky for St. Paddy's Day

I've been thinking alot about Whining Wednesdays lately and realize that (since I am the law of attraction in action girl, in case you missed that)

I really do need to be more positive.

I mean, it's kind of like walking around with an ungratitude journal and I don't want to be that kind of person

(or mess with Oprah)

so I think we need to add a NO to our Whining Wednesday routine and we can focus on all the ways we are lucky.

For instance, I was half watching You've Got Mail (no, not another Meg Ryan post, I promise) and seeing Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (I really won't mention her again) communicate back and forth with each other via email in complete sentences that I don't think anyone with less than seven hands could possibly type that quickly and accurately

and it made me realize that I am very lucky (#1) to have found Mr. Right before texting and email and instant messaging

because after watching me write something on screen, erase it, rewrite it and still not make any sense, my potential suitor would be convinced that it wasn't a real person he was talking to, but a small dog walking across the keyboard

and because I called him 'my potential suitor' - he'd probably think I was a total loser who wears polka dot ribbons, collects Speed Racer memorabilia and knows the lyrics to all Pat Benatar songs.

But he'd be wrong. Because I freakin' hate ribbons.

Unless they're blue and have my name on them, but I don't think I've ever had one of those.

Wait ... lucky #2, I did have a blue ribbon for the 5th grade standing broad jump and now that I think of it, where the hell is it? I had a few trophies that year, too and if I had them now I could set up one of those little showrooms for myself like those 4 year old pageant girls have and I have always wanted




I mean I admit this kid is cute, but is it really fair that she has all these trophies and I have none? ----->


and when people come over to visit me I could slowly maneuver them into my showroom and I could spend a few minutes reminding them about how awesome I am

actually scratch all that stuff because now that I'm thinking about it, I would rather be the kind of person who after receiving a Lifetime Achievement in Awesomeness award from the academy would just absent mindedly leave it in the restroom. I wouldn't miss it.

Wait, again ... now that I'm dreaming let's go back to my Academy Award because I can see myself whipping off a pair of oversized Gucci sunglasses and tucking them into an equally oversized hairdo that has the same texture as fiberglass insulation and thanking the academy and my daughter and hubby (and Olive, of course) and all the little people everywhere ...

and then I would tuck my award into my Michael Kors handbag that would actually be large enough to hold Michael Kors- before heading into the restroom where I would absent mindedly leave it behind and never think of it again ...

(that sounds better- with grateful thinking it is very important to take the high road)

And the #3 reason I am lucky is that this photo just magically appeared on my desktop and I am thinking that either I have the smartest dog on the planet or have been sleep- surfing the internet

(again)

I can't really decide if this product is awful or awesome ... but I am thinking maybe awesome and I love how they market the box directly to the pup with "Keep Yourself Warm and Your Paws Free" which I suppose is what caught Olive's attention since she likes to sleep all bundled up near the heater with her paws sticking out of the covers

so, now I am wasting a lot of time tiptoeing into the bedroom every few hours to try to catch Olive on the computer and I can't spend my entire day doing this since I am such a busy girl

(and there are so many other, more productive ways to procrastinate)

although if I discover that Olive can actually type faster and more accurately than I do

(or better than the average 7 year old which is about the same thing)

this would free up alot of time for me. Time that could be better spent involved in some trophy winning activities to get started on my show(off)room

(I have seen enough episodes of Toddlers and Tiaras to be fairly certain I could take those little brats)

and it would be kind of a relief to know that if my Man of Mystery (ie the husband who has threatened a marital lawsuit if I continue to blog about him on Wednesdays)

runs away to find a new girl

(maybe a girl with a permanently adhered paw covered snuggi and no internet service)

at least I can count on Olive to impress any potential suitors.


1. Wishbone necklace by Marolsha
2. Lucky stone button set by LockandSpoon
3. Do Not Freeze print by LuckyBunnyWorldwide
4. Lucky spirit quartz necklace by PiperTree
5. Lucky Locket Set By Polarity

SPECIAL at both my Etsy shops- a free pair of matching earrings with any necklace or locket purchase in either of my shops Uncorked or Polarity - just write Yup, I Feel Lucky (or some such something) in the comments to seller section of your order. Offer good thru 3/31!

Take 10 Tuesday - some stuff you might not want to miss

1. CHECK OUT What Truly 'Wealthy' People Think About Money over at The Artist Farm.

2. READ Designing Sticky Products by the amazing Megan at Crafting an MBA

3. READ Brenda's (Phydeaux) great series on To Hire or Not to Hire over at PaperNStitch.

4. WATCH Planet Green's 100 Places to Remember Before They Disappear

5. SEE OK Go's BRILLIANT This Too Shall Pass video on Ngan's (eNVeJewelry) wonderful blog.

6. TO DO NOW Starting Seeds Indoors is a wonderful post on Design Sponge.

7. LISTEN TO Naomi interview Michael Bungay Stanier who wrote Do More Great Work - loved his idea of separate space for your good vs. great work- I've always naturally done this, if you're not, maybe it is something to try

8. I LOVE Christine Kane and she is offering a free download of her 2 part series How to Turn a Set-back into a Comeback

9. MY OWN slightly boring post for Artisan's Collective on Repetitive Stress Injuries and how not to turn your body into a machine (because it will break)

10. CHECK OUT - some amazing new work over at LilFishStudios that will inspire you!

GIVEAWAY - Gorgeous Kristina Marie Recycled Paper GARLAND As Seen in Martha Stewart Weddings CLOSED

AND THE WINNER IS:
True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 462
Result:
444

Carzoo Critters! Congrats Breanna and thank you to everyone who entered!

KristinaMarie is the amazing Etsy shop where the most beautiful recycled paper garlands are created!

Kristine Osborne's gorgeous work was recently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings Spring 2010 issue as a stunning example of an amazingly unexpected way to decorate ceremony chairs.



You will find so many uses for her beautiful paper work! We are so lucky to have one of Kristina Marie's amazing garlands for our giveaway.


WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive this Gorgeous Recycled Hymnal Paper Garland Strand in Color - 10 feet / as seen in Martha Stewart Weddings Spring 2010!


HOW TO WIN:

Check out KristinaMarie's shop and leave a comment below with your contact info!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:

MIDNIGHT on Sunday, March 28th! Good luck!! CLOSED

Friday Finds - We've Got Spring FEVER!

1. calypso shirt
2. mushroom log - grow shitakes
3. anna marie horner fabric
4. flamingo
5. marin bike
6. green book marker by yuruliku
7. bird feeder
8. retro chair
9. fish n eddie's glass
10. weber grill

This week's Friday Finds is brought to you by the amazing wedding photographer Kella MacPhee. Thank you Kella!

Thoughtful Thursday - be ready

erhaps this very instant is your time.

Practice photo by Julie Blackmon, Preparation Quote by Louise Bogan

Whining Wednesday or it's time to live the dream, folks

Now I know it's Wednesday, which is usually a good excuse for me to whine about a few things, but lately I've been feeling much too positive about my future and

(maybe due to this never-ending cold that keeps me from thinking straight)

I find my dreams really reaching for the sky ...

for instance, Dream 1 - I sent my media kit

(yes, I have a media kit- it does contain a picture of Meg Ryan- but I don't think anyone will notice, since you don't really see her around much anymore and no one remembers her real face anyway)

to some magazines and am hoping for a product mention, but what I really want is to be described in print somewhere as being incredibly fit and attractive.

(I mean, other than in something I've written about myself.)

(oh, and maybe if the word 'annoying' wasn't used, that would be cool, too.)

So, the magazine could show a picture of my cork jewelry and say something like, Uncorked's incredibly fit and attractive designer Catherine Ivins ... yadda yadda yadda - there must be some way a clever copywriter can work this in for me.

Dream 2 - The other thing I really want is to be driving at some ridiculously high rate of speed and have to perform some challenging yet delicate maneuver - like swerving to stop a burning, runaway school bus full of orphans or avoid a little parade of baby ducks

(or maybe just once I won't hit the curb when I pull out of the bank drive-thru)

my passenger - perhaps Ben Stiller - he seems like a good sidekick - will be screaming obscenities, partly out of relief and partly out of total awe for my amazing driving skills, but I won't even notice.

Then, I'll park the car, doing one of those amazing swerve into a parking space backwards thing, and we'll get out to go to the station - because we're undercover FBI agents too, I forgot that part - and he'll have to jog to keep up with me

and then he'll kind of slap me on the back and say, "Hey, nice driving back there partner."

And I'll just shrug and say something like, "Yeah, well ... I do what I can."

And then he'll tell me that I look incredibly fit and attractive.

The days when you can extinguish an orphan and help a baby duck back to the pond ... well, those are the days when you're really living the dream, folks.

and I know these dreams are big and bold, but that's just the kind of girl I am ...


1. Searching for Fairy Tales print by This Years Girl
2. Larimeloom's dreamy silk camisole
3. Dreaming print by Corid
4. AKACinders Dreamy Cotton Candy Eco Felt Necklace
5. RoughMagicCreations A Robin's Pearls has me dreaming of spring

Take Ten Tuesday - some stuff you need and some stuff you need to know

A few things you might miss if you don't take a little time out (you deserve it):

1. Join ThredUp and start exchanging your clothes for stuff you might actually wear.

2. Check out Warby Parker Eyeglasses - you buy a pair, they give a pair to someone in need.

3. Read The Art of the Email post from Bakery

4. The Girl Scouts are out and about with their cookies - support them!

5. Listen to Engagement Marketing for Your Crafty Business at my fave craft podcast site Crafty Pod

6. Read Kirsty Hall's post on The Wisdom of Mistakes over at Make and Meaning

7. Watch Keith Loutit's amazing videos over on Vimeo

8. Read Tinahdee's great post for the Artisan Collective- Don't Have a Plan

9. Try this great Reusable TeaBag Tutorial from Ojamiya on EcoEtsy.

10. Watch Sandra Bullock thank her mom for keeping her out of cars with boys - don't we just love her!

Meatfree Mondays- saving our planet one hamburger at a time

A new study coming out of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies shows that when it comes to the net contribution to climate change the world's biggest problems are 1. on-road transportation, 2. burning biomass for cooking

(more than three billion people, or half the world’s population, cook in their homes using traditional fire and stoves; burning biomass fuels like wood, dung and crop waste. Day in and day out, for hours at a time, families breathe in lethal fumes from these cooking fires!)

and 3. raising animals for food.

If you are reading this, you probably do not use a biomass stove for cooking, but changing your diet can be the greatest and greenest personal lifestyle choice.

There are many reasons to decrease or eliminate meat consumption including compassion for other living things

(56 billion animals - 10 billion in the U.S. - are raised and slaughtered annually for food- hubby and I loved the Temple Grandin movie on HBO last month so much that we watched it two times in the same night, but even though her work made slaughterhouses more humane, they are still slaughterhouses and it's hard to think that our purchases support them)

the impact on our health

(eating less meat may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity)

and meat consumption's impact on the environment.

GASES: The livestock industry produces 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Who would think global warming by cow farts would not be a laughing matter!

LAND INTENSIVE: Livestock production is land intensive: a recent report by Greenpeace on land use in the largest meat producing state in Brazil found that cattle production was responsible for vastly more deforestation than all other crops combined.

CEREAL CROPS: A third of all cereal crops, and well over 90% of soya, goes into animal feed, not food for humans. Eating less meat will free up a lot of agricultural land which can revert to growing trees and other vegetation, which, in turn, will absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

WATER: Livestock production is water intensive: it accounts for around 8% of global human water use. The estimated 634 gallons of fresh water required to produce one hamburger is enough for a four-hour shower!

POLLUTION: Livestock production is the largest source of water pollutants worldwide- principally animal wastes, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and pesticides used for feed crops, and sediments from eroded pastures.

And worst of all, the meat industry is set to double its production by 2050 so even if they manage to lower emissions by 50%, as they have promised to, we will still be in the same position!

Meatfree Mondays is a wonderful program with delicious recipes by amazing chefs and some great ways to work small changes into your life that can make a global impact.

We have been doing this for a while now and have cut meat back to the weekends- I am still working on eliminating meat completely. Meatfree Monday is a good place to start for the serious changes we all need to make for a healthier lifestyle for ourselves and our planet.

New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants, too much fast food) and how it's putting the entire planet at risk.

It's 20 minutes, but if you listen to it while you are making dinner you won't regret it, I promise.

Friday Finds - happy first weekend of March everyone!

1. Kim Kyung Soon's gorgeous photography for Korean Vogue.



2. The stunning metalwork of Tinahdee.




3. Hanging test tube ceramic vases


4. Lauren Moffatt's beautiful spring (YAY) collection.



5. The awesome BookBOOK leather case for MAC.



6. Kendra's amazing plantable and recycled tags at GreenPost.

7.Phydeaux's gorgeous new polymer buttons.



8. Illustration By Goscia's magical little gnomes.



9. The adorable illustrations of French artist Anne Cresci of Matilou.


10. And yes, Matilou has a locket!

Thoughtful Thursday - try different

he usual mantra is to 'try harder'. Trying harder is impossible when you're already trying as hard as you can.

But, you can always try different.

If it's not working, harder might not be the answer."

Try different.

Conversation by Seth Godin, Tape Lust by Jen Menard

Whining Wednesday or a bad gag reflex, a cracker barrel funeral and when you can't trust your dog who can you trust

So, I took a week off from my blog to get caught up and instead I caught something and have been feeling lousy (Whine 1)... again - yes, I have been sick three times in the last six months after not even catching a cold last year ...

some people say that when life gives you lemons you make lemonade

but, I think, these are the same people who have one of those "Hang In There" posters of a kitten clinging to a branch in their bedroom and collect Precious Moments figurines.

(so obviously we should ignore them)

Whine 2 - Now, because hubby had been waiting on me hand and foot

(sort of)

and because we were in the area and because I was feeling and looking terrible and didn't want to see anyone I knew and because we really like to party I agreed to eat dinner at ...

(Jaws soundtrack)

the Cracker Barrel.

Hubby loves the Cracker Barrel. I hate the Cracker Barrel.

Now, I have to admit there is a little bit of marketing genius in the way they manage to get us to wander around their 'store' while we wait for them to call us to the table

(I would actually like to try this at my next family gathering, maybe make a few bucks off my jewelry as the relatives wait for the dinner bell)

But, I am terrified to eat there because in the case of any kind of natural disaster, the antique pitch forks, hand saws, and pick axes that cover the walls could fall and impale me, and I'm thinking that would be one totally undignified way to die.

I mean could you imagine how embarassing it would be to have your obituary read -"Catherine died at her favorite table, facedown in the baked country casserole. In lieu of flowers, her family is requesting donations to the NRA."

I spent the entire meal praying that my life wouldn't end within 20 feet of a bin packed with Statue of Liberty music boxes, John Deere snow globes and a clearance priced Big Mouth Billy Bass.

Whine 3 - I am a terrible pill taker. Actually I am a terrible medicine of any kind taker. I hold my nose when I swallow the airborne fizzy water and then need to take a bite of a cookie before I let go.

I used to have a co-worker we’ll call Cindy Bennis

(because that was her name)

and every day at lunch Cindy would make a huge production out of taking her birth control pill, chomping it down like the Cookie Monster.

Tacky (but also reassuring that she wasn't trying to reproduce).

Anyhoo, I always think of Cindy when I have to take a pill and like Cindy, I like to make a big production out of it.

"I GUESS IT'S TIME TO TAKE MY MUCCINEX ... FOR MY CHEST COLD ... BECAUSE I'M SICK ... "

mostly because if I choke on the pill I want someone around me alert enough to do a quick heimlich maneuver on me

Actually, Olive is the only one who comes running when I holler out like this, but she is pretty smart ...

and speaking of Olive Whine 4 - my daughter found a picture online of a chihuahua/beagle who looked exactly like Olive (I would post the picture, but now we can't find it) and since Olive has always led us to believe she was a boston terrier/beagle we have been a bit upset about this.

Not that we have any special fondness for boston terriers or problems with chihuahuas, but we just feel like we've been lied to you know.

(stares Olive down)

it's kind of like if your grandparents told you that you were related to Woodrow Wilson and you spent your whole childhood telling people you were related to Woodrow Wilson and then along came the internet and you discover that you are not related to Woodrow Wilson and not even to Woodrow Wilson's wife's sister-in-law's second cousin.

(not that this has happened to me- dammit grandma)

so, we've been looking at Olive a little suspiciously lately and wondering what else she has been hiding from us

we're going to keep her around anyway, obviously

(because she knows too much about us)

and we love her and all that .. plus she's the only one I can count on to heimlich me if I choke on these damn muccinex...

Take Action TODAY or alfalfa is not just the kid on the little rascals with the bad hair

A few years back, Monsanto illegally won USDA approval for its genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa by convincing regulators to bypass a mandatory environmental review.

In response to a lawsuit by consumer groups, the courts then stepped in and banned GE alfalfa until the USDA followed the law.

In December, the USDA finally released its review of Monsanto's GE alfalfa seed and determined that Monsanto's alfalfa met government standards, despite the risk of organic contamination.

This conclusion came despite the acknowledgment by USDA researchers that GE alfalfa is virtually certain to "contaminate" normal seeds. Cross-contamination is the number one concern with genetically engineered crops!

Organic contamination is devastating for organic farmers, especially organic dairy farmers, most of whom use organic alfalfa for feed. The presence of even the smallest amount of GE material can cause a farm to lose its organic certification.

And court documents indicate that early plantings of GE alfalfa did contaminate conventional alfalfa. Yet the USDA maintains that Monsanto's existing safety protocols are good enough which is ridiculous.

The USDA also concluded that the possibility of contamination of organic fields is of no concern, since consumers won't care if their organic food or milk contains genetically engineered components. (!!!!)

The USDA is accepting public comments on Monsanto's application through Wednesday, March 3.

If you have a few seconds to take some action on this here is some possible wording:

"I am writing in regard to Docket APHIS-2007-0044, and I demand that the USDA reject Monsanto's application to market genetically engineered alfalfa. The USDA may not believe it matters if GE alfalfa contaminates organic and other non-GE crops, but I certainly do.

Consumers must be able to avoid genetically engineered products. Farmers must be free of the threat of contamination and the USDA must not put organic farmers' livelihoods at risk. The USDA admits that approval of GE alfalfa will make transgenic contamination inevitable. This is unacceptable.

Therefore, I urge you to reject Monsanto's application to sell genetically engineered alfalfa."

Here is the USDA link.

GIVEAWAY - Inkling Prints GORGEOUS Cushion Cover CLOSED

CLOSED- AND THE WINNER IS HOLLY AKA GOLLY! Chosen by Random.org True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 571
Result:
14

Inkling Prints is a new shop from the United Kingdom with beautiful hand printed pillows and bags. Each design is hand printed onto fabric.

Kiran creates and carves her designs on lino and individually prints each item in her Leicester studio. She also just discovered she is expecting a new baby and she is busy moving and moving her studio, so she is one busy lady!


We are so luck to have one of her gorgeous pillow covers for our giveaway this week!

WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive this gorgeous hand printed Inkling Prints oblong pillow color in red!




HOW TO WIN:

Check out Inkling Print's amazing shop and let Kiran know which item is your favorite!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:

MIDNIGHT on Sunday, March 14th! Good luck!! CLOSED

I Don't Like Mondays or I will be back in 168 hours

If life were a dog race that would be me way in the back there trying to catch up.

(I do look kind of cute, though, don't I?)

So, as I try to get my website finished and my linesheets finished and get Olive's butt into our first tradeshow, I am going to avoid posting here for 168 hours

(or 7 days or 1176 hours in dog years)

to get some things done.

I have extended last week's giveaway for one more week and everyone who entered last week will get double entries! It's a good one, so if you haven't entered and like to eat actual food that was prepared by a real person and not a machine- check it out.

This no posting thing is going to be hard though because I really want to whine about discuss the marketing 'guru' who ripped me a new one, what my Crest white-strippiest smile has done for me lately and Olive's stunning genetic history ... and I will .... in 168 hours

(or 7 days or 1176 hours in dog years)

well, I'm off now to watch the Wife Swap marathon get alot of work done and I need to play with Olive for a bit because she is really pissed about that random pug picture ...