Take 10 Tuesday - the lazy-girl summer version


This will be my last full week of blogging before I take my blog down a notch for the rest of the summer with less frequent posts.

Poppy's giveaway (don't miss this one!) will be the last until I pick them back up after Labor Day (many incredible goodies on the schedule and I don't want to be unfair to those talented sellers by posting them during my summer slow down)

and lots of wonderful things coming up like a brand new look for my website and blog, my first tradeshows and a brand new collaboration blog (this fall) with the amazing Sherry Truitt!

In the meantime here is some stuff you might have missed and maybe wouldn't want to:

1. The Grateful Dead 4 Step Guide to the Magical Influence of Content Marketing at Copyblogger

2. Crude Awakening - The photography of Jane Fulton -->

3. Work it on Kaboodle on Etsy's blog The Storque

4. 3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Unconventional Website by Holly Jackson for Crafting an MBA.

5. Great article on rest and the creative spirit by Tara on Scoutie Girl

6. Once a week they get together and drop hundreds of love bombs- you will love this!

7. Ideas to Help Green Your Business at the EcoEtsy blog by AnarchyinBeauty

8. Do It So Good That You Don't Doubt Yourself Anymore over at ArtBizBlog

Cell Phone Safety or listen more, talk less

Now, I am a person who doesn't use a cell phone very much, because

1. I forget to charge it and
2. no one calls me

but hubby and I are in the process of renewing our phone contract which has expired and it got me thinking about the latest information on the safety of these things.

I found a great article on The Daily Green on just this subject and thought I would share it here.

1. Use a headset or a speaker

Now speakers I get- keep that phone away from my head sounds smart- but headsets??

It turns out headsets emit much less radiation than phones. Experts are split on whether wired or wireless headsets are safer. Some wireless headsets emit continuous low-level radiation, so take yours off when you're not on a call. Using your phone in speaker mode also reduces radiation to the head.

EWG guide to headsets here.

2. Talk less, listen more (sounds like a life lesson here)

Your phone emits radiation when you talk or text but not when you're receiving messages.

3. Text

Phones use less power (which means less radiation) to send text instead of voice. And texting keeps the phone away from your head.

4. Hold phone at arm's length

(this is actually kind of empowering, I felt rather exotic swinging my phone out and about as I chatted yesterday, plus people were staring at my wrist which helped publicize the Polarity locket bracelet I was wearing)


Hold the phone away from your torso not against your ear, in a pocket, or on your belt, where soft body tissues absorb radiation.

5. Buy a low radiation phone

Some phones are better than others. Look up your phone on EWG's buyer's guide (your phone's model number may be printed under your battery).

Be sure to recycle your old phone.

6. Stay off the phone when there is a weak signal

Fewer signal bars mean the phone has to step up its emissions to contact the tower - not good for us.

7. Skip the radiation shield

Radiation shields such as antenna caps or keypad covers reduce the connection quality and force the phone to transmit at a higher power with higher radiation.

8. Limit children's cell phone use to emergencies only

Young children's brains absorb twice as much cell phone radiation as adults. We need to teach our kids cell phone safety.

I hope someone else finds this info and these links helpful. No need to panic and ditch your phone, but if you are a cell phone addict you may want to rethink some of your actions for your long term health - in case some agency finally gets the balls to announce that cell phone radiation is dangerous.

Flea Market Finds Today - Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!


“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach; one can collect only a few and they are more beautiful if they are few” Anne Morrow Lindbergh ...

Friday Finds - Inspiration is Everywhere

Forbes and Lomax invisible switch plates are inspired by 1930's glass plates, but with a modern twist- they give the illusion that the wallpaper (or paint) runs seamlessly behind the plate!

I love these!

Is there a part of our own work that would be improved with a modern and seamless innovation?



I love the amazing Korefe branding for this line of products Stop the Water While Using Me!

How can we create authentic packaging for our own brand that creates a memorable experience and a bit of branding with a purpose?






The Reisenthal Mother-Child Bag promotes safe shopping in a brand new way!

Maybe the same kid who balks at holding your hand can be convinced to hold onto the bag - worth a try.

How can we add something to our own work to differentiate it and give it an entirely new niche?



The frame napkin at SPRGA allows the buyer to create and frame their own work of art.

This truly gets me thinking about all the 'kits' we could be creating in innovative and unique ways for all the crafty buyers who want to have a hand in some way in the creation of their piece.

How could our kit represent this union between our customer and ourselves?


Have an amazing weekend everyone - inspiration is everywhere!

Upcycled DIY Tutorial Golf Ball Keychain!

When I was a kid we were told that something incredibly toxic

(yes, even more toxic than the gazillions of toxins we faced all the time)

and incredibly yucky was at the center of a golf ball.

My sister and I had peeled one or two (dozen) open and gotten to the gigantic rubber band inside the hard outer shell, but never ventured into the "poisonous" golf ball center.

Recently I wanted to make a few golf ball keychains for a neighbor who has a business making golf club grips - just little giveaways he could pass on to some of his customers.

When I mentioned my plan to drill into a golf ball, hubby reminded me to check and see just what is in the center of one of these things.

(I didn't want to cause some kind of nuclear meltdown or chemical explosion with my drill, after all)

Well, it turns out the liquid center of most golf balls today is a not-so-liquid solid core, but the old liquid center balls are still around and preferred by the pros because they give better control and feel.

So, what is that mysteriously hazardous liquid anyway?

Salt water and corn syrup. Just another of those doomsday scenarios created by parents intent on getting us to not destroy our their stuff (it never worked).

what you need:
1. a golf ball
2. a drill
3. keychain slip rings (1 tiny, 1 large - sorry this is about as specific as I will be able to get since I have long ago tossed the packages)
4. eyehook & washer

1. mark your hole - check for front placement of insignia
2. drill your starter hole
3. screw in your eyehook and washer
4. add your slip rings

Totally easy peasy, but could make a great little gift for your favorite golfer!

Note - if anyone wants to make one, but doesn't want to go out and purchase the individual pieces - contact me through the mail link on the right of this blog or through convo and for $5.00 (includes shipping) I will send you a little kit you can assemble. I'll even pre-drill (while supplies last, I have a few left).