Back away from the mealworms ..... there's no love like hedgehog love

I am predicting ...
(without any psychic assistance although I may have made one spin with my magic eight ball)

the hedgehog (please don't call her a porcupine) is about to replace the fox as the trending critter you will be seeing everywhere.

The fox will not be disappearing anytime soon as evidenced by the fact that although the fox replaced the owl -

(the owl didn't stand a chance against this crafty devil)


there are still as many owls on Etsy as knitted caps lying on livingroom carpets.

My prophecy is based on the fact that although the fox, well-known for his cunning, has many strategies for killing the hedgehog - the hedgehog has only one strategy for defending herself.

Whenever the fox attacks, the hedgehog rolls into a tight little ball of spikes.

It works every time.

So, you read it here first folks - just as that sly fox outmaneuvered the wise old owl, the hedgehog is about to prove a good defense can beat a good offense anyday.

* hedgehog cork necklace available in my Uncorked shop here
* hedgehog locket featuring the gorgeous illustrations of Biliana available in my Polarity shop here

Have a wonderful weekend everyone - next week will kick off my new Marketing Series on Monday so stop by and pull up a chair! GG6HXSDWQTD9

Upcycled Computer Key INITIAL NECKLACE Tutorial - great gift for your guy for Valentine's Day!


This is another easy-peasy tutorial

(my favorite kind)

that gives you something to do with that old keyboard you have in the bottom of your closet.

A computer geek will love to get and wear this one.

You will need:

a computer key (just pop it off with a flat head screwdriver)
a washer (not the kind with the tiny center hole)
a slip ring or jump ring
chain
super-glue
hand drill
1. drill a hole in your washer (this is actually super easy- be firm and fearless) 2. add slip ring
3. super glue your computer key to the washer (check in with your hole placement so your letter is upright and readable)
4. add chain

No Whining on Wednesday or a birthday prophecy that wasn't, string cheese and electric cigarettes ...

Most people I know hate February

and even though I am not a snow person or a cold weather person and should definitely be living somewhere warmer than New Jersey now that I think about it -

I love February.

I think it is because my birthday is in February

(and hubby's birthday, too actually)

and even though I am not any kind of party girl and may soon require a stapler to keep my eyelids from interfering with my vision, for some crazy reason I still look forward to it.

Saturday was my big day and in the morning I ran out to get the newspaper because I needed to read the "if TODAY is your birthday" horoscope that I never miss

and it read:

"... use excellent judgement to formulate plans for the future this month and you can't go wrong"

(uh, am I supposed to just wake up with excellent judgement all of sudden - this one could be trouble)

and it also read:

"you are willing to claw your way up the ladder of success ..."

(which had me wishing for the gazillionth time in my life that I wasn't a nail-biter - this is definitely one de-clawed Cat - I climb my ladders one step at a time with both hands on the outer rungs hanging on for my life, thank you very much)

but it is nice to know there is some ambitious inner catwoman buried deep (very deep) inside me in case I ever have to scratch my way past any of you on my way to the top of the crafty world.

You may remember -

(I like to delude myself that someone is actually reading and remembering what I writing here)

that I go to a psychic every year around my birthday,

but ever since she asked me for a job I haven't been back to see her ...

and she is most likely a highly efficient, creative person and would be a tremendous help to me, but how would it be possible to work with a psychic -

I kind of imagine something like ...

me - Can you go the post office now and mail today's orders?

psychic Sue - I don't think that is a good idea.

me - What do you mean?

psychic Sue - I have a sense that this is something you should do.

me - Oh, ok ... well, while I'm gone can you ...

psychic Sue - Um ... I think it would be best if I just go home now. I am seeing that you need to be alone today for your best success


(of course, I can see a potential upside to working with a psychic, too - like maybe I will never launch another piece that doesn't sell ever again, but I'm just not sure I could handle thinking she knew something I didn't

although if I eliminated people who know more than me from my life that would leave me pretty much .. well, alone, actually)


plus she carries a huge nylon tote filled with string cheese and I get freaked out by dairy products that do not require refrigeration

plus
I saw that episode of Real Housewives with Allison DuBois

(the real psychic my favorite tv show Medium is based on)

and she was a real nutcase and most likely caused psychics everyhere to lose alot of psychic business, but I guess they should have seen that coming, huh?

(if you watch the tv show Medium and have not seen the Real Housewives episode you must google it now)

Bottom line -I did not get my usual birthday year predictions, although of course with my year of deciding upon me now, any predictions are out the window anyway except the one hubby made that I cannot get any more neurotic.

(trust me, I'll find a way)

* this ain't no disco print by jaimers
* psychic fortunes print by Emily Balivet

Etsy GIVEAWAY - Mooza Designs Fabulicious Acrylic Wall Art!


And the winner is (chosen by random.org)
True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 710
Result:
144

Monapete!


Mooza Designs is the amazing team of Jessie & Michel - full time moms working from their home based business located on the beautiful northern beaches of Sydney, Australia.

I bought a set of these for Christmas and they are totally gorgeous, super well-made, come with their own names

(I loved that)

and will look totally unique and welcoming on your bathroom door!
Mooza also creates names and house numbers and all kinds of other wonderful signage with their same techniques.

We are so lucky to have one of their amazing creations for this week's giveaway!

WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive their choice of one of MOOZA's fabulicious bathroom couples!




HOW TO WIN:

It's easy, peasy - just leave your contact information below with your 2 color choices (one for your boy and one for your girl)

For additional entries:

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

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

DRAWING:
Enter by midnight, Sunday, February 27th! Good Luck! CLOSED

Make sure to bookmark Mooza for future purchases!

CruelTEA Over at Lipton - the year of the rabbit is off to a good start

With the threat of PETA's ad campaign set to launch next week, Unilever - owner of Lipton Tea has pledged to immediately halt all animal testing with their products.

(and before we go thinking I wish someone would test some tea on me- these animals are given diseases and then fed tea as a "cure" and even autopsied while still alive)


I am not always a fan of PETA

(not sure that turning half the population into objects is necessary toward getting people to treat animals ethnically)

but I am happy they convinced Lipton to join the growing number of cruelty-free companies.

Probably not all animal testing in medical research can be ended but as for the necessity of animals in cancer research (for example), Dr. Richard Klausner, former director of the National Cancer Institute, stated that -

"The history of cancer research has been a history of curing cancer ... in the mouse.

We have cured mice of cancer for decades - and it simply didn't work in humans."


That - added to the fact that only 3 medical schools in the U.S. (out of 150 plus) still use animals to teach surgery because there are better teaching methods available now says alot to me about the modern alternatives that can be used to alleviate much of this testing (about 200 animals are killed every minute in U.S. labs).

So, maybe have a nice cup of tea this weekend to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit knowing less rabbits are being tortured in the name of research - but maybe make it a Stash Tea, Luzianne Tea, Twinings or Honest - they have all been cruelty free without the threat of a PETA ad campaign.

xo

To see if a company you are giving your money to is cruelty-free, check PETA's database here

maybe Lucy (and Punxsutawney Phil) don't have no 'splaining' to do ....


My year of deciding has me sometimes thinking I need to explain my decisions to other people

(and of course, sometimes I do - I am not talking about thoughtlessness and selfishness here ... not exactly)

but sometimes this explaining thing has a bit of waiting attached to it - as in waiting for others to

A - pass their judgement

(so time and energy is wasted preparing to have to support my decision to others)

B - give their approval

(my choosing to explain myself allows others to mind my business instead of their own and I am not so into teaching them that)

C - voice their critism

which is actually a huge opportunity for growth

(can I love someone enough to allow them to not be happy with a choice I am making and make it anyway)

Making decisions creates important lessons in intuition and trusting our instincts - at least that is what my decision making right now is all about for me - and having to support my choices with explanations isn't embracing of this.

It is forcing me into the part of my brain that didn't make this decision in the first place,

so when someone is questioning my decisions

(lots of extended family time has brought this home to me lately)

- it is enough to say that it is the best decision for me right now or the best decision for my family right now and leave it at that.

Put a period at the end of that sentence and move on.

So that is what I have been doing the last few days and it has been working out pretty well for me.

(UPDATE - I have just been advised that Punxsutawney Phil has not seen his shadow which means spring is on its way - and I will support his decision and not ask him to explain himself since groundhog instinct and intuition is, I'm sure, at least as accurate as my own)