April 28th ~*International Charm Day!*~

Wouldn't it be fun to have a special day for wearing and gifting special charms?
It sounds like fun to me, so I am going to make it happen!

What will this day be about?
Maybe giving some of your own handmade charms or ones you've gotten from a swap, to good friends, family and anyone who makes your day to day lives brighter, better or just more fun!
(Examples- postal workers, nurses, teachers, sales girls, waitresses (when leaving a tip), secretaries, children etc.)

Each charm could have a special meaning or feeling behind it.
Or, you could just make a general set and hand them out randomly!

You could add on a tag that mentions they are being gifted a charm on International Charm Day and add in your name or contact info if you feel comfortable enough to do that (for the ones you give to those who are not so familiar.)

It's not just a gift of art but also one of cheer and also inspiration!
Imagine if each person who gets one feels like making more of them to give others?


If you would like to celebrate this day with me and if you blog about your charms I will be posting a little banner tag for everyone to add to their blogs soon.


I claim April 28th as "International Charm Day"
www.InternationalCharmDay.blogspot.com
:o)
Amber

~*Pretty Pillow Charms for my fabric charm swaps*~ Made 2/09-3/09

I will be posting some to ebay for a fundraiser in April.

And I would like to sell some on Etsy as well.

It was so rough... But it's over now. (I edited this post today 4/23)

My personal life has been super stressful lately, and my nerves are on edge.

My heart and nerves are in need of calm.

My question is this- Other than prayer, is there something that you know works, that does not involve drugs, drinking or pretending to be someone else, or rather, should I say, disconnected from reality in any way, that helps you keep your composure when seriously painful and stressful situations occur?

Is there a trick that you know of that keeps you calm when your body starts to shake and your heart races out of control, when you are dealing with a medical emergency of a loved one?

I feel so useless when I start to lose my bearings. And it's something I must overcome.
On my walk home just now, from being out since around 3am I started to feel more relaxed, but my body is still on high alert.
I must get some sleep right now.
But I will log back online later, hoping to maybe read about something someone can share that helps.
There is nothing like the support of prayer, and I know that firsthand... But I think I need to find a new way of thinking or reacting to life's emergencies... So that when I am needed, I am there, solid and strong, and not spinning out of control myself, physically.

The above was written the day that my grandmother was rushed to the hospital. She was fighting cancer, and had a heart attack the morning I was talking about.
It was obvious she was not going to make it here on earth much longer. That was the last day she was ever at home.

I got the call after 2 am to go to the house to stay with my youngest sister while she slept, I heard unfamiliar voices through the phone of the other people at the house, and that is what started the panic.


Yes, maybe this is TMI but I needed to vent.
The way I counteracted my nerves that night was to rush around the house to get dressed -without waking anyone and I wrote my husband a note to explain why I would not be there when he got up in the morning.
I drew little pictures on the note and tried to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest.
To keep my stomach from feeling sick. I gathered up parcels I had wanted to mail that/next day.

During the taxi ride I concentrated on how calm the night was, how comfortable the Lincoln Town car was.

The weather was nice and calm yet chilly enough to breathe. (It was humid)
The police, firemen, and EMS that had been in the house to assist my grandmother had gone.
The others went with her.

I went into the house- worried about what I might find, but my sister was back asleep.
So I went outside to calm down
I was alone in the night, standing under a clear and starry sky.
It was a little after 3am and I had no thought at all.
My mind was completely blank.

I stood there, looking at the sky, in silence for 45 minutes.

Not thinking.
Just looking.
Up.

No emotional feeling.
I was just numb.

Because I hadn't slept much the past few months prior, I was not doing so well myself.
But I held it together and was standing there, strong like a guard.

I couldn't really sleep that night, but I had enough energy to get my sister up, ready for school, and walked her there.
She shared with me what had happened the night before and we talked about it.

It was really nice that morning.
The sun was shining and it helped to cheer us. I hadn't walked her to school in about 7 years so it felt good to spend the morning time with her like that.

I took a train and mailed over a dozen parcels of charm swaps that I had prepared a few nights before. There was some good mail waiting for me at the PO that I got that day for a circus theme swap I am hosting and it cheered me.

The rest of the week was spent caring for my family and taking care of my sister while the rest of the family stayed at the hospital.

Time passed, days passed, not too long though.
Just a week.
~*~
She didn't want to live anymore.
She demanded to die.
~*~
And she did.


I had been feeling her pain.
I had been feeling her misery.

I am glad that it's all over.

I couldn't take it anymore.

Some of my ~*Charms*~ of January, February and the beginning of March.

These are just some of the many charms that I've made in the last two months.

~*Art with Moxie*~ Cory Celaya

~*Art with Moxie*~ Cory Celaya

You won a door prize in my OWOH give away.

Please send me your mailing address so I can mail you out a parcel of hardware for you to play with!

What is wrong with that girl? & Cool Dolphins!

I am really enjoying this feed of Dolphins being artistic!

Amazing, in a world where pop stars can get on my nerves by singing nasty lyrics that should be banned from our planet, there are creatures living beneath water using their breath to create something worth watching.
Click here to see real Dolphins doing something really sweet, intelligent and totally creative!

(Shaking my head and making a stink face)
It's been bothering me so much for the past few days-- that I just have to vent this... I just want you to know in case you don't, and you have little girls who sing along with the new Britney music, there is a song that is being played on the radio that is SO vulgar I cannot believe the FCC is allowing it airtime during the day. I couldn't believe my ears and had to look the lyrics up online to confirm what I thought I heard, but didn't believe was possible that I heard...

I am really disappointed with B. Spears and feel that the "Amy" song should NOT be played so freely on the air during the day, if at all.

Hearing little girls saying/spelling "F''.'.'.' me" while singing along to a pop song makes me very angry.
I am far from a buttoned up church lady, but come on?!

That girl could be writing and performing content that lifts her and her fans up, not pinning herself to the ground.
What a waste... I say a big loud *BOOOOOOO!!!!!* to that song.

I'd rather pay $100.00 to see a live Dolphin perform a 5 minute show, like that in the video I linked to, over a live concert set of that pop chick prancing around in high heels singing what she sings.
Keep yours and your little girls' ears safe from this "Amy" song, nothing good will come of it!

I really needed to vent this...

$$ ~*Lady K*~ opened another online shopping venue! $$

I was happy to see that Lady K., AKA Karen L., opened another shop to peddle her vintage goodies. I've been a happy customer of hers for almost a decade!

She sells so many retro components that are either hard to find or just too cool to pass up.

If you are looking for something classy, jazzy, or just plain novel, check out her sales.
Many items that were made in the 1980s for that magical time in history can be found in her virtual warehouse too!

Oh and did I mention? Her prices are pretty good!

~*PLEASE TELL HER I SENT YOU!*~
It might make her smile!
:o)

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=24428.LadyKjewels.artfire.com
She also sells on Etsy and has a broader selection for you to browse through there-
http://www.ladykjewels.etsy.com/

And if you want, check out her blog too!
http://expressionsofladykjewels.blogspot.com/

It's been a while...

I had previously posted the nest charms pictured below and now I am adding in some pictures to show how small they really are!

This one doesn't have the leaves on yet,

but it is the same as one of the ones pictured above.

Back in November I was playing some card games for fun to

pass the time. I was dealt the cards below, although I traded in a 10 of hearts or diamonds

to see if I could draw another king or queen.

It wasn't until I got the ace that I noticed the matching suits.

How odd/random/serendipitous is that?!

It was so unbelievable that I took a few pictures!
We don't play for money or bets, just for fun.