SOUTHAMPTON CREATIONS

Carrie Underwood Sings an Angelic Version of O Holy Night

2011-12-19T12:35:00.000-05:00

http://www.godvine.com/Carrie-Underwood-Sings-an-Angelic-Version-of-O-Holy-Night-929.html

Watch Carrie Underwood's ANGELIC Version of O Holy Night - Prepare for Goosebumps!

www.godvine.com

We don't know what angels look like, but we can only imagine something like Carrie Underwood beautifully singing this song. This is indescribably awesome to watch!

Be Naughty for Santa

2011-12-18T02:21:00.000-05:00

Justin Bieber Performs for Low-Income Las Vegas School

2011-12-18T02:08:00.000-05:00

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Fifth-grader Jolie Leach says she "was gonna explode" with excitement when Justin Bieber performed a concert at her Las Vegas school, and vowed she'd never wash her hand after he gave her a high-five.

Leach was one of hundreds who showed clear symptoms of Bieber fever after the 17-year-old teen pop sensation staged a private show Friday at low-income Whitney Elementary School. The concert was filmed for an episode of "The Ellen Degeneres Show" and came two months after Bieber promised the school's 650 students a $100,000 donation.

"He really came for us. I'm so glad that he really came for us," said fourth-grader Kynedi Harris, holding a fluffy white stuffed dog picked from a truckload of toys Bieber distributed at his show.
Tucked in a downtrodden neighborhood on the east side of Las Vegas, Whitney Elementary has garnered publicity, including a September segment on Degeneres' show, for providing needy students' families with food, clothes, money for utility bills — and just about everything in between.
Principal Sherrie Gahn said more than 85 percent of the school's 600-plus students receive free or reduced-price lunch. The school also has one of the highest homeless student populations in the Clark County School District.
Gahn, who said she used to see students pocketing ketchup packets from the cafeteria in hopes of having dinner at night, told "The Ellen Degeneres Show" she made a pact with families after she arrived about eight years ago.

"I'll pay your electrical bill, your utilities, I'll give you food or clothes, whatever you need, as long as you give me your child and then help raise that child as a person of character," she said.

Families at the school told the show Gahn has stayed true to her promise. One girl said Gahn provided her with a bed. A mother said the principal bought her son glasses. Another mother said the school provided her children with Christmas presents when she planned to skip the gift-giving.

Gahn said most of the donations come from individuals or businesses, and she said the show has brought hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations and an outpouring of support from across the country. The school also posts a "wish list" on its website, asking for granola bars, pop-top cans of soup and other non-perishable foods that homeless students can eat for dinner or over the weekend.

Bieber's gift matches a $100,000 donation from Target that was announced on the September TV special about the school. Most of the money will be used to continue basic support — such as rent assistance — to keep families off the street and children coming to class.

"My biggest motivator for the kids and the thought and the hope that they don't have to live in this existence when they grow up — that they break the cycle," Gahn said.

Inside the closed event, Gahn said Bieber toured the campus and told students the story of his family's own financial struggles, including visits to a food bank when he was young. He performed songs from his Christmas album, "Under the Mistletoe," and invited the crowd to dance along to his hit "Baby."
Outside, dozens of squealing high school girls with camera phones jockeyed for a glimpse of the star as he was rushed into the building. Brittany Ellis, 14, had pulled out a scrap of paper just in time for a mobbed Bieber to autograph, and was showing her friends an indecipherable pencil scrawl.

Another girl, 17-year-old Kiersten Umberger, said she nearly cried when she saw Bieber.

"It was the best moment of my life," she said.

Teens from the neighborhood say the worn area is quiet, and certainly not the typical Vegas haunt for celebrities.

But parents and school officials said they were as grateful for the gifts from Bieber and Degeneres as the children were starstruck.

"In a world where these kids live in that things are not always their own or they're taken away," Gahn said, "they gave them memories that no one can ever take."

Yes There is a Santa Claus

2011-12-16T01:14:00.000-05:00

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The young father stood in line at the Kmart layaway counter, wearing dirty clothes and worn-out boots. With him were three small children.

He asked to pay something on his bill because he knew he wouldn't be able to afford it all before Christmas. Then a mysterious woman stepped up to the counter.

"She told him, 'No, I'm paying for it,'" recalled Edna Deppe, assistant manager at the store in Indianapolis. "He just stood there and looked at her and then looked at me and asked if it was a joke. I told him it wasn't, and that she was going to pay for him. And he just busted out in tears."

At Kmart stores across the country, Santa seems to be getting some help: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers' layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn't afford, especially toys and children's clothes set aside by impoverished parents.

Before she left the store Tuesday evening, the Indianapolis woman in her mid-40s had paid the layaway orders for as many as 50 people. On the way out, she handed out $50 bills and paid for two carts of toys for a woman in line at the cash register.

"She was doing it in the memory of her husband who had just died, and she said she wasn't going to be able to spend it and wanted to make people happy with it," Deppe said. The woman did not identify herself and only asked people to "remember Ben," an apparent reference to her husband.

Deppe, who said she's worked in retail for 40 years, had never seen anything like it.
"It was like an angel fell out of the sky and appeared in our store," she said.
Most of the donors have done their giving secretly.

Dona Bremser, an Omaha nurse, was at work when a Kmart employee called to tell her that someone had paid off the $70 balance of her layaway account, which held nearly $200 in toys for her 4-year-old son.

"I was speechless," Bremser said. "It made me believe in Christmas again."

Dozens of other customers have received similar calls in Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana and Montana.

The benefactors generally ask to help families who are squirreling away items for young children. They often pay a portion of the balance, usually all but a few dollars or cents so the layaway order stays in the store's system.

The phenomenon seems to have begun in Michigan before spreading, Kmart executives said.

"It is honestly being driven by people wanting to do a good deed at this time of the year," said Salima Yala, Kmart's division vice president for layaway.

The good Samaritans seem to be visiting mainly Kmart stores, though a Wal-Mart spokesman said a few of his stores in Joplin, Mo., and Chicago have also seen some layaway accounts paid off.

Kmart representatives say they did nothing to instigate the secret Santas or spread word of the generosity. But it's happening as the company struggles to compete with chains such as Wal-Mart and Target.
Kmart may be the focus of layaway generosity, Yala said, because it is one of the few large discount stores that has offered layaway year-round for about four decades. Under the program, customers can make purchases but let the store hold onto their merchandise as they pay it off slowly over several weeks.

The sad memories of layaways lost prompted at least one good Samaritan to pay off the accounts of five people at an Omaha Kmart, said Karl Graff, the store's assistant manager.

"She told me that when she was younger, her mom used to set up things on layaway at Kmart, but they rarely were able to pay them off because they just didn't have the money for it," Graff said.

He called a woman who had been helped, "and she broke down in tears on the phone with me. She wasn't sure she was going to be able to pay off their layaway and was afraid their kids weren't going to have anything for Christmas."

"You know, 50 bucks may not sound like a lot, but I tell you what, at the right time, it may as well be a million dollars for some people," Graff said.

Graff's store alone has seen about a dozen layaway accounts paid off in the last 10 days, with the donors paying $50 to $250 on each account.

"To be honest, in retail, it's easy to get cynical about the holidays, because you're kind of grinding it out when everybody else is having family time," Graff said. "It's really encouraging to see this side of Christmas again."

Lori Stearnes of Omaha also benefited from the generosity of a stranger who paid all but $58 of her $250 layaway bill for toys for her four youngest grandchildren.

Stearnes said she and her husband live paycheck to paycheck, but she plans to use the money she was saving for the toys to help pay for someone else's layaway.

In Missoula, Mont., a man spent more than $1,200 to pay down the balances of six customers whose layaway orders were about to be returned to a Kmart store's inventory because of late payments.

Store employees reached one beneficiary on her cellphone at Seattle Children's Hospital, where her son was being treated for an undisclosed illness.

"She was yelling at the nurses, 'We're going to have Christmas after all!'" store manager Josine Murrin said.

A Kmart in Plainfield Township, Mich., called Roberta Carter last week to let her know a man had paid all but 40 cents of her $60 layaway.

Carter, a mother of eight from Grand Rapids, Mich., said she cried upon hearing the news. She and her family have been struggling as she seeks a full-time job.

"My kids will have clothes for Christmas," she said.

Angie Torres, a stay-at-home mother of four children under the age of 8, was in the Indianapolis Kmart on Tuesday to make a payment on her layaway bill when she learned the woman next to her was paying off her account.

"I started to cry. I couldn't believe it," said Torres, who doubted she would have been able to pay off the balance. "I was in disbelief. I hugged her and gave her a kiss."

Christmas Naughty Coupon

2011-12-14T12:21:00.001-05:00

Christmas - Interesting Usless Information

2011-12-14T12:15:00.000-05:00

Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria of England, was credited with introducing the German custom of the Christmas tree into the English home in 1841.

Seventy-five percent of Americans do not believe that public references to the "birth of Christ and Christmas" should be avoided in businesses, schools, and other public venues in order to keep from offending non-Christian Americans during this holiday season.

Shortly after Christmas in Poland, people travel in horse-drawn sleighs for the Kulig, or winter sleigh party. Families gather in the forest, light fires, and prepare festive meals. They traditionally celebrate with dancing and fireworks later that evening.

St. Nicholas was bishop of the Turkish town of Myra in the early fourth century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.

Ten percent of American households leave milk and cookies for Santa Claus.

Snow Angels

2011-12-13T14:33:00.000-05:00

Christmas - More Trivia - Decorations

2011-12-13T14:24:00.002-05:00

Originally, Christmas decorations were home-made paper flowers, or apples, biscuits, and sweets. The earliest decorations to be bought came from Nuremburg in Germany, a city famous for the manufacture of toys. Lauscha in Germany is famous for its glass ornaments. In 1880, America discovered Lauscha and F.W. Woolworth went there and bought a few glass Christmas tree ornaments. Within a day he had sold out so next year he bought more and within a week they, too, had sold. The year after that be bought 200,000 Lauscha ornaments. During the First World War supplies of ornaments from Lauscha ceased, so American manufacturers began to make their own ornaments, developing new techniques that allowed them to turn out as many ornaments in a minute as could be made in a whole day at Lauscha.

Santa -The Actual Gift Givers Are Different In Various Countries

2011-12-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

England: Father Christmas
France: Pere Noel (Father Christmas)
Germany: Christkind (angelic messenger from Jesus) She is a beautiful fair haired girl with a shining crown of candles.
Holland: St Nicholas.
Italy: La Befana (a kindly old witch)
Spain and South America: The Three Kings
Russia: In some parts - Babouschka (a grandmotherly figure) in other parts it is Grandfather Frost.
Scandinavia: a variety of Christmas gnomes. One is called Julenisse
United States: Santa Claus

Christmas Funny - A Star

2011-12-12T00:29:00.000-05:00

Christmas Poem - Remember are Soldiers

2011-12-07T13:19:00.003-05:00

This is a wonderful poem - something to remember at Christmas

Christmas Poem

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

This poem was written by a Marine. The following is his request. I
think it is reasonable.....

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due
to our U.S. service men, women, and Canadian Forces for our being able
to celebrate these festivities.
Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make
people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed
themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

Cancer The Forbidden Cures - Full Documentary

2011-12-04T03:19:00.006-05:00

This is about 70 min - but totally worth watching.

Be ready to be shocked and angery!!!!

Cancer: the Forbidden Cures - Full Documentary from Jason Greenwood on Vimeo.

My Dad's Sausage and Cheese Biscuits - Great Company Breakfast

2011-12-03T03:13:00.000-05:00

Sausage & Cheese Biscuits

3 c. flour

1 T. + 1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. butter, cut into small pieces

1 lb. bulk pork sausage, crumbled and fully cooked, cooled

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 – 1 1/4 c. milk

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until crumbly.

2. Stir in the cooled sausage and cheddar cheese. Add milk just until the dough comes together without being sticky. Be careful not to add too much.

3. Roll out dough and cut out with a biscuit cutter, shape about a 1/4 c. of dough into a biscuit shape or just drop onto a baking sheet. (I used the shape-by-hand method and made 18 biscuits.) Bake at 400 degrees for 12- 18 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top.

Another thing I loved about these is that they tasted just as good the next day when reheated in the microwave for a few seconds. Next time I am planning to bake an extra batch for the freezer. Talk about a great on-the-run breakfast!

Great for company at this time of the year.

Christmas is Cancelled - Santa Died

2011-12-01T02:11:00.000-05:00

Okay Get Your Cocoa Warm Up There Is More... Queen Victoria

2011-11-29T02:17:00.000-05:00

Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen Victoria's husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who settled in Pennsylvania

Cultured Christmas trees must be shaped as they grow to produce fuller foliage. To slow the upward growth and to encourage branching, they are hand-clipped in each spring. Trees grown in the wild have sparser branches, and are known in the industry as "Charlie Brown" trees.

During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, the log burned was called the "Yule log." Sometimes a piece of the Yule log would be kept to kindle the fire the following winter, to ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule log custom was handed down from the Druids

During World War II it was necessary for Americans to mail Christmas gifts early for the troops in Europe to receive them in time. Merchants joined in the effort to remind the public to shop and mail early and the protracted shopping season was born

Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in 1895. The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an American, Ralph E. Morris. The new lights proved safer than the traditional candles.

Relax and Enjoy More Christmas Trivia - Cards and Crackers

2011-11-28T01:26:00.000-05:00

An average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 eight cards return in their place

Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but cookies that were imported to the United States from England in the late 1800s. Barnum's circus-like boxes were designed with a string handle so that they could be hung on a Christmas tree

Candy canes began as straight white sticks of sugar candy used to decorated the Christmas trees. A choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral decided have the ends bent to depict a shepherd's crook and he would pass them out to the children to keep them quiet during the services. It wasn't until about the 20th century that candy canes acquired their red stripes.

Every year there are 1.76 billion candy canes produced

Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition

Grab Your Cocoa Sit Back And Relax - Christmas Trivis

2011-11-26T19:12:00.001-05:00

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy 37.1 million real Christmas trees each year; 25 percent of them are from the nation's 5,000 choose-and-cut farms.

During the Christmas buying season, Visa Cards alone are used and average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States.

After "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens wrote several other Christmas stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the original.

Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas as an official holiday. This tradition began in 1836.

The last state to declare Christmas as a national holiday was Oklahoma in 1907.

American's official national Christmas tree is located in King's Canyon National Park in California. The tree, a giant sequoia called the "General Grant Tree," is over 300 feet (90 meters) high. It was made the official Christmas tree in 1925.

Christmas Usless Information - Victorian England

2011-11-25T17:34:00.000-05:00

Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called "robins." This was because their uniforms were red. The British Post Office grew out of the carrying of royal dispatches. Red was considered a royal color, so uniforms and letter-boxes were red. Christmas cards often showed a robin delivering Christmas mail.

Dear Santa - I am Naughty

2011-11-25T17:31:00.000-05:00

Christmas Fact - Lifestyle Management

2011-11-24T00:37:00.000-05:00

Per the results of a three-year Christmas study performed by the Center for Lifestyle Management, an average of 10 hours are spent the last week of December arguing and bickering with family members about holiday-related activities.

Why Can't We Say Christmas ??

2011-11-24T00:31:00.001-05:00

Dear Santa - Does being Good Now Count

2011-11-23T00:47:00.000-05:00

Strange Christmas Facts - Christmas Carols

2011-11-22T01:36:00.000-05:00

Christmas Carols are great, right? Wrong, well at least according to some folks down in Pensacola Florida.
In 1996, Christmas caroling was banned at two major malls in Pensacola, Florida. Apparently, shoppers and merchants complained the carolers were too loud and took up too much space.
Maybe it wasn't so much the carols as the horrible singing that may have sullied the performance.

Japanese Christmas Rings

2011-11-21T00:43:00.000-05:00

These wonderful handmade rings are perfect gifts for Christmas

Strange Facts - The Legendary Christmas Pudding

2011-11-20T19:06:00.000-05:00

The legendary Christmas pudding is actually an off shoot of the Celtic dish frumenty. The strangeness of the pudding is inspired by the myth that surrounds it. Supposedly people believed it was unlucky to cut a Christmas cake before Christmas Eve. But, the pudding wasn't the only thing that was guarded by a long-standing myth. Mince pie was said to be unlucky if cut with a knife, additionally it was considered to encourage bad luck when eaten outside of the period between Christmas Eve and Twelfth Night. The great thing about Mince pie however, is that it somehow had the magical power to give you good luck if you ate one every day for the twelve days of Christmas.

The True Meaning of "Twelve Days of Christmas" Truely Shocking !!

2011-11-19T18:20:00.000-05:00

The "Twelve Days of Christmas" was originally written to help Catholic children, in England, remember different articles of faith during the persecution by Protestant Monarchs. The "true love" represented God, and the gifts all different ideas:
The "Partridge in a pear tree" was Christ.
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity-- the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which relays the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of Creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Useless Information - Yelling

2011-11-19T01:32:00.000-05:00

If you yelled for eight years,

seven months and six days,

you would have produced enough

sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

Quote of the Day - Teenagers

2011-11-19T01:26:00.000-05:00

Children are born as babies

to give parents time to develop

a love for them before

they become teenagers.

Al Batt

Usless Information - Impeachment

2011-11-18T00:08:00.000-05:00

The only three U.S. presidents who ever had to deal with

real or impending impeachment -

Andrew Johnson,

Richard Nixon,

and

Bill Clinton -

all have names that are

euphemisms for

"penis"

Johnson, Dick and Willie

Quote of the Day - Memory

2011-11-17T23:56:00.000-05:00

One woman to another:

"My husband has three kinds of memory -

good, bad and convenient."

Vintage Hina Matsuri Miniature Doll Festival Wood Bowls

2011-11-17T01:26:00.000-05:00

I love all things miniature and Japanese.
Hina Matsuri is a doll festival or Girls Day in Japan.
It is usually around March the 3.
This is a very old festival. Originally it was believed that the dolls kept bad spirits away.
And in the beginning the dolls where made from paper - but gradually they started making beautiful
dolls dress in fabulous fabrics. The dolls are set up on a layered stag and there is a very exact order to
the different dolls that are on it. At the top is the prince and princess and then the less important down the different lays.
Some of these layers have plants, furniture and dishes on them.
As you can see the dolls and other items are miniature.

I was able to obtain some vintage Hina Matsuri wood bowls
In my OishisoBitsandBites store on Etsy I have a sections of rings made with these vintage bowls. Below are some pictures and if you click on the title it will take you to that sections of my store.

Quote of the Day - TV Commercials

2011-11-15T00:52:00.000-05:00

Be kind to TV Commercials.

It's nice to know some company is willing

to spend a fortune so you can go to the

bathroom wihout missing anything.

- Alice Waldron

Quote of the Day - LOVE

2011-11-09T14:05:00.000-05:00

Anyone can come into your life and say how much they love you.

It takes someone really special to stay in your life

and show how in love with you they really are.

Sale SouthamptonCreations on Bonanza Store Wide Sale plus Mailing Discounts

2011-11-09T13:34:00.001-05:00

Daily Quote - Victim

2011-11-08T12:52:00.000-05:00

When you are immune to the

opinions and actions of others

you won’t be the victim of

needless suffering.................

Don Miguel Ruiz

OishisoBitsAndBites Store Wide Sale, and Mailing Cost Discounts

2011-11-08T00:07:00.000-05:00

SouthamptonCreations on Etsy, Store Wide Sale - Plus Shipping Discounts

2011-11-07T01:17:00.002-05:00

2011-08-14T14:56:00.000-04:00

‎"You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles, and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don't have that kind of feeling for what it is you're doing, you'll stop at the first giant hurdle." - George Lucas

What is "The Red Nose Daily"

2011-07-28T16:59:00.002-04:00

Say "Hello" to my youngest daughter Kristi. She lives in Vancouver BC Canada.

She has taken up walking around Vancouver with a Red Nose on and then blogging about what happens.

This blogg gives you an insight into my daughter and the reasons she is doing this, and the reactions she gets.

The results are fun - but most of all it is very interesting what happens and the different reactions she gets from men and women.

Read, enjoy and let me know what you think!!!

A Year and My Heart is Still Broken

2010-06-07T22:45:00.001-04:00

Shaving the Gulf - Collect as much hair as possible to save the Gulf from the Catastrophic Oil Spill

2010-05-07T01:20:00.000-04:00

Please join us in saving the Gulf of Mexico from the BP Oil Spill.

Please go to our Cause page on FaceBook and help us ONE HAIR at a time clean this Catastrophic Oil Spill.

SHAVE THE GULF - HOME PAGE ON FACE BOOK

This spill not only effects all of North America but the entire world. The resources, wild life and marine life that can be lost may never return. There will be lost jobs and a way of life that will effect all of us now and the future generations.

Please help us with the clean up - we need to start helping to save our planet for us and our children.
One person joining can lead to millions - we are all in this world together - so lets work together side by side to help!

Please check these out for more information about this cause.

Welcome to Matter of Trust

Sign up for Hair Donations and Information

PBS NEWSHOUR

GET LOST WASP ! - My God it Works

2010-04-12T23:33:00.000-04:00

This new product is fabulous.

And yes it does keep wasps away and yes it is guaranteed to work!

Every year I have had problems with wasps.

They build nests and I hate using chemicals to get rid of them.

So this year I found this product.

I ask about it and was told it has been out for awhile and really works.

There are no chemicals involved.

You just open it like a paper lantern, put in the supports and hang it up.

Wasps think it is a nest.

They are very territorial so they will not go with in 200 feet radius of an unfamiliar nest.

I have hung them up in front of the house and in the back yard.

Now I do not have to worry about them building nest in the corners of the house, on the deck or in the covers of the hot tub.

And now no chemicals that can hurt me or my puppy or the environment.
This product works on wasps, yellow jackets and hornets.

Oishiso Designs - Introducing My New Japanese Product Line

2010-04-02T00:49:00.002-04:00

My new product line is made from items directly from Japan and they are truly Delicious.

I am making a number of differnt items and products

for this line.

Here are a few samples!

The popcorn is a magnet.

And as you can see there are rings and necklaces and much much more.

These items will be sold in my TheKawaiiSupplyShop on Etsy.

Quote of the Day : Somewhere

2010-03-19T00:10:00.000-04:00

Things are always better

somewhere else

until you

get there.

-Phillip Gallagher

Enter Draw for a $25.00 Gift Certificate

2010-03-02T20:30:00.006-05:00

Enter Draw for a $25.00 Gift Certificate to Spend in FromJapanWithLove.

For your chance to enter simply purchase any item or items from the 5 stores below.
Make your purchase before May 1 2010 enter this code PM3037 in the notes to seller.
Purchase made after this date will be entered in the next draw. Winners will be listed here after each draw. Giveaway is sponsored by From Japan with Love.
You'll find kawaii, cute Japanese craft supplies like stickers, deco tape, clay, cabochon, Japanese fabric, Japanese paper, rubber stamps, vintage and antique Japanese items, handmade Kawaii items and so much more in these beautiful stores.

www.FromJapanWithLove.etsy.com
http://www.TheKawaiiKitchen.etsy.com
http://www.VintageFromJapan.etsy.com
http://www.souzoucreations.etsy.com/
http://www.from-japan-with-love.com/

Enter Code PM3037 in Note to Seller for the Draw

Quote of the Day - You Can Not Always

2010-02-23T01:23:00.000-05:00

If you cannot always comfort the

afflicted and the outcasts of life

in their distress, at least give them the

alms of a smile and a

prayer.

-Mother Teresa

More Useless Information - Equipment Failure

2010-02-21T00:04:00.000-05:00

Twenty - two thousand checks will be deducted from the

wrong bank accounts in the next hour.

An estimated 880,000 credit cards in circulation will turn out

to have incorrect cardholder information

on their magnet strips.

About 811,000 faulty rolls of thirty - five millimeters

film will be purchase this year.

Quote of the Day - Young People

2010-02-15T23:13:00.000-05:00

Don't give up on young people.

Supposing somebody

had giving up on you !

- Phil Moss

USELESS INFORMATION - PLAYING IT SAFE

2010-02-12T00:53:00.000-05:00

Statistically, the safest age of life is ten years old.

Summer is statistically the most hazardous season.

You are more likely to get attacked by a cow then a shark.

The percentage of men who wash their hands after using

a toilet is 55 percent.

The percentage of women who wash their hands after using

a toilet is 80 percent.

In the next seven days, eight hundred Americans will be

injured by their jewelry.

Men are 1.6 times more likely to undergo

bypass surgery then women.

Susan Boyle - Wild Horses Music Video

2010-02-07T00:55:00.003-05:00

Quote of the Day - Commercials

2010-02-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

Be kind to TV commercials.

It's nice to know some company

is willing to spend a fortune

so you can go to the bathroom

without missing anything.

-Alice Waldron

Quote of the Day - Knowledge

2010-01-29T22:45:00.000-05:00

To achieve,

you must have faith.

It is too great a handicap

to limit knowledge to

what you know for sure.

- Jay Marie

Quote of the Day - Troubles

2010-01-22T00:44:00.000-05:00

Put your troubles in a

pocket

with a hole in it.

-Farmer's Digest

Quote of the Day - Diets

2010-01-14T01:57:00.000-05:00

Diets

are for those

who are

thick and tired of it!

-Anonymous

Quote of the Day - Greed

2010-01-10T01:24:00.000-05:00

Greed

is an itch

that resists all

scratching.

- The Comedy Center

Quote of the Day - Never Give Up

2009-12-29T23:56:00.000-05:00

Be of good cheer.

Do not think of today's failures,

but of the success that my come tomorrow.

You have set yourselves a difficult task,

but you will succeed if you persevere;

and you will find a joy in

overcoming obstacles.

Remember, no effort that we make

to attain something

beautiful is ever lost.

- Helen Keller

50% Off All Items in my Christmas Section

2009-12-27T02:40:00.002-05:00

I am having a 50% off sale in

The Christmas Section of my

store

SouthamptonCreations

on Etsy

These pictures give you a small sample

of the over 80 items in

that section.

Sale is from Dec 25 2009 till Dec 31 2009.

Click on the title to take you to the Sale!!

Last Minute Lushes Dip - Ricotta & Chocolate

2009-12-20T20:19:00.001-05:00

Ricotta and Chocolate / Peace Love and Chocolate

Fresh Ricotta Cheese with Olive oil and Dark Chocolate

Serve this Ricotta with an hors d'oeuvre plate.

I included nuts, cherries, a few other cheeses

and some black pepper crackers.

Fresh Ricotta Cheese with Olive Oil and Dark Chocolate

2 cups (or lbs.) Fresh Ricotta Cheese

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A pinch pink salt or fine regular salt

A pinch of White Pepper

1 1/2 ounces Dark Chocolate

(not cooking chocolate -

but a good 65% dark chocolate.)

Place Ricotta in a dish.

Stir in salt and paper,

Drizzle with olive oil.

Chop dark Chocolate into fine

slivers and sprinkle on top.

Serve with Crackers.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR part 9

2009-12-16T00:46:00.000-05:00

Pink signifies romance and has

a positive impact on the heart.

It is the innocent side of love

as it is a mixed color

(union of red and white)

and blends passion and purity.

Pink actually has a

physical impact on the human body:

when the eyes see a large pink

object the body grows noticeably weaker.

(This is borne out by clinical test and has nothing to do

with pink elephants coming your way after

a long night at the local bar!)

Pale pink represents the sweetness of youth;

vibrant pinks are high-spirited and express energy.

Pink foods are perceived as sweet-tasting and sweet-smelling.

In decor, pink adds impact to neutrals.

Shocking pink with white creates clean, vibrant looks.

Pink is the color of unconditional love

and is beneficial in rooms used to getting to

"the heart of something."

It has been used in prisons to calm aggressive inmates.

Used in a bedroom, it evokes memories

of being in the womb,

offering safety and security.

Kawaii Sale - Etsy New Policy Has Made This Sale Necessary

2009-12-06T16:30:00.001-05:00

I am having a fabulous sale because of Etsys new policy on commercial supplies.

And I would rather sell these items then move them!

Here is the ad.
*****#Due to Etsy's policy changes for commercial supplies I am having this sale.

*****40% OFF !! *****

Save 40% for Christmas Gifts!!

The sale is from December 6th to December 31st 2009. Please pay as you normally would and we will refund the difference. The 40% is only for the items - NOT the shipping.

Due to Etsy's new rules for commercial supplies, we will not be able to sell certain items starting in January. So, rather than moving them all over to our website, we are selling them at 40% off!

The following items are 40% off:

** MEMO PADS

** LETTER SETS

** POST CARDS

** CARDS

** FILE FOLDERS

The items will be moved to --

www.vendio.com/stores/TheKawaiiSupplyShop/

♥

To read more of the new changes please click on the link :

www.etsy.com/dosdonts.php#selling

Refund through PayPal.

FREE Yes This is a Free Offer on Tea Holders - FREE

2009-11-30T01:19:00.000-05:00

This is a listing special for free tea holders. - you get two!!!!!!!

No other purchase necessary!

These handmade little enclosures are beautiful. And they add a special little gift to let the person you send it to know you care.

On the back there is a Christmas Tea cup and a verse that will let you know how to have tea together on Christmas day even if you are miles apart
.
Special purchase offer....other offers do not apply.

This is like a PIF without the PIF, no gimmicks, no catch!

Just pay for the mailing and your tea holders are free.

If you would like fabulous tea to put in them - just go to

http://www.etsy.com/shop/teaman

Quote of the day - Gluttony

2009-11-27T18:35:00.000-05:00

Indulge in too much

gluttony --

and your clothes

won't buttony.

by Frank Tyger

Quote of the day - A Wish

2009-11-25T19:10:00.000-05:00

A wish is a desire

without an

attempt.

by Farmer's Digest

The Psychology of Color Part 7

2009-11-23T01:37:00.000-05:00

Purple is a mixed color,

a combination of the passionate red

and the peaceful tranquility of blue.

It is a symbol of leadership,

respect and wealth.

Historically, purple was the most

expensive dye to make so only

the wealthy could afford to be

"in the purple"

and has been the color of royalty

and emperors since the Roman era.

Purple is sensual,

spiritual, elegant and mysterious.

Purple and violet are colors

used in rooms of deep relaxation

therapy and meditation.

Splashes of violet in any social room

promotes a spiritual connection.

QUOTE OF THE DAY - GETTING OLDER

2009-11-15T23:44:00.003-05:00

"My ankles crunch,

my knees crunch,

my stomach gurgles constantly.

I'm not getting older -

I'm getting noisier."

-- Bob Hope

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - Paradox

2009-11-11T23:47:00.002-05:00

Consider this paradox:

Almost everything that is publicly said

these days is recorded.

Almost nothing of what is said

is worth remembering.

Panini Bacon Chocolate Sandwich Recipe

2009-11-08T17:48:00.008-05:00

One of my favorite places to order Chocolate -

gourmet Chocolate - is Vosges Chocolate.

They have the best (in my opinion) Chocolate and the most unique.

Have you ever had pancakes and the syrup get on the bacon?

The taste is wonderful.

That is why when Vosges came out with their Bacon Chocolate Bar,

I had to try it and I LOVE it.

I have tried this recipe and it is amazing - so I am sharing it with you.

Enjoy!!

Milk or Dark Bacon Bar Panini

Yields One Sandwich

Equipment needed:

*Panini press or waffle iron or clothes iron and cast iron pan (see tips below),

*2 Italian country bread slices about 4-5 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick,

*2 tbsp Sea salted butter,

*2 squares Vosges‘ Mo’s Milk or Dark Bacon Bar,

*2 strips of crispy bacon (optional), I love the thick sliced,

Directions:

*Spread butter on all sides of the bread.

*Place bacon bar squares on one piece of bread,

followed by strips of bacon if you are using them and a sprinkle of salt.

*Place other piece of buttered bread on top and press with Panini press until golden brown.

Tips: Make sure your bread doesn’t have many gaping holes or your fillings may seep through and burn.

If you don’t have a Panini press substitute with a waffle iron as you see I did in the photos.

Or try a cast iron skillet hold with a clothes iron on top – quite the contraption I assure you.

Make sure the bread you use isn’t overly crusty or it may cut your mouth a bit when pressed.

At the same time don’t choose an overly soft bread not a good quality kind either and it won’t have the rigidity.

I suggest a crusty ciabatta or italian peasant bread.

Option:

We really play up the savory element of the bacon in this panini by adding a wonderful slice of gruyere cheese, a piece of sizzling bacon, a dollop of whole grain mustard and spear each panino with a cherry tomato and a gherkin.

Try this alternative as a fun hors d’oeuvre!

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - GOOD OLD DAYS

2009-11-03T23:58:00.005-05:00

Enjoy today -

you'll soon be looking back

on it as

one of the

good old days.

L. Carte

UNIQUE LAVENDER COOKIES GREETING CARD SET with A RECIPE CARD - GIFT CARDS and ORGANIC LAVENDER for COOKIES

2009-11-01T01:48:00.004-04:00

I am so excited - I am in a magazine.

www.modernhandmadechild.com Magazine on line.
Has a cookie exchange under Taste. Page 66
My Lavender Cookies Recipe Gift Card Set is featured.
The link shows that I am sold out - put please check my
store under gifts for more copies of this set.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33617336

The Psychology of Color Part 6

2009-10-30T22:46:00.004-04:00

Blue is the world's favourite colour.

It stands for truth, honesty, loyalty and integrity

and is often the colour of choice for the corporate look.

Blue is associated with coolness and formality.

Blue is peaceful and tranquil and is a sign of law, order and logic.

It is dependable, quiet and serene, restful and cool.

When a room is decorated in blue you feel relaxed,

peaceful and daydreams abound.

It lifts you away from your physical surroundings and helps you to de-stress.

Blue is known as a healing colour and promotes the feeling of being cared for.

Blue is good for bedrooms and splashes of blue will ease loneliness.

Darker blue will engender mediation and make a room feel spiritually charged.

On the other hand, blue should be used in moderation as it could encourage depression.

Cool tones of blue are good for offices as they create an atmosphere of relaxed purpose.

God's Lent Child

2009-10-25T19:59:00.004-04:00

God's Lent Child

"I'll lend you for a liitle while

A child of mine," God said -

"For you to love the while

she lives,

And mourn for when she's dead.

It may be one or two years

Or forty two or three:

But will you, till I call her back,

Take care of her for me?

She'll bring her charms to

gladden you

And - (should her stay be brief) -

You"ll have her lovely memories

As a solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay,

Since ALL from earth return;

But the lessons taught below

I want this child to learn.

I've looked the whole world over

In search for teachers true;

And from the things that crowd

Life's lane - I have chosen you.

Will you give her all your love?

nor think the labor vain?

Nor hate me when I come to take

This lent child back again?"

I fancied that I heard them say

"Dear Lord. Thy will be done.

For joys Thy child will bring

The risk of grief we'll run.

We will shelter her with tenderness,

We'll love her while we may -

And for the happiness we've known

Forever grateful stay.

But should Thy angels call for her

Much sooner than we've planned.

We'll brave the grief that comes

And try to understand."

-Florence Correa

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - TO and FRO

2009-10-24T01:48:00.002-04:00

To and Fro

To stuff, then diet,

Is a no-no

That's what makes

Your poundage yo-yo.

by Shelly Friedman

MITTEN or GLOVE CLIPS - NEVER LOSE YOUR MITS AGAIN - RED

2009-10-21T18:33:00.007-04:00

*HOME OF THE ORIGINAL MITTEN CLIPS*

These hand made mitt clips are so beautiful but also handy and so very useful.
The first picture is of the clips for this add.
Your children or you will never lose mitts again.
And you could use them also -- when dealing with children out side or shopping -- never worry about putting your gloves down and forgetting them or dropping them!!
They made a wonderful gift for people of all ages.
This set is made with clear industrial strength clips.
The elastic used in this set is red.
And there is a snow flake button or a winter button sown on the end by the clip.
The snow flake and color of clip may very.
By using the elastic I have made it easier to take off or put on your mitts or gloves.
TO USE - just attach one end to the cuff of your coat, snowsuit or jacket and attach the other end to the cuff of the mittens or gloves

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - HOW TO LIVE

2009-10-20T01:21:00.003-04:00

If you can spend a perfectly

useless afternoon

in a perfectly useless manner,

you have learned

how to live.

by Lin Yutang

Great Give Away Going On Now

2009-10-14T14:32:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to let you know about a great give away going on now until Oct. 22nd. This one features the Magickal Ewe, a fantastic mother/daughter yarn shop.

Head on over on this link and enter now

http://roses7184.squarespace.com/blog/2009/10/14/etsy-shop-feature-the-magical-ewe.html

Good luck!!!

Homemade Halloween Treat Ideas

2009-10-14T11:42:00.000-04:00

Kids love Halloween because this is the only time they really get to enjoy sweets. Traditionally, treats for Halloween consisted of store bought candy corns, and other assorted Halloween favorites. Dunking for apples was a favorite in our day. Today, there are more creative ideas available than ever before.

Baking is a tradition on Halloween, and aside from the cookies and cupcakes, there are other recipes which can be used to make the occasion even more special.

Instead of regular cookies how about ghost cookies? Using your favorite cookie recipe, you can shape the cookies into little ghosts. Your kids can decorate them with different color icing, or use M&M’s right after they are taken out of the oven.

Here is a great recipe for brownies shaped into ghosts. Make the brownies as you normally would, then before they cool, cut a ghost shape using a paring knife. Then melt white chocolate and using a piping bag, make the outline of the ghost on the brownie. After it has cooled you can pipe in the eyes and mouths, using any color frosting you choose.

If you’d like to make bat cakes, simply follow the steps to make a chocolate cake. Place the prepared ingredients onto a baking sheet. When the cake is finished, you can cut out bats with a paring knife. Set them aside to cool. Melt some dark chocolate and pipe in their eyes and noses. In fact, you can use dark chocolate to make the bat wings and attach them to either side of the bat cakes. Your kids will be in chocolate heaven!

Halloween is a time of costume making and preparing special treats. It’s the one time of the year in which kids are allowed to not only help in making treats, but consuming them as well. Whatever treats you prepare on Halloween will be handed down to your kids, and their kids. So have a great time and enjoy the day with your family on the “sweetest” day of the year.

7 Halloween Games for Kids

2009-10-13T10:57:00.000-04:00

Part of the fun of Halloween is playing silly games. When planning the games, it’s best to keep the costumes in mind and plan things that will work around them. Games should be simple with easy to follow rules.

Bobbing for Apples – A classic Halloween party game has always been bobbing for apples, however some kids don’t like putting their face in the water or don’t want to mess up the make up that took a long time to perfect. One variation of this game is to tie the stems of the apples to varied lengths of string and then hang them up. Then the people have to put their hands behind their back and try to take a bite out of the apple. You can also play the game using marshmallows.

Mummy Wrap Up – Divide guests into small groups. Provide them each with a roll or two of toilet paper and see who can use the tissue paper to wrap up one of their teammates the fastest. The first one to complete their mummy using the entire roll wins.
Jack-o-Lantern Faces – Hang a picture of a jack-o-lantern on the wall and have matching face pieces cut out of black paper for the eyes, nose and mouth. Place sticky-tack on the back of the pieces. Blindfold each player when it is their turn and play the same as pin the tail on the donkey except players put the eyes, nose and mouth on the pumpkin face. Younger children can do just the mouth, while older children and adults can do the entire face for more of a challenge.

Ghost Hunters – Cut out several paper ghosts and divide the players into two groups. Have one team hide the ghosts around the room. The other team has to hunt down the ghosts. Play continues until all ghosts are found. The team that hunts the most ghosts wins.
Ghost Bowling – Collect ten empty one or two liter soda pop bottles (use the larger bottles for younger guests). Paint the bottles white and decorate with silly ghost faces. Use a small playground size ball as the bowling ball. If you can find orange ones, decorating them as jack-o-lanterns can add to the fun.

Upset the Candy Dish – Place chairs in a circle, facing in, having one less than the number of players. Whisper in each child’s ear the name of a favorite Trick or Treat candy. They will become this piece of candy in the candy dish. Have one person stand in the middle of the circle to be “it”. The child in the middle will call one or two types of candy. If the candy name that’s called is matches the one the children are, they should stand up and try to move to another empty seat. Occasionally, the child who is “it” calls out, “Upset the candy dish.” and all the players need to move to a new seat. If any of the candy kids can’t find a seat they then become “it.”

Pirates’ Treasure – Fill two small buckets with sand and place inside a larger washtub or box. Bury treasure in the buckets such as small prizes or candy. Each player receives a plastic spoon to dig for their treasure. Divide players into two teams. Position players around their designated bucket and tell them when to start. They dig in their treasure “chests” until every piece is found. The first team to find all their treasure wins.

Please support the author and visit http://themagickalewe.etsy.com or visit http://impawsibletoresits.etsy.com for wonderful holiday gifts

Kid Halloween Fun Recipe & Party Games no 8

2009-10-12T09:51:00.000-04:00

8. Halloween Burgers

Ingredients:

6 hamburgers or veggie burgers
6 slices cheese
Pitted olives
Red and green bell peppers
6 lettuce leaves
6 hamburger buns (split)

Directions:

Using a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter cut cheese into pumpkin shapes. Cut olives into shapes for eyes and nose.

Cut bell peppers into shapes for mouth and pumpkin top (green pepper). Cook burgers according to recipe and during the last few minutes of cooking top with cheese. Carefully remove and place into lettuce-lined buns. Garnish pumpkin face using olives and peppers.

Serve open top.

Kid Halloween Fun Recipe & Party Games no 7

2009-10-11T09:55:00.001-04:00

Recipe no. 7 for your Hallowe'en festivities!

Mummy Dogs

Ingredients:

6 hot dogs
1 package ready to bake pastry
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Wrap each hot dog in a pastry sheet and lightly brush with melted butter. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Place "mummy dogs" on a lightly greased baking tray and bake at 350F for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and baked through. Top with "blood" (ketchup) and serve.

Please support us by visiting http://TheMagickalEwe.etsy.com for all your spinning, needle felting, felting, crocheting, and knitting needs. SOAK is appearing on the Dragon's Den Wed. Oct.14th. We have SOAK. Trial Kits are only $3.00

Kid Halloween Fun Recipe & Party Games no 6

2009-10-10T09:45:00.001-04:00

These recipes are delicious and just in time for Hallowe'en!

Recipe no. 6 in my series. For recipes 1 to 4 please see http://impawsibletoresist.blogspot.com/

6. Scary Frozen Bugs

Ingredients:

*These are great for serving in party punch or drinks.

Water
Raisins

Directions:

Fill ice cube tray with water and place a raising in each ice cube. Freeze and use.

Kid Halloween Fun Recipe & Party Games no 5

2009-10-09T09:39:00.003-04:00

These recipes are delicious and just in time for Hallowe'en!

Recipe no. 5 in my series. For recipes 1 to 4 please see http://impawsibletoresist.blogspot.com/

Pumpkin & Goblins Punch

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (1-liter) bottles of ginger ale
1 package orange sherbet

Directions:

In a punch bowl combine condensed milk and orange juice concentrate. Add ginger ale and mix well. Right before serving top with scoops of orange sherbet and serve.

SOAK is appearing on Dragon's Den Thanksgiving Week (Canada) We have SOAK. Get it here:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32306219

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - BALANCED

2009-10-04T02:44:00.004-04:00

A balanced Diet

is Chocolate in

Both Hands

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - REVENGE

2009-10-02T00:20:00.003-04:00

"Revenge is never the answer,

Carried to its ultimate conclusion,

an eye for an eye

would only leave

us all blind"

-Rev. Billy Graham

QUOTE FOR THE DAY / WEIGHT

2009-09-24T15:58:00.002-04:00

"Weight is only a state of mind.

To me,

anyone under 150 pounds

is just bones

with a slip-cover on."

---Shelley Winters

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR - part five

2009-09-23T10:55:00.004-04:00

Green represents life, nature, a feeling of calmness, friendliness and freshness.

It is sensuous and alive; it is dependable, steady, soothing and healing.

It represents newness and re-generation.

It is the most pervasive colour in nature and symbolizes Mother Nature,

the green movement, and ecology.

Deep greens signify money, prestige and power.

Green is a healer.

Suicides dropped 34% when bridges were painted green (Lion's Gate Bridge in Vancouver.)

Green gives structure and boundaries to the environment and is a colour of replenishment.

It is a good colour for rooms that you wish to create a mystique of relaxation

as it gives one space and time to re-balance.

It is frequently chosen because of its versatility and limitless variations.

Greens go well together and green laced with white can be the crispest,

springiest look of all.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - Darkest Hour

2009-09-22T03:05:00.003-04:00

The Darkest Hour

is only

60 minutes long.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY / HUMANS

2009-09-16T22:58:00.002-04:00

HUMANS were made to

run on LOVE,

and they do not

function well on

anything else.

- Our Daily Bread

More Great News - From Japan With Love

2009-09-10T14:53:00.004-04:00

Well my daughter's store did it again -- Great News -- I have taken this from her blog - great reading .....
Thursday, September 10, 2009

More Great News!
I found out yesterday that our store was mentioned in a New York Times article about Bentos! We are mentioned in the "where to get bento boxes and supplies" section on page 2 of the article.
It has been a great week (even though I was sick with a bad cold!!)!!
Enjoy reading!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/dining/09bento.html?_r=1&em

QUOTE FOR THE DAY - OVERDONE?

2009-09-08T01:38:00.003-04:00

The only thing on earth

that's never in danger

of being overdone

silence.

FROM JAPAN WITH LOVE

2009-09-06T01:40:00.004-04:00

Well I guess my daughter is famous - here is a copy from her blog for today -I am so proud!!!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Big News!!!!
Well....we got a great thing in the mail today! It was the October 2009 edition of the Ladies' Home Journal! Now you might be wondering why this is a great thing....well...it is because one of our products was featured (pg 152) with, of course, the link to our store!!!! Check it out!

We cropped the picture because above it is a recipe and I just wasn't sure about copyright etc so I played it safe. This is so exciting! We were contacted months ago about our sponges and we emailed back and forth and I sent in 2 for them to see and then we didn't hear anything so I just thought it wasn't going to happen especially since we are located in Japan but I was wrong! I don't think I have ever been so happy to be wrong about something!

CONGRATULATIONS HONEY

QUOTE FOR THE DAY / LOVE

2009-09-04T00:53:00.003-04:00

A dog is the only thing

on this earth

that loves you

more than

he loves himself.

---Josh Billings

QUOTE FOR THE DAY / JUSTICE

2009-08-21T23:35:00.003-04:00

The trouble with justice

these days

is that it's

not admissible

in a court of law.

author - Robert Brault

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR - part four

2009-08-21T23:11:00.007-04:00

Yellow gets attention easily.

It is no coincidence that bees have yellow stripes

as the colour warns other insects and animals

to "stay away."

It symbolizes energy and sunlight

and is associated with springtime,

cheerfulness and optimism;

however, some shades of yellow are associated

with uncertainty and restlessness

by certain personality types.

It is the colour of ideas and dreams

and stimulates creativity and confidence.

It suggests gaiety, joy and merriment.

Yellow is the psychological representation of daytime.

(Night time is dark blue.)

as it is the most reflective of all

the colours in the spectrum.
On the downside, and especially if you're a country dweller,

you might want to take note that it attracts houseflies;

on the upside, it stimulates the left side of the brain

for logical thinking,

so it may induce some very pragmatic thoughts

on how to get rid of those pesky varmints!
It is an excellent colour for home offices

as it helps you to absorb information

and stimulates short-term memory.

Not only will you know more,

but you'll remember why!
In the kitchen, yellow is wonderfully stimulating.
In Alaska, were winter nights seem to last forever,

it is recommended people spend two hours a day

in a bright yellow room to prevent

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

which is depression caused by lack of exposure to sunlight.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR - part three

2009-08-13T21:34:00.005-04:00

Orange is a combination of red and yellow and bears the characteristics of each.

It is lively and warm and symbolizes a strong personality,

as well as adventure and excitement.

It is popular with children because it is fun, creative and cheerful.

Orange stimulates the appetite and is known to affect the glandular system.

It produces a balance of emotions and increases positive thinking.

Darker, more muted oranges invite a person to relax and stay awhile.

Burnt orange is a good choice for living and dining rooms as it promotes sociability

and brings a conversation to an intuitive level.

QUOTE OF THE DAY / EVIL

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Evil would be extinct

were it not

for the lack of

love in men's hearts.

QUOTE OF THE DAY / HANG ON

2009-08-11T11:58:00.002-04:00

When you reach

the end of your rope

tie a knot

and hang on.

QUOTE OF THE DAY / OTHERS' VIEWPOINTS

2009-08-07T23:46:00.002-04:00

Consider others' viewpoints.

The worm,

in his own opinion,

is more important

than the apple.

--Farmer's Digest

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOUR - part two

2009-08-07T23:14:00.007-04:00

RED

Red is on objective colour and is associated with danger and alerts us to pay attention.

It is the strongest colour in the spectrum and is intense, impulsive, active and aggressive.

Red speaks of love, lust, passion and not unexpectedly will increase blood pressure.
Red is best used in splashes or as accessories.

It is a great colour for activity areas or for an entrance lobby.

It indicates excitement and liveliness within a house and so would work well

in a kitchen since it is a natural gathering area

where you want to encourage interaction and congeniality.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR - part one

2009-08-01T20:57:00.005-04:00

Colors are very much a matter of personal preference -

and so take note that the colors we use in our homes

will have an effect on our emotions every day.

All colours influence us in very subtle ways:

psychologically, emotionally, and even spiritually.

They stimulate us to be more receptive, energetic, romantic, and creative;

and conversely to make us feel tired, depressed, agitated or aggressive.

Below, I offer some choices for you to consider when you're poring over

those numerous color chips in search of the perfect decor.
Much of the time the colors that we choose are problematic

for us only because they're in the wrong room.

How often have you played a scenario something like this,

"I absolutely loved Sonya's red kitchen -

that red is just the perfect color

and so I used the same color for my bedroom.

But now, I just hate it!

And yet, every time I'm in her kitchen I fall in love with it all over again.

It just doesn't make any sense."
In actuality, it makes perfect sense.

Red is rich and lively and connotes excitement and conviviality -

something you definitely want to encourage in a kitchen,

but not necessarily in the bedroom -

unless you're starring in a Sex and The City episode.

The redincreases your vital signs and makes you "uber-aware" -

the delicious aromas, the ambience of your friend's kitchen

may not be what you want in a bedroom where you wish to relax and unwind.

(It is no error in judgment that bordello rooms are red!)

So, take your friend's red paint suggestion that you love so much -

paint your own kitchen walls with it, for instance,

and you'll find yourself suddenly liking the color again;

equally, now that your bedroom is painted a more serene colour

you won't be dreaming of murder and mayhem.

ACCEPT YOURSELF - QUOTE OF THE DAY

2009-08-01T02:23:00.001-04:00

Accept yourself.

Three times a day,

look in a mirror and apply

Oil of Okay.