Tips for the day and your daily spoon full of sugar

If you can't drink and drive why do you need a driver's license to buy liquor, and why do bars have parking lots?

Citrus Market Linocut Print on Vintage Newspaper by peaseblossomstudio

Awesome Newspaper Classifieds

Washer. Owned by clean bachelor who seldom washed -- $100.

Snow blower for sale. Only used on snowy days.

Found: dirty white dog. Looks like a rat. Been out for a while. Better be reward.

Free puppies. Part German Shepherd, part dog.

Cows, calves never bred. Also, one gay bull for sale.

Free puppies: part Cocker Spaniel, part sneaky neighbor's dog

Full-sized mattress. 20-year warranty. Like new. Slight urine smell.

Nice parachute. Never opened. Used once. Slightly stained.

Free Yorkshire Terrier. Eight years old. Unpleasant little dog.

Tired of working for only $9.75 per hour? We offer profit sharing and flexible hours. Starting
pay: $7 - $9 per hour.



Craft Tip: Do you have left over tiles from a home improvement project? Use them to make accessories like mosaic flower pots, coasters, trivits. They are also good for placing beneath hot glue guns to protect your work surface.

Tips for Job Hunting
When hunting for a job, do not confine yourself to the newspapers, or online ads, as less than 30% of the available jobs are ever posted there. One of the reasons for this is the cost, and another is the time that would have to be wasted screening applicants. By Shari from Greer, SC

Daily Meditation

Kindness is the oil that reduces the friction of life.


Self-Meditation

Let what you think pass through your consciousness like clouds through the sky.

In walking meditation: notice the thought, return to the walking, notice the thought, return to the walking.

Your goal is to live in a simple, direct way - without cluttering up the mind with wanting things, hating things, judging, taking too much, worrying, or doubting.

When the mind is constantly bombarded by stimuli, it becomes overloaded and exhausted. We may be unaware that we are doing it, but by thinking and worrying we are using up tremendous amounts of energy. The tension put on the mind by worries, whether real or imagined, can use more energy than physical work. When worries get out of hand, energy resources are strained. Mental fatigue sets in, often resulting in wear and tear on the physical body as well. It is important to set aside some time each day for the mind to unwind and recoup its energies.
Whenever you experience mental tension, try breathing slowly and rhythmically for a few minutes while you concentrate on the breath. Yogic breathing exercises will may take conscious effort, but develop your ability to calm the mind using your own thought power. This leads to an experience of inner peace,with physical relaxation following the mental relaxation.

Contributor: Kems
From: Brooklyn, NY
Referenced from: http://yoga.org.nz/what-is-yoga/yoga_relaxation.htm

My Book

my memoir... my life.

I am not really sure if I want to start posting pieces of my book here on my blog. It has been a long road for me but if it could help parent's understand their kids a little better or mental illness than I guess it is worth it.

I havn't written in it for a while. I have put it on hold while I start up my little craft business. Since I am on disability I try to keep myself busy with my crafts and business since it is really one of my only income sources (and not a sucessful one...yet). I have been spending almost every waking moment trying to market myself and put myself out there to see. My name is Rachel, but you know me by Mother Goose and Gear.

I guess I will start posting tid-bits and see what kind of response I get. Thank you to my followers. The 7 of you are super awesome. Maybe if I start posting some of my story it will inspire me to keep writing until I have written about my life thus far which is a long way from where I was a year ago when I stopped writing.

Here it goes...

Survive Together or Die Alone
A Memoir by Rachel Goldmark

This is a memoir of a woman named Rachel Goldmark; her life as she remembers. Her story is about coping with a variety of mental and physical illnesses. She tells about home life, drug addiction, coping with life, mental institutions, recovery and life outside of mental institutions while continuing to deal with mental illness in her daily life. Included in her story are clips from her journals, poetry, and art when she was in treatment and in mental institutions. She still deals with mental illness; it is a life long process to cope. With the help of doctors and medication and continual self-observation she is currently successful in life.

“Introductions aren’t always boring, this one is actually pretty entertaining”

I was standing inside a hollow tree with its roots firmly planted into the ground. The tree started shaking and the roots were unleashing themselves from the firm ground and it started lifting me into the sky. It was like a magical elevator that could take above the clouds into nothingness. We traveled back down to the clouds and I stepped out of the tree onto a pink puffy cloud and rays of sunlight seemed to shine through the clouds to the busy world beneath us. I sat there for awhile and then all of a sudden the cloud turn grey and I fell dramatically into the busy streets of New York City. Cars were whizzing passed me and I had no control I was frozen, I couldn’t move. The was loud honking noises coming from the cars. I let out a rumbling scream and then all of a sudden I was curled up in the fetal position inside my mothers womb. I hadn’t been born yet. I was just taking in the nutrition from my mother to grow. I didn’t want to leave this warm, safe place because somehow I knew how terrifying those busy streets were, but nothing is ever been normal in my life. Nothing is as planned. I came out of my mother’s womb a month early. The interesting part now is that I can return to my mothers safe, warm womb when ever I get panicked. How do you ask? Well, It a long story and you are about to read it.

All rights to this post can not be copied
Rights belong to Rachel Goldmark 2009

Mother Nature Team

In celebration of Earth Day, all team members of Mother Nature Team are offering free shipping and recycled packaging until April 22nd. Search under "Mother Earth Team " for more great deals like this one.

Some more items and members of Mother Nature Team:

Chenille A-Line Dress Size 8/10 EARTH DAY SALE EVENT by Regal Cottage

Silver and concrete peas in a pod by lulubugjewelry

SALE-Needle felted bunnies-mother and child handmade

of natural materials in needle felt soft sculpture by oritdotanddolls

Craft tip and Old Ladies

Small Organic Quilting Remnants by Picky

To keep your work surface clean, when doing crafts that generate large amounts of scraps, try taping a small bag to the table and just swipe your scraps into it as you go.

I just forgot what I was forgetting Button by Mindseyecards

Getting Forgetful

from Joke of the Day

Three old ladies sit in a diner, discussing their health. One lady says, "You know, I'm getting really forgetful. This morning, I was standing at the top of the stairs, and I couldn't remember whether I had just come up or was about to go down."
The second lady says, "You think that's bad? The other day, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, and I couldn't remember whether I was going to sleep or had just woken up!"
The third lady smiles smugly. "Well, my memory is just as good as it's always been, knock on wood," she says as she raps on the table. Then with a startled look on her face, she asks, "Who's there?

Self-meditation

Self- Meditation

• Find something that has been a toy for you that you can part with now. Give it away. See what it is like to be without it. Do that with yet another toy when you are ready. Give them away, one at a time. Note how you feel and what your life is Simplifying your life doesn't necessarily mean doing without. It might, but it doesn't have to. Rather, the prevailing philosophy of today's voluntary simplicity movement is not to live without possessions or to live in frugality, but to slow down and live a more balanced, deliberate, and thoughtful life. And as research increasingly shows, a healthier life as well.without them.
• Be liberated by these two: examination and analysis.
• Both in times of formal practice and everyday life, practice distinguishing the level of consciousness.

I won the blog give-away!!!

I am so excited!! I have never won anything in my life but have now won the most adorable little snuggle bunny ever!!

And the winner is....

I simply can't wait to announce the winner of last week's blog giveaway from Rose's Handmade Menagerie.

So, drum roll please.....The winner is MOTHER GOOSE AND GEAR!

Here is a picture of the most adorable bunny ever! My good friend is in labor as we speak and I know Mr. Snuggle Bunny will have a wonderful home with baby girl or boy 'little Stu'.

Thank you so much Rose!!
And a shout out to Diary of a Mad Crafter for hosting the give away!