Snow and New Year's resolutions

We have Snow! So beautiful. And snow birds!

Do you say "this Year I will diet, I won't eat so much sugar, I will exercise more, I will quit this or start that" every year? It is time for a different kind of resolution. Whether you make them about you or about how you behave, think carefully. Consider going deeper in, less exterior attention and more internal focus.

     Do you try to feel connected to everyone you meet or do you worry more about how they see you?

    When you listen to someone in a conversation, do you really hear them or do you formulate your next sentences while they are still speaking?

    When you feel wronged do you step back and try to see the whole picture from everyone else's view?

    Have you ever tried to stop a feeling of anger and look at it as if it was a waste of energy, that you can actually skip that part and go right to the part where you feel sorry for the person and be glad that you didn't behave negatively?

Ask for guidance. Look for signs. Listen to your heart. Be in the moment. Appreciate the smallest, most simple things, actions or words or soft breeze-anything that you notice is worthy of appreciation. More will come of what you put thought into, that is a good place to start the New Year.

Now, let me be honest and say sure, I want to lose weight, eat less sugar, exercise more--all that and then some. I have other frivolous mini-resolutions like I will wear earrings to work more often, things like that, but I resolve to be a better human most of all. How about you? If you need an inspiration, take a look at http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/lessons-worlds-ugliest-woman-stop-staring-start-learning-184400606.html

Happy New Year everyone!

life lessons and best of 2012-Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I liked this article
http://shine.yahoo.com/work-money/20-things-everyone-master-age-40-215100218.html
It caught my eye because I am 40 this year and it has been a great year. Sure you can read the whole article but just these snippets did it for me.

 If you see someone in distress, don't hesitate to talk to them. Once you've heard their story, sometimes all you have to say is "I'll be thinking of you." Your words are more powerful than you think.

 When you're weighing an opportunity, make the question that simple: "Do I really want this, or am I doing it for the money or the prestige or because I think I should?" It can't just be about those things. It has to make you feel good, too.

And when someone pops into your mind, let them know, even if it's just with a "Thinking of you" text. Don't let the moment pass; treat it as a reminder to reach out.

The thing that's grand about spending your time thinking about the universe is that it makes you feel insignificant. I don't mean that in a bad way.

Sing with joy, from your heart, and no one will care how you sound.

 It's important to be part of a community!

You have to find a way forward. You can say, "I'm going to work to improve myself so I never hurt another person that way." And then you need to atone, to make the lesson you learned mean something. Do this, and you will be able to look in the mirror again.

 

Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. ...... And when compassion appears, anger is deleted.

 

If you don't feel a shiver of excitement or fear, if there's no emotional risk involved, let it go.

 

Everything we experience--no matter how unpleasant--comes into our lives to teach us something. To move on from something difficult, look for the lesson.

 

Best of 2012 (for me)

1. spending more time with Superdude (he almost was deployed)

2. special real moments with loved ones-I will remember them

3. seeing the Smoky Mountains in person and a place called Chimneys

4. quiet talks with Supergirl, the most amazing 10 year old I know 

5. loud laughing until I snort or wheeze (has happened a few times this year)

6. petting my fur friends

7. watching the sunset as much as possible, sky watching and ozark weather

8. writing this blog-yep that is true

9. doing a 10 day fast (master cleanse)--yes I did.

10. having a very good job and making jewelry when I feel like it

the shortest day and not the end of the world

Happy Winter Solstice and 12-21-12! I am looking forward to the sun taking longer to set tomorrow and seeing what the future brings for us all.

I like to read about Inspirational women and will occasionally share a story. I was impressed by Hedda Bolgar, age 103 now.

http://www.beautyofaging.com/hedda-bolgar.html

http://www.ageofhappiness.com/blog/hedda_bolgar_eng/281/

Pray Hard

Out of devastating turmoil there is always a powerful resurgence of love and faith. If you focus on the pain it will get bigger but if you focus on the healing it will come stronger. I believe in this and ask you to send your love and prayers in focused thought to the many affected in Connecticut's sad story this week.

As always too, when tragedy comes we turn to our loved ones and cherish them all the more. This wake up call is a gift that you can pay forward. Tell them you love them and appreciate them and all they bring in your life.

http://youtu.be/g_lF2r5D7zI

Get ready, get set, GO!

TWO WEEKS! The 12 days of Christmas are almost HERE!

We are a little slow getting the decorations out this year. Life is hectic. I am packing today for a work trip this week and the etsy shop will be closed for a while. I will post on Sundays though. I hope you have a wonderful week!

Give UP

Ozark weather: ODD as usual. I feel like working in the garden-almost. It is December!

I love pyschology, probably because I am crazy. Figuring out what makes a person tick, literally is fascinating to me. I wouldn't be a good therapist though. I keep myself busy enough and I can see how frustrating it would be to want to help someone and watching them run in their hamster wheel getting nowhere fast.
This is a 5+ minutes video but it is worth it in my humble opinion. It is a guy who's on an odd mission to get 100 rejections and on his third day he makes an odd request at Krispy Kreme doughnuts where he met Jackie, who went above and beyond trying to produce it.

 

 

I had an interesting reaction to this video. Jackie was incredible yes and deserves the accolades-I enjoyed her honesty and earnest desire to please. I was most touched by the concept of Rejection though. I think of rejection as a minor obstacle in business or work but personal rejection is painful isn't it? Fear of rejection is debilitating for many. Then I can't help but think about other obstacles, roadblocks we throw up to slow us down, keep us from that goal, that dream.

You hear people say Don't Give Up! I say Give UP-give it up to God. Give UP your fears, your pain, your worry, your anger, your regret-none of it is really yours anyway, that is why it takes so much out of you to keep holding onto it.

Jia went back to see Jackie on day 12 and she had some more awesomeness to share about serving with all your soul. I loved it. You can see it on Jia's blog here:
http://www.entresting.com/blog/100-days-of-rejection-therapy/

Eat, Shop and Sleep, eat some more

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have good times with loved ones, lots of food, lots of rest, and lots of fun shopping for Christmas!

Are you a Black Friday or a Small Shop Saturday kind of person or maybe both?

My Etsy shop is loaded with a 20% coupon SMALLSHOP20

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

Yum stuff

treats for Thanksgiving week!

If I could be another person for a day I would choose someone like Martha Stewart, P. Allen Smith, or someone like that but without the TV hosting parts. I just want to make stuff, cook stuff and and grow stuff with a little designing or decorating thrown in. No dramatics, just quiet little artistic flair in everything I do. I guess the answer is to aspire for those moments of creativity, adding a little extra pretty to things as we go along. No awards, just the loved ones saying YUM STUFF will do.

Pot roast with herbs-was delicious!

Who would you like to be for a day?

Serendipity

 

I loved this story....and the song. It made me think of my favorite word too.

 

ser·en·dip·i·ty/ˌserənˈdipitē/

Noun:

The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: "a fortunate stroke of serendipity". http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/friskies-awards-oskar-first-toys-cat-video-180132915.html The kitty Oscar became famous and the band got so much recognition and fame too. Here's their story from a year ago: http://www.starcityblog.com/2011/12/local-band-smiths-cloud-and-blind-cat-find-each-other-internet-celebrity.html Although my definition serendipity is more like two wishes or prayers dancing together.

Stormy moody creativity

Loved the weird weather here this past week. Almost 80 degrees a couple of days and then WIND brought in a cold rainy Sunday.

I am not sure why but my creative juices have kicked in lately along with seasonal moodiness of the daylight savings time change. So every night I am in the studio for an hour or so. I can always tell when I am losing it though because I get tired sloppy and cranky-yes another mood. Work with what you have, that is my motto and right now I have some interesting urges to create. Here are some of the pieces.

the copper piece is actually one of my first from classes--he's just getting polished.
 

this came about during SuperGirl's beading expedition this weekend.

dichroic glass in silver

serpentine in silver

sunstone and moonstone I think.

 

 

Thank you for reading my post today. I hope you are well, safe and experiencing all the good in life. Have a great week! 

thanks and giving in a rant

I have seen many wonderful things happening online lately. On social sites I keep seeing posts daily this month on what you are thankful for, a whole month of thanks-giving! I googled and picked up some pretty cool finds online too:
http://identityrenewed.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/a-month-of-real-thanksgiving/
http://sojourningsojas.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/a-month-of-thanksgiving/

After Superstorm Sandy I have seen many donation options to help those dealing with the aftermath in the NorthEast. I use yahoo for email so I always scan the front pages and caught this one about ways to donate. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/hurricane-sandy--how-to-help.html

Here are some direct links, not that you can't google it yourself :)
for people http://www.redcross.org/ for animals http://www.humanesociety.org/
and my personal favorite is local to me, global to you: http://www.convoyofhope.org/

Thinking of my own options I don't want to set up a donation item to sell online with proceeds going to a benefactor of my choice. I'd rather just do my own donating and you do yours. Not sure if that's a bad attitude or my realist side showing up. I have often thought that of fundraisers at school too, instead of buying that overpriced candle or candy I would rather give the kid's program a little cash. Am I taking the fun out of fundraising? I guess so but that's my honest opinion about it.

There's a lot of opinion out there right now on politics isn't there? I have been listening with one ear and avoiding it with the other, thank God for DVRs hehe. I had one thought on the campaigning though, why is so much money spent getting one person in a job that pays a fraction of that amount in wages? Why do we have a 2 billion dollar president? Is your vote worth that much or is your spending dollar worth more? HMMMM.

Thanks for letting me rant. Have a great week, and get out and vote Tuesday and buy something too while you're at it and also donate a little to your favorite cause....just choose right for YOU!

Sandy and fall chores

As we watch the east coast face hurricane Sandy, here at home we did the last of the Fall clean up chores. The sunshade is off the patio so the sun will shine all winter into the house. The pool is shut down and put up for the winter. One last mowing of the grass in front and the winter bird feeder has been set up in its prime viewing location. I would much rather be doing these little chores than thinking about evacuations, boarding up windows, sandbags and emergency supplies. I took some quick photos of things that caught my eye, such as the confused daffodils, Superdude mowing, and the mums. Hope you are safe, pray for those in the path of the hurricane and stop and look around at the beauty outside if you can.

rearranging the etsy shop(s)!

What do you think of this first row? I am thinking about splitting up the shop into two shops so I can focus on silversmithing for a while but keep the beaded, wire-wrapped, and such together in another shop.

I have it started, here's a peek: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CSparksDesign any advice is appreciated!

A Fall Sunday

Great weekend! Friends and Family and a beautiful Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

ebay and etsy on a windy day

Do you ever get it in your head that you need something and it becomes an obsession almost? I admit that I do this a few times a year. Currently I am locked on to getting a different laptop bag and lunch bag for the day job. Now understand, I am not a fashion diva--you might guess that of me due to my jewelry making but I am not really. I like an understated me, my personality tends to flash more than my outfit if you understand. But lately I have become obsessed with getting a new stylish laptop bag, preferrably a backpack and a specific tote style of lunch bag so I can quit carrying the plastic grocery sacks. Did I mention too that I am a spendthrift for the most part? This is a tricky combination for me, wanting something for myself and looking for a great deal. I am picky you see, and a guilty shopper for myself. What is that anyway? Is there a psychological term for all of this? Ha! I am crazy, yes that is the term.

Want to see my contenders?

Losers so far:

In the running:

 

 

 

 

 

The weirdest part is that I most likely won't buy anything right now. I have a good laptop bag and there's a lunch bag that I can use even if it is not so cute. I call this wish-shopping and there's probably another term for it but it is just good old fashioned window shopping except you get to put things in your shopping cart online.

 

Do you do this, tell me you do!? So what do you shop for? Everything right? Do you like Ebay or do you like Etsy or both? I like both, definitely. I don't know if I would ever move to selling on Ebay, I like the friendly style on Etsy better. They've changed the site layout and search style--I am still adjusting to it. I encourage you to go do a little window shopping yourself at www.etsy.com

Happy wish-shopping!