Rockin' Robin or the Twitter Bird...

I have been Twittering for awhile now. Starting out I didn't know too much about what or how to Twitter. So if you are new to Twitter like I was, or just want to maximize your Twitter efforts to promote your business, you can find a sea of info on the Internet to help you. It can be a daunting task finding the good stuff so I thought I would share the blogs and info that I particularly like on the subject.

TwiTip: http://www.twitip.com/
Twitter Handbook Blog: http://twitterhandbook.com/blog/
Twitter Handbook: http://twitterhandbook.com/
Blog of Mr. Tweet: http://blog.mrtweet.net/
Several free e-books on using Twitter for business:http://www.ariwriter.com/2008/12/8-free-ebooks-on-twitter/
Have fun!

Audrey Hepburn's Advice

I don’t remember watching Audrey Hepburn movies when I was younger but I have seen snippets of her movies. She always seemed so full of grace and charm. She left behind these Beauty Tips that still work today.

Beauty Tips by Audrey Hepburn:

For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise,
Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anybody.
Remember: if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

Great advice for any age. Are you an Audrey Hepburn fan?

The Pink Tree

I came across this site and thought this was a fun idea for any of us that are creative and make things. It's called The Pink Tree. Here is what it is all about:

Welcome to The Pink Tree, product review site. The concept is simple, send your small products in for review, their picture will be taken, a review will be written about you (your company) and the product, and you will have the satisfaction of seeing your product numerous times in the review pictures. Readers will be able to do a back search for the other products shown on the tree.When the tree is full, certain products can be donated to proper charities, in your company's name.It is a simple concept that can bring joy and publicity to your company. http://thepinktreefrommilkandcookeez.blogspot.com/

Any kind of products that women or kids would like are welcome--they don't have to be bath and body products. When the "tree" is filled, the products will be donated to a charity. So you can get some publicity and help someone in need too. What of yours could be put on the Pink Tree?

Spreading the Happiness Virus

Research shows that writing down just five things every day that you are grateful for can lead to a healthier mental state. A website called ButterBeeHappy.com makes this easier than ever. There are tools on the website such as Honeycomb, which looks for postings from people who share happy thoughts similar to yours. It can reinforce your own good feelings. There is also a blog with the latest news in happiness research. It's all free!

This from the Butterbeehappy site:

"Positive emotions and psychology help people thrive. In life there are many factors that can get people down, such as the economy. However, psychological research shows that economic factors are a poor predictor of overall happiness. Can you guess what is a good predictor of happiness? That's right, gratitude. When you jott down your 5 happy thoughts each day you are really practicing being grateful, and are thus appreciating your life to its full extent. "

I have been keeping a gratitude journal for several years now. In the past few months I've gotten kind of lazy about recording my five things. This will inspire me to get back into the habit.

Do any of you keep a gratitude journal?

Celebrate You!

In the January issue of Redbook magazine (redbookmag.com) Anna Davies writes about ways to celebrate yourself. If you watch little children, they do it all the time. They want everyone to notice their specialness and what they can accomplish. We as adults, don't do that often enough.

I once went to confession and the priest I met with said, "you take care of your students, your children, your husband--who is taking care of you?" Those words really made me think. It's easy to wind up putting yourself last. Ms. Davies has some good "Yay,me" ideas...here are just a few of my favorites.

*Write down three favorite traits about yourself to pull out whenever you need a little pick-me-up.

*Keep a wish list of dreams both big and small. You can post it to listography.com.

*Start a weekly ritual of pampering yourself.

*Change your desktop screensaver to a photo of a place you've always wanted to go.

*Read an inspiring blog.

*Look through your closet and ditch five things that don't fit or flatter you. Donate them to Goodwill. You'll gain some more closet space and do something good for others.

*Get a free make-over at one of the make-up counters at the mall.

What are some ways you celebrate yourself? I definitely need to go through my closet! I also like the idea of keeping that wish list. Yay, me!

Two Websites You Shouldn't Miss!

When I visited this site: http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html I just had to pause a minute and reflect. You've got to see this fellow--he is amazing. I guarantee it will move you.

On another note, if you go to www.lifeorganizers.com, you will get a month's worth of tips to organize your life and home during the month of January. (one for each day) Very basic, simple to do ideas that will make a difference. I guess we could all use a little more organization. I really am trying to clean up the clutter in my workroom!!

Quotes for the New Year

Here are some interesting quotes from some interesting people...

"Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right." Oprah

"Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you've always wanted to do but couldn't find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you don't think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. You'll look ten years younger. Don't be afraid to say, 'I love you'. Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world." Ann Landers

"I will seek elegance rather than luxury, refinement rather than fashion. I will seek to be worthy more than respectable, wealthy and not rich. I will study hard, think quietly, talk gently, and act frankly. I will listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with an open heart. I will bear all things cheerfully, do all things bravely await occasions and hurry never. In a word I will let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common."
William Ellery Channing

I really like the last one. I think if I could attain all of the goals, life would be just about perfect!
Do you have any great quotes for us to start off the New Year?

Snail Mail Valentines for a Good Cause

I was over at fredflare.com/blog reading about their super fun Valentine idea. They are asking folks to make a valentine and send it to them. They are going to sell the cards and donate the proceeds to Elder Craftsmen,an organization based in NYC that brings craft workshops to local senior citizens. (I wish we had something local like this but since we don't, I'm sending my valentine to them.)

Here are the details...(more info at fredflare)

1) MAKE A VALENTINE You can make it out of anything… Construction paper, collage, paint, crayon, a print of a photo you took, write a poem, make a mix tape, whatever ya feel like! Just make it fun and from the heart and easy to send. Be sure to include a matching envelope. Have fun with that also!
2) SEND YOUR VALENTINE + ENVELOPE TO FF BEFORE JAN 15TH Ya can just pop both in another envelope and send it regular mail to SNAIL MAIL VALENTINES c/o fredflare.com, 300F Kingsland Av, Brooklyn NY 11222. Hurry! Your valentine MUST be postmarked no later than Thurs, Jan 15th to participate. That’s only 10 days away. DON’T flake on me, peeps!
3) YOUR VALENTINE WILL DEBUT ON FF THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY All valentines will be sold online and in our new Brooklyn store for the super friendly price of ONLY $4 EACH and ALL the proceeds from the sales of these valentines will go directly to Elder Craftsmen!

Doesn't this sound like fun! Won't you join me in using your crafty skills for a good cause?!?!

Dom Perignon

According to "The Little Blue Book" (www.littlebooks.org) Pierre Perignon was born in France in 1639. He took the vows of a Benedictine monk at an abbey that produced a variety of wines.

Pierre soon became an expert on wine. Maybe because he was blind he used his extraordinary sense of smell and taste to tell which grapes came from which vineyards. He worked with mixing wines so that the qualities of each added to the qualities of the others. In particular, he studied the grapes from a region of Champagne. When he was 60 years old, he succeeded in producing what we now call "champagne".

Years after Pierre died, the wine company that bought the monastery vineyards gave the name "Dom Perignon" to its finest vintage. On New Year's Eve, many will without realizing it, celebrate the memory of this monk and wine expert.

*"Dom" was a title sometimes given to monks and other religious leaders.

How About A Year-Long Project?

An interesting concept. Pick a project that takes you all year to complete. Wouldn't you feel a great sense of accomplishment come the end of December? For some great ideas go to:
http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/
I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet--I have a day or two--but I'd like to see if I could stick to a project that long! Let us know if you are going to try it and what project you're going to try...

2008 A Year To Remember


Looking back at 2008, it was really a year to remember. From natural disasters, elections, the economy, war-- to the Olympics, a lot happened! Check out this website to get the year to remember in pictures...

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/the_year_2008_in_photographs_p.html

A Christmas Prayer

Now that Christmas is officially over I have to reflect on just how blessed I am. My whole family was together--my children and grandchildren and my son's girlfriend. We had our traditional Christmas dinner and opened gifts together on Sunday. Then on Christmas Eve my siblings, nieces, nephews and parents were together. On Christmas Day my husband's family was all together. We are all in good health, have jobs and homes. Life is exceptionally good.

Unfortunately it is not that way for everyone. My prayers go out to all who are experiencing heartache and hopelessness this year. Here's a musical video "A Christmas Prayer". It's my wish too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FibFdAWrgUQ

A Week of Worthy Advent Activities

As we count down the days left to Christmas it's good to stop and reflect on what we have really done to get ready. (Besides the shopping, the wrapping, the baking,etc.) Woman's Day magazine (womansday.com) has a list of things we can do to make our final days to Christmas really count.

Sunday--Give something away.

We all have some things we are using that someone else could. I have a winter coat hanging in a closet that I know could keep someone else warm.

Monday--Shop consciously.

I know Walmart has great prices but can we buy US not China-made? Buy fair-trade coffee and chocolate. Think green and help our planet.

Tuesday--Read for inspiration.

Find an e-newsletter for an organization whose mission you admire. (Have you got one you could share with us?)

Wednesday--Click for good.

Do your online shopping at charity malls such as igive.com and buyforcharity.com. I must admit I was not aware of these...

Thursday--Spread the word.

Your children can check out Kind News Online(kindnews.org) which teaches kids about animal welfare. Tell your hairstylist about Cut It Out (cutitout.org), a program that helps salon staff identify domestic abuse victims or check out some happy news we all could use (happynews.com)

Friday--Be a silent Samaritan

Shovel the snow for a neighbor while they are gone. Leave treats or Gathered From the Garden products (anonymously) for a friend, do a kind act for someone without getting credit for it.

Saturday--Support local programs.

Put some money in the red kettles, donate to Toys for Tots, buy a little something at the grocery store for the food shelf.

It's easy this time of year to get a little stressed (if you ask my husband he would probably say a "little"? when he describes me...). I think doing something good each day will help me stay focused on what Christmas should really be about. Are you in?

Creating Family Rituals
For years, stockings have hung by our fireplace. First we had stockings for our children. As they grew up and some started families of their own we added stockings for our grandchildren. This year I decided that the mantel was just too small for so many stockings. I sent an email telling everyone I planned to only put up the stockings for the grandchildren.

Two of my three children laughed it off and pretended to be upset. The youngest (who is nearing 30) made a comment about getting rid of the stockings for the other two but keeping hers. I heard in that comment a little undercurrant of sadness that a family ritual was about to end.
Delicious Living Magazine (deliciouslivingmag.com) has an article about creating your own family rituals. They can be symbolic activities or just everyday routines shared by family or friends. According to research done by the American Psychological Asso., rituals and routines are linked with marital satisfaction,health,academic achievement and stronger family relationships.

The article also lists tips for creating your own rituals.
*Rituals don't have to be time consuming to be meaningful.
*The ritual shouldn't overshadow the spirit of the event.
*Include kids in the planning. (No matter how old!)
*Consult older family members about their childhood traditions and see if you can recreate them
*Adopt new holiday customs.

For more ideas check out Jennifer Trainer Thompson's book, The Joy of Family Traditions (Celestial Arts,2008) She offers more than 400 ideas for creating family rituals. Or check out joyoffamilytraditions.com

So our stocking tradition will continue --only in a smaller sense. My daughter will have to start her own traditions as she gets married and has her own family. Until then, I've decided to surprise her and keep her stocking up one more year. We'll ease her into giving up that one tradition! (We have other rituals that our family will continue.)

Thought for the week
At this time of the year we all rush around to get our last minute festive season errands done, and our levels of irritation seem to increase proportionately with the amount of things that we need to get accomplished.

Since our lives and needs are important to us, we tend to think that they are far more important than those of others and we forget that others have needs too.

So when you join the hustle and bustle of this festive season, take a deep breath and count to ten every time you are about to lose your cool. Keep in mind that the person next to you is also looking for that perfect gift, making their money stretch, getting everything done, and would also rather be at home having a quiet and relaxing afternoon or evening.

To help make your Holiday shopping easier, check out gatheredfromthegardenllc.4t.com You're sure to find something for everyone on your list. No crowds, no parking worries!

Gratitude Website

Since this is the week we think about all we should be thankful for, here is a website for you to check out. http://www.gogratitude.com/masterkey/

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

Thanks to HowAboutOrange for finding this cool recipe on Haydee's Chocolate Journal from the Traverse City Record. So this is now a fourth-hand shared recipe! TCR says:Why is this a dangerous cake recipe? Because chocolate cake is now less than 5 minutes away!

Dangerous Chocolate Cake-in-a-Mug
1 coffee mug (microwave-safe)
4 T. cake flour (plain, not self-rising)
4 T. sugar
2 T. cocoa
1 egg
3 T. milk
3 T. oil
Splash of vanilla
3 T. chocolate chips, optional
Add dry ingredients to the mug; mix well with a fork. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk, oil, and vanilla, and mix well. Add chips, if using.
Put mug in the microwave, and cook for three minutes at 1,000 watts. Cake will rise over the top of the mug -- do not be alarmed. When finished, carefully remove mug from microwave and allow to cool a little. Tip onto a small plate prior to serving, if desired. Yields one generous serving or two "more virtuous" servings.

Your own chocolate cake in 3 minutes. What could be better than that!?!

National Family Caregivers Month

President Bush declared November 2008 as National Family Caregivers month. We would like to extend our well wishes and Thanks to all those that take care of our loved ones. Whether they are being taken care of in their own home, in special care facilities or hospitals, the wonderful folks that take care of them hold a very dear place in our hearts.
Caregivers can be husbands & fathers, wives and mothers, sons, daughters and nurses and nursing assistance and the list goes on. You need to pamper yourself and take care of yourself too! We know how special you are, but do you? Don't ever think that what you do is 'just a job' as it is way more than that. You are the ones with the loving touch, the simple smile and more, that make our loved ones know they are being cared for when we can't be there. Each day you need to take a few moments and smell the roses!
When was the last time you had a relaxing bath? Where you filled the tub with really warm or very hot water and just sat there and soaked, undisturbed? With candle light? and soft music? Close your eyes and cover your face with a dampened cloth and just sit back and relax. Stay as long as you like and tune out the world. You deserve it. Don't have time for a bath? How about a foot soak and a little foot massage?
Gathered From the Garden has some great products to pamper yourself or to give to caregivers to show your appreciation. Check out our website: gatheredfromthegardenllc.4t.com for more ideas.

I Like Your Hair...

I finally got a haircut that I have been trying to describe to many different stylists! I'm gone to a myriad of stylists over the past year--a trendy salon, one who does hair in her home, a cut and run place in the mall, a beauty school...and each time I leave with a different cut but not the one I was after.
But today on a whim, I stopped at another cut and run place at the mall. I got right in, described the cut I wanted and miracle of miracles--I got THE cut!! All for a very reasonable price and it didn't even take very long. Needless to say, I got this stylist's card and will be back to see her again.
I can't believe how happy a haircut can make me! I am looking forward to going to work tomorrow just because I think I look pretty good! (Yes, I'm a little vain.) It makes me wish I could pay for a good haircut for someone in need. Do you suppose there are any support organizations that deal with hair?
If you need some help with your hair; ideas for a cut or color, hair products, advice etc. check out www.hairfinder.com You'll find everything you've always wanted to know about hair. Maybe it will inspire you to get a new cut that will make you look and feel wonderful!

Celebrations

We have just finished celebrating Halloween. I was in Walmart and Target today and the Christmas decorations have already replaced the orange and black. As we look ahead to celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas here's another reason to celebrate.

In her book Living Juicy, SARK says we should "learn to celebrate ourselves. Each of us is outrageously wonderful and delightfully imperfect." We are pretty much untrained to be "self-celebrators". We are often told not to get a big head or be selfish. We forget how we celebrated little things when we were children. (It was a big deal to find a little frog or celebrate rain by stomping in puddles!)

Have you ever stopped to celebrate yourself? Baked a cake in your own honor? I think sometimes as women we got so caught up in celebrating others we never think to "celebrate ourselves". We are so caught up in looking good, achieving more that we don't think about being imperfect as being delightful! So I think we need to stop and plan a celebration!!

I think I am going to write a little tribute to myself in my journal. No one else has to read it but just writing it for myself with validate that I am outrageously wonderful! What are you going to do to celebrate YOU?