The 10 Rules for Being Human

 
  1. You will receive a body.
  2.  You will be presented with lessons.
  3.  There are no mistakes, only lessons.
  4.  Lessons are repeated until learned.
  5.  Learning does not end.
  6.  "There" is no better than "here".
  7.  Others are only mirrors of you.
  8.  What you make of your life is up to you.
  9.  All the answers lie inside of you.
 10.  You will forget all of this at birth.


                                                      Cherie Carter-Scott, Ph. D.

Your own personal flea market

Vintage 1950s Lucite Napkin Rings

Vintage Arts and Crafts Bronze Business Card Holder

Lot of 6 Bakelite Trays

Collection of Industrial Metal Found Objects

 (Click on photos for more information)

Too tired to make the trek to Long Beach, Pasadena or the flea market in your area? Join me at Re:find Goods on Etsy where you can shop in your jammies with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, depending on the time of day.  I've assembled a wonderful collection of vintage accessories, found objects, sewing supplies and much, much more for your online perusal. Priced to sell, these goods are just what you need to work on your collage, assemblage, found object sculptures and other creative endeavors.  I've priced things to sell and am happy to bundle your purchases to reduce the shipping costs. Please come on over and take a peek. I add new items daily.  Coming soon- textiles!

Our generation didn't recycle?

Seriously, I'm not an old fogey, but I kinda like this story that was shared by my  Facebook contact, Rick Wade.

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Checking out at the grocery store recently, the young cashier suggested I should bring my own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. I apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations." 

She was right about one thing -- our generation didn't have the green thing in “Our” day. So what did we have back then…? After some reflection and soul-searching on "Our" day here's what I remembered we did have.... Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles repeatedly. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the green thing back in our day. We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. 

We didn't have the green thing in our day. Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. 

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then. We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. 

People took the bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint etc.

2011 Highlights

Family, friendship, travel, creativity,  native plant classes, a lunar eclipse and a BIG backyard renovation.

Santa Fe Inspiration

On Thursday Carl and I returned from a four day trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. We hadn't been there in about 15 years and it we were pleased to find that it hadn't changed much. Santa Fe never fails to inspire me and although it is known for its muted and earthy tones, I am always able to capture the color in my photographs. Nature treated us to a foot of beautiful glistening snow a few days before we arrived and we were able to enjoy the crunch of snow under our boots with the sunshine on our faces.

Merry Christmas!

Sending loving wishes for a wonderful holiday, however you choose to spend it.  May all your wishes come true. Thank you for being a part of my life!

Sneak Peek!

Sometime after the first of the year, I'll be opening my Etsy store Re:find Goods.  It will be stocked with textiles, found objects, wood, metal, jewelry parts and pieces and who knows what else! My goal is two-fold: to help you jump start your creativity with some interesting odds and ends ...and...to let go of some things that I've had for a while.  Everything will be priced fairly with the intent on moving things out! Here's a link to the store so that you can bookmark it and check back in January.

Have a wonderful holiday season! Be safe. Have fun.