MOVING ON UP

The Houston Civic Art Association held it's annual art show yesterday at the Bellaire Recreation Center. There were over 25 competitors in the portrait division that Avery was competing against. She entered three of her pastels and won ribbons on all three! Her portrait of Lizzie, the Boston Terrier, took first place. Dusty, the Lab mix, took third place and the picture of Simone kissing me took honorable mention. Only the first through third place winners are invited to have their art hung at Cafe Mezza and Grille for the month of October. There is an opening reception planned for Thursday, October 4th from 5:00 to 7:00. Avery is thrilled with her success and so are we! Hopefully she will sell some of her work during the month. This is Adam who owns the famous dog!

SLEEP IS THE NEW SEX

Pass out in Savasanah, the corpse pose! Last year Forbes magazine quoted a sleep expert as saying, "sleep is the new sex." It also said the sleeping pill industry is in the billion dollar range. Which is why I'd like to offer you something free and hopefully addictive—yoga tips to improve your slumber numbers. Want to find peace? Practice active relaxation in corpse pose, which releases muscle tension. It's almost like hypnotizing yourself but not as hokey. Only 20 minutes to total rejuvenation! A pose that requires you to do nothing more than just lie there. Genius. Just don’t fall asleep. 1. Set a timer for 20 minutes (20 minutes is best, but even 5 or 10 will help if you are pressed for time) and lie on your back on the floor. 2. Place your arms near your sides with your palms facing the ceiling or bend your elbows and place your palms on your stomach. 3. If you have neck tension, use a thin pillow under your head, which will realign your head so your forehead and chin are level. 4. Listen to a guided relaxation tape, or simply relax each area of your body in sequence until you drift into a peaceful place.

I OWE MY MOTHER

• 1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
• "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside.
• I just finished cleaning."
• 2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
• "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
• 3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
• "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you
• into the middle of next week!"
• 4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
• " Because I said so, that's why."
• 5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
• "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck,
• you're not going to the store with me."
• 6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
• "Make sure you wear clean underwear,
• in case you're in an accident."
• 7. My mother taught me IRONY.
• "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."
• 8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
• "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
• 9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
• "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
• 10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
• "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
• 11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
• "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."
• 12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
• "If I told you once, I've told you a million times.
• Don't exaggerate!"
• 13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
• "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
• 14. My mother taught me about ENVY.
• "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world
• who don't have wonderful parents like you do."
• 15. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
• "Just wait until we get home."
• 16. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
• "You are going to get it when you get home!"
• 17. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
• "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going
• to get stuck that way."
• 18. My mother taught me ESP.
• "Put your sweater on; don't you think
• I know when you are cold?"
• 19. My mother taught me HUMOR.
• "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes,
• don't come running to me."
• 20. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
• "If you don't eat your vegetables,
• you'll never grow up."
• 21. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
• "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
• 22. My mother taught me WISDOM.
• "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

• 23. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
• "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.

************************************************************************************* Found this duck this morning on our walk in the neighborhood. I hung him outside my kitchen window to see how long it takes my husband to notice it.

CRAZY ABOUT COOKIE JARS

Today I hit one of my favorite consignment stores and I found a treasure to come home with me. It is a McCoy teapot cookie jar. It was sitting on the shelf with my name on it! Ha... I must have over 75 jars gracing my kitchen and den shelves. Do you know that not one of them has ever held cookies! I also collect salt and pepper shakers, Russian nesting dolls, character trinket boxes, and vintage ashtrays. There is more but I am afraid that my husband will actually read my blog and see how much stuff I come home with!!!

BUTTONS ARE THE RAGE

Do you get excited when you see really cool buttons? I love looking at old clothes and seeing the unusual buttons they would use on them. They are different than the kind you can buy now in Jo Anns or Hobby Lobby. It is fun to visit bead shops that carry old buttons in those tubes stacked one on the other. Reminds me of an old time candy store. ************************************************************************************** There are also the buttons that people wear on their clothes to express themselves. WHICH WOULD YOU WEAR?

BATTLES TO BE WON...NOT

Astrology

In French, Tuesday is "Mardi", associating it with the planet Mars. Tuesday is also associated with the dwarf planet Pluto. This marries Tuesday with ideas of strife, battles to be won and pressing issues and jobs to get sorted. It is not a day to relax.

But I thought it would be nice to enjoy some humor after the stress of Sunday! So enjoy our day sewing, shopping, or whatever makes you happy!

LIFE CHANGES ON A DIME

"Life changes on a dime" is a phrase that is often used when something awful happens! Avery had an accident yesterday and lost control of her car on a neighborhood street. Thank goodness she and her friend were not hurt. Only the car suffered extensive damage!!! She claims she heard a pop and then everything happened too quickly. THIS VIEW SHOWS YOU THE DAMAGE OF THE GUARD RAIL THAT HELD HER CAR FROM GOING OVER A 30 FOOT LEDGE.

IT'S GOOD TO SHUT UP SOMETIMES

It's good to shut up sometimes. That was a quote by Marcel Marceau, the very famous mime who passed away today. Millions who have never seen him perform live, or even on television, have heard of Marcel Marceau. He's, you know, that French guy in white face who for some inexplicable reason doesn't talk. He's toured the world with his show 40 times. He's written and illustrated several books. He's received France's highest artist honor -- the French Legion of Honor -- and two Emmys. Michael Jackson modeled his moon walk on Marceau's walk-against-the-wind techniques. He's garnered honorary degrees from prestigious universities across America. He's had three wives, four children, survived the Holocaust, joined the Resistance and marched in Patton's army.

Even when you don't quite get it, Marceau makes you think twice.

In 1947, Marceau created "Bip", the clown, who in his striped pullover and battered, beflowered silk opera hat — signifying the fragility of life — has become his alter-ego, even as Chaplin's "Little Tramp" became that star's major personality. Bip's misadventures with everything from butterflies to lions, on ships and trains, in dance-halls or restaurants, were limitless. As a style pantomime, Marceau was acknowledged without peer. His silent exercises, which include such classic works as The Cage, Walking Against the Wind, The Mask Maker, and In The Park, and satires on everything from sculptors to matadors, were described as works of genius. Of his summation of the ages of man in the famous Youth, Maturity, Old Age and Death, one critic said, "He accomplishes in less than two minutes what most novelists cannot do in volumes."

check out the link below to see him perform:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qx8_C1hMko&mode=related&search=

CAN'T STOP THE ADDICTION

Resale shopping is one of my favorite addictions. I don't think there is a 12 step program that would help me let go. It is just too much fun! The hunt is what gives you the thrill. I love searching for that "something" in particular. Here is your bible for finding your treasures: Here are some of the more famous stores to visit: (there are so many more though) Here is what you encounter when you walk in a store: (big messes to dig through) This is the stash of ties I bought to make my quilt: This is the idea that is taking shape: Keep Coming back to see MORE of my quilt as it takes shape.

THE LUNG AND SHORT OF IT

It's Fruit and Vegetable Month, and there's one fruit in particular that your lungs love. It's round, it's red, and it's really delicious. Give up? It's apples. This Superman of fruits is packed full of vitamins and phytochemicals that may reduce the risk of asthma and improve your overall lung capacity. How many should you eat? In a study, people who ate at least five apples a week had better lung function than the people who noshed less frequently on this crunchy fruit. However many you decide to munch, get the most out of them by eating the peel, too. There's another way apples may help you breathe easier: by loosening your waistband. Eating a piece of fruit before each meal may help to melt pounds away.

In a recent study, women who ate a small apple or pear before each meal lost more weight than women who skipped the fruit but followed the same reduced-calorie diet. Fiber-filled fruits help to satiate hunger, which probably results in lower calorie intake from the meal, researchers speculate.

Check out this video on an apple and a worm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd_JYe8Tm7M&mode=related&search=Apple%20Worm

I WISH...

WATCH THIS VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_vtzu3muvA I WISH:

• I wish there was no such thing as having to say goodbye to people you love.
• I wish I could spend a lot of time traveling around the world.
• I wish I had taken up photography sooner in my life.
• I wish someone would have given me career advice when I was younger.
• I wish I had majored in art.
• I wish I had a killer body!
• I wish that people wouldn't hate.
• I wish I had more pets.
• I wish I didn't have to dye my hair to keep the gray away.
• I wish I could go on a cruise to relax.
• I wish for my children to have wonderful success in whatever they choose.
• I wish I had told my father I loved him before he died.
• I wish for world peace.
• I wish I had been an olympic athlete.
• I wish I had a horse.
• I wish I was a famous musician.
• I wish I could play an instrument!
• I wish my breasts didn't sag.
• I wish all bad people were sent to another planet.

What do you wish for:

PLAY ON WORDS AND PICTURES

I LOVE CLEVER PHOTOS WHERE THERE IS A PLAY ON WORDS. TRY TO GUESS WHAT THEY SAY BEFORE READING THE TITLES. ************************************************************************************* KING OF POP ************************************************************************************* TAP DANCERS ************************************************************************************* GATOR AIDE ************************************************************************************* A POOL TABLE ************************************************************************************** I-POD ************************************************************************************** DOCTOR PEPPER ************************************************************************************** CARD SHARK ************************************************************************************** LIGHT BEER ************************************************************************************** KNIGHT MARE ************************************************************************************** WHOLE MILK **************************************************************************************