One Lovely Blog

Wow!

OK...I'm kinda speechless. This is a rare moment in history, people. I'm pretty much NEVER speechless. As a matter of fact, a "friend" of mine once said "Denise would talk to the back door of a barn if she thought it would listen to her." Now, I know I like to talk, but is it just me or was that a kinda mean thing to say?

Anyway...

I've received the One Lovely Blog Award and I'm oh so flattered. Dalkullan Jewelry honored me and I'm just plain floored! And again, so...flattered. And obviously a little verklempt...which is maybe why I keep repeating myself...and why there are so many "..."s in this post.

Anyway...here's the deal. This is a pass-it-on kind of award. When you're honored, you need to spread the ♥ in return. You're supposed to choose 15 of your favorite blogs and pass the award on to them. The trouble is, I'm new to this. I don't follow all that many blogs yet, so here's my top 12. (Which means I've got three open positions -- so if I've missed your fantastic blog, clue me in!) Here's the list - in no particular order:

1. PKMPhoto - because his picture of the day is just such a great way to start every day. Really amazing photography.
2. KindOverMatter - because who couldn't use a little kindness every day?
3. AestheticOutburst - because it's just so beautiful to look at.
4. JakRandomArt - because her pictures make me just a little homesick -- in a good way.
5. AlyGatr - becaues every post makes me laugh out loud.
6. PeasAndBananas - because for a minute there, I thought my husband had started a blog and was writing about my life.
7. ShrimpSaladCircus - because the 'marketing minute' really teaches me somthing.
8. lilithevy - because her treasuries are so f'ing beautiful ('scuse my french), and because I get to brush up on my french every time she posts:D
9. AngryChicken - becaues she gave me something to do with the whole wheat flour in my pantry (now that it's not bread-making season in TX anymore.)
10. CakeWrecks - because I haven't been featured here...yet;p
11. FortyTwoRoads - because I love her art AND she posted a picture that was integral in the successful design of my daughter's halloween costume.
12. Domesticali - because her sensibilities warm my heart.

I know some of these blogs don't "need" promoting, but I love 'em so I wanted to spread a little ♥ their way too. Even the popular kids need a hug every now and then. Right? And special ♥ to Dalkullan. Be sure to read her profile when you check out her Etsy shop. It's such a nice story and philosophy -- a real tribute to family past and future.

Now, to #s 1 - 12, don't forget to share the ♥. You've gotta give it to receive it, right?

Flowers for Teacher

Schools out for summer! So you know what I was doing all last week...working on teacher gifts. Now I'm a firm believer that gifts given to teachers should come from the kids, not the parents. Sure, I'll throw in a gift card to go along with it -- to express my appreciation. But I think the kids need to be involved with it too. So of course this means hand made gifts. This year we gave our teachers flowers and cookies. Not just any flowers and not just any cookies. Handmade scented paper flowers and some awesome homemade shortbread.

Credit where credit is due: The inspiration for these pretty little packages came from two fellow Etsians. I really owe these ladies a debt of gratitude for the hours of fun the kiddos & I had creating our version of their fantastic flowers.

Delightfuldeceits fantastic Brown Bag Flowers - what a great thing to do to an old paper bag!! Her cards are beautiful too. She really knows how to make treasure out of trash.

ChelseaVantol's (you may know her as PaperCakes on Twitter) Pretty Paper Posies. Her shop's just so much colorful fun. Check out her craft kits -- little paper parties in a box.

And then there's the chef at The Pelican Inn who (years ago) so generously shared her shortbread recipe with me -- and this was no small act of kindness. It had to be translated (from Russian, I believe), converted to US weights & measures, and scaled back to a size reasonable for family consumption. It's just the most scrumptious stuff.

So thank you, ladies, for helping me & the kiddos thank another great group of ladies. And yes, my kiddos really did most of the work on those flowers. Need proof?

What's in a Name?

Teddy Started It. I get a lot of comments about the name of my business. Well, here it is...the answer. Meet the original "Teddy". The little fellow who started it all. Only 9 weeks old and already an inspiration. Doesn't take much when you're pregnant, does it? I think you can see how he got his nickname -- and where I got my avitar. I've had a soft-spot for Teddy Grahams ever since.

So for all you shop keepers out there...what's your story? How'd you find your name?

Dandelions - Flower Power

LillyShayStyle is defending the virtue of Dandelions today. And while I don't particularly want them taking over my yard, I do believe their honor is worth defending. So, in support of Lilly, and all those happy yellow flowers, here's something useful to do with dandelions.

Dandelion infusions have been used for ages to help ease muscle aches and joint pain. If you've had an extra tough workout at the gym, spent to much time hunched over doing yard work, or if picking up that 2yo 100 times a day is getting to you, try this little preparation. It's a fun project to do with the kiddos and it would be a great home made gift for an exercise buff or an arthritic grandma -- or an arthritic 'ma' like me, for that matter! Check it out.

Here's what you need:

• a clean wide-mouthed jar (like a mason jar)
• a good supply of dandelions (really, a roadside field is better than a yard - since the roadsides are rarely treated with bug or weed killers)
• Olive or Canola oil (and yes, that's the olive oil and canola oil you use in your day to day cooking -- straight from the grocery, nothing fancy about it.)
• 1 shot of vodka (optional, but adding it will definitely keep unwanted things from growing in your infusion.)
• a scrap of cheese cloth or some other fabric suitable for straining
• rubber band

Here's what you do:

• Fill your jar half full with dandelion flowers - make sure the flowers are fresh. You don't want any that are turning brown or starting to go to seed. You'll be able to spot the good ones - just look for the bees. Oh yeah, and let the bee finish his job before picking the flower - it's the polite thing to do.
• After you've picked all your flowers, fill the jar almost all the way to the top with the oil of your choice. (Adding a sprig of lavender to the mix will give your finished product a really nice aroma.)
• Add the shot of vodka if you want to ensure no molds start to grow (which they shouldn't if your flowers aren't wet - molds don't grow in oil.)
• Cover your jar with the scrap of cloth and secure it with the rubber band
• Set your jar in a warm sunny spot -- outdoors or indoors
• Now here's the hard part. Wait. Wait, and wait, and wait. About 3 weeks ought to do it. By then, the dandelions will have turned brown.
• While you're waiting, check out LillyShayStyle's blog, and Quick5pnt0's Flikr site (That's his incredible dandelion photo. I sure hope he doesn't mind that I swiped it -- I'm Flikr-ignorant and couldn't find a way to contact him through his page -- if anyone knows how, please educate me. I feel like a thief, but the picture was just too beautiful to pass on. His pictures of the beach make me so homesick I want to cry.)
• Strain the oil into a clean bottle. Store in a dark place or preferably in the refrigerator. Refrigerating it should give it an indefinite shelf life. Something to remember though, olive oil solidifies when it gets cold. That's why my choice would be canola oil. If you're into the whole homemade massage oil thing and you have almond or grapeseed oil hanging around the house, these are excellent options as well.
• You're ready to go! Just massage a little into your achy parts and let those "weeds" do their work.

Enjoy! Let me know if you take on this little project. If you send me pictures, I'll post them next month -- maybe include a giveaway. Tease, tease!

Procrastination

Isn't it funny how when you really need to be doing something there's always something else that seems more interesting or more important? And it's so easy to justify that 'more interesting' thing. Like right now, for example, I really need to be making a lemon pie. We're going over to friends' for dinner in an hour or so and I ALWAYS bring dessert. People count on me for this -- and they love me for it (or so I'm told.) I really REALLY NEED to be making a lemon pie right now. But all I can think about is The Blog.

'...but I really need to get a new post up on The Blog.'

That's what I really needed to do on Tuesday. But on Tuesday, laundry seemed more compelling. LAUNDRY!! Laundry and compelling don't belong in the same paragraph together, let alone the same sentence!

So validate me...please! Tell me, what suddenly becomes important to you when you have something you really need to be doing? And, is it really procrastination if you're being productive on a different task? Because quite seriously, I'm not sure I'd ever get anything done if I didn't have something else more important to do.

OK, I guess I'd better go make that pie.

( Yes, I got the pie made -- but only because really needed to take out the trash. Heh! )

Oops! My Give Away!!

OMG! I can't believe I completely forgot about my 1st give away. Well...actually, I can. If I can forget to put the pre-packed lunches in the car when loading up for school in the morning, why is it so implausible that I can forget about my blog give away? Seriously, I've been forgetting lunches for two years now -- I've only been at this blog thing for a month. I've got a LOT more forgetting to do!

Oh yeah...the give away, back to the give away. I received two childhood fear comments - both of which I could totally relate to. Well, I decided to declare TWO winners to my give away. I can do that, you know. I'm just that empowered here in the land of TeddyStartedIt. So meet the 'winners':

AlyGatr - She's got a fantastic blog that always puts a smile on my face -- regardless of what craziness is going on around here, so check it out: http://alygatr.blogspot.com/. She makes pretty pretties that are available in her Etsy shop. I've got my eye on these: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19221043.

and then there's:

Gravitando - I met her first on Twitter as Nataliaraya (which is also her Etsy shop name). Her jewelry is amazing, as is the photography of her work. Check out her shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5695852. I've always worn gold, but after seeing her stuff, I've decided it's time to make the switch. It's really just that beautiful.

Now I know my little give away is not like winning the lottery, or a really powerful vacuum or anything, but for me it kind of is. To have someone be interested enough in what I'm doing here to make a comment is pretty amazing to me. So ladies, thanks for making my days.

Rainy Day Blues Busters

Ugh...yet another grey day. I shouldn't complain. I know soon enough that hot Texas sun is going to be beating down and I'm going to be wanting a little of this cloud cover back. I should be looking on the bright side: lots of water in the lakes means less funky tasting water in August; all this spring rain is giving my flowers a fighting chance this year; I'm saving a fortune in sunblock! Am I feeling better yet? Not really. I'd really LOVE to see the sun. But, since that's unlikely, how about a few home remedies for the 'rainy day blues'?

• Chocolate - yeah, now I've got your attention! According to researchers at the University of Arizona consuming chocolate can boost the brain's production of serotonin - our body's own natural antidepressant. So go ahead, eat the chocolate and feel good about it!!
• Peppermint - it's so fresh and invigorating! It's touted by aromatherapists and holistic practitioners for it's fatigue-busting, mood enhancing effects. And now there's some 'real science' to back it up...you know, for you skeptics out there;) The Association of Chemical Reception Scientists reports that peppermint decreases anxiety, stress, fatigue and increases alertness. The study examines the impact of certain smells on drivers. They even found that peppermint reduces road rage. Is this stuff great, or what?! WebMD's got nice synopsis if you're interested. And the next time the weather's got you down, try a little Peppermint Inhalation: 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (available in the baking aisle at your local grocer) in 1 cup of steaming (but not boiling) water. You can drink it if you want - it's great for an upset tummy - but in this application you're just supposed to inhale it. 1/4 teaspoon in your hot cocoa is great too -- but it's already too hot here for that.
• Baking/Cooking - Oh yeah, 'comfort food'. Filling the house with yummy smells and the promise of tasty treats is a great mood enhancer. We'll be baking today...with chocolate and peppermint, of course! Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies.

And if all else fails, a rousing romp in the puddles is always fun!