Author Archives: maryjane

Girl Rising—it’s here!

Posted on March 5, 2013 by maryjane

News flash!

In October, I wrote about a must-see movie in the works …

Remember? It’s called Girl Rising.

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The title grabbed me right from the get-go, and the more I learned about it, the more hooked I became. It’ll be an experience that none of us will want to miss.

Girl Rising was created by the 10×10 global action campaign for girls’ education in order to share the extraordinary stories of 10 girls from 10 countries who are fighting to overcome impossible odds on the road to realizing their dreams of education.

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photo-of-the-day

Posted on March 4, 2013 by maryjane

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My Strange Grandfather

Posted on March 4, 2013 by maryjane

Repurposing.

I love that word. Repurposing.

I could ramble on …

(well, I think I have over the years),

sharing how many divine objets de junk

I’ve repurposed into things pretty, functional, and simply, way cool.

From cowboy boot flower pots and purses to t-shirt rugs and gelatin mold wall sconces,

repurposing is a process that not only births the banal anew,

it also satisfies a deep craving we have for frugality and make-do.

But, instead of jabbering on about my love of junk all day,

I want to share with you another little treasure I found.

(I admit, it’s brand new. But it’s ABOUT junk.)

I’m smitten with a little film that was artfully animated by a Russian cinematography student named Dina Velikovskaya.

Dina’s images express the junker’s passion eloquently,

without uttering one. single. word.

All it takes is less than 9 minutes to experience My Strange Grandfather:

My Strange Grandfather from Dina Velikovskaya on Vimeo.

Project F.A.R.M.

Posted on March 4, 2013 by maryjane

Oh my, look what came in a box to us from two women seeking their Project F.A.R.M. (First-class American Rural Made) status. Get on over to their website and fetch yourself some certified rural-made goodies, all of them adorably farm themed. Chicken phone cover? Goat Chick mouse pad? Rooster soap? Crazy Chicken Lady key chain? Hen apron? (Actually, it’s called a “chicken saddle’ to be used when there’s some hen-pecking goin’ on, or worse, over-mating. Now admit it. That put a smile on your face.)

Travel diaper for your pet chicken or rabbit? They’ve got it all.

I’m thinking gifts. How about you? Here’s where you can can find Brenda and Mandie (mother and daughter business team) and their adorable rural-made creations, louisescountrycloset.com or LIKE them on Facebook.

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And check out this cup and cell phone case.

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Bee My Cure

Posted on March 3, 2013 by maryjane

Spring allergy season may seem like a distant glimmer on the horizon, especially if there’s still snow outside your window.

But, if you suffer from seasonal sniffles, you can actually start preparing now for a more peaceful encounter with pollen.

How?

Before the world bursts into bloom and sends you sniffling your way to the tissue box, be sweet to yourself and start indulging in a daily dose of honey.

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Pesky (and sometimes paralyzing) pollen allergies arise because of continuous over-exposure to the same plants. When honey bees collect pollen from the flowers of these plants, trace amounts of the pollen ends up in the honey that the bees create.

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So, when you eat honey that is produced in your local area, you consume tiny bits of the very pollen that causes problems. In this way, your body becomes accustomed to dealing with it gradually, which boosts immunity.

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Bee My Honey

Posted on March 3, 2013 by maryjane

Let’s bee honest …

the prospect of beekeeping can bee a bit daunting.

The buzzing intimidates some would-bee keepers right from the get-go.

And the stinging?

Well, let’s not even go there.

The point is—how does an aspiring apiarist (fancy synonym for beekeeper) dive into owning her own hive?

Good news: it’s easier than ever.

If you’ve spent these long winter months dreaming of harvesting your own honey (how sweet would that bee?), then look no further than Williams Sonoma …

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photo-of-the-day

Posted on March 2, 2013 by maryjane

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Crochet Play

Posted on March 2, 2013 by maryjane

Imagine topsy-turvy terrain in whimsical worlds bursting with bright color …

Dr. Seuss?

Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss

You’re getting warm.

But, the terrain I’m talking about is not confined to the two-dimensional plane of a page.

Japanese fiber artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam has crocheted—

yes, crocheted—

a series of sublime Seuss-like landscapes into reality.

Takino Suzuran National Park, Hokkaido, Japan (Photo by Charles MacAdam)

And, as if that feat isn’t fabulous enough …

MacAdam’s sculptures are for touching,

scaling,

dangling …

That’s right,

these creations are for kids to climb on.

Continue reading →

Speaking of Crochet …

Posted on March 2, 2013 by maryjane

So, so, so sweet. Fern Lucille Hodges surprised me with a pass-THIS-down-through-the-generations BUTTERS wall hanging. How do I say merely thanks? It’s amazing!!! You’re amazing, Fern Lucille. I love it that women still make these. I will cherish it forever. My children and their children will cherish forever. If you want one for your family, get in touch with me and I’ll put you in touch with Fern Lucille.

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photo-of-the-day

Posted on March 1, 2013 by maryjane

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