tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40339765027031242632024-03-13T06:06:00.131-07:00Shenanigans: The Art & Musings Of An EccentricHigh Spirited Eccentric: n. A free spirited individualist who chooses to travel an unconventual path, one with many twists & turns, colors and textures.
Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-7116996012196658602021-06-09T16:34:00.000-07:002021-06-09T19:04:33.296-07:00Positive Affirmations <p> I discovered Positive Affirmations about two years ago when I was experiencing increased levels of pain and nerve action stemming from my spinal fusions. I have to admit, I was terrified, terrified of the pain, of the possibility of a third spinal surgery and of losing mobility, the ability to live on my own, to take care of myself and of losing my independence….that was a whole lot of fear & anxiety going on there…</p><p>Positive Affirmations got me through that rough patch amongst others and is getting me through another one now.</p><p><br /></p><p>I made myself a deck of Affirmation Cards…</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S4Z_K8lzj1I/YMFP4dRak8I/AAAAAAAAMS0/5rhkxnQ4F5YIzTZL1BYireA8CBO4W_-agCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/5DCAEAE3-9D2D-4B16-BF8B-9DB161992169.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S4Z_K8lzj1I/YMFP4dRak8I/AAAAAAAAMS0/5rhkxnQ4F5YIzTZL1BYireA8CBO4W_-agCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/5DCAEAE3-9D2D-4B16-BF8B-9DB161992169.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-55312463859820572552013-05-07T08:59:00.000-07:002013-05-07T08:59:21.778-07:00Roads Go Ever On<br />
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<span class="messageBody" style="background-color: #d9ead3; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Roads Go Ever On<br />Roads go ever ever on,<br />Over rock and under tree,<br />By caves where never sun has shone,<br />By streams that never find the sea;<br /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Over snow by winter sown,<br />And through the merry flowers of June,<br />Over grass and over stone,<br />And under mountains in the moon.<br /><br />Roads go ever ever on,<br />Under cloud and under star.<br />Yet feet that wandering have gone<br />Turn at last to home afar.<br />Eyes that fire and sword have seen,<br />And horror in the halls of stone<br />Look at last on meadows green,<br />And trees and hills they long have known.<br /><br />The Road goes ever on and on<br />Down from the door where it began.<br />Now far ahead the Road has gone,<br />And I must follow, if I can,<br />Pursuing it with eager feet,<br />Until it joins some larger way,<br />Where many paths and errands meet.<br /><br />The Road goes ever on and on<br />Down from the door where it began.<br />Now far ahead the Road has gone,<br />And I must follow, if I can,<br />Pursuing it with weary feet,<br />Until it joins some larger way,<br />Where many paths and errands meet.<br />And whither then? I cannot say.<br /><br />The Road goes ever on and on<br />Out from the door where it began.<br />Now far ahead the Road has gone.<br />Let others follow, if they can!<br />Let them a journety new begin.<br />But I at last with weary feet<br />Will turn towards the lighted inn,<br />My evening-rest and sleep to meet.<br /><br />Still 'round the corner there may wait<br />A new road or secret gate;<br />And though I oft have passed them by,<br />A day will come at last when I<br />Shall take the hidden paths that run<br />West of the Moon, East of the Sun.<br /><br />John Ronald Reuel Tolkien</span></span></span></h5>
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Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-85514775289776197042013-01-03T06:34:00.004-08:002013-01-03T06:37:19.641-08:00Ten Minute Writing Exercise - A Writing Exercise that Glimpse into Your Future<br />
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Credit to:<a _mce_href="http://voices.yahoo.com/ten-minute-writing-exercise-ideal-future-vision-560981.html" href="http://voices.yahoo.com/ten-minute-writing-exercise-ideal-future-vision-560981.html" title="A Writing Exercise that Glimpse into Your Future"> http://voices.yahoo.com/ten-minute-writing-exercise-ideal-future-vision-560981.html</a></div>
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Ten Minute Writing Exercise - </blockquote>
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If you think you don't know what you want for the future, think again. Your subconscious knows more than you think. Ten minutes, a pen and a paper will act as a crystal ball for your ideal future in five years. </blockquote>
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Print these instructions do the exercise and then share your future surprises. It's fun and it works! This is a nonstop writing exercise. The key to having this work is that you write NONSTOP for ten minutes. It is a stream of consciousness exercise that will awaken the creative right side of your brain. If you 'think' too much, it will NOT work. No one will read what you write, unless you want them too, of course. So, don't be self conscious about the letter itself. When you are ready, put on an alarm for ten minutes. You will be writing a letter to someone that would be interested and supportive of your accomplishments. The letter will have a beginning, middle and end. Here are the steps of the exercise. You may want to print them so you can glance at them while you are doing the exercise. </blockquote>
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1. Date the letter today's date. 5 years into the future. Dear.. (whoever you want) </blockquote>
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2. You are writing about your ideal future day. It will have a Beginning, Middle and an End. </blockquote>
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3. Beginning: Wake up and using all of your senses, notice what you see, smell, taste, touch and hear. This will awaken the creative side of your brain. Are you living in a new place? Driving a new car? Drinking coffee? New lover, more kids? Etc. </blockquote>
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4. Middle: Next, you have your ideal day. What are you doing? Who's with you? Where are you? Are there special technologies that you see? A new place? New people? How do you KNOW that this is ideal? What is satisfying about it? </blockquote>
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5. End: Next, someone comes up to you and congratulates you on your amazing life and accomplishments. You thank them and they ask you "What was the biggest thing that you had to overcome to get to this point?" You answer them and then end your day with a celebration. You can celebrate any way you want, with anyone you want. This is just a fun way to close down the exercise. Once you have completed the exercise, read what you wrote. Any 'ah has' or surprises? What would have to change in your life today to move you toward this future? What did you have to overcome to get there? </blockquote>
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I use this exercise in groups as well when I'm doing organizational strategic planning. People do the exercises together and then we talk about the common themes and patterns to create a common organizational vision. It works like a charm!</blockquote>
Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-49871717987679603962012-10-10T08:04:00.002-07:002012-10-10T08:04:36.175-07:00Scarecrow<br />
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Last night, alone, </div>
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he saw the rising moon set silver fires among his stalks of corn</div>
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and watched the tassels burn like candlewicks. </div>
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At dawn he saw the noisy crows return. </div>
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They know him for a friend, </div>
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this man of sticks in boots that dangle just above the dirt, </div>
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the handle of a rake shoved through his shirt.</div>
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On summer days when grass around him sways </div>
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like wave that follows wave upon the ocean, </div>
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I've seen him shake, a dancer on a stake, </div>
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as if he feels a music in the motion. </div>
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And once I saw his round astonished eyes observe </div>
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with more than painted-on surprise </div>
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a black snake flow like water down a hole, </div>
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and heard him sing upon his wooden pole.</div>
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~ Unkown</div>
Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-89829821424739526662012-09-30T12:11:00.001-07:002012-09-30T12:11:41.098-07:00Roasted Dandelion Root “Coffee”<br />
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Roasted Dandelion Root “Coffee”<img alt="Iris flourish" src="http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/recipe-project/images/iris-lino-610A.gif" style="border: 0px; height: 14px; width: 92px;" /></h4>
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When brewed properly, dandelion root coffee closely resembles the rich flavor of traditional coffee, and it contains a wealth of vitamins and minerals.</div>
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<li style="margin: 0px;"><strong>Gather:</strong><br />One 5-gallon bucket of dandelion roots (to yield about 10 gallons of coffee).</li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><strong>Prepare the Roots:</strong><br />To wash the roots, fill the bucket with water and agitate the roots with your hands. Pour off the muddy water and repeat this process a few times until the water runs clear and you have a pile of luscious golden roots. Don’t worry if there’s still some dirt left on them—you’ll wash them again after chopping. With a sturdy knife, cut the roots into chunks. Put these into a large bowl (or sink), fill with water, then rub the roots and rinse until clean. Drain until fairly dry or pat with a towel. Chop about 2 cups of root chunks at a time in your food processor until they’re chopped into small, coarse bits.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><strong>Roasting the Roots:</strong><br />Spread the coarsely ground roots on cookie sheets about 1/2-inch thick. Place as many sheets as you can fit into your oven, set at 250°F, and leave the oven door slightly ajar to let moisture escape. The roasting process takes about 2 hours. Stir frequently and rotate the cookie sheets occasionally to ensure even drying and roasting. As the roots dry, they’ll shrink and darken to a rich coffee color—but be careful not to let them burn. Cool completely and store in glass jars. Flavorful additions such as anise, cinnamon, ginger, and carob can be added if you like.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><strong>Brewing the Coffee:</strong><br />You can either grind the roots in a coffee mill and brew in a coffee pot, or you can place the coarsely ground roots in a tea infuser and boil in a pot of water. Use 1 tablespoon of roasted roots for each cup of water (1/3 cup per quart of water). Adjust to your taste if you like it stronger or weaker. Add a dash of cream and sugar if you like, and enjoy a steaming cup of Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee!</li>
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Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-84835751438363660742012-09-25T10:06:00.000-07:002012-09-25T10:06:17.340-07:00Gypsy Window Hanging, Thingy, WhatyoumightcallitmacallitI spent a couple of days trying to work out my design for 'this'. I had an idea of what I wanted so I toyed with it and this is what I came up with. I love it! I have never fallen in love with any of my own pieces of * cough (ahem) 'art' but I love, love, love this one. I might actually have to clean my bedroom window and hang it up because I can't stop looking at it.<br />
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A closer view of the wired wrapped glass discs</div>
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It looks so pretty and enchanting when the sun light fliters through and in some places bounces off the discs and crystals. The Copper pipes and brass bells sound magical. *sigh*Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-55519432525148338842012-09-16T12:17:00.002-07:002013-12-27T15:38:12.467-08:00One of My Baubles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i>T</i></b><i><b>urquoise Beads wrapped with stainless steel wire, the Toggle &
dangling Leaf are Pewter. The bracelet measures 7.5 inches long.<br /><br />This
bracelet is wrapped by hand, one bead at time so although I tried it is
not perfectly symmetrical. It's sturdy, stainless steel wire is pretty
strong and should never tarnish.<br /><br />I am a self taught, non-professional jewelry maker and this is one of my first pieces. </b></i></div>
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Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-24741566526335868112012-09-15T06:15:00.002-07:002012-09-15T06:15:24.692-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="display: inline; line-height: 18px; outline: none; width: auto;" tabindex="0">A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.<br /><br />Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's </span><br />
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limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.<br /><br />The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused.<br /><br />Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.<br /><br />Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.<br /><br />Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her, "Who was that man?" he asked.<br /><br />The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered.<br /><br />"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."<br /><br />"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"<br /><br />"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed. I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman's Name? "<br /><br />The nurse with tears in her eyes answered, "Mr. William Grey........."<br /><br />The next time someone needs you ... just be there. Stay.<br /><br />Story from our friends at Operation Ooh-Rah</div>
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Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-18585879781599875382012-08-29T10:42:00.006-07:002013-01-03T08:51:39.699-08:00Show Off Ant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Oh sure, if I had a 3-part segmented body and long skinny legs I'm sure I could do that too.</span>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-18786382569524765072012-08-29T09:19:00.002-07:002012-09-03T03:02:22.287-07:00Dog A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
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~ Proverbs 12:10<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I am an Agnostic, but if I did believe in God, I would say that 'Dog', not 'Man' is His 'Magnum Opus'. It is my opinion that Dogs are the most 'God-like' creatures on earth. They are the epitome of Unconditional Love, forgiving of the most heinous wrongs inflicted on them at the hands of Man. Dogs are loyal far beyond any earthly definition of 'loyalty' -And- what is most intriguing is 'God' spelled backwards is 'Dog'. Coincidence....? Somehow I don't think so....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-14689079141155967092012-08-28T07:04:00.002-07:002012-08-28T13:40:24.512-07:00Imagination<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have this whole other life going on inside my head, where I don't slay dragons, I make friends with them.....Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-83887723612367799412012-08-25T19:00:00.002-07:002012-08-25T19:04:21.458-07:00Tree of Life Pendent<br />
<div class="small-header" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #312111; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 11px; margin: 12px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 528px;">
<span class="small-header-title" style="border: 0px; display: table-cell; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px !important; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span class="small-header-underline" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 51, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; display: table-cell; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 447px;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Credit To: </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /><a href="http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/wire-wrapped-tree-of-life-ornament" target="_blank">http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/wire-wrapped-tree-of-life-ornament</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> </span><span style="border-width: 8px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><img alt="Completed Project: Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament Picture #1" class="" height="350" src="http://images3.cdn.coplusk.net/project_images/70967/image/medium_DSCF5964_1287758268.jpg" style="border-width: 8px; display: inline-block; height: 350px; width: 350px;" width="350" /></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Description</span></span></span></div>
<div class="description" itemprop="description" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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This tutorial will show you, in detail, how to create the wire-wrapped Tree of Life Ornament shown in the image above. My goal with these instructions is to be very thorough, yet easy to understand. Let's get started!</div>
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<div class="small-header" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #312111; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 11px; margin: 12px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap; width: 528px;">
<span class="small-header-title" style="border: 0px; display: table-cell; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px !important; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Instructions</span><span class="small-header-underline" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 51, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; display: table-cell; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 440px;"><br /></span></div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73618" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">1</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73618/full_Tree_1_1287758369.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 1"><img alt="Step 1" class="img" src="http://images2.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73618/small_Tree_1_1287758369.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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First, gather all of the supplies you'll need for the project. You'll want to get the following items:<br />
*6mm beads and smaller, including seed beads (see next image)<br />
*A 4-inch metal ring<br />
*Two (2) pairs of needle nose pliers<br />
*A pair of wire cutting pliers<br />
*Twelve (12) 12-inch strands of 24-gauge wire</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73619" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">2</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73619/full_DSCF5887_1287758763.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 2"><img alt="Step 2" class="img" src="http://images3.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73619/small_DSCF5887_1287758763.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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This photo shows the variety of beads used for this particular ornament, including the following:<br />
4mm pearls, 4mm glass rectangle beads, 2 sizes of seed beads, 4mm crystals, 6mm & 4mm faceted glass rounds, and 6mm shaped glass beads.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73620" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">3</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73620/full_DSCF5883_1287758889.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 3"><img alt="Step 3" class="img" src="http://images0.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73620/small_DSCF5883_1287758889.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Take one strand of the wire and thread it through the wire ring, making sure the 2 sides are even. Wrap each side around the ring twice for a total of four coils. Make sure they are pulled tight around the ring. See image.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73621" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">4</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73621/full_DSCF5890_1287758918.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 4"><img alt="Step 4" class="img" src="http://images1.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73621/small_DSCF5890_1287758918.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Repeat step 2 with the remaining 11 wires. Pull all wires to one side of the ring and verify the coils are nice and tight and close together.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73622" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">5</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73622/full_DSCF5892_1287758938.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 5"><img alt="Step 5" class="img" src="http://images2.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73622/small_DSCF5892_1287758938.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Start on one side of the wires and begin braiding the first 3 strands. You'll want to create a braid that is approximately 1-inch. Once braided, flip up and move on to the next 3 strands. Continue this process until all wires have been braided. You should end up with 8 braids.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73623" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">6</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73623/full_DSCF5897_1287758974.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 6"><img alt="Step 6" class="img" src="http://images3.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73623/small_DSCF5897_1287758974.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Gather the braids as shown in this photo and begin to twist them together.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73624" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">7</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
<div class="step-image-holder" style="border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -242px; padding: 5px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 212px;">
<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73624/full_DSCF5902_1287759034.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 7"><img alt="Step 7" class="img" src="http://images0.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73624/small_DSCF5902_1287759034.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Twist up a little ways until you're ready to separate your first branch. Take 2-4 strands, depending on how thick you want this branch to be, and separate it from the group of wires.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73625" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">8</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
<div class="step-image-holder" style="border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -242px; padding: 5px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 212px;">
<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73625/full_DSCF5904_1287759134.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 8"><img alt="Step 8" class="img" src="http://images1.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73625/small_DSCF5904_1287759134.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Repeat Step 6 until you have the beginnings of a tree with many branches and all of your wires have been used. Personally, I like to split my tree in two at some point and then separate the branches again.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73626" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">9</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73626/full_DSCF5908_1287759221.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 9"><img alt="Step 9" class="img" src="http://images2.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73626/small_DSCF5908_1287759221.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Now twist these branches, just like you did the big group of wires, but don't twist them to the ring...yet. You'll want to also start breaking your larger branches into smaller ones. See the picture for ideas on how to break down branches. This is when you'll need to twist the branches to within about 1/4"-1/2" from the ring.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73627" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">10</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73627/full_DSCF5914_1287759240.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 10"><img alt="Step 10" class="img" src="http://images3.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73627/small_DSCF5914_1287759240.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Separate the individual wires and make sure they are some-what distributed evenly around the ring. NOTE: If you've twisted the wires too far, do not un-twist them! They will probably break later on! Instead put bends in the branches; this use more wire and pull them towards the center of the ring. (see the final image to see how I did this.)</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73628" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">11</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
<div class="step-image-holder" style="border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -242px; padding: 5px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 212px;">
<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73628/full_DSCF5915_1287759335.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 11"><img alt="Step 11" class="img" src="http://images0.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73628/small_DSCF5915_1287759335.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a><br />
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Add a bead or beads to the first wire next to the roots. Wrap the wire around the ring once (see image).</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73629" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">1</span><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;"><br /></span><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;"><br /></span><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">12</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
<div class="step-image-holder" style="border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -242px; padding: 5px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 212px;">
<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73629/full_DSCF5934_1287759491.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 12"><img alt="Step 12" class="img" src="http://images1.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73629/small_DSCF5934_1287759491.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a><br />
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Add another bead to this wire. Wrap again and add another bead. This is to cover the ring from view and make it appear to just be beads. Finish this branch by wrapping it around the ring 3 times, clip off the excess, and pinch tight with pliers.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73630" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">13</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
<div class="step-image-holder" style="border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -242px; padding: 5px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 212px;">
<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73630/full_DSCF5952_1287759535.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 13"><img alt="Step 13" class="img" src="http://images2.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73630/small_DSCF5952_1287759535.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Repeat Step 11 for the remaining wires on this branch. Push the finished section tight against the roots. This will make room for the rest of your branches.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73631" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">14</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73631/full_DSCF5962_1287759648.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 14"><img alt="Step 14" class="img" src="http://images3.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73631/small_DSCF5962_1287759648.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
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Repeat steps 11 and 12 on the other side of the roots. Continue repeating these two steps, changing sides after each branch.</div>
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<li class="step instruction" id="step_73632" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">15</span><div class="step_bg step-with-image" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px 12px 12px 242px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
<div class="step-image-holder" style="border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -242px; padding: 5px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 212px;">
<a href="http://images.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73632/full_DSCF5963_1287759849.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #222255; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Wire Wrapped Tree Of Life Ornament : Step 15"><img alt="Step 15" class="img" src="http://images0.cdn.coplusk.net/projects/45764/steps/73632/small_DSCF5963_1287759849.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div>
<div itemprop="instruction" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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Continue this process for the rest of your branches and remember to push them tight against the roots. The last couple branches will be the most difficult because you'll be running out of room on your ring, but this is good because you'll have a nice full tree.</div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<li class="step instruction" id="step_73633" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 2em 0px 2em 15px; padding: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="step-position" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.496094) 3px 3px 5px; -webkit-transform: rotate(-12deg); border-bottom-left-radius: 16px; border-bottom-right-radius: 16px; border-top-left-radius: 16px; border-top-right-radius: 16px; border: 2px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-style: inherit; height: 25px; left: -20px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px -30px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: -20px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 25px;">16</span><div class="step_bg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 8px; border-bottom-right-radius: 8px; border-top-left-radius: 8px; border-top-right-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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OPTIONS:<br />
1. Pendant Size Tree: If you need to make a smaller Tree of Life for a pendant or even a tiny one for earrings, you'll simply want to use a smaller ring and also decrease the number of wires used. Just remember, you'll always want to have a multiple of three (3, 6, 9...) because you'll be braiding the roots of the tree.<br />
2. Adding charms: If you'd like to add charms to your tree, just add them while your twisting the branches or before you add beads to the branch, depending on where you want the charm to hang.<br />
3. Fuller Trees: If you prefer the fuller looking trees, don't twist the branches as close to the edge as I did here. You're beads will then thread closer to the center of the tree and it will appear fuller. The style in this tutorial is just a personal preference of appearance.</div>
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</div>
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</ol>
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Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-72649195803427609132012-08-21T08:27:00.001-07:002012-08-21T08:27:52.285-07:00LESSON OF THE OAK TREE<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gcXRw3OMwVU/UDOohC_ybAI/AAAAAAAAAwc/IRK548Q6W5o/s1600/Oakbranchestoroots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gcXRw3OMwVU/UDOohC_ybAI/AAAAAAAAAwc/IRK548Q6W5o/s320/Oakbranchestoroots.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;"></span><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;"><span style="color: #663300; font-family: Castellar; font-size: large;"><b>LESSON OF THE
Oak</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;">
<div align="center">
<b><span style="color: #663300; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">
from
<u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Trees-Jane-Gifford/dp/0806927852">The
Wisdom of Trees</a></u> by Jane Gifford
</span></b></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<b><span style="color: #663300;">The
oak represents courage and endurance and the protective power of faith.
The tree's noble presence and nurturing habit reassured ancient peoples
that, with the good will of their gods, their leader, and their
warriors, they could prevail against all odds. As the Tree of the Dagda,
the oak offers protection and hospitality without question, although its
true rewards are only apparent to the honest and brave. The ancient
Celts deplored lies and cowardice. To be judged mean spirited could result
in exclusion from the clan, which was one of the most shameful and most
feared of all possible punishments. Like the oak, we would do well to
receive without prejudice all those who seek our help, sharing what we
have without resentment or reservation. The oak reminds us all that the
strength to prevail, come what may, lies in an open mind and a generous
spirit. Inflexibility, however, is the oak's one weakness and the tree
is prone to lose limbs in storms. The oak therefore carries the warning
that stubborn strength that resists will not endure and may break under
strain.</span></b></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="text-align: right;">Every
house has a front door.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>If you
wish to enter, the door must be approached and your presence made known.
The door may then be opened. The very word "door" comes from the Gaelic
and Sanskrit "duir" - a word for solidity, protection and the Oak tree.
In the essential forest, the Oak is King. He stands mightily solid with
great branches, matched only by still greater roots. He is often struck
by lightning. The force of the strike and the heat bursts the sap and
stem apart leaving the trunk gnarled and withered. Yet he still manages
to survive, over the years, decades and centuries. His growth is slow
but sure. His children grow into magnificent replicas of himself and he
is a marker point, a cornerstone and a refuge in the forest. </b></div>
</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TgLOHtOru5U/UDOo57-ANwI/AAAAAAAAAws/kqpF0NOkWGY/s1600/treeface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TgLOHtOru5U/UDOo57-ANwI/AAAAAAAAAws/kqpF0NOkWGY/s320/treeface.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span></div>
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Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-14488147783951865122012-08-21T08:10:00.001-07:002012-08-21T08:10:20.541-07:00The Non-Conformist<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6WgiIfJL6-U/UDOjrWESi3I/AAAAAAAAAvY/X0f5tuFpawc/s1600/nonconformist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6WgiIfJL6-U/UDOjrWESi3I/AAAAAAAAAvY/X0f5tuFpawc/s400/nonconformist.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote>
<b><em>Stop trying to fit in when you were born to stand out. ~</em>Unknown</b></blockquote>
Seemly realistic expectations, assumed logical progression, and an
overwhelming sense of entitlement: these are the traits that a
nonconformist does not possess. While the rest of the world moves like
clockwork doing the things they despise in order to get the things they
want, the nonconformist focuses on his own hard and fast rules of life.<br />
Nonconformists
are rebels, nonconformists are innovators, and, most of all,
nonconformists never give up: their ultimate dreams of success are at
stake if they do. They also understand that hard work is universal
because no matter what profession you take up (whether it’s a job you
hate or a job you like), without commitment, no dream of theirs will
ever come to fruition.<br />
<span id="more-2234"></span>So at this point, you may be thinking, <em>“Cool! I want to defy social norms to chase and achieve my dreams too. But John, how do I get started?”</em><br />
That’s why I’m here, right? In order to become a successful
nonconformist, you must implement and master 7 important steps. Are you
ready for this?<br />
<br />
<strong>1. Take the path less beaten</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
How are you going to stand out if everyone is on the same path?
Millions of workers continue on in the rat race everyday, hoping for
that sweet payoff history tells us that we’re going to get. Well, let me
teach you a bit of history: times change. What worked in the past
doesn’t work as well in the present. We go through the same stages of
life (school, work, retirement) in the hope that we will one day reach
our dreams, but we never do. That is why we must have the courage to do
something else; to do something different and unique so we can achieve
success that much faster.<br />
<br />
<strong>2. Value opinions that are different from yours</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
Notable nonconformist, Friedrich Nietzsche, once said that we tend to
value more those with similar opinions to ours than those whose
opinions are different. Instead, we should have an open mind and value
everyone’s opinions equally. It sounds crazy to a close-minded person
that you can make thousands of dollars online instead of by working
under someone else for years as an employee, but open their mind and it
all becomes possible. It is better to think about what those differences
in opinion mean instead of closing your mind altogether.<br />
<br />
<strong>3. Find AND follow your passion</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
Most people don’t know what their passion is and decide early on that
there’s no point in finding it. It’s unfortunate, because those that DO
find their passion, eventually use it as fuel in their life’s work.
Those who are the most successful not only find their passion, but
follow it to the end. Bill Gates had a passion for computers, started
following it early on and now he’s very well off. Tony Robbins had a
passion for inspiring people, and now he’s successful as well. Get it
yet? Find and follow your passion.<br />
<strong>4. Give before you get</strong><br />
As I’ve said earlier, a sense of entitlement isn’t a good habit to
cultivate. Whether you want a job, a business, or you just want a
personal favor, you must always give before you receive anything. A lot
of people tend to just blatantly ask for opportunities. Always follow
the “giving mentality”: When applying for a job, what can you bring to
the company? When starting a business, what problem can you solve? When
asking for a favor, what have you done for that person first?<br />
Focus on giving value, and the rest you seek will follow.<br />
<br />
<strong>5. Aim unrealistically</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
When you aim high, the sky is the limit. There really is no downside
to aim just a bit out of your perception. The onlookers will tell you
that you’ll never reach it. But that’s a good thing. Let that drive your
enduring effort to excel at your passion. Who knows? While aiming for
the moon, you might land among the stars.<br />
<br />
<strong>6. Embrace your uniqueness</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
By chance, let’s say that you disregard my advice and decide
conforming is easier. But try as you might to conform, deep down you
know that you are a different person. You must embrace the fact that you
are different to truly stand out from the crowd. So what if you still
have an obsession with Sesame Street? Say it proud and say it loud! In
the end, the only happiness you can control is your own. It’s much more
difficult to deny who you are than it is to accept yourself.<br />
<br />
<strong>7. Take up responsibility for your own life</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
This is probably the most important step on this list. To accept
responsibility for where your life goes means to accept all of your
shortcomings as yours and yours alone. Do you want to live like the
rest, working for money instead of working for enjoyment? Working for
mere things, instead of experiences? Make your own decision and don’t
let anyone else decide for you. Take the path less traveled where you’ll
have no idea where you’ll end up; because you know where you’ll be if
you follow the crowd.<br />
<br />
CREDIT TO:<br />
<em><b>John Anyasor is a college student (like everybody else) but he’s
taking advantage of the opportunities he has there by pursuing his
interests and testing assumptions. He writes on his personal development
blog, <a href="http://hilife2b.com/blog/">HiLife2B</a>. There, he gives challenges readers’ minds on life and its improvement. </b></em><br />
<small><em></em></small><br />
Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-55461630888541953712012-08-05T09:15:00.001-07:002012-08-05T09:16:44.516-07:00Characteristics of eccentric persons<br />
<div class="art-post post-35 page type-page status-publish hentry" id="post-35" style="margin: 5px; min-height: 15px; min-width: 15px; position: relative;">
<div class="art-post-body" style="padding: 4px; position: relative;">
<div class="art-post-inner art-article">
<h2 class="art-postheader" style="color: #3d4e22; font-family: 'Century Gothic', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">credit to: <a href="http://www.gnomesondope.com/?s=eccentric&search=Search">http://www.gnomesondope.com/?s=eccentric&search=Search</a></span></h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2 class="art-postheader" style="color: #3d4e22; font-family: 'Century Gothic', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.gnomesondope.com/stuff/on-being-eccentric/" rel="bookmark" style="color: #5f5645; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="On Being Eccentric">On Being Eccentric</a></h2>
<div class="art-postcontent">
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
A profile emerged with fifteen characteristics that applied to most eccentric persons, ranging from the obvious to the trivial. We found that an eccentric may be described in the following ways, more or less in descending order of frequency. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gnomes-Dope-G-O-D-Hardly-Himself/dp/0557339456%3FSubscriptionId%3D049D8ZKG992NVKB388R2%26tag%3Dvealreci-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0557339456" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #5f5645; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Gnomes On Dope (G.O.D.)</a> ( Quoting from research by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eccentricity%20%28behavior%29" id="aptureLink_n8k8D0q4TS" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #5f5645; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Dr. David Weeks</a>)</div>
<h2 style="color: #597132; font-family: 'Century Gothic', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal; margin: 19px 0px; padding: 0px;">
Characteristics of eccentric persons<strong><br /></strong></h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 1em 0px 1em 2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Nonconforming</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Creative</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Strongly motivated by curiosity</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Idealistic: wants to make the world a better place and the people in it happier</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Happily obsessed with one or more hobbyhorses (usually five or six)</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Aware from early childhood that he is different</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Intelligent</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Opinionated and outspoken, convinced that he is right and that the rest of the world is out of step</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Noncompetitive, not in need of reassurance or reinforcement from society</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Unusual in his eating habits and living arrangements</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Not particularly interested in the opinions or company of other people, except in order to persuade them to his – the correct – point of view</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Possessed of a mischievous sense of humor</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Single</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Usually the eldest or an only child</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Bad speller</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
The first five characteristics listed here are the most important and apply to virtually every eccentric. Nonconformity is, of course, the principal defining trait of the breed.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
A profile emerged</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
with fifteen characteristics that applied to most eccentrics, ranging from the obvious to the trivial. We found that an eccentric may be described in the following ways, more or less in descending order of frequency. ( Quoting from research by Dr. David Weeks)</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Less likely to be addicted to consumer culture than the general population.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Very unlikely to be substance abusers or alcoholics. Dr. David Weeks “fewer than 30 of the more than 1,000 eccentrics he sampled had been substance abusers or alcoholics.”</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<strong>Nonconformity, extreme curiosity and irreverence for the strictures of culture continually resurface as the most distinguishable eccentric traits , and these are indeed qualities that most of us consider admirable.</strong></div>
<ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 1em 0px 1em 2em; padding: 0px;">
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">They’re permanently non-conforming from a very early age, and there’s a great overlap between eccentric children and gifted children. They develop differently, though.</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">The eccentrics become very, very creative but they’re motivated primarily by curiosity. They have extreme degrees of curiosity, and they’re very independent-minded.</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">Their other motivation is fairly idealistic. They want to make the world a better place, and they want to make other people happy.</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">They have these happy obsessive preoccupations, and a wonderful, unusual sense of humor, and this gives them a significant meaning in life. And they are far healthier than most people because of that.</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">They have very low stress. They’re not worried about conforming to the rest of society, low stress, high happiness equates with psychological health.</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">They use their solitude very constructively, and physical health, because of that.</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">They only visit their doctors perhaps once every eight or nine years, which is about twenty times less than most of us do. (David Weeks)</li>
<li style="background-image: url(http://www.gnomesondope.com/wp-content/themes/gnome12/images/postbullets.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #413b2f; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 0px 13px;">“Time and again, the eccentrics in our study clearly evinced that shining sense of positivism and buoyant self-confidence that comes from being comfortable in one’s own skin.” Dr. David Weeks.</li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008191LA?tag=gnome-20" id="aptureLink_0nPeKE8Dze" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #5f5645; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Screaming Lord Such</a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
The ongoing creativity of the eccentric is far more enduring and permanent and they draw from their inner wealth of experience, and actually it’s the people who are eccentric who have the most vivid dreams who turn out to be the most original thinkers, and they’re the only people in the world that I know of who have both vivid dreams at night, when they’re asleep, and also a vivid visual imagination by day.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
One of the most common misconceptions about eccentricity is that it is a mild form of madness-in other words, that eccentric behavior is a symptom of mental illness.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Especially great care must be taken to distinguish between eccentricity and neurosis, lest we commit the error the authors of that psychiatric textbook warned us against. While it is true that the behavior of neurotics is also aberrant, there is an enormous qualitative difference between the two. Neurotics are repetitively dysphoric: they suffer from panic attacks, phobias, and high anxiety levels on account of their differentness, and therefore they want to be cured. Neurosis is often thrust upon the sufferer from the outside; it is an unwanted difficulty in life.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Eccentricity, on the other hand, is taken on at least partly by free choice, and is something positive and pleasurable to the individual. Simply put, neurotics are miserable because they think they’re not as good as everyone else, while eccentrics know they’re different and glory in it. An eccentric knows he is right and, far from wanting to change his ways, is likely to wish to convert everyone else to his way of thinking.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
An even more essential distinction needs to be drawn between eccentricity and psychosis, though it may sometimes seem a blurry one to the lay observer. One common trait of eccentrics is that they often experience mental images that are more vivid than those of normal people. Some extreme eccentrics have visions, which is a not uncommon symptom of schizophrenia. The important distinction is that the schizophrenic has no control over his visions and the voices he hears: they intrude themselves upon him forcibly and give rise to a terrifying sensation of powerlessness.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
The eccentric, on the other hand, is likely to find his visions a source of delight, and he has much more control over them. The psychotic state severely disrupts thought processes, leaving the person dysfunctional, whereas the brain of an eccentric usually functions perfectly well-it just does so in peculiar and largely unknown (but not unknowable) ways.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Eccentricity can also mimic certain personality disorders, as illustrated by two examples.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
First, in cases of hysterical personality disorder the patient sometimes behaves flamboyantly, drawing attention to himself in public in extravagant, histrionic ways.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Second, a person with a schizoid personality prefers to be on his own, showing an extreme aversion to groups, a tendency that usually results in a remarkable concentration on strange, obsessive hobbies. The traits of both these disorders may be detected in the behavior of some eccentrics. While many eccentrics are known for their flamboyant public personalities (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G8WC4C?tag=gnome-20" id="aptureLink_b2jQ4acpID" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #5f5645; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Emperor Norton</a>) being one excellent example) and others have obsessive hobbies, the same fundamental distinction must be made: the person suffering from the personality disorder is dysfunctional and ordinarily has little choice in the matter, while for the eccentric it is a positive, pleasurable experience.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
A schizoid person and an eccentric might both become obsessive butterfly collectors, say, but whereas the schizoid will do anything to satisfy the compulsion to collect, and may feel threatened on all sides by impediments to his collecting, for the eccentric it will be a source of delight, an avocation to which he freely devotes time and energy. The one is reactive, bringing stress to himself and to others; the other is creative and joyful.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
We should emphasize at the outset that even though eccentricity is not a form of mental illness, eccentric people have no special immunity from diseases of the mind. Just as you would expect in any large group of people, regardless of how it was chosen, some of the subjects in the study suffered from mental illnesses. Yet we found by administering standard diagnostic tests that eccentric persons actually have a higher general level of mental health than the population at large. Original thinking, it seems, may be better for you than dull conformity.</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
We love eccentric people , and yet we are profoundly ambivalent about them. Our collective imagination is piqued by the bizarre behavior of someone like Howard Hughes, the richest man in the world (or close enough), who lived the last days of his life like a mystical hermit. We are fascinated by them, yet we may also be simultaneously repelled and threatened.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Eccentric persons have thrown off the constraints of normal life to let themselves do exactly as they please-and anyone who doesn’t like it be damned. The rest of us are vaguely unsettled by that degree of freedom. Why should we continue to groom ourselves properly and comport ourselves according to social convention, while those who flout convention seem to be having the time of their life, and also, in many cases, enjoying perfect health and great personal and professional success?</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
That ambiguity reflects society’s ambivalence toward anyone who is different. Most of us have made peace with people who are of a different race or religion, with homosexuals, with the very short or very fat, but it is an uneasy peace, whether or not we admit it. There is something deep inside that yearns to be reassured that we are “right,” and those who are fundamentally different threaten that inner conservative streak.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Eccentric persons are especially troubling to us because they cannot be easily pigeonholed, and often pass unnoticed among the rest of us, for while some eccentrics proclaim their differences by bizarre dress and grooming, most do not.</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Yet it is precisely that serendipitous aspect of eccentricity that delights us. We love the idea of encountering the outlandish and whimsical in our lives, even though we may fear to find it in ourselves.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
<strong>Creativity is at the heart of eccentricity.</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
One of the principal reasons eccentric persons continually challenge the established order is because they want to experiment, to try out new ways of doing things. That quality is most conspicuous in artists and scientists, who are significantly more likely to be eccentric than the rest of us. The study included seventy five artists, whose lives are, obviously, devoted to creative activity, as well as many inventors, who use their brainpower to bring into existence entirely new and presumably useful machines. But some of our eccentric persons were driven, it seems, not by traditional aesthetic or scientific impulses but rather by a powerful need to create in its purest, generalized form.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Closely allied to creativity is the eccentric persons intense curiosity. Most eccentric people told us that they first became aware that they were different from everyone else when they were children, because they were constantly searching for underlying answers. When they asked their parents “Why?” they were never content with “Just because,” and even less happy with “Because I said so.”</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
Curiosity is the only human motivation that is primarily intellectual; some psychologists call it the intrinsic motivation, because the process of discovery is its own reward. All of us are curious about some things, perhaps intensely curious, but if it becomes too difficult to find the answer, our interest will gradually fade.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
For the eccentric, however, finding out the answer becomes an obsession. The nineteenth-century British naturalist <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0718829247?tag=gnome-20" id="aptureLink_LRlcjCWLLA" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #5f5645; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Charles Waterton</a>, while conducting research in the South American rain forest, spent several months sleeping with a foot dangling out of his hammock, in the hope of experiencing the bite of a vampire bat. He was, he said, “frightfully disappointed” to be left untouched by “the provoking brutes.” Waterton has also been plausibly described as the first man to wear a crew cut.</div>
<h2 style="color: #597132; font-family: 'Century Gothic', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal; margin: 19px 0px; padding: 0px;">
an eccentric observation</h2>
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</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
“Psychiatrists and pharmaceutical companies, as well as the insurance industry, have a vested interest in diagnosis and treatment. There’s a whole corporate system that propels people into treatment and rewards those who think in terms of treatment paradigms for individuals where the actual problem is not in the individual, necessarily, but in the culture itself.”</div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px;">
“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears.” <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EL3SJI?tag=gnome-20" id="aptureLink_pwR0xRa9nY" rel="nofollow external" style="color: #5f5645; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Thoreau</a></div>
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<strong>“Being eccentric helps to cope with an insane the world” </strong>~Hardly Himself</div>
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</div>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-165659532552469692012-05-25T09:54:00.001-07:002012-05-25T09:58:28.932-07:00Tree of LifeI dream of her, so I painted her.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k11QaHP36H0/T7-47x1BVVI/AAAAAAAAAuw/_tKThdzXsJc/s1600/Tree.of.life.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k11QaHP36H0/T7-47x1BVVI/AAAAAAAAAuw/_tKThdzXsJc/s400/Tree.of.life.1.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>“Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life.<br />Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.<br />Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone.<br />Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring.”</strong></em><br />
William Alexande</td></tr>
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<br />Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-72864552739383348752012-05-20T08:57:00.001-07:002012-08-21T08:47:24.976-07:00Do What You Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Do what you love no matter who thinks you're crazy. It's your life to 'live' and you only get one.</div>
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</script>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-34006632681910215142012-04-26T05:43:00.001-07:002012-08-21T08:20:20.954-07:00Anna Mary Robertson aka, Grandma Moses~ The Queen of Folk Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PXSEml3qC08/UDOmzGDNTyI/AAAAAAAAAvk/L1ZOKZ-ThoM/s1600/Grandma_Moses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PXSEml3qC08/UDOmzGDNTyI/AAAAAAAAAvk/L1ZOKZ-ThoM/s1600/Grandma_Moses.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
Moses was one of America's best-known primitive painters
(artists who did not receive a formal art education).
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<h5>
December 14, 1961</h5>
<span style="font-family: times;"><b>OBITUARY</b></span><br />
<h2>
Grandma Moses Is Dead at 101; Primitive Artist 'Just Wore Out'</h2>
<h5>
Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES</h5>
HOOSICK FALLS, N. Y., Dec. 13--Grandma Moses, the spry, indomitable "genuine
American primitive" who became one of the country's most famous painters in her late
seventies, died here today at the age of 101.
<br />
<br />
She died at the Hoosick Falls Health Center, where she had been a patient since August,
after a fall at her home in nearby Eagle Bridge. Her physician, Dr. Clayton E. Shaw, said she
had died of hardening of the arteries, but the best way to describe the cause of death, he
suggested, was to say "she just wore out."
<br />
<br />
The simple realism, nostalgic atmosphere and luminous color with which Grandma Moses
portrayed homely farm life and rural countryside won her a wide following. She was able to
capture the excitement of winter's first snow, Thanksgiving preparations and the new, young
green of oncoming spring.
<br />
<br />
Gay color, action and humor enlivened her portrayals of such simple farm activities as
maple sugaring, soap-making, candle-making, haying, berrying and the making of apple
butter.
<br />
<br />
In person, Grandma Moses charmed wherever she went. A tiny, lively woman with
mischievous gray eyes and a quick wit, she could be sharp-tongued with a sycophant and
stern with an errant grandchild.
<br />
Cheerful, as a cricket, even in her last years, she continued to be keenly observant of all that
went on around her. Until her last birthday, Sept. 7, she rarely failed to do a little painting
every day.
<br />
<br />
Grandma Moses is survived by her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Dorothy Moses; nine
grandchildren and more than thirty great-grandchildren.
<br />
<br />
A funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 P. M. from the painter's home. Burial will be in
the Maple Grove Cemetery here.
<br />
<br />
<b>
Crippled by Arthritis</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>Grandma Moses, whose paintings hang in nine museums in the United States and in Vienna
and Paris, turned out her first picture when she was 76 years old.
<br />
<br />
She took up painting because arthritis had crippled her hands so that she no longer could
embroider. She could not hold a needle, but she could hold a brush, and she had been too
busy all her life to bear the thought of being idle.
<br />
<br />
Two years later a New York engineer and art collector, Louis J. Caldor, who was driving
through Hoosick Falls saw some of her paintings displayed in a drug store. They were
priced from $3 to $5, depending on size. He bought them all, drove to the artist's home at
Eagle Bridge and bought ten others she had there.
<br />
<br />
The next year, 1939, Grandma Moses was represented in an exhibition of "contemporary
unknown painters" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. She did not remain
unknown for long.
<br />
<br />
A one-man show of her paintings was held in New York in 1940, and other one-man shows
abroad followed. Her paintings were soon reproduced on Christmas cards, tiles and fabrics
here and abroad. She was the guest of President and Mrs. Harry S. Truman in 1949 at a tea
at which the President played the piano for her.
<br />
<br />
<b>
Honored by Governor</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>Governor Rockefeller proclaimed the painter's 100th and 101st birthdays "Grandma Moses
Days" throughout the state, declaring this year that "there is no more renowned artist in our
entire country today."
<br />
<br />
Yesterday the Governor said, "she painted for the sheer love of painting, and throughout her
101 years she was endeared to all who had the privilege of knowing her."
<br />
<br />
But to say that she was an American painter was less than the full portrait of Grandma
Moses; European critics called her work "lovable," "fresh," "charming," "adorable" and "full
of naive and childlike joy." A German fan offered his explanation for her wide popularity:
<br />
<br />
"There emanates from her paintings a light-hearted optimism; the world she shows us is
beautiful and it is good. You feel at home in all these pictures, and you know their meaning.
The unrest and the neurotic insecurity of the present day make us inclined to enjoy the
simple and affirmative outlook of Grandma Moses."
<br />
<br />
As a self-taught "primitive," who in childhood began painting what she called "lambscapes"
by squeezing out grape juice or lemon juice to get colors, Grandma Moses has been
compared to the great self-taught French painter, Henri Rousseau, as well as to Breughel.
Until the comparisons were made, she had never heard of either artist.
<br />
<br />
<b>
Painted from Remembrance</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>Grandma Moses did all of her painting from remembrance of things past. She liked to sit
quietly and think, she once said, and remember and imagine. "Then I'll get an inspiration
and start painting; then I'll forget everything, everything except how things used to be and
how to paint it so people will know how we used to live."
<br />
<br />
She would sit on an old, battered swivel chair, perching on two large pillows. The Masonite
on which she painted would lie flat on an old kitchen table before her. There was no easel.
Crowding her in her "studio" were an electric washer and dryer that had overflowed from
the kitchen.
<br />
<br />
For subject matter, Grandma Moses drew on memories of a long life as farm child, hired girl
and farmer's wife. Her first paintings had been sent to the county fair along with samples of
her raspberry jam and strawberry preserves. Her jam had won a ribbon, but nobody noticed
those first paintings.
<br />
She would paint for five or six hours, and preferred the first part of the session because, as
she said, her hand was fresher and "stiddier." At night, after dinner, she liked to watch
television Westerns, not for the drama but because she liked to see horses.
<br />
<br />
Grandma Moses, who was born before Abraham Lincoln had yet taken office, spent a lot of
her time on what she called her "old-timey" New England landscapes. She painted from the
top down: "First the sky, then the mountains, then the hills, then the trees, then the houses,
then the cattle and then the people." Her tiny figures, disproportionately small, cast no
shadows. They seem sharply arrested in action.
<br />
<br />
She learned as a child to observe nature when her father took the children out for walks. He
was a Methodist, but never went to church, and he allowed his children to believe what they
wanted. Instead of going to church, they went for long walks in the woods.
<br />
<br />
Grandma Moses had had a hard life most of her many years, but neither her fame nor her
advanced years cut into her formidable production. During her lifetime she painted more
than 1,000 pictures, twenty-five of them after she had passed her 100th birthday. Her oils
have increased in value from those early $3 and $5 works to $8,000 or $10,000 for a large
picture.<br />
<br />
Otto Kallier, owner and director of the Galerie St. Etienne in New York and president of
Grandma Moses' Properties, Inc., will not discuss her earnings, but they are reliably
estimated to have reached nearly $500,000.
<br />
<br />
Two one-man shows of Grandma Moses' work toured Europe, each for two years, and a
third tour abroad is scheduled in 1962-63.
<br />
<br />
"Grandma Moses Story Book," an anthology for children illustrated by forty-seven color
reproductions of her paintings, was published this year by Random House, and 20,000
copies were sold before publication.
<br />
<br />
Grandma Moses, the former Anna Mary Robertson was born at Greenwich, N. Y., in 1860,
one of five daughters and five sons of Russell King Robertson and the former Margaret
Shannahan. What little formal education she had was obtained in a one-room country
school.
<br />
<br />
At the age of 12 she left home to work as a hired girl. She worked in the same capacity until
she was 27 years old, when she was married to Thomas Salmon Moses. He was the hired
man on the farm where she was doing the housework.
<br />
<br />
<b>
Invested in Farm</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>The couple took a wedding trip to North Carolina. On the way back, they decided to invest
their $600 savings in the rental of a farm near Staunton, Va.
<br />
<br />
They remained in Virginia for twenty years. Ten children, five of whom died in infancy,
were born to them. In addition to caring for the children and running the house, Mrs. Moses
made butter and potato chips, which she sold to neighbors.
<br />
<br />
The couple returned to New York State and began farming at Eagle Bridge. Mr. Moses died
there in 1927. For several years his widow continued to operate the farm with the help of her
son, Forrest. But she had to give up farm chores, and then embroidery, when arthritis
attacked her hands.
<br />
<br />
She had been embroidering in wool pictures that were reminiscent of Currier and Ives prints
of country scenes. Grandma Moses' first paintings were copies from the prints and post
cards. Gradually, however, she began to compose original scenes, drawn from her memories
of farm life in past generations.
<br />
<br />
For her work, the painter received honorary doctoral degrees from Russell Sage College in
1949 and from the Moore Institute of Art, Science and Industry, Philadelphia, in 1951. Late
in life she became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Society
of Mayflower Descendants after the local chapters had traced her ancestry and invited her to
join.<br />
"My Life's History," her autobiography, was published in 1951 by Harper & Brothers.
"Grandma Moses, American Primitive," a biography written by Mr. Kallir, was published in
1947 by Doubleday & Co.
<br />
It was in "My Life's History" that Grandma Moses expressed her basic philosophy:
<br />
"I look back on my life like a good day's work, it was done and I feel satisfied with it. I was
happy and contented, I knew nothing better and made the best out of what life offered. And
life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."
<br />
<br />
<b>
Kennedy Pays Tribune</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (AP)--President Kennedy paid the following tribute today to
Grandma Moses:
<br />
<br />
"The death of Grandma Moses removed a beloved figure from American life. The directness
and vividness of her paintings restored a primitive freshness to our perception of the
American scene. Both her work and her life helped our nation renew its pioneer heritage and
recall its roots in the countryside and on the frontier. All Americans mourn her loss."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
A Few of Her Paintings:</div>
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Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-3381317435179530232012-04-17T10:00:00.005-07:002013-12-27T16:16:22.993-08:00Connection<div style="margin: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I am the sun, the moon, the stars....</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> and clouds heavy with rain.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I am the crab grass that grows on the hillside,</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>the Queen Ann's Lace that lines the alleyways </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>and the Dandelions that grow wild in fields</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I am the gnarled old trees that stand firmly in old abandoned cemeteries....</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>giving shade to graves of a long forgotten souls and home to nesting birds.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I am one with the rich, black earth that smells of musk, of life and of death and lodges deeply under your fingernails when planting your herbs. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>All things are connected... </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> and so, composed of stardust and dirt and strung together with the DNA of my ancestor before me who themselves were composed of stardust and dirt and the DNA of their ancestors.... I am .</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>~p. najafabadi</b></span></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b>"Ashokan Farewell" </b><br />
<b>A piece of music composed by Jay Ungar in 1982. The piece is a waltz in D major, written in the style of a Scottish lament </b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h9yuq5fEu-Y" width="360"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
•*¨*••*¨*•<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>.¸¸</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Zapf Dingbats';">❤</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>¸¸.•*¨*</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Zapf Dingbats';">❤</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>*¨*•.¸¸</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Zapf Dingbats';">❤</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><b><i>¸¸.•*¨*••*¨*•</i></b></span></div>
</blockquote>
</div>
Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-28212330905871200332012-04-03T19:52:00.001-07:002012-04-03T19:52:25.926-07:00Art Journal<div><p>I made this art journal from a composition notebook that I bought from the dollor store. I've coated the  inside pages with Gesso mixed with a wee bit of white paint giving the pages a 'linen' feel to them so to be easier painted on.</p>
<br/><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wE7XVHMouIo/T3u3ZM3AiNI/AAAAAAAAArk/J_ZhMlcORkk/IMAG1096-1.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MKZ0-E04BYA/T3u3ZxRFCuI/AAAAAAAAArs/Y1zT02-TCJ0/IMAG1098.png' /></div>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-91323140728330381012012-03-29T14:05:00.001-07:002012-04-17T10:40:09.094-07:00My Favorite Place In All of Pittsburgh<h1 style="color: #305979; font-family: Trebuchet, TrebuchetMS, 'Trebuchet MS', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; height: auto; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chartiers Cemetery, This is were I go to walk, to think and to get inspired. I love the place, it's beautiful, has lots of trees. It's very quiet and mostly void of people because, well, only weird people like myself hang out in cemeteries. It's Perfect.</span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3XbrAoBfEg8/T3TJAlg0OwI/AAAAAAAAArE/20CPHofmfiw/s1600/Cemetary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3XbrAoBfEg8/T3TJAlg0OwI/AAAAAAAAArE/20CPHofmfiw/s320/Cemetary.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I love tombstones. They remind me stone tablets that tell a story, brief that they are. Some of them are shrouded in intense feeling. If I stand close enough I swear I'm overcome with feeling of deep sadness. Strange huh?<br />
yeah, well....so am I.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqxemwLAnwc/T3TJGmzkNoI/AAAAAAAAArM/4NkXkXk_Ezc/s1600/cemetary.tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MqxemwLAnwc/T3TJGmzkNoI/AAAAAAAAArM/4NkXkXk_Ezc/s320/cemetary.tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing is as beautiful and awe inspiring than a tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLL1aJXiyn8/T3TJMOoIFCI/AAAAAAAAArU/6BQiul99bUs/s1600/crypts-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLL1aJXiyn8/T3TJMOoIFCI/AAAAAAAAArU/6BQiul99bUs/s320/crypts-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">They are doing some rearranging, making room from more burial area and building a couple of new mausoleums . I've been eyeballing these...these...oh, I donna what you call them but I want them! They would make wonderful raised garden containers...I can visualize my lettuce and spinach growing in them. One of these would even make an awesome fountain. My imagination is working overtime here...If I could only convince the cemetery owner to sell them to me....-but- even if I could Fate & the universe is conspiring against me here because I'd never be able to convince my son to agree to permit me set these up in his yard....*sigh*</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fate! Damn you, damn you to hell!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aqN7e0lO6uQ/T3TJP-j9TZI/AAAAAAAAArc/EGN6lprmBS0/s1600/woodpile-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aqN7e0lO6uQ/T3TJP-j9TZI/AAAAAAAAArc/EGN6lprmBS0/s320/woodpile-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I've also be eyeballing this pile of felled trees. I want them. </div>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-91635839526560265272012-03-28T15:35:00.004-07:002012-03-28T18:10:39.323-07:00My First Commissioned Piece<div>I'm still stunned that someone would pay for my (ahem) 'art'. I have two more to do. I will let this one sit for a day or two because I always end up making 1-2-3-4-5 improvements ( it takes me awhile to find the flaws).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6O8e-LJGBL4/T3Oak_aEoMI/AAAAAAAAAq8/ZU7wjqLQwYU/s1600/elke.whimsy.ic.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6O8e-LJGBL4/T3Oak_aEoMI/AAAAAAAAAq8/ZU7wjqLQwYU/s640/elke.whimsy.ic.jpg.jpg" width="349" /></a></div><br />
</div>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-2885057824830269512012-03-28T11:18:00.001-07:002012-03-28T13:40:35.730-07:00It's Always Time For Tea<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
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<h2 id="author" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</h2><h2 id="author" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</h2><h2 id="author" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">by <a href="http://www.almanac.com/users/margaret-boyles" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Margaret Boyles</a></h2><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">February 10, 2012</div><div id="article-body" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 400px;"><div id="service-container" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: right; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 25px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 154px; z-index: 1;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 9px;"><br />
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<div id="article-related" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 140px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 140px;"><h3 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #333366; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</h3></div></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After water, <a href="http://www.eco-cha.com/tea-the-world%E2%80%99s-most-popular-beverage/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">tea</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia_sinensis" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0062a0; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Camellia sinesis</a>) is the world’s most popular beverage. </div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You’ve no doubt seen references to the research suggesting that tea, especially unfermented (<a href="http://www.drweilblog.com/home/2011/2/17/5-reasons-to-drink-green-tea.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">green</a>) tea, may deliver many <a href="http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">health benefits</a>.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Researchers say that regular tea-drinking (2-3 cups per day) may help lower cholesterol, manage blood sugar, promote weight loss, protect against several forms of cancer, boost immunity, and reduce inflammation.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Applied topically, tea can relieve the discomfort of rashes, stings, and hemorrhoids, and may help reduce acne flareups.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why green tea?</strong><br />
The “fermentation” (actually<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teaprocessing.svg" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">oxidation</a>) processes that yield the many other forms of tea deepen and alter the flavors leaves, but they also remove some of the plant compounds (“phytocompounds”) that deliver tea's health benefits.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Which tea? Which form?</strong><br />
Once you begin delving into the subject of tea, it’s easy to get confused. Will it be loose (thick or thin?), powdered, bagged, brewed and bottled? Chai, citrus, or jasmine? A green-tea extract? A tincture, a pill, a syrup, or a soda? What about a <a href="http://www.tenren.com/greenteasnacks.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">snack</a>? </div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Whoa!</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why not start by brewing some loose green tea leaves from a specialty or health-food store near you. If you live near an Asian market, you’ll have a much larger choice. Buy small quantities and store them in airtight containers in the freezer to maintain their flavor and potency.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By the way, if you want to maximize the health benefits of tea, drink it <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070108191523.htm" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">without milk</a>. Proteins in the milk decrease the concentration of many of tea’s beneficial phytocompounds. </div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How to brew</strong><br />
Add a teaspoon of tea leaves to a cup of hot water. It’s your choice whether to steep the leaves in a tea ball or other container, or strain them after they’ve steeped. Some people even leave the tea leaves in and consume them along with the liquid.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The hotter the water (closer to boiling) and the longer the steeping, the more healthful plant compounds the water will extract. However, since some of these compounds are bitter, many tea lovers prefer a briefer steeping time for their sipping teas.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tea in cooking</strong><br />
What about liberating tea from the beverage category and using the leaves themselves in cooking? Many <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Green-Tea-Delicious-miraculous/dp/1583330658/ref=pd_vtp_b_4" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">books</a> on the market delve into the science and art of cooking with tea.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Try adding strong tea as an ingredient in meat or poultry marinades, soups, stocks, and gravies. Or try adding the re-constituted leaves themselves to omelets, soups, or stir fries. Think of them as a leafy vegetable. Eating them adds nutrients and fiber to the medicinal punch this plant delivers.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UmQzW2iZZZk/T3NheW0kYFI/AAAAAAAAAqY/5b4yBVRHJCI/IMAG1044-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UmQzW2iZZZk/T3NheW0kYFI/AAAAAAAAAqY/5b4yBVRHJCI/IMAG1044-1.png" /></a><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A few other uses for tea</strong></div><ul style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; font-size: 12px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 0;"><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; list-style-image: url(http://www.almanac.com/sites/new.almanac.com/themes/almanac960/images/button-arrow-nav.png); list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 0;">The astringent properties in tea called tannins make it a natural skin toner. Helps acne, too.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; list-style-image: url(http://www.almanac.com/sites/new.almanac.com/themes/almanac960/images/button-arrow-nav.png); list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 0;">Used as a final rinse, tea conditions and restores shine to hair.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; list-style-image: url(http://www.almanac.com/sites/new.almanac.com/themes/almanac960/images/button-arrow-nav.png); list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 0;">Dry tea leaves absorb odors as well as baking soda. Leave a few bags in the fridge, or drop some into shoes, pocketbooks, cars</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; list-style-image: url(http://www.almanac.com/sites/new.almanac.com/themes/almanac960/images/button-arrow-nav.png); list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 0;">Strong tea left in cooking pots overnight will remove burned-on food and stains.</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; list-style-image: url(http://www.almanac.com/sites/new.almanac.com/themes/almanac960/images/button-arrow-nav.png); list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 0;">Cool tea sponged onto skin offers relief from poison ivy, hives, or insect bites.</li>
</ul><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For centuries, Asian cultures have used the gentle rituals of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_ceremony" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">tea ceremonies</a> for social, religious, and spiritual purposes. Here’s a description of how a modern physician <a href="http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03093/My-Life-With-Tea-Part-Two.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">adapts the ancient ceremony</a> to his daily life. </div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, you might want to have some fun exploring the art of<a href="http://www.spiritcommunity.com/reading-tea-leaves/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333366; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">tasseology</a>—reading the tea leaves to predict the future.</div><div style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
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<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0EF07tarsVc/T3NhfeZTadI/AAAAAAAAAqk/hiWwoMcqoPo/IMAG1043.png" /></div>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-84851966509914644992012-03-28T06:47:00.000-07:002012-03-28T06:47:36.552-07:00Earth's Vibrations<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iM6qF2Vxuhw/T3MS6x9ExCI/AAAAAAAAAqE/kxuYK-0wu5k/s1600/tree.hugging.girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iM6qF2Vxuhw/T3MS6x9ExCI/AAAAAAAAAqE/kxuYK-0wu5k/s320/tree.hugging.girl.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My (ahem) 'art' is whimsical and inspired by the natural environment and animals. </td></tr>
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<div class="article_content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">by Susan Wagner</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I’d like to teach you about your own <em>energetic </em>emissions, and how you can aid the welfare of the planet and all her creatures simply by controlling your emotional output. Emotions are waveforms that influence all life around us, because everything is based in energy. Scientists have shown that all animate and inanimate objects are made of vibrating waves of electromagnetic energy. When we feel an emotion, we <em>literally</em> send off waves, as if we were a pebble thrown into a pond.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The earth has a natural, healthy vibration that is created by the energy of the soil, planets and animals. <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-remarkable-animals-that-saved-peoples-lives.html" style="color: #0c739e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Animals</a> serve many roles when it comes to energy of the planet. Their energy fields are far more expansive than ours – a dog’s field is approximately ten times that of a human’s. A horse’s will encompass a large arena, and a cat’s will fill an entire property. The energy of wildlife is especially important to the survival of the planet. They create frequencies that maintain stability and promote healing.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The earth’s frequency is approximately 8 – 10 Hz, and is also created by Schumann Resonances, which are vibrations formed in the space between the ground and clouds. We can’t see them, but they bounce up and down, as sound waves travel through the shaft of a wind instrument.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">There was an interesting experiment done in Europe in the 1960′s. Human subjects were placed in a lead shielded underground living space, blocking outside electromagnetic radiation. Eventually the humans became confused and agitated, and their <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/biorhythms.html" style="color: #0c739e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">biorhythms</a> were disrupted. Researchers then pulsed in varying frequencies and measured the effects on the subjects. The frequency that helped them regain normalcy was 10 Hz – the same as the earth’s natural resonance.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">8-10 Hz is the identical frequency range as alpha waves in our brains. This brain activity is produced when we are in a state of relaxation. Being in an alpha state gives us a sense of well-being, increases <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/aging-creatively.html" style="color: #0c739e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">creativity</a>, and enhances our immune systems. Our optimal vibration is the same as the earth’s inherent frequency. We are meant to live in harmony with nature, not in discord.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Now we know why natural surroundings are good for us. But energy transmission goes both ways. We receive from the earth, and the earth receives from us. When we feel scattered and chaotic, we transmit those frequencies to all the people and animals around us, and to the earth. By being joyful and at peace with ourselves and those around us, we can help <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/healing-earth-heart-meditation.html" style="color: #0c739e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">heal the planet</a>. Who would have thought tree hugging was really quantum physics in action?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">So next time, stop, smell and be grateful for the roses – it will help you <em>and</em> Mother Nature!</div></div><div class="read_more" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><h3 style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/author/susanw" style="color: #0c739e; text-decoration: none;">Susan Wagner</a></h3><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>Dr. Susan Wagner is a board certified veterinary neurologist whose pioneering work acknowledges the bioenergetic interaction between people and animals. She is an advocate for change in the area of interpersonal violence and animal cruelty, and works toward a greater understanding surrounding the health implications of the human-animal bond. Dr. Wagner is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University Veterinary College, a Level IV Healing Touch for Animals practitioner and co-author of Through A Dog’s Ear.</em></div><span><br />
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Read more: <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vibrational-sustainability.html#ixzz1qQ1DvhP2" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;">http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vibrational-sustainability.html#ixzz1qQ1DvhP2</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span><br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vibrational-sustainability.html#ixzz1qQ06tYHy" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;">http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vibrational-sustainability.html#ixzz1qQ06tYHy</a></span></span>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033976502703124263.post-48399983605658908882012-03-20T18:09:00.002-07:002012-03-21T04:04:01.247-07:00Tangled! Recently I was on Amazon.com looking for a particular book on when I ran across this 'Zentangle' book . I was intrigued so went to the author's website and snooped...and I thought: Wow, I could certainly use a little Zen in my life! Well I just happened to have black card stock left over from a previous project, and I had white gel pens as well so I gave it a try and now I'm hooked...except that I didn't quite know what I was doing so I bought the book. <br />
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Honestly, I really need to put more of an effort in keeping my art adventures within single digits.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hwLoUvgXPYQ/T2kmoPFd9KI/AAAAAAAAApk/Np3465DM938/s1600/IMAG1028-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hwLoUvgXPYQ/T2kmoPFd9KI/AAAAAAAAApk/Np3465DM938/s320/IMAG1028-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Book</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KUKQJW9lcKs/T2kmth8d6vI/AAAAAAAAAps/6BWdBc_1pLk/s1600/IMAG1027-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KUKQJW9lcKs/T2kmth8d6vI/AAAAAAAAAps/6BWdBc_1pLk/s320/IMAG1027-1.jpg" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My very first Tangle, all sloppy & lopsided</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Denbeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05940056985000080477noreply@blogger.com0