New Best Friend: Pet Shelter Cards

This is such a sweet idea and neat to do and share.  I just saw this YouTube vid by Sandy Allnock .... a artist and paper crafter.  Her idea an so nice.  Seh is going to be looking into donating cards to shelters in the coming year since she seem to have a growing collection of dog and cat stamps.  They could be sold at the shelter as fundraiser....lots of ideas.

Stuff From My Inbox

Today's inbox was chock full of fun stuff and posts from other crafters. Kelly Latevola (one of my faves) is bringing us out of the winter with some bright, water color techniques with Copics.

Take a look...here .

Cathy Zelske who tells it like it is, tells us about her self-care FIT (link) program. If you want a challenge.  Go directly to CZ. 

Also a link from Zulily who offers every crafting item you could need for knitting, sewing, art, stamping etc.

Let me know if you find any other crafting goodies we should include.  Just leave your note and a link in comments.  Love to hear from you.

Happy New Year!...back to work

Some my cardmaker gurus have come across this instagram thingie where you have Google select your top 9 photos for 2017.  Now, having Google choose without consulting me is suspect.   Look what they chose...

These are cards I have made and the neighbors chickens!  

If any of you are watercolorists, maybe you can help or sympathize....I am trying to find the colors to complete this project.  I have trouble with the paper, for one. It is pilling, but that may be from too many applications of color.   I think I will go to Strathmore.  Now the colors.   I am using Zig watercolor brush makers and want to make it work.  I won't try Copics, and something this size is a challenge. Katrina, Nicole and Jennifer just knocked it out of the park.  

 It is a birthday card for a special someone. Off the the craft room to give it another go. 

What happened?

Well, the eco obsessed quiltmaker is expanding the blog.  I have added  new interest just to keep my interests out there.  Or, maybe a place to go in the event I forget who I am.

Cardmaking has been a fun hobby along with quilting.  It is time to share some of the cool stuff I am doing.  I will continue so slip in an eco rant now and they maybe something quilty, but mainly this is a document of my journey with cards.  I have a lot to learn....how to use Copics...how to use Instagram, where are the tags on blogger?  etc   (things have changed)....help me  out when you can.

Also, there will be guest bloggers now and the and some re-blogging from some of my wonderful sources.




Here is where I do it.....

and this is what I end up with.  

I am learning new techniques and have fun digital friends and artists to learn from.

I have re-opened my Etsy shop (shameful link) where I am slowly listing some of my cards.  Will see how this turns out.  I would like to have some income to cover the costs of my supplies for my hobby.  

#SierraCards#cardmaker#etsy#handmade#greeting#cards#papercraft#watercolor#stamping#greetingcards#etsy

Keep antibiotics off your plate!

Keep antibiotics off your plate!

Next time you bite into a pork chop or enjoy chicken salad this summer, you might want to thank Uncle Sam and the pharmaceutical industry for that special ingredient in your meat — antibiotics.
That's right! Up to 80% of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used in industrial animal confinements for chicken, beef and hogs at sub-therapeutic levels, not to treat disease, but to make the animals grow faster. While this practice has slightly increased profit for livestock producers, doctors have found that overuse of antibiotics in livestock feed is putting human health at serious risk.
According to the landmark "Antibiotic Resistance Threat Report" published by the Centers for Disease Control last year, 2 million American adults and children become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, and at least 23,000 die as a direct result of infections. Tragically, even more die from complications. This is alarming and it has to stop.By adding a small amount of antibiotics in the feed or water daily, livestock producers not only promote faster growth, but also try to make up for the overcrowding and unsanitary conditions of factory farms. In recent decades, medical doctors and public health scientists have become alarmed at the steady rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that no longer respond to frontline antibiotics to treat disease in humans and have found proof that overuse of unnecessary antibiotics in factory farms is contributing to this growing problem.
Unbelievably, last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposed Veterinary Feed Directive, or VFD, that allows agribusiness to continue to feed antibiotics to healthy livestock and poultry, putting our health at risk. Instead of putting human health first and calling for the mandatory elimination of sub-therapeutic use, the FDA is calling for “voluntary” measures to curb antibiotic usage by agribusiness giants. This is outrageous! What we don’t need now is another set of toothless suggestions by the FDA when antibiotic-resistant "Superbugs" are on the rise.
For the past several years, mainstream medical and scientific groups like the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, Union of Concerned Scientists and The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming have called for an end to this practice of using antibiotics for growth promotion because of the rise of new “Superbugs”.  To speak u you clan visit:

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/1216?t=12&akid=1171.290872.bGwNbj

FactChecking ‘Pernicious’ Obamacare Claims

FactChecking ‘Pernicious’ Obamacare Claims

Baking Soda (Again)

1. Wash your fruits and vegetables
Dissolve a few tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl of cool water. Soak the fruits or vegetables for 10 minutes and rinse.

2. Deodorize your fridge or freezer
Place an open box of soda in your fridge or freezer to let it absorb the odors. Replace after 3 months.

3. Deodorize your cutting board
Clean and remove odors from your cutting board with the help of a sponge and a paste of baking soda and water.

4. Remove coffee stains from cups
Dampen the cup and start rubbing baking soda with a cotton cloth until the stain is gone. Rinse. Baking soda works great against tea stains as well.

5. Unclog drains
Pour 1 cup of baking soda followed by 1 cup of hot vinegar. Wait 15 minutes before flushing the drain with hot water. Repeat a few times if necessary.

6. Polish silver
A fast and easy way to polish silver, stainless steel and chrome is to put a pinch of baking soda on a damp cotton cloth and polish. The results will be immediate.

7. Remove stains
To remove wine, oil or grease stains from fabrics just sprinkle baking soda and leave for a few hours then brush off. If necessary, rub again with a paste of soda and water.

8. Use as fabric softener
Baking soda can successfully replace your fabric softener. Add half a cup to the rinse cycle and you will never think of going back to store-bought softener. It is also great for sensitive skin.

9. Exfoliate
Baking soda is the perfect exfoliator, able to remove dead skin cells from your skin. Just wash your face with lukewarm water, pour a teaspoon of baking soda on your palm and massage your face gently with circular movements for about 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

10. Brush your teeth
Baking soda can be used not just for cleaning your teeth but also as a natural whitener. You should be careful though, because it is abrasive and might hurt your gums, so do not press to hard.

Baking soda can be used in all spheres of life, from treating different disease to extinguishing fires. Its universal qualities as well as the fact that it can replace dangerous environmental pollutants we use on a daily basis make it my all time favorite and I hope yours too!
-repost via EcoEtsy.com_