Monday, June 17, 2013

Hedgehogs!

Today, I give you...[drumroll]... hedgehogs!

Actually, I should be posting pictures of my own hedgehog, but it's quite difficult to do a photoshoot with a nocturnal animal that really, really hates the light! So, I am going to attempt to lure him out of bed early tonight, before the sun goes down, with lots of delicious food, and attempt to get some pictures of him. Until then, here are some other people's hedgehogs!


http://www.mrwallpaper.com/Cute-Hedgehog-wallpaper/

This hedgie clearly enjoys baths more than mine does.

http://www.jokeroo.com/pictures/funny/cool-hedgehog.html


These next two hedgehogs make me think that I should be shopping for some clothing for my hedgehog...

 http://living.msn.com/family-parenting/pets/off-the-leash-blog-post?post=a8165da1-03c1-4c7d-99a6-d2383bf161ce

http://www.cutestpaw.com/images/look-at-this-hedgehog-wearing-a-tiny-hat/

And this one is just too adorable for words.

http://menacenetwork.com/true-facts-about-the-hedgehog/

Hope you have a good Monday!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Living in the present


I have always planned to spend my days doing something truly important. I never wanted to be someone who worked at a job I hated, and only found purpose and enjoyment in my free time. I know that life isn’t always so simple, and that we all have to make sacrifices in order to put a roof over our heads and food on the table, but I have tried to stay true to my young, idealistic values over time.

I am inherently a planner. I focus on the future and think that planning is the best way to teach my goals. However, this can lead to me getting too caught up in planning for the future, and I can forget about other things that are often more important.

Every day, I try to remind myself to do the things that are truly important. The things that aren’t related to money. The things that I would immediately start doing if I knew I only have a limited amount of time left on earth. Things like family, laughing, creating, and enjoying life.

We all need to realize that we do have a limited amount of time left, and that the things you would long for if you found out you were dying, are the things you need to grab a hold of and enjoy each and every single day.

The only time we have is the present. Planning for the future to a certain extent is practical, but experiencing the present is crucial.

If you’re never living in the moment, then you won’t get to experience that ideological future when you get there. You will always be looking forward, planning and worrying about the next step.

What point is there to living in the past or the future, if you’re missing the present?

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Ideas for spreading kindness

I will be posting ideas for small acts of kindness on this blog from time to time. Some will be for “random acts of kindness” (i.e. for strangers), and some will be for friends and family

Since this is the first suggestion, I will make it a rather easy one to accomplish.

Today, I suggest that you send a message to someone telling them a reason why you think they are great. Thank them for something they have done for you recently, or just thank them for being a wonderful friend, mother, sister, or just for being a great human being. Tell them something truthful that will make them smile, even if it’s a simple “Have I told you lately what an amazing friend you are?”

Put a smile on the face of someone who deserves it today! It can be in a facebook message, an email, a text, a letter, a phone call, or in person.

I would love to hear your own suggestions for acts of kindness!

Image source: http://kylie-sonja.blogspot.ca/2012/08/one-million-acts-of-kindness.html

Monday, May 27, 2013

Hedgehogs and cats

This cat had only one kitten, and then adopted some orphaned baby hedgehogs!

As the owner of a hedgehog, and a fosterer for many wonderful cats, these pictures combine two of my favourite things! I can't imagine my hedgehog cuddling with a cat like this!









Source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/the-time-a-cat-adopted-four-baby-hedgehogs

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Mother's Day Shopping- Part 3

Another amazing gift idea for Mother’s Day would be a photo shoot! Either of you and your mother, of your family, of just of you.

My mother’s favourite gifts involve photos of me, which is slightly embarrassing, but it makes her happy, so it’s fine.

I did a few photo shoots with Jill Photography and gave prints from the shoots to my mother for Mother’s Day last year and then for Christmas. She has framed several, and I’m fairly certain that she shows the photo albums to everyone who comes into her home.

Jill Photography has very reasonable rates, and I can say from experience that she always makes people look their absolute best!

A photo from one of my shoots with Jill Photography

Monday, May 6, 2013

Mother's Day Shopping- Part 2

I think that buying local is important, and that Mother’s Day is a day when handmade gifts are especially appropriate.

Below, I have put together some ideas of things to buy or to make for your mother for Mother's Day this year.


Cheryl’s Painted Delights has amazing paintings. My mother is madly in love with the one I bought her for Christmas (shown below). It hangs in her living room, and she frequently talks about how gorgeous it is. Cheryl just painted my jewellery racks, and I can't wait to post some pictures of them!




Eco Fab Mama has a great selection of eco-friendly soaps and so many other products that would make a great addition to any gift.




Handmade items don’t have to necessarily come from someone else, of course. If you are crafty, it can be nice to give your mother a little something that you have made for her.

Baking is something I enjoy, and if your mother has a sweet tooth, there are many options out there for her! If she feels bad indulging in sweets, I would recommend that you try just about anything from the Chocolate Covered Katie website. Her recipes are vegetarian or vegan and are incredibly healthy. Most are also sugar-free, and they tend to be fairly simple to make!

How about giving your mother multiple gifts, labeled for every hour of the day that she will be awake? She will have to open each one sometime around the time on the package, so that she gets presents all day long!

These are just a few ideas for Mother’s Day this year. Whatever you do, be sure to thank your mother for giving you life!

If you would like a custom order for your mom (or for anyone else), I would love to talk to you about it! And don't forget about my Mother's Day Sale happening on facebook!

And remember, there are lots of other mothers in your life too! Mother’s Day gifts don’t have to be limited to just your own mother!

Surprised Animals

Today, I will share with you some adorable animals who look as though they were caught by surprise in these photos. Enjoy.











These photos and more can be found here: http://fightingtheboredom.com/surprised-animals-in-pictures/



Thursday, May 2, 2013

Shopping for Mother’s Day


Mothers day is coming up in less than a month, so now is the time to start planning.

Have you already decided what to get your mother to show her how much she is valued? Are you someone who struggles with finding the perfect gift?

I am someone who absolutely loves shopping for my mother. My mother couldn’t possibly be any easier to shop for (feel free to be jealous). Another bonus is that my mother is somewhat obsessed with the jewellery I make. So, she demands some of my jewellery for every single occasion.

If your mother is a fan of jewellery (and I think most of them are), I have some items put together that tend to be my most popular items for women of all ages (minus the children.. I think it’s safe to take out the young children out of the “mother” category). Browse through the album on facebook:
Mother's Day Sale

or check out my Etsy store to see the items I have posted there so far:
Remember, if there is anything on my facebook page that you would like to purchase, message me and I can put it on Etsy so that you can buy it online. If you live in the Fredericton area, we can arrange pick up or delivery.

The gift advice doesn’t stop there! 

Check out my next post for a few other places you might want to look for Mother’s Day presents.


Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Free Comic Book Day!


It is almost May 4th. Free Comic Book Day! I am far too excited. As you probably know, I have become a bit obsessed with comics. I have always been obsessed with free things and sales. So, this event is too exciting. It is also Star Wars Day ("May the fourth be with you"), so it's bound to be doubly epic. 

If anyone would like to pick up free comics at their local comic book shop and pass them along to me, I can give you an excellent discount on jewellery (superhero jewellery or other stuff). Strange Adventures and Gamezilla are having Free Comic Book Day events in Fredericton.

I believe there is normally a 10 comic per person limit, which saddens me (but I completely understand, otherwise, the first handful of people would just take everything!).

So, pass along your free comics for a large discount, if you’re interested! 

Message me through facebook or email me for details. 


Monday, April 29, 2013

Bowties

I love cats (as you all know). I love Doctor Who. Therefore, this is amazing:


Image taken from: http://sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/387339_598212066858484_96745428_n.jpg

I am hoping to have a line of Doctor Who jewellery in the near future! Can't wait!


Thursday, April 25, 2013

Today

Image from: http://www.wordsoverpixels.com/what-you-do-today-is-important-because-you-are-exc/0984eb5340582f40fe5361fc341f430a.html

What did you do today?

If I asked you that in person, you’d probably tell me about work, about errands you had to run, or things you stressed out about today. If you had something nice happen to you, I’m sure you would tell me about that too, but more often than not, we tend to have negative stories about our everday lives.

What if I asked you to throw out all of the bad stuff and just tell me the good stuff?

Would you struggle with that concept? Would it take you a moment to think about something nice that you did today?

It shouldn’t.

If the “good” portion of your day is small and often gets forgotten about, then you probably need to try to make a few changes in your life.

I am guilty of this as well, and have come up with many ways to try to change it.

I worry a lot, and have a great deal of stress in my life. I struggle with my health daily, and that tends to sap all of my energy and leave me feeling quite negative.

But, I have a huge number of things to be thankful for, and have many ways I can focus on more positive things.

If you are not doing a number of enjoyable, heartwarming things each day, then when will you do those things?

We will never have months of luxurious free time stretching out before us. We will never have millions of dollars to pay for our expenses for the rest of our lives and to take away all of our financial burdens.

We have today.

That is all that we have.

If you were going to die tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year, what would you do differently today? The thing is, we never know when we might die, or when certain things may change our lives completely. We never know when a loved one might not be in our life anymore.

So, the only thing we can do is to live our lives fully.

Take each day and use a portion of it, every single day, to do things that truly matter to you. Use it to tell your loved ones how much you love them. Use it to spend time with family. Use it to have fun with friends. Use it to pursue a passion of yours.

Don’t only use your time for things that stress you out.

We all have to work, and our jobs and lives in general can’t always be perfect or stress-free, but we can carve out a tiny chunk of time each day and use it for something meaningful.

Don’t let a single day pass by without using some portion of it to act as though there will be no tomorrow.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Ideas for Earth Day


Image from: http://www.solar1.org/the-seeds-of-earth-day/

Today is Earth Day, and although every day should be filled with “green” activities, today can be a day meant to increase your level of earth friendliness.

You can either try a new activity in honor of Earth Day, or to do something you already do, but put a little extra effort into it.

For example, if you sometimes buy organic food, maybe try to eat mostly organic for the day. If you often walk to work, but not always, make sure that today is one of the days you walk to work.

Here are some ideas for how to honor Earth Day this year:
  • Try to drive a little less than usual.
  • Try to use electronics a bit less than usual.
  • Spend a little extra time in nature today.
  • Eat vegetarian, vegan, local, or organic for a day.
  • Don’t buy anything you don’t need today!
  • Visit a library and take out a few books.
  • Volunteer somewhere, or make arrangements to volunteer somewhere soon.
  • Do something creative with materials you already have at home.
  • Make your own earth-friendly cleaners.

If you have any ideas of your own, let me know!

Now, I’m going to go get started on this list and see if I can make my day a bit greener than usual! 

Image from: http://www.zmescience.com/ecology/environmental-issues/earth-day-2009-dont-let-it-be-just-another-day/

Cute animal "twins"

Today: cute animals and their miniature versions. Enjoy.









These photos and more can be found here:
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/animals-with-miniature-versions-of-themselves

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Monday, April 15, 2013

Today, I will share with you some adorable animals who look as though they were caught by surprise in these photos. Enjoy.










These photos and more can be found here: http://fightingtheboredom.com/surprised-animals-in-pictures/



Saturday, April 13, 2013

Birthday Week Updates


My birthday passed in a blur of excitement this year. I was very lucky to have been able to celebrate on multiple days with many friends and family members. I was also fortunate enough to have an article posted on Tiny Buddha on the day before my birthday, meaning that I went into April 9th in a very good mood, and with lots of “likes” and “shares” to boost my ego.

The article can be found here, if you haven’t seen it yet: http://tinybuddha.com/blog/10-simple-ways-to-make-the-world-a-better-place/

Some of my birthday adventures involved shopping for comic books and 2 of my presents contained comic books as well! So there are many more comic book creations on the way.

I will keep some things under wraps until I post them (I feel like they’re too exciting to spoil the surprise), but keep your eyes peeled for lots more X-men characters, My Little Pony, and a whole new line of Archie comic jewellery (including earrings)! I can’t wait to finish them and post them online!

Don’t forget, for the month of April, you get a free gift with any purchase, and 10% of all purchases go to Cat Rescue Maritimes!

Also, a large amount of my comic book jewellery is leaving the province this coming week, so be sure to claim your favourite item before it goes to Halifax. Once I have sent them there, they will only be available for purchase in The Monster Comic Lounge. If you would like one of the comic necklaces, be sure to contact me by Tuesday, April 16th.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Ideas for Kindness


I spent a lot of time at the end of last year looking for ideas of things I could do as random acts of kindness. I have a list that I am still considering, and I thought I would share part of it here, and would love to hear if you have any more ideas for me! I am just getting started with this project of mine, and am looking forward to it growing over time.


  •  Give a coupon to someone in line somewhere (Someone did this for me while I was buying my father an ice cream cake at Dairy Queen. It was so unexpected, and I saved $5 on the cost of the cake, which I was thrilled about. The man told me he didn't plan to buy any cakes any time soon, and saw me with it, so he decided to give it to me. It made my day!).
  •  Leave flowers on a doorstep.
  • Donate blood, or if you already donate regularly, see if any of your friends would like to donate, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. If they don't drive, offer them a drive to go donate with you!
  •  If you've discovered a small business that you love, spread the word about how great they are! 
  • Send a card, email, or text to someone you care about, telling them how much they mean to you.
  • Volunteer somewhere new.
  • Donate blankets, towels, food, or other items to an animal shelter or rescue organization (Cat Rescue Maritimes Fredericton or the Fredericton SPCA, for example).
  • Donate an item you have made to an organization that could use it to fundraise.
  •  Take a CPR class. You never know when this may help someone in a very significant way. 
  •  Join a bone marrow registry, and know that someday, you may be able to save a life. (www.onematch.ca , in Canada)
  •  Send someone a compliment via text, facebook, email, the phone, or in person. 
  • Send a card to a friend or relative, just to tell them you care.
  • Write a nice note about an exceptional employee and make sure it gets to their supervisor.



These are just a few of my favourite ideas. Tell me yours!

Awkward Alpaca

This is how awkward I feel on a regular basis:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterscottnz/2531444191/