Whatever comes to mind

Sorry I have not Blogged in such a long time people! I've been so busy with just crazy life stuff that I got sidetracked. I just finished up these baroque chandelier earrings for Etsy and will be creating a lot more to show you here shortly.

Just finished up some classes at the local college as well to stay updated on my computer skills, so it left little time to dilly dally with social networking sites. I am busting my ass now to get caught up on my math skills in order to get signed up to a green technology program at another local college.

There are very few jobs here, so I might as well utilize my time getting some schooling done, so by the time the economy improves I will hope to make better use of my newfangled skills!

Tips for Buying Used Car for Teens

Venturing out to find a used car is far more intimidating than it was years ago. For one, it seems that people out there have not been taught honesty, as a prerequisite for modern living, from their folks just one generation behind us.

So my tips are engineered to find the right used car, even though the seller might not say what's really going on with the vehicle. Mind, this list is for people buying from a private seller rather than from a used car dealer. The latter, my friend, will need a trip down to get a book from Barnes and Noble on how to smooshz a smoosher.

Tips:

1) Ask the question "Why are you selling the car". Good responses are following: A) "I just bought a new car". This is good as the seller is inspired to sell quickly", B) "It's a gas guzzler". Some people are (surprisingly enough)honest so don't be afraid to ask more questions while they are on a roll.

A bad response would be following: A) "I buy and sell cars for a hobby" This is a hard seller to negotiate with because they will stay tight lipped about any problems with the car and the seller tends to stick to the original price. They might only open up if you mention "I noticed a problem when I test drove it" but, you need to be very specific about what you found.

2) Get the VIN number on the vehicle and go to this site and do a search, or with some other online searches. The main thing is to make sure that the VIN number matches the make and model of the car, but cut and patch shops are clever enough to find VIN number plates to match the make and model of cars, so you need to go deeper to find out if other factors match up.

3) Be sure to test drive the car in silence, which means no blasting the radio as you need to be aware of any sounds from potential problems. Open the windows so you can hear the sounds coming from under the hood, and other areas of the car better. I was able to detect a problem with a CV joint by following this rule of thumb.

4) Call the DMV to find out if there are any outstanding liens on the car. You can use the plate number that is on the car for reference backed up by the VIN number.

5) Always Always ALWAYS look under the hood of the vehicle. Just the other day I looked over a vehicle that had a very noticeable (unfixed I might add) top gasket leak from the oil surrounding that area.

6) Ask "Are you willing to let me get this inspected by my mechanic independently".....if they show any signs of hesitation it should send off warning signals in your brain. Do not let them intimidate you by saying they already had it checked by a mechanic and it shows no problem, etc. The only answer you want to hear is "Sure, no problem".

These are just a few tips that will help in your search. Of course, it gets more complicated, and not all my warnings apply in all situations. Just coach your teen before you look at cars with him or her not to become emotionally attached to any car they look at. It will not help the negotiations with a teen screaming in your ear that they love it and want it now. Also explain that the main focus is to find a car that runs well and that cosmetic appearance is secondary.

Good Luck!

My heart goes out to all the people and animals suffering in the Gulf Coast in which their livelihoods are being destroyed by the oil spill.

I pray that the oil can be capped so that no more oil leaks out. Also hope that many will join hands and dedicate their time and energy in the cleanup without waiting for the permission from the government or BP. Further delay could cause irreparable damage.

People on the East Coast, be prepared for the worse disaster our oceans have ever experienced and do not think for a second that we will not be affected. Everyone must look into their own hearts and dedicate some of our time to help out in this crisis without waiting for payment from the government or BP to get started.

We only have one planet between us all to share and protect..... and now repair.

Faux Brick Project

Had a wonderful time last weekend re-doing my daughter's bedroom in faux brick using materials left over from being a painting contractor several years ago. It did not cost a dime! I was thinking there always has to be something to run out the door for, but I had everything I needed. It was a miracle to say the least.

My daughter is very talented as she took instruction very well when I showed her the technique of putting the brick on using a stencil template. When I did this kind of thing for a living, it was always particularly challenging to train newcomers to decorative painting as everyone has their own signature technique. In other words, if you want to have it look consistent over the entire wall have only one person doing it. Otherwise, it turns out looking like a variety show with different patterns showing up at less opportune moments, with the possibility of having to start over.

But, when you find the right person who listens well and does a good job at copying your technique....it is worth more than gold to a decorative painter. Looks like I found that in my very own daughter. Now, don't worry that I am one of those parents who will want her to "follow" in my footsteps to gain some kind of living my life through my kids routine. It just makes me smile knowing that my daughter somehow inherited my "gene" and goes to show that sometimes artistic talent runs in families.

When someone shows talent in your family always encourage this, even if they do something entirely different, as artistic ability is a rare gem indeed that needs to have that one mentor in their life to really make that talent blossom. I never really fully developed my creative ability as no one, except myself, knew that I would make it a career later in life. Just think if one has a mentor in the field that can show the possibilities of creation in it's full splendour! Create or die should be the motto!

Spring Gardening Fever

I wish my garden looked like Tintinhull Gardens. I lived in the southern part of England for six years and really enjoyed seeing as many gardens as I could. At one point I could name almost every plant by it's Latin name...that is how "into" horticulture I was. When I came back over here after my divorce...I did not have too much time to garden as I was overwhelmed with just trying to survive as a single parent. But, I did manage to hold on to some of the passion by at least having a small vegetable garden every year and some flowers in pots.

Now it is absolutely necessary to grow vegetables just to save money on my grocery bill!

It helps that my boyfriend let me borrow his John Deere riding mower...instead of it taking me three days to complete the lawn with the decrepit push mower....it will just take me about 30 minutes! Now I actually have more time to get my hands into the soil and plant for a RRREAALlly GOOOOOd ShOOOOOw that Ed Sullivan would be proud of.....if you remember him then you might be in the same age bracket!

Hip Hip Hooray on Ex Getting Married!

Three cheers for my ex getting re-married in Florida! I am so thrilled for the happy couple! Here is a picture of my daughter (with her half-brother and cousin) all dressed in a lovely red dress and her nails were done up...can't see them in this picture but I know as she sent a separate pic with just her hand!

It's been almost 15 years since the divorce, so people will probably wonder why it has not happened for me yet. I guess it's really hard to find a really good man these days. Now that the economy has took a bad turn, it will be even harder to find a guy that has the disposable cash to take us women out on proper dates! We all need to hold ourselves to higher standards, but we don't want to be gold diggers either. Sometimes the problem comes from thinking that we will just "bump" into our potential man in the grocery store or at the gym.....maybe that works for less shy people as I don't just strike up conversations in the meat department...no pun intended!

Not everyone is suited to marriage anyhow. I quite like the fact I can go where I want to go, see who I want to see, do what I want to do without someone nagging me about these things. But, when the time comes to take the plunge...I am certainly not going to lower my expectations just because my former other half has beat me to the whipping post alter!

Homemade Sunscreen

Getting ready for another round of summer and cooking up a batch of sunscreens. Here is a recipe you can try at home:

Screen out the Sun, Cream

Water Base: ¼ Cup Aloe, ¼ Cup Water, Pinch of Natural Borax, Pinch Green Tea Leaf Powder, 3 Tbsp. Zinc Oxide Powder

Oil Base: ¼ Cup Olive Oil, 2 Tbsp. Organic Coconut Oil, 3 Tbsp. Natural Wax Pellets, 2 Tsp. Stearic Acid (Thickener), 10 Drops Vanilla Essential Oil, 6 Drops Geranium Essential Oil, 6 Drops Carrot Seed Essential Oil

Cook the water base ingredients separate from the oil base ingredients, both can just be on medium low. Sprinkle in the Zinc Oxide slowly while stirring. Cook the oil base just until all the wax melts down. The water mixture can be strained to get the Green Tea particles out. The stearic acid melts down with the oil ingredients and makes the oil emulsify into the water, plus it is a natural thickener.

Remember to put the essential oils in last (in the oil) before you mix with the water base, as you want them to stay fresh in the recipe and not get overheated. Put the water mixture in a glass bowl and trickle in the oil while beating on medium.

The trick is to keep both the water and oil at same temp. as you are mixing them so you do not get coagulation which is a separation of the oil and water. It helps to have two temp. thermometers and have the batches at between 90-120 degrees to prevent coagulation. Do not microwave this as it reduces the effectiveness of the ingredients.

Olive oil and Coconut Oils filter out the suns rays between 20-30% naturally, Aloe and Green Tea prevent cellular damage, Carrot Seed and Geranium Oil also filter the sun's rays, and Zinc Oxide provides a UVA/UVB protection.

Don't worry if your formula has bits of zinc that don't sink in immediately like the brands on the market, just keep rubbing until the water in the mix evaporates and it will smooth out. If you are particular about this you can always grind up your zinc particles more in a mortar and pestle. You are getting the benefits of more available nutrients for the skin rather than being "cancelled" out by the damage the chemical ridden brands will cause.

Using this formula will create a natural SPF of approximately 20-30

Have fun!