Did I read that Sign Right?

--- TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW

In a Laundromat:
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT

In a London department store:
BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS

In an office:
WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

In an office:
AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD

Outside a secondhand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

Notice in health food shop window:
CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS

Spotted in a safari park:(I sure hope so)
ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR

Seen during a conference:
FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR

Notice in a farmer's field:
THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

Message on a leaflet:
IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS

On a repair shop door:
WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK)

Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turn! to spread the stupidity and send this to someone you want to bring a smile to (maybe even a chuckle). We all need a good laugh....:)

Knitwits-Homemade Animal Sock Puppets

Super cute little creatures!
I remember watching how to make this on Martha Stewart show a while back, and today this "Craft of the Day" ended up in my inbox!

It is so cute. What a fun gift for a child!

To watch the 5 minute video of Martha and the inventor making these click on: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/knitwits?xsc=eml_crd_2009_06_04

These charming animals are made using mismatched socks.

Tools and Materials

Sewing machine

Needle and thread

One adult sock

Four children's socks (mismatched)

Polyester stuffing

Scissors

Pins

Old T-shirt

Quilt batting

Chopstick

Fabric pens or embroidery supplies for eyes

Knitwit How-To

For the Body

1. Turn an adult sock inside out and pin the heel flat. Sew the heel shut and cut the excess from the sock. Turn the sock right side out and stuff with polyester stuffing until you have reached the desired length for the body. Cut off excess and set aside.

For the Legs

1. Prepare two children's socks the same way as you did for the body.

For the Arms

1. Remove the heel from one children's sock as you did for the body. Keep the sock inside out for now. Cut the upper band of the sock off and save it to use for the mouth later.

2. Sew two lines of stretch stitches down the center of the sock lengthwise, about 1/2 inch apart.

3. Cut down the middle of the sock, between the two stitched lines, to create two individual arm pieces.

4. Cut two 2-inch-wide strips of quilt batting that are twice as long as the arm pieces.

5. Push the "toe" of each piece in a little to create a pocket. Fold a quilt batting strip in half, and push it into the pocket you made in the arm piece with a chopstick, while turning the arm piece right side out. Stuff the other arm piece in the same way.

For the Antennae

1. Use the same process as for the arms to create two antennae.

For the Eyes

1. Round a ball of stuffing and cover it with an approximately 4-by-4-inch square cut from an old T-shirt.

2. Wrap the shirt tight around the ball to create a small "ghost" and stitch around the "neck," wrapping the thread all the way around every so often, to cinch it tight.

3. Holding the "tail" of the ghost, draw irises on the eyes with a fabric pen or embroider them with a needle and embroidery floss.

4. Cut off the tail close to the ball, being careful to not cut into the stitching.

5. Repeat to make a second eyeball. Tip: Eyes of different sizes and colors give your Knitwit more personality!

For the Mouth

1. Whip-stitch the cut edge of the upper band of a sock.

Assembly

1. Whip-stitch the legs, arms, antennae, eyes, and mouth to the stuffed body piece. Close the opening in the sock used for the body piece with a whip stitch.

Resources

Martha used socks from Little Miss Matched, which were given to our studio audience. All other supplies are available at sewing or crafts stores. Special thanks to designer Quentin Webb for sharing this process. For more information on Knitwits, visit witalator.com.

Conquer Food Cravings

By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Updated: November 10, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

The way you respond to food cravings just might make or break your success at weight loss and maintenance. Veering off from your eating plan occasionally will not be earth-shattering, but if you make a habit of giving in to your eating impulses, your moments of weakness will certainly catch up with you. The good news is, if you remember these tips you just might be able to conquer those pesky cravings.

1. It will pass.
   Believe it or not, you can simply wait out a craving. Sometimes we may even mistake a craving for actual hunger. Playing the waiting game will help you distinguish between the two. If you still want something 20 minutes later, chances are you really are hungry.
   

   If you allow yourself a little time to take a pause before giving in, you may find the craving will disappear altogether. Get your mind on something else: take a walk, write in your journal, play a game. You may be pleasantly surprised to find time has passed and the craving has subsided.
   

2. Drink up.
   A glass of water, that is. While some suggest this is another method of "stalling" like the wait-it-out method above, you may find that drinking water satisfies your craving in and of itself. Sometimes we can mistake dehydration for hunger or cravings. Your body is telling you that you need something, and you assume it's food... take a chance and sip some H₂0, it may be just what you need.
   
3. Give in... just a little.
   The bad thing about cravings is that when we give into them, we are giving in to an impulse. When you act impulsively you have lost some control. Which means you probably lose control of how much you eat, too. Take a moment to think about what you are doing. Try putting some mindful eating techniques to use.
   

   If you decide to satisfy your craving, just do it on a smaller scale. Never allow yourself to sit down with an entire carton of ice cream or a whole bag of chips. Take out a serving and put the rest away. Better still, purchase small portions to begin with. You will probably find that the first few bites actually squelch the craving anyway. Then, if the food is not already in your hands, you probably won't go back for more.
   

4. Keep it real.
   You're a smart cookie. If you really want a chocolate chip cookie, that reduced fat fig bar is just not going to do the trick. Don't try to fool yourself. That's right, go for the "bad" choice. Remember "all things in moderation." Allow yourself to indulge in what you really want (just watch your portion size!) and you will not feel deprived. If you do not grant yourself this allowance, you are more likely to eat that fig bar and the chocolate chip cookie, because the former didn't really satisfy your craving.
   

I created a new clipboard for homework!

Is there anything better than having to do something that you consider fun for homework? I had to make a Power Point Presentation with 10-14 slides that had to be informative or persuasive. So I chose to make another clipboard with some pretty paper that I've had for a while. It turned out pretty cute I think. I love making clipboards, and it is a hobby that I just stumbled upon.

All I needed to learn, I learned from the Easter Bunny!

All I need to know I learned from the Easter Bunny!

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.
There's no such thing as too much candy.
All work and no play can make you a basket case.
A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.
Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.
Some body parts should be floppy.
Keep your paws off of other people's jelly beans.
Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.
The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.
To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.
Happy Easter!

Aaron & Amber and Chloe

She's not happy here, but she is still adorable with that scrunched up little nose and face. I can't wait to hold her! she is adorable!

Amber and Chloe on her birth-day.

Aaron and Chloe a few days ago.

My baby brother Aaron and wife Amber with their little baby "Chloe". They are such a cute family and we are so excited to have little Chloe to the family. We love checking out their blog and seeing new pictures of everyone!

Happy Anniversary Michael

Happy Anniversary to my dear sweet Michael. We have now been married for 13 years! It doesn't seem like it, but we have and are still happy. Life has thrown us many curve balls, but we learn from them and keep on going!
Michael is so patient and kind and helps me stay focused on what is the most important.
I love you! Happy Anniversary (on April Fools Day). I'm a fool for you!