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Monday, February 28, 2011
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Doesn't this look relaxing?........though I don't know how the hell you get into this without getting wet.This is a NESTREST, an innovative new hanging pod woven from supersize strands of DEDON Fiber that was created by Paris designers Daniel Pouzet and Fred Frety. If you don't have a lake like pictured above, this would be great nestled in a backyard garden.....
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Wednesday, February 23, 2011
13 Things Your Mail Carrier Won't Tell You

I came across this post from yahoo and thought it was interesting, especially since most of us spend just as much time shipping as we do making things. Entitled "13 Things Your Mail Carrier Won't Tell You" , I thought it was very interesting from the "delivery" side of things, but I still have my gripes about the "brick and mortar" side ;)

{13 Things Your Mail Carrier Won't Tell You}
1. Maybe your dog won’t bite you. But in 2009, 2,863 of us were bitten, an average of nine bites per delivery day. That’s why I wince when your Doberman comes flying out the door.

2. Remember this on Valentine’s Day: It takes our machines longer to read addresses on red envelopes (especially if they’re written in colored ink).


3. Why stand in line? At usps.com, you can buy stamps, place a hold on your mail, change your address, and apply for passports. We even offer free package pickup and free flat-rate envelopes and boxes, all delivered right to your doorstep.


4. Media Mail is a bargain, but most of you don’t know to ask for it. Sending ten pounds of books from New York City to San Francisco through Media Mail costs $5.89, compared with $16.77 for Parcel Post. Besides books, use it to send manuscripts, DVDs, and CDs; just don’t include anything else in the package.


5. We don’t get a penny of your tax dollars. Really. The sale of postage, products, and services at our 36,000 retail locations, and on our website, covers all of the post office's operating expenses.


6. UPS and FedEx charge you $10 or more for messing up an address. Us? Not a cent.


7. Paychecks, personal cards, letters—anything that looks like good news—I put those on top. Utility and credit card bills? They go under everything else.


8. Sorry if I seem like I’m in a hurry, but I’m under the gun: Our supervisors tell us when to leave, how many pieces of mail to deliver, and when we should aim to be back. Then some of us scan bar codes in mailboxes along our route so they can monitor our progress.


9. Yes, we do have to buy our own stamps, but a lot of us carry them for customers who need them. If we don’t charge you, that’s because we like you.


10. Use a ballpoint pen. Ink from those felt tips runs in the rain.


11. Please dress properly when you come to the door. A towel wrapped around you doesn’t cut it. And we definitely don’t want to see you in your underwear!


12. We serve 150 million addresses six days a week, so we’re often in the right place at the right time. We pull people out of burning cars, catch burglars in the act, and call 911 to report traffic accidents, dead bodies, and more.


13. Most of us don’t mind if you pull up to our trucks while we’re delivering and ask for your mail a little early. But please get out of your car and come get it. Don’t just put your hand out your window and wait for me to bring it to you.


_______________________________________________


PLUS: 11 More Things Your Mail Carrier Won’t Tell You



1. Most of us love our jobs and the people we serve. I met my wife and my best friend because I was their letter carrier.



2. We go to great lengths to deliver to every address, no matter how remote. That’s why, in the most rural areas, even UPS and FedEx rely on us to make their final deliveries.


3. Those plants around your mailbox are beautiful, but I’d like them better if you kept them trimmed back.


4. Is it hot enough for me? The heat index is 110 degrees. What do you think? (Instead of asking that, offer me a cold drink.)


5. Despite the “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” motto, we’re instructed not to deliver to a mailbox if the snow and ice around it isn’t cleared. Most of us take the motto to heart, though, and do our best to deliver in even the most hazardous conditions.


6. I have people who leave a letter in their box and tape 44 cents in change to it. I’ll take it, but the next day I’ll be waiting in line like everyone else to buy you a stamp.


7. One day while delivering to a woman who had been very sick, her daughter met me by the mailbox and asked me if I wanted to say goodbye to her mom. She was unconscious and didn’t know that I was there, but I held her hand and said a silent prayer for her and her family. It wasn’t even an hour later when another customer met me at his door. He was a new father, overjoyed, telling me that his wife had just given birth to his son. The whole cycle of life, in just one day.


8. It’s a small thing that makes my job so much easier: Please park your car in the driveway instead of in front of the mailbox.


9. If a letter has your name but the number is wrong and it gets to you, thank your carrier. We still sort our mail before we hit the street.


10. If your carrier walks his route, it would be nice if you would sweep or shovel your stairs when it snows.


11. Sometimes, when my wife and I are shopping or out to dinner, I ask if they give discounts to people in the “service.” They usually say “yes,” then ask “What branch are you in?” I reply, “postal.” I usually get a funny look and a little snicker… I guess that means I’m just going to have to wait for my senior citizens discount.




article by Michelle Crouch for Shine on Yahoo
Sources: Letter carriers in Missouri, New Jersey, and North Carolina; Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers; and a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service.


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Friday, February 18, 2011
FREE COMPANY BUSINESS TELEPHONE NUMBER

I am always looking for ways to stream line my business more professional and now


Google Voice is a telecommunications service by Google launched on March 11, 2009. The service provides a U.S. phone number, chosen by the user from available numbers in selected area codes, free of charge to each user account. Inbound calls to this number are forwarded to other phone numbers of the subscriber. Outbound calls may be placed to domestic and international destinations from any of a user's configured telephones, or from a web-based application. Inbound and domestic outbound calls (including calls to Canada) are free of charge, while international calls are billed according to a schedule posted on the Google Voice website.
When you register you can choose a virtual phone number in any area code. You can use that number to send and receive text messages, record voicemails and even receive and make calls over the Internet, but it becomes particularly useful when you attach it to the number associated with your mobile or land-line phone.That means that you can now a have separate number for your business but have it come to your home or cell phone and you won't be worried about privacy issues.Tracking Calls From Your Website

Some Features of Google Voice:


Track Calls Thru Your Website: One of the great features is being able to track your calls. Since all of these calls are logged, if you use this number on your website you can tell how many phone calls your website is generating for you. Google Voice provides you with a “Call Me” Widget that you can put on your website, and if people click it and enter their phone number, the service connects you with your potential customer instantly.

Voicemail Auto Transcribed to Text Form: Google Voice automatically transcribes your voicemails into text messages. This is very helpful if you are in a place where cell phone usage is "frowned upon" like in a meeting or a noisy place.

Different Personalized Greetings: llows users to personalize voicemail greetings by caller. So if you want certain people to hear a professional greeting when calling your Google Voice number, you can set the greeting according to their number. For friends, you can record and set a more laidback greeting.g.

Google Voice App: So conveniant for this day and age , letting you access your features while on the go. Also you can send SMS messages from your app without charges from your carrier. The app is free and is currently available only for Android, Blackberry and Iphones ,just go to your phones "app market" and look for "Google Voice" under search.

Screen Callers: When callers dial your Google Voice number, you have the option to send them directly to voicemail as well as listen in to the voicemail as it is being left. This comes in handy for those unknown numbers directed to voicemail that you really wish you had picked up. If you determine that you do want to take the call, you can hit a number to cancel the voicemail and connect the call.

Now the Downside Google Voice:

As with all good things there are also some bad and though this is a fantastic platform, it is not the end-all solution to ditching your land-line altogether. There are some of the downsides to using Google Voice

New Phone Numbers: Changing to Google Voice requires picking a number from Google. If your business is established, changing phone numbers may be a problem. There are also no 1-800 numbers, thought if you are looking for a "Toll free" number for your business try Ring Central, a small fee based option.

Reliability: Every now and then there is a small delay in the call– hopefully the fact that they are opening up the system means issues like this are solved.

PRIVACY: By using Google Voice to control all of your phone activity, you're exposing a vast amount of personal information to Google. Everything from whom you call to what you discuss.... even that drunk night naughty text you may have sent your your significant other-is stored on Google's servers. Together with the other various data Google may have on you, all of that could create quite a file on you. Though I highly doubt that Google is going to set your information free to the masses as with other Google services, Google Voice is governed by a privacy policy that explains what can and can't happen with your data....but it's still in someone's hands and can "technically" be used for other things.

Caller ID Confusion: If you start using a Google Voice number as your primary number (which I dont recommend), be prepared for the fact that regular calls from your cell phone (or any other phone) will still show up as your old number. This may create confusion, as the number you give out won't match the number from which you actually call.

Number Change: You have to get people to start reaching you at a new number. You might have to reprint business cards or stationery, and you'd have to take the time to update your information anywhere you have a registered account (other websites, anywhere you have linked your info to and etc).Until they fix this problem ( which they are in the process of doing) be sure to think carefully about what's involved before you decide to make the move to the new service or try this Hack that I found.
Cool Hack: Use Google Voice Without Changing your Number

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT GOOGLE VOICE, GO TO THE WEBSITE OR TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO BELOW:


TELL US ABOUT YOUR GOOGLE VOICE EXPERIENCE.....
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Girl Scout Cookies Year Round!

Now is the time to buy Girl Scout Cookies! Just be warned that your local troop may be cutting back on the cookie selection this year. Plans are in the works to streamline their product offering, eliminating soft-sellers like Dulce de Leche, Thank U Berry Munch, Lemon Chalet, Tagalongs and many others.
As a former Girl Scout, I remember hocking those cookies door to door in my neighborhood ( when you could still do that without wondering if your child would be safe). But, we live in a new day and Girl Scouts has changed with the times. If you want to find where they are selling cookies in your are try the Girl Scout Cookie Finder! It won't sell you the cookies, but rather point you in the direction of where they will be selling them.
The following are three of my favorite "Copy Cat Girl Scout Cookie Recipes" but take a look some of the other recipes for the other popular Girl Scout Cookies:

Do-Si-Dos-peanut butter sandwich cookies
Tagalongs- chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies
Lemonades- the "moby dick" of cookies,rarely seen dainty lemon flavored cookies
Thanks-A-Lot- chocolate dipped shortbread cookies, only available in a couple of states.
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Homemade Trefoils
{didn't have the girl scout logo cookie cutter, so just make them into whatever shape you want}

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
tiny pinch ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in salt, ginger, and lemon zest. Mix to combine. Slowly add in flour, and mix until well combined, but do not overmix. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

2. Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes. Place on a cookie sheet, at least an inch apart and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until almost starting to brown on the edges.

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Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas

{don't want to make them try "Keebler Coconut Dreams", look and taste like samoas}

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup superfine sugar (or granulated)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
Dipping Caramel (recipe follows)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (available at health food stores)
12 ounces of chocolate chips

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add in egg and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the bowl, if necessary. Add in vanilla. Beat until smooth. With mixer on low, add in salt and flour. Mix until completely incorporated and dough is uniform. Pull dough together and shape into a cylinder with a diameter of about 2 1/2 inches. Wrap in parchment paper and freeze for at least 25 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice dough into 1/8 inch disks and place on baking sheets, about an inch apart. Once you have made 30 cookies, wrap up the cookie dough, freeze, and save for another time. Use a tiny circle shaped cookie cutter or a large round cake decorating tip to cut a hole in the center of each disk. Refrigerate for an additional 10 minutes. Bake for 8 minutes, or until crisp. Let cool completely.

3. Add coconut into the caramel. Warm the caramel in the microwave for about 10 seconds if necessary. Take cooled cookies and gently dip them completely in the caramel. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze until set, about 5 minutes.

4. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until fully melted. Place the caramel coated cookies in the chocolate. Use a fork to pull them out of the chocolate and place them on a parchment line cookie sheet. Use the chocolate still on the fork to drizzle stripes over the top of the cookies. Refrigerate until set.

Dipping Caramel

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar)
4 tablespoons corn syrup
6 tablespoons water
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons heavy cream* (DO NOT use plain whipping cream)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan with high sides, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Whisk until combined, and set over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan every now and then to help distribute the heat. Use can use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush the sugar crystals down the sides of the saucepan. When the sugar dissolves completely, raise the heat to medium. When it comes to a boil, watch very carefully for the bubbles to become more viscous (this means that the water has evaporated and that it is ready to go through the candy stages). As it is bubbling away, you want it to turn a deep amber color. When it does, remove the heat and, working quickly, use the spoon to scoop up a small amount of the candy and drop it into the small glass of water. If the blob turns hard like lollipop, then it is ready. If the blob is still soft, put the pan back on the heat. Keep testing until the candy is hard. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk in butter, 6 tablespoons of cream, and vanilla (Careful here, as the mixture should bubble violently for about 10 seconds). If the caramel isn’t smooth right away, return the pan to low heat and whisk until smooth.

*To clarify, this cream should be heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream, not whipping cream.

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Homemade Chocolate-Thin Mint Cookies

Cocoa Wafer Cookies
3 T. butter
1 egg white
1/4 c. brown sugar
pinch of Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. flour (plus 1/4 c.)
2 drops pure peppermint oil
Combine all ingredients together. Add flour as needed, until dough is roll-able and not sticky at all. Roll VERY thin. Cut into desired shapes. Bake at 325 for 4-7 minutes, or until cookies have firmed and browned slightly around edges. Remove from oven and cool.
*
Peppermint Buttercream Layer
2 c. powdered sugar
4 T. melted butter
2-3 drops pure peppermint oil
1/2 tsp. heavy whipping cream
Mix together until it becomes thick and easy to roll with a rolling pin. Roll until about 1/4″ thick. Cut into desired shape. Place atop cooled cookies. Place cookies into melted chocolate CANDIQUIK, spoon chocolate atop until fully covered. Allow to dry on a piece of parchment paper. Makes about 30 cookies




recipes & photos courtesy of Shine
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Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
AND THE WINNER IS........


And the winner of the 2011 Valentines Day Giveaway is #44 "BITT"....
We have contacted the winner , but if you haven't gotten out email and are reading this post, just let us know .
We want to thank all of you for participating and look out for the next giveaway coming soon as well as new spring merchandise ...
THANKS AGAIN :)
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Thursday, February 3, 2011
FONT BUREAU: JOLLY FONT

Fonts are something that everyone should have a lot of in their "arsenal " and their is literally a font for everything. I love San Serif fonts..clean, modern and able to be used in a multitude of ways, so the following is a good San Serif font to have in your "arsenal"

::::::TO DOWNLOAD FONT::::::
  1. click on link above and choose the "click here to download" bttn to save to your computer
  2. go to your computer (where ever you saved the file) and "right click" on zip file.
  3. choose open to "extract file here" or if you have a " zip extract" program like Winzip or Yemzip (for mac) then choose that program to unzip the file.
  4. once the file is "unzipped" move the font file to your font folder on your computer
  5. once your file is in your "font folder" on your computer you can use it with any of your programs.
please note: your "font folder" can be accessed in any "Windows System" by going to "My Computer" then click on "(C:)", then "Windows" and there you will see a folder called "Fonts". That folder is your "Fonts Folder" where all your fonts are kept...add any new fonts to this folder.
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