Mindful Monday

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Advocacy:
♦"My Beef with the “I Love Boobies” Bracelets (in 2013)" (Support the person, don't glorify the body part)
♦Bull=  1: Slaughter house = 0 (Keep in mind that its from the Hong Kong Weekly World News.)
♦Do the children of abusive parents owe them anything?
♦A online resource for parents looking to help their children recover from eating disorders
♦Interview with Jazz. An amazing  girl activist!

Awesome:
♦Super cute gif...go look!!!!!
♦Spot on Calvin...spot on
♦Baby polar bear!!!
♦Bopping kitten and marshmallows
♦Cat wearing socks
♦Daria Quotes
♦Sad? Need a smile? Here is an adorable red panda. Your welcome. : )
♦Gorgeous nature gifs!

DIY:
♦Tea-riffic: how to cold brew tea (I love puns!)
♦Some fun ideas for printing on scarves

Feminism:
♦Brilliant men can get away with being disheveled, but women cannot...
♦"Nice Guys" are the worst
♦"A guy’s guide to approaching strange women without being maced"

Lol:
♦Star Trek logic (Too true!)
♦Somebody threw their hat in the ring to be Pope.....
♦Best Valentine EVER

Noms:
♦Huge list of 33 gluten-free desserts!!!
♦Herb goat cheese souffle
♦Three bread recipes, one is vegan

Self Care:
♦What you can do when you don't love yourself
♦Creating an inspiring creative space
♦The World Is A Kinder Place When You Are Kind
♦Turn around a bad day

WTF:
♦WTF Evolution? (a Tumblr of oddities in the animal world)
♦Scary ventriloquist dummys
♦Get the look: Cannibals....huh?
♦Pizza flavored lip-balm....eww

Mash-up Monday

Source

Art/Culture:

♦Broccoli House! (We all know that I had some weird ideas as a kid, but I also thought that broccoli plants were baby trees.)

♦Crazy mash-up of old Better Homes and Gardens magazine photos, and men's magazine photos.(SpaceMan Steve, I thought of you when I found these!)

♦AMAZING art deco cakes!!!

♦Bathroom portraits...

♦Details of the intricate process of making up Persian bride.

DIY:

♦Cool hair clip holder.

♦Mod Podge your bike!

♦Add some Zen...with mandala- rocks.

Feminism:

♦Breif history of hair removal, and a discussion on its impact. 

Fun:
♦“Disapproving Social Network Guy" Comic

♦Have dessert for breakfast!

♦Pintester tries out things from Pinterest...and makes a mess of things...in a fun way. Her test of strawberries and cream mug cake had me in tears laughing! (Caution, she swears a bit.)

♦More Pintester: the "cat anus bag"

♦I ♥ Calaveras. This site sells really cool ones for cake toppers.

Mental Health/Recovery:

♦Self-image and breast size. One girls experience.

♦How to enjoy eating again.

♦A young woman's account of being stalked.(Get help, don’t keep it to yourself!)

♦Gala Darling wrote an extensive piece about cutting and self harm. She talks about her battle with cutting, and proves that you can make it out of the darkness. (Please read with caution, this may trigger some folks.)

Gala gave a TED talk!!!!!

♥♥♥♥She is amazing!♥♥♥♥

Noms:

♦Super drool! Sweet Lime Tartlets. I HAVE to make these!!!

♦Chocolate cookies...nom nom nom!!!

WTF:

♦Mt. Dew Doritos cupcakes. Ewww!

♦Creepy cakes.

Don't Leave, Don't Give Up! You Are Important!

This video From The Bloggess has been making rounds on the internet.
You may have seen it already, but it is important and worth sharing!

Jenny AKA: The Bloggess talks very candidly about depression, anxiety, and self harm.

Mental Illness can be scary, overwhelming, challenging, and frustrating.

There are solutions! There are people who can help! I can’t emphasize this enough: you are not alone!

Suicide prevention hotline: Lifeline

Mental Health & Psychology resources. (Psych Central is great! They have fantastic blogs too.)

Info/Help for:
♦Anxiety
♦Bi-Polar
♦Depression
♦Eating Disorders
♦OCD
♦PTSD
♦Self Harm
♦Sexual assaultThis is by all means not a comprehensive list. If you need help don’t give up, tell someone!

♥Love, and strength to you!

s'Mores Monday

Whadda' cute face! Source

Bouncy dog plays in a cornfield

Beauty:
♦Kate explains how to use a curling wand.
♦How to be stylish and have pets.

DIY:
♦Tips dyeing fabric.
♦I have wanted to make a safety pin bracelet forever...
♦A fun wreath project to do with kids.

Fun:
 ♦Robot cakes rock!
♦A tumble devoted to Cosby sweaters!!!
♦Corgi lawyer meme.

Noms:
♦Gorgeous potted violet cookies.
♦Meringue mushrooms…the only mushrooms I will ever eat!
♦Backyard smores party…yes please!
♦Mango smoothie pops.
♦Rainbow cake made with natural dyes.
♦Pumpkin Butter Swirl Butternut Pecan Bread!!!!

Mental Health/Recovery:
♦Last week Weightless gave tips to identifying “fat talk” this week they show to eliminate fat talk.
♦Fat shaming is a vicious destructive cycle.

Colors:
30 ~ Gray
1   ~ Black
2   ~ Yellow
3   ~ Green
4   ~ Purple
5   ~ Black
6   ~ Gold

Bonus cute:

Source

MOONday

Hey, thats how my hair looks in the morning too! Source

I had never heard of porcupines with prehensile tails. Cool!

Art:

♦Incredible tattoos!

♦Amazing spring cakes.
♦Floral scultptures.
♦Money...warnings.
♦Not your childhood sand art!

DIY:

♦Fun poster art.

♦Poppy cookies +18 other flowers!

♦Make a cool bracelet.

♦OMG! Its giant versions of my favorite flower!!!!!

Fashion:

♦Fun with scarves.

♦Glitter shoes...but could just leave it as satin bands.

♦Decorate your shoes.

Feminism:
♦It about stinking time! Some dating websites have to cross check applications with sex offenders. (If only they were all required to do so!)
♦Geek girl for the win! A woman was fed up with a program written into her company’s chat channel. When ever something remotely provocative was typed it would reply “That’s what she said!” She wrote her own program that would reply with quotes from notable women! How cool is that!

Fun:

♦Terrible sheep cake....

♦Easter in Sweden...(Feather trees, and The Easter Witch...?)

♦ A huge collection of fairy tales has been discovered.

♦More book news: A huge collection of banned books discovered.

♦Its Pan Wow!

Noms:

♦Ice cream cone cannoli. Fantstic!

♦Oreo cheesecake frosting filled cookie sandwiches.

♦Classic appetizer. (Hint: bacon!)

Mental Health/Self-care:

♦Advice for teens (works for anyone.)

♦Would you give up TV for a month?(If you said yes, join Gala!)

♦"Don't tell me to get over it!" (I don't like it when people say this either!)

♦Stop apologizing! (Gala again.)

♦Ragen Chastain talks about weight bullying.

♦Make yourself a priority!

WTF:

♦Accidental zombie nails. (This is probably what would happen to me.)
♦Crazy shoe...art?

Colors:
16 ~ Silver
17~ Red
18 ~ Yellow
19 ~ Green
20 ~ Pink
21 ~ Gray
22 ~ Orange

Magnifique Monday

Hee hee! Source

Awesome:
♦Geek-tastic cakes!
♦Happy belated birthday Mr. Rogers! (Lady Elaine always gave me the creeps…)
♦I ♥ all of this! (Star Trek Next Generation!)
♦All things steampunk...

Diy:
♦Guerrilla gardening….very cool idea.
♦Bleach painting.
♦Super cute fox lamp. They also have a cool seahorse pillow pattern!!!
♦I really want to do this in my kitchen.
♦This table idea is super cool.

Feminism:
♦Female boxers made to wear skirts…to seem more “feminine?”
♦Childless by choice, and interview.(I understand where she is coming from. I don’t want children and I get negative comments and guilt trips form total strangers!)♦Accentuating…or covering? A look at Beauty Vs. Self-love.

“I would prefer to think that we decorate & dress up because we love ourselves, rather than because we are trying to hide or disguise who we are.” ~ Gala Darling

Noms:
♦Dark Chocolate cookies.
♦Oooooh! Carrot cake pancakes...!!! Rasputin will love these.
♦Easy blue bird sweets.
♦A new way to decorate cookies.

Mental Health/Recovery:
♦Another reason to leave Pinterest: “Thinspo”

Not familiar with “Thinspo” (Good for you!) Thinspo consists of thin-inspirational photos. Often photoshopped to appear smaller, bonier, and more emaciated.

I ask you…please don’t look at thinspo photos. You are fantastic, smart, funny and lovely just as you are! 

Keep being awesome!!!!


WTF?
♦The new speed-dating thing… “Eye-gazing Parties” Icky….glad I am not dating anymore!♦“What ethnicity are you…?” A woman voices her frustration at being asked this overly-personal question.
♦Florida repeals a law banning the dyeing of animals. Sick! What were they thinking???
♦This always kills me a bit inside to see this happen. (Bad wedding cakes…)

Colors:
2 ~ Silver
3 ~ White
4 ~ White
5 ~ Crimson
6 ~ Coral
7 ~ Black
8 ~ Amber

Marigold Monday

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"Kids love to jump on the bed"

Activism:

♦Wow. America’s Next Top Model is in hot water for making a Native American contestant dress in a bad-stereo-type of Pocahontas. What were they thinking?

Although…the contestant seemed to find a way to make it positive in spite of all of the implied racism.

"Native Americans haven't had anybody in the celebrity industry," she said. "There have been a few native actors – Adam Beach, Irene Bedard – but there's never been a native so high up in the fashion industry who's looked at on a celebrity level. People don't want to listen to you unless you come from a place of power. There are a lot of improvements across Indian country that can be made. I want to start helping out and being a factor."

♦My how toys have changed over the years!

Beauty:

♦I am still on the fence about hair chalking....what are your thoughts?

Cuteness:

♦Cats...with...hearts...on...their...fur...!

DIY:
♦More paper flower diys! Aunt Peaches shows how to make hyacinths. Ingenious!
♦Cool patchwork pillows. (Use up some scraps.)
♦Make a flower pin.
♦20 Free printables for spring/Easter, courtesy of Mod Podge Rocks.
♦Feathers...made...of...duct-tape.
♦Felt insoles...sounds so comfy.

Noms:
♦A very interesting idea for making eggs.
♦Drool: easy raspberry meringue cookies. (Edit: egads! I forgot to add the link! Here it is!!!!)
♦Rasputin would love these...Carrot Cake Cookies

Stay positive:
♦Dealing with failure.

Mental Health/Self-Care/Recovery:
♦A great piece about recovery, body image, and society’s body ideal.

“…constantly asking myself whether my behavior is in line with my values or with my disease. And luckily the past four or five years the values have won out over the obsession.”

♦A very candid look into one woman’s life with depression, borderline personality disorder and Aspergers.
♦Good therapist? Bad shrink? How to tell.
♦Are you a chronic apologizer? (I know that I am.)

Colors:
26 ~ Gray
27 ~ Red
28 ~ Yellow
29 ~ Green
30 ~ White
31 ~ Gray
1   ~ Gold (Ironic that this is April Fool's Day!)

Special announcement:

Happy Birthday Scott!!!!!!

Monchichi Monday♥

Source

 

Some people have a thing for owls, or bunnies, but I think porcupines are adorable!

Advice:

♦Oh man, can I sympathize! I don't like my squeaky voice either!

♦If you haven’t heard of Sark, I highly recommend her. She writes beautiful, colorful books, about self acceptance, and cultivating happiness. She has a awesome blog too.

♦The Bloggess gives advice on manners.  (Take with a grain of salt folks)

Art/ Culture:

♦An interesting article that questions who created the famous “Vitruvian Man” drawing.

Vitruvian Man Source

♦I had no idea that the Muppets were so political!

     Bowie:

     ♦Rookie is on a David Bowie kick, and I couldn't be happier!

     ♦How to look like Bowie.

     ♦Behind the scenes of a glam-rock god. (First book listed.)

     ♦Labyrinth: Best thing ever!

         (Couldn't agree more. Although, Bowie's pants in the movie are really icky!)

DIY:
♦Make your own wall art.

♦Make your own roll-up storage for makeup brushes.

Fashion:

♦What the shape of shoes can convey. [The toe shape, pointed, round , square etc.] Square toes always remind me of the bad women from The Witches.

 Noms:

♦The kind of crazy that I love! Potato chip cookies. (I really want to try these!!!!)

♦Beautiful cakes free from the nasty tasting putty that is fondant.

Mental Health/Self-Care/Recovery:

♦Hooray for Kate! She kicked "The Bad Egg" out while at yoga.

♦As with a physical wound, sometimes psychological wounds need to be opened up in order to be cleaned out and healed.

♦More about The Bloggess’s red dress project.

WTF???

♦The Clockwork Orange/ local Serial killer fashion line…?

♦I know I posted this on Facebook, but it is still very weird!!!

I hope you all h ave a fun and stress-free week!

: )

Colors:

13 ~ Silver

14 ~ Gray

15 ~ Brown

16 ~ Green

17 ~ White

18 ~ Gray

19 ~ Orange

♥Dedicated to our friend Corey’s cute kitty Monchichi.

Monday Magic

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World News:
♦10 very inspiring art projects of 2011. [The Up house is my favorite!]
♦As part of a three day elephant themed festival in Nepal, they give elephants pedicures!
♦A French business man has created a fund to pay fines for women who do not wear burqas.

Life Advice:
♦How to stay creative, advice from artists.
♦Don't wait around for a Valentine...make your own!

Mental Health/Self-Care/Recovery:
♦Rookie offers some gentle advice for survivors of sexual assault.
♦TOP 10 psych books of 2011. I haven't read any of these, but I really want to check them out.
♦Jenny Lawson is an amazing woman! Check out her Traveling Red Dress Project.
♦Ragen (of Dances With Fat) talks about her terrible experience at Universal Studios. Grrrr!


Health/Feminism:
♦Unfortunately doctors often underestimate the pain that women are in. (Sexism in the doctors office.)

Color of the day:
23rd ~ Gray
24th ~ Red
25th ~ Topaz
26th ~ Green
27th ~ Coral
28th ~ Brown
29th ~ Yellow

Megaphone Monday

Not my dog, but so cute!!!! Source

♦Craft Fail has a count-down of their 10 worst craft fails of 2011.

♦The 20 Unhappiest people you meet in the comments sections of year-end lists. This really cracked me up.

♦Have you ever wanted to see the inside of Courtney Love’s house? Well here you go!

♦How movies hype up New Years as a super magical time. (Their examples are pretty funny.)

♦Rock N' Roll bride shares inspiration ideas for blogging.

♦♦♦♦♦

"I felt like everyone had let me in on a dark secret, that I’d somehow been witness to a wide-scale acceptance of the worst of our culture and our social values, the very worst misogyny that so many buy into without even acknowledging. In suddenly remembering this basic fact -- something I know too well and is certainly not much of a secret -- I felt ashamed of everyone, of being complicit in a collective value system that prioritizes a very select group of people and their rights.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way. I suppose it isn’t much different that witnessing other types of blatant cruelty and stopping to witness, to empathize, or even to intervene.

Sometimes I just forget for a while. Sometimes I allow myself to shut out realities that are just too tough to carry around every single day.

When I’m reminded, it’s that much harder to accept because I’m not actually naïve. I know many people aren’t perturbed by sexual violence. They never think about it. When they do, it’s on a screen, one they apparently don’t mind watching because it’s somehow removed from their reality."

A sexual abuse survivor’s view of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. (I agree with a lot of what she said.)

♦♦♦♦♦

"But sometimes I think the holidays are hard because we as a culture don’t want to build any narratives that involve learning how to have a good holiday on your own terms, alone or with chosen companions."
♦The holidays can be terrible if you don’t have a family to share it with.

♦♦♦♦♦

♦Ok...this last article is intense. It is a woman’s real life account of her recovery from anorexia. It is sad, disturbing, yet hopeful. Article here.

*Trigger warning: there are photos that may disturb some. *

♦♦♦♦♦

Now for something cheerful:

♦Ha ha ! My unicorn name is Pansy Charming Mane. Want to know yours? Clicky-clicky!


I hope you all had a great New Years.

Have a great week!
Color of the day:
13th ~ Silver
14th ~ Gray
15th ~ Brown
16th ~ Green
17th ~ White
18th ~ Gray
19th ~ Orange