Inspiration

Inspiration for me, is something that makes me think, makes me feel, or makes me want to create.

Whatever inspiration may be for you here is where I draw some of my inspiration from.

Nature: I love to take a walk in the evenings to get some fresh air and clear my head at the same time.  A 15 or 20 minute walk will do the trick for me on most nights. Going for a hike in nature is another way for me to always come back invigorated. Whether it is a strenuous mountain hike or a casual stroll through a forest path. This type of exercise is not only for the body; It is for family, it is for love, it is for energy, it is for the mind and the creative thoughts it invokes.  Taking a walk out in your back yard can sometime do the same thing.  Look at your surroundings and be amazed by what you see. Really see it and be in the moment.

Family: Just hanging out and talking to my family at the dinner table can be inspirational. My kids are very creative and imaginative and funny and that helps bring out some fantastic ideas in my own head. Sometimes they give me a totally different perspective on things.  My husband and I tend to be opposites but that lends itself to a very creative atmosphere. His ideas bounce off of mine and the thoughts flow and creative and inspirational energy flows from there.

Quotes and proverbs: I will admit that I get a “quote of the day” sent to my in box. These little bits of magical syntax seem to have a way of making me happy every single day I read them. It could be a simple Chinese proverb or a quote from a famous writer.  Whatever it is it gets my thoughts running and most of the time put a smile on my face and gives me hope.

Seeing others creative work: The work could be a poem, a painting, a picture, or just a new scent of homemade soap I saw at a craft fair.  These kinds of things give me a spark. They make me want to go out and create beautiful things. Sometimes I act on that impulse right away and sometimes I keep the idea floating around for a rainy day.  I look at Etsy, pinterest, magazines, and read books; these all give me some sort of inspiration. 

No matter where you get your inspiration from just keep it coming. Do not stop being creative or being inspired. It is what keeps us going and keeps us fresh and vital and feeling alive. 


Warm regards and love,
Erin

Smart Ways to Kill Fruit Flies

I know. I know, it has been a while since my last post. ( OK it's been a LONG while since my last post ) I guess I have been a bit preoccupied. Trying to get back in the swing of things so they say.

I thought this advice was great and since I seem to have fruit flies this time of year this post is timely. Hope you can get some useful info from it. 

 

1. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar
Remove the cap from the bottle (it doesn’t have to be full — nearly empty will also work). Cover the opening in plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band. Then, poke a hole for the fruit flies to enter. They can’t resist the scent of vinegar, and they won’t be able to exit once they’re inside.

"No matter how hard I try to prevent fruit flies every summer, they seem to always find me. Every year, I Google "how to get rid of fruit flies" and every year, I end up using this tried-and-true method. It’s not pretty, but it is pretty effective.” –Kim at Today’s Creative Blog

2. Vinegar and dish soap
If you find your fruit flies are impervious to the plastic wrap, try adding three drops of dish soap to a bowl of vinegar, and leave it uncovered. The soap cuts the surface tension of the vinegar so the flies will sink and drown.

 

3. A paper cone and a piece of fruit
Place a little vinegar and a chunk of very ripe fruit in a jar. Then, roll a piece of paper into a cone  and stick it into the jar, placing the narrow opening down. The fruit flies will be drawn in, but won’t be able to get out.

4. Red wine
Like vinegar, fruit flies love the smell of wine. Try leaving out an open bottle with a little liquid — the skinny neck will keep the flies trapped.
  


Warm regards and love,
Erin


*http://www.countryliving.com

Pete Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014)

This morning my son was surprised to see the national news stations talking about the passing of Pete Seeger. He said I didn't know other people knew about Pete Seeger too. I explained that he was world renown and a legend in folk music. He was also nominated for a Grammy. He was? Yes he was.

He was not only the nice old man that played the banjo in Beacon and whom we saw going to the hardware store every now and then and at all of the fairs and parades in town. He was much more than that.



RIP Pete!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujzKk_4WBsE