January | 2015 | Uniquely Yours Craft Journal

Learning is like a water jar

30 Jan 2015 Comments Off on Learning is like a water jar

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Seeds of thought Tags: Ghandi, learning

Learning is like a water jar. If you start at birth and put 1 thing in it every day until the day you die, your jar will still appear empty—because the jar (learning) is bottomless, and the water (knowledge) is limitless.

Mahatma Gandhi

The Agony or the Ecstasy??

28 Jan 2015 Comments Off on The Agony or the Ecstasy??

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Perspectives Tags: cards for vets, Valentine Day

Dear Fellow Journalers,

A provoking piece from Marybeth. Enjoy!

~Sallie

The weather in our neck of the woods is rather bleak and dark around this time of the year. Everybody starts digging in for what promises to be a long, cold winter.

My husband and I are always searching for a fun activity to keep our youngsters entertained without resorting to endless cartoons or video games. At our wits end one year, I asked one of the teachers at the grade school what they planned for Valentines Day – which was right around the corner. “Valentine’s Day?” “Oh, you mean the day of the Agony or the Ecstasy?” “Excuse me,” I asked. She laughed and said, “that’s the day we teachers call it. The children exchange cards and some get more than others.” My mind traveled back to the days when I came home with more than enough cards for the entire neighborhood and the awful day when I came home with only one!

“How do you handle it?” She thought a moment and replied, “one year the class made cards for only their parents. Mrs. Stevens, next door to me, had her students make cards for the children at ST Bridget’s (the Children’s Hospital in town) and Mr. Cassidy had them create cards for the VA patients.”

My husband and I came up with a plan later that week and presented it to our children. The Maroney plan was to make 2 cards a piece. One was for a service member and the other was one for him/her to send to his/her loved one. There were several men and women who were stationed overseas at the time, so getting the addresses wasn’t that difficult.

As usual, the kids were enthusiastic about the project and soon the play room table was covered with construction paper and stickers. Two weeks later we mailed a large box filled with Valentine Wishes. The grateful responses later were overwhelming.

The next year, our children put a box in one of the local grocery stores asking for card donations for Vets. That simple idea grew to include the schools and today we still send cards to soldiers for their family’s year round.

Please check out the following web sites if the idea appeals to you:

http://www.ehow.com/how6766666_donate_handmade_greeting-cards.html

http://www.cards4heroes.com

or browse: donate greeting cards for military.

Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

MaryBeth

Bright Future- anyone need sunglasses?

23 Jan 2015 Comments Off on Bright Future- anyone need sunglasses?

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Seeds of thought Tags: future, sun glasses

Dear Fellow Journalers,

Today’s Random Thought comes from “G”. Enjoy!

~Sallie

I casually asked a salesman ‘How are you?” His answer knocked my socks off! He said his future was soooooo bright he needed sunglasses to keep from going blind!

I like buying from optimistic salespeople. Can’t stand buying from ho-hum ones. Optimistic people brighten my life.

When our business was complete, I asked Mr. Optimistic why he was so “up.” It’s simple he said. He figured that he sold about half the people he talked to. The person before me he talked to didn’t buy. When he saw me, he figured it was his turn! That’s why his future was so bright, he needed sunglasses!

Wouldn’t it be great if we all had Mr. Optimistic’s attitude!? Think about it! Even if our average isn’t has good as his, surely we all can average 3 out of ten!? So that should give us something to look forward to even if we get seven straight “no sales.

Until the next time, get out there and keep asking for the “sale.” Sooner or later, someone will say yes!

Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given

To Sallie and uniquelyyourscraftjournal with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

You may reach Sallie at uniquelyyourscraftjournal@outlook.com

“G’s addiction

21 Jan 2015 Comments Off on “G’s addiction

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Perspectives Tags: addiction, Dollar Stores

Dear Fellow Journalers,

My friend “G” is at it again. Here is a great post about his favorite addiction.

Enjoy!

~Sallie

OK, I admit it– I have an addiction– Dollar stores. You know– those stores you go into and nothing is over a buck. They sell shit– that I apparently can’t live without!

It’s amazing what they have in these places. Somethings are handy, some are whimsical, some are just junk. BUT– the visit and the search are ALWAYS fun and exciting. I get an adrenaline rush when I enter!

I can also tell you where the best ones are within the areas where I live and work. I embarrassingly tell you that my wife and I once spent $83 in one, and never bought two of the same item!

I usually go twice a week. On Tues I go to the two stores near where I work. Tues is buy 8, get 2 free. I LOVE that! Then over the weekend, we usually get to the two near where we live. No specials there, but that’s OK because the junk there is better than at the other two.

The problem is that during our recent “clean out, clean up” before renovations, we discovered that we had boxes full of Dollar store shit. Some we even forgot we bought. Others we forgot why we bought! Sounds like tag sale time. Everything a Dollar!

So my friends– A WARNING– STAY OUT OF DOLLAR STORES! THEY’RE MORE ADDICTIVE THAN DRUGS!

Stay away! They are the downfall of more than one Mother’s child. They sneak up. They say “Just buy this one thing– ONLY a buck!” Next thing you know you’ve spent your entire paycheck! You’re blowing the rent money! You’re taking food from your table! You’ll even spend your BEER money! You’ve just got to have more of this seemingly useful shit! Then you find you can’t walk by one. You’re always on the lookout for new opening ones. You’re trapped in the clutches of this hellish disease!

Anybody spare a buck?

P.S. As a corollary and further proof to heed my words: since I wrote this piece, I tried to open a dollar store salt shaker. It broke apart, and the jagged edges put a gash in my finger as big as the grand canyon! I bleed profusely! BEWARE MY WORDS!

Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given

To Sallie and uniquelyyourscraftjournal with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

You may reach Sallie at uniquelyyourscraftjournal@outlook.com