Knitting Dragonflies

April’s Etsy Blogger is Linda B’s Jewelry Mauve Pearl Wire Wrap Necklace $22.60 From her bio: Hi, my name is Linda and I'm passionate about using bright colors and gemstone characteristics in my unique beaded jewelry designs. Most of my items are one-of-a-kind. My Judaica line of jewelry and accessories is very popular and I enjoy coming up with new designs for it. I've been beading for about 6 years now. I work full-time and find beading to be relaxing and fun. Visit my shop at lindab142.etsy.com I love color and what the gemstones and colors symbolize and create one-of-a-kind, unusual designs of handbeaded gemstone and glass pendants, bracelets, earrings, beaded bookmarks, rings, beaded keychains and car mirror jewelry. Also, I enjoy working with clients on more conventional custom orders... I love to buy jewelry, so had trouble picking out some of my favorites from her shop: Amethyst Healing Silver Wire Wrapped Pendant $24.30 Blue Glass Beaded Bracelet $22.32 I

For the 19th consecutive year, April 2011 has been designated StressAwareness Month. During this thirty day period, health care professionals and health promotion experts across the country will join forces to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic. Sponsored by The Health Resource Network (HRN), a non-profit health education organization, Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society. Some signs of stress: Loss of hair, forgetful, teeth grinding, irritability, skin conditions, unable to sleep, sleeping too much, etc..I’m sure we all have one or more of these signs!  In this busy world, it is all too easy to keep going and not take enough time to stop for a few seconds. How to relieve stress: Knitting (of course), painting, breathing, meditation, muscle relaxation, music

I was so surprised when I woke up one morning and found my cactus blooming in my kitchen window! Years of ignoring it and occasionally watering resulted in growth but nothing exciting. Last year I must have over watered it, and the bottom started to rot. It got so bad I almost threw it out, but I couldn’t bring myself to. I hacked off the bottom and stuck the top part of the remaining plant in dirt. And then pretty much ignored it. Ha.. If you want some real info on cactus and how to make them bloom I found the cactus expert! I have had tremendous luck with Christmas cactus! Easy to grow and a delight to see the blooms every year (although not near the holidays for me, it flowers when it wants to). I found info on my brown thumb if you need help getting your Christmas cactus to flower . I showed my husband the Lucet video from Strings n Things , (he is a carpenter) and he came home with this for me! You can make some great looking friendship bracelets, shoe strings, and those mis