My Christmas Wishlist

This year I decided that I am only buying Christmas gifts from small businesses. Along with that I thought it would be good for me to put together a list of items I want for Christmas from small businesses as well. Below is the wishlist of things I want from shops on Etsy. I have picked shops whose owners are in one of the Etsy Teams I'm in.

The Pope and the Rabbi

I received this joke in an email, and it really is just too amusing to not share...

Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all the Jews had to convert or leave Italy. There was a huge outcry from the Jewish community, so the Pope offered a deal. He would have a religious debate

Where is your purple gonna be?

I usually dye my hair purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) which is October, and I choose purple because that is the awareness color of Domestic Violence (DV).  People always stop me in public and ask me why my hair is purple; cause I do NOT look the type you’d think would normally have purple hair.  When they ask, I get the chance to tell them!!  Others aren’t so pushy with it and just hang purple lights around their house or purple ribbons on their cars.

Each year around this time I try to write up something about DVAM being just around the corner.  I like to make people aware of this month to encourage them to get involved in activities in their local areas.  Now is the time to start looking into what activities the DV agencies are hosting during the month of October, so that you can plan and won’t miss the event you want to attend or help with.

I feel that as a society we should be ‘aware’ of domestic violence year round.  However, I also realize that by setting aside a certain month to view a certain issue gives us time to focus on and process the information we receive during that specific month.  I encourage everyone to become involved in community programs through out the year, which are focused on preventing DV.

If you are not already involved in your local community or surrounding area with helping in the areas of DV Awareness and/or prevention, or helping the victims of DV then the following may be some ways in which you can get involved.  This is a general list to give you ideas.  If you would like more specific options on how you can help, please contact your local DV Shelter or State Domestic Violence Coalition.

Here is the post that I posted the lst two years and I feel it still works, so I’m giving it to ya again!

So... I get asked: "Great, you tell me to help DV victims during awareness month, but how am I supposed to do that when I have never even met a DV victim?"

There are many people that would be more than willing to do something during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, however they just aren't sure what to do, or where or when or how...

This list is copied from this ARTICLE.  

In your place of worship
1. Encourage information about domestic abuse in the congregation's programs, youth groups, marriage preparation, study groups, etc.
2. Establish a committee to promote awareness of the problem and how the congregation can help.
3. Organize a drive to collect food, toiletries, household goods and other needed items for a local domestic violence service.

In your workplace
4. Display posters or brochures (in break rooms, restrooms, or meeting rooms) to promote awareness of domestic abuse and how to get help.
5. Organize a Brown Bag lunch or other event for co-workers and invite a speaker to talk about solutions to the problem.
6. Ask what policies your employer has developed to keep employees safe from a domestic abuser who threatens the workplace.

In schools and daycare
7. Encourage the editor of the school newspaper to have a special issue about teen dating violence and partner abuse.
8. Write a paper about domestic violence to share with students.
9. Educate teachers and other staff about the connection between child abuse and partner abuse.

In civic organizations, clubs or neighborhoods
10. Invite a speaker to educate organization members about domestic violence.
11. Organize a fundraising event or food/toiletries drive to benefit a domestic violence service agency.
12. Publish information about domestic violence and available resources in the newsletter.
13. "Adopt" a family seeking independence from an abuser, to assist with practical needs.

As a Citizen
14. Ask your local library to stock books on domestic violence and to set up displays to educate the public about the issue.
15. Speak out against domestic abuse: Expressing your view that domestic violence is unacceptable has a powerful effect on changing the norms that support abuse.
16. Write letters to newspaper editors or send commentaries to TV and radio to help raise awareness about domestic violence.
17. Vote for public leaders who take a strong stand against domestic abuse.
18. Call 911 if you see or hear a crime of domestic abuse in progress. Write down license plate numbers, locations, and any other information that may be helpful to law enforcement.
19. Volunteer with a domestic violence service. Organizations need help with office activities, fund raising events, technical and professional services and assistance to clients.
20. Donate used clothing and household goods to a program that gives these vital items to families seeking independence from an abuser.
21. Participate in neighborhood crime watch programs.

Hang information flyers and/or awareness flyers in public restrooms, or anywhere else you think would they would be noticed. Now keep in mind that you don't have to stop doing some of this stuff after October!  By all means...continue your efforts throughout the year.

The more the merrier!

So in stating this, I implore all of you out there to stand up and do something for domestic violence victims not only in October, but throughout the year. Turn these victims into proud SURVIVORS!!! Give them some hope and some help. To borrow a phrase used quite often, give them a hand-up not a hand-out.

All of these are really general and will take some research, time and effort on your part.  But, the way I look at it is this...the time I take to do even one of these activities just may save someone's life.....so are a few minutes of your life worth the life of another?

Halloween is Right Around the Corner! BOO!

As some of you know I’ve started a shop on Etsy.com to sell my handmade items.  One of the teams I’ve joined on Etsy has started a blog and I’m an author on there (well and the blog admin for now too )  But anyway, I wanted to share the below blog post that I posted on the team blog today.  Enjoy!  If you would like to follow the team blog to see what we are doing the link is:  http://etsiansinneed.blogspot.com/

Since all the stores have started pulling out the Halloween costumes and decorations I thought it about time for us to do the same.  We have a TEAM TREASURY going right now with nothing but Halloween items from out shops.  Come take a look around, click on your favorite items, purchase them today or mark them as a favorite to come back to later!  If you like the whole collection, please let us know by favorite-ing it.

Want a sneak peak??

Lets start out getting into the mood with some decorations, shall we....

       

Now how bout we get ready to take the kids out to get their candy....

   

Now let’s get ourselves ready for the party....

       

The night is over and we are back home... top it all off with a nice relaxing bubble bath to soothe away the aches and pains from all that walking, standing or dancing we have done!!

Interested in buying now?  Go to the TREASURY and click on your items, that will take you straight to a page where you can buy directly from the person who made the item. 

TRICK or TREAT TREASURY COLLECTION

Checking In... and Update of sorts...

 

I have been super busy over the last couple months!  Haven't had it in me to do much blogging... had to take a break from it all I think.  I have re-focused my attentions AGAIN, and hoping this keeps me from the burnout that I have every couple months.  I finally updated my Hootsuite account to a pro account so that EVERYTHING is all in one place and re-tweeting and facebooking things is much much easier now... this should help me to stay focused and more organized without all the time spent dredging through things.  I have brought the DenomShi Twitter account back to life for tweeting advocacy stuff.. the hardcore in your face things.  I ran into an issue with my main twitter account... apparently now they allow you to follow up to 2000 people, after that there is a ratio that you must adhere to of followers to following... and of course that ratio isn't posted anywhere LOL... soooo I reached my 'allowed' to follow limit on cancermoonwolf and had to make a separate account for my craft shop and bring DenomShi back.  So I have spent this morning re-doing all of my auto feeds and RSS/ATOM feeds.  My twitter accounts are as follows, so that you can follow/re-tweet accordingly:
http://twitter.com/cancermoonwolf  Personal, random, everything and anything I feel like tweeting... will include crafts, DV, NCM, SA and CA advocacy and other stuff as well
http://twitter.com/denomshi  All advocacy all the time
http://twitter.com/tlcoaching  All healing and empowerment all the time
http://twitter.com/guruoriginals  All crafts all the time

I've separated facebook as well and links are as follows:

Profile:  https://www.facebook.com/maryrmorgan  Randomness just like cancermoonwolf twitter account (This is my public facebook account profile, not the private one that only allow people I know in person to have access to... I will not post the link to the private one, if you need/want it, send me a message and if I know you in real life then I may send you a friend request)

TLC Coaching Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/TailoredLifeCoaching  All healing, encouragement, empowerment all the time

LeChrysalis Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Chrysalis/195308940514173 DV aftercare, support, encouragement, and empowerment (I help with this one, don't own it)

GuRu Originals Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/GuRuOriginalsFanPage  Craft stuff and items I sell, craft discussions and tips for various crafts

I have a group on facebook as well that is a private group for those that want to try to make money online through crafting or hobbies/arts and stuff along those lines.... if anyone is interested in an invite to that group please send me the link to which profile you want to have the invite sent to on facebook.  It is basically an empowerment group for NCM's and DV survivors that want to start a small business or make a little extra income, which is why it is private and by invite only... topics may come up that are sensitive and do not need to be read all over facebook.

Please share these twitter and facebook links out and follow them as appropriate, thanks!!!

Blogs:
Personal:  http://marysworldblog.blogspot.com/  Randomness
Coaching:  http://tailoredlifecoaching.blogspot.com/  Healing and Empowerment
Advocacy:  http://denomshischaostheory.blogspot.com/  Same as it has always been

I still have Miss Sacagawea but moved to blogspot because wordsupress locked my account due to something on the MISS blog that someone else owned and had put up.  http://misssacagawea.blogspot.com/  So if any of you have stuff to put on there let me know, I'm slowly moving posts from wordpress over as well

I no longer have Anonymiss... not sure if I will start that back up or not.  Many people have said that it was a good resource but I just couldn't keep up with it.  In the mean time you can direct people to:  http://lechrysalis.blogspot.com/  which I help with and post to as I have time.... same content as Anonymiss had.  I decided to stop paying for Anonymiss and if I do start it back up will more than likely be on blogspot and free!  LOL

I've completely lost track of who is doing what and where online... if I'm not following your twitter or facebook pages please respond to this with your links... or friend me on facebook and I will find your stuff.  I 'm still doing advocacy and awareness stuff and will share out all that you send my way!!  My main focus, however, for now is still helping the women (and now adult children) that are survivors of abuse in all it's different forms... as well as running my craft business, which comes first but ties into it all. 

My coaching stuff remains free of charge to all, I am just not taking on clients at this time... I blog the stuff and post it, I will communicate with individuals that need to do so, but I no longer have client sessions... I've had to change this simply because too many have wanted those sessions and then just turned into emotional vampires that really don't want to do anything for themselves... I can't handle that.  Know thy limitations, I say LOL 

The way my craft business ties into all this is this:  It shows others that it CAN be done, I also help others get going, and the money I make can be used to help me with the coaching and advocacy things I do as well as buying supplies for various shelters that I help out when I can.  (Not all the money I make will be used for this, some/most will be used for personal stuff.... )  With the group on facebook I can even teach women to make things that they never would have thought they could... and then they can turn around and sell those things... after having free lessons in learning a new craft or hobby.
Once I get moved and we are settled in (probably in March or April of next year) I will be getting back out into the community more like I use to do... helping women face to face and putting up flyers, etc etc etc

You can check out my Etsy Shop here:  http://www.etsy.com/GuRuOriginals

You can find the daily papers I do here:

Domestic Violence Daily:  http://paper.li/cancermoonwolf/dv-sa-ca

Go Empower Yourself Daily:  http://paper.li/TLCoaching/empowerment

Crocheting with Hemp

Anyone that crochet’s or knows a person who crochet’s knows that crocheters will attempt to crochet with any material that will bend ... so it’s not that surprising that I decided to try crocheting with hemp.  I make jewelry using hemp rope so thought I should trying crocheting with it.  I thought hemp would make a good material for pot scrubbies because of its semi-roughness and flexibility.   I’m sure, however, that I am not the first person to ever think of this... I just didn’t bother to look it up and see.
I made a simple little scubbie which didn’t take much of the rope at all.  The first thing that I noticed was that when hemp is bent and pulled several times it starts to stink...lol  I was trying to decide on a design so I would crochet a little then rip it out, which is how I discovered this.  I just hope that once wet it doesn’t smell horrible!
I also decided that even if this little thing works well, I probably will not be making very many of them... crocheting with hemp is a little rough on the fingers.  It didn’t actually take more than 10 minutes to make though, so maybe I will make more, just not today...lol

     This is the little scrubbie that I made.  I’m not good at writing patterns, but have attempted to write below the pattern for this.



Using a G hook and #48 Hemp ch 13
Row 1: In 4th ch from hook dc, dc in each ch to end (11dc)  ch 3, turn
Row 2:  *sc in next dc, dc in next sc; repeat from * to end (11 stitches) ch 1, turn
Row 3:  *dc in next sc, sc in next dc; repeat from * to end (11 stitches) ch 3, turn
Row 4-7:  Repeat rows 2 and 3 twice more
Row 8:  Repeat row 2 with the exception of ch 3 then turn
Row 9:  dc across, finish off
Weave in beginning and ending tail

To Delete or Not to Delete: My Ponderance of Blogging

While going through my Google Reader, which was LONG overdue, I actually took the time to read some posts on blogs that I follow... but don’t really keep up with the way I want to.  The one that prompted this blog post is on Angela Shelton’s Blog, To Blog or Not to Blog.  I’ve been thinking for the past couple of days that I should be blogging more, both here and on Tailored Life Coaching (TLC).  Really, what’s the point in having these blogs if I’m not going to use them. 

I have a few other blogs that are not under my real name... those I tend to keep up with a little better.  I think it is because they are just informative blogs, copy paste type blogs where I actually have to say very little.  Whereas my two main blogs should have some thought behind the posts.  Reading Angela’s post today really made sense to me though, in light of my recent pondering of my own blogs. 

When I first started this blog it was with the intention to allow only my close friends and family access to it... it was an effort to save time by posting things here that I would usually email to individuals or call people about.  I guess it, at times, has also taken on the role of being a sort of online journal for me rant, vent, or whatever.  This blog has always been for me (rather than me writing for others benefit) and about various things... thus the randomness of the posts.

I go through cycles of wanting to delete it, then I remember an email or message I’ve gotten from someone way back whenever, saying something positive about my post(s) here.  So, after much thought today I am going to forego the hitting of that ‘delete blog’ button that rears its ugly head at me from time to time, and start making time to blog about the things in life that actually matter to me.

One of those things is Domestic Violence (DV) and all that it entails.  Actually, my DV advocacy is what prompted the TLC Blog in the first place.  There was a two-fold purpose in that... first was because I wanted a place to help DV (and sexual assault (SA) and child abuse(CA)) victims and survivors with their healing and going on with their lives.  My second reason was that all my friends and family do not need to or want to read/see all the posts related to healing from the trauma of DV/SA/CA. 

Other blogs that I have are about DV Advocacy from the view point of making others aware of what goes on behind closed doors... so many people have no clue about DV until they find themselves or a friend going through it.  In my opinion awareness and healing information types need to be separate... but have I now spread myself so thin that just the thought of blogging anything anywhere is daunting?  I think I may have.

So it’s back to basics

Do I need all these different blogs?  Yeah, I think I do... for several reasons.  DV isn’t the only thing I have an interest in and is not the one and only thing that defines me as a person... thus the need for this blog.  I want to share what I’m doing in life that is positive without all the focus on a negative past... which also leads to the TLC Blog and it’s purpose, so that blog will stay as well... I can leave it there for those that need that type of thing.

So without further ado... expect to see more blogging going on here about crocheting, books I’m reading, classes I’m taking, random things that cross my mind ... but mostly just about ME living my life.

Half Full or Half Empty

Taken from:  http://9gag.com/gag/95707/

How I Feel More Often Than Not