So...I made a life list

Life List

1. Stay in a house on the beach by myself for a week
2. Create my own Tarot deck
3. Ride in a 1958 Edsel
4. Make love in a graveyard (without getting arrested)
5. Learn to play the drums
6. Ride in a boat on the ocean (done)
7. Ride in a helicopter (done)
8. Adopt three dogs
9. Build and live in my dream house
10. Meet Keanu Reeves
11. Take a motorcycle riding class
12. Go to a shooting range
13. Finally watch Jason’s Bad Religion DVD (done)
14. Write my autobiography
15. Get more tattoos
a. Fall Child
b. Bast(done)
c. Scarab
16. See a wolf in the wild
17. Kick fibromyalgia’s ass
18. Meet Angelina Jolie
19. Work full time for Not Without My Pet (at a higher level of prosperity than ever before)
20. Get my nose pierced (done)
21. Donate books to the library
22. Quit smoking
23. Take a train all the way from one coast to the other in the U.S.
24. Finish Certified Humane Education Specialist program
25. Finish curriculum for Hecate’s Torch
26. Take an acting class or otherwise find out if I can act
27. Learn to sing
28. Read The Inferno
29. Read Nicholas Nickleby
30. Read The Waste Land
31. Read Moby Dick
32. Read Turn of the Screw
33. Read The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
34. Read As I Lay Dying
35. Read Mrs. Dalloway
36. Read Candide
37. Read Gulliver’s Travels
38. Read Ethan Frome
39. Read House of Spirits
40. Read Jude the Obscure
41. Read Lolita
42. Re-read Lord of the Flies
43. Re-read To Kill a Mockingbird
44. Read The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
45. Read Madame Bovary
46. See Bad Religion live
47. See Green Day live
48. Win $10 million in the lottery, or some other contest thingie
49. Ride a horse bareback on the beach
50. Tour New Orleans – French Quarter tour, Garden District Tour, Graveyard Tour, Ghost Tour.
51. Visit the Louvre, Notre Dame and Pere-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris
52. Visit the Pantheon and the Colosseum in Rome
53. Visit Tara and Newgrange in Ireland
54. See the architecture of Antoní Gaudi in Barcelona, the Alhambra in Granada and the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain
55. Stay here for a week: http://www.mayatulum.com/ (Mexico)
56. Go on a polar bear watching tour and see the Northern Lights in Manitoba, Canada
57. See the Sydney Opera House, explore ancient rock art and cave paintings at Kimberly, Australia
58. Visit the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley of Kings in Egypt
59. Visit the Acropolis, Delphi, the Dionysos Theatre and Eleusis, Greece
60. Visit Butterfly Creek, Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World, Howick Historical Village, the Whitford Bird Garden and Rotorua's arts centre in New Zealand
61. Visit Glastonbury Tor, Stonehenge, Lincoln Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, Wells Cathedral, York Minster, Westminster Abbey, Durham Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Warwick Castle and The Globe Theatre, England
62. Visit Chartres Cathedral and the Palace of Versailles, France
63. Visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and butterfly garden and ride the Rain Forest Aerial Tram in Costa Rica
64. Visit all 50 states
a. Alabama
b. Alaska
c. Arizona (done)
d. Arkansas
e. California (done)
f. Colorado (done)
g. Connecticut (done)
h. Delaware
i. Florida
j. Georgia
k. Hawaii (done)
l. Idaho
m. Illinois
n. Indiana
o. Iowa
p. Kansas
q. Kentucky
r. Louisiana (done)
s. Maine
t. Maryland
u. Massachusetts (done)
v. Michigan
w. Minnesota
x. Mississippi
y. Missouri
z. Montana
aa. Nebraska
bb. Nevada (done)
cc. New Hampshire
dd. New Jersey
ee. New Mexico
ff. New York (done)
gg. North Carolina
hh. North Dakota
ii. Ohio
jj. Oklahoma
kk. Oregon (done)
ll. Pennsylvania
mm. Rhode Island (done)
nn. South Carolina
oo. South Dakota
pp. Tennessee
qq. Texas
rr. Utah
ss. Vermont
tt. Virginia
uu. Washington (done)
vv. West Virginia
ww. Wisconsin
xx. Wyoming
65. Take horseback riding lessons to become a better rider
66. See dolphins in the wild (done)
67. Volunteer at Best Friends for a few days, while staying on site
68. Be on Oprah to promote Not Without My Pet
69. Develop a nation wide network of foster caregivers for domestic violence pets
70. Get paid for public speaking
71. Help build 50 on-site pet facilities at domestic violence shelters
72. Pay off credit cards and my school loans
73. Stay in a 5 star hotel
74. Get my Italian poster for The Crow framed
75. Scan my old photos

Good news/not so good news

Well, I have an explanation now for why I'm so exhausted and in pain all the time. Which, in turn, explains why I've been MIA from groups and teams I belong to.

The not so good news: I've been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Many people are familiar with this as a chronic pain illness, from the television commercials. It is that, for sure, but it's more than that. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but there are a wide variety of (mostly experimental) treatment options available. For now, my doctor is starting me out with a medium dosage of an anti-depressant which is different from the anti-depressant I already take and does not conflict with that or my migraine medication. I'm going for blood tests as well, to help him
understand what treatment(s) may work best for me.

The good news: Fibromyalgia is not progressive, so it won't eventually cripple me or kill me or anything. Certain conditions and behaviors will make the symptoms better or worse, but the illness itself won't get worse, if that makes sense.

For me, the good news is that all the things I've been beating myself up for are actually not my fault! That alone makes me feel better. It also explains several things I'd previously thought were individual physical issues. It turns out they're all part of the same thing!

This diagnosis explains why I'm exhausted all the time and why I'm in pain all the time. It explains why, when I get home from work, all I can do is sit on the couch for an hour or two and then go to bed. It explains why my weekends usually consist of alternately sitting on the couch and sleeping. It also explains why I get sick all the time, catching any little bug that comes along. It explains my sensitivity to scents, sounds and light. It explains my memory loss issues and it explains why I can't think of the word I want in conversation. (Yeah, I know everybody does that from time to time, but it's a matter of degree – how much and how often.) It may also explain why I get migraines in the first place. It explains a few other things that are too icky to share.

Right now, we're at the point of seeing what the new medication does and waiting for lab results. What I need from my friends and family is understanding. Please understand that when I say I'm tired, I don't mean the kind of tired that many adults in the modern world experience, which sucks enough as it is. I mean I'm exhausted. I mean I'm too tired to answer the freaking phone, if you can believe that.

If I don't accept invitations to do things and I don't come visit, it's not at all that I don't want to see you or that I don't care or whatever. It means that just driving for an hour wipes me out for a couple of days afterward. It means that I've been instructed by my doctor to lie down several times during the day. It means that it takes me so long to recover from any activity that just thinking of going to do something makes me want to climb in bed, pull the covers over my head and cry.

It's been like this for a while now, but now that I have a diagnosis I feel like I can tell people how I've been feeling without worrying that anyone will think I'm making excuses or exaggerating. It really is this bad.

But…I am hopeful now! What's wrong with me is not my fault and there are real treatment options! I'm looking forward to feeling better and getting my life back. I'm also happy to have finally found a doctor who has given me a correct diagnosis and who can help me. Maybe now I can jettison some of these other doctors and stop supporting the entire AMA. Ha!

I hope that everyone will all bear with me as I try out treatments to see what works. Thanks for reading my loooong post.

What the Military does with Animals Rescued by Soldiers

This is so horrible I can't even bring myself to tell you about it. Please sign this petition.

Petition to Change Military Policy About Animals Rescued by Soldiers

I don't usually post things like this, but this time I'm bugging everyone I know, everywhere I can, in every way I can.

Join Us on Facebook and MySpace

Not Without My Pet is now on Facebook and MySpace!

Add us as a friend on MySpace: Not Without My Pet

Join the Not Without My Pet cause on Facebook.

We Did It!

Not Without My Pet's first fundraiser was a success! We exceeded our goal by almost $200. After a long, hard day of hawking donated items to shoppers, we packed up what remained and donated it to Goodwill, who was kind enough to come and pick it all up.

NWOMP wishes to express it's gratitude and appreciation to all those who made our event possible. Linda of Linda's Claws and Paws allowed us to use her parking lot for the sale. Thanks, Linda! The bar next door, The Benchwarmer, allowed us to use their, um, facilities. Thanks, Benchwarmer! Heather, an Arbonne representative, brought her wonderful skin care items and held a raffle. Thanks, Heather!

The delightful ladies of the Blue Thong Sisters helped in so many ways. They donated items, they helped us set up, they stayed for the sale and provided assistance, companionship and occasional comic relief. Thanks so much, BTS!!


Here we are in front of Linda's Claws and Paws. Look at all that stuff!



Heather with her products and her charming family.


The Blue Thong Sisters!!! Gail Cullins, Deane Reed, Sharon Reed, Nina Rubin, Marlayne Bellenson and Shari Markwith. Additional help from, (not pictured), Rosemary Wilde, Sue Crespo, Dusty Miller, Gaby Flores, and Denise Viau


Sue Crespo flagging down passersby, with the Benchwarmer in the background.



Are we having fun, or what?


Marlayne considers leather; Shari apparently disagrees. hehehe


Shari, Deanne and Sharon...shopping?

Etsy for Animals Birthday Bash!

The EFA Artists Helping Animals Team has been working hard pulling together our first year anniversary Birthday Bash Extravaganza, a celebration where buyers and sellers all WIN!
We are so excited about this party!



Make a note of the dates : September 15th to September 30th In honour of the Birthday Bash, during this period, I will be accepting the 20% off Coupon in my shop. My code is LUMIN. Just put that code in the 'Notes to Seller' box on your order and DO NOT pay for the item. I will send you a revised invoice! You can visit my shopLuminositiesto receive your discount on all of my items!
PLUS! there are over 170 shops that are currently signed up to accept the 20% off coupon here at Etsy including the EFA TEAM STORE.For a complete list of those shops stay tuned at the EFA website. You can use my code LUMIN in any of those participating shops.

It's time to start thinking of early Christmas presents so check out the Birthday Bash.

Not Without My Pet Weekend Update

I just created an event on MySpace and invited 40 of my "friends" to next Sunday's fundraiser, including the following famous people:

Don-Henrie (the vampire)
Social Distortion
Exene Cervenka
Caitlin Kiernan (author)
Christopher Penczak (author)
Adeline Records (Billie Joe and Adrienne Armstrong’s label)
Aaron Leitch (author)
Ellen Dugan (author)
Konstantinos (author)
Panpipes (store in HW)
Green Day

Wouldn't it be a hoot if some of them came?? hehe

My fabulous chiropractor, Dr. John Craviotto donated $100 to our cause on Friday!

This weekend, I put up flyers advertising our fundraiser around town, including in all the major grocery stores. Everyone goes to the grocery store, right? I spoke to random strangers about our event and gave them flyers (who am I and what have I done with the real Nicole?)

I took a load of stuff for the sale over to Linda’s and put it in her storage space. There’s plenty of room in there!

Raquel got a canopy and a cash box for us. She is also working on NWOMP thank you cards we can send to donors! Raquel has a list of facts she’s used to create a handout for our event, too.

Debra is working on putting up a simple splash page for us at our domain, nwomp.org. Just something to have up there now so people can see we’re legit. When she’s finished, the page will be more comprehensive, but we needed something up there in the meantime.

Raegan is working on getting us a bank account. I dropped off a letter for the bank and a check last Friday, so we’re making progress!

Tina has agreed to hand out flyers to the other water polo moms and whoever else she comes across in her travels. She already has one on her office door at work.

Julie has a flyer on her office door too. She’s also invited me to speak to her marketing classes this week, so I’ll be giving out flyers to them as well. I’ve already spoken to my Psych class about us and our instructor is allowing me to give out flyers to that class, too.

I learned something important this weekend. Kinko’s may not be the best place to make copies on a budget! They came out really nice, but they were pricey.

Speaking of pricey, ads for our event have been put on craigslist, in the PennySaver, Ojai Valley News and the Ventura Star. (the SB Independent won’t do it because we are not in SB.)

Next Sunday is the big day!

Fundraiser for Not Without My Pet

Our very first official fundraiser!! Come visit us and shop great deals!

If you are interested in donating items or volunteering to work the sale, e-mail me at ngilbert@nwomp.org

Not Without My Pet has a Logo!

Our Director of Development, Raquel Griffiths, has designed a logo for Not Without My Pet! It's lovely! Thanks and kudos to Raquel!

Big Doings at Not Without My Pet!

Last week, I met with the members of the local chapter of the Blue Thong Society, who have adopted Not Without My Pet as their charity. What a fun evening that was! We met at Black Angus here in town. Over dinner, drinks and appetizers, we discussed what they'd like to do to help NWOMP.

The first event we are doing together is a tag (rummage) sale in the parking lot of Linda's Claws and Paws. Linda's Claws and Paws has been voted Best Pet Store in the local area 4 Years Running! Linda has generously offered her parking lot as a place to hold our sale. We are in the process of raising the $500 we need to file for tax exemption.

In the course of my evening with the women of the BTS, they had a thing they call "Lucky Buck." This involves everyone pitching in a buck or two and a drawing to see who wins the pot. The winner then splits the pot with the charity. I drew the winning name and the winner, Sharon Reed, co-director of the local chapter, gave her half to us as well! Lucky buck, indeed! And there's more...they had some other sort of challenge while I was away from the table and presented me with even more money when I returned!! All in all, they donated $65 to NWOMP! Yay, BTS!!

Added to the $100 Raquel Griffiths, NWOMP's Director of Development, has raised, we are now on our way to being able to file!

Yesterday, the board of directors met at my house. The board is comprised of me, Nicole Gilbert, President; Raquel Griffiths, Director of Development; Julie Brown, Secretary; Tina Kistler, Treasurer and Debra Fondren, board member, grant writer and webmistress! Tina couldn't be present physically, but she called in and joined our meeting via speaker phone.

At the meeting, we ratified our bylaws, confirmed our officers, chose our logo and picked a date for our tag sale.

All that discussion was hungry business, so after the meeting was adjourned, we feasted!


Debra, Julie and Raquel.


Debra and Julie.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Last Thursday was my birthday and I milked it for all it was worth! For the past several days I've been doing things I rarely do, as birthday treats.

I went to Lu Ross Academy and had a mani, pedi and facial. Not only was it all luxurious and pamper-y, but I met some interesting people and had some fun conversations. Laura, who did my facial, is a professional makeup artist. She recommended I use Prescriptives foundation, so I vowed to check that out later.

After my Lu Ross adventure, I went to The Massage Place to get a massage. I met a woman named Geneva who makes pasties for Pastease. They have skull and crossbone pasties! Ha!

Later that night, my friend Erika took me out to dinner at Kyoto Sushi. It's a little hole in the wall place in a strip mall. It doesn't look like much, but, man, it was excellent! We've both decided it's our new favorite sushi place. It was recommended by my hair stylist, Maureen. Thanks, Maureen!

Friday, I made a beeline for Macy's to check out Prescriptives. A totally cool guy named Saul did my makeup using their products. Like me, he used to live in Hollywood, so we ended up talking about our old neighborhoods and comparing tattoos. I loved the makeup, so I bought it. I've been through this before and ended up not liking the makeup a few days later, but this time I still really like it.

After that, I went to my nemesis, Barnes and Noble. I can spend hours in there, browsing. This time, though, I found several things I wanted within the first few minutes. I bought ten books and two magazines!

My friend Erika wanted to see the new X-Files movie, I Want to Believe, so I went to rent the first movie. I had a helluva time finding it, but I finally did. But first, that night, I went to see The Dark Knight. Loved it! Heath Ledger's performance lives up to the hype. We saw I Want to Believe the next night, and I liked that, too. There are some sad dog things in that one, but I'd been warned by my friend Debra, so I knew when to look away.

On Sunday, I went to Riverside to visit my friend Jessica Black of Primalx. We had a truly fabulous lunch at Yard House. The food was really, really good and I had two pomegranate martinis! Jessica's husband, Larry had a Hpnotini and Jess had an Espresso martini. They let me have sips and theirs were just as good as mine.

Today I'm tired but happy. What a fabulous birthday I've had!

We're in the Local Newspaper!

Nina Rubin, of the local chapter of the Blue Thong Society, did a write up for the Ventura Star about her chapter. She mentioned Not Without My Pet as the charity they've adopted!

Check it out:

It's Official, We are Incoporated!!

I got the articles of incorporation for our nonprofit back from the Secretary of State! I used Attorneys Corporation Service to file. It cost me more, but their turn around time was only a few days, compared to two to four weeks or longer if I'd mailed it in myself. I used their FaxIt Corporation Filing Service. It's not that expensive and it's quick and easy.

And now, what you've all been waiting for...drum roll, please...the name of our nonprofit corporation is....Not Without My Pet.

We have a registered domain name, nwomp.org, but no actual website just yet. I do have a new e-mail address, though, for e-mail relating to Not Without My Pet - ngilbert@nwomp.org.

We Have a Winner!!

After consulting little kitty, together we have chosen a name for her from all the wonderful suggestions that were submitted.
Chris at IdeaSign was the first to submit "Poppy" and that is the winning name!!

So many wonderful names were suggested that I'd like to thank each and every person who participated! It was great fun.

I've decided to post a list of runner-up names and the Etsians who suggested them.

First runner-up was the name "Wednesday" after Wednesday Addams, submitted by Greenfingers

Other honorable mentions include, in no particular order:
lostinfaerieland - Jezebel
thelittlereddoor - Hepzibah
CoraMarieBoutique – Eclipse
DanishMade - Sarafina or Tilda
GirlyGirlBags - Matisse
JazziesJunque - Etsy (Jazzie was the first to suggest it, followed by designsbyvanessa)
KarmaRox - Karma
ArgentTadpole - Luz or Luzia which means light; or Aurelia.
artbarkers - Acacia
ravenwolfgallery – Pauper
daisytoad says: daughter says soot

Sugarberry suggested some cute names, too, but I love the name of her shop itself as a kitty name! So, Poppy did come close to being named Sugarberry!

I would encourage everyone to check out the shops of these wonderfully creative Etsians!

Thanks again to all who contributed to the Name the Kitty contest!

Name the Kitty to Win!!

I have this kitty I rescued and I'm having some trouble naming her, so I'm having a contest!

Whoever submits the name I choose, wins his/her choice of this lovely hand crafted copper, Swarovski crystal, aventurine, malachite and class necklace

OR

This wonderful healing magnet


You can see more pictures of the prizes in my shop, Luminosities

Here are some pictures of the little kitty. She's about a year old and still quite playful.







You can see more pictures of her here and here

Go HERE to submit names and may the best name win!!

Exciting nonprofit news!

Yesterday, I sent our articles of incorporation off to be filed with the Secretary of State! Again, I used Attorneys Corporation Service to file. It costs a little more, but their turn around time is way, way shorter than what you'd have if you sent it directly to the Secretary of State yourself.

That means, in just a few short days, I'll be announcing the official name of the brand new organization!!

I'm working on the bylaws now. That's pretty complicated, but I'll get it done. Off the top of my head, I think I have to send those with my tax exempt application to the IRS. I've also registered a domain name for a future website and created e-mail addresses for all my board members.

Stay tuned!

Little Kitty News

I've had that little kitty locked in my bathroom for two weeks. She's been sneezing and had a runny nose the whole time. She's been to the vet twice. They gave me antibiotics so it doesn't get worse and those little kitty nose drops.

Here's the thing...
No symptoms when I first grabbed her or for several hours afterwards.
No fever.
No loss of appetite.
The other cats didn't catch it (which the vet said they would have, despite the extraordinary measures I've been taking, and I do mean extraordinary)
It's hung on for two weeks and will not go away.

So we decided she was allergic to something in my bathroom and had never actually been sick at all. Linda, at the pet supply store, said it was probably the silica in the clumping cat litter I'm using, combined with kitty being shut up in such a small space. I google'd silica and kitty respiratory problems.

Turns out, the silica in clumping cat litter may have deleterious effects on both cats and people. It's a bit controversial. You can read about it here:
The Cat Site
Pet Care Tips

I don't know if that's what's causing the problem or not, but now I'm using a different kind of litter, Feline Pine. It's all natural, biodegradable, organic and chemical free. There's no odor, no tracking, no mess, no silica dust and you just scoop and flush solids. When it's time to change the box out completely, you can use what's left as mulch or compost. How cool is that? So far, I'm really liking it.

Since the kitty is allergic to something in the bathroom, it's clearly time to get her out of there. Cats aren't pack animals like dogs and they're territorial, so introducing a new kitty needs to happen gradually. She's been in there for two weeks, so both Ophelia and Grainne are aware of her, and she of them.

Ophelia:



Grainne:



Yesterday, I put Ophelia (aka "Fuzz Butt") and Grainne, (aka Binky) in the bedroom and closed the door. I let little kitty out to explore the rest of the place. She was out for several hours, long enough to investigate every nook and cranny and get comfortable enough to take a nap on the couch.

Then I put her back in the bathroom and let the other two out to sniff her scent all over the apartment. That went on for a couple of hours and once they settled down, I let little kitty out. Well, I opened the bathroom door, anyway.

There was a little hissing and growling, but no actual fighting. Little kitty decided she was safer in the bathroom, so she stayed in there, curled up on her towel. Not exactly what I had in mind.

I closed her up in there again last night when I went to bed. I didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night to a cat fight on my head!

This morning, I've opened the door again. There was some eyeballing and sniffing from a distance, but no growling or hissing. She won't come out, though. She's still in there, curled up on the counter. Every time I walk by the bathroom, she meows at me, but she won't come out. Grainne and Ophelia will go up to the door, but they won't go in.

When she was out yesterday for several hours, she stopped sneezing and her nose dried up, so I think we're on the right track with the allergy thing. Now if I can just get her to come out of there for good!

Stay tuned!

Updates

It's been over a week since I posted anything new. That's because I've been really sick. I had a fever of 103, which shocked me! I'm still sick, but not nearly as sick as I was.

The little kitty I found is still sick, too. We went back to the vet and now I have nose drops to give her. Little kitty nose drops. Who knew?

As might be imagined, I haven't made much progress on the non-profit thing. I did receive confirmation from the Secretary of State that the name has been reserved. It will be held for sixty days. I have until then to submit my Articles of Incorporation and whatever else is required.

I did manage to get a few more pictures of the little kitty, though! Here she is:

Look What I Found!

Yesterday I was at work and went outside to smoke. I heard a kitty crying and crying, then I spotted her sitting under a bush. I called her, but she wouldn't come to me. She just kept crying and crying. So I used a little trick I'd learned reading The Man Who Listens to Horses by horse whisperer Monty Roberts. I went closer, then sat down with my back to her. Sure enough, within seconds, she was right behind me.

I scooped her up and went off to find my friend Debra to get some help. Little kitty was skin and bones. Her black fur is bleached out from being in the sun and she had stickers and burrs in her hair. She didn't struggle while I was carrying her, but lawdy, did she make a fuss with her caterwauling.

Debra was on her way out and I'd just missed her, so I went running around the third floor of her building yelling for her, accompanied by kitty distress signals. She heard us and came back. I was like, "Help me." We took little kitty into the bathroom so we could set her down and get a better look at her. I didn't want to abscond with someone's pet, so I wanted to be fairly certain she was really a stray. We decided she was.

On a Friday night, it can take me up to an hour to get home and I had nothing to put the kitty in for the drive. Debra kindly offered to let me borrow her carrier, so we left for her house. I put little kitty in the back seat of my car, where she stayed for the ride. Seriously, she didn't move a centimeter! She was clinging to the back seat for dear life.

On the way home, I called my vet's office to make an appointment to get her seen a.s.a.p. After I'd dropped little kitty off at my house, quarantined in the bathroom, it was off to the pet supply store. I have two cats of my own already, but I needed a litter pan, etc., for the newbie. I got her settled in for the night to await her vet appointment this morning.

I took her in this morning to see Dr. Edgar Church at All Cats Clinic. Dr. Church gave her a thorough exam. The very first thing he did was scan her for a microchip. We needed to be certain someone wasn't missing their beloved pet. There was no microchip. She has fleas, no surprise there, so we treated her for that. She also has a respiratory infection, so I have medicine to treat that. She tested negative for both Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). Yay! We're waiting for test results to see if she has parasites. Her respiratory infection is contagious so I'm glad I was able to get her seen right away. I'm being very careful to keep her quarantined and wash my hands and even, on the recommendation of Dr. Church, change my clothes after I've handled her.

The good news is, she's already been spayed! I would have had that done, too, if she wasn't, but I'm glad I've been spared that additional expense. Poor little kitty just needs some TLC. She's really sweet and cuddly, purring away when I pet her. She gets in my lap and she lets me pick her up and cuddle and pet her.

Since I have two cats of my own already and I'm a renter in a one bedroom apartment, I'm hoping to find a forever home for her. She's not going anywhere until she's healthy, though. With treatment for her infection and a good diet, I figure she'll be good to go in a week or two.

Stay tuned!

More Nonprofit News

Yesterday I spoke on the phone to Maya Gupta, President of Ahimsa House. We talked for about an hour and she answered a bunch of questions I had as well as sending me tons of resources via e-mail! I've been stunned by the kindness, generosity and willingness to help of many people, and Maya is no exception. I really appreciate her taking time out of her busy day to provide me with information and sources of further information.

Ahimsa House is one of the very few organizations that specifically helps pets of domestic violence victims. Please consider donating to them, which you can conveniently do through PayPal.

Making Progress

Friday I applied to reserve the name of our nonprofit! It's so exciting to have something concrete done. I went through Attorneys Corporation Service. They were recommended to me and it seemed easier and less intimidating to go through them and let them deal with the Secretary of State's office. I believe it's faster this way, too.

Once I get confirmation that our name has been reserved, I've got my Articles of Incorporation ready to send in. I'll be using Attorneys Corporation Service for that, too. They say they can get that all settled much sooner than I could.

As soon as we're officially incorporated, I'll be revealing the name of our organization!

Stay tuned!

Speaking of Nonprofits...

I have the pleasure of working with a wonderful woman named Jenn Mueller. Jenn is the coolest! In fact, her fiance, Tony, did one of my tattoos.

Jenn has Type I diabetes, which, in her case, is particularly severe. She experiences life-threatening drops in her blood sugar levels on an almost daily basis. Jenn has done and continues to do everything medically possible to manage her condition, but it's not enough.

Fortunately for Jenn, an amazing organization called Heaven Scent Paws has put her on the fast track to getting a companion medical alert dog who has the ability to sense dangerous alterations in blood sugar. These dogs are very expensive to train. The organization isn't asking Jenn to pay for it, but they do ask the people who receive these dogs to engage in fundraising activities.

To read more about Jenn, her situation and her fundraising efforts, go here. Please consider making a tax deductible donation so that Jenn and people like her can have the life-saving companionship of a medical alert dog.

Thanks.

Nonprofit Update

Before I talk about where I am in the process, I want to be sure to say that none of what I post is meant to be legal advice. I am not a lawyer! My intention is merely to share my experience. If applicable, please seek legal advice from an actual lawyer.

With that out of the way, things are moving right along. I picked a name! I'm not going to tell you what it is, though, until we're incorporated. Everyone will have to wait for the big reveal.

I've also drafted a Mission Statement. I'm waiting to hear from one of my Board members before it's official. Next up, Articles of Incorporation.

I've found some more online resources, too. Foundation Center has some good information. On the Nolo site, there is a little checklist of steps to take in forming a nonprofit. These include the following:

Choose a name.
File articles of incorporation.
Apply for IRS tax exemption.
Apply for state tax exemption.
Draft bylaws.
Appoint Directors.
Hold a Board meeting.
Get any required licenses and permits.

Also needed are an employer identification number, supposedly even if you are not going to have paid employees, a bank account, a fundraising plan and a (groan) budget.

Stay tuned!

Every Little Bit Counts

So far, I've read the first seven chapters of the For Dummies book about starting a nonprofit. My little highlighter is about dried up with all the things I'm highlighting!

We're still working on the name thing. You can't do much until you have a name for your organization. Incorporating and filing for tax exemption require a name, after all.

Part of my desire to create this new organization stems from my experiences with trying to help so many other organizations. There are so many issues in the world that need attention that trying to decide who to help and how can be overwhelming. I've mentioned some of the things I do on a regular basis in a previous post.

I receive and respond to e-mails from several groups or organizations. These range from animal rescue, environmental protection, endangered species, civil rights and human rights groups. I sign petitions and send e-mails to policy makers.

Bringing all this up isn't intended to brag about what a good person I am. Rather, it's to point out how much needs to be done and how many sad and unjust things are going on in the world right now. Of course I would like everyone who reads this to help me with my project, but more importantly, I want everyone who reads this to help someone with something. It's simply not okay to do nothing.

If all you can do is go to The Animal Rescue Site and click once a day to help feed shelter pets, protect the rainforest, promote literacy and more, (all at the same site), then do that. If you can give a little money to the charity of your choice, then do that. If you can give a little of your time to volunteer for the charity of your choice, then do that. Just do something, no matter how small. Even the tiniest action counts!

It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the issues that need to be addressed. While I intend to continue my e-mailing and petition signing, I have more of a focus now. I'm on a mission!

Stay tuned!

Nonprofit Quest, Day Three

Starting a nonprofit is a lot more complicated than I realized! That's okay, though, I'm up for it. Part of my hope in posting blog accounts of my experiences is that other people will benefit from what I learn as I go along.

Yesterday, I focused on researching what I need to do to make this happen. About.com has a whole section devoted to starting a nonprofit, which can be found here. While I found the site very informative and helpful, I also found it confusing and cumbersome. I had something like 12 different tabs open, all from links to the various first steps. I was frantically taking notes and trying to organize what I was taking in, when I realized this might not be the best approach for me.

Instead, I decided to visit my friendly neighborhood Barnes and Noble bookstore. There is just something about having all the information in one tangible source. A source I can highlight and write in as needed.

Barnes and Noble had several books on starting a nonprofit to choose from. I carried about five over to a table to decide which ones to purchase. I wanted to just get them all, but that was neither practical nor financially feasible. I compared the Table of Contents in all the books and also looked at publication dates and edition numbers. I wanted something thorough and recent. I also looked at the qualifications of the authors. I wanted to be sure they were well qualified to write about the topic and not end up with Joe Schmoe's Nonprofit Startup Guide. Besides which, these books are not cheap. I wanted to get my money's worth.

It took me about an hour of careful consideration before I decided on my purchases. I'm a fan of the "For Dummies" series, so I got Nonprofit Kit for Dummies. The authors have extensive experience with nonprofits. The book includes a CD with worksheets, checklists, links, samples and more.

I also bought Starting and Building a Nonprofit, A Practical Guide That one was written by a woman with a law degree. It also comes with a CD that has "all the forms you need." This book was published by Nolo, "Your legal companion." For those of you unfamiliar with Nolo, they have lawyers writing books and creating software and downloads to help with legal issues. Their website is fantastic, check it out Nolo.

I also spent some time yesterday brainstorming possible names with Debra. We came up with quite a few, everything from the practical to the ridiculous. We're in the process of weeding them out now.

I've checked the ones we're considering with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and searched for them at my state's Secretary of State website under both corporations and limited liability companies. I didn't find any of them, so all we have to do now is pick one.

Stay tuned!

Non-Profit Quest, Day Two

Yesterday I got the ball rolling on this non-profit thing. I e-mailed every person and organization mentioned in the original article. It’s amazing how responsive, helpful and supportive animal lovers are!

Allie Phillips of American Humane sent me a helpful manual and put me in touch with a friend of hers for more information. Phil Arkow, also of American Humane, sent me some useful links. Barry Yeoman, who wrote the article, also responded with sources of further information.

Christine Hartline of Rancho Coastal Humane Society, Jenison Silva of Humane Society of Southern Arizona, Lanie Anton of the ASPCA, Scott Delucchi of the Peninsula Humane Society, and Lara Bruce of American Humane all responded and sent information, links, encouragement and support.

I am grateful to all these people for taking time out of their busy days to respond!

I also received support and assistance from several of my Etsy buddies. Melissa of Muddy Horse Gallery was full of advice and support. She has a horse rescue of her own, where she rescues and rehabilitates abused horses.

Veronica of Surrender Dorothy and Her Royal Majesty Bags heard what I was doing and immediately thought to put me in touch with Melissa. Michele of Pandys and Griffin Gear, offered her accounting assistance.

Professor Tina Kistler and Debra Fondren of Santa Barbara City College have both offered help and support. Jessica Black of PrimalX offered the same.

As per usual, the members of the Etsy street team EAST have been supportive and encouraging. Specifically, Liz Staley of lizstaley, Michele of Greenfingers, Kari of LuckyLibra, Rachel of Indigo Luna and Melody of Melodys Unchained.

If you helped me yesterday and I have not mentioned you, please let me know! I was happily deluged with assistance of all kinds, so I may well have forgotten someone. If you’re reading this and you’re inclined to help, don’t be fooled into thinking I don’t need you. I absolutely need all the help I can get!

Right now, I’m working on reading the enormous amount of stuff I need to read to learn how to start a non-profit. So far I’ve discovered that I need a lawyer, and accountant and a Board of Directors. I also need a name for the organization, a mission statement and ugh, a business plan.

Stay tuned!

Helping Both Domestic Violence Victims and Their Pets

I just read a magazine article about battered pets and how fear for them can prevent victims of domestic violence from leaving. That article, and further research, show that abusers typically use violence or threats of violence against defenseless pets as a means to terrorize and control their human victims. The article was written by award-winning journalist Barry Yeoman. The full text of the article can be found on his website, here.

According to an article in the Washington Post, 48% of victims of domestic violence have delayed leaving because of a pet. The article further points to both Hurricane Katrina and California fire victims’ refusal to evacuate to safety without their animals as examples of how devoted to the care and well-being of their pets some animal lovers are.

Studies have unequivocally shown a link between the torture and killing of animals and violence against humans.

These articles really struck a chord. Rather than feeling saddened and depressed, I was inspired to make a difference.

My intention is to create a non-profit organization specifically to shelter pets of domestic violence victims, perhaps in partnership with women's shelters. I got up at 5:00 this morning to research starting a non-profit!

I am currently in the info gathering stage. I would gratefully accept any help whether in the form of advice, contacts, raising awareness, or something else I don’t even know I need. You can contact me regarding this issue at a special e-mail address I've set up, pethaven@luminosities.net

Shocking Act of Animal Cruelty

Last night I was up much later than usual. I was standing in my kitchen with the light off, looking out the window. I saw a man walking and a small animal walking near him. He moved closer to it and was watching it. I thought it was someone taking his little dog out for a late night walk. Then, the man ran over to the animal, jumped up into the air and came down on it. As I stood there, frozen in horror, the man stomped the animal to death. I ran outside and stood on my porch under the porch light staring at the man. I can’t express how horrified and shocked I was. Considering that a link between animal cruelty and violence toward humans has been well established, running outside was perhaps not the safest thing to do, but I wasn’t thinking clearly.

I’ve never seen such an alarming display of brutality in my life. I stood there staring at the man as he turned to walk away. He saw me staring and turned back to say, “Dead opossum.” Still completely shocked, I said, “Oh.” I quickly recovered myself and then said, “So it’s okay to do that to a opossum?” He just kept walking.

I stood there frozen, trying to process what I’d just seen. It happened in an open alley next to my house. It was dark and I couldn’t see the man’s face, what he was wearing or any identifiable aspects. By the time it occurred to me to call the police, he’d already left the alley and I hadn’t seen which direction he’d gone. I wasn’t even sure the animal he’d killed was actually a opossum and not a cat or dog. Would that have made a difference? Maybe a little, because of the trust factor. Dogs and pet cats trust people, for the most part. Stomping any animal to death is an act of extreme violence, maybe more so when it’s totally unprovoked. Doing it to a companion animal who has no reason to distrust or fear humans adds an additional layer of betrayal.

Opossums, on the other hand, have a different handicap when it comes to avoiding dangerous humans. Everyone knows that opossums “play dead” when frightened, which may be a workable strategy to avoid animal predators but is less effective against humans – to say the least. What many people aren’t aware of is that the opossum has no control over it. When they're attacked, they fall over and appear to be dead or to have fainted. They can’t help it. Unfortunately, they remain awake and their cognitive function is not hindered.

Of course, I was trying to make myself less appalled and more able to go to sleep by rationalizing that at least it wasn’t a kitten or a puppy, but it really doesn’t matter. The fact is, that man viciously killed a defenseless animal. I can only hope that knowing someone saw him do it will prevent him from doing it again.

Easy Things to Do to Help the Planet

I thought I'd share the simple, easy, no- or low-cost things I do to help the planet. I'm hoping to inspire others to do the same things!

What I do to help the planet:

Work from home four days a week, which saves the 35 mile (one way) commute.
Bring my own cloth bags to the store (mine live in my car so I don’t forget them).
Recycle.
Turn the water off while I brush my teeth.
Turn off unused lights.
Unplug unused appliances, including the tv and microwave.
Buy organic.
I don’t eat mammals – no cows, pigs, sheep, etc.
I drive a little car that gets really good mileage (but I sure do miss my Wrangler!)
Click a day to feed animals in shelters, protect the rainforest, etc.
I use Blackle as my home page.
Donate time, money and goods to organizations that protect the environment and/or animals, such as Defenders of Wildlife and The Nature Conservancy.

I get e-mail alerts and then sign petitions and send e-mails to policy makers from such organizations as Greenpeace, The Wilderness Society, and the World Wildlife Fund.

My long distance carrier is Credo, formerly Working Assets. They donate a portion of your phone bill, at no cost to you, to progressive causes. You get to vote to decide who they donate to and how much they send! How cool is that?

What can you do to help the planet?

Bigger, Better, Goth!

I just put a couple of new Goth magnets up in my shop!



Elizabeth Bathory, known as The Blood Countess, may have more to do with Bram Stoker’s Dracula than Vlad the Impaler. Notes about her were found in Stoker’s papers, so he’d certainly heard of her!

In 1610 Hungary, local authorities began investigating the disappearance of local girls. Transylvanian Countess Elizabeth Bathory was subsequently imprisoned, walled into a tiny room with only a small slot to pass through food. In 1614 she was found dead in her cell. She’d been charged with murdering hundreds of young women, believing their blood would keep her young and beautiful.

This magnet features a pendant of the creepy Countess Bathory, made by handmadehorrors.etsy.com. The Countess is flanked by three genuine onyx replicas of her own black heart, accompanied by a cool little skull.

Put this spookycool magnet on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The lining of this magnet is a deep red abstract watercolor, inside a round tin with a glass top.

The magnet is 2 ½” (6.4 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.







Check out this cool goth magnet. It’s got genuine black onyx hearts, a pewter bat and a skull inside. It also has three clear acrylic gems to give it a little sparkle. Put this spookycool magnet on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The lining of this magnet is a deep red abstract watercolor, inside a round tin with a glass top.

The magnet is 2 ½” (6.4 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.

I'm # 866



It's an experiment to see how long it will take to get 
1,000,000 blogs to list themselves on their site.

Taurus

We're coming up on Taurus in another week. Time to showcase the bright, shiny, brand new 3D Taurus magnets. So without further ado, heeeerrrrrreeeeeee's....Taurus!

Taurus is an earth sign and this magnet celebrates the 2nd sign of the zodiac! It would look great on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car. It makes a great gift for the Taurus in your life.

The lining is watercolor painting in rose pink, inside a round tin with a glass top. The glyph for Taurus is on the inside of the glass, so handling won’t smudge it. Also on the inside are a sterling silver Taurus word bead and four genuine peridot stones. Peridot is associated with Taurus as are the colors pink and green. The outside is wrapped with a barely there light green ribbon. A strong magnet is attached to the back.

The magnet is 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.
Available for purchase at Luminosities.

The lining is watercolor painting in rose pink, inside a round tin with a glass top. The glyph for Taurus is on the inside of the glass, so handling won’t smudge it. Also on the inside are a genuine malachite stone, four genuine peridot stones and the word “May.” Malachite and peridot are both associated with Taurus and of course May is a Taurus birth month. The outside is wrapped with dark green ribbon. A strong magnet is attached to the back.
Available for purchase at Luminosities.


The lining is watercolor painting in rose pink, inside a round tin with a glass top. The word “Taurus” is on the inside of the glass, so handling won’t smudge it. Also on the inside are the glyph for Taurus in copper wire, copper being the metal associated with Taurus. A genuine rose quartz stone rests beneath the glyph. The outside is wrapped with barely there pale green ribbon. A strong magnet is attached to the back. Available for purchase at Luminosities.

Puppy Mills - Today on Oprah

Today on the Oprah show, an expose on puppy mills. Puppy mills are a horrific problem. Puppies from puppy mills are frequently unhealthy, with serious physical issues "...including severe malnutrition, rotting teeth and severe periodontal disease, extreme matting of fur sometimes leading to skin lesions, mange, flea, tick, and parasite infestations, and serious foot and leg injuries from living an entire life on wire mesh flooring. Female dogs in puppy mills are typically bred at every opportunity until they are physically spent and can no longer reproduce. Puppy mill dogs live out their entire lives in tiny enclosures, never having a chance to get out of their cages for exercise or socialization." (ASPCA)

Please join me in thanking Oprah for using her considerable influence to expose this cruel and horrifying issue.

Presenting Suzanne Gonsalez of Ravenwolf Gallery

Brody Dalle is said to have once lamented the current dearth of art that makes you go, “What the fuck?” Not, “what the fuck is that” but the kind of what the fuck that makes you stop and stare, slack-jawed. The kind of art that grabs you somewhere inside and shakes you all around while you’re momentarily completely discombobulated.

I’d like to present an artist whose work causes that reaction in me. I’m having a little trouble articulating just what it is about her work, but I can stare at it for a long time. I want to get close to it, to the point of finding myself scooting closer to the monitor, peering intently.

So far, I’ve only managed to get one little ACEO, shown below. If you like her art, you better snap it up now, because when I win the lottery, her shop is going to be empty. Bwahaha!

Without further ado, Suzanne Gonsalez of Ravenwolf Gallery:

Click on images to visit the artist's shop

My ACEO

Face of the Gypsy

Ode to Wychwood

Tapiz de Suenos
(Tapestry of Dreams)

All above images copyright 2007- 2008 by Suzanne Gonsalez

Lion love

You gotta see this. A lion greets a woman who rescued him as a cub. It brings back memories of my time at the sanctuary, though I never experienced anything quite like this!

http://www.telestereo.com/Archivos/video.swf

Healing Magnets!

Brand new healing magnets at Luminosities!

The lining of these magnets is a green abstract watercolor with clockwise (sun-wise) spirals drawn in blue gel pen. The outside is wrapped with a green ribbon, green being a healing color. Powerful magnets are attached to the back.

Put these charming magnets on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The magnets are 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.

This magnet uses symbolism and the power of stones to surround you with healing energy. Lapis lazuli is said to be a powerful stone with both physical and mental healing properties. The stone you see here is a gorgeous dark blue with flecks of gold.

The Egyptian ankh is a symbol of life and the silvertone ankh in this magnet fits in well with the healing theme.


This magnet uses symbolism and the power of stones to surround you with healing energy. Amethysts are believed to carry healing properties and the three genuine faceted amethysts you see are a deep purple color.

As a symbol of transformation and renewal, the pewter dragonfly charm adds to the theme of healing.



This magnet uses symbolism and the power of stones to surround you with healing energy. Bloodstone is believed to be a powerful healing stone. The stone you see here is a deep green and red.

Butterflies are symbols of transformation and the butterfly sticker in this magnet invites you to transform into a being of beauty and health.

See more images or purchase now at Luminosities.

Got Pisces?

Three Pisces magnets to choose from at Luminosities!



All three of these magnets are loaded with Pisces symbolism. The colors used in the painting on the lining and the ribbon colors are associated with Pisces. Dolphins, of course, are associated with Pisces too. Amethyst is a Pisces stone, so the high-grade genuine amethyst stones in each magnet also fit the Pisces theme. Two of the magnets have the word "Pisces" on the inside of the glass top (protected from smudging) and one has the glyph for Pisces instead.

These 3D Astrological Magnets are available for purchase at Luminosities. Grab one quick, for the Pisces in your life!

Oompa, Loompa Doompadee Dee
Someone bought another magnet from me

Oompa Loompa Doompadee Doo
If you are wise, you’ll buy one too

What do you get when you buy a magnet
A 3D piece of assemblage art
What sign are you, I have zodiac too

What element do you like most
Tell me and I’ll make it and post

Oompa, Loompa Doompadee Dah
I’ll ship to you whether near or far

Oompa Loompa Doompadee Doo
Hurry up now and get one for you!

Luminosities

I'm Featured on Knitting Dragonflies!

Check out Knitting Dragonflies

I'm featured! Yay!

Stop by her shop, Dizzy Dragonflies, too, and check out her cool pirate quilts!

Wolf Crisis

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has released an updated rule concerning the wolves in the northern Rockies. Under the new rule, more than 750 wolves, which is more than half of the region’s wolf population , could be killed, even though this wolf population is still supposed to be protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Something to consider - every time you eat beef, you put money in the pockets of those behind attempts to eradicate the nation's tiny wolf population.

Love Spells, Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Just in time for Valentine's Day, new loves spell magnets! These would make great Valentine's Day gifts!


A love spell in a magnet! This magnet uses the magick of stones, color and essential oil, plus the power of words. What a great Valentine’s Day gift!

With red, pink and white, this piece utilizes the colors of love. It contains genuine rose quartz which attracts love! A little heart charm adds to the love vibe. To further emphasize the point, there is a little word bead that says, “kiss.” Inside is a tiny drop of rose essential oil, also a love attractor.

Put it on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The lining of this magnet is red fiber paper, inside a round tin with a glass top. The outside is wrapped with a white ribbon with little red hearts.

The magnet is 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.

Available for purchase at Luminosities


A love spell in a magnet! This magnet uses the magick of stones, color, essential oil and images. What a great Valentine’s Day gift!

With red, pink and white, this piece utilizes the colors of love. It contains genuine rose quartz which attracts love!

With red, pink and white, this piece utilizes the colors of love. To further emphasize the point, there is heart charm with the word “loving” and a red cloth rose. Inside is a tiny drop of rose essential oil, also a love attractor

Put it on your refrigerator, in your bedroom, in your office or even in your car.

The lining of this magnet is red paper embossed with multiple hears, inside a round tin with a glass top. The outside is wrapped with a red ribbon with little white hearts.

The magnet is 2” (5.8 cm) across and 1” (2.5) deep.

Available for purchase at Luminosities

Are You an HSP?

What’s an HSP? HSP stands for Highly Sensitive Person. HSPs are easily overwhelmed with stimuli in their environments. Typically, HSPs are physically and psychologically more susceptible to sudden or loud noises, bright or flickering lights, a lot of ambient activity and/or crowds.

Along with being easily overwhelmed, though, come some wonderful traits. HSPs also tend to be “…highly creative and productive workers, attentive and thoughtful partners, and intellectually gifted individuals.” Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D, author of The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You, goes on to make these points:

• This trait is normal--it is inherited by 15 to 20% of the population, and indeed the same percentage seems to be present in all higher animals.
• Being an HSP means your nervous system is more sensitive to subtleties. Your sight, hearing, and sense of smell are not necessarily keener (although they may be). But your brain processes information and reflects on it more deeply.
• Being an HSP also means, necessarily, that you are more easily overstimulated, stressed out, overwhelmed.
• This trait is not something new I discovered--it has been mislabeled as shyness (not an inherited trait), introversion (30% of HSPs are actually extraverts), inhibitedness, fearfulness, and the like. HSPs can be these, but none of these are the fundamental trait they have inherited.
• The reason for these negative misnomers and general lack of research on the subject is that in this culture being tough and outgoing is the preferred or ideal personality--not high sensitivity. (Therefore in the past the research focus has been on sensitivity's potential negative impact on sociability and boldness, not the phenomenon itself or its purpose.) This cultural bias affects HSPs as much as their trait affects them, as I am sure you realize. Even those who loved you probably told you, "don't be so sensitive," making you feel abnormal when in fact you could do nothing about it and it is not abnormal at all.

Take her HSP self-test and find out if you are an HSP.

Kind-hearted folks needed for fellow Etsyian!

I have a very dear friend that is in danger of losing her only mode of transportation due to hard luck in the employment arena.

She does NOT know I am doing this - I reckon she will soon. I

This fellow Etsyian is a huge part of my own inspiration, and is an inspiration to MANY more of us! She is a fellow member of the street team EAST, and has a heart that out-sizes most of the hearts I have the pleasure to know!

If you are looking to spend a little bit of money today, have a gift you need to pickup or just a little something fun yourself, visit her shop! She has a plethora of wonderful things and having purchased many from her myself, I can attest to wonderful pricing, QUICK shipping and fantastic quality!! She also takes custom orders and will change a button to a magnet if you like.

For all things Nerd and Geek - Visit the Realm!