allegro Art Studio

Oh, for the good old days !

You're all invited to my Open house...

Once you get her started, you might want her to shut up. ...

READ THIS VERY SLOWLY... IT'S PROFOUND.

Summer Time Fun

Linda's enlightened Perspective

THE AMAZING CUCUMBER

WHY ARE WE SO BUSY?

My new mantra is Fear Not...

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Way Cool Kitchen Stuff

A Pocket Full of Posies... for the Wall

Allegro Webcertificates

Will You Dance With Me?

Conquer Your Fears ~ I did!

GARDEN SNAKES CAN BE DANGEROUS....

Love those greeting cards!

DUST IF YOU MUST

Cinnamon and Honey Cure

IMPORTANT WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUE:

WARNING TO WOMEN !

Grandma's Apron

I SURVIVED!

DID YOU KNOW??

Gurl inspired film fest!

Soldiers' Angels Memorial Day

WHEN I'M AN OLD LADY

ABOUT HEART ATTACKS

GEEZER ART with Attitude

Let me talk to yafa a sec!

Buckle Your Belt and Loosen Your Lips

OVER THE HILL MY A**

How to Shop Until You Drop

What Matters Most to You?

Thank You for This Day

CARPE DIEM..."seize the day"

Wire Art Makes Great Gifts!

Buy Made in the USA

Look at the end of your aluminum foil box

Google 411

FuN FuNcTiOnAl Wall Art

Tips for an Exceptional, Superb & Powerful Life!

Meet Odessa!

Dare to dream, dare to have fun!

Shop 'til you Drop

Girls Nite Out

Who We Are

Teams & Projects - How to Help

2011-04-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic
bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and
explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day.

That's right, they didn't have the green thing in her day. Back then,
they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the
store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized
and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were
recycled. But they didn't have the green thing back in her day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator
in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and
didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two
blocks. But she's right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby's diapers because they didn't have the
throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling
machine burning up 220 volts "wind and solar power" really did dry the
clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters,
not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right, they didn't
have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house not a TV in every
room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a
screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they blended
and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do
everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the
mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or
plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut
the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised
by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on
treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right, they didn't
have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a
cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They
refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced
the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the
blade got dull. But they didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school
or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour
taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire
bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.

And they didn't need a computerized
gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in
space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But that old lady is right. They didn't have the green thing back in her
day.

OMG....that was MY day too!

Gotta Skate
Linda

2010-11-12T11:28:00.001-08:00

If you are unable to see the message below, click
here to view.

Shop All-Wired-Up
My Blog

See us at Allegro's Open House or online at our websites

WIRE ART ~ FLORALS ~ HANDBAGS ~ GLITZ ~ WINE TASTING!

We look forward to getting reacquainted with you!

Linda Allegro

Allegro Christmas Open House Thursday December 2, 2010 6pm - 9ish

50377 Aldwych Street
Macomb, Michigan 48044
(use garage entry)

Show me Allegro Art Studio
Take me to GurlArt.com

PERFECTLY TWISTED ART

Allegro-Wire-Art..... putting the FUN back in functional with delightful creations!

I make functional decorative household items predominantly from wire and beads. I make everything from Fun Kitchen and Houseware Items to Wall hangings and Jewelry Organizers. I will have many new items on display for you to enjoy! My new "jingle bowls" are a big hit along with many new surprises

You can also order from my web page or place your order via email.

Let me create a unique, original, one of a kind piece of functional art for you!
I am available for commissioned work

COLLETTES APPLE CREATIONS

You've see her at many local art fairs, Colette Fredericks will have her delicious Apple Creations here!

Our gourmet caramel apples, chocolate apples, and candy apples make wonderful gifts. Perfect for a new baby gift, birthday gift, get well gift, wedding gifts, shower gift, thank you gift, just because gift, teacher gift, graduation gift, party favors, bar mitzvah gift, bat mitzvah gift, welcome home gift, housewarming gift, dance recital gifts, corporate gifts.

Perfect for holidays (Christmas, Chanukah, New Years, Valentine's Day Gift, Easter, Mother's Day , Father's Day, Halloween, Boss' Day. ) Our apples are covered with nuts , candy, chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and buttery caramel.
Love and laughter, happily ever after.

GRACE YOUR HOME WITH FLOWERS

Brenda's Floral Design.... years of lasting beauty for every season

Silks and dried floral arrangements are a great way to keep your home full of flowers all the time. Not only are silks and dried flower arrangements economical compared to fresh flowers, which constantly need to be replaced, but they can also be made to look completely natural. Our arrangements are crafted with intricate leaf veins, perfectly sculpted petals and unfurling buds to imitate a live fresh flower arrangement.
Go to Brenda's Floral Design

BIG TIME BAG TIME

Showroom on wheels is the place for the lady of style to shop for the current trends in fashion, sunglasses and handbags. We have it all… costume jewelry, designer inspired handbags, and much more.

What woman doesn’t want to indulge occasionally?

Showroom on wheels is an excellent place to shop for gifts. If you are looking for a unique idea for Weddings, Anniversaries, Family, Reunions, Birthdays, Holidays, or any gift-giving occasion, the answer is Showroom on wheels .

Our Buddy Links

TASTEFULLY SIMPLE

Wondering what to make for breakfast, dinner or everything in between?
From main dishes to desserts, we offer a wide variety of easy-to-prepare foods and gifts for every day and every occasion. Best of all, our products can be enjoyed right out of the package or prepared within minutes!

Our Buddy Links

- Simple, easy-to-prepare meals
- Shopping in the comfort of your own home
- Great gift ideas for the holidays or any time
- Reliable and responsible consultants
- The list is never ending!

LaDeDa JEWELRY

EYE CANDY JEWELRY

My handcrafted jewelry section is filled to the brim with necklaces, earrings and bracelets, all with a different personality, I will have a variety of Neck Lanyards, always a big hit for teachers and nurses to hold Badges and I.D's. Also, featuring uniquely designed Lariat neclaces.

It makes for some interesting jewelry let me tell you...

All guaranteed to be quality handmade jewelry,
I am sure you will find treasures here that you will love and wear for many years

The jewelry I create is completely original and unique.

Handmade Jewelry to Dazzle Your Imagination!
Our Buddy Links

*Please visit my eBay Store for many more fun and functional gift ideas.

Please do not reply to this email. For customer service, click here.

Linda Allegro

50377 Aldwych Street
Macomb, Michigan 48044 click here

2010-09-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Linda Gushes!

Sometimes I get off on a rant and I just can't stop. You too, huh? I figure it's worth collecting them because one day I can look back and laugh. I mean, some of these are silly. Why did I even waste the energy? See, I'm already laughing. But a few are serious. I don't think I'm a big complainer, so please don't take me for the queen of kvetch after reading these.

THIS MONTHS GUSH:

Please be careful.

This person has found her way into my house and could also get into yours.

A very weird thing has happened. A strange old lady has moved into my house. I have no idea who she is, where she came from, or how she got in. I certainly did not invite her.

All I know is that one day she wasn't there, and the next day she was.

She is a clever old lady and manages to keep out of sight for the most part, but whenever I pass a mirror I catch a glimpse of her. And, whenever I look in the mirror to check my appearance, there she is hogging the whole thing, completely, obliterating my gorgeous face and body. This is very rude!

I have tried screaming at her, but she just screams back. The least she could do is offer to pay part of the rent, but no.

Every once in a while, I find a dollar bill stuck in a coat pocket, or some loose change under a sofa cushion, but it is not nearly enough.

I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I think she is stealing money from me. I go to the ATM and withdraw $100, and a few days later, it's all gone!

I certainly don't spend money THAT fast, so I can only conclude the old lady is pilfering from me. You'd think she would spent some of that money to buy wrinkle cream.

And money isn't the only thing I think she is stealing. Food seems todisappear at an alarming rate-especially the good stuff like ice cream, cookies and candy.

She must have a real sweet tooth, but she'd betterwatch it, because she is really packing on the pounds.

I suspect she realizes this, and to make herself feel better, she is tampering with my scale to make me think I am putting on weight too.

For an old lady, she is quite childish. She likes to play nasty games, like going into my closets when I'm not home and altering my clothes so they don't fit.

And she messes with files and papers so I can't find anything. This is particularly annoying since I am extremely neat and organized.

She has found other imaginative ways to annoy me. She gets into my mail, newspapers and magazines before I do and blurs the print so I can't read it.

And she has done something really sinister to the volume controls on my TV, radio and telephone. Now, all I hear are mumbles and whispers.

She has done other things - like make my stairs steeper, my vacuum heavier and all the knobs and faucets harder to turn. She even made my bed higher so that getting into and out of it is a real challenge.

Lately, she has been fooling with my groceries before I put them away, applying glue to the lids, making it almost impossible for me to open the jars.

She has taken the fun out of shopping for clothes. When I try something on, she stands in front of the dressing room mirror and monopolizes it.

She looks totally ridiculous in some of those outfits, plus she keeps me from seeing how great they look on me.

Just when I thought she couldn't get any meaner, she proved me wrong. She came along when I went to get my picture taken for my driver's license and just as the camera shutter clicked, she jumped in front of me.

I hope she never finds out where you live.

I really do!

Gotta Skate

Linda

P.S. If you haven't been to one of my craft shows or invited to my bi-yearly open house in a while you are in for a real treat! Go Here
http://www.allegroartstudio.com/shows.htm
and join the rest of the girls.

2010-05-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain' And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained.. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now....go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask 'How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi'?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

'Life may not be the party we hoped for.... but while we are here we might as well dance!'

Gotta' Skate
Love
Linda

2010-05-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

Learn how to Shop Until You Drop

2010 Schedule of Shows and Events

2010-05-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Enlightened Perspective

If you will take the time to read these. I promise you'll come away with an enlightened perspective. The subjects covered affect us all on a daily basis:

I've learned… That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
I've learned… That when you're in love, it shows.
I've learned… That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.
I've learned… That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
I've learned… That being kind is more important than being right.
I've learned… That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
I've learned… That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
I've learned… That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I've learned… That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I've learned… That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I've learned… That life is like a=2 0roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I've learned… That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
I've learned… That money doesn't buy class.
I've learned… That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
I've learned… That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned… That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
I've learned… That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned… That love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned… That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
I've learned… That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned… That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I've learned… That life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned… That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss. I've learned… That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned… That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
I've learned… That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned… That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I've learned… That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
I've learned… That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned… That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Create a great today~

Gotta Skate

Love

Linda

2010-04-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explorers for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finished a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

2010-04-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

The question is often asked why we never have any spare time in modern life, in spite of a glut of "labor-saving" inventions and the growth of production efficiencies. Here are a few thoughts about why we are so busy:

1. Poor Choice Management. Manage your life, not your time. Modern society suffers from an unwillingness to say, "No." Faced with too many options and too much pressure, we respond with too many yesses. There is an old proverb somewhere that says, "To accomplish more, do less."

2. Inefficient Learning. We rush through things, learn them partially, and must repeat the work. Or what was learned gets pushed out by too much other new information. Slow down, and learn a few lasting things.

3. Fewer Support Structures. We do more of our own secretarial work, have fewer helpers, less delegation. Sometimes support workers are not as dependable or committed and cannot be relied on to do a good job. People are so busy with their own tasks that they no longer help us with ours.

4. Higher Expectations. Rather than having more leisure time, we have less because we expect to do more and others expect us to do more. We try to match the pace of a fast society. "Ah, tomorrow is Saturday, a day for leisure. Let's go to the amusement park in the morning, a movie in the afternoon, and to dinner with our friends in the evening. Then we will still have time to see that video, check our mail, and watch the news before bed."

5. The Freeway Effect: We are so overloaded and tired that we get less done. We waste time frittering and procrastinating because we are too tired (mentally, physically, or both) to get ourselves working.

6. The Smorgasbord Effect. Our choices are like a smorgasbord at a restaurant, so many, that we try to take a little of each and thus overload our plates. It has been noted that we are often afraid to make deliberate choices because we realize that every choice precludes others. So some people put off making a decision just to keep their options open. Others simply try to say "Yes" to everything.

7. Maintenance Time Costs. The products we buy require maintenance time. Computers, cars, VCR's, copiers, all need attention. The more items we have, the more time we spend maintaining or taking care of them--not using them.

8. The Change Effect. We live in constant change. The psychological stress of change can be dealt with, but the main effect of change is a time expenditure for a learning curve.

2010-03-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Let Me Talk Gurls,

I recently went on a trip with some friends that began and ended with a series of twists and turns and included a cast of characters we met along the way.

Early on in the trip, I was at the hotel in the midst of arranging a taxi to pick us all up at a certain time the next morning and trying to find out about a ferry schedule. Okay, I was being my organized type A self in general when a man named Harry stepped in.

I explained to him I wanted to make sure we arrived at our next destination on time. He just smiled. I tried to clarify that I really needed to know what time we would need to get the taxi to pick us up in order to arrive at the ferry on time.

Harry smiled again and told me not to be in such a rush. He took care of everything and just kept saying we should fear not. Fear not?

My friends and I ended up talking to Harry for almost an hour. He gave us quite a lesson in life. A sermon really.

Harry talked to us about the way it is back in his country and how much slower and gentler things are. Fear not he preached. It will all work out. Slow down and take time to enjoy life more. Don’t worry so much he said. Learn to fear not.

The rest of the trip was pretty much a train wreck of events I won’t go into – saving that for my screenplay! There was plenty to be afraid of on this trip, but we listened to Harry, feared not and laughed a lot instead!

I have decided I am going to be following the wise words of Harry and take this life lesson with me. I am going to slow down, take a few breaths, and enjoy life more.

My new mantra is Fear Not.
Gotta Skate
Linda

http://www.allegroartstudio.com/

2010-01-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Let Me Talk Gurls,

I’ve recently had a conversation with my sister about the challenge of trying to stay positive and at peace while being pulled in too many directions. It is easy to feel good and stay upbeat when things are going great, but how do you maintain that same kind of energy when things aren’t?

We all have days—sometimes in a row—when we feel like pulling our hair out. Times when the deadlines at work are piling up, the pressure is on, there are more bills than money, your friends wants to know why you haven’t answered their email yet, and peace in the Middle East may come easier than resolving the feud between your stepchildren!

What is the secret to being positive despite all of that? Life is not one big long sunny vacation, so how can we create that same kind of good vibe for ourselves in the midst of the daily grind? How do we manifest good things while feeling stressed?

These are trying times. It is very difficult to remain optimistic and positive. Yet the trick to manifesting is to be OPEN to receiving.

This is where I usually run into a snag—it is hard to keep that valve open while rushing around, working long hours, constantly hearing bad news, and feeling overwhelmed.

However, instead of letting worry, fear and stress shut us down and close our valve, we can choose to stop, breathe, and believe. Easier said than done! I know!

A wise friend and mentor of mine recently told me that we create the sandbox we want to play in. There is a lot of power in that statement. So I put a sand Zen garden, my version of a sandbox, on my desk to remind me to make the choice to create less worry, more kindness and more laughter!

I believe we each have within us the power to manifest anything we deeply desire. Even though sometime I forget that. Many years ago I had my heart set on a specific piece of property. I just knew that was where I was supposed to build our home. So imagine my shock when I discovered the lot had already been sold (to friends of ours no less!) and they were ready to break ground. I am sure they thought I was flat nuts when I called them up to tell them they couldn’t build there because I was going to.

What I have discovered along the way is that believing in the impossible and affirming our intentions is a never-ending process. It is so easy to forget that we have the power to manifest our dreams. It takes effort everyday to remain positive and focus on feeling the good things when stress is nipping at our heels.

Music is one of my favorite tricks to change my mood and keep me upbeat. Another way to keep yourself open to the good in your life is to keep a gratitude journal.

Sometimes we are just grateful we made it through and we get to put our heads on the pillow and call it a day, and that’s okay too!

As we head into one of the most frenzied times of the year I invite you to give yourself the gift of the life you deserve and manifest peace, prosperity and joy!

Permission to Dream Big,
Gotta Skate
Linda

2010-01-23T12:41:00.000-08:00

FuNkY Drizzler with 8" plate

Breathtaking jeweled color drizzler is ideal for olive oil, vinegar or any pouring liquid. The contemporary-styled drizzler has a strong, sturdy base and a colorful pourer with a non-drip tip. Holds 10 fluid ounces. Dishwasher safe.The added plate is the perfect form and function.

Stunning drizzler features a unique stopper !

Paste and Pesto Oil/Vinegar
Store and serve your regular and flavoured oils, vinegars, and dressings

$29.99 2 piece set

2009-12-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

Quick! Name a cute, colorful collectible made expressly to hang on the wall.

If you guessed wall pocket, you're right on target.Perhaps you've never heard of a wall pocket, or maybe you just didn't know what they were called. Think of a vase designed to adorn a wall and you'll have a pretty good picture of today's Custom Art Sale.

You can order any wall pocket in custom colors for only $15.00.......

You can reach me at linallegro@sbcglobal.net

You can see more of my work and buy it here

http://stores.ebay.com/ALL-WIRED-UP-FuNcTiOnAl-aRt

2009-12-12T14:32:00.000-08:00

Give Allegro Webcertificates to your customers & employees!

They're the ultimate turnkey solution for...
• Adding pizzazz to promotions
• Employee recognition
• Customer acquisition
• Rewards, prizes & bonuses
• Survey incentives
• Finicky friends & family members
• Last-minute gift-giving situations
• Busy people always on-the-go!

Buy Web Certificates here

2009-11-26T13:09:00.000-08:00

Will You Dance With Me?

READ THIS VERY SLOWLY.... IT'S PRETTY PROFOUND.

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine..

I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched ' Jeopardy ' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain.' And my personal favourite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because we cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet... We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord..

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to......not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you..

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butter fly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask ' How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away..... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Show your friends how much you care. Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND. If it comes back to you, then you'll know you have a circle of friends.

To those I have sent this to... I cherish our friendship and appreciate all you do.

'Life may not be the party we hoped for.. but while we are here we might as well dance!

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
Let no Soldier go unloved for Christmas
click here

2009-11-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

Conquer your fears for a better, healthier life ~ Go ahead.... challenge yourself, I did! No more screetches when I cut into a worm while planting my flowers or running out of the room when I see a spider......... it's really not that bad. Get a grip and get over it! (you'll be glad you did)

2009-11-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Harry Azevedo
Las Vegas, Nevada
Phone: 702-604-8817
Fax: 866-855-3441
Email: hbaz@usa.net

All my life I heard “every penny counts” but I wouldn’t bend over to pick one up… just not worth my time and effort. However, my friend and hero of the season, Linda Allegro of Macomb, Michigan, has changed my views with her “EVERY PENNY COUNT” fundraiser to raise money for our troops

Be an Angel just click here to donate your pocket change

In Linda’s own words:

“You See... I'm an Army Brat.... after serving 21 years in the Army ~ Dad then worked for the governments’ defense department. I actually lived in Singapore for a while, where Daddio was in charge of opening up an armored car division.

My brother served in the Navy…while the other was a Marine.

My son was also a Marine and nephew in the Air force.

My best friend’s son is a Marine, currently serving in Afghanistan searching for IED's, we saw him on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago!

So I am all about patriotism and supporting our troops.... gotta go wipe my teary eyes :o)”

Before you blow your top about the holiday hassle at the airport, the long lines at the grocery store, all the hours you’ll spend cooking and cleaning, the uninvited guests who are crashing hubby’s football party, and the endless Christmas shopping list that awaits, just stop.

Stop and think... The Holiday Season is not far away and thousands of America’s bravest men and women who are standing watch over our freedom will not be home to share this special time of year with their families and friends. Sadly, there are many other deployed soldiers who have no family to send them a package or even a card.

Linda wants to help change all that with her EVERY PENNY COUNTS jars which are located in an around Macomb even your pocket change donations are urgently needed to purchase supplies for our heroes that can’t be home for Christmas.

Be an Angel just click here to donate your pocket change

Linda’s says this is a perfect project for a church, school, club, business, family or for any group to get involved and to participate!

For jar locations, to request a jar or if you have questions, please contact:

Linda Allegro
http://www.allegroartstudio.com/
Email: linallegro@sbcglobal.net
Phone: 586-216-5030
Fax: 866-855-3441

LINDA’S EVERY PENNY COUNTS JARS
Will be at the follow events and businesses

UNITEDHEALTHCARE EMPLOYEES
Private Party
Date: Friday, November 11, 2009
Location: Campus Martius Conference RoomSuite 480
Show Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Shop 'til you drop

Macomb Township : Dakota Boosters Craft Show
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2009
Location: 21051 21 Mile Road, Macomb Township, MI 48044
Show Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission Charge: $2.00

De La Salle Collegiate Tickets for "Shop & Sip" are now on sale for $10., and available from Br. Patrick McNally at (586) 778-3356 or 778-2207, x. 258.

CBA Sip and Shop 11/20/2009
When: 6:00:00 PM
Where: De La Salle Collegiate
CBA Craft Show 11/21/2009
When: All Day

Elf Shelf Craft Show
Date: Saturday, November 28, 2009
Location: Troy High School, 4777 Northfield Parkway Troy, Michigan.
Show Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Allegro Holiday Open House and Sale
Date: Thursday December 3, 2009
Location: 50377 Aldwych Street Macomb, Michigan 48044
(use garage entry)
Hours: 6pm - 9pm

Dolly's Pizza Michigan
Date: Every Day Starting 11/08/2009
Location: Chesterfield Township
51311 Gratiot Ave, Chesterfield, MI 48051
Telephone: 586-949-0101

Tax deductible donations can be made by going to the Allegro Art Studio’s website at www.allegroartstudio.com and clicking on the “Donations” button to donate using PayPal, Visa or Master Charge or by sending a check to:

Allegro Art Studio ~ 50377 Aldwych St. ~ Macomb, Michigan 48044

Please make checks payable to Soldiers’ Angels and make a notation that the check is for the EVERY PENNY COUNTS fund.

But more important consider getting an EVERY PENNY COUNTS jar for yourself you can put it in your office, business, you can ask your favorite restaurant to place it by the cash register or you can even have one available to take to Christmas and Office parties.

Remember EVERY PENNY COUNTS …we don’t expect huge results from any jar.

I once read something that I will never forget –

What is a Soldier? "A soldier, whether active duty, retired, National Guard or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America for an amount "up to and including my life”.

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

With that I honor my friend and Hero of the Season – Linda Allegro

Be an Angel just click here to donate your pocket change

If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Linda Allegro, please call Harry at 702-604-8817 or email Harry at hbaz@usa.net

2009-10-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Snakes also known as Garter Snakes (Thamnophissirtalis) can be dangerous.

Yes, grass snakes, not rattlesnakes. Here's why.A couple in Sweetwater, Texas, had a lot of potted plants. During a recent cold spell, the wife was bringing a lot of them indoors to protect them from a possible freeze.

It turned out that a little green garden grass snake was hidden in one of the plants. When it had warmed up, it slithered out and the wife saw it go under the sofa.She let out a very loud scream.

The husband (who was taking a shower) ran out into the living room naked to see what the problem was. She told him there was a snake under the sofa.He got down on the floor on his hands and knees to look for it. About that time the family dog came and cold-nosed him on the behind. He thought the snake had bitten him, so he screamed and fell over on the floor.

His wife thought he had had a heart attack, so she covered him up, told him to lie still and called an ambulance.

The attendants rushed in, would not listen to his protests, loaded him on the stretcher, and started carrying him out.

About that time, the snake came out from under the sofa and the Emergency Medical Technician saw it and dropped his end of the stretcher. That's when the man broke his leg and why he is still in the hospital.

The wife still had the problem of the snake in the house, so she called on a neighbor who volunteered to capture the snake. He armed himself with a rolled-up newspaper and began poking under the couch.. Soon he decided it was gone and told the woman, who sat down on the sofa in relief.

But while relaxing, her hand dangled in between the cushions, where she felt the snake wriggling around. She screamed and fainted, the snake rushed back under the sofa.

The neighbor man, seeing her lying there passed out, tried to use CPR to revive her.

The neighbor's wife, who had just returned from shopping at the grocery store, saw her husband's mouth on the woman's mouth and slammed her husband in the back of the head with a bag of canned goods, knocking him out and cutting his scalp to a point where it needed stitches.

The noise woke the woman from her dead faint and she saw her neighbor lying on the floor with his wife bending over him, so she assumed that the snake had bitten him. She went to the kitchen and got a small bottle of whiskey, and began pouring it down the man's throat.

By now, the police had arrived.Breathe here...They saw the unconscious man, smelled the whiskey, and assumed that a drunken fight had occurred. They were about to arrest them all, when the women tried to explain how it all happened over a little garden snake!

The police called an ambulance, which took away the neighbor and his sobbing wife.

Now, the little snake again crawled out from under the sofa and one of the policemen drew his gun and fired at it. He missed the snake and hit the leg of the end table. The table fell over, the lamp on it shattered and, as the bulb broke, it started a fire in the drapes.

The other policeman tried to beat out the flames, and fell through the window into the yard on top of the family dog who, startled, jumped out and raced into the street, where an oncoming car swerved to avoid it and smashed into the parked police car.

Meanwhile, neighbors saw the burning drapes and called in the fire department. The firemen had started raising the fire ladder when they were halfway down the street. The rising ladder tore out the overhead wires, put out the power, and disconnected the telephones in a ten-square city block area (but they did get the house fire out).

Time passed! Both men were discharged from the hospital, the house was repaired, the dog came home, the police acquired a new car and all was right with their world.

A while later they were watching TV and the weatherman announced a cold snap for that night. The wife asked her husband if he thought they should bring in their plants for the night.

And that's when he shot her.

Okay, so it’s probably not entirely true, but good for a little chuckle over how we get ourselves in these bizarre situations without trying.

Gotta Skate
Love
Linda

2009-10-15T23:11:00.000-07:00

It's fun when I check the mail and find something other than Junk Mail or Bills... I enjoy getting greeting cards, especially for the moment and when they are least expected! At times, it may become a little overwhelming... where do I put them? On the Mantle? Under refrigerator magnets? On the kitchen counter or coffee table? Tape them on a door? Once I decide where to display them.... these lovely cards only become a pain in the "you know what" because they're in the way when I want to dust, or a gust of wind from an open door knocks them over. I can't forget my addorable feline friend who loves to swat at anything in her way! Here's a perfect solution with a little Allegro Flair ~ I will start placing future greeting cards in my Wired Greeting Card Holder! Narrow enough to place on a mantle yet large enough to hold up to 20 greeting cards. After the Holidays.. this unique item can be used to hold pictures... recipe cards and notes. Now I can't wait for the Holidays.... I'll be checking my mail daily and loading up my Card Holder. Happy Holidays!

2009-10-11T11:43:00.000-07:00

LADIES!!!

Remember...a layer of dust protects the wood beneath it.

‘A house becomes a home when you can write 'I love you' on the furniture.'

I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect - 'in case someone came over.' Finally, I realized one day that no-one came over; they were all out living life and having fun!

NOW, when people visit, I don’t have to explain the 'condition' of my home.
They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun.

If you haven’t figured this out yet, please heed this advice.

Life is short. Enjoy it!

Dust if you must ...but wouldn’t it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake cookies or a cake and lick the spoon or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there’s not much time. With shrimp to eat, rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the worlds out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, and a shower of rain. This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go - and go you must - you know, you, yourself, will make more dust!

Gotta Skate
Love
Linda

2009-10-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey.. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call "crystallizing". When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.

Cinnamon and Honey

Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around.

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.

Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. It was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root. GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu..

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH: People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and loved ones. Everyone needs healthy help information ~ what they do with it is up to them

Gotta Skate
Love
Linda

2009-09-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

Just wanted you to be aware of this new cure....

Important Women's Health Issue:

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?
Do you suffer from shyness?
Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Margaritas. Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas.

Margaritas may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Incarceration
- Erotic lustfulness
- Loss of motor control
- Loss of clothing
- Loss of money
- Table dancing
- Headache
- Dehydration
- Dry mouth
- And a desire to sing Karaoke

WARNINGS:

The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing.
The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse without spitting.

Please share this with other women who may need Margaritas.

Gotta' Skate
Love
Linda

2009-09-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

No doubt you've heard about people who have been abducted and had their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves.

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago. I went to sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs. It was just that quick. The replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and what happened to mine?

I spent the entire summer looking for my thighs. Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself toliving out my life in jeans and then the bloody body thieves struck again.

My bum was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to match my new rear-end to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. But my new bum was attached at least three inches lower than my original! I realized I'd have to give up my jeans in favor of long skirts.

Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One morning I was drying my hair and was horrified to see the flesh of my upper arm swing to and fro with the motion of the hairbrush.

This was really getting scary - my body was being replaced one section at a time. What could they do to me next?

When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a turkey neck, I decided to tell my story. Women of the world wake up and smell the coffee!

Those 'plastic' surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts - stolen from you and me!

The next time someone you know has something 'lifted', look again - was it lifted from you?

THIS IS NOT A HOAX. This is happening to women everywhere every night.

WARN YOUR FRIENDS!

Gotta' Skate
Love
Linda

2009-08-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

The History of 'APRONS'

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ' old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Send this to those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma's aprons.
REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.
Now her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs was on that apron.

I don't think we ever caught anything from an apron.

2009-06-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

I did it ~ I survived Christina's bachelorette party! With 22 beautiful young girls ~ I was able to hang with the best of them. Patti (grooms mom) was a trouper also ~ after all, the Moms are always the most fun! With Kathy and MaryKay along side of me ~ there was non stop dancing, singing, laughing and wise cracking. Good Job girls.... who's next on the list to get married??!!

The wedding is less than 3 weeks away, you can visit the wedding website to see more of the Happy couple ~ www.ewedding.com/sites/callegro7

2009-06-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

Bananas
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Cheese
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Green Peppers
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.

Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Hamburger
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

Eggs
To really make scrambled eggs or omelettes rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

Brownie Treat
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt chocolate mint patties in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

Cooking with Garlic
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm.

This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.

Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and.. ta da!... static is gone.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup.

Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields?
Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth.

It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.)

He told us that he wanted to show us something else; he took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material... I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like.

Well ...the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit.

You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free... that nice fragrance too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box ..well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen.

This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months.

He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

How about that!!

Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that.

So, I thought I'd share!

Gotta Skate
Linda

2009-06-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Gurls

It is summer and I know I should be talking about the joys of gardening or sitting by the pool, but I feel a bit more like pulling the covers over my head and taking a nap in a cool, dark place.

And it turns out I am not alone, a lot of my friends seem to be plum worn out too. Everyone I talk to has been sharing the same sentiment—that 2009 been one of the bumpiest, challenging, and down right bizarre years thus far.

All of this chit chat about the trying twists and turns of 2009 and the deep longing to rest, relax or runaway got me thinking...there nothing better than the escape of a great movie — unless it is a great movie AND popcorn!

Gather the girls and have them over for a mini-movie-vacation. Pick all the chick flicks you want and make an afternoon, evening — or even a weekend out of it!

I'll share a few of my favorites, some you may have already seen, but they are worth repeating.

I loved Fried Green Tomatoes! We all have our own inner Towanda—remember her and call her out to play when you watch this movie. What's Love Got to Do With It, the story of Tina Turner's life is a powerful movie. You will be inspired by her strength. It will thrill you to watch Tina thrive and overcome the odds.

The Joy Luck Club is the story of four mothers and four daughters. Bring a box of tissue!

A few more favorites: On Golden Pond, Sophie's Choice, The Red Violin, Life is Beautiful, The English Patient, Terms of Endearment, Silkwood, War of the Roses, Beaches, Paradise Road, Boys on the Side, Dirty Dancing, Gorilla's in the Mist, How to Make an American Quilt, League of Their Own, Little Princess, The Piano, Steel Magnolias, and last but not least...Waiting to Exhale.

Even if your budget won't cover a week with the girls at your favorite spa, there is no need to miss out on the respite of a nice dark, cool place out of the heat and away from reality. The spirit of friendship doesn't require a big budget, just a big heart and a big bucket of popcorn!

Make the gathering even more memorable with an Allegroized popcorn bowl for each one of your girlfriends!

Dream Big!
Gotta Skate
Linda

2009-05-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

As a volunteer-based nonprofit, we have over 30 different teams supporting all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Through special projects, dedicated teams and individuals supporting our troops, we make a visible difference in the lives of our service members and their families. To get involved, check out the list below or learn more here!

Adopt a Soldier - Individualized support throughout deployment

Angel Bakers - Homemade treats for the deployed

Blankets of Gratitude - Handcrafted love for hospitalized veterans

Blankets of Hope - Handcrafted comfort for the wounded

Cards Plus Team - Extra TLC for soldiers & families

Chaplain Support Team - Help chaplains support the troops

Community Team Leaders (CTLs) - Representing Soldiers' Angels at home

Eagle Cane Project - Handmade canes for the wounded

First Response Backpacks - Supplies for wounded in-country

Hero Flights - Emergency travel assistance

Hero Packs - Care packages

K-9 Support - Caring for military working dogs and their handlers

Ladies of Liberty - Extra TLC for deployed females

Letter Writing Team - Personal letters for the deployed

Living Legends - Remembering the fallen and their families

Memorial Portraits - Drawings for families of the fallen

Operation Birthday Cake - Shipping gourmet birthday cakes to deployed troops

Operation Outreach - Supporting families waiting at home

Operation Phone Home - Calling cards

Operation Top Knot - Handmade gifts & virtual baby showers

Scarves - Handmade heat and sand protection

SOS:Kids - Helping deployed soldiers help local kids

Tank Support - Helping Veterans Travel to Medical Appointments

Valour-IT - Adaptive laptops for the wounded

VA Crochet & Craft - Handmade comfort & dignity for hospitalized Vets

Veterans Support - Assisting veterans facilities

Wounded TLC - Letters and care packages for the wounded

"Just navigating through your site humbles me. Just the concept of how much you do for us brings a tear to our eye. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart." - Anonymous Soldier

May No Soldier Go Unloved

Adopt a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine

Sure you might not be here on the front line, covered in filth, smelling like hell, your heart going a mile a minute, not knowing what's coming next: if your next step is on that TRP, or if your going to be the latest recruiting tool for some insurgent's new video while they take pot shots at you. But, what you all do with those cards, care packages, cookies is just as important... - Anonymous Soldier

Soldiers' Angels
"May No Soldier Go Unloved"

Honoring the fallen and supporting their families is an important part of the work of Soldiers' Angels.

Lets help anyway we can

Gotta Skate

Linda

2009-05-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid, And bring so much happiness...just as they did. I want to pay back all the joy they've provided. Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues, And I'll bounce on the furniture...wearing my shoes. I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out. I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach, I'll get into things like sugar and bleach. Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head, (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they cook dinner and call me to eat, I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat, I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table, And when they get angry...I'll run...if I'm able! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click, I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick. I'll take off my socks and throw one away, And play in the mud 'til the end of the day! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh, I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes. My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping, And say with a groan, 'She's so sweet when she's sleeping!'

God Bless All Moms and Grandmas everywhere!

2009-05-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

ASPIRIN: Why Aspirin by your bed?

It is important to always have ASPIRIN in the home!!!

Why have Aspirin by your bedside?

ABOUT HEART ATTACKS

There are other symptoms of a heart attack besides the pain on the left arm.
One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating, however these symptoms may also occur less frequently.

NOTE: There may be no pain in the chest during a heart attack.

The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.

If that happens, IMMEDIATELY DISSOLVE TWO ASPIRINS IN YOUR MOUTH and swallow them with a bit of water.

Afterwards, phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by and state "HEART ATTACK!!!" and that you have taken 2 ASPIRINS

Take a seat on a chair or sofa and wait for their arrival and....

DO NOT LIE DOWN!!!

2009-04-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing that you can say about me as I get older, it's this: I'm cranky, cranky, cranky and I simply LOVE to complain about the things that annoy me.

I also love to eat, although I do have to watch myself!

But that is why I think designing and making things dedicated to those of us that Love Life after 50 is so rewarding.
What is the difference between a Little Old Lady, a Geezer and a Coot?

What is a “LOL”? Always a term used in good humor. A LOL is "somewhat eccentric and usually a devil may care kinda woman!"

What about "Geezer"? All agree that a geezer is an older person, odd, eccentric, funny and always male.

Finally, a "Coot" is "a foolish or eccentric person; an amusing old fellow a loveable curmudgeon!"

Today's seniors -- a group having more money than God Himself!

Seniors are pretty much invisible in America. Turn 50 and — Poof! — you're a goner.

Mention the senior market and we conjure Mr. Whipple squeezing Charmin while Clara chortles "Where's the beef?"

We geezers are rich. And spending like crazy.

What are we spending our money on?

• Alcohol, perhaps because they spend more time in leisure activities.
• New cars ...trading in the old "family" car.
• Entertainment, due to more free time.
• Gifts...mature people spend millions on gifts.
• Coffee!
• Recreation vehicles...they are on the road.
• Vacation homes, airfares, ship fares, hotels.

The biggest blunder is thinking that old people are old.

http://www.allegroartstudio.com/

2009-03-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

The older I get the more obvious it becomes to me how much I've changed. Sometimes I wonder if those who've known me for a while can see it too.

I believe that we are different people at different stages of our lives. We carry around the same basic 'shell', that's true, but even that changes. I look at myself in the mirror and there is almost nothing recognizable left of that 20 or 30 year old young woman that I used to be. And on the inside, I have definitely become a very different person.

I think I finally understand what wisdom means. I can actually see myself having some of it. I'm always surprised when I say something that has my experience of years behind it.

I used to wonder what I would be like as an older person. I was afraid to grow older. I'm happy to say that what I imagined has not come to pass. I'm actually rather pleasant, to my surprise.

And I'm neither too thin nor too heavy. I wear what I want now, because I care a little less what others think. I'm far more confident than I ever imagined I could be.

The anger and resentments that I used to feel are gone. Not even traces are left; in their place, there is joy, and a unique kind of pleasure waking up every day. I appreciate my life more.

I finally understand why people volunteer. I do it myself. I'm at that age, you know.

http://www.allegroartstudio.com/

2009-03-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

This wasn’t actually going to be the topic of this month’s Let Me Talk. I had another idea conjured up, and then I was watching the Today Show and heard about the number of increased car accidents attributed to the use of cell phones and text messaging while driving. The number one cause of death for teenagers is car accidents. That is a startling statistic.

I took my kids to lunch to talk with them about the importance of staying off their cell phones and never ever sending or reading text messages while they were driving. The tragic stories I had heard were a real wake up call.

My daughter said after our lunch conversation she and her friends all put a rule in place not to ever text message while driving. I was thrilled to hear our discussion had hit home.

I assure you our kids are listening to far more of what we say than we think they are. Never was that as clear to me than after years of nagging my kids and all their friends to wear their seat belts, I got the call every parent dreads.

When our daughter was 16 years old the phone rang and the police were on the other end saying our daughter had been in a very serious accident. My husband and I rushed to the scene full of worry and scared to death. I tried to remember what the last thing I said to her was. Did I tell her I loved her? Does she know how proud I am of her?

The police tried to stop us from getting any closer until we explained our daughter was in the accident. Once we got through, we were totally unprepared for what we saw. The cars had collided head on going over 50 miles an hour. The car she was riding in was in the middle of the two-lane highway—upside down.

I scanned the crowd looking for my daughter. There she was standing—yes standing!—on the side of the road. We ran to each other and embraced in tears. I was never so glad to see my daughter in my life. A flood of relief washed over me.

I soon learned there were five teenagers in the car she was riding in. Miraculously, all five were wearing their seat belts! Her friend was driving the car she was riding in.

I share this story with you as a reminder to buckle up and to loosen up. Buckle your seat belts and loosen your lips—tell those around you how much you love and appreciate them—often. You never know when it will be your last chance.

One by one my daughters friends showed up at the house in the days after the accident and each one of them shared with me that it was due to my nagging over the years that they were all in the habit of putting on their seat belts. In fact, that very night of the accident they joked about buckling up or hearing about it from me. They buckled up and an hour later they were in the head on accident.

SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES! PLEASE WEAR YOURS! I have no doubt the night I got that phone call would have turned out very differently if they had not been wearing their seat belts. I am so grateful they were.

Putting on a seat belt takes about 10 seconds.

Trust me, you are worth it!
Gotta Skate
Linda

2009-03-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

The possibilities are endless. Take the time to enjoy life.

Time waits for no one...click here

Happiness as you get older has more to do with attitude than actual health.

People who think they are aging well are not necessarily the healthiest."In fact, optimism was found to be more important to successfully aging than traditional measures of health and wellness. Physical health is not the best indicator of successful aging—attitude is.

However, this study is encouraging because it shows that the best predictors of successful aging are well within an individual's control.“Dance as if no one were watching, Sing as if no one were listening, And live every day as if it were your last”What a great philosophy to travel through life's journey with! "You just need to dance as though no one is watching."

This statement can be taken literally - go out dancing and just enjoy yourself, have fun ... does it really matter what others think?

Be true to yourself; don't live your life to please others.

Email me

Gotta Skate

Linda

2009-03-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

Shop Until You Drop

2009 Schedule of Shows and Events

GREAT LAKES ART FAIR - SPRING 2009

Date: Friday, Saturday & Sunday,

April 17-18-19, 2009

Location: Rock Financial Showplace46100 Grand River Avenue, Novi, MI.

Show Hours: Saturday, Sept. 19 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

2009-03-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Gurl Art Gals,

It seems that we are being given reminders in both large global ways and in small personal ways to focus on what matters. This spring I hope we take that message to heart. A new sense of hope and opportunity seems to be emerging.

Let’s embrace it! Find the time to give back, speak and show your affection often, mend a quarrel, keep promises, believe more strongly in your dreams.

Let’s begin this spring by putting our intentions into action. I am talking about a new way of approaching life. The way we spend our time is ultimately the way we spend our lives. Devote your time and energy to what really matters.

What do you always think about doing, but don’t actually do? What does your heart desire? Have you always wanted to run a marathon, take a trip to the land of your ancestors, take a photography class, learn to speak another language, plant a garden, or volunteer at a local charity?

Lets actually do it! The reality is we make time for whatever is really important to us. If it is truly a priority we find, we carve out, we create the time.

Sometimes on the way to your dream you get lost and find a better one. It is never too late to start living the life you were meant to live!

Gotta Skate!
Linda

2009-03-19T13:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Gurls,

I sat down to write an entirely different Thought this month, yet as I began writing the news was on in the background. I should have left the TV off...

We are surrounded with discouraging images every day. If we aren’t facing a desperate situation we know someone who is. It can be overwhelming.

How can we stay optimistic and hopeful when we are bombarded with bad news?

How do we focus on the good and chose to remain positive in the face of our uphill challenges? Now more than ever we have to choose hope over fear.

Music really helps me set the tone—no pun intended—for my day. It’s my ultimate trick to changing my mood and uplifting my spirits.

No matter how frustrated we may feel or how big our obstacles may seem, we all have something to be grateful for.

I am going to write down 10 things every day that I am grateful for and I invite you to join me in this practice.

I am grateful for you!

Gotta Skate

Linda

2009-03-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

READ THIS VERY SLOWLY... IT'S PRETTY PROFOUND.

From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gas up and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain." And my personal favorite: "It's Monday." .She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because we cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips.

She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious.

You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-Decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day.

Do something you WANT to.......not something on your SHOULD DO list.

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly?

When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?

Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hi"?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away....

Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Gotta Skate!

Linda

http://www.gorillaproof.net/

2009-03-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

Good morning, my friend,
Along with the hand blown glass dishes that I purchased for "my girls" in Bermuda, last summer, your beautiful wire art fiesta platters were the hit of their Christmas. I am going to ask them if they would like me to start them on an assortment of glasses.
You are absolutely an angel for making these dishes so quickly. It made all of us very happy! Below (if I can find it) is a photo of our pregnant daughter-in-law (8 1/2 months) on Christmas morning.
Again, I wish you & your family the "bestest" New Year ever!!!!!!!
Faith
xo

http://www.gorillaproof.net/

2009-02-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

Hi friends,

This may seem like a funny blog but I was so surprised by what I discovered I had to share it with you.

When I think of the job situation in this country, I can't help but think this helps in some small way.

I don't know how many households there are in the U.S. But if these were the only things we bought think of the impact....

I was at Kroger. I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets.

I was in the light bulb aisle and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled "Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA .

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets....yep you guessed it Bounce was more money and made in Canada, the Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA!

I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

So my challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!

Stop buying from China…

Help our fellow Americans keep their jobs ... And create more jobs here in the U.S.A

All my items are made in Michigan, USA!!

2009-01-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

I just had my latest birthday I am another year older!!

However, like my mother always says “I don’t mind getting older …. The alternative is too bleak!!

I feel the same way!!

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly.

As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old. I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.

So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.

I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free.

I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.

And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).

Linda

2009-01-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

I had to go into the kitchen and check this out for myself.

Whoever looks at the end of your aluminum foil box?

You know when you try to pull some foil out and the roll comes out of the box.

Then you have to put the roll back in the box and start over. The darn roll always comes out at the wrong time.Well, I would like to share this with you.

Yesterday I went to throw out an empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it and looked at the end of the box. And written on the end it said, Press here to lock end.

Right there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place.

How long has this little locking tab been there?

I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum foil and it had one, too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one too!

I can't count the number of times the Saran wrap roll has jumped out when I was trying to cover something up. I'm sharing this with my friends.

I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this.

2009-01-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

Just leave it up to Google to come up with something like this!!!

Here's a number worth putting in your cell phone, or your home phone speed dial: 1-800-goog411.

This is an awesome service from Google, and it's free -- great when you are on the road.
Don't waste your money on information calls and don't waste your time manually dialing the number.

I am driving along in my car and I need to call the golf course and I don't know the number. I hit the speed dial for information that I have programmed.

The voice at the other end says, "City & State." I say, "Garland, Texas." He says, "Business, Name or Type of Service."

I say, Firewheel Golf Course."

He says, "Connecting" and Firewheel answers the phone.

How great is that?

This is nationwide and it is absolutely free!

Click on the link below and watch the short clip for a quick demonstration. http://www.google.com/goog411/

2009-01-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

FuN FuNcTiOnAl Wall Art!

Woo Hoo ~ I luv when a plan comes together !! Wire Wall Art is always fun for me to make because it has to have a purpose. FuNcTiOnAl ArT is what I'm all about and I'm usually inspired by everyday things. Last week I was going through my jewelry ~ you'd be surprised what you can do with odd beads and jewelry findings (o-k I'm getting off track here). It took a little longer than usual because most of the necklaces were tangled and it was very time consuming to detangle them... I know, it's my fault ~ I'm always in a hurry (I can't fess up to the fact that I'm just plain ole sloppy - it's a known fact that creative people are that way ya know). Needless to say, my wheels started spinning and I had to drop everything I was doing to start wrapping and swirling wire.... so here you have it, a Wall Mounted Jewelry Rack.. it's perfect for Necklaces, Bracelets and Earrings. I loaded mine with my favorite peices of jewelry, now when I want to wear them.... they are right at my finger tips! You can see more of these wall mounted jewelry hangers in my eBay store www.stores.ebay.com/all-wired-up-functional-art Let me know what you think and as always... feel free to contact me for custom art.

2008-07-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Today, was a typical day. I was runing, skating, racing, driving around trying to get everything done that needed my attention. To say I was stressed would be an understatement. Then I got this email from an 85 year old friend of mine.

"I can do all these things", I said to myself and "I will", I promised myself.

I pass these tips on just in case you are having a day like mine!!

1.) Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate antidepressant.

2.) Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3.) Buy a Tivo (DVR), tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4.) When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to________ today.'

5.) Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6.) Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did last year.

7.) Always pray and make time to exercise.

8.) Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of Six.

9.) Dream more while you are awake.

10.) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.

11.) Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

12.) Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13.) Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14.) Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15.) Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class .......but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16.) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17.) Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18.) Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19.) Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20.) Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21.) You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22.) Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

23.) Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24.) Ladies - Go on and burn those 'special' scented candles, use the 600 thread count sheets, the good china and wear our fancy lingerie now. Stop waiting for a special occasion. Every day is special.

25.) No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26.) Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

27.) Forgive everyone for everything.

28.) What other people think of you is none of your business.

29.) Time heals almost everything. Give time, time!

30.) However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31.) Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch with them.

32.) Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33.) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34.) The best is yet to come.

35.) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36.) Do the right thing!

37.) Call your family often.,

38.) Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: 'I am thankful for __________.' Today I accomplished _________.

39.) Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40.) Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it .

2008-06-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Meet Odessa ~ my great niece! Isn't she addorable? The first Great Grandchild for my parents, the first Grandchild for my Brother and Sister in Law the first great neice for me! I took a trip to California in March with Pops, we did everything from Wine tasting to Rodeo's but I have to say the most precious moments were spent with the newest member to our family, my great niece. Beleive it or not, her hair is still growing straight up ~ don't you just want to bite those cheeks? Congrats to proud parents Brian and Caitlyn.... and Grandparents Dan and Deb. I cant help myself.... I just have to show her off! Luv Auntie Linda

2008-06-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

We all have hopes, dreams, and secret ambitions.

When was the last time you did something really bold? Where has your spirit of adventure gone? If the answer is “buried somewhere deep”, it is time to let her out!

This summer I dare you to try something new. Take that painting class you have always wanted to sign up for, go backpacking for the first time, start the business you have been dreaming about, plant the garden you have always wanted.

Dare to dream, dare to have fun!

Maybe we don’t have to walk out on a limb, but we do have to live out loud!

That is my goal for the summer

Linda

2008-06-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

Anyway, I think there's a place on my website for the upcoming show schedule ~ isnt there?

Heres the scoop for 2008 (so far)

May 1, 2008 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Allegro Art Studio Open House
50377 Aldwych St
Macomb, MI 48044

Sept. 20 & 21, 2008
Sat. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Festival of the Senses
40700 Romeo Plank Rd
Clinton Township, MI 48038
http://www.ctfestivalofthesenses.com/

Nov. 8, 2008 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Dakota HS 13th Annual Holiday Art/Craft Show
21051 21 Mile Rd
Macomb, MI 48044

Nov. 29, 2008 9 a.m. - 4 p.m
Elf Shelf Craft Show
Troy High School
4777 Northfield Parkway
Troy, MI
http://www.troywomensassociation.org/id2.html

Dec. 6, 2008 6 p.m. - 9.pm.
Allegro Art Studio Open House
50377 Aldwych St
Macomb, MI 48044

PLEASE CHECK BACK OFTEN FOR UPDATES!

WINE TASTING The Best Wine is the Wine You Enjoy! Several flavors to sample. Enjoy a wine tasting experience with friends, family, and colleagues without the costly trip to wine country!

See my line of Wine Glasses
See my Gift Selection

YOUR OWN PARTY Tupperware has nothing on Allegro - schedule your own house party!! Now Booking For 2010 ~ With Great Hostess Benefits... email me for more information

Party Time click here
Awesome Kitchen Stuff

ALLEGRO WEDDINGS Welcome to my collection of Fun Wedding Stuff!
I've packed this section full all of those nifty wedding and miscellaneous items that can make your day stand out as the celebration it was meant to be!

Looking for the
perfect gift?

CALL ME! Email or contact Linda anytime for more information. 586-216-5030

Fax: 866-855-3441

Macomb, Michigan 48044

United States
E-mail:

All-Wired-Up

THE MAP Follow the yellow brick road to:

50377 Aldwych Street

Macomb, Michigan 48044

Good luck!

Go to Mapquest.

GIFT CERTIFICATES Make someone's day by sending an
"Allegro Fun & Functional"
e-certificate! The recipient of this gift will be alerted within 24 hours via email along with your name and gift amount.

Custom Gift Certificates

2008-05-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

Thanx so much for my new Blog...

I just noticed it on the website, it's beautiful!!

I'm on a roll now, blog this:

What's really ironic is that last night I had 5 of my bestest girlfriends in whole wide world over to celebrate our birthdays. We've been friends since grade school and have laughed and cried together for over 40 years!

Sally mentioned that her son "blogged her" she was so excited!

He called it "My mother wants to blog" we all laughed with tears running down our faces and everyone else asked,”What’s a blog?" "how do you do it?" "what's it for?" yada yada.

Me being the caring one that I am, didn’t want to burst Sally's bubble and say something like "oh honey.... you haven’t seen a blog until you've seen my blog"!

Now I can't take it anymore, I just have to show it off!!

Six Packs, this is for you!

Xoxox
herself