Blog

January 2026

January Thought of the Month

"Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week's value out of a year while another man gets a full year's value out of a week."

~ Charles Richards

December 2025

December Thought of the Month

"Money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give."

~ Steve Goodier

November 2025

November Thought of the Month

"When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. When character is lost, all is lost."

~ Reverend Billy Graham

Green is the New Pink Project: Punch Bowl

If you have Mini Brand half domes in a box waiting to be repurposed, this project is for you. It's also the easiest project I've come up with so far. All you need is glue, the lid half of a Mini Brand ball, and a jug cap (first photo).

Step 1 - Run a bead of glue along the edges of the upside down jug cap.

Step 2 - Position it over the center of the base of the Mini Brand ball. Press down and adjust so that it is parallel to the surface you're working on (second photo).

October 2025

October Thought of the Month

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

~ T.S. Eliot

Before GPS and Google Maps, we depended on printed Rand McNally road maps. We wouldn't have had maps if not for the explorers and guides who blazed the trails into the wilderness, risking and losing their lives. Imagine the courage it took to risk entering unknown territory with no idea of the outcome. That's the kind of strength we need to achieve and progress in this world.

September 2025

September Thought of the Month

"We don't grow when everything is easy."

~ Joyce Meyer

A long time ago, I heard a story. When the teller was a boy, he saw a butterfly struggling to get out of its chrysalis. Wanting to help, he reached out to tear the casing a little so it could get out more easily. But once out, the butterfly was feeble and too weak to fly. He realized the struggle gave the butterfly the strength to live. The lesson he learned from that: the easy way is not always the best way.

August 2025

August Thought of the Month

"The first step to not being afraid is to see things as they really are."

~ Puff the Magic Dragon

People used to say that if someone ignores or dilutes the harshness of life, they were looking at the world through rose colored glasses. While that might make them feel better, in the long run the damage that oulook can do is enormous. It's like building on a floodplain while pretending the water will never rise.

July 2025

July Thought of the Month

"Don't look where you fell but where you slipped."

~ African proverb

Our lives are the sum of our responses to successes and failures. To achieve our goals we must take calculated risks, which means we will fail, likely more often than not. What we have to remember is that failing isn't a reflection of our character but a necessary opportunity to learn.

June 2025

June Thought of the Month

"The future you see is the future you get."

~ Robert G. Allen

Whenever you walk by construction sites, you'll see a sign showing what will eventually stand there. I especially like comparing the sign's image with the work in progress and watching the architect's vision become reality over time. Like these buildings and courtyards, anything we create must start with a vision.

May 2025

May Thought of the Month

"Never underestimate the future. It's all we have to look forward to."

~ Skeleton Warriors episode narrator