I want to put in my two cents!

Many of us (especially me) like to be able to put our two cents in by making comments on other people's blogs. It helps you make friends and it's fun!

So, I made a goal to try and read and comment on at least 10 of the blogs I follow a day. I've been working on it and have found some FABULOUS ones, but when I tried to leave a comment, Blogger wouldn't accept my email address or url for velvetonthepage, and kept redirecting me to sign into my google account OVER and OVER and OVER again....

It had me tearing my hair out!

Blogger help had lots of people complaining about the same thing, but either the question was left unanswered or there was goobledegook that didn't really solve the problem.

I finally googled it and found the answer and now I can comment on blogs! Here is what finally worked for me in case you are having the same problem.

You do need a gmail (google email) account which is easy to set up if you haven't already here: http://goo.gl/aNh7e
Once you have a gmail account, then there are three suggestions- the first worked for me, but you can try the others if need be:

First try:
1/ Log in to Blogger using www.blogger.com (you may have to click on "sign out" first if you go automatically go directly to your own blogger page like mine did). You need to get a fresh start! 
2/ Do not check "remember me" or "stay signed in" or ANY such thing. Then you should be able to comment with your blogger name- yay!

If that doesn't work:
1/ Clear cache, cookies, and sessions (all three)- then restart the browser.
2/ Login to Blogger using www.blogger.com
3/ Do not check "remember me" or "stay signed in".

If that still doesn't work:
1/Go to IE tools, then internet options, then privacy, then sites....enter www.blogger.com , then click allow.

I really hope that helps other people! Look for comments on your blogs from me, and I would love to hear from you too.

And......I think any of your comments would be worth WAY more than two cents......

And now if I can just avoid this:

....all will be well! Let's talk....

Here are my two favorite blog posts I found today:

1/ Because this tutorial uses vintage children's encyclopedia book pages....
http://littlegreenbums.blogspot.com/2011/06/tutorial-time-upcycled-fold-note.html

2/ and because this blogger finds strange things interesting like I do!
http://thestapeliacompany.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-outdoors.html

I love rocks

I love rocks. Not the fancy kind of rocks like sparkling diamonds or precious minerals (although I love agates too). I mean plain ol' rocks you find on the ground while you're out for a walk in the woods, on the beach, or even around a suburban neighborhood. The kind of rocks I like are round or oval, and usually some tone of gray. They may be mottled or speckled. What's to love in an ordinary rock like that?

Well, a couple of years ago I became resigned to the fact that I should walk every day, and made it my New Year's Resolution. On January 1st I took my yellow Lab out for a half an hour, and eventually he helped to motivate me to get out the door for a walk every morning. I got the idea that every time I took a walk I should pick up a rock along the way as a physical symbol of my commitment. I would look around for the best rock I could find and this would actually make me walk longer and turned the walk into kind of a treasure hunt. Eventually, I had filled a small vase with rocks. I had walked every day for a month!

I collected over 300 rocks that year and I had a new good habit ingrained into my routine. I put the rocks into silver dishes;

I put them into birdbaths;

And then I started putting them in my artwork.

I put them on frames;

I put them in nature collections;

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73444030/nature-collection-shadowbox

I put them on boxes;

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70641656/kitschy-agate-jewelry-box

I even made them into jewelry.

http://velvetonthepage.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-make-earrings-out-of-buttons-and.html

I just think plain, gray rocks like this are so organic and simple and beautiful. However, I also love rocks that look ordinary on the outside but which you can crack open and find something extraordinary inside. Thundereggs (geodes) are the state rock of Oregon. It's fun to think something secret could be hidden inside all those rocks.

One of the strangest experiences I had picking up rocks was when we were walking along the bank of the McKenzie River in Eugene and I looked down and saw this message from the universe written on a rock:

Just a reminder to look down, keep your eyes open and look for beauty in ordinary things.