I have just completed the ultimate scrapbooking space. It’s so bright and happy … I never want to leave it. Okay, so it is more like a scrapbooking closet, but it is the only thing in my house that is mine. I have a really cool Cricut die cut machine with all the bells and whistles. My daughter is very excited about the Beauty and the Beast cartridge. Then, I went crazy at Joanns and bought lots of storage stuff.

Plus, I bought 2 new OttLite’s. I got them from the Ott website for a killer deal. One is purple – yes, purple – which goes with all my stuff. They had lots of cute colors and styles. The other is a battery powered lamp, so I can take it to crops and friends houses. Plus, it is really cool if I’m working at my kitchen table.

The only problem I have with the portable OttLite is I keep finding it around the house – kids room, garage, bathroom (don’t ask).

I only get to scrapbook at night after the little people go to bed. So, I need lighting that doesn’t hurt my eyes. I used to have a hot, cheap lamp that made me hot and I couldn’t work under it. Plus, it made everything look washed out and weird. The OttLite is nice and cool. I can get in my zone and scrapbook as long as I want without my eyes getting tired. And, I know the colors I’m picking are the real colors.

My next mission is to find the perfect chair – something squishy, but supportive. Ideas?

I’ve been having trouble lately working with all the little pieces and putting my string through the crimp bead. Then I read the most depressing article about what happens to your vision when you hit the not-so-old, still totally relevant age of 50. Here are the stats … when you’re born you can clearly focus on an object at 2 inches in front of you, 4 inches at age 25. Fastforward to 50 – it’s 20 inches. At age 60 it jumps to 40 to 79 inches. I never wore glasses, but now I’m constantly looking for my cheaters. I have five pairs in various places, but can never find them when I need them.

My friend Linda laughed at me when I was visiting her in Ann Arbor and couldn’t find my glasses. She too suffers from “short arm syndrome.” She told me she uses OttLite for her painting and beading because she can paint for hours without her glasses and her eyes feel great. She has one of those floor ones with the flexible neck so you can point it anywhere. I tried it and was impressed. Where is the best place to buy an OttLite?

I feel like I’ve joined a cult. Starting a new craft is like learning a new language. I just got into beading last year. So I bought my bead board, pliers, crimpers, Mighty crimpers and a killer assortment of beads and findings. Then I bought an OttLite so I can actually see all this tiny stuff. My friend Jean told me I had to have one or I was just throwing money away. I didn’t know what she was talking about until I started using it. Now I can see my bead colors and separate them so much more easily. Plus, putting on all those tiny beads is super easy. My eyes feel better.

Here is the cult part. I started to see these things everywhere. Pam who works in the next office has one and said she loves it and has two at home. She was so excited for me when I told her I had one. Then I was flipping through channels and landed on the Antiques Road Show. What do they have – Ottlites on every table. Of course I now see them all over Joanns. I guess there are worse cults I could join!

For more information on OttLite’s products please visit: http://www.ottlite.com/

Twilight

It is so fun to have this common story, our own inside conversation. I’m on the first book … and can’t put it down. When I found out the main character Bella loves Jane Austin books, I was so excited. What a nice literary role model for my niece. However, that’s where Bella’s sense and sensibility ends. I don’t want my sweet niece hanging out with bad boys or vampires. Though, Edward does seem like alot of fun!

And, of course, my niece reads by the light of her own OttLite lamp. I have the suspicion that it’s on ’til the wee hours of the morn illuminating Bella and Edward. Maybe after she finishes the series, her OttLite will light up the fiery romance of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
- Jessica

And what does the man who lives so minimally have? An OttLite! He’s had it since 1997. One of Peter’s tips is to “slay the energy vampires” by reducing electricity costs, turning off appliances and switching to energy efficient lighting. Here’s what Peter says about OttLite …

“I have a portable lamp that I use when I read. I bought that lamp in 1997 and have yet to replace the bulb. It is not only better for your eyes, it also saves energy.”

Visit Peter’s website to buy the book. Pair it with an OttLite Task lamp for a minimalist present that will get maximum appreciation from dad!

My daughter is teaching me all about texting so I can interpret my older son’s correspondence with his friends. Are 800 text messages a months too many? He doesn’t think so, but the phone bill certainly does. But that’s not what this stream-of- consciousness blog is about. My daughter and son also got me a really nice Mother’s Day present this year – just my size, exactly what I wanted… a gift card to Michaels!!!

So there I was with my BFF (Sandy), in the most creative place in town with money to spend. It’s a big responsibility buying the perfect present for yourself. I searched the entire place for something that I would use a lot and really enjoy. I ended up in the back by the cross stitching stuff and then I saw the light … literally, it was the OttLite aisle! I always thought they had two styles – floor and little table guy. Not the case … they have every configuration you could dream up. I grabbed the Flex Arm Plus for my craft room. It’s nice because you can use it on a table or with the clamp on thingy. And it really reaches far. My eyes are sooooo much happier now. What scares me is what I thought everything actually looked like before I could see the real colors. Yikes! OMG

It’s like sitting outside on a springy day, but without the bugs, the heat and the fear of sunburn (LOL). Now I am introducing a new text ILMOL (I Love my OttLite). TTFN. GTG!!!

Reading All Night is Alright!

I am so excited for Alison Weir’s new book about Ann Boleyn. I was on her website last night and saw that the launch is at the Tower of London … how cool and creepy. My husband, however, doesn’t think that’s a reasonable reason to visit the land of the Tudors. I am currently reading her book about the life of Queen Elizabeth from birth to coronation. I’m eating it up. I’ve read several books about her life as queen, but this look at her as a girl is really eye opening.

I was reading until 2 am last night and just kept turning and turning the pages. I work all day, come home, drive kids to practice/games and then have some “me time.” My friends don’t understand how I can stay awake. I have the perfect formula: a comfortable chair, an ottoman, my cat (who is wonderful to read with), and an OttLite lamp over my shoulder. With that lamp I can read for hours and my eyes feel great. There’s no glare or heat with the OttLite. The only problem is I can’t stop reading!!! Makes mornings a little rough, but that’s what they have coffee for.

Well, for Mother’s Day I got the nicest, most thoughtful thing my daughter has ever purchased for me. She bought me an OttLite lamp. Not just any lamp, but the quilter’s dream lamp. It’s a floor lamp with a magnifier attachment and a clip that holds papers, thread, patterns, pictures. It’s like an extra arm. Plus, the head is so wide I can use it over my cutting table and my sewing machine.

The light is something that I can’t believe. I can actually see my navy blue thread on my navy blue quilt when I’m piecing everything together. Plus, I can tell what is black and what is navy. The best thing is my eyes feel so much happier. Now, I can come home from work, turn on some music, quilt and relax. My daughter is happy to see me quilting again and is going to buy another OttLite for her mother-in-law next month for her birthday.