Infinity Scarves Make Great Gifts

I have a group of infinity scarves that would make great gifts. Made with a acrylic nylon blend yarn these scarves are very long and soft. The length gives you lots of styling and looping options. This yarn does need gentle handwashing but the softness and versatility of this scarf make the tiny bit of extra work well worth it. 

The scarf below just sold and I don't have any more in this color.

You would have three other  color options if this is a style you like or you know someone this would be a great gift for.

Check these out!

One last bit of information. In my shop any order in the US ships free at $35 and these scarves are priced at $35. That saves you about $4 and I get the thrill of sending one of my creations to a new home!

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

Fortress of the Bear Sitka Alaska

I've had bears on my mind this week. Why? Well I was lucky enough to live in Jackson Wyoming for about 10 years. During that time I was in the right place at the right time a few times and was able to view the famous Grizzly 399 with her cubs. This famous bear has her own social media accounts including a very good one on Instagram. 

When you are out and about in the nearby parks, Grand Teton or Yellowstone or anywhere really you need to be aware that you are in bear country. You should be doing things to keep yourself safe but in my mind more importantly you should do things to keep the bears safe. Number one thing for the bear's safety is to cut off any sources of  easy to get human food. A bear who gets used to easy picking of our foods tends to get in trouble with humans and can get aggressive. Those bears usually get euthanized. That is what happened recently to one of 399's daughters. These deaths are not the bear's fault, the blame lies with the people who gave the bears an easy food source that of course they wanted more and more of.

Okay off soapbox now.

During our Alaskan cruise with Holland America this summer we had the opportunity to go to the Fortress of the Bear in Sitka Alaska.  Their mission statement says, "We provide protection and care to rescued animals in an enriching, educational environment." This nonprofit relies entirely on donations and merchandise sales for to cover operating expenses. They are currently caring for 8 bars.

I found more information on their website.

Bears ruled Alaska long before fishermen, gold miners, or cruise ships arrived. As their territory has diminished, more and more bear cubs have become orphaned and sick. The state of Alaska has no bear rehabilitation program in place, and unfortunately orphaned cubs are routinely shot by the Department of Fish and Game for lack of an alternative. Until now. At Fortress of the Bear, our mission is to rescue cubs, bring them back to health and provide a long life full of enrichment.  

Our rescue center opened in 2007, and now houses 8 bears. More than 20,000 visitors per year come to experience the majesty of these amazing creatures. We’ve sent bears to the Bronx Zoo, Montana Grizzly Encounter and the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas. Our goal is to work with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to someday release rehabbed bears back into the wild. As a 501(C)3 not-for-profit organization, we rely solely on admission fees and donations for funding. 

I know this is not a perfect system since the bears aren't in the wild but the work they do is better than killing more of these magnificent creatures. The mountain west and Alaska  are bear country and we are the intruders so the least we can do is live in a way that allows us to coexist that keeps us all safe. You can take a quick peek at what I saw and took pictures of during my visit to Fortress of the Bear this summer.

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New Items in the CozyAtoZ Shop on Etsy

I managed to get 3 new items up for sale today in my Etsy shop CozyAtoZ. There are 2 infinity scarves new today one in blue and the other in beige. Along with those cotton scarves for warm weather I have some yarny ones to keep you warm and cozy this winter. The third item is a new market bag. The new ones are yellow, I made 5 of them, and are larger than the old ones listed but I kept the price the same. More of these items in other colors are coming soon.

Some pictures if you are interested.....

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Lime Ricki Swimwear

Does thinking of swimwear put a smile on your face or bring on a headache. I am in the headache camp. I want to be comfortable with my look and not have everything hanging out for all to see. At my advanced age of 66 comfort and confidence are important when I am visiting a beach in Hawaii or have my toes in the sand on a Caribbean Island. I have come across a website that seems to get that. 

The site I am sharing with you today is  Lime Ricki modest swimwear. By the way if you are in the Salt Lake or Provo Utah area they have brick and mortar shops in those 2 cities. Since I don't live there I spent my time browsing the site. I found it very easy to navigate. The selection of swimwear is very good and fitting for women of all shapes and sizes.

I took the Fit Finder quiz and from that got some recommendations that I was very pleased to consider. The last few swimsuits I bought were one piece but looking over the styles picked for me I could really see myself wearing the two piece I put in today's selection of pictures to share below. Actually I found something special about all three. I liked the mix of prints on the middle swimsuit and liked the cap sleeves on the bottom one.

Pricing seemed average for quality swimwear on Lime Ricki. However if you are a bargain shopper, as I am, you can check out the sale section with some really fantastic mark downs on some fabulous swimsuits plus a coverup, leggings, a romper and a few bandanas.

So if you take some time to browse this modest swimwear site let me know in the comments if you found anything for your upcoming beach days. Okay?

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!

P.S. Today's post was sponsored. 

Austan Goolsbee on the Al Franken Podcast

I spent a great hour this morning listening to the Al Franken Podcast with Austan Goolsbee as the guest. Any time that I come across an interview with Mr. Goolsbee as the guest I feel smarter afterwords. 

Today the discussion was about the Build Back Better Plan working its was through Congress. So much good stuff in that plan. I am probably being a bit naive in thinking every one should easily see the good that will come from its passage but so be it. 

I have left links to the podcast here for any random reader who may be interested in this podcast.

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September is National Mushroom Month

I find it fun and sometimes amusing to look up a national day or month and then window shop for items that fit the theme. Today I am sharing items that fit in with National Mushroom Month. I know some of you probably love them and some of you (one of my sisters and my daughter) would never ever consider eating mushrooms. Well you don't need to eat mushrooms to enjoy today's picks.

Let me show you...

Think Happy Thoughts from Society6

Carved Quartz Mushrooms from Ebay

Cute Owl Couple under the Mushroom Postcard
by IronicOwl from Zazzle

Sterling Silver Mushroom with Bronze Moon Necklace from Amazon Handmade

There you have it. Mushrooms from 4 different shopping sites in 4 very different styles. Would you choose any or all of them?

Happy National Mushroom Month!

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The links in this post are from affiliates. I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Etsy Favorites

A long time ago I created a list on Etsy named "Made Me Say Wow". I filled it with art and such I stumbled across while browsing. Today I want to give a shout out to four of the artists and shops that are on that list.

This handsome fellow comes from the shop CarlaKurtArt. It is titled "Afternoon Reflection".

You can find this charming bird in the Etsy shop "JohnHarmonGallery". You can order several sizes of a signed print there.

In the mood to treat you and your home to a luxury piece of handmade furniture. Shop for this and more at the Etsy shop MSTRF.

In one of my favorite mediums, watercolor, you can find this Harbor Seal print in the shop of Dean Crouser. This artwork is a high quality print in a limited, signed and numbered series of 400.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!