Sunday, August 28, 2011

Pinterest



How many of you are as addicted to Pinterest as I am? If you don't know what Pinterest is go straight to http://pinterest.com/about/ to learn all about it. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, go straight to Pinterest. It might well be the most brilliant addition to the internet in years. Pinterest is a wonderful world of make-believe where you can share photos of things you love, ideas, and recipes and at the same time discover wonderful things that other "Pinners" have posted. I have found great recipes, craft tutorials, home decor ideas, etc. in just the few weeks that I have had an account. The great thing is that with Pinterest you can save all of those things that you find on other boards to your board. That's called "repinning". Rather than saving each item to your computer files your personal boards become your saved files. Pinterest is far better than I have described. If you would like an example feel free to check out my boards at:
http://pinterest.com/lisakenn/





http://pinterest.com/lisakenn/

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Back to School Printables

This is ADORABLE!!!

I ran across this on the I Heart Naptime and Chocolate Sundaes blog today. I'm well past needing it for my daughters but I can always hope for grandchildren. I wish I had them for the traditional "back to school" morning pictures that my kids started to hate by fifth grade. I still love the sour faces of disgust the last few years of pictures display.

 

Back to school printable

Hello again! This month’s printable was inspired by those ever popular “first day of school pictures.” This is my little mans first time going to school (Preschool counts right?), and I wanted a way to look back at these pictures and instantly know what grade he was in.So, I created these back to school printable posters for my kids (and yours) to hold as they advance through school.

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/2011/07/back-to-school-printable.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Iheartnaptime1+%28I+heart+naptime+with+Chocolate+Sundaes%29

Monday, July 11, 2011

There Are Good Things Going on in Georgia Schools

I'm sure by now that all of you have heard of the cheating scandal in the Atlanta Public School System. I have my own opinions about what might have created an atmosphere where cheating was considered acceptable but much prefer to share what great things are happening in public schools all across Georgia and the rest of the United States.
I consider my two daughters to be amazing educators. As their mom I can brag that they were each honored as Teacher of the Year at their schools within the first four years of their teaching careers. They work an inordinate number of hours after the school day ends to be sure that each of their students not only understands a new skill but that they also know how that skill might be used to accomplish other tasks. They are teaching children to think by using the information that they have learned. How many teachers do you remember who did that for you? I can remember every single teacher who helped me understand the importance of learning.

My amazing daughter, Betsey, and my very tall and proud husband.
Sorry, Emily, I don't have a photo of your classroom.

There are so many unsung heroes among the teaching profession that I want to share with you an article written by one of those very people. I feel very fortunate to have worked at the same school as the author, Lyssa Sadahevan, for two years. Her abilities to engage students in learning, exploring, and creating are what we would wish for all our children in every grade. Please read Lyssa's article at  http://www.parenting.com/blogs/mom-congress/lyssa-sahadevan/working-georgia-state-school-team and then check out her blog http://mymommyreads.blogspot.com/ . If Lyssa suggests a book or an activity I can guarantee you that "It's a Good Thing."

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Maine - Should I Share?

I have never considered myself to be a selfish person. At times I have been accused of being overly generous. For that reason I have surprised myself by not wanting to share with you my new secret garden. It is the State of Maine and in my mind the most glorious place in the world to visit when the sweltering heat of the south is just about to bring you down. We arrived to temperatures in the low 50s the week before Memorial Day. To most people that would be terribly cold especially when accompanied by an ocean breeze. I found it to be exhilerating. Everything in Maine was so different from anything I had ever experienced. The rocky shores created imaginary rock sea creatures,  the light rain (almost like England) allowed the grass to be the greenest I had ever seen, the forests provided sanctuary for animals that can not live in the south, and the people, oh the citizens of Maine are so kind and helpful! The reason I have postponed sharing the photos and information for so long is that by visiting during the low season we essentially had Maine to ourselves. We never waited for a table at a restaurant, there were no traffic jams, the beaches were empty except for us, and the shop owners were pleased to take our money for the numerous souvenirs we purchased.

We saw the claw of a twenty-six pound lobster that had been caught in Massachusetts. A lobster that weighs three pounds is estimated to be 15 - 20 years old. That makes a twenty-six pound lobster to be .......over one hundred years old! I didn't feel quite so badly about eating fresh lobster when I learned that lobsters do not feel pain as we do. They have no cerebral cortex, which is the area of our brains that gives us the sensation of pain. Lobsters also have no vocal cords, the hissing sound that you sometimes hear when they are cooked is the sound of air escaping from their shells.



We laughed at the directional signs.

We were enthralled by the beauty of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and our second spring season of 2011. All the bulbs were blooming and the droplets of moisture from the earlier rain created the most stunning photographs. www.mainegardens.org/


We watched lobstermen bring in the fruits of their labor to the lobster dock where we were eating the freshest lobster available. When they say fresh off the boat they're not kidding.






We had hoped to see puffins on a boat trip to a protected island sanctuary where the puffins live but rough seas prevented that part of our adventure.
We ventured on to the northwestern mountains of Maine around Moosehead Lake. You'll soon see why it might be called Moosehead Lake. The town we visited was Greenville, Maine. It was the only truly sunny day of the eight that we were in Maine. The colors of such carefully protected land and water are beyond discription. The lake water was so clear that I would not have thought twice about dipping a cup in it and drinking it.


And then we accomplished exactly what we had come to this part of the state to do - WE SAW MOOSE!!!!!
Two males were eating from a salt lick at the local DOT. It seems they like the remains of the many tons of salt that are needed to keep snowy roads passable. Soon there will be plants enough in the lake for them to go closer to the shore to eat more nutritiously and cool off should the weather become too warm.

On our mountain safari we saw one moose (gender not identifiable) standing among the trees eating whatever green he might find.
            

We have only two regrets concerning our trip:

  1. I discovered the best lobster roll ever the night before we were leaving.

  2. We didn't get to stay as long as we would have liked.

Our last stop was in Kennebunkport. We stayed at a spectacular bed and breakfast called The Maine Street Inn. www.mainestreetinn.com Check the website to see the magnificently decorated rooms and learn more about the history of the house.

We didn't see former President Bush but we did see the family estate on Ocean Ave. We could have touched the fence protecting the home from the beachcombers (us) but were afraid it might be electric. It's such a problem when you're electrocuted far from home that we chose not to take a chance. While the weather in the late spring, summer, and early fall are exactly to my liking when I learned that Kennebunkport had received 10 (yes, ten!) feet of snow this past winter I knew that we would be vacationing elsewhere in the winter.

I hope that you are able to one day enjoy the splendor of Maine just as we did. Do me a favor though, please, don't tell anyone about this glorious place. We'll keep it our little blog secret!

For lodging in Boothbay Harbor - www.thompsonsottages.com
                    in Greenville - www.mooseheadmaine.com
                    and in Kennebunkport - www.mainestayinn.com
Tell them that The Kennedys sent you.

We had a wonderful time staying at each of these places and have plans to do the same on our next trip to Maine. My hope is for tomorrow.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Unbelievable! There are no other words to describe a talent like this

Many thanks to All Things Paper for sharing this amazing artist's work! Be sure to check out her blog at http://www.allthingspaper.net I am forever amazed by her talent and that of the artists she shares on her blog.

Photos of magnificent wildlife and and nature scenes created by award-winning Canadian paper sculptor, Calvin Nicholls, have been sweeping the internet in recent days. Taking the risk that you've already been introduced to his work, it's simply too extraordinary to not be showcased here as well. For this Fab 90 degree Friday, I'm going with polar bears on the icy tundra.


The majority of Calvin's work is white on white, which leads one to better appreciate the astoundingly realistic fur and feathers via the play of light and shadows.

He begins his sculptures with a drawn pattern, traces each component of the scene, transfers these to sculpture paper, and then cuts each one with a scalpel or X-acto knife on a cutting mat. Calvin uses very small amounts of glue to assemble the figure piece by piece, likening the process to shingling a roof.

Calvin offers something that sounds ideal for you serious paper cutters ... schedule a Skype session with him to discuss materials, techniques, and tools of the trade. There's no better way to learn than a private lesson with a master in the field.

Really... take a moment to visit Calvin's website. I guarantee you'll be amazed by his awe-inspiring paper sculptures.
 
First posted on All Things Paper blog  24 Jun 2011 06:06 AM PDT

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day


To all the moms in my life I wish you a day of wonderful memories,
love, relaxation, appreciation, hugs and kisses.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Poppy and The Bard


Due to my lack of knowledge, otherwise known as ignorance, of the world of blogging I find the above cartoon very appropriate. Wouldn't it be interesting to know what the great writers in history might provide the world of literature via their own blogs? My guess is that they would be overwhelmed by the possibilities just as I am. Of course, they would figure out all of the intricacies of the blogging world far faster than have I.

After months of searching I have learned how to add an email subscription option to Poppylovesaparty.blogspot.com. To most people this would seem a simple task. To me, a person whose only true computer education was three days in a computer science class in 1975, the possibilities might as well be presented in Martian language.

Oh yeah, the three days in computer science was shear misery. I dropped the class, added Art History and remember only that the computer was in an entirely different room than the classroom due to the size of the computer. I suppose I should have paid closer attention to the professor for those three days. I'm sure every bit of what was taught would be pertinent to today's computers. Or not! My art history knowledge does help me answer the occasional Jeopardy question. Obviously, I made a wise decision in my drop/add choice.

If you would prefer to receive up to date blog notices via email please enter your email address in the appropriate space on the blog page.

Thanks for your interest in Poppy Loves A Party. Each of you has helped me learn something new today.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks




For more than 25 years I have used Fimo clay to create detailed jewelry and Christmas ornaments. Unfortunately, being a huge procrastinator, I found that for eight months of the year I was not in the mood for making holiday items. I remembered a customer from years ago who had told me that she framed my work so that she could enjoy it year round. At my age it's hard to remember my name much less something I was told years ago. That dim lightbulb in my head had a power surge and that memory gave me the inspiration to try something new. I would love to hear your thoughts on the new framed miniature art sculptures. I will be adding more on my Etsy shop soon but I wanted to give you guys a little preview. Thanks for looking.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Party Planning for April 29, 2011

If you're in the mood for a good royal wedding celebration be sure to check out the blog Design Editor at http://designeditor.typepad.com/design_editor/2011/04/free-royal-wedding-party-printables.html

Everything you could possibly need for a royal celebration except perhaps some royals. Maybe this will help.

Ladies start your printers!  Thanks to Design Editor for the terrific free printables.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

I'll Share I Share

If you are unfamiliar with I Share this is the perfect time to check it out. Free spring and Easter printables and craft ideas. I love when I get an I Share email! It means I'll be on the computer for a while downloading all kinds of great freebies. Be sure to sign up for the emails.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Don't Know Much About History or Where Did That Saying Come From?






 And Etsy



They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families
used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken &
sold to the tannery.......if you had to do this to survive
you were "Piss Poor"
But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't
even afford to buy a pot......they "didn't have a pot to
piss in."  They were the lowest of the low.

The next time you are washing your hands and complain
because the water temperature isn't just how you like it,
think about how things used to be.

 Peonies, Roses, and Plum Flowers Clay Floral Arrangement Wedding bouquet of clay flowers
                                       by simplybybex on Etsy
 
Most people got married in June because they took their
yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by
June.. However, since they were starting to smell,
brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor,
hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting
married.

white wash tub, metal with shabby chipped enamel, 1/12 scale miniature Wash tub available from
                                      honeyandbee on Etsy

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man
of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then
all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the
children, last of all the babies. By then the water was so
dirty you could actually lose someone in it, hence the
saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"

It's Raining Dogs . 8x10 Art Print Print by 3crows on Etsy

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no
wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get
warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs)
lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and
sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof,
hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the
house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs
and other droppings could really mess with your clean bed. Hence a bed with 
big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how
canopy beds came into existence.

1:12 Scale Dollhouse Miniature Haunting Canopy Bed Dollhouse miniature bed

                                      by huesdesign on Etsy

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other

than dirt, hence the saying, "Dirt poor."

The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the
winter, when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to
help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added
more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all
start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the
entrance way, hence, a thresh hold.

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)


peas porridge hot, painting Peas Porridge Hot painting by
                                       hyfunda on Etsy

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big
kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit
the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly
vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the
stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold
overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew
had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence
the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas
porridge in the pot nine days old


Bacon Soap Strips 5 Slices Bacon Scented Soaps Bacon soap strips by
                                    Michellesthisandthat on Etsy

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel
quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up
their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home
the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests
and would all sit around and chew the fat.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt
bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests
got the top, or the upper crust.


3 Tomato Plants- 'Giant Belgium' - ORGANIC Spring '11 Three tomato plants available
                                      on Etsy from JBFFarms
                                    
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high
acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food,
causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with
tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were
considered poisonous.


Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination
would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.
Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and
prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen
table for a couple of days and the family would gather
around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake
up hence the custom of holding a wake.


St. Mary's Church, Goudhurst St. Mary's Church, Goudhurst
                                      print by boodlyhead on Etsy
                                      
England is old and small and the local folks started running
out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins
and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the
grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins
were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they
realized they had been burying people alive... So they would
tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the
coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.
Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night
(the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone
could be saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.


How's that for some fun history? School's out. Have a fun
weekend wherever you are!

The I-want-to-have-fun Bowtie The I Want to Have Fun Bowtie
                                      is available on Etsy from
                                      AnnaLisaTitolo

Friday, March 4, 2011

Friday Giveaway on Children Inspire Design

I love giveaways and Children Inspire Design has started offering a giveaway each Friday. Check out their site. There are loads of cute items and the possibility of winning a prize!
                                                   http://childreninspiredesign.com/blog

A Spectacular Party

THE CUTEST PARTY, EVER!!!!
I adore this Night Owl Party idea!!! Would it be inappropriate for my 55th birthday? I think not! Let the planning begin!!! Be sure to check out Snowy Bliss' blog.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

How to Create a Birthday Party


How to Create a Party with a Theme You Know Nothing About

In my ongoing attempt to determine what career path lies ahead for a 54 year old woman with a degree in Interior Design and experience only as a mom and crafter I have offered my services in a number of different LEGAL ways. It was with great surprise when a young mom I know called asking my help in planning her daughter's ninth birthday party. The theme - The Sisters Grimm. Hmmm, I pondered and finally asked "who or what are The Sisters Grimm?" It seems they are the direct descendants of the Brothers Grimm living in today's world and encountering the many characters, with a few modern day twists, included in the stories of their ancestors. Never being one who learned to say "no", I agreed. 
I researched the series of books by reading every, and I do mean every, review of each book on Amazon.com taking copious notes as though I were preparing for the best term paper of all time. With each tidbit of information I determined that yet another task should be added to the plan. I might say that by this point I had long since stopped making any money and had not even created the first item for the party. This became a labor of love, a mission to be accomplished, a party to beat all parties, and the lowest paying job I have had since I tutored for my dad at the unbelievable hourly rate of 50 cents an hour. The week before the party I went 31 hours without sleep and then two nights later 34 hours with no sleep. I decided at that point that this was not a wise career path. My husband did note that I seemed to be having fun creating my masterpiece party and he was right. I delivered the decorations to the mother of the birthday girl on the Wednesday before the Friday evening event. She didn't seem overly enthusiastic and I felt very let down. On Friday afternoon I delivered the cake topper and was invited in to see how the house had been decorated. The birthday girl and her sister more than made up for the mom's initial reaction to my offerings. The excitement was palpable. The younger sister asked every ten minutes, "how much longer until the party". As The Sisters Grimm series does have mystery, danger, and adventure some of the stories can be a bit dark and so the color scheme was black and white. The birthday girl wanted only to be assured that there would be a "Pin the Tail on the Wolf" game. Is it wrong that the wolf I created had eaten Red Riding Hood? The menu for the evening was equally as interesting "Squid Ink Pasta with Green Gravy" and Ada's Happily Everafter Dream Cake. I have yet to receive a report on how the black pasta (food coloring) and green gravy (Alfredo sauce and more food coloring) was received. I based the cake topper on the cover picture of one of the books and included the "birthday girl" with the Sisters Grimm from the illustration. Hopefully, my party design caused no traumatic psychological damage to the party guests. 
My biggest fear now is that the younger sister is going to want a party "just like her sister's!" Aaarrrggghhh!!





Squid Ink Pasta and Green Gravy, YUM!!

The Party!
The Sisters Grimm - Book 8
Cake Topper


Pin the Tail on the Wolf Game



Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A Story to be Shared

As I was creating a polymer clay treasury for Etsy I discovered this profile of D. Antonia Truesdale. For some reason I began reading her profile story and am compelled by something much more than myself to share it with you. While you read and cry your heart will become full of appreciation of this lovely young woman and her young friend. Please feel free to share the story with others.

Why I Sculpt Child Angels


Christopher Brown was really little. In a class of third graders he was teeniest among all of us. He was also the most spirited. I adored him, so we fought constantly. I was a masochist for those bickerings and used to stare at the small gap between his front teeth as his mouth moved around them proving me wrong in little bursts of animation.

This is not a story about childhood love. It is not a story about friendship. Despite the presence of these things, this is pure ache and a lesson I wish I never learned. I will not go into sharing the details of what made Christopher a spectacular being wrapped up in the package of an 8 year old boy. I trust you find me credible and will believe this. I also ask that despite the longevity, in Chris' honor you read this.

On the first day of summer vacation in 1989, Christopher was playing baseball with his brother, sister, and babysitter in his back yard and the ball went over the fence into a neighboring construction site. He climbed his swing set onto his father's shed, then jumped from the shed roof over the fence to get the ball. I cannot picture this in my head (either because the logistics are not clear or because my mind is protecting itself from this visual) but when Christopher jumped the fence his hand hit a latch on a crane which released two cement highway dividers. He fell and they fell on top of him. A very cherished 8 year old lost his life that day.

There was no closure. My mother felt that attending the services would be too traumatic and kept me from saying goodbye in person. I understand, but still. I agonized for years about this, even into young adulthood. So many blanks I could not fill in. I did not know where he was interned, when his birthday was. The specific day he died. Every milestone I had, I wished for him. On first days of school I would find his seat in class and then mentally spite the child who sat there. On last days of school I would be sick at the excitement around me. I'd imagine Chris's thoughts as the final bell rang and he dreamt of ponds and trails and popcorn at the drive-in, not knowing he would die by next nightfall. For years I just carried him with me. The night before my high school graduation I dreamed of him approaching through the crowd, as grown as I, and hugging me. In tears I type this.

In my second year of college I became desperate, not for closure, but for closeness to Chris and wanted so badly to connect with his family. With such a common last name they felt impossible to find. All I could do was speak of him often and hope someone connected. One day this exact thing happened, and by fate a woman scrawled an address on scrap paper and sent me away with it. I finally had a portal to his family and despite years of longing for contact, I had no idea how I could begin to express my heart to them.

Honestly I do not recall the specific details of the sentiment that I poured into 7 handwritten pages, but my message was strong and clear. I missed Christopher, I loved him still, and I REMEMBERED. Always I remembered him. The letter I received back I held with trembling hands, but never could I have been prepared for what Christopher's mother would share with me.

She spoke of the myriad of emotions that my letter brought forth, and I expected that would be the case. She broke me down entirely when she went on to write that receiving my letter was a true miracle that had breathed new life into their son. She shared that tragically, the loss of Christopher was so painful for others that he became rarely spoken of.

To hear that Christopher not only lost his life but also his legacy was the greatest shame imaginable. My small but bursting childhood friend had become lost to the world. Was truly buried. I cried for days. She later wrote that the greatest gift I had given them was sharing his memory with other people and allowing him to live on in this way.. Mary and I stay in touch and I am smiling this moment over the profound friendship I found in Christopher's mother.

I visit his grave when I am happy and seek to share that with him. I go there when I am hurt so I can have solitude but not be alone. My husband and I picnic with our young daughters there and they like the bells that softly chime in the fir overhanging his grave site. He is truly my forever friend, and my gift to him is ensuring that despite his life being stifled, his legacy never will be. Now you know Christopher. He was small, mighty, and magnificent. I would be beyond humbled should anyone repost his story as daily I fear that in his 8 short-lived and bittersweet years of childhood, not enough people had the chance to know his name.

Christopher's mother shared with me that one of the greatest gifts I gave to them was sharing his goodness with others and allowing the memory of him to live on. This was a gift I could not stop giving to Chris and his family, and with it I achieved the opposite of closure. It burst open a door for me and truly inspired fire in my heart, because it was then that I saw a very clear window into the lives of bereaved parents. One of the things that stood out profoundly to me was need. The need for their children to be acknowledged, celebrated, spoken about. The need to know others remember. The need for a LEGACY.

Sculpting the ever-present bond between parents and children who touch the stars too soon is truly my heart's work and daily I startle at the extreme honor of being so blessed to be able to do this. My goal was to create something for parents to display for others which would then evoke conversation. I really wanted to be able to create some tangible way for parents to show others that it is okay to talk about their children and for my sculptures to be a “starting place”. In my heart of hearts I pray that people see these pieces and realize that despite the overwhelming pain in losing a child, there is healing for parents to simply know people remember.





















Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Valentine Fun


For those of you who still have children at home or are fortunate to have grandchildren One Charming Party has some wonderful ideas for Valentine fun. I'll have to pass on the Valentine Pickup game. I've yet to master the art of chopsticks. Thanks to One Charming Party for sharing wonderful ideas all the time.

Please check out http://onecharmingparty.com/ . It's one great blog!

Monday, January 17, 2011

It's All About Helping

13.1.11: Picture taken of Rocklea markets from Chopper. TheQldPremier@TwitPic
I received an email from Etsy today about a wonderful Etsy team working together to help those affected by the horrible flooding in Australia. This is a photo from Brisbane. The team is offering different items for sale with all or a percentage of the proceeds going to Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. On this day of remembrance let's help those in need.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Still Surfing

As I continue to spend the day surfing, internet not ocean, I have come across a giveaway with a simple entry. http://www.childreninspiredesign.com/blog is starting a Friday giveaway. This week in particular I believe that their prize is important. The question to answer is "Which of the manners we learned as children could change the world?" Please take the time to go to the site, answer the question, enter the contest and mention that you learned about the blog from me. Even if none of us should win a bit of thought on this topic can benefit everyone. Thanks guys and Good Luck!!!!

You Just Have to See These!

When you can't leave your house and you really want to enjoy what others do - it's time for an Internet Surf!


                       http://kingofmicestudios.blogspot.com/ Isn't this beautiful?????
Get Your Daily Snips....Snippet Girl talks Art and Animals

                                Don't miss this one either http://www.snippetgirl.blogspot.com/ 
                                  So cute you'll just have to smile!

A Little Recognition for Those Who Are Helping

I totally forgot to give links to the downloads.  Thanks to http://www.yesterdayontuesday.com/  and
http://www.thegivingmadam.blogspot.com/ . Be sure to check out both of these sources for great fun and inspiration.

Distractions from the Snow


Not an ice skating rink
except for this week

Yeah, yeah it's pretty!

Major Road

I am not a lover of snow. I make that statement happily and with no guilt. I moved south to avoid the possibility. Little did I know that Atlanta was not far enough. I am now considering a move to the Galapagos Islands. It's always warm there! I have not stepped foot outside since Sunday morning, January 9, 2011. Cabin fever has long since left my mind and I am now but a prisoner in my own home. 


My day was brightened by a wonderful post on the blog Yesterday on Tuesday. Loads of fun, free, downloadable Valentine printables. I can't wait to get started!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Sometimes A Mom Just Has to Brag

I had intended to share a photo of the magnificent art my daughter created as part of my Christmas gift but this afternoon I learned that an item from the Etsy shop she opened on January 1, 2011 has been included in an Etsy Treasury. http://www.etsy.com/tr4d237242757a6d91b6d657ee/leafyeasury/ 
She has a lot more to add to her shop. She teaches high school math and only has a little time on weekends to really work on her shop.  Check out her shop: http://www.epkart.etsy.com/  Her photography is fascinating. She and I can take a picture of what I think is the same thing but she sees it from an angle that I never see. Be sure to look at the photo titled Amicolola Truck - every time I look at it the music from the movie Deliverance starts playing in my head! 
A mathematician's brain and an artist's brain combined in one brain is an amazing thing to watch develop over the years of a child's life.


This is what I received Christmas morning


This is what I received on New Year's Day

Handcut layers of matboard between three layers of glass. The bird appears in one of her photos.
You can notice some of the dimension in the second picture.
 I am a seriously proud and happy mom!