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Garden Tractors and Parts on eBay

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Weekend Show Lineup

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16 replies to this topic

#16 DougT OFFLINE

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Posted September 11, 2012 - 10:24 PM

OH, just for DougT and anyone that is close enough to get here, here's pics from last year to give you an idea of what's going to show up.

Last year I was close enough I could have hit you with an empty can. Didn't realize it until I got home and looked at your pictures. This year I'll try harder. I've been going to this show since it was in the Veterans Park in Lagrange. That's been at least 40 years.

#17 OldBuzzard OFFLINE

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Posted September 12, 2012 - 02:20 AM

I'm going to try to setup in the same spot. I shouldn't be too hard to find with all of those Bolens.

If I'm not at the setup site, I'll most likely be 'cruising' around on the G11 and taking pics/vids :D :D :D

Edited by OldBuzzard, September 12, 2012 - 02:23 AM.

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#4 in Humor July 16, 2016.


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Boughton House

In the civil parish of Weekley.
In the historic county of Northamptonshire and the Soke of Peterborough.
Modern Authority of Northamptonshire.
1974 county of Northamptonshire.
Medieval County of Northamptonshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SP89998152
Latitude 52.42432° Longitude -0.67809°

Boughton House has been described as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

Boughton House. Great house. Early C16 origin, with extensive late C17 alterations and additions, including north range, for Ralph, 1st Duke of Montagu. (Listed Building Report)

Great house, arranged around several courtyards. A substantial house stood on this site in the 15th century but no fabric dating from before 1500 has been identified within the present structure. By the early 16th century the house comprised a large open hall, two cross wings, a service court to the east and a detached lodging wing to the south. Various alterations were made between 1528 and the early 17th century but the majority of the present house dates from the period immediately after 1685. The medieval buildings north of the hall were demolished and a new north front was constructed, with pavilions to the north east and north west. The medieval ranges adjacent to the hall were restored and the east range extended to the south. A detached kitchen was built to the east of the house. Further work was carried out between 1703 and 1708, mainly on the service rooms, and in 1735 the kitchen was converted to a brewhouse.
In 1473, Richard Whetehill was granted a licence to empark 100 acres and crenellate a house on this site. (PastScape ref. Emery; Heward and Taylor; Pevsner)

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1473 April 14 (Click on the date for details of this licence.).

Nothing survives of the late medieval house although it seems it was a great hall with cross wings with further service and lodging ranges around several courtyards. Nothing to suggest a moat. The licence mentioning 'loupes', probably gun loops is unique in English licences to crenellate (although the tannelatos mentioned in the 1540 licence for Hengrave Hall may have been keyhole loops). Gun loops do occur in late medieval houses but usually in the context of gatehouses. There is no record of a gatehouse at Boughton but one may have existed or may have been intended to be built.
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
PastScape           Listing   I. O. E.
Maps >
Streetmap   NLS maps   Where's the path   Old-Maps
Data/Maps >
Magic   V. O. B.   Geology   LiDAR   Open Domesday
Air Photos >
Bing Maps   Google Maps   Getmapping   ZoomEarth
Photos >
CastleFacts   Geograph   Flickr   Panoramio

Sources of information, references and further reading
Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.
It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from ANY site without proper recording and reporting.
Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.
The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of Historic England, County Historic Environment Records and other individuals and organisations. It may also contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes.
The author and compiler of Gatehouse does not receive any income from the site and funds it himself. The information within this site is provided freely for educational purposes only.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.
The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.
Please help to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting Gatehouse if you see errors, can add information or have suggestions for improvements in functality and design.
Help is acknowledged.
*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.
This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:21:02

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Yupins News

Anything and everything about Thailand
Yupins News
Posts: 1
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#1 Yupins News

Postby Yupins News » Sun Nov 12, 2017 2:51 pm

Here we are again at the beginning of the High Season, when many people return to Thailand after work or staying in the home country.
It is very nice to see everyone coming back for some sunshine, Thai culture and smiles, like the turning of the tide!
The weather as usual is getting cooler although still sunny. In the next couple of days we have a possible rain storm coming from Vietnam, but as you know Pattaya /Jomtien has its own ideas about weather and the really naughty stuff is only allowed to circle around us and seldom impinges on the daily routines!!
It can be seen marching across the bay hurling thunder and lightening about as if it was cheap, and then it dives off left or right, usually South, to the subjacent areas, who get wet.

The recent period of mourning and cremation has successfully passed now, and it was a magnificent display of organisation and ceremony that was truly world class in its perfection .
It embodied beautifully the feelings of the Thai people at this time, and was a stunning spectacle for us all to witness.

Loy Krathong also has just passed and it was conducted in a most peaceful and safe way, with hundreds of thousands of participants, casting their Krathongs onto the waters, thus ensuring happiness and prosperity for the future. Another success of vast scale ceremonial for Thailand which we are lucky to witness.

For the inhabitants of Jomtien, things are looking up. There has been an upsurge of new restaurants and entertainment venues in the area, of a very high class indeed.
We also are witnessing a time of massive construction of condos and hotels and beach roads so it seems sometimes that someone must know more about the future than we do!
The Thepprasit Road area for one, now has at least three very large markets and two vast show and entertainment centres, and pop up restaurants everywhere.
Hopefully they will all flourish.

Needless to say that Christmas is nearly upon us, about six weeks away, and Yupins has been taking bookings since about July for our Christmas Menu.
Here it is and there are still tables left on both days, CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY, so please let me know as soon as you can, if you would like to eat at Yupins!

YUPINS Restaurant
995 baht
24th Christmas Eve Sittings: 3.00pm-5.30pm-8.00pm
25th Christmas Day Sittings: 3.00pm-5.30pm-8.00pm
A Choice of starters
1/ Yupins Smoked Salmon Salad
2/ Yupins Prawn Cocktail
3/ Yupins Spring Rolls
Main Course
4/ The traditional Roast turkey, roast potatoes, vegetables, red wine gravy, Sausages wrapped in bacon, sage & onion stuffing and bread sauce.
5/ or a Thai dish from our menu.
A Choice of Desserts
6/ Christmas Pudding flambéed with cognac served with brandy butter and custard
7/ Yupins Mango and sticky rice
8/ Yupins Ice Cream

To follow: Coffee and a dark mint chocolate.
Bookings call : 087 062 9672 or 081 772 0679

You can also call us on our new landline telephone number at the restaurant
which is 038 250 394 best to call after 4pm when the staff should be there, hopefully! Or call after six to be certain!

An amazing thing happened on Wednesday, a technician turned up in the afternoon and installed a CREDIT CARD READER AND PAYMENT MACHINE!!!
WOW, at last. I know they have worked hard for the last 3 months to arrive at this 'point d'appui' and I sincerely thank them for this effort.

So now you have the facility to pay by credit card, if we can work out how to work the machine. He did tell us, but you know how it is.
I am so excited about this. However, as with all things there are at least two drawbacks!!
One is that the bank has told us to add 3% to all bills paid by credit card. Apparently it is the accepted method in Thailand to add 3%. I know this is not the case everywhere.
Also, the other is we have a minimum amount of 500 baht on which to use credit cards. This kind of makes sense I suppose. We wait with bated breath to see what happens.

Thanks and best wishes, Yupin

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Scramble Up Your Egg Routine

Eggs are a staple in the diet of most college students, as they fit the need of quick and cheap meals.

After a while, scrambled or fried eggs may get a little boring though, especially after eating them multiple times a week!

Don’t worry though, there are endless ways to prepare this great source of protein and your favorite staple food.

Egg Muffins

These are perfect to grab in the morning when you are running late for class. Make them on Sunday night and be prepared with some delicious and nutritious treats all week.

You can get creative and add a variety of meat, vegetables or toppings to this recipe to customize it.

  • 3/4 cup cooked and crumbled sausage (optional, but try turkey sausage for a healthier version)
  • 2 small handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheese
  • Dash of salt and pepper
  • Salsa (optional)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 6-7 muffin cups with nonstick spray.
  2. Wilt spinach. To do this, melt some oil in a pan and add in spinach. Fry until it is wilted. Let it cool, then squeeze out excess moisture.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the sausage, spinach, eggs and milk. Scoop into the muffin tins. (A 1/3 cup measuring cup is perfect for this). Sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper.
  4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the egg is cooked through. If you touch the middle and it is still wet and gooey, let them cook for a few more minutes.
  5. Serve up with salsa or place in the fridge to grab for breakfast.

Sounds fancy and complicated, right? Omelets are actually very easy and quick to make.

Ingredients can be customized to treat your taste buds to a variety of flavors. Top with salsa or hot sauce to add a little more spice.

Try the western omelet recipe below for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup, sliced onion
  • 1/3 cup, sliced red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup, sliced green bell pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 ounces ham, chopped
  • 1 ounce Swiss cheese, shredded

  1. Combine water, salt, black pepper and eggs in a medium bowl and stirring with a whisk.
  2. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan – swirl to coat. Stir in onion, bell peppers, thyme and ham.
  3. Sauté for four minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetable mixture from pan. Set aside and clean pan.
  4. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan – swirl to coat. Add half of egg mixture to pan, tilting pan to spread evenly. Cook one minute or until edges begin to set.
  5. Lift edge of omelet with a rubber spatula, tilting pan to roll uncooked egg mixture onto bottom of pan. Repeat procedure on opposite edge of omelet.
  6. Cook one minute or until center is just set. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese evenly over omelet. Sprinkle half of vegetable mixture over cheese. Run spatula around edges and under omelet to loosen it from pan; fold in half.
  7. Slide omelet onto a plate. Repeat procedure with remaining oil, egg mixture, cheese, and vegetable mixture.

Hard Boiled Eggs

These are easy to make and can be eaten by themselves or used in a variety of dishes. Grab one for a quick breakfast or snack, or cut one up and put it on your salad for some added protein.

Hard boiled eggs can be used to make deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches, which are easy to make and will give you a break from your typical sandwich.

How to Hard Boil an Egg

  1. Place your eggs in a pot and cover with an inch of cold water.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium heat then cover.
  3. Keep covered and remove from heat and set aside for eight to 10 minutes.
  4. Drain and cool. Peel when you are ready to eat or keep in the fridge to enjoy all week.

Egg Salad Sandwich

  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
  • Lettuce
  • Dash of salt and pepper

  1. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, mayonnaise, mustard and parsley, and spread evenly over both slices of bread.
  2. Spread onto the bread and top with lettuce and salt and pepper. Enjoy!


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Friday, June 29, 2007

What is news and what doesn't make the news

from w
The Herald Sun reported a story, but not the Geelong Advertiser though it was a Geelong bound train involved and five hundred passengers on board, mainly heading for our city. Okay, a garbage truck crashed into a train going at 60k an hour through a Melbourne suburb. No-one was badly injured. Our youngest son was on the train. We had wondered why he was three hours late getting home and missing the kava party.

'Oh, our train had a crash! They wouldn't let us leave the train and be bussed home. We all had our names taken by the police. Cameras were flashing through the windows. Everyone was on their mobile phones cancelling meetings etc. But I didn't have a phone. But as no one got killed, it's not a news story I suppose.'

Here is a bit of the story as reported in the Herald Sun.
Train hits garbage truckArticle from:
David Hastie
June 30, 2007 12:00am
A TRAIN and a garbage truck collided at a level crossing in Yarraville last night, with locals saying it was an accident waiting to happen. The Maribyrnong City Council vehicle was hit by a V-Line passenger train, heading to Geelong, about 5.50pm. The driver of the truck and his passenger were taken to the Alfred with minor injuries. No one on the train was hurt….

Joanna Panagoulopoulos, who has lived in Yarraville for 44 years, said it was just a matter of time before a vehicle was caught on the tracks. She said the road became bottlenecked at the Anderson St crossing and vehicles were often caught on the tracks. "All you need is the lights to start flashing, the booms to come down and you're in trouble," she said. "Because of all the traffic and parked cars, it's been a problem for ages. It's been a fear of mine for years."

Marty Sanders, who was on the train, said he feared for his life. "We were travelling normally and then the train started tooting its horn for what seemed like an eternity," Mr Sanders said. "When it hit, it hit hard and people where falling all over the place."

Police Senior Sergeant Greg Hewitt said both the boom gates and level crossing lights were operational at the time of the collision. "The truck seems to have got caught up and stopped on the track," Snr-Sgt Hewitt said. "It's still early stages and we will need to speak to the drivers of the train and the truck."

Greens member Colleen Hartland warned the State Government last week in Parliament of the danger posed by the Yarraville crossing. "During peak time, in any one day up to 126 people illegally crossed the train line," she said.

V/Line spokesman Daniel Moloney said the 5.29pm service from Melbourne to Geelong was its flagship service and would have had up to 520 passengers onboard when it hit. "These trains operate at very slow speeds through the suburbs and would not have been travelling any faster than 60km/h," he said. Mr Maloney said the train sustained only minor damage. Buses and additional train services were provided to carry the passengers home, he said.

(The last sentence not true. The passengers - many in suits as it was a workers' train had to wait three hours.)

Blogger Peceli and Wendy's Blog said...

from w
One of our friends from Werribee told us that he was on the train behind the train that crashed, and they were bussed away but as one woman stepped up to a platform, she fell and had to be taken to hospital.

2:23 AM

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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Why hello there!

Have you guys ever realized that we base our lives so much on pop culture, and being like the celebs that our brains aren't completely in reality?

Everyone wants to be famous! I want to be famous. I always question it though, like why would I ever want to be famous? Being famous obviously has its up and downs.. but lately I've been seeing a lot of downs! There are soo many celeb couples, that almost always end in divorce or the younger stars always seem to end up getting into some kind of trouble with the law. So why is it that we strive for that fame? Why do we want to be just like these people? We want the attention. We want people following us, asking for autographs, hanging our pictures on there wall. Yes, I want to be famous.. like I honestly really do. But then I think of all the bad that comes with the fame and i reconsider it. But hey! I'm not famous .. so I guess I truly wouldn't know.

Sorry I've been gone guys. I've been very busy lately, I hope this was a good first post in a long time!

1 comment:

  1. geena is baccckkk!!! wooh!

    ok so i totally agree with everything u said... I want to be THAT famous too.

    i think they just show ALLLL the drama that goes on in a celeb's life just so people like us watch and buy magazines.

    if they talked about how christina aguillera bought a $1.2 million dollar ring yesterday, would people be as interested? no.
    but people like u and me would be!!


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Sunday, 16 December 2012

As the Swede I am, I really missed a proper winter in the December London. Solution? Create winter on your nails. I found the snowman design online, but it then had a silver background. I used silver for one hand, but think that dark blue turned out better. In order to make the snow I used mainly white but then added a few flakes where I'd mixed silver and white for a softer touch.

Approaching end of term, and hence a number of Christmas events, I started elaborating with holiday designs. I went through two - one a bit more subtle than the other. Picking a favourite is up to you!

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Tuesday, September 3, 2013

88s on 78

Burning up the keys: Johnny Gaurnieri accompanied by drummer Sam Weiss and "singing bass" player Slam Stewart. Gaurnieri was the consummate session man in the mid-'40s but this is one of the few recordings he made under his own name. Photo by Gems

Old technology tends to pile up around the Gems household. Particularly when the venerable technology is in the form of shellac platters. I've been meaning to upload dubs of some of Gems' hundreds of 78-rpm recordings for a while, and finally some spare time has arrived with the end of summer. So here's hodgepodge of interesting stuff, some of it extremely rare, some available on compilations, but all of it great jazz of the pianistic variety.

Leading off the program is Hazel Meyers, a little-known singer who had a career primarily on the Vaudeville stage. But here she sings some topical blues in a convincing manner, with the great Fletcher Henderson accompanying. Of special interest on these performances are the excellent muted cornet fills by the legendary Joe Smith, a musician whose work with Bessie Smith we all know.

There's also Duke Ellington and the boys doing "St. Louis Blues" on a 12-inch Columbia disc. Nothing too unusual about that, except that the vocalist is a crooner named Bing Crosby. I had no idea the Duke and Bing ever got together, but here's the evidence (and Bing scats a chorus just to prove he's no square as the piece closes).

Clarence Profit was a New York swing pianist who spent some time in the Caribbean. He's all but unknown today, but in the '30s and early '40s he was thought of in the same class as Teddy Wilson. He recorded this date for Decca in 1940, four years before his death at age 32.

The Joe Bushkin date features a young Zoot Sims on tenor. If you're a drinker, don't miss Johnny Gaurnieri's "Hangover" – it'll give you a hangover just listening. Herman Chittison was another talented swing player who fell through the historical cracks. He recorded a number of well-received 10-inch albums for Columbia in the '50s, but this is one of his earliest dates. Continuing with obscure pianists, Cyril Haynes was completely unknown to me when I came upon his Comet recording. He worked mostly in New York and was with the Savoy Sultans for a time, but here he's joined by Dick Vance from Andy Kirk's band and the great Don Byas.

Pat Flowers was a Fats Waller devotee, even recruiting some of Fats' original band members after Waller passed. Flowers is usually dismissed as an imitator, but he sounds good to me on this Majestic date. Hazel Scott reprises her spot in the movie "Rhapsody in Blue" with a bit of nice piano and a stiffish vocal on a Gershwin classic (the movie was about George's rise to fame).

Avery Parrish, Erskine Hawkins' pianist, revisits his hit "After Hours" on a Dud Bascomb selection (Bascomb was also in the Hawkins band), and we get to hear Earl Hines leading a thoroughly modern-sounding big band on a rare ARA recording. Erroll Garner plays his inimitable style on a couple of tunes on the virtually unknown Acorn label.

Count Basie's up next with a couple of sides done for Norman Granz. These have been reissued, but I've included them because they're so tasty I couldn't resist. Finally, it's the Lion with a blues and a chestnut, swinging hard in post-stride fashion. His is the only record I've ever seen on the Blue Circle label.

Speaking of labels, here's a sampling:

As always, these files were dubbed from the originals with just a minimum of cleaning and editing. So be prepared for surface hiss and slight pops and clicks. If you can tolerate that, I think you'll really enjoy these long-lost treasures.

Piano Rareties, 1923-1953
Various artists, labels

Hazel Meyers, v; Fletcher Henderson, p; Joe Smith, cornet.
New York, NY; October 30, 1923; Vocalion 14709
1. Awful Moanin' Blues
2. He's Never Gonna Throw Me Down

Duke Ellington Orchestra w/Whetsol, Williams, Nanton, Tizol, Brown, Bigard, Hodges, Guy, Braud, Greer, plus Bing Crosby, v.
New York, NY; February 11, 1932; Columbia 55003
3. St. Louis Blues

Clarence Profit, p; Jimmy Shirley, g; Ben Brown, d.
New York, NY; September 11, 1940; Decca 8527
4. Dark Eyes
5. Azure

Joe Bushkin, p; Ernie Figueroa, tp, Bill Harris, tbn; Jack Sims, ts; Sid Weiss, b; Specs Powell, d.
New York, NY; May 1944; Commodore 511
6. Oh, Lady Be Good
7. Fade Out

Johnny Guarnieri, p; Slam Stewart, b; Sammy Weiss, d.
New York, NY; November 7, 1944; Savoy 554, 555
8. Firebird (Guarnieri)
9. Hangover (Big Head) (Guarnieri)
10. That Old Black Magic
11. I'm in the Mood for Love

Herman Chittison, p; Jimmy Shirley, g; Carlton Powell, b.
New York, NY; December 8, 1944; Musicraft 315
12. How High the Moon
13. The Song Is Ended

Cyril Haynes, p; Dick Vance, tp; Don Byas, ts; Al Casey, g; John Levy, b; Harold West, d.
New York, NY; 1944; Comet T5
14. Across the Road (Haynes)
15. Cedar Manor (Haynes)

Pat Flowers, p; unknown b, d.
New York, NY; late 1940s (?); Majestic 1010
16. Ain't Misbehavin'
17. Original Blues (Flowers)

Hazel Scott, p, v; orchestra cond. by Toots Camarata, from Warner Bros. movie "Rhapsody in Blue"
New York, NY; May 3, 1945; Decca 23429
18. Fascinating Rhythm

Avery Parrish, p; Dud Bascomb, tp; Paul Bascomb, ts; Tiny Grimes, g; John Simmons, b; Sid Catlett, d.
New York, NY; 1946; Alert 102
19. After Hours

Earl Hines, p; orchestra including Benny Green, Scoops Carey, Wardell Gray, Kermit Scott
Los Angeles, CA; April 1946; ARA 156
20. Straight Life

Erroll Garner, p; Pat Simmons, b; Alvin Stoller, d.
Los Angeles, CA; March 29, 1949; Acorn 305
21. I Want a Little Girl
22. This Can't Be Love

Count Basie, org; Joe Newman, tp; Paul Quinichette, ts; Freddy Green, g; Gene Ramey, b; Buddy Rich, d.
New York, NY; December 13, 1952; Clef 89102
23. KC Blues
24. Stan Shorthair

Willie "The Lion" Smith, p; Harry Goodwin, tp; Jimmy Archey, tbn; Cecil Scott, ts; Pops Foster, b; William Purnell, d; Myra Johnson, v.

New York, NY; August 15, 1953; Blue Circle 500
25. When the Saints Go Marching In
26. The Lion Steps Out

Find it here: https://www.mediafire.com/?cb8clc1bu48q7ze


text:
Conductive / SD

Thank you for visiting the General Polymers product line web site. Our innovative products, strong support of the specification community, and select team of highly skilled local installers have earned General Polymers seamless floor and wall systems a market leadership position.

Schedule a free evaluation of your facility flooring needs.


text:
Agency: Publicis, Brussels
Client: Flemish Milk Board

I have always wondered what my children are going to think of Lady Gaga and N*Sync. Publicis plays on this by pointing out how the music of the past is no longer popular and is strange to our generation. It's an extremely funny way to applying milk to this oddity of life too. I think Goodby's "Got Milk" campaign, not for the same client, is equal in wit to this one although it is older and has run many more spots.

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Friday, September 13, 2013

Freaky Friday

Yep ... it's Friday the 13th!  I'm not inclined to be superstitious .. so I almost didn't even notice.  But just for fun, let's make today's coupon code especially for Friday the 13th.  How about using the code "FreakyFriday" to get 13% off your order of $13 or more??!!  Have fun with that!!

And the offer still stands on Facebook ... if you "share" the post I make about today's special, you'll get an entry into a drawing for a free pair of earrings.  But remember that you have to be following my page in order for me to see your "share".

If you make a purchase, you'll get 3 entries into the earring drawing .. which will be Sunday.

This is my last coupon day .. so don't miss out!!

Have an awesome weekend ... and a great Freaky Friday!!!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Thriller Thursday

For those of you on Etsy, how do you come up with the names for your coupon codes?  I personally like alliteration.  MondayMania.  WednesdayWhimsy.  But coming up with something for Thursday kinda stumped me.  ThankfulThursday?  Well, I'm thankful every day ... so maybe not.  ThoughtfulThursday?  Once again, it's good to be thoughtful every day.  I wanted to communicate excitement ... enthusiasm.  A trip to the dictionary (yes, I actually looked through the "th" section) .. and voila!!  Thrill!  An excellent word!  Because I also have a sense of rhythm, I went with ThrillerThursday.

Today's special in my Etsy shop?  Get 10% off your purchase of $25 or more!!  Use coupon code ThrillerThursday.  Go to:

Like me on Facebook and share today's post, you'll be entered a drawing (Sunday) for a free pair of earrings!  If you place an order, you'll get 3 entries!
Tomorrow will be my last coupon day ... so don't delay!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Today's Special

When I was growing up, I lived near a very small town.  My mom frequently shopped at the little A&P grocery store in town.  They often ran a series of daily specials ... usually something fresh.  Maybe it was overstocked or maybe they just wanted to know what their shoppers were most interested in .. I was too young to analyze these things.  But it was always called "Today's Special".

Well, Gentle Adornments is running a series of specials this week ... and "Today's Special" is free domestic (US) shipping with a purchase of $20 or more!  Use coupon code "WednesdayWhimsy"!

I'll be posting this on my Facebook page ... if you "Share" that post, you'll be entered in a drawing for a pair of earrings.
In order for me to see the "share", you have to "like" my page.
The drawing will be Sunday and orders placed this week will all be shipped on Monday.

So go!  Shop!  These special offers won't last long!!  Check it out at:

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Special Special Week!

I don't have a craft show this Saturday ... and since I don't want to sit around and get bored *cough* I think I'll offer some special deals!
Starting today at noon (US eastern time), I'll post a new coupon code for my Etsy shop.  Today's special will be 5% off everything in my shop and the code is:

Are you following me on Facebook?  I'll post the code there too.  And just to sweeten the pot, I'll be doing a giveaway this week!  "Share" my code post and get 1 entry into a drawing for a new pair of earrings ... but you have to be friends with me in order for me to see the "share".  So stop on by my Facebook page:
Share the code, then hop over to my Etsy shop and do a little browsing:

One entry per person per day for sharing.  I'll post a new coupon code every day until Friday ... so don't miss out!

If you'd like even more chances to win a pair of earrings, I'll be giving 3 entries to everyone who makes a purchase!  The drawing will be Sunday and all orders placed this week will ship on Monday.

So y'all have an awesome week, ya hear!!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Here I go again...

Well, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth ... but some days I've felt like it.  It's been a hectic summer for me ... much more so than I'd expected.  And even today, I'm between shows and things are crazy.  I just wanted to pop in and tell you that I'll be around more in the coming weeks.  I'll try to bring everyone up to speed on some of my adventures and I've got a couple specials in the works for my Etsy shop (so if you're looking for a great deal, stay tuned!).  My garden is kicking in, I'm trying some new recipes and I have a little epic news to share (but I'm going to make you wait for it!!).  So help yourself to a tall glass of ice cold tea and meet me on the front porch, where we'll set a spell and catch up!

Friday, April 19, 2013

A little Friday decadence ...

We will be gathering with friends this evening ... and I'm bringing dessert!  I have a reputation ... and it can be tough to live up to sometimes ... but I think this will do the trick.
My daughter found this recipe about 7 years ago and I don't know where (so can't give appropriate credit).  If you even vaguely like chocolate and peanut butter, you're gonna love this!

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

1 pkg. (1lb 5.5oz) chocolate brownie mix
egg, water and oil per package instructions

1 pkg. (5.1oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
3 cups milk
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed & divided

12 oz. peanut butter cups, crumbled
6-8 mini peanut butter cups, whole, for garnish if desired

In mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, egg, water and oil according to package directions.  Pour into a 9x13 baking pan and bake as directed.  Cool, then cut into 1" cubes.
Combine pudding mix with milk and beat with mixer at low speed until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Add peanut butter and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Gently fold in 1 cup whipped topping.

To assemble dessert: in a large trifle bowl (or other bowl) layer half of the cut brownies, followed by half of the cut candies and half of the peanut butter pudding mixture.  Repeat layers.

This is how it looks after layering brownie and candy, before the peanut pudding mixture is added.

Top with remaining whipped topping and garnish with peanut butter cups.  Chill in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.   Serves 12.
I put the Cool Whip into a small plastic sandwich bag, then made a small clip on the corner; pressed topping out into small mounds and topped with peanut butter cups.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Moving Forward

On Wednesday, I shared some of the discouragement I've had with my business.  I have to tell ya ... I got some great encouragement!  And I do feel a bit more positive today.

So I started working on my next stack of craft show applications.  Most of these shows will be in the fall and the jurying processes are a little lighter.  I've also participated in some of the shows so I have no reason to believe I won't make the cut for this year.  It's amazing how much easier it is to move forward when you can move with confidence!

For this year, I'm committed to my business.  I set some goals a couple months ago and I'll be doubling down on my efforts to focus and act on them.  And I'm going to try to think "outside the box" ... I can be pretty creative at times ... need to channel some of that creativity toward HOW I do business, not burn it all on my craft.  I like making jewelry .. but I love, Love, LOVE making jewelry for weddings ... so maybe I need to direct some future marketing efforts that way.  The road I expected to travel this year had some road blocks ... but sometimes the most interesting things happen when you detour!

I appreciated all the kind words this week ... thank you, my friends!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Down but not out ....

Life has been a bit hectic these past couple weeks ... but I’m home for a while with no travel plans.  It may be a good time to think.

I’ve been discouraged lately with my business.   Last year, we moved to Wisconsin but it was too late to apply for some of the craft shows I most wanted to participate in.  So I’ve been making those applications this year ... we’ll just say that the results have not met my expectations.  My online sales have never been stellar and they’re showing no signs of improvement.

So now what?

I have a crafting friend.  She and I are opposites in many ways, but despite our differences, I admire her greatly.  She is a full time crafter, making a living from her work.  She’s single and I know things get tough for her sometimes but she’s supporting herself with her home business.  What is the secret to her success?  What is she doing differently?  Is it just the type of product she makes?  Or is it something else?

I grew up on a farm and in the late 60's, my father came to a crossroads of decision.  He had been farming for nearly 20 years and was very good at it – he was successful.  But farming was changing and the decision he needed to make was either to get “big” or get out.  We had just over 300 acres of land – getting big meant that he needed to purchase more ... maybe as much as a 1000 acres and there would be major capital investments in new and bigger machinery.  He would also need to hire help .... and that would be difficult because all our summer labor help was fighting in Vietnam.  My dad was presented with another kind of opportunity ... so he took it, and got out of farming.

At this point, I feel a bit like I’m at that same kind of crossroads – I either need to get big or get out.  If I get big, it will mean going from a part-time schedule to a full-time one.  I think I have the self-discipline for that – I homeschooled my kids for 15 years and know how to stick to a schedule.  I’ll need to figure out ways to be more efficient – because I need to do more, but without asking my husband (who has been very supportive and helpful) to take on more responsibility (he's a huge help at shows!!).  It will mean some capital investments in a better camera and better displays.  But going big does not guarantee success.  There is risk.  And unlike my father, I do not have another opportunity waiting for me.
I love making jewelry.  I’m committed to several craft shows this year and have a few more applications to complete...and I will.  Perhaps I need to be looking in other directions to market my craft – maybe this closing door means there is an open window someplace.   I’m a little down but I’m not out yet.

And maybe one of these days real soon, I’ll get one of those acceptance letters from a show I’m really hoping to get in to.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Monday Mania here's the fine print for Monday Mania!
Get 25% off your special order!!

*Go to my Etsy shop (
(Choose any design with a girl's name (Amanda, Francesca, Olivia, etc),    regardless of the color shown

*Place the item in your cart
*In the notes to seller, state that you want the item in Clear
*In the coupon box, use coupon code "MondayMania"
*Pay for your item

It's as easy as that!!
There's no limit on the number of Clear items you can order at this discount.
Your order will be shipped within 3 business days.  I'll drop you an email when it's shipped so you know when to expect it to arrive.
Please use discount only for items in Clear color -- the birthstone for April.

You only have until midnight tonight (EDT) ... so don't put this off!!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Be Back Soon ....

I'm not around much this week ... blessed to be spending time with family for their spring breaks.  My grandchildren, who are normally 1200 miles apart, are all in town together and Grammy gets to see them all everyday.  So I'm enjoying every moment of snuggles, giggles, smooches and hugs ... and I'll be back next week.  Until then, I hope your week is as awesome as mine!!!

Friday, March 15, 2013

A Word (or Two) to the Wise

In business, when it's your name over the door, it doesn't mean you get to work half as much ... it means you get to work twice as much.

Choose your priorities wisely.

Most spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important. – Stephen Covey
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Make a plan.  Execute the plan.  Be flexible enough to change the plan when necessary.

An ounce of application is worth a ton of abstraction. – Booker T. Washington

If you work just for money, you’ll never make it, but if you love what you’re doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours. – Ray Kroc

Starting a business is hard work.  Maintaining a business is hard work.  If you're lazy, you'll find out if bankruptcy is hard work.

If you don't have a target, you can be sure you'll never hit it.

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. – Norman Schwarzkopf

The golden rule for every business man is this: “Put yourself in your customer’s place. – Orison Swett Marden

Leadership is doing what is right when no one is watching. – George Van Valkenburg

Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work.

Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games. – Babe Ruth

To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted. – George Kneller

In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential. – Suze Orman

Look well to this day. Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day. – Francis Gray

In business, I’ve discovered that my purpose is to do my best to my utmost ability every day. That’s my standard. I learned early in my life that I had high standards. – Donald Trump

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right! – Henry Ford

To win without risk is to triumph without glory. – Pierre Corneille

Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business. – Zig Ziglar

Success is hard .. but failure is harder.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

My Irish Roots

Sunday we (at least we in America) will celebrate St Patricks Day – everyone will be Irish for the day!  Several years ago, I had the opportunity to do some research into my family roots and found a few Irish threads in my personal tapestry.

The vast majority of our Irish ancestors emigrated to America during the great Irish Potato Famine of the mid-1800s and most were Catholic.  My ancestors were neither.  They came much earlier ... in one case the family came in 1657 ... and all were Protestant.   My more recent migrants came from Ballymena, County Antrim in 1738.  Men from these family lines fought in the American Revolution and were among many families who became the foundation for our country.  My 4th great-grandmother’s brother was a lawyer in New York state and was an active abolitionist who helped to create the NY routes of the Underground Railroad.

When we see the Irish portrayed in movies and tv, we most often see warm, friendly and spirited people who normally possess natural gifts of conversation, humor and art.   They are as ethereal as Celtic pipes but with strong sensible roots.  They are fighters who stand up for their beliefs and courageous in the face of daunting odds.  When I read the biographical information about my own ancestors, I see many of these traits, for it took these traits to pioneer a new land.

So on Sunday, I will celebrate my Irish heritage.  Not quite like others – I won’t be drinking green beer or reveling in a green party hat.  But I will enjoy the quiet memory of those who came before and left a heritage of strength, courage and integrity.  As it happens, it will be my Sunday to play piano at church, and in their honor, I think I’ll play this Irish hymn, which characterizes their lives:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Monday Mania -- in Aquamarine!!

It’s Monday Mania!  Aquamarine is the color of the month ..the birthstone for March ..and have I got a deal for you!  Get 25% off any aquamarine jewelry you order!

This is how it works:
Choose any style from my Etsy shop (look for the girl’s names for styles available in aquamarine)
Place the item in your cart (regardless of the color shown in the listing)
Write “aquamarine” in the notes section
Use coupon code MondayMania when you check out

It’s that simple!  This is a one day only special so make your selection quickly!  All items will be made to order and should be ready to ship by Thursday.  This offer is good until noon on Tuesday (eastern time in the US) and only available on aquamarine colored jewelry ... so don’t delay!  Oh, and if you’d like ball posts or leverbacks instead of French wires, please go to the Special Services section of my shop and add the desired alteration to your cart.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Business planning, part 4

Well, now that you know I’ve been lazy (Jan 14)
And I’ve told you about some resources I’ve found helpful (Jan 28)
And I’ve explained how I implemented a reasonable household schedule (Feb 12)
Let’s talk about how I’m applying all this to my business planning.

To some degree, I’ve been “playing” at my jewelry business.   I’m not sure whether it’s been a profitable hobby or an extremely part time venture but I’m feeling the need to take it to the next level.  I’ve been depending pretty much solely on craft shows for my sales but it’s time to step it up and go beyond the shows.  Making a plan will be an important part of that effort.

I started by analyzing my business – marketing, practices, activities.  What am I doing right?  What needs improvement?  What tasks need to be done regularly?  Then I set a few goals.  Some goals are very long term, some are more immediate.  But they’re goals (if you don’t have anything to shoot for, you’ll never hit the mark).  My 5 goals for 2013 are:
Improve my online sales
Improve my offline sales
Expand my product offerings
Improve my show displays
Streamline my business record keeping

I considered a customer service goal, but that is an area that is currently satisfactory – need to stay on top of it of course, but it doesn’t require any major changes right now.  And by the way – this analysis has taken place over a couple months and has included discussions with several other people for outside (and maybe more objective) input.

For each of my goals, I have listed 2-4 strategies.  A strategy is defined as “a plan designed to achieve a particular long term aim” – in this case, broad ideas for achieving my goals.  Each strategy is broken down into specific tasks intended to help implement the strategy (eating an elephant one bite at a time).   So, I have a goal – a purpose to achieve; a strategy – a plan to help achieve my goal; and tasks – the specific activities to carry out the plan.  Example:

Goal:    Expand my product offerings
    Strategy:   research trends in styles and colors
        Task:  talk to beautician about wedding hairstyles
        Task:  read the Pantone color forecast for 2013
        Task:  get the new color swatches from the bridal shop
    Strategy:   learn new techniques
        Task:  take a class in wire working
        Task:  purchase a tutorial on making ear cuffs
        Task:  purchase tools and supplies needed
        Task:  practice techniques to gain proficiency

Now that I have a set of goals and the specific tasks needed to achieve them, I can use this information when planning my days, weeks and months.  I can be more productive because I’m not shifting aimlessly and when I have completed a task, I enjoy a sense of accomplishment.  And while I certainly hope that these efforts will result in greater sales, I can be confident that I’m utilizing a well thought out plan, not wasting precious time on meaningless tasks.

I’m going to have to be flexible about this at times and prepared to make changes when I see the need.  After all, if I’m successful at increasing my online sales, I’m going to have more product to make, more to ship, more packing to do, more materials ordering to do ... well, you get the idea.  Some of my goals may change ..or at least change in priority.

I'm adding a goals form that I created -- and hopefully it can be downloaded by you!  You can save it as a jpg file by right clicking on it with your mouse and selecting "Save Image As" from the drop down list. OR to save as a pdf file, click on the Goals Planner title link which will take you to Scribd where you can download it - Scribd is free to join.

   Goals Planner by

I grew up on a farm and enjoy gardening this is the perfect analogy for me.  A good business is like a plant – it’s a growing, living, changing thing.  The seed is off to a good start and the roots are in good rich soil.  I have a plan in place to nurture it at this stage of growth but like a plant, it may need different care as it matures.  With a little watering, a little feeding, a little weeding and some tender loving care, it will produce an abundance in time.  As it grows, I’ll be keeping an eye on it ... and looking forward to that harvest!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Introductions Please!!

Well, I've been gone for a few days.  Last week on Wednesday evening after work, my husband and I headed out to our son's .. his wife was going to have labor induced.  We got most of the miles under our belts when we learned that she needed some pre-induction medications and she wouldn't be getting pitocyn until the next (Thursday) morning.  We were exhausted and pulled in to a motel for the night.  Good thing ... our next few days were long and tough.  Our sweet DIL spent hours attempting labor.  At one point, it hadn't taken so they quit and let her eat, then began again.  It looked more promising the second time around as she got dilated to 5 and was having hard labor pains every 3 minutes ... but it ceased to progress beyond that and late Friday afternoon, the decision was made to do a C-section.

Andrew was born at 6:55 on Friday evening and came in at a petite 8 pounds, 13 oz and 22" long.  Everything seemed to be pretty much ok -- just a little fluid in the lungs, typical of C-section babies and normally clears up in a short time.  We all (5 grandmas and grandpas and an aunt were waiting) got to snuggle him for a few minutes, then we all headed out for a good night's sleep, leaving the new Daddy and Mama to enjoy their little guy.

Saturday morning we sauntered in to the hospital -- and found that Andrew was having irregular breathing and he had been moved to the NeoNatal ICU of the Children's Hospital next door.  The 2 buildings are joined and we were able to go to see him.  It was frightening to see his tiny body all wired up with IV, feeding tube and monitors, but it was a great comfort to know that he was in one of the best Children's Hospitals in the nation and was getting the best care.  Andrew progressed slowly over the next few days, his breathing becoming more regular.  He hadn't been able to eat at first for fear that he would choke, but he gradually began eating more and more.

Yesterday, Andrew went home.  His Mama and Daddy are delighted and relieved to have him home with them!

These past days have been a real challenge in patience.  Waiting, waiting, waiting.  Waiting for labor to happen.  Waiting for delivery.  Waiting for breathing.  Waiting for eating.  All things are in God's hands and God's time ... which is not always MY time!  I want to "fix" things ... NOW!  and make everyone better.  But life doesn't always work that way.  It's been a real reminder that, as much as I sometimes like to be in control, things aren't always IN my control.
So let me introduce you ....
This is my husband with Andrew.

My husband and I have returned home.  I get to see Andrew again in a few weeks ... can hardly wait!!!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Business Planning Part 3

So far, I’ve confessed my laziness.  (see post for Jan 14)
And I’ve shared a couple resources that I’ve found helpful. (see post for Jan 28)

Now what?

I’ll start with my home plan because it will lay the foundation for business planning.  My goal:  I wanted a cleaning schedule that was easy to manage, kept everything reasonably clean but didn’t overwhelm my life.  I made a list of every room in my house, then made a list of EVERY cleaning activity necessary for each room.  Yes, I included washing windows, cleaning curtains, even washing walls....but don’t panic yet!  I then assigned a frequency to each task.  Some tasks, like doing dishes, are daily tasks.  Some, like washing walls, are done once a year.  Everything else falls somewhere in between.  Oh ..and remember .. you are NOT Martha Stewart!  It doesn’t have to be perfect all the time.  But you do want to keep the common areas clean enough so if your Mom drops in unannounced, you won’t be embarrassed by the size of the dust bunnies!

Once I had my list of tasks done, I looked at the rhythms of our lifestyle.  Our weekends tend to be busier with social and church activities (and these days, craft shows) so I avoided adding any cleaning tasks to Saturdays or Sundays.  And because they are social, I want the house to look decent, so I made sure that the cleaning tasks involving the common areas of the house were added to Fridays.  Make sense?  I intentionally planned that my kitchen,  dining room, living room and bathroom would be clean and ready for those weekend social events.  Tasks needing to be done 3 times per week kind of naturally fell into Mondays - Wednesdays - Fridays while tasks needing to be done 2 times per week fell into Tuesdays and Fridays.  Thursdays ended up being “light” days for me – and became the perfect place to do some of those less frequent tasks like washing windows.  I ended up doing most of my laundry on Thursdays – so most of our clothes would be clean and ready for anything that came up on the weekend.

The beauty of this plan is that once you’ve laid out your schedule and you implement it, you don’t even have to THINK about when tasks need to be done.  We lived for 6 years in a big, old Victorian house – 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, a massive living room, 3 kids (2 homeschooled) and assorted neighbor kids.  I could do most of my household tasks on Mondays through Thursdays (except laundry) in about an hour per day.  Fridays took about 2 hours – but the whole house was ready for anything the weekend threw at us.

My point is that before I developed a cleaning plan, I would look around the house and feel overwhelmed at all I thought had to be done.  Before I laid it all out in black and white, then prioritized, I would see EVERYTHING as a task needing immediate attention.  Once there was a basic plan in place, I was free to do only what was actually necessary, being confident that everything would be done in it’s time.  Having a plan did not constrict me freed me.

So what does all this mean for developing my business plans?  I’ll get down to some business nitty gritty in a couple weeks.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Naming the Babies

When I first began my business, I realized early on that my designs were reproducible ...after all, I started because of a wedding.  I also figured out that I needed a way to identify each style so orders could be taken and multiples made.  Pretty easy ... each design needs a name.  But what names to use?  Lots of options were considered and I needed to make allowance that the number of design styles would expand and change over time.   With several groups of designs, there was a fair amount to consider.  I wanted a group of names that would communicate elegance and grace – a name like “Bubblegum Jellopops “ wasn’t going to cut it.

My main line of jewelry styles use crystals with either white or cream pearls.  I decided to use it to honor special women (and girls) in my life.   The names are in alphabetical order and almost every name in my “Fantasy Girls” group represents someone who I have loved or admired.  It was hard to come up with names for a couple of the letters so I looked through baby books to see what names meant and chose accordingly.  For the most part, the names from the early part of the alphabet are the small styles and they get progressively longer as we get further down the letters.  And as time has passed, and I’ve gone far beyond 26 styles of earrings, I’ve added second (and sometimes even third) names for the letters.  My business started by making earrings so I have lots of those designs ...but when I started making necklaces, I had a new problem with naming.  While I was in the process of figuring out what to do about those names, I happened to watch a classic movie with the main character being royalty.  It occurred to me that the royal titles seemed a natural next step in extending my Girls line.  Yes ... we have a few typical titles like Duchess or Contessa or Empress ...but we have (or will eventually have) some unique names.  Bantiarna is an Irish Baroness and Grevinna is a Swedish countess.

"In The Mood" Earrings
My second largest jewelry line uses a variety of pearl colors with crystals to match.  Some designs can cross over from the Girls ... but some styles are unique to this line.  You may already know I’m a fan of movies from the 1930's and 40's, but I also love the music!  So this line is called “Big Band Baubles” and the designs are named for the titles of some great songs from that era!  I started with some of my very favorites from Glenn Miller then moved on to Cole Porter standards and songs done by Frank Sinatra.  “In the Mood” is one of my best sellers!

Right from the beginning, I’ve also made jewelry using Semi-precious stones.  A lot of people impart mystical qualities to various stones, but I’m not of that neighborhood what to name them.  I did want these names to be very distinct from my other design names.  We had occasion to spend several weeks on a working vacation in Florida and I encountered a couple unusual (but very pretty sounding) names - like “Jacaranda” and “Lantana” (both flowers).   As a very northern girl, I found tropical words intriguing ...and the idea for naming the stones was born.  This line is a bit different because each stone family has it’s own name, and then each design has it’s own name.  “Bling” is the same style in every stone.  Many stone families are represented by names resembling their colors.  For instance, Snow Jade, a translucent white stone, is named “Lantana” which is a tropical white flower.  The Jacaranda tree bears blue flowers so was the perfect name for Blue Chalcedony.  Not all names are exceptionally tropical – Banana Fofana seemed like a fun name for Yellow Aragonite and Pirates Cove works well for Black Onyx.

I have 2 other lines, both with fewer styles.  Bracelets are all named for classic movie actresses – Garland, Taylor, Hepburn, Monroe.  And I have a line of mixed colors based on seasons and holidays called “Seasons Dreams”.  “Autumn Dreams” is a beautiful fall blend of browns, gold, olive and Indian red.  “Summer Dreams” are beachy colors of capri, aqua, light smoked topaz (sandy colored) and white pearls.  In honor of St Patricks Day, “Irish Dreams” features crystals of emerald and erinite mixed with white pearls.  Each of the combinations of the Seasons Dreams line has a miniature called Sweet Dreams.  And I’ve made allowances to eventually offer earrings, bracelets and anklets using each of the Dreams combinations.

There are ideas tumbling around my head for a couple more combinations – new lines that I’ll develop someday.  And they already have names set aside for them.  I love what I’m doing now but my creativity is not limited to Swarovski crystals and pearls – so I actually have another Etsy shop so the name is “reserved” – something more fitting for an entirely different kind of style.  No plans to launch any new shop this year – Gentle Adornments is keeping me busy enough – that and the fixer-upper house we’re working on!  But maybe when the house is settled?.....

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Monday Madness ... strikes again!!

It’s Monday Madness!  Amethyst is the color of the month ..the birthstone for February ..and have I got a deal for you!  Get 25% off any amethyst jewelry you order!  This is how it works:  Choose any style from my Etsy shop (look for the girl’s names for styles available in amethyst)
Place the item in your cart (regardless of the color shown in the listing)
Write “amethyst” in the notes section
Use coupon code  MondayMadness  when you check out

It’s that simple!

This is a one day only special so make your selection quickly!  All items will be made to order and should be ready to ship by Wednesday.  This offer is good until midnight (eastern time in the US) and only available on amethyst colored jewelry ... so don’t delay!  Oh, and if you’d like ball posts or leverbacks instead of French wires, please go to the Special Services section of my shop and add the desired alteration to your cart.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Valentines for my Valentines

I LOVE Valentines Day! I know it’s a “Hallmark Holiday” but I still love it.  It’s like a mini-Christmas.  People are kinder for a while, but they don’t go nuts in the stores.  There’s no pressure to be here or there or anywhere (please excuse me while I break out my Dr. Seuss). This time of year I pack a love note or card into my husband’s lunch box for the first 14 days of February.  It appears that it doesn’t matter whether your 8 or 38, a note in your lunch box makes you feel special, and makes you smile when you see it. Sometimes I make a big deal out of it, and sometimes it’s just an “I love you” scratched on a piece of paper. I’ve already finished some cards for Jon’s lunchbox.   And I have plans for more.

This one I plan to wrap around a banana in his lunch box.
Every Wednesday he has to travel further for work, and I don’t pack his lunch so I think I’ll wrap one around a bag of kisses and stick it in his computer bag.  So you see why this is fun…it’s like being Santa when no one expects it.

This year I’m also planning on making cards with my 8 year old daughter.  She’s a bit of a crafty bug like her mom.  On Wednesday I was helping in her class and she told her teacher “You can find her on!” The teacher says “I’ll look for her there.” To which I corrected her and said “I have NO idea what she’s talking about.” And we all chuckled about it.  I’m pretty sure that domain name is taken, and it’s not taken by me.  Ellie thought it was cute because it rhymed.  Here’s a picture of what we’ll be working on for her class.

I’m going to show you a step by step process for making one of your own.  I used my cricut to cut out the cupcakes, but you can use any die cut you can find.

Here’s what you’ll need:
3”x4” storage bags
Happy Valentine’s Day Stamp
StazOn Ink (it doesn’t have to be StazOn but it does need to be an ink that will work on plastic, not just paper)
Glitter and Glue
Create-A-Critter 2 Cartridge
            Cut 1 ¼  inch heart from the lady bug
            Cut 3 ½ inch cupcake
            Cut 3 ½ inch cupcake wrapper
Embossing machine with heart embossing folder (I used a Big Kick with a Paper Studio folder)
Conversation hearts (enough for 10-12 for each baggie and some extras for snacking)

1.     Stamp the bags and give them time to dry, if you move the ink too quickly it will still smudge even though it’s supposed to be ok on plastic.  Once they’re dry put 10-12 conversation hearts in each one.

2.     Fold the 4”x6” piece of paper down 1.5 inches so it measures 4”x 4.5”.  Use a bone scorer or the edge of a credit card to flatten that fold out better.  Place the 1.5” flap into the embossing folder, it’s ok to let the rest hang out, and emboss.

3.     Staple the storage bag with candy into the flap.

4.     Glue together cupcake wrapper and cupcake.  Spread glue around the top of the cupcake, but take care to avoid the area where you want to glue the heart cherry.  Add glitter.  Then glue the heart cherry on top.

5.     Cover the staple by gluing the cupcake to the flap.

Before I attach the bag of candy to the flap I can have Ellie write out her “To” and “From” on the back.  Here’s a tip, as this will be my 4th Valentines Day party, it’s easier to distribute on Valentine’s day if they simply put “From” and then can just pass them out.  It can take forever for the littles to figure out who’s name is who and where that particular valentine should go.

My son is 5, and not quite the crafty bug as…well…as anyone.  So his valentines ended up being really quick and easy.  The longest part of this project was getting him to put on that tie…and it’s a clip on.  I took his picture on a plain white background (we call it “the wall” at our house) with him holding out his fist and “showing it to me”.

 I printed them off at…they come 3 to a card and you can just cut them apart.  I did a hole punch above and below his hand and threaded in the sucker.

 Now he can hand out treats to his friends with very little effort.  My husband pointed out that Grandma’s might like pictures of that handsome devil too, so good thing I printed extras.  I also thought that for Grandma’s I might thread a small fake flower into that fist.

I hope you now have some creative juices flowing so you can go show some love.  And even if you’re not creative, scribbling “I love you” onto a napkin will surely bring a smile to your Love’s face.


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Kiss my Aass!

Today is a very special day. Not because it’s sunny, because it isn’t even though it’s Sunday, or because it’s the birthday of Pat Buttram, which it is, though since I’ve never heard of him despite his splendid surname I won’t bother celebrating. No, folks. It’s way better than that. It’s the 200th birthday of my home town Drammen. For this splendid reason, today’s blog post won’t be about Germany and her beers and breweries. Instead, I’ll venture down memory lane and become a bit nostalgic whilst crying homesick tears into my keyboard. If this sounds boring, rest assured that the topic of beer will also feature heavily.

Drammen was, as the sharpest amongst you have already figured out, founded on the 19th of June 1811 by joining the small hamlets Bragernes and Strømsø, situated north and south of the mighty Drammen river, into one large metropolis. Strategically placed where the river meets the cunningly named Drammen fjord, Drammen soon prospered, mainly due to the thousands of tonnes of timber being floated down the river every year and then loaded onto – or made into – ships in the local harbour, unsurprisingly known as the Drammen harbour.
The Drammen fjord in the foreground with the city behind

A decade or five later the industrial revolution hit the country, and some clever chaps realized that the wood could be turned into paper before leaving the city, thereby substantially increasing its value. Drammen therefore turned itself into an industrial city with dozens of paper mills lining the river and a substantial number of shipping companies that exported the paper to most corners of the globe. The workers employed at the factories were obviously very thirsty after a day of hard labour, so a handful of breweries also sprang up to provide relief for dry throats.

One of these breweries was started in 1834, and eventually evolved into the wonderful Aass Brewery we know today (note that “Aass” is pronounced to rhyme with “laws”, at least if you have a Britishish accent). The last paper mill has long since closed, and the city has gone through the usual post-industrial decline followed by an urban regeneration programme resulting in a myriad of prizes and an improved reputation, but the brewery has – so far – remained a stable presence throughout the ups and downs. Known for its quality products and dedication to brewing good beer, it is one of the few things in Drammen which has always been a source of pride for the city’s inhabitants. As such, the brewery enjoys a tremendous local loyalty. More than once have the big multinational brewery giants such as Carlsberg tried to enter the market in Drammen with their carbonated piss, and every time have the people of Drammen voted with their feet. The latest incident happened just a few weeks ago, and it will be interesting to see what will happen to the two bars concerned once they start serving Carlsberg in September. One thing is certain: they won’t be dispensing a lot of beer to people who grew up in Drammen.
The Aass brewery sitting prettily by the river

My own experience of growing up in Drammen in the 80s was very positive. I guess parents were a bit less paranoid back then, so my friends and I were allowed to play unsupervised from age nine or so, which we enjoyed tremendously whether it involved skiing in the woods, climbing the shipping cranes at the harbour or playing football in the schoolyard. Moreover, since I always knew that it was my patriotic duty to support the local brewery, I also made sure that I taught myself to like beer as soon as I was not yet old enough to drink legally.

A lot of water has flowed under the bridges than join the two halves of Drammen together since then, and I have had the pleasure of living in cities such as Trondheim, Brisbane, Oxford and Konstanz. Nice cities, sure, but none of them have a brewery to compare with Drammen’s. Now don’t get me wrong, even I realise that there are more important things in life than drinking beer, but I still think that a great brewery loved by the locals is one of the finest features of a city. Sadly, I am not in Drammen to celebrate this weekend, and neither do I have a beer from the Aass brewery to celebrate with. Nevertheless, I will toast my home town in an appropriate manner today, and wish everyone back there a very happy birthday.

My keyboard is now completely soaked with tears, and I am in grave danger of crossing the line between being boringly nostalgic and annoyingly soppy, so perhaps it’s time to stop writing. Besides, the sun has just made an appearance, and there are some cold drinks in the fridge awaiting my attention. I therefore say cheers, skål, slainte, iechyd da, prost, terviseks, kippis and kampai to Drammen, and round off with a slightly modified quote from Shakespeare: “An Aass! An Aass! My kingdom for an Aass!”.

Wake up and smell Cologne!

Many cities can lay a half-decent claim to be the beer capital of the world. Plzen and Prague in the Czech Republic, Munich and Bamberg in Germany, Brussels in Belgium, perhaps even Portland in Oregon, they all have an established beer culture, long traditions and plenty of fantastic pubs where you can happily sip your way through a selection of the world’s greatest beers.

However, if I were going to list the 10 best beer cities in the world, and perhaps I will one day so that you all can make proper plans for your next 10 holidays, one city just has to be included: Cologne, or Köln as it is known in its native language, German, or Deutsch as the language is known in its native language. Why Cologne? Because it’s simply one of the finest places to sip beer on planet earth.

Cologne has, until recently, been a somewhat unfortunate place. It sits on the west bank of the mighty river Rhine, and is therefore separated from the majority of Germany by one of Europe’s most strategic waterways. This meant that the city was frequently part of some war or other, and changed hands from one crazy emperor to the next roughly as often as people used to change underwear in those days. The upshot was that the people in Cologne learned to get on with their lives with a healthy dose of scepticism for authorities. During that big clash now known as World War Two, Cologne was pretty much reduced to a giant pile of rubble – the only thing of note left standing was, amazingly, the cathedral, which is so big you’d think it’d be impossible to miss.

But this blog post isn’t a history lesson, it’s about beer. What in St Gambrinus’ name does Cologne have to do with my favourite drink, I hear you cry. Well, as it happens, Cologne is one of the very few cities on this planet to have a beer style named after it. Those of you who have paid attention to my earlier posts will know this already: it’s called Kölsch, a top-fermented yet golden and clear ale with hoppy and sometimes flowery notes. Most people haven’t even heard of it – when the Pils style was busy being copied and abused all over the world, the citizens of Cologne decided to jealously guard theirs by drinking it all themselves and making sure that nobody outside their region was allowed to brew it.

In other words, to experience Kölsch you have to go to Cologne. It’s worth the trip. The old town, which was partially rebuilt after the aforementioned war and now looks quite nice, is home to some of the finest drinking houses in the world. When you enter one of these for the first time it can be a bit of a shock. As soon as you’ve found a place to sit, stand or otherwise deposit the body parts not required for drinking, a waiter will deliver beers. You may at this point think that you’ve already lost your sense of perspective. Rest assured, the glass is small, it’s not far away, and you can reach it assuming you’re still capable of lifting your arms. Kölsch beer is traditionally served in 0.2l glasses. Now don’t panic! As soon as you’ve finished the last sip, the waiter will automatically bring you a new, fresh one unless you’ve put the coaster on top of the glass.

Beginners don’t normally realize this, so it’s great fun to watch people desperate to get out of there to catch a flight or sober up or something equally pointless, and not being able to due to new rounds of beer constantly appearing. Once they finally figure it out, they’ve usually missed their flight anyway so they might as well continue to the next great place to drink Kölsch, which is always conveniently located next door, across the street or, in some tedious cases, around the corner. The other thing to note about these beer houses is that the atmosphere is extremely friendly, even if the waiters can be quite rude if you don’t know the rules, don’t speak their dialect or otherwise look like you haven’t grown up in their neighbourhood. You can solve this problem by ordering a 5 or 10-litre cask delivered at your table, and pour new beers as often as you like until you invariably end up realizing that you should have been thrown out several hours ago.

Finally, at the end of the visit, you’ll also understand how the waiter kept track of the number of beers you drank – he made a little pencil mark on your beer coaster every time he brought a new one. Paying your bill, then, involves simply counting the marks and multiplying by the price per beer, something the waiter luckily will do for you. I have never tried to cheat by substituting the coaster or something like that, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend doing so since the waiters all look like they’ve dealt efficiently with a little mischief here and there in the past. They’d probably chuck you in the Rhine and tell you to swim downstream to Düsseldorf.

There are about 20 different varieties of Kölsch. They all have the same colour, but the taste can vary significantly. However, I’m not going to reveal more, partially because I cannot remember, and partially because the great thing about Cologne is to go there and do a massive pub crawl to discover your own favourite. Be warned: whatever you do when you get there, don’t even think about ordering a beer other than Kölsch – and especially not the type so beloved by the people living just downstream, namely Altbier. If you do, you’ll join the people who cheated on the coaster marks sooner than you can say “Rheindampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän”. Then you can, to pass the time whilst trying to keep your head above water and out of the propellers of the myriad of barges, think about the old Cologne saying: “We drink Kölsch. After we’ve drunk it, it eventually ends up in the Rhine where it flows downstream to Düsseldorf. There they use it to brew Altbier”.

Time to get serious

Every so often, any blogger with respect for himherself must cover a serious subject, like global warming, the war on terror or the rampant corruption in FIFA. Today it's my turn - I'm going to tackle a subject which gives me very little joy and which in many ways I wish was not a necessity on this planet: alcohol free beer.

When I was a lad, there was no such thing as alcohol free beer, though we had something called "Vørterøl" in Norway, or wort beer in English. The wort is essentially a mixture of water and malted barley where the sugars of the malt are dissolved into the water by raising the temperature, before the wort is hopped, cooled, fermented and developed into a nice or nasty beer. If you simply don't let the wort ferment, but just bung it in a bottle and ship it off to the supermarket, you get this sickly sweet drink which tastes horrible but is probably a nutricious replacement for baby milk.

Lately, breweries have discovered that the taste improves if you brew a proper beer and then subsequently remove the alcohol. The standard method is to boil the beer to let the alcohol evaporate, but there are some tricks such as creating a vacuum in the boiling chamber which enables the process to be done at lower temperatures, allegedly preserving more of the real beer taste.

The fundamental question is: why do we need alcohol free beer? There are dozens of perfectly good alcohol free drinks on the market, most of which are cheaper, healthier and better-tasting than petrol. It's a bit like vegetarian "bacon" made from soy or lava or whatever - you really want the real McCoy, but you can't have it for whatever reason so you settle for some substandard rubbish that lets you fool yourself into thinking that you're having the real McCoy.

Having said that, I have a confession to make (I'm not a catholic, and that wasn't the confession, but I seem to confess a lot in this blog lately so I thought I'd just point that out): I've been drinking a fair bit of alcohol free beer in recent months. Not nearly as much as the proper stuff, but perhaps 2-3 bottles a week.Why, oh why, have I fallen to such depths? I don't drive, I'm not an air traffic controller, and I don't plan to compete in the next Olympic Games (unless Norway wants me to). Well, the reason is that I'm trying not to end up on the slippery slope where I start having a couple of beers a day, leading to three or four, and then before I know it I'm a regular down the local pub here, wearing lederhosen and guzzling beer out of massive litre glasses with my friends Fritz, Hansi and Gumpert. Actually, that sounds rather like fun. Hmmm. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that I've decided to have one or two days a week completely without alcohol, just give the old liver a bit of a rest.

Having made this decision, I went about the task of finding an alco-free beer that tasted OK. My expectations were low, and as I was slowly tasting my way through the surprisingly extensive selection from the local supermarkets, I realized that this was going to be painful. They were basically all crap. Every single one had this weird sweetish taste as well as a massive hole where the taste of good beer should be. It makes your taste buds go crazy because you expect so much more, yet there's potential there and the promise of better things to come. After a long time of trying and failing, I settled on the one beer which taste reminded me most of beer, namely the Rothaus Alkoholfrei Zäpfle. It's not half bad, and it fulfils the main requirement: it's more refreshing than water.

The other thing to mention is that alcohol free beer here in Germany costs more than the normal alcoholic ones. This fact is impossible to understand for a Norwegian brought up with alcohol taxes so high that you are forced to save up all your pocket money from your childhood to be able to afford beer when you finally become a teenager. I therefore asked a German to explain this to me. He said that the reason is that alcohol free beer costs more to make. But what about the alcohol tax, I asked meekly. Well, there is very little tax on beer because it is seen as a staple product - like bread or milk, he said. At this point my brain malfunctioned completely, but I somehow recovered to finally understand why the Germans almost always get to the final in the World Cup. It's because they play efficient football and always win penalty shootouts.
Not bad for a brain that just malfunctioned.


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Sunday, May 25, 2008

Wind chimes

Wind chimes
Wind chimes ,
originally uploaded by getglassy.
Just finished putting this together. I like the way it sounds. Just not sure I like the top bit. It was an interesting design. I made one similar and gave it away as a birthday present and they really loved it. Who knows you may see these in my Etsy stores soon!

Monday, May 5, 2008

My pendant.

originally uploaded by getglassy.
What fun! SmokeyLady54 from Etsy took one of my Bite Me pendants and created this fun necklace. I love it!
Great job Smokey!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Getting Ready for a Show

This will be my first Art Festival and its this weekend! I've got 2 more kiln loads to go but I think (hope) I have enough product. Its an indoor festival so at least I don't have to worry about the weather.

I got a drill press for my birthday. I know an odd gift but I have a friend who really understands me :) It came in handy with the pendants for Mother's Day.

A big thanks to Squidglass and Pollyfusia for sharing the technique with me for adding CZ's to the pendants. Another big thanks to ccvalenzo for sharing some dichroic advise. I have had fun playing with it! Its so good to be part of a team that is willing to help with advise and encouragement! Thank you.

Couldn't forget about Grandma. I've got Grandmother and mother pendants too.

My daughter loves these puzzle pieces so she made a bunch for the show too.

Had to add some more bling to these dichroic pieces with a some colored CZ's.

The frit pendants came out beautiful! Its hard to pick a favorite.

Also in the background are some soap dishes I made to go with my hand knitted wash clothes. We're putting them together for a spa package for Mother's Day.

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