Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Original Printables Holiday Countdown!
As a gift to those who have supported her mixed-media web sites, LisaVollrath.com, Ten Two Studios and Go Make Something, Lisa Vollrath has created a countdown to Christmas that reveals a new printable image sheet each day from December 1st through Christmas Day. Each day will bring a new a link to that day's surprise. You can find the downloads here. If you just can't wait until Christmas to get all of these wonderful images you can also purchase them from Ten Two Studios here. THANKS, Lisa! How generous you are!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Ahh, poetry!
LK Ludwig has issued a challenge for today on her blog Poetic Words. This challenge, Day of Sharing Words is to post some poetry that moves you on your blog, and link it to hers so that others might share in it. So I am moving ahead with the challenge...and hoping it is only the first of many related to poetry... something that I love.
I am always awed by how the sentiments of a few words have the power to move one to joy or tears. Poetry has always pulled at my heartstrings and I have dabbled at it since I was a child. When I was just a little girl beginning to learn to read my teacher recognized my love of poetry and gave me a book that had become too tattered to keep on the school library shelves. It was "The Best Loved Poems of the American People." I still have that sad old book, even though I was given a new edition of it several years ago. It is an old friend that has seen me through many personal trials, triumphs, and heartaches. I can always find words there that speak to my soul. Next to the scriptures I think there is little else that has more more power to move one than poetry.
For this challenge I have chosen a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson. It seems fitting at this time of national turmoil that we remember what makes a strong nation is really dependant on the character of its citizens.
A Nation's Strength
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
What makes a nation's pillars high
And it's foundations strong?
What makes it mighty to defy
The foes that round it throng?
It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand
Go down in battle shock;
Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,
Not on abiding rock.
Is it the sword? Ask the red dust
Of empires passed away;
The blood has turned their stones to rust,
Their glory to decay.
And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown
Has seemed to nations sweet;
But God has struck its luster down
In ashes at his feet.
Not gold but only men can make
A people great and strong;
Men who for truth and honor's sake
Stand fast and suffer long.
Brave men who work while others sleep,
Who dare while others fly...
They build a nation's pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.
I am always awed by how the sentiments of a few words have the power to move one to joy or tears. Poetry has always pulled at my heartstrings and I have dabbled at it since I was a child. When I was just a little girl beginning to learn to read my teacher recognized my love of poetry and gave me a book that had become too tattered to keep on the school library shelves. It was "The Best Loved Poems of the American People." I still have that sad old book, even though I was given a new edition of it several years ago. It is an old friend that has seen me through many personal trials, triumphs, and heartaches. I can always find words there that speak to my soul. Next to the scriptures I think there is little else that has more more power to move one than poetry.
For this challenge I have chosen a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson. It seems fitting at this time of national turmoil that we remember what makes a strong nation is really dependant on the character of its citizens.
A Nation's Strength
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
What makes a nation's pillars high
And it's foundations strong?
What makes it mighty to defy
The foes that round it throng?
It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand
Go down in battle shock;
Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,
Not on abiding rock.
Is it the sword? Ask the red dust
Of empires passed away;
The blood has turned their stones to rust,
Their glory to decay.
And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown
Has seemed to nations sweet;
But God has struck its luster down
In ashes at his feet.
Not gold but only men can make
A people great and strong;
Men who for truth and honor's sake
Stand fast and suffer long.
Brave men who work while others sleep,
Who dare while others fly...
They build a nation's pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.
You can find more of his poetry on Poets.org.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
I've been tagged!
I've been tagged by my daughter Letha. I feel special! Now to see if I can do this right!
Here are the rules
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged.
So, let's see what I can tell you about myself that is quirky but boring...hmmm...Letha seems to think that I have a lot of funny boring stuff to share, but I can't think of much. Maybe she just thinks I am odd and boring! LOL
1. I am a packrat. I hoard things that "might come in handy one day." I think I got this from my mom and passed it on to my girls. Yikes, not such a good idea there. I just like my art "stuff". I like to sort and organize it as much as "play" with it. I am a very tactile person, I like to touch. A friend said she just likes to fondle her quilting fabrics. I totally understand that concept.
2. I love babies - I love to touch their soft skin and they smell so heavenly - and are so much fun to cuddle. I especially love my grandbabies, even when they are no longer babies. My grandchildren are one of my greatest joys. I am definitely one of those grammas that just want to talk about their wonderful grandkids. To me this is exciting...I am sure others find it boring, especially if they want me to "shut up" so they can talk about their grandkids - who are not nearly as wonderful as MINE! LOL
3. Is this quirky? I have been married 41 years to my college sweetheart and we are still in love! He is a jewel!
4. When I love, I love deeply and it is so hard to let go. I lost my mom four years ago and there still is not a day that goes by that I don't grieve for her. I miss her so much. I love my children and am so glad we have good relationships, but I hope when I am gone that they will not grieve as much for me as I do for my mother...it is a hard thing to miss someone so much.
5. I love cocoanut cream pie (not a mis-spelling...this is how my mom spelled coconut)...the good kind that my mom used to make with a cooked cream filling and toasted cocoanut sprinkled meringue on top.
6. Contrary to Letha, I LOVE chocolate...dark sweet chocolate, dark bitter chocolate, creamy milk chocolate, chocolate raspberry truffles, pecan marnier chocolates, decadent chocolate covered candied fruit, homemade fudge, chocolate cake with chocolate icing, brownie delights, and of course, hot fudge sundaes (actually our Dairy Queen make an awesome one called Almond Chocolate Rock Treat - ice cream with hot fudge, toasted almonds and topped with dipping chocolate which hardens and holds it all together - and because I am friends with the owners, they always add a cherry to the top of mine) You name it...I LOVE CHOCOLATE...but it has to be quality chocolate...don't give me cheap waxy chocolate ...I want the REAL thing!
Enough about me. Here are my six friends that I am tagging:
Marion - Such talent, such fun, so quirky...that is how I see her blog ...a delight!
Wrick - Combining traditional and digital methods to create awesome art is his forte. Very cool!
Susan - Beautiful, evocative art that truly inspires.
Kim - Kim is such a talented artist...and decorator. I wish I could have her come do my house for the holidays!!! check out her flickr too.
Hermine - Fun, inspirational art. Thanks Hermine for the freebies, and also for the subtitles for us English speaking people!
Kelsey - I love Kelsey's art. And, those new beeswax pieces are so yummy!
Here are the rules
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged.
So, let's see what I can tell you about myself that is quirky but boring...hmmm...Letha seems to think that I have a lot of funny boring stuff to share, but I can't think of much. Maybe she just thinks I am odd and boring! LOL
1. I am a packrat. I hoard things that "might come in handy one day." I think I got this from my mom and passed it on to my girls. Yikes, not such a good idea there. I just like my art "stuff". I like to sort and organize it as much as "play" with it. I am a very tactile person, I like to touch. A friend said she just likes to fondle her quilting fabrics. I totally understand that concept.
2. I love babies - I love to touch their soft skin and they smell so heavenly - and are so much fun to cuddle. I especially love my grandbabies, even when they are no longer babies. My grandchildren are one of my greatest joys. I am definitely one of those grammas that just want to talk about their wonderful grandkids. To me this is exciting...I am sure others find it boring, especially if they want me to "shut up" so they can talk about their grandkids - who are not nearly as wonderful as MINE! LOL
3. Is this quirky? I have been married 41 years to my college sweetheart and we are still in love! He is a jewel!
4. When I love, I love deeply and it is so hard to let go. I lost my mom four years ago and there still is not a day that goes by that I don't grieve for her. I miss her so much. I love my children and am so glad we have good relationships, but I hope when I am gone that they will not grieve as much for me as I do for my mother...it is a hard thing to miss someone so much.
5. I love cocoanut cream pie (not a mis-spelling...this is how my mom spelled coconut)...the good kind that my mom used to make with a cooked cream filling and toasted cocoanut sprinkled meringue on top.
6. Contrary to Letha, I LOVE chocolate...dark sweet chocolate, dark bitter chocolate, creamy milk chocolate, chocolate raspberry truffles, pecan marnier chocolates, decadent chocolate covered candied fruit, homemade fudge, chocolate cake with chocolate icing, brownie delights, and of course, hot fudge sundaes (actually our Dairy Queen make an awesome one called Almond Chocolate Rock Treat - ice cream with hot fudge, toasted almonds and topped with dipping chocolate which hardens and holds it all together - and because I am friends with the owners, they always add a cherry to the top of mine) You name it...I LOVE CHOCOLATE...but it has to be quality chocolate...don't give me cheap waxy chocolate ...I want the REAL thing!
Enough about me. Here are my six friends that I am tagging:
Marion - Such talent, such fun, so quirky...that is how I see her blog ...a delight!
Wrick - Combining traditional and digital methods to create awesome art is his forte. Very cool!
Susan - Beautiful, evocative art that truly inspires.
Kim - Kim is such a talented artist...and decorator. I wish I could have her come do my house for the holidays!!! check out her flickr too.
Hermine - Fun, inspirational art. Thanks Hermine for the freebies, and also for the subtitles for us English speaking people!
Kelsey - I love Kelsey's art. And, those new beeswax pieces are so yummy!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Veterans Day Tribute
Today is Veterans Day....a day to honor those men and women who gave so much, and sometimes their all, so that we might live in this blessed land called America! Nothing can repay the debt we own them, but on this special day, I hope everyone will take a moment to reflect on the sacrifice given and what it means to you - and your posterity. Freedom is NOT free! It requires true patriots. It requires the best we have. It requires the heart and lives of those strong young men and women who love country and freedom more than self.
Below are a couple of videos that say it much better than I can.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
My calendar page
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Here is a scan of the fun things in my bottle. I have my own bottles ready to send to the next round of participants. This is such a fun project. I love surprises! 
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