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What's Doing Wednesday? Summer Tornadoes and Aceo


We've had some weather that'll take your breath away!  There's nothing like hearing the tornado warning sirens while you're (me) in the shower and trying to decide whether to continue washing or jump out, pull some clothes on and head to the basement...

Between the two tornado warnings and the three hailstorms in one day, oh brother do I need butterflies and flowers! 

Hope everyone has a wonderful summer and a Happy July 4th! 
The USA is 235 years old this holiday, so young and yet so far to go...

Irish Placemat Giveaway

I'm finding things in my house and want to pass them along to readers who may enjoy and find new uses for them.







Win 3 laminated Irish placemats, 3 different designs on front and all 3 have the same reverse as seen here:
Click the photos to enlarge and read them.


If you'd like to have these placemats enter by following the blog, the little follow button is in the right sidebar.  Leave a comment with your follow name so I can follow back.

Extra entries for sharing the giveway, just leave comments telling me where you shared.

I'll announce the winner in a post, the winner needs to contact me with details so I will be able to mail the placemats.  That's it!  Good luck!

P.S.  Enter my other Giveaways, see the list in the right sidebar!  GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED, THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.

Sunday Straphanger Alcatraz Island, CA

Being landlocked, It's no wonder I find myself thinking about water and looking at these photos from Alcatraz and San Francisco, I feel that tugging that never fully goes away.


Coming in for a landing, with Alcatraz island in the center background.

Looking down a hallway in the prison.




These steps lead to nowhere, the building is in ruins, love the picture window view!
From the hillside on Alcatraz with San Francisco in the background.

What's Doing Wednesday? Native American Inspired Aceo



Completed ACEO in Shop

Back in high school for extra credit in one of my Social Studies classes, I beaded and embrodiered a large shawl with symbols which represented various Native American words.  My teacher knew a little about the subject, so he recognized that my designs were from tribes scattered across the USA, and not from our own state.  He said he would hold that against me in the grade, but his conscience conceded that I had done a heck of a good job and he was impressed with my efforts.  

I thought about that lost shawl while I was making this aceo.  I remember how difficult it was to locate the information I needed about the original Americans.  The tribes far to the west were more interesting to me than the local tribes.  I was looking for adventure, not familiarity!                                                                                     

Recipe and Cookbook Giveaway

I was clearing a bookshelf and found this Richard Simmons cookbook.

The Angel Food and Crushed Pineapple Cake recipe is an easy one: 

Combine 1 package of Angel Food dry cake mix with 1 large can of Crushed Pineapple in a large bowl.  Stand back and watch it fizz!  Stir to blend, pour it in a nonstick or greased sheet cake tin and bake according to cakemix directions.  (You can add other ingredients:  coconut, chopped cherries, etc. to the blend.)  I sprinkle Confectioner's Sugar on top of cooling cake.  This is light and refreshing, especially for summertime snacking.

Enter to win the book by following the blog and leaving a comment with your following name so I can follow back.

Extra entries for sharing this giveaway, just leave a comment with how you shared.

That's it!  I'll announce the winner in a post, winner needs to contact me with details so I can mail the book.

P.S.  Enter my other Book Giveways, list in the right sidebar!   I want to give these books away to readers who could use them!  Good Luck!

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.

Sunday Straphanger Cardiff, Wales

Everywhere we go, my husband makes friends.  Sometimes they speak a different language than we speak.  I don't know why they seem to single us out of crowd.  My husband says it's my fault, that somehow "they" know I'm a good friend.  They follow me and I can't get away!

Peacock at Cardiff Castle.

Climbing The Keep at Cardiff Castle.

Still following me and looking for more snacks! 
My friend was crying she was laughing so hard, because I thought if I gave the peacock a snack it would leave me alone.  Instead we had to disperse and move in different directions to confuse the bird so we could leave the castle grounds and get to the carpark.  My husband tried to deflect and protect me and he told me to make a run for it!  The peacock batted his wings and took a couple of flying leaps, he was not going to let me go!

In the end, I, or my snacks, a magnet to this magnificent bird who was refusing to take "No!" for an answer, at least not in English, finally made it safely out of his reach.

P.S.  The castle is a great place to visit, it's in the center of the city near parks, shopping, restaurants, hotels, museums, venues, etc. 

What's Doing Wednesday? Navesink Lighthouses Aceo



WIP
 We climbed to the top of the lighthouse, avoiding icy steps and looking at our breath in the gray winter's air.  I loved it.  DH complained about the cold and did I really want to walk to the top and look out through the glass?  Yes, I did and we did. 

This is a photograph of a lighthouse in NJ.  There's a lot of historic significance (Marconi, radio, ...) and although I don't remember all of those significant details, I do remember the cold, the snow on the beach and the fiercefully cold winds.  Good memories!

Where does your inspiration come from?


Enter the giveaway:  Bright Ideas

Sunday Straphanger St. Michaels Mount, England


St. Michaels Mount

Hoping the rain would be light, we left the seashore at low tide and walked across the wet sands to climb
the steps up to the top of St. Michael's Mount.


Travelling in Britain means hooded raincoats and umbrellas close at hand. 

We got a little damp in the crossing and then had a tour of the buildings and grounds before we had to hurry up and hoof it back before the tide and the clouds became too rough.

Sometimes it's a whirlwind of opening times and making transport connections.  But it's all worth the effort for the wind and the rain make memorable travel companions!

Barbeque Book Giveaway

Enter to win this barbeque cookbook.  If you'd like to have this book, just enter the giveaway as follows:

First, follow the blog on GFC, it's the small button on the right sidebar.  I'll follow everyone who follows me.  Leave a comment with your following name so I can count your entry and follow back.

If you'd like extra entries after the first, share this post and let me know in the comments where you've shared it.  That's it!  

I'll announce the winner in a post and the winner needs to contact me so I can mail the book.  Good luck!

P.S.  Enter to win other Book Giveaways, see the link on the right sidebar.  GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.

What's Doing Wednesday? Dissection Prayer Aceo

ACEO in Storenvy Shop
The lowliest creatures on earth are still a marvel of design.  I couldn't, wouldn't dissect in Biology class.  I couldn't look at the  embalmed baby pigs in jars on the shelf.  The still alive, pinned and opened up frogs were incredibly difficult to look at.  Their hearts were beating, their breathing was a struggle, and they tried to move and disengage from the pins.  They looked at us, unbelieving our cruelty, pleading and suffering, and now, I still see their eyes.

Even this Kangaroo Rat has a place in the order of life.  Of course, he better not show up and run past me, I might have to jump!  Cute he might be, but he's still a rat.  Did you have to dissect in Biology?  There ought to be a better way to learn anatomy.

Enter the giveaway:  Bright Ideas

Sunday Straphanger D-Day Memorial, VA

We visited this memorial and I have some photos, but I thought to give you the postcard views instead.  It's in Bedford, Virginia and we happened upon it by picking up travel brochures at a rest stop and we decided to make a detour to visit.  I'm glad we did, it's a beautiful setting with a sad, yet triumphant grandeur.

The garden resembles shoulder patch of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expedionary Force.


The day we visited, the sky was blue with a smattering of white tufted clouds, and it was warm with a strong breeze.  People were milling about, taking photos and listening to the shots reenacted as water sprayed up from the pools, resembling gunfire on the beaches.   

There wasn't any running around and laughing.  In fact, I don't remember seeing any children at the memorial.  Ages of people ranged from thirties and up, history seekers, accidental tourists, and then it seemed there were many people who had a personal connection to the day being honored. 




There were tears and hugs and memories shared that day.  Some people were talking about their parents or uncles, they were reliving some horrible times. 

In order to visit the memorial, you had to want to go there in body, mind, and spirit. 

Bedford, Virginia carries the distinguished, yet unhappy honor of losing the most men in the battle of the day.


Enter the giveaway:  Bright Ideas

Are You Missing... Followers Gadget

Are you missing your Followers Gadget?  It seems to disappear for days at a time.  Now you see it-Now you don't!

Here is a little button which gives your readers a chance to link up and follow your blog.  I installed it in the sidebar.  To get the simple instructions, go to the links below and, Bob's your uncle!   Okay, maybe not Bob, maybe Josh or Colin or ... 

Your new followers will be added and counted in your blog's dashboard.  They need to let you know who they are, though, as you get the total number, but not the images or names. To follow back, they need to let you know who they are in a comment or an email.  

Latest-techtips shows the process and Ladybugsteacherfiles shows how to add the centering capability.  Thanks to these two bloggers you can have your Followers link, too.

P.S.  I'm having a Giveaway, please enter for a chance to win this fun Bright Ideas Book .  GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, THANKS FOR STOPPING BY.

ETA on Dec. 29, 2011:  The GFC gadget with the images is going away for non Blogger blogs sometime this coming Spring 2012.  This button may be an alternative for those blogs,
time will tell.   You can use it now, and it's free to use.

I'm linking this post here , please go check her blog for even more tips and fun features.

What's Doing Wednesday? Wizard of Oz Friends Inspired Aceo

Completed ACEO in Shop
A while back there was a blog hop featuring the Wizard of Oz.  I started on this aceo back then, but went on to do other things.  This has a little different twist on the Yellow Brick Road, the field of Poppies, going to the Emerald City, and the basket Toto was carried in. 

The striped socks could definitely be a witch's choice, maybe if she had some true friends she would have been nicer!  As long as they didn't try out new potions and curses on each other, lol.

My old friends took me to some fabulous places, some of which I show in the Sunday Straphanger series.  At one time, they were new friends who took me as I am, and I them.  That was our beginning which has now become a long history of friendship.   Do you introduce friends to new places, too?