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Giveaway Winners List

Insert Fanfare...then Drumroll...okay enough delay.  

Winner(s) of the giveaway are:

In Random Order:

Deb
Dee
Linda
Stacy
Lucy
Cassidy
Val
ArtSings1946
SJ
Marilyn


A photo I took in Chicago, Aug. 2011. 
Everyone has been emailed to send their name and address.  I asked for help contacting one of you, you will know who you are because you got an email or message on your blog from a blogging friend.  Thanks, friend.
But, what did you win?  Don't you like surprises?  I wanted to thank everyone who entered, so some new items, not seen in the giveaway post, were made by me and they will be finished and ready to be posted to some of you in about a week, it will be a surprise.
To Everyone who entered, "Thank You" for being a part of this.  I am blessed with you taking time to stop here.  Hope you like your gift.

Re:  Marilyn Monroe statue photo, no it's not a hint.  Just wanted to add an interesting photo to the post.  She's HUGE!    
    


Wednesday and the Weather is Wickedly Fine

Wow, this warm weather is invigorating, not humid today and there is a breeze which is always refreshing.  This is a quick post, the dinner is cooking and I want to share this link up with you, it's a joint effort  with Adrienne's blog, Happy Hour Projects and also Take It From Me, and Making Memories with the McClellen Family.

While you are here, if you'd like to enter my giveaway, go to Monday's post HERE.  Thanks for stopping by today, now go enjoy.

Giveaway this Warm Spring Weather Made Me Do It!

The weather didn't really make me do it, but the wonderful warm temps certainly made me feel like trying something new.  Not having to wear heavyish sweaters and layers, I feel so much better wearing my spring and summer clothes.  I do like autumn, but that feels like a slower season and spring is much more energizing for me.  What about  you?  So, with my arms able to move again, I set to work on something new in the artsy craftsy way.  Here's a sample of what I was making last week and I thought a Giveaway should follow:  


(Uh oh, I cropped the collage a little too much on the bottom where I wrote a message.  The cat and dog image is a copyright free image and not something I drew, it is cute, though.  Lucy, on the other hand is my velcro dog.)

If you'd like to help me out with your helpful comments, please let me know what your first impression is of these ornaments or tags.  I think I will work a bit more on them, but the rustic/organic type of  look is also something I like.  If these are generally appealing I am thinking of making some for my shop.

If you would like to WIN one of these ornaments, leave me a helpful comment.  My readers and friends are always helpful, funny, and kind and I am thankful for that.  Everyone is welcome to enter the giveaway.

So, in your comment tell me which one of these you would like to have, or leave it up to me to surprise you with one of these or another one not shown.  

I would really appreciate it if you would Follow the blog via GFC, email subscription, or Bloglovin' if you don't already follow.  So easy peasy as it's said, just Comment and Follow.  I will  contact you via email and announce the winner in a post.  If I can't reach you after a few days of announcing or not having your email, then I will pick another winner.   

Thanks for stopping by today!

ETA:  Entries close Friday, March 23, 2012 at 10am eastern time.

I've Got My Eyes on You This St. Patrick's Day

It's about more than the potatoes, in any event, hope your St. Patrick's Day is a good one and don't worry about all the eyes on you, have a great day!  (Pun, yes I had to go there.)

Imagine these in a basket when you least expect, the first time it was scary, and after that, each time I just laughed. You can still cook and eat them, just break off the foot long icky things.  You could even use these as seed potatoes to grow your own crop.  Did you ever use a potato like this to grow your own?

Playing with Buttons and Jars on Ten for Tuesday Photo Editing Sites


You've seen this idea of recycling and decorating a food jar before, haven't  you?   I just like playing on Picnik, sad it's shutting down, but there are several other free photo editing sites out there to try.

Here is a Ten for Tuesday List in random order:

  1. FotoFlexer
  2. FotoFuze
  3. Gimp
  4. Picasion
  5. Pixlr
  6. ipiccy
  7. Pixlr-o-Matic
  8. PhotoFaceFun 
  9. Rollip
  10. BeFunky

Do you have any free photo editing sites to add to the list?  To read other Top Ten for Tuesday lists, visit Many Little Blessings.

If you leave a comment I'll visit your blog and check out your list or your post for today, please follow along with the lists and the blog if you like these sorts of posts, too. Thanks.

Mail With a Stamp = Something Good

So, with email and postage meters there aren't many actual lick and stick or peel and press postage stamps in my mailbox very often.  Years back I sponsored a boy through Christian Children's Fund and one of the things he asked for was postage stamps from my mail.  I was able to send him stamps frequently, and he told me how much he liked having them and seeing the art, the postmarks, the different currency values, sizes of stamps, etc. It was such a little thing to do, collecting the stamps and sending them to him, but I was happy to do it.  I sponsored him for nine years and often think of him and his situation.  His country is still under a dictatorship and if you aren't a member of the majority religion, you are persecuted for wanting and insisting on your freedoms.


When the latest batch of mail included an envelope with a little stamp on it, I thought, "here comes something nice" and I was right.

Stacy, a talented Canadian artist sent me this charming bookmark from her latest blog giveaway.  Isn't she sweet?  The crow and Stacy.  The bookmark is brighter in person, and the ribbons are all polka dotted!

Thank you, Stacy!  Take a little visit over to her Blog  and  Etsy shop.

When I get a postage stamp I save them to use in some little project.  Do you have a postage stamp story?



Set It and Forget It Slow Cooked Foil Wrapped Ribs

This is too easy, you might forget it's cooking until you get the fragrance of the spices and sauce drifting your way from the kitchen.  A few ingredients, a few hours, and then it's ready to eat.  An easy cleanup too, because of the foil.

After slow cooking this in the oven and considering cooking it in the slow cooker, I thought why not cook it slowly on the stovetop?  If it doesn't cook just right, I'd finish cooking it in the oven.  Didn't have to.

For this version I used horseradish, brown sugar, ketchup and a few spices.  I forgot to add the onions, but there was plenty of flavor without them.  Double, even triple wrap if you need to seal the meat in its sauce.  I used boneless thick ribs this time, and I've also used other cuts of pork and beef before.

My stove is electric and goes from Low, 1, 2, etc. 9, then High.  I set the pan on 2.  After about an hour I heard the sizzling  and turned it down to Low. Altogether this size parcel, about 2 lbs of ribs took just about 2 hours 45 minutes to cook all the way through, no rareness.  A little less time  cooking depending on your stove.








The juices settled to the bottom of the bowl; give a stir or better to put the meat in a smaller container than I did.  This makes a great sandwich with melted provolone cheese.  Shredded meat goes well with rice; mixed with shredded potatoes and fried together;   with noodles, or what have you.


Sometimes I don't mind stirring and watching, and sometimes I do.  Do you have a go-to easy set it and forget it meal?   

Ten for Tuesday Fun Generators

Do you like to play with online generators to make images with messages for your blog or site?  Well, if you do, you're in luck with this Top Ten Tuesday List of fun gadgets.

 Or maybe you want to give out awards, such as this engraved medal:













Three more gadgets you can make at this site include a tombstone, wedding sign, and road sign.  That leaves two more gadgets to give you on Ten for Tuesday.







I made this word search puzzle and went to Picnik to add the images and background.  Here's the original post. with the links.

Last, but not least, try Wordle to make a word cloud of your blog, choose colors, words to include or exclude, different patterns and more.

That's ten gadgets to play with, what do you think of these?  For more Top Ten lists, check out Many Little Blessings.



Follow my blog with Bloglovin  I'm adding a new way to follow the blog and added Bloglovin' on Wednesday.  It automatically updates your account and gives your followers the newest blog post.
I'm linking HERE with clairejustinexoxo and Judy on 7 Ways to Follow Wednesday.  Check it out!

Random and Unpredictable the 29Faces and the Wind

Just played once with the names of the 29Faces February Challenge participants and put them all together in this little pencil sketch.  In random order, the names fit although it's crooked as I did this on the arm of the couch while listening to the tv and worrying about the tornadoes out there and our high wind warning.

Hope everyone came through the storms with their lives and their loved ones.  The weather has been great and crazy bad this week.  Summery and wintery in the space of three days.  Stay as safe as you are able.

Greetings from Wales on Saint David's Day

This Welsh mountain pony was just perfect for a Saint David's Day Greeting to you.  


Wild and semi-wild ponies have a long history in Wales.  The church in ruins in the background and the pony's shadow add to the beauty of this scene.  Thanks for stopping by today and hope you enjoy this photo greeting on my own second national holiday.  (The pony is in Wales, I'm not; wishes...).

Photo:  © Copyright Jeff Buck and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.