Ice cream bowls: Part II

Two more photos of the bowls for good measure. I just can't stop, I apologize.


And by the way, I am SO freakin excited for New Hampshire blueberries next month. Pies galore!

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Crafty Summer Series - Challenge #3 Trash to Treasure

Hello hello crafty peeps! The Summer is flying by here, how is yours? Hopefully you have enjoyed these fun "challenges" and if you haven't jumped on the crafting bandwagon to share your own.......I hope you have gotten some great ideas along the way! Let's keep it rollin'.....

Challenge #3 - TRASH to Treasure! (part 1)

Keeping with these harder economic times and being earth friendly by reusing/repurposing I want to see how you can "transform" something second hand, a hand me down, a great yard sale find, etc. ANYTHING from clothing to furniture, accessories to home decor! It's all fair game! It's peek yard sale season and who doesn't love something free or a great bargain!?! It may not always be "exactly" what you were looking for, those that can see the "diamond in the rough" or are handy with a can of spray paint (tee hee hee) usually score a great TREASURE!

So show off your newest TREASURE!!!! It can be as simple as sharing before and after pictures of a new paint color or go all out with a full on tutorial with your transformation BUT don't forget the PICTURES!!

Deadline to show off: Friday July 10th, 2009

(This round will be part 1. Part 2 will be announced later!.......)

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Flapper Photos

The pictures are here! The pictures are here! Yay!

Check them out both here and here, Ginny's wedding photos by the genius Josh Goleman. I am, once again, jumping for joy!

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Paint recycling under Apple iPod

Canadian agency Bos has thought up the interesting decision for the program of processing of a paint of building company Rona.

Advertising of services of the company have placed directly under the multi-coloured poster of player Apple iPod. «We collect leftover paint»

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Toilet paper with aroma of an apple

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The abstracted competitor

Player Zune was started with high pathos mission "to kill iPod". After less than three years after the first version of a player, it is possible to tell with confidence — murder has not taken place, and meanwhile there are no preconditions that Zune or any other player has moved iPod from the market.

Since 2001 in the world it has been sold almost 200 million players of company Apple.

Microsoft for three years has sold 3 million. The further reasonings after these figures lose any sense.

But for advertisement makers and admirers of the modern art players Zune have special value because of the unusual advertising campaign — Zune Arts, developed by agency 72andSunny.

Campaign reflected to "abstract" Zune from the main competitor — iPod — we will recollect people with the closed ear-phones in rollers of player Apple. Zune has possibility of connection of two pairs ear-phones, as became a concept basis: already two are fenced off from the world.

To agency 72andSunny have entrusted development of project Zune Arts, already the closed: not so much commercial, how many the cultural-art initiative. It was offered to different artists, designers, musicians and creative collectives to create the vision of the concept "Welcome To The Social" and values of a unification of two people, characters or even objects.

For 2007 it has poured out in one and a half ten animation rollers, one and a half ten posters and practically cult status of campaign among "those who understands".

Your opinion — what probable role of this advertising campaign in a failure of sales Zune?

Art by www.benedict1.com

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Transformation of apple silhouettes

In 2003 Apple has started campaign "Silhouettes" for iPod which became one of the brightest campaigns of the beginning of the XX-th century.
On a monophonic bright background "black people" in white ear-phones and with white players in hands danced. They have helped Apple to adjust communications in many countries of the world, in view of the universality — they should not be adapted locally. In each country rollers with silhouettes of dancing people went in that kind in which they have been made in States in agency TBWA\Chiat\Day.

After three years, in 2006, campaign has on the sly started to vary — the background has ceased to be monophonic, silhouettes black, and messages — simple.
The roller with Paul McCartney, left in the summer of 2007 was last roller which though somehow reminded "Silhouettes". In a videoclip already and speeches did not go making the hero of a roller black.

After the sir of the Floor and an exit iPhone all communications iPhone and iPod have been unified and represent product demonstration.

Your opinion — whether there was a change of communication idea necessary as old the mood and a visual number have a little become obsolete, or in Apple have hurried?

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Visual deceit

Actually "green" and "blue" strips — one colour. We argue?

p.s. And still, a square "B" such is colours as a square "A".

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23 reasons of "ease" of work on PC

Company Apple has started a banner from a series "Get a Mac" in which ease of work on Mac and PC is compared.

To user PC, according to characters of a roller, to start work 3 steps (1-2-3), and 23 (1-23) are required not. Their number includes a system configuration, numerous optimisation and some reboots.

Advertising campaign Get a Mac has been started in 2006. Within the limits of this campaign some tens rollers in which the actor acting in role Mac, shows the superiority of this platform are mounted.

In the end of March Microsoft announced a series of rollers "Hunters behind laptops". Participants of campaign chose in shop the laptop, necessarily coming in shop Apple Store and refusing from the goods presented there.

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The most known preview trailer Apple

To the most known preview trailer Apple, on motive of the novel "1984", 25 years on December, 15th were executed. The preview trailer of computers Macintosh, has been created by agency Chiat\Day.
The official is shown before a wide audience has taken place during the Supercup on the American football in 1984 though, the first display has taken place month before, in 1983, on one of television channels of the State of Idaho. Without this trial display advertising could not apply for an exit in a national aether within the limits of the Supercup.

In a roller the totalitarian society of the future and "The Big brother", speaking to people about unification of thoughts is shown. In a hall where on the huge screen "the Big brother" broadcasts, the girl with a hammer runs in and starts a hammer in the screen. In a role of the featured actress has acted, then still little-known, and nowadays, the Hollywood movie star — MELANIE GRIFFITH.

Trailer Apple became one of the most known preview trailers in the world. In 2004 when to a trailer it was executed twenty years, Apple has made a copy of a trailer in London Shepperton Studios. The role of the girl with a hammer has executed Anya Major, on a belt which had a player iPod.

The idea of well-known advertising Apple was used and in other rollers. For example, this edited roller has appeared on YouTube during pre-election campaign of the current president of America.

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«Laptop Hunters» Microsoft became victims of parodists

Resource LandlineTV represents a roller parodying advertising campaign Microsoft "Laptop Hunters".
In a videoclip to the homeless by name of Frank offer one thousand dollars with a condition, that he will buy on them the laptop.
While within the limits of this campaign, calling to prefer to PC computers Mac, there were three rollers, constructed on one scheme. Microsoft offers users the certain sum for purchase of the laptop of the dream. Those choose the device, proceeding from own requirements. It always appears PC.

As well as in "firm" trailer, Frank comes into shop Apple, but thin MacBook Air for 1700 dollars it appears the expensive, and the vagabond goes to other manufacturers. Finally he chooses PC which takes cover in the street.

Campaign Microsoft is the answer to a series of preview trailers Apple "Get a Mac", acting in film already throughout several years. Microsoft asserts, that in in their advertising ordinary people who do not know about the one who removes rollers act in film. Nevertheless, at attentive studying of rollers some observers have called these statements in question. They have identified the professional actress in one of participants of rollers.

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Who does not risk, that does not drink the Crystal!

The little-known fact about very known company — in 1976 among founders of corporation Apple were not only two Steves, but also one Ronald.
Ronald Wayne has offered in the enterprise of 10% of a seed capital (800 dollars) and has thought up the first a logo for firm is there was an image with Newton sitting under an apple-tree. The sign was twisted almost with a heraldic tape on which it is proud flaunted Apple Computer and Co. And it would be desirable to tell: what logo, such and the founder. Ronald Wayne has worked with Steves exactly two weeks. Then visors of 800 dollars — he considered the, that Apple is too venture, and did not wish to be scattered by the capital.

Computer Apple I was on sale slowly, Jobs has decided, that something should be changed, and has begun with a logo. The striped apple was thought up by designer Rob Janoff from Regis McKenna Agency. It has served 23 years before to become monochrome and "hi-tech" in a year after Jobs's returning in the company.

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Apple has grown fond of double banners

For the last couple of days in a network there were two appreciable campaigns Apple which is under construction on use at once of two banners on one page.

Top horizontal and right vertical banners are connected among themselves by actions or images.
One of such campaigns is a part well-known Get A Mac. John Hodzhman (PC) and Dzhastin Long (Mac) for the first time have decided to discuss a difference among themselves not in a roller, and on a banner. A discussion theme — simplicity of work. PC furnishes as the proof of the simplicity a new slogan: "it is simple, as 1-23". That all has earned, it is necessary to execute in certain sequence 23 points, among which 4 restarts and one final crossing of fingers.
Separately it is necessary to note realisation — interaction of heroes of campaign with the site interface.
The banner is placed on large sites, such as CNN, Yahoo! NYTimes, News, Wired.

The second campaign is devoted online shop of appendices App Store. Later 9 months after opening, Apple with pride declare billion loadings with App Store and thanks users for attention. Two banners in this case are connected by means of flying "icons" of the appendices "loaded" in iPhone.
The campaign slogan beats usual English expression "Thanks A Million". Apple expresses to the users whole "billion thanks".

The banner is placed on sites The Wall Street Journal, CNET and The New York Times.

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Microsoft has hinted at "childishness" of laptops Apple

Microsoft against Apple in scandalous advertising campaign Windows.

Microsoft "has started" the third preview trailer within the limits of campaign "Laptop Hunters". In a preview trailer mother and the son choose the game laptop in cost no more than 1500 dollars. Thus mother names laptops Apple "popular at this age", meaning the son. IT observers have considered, that thus Microsoft has hinted at "childishness" of production Apple.

Plots "Laptop Hunters" are under construction by the same principle. Microsoft selects users for participation in marketing research, for purchase of the laptop within the allocated sum. In all rollers participants come into shop Apple Store, but leave therefrom with empty hands, differently explaining the unwillingness to buy Mac.

Creative have developed in agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Manufacture have carried out Smuggler New York.

In an advertising campaign basis the opinion has laid down, that many people are not ready to overpay for a brand and are ready to get the computer with a certain set of characteristics for adequate cost, and computers Windows PC are an optimum combination of the price and quality.

The advertising campaign plot "Laptop Hunters" is under construction that simple people are offered to list necessary requirements to the computer and to define the maximum sum of money for acquisition. Microsoft gives out them the necessary sum and with words "You find it. You keep it" gives 1 day in the order of "hunter" to find the demanded computer for the given sum. The film crew follows lucky beggars on heels, writing down all their arguments in favour of a choice of this or that laptop.

In the first series "Laptop Hunters" the girl by name of Lauren has gone on searches of the laptop not more expensively $1000. Characteristics: the speed, the convenient keyboard, 17 inch monitor.

Round a debut roller scandal at once has burst. As an occasion phrase Lauren has served: "I am not so rich to buy Mac". Apple have seen in this phrase potential threat: the hint on the elite status of computers Apple can frighten off potential buyers. And at once have found in 60 second spot "falseness proofs": Lauren it has appeared the actress (instead of the usual girl as has declared Microsoft), and visit in Apple Store in a roller lasted some seconds.

Microsoft it has not frightened also they have started the second roller. The guy by name of Giampaolo "hunts" for the laptop for $1500. Characteristics: portability, the accumulator, processor power. In this roller Giampaolo speaks about MacBook: "I do not wish to pay for a brand. I wish to pay for the computer".

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BlackBerry has shot Apple

New York studio Guava has made for touch phones BlackBerry a roller, having passed on the eternal competitor of all devices of such type iPhone.
Assumption in the advertising legislation of the United States, allowing to touch the competitors, gives open space for the advertisers who are thinking out witty and not so courses, connected with the competitor.

The word-combination "the murderer iPhones" was applied and applied hardly probable not to each mobile phone using touch technologies. And Guava and BlackBerry have gone further. They have represented on the screen in a 15-second roller actually murder process iPhone, having used for this purpose vegetative essence of both names of manufacturers and technology slow motion.
The blackberry berry (Blackberry) aka "bullet" -> has pierced an apple (Apple), having broken off an apple in shreds.

Visual component of a roller almost exactly same what has been used in a preview trailer "Stop The Bullet" British radio station Choice FM. The spot has been started on video services and for one week on YouTube "has collected" more than 600 thousand viewings.

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Apple continues to scoff over Windows

Company Apple "has started" two new preview trailers in which follows own traditions of satire to Microsoft. In new advertising in style "I’m a Mac, I’m a PC" Apple derides the computer giant that that in the new advertising campaign meaningly tries not to use word Vista.
Company Apple has started in a teleether two new advertising videoclips which are the answer to the massive advertising company, started by corporation Microsoft, writes AppleInsider.

In the first preview trailer the person naming "I’m a PC" sits at a desk and displays packs of banknotes in two different piles — the first on the advertising, the second — on correction of defects in Windows Vista. The Second glass several times less than the first.

In the second roller the person by name "I’m a PC" holds the big red button and each time when "I’m a Mac" tries to say word Vista in hands, presses the button therefore the unpleasant sound signal muffling the name of operational system is created — the same as on TV obscene expressions are muffled. Thus during pronunciation Windows the sound signal is not distributed. In the end of each roller there is a large image of computer Apple iMac which is offered to be bought. In both advertising still act in film John Hogman (John Hodgman) and Dzhastin Long (Justin Long).

"Having started" two new preview trailers, Apple derides quite conscious decision Microsoft as seldom as possible to mention name Vista, using — "I’m a PC", that associates, first of all, with platform Windows as that. Besides, Apple parodies CEO Microsoft Steve Ballmer which speaks, what yes, really, in Windows Vista there were flaws, but now all of them are corrected, and money has gone for a new portion of advertising.

I will remind, that operational system Windows Vista has caused weight of criticism both from users, and from manufacturers of the personal computer. Finally, in Microsoft have come to conclusion (experiment Mojave), that the negative image of new operational system is formed by not so much users, how many mass media, and the role in discredit Vista advertising campaign Apple "I’m a Mac, I’m a PC" has played also. Additional advertising means have been allocated For rehabilitation of an image Windows Vista at a rate of $300 million From them any more less than $10 million has been directed on creation of new TV advertising: several rollers in which people of various trades and the social status speak in the chamber "I’m a PC". Among them comes across also itself Steve Ballmer.

Advertising with participation of characters "I’m a Mac" and "I’m a PC" has been started Apple in 2006 In them act in film John Hodgman (PC) and Justin Long (Mac).

Thus, the first appears as grown fat and clumsy office employee in the ordinary-looking suit, the second - the vigorous young man dressed in style casual.

Since then sales Apple go uphill and from time to time overtake growth of sales of computers as a whole all computers on the basis of operational system Microsoft, together taken.
Whether is it a consequence of successful comparison of the platforms presented in advertising "I’m a Mac, I’m a PC", or brilliant marketing work of experts of the company, it is not known. One it is possible to tell precisely: for Microsoft the given advertising became a real headache.

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How I wore it...

Roberta Jane asked me to participate in a neat experiment this week, taking a pair of shorts and asking several bloggers across the country what they'd wear with them.


Most of the fashionably sensible girls made adorable hiking outfits or biking outfits or picnic outfits. I went straight to the granny hermes, because I'm a little old lady like that. See all of the lovely girls looks here.

Have a mentioned how much I love vintage hermes scarves? I don't normally get mired in the trappings of luxury brand obsession, but have you seen them? Amazing.

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Crafty Summer Series - I SPY book! creativity for the car...

Hello hello! It's challenge #2 REVEAL day! Two weeks ago I challenged all of you to craft up something for the car. Whether you are on the go, road trippin' it, have a kids to entertain or simply running errands around town.

What could you create to make it easier, better, more organized, comfortable, etc.

My head was swimming with ideas but I only need to share one so HOPEFULLY everyone else got up and moving and will share some great inspiration with you too!

Add your link to the Mr. Linky box belowm, then please leave a comment and have fun blog hopping!

I SPY book tutorial.......(great for car trips, trips around town, waiting at the dr. office, etc)

1. Take photos of "piles" or groups of items. Ideas include childrens toys, junk drawer, pantry, bathroom drawer, what's in their back pack, books, toy box, closet, etc....The possibilities are endless!

2. Print them out or send them to the 1 hour photo.

3. Buy an inexpensive little photo album/flip book.

4. Type up some "I SPY" riddles or counting challenges, etc. Think of the different ways they phrase the rhymes and wording of those "I SPY" books. Use counting, colors, objects, finding words, and on and on. Choose the skill level that is best for your kids.

5. Slide the photos and coordinating "riddles" into the book and VIOLA! you have your own personalized "I SPY" book!

The great thing about these are the pictures or "riddle" cards can be changed out at any time! They are also small enough to easily slide into your purse, their back pack or even better? make them their own t-shirt pack!

I have 12 different photos in my I SPY book. Here are some of our I SPY pages and some of the "riddles" I typed up to go along with them. Enjoy!

I spy a Cow, an Owl and a Snowflake

Can you find 4 pencils & 4 pairs of scissors?

I spy an apple, a fish & 5 containers of glue

“FABRICSHACK”, “MARKS” and a pen that’s gray/blue

I spy a pirate, “FUR REAL” and a Rose

A red Ranger, a crown, & a little brown nose

How many balls do you see?

Can you Spy 4 tools?

I spy spaghetti, an elf ear & 3 hooves

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Follow DisplayLink on Twitter

DisplayLink is on Twitter. Follow DisplayLink tweets @DisplayLink.

And while you are at it, we are always looking for great pictures of our customers products on your desktop. Send us pics of your multi-monitor setup, and we'll share them on our blog.

Here's a pic from @supergarv.

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Homemade quilts

I've been wanting to make a quilt for about 14 years now, ever since my dad bought me my first antique quilt for Christmas when I was 11.

It's not that I'm a horrible procrastinator or am worried about the sewing, I just love quilts so much that I freeze when trying to decide what to make. A dear jane or a gee's bend? Ack! I want both.


I think I have finally, FINALLY decided on my first quilt. A patchwork of feed sacks that I've collected over the years. It should be quick and painless to put together and I won't have to agonize about picking out colors, which is half the battle.

Funnily enough, most 1930's quilts are made with recycled feed sacks, but with the sweet, floral version of these muslin ones.


If, no, when I finish this quilt, hopefully I'll be emboldened to move to to bigger and better ones. Crazies, yo-yos, postage stamps, oh lord, I'm turning into an old lady with alarming speed.

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It's almost Wednesday.....

Tomorrow is the big reveal day to see what you have been up to the last 2 weeks!! What did you craft up in our #2 Challenge - Creativity for the car!??!!!

There are SOOOOO many possibilities! don't limit yourself, be afraid, or think your idea isn't good enough! It is! and we want to see it!

Come back tomorrow for my idea/tutorial and post your link too!!

see you then.......

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Sharing our Father's Day......

Sharing this idea is the first fun part, but then seeing how everyone else's turned out is the second fun part! thanks for all the emails, blog comments and links you have sent! It has been fun blog hopping around! This is our 4th year sharing this idea and each year they just get better and better. Here is how ours turned out!

And here's a few of the others that I know of that have shared with me as well! It was a crazy weekend, so if I missed adding your's to the list - shoot me an email or leave a comment and link here and I will get you added! :)

Tracie

Christie

Mary

Sweeter than Cupcakes

Anna

Sorensen Family

Brooke

Kimberly

Cori

MichelleJohnnie

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My dear papa

Happy Fathers Day! I wish I could be home to bring you a cup of tea and sit out on porch and talk plants. I love you Thomas, TJ, Tommy boy, pappy woodchuck.


And in the grand tradition of An Apple a Day, here are 10 reasons why my dad is amazing....

1. He worked as a hippie bread baker in Rochester, NY. We never went without homemade bread as kids. And I'm talking real homemade bread, no bread machine stuff.

2. In the morning he wakes up early, does yoga and meditates, then writes in a journal. Every single day!

3. Born and bred in New York City, he still managed to grow up a Daniel Boone of sorts. Trapping squirrels and reading Walden by age 8.

4. A true civil servant, he writes and reviews grants advocating for the mentally ill for a living. He is one of those people that go to work everyday and changes peoples lives for the better.

5. He makes homemade pickles and beer.

6. He plays the flute and the harmonica. Both with equal aplomb.

7. He crochets amazing berets. And wears them with those old school crocheted ties, with plaid shirts and tweedy jackets.

8. He is master gardener. One year he grew enough tomatoes to feed all of Maryland and he let Micha and I have our own farm stand.

9. He is an avid radio listener. We drove 2+ hours together to and from school and on the way there we'd listen to NPR and on the way home, we'd belt out oldies. Build Me Up Buttercup was a favorite. His only rule in the car? No sleeping!

10. He learned to french braid just so he could do my hair. Our favorite style was crisscrossing Heidi braids with flowers.

This man has taught me how to fish, hike a mountain, canoe alone, cook a turkey, re pot a plant, make a homemade pie crust, train a puppy, build a campfire with no paper (or lighter fluid!), drive a stick shift, tell a good story, tell a funny joke and turn strangers into friends.

Some days I can barely believe my good luck at having such a great papa. And today is one of those days.

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DisplayLink on USTREAM with T4's Michael Manna

DisplayLink Executive Vice President Dennis Crespo was featured today on T4's live videocast on Ustream.tv in an interview with Michael Manna. Listen to the DisplayLink podcast, and other cool tech talks at www.t4show.com.

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Pie baker

This past month I've fallen off the cooking bandwagon. It's hard to adjust from cooking for two people to cooking just for yourself. Cooking for one is so lonely.

Not to mention it creates a big old mess and there's no one to help with the dishes after. This weekend I tried to get back into the swing of things by making my beloved boss Christine a very, very homemade looking birthday pie, with varying degrees of success.


I managed not to burn it, which was nice. But I don't think it was quite the masterpiece Alice Waters had in mind when she wrote "The Art of Simple Food". Hmm.... oh well. At least sweet Kristi took a few a nice pictures of it.

Despite all that, I am still hopelessly devoted to The Art of Simple Food. I know this is hardly a revelation to anyone who follows cookbooks or Alice Waters or farmers markets in the least, but this is the first book to ever steal my heart away and get me really excited about cooking.

I'd be lying if I didn't say that some of the charm of her book comes from the sweet engraved illustrations but the recipes are all gems, too.

The baking section has been hitting home these days, I think it has something to do with this whole thing. I seriously dream in pies and tarts these days, just can't get enough.

I'm dying to make a fruit galette like this one, but next week I'm 99.9% sure strawberry shortcake is going to be on the menu instead. That is if I can prep it without eating all of the strawberries first.

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Crafty Thursday w/ kids....Cooking ART!

So our flexible Summer "schedule" is working out great! They know what is expected of them, what they can look forward too, and I have yet to hear the words, "I'm bored!" yippee!

I have seen this next idea posted on a few different blogs and knew this would be a great SURPRISE for me kids. We were going to be cooking up pancakes - they love to help measure, stir, set the table, etc. But this time I surprised them with a little twist.

I poured about a cup (maybe a bit more) into a mustard "squirt" bottle I snatched up at the $1 dollar store. Squeezed in some food coloring, gave it a good shake and ART pancakes here we COME!!

1. Stir up your pancake mix.

2. Pour a small-ish amount into a "condiment" bottle. I actually cut the nozzle down so more would flow out.

3. Add some food coloring and shake it up.

(here is where the fun starts)

4. Now "draw" any fun shape - keep in mind you have to turn this baby over. Just draw an "outline" and then let that cook for a few seconds.

5. Fill in the rest of the pancake with your regular batter and cook as usual.

6. When you turn your pancake over you will be able to see your design!!!

We had alot of fun eating our pancakes and the kids can't wait to do this again!
(did you notice their handmade placemats under their plates in the photos?) Oh and if you do letters, be sure to draw them backwards because if you don't, when you flip it...... it will be! (hence the "S" above) LOL............enjoy!

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Some SisBoom shoutout!

It's no secret that I think the world of Miss Jennifer Paganelli! and I was lucky enough recently to get to "know" the oh so talented Miss Carla too!

I'm not sure how it all came to be, but the fabric gods must have been smiling down on me that day! *snicker* I was approached by these two wonderful ladies to take some photos of their newest collaboration - the Adult sized SisBoom Patricia Tunic ePattern!!!

Of course I said YES! Who wouldn't jump at the opportunity?!? The ePattern is now available and you can check out all the fun example pictures HERE and HERE! Tell Miss Jennifer and Miss Carla I sent you over if you stop by!

(here's a few more that I sent them.....)

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Ice cream bowls

Mrs. Ginny Branch, the mother of our Mrs. Ginny Branch Stelling, is amazing. This woman stole my heart and has me begging to move to the south, so I can learn to be so hospitable and thoughtful when I grow up..

During the wedding, when most mother's of the brides are panicking about this and that, Mamma Branch spent the weekend smiling and prodding us to eat more treats. She also had packed the girls in our hen house vintage picnic baskets full of oatmeal cookies and other assorted goodies (like toothpaste, which we had, of course, all forgotten)!



Knowing that I'm a sucker for white and blue, she found me 3 little vintage these ice cream bowls as a thank you for helping Ginny do some of the planning. They are so perfect and sweet I could cry. In fact, I think I did. Not surprising, given my past history at weddings.

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Fountain pens

Some people are crazy about pens. They write with one specific brand of pen or they are on the constant hunt for their next big thing pen.

I am not one of those people.

That being said, it's not totally true. In college I got to using the pilot varsity, the best of the best disposable fountain pens. It is truly a gateway pen that got me hooked on fountain pens for life. Anything to help transform my lowly chicken scratch to slightly less scratchy chicken scratch.


This past month I was gifted one of the best surprises in a long time, a green celluloid fountain pen.... from the 50's? 60's? Who knows, who cares. I've got a new book of (amazing!!) stamps and with my pretty refilled pen I can finally write some thank-you's I've been neglecting. First up? A note to the giver of the pen, of course.

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Crafty Thursday w/kids.....Placemats

So part of our summer fun around here is having a "schedule" and list of ideas of things we want to do/go/read, etc....It helps keeps us on track and from ever saying the dreaded words, "I'm BORED!!!" Plus they have something to look forward too as well. Good times for all. :)



Thursdays we are scheduled for a Craft or some type of cooking project. We'll today the kids got to do both! They frosted graham crackers with vanilla frosting and made a mound of cookies to munch on through the week. They enjoyed licking their fingers, breaking the crackers and having free reign in the project. It's nice when the cooking project doesn't required so much measuring, mixing, cooking, etc that the kids need alot of supervision with. They relished in the freedom!

Then it was craft time later on. I saw this link on Twitter for kids placemats and thought, "why not!" We used 2 pieces on construction paper for the base. Then they cut, glued, colored and drew all over them. My daughter even covered both sides. Instead of going to the store to have them laminated I just pulled out some contact paper and quickly finished them up!

They are so proud of them and enjoy peeking around the edges of their plates to see the pictures and it certainly sparks some interesting and funny conversations too! Have a great week-end!

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