Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

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Here’s what’s been going on in my studio…

For Wednesday’s “Try This” post, I did a simple little felt flower.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

Daily Inspiration

There’s one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor’s.

Clyde Moore

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 Daily Inspiration

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

Mother Teresa

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Here’s what I read during the last three months:

Broken Harbor by Tana French

Broken Harbor is Tana French’s fourth Dublin Murder Squad novel. I am a huge Tana French fan because she writes a first-rate police procedural mystery, her characters are complex and compelling, and she explores both human weakness and larger societal issues. Each of the Dublin Murder Squad books is set up so that a minor character in one book shows up as the protagonist in another. It’s not necessary to read the books in any particular order since other than this particular connection, each book stands by itself. My favorite…#2 The Likeness…but I love them all.

Daily Inspiration

Medicine for the soul.

Inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes

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I’m think and dreaming about all the things I’d like to do in 2013, but figured I’d also better look at what I didn’t finish in 2012.

12 Artsy Ornaments of Christmas

I’ve watched all the lovely videos but haven’t made anything yet. I’d like to give all 12 a try and have some nice gifts for next Christmas.

Capturing the Essence Online Workshop

I have done nothing here. I have until August 2013 to finish this workshop.

Mixed Devotions Bottles by Cristina Zinnia Galiher

I started these but need to finish them. I loved working on these bottles.

Art Journal All Year

My goal was to do one page a week. I did awesome until August, and then I stopped working on it. I do want to finish this up.

Daily Inspiration

Whenever there is enthusiasm, there is a creative empowerment that goes far beyond what a mere person is capable of.

Eckhart Tolle

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This is the last post on my School Memories album…well, almost. When I do finally finish it in 2013, I’ll do a “victory” post.

A couple other points of interest…

Tuesday, Freedom, Casper, Nikki and Twinkie reported that they had “won” the Christmas Card count. Today, we received this.

Not much left, but the count now is:

Freedom, Casper, Nikki & Twinkie – 52

Daddy and Mommy – 30

Have you heard of the Pet Blogger Challenge?

The Pet Blogger Challenge is on January 10. Sponsored by GoPetFriendly.com, it is a community event that gives pet bloggers from around the world the chance to get to know each other, find out what motivates them, share tips for making their blogs better, commiserate, inspire, and support each other. It’s an opportunity to celebrate what they’ve accomplished over the last year, recognize how they’ve changed and grown, and lay out their vision for the year ahead.

If you’d like to participate, you can find the questions here; then on January 10th, all the participants will post their answers to the questions. There will be a link list, so you can hop around and meet some new friends.

Daily Inspiration

Books are lighthouses erected in the great sea of time.

E.P. Whipple

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The inspiration for these flowers comes from two felt Christmas ornaments.

Cut 8 strips. These strips are 3″ x 1/2″. I also cut a small felt circle to glue my petals on to.

Glue the ends of the strips together to form petals.

Glue the petal strips onto the felt circle. You choose…glue them flat or on their sides.

Add a button center and you have a cute felt strip flower.

The variations are endless. You can snip the petals, make the strips thinner, thicker, longer, shorter and just think of all the color and flower center variations.

Daily Inspiration

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

Edith Wharton

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A Christmas message from Freedom, Casper & Nikki:

Merry Christmas! We had a wonderful day celebrating Christmas and, as promised, are here to do the official Christmas card count. This is our second year participating in the Blogville Christmas Card Exchange. It is one of our favorite things to do! So how did it end up? The score…

Daddy and Mommy – 30

Freedom, Casper & Nikki – 51

Thank you to all our Blogville friends who helped make sure…WE WIN!

Love and kisses…Freedom, Casper & Nikki

A message from Mommy:

Our friend, Sue (Polly’s mommy), of Graceful Greyhounds, collects used stamps for the Retired Greyhounds Trust in the United Kingdom. They are able to get money for them. If you find yourself with used stamps from your Christmas card piles (or anytime during the year), I would love to have them to send to Sue. You can mail them to me at:

Lori Lohmeyer, Granger Commons, 630 East University Drive, Granger, IN 46530

I’ll correspond with Sue several times this coming year because I belong to Sue’s Random Acts of Kindness eBay Group. Sue started this group to spread a little kindness.  Once a month, you send a card and, if you wish, a small gift to another member of the group.  Ideally, the gift and card should be homemade, but no problem if they aren’t.  The gift shouldn’t cost much…just a couple dollars (or pounds). You can do this anonymously or put your details in the card.  If you’d like to join, email Sue at songsongblue@live.co.uk and she’ll get you set-up.

Daily Inspiration

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:8-14 (KJV)

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Here’s what been happening in my studio…

For last Wednesday’s “Try This” post, I did a guest post over at So You Think You’re Crafty. I made powder puff ornaments.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Daily Inspiration

Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.

Deborah Whipp

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I’ve seen a lot of beautifully wrapped gifts recently. This is what I wrapped up today…

Not beautifully wrapped, but there’s a reason. These gifts are for one of my favorite Christmas day activities…the Dollar Gift Game. Here’s how it works:

Everyone brings 10 gifts that cost $1 each.

Each gift is wrapped in newspaper.

All the gifts are gathered together and we write a number on each one. (Administrative Note…I usually prepare a list of numbers that we use to keep track of what gifts have been “picked” and make little number labels so we can get the labeling done quickly. Usually my daughter takes care of sticking the numbers on all the individual gifts).

We gather in a circle and for the first go-around everyone must pick a number, then receive and open that gift.

On the second go-around, you have the option of picking a number and getting that gift or stealing a gift that someone already has. If you steal a gift for your turn, then the person you stole from must pick a number and then that gift replaces the gift they had stolen from them.

The “turn” then returns to the next person in the circle.

I don’t know if this sounds fun to anyone, but we have the best time with this game. There are always “favorites” that get stolen back and forth, and funny things happen like when the dudes get girly things.

I’ll let you know what I end up with.

Daily Inspiration

Christmas gift suggestions:  To your enemy, forgiveness.  To an opponent, tolerance.  To a friend, your heart.  To a customer, service.  To all, charity.  To every child, a good example.  To yourself, respect.

Oren Arnold

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I tore this article out of a Good Housekeeping magazine and thought it might be appropriate for this time of year…5 Ways to Look Great in Photos:

Tip 1 – Hide Tired Eyes

If you only have time to do one thing pre-picture, reach for concealer because dark circles only look darker in photos.

Tip 2 – Consider Camera Flash

Shimmery cosmetics can catch the camera flash and create splotches in pictures. Opt for matte products instead.

Tip 3 – Smooth Strands

Don’t let frizz and flyaways ruin your otherwise picture-perfect “do.” Spray a brush with hairspray and quickly run it through your hair.

Tip 4 – Pump Up The Volume

Hair always looks flatter in photos, so flip your head upside down and tousle hair at the roots.

Tip 5 – Smile Genuinely

To keep your grin natural, not forced, pretend you are looking at someone you love instead of the camera lens. Aiming your gaze just above the lens, rather than straight at it will also make the end result look less staged.

I also have 5 tips for looking great in photos. Here are my tips…

Tip 1 – If given the choice between checking my appearance in a mirror or asking my husband, “Do I look alright?” I opt for the mirror.

I’ve spent years training my husband to lie to me about my appearance. Why would I trust him at a time like this?

Tip 2 – If I really look horrible, I encourage a group shot.

I make sure I’m in the second row, stand slightly behind someone, and right when the photographer presses the shutter, I conveniently “disappear” behind the person in front of me.

Tip 3 -I encourage the photographer to shoot the picture from my waist up.

I’ve never had a picture taken of me that’s been improved by having my gut in it.

Tip 4 – Add something cute to take eyes off me.

Grab a kid or a pet and no one notices me in the picture.

Tip 5 – Smile, smile, smile

Whether I think it looks good or not, everyone loves a smiling face.

Daily Inspiration

There are always two people in every picture:  the photographer and the viewer.

Ansel Adams