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Tag: awareness
"And Still I Rise"
"Una Vita Bella"
"Sweet Remains"
~ Painting for sale ~
When your world falls apart into a thousand pieces, and your life has taken an entirely new shape, new vision, just like the leaves of the tree, do you crumble; or do you choose to prevail? Some say there are no endings, only beginnings. It is a new cycle, a new beginning. What do you think? For me, it is this way of seeing that life is full of new beginnings. These thoughts embraced are what get me through the long hard days. I simply choose to believe because at the end of the day sometimes it is too much to not believe.
When you love someone, and that "love" itself can take many different forms that "love"- never dies. They are still with you, with me, for they may be gone; but they will never be forgotten. Sometimes what gets me through is the little thoughts like, what if the caressing winds upon your face is really them touching you from a new plane in time? What if the random smells that remind you of them are indeed their way of crossing through to let us know we are not alone? What if "that" song comes on, you know the one that reminds you of them, of the "us" that use to exist? What if the rare glimpse of a species on the verge of extinction is a glimpse that all things are possible, if we believe, if we choose to be open to the little miracles that are unveiled before our eyes every single day!? So if we come from love, give love, and experience love in a myriad of ways, then it is possible to believe that "love" still exists all around us in a different form.
There are times in all of our lives that this world seems too unbearable, too unjust, and too damn unfair! So when times are tough and you find yourself on your knees more than anything, when you have cried so much the tears just don't come anymore, and the hollowness in your heart feels it's been ripped out of your chest, and you struggle just to breathe- trust. Have faith that all things happen for a reason though we may never understand why and try to embrace "we are where we are supposed to be". And if it helps, I know it does for me, remember, they are with us every day, wiping our tears, reaching from beyond to let us know they remain with us in different forms. They are the "Sweet Remains" of our lives, of this extension of life, and we will be reunited.
For their lives ARE the miracles God allows us to savor, and when their bodies leave us, fret not, for their spirits live on!
Wishing you all many blessings and much happiness!
~<3 & light ~


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Quilting Color Trend: Blue
Blue is the trendy color in fabric! And with so many hues and prints, you can add it to your quilt for a classic look, choose a variety for a modern look, or play with fun prints for a touch of whimsy.
Vision in Blues [1]
Taking a cue from the hues of winter, alternate blue-and-white floral squares with a classic block pattern in complementary prints, plaids, stripes, and shirtings to create the borderless throw.
Rhapsody in Blue [4]
Can you keep a secret? This Single Irish Chain quilt showcases a simple Nine-Patch in disguise.
Winding Ways [7]
Curved piecing creates an overlapping circle pattern on this scrappy blue and tan quilt.
Blueberries and Cream [10]
Alternate light and dark prints for a throw that takes it one step at a time. Flannel fabrics and blue prints make this quilt perfect for winter nights, but the pattern is versatile enough for any color combination.
Winter Wonder [13]
When the frosty days of winter arrive, warm your home with a dramatic blue-and-white quilt.
Crossing Point [16]
Cross and Crown blocks take center stage on a scrappy blue-and-white throw.
Roaring Waves [19]
A range of blues and grays, gradating from light to dark, produce the look of waves on a stormy night. Pairing blue with gray instead of white puts a twist on the classic two-color combination.
Stars from the Past [22]
Classic LeMoyne Star blocks in reproduction fabrics shine against a blue background.
Ships Ahoy! [25]
Red, White, and 'Bluetiful' [28]
For a summery wall hanging, pair scrappy blues and crisp whites, then add small pops of red.
Out of the Blue [31]
A range of blues from light to medium to dark forms a grid look in this wall hanging. Dark floral squares emerge from assorted lighter blues to give the project depth.
Sunny Skies [34]
Winter Blues [37]
Make classic Churn Dash blocks in an icy color palette for a stunning winter table topper.
Cold Snap [40]
Chain piecing makes easy work of the sharp points in this classic blue-and-white icy-crystal delight.
Bluesy Burgoyne [43]
Civil War reproduction fabrics in blues, browns, and creams make a cozy wall hanging. Using a variety of the same two colors creates a controlled scrappy look.
Way Around [45]
Walk in the Woods [48]
Use blue, green, and brown prints to create dreamy star blocks. The natural colors give the impression that the stars are sparkling down through a forest canopy.
Bolts of Blue [51]
Mix your favorite blue prints in a scrappy wall hanging that will have you doing anything but singing the blues. Choosing prints with splashes of white keeps the strips in the tone-on-tone sashing from getting lost.
Marbled Elegance [54]
Skinny chains of light, medium, and dark blue squares run through a marbled, creamy field, mimicking the blue veins in the background print.
Vive la French Country [57]
On this inviting tablecloth, charming blue and yellow prints march around a border that looks like French tiles.
Classic Blue Heirloom Quilt [60]
Pairing gray with blue instead of white with blue puts a twist on the classic two-color combination.
Modern-Day Cowboy Throw [63]
Southwest colors like blues and reds bring the flavor of the Old West to a throw with a modern design.
Little Blue Triangle-Squares [66]
Make a table topper that's perfect for pairing with fine china. Sixty-four tiny triangle-squares make up the quilt center.
Jewel Box [69]
Jewel-tone blues, golds, and browns in subtle tone-on-tones create a rich wall hanging. Fussy-cutting striped fabric makes the Aster blocks pop.
Batik Strips Table Runner [72]
Frame a panel of batik strips with bright piping for the center of a quick and easy table runner.
Double Cross Quilt [75]
Prints and solids combine in a quilt that sets two different cross blocks on point. Cutting up large prints adds interest to the wall hanging, and a scrappy middle border breaks up the dark blue inner and outer borders.
Round the Stars [78]
Some color combos never go out of style. Create a two-color quilt that stands the test of time with classic blue and white prints.
Patchwork Pillow Pair [81]
Piece squares and rectangles into classic Pineapple and Log Cabin blocks to easily create a stunning sun-and-sky color duo.
Blue-and-White Pinwheels [84]
Add depth to a two-color quilt by using a variety of prints. Multiple blue and white prints in medium and light hues provide a subtle scrappiness.
Icy Blues [87]
Combine shades of blue, white, and gray to create a wintertime wall hanging that lasts well past the holiday season.
Underwater Adventure [90]
Ocean-theme prints paired with beachy blues and sandy tans are perfect for a kid's quilt. A stripe border print ties all the colors together for a playful finish.
Blue Ocean Waves [93]
Serene aquas and cool blues rule in this tranquil wall hanging. Soft prints and large floral fabrics result in Ocean Waves blocks with less defined edges, adding to the relaxed feel of the piece.
Simple Stars Baby Quilt [96]
For a quick-to-make baby quilt, set off eight star blocks with blue print sashing strips.
Checkerboard Squares [99]
Square-in-a-square blocks set on point are surrounded by a striking blue toile to create a timeless, treasured quilt.
Floral and Paisley Chain Quilt [102]
Join blues and creams to form a quilt top with a chain design.
Crossways [105]
Create one-way movement by arranging Four-Patch units and setting squares in a diagonal Irish Chain pattern.
Batik Triangle Stars [108]
Different blue background prints make the four star blocks pop. Careful fabric placement creates the illusion that they're different.
Blossoms and Borders Wall Hanging [111]
Triangle-squares join in multiple borders to frame the appliquéd blossoms.
1930s Doll Quilt [114]
Triangle-squares rotate this way and that to create the overall diamond pattern. A variety of feed sack prints are held together visually by the use of a single solid blue fabric.
On the Fly [117]
Foundation-pieced dragonflies in 8-inch blocks flit this way and that across this vibrant quilt.

subset: commoncrawl


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It's always fun to find a new craft for the kids to make to help celebrate Chinese New Year. This year, since it is the year of the snake, we have come up with a really cute, fun and easy craft so kids can make mini snakes. The best part is that this is a really inexpensive craft for creating in the classroom or at home and perfect for homeschool.
We started with Q-tips and masking tape, easy materials for the kids to work with. How cute are these little snakes, really? Kids can make several and paint them different colors with different markings.
What you Need:
- Q-tips
- Masking tape
- Paints
- Brushes
What to Do:
- Bend Q-tips into arches or coils. You will be connecting several of these together, so these are individual parts for each snake. Q-tips will retain their shapes once curved.
- Attach sections together with a piece of masking tape. Heads can be curved upwards to resemble a real snake or make a coiled snake.
- Once a snake is formed and all sections attached, tear off 1/2 inch stips of masking tape and start wrapping the entire snake, except for the tail and head.
- Paint snake a solid color and let dry.
- Add markings with a contrasting color of paint or markers.
- To make eyes, dip the tip of a pencil in paint and make a dot for each eye.
- Let snakes dry thorougly before handling.
By Sharon Pierce McCullough


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The much-talked-about iPad 2 seems almost a certainty thanks to the originals' record-breaking sales volume, but even amid early rumors of FaceTime and support for multiple carriers, "when" has remained a question. Now it looks like April may be the magic month.
Analyst Brian Marshall of Gleacher & Co. told ComputerWorld that Apple will stick to the same annual release pattern it uses for the iPhone and iPods. "I think April is the proper time-frame for an iPad 2," Marshall said. "Since I'm projecting that Apple will release a CDMA iPhone in March, both will help to equalize Apple's seasonality."
The analyst's assumption is bolstered by a rumor that Apple has commissioned several companies to manufacture the iPad 2's HDI (high density interconnect) boards in early February. The story originates from the Taiwanese paper Digitimes, which has had a hit or miss record with Apple rumors in the past.
The estimated date certainly makes sense, and coupled with the dramatic price-cuts from certain retailers on the original iPad, Apple may very well be cleaning house in preparation for the imminent release of the second-generation tablet.
Regardless of the official launch date, enthusiasts can certainly start getting excited about a myriad of rumored features, not the least of which is the ability to run on various carriers. Other potential upgrades include two cameras located on either side of the pad (mirroring the iPhone 4 design) and a switch from Apple's proprietary connection to mini-USB. When the iPad 2 does launch, one thing is for certain—it will be a dream come true for Apple fanatics.


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BRUSSELS, April 9 (UPI) -- The European Defense Agency has developed a train-the-trainer helicopter instructor course to aid pan-European harmonization and interoperability.
The system, called the European Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course, was created with help from the British military's Rotary Wing Operational Evaluation and Training Unit and the Swedish Armed Forces.
"The first EHTIC started on 8 April, 2013 at RAF Linton and it is executed in two parts," the agency said. "The first part consists of a two weeks ground phase of classroom theory and a one week simulator phase to be conducted in the EDA purpose-built facility in RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
"The second part will be a flying phase with the duration of three weeks, conducted at FMV Test Range, Vidsel, Sweden."
EDA said 13 instructor-pilots from Germany and Sweden are undergoing standardized theoretical, synthetic and practical training.
Observers from the militaries of Austria, Hungary, Estonia and the United States will be present during the course, the agency said.


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VALENCIA >> Authorities Friday were investigating if a woman arrested after a bank robbery in St. George, Utah and car chase that ended in Nevada last week is the same suspect, dubbed the Bombshell Bandit, who robbed banks in Valencia, San Diego and Lake Havasu in Arizona.
The thief in the California and Arizona cases was dubbed the "Bombshell Bandit" due to bomb threats she included in demand notes passed to tellers.
She struck first at a Bank of the West branch in Valencia, at 27011 McBean Parkway, on June 6.
She's also wanted for heists at a Wells Fargo branch in Lake Havasu, Arizona on July 8 and a Comerica Bank branch on Rosecrans Street in the Midway area of San Diego on July 18, according to the FBI.
Investigators suspect, but have not confirmed, that she is Sandeep Kaur, 24, a Union City, California woman whose extradition from Nevada to Utah in being sought so she can face charges in connection to the July 31 robbery of a U.S. Bank branch in St. George.
Kaur was arrested in Nevada after a chase that reached speeds of 130 mph, according to news reports.


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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Tuesday, January 21, 2014) – The Colorado Rapids selected two defenders in the final two rounds of the MLS SuperDraft on Tuesday afternoon, picking Tolani Ibikunle from Wake Forest University with the 11th pick of the 3rd round (49th overall) and Albert Edward from Lindsey Wilson College with the 11th pick of the 4th round (68th overall). Both players will join the Rapids in preseason with an opportunity to earn a spot on the roster.
Ibikunle, 21, was picked by the Rapids after four years at Wake Forest University, where he started 20 of the Demon Deacon's 21 games in his senior year and helped the team to a 10-6-5 record and five shutouts. A defender who can play both centrally and wide, the Wynnewood, Penn. native played a total of 70 matches in his college career, starting 55, scoring three goals and adding three assists. He was a standout at St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia during high school, where he earned All-State honors as a junior and senior. He is the second Wake Forest player to be selected by the Rapids in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, joining Jared Watts, who was taken 33rd overall.
Edward comes to Colorado after a four year career at NAIA school Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky, where the right back played a total of 71 games (57 starts), with four goals and seven assists and helped his team to the 2011 NAIA National Championship and tournament appearances in each of his other seasons. Last year he also played for the Premier Development League's Des Moines Menace, which advanced to the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup before falling to MLS side Sporting KC. A native of Brisbane, Australia, Edward is the fourth player who played at Lindsey Wilson to be drafted into MLS, following former Rapids defender Tyrone Marshall (1998), Thabiso "Boyzzz" Khumalo (DC United 2008), Kheli Dube (New England 2008).
The two players will report to Commerce City for preseason training with the Rapids, though none are officially on the team's roster. Colorado opens preseason with physicals and fitness work before travelling to Houston to face the Dynamo on February 2 in a preseason friendly. The team is set to participate in the Las Vegas ProSoccer Challenge and the Desert Diamond Cup presented by Tucson FC as part of the preparations for the 2013 regular season. To purchase season tickets for the Rapids' 2013 campaign, visit www.ColoradoRapids.com or call 303-825-GOAL.


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All items > Knives > Folding Knives > WE Knife Co. (Folding) > WE Knife Co. 611 Series
- Overall Length:8.75"
- Blade Length:3.75"
- Blade Thickness:0.16"
- Blade Material:CPM-S35VN
- Hardness:59-61 RC
- Blade Style:Drop Point
- Blade Grind:Flat
- Finish:Satin, Stonewash
- Edge Type:Plain
- Handle Length:5.00"
- Handle Thickness:0.53"
- Handle Material:Titanium
- Color:Gray
- Weight:5.00 oz.
- User:Right Hand
- Pocket Clip:Tip-Up
- Knife Type:Manual
- Opener:Flipper
- Lock Type:Frame Lock
- Brand:WE Knife Co.
- Model:611
- Model Number:611H
- Country of Origin:China
- Best Use:Everyday Carry
- Product Type:Knife
The 611 series from WE Knife Co. offers ergonomic, grooved titanium handles and a recurve blade made from CPM-S35VN stainless steel. The knife is equipped with ceramic ball bearings for quick blade deployment and smooth flipping action. This 611H model has a tumbled titanium handle and a two-tone blade with stonewashed grinds and satin flats. Includes a secure titanium pocket clip and a bonus adjustment tool.Features:
- Ceramic ball bearings provide incredibly responsive deployment.
- Finger grooves paired with ample jimping offer an excellent grip.
- Titanium frame construction for a lightweight, easy to carry build.


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Joe Blanton's struggles reached a pinnacle Monday night in the Angels' 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
Coming into the game at Angel Stadium, Blanton had allowed 15 runs on 22 hits in his previous three starts. Coming out of it he leads the majors in home runs allowed (24) and earned runs allowed (73).
Blanton didn't even make it out of the fourth inning, when Manager Mike Scioscia took the ball from him.
This time there was no angry thrashing, no inanimate object in which Blanton vented his frustrations upon. Just an air or resignation as he clenched his shirt collar between his teeth, tucked his mitt under his left arm and trudged solemnly through the dugout, eyes blankly staring forward.
Blanton (2-13, 5.66 ERA) gave up four runs on nine hits while walking two in a tenuous 32/3-inning outing that pushed him to the verge of losing his spot in the rotation. A fourth-inning home run by Twins left fielder Clete Thomas marked Blanton's 10th consecutive start in which he's given up a homer.
Still, the Angels came within inches of pulling out a win.
After falling behind 4-2 in the fourth inning and making little headway against Twins starter Samuel Deduno (6-4, 3.50), they made it 4-3 when pinch-hitter Collin Cowgill hit a two-out single to left field to score Howie Kendrick in the eighth.
Then it was Chris Iannetta's turn to hop off the bench. And he walloped the first pitch he saw from reliever Glen Perkins toward the Angels' bullpen as the crowd rose to its feet.
But Thomas leaped to rob Iannetta of a home run.
In the ninth inning, the Angels had two runners on with one out, but Albert Pujols and Kendrick struck out and they lost their sixth game in nine tries.
But Blanton's struggles far surpass that of the team's.
In 20 starts this season, his ERA hasn't dipped below 5.07. His frustrations boiled over after his last start when he shoved a Gatorade cooler onto the dugout floor. But Monday he looked simply defeated.
And the Angels have replacement options in relievers Billy Buckner, Michael Roth and Garrett Richards — all of whom have started this season. Buckner has started two games this season and 23 since 2007 while the rookie Roth struggled in his lone start. Richards would likely have to return to triple A for endurance work before trying his hand as a starter after making his last 25 appearances in relief.
"Well, you're always looking to improve where your team is and where your rotation is," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "It's a tough outing for Joe, and we'll assess things as we start to get guys back and see where we are."
Early on, it appeared Deduno might be in for a long night as well. He walked J.B. Shuck and Mike Trout to start the game before a Kendrick sacrifice fly gave the Angels a 1-0 lead.
Two innings later, he served up an Erick Aybar leadoff double. Trout knocked him home with an RBI single to extend his career-best, 13-game hitting streak.
But while Deduno worked out of his slow start, Blanton drowned in his. Thomas and Aaron Hicks, the Twins' No. 8 and 9 hitters, had back-to-back doubles in the second inning to make it 2-1 Minnesota. Thomas' solo shot in the fourth reclaimed the lead for the Twins at 3-2.


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Arabian Gulf Charter Itineraries
Below are samples of luxury yacht charter itineraries for private crewed yachts which cover Arabian Gulf. These itineraries are here to offer inspiration and give you a feel for the area and some of the best things to do whilst sailing there.
A good yacht charter broker will be able to create a bespoke yacht vacation charter ideas for you and your party, based on your own requirements as well as the type of yacht and time of year you wish to travel.
contacting your charter broker or let us help you
find a local destination expert


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The Andover Central Jaguar football team just can't seem to get a break.
They were defeated by the Salina Central Mustangs 30-6 Friday. The game was the third week in a row the Jaguars were defeated at District Stadium, the other two being Maize South and the Andover Trojans.
Both sides were slow to score. Salina Central threw several incomplete passes in the first quarter. When Central regained possession after that, they didn't go far down the field before a play check was called and Salina Central took the ball.
At 2:14 in the first quarter, junior Tyler Harris caught a pass from senior Blake Meier in the end zone and scored the Jaguars' only touchdown. The first quarter ended with the Jaguars up by six.
Since the Mustangs were close to scoring at the end of the first quarter, they were able to quickly score their first touchdown, tying the score at six. Later in the second quarter, Salina Central scored again, brining their lead to 13-6., where it remained through halftime.
Into the third quarter, it appeared the Jaguars would score again, until Vance Johnson of Salina Central intercepted a pass. Another Salina Central player made a long yard run and scored another touchdown, bringing the Mustang lead to 20-6 over the Jaguars.
A second touchdown by the Mustangs seemed to happen late in the third quarter, but two penalties were called on the play. The play was deemed bad, so the touchdown was no good. This lead to a first and goal play at the 20-yard line, where the Mustangs soon scored a 3-point field goal.
The Mustangs scored a final touchdown midway through the final quarter, bringing the score to 30-6, where it stayed until the game ended, leading to a Jaguar defeat.
"It was a frustrating night," head coach Tom Audley said. "I thought we played well in the first half. In the second half, they made good play on the interception and we didn't respond real well. We let the game get away from us. I didn't think that we played very good team football in the second half"
Audley said he thinks the team is a better one than what they showed on the field against Salina Central.
"We just need to get everybody on the same page," he said.
While disappointed in the loss, Audley said the Mustangs deserve credit for their win.
"Salina Central, despite their record, is a very good offensive team," Audley said. "Offensively, they're one of the best teams in the state. They had some pretty good weapons. I can't take any credit away from them. I think they played very well and they got after us in the second half."


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Our Perspectives
Africa is transforming itself: How do we turn intentions into reality?
08 Aug 2014 by Juergen Nagler, Programme Specialist
Recently I attended an event from the Global Compact, a UN initiative to encourage businesses to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies. Entitled "Advancing Partnerships and Responsible Business Leadership", it was held for the first time in Africa, bringing over 300 participants together from businesses, Global Compact networks, UN agencies and governments.
Africa's economic transformation with various partners from China, Europe and the US was among the key topics discussed. But, while multinational companies do play a role, it is increasingly clear that African policy makers and business people are setting the continent's agenda.
Participants largely agreed that Africa's transformation requires investment in better infrastructure, education, skills, jobs, policies and more. The WHAT was better articulated than the HOW.
Africa is expected to be one of the world's fastest growing regions, with 4.8 percent growth in 2014 and over 5 percent in 2015, according to the recent African Economic Outlook 2014. However, this transformation goes well beyond economic growth.
Development practitioners talk more and more about 'inclusive growth', agreeing that businesses should go beyond philanthropy and corporate social responsibility towards making their core activities better suited for societies and the environment. As UNDP's Resident Coordinator in Ethiopia, Eugene Owusu stated: "Inclusive growth needs to be job rich, and the private sector has a major role to play".
Not less important is the attitude with which policy makers and businessmen approach development. "Can-do" attitude, open-mind and pro-active solution-seeking approaches can inspire entrepreneurship across all sectors. For example, "education is not an expenditure but an investment," stated a UNICEF representative during one of the panels.
Attitude is a difficult topic for economists and development practitioners to grasp. But until we learn from the personal development, coaching and psychology fields, I feel we are scratching the surface and could do a much better job with a more holistic development approach.
"Development is not something that we do for people. Development is what people do for themselves. It must start and end from within. Our job is to facilitate the process." - International Fund for Agricultural Development President Kanayo F. Nwanze, Addis Ababa, May 2014.
Read the full blog here.
Africa Sustainable development Private sector business partners Poverty reduction and inequality Inclusive growth


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Posted 02 October 2008 - 08:23 AM
First, a little about me. I am 32 years old, currently live in Landenberg, PA, and have stared my own group. I have a little bit of equipment and am looking to purchase more.
Here's my problem, most of my paycheck goes to my mortgage, utilities, and my daughter's dance class. After the month is done, I don't have a whole lot of money to buy more equipment, and with the current economy I want to try to hold on to as much as I can .
So I've been kicking the idea around of holding a fundraiser, but haven't a clue where to start. One member of my group suggested a bake sale. I thought it might be a good idea, but haven't a clue where to set it up. Most bake sales I've seen are to raise money for a school group or charity. I'm not so sure places would be open to letting us set up a bake sale in front of their business to raise money for our group.
So my question to all of you is have any of you held a fundraiser for your group?? What did you do?? Where did you set it up?? How did it go??
My other question is, is it frowned upon to hold fundraisers??? I personally believe it's unethical to charge for investigations, but would this fall in the same category???
I'm not hoping to hold a fundraiser so I can go out and purchase the latest and greatest Flir camera, just more recorders (yes CaveRat, I've been taking notes from your posts), video, thermometers, and perhaps one or two of Joven's Faraday Cages.
I look forward to hearing from everyone.
Posted 02 October 2008 - 08:54 AM
Okay, so fundraisers, eh? Well, the first thing I would look into is the laws about non-profit organizations (official, government recognized ones) and if it's legal for you to conduct a fundraiser like that in the first place (I have no idea yet about the laws on that, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to hold a bake sale).
My group (I'm the newest member, only having been accepted a little more than a month ago) has not done any fundraisers, however they are well known enough in their community and even the county, that they do get donations on ocassion. This is why my group advertise fairly extensively...awareness creates revenue sometimes. For the most part though, the group splits all costs evenly between members (which can get expensive once in a while, but is also the reason we don't have to pay dues).
I have been thinking about this for a while now...how to raise money legitimately, without having to tie ourselves up in the red tape of other non-profit orgs. Another group I know gives yearly ghost tours...there is a fairly concentrated area (all right downtown) of buildings in their city that are purportedly haunted, so they have a meeting area, charge $5 a head (children under 6 are free, or something like that), then take a walking, outdoor tour. The tour guides stop outside the locations that have been reported haunted and tell a bit about the buildings' histories and they types of paranormal activities that have been reported. It's a little bit of fact coupled with a little bit of mystery, and I know people LOVE the ghost tours...cha-ching!
Unfortunately, most cities and towns aren't fortunate to have a concentration of buildings that are supposed to be haunted to be able to do this. But there are other things you might be able to do...Halloween is coming up and people love to learn about this stuff. Maybe put together a small presentation about "ghost hunting", gather some of your best EVPs to share, photos, etc, and talk about it...you could see if your local library would be willing to host you. And you'd have to get creative for it to stay interesting, but it's worth thinking about! OR...of course you could go the bake sale route...ON Halloween, I think it would not only bring in a healthy amount of money, but businesses may be more willing to promote your group on that day.
And I've rambled on long enough about this stuff...I'm glad you brought it up though because I've been thinking about this myself (as you can tell, lol). And again, welcome to Ghostvillage, Steven!
Posted 02 October 2008 - 10:39 AM
This was one of the reasons I decided to start selling the Faraday Boxes (thanks for the PM by the way about them Steven, you have a response)... One down side to it though is at the price I'm selling them, I don't make much money... Plus you have to add in the time spent building just 1... It's more of a love of providing a new tool to the paranormal research community...
Stephen, you and I are in the same boat (especially with the daughter in dance classes), so I also have been thinking about fundraisers too... Annie brought up a good point though, it may be best that you research the local laws first... Don't want to spend the time and money setting it up, only to get it halted by local law enforcement...
I look forward to anyone else who has conducted fundraisers to see what they suggest...
PS: Welcome to the Village!!!
Posted 02 October 2008 - 01:23 PM
I'm looking into the current laws in my city and county so I'm prepared... Thanks for the advice!!!
Posted 02 October 2008 - 03:27 PM
That said, you may want to look at talents of your members and work out something that utilizes those abilities individually. Each person might then purchase equipment and supplies for themselves, and share it among group members. Some coordination between you all would prevent duplication. Doing so each member may only need to buy one item, sharing would give all members access to everything as needed. That is similar to the way IRA operates only on a smaller scale. In our case we each have the basics, but share the big ticket items as needed. (FLIR, etc.)
As far as getting started, if each member just arranged to do the odd job, or whatever comes to mind, to raise a couple hundred $$ or so, that amount should get you all well equipped as a starter. Later, you could expand on it as time and funds allow.
Visit my website, "The Paranormal DESTINATION"
Posted 03 October 2008 - 04:26 PM
Posted 03 October 2008 - 04:42 PM
Edited by SLDurant, 03 October 2008 - 04:43 PM.
Posted 04 October 2008 - 02:57 PM
How about publicity? Get your group together and clean up a park or some place similar. If you can get the local paper involved, maybe they would do a story on you.
Good luck!
Posted 04 October 2008 - 04:41 PM
Publicity is a great thing too. My group is very well-known in the area and just word-of-mouth gets around...we recently received an extremely generous donation--a camper to use as a mobile base station! The dealership that donated it was simply aware that we were looking for something similar, and so when he got the trade-in, he thought of our group and wanted to help.
Great suggestions, little turtle!
Posted 06 October 2008 - 03:33 PM
Anyone got any ideas???
Posted 07 October 2008 - 08:07 AM
Joven, how about raffling some ghost books? And/Or a gift certificate from the costume shop? Make up a few business cards, have a few forms ready in case you find someone that says "I am so glad you're here, we have a ghost problem at our house ...etc"
Posted 07 October 2008 - 03:47 PM
Posted 07 October 2008 - 04:50 PM
I have started looking into different functions going on around my area to see if my group could join them. I live right outside of Wilimington, DE and Valley Forge... Lot of Revolutionary war battlefields near me. I think one or two of them are having Halloween events...
I think I'm going to go the book route for the raffle... Hmmm... Think Jeff would be willing to donate a few?
Thanks again for the great ideas... Keep them coming!!!!
Posted 07 October 2008 - 09:40 PM
Here's a page with lots of information about raffles. They bring up the excellent point of legality. Raffle laws vary from state to state and country to country, so do some research first.
How about a raffle???
I didn't lose my mind - I have it backed up on a disk ... somewhere
#15 Guest_Crone_*
Posted 07 October 2008 - 09:55 PM
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It's up close and personal — the unpredictable mood swings of an aging mind and the bloody treachery of rivals for power. By staging Shakespeare's "King Lear" in the intimate, in-the-round Thomas Theatre and setting it in a contemporary time frame, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Bill Rauch provides the play with a rare immediacy and visceral impact.
In this production, which opened Sunday, Rauch gives equal emphasis to the personal and the political tragedy that results from Lear's impetuous decision to divide his realm among his conniving elder daughters, Goneril (Vilma Silva) and Regan (Robin Goodrin Nordli), and disinherit his youngest, the honest Cordelia (Sofia Jean Gomez).
Rauch has cast two OSF actors, Michael Winters and Jack Willis, to alternate performances as King Lear, allowing each actor his particular interpretation. Rauch said he initially made the casting decision based on the intensity of the role and the length of the run — one of the festival's longest (it plays through Nov. 3). Very quickly, he discovered that the two performers had widely divergent approaches to the character. Rauch describes the casting as "an artistic experiment."
Winters played Lear in the play's opening. His Lear was fond, foolish and ultimately filled with compassion and grace. It will be interesting to see what Willis does with the role — well worth seeing the production twice. (The festival's website, osfashland.org, has the actors' performance schedule posted.)
In a larger production venue, "King Lear" is often treated as a metaphor for the chaos that occurs when the natural order is turned upside down, when power is not transferred in an orderly manner in either kingdoms or families.
Rauch, however, deliberately uses the confined space of the Thomas Theatre to turn "King Lear" from metaphor to a real and very contemporary story. With the magic of Christopher Acebo's spare set, Christopher Akerlind's imaginative lighting and Andre J. Pluess' impressive sound design, Rauch brings us into the play's action. We are by turns in Lear's throne room, a living space in Goneril's palace complete with large-screen television, a courtyard outside Gloucester's gracious country home or on an English moor during a violent storm. Costume designer Linda Roethke provides up-to-the-minute military uniforms and some of the most sumptuous gowns this side of the Oscars' red carpet.
Lear's undoing begins when he decides to abdicate the responsibility of ruling and retire as a pampered elder statesman, living alternatively with his elder daughters, at their expense. His daughters soon see him as a nuisance, a petulant, imperious old man with far too large a personal staff. They have gained their inheritance; the troublesome Lear is no longer of use to them, so they throw him out. Of his courtiers, only the Earl of Gloucester (Richard Elmore) and the banished Earl of Kent (Armando Durán) remain loyal to him. Lear, left on his own in a raging thunderstorm with only his Fool (Daisuke Tsuji) for company, descends into an alternate reality.
As with all of Shakespeare, there is, of course, a subplot — Gloucester's relationship with his sons. Gloucester allows his younger, illegitimate son, Edmund (Raffi Barsoumian), to convince him that the elder, legitimate heir, Edgar (Benjamin Pelteson), is plotting against him. Edgar flees, adopting the disguise of a mad beggar, Poor Tom. Edmund, in turn, betrays his father to Goneril and Regan to gain title to the earldom. Gloucester, like Lear, has his own redemptive path, from arrogant insensitivity through gratuitous punishment to peaceful understanding.
Rauch's casting choices are impeccable. Silva is flawless as the conniving Goneril, matched by Nordli's ruthless Regan. Peter Frechette as Goneril's husband, Albany, and Rex Young as Regan's spouse, Cornwall, hold their own, but the men's characters are meant to be overwhelmed by the two sisters. Barsoumian is a properly villainous Edmund and both Pelteson and Durán give fine performances in their "disguises." OSF newcomer Gomez imparts a neat elegance to Cordelia.
This "King Lear" is both modern and timeless. It recounts the eternal stories of loyalty and treachery, parents and children, self-absorption and selfless love and succeeds in placing the audience as participants in it all.
Roberta Kent is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach her at email@example.com.
'King Lear'
It's up close and personal — the unpredictable mood swings of an aging mind and the bloody treachery of rivals for power. By staging Shakespeare's "King Lear" in the intimate, in-the-round Thomas Theatre and setting it in a contemporary time frame, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Bill Rauch provides the play with a rare immediacy and visceral impact.


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May 27, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (seminoles.com) – The NCAA Division I Baseball Committee announced 16 regional sites for the 66th annual NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. Florida State University was selected as a regional host for the 29th time in school history. The four-team regional will begin on Friday, June 1 on Mike Martin Field inside Dick Howser Stadium.
The 16 regional sites, with host institutions and records are as follows: Baton Rouge, Louisiana – LSU (43-16); Chapel Hill, North Carolina – North Carolina (44-14); Charlottesville, Virginia – Virginia (38-17); College Station, Texas – Texas A&M (42-16); Columbia, South Carolina – South Carolina (40-17); Coral Gables, Florida – Miami (FL) (36-20); Eugene, Oregon – Oregon (42-16); Gainesville, Florida – Florida (42-18); Gary, Indiana – Purdue (44-12); Houston, Texas – Rice (40-17); Los Angeles, California – UCLA (41-14); Palo Alto, California – Stanford (37-16); Raleigh, North Carolina – North Carolina State (39-17); Tallahassee, Florida – Florida State (43-15); Tucson, Arizona – Arizona (37-17); Waco, Texas – Baylor (44-14).
By virtue of being awarded a regional, all 16 host institutions have also been selected to the 64-team field.
Each regional field features four teams, playing in a double-elimination format. All 16 regionals are scheduled to be conducted from Friday, June 1 to Monday, June 4.
Three institutions are hosting for the 20th time or more as Florida State leads the list of schools with 29, Miami (FL) with 24, and LSU is hosting a regional for a 20th time. Stanford is hosting for the 15th time and South Carolina is hosting for the 14th time. Florida (11th) and Rice (10th) are the only other institutions to host 10 or more times since the NCAA went to the regional format in 1975.
Texas A&M is hosting for the ninth time, while North Carolina is hosting a regional for the seventh time and Virginia for the sixth time. Arizona is hosting for the fifth time, Baylor and UCLA are hosting for a fourth time, and North Carolina St. for a third time. Rounding out the list and hosting for the first time are Purdue and Oregon.
Due to stadium construction issues, the regional hosted by Purdue will be played at U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.
Eight institutions (Florida, Florida St., North Carolina, Rice, Texas A&M, South Carolina, UCLA and Virginia) also hosted in 2011.
The remaining at-large teams, top-eight national seeds, first-round regional pairings and site assignments will be announced at Noon (ET), Monday, May 28. The one-hour program will be shown live on ESPNU. The committee will set the entire 64-team bracket through both the super regionals and the first round of the Men's College World Series, and will not reseed the field after play begins.
Selection of the eight super regional hosts will be announced on www.NCAA.com/cws, Monday, June 4 at approximately 11 p.m. (ET).
There are 30 Division I conferences which will receive an automatic berth in the field of 64, along with 34 at-large selections. The 66th Men's College World Series begins play Friday, June 15, at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.
Atlantic Coast – 5 (Florida State, Miami (FL), North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia)
Pacific-12 – 4 (Arizona, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA)
Southeastern – 3 (Florida, South Carolina, LSU)
Big 12 – 2 (Baylor, Texas A&M)
Big Ten – 1 (Purdue)
Conference USA – 1 (Rice)
– courtesy of NCAA.com


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Thank you for visiting our past auction result archives. If you have an item identical (or similar) to this auction lot, please call, write or contact us to discuss. We will be able to help you.
Lot # 1231 (of 1727) < Previous Lot | Next Lot >
1909 Detroit Tigers Match Safe
Starting Bid - $300, Sold For - $2,350
Gorgeous high-grade example of one of the great celluloid baseball pieces of the early 1900s. Rarely found this nice! Perhaps the finest example of this classic we have ever offered. These match safes, which were given away as advertising vehicles, were very popular in "the old days" to store and protect matches, and are very popular with collectors today. They are rare and extremely desirable in any condition but usually have staining and foxing. This celluloid advertising match safe features portraits of the Detroit Tigers and celebrates the Tigers' consecutive American League Championships of 1907 and 1908. It is one of the few celluloid match safes featuring Major League baseball players. Measuring 2.75 x 1.5 inches, the celluloid covering features oval portraits of twenty-four members of the Detroit Tigers on one side and advertising for Mundus Beer of Detroit, Michigan, on the reverse. The storage compartment opens from the top (which is actually the left side when viewing the player portraits). Each team member is identified in print below his image, including Ty Cobb, manager Hughie Jennings, owner Frank Navin, Sam Crawford, Germany Schaefer, and George Mullin. Two illustrated banners, reading "Champions of the American League 1907" and "Champions of the American League 1908," respectively, complete the elaborate design. The match safe displays beautifully with absolutely no age toning or foxing, just a hint of light wear to the metal ends. One of the most unusual celluloid pieces of the era, this is a very attractive and rare souvenir commemorating the Tigers 1907-09 dynasty, and one that would be a prize in many different types of collections. Striking Near Mint condition. Reserve $300. Estimate $500/$1,000+. SOLD FOR $2,350
(Click the smaller thumbnails to the left and right (if any) to cycle through each photo in the gallery of images for this lot.)


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I also purchased "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" 2nd edition by Hunter Allen & Andrew Coggan on recommendation by Alex Simmons in another post. Can not recommend this book highly enough. It just makes so much sense to me.
My main question is displayed the "power" data on the Garmin as mentioned by Alex in another post:
Alex Simmons/RST wrote:1. on the road, power output is highly variable, and is the first thing people notice when they see it on a bike computer for the first time (or when they inspect a power meter file)
2. there is a mathematical artefact of the way the Powertap calculates data, which exacerbates the variability in the second to second data. It isn't an accuracy problem (on average). The issue is caused by the fixed duration sampling of the torque data, which results in an effect known as "aliasing". It is more noticeable at certain cadences over others. I can explain more if anyone is interested.
3. to help reduce the "signal noise", it is useful to set the display to show a rolling average power, usually something like a 5-second rolling average tends to reduce the variability in the second to second data somewhat. over time, if you are using the meter to guide say an interval effort on the trainer, then you get pretty good at doing a running integral in your head and not concern yourself with the ups and down of the more instantaneous data but rather focus on the overall effort level.
The Garmin 705 gives you three options:
1: Current Power
2: Power averaged over 3 secs
3: Power averaged over 30 secs
Current Power as Alex said, bounces all over the place one second 200w next 400w.
Averaged over 3 seconds is not much better still bounces up and down.
The next time I ride, I am going to try 30 sec average, because I want to concentrate on overall effort and not what power I am generating right now. I don't want to know how much a power I am generating during a fifteen section sprint, otherwise I am not working hard enough. I rather try and keep riding in a certain range over a much longer time span.
So how do other people manage this?


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Finance Division personnel administer the budgeting, payroll, purchasing, and accounting functions of the court. The Finance Division does not handle any collections, calendaring, or courtroom functions.
Main Courthouse, 1500 Court Street, Room 201, Redding CA 96001 -
Office Hours:8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
(530) 245-6741 Email
(530) 605-2793 Fax
All bills to be paid by any division of the court should be directed to the Finance Division in Room 201 of the courthouse. Included in this category are utility bills and bills for general services or supplies. If you have any questions about a bill or its payment status contact the finance department at the phone number on the top of this page.
All purchasing for the court is handled through the Finance Division. This includes all general purchasing of supplies and issuing purchase requisitions or purchase orders as needed. Questions about supplies or purchasing should be directed to the procurement officer at the finance department phone number on the top of this page.
After a defendant has been ordered to pay victim restitution, Shasta County Superior Court will collect this money and distribute to the victim(s). If the defendant has paid by check, a 30-day hold is placed on this money. If more than one victim, the court will distribute the payment based on the percentage of total due each victim. The finance division of the court will prepare a claim to the Shasta County Auditor for release of these funds. If you have any questions about Victim Restitution, call (530) 229-8250.
There are various reasons a refund may be made by Shasta County Superior Court, such as a case being dismissed, the fine reduced by the judge or an overpayment is made on an account. If the payment was made with a check, a 30-day hold is placed on this money. The finance division of the court will prepare a claim to the Shasta County Auditor for release of these funds. If you have any questions about a refund, call (530) 229-8250.
These claims are presented by court appointed attorneys. Each attorney may present a billing for services rendered as detailed in the Local Rules Of Court, Section 13.04, and Appendix "B." Each case should be presented as a separate claim, with the original of each appropriate attachment. It is only necessary to present one original of each document per claim, except in homicide cases, where the original and one copy are required.
Unless the attorney is appointed on a Family Law (FC3150) case or Juvenile Dependency (W&I300) case, the claim should be presented on the Shasta County green printed Form. No. 103A, available at the Shasta County Auditor's office. Portions of that County form are reproduced immediately below, with some notes to help the preparerer. If the claim is for representation on a Family Law or Dependency case, use the green paper Superior Court claim form available from the Court Finance Division, in Room 201 at the courthouse. A sample of the Superior Court form is shown below the County form.
All claims should be sent to the Superior Court, 1500 Court Street, Redding, 96001, for review and approval.
|Cost Center
- Account # 034828 is for attorney fees in most cases
- Account # 034800 is for most investigators and expert witnesses
|This is for payment of indigent defense fees in the case of John Doe Smith,
|99 F 99999, per appointment on June 29, 1999, in Dept. 2 of the Superior Court.
|See the attached Declaration, Invoices, Receipts, Schedule of services and Order.
Superior Court Claim For Payment
For representation in Family Law or Juvenile dependency cases,
the form should contain the following information.
|GL Acct
|Cost Ctr
|• •
- Family Law (3150)
- Use P.E.C.T. #1231
- • GL Acct # 938803 is for attorney expense
- • GL Acct # 939001 is for investigative work
- • GL Acct # 939002 is for psych regulations
- • GL Acct # Acct # 939003 is for ct ord prof services
- Juvenile Dependency (300)
- Use P.E.C.T. #1233
- • GL Acct # 938801 is for representing a minor
- • GL Acct # 938802 is for representing a parent
- • GL Acct # GL Acct # 939003 is for other professional services
The Description box should only have the surname of the client and the case number. Use the Explanation of Expense area for a brief description of such things as the client's full name, the Department Number, and the judge hearing the case.
Don't forget to sign and date the claim form and your declaration.
Don't forget your expense receipts, invoices, and an order for the judge to sign authorizing your payment. If it is a criminal case on the County claim form, your Order for Payment should direct payment by the Auditor of Shasta County. For Family Law and Dependency cases, the Order should direct payment by the Shasta County Superior Court.
If you receive a letter requesting information on Form W-9, please comply. Legislation enacted January 1, 2001, requires the Shasta County Superior Court to report specific information to the Employment Development Department (EDD) on Independent Contractors.
We are also required to file an information return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Franchise Tax Board (FTB), annually reporting certain types of payments.
In order for us to comply, Independent Contractors must complete the requested information on Form W-9 as issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Include your name and Social Security number as it appears on your Social Security Card and your Federal Tax Identification Number if one has been assigned. Please include your physical address, do not submit a Post Office Box Number as an address.
Failure to comply could result in the non-processing of payment.
Please submit the requested information to the following address.
Shasta County Superior Court
Finance Division
1500 Court St, Room 201
Redding, CA 96001
If you have any questions about this program, contact the person referred to in the letter.


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Return of the prodigal son
Key England striker Wayne Rooney is set to feature at Euro 2012 for the first time on Tuesday but co-hosts Ukraine could be without their talisman Andriy Shevchenko as they battle to stay in the tournament. Wayne's world | Progress reportindia Updated: Jun 19, 2012 01:24 IST
Key England striker Wayne Rooney is set to feature at Euro 2012 for the first time on Tuesday but co-hosts Ukraine could be without their talisman Andriy Shevchenko as they battle to stay in the tournament.
England, with four points from two games, need only a draw to progress to the quarter-finals from their final Group D match while Ukraine must win at the Donbass Arena to avoid the same fate as co-hosts Poland and be eliminated after the first round.
Rooney is available again after serving a two-match ban for his red card against Montenegro in a Euro qualifier last year, but Ukraine are sweating on the fitness of Shevchenko, who scored both goals in the 2-1 victory over Sweden in their opening game.
Missed training
Shevchenko, 35, missed training on Sunday after suffering two painful blows to his knee in Friday's 2-0 defeat by France. Ukraine spokesman Oleksander Hlyvinsky said team doctors were draining fluid from Shevchenko's knee.
In four previous appearances at the stadium, Ukraine have failed to triumph and coach Oleg Blokhin has spoken of his team's need to break a perceived curse at the modern $400 million arena.
England manager Roy Hodgson must choose who makes way for Rooney, with Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck netting superb goals in the 3-2 win over Sweden, but winger Theo Walcott could miss out with a hamstring injury after an inspired display as a substitute against the Swedes.
Rooney said on Sunday that he was delighted to be available again and was sure England had no cautious thoughts going into their final group game.
"The lads have done so well to put us in the position we are in now and hopefully I'll get a chance to play and try and shine and help us get through the group," he said.
"It's great that we've scored a few goals and we've got the points that we've got. I'm not going to win the Euros on my own -- there are 23 players who are going to chip in and help us win the tournament, or go as far as we can."
Rooney said he was fully-fit and ready to play, a prospect that may enhance England's prospects and improve the fluency of their attacking play, but will do little to encourage Ukraine.
"Since I've joined up with the squad, I've took part in every training session," he said. "I'm feeling good, I'm just feeling ready and excited to get out onto the pitch..."
England's approach, he said, would be unchanged. "It's the same as the first two games -- we'll go into the game wanting to win three points."
The natural decision for Hodgson would be to play Rooney with Manchester United team mate Welbeck. The two scored 30 goals between them on the 18 occasions they played for United last season.
Hodgson, however, was keen to lift the expectations on his 21-year-old striker. "I would do well to encourage you not to put too much pressure on the lad. Before we build him up to the skies to knock him down, we should remember he has a lot of time ahead of him."
First Published: Jun 18, 2012 07:48 IST


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First Baptist Church of Sumter has served the community for the past 200 years.
"We come out of a goodly heritage," said Sue Pitts, co-chairwoman of the Bicentennial Committee.
The second co-chairwoman is Sandra Wallace.
The festivities took two years to plan. Now the committee is ready to invite others to join in the celebration. The theme is "Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past."
"All was not wonderful sweetness and light, but through God's grace, we survived it all," Pitts said.
The church has been celebrating all year, starting with a heritage tea for women in the church in the spring, a tour of the mother church — the Baptist Church of the High Hills of Santee — and a children's musical program.
Another tour of High Hills is scheduled for Sept. 22, and events will take place throughout October, culminating in Celebration Sunday on Oct. 20. That event will include guided tours of the new history and archives room as well as the collection of items for a time capsule to be opened in 2063, and a luncheon. Documents on display will include items such as articles of incorporation, handwritten minutes, bills for the coal that was once used to heat the church and communications between the pastor and supplier. All displays have been laminated and framed, Pitts said.
"We are very fortunate that the people before us had an eye to save and knew how valuable history is," she said. "We are also fortunate so many have been willing to give freely of their wealth and talent."
Copies of the church's history from 1813 to 1938 will be available at no charge, and the Bicentennial Cookbook will be on sale for $10.
"This is our third cook book," Pitts said. "It includes 700 recipes, even those from members who have passed on and conferred these to us."
In 1813, a group of Sumterville citizens left the High Hills church to form their own worship congregation that would become First Baptist of Sumter.
"They sent a blessing in their letter of emancipation," Pitts said.
In 1818, construction on the congregation's first building was started on the site off East Liberty, the same place all four meeting houses have been located, Pitts said. The most recent building completed was the Family Life Center in 2004.
"A church is a living organism," she said. "We have to adapt to the changing times."
Pitts came to First Baptist in 1979, when her family moved to Sumter. The church members' friendliness is what drew her in, she said.
"Kirk Smith was pastor at the time, and I particularly liked the Sunday school program," she said.
Vicki Singleton, who is handling publicity for the Bicentennial Committee, said her family started attending almost nine years ago.
"We visited several churches, and we liked this one's worship style," she said. "Ryan Pack was the pastor then. This was the only church nursery our then 3-year-old did not cry in. That sealed the deal."
Both still love it and invite others to visit, especially during the bicentennial celebrations.
"We have a lot of young couples and military families here," Singleton said. "When you are six hours from family, your church family becomes your family. They are with you in the good and bad. They celebrate and cry with you."
They also would really like to see members of the nine "sister churches" that formed out of First Baptist. "They are part of the family," Pitts said. "We welcome them to come back. We'll gladly put out chairs."
First Baptist Church of Sumter
Bicentennial Celebration Calendar of Events
The church is at 107 E. Liberty St., Sumter. For more information or for tickets where applicable, call the church office at (803) 773-3732.
Sept. 22: Tour of the High Hills mother church
Oct. 7: Joy luncheon, noon in the fellowship hall. It will feature a special yet-to-be-announced guest speaker
Oct. 8: The Singing Churchmen concert will take place in the evening and features music directors from throughout the state
Oct. 17: Men's supper, gather at 6:30 p.m.; supper at 7 p.m. The featured speaker will be Dr. Roy Talbert, professor of history at Coastal Carolina, with "300 Years of Baptist History in South Carolina."
Oct. 20: Celebration Sunday; 9:30-10:15 a.m. gathering in activities building; 10:30 a.m. service; 12:30 p.m. lunch in the fellowship hall; tickets will be sold in advance at $2 a person or a maximum of $10 for a family
Historical Highlights
1813 A group of Sumterville townsfolk attending the Baptist Church of the High Hills of Santee broke off to form their own worship group that would become First Baptist of Sumter.
1818 Work began on a simple wooden meeting house that served this group as well as area Presbyterians and Methodists until they built their own home.
1854 A clapboard structure was completed and replaced the dismantled meeting house.
1901 Third church building to occupy same site on East Liberty Street was built. It would become known as Brown Chapel after Pastor C.C. Brown who served the church family for 40 years between 1874 and 1914.
1928 Dr. W.G. Moore became the minister at First Baptist. He led the congregation through the Great Depression, World War I and World War II. The Moore Educational Building was named for him and has been in continuous use since 1929 with renovations taking place in 1980.
1952 Children's building dedicated.
1974 The current sanctuary was first used.
1989 Brown Chapel had fallen into disrepair, and Hurricane Hugo wiped it out. God's provision would become evident, however, as the insurance proceeds from the damage allowed the church to demolish the remaining structure and initiate a capital campaign to pay off the remaining debt for the sanctuary as well as construct a new building in its place.
1994 Center building of the church campus is completed. Housing the fellowship hall, kitchen, library and additional education space, it is named Faith Building for its symbolism of God's protection and provision.
2004 Family Life Center completed.
Source: First Baptist Church's Bicentennial Cookbook
Sister churches of First Baptist
Bethel Baptist
Grace Baptist
Salem Avenue Baptist
Crosswell Baptist
Alice Drive Baptist
Westside Baptist
Wise Drive Baptist
Northside Baptist
Harmony Church


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From PKP Wiki
Revision as of 09:02, 31 January 2013 by Jmacgreg (Talk | contribs) (Reverted edits by 184.108.40.206 (talk) to last revision by Jmacgreg)
James' Monash scratchpad
Materials received from Monash
1 zip file containing a bunch of stylesheets as well as an example set of documents.
- If you point their XSL file to nwalsh's docbook 5 library instead of docbook 4, everything seems to play nice.
Monash's workflow process
This is as near as I can figure it out so far.
1. Receive a Word doc from author with specified template markups alread embedded (os080004.word.doc/.xml -- if it comes in as a regular .doc, they convert it to Office's XML format); 2. more to come.


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Will SSDs make performance tuning experts irrelevant? Consider the following two quotes before we go any further.
"When a tree falls in a lonely forest, and no animal is near by to hear it, does it make a sound?" –Physics published in 1910 by Charles Riborg Mann and George Ransom Twiss
"If your SQL Server application is not running at peak theoretical speed, and no one is talking about it, do you have a performance problem?" –Brian Moran (today).
Several months ago, I wrote about the $10,000 server of the future ("The $10K Server of the Future"). I touched briefly on the topic of solid state disks (SSDs) and the art and science of performance tuning. This month I want to explore this topic through the filter of how it will impact the careers of the many people who make their living tuning SQL Server, whether it's by their own hand or by the advice they provide in written and verbal form (i.e., books, magazines, classes, conferences). First, let me say that I'm not trying to pick on these people. I was one of them for 15 years. I'll always have a soft spot for performance-tuning artists, and yes, it's as much art as it is science. But consider the following anecdote. I think it will make my thoughts on the topic at hand pretty obvious.
I was talking with my business partner, Andy Leonard, about this topic recently. He shared the following story from a past engagement. (Note that I'm simplifying the story and rounding the numbers to make the point of the story easier to follow.) Andy had been responsible for tuning a complex SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) process for a large data warehouse. Andy was the project manager and the architect, and he had several other people involved. Weeks of work tuning the code dropped the process's run time from about four hours to 12 minutes. Can anyone tweet #winning? Sometime later, they added SSDs to the server for additional gains and other reasons. Execution time for the process dropped to about 10 minutes. Just for fun and giggles, Andy decided to run the old version of the SSIS code on the server with the new SSDs. The process took about 12 minutes. Think about that—weeks of work by highly skilled, highly paid software engineers and architects for a net difference of about two minutes compared to simply throwing hardware at the problem. Isn't throwing hardware at a performance problem one of the seven deadly sins and typically a horrible return on investment (ROI)?
Today, server CPU and memory are so blazingly fast and cheap that it's not usually cheaper to throw hardware at a memory or CPU problem unless you're talking about big data. I/O bottlenecks have been the most common type of bottleneck that database performance tuning experts have faced since I joined the SQL Server community in 1990. Until recently, ROI analysis dictated that it made sense to spend a lot of time and energy trying to solve the problem through human intervention and labor. But SSDs will eventually change this ROI math. It's inevitable.
I had planned to explore a different topic this month when I read a Twitter post by Jorge Segarra (@SQLChicken) talking about the rapid decline of SSDs. Currently, SSDs aren't as cheap as physical disks, but I think they will be eventually. If you think about it, an SSD is actually a simpler device to build and calibrate compared to a metal box that contains magnets spinning at ridiculously high speeds. Do vendors give away 16G thumb drives based on spinning magnets at conferences? That's why I think SSDs will eventually be cheaper than traditional media.
Consider the future when SSDs are a heck of a lot cheaper and more widely adopted and a company ponders the following question: "Should we spend weeks of time and energy, and perhaps hire a really expensive consultant to help us fix the problem, or should we spend less money, add a terabyte of SSD, and fix the problem in a few days?" I think that will be like a milkman knocking on your door and asking if you need any milk.
Let me rein this back in a bit before I wrap up. Performance-tuning artists will never go away entirely, and this skill will always be among the most highly paid. But I'm convinced that the natural evolution of hardware will reduce the quantity of performance tuning experts necessary to satisfy market demand. This supply and demand imbalance will create a lot of pain for old-school performance tuning experts who can't change with the times. But heck, milk is still a big business. We just don't have it delivered two quarts at a time to our porch.
One final point in hope of reducing some of the flame mail I know I'll get. Yes, I know that SSDs have been around for decades. I get that. No, I don't think that magically fast hardware will always make up for horribly written SQL and application code. However, this is the first time I've started to see a pattern of throwing hardware at the problem being a decent answer. It was hardly ever the right answer a decade ago. And I know that big data and topics du jour will always push the envelope, and those environments will also need performance tuning artists. But most businesses don't need big data speed, and we're quickly getting to the point in which throwing an extra $25,000 into your server will solve most of your performance needs more quickly and less expensively than performance tuning can. Until recently, that ROI math just didn't exist.
What do you think? (Astute readers will notice I didn't address the question I posed in my quote in the introduction. I have my thoughts and I might explore this topic at a later time. But keeping with the grand tradition of philosophy, don't you think it's a question that you should answer for yourself?)
Are you interested in learning more about the origins of the question "If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" Check out the following links for more than perhaps you ever cared to know about the history, science, and philosophy of this question. Enjoy!


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Altman's Winnebago is Shutting Down for Good
May 9, 2011 by RVBusiness 4 Comments
Joe Altman, president of Altmans Winnebago, announced today (May 9) that the Altman family has made the difficult decision to wind down their dealership operations in Carson, Calif. The process began on May 6.
"Our family has experienced 40 years of great and challenging times," Altman noted in a news release, "but current market conditions suggest it's time to end this chapter of our business.
"Over the next month or so, Altmans will be liquidating the remaining inventory of motorhomes and towables that will give buyers and other dealerships the opportunity to purchase RV's at substantial savings.
"We are truly going to miss the many relationships developed over the last 40 years, but the time has come to say goodbye to the industry we love," he concluded.
The dealership first opened its doors for business in 1971 in Baldwin Park, Calif.


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Co-Founder and Principal, RiceHadleyGates LLC
Types: Author, Entrepreneur, Female, University Professor
Bio Info
Author, former diplomat, speaker and now a sought-after advisor to Fortune 50 and Silicon Valley CEOs, Anja Manuel shares her powerful insights on the rise of emerging markets in Asia and beyond, what this means for us and America's future role in international leadership.
Topics: American Politics, Asia, Business Growth/Strategy/Trends, Change: Managing/Leading It, China, Economic Forecast, Election Forecast/Analysis, Europe, Financial Markets, Foreign Policy - U.S., Global Economy, Global Trade, Leadership, Middle East, National Security, Terrorism , Women and Politics, Women's Issues
Financier, Philanthropist, Medical Research Innovator and Public Health Advocate
Types: Author, Entrepreneur, Male, Philanthropist, Top Executives
Bio Info
A legendary financier, one of the world's best known philanthropists and a catalyst for change, Michael Milken is a tireless advocate for improving lives around the world by driving innovation in medical research, education, public health and access to capital.
Topics: Africa, Asia, Biotechnology, Business Growth/Strategy/Trends, China, Diet, Fitness & Wellness, Economic Forecast, Education, Emerging Markets, Energy - Alternative & Technology, Europe, Financial Markets, Global Economy, Global Health, Global Trade, Government Regulation, Health Care Policy, Innovation, Inspiring Lives , Investing/Personal Finance, Motivation, Overcoming Obstacles and Challenges, Philanthropy, Retirement, Risk Management
Secretary of Energy (2013–2017); Nuclear Physicist and Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); President & CEO, Energy Futures Initiative
Types: Male, NEW Speaker, University Professor
Bio Info
A renowned MIT physicist and energy policy leader, Dr. Ernest Moniz served as the secretary of energy under President Barack Obama, where he focused on promoting energy technology innovation and advancing "all-of-the-above" energy initiatives and was a key architect of the Iran nuclear deal.
Global Economist and Best-Selling Author
Bio Info
Named by TIME as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" and recipient of the Friedrich Hayek Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Dambisa Moyo is a renowned global economist who has visited over 70 countries and brings a unique perspective to the macroeconomy and international affairs.
Topics: Asia, Business Growth/Strategy/Trends, Change: Managing/Leading It, China, Corporate Culture, Corporate Social Responsibility, Current Events, Economic Forecast, Emerging Markets, Financial Markets, Global Economy, Global Trade, Government Regulation, Information Technology, Infrastructure, Innovation, Social Media/New Media, Workforce Issues


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Jennifer Lawrence: My Mom Stole My Oscar Ballot!
Jennifer Lawrence wears a Stella McCartney dress while appearing on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing Wednesday (November 21).
The 22-year-old Silver Linings Playbook actress told Ellen about how her mom stole and filled out her Oscar ballot when she was away from home.
"She has more fun than I do. She called me one time. Recently, I've just gotten into the Academy, which is really exciting for me. That's exciting for any actor. And I get a call from my mother while I was in England and she goes, I did something hilarious. And I'm thinking what? And she's like, I voted. And I was like, you voted for what? The Oscars. And I was like, you voted for the Oscars what do you mean? And she goes the ballot came here and I voted! Cause she thought I'd be like [laughing] that's hilarious. I'm going to get kicked out of the Academy. Fortunately, she did it wrong and mailed it and mailed it back to herself, so I got to do it again," Jen said.
Jennifer Lawrence Talks Mom Voting for the Oscars


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Digital transformation is an evolving component of today's business reality. Coupled with expanded IT expectations, this reality brings more opportunities. It also brings more complexity, demands and decision makers. You need a network built to adapt. Inspire your enterprise's IT evolution with an agile networking ecosystem. Own your digital transformation with Level 3.
Wherever you are connecting employees, partners or customers across the globe, the Level 3 Network provides a scalable, flexible network platform for continued growth. Discover why enterprise, wholesale, financial, media and gaming companies around the world trust Level 3.


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STMicroelectronics Tackles Battery-Charging Burden
with Innovative Solar Charger
Solar battery charger to apply maximum power tracking for miniature cell arrays,
keeping millions of portable devices running longer
Geneva, June 6, 2011 – The small strips of solar cells seen in the front panels of today's small portable consumer, healthcare and security devices are set to become a more valuable source of free energy with help from a new advanced battery charging IC from STMicroelectronics a global leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications. The new IC will significantly increase charging efficiency either indoor or outdoor, using the sun's radiated energy, enabling longer mobile equipment runtime and avoiding an unexpected lack of power when a mains connection is not available.
ST's SPV1040 is a step-up DC-DC converter tailored to be used as solar battery charger for portable applications to employ Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), an innovative technique for collecting the maximum possible energy from solar cells. It can be connected to strips of even just a few cells, allowing use in products such as portable healthcare devices, watches, calculators, wireless headsets, toys, or mobile phones. The battery charger and MPPT technology can also be used in equipment such as sensors and security cameras.
The MPPT algorithm embedded in the SPV1040 dynamically adjusts the charger's input impedance to ensure perfect matching with the solar cell, thereby maximizing energy transfer to the battery and dramatically improving overall system efficiency. Without MPPT, changes in the solar cells caused by temperature, ageing, dirt or unit-to-unit variation can produce mismatches that significantly reduce the energy harvested...
Major features of SPV1040:
Available in the TSSOP8 plastic package, the SPV1040 is in full production, priced at approximately $2.00 in quantities of 1000 units. Alternative pricing options are available for larger quantity orders. Evaluation boards and technical documentation are also available.
About STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics is a global leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications with innovative semiconductor solutions. ST aims to be the undisputed leader in multimedia convergence and power applications leveraging its vast array of technologies, design expertise and combination of intellectual property portfolio, strategic partnerships and manufacturing strength. In 2010, the Company's net revenues were $10.35 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.
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Evening of Bridal Luxury
On March 3rd, Nearly 300 guests enjoyed an exclusive look at Vera Wang's 2013 Bridal Collection as part of the first annual "Evening of Bridal Luxury." The event, hosted by Modern Luxury Brides South Florida and The Caribbean at the Forbes 5-star rated Mandarin Oriental, Miami, also showcased top event professionals in the South Florida region as part of this unique bridal show.
Erica Griffin, Senior Vice President of Bridal at Vera Wang, gave a brief background on the new collection before a video featuring the designer offered guests an inside look at Vera's process and inspiration. After the film, Wilhelmina models glided down the custom u-shaped runway in 17 gowns from the line.
After the show, Modern Luxury Brides South Florida and The Caribbean Publisher Marisa Beazel and Editor Riki Altman invited guests to continue the event in the next room where KARLA Conceptual Event Experiences created a luxurious after-party. While sipping cocktails and coffee, get their picture taken in the H2 Concepts photobooth and dance to the sounds of DJ Mark Gallo from Scratch Weddings. Litus Music Installations highlighted the evening with a variety of live musicians including a vocalist, a saxophonist, a percussionist, and a cellist.
As brides and brides-to-be departed, they were given a luxury swag bag worth over $1,000 that included a Vera Wang Lovestruck perfume, certificates to local restaurants, special offers for jewelry, vendor discounts and more.
Photos Courtesy of Brett Hufziger


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The Knitty Titty Committee is an effort to help mastectomy patients obtain free or low-cost knitted prostheses instead of the traditional expensive, heavy silicone versions.
If you'd like to lend your services, they have a part of their blog with knitted and crocheted ta-ta patterns!
Yarnbombing.com has posted more pictures from the Joy House Tree. Click here to view the post, or click here to see the Flickr album. Can you see any of ours?
A big thank you to everyone who listened to our radio show! A fan all the way in MA has donated yarn to the cause, a big shout-out to PR & C! If you would like to donate, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Better late than never, here's my St. Patty's day bomb outside of The Half Door on Sisson Ave.


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With so many Twitter apps out there, it can be a challenge to find one that fits all of your needs. Sure, Twitter is a simple communication tool that utilizes messages of 140 characters, but it is also fairly complex in its feature set. Most apps utilize all of Twitter's features, but do so in very different ways, both aesthetically and technically. To help you find the Twitter app that's right for you, we've compiled a list of our top five Android Twitter apps available today.
Official Twitter App
If you've been using the web version of Twitter and aren't looking for any bells and whistles, than the official Twitter app is for you. The UI has just been redesigned, making the app much more visually pleasing. It looks almost identical to the web interface, with a blue bar at the top of the screen that contains icons for searching and composing tweets. Below the top blue bar is a black bar, which allows users to switch between columns such as home, mentions, trending tweets and the user's profile. If you have been using the web version of twitter and like to keep your twitter experience clean and simple, than this may be the app for you.
Download From Google Play: Free Version
Carbon For Twitter
The Carbon Twitter app is one of the most sleek and beautiful I've used thus far. Unfortunately, the app is only optimized for smartphones, but can work on certain tablets. Carbon uses a matte black background, and utilizes 3D-ish animations when swiping through columns. At the bottom of the screen lies a grey bar which displays the user's profile picture in the middle, with a plus sign residing on the left which composes new tweets. On the right side of the bar is a button that when pressed brings a vertical sidebar that allows users quick access to favorites, lists, trending tweets, search, filters and settings. Multiple accounts are supported, for those avid tweeters who have more than one Twitter account.
Download From Google Play: Free Version
Plume for Android bears quite a resemblance in layout to the official Twitter app, with a bar at the top of the screen with buttons for refreshing the feed, composing messages and accessing settings. By swiping right from the feed column, a vertical menu is displayed, which allows easy access to search, favorites, trends and lists. Plume also allows users to add columns based on hashtags, mentions, favorites and more. Facebook is also supported in Plume, allowing users to add their Facebook feed as a column. Plume also offers multiple Twitter account support.
Download From Google Play: Free Version
TweetDeck for Android offers multiple account support for both Twitter and Facebook, and displays tweets in columns that can be changed with a swipe. TweetDeck displays a bar on the bottom of the screen, with buttons that allow quick composition of messages, access to users accounts, search and a compass which displays location embedded tweets on a map. Users can add columns based on hashtags, mentions and searches. Users of the desktop client and Chrome app can seamlessly sync their columns and settings to the mobile app, making TweetDeck a great cross-platform Twitter solution.
Download From Google Play: Free Version
Falcon Pro
Falcon Pro is an amazingly beautiful and functional twitter app, which has its own built-in web browser and allows for inline viewing of videos and photos. The app has both a dark and light theme, and sports a double sliding menu UI, which when swiped right displays a menu with access to the users timeline, mentions, direct messages, search and setting. When swiping left from the home screen, a vertical menu which displays lists, saved searches and trends appears. The app has been optimized for Android tablets as well, and looks and functions impressively. The only downfall of Falcon Pro is that it does not support multiple Twitter accounts, so avid tweeters are out of luck.
Download From Google Play: Paid Version ($1.96)
So there you are folks, our top five picks for Android Twitter apps. Don't just take our word for it though, give them a try for yourself! Are there any Twitter apps that you like that we have missed? Let us know below. And happy tweeting!


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It was years ago that Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd attended what is now Crystal Lake Middle School. On Thursday night, he came back with a special message for more than 80 parents and school staff members.
LAKELAND | It was years ago that Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd attended what is now Crystal Lake Middle School. On Thursday night, he came back with a special message for more than 80 parents and school staff members.
"We see kids cutting themselves," Judd said during his office's Internet Safety Night in the school's cafeteria. "When you see kids doing things absolutely out of character, we've got to act."
The event was planned after the suicide of 12-year-old Rebecca Sedwick, a student who was attending Lawton Chiles Middle Academy after transferring from Crystal Lake in February. She was being bullied physically and electronically by students at Crystal Lake, a Sheriff's Office investigation revealed.
The story garnered national attention this week as the Sheriff's Office pressed charges on two girls, a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old, for their role in bullying Rebecca, whose body was found Sept. 10. It appeared she jumped from an old cement silo.
One in three children have been cyber-bullied and girls are twice as likely to be involved in bullying online than boys, Judd said. Of kids between 12 and 17 years old, he added, 78 percent have cellphones.
"These tools can be used for good or bad," Judd said.
"I've been bullied on this campus," Judd said. "And I'm embarrassed to say I've bullied people."
But he said there is a difference between finding your place in a social environment and committing a criminal offense.
The best strategy in preventing bullying, Judd told parents, is to physically be involved in your child's life.
"I've heard parents say they want to give privacy, but where does it say that in the Constitution?" Judd asked. "Be up in their business."
He joked that he used to buy Cokes for his kids' friends so they would hang out at his house, where he could monitor who his children were associating with.
On Monday, Crystal Lake Middle School students Katelyn Roman, 12, and Guadalupe Shaw, 14, were arrested and charged with aggravated stalking.
Judd said that while Katelyn showed regret for her behavior, Guadalupe was "cold" and without remorse.
The projection screen behind the sheriff showed a Facebook post he said Guadalupe posted last weekend that prompted quick action from his office. Parents in the room were noticeably affected, as they read the post, which claimed that she did indeed bully Rebecca but that she didn't care about the suicide.
A difficult part of completing an investigation such as this one is the broad range of applications and communication tools that children have available to them through their phones and computers. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Gmail were mentioned, but as American companies, the Sheriff's Office has had more success accessing communications done via these sites.
Ask.fm is a Latvian-based site that allows users to anonymously ask each other questions. Kik Messenger is a Canada-based instant-messenging service. Judd bemoaned the difficulty of finding out how children are using these services.
Guadalupe and Katelyn were able to be charged with felonies because their behavior crossed into the description of stalking. Bullying is not illegal in Polk County and Judd said that is a good thing. He said childhood conflicts are an unavoidable part of education.
Katelyn was released back to her parents but a judge remanded Guadalupe into custody pending further juvenile proceedings, the Sheriff's Office said.
Judd told parents Thursday that Guadalupe's parents have been uncooperative with the Sheriff's Office during their investigation and that he is looking into ways to press charges on them as well. He said in a news conference Monday that the parents are claiming Guadalupe's Facebook account was hacked.
"These parents are in total denial," Judd said.
Although law enforcement and schools have roles, it comes down to each family, Judd said.
"We are personally responsible for ourselves, our kids, our neighborhood, and our friends' children," Judd said.
"It takes work to be a successful parent."
He urged the parents in the room to "emotionally tackle" children and protect them from "the murky waters of the Internet world."
The parents applauded.
"This is something you have got to put in people's faces," said Annette Lee, whose daughter is in sixth grade at Crystal Lake. "It affects all of our children in one way or another."
Lee said the presence of television cameras in what may have otherwise been a mundane meeting was a good thing.
"It's getting blown up pretty big, and that's good because you don't want this issue to be smothered," Lee said. "Children should have information."
Lee, who also volunteers in the school's front office, said a lot of kids don't realize the spotlight that is centered on their school. Her family in Colorado called her this week to talk about bullying.
"I just hope and pray (my daughter) is not scared to go to school because of this," she added. "I don't think she is."
Stephen Prince, whose stepdaughter is in the seventh grade at Crystal Lake, said he has been impressed so far with how Judd has handled the situation. The sheriff appeared on TV morning shows "Good Morning America" and "Today" to talk about bullying and specifically cyber-bullying.
"For every negative, there is a positive and hopefully this opens kids' eyes," Prince said.
[ Miles Parks can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 863-802-7516. ]


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Katie Holmes: Afternoon Stroll with Suri!
Katie Holmes takes a break from the bright lights of Broadway to spend some quality time with daughter Suri on Monday (November 12) in New York City.
The 33-year-old actress and her six-year-old daughter enjoyed an afternoon play date with some friends before heading off on their own.
During their stroll, Suri had some fun jumping over puddles until Katie treated her to some cookies for an afternoon snack.
One day earlier, Katie shared an ice cream cone with Suri before heading to the Music Box Theatre for another Dead Accounts performance.
10+ pictures inside of Katie Holmes and Suri on their stroll…


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Click here for an easy to follow how-to video.
Well, as you can see, my week of DIY ornaments took a little break. It wasn't my intention, but life has been a little busy. I have taken on a big project – I'm in the middle of making the costumes for my mom's Christmas program at her church. I've made 3 spiders, 3 flowers, and I'm in the process of making a duck, a skunk, a bull, a donkey, a camel, and a cow (and there are more I'm not remembering right now). So, I'm going to attempt to stay on top of it all this week. 'Tis he season for being slightly crazy, right?
So, this will take you back to elementary school. I'm sure you all made these in the 3rd grade, and your mother hung the ugly blobby things on your tree, and you were so proud. Well I think this might be an update. These simple ornaments are made with the classic salt dough recipe, but stamped for a cleaner design.
Salt Dough
1 cup salt
2 cups flour
1cup water
Mix all ingredients in a mixer until a smooth dough forms. To dry the dough, bake in a 250F oven for at least 3 hours.
I rolled out the dough to 1/4″ thick, stamped my M's (for McConnel) and birds and then cut out the circle. It was easier to stamp first so that the image would be centered. I rolled out the dough on the parchment paper so I wouldn't have to move the ornaments. Oh and I just used a regular plastic drinking straw for the hole at the top. Once they were dry, I threaded twine through the holes. These look cute on the tree and attached to gifts. I also used them as napkin rings for Thanksgiving. I of course made a batch for my kids and they spent hours making all kinds of treasures for the tree as well.
What has you overwhelmed and hectic this season?
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