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Painter Geoff Phillips and His Rural Reflections
Not our last interview but our last stop in Saskatchewan took us to painter Geoff Phillips' house in Maple Creek. We had been through Maple Creek once before but this time it was with fresh eyes. It's a cute little town in southern Saskatchewan nestled within the prairie landscape and close to the Saskatchewan/Alberta border. It was here that Geoff and Connie decided to move their family from Calgary, with both sets of grandparents following in hot pursuit soon after.
It would appear that the Phillips family lives an idyllic life in Maple Creek. Geoff's steady income comes from their next door neighbour, the local Co-op food store where he works in the meat department. Besides not having to drive to work, living right next door has other benefits too. When he is not helping customers with their meat requirements sometimes they come in and ask to see his artwork. He asks his boss if he can pop home to show it to them, bloody apron and all, and off he goes. Only in a small town.
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For the past 6 years Geoff has had the good fortune of being the artist in residence at the Cypress Hills Inter-provincial Park for one month in the summer. But it is no coincidence that Geoff has had this opportunity for 6 years running. His unique style gives park visitors not only an appreciation for Geoff's art but also for the surroundings that comprise the park itself. What started out as a pilot project has turned into a marvelous draw to the park, with subsequent years also being funded to carry on the successful project. With his family's encouragement and the well wishes of his employer he stays at the park to paint and run workshops for visitors. His paintings are based around the flora and fauna of the park and are meant to bring awareness to those who make the journey there. Geoff's art is colourful and certainly very eye-pleasing so his pieces attract people like honey attracts bees. Every year Geoff packs up his canvasses, paints, brushes and a theme that he will incorporate into his work while he is there. This past August he worked on 12 very large canvasses and painted micro sections of the park depicting the landscape and the common plant species which are found there.
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I have found over the last 6 years of doing interviews that each artist's process is just as unique as the art they create. During his stay in Cypress Hills Park, Geoff will go out and wander the woods until he finds an intriguing spot he wants to bring to life on canvass. I would have thought a few pictures and maybe a sketch book would be what he would use to gather material for his piece. Instead he pulls out his really large canvass and spreads it out over the ground and then proceeds to stomp on it with his shoes to try to get it to lay as flat as possible, but of course there are always lumps and bumps creating hills and valleys. No matter, Geoff pulls out a can of brownish acrylic paint and proceeds to map out his future painting. He paints in oils but acrylic dries quicker for this part of the process. He then packs up and heads back to the art cabin where he adds a layer of primer and then proceeds with the oils. There are a few reference pictures taken as well. As Geoff puts it, it is very crude but he likes doing it this way because he can really get a feel for the spot he wants to paint and this helps to ignite the passion that goes into his work.
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When Gary and I stopped in on Geoff to do his interview we also got to see the new workshop and painting studio that he and Connie recently added to their home. Both Geoff and Connie, who is also an artist, have collaborated to bring all kinds of art programs through The Art House to the town of Maple Creek. They offer their artistic expertise to help guide children and adults through their own artistic expression, whether it be at a Splatter Party where one gets to pretend they are Jackson Pollock, or something a little more structured like learning the basics of drawing. It is obvious that both the Phillips family and the town of Maple Creek have benefited from their arrival. Geoff and Connie are bringing art to their community by teaching others how to express their creativity. They also enjoy the exposure of their art lining the walls of the local pub and restaurant and in the form of Geoff's huge mural that was commissioned by the town of Maple Creek for the Heritage District revitalization program.
So if you ever find yourself in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan stop in to the Co-op, ask for Geoff at the meat counter and ask to see his art. He'll be glad to oblige.
Be sure to check out our interview with Geoff. Also, help us spread the word about Geoff through social media by sharing this blog post. Clickable buttons are provided below for your convenience. And we love comments so please feel free to leave a nice one about Geoff and his work below. Thank you!
Rita St. Amant's Art Is To Dye For
As we journeyed across Canada in search of artists to interview we passed through many larger urban centres, but mostly we came across the smaller towns as we traversed the roads less traveled. Willow Bunch in south central Saskatchewan was one such destination; a small town steeped in history, from its celebrated native son, giant and strongman Édouard Beaupré, to its connections to Jean-Louis Légaré and the famous Sioux leader Sitting Bull. It was here, in this pretty little town nestled within a small valley that we met up with fibre and mixed media artist Rita St. Amant.
With a little trepidation we left Assiniboia and headed for Willow Bunch; Rita warning us of crater-sized potholes in the road that could swallow up our beloved 25 year old van Arty, or at the very least deliver a concussive blow. Also, Rita thought that her interview was for the day before our planned arrival. As it turned out our faithful chariot made it there in one piece and Rita was also still there, waiting for us with some carrot and zucchini cake, to be chased down with coffee and tea. So far so good.
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Descending to Rita's basement studio and gallery one might think of a dark workplace devoid of natural light, but the multitudes of brightly coloured fabrics in every corner and space defy any gloom, and instead greeted our eyes with gusto. Some fabrics rest in their completed forms as quilted art pieces, silks or scarves, while others are waiting to be transformed into her next idea. Rita hand dyes most of her own fabrics with very little usage of commercial product, and will employ different techniques to do so. She uses an ancient Japanese fabric dyeing technique called shibori; a method which can involve folding the fabric in certain configurations or also wrapping it around a foam noodle before dyeing to create stunning patterns. She will also bind stones of differing sizes in the fabric with elastics to create other engaging designs. Varying effects are also created with the use of stenciling, a potato masher, and even used dryer sheets. Rita's imagination reveals that there are endless possibilities for textile art and the mixed media that one can employ.
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Rita related to us that she has always wanted to be an artist, loving to draw as a little girl and then also moving into painting. She was influenced by her parents, with her father enjoying drawing and her mother being very artistic and involved with various crafts. Her first interest into the world of fibre arts came when she was at an art exhibit and was fascinated by the textile arts of Martha Cole, who proved to be a huge influence for Rita. That sparked her initial foray into fibre art and she hasn't looked back, with over ten years now of creating her own works of art. She notes that the feel of the cloth and the many varied forms of art one can do with it explains why she has taken to the textile arts, but also that the mixed media challenges her to grow and think outside the box. Though a self-taught artist, Rita enjoys the camaraderie that going to art retreats brings; sharing ideas and techniques with other artists.
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Rita and her husband love to travel in their motor-home, and it is on these excursions that they both indulge in their pastimes and passions. He scours the landscape with his metal detector searching for buried treasure in the form of coins, while Rita takes her fabric dyeing process on the road with her. Depending on the area that they find themselves in, Rita will also include what she finds in these natural surroundings to incorporate into her fabric patterns, such as using varieties of leaves and plants. So whether at home or on the road, Rita's love for her natural surroundings and the colours and textures that it brings is always a source of awe and inspiration for her next project.
Learn more about Rita and her art work in our interview with her shown below. Feel free to share on social media and leave a comment below if you like.
The Inspirational Works of Painter Laura Hamilton
I am thrilled when I come across something that makes we ask, "Why?". Humans are a curious bunch and I'm right up there on the top of the heap. Artists are definitely one group of people that have helped to feed my voracious appetite for curiosity. After 150 interviews I find myself not yet tiring of what seems like the same old questions I ask time and time again because the answers are never the same. When I came across the girls, ladies and women with no face and crazy hair my curiosity was about to boil over, and I immediately had at least half a dozen questions for painter Laura Hamilton.
Laura started out in her young life as a school teacher, and this was the career path she thought she would be on for all of her working years. Then one day baby Lincoln arrived and the Hamilton's were now a family of four. This should have been a happy occasion but for Laura she found herself lost in the caverns of postpartum depression following the birth of her second son. Laura explained it was a very difficult state to overcome, but as time passed and with medical help she was able to go back to work after her year on maternity leave. Unfortunately, this would prove to be a bit of a disaster for Laura to the point where she would make herself sick with anxiety and panic attacks. Then, one day there was a tipping point and Laura was driven home from school with a one month leave of absence in tow. During that time she received some words of advice from her mother-in-law that would help to change her life. Laura took the advice and started to nurture herself back to health and, with the help of her husband, she was able to spend time reading, meditating and learning to love herself again. The rest of Laura's story is full of inspiration and hope.
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The month leave of absence was almost over when Laura decided she was going to paint. She had been watching artist Buzz Siler from Portland, Oregon on You Tube, and was fascinated with his technique. Immediately she went looking for paint and tools to get started; a few cans of household latex paint and a screw driver ought to do it. What happened next for Laura was nothing short of an awakening; an outline of a girl began to take shape right before her eyes. This girl is Lucy and considered by Laura to be the first of her many "daughters". Laura revealed to us that Lucy was the start of a new beginning for her. At the time, she represented all the things that Laura wasn't. She was strong, bold and brave, and these characteristics gave Laura the strength and courage to change her life. When we met with Laura in September another school year had already begun, but Mrs. Hamilton was no longer in attendance. As of the end of the 2015/16 school year Laura and her husband decided to take a leap of faith and invest in her art career, and now she paints and paints and paints.
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After our interview Laura took us to her painting studio for a demo, which, if not for all her paintings leaning gracefully against the walls I may have thought this was a place a commercial house painter stored her equipment until the next job. There was a table in the middle of the room with a bad case of paint measles and a closet and shelves with all kinds of bargain bin paint cans from the local hardware store. What a surprise! This was not what I was expecting at all. Of course my curiosity was really starting to get the best of me by this time. Laura's painting technique involves a canvas which lays flat on the table, a bunch of water, cans of various colours of oil based household paint, big, fat paint brushes, her fingers and a whole lot of intuition and trust. It's a process that takes some time. Laura starts with an idea which can spark from a memory of her childhood, a photo, wallpaper, or even just a single colour. She sketches out a rough outline of her new daughter, applies water, paint, more water, more paint and keeps coming back to her until her aura shines through, at which point she is done. Laura says she has a starting point but really doesn't know where the finished piece will actually end up.
So why the no face and the crazy hair? Laura admits the hair is probably a reflection of her own curly locks but the lack of facial features is more symbolic. She wants people to really connect with the women in her paintings and she feels that by not giving them features it makes it easier for that to happen. She wants them to represent a spirit or a being, not a real person. They are symbols of courage, free-spiritedness, playfulness, purity, bravery, confidence, kindness and a re-connection to nature. Laura and her daughters give the gift of hope and inspiration to all of us.
We invite you to have a listen to Laura as she talks about how her art changed her life. Also, kindly help us spread the word about Laura and her art by sharing this post on social media. And we love comments so feel free to leave a nice one below. Thank-you.
Kristin MacPherson: Through the Eyes of the Artist
Most of us are familiar with the saying the eyes are the windows to the soul, but did you know that this isn't just a metaphor? There is scientific evidence that indicates a person's eyes really are a window; to their feelings or intentions. Facial expressions can be forced, such as with a smile, but our eyes reveal all so our natural tendency is to avoid excessive eye contact because, for the most part, it makes us feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. The eyes also affirm beauty, peace, happiness, contentment and so many other things that make us want to get to know someone. When we sat down with Kristin MacPherson she revealed to us, not through her eyes, but through her art that it is this physical feature that ignites her curiosity and compels her to want to make people's faces the subject of many of her paintings and photographs.
As with many artists, Kristin grew up in a family of creative people, (parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles) each accompanied with tons of encouragement for Kristin to express herself creatively. When it was time to choose an education the likely candidate was a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree but the perceived reality was to find something that would land her a job. It turns out that photography was the path she would take, and although she didn't realize it at the time it has played an important role helping her become the artist she is today.
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When we arrived at Kristin's home where she lives with her husband, three daughters, two dachshunds and her '53 Buick named Lenore it was easy to see we were entering the home of an artist. There are often signs An Artist Lives Here by the paintings on the wall, or the sculptures on the mantel, but more often than not the art studio is tucked away in a spare room, garage or basement area where the artist has the option of "To be tidy or not to be tidy? That is the question". In Kristin's case, the front room is her art studio, up front and center for all who enter the house to see. It was pretty tidy too! An advantage? A disadvantage? Perhaps. Or maybe to Kristin it doesn't much matter either way. Paraphrasing, she looked at us and said, "it's the room in the house we don't use so it just made sense".
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Although Kristin took applied photography in school, and it is in itself a form of art, her first love is painting. When I first looked at Kristin's work I thought she was a watercolour painter but she actually uses acrylics. Her palette usually consists of only five colours and Kristin likes to keep it as simple as that. When she paints, her focus is on the eyes. That is not to say that the rest of the piece is not important but the eyes need to reveal themselves to her before she is satisfied that it is complete. It really excites her when the unexpected happens; the loose brush strokes and the paint gain a mind of their own, overlapping in shapes and patterns and flaunting randomness in such a way it gives the piece a free-spirited look.
During our interview Kristin proclaimed that she has never taken a painting class and is solely self taught. She did say that it was photography that played a large role in making her a better painter. She spends a lot of time as a professional getting in other peoples faces so to speak. Those close-up shots have given her the opportunity to study the features of the face in great detail and with willing participants. I think the camera provides a barrier between photographer and subject which gives them each a safe place to look into each others eyes. Kristin gets to have a glimpse of the real person behind those eyes and her subject feels relaxed while this takes place. Photography has also enabled Kristin to see the element of light as she paints. Being able to see light and how it wraps itself around objects helps to bring her subjects to life on the canvas.
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Kristin's fascination with what makes a person tick gives her the exuberance that is needed to go beyond just taking a picture or painting a piece. She works to bring that person out from behind those eyes, to tell their story, to show what really makes them who they are and not what their exterior projects them to be.
We invite you to watch and listen to Kristin as she shares more with us. We encourage you to help us spread the word about Kristin and her art on social media (for your convenience we have provided the buttons below). One more thing; we love comments so please feel free to leave a nice one below. With much gratitude, Corinne and Gary
Visual Artist Ladd Fogarty's Life of Art and Inspiration
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up" – Pablo Picasso
"What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches." – Karl A. Menninger
Our featured interview with multidisciplinary fine artist and retired art teacher Ladd Fogarty of Emerald Park, Saskatchewan reminded me of the above quotes; our discovery of Ladd's prolific teaching career and what he meant to his students, as well as his life-long passion for the arts and, like Picasso, an appetite for exploring multiple mediums. Although Ladd has been doing his art work for over thirty years now, it hasn't been until these last eight years that he has truly taken on marketing his work as a professional artist. During the thirty years that he spent teaching students about the arts he fostered not only their creative gifts which led to their own artistic achievements, but he also forged enduring friendships with many of them.
What is it that makes a great teacher? When we asked Ladd he mentioned not only patience, humour and a diverse skill base, but also the ability to draw out of a person their creative abilities that they never realized was inside of them. One such student was David Benjoe, who was an art student of Ladd's at age 17 and doubtful of his artistic abilities. Ladd would say to him, "David, please don't sell yourself short, art is another way to achieve what you enjoy in life". Then, through Ladd's urging he agreed to be part of an outreach arts workshop program for the elementary schools in the area, which he loved. This was his first introduction to leading in a classroom setting. He went on to become a teacher himself and is now on the verge of attaining his Masters of fine arts interdisciplinary. David concludes, "I can honestly say that he was the major influence in the path I took after we met way back in the 1990s".
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The diversity of Ladd's artistic media came about from various avenues and influences. He attributes personal desire in determining whether he feels like painting at the moment or working with his hands on a 3d object, which may involve acrylic paints, clay, wood, glass or soapstone. It depends on what story he is trying to tell; it could come from the potters wheel or the painting easel. As an art teacher he also had to learn about and present a multitude of mediums for his students to experiment with. His early exposure to art included his mother who was an opera singer and musician and still plays the violin to this day (Ladd also played in a dance band for about 12-15 years until losing a finger five years ago). His grandmother was a painter and his grandfather played the piano. His father happened to be a carpenter that became a master wood-turner in his retirement and was a great teacher for Ladd.
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Within the wood and clay pieces that Ladd creates you will see striking designs of geometry, figures and symbols; the clay pieces adorned with acrylic paints adding a lustrous finish. For wood he will use accoutrements such as acrylic paints, stained glass, soapstone, buffalo bone, porcupine quills, as well as stones such as turquoise, pipestone, magnesite and jet black. With already the richness of the wood itself to catch your eye, be it maple, birch or cherry, the additional colours and design add a beautiful touch. Ladd notes that when he is working with wood or clay he uses more symbolism and has a tendency to explore more abstract concepts.
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To Ladd his paintings relay the inspiration he gains from his natural surroundings as well as the experiences of the people who are a part of it. Ladd has a deep connection to First Nations people and their culture and his work reflects that. One such piece is "Muscowpetung Sage Woman"; the painting featured at the top. This piece was created as a donation to a charity auction to raise money for shelters for women and children of domestic violence. It is a personal piece that shows a woman and child, his adopted First Nations daughter with her daughter, looking over her shoulder to an old woman picking sage, a symbolic gesture of acknowledging her ancestral roots. It represents part of the healing process for a difficult time that she was going through.
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We finished up our interview with a tour of the family home to video Ladd's art work on display; the house itself a part of his artistic handiwork. We had the pleasure of getting to know Ladd's wife Liz and their daughter Kaitlyn as we sat down to a lovely lunch that they prepared. A stroll through the yard and garden (where we gratefully accepted some veggies for the road) capped off a wonderful day with the Fogartys.
Enjoy our interview with Ladd and please share his interview on social media. If you are inclined to leave a nice comment for Ladd please submit it below.
"Renaissance Man" Artist Jeff Morris
You know the type, a guy that seems to be able to do it all; fix anything, create anything, with the only limitations being that of his own imagination. Meet artist Jeff Morris of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, a man with a vast imagination and seemingly no limitations to his creativity. When we arrived at his studio and gallery a few miles north of town we thought we were interviewing Jeff Morris the artist, but what we found in addition to that was also an inventor and explorer; a Renaissance man of sorts.
Jeff Morris has always liked to create things, starting off as a youngster with the basics of a hammer, some wood and some ideas. It seemed like a logical choice then that he go into carpentry after high school, giving him the satisfaction of building functional wood structures and earning a living. And although he enjoyed it, he wasn't able to unleash the creativity that was brewing inside of him, so he decided to transfer his wood construction skills into his artistic side and put the fun back into functional. The result has been not only beautiful and innovative wood pieces, but also Jeff's expansion of creativity into other mediums.
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When we spoke with Jeff about what drives his art he kept coming back to his thirst for learning and discovery. Always experimenting with different techniques and having no shortage of new ideas, his curiosity is endless and is reflected in the variety of media he has his hands in such as concrete, wood, photography, painting and pottery. While he was giving us a tour of his spacious studio and workshop he also pointed out other inventive projects, such as the drum set he made from used propane cylinders; see video HERE, as well as the new musical instrument he made from the inner workings of a piano. If whiskey and slide guitar are more your style then check out the whiskey tumbler and glass slide that Jeff made from a whiskey bottle; see video HERE.
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Jeff admits that his projects are not based on the path of least resistance principle, and he likes it that way. Rather his methods are based more on his quest to satisfy his curiosity and the inherent challenges that come with it. For instance, buying clay for pottery is not too costly, but his discovery of a clay source along the Assiniboine River while he was out kayaking led him to hand dig and haul out a lifetime supply of clay; an enormous physical task. After testing out the initial few hundred pounds of clay with a couple of local potters and then researching the correct combination of additives to make successful pots, he now uses only the Assiniboine clay for all of his pieces.
One of the great messages that we took away from our visit with Jeff was that creating art, or any other project, does not have to involve expensive supplies that can stop you before you begin. If a person has a creative urge just waiting to burst from within them, just a little extra work using re-purposed or scrap items or even paints from a building supply store (Jeff's not-so-secret supply), can get anyone started. In many cases Jeff's creativity and innovation has lent itself to just providing the materials themselves for the project before the work on the artistic piece has even begun. Although the proverb "Necessity is the mother of invention" may apply to finding a solution through lack of financial means, for Jeff it means a necessity for trying new, unconventional, or historical methods that stoke his curiosity and that gives him a satisfaction of having taken the road less traveled to discovery. When asked if there were other mediums that he would to like to explore Jeff mentioned glass blowing but that it is quite a pricey endeavour. We don't doubt that one day, somehow, Jeff will find a way.
Enjoy our interview with Jeff and this glimpse into his artistic life. Feel free to share his story on social media and email, with nice comments submitted below always welcome.
Batik Watercolour Artist Paige Mortensen Irons Out The Past
As we approached Saskatoon, Saskatchewan little did I know that we were arriving to the place that is known as the "City of Bridges". Actually, I knew nothing about Saskatoon overall. Gary and I have always just taken Circle Drive that bypassed Saskatoon on our way to northern Saskatchewan for our paddling trips. On this particular trip we were there to meet artists, and one of the side benefits to that is finding out about the place where they live. Saskatoon was established in 1882 as a Temperance colony. Today it is a diverse and vibrant place where people of many different cultures call home. The population is roughly 270,000 and growing at a steady pace on both sides of the South Saskatchewan River. It is the river that made it necessary to span eight bridges within the city. There are new ones being built and old ones being dismantled along with the visual reminder of their history.
So what do these bridges, vintage doors and daisies have in common? Much more than you would think, starting with Batik watercolour artist Paige Mortensen. When I went looking for artists to interview in Saskatoon, Paige's work intrigued me immediately. I was familiar with Batik as a wax-resist technique used to die fabric and create stunning patterns as a result, and initially this is what I thought Paige was doing with her artwork. It turns out the idea is similar but the materials used are completely different. Paige uses Ginwashi rice paper instead of fabric, watercolour paints instead of dies, and paraffin wax instead of bees wax or sticky wax. I was really looking forward to finding out more.
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Paige's studio is on the third level of their 4-level split home. There is an extra kitchen which is perfect for helping with the whole process, decent sized windows for natural light and finished and unfinished pieces hanging all around. When we entered Paige's work space the first thing she showed us was not her art, but rather the stool she sits on to do her work. It used to be her mother's high chair, and other than the upper part now just a memory, it was lovingly the same. In the corner, carefully embracing some of her art supplies, is an old chest her grandfather had made which remains in it's original condition. These things were the start of our understanding of what inspires Paige to create the pieces that she does.
As I get older I find myself becoming more and more nostalgic and reaching out for fond memories of my family and friends and our experiences together. And I wonder about other peoples experiences, even those whose faces I have never seen or whose voices I have never heard. As I listened to Paige talk about her work and in particular the subjects of her work I could see we were connected in this way.
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So what do the bridges in Saskatoon, vintage doors and daisies have in common for Paige? They contain sweet memories of her past and stir up curiosity about a past. As the bridges get older and need to be replaced she begins to ask questions about who built them. Melancholy hangs in the air because she knows that one day they will no longer be visual reminders of Saskatoon's past. Realizing this, Paige is now on an artistic mission to rebuild these relic bridges as a Batik watercolour so they, and the memories that surround them, can be preserved. The vintage doors hold a similar curiosity for Paige. When she and her husband went to Europe the doors, knockers and knobs became the subject of her fascination, and when she got home the subject of a series of paintings. Who lived behind that door? What were they like? Where did they go? As for the daisies, Paige is actually allergic to flowers but her grandmother always appreciated the single Gerber daisy she used to take when she went to visit. She finds beauty in flowers as a subject and as a memory.
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Check out Paige's interview as she talks more about the Batik watercolour process and gives a little demo. Also, we would appreciate it if you would help us spread the word about Paige Mortensen and her work through social media and email. We thank you in advance for sharing and commenting below.
Get Wildcrafting with Mixed Media Artist Don Elzer
"Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting and using wild materials for food, medicine, construction, art and craft. Whether it's a wild botanical like devils club, shed antlers, pine cones or mushrooms, the gathering of found materials provides wildcrafters a means to generate a living direct from nature." ~Don Elzer~
The above quote from Don Elzer therein lies the first clue to the life he leads. It is one of stewardship to the lands he roams, loves and protects, collecting materials for his own use and commerce but like all healthy relationships his connection to the Earth is one of give and take, and then give some more. Through permaculture principles he advocates for, and engages in responsible harvesting practices of plant species; tread lightly, take only what you need, replenish and propagate, then repeat.
We met up with mixed media artist Don Elzer at his Wildcraft Forest Wild Tea Plantation thirty minutes east of Vernon along Highway 6 in the Monashee region of British Columbia. We had already been following Don's initiatives on Facebook for quite awhile now, but when we sat down to chat with him we were amazed by all of the wildcrafting irons that he had in the fire.
Don's art work is one extension of his wildcrafting. Found materials such as antlers, birch bark, feathers and naturally harvested clay are just a few items that lend themselves to Don's sculptures in symbolic, spiritual and storied interpretations. His paintings may be a mix of acrylic paint, pastels and crayons which seems to create an almost 3d effect through the contrast of glossy and matte finishes. They depict memorable scenes, places once been and of stories yet to unfold.
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If wildcrafting is the hub of Don Elzer's wheel of life, then the many spokes borne from that are not only his art work, but also initiatives such as:
-Teaching Permaculture Design and Wildcrafting Courses at his Wildcraft Forest.
-Offering wild tea blends, herbs and potions at the Wildcraft Forest Apothecaeri.
-Social enterprise through his Watershed Intelligence Network.
– The Shelter Revolution. Tiny House building, sales and workshops with off-the-grid applications.
– Author and Publisher
Don may wear many hats but through all of these labours of love lies a common thread: a deep connection, appreciation and relationship to nature.
So you see, it matters not whether you are looking to appreciate nature through a sculpture, a painting, a soothing and medicinal tea, or a hands-on practical education in wildcrafting to further your stewardship on Earth, a visit to Don Elzer's Wildcraft Forest will awaken your senses.
Enjoy our interview with Don Elzer as you peruse his art work! Comments and sharing through social media and email are encouraged and welcome!
Off-piste with Painter Jenny Baillie
There are many reasons why one would want to visit the charming town of Rossland, tucked within the mountainous south central region of British Columbia. For some it may be for the world class skiing at Red Mountain, for others it could be carving the trails of Canada's mountain biking capital, while for others a visit to the Rossland Beer Company to whet their whistle would be in order. For us, we were drawn here by the bold and vibrant art work of visual artist Jenny Baillie, and a chance to discover the personality behind the paintbrush.
It was the lure of skiing in the Canadian Rockies that drew Jenny first to Banff, Alberta from New Zealand back in 1979, and then on to Rossland, B.C. in 1982. It is there she has called home ever since. The many peaks, lakes and vistas she has encountered throughout the B.C. mountains all called out to her creativity, and she notes that it was through the rigours of skiing, hiking and backpacking that Jenny attributes the initial inspiration for her landscape paintings. She says she, "likes to sweat and suffer in the great outdoors" to help fuel her creativity.
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Jenny notes that if she were to put a label on her style of painting that it would be something like, "abstract impressionism with some funk." She typically uses six colours to create her vivid paintings, but Jenny admits that her goal is to simplify even more to three primary colours, plus black and white. Her subject matter is varied, ranging from her landscapes, to bears and bunnys, super heroes, flowers, comic relief, and a series of historical women, from those of the pioneering and mountaineering ilk, to those of the Klondike Gold Rush fame.
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Jenny is never afraid to get out of her comfort zone nor is she at a loss for new ideas. Her eclectic subject matter exhibits her need for self expression; wherever her imagination takes her. At the same time she understands the need to satisfy the market, and so she appeals to her audience with her signature landscape pieces. This is much like a skier who will follow the groomed runs because that is what they have always done, but really wanting the thrill of uncharted territory. Jenny confided to us that her creativity is about to go off-piste once again. We look forward to her new discoveries.
To view more of Jenny's art work please visit her website by clicking here.
Enjoy our interview with Jenny and please help us spread the word about her art work through sharing on social media and email. Comments below are also welcome!


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Clonmel Chamber bid to promote shopping vouchers for Christmas
Clonmel Chamber Shopping Vouchers have been widely used throughout the town since their introduction in 2009. Almost eighty businesses in the town accept them from customers.
Now, with Christmas approaching the Chamber is eager to increase the amount of voucher accepting businesses to one hundred or more.
They are about to embark on a marketing campaign for the voucher scheme aimed at companies and individuals. This campaign will highlight how Clonmel Chamber Shopping Vouchers make an ideal gift for Christmas and how they support local businesses and jobs.
"Clonmel Chamber has always been committed to supporting local businesses. We believe that if we have more businesses willing to accept the Clonmel Chamber Shopping Vouchers that more people will be willing to purchase them as a gift for a colleague, friend or relation" said Chamber CEO Brian Cleary.
"There is no cost to enter the scheme and we only charge a redemption fee of 3% to companies returning the vouchers. This is significantly lower than almost all other voucher schemes in operation at the moment. Furthermore the funds raised in redemption fees are then used to print more vouchers and to market the scheme" he added.
Any business in Clonmel considering accepting the Clonmel Chamber Shopping Vouchers should contact Brian Cleary at the Clonmel Chamber on 052 61 26500 or by email: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Open Thread: Talk About What Matters Most to You
Discuss and debate the issues that mean the most to you.
The anxiety dream I woke up to this morning was a bug dream. In it, my husband and I were staying in a hotel -- a nice hotel, and we had a nice big suite, although for the length of our trip I was constantly plagued with a sense of imminent foreboding.
The feeling was satisfied the morning we were supposed to check out, as I was packing. I discovered, to my horror, a massive army of exotic-looking insects marching out of the bathroom toward the hotel bed, on which our open suitcases rested. Curious long-legged creatures, shining black millipedes, and those fat hissing cockroaches from Madagascar. They crawled slowly but inexorably toward our bags, climbing the sides of the bed, clinging doggedly to the sheets.
I threw whatever was left into our suitcases and quickly zipped them closed, moving them to the door. Then I thought, Wait, what if some of the bugs already got in there, and I didn't notice? And then, with a chill of horror, WHAT IF SOME OF THEM LAID EGGS IN OUR BAGS? I would bring them home and unpack, and soon our home would be filled with horrifying enormous insects and I would never get them out.
I've woken up with a start from one anxiety dream or another every morning since last Wednesday, May 1. That was the day my husband become unemployed.
The dreams have varied, ranging from the familiar dream-dread of helplessly searching for an escaped cat, to facing an approaching nuclear holocaust. But they have been consistent in their occurance, and so I wake in the morning with my heart racing, nauseated, panicked. What did I forget? Oh, my husband has no job.
It's strange, how well I have handled it when I am awake. This shift in our fortunes was not entirely unexpected -- there was a reorganization, there was a change in positions, it was probably inevitable that this was how it would end -- and so I had convinced myself that I was handling it well. And indeed, in my waking hours I believe I have handled it well, I have been patient and calm, I have done great heaps of spreadsheet math, I have cut down household expenses, I have been rational and logical and I have planned everything methodically, as much as anyone can plan for an outcome that is ultimately unkown.
I have even felt gratified and proud that I am in a position where I can (almost) (not quite) (but very close) support us both single-handedly. Primary breadwinner! That's a big deal to me. I am bringing home the bacon even though I have neither time nor inclination nor energy to fry it up in the proverbial pan.
But when I sleep -- when I sleep, all my secret worries that are so much constant background noise in my waking life come bubbling to the surface.
I am a person who craves stability and predictability. Thus these unstable anxieties have sunk their tiny creeping tendrils into pretty much every corner of my life. I hate anything that disrupts my routine. Sure, later I might see that whatever occurred was ultimately a needed change, but in the moment I despise upheaval. And working from home has allowed me to set my own routines and schedules, with virtually none of the obstacles that come from sharing an office, and to get REALLY comfortable with them.
For example, for the past year and a half, I've gotten up early every weekday morning to drive my husband to work, and then to drive myself home again. I did this for a couple reasons: for one, me driving him in meant I could keep the car all day. For another, the consistent necessity of waking up at the same time every day and showering and getting dressed and leaving the house was enormously useful; me being an easily-obsessed type of person, without this motivation I always suspected I could spend days without going any further out of our condo than the mailboxes in our building's lobby.
Well, it turns out I was right about that. I went three consecutive days this week without stepping outside. And then I wonder why I feel like some sluggish subterranean animal crawling back and forth through the same familiar tunnels. And then when I do make a Target run, I feel weird and exposed, like I've forgotten how to be outside, like there's something not right, like my parts are all disarranged.
I know, IT'S ONLY THREE DAYS, but for me the ability to leave the house and be normal is a muscle I have to keep exercising or else it atrophies.
There's also the fact that my husband is at home, with me, literally 24 hours a day, with a couple short exceptions. Having him home is weird. It's like some epic holiday in which he is on vacation while I have to work.
Plus, he is not a quiet person. Indeed, where I am contemplative and taciturn he is a bombastic hurricane of attention-grabbing energy. Our differences compliment each other in normal circumstances, but I'm not sure how they're going to work out in 24-hour-a-day contact.
Truthfully, I thought I might enjoy having him home, and it hasn't been all bad. Besides having been a person with a regular job he is also a freelance writer and I thought, hey, it might be nice to have a writer-partner around! Like we're one of those supercool smartypants artsy couples! Or maybe we'll just learn to despise each other with a searing keenness that makes our work all the better! It'll be ROMANTIC!
Like three times now my dad has kindly and gently said to me on the phone, "This unemployment period could put pressure on your marriage, just be aware of that," and I'm all "DO YA THINK?"
And then there is the money thing.
The money issue hasn't been a huge focal point for my anxieties, believe it or not -- we have savings to draw from if we need to, and although this has impacted our formerly comfortable budget in a dramatic way, I am not a person who's ever believed that money alone could make me happy (although certainly money has the power to make us all miserable, and it seems terrifically unjust that it shouldn't work the other way too).
Also, I have the extreme privilege of being in a situation where my biggest financial worries are mostly psychological. I know our mortgage will get paid, and it is exceedingly unlikely (barring any additional catastrophes) that we will find ourselves out on the street. We're just implementing austerity measures on areas of our budget that are flexible.
In most respects, I'm cool with this -- I, like most of us, will benefit from living below our prior occasionally extravagant means. I have a bit of my own money squirreled away, so that I can still occasionally buy stuff (or take my husband to a cheap dinner once or twice a month, just so we get to leave the house). I'm not totally broke just yet. It's just that now I have to be more judicious in my choices, as what I've got is going to have to last me for awhile. Do I NEED another pair of shoes at this moment? No. GOD no. Do I need more books in my book-filled house? Absolutely not. Do I NEED that awesome purple Maybelline Vivids lipstick? Yes, yes I do.
It does mean no more expensive dinners for awhile. And it has also meant I've made some ridiculous choices in fits of stress. Like when I decided that ordering a few cheap magazine subscriptions from Amazon might help me feel better about not buying any new books for awhile. So I did. And then I realized I had already ordered a few cheap magazine subscriptions from Amazon, like three days earlier, and somehow totally forgot. (Please tell me I'm not the only person who does absurd shit like this sometimes?)
So much for that being a psychological help.
There is also the grocery budget. I've written about my mild food-hoarding behaviors before, and how I have this pervasive psychological need to know that food is available -- not to eat! just to sit in the cupboard or fridge and go bad! -- if I require it. This need is a direct result of having spent a goodly portion of my childhood years on one diet or another, and how I confronted that self-imposed hunger by hiding food in my bedroom -- again, not to eat, just so that I could know it was there.
Our grocery budget has been cut dramatically and thus far I've dealt with it by accumulating a wide selection of fine international ramens -- because they're cheap and shelf stable and I know I have a large box of available food if I need to look at it.
Also, we signed up for a wholesale club membership at the hilariously named BJ's, which I had thought would be a bulk-buying money-saver, and it totally is! But it is also feeding my hoarding tendencies like whoa. Being able to buy a jar of giardiniera that is literally the size of my head feels better than it probably should, were I only a normal, not-obsessed-with-food-security person.
If nothing else, this first week of single-income married life has shown me one thing: the stuff that I think will destroy me pretty much never does. Had you asked me six months ago how I would handle my husband being out of work, I probably wouldn't have even been able to formulate an answer, instead giving you a thousand-yard stare and silently envisioning myself wailing and rending my garments and maybe throwing myself on a sword. Because I do not like situations in which I have no control. Indeed, they are situations I have spent my life trying to avoid.
But life goes on, like it does, and things change and we all just keep climbing uphill because what else is there to do? I'm not destroyed yet. I'm managing. Just a little tired. Because of the bad dreams.


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Gorgeous white puppy-CA
Why buy from a breeder when there are plenty of homeless pups in shelters???
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Gorgeous white puppy-CA
Check out this gorgeous 5 month old white pup! He's so stinkin' cute it's ridiculous. Anyone want or know of anyone who is interested in a white/rednose pup? I can get him out if he has somewhere to go. We're not able to take him in at this time, so he's in imminent danger. He's got a couple weeks at most.
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Photo by Danny Lund
Seattle, Washington
In 2008, this landmark ditched the sauced fish fillets and chops that made it famous, and recruited chef Jason Franey from Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York City. Now classics like prawns sautéed in dry vermouth appear alongside Franey's more modernist smoked foie gras. The restaurant's 180° views of Lake Union and the Cascade Range remain, as do traditions that require men to don a jacket to sit at certain tables.
Last Reviewed
March 2016
2576 Aurora Ave. N.
Seattle, WA


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Appearances & Author Visits
I often visit schools and libraries to talk about books and the writing life, usually accompanied by my friendly green alligator assistant. For science classes, I also can talk about weather (though, like Mark Twain, I can't do anything about it). If your school or library would like to schedule an appearance, please contact me using the form below.


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Gilda's Club Grand Rapids is teaming up with Michigan Blood and Blue Care Network to host a special blood
The funniest run around is back for 2018! The fifth annual FUNderwear Run will take place at New Holland Brewing
We are seriously excited to announce our LaughFest badges on sale just in time for the holidays! Badges are priced


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MONROE — A 68-year-old piano teacher was charged with sexual assault on Tuesday for allegedly touching students inappropriately during lessons, police said.
Bruce Connery, of Greenwood Lane, was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor, according to police. He was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court next week.


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Black man shirt by Casual Friday
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Black shirt by Casual Friday. Long sleeves shirt with pearled buttons. Texture cloth. Colour black. You can wear it with jeans for your daily or with black pants for special ocasions.
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Ray Okpara DJ Set Oktober (2012-11-02)
Ray Okpara Homepage
Ray Okpara is an artist whose roots lie in Nigeria. Percussions, hypnotic beats, a touch of deep and soul music... that's House Music. He's a producer and dj.He made releases on Labels like Cecille, Oslo and Get Physical. He often plays with his friends Johnny D and Nick Curly as a dj team. Keep smiling with the latest mix of Ray Okpara...
no setlist available!


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Photo & video
Aug 24, 2012
The company has invested some A$39 million in a new processing plant, which was commissioned in 2012.
Part of the expansion is a warehouse.
John Hazeldene runs the company together with his sister Vicky. The family business was started in 1957 by their father Dick Hazeldene as a hatching and egg producing business.
The new plant is equipped with Stork equipment, such as the CO2 stunning system.
Scalding is carried out with a new system that uses hot air and steam to loosen the feathers before plucking.
Quality control is an important part of the slaughtering process.
There is enough space for movement of shackles through the new plant.
Chilling is still a bottleneck in the set up. Also the already existing further processing and packaging line limit utilising full capacity of the new slaughtering plant of 13,000 birds per hour.
Hazeldene's owns and maintains a modern fleet of refrigerated delivery vehicles. The company packs and delivers all of its own product and services Victoria and southern New South Wales 6 times per week and south Australia and Tasmania 5 days per week.
The breeder flocks are of the Cobb and Ross breed partially housed in barns like this one with Big Dutchman equipment. Some 150,000 hens however, are housed in the Vencomatic veranda system.
The breeder house is mechanically ventilated with side inlets and tunnel ventilation.
In case of a power failure a diesel generator steps in to make sure the ventilation system keeps operating.
At the front a pad cooling system is present to bring the temperature in the house down in summer.
A large water tank is installed to immediately have water available for the hens and for the pad cooling system.
Wayne Harrington is breeder manager and takes care of the parent stock farms.
The hens and the roosters are fed separately, the hens on the slates and...
...the roosters have a separate feeding system (left at the back) on the floor of the house.
The hatching eggs are collected manually at the front of the house and...
...are put on setter trays that directly go into the incubator.
Editor WorldPoultry
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text: Injury information provided for each team below reflects the significant injuries that have been taken into account for current picks involving each team. If players appear here as injured, they do not play in our simulations. Players who are not listed here for each team can be assumed to be playing in our simulations at full strength. When picks are updated due to new injury information, this page will also be updated.


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I've always been a fairly reserved person in real life, at least around people I don't know very well. Generally the first impression I give people is "quiet and serious," and if I meet someone I must interact with regularly, but don't care to get to know (i.e. 99% of my co-workers), this impression usually turns into a lasting one. The reason for my reservation lies primarily with the fact that I can be pretty obnoxious at times. The people that I allow to see that side often find me to be quite the opposite of "quiet and serious," and more attune to "loud and hilarious." Because I have enough self-awareness to realize that my personality could possibly come off as obnoxious and abrasive to some. I like to joke (often at my own expense and even more often at the expense of others...but in a funny way as opposed to an assholish manner), I like to swear (way more than I should probably), I like to get drunk sometimes (which usually adds to the obnoxiousness), and I love to game. That is the real me, and a side not often seen by many people.
Now, you're probably reading this, and thinking "why is he telling us this? Who gives a crap?" I grew up playing D&D, and various other games, with a small group of friends in my high school years. Not all of us attended the same school, but we all met up on the weekends at our FLGS to game. As time went on, and we graduated, things began changing, which is natural. Some went off to college, some were working, I joined the military, etc., and our gaming group fell to the wayside. We were a close group (often to this day we refer to ourselves in the manner of brothers as opposed to friends), and had gamed together for years. These are the people with whom I learned to play the game, and with a few exceptions, were the only people I'd ever really played D&D with, or any of our other games for that matter.
When I was away in the military, I was often asked by several of my friends, why I didn't find a FLGS where I was stationed so I could play some D&D. Perhaps it's just due to the fact that we had such a close and tightly structured group back in the day, but I just couldn't see myself walking into a FLGS and just suddenly popping in with a group of strangers to play D&D. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I was getting older, and they say it's harder to make friends the older you get. We tend to get more set in our ways as we age. I had a perception of how I thought D&D should be played (still do), and I always felt it would just seem strange to start playing the game with people I didn't know at all. I still feel this way. This is one of the bigger reasons I've never gone to a Con and would never likely jump in a random game run at a Con with a bunch of people I don't know. I know a lot of people in the hobby like to socialize and mingle, and D&D is a great means for them to do that, but I'm not really one of those people.
I say all this, because Zak recently posted an article in reference to what he termed "ConstantCon 2011," the idea behind which is that people can share their google+ information, and use the video hangouts to host/play in various D&D games with people in our "community" (my term not his, but I use it loosely.) While I have expressed my interest in doing this to him, I'm still not sure if I can go through with it. I read a lot of blogs and often find myself thinking, man, I'd love to play D&D with that guy, but ultimately, it's probably something I'll never actually do. The idea of using something like google+ to play with other gamers across the world is fascinating to me though. And this doesn't really stem from any sense of insecurity, or anything. Rather, it has more to do with the fact that I would simply find it odd to sit and play a game with a bunch of people I've met, literally, just then. It would just seem strange to me. Maybe one of these days I'll give it a try...maybe.


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This laminated heavy-weight personalized placemat is sure to make any meal fun. Personalized on front of mat in ink color and font of your choice. Fully designed on the back of mat but no personalization.
Size 11" x 17".
Ink Color shown: Chocolate
Font Color shown: Wendy
Order takes 7-10 business days to process plus ship time.


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Mars: War Logs Has Landed On XBLA, Launches For PSN Early August [TRAILER]
Mars: War Logs was released for PC back in April and is now available on XBLA for only $19.99. It will also be available on PSN on August 7th for Europe and later in the month for the U.S.
Mars: War Logs takes you to the red planet over a century after the catastrophe that threw the planet and its colonists into chaos. Water has become the most precious resource on the arid planet with a few companies fighting a perpetual war for its control.
Follow an immense main quest in which every choice counts, develop your character and your combat style by choosing among many different talents and skills. In dynamic, real-time combat, face fearsome opponents including some of the most terrifying creatures of Mars. The craft system lets you create and modify your equipment, your weapons and your armor. Your behavior during dialogues, as well as your choices and decisions will influence your companions and the fate of the people who will cross your path… and maybe the fate of all the colonies on Mars.


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- Home
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- Hatsuki Yura
- Kinjiki no Koi
Kinjiki no Koi
Album / Collection: Shoujo to Haitoku no Kakera
Track # 2
Lyrics by Tsubaki Yura
Composed by Fujita Mari
Arranged by Okuyama Akira
Performed by Tsubaki Yura
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Lynn Osborne takes Hair Care to a new level. She believes that your wants and desires for your individual look are exclusively yours! Lynn believes that consultations and proper communication are the foundation to understanding her clients' needs. Not only is she knowledgeable in hair care, styles, and what looks best on each individual, she also keeps current with up-to-date looks in fashion. Lynn has a greater intuitive understanding that a person's outward appearance is a reflection on their inner self.
From a young age, growing up as a military "brat" in San Diego, California, Lynn knew she had a talent and passion for making people not only look good, but feel good. It is a skill she has crafted over 22 years in the industry, with over 7 years of owning and operating a former "Best of Chesapeake" Salon, and receiving advanced education with industry greats such as: L'Oreal Professionel Color, Redken, Framesi, Matrix, Goldwell, ISO Color, and So.Cap Fusion Hair Extensions.
Lynn's friendly, funny, warm personality - as well as her incredible talent - makes you feel confident and comfortable. When you not only see, but feel the end results from a visit with Lynn, you are sure to become part of her family of loyal clients!


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off-duty officer
Sponsored By
Off-Duty Dallas Officer Stops, Shoots Suspects Robbing Fort Worth WhataburgerAn off-duty Dallas police officer stopped two suspects who were robbing a Whataburger in Fort Worth early Sunday morning.
Source: Pat-Down Of Suspect Missed Handgun In Shooting Of Officers At Dallas Home DepotSources tell CBS11, a pat down of shooting suspect Armando Juarez by an off-duty officer missed a handgun that was used during the shooting of two Dallas Police officers and a Home Depot employee.
Farmers Branch Police Arrest Suspect Who Stabbed Off-Duty OfficerPolice in Farmers Branch have arrested a man they say stabbed an off-duty officer early Saturday morning.
Off-Duty Officer Uses Taser On Shoplifting SuspectDallas Police said the shoplifting suspect "struck the officer in the face multiple times."
Off-Duty Officer Restrains Boy At Killeen SchoolKilleen police say they are investigating after an off-duty officer restrained a 9-year-old boy at an elementary school.
Uniformed Dallas Police Officer Side-Swiped By Pickup Truck At Off-Duty JobThe department says the officer, who was on foot, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Off Duty Officer Saves Man Having Heart Attack; Pair ReunitedSergeant Ray Anguiano with the Grand Prairie Police Department happened to be driving by and pulled over to help when he was flagged down.
Dallas Officer Shoots At Suspect Pointing Gun At HimAn off-duty Dallas officer was working in full uniform at a Title Loan at when a man came in with a handgun and allegedly pointed it at the officer.
Off-Duty McKinney Officer Saves Citizen's LifeAn off-duty McKinney police officer is credited with saving the life of a citizen in need of CPR. McKinney Police are taking the opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of learning CPR.
Arlington Off-Duty Officer Shoots, Wounds Suspected BurglarAn off-duty Arlington police officer was involved in a shooting around 6 a.m. Sunday with a suspected burglar at an apartment complex in the 5900 block of Valley Creek Lane.
Dallas Officials Search For Car-Ramming SuspectsDallas County officials are looking for two men accused of ramming an off-duty deputy's car at an apartment complex over the weekend.


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There have been many changes over the past few years in terms of how information is shared.
The advent of social media, the perceived declining effectiveness of existing methods and the state of economies around the world have affected the way brands approach content creation and distribution.
Gone are the days when information flowed in one direction from the brand to the consumer with little or absolutely nothing going back the other way.
The days when brands had full control of their content, and the type of message that they wished to spread to consumers, have slowly given way to earned media – where media coverage is earned from consumers, not just paid for like a commodity.
Your reputation might be at stake
Earned media can be the reviews that you read on independent blogs, Twitter recommendations, comments on Facebook or +1s on Google+.
A brand has no control over these but has to keep a keen eye on them as it is the voice of the people and those messages, positive or negative, go a long way in forming a brand's reputation.
Many, including myself, predicted that 2012 will be the year when earned media really comes to the fore. And there is more than enough reason to believe that.
Considering the current economic climate, earned media comes with a personal touch that you wont get even if you run a multi-million pound campaign. People are more likely to believe their family and friend's recommendation than that of an international brand.
Earned media is also very cost effective. Compared to the price of adspace and such, earned media costs little.
Word of mouth recommendations combined with a ready outlet to feedback information means the engagement that every brand is striving for is available without having to burn a hole in the budget.
Earned media can act as the catalyst to get those two-way conversations going to the benefit of both the brand and the consumer.
Trust is key
There's no question that marketers with decent budgets can and do buy media to reach audiences and fund development of owned channels.
However, in 2012 – more than ever before – it will be those who 'earn' media placements who will be on the front foot.
Social media is now well and truly here – with business audiences as much as consumers expecting two-way conversations with companies. And to succeed here, the trust of the audience must be earned.
Another reason why earned media will potentially appeal to more people is because we have had other forms of media thrown in our faces for so long that we have somewhat become numb to them all. And apart from the personal touch mentioned earlier, people are generally more responsive towards the simplicity and honesty that comes with earned media.
But before going on a campaign to earn media, there has to be a solid plan in place to resolve any backlash or unforeseen circumstances. There is an endless reel of half baked campaigns that come undone spectacularly. And the last thing any brand wants is to have an unsuccessful campaign or one that achieves the exact opposite of what it set out to do.
Like everything else, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. As long as a strategic plan is put in place to back a well thought out campaign, there's no telling how your brand's reputation can be enhanced.
Five steps to succeeding at earned media
So what steps should companies take to succeed at earned media in 2012?
Here are my top tips:
- Add value – think about what your audience want and the content that might engage them.
- Make sharing easy – it could be as easy as adding sharing buttons to your blog or site, but make it as easy as possible for people to share your content.
- Keep it simple – the general rule here is don't try too hard. Keep your content clear, short and concise.
- Prepare – think about what you are trying to achieve and how your strategy will help you meet these goals
- Seed – targeting the right people initially will help you catapult your content out there and will encourage sharing.
Comments (3)
I definitely agree with #2. You want to minimize the amount of steps required for a reader to share your content. The easier it is for them, the more likely they are to do it. Plus, share buttons keep them on your site longer as opposed to them having to leave and head over to a social networking site to do the same thing.
There are at least two additional steps for earned media - you need to reinforce and re-share earned media. Consumers need to know your message and brand is out there.
Also, don't neglect the industry and consumer press. It may be harder to achieve positive mindshare with leading publications and sites, but if you do, you will achieve a wide reaching & high level of brand awareness.
Curated editorial recognition in popular, wide circ industry pubs usually generates a greater level of respect and confidence in consumers
I agree completely with Nick on #2. If you want people to share make it a one step simple process, and make sure it is the next logical step for your reader. Ask readers to share You can also use curation tools like Scoop.it to broaden your exposure or StumbleUpon


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Job Listings: Writing and Editing
The Internet is vast and expands everyday. Such a digital universe needs to be filled like a vessel: fleshed out, its parts stiched together with the written word so it can be traversed. For such a monumental task, an army of writers must answer the call.
There are numerous functions for writers both online and in the printed word. These markets can be tough to break into–the positions are in high demand–there is a tremendous amount of competition in an already saturated environment.
Helpful Articles
- Staking a Claim: Starting Out Writing and Building Your Name
- Thinking About Freelance Writing? — What You Should Do First
Photo Source: Brian Stetson


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Old price:
Price: 109,35 €
Shipping cost is not included
KHS Sentinel
Ultralight, yet extremely robust, and this paired with superior functionality. It is a watch you can rely on. Available as a digital watch with a digital compass function, as an analog watch with 3-hands and date and as a chronograph with stopwatch function.
Carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate case, stainless steel caseback, plastic printers.
Watch glass
Synthetic glass.
Watch band
Rubber Band Black.
Water resistance
Dial and hands
Matt black dial with Arabic numerals and date window, 6 hands (hour, minute, central stop second, 3 totalizers), red second hand for tactical "to the second" - operations.
Quartz movement, SWISS MADE, 6 hands, date.
Hour, minute, small second, chronograph (stopwatch), central stop second (1/10 sec.), ADD & SPLIT function, 30 minutes counter, 12 hour counter, stopping the seconds by pulling out the crown, date with quick change, easy to operate with two push buttons.
Power saving mechanism with pulled out stem: Reduction of consumption approximately 70%, battery No. 371, resistance to magnetic fields 18.8 Oe, resistance against shock NIHS 91-10, operating temperature 0-50 °C.
C1 Luminous Paint.
48,5 mm x 56,0 mm x 14,0 mm (L x W x H).
54 g.
Category: KHS Sentinel
Product weight: 0.15 kg.
Manufacturer: KHS Tactical Watches
Product code (SKU): KHS.SEACB.S
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Darlington murder: Body found in Branksome woodland
Detectives have opened a murder investigation after a body was discovered buried in woodland close to the A1 motorway in Darlington.
The body, which is yet to be identified, was found in the Branksome area of the town, Durham Police said.
Officers had been carrying out searches for missing person Alan Youngson, 25, from Darlington.
Det Supt Kevin Weir said the area behind Jedburgh Drive remained cordoned off to allow for forensic examinations.
Mr Youngson was reported missing on 15 August. Mr Weir said his family were being kept informed of developments.


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You've found a place where Mind, Body and Spirit are honored. You can achieve optimum health through God's pharmacy. Through private consultations individualized nutritional suggestions are given, as well as a variety of ancient time honored natural supplements and healing techniques. I believe a holistic lifestyle will put you on the path to wellness.
Holistic Wellness Lifestyle was founded in 2008 by Janette Laguna. My passion for creating optimal health for my family has lead me to you! My mission is to offer the best modalities of healing, positively impact the lives of others, educate, empower and unify mankind.
Take a look around my site and don't be shy to ask a question. I hope you enjoy the information you find here and I look forward to meeting you real soon!


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12 of 12
drawing by SpaceN1
The animal lives by a pond so that it can get water. It's main prey is mice, frogs, and turtles. All of this food is nearby the pond. To keep safe a lot of trees and bushes grow around the pond. That is where they hide from things that eat them. Like the wolf. When the mom has babies she makes a burrow and stays in the burrow most of the time. She only comes out for water. While the mom is out the father watches the babies. To hunt and keep them safe they are blue to hide them selves in the water. The babies are born with no fur but after 3 weeks thier get green fur so they can come out of the burrow they just have to stay near plants.
1 bone = animal can't survive
5 bones = animal will thrive
To rate this habitat, click the bones above.
Think about:


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About Firmoo.comFirmoo.com is an online eyeglasses store. They offer a large variety of optical wear, from reading glasses to fashion sunglasses. With a staff that has years of experience and expertise in the optics industry, Firmoo.com is able to offer quality eyewear at very affordable prices. Use discount coupons for your purchase and save even more money.
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Choose from men's or women's wear and shop by frame, material or shape. If you have specialty needs, browse through bifocals or progressives, prescription sunglasses or reading wear. From classic styles to traditional, Firmoo.com has a large inventory to choose from. Their mission is to combine good vision and fashion in an affordable way.
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Watch how to make this recipe.
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Once heated, add: ground beef, onions, rice and garlic and saute until the hamburger has browned. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, dill, salt, pepper and oregano. Set aside to cool a bit.
Place grape leaves in a bowl and pour water over leaves. Soak for 15 minutes and drain. Transfer leaves, dull-side down, to paper towels to dry.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Stuff grape leaves using 1 heaping tablespoon mixture in center of the dull-side of the leaf and fold outer parts toward the center; and roll up like you would a burrito. Do not roll too tightly. Arrange rolls in side by side layers in a deep baking pan. Once complete, fill the pan with water to the top of the grape leaves and place the butter on top. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour or until the water has been absorbed by the grape leaves.
To make the lemon sauce:
In large pot bring chicken broth to a boil, reduce heat and add cornstarch slurry so it has a consistency of gravy. Have egg whites you have whipped up in a large bowl and add gravy to them slowly folding in. Be careful not to cook the whites, only temper them. Whip until you have a creamy consistency and add in lemon juice. For that lemony flavor may have to add more lemon juice to get the right lemon flavor.
Plate up the grape leaves, and pour sauce on top. Should be off the hook.
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text: Cadillac Parts and Accessories Select Your Car Below: ATS DTS SRX CT6 Eldorado STS CTS Escalade XLR DeVille Seville XTS Popular Cadillac Performance Parts Cat Back Exhaust Exhaust Tips Catalytic Converter Oxygen Sensors Muffler Cold Air Intake Headers Performance Chip Available for a limited time only TOP 5 EXHAUST UPGRADES THAT DELIVER MASSIVE HORSEPOWER Enter your email below to get instant access to this digital guide. Download Now Your privacy is important to us. View the ExhaustSystemsGuide.com Privacy Policy here.


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Events Calendar
We can provide outdoor or indoor settings for all kinds of special occasions from 20 to 300-plus guests. The outdoor area is perfect for a social in the sunken garden with a three-tiered fountain in the center.The Jester's Court (or Great Hall) provides the option of a bar and a stage for dancing that faces a dining area for more than 200 people.Bus and tour groups are always welcome at The Country Squire Winery. Private tastings and other special events can also be arranged by calling The Country Squire during regular hours at (910) 296-1727 .Call 910-296-1727, for reservationsAsk about Special Package rates for Dinner, Entertainment & Motel Accommodations.HoursLunch: Tues. - Fri.i 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Sunday 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.(Closed for Lunch on Saturday, Dinner on Sunday, and all day Monday)Dinner: Open Tuesday - Saturday starting at 5:00 p.m.The Warsaw - Kenansville Rotary Club Meets Every Thursday At 1:00 pm For A Luncheon And MeetingThe Lions Club Meets On The Second And Fourth Thursdays Of Each Month At 6:00 pm Look for SPECIAL EVENTS in the Jester's Court.


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Public record
By From staff reports
Published in News on February 5, 2010 1:46 PM
Man shoots convenience store ceiling
An unknown male fired a round into the ceiling of Brookside Mart, a South Slocumb Street convenience store, on Wednesday evening, according to a Goldsboro police report. The suspect, described as a black male, about 6 feet 4 inches, weighing about 195 pounds, with a slim build and estimated to be around 35 years old, fled north on foot on Slocumb Street after the incident, witnesses said. The incident took place around 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, police said. Anyone with information about the incident, which involved a black handgun, is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 735-2255.
Shot in calf
An East Mulberry Street man suffered minor injury after being hit by a bullet in the 700 block of Bain Street on Wednesday afternoon, according to a Goldsboro police report. T-Lee Williams, 25, of East Mulberry Street, said he was exiting a friend's car when he heard shots, the report shows. Williams took off running and realized he had been shot in the left calf, police said. Williams was transported to Wayne Memorial Hospital by his mother, where he was treated and released, police said.


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There are currently no reviews for this product.
Torii's Spring Adventure is the fourth in a four book series of children's books self-published by Janelle Condra, and illustrated by Alan Condra. The books are about a Golden Retriever named Torii who lives with her family in northern Wisconsin and has fun in all seasons of the year. In Torii's Spring Adventure, Torii tells about her favorite season and the fun spring adventure she had in the woods. She narrates the story while showing pictures of the adventure from her very own photo album! In the fourth book in the series, Torii takes Marli out for a fun spring adventure.


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Welcome to our residential patio enclosures gallery.
We build the finest patio enclosures on the market with factory direct pricing. Many of the pictures you see in this gallery were submitted by our proud clientele. Feel free to watch our slideshow or scroll down to learn more about some of the custom installations featured here. If you want to know more about our climate control Patio Enclosures, fill out our information form and we will have a member of our sales team contact you.


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Keeping in contact with family and friends is important to the healing process. The volunteers at LRGHealthcare make it possible for patients at Lakes Region General Hospital and Franklin Regional Hospital to receive email messages from their loved ones.
Email messages will be printed out by our volunteers and delivered to your loved one, Monday through Friday. Messages received on Saturday, Sunday or on a holiday will be delivered the next business day.
To send an email, please select the hospital, and fill in the form below.
Disclaimer: You will not receive an email confirming your message has been delivered. The patient will not be able to reply to your message. Please be aware that emails will not be forwarded to discharged patients. All undeliverable emails will be safely discarded.
Emailed messages are printed out by volunteers and delivered by hand. With this in mind, please do not include information you do not want seen by our volunteers.


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|08 Feb 2011
Dont Have Permission To Access Folder.
Hey guys I'm new to the windows 7 scene and i kinda need some help.
So heres my problem: I have a 1.5 terabyte external drive i keep my movies and music on, i was having problems with windows 7 so i did a format and re-install. When i go to click on my music folder so i can set up my zune it tells me i don't have permission to access the folder. I was reading on here of someone that had the same problem and i did everything that was listed but wasn't able to get it to work. Theres alittle pad lock next to the music folder. Under my security tab the group or user names are system, mallow(mallow-PC\mallow) and administrators (mallow-PC\administrators) both permissions say they have full control of everything. When i click on the music folder i can see all of my artists but when i click on there names it says i don't have permission and to go to the security tab. Every time i try to give it permission it says there is an error and then nothing happens. So i cant even copy my music or anything. I'm new to windows 7 and hope someone can understand what i have just typed. LOL.
I might be slow to respond as i work 10 hour days but trust me i will be back, my music is very important to me.
If you have any questions just ask and i will do my best to explain, thanks in advance to anyone that trys to help.
Peace Out, Danks.
|My System Specs
|08 Feb 2011
Windows 10 Pro (x64)
Go to the location where your music folder is located. Go to the Security tab in properties, then "Advanced". You will then go to the "Owner" tab. Now you have a choice, you can set your user name as the owner and do this again when you reinstall windows. Or use "Everyone" as the owner. Before clicking OK, make sure "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" is checked.
From there, go to the "Permissions" tab and add the entries you require but make sure "Replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object" is checked.
|My System Specs
|09 Feb 2011
Ive already done the re-install so i wont be doing that again. But i did everything you said and i get an error that says Error Applying Security. It says this for each of the 171 folders, and i have to click ok for each or hit cancel and it goes away.
|My System Specs
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Re: Hiding in flowers
You can't see me, right?
Re: Hiding in flowers
You can't see me, right?
Volunteer Moderator
SkekTek wrote:You can't see me, right?
You are a praying mantis????
Like it, now win so I can buy it!
Re: Hiding in flowers
ET, phone home!!!! Hee. I love it skek.
Re: Hiding in flowers
Thanks for the support, folks! It's a late entry, but I like it. I must say that staring all of the mantisses in the derby got me thinking of how tulips looked like mantids...
Re: Hiding in flowers
Love the way the colors work together!
SydneyB wrote:Love the way the colors work together!
Thanks! I keep coming back to putting in tulips in designs since they look so symmetrical and the colors can be so varied. And the shirt color lends itself very nicely to a mantis hiding. Thanks!
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OJS Localization
From PKP Wiki
OJS is a multilingual system, allowing journals to publish in a variety of languages. The Public Knowledge Project aims to support English, French, Spanish and Portuguese translations for OJS. In addition, translations of both software packages have been completed by the community, and we welcome contributions at any time.
You can find information on translating OJS via the "Translating OxS" link below. Additionally, you will find information and other community resources for complete and in-progess localization efforts in a number of locales below.


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Open Thread: Friends and Family and Everyone Else
Here's a place to talk about the relationships in your life whenever you want.
My name is a palindrome. For those of you who don't know what that is, it means it's the same thing backward as it is forward. Like "racecar" or "Bob." And now for the first time in 11 years, my age is a palindrome too. It's Friday, September 30th and I just turned 22. I feel like this whole palindrome thing maybe means that this year will be special, maybe I'll change a lot as a person and learn a lot of new things.
Thursday night, I somehow got on the conversation of my birthday coming up and an older lady who I rang through at my day job told me that if my life has been happy thus far, it will continue to be happy. But if it's been troubled, it will stay troubled. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I guess it's been pretty split down the middle. So now, as with all birthdays, I'm reflecting on life thus far and all of the things I've gathered from spending 21 years on earth.
For one, I've realized how unpredictable life can be. This past year in particular has been a weird one, in a good way. One weekend in January I got my first role in a play and was hired (as the youngest staffer) for xoJane.com. That was a little surreal, especially considering where I thought I'd be, and where I actually ended up being. I'm learning that change is good, because the fact of the matter is I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing. But I have faith, and when you put your faith in the universe treating you all right, it usually does.
I'm also learning (and boy, is this a hard lesson), not to let time pass me by. This is a difficult one, and at the same time so simple. Time flies. I know, I know, people say that all the time, but it's become so much more apparent to me now how true that is. Just seeing that baby Lily from Modern Family talking now makes me realize this. (P.S. does that freak anyone else out?)
I mean, it's almost October, and when I think about how many days I spent in bed this year when I could have been riding my bike, or sifting through the shelves at the bookstore down the street, I get bummed out. But this whole getting older thing makes me realize I need to start filling each and every day with SOMETHING. No more wasting away.
I'm not going to turn into one of those irritating people who gets a "carpe diem" tattoo or says things like "Live everyday like it was your last!" because that's not really how I feel. I just don't want to sit around doing nothing when I could be doing something instead.
Another thing I've come to realize is that it's OK when certain things don't work out. It's easy to blame a lost opportunity, a job you didn't get, a person who didn't love you, on yourself. You can ask yourself "what's wrong with me that I couldn't make this happen?" but eventually you'll figure out that it wasn't anything wrong with you, it just wasn't meant to be. I've experienced a lot of disappointments thus far only to find something bigger and better come along. I know, I know, easier said than done. Disappointments will still break your heart, but they'll also make the good stuff sweeter.
And finally, food is important. Eat all of the food. Go to as many restaurants as you can. Eat until you're so full you feel like you're going to puke. Don't worry about calories or grams of fat or carbs or whatever, because all of those things are delicious. Fill up on the bread and then your main course can be a leftover second dinner for later. Pad Thai always tastes better the next day. Try things even if they look gross because you might end up liking oysters (I did). Don't deprive yourself of the things that make you happy.
I'm not an expert. Like I said, I'm only 22. But I've learned a few things so far: Enjoy life. Take it easy, and take your time. Do all of the things that you want to do, and pause to really appreciate them. And when things get hard, cry. Let snot run down your face and let your eyes get swollen and red, scream. Cry so hard that you get a headache, then take a nap afterwards. Or go for a run. Either way, you'll feel a lot better.
That's pretty much it.


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We are based near Northampton but can travel to any location in the UK. We have experience entertaining children of all ages and can perform either to just a few children or to a whole school.
We provide various Workshops to fit into your school curriculum. We can also perform our popular Magic and Fun Shows ideal for 'end of term' entertainment or school attendance rewards. With being established for over 20 years you won't find any other entertainer with more experience.


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There are many reasons why people develop spider veins. First and foremost, there is a strong familial (genetic) tendency that predisposes you to having this common condition – mostly on the maternal (mother's) side.
Medications also may make you more prone to spider veins as well as social habits such as smoking which can affect your circulation. Prolonged sitting and standing may increase your chance of developing spider veins or make your spider veins worse.
There is research that also suggests that hormonal changes may have a role in whether or not a person will develop spider veins. Besides treatment (sclerotherapy or laser treatments), preventative measures to avoid smoking or excessive periods of standing or sitting can help in preventing or controlling spider veins.