text:
Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!!!! CLOSED.
March 27, 2009
This time I made a black skirt. I chose black because I had a couple commenters tell me that they strangely wanted black. My first instinct was to think....black, ugh, no way. Then I thought about it some more and looked at few photos of the black skirts and found myself strangely liking them too!
Besides the fact that they are a deviation from the normal pettiskirt hues, I think they look GREAT paired with BRIGHT rainbow colors to offset the dark tone. Which is why I chose these pieces to couple with the skirt.
The boots were the perfect touch. I bought them at Target for $16.99. The rainbow stockings were borrowed from a Rainbow Brite halloween costume. I bought the tank top at Walmart for only $3. That deal was so good I bought one in every color and the jacket was a gift from a friend who worked at The Children's Place.
Here's a little secret....it's actually for Molly but I thought it looked like a cool cropped jacket for Lily. It seemed to fit her shoulder width which is the most important part. I don't think you should feel trapped by label sizes with children's clothing, especially skirts. Sometimes, cropped looks better!
I had originally wanted to photograph Lily stomping in a deep puddle during a rainstorm and yesterday would have been the perfect day. BUT FOR, the fact that it is still pretty cold here when the sun is hiding. So that was out of the question. I'll have to save that idea for a nice hot summer evening. You know, the sort of rain and heat that makes steam rise from the pavement. God I miss summer.
Oh I almost forgot, I bought the umbrella at Urban Outfitters. You might not be able to tell from the photos but it is one of those umbrellas that have a bell shape so less rain can fly in your face. Not only is it fashionable BUT FUNCTIONAL!
Later, Lily and I went to Rita's Italian Ice and bought some chocolate custard. Speaking of Rita's did any of you pay them a visit for their 'first day of spring' free ice day? I'm sure some of you might have a chain where you live. I did, and found it to be quite impractical.
Well, as usual the first day of spring was freezing. So what did we do? We all huddled in ridiculously long lines, in light jackets and sipped on warm, toasty, ICE!
And then, did we at least gather indoors to eat our reward? No. Because Rita's doesn't have an 'indoors'. All of this was under the guise of 'free'.
And in case you all are scolding me for complaining about something that is 'free'. I have to forewarn you that Lily (and myself) don't really like Italian ice and ordered custard instead which of course, was not....free.
But on behalf of those of you who didn't mind the cold, enjoy Italian ice and all complimentary things, I have to thank Rita's for their generosity:)
Oh, and in case some of you attempted to recreate the instructions I linked to in the last pettiskirt post and were frustrated I have your solution....
As I mentioned in the last post, Kaiya Eve's instructions were not very thorough, left out a lot of details and (I forgot to mention) were only for an 18-month old. If you found these things out the hard way, I can truly empathize! But a fellow blogger and pettiskirt maker, Kerri Krueger has created a very thorough tutorial to recreate a boutique-style pettiskirt in sizes 3 months thru 12 years. She sells them through her site. You can purchase it here. Then get out your sewing machine and make a hundred for just the cost of material!
If you're on the fence about purchasing the tutorial, keep in mind that it includes some good tips that will shorten the time it takes you to make a pettiskirt as well as improve the quality. And that is priceless!
Kerri also answers all questions about the the tutorial within 24 hours.
Be sure to look for lots of new giveaways next week. Brian is wrapped up in his fantasy baseball league all weekend so I will have some time to myself to sew, sew, sew.
Oh and by the way, I named this the twilight tide pettiskirt because, to me, not only does the ruffle fluff at the bottom look like the spray on ocean tides but it feels soft and foamy to the touch.
Last day for posts is Wednesday 4/08/09. Winner will be announced Friday!
As usual, if you would like a chance to win this pettiskirt just link back to this post. If you have any questions see the "questions and answers" link to the right. If you use blogger just use the "create a link" link at the bottom of this post. If you don't use blogger, that's fine too. Just create a link on your page as you normally would and I will see it using Technorati.
Create a Link
221 {comments}:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 221 Newer› Newest»- Asha said...
I love it!! I will have to check out the instructions I want to make one of these for my daughters birthday.
- March 27, 2009 at 9:47 PM
- Cheryl said...
I'm linking it. I love these pictures because she is wearing the same boots my daughter wears every day! She loves those things. That outfit is so Abi. She'd love it.
- March 27, 2009 at 10:06 PM
- We Blog Artists said...
It's absolutely gorgeous...both my girls would not look at any other item in thier wardrobe if this was within their reach...I'd love it for myself too!
Have linked you on my blog. - March 27, 2009 at 10:13 PM
- kendahl a. said...
I nominated you for the Splash award! See my post here.
- March 27, 2009 at 10:15 PM
- Erica said...
- March 27, 2009 at 10:17 PM
- Rileigh said...
SO cute. I have been wanting one for a while.
- March 27, 2009 at 10:28 PM
- Whitney said...
Such a cute little skirt! I really like the black too! :)
- March 27, 2009 at 10:42 PM
- Ashley Madsen said...
- March 27, 2009 at 10:52 PM
- Marcy M Miller said...
How dang cute is this. I love, love it. You are so talented, that had to take some time.
- March 27, 2009 at 11:02 PM
- •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Erin.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´• said...
Thanks for doing another! Keeping my fingers crossed for my little Luv. :)
- March 27, 2009 at 11:04 PM
- TRS said...
Cute! I'd like to make a brightly colored one for photographing little girls.
But... how do we know who wins? The winners section hasn't been updated since early February - and I'm still hoping I win the paper crane frock! - March 27, 2009 at 11:08 PM
- Unknown said...
That is so cute, and the little model too :)
- March 27, 2009 at 11:12 PM
- Melanie said...
so so so so cute! I'm in!
- March 27, 2009 at 11:13 PM
- Ashlynn {mamabear} said...
OOH how I wish I had one of these ... I hope miss Lucy Mitchell wins!
- March 27, 2009 at 11:15 PM
- Katie said...
Very cute - will definitely have to check out the tutorial to purchase!
- March 27, 2009 at 11:34 PM
- cnydalynn said...
I REALLY want to win this for my baby girl. I love this and her daddy would dig that it is black... he is a rocker daddy. How cute would it be to rock her out and take some pictures with her guitar. Oh I need to win this now. :)
I linked it on my blog.
Oh and I LOVE this tights. I am going to have to look on eBay for this rainbow bright lovelies! - March 27, 2009 at 11:41 PM
- marie said...
So cute ~ my little grandbabies need this for the first deposit into their dress-up chest!
Thaks for the opportunity to win it. I really enjoy your blog! - March 28, 2009 at 12:03 AM
- marie said...
I linked to this giveaway!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:05 AM
- Julie said...
Another beauty! I even have the perfect accessories to go with it already, including a CP denim jacket that probably would fit my 3 year old about the same way AND some great colorful tights AND some awesome black galoshes with multi-colored polka dots.
I'm telling you, the pettiskirt would have a happy, happy home at my house!! - March 28, 2009 at 12:07 AM
- Xena said...
I'm so in love with these skirts especially this version. My rocker little girl will love it if she is the lucky one!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:20 AM
- greetingarts said...
Whoopee, another chance! Thank you, I only hope I'm doing it right!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:24 AM
- Cherry Blossoms said...
I love this skirt and your daughter is gorgeous! I wish I could sew...oh well. I added my link!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:39 AM
- Laura said...
- March 28, 2009 at 12:49 AM
- megan said...
Love the rufflely ruffleness.
- March 28, 2009 at 12:50 AM
- Jenny Lynn said...
I need to learn to sew better. These are so to die for cute, I want one so bad!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:50 AM
- Erica said...
I am linking it!! This is sooo adorable I want to win! Pick me!
I think the best thing is that it will go with alot of things....
Great pictures BTW! So colorful, makes me want to be there, makes me smile. :) - March 28, 2009 at 12:55 AM
- Melissa said...
This skirt is adorable!
I put a link on my blog:
thestoryhappenings.blogspot.com - March 28, 2009 at 1:07 AM
- Melinda said...
Okay, I just ordered material to attempt making my own, but I REALLY WANT THAT SKIRT! PLUS, my daughter already has those boots, see it's a match made in heaven!! AHHHH!
- March 28, 2009 at 1:24 AM
- noreen said...
We cute and it does look great with those bright colors. I linked
- March 28, 2009 at 1:35 AM
- Ryan & Cynthia Clan said...
Love it as always. And those boots are the best! My 4-yr old son is already on his second pair (bought from Target as well - though only $14.99 here in Utah). He wears them in our back orchard and swears that the little eyes help him seek out the monsters lurking in the brush. Oh to be 4 again!
Any whoo ... Linked on my blog
(ryanandcynthia.blogspot.com)! My little girl would love to give this skirt a twirl. - March 28, 2009 at 1:57 AM
- Tan said...
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!! No other words really!! My nearly 2 year old would LURVE one of these!!
- March 28, 2009 at 5:19 AM
- Lois said...
I like the black.
Very dramatic and all little girls
like to be drama princesses sometimes.
I have created a link so please enter me.
Lois - March 28, 2009 at 6:53 AM
- Erica said...
Perfection...yet again!!
- March 28, 2009 at 7:26 AM
- Susie Mitchell said...
What a lovely idea! I'm 60...when I was a little girl it was all about can-cans...which this puts me in mind of. My sis sewed them up for me in colors to match all my skirts...nylon net with lots of ruffles made from the same net...lots of gathering to make them full and stand out to hold my gathered skirts out just so.
Thanks for the memory!
Blessings, Susie - March 28, 2009 at 7:29 AM
- shelia said...
love it!
- March 28, 2009 at 8:45 AM
- Rebecca Ramsey said...
It's just precious. I love it with those bright colors and boots!
- March 28, 2009 at 8:50 AM
- Tassi Smith said...
I love these skirts. I also really love Rita's and only go for the custard. I could do without the Italian ice.
- March 28, 2009 at 8:51 AM
- Susan said...
Oh, just love, love, love this! Great pics too! Love the periwinkle blue in the background too.
- March 28, 2009 at 9:04 AM
- Courtney Ann said...
I love the black, very unique! I linked you. ;) My little lady is in love with this as well...oh the possibilities!
- March 28, 2009 at 9:26 AM
- saramariewright said...
I agree- the black with the bright colors is the perfect contrast- especially that green- I am in love with that color green this spring!
- March 28, 2009 at 9:50 AM
- Superdumb Supervillain said...
I actually prefer the black because so much of Roo's wardrobe is pink and sunny looking, this is a nice counterpoint...
- March 28, 2009 at 9:55 AM
- Liz said...
Very cute! I linked up!
- March 28, 2009 at 10:03 AM
- Beth said...
I LOVE this! My daughter would have so much fun in it!
PS. Your daughter is so cute! - March 28, 2009 at 10:08 AM
- Kim said...
- March 28, 2009 at 10:13 AM
- Rachelle said...
These are my favorite. You do such a great job!
- March 28, 2009 at 10:19 AM
- ♥ meninheira ♥ said...
Ohhhh please!! it's so beautiful!!! I love it!!
- March 28, 2009 at 11:07 AM
- Unknown said...
I"m linking it. This skirt is adorable. I love it. my daughter would look adorble in it.
- March 28, 2009 at 11:48 AM
- Kara said...
Strangely enough, I LOVE this skirt in black as well. Black is not usually my thing, but I love the way it looks paired with the boots and the bright colors. It is just too much fun!
- March 28, 2009 at 11:54 AM
- Triplet Mami said...
Absolutely love it! I linked this to my page. And I love the pictures as well!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:10 PM
- Wendy said...
love, love, love!!!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:28 PM
- Myshell said...
OOOOOOOOH! I so want to win this one!!! I absolutely love the black. Link love coming your way in my GrosGrain Spotlight!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:40 PM
- Itworksforbobbi said...
It's insane how bad I want this. Truly bordering on creepy stalker. My daughters would probably tear each other apart over who could wear it, but it would be worth it ;) And those boots, stockings, and umbrella are too stinkin' adorable!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:41 PM
- SawyerSharks said...
love it, my little abby will need one!!
- March 28, 2009 at 12:49 PM
- janil said...
It's wonderful!!!!!!! I love it... and my daughter'd love it too, I'm sure!!!!!
Thanks for letting us dreaming!!!!!
cal_rubies at yahoo dot es - March 28, 2009 at 1:22 PM
- Mama M said...
This skirt is great... perfect for twirling!! My little Maddi would just adore it! And she's got the frog wellies to boot! haha =)
L.O.V.E.I.T. - March 28, 2009 at 1:31 PM
- Jamie said...
Love it! They are so cute. I linked it too, just like all the others. Hope I win!
- March 28, 2009 at 1:34 PM
- mandyface said...
I love this so much! More than happy to link from my page!
Mandy - March 28, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Have made a link
Little Ritta will love it - March 28, 2009 at 2:20 PM
- Sissy said...
OHHHHHH You OUT-DONE yourself on this one!!! It is gorgeous and I LOVE the pictures you took! Thanks for sharing this with us!
I'm linked, and have you in my blog roll as always!
Shannon From Western Oklahoma - March 28, 2009 at 2:54 PM
- Melanie @ Whimsical Creations said...
Linking it. How stinking cute. Crossing fingers!
- March 28, 2009 at 3:05 PM
- RobinBirdsNest said...
Just linked on my blog. so utterly adorable!!
- March 28, 2009 at 3:15 PM
- Beck G. said...
My almost two year old sister would LOVE this!!!! You are linked!
- March 28, 2009 at 3:58 PM
- cassie said...
what a very cute skirt!!!!
- March 28, 2009 at 4:19 PM
- DillChips said...
I would love this for my Lily.
- March 28, 2009 at 5:02 PM
- shindylahoe said...
I can't seem to make the link work this time? any help?
Also I was wondering when you were going to announce winners for your other give aways?
shindylahoe at hotmail dot com - March 28, 2009 at 5:28 PM
- Kelly said...
I linked to my site! i love your work!!
- March 28, 2009 at 7:01 PM
- amy said...
Oh my word I have 4 girkls and Have loved these forever! I wish to win! I just bought tights that are bright tie die, they are red and yellow. From We Love Colors. They would look so lovely under this pretty skirt!
- March 28, 2009 at 8:01 PM
- jennie said...
oh yeah, got ya linked! I love it in black! Great photographs, as always:)
- March 28, 2009 at 10:50 PM
- Josie said...
I just linked, hopefully I did it correctly. First time to your site, love it. I hope I wind.
- March 28, 2009 at 10:51 PM
- Giggleberry (Amy) said...
Love the skirt in black!!!
Posted about it here - http://giggleberrycreations.blogspot.com/ - March 29, 2009 at 12:11 AM
- Erin said...
One of these days I will mae one, gut till then I will keep trying to win one!
- March 29, 2009 at 2:17 AM
- zime said...
I LOVE this! My daughter would have so much fun in it!
- March 29, 2009 at 7:13 AM
- Melissa said...
I love the pettiskirts and thanks for the link to the pdf pattern...I just might have to purchase one now. I wrote another post about you on my blog: http://melissaburford.typepad.com/burford_designs/2009/03/twilight-tide-pettiskirt-giveaway.html Thanks for the chance to win!!!
- March 29, 2009 at 8:12 AM
- Vone said...
so so so cute. Love it.
- March 29, 2009 at 9:28 AM
- Katey said...
Oh that is so girly and cute! I hope I win it for my daughter!!! Your amazing =)
- March 29, 2009 at 9:45 AM
- ~Sandy~ said...
Oh my this is amazingly adorable :O) i have a soft spot for tutus and pettiskirts....so this one is right up my ally! i can't believe what a steal those tops and boots were. i always love a good deal to!
- March 29, 2009 at 9:59 AM
- vmsb said...
love it - created a link yesterday - thanks again for a chance to win! happy Sunday.
- March 29, 2009 at 10:42 AM
- Mandy said...
Oh I love it! I have wanted a pettiskirt for one of my girls for so long. I love the chance to win!
- March 29, 2009 at 11:16 AM
- Lindsay said...
What a cute pettiskirt. I don't have any of these but I would love to see one of my daughters in one. Love the color too...it's so different.
- March 29, 2009 at 11:34 AM
- HeathersSphere said...
Such a darling skirt! I also enjoyed your fun blog!! Cheers, Louella of SEWSpicious Minds
- March 29, 2009 at 12:59 PM
- Jessica! said...
Again... I love love love it! I hope to win, I could definately get some use out of it with three daughters of my own! Great work yet again!
- March 29, 2009 at 2:42 PM
- Jinii said...
So cute! I had nnever seen a black pettiskirt before and I am now a huge fan!
- March 29, 2009 at 2:55 PM
- Pat said...
Hi, I love this skirt.. I blogged about your giveaway
Take care! - March 29, 2009 at 3:33 PM
- Angela said...
So cute, my oldest would love it.
- March 29, 2009 at 4:47 PM
- Janet and Maya said...
Wow! Beautiful! i was reluctant to dress my daughter in black, but she just looks SO good in black. The first thing i tried in black was a gift from someone - a black corduroy jumper. After i saw how great she looked, i bought a black and white dress for christmas, lots of black tights, a black and white print short sleeve dress that looks great over a turtleneck and leggings. It goes on and on, and so do I :) I agree with you that black just makes other colors pop.
thanks for a fun giveaway!
I linked and blogged
mayacarpenter at verizon dot net - March 29, 2009 at 5:30 PM
- Tabitha Blue said...
This is gorgeous!! Can I buy one if I don't win? I'd love to get one!
freshmommyblog.com - March 29, 2009 at 5:31 PM
- Cassie said...
I'm back and in love with the black. I also posted for the pink one a while back. Hopefully black is my lucky color. Love it!!
- March 29, 2009 at 5:39 PM
- Emily P said...
For the love! This is so awesome and it would be so fun to wear.
- March 29, 2009 at 5:49 PM
- Unknown said...
I love pettiskirts, in any color. This one is simply adorable! I can't you have time to make all these things for giveaways. You are too generous. But I did blog about it. Couldn't get the "create a link" to work but it's there. Thanks for the continuous giveaways!!
- March 29, 2009 at 6:26 PM
- sakmb said...
love the skirt great work again I dont see how you do it you are Amazing!
- March 29, 2009 at 7:16 PM
- BelleChecca Designs said...
Oh May Goodness! We just watched Twilight last night. Read all the books over Christmas break. Love you blog, especially the time you take in photographing your products. They are so fun to see. They really get my creative juices flowing. Thank you for all your work and inspiration.
- March 29, 2009 at 7:44 PM
- Ann said...
Very cute and generous too. Perfect for a mom of four daughters (uh, that be me ).
:) - March 29, 2009 at 8:14 PM
- The Kooky Queen--Rachel said...
My goodness golly! I want it!!! :)
- March 29, 2009 at 8:20 PM
- Monique said...
Love the black pettiskirt because it goes with everything, I would so love to have it. Not only do I love it but I also love Twilight.
- March 29, 2009 at 9:17 PM
- Terri Trotter Earley said...
It is on my blog!
What a stinking cute idea!
It's a good life!
Terri E. - March 29, 2009 at 9:18 PM
- Angela said...
I'm linking to it right now at www.larksongknits.com! Love the green paired with the black skirt. My girls would LOVE it.
- March 29, 2009 at 10:49 PM
- Angela said...
hmm, my first comment got lost somehow - trying again! i will link right now to my blog at www.larksongknits.com! i love the green paired with the black skirt. my girls would love it!
- March 29, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Very Cute!!! I posted a link!
- March 29, 2009 at 11:16 PM
- Stacie said...
Up until now, I have been a silent reader. But, I love the black with the bright colors and would love to win it! I've created a link.
- March 29, 2009 at 11:25 PM
- Stacie said...
Until now, I have been a silent reader. I love this pettiskirt, and would love a chance to win it.
- March 29, 2009 at 11:36 PM
- jenny said...
wow way too sweet its a realy got to have
- March 29, 2009 at 11:55 PM
- chris+amber said...
Nothing screams "PRINCESS" more than this does! I LOVE IT!
- March 30, 2009 at 1:23 AM
- Jesslyn said...
Gorgeous Skirt!
btw, can you blog about the tutorial for this skirt?
Thank you. - March 30, 2009 at 2:31 AM
- Melissa Butler said...
Love the Pettiskirt! Am going to attempt to make a newborn one for some pics of my newest niece ~ she is due to make her debut in August.
- March 30, 2009 at 3:36 AM
- The Sew Convert said...
Love it! Black is so unique for a pettiskirt, not the usual pink or red:P
- March 30, 2009 at 5:00 AM
- Krista said...
- March 30, 2009 at 8:35 AM
- tami said...
Lovin it!! I didn't win the last one so I will try ...try ...try again. I hope to get a sewing machine for my bday and maybe i can learn a thing or two!
- March 30, 2009 at 9:08 AM
- Spanier Family said...
These are so cute and so fun!! My daughter would love it! I am looking for some great rain boots as well...no luck yet for her size. You are so talented!
- March 30, 2009 at 10:28 AM
- Dana Tate said...
This is stunning!!!
I totally linked you..
http://danatate.blogspot.com/2009/03/giveaway-for-cutie-pie-pettie-skirt.html - March 30, 2009 at 10:53 AM
- Spinnitter said...
what a cute skirt! I'd love one to give my granddaughter!!
- March 30, 2009 at 11:01 AM
- AngiDe said...
Oh these skirts are just fabulous!!! And the black one would go with everything!
I created a link! - March 30, 2009 at 11:23 AM
- Marissa said...
I want this skirt! Very cute.
- March 30, 2009 at 11:23 AM
- Marissa said...
I want this skirt! Very cute! And I love the black too!
- March 30, 2009 at 11:25 AM
- Julie M. said...
Gorgeous! I would love it for photo shoots and my girls would dig it for dressing up. I linked it on my blog.
- March 30, 2009 at 12:07 PM
- angie said...
i LOVE it. i would love to win this one!!
- March 30, 2009 at 2:36 PM
That's perfect! I can't believe it looks so good in black! You are amazing with the sewing machine!
- March 30, 2009 at 2:45 PM
- mnB said...
yeah! my link is up & fingers crossed! :)
- March 30, 2009 at 3:16 PM
So, so, so cute and as always, great photos!!!
- March 30, 2009 at 3:41 PM
- A and a said...
my little princess will LOVE this!
- March 30, 2009 at 6:11 PM
- Leslie said...
I've linked you up and just need to say that everything on your site is so beautiful!!! The photographs for this giveaway are AWESOME! I am lovin the black with the brights and the stripes and that fabulous blue wall!
Keep doing everything exactly the way you do it! - March 30, 2009 at 7:43 PM
- Vintage Heart Photography said...
gorgeous color...I love it!
linked here at
www.vintageheartphotography.blospot.com - March 30, 2009 at 8:17 PM
- Unknown said...
Well it's darling, and i made a link on my blog as well...
- March 30, 2009 at 8:45 PM
- Liza767 said...
Oh my :) i love it!! I hope I win
- March 30, 2009 at 10:28 PM
This is awesome !!
pattifritz2000 at yahoo dot com - March 30, 2009 at 10:29 PM
- CassiB said...
I am just starting my crafty blog so it is not much to look at yet. Love the pettiskirt, and your daughter is adorable! ( I have 3 girls). we ♥ pettiskirts!!!
- March 31, 2009 at 12:03 AM
- Amanda P. said...
Oh my gosh, how cute! My daughter would love this.
- March 31, 2009 at 12:04 AM
- Derinda {Dabble/ELB} said...
Just linked it on my blog! So cute...black and fluffy...PERFECT. SO FUN! I must visit target for those boots.
- March 31, 2009 at 12:09 AM
- Derinda {Dabble/ELB} said...
Love it!!! The pictures are so cute...the lime and black look wonderful together. Off to walmart and target for green!
Just linked to my blog. Thanks! - March 31, 2009 at 12:12 AM
- céline said...
I don't know if I can play from France but I try and I will improve my english looking your lovely blog !
So, I'm linking it ! - March 31, 2009 at 4:49 AM
- Pat said...
It's so adorable that I blogged about your giveaway..
take care
http://www.lalapooandstrollers.blogspot.com - March 31, 2009 at 8:05 AM
- Priscilla said...
Hello, I posted your link to my blog here
I think this skirt is jut A-DOR-A-BLE!!!
Wish me luck :) - March 31, 2009 at 10:31 AM
- Raye Ann @ Heart of the Home said...
The is one of the cutest skirts I have ever seen. I need to get the tutorial myself.
- March 31, 2009 at 10:57 AM
- Bry and Rach said...
so cute! Love this skirt. Love it in black too!
- March 31, 2009 at 11:19 AM
- KIMMIE KAYE said...
I have to link this, then I'm off to buy the pattern. My 5yo loves to twirl and grandma loves to sew.
thank you
www.kimmiekayedesigns.blogspot.com - March 31, 2009 at 11:39 AM
- Brianna and Byron Putnam said...
i would love to win
- March 31, 2009 at 1:03 PM
- Tammy On the Go said...
Have you met my daughter? because you made this skirt for her! Must have it!!!!
- March 31, 2009 at 1:14 PM
- Lisa S. said...
OMG I have to admit I love it in the black!! My daughter has those same froggie shoes for the rain and that skirt would look super cute with them :)
- March 31, 2009 at 1:54 PM
your creativity makes me smile every time. Thank you for giving us another chance.
- March 31, 2009 at 2:23 PM
- Julie Church said...
I love the frill. ppplease let me win! You are, as always, linked on my blog!
- March 31, 2009 at 2:53 PM
- Vanessa said...
Oh my I love the black! I never thought I would, but I love what you paired it with. This would be well used by either my daughter, or one of our two babies (one by birth, one by adoption) to come.
- March 31, 2009 at 3:04 PM
- Stacey Anderson said...
Oh how I want this for my little girl and for photo shoots. You're awesome!!
- March 31, 2009 at 3:31 PM
- Unknown said...
Wow, what a cute skirt! My little dancer girl would love it so much!!!
correaohana at gmail dot com - March 31, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Just too adorable! My grand-daughter would love this!
- March 31, 2009 at 7:40 PM
- Katelyn said...
So i thought I loved the pink & red one.... BUT I can not live without the BLACK one. It is to die for. You are so talented, I keep telling myself I will make more time for projects, one day.
Anyway- we would love to have it. It is practically worn in already & and am just thinking about all the fun my 2 girls would have with it. - March 31, 2009 at 8:07 PM
- Katelyn said...
I thought I loved the pink & red one.... BUT the black. It is fabulous, I can't live without it.
You are so talented, I keep telling myself I will do more projects, one day.
Anyway, is it practically broken in already and I am only thinking about how much fun my 2 girls would have with it. - March 31, 2009 at 8:16 PM
- Nataly Harris said...
OOOoooohhh...must. have. this. skirt! I'm one of those "crazy" gals that secretly always wanted a black pettiskirt to try on my girls!!!
(link has been created!) - March 31, 2009 at 9:56 PM
- Kimberley said...
I absolutely loooooove it! I linked it right away. The contrasting colors were perfect!
- March 31, 2009 at 10:20 PM
- Unknown said...
Too cute! My sweet and oh so adorable cousin would look absolutely beautiful in this pettiskirt. I can see her twirling around for hours wearing her favorite red shoes. Thanks for chance.
- March 31, 2009 at 11:08 PM
- Jenn said...
SO DARLING! LOVE LOVE LOVE the black! I have 3 girls who would ALL love this!
- March 31, 2009 at 11:21 PM
- downs mama said...
Love, Love, LOVE the photos!
and the petticoat is fabulous too!
Pick me, pick me, pick me...
:-) - March 31, 2009 at 11:39 PM
- Jody said...
Just gotta have it for my grandaughter Avery!!Jody
- April 1, 2009 at 12:47 AM
- Kristy said...
oh. my. gosh! i love, love, love this! i have been patiently waiting to get one for my little girl & to use for my photography!
i LOVE that its black! so unique & fun!!!
i am definitely linking this!!! - April 1, 2009 at 2:13 AM
- Sweetpea4kids said...
So pretty. Shame I have no girls!
- April 1, 2009 at 5:58 AM
- Sheila Hickmon said...
How cute is that?!?! I love it!! I definately linked you!
- April 1, 2009 at 8:45 AM
- LFisher said...
Super cute!!! I've linked in. My daughter thought it was so great she totally wants one now. She is home from school with a kidney infection and a cold sore in her eye that is attacking her cornia. It has been a bad week already. Winning this would definately make it better!!
- April 1, 2009 at 9:14 AM
- Bobbi said...
I absolutely love this. I love adding bright colors with blacks, browns, whites. Teagon would never take it off. SOOOOO CUTTTTTEEEEE!!!!!!!
- April 1, 2009 at 10:12 AM
- cjaxon said...
the black is DELICIOUS!!! I want I want!! And if I can't win then I will HAVE to make it myself! GORGEOUS!
- April 1, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Oh we LOVE them!!! I post a link on my blog!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!! Fantastic pictures too!!!
- April 1, 2009 at 11:29 AM
- wholarmor said...
I linked you! It's so cute! I don't sew, so I hope to win! ;)
- April 1, 2009 at 12:18 PM
- A Family Completed... said...
Oh I hope I did that right I hit the creat a link and left a post on my blog but I don't see it showing up on YOUR page. hmmm I never did that before.
I left it here though
I really LOVE the skirt. I think my daughter would look darling in it.
Thansk for the entry
Tonyamcrain [at] aol.com - April 1, 2009 at 1:59 PM
- sarah said...
oh goodness! i would LOVE that for my little Scarlette! its ADORABLE!!! i hope hope hope we get it!!!
- April 1, 2009 at 3:20 PM
- Stacy said...
- April 1, 2009 at 3:22 PM
- The Adventure of Linds and Lyds! said...
That is just adorable, of course made all the much more adorable by the tights and shirt, we also have those boots :D
- April 1, 2009 at 3:25 PM
- Artfulife said...
My Zoe would love, Love, LOVE this. She's my little twirler and dancer girl. Adding the post to my blog right now.
- April 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
- Melissa said...
very cute! and black goes with anything!! It would also look very cute on my daughter with her pink princess rubber boots!!
- April 1, 2009 at 5:13 PM
- wtexPricklyPear said...
My 4 yr old granddaughter got some pink cowgirl boots on her visit to TX over Christmas. I also gave her the jean jacket her mom wore at her age and the black petticoat is a "must" addition to her wardrobe!!!
- April 1, 2009 at 6:05 PM
- Rachel said...
Love it. Want one! My link is not showing up here but is on my blog!
- April 1, 2009 at 7:05 PM
- MONSON FAMILY said...
The skirt is to die for!! LOVE IT!!
- April 1, 2009 at 11:56 PM
- Céline said...
I can't fin my link in "Links to this post" so I'm wondering if everything is OK with my blog. Please, can you check it.
Sorry for my english !
It's here : http://pacota.unblog.fr/2009/03/31/jour-de-chance/ - April 2, 2009 at 5:31 AM
- Mathgeek said...
I am in LOVE! Super-duper cute!
- April 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM
- Andrea said...
I would love this for my E and then I won't have to sew it.
- April 2, 2009 at 9:33 AM
- Jenny said...
I want this so bad.
- April 2, 2009 at 10:07 AM
and i just bought lime green sandles for my little princess... perfect ! - April 2, 2009 at 1:08 PM
- Amie said...
I am so loving it! Thanks for the link to the pattern. I'll have to see whether my iffy sewing skills are up to tackling it. Thanks!
- April 2, 2009 at 3:35 PM
- Jess said...
I have been dying to make one of these. It amazes me how you seem to just whip these things together!
- April 2, 2009 at 6:00 PM
- kathirynne said...
My daughter would looooove this!
Pleease pick me! - April 2, 2009 at 6:29 PM
- Nadia said...
omg, I LOVE LOVE it. I love patterned tights and this is the perfect skirt for them!! beautiful!
- April 2, 2009 at 9:52 PM
I found your blog last night while out browsing and love your blog. I have linked to your petticoat giveaway. My daughter would love a twirly skirt like this.
- April 2, 2009 at 11:13 PM
- lavendar fields dreamer said...
i love this skirt and have posted a link on my blog
- April 3, 2009 at 1:03 AM
- Katherine said...
I wish I could just buy one, my 3 year old cry's when I tell her we can't afford it, But I know she doesn't understand.
- April 3, 2009 at 1:39 AM
- Riley and Ashley Smith said...
My daughter would love this. It is adorable. I added a link on my blog but it is not showing up on yours. Anyways thanks for the chance to win!
- April 3, 2009 at 9:54 AM
- Misty said...
wow. beautiful!! my daughter would freak over this. hope to win.
firstname.lastname@example.com - April 3, 2009 at 10:58 AM
- Misty said...
following your beautiful blog.
firstname.lastname@example.com - April 3, 2009 at 10:59 AM
- Katherine said...
Both my girls would absolutely enjoy this. Both of them are the same size even though they are 18 months apart.
- April 3, 2009 at 1:19 PM
- Melissa said...
OH my gosh Oh my gosh oh my gosh!!!!! Linking!!!!! This is so amazing! I have been looking for one of these to complete my daughter's Captain Julia Sparrow costume! (her name is Julia) I love it, pick me pretty please with sugar on top and a cherry!! http://thepickpack.blogspot.com/
- April 3, 2009 at 2:23 PM
- Porsche said...
this is so cute!
- April 3, 2009 at 2:31 PM
- Wendy said...
Oh my goodness!!!! I really, really love this petticoat and I want it soo bad. I linked it with my blog: wanderingrose.blogspot.com
I hope this is sufficient.
Wendy - April 3, 2009 at 5:01 PM
- Wendy said...
Sorry, I totally meant to say pettiskirt. Hope that doesn't diminish my chances. lol
Wendy - April 3, 2009 at 5:03 PM
- Julee said...
HOW BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE A PETTISKIRT-thought I'm not the best sewer yet!!! lol You are amazing!!! THanks for the chance of winning one!!
- April 3, 2009 at 6:30 PM
- Julee said...
I just linked it, but I don't see it showing up on your blog! This is seriously the prettiest pettiskirt!! You are amazing!!
- April 3, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Great pictures and the colors are so fun to look at! My little one has those exact wellies, we call them greenies!
- April 4, 2009 at 10:10 AM
- SoSoBella said...
Holy cow, I love it! I just got my girls pictures taken in pink pettiskirts. They were so fun. I will link you on my blog right now. Oh, how I would love it win :O)
- April 4, 2009 at 10:34 AM
- SoSoBella said...
love this pettiskirt. would love to win it.
i tried to post already but didn't see it.
:O) - April 4, 2009 at 10:45 AM
- Alisha said...
Love Love Love it! Would love to get it for my daughter. I already posted about it on my blog.
- April 4, 2009 at 3:20 PM
I love the skirt. It is so CUTE.
- April 4, 2009 at 9:36 PM
- Connie said...
I love this! My daughter would love it!
- April 5, 2009 at 2:03 AM
- The Lowry's said...
Would be so cute for my little girl
- April 5, 2009 at 9:08 PM
- stefanie said...
soo cute! great pictures!
- April 5, 2009 at 9:25 PM
- Lowry Family said...
So perfect. I am planning on making one for my daughter for her 4 year pictures. What a cute idea for those pictures.
Such an adorable skirt. - April 6, 2009 at 12:39 AM
- Peak said...
Love it! I'd pair it with bright colors too! So adorable!
- April 6, 2009 at 10:49 AM


text:
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
CharityUSA, owners and operators of the GreaterGood family of websites, has created this privacy policy to disclose our information gathering and dissemination practices. CharityUSA does not sell, rent, trade, or share Personal Information with third parties except as disclosed within this privacy policy. CharityUSA terms of service cover all visitors to, uses of or interactions with the CharityUSA sites listed below. Any information sent to CharityUSA is subject to these terms and policies.
If you have an unresolved privacy or data use concern that we have not addressed satisfactorily, please contact our U.S.-based third party dispute resolution provider (free of charge) at
This privacy policy and terms of service covers the following:
GreaterGood Shop
The Hunger Site and store and blog
The Breast Cancer Site and store and blog
The Animal Rescue Site and store and blog
The Veterans Site and store and blog
The Autism Site and store and blog
The Alzheimer's Site and store and blog
The Diabetes Site and store and blog
The Literacy Site and store and blog
The Earth Site blog and store
The Rainforest Site and store and blog
Shelter Challenge
Free Kibble
Free Kibble Kat
Free Kat Litter
Global Girlfriend
Pink Ribbon Store
Hope Faith Love
Ecology Fund
GreaterGood Kids
Creative Kidstuff
Sensational Beginnings
Family Pet
GreaterGood Wholesale
Global Girlfriend
Great Life Publishing
12 Tomatoes
24 Blocks
Big Hawgs
Crafty House
Daily Craftsman
Dusty Old Thing
Fine Southern Dish
The Good Old Days
Grizzly Fare
The Humble Gardener
The Knitting Circle
Leathers On
My Old Photos
Pickups & Beer
The Reader's Nook
Saddled & Ready
Smoking Rubber
Spilled Color
Star & Sky
Starting Chain
Surrounded By Flowers
Three Pound Trout
Trail Crawlers
Warbler Calls
Wind On Sail
The Writer's Circle
Yard Sale Finds
Free Daily Click
Clicking on the "Click Here to Give" button on the home page of The Animal Rescue Site, The Breast Cancer Site, The Hunger Site, and all of our other Click-to-Give sites is free to the visitor. 100% of the money from sponsor advertising is given to the charity partners of each site by GreaterGood.org. You are not required to provide any personal information to visit the GreaterGood sites or to make your daily, free click.
Site visitors may also help protect animals, people, and our planet by signing petitions and taking other actions at our sites. Site visitors may voluntarily provide personal information to sign a "Take Action!" petition, share a story, photograph, testimonial or other comment with the GreaterGood community, sign up for an e-newsletter or click reminder emails, or participate in other site activities as we offer them. See below for how we use this information.
Take Action! Petitions
Signing a "Take Action!" petition gives you a way to impact public policy in ways that connect to the core issues of our Click-to-Give sites. When you sign a petition at any one of the GreaterGood sites, you are required to provide certain personal information such as name, email address, and sometimes street address so it can be shared with the target of the campaign in order to influence the outcome of legislation or change policies in order to help people or animals. This personal information is required to validate your campaign signature. All personal information you provide when signing a petition or participating in a petition, including name, address, city, state, country, and comments are considered public information and will be provided to the target of the campaign (for example, sending a letter and petition to the Surgeon General). Specific targets for a petition will be clearly identified within each petition. Your city, state, country, and comments will also be visible on the Click-to-Give site(s) associated with the petition. Your name will also be visible on the site unless you have checked the "Do not display my name" checkbox at the time of signing. We will not display street or email addresses entered into the proper "Email" or "Address" fields during signing. We are not responsible for the personal information you choose to submit in these petitions.
CharityUSA hosts two kinds of petitions: petitions sponsored by one of our Click-to-Give sites (such as The Animal Rescue Site), and petitions sponsored by nonprofits. At the time of signing you will have an opportunity to indicate whether or not you wish to receive communication from any third-party nonprofit sponsor of the campaign. If you do not opt-out of such communications, CharityUSA will send your contact information to the third-party nonprofit sponsoring the campaign. If you opt-out of receiving such online offers, CharityUSA will not share your name, email address, or other signing information with the nonprofit sponsor. Each petition signing also subscribes you to our "Take Action!" email list. We provide unsubscribe options with each and every email sent in this manner. This is also summarized in the "Choice and Opt-out" section.
Share Your Story/Visitor Testimonials/Comments/Reviews
When we post visitor stories, testimonials, comments, or reviews on our web site, these may contain personal information such as name, city, and state. We obtain consent in the submission form prior to posting the story, testimonial, comment, or review. At the time of submission you may also choose the "Do not display my name" option, which will replace your name with "Anonymous". If you wish to update or delete your testimonial, you can contact us at
firstname.lastname@example.com. Please note that external software (such as "Googlebot") periodically browses our sites and publishes "snapshots" of what it indexes to the Internet. We cannot remove or edit these "snapshots", only the content currently displaying on our own sites.
Communications from the Site
Email Product or Petition to a Friend
If you choose to email a product description to a friend, we will ask you for your name and email address, and for your recipient's name and email address. If you choose to send a petition description to a friend, only the friend's email address is required. We will automatically send your chosen recipient(s) a one-time email to view the product or petition. CharityUSA does not store, sell, trade or otherwise use any name or email address you share here for any purpose other than to deliver your message.
If you wish to subscribe to our e-newsletter(s), we will use your name and email address to send a periodic email to you. We provide unsubscribe options with each and every email sent in this manner. This is also summarized in the "Choice and Opt-out" section.
Special Offers and Updates
Once you've shopped with us in one of our do-good stores, we will periodically send you information on products, services, special deals, and promotions. You may opt-out of receiving these types of communications during checkout. This is also summarized in the "Choice and Opt-out" section. Subscribers are the first to be notified of start dates of major sales and other promotions, and periodically receive subscriber-exclusive offers which are great deals and free products available only to subscribers who continue to receive our updates.
Service-related Announcements
We will send you strictly service-related announcements on rare occasions when it is necessary to do so. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance, we might send you an email. If you have previously opted out of receiving communications from us, we will do our best to implement that choice, but timing or subsequent transactions may result in your receiving such communications as this, which are not promotional in nature.
You do not need an account to make a free daily click or to purchase anything from our store. If you choose to create an account, we will ask for and store your name, email address, and a password to give you access to and to protect your account. We also give you an opportunity during checkout to save your billing and shipping addresses in order to provide a speedier and more convenient checkout experience in the future. We do not store any credit card data in your account.
When you purchase something at a GreaterGood store, we request certain personal information from you on our order form. During checkout, you will be asked to give your billing address, shipping address, phone number and email address. We use your email address to confirm your order, and in case there are any problems with your order. Phone numbers are occasionally used to communicate with you about your order only. Credit card information is encrypted and used for order billing only: we do not save your credit card information. During checkout you will be able to sign up for special offers and updates, an email sent approximately once a week. You may unsubscribe at any time. Instructions for unsubscribing are included in each email sent.
CharityUSA may provide your personal information to third parties that provide services to help us with our business activities such as shipping your order or a payment processor to bill you for goods and services. These third party service providers do not retain, share, store, or otherwise use your personal information for any other purpose other than to provide services to us, and are prohibited from marketing to you. Some information may be retained for purposes of documenting the transactions.
In certain situations, Charity USA may be required to disclose personal data in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.
By shopping with us and submitting data to CharityUSA websites or campaigns, you authorize us to retain and disclose your personal information as required by law. We reserve the right to disclose your personal information as required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena or similar legal process, and when we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights and/or comply with a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process served on our website. If CharityUSA is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, you will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on our sites of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information, as well as any choices you may have regarding your personal information.
Gifts That Give More™
When you make an online donation via GreaterGood.org's Gift That Gives More™ program, we share your personal information with our nonprofit, independent partner, GreaterGood.org. You will receive your U.S. tax receipt from GreaterGood.org upon completing your donation and may also receive direct donation appeals from GreaterGood.org. 100% of the money you contribute via a Gift That Gives More™ is given to GreaterGood.org to be used for the purposes specified; we even cover bank and credit card charges in order to ensure that 100% goes to the charitable purpose you intend. Information about which organizations are granted money contributed through the Gift That Gives More™ program as well as other grants is available on the GreaterGood.org website.
Links/Social Media Widgets/Electronic Log Files/Tracking Technologies/Retargeting
Each of our Web sites contain links to other Web sites, including sponsor sites and other philanthropic sites. CharityUSA is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such sites and encourages you to review these companies' privacy policies.
Social Media Widgets
Our Web sites include social media features such as the Facebook "Like" button and widgets, "Share this" button, and other interactive mini-programs that run on our site. These features may collect your IP address, which page you are visiting on our site, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly. Social media features and widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our sites. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing it. By using our web sites and their features, you consent to the collection, storage and use of such information to augment your user experience and facilitate the programs being offered.
Electronic Log Files
As is true of most sites, we gather certain information automatically and store it in electronic log files. This information includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and clickstream data.
We use this information to understand how our websites are used to better meet the needs of our visitors and customers. We use IP addresses to identify and block malicious behavior like click fraud or denial of service attacks. By using our web sites, you consent to the collection and use of this information to increase user satisfaction and combat harmful activities.
Tracking Technologies
Charity USA and its partners use cookies or similar technologies to analyze trends, administer the website, track users movements around the website, and to gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. You can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level, but if you choose to disable cookies, it may limit your use of certain features or functions on our website or service. To manage Flash cookies, please click
here. Your continued use of cookies on our sites authorizes us to use that information to better inform and serve our users.
Behavioral Targeting/Retargeting
CharityUSA partners with a third party ad network to both display advertising on our own Web sites and to manage our advertising on other sites. Our ad network partners use cookies or similar technologies to collect non-personal information about your activities on this and other Web sites in order to provide you targeted advertising based upon your interests, and to provide you relevant advertising through retargeting when you leave our sites. By using, you consent to the use of cookies to collect such data from you. If you do not want this information used for the purpose of serving you targeted ads, you may opt-out by clicking
here, or by using the
NAI opt-out mechanism. Please note that this does not opt you out of being served advertising — you will continue to see general ads that are not targeted to your interests.
Due to technological limitations at this time, CharityUSA does not respond to browser Do Not Track signals.
CharityUSA constantly uses aggregate and non-personally recognizable data about our customers both internally and using external providers, including Facebook and Google, to try to understand customer concerns and provide better products and promotions. We segment our data and email lists by issue area of concern, and also by type of product purchased, recency, frequency, and monetary value of purchase, which charitable gifts have been given, and other demographic and geographic data.
We don't sell or rent our email lists. We do use our email lists to create profiles of our shoppers and clickers in order to market to similar people. We use outside groups, including Facebook, to help us in this effort, but we don't allow outside groups to contact our shoppers or customers. These contractors help us create profiles of our shoppers, so we can market to similar people on other sites. This marketing is subject to the privacy policies of whatever site we are buying these ads on, and is not subject to our privacy policies.
We will use information that we have about your shopping or clicking behavior to provide you better quality offers and promotions, and to help us understand and serve our customers better.
Your comfort and security while shopping with us are important. We have multiple ways of protecting our customers:
- We do not save or store your credit card number.
- For your protection, we do not keep your credit card information on file. Your billing information is securely transmitted to our payment processor one time only. Our security measures and internal processes are designed to ensure that your billing information is kept secure while we process your order.
- We use encrypted URLs for our shopping cart and checkout process. Encrypted URLs begin with an "https" instead of the plain-text protocol of "http".
- Our site security keys use the highest industry standard for encryption.
- We follow generally accepted standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure, however. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. If you have any questions about security on our web site, you can contact us at
firstname.lastname@example.com. - You can read more on how to shop online safely here.
Please note: Your credit card statement will show the name of the store where your order originated.
GreaterGood Shop
The Hunger Site
The Breast Cancer Site
The Animal Rescue Site
The Veterans Site
The Autism Site
The Alzheimer's Site
The Diabetes Site
The Literacy Site
The Earth Site
The Rainforest Site
Creative Kidstuff
Sensational Beginnings
Global Girlfriend
Sasa Designs
Hope Faith Love
Pink Ribbon Store
If we cannot identify which storefront you entered through, charges will appear on your statement as CharityUSA.com, LLC.
Ordering online with us is secure and easy. If you have any concerns about ordering online, please feel free to place your order with our customer service department by phone. Hours are 9:00 am to 9:00 pm (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. You may call us toll-free within the U.S. and Canada at 1-888-355-4321. To contact us from outside the U.S. and Canada, please call 206-268-5400.
Collection of Personal Information from Children
CharityUSA does not knowingly collect individually identifiable information from or about children under 13. If CharityUSA later learns that we have personal information about a child under 13, we will take steps to remove that child's information from our databases. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at 206-268-5400 or by email:
Updating/Accessing/Amending/Correcting personal information
Upon request Charity USA will provide you with information about whether we hold any of your personal information. If your personal information changes, you may contact us to amend, correct, or delete it at
email@example.com. We will respond to your request within 1 business day.
We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. Please contact us if you wish to cancel your account or request that we no longer use your information to provide you services. We will retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
We provide you the opportunity to 'opt-out' of having your personal information used for certain purposes when we ask for this information. For example, if you purchase a product/service but do not wish to receive marketing material from us following your order, you can opt-out during the checkout process.
If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter or other promotional communications, please let us know by following the unsubscribe instructions included in each newsletter and communication, or by contacting us at:
GreaterGood Customer Service
7777 Golden Triangle Dr.
Suite #200
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
U.S. and Canada: 1-888-355-4321
Outside the U.S. and Canada: 206-268-5400
Customer Service hours are 9:00 am to 9:00 pm (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
You will be notified if your personal information is collected by any third party that is not our agent/service provider other than as specified in this policy, so you can make an informed choice as to whether or not to share your information with that party. Although there are no plans to do this presently, if this ever occurs, an opt-out will be provided to you before any personal information is shared, so it is always your choice when information is provided to a third party.
Changes to this Privacy Statement
We reserve the right to modify this privacy statement at any time. If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you by means of a notice on this Site or by email prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.
Policies for California Customers
California residents can reference this article in our Help Center for additional information regarding our compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act.
This Privacy Policy was last updated on January 7, 2020.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Wal-Mart Bikes or Bust Day 7, December 9, 2005
10 riders set out on a truly cold and windy day from the parking lot of the former Wal-Mart in Pass Christian. Riders arrived at 6:00 am; but due to the cold weather, we waited until 10:00 to depart. Our destination was Yankie Stadium in Biloxi where, it's now hard to believe, we began seven days, and almost 300 miles earlier.
Most riders were loaded with Mardi Gras beads for the crowds, lending a festive atmosphere to the event. Due to the media attention we have been receiving, phone calls and donations were constant throughout the day.
The scenery along the coast road was bleak. Not much has changed in the days since Hurricane Katrina. The constant cold wind added to the starkness of the landscape, lending a dimension that normally would have dampened our spirits. However, this was a day of triumph and nothing could have changed that.
We stopped and took pictures at "The Friendship Tree," an enormous 300 year-old live oak with a gazebo built into the branches on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi – Gulf Coast Campus. Like the people on the Gulf Coast, this giant was gnarled, bent, damaged and broken, but beautiful and very much alive.
Coca Cola sent one of their three festive Christmas tractor-trailer rigs loaded to the gills with bicycles. The truck joined our caravan and was equipped with speakers that blared Christmas music as we pedaled along.
About halfway through the ride we were met by United States Congressman Gene Taylor from Mississippi. Congressman Taylor stopped to thank us for our efforts, and briefly mounted one of the bicycles as we chatted.
We resumed our journey, throwing beads to citizens and construction workers. Everyone we met along the way seemed to applaud us. Cars honked, workers waved from tall buildings, and cleanup crews cheered from the roadside.
As the caravan pulled into Biloxi mid-afternoon, we were exultant, although, like kids in summer camp, we had formed a bond and were not at all anxious to quit. When we turned the corner at Beau Rivage Casino, our police escorts all turned on their sirens. At this point the Coastguard, who has been such an integral part of our effort, joined us, pulling trailers loaded with their boats. It was, in every sense of the word, a parade. The rally at Yankie Stadium capped this phase of the event, complete with speeches by local officials and representatives from Wal-Mart and the Salvation Army, and refreshments.
To see photos, click here.
Though the ride itself is over, the drive for 100,000 bicycles stretches through Christmas. The ride has accomplished its mission: to draw attention to this worthy cause. Everyone on this team agrees – if we need to ride another 300 miles, we will.
Wal-Mart Bikes or Bust: Day 6, Dec. 8, 2005
Day six began in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Waveland, MS. Eleven riders took off in the warmer, cloudy weather. As in previous days, we had new riders and some who have ridden the entire way every day. Some riders who had previously ridden called and wanted to ride again. We debriefed the new riders on what they were likely to encounter along the route, realizing that we had become somewhat immune to the level of devastation ourselves. Seeing this for the first time is shocking.
We headed to Bay St. Louis and, once again, crowds waved and cheered. We encountered a mass of bicycles mangled by the storm in what used to be downtown Bay St. Louis – it was sobering. We took pictures at the bay where the bridge is destroyed. Interestingly, there is no ferry service because the mass of debris beneath the surface of the bay makes navigation impossible. We were able to cross only in the Coastguard boats with their sophisticated sonar.
The caravan again was escorted around a circuitous land route to rejoin the bikes and riders delivered by the Coastguard to Pass Christian on the other side of the bay. We rode into downtown Pass Christian with bikes and the Salvation Army truck only. What used to be downtown Pass Christian is now an assembly of mobile homes known as "The Village." The Village includes a makeshift town hall, police station, library, daycare, bank and numerous tents for temporary housing. It resembles a temporary military installation in a third world country. This attempt at normalcy is a testimony to the resilient spirit of these people.
What is not evident to the casual observer is the fact that among this community on a regular basis, many influential people, celebrities, corporations, foundations, and philanthropists of every shape and size show up to determine how they can possibly make a difference. Ironically, most of the attention in the wake of Katrina was focused on New Orleans. New Orleans was, undoubtedly, a tragedy. The Gulf Coast of Mississippi, on the other hand, was obliterated.
To see photos, click here.
Our ride will continue tomorrow and finish at Yankee Stadium in Biloxi where we began a week ago; but the drive to raise enough money for 100,000 bicycles will continue through Christmas.
Wal-Mart Bikes or Bust: Day 5, Dec. 7, 2005
Day five was yet another cold and cloudy day, but we were anxious and energized to get underway. We assembled at the Waveland Wal-Mart which has been recently rebuilt after the storm. Ten riders took off down Highway 90 towards the Louisiana line.
Darwin, with WPMI channel 15, an NBC affiliate out of Mobile, called just before we reached the State Line and wanted to join us. We broke for lunch and waited for Darwin. While we were eating, we hobnobbed with construction crews and again took advantage of novel photo ops with our bikes and some construction equipment. Again, citizens and construction workers showered us with praise and money.
Darwin mounted a bike and joined us on this leg. Coincidentally, two cross-country cyclists from France, on their way to New Orleans also rode along.
At the Pearl River Bridge on the Louisiana state line, we crossed. As Darwin was interviewing some riders, we struck up a conversation with a local fisherman, Julian Bounds, who donated $100. Bounds is from Carriere, MS.
We rode through Pearlington, MS which was as devastated as the rest of the area; however the devastation was not evident until we detoured into what used to be the town itself. Seeing the destruction, Donald Glover, who was driving the Wal-Mart truck in the caravan, donated $20 and set up a challenge to 7,500 other Wal-Mart truck drivers.
To see photos, click here.
Our media coverage is picking up steam, as we has numerous calls from companies, individuals, and the members of the media, all wanting to ride, cover, or donate.
We rode back to the Waveland Wal-Mart at the end of the day, cold and tired again; but energized by the outpouring of attention and generosity.
Wal-Mart Bikes or Bust: Day 4, Dec. 6, 2005
The caravan assembled at the Wal-Mart in Gulfport early in the frosty cold morning.
Temperatures were in the low 30s. Yet again, Mother Nature handed us another reminder of her authority. Nine brave riders began the journey. Several have ridden the entire course. Before we departed we received a call from the "Big D and Bubba Show," a nationally syndicated radio program. We performed the Wal-Mart cheer for the audience.
At a military checkpoint, we swapped bike helmets for army helmets for a fun photo op, complete with bikes on HumVees with Christmas wreaths.
We gave out candy along the route to construction workers – almost like a Mardi Gras parade.
When we reached Pass Christian, we pulled up into the former Wal-Mart parking lot which, along with the rest of the Pass, was obliterated. It was a sobering moment. At Pass Christian Harbor, we again relied on the Coast Guard to ferry riders across as the bridge is completely destroyed. Carl E. Woodward Company surprised us with a check when we encountered them here. We dropped off the riders, and the caravan took a circuitous route through Waveland to the other side to pick up the riders. We experienced a small mishap on this leg, as we seem to have lost our riders. Finally, we got a call on the cell phone from the Coast Guard and were able to locate the bikes and riders.
To see photos, click here.
As we were waiting for the riders, a representative from the Mayor's office in Bay St. Louis pulled up and arranged for us to meet with the Mayor, as well as the Mayor from Waveland who is planning to actually ride with us in the morning.
American Family Radio, locally 91.7, also accosted us in Bay St. Louis and requested some time in the morning to do a piece on our efforts.
We arrived at the former Waveland Wal-Mart, also destroyed by Katrina, and pulled into the parking lot. Again, local citizens were drawn to the caravan; and everybody donated money to this great cause.
Once again, though still tired and cold, we made the journey.
Wal-Mart Bikes or Bust: Day 3, Dec. 5, 2005
Day 3 began at 4 a.m. at the Northrop Grumman Shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss.. Riders were decked in Christmas gear as on previous days. The Salvation Army was on site, and kettles were filled so rapidly they had to be continuously emptied. An inter-office challenge was underway at Northrop Grumman; and one department alone donated almost $1,000.
The rain began at 4:30 followed by a cold front. This presented yet another challenge to the riders who included some Northrop Grumman officials on this leg.
The procession left the shipyard in the rain and headed to Ocean Springs, stopping several times to dry off, change clothes, and drink hot coffee. As we dismounted at the Wal-Mart in Ocean Springs, a woman approached one of the Salvation Army officials and presented us with a check for $1,000.
The rain finally abated when we arrived at Ocean Springs, but temperatures in the 40s and high winds pummeled the riders.
On this leg of the journey, many people stopped the caravan to donate money. We rode to the bridge, now destroyed, where we were met by the Coast Guard who ferried us across the bay to Biloxi. The warm cabins of the boats were a welcome relief.
We disembarked at the Isle of Capri Casino on Biloxi's Point Cadet. The casino itself is under reconstruction. We joined hundreds of construction workers in the makeshift cafeteria where we enjoyed a buffet lunch.
After lunch we proceeded down Highway 90 towards Gulfport. This section of Highway 90 is officially closed and we were escorted by MDOT along the route. Again, people cheered, waved, shouted encouragement, and donated money.
In perspective, all the people who donated money had, themselves, lost their homes and more.
We stopped for photo ops at the Hurricane Camille Memorial and other historical sites on this stretch of road, also mostly destroyed by Katrina.
To see photos, click here.
At one point there were electrical workers from rebuilding power lines. When we told them what we were doing, they all donated money. It was extremely gratifying.
We arrived at our destination, the intersection of Highway 90 and Highway 49 in Gulfport, in the afternoon. We were wet, cold, tired; but again we were buoyed by the incredible support and outpouring of generosity along the way.
Wal-Mart Bikes or Bust: Day 2, Dec. 4, 2005
In the early hours of day two, some of the riders from the previous day and several new recruits departed the Pascagoula Wal-Mart and headed east towards the Alabama state line. Weather was perfect; and the caravan was met with as many cheers and as much enthusiasm as the day before.
Officials from Bayou La Batre, the hardest-hit area in Alabama, met us at the state line where we exchanged high-fives and high jinx. After a brief rest, we turned back towards Mississippi. Just inside the state line we assembled for a photo op on the slab of what used to be the Trinity Pentecostal Tabernacle Church – a grim reminder of Katrina's devastation.
Already saddle-sore and weary, riders encountered an incline in the roadway on this stretch of road. Barely noticeable when driving a car, this long hill added a new dimension to the journey. Some riders walked their bikes and conversation ebbed somewhat. The incline itself seemed a metaphor for the work and dedication that has gone into this incredible project.
We arrived at our destination, the Northrop Grumman Shipyard at day's end. We were met by corporate security and law enforcement who escorted us into one of the largest shipyards in the world. It was an awesome feeling to be in the heart of a facility that manufactures ships that defend this great country – a fitting end to another great day.
To see photos, click here.
Footnote from the support team, volunteers from Little Rock, AR, compiling these reports and photos: Working from early morning till end-of-day; we spent the entire morning trying to find internet service along the Gulf Coast. We finally found good service at PJ's coffee shop. While we were here, a patron noticed one of our team member's Salvation Army shirt, asked about the cause, and donated twenty dollars. Experiences like this have, gratefully, become common.
Wal-Mart Bikes or Bust: Day One, Dec 3, 2005
Yankee Stadium, Biloxi, MS. 28 riders, mostly Wal-Mart managers met with local officials, media, representatives of local corporations, and volunteers just before lunch. The excitement and enthusiasm was palpable. It is hard to imagine that this small group, accompanied by an RV, and Wal-Mart truck and police escort was embarking on the first leg of an effort that has never before been attempted – to raise enough money for 100,000 bicycles for children on the ravaged Gulf Coast. Never before have this many bicycles been assembled to be given to a needy cause.
The caravan was met with cheers, waves, and gratitude as we pedaled through dilapidated residential areas, devasted commercial districts, and debris-strewn countryside. Seeing all the bicycles, children all along the route ran to the street corners hollering: " I want a bike!" Construction workers stopped their work and stared and waved in admiration. A soldier at one check point stood at attention and saluted the procession.
These were not professional riders. Moreover, most had not been on a bike in years. Two had had open heart surgery. On one causeway which was a major hill, some had to walk their bikes. But nobody quit.
To see photos, click here.
At the end of the day, the caravan stopped in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Pascagoula. Bodies were exhausted, but spirits were high. Clear Channel radio called to report that donations were pouring in. A woman in Ocean Springs walked up to the local store manager and, spontaneously presented him with a check for $3,000. We experienced this type of outpouring all along the route during what could only be described as an incredible day.


text:
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...let's start with the Everything Nice.
When we received our copy in the mail, needless to say we did the happy dance.
We are so excited to be in such great blog company.
The last "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice" I would like to share with you is that as of last Friday we have new addition to our family. She is our three year old princess. More details to come, after the adoption is finalized.
Do you have any "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice" stories to share?


text:
USA Today, ESPN, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and MLB.com are reporting that baseball superstar Albert Pujols has agreed to a 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
USA Today, citing "a person involved in the negotiations," says the deal is worth $250 million. ESPN and the Post-Dispatch also have that figure. MLB.com says its sources say the deal could reach $260 million. Either way, it rivals the 10-year contracts that third basemen Alex Rodriguez signed with the Texas Rangers in 2001 (for $252 million) and the New York Yankees in 2008 (for $275 million), USA Today notes.
Pujols, a free agent, would be moving from the National League's St. Louis Cardinals, the team he's played for in all 11 of his major league seasons, to the American League.
Considered by most experts to be the best active player, he's primarily a first basemen. Pujols has 445 career home runs and a .328 career batting average. (His MLB.com stats are posted here.) Pujols is a nine-time All-Star and three-time National League Most Valuable Player, MLB.com adds. He turns 32 in January.
Pujols' departure would mean the Cardinals team, which won this year's World Series, has now lost its manager (Tony La Russa retired) and its best player. During the Series, Pujols had what might be the greatest night ever for a batter in the Fall Classic when he hit three home runs and batted in six runs.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
The World Cup round of 16 in Brazil is taking shape.
Already in: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and the Netherlands. The big question: Will the United States join that distinguished list today?
The U.S. soccer team has a tough matchup against Portugal. Win, and the Americans are in. Lose or tie, and the road gets a lot tougher with next Thursday's game against Germany.
The U.S. is playing in the so-called "Group of Death" paired with Germany, Portugal and Ghana. Germany is No. 2 in the world. Portugal is ranked fourth, and Ghana eliminated the United States from the past two World Cups. But last Monday, the U.S. squad defeated Ghana 2-1 and Germany embarrassed Portugal 4-0. On Saturday, Ghana and Germany played to a thrilling 2-2 tie.
Many people had counted the U.S. out of the World Cup before it began, but so far, the ball has bounced the team's way. Even Portugal's star player (and reigning world player of the year) Cristiano Ronaldo is hobbled by tendinitis in his left knee.
At a pre-game news conference on Saturday, U.S. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann said this is his team's time. "This is now the moment where you can prove yourself," he said. "This is the moment where you can step up and play those guys and put them in place."
No easy task, though, as NPR's Tom Goldman reports for our Newscast desk:
"A loss by Portugal and it's out, meaning this isn't going to be boring. In a World Cup where stars have played up to their billing, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard knows it's important to keep a close eye on Portugal's great forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who's starting despite recent knee troubles."
"We're going to do our best to bottle him up," Howard said. "It's not been done in four or five years. But we'll see what we can do."
The Americans know, however, that paying too much attention to Ronaldo could let someone else beat them.
It may not be someone on the field that's the biggest challenge: It could be the weather. The game is in Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon jungle. It is winter, but it's still steamy, sticky and rainy.
Oh, and there are mosquitoes too. People traveling here have been warned to take malaria pills and get vaccinated for yellow fever.
That still hasn't prevented thousands of American fans from coming to Manaus. The red, white and blue is well-represented on the streets, though nowhere near as many as the first U.S. game, in the seaside city of Natal.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Thank you so much for all your kind comments on my previous post! By popular request, I made some whipped cream again and measured all the ingredients this time so I could share a proper recipe. I said I didn't have a recipe before because I always eyeball it, so...
Ha! Creepy eyeball cupcakes! These are chocolate cupcakes with whipped cream eyeballs and raspberry centers. The raspberries are filled with chocolate.
This vegan "whippy" cream is basically a very soft buttercream. There's a coconut milk whipped cream that I have made a couple of times and it's pretty terrific. I'll make that again next month so I can share the recipe.
1/4 cup Earth Balance at room temperature (or whatever margarine you use)
1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave
1/4 cup soy milk or other non dairy milk
1- Cream the EB with an electric mixer.
2- Mix in the syrup and vanilla.
3- Add about a half of the milk and mix on high until it doesn't look lumpy anymore. You will need a pretty powerful mixer, not an industrial type but something with some power. I use this one.
4- Gradually add the rest of the milk and mix on super-hyper hold-on-to-your-socks-turbo-high until creamy and smooth. The whippy cream shouldn't be liquid, so add the milk gradually and only as much as the Earth Balance will take without becoming too liquid.
This whippy cream is an off white color. If whiteness is a must, replace the syrup with confectioners sugar. This recipe makes enough cream for six eyeballs.
To make the eyeballs, use a small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to drop the eyeballs on top of the (room temperature) cupcakes. Press a raspberry down (hole-side-up) right in the center of each eyeball. I used thawed frozen-berries, which made them ooze out red juice that became the little vessels, and then I just used a toothpick to help the raspberry juice run down the eyeballs. Doesn't that just sound utterly appetizing? Two mini chocolate chips in the middle of each raspberry completes the look.
I can't believe it's been almost a month since I made these as eyeball pancakes with blueberries for my very first Vegan MoFo post! Time flies when you're making revolting Halloween food.


text:
When it comes to selecting a cloud computing provider, most people already think of these services as pretty much commodity offerings.
But the folks at F5 Networks, which provide a fair amount of the IT infrastructure used to manage cloud computing services, would beg to differ. In fact, they are offering up a list of 10 questions that IT organizations should be asking cloud computing providers before signing on the dotted line. Be sure to read our Mike Vizard's post on the subject over at his blog.
Of course, what many IT organizations may discover is that they might be better off building their own internal private cloud depending on their requirements. But while the debate between public and private clouds rages on, IT organizations would be well-advised to do their cloud computing homework before signing a multi-year contract they might come to regret in a few months time.


text:
Subscribe to Newsletter
You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at [email protected]. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please visit this page. By clicking subscribe, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.
Note that we use MailChimp as our marketing automation platform. By clicking subscribe, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to MailChimp for processing in accordance with their
Privacy Policy and Terms.


text:
One aspect of religion that has often come under atheists' critical fire is the way in which it enables the most egregious hypocrisies amongst its most devout adherents. Considering how important Christians will tell you Scripture is to their lives, it's remarkable how selective they are in their reading of that Big Book of Multiple Choice. The warnings against hypocrisy among believers that comprise most of Matthew 6 would be sufficient to shut up almost the entirety of the American Christian Right, if they were the kinds of people who practiced what they preached.
But I think there is something about religion that's even more insidious than hypocrisy, and that's the way it puffs up believers' hubris, allowing them to think they're more special and entitled and deserving, even (and especially) without having done anything to earn it. Religion tells people they're part of a select group, favored over others by God. And yet these are the same people who routinely like to attack unbelievers — and the intelligentsia many unbelievers are part of — as "elitists." What could be more elitist than believing everybody but you deserves eternity of torture in hell, simply because you belong to the Jesus Fan Club and they don't?
I've been thinking about this over the last couple of days since my attention was drawn to something that hasn't really turned up on atheists' radar: the Manhattan Declaration. This is a kind of manifesto that has recently been put together by several prominent conservative Christian figures — among them arch-bigot Tony Perkins and Kazim's old pal Chuck Colson — as something of an ideological purity test. It begins as follows:
We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:
- the sanctity of human life
- the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
- the rights of conscience and religious liberty.
Some quick Googlage has revealed that this Declaration has already ruffled the feathers of liberal, progressive Christians, who have quickly called the whole thing out as an effort to enshrine conservative prejudices as "fundamental truths about justice and the common good." Only the most smug and arrogant bigots could claim with a straight face that a Declaration that openly repudiates GLBT marriage equality is one that favors "justice" in any form. I think that word, to quote The Princess Bride for the 80 billionth time, doesn't mean what they think it means.
Basically, the highfalutin language of the thing does little to disguise the fact that it's a huge anti-gay-rights and anti-abortion petition, and it takes a Bushian "with us or against us" attitude that is nothing less than a gauntlet thrown down to all those liberal Christians who haven't toed the Hate Line to the satisfaction of their conservative betters.
Surfing the blogosphere, I come upon this post by blogger Hugo Schwyzer — who, as an avowed pro-GLBT liberal feminist Christian, is about as far from the fundies' notion of ideological purity as a guy can get — where he takes the Manhattan Declaration to task for being little more than a reactionary pushback against the tendency among the younger generation of modern Christians to reject right-wing fundie obsessions with "pelvic morality" (basing culture war talking points on sexual and reproductive issues to the near exclusion of everything else) in favor of broader moral concerns — saving the planet, helping the needy — that are generally of interest only to those damn latté sipping libs. Schwyzer makes an astute point about the "cheap grace" enjoyed by fundies whenever they beat their chests and pontificate over such narrow-minded issues: that these are fights they love precisely because they have nothing at stake.
Here's the thing: fighting against abortion and gay rights is, in the end, cheap. It requires no particular personal sacrifice or reflection on the part of those who claim these are the top issues. Men who will never get pregnant; heterosexuals who have the privilege to marry those whom they love — they surrender nothing precious to them by fighting tooth and nail against reproductive and glbtq rights. The struggle against global poverty and the struggle to save the planet from environmental degradation, on the other hand, make radical claims on all of us — particularly on the affluent in the West, whose unsustainable consumption patterns are directly linked to human and animal suffering. Fighting against climate change and poverty require that the wealthy transform their lifestyles; fighting against gay rights requires nothing more than censorious and self-righteous indignation.
Bam! — direct hit, below the waterline. But I'd caution Schwyzer not to forget that, in a very real way, "cheap grace" is at the heart of all Christianity, not just the version practiced by wingnutty Sarah Palin and Carrie Prejean fans. Christianity presents believers with this odd notion about morality, sin, and fate: that, merely by virtue of being alive, a person is a worthless sinner damned to eternal agony because of the Fall; but hey, not to worry, because Jesus took all of that punishment upon himself, poor chap, and now by virtue of his sacrifice, you're good to go, and all you need to do is make sure (at some point before you die) you publicly high-five Jesus for taking one for the team, accepting him as your savior. So, we're damned, but we're not, and eternal salvation is ours simply by the rough spiritual equivalent of clicking a confirmation email.
So right from the outset, Christians are more or less raised in the extremely confident belief that all the heavy lifting for their own personal redemption was already done 2000 years ago. Their own efforts require no personal sacrifice at all. If this is not cheap grace, what is?
The very thing that Christianity tries to sell as its most morally and spiritually profound element — salvation by proxy — in fact cheapens the entire notion that in life, self-respect, the respect of others, and an enduring reputation as the kind of good person whom the rest of us should want to emulate, must be earned. The whole notion of salvation by faith and not works (which, admittedly, might be more favored by conservative Christians than liberal ones, though I think God, if he's up there, ought to do his job right and clarify matters) gives Christians the ability to think pleasingly of themselves as among the saved elect, regardless of how they might actually behave in their lives. The popular Christian bumper sticker "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven" conveys egotism, not humility, as it's basically saying, "Yippie! I'm a Christian, and I never have to change, never have to better myself, never have to take responsibility at all." The very hypocrisy Matthew 6 rails against is enabled by Christianity's entire salvation mechanism. How else could so many arch-scumbags (insert names here, but off the bat I think of Kenneth Lay and Jim Bakker) preen with such pride while living the sleaziest, most immoral lives they could manage?
So, while I'm always pleased to see liberal Christians who aren't afraid to take on the Right Wing Noise Machine (a thing we have pointedly challenged them to do for a decade on AETV), I'd caution Schwyzer and his liberal Christian brethren not to overlook the cheap grace at Christianity's very foundation. But to be fair, perhaps the fact that guys like him, at the very least, do try to live decent lives of higher personal responsibility, supportive of the real meaning of terms like "justice" and "equality" that the wingnuts simply treat as pious catchphrases, means they're more aware of it than they might like to admit.


text:
Reaching the victims of Saturday's strong earthquake in China's Sichuan province remains difficult because of aftershocks and landslides.
According to Voice of America:
"Xinhua news agency says the first team of rescue workers arrived in Baoxing [county] Monday. Authorities say the road was cut off by an aftershock-triggered landslide. State media say hard-hit parts of Lushan county were also not reachable by road, with phone services cut off. But rescuers have since dynamited highways to clear landslide debris, allowing heavy equipment to reach affected areas, and electricity and phone services have been restored to thousands of people."
More than 180 people are reported to have been killed in building collapses and other problems created by the worst quake to hit China in the past three years.
According to the BBC, "correspondents say the hill villages, where farmers grow rice, vegetables and corn on terraced plots, were hit the hardest by the earthquake."
Thankfully, the toll is far less than the estimated 90,000 deaths in 2008 after an even stronger temblor hit the same region.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
I'm back with an exciting giveaway! You've probably heard me mention CoverFx multiple times in the last year or two. I love their products, especially their foundations/concealers. Today I'm giving ten lucky winners the opportunity to win their own full sized Cover FX Cream Foundation. Check it out!
- Make sure to subscribe to my blog
- In the comments, answer this question: "How do you define your individual beauty?"
- I will pick my favorite top ten responses and you will win your own full-size Cover FX cream foundation in your perfect shade (visit coverfx.com or your local coverfx retailer for colour matching)
- Open to US Subscribers


text:
[PHOTO: Bruce Tuten/Flickr/CC BY 2.0] |
Bangkok: Providing increased insight into and understanding of the
issue and scale of crimes against children across Southeast Asia was the focus
of an INTERPOL Specialists Group meeting in Bangkok this week.
Bringing together some 180 experts from law enforcement
bodies, non-governmental organizations, private sector organizations and
academia from 28 countries, the first INTERPOL Southeast Asia working party
meeting (19 – 21 March) covered a range of topics including victim
identification, Internet-facilitated crimes against children, child sex
offenders and violent crimes against children.
A key component of the three-day meeting was the provision
of access to the INTERPOL Victim Identification laboratory (ViLab) to
participants in order for them to assist efforts in identifying victims and
The ViLab is a mobile investigative tool that
allows trained users to view child sexual abuse images – which can be sanitized
depending on the audience – for ongoing and unsolved investigations.
A train-the-trainer session was held for officers from
Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, while information provided by delegates
at the Bangkok meeting has led to important intelligence being exchanged and
which will be used to move investigations forward.
The sharing of knowledge, experience and best practice,
supported by enhanced cooperation between criminal justice agencies within and
across borders, is recognized as vital in combating travelling child sex
offenders and protecting victims.
Organized by the INTERPOL Liaison Office in Bangkok in
cooperation with the Royal Thai Police, the meeting comes under the umbrella of
Project Childhood, an initiative to combat the sexual exploitation of children
– mainly in the travel and tourism sectors – in the Greater Mekong sub-region.
The project is funded by Australian AID (AusAID) and focuses on Cambodia, Laos,
Thailand and Vietnam, building on Australia's long-term support for programmes
that better protect children and prevent their abuse.
The project is being implemented in two complementary pillars:
the Protection Pillar, a partnership between UNODC and INTERPOL, and the
Prevention Pillar, implemented by World Vision.
Greater regional and international cooperation is key to
bringing an end to child exploitation, and INTERPOL is working to equip local
law enforcement with the tools and skills necessary for fighting this growing
type of crime. Related to that is the need for greater understanding of
the effect of the Internet and communication technologies. This issue was
addressed during presentations by some of the most technically experienced
officers from around the world. Project Childhood plans to offer training
opportunities to improve intelligence gathering and to improve the use of
image database.


text:
This Is the Manicure You Should Get, Based on Your Astrological Sign
12 Best and Worst Mom HaircutsTo celebrate Mother's Day, we're saluting the celebs whose "mom cuts" wowed us — and showing you the ones that made us cringe. See which styles you'll want to copy — and the ones to tell your stylist not to give you |
Older comments
Kate Gosselin and Sharon Osbourne's hair styles are awful. But I do have to give cred. for their boldness to be different. most best styles are pretty safe.
by misty_finley_clark Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 11:28AM Report as inappropriate
I've always hated kate gosselin's hair! She reminds me of a turkey for some reason.
by schien Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 09:53PM Report as inappropriate
It is kind of mean to compare ladies who are in their 20's early 30's and women who are in their 60's. The first will look younger haircut or not. I don't think Hillary has that bad of a hairstyle here, her longer do ages her much more.
by venenumletalis Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 06:41AM Report as inappropriate
Hillary Clinton has had some really AWFUL hairdos... but I really don't think that her flipped out hair was a bad look for her.
by LipglossandSpandex Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 02:20AM Report as inappropriate
I'm kinda shocked to see Kris Jenner for worst haircuts...I've always thought her look suites her well. Katherine Heigl is just the pitts anyways!
by MizzPink Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 06:35AM Report as inappropriate
Kris Jenner looks fine. Huh?
by EricaC123 Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 01:21PM Report as inappropriate
kate goslin's has got to be the worst.
by Chris213 Monday, December 3, 2012 at 08:19PM Report as inappropriate
I think Kris Jenner's hair looks great. Sheesh!
by thebunnie Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 06:41PM Report as inappropriate
So, what did you choose to accomplish with this article? It seems more like gossip to me.
by CaroleVonAllten Friday, October 12, 2012 at 01:24PM Report as inappropriate


text:
Last week, the researchers who put out the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Consumers said their index rose in May to "its highest level since October 2007" — before the last recession began.
But when it comes to economics, there always seem to be an "on the other hand" moment coming — especially when the economy appears to be at a turning point.
And voila: The private Conference Board says its consumer confidence index fell in May by nearly four points, to its lowest level in four months.
"Consumers were less positive about current business and labor market conditions, and they were more pessimistic about the short-term outlook," says Lynn Franco, the board's director of economic indicators, in a statement released with its report.
But, she adds, "consumers were more upbeat about their income prospects, which should help sustain spending."
As we noted on Friday, consumer confidence not only has an effect on the economy — if consumers are feeling good, in theory, they're be more apt to spend — it also could influence this fall's election.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Kim Jong-un has launched his North Korean missile, and perhaps a satellite of some kind atop it, skyward and potentially into orbit. The world writhes in rhetorical agony and, surprisingly China, North Korea's prime sponsor, expresses "regret" over the deed. How much of this was the young North Korean leader's idea — or simply a ballistic bone to his restless military, the true power on the northern half of the Korean peninsula — remains unknowable.
All, with the possible exception of the successful missile launch itself (four earlier ones failed) unspools like a holiday pageant, every nation playing its part. "This action is yet another example of North Korea's pattern of irresponsible behavior," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement four hours after the launch. "North Korea will only truly strengthen itself by abiding by international norms, living up to its commitments and international obligations, and working to feed its citizens, to educate its children, and to win the trust of its neighbors."
(MORE: Defiant North Korea Fires Long-Range Rocket)
Perhaps. But it's only the opening scene, although one that has dragged on for 18 years. Where does it go from here, and, critically, just what kind of endgame does Pyongyang have in mind?
Well, first things first. The successful launch was cheered in Tehran. Every step toward the development of an indigenous missile capability in North Korea is shared with Iran, akin to the circulatory system in Siamese twins. In fact, with Iraq removed from President George W. Bush's axis of evil, Iran and North Korea remain the two rogue states of greatest concern to Washington. So Wednesday's launch was good for both nations, making the sanctions currently in place against Iran for its nuclear program more apt than ever.
Development of such a technology is costly. While the financial burden plainly hasn't deterred North Korea from pressing ahead in its efforts to become the Walmart of Weapons, every won spent on boosters and centrifuges is a won not spent on the country's 25 million people. North Korea (annual estimated per-capita income: $1,800, 197th among the 228 nations tracked by the CIA, just edging out…Afghanistan) remains bitterly poor. When, or if, its population will overthrow its communist dynasty – talk about an oxymoron – is unknown.
Mating a warhead to a missile and aiming it anywhere remains an immense technological challenge for both North Korea and Iran, even working together. But eventually, given enough time and money, one rogue state or another may be able to build several missiles capable of striking fringes of U.S. territory with poor accuracy and a high likelihood they'll be duds. Shorter-range missiles will generate instability in northeast Asia.
Then what?
While that possibility is routinely cited as a fear, just what will North Korea or Iran do with it? Launching anything toward the U.S. will risk national suicide, and rogue-state leaders tend more to the Saddam Hussein than the Reverend Jim Jones side of the megalomaniacal spectrum.
Nonetheless, that prospect will energize U.S. missile-defenders, eager to develop and deploy ever more layers in a missile shield designed to render the homeland immune to attack. The North Korean launch – combined with Israel's recent success of its Iron Dome system in repelling rocket attacks from Gaza – will only spur additional support for more defenses.
But outside the diplo-pundit echo chamber, cooler heads seem to be prevailing.
The Rand Corp. recently threw cold water on the North Korea missile threat. "North Korea is not behaving like a developer and producer of large numbers of relatively sophisticated missile systems. Its lack of a realistic missile test program, in particular, raises significant issues about the quality of its products," the October report concluded. "There are strong indications that North Korea's missiles may not pose such a serious threat."
In Seoul, the Bank of Korea and the country's Finance Ministry held emergency meetings in the wake of the North Korean missile launch. But investors weren't concerned. The South Korean won rose to a 15-month high against the dollar despite the news.