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These cards have been sitting on my stamping table for a bit. I kept meaning to take photos, but the time always seems to get away from me.
This is my entry for the Splitcoaststampers Christmas card challenge for March.
I cut the circles on my Cricut and stamped the image. I coloured with Copics and added extra shine to the image by coating it with glitter paint.
The red striped paper is from a stack I've had for a while and I overlaid it on top of the black to give it a little more pop. The sentiment is from House Mouse as well, and was printed on plain white card which was then punched with my snowflake punch.
It came together rather quickly- the longest part was waiting for the paint to dry.


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Thursday, August 19, 2004
The hero gets precious under fire
Senator Kerry has issued a new call from a location close to the Cambodian border:
"John Kerry called yesterday for a 'campaign of issues, not insults' hours after his supporters returned fire against the Republicans with an attack on George W. Bush's military service.I'm sorry to rain on John Kerry's military parade, but these are election issues. It was him and the Democratic Party who first made Kerry's service in Vietnam into one (some uncharitable souls might say, the one and only issue of the campaign), just as they subsequently did to George Bush's service record. It's a bit too late, not to say somewhat dishonest, to now call for a "campaign of issues, not insults." Kerry himself, of course, might help if he stopped continually reporting for duty in Vietnam and instead shifted his focus onto some more contemporary challenges facing the United States.
"Retired general Wesley Clark led the Democrats into battle, repeating accusations in the latest advertisement by a liberal interest group that the US President had drawn on family connections to avoid serving in the Vietnam War.
"The MoveOn.org advertisement, which accuses Mr Bush of allowing false advertising attacking Senator Kerry, started airing yesterday."

subset: commoncrawl


text: Combat - U.S. Armed Forces, created by a nonprofit benefiting U.S. military families with battle deaths, recognizes all U.S. armed forces in combat from any place or time: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, and more. We especially recognize and honor U.S. military and their casualties on the front lines of combat, whether on the ground, at sea, or in the air. For satisfactory performance under fire, the Army awards front-line units Combat Infantryman Badges or Combat Medical Badges. Army support units now receive Combat Action Badges. The Navy and Marines award Combat Action Ribbons. Army Air Forces received the Air Medal for five combat missions in World War II. We also especially recognize U.S. military honorably saving lives, whether in a humanitarian mission or in an operation which helps U.S. citizens, military, friends, or allies. Our ring gives special recognition to even having been in a combat zone. We also give special recognition to having been in a diplomatic mission. However, anything to do with honoring U.S. military service has a place here.


text:
From This Is Money:
Households today have around four times the level of savings that the typical family had in real terms 40 years ago, new findings suggest.
Taking into account pensions, shares and deposit savings, the level of savings held by a typical family has risen by 294 per cent in 40 years to £145,566, compared to £36,989 in 1975, Lloyds Bank said.
Well duh. People haven't "saved" particularly, i.e. put earned income aside, it is just that "assets" have gone up in value.
1. "Pensions" is too vague a term. Do they just mean shares etc in funded pension schemes or also the net present value of unfunded schemes?
2. I don't know what the FTSE share index would have been in 1975, but since 1985 it has increased by 365%. Quite possibly and probably a 300% increase in real terms since 1975.
3. About 80% of deposit savings are merely the flipside of mortgage borrowing. If one household takes out a mortgage of £100,000 then some other household ends up with a deposit of £100,000.
The Nationwide tells us that house prices have trebled in real terms since 1975; nowadays mortgages take a lot longer to pay off, so we can safely assume that total mortgage debt has more than trebled; so other people's deposits have more than trebled as well.
Meanwhile, 36 per cent of people across the UK in 2015 have no savings, including deposits or investments, while 13 per cent hold savings and investments amounting to less than £1,500.
4. That £145k is nowhere near what the "typical family" has in savings. The median is clearly closer to £1,500. No doubt the usual Pareto Distribution applies: the top two deciles have got an average of £600,000 each and the next three deciles have got an average of £200,000 (or whatever).
Friday, 7 August 2015
Economic Myths: Household savings have risen 300% since 1975
From This Is Money:
My latest blogpost: Economic Myths: Household savings have risen 300% since 1975 Tweet this! Posted by Mark Wadsworth at 12:44
4 comments:
- Demetrius said...
The figures are a lot of tosh. Apart from the radical changes over the last forty years they are using figures at the base which are best estimates and in many cases not so good. Also, the indexes have assumptions and elements that can compound the weaknesses. The real situation in 2015 terms is not so good in fact very dodgy.
- 7 August 2015 at 12:51
- Steven_L said...
"Pensions" is too vague a term. Do they just mean shares etc in funded pension schemes or also the net present value of unfunded schemes?
Is this any different from owning a government bond?
- 7 August 2015 at 12:52
- Mark Wadsworth said...
D probably but the principle stands.
SL, the two things are indeed very similar. One man's asset is somebody else's liability and there is no net wealth.
- 7 August 2015 at 14:03
- Random said...
Load of bullshit. Confusing real and financial savings.
- 8 August 2015 at 13:30


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Monday, April 11, 2016
Diary of a Pig: Earnest's journal
April 10. Sunday evening.
The weather was good. The mud has crusted over allowing me too dust a bit, but also lets me maintain a light layer of mud as the sun heats me up in the afternoon. I have been quite lazy. Why not, I am not allowed in with Eleanor right now. She was not interested in me yesterday when I pressed my body up to the gate. I could knock that rat trap gate over if I wanted to, held up with hay twine, it would be less than an afternoon's work for me. But like I said, I feel lazy. It's the warm air and sun.
This morning we had breakfast and the day seemed like yesterday and the day before. I don't keep track of the name of the day like the people do. Why bother. But I knew something was different about the day when I saw the two of them together in Eleanor's paddock, with wire crates. All of us in the upper barnyard were curious and gathered to watch. The squealing began. One by one my children were caught and carried off to the driveway and the trailer. Eleanor was not upset, so I followed her cue and did not worry myself. I heard no bullets. The llama took care of circling the paddock so there was little I could do to interfere. Then I remembered she mentioned it to me, my woman. She told me the children would travel to a near by farm to live. Children go off, that is the way it is. They don't come back. I have my consistency here though-my food and ample areas to bed in. I have White Dog, and Eleanor, and my daughter Cornelia. This is enough for me. I like the people, they interact with me and care for my feet and rub my belly. But I don't need to be surrounded by piglets running amok.
So the children except one have gone off to their own destiny. I am told they will live out their lives there in the pasture, with goats, and two brothers that came from my seed. A pig either is in a pasture for life, or is eaten. I don't judge the outcome either way.
It was quieter at breakfast without the children. A nice quiet. They were good looking, like their mother.


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Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Age 20 March 2008
Melissa Loughnan directs the non-profit, curator-run Utopian Slumps in Collingwood - a gallery renowned for its hip openings. She says: "Launches are important because I'm only open two days a week and evenings are a doable time for more people. I want them to come in and buy the beer; that's part of it. And you need to have these attendance figures when you're going for grants. Mainly though, a busy launch is encouraging for the artist."
But, do people look at the art? "I worry sometimes that I'm getting a hipster crowd," says Loughnan. "We had the Snawklor performance here as part of Nathan Gray's show recently and it felt like some people were more interested in being seen than listening to the music. I don't turn away an audience though. If people are hanging out in the alley talking to their friends, I say 'Why don't you come inside and have a look at the work?' I think it's important for them to understand why they're there."


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Since February I have been primarily eating Paleo foods. That means proteins, vegetables, nuts, fruit and healthy fats. To find out more check out this link.
When trying to decide what to make for dinner I notice a jar of alfredo sauce in my cabinet. Why it is still in this Paleo house, I am not sure! I began to contemplate what would satisfy my creamy cravings. I have to say this dinner hit the spot and it is completely Paleo!
Green Goddess Chicken and Broccoli
Serves 2
Cooking time: 30 minutes
2 chicken breasts cubed and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 head of broccoli
1 yellow squash sliced
1 avocado
1/4 Cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper
In a small amount of olive oil saute the broccoli and squash until tender. Remove from the heat. Brown the chicken and then combine with the vegetables.
Creamy Green Goddess sauce
In food processor combine avocado, coconut milk, garlic and salt and pepper. mix until creamy.
Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables. Ooh la la is this fabulous!
What I learned is that when changing things in my life I must find healthier things to fill the place that the old ones once held.
As a Christian, I must allow the old things to be removed and replace them with the new things that Jesus offers. Galatians 5:22-23
Impatience with Patience
Anxiousness with Peace
Sorrow with Joy
Hate with Love
Grudges with Forgiveness
Harshness with Gentleness
Selfishness with Selflessness
Pride with Humility
Ooh la la- this is so worth it!


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My good friend Todd Anderson and I have been getting nerdy with ink and video and software and stuff, and have created a collaborative project called Ink Space/Ink Time. I have to admit that I don't really have the brainpower for this amount of nerding, and have mostly relied on Todd's colossal brain to do the hard work. You can read more about the project here, and you can also see some awesome videos of the process. But, a brief synopsis of what we've been doing is this: Taking a chaotic event (releasing sumi ink onto a puddle of water), and videoing the transformation of this event over time. Todd then takes the video and stacks the frames of the video on top of each other using fancy software. This creates a 3D model of the event. Finally, he uses a CNC router (or we'll be using a 3D printer if we can afford one) to cut the shape from high-density foam. Then I paint it and make it look like an iceberg 🙂
Here's a photo of what one of the sculptures looks like:
On the surface, the project was about letting our curiosity guide us. I have always loved watching the way the ink interacts with the water as I paint. Todd was fascinated by it too. I could see the neurons firing on all cylinders while he watched the blackness creep outward in fractal-like shapes. Over the next few years, as Todd finished his PhD, he began to play around with ideas of using custom software to capture the event and make it physical. Then he began dabbling with machines and routers. He's one of those guys. A genius tinkerer. His brain seems inexplicably drawn to complex things. Like a colony of ants it starts to explore and map out the new territory, biting off chunks and returning it to home base for processing. And once all the interesting pieces have been collected, investigated, tagged and stored in the big messy Cave of Stashed Info that's been collected over the years, connections start to happen. Sometimes unlikely ones. Sometimes more obvious ones. And so, like dot-to-dots, a line was drawn between the software he used at work, the machines he was playing with at the Tech Shop where he liked to tinker, and the ink blossoms I showed him.
Why am I telling you about Todd's brain? Well, because I think it illustrates an important issue in the making of art and in the living of life. It seems that it is important to play, with no goal in mind. Just spontaneous action guided by curiosity. The ant colony inside your head wants to find new things, learn new things, without judgement or purpose. It also wants to assemble new ideas and make new connections using the stuff its already stashed. From what I understand from brain research, your brain really needs to be doing this. You don't want the neurons to keep firing down the same old paths. Apparently, learning new things (such as a new language, dance, quantum physics, knitting – anything) can help stop or slow down the onset of Alzheimer's and other degenerative brain issues. It's also just fun.
And when the ant colony is doing it's job, creativity happens. Ideas start looming in the fog, getting clearer and clearer as more connections are made. Sometimes, if you're lucky, they just burst into existence, fully-formed. But they've still come to you via the Cave of Stashed Info.
So the moral of my rambling is this:
Feed your brain.
And find yourself a Todd. Sometimes your ants need to meet new ants.
Oh, and stay away from anteaters.


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GCH CH Easthill Broxden Woodland Lettuce Entertain You
The Midland Michigan Kennel Club were in their hometown with shows on Thursday and Friday. Day one ended with the Golden Retriever, GCH CH Easthill Broxden Woodland Lettuce Entertain You, the 13" Beagle, GCH CH Shoreview's Raise Your Glass, the Akita, GCH CH Mt Joy's Hells Angel, the Smooth Fox Terrier, GCH CH J'Cobe Broxden Shark Dressed Man, the Shih Tzu, GCH CH Hallmark Jolei Rocket Power, the Chinese Shar-Pei, GCH CH Shine's Deck the Halls, and the Shetland Sheepdog, GCH CH Kedios Kell Reina de Corazones, in the final ring with judge Keke Kahn.
GCH CH Hallmark Jolei Rocket Power
Taking the Best In Show was the Golden, Dylan. Accepting the Reserve was the Shih Tzu, Rocket. It was the first BIS in ten trips to the final ring for Dylan and breeder/owner/handler Amy Booth. Congratulations to Amy, breeders Sharon Shilkoff & Sandra Kim Hoffen, and owners Cindy Collins, L Fernandes, Julie Supple, & Joe Ovalle.
GCH CH Shine's Deck the Halls
Friday judge Barbara Alderman would see Dylan, Rocket, the returning Smooth Fox & Shar-Pei, the Irish Wolfhound, GCH CH Ansa Mo Caoimhin Modigliani CGC, the Doberman Pinscher, GCH CH Kelview's Ice Breaker V Mueller, the Smooth Collie, GCH CH Travler Kelise Overdrive. She would choose Rocket as her BIS and the Shar, Pei, Tinsel, as her RBIS. It was the third BIS in 17 final appearances this year for Rocket and breeder/owner/handler Luke Ehricht.


text:
... or a movie I'd already seen twice ("The King's Speech"; wonderful).
I chose to watch the movie and skip Obama's speech last night.
Hey, who's up for an hour-long lecture on "fairness"?
Sorry, Barry. I've seen your flick too. Over and over again. Starting with "The Battleship Potemkin" that came out in 1925 (for God's sake). And a hundred other left-wing films since.
"The rich aren't doing enough" in a land where the poor are expected to do less than nothing.
Take it somewhere else. That rerun of yours got tiresome long ago..


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May 19, 2010
A European Sensibility
20 comments:
- Karena said...
Crystal, love the gloss, fabulous images!!
Art by Karena
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Daniella said...
So gorgeous! Love this...
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- SogniSorrisi said...
Divine. I love it all, but I just worry about having floors so dark in my own house. Love the look but not the maintenance aspect!
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
beautiful Crystal. i could totally see you in this home. love the way you described it.
have a lovely day.
^-^ oxox
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- this free bird said...
the gloss on those floors is out of this WORLD! beautiful
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- La Feem said...
I LOVE this space!! I'm not big on rugs, I appreciate them but I don't crave them, this is my kind of living.
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Kristin said...
So much atmosphere and I love the floor! Have a great day!
Kristin :)
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- {Arianna Belle} said...
Those floors are amazing! filing under requirements for my dream home!
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Julie @ Chapman Interiors said...
Yes, LOVE LOVE LOVE it. The sweet corner with the ornate chair is the best, what a great juxtaposition against the angles.
ps, I left you a little something on my blog!
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Isha Shiri said...
Shalom Aleichem!
Good post, beautifull images.
My friend, I'll have a few days away, my Hannah will be born. She needs a lot of me now.
In recent days I posted about:
- The holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost) - Hag Matan Torateinu or "Festival of the Giving of Our Torah and Hag ha'Bikkurim or Festival of the First Fruits.
- Psalm we recite and singing at birth to babies, "Shir LaMa'alot - A song of ascents", psalm 121
- "Letter to Jerusalem", by Rabbi Yosef Y. Jacobson. A letter explaining the importance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people.
- Re-posted "The Meaning of the Word Tzedakah", do justice to the needy through charity is our obligation.
- The TikkunTree Project - a project to "repair the tree of life" using the knit dress for the weapons of peace, promoting integration of people from around the world, women and men, Arabs and Jews, point by point.
- Tikkum Olam, why we should contribute to "repair the world."
Anyway, I tried to leave messages for all to enjoy during my absence.
Thank you participate in my simple Blog.
See you soon.
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- The Shiny Pebble said...
I am a sucker for ebonized floors!
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Hamptontoes said...
One word...beautiful!
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Sarah Klassen said...
Oooh—la—la! I cannot get over these luxe walls...they are so intricate and decadent. Just gorgeous! Thanks for posting this talent.
Hope you're having a wonderful day, Crystal :)
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- The Zhush said...
le sigh.
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Camille said...
Lavish. Divine. LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing :)
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- The Iconic Blog.com said...
What a gorgeous interior. Thanks so much for sharing. The black floors add so much fabulous drama! I love it!x
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- ArchaeologyAnna said...
So Pretty! Especially love the iron ornate chair! Touch of shabby chic!
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Annette Piper said...
It is a very sophisticated space and not what I expected to see from Chicago! Just goes to show we shouldn't have preconceived perceptions!
- Wednesday, May 19, 2010
- Ijeoma said...
You are absolutely correct. It is love at first sight, and that chair is simply to die for! What a beautiful home.
- Thursday, May 20, 2010
- New England Fine Living said...
Love, Love, Love the look. Very chic and romantic.
- Monday, May 24, 2010


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Shifters - the very word invokes in me a happy thrill, healthy fear and a solid dose of curiosity. To me being a shifter would be wonderful, the best of both worlds. Living as a human but enjoy the world through the eyes of a different species...Oh the fun I'd have.
Since this can never be reality, I'll have to settle for reading about them and sharing my love with others.
Book #1
Book #2
Book #3
1 - Ebook pack of my shifters dark paranormal romance series "Werelove" (books 1-3)
3 - Walk on role in the upcoming 4th book. That's right, you get to design a character and I'll put you in the novel.
It's easy to enter. Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Please visit other participating sites


text:
HD Desktop Wallpaper Abstract Art No.20
HD Desktop Wallpaper Abstract Art
Free Desktop Wallpaper available in 3 different Aspect Ratios, 16 x 9, 16 x 10 and 4 x 3.
Just select your download from the selection option and add to basket; you will not be charged for these items.
Additional information
|Aspect Ratios
16×9, 16×10, 4×3, Original Full Size
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text:
I went over to my friend Bérengère's house last night. She has the most adorable little boy, Maxime, who is a bundle of toothy smiles and blond-haired charm. He's two and half, and smart as a whip.
The three of us played and sang songs while he took his bath, and afterwards she and I made truffle risotto while he ate his zucchini purée.
Then it was time for him to go to bed. Bérengère tucked him in while I continued to stir the risotto. When she came back in the kitchen, she reported their exchange, where Maxime had observed,
"Penelope is sick."
I wasn't. When she asked him what he meant, he said,
"Her eyes hurt."
She asked me what I thought he meant.
"I dunno, maybe my eyes are red?" I ventured. My eyes are often red. I work in front a computer all day and never wear my glasses like I'm supposed to. (Please don't fuss at me, Mom, they make my vision worse! I promise I put them on on the rare occasion I drive at night, okay?)
"No," she said, "they aren't."
Suddenly, I understood. I pointed to my trademark cat-eye liquid eyeliner.
"He totally didn't understand what this was about," I said, cracking up.
And come to think of it, maybe it does make it look like my eyes hurt, like I'm squinting them up in pain, or something?
Nothing like a 2.5 year old boy to make you reconsider everything you thought you knew about makeup in 3 seconds.
Well, he did say I was "gentille" right afterwards, so all is forgiven.
And my heart is officially melted.