WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

Well it's not really a word, it's really an acronym:

WORD: DLS

Do you know what it means? Come on, take a guess.

Pop back around 3:00 p.m. to find out if you're right or wrong.

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY:

Juices flow best without barriers. It’s true. Writers can get so focused on goals, limits, and restrictions that they can’t even write.

This horrible affliction is called: "Writer’s block" and it's an actual affliction that saps self-confidence from the best storytellers.

Setting goals is great. But don’t be so concerned about staying within borders – after all, walls are meant to keep things inside.

So, writing about something you know nothing about might be the surefire path to publication.

We all have things we’ve wondered about. Some people pay thousands of dollars to enroll in classes, later in life, just to learn more about these subjects. Why not offer this information to readers, in an article?

Editors are always looking for interesting stories. So step outside the box and take a chance.

Think back. Remember the exhilaration of jumping off the ledge into the deep-end. Writing should give you the same thrill. When you write about something you know nothing about, you’re taking that daring dive into the writing waters. So, just tell the story and you might get lucky and end up getting your feet wet in the wonderful world of publishing.

CRAFT - Hearts for Valentine's Day

The first mail-posted valentine on record was in 1806.

If you'd like to read some history about the special day of love, click here.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and we have one craft we've been doing since the kids were little. It's easy - it's fun - and it's super duper cute.

You need a piece of red construction paper and a white sheet. Fold the paper in half. Leave the fold on the straight edge and the round part is the top, and it should be able to open. The paper should be cut as shown:


Then you weave the pieces together, like shown:


Then tie a ribbon on the heart, or even glue a piece of paper for a hanger, as shown:


On Valentine's Day, you fill the heart with a cookie or a special candy.

Happy Valentine's Day.

CORALINE - The Movie

Coraline by Neil Gaiman, is an animated motion picture in the style of A Nightmare Before Christmas.

I really enjoyed the film but had to look it up to see what Coraline is rated, because it was so creepy: it’s PG (Parental Guidance suggested). My suggestion is no young kids because this film is seriously creepy. And, I know people say that later in the show it is too creepy for little kids but I disagree. I say the show is the most creepy in the beginning scene.

SPOILER ALERT: If you don’t want to know, stop reading NOW.

The first scene where you see the dolls being cut open and stuffed, felt extremely dark to me. It seemed a little too real. At least, I think it would seem too real for young children.

Of course, this movie was meant for middle graders and above and that’s fine. There’s no real violence, blood, or any gory graphics. It’s just, like I said, seriously creepy. So, if you like something on the darker side, this is perfect. And for kids older than 10-12, it would be a fun film to see with friends because it will definitely give them a few things to talk about.

I read the book, before I saw the film. So, I would have liked the cat to have a larger role in the movie rather than WhyB. But, I think the film stuck to the heart of the book very well. I loved how the Other Mother and her world started to unravel when Coraline (not Caroline) decided she’d rather go home than have a perfect life.

So many interesting conflicts going on in the book and the movie.

The creepiness of the hand was better in the book-but then I’m definitely a geek girl, who loves books more than movies so maybe I’m a little biased.

I would love to cyber-chat with others who see the movie. So, if you’ve seen it, let me know what you thought.

BEAUTY BLOG - LOCKS OF LOVE

Beauty is more than just the outside appearance. Beauty is a combination of the inner and outer person. One way to have inner beauty is to find a way to contribute something to the world. People can contribute in many different ways: it might be art, teaching, volunteering, or (like for me) hair.

I decided a long time ago to donate my hair to the Locks of Love program. I've done it one other time. My hair is super thick so my hairdresser said, they should be able to make a few wigs out of that horsetail--I can only hope.

It took a long time to grow my hair back out so that I would have enough to be able to donate it again. The donation has to be at least 10 inches long from tip to tip. If you are interested in donating, click here for the donation form.

I hope others will consider this program. Plus, please do the polls re: hair on the side. (Thanks)

NEW TOPIC:

I got tagged. This was a tag from Green Girl - by the way, I used to call my Great Grandma (GG)

So, I'm tagging five others (Mom used to say, "one extra-to grow on." So, why not?

The Rules:
1. Go to the 4th picture folder on your computer.
2. Post the 4th picture in that folder (Mine was the one from my haircut for LoL-Locks of Love).
3. Explain the picture.
4. Tag 4 more bloggers.

Okay, so TAG, you're it (hope you'll play):

Kelly Polark
Rena Jones
Christina Farley
Jean Hall
David Batiste

ANSWER TO THOUGHT FOR THURSDAY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

ANSWER: From the Y-shaped intersection of two interstate highways that passed through it. (Way-to-go CH)

Now for Earth-Friendly Friday:

I've always wanted a greenhouse.


And not just for growing flowers in. A Greenhouse, today, is a home that uses sustainable building materials and energy efficient design. Read more about it here.

And, here are a few tips for those other greenhouses and your garden, from my friend, Master-Gardener, Diane Cooper:

President's Day is traditionally the day to prune your tea roses, and
to plant new roses.

Get ready to spray lime sulphur on your fruit trees as they begin to
leaf out. You will spray two more times this spring.

Plant onions as soon as the soil dries.

Prune clematis and other flowering vines.

You can fertilize your lawn this month. However, if you have not
applied lime in a few years, do that three weeks before applying
fertilizer. Your fertilizer will work much better.

What Type of Mythical Creature R U?

Love this quiz, not so sure I love being an elf though.

What Mythical Creature are you? Your Result: Elf   Elves are skilled, intelligent craftsmen and warriors. An elf will devote his or her life to a certain trade, and thus become the best in the universe at what they do. Elves are commonly very quiet and reclusive, causing them to be shy. However shy, they are not naive and posess a great deal of knowlege and wisdom that seems to be inherited at birth. Elves are immortal, and very dedicated to nature. They walk in harmony with their surroundings, but are not wholely over emotional beings. Love is not thought of as deep or passionate for these creatures, but rather a pairing, or mating that is ultimately result in offspring.
Vampire
Siren
Nymph
Werewolf
What Mythical Creature are you? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

So I guess I'm an Elf

What are you? Find out by clicking here and taking the test.