Ghosts, Gangsters and Ghouls - in Gary, Indiana - the 1st in a 5-part series

Recently I went on a whirlwind, weekend trip to visit my daughter in Chicago. While I was there, I thought why not do a little ghost-hunting...so we did.

We started out in Chicago on the Gangsters and Ghosts tour (but I'm saving that for another post).

We started out Saturday morning, on a roadtrip….

ROAD TRIP TO GARY INDIANA

That big (once beautiful building above) is the City Church, in Gary, Indiana, which by the way, just happened to be the murder capital of the world in 1994 and it still holds the dubious honor of ranking as the 6th place in the country for violent crime...Chicago ranks 25th.

So, what better place to start a ghost-hunt?

It was a day filled with Empty Places and Ghostly Spaces.

And, as we wandered around the city, I felt overcome with a sense of sadness, not simply because these once-beautiful buildings  have fallen into such horrible disrepair but also because this city was once home to a thriving community. But, when the steel factory jobs all disappeared, so did most of the people...at least most of those living in Gary. And, while Chicago ranks high on the list of MOST HAUNTED cities in America, Gary would get my vote.

I don't even think I would have had the guts to wander around this city in the dark, at night...of course I don't usually like to wander around most big cities in the dark, at night. But at least during the daylight, I found the nerve to enter a few creepy places.

I'm going to close out for now, but keep watching here for more ghost stories...because they're coming....

Valentine's Day Gingerbread House

At Christmas I wanted to make a gingerbread house but never got around to doing it. So, I decided on this long holiday weekend, I'd make a Valentine's Day Gingerbread House, with the help of my daughter and daughter-in-law. And this is how it turned out.

If you want to see how I did it, click on the link below.

Video of how I made the gingerbread house

And, if you watch the video, please let  me know what you thought.

Thanks!

The Great Critique - coming 1/18/2020

Winter Great Critique – January 2020

Date/Time
Date(s) - 01/18/2020
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location
TaborSpace, The Dining Room
5441 SE Belmont Street - Portland, OR 97215

SCBWI Oregon’s Great Critique is an event that happens twice a year. Each session is an awesome opportunity for writers and illustrators to be critiqued by a professional and their peers.

Never been in a critique group? Wish you could be critiqued by someone who is ahead of you in the publishing game? Want to strengthen your work? Need a fresh set of eyes and ears on that oft-revised piece? This is your chance. A published author or illustrator will lead each small group and critique your manuscript or art. You’ll also hear/see others’ work and get feedback from those writers and illustrators too. Plus you’ll learn from the comments by the critique leader about the work of others.

So sign up for a morning of perfecting your craft. And, who knows, you might make a few new like-minded friends to start a new critique group, too.

There will be a meet and greet at 9:00, where attendees sign in and get their name tags, then can enjoy a cup of coffee and a snack while meeting other writers and illustrators. Faculty books will be available for purchase during the refreshment time as well.

Sign up here: https://oregon.scbwi.org/events/winter-great-critique-january-2020/

The faculty includes;

Addie Boswell 

Cindy Baldwin 

Zoe Burke  

Kelly Fry 

Melissa Hart 

Sarah Jane Marsh 

Suzy Vitello 

Kate Berube 

The Twelve Days of Christmas - with Pinspirations

A Partridge in a PearTree

 It’s December 13^th, which means IT’S OFFICIAL!

The countdown has begun!

But come on people…FIVE golden rings, wouldn’t one be enough?

Yes, Christmas is coming and, in the spirit of The Twelve Days of Christmas, I’ve been searching the web for a little pinspiration because I need some new gift-giving ideas.

You see, over the years, Christmas around my house has always meant a lot of making, baking and creating is going on. I’ve always loved to make homemade gifts to share with my family and friends. But this year my kids told me, “no more knitted hats or scarves.”

“WHAT?”

This is a brave new world I’m trying to live in, which means, I’ve been searching for something different to give my kids. And I’ve found some fun sights on the internet. So, in the spirit of giving, I’m going to share some of these things.

1)      Free Bullet Journal Doodles are here, so you can learn how to draw
2)      Free Printable “I Spy” Activity Sheets for kids or kids at heart here.
3)      Nine Free Printable Christmas Carols you can download here.
4)      Free STEM Kids’ Activity workbook
      (full disclosure – this one is from my own book Irma the Inventor-which is now on audible) and you can download the FREE workbook here.

And to really kick off the season, let’s all sing along:

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me

Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me

Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Plus, I thought I’d share a little history about the famous song.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was originally published in 1780 without music. It was more like a chant that came from a French rhyme. Still, more than 200 years later, it is still sung today and has become one of the most well-known Christmas Carols of all time.

Of course any parent, who sings the song with their kids, understands this is a cumulative song (which means each verse builds on the last) and plays to the excitement of the season with the giving of grand gifts that grow bigger and more extravagant with each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Really, eight maids a milking…?

And, could a partridge even be found in a pear tree, since they are ground nesters?

But I am easily distracted. Just follow the links I’ve provided and enjoy this beginning to The Twelve Days of Christmas!

Poop Emoji Cupcakes

Have you ever wanted to make a poop emoji cupcake? Well I have. So, I did. I made these little guys for my brother-in-law's 60th birthday. (He's a plumber - so it seemed sort of appropriate.) I simply baked a couple dozen chocolate cupcakes and then I piped chocolate frosting onto the top using a piping pastry bag, without using a tip. 

At first, I tried using a #10 Wilton tip, but the rings of frosting were too small so I piped them into a bowl and started over. I decided not to use any tip at all so the rings of frosting would be big. And, I think it worked out great.

Then I cut out the mouth and eyes using black and white fondant. I used piping tips to get the circles. And I cut the largest circle in half to make  the mouth. 

I filmed it all using a time-lapse setting so it wouldn't be too boring.

Click here to watch how I did it

I also printed out these little signs and taped them onto cupcake sticks and stabbed them into the cakes. 

Let me  know what you think. And, if you try this, please share some pictures with me. I'd love to see them.

POTLANDIA...is just a name

PORTLAND OREGON is known as Potlandia but around my house it means something else entirely.

I have my own hanging gardens. Of course, it's just a few potted plants I have perched up on my picket fence but I think it's pretty.

But then, when the cold weather and holidays roll around, I want to transform my fence into a holiday display so I update the little pots with floral stems I've purchased at Joann Fabric and Crafts. 

I used red and white paint because if I’d used red and green in the garden, the green wouldn't have shown up. And white makes the plants pop!

After the paint dried I stenciled some fun festive words on the front like Hope, Wish, Dream, Love, Inspire, and - of  course - believe.


This was a fun, easy craft, and I love to watch people walk past the house and stop to get a word of encouragement as they go on by.

I'm Dreaming of a . . . Pink Christmas

Some people dream  of snow...not me, I prefer a warm, cozy Christmas. And what could be better than spending the cold weather inside, crafting?

This is an old craft I've done before...but believe me, I'm working on new ones but I thought I'd share this oldie but still a goodie one with you.

This is an easy tree to make. Don't feel restrained to go small; you can make it as big as you want.

All you need is a little tulle, which you can pick up at any fabric store. And, if pink isn't your color, you can go green with a green tree...

Or purple, if you prefer.

Here's how to do it. Lay out your fabric 

Then cut it into strips

Use a dowel and a heavy piece of wood to hold the tree and simply start stacking your strips...

It's as simple as that - then add a star

And you could be finished there. Or pull out your handy-dandy 

glue gun

And then add whatever embellishments you like...I like sparkly rhinestones or fake gemstones

And voila - you'll have a pink or green or even purple Christmas! But no matter what color you prefer,  I hope it's a  healthy, happy and fun-filled Holiday!