google fight

take this fight to the streets

google fight

you can match up LUNCH with DINNER

line up HAIR against BALD

or try PEN vs. SWORD

CHUCK NORRIS never gets into google fights; he just delivers a powerful roundhouse kick if you dare to ask him about it

CUTE gets 222,000,000 and wins!!!

NASTY only gets 64,300,000

...means losers are nasty:)

BIG finish, now

You can find information on various topics at Associated Content---an open content site. You can participate and submit your content, too! I find AC to be a great source for reliable info in easy to read articles.

Finishing Techniques for Woodburning
Although there are many different ways to finish your pyrographic projects sometimes the simplest way is the best way. Here is a short description of some of my favorite ways to finish, seal and protect your projects.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1417029/finishing_techniques_for_woodburning.html

Wordless Wednesday

my new bowling trophy

One night my Dear Husband was not able to bowl his weekly league, and asked me to step in and substitute for him. When I walked into the bowling alley I noticed a really nice decorated jar on the front counter. I almost stopped to ask about the pretty container, but I had to quickly get setup to bowl.

In the 2nd game, the league president drew numbers at random (for bowler # and lane #) and they announced that Bowler #2 on lane 24 has just won a cookie jar!!!

I was thrilled! and the jar was full of homemade chocolate chip cookies, too. What a great prize, and I got to share the cookies with most of the league bowlers. You can bet I was very gentle when loading and I'm so proud of my 'bowling trophy'

wildwood featured on MiM

The good folks at MadeItMyself.com have chosen my shop to feature

find out more about MiM on their social site

it's Party Time

All the supporters of handmade toys have worked very hard to fight the CPSIA...and now they're ready to celebrate their success and socialize with YOU



Blockhead Radio is hosting a party tonight at 7pm Eastern time..and You're Invited! Listen to the broadcast by clicking on the player, and log into chat to have some fun.

Some special guests and lots of hilarity as we honor the makers of toys. Come join us, won't you?

Install Microsoft Silverlight for best listening experience.

Find out more about CPSIA

CPSIA Central





Handmade Toy Alliance





National Bankruptcy Day

tweet tweet twitter tweet

two birds in a bush

LOST

follow me on Twitter

songbird pencil box

why are these pro bowlers using plastic balls?

for the money!!! And to prove a point....that the bowling equipment of the past is uber limited. So, The GEICO Plastic Ball Championship evens the odds in a retro kinda way

PBA Plastic Ball Championship

ESPN Sunday, Feb 22 noon CST for the finals

songwriter for hire

Need a catchy jingle for your shop? This little offer is tailored just for you!

Mike Burnes is a very talented songwriter who is making his work available to crafters everywhere. Mike is offering a low cost jingle for online ads and radio spots for only $30.oo

We'll take care of all the details: composing, recording, and delivery. And you'll have a hard copy CD of your 30 second jingle to promote your shop, complete with licensing for the life of your business.

Get in on the advertising packages from Blockhead Radio and other online broadcasters, and reach those listeners in a friendly, memorable way!

Not sure what musical style to use? Mike can produce a variety of tunes from soft, sweet tunes to fast, upbeat jingles. Give us a glimpse into your shop with tagline, motto, and targeted audience---and we'll write a jingle to suit your style.

Wordless Wednesday

Getting to the Heartwood

The solid center of a tree trunk is known as the heartwood. The source of extractives and minerals that expands with age. Heartwood is dense and no longer conducts water to supply to leaves and branches. The outer rings on a crosscut tree are called sapwood. The number of sapwood rings will vary from one tree species to another: some trees only need a few sapwood rings where walnut trees may have as many as 20 sapwood rings.









In some species of trees, the difference in color between the heartwood rings and the sapwood rings makes it easy to see. Trees like basswood and butternut have very little difference in color and density, which makes them ideal for woodburning.

The Heartwood is strong with this one:)

knotted hearts plate

5 minute Chocolate Cake

5-minute Chocolate Cake - More cool how to projects

my love story

You might call it providence, but I had a sense of fate when I met Jody. While working at a daycare center one rainy April day, I waited with little Johnny for his mother to pick him up. As we peered through the windows straining to see her car (ANY car) there was a group of boys gathering at a nearby ball field. When the rain pounded them and they scrambled for cover, we thought they were leaving.

One of the coaches came over and asked if they could take shelter in our building and hold a brief meeting with their new ball team. He was handsome and charming...so of course I let them in. I asked if they would fold the chairs when they're finished and not take too long, please. He smiled.

Their meeting was anything but brief. little Johnny's mommy had come and gone long ago. The rain outside was turning into flash floods, and the ball team left the chairs in the middle of the room. I was tired. I might even get in trouble if my manager knew I had given permission for a group to use the space! The handsome coach gave a quick wink and helped me return the playroom to normal.

The next sunny day my little daycare kids were playing on the ballfield and a green VW bug drove up. It was the coach and he was back to practice his team. The kids played and played, and finally it was time to go into the daycare building. As we gathered our group to leave, the coach said "you're not leaving yet" I gave a quizzical look. He said "I haven't asked you out on a date yet! and that was my real reason for coming here today"

Jody and I went out on a date every night for a week. And that's how I met Jody 25 years ago at a Little League ballpark. We've been HaPpiLy mArRiEd since!

jody takes a nap between ballgames (2006)

Friday the 13th

Find yourself looking for wood to knock upon?

then you need one of these

Cutting boards and paddles that still have plenty of knocks left in 'em! My attraction to decorative lettering combines with my complusion to recycle; and the result is 'knocking' boards!

If the salvaged cutting boards don't have enough damage, I take a hammer to 'em and make sure they're well knocked up. And most of these boards can be hung over a door handle---keeping them handy for vigourous and frequent knocking.

A fellow woodworker bought my first knocking board, and asked me to always have at least one of these in my shop at all times. 'In case somebody takes HIS....he's gonna need another!!! LOL

So, my SIGNATURE item is born from fire and destruction; and my pinchot for old expressions will be a part of my shop forever.

takes the biscuit

The Biscuit Maker vintage apron

Woodburned rolling pin

Check out this recipe for Mississippi Delta Cathead Biscuits and somebody pass the mayhaw jelly, please!

Wordless Wednesday

A Stolen Kiss

Black Lace Box





Scentful Indulgence

breakin down camp wildwood

I sometimes call it my 'other' blog...Camp Wildwood. A little campsite on the edge of things where I could post some family stuff.

I've put all my efforts in Edge of the Wildwood blog, and didnt have much to post around camp. My family and friends are with me on this blog... and I like them here! So, I finally decided to take down the tent and douse the campfire.

Maybe we'll come back to Camp Wildwood someday. I still have my camping gear:)

Fire! Fire! Fire!

This is a true story...

(some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent)

While folding laundry one day, Marsha was stacking the towels and watching TV like she always does. The living room was a comfortable spot where Marsha could spread out her laundry and enjoy the program. As the towering stacks grew, a few decorative objects were pushed aside to make space. The candle-in-a-jar got too close to the silk-flowers-in-a-container and a sudden blast of crackling flame shot up! Marsha grabbed the burning flower arrangment and headed for the nearest faucet. That would be the bathtub. Through the bedroom. Almost as soon as she turned to move that direction, the fire took over and now big blobs of melted plastic were touching her arms and splattering everywhere! on the coffee table. on the laundry. on the floor. on the furniture. in the bedroom. And if that wasn't bad enough, now the big blooms and leaves of the silk plant are hitting the floor in flames. Marsha does her quick best to stamp on the blazing flowers, but she's wearing his skid free socks with thick soft plastic that is now making her sock stick to the floor. Finally making it to the tub, she tosses the burnt mess into the tub. Melted plastic and fire splat the tub enclosure and the water finally does it trick. Marsha is ok, but very shook up. She still loves candles, just gonna be more careful. When I saw the carnage, I grabbed my camera (of course) and told her I was definately gonna have to blog about this! it's just too good to pass up:)

Social Butterfly

social butterfly: one who knows how to intermingle

and makes a social grace of it

(two small butterflies resting on a rock with ants and ivy

handpainted rock)

Lately, I have been joining and posting on all kinds of community sites, specialty sites and networking sites! It's so cool to recognize someone that you've noticed on another website. And each online community has it's own mix of members, where I meet new people.

I fly from group to group briefly sipping the nectar of the garden and exchange a few words before moving on to the next bright bloom.

• my craft




• indiepublic




• Made It Myself




• American Craft Guide

(ladybug ceramic from my childhood)

Each have something for me. These four sites are about crafting in general, and they connect me with some wonderful people who make handmade products. I love to see the items and leave a note for the maker. I'm very pleased to see supporters who visit these sites and discover something new. something special.

(blue moth - handpainted rock)

I'll probably have to get into twitter next; and stretch my butterfly wings!

for your feller

From the Treasuries of Etsy

Practical Housewives

submitted by Mallie


Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it.

Use banana peels for shoe polish. Works on any shade of shiny leather. Wipe a damp cloth to remove any sticky debris.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store so they don't rippen too quickly.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

Easy Deviled Eggs Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done; easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer f or a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

Reheating refrigerated bread To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

No More Pests Place a dryer sheet in your pocket, it will keep the mosquitoes away.

Vintage Roadshow

Announcing our BIG winner for the Etsy prize package:

CJC of Bedlam Country Crafts !