tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82229016631097620782024-03-04T23:05:58.665-05:00ArtSnark's Artifactsart & musings for the eclectic soulArtsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.comBlogger1038125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-74066938048819300982016-09-19T10:26:00.000-04:002016-09-19T10:45:37.533-04:00Wake Up<br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us even in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavour. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">-Henry David Thoreau</span></div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-49448786362913523852016-08-08T14:56:00.002-04:002016-08-08T17:07:00.032-04:00Music Monday - Mason Bates & blogger burnout<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><a href="https://youtu.be/19l0cALiaxo" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Andrew Chan playing Mason Bates' Stereo Is King</span></a></i></div>
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<b>Hey there! How have you been? </b></div>
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I've only just discovered Mason Bates today, so popping by to share. <a href="http://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/1617_TheFloridaOrchestra/Symphonie-Fantastique" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">The Florida Orchestra</span></a> will be performing The B-Sides next spring. Visiting youtube for a listen caught my attention. Then the video rolled into <i>Stereo Is King ... </i>and now I'm hooked.</div>
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<b>Where has the time gone?</b> I almost can't believe the last post was waaay back in April. Over the last couple of years I've (mostly) lost my taste for blogging. Health, work, family and other life stuff left me with little extra time or energy. So, the blog got neglected. What I'm about to say next might sound weird, but I have felt guilty about this for a long time. Silly, right? It was like the blog was a pet I kept forgetting to feed and play with. Or a relationship that was burned out but still hanging on.<br />
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<b>After <u>many</u> false re-starts, it was easier to just walk away. </b>2016 has been a time of pruning away unnecessary (& often self-induced) pressures. Most of the year has been simply about living life and recharging my batteries. For anyone who is curious, you can find me more often on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/artsnarktampa" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">@ArtsnarkTampa </span></a>. I'm also still on instagram as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/artsnark/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Artsnark</span></a>. I will definitely stop back here from time to time, but in a no obligation, random rambling sort of way. Kind of like before - but without the guilt and apologies every third post.<br />
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<b>The best thing since April's post has been the long overdue overhaul of the art/craft room.</b> I'm still puttering and stashing too many mixed media supplies & books. But it is, at last, a comfortable and usable space. The new glass door & small patio have added some much needed natural light and doubled the space. It is the perfect setup for spray painting or ducking out for a quiet break. </div>
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Time to run. If you've found your way to my tiny corner of the web, thanks for the visit! Please share what you are listening to. I'm always up for something new or revisiting a classic. </div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-1458876816394970252016-04-29T17:29:00.005-04:002016-04-29T17:34:48.451-04:00IKEA restaurant refresh<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Earlier this week the Tampa Bay Bloggers enjoyed a pre-party lunch at IKEA. Today is the start of IKEA's 3 day celebration of "fantastic food and family fun." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You may have caught some of the stats in <a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2016/04/ikea-afternoon-of-food-fun-and-photos.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Tuesday's blog post</span></a>. For more details on daily giveaways, dining specials (like Sunday's $9.99 All you can eat brunch), and family activities visit <a href="http://ikea.com/us/en/store/tampa" target="_blank">Ikea.com/us/en/store/tampa</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No time for a meal? Need a little pick-me-up while shopping? Pop by for <i>Fika</i>, essentially a coffee break - including a little something sweet like IKEA's classic cinnamon rolls (my family's fave) or the </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BAKELSE PRINSESS</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (pink cream cakes with marzipan). The pink cakes, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 30px;">TÅRTA BLÅBÄR (</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">blueberry cake) and the </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">TÅRTA MÖRK CHOKLAD (almond & dark chocolate cake) were <u>very </u>popular with the bloggers. By the way, you can also find these in the frozen aisle in the Swedish Grocery section for <i>Fika</i> at home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Now, I know I sound like a commercial or something, but I really love this store. So much so that I'll go for one item and spend an extra hour browsing and taking photos just for fun. The rows of objects and assortment of colors and textures just beg to be captured! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Full disclosure: </b>Each blogger received,in addition to lunch, a swag tote filled with goodies. I'd barely finished taking this pic when my kid swooped in for the chocolate and husband "ooh"ed over the organic lingonberry jam. The bamboo tablet stand has already found a place in my craft room.</i></span></div>
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<b>Talk about Eye Candy!</b></div>
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I'm not a candy fan but love the assorted shapes/colors of these sweeties. There's a whole wall of bulk Swedish candies in the grocery section. While far from a health food, at least they are made without high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats or gmos. <i>(This true for most IKEA foods as they have to meet the European standards which are more health-conscious than the USDA ones.)</i></div>
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Off the topic of food, I had to share a quick snap of this fun display from the new <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/collections/34651/?icid=us|iba|20160425|06" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">GILTIG collection</span></a>. The wacky vibe and vibrant colors are almost eye-popping. Actually, the eyeball bowl above is part of this group. </div>
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So, hey, if you find yourself in Tampa this weekend (pre-Beyonce concert or for Riverfest or the Mac & Cheese Throwdown) pop on over to IKEA for some munchies and other celebratory stuff. Maybe I'll see you there!</div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-38744052674112115262016-04-27T21:51:00.002-04:002016-04-27T22:12:36.665-04:00IKEA afternoon of food, fun and photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">IKEAs everywhere are rolling out their newly remodeled restaurants & cafes. This weekend Tampa is celebrating this global refresh with a 3 day blowout bash... <i>and you are invited! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">The party starts Friday April 29th a</span><span style="text-align: justify;">t the North 22nd St. store,</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> with lots of yummy food and cheerful decor. Plus the first 100 people lined up at the restaurant's designated area at 5 pm will receive a "mystery envelope" containing "food and gift card prizes up to $100."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In fact, each day of the event there will be an additional 100 mystery envelope winners, as well as goody bag giveaways (Saturday) and Twitter contests (Sunday). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcJBAykW_bSFO72od_wpedBWA54YUrkZct4Zm0CqoifIjrrxrlVPjtq9d14fHb8hLdiui4nCSN3usXkYSfkM7khCCFlkCkNUOk5Ri0hEBUjycaidGuJvkT1xfESI2zZLHsa1BhPJ57DRT/s640/blogger-image--189472489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcJBAykW_bSFO72od_wpedBWA54YUrkZct4Zm0CqoifIjrrxrlVPjtq9d14fHb8hLdiui4nCSN3usXkYSfkM7khCCFlkCkNUOk5Ri0hEBUjycaidGuJvkT1xfESI2zZLHsa1BhPJ57DRT/s320/blogger-image--189472489.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/tampa" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Click here</span></a> </span>for details on these events and more, including face painting, food demonstrations and an ergonomics workshop. Or call 888-888-4532.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday I enjoyed lunch with several Tampa Bay Bloggers. Great food and interesting info was provided by IKEA staff in exchange for sharing our thoughts, tweets and pics. *</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pop back here before the party starts Friday afternoon for some foodie facts and photos. I'll give you a hint - it is more than just meatballs!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the preview party my playtime continued with some shopping and lots of picture taking. I can wander around this store for hours just enjoying all the eye candy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The rooms showcase and encourage day dreaming and even the basic display areas feature fab contrasting textures and colors. Plus there are loads of lively lines and an almost endless repetition of complimentary objects...so much fun to photograph!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you been to IKEA? Are you a browser/dreamer like me or more of a get it & get out type? Have you visited their restaurant, cafe or grocery sections? What are your faves? I'll share some of yesterday's greatest hits in the next blog post. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">*We also each received a goody bag of IKEA treats. For a look at yesterday's preview party search twitter and instagram using #IKEArefresh #TampaBayTuesday and #TampaBayBloggers.</span></div>
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<br />Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-55372252122400115082016-04-21T22:01:00.000-04:002016-04-24T20:43:13.433-04:00In Fieri = "In the course of execution; a thing commenced but not
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>plaster head</i></td></tr>
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<i><b>Hey there! How have you been? </b></i></div>
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An old facebook friend asked me this recently. While I answered with the expected family/work/ life update, my first thought was <i>"In Fieri"</i>- a Latin phrase for something<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><i>"in the process of being done".</i> I first came across the phrase while seeking a title for <a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2013/03/nude-nute-tampa-2013.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">an ouroborus & nude drawing a few years back</span></a>. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>prismatic shatter</i></td></tr>
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<b>My life has been at a low simmer for a long while now. </b>Sometimes barely moving; sometimes boiling over. While work and family have been fairly constant - health, art and,yes, blogging...erm...<i>not so much</i>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>tear down the wall</i></td></tr>
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<b>So, what's up? 1st step has been the reclaiming of my creative space. </b>Over the years my craft room became the box room ..became <i>junk room! </i>Not at all conducive to getting creative.</div>
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<b>Gutting the mess has me (slowly) making the space what I have always wanted it to be.</b> At around 10'x 14' the room is a wee bit tight for a mixed media junkie who lives within walking distance of a Michaels Craft store. Earlier this month we blew out a window/wall and added a glass door. Now the space opens onto a long unused narrow side yard consisting of dirt and ferns. This will soon be a paved patio with oodles of plein air & picnic potential. I am super psyched and will share more pics soon.</div>
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Well, I'm kind of rambling at this point. If you are still with me - thanks for your patience. While I can't promise I'll be blogging as regularly (or as deeply) as "back in the day," (hell...I know I won't), I am still here and will tune in now and again. Until the next random act of blogging, be well and keep creating!</div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-73422937573486528522016-03-03T19:19:00.002-05:002016-03-03T19:19:38.239-05:00We have a winner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Woo Hoo! It is that time again! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is time to announce the latest Thursday Giveaway Winner! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's prize is a collection of handmade soaps and lotion from Sweet Harvest Farms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And today's lucky random winner (picked using random.org) is...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Jenny Hodges from </span><a href="http://metamorfit.org/"><span style="color: purple;">MetamorFit.org</span></a><span style="color: red;">!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations, Jenny! I will contact you for your shipping info.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many thanks to everyone who took the time to enter! Be sure to pop back soon for a new prize announcement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And a hearty thank you to S.H. Farms for sharing your fabulous creations! For more info about this Tampa, FL company visit any of the links below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.com</span></a> has interesting "about" and "press" pages, as well as product info and a list of places to find them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.westelm.com/stores/us/fl/tampa-hyde-park-village/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">West Elm Hyde Park Village</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"> sells a selection of items</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.etsy.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.Etsy.com</span></a> has only a potpourri listing as of this writing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sweet-Harvest-Farms-Handmade-Soap-WholesaleRetail-253127986528/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Click here to connect via FaceBook</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">On twitter:</span><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%C2%A0https://twitter.com/soapdiva" target="_blank"> <span style="color: purple;">https://twitter.com/soapdiva</span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">And Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sweetharvestfarms/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">https://www.instagram.com/sweetharvestfarms/</span></a></span></div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-35877500261849148282016-03-02T13:33:00.001-05:002016-03-02T13:35:35.186-05:00Last chance to enter Sweet Harvest Farms random drawing - ends 3/3/16<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18.2px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0.25em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Leave a comment before 1 a.m. (EST) on March 3, 2016 to enter this random drawing. Winner will be announced tomorrow. Ships free to lucky winner! (Very few entries due to my lack of promo & blogging, so the odds are pretty good). For additional info, check out the repost from 2/11/16 below:</i></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz0XaNOsw9b87aXZcVMGAftCSmoVz-wxD7jnToSiR0gBUcwhjhMpCSLaOwMiEvbHPy99eVztK1diZX8oBLtwWi2K05VEjKjLpXqrtNZcfig7Uq0mIYIg3gxKvXn-blFEZo2J3zVfuOTPE/s640/blogger-image-510821123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz0XaNOsw9b87aXZcVMGAftCSmoVz-wxD7jnToSiR0gBUcwhjhMpCSLaOwMiEvbHPy99eVztK1diZX8oBLtwWi2K05VEjKjLpXqrtNZcfig7Uq0mIYIg3gxKvXn-blFEZo2J3zVfuOTPE/s400/blogger-image-510821123.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We've got some goodies to share today! </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Love all-natural bath and beauty products? Winter weather drying you out? Do you like supporting independent businesses and enjoy handmade items?</b> If you say "yes", then this is the place for you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I first encountered Sweet Harvest Farms fragrant soaps at local (Tampa, Florida) shows and weekend markets. I bought a few bars and loved the creamy, texture. Their soaps not only smell great, they also leave you feeling clean, without that sticky film some other handmade soaps leave behind. When I found out that the owner, CJ, is also a fellow member of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TampaBayEtsyCrew/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Tampa Bay Etsy Crew</span></a>, I knew it was time to share the love. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEDmQNu6QFVyaDRbRgFqHf1ijI6HiWCIU0IfOi4Xc_cAjOWdiH5gpJDA1DHzXjGhGmaaqVbV36sFr3pZupFPonRcFemwM3FSJqFmUqMVoAM6_9l6_bSvk_rkwkFMOg9aBF_L_Y5MO6SM8/s640/blogger-image-447236178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEDmQNu6QFVyaDRbRgFqHf1ijI6HiWCIU0IfOi4Xc_cAjOWdiH5gpJDA1DHzXjGhGmaaqVbV36sFr3pZupFPonRcFemwM3FSJqFmUqMVoAM6_9l6_bSvk_rkwkFMOg9aBF_L_Y5MO6SM8/s400/blogger-image-447236178.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the S.H.Farms online shop:</span></span></div>
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<span class="cap" style="font-size: 22.5333px;">W</span>elcome to Sweet Harvest Farms where we offer all natural and organic <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/handmadesoap.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">Handmade Soap</span></a>, <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/bodylotions.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">Body Lotion</span></a>, <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/naturaldeodorant.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">All Natural Deodorant</span></a>, <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/toothpowder.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">Tooth Powder</span></a> and more. C.J., of Sweet Harvest Farms, has formulated her own unique bath & body recipes that are both luxurious for your skin & kind to the earth.</div>
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<span class="cap" style="font-size: 22.5333px;">A</span> small, but thriving cottage start-up, Sweet Harvest Farms creates cold processed soaps that are made entirely by hand, in small batches, to ensure quality control. Using only the highest quality organic oils, clays and herbs on the market, C.J.'s products have become highly sought after by health conscience individuals. Sweet Harvest Farms also has a line of all <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/dogsoap.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">natural/organic dog soap</span></a>, <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/allbarknobite.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Flea Powde</span>r</a> </span>and ointment for your dog as well.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sounds great, doesn't it? </b>Visit <a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.com</span></a> for additional info on this cool company and its wares. There are also a few more links at the bottom of this post. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>So what is the new Thursday Giveaway? </b>On 3/3<b> </b>one lucky reader will take home 2 luscious bars of S.H. Farms soap (1 lavender & 1 oatmeal, milk and honey) plus 1 lavender body silk lotion. <i>See top photo.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>How To Enter?</b> Simply leave a comment on my blog before 1 a.m. (EST) on Thursday March 3rd. (By the way, please leave an email address if there is no contact info in your profile, so that I can notify you if you win.) The randomly selected winner will be announced later that day. This prize ships free worldwide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Want to learn more about Sweet Harvest Farms? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.com</span></a> has interesting "about" and "press" pages, as well as product info and a list of places to find them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.westelm.com/stores/us/fl/tampa-hyde-park-village/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">West Elm Hyde Park Village</span></a> sells a selection of items</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.etsy.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.Etsy.com</span></a> has only a potpourri listing as of this writing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sweet-Harvest-Farms-Handmade-Soap-WholesaleRetail-253127986528/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Click here to connect via FaceBook</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">On twitter:</span><span style="color: purple;"> <span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://twitter.com/soapdiva" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/soapdiva</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sweetharvestfarms/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: purple;">https://www.instagram.com/sweetharvestfarms/</span></a></span></div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-88139205444071429942016-02-14T19:50:00.003-05:002016-02-14T20:01:33.696-05:00Free Printable Space Travel Posters from NASA and JPL Studios<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a class="fancybox" data-download-info="<a href="pdf/mars.pdf">› Download printable version (2.30MB PDF File)</a><br />
<a href="tif/mars.tif">› Download high resolution version (206MB TIFF File)</a>" data-fancybox-group="images" data-fancybox-href="images/mars.jpg" data-thumbnail="images/mars-small.jpg" data-title="<p>NASA's Mars Exploration Program seeks to understand whether Mars was, is, or can be a habitable world. Mission like Mars Pathfinder, Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Science Laboratory and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, among many others, have provided important information in understanding of the habitability of Mars. This poster imagines a future day when we have achieved our vision of human exploration of Mars and takes a nostalgic look back at the great imagined milestones of Mars exploration that will someday be celebrated as “historic sites.”</p>" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5d5a56; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Mars - JPL Travel Poster" src="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/visions-of-the-future/images/mars-small.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 220.797px;" title="Mars - JPL Travel Poster" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This Is Awesome!</span></b></div>
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<a class="fancybox" data-download-info="<a href="pdf/venus.pdf">› Download printable version (1.36MB PDF File)</a><br />
<a href="tif/venus.tif">› Download high resolution version (206MB TIFF File)</a>" data-fancybox-group="images" data-fancybox-href="images/venus.jpg" data-thumbnail="images/venus-small.jpg" data-title="<p>The rare science opportunity of planetary transits has long inspired bold voyages to exotic vantage points – journeys such as James Cook's trek to the South Pacific to watch Venus and Mercury cross the face of the Sun in 1769. Spacecraft now allow us the luxury to study these cosmic crossings at times of our choosing from unique locales across our solar system.</p>" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5d5a56; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Venus - JPL Travel Poster" src="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/visions-of-the-future/images/venus-small.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 220.797px;" title="Venus - JPL Travel Poster" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Do you dream of interplanetary travel?</b></span></div>
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<a class="fancybox" data-download-info="<a href="pdf/venus.pdf">› Download printable version (1.36MB PDF File)</a><br />
<a href="tif/venus.tif">› Download high resolution version (206MB TIFF File)</a>" data-fancybox-group="images" data-fancybox-href="images/venus.jpg" data-thumbnail="images/venus-small.jpg" data-title="<p>The rare science opportunity of planetary transits has long inspired bold voyages to exotic vantage points – journeys such as James Cook's trek to the South Pacific to watch Venus and Mercury cross the face of the Sun in 1769. Spacecraft now allow us the luxury to study these cosmic crossings at times of our choosing from unique locales across our solar system.</p>" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5d5a56; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></a></div>
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<a class="fancybox" data-download-info="<a href="pdf/venus.pdf">› Download printable version (1.36MB PDF File)</a><br />
<a href="tif/venus.tif">› Download high resolution version (206MB TIFF File)</a>" data-fancybox-group="images" data-fancybox-href="images/venus.jpg" data-thumbnail="images/venus-small.jpg" data-title="<p>The rare science opportunity of planetary transits has long inspired bold voyages to exotic vantage points – journeys such as James Cook's trek to the South Pacific to watch Venus and Mercury cross the face of the Sun in 1769. Spacecraft now allow us the luxury to study these cosmic crossings at times of our choosing from unique locales across our solar system.</p>" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5d5a56; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></a></div>
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<a class="fancybox" data-download-info="<a href="pdf/europa.pdf">› Download printable version (4.49MB PDF File)</a><br />
<a href="tif/europa.tif">› Download high resolution version (206MB TIFF File)</a>" data-fancybox-group="images" data-fancybox-href="images/europa.jpg" data-thumbnail="images/europa-small.jpg" data-title="<p>Astonishing geology and the potential to host the conditions for simple life make Jupiter's moon Europa a fascinating destination for future exploration. Beneath its icy surface, Europa is believed to conceal a global ocean of salty liquid water twice the volume of Earth's oceans. Tugging and flexing from Jupiter's gravity generates enough heat to keep the ocean from freezing. On Earth, wherever we find water, we find life. What will NASA's Europa mission find when it heads for this intriguing moon in the 2020s</p>" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5d5a56; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><img alt="Europa - JPL Travel Poster" src="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/visions-of-the-future/images/europa-small.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 220.797px;" title="Europa - JPL Travel Poster" /></a></div>
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<a class="fancybox" data-download-info="<a href="pdf/mars.pdf">› Download printable version (2.30MB PDF File)</a><br />
<a href="tif/mars.tif">› Download high resolution version (206MB TIFF File)</a>" data-fancybox-group="images" data-fancybox-href="images/mars.jpg" data-thumbnail="images/mars-small.jpg" data-title="<p>NASA's Mars Exploration Program seeks to understand whether Mars was, is, or can be a habitable world. Mission like Mars Pathfinder, Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Science Laboratory and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, among many others, have provided important information in understanding of the habitability of Mars. This poster imagines a future day when we have achieved our vision of human exploration of Mars and takes a nostalgic look back at the great imagined milestones of Mars exploration that will someday be celebrated as “historic sites.”</p>" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5d5a56; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Feed your galactic wanderlust with these FREE printable travel posters from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's "Visions of the future" series. <a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/visions-of-the-future/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Click Here to make the (space) jump.</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the way, any comments left on the blog before 3/3/16 get you an entry in a random drawing for handmade bath and beauty products from Sweet Harvest farm. <a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2016/02/enter-to-win-handmade-soaps-and-lotion.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Click here for photo of prize and details.</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz0XaNOsw9b87aXZcVMGAftCSmoVz-wxD7jnToSiR0gBUcwhjhMpCSLaOwMiEvbHPy99eVztK1diZX8oBLtwWi2K05VEjKjLpXqrtNZcfig7Uq0mIYIg3gxKvXn-blFEZo2J3zVfuOTPE/s640/blogger-image-510821123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz0XaNOsw9b87aXZcVMGAftCSmoVz-wxD7jnToSiR0gBUcwhjhMpCSLaOwMiEvbHPy99eVztK1diZX8oBLtwWi2K05VEjKjLpXqrtNZcfig7Uq0mIYIg3gxKvXn-blFEZo2J3zVfuOTPE/s400/blogger-image-510821123.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We've got some goodies to share today! </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Love all-natural bath and beauty products? Winter weather drying you out? Do you like supporting independent businesses and enjoy handmade items?</b> If you say "yes", then this is the place for you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I first encountered Sweet Harvest Farms fragrant soaps at local (Tampa, Florida) shows and weekend markets. I bought a few bars and loved the creamy, texture. Their soaps not only smell great, they also leave you feeling clean, without that sticky film some other handmade soaps leave behind. When I found out that the owner, CJ, is also a fellow member of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TampaBayEtsyCrew/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Tampa Bay Etsy Crew</span></a>, I knew it was time to share the love. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the S.H.Farms online shop:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="cap" style="font-size: 22.5333px;">W</span>elcome to Sweet Harvest Farms where we offer all natural and organic <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/handmadesoap.html"><span style="color: purple;">Handmade Soap</span></a>, <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/bodylotions.html"><span style="color: purple;">Body Lotion</span></a>, <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/naturaldeodorant.html"><span style="color: purple;">All Natural Deodorant</span></a>, <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/toothpowder.html"><span style="color: purple;">Tooth Powder</span></a> and more. C.J., of Sweet Harvest Farms, has formulated her own unique bath & body recipes that are both luxurious for your skin & kind to the earth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="cap" style="font-size: 22.5333px;">A</span> small, but thriving cottage start-up, Sweet Harvest Farms creates cold processed soaps that are made entirely by hand, in small batches, to ensure quality control. Using only the highest quality organic oils, clays and herbs on the market, C.J.'s products have become highly sought after by health conscience individuals. Sweet Harvest Farms also has a line of all <a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/dogsoap.html"><span style="color: purple;">natural/organic dog soap</span></a>, <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://www.sweetharvestfarms.com/allbarknobite.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Flea Powde</span>r</a> </span>and ointment for your dog as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sounds great, doesn't it? </b>Visit <a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.com</span></a> for additional info on this cool company and its wares. There are also a few more links at the bottom of this post. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>So what is the new Thursday Giveaway? </b>On 3/3<b> </b>one lucky reader will take home 2 luscious bars of S.H. Farms soap (1 lavender & 1 oatmeal, milk and honey) plus 1 lavender body silk lotion. <i>See top photo.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>How To Enter?</b> Simply leave a comment on my blog before 1 a.m. (EST) on Thursday March 3rd. (By the way, please leave an email address if there is no contact info in your profile, so that I can notify you if you win.) The randomly selected winner will be announced later that day. This prize ships free worldwide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Want to learn more about Sweet Harvest Farms? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.com/"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.com</span></a> has interesting "about" and "press" pages, as well as product info and a list of places to find them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.westelm.com/stores/us/fl/tampa-hyde-park-village/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">West Elm Hyde Park Village</span></a> sells a selection of items</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://sweetharvestfarms.etsy.com/"><span style="color: purple;">SweetHarvestFarms.Etsy.com</span></a> has only a potpourri listing as of this writing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sweet-Harvest-Farms-Handmade-Soap-WholesaleRetail-253127986528/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Click here to connect via FaceBook</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On twitter: <span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://twitter.com/soapdiva" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/soapdiva</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sweetharvestfarms/"><span style="color: purple;">https://www.instagram.com/sweetharvestfarms/</span></a></span></div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-43239616358074860662016-02-05T14:35:00.002-05:002016-02-05T14:35:31.655-05:00Illustration Friday - Mystery<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sharing an oldie for today's Illustration Friday prompt - <i>Mystery.</i> </b>Back in '09 my charcoal drawing, scanned hand print and a fingerprint were combined for an Artarazzi challenge. The fingerprint was provided by Artarazzi (who, sadly, doesn't seem to exist anymore - a shame as they always had intriguing art contests).<a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-craving-artarazzi-25-meets-art-on.html" target="_blank"> </a><i><a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-craving-artarazzi-25-meets-art-on.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Click here</span></a> if you'd like to visit the original post</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Feeling inspired? </b>Upload your "mystery" piece to your favorite platform before 2/12 and then link it up over at <a href="http://illustrationfriday.com/" target="_blank">IllustrationFriday.com</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Maybe you just need a bit more mystery in your life?</b> Visit the IF link and check out all the interesting takes on the prompt.</span></div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-64313948293863717982016-01-28T19:39:00.000-05:002016-02-03T10:14:06.788-05:00Once Upon A Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="ACEO Red's winter walk - Red riding hood, wolf & snow print of original art" height="320" src="https://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/5246049/il_570xN.289131179.jpg" style="border: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/artsnark" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Red's Winter Walk</span></a></i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once upon a time there was a Winner!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The lucky person was randomly selected <i>(using <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://random.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Random.org</span></a>)</span></i> from those who left a comment on this blog between January 16th and 1 a.m. (EST) this morning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Prizes include a matted print of my piece, <i>Red's Winter Walk </i>and a copy of the classic book <u>Perrault's Fairy Tales</u>.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Who was Perrault? He is considered by many to be the "Father of fairy tales". Curious? <a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2016/01/celebrate-father-of-fairy-tales-b-day.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Click here for more info.</span></a>) Now back to today's story:</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Today's Lucky Winner is.....</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Digital Misfit</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Congratulations! I will email you for your shipping info. Thanks for playing along!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And hearty thank you's to all who took a few minutes to support my blog's resurrection with their comments. Be sure to pop back again soon. The new giveaway prize will be announced Thursday Feb. 11th and it is one you don't want to miss.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'll be back before then with some random chatter and pictures. Until we "meet" again, wishing you a very <i>Happily Ever After!</i></span></div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-4497841528345554972016-01-22T23:24:00.000-05:002016-01-22T23:24:19.597-05:00What's going on? Studio redo (at last)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQ2NTOw-zKtxnc0TnARWRd1CTnDhYH7m1X8W06pHCFWX5Tt-HQJrewzHgpb4C2FhNoSGBKmPgW3DkdDqF8y8jHJcQXMwaesn7oSF4ueqnBn3WfXnBq2LRQXZGMjhjgdnI5Nt_orUh8O46/s640/blogger-image--1441015970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQ2NTOw-zKtxnc0TnARWRd1CTnDhYH7m1X8W06pHCFWX5Tt-HQJrewzHgpb4C2FhNoSGBKmPgW3DkdDqF8y8jHJcQXMwaesn7oSF4ueqnBn3WfXnBq2LRQXZGMjhjgdnI5Nt_orUh8O46/s320/blogger-image--1441015970.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally turning the box room back into an art room. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Painting is almost done. Next come shelves and storage.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEGzhXgOWTsQuvmKapi1blpDbJ1NtNYgq-b_Eyvz6OkBlo7brakSKzegyK5X5ps20pphxISYtmtP0tNbIhvXsjPh5kRrqAfTOy1L9NYCXt47s8Ekp2sysQMeNWbETgggjhKw9gKT_0kzM/s640/blogger-image-349820513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEGzhXgOWTsQuvmKapi1blpDbJ1NtNYgq-b_Eyvz6OkBlo7brakSKzegyK5X5ps20pphxISYtmtP0tNbIhvXsjPh5kRrqAfTOy1L9NYCXt47s8Ekp2sysQMeNWbETgggjhKw9gKT_0kzM/s320/blogger-image-349820513.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then the hard part, deciding which items get to return. Right now this space's former contents are spread haphazardly over 3 other rooms -<i> eek!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Check out that yucky fan light! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't wait to replace and have been saving my pennies. Now the decision: practical or pretty? I'm kind of fixated on <a href="https://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/category/collections.jsp?parentCatId=cat160075&categoryId=cat1701016&sale=false" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Restoration Hardware's chandeliers</span></a> - they are so much fun to photograph! But I'm letting my obsession simmer in case it is just a phase... plus their light fixtures can be huge (in size and price).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As things slowly evolve here there will be more photos to come. By the way, if you want to see some before pics, <a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2015/07/craft-room-chaos-pics.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">click here</span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Do you have a space you want to spruce up? </b>Or other DIYs on your to do list? Please share - I'd love to see what you're up to or have planned.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. Be sure to leave a comment. Everyone who leaves a note before 1 a.m. (EST) on 1/28 will be entered in a random drawing for a book of Fairy Tales plus a Red Riding Hood matted print. <a href="http://artsnark.blogspot.com/2016/01/celebrate-father-of-fairy-tales-b-day.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Click here for details and photos of prizes.</span></a></span></b></div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-14952470822784928422016-01-12T12:48:00.006-05:002016-01-12T12:48:56.698-05:00Celebrate the "Father of Fairy Tales" b-day with a giveaway! Enter to win book and print on 1/28<div style="text-align: center;">
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Today's Google Doodle commemorates the 388th birthday of Charles Perrault with <a href="https://www.google.com/doodles/charles-perraults-388th-birthday" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">3 illustrations by Sophie Diao </span></a>(above). An academic and author, Perrault was a member of Louix XIV's court and influenced the design /construction of the Louvre and the famous fountains of Versailles, among other things.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>close up of Perrault by <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Lallemand" style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); color: #0b0080; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;" title="Philippe Lallemand">Philippe Lallemand</a></span></i></td></tr>
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His most interesting claim to fame, though, is as "The father of the modern fairy tale." Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Bluebeard and others were already spoken of in oral folk tales, shared with children to teach them lessons on morality and act as warnings. </div>
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Perrault, however, wrote them down. He gave these memorable characters (& more) life on the page, writing the tales in a way which entertained the upper class which he belonged to. His stories went on to influence the Grimm Brother's and others. For more info on Perrault and his stories, including where to read some online, check out the links at the end of this post.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Now, let's get this party started! </span></b></div>
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<b>On January 28th, one lucky winner will be selected</b> from everyone who comments on my blog between now and then. This winner will receive an English translation of <u>Perrault's Fairy Tales </u><i>(Dover Children's Classics).</i></div>
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Plus a matted print of <i>Red's Winter Walk. </i></div>
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<b>To Enter The Random Drawing:</b> Simply leave a comment on this blog before 1 a.m. EST on 1/28. It is that easy! <i>If your contact info is not in your profile, please leave an email address so that I can reach you if you are the winner</i>. </div>
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<b>The winner will be announced at noon (EST) on 1/28/16.</b> This drawing is open to all. The prizes have free world-wide shipping.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Looking for more info about Charles Perrault and his stories?</span></b> There is a lot to be found online. Here are a few links to get you started:</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Perrault" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Perrault</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/google-doodle/12093512/Who-was-Charles-Perrault-Why-the-fairy-tales-you-know-may-not-be-as-they-seem.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Who Was Charles Perrault? Why the fairy tales you know may not be as they seem.</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/perrault.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Read some of his illustrious tales at Sur La Lune</span></a></div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-57162512239811939082016-01-11T20:44:00.000-05:002016-01-11T20:44:27.081-05:00David Bowie "Fuckin' with the fabric of time.."<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Life On Mars </span></i></div>
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While every generation loses its immortals, there are always a few that still come as a surprise. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Rock 'n' Roll Suicide</i></span></div>
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We know that they are old or ill</div>
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or simply haven't shared their latest wisdom (or whimsy) for a while.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Under Pressure (Queen & Bowie)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">But, it seemed that they had "always been there"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Lazarus from Bowie's</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Keep listening and they will.</span></div>
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<i>David Bowie's animated interview (above) where he discusses his classic Ziggy Stardust persona provided the title to this post.</i></div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-45488194450055891702016-01-06T22:28:00.000-05:002016-01-06T23:24:19.069-05:00Sunny days ahead<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunflower</i></td></tr>
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<b>Hey there!</b> Long time, no see. How have you all been?<i> </i> I hope you are off to a promising 2016! </div>
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Life has been in a kind of stasis for a while, <i>which has been reaaally boring</i>, so I'm jumping on the New Year/New You bandwagon. <i>There's always room for 1 more, right?</i> Tackling overdue projects, loads of decluttering and returning to pleasures missed are on the top of January's (& probably Feb/March's) to-do list. Plus this lonely blog has been calling to me for a while. It's good to be back! </div>
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Reflecting on the past year, I missed too many simple moments. I forgot to find joy in the littlest things. Basically I spent a lot of 2015 stuck in my head. When this happened a couple of years ago, I shook out the cobwebs by capturing them (& other natural wonders) in a fun <i>365 Days in a Garden</i><span style="color: purple;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/artsnark/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">instagram</span></a></span> project. The series started as a whim, but I ended the year with increased awareness of my surroundings and learned to find something magical in every day.</div>
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I don't know about you, but I am overdue for a little magic. My new phone came in tonight (yeah)! The camera in my last one has been faulty forever. Even thinking of taking pics was depressing as, they would almost always come out blurry and poorly lit. Now that I have my new lifeline, I'm thinking about starting up another 365 days in photos gig.</div>
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<b>Any thoughts? Gardens again? Or general eye candy? </b></div>
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Care to join me? Could be fun. When you REALLY open your eyes, you might be surprised by what is right in front of you!</div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-5746105150051129552015-10-30T12:30:00.005-04:002015-10-30T12:30:34.947-04:00Illustration Friday - Bouquet<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<b>Sharing another oldie for IllustrationFriday's new prompt: </b><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bouquet</span>.</b> </i>This little lady is from a giveaway about 6 years ago. It is flat and doodly but still makes me smile. The flowers are in watercolor & the girl is from an Alice In Wonderland stamp by <a href="http://www.queensink.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">The Queen's Ink</span> </a>.</div>
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Pop over to <a href="http://illustrationfriday.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">IllustrationFriday.com</span></a> to fill your day with flowers! And if you are feeling inspired, share your beautiful bouquet this week. Post it online and then share your link over at the IF site. </div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-75026304684644226262015-10-23T16:45:00.003-04:002015-10-23T16:46:17.765-04:00Illustration Friday - Adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/14833697/a-blustery-day-original-watercolor-mixed" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">A Blustery Day - Watercolor, ink & paint pens</span></a></i></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Graphik Web', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: purple;"><i>"Suddenly the wind ceased. The air seemed motionless around us. We were off..." - Alberto Santos-Dumont</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't think she cares where she is going. This lovely lady is in it for the ride. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Loving the latest prompt from IllustrationFriday.com. This week is all about:</span></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Adventure"</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a windy wanderer from a few years ago. She's been floating around in <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/14833697/a-blustery-day-original-watercolor-mixed" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">my Etsy shop</span></a>, matted and ready to be popped into your 11" x 14" frame. She's also been marked down to $20, mat included -<i> time to free up some inventory</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Do you have the heart of an explorer?</b> Share your nomadic dreams today! Upload <i>your </i>take on <i><u>adventure</u></i> and add the link over at the <a href="http://illustrationfriday.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Illustration Friday website</span></a>.</span></div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-12328594597198309412015-09-10T09:41:00.001-04:002015-09-10T09:41:30.549-04:00When Thursday feels like Monday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://sweatpantsandcoffee.com/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: orange;">sweatpants and coffee</span></i></a></td></tr>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-83943654210933722752015-09-04T18:38:00.003-04:002015-09-04T18:38:24.745-04:00Illustration Friday - Old<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/15285331/the-lepidopterist-original-watercolor" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: #990000;">the lepidopterist</span></i></a></td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px;">Exiled Princess? Retired </span>villainess<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 25px;">? Once famous for her wild parties, she now prefers to spend her time with butterflies and a bit of Nabokov.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">Dusting off an ancient scribble for Illustration Friday's latest prompt: "Old". </span>This butterfly collector is the third painting in the <i>Rogues Gallery</i> series. It is a mix of drawing & watercolor painting on patterned paper and measures 12"square. </div>
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<b>Feeling inspired to share your golden oldies?</b> Ready to check out creations based on the week's challenge? Pop by <a href="http://illustrationfriday.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">IllustrationFriday.com</span></a>. The key word changes every Friday. Feel free to play along! Make something relevant and post it to your site or fave social media and then link up. If you do share, let me know. It is always fun to see where the latest prompt takes people.</div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-55838389394431151372015-09-03T18:39:00.000-04:002015-09-03T19:43:40.382-04:00DIY Decoupage Photo Craft Kit + product review #InstagramPhotoProject<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP209e5da05465a3357bd55cc380fbdeec" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" style="display: none;" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>closeup of final project reflected in mirror</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ready for a fast and fun DIY wall decor project?</b> The generous folks over at <i>Global Backyard Industries</i> sent me a free <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YBG9S52" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">12 Piece DIY Decoupage Photo Kit </span></a>to test out. I had a great time making this and am excited to share it with you today!</span></div>
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<i style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">Disclaimer: I received this Decoupage Craft Kit </span><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">in exchange for an honest & unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own. </span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEBgmzKcxS8aiz6B5N_bHUDtGgWqJ1dgIlzeIqueipop-3SHeu8DtK9SIMUDMwk55iCUPKqQX0ihCR8bsCOfH0tXB2-vcFeG24NWZ5mAyBdBJqMNNFY9B3JwuoMV9aU8QefQuTlUNtrce/s640/blogger-image-556040044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEBgmzKcxS8aiz6B5N_bHUDtGgWqJ1dgIlzeIqueipop-3SHeu8DtK9SIMUDMwk55iCUPKqQX0ihCR8bsCOfH0tXB2-vcFeG24NWZ5mAyBdBJqMNNFY9B3JwuoMV9aU8QefQuTlUNtrce/s320/blogger-image-556040044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This craft kit comes with six 4"x4" wood painting panels, two 4 oz. bottles of Mod Podge decoupage medium (1 mat, 1 glossy), 4 foam brushes, and a PDF with easy to follow project instructions. With 4 brushes this kit is also good for groups. Plus, wet Mod Podge cleans up easily with water so making this a perfect project to do with kids (or just someone messy, like me). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you are done you will have a cool gallery wall display.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPwbx2HkQcskGmpSaNo5A0aH4s_jMmOb8xSSx9YmSS4NTNtIQy7MUjQSsbwtu_GiFP5tej1rJJVGyks5sfFJnpvQX3BvZG0SKbywb_zoD11TVojRNQezMI6Emi97kRjDJyB3WyucKW6Vl/s640/blogger-image-1037650698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPwbx2HkQcskGmpSaNo5A0aH4s_jMmOb8xSSx9YmSS4NTNtIQy7MUjQSsbwtu_GiFP5tej1rJJVGyks5sfFJnpvQX3BvZG0SKbywb_zoD11TVojRNQezMI6Emi97kRjDJyB3WyucKW6Vl/s320/blogger-image-1037650698.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>You will also need your awesome photos</b>, a ruler, a craft knife or scissors and a small cup to hold the Mod Podge you're using. I just trimmed down a giant plastic cup for easy clean up.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHA5qQHboOJPkcYaF4LgG093uMq0PBMql6-CiN1Is7wD__SU6vnjsbuQ0MY_5GfGIbFkczQ2t58ucounJ9eM2jANfiBembWqa9Q9jC07Wx0kqUMfZ6gtFtoLOQsZY2-JZhGSakmLA8Niqb/s640/blogger-image--229215400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHA5qQHboOJPkcYaF4LgG093uMq0PBMql6-CiN1Is7wD__SU6vnjsbuQ0MY_5GfGIbFkczQ2t58ucounJ9eM2jANfiBembWqa9Q9jC07Wx0kqUMfZ6gtFtoLOQsZY2-JZhGSakmLA8Niqb/s320/blogger-image--229215400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The square format of the panels is perfect for those instagram photos you are always wondering what to do with. </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, any kind of photo can be trimmed to fit.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I used some closeups of my roses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once your photos are 4" square, open up either either bottle of Mod Podge. First shake the bottle well, then remove the cap and pull off the protective foil. Replace the cap and pour a bit into your cup. Next:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Apply a light, even layer of Mod Podge</b> (I went with the gloss finish) to the front of the wood panel using a foam brush (top left pic). Carefully place your photo on the wet panel. Don't worry if there is a little extra paper hanging over the edge of the wood. It will be easy to remove later. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Use a plastic card to lightly apply pressure to the photo.</b> Gently drag over photo to remove possible air bubbles trapped underneath. Be careful not to tear your picture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Let the photo panels dry at least 30 minutes</b>. You do not want to apply your top coat over the photo until the adhesive layer is dry. Otherwise the image may wrinkle. In the meantime, rinse your brush with water or cover in plastic wrap, so it doesn't stiffen. Also cover any remaining decoupage medium in your cup so it does not dry out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If needed, trim any extra photo sticking out. You may not need this step; I was a bit sloppy when cutting the original photo to size. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Once the adhesive is dry, add a top coat of Mod Podge.</b> (bottom right pic in above photo). Use either Glossy or Matte (for a satin finish). Spread an even, light layer of Mod Podge over your photo, moving in one direction. This layer will look white at first but will dry clear. <i>Please note, the PDF instructions mention that any brush strokes, dust, etc will show up in your final top coat.</i> The top coat should be dry to the touch in about 30 minutes. The instructions state that it is best to leave it for 48-72 hours so there will not be a "sticky finish".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Here is a short video of this project. I'll thank you now for your patience. I managed to make a ton of technical errors. In fact, there are so many glitches that I considered bagging it. But then figured, ehh, what the heck.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL17AftrDmFIjoAnFjH43Ba6OxRmPcxVrRo1-oVCDAeF63gF0OrsDoqpLUVM90ktP19Zi8PAFrs9FJOpwD1P6YsNA1KmIQGF0_IQ1phwT2PmKbfd5EabQ6R4_ZEdzmdz7NdNBkMTlZpLP/s640/blogger-image-545544817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL17AftrDmFIjoAnFjH43Ba6OxRmPcxVrRo1-oVCDAeF63gF0OrsDoqpLUVM90ktP19Zi8PAFrs9FJOpwD1P6YsNA1KmIQGF0_IQ1phwT2PmKbfd5EabQ6R4_ZEdzmdz7NdNBkMTlZpLP/s320/blogger-image-545544817.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here are my final panels.</b> I like the clean look and the depth of the panels. T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he surface is good as long as there is no glare.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a bright light or up close you can see brush strokes. I generally prefer a smooth finish. I have not used Mod Podge in at least 20+ years, so I am guessing it wasn't applied it correctly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I may embellish these photos a bit, maybe follow the petals' edges with a non-water soluble marker or a little acrylic paint. Then do one more topcoat - this time with curling brushstrokes in different directions, following the flower's highlights and shadows. This might add an interesting painterly effect. I am also tempted to do play with the sides, maybe paint or add some text. But the clean look of the birch is nice too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuOa62gYua3OTPYqndxo02ErETewGLD6b10NWkN3ObQL230Gyd5KZhRunRTZwV1TULeiT3eUKDeOR79DMDVeM6-Yx05sXZcEOHMbR6Zvkkqp_vrVDyZ2CnKWzYCqYmICTAQoKPmhD7_WG/s640/blogger-image-1390779312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuOa62gYua3OTPYqndxo02ErETewGLD6b10NWkN3ObQL230Gyd5KZhRunRTZwV1TULeiT3eUKDeOR79DMDVeM6-Yx05sXZcEOHMbR6Zvkkqp_vrVDyZ2CnKWzYCqYmICTAQoKPmhD7_WG/s320/blogger-image-1390779312.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>I really enjoyed this project. It takes your photo display to a new level, </b>with the deep sided panels giving a professional look. This a great way to enjoy your pictures without having to get them framed or paying a lot for prints on gallery wrapped canvas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The kit includes quality supplies. </b>I am crazy about these birch & poplar panels! I'd like to order some more and draw and paint directly on them. They are very sturdy and have an attractive grain and smooth finish. The foam brushes are standard and do the job without falling apart. They also clean up easily. And the amount of Mod Podge supplied is much more than the project needs, so I have a lot left for future projects.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only thing lacking in this bundle is perhaps some kind of hanging hardware. You can hang the open back directly on a nail, but I will feel more comfortable displaying them once I add some wire or a sawtooth hanger. Alternatively the sides are so thick that your photos can be displayed standing up on your mantle, desk or other surface. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So, where can you find this cool crafty kit?</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YBG9S52" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Click here to check it out on Amazo</span>n</a><span style="color: blue;"> </span><i>(This is not an affiliate link. I don't profit from items purchased)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Need more info on Mod Podge? <a href="http://www.plaidonline.com/mod-podge/brand/home.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Click here</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Have you decoupaged photos or worked with wooden painting panels before?</b> How did it go? Is it something you would try again?</span></div>
<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM209e5da05465a3357bd55cc380fbdeec" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" style="display: none;" /></a>Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-50193649195063965602015-08-31T20:50:00.001-04:002015-08-31T20:52:03.073-04:00DIY whipped body butter + Shea Butter productreview #BioFinestSheaButter<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOPe788ebbad8539cedca88239987dd6ab0" rel="nofollow"><img style="display: none" src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Promo image provided by BioFinest. Other photos were taken by me.</i></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I made a glorious mess </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and my skin feels fabulous!</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I follow a few bath and body DIY craft sites and have been meaning to play around with Shea Butter for a while now. When the chance came up to try out Biofinest's Premium Raw Unrefined Shea Butter, I said "Heck Yeah!" and started scrolling through my bookmarks for an easy yummy online project.</span></div>
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<i style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">Disclaimer: I received this package of BioFinest Premium Unrefined Shea Butter at a discount </span><span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">in exchange for an honest & unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own. </span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><b>So, what is shea butter? </b>It </span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">is a fat extracted from</span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="color: #252525;">the shea tree nut through a fairly elaborate process. Wikipedia has an easy to follow synopsis </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shea_butter" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>It has a number of applications, but the majority are cosmetic.</b> Applied topically, it alleviates dryness. I find the silky feel lasts for hours - much longer than the average store bought lotion. Shea butter is full of Vitamins A & E, as well as antioxidants and fatty acids. Repeated use is is reported to help relieve eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also is supposed to lessen wrinkles and stretch marks when applied regularly. When I was pregnant and gained about a million pounds, I was given a shea butter and herb cream to try and prevent stretch marks. I used it daily and don't know if it was the lotion or lucky genes, but something worked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">For the last few weeks, I've been rubbing straight shea butter on my perpetually cracked heels (always running around barefoot) and it is fantastic. Semi firm when you first break a piece off, it softens in your hand. It is very greasy when first applied, so I'll wait until I'm going to be off my feet for a while, rub it in and put on a pair of spa booties or old socks. You'll want to be sure to clean your hands before touching any papers or whatever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Well, enough of my yaking. Let's get on with the project:</b> This is what the shea butter looks like fresh out of the resealable package. It is double packed, which is a good thing as the inner bag was a bit slipper. Love that the outer sack has a zipper lock, as a little shea butter goes a long way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you purchase your shea butter from BioFinest, they will email you an e-book loaded with recipes and ideas. I managed to lose my email (note to self: contact them for a replacement) but found an impressive quantity of bath/body craft projects online. Many involve melting, mixing and cooling ingredients. I decide to start with something even easier. I found this <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.sparklecollective.com/diy-whipped-shea-butter-moisturizer/" target="_blank">DIY for Whipped Shea Butter Moisturizer on The Sparkle Collective</a>.</span> Monique makes it for her hair, but it works well as a skin cream too. Super simple sounding and I already had the other ingredients - <i>perfect!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following Monique's directions, 1 cup of shea butter goes into the bowl. It looks a lot like cow's butter but has a slightly firmer texture (at first). It kind of feels like creamy wax, if that makes any sense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A quick twirl of the electric beaters on high. Then a couple of tablespoons each of jojoba and coconut oil were added, as directed. I ended up using 2 jojoba and 3 coconut. Things were getting pretty liquidy but a couple more minutes of whipping fluffed the concoction back up again. It had more of a white than yellow color at this point. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then essential oils were added. I used lemon and lavender, mostly lemon. And more than the original project called for, since this unrefined shea butter has a distinctive scent that I don't really care for. I didn't really notice this when rubbing it on my feet, but the scent is a bit to strong for my arms or face. It is often described as nutty or smoky. I wouldn't say that. This is going to sound odd, but it reminds me a little of play dough.<i> Please note, this is just my take on it. Many folks don't notice and even like the smell.</i></span><i> </i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Here's the final body butter. </b>The amazingly light and silky texture is fantastic! However, I couldn't get past the "undercurrent" shea butter smell. After tested it out on a couple of folks. I found someone who absolutely loves the scent and was happy to make her a gift of it.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The little tin is from Michaels Crafts and perfect for gift giving</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>This was a fun and fast project to make and the final feel of this lotion is absolutely luxurious. </b>I will definitely try it again once I track down a more neutral scented shea butter. Wondering why I was able to use a similar product while pregnant without the aroma bothering me, I poked around and found this interesting and very thorough <a href="http://www.humblebeeandme.com/a-quick-guide-to-different-shea-butters/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Guide to Different Shea Butters</span></a> over at HumbleBee & Me. It looks like my nose might prefer a product that is more refined and neutral smelling. I'll have to track some down and let you know how it goes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>For more info about BioFinest Premium Raw Shea Butter, </b>visit their <a href="http://biofinest.com/en/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a>,<span style="color: purple;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/biofinest" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span> and Amazon pages. They also have a 100% money back guarantee if you <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XDNMDVK" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">purchase from Amazon</span></a>. <i>(By the way this is not an affiliate link - I receive nothing from any purchases. )</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for taking the time to check out this post. Are you into making your own bath and body products? Do you have any favorite ingredients or recipes? Have you ever used/worked with shea butter? I'm new to this type of crafting and am looking for any advice or suggestions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pop by later this week for a decoupage photo project and craft kit product revew. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's wishing you a creative day!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOMe788ebbad8539cedca88239987dd6ab0" rel="nofollow"><img style="display: none" src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" /></a>Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-52736338300380148032015-08-29T14:12:00.000-04:002015-08-29T14:19:41.282-04:00Vintage tattoo fabric for new project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Originally spotted this fun vintage tattoo style Alexander Henry fabric on Pinterest. A google image search eventually led me to best price for a few yards at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrooklynDollFabric" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">etsy shop BrooklynDollFabric</span></a>, my new go-to spot for textiles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now what to make? To be honest I <i>seriously </i>stink at sewing. Like, <i>seriously</i> seriously. Like <i>Kryptonite</i> seriously. So I'm leaning towards recovering the dining room chairs - a long overdue project and no sewing required. Any thoughts? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll give it a try in a week or two and share the process. If you are in the net neighborhood the next day or two, pop on by. My first attempts at making some shea butter bath/body projects will be on display. </span></div>
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Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-4850415328653274542015-08-23T20:25:00.000-04:002015-08-23T20:33:44.281-04:00Spiral Veggie Noodles made with the WonderVeg Slicer - Product Review #WonderVegSlicer<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP405ea15d5ea0a40a217a2fb0ca6f0398" rel="nofollow"><img style="display: none" src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Colorful salad made with spiral cukes, carrots, radish and more.</i></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love veggies!</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And I love slicing veggie spirals! They are so much fun to eat <i>and to make.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the last couple of years I have been using another brand of spiral cutter. It is showing some wear, so I jumped at the chance to test out the WonderVeg Slicer Tri Blade Spiralizer. <i style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"><u><span style="border: 0px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">Disclaimer: I received this WonderVeg Slicer at a discount </span><span style="border: 0px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own. </span></u></i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Freshly opened WonderVeg - woo hoo!</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The WonderVeg's design is similar to other tabletop spiral cutting machines.</b> Unlike my old machine, this one comes with a small bottle brush for cleaning. (The box also contains an instruction booklet which includes a few recipes to get you started.) One outstanding difference between this and my last machine is the size of the spikes which "grab" the produce and hold it still while you turn the crank. The WonderVeg slicer's prongs are significantly wider and sturdier. This is important for securing compact items like hard root vegetables. My last device had thin narrow spikes and I accidentally broke a few off the first time I made carrot "noodles". So far, there have been no problems attaching root veggies to this new machine.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>English vs Regular Cucumber - see results below</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So, how does it work?</b> The base anchors to your work surface via suction cups. It also has a stabilizing handle which folds for storage. It has 3 easily changeable cutting blades. To use, install the blade you need in the upright slot. (The 2 not in use are stored at the base of the unit.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your fruit/veg to be spiralized will fit best if you slice the ends to flatten them; for very long veggies, cut in half crosswise, if needed. Center one flat end of your selected fruit/veg onto the metal circle sticking out of the blade. Center the other end on the spikes coming off the handle. Then you just press gently forward while turning the crank. <i>Easy Peasy! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The photo above shows an English cucumber sliced 3 ways: </b>Top Left uses the slicing blade for a fettuccine-like ribbon. Top Right uses the larger grate/slicer for a french fry/noodle cut. Bottom Left uses the smaller grating blade for a thin noodle; it is my fave, by the way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The thinner "noodle" blade was also used on the Bottom Right cuke.</b> However it is a "regular" cucumber, softer, with more seeds and a squishier center. It is possible to work with this type of cucumber, but it can be messy and sometimes you get something more resembling strips than thin spaghetti.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The video above shows how to change blades to create the different sizes. I also compare working with the two different types on cucumbers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMM7nOr-xnC_HnOFPUYjRbZWM4GYgiIV7d4BCWPBxXvpsFUEkwRJnVYInJiuwo4g_ge4t7M7dQ-xuRUSto7rvDPfhy4vyIKZxYYgDiRCjMQiLYSte6uLJeTutRQ9-A20GCL7RxksH8kM6/s640/blogger-image-613580469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMM7nOr-xnC_HnOFPUYjRbZWM4GYgiIV7d4BCWPBxXvpsFUEkwRJnVYInJiuwo4g_ge4t7M7dQ-xuRUSto7rvDPfhy4vyIKZxYYgDiRCjMQiLYSte6uLJeTutRQ9-A20GCL7RxksH8kM6/s320/blogger-image-613580469.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One unusual thing I did notice about the WonderVeg was that when the handle was within a few inches of the blade, sometimes the handle would shake a little bit. This did not happen every time, but it never happened with my older unit. The only problem with this is that the slight jiggling cut small items, like the radish above, into individual rings instead of a longer spiral. Without the wiggle room, my older machine would make a long spiral of each radish. Totally not a big deal, but after reading that an amazon reviewer had the same thing happen I thought I should point it out.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Same spiral cut veggies as top salad - this time with an Asian twist.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The WonderVeg is super easy to disassemble and clean. Leftover bits of produce are easily washed off by hand or you can put all of the slicer's pieces into the top rack of your dishwasher.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">zuchinni noodles tossed with wilted spinach,shallot,artichoke hearts,olives, red pepper and cheese</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Several meals a week feature tasty twisted produce at my house.</b> There are so many fun-filled, yet healthy, ways to serve them. My husband loves spiraled vegetables in salad and soups (try adding cut zucchinni or broccoli stems to chicken or vegetable soup), the kiddo is crazy about oven-baked curly fries, which he customizes with his favorite-spice-of-the-day. And I will pretty much eat them with everything. The WonderVeg also makes fast work of slicing a mound onions, perfect for folks (like me) who tear up when chopping with a knife "old school" style</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Play around and find your family's favorites. </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since it is so simple to change out the blades, you can easily tweak everyone's dish using the same ingredients for a unified meal. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like my zucchinni "pasta" sliced on the smallest blade and served raw with whatever sauce or veggies/protein mixed in. My family prefers the same sauces served over zukes that are first cut with the larger "pasta" blade and then saute'd for 2-3 minutes in olive oil. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Spiral veggies are all the rage right now; there have to be thousands of free recipes online.</b> I have collected 100+ (and counting) that sound intriguing on a special pinterest board.<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/artsnark/recipes-2-try-veggies-spiralizer/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"> Click here to check it out.</span></a> Have you tried any of the veggie "rices" or sandwich buns made from compressed and cooked veg noodles yet? Those are definitely on my To Do list!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As far as old school cookbooks go, I've looked through a few and my favorite is Ali, Maffucci's </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Inspiralized</u>. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She also has tons of spiral slicer recipes on </span><a href="http://inspiralized.com/recipes/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">her food blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Want to know more about the WonderVeg Spiralizer?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visit their FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WonderVegSpiralSlicer" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/WonderVegSpiralSlicer</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And for more info or to purchase visit <a href="http://amztk.com/wonderveg" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://amztk.com/wonderveg</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you make spiral cut fruit and vegetable dishes? If so, what is your favorite recipes? I am always looking for new ones to try.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM405ea15d5ea0a40a217a2fb0ca6f0398" rel="nofollow"><img style="display: none" src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" /></a>Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-58456252553392656482015-08-23T11:52:00.002-04:002015-08-23T12:25:04.623-04:00Product Review - iPhone 5 Sport Band with Credit Card Holder #iphone5armband<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=TOP60f1ca4e71fd008722a69fc352b5b5b1" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" style="display: none;" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>armband fresh out of the package</i></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px;"><b>Where has the summer gone? </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px;">I can't believe it is already time for kids to return to school. I don't know about you, but I am <i><u>not</u></i> a morning person. (Or a fan of the alarm clock.) Once I get moving, it is okay though... and sometimes the morning walk to school and back is the best part of my day.</span></span></div>
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I do not like to carry a bag on this walk and some days I am stumbling out the door in sweatpants, instead of an outfit with pockets. I've been meaning to order an armband or other no-fuss system to carry my phone, house key (and maybe a credit card or a few bucks as I pass the grocery store on the way home). When the opportunity came up to check out this iphone 5 armband from Airbundle, I was psyched. <i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">Disclaimer: I received this iphone armband </span><span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">in exchange for an honest & unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own. </span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7bXng-ticJd_oOOPff1BN1xmjSmrSe32xI_HqDgiovG4BTTmOlu48QhTMcWI0f0dxvvGZKxFRCYNhNIynHNU12rgReO14qk-4l4K-mzmpYAh82zcoo48GFaP57WuoSUQBWqEiGnEB9eG/s640/blogger-image--91793639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7bXng-ticJd_oOOPff1BN1xmjSmrSe32xI_HqDgiovG4BTTmOlu48QhTMcWI0f0dxvvGZKxFRCYNhNIynHNU12rgReO14qk-4l4K-mzmpYAh82zcoo48GFaP57WuoSUQBWqEiGnEB9eG/s320/blogger-image--91793639.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is a wide velcro closure for securing the band to your forearm/bicep. It is not huge, so maybe not for bodybuilder types. Good for the average person, though. My iphone 5 slips easily into the slot on the backside of the armband.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ539vgj2w6BAWPHHH989Y8bAEqT2xzBE7aEPksrVX7DsPjVpuiUAvcmva3mccLpMvj62MYKrVqxZ97-Bb61Irc8rynZlmjaTdiarcti9b77SNzbZsVkORgQkm62b_8n8yDUCzlWehn3W/s640/blogger-image--221601588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ539vgj2w6BAWPHHH989Y8bAEqT2xzBE7aEPksrVX7DsPjVpuiUAvcmva3mccLpMvj62MYKrVqxZ97-Bb61Irc8rynZlmjaTdiarcti9b77SNzbZsVkORgQkm62b_8n8yDUCzlWehn3W/s320/blogger-image--221601588.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are also slots for a key, a plastic card, cash and headphones. By the way, my house key has an oversized top; an average size key shouldn't stick out quite as much.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeHwoaBiFxrZafVgv6_U43FhAn-bYl9e1TO3Rcuo2nGlMTbfVLqvVn1gVA04DnsnxsoLfdFc8gehx1120pjPCKSSb8wynv-fPZQxASlMdjEYvuanJAF25AVsT48sztb-u1y04KzfjprKu/s640/blogger-image--1903408165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeHwoaBiFxrZafVgv6_U43FhAn-bYl9e1TO3Rcuo2nGlMTbfVLqvVn1gVA04DnsnxsoLfdFc8gehx1120pjPCKSSb8wynv-fPZQxASlMdjEYvuanJAF25AVsT48sztb-u1y04KzfjprKu/s320/blogger-image--1903408165.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The reflective frame is a safety bonus on those winter mornings when it is still dark as we head off to school, </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqXjY8aKknAg1IFi1Lk8on0qrDk8i_-hix0UmMxlfhbbGDBNV9oGnsTYn-k9GEIQcHsTcGPUSZy9xVX6BGWj61SknWimmQAd63gpyNWiD60gQSJUICV9jRMfWaIYIGnu0oNQsm1_OftAH/s640/blogger-image--218525538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqXjY8aKknAg1IFi1Lk8on0qrDk8i_-hix0UmMxlfhbbGDBNV9oGnsTYn-k9GEIQcHsTcGPUSZy9xVX6BGWj61SknWimmQAd63gpyNWiD60gQSJUICV9jRMfWaIYIGnu0oNQsm1_OftAH/s320/blogger-image--218525538.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The clear plastic front is flexible and adds some weather protection, while still allowing me to access the phone's screen. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jpW45osUp7AbRZLJnooMqkRGiOTg-SxKGPPzlCxSXb5Hoi-tNdTrAk1Nzsxoi1MQQOPaEeh05mcOO1kFpHQS3GiNXkvD5fOwLVo2-NDa527EkzuuMp8tesqP2NnRCRdzkBaH8rs7vu9L/s640/blogger-image-1947291818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jpW45osUp7AbRZLJnooMqkRGiOTg-SxKGPPzlCxSXb5Hoi-tNdTrAk1Nzsxoi1MQQOPaEeh05mcOO1kFpHQS3GiNXkvD5fOwLVo2-NDa527EkzuuMp8tesqP2NnRCRdzkBaH8rs7vu9L/s320/blogger-image-1947291818.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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While headphones do plug in easily, I love my wireless headphones and find this to be a very comfortable and convenient combination!<br />
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<b>Pros and Cons Quick List:</b></div>
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Good for iphone 5/5s/5c, 4/4s and ipod touch 5th gen. My 5s had to be inserted without a case in order to fit.</div>
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Secure storage for key, card and cash - yet easy to remove items when needed.</div>
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Comfortable and flexible armband will fit many builds,but probably not large biceps. The manufacturer states that it fits arm sizes that are approximately 9" - 15" inches.</div>
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Made of nylon, velcro and nyoprene, this case offers your phone some protection from elements and can be hand washed and air dried if needed. I don't know how well it would keep out heavy precipitation though.</div>
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It is priced reasonably. Today this armband is on sale for $7.99 on Amazon, with free Amazon Prime shipping available. <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Running-Armband-iPhone5-Touch/dp/B00XBK5DYO/ie=UTF8?m=A1UZXX8GKKGIIR&keywords=iphone+5+armband" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Click here to check it out!</span></a></u> (This is not an affiliate link; I don't receive any compensation for purchases).</div>
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<a href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOM60f1ca4e71fd008722a69fc352b5b5b1" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://www.tomoson.com/images/front/pixel.png" style="display: none;" /></a>Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8222901663109762078.post-2017281179709703212015-08-10T20:30:00.006-04:002015-08-10T20:30:57.594-04:00Happy Anniversary Music Monday! Celebrating with Cole Porter and Myrkur<div style="text-align: center;">
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Seems like forever since I played along with XmasDolly's <i><a href="http://www.xmasdolly.com/2015/08/09/mondays-music-moves-me-happy-5th-yr-anniversary-give-away/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Monday Music Moves Me</span></a>. </i>I popped over to <a href="http://stacysrandomthoughts.com/2015/08/that-old-flame-might-be-bad-for-you-but-youre-on-top-of-the-world-having-a-house-party/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">StacyUncorked</span></a> when I had a minute, found out that today is the 5 year anniversary of this fun tune-filled blog hop and had to jump on the bandwagon.</div>
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<a href="http://www.xmasdolly.com/2015/08/09/mondays-music-moves-me-happy-5th-yr-anniversary-give-away/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/zz61/xmasdolly/Decorated%20images/th_retromusic1-1.gif" /></a></div>
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Today's theme is a freebie, so here is what has been playing in my house this week. The Dude <i>(now that he is going into jr high I'm not supposed to call him "Little Dude" anymore; mind you he is almost as tall as I am, so I get it)</i> discovered Cole Porter through one of his post apocalyptic video games and was pleasantly surprised to find that his old Mom has a ton of "old people music" <i>(his words, not mine</i>) on these ancient things called CDs. He was even happier to find that the Amazon Prime music library has a ton of free Cole Porter, covered by just about everyone. </div>
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The thing about Mr. Porter, he seriously gets under the skin. Listen to <i>Anything Goes</i> a few times and you WILL be humming it. Nothing like the classics.</div>
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To counteract the earworms (& simply because I'm hooked) I've been listening to the prereleased tracks of <a href="http://www.myrkurmusic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Mykur</span></a>'s album coming out August 21. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm liking it much more than I expected. You can catch it early on Youtube (among other places).</div>
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I've read that she's coming from a pop music background. Quite a change. Here's a short where she talks about her music a bit:</div>
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<b>So, what are you listening to lately? </b>Please share. Join in the fun - looks like there are even giveaways this week, for some extra celebrations! </div>
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---------------Side Note--------------</div>
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If you pop by here now and then, you may notice that I've been crazy inconsistent with blogging for a while. <i>(For consistency and content, you'll want to time machine back a few years.) </i>Now-a-days I'll chatter away in my nut... but then the clock ticks faster than expected... and life-stuff beckons. <i>(How many cliche's can you lick before getting to the center?)</i> The plan was to share 2 tutorials last week and a review....but life happened. I addition to the usual distractions, I'm consulting on an unexpected project that dropped into my lap. It is all very hush hush for a couple of months, but is super cool, out of my comfort zone... <i>and I can't wait to share eventually!</i></div>
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That said, I probably won't be around this week but will return with those reviews and projects, as well as random thoughts (& tunes) before the month ends. It is also our 23rd wedding anniversary, so the family is hitting the road for a few days of fun before the school year starts again.</div>
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<b>Hope you have a wonderful week and a creative day!</b> And be sure to check out the<span style="color: purple;"> <a href="http://www.xmasdolly.com/2015/08/09/mondays-music-moves-me-happy-5th-yr-anniversary-give-away/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Music Monday blog hop</span></a></span>. Never know, you might be one of the lucky winners.</div>
Artsnarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02555660254668191695noreply@blogger.com2