Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Kat Bryan who is the winner of the hedgehog box! Kat please contact me with mailing info. :)

There will be another giveaway post EVERY Friday until July 4th! So.. please come back again soon!

Speed Tests...

There are lots of speed tests out there to determine your typing ability. THIS ONE is my favorite. It is the most challenging.. but it's fun to type lines from classic literature. c is learning to type and I will have her using this test over the summer.

Iron Jawed Angels...

This is an amazing film that everyone should see. I didn't know what to expect from this film because I haven't studied the women's suffrage movement since it's brief mention in school. Although, I have read two entire books about Woodrow Wilson and neither of them that I recall gave a single line to Women's Suffrage. (I'm going back for a second look.. this bugs) I think that a Constitutional Amendment that gave half the population the right to vote is worth a line or two.. don't you?

From 1789 until 1917 there were no women serving in congress. In 2002 there were 73.

Today, Nancy Pelosi serves as the Speaker of the House. Hillary Clinton is one of 3 remaining contenders for the White House. Condoleezza Rice currently serves as the Secretary of State.

Women have opportunities in every institution of higher learning and in every imaginable field and profession. If you've been watching Carrier, you'll be very impressed with the two female naval aviators who fly and LAND the amazing F-18's aboard a United States aircraft carrier.

But, every woman that enjoys the liberty that is: the right to vote, own property, work in their chosen field, the right to be tried by a jury of their peers (peers that include women), divorce and attain or share custody of children, the right to an education... and many other rights owes those liberties to the women who worked and sacrificed to bring nations and governments to recognize those rights.

It is an important distinction to say that these women made governments RECOGNIZE their rights, not grant them. Thomas Jefferson recognized that God grants these rights.. not governments when he wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

I am so grateful for my liberty and for the many men and women through history who have endured much to ensure that my rights are recognized by my government and many governments around the world. And, I am so grateful for the men and women today who stand sentinel and protect those rights.

Sadly, there are many parts of the world where the rights of women and of men are still oppressed. It is my prayer that Thomas Jefferson's words will someday take hold in the hearts of people everywhere and that governments will come to recognize the sacred liberties of every human being.

Giveaway Friday...

I will post a photo of this box later today when it's finished. (disclaimer: There is a tiny mistake on it.) Anyway, it's a hedgehog box. So, if you'd like to enter the contest, just comment once on this post and I will draw a name on Monday Midnight EST.

Debrett's... Good Manners Thursday..

Did you know that I love etiquette books and I have started to gather a small, but fun collection. I don't know that it's helped me that much. I think that I tend to read and forget. However, this book is destined to be one of my favorites. Debrett's, I understand, are the favored etiquette books to our British friends, even though one reviewer wrote this title, "Insight into bizarre tribe." And, as you read, there are some differences between America and Britain, especially in table manners. Don't, however, go to England and call your napkin a serviette. I was told that was correct, but Debrett's says.. NEVER!

John Morgan writes about etiquette with a great deal of satire. I feel like John Morgan, the author, is looking down his nose at me as he is saying things like...

"Generally speaking, it is bad manners to behave in a loud, disruptive or irritating way in public; this the behavioural preserve of drunken louts leaving pubs at closing time."

here's one for me...

"Chewing gum is ugly and uncouth." (Sigh.. I love gum! Orbit Sweet Mint is my very favorite.. but I promise not to chew gum in Britain.)

and this one I couldn't agree with more...

".. even less appealing on the pavement is the sight of dog dirt. Really good mannered owners carry plastic bags to remove any offending matter." When I take a walk in my town, I find that I spend a great deal of time looking down at the ground to avoid dog mines rather than up at the lovely sky and flowering trees... I find this very irritating. Some of my neighbors even allow their pets to come into my yard and garden to use the restroom. My garden is not a dog bathroom. Now be honest.. that is not thoughtful or kind behavior.. correct?

This one is quite obvious, but it was written in such a funny way I have to include it..

"Queuing, although not the great British institution it once was, is still part of the national psyche. Thus it remains bad manners to jump any queue, be it at a bus stop or in the collection line for vouchers for the Royal Enclosure from St James's Palace on the Monday of Ascot week."

I could see that people could be especially sensitive to slights on the Monday of Ascot week so be cautious travelers.

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All this has put me in a great mind to see the film, The Queen, which I am adding to my Netflix queue today.

***P.S. Please come back tomorrow. I am hosting another giveaway this Friday and every Friday through July 4th!

Glass Lidded Carafe...

I am not an elegant person, I only wish. I spend most of my days painting in clothing that paint can (and has) been spilled on.. like pajama bottoms and sweat pants.. but I love the idea of an elegant life... possibly one that includes a lovely breakfast tray with this beautiful carafe, a piece of toast, some fruit and a single rose. Wouldn't that be lovely? I think this would make a lovely wedding gift for an elegant person.

You can find it on Carolyn Roehm's lovely site here.

The Prestige...

I really enjoyed this film. It was recommended to me by a friend some time ago and I finally had some time to watch it last night. I loved some of the costumes.. they were so beautiful that it was almost worth it to watch just for the visual part of the show. The plot is very twisty and interesting and moves right along. It is definitely a plot driven film rather than a character driven film, which is OK because you don't really like the characters that much except maybe the minor characters of the little daughter and the manager who was played brilliantly by Michael Caine.

The film is really about unbridled ambition and revenge as two talented magicians compete to destroy each other.

It's a dark film and it was rated PG-13.. there are several disturbing images of death by drowning, hanging and shooting... so not for children.

Oh my children...

My sister Alicia sent me this column from the Atlantic Monthly yesterday... It is the story of a father trying to lay down the commandments at the dinner table. Now, before you click over there.. I don't mean to be indelicate.. but empty your bladder so you won't pee your pants and finish your coke so it doesn't come out your nose.. This story is funny stuff if you have or know any children.

See this story HERE!

Lily of the Valley...

In the language of flowers...

Lily of the Valley means..

Return of Happiness
*****

Are not they lovely?

Mother's Day...

**Note: Before I start this post.. don't forget that there is a giveaway several posts down. Everyone is welcome.

Secondly, this is a photo of the box I painted for my mom for Mother's Day.. there is also one in the shop if anyone is interested.

I hope you had a wonderful mother's day... guilt free. For some reason, in the places I've lived Mother's Day can become a day of comparison. Do you do that? I do. I look around at all the talented women that I live by and wish that I could have some of the best gifts of every one of them. My neighbor gave a talk at our church the other day. She is a person whose done a lot of research on parenting and she made an interesting point. She said that she had looked at a study that had tried to discover the ideal way to raise successful children and the study found that there was no ideal way, but that many successful (successful here is defined as happy) adults had one thing common... they were loved. What a relief, if we love our children and they really know it, that fact will make up for a lot.

Several years ago I was asked to speak about mothers. Here is a small portion of what I wrote about some of the mother's in my life.

Mothers are different.
In my own family my two Grandmothers could not have been more different.
One graduated with a degree in nursing, had ten children, seven of them boys, was an avid sports fan and a great cook of large portions of good Mormon cooking all the while working outside the home as a labor and delivery nurse by necessity to help support her large family. I never saw her with makeup or any other form of feminine adornments but she always knew the scores of all the games.
My other Grandmother graduated from Utah State with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is the mother of six children 3 girls and 3 boys. I have seen many pictures of her looking glamorous in fancy dresses she made with high heels and red lipstick... think 1940's Christian Dior! She was a homemaker by trade, artistic in every way and a Relief Society president many times over. She is also a great cook of small portions of gourmet food.

Both of my Grandmothers were good mothers. Both of them were faithful Latter Day Saints who served tirelessly in the church and were wonderful examples to their children and Grandchildren. Both of them were missionaries. Both of them shared their love, talents and testimonies with as many people as they could, but especially with their families.

I am so grateful this day for my own dear mother whose gifts and talents are many; who taught me to awe and reverence the creation that our Heavenly Father has made for our happiness. She loves everything that is good and beautiful. I enjoy going on drives with her so that she can point out and name every special tree and flower and bush and so she can remind me not to forget how beautiful our mountains are today with either green grass, autumn leaves or snow. She loves the beauty of every season and celebrates every holiday and occasion with exuberance and real joy. I am so grateful for her quiet faith and her extraordinary acts of service and for her great loyalty and love for her family.

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I think it's a good idea to try to celebrate the differences that make each mother the right mother for the child they have been given by God... even if that mother is you!

Someday...

I ran into this book at the bookstore yesterday. I had to sit there and pretend I had really bad allergies instead of the fact that I was crying in the store... so embarrassing. It's about a mother who has this cute daughter. The daughter has the audacity to grow up and ride two wheel bikes and it's like in the next page that she leaves for college. And it's about how precious this daughter is to her mother. I'm going to try and give this to c for her birthday this year. I hope I remember.. and write her a lovely letter and tell her she is the most fabulous thing that ever happened to me.

Surprise Love Box Giveaway...

I finished a new design this week. Sadly, the first one is never exactly right. And, because a new design is always sort of an experiment.. they are often not up to standard enough to put in the shop. So, I'm giving this first attempt away. Only the winner gets to see it since it's imperfect. If your interested.. comment just once on the post below and I will draw a name Monday Midnight EST.

Congratulations to Motherboard!

Speed Racer...

I was thinking about taking c to view the new Speed Racer movie this weekend or next (it takes a lot of gumption to face movie crowds on the weekends around here). I'm not so sure anymore... some idiot must have already seen it because at 2AM said doofus came racing around the neighborhood. Sleep never comes easily for me and it is quickly frightened away by thunderstorms, dogs and crazy people doing reckless automobile stunts in the middle of the night. So, I've been up since 2 and feel like I was run over. I may have to catch up with you all tomorrow. Sorry to be so whiny.

Why dieters eat celery.. 5 a day and other news..

This is why dieters eat celery. (That's a great website I think.) I've just helped myself to 3 stalks.. 30 calories. I have discovered that the whole 5 a day thing is kind of a conspiracy... the idea being that if you stuff yourself full of veggies.. there will be no room for dessert. For instance, did you know that if you buy a normal 6oz. bag of salad at the grocery store you have to eat at least half of it to count as a serving of veggies and say you just wanted to pig out on spinach.. Well, just go right on ahead.. You've pigged out, you've eaten the whole bag.. no worries it's only 40 calories. At some level I knew this, but not like I know it now. I've never tried to really stick to this 5 a day thing before.. it works you know. Running six miles a day works faster, but this works too and I'm not so sore and injury prone. At some point I hope the running will be part of it again too, but for right now I'm trying to eat my veggies.

A little friend came to visit...

A little while ago, this little friend came to visit. Three is an interesting age and she reminded me that a lot of the things my nephew, (who I see far more frequently) does are all about being 3. Three is big. People who are three can do big things and they don't need any help. People who are three can be afraid of the garden peas on their plate, but not afraid to jump down an entire flight of stairs if you're not watching them close. They can be afraid of the swing set, but not afraid of running in the road.
You have to watch a 3... carefully.. but, they sure are a delight.

Utah Spring Cards...

The "Utah Spring" collection of photographic cards is available today in

ThE LoVE BoXeS SHoP

Owl Postcards Have Flown In!

The paper is really heavy, lovely paper with an amazing finish. They work best if you use a nice sharpie pen to write on them.
These will be in..

THe LOVe BoXes SHoP

today!

Hedgehogs and Elephants...

New Boxes in..

ThE LOvE BOXeS SHoP

Tiny Heart Box...

The LOvE BoXeS SHoP...

Jeeves and the Fuedal Spirit...

If life has made a turn for the worse and things have been a real downer lately then.. you need Jeeves to cheer you up. I love a good P.G. Wodehouse and this one is hilarious. Bertie gets himself tied up in a love triangle, some trouble with his favorite aged ancestor and a fake pearl necklace and all kinds of comic relief. The benefit of these books is that by the end you'll be better able to talk like an Englishman.. a trip to the car wash is "ghastly, horrendous, the worst possible disaster in an otherwise pleasant life." A major car wreck where you've barely escaped with your life is, "a small spot of trouble, a minor inconvenience, a bit of a bump in the road." Wodehouse is always a smart, witty, quick read and tons of fun.

** If you haven't.. don't forget to sign up on the Giveaway post below.. everyone welcome!