I simply loved painting this dress, one of my favorites...
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Monday, October 08, 2012
Sunday, October 07, 2012
Friday, September 07, 2012
Obama's America 2016
But, I learned very little about President Obama's life that I didn't know before the 2008 election. Very little. The big story of this film is that the media has sold out, not news either I know, but nothing shows it more starkly than public reaction to this film.
This film is a good test of media consumption habits. Less than 10 Corporations own 90% of the media consumed by Americans. Did you know that? Have you ever noticed how similarly stories are reported, or how local papers will just post the AP (Associated Press) story? Getting a little diversity into your media diet is not that easy, but it's important. How to do that? Hmmm. That is a question.
Below, I'm going to post 10 some things that I think are important to know about President Obama. Look through them and see how many of them have received coverage in the media you consume:
1. Rev. Jeremiah Wright Obama's Pastor for over 20 years. Have you seen these comments?
2. The History of Agenda 21 How anti-colonialist views are expressed in the Obama Presidency a. Obama on Coal, Obama on food, Obama on high gas prices, Agenda 21 & Obama's Rural Council
3. Fast & Furious, Eric Holder on guns, UN Gun Treaty
4. Obama Administration sues Arizona over Illegal Immigration
5. Obama Administration sues to take over New Mexico's water supply
6. Executive Orders of Presidents. This would make a great research project for someone. Some feel that the last few presidents have used extra-Constitutional powers in their issuing of these orders. Here is a list of all presidents. Here is a list of 137 of (I am aware of 138) Obama's Executive Orders with links to PDF.. you can also find them on the White House web site. These Executive Orders are usually not long documents, a couple of paragraphs. Read through some of them and see if you agree with where Obama is leading the country.
7. Where is the stimulus money? Did it really go to fixing crumbling infrastructure? HERE
8. Common Core Implementation. If you look at the above site again, you can browse by recipient HERE. To look at this you would suspect that teachers in your state got a fantastic raise. NO!?! No. The money didn't go to save teacher jobs or increase their pay, it went to implement a federal take over of education called Common Core. Read what you won't hear about it on the news HERE.
9. Green Energy Failures: Abound Solar is the latest, but the money wasted on "Green Technologies" is astounding. HERE is a pretty good list, it's missing some major players like Sun Power (which received a 1.2 BILLION Federal Loan Guarantee and will therefore be a bigger fiscal catastrophe than Solyndra WHEN it goes down) HERE
10. Obama's Convention beautiful convention speech spoke of fair play in the market place and yet his record more than any other president is one of picking winners and losers based on political donations and cronyism. This is not new in and American government that has granted subsidies and foreign aid and grant money to some and not others for years, but we now no longer have a free market in the United States.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. It is just the first 10 concerns off the top of my head. There is so much more, but the public is plagued by political personalities the likes of Sandra Fluke, whose mission to provide every woman with free birth control really does not affect the lives of that many people and yet for how long did that story dominate the news? It's no wonder so many Americans think politics is a trite and a pointless waste of time. But, there are grave issues being decided behind the spotlight of media frenzy that beg for the thoughtful concern of an informed and active citizenry.
Shattered Glass...
Shattered Glass: The Traditions of Mormon Same-Sex Marriage Advocates Encounter
Boyd K. Packer
Excerpt:
Once we have accepted that we are fundamentally dis-eased in that nothing in this life will ever fully complete us, we need then give up our messianic expectations and demands. Hence, we must stop expecting that somewhere, sometime, in some place, we will meet just the right person, the right situation, or the right combination of circumstances so that we can be completely happy. We will stop demanding that our spouses, families, friends, and jobs give us what only God can give us, clear-cut pure joy. . .
[In Gethsemane] we see the necessary connection between suffering and faith, the necessary connection between sweating blood in a garden and keeping our commitments and our integrity. Nobody will ever remain faithful in a marriage, a vocation, a friendship, a family, a job, or just to his or her own integrity without sometimes sweating blood in a garden.
article is long, but is well worth your time. If you start reading it though, commit to reading it all the way through.
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
Elder Maxwell: The Prohibitive Costs of a Value Free Society
"Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors.” Such “supervisors” deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.
It is no accident that the lessening, or loss, of belief in certain absolute truths, such as the existence of God and the reality of immortality has occurred at the same time there has been a sharp gain in the size and power of governments in many portions of the world." Elder Neal A. Maxwell
It was difficult to choose a small portion to share here. The whole talk is truth and full of things it would be wise of us to consider this election season. Read the rest HERE...
Friday, August 24, 2012
Thursday, August 09, 2012
Friday, August 03, 2012
Amethyst South Asian Princess & her Prince...
on their way to Pittsburgh for the wedding today...
Custom Wedding Cake Topper Peg Doll Portraits
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Pioneer Day!
Pioneers
They cut desire into short lengths
And fed it to the hungry fires of courage,
Long after-- when the flames died
Moulten gold gleamed in the ashes.
They gathered it into bruised palms
And handed it to their children,
And their children's children.
Vilate Raile
They cut desire into short lengths
And fed it to the hungry fires of courage,
Long after-- when the flames died
Moulten gold gleamed in the ashes.
They gathered it into bruised palms
And handed it to their children,
And their children's children.
Vilate Raile
Friday, July 20, 2012
Come, Come Ye Saints...
Meet Sarah. She is named for one of my pioneer ancestors. She has on an apron to represent the many duties she would have had to keep her family well and fed. She is carrying a book of hymns to represent her desire to teach her children faith through the joy of music. Her shawl represents her charity and the warmth of her testimony. The cameo represents her heritage. The flowers are cuttings that represent her hope to create a beautiful home in a far away place.
We’ll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we’ll tell—
All is well! All is well!
We’ll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we’ll tell—
All is well! All is well!
~William Clayton
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Feather & Nest Feature!
This little Fairy Princess bride was featured on Feather & Nest today in a fun Wuthering Heights inspired post... Heathcliff! Stop by and see it, it's very creative!
If you are interested in custom cake toppers of your own... stop by my shop...
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Vintage Bride...
The bride isn't vintage.. she is young and lovely, but her wedding is themed around some of her grandmother's pretty things and gorgeous antique lace... Custom wedding cake topers available at..
Monday, July 09, 2012
The Harbinger...
The book is all based on a prophecy in Isaiah 9:10 that tells about America's future as a nation. By the time I got to the part about John Edwards' speech, I was amazed. Except.. the premise that it is rebellion to say that you are going to come back stronger after a tragedy, I could never get that to feel so wrong. But, all the plans for that have been frustrated in a way that is truly astonishing.
The perspective of someone from another faith tradition is always interesting to me. I am usually impressed more by the similarities. I loved the message at the end about the love of God, which is something I truly believe.
If you have read the Book of Mormon, you know this basic story with even more details. Nations are great when they love God, when they stop obeying his commandments, they become wicked and they either destroy themselves or God allows them to be destroyed.
I wonder if he has read the story of Captain Moroni and Pahoran that I taught my class yesterday? I love those verses in Alma chapters 60-61 where the desires of those two good men to unite their nation with it's liberty are written in the most soul stirring language.
It was Jonathan Cahn's perspective on this that was my favorite part of the book. He understands that God does all things out of love. He would not have precious children born into a world with no chance at all for love or happiness. He knows that like people, nations can repent and make themselves right with God again. His hope is that America will heed the many warnings that have been given and return to God. That is my hope too.
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Monday, July 02, 2012
The Hiding Place...
This summer I decided to introduce dad's reading program to my own daughter. She is very sensitive and this book has some difficult topics and so I read the book aloud to her. I'm so glad that I did because I needed to read this book again.
The courage of this family and the amazing things they were able to accomplish with faith and little else is infinitely inspiring.
After hiding Jews for a year in their home, the ten Boom family is arrested. When they are interrogated, the Nazi in charge speaks to the elderly father Casper ten Boom and says, "I'd like to send you home, old fellow... I'll take your word that you won't cause any more trouble." Evenly and clearly Casper replied, "If I go home today, tomorrow I will open my door again to any man in need who knocks."
Friday afternoon a middle-aged man came to my own door, he was red faced, sweaty and trying too hard as he presented his proposal to paint address numbers on my curb. I have a "no soliciting" sign on my door and I'm very suspicious of strangers so I said "no" almost immediately. For two seconds I watched this man walk away, watched him sigh and watched his shoulders slump. It took some time to dawn on me, sadly, but I made a terrible mistake. I turned away someone in need, someone who I now feel sure is out of work and trying to feed a family.
We have limited resources and time to give and so it requires having the gift of discernment with us at all times to know where we should be and when we can help. In his important talk, Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall, Elder Oaks says, "We are commanded to give to the poor. Could the fulfillment of that fundamental Christian obligation be carried to excess? I believe it can, and I believe I have seen examples of this. Perhaps you have also seen cases where persons fulfilled that duty to such an extent that they impoverished their own families by expending resources of property or time that were needed for family members."
Most of us can probably share more than we do and that is certainly true of myself. This book is an example that charity is what is required and charity is something we can only give when we have His spirit with us.
Charity is also what is required to forgive. Last week in my Sunday School lesson, I used this scripture in D&C 50:24 "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth birghter and brighter until the perfect day."
This scripture explains such an important principle. We are commanded to tithe, but we recieve the testimony of tithing when we keep the commendment or "continue in God". In the end of this book, Corrie ten Boom tells about an experience she has giving talks about the gospel of Christ. After one of these talks a guard who had terrorized and humiliated her in the Ravensbruck concentration camp came to her to shake her hand. After speaking of forgiveness she found that she could not lift her hand to shake his... so she prayed for help to lift her hand to his. "As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand, a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me. And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself."
I know this is true. I know that the word of God has the power to bring peace and hope in the darkness. I know that goodness and courage are spiritual gifts that our Father in Heaven can give us when we call on His name. I know that He knows each heart and every hurt and has the power to make us whole. I know that His love and compassion for each of his children is infinite.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Emily Dickinson...
On the bottom of this doll in very tiny writing it reads,
"Hope is the thing with feathers... ~Emily Dickinson"
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Payal's Pretty Cake...
Payal's cake toppers were so fun to paint. Peachy pink with gold and silver embroidery and crystals. Her lengha was stunning with a lavendar bouquet... see more custom cake toppers...
Spinach & Mushroom Salad
I had this lovely salad at a super delish party I went too.. With the help of the internet, I tried to copy the salad the other night.. and it was pretty tasty... Sarah, is it close? Mmmm...
Ingredients: big bowl of baby spinach
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 cup swiss cheese shredded
some sliced red onions (1/2 cup)
1/2 pound cooked bacon, crumbled
1 large pear diced
Dressing: 1/3 cup apple cider vinagar
3/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sliced onions
Directions: Layer the ingredients. Blend the dressing and pour it over the salad just before serving.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Biscuits flying in formation...
Not only did little c's biscuits fly in formation.. they were DELISH!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Traditional Lengha, Dupatta & Sherwani
This groom is wearing a traditional sherwani, the beautiful long coats worn in South Asia. I love traditional Indian wedding clothes. They are so intricate and beautiful and the colors are so rich. What a treat it was to paint this beautiful couple. Best Wishes!
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