tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81878765088080795752024-03-21T05:27:15.255-05:00Allison Puccetti AdamsALLISON PUCCETTI ADAMS
Artist ~ Southern Author
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-59418358388416975902015-12-04T16:39:00.001-06:002015-12-04T16:39:15.583-06:00Southern Living Photo Shoot<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYhVmjdUz7Ly9kGaueagTs2XZE7qdGv8RpBY9dwAKMrAvcMX5m6roEjGOYv7-cW4GwKLu_3zh7FgTuD3l5px8820aYdDKHxNgnk5VbYe60HSRB3Pz29UxWm5LF4Yszg6Ln-DOu6QIeuxm/s1600-h/DSC07800.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279421066460407506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYhVmjdUz7Ly9kGaueagTs2XZE7qdGv8RpBY9dwAKMrAvcMX5m6roEjGOYv7-cW4GwKLu_3zh7FgTuD3l5px8820aYdDKHxNgnk5VbYe60HSRB3Pz29UxWm5LF4Yszg6Ln-DOu6QIeuxm/s200/DSC07800.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 134px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfUwnF_x4QcddPjL1zY_p_zM9EKtvmo6rTqXINNvoTahidNZo40Nk2LzmyEOkeAlz3_wBNd2Kpih8fMIdYCNCnuqgKwHoJAbjgcWTmtqrm5dGMRbY7pgxjI_vLy5_uJ1bg8h1knEqe5qZ/s1600-h/gardening-gift-l%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279421059883973154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfUwnF_x4QcddPjL1zY_p_zM9EKtvmo6rTqXINNvoTahidNZo40Nk2LzmyEOkeAlz3_wBNd2Kpih8fMIdYCNCnuqgKwHoJAbjgcWTmtqrm5dGMRbY7pgxjI_vLy5_uJ1bg8h1knEqe5qZ/s200/gardening-gift-l%5B1%5D.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbu-36izUWZaYBs_7P6xL2KwTgCIGthVoXOWTez0e3-Utx9BreTFE7D7_FFr824Btu2qDxEpfDsHV-QmwO781w5q2tSUk9YHTNCIOmq4GZe0z3VJHQ-yfICJSv4idsQpwrX2D8H8WMUtY/s1600-h/tea-s%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279421061671508738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbu-36izUWZaYBs_7P6xL2KwTgCIGthVoXOWTez0e3-Utx9BreTFE7D7_FFr824Btu2qDxEpfDsHV-QmwO781w5q2tSUk9YHTNCIOmq4GZe0z3VJHQ-yfICJSv4idsQpwrX2D8H8WMUtY/s200/tea-s%5B1%5D.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 150px;" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGwYSghSTo1VJkyl2mY4ZXHi9IcfoTlLQWSa3T_RizJc6iiPj_7B3FuPFUsTp7fEpiCllCRQpYFLcEqOpAz0QGgM9KCcKioustgG3jItz-4F1Ws312GtiD3LmO650HzpdraGfq6tgGNmC/s1600-h/DSC07798.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279421055840792738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGwYSghSTo1VJkyl2mY4ZXHi9IcfoTlLQWSa3T_RizJc6iiPj_7B3FuPFUsTp7fEpiCllCRQpYFLcEqOpAz0QGgM9KCcKioustgG3jItz-4F1Ws312GtiD3LmO650HzpdraGfq6tgGNmC/s200/DSC07798.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 134px;" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7WIJ-4fSPf4UQQTM5ENG7SdKPiu_2b3mC_3yQwSRXEa9RcnAcs6h9cY9mx7_hEQHmF5VDSX0c9xFVIcOkDoTCjFwz16-5SG2bKKKbypoS3i6ledmwhoJOU0S6pMcOptwxZgKG-JImyTz/s1600-h/DSC07793.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279421026585556866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7WIJ-4fSPf4UQQTM5ENG7SdKPiu_2b3mC_3yQwSRXEa9RcnAcs6h9cY9mx7_hEQHmF5VDSX0c9xFVIcOkDoTCjFwz16-5SG2bKKKbypoS3i6ledmwhoJOU0S6pMcOptwxZgKG-JImyTz/s200/DSC07793.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 134px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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Go to Southern Living Magazine's site or see the November issue for two articles where I got to be a "super model"! Ha
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I am the blue in the background behind the mugs in our kitchen
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and the VANNA HANDS in this article about great gift ideas for the garden.
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Also shown are some shots of Van and Missy Nevill Crawford doing some styling for an upcoming shoot in the spring around our pool.
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Everything about what goes into the magazines that we read goes through such an extensive process, with the first spark being an idea around a conference table and growing into a finished "ah ha!" moment on a bright sunny day. It takes a huge team of professionals to pull it all off.
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See the site at <a href="http://www.southernliving.com/">www.southernliving.com</a>and lots of GREAT articles and ideas.
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Photos shown from November issue:
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Van Chaplin / styling Lisa Powell Bailey, Bridget Sellers
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-30558186655094246932013-04-29T13:04:00.000-05:002013-04-29T13:04:45.099-05:00The Butterfly Effect of Love by Allison Adams
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Science has shown the butterfly effect to engage </div>
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with the
first movement of any form of matter- including people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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~from Andy
Andrews book The Butterfly Effect<o:p></o:p></div>
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a gift for
the families who attended the wedding<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePopN4VOQgzuCu6dc2cQHmNAAB-I4xFHxzDPCvVoEcO-dzMMnWOYX8xSAlugdrUqWRvIj89kfQuuvdE5FB7ghdFVBZYXawWEZ4hUKTLjTMU3PlrX8chh_M2w5yfxe3dT385pyozaNsl1k/s1600/butterflyptngallisonpadamsdotcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePopN4VOQgzuCu6dc2cQHmNAAB-I4xFHxzDPCvVoEcO-dzMMnWOYX8xSAlugdrUqWRvIj89kfQuuvdE5FB7ghdFVBZYXawWEZ4hUKTLjTMU3PlrX8chh_M2w5yfxe3dT385pyozaNsl1k/s320/butterflyptngallisonpadamsdotcom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A few years ago, a boy was too busy to make it out for a
blind date with a girl.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After talking to her long distance by chat, text, phone, he
decided he had to see her. Convincing
his parents who were on their way to the town where she lived to drop him off
at her house for the weekend, he arrived at her doorstep, a sleeping bag and
pillow in hand. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t recall the exact way it was told at the Rehearsal
Dinner but I think it went down like this.
As he stood there, a surprise to this girl and her college room mates,
he waved to his parents over his shoulder with a huge grin, “This is Lauren. I
am going to meet her parents this weekend, then another weekend you are going
to get to know her and some day we are going to be married!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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They dated a couple of years and the celebration of their
lives together was this weekend in Rosemary Beach, Florida.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My husband and two daughters (7 and 17) followed the flutter
of love set forth in their college days and headed to Rosemary beach for their
wedding. Getting to know his family, in
the brief moments we had around them, was something magical. To meet Will you
can only grin from ear to ear. I don’t recall seeing him not smiling, and
hugging people, and sticking his arm out to say “I’m Will!” to anyone and
everyone he saw.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Toasts from their friends were all upbeat, magical, kind,
genuinely all about the magic of their love.
The preacher who married them had been waiting for this day since he was
a child. His humor and pure joy for the occasion sent waves of chuckles
throughout the weekend.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A toast was made by an elderly couple, briefly strangers,
who met Will on an airplane on his way back from Argentina where he works as a
hunting guide. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’m getting married,” he told them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The gentleman whom I would guess is in his seventies gleamed
as he and his wife stood to toast Will.
“This boy whom I met for only hours but felt like I knew him my whole
life told me about Lauren on the ride home. It sounded like such a magical
union. “<o:p></o:p></div>
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Will’s answer was, “You should come. I’ll send you a ticket!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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And that is how the little northern couple too were sucked
up into the love current started back in college by a boy with a big heart and
a girl who won it with her brains, beauty and love of hunting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And everywhere we were, stories of Will and Lauren drifted
across the wind. Her college friends from Rhodes, her roommates from Auburn,
and some from Graduate School at Vanderbilt all meshed together in a tail wind
of excitement spurred by the birth of a little girl whose daddy taught her how
to hunt and fish and her mama who loved to shop with her and ski and do all the
things boys like for girls to do with them while looking “fabulous”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While her parents are no longer married, the love in her
heart and the love they have for her brought them to a moment where they could
stand together, for her, with her. The
toast Carson made was not about him…but how “your mother and I feel about the
blessing that you are”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7BOSBqmH-bhXYrdSFAmiijGeMdKmfLPPIbsO4kIwhxOBVA2la6hDkaSFEoGSGpTP_OtuPlOe-dyqhICMWhE86JFslTwDVKuvW0HYja1Nh4Nn94i9jAivkPdARqBWVI9fIZdHKYlkx5HU/s1600/kimbroughs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7BOSBqmH-bhXYrdSFAmiijGeMdKmfLPPIbsO4kIwhxOBVA2la6hDkaSFEoGSGpTP_OtuPlOe-dyqhICMWhE86JFslTwDVKuvW0HYja1Nh4Nn94i9jAivkPdARqBWVI9fIZdHKYlkx5HU/s200/kimbroughs.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Love is the ultimate goal in life. It is the most important
of all of the messages that God left for us here on earth.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The couple didn’t say “we are in love”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbhOovHNMem7DPyhV3oKXhMCXzP2FIaSMycm27Q7E0DjCdAI7v53i9ymSrEdtKYciTBPElzR_3akUGgDJ9MeO0cQGhB3ejWIYZM8AijeZ-44FUq8GZbJ2KLSDEASxBC_Q6Mk6yrpjhLiI/s1600/hands+of+lauren+and+will.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbhOovHNMem7DPyhV3oKXhMCXzP2FIaSMycm27Q7E0DjCdAI7v53i9ymSrEdtKYciTBPElzR_3akUGgDJ9MeO0cQGhB3ejWIYZM8AijeZ-44FUq8GZbJ2KLSDEASxBC_Q6Mk6yrpjhLiI/s200/hands+of+lauren+and+will.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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They ARE love. Their eyes showed it, their hugs showed it. There was no need for words.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In a time when the world seems tiny and meaningless for so
many as it crumbles around us and hate rises up, we are reminded on a beach in
a small town of Rosemary that there are great new beginnings being formed.
There are messages floating along the sands and waves shouting out to perhaps a
couple who was there who re-kindled a stale relationship, or a stranger who
watched from beyond the dunes who dreamed of one day having such a blessed marriage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QH-oxJCcvnNAHy0Ev0yolifyvHDaqxTJVrpp0kY4xJiJ8rkwAtoLD0tP90_D46Rvh7np_Aq9phHPaSBttGiafphc_uoKaunIqs-Vry87QYIKYjk0-O-qdotZmkC1FY0fVWr3LpV9frU_/s1600/wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QH-oxJCcvnNAHy0Ev0yolifyvHDaqxTJVrpp0kY4xJiJ8rkwAtoLD0tP90_D46Rvh7np_Aq9phHPaSBttGiafphc_uoKaunIqs-Vry87QYIKYjk0-O-qdotZmkC1FY0fVWr3LpV9frU_/s320/wedding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes, there were butterfly effects going on all around us in
Rosemary. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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My seven year old watched it all. Perhaps the effect she sees will be with her
forever as she aspires for true love.
She was so excited to help hand out the rosemary that would shower the
bride and groom as they rolled off in
their antique thunderbird convertible. Rosemary symbolizes love, remembrance,
friendship and truth ~ something they will take into a new life, a new world, where
laced into an even more powerful strand, I have no doubt that they will send
tornadoes of hope across the world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIOthqSN2CPlE3fi5V7t673vykLTMhEDzn6akaf0aT5z_60hRhl5YcMIbuepzTQN2MlFEtSBOAuTvWlXNHevnzWUAofeFSKbNzOBmNutGYY17wZRs1pwk8W-iCePd4f3KrZsssATEZ91D/s1600/310889_649059058620_2009935041_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIOthqSN2CPlE3fi5V7t673vykLTMhEDzn6akaf0aT5z_60hRhl5YcMIbuepzTQN2MlFEtSBOAuTvWlXNHevnzWUAofeFSKbNzOBmNutGYY17wZRs1pwk8W-iCePd4f3KrZsssATEZ91D/s200/310889_649059058620_2009935041_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I can feel them now in Belize~ landing on a soft beach,
speaking of love, toasting to their future, perhaps sparking a small wave, a
breeze of what is to come across the planet where we are, just as we are soaking
in and simply remembering the first wave.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
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Cheers and congratulations to you for touching my life and
reminding me how precious my sweet husband is and how blessed I am with my children.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The greatest of these….is love. Thanks for sharing yours!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Allison Adams<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-31825096176748737582013-04-24T17:48:00.004-05:002013-04-24T17:51:02.678-05:00SOCIAL MEDIA THE HAPPYMESS WAY <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The past month I have been a part of the happYmess quest to get all of my media frenzy in order. I am a habitual blogger, website starter, facebook poster, frequent frenzy tweeter and Mitzi Jane Media has provided me with so much happYmess to explore that my head might just bust open!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.mitzijanemedia.com/" target="_blank">MJM STRENGTH Social Media Conference for Small Business </a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">has been the facilitator for area experts in every genre of Social Media.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Follow her on Facebook to get highlights and find when the next conference will occur!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">As for now, I am pecking away doing a bit of happYmess housekeeping. Here are a few of the baby steps I have achieved this week:</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Began the happYmessLIFE BLOG (still in progress...thanks for checking in with me)</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Began the happYmessLIFE facebook page</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Made a notebook grid of all of my "identities" and sites that I have scattered across the world wide web with columns to connect the many emails to the entity with which they speak to one another. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">(YES I should simplify..but one of those email addresses I have had since I was in college...perhaps I am a virtual junkie!)</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Updated my Linked In Account...sorry all of you who just use Linked In...I still don't get it..perhaps because most of you are on the "morning cycle". </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I have embraced my creative inner clock..thus Linked In is not working too well for me!</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Pinterest...I have formed a happYmess pinterest account and plan to privitize my personal account in many areas....until the workshop I had no idea it was for followings...I thought I was using it to stash great ideas for me to use only! Don't be buying up the horses I have pinned! It is my goal to own a flock of them! a herd of them....</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I have updated my bloGSSSSSS....and thought long and hard about where to go from here. We'll see about that.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I have updated my new website that I build myself.....which is FLASH so web crawlers do not find it...but it was easy...free from WIX.com and I love the graphics. SOOOOO..re-evaluating that.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Please check it out and give me feedback! It was a hair wrenching project where I had goals to finish it in my journal a year ago today! I arrived at the conference and had my doors blown by the fact that WORDPRESS is THE way to go...by the way...it and blogger are in with GOOGLE. Thus the ease in searches.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">WHO KNEW? Wish I had a year ago! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And TWITTER....wow...the value of the conference went through the roof when I learned about a little ap I can add to my phone and IPAD MINI to post and schedule tweets called HOOTSuite! Thanks to Julie Brannon with <a href="http://www.telpmedia.com/" target="_blank">TELP Media</a> I have been humming the little lollypop song associated with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang all day....It is a life saver if you are a multiple personality media person like myself!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And THANK YOU to Rachel Callahan, blogger of <a href="http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/" target="_blank">graspingforobjectivity.com </a> and active blogger leader of <a href="http://alabamabloggers.com/">alabamabloggers.com</a> ,who made me feel like a creative spirit again instead of a whistle in a square business hole. The session before was the technical stuff I love to know but hate to do~ google analytics, search engine optimization. She freed me to blog on what I love in random order, all with handy bars at the top so the reader can pick what they want instead of wading. She is still telling me that Wordpress is the best way to achieve that. I'll be sifting that through my brain after I get back from vacation next week. But so far....Wordpress keeps wrestling me to the ground!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Don't get me wrong <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrybrown1" target="_blank">Jerry Brown (with InfoMedia)</a>, your information was invaluable....it just had my creative self in a tail-spin for a day or two. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">There happens to be ONE MORE SESSION! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">On Monday night, April 29 at 5:30 we will wrap up the month with Maximizing Your Online Productivity with Emily Lowery and the Top Ten Take Aways for Small Businesses with seminar maestro Mitzi Eaker.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">IF YOU ARE CURIOUS, IT IS NOT TOO LATE....</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Contact Mitzi at the link for<a href="http://mitzijanemedia.com/" target="_blank"> MJM STRENGTH Conference</a> to see how you can be a fly on the wall to catch the information buzzing out on 280! She has a one time admission price under $40 bucks.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">You won't be disappointed! If for any other reason than to GET ON THE LIST TO SIGN UP FOR THE NEXT ONE~</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Hoping to MAKE MORE SENSE TO MY FOLLOWERS (because you know I usually, truthfully just write for myself!)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> about music, writing, art, fashion fun, fluff! design ideas and all that my life leads me to! I love to share....I love to write....I was born to BLOG!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thanks Mitzi for turning my sprinkler into a smooth flowing water hose...at least that is the GOAL :)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Blessings!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Allison Adams</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLk_E80cbSplD-wQ5SA_pEFeSjg0VFLrtoU6ND52JRuQfFQht0__4kU6VBuMxEMLGl5IM31GOUAFy_3w0a8h9jjQsw7MbiyjbzRcSHZGbzHPPKAKqZE-YqdlrWDM0Q-MEX__pdqqXPAe5/s1600/Strength-Attendees-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLk_E80cbSplD-wQ5SA_pEFeSjg0VFLrtoU6ND52JRuQfFQht0__4kU6VBuMxEMLGl5IM31GOUAFy_3w0a8h9jjQsw7MbiyjbzRcSHZGbzHPPKAKqZE-YqdlrWDM0Q-MEX__pdqqXPAe5/s320/Strength-Attendees-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrybrown1" target="_blank">Visit her blog for highlights.</a> </div>
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This photo from MJM Social Media Conference by Mitzi Jane Media</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">this post is cross posted on <a href="http://www.happymesslife.blogspot.com/">www.happYmessLIFE.blogspot.com</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-71725721869482690462013-02-12T09:44:00.003-06:002013-02-12T09:58:35.916-06:00artists of the month of MARCH at ROJO Birmingham<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">Please join us on </span><b style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thursday, March 7 at 6 PM at </span></b></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.rojobirmingham.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">ROJO</span></b> </a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0b22a2; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.rojobirmingham.com/">www.rojobirmingham.com</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">for the exhibition kickoff for the show entitled</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">HEART HOPE AND HOME </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">which will feature vibrant artwork on canvas by </span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0px;">Allison Puccetti Adams </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">(<a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/"><span style="color: #0b22a2; letter-spacing: 0px;">www.allisonpadams.com</span></a>)</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; letter-spacing: 0px;">and </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: magenta; letter-spacing: 0px;">Kristin Drew Vickers </span><span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; letter-spacing: 0px;">(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/kristindrewvickersart"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">www.facebook.com/kristindrewvickersart</span></a>)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">20% of all artwork sales during the entire month will go to <a href="http://www.heartgalleryalabama.com/" target="_blank">The Heart Gallery of Alabama</a>, </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b>which focuses on highlighting the nearly 300 children yearning for adoption across Alabama.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Enjoy<b> live music</b> performed from 6-8 by<b> Brent and Shelton McCollough</b></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/BrentMcColloughStudios">www.facebook.com/BrentMcColloughStudios</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Prints will be available of the entitled work, “Embrace for Life” by Allison Adams</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">for $30.00 to benefit THE HEART GALLERY OF ALABAMA. (60% of price goes directly to </span>the Heart Gallery) </div>
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Come out and enjoy good fun, purchase some ART WITH HEART or just learn more about THE HEART GALLERY.<br />
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Register for a free painting to be given away!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you are a family who has been changed by adoption we would LOVE to have you share your story. At around 8 PM we will open the mic to individuals who want to share their <span style="color: red;">HEARTS.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">FOLLOW US ON <b>FACEBOOK</b> AT<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KristinDrewVickersArt" target="_blank"> </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KristinDrewVickersArt" target="_blank"> kristindrewvickersart</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allison-Puccetti-Adams-Artist-FAN-PAGE" target="_blank">allisonpadamsartist</a></span></span></div>
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we will announce some free giveaways between now and the end of march</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">For more information contact Allison Adams at 205-914-2400 or visit <span style="color: #0b22a2; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We hope you will <span style="color: red;">spread the love</span> and <b>share this message with friends and family~</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Visit the <b><a href="http://www.heartgalleryalabama.com/" target="_blank">HEART GALLERY WEBSITE</a></b> to see actual photos of the children awaiting families </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">like yours, to find where their next exhibit of photographs will be located or to donate directly. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-57931118864306583512013-01-10T12:05:00.000-06:002013-01-10T12:07:07.837-06:00NEW YEAR ~ NEW goals to YOUEvery year I love to pull out my journals from the year before<br />
(yes, there are usually two or more of them). <br />
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I am a journaling junkee! <br />
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This year I created a new way to capture my journaling and my calendar in one place.<br />
The happYmess Journal documents my todays while I plan my tomorrows.<br />
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I also LOVE the SARK's Journal and Playbook! I have one from 1996, one from 2000 and one from 2006. While many of the goals, scribbles and thoughts are similar, they still evolve.<br />
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<a href="http://www.planetsark.com/">www.planetsark.com</a><br />
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WHAT ARE YOU DREAMING TO DO DIFFERENTLY IN 2013?<br />
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WHAT ARE YOU LOVING THAT YOU WANT MORE OF IN 2013?<br />
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After all, we all made it through the doom and gloom of the end of the world at the end of 2012!<br />
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CELEBRATE THAT!<br />
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Last year was the year for my painting evolution. I took some great workshops through local and regional outlets. <br />
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@pauljackson @alabamaartsupply @kellienewsom @nancunningham @forstallartcenter<br />
(even google evolving where these are supposed to link to these artists~ who knows! but hey, I am up for big changes and new adventures, even if on my blog!<br />
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In 2013 I explored @seejanewrite the blog a day for 30 days and made it with a few "multi blogs" along the way! Thanks @javaciabowers @seejanetweet<br />
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SET A GOAL, ANY GOAL AND SEE WHERE IT LEADS YOU!<br />
It doesn't have to be life changing! Just something to help you stretch and grow!<br />
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Here is a GREAT one!<br />
Anyone with a camera on their phone can do it! And be sure to tweet it to me<br />
at #artallie on Twitter!<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/33214115972635597/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="712" src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/33214115972635597_2i6Xc5vH_c.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.positivelypresent.com/2011/11/zoom-in-on-gratitude-30-day-photo-challenge.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">positivelypresent.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/ingermsaverud/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Inger-Marie</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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This is the link to the DAILY PHOTO CHALLENGE!<br />
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TODAY! DAY ONE! A FAVORITE! FOOD<br />
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AND I LEAVE YOU WITH SCENES FROM BARTON G RESTAURANT IN MAIMI BEACH!<br />
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@bartong<br />
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a smoking drink</div>
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cotton candy!</div>
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menu pad....</div>
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<a href="http://bartongtherestaurant.com/experience/">http://bartongtherestaurant.com/experience/</a></div>
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surf and turf~ of monumental proportions</div>
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Tuna~ </div>
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and great friends</div>
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which is what food is all about</div>
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lobster poptarts~ </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0s_Ls2-fcRGsFJCRv7tH8ZOBPfgfngUEZvvjftPX_CcRQPZfngdkKBc_v1_0Hf4MxR7F9vUNBiDO0NGaC23admlwvykl7vMqEs8-30lJ2Ye5HJXOmCvTH92qvBLpTh1L4huN0WMPSX2Y/s1600/IMG_5125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0s_Ls2-fcRGsFJCRv7tH8ZOBPfgfngUEZvvjftPX_CcRQPZfngdkKBc_v1_0Hf4MxR7F9vUNBiDO0NGaC23admlwvykl7vMqEs8-30lJ2Ye5HJXOmCvTH92qvBLpTh1L4huN0WMPSX2Y/s320/IMG_5125.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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and my seven year old's favorite~</div>
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the chocolate treasure chest with graham cracker "sand"</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8Fgu5SYRTZrIimKjrU3UsoTSPhUHz2vHj14_DovmasCJYCjprWPQKiTK6Xrn151_HgxTpmVvHh242ZuDee7GHfBYLsIqTGua9_kVuxft4bSpSaWkopkAlgO7PJ6IGG4CMBh8OYyOY2J1/s1600/IMG_5096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8Fgu5SYRTZrIimKjrU3UsoTSPhUHz2vHj14_DovmasCJYCjprWPQKiTK6Xrn151_HgxTpmVvHh242ZuDee7GHfBYLsIqTGua9_kVuxft4bSpSaWkopkAlgO7PJ6IGG4CMBh8OYyOY2J1/s200/IMG_5096.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Treasures like this are all over the world. GO EXPLORE them~ <br />
<br />
Barton G was the personal chef for Versace. Next time you go to Miami<br />
find this quaint restaurant tucked on a side street among gardens and find a corner table beneath the twinkling lights in the trees.<br />
<br />
Or better yet, stay in tonight and get creative! Find a bucket and fill it with ice cream, candy bars and top it with POP ROCKS! Your kids will love you for it!<br />
<br />
Blessings to CREATIVE LIVING EVERY DAY in 2013~<br />
<br />
Allison Adams<br />
<a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-39974435117507663242012-12-06T09:52:00.000-06:002012-12-06T10:18:09.030-06:00ABDUCTED: Elf answering to ELF-is. Last seen 2011OK ALL YOU CLEVER ELVES, who started your escapades early in November.<br />
<br />
Do you THINK we don't hear about all of the wonderful mischief you have concocted? <br />
<br />
Your pranks are filling up Pinterest, your "children" are bragging at school.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/bgall/christmas-elf-on-a-shelf/">http://pinterest.com/bgall/christmas-elf-on-a-shelf/</a><br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I am scrambling around in all of the buckets in my garage for any sign of you.<br />
Panic is setting in as I am remembering that you were last spotted<br />
in Colorado last year as we spent the week out there....<br />
At least I am thinking you graced our presence there!<br />
<br />
but I really am not sure.<br />
<br />
And I am remembering you weren't that REGULAR easy to find ELF-is<br />
(the name my daughter continues to call you, in her letters, on notes by her bed)....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lb2mMsoktfUbgKc9RrGUGddFOYaacb8y8ft2gaJhx83CzOR27QVnsZDMBqHFjU8-uLWzKnTWqaWDZUG8oq7vmAU-5UGZf-r7kMr-PEXN7dBiuljXvhJOBatkw9SsFaSQHSqtjnm6ZUN9/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lb2mMsoktfUbgKc9RrGUGddFOYaacb8y8ft2gaJhx83CzOR27QVnsZDMBqHFjU8-uLWzKnTWqaWDZUG8oq7vmAU-5UGZf-r7kMr-PEXN7dBiuljXvhJOBatkw9SsFaSQHSqtjnm6ZUN9/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
So I ask, WHY on a holiday FILLED with plenty to do,<br />
do we pack on another thing to coordinate?<br />
<br />
Yes I know, he does it all himself! But hey! He DOES NOT CLEAN UP!<br />
<br />
Parents need the ELF THAT DOES GOOD DEEDS AROUND THE HOUSE<br />
fueled by KIDS WITH HUGE HEARTS AND APPRECIATION for<br />
what PARENTS do!<br />
<br />
And at Christmas, the time we should be remembering Jesus,<br />
we have a TREE to get and decorate (I have to say it is my favorite thing!)<br />
<br />
Does the Christmas tree have anything to do with Jesus?<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz49ZK0knkQorE1yhcJnDVQBuDW9kRTB82rRTNVcphy-acqa7S1BPjiYxMoInMqJTGr9-rvoc0NH63mr4F2p23w7ts83sFsuo5FEGMIvDnmD6uXISdQ5sKYcddJpqkOMwcUzIS_EIBCB7l/s1600/170px-Rockefeller_Center_christmas_tree_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz49ZK0knkQorE1yhcJnDVQBuDW9kRTB82rRTNVcphy-acqa7S1BPjiYxMoInMqJTGr9-rvoc0NH63mr4F2p23w7ts83sFsuo5FEGMIvDnmD6uXISdQ5sKYcddJpqkOMwcUzIS_EIBCB7l/s1600/170px-Rockefeller_Center_christmas_tree_cropped.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
And then there is that dude, Santa~<br />
who really has little to do with the reason for the season~<br />
and possibly evolved from Father Christmas riding a goat!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iTeJv-jGTarOMbeghWpBNH_NgVyOx0TDON72kAyrGm3osUHlg2JeL7rgdEuS78LGrKEERV4wFp06Cxy6xN7bzefyviQvFWJgO-Q-0HCJcoYPts1rJHCYyiDsW3jCThRinjkboCvRxoRQ/s1600/170px-Santaandgoat.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iTeJv-jGTarOMbeghWpBNH_NgVyOx0TDON72kAyrGm3osUHlg2JeL7rgdEuS78LGrKEERV4wFp06Cxy6xN7bzefyviQvFWJgO-Q-0HCJcoYPts1rJHCYyiDsW3jCThRinjkboCvRxoRQ/s1600/170px-Santaandgoat.gif" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus</a><br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6EhRuR5yRp_TB5aMlhDnHm3n94kS56g7e6jHQQO6-zpdlLhGgVzonZ7Wx4eQBSRAIkyVmCtWdXbszwUmfNRTcCjApYKR9ZNXTRwsRRvWh-hmsmSzMe3T0Gtuax84G5DPzcCFfebRRl9i/s1600/238127899017515023_uxIt4Sm6_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6EhRuR5yRp_TB5aMlhDnHm3n94kS56g7e6jHQQO6-zpdlLhGgVzonZ7Wx4eQBSRAIkyVmCtWdXbszwUmfNRTcCjApYKR9ZNXTRwsRRvWh-hmsmSzMe3T0Gtuax84G5DPzcCFfebRRl9i/s1600/238127899017515023_uxIt4Sm6_b.jpg" /></a></div>
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But hey! real or not, he is everywhere! even in my brownies!</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
and NOW A DANG ELF that eats my boxes and spills cereal,<br />
who is<b> missed </b>because he is NOT destroying the laundry room,<br />
not squirting toothpaste everywhere, not playing in the potty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXkvfqEZJgBnxDO_zW8lOoGyjw7Tgk79x8R7rm-2bQ-fBfFf3HDdBZt2g9qhrMHUiNt8l-PV0FCvtGiQ71jOn3Q_Uf4w_s4mXNx_ZBvcmoUFIVY-1fwIHxGU7H1wOZjKoLOqVlReN_A3G/s1600/151433606189961282_AqWBCpOD_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXkvfqEZJgBnxDO_zW8lOoGyjw7Tgk79x8R7rm-2bQ-fBfFf3HDdBZt2g9qhrMHUiNt8l-PV0FCvtGiQ71jOn3Q_Uf4w_s4mXNx_ZBvcmoUFIVY-1fwIHxGU7H1wOZjKoLOqVlReN_A3G/s1600/151433606189961282_AqWBCpOD_b.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
So I thought~ should I dig into the stories behind these things?<br />
<br />
Come to find out~ as A LOVER OF THE BROWN LIQUID THAT CLOGS<br />
MY ARTERIES~ COCA COLA is behind the creation of the<br />
American SANTA CLAUSE.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://robwrite.hubpages.com/hub/The-Real-Story-Behind-SANTA-CLAUS">http://robwrite.hubpages.com/hub/The-Real-Story-Behind-SANTA-CLAUS</a><br />
<br />
and the Christmas Tree?<br />
<br />
I have to say this link is written by a biblical scholar, a bit dry in tone but hey!<br />
Who KNEW the tree's message was so varied and so powerful?<br />
<br />
The evergreen, that withstood the winter when a child was born in a manger.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/thepastinthepresent/storybehind/whychristmastrees.html">http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/thepastinthepresent/storybehind/whychristmastrees.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
The presents beneath are another issue~ isn't the GIFT of LIFE and the gift of time<br />
with family, LIKE ON THANKSGIVING ~ ENOUGH?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/why-do-we-give-gifts-at-christmas">http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/why-do-we-give-gifts-at-christmas</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkY9RgZVzusqRt0gHnWd_RLWKXK_gGcfd_0Zt4wIEaQQN-oKMtxpZPtsyF2Kq79DxPl8Jm4NFLTaQrkjlbTmp5lOYYLFiB2xNZVterkIaU_S06ZkznXWDmsb2yIJJvMxiyqzuSSMNYEy8_/s1600/tree-peppermint-kisses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkY9RgZVzusqRt0gHnWd_RLWKXK_gGcfd_0Zt4wIEaQQN-oKMtxpZPtsyF2Kq79DxPl8Jm4NFLTaQrkjlbTmp5lOYYLFiB2xNZVterkIaU_S06ZkznXWDmsb2yIJJvMxiyqzuSSMNYEy8_/s320/tree-peppermint-kisses.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
As I wrap up this blog post with all of the new knowledge I have about this season<br />
we call Christmas Time~<br />
I am relieved that as new events evolve, new traditions are introduced,<br />
I am reminded that<br />
<br />
the most special reason for this season is LOVE~ the GREATEST gift of all...<br />
<br />
and with that, the satisfaction of family member's joy as<br />
they open their gifts, as they sip hot cocoa beneath a beautifully decorated tree filled with<br />
hundreds of little mementos that remind us of great times together,<br />
of the rare beautifully thought out cards we still receive from friends near and far,<br />
of the angel trees with wishes still being fulfilled, of the churches singing praises<br />
to our king.<br />
<br />
We anticipate the giggles when they open the fridge to find<br />
(hopefully by FRIDAY according to my Amazon.com elf package tracking!)<br />
not only that Christopher Lumpkis or POPKINS<br />
or whatever version of the ELF that we can't find LOCALLY<br />
<br />
but his new friend (YES THERE IS A FEMALE ONE NOW)<br />
<br />
CHANDA BELL!<br />
<br />
based on her CREATOR. (an author loves a good success story now~)<br />
<br />
<b>all cozied up in the cream cheese.</b><br />
<br />
Move over Rudolph!<br />
Elf on the Shelf even has an event NEXT WEEK<br />
so you can make him a HOUSE<br />
DECEMBER 18 at the library in Crestline!<br />
<br />
AND YES there are different KINDS...SOFT, HARD, DIFFERENT BOOKS<br />
and only the children probably know the skinny on THAT~<br />
<a href="http://www.elfontheshelf.com/AboutUs/TheTeam.aspx">http://www.elfontheshelf.com/AboutUs/TheTeam.aspx</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.elfontheshelf.com/en-us/home.aspx">http://www.elfontheshelf.com/en-us/home.aspx</a><br />
<a href="http://www.imaginatives.com/">http://www.imaginatives.com</a><br />
<br />
CHEERS TO NEW TRADITIONS!<br />
AND MAY THE BEST ELF MISCHIEF WIN!<br />
<br />
Be sure to share your ELF-IS experiences with me! I would love to post some!<br />
<br />
AND REMEMBER~ DECEMBER 25 IS ALL ABOUT ONE THING.....<br />
Merry CHRISTmas!<br />
<br />
The rest of the days! are all about the FUN!<br />
<br />
And if you want to read a bit about that date, which is really NOT the<br />
guaranteed day of Christ's birth,<br />
find it here~<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas</a><br />
<br />
I will say, according to history, CHRISTMAS IS A GIFT TO OUR ECONOMY~<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct-pp9mNq-uqVFIbrMmK1ihLYmKULEF3vGUVThLW9fsOmC6zmwX1NSQ3BSczNXOiHnGh11_m0bWfV7bb1crJH0bih7rIq9llinvfFtAg_9_TX4XqFIZNaxZgMXgl0S8lEYHH5oxFPdMdM/s1600/220px-Monthly_Changes_in_Currency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct-pp9mNq-uqVFIbrMmK1ihLYmKULEF3vGUVThLW9fsOmC6zmwX1NSQ3BSczNXOiHnGh11_m0bWfV7bb1crJH0bih7rIq9llinvfFtAg_9_TX4XqFIZNaxZgMXgl0S8lEYHH5oxFPdMdM/s1600/220px-Monthly_Changes_in_Currency.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Maybe the story like THE MIDDLE'S this week where we make gifts and<br />
sit around and sing songs together is not a bad idea AFTER all...<br />
no elf, no tree, no presents, no Christmas cards.<br />
<br />
But then, THAT would just be ANOTHER DAY....<br />
<br />
I think I will STICK WITH THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE!<br />
<br />
Blessings to YOU and your family!<br />
<br />
Allison Adams<br />
<br />
<br />
And if you haven't gotten ENOUGH information~<br />
here is a link to an alternative view on CHRISTMAS.<br />
Don't let it cramp your CHRISTmas spirit.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Christmas_TheRealStory.htm">http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Christmas_TheRealStory.htm</a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-38190598487851203592012-11-26T12:45:00.000-06:002012-11-26T12:45:11.918-06:00 CHRISTMAS GIVINGChristmas is my very favorite holiday.<br />
<br />
There are so many things more important than the receiving of gifts.<br />
<br />
For our blog a day assignment we were to add some pictures, perhaps relating to the holidays.<br />
<br />
Here I provide a link to my many blogs and pages, all which have Christmas themes running through them.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/FLUFFDESIGNERS" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/fluffdesigners </a><br />
provides great ideas from pinterest and our own designs as we decorate client's homes for the<br />
holidays.<br />
<br />
We hope you will visit and get inspired!<br />
<br />
A favorite is this video of my daughter reading my Christmas book<br />
<a href="http://www.12daysofchristmasgiving.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The 12 Days of Christmas Giving</a>.<br />
<br />
Hope you will snuggle up with a cocoa and some marshmallows and enjoy her reading<br />
by the fire....she is seven.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz8YydxF0htKXhdww7cJKziQipSZ9MlW_ULQYQBnqiY1NUyQfcFfD-Xocq4NaaiSpgteqpBdk735v6a3dr8qQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here I share a link to a source for remembering the reason for CHRISTmas and a tradition so that you might help your children and family understand.<br />
<br />
It is from a fellow blogger's site. 25 Days of Scripture to help you remember the true meaning of Christmas.<br />
<br />
THIS LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO PAGES YOU CAN PRINT AND CUT OUT:<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yCHUG8GSA27D4i1qJ_GiY3fXhx0Xu7KOUDUx-pOHG1g/edit">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yCHUG8GSA27D4i1qJ_GiY3fXhx0Xu7KOUDUx-pOHG1g/edit</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-15382674257414970162012-11-20T14:01:00.003-06:002012-11-20T14:02:30.115-06:00Fluff! Designers<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This fall I joined forces with two of my creative friends to form the</span><span style="font-family: Zapfino; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">LIFESTYLE DESIGN COMPANY</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> that is all about the</span></h2>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><span style="font-family: Zapfino; letter-spacing: 0px;">Fluff!</span></span></h2>
<div style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">the blog is <a href="http://www.fluffdesigners.blogspot.com/">www.fluffdesigners.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Lisa Marie McGillberry has had a company called “Choose Healthy Be Healthy” where she creates a healthy, custom designed menu and pantry stocking service for those wanting gluten free and healthy choices for their families. Lisa Marie has directed movies, acted and has a great eye for detail. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">While the new year approaches and HEALTH IS ON EVERYONES MIND, she will be available to</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Fluff! your PANTRY! (meal planning)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Susan Wilkinson, married to Daniel, owner of <b>Father Nature Landscapes , </b>brings design experience for exterior and interior design (she has done design for some country music award winners she is too shy to mention and has a natural style). She was in broadcasting and will be our liaison for radio and television as well as design. Susan is Lisa Marie’s sister.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 13px;">
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<div style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Fluff! your LANDSCAPE! (exterior and live greenery)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica CY'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was an interior design major at Bama and designed banks and medical facilities here in Birmingham for eight years back when my eighteen year old was a little peep. I qualified as one of less than 250 registered and licensed interior designers in the state of Alabama. I have been missing that part of my life and looking forward to offering residential Fluff! as well as services to Fluff! and refresh tired commercial businesses. As an artist and photographer I can supply original works (some in the UAB collection) as well as represent other artists across the Southeast.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our December focus is</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Fluff! your Festivities (parties and holiday design)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We will all be involved in the transformation process of our projects and each brings unique perspective, creativity and talent in our various areas.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We will come in and Fluff! your home to make it ready for the holidays (by the hour) so you get the tree or we can. We can use your existing items in a new twist or add to what you have to make your home express who you are.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Call for a complimentary consultation at 205-914-2400. We charge by the hour for services and cost plus for items. You will have an itemized proposal before we start!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And for the links! Pinterest BABY! It is my favorite source for visual stimulus! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">http://pinterest.com/allisonpadams/</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-87407233651376985242012-11-20T13:52:00.001-06:002012-11-20T13:52:49.195-06:00Santa Taking in Some Sun and Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In case you were wondering what Santa is up to this weekend.</div>
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He is cruising on a Harley down in South Florida~</div>
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I took these in Key West a while back and thought I would have some FUN with them.</div>
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Have a GREAT Thanksgiving~ </div>
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for when we get back from the weekend~</div>
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IT WILL BE ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS </div>
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AT THE ADAMS HOUSE~</div>
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IN FACT, I already have our tree (thanks Chad!)</div>
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Allison Adams</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14cE9pUHlu06-vlv4ZtruvHo0MhDClwJYsIi3QhS2entNTIVYBLQIydVx_fCwhx8fXON0P74GOaW9sbZtSqLJY0O9kMSObXwBcTP0nq1FMjU4X9qEoShqeEmK7QkvNTO1XD2n6BXsPuQ7/s1600/IMG_8068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14cE9pUHlu06-vlv4ZtruvHo0MhDClwJYsIi3QhS2entNTIVYBLQIydVx_fCwhx8fXON0P74GOaW9sbZtSqLJY0O9kMSObXwBcTP0nq1FMjU4X9qEoShqeEmK7QkvNTO1XD2n6BXsPuQ7/s320/IMG_8068.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt-Zyy2gVUk1sVcv1enpZoFbFwJ2ZHWg6jp_IWvmHmA0EAkrxMSNL7_LC1tDhTosq67bHw5y1lWoncK_qnFdky5iwAHhnsiKSCgcA0xOMWt4rfN15srvppRiKGpXnXe4TxTixfmeoJxt9/s1600/IMG_8069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt-Zyy2gVUk1sVcv1enpZoFbFwJ2ZHWg6jp_IWvmHmA0EAkrxMSNL7_LC1tDhTosq67bHw5y1lWoncK_qnFdky5iwAHhnsiKSCgcA0xOMWt4rfN15srvppRiKGpXnXe4TxTixfmeoJxt9/s320/IMG_8069.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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For those who LOVE Christmas and celebrate</div>
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JESUS as the REASON and</div>
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CHRIST the main part of CHRISTmas,</div>
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hope you will check out my book</div>
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THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GIVING</div>
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Available at Interiors By Kathy Harris Cahaba Heights</div>
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and A Tiny Kingdom in Mt. Brook Village</div>
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Visit</div>
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<a href="http://www.12daysofchristmasgiving.blogspot.com/">www.12daysofchristmasgiving.blogspot.com</a></div>
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for the story</div>
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The children are given twelve gifts wrapped under the tree to GIVE AWAY.</div>
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Written and Illustrated by</div>
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Allison Adams</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuahqN1XVR84lbhKLIl5SePt2rh2mG4RdJ9lu-WVYZk3FfjnKsgNk8c9gsMIxEkPCrCV6hFgIQOTYwT-d0QSvRXuUkLkniwSV8t0hvWpiVxRJzVNh0X8js2eJRBI73GdsFq_Bbqzbfl92/s1600/scan0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuahqN1XVR84lbhKLIl5SePt2rh2mG4RdJ9lu-WVYZk3FfjnKsgNk8c9gsMIxEkPCrCV6hFgIQOTYwT-d0QSvRXuUkLkniwSV8t0hvWpiVxRJzVNh0X8js2eJRBI73GdsFq_Bbqzbfl92/s320/scan0016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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$15 paperback/ $20 hardback</div>
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Can get them personalized by contacting the author</div>
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<a href="mailto:allisonpadams@aol.com">allisonpadams@aol.com</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-26740992894726451372012-11-20T13:33:00.001-06:002012-11-20T13:33:11.560-06:00Photography20 Days of BLOGGING <div>
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Gone are the days of the old rolls of film where you shoot and shoot and hope something comes out that you can keep. I wish I could go back and re-live some trips with my digital camera. <div>
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The memories are great, but now that I actually know how to select the ones that work, tweak them if they don't quite get there and DELETE if they stink, I would have loved to have those memories IN LIVING COLOR!</div>
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I recently took some photos of babies~ They make such great subjects!</div>
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Photography, another great source for all things CREATIVE~</div>
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(and on subject with my blog daily on creativity as well as today's about "what you are doing")</div>
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I am available to take photos on location where they are most comfortable~ </div>
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$50 fee to come to your house which includes access to one free photo for you to use.</div>
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A great way to capture that Christmas card photo or holiday gift idea~ </div>
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I also photograph your pet and create watercolor/ acrylic pet portraits. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAy5JVEZ2T9-b-xvjMl9bTLOsgRruw3LtFPLRxypEchCHF-WiFYUlhMx2ImSmYRDCB78T2mHVUC1XIumpHjk9ZISzxM_Xo8YRc8NGHXbM_lsFu9dEHEgjz5otXjfow3D0paZNZ7BtyJ_P1/s1600/IMG_5094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAy5JVEZ2T9-b-xvjMl9bTLOsgRruw3LtFPLRxypEchCHF-WiFYUlhMx2ImSmYRDCB78T2mHVUC1XIumpHjk9ZISzxM_Xo8YRc8NGHXbM_lsFu9dEHEgjz5otXjfow3D0paZNZ7BtyJ_P1/s320/IMG_5094.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAAxRYLcFCp48xVO26RRaYJX4nsgECreCgeGBtOYtniIKL-wwF-0wWzBthD2c3TKAknfaCNaKMm86i8ZaihfFHc6YSLeiWgju93qs6jIxma1CDvJNrQjFWS_hiu1hVQz78uCBgm7TCIzR/s1600/IMG_4899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAAxRYLcFCp48xVO26RRaYJX4nsgECreCgeGBtOYtniIKL-wwF-0wWzBthD2c3TKAknfaCNaKMm86i8ZaihfFHc6YSLeiWgju93qs6jIxma1CDvJNrQjFWS_hiu1hVQz78uCBgm7TCIzR/s320/IMG_4899.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpLb1rA7v49AC3dP4V5NXAFEq5ugydc334hDkfoAKwhgNM-3grXzqcMtdkrbGqx8gNpDgCVZ2wWEScqkQKkjKND7DFYdw-NA_Uj6sTBfT6wDAaPpEzAEcj71qcRjBgqi3SKfZQ1MvVBcx/s1600/IMG_5121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpLb1rA7v49AC3dP4V5NXAFEq5ugydc334hDkfoAKwhgNM-3grXzqcMtdkrbGqx8gNpDgCVZ2wWEScqkQKkjKND7DFYdw-NA_Uj6sTBfT6wDAaPpEzAEcj71qcRjBgqi3SKfZQ1MvVBcx/s320/IMG_5121.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0PypBtwQENuNElrpvzdsYe8FSUs2k3J_rr5jca4a5zqOjkfjo8pvzM7TXWxj2W8F3v06eFTuqNeEdejzmsrF07Za31uQ07BfqaMDxX38zXKeNJUiwD9qpcyZqBDAOa8ujaaxqM8uhaCs/s1600/IMG_4901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0PypBtwQENuNElrpvzdsYe8FSUs2k3J_rr5jca4a5zqOjkfjo8pvzM7TXWxj2W8F3v06eFTuqNeEdejzmsrF07Za31uQ07BfqaMDxX38zXKeNJUiwD9qpcyZqBDAOa8ujaaxqM8uhaCs/s320/IMG_4901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-14944510377919168682012-11-19T15:18:00.000-06:002012-11-19T15:18:13.554-06:00Creative A Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOnmd6CyJJzBR1ssm-mxrA23whaWu_WVDJBy5cIQ3ZEm-sZUmHUUWP53zhd0s82P-c6xVs5_CbFK82W6nCTLbXyuVl9K-gU7IDbA3aelH1LMLrOrwc_xgPnfDjUerph1LbO2-G-731MhV/s1600/IMG_3697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOnmd6CyJJzBR1ssm-mxrA23whaWu_WVDJBy5cIQ3ZEm-sZUmHUUWP53zhd0s82P-c6xVs5_CbFK82W6nCTLbXyuVl9K-gU7IDbA3aelH1LMLrOrwc_xgPnfDjUerph1LbO2-G-731MhV/s320/IMG_3697.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdScY0btZ_j6edcBIyqm7NIPgK1c3MGkKev6iab4OR6h5bxUzmcFSXy855TEV0Z6nO5k058m4D0Orj4fqaZs8sgs1krwWuaHosz41CGcr0cva_8z4F-5DG7Z22950v8EGjcYPHLVxO4xeT/s1600/IMG_3698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdScY0btZ_j6edcBIyqm7NIPgK1c3MGkKev6iab4OR6h5bxUzmcFSXy855TEV0Z6nO5k058m4D0Orj4fqaZs8sgs1krwWuaHosz41CGcr0cva_8z4F-5DG7Z22950v8EGjcYPHLVxO4xeT/s320/IMG_3698.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I recently attended the <a href="http://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI Conference (Southern Children's Book Writer's and Illustrator's)</a>. <div>
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One of the most inspiring workshops was on illustration by Kevin Lewis with Disney/ Hyperion. He was so energetic. He loves his job. He works with illustrators all day every day to bring ideas to life. </div>
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After the workshop I found myself intrigued with the idea of illustration. The portfolios were incredible, all by artists in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjR_P0Klaf1bJJAqYMNOsW2uoqKmNuW3cKIcRblXqjOvuSuLAI6J9iIS3clWJmNoUJS-r4UlP1H9bUcluqYzGYIcENGeyKyMGfL2Qr3nyGIQAeo8SC_4ACf-kJ53DVqdnK-CKYA4LViiO/s1600/IMG_3406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGci_I7uVc4pxmZOxwpxWt02cuutiaeR1AfXxtfr8aNUftlgWwc6MqEXETdBNywuQMZ3oWa5vmWIltQ2ZbkHjV3SWHod1QQiELCRsli4NRnRQDvL1oI-eg_cmcRYYMel2a5w6Q47HqMF5M/s1600/IMG_3410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGci_I7uVc4pxmZOxwpxWt02cuutiaeR1AfXxtfr8aNUftlgWwc6MqEXETdBNywuQMZ3oWa5vmWIltQ2ZbkHjV3SWHod1QQiELCRsli4NRnRQDvL1oI-eg_cmcRYYMel2a5w6Q47HqMF5M/s200/IMG_3410.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb6vVbHcur5-vG2WxGeuZjAIAZ2jkf2iSImrIc4HPUqcbcKxqn4F7-bkCCB8vxp2ofD0buzR4RElnkQaHGUqGK4Z8PK5jZjSJ2H8ITBUta-9EfedPYfRBh1gspJJOijnhjIxztYM3Je8Q/s1600/IMG_3412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb6vVbHcur5-vG2WxGeuZjAIAZ2jkf2iSImrIc4HPUqcbcKxqn4F7-bkCCB8vxp2ofD0buzR4RElnkQaHGUqGK4Z8PK5jZjSJ2H8ITBUta-9EfedPYfRBh1gspJJOijnhjIxztYM3Je8Q/s200/IMG_3412.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPQBj0GyIYlfyqQoTOij8Au4GKK1JVdM2Uogv1fK3Vh4Ak6Zlttyvw2s_-EnVqVEV9mJwx8WEz7DCI7jGXOD7sOdSUZ0ElsfOZU-lhpgP-a40aja_HBviT_Ox3-vI1USu3iPdehw27qR_/s1600/IMG_3418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPQBj0GyIYlfyqQoTOij8Au4GKK1JVdM2Uogv1fK3Vh4Ak6Zlttyvw2s_-EnVqVEV9mJwx8WEz7DCI7jGXOD7sOdSUZ0ElsfOZU-lhpgP-a40aja_HBviT_Ox3-vI1USu3iPdehw27qR_/s200/IMG_3418.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF3bqeUZiUWCb8luaWdxHXU0gGVwwyTgKzo_XYB-ywuJGqHpaX7DdXOrJ0KBtF0QToADXp6Tl0fMe73gH__GVzxJHKG6-X6k4Rciv4ocNa1Q0nDd7Tu6MwR42swRqZRdYK2GbngRIm2uY/s1600/IMG_3414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsF3bqeUZiUWCb8luaWdxHXU0gGVwwyTgKzo_XYB-ywuJGqHpaX7DdXOrJ0KBtF0QToADXp6Tl0fMe73gH__GVzxJHKG6-X6k4Rciv4ocNa1Q0nDd7Tu6MwR42swRqZRdYK2GbngRIm2uY/s200/IMG_3414.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJSPsTggugJ7epi9SI1YEi1qXalUkuP42KWMMDH8PT2Zjlc5ZoV4n70NeEgkyE6rUy0QBMHheJ70BoujON7H8_P67f8p-xeTFld__xXXJE7k0jb8L163yufkSb_2wUv0lizSVCrSQ33d0/s1600/IMG_3415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJSPsTggugJ7epi9SI1YEi1qXalUkuP42KWMMDH8PT2Zjlc5ZoV4n70NeEgkyE6rUy0QBMHheJ70BoujON7H8_P67f8p-xeTFld__xXXJE7k0jb8L163yufkSb_2wUv0lizSVCrSQ33d0/s200/IMG_3415.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1LitDL9Te8RrvGjzx1mPIMDJlxBf0HlHbMFZ6d27y1bmTsk1swkXsml0px9FJ5HV-ElukInvnNMxg31mv090ifLZB3_Ug1W-gXWc6hAFzOgO78GsQ-HLBMo3TuNtXjxxoORofbV6NqBS/s1600/IMG_3409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1LitDL9Te8RrvGjzx1mPIMDJlxBf0HlHbMFZ6d27y1bmTsk1swkXsml0px9FJ5HV-ElukInvnNMxg31mv090ifLZB3_Ug1W-gXWc6hAFzOgO78GsQ-HLBMo3TuNtXjxxoORofbV6NqBS/s200/IMG_3409.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B3UZlz3PDK9eweBZPIYHJJyqeUWiCRun-nZx3uvNb5Z15oEnFxa4lU3VqTY1H053m0LFuZTY96f8_WeBzY-cnFBLw1OOrW64_37I9GXUTCe8mbaKfc3ijDkvq45l3HmDpO2MueQZljm9/s1600/IMG_3417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B3UZlz3PDK9eweBZPIYHJJyqeUWiCRun-nZx3uvNb5Z15oEnFxa4lU3VqTY1H053m0LFuZTY96f8_WeBzY-cnFBLw1OOrW64_37I9GXUTCe8mbaKfc3ijDkvq45l3HmDpO2MueQZljm9/s200/IMG_3417.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_k6PdZtwD_nPiNfX7W1tmXu1oUcBhsnF5jELohtjjvGi1ykzWT6rb-G1Ry6bGu9cXu1mb-4hCmmV8djHHs8mWFJKaAj3Dv4T-9u7Vhyphenhyphen1lL4VXcjVgETIu1v21p1_5HIRtdG5A4cQIp2kJ/s1600/IMG_3416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_k6PdZtwD_nPiNfX7W1tmXu1oUcBhsnF5jELohtjjvGi1ykzWT6rb-G1Ry6bGu9cXu1mb-4hCmmV8djHHs8mWFJKaAj3Dv4T-9u7Vhyphenhyphen1lL4VXcjVgETIu1v21p1_5HIRtdG5A4cQIp2kJ/s200/IMG_3416.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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Shortly after the conference, I ran across a request for an illustrator in the Birmingham area. I have illustrated two books of my own and done a number of covers for the Alabama State Bureau of Tourism and Travel Calendars and individual projects, but never an illustration job for hire.</div>
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I share these as a sample of how I have stretched all I know about illustration into something that became nothing short of an out of body experience. If you know my style, it is loose and colorful.</div>
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I have a number of others for this project, but out of respect for the author I will wait until he publishes to reveal the others, as well as a cover design. </div>
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I will say, being creative does not just mean declaring, "Hey I paint!"</div>
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STRETCH yourself! Maybe your talent is hiding in a project to create a six foot gourmet gingerbread house with dripping icing in multi colors as your medium! Maybe it is in trimming hedges to look like rudolph or santa, or carving ice sculptures!</div>
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I am blessed that we live in a world where the entrepreneur is still able to "make a living without a job". </div>
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That is a book I bought back in the 1980's right out of college. I was laughed at for reading it. </div>
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Where is that person now? He is doing more than one thing himself, after years of sticking to his "one thing" he told me I should find.</div>
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Artists are not made to stay inside a box. And sometimes, that box might just lead you down the street to a river. Yes, I am way out there, but you creative folks get the point!</div>
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May 2013 be your year of creativity!</div>
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Blessings!</div>
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Allison Adams</div>
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<a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-24983068472644916142012-11-19T14:51:00.000-06:002012-11-19T14:51:11.552-06:00Why I Love Being a WOMAN<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Monday, Nov. 19 – Why Do You Love Being a Woman? That’s a simple question, but one that most likely has a complicated answer. So let’s write a blog post about it.</i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">This morning I hit the ground running with my two business partners in our new venture Fluff! Designers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">After a great meeting to plan a fun Christmas party for a client we veered off to everyone's favorite meeting place from coast to coast: "Starbucks". There were college gals meeting up in sweats. There was a woman seriously asleep on her laptop (this was at 11:00 am). There was a line of men out the door, tapping their feet, one pacing in a four inch square so as to not lose his spot, another on the phone talking into his earpiece, looking like a madman bursting into laughter then serious face.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My girlfriends and I gathered at a round table. A scrambled mom came through with a baby on one hip as she juggled keys, a small wallet that she balanced on the table while still holding the hand of a toddler. She looked over at us, "please watch this and be sure it isn't stolen" she asked us over her shoulder as she herded them towards the bathroom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I had prepared thought for today's assignment by doing some quick morning journaling pages, the topic was on my mind. I wondered, would a man ever take a little siesta at a table in Starbucks? Would a man ask someone to watch his wallet while he dashed to the john, completely trusting that we wouldn't take off with it? Would a man decide to gather at the table until the line died down (which it quickly did and we went right up to the counter to order as soon as we had unloaded files and a leather clipboard)?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As we sat there going over the schedule for setup and design for the party I shared with them my motivation to complete a blog a day through November. One said, "Oh I should do that!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The man in my life wonders why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And as we talked about our project, one threw out another project idea to add to the mix in January, the other an idea for some products to add. Then we bounced back to a recipe, then to talk about travel plans. Wow, I felt such a sense of relief. I have been living in the land of the man for quite some time. I think I forgot that I am not the only right brain~left brain that juggles numerous ideas as well as numerous "lives". </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My other female "sista" who is practically a younger "creating clone" of me (except way more organized) called to tell me some ideas she had for my small paintings and to check on me. When she called last night I had just melted my finger with hot glue (well not really, but hey, it hurt) and she had a BETTER idea for attaching those ribbons to the ornaments I was making.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I thought about how precious my "girl time" is. And not only is it enjoyable, if spent on a regular basis according to research, will add seven years to a woman's life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I told my friends today's topic while we were headed out the door, one simply replied as she flicked her long black curly locks over her shoulder as a man was opening the door for her to exit,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"What do I like about being a woman? Well certainly, NOT BEING A MAN."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Allison Adams</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">www.allisonpadams.com</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dsW7oc5YAhbNlCi05UWdUil1wfTnohbZP34TgRfJQD6gE9rEoEjI5Iu0BQ-cTBivdZGghFVNrhIPmd4jmXZqdV1CiBjEWHHrQoRap-YvISMGMMnkfgkmTs0OsMWOeX9GcLeA-_SPF9BK/s1600/32449_102382203147911_4596619_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dsW7oc5YAhbNlCi05UWdUil1wfTnohbZP34TgRfJQD6gE9rEoEjI5Iu0BQ-cTBivdZGghFVNrhIPmd4jmXZqdV1CiBjEWHHrQoRap-YvISMGMMnkfgkmTs0OsMWOeX9GcLeA-_SPF9BK/s1600/32449_102382203147911_4596619_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Girlfriends In Paris</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Allison P Adams</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">available on notecards</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">or order your own custom design with YOUR girlfriends!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-4149432344125553612012-11-18T22:01:00.001-06:002012-11-18T22:13:20.931-06:00A Night OUT on the TownI took this as a literal "NIGHT OUT/ NIGHT OFF" :)<br />
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This entire weekend I have celebrated BABIES.<br />
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Saturday night I went to a CHUGGIES AND HUGGIES shower. I remember those days when I was much younger and even the wedding showers were all "brew" themed.<br />
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I must be getting older because after time around the fire, a piñata, and treats from a hot dog truck (such a cute party idea) at this one, instead of karaokeing with the young crowd, we went home and went straight to sleep.<br />
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Today on Sunday (yes, I did skip yesterday's blog, but not off topic) I went to ANOTHER BABY SHOWER. Love was surely in the area about APRIL/ MAY for my friends, both due in January.<br />
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And to stay on TODAY'S THEME OF FAMILY, I will stick to the hope and promise for my sweet friends beginning theirs.<br />
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I remember my first little muffin as he tried to come out backwards. Thank GOD for epidurals. He took about eight hours to arrive, but a soon as I saw him I forgave him for all of the mashing those nurses did on my belly to help push him into this world. We were mesmerized, he was all that mattered, all life stopped for at least a week as we cooed and gooed over him. We had started a family.<br />
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Babies bring promise, and a sense of purpose. When we create these magical little beings, all crisis at work, the environment, the to-do's, the cleaning, the laundry, go to the back burner. At least they do for a tiny time, a tiny magical time before attempting to get them on schedule, figure out why they are crying, how to attach those diapers, and keeping them on a sleep/ feeding routine without the help of the nanny. I remember crying as she left through the front picket fence. It slammed shut behind her and my world fell apart. Until the next day, when I realized, I could do this!<br />
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Those are the triumphs we remember. The triumphs that come when we realize we can overcome anything, even playing second fiddle to something much smaller than we are who quickly consumes our world. I think someone brought me a little happy one afternoon (thanks Sonya) but for the most part, even now at age 19, he is center stage. I look back at how fast it all went by, like sand in my hands, the harder I grasped it, the faster it slipped away.<br />
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All three of our children are so different, with unique traits and gifts. It is something I love, to see all the things we desired to do, come naturally to them, each in unique ways. It is the way God designed life. The things we cannot do, they take the ball and run with. This from a woman who has tried to play guitar both left handed and right. Both ways I scriggle my tongue and can't figure out how to reach the frets. He picked it up and plays it about as well as that piano he is studying to master in college. His sister plays by ear and sings beautifully. The "baby" who is seven, doesn't play instruments and is one belt away for her black belt at seven and is more organized than I am, making herself lists each morning.<br />
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I look forward to the next chapter of our family, and I guess in the not too distant future these baby showers I am experiencing again with friends will be those for my children. Wow grandmother. That is a thought I will have to ponder over a glass of wine and lots of sleep. I am now able to sleep whenever I like (minus commotion from a dog or two). That is surely the luxury that does NOT come with babies.<br />
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SWEET DREAMS!<br />
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Allison<br />
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i even mastered the "diaper cake"~<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-61795710588658410632012-11-16T14:07:00.003-06:002012-11-16T14:07:32.150-06:00What are YOU up to CURRENTLY?<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Friday, Nov. 16 – Currently. Share with your readers what you’re into at the moment. Check out this post for ideas: </i><a href="http://www.writeousbabe.com/2012/11/currently.html"><span style="color: #0b22a2; letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>http://www.writeousbabe.com/2012/11/currently.html</i></span></a></span></div>
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That is the topic for today's blog of the day, Day # 16 in a 30 day quest to COMPLETING THE TASK!<br />
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It has become easier, but with that question comes disdain that if you heard what I am really up to, you might not believe it.<br />
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Following the format Javacia has posted~ here are those answers. Try this for yourself!<br />
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CURRENTLY:<br />
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I AM<br />
WATCHING~ not much television. I am still a bit overwhelmed by the election. We watch Modern Family, Raymond, In the Middle and got into REVENGE a few weeks ago asking, "who lives like this?" to find that SOMETIMES...WE DO, whether we want to or not.<br />
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LISTENING TO: The sound of my printer, my dog snoring, the fire crackling, and my stomach rumbling as I dig into this Reese's cup.<br />
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PLANNING: Art projects to be put in a local business next week~ all for babies rooms.<br />
Finishing the illustrations I am doing for a client's book. Four down and the cover to go!<br />
Yet another "career" avenue for me!<br />
A laid-back, Christmas for ourselves AFTER we hit the ground running on our upcoming projects for dinner parties, tree decoration and office decoration. <br />
<a href="http://www.fluffdesigners.blogspot.com/">www.fluffdesigners.blogspot.com</a><br />
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THINKING ABOUT: Five days in the WOODS~ by a fire, with great friends and family~ a turkey and some dressing and PEACE AND QUIET (if you can drowned out the sound of kids on four wheelers)<br />
Alabama and Auburn Football<br />
Fishing and cooking up some fried goodies on Saturday<br />
Ideas for wreaths and holiday decor (getting good ideas from the woods) and the article I am writing<br />
for <a href="http://magiccitypost.com/">MagicCityPost.com</a><br />
(Read my latest on CONFEDERATE MOTORCYCLES on the web this week at the link above)<br />
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LOOKING FORWARD TO:<br />
I am looking forward to getting creative on these jobs we have upcoming with our new endeavor<br />
Fluff! Designers. We are decorating homes and businesses for Christmas. The first one on the books is a holiday dinner party. We have a number of "design my Christmas tree" requests.<br />
Seeing our Norwegian exchange student Amalie in March at Seaside for SPRING BREAK. It has been three years!<br />
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MAKING ME HAPPY:<br />
Writing every day has helped my mood, my energy, my motivation. I have gotten more create in every realm, including cookie decorating. The brain is a marvelous thing, the more it does, the more it wants to do, or so I find.<br />
The idea that the holidays are coming up is making me happy.<br />
Cold nights by the fire and my little Coco sitting with me watching Ann Kathryn dance around to Christmas music (yes we started that before Halloween) makes me happy. Shelton healthy and in a good mood makes me happy. Brent coming home for Thanksgiving (Bringing his roomate in the honors dorm from China~ Mo) makes me happy!<br />
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READING: I am always reading. Every morning my kindle checks me off on about four or five different devotionals. That is somewhat like my writing. The more I do it the more I am able to. The days I skip I wish later I hadn't. I use Bible ap on kindle and phone. In carpool, I can always catch up and get a peaceful moment alone with God.<br />
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I have about four writing technique books open on kindle and am reading The book of Useless Information each day~ don't know why, but it clears my head before diving into my WRITING.<br />
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I am writing more than ever with the help of classes and workshops. It motivates me to be with like minded writers.<br />
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WANTING:<br />
I added this one~ I am praying for peace for my family~ peace for America and divine leadership. I am wanting a vacation in Jan. to somewhere warm...and have that one planned, Championship or NOT.<br />
To send hugs to Alica and Amalie~ our foreign daughters~ and their families during Thanksgiving~ the holiday they don't celebrate at home (Germany and Norway)<br />
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and NOW~ as the 3 pm bell is about to ring...off to take a child to a BIRTHDAY PARTY!<br />
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AND ALWAYS WANTING:<br />
<br />
To hear what YOU are doing CURRENTLY!<br />
<br />
ALLISON ADAMS<br />
<a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-72063822377582004892012-11-15T09:41:00.000-06:002012-11-15T09:41:11.749-06:00HALF WAY TO BLOG FOR THIRTY DAYS!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Thursday, Nov. 15 – Why I Blog. At this point you’ll be halfway through #bloglikecrazy. But are we crazy for blogging like crazy? What’s the point of blogging when the blogosphere is so saturated? Why do you blog? Feel free to check out this post for inspiration: </i><a href="http://www.writeousbabe.com/2012/11/am-i-crazy-for-blogging-like-crazy.html"><span style="color: #0b22a2; letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>http://www.writeousbabe.com/2012/11/am-i-crazy-for-blogging-like-crazy.html</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Blogging a day has been so freeing! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It blends my daily morning journaling exercise I was doing before with some order to it! Javacia provides a topic I am free to run with, or not. It gives me a chance to sort through my ideas on topics I might not have even considered thinking about. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Today is blog #15 and through the journey I have met new bloggers in our area, and learned more fully about the diversity of opinion, especially on election day. We tend to live in our tight circles and as we get older it seems, we spread ourselves further from those that are not like us. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This blog journey has opened a virtual neighborhood that includes many ages, stages in education, some just married, some just beginning a family, some independent, some liberal, some conservative. As we read each others blogs we realize that in each person is a unique makeup, a divine structure that makes this world a diverse place.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How refreshing to know most of all, that as we all have our opinions, each respects the others and in some cases, we are shown an alternative way to view a situation or topic.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is half way time~ the 50 yard line of blogging and I am standing right above the spot of the coin toss!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I intend to make it to day #30 and who knows if I will continue each day after that, but I do know it has been a challenging yet rewarding journey. As the holidays creep in on me I will get a chance to see just how much discipline I have! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks Javacia! <a href="http://www.writeousbabe.com/">www.writeousbabe.com</a></span></div>
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ALLISON P ADAMS</div>
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<a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">WWW.ALLISONPADAMS.COM</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-10138059858965396412012-11-15T09:28:00.001-06:002012-11-15T09:28:27.932-06:00MUNDANE MONDAY~<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">SOMEHOW~ I missed the MUNDANE MONDAY writer’s prompt.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It read like this: </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Monday, Nov. 12 – From Mundane to Magical. Sometimes we can find inspiration in the most mundane moments, such as the wisdom I gleaned from cleaning out my closet. (You can read that post here: </i><span style="color: #0b22a2; letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><a href="http://www.soulinstereo.com/2011/06/monday-motivation-in-closet.html" target="_blank">http://www.soulinstereo.com/2011/06/monday-motivation-in-closet.html</a></i></span><i><a href="http://www.soulinstereo.com/2011/06/monday-motivation-in-closet.html" target="_blank">) </a>Take some time to think back on life lessons you’ve learned while doing seemingly dull or ordinary tasks or while out enjoying nature.</i></span><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I looked around for something MUNDANE. (as I had not fully read the description of our assignment).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At the time I was at the beach.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I thought about taking a walk by the ocean. I noticed yellow tape at the edge of our dunes, and bulldozers, about a dozen or so, parading back and forth to level the sand being pumped from the ocean to build back the hurricane ravaged beaches. So I sat and watched them for a few minutes, amazed at how fast and furious they worked all through the night. No mundane THERE!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I thought of sitting on the deck counting seagulls flying by. Next door, the house that burned down over two years ago was being re-built and the crew was in full swing (set on fire by teens who thought they would distract the cops while they robbed the houses at the DEAD end road......they got stuck in the sand with all their loot and were caught, then went to jail for arson). NO mundane THERE!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This week on the holiday weekend the owners of what has been a vacant lot decided to put the roof on what has turned out to be a three story towering sunset blocker with walkover to the beach. I went through it after the workers left. There have to be ten bedrooms in there, all with small windows. I don’t understand that at all. But the porches will certainly give them plenty of view. Fortunately, the view to our house is something like looking down from a small plane. They will be able to see my bald spot if ever I get one. NO mundane THERE.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I thought, I’ll sweep the floor or do some laundry. That is my definition of mundane. But as I noticed all the sand, the dog bones, the shreds of paper that my daughter used for a collage, the rubber squares aligned from the kitchen to the den that she was also playing with, I thought, about all of the fun we had collected over the long weekend. Certainly sweeping wouldn’t be mundane! It would be like a scavenger hunt. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I perused the kitchen for something mundane. There were Christmas tree shaped dolly Madison snacks, chips of every size and shape, shells glued to a piece of paper from yesterday’s crafts. Nothing mundane about that! And then I spotted the one thing that made me think “ahhhhh”. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">There was a bowl of tomatoes, some green, some red, that I had bought on the way home from Dallas, Georgia the weekend before. I had displayed them on the counter at home in Birmingham and then carefully packed them to enjoy at the beach. As Friday, Saturday, Sunday and then Monday rolled by, they still sat there in the bowl. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I thought about the joy of the tomato, not so mundane, but nonetheless intriguing. These I knew had come from the ground in a little town outside of Atlanta. They had been carefully planted by hand, tiny seeds, watered, nurtured. As the plants grew, someone reached into the green cover and popped them from their resting place on the vine and carefully arranged them in small bins to be sold to people like me. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I stood in the kitchen looking at a bright red one, like the ones I used to plant in my garden in Montgomery. I remembered taking the time to tear open the seeds at the corner of the packet, seeds I had purchased along with those of cucumbers, watermelon, squash and zinnias (my favorite) one summer. My son who is now in college was only three. My hands were covered in black earth, his enveloped inside my gloves to keep from getting dirty. He helped me squish each one into the ground and water each hole.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I moved to Birmingham I had two tomato plants by the pool. The vines grew up the fence and every once in a while I would see a glimpse of red through the leaves. That vine was right by the diving board, which would explain why I never got a chance to pick any of those. I saw them squished, tossed, splattered across the yard then eaten by the birds. Kids and gardens, nothing mundane THERE either.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So when I decided to slice those tomatoes that were so red and juicy, the seeds slid across the knife towards the plate. I slapped a wad of mayonnaise onto the top of it, scooped it up and ate it like I would a plum or an apple.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">AAAAHHHHH GROSE, came from behind me as my daughter realized what I was eating.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Even eating tomatoes escapes the mundane at my house.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Allison Adams</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSGz8LTVPu8Ek5m-WPJuuOL6OmcoG8GCCI3IkKZ2uSPSmza0uN5DQKFWevbO2yX63rroidsFEYQjBHl1ZaABFChbUx2HU8OUXQTeh6Dyc2JpeTCsuGgeZSns0GIDuKf0ab80PzhM8fes4/s1600/yhst-82245720716158_2103_85574564.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSGz8LTVPu8Ek5m-WPJuuOL6OmcoG8GCCI3IkKZ2uSPSmza0uN5DQKFWevbO2yX63rroidsFEYQjBHl1ZaABFChbUx2HU8OUXQTeh6Dyc2JpeTCsuGgeZSns0GIDuKf0ab80PzhM8fes4/s320/yhst-82245720716158_2103_85574564.jpeg" width="156" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #0b22a2; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.allisonnpadams.com/">www.allisonnpadams.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Allison is participating in a daily blog challenge. If you tweet, follow it or join in at #bloglikecrazy to read other participant’s entries. Also she is taking part in ART EVERY DAY MONTH #AEDM2012. Check out those as well or visit <span style="color: #0b22a2; letter-spacing: 0px;">www.creativeeveryday.com</span><a href="http://www.creativeeveryday.com/" target="_blank">www.creativeeveryday.com</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">to get involved.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-90390366498669634172012-11-13T19:06:00.004-06:002012-11-13T19:06:57.807-06:00Legacy~ A Daily Blog Post for #bloglikecrazy<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Tuesday, Nov. 13 – Legacy. The pastor of my church has been talking about legacy for the past month. Regardless of your religious beliefs I think we should all be thinking about the kind of legacy we want to leave behind. So how do you want to be remembered and what are you doing about it today? Javacia #bloglikecrazy</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Legacy</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I look around at all of the things I have wanted to do, the projects, the books undone, the artwork I am yet to try, the scrap book started, the photo albums, the journals (from the time I was five). </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Unfortunately right now my legacy would be a mess of stuff to sort through or throw out.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We all have a unique makeup and a legacy, according to Charles Wale’s book called Designed for Fulfillment on Redemptive Gifts. His book, has not only given me freedom to realize I was destined and designed in a unique design as everyone is.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> According to just a few of the answers to my personality questionnaire I was designed to</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">be a fighter for the underdog, and have a large range of emotions,</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">be intuitive about people sometimes to my detriment as judgemental and am committed to truth,</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">be a visionary and have more creative ideas than I could ever possibly achieve, (that one was a relief)</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">demonstrate zeal, passion, impulsiveness and verbal expressiveness.</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If you have ever found you are not like those around you and have apologized for being different, perhaps you should dig deeper into your personality. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">MAYBE you were destined to be the way you are for a reason! How refreshing to find that while I was unlike those around me, there is a definite plan for those traits and a reason for those that are not so desirable as well as a plan for me to work through them so that I can fulfill my little portion of purpose on this earth.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I don’t know what my legacy is and I don’t know if I am supposed to specify it. If I do that, I might miss something much better!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I encourage you to dig deeper into who you are, why you have those unique fingerprints that NO OTHER ON EARTH has. When you find that, your legacy will fall in line and there will be no reason to think or dwell on it.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After all, as human as the world is, you can go through life with TONS of good intentions, but if they are hurt, they will never see what you were trying to do. They will only see you, and your legacy, through their own filters.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is not our place to try to direct that....only let it play out as God intends.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So for now, I am still excavating deeper into who I am while I am here. The legacy is yet to be seen.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Allison Adams</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">as part of #bloglikecrazy with daily prompts </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">www.allisonpadams.com</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-16258122549880994032012-11-11T19:07:00.001-06:002012-11-11T19:07:04.588-06:00Play in the DOUGH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDqCQVdLHITMiLpN93zKvs3nI804kuIjpBZu5b2qxzaBfFRcinRRwDwEgGc_KrSdRJCLhGEg2GOrHfKDd0juOtrFfA8tolMThrJn9OuWKME1noBKp2jXRUblYHWaP39N-SPmSvzfwqBIW/s1600/IMAG0221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDqCQVdLHITMiLpN93zKvs3nI804kuIjpBZu5b2qxzaBfFRcinRRwDwEgGc_KrSdRJCLhGEg2GOrHfKDd0juOtrFfA8tolMThrJn9OuWKME1noBKp2jXRUblYHWaP39N-SPmSvzfwqBIW/s320/IMAG0221.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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CREATIVITY BLOG LIKE CRAZY A DAY</div>
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doesn't ALWAYS have to be about PAINTING</div>
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Get out your crescent rolls and play in them!</div>
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(hot dog inside makes it even yummier with a dab of mustard!)</div>
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Make the kids smile at a crocodile!</div>
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How do I know it is indeed a croc?</div>
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I don't! Who cares!</div>
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But I know the kids were smiling!</div>
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This post is for the one I won't be making tomorrow ! Just saying!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-46349041112165290722012-11-11T18:59:00.001-06:002012-11-11T19:00:36.407-06:00Mom~ Dad<br />
Today I updated my <a href="http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/allison-adams.html" target="_blank">FINE ART AMERICA PAGE</a><br />
<br />
with some creative samples of my photography.<br />
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<br />
One fun one was a picture of a tree with the words "dad MOM" carved in it which is located<br />
at <a href="http://www.jhranch.com/" target="_blank">JH Ranch out in California</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://fineartamerica.com/featured/tree-at-jh-ranch-falls-allison-adams.html">http://fineartamerica.com/featured/tree-at-jh-ranch-falls-allison-adams.html</a><br />
FOR PHOTO CLICK HERE<br />
<br />
I have been there once with my daughter, back a few years ago.<br />
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It speaks volumes to many and in so many ways. <br />
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Many of the kids are there with their dads and moms to celebrate their approach into becoming<br />
a young man or young lady on an adventure designed to form bonds and opportunities to share<br />
love that might have been hidden, misplaced or there but not recognized.<br />
<br />
Many come to celebrate the nurturing relationships.<br />
<br />
Many come to try to tape together some portion of a broken marriage or begin a quest to<br />
find the marriage lost.<br />
<br />
This place is timeless. It is magical. It is mysterious in that the Holy Spirit surrounds it and protects it and those who venture here.<br />
<br />
Lately a partnership between <a href="http://www.jhranch.com/jh-ministries.html" target="_blank">Ariel Israel and JH Ranch</a> is training up Israeli youth to become the future leaders of Israel, led by a Christian camp in the hills of northern California with roots that run deep into Birmingham, Alabama.<br />
<br />
I watched history as the leaders prayed with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Nachman" target="_blank">Mayor Ron Nachman</a> for healing. That was over four years ago. He is still planting, alongside his friends at JH Ranch, "trees on the hillsides of Israel".<br />
<br />
I do not know who carved that tree. I do not know if it was because they were a couple there together to remind themselves of their Godly role over those they birthed. I do not know if it was a kid who missed their parents. Or perhaps a mom and dad playfully signing in as they approached the falls and vowed to jump over the impressive drop into the rolling water.<br />
<br />
All I know is it spoke to me. A sadness I have to say that my children have only chaos when they think of their mom and dad. After over eight years there is bitter hatred, competition, strife and confusion, enough to have them say they do not want weddings.<br />
<br />
I know that if a couple of Christians and a man from Ariel, Israel can form a bond, even our family mess can be healed, one day, in the name of our children.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I will carve in a tree, "to my babies who I love so much that I can forgive" so that when they see "Mom", they can think of my love and when they see "dad" they can think of him. We are no longer together after nineteen years, but they are forever ours.<br />
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<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-10512039910354217782012-11-11T17:15:00.003-06:002012-11-11T17:21:42.168-06:00BLOG LIKE CRAZY~ AND GET CREATIVE EVERY DAY!<br />
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I have created a </div>
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NOVEMBER</div>
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CREATIVITY CHALLENGE </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">WEDDING CEREMONY</span> </div>
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and you are invited!</div>
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It begins right after </div>
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the Veteran's Day weekend.</div>
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With rainbow FLAMES in the sky, </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3N1cB_MTBhcsy1iWA6Lpoyzxxzr6YMAgMrnt_c9mD6tM_FVZq7D64rIoOeqUg0eY-nSz_0r48NqFsjwv9gUC0uOpswkilohRN-0Jsj5uyDV3iF4kENEMsSwseuJA7JyOxZUY8N5cSTn2-/s1600/IMG_3800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3N1cB_MTBhcsy1iWA6Lpoyzxxzr6YMAgMrnt_c9mD6tM_FVZq7D64rIoOeqUg0eY-nSz_0r48NqFsjwv9gUC0uOpswkilohRN-0Jsj5uyDV3iF4kENEMsSwseuJA7JyOxZUY8N5cSTn2-/s320/IMG_3800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
and an earthquake that shook my 2 liter coke Friday night here on the Gulf Coast in Alabama,<br />
<a href="http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/local_news/mobile_county/dauphin-island-rattled-by-minor-earthquake">http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/local_news/mobile_county/dauphin-island-rattled-by-minor-earthquake</a><br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
there have been crazier things than creativity overload!<br />
<br />
Earlier this month I signed on for the National Novel Writing Month Challenge<br />
and am at 5000 words,<br />
a bit behind those who started on the first, but chugging along....<br />
<a href="http://nanowrimo.org/">http://nanowrimo.org</a><br />
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So when I got my daily email this morning from <a href="http://www.creativeeveryday.com/" target="_blank">CREATIVE EVERY DAY</a> and the </div>
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ART EVERY DAY CHALLENGE</div>
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I THOUGHT....HEY!<br />
<br />
WHY NOT join the Creativity a Day and my<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.writeousbabe.com/p/bloglikecrazy.html" target="_blank">BLOG LIKE CRAZY</a> CHALLENGES together into one<br />
CREATIVE MARRIED BATCH OF BLOGGING FUN!?</div>
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So not only will I be continuing blogging each day,<br />
(I did skip a day! in the car, no internet<br />
every gal needs a vacation~)<br />
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I will be blogging about creativity<br />
so I hope you will check back each day to see what we are creating!</div>
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Today, with the doors open and a 72 degree breeze off the gulf (a strong one at that) my daughter and I painted some Christmas Angels. (she is 7 and warmed up with some flowers and sun)</div>
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Creativity can be as easy as spelling your initials with your food, just in case you don't have<br />
paints handy!<br />
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Have some FUN! It is what life is all about!</div>
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Blessings!</div>
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Allison Adams</div>
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<a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-40839419642307600762012-11-08T16:44:00.001-06:002012-11-08T16:58:10.344-06:00Gals with GUNS<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>BLOG A DAY Post</i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Today I am scaring myself that I have blogged for 8 days solid on various topics posted by #bloglikecrazy </i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>The subject today is fitness....as you know, fitness for me is a trip to get a coke from the fridge so my topic is off subject for the first time.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Today I am thinking about all of the hoopla made about the Republican party being at Hoover Tactical Firearms election night. I have to admit, I have been a pistol toting mama since my Realtor days in the questionably safe occupation while living in Montgomery. I carried a loaded 38 Special on a holster to my showings, only once walking behind a man with my hand on it. He was shifty and I was alone there with him.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In those days we had one man shot and killed during an open house and a couple of women tied up and stripped, locked in the bathroom at their open house and their Lexus’ stolen. It was not a good time to be in Real Estate. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mayor Folmer’s wife set up a gun safety class for women in Alabama. I went through that course and was amazed that the recommendations by all of the police were, “if there is a car in your driveway, someone comes in anyway, shoot to kill. And the younger they are the more dangerous.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He was referring also to the gang activity and the fact that the young kids had little fear or remorse. That was before the days of kids from all neighborhoods sporting heroin and these super drugs that are making our youth feel even more invincible (thus the recent slew naked men on rampages).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That was probably fifteen years ago and I have since become less cautious although our area Walmart sees muggings and shootings at least a few times a week (at least the ones I hear about). On Southside, as Birmingham slides back into the top FIVE of most dangerous cities to live in, we have to wonder if there will ever be a day of peace. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlj45jggj/5-birmingham-ala/">http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlj45jggj/5-birmingham-ala/</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> I have been re-thinking the shelving of my friend, Mr. Wesson. I recently even designed a purse to conceal him, which I hope to be creating soon. A recent design session with three handguns on a table in one of the most creative spaces home to Ed and Fred Foster.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As an American I feel honored to have the right to carry a weapon. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was raised in the country and am not afraid of guns. Guns do not kill people. People kill people. And if I am ever confronted with someone who comes as a threat to myself or my family, I will go down shooting.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A recent article in the paper shows that nearly 10,000 women in Mobile County alone, let alone in the state of Alabama are licensed to carry a concealed weapon. In every restaurant and every shopping center, there is probably someone carrying a weapon (legally). We have no idea about those not registered who are carrying. As of today, I am one of those.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://blog.al.com/live/2012/10/armed_in_alabama_more_than_990.html">http://blog.al.com/live/2012/10/armed_in_alabama_more_than_990.html</a></span><br />
Article on Mobile County concealed weapons<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_729271549"><br /></a>
<a href="http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/armed_in_jefferson_and_shelby.html">http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/10/armed_in_jefferson_and_shelby.html</a><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next weekend starts gun season for hunting. (I have been using those since I can remember, but not much for deer. I killed an eight point in college and after that, I decided I liked shooting from a lens better. This weekend my husband bought my seven year old a rifle and took her to the range to shoot it while I was at my writing workshop in Georgia. Guns are a part of the Southern life and tradition.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I feel sorry for the person who ever tries to take THAT right away. That might just call for some kind of mess! And I feel sure it will involve many going down to defend their right to bear arms! Personally I hope I never have to use one to defend myself.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tuesday nights are LADIES NIGHT at <a href="http://www.hoovertacticalfirearms.com/" target="_blank">Hoover Tactical Firearms</a> so if you are just wondering about it all, drop in and check it out. I think it will only cost you ten bucks to rent a gun and you will have a heck of a good time. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-54381033955173933532012-11-07T16:13:00.001-06:002012-11-07T16:13:48.002-06:00Closets<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Wednesday, Nov. 7 – Who What Wear</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My closet has been a bone of contention during my entire life. In my early college days, it consisted of a shared space constricted between bi-fold doors. Every time I moved it grew or changed, things got lost, borrowed.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I married my first husband the closet was always an issue. I had buckets under beds, took up most of the space in every place we lived. We moved every year for the first ten years of our marriage. I dragged all of the clothes along. Looking back I wonder what I would have experienced had e-bay been around. I might have just sold it all in little like groupings and started over, re-inventing my self each year.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At year eight in Montgomery and eleven years of marriage, we bought a house with a closet room full of mirrored doors. I finally had the closet. It was the place and era of the ball. Montgomery is known for formal occasions. I loved to get glammed up and party like a rock star the first of the eight years we lived there but as with anything else, it began to lose its glitter.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">By the time we left there for a totally opposite lifestyle to the Gulf Coast, we had a three and five year old. The clothes I dragged to a small closet not unlike the one I started in had solid core doors instead of bi-fold, and a safety hazard when opened and closed. I wouldn’t get rid of any of those clothes either.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I remember the day the closet came crashing to the ground. I was taking a nap and heard clattering. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Wow, so sweet, all that banging! He is finally putting together that shelf for the kids,” I thought before noticing the doors wide open and a bar of clothing jutting towards me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That incident sparked the argument and the year we decided to go to counseling to try to keep our fifteen year marriage together. We even moved into another house in town with a bigger closet. (The first one was my family’s vacation home we vowed to be in for six months before three years crept along.)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Shortly after we moved to the new home, at the advise of my sister who was visiting, (she re-invents her closet every season), I agreed to throw out the old. We laughed until our sides hurt reliving the events to which we wore some really cheesy looking stuff. I think I had her bridesmaid dress still in there from when she had married seven years earlier. There were at least two of the seven year cycles of fashion in that new closet that then housed my things pretty comfortably.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That day a new person I then called a friend was there. She dug through my things, asking if she could have a long black leather jacket I was tired of (man I wish I had that thing now, it was thick and looked like something from Deliverance but it was warm!), a worn Louis Vuitton bag I decided at my sister’s suggestion to toss as we were not even able to remember if that one was black market or real. Yes, I have to admit, I had that phase too.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We threw out quite a bit and I lugged about five trash bags of clothes to a consignment store on the gulf coast. I never got a cent of money for those. I will blame it on the fact that a hurricane and mild tropical storm that wouldn’t leave soon washed through and water damage consumed the place. I am sure it had nothing to do with the dated styles.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My marriage soon went out with the tossed clothing and I vowed to begin again with a new style and leave most of it behind.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I moved to Birmingham, a single mom with a pretty small closet, but wow at the space! I came to find that a man with more suits than I have can take up room in any closet, large or small. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I also found that the gal who was coveting my loot was also after my husband. Thanks to her, the fifteen year marriage was ended without all of the threatened battles being waged by the other side. So now she inherited my stuff, all of the problems that marriage had before (will leave that vague but with a sigh of relief), and last I heard, a very small closet.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So now I stand here in my closet. I have had some friends come help me sort through it probably twice in the eight years I have lived here (the longest I have ever been in one place in my life since high school). There are a few ball type gowns I have held on to. There are some suits I know I wore in those Montgomery career and museum board/Jr. League days. There are some shoes I feel sure are wanting to be released but I am the firm believer that if they still fit and I like them, why toss them! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This year’s fringe phase makes me covet the old fringe jacket I tossed about ten years ago. It was authentic hippy fringe, suede and sassy. And yes, sixteen year old daughter, I would have been “that mom” and worn it.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My closet now is open and large. (I designed this one from scratch with three rows of bars, although one did fall off the wall this spring. That was the winter coat one). Three bars high allows for spring, summer and winter to live all in the same space. The shoes? There will never be enough shelves for my shoes, although I probably wear ten percent of them. But if God forbid I EVER need a red one, a teal kitten heel? I have one!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The highlight of my creative mood swing is to get out my InStyle and peruse the pages to find that in my closet lives something similar to a few of the items in the “gotta have” section. I didn’t go shop for it, I didn’t order it online, I dug around and found it! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Although today after a week of 30 degree weather last week and approaching 80 degrees today, I am a bit perplexed. I was happy to see the colored jeans I sported (and somehow I am still the same size) ten years ago are in. But with the change in the climate the cute sweater I was going to wear was replaced with a quick find as I dashed to check my child out who is sick. I might be said to resemble a sorbet today, lime sherbert!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Either way, there has got to be some value in appreciation to a man, particularly a husband, that he doesn’t have to outfit his wife with new things every week! He just has to be sure he takes her somewhere special so she can wear it!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Allison Adams</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.allisonpadams.com/">www.allisonpadams.com</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-76389513215486883042012-11-06T08:50:00.001-06:002012-11-06T09:14:17.599-06:00Alabama is all one color~ CAMOFLAGE UNDER RED WHITE AND BLUE<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Still on track for the BLOG LIKE CRAZY CHALLENGE</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>This is my 6th day in a row to Blog! </i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Tuesday, Nov. 6 -- </i><b><i>Blog the Vote!</i></b><i> Simply write a post explaining to your readers why you vote, or if for some reason you chose to sit out this election.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Somewhere along the process of child rearing I have failed. I have failed miserably. I have a son who just turned 19 years old. He was awarded scholarships in music as well as academics to Tulane, University of New Orleans, Berklee School of Music in Boston, Belmont, Middle Tennessee and The University of Alabama, I think he got some offer from all that he applied for. (Note I said “he applied for”, I had nothing to do with any of it, he did it all on his own, and all was based on his performance at an Alabama public school.) </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He had his first beer the week before college, at the advice of someone he took on “her” word and drank one so he wouldn’t be in her self-proclaimed wise words a “two beer queer”. He plays in a rock band, a non- drinking, against drugs musician. Now that is something I haven’t known in my family line. My dad was a rocker, in all that entails. He still is. My boy, values the quality of the sounds he creates with his voice and keyboard over the way he feels. I love that in the musician! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My grades the first semester at<a href="http://www.ua.edu/" target="_blank"> Bama</a> were more on the “social grading scale”, he looks like he is going to pull out straight A’s. Anyone who has karaoked as many know I love to do and thought the quality gets better with one more beer knows exactly what I am talking about! Guess I have to admit there is NO failure there in his ethics as far as being socially responsible and professionally accountable. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But somehow while I was sharing with him my “wisdom” that life was about more than just pursuing that one thing you THINK you want to do all of your life, that you want to find a place that nurtures your social development, that offers opportunities to expand your horizons, that stretches your boundaries (thus my encouragement through his Honor’s scholarship to spend some of that time abroad) I forgot to tell the boy the importance of <a href="http://www.sos.state.al.us/Elections/VoterRegistrationInfo.aspx" target="_blank">REGISTERING TO VOTE</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So here it is, a year after he turned eighteen, and he is a non-registered voter American. Mr. Apple Pie, blonde hair, plays music by ear, drives an American made automobile and this year he will not be making a contribution to the country that provides him with the freedom to choose tomorrow to be a punk rocker, a rocket scientist, or a government recipient, should he elect to live either of those dreams.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We have hosted two year-long foreign exchange students (at different times), each of them patriotic about their own countries of Norway and Germany. Sometimes I wonder what my children would take to share about the USA if they studied abroad. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I know he has been busy and all making straight A’s at his first semester of college, weathering freshman pledge activities and adjusting to being on his own, but if he doesn’t register in the next ten days (which would only make him ready to vote next go round), I have to say I will be THAT mom (the one my sixteen year old daughter begs me not to be, whatever THAT means) and drag him by the ear all the way to the court house. At least this time of year he can’t say the lines were too long.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I have told him there can be no excuses and no complaints if you don’t take the time to voice your opinion on the issues with your vote. Was the boy not listening? We discussed this more than once over our many around the table dinners before he left the nest. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“It wouldn’t matter anyway, Mom,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This appears to be the opinion of a generation unwilling to vote. I guess they realize the power of their generation’s affect as shown on U-tube and Twitter, instantaneous should some crisis arise. They are a generation that thinks between the four years and expect that it will “all work out”. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He is a prayerful boy too. Perhaps he knows something I do not know. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://jimrogers-investments.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jim Rogers,</a> is even saying this election means nothing. He sees things on a more global perspective, our little bow tied hot shot on Wall Street who is now moving from starting the stock exchange in Austria to transforming Russia's economy. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Maybe I am making a big deal about nothing. But just in case, I will be headed down to vote today. The <a href="http://ccofal.org/alabama/alabama-constitution.phtml" target="_blank">amendments</a> that I have to read and try to siphon through to their real meaning already make my head hurt. (this link is to the conservative voting suggestions by the way.) </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Three days ago I would not have posted recommendations on my blog..would have "remained neutral, until I heard some of the most RACIST ads on the radio I have ever heard, calling Alabama Landowners "plantation owners trying to keep us down") THAT is what is wrong with this country. I am a land owner and I take offense at that statement. </span>Because I want to have a rural experience for my children I am categorized as something that happened almost a hundred and fifty years ago? <br />
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I will say I am more concerned over the voting for issues over banking changes and Forever Wild being given no restrictions that other government agencies are than the school language that has been so taken out of proportion in recent days.<br />
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You can also note that the recommendations for the Conservative voters attached to the link above leave some of the amendments up to the voter and is not a CHECKLIST~ but information stating both opinions. THIS is how the country should vote...based on their OWN ideas and knowledge. </div>
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Jim Rogers is a small town boy from Demopolis, Alabama who attended one of those Marengo County public schools and got his start before becoming one of the "top experts on the American economy" collecting cans at the stadium to sell. He doesn't apologize and take handouts because off the state of his education, he did something about it!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We have a BLACK president. THAT school issue should have been handled during OBAMA's term! HE had every chance to turn it around. They are in worse shape than when he started. He did NOTHING so now again they stir the pot and try to pit black and white against each other. The amendment isn't even worded to be affective as the commercial is stating. </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The people like Obama who say lets show THEM and that "VOTING IS THE BEST REVENGE" are NOT unifying this country! </span></div>
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I watched a documentary on the <a href="http://wardocumentaryfilms.com/browse/afghanistan" target="_blank">Afghanistan WAR</a> last night. There were soldiers, fighting together for this country, cold, scared, sometimes in the other extremes carrying hundreds of pounds through 110 degree heat to stake out Al Quada. Some had been there three and four times.</div>
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TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE, BLACK, WHITE, HISPANIC, all in ONE COLOR~ camoflage fighting TOGETHER UNDER ONE FLAG, RED WHITE AND BLUE.</div>
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WE ARE THOSE SOLDIERS. We ALL have to fight TOGETHER for the future of AMERICA as a whole. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">I watched </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/15/the-candidate-trailer-will-ferrell-zach-galifianakis_n_1517262.html" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">The Candidate </a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">last night with Will Ferrell.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Amazing, that a movie so stupid and so meaningless is a pretty true indicator of what our country has become. On a lighter note, in the movie, the good guy still won! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Guess it is up to each of us to determine which guy that was (in the movie) and will be.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-52916891930188242932012-11-05T08:08:00.001-06:002012-11-05T08:12:06.288-06:00WRITERS DO YOU HAVE EXCUSES?<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Monday, Nov. 5 -TOPIC- NOTEWORTHY~ MEETINGS, CONFERENCES</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>NO EXCUSES FOR ALABAMA WRITERS</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It seems everywhere I go someone tells me they have a great idea for a children’s book. Ideas are great, but for those ideas to become a book, you have to get something on paper. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Fortunately for the hundreds of writers who call Birmingham home, there are numerous resources to keep the creative juices flowing and the deadlines and challenges coming. One motivation is the very group created by Javacia Bowers that is challenging me each day to do this blog challenge at #bloglikecrazy on twitter and See Jane Write. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This year I vowed to delve into my writing and art, exploring and learning. I found a group online called <a href="http://www.seejanewritebham.com/" target="_blank">SEE JANE WRITE</a> and fell in love with Javacia’s spirit of sharing information. She hosted a SEE JANE TWEET that told us all about how to use that #hashtag (I still don’t really understand it fully but love to use it to “googlefy” topics on my twitter). She has since hosted a number of forums by local bloggers, publishers and writers. I began writing for publications such as Magic City Post dot com through some of these events. (My articles on <a href="http://www.allenironworks.com/" target="_blank">Allen Iron Works</a> (who happen to forge candelabras rentable for parties and weddings as well as fences and stair railings), <a href="http://www.dogdaysofbirmingham.com/" target="_blank">Dog Days</a> (an awesome doggy daycare with rooftop play area), Terrariums and Tablescapes (<a href="http://www.sweetpeasgardenshop.com/" target="_blank">Sweet Peas Garden shop</a> in Homewood and <a href="http://www.charliethigpengardengallery.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Charlie Thigpen’s Garden Gallery</a> at Pepper Place) are in the archives at <a href="http://magiccitypost.com/">magiccitypost.com</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This month I began a class at Samford on writing the fiction novel. I also signed up for another Wiki12 conference (it is my third) put on by <a href="http://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators)</a>. The group is one of the best in the country for providing its members with information on writing for children. Members from Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia gather in Birmingham each year to hear from experts. This past Saturday we picked the brains of Julie Ham, assoc. editor for Charlesbridge in Massachusetts; <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/44483-lewis-joins-disney-hyperion.html" target="_blank">Kevin Lewis, executive editor for Disney/ Hyperion</a>; <a href="http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Leila-Sales/70251553" target="_blank">Leila Sales,</a> Assoc. Editor at Viking Children’s books; <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/2009/06/agent-spotlight-marietta-b-zacker.html" target="_blank">Marietta Zacker</a>, agent for Nancy Gallt Literary Agency. They shared numerous topics from how to publish, illustration, book awards, nuts and bolts of publishing, picture books, children’s and teen writing, non-fiction, magazine writing for children, library collections to how to get noticed at Disney.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was drawn during this particular meeting to the illustrator portfolios and vowed to try to get an illustration “gig”. I did. My first illustration job for hire. (I have illustrated two of my own books, but this is different! I have now illustrated four characters for game cards in a sci-fi based novel and am working diligently on a cover design.) I appreciate what these people do! It is so much easier to be an “artist” and let the brush follow the muse!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Guest speakers for the upcoming<a href="http://www.southern-breeze.net/" target="_blank"> SPRINGMINGLE </a>on February 22-24, 2013 in Atlanta, GA will include NIkki Grimes, New York Times bestselling author and Coretta Scott King Award; Jill Corcoran, Agent for Herman Agency; Dianne Hess, Exec. Director for Scholastic, Inc.; Chad Beckerman, Creative Director for Amulet Books; Katherine Jacobs with Roaring Book Press; and Beck McDowell, who has recently published with Penguin Group. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For the aspiring author, there are no excuses if you are thinking there is nowhere to turn to figure out your craft. Birmingham and the Southeast have a treasure for writers in every nook, cranny and bookstore. You just might not be looking in the right places. NO excuses in 2013! Set a goal and go for it!</span></div>
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<a href="http://dorireads.blogspot.com/2012/10/wik-2012.html" target="_blank">HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WIK12 CONFERENCE IN BIRMINGHAM</a> CLICK HERE</div>
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Other sources for INSPIRATION:</div>
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<a href="http://alabamawritersconclave.org/links.html" target="_blank">Alabama Writers Conclave</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.writersforum.org/opportunities/groups.html" target="_blank">Alabama Writers Forum</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.southernmagic.org/" target="_blank">Southern Magic Romance Writers of Alabama</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8187876508808079575.post-53797201390127978832012-11-04T13:03:00.002-06:002012-11-04T13:03:49.623-06:00Putting Christmas Before Thanksgiving~<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I have to admit, I wrote this paragraph for this blog PRE-Halloween! I am NOT a halloween fan. I do not like goblins, goulds, mean people. I am all about the Christmas music, from Bing to Motown. I am all about the roaring fire and the hot cocoa. I even wrote a book about it. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Today is November 4 and we are in the mood to decorate for Christmas at our house.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our problem is we can’t find a tree on Nov. 4. What is with THAT?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We love to visit the Christmas Tree farm and pick out trees. The first year we moved into the house, our first big family blended Christmas with all of the kids we picked a tree so large it hung off our SUV. It stood in the center of the field just like the one on the Griswold Family Christmas show. We weren’t freezing in snow but our kids were certainly complaining like kids do, until they spotted THE ONE!</span></div>
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THIS ONE THIS ONE!</div>
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OK, we can put it ON the car!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The ceremony to get it in the house took three men and a chainsaw. It was the ice breaker for our new found friends and neighbors to puff like roosters and show their trimming and dragging skills.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">When we stood it up in the overlook which measures more than eighteen feet, we found we had to cut three feet from the top. Yes, really.</span></div>
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And as you may imagine....cutting the cords was a shock when the branches reached about ten feet around!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is a memory we still talk about. Our daughters, now fifteen and sixteen, were only seven and eight. They still talk about how they would scale across the balcony to throw ornaments towards the tree because the ladder we had was not tall enough.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That year would have been a great one for me to have a service help with the decor. I had a one year old too.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It served its purpose, setting new ground in the Adams Family of over the top Christmases and memories in the place we call home. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That year I did not have Pinterest. I did not have a subscription to more than two dozen magazines. I didn’t have time for ideas or much less to be able to plan dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My life has come to a great place. I am ready to enjoy the </span><span style="font-family: Zapfino; letter-spacing: 0px;">Fluff! </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">of life. The little extra that puts things over the top. The candy cane tree that looks good and tastes good too. The hot cocoa with marshmallows carved in an A for Allison or Adams or Ann Kathryn or America. The slice and bake cookies (notice I am not saying re-create the wheel...just EMBELLISH IT WITH THE FUN PARTS!) covered in sprinkles and fun squirty easy sweet decoration.</span></div>
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I'll have next week and the week after to prepare being that I am on lockdown for a tree for now.....</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So FOR TODAY I GUESS instead of decorating for Christmas, I WILL SPEND IT AT THE ROCK MOSS FESTIVAL....</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">savor the seasons as they FALL.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13647420023044534467noreply@blogger.com0