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Please help Southeast Community Weed & Seed Project win a $25,000 grant from Pepsi! Vote for us every day at www.refresheverything.com/newportnewsweedandseedproject! The money will be used to begin a program to teach soon-to-be-released offenders sheetrocking and woodframing skills so that they have a trade. This will increase their ability to get a job when they are released. This project is a partnership between volunteer carpenters, the Newport News Sheriff's Office and Weed & Seed.

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Made My Reading Goal for the Year!

I just finished reading my 75th book this year, which was my goal for 2010. Yay! Most of what I read was good, some was bad, some was just boring. I joined LibraryThing.com in January to help keep track of what I read, what books are on my wishlist and get suggestions and feedback from other readers. I've made some online friends there and enjoy the LT community. I broadened my horizons and read books that didn't fall within my normal interests. Read a few classics like I try to do every year. 


The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was my 75th book, and it was sooo good! It is a composite of several familiar stories: The Lottery, The Running Man and others. However, Suzanne Collins' story blends them all in a way that sucks you in and doesn't let go till the book is over. I love the fact that Katniss Everdeen is a strong female lead who doesn't compromise herself, even in the midst of the "love story." I especially like this in a YA novel. I'm so ready for the next books in the trilogy!


Here's the premise: A postapocalyptic United States, called Panem, is divided into 12 districts. Every year, each district must supply 1 girl and 1 boy between the ages of 12 & 18 as tributes to the Hunger Games. In the Games, the youth are placed in an arena and must fight to the death. The Games are televised live and everyone is required to watch. The location and climate of the arena is different every year - a forest, the mountains, a desert (which didn't work out so well for ratings that year because the tributes were freezing and dying of hunger instead of fighting). Despite how horrible and dismal this sounds, the book really is an awesome story of survival and humanity, and a commentary on big brother, mindless reality TV and a community's responsibility to its residents.


Thank goodness for audio books. With my life as busy as it is right now, I don't have time to read traditional books. However, I can listen while I'm in the car or working on art or doing something else with my hands. CDs and Playaways are the best! Check out my widget on the side with books from my LibraryThing!

Tangled Backpacks

My goddaughter and nephews love for me to draw designs on their things. I tangled my goddaughter's notebook and pencil case for school, but I'll post pictures of those later. They now have personalized cinch backpacks for swimming and karate so they can tell them apart. No fighting over who has who's pack any more! :)

Beanie wanted me to make her bag for her gym clothes different from everyone else's. Can you believe middle schoolers have to pay $20 for a gym uniform? When I was in school, you wore what you had at home! Anyway, here is one more cinch pack with tangles on both sides. She asked for all black. I guess that's  in case too many colors are not cool. :)

My Latest Mug

My aunt Audrey requested geometric patterns in a dark color on a large mug. This is what I came up with.

Painting and Zentangles

Starving Artist Studio is one of my favorite places. The owners and staff are down-to-earth and so friendly. The place is surrounded by art - paintings, jewelry, lighted bottles, and of course painted bisque. I've been doing zentangles on the mugs I decorate for family members' birthdays. 


My cousin Esha loves Mickey Mouse, but I didn't want to just paint a traditional red, yellow and black Mickey, so I made this one:

I love how it turned out!