Deals On eBay

Leather Folio Given by Shahbanou of Iran

2011-07-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I loved this item from the minute I found it at a local flea market. It appeared to be just a leather folder, folio whatever you call it! LOL But it had some cool designs on it. I didnt really look it over well enough to see the inscription inside that said it was given by the Shabanou (Shah of Iran's Wife) and Empress of Iran. It might have been a gift given to visitors or something developed for sale there during their reign in the 70s. I paid about 3.00 for it and sold it for $50!! You really never know what you will find when you are out hunting. Keep in mind some basic things... If its unusual , different looking.. has some age to it (usually pre 1980) and especially if you have never seen anything like it or heard of it before, it is usually worth buying (for a low price , keep aquisition costs low less risk of loss on items). This item was old looking, a little dusty perhaps and needed care. I dont often touch items but had some Kenneth Cole Leather cleaner around and it worked wonderfully! I highly recommend it! IT looks like suntan lotion and I just used a little and cleaned it up safely! Take a look at the pics!

New Handmade Crafts Website !

2009-06-06T03:00:00.001-07:00

I have been spending most of my time completely re-working our main Lohman Trading web site. It was about time for an upgrade over there. It used to be just a landing page for our stores ... but not anymore. We have decided to spruce the joint up and turn it into a real website. :-)

We have added a beautiful template design, a new Arts and Crafts gallery, and much more. We plan to add new articles and crafts every day on the new site, so you may want to subscribe to the RSS feed by email or to our twitter account to stay up to date.

For those interested, we also now offer advertising on Lohman Trading. Rates are as low as only $0.25 A MONTH ! Visit our Advertising Page for complete details.

Let us know what you think of the new design and the new features ! You can leave a comment on this post or leavve a comment over on the new website.

Click Here to check out the new Lohman Trading site !

Enjoy,

Chris

Shop for Rubber Stamps at
Lohman Trading on eBay ... or ... on Etsy ... or ... on ArtFire
Follow us on Twitter or by RSS Feed

Special LOTS of Craft Supplies for sale ... Hurry

2009-05-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Kimmi has listed some very special craft LOTS on eBay. She currently has a Sizzix machine and dies, cardstock lots, a MASSIVE Rubber Stamp lot, Stampin' Up stamps, a punches lot, an eyelets lot, and much more.

These are ONE TIME OFFERS from her personal collection and will not be available again. Some of these listings end in about 24 hours !

Take a second to check out Kimmi's Auction Listings !

Enjoy,

Chris

Shop for Rubber Stamps at
Lohman Trading on eBay ... or ... on Etsy ... or ... on ArtFire
Follow us on Twitter or by RSS Feed

Win A FREE Rubber Stamp Set !

2009-03-22T01:15:00.000-07:00

That's right ... Lohman Trading is giving away a FREE rubber stamp set on April 6th ! We are very excited about this, and may mark the beginning even more giveaways !

You could win an Inkadinkado rubber stamp set with a retail value of $ 10.00.

Just swing by the Indie Showcase Blog to enter your name in the drawing. Visit this URL for full details:
http://lohmantrading.com/Blogs/tag/free/

Blessings

Chris ~~ Lohman Trading

Check out the new IndieShowcase Blog !

2009-03-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Take a peek at the new IndieShowcase Blog ! The blog celebrates the independant entrepreneur and is a guild of small business owners from around the World. Come learn how to sell on the Internet, read our stories, laugh, or do a little window shopping ! Visit this URL:
http://lohmantrading.com/Blogs/

The IndieShowcase will eventually be the new home of the Deals On eBay blog. Make sure to subscribe to the new blog as that is where most of the new posts will be. :-)

Our NEW Store On Etsy !

2009-02-19T02:47:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone ~~ I would like to announce our newest store on ETSY ! We are now accepting orders on this wonderful site and stocking it with many wonderful things daily !

Our eBay store will always be our main store ... with over 1,800 rubber stamping items ... but our Etsy store will have some great specials on Stamping supplies, some unique handmade items, and we can accept Money Orders on Etsy. :-)

Swing by and check us out at this URL:
http://LohmanTrading.etsy.com

=

NEW Crafty Secrets Rubber Stamps, Stickers, and Vintage Collage !

2009-01-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

We have just received many new styles of Crafty Secrets rubber stamps, stickers, and vintage collage sheets!

Our new Crafty Secrets rubber stamping sets include:
* Home Sweet Home
* Believe
* Altered Art
* Cherubs
* and Card Sentiments

The new Vintage Images are:
* Love and Romance
* and the Vintage Booklet "Altered Alphabet"

The new Vintage Stickers are:
* French Labels
* Angels
* A Dogs Life
* and Cat Crazy

Click Here to see the entire line of Crafty Secrets products.

Details
* View Item in Our Store: Click Here
* Designer: Crafty Secrets
* Material: Clear Polymer Stamps.
* Blocks / Handles: Use with Clear Acrylic Blocks
* Can be stored in the Stamp-N-Stor storage system

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Treasures-Collage?refid=store

New Inkadinkado Rubber Stamp Sets !

2009-01-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

We are very happy to announce that we are now carrying ... Inkadinkado rubber stamping sets !

These wonderful sets are acrylic / clear polymer rubber stamps with some fantastic detail. (for use on clear acrylic blocks) They are absolutely perfect for your rubber stamping projects ... be it hand crafted greeting cards, scrapbooking, ATC's, Artistic pieces, and much more.

Most of the sets run under $9.00 ... with some at auction for around $5.00. In addition, we are offering select sets with free shipping. We currently have about 40 different sets available, with more on the way over the next couple of weeks.

Click Here to see the entire line of Inkadinkado products.

Details
* View Item in Our Store: Click Here
* Designer: Inkadinkado
* Material: Clear Polymer Stamps.
* Blocks / Handles: Use with Clear Acrylic Blocks
* Can be stored in the Stamp-N-Stor storage system

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Treasures-Collage

STC Year End Clearance Sale !

2008-12-23T19:15:00.000-08:00

We always like to start the new year by doing some cleaning around here. We always find a lot of goodies, including Rubber Stamping Sets, that we are overstocked on or are discontinuing. With that comes our Year End Clearance Sale that we usually run through the month of January.

Take part in the clearance sale going on right now by visiting one (or all) of these links:

* Clearance Items
* Sale Items
* $1.00 Stamps
* Auctions starting at $0.10 !
* Free Shipping Items

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Treasures-Collage

NEW Crafty Secrets Rubber Stamps !

2008-12-18T15:18:00.000-08:00

We are very happy to announce a new line of rubber stamps that we are now carrying ... Crafty Secrets !

These fantastic sets are clear polymer rubber stamps that will work on ANY clear acrylic blocks. The vintage victorian style of these stamp sets make for some wonderful rubber stamping projects and can really add some flair to your scrapbooks. Sets are available in 3 different sizes to fit into any stamping budget.

In addition to the rubber stamp sets, we are also carrying the Crafty Secrets Vintage Images and the Cotton Scraps lines. These artistic pictures can be cut out and glued, rivited, or sewn onto any craft project.

Click Here to see the entire line of Crafty Secrets products.

Details
* View Item in Our Store: Click Here
* Designer: Crafty Secrets
* Material: Clear Polymer Stamps.
* Blocks / Handles: Use with Clear Acrylic Blocks
* Can be stored in the Stamp-N-Stor storage system

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Treasures-Collage?refid=store

Build A Bouquet ... Rubber Stamps Of The Week

2008-02-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

The featured rubber stamps of the week are the Build-A-Bouquet Flowers from Posh.

There are about 20 different flowers available in the Build A Bouquet line and they are all $2.50 to $2.95 each. These stamps are absolutely perfect for making collages, stamped planter bouquets, stamped flower arrangements and the like for your handmade greeting cards, scrapbook pages, art projects, ATC's, and much more. These beautiful rubber stamps are sure to add an extra dimention to your rubber stamping projects. Some of the flowers available in this line include:
* A Rose: 3" x 1 1/4"
* A Daffodil: 2 3/4" x 1 1/2"
* A Sunflower: 3" x 2"
* A Tulip: 2 3/4" x 1 1/2"
* A Carnation: 2 3/4" x 1"
* A Fuchia: 2 1/2" x 1 1/2"
AND MANY MORE !

Click Here to see all of the Build A Bouquet Flowers.

Details
* View Item in Our Store: Click Here
* Designer: Posh Impressions
* Material: Classic Red Rubber.
* Blocks / Handles: Use with clear acrylic blocks
* Can be stored in the Stamp-N-Stor storage system

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Treasures-Collage?refid=store

Bella Flora ... Rubber Stamp Set of the Week

2008-02-09T20:18:00.000-08:00

The featured rubber stamp set this week is the Bella Flora set from See D's and Inque Boutique.

The Bella Flora set is part of the Mini Stamp Sets line and contains 6 fantastically detailed rubber stamps. The following rubber stamps are included in this set:
* 1 large corner / border: 4 3/4" x 2 1/2"
* 1 flower: 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"
* 1 flower: 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"
* 1 flower: 3/4" x 3/4"
* 1 flower: 3/8" x 3/8"
* 1 Art design (matches the corner / border): 2" x 1"

As with all See D's sets, a stamping mat is included so all you need is an acrylic block, ink, and some paper to create your unique craft or scrapbook item.

This wonderful set is currently only $ 4.00 !

Click Here to purchase the Bella Flora stamp set.

Details
* Read More: Learn How To Use See D's and Inque Boutique Rubber Stamps
* View Item in Our Store: Click Here
* Designer: See D
* Material: Classic Rubber and Wood Mounted
* Blocks / Handles: Use with clear acrylic blocks
* Can be stored in the Stamp-N-Stor storage system

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/SimpleTreasuresCollage

Hot, New SEE D's Rubber Stamping Sets !

2008-01-27T14:22:00.000-08:00

Kim and I are extremely happy to now be carrying See D's line of unmounted rubber stamps. We are currently stocking the Sugar Shoppe, Savoir Faire, Morsels, Mini Sets, and Stephanie Barnard lines.

These are some fantastic rubber stamp sets at very affordable prices. Set prices start at only $4.00 ! We are completely thrilled to offer you unique and modern stamp sets at these unbelievable prices.

See D's stamps are some of the best buys on the market ! ALL large See D's stamp sets INCLUDE hard plastic storage cases to store your stamps in and a Foam Stamping Mat. (mini sets do not include storage cases) Stick the rubber stamp directly to an acrylic block (hundreds of times), place stamping mat under your paper, and stamp away ! All rubber stamps have their IMAGE PRINTED ON THE BACK OF THE RUBBER so you can see exactly where the image will stamp when used with clear acrylic blocks. You will love the ability to position your images perfectly !

We currently have over 100 sets available with more to come. Click Here to see all of the See D's rubber stamp sets in our store.

Watch for more great ruber stamp lines in the near future !

Details
* Designer: See D
* Material: Red Rubber and Wood Mounted
* Blocks / Handles: Use with clear acrylic blocks
* Can be stored in the Stamp-N-Stor storage system

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Treasures-Collage?refid=store

Rubber Stamp Super Sale

2008-01-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

We are happy to announce new, weekly sales at the Simple Treasures Rubber Stamp store on eBay.

Select individual rubber stamps, stamp sets, and scrapbooking supplies are available at up to 40% off regular prices during our weekly sales events.

Sale prices are good for only 1 week and sale items change every Sunday. To make sure you don't miss out on your favorite sale items check back every week to see what is on sale.

You love to save money and Simple Treasures strives to offer you some of the best savings available !

Details
* Weekly Sales: Current Sale Items
* Save More: $1 Rubber Stamps
* Don't Miss: Clearance Stamps

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/SimpleTreasuresCollage

Pokemon Diamond & Pearl Mysterious Treasures Expansion coming in August!

2007-07-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

Yet another Pokemon set is coming in August - its called Mysterious Treasure, and is an expansion of the last set released, Diamond & Pearl.

This set has lots of new things in store.... Come visit my store for more information!

Abbey's Carolinas Pay Codes Coupon for our eBay Store

2007-06-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

Seller Name: Abbey's Carolinas This-n-That

Coupon Code: n1u8l9o1z

Discount: 25% (U.S. Dollars) off your next purchase!

Coupon Code Description: 25% off on purchases of $50 or more through 31 Jul 07.

Visit Our Website - Abbey's Carolinas

Expires: 07/31/2007

Movie Alert - Transformers - Be on the lookout for Stuff to sell on Ebay!

2007-05-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well by now most of you must have seen the previews for the new Transformers movie which Steven Spielberg is involved in. Transformers (toy robots that transform into different things) have always been good sellers on eBay but have been heating up lately! Also look for Voltron Robots and any robot stuff! This movie looks like it is going to be a long term kick in bids for these type items just as the Pirates stuff was hot after those movies!

There are lots of different variations in these products but the ones you want to look for are those made in the 1980s. At one time I had a huge rubbermaid bucket full of Voltron Robots and it sold very well , I think it was one of my top performing auctions. So check the kids rooms, be on the lookout at tag sales and hawk any robots you can! LOL -Marty

New Pokemon cards coming soon!

2007-05-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl coming out next week - expect my listings to be up within 1-2 weeks after that, if not sooner.

As soon as I get them, I'll get them up for you to see!!

Mother Made Me Do It

2007-05-11T02:58:00.000-07:00

I am a mother, as my mother was, and her mother before that. In fact, motherhood seems to run in our family, going back to what historians believe was the time when motherhood was first celebrated.

Contrary to popular belief, Mother's Day was not conceived at a combined convention of card, chocolate, and flower companies. Mothers were first honoured at the ancient spring festivals dedicated to mother goddesses. In ancient Greece they honoured Rhea, wife of Cronus and mother of the gods and goddesses. In Rome, ceremonies in honour of Cybele, the Great Mother of Gods, began 250 years BC. The celebration, called Hilaria, lasted from March 15-18.

In England, "Mothering Sunday", also called Mid-Lent Sunday, is celebrated on the 4th Sunday in Lent. It is said that the ceremony in honour of Cybele was adapted by the early Church to venerate Mary, Mother of Christ. It inevitably became a time to honour ALL mothers.

During the 1600's in England, young men and women who were working as apprentices or servants were given the day off and allowed to return home on Mothering Sunday. They brought small gifts or a special "mothering cake." So began the traditions of gift-giving.

The modern traditions of Mother's Day began in America in 1868 when Julia Ward Howe, author of the lyrics to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, suggested a day be set aside to celebrate motherhood. She organized such a celebration in her home city of Boston, but the idea did not catch on elsewhere.

It was not until Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) came along that Mother's Day became a national holiday. It all started when Anna's mother died in 1907. Anna and her friends started a letter writing campaign to have a national Mother's Day holiday declared. A church service in her mother's honour was held on May 10, 1908. As carnations were her mother's favorite flowers, they decorated the church. In time, red carnations came to be the symbol of a living mother and white symbolized that one's mother was dead.

The first Mother's Day proclamation was issued by the governor of West Virginia in 1910. Oklahoma declared Mother's Day that year also. By 1911 every state observed it, and also Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, South America and Africa. The Mother's Day International Association was incorporated on Dec. 12, 1912. In May of 1913, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the President and his Cabinet, members of Congress, and all officials of the federal government wear a white carnation on Mother's Day. On May 8, 1914, Congress officially designated Mother's Day an official holiday in the U.S.

Ironically, Anna M. Jarvis, enraged by the commercialism of Mother's Day, filed a lawsuit in 1923 to stop Mother's Day. She was arrested for disturbing the peace when she disrupted a war mother's convention where women were selling carnations. She died in 1948, at 84, never a mother herself and her fortune gone in efforts to stop the holiday she had started. She told a reporter shortly before her death that she was sorry she ever started Mother's Day.

It is also ironic that the original Anna Jarvis, Anna M. Jarvis's mother, organized a mother's day, of sorts, in 1858. It was called "Mother's Work Days" and was a time for Appalachian women to "improve the sanitation and prevent deaths from disease-bearing insects and seepage of polluted water." Sounds like MORE WORK for mothers, to me! I'll take being waited on hand-and-foot, every time.

A trivia tribute to Mother's Day wouldn't be complete without a few "infamous" MOMS. There was, of course, Jocasta, Oedipus's mom, and the start of all that complex stuff. And don't forget Cinderella's stepmother. Stepmothers have had a bad reputation ever since. Hollywood is rife with infamous moms. Joan Crawford was vilified as a mother in her daughter Christina's biography, Mommie Dearest (1978). And then there's Ma Barker.

Ma Barker (1872-1935) was said to be the notorious head of a criminal gang that consisted of her sons Herman, Arthur, and Fred - known as the Bloody Barkers - and their allies. In the 1920s and 1930s they terrorized the midwestern U.S. with kidnappings and robberies. Herman shot himself in 1927 rather than give himself up to the police. Arthur was shot in 1939 while trying to escape from Alcatraz. And Ma and her son, Fred, died together in 1935 in a gunfight with the FBI. And where was Mr. Barker while this was going on? George Barker refused to be a part of the gang. Ma Barker left him in 1927.

So to all you ordinary moms - neither famous nor infamous - enjoy the day that was invented just for you. And to all you sons and daughters, go out and buy a carnation. In fact, give your mom the largest bouquet you can find. She deserves it!

IT'S EASTER! Chocolate bunnies beware!!

2007-03-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

The faint of heart, beware. It is mutilation time again. All over the country ears will be bitten of rabbits, chicks will have their heads chewed off, and millions will eat their younger siblings -- not even out of the shell yet! It sounds like something from a Stephen King thriller. But no, it's only Easter. And thankfully, the bunnies and chickies are made of chocolate.

So here for all you Easter monsters - and we can tell by that chocolate stain around our mouth - is some Easter trivia.

The original site of the White House Easter Egg Roll was the grounds of the United States Capitol. The traditional event began during the Presidency of James Madison (1809-17). His wife, Dolly, had heard that Egyptian children rolled coloured eggs on the site of the Pyramids. She thought that the children of the Washington area would enjoy the activity.

The activity became a tradition until 1877 when Capitol policemen, under orders from members of Congress, forced the children to leave. The Congressmen considered the activity "messy."

Some claim that an irritated nursemaid and her charges stormed down to the White House to complain. Others say that President Hayes was driving by in his carriage and saw the unhappy children. Anyway, in 1878 Hayes and his wife opened up the White House south lawn to the children on Easter Monday, and except for during WWI and II, when the roll was held elsewhere, the tradition had continued. Today many of the boiled, dyed Easter eggs are autographed by famous people including the President and the First Lady.

Boiled and dyed eggs are a tradition all over the world. In Bulgaria, bright red eggs are a symbol of Easter and are cracked after the midnight service. The first egg must always be cracked on the wall of the church and eaten to break the Great Fast. The ritual of cracking the eggs takes place before the Easter lunch. Each person selects an egg and each takes turns tapping the egg against the eggs of others. The person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck.

As the dying of eggs is such a tradition, Heinz Vinegar commissioned a survey to find out which colours are preferred. They found that blue was the favourite colour when dying eggs. Next in descending order were purple, pink, green, yellow and red. They also found that 64% of people eat the boiled eggs, 22% throw them away, 10% don't dye eggs, and 2% of the people surveyed said that they saved the eggs and they went rotten.

Besides eggs, we eat more than 13.5 billion jelly beans at Easter time in North America, and over 180 million Cadbury's Crème Eggs are sold between January and Easter each year. And now that we know the Easter Bunny actually lays those creamy confections, it would be good to know a little more about "him."

The Easter Bunny was originally the Easter Hare. Contrary to popular belief (something I admit to once believing myself) rabbits are NOT rodents. They are lagomorphs, and are more closely related to horses than they are to rats or mice.

Rabbits and eggs have one thing in common. They are symbols of fertility, for many of the roots of Easter are in the pagan religion. In fact, Easter is a convergence of three traditions: Pagan, Hebrew, and Christian.

So enjoy your Easter, enjoy your chocolate bunnies and your eggs, think of the religious significance of the holiday, and . . . oh, yes. Smile! Composer Irving Berlin took his tune "Smile and Show Your Dimples" changed the lyrics, and retitled it "Easter Parade."

You can find Easter & other Holiday and seasonal paper collectibles at Paper Lion. Just don't get any chocolate on them!

Charity Auction for Breast Cancer

2007-03-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

eBay Charity Auction
100% of Proceeds Go To BREAST CANCER RESEARCH.

There is a very special Charity Auction up right now on eBay that I strongly encourage you to look at!

This fantastic auction is featuring donated items from approximately 25 eBay store owners from across the US, Canada and the United Kingdom.

We have carefully put this box together so there is a little something for everyone! It's a Mystery Box so I can't tell you what's all in it but I'll venture to say you will find many hand made, new and vintaged items. Need a gift for Easter? Mother's Day? Father's Day? I wonder if there's anything in the Mystery Box??? Ummm, let me see!!!

The auction item number is 170094237548. You may look it up by entering the number into any eBay search box. Or you may click on the link included in the title above.

If you can not bid at this time, please participate by CLICKING on WATCH THIS AUCTION, as it will help us get into EBAY PULSE LIST of the most watched auctions. By getting into the Ebay Pulse, it will drive more people to this auction.

Thank you for your participation!

Together we are making a difference.

Kathy of Kathy's Kupboard

Now Maggie's Handcraft Studio has Copper!

2007-03-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

I just got in some fabulous copper wire! Wow, it is so fun to work with, I really love starting with just a big batch of wire and making every component that goes into a piece of jewelry!

Here are some pictures of my work in progress:

Here is how I coil wire to make rings. (SPecial thanks to the friend who lent me the knitting needles!)

Here are the rings after I cut them. Then I file the ends of each ring.

Each S-link is formed by hand with pliers. I get a little better at making them look the same with each bracelet I make.

The s-links are hammered both for hardening and because I prefer the flattened look. Plus it is a good way to get out some frustrations!

Here is an example of the link bracelet!

Here is a great bracelet I made with wonderful Czech glass buttons added to the links on a copper bracelet! This can be found in my Ebay store!

Social Networking: Find Your Pals with Cellphone GPS

2007-02-27T03:27:00.000-08:00

An estimated 63 percent of mobile phones sold in North America in 2007 will be equipped with the Global Positioning System.

One new buddy-tracking tool is offered by Loopt, Inc., and is available from wireless operator Boost Mobile (owned by Sprint Nextel). It is one of many companies offering phones equipped with GPS receivers.

Once users download the application to their cellphones, and invite friends to do the same, they can click on an icon to view a map that will display their friends' locations as green dots.
Their friends, however, can elect not to have their location shared simply by clicking on a button.

Want to know where your children are? Sprint Nextel has launched its Family Locator, a $9.99 a month service that lets users track the location of family members, or at least the location of their cellphones.

There are some privacy concerns. A number of parents worry that someone could hack into the new services and possibly stalk them or their children. Some privacy advocates are concerned that the government could use location information to spy on people. Those who use the services, however, think the convenience outweighs the possible risks that may be involved.

Roswell the TV Series

2007-02-23T17:05:00.000-08:00

I am a huge fan of the TV series Roswell! It lasted three seasons before being canceled. It had a good run and many faithful fans. As a matter of fact, it is the fans that kept the show going!
The show helped launch the careers of actors like Katherine Heigl and Jason Behr. I think what really hooked me on the show was the great cast and how they interacted on screen.
As a fan I made sure I bought all the Roswell books and anything else interesting I could find with the cast. I even made my family go on vacation to Roswell, NM!
Now it is time for me to let go of my collection for others to enjoy. I have already sold about half of my collection, but if you hurry you can still find some great and rare items in my eBay store. Right now you can find the very rare book Turnabout by Andy Mangels! www.divinenaturecosmetics.com

Serendipity 3 Bath Product Sale Ends Soon!

2007-02-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

We’re quickly approaching the end of our Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate Bath Product SALE at Annabella’s Gift Shop! You only have until February 23 to save 40% off Shower Gel, Shimmer Lotion, Crème de Mint Foot Crème, and Lip Balm.

Shop today at www.AnnabellasGiftShop.com!!

Sooshiscorner Winter Sale

2007-02-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

Sooshiscorner

I am having a winter clearance sale in my store, please come and check it out...10 percent off quite a few items. Getting ready to introduce my new items I just received. I went on a huge shopping trip to New York City and found some great new items. So keep watching!!! Here are some of my sale items!!

Annabella's Gift Shop OPEN Again!

2007-02-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

We're just back from our vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida and are back open for business!! The weather was chilly and rainy, but much better than the -2 degrees we came home to. While at Disney we went to Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Cirque du Soleil, Downtown Disney, Busch Gardens, and SeaWorld. The only glitch came when our flight was late leaving Orlando, causing us to miss our connecting flight back to Iowa....and we spent EIGHT HOURS stuck in the Cincinnati airport. Not fun!!

I'll be posting more details from our trip soon on our blog at http://annabellasgiftshop.blogspot.com ... afterI get products relisted into our store!

Annabella’s Closed For Vacation Jan. 30-Feb. 8; Shop Now So We Can Ship Beforehand!

2007-01-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

Annabella’s Gift Shop will be closed for Vacation from January 30-February 8. Our last shipping day before we leave will be January 29; therefore, all payments must clear by that date or else your order will not ship until February 9.

We still have a wide selection of Valentine’s Day plush available, plus our Frog and Ladybug Collectibles are flying off the shelves! Be sure to stop by today; and if you see something you want, we encourage you to Buy It Now and pay with PayPal so we can ship to you before we close for vacation!!

www.AnnabellasGiftShop.com

Foreign Language Instruction: Teaching Methods

2007-01-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

From preschool parents to Pentagon chiefs, people are calling for more foreign language instruction. Factors driving the demand include China’s economic growth, which has prompted the College Board to add Chinese to its list of Advanced Placement tests. Also driving interest in language studies are the growing populations of heritage students being raised in homes where another language besides English is being spoken. Finally, both parents and educators are recognizing the value that language studies provide in preparing our youth for living in a global society.It is recognized that it is easier to master additional languages at younger ages than during adulthood.

A child's language learning is greatest in pronounciation, somewhat weaker in the area of grammar usage, and slight when considering vocabulary development. A few hours per week is advantageous in learning a foreign language with education focused on the use of words, songs and a few ritualized exchanges. This approach at least begins an appreciation of a different culture and its language in preschool and elementary age children, although mastery is not to be expected at this age. Research has shown that older students can learn foreign languages by focusing on grammar and mechanical structure. Adapting teaching strategies that allow these students to converse ideas to others in the language have the largest benefits toward mastery. On the other hand, research has shown that adults require 575-600 class hours (25 hours per week) plus 3-4 hours per day for homework to master languages even close to English. For the more difficult languages, 2,200 hour of classroom instruction is required. Compare that to a typical college year of language instruction in the classroom is approximately 180 hours plus homework.

Take into considerations the following points when considering if and when foreign language instruction should be pursued:
First, recognize that simply starting early does not guarantee that a language will be learned.

Second, support age-appropriate foreign language teaching — a total immersion program for young children, moving toward a more explicit focus on structure for adolescents and adults.

Third, be realistic with students and parents about how much foreign language skill a few hours a week of instruction can generate, especially for preschool and elementary school learners. Such limited instruction will not lead to mastery, but it may build motivation and a"taste" for language learning.

Fourth, recognize that for almost everyone, high proficiency in a foreign language will develop outside the classroom, through conversations with native speakers made possible by the skills acquired in the classroom.

Last, the precise impact of a student’s foreign language aptitude is affected by threeimportant variables — age; type of exposure to the language; and "linguistic distance," or the degree of difference between the native and the foreign language. In the end, aptitude, while difficult to define, clearly is an important factor for adolescents and adults learning a foreign language in the classroom.

Check out our foreign language instruction materials at Abbey's Carolinas:

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Educational-Books-Software_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ9QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate BATH PRODUCTS Now 40% Off!!

2007-01-18T17:35:00.000-08:00

Love chocolate? Now you can indulge your craving guilt-free with chocolate scented bath products from Serendipity 3 (the makers of the famous frozen hot chocolate)!

To entice you further, for a limited-time, all Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate Bath Products (shower gel, body lotion, shampoo, foot lotion, and lip balm) are 40% off! This offer is only good for a limited time, so visit us today at http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop!!

Karaoke For Children

2007-01-14T14:44:00.000-08:00

Coming on scene as a new fad in the 1980's, karaoke isn't just for adults any longer. Karaoke is a form of musical entertainment in which an amateur sings along with recorded music/lyrics using a microphone.

The very first karaoke machines were patented in 1983. Today, we have a more compact and mobile version of karaoke that is perfect for young children. These products will spark musical interest/talent in preschool and early elementary aged children. Easy to use and durable, checkout our new karaoke products today:

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Juvenile-Music_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Shop Early for Valentine's Day at Annabella's Gift Shop

2007-01-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Have you checked out Annabella’s Gift Shop for our selection of Valentine’s Day gifts yet? Along with adorable plush animals for your special someone, we also have candy conversation heart-themed picture frames, coffee mugs and even teapots!

If you see something you want, be sure to Buy It Now as we have a limited supply and won’t be receiving any more stock in. As always, we will gladly ship directly to your recipient if you’d like and enclose a free printed gift card.

http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop

P.S. Please note that Annabella’s will be CLOSED January 30-February 8; if you need an item before then, now is the time to buy so we can ship it out before we go on vacation!

Scrapbooking Fad - Tear Bears!

2007-01-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Everybody's doing it.....c'mon.....you know you want to....

"Tear Bears" are all the rage among scrappers. These little paper-piercing creations have taken the industry by storm. There are several different patterns that can be used to create these bears. You can make your own pattern, use one off the Internet or buy a pattern book.

[note-image is from this gallery]

Here is what you will need to make your own "tear bear".

Handmade mulberry paper (it has to be able to tear easily when wet)

Bear or other character pattern

Water

Q-tip or water pen

Chalks

Inks

Pens

Trace your pattern onto heavy weight paper or plastic and cut out parts of your bear separately.

Now trace the body parts (head, legs, arms, ears) onto the mulberry paper and use a Q-tip or water pen to wet the outline of your pattern. Make sure the water soak completely through the paper.

Next, carefully tear along the shapes of your pattern. The wet paper will tear easily and since mulberry paper has several layouts there will be "fiber-like" edges where you have torn the paper (this makes it look like fur on your bear).

Once you have torn out your bear parts let them dry completely and then you will be ready to assemble your bear. Use your adhesive to glue the bear together and pose him however you would like.

You can use chalks or inks to outline the bear and add some color to his body. Use die cuts or pens to dry a face. Some scrappers like to dress their bears with paper clothing make from die cuts or templates.

These bears can be used on your scrapbook pages, tags, cards, etc. You can personalize your bear any way you would like. “Tear” animals or characters have become popular too. You can offer variety with other options and patterns.

Hints:

Tear your paper slowly because you may slip and tear in a place you didn't want to tear.

Use a thin plastic to trace your pattern and hold it on the paper as you tear, this will help you to tear more evenly and get more shapely pieces.

Don't over due your body shading or faces.

from Scrapbook Life Tips

Check out all my scrapbooking supplies at my eBay store - 0tinam0 Scrapbooks Galore

Paper Dolls Transformed for the 21st Century

2007-01-06T19:57:00.000-08:00

Paper dolls, as we have traditionally known them, have been transformed for the 21st century. What is this transformation, you ask?

Well, there are now magnetic versions of paper dolls. The magnetic versions are usually either sturdy card stock or wood.

Benefits of magnetic "paper" dolls:

1) increased durability
2) space saver
3) easy to transport
4) no clean-up

Ideas for use:

1) Purchase and play with these on a magnetic board
2) Convert a wall in a child's room into a play scene using magnetic paint
3) Perfect waiting room toy by implementing any of the two above play surfaces

Here is the link to our eBay category stocked with magnetic paper dolls:

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Toys-and-Games_Paper-Dolls_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ1326979QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Baby It's Cold Outside!

2007-01-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official. Winter is here. Cold, snow, sleet, stuck cars, cold, snow in your boots, shovelling the sidewalk, cold, stalled cars, ice on the sidewalk, cold . . . and did I say COLD?!

So here, to help keep your brain warm now that it's "cold" out there, is a little winter weather trivia.

Ice always melts at 0 degrees Celsius, but water does not always freeze at 0 degrees Celsius. It must freeze onto something - like your windshield! However, at -40 degrees Celsius water freezes spontaneously. If you opened a window and poured out a cup of water - like you're actually going to do that at minus forty degrees - the water would freeze solid before it hit the ground.

Wind chill, that awful little number that has us running for our balaclavas, is the combination of wind and temperature and is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin such as that of a person or an animal. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving the body temperature down. Therefore, the wind chill temperature has no effect on inanimate objects like cars. So ignore it as the cause if your car is a "very" inanimate object. That is - the #@*&! thing won't start!

Ever wonder what the difference between hail, sleet and freezing rain is? Hail is usually a warmer weather phenomenon and consists of chunks or stones of ice that drop from extremely high thunderclouds. Sleet is frozen rain, and freezing rain is liquid rain that freezes when it hits a surface such as a tree or a road - or your car. Now don't you feel so much better knowing that?

But most of us don't mind the light, fluffy stuff, as long as it remains light and fluffy. And not too much of it. The precipitation we accumulate at winter time is quite staggering. A mere 10 inches, or 25.4 cm. of snow is equal to an inch, or 2.54 cm. of rain.

But we shouldn't complain. So far, our winters have been fairly mild, and nothing like the severe winter of 1847-48. It was so cold that heavy ice formed on Lake Erie. When it broke up in the latter part of March, winds swept the ice into the entrance of the Niagara River. The result was that on March 29, 1848, Niagara Falls did not fall.

So now that winter is here why don’t you just spend more time indoors: surf the web; check out eBay; or even better, check out my store of paper treasures. You can find Paper Lion at http://stores.ebay.com/paperlion

And if you must go outdoors button up your coat, zip up your parka, wrap that scarf tight, and pull that toque well down over your ears. And last of all, count your blessings. You could live in Inuvik.

After Christmas at Sooshiscorner

2006-12-29T14:57:00.000-08:00

I am extremely business after the Christmas Rush. I had a very good run November and December. 99percent of my Mr. Christmas sold out. I do have the Mr. Christmas Roundabout Teacups still in stock. I will be running a minature tea set sale in January and of course, my Scratch and Dent sale.

The end of January I will be taking my annual buying trip to New York and surrounding areas. It is such a fun time for me. We take in a few Broadway Shows and a few nice dinners. New York is such a fun place!!!

Anyway Keep checking at Sooshiscorner Ebay Store

Pokemon ex Power Keepers coming February 2007!

2006-12-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

Coming February 2007 : Pokemon ex Power Keepers

In EX Power Keepers, you'll unleash great forces that every Trainer will want to harness for their own! Enter stadiums where only the most elite Trainers have dared to go Capture rare, powerful Pokemon that will challenge you there and join the ranks of the Power Keepers! Can you control powers that have never been controlled before?

* New battle strategies using the Elite Four's Stadium cards!
* 8 more powerful Pokemon-ex and 3 legendary Pokemons to find and play
* 6 new foil basic Energy cards
* Exciting holographic parallel set for players and collectors alike!
* Over 100 cards in all!

Come visit my store in February 2007 for the latest Pokemon edition - and in the meantime come visit for Holon Phantoms, Crystal Guardians, and Dragon Frontiers cards!

What's New at Scarborough Seashells

2006-12-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

After taking a well-deserved break over the Christmas holiday, we are back in the swing and listing new items daily! Most recently we have some gorgeous new pieces of cured coral for display or for salt water aquariums. Now what is cured coral you ask? It is coral that is farm-raised (so it does not upset the delicate ocean ecosystem) and contains only certain bacterias that are beneficial to marine aquarium life.

Birds Nest Coral:

Pacific Elkhorn Coral:

Lace Coral:

Open Brain Coral:

Stylaster Coral:

Table Coral:

Shop and save right now! Spend $50 or more and receive 10% off your purchase with our current PayCodes coupon code: l8s5g

Simply make your purchases and before completing your checkout through PayPal log on to www.paycodes.com and it will walk you through the steps of check out- with the discount price!

Have a safe and prosperous new year from Scarborough Seashells!

AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE AT KATHY'S KUPBOARD

2006-12-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

IT'S TIME TO CHECK IN AT KATHY'S KUPBOARD FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE
Starting December 26th and continuing thru to the end of the year - all Christmas items, including Mark Roberts Fairies, Jacqueline Kent Carollers, NYCO enamelled ornaments, Glitterazzi blown glass tree ornaments and all other seasonal items will be marked down close to 1/2 price.

So check in often to see what's new. I'll be attending the Dallas Gift Market in mid-January to place my new orders, so I need your help to clear the shelves and make room for 2007.

ANNABELLA’S GIFT SHOP YEAR END CLEARANCE

2006-12-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

We’ve slashed prices at Annabella’s Gift Shop! Visit our eBay Store today and check out our Clearance Sale section for books, home décor, baby gifts, and collectibles.

Plus, for one week only, Serendipity Chocolate Bath Products are 25% off!

New in our store are Frog and Ladybug ceramics, and we’ve restocked popular favorites such as our Black & White Dice and Chocolate Cupcake ceramic lines. Due to demand, we now have a full-line of Disney Princess and Tinkerbell purses and lunchboxes. Also new is an expanded selection of travel-themed items, including journals and postcard books. Finally, be sure to check out our new Valentine’s Day gifts!

Stock up and save on shipping, as we combine to give you the lowest possible price. Spend $100 or more, and shipping to U.S. addresses is FREE!

http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop

Stress-Free Holiday Shopping at Annabella's Gift Shop!

2006-12-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

Why battle the cold weather outside and the crowds at the mall when you can shop from the comfort of home (or office) this holiday season? Annabella’s Gift Shop makes it easy with dozens of gifts for everyone on your list:

- Memory Journals (for Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Friend)
- Sentimental Plaques (for Mom, Sister, Grandma, Friend)
- Mary Engelbreit and Garfield Collectibles
- Gifts just For Him (including Golf and Fishing themes)
- Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate Mixes and Bath Products (for Him or Her!)
- Plus Much More!!

Shopping for a little one this holiday season? Our Russ Berrie for Baby items are now 40% off! Check them out in our “Clearance Sale!!” section, along with other great gifts marked down up to half off.

Annabella’s Gift Shop offers combined shipping and FREE Shipping to U.S. addresses when you spend $100 or more*! Plus we can ship directly to your recipient AND enclose a printed gift card. As always, we ship the next business day when your payment clears by 8 pm Central.

Shop early while selection is best as we won’t be getting in new inventory until next year!!

*If you buy 2 or more items, or if you buy $100 or more, please wait to pay until we invoice you with the shipping adjusted.

Sewing Patterns, Lamps, and Redneck Flashlights?

2006-11-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

My inventory is completely moved to my website from eBay now, and I've started adding new inventory to my store - Cynderelli Rubber Stamps and Crafts. By next week, I'll be done auctioning off the clearance items that I didn't want to move to that site on eBay, so make sure to check them out!

I've added over 100 sewing patterns from Simplicity, McCall's, Butterick, and Vogue to my website, and I have nearly 1000 left to go. It will take some time to get to all those! I'm adding some plastic canvas and cross stitch booklets this week. And I have over 1000 rubber stamps still to list! I have no shortage of items, that's for sure!

In my eBay store, I've added some items made by my father-in-law. He loves working with wood and has a fun sense of humor. Make sure to stop in to see his redneck flashlights and redneck mailboxes. For those of you who want a more serious hand crafted wood product, his solid wood lighthouse lamps are just the ticket. These lamps are gorgeous in person. The wood grain is shown off in these exquisite lamps. I have two of them listed right now - one of pine, one of cedar - and I have 8 more that I will be listing, hopefully this week. These would make perfect Christmas gifts! (and the redneck flashlights and mailboxes would make fun gifts, especially for those boring office parties)

Personalize it for the Holidays!

2006-11-04T15:06:00.000-08:00

Now at Maggie's Handcraft Studio you can find many items that can be made personalized for your loved ones!

First, there are many items that can be made to include the name of your loved one!
This includes a scissors fob for the crafty one in the bunch, a bookmark for your favorite reader and a cell phone charm to match you every mood! All items are shown in single or limited colors, but send me a message and I will customize it further and make a listing just for you!

Order now for Christmas or your other gift giving occasion!

Gear Up for Winter Cold and Flu Season!

2006-11-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

Fall is in the air here in Central Minnesota! Its time to get your body ready for the winter cold and flu season. At Gear for Health we have the supplements you need to stay healthy all winter long!

Stop in and check out our Vitamins and other supplements, as well as many other health related products for you and your home.

Just click on our logo to see what we have to offer at our ebay store.

Pokemon ex Dragon Frontier coming November 8th

2006-11-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

The next Pokemon release is due out on November 8, 2006, and Katiyana's Collectibles will have it. Dragon Frontier should be another great addition to the Nintendo Pokemon world, and I'll have holofoils, nonfoil rares, uncommons, and commons, along with the reverse foils and whatever Ultra Rares and Super Rares I can available in my store as soon as possible after the cards arrive.

Be sure to come check them out!

Holiday Discounts at Joflora.com

2006-11-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

HOLIDAY SALE at www.joflora.com just for reading this blog!

Lots of beautiful china dinnerware that you can have before Thanksgiving if you act now!

The Mikasa Solitude on the left can be purchased as individual pieces so you may purchase only what you need.

Use the code Off10 to save 10% off any purchase from now till Christmas!

This fabulous Fenton Stretch Glass Epergne in ruby red would make you a favorite with anyone!

Lots and lots of special pieces of china dinnerware, art pottery, elegant glass available so please visit soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

Shop Early for Best Selection at Annabella’s Gift Shop!

2006-11-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

The holidays are only weeks away, and the time to shop for gifts is now! Our eBay Store is stocked with great presents for everyone on your list; but shop early, as we do not anticipate getting more inventory in before the holidays. So if you see something you want, we strongly encourage you to Buy It Now!

Also, Annabella’s Gift Shop is now offering FREE Shipping for U.S. orders of $100 or more*! If you buy $100 or more, simply wait to pay until we invoice you with the shipping removed.

Memory Journals, Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate products, Collectibles, Home Décor, Russ Berrie for Babies…everything is brand new and we ship the next business day! Visit Annabella’s Gift Shop today at http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop!!

*Free Shipping for U.S. addresses only. USPS Priority or UPS Ground, our choice.

A Little Fantasy - Always Worth the Time!

2006-10-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ah, fantasy -- where would we be without our fantasies?? It's a world of escape - that provides danger, adventure, exotic locales, imaginative themes, and ...yep, enough heat to keep any one of us warm on a winter evening.

Today's romantic fiction includes more erotic novels, published by a host of different houses that deal only in erotic romances. I can remember in high school hiding a book written by Harold Robbins while I was reading it. Oh my! such a racy book!. My mother would have killed me for reading such trash. But then, I can also remember asking my Mom when I was very little why Rickie and Lucy (OK, you had better know who that was!) slept in twin beds instead of a big bed like at our house. I can tell you that she didn't answer me ... that would have meant explaining and she wasn't ready to do so. Come to think of it, I don't think she was ever ready to explain things. And sometimes, I'm not ready for the "explaining" that's done in some of today's novels (yep, I've picked some up, read a few pages and quickly put them back down). I'm amazed sometimes that I still look around guiltily to make sure no one sees me reading "that book."

But the good thing is, I can pick and choose what I want to read without guilt and I value that.Be that as it may, we do have a number of novels in our stores that tip the scale of romances that can be termed erotic....some that have scenes of intimacy woven into the story line and some that seemed to have lost a story line in the scenes of intimacy. Stop by KC's Kozy Korner and check them out.

Deep, Dark & Dangerous by Jaid Black -
Fed up with Hollywood backstabbing, famous movie actress Madalyn Simon decided to escape the spotlight. Her new back-to-basics existence in an Alaskan cabin did take getting used to, but at least she was in control of her own destiny...or so she thought. While snowmobiling on the frigid coast with her sister, the pair is taken hostage by a band of rough men who want them...for reasons beyond imagining.They are neo-Vikings from a hidden underworld, in search of women Outsiders to breed for the New Sweden clan. Their leader, Otar, wants only one woman: Madalyn. Madalyn must become Otar's wife or face the marriage auction block.

Elizabeth's Wolf by Lora Leigh

Dash thought himself alone, a soldier, a fighting machine and no more. Elizabeth made him realize he was a man. Danger surrounds the woman his soul marked as his mate, death and blood and treachery that go beyone even his worst nightmares. But he will protect her and what she claims as her own. he was created to kill, trained to do it efficiently, and only a man bound to her, heart and soul, will have the strength to save Elizabeth and her prized possession.

The Paper Lion Meets Raphael Tuck

2006-10-07T03:30:00.000-07:00

One of Paper Lion's favorite manufacturers of paper treasures is Raphael Tuck & Sons. In 1821, founder Raphael Tuck was born in Koschmin, in East Prussia. He moved to England in 1865 and by 1866 had opened a small shop selling furniture and chromolithographs printed in Germany, and offering picture-framing services. In 1870, three of his sons joined him in the family business, and they began to publish paper items such as fine art prints, chromolithographs postcards, books, calendars, puzzles, and paper dolls. They were printed in Germany but the subject matter - animals, soldiers, children, flowers, & country scenes - was chosen to please a British audience.
In 1881, Adolph Tuck succeeded his father as managing director of the company and they registered the familiar trademark of an artist's easel, palette and brushes with the initials R.T.& S. In 1893 they began to carry the
Royal Warrant of Appointment granted by Queen Victoria. Adolph Tuck produced their first picture postcard in 1894 of Mt. Snowden in Wales, which was sold to tourists visiting the site, and the first series of numbered postcards was printed in 1898, which was a set of 12 lithographed vignette views of London, numbered 1 to 12 with the "Tower of London" being postcard #1. The company introduced the oilette series of postcards, usually based on specially commissioned paintings, in the early 1900s. The oilette postcards were organized in sets, all cards in the same set having the same number.
Raphael Tuck & Sons established an office in New York and hired American artists to design images for the American market. The postcards were printed in Germany or England and then returned to the United States. By 1904, the company had 15,000 postcard designs in print.
Most records of the Raphael Tuck & Sons company history, as well as many of the original postcard paintings were destroyed in 1940 when the London head-offices were hit in an air raid.
Raphael Tuck & Sons dominated the die-cut market in Britain during the 1880's decade. Germany and Britain developed a method where their images could be cut into shapes during the printing process by a type of punch-out tool called a die. By 1880 the die-cut chromolithograph reached its pinnacle with the most colourful and complex imagery standing out in direct relief. Original die-cut chromolithographs have today become very scarce. Most have suffered from chipping and breakage, and very few remain in fine condition.
Several fine examples of Raphael Tuck & Sons work can be found at Paper Lion. Check it out. As Paper Lion always tells me, Tuck is grrrrreat!!
October 10 addenda: Since putting up this blog nearly all of my Raphael Tuck stock has been sold, but Paper Lion still has lots of other wonderful Victorian paper treasures.

Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate: Paula Deen's Recipe

2006-10-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

Annabella's Gift Shop is proud to sell Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate products! We carry mixes, gift sets, and the complete line of bath & body. As the signiture dessert of the New York restaurant of the same name, Serendipity 3 has been named one of Oprah's Favorite Things, and has been featured in InStyle magazine.

Most recently, Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate has appreared on two Food Network Shows, $40 A Day with Rachael Ray and Paula's Party, the latter being a new show by Southern cook Paula Deen.

You can easily prepare Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate by blending the mix with ice and milk according to the directions on the package. However, on Deen's new show, she shared a variation on making the Frozen Hot Chocolate...one that will make your packages of Serendipity 3 last even longer!

PAULA DEEN'S SERENDIPITY 3 FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE

3 ounces chocolate
2 teaspoons Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups iceWhipped cream for garnish (optional)
Chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a small, heavy saucepan or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Add the Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate mix and sugar, stirring constantly until blended.

Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a blender, place the remaining 1 cup of milk, the chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.

Makes 2 large servings.

FREE SHIPPING Thru October 9 at Annabella’s Gift Shop!!

2006-10-05T16:23:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Columbus Day by saving some money at Annabella’s Gift Shop! Now through Monday, October 9, get FREE SHIPPING on all orders within the United States. Whether you win an auction, purchase a Buy It Now item, or a combination of both, shipping is FREE*!

To take advantage of this offer, simply use the “Contact Seller” feature or email us at ann@annabellasgiftshop.com and mention this offer. We will send you an invoice with the shipping reduced to zero.

There is no minimum amount to purchase. This is a great way to beat the store crowds and stock up on gifts for the upcoming holidays!

*Shipping will be via USPS Priority, Parcel or Media Mail, or via UPS - our choice. This offer is only good for shipments within the United States and APO addresses. Offer ends 10/9/06.

Start With A Digital Camera!

2006-10-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

Conventional cameras depend entirely on chemical and mechanical processes, however, all digital cameras have a built-in computer, and all of them record images electronically. It's amazing what has happened with the camera in the past 20-30 years. At this point, digital cameras still cannot create the quality of picture that film does, but improvements are being made all the time.

I have to be honest here...I have no real clue what to do with or how to operate a camera - either film or digital. On the other hand, my husband never has enough cameras -- of both types. The only thing he doesn't do is develop his own film (oh, thank you God!) But.... it is one more avenue for me to search for books that I thought might be interesting. Trouble is, whatever I bring home he appropriates for himself. So, only now and then do I actually get to put a book out on the website. But this one is available on the eBay store KC's Kozy Korner.

Start With A Digital Camera
The Indispensable Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Digital Camera
by
John Odam

If you are about to buy a digital camera, or if you're not sure what to do with the one you have, this book gives you the knowledge and the inspiration to take them in dozens of designs and projects.You'll find out what kind of camera is best for you and how to manage memory and storage, how to set up your computer for photo editing, and how to photograph both people and landscapes. Learn from loads of real-life examples, and discover essential image-editing techniques in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Elements.With hundreds of clear step-by-step explanations, "Start With a Digital Camera" will help you overcome the limitations of digital photography, and maximize its unique advantages.

New Seashell Ornaments are here!

2006-09-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

We have 6 wonderful new ornaments in stock at Scarborough Seashells this week! The first two are sets of 3 that come with beautiful handmade ornament hooks from Maggie's Handcraft Studio.

Set 1 features delicately sliced canarium seashells fit together in a star (or snowflake) pattern with tiny holly leaves and berries also made from seashells.

Set 2 is made from tiny white pencil starfish lightly sprinkled with glitter to add a bit of sparkle to your tree. Both sets hang from pretty gold cording.

The third ornament is an adorable little snowman ornament made from real sea urchins! The face details are hand painted and each scarf even has tiny fringe on the ends.

The last two ornaments are made from precision cut seashells. First is a beautiful spiral sliced Pearl Trochus Seashell and next is a multicut Tibia Curta Seashell. Both hang from loops hand beaded with silver and gold glass beads. A stunning way to add a bit of beachside elegance to your home this holiday season!

The hooks are handmade by my good friend Maggie. They are made of goldtoned wire with fire polished Czech glass beads and measure approx. 2 7/8 inches. They are an awesome addition to your tree and really compliment all ornaments nicely. An ornament and hook would make a great gift for a teacher, babysitter or hostess!

Stamp Mounting Systems

2006-09-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

To prevent problems with duplicate content on the web, I've moved this post to my website and am replacing the actual article with a link:

Stamp Mounting Systems

Hope you will visit my site and check out the posted articles!

Cynderelli Moving Inventory

2006-09-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

I've spent most of the past 3 weeks moving inventory from eBay to my website. My eBay store is looking VERY bare! Oh well, that will be corrected in the somewhat near future.

Once I've finished this process, I'll be adding the new inventory that's piled up around me to my website. I'll also run some listings on eBay to clear out items that I don't want cluttering up my home or my warehouse any more. I'll be running auctions on merchandise that I'm clearing out, plus adding more variety items that I need to move that don't fit my crafting theme.

I'm up to almost 2000 different items on my website Cynderelli Rubber Stamps and Crafts. I have more than that still to add. But people are finding me and sales are picking up. If you love to stamp or scrapbook, please stop in or contact me and let me know if there's something you are looking for.

Well, I have to get back to work. I have a few boxes of stamps and stuff piled around me waiting to get added to my inventory!

On Safari I Meet A Lion

2006-09-16T03:42:00.000-07:00

My adventures with the lion began in April of 2005. That was when I opened my eStore, Paper Lion. What a thrill! What an adventure! And the lion was with me all the way. I was indeed on safari. The hunt was on.

I fell in love with Paper Lion when I first saw him performing in Las Vegas. His two human assistants were pretty good (whatever their names were) but Paper Lion was the star of the show. He'd had a talent for the stage ever since he was a cub. He was definitely the pride of the Pride.

I've learned more from him about hunting that I ever could from a book, though he has helped me find plenty of those. He told me that firstly you have to remember that you are a "Paper" lion and not clutter up your store with other stuff. Secondly you have to LOVE the hunt, and we both certainly do! Thirdly you have to hunt down a variety of game. Even zebra, he says, can be too much of a good thing, and he enjoys a variety of grasses for his digestion.

Paper Lion and I can now offer you the fruits of our hunting safari. Everything from Victorian trade cards to vintage greeting cards; from antique sheet music to vintage books. And at Paper Lion's insistance (he tends to be a softy) BOGO is always in effect. Buy 2 items and Get 1 for 1/2 price!

As Paper Lion loves to say ... paper is grrrrrreat!

Intrigue! Espionage!! This Author Has It All!

2006-09-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

Espionage is the practice of obtaining information about an organization or a group of some sort that is considered confidential (spying) without the permission of the holder of the information. What differentiates espionage from other forms of intelligence work is that espionage involves obtaining the information by accessing the place where the information is stored or accessing the people who know the information and will divulge it through some kind of subterfuge.

When you think about it, the explanation kind of sets a "stage" for us when reading novels. Heaven knows, we read and hear enough about it in real life. What a good novel provides for most of us is something of a complex moral tale -- not unlike the western novels that I wrote about earlier. Good versus evil -- whether we use those words or not. The idea of "good versus evil" is one of the most common themes in literature -- sometimes with very clear lines drawn and sometimes muddied by considerations we may find involved, while sometimes the conflict (good vs evil) is internal to the character.One of today's popular authors is Vince Flynn. He writes some exciting novels that can be termed political thrillers. Under whatever guise, his novels are popular...and there's always enough espionage to pull you in.... We have several listed on our store KC's Kozy Korner. Stop by and check it out.

Term Limits by Vince Flynn - What if America's leaders were held accountable for their broken promises...and made to pay for their corruption? This book is a chilling scenario of Washington under siege. In a night of shattering brutality, three of Washington's most powerful politicians have been executed. Their assassins, vanishing without a trace, have delivered a shocking ultimatum to the American government: set aside petty, partisian politics and restore power to the people, or be held to deadly account. No one, they warn, is out their reach...not even the president. A joint FBI-CIA task force reveals the killers are elite military commandos, but no one knows exactly who they are or when they will strike next. Only Michael O'Rourke, a former U.S. Marine and freshman congressman, holds a clue to the violence: a haunting incident in his own past with explosive implications for his country's future.

Executive Power by Vince Flynn - Returning from a covert mission, Mitch Rapp was publicly hailed by the president for his role in the fight against terrorism. After years of working in the shadows, Rapp was caught in the media spotlight...and marked for death by virtually every terrorist in the world. Now a CIA advisor, Rapp is ready to battle terror far from the front lines. But when a Navy SEAL team in the Philippines is ambushed, all evidence points to a leak within the U.S. State Department. and a greater threat still lurks...a ruthless assassin working for the most powerful men in the Middle East, who are bent on igniting a world war.

50% Off Shipping Now at Annabella's Gift Shop!

2006-09-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Save 50% off shipping now through Wednesday, September 20 at Annabella's Gift Shop!

Whether you win an auction, purchase a Buy It Now item, or a combination of both, you'll pay only HALF the shipping cost.

To redeem this offer, simply bid on or buy the items you want. When you are done shopping, contact us using the "Send Me My Total" feature. Mention that you saw this offer on the "Deals On eBay" blog, and we will send you an invoice with the shipping reduced by half*!

This is a great way to do some early holiday shopping, or to get some treasures for yourself! We carry a wide selection of collectibles (Mary Engelbreit, Garfield, Italian Chef, John Deere, Coca-Cola, Disney, Looney Tunes), Memory Journals (Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma), Baby Gifts (Russ Berrie Little Prince and Princess), Home Decor, and Serendipity 3 Frozen Hot Chocolate Mixes, Gift Sets and Bath Products.

Visit our store at http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop today for the best selection!!

*50% off shipping applies to USPS Priority Mail or USPS Airmail only. Offer ends 9/20/06.

Getting ready for the holidays already!

2006-09-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's already that time of year if you can believe it! I was out at Sam's Club the other day and I saw Nativity displays, gift wrap and artificial trees... the shopping season has begun.

To get into the spirit, we have begun listing ornaments sets and wreaths in Our Store. We currently have 3 different styles of ornaments with plans for at least 3 more in the next month.

Style One is a set of 3 delicate snow white Christmas stars made from two white pencil starfish and tiny seashells creating the look of holly berries.

Style Two is another set of 3 elegant stars made from center cut canarium seashells with tiny shells creating more holly berries and leaves.

Style Three is a snowman ornament, handmade right here at Scarborough Seashells! He is constructed from 3 tiny sea urchins and dons a stovepipe hat and warm red scarf. His face and buttons are hand painted.

A great addition to all of these beautiful ornaments are the designer ornament hooks that come with them! We are so proud to work with Maggie over at Maggie's Handcraft Studio to bring these terrific one of a kind hooks to you. Head on over and check out all her fabulous designs for the holidays!

Our newest Christmas design is really something that can be used year 'round to create a cozy beach cottage feel in your home. We have worked super hard to come up with something a little more original than a run of the mill ready made wreath.

Our wreath kits come with everything you need to do it yourself! It's all the fun of being crafty without all the bore and chore of searching for the supplies! Now available in 10 inch size. 12 inch size coming soon!

Stop by Scarborough Seashells to see all of our great decor items and gifts for the holiday season. We also offer gift wrap on any store purchases and if you mention this blog article upon checkout, we'll gift wrap your purchase for free (one per customer, thanks!)

Great New Earrings for Halloween!

2006-09-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

I found some great monster themed guitar picks and I thought they would be perfect made into Monster guitar pick Halloween earrings> Click the pictures below to go see the earring listings. Some are on Ebay and some are on Etsy.

Devil Earrings

Frankenstein Earrings

Grave Picker Earrings

Killer Earrings

Zombie Earrings

And for the faint of heart:

Hello Kitty Earrings

Latest Live Auction Find

2006-09-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

I just love auctions, don’t you? I picked up these old magazines today. These are just 2 of the automotive magazines that I picked up. They are from the mid to late sixties.

Super Stock and FX Magazine November 1966

Drag Strip October 1966

Vintage Car Magazines in my eBay store.

Enjoy!!

Later

Lorna/
The Auction Lady
Click here Lorna’s Re-Use It Decorin my eBay store.

Westerns!! A Unique American Genre of Novels

2006-09-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Westerns, by definition, are set in the Western United States with the era beginning with the start of the US Civil War in 1860. Western fiction got its start in the "penny dreadfuls" and later the "dime novels" that were first published in the mid-nineteenth century. These cheap books were published to capitalise on the many fanciful yet supposedly true stories that were being told about the mountain men, cowboys, outlaws, ranchers, settlers and lawmen taming the western frontier. The Western depicts a society organized around codes of honor, rather than the law.

I grew up reading westerns, initially because my dad read them and I wanted to emulate him. After all, if he read them, I wanted him to admire me for reading the same. Trouble was, I enjoyed them more than he did and he often borrowed my books instead. I read such authors as Luke Short, Ernest Haycock, Zane Gray, Max Brand, Louis L'Amour, Nelson Nye, and so many others. I still prefer the "old fashioned" westerns - heros who triumphed over the bad guys and won the girl - or was it the horse? Hmmm, well any how, you can find some on our ebay site at KC's Kozy Korner that may interest you.

The Ogallala Trail - a Ralph Compton novel by Dusty Richards - An ailing rancher in Frio Springs is banking on Sam Ketchum to drive his cattle to the rich markets in Nebraska. Sure, there's no one more reliable. But ghosts from his last drive still haunt him, and the road north has only become tougher. Comanches and cattle thieves lie hidden in the brush, poised to ambush, and notorious gunslingers lurk in every town along the way.

Navarro - a Ralph Compton novel by Peter Brandvold - Hardened ex-gunslinger Tommy Navarro turned away Karla Vannorsdell, a rancher's granddaughter, when she needed him most. Now, angry and full of guilt, Navarro must track down Karla in the desert before the Apaches catch her, which won't be easy. And all that's certain is that things are going to get very rough...and very bloody.

Vengeance Rider - a Ralph Compton novel by Joseph A. West - Buck Fletcher plans to ride his horse for a $10,000 prize, money he needs to send his sick daughter to a farway clinic. Then some outlaws steal his steed...and with it, his sick daughter's last hope. Though it's been ten years since Buck slapped leather and traded lead with the badmen of the frontier, he's quick to fasten on his gun belt again for the chase.

Nowhere, TX - a Ralph Compton novel by David Robbins - It's a small town that sits on the border of Texas and the Oklahoma Territory. It's a haven for cutthroats and thieves who are on the run and looking to raise some hell. It's a hideaway where outlaws believe the law has no jurisdiction...and justice has no voice. But the citizens who've suffered under the bootheels of these desperados have had enough. Their unwanted guests have overstayed their welcome. Now it's time to put Nowhere, Texas, on the map.

The Old Spanish Trail by Ralph Compton - The only riches Texans had left after the Civil War were five million maverick longhorns and the brains, brawn, and boldness to drive them north to where the money was. For the ranchers riding with Rand Hayes, things had gone from bad to worse. The Santa Fe man who'd contracted for five thousand head of cattle had been murdered. Now the Texans had a herd of longhorns and only one choice: cross two mountain ranges and the Mojave desert to the gold-fevered market at Los Angeles.

Birthday Sale...My Birthday That Is!

2006-09-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

I'm another year older this month. So in honor of this milestone, from today until September 17th, make an offer on any item in my store Lorna's Re-Use It Decor, I will accept up to 50% off. Don’t be shy. (Purchases must be made and paid for by September 17th.)

I do combine purchases to help you save on shipping. Purchase $50.00 or more and I will ship your items for FREE up to a maximum of $10.00. Purchase $100.00 or more and I will ship your items for FREE up to a maximum of $25.00.

Until next time...

Lorna/
Lorna's Re-Use It Decor

I'M A VIRGIN

2006-09-03T03:58:00.000-07:00

Be gentle folks. This is my first time.

Have you ever noticed how what we call luck or chance never is; how after a period of time has passed we realize that it was meant to be. Even some of the bad things that happen to us can turn out for the best. I guess that’s where they got the saying ‘Every cloud has a silver lining.’

I began using a computer for my writing in October of 1997 and soon after my kids started begging me to hook onto the Internet. I dragged my feet like they were made of lead. I had absolutely no interest in the World Wide Web, and I could see myself begging them to let me on to use my word processor. But soon the little beggars got the best of me and I relented, but we had a SCHEDULE! And they had to sign in. They could trade their time slots with each other and no squabbling – and especially no bringing me into it! Well … if you’re a parent you know what happened. But then even a stranger thing happened. I loved the Internet!

Not only did I love it, but I became adept at it. I learned to do things – usually by having something go wrong – that my daughter paid to learn. And I had fun!

Now almost ten years later I have only one kid still at home and I get the computer almost exclusively. My husband bless his heart is almost completely computer illiterate. He won’t even answer emails. I have to do it for him. And he still hand writes long letters to relatives.

My latest Internet adventure was to open my own eStore. More on that next time.

Now I am no longer a Blog virgin. And that didn’t hurt a bit!

Abbey's Carolinas Squidoo Lens

2006-09-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Greetings All!

We are expanding our web presence and have added a Squidoo Lens. Our lens features a fishbowl where educators can share best teaching strategy tips as well as those special student moments that brings a smile at the end of the day.

Abbey's Carolinas offer some of the best quality and affordable educational products perfect for both the homeschool and public classroom environments. Our products are offered in multimedia formats: books, electronics, video, DVD, CD, cassettes, stuffed animals, puppets, puzzles and more. Most learning products that we offer are designed to appeal to multiple senses: tactile, auditory, visual and speech. Combining senses into any one learning activity increases the success of skill mastery.

Here is the link to our squidoo lens:

http://www.squidoo.com/
AbbeysCarolinas/

The Best of Jacobean Applique

2006-09-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

Quilting is the art of stitching through padding between two layers of cloth that began approximately 3400 B.C. in Egypt. One of the earliest examples of quilting may be a carved ivory figure of a Pharaoh of the Egyptian First Dynasty, wearing a supposedly quilted mantle, c. 3400 B.C

I have a memory of my mother-in-law, sitting before her quilting frame, taking the tiniest stitches and producing the most beautiful stitched quilts I have ever seen. When you looked at the back of any quilt that she made, you could see the intricate patterns - the small even stitches, even though hand-done. Her work was unbelievably beautiful.

But for her, quilts were made to make use of every scrap of material that no longer could serve a useful purpose as a piece of clothing. Which means that the material on the "front" of the quilt was quite often faded, frayed or so thin it would split. Those quilts that I still have are stored safely - they will be given to my daughter after she marries this next year.

Today's quilters can easily be described as artists. We have a book that provides patterns for Jacobean Applique for quilters. The following book is available at: KC's Kozy Korner. There is also a link to Ms. Campbell's website for more information about quilting.

The Best of Jacobean Applique

Patricia B. Campbell

and

Mimi Ayars, Ph.D.

Features 9 patterns from Exotica and 12 patterns from Romantica with full size templates for both borders.

Add a touch of lightness and vitality to your quilts with Jacobean applique. Two top selling AQS volumes have been combined to feature the best in this distinctive seventeenth century applique style. Quilters will be intrigued with the exciting possibilities offered by patterns of deeply notched leaves, undulating vines, intertwined branches, and imaginative flowers. Each design is shown with a color photograph, a placement diagram, and a full-size master pattern divided into quadrants.

Published by American Quilter's Society.

Artists worldwide take matter in their own hands with daily paintings!

2006-09-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

Thousands of affordable original pieces of art are sold on eBay each day!

The Internet has created a new platform and it has enabled artists to sell their original paintings worldwide... Starving artists, no more! Where does this happen? On eBay, of course!

EBay enables artists to reach millions of people worldwide and helps wanna-be art collectors start collecting.

In the past, artists had to relay on galleries to sell their art work and when a painting was sold usually 50% commissions went to the gallery. Most artists were lucky to sell a few paintings a year in galleries, art fairs, shows, etc... But that has changed. EBay has introduced a new way to shop for original art.

When artists market and represent themselves it creates a win-win situation for buyers too. Artists don’t pay the 50% commission to middle-man when selling on eBay, so they can pass the savings to the buyer. Artists are able to offer original woks of art at very affordable prices and buyers don’t have to reach into their retirement savings or dress up to go to the art gallery to buy art. With a click of mouse, right from your desktop, anyone can start collecting art from all over the world.
So, if you are one of those people who dreamed about of starting an art collection, but thought you couldn’t afford, didn’t know how to start or where to go, click on the link below and let’s get started. Buyers beware! EBay art collecting can become addictive.

Borges original art

Learn a few things about purchasing art on eBay

DISNEY ELECTRONIC STORY READER Peter Pan, Lion King, Lady and the Tramp

2006-09-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Disney Electronic Story Reader was one of our most popular items during the Yuletide selling season in 2005. We sold out of this product before Thanksgiving. We are glad to have been able to obtain more product for the 2006 Christmas season and are starting the offerings earlier.

This unique device will automatically read aloud as your child turns the pages!
Simply insert the story cartridge, place the book in the reader, turn the pages, and read along.
Through the magic of Story Reader, children will begin to read and learn independently through four favorite Disney stories:

The Lion King
Bambi
Lady and the Tramp
Peter Pan

Each complete story is read aloud with sounds, music, and character voices, and features beautiful illustrations.

The interactive machine includes a headphone jack, an A/C power jack, volume control, auto on/off feature, and more, and with a compact design with a sturdy handle, kids will take it wherever they go.

Perfect for car trips, the babysitter, daycare, grandma's house, and more!

For ages 3 and up.

Here is a link to the product for immediate purchase:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150028818950

Here is a link to our store so you can browse for other holiday gifts:

http://www.abbeyscarolinasthisnthat.com

Memoir of a Life With Truman Capote

2006-08-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Available on
KC's Kozy Korner

"Dear Genius..."
A Memoir of My Life with Truman Capote
by
Jack Dunphy

This book is an intimate portrait of one of America's most colorful personalities, one of the literary geniuses of our time. Truman Capote's public image was charming, engaging, and always controversial. His private life was tormented by demons...writer's block, drink, drugs, self-doubt.

Jack Dunphy was Truman Capote's companion for thirty-five years. This is a book only someone who was as close to Truman as Dunphy could write. Dunphy has adopted an ingenious literary device: Juxtaposed against the compelling story of Truman's and Dunphy's lives together in Europe and New York is the fascinating fictional story of the unforseen influence a priest, Father John Synge, has on that unrepentant sinner Truman Capote. As Dunphy write in the preamble - the priest is Jack Dunphy himself.

The book is a riveting account of tempestuous times, of people famous and infamous, of times good and bad.

Planning a Beach Themed, Tropical or Destination Wedding?

2006-08-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Scarborough Seashells!

We have everything from beautiful one of a kind jewelry pieces to seashells & sea life that will help you create the perfect ambience for your special day!

Stunning One of a Kind Sea Glass Jewelry

Narragansett Sea Glass Jewelry pieces are sold online exclusively at Scarborough Seashells. A perfect gift for yor bridal party and elegantly simple beauty to accentuate your wedding theme. We can create one of a kind custom sets for any size wedding party to match your color scheme! We sell sea glass bracelets, pendant & earring sets, and individual pendants and earrings as well.

Contact Us for a consultation; We will create a custom listing just for you!

This first set was created for a classic New England Beach wedding, complete with bare feet and sand between the toes!

This set was created for a September Destination Wedding in the islands. The bridemaids' dresses are a rust color fading from dark to light. The amber hues of this glass picked up the shades of the dress perfectly!

Seashells & Sea Life Wedding Decor and Favors

Creating the perfect atmosphere for your wedding is essential to help set the tone of the day. A beach themed wedding can range from casual and simple to elegant and luxurious. We have seashells and sea life to meet every budget and every style!

We carry a large variety of crafting & scatter shells which are perfect for use as wedding confetti on tables or in bowls & vases. They can also be strung into leis, used for garland or given as part of a favor that you create yourself!
We also carry larger seashells such as Nautilus, Murex, Whelk & Conch which are perfect additions to your wedding day centerpieces! In our Sea Life department we carry White & Blue Pencil Starfish as well as Sugar & Knobby Starfish, different sizes and varieties of Sand Dollars & Sea Biscuits (perfect for adding raffia or a ribbon and giving as favors or to be used as place cards for arriving guests!)
The possibilities for using these fantastic seashells are only limited by your imagination!

We are always happy to create custom orders and will work with you to ensure that you have everything you need to make your ceremony and reception as magical as you dream! You are not limited by the items or quantity currently available in our store, we are continuously adding new merchandise and will be glad to accommodate larger/special orders.
If you don't see it, please ask!

Magic of the Celtic Green World

2006-08-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

There are so many interesting books - covering so many ideas and concepts. Sometimes it's just plain fun to explore new or different ideas. This one caught my eye when searching through stacks of books.

Available on

KC's Kozy Korner

GLAMOURY

Magic of the Celtic Green World

Steve Blamires

Glamoury is a life-affirming, holistic, magical system that will break down the barriers between you and teh natural world. This system is deeply connected to natural cycles -- the "Green World" of the ancient Celts...and is based on truths embedded in the rich archetypes of Celtic myths...myths compellingly retold in this book.

This book brings together concepts from the Irish Celtic spirtul tradition, practical techniques, and extensive research into Celtic history, literature, and myth to provide an unparalledled tool for personal evolution. Let these myths reach deep into your subconcious to plant the seeds for personal transformation.

Glamoury will guide you back to harmony with the Green World that our ancestors knew--and give yuo the tools you need to live up to your true spiritual potential.

Steve Blamires is a Celtic scholar and founder of the Celtic Research & Folklore Society (CRFS).

What's Up With That?

2006-08-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Pluto no Longer a Planet. How can that be? Does it mean that we're going to have to reprogram our minds to exclude Pluto as a planet?

Or will we begin to refer to Pluto as the blob that was formerly known as a planet? How embarrassing is that? Read the story for yourself. Here’s the link. Pluto No Longer a Planet

Later,

Lorna/
Lorna’s Re-Use It Decor

Who Doesn't Like a Good (Romantic) Vampire Novel?

2006-08-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

Available on KC's Kozy Korner

Vampires are no longer scary! Did you hear??? Hmmmm, maybe not scary, but certainly a bit of a thrill and quite a fantasy. Sigh....this genre is certainly entertaining to read - whether the tone is humorous, sensual fantasy, or more of a dark fantasy - just a little short of the old-fashioned horror novels about vampires. So here's just a few that may interest you .....

Hunting the Hunter by Shiloh Walker - After two years Kane Winter still doesn't know what really happened the night his bounty hunting partner was murdered. What he does know is that there was a mysterious woman at the scene, and he won't rest until he finds her... Kendall is accustomed to vampire games. After all, she is one herself...part of an elite group of warriors who keep the other vamps in line by destroying the ones who prey on the weak and innocent. But now she's the one being stalked.... When all trails lead to Kendall, Kane is consumed by a desire greater than vengeance--a hunger to possess this woman for himself. Together, they will travel down a dangerous path of seduction and surrender, until there are no rules left to break---and nowhere left to hide.

I Hunger For You by Susan Sizemore - Mia Luchese comes from a long line of vampire hunters but has never believed in the supernatural. When she's attacked by vampires, though, Mia must accept her family's dark legacy. What she doesn't know is that sexy SWAT tem leader Colin Foxe, her rescuer and former lover, is also a vampire. Colin doesn't want to mate with a mere mortal, but his attraction to Mia is blistering. To get to the bottom of the attack on her, he is forced to reveal his true identity...and Mia hers. But a generations-old battle that should rip them apart cannot break the bond that has their souls hungering for an eternity in each other's arms.

Even Vampires Get The Blues by Katie MacAlister - Paen Scott is a Dark One: a vampire without a soul. And his mother is about to lose hers too if Paen can't repay a debt to a demon by finding a relic known as the Jilin God in five days. Half-elf Samanth Cosse may have gotten kicked out of the Order of Diviners, but she's still good at finding things, which is why she just opened her own private investigation agency. Paen is one of Sam's first clients and the only one to set her elf senses tingling, which makes it pretty much impossible to keep their relationship on a professional level. Sam is convinced that she is Paen's Beloved -- the woman who can give him back his soul...whether he wants it or not.

I Burn For You by Susan Sizemore - The world holds great danger for Alec Reynard and his kind. As the dark hollows of his soul threaten to overwhelm him, he undergoes secret medical treatments that allow him to bear daylight. Living a double life as a bodyguard, he must also battle the powerful chemistry that explodes between him and Domini Lancer, a mere mortal...and, unbelievably, his soul mate. Domini knows nothing of Alec's true nature. But when danger threatens, he kidnaps her to his clan's stronghold to protect her....and there, he can no longer hide who--or what-- he is. As the forces aligned against Domini draw near, Alec wonders whetehr she'll accept the darkness within him...or whetehr she's actually a vampire slayer who's cleverly infiltrated his clan.

Everybody Pays - A True Story of a Mob Hit Man

2006-08-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

A signed copy is available on

KC's Kozy Korner

Everybody Pays

byMaurice Possley and Rick Kogan

Two men, one murder and the price of truth.

This book is an astonishing true story of shocking corruption and an ordinary citizen who had the courage to challenge a mob hit man.

On the warm early-fall night of September 27, 1972, on a quiet tree-lined street, one man was about to die. And two others, strangers before this evening, would become locked in a reluctant but inevitable relationship that would span more than a quarter-century and transform their lives. Though both were products of Chicago's West Side, the two men couldn't have been more different. One was cultured and charismatic, a dark and complex prince of organized crime, an assassin who enjoyed his work. The other was a modest man of modest means, an auto mechanic who wanted little more than a steady paycheck.

Bob Lowe was the sole witness to a brutal murder. The victim was a neighbor, blown away by the blast of a sawed-off shotgun. The killer was Harry Aleman, one of the most notorious men in mob history. And Lowe could be the person to finally put Aleman behind bars. Promised refuge as a protected witness, Lowe agreed to testify. But through a tangled web of politics and payoffs, Aleman was acquited, and Lowe feared for his life. Disillusioned and depressed, he spiriled into alcoholism, drugs, and crime, losing his family and his self-respect. Finally, after twenty-five years, he emerged to confront Aleman, and his own personal demons.

Aleman was reindicted for the murder of Logan while in prison and eventually retried in September 1997. In 1998, a federal court ruled (Harry Aleman v. Judges of the Criminal Division, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, et al., 183 F.3d 302 (1998)) that an acquittal by a bribed judge in a bench trial is invalid because the defendant in such a case was never in jeopardy in the first place, and that the legal concept of double jeopardy is therefore inapplicable. This meant Aleman could be retried, and thus he became the first person in U.S. history to be retried by the same government for a crime which he had previously been acquitted. Aleman was convicted at his retrial.

Katiyana's Handmade Collectibles is back up and running!

2006-08-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Katiyana's Handmade Collectibles was shut down for a month due to a family emergency. But I am back up and running again, and once again selling my custom handmade doll and bear sweaters. My listings have moved back to my main store under the eBay ID katiyana - and are limited to the following sizes: American Girl, Bitty Baby, Cabbage Patch Kids, Build A Bear, and Build A Bear Cubs. I do plan to have my holiday themed listings up for Betsy McCall, Hopscotch Hill, MSD Dollfie, and Baby Face just during the holiday season. I have also cut back on the number of designs listed, but all of my designs will still available by request or on my website.

For Halloween, I have the following designs available: Pumpkin, Ghost, Jack O Lantern, and Witch Hat.

For Christmas, I have the following designs available: Christmas Tree, Christmas Present, Snowman, Candy Cane, Train Engine, and Gingerbread Man.

For Hanukkah, I have the following designs available: Dreidel, Star of David, and the Israeli Flag.

As always custom creations can be purchased as well, whether its a name, initials, or a new picture image to be added to my collection. All items are made to order in the colors of your choice, and made with 100% acryllic yarn. Please allow up to 30 days for shipment to allow time for sewing, and if you're buying for the holidays, shop early!

If you have a new holiday picture idea, please let me know - if I can sew it up, I can add it in time for the holidays.

Also, even though my listings have moved, my Super Shopper Reward Program is still in effect! Make $40 in purchases of handmade merchandise (excluding shipping & handling charges, gift certificates, or sweater of the month club memberships) and you'll receive a gift certificate redeemable for a free sweater!

My Sweater of the Month Club memberships are now Website Exclusives - so you'll need to come visit my website for more information on them.

FREE Shipping Offer At Annabella's Gift Shop!

2006-08-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Spend $50 or more now through August 21 at Annabella's Gift Shop – on auction and/or Buy It Now items – and shipping within the United States is FREE*!!

This is a great way to stock up early for holiday gifts...or to treat yourself to some new items. We carry a wide selection of collectibles (Garfield, Disney, Italian Chef, Mary Engelbreit); memory journals for mom, dad, grandma and grandpa; home decor such as picture frames and candles; kitchen accesories including cheese spreaders, cookie jars, and coffee mugs; plus special gifts for babies and children.

To begin shopping, simply visit our eBay Store at http://stores.ebay.com/Annabellas-Gift-Shop!

*Free shipping offer good for U.S. buyers only. Shipping will be via USPS Priority Mail or UPS Ground, our choice. Simply wait to pay and we will invoice you with the shipping cost removed. Offer good through August 21, 2006 only.

All the Sounds of the Earth are like Music

2006-08-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Remember this line? In the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma, the main lead Curly sings Oh, What a Beautiful Morning. In 1943, this opening number was unusual - most musicals started out with a bang and a fast paced song/dance number. But Oklahoma began with a simple scene and a simple message - all the sounds of the earth are like music. What a wonderful thing to ponder!

Please stop by REJOICE Music and browse a while - perhaps you'll find something that speaks to you, or a song long forgotten, or a musical selection that would be perfect for a Christmas Eve service, or for singing with your family around the piano at home.

Here are some of my favorites that I'd like to share with you:

Bringing Christmas Hope: A Story of Hope. Published by Brentwood Benson and rated "moderately easy," this 40-minute Christmas musical / cantata is arranged for SATB voices, with piano accompaniment. It can be done with simple staging and a cast of six speaking parts, or there is an optional narration. A nice combination of familiar Christmas carols and new arrangments. This musical is in very good used condition (used once) and retails new for $7.95. Get it today at REJOICE Music for $4.50.

Click here - Christmas Cantatas / Musical or Christmas Anthems / Octavos to find some great Christmas music for your choir @ great prices!

I Left My Heart in San Francisco - A great song, with a great swing, arranged for SSA voices. To view more popular music, click here!

Shop REJOICE Music August 29-31st and receive FREE SHIPPING (via USPS media mail) on any order over $25.00. Just mention Code: DOEFree.

REJOICE Used Church Choir Music
Great music @ a fraction of the cost of new!

Spray painting sounds like a lot of fun.

2006-08-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

I never really thought about spay painting as art form until I ran into some very cool videos on youtube.com
These artists in the videos are having soooo much fun! I had fun watching them too. I shared these videos with my teenager daughter and she had a blast watching them. She felt motivated to do some art and try spray painting.
Spray painting seems like a great art idea for older children, but I will be checking for toxicity and environment safety. If it is safe, we might purchase a few cans of spray painting and a mask to give it try before school starts.

Google spray painting or check youtube.com to find more.

I have one link for you. Have fun!

Borges Studio features original oil, acrylic, watercolor, and high quality Giclee reproduction. Subjects include non-representational abstracts, landscapes & seascapes, still life, figurative. Style includes Expressionism to Modern Contemporary Impressionism.
I enjoy abstracting and painting things, places and people I encounter everyday.

Craft Time Ideas and Do It Yourself Craft Kits

2006-08-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

Get creative with craft time...

Find a novelty craft kit to fit the theme you need. Crafts are a great team-building project for Scouts, classrooms and other groups or organizations.

We have glow-in-the-dark solar system kits, T-Rex Dinosaur Paleontology kit, kaleidoscope kit and an insect/bugs/ant kit just to name a few.

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Juvenile-Arts-Crafts-Hobbies_Do-It-Yourself-DIY-Craft-Kits_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ38773QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Make your mark with colorful stickers! Personalize invitations, posters, art projects and more to take them from ordinary to extraordinary!

At Abbey's Carolinas we have the ultimate writing guides to assist you in composing pose for that special greeting card.

For scrapbooking, we have the 300 piece American patriotic scrapbook stickers. Sticker Extravaganza is an explosion of sticker fun! These patriotic stickers are perfect for decorating hats, bags, cards, letters, picture frames, or anything under the sun.

With over 300 fabulous freedom stickers, you'll enjoy a sticker for almost every day of the year.
Inside this fun-filled sticker set, you'll find stickers with:

Red White and Blue Ribbons

America Signs

Statue of Liberty

American Eagle

Liberty Bell

American Flag

Patriotic Stars

Hearts Freedom Sign

And more!

The perfect way to show that you're proud to be an American!

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That/Stationery-Craft-Scrapbook-Notions.html

What Is A Mass Market Paperback?

2006-08-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

KC's Kozy Korner

A mass market paperback book is a relatively cheap version of a book. It will be smaller than a traditional hardcover book, usually measuring 4 1/8" by 6 7/8". It will be non-illustrated and often sold in non-traditional bookselling locations like supermarkets, retail outlets, as well as traditional bookselling locations, i.e., stores devoted primarily to the sale of books. This cheap(er) version of a book usually comes out about a year after it has been published as a hardcover. In more recent years, quite a few books are published directly as paperbacks - were never published as hardcover.

The mass market paperback has become an enviable source of reading material for the general public. Changes in the costs of printing materials and costs of shipping have led to the creation of trade paperbacks (usually referred to as "trade-size") - closer to the size of a hardback, but similar in format to the mass market paperbacks. It should be said here, that traditional mass market paperbacks are printed on paper stock of much less quality than hardbacks, thereby limiting their lifespan.

British publisher Allen Lane launched the Penguin imprint in 1935 with 10 reprint titles - which started the paperback revolution in the English language book market. This was not necessarily a new concept. Mr. Lane bought paperback rights from publishers and ordered huge print runs (20,000 copies) to keep unit prices low. He then made them available to non-traditional bookselling retail locations. Woolworth's Department store was one of the original retail businesses to place a large order of these paperbacks and they sold quite well. After this initial success, booksellers were less reluctant to stock the paperbacks.

Simon & Schuster helped to found the Pocket Books imprint in the late 1930's. The American versions though, adopted illustrated covers - to reach an even bigger market. Genre categories began to emerge, and mass market book covers reflected those categories. And some of them could be quite garish.

In today's market we find that the "mass market" paperback or trade-size paperback competes very well with hardbacks. It certainly cannot compete with the prestige of having a book published in hardcover format...any number of today's very popular authors have started out having their works published as paperback first. As their work becomes more and more successful, they are often published as hardcover first with the mass market paperback being published at a later date.

Publishers are also increasing the quality of paper stock being used for trade-size softcover books, making them more attractive to buyers. These books tend to be the mid-way point of a mass market version and the hardcover version -- and still of a quality to last for quite a while.

It's Not Too Early For Holiday Shopping!

2006-08-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

Greetings Everyone!
As we approach mid August, the realization of summer soon being over is acknowledge.
So, you ask? Well that means back to school, back to regular routines and perhaps thoughts also turn towards this year's Holiday Season. This is the perfect time to really plan ahead and get a jump start on all your holiday shopping.

I know most of you are thinking, geez it's way to early, there is plenty of time left. I, for one, know that is the type of attitude I hang on to each year and then come mid-December start asking myself "what happened..why again am I not ready"?

C'mon, you know what I'm talking about....last holiday season did you promise yourself no last minute shopping frenzies. Did you swear that by Thanksgiving you would have all your presents bought? Well if you want to accomplish that you should start now.

Ebay is a wonderful place for you to start your holiday buying early. One can find something wonderful for anyone on their list. You may want to check out the Ebay stores listed right here on this blog. Just scroll down to the Go Shopping area on the right-hand side. The sellers of these store here have wonderful items for you to choose from and they all offer wonderful customer service. You can't go wrong.

If you are looking for toys, I invite you to stop by HTF Toys and More where you can view a wide selection of toys for various age groups. Chances are that special toy that your youngster has been talking about for a few months will no longer be available at your local stores come this fall. We specialize in stocking discontinued items so we might just have exactly what you are looking for.

So let's see....shopping on Ebay this holiday season will:
1. Save your Gas
2. Save your time
3. Provide items that are difficult to find or one of a kind items that would make fabulous gifts.

What are you waiting for?
Now remember, this is the year you will get it all done early!!

Look What I Found at the Auction!

2006-08-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

I found this unique toy metal car at a live auction.

Antique Ford Model T Touring Car

The only thing I know about cars is to put gas in the tank, add the various fluids and of course drive it. So you can imagine that I don’t know anything about vintage or antique cars let alone toy cars. I tried to remember some of the names of the cars from yesteryear and I hit the jackpot with the Ford Model T. Ford Model T Touring car to be exact. The toy car is made from metal. That is, it is made out of metal door hinges and screws among other things. Click on the link here or the one above the picture to view the full description.Lorna’s Re-Use It Decor

For all you cat lovers out there here’s this adorable Lithograph of a little girl and her kitty.

Antique Ford Model T Touring Car

Click on the link here or the one above the picture to view the full description. Lorna’s Re-Use It Decor

Until next time.

Lorna/
Lorna’s Re-Use It Decor

Reading Requirements

2006-08-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Ah, yes. I remember high school - back in the day (as my daughter refers to it). We had a required reading list associated with our English classes. No excuses, no exceptions --- we were required to read and review books from a list of "classics." Now, if we wanted to attend college, the list of required and/or suggested reading grew even longer. By the time my youngest daughter was making her way through high school, reading requirements were a thing of the past. While I complained about it myself when I was in school and college, somehow I believe my daughter would have been better served to have had the same kind of requirement and to have discussed them in class with fellow students; not on a voluntary basis but as part of the normal requirements.

When younger I set a task for myself to continue to read all of the books on the then "suggested" reading lists -- just to be able to say that I had read them (which of course meant that I could view myself as particularly well educated!). And then, as a secondary task I started to read anything else written by the author on the orginal list. Whew!!! These days, I simply read what I enjoy -- doesn't matter whether its on a list somewhere or not. I like books that tell good stories...and that entertain me or suit my mood. Which for me means everything from westerns, science fiction, fantasy, historical romances, action & adventure, contemporary romances, especially today's current crop of vampire(or like characters) novels, to cozy mysteries and thrillers. Yep, I'll read just about any genre -- with the exception of horror novels. Now those will give me sleepless nights and continuing nightmares.

That said, I thought it might be interesting to list some of the books that were required reading, once upon a time:

Robinson Crusoe - written by Daniel Defoe in 1719

Gulliver's Travels - written by Jonathan Swift in 1726

Tom Jones - written by Henry Fielding in 1749

Pride and Prejudice - written by Jane Austin in 1813

Wuthering Heights - written by Emily Bronte in 1847

Moby-Dick - written by Herman Melville in 1851

Les Miserables - written by Victor Hugo in 1862

War and Peace - written by Leo Tolstoy in 1865

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - written by Mark Twain in 1885

Ulysses - written by James Joyce in 1922

The Great Gatsby - written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - written by Betty Smith in 1943

These are only a few from the list - but I thought these might be more familar to people today. All of these books are a part of our modern culture -- names that we recognize no matter where or how they are used. You may not have read the book, but you are familiar with it nonetheless.

KC's Kozy Korner

Shop for your back to school needs at Gear for Health

2006-08-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to get those much needed school supplies.

At Gear for Health we can outfit you or your child with an ergonomic back pack that will protect his/her back from the heavy book load that todays student must deal with.

Our back packs are airfilled in crucial areas to reduce the effective weight load by 50%! Professionals will recommend that a child carry no more than 15% of their body weight on their back. For more information on backpack use check out our info page on back packs.

And to ease eye strain, try one of our great book lights. Put the light on the page not in their eyes! Also works as a book mark.

Check out our Ebay store for more great items such as our powerful pharmecutical grade vitamins and supplements; massage tools; orthotics and much much more!

Stop in at Gear for Health today!

Pokemon ex Crystal Guardians coming soon

2006-08-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

The next hot release of Pokemon cards from Nintendo is due out in late August. The name of the new set is Pokemon ex Crystal Guardians. Here is some more information about this new set of Pokemon cards:

Only the Best Shall Pass the Crystal Guardians

* Unleash the power of favorite Pokémon as new Pokémon Delta Species!
* 10 new Pokémon-ex, including 1 Pokémon-ex Delta Species!
* Discover mysterious crystals that will change how Pokémon Trainers do battle!
* Expand your strategy by collecting all 100 cards!
* Complete a collection of holographic parallel set!

Katiyana's Collectibles will be listing cards as singles, and in partial and complete sets as available in early September. Please come stop by and check out the hottest new Pokemon cards when they are released.

katiyana

A Favorite Author - Adventure and Action!

2006-08-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

For those of us who read a lot, we have favorite authors. And just like anyone else, we tend to have favorite authors for different types of books. Now I'm an armchair action-adventure fanatic. Love to read about adventures, but also prefer to do it from my chair surrounded by the comforts of my home. One of my favorite authors is James Rollins. He writes books that are full of adventure and action, not to mention that he tells a good story. Some of his available books are:

Subterranean (1999)
Excavation (2000)
Deep Fatham (2001)
Amazonia (2002)
Ice Hunt (2003)
Sandstorm (2004)
Map of Bones (2005)
Black Order (2006)

I would happily recommend any one of them to you. I enjoyed each and every one. Below is a very brief intro to three of my own favorites:

Subterranean - Travel to the bottom of the earth to a place you never believed existed. A team of specialists makes its way toward the center of the world -- but they are not the first to venture into this subterranean labyrinth. Those that they follow did not return. Breathtaking wonders...and terrors beyond imagining...a mystery waiting to be solved.

Excavation - The South American jungle hides many secrets...and a remarkable site nestled amongst the mountains, hidden from human eyes for centuries. Ancient catacombs where ingenious traps have been laid to ensnare the careless, where earth-shattering discoveries could be the reward for the courageous willing to face the unknown. But something terrifying is waiting...something created by Man but seemingly not humanly possible.

Ice Hunt - Buried deep in the earth's polar ice cap is a secret laboratory - abandoned years ago by the former Soviet Union and called Station Grendel. Intended to be lost to human memory, it was discovered by an American undersea research vessel that saw something alive inside. Something that should never have survived.

KC's Kozy Korner

Back to School

2006-08-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year. The dog days of summer are coming to an end and autumn is just around the corner. I love autumn!

Buying Back to School items for you or your child can be fun and exciting. It's like getting a fresh start. We currently have several fun items for Back to School.

Lego sets have got to be the coolest toy ever invented. I grew up with them and now my children are playing with them. I wish they had such neat sets when I was little. If you have a Lego Maniac at your house they might enjoy a Lego themed Desk Set. We have Clikits for girls and Bionicle or Knights Kingdom for boys. They come with pens, pencils, colored pencils, rulers and other handy accessories. These also make great gifts for birthdays! You can check out our Lego Sets here.

Magical eBay Moments

2006-08-07T00:03:00.000-07:00

My Mom died in November 1998. At the time, there was only one granddaughter in our family who was 16 at the time.

LB married in 2003 at the age of 21 after finishing undergraduate school one year early by taking full summer loads. I really wanted to get her something very special for a combination wedding/graduation gift. So, I asked her. And her reply astonished me. She said, "Aunt Ab, more than anything I would like to have enough place settings for the immediate family's table at the wedding reception that are complete with pink depression glass."

My Mom had left her several pieces of pink depression glass upon her death, but there was not a complete place setting, let alone 8. So, began my mission.

And with only three months to accomplish, I found the pieces to make those place settings using the assistance of 12 sellers on the eBay site. To my surprise and happy tears, at the immediate family table on the night of the wedding reception there were nine settings. LB used the pieces she inherited from my Mom to make a place setting for "Nanny" right next to her.

The entire table looked amazing. One of the sellers whom I had purchased the most from and shared the story with connected me with some referrals to assist me when I was having difficulty finding the last few pieces. Madeline, the seller, went even further and provided the pink and white carnations for the table's center piece that evening as a surprise gift to me for the amount of purchases that I had made from her eBay store.

This was indeed a magic moment. LB sent personal thank you cards to each seller for making her wedding wish a reality.

Abbey

Making the most out of Summer

2006-08-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

It's August, which means the hazy, lazy days of summer will be fading soon. Before you know it, the kids will be back in school, leaves will be falling off the trees and if you live up north like we do, cool weather will be rolling in!

Take advantage of these last days of summer. Consider these ideas for making the most of the time we have left:

Attend a small town festival. Many localities have terrific arts, crafts, music and even food festivals. Here in RI, this weekend was the 22nd Annual Charlestown Chamber Annual Seafood Festival,A gastronomic extravaganza of Rhode Island's best seafood, lobster, steamers, chowder, fish and chips, clam cakes, corn on the cob and a raw bar. Arts and crafts, amusement rides and rock climbing wall in addition to children's shows and car show. Coming up next weekend is the 331st Annual Narragansett Indian Pow Wow, Native American dancing in full regalia, foods and crafts. We also have the Rythym and Roots Festival, The Washington County Fair, and the Summer's End Festival at Narragansett Town Beach! To check out all the RI festivals for 2006, click here!

Go to the beach! Build sand castles, dig a hole and splash around with your kids! You'll be longing for it come February!

Enjoy a picnic lunch at a local park. Add to the fun by bringing along a Frisbee, boccie ball set, or a good book!

Buy a day pass to the nearest water park!

Gather your family or neighborhood together for a game of softball.

Go camping- whether at a campground or in your own backyard.

Have lunch at an outdoor cafe.

Learn a new activity such as inline skating or golf!

Host a backyard barbecue- complete with lawn games such as badminton, croquet and horseshoes!

Grab a friend and go play checkers at the neighborhood park.

Find a local stable and try horseback riding!

Take in a baseball game, whether at a major league stadium or a little league field. Here's my personal favorite!

Organize a neighborhood block party!

Take an afternoon bike ride.

Go fly a kite!

Last but certainly not least, stop by Scarborough Seashells and purchase yourself or someone special something to remember all the good times you've shared this summer! We have beautiful display shells, shells for crafting memory boxes or displays and one of a kind handmade shell and sea glass jewelry!

A few photos of Scarborough State Beach taken this week:

Free Rubber Stamping Ink Pads !

2006-08-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

That is right, you can earn free Memories ink pads with every purchase from the Simple Treasures Rubber Stamping store !

Get a free Memories Ink pad in YOUR choice of color for every 24 Treasure Dollars you redeem ! When you receive your order of qualifying products (shown below) you will find your Treasure Dollars attached to your invoice in your box. Just save-up your Treasure Dollars and then mail them back to us with your ink selection. We will then ship (for free) your Ink Pad to you. No limits.

You will receive Treasure Dollars for the following purchases:

* Earn 1 Treasure Dollar for every $5.00 spent on Individual stamps purchased in our store OR won in one of our auctions. Examples: 1 stamp at $5.99 earns 1 Treasure Dollar, 2 individual stamps at a total of $13.50 earns 2 Treasure Dollars, 2 individual stamps at a total of $20.50 earns 4 Treasure Dollars, and on up !

* Earn 3 Treasure Dollars for every $13.50 Rubber Stamp Set purchased in the store at regular retail.

* Earn 5 Treasure Dollars for every $26.95 Rubber Stamp Set purchased in the store at regular retail.

* Earn 8 Treasure Dollars for every $31.50 Rubber Stamp Set purchased in the store at regular retail.

Offer open to US residents only.

As always, the latest and greatest unmounted rubber stamps can be found in our Simple Treasures Collage store at this URL:
http://stores.ebay.com/SimpleTreasuresCollage

Tips to Successful Homework Strategies

2006-08-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

Yuck is really all we have to say about the subject of homework. We didn't like it as students growing up. It interferred with our after school playtime. We are convinced the below bullet points are age-old and our parents had access to this "secret" information.

Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Youngsters need a permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that offers privacy.
Set aside ample time for homework.
Establish a household rule that the TV set stays off during homework time.
Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for him/her.
To help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying, it's recommended that youngsters close the books for 10 minutes every hour and go do something else.
If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't able to help her yourself, a tutor can be a good solution. Talk it over with your child's teacher first.

However, as time has progressed, we realize the contribution that homework discipline attributed to our education. There was no way a classroom teacher could teach us everything in 50-60 minutes/day in one subject area. As we progress to high school and college students, homework allows the student to apply what is learned in the classroom. Parents and teachers can use homework time as an opportunity to identify areas of strengths and improvements needed to each specific subject area.

And we at Abbey's Carolinas want to help you in this area as well. We have stocked our store with over 65 items that can be used in stand alone homeschool programs as well as to supplement the public classroom environment. These products may be used by parents at home or by teachers in the classroom.

Checkout our selections here:
http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Educational-Books-Software_
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Finally, saving those precious memories from your child's school days is made easier through scrapbooking techniques. Scrapbooking is a hobby that both you and your school-age child can participate together. We carry several scrapbook kits that are just perfect for capturing those school memories. Check out our selection here:

http://stores.ebay.com/Abbeys-Carolinas-This-N-That_Scrapbook-Accessories_
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What's so Great About Mineral Makeup?

2006-08-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Mineral makeup is all the rage and for a very good reason. Mineral makeup is unlike any other makeup! Here is a list of just some of the benefits of our mineral makeup.
*Does not contain mineral oil or other cheap petroleum derived ingredients.
*No preservatives. Minerals do not need preservatives. Keep them dry and they last forever.
*Heals and calms inflamed and upset skin.
*Many rosacae and acne sufferers notice a decrease or elimination of redness and breakouts.
*It looks so natural. Works with light, rather than covering you with a mask.
*Does not settle into fine lines and wrinkles.
*Makes pores and wrinkles less noticeable.
*Contains natural sunscreen protection of SPF15 or greater.
*Very water resistant. Won't run down your face in heat or rain.
*Great price and quality.
*Can be used dry or mixed with moisturizer to make coverup.
*Only takes a couple applications to get the knack. Very quick and easy to apply.
*Very few people have allergic reactions to mineral makeup. In fact, most people are able to wear it when they can't wear traditional makeup.
*All our foundations are Vegan.
We offer a wide range of foundation shades, blush, eyeshadow and more at Divine Nature Cosmetics. The best way to try mineral makeup is to order samples and find out which color works best for you. Then you can order the full size with confidence. And with mineral makeup Less really is More.

And What Do You Do With Your Spare Time?

2006-08-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I truly wonder what we've gotten into! The idea of a website of our own has been one of those "someday" ideas and like any other novice, I had no idea what it would take to get it up and running. I still work full time - simply because I like to eat regular meals and sleep indoors - and my husband has his own business as a contractor, now that he's officially retired from corporate life. We've been operating on e-Bay for the past few years with a store-front selling used and new books. It's been a gradual thing, and growing quite nicely too. But when looking at it objectively, we spend every spare hour working on this "home" business of ours, in one way or another. I think I've got "buttritous" from sitting in front of a computer all day at work, and then doing that for several hours each evening at home.Earlier this year we began to seriously work toward a separate website just for our book business. It seemed to take forever and I was impatient. I mean, how hard could this be, for heaven's sake? Uh, huh. Well, we now have an established website that our consultant has put together for us. It is wonderful...It is just great.... Ohhhhhh, Gawd - there's so much work to do just to put in inventory....and learning that I can't rely on someone else to pick up the pieces with general information about anything. The great news is that KD Web Page Design, our consultant, is absolutely wonderful to work with and we cannot ask for a better resource.Even though it is in the bare bones of inventory, we invite you to check the new website. We will continue to stock our e-Bay book shelves and are always happy to "see" you.Sigh, the bad news is that we have a s----load of work to do. It is literally like starting over -- and did I mention that with the reviewing of our inventory for the e-Bay store we're also chasing books back and forth all the time -- ah, yes, who needs spare time? Come see us on e-Bay! KC's Kozy Korner

Speaking about spare time, has anyone seen a weekend yet? I seem to remember that we used to have weekends. Hmm, maybe that will happen "someday."

Live Auctions

2006-08-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

OK so most of us are hooked on eBay’s online auctions. I’ve got a store on eBay. Here, check it out. Lorna’s Re-Use It Decor But attending live auctions can be just as much fun.

My first experience with live auctions was about 4 years ago. I’m embarrassed to say that until then I hadn’t known that such an animal existed.

The auction house that I visited was not far from my home. It was what we New Yorkers would call a “little hole in the wall” but as many people as could fit in attended regularly. As a matter of fact for many that was their weekly Friday night entertainment complete with complimentary sandwiches and coffee with soft drinks, water and chips for a dollar a pop.

There are some things though that you should know about live auctions. Listen VERY CAREFULLY to the auctioneer! Listen out for phrases like “times the money” and “five or ten or etc. times the money” or hold bid, because you can get stuck spending more than you’d planned, for things that you have no desire for owning.

A couple of definitions
“Times the money” – each item will sell for the winning bid. For example, if there are lets say 100 widgets left that the auctioneer does not want to go through and sell individually he may choose to sell them "times the money." So if the winning bid is say $5.00 it means that you’ll be takiing home those 100 widgets for $5.00 a piece! So watch out!

Hold bid – the winning bid of each item in a set would be "sold" then held. When each piece was “sold” they were put back together by adding each winning bid plus a percent usually 10 percent. That would be the starting bid for the complete set. If there were no bids at the combined amount the pieces would go to each individual bid winner.

But, if you are not able to get to a live auction, or there’s not one near you, or the idea of mistakenly biding on 100 what-ya-ma-call-its, then there’s always eBay. The auction action here is much slower which gives you time to change your mind…that is if you must. Check out my eBay store at: Lorna’s Re-Use It Decor. I have many items that are Buy It Now. No waiting. No pressure.

Happy Auctioning.

Until next time
Lorna/
Lorna’s Re-Use It Decor

It's Been A While

2006-08-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow bloggers. It's been a while since my last visit. So, I just had to stop by and catch up with all that's been going on with you. I have to say, you all have been busy and I'm amazed at how this site has grown!

After months of planning for his 2-week trip to Philmont Ranch, a high adventure Boy Scout camp in New Mexico, my son comes home tonight. My daughter has been apartment hunting and will be moving soon. I've been busy too-- getting my eBay Store stocked for Christmas mostly but enjoying weekends with my husband (we'll celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary at the end of the month).

My downstate family will be visiting us in upstate NY soon. The house is ready; activities are planned.

We'll definitely spend an evening (at least one) at our 3-county (Albany, Schenectady, Greene) Altamont Fair to see the exhibits, indulge in junk food, and ride the midway. We have tentative plans to visit Howe Caverns and Fort Ticonderoga. And I'm almost positive we'll spend a day at The Great Escape in Lake George. My kids love "The Comet" and hope to get their cousin to try the wooden roller coaster with them.

I've been getting my Back To School auctions ready: I''ll be listing lots of Abercrombie & Fitch (men's S) and abercrombie kids (boys L and XL) shirts, T's, sweaters, and pants (size 14). Most of the A&F smalls fit like a boy's large/extra large. The first listings end today but I'll list more tonight and every Sunday night through August.

When my son is unpacked from his NM trip, we'll go shopping for his BTS clothes and school supplies. In between, we'll take some time to relax :o)

Blown Glass Ornaments

2006-08-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

No matter the time of year, I'm always looking for something to add to my Christmas collection. It seems that there is a never-ending array of items that can be found most anytime and most anywhere! One particular item that has caught my interest is blown glass ornaments that can be hung from the tree or hung from its own special stand.

A bit of history for this type of ornament:
During the dark ages, German natives in northern Bohemia developed a new form of blown glass in the 4,000 year history of glass. They learned the glass blowing skills from wandering Venetian traders, and created glass decorations to adorn the Tannenbaum (fir tree) for the winter solstice festival.

Early Christians adapted this custom to celebrate the birth of Christ, and the Christmas tree ornament was born. The invention of the blowpipe by some unknown artisan helped bring about the craft of blown glass. Glass blowing in Germany dates as far back as the 1500’s. The craft began as a cottage industry in Lauscha East Germany and it spread through most of the German country side. Beginning in the 1860’s Germany would change the world when glass blowing expanded to include delicate ornaments made from glass molds. For many years, Germany was the major world source for glass ornaments.

Today, we can find all varieties and all shapes and sizes of blown glass ornaments. And we can find them for virtually every holiday imaginable. If you decorate for it, you can find appropriate blown glass ornaments made for that holiday! My own interest still remains primarily Christmas, but I will admit to collecting a few for Halloween also. Those I have been collecting in recent years are from a particular designer by the name of Susan Cherry. I enjoy the whimsical nature of her work. I also thought it would be fun to create a very small niche in our bookstore to carry some of those ornaments. So, like a lot of other collectors - I too found that I wanted to share my interest by providing an inventory, if only a small one, of product that fit within my collection.

In our store, you will find a small inventory of blown glass ornaments made by Cherry Designs, Inc. - each of them brand new. We invite you to view them at KC's Kozy Korner.

Oh, and of course, while you are there - check out the books! We have a few books in our store(hmmm, that may be an understatement!). Books are always our first interest.

Old School Scrapbooking

2006-08-05T14:29:00.000-07:00

Old School Scrapbooking

I certainly remember my scrapbooks from high school - pictures of my favourite bands, lyric quotes, pictures of friends, feeble attempts at poetry and all that other embarrassing stuff! When I first started "grown up" scrapbooking, I eshewed my past habits and stuck to pictures on pages and only occasionally using pocket pages to save cards or certificates. Recently though, I've been reverting to my old habits and I've been including all sorts of bits and pieces of memorabilia on my pages. Of course now I'm careful to mount it all properly on archival quality paper and in photo safe plastic pockets, but the feelings are still the same. Here's an article I found with more ideas on different bits to include in a scrapbook.

Adding Other Items to Your Scrapbook by Audrey Okaneko

Scrapbooks are not meant just for photos. I tend to often date myself. When I was in elementary school, I had a scrapbook. Of course back then I used paper that is now yellow and I used glue. However, what’s important is I remember the contents of that scrapbook.

I kept movie ticket stubs, concert ticket stubs, love letters from boys I like, a test with an A+ on it and many other items.

Today, we can still preserve those memories by adding these extras to our scrapbooks. I always recommend making copies of everything. Unless the original paper is acid free, it will yellow and crumble with time. So, do include the original in your scrapbook, but also keep a copy.

So, what types of “extras” are fun to put into scrapbooks?

• Report Cards
• Essays from School
• Birthday Invitations
• Maps of Cities Visited
• College Brochures
• Greeting Cards
• Post Cards
• Decorative Napkins
• Place Cards from Table Settings
• Pressed Flowers
• Receipts from a Favorite Restaurant
• Play and Concert Programs
• Sporting Event Tickets and Programs
• Magazine and Newspaper Articles
• Old Drivers Licenses
• CD Covers

These items can be added to individual pages or they can be left in tact and put into a sheet protector alongside photos of the events they represent.

There is no limit to the items you can put into your scrapbook. Extra items can help tell the overall story.

Audrey Okaneko has been scrapbooking for several years now. You can reach her at audreyoka@cox.net or http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com

Article Source: http://articlebeam.com

Down with the old and in with the new. New tubes of oil paint and Picasso quote

2006-08-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

Studio notes:

I just received a new shipment of Gamblin Artist's Oil Colors.
I usually purchase paint in cans, but this time I ordered tubes.
A new set of paint sets me in a new creative mood and sparkles my creativity.
I use Gamblin for oils, Golden for acrylics, and Winsor Newton for watercolors.
Sometimes I pick a bargain here and there, too, but I am picky about purchasing
art materials. I buy only high quality paints.

Artist quote: Pablo Picasso, the prolific painter.

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.
Read more quotes by Picassso

I am NO Picasso, but I am an artist too.

You can enjoy my artwork at:
ebay gallery

Thanks for visiting!

Good News for New Moms

2006-07-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hi from the friendly Health and Wellness people at Gear for Health!
Today I'd like to post a short article on Colic for those new mothers out there.

COLIC TIPS
1. Mother’s should avoid the following foods:
Dairy
Cabbages
Spicy Foods
Chocolate
Orange Juice
2. Sit your baby up to avoid ingestion of air.

3. Lay your baby over a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel. The baby should be bent over the bottle and mother should pat the back.

4. Car rides or sitting in a rocking chair with the baby may help.

5. Giving your baby a weak or watered down peppermint or chamomile tea may help sooth the stomach.

This information provided by:
Dr. Tom Holbrook and Dr. Jeff Hand
Family Chiropractic Clinic
15574 Edgewood Dr.
Baxter, MN 56425
218-829-2665

I hope this helps to calm the nerves of baby and mother as well!
At Gear for Health we carry a wide variety of Homeopathic aids for children and adults check out our ebay store at: Gear for Health

Mention Deals on Ebay for a 10% discount!

2006-07-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

SALE!!!!!!! at Joflora's Unique Antiques

Oh how fun! I'm having a 10% off sale for all you folks reading our deals on ebay blog! Be sure to mention Deals on Ebay to get your discount!!! Anything I currently have listed from the Roseville Donatello Pedestal to Hull Pottery Ebbtide to the Royal Dux Nude Figurine will have the discount. Buy quickly, listings are selling and won't be replaced right away.

Currently we are working on the newest website www.joflora.com. While it's partially "live" now, it will be moved shortly and then lots of new things will be listed, including Mikasa Solitude china, a stunning Moser blood red console bowl, and some vintage Corelle. I'll post more when the site goes live in another week or two.