Welcome to the FREE wordpress blog.

in an effort to make 2009 (and the remainder of 2008) the best year ever- financially.  I’m cutting the fat- both literally and figuratively.  I’m cutting out the things in my life that are just bogging me down, like the fact that I was paying 150$ a year for my  old blog service.  If my blog actually generated any sort of income that would be worth it, but it doesn’t.  I also haven’t been blogging as much lately as i have in the past so this seemed like the logical step.  Find a platform that is not only  FREE  but RELIABLE.  So far, I’ve been able to save all of my old posts and import them here- which is AWESOME. Next, is actually blogging a little.

I look forward to many more years of free blogging on my new blog!

~jen

Quick redesign

I wanted to add a quick blurb about my latest blog decorations.  I borrowed a photo from a wonderful photographer in flickr named Toyfoto. check her out…

I saw that photo of the playmobile toys and had to use it.  First of all it was nice and bright- and secondly playmobile toys used to be a favorite as a kid, especially while McDonalds was handing them out in happymeals.  Thanks to Siobahn for giving me permission to use it.  As usual I wanted to do something cooler with it but I’ve been so dog-gone tired… I rushed it a tad. 

Also, I want to ask again, Can ya’ll see my background color??  It’s supposed to be a light blue but it dissappears on me after a couple seconds.  Does anybody know some code I can try to get that color to stay in the background???  Please help, I’m officially begging.

Anyway I better hit the sack…
Talk to ya’ll sooner than later-
~jen

New banner

how do you like it??  the lettering looks pooched because it is… i’m too tired to fix it now… but i might get to it later today. **update** I completely redid it, I’m not 100% pleased with the lettering but this is only going to be up for a week or so and I’m going to make another one.

i have so many pictures I want to post, but it seems like there is so little time during the day that I feel like sitting on the computer lately.  I hope I snap out of it soon.  I’ve got photos to blog, scrapbook digitally, then print and send away as well as all of the changes i want to make to this blog.  This isn’t including the paintings I want/need to paint as well as the sewing that i dream about doing a long with the watercolor classes i have promised my friends… I honestly think I need to hire a sitter just for my personal agenda(s).
oh well, I do the best i can and the kids come first. Most days.

~jen

There’s going to be a lot of changes around here…

You have probably already noticed the few changes I’ve made around my blog space already, i just wanted to warn you all that these are preliminary and temporary.  My new header will soon be replaced with a hand drawn one.  Of course i will need to draw one first and then find some technology to scan it with… so it may be a little while.  In the meantime, you will be seeing a constantly changing header of my choosing and creation.  I’ve got a few ideas rolling around in my head, so keep your eyes peeled.
    Also i want to start a few new things, like an additional blog to journal about my weight loss.  There is so much that I want to keep track of, and i don’t want to bore you with, that i’ve decided to make a new home for it all.  I’ll let you know when it’s ready for public viewing, perhaps you may want to stop by and giggle at my adventures in ‘Flab to Fab’ (which is what i’m going to call it). 
    You may have noticed recently that i’ve added ads to my blog- it’s more of an experiment than anything, and maybe a way to fund this nasty habit of blogging.  So far, i’ve managed to become eighteen cents richer, wow.  I hope you guys don’t find the adverts too annoying, they’ll be gone soon if they don’t start to pull their weight around here… or maybe I should say, pull MY weight around here.
    With all of these ads on my blog, i’ve become aware of who is visiting this blog and how they found me.  I’ve noticed that I have at least 10 hits a day for "Josh Gracin (or Gracen, people search both spellings) Lyrics"… after several weeks of this, i thought i had better cough them up, so these people don’t go home empty handed.
Here are the Lyrics to ‘Nothin’ to Lose’ , Enjoy!
    And for the rest of the people that come to my blog for ‘Pokoyo’, Click here to find everything you may want to know.  I’ve also been getting several hits a day regarding my "Knifty knitter".  I knitted ANOTHER scarf using mine,  I used the smallest ring and doubled the amount of stitches and used 2 balls of ‘cha cha’ yarn.  It took me the same amount of time as the first scarf (about 3 hours) but it’s a lot more ’scarf’ than the first one.  I Love it.  The scarf, I mean, as well as the knifty knitter. 
    Recipes.  this is the last thing I want to mention before I end this post.  I am going to post some of my new and most favorite recipes.  I know Deb wanted the ‘Poppycock’ recipe so that will be the first one I share.  I’m also going to share the recipe for the most delicious pot roast you will ever sink your teeth into… it’s absolutely DEELISH.  If that wasn’t enough, I have another recipe that i particularly enjoy, and i want to share it along with a photo guide.  That one will be my famous ‘Stuffed Meatloaf’.  So keep and eye out for those, i’m going to try and post PDF versions that you can download and print them, with cute graphics etc.  Fingers crossed, that i can figure that out shortly… otherwise it will be plain ol’ blog style.
Anyway, i should run- 
take care all, 
If i haven’t been to your blog yet, post a comment and i’ll haul- ass over there… I try my best to be prompt!!
~jen
p.s. thanks to kissykissytoys.com for the avatar that i lifted from their site.

Blogging ettiquette for Everyone

I came accross an interesting article regarding teenage blogging.  It was more of a guide for parents but some of it is appropriate for anyone who blogs to read.  On a whole I try to keep my blog as positive as I possibly can, because bitching and complaining is boring to read and nobody wants to come back again to read negative stuff (unless they sympathize with your plight).   I thought the part about  slander was also very informative, since many people forget that what they say is for everyone to read including who they may be writing about.  And it can be a cause for legal action, so be careful!! 

If you do have kids that are of blogging age, this may be a good thing to discuss with them.  I figure I have at LEAST 2 years before I have to worry about that…

~jen

An interesting Read

On my list of blog bookmarks I have a choice selection of blogs that inspire me creatively (or other).  One of them is gapingvoid.  Hugh McLeod writes about a good friend of his, scottish film director David Mackenzie.  The blog is about how they came up with the idea of introducing the screenplay to the audience before hand so they could iron out wrinkles before it was too late to change anything.  The actual screenplay for a movie titled "Hallam Foe" is available to download in word format right from the blog.  I am 45 pages into the 121 page script and I can’t stop reading I have no idea what kind of critique I could offer, but i do enjoy the opportunity to read the script.  I can’t think of a better way to spend this rainy day (or any day actually lol)… when the script runs out I’ll have to breakdown and actually start some scrapbooking. 
This link is guaranteed to burn away an entire day LOL so beware & enjoy.
~jen