BOLD E-Zine - July, 2011

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BOLD: July - 2011 http://www.boldezine.com [email protected]

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~ Andre Gide

Welcome to BOLD:

There are so many avenues of discovery available to each of us that it is sometimes overwhelming and can weaken our adventurous spirits. Inspiration is the key to removing that paralyzing effect. At BOLD, it is our goal to provide you with just the right motivation, stimulating you to new

quests and new achievements.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes”. ~ Marcel Proust

Eve Laeger of IsabellaFlora Designs

I'd like to introduce you to an exceptional water color artists and fabric designer, Eve Laeger of Isabella Flora

Designs. Exploring her work is a visual treat for the eyes and an up-lifting experience for the inner spirit that

thrives on beauty.

If you are interested in all things botanical, then IsabellaFlora is the place to visit. Owner, Eve Laeger began

with watercolors several years ago after a friend suggested she start

painting. She never took any lessons but simply played with paint and

paper... the results are amazing. Perhaps she inherited some artistic genes

from her parents as her Mother was a lifetime artist and her Father a

lifetime photographer. Lately, she's tried her hand at photography and

another new world has opened up. To see the results, take a peek at her

Etsy Shop.

One of the best discoveries she made was the Spoonflower website that

allowed for custom printing of her watercolor designs. She has now made

tote bags, small zippered pouches and tablecloths from her printed

designs. The possibilities are endless; take one design and it can be

changed from a basic repeat pattern to a half brick pattern or half drop,or

even a mirror repeat pattern.

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INTERVIEW:

When did you start creating your art?

I started painting little over 4 years ago. A close friend who is a fabulous oil painter

suggested I should try painting. I believed her!! Then I knew immediately it would be in

watercolors. I have all my life loved plants and wrapped my career around them, so

painting was a perfect extension of my passion.

Where do you find your inspiration?

The beauty of flowers is everywhere... I step to the front door and love to gaze upon my garden and see what is

blooming today. My camera is with me at all times and I take frequent photos wherever I go... in the desert, in

the mountains, and any gardens that I visit. Foliage and flowers are like living magnets to me.

Who has helped you along the way?

I must give gratitude to my Father, who has been a photographer since 1928. He is avid about his hobby and

taught me everything I know about my camera and also Photoshop.We still email each other about different

techniques. Just a month ago he turned a young 93 years old! Photoshop is powerful and essential, in my view,

for helping fabric artists. My Mother has always enjoyed my watercolors and added valuable critiques a I was

getting started.

What new avenues have you found?

There is no question that www.spoonflower.com has opened up a whole new world for me. I think my

watercolor designs especially have translated beautifully into fabrics. I would love to see my designs in quilt

shops all over the country!

What do you have in mind for the future?

I have many ideas on my list of things to do... but one of them is a whole series called Under The Microscope.

For quite a few years I have spent much time with my compound microscope identifying mosses and their kin.

The shapes of the cells that I saw were astonishing and beautiful. I would love to create a whole series of these

wild and wonderful abstract cells. To see an example look for my "Under my Microscope".

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Mother of Pearl It Is: "An Entertaining Look Into the Life of a Rather

Large, Slightly Dysfunctional Family... PLUS Giveaways." Featuring Blog Giveaway Events, my weekly Recipe Link-up, Tasty Tuesday and

Follower's Blog Hop, Let's Get Social (Sunday).

ANNOUNCING: The Palooza Blog Hop and Giveaway Event scheduled

for September 16th – 18th. Look for our Sneak Previews with participating bloggers throughout this issue of BOLD

Blogger: Shelley R. Zurek Blog Title: Still Blonde after all these YEARS

Blog URL: http://stillblondeafteralltheseyears.com

About Shelley’s Blog: Our blog, Still Blonde after all these YEARS, is super fun and targeted at Women over

45 and ANYONE who loves Giveaways over $50. We cover any topics that relate to women over 45 (and our younger friends) including outfits modeled by women over 45, hairstyles for Women over 45, books, food/wine, recipes, travel, and consumer electronics. Our Giveaways never fail to satisfy with a "treasure hunt" entry process that only requires one entry, with the remainder being a BONUS! In addition, if you are a company interested in featuring your product(s) on Still Blonde after all these YEARS, the Chief Blonde would love to hear from you--please be patient, we are all menopausal!

Readers want to know...WHO is the Chief Blonde? The Chief Blonde is an every woman. She is trying to get her act together, get back into the job market, get her kids off to college (and out of the house), keep a great relationship going with her husband--all the while trying to blog about what it takes to be a 45+ woman in today's world. She tries to address questions like: Can I still wear this outfit? Can I still wear my hair like this or if not, how should I wear it? What the heck is happening to my skin now that I am in or approaching menopause and what can I do about it?

Why "Still Blonde after all these YEARS!"? Well, underneath it all, we are really all

just grown up 8 year olds, right? We still love to have our hair be blonde (or youthful), play with clothes and shoes (but they are ours now and not our dolls), and head boldly into the day (but now it's to work or blogging versus 2nd grade!). Thus the name: Still Blonde after all these YEARS!, it says...I may not be 26 anymore, but I still feel upbeat

and vibrant and darn it, I'm going to approach life that way!

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Readers wonder..WHY are you always dressing up? The Chief

Blonde does regular outfit posts (Outfits Modeled by Women over 45) because she wants women to see that ordinary women over 45 should still take the time to look special and up to date! She hopes to encourage companies to use more Women over 45 in their campaigns as we know that not everyone is 17 and 105 pounds. What's with all this talk about Hairstyles for Women over 45? We

post regular features on Hairstyles for Women over 45 because ALL women continually struggle with their hair. Frankly, most have just given up. They either just lop it all off or stick it into a shapeless bun. We want our readers to understand that there are beautiful options out there for their hair, even if they are over 45. It does require a little effort though!

Your contests are AMAZING! Why are your contests ALWAYS over $50? We feature Giveaways over

$50 (most are well over $100!) so that we can really give back to our readers. When you win, you win BIG! For Still Blonde after all these YEARS, we take the approach with our giveaways: GO BIG OR GO HOME! We work with such big names as HSN, Mikasa, Skin Authority and ShoeDazzle. Yet we always feature newcomers like Go Free Pants, Urban Tool and S'well Bottle. When we announce our Giveaway winners we

often do so via a crazy multi-chat app on the Right hand side of our blog...winners LOVE it.

Where else can we find you?: Still Blonde after all these Years has super-active Facebook following. We are always up to some hijinks there like "Giveaway Dog" who lets us know fun Giveaway News, "Question Dog" who asks relevant questions about what annoys people, "Blab about your Blog". Stop by and like us to get all our crazy news on our features and keep up to date on our giveaways over $50 http://www.facebook.com/stillblondeafteralltheseyears We are also active on twitter! Come and follow us for all of our news.

http://www.twitter.com/stillblondeaaty

What silliness do you have in store for us coming UP? Well, you just never know how the Chief Blonde's mind will work...heck we don't. She is always giving great recommendation on the latest Facebook, Google and Blogging tips. Then the the next minute, she is reviewing a new technology like Digital Business cards. Then the next, she is posting a video of an inspirational women over 45 or kicking off a 9 blogger Giveaway Blog hop (Blog Pop event May 5-8) valued at $1000s of dollars. It's always a treasure hunt over at Still Blonde after all these YEARS. That's why you need to subscribe to our daily emails so you WON'T MISS ONE FUN THING that the Chief Blonde does!

ANNOUNCING OUR NEXT BIG GIVEAWAY EVENT: 2011 Fashionista Fall Event, the Blog's First All Fashion Giveaway Signup to participate NOW! https://spreadsheets0.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGZ4c29hU211ZUdCdGpVcVNqWEQ0UVE6MQ

Palooza Prizes from Still Blonde after all these YEARS! are sure to be over $50, most likely well over $100+! We will have fantastic sponsors so be absolutely sure not to miss out!

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In today’s economy, it’s harder than ever to justify buying those arts and craft supplies you so desperately want. However, if dropping your beloved craft is not an option, then some of the suggestions below may be just what you need.

Cut back on those designer or name brand items you purchase and try to find an off-brand that fits your needs. The difference in price can be quite substantial. Easily save $10-$20 dollars a month.

Stay home! Well, not literally, but organize your trips so that you run several errands on the same trip to town. This will reduce the amount of money you spend on gas. You can easily save $20-$40 a month.

Resist eating out for one month. No restaurants, no burgers and fries, no ice cream, no latte and sodas, well, I think you get the picture. Some of my friends have done this and reported that they saved as much as $200.00 in one month. THAT’S A LOT OF CRAFT SUPPLIES!

When planning your family menus, cut back on the meat portions. In fact, incorporate at least two nights a week when meat is not on the menu. Make a pot of beans and rice and serve with a nice garden salad instead. Save $20-$40 a month.

Try recycling some of your assets by holding a yard sale. Get rid of the items you don’t need or want and use that money for your craft supplies.

While we’re on the subject of yard sales, have you thought of using this resource to find really cheap crafting supplies?

Drop a hint in the ear of your significant other, that a gift card to your favorite fabric store, quilt shop, or craft store would make a great little gift item.

Examine your impulse buying and kick the addiction. We all know what I’m talking about, just look in your jewelry box, makeup drawer, book shelves, closet, etc. How many new items do you have that you’ve not even opened, much less used? Remember this little ditty – ASK BEFORE CASH. Yep, before you lay down the money for a new purchase, always ask yourself if this is a need or a want. If it’s a want, think twice before spending what might be your craft allowance for that month.

Another avenue for getting those craft items

you need is borrowing or trading. If you just

need the item on a temporary basis, see if

one of your friends has one they will loan

you. Or, find someone who wants to trade

for it.

Evaluate how you shop for craft items. Be

sure you search for the best buy on the items

you need. Don’t pay for convenience.

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ANNOUNCING: The Palooza Blog Hop and Giveaway Event scheduled

for September 16th–18th. Look for our Sneak Previews with participating bloggers throughout this issue of BOLD

Blogger’s Name – Zohar Laor

Name of Blog – Man of la Book

Blog URL – http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

About Zohar’s Blog: I read everything and anything that captures my interest. I especially like biographies, history, historical-fiction, espionage and mysteries. I have been known to just become interested in a subject (for example: The American Civil War) and simply read as much as I can about that subject until moving on. However, I am especially interested in World War II and Jewish themes — give me an espionage book set in WWII and I'm happy almost as if I got to visit Willie Wonka's chocolate factory. I also have a strong liking of American mythology (a.k.a. comics).

What do you do? I am a father of two mischievous kids, a husband to a wonderful woman, avid reader, blogger, software

engineer & wood worker who is known the world over as a man of many interests and to his wife as “an

idiot”.

How did you get interested in wood working?

As a home owner, I quickly discovered that I must learn how to maintain my home or go bankrupt

paying someone else to do so. While building a new room for my son, I took up wood working and

discovered how relaxing it is. I also needed a hobby which does not put me in front of a computer screen

(monitor, cell phone, eReader, etc.).

What is your blogging experience? Not much. I’ve had several what would be technically considered as blogs before, but this is the first one

I’m proud of and maintained more than a few weeks.

Book Giveaway Facebook Group

My Palooza prize will be $15 in Border Bucks deposited into the winner’s account

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Jim is the artist behind the wonderful wood designs

at A Fresh Twist. I was looking for something that

would make a great centerpiece for Fall when I

happened upon his etsy shop. What a rare find!

Such beautiful work and the wood choices are just

simply perfect. I asked Jim if he'd share a little

information about himself and his work, and he

graciously agreed.

I've been working with wood for about 3 or 4 years,

but turning wood for the last two. I get about 2 to 4

hours of turning in each night, and the better part of

the weekend. During the day I am the Logistics

Manager for a distribution company in Hillsdale,

MI.

I am what they call "self-taught," which means I

didn't go to wood turning classes, but I've taken

advantage of the great advice about wood turning

that is available online, in videos and in the many

books out there. Though not everything I've learned

from others worked for me in particular, I owe a

great debt to those who came before me, especially

Richard Raffan.

About the Art:

I've learned a lot of things the hard way! I have a

great respect for the wood I turn; so many lives

depend on wood (both human and animal) and it's

an amazingly versatile material. I turn wood that is

at least partially dried, and I work with "scrap"

wood: I buy the leftovers from a local industry.

What they throw away is exactly what I want: wood

that is spalted, knotted, or crotched. I find that the

most beautiful pieces come from wood that has

"defects."

Please take a moment to view more of Jim's work at

A Fresh Twist. And don't forget to 'Heart' his shop.

You'll want to return often to see what's new.

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Are you a blog, small business or Etsy shop owner looking for a way to get your product out there and get more followers? The Small Biz Expo is your solution.

Visit Books R Us Blog – Visit Books R Us on Facebook

Visit Books R Us where you can find posts on a variety of topics including books, software, food and everyday living.

ANNOUNCING: The Palooza Blog Hop and Giveaway

Event scheduled for September 16th–18th. Look for our Sneak Previews with participating bloggers throughout this issue of BOLD

1) Blogger’s Name: Jacquelin

2) Name of the Blog: To Find the Line

3) Blog URL: www.madjackie.blogspot.com.

About Jacquelin’s Blog: My blog is very new and was created to be an outlet for my thoughts and stories. I'm a military wife, a mommy, and a third-year law student trying to conquer the world. I absolutely love

encouraging other women to go after their goals and to find a happier, more balanced, and fulfilled life and hopefully my blog will facilitate this love. One of my current favorite features is documenting my attempt to complete the items on my 30 Before 30 List. Oh, and I'm so thrilled to be hosting my first giveaway soon! Interview:

How many children do you have? I have one child, a five and a half year-old

little boy.

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What's the story behind your 30 Before 30 List? I had a near-death experience about three years ago.

Ironically enough, while I was in the hospital I heard the song, "Say What You Need to Say," by John Mayer, which was written for the movie The Bucket List, for the first time. As I was watching this video on television, I sobbed uncontrollably. I knew exactly what those lyrics meant. And at that moment I was inspired I knew that if I survived and recovered, I would never take life for granted. Every day is an opportunity to learn or experience something new. In addition, my 30 Before 30 List is my challenge to myself to make sure I never lose sight of

how precious each day is.

How would you describe yourself in three words? Relentless, spirited, & compassionate

Where do you see yourself five years from now? I'll have been practicing law for about four-years by then

so knowing me, I'll just really start to be getting bored with it. I can see me really being involved in political campaigns by then and hopefully doing as much pro bono as possible. I see myself taking my son along to volunteer opportunities since he'll be better able to help then. And I see myself finally beginning to reap the rewards of all the hard work and tears I've put into law school over the past three years. Kind of exciting to

think about actually! :)

What is your biggest fear? My biggest fear is that I will fail my son, either in my role as his mother or

in my role as an example of what a human should be and should treat others.

My 30 Before 30 List

My Facebook Page

PALOOZA Prizes: We all have our favorite things. You know, that handful

of items that you make certain you're stocked up on even on weeks where you run out of household essentials? Whether it's something that makes our day so much easier, that we reward ourselves with, that we turn to when we know we need to look/feel our best, or that we never leave the house without, they're items that we just can't go without. Well, I want to share with you some of my favorite things. Something tells me they might just become

your new favorite things too!

Man of la Book – A Bookish Blog.

Book related giveaways and thoughts.

Covering many genres including history, biographies, fiction and author interviews.

Named as one of the “Awesome Book Blogs You Should Also Check Out” by The Best Damn Creative Writing

Blog.

Giveaways

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Guest Post Invitation for Artists, Crafters,

Hobbyists, and Handmade Enthusiasts

Colorcrazed Blog is now scheduling Private Showing Guest

blogs and interviews for August - December 2011.If you're an artists,

hobbyist, or specialize in handmade crafts and would like to have a

Private Showing on my blog, please contact me at

[email protected] (There is no fee ($) for this feature)

Please provide the following information:

Name

Blog or Website URL (if applicable)

What type of Art/Craft you specialize in

Retail Shop URL (if applicable)

Any additional information you'd like to include

If you are accepted, your Private Showing post will include 3-5 photos, explanation of

your Art/Craft, 5-question interview, links to your blog, web site, and commercial shop. (You may see

samples by clicking on one of the Private Showing categories in the left-hand sidebar of the Colorcrazed

blog.

Book Review by Colorcrazed Blog - Fresh Picked For All Seasons

By Dodi Lee Poulsen for Two Sisters at Squirrel Hollow - 112 Pages of Fabulous Inspiration!

I was in the bookstore the other day drooling over craft books as I usually do when this book with the fabulous cover caught my attention. I picked it up with the intention of quickly thumbing through it as I drank the Chai Latte I'd just

ordered.

Well, much-much later, I'd finished my Chai and this wonderful book. I wanted to take it home with me sooooo badly, but alas, I only had 83 cents in change left in my wallet. :(

Even though I couldn't purchase this book at the time, It's definitely on my wish list. But it was so special that I wanted to share it.

The illustrations are over-the-top with bold splashes of color, texture, and composition. The full-page patterns and instructions are wonderfully done so that sewing enthusiasts of all skill levels can create these eye-pleasing designs. The artistry transforms simple fruits like lemons, apples, cherries, oranges and pears into objects of extraordinary beauty. I hope you will take the time to browse through this book next time you're in the bookstore.

Lynda at Colorcrazed Blog

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ENJOY THIS FREE TUTORIAL FROM COLORCRAZED BLOG

Who says art needs to be large to be fun and decorative? Not Me! I love making small pieces

from the scraps that are left over from other projects. These scraps work well in collage and abstract designs.

Anyone can do this with fabric, paper, yarn, beads, and I'm sure you can come up with more variations, as well.

I cut a 6 x 6 inch piece of muslin as a background. Then I added scraps from my fused stash, these pieces

already have Wonder Under Heat Bond on the back. They're left over from my fabric mosaic and collage

projects. As you can see, I don't throw anything away.

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Next, I cut a piece of clear plastic covering large enough to cover the artwork and then trim to fit. I used a two

inch strip of fabric that was laying on the cutting table for the four sides. Place the right side of the fabric strip

to the clear plastic and sew a 1/4 inch from the edge, being sure that you're sewing through the strip, plastic, and

artwork. Trim the ends of the strips flush with the artwork, turn and press seam carefully, making sure not to

touch the plastic, since it will melt against a hot iron. Do the same for all four sides.

After sewing the strips to all four sides, cut a piece of cotton batting, and another piece of fabric to the same size

as your framed artwork. Sandwich the batting between the wrong sides of the back fabric and the artwork

fabric. Stitch around the center motif in any fashion you think will look good, then trim the raw edges with a

pinking shear or bind with bias tape.

Now that we have our little piece of ART, what do we do with it? The correct answer is...anything you want.

Here are a few examples.

ADD IT TO YOUR REFRIGERATOR ART

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EMBELLISH A PILLOW TOP

USE AS A COLORFUL TABLE ACCENT

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HERE'S MY PERSONAL FAVORITE.

HOW DO YOU LIKE MY NEW MOUSE PAD?

It easily slips into my laptop case and isn't it always nice to have a little touch of home away from home.

And what a perfect little gift item!

Do you have a tutorial you’d like to publish in BOLD’s February issue? Send that information

to [email protected]. If you have an Arts/Craft blog, Handmade shop, or just love to

show and tell others about your crafts, and would like to be featured in BOLD’s E-Zine, email

us at [email protected].

Are you doing something new and innovative with your blog? Have you done a recent re-design

and would like to show it off? Do you have a special event coming up in the Spring/Summer of

2012? Send that information to [email protected] by Jan 1st, 2012 and we’ll do our best

to get you spotlighted in BOLD’s February’s issue.

More Palooza Blogs

Whispering Peace

Simple Wrydings

The Shopping Duck

Books R Us

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Meet Artist Lynda Crossland

Artist Lynda Crossland (aka - Creative1 on Spoonflower)

I started my art as a child. I was asked at a recent 70th birthday party of my foster mum, did I still do my

squiggly drawings. I had not thought of them that way before but can now see that art has been in me for many

years in one form or another.

I have been attending an art class once a month to build on my skills for the past 3 years. Mind you, I find that

my art is not like any of that of the class, in a good way for me as it means I am still using my creativeness. The

class is very good for me to learn new techniques and put them to good use in my art.

My web site is not one of selling but one of sharing.My aim is to encourage others to have a go at crafts, art,

writing, it’s all about being creative and enjoying it.

Can you tell us a little about your art style and technique?

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The Encaustic art is what you have seen on Spoonflower. This has been created by the use of an Encaustic iron,

wax and special paper. You melt the wax on the iron (not a normal house iron I hasten to add) then I allow the

wax to flow, with moving my hand/iron around the paper. I love to see the picture come to life from a blank

piece of paper to the patterns seen. You can paint what some might call 'proper' pictures using the iron and wax

but I prefer to let my hand do the work and see what creations I can make. For me the more color the better.

With the Encaustic pictures I could see them making good scarves, they would be unique in their colors and

patterns. It would be good for quilting, patchwork etc. for mosaics simply because it is different. Would make

good hand bags, shopping bags, nice dolls or animals, I think the list of ways you could use it would be endless,

simply left up to the creative imagination. Encaustic art for me is a non-thinking art, a very natural

expressionistic art.

I set up an account on Spoonflower to allow my creative side to receive a wider audience; this it has.

More of Lynda Crossland's work can be viewed on her website.

Copyright Notice: All artwork is copyrighted. Do not reproduce, copy, print, or distribute without written permission.

BOLD is open to submissions in the following categories:

(send your submission to [email protected] – Next issue is February 2012m)

Arts/Craft Tutorials

Articles on Blogging

Kid’s Craft Articles or Tutorials

Family Home/Craft projects

Special Events in the Blogging World