If you live in or near Kaysville please stop by this yard sale/lemonade stand/cupcakery! The proceeds will be given to a child who is bravely fighting cancer.
For more information about where and who please click HERE! Thanks!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Roaming through Italy
After a few amazing days in the Cinque Terre we took the train to Florence. I thought Florence was so much fun. It is a fabulous city with lots of great shopping! We spent time wandering through the leather markets and picking up new clothing at H&M!
My one regret about Florence is that I didn't rent a scooter to cruise around the city.
Another train ride took us through Pisa where we saw the leaning tower. It was very different than I had imagined. Most of our time in Pisa was spent taking the iconic "leaning tower" pictures. This was my best shot:
Roaming through Italy
After a few amazing days in the Cinque Terre we took the train to Florence. I thought Florence was so much fun. It is a fabulous city with lots of great shopping! We spent time wandering through the leather markets and picking up new clothing at H&M!
My one regret about Florence is that I didn't rent a scooter to cruise around the city.
Another train ride took us through Pisa where we saw the leaning tower. It was very different than I had imagined. Most of our time in Pisa was spent taking the iconic "leaning tower" pictures. This was my best shot:
National Ice Cream Month
Celebrated every July, National Ice Cream Month was proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan, through a Presidential Proclomation, on July 9th, 1984. In that same proclamation, President Reagan also established National Ice Cream Day, which is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of July each year. President Reagan asked all Americans to "observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities".
In the month of July, we have several opportunities to experience and enjoy that wonderful creation called ice cream.
July 1 - Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day
July 7- National Strawberry Sundae Day
July 17 - National Ice Cream Day
July 17 - National Peach Ice Cream Day
July 23 - Vanilla Ice Cream Day
July 25 - Hot Fudge Sundae Day
I am crazy for Ice Cream, it's my favorite treat in the world, so, in honor of National Ice Cream Month I will be posting something that has to do with ice cream every day of the month. Be sure to come back for more ice cream fun!
Image: Ice Cream Van, Covent Garden.
Originally uploaded by Jansos
Stuff to recognize regarding an Airport Car Rental France
If you are looking for a rental car at the airport, it can, of course, ideal for carrying in a hotel or accommodation when you arrive, and then run to the airport to fly home. Airport car rental in France, particularly in high value, even if you're not going to lead the rest of your stay. Meeting at the airport is much better price than the hand at the beginning and end of your journey.
And the airport rental car lot easier if you have morning flight and luggage transportation.
You can rent a car while riding as easy or as hard as you want. For travelers, the uncertainty of life on the edge of love, or who may forget to have fun, then join, the sight of rental car at the airport to bring tremendous relief.
As always, go with any questions, Rent a Car Airport cheaper and cheaper, sooner if the event in advance. There is nothing like peace of mind that knowing what your product is before you even come to seek and to save the plane. It may be possible to get a good deal just before the peak travel season unfolds.
But not too high expectations with regard to cases such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. The presence of vehicles is never guaranteed during this period is up to you to contact your rental car at the airport until November.
For most travelers, who drive safer cars at the airport after the old car? This is a good reason for these organizations are the market leader when it comes to service and prices. The choice of cars available is wider than smaller cars. Owner to make it less attractive to travelers by offering lower prices. However, vehicles are the norm, or the terms of service may be hidden costs that make the final height of the balloon are amazing.
If you have time, so what better way to go about finding the airport car rental price and service to compare all the ratings for your car at the airport. They can easily be done online, and save his legs to run, ask at different points. On the other hand, in fact, some hotels have to offer tie-friendly package with rental companies, covering accommodation and transport you.
You get the advantage of choosing the largest number of vehicles available from small cars to large commercial people, including media, manual or automatic gearbox. All vehicles are kept in excellent condition. Airport car rental booking is very simple and straightforward. All you need is a license and a valid driver's passport as proof of identity and age. It’s just choosing your car. The sooner you book the better deal. You can also use child seats or child when you are traveling with small children or you can use satellite navigation systems, CD player, roof rack, and insurance to the driver.
And the airport rental car lot easier if you have morning flight and luggage transportation.
You can rent a car while riding as easy or as hard as you want. For travelers, the uncertainty of life on the edge of love, or who may forget to have fun, then join, the sight of rental car at the airport to bring tremendous relief.
As always, go with any questions, Rent a Car Airport cheaper and cheaper, sooner if the event in advance. There is nothing like peace of mind that knowing what your product is before you even come to seek and to save the plane. It may be possible to get a good deal just before the peak travel season unfolds.
But not too high expectations with regard to cases such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. The presence of vehicles is never guaranteed during this period is up to you to contact your rental car at the airport until November.
For most travelers, who drive safer cars at the airport after the old car? This is a good reason for these organizations are the market leader when it comes to service and prices. The choice of cars available is wider than smaller cars. Owner to make it less attractive to travelers by offering lower prices. However, vehicles are the norm, or the terms of service may be hidden costs that make the final height of the balloon are amazing.
You get the advantage of choosing the largest number of vehicles available from small cars to large commercial people, including media, manual or automatic gearbox. All vehicles are kept in excellent condition. Airport car rental booking is very simple and straightforward. All you need is a license and a valid driver's passport as proof of identity and age. It’s just choosing your car. The sooner you book the better deal. You can also use child seats or child when you are traveling with small children or you can use satellite navigation systems, CD player, roof rack, and insurance to the driver.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Cities on the Sea
From Paris we flew to Venice. Oh, it was so beautiful! Although we were only there for a few short days, I loved riding along the river and walking over the bridges.
My one piece of advice for visiting Venice...get a map. Although the city is small, it is a crazy maze of buildings and plazas. We ended up wandering for hours looking for a particular restaurant. Whenever we asked directions we were told it was just over the next bridge.
While we were in Venice, we took a water taxi to the two neighboring islands of Murano and Burano where they specialize in blown glass and lace. I fell in love with all of the little blown glass figurines that were in each of the shops. I especially loved all of the little ows (no surprise there).
I also soaked up all of the amazing colors in the buildings and boats along the rivers. It was like a giant painters swatch book.
As a group of girls we of course took turns picking out our favorite colored building to take snapshots by. Gotta love the vibrant teal!
Cities on the Sea
From Paris we flew to Venice. Oh, it was so beautiful! Although we were only there for a few short days, I loved riding along the river and walking over the bridges.
My one piece of advice for visiting Venice...get a map. Although the city is small, it is a crazy maze of buildings and plazas. We ended up wandering for hours looking for a particular restaurant. Whenever we asked directions we were told it was just over the next bridge.
While we were in Venice, we took a water taxi to the two neighboring islands of Murano and Burano where they specialize in blown glass and lace. I fell in love with all of the little blown glass figurines that were in each of the shops. I especially loved all of the little ows (no surprise there).
I also soaked up all of the amazing colors in the buildings and boats along the rivers. It was like a giant painters swatch book.
As a group of girls we of course took turns picking out our favorite colored building to take snapshots by. Gotta love the vibrant teal!
Why Public resembling Airport Car Rentals?
Several options are very important for an adventure holiday or business use. Airport rental car can vary in size, but almost all big companies have a presence and appeal to a wide range of cars on the palate and the lives of everyone who needs a car during the trip.
If the price of a car is an important issue for you, then I would recommend waiting until the last minute to hire a car at the airport. People who wait until the last minute can be marked 35 to 45 percent more than the person who can keep his car was in an earlier stage. I'm sure we can all relate to pay less for a car that does not correspond to reality? Airport car rental can sometimes be messy, but if you just remember to call ahead and book your car is not a problem someone jumped from the plane and buys a car pass. As an aside, but sometimes some companies offer benefits such as special weekend package, or even a weekly amount, whether it is your goal for a long time.
Let me give you a picture. You have just made an extensive trip and where we have chosen. You're in a strange town with strange things that are not familiar with what surrounded. Once you know where your luggage and you can get your things, surrounded by hundreds of other people who also were on the plane and looked exhausted and want to start when you begin. Passing next to the car rental airport, so you wait in line with the thumb attempting to take a taxi, but no luck, maybe 20 to 30 minutes, the last stop for you. Now you can have the entire usual tourist to visit, because they have to go through this process each time. For this reason, you should go and spend more money on prices is even worse, in public transport. It's already cost you so much and now we move on. What a disaster! OR! What about you off the plane, jump on the airport and rent a car for a car that you ordered online. Grab your luggage and put it in the back seat of a car and drive.
Car Rental France is 38 Major car Brand Suppliers with Unlimited Mileage! in 125 Countries, Over 17,000 Locations with Airport Pickup services and GPS Options at Cheapest Price Guaranteed! It's also offers compare rental deals to get cheapest car rental. Find cheap car hire in France and book online with car rental France. To Search more visit: http://carrental8france.com/
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
4th of July decorations d.i.y.
Twig & Thistle is one of my favorite blogs ever. Click here for their templates of the straw and match embellishments shown above.
DIY 4th of July pin Wheels from another favorite blog, love the day. Click here for a tutorial.
I love the Abraham Lincoln popcorn! These images are from Indie Spotting and I love all these ideas. The only downfall is that you have to pay for these templates, but if I needed to I wouldn't mind helping a young business owner by purchasing one. 
I love this banner, so shabby chic. This is from Alphamom.
Another favorite blog of mine is say yes to hoboken, you can find this tutorial there.BE MY GUEST: Author Interview: Christine Nolfi
With her fondness for great literary classics and her ability to write in a poetic style, she comes out as someone with class and culture. She oozes confidence with elegance in the way she talks, and a certain amount of maturity which comes with her unique life experiences such as adoption.
In my candid chat with her, she talks about her first book in the Liberty series, “Treasure Me” and gives a sneak peak of her upcoming books. Read on to find out her views on e-books, self-publishing, the role of book blogs in marketing and much more!
RG= Review Girl
CN= Christine Nolfi
RG: Why did you think of becoming a writer? Did some person or incident in life inspire you? Or you thought you had the germs to be a writer?
Like all writers, I began with an insatiable hunger for books. When I was a child, I used to wander through libraries drawing my fingertips across the spines of books. I felt like I was touching other souls, reaching into other lives I would only know through their words. No one author inspired me. Many books, enjoyed over many years, did.
RG: What kind of books do you write?
CN: My novels fall under the wide umbrella of women’s fiction, with mystery and romantic elements. The Liberty books feature comedic elements, but my stand-alone novels rarely do.
CN: The evolution came naturally from years of reading great literature. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Henry James—and modern authors like Sue Monk Kidd, Stephen King, Ann Patchett and Alice Walker. So many great writers. Each one, in his or her singular way, influenced my genesis from reader to writer. I owe a debt of gratitude to them all.
CN: Treasure Me, the first book in the Liberty series, was released on Amazon in late April. It’s a blend of comedy, romance and mystery. Petty thief Birdie Kaminsky arrives in Liberty, Ohio to steal a treasure hidden since the Civil War. She’s in possession of a charming clue passed down in her family for generations: Liberty safeguards the cherished heart.
If the stories are true, Justice bore a child with Lucas. Some of those black relatives might still live in town. Birdie can’t help but wonder if she’s found one—Liberty’s feisty matriarch, Theodora Hendricks, who packs a pistol and heartwarming stories about Justice. Birdie doesn’t know that an investigative reporter who has arrived in town will trip her up—as will her conscience when she begins to wonder if it’s possible to start a new life with stolen riches. Yet with each new clue she unearths, she discovers a family history more precious than gems, a tradition of love richer than she imagined.
The third novel in the series, “The Impossible Wish”, arrives on Amazon in late autumn. It’s the story of Birdie’s infamous mother, Wish Kaminsky. The hero and heroine of that novel are nothing like Birdie and Hugh: think “clutzy female scientist” and “Mad Greek.” And, heaven help us, the evil Wish kidnaps Theodora. Don’t make me give anything else away. I’m striving for laugh-out-loud comedy from start to finish.
The other two novels are stand-alone books that will appear on Amazon this summer. I’d tell you the titles but I keep changing them as I polish the chapters.
RG: If you could be one character from your book, who would you choose to be and why?
CN: Theodora Hendricks, Liberty’s elderly town matriarch and an important character in the series. She’s my inspiration of how I’d like to age—with fire and sass.
RG: Where do you get ideas for your stories and characters?
CN: Usually I get the kernel of an idea, a conflict, and the characters most apt to struggle with that particular issue begin to appear. In bits and pieces. It’s rather like moulding a sculpture from clay, with the final result hidden for many months.
RG: List 5 suggestions/writing tips for those who want to venture into writing fiction.
CN:
1) Read often, and across genres.
2) Polish each draft relentlessly.
3) Join a critique group.
4) Read books on craft, and strive to improve.
5) Make time for your art every day, if only for twenty minutes.
CN:
1) Read often, and across genres.
2) Polish each draft relentlessly.
3) Join a critique group.
4) Read books on craft, and strive to improve.
5) Make time for your art every day, if only for twenty minutes.
RG: Do you think that book blogs play a vital role in getting the books across to readers?
CN: Of all the changes arising in publishing, book blogs are among the most important. Think about it: avid readers now create blogs that quickly blossom from several followers to several thousand. Who is better equipped to vet books than avid readers?
CN: Of all the changes arising in publishing, book blogs are among the most important. Think about it: avid readers now create blogs that quickly blossom from several followers to several thousand. Who is better equipped to vet books than avid readers?
Big publishers no longer decide what readers will read. You do, every time you post a book review.
RG: Printed books vs. E-books. What’s your take on this?
CN: Digital publishing offers a marvelous opportunity for talented authors—especially authors who don’t fit easily into a traditional genre—to reach the reading public. My career path is a case in point. A division of Penguin considered bringing Treasure Me, and the upcoming Liberty books, out in hardcover. Earlier, Random House was interested in “Second Chance Grill”.
CN: Digital publishing offers a marvelous opportunity for talented authors—especially authors who don’t fit easily into a traditional genre—to reach the reading public. My career path is a case in point. A division of Penguin considered bringing Treasure Me, and the upcoming Liberty books, out in hardcover. Earlier, Random House was interested in “Second Chance Grill”.
In both instances, the editors were flummoxed. Were the books women’s fiction or romance? Or something else? The prose was close to literary, with cozy mystery elements and snappy dialogue thrown into the mix. Given the financial investment a publishing house makes releasing a debut novelist, it is understandable why both editors were hesitant. They weren’t sure, exactly, how to promote my novels.
That said, I don’t believe traditional books will ever disappear. Don’t we all love the scent of a newly printed book? The affordability of e-books has certainly increased readership, but a segment of the public will always prefer print books.
That said, I don’t believe traditional books will ever disappear. Don’t we all love the scent of a newly printed book? The affordability of e-books has certainly increased readership, but a segment of the public will always prefer print books.
RG: List 5 advantages of self-publishing.
CN: There are so many benefits of self-publishing:
1) Complete editorial control over your work.
2) Fast response from readers positively impacts your work-in-progress
3) Control over cover art
4) When your books begin to sell, you receive royalty payments quickly
5) Social media and writing connections allow you to control--and increase--the buzz around your career.
CN: There are so many benefits of self-publishing:
1) Complete editorial control over your work.
2) Fast response from readers positively impacts your work-in-progress
3) Control over cover art
4) When your books begin to sell, you receive royalty payments quickly
5) Social media and writing connections allow you to control--and increase--the buzz around your career.
RG: List 5 disadvantages of self-publishing.
CN: Some minuses would be:
1) Time spent writing your next novel diminishes as marketing chores increase.
2) Creating a “buzz” around your books isn’t a job you can foist on a publishing house’s marketing department.
3) Worrying about the design and impact of your cover art.
4) Staying organized as you write, edit, promote and work with a book designer.
5) Finding time for family and friends as your career takes off.
4) Staying organized as you write, edit, promote and work with a book designer.
5) Finding time for family and friends as your career takes off.
RG: How much time did it take for you to complete this book? What was your routine for writing?
CN: Some novels are written in eight months; others take several years to perfect. My writing routine stems from my previous career in public relations: rise early, write until noon, and then head for the gym. After working out, I polish the morning’s pages.
 |
| Picture Perfect: Christine with her children |
RG: How do you balance your family life and your writing commitments?
CN: Lately, not well! The positive response to Treasure Me has been overwhelming. My four adult children and my fiancé have been very understanding. I’d tell you everything will settle down soon but, with “Second Chance Grill” heading to Amazon this summer, it wouldn’t be true.
CN: Lately, not well! The positive response to Treasure Me has been overwhelming. My four adult children and my fiancé have been very understanding. I’d tell you everything will settle down soon but, with “Second Chance Grill” heading to Amazon this summer, it wouldn’t be true.
RG: Are you inspired by any particular author? Who is your favourite author?
CN: I don’t have a favorite author and inspiration comes from many sources. The sheer number of talented authors working today is astonishing.
RG: Among other author’s books, any character which you could relate to and you will always remember? What was the character about and how could you relate to it?
CN: The abuse suffered by Celie, the poor, uneducated black narrator of “The Color Purple”, will always haunt me. Three pages into Alice Walker’s masterpiece, and I was in tears. Later in the novel, her triumph over hardship becomes one of the most moving passages in literature. A truly stellar book.
CN: The abuse suffered by Celie, the poor, uneducated black narrator of “The Color Purple”, will always haunt me. Three pages into Alice Walker’s masterpiece, and I was in tears. Later in the novel, her triumph over hardship becomes one of the most moving passages in literature. A truly stellar book.
RG: I believe that there are only two categories of books: good books and bad books. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a “good book”?
CN: Depth of characterization. Flawless execution of plot. Succinct, creative prose and a relentless pursuit of editorial perfection. Great books are also character-driven.
Time for some fun questions!
RG: How do you relax when you have free time?
CN: I’ve been a single mother for many years now. “Free time” comes at a premium. I’ve learned to exercise daily and reserve the weekends for my family. I love to cook, garden, visit museums, dance … and, of course, read. Everything from “The Economist” and “Scientific American” magazines to the latest novel that catches my eye.
RG: Complete these sentences:
· Love is …devotion, tenderness, kindness and trust.
· Life is …fast, fleeting, precious—a gift.
· Sex is …commitment … and a worry when your children reach adolescence.
· Marriage is… a leap of faith, especially when you’ve experienced the heartache of divorce.
RG: Thank you for such a lovely interview! It was a great pleasure having you on my blog. Wish you all the best for your upcoming books as well as your current book.
Christine Nolfi owned a small public relations firm in Cleveland, Ohio. Her articles and press releases have appeared regionally in northeast Ohio. Her short story, Night Hour, has appeared in Working Mother magazine. Christine closed the firm fifteen years ago after she traveled to the Philippines and adopted a sibling group of four children. She has been writing novels fulltime since 2004.
To know more about her and her writing, visit her blog: http://christinenolfibooks.blogspot.com/
To buy her book on Amazon, click here.
To know more about her and her writing, visit her blog: http://christinenolfibooks.blogspot.com/
To buy her book on Amazon, click here.
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