Sunday, March 29, 2009

Everything You Wanted To Know

Wow!
Yes, I know that is a word I use a lot. (And I use a lot of exclamation marks, too!)

Let me diverge from my point for a second to say some of us are "enthusiastic speakers" in person ... always talking with exclamation marks ... so I am trying to write like I talk. Other languages might have additional ways to denote emotions and inflection, but English WORDS seem limiting sometimes. If we were chatting face-to-face, I am sure you would laugh at my facial expressions and waving hands. I think I am a little more "wholly involved" with talking than many people .... so I use exclamation marks as a way to make up for the body language lost in print. Sooo .... back to what I was intending to say (if I remember ... lol!)

I am SO AMAZED at all of the information available at ones fingertips. You know ... right here on the ol' computer.
Starting to look for information on developing this blog -- kinda like looking for the equivalent of good blog parenting classes. I am AMAZED at everything out there.

Yes, I have discovered backgrounds, vintage images, and tutorials. And, ohmygosh ... craigslist! Then there's the twin shopping Mecca's of Ebay and Etsy!! And who doesn't LOVE Youtube? (Or maybe I should say .... who doesn't heart Youtube?) And so many recipes and sewing sites ... and on, and on, and on ...

WAIT!! I can hear you saying "Sammy Girl, what do these have to do with blogging??? Let's just say I change course to follow butterflies and squirrels. Interested in simply EVERYTHING, or almost everything ... lol! I am a sister to all of your who are "unintentional multi-taskers". What? You call it getting sidetracked? Hmmm ... must be something to do with perspective.
Well -- here goes our little peek into the fun of blogland ... er, computerland! (But first, my apologies, as I have not yet figured out how to have links. Maybe tomorrow ... ?
BACKGROUNDS
The Background Fairy is just one of several: http://www.backgroundfairy.com/ Maybe more on other options later ...
VINTAGE IMAGES
Many blogs have yummy items on their posts from time-to-time, but I like the graphics fairy http://www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/ -- Isn't this a cool FREE image!

And sign up with The Vintage Workshop http://thevintageworkshop.com/store/ for the newsletter and free image like this one. (Lots of wonderful things for purchase, too!)
TUTORIALS
So many out there -- like this one on vintage photo refrigerator magnets: http://www.unique-re-tiques.com/magnets.html
.... and of course tutorial royalty ... Dawn at The Feathered Nest ... http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/ The one pictured below is her "aging concrete" FREE tutorial. She also has some great ones for purchase.

Ahh ... let's give a moment of silent awe for CRAIGSLIST. In our area, it is HUGE!

Holding a garage sale? Newspaper ad, maybe .... signs, sure .... but want it noticed? Craigslist, baby! And better yet? The "not-a-garage-sale-but-I'm-selling-this" listings. JUST TOO SPECTACULAR FOR WORDS! Now you can be just an e-mail or phone call away from that treasure. And no sign-up sheets and long lines!! (Not as exhilerating as the fun of digging through rusty stuff in the barn at an estate sale ... but so satisfying!)

This is a great way to buy locally without looking through the paper. Kinda like the farmers' market for everything else! http://portland.craigslist.org/ (Portland not your city ... see the index to click where you live ... or are willing to visit, lol!) If you live in a place like Montana - where Craigslist virtually unknown, it's okay. I know Montana has KILLER garage sales. So - just know what venues are in your locale - and ENJOY!
I have several finds from Craigslist. (Thanks Mr. Sammy Girl for being my partner in these "let's go look and see if it resembles the photo" adventures!) Like this RED chaise.


And this sweet little table. Don't those legs look like they just want to run around the room? This table was looking a little .... how do we say it ... FUNKY? A little TLC to remove the cobwebs, and some Old English. Voila! A new/old family heirloom!

And, not all finds are big ones. Check out this glass dome. Cash for the seller and a happy buyer -- Oh, ya ... that'd be ME!
And don't we all love EBAY and ETSY? No links here, as WAY TO MUCH good stuff ... so I didn't want to temp you! And I'm sure many bloggers have Etsy sites ... (shout out to Martha of Vintage Trifles!!)
YOUTUBE, Youtube, youtube, youtube. Yes, it's the media of the current generation, but MY WHAT GOOD STUFF! (Gotta be careful though, because there is also a lot of T-R-A-S-H out there.)

Here's an international piece showing some unbelieveable 3D art. Edga r Mueller is incredible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SNYtd0Ayt0

And youtube may be the destination, but many blogs mine, compile and sort the incomprehensible amounts of data ... and give you ways to access. Like this blog with Oscar winning songs ... many with filmclips! OMG ... a walk down memory lane ... (except for the years when I must have been on another planet and don't know ANYTHING about the movie they are talking about. Seems to coincide with when the kiddos were small ... or I had a new job ... or I went in for the brain transplant ...)
When is the last time you saw Patrick Swayze dirty dancing ... or sang "Zipadee do dah?" Maybe now is the time. So, here's the place to go:


Something current? The Plain White T's and a great love song - for any age. (Don't know their "Hello Delila song ... it's also a must listen!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2Y2zQvCoqE

And RECIPES, and SEWING, and priceless ARTWORK and ARTIFACTS .... whew! Too much for today!

And -- I have now learned that if I backspace to edit the post, I can accidently delete pictures. (Did it MORE than ONCE!!) and then adding in new pictures puts in all kinds of extra lines that I have to go in and delete ... and carefully or I'll delete a picture ... repeat as needed ...

So -- I am learning and hoping to get ahold of this blog thing ...

Thanks for your help, and support. Without sharing and caring our journeys would be ever so much more difficult. Glad you can venture out with me and take a minute to explore ... even if it isn't everything you wanted to know ... lol!

POSTSCRIPT
Some of my favorite small things? How you can use keystrokes to make images ... that come to life much easier than those hidden pictures that always gave me a headache and crossed my eyes!
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·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.. . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
Swimmingly yours .... Sammy Girl !

8 comments:

  1. This post is so you! And, yes, you DO talk with exclamation points. I loved all the info you've discovered and shared, especially the keystrokes that made me smile as I wait for the new puppy to go to sleep so I can! Love the pretty things you and Mr. Sammy Girl have found on CL. I MUST get over and see them in person. Hugs, ~Adrienne~

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  2. You've certainly got lots of your favorites in this post...your enthusiasm is infectious...I'm off to investigate some of the links...ta very much...

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  3. Hi Betty! It's so very nice to meet you and thanks also for the "link love"! ohmygosh, I just love Martha's artwork and you get to buy it first hand??? How wonderful is that! My goodness, I have to say congratulations Betty!!! You've given birth to a beautiful new blog ~ maybe we should send out some announcements?? hugs and love, Dawn

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  4. Wow! You are a fast learner!! (I say wow a lot and LOL a lot, and "I love" a lot!) Your enthusiasm is contagious!

    Some of those links are new to me, I'm going to check them out!

    Katherine

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  5. O.K. Sammy Girl~~~~ I love your !!!!!!! I use them alot myself!! The Feathered Nest has you posted today~~GREAT GAL THAT DAWN !!! Welcome to blogland!!! Looking forward to getting to know you !!! I'm following you around I hope you don't mind, I know it's creepy but sometimes I just can't help my self~~~I have to keep track of you somehow!!! Blessings, Deborah

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  6. Coming over from The Feathered Nest !!! Yes exclamation points are the ONLY way to get some points across while reading words!! I so very much enjoyed reading your blog..inspirational and fun... I will visit often as I always need to get out of my primitive box and wander a bit.

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  7. Sammy Girl (Betty), I am such a DORK! I had 23 comments on my blog to moderate and like a dork I accidentally clicked on "REJECT" instead of PUBLISH! SO SORRY!!!
    Your comment was one of those. I so want to count you in as part of the giveaway!!! Would you kindly comment again? I copied and pasted your comment from the email alert that was sent:

    "CONGRATS!

    I just found you from a comment on another blog. And you have cake and party hats! It looks like I am here just in time for the party!

    Would love to know how to get the "side banner" on your blog.

    While I don't tat - I LOVE the craft and have MANY vintage "Modern Pricsilla" Magazines that highlight hand work.

    Thanks for sharing your party with me and feel free to drop by and visit my new blog if you have a chance.

    Hugs!

    Betty :) "

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  8. Hi Betty,

    Welcome to Bloglandia!:) If you are anything like me when I was a fresh young blogger you know it must have been,heck at least 7 months ago ;)((G)) every instruction was written in Greek!! LW still finds it hysterical when I'm sitting over on my side of the sun room doing the Happy Dance in my chair cuz I just got something to work on my blog. So here are the simple instructions I was given for linking. Type in the name you want to link to ie "Dawn at the Feathered Nest" now go to Dawn's blog and copy the URL for the blog. Okay back to your post, and paint Dawn's name or Blog name or both if you want. Now look at the left side of your tool bar see the thing that looks like an oval race track just to the right of font colors??? Open it, now paste Dawn's URL in the opening mark URL (yeah I know any day now that degree in Rocket Science will arrive in my mail box) :) Onward. Hit the ok button and dang if you aren't done and through the magic of ethernet you are now linked to Dawn's or any other site your little fingers have traveled to :) Yur final step is to sit in your chair and do a bit of the happy dance while singing I'M Goooood I'm Goooood!!!!

    When you get settled in come by for a visit, I'll make sure there is a fresh piture of Limonada when you get here :)

    Pattie ;)
    Mazatlan Mexico

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