Freezer Shopping

We are off to get another freezer today.
Why?
Oh because the corn harvest is coming in and I have filled one freezer with cherries, peaches, snowpeas, beans and what remains of last years corn harvest and the second freezer with meat, spinach, carrots and sundry other things that need be frozen.

The corn is looking AND tasting very good this year.

He brought in 54 ears Monday night.

Blanched and taken off the cob

and into freezer bags.

Hence the need for more freezer space. We want to get a year ahead on vegetables in case of a bad garden year. That's a lot of vegetables!

Back to School - Review: Puzzleball

My mother used to love to put puzzles together. So did my grandmother.
I can remember sitting at the card table that was always set up and full of little pieces.
Little pieces that would come together to create a picture of a piece of art or a beautiful scene.

Back then I don't remember their being three dimentional puzzles.
But now there are!
Really!
Ravensburger has a full  line of three dimensional puzzleballs.

I was sent a puzzleball of a World Map. Put together it has 240 pieces and measures 6" in diameter and it sits in a little base. Now tell me this isn't the coolest puzzle EVER?! It's for ages 10 - 99 and while not divulging my age I will avow that I fit within that grouping.

heh

This would make such a great gift!
Just look at some of the cool illustrations included on the map

Can you imagine the fun you would have with your child building this puzzleball?
There are other puzzleballs available including  Dragonworld, Oceanworld, and  The Simpsons.  There are also  puzzleballs in different skill levels with piece amounts ranging from 60 to 540 so there is a puzzleball for everyone!


Ravensburger also offers a full line of standard puzzles and games for all ages.

I'm going back to my puzzleball now thank you. It's a blast!

Disclosure:  I was sent a puzzleball gratis. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by the receipt of the free puzzle. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Book Review: Now's the Time by Larry Strauss

From the Publisher's Website:

Part mystery, part journey, completely heart-felt, “Now’s the Time” follows jazz trumpeter Didi Heron as she searches for the lost tape of her father’s last gig before he tragically died. A celebration of family ties and musical legacies, “Now’s the Time” is a meditation on jazz and jazz players. Drawing inspiration from a potpourri of stories from the American jazz tradition, notably those of trumpeter Clifford Brown, Strauss has created a fictional work rooted in historical fact.


About the Author:

A former subway graffiti artist, stand-up comic, television writer, ghost writer, and corporate poet, I write the kind of fiction I like to read: funny, surprising, insightful, and poignant. I teach high school English and coach basketball in South Central Los Angeles, and try to recruit boys out of materialism, violence and despair and into the world of ideas.


My Opinion:

Part of the reason I started doing book reviews was to stretch my reading muscles. Typically if I walk into a book store I head directly to the historical fiction section and start choosing a novel that takes place in either the Tudor period, the Arthurian period or I might go all wild and crazy and pick one that covers the French Revolution. Or medieval Wales. When I had a specific amount of money to spend on books I wanted to be sure I was going to enjoy the books I bought.

Book reviewing has brought me a world of new genres; sometimes that is good, sometimes I wonder, "what was I thinking?" This book is a prime example - I NEVER would have picked it up in the book store but I am so happy I read this book!

I know very little about jazz music. My husband likes it far more than I do so I hear it when he is playing it around the house. The names dropped in the book were familiar but I would hope they would be familiar to most people - jazz is THE American music.

The book opens with a bang - a car crash detailing the death of the protagonist's father. He was a member of a bebop quintet in the '50ies. She was a toddler when he died and her memories are vague but she did follow somewhat in his musical footsteps - she plays "the horn." But her playing lacks a certain soul.

Through a serious of happenings Didi learns that there is a tape of her father's last performance and in that performance he went from being a background pianist to being ON FIRE. Suddenly she is driven to find this tape.

In her push to seek the tape and hear her father play as he had never played before she ends up finding a family she didn't realize she wanted or needed.

The book was a bit of an education for me in mid-50ies jazz and bebop. It was by no means a textbook. The book moves along quickly and is written with a lot of wit and just enough suspense. The characters are very funny. Very funny.

I enjoyed traveling with Didi as she searched for her father and for herself. Now I think I need to find me some jazz to listen to.

Now's the Time is available at Kearney Street Books and on Amazon.com
















Disclosure: I received a gratis copy of Now's the Time from Media Muscle. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by the receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Book Review: One Season of Sunshine by Julia London

From the Publisher's Website:

Adopted as an infant, Jane Aaron longs to know the identity of her birth mother and why she gave her up.  Her only clue is the name of a small town where she was born.  In ONE SEASON OF SUNSHINE  Jane heads to Cedar Springs, Texas for answers.

When she arrives, handsome ad executive Asher Price—who lost his wife, Susanna, in a terrible car crash eighteen months ago—hires her to work as the nanny for his two children.  As sparks begin to fly between Jane and Asher, Jane wonders whether Susanna was the perfect wife and mother the family portrays her to have been.

When Jane gets closer to discovering the truth about both her and Susanna’s pasts, devastating secrets emerge.  Will the truth bring Jane and Asher closer together or tear them apart forever?

About the Author:

JULIA LONDON is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous historical romance and women's fiction novels. She is a four-time finalist for the prestigious Romance Writers of America's RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction. A native Texan, Julia lives in Austin. You can write to her at P.O. Box 228, Georgetown, TX 78627, or email her at julia@julialondon.com.

My Opinion:

 I cannot know what it is like to not know where I came from or who my family is. I, unlike the heroine of this novel, was not adopted. But having read many heartrending true stories I know that many adopted people feel a sense of something missing, something incomplete. That is the driving force behind this novel.  Jane Aaron has a very loving family and she has always known she was adopted. She has never felt pushed aside within her family for her natural born siblings but as she has gotten older she starts to feel a strong sense of "who am I" that will just not go away. It will not let her settle down; into her career or into her relationship with her long time love, Jonathan.

So she heads off with the one and only clue she has to her beginnings, where she was born. She is going to spend the summer searching out her birth mother in the hopes it will answer her questions and allow her to feel more at peace with herself.

She takes a job as nanny to two children who lost their mother in a horrifying car crash. Their father is working long hours away from home to keep his business afloat.  She comes to love the children and of course, her employer,

But is she ready to settle down with this family any more than she was ready to settle down at home. Her questions are not answered yet. She still feels unsettled. She searches for answers and comes to a conclusion that sends her running back home.  Will she be able to find the answers that will give her peace. Will she have the family she wants?

You'll have to read the book. Heh.

And you will find it to be a very satisfying read. While I couldn't understand what drove Jane the book was very well written. The characters well very developed - including the smaller, ancillary characters inserted just to drive plot. The developing relationship between Jane and her boss was not rushed, nor was the relationship between Jane and the kids in her charge. This was a book where I wanted to know more, but in a good way. I wanted to go on living within their lives because it was just plain fun.

One Season of Sunshine is available at Amazon.com

Disclosure:  I received a gratis copy of One Season of Sunshine from Pocket Books. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by the receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Book Review: The Cradle by Patrick Somerville

This is another of the books that got misplaced in my moving from the trailer to the house so this review is very sadly overdue. I do apologize.

From the Publisher's Website:

Early one summer morning, Matthew Bishop kisses his still-sleeping wife Marissa, gets dressed and eases his truck through Milwaukee, bound for the highway. His wife, pregnant with their first child, has asked him to find the antique cradle taken years before by her mother Caroline when she abandoned Marissa, never to contact her daughter again. Soon to be a mother herself, Marissa now dreams of nothing else but bringing her baby home to the cradle she herself slept in. His wife does not know-does not want to know-where her mother lives, but Matt has an address for Caroline's sister near by and with any luck, he will be home in time for dinner.

Only as Matt tries to track down his wife's mother, he discovers that Caroline, upon leaving Marissa, has led a life increasingly plagued by impulse and irrationality, a mysterious life that grows more inexplicable with each new lead Matt gains, and door he enters. As hours turn into days and Caroline's trail takes Matt from Wisconsin to Minnesota, Illinois, and beyond in search of the cradle, Matt makes a discovery that will forever change Marissa's life, and faces a decision that will challenge everything he has ever known.

Elegant and astonishing, Patrick Somerville tells the story of one man's journey into the heart of marriage, parenthood, and what it means to be a family. Confirming the arrival of an exuberantly talented new writer, THE CRADLE is an uniquely imaginative debut novel that radiates with wisdom and wonder.

About the Author:

Patrick Somerville grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and later earned his MFA from Cornell University. He is also the author of the story collection Trouble (Vintage, 2006). He lives with his wife in Chicago, where he teaches creative writing at Northwestern University.

My Opinion:

I had a hard time with this book. Perhaps it was too allegorical for me. Perhaps it was the lack of characters to get behind. I really need someone to like in a book and this one had too few likeable people in it. Marissa, the catalyst for Matthew's hunt for this illusive cradle is a mercurial, somewhat selfish woman. I appreciate her feelings of abandonment with her mother just up and leaving when she was a child but she treats her husband like servant to be ordered about.  He has his own issues with having been placed into the foster care system when his mother decided not to keep him.

A parallel story of Grace Owen is told in alternating chapters. It takes place ten years in the future from Matthew and Marissa's story. Surprisingly the two stories being told seperately is not as distracting as one might think.  They start to intersect about half way through. Not in time but in character.

There was just not much satisfaction in reading the tale. Not much resolution. It left me wanting more but not in a good way. It is not a group of people I would want to revisit.

The Cradle is available on Amazon.com
















Disclosure:  I recieved a gratis copy of The Cradle from The Hachette Book Group. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by the receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Giveaway Winners: EcoSystem Journals and System Mechanic

I will try and type correctly with frozen fingers. We are having a bit of a cool snap - we actually had a little fire in the woodstove last night. Can  you believe it? It's still August!
Brrrr!

I have some giveaway winners to announce today which is pretty exciting.
First up are the two winners of the ecosystem journals.

The lucky comments are:

Here are your random numbers:

3
70

Timestamp: 2010-08-29 16:43:09 UTC

And the winners are:

Louis
Jeanie

Yay!!!!!

Next are the five winners of the System Mechanic Software

The lucky comments are:

Here are your random numbers:

89
51
22
47
24

Timestamp: 2010-08-29 17:29:12 UTC


And the winners are:
Lois S
Smarti
DonnaC
 Jeanie
Alexis AKA Mom

I have sent emails and the winners will have 48hrs to respond. If they don't I will choose new winners.

Thanks to everyone who entered and a great big THANK YOU to EcoSystems and Iolo for sponsoring the giveaways.

Remember, if you did not win you can still purchase the gorgeous eco-friendly journals from EcoSystems HERE

and System Mechanic is available HERE

Guest Post: Hollywood Loves a Great Handbag

I would like to welcome Dorothy Howell, writer of the funny book, Shoulder Bags and Shootings with this interesting article about Hollywood and handbags....

Hollywood Loves a Great Handbag

By Dorothy Howell,
Author of Shoulder Bags and Shootings: A Haley Randolph Mystery

Fashion is a major player in Hollywood. Wardrobe departments spend tireless hours perfecting the right "look" for their actors. Celebrity stylists live or die by the image they craft for their clients. Magazines and television shows devote themselves to photos and descriptions of celebrity clothing and accessories.

From the style and elegance of fashion icons such as Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn during Hollywood's Golden Era, to pics of celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Reece Witherspoon hitting the trendy L.A. shops, the public is fascinated by what they're wearing.

Regardless of current styles, situations or occasions, no actress or fashion icon would be caught in public without one indispensable fashion accessory -- her handbag.
This year's Oscar night saw pastels and bright colors, along with ruffles and trains, outside the Kodak Theater; most accompanied by a gorgeous clutch. The different shapes and sizes decorated with jewels glistening under the lights, made it the accessory to watch.

Anna Kendrick, a first-time nominee, carried a jeweled Judith Leiber clutch. Elizabeth Banks accessorized her Verace gown with a gray snakeskin and silver crystal clutch from Salvatore Ferragamo. Diva Demi Moore, ruled the red carpet with a gold leather envelope clutch, while Kate Winslet rocked an Yves Saint-Laurent silver satin bag. These Hollywood fashionistas proved nothing completes a red-carpet look like a handbag.

Yet for all their glamour and prestige, today's top handbag designers had decidedly unfashionable beginnings. Louis Vuitton made travel trunks in the 1800s, while Hermés crafted horse harnesses for Europe's aristocracy. Prada, Fendi, and Gucci were known for their leather baggage.
These houses made the jump to light speed, fashion wise, by looking into the future and adapting to changing times, and today they give us some of the most sought-after handbags in the world.
Purses aren't just another glitz and glamour accessory. Like all Hollywood beauties, the handbag is expected to work. Whether in a starring or a supporting role, the handbag is often in the spotlight.
Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw, on the Sex and the City television show, received a Judith Leiber handbag from Big. The cupcake purse by this famed designer made an appearance in the SATC movie. Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall, ran afoul of Lucy Liu over a long awaited Birkin bag.

Ruth Buzzi turned her purse into a weapon and fought off her hapless, would-be attacker on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. A decades-old skit so funny it can still be viewed on YouTube.
Who can forget Jamie Farr's portrayal of Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger and his desperate attempt to get discharged from the Army by dressing in drag on the long running television show M*A*S*H? He went about his duties wearing a dress, hat, gloves, high heels and, of course, carrying a handbag.
The style, glitz and glam of a Hollywood-worthy purse are available to the everyday fashionista. Retail, discount, and online stores abound. Be the star of your own show with the handbag of your dreams.

© 2010 Dorothy Howell, author of Shoulder Bags and Shootings: A Haley Randolph Mystery
Author Bio
Dorothy Howell, author of  Shoulder Bags and Shootings: A Haley Randolph Mystery, was inspired to write Handbags and Homicide by her crazed obsession with designer purses. She lives in Southern California, where there is, thankfully, no rehab program for handbag addiction, and is hard at work on her next Haley Randolph mystery. Visit her Website at www.DorothyHowellNovels.com.
Follow the author on Facebook.

Savor the Sweetness of Summer

As I woke up today to another mid - 30ies morning I realized that summer is leaving me.
It's too soon.
August hasn't even left me yet and Summer has decided to decamp.

This is just wrong.
So I decided to look back and savor some of those sweet moments of summer.
One of my favorite parts of summer is the sun - warm and relaxing. It just makes me melt but in a good way.
I also welcome each new kid to the farm with joy. Their time with us is to be savored for the laughs they bring and the milk that comes from their mothers.

Milk that goes oh so well with new Strawberry Milano Cookies.
Have you savored them yet? You can with a $1 off coupon.
Saving some money is always something to celebrate!

Chocolate and strawberry is about my favorite flavor combination.
Mmmm. I loved Milanos to begin with and I know these new ones are going to rock.

They even have a Facebook Page where you can share your Milano Moment. You'll also hear about special offers and discounts.

I won a package of these yummy cookies and I can't wait 'til they get here. It will be me, a big glass of milk and the cookies. I MIGHT share with the hubby. I'm going to think on that.....
It was going to be a Summer moment to remember but given the way our weather is changing I think it's going to be a Fall moment to remember.

Disclosure:  I received no monetary compensation for this post but I will be entered in a drawing for one of 9 gift cards through my relationship with the One2One Network.

Blog Tour, Book Review and Giveaway - Licensed for Trouble by Susan May Warren

From the Publisher:

PJ Sugar receives shocking news that she’s inherited the Kellogg family mansion. Though she has no idea why, the timing is perfect—PJ has clearly worn out her welcome at her sister’s house. Unfortunately, the mansion is in shambles, and PJ is short on cash. Rescue comes in the form of Max Smith, a mysterious handyman willing to trade his services for PJ’s investigative skills. But PJ already has a full docket with cramming for her PI license and nurturing a growing romance with her boss, Jeremy Kane. Can she take on Max’s case without dropping the ball?

About the Author:

Growing up in Minneapolis and attending the U of MN, I learned to love city life, although I'm a woodsy girl at heart. Or maybe I'm an adventurer -- having lived and traveled all over the world, including Siberia Russia as a missionary for eight years. Probably that's why my characters can't sit still, and seem to get into one scrape after another -- they're too much like me! I love God, my family, my country, my church, and feel privileged every day to be able to write stories, that I hope inspire and entertain!


My Opinion:

Oh this was a fun book! Fun and light and just the right antidote to my last, heavier read.  In Licensed for Trouble we again meet PJ Sugar; this is the third book in the series. I have not read the other two books and while I think it would have helped on a few minor points it did not interfere with my enjoyment of this book.

PJ is working towards becoming a Private Investigator. She has just broken up with her high school love and is exploring a possible relationship with her boss. Due to past events she finds herself thrown out of her sister's house and living on the couch at her office. Her bosses couch.

Her instincts are good, very good in fact but they seem to just lead her into more trouble than she expects. She reminds me a little of Stephanie Plum but not as citified. Just when she thinks she is going to have to start living in her car she finds out that the town's leading citizen - the last surving member of the family the town is named for - names her as the sole beneficiary of her will.

Huh?!

There is not much left to the estate; in fact it's really nothing more than a crumbling old house and enough money to keep it running for about 6 months. Seriously crumbling. PJ's sister finds her a handyman from her church but he comes with big baggage; he doesn't know who he is! He cuts a deal - he will work at fixing the house if PJ will find out who he is.

What follows is a lovely tale of PJ not just finding out who her new handy man is but PJ finding out who PJ is. You see, PJ was adopted and never quite felt she fit in with the Sugar family. As she learns more about Max, her handyman she also learns more about HER past and who she is.  This lets her let go of who she thought she was and lets her move forward to the woman she is meant to be.

Will it be with Boone, the man of that past or Jeremy the boss who has some baggage of his own?

Licensed for Trouble is a great beach read full of fun and well developed characters. I am going to search out the other books in the series to get myself caught up on PJ's history. This book was a lot of fun and I'll look forward to the next installment.

Now for some fun news!  There is a giveaway for a Kindle in conjunction with the blog tour! Check this out:

Enter PJ Sugar's "Sweet" Giveaway

Licensed for Trouble, Susan's brand new PJ Sugar novel, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re giving away a Kindle!! You can enter using Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail using the icons below.

One Grand Prize winner will receive a A SWEET Kindle prize package that includes:

• A brand new Kindle (Free 3G, 6”, Latest Generation)
• The entire PJ Sugar series by Susan May Warren
  
  

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest.



Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on September 2nd.

Be sure to check out the blog tour here or purchase a copy of Licensed for Trouble here!

Cool, huh? And even better - I have one copy of the book to give away to one lucky reader.
How do you win? It's easy!
But first, a rule:


US and Canada only


MANDATORY ENTRY:


Tell me if you have read any of the PJ Sugar books. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.



EXTRA ENTRIES:

1. Follow my blog publicly. If you already follow, just say so. And thank you.
2. Follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway(one per day) - @BrokenTeepee and LitFuse Publicity are giving away Licensed for Trouble @http://tinyurl.com/2g6ndqw #giveaway

3. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to Broken Teepee (this is good for 5 entries so leave 5 comments)

SEE THE EXTRA ENTRIES PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ENTER.

All entries need to be in by 9PM MDT on September 11th when I will go to Random.org to choose the winner.  He/she will have 48hrs to respond.

Good luck everyone!

Disclosure:  I received a gratis copy of Licensed for Trouble from the LitFuse Publicity Group. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by the receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post. 

Giveaway: Hem Eze

This is a product I would have loved to have had when I was working.
Just imagine the ability to lengthen or shorten your slacks, jeans or skirts at will.
How cool is this?

Hem-Eze does that for you.

Here is the scoop straight from the source:

Through the creation of Hem-Eze, the innovative product that solves those pesky pant length problems, Debra Weisser has been able to provide her own economic stimulus program to the people in her community. In order to ensure high standards of quality, Debra decided the only way to manufacture Hem-Eze was to create the product right here in America. By providing jobs through local organizations, the company was able to help employ those in need and give the community a much needed bump. Hem-Eze is a philanthropic company with a specific mission of empowering and employing people with disabilities.
What is Hem-Eze? Their catchy slogan: “wear high heels this morning and sandals tonight” says it all. Anyone who has ever been in a fashion conundrum knows just how handy Hem-Eze can be. Whether it's a favorite pair of pants that have been worn all day, or a busy day at the office has left no time to change, Hem-Eze is a fast way to transform hemlines from high-heel ready to the perfect length to go with those cute flats.
Don't worry. There is no sewing involved! By utilizing a specially formulated double sided strip, hemlines can easily be altered to just the right length. It's safe enough to use on delicate fabrics like cotton and silks, while strong enough to withstand heavier and coarser fabrics like denim and corduroy. Use it to hem jeans, pants, dresses, skirts, school uniforms, and more.
Hem-Eze works by placing an actual crease in the fabric that yields a professional hemmed look not achieved by other products on the market. Because of the wider and longer strips it comes in, it's possible to use less of the product in order to hem more. With fashion flexibility comes the perfect outfit.
Debra's magic moment was back in 2008 while pondering how she could wear her favorite jeans with her different types shoes. Since then her generous heart and entrepreneurial spirit has pushed her to find a way into the fashion market. In her quest to benefit others, she has served as an honorary chairman of the 2010 Cattle Barons' Ball which raised money for the American Cancer Society, and was a supporter of the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance's Comedy for a Cure event.

These would have come in so handy not only for dealing with different heel sizes but on those days that your heel would get caught in your hem and you suddenly found yourself with half your hem falling down.

Not a good fashion statement at all.

Where can you buy Hem Eze? Well, I'm going to tell you!
Hem-Eze can be found in retail stores throughout North America and was showcased at the Las Vegas Magic show as well as other apparel industry events. The company has been featured in the Tampa Bay Business Journal and has recently partnered with HSN. They will also soon be available at select TJ Maxx stores beginning next week. You can also find them on Amazon.com



















I have a package of Hem Eze for one lucky reader.
How do you win? It's easy!
But first a rule:

US and Canada only

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Leave a comment telling how you would use Hem-Eze best. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1. Follow my blog publicly. If you already follow, just say so. And thank you.
2. Follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway(one per day) - @BrokenTeepee and Hem-Eze are making day to evening easier @http://tinyurl.com/22pjdfq #giveaway

3. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to Broken Teepee (this is good for 5 entries so leave 5 comments)


SEE THE EXTRA ENTRIES PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ENTER.

All entries need to be in by 9PM MDT on September 10th when I will go to Random.org to choose the winner. He/she will have 48hrs to respond or I will choose a new winner.

Good luck everyone.

Disclosure:  I was sent samples of Hem-Eze which I am giving away to my readers. 

Back to School - Review and Giveaway: St. Francis Couture

Going to Back to School in style is very important.
You don't want to be the one with last year's shoes.
You don't want a bag that is out of season.

Not you!

Plus you want to find affordable and friendly fashion too! So why not check out St. Francis Couture?!
Here is some information about the company:

Saint Francis Couture designs and manufactures high fashion, animal friendly shoes, accessories, and they are now introducing apparel.  The company's founder and designer is Tere Albanese.  Tere is a vegetarian who eats nothing with a face or heart and refuses to wear anything made from animals.  She is a former hair stylist and high school English teacher.  "I thought the world needed some high fashion, moderately priced, comfortable, but sexy, shoes and accessories that were cruelty free," said Tere.  "So I started drawing.  Saint Francis must have helped me because I had no idea how to draw."  The company is named after Saint Francis, who is the patron saint of animals.  Her first line is the Africa Collection, which honors African Wildlife.  This month's featured product is the Africa Sandal 3" Heel.  This sexy sandal will turn heads, but the way it feels you’ll think you were wearing flip-flops.  6 - 12 in whole and half sizes.

I was sent a lovely pair of flats 'cause I can't wear heels any more - I fall out of them and there is nothing fashionable about falling out of your shoes.  Trust me, I know.

The Africa Flats are well made and feel like leather even though they are not. The fit is good and they are comfortable to wear. I can see them going with a dress or with my jeans. The shoes are stylish and neutral at the same time which is great!

I have good news! I have an Africa Bag and an Africa Belt to give away to two lucky readers!
How do you win? It's easy, but first some rules:

US only as I have to mail these.

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Go to St. Francis Couture and tell me your favorite item. Be sure to leave me your email address so I can contact you if you win.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1. Follow my blog publicly. If you already follow, just say so. And thank you.
2. Follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway(one per day) - @BrokenTeepee and @StFrancisCou are helping you look stylish @http://tinyurl.com/255vkat #giveaway

3. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to Broken Teepee and St Francis Couture (this is good for 5 entries so leave 5 comments)
4. Like St. Francis Couture on Facebook
5. Follow @StFrancisCou on Twitter

SEE THE EXTRA ENTRIES PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ENTER.

All entries need to be in by 9PM MDT on September 9th when I will go to Random.org to choose the winners. They will have 48hrs to respond or I will choose new winners. 

Good luck everyone.

Disclosure:  I received a pair of shoes gratis. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by the receipt of the free shoes. I received no monetary compensation for this post. 

Giveaway Winners: Wicked Intentions, Tropical Traditions and Food Should Taste Good

It's a big day for winner announcements!
Three giveaways ended and 6 prizes to announce!

First up the winners of Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt.
The lucky comments are:

Here are your random numbers:

29
46
82

Timestamp: 2010-08-26 17:04:55 UTC

and the winners are:

Bethie
Benita
Louis

Yay!

Next, the Omega 3 Greens from Tropical Traditions

The lucky comment is:

Here are your random numbers:

24

Timestamp: 2010-08-26 17:13:06 UTC

and the winner is:

Dina!

Woo hoo!

And last but certainly not least judging by the number of entries the Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips

The lucky comment is:

Here are your random numbers:

228

Timestamp: 2010-08-26 17:17:38 UTC

and the winner is:

PamelaS

Yippee!

I will send emails to all the lucky winners and they will have 48hrs to respond or I will choose new winners.

Thank you to everyone who entered and a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Hachette Books, Tropical Traditions and Food Should Taste Good for sponsoring the giveaways.

Remember if you didn't win you can purchase Wicked Intentions on Amazon.com
Omega 3 Greens at Tropical Traditions and
Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips at their Online Store or on Amazon.com

Back to School - Giveaway: Wubbzy Goes to School

It's important that your child be excited about going back to school.
School should be fun. It should be something that he or she dreads.


That enthusiasm can start as young as pre-school when one of their favorite TV characters gets excited about going to school.

Who you ask?
Nick Jr.'s Wubbzy!

That's right Wubbzy is going to school and he shows how much fun it can be in a new DVD out just in time for the new learning year to begin. Called "Wubbzy Goes to School" it shows your child what to expect when he or she goes to school.

Here's some info straight from the source:

Themed-DVDs are a great way to help youngsters get ready for school in a fun and relaxing way.  Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! has a brand-new school-themed DVD “Wubbzy Goes to School” to do just that! Wubbzy Goes To School” (SRP $16.98) puts the “cool” in “school” with six charming episodes that will have everyone ready to hit the books.  In “Who Needs School?,” Wubbzy is nervous about going off to school for the very first time and decides he can learn all he needs to know on his own.  When things don’t work out as expected and Wubbzy has no one to play with, he realizes that maybe school isn’t so bad after all.  In another episode, “New Kid On The Block,” Wubbzy learns that meeting and accepting new friends can be a big! big! big! job. When Murphy, a larger-than-life new student, joins the class, Wubbzy finds that good friends can come in all shapes and sizes.  

Sounds great, doesn't it? Well then I have good news for you! I have one copy of Wubbzy Goes to School to give away!

How do you win? It's easy!

But first some rules:

US and Canada only

MANDATORY ENTRY:

Let's help each other out here and leave a tip for making Back to School Fun. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1. Follow my blog publicly. If you already follow, just say so. And thank you.
2. Follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway(one per day) - @BrokenTeepee and Nick Jr. is giving away Wubbzy Goes to School @http://tinyurl.com/267m9yn #giveaway

3. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to Broken Teepee (this is good for 5 entries so leave 5 comments)
4. Like Wow!Wow!Wubbzy on Facebook and tell him Broken Teepee sent you

SEE THE EXTRA ENTRIES PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL WAYS TO ENTER.

All entries need to be in by 9PM MDT on September 8th when I will go to Random.org to choose the winner. He/she will have 48hrs to respond or I will choose a new winner.

Good luck everyone.

Disclosure:  I was sent a Wubbzy DVD gratis which I am giving away to my readers. I received no monetary compensation for this post. 

 

Yard Sale Score!

The hubby and I have been checking out as many yard sales as we can lately to try and pick up stuff for the yurt.  I keep telling him that you never know what you mind find at a yard sale.

Most of the times we leave with nothing but every once and again we come away with something good.  For example - at one I left with an almost new filing cabinet and a brand new Rival crock pot for $20. Not bad, eh?

He had stopped at one without me on Friday and saw some baking dishes he thought I might like so he brought me back after my shift at the food bank. I really didn't care for the baking dishes and I don't know how he missed this

It's a brand new apple press. It has a slight crack in the bottom piece of oak but the hubby says it is easily fixed. It also needs a serious cleaning. (He bought me a gallon of bleach, heh)

I looked online and found the exact same press for $183.
It was marked "Make an Offer."

$15.00

I'm not kidding.
I LOVE yard sales!

And I just happened to have a case of apples when we picked it up.
I cannot wait to make cider.
Woo hoo!

Did I mention that I LOVED yard sales?

More News from the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

I wrote earlier today about the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes .


What I didn't tell you in that post was that there is another part of this fantastic sweepstakes.

I KNOW!

Hard to believe isn't it?
With such a fantastic Grand Prize it is amazing that there are other prizes being offered.
But there are!

And I am going to tell you about them!

Every day - THAT IS EVERY DAY PEOPLE - someone will win a weekend stay at a Hampton Inn. Oooh, just imagine - a room where you don't have to clean, you don't have to make the bed, you don't have to vacuum or wash the sink.

Are you in heaven yet?
I wouldn't have to milk a goat. 'Cause I'm pretty sure goats are not allowed in the Hampton Inns.
Pricilla would not like that I am sure, but hey, I need a break now and then.

I would love to have a weekend away. I would probably want to go to New York. I haven't been back East in a while. I could have my sisters in law meet me and we could see a show and have a grand old time. Or I could go to Atlanta and meet up with my best friend. There are so many options. No matter what it would be fun.

I sincerely doubt the hubby would like me leaving him with the goats.
And the cats.
And the chickens.

So maybe YOU should enter and maybe win. Then you can have all the fun.
*sigh*
Just think of me if you do.

The Greeter

There is a member of our household who really, REALLY wants to go outside.
I just don't feel he's ready yet.
He's too small.
He's still eagle bait.
So Harry the Farm kitten waits by the door.
He is there any time I go into the yurt.

He sits in the catch basket for the hubby's lawn mower like it's his little cat cave.
This is what I see when I go in the door.

It really isn't such a bad thing to see, is it?

He does have the cutest little face.

I don't like the cats going out but it is so hard to stop them. That Sherpa spent the whole night out last night. He wouldn't come in. He had a mouse and that was that.
I worried all night long.
The animals on this Farm are going to be the death of me.

Back to School - Mission US - For Crown or Colony: Cool New History Website Launching 9/21

I love history!

I have been fascinated by the past for as long as I can remember. My AA is in European History and then I went on in Art History. The books I love to read the most are historical in nature; I’m sure you can tell that from the blog.

Sadly, statistics from the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, “The Nation’s Report Card,” show that only 17% of eighth graders perform at or above the proficient level in American history.  The situation is even worse for underserved students.

I am going to tell you about a cool new website, Mission US . 
Mission US is a groundbreaking initiative featuring a series of free online games that will “revolutionize” the way American history learning takes place (both in classrooms and homes) throughout the nation. That’s right! It works well in both a school environment and for those who homeschool. I think that is fantastic.

On September 21^st, For Crown or Colony will be launched. It is aimed at tech savvy teens and soon they will find themselves living in the time before the American Revolution. Players take on the role of Nathaniel Wheeler, a 14-year-old apprentice to the publisher of the pro-Patriot Boston Gazette.  They steer Nat’s actions – from confronting soldiers patrolling the wharves to developing a crush on the niece of a Loyalist merchant.  While interacting with a range of people from colonial Boston society, including historical figures like Paul Revere and Phillis Wheatley, Nat encounters different views on British authority and colonial protest.  How cool is that?

There is a section on the site for Teachers and you can get an idea of the games and materials “at a glance” which is a really nice feature. There are also instructions and tips for teachers  and lots more information to help either the teacher in the classroom or the mom or dad at home.

Can you tell I’m excited about this game?

Disclosure: I have received no monetary or other compensation for this post. I just thought this was a very cool site and I wanted to get the information out.

Before the Farm: The Dork Car

The hubby has always had a hobby.
I could always tell when a new hobby was on the horizon because he followed a pattern.

First he bought the book.
Then the magazine.
Then "it" came home.

He has always been a man who loved adventure and adventurous hobbies.
He loves NASCAR racing. I gave him the Race Around the Track thing you can do at Dover Speedway in Delaware and he loved it.

What I didn't know is that it hooked him on actually racing a car.
Fortunately he couldn't afford a NASCAR.

What he did find was something called a Dwarf Car. It was small and built on a motorcycle engine. I can't say I ever learned enough about them to know all the ins and outs but needless to say...

He bought the book.
He bought the magazine.
He bought this:

He raced it at local dirt tracks and had lots of fun.

The best part of the whole Dwarf Car experience for me was the first time my little goddaughter came into the big garage and saw it. I think she might have been three, maybe four at the time and Uncle John was proudly showing off his race car and she said,

"Can I ride in the Dork Car?"

It was priceless.
And more apt than she ever knew.

Hampton Inns Chain of Friends Sweepstakes

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.



Did you ever just want to invite every friend you ever had to a hotel for the biggest blowout party EVER? You know what I mean - find everyone you were ever "best friends" with from childhood through now and just have the best "best friends" reunion you could ever imagine.



You're thinking - boy, would that cost a FORTUNE! And you're right but have I got a sweepstakes for you! The Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes has as its prize a stay for you and 100 friends at a Hampton Inn for the weekend and $5,000 cash to help offset the tax bite. How cool is that?

Just imagine the fun you could have.

If not your friends, picture a family reunion. Family is friends, right? Most of the time, anyway. That's what I would do. Since I moved to Montana I haven't had the opportunity to see my family as much as I would like. This would be a great way for all of us to get together and have some fun. And no one would have to make the beds. That, I think would be the best part. No one likes to make the beds!

ANYONE can enter. Uh-huh! You don't have to be a HiltonHonors member or have stayed in a Hampton Inn before.

Let your imagination run wild - heck, you could invite a bunch of people you don't know and have a whole bunch of NEW friends by the end of the weekend. That might be nice, right?

Yurtgress - The Little Things

I've mentioned before that it's the little things that help to make a house a home.
Well, the hubby helped the yurt along by putting up some of those little things for me.

He finally got my paper towel holder mounted in the kitchen.
Hooray for that.

The poor towels were just sitting next to the sink and constantly getting wet. Now they are up on the wall where they belong and out of the water's way.

He also hung the mirror in the bathroom.

I have to say it was very hard to get ready in the morning without a mirror.
I really like the look of this one. It can tilt so I can almost see myself full length. It will work until we find a full length mirror for the bedroom.

Giveaway Winners: PakNaks and Kiwi Shoe Care

This is a big week for giveaway winners. I just hope my fingers will stay warm enough to type.
We woke up to 39* this morning.
In August!!!!
This is just not right. Not right at all!

Brrrrrr.

But on to the winners. First up is the winner of the adorable PakNaks.
The lucky comment is:

Result: 7 

and the winner is:

Dina!!!!



Next up is the Basket o'shoe care fun from Kiwi.
The lucky comment is:
 
Result: 138 

and the winner is:

Swtilchick!

Hooray for both winners! I will send emails and they will have 48hrs to respond. If they don't I will pick new winners.


Thanks to everyone who entered and a great big THANK YOU to PakNaks and Kiwi Shoe Care for sponsoring the giveaways.


Remember - if you didn't win you can still get your children those adorable PakNaks in their online store HERE


and Kiwi Shoe Care products are available on Amazon.com

Guest Post: Teens and Social Networking/Safe/Social on AOL by Regina Lewis, AOL Consumer Advisor

These days, your teens’ “friends” aren’t just the kids hanging out in your kitchen and family room, they’re hundreds of contacts on their “friend” and “buddy” lists. More than 50 million teens (ages 13 to 17) are online worldwide and the average number of “friends” is 130. For many teens, these numbers are even higher. It’s not unusual to have more than 500 “friends” and more than 1,000 profile photos.

So, how can you realistically keep up with your child’s vast circle of “friends” and ongoing status and photo updates?

1. Become a “Friend”

For starters, you can become your child’s online. They’ll need to accept your friend request. This can be easier said than done. In some cases, you may get push back. It’s your call how strongly you press.

There are more private alternatives. A new product called SafeSocial lets you privately see everything you would as a “friend” and even more. Many kids prefer this route. Remember, you’re not “spying” on them; you’re simply doing your job as an informed and involved parent.

2. Curb the Comments

If your child is reluctant to accept you publicly as a “friend,” be sure not to push your luck by excessively commenting on their page once you are granted access. Grandparents can be over-commenting culprits, too. Often teens find this “embarrassing” and it may even lead to having them “un-friend” you. It happens all the time.

3. Get a Report Card

The new parenting tool SafeSocial offers a time-efficient and thorough way to keep tabs on your children’s social networking without being too intrusive. It delivers an easy-to-read report card providing a 360 degree view of their overall social networking— what they’re saying and doing and who their friends are.

This answers one of the biggest issues facing parents all over the country—feeling like you need to spend hours each week monitoring your child’s online activity and still not really being sure if you’re seeing everything (they can filter your view) or what you might be missing (what’s happening on their friends’ pages).

4. Watch the Friends

All friends are not created equal. Some your children may know well, some they may barely know at all. You can get a good feel for their entire list via SafeSocial’s Friend Engine, which takes an extensive look at your kids’ friends and checks them against more than 50 databases to see if they may not be who they say they are. You’ll be alerted when an adult becomes a friend of your child, when someone looks suspicious or has no or few other mutual friends with your child.

5. Loaded Language and Photos

Specific words that may come up in strings of conversation— sex, drugs, alcohol, suicide and so on and suggestive or violent language will be flagged, so you can hone in on the suspect dialog versus reading every post. This helps prevent missing something inadvertently.

You can even opt to be immediately notified via an email alert. This piece could prove priceless in protecting your children’s safety and managing their reputations.

While every conversation and image is archived, you can adjust the settings to simply view those that are called out. This lets you give kids more privacy as they mature. You will also see all photos, including those other people post of your child. Young people tend to push the envelope with photos and videos, so checking out this section of the report card is critical.

Overall, social networking is an integral part of many teenage lives and an opportunity for your kids to learn to express themselves in a creative and responsible fashion. It’s too big a trend to ignore. You can embrace it with these new tools on your side. For more information, visit www.safesocial.com,  www.safety.aol.com and www.reginalewis.com.

AOL Consumer Advisor Regina Lewis (www.reginalewis.com) is a national TV and radio contributor and

 We all know how important it is to protect children online. So why not check this out. The tips are good no mattter what service you use.

Internet trend expert. She knows the tips, tricks, secrets and shortcuts for making technology work for you.

Review and Coupon Code: Toy Story 5 in 1 Tasty Baker

Having spent time with my elder nieces and nephews before the hubby and I hit the road I know that children love to spend time in the kitchen.
They love to measure.
They love to crack eggs.
They REALLY love to crack eggs.
I think it is very important for children to learn at an early age how to cook.
To learn that cooking is FUN!

I learned this early from both my mother and my grandmother and I can call myself today an avid almost passionate cook. I love the time I spend in my kitchen creating all manner of meals and treats for my husband and myself - or guests if we have friends over for dinner.

A great way to get the kids interested and to make it fun is with kid friendly tools and appliances. I was sent the Toy Story 5 in 1 Tasty Baker to review. It came with cute recipe cards that gave some great ideas for making fun stuff with the kids like brownies and Maple Sweet Potato Muffins. I needed something to go with my meatloaf so I decided to make corn muffins.

Into my bowl went the dry ingredients; corn meal, White Whole Wheat flour, baking powder, salt and some sugar.

Eggs - one duck (my last one - the horror!) one chicken

The recipe called for buttermilk and I didn't have any so I did my standby - milk and vinegar.

Mix it all up!


And into the Tasty Baker it went. The Tasty Baker doesn't have temperatures per se it has numbers; 1,2,3,4 and the instruction book gives you ideas of what to use. I started at 2.5 as per the suggestion for muffins but it really didn't work for this recipe so I put it up to 3 and that was perfect. I suspect it's a bit of trial and error until you get used to how the machine works. I also don't know if my being over 3,000 feet impacts it either. It messes with other things I do so who knows.

I kept forgetting to take a picture after I put the batter in. Just call me stupid, but this is how they looked after they were done. Cute, hub?

Nothing like eating Buzz Lightyear for dinner.

 My girlfriend is coming to dinner with her children and I think I am going to make brownies with the Tasty Baker, cut them in half and put ice cream in the middle for little ice cream sandwiches. Won't that be adorable? Or even maybe marshmallow. I haven't made marshmallow in a while. Hmmmm.

I am sure that any kidlets would have a blast making their own muffins, brownies and pancakes with the 5 in 1 Tasty Baker and it would make the meal fun for them. If you have more than one child, though it would be slow going and I would think you might want more than one Tasty Baker. They come in several cute designs and you could get Toy Story for your little boy and Disney Princesses for your little girl.
Just think of the fun!

 The creator of the Tasty Baker is a mom so she knows all about kids in the kitchen!

Here is some information direct from the source:

The 5-in-1 Tasty Baker is a unique all-in-one table top appliance that will bake muffins, quick breads, cake, pancakes/waffles and brownies in one compact unit in one third the time. Simply pour your batter into the bite-sized molds and voila...the cutest foods in the most delicious shapes! It can even cook eggs. Perfect for mealtime, parties, play dates and every special occasion. It features an adjustable temperature control, red "power on" indicator light, green "ready" to bake indicator light, non-stick baking plate, cool touch housing and bonus batter scoop and cleaning brush.

Now for the really exciting news! I have a coupon code for you!!!!
How cool is that!
It makes purchasing the uber-cool Tasty Baker that much more affordable.
Just use the code LTD5809 and you will receive $5.00 off of any purchase of $25.00 or more (before shipping and handling). Woo hoo! You can do all of your shopping for the Tasty Bakers HERE

You can find the Tasty Baker and its sister product the Pop Art Toster on Facebook and on Twitter.

Disclosure: I received a 5 in 1 Tasty Baker gratis. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by the receipt of the free product. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Wedding Jewelry

I am always quite honored to bejewel a bride on her special day. I must admit to a love of making wedding jewelry - I think it's the pearls. Most wedding jewelry includes pearls and I adore them. It's that inner glow that a good pearl has...like it has a secret and it's only letting you in on part of it.

For this lovely bride I was making a necklace and a pair of earrings. Her chosen colors were two shades of blue; navy and not so navy. My brain isn't let me be color descriptive today...

For the necklace I used a gorgeous mystic sapphire as the centerpiece and added a sweet cascade of lovely little pearls and blue topaz.

My gargoyle Dedo was the model.

For the earrings it was simple, yet classic. A beautiful, almost perfect Akoya pearl accented with smaller pearls and the same blue topaz rondelles.

The bride wanted simple and pearls and she was quite happy.
I like happy.

Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship Information

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Woodrow Wilson. All opinions are 100% mine.


This is a sponsored post as you read but this is pretty cool information for any one studying science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).  The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship provides recent college graduates or people who are going through a career change a in those fields a $30,000.00 stipend to complete an intensive Master's program at one of 14 listed universities.

WOW!

To find out the specifics and complete the application you just need to go to www.wwteachingfellowship.org
But make sure you go soon - the deadline is September 1st!!!!

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is looking to earn their Master's Degree. There are, of course some minimun requirements - it's not like they are going to give 30 grand to someone who is just breezing through school, ya know!  So if you are going to apply be sure you meet them:

Have completed an undergraduate degree in a STEM field by June 2011
Have graduated with a 3.0 GPA or higher
Demonstrate a commitment to the program and its goals

If you are chosen as a fellow you will:

Complete a field-based master’s degree in teacher education
Commit to teach for at least three years in a high-need school
Receive intensive support and mentoring in the classroom



Pretty cool, huh? Not bad payback for a Master's Degree!

Check out this video too:



Change the World by Changing Theirs. Become a Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellow!

Yurtgress - The Dining Room (?) Chandelier

It took some late dinners but the hubby finally got my dining room - and I use the term "room" very loosely since the yurt is really one big room - chandelier hung.

It is from the same design family as the pendants that I picked out for the kitchen so it all flows very nicely. It has the same bowls as the kitchen fixtures.

It looks pretty when lit too! It's Energy Star rated and has CFL bulbs in it so it hardly uses any electricity. Hooray for that!


It is just so much fun to see it all coming together.
Slowly but surely, right?
Maybe I will get to see it finished in my lifetime.