Talent Tuesday!

Folks, welcome back for another Talent Tuesday! For this segment, I have a lady I've known for several years, Vonda Sinclair! She's generously sharing some of her fabulous photography with us!

My love of photography started when I was a child. Although I wasn’t allowed to touch a camera then, one of my prized possessions was my photo album, which I still have. In college, I took a photography class as part of my minor in art. My husband, who was then my boyfriend, bought me a nice professional 35mm camera for Christmas (this was during the time before digital cameras.) I was hooked! Over the next few years I burned through hundreds of rolls of film. People had me photograph their weddings. You rarely saw me without a camera around my neck. When digital cameras arrived on the scene, I was thrilled. No more film to buy or having to pay for processing. No darkroom work, just photo editing software. (I love Photoshop.)

I don’t call myself a photographer. I’m more like an amateur photo bug. My husband is used to me saying, “Stop! I have to take a picture.” My only explanation for this obsession with photos is that I’m a very visual person. I love to look at beautiful scenes, settings, and colors. Simply gazing at a gorgeous photo gives me a lot of pleasure and it can even affect me emotionally. I often look at something, usually a landscape or maybe a collection of flowers, and think that would be an awesome photo. I compose it in my mind before I point the camera. I notice the details and the background.

I have two photos of flowers on display in a local area hospital, which I consider a great honor. One is a picture of foxgloves I took on Isle of Skye. And the other is black-eyed Susans taken in my garden.

I’ve also done drawing, painting, pottery, sculpture, flower arranging, jewelry making, candle making and various other crafts. But photography is the only one that has stuck with me so long.

My favorite place to take photos is Scotland. The country is so beautiful it would be difficult to take a bad picture there. The landscapes and natural scenery are breathtaking and atmospheric. The castles are often situated on islands, beside lochs, or next to the shore in amazing settings.

My favorite series of photos are ones I took on our last trip. One evening, we were returning from a hike in Glencoe, heading toward Oban, and driving along Loch Linnhe in Argyll. The sun’s rays sliced through the dramatic clouds. I had never seen anything so beautiful! I almost went crazy wanting to find a pull off and take come pictures. These are the moments photographers live for. I found a pull off and hurried as fast as I could to get out there beside the loch with several more people who were just as impressed as I was by the stunning natural beauty. We were hurrying because, well, who knew how long the scene would stay as it was? I took a few there, then rushed on a mile or two further to take some with Castle Stalker and the sunrays. I got some great ones. But I’m still kicking myself for not finding the side road to go down and take some of the castle from a different angle.

I also enjoy taking pictures of rainbows, which Scotland has a lot of, considering the amount of rain. Two of my favorite things—Scotland and photography—go wonderfully together!

 

www.vondasinclair.com
http://fierceromance.blogspot.com/
My Daring Highlander at Amazon http://amzn.com/B00C3ONO22
B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-daring-highlander-vonda-sinclair/1114964693?ean=2940016715957
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/vonda.sinclair
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VondaSinclair
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VondaSinclair

Bio
Vonda Sinclair’s favorite indulgent pastime is exploring Scotland, from Edinburgh to the untamed and windblown north coast. She also enjoys creating hot, Highland heroes and spirited lasses to drive them mad. She is a past Golden Heart finalist and Laurie award winner. She lives with her amazing and supportive husband in the mountains of North Carolina where she is no doubt creating another Scottish story.   

Latest book: My Daring Highlander

Beautiful and fiercely protective of those she loves, Lady Seona Murray captured Keegan MacKay’s attention when she first set foot in Dunnakeil Castle. Though she is a chief’s daughter and forbidden, Keegan has fallen in love with her from afar and burns to possess her. But so does the clan traitor, Haldane, an obsessive outlaw bent on murder and kidnapping.

Sinfully handsome, Keegan MacKay is a fearsome guard as well as the chief’s cousin, but Seona’s father would never consider him a worthy husband for her because he is not a titled laird. Seona has secretly watched the sensual, tawny-haired warrior from across the crowded great hall for months, but when he is tasked with escorting her across Scotland, back to her home, their simmering attraction flames into sizzling passion with just one kiss.

Though she fears she is endangering Keegan’s life, Seona cannot resist his seductive charm or his spellbinding kisses. Keegan sets fire to the memories of her sad past and shows her what it means to truly live. But her father has other plans. He’s arranged for her to marry a wealthy Lowland laird. Is Keegan daring enough to steal her away? Or will the vindictive Haldane snatch her first?

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome to Talent Tuesday! Today Gilli Allan shares her talent with us. Enjoy!

How My Art Fits Into My Life

My parents were both artists - my mother an enthusiastic amateur painter and my father a graphic designer, in advertising.  I am the middle child of three.  Before I had any sense of my own ability I was told I was “good at art”.  At infant school, when Miss Lawrence - my first year teacher - went round the class, asking everyone what they wanted to be when they grew up, I was aware of her surprise when I confidently asserted that I wanted to be a commercial artist.  
 
I also began to write “novels” before making the transition to secondary school, but this hobby was not taken seriously by my parents. Their interest and enthusiasm was captivated by the doodles and illustrations with which I embellished these growing tomes. They didn’t dismiss my writing, they simply ignored it, assuming it was silly, childish stuff and that I was headed for a career in art.  I accepted this without question.  Art was the only subject at school that I was unarguably good at, so I never for a moment thought that writing as career was open to me.  For one thing, I’d never finished one of the many novels I’d begun. And for another.....  Well, published writers were clever, educated people weren’t they? They went to Oxford or Cambridge and then worked in journalism or TV.  I left school at 16 with just enough exam passes to get me into art school (I now realise I am on the dyslexia spectrum) and I stopped writing.

 

After a few false starts, I eventually landed my dream job, working as an illustrator in an advertising design studio.  In due course I went freelance.  But advertising is a very pressurised world.  Jobs were typically wanted yesterday, and sitting for hours, or even days on end with nothing to do, and then working through the night on a job that had to be in by 9 am the following morning was not an uncommon experience. When I married and had my son I very much enjoyed being at home.  My only artistic outlet was to sign myself up for life classes (studying the human figure) which had been my favourite part of my art school curriculum. I started writing again when my son was four, hoping I could earn money at home by writing for Mills & Boon.  How difficult could that be?   Ha ha ha ha ha......  Of course, I now realise it is very difficult.

 

By the time I’d finished Just Before Dawn I knew the story was too challenging and off-beat to interest Mills & Boon, and when they rejected it I wasn’t surprised.  But a small publisher had just been established.  Love Stories, characterised at the time as “The thinking woman’s Mills & Boon”, were actively looking for books to fulfil a perceived demand for more unconventional, un-clichéd romantic fiction.  They published Just Before Dawn, and in due course, published my second novel, Desires & Dreams.  They already had a designer but they accepted my offer to produce my own cover art. But my publisher folded after about 5 years.  Unable to fight their corner in a fast-changing publishing world, Love Stories couldn’t achieve the promotion and distribution necessary to ensure success for itself or its writers.  (Some years later these two books were republished in paperback, by a POD publisher, again using my own artwork.)

 

I continued going to life classes and I continued to produce our yearly Christmas card, which I’d done for the family ever since I was 17. And I would always do small art jobs for friends and family, if asked.  But with two books published, I now thought of myself as “a writer” first and an artist second.  I was confident of finding another publisher but from then on I languished, unable even to interest an agent.  I wrote what I’d always written - challenging, edgy relationship fiction, always with a love story at the core - but not conventional “Romance”.  When the e-revolution began I wondered what this could mean for me.

Christmas 2010, my husband bought me a Kindle and with the realisation that anyone could self-publish to this device I began to investigate this option.  But, I am very un-technical and poor at absorbing and understanding instructions, particularly if couched in jargon and acronyms - a typical dyslexic trait - so getting my book, Torn, up onto Amazon Kindle was a very steep learning curve for me and involved a few false starts.  But one of the more enjoyable aspects of self-e-publishing is that again I can design my own covers.  For Torn, e-published in 2011, I went to Bigstock to find a royalty-free photograph.  I wanted an image of a barbed wire fence in a countryside setting. The image I found conveyed all I wanted to say about the story. The barbed wire in the foreground is a barrier to the idyllic sunlit field in the background. I designed the layout. This book is now also available as a paperback, published with CreateSpace.

 

Life Class - e-published in 2012 - was a title waiting for a story. To research one aspect of it I attended a sculpture workshop, where I took the photograph which I used for the cover design (first obtaining the permission of the nude model!). My son helped me alter the image and to achieve the effect now seen.  Life Class is also now available in paperback. In a few months (I don’t yet have a publication date) my book Fly or Fall will be coming out.  I have gone back to one of the royalty-free photo warehouses for the image, but I will be putting my own stamp onto the finished design. 

(All the images reproduced here are copyright, and may not be reproduced without my permission.)

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome to Talent Tuesday! Today's guest is historical author Rosemary Morris. Take it away, Rosemary!

 

First of all thank you Alexa for inviting me to be here today.

I am a historical novelist, living in Hertfordshire England. Four of my historical novels have been published by MuseItUppublishing as e-books.

 Far Beyond Rubies and Tangled Love set in the reign of Queen Anne Stuart 1702 -1714, and Sunday’s Child and False Pretences set in Regency England.

 The novels are available from

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/

www.amazon.com

www.amazon.co.uk

kobo and elsewhere.

Apart from reading historical fiction and non-fiction, visiting places of historical interest and writing, I am a keen organic gardener. So much so that I included a recipe for my favourite curry at the end of Far Beyond Rubies; and, one day, I plan to write a novel about gardening in England throughout the ages.

Unfortunately, last year was a disaster. Heavy rain rotted my strawberries, and the biggest slugs I’ve ever seen were voracious. This year there has been heavy snow, icy cold weather, bitter winds and rain. The soil is too cold and water-logged to sow seeds or plant seedlings.

In spite of these setbacks I am hoping to harvest herbs, soft fruit, stone fruit and vegetables. Slowly but surely the weather is improving. I have chitted early potatoes i.e. put potatoes in a light, warm place to sprout.  Some of the sprouts are so tall that I hope the potatoes will thrive when I plant them out, some in containers in the greenhouse and some outdoors at the end of next week when warmer weather is predicted. I am now about to chit my second early potatoes and in a couple of weeks will chit maincrop potatoes. When choosing which varieties to grow I look for those resistant to potato blight and scab.

 I am writing this in April while really looking forward to warm weather but while waiting for it I have sown seeds in heated propagators which are on the kitchen windowsill. There are eight varieties of tomatoes, tiny cherry ones, delicious small yellow ones called Idli and several types for salad or cooking. Fingers crossed this year blight will not attack the plants. I’ve also sown a variety of squash called Sweet Dumpling, pumpkin, courgettes aka zucchini, and green peppers called Big Boy.

This week I’ll be sowing spinach, New Zealand Spinach, cauliflower, curly Kale and other kales, either in the greenhouse or outdoors. I’ll also be sowing cucumbers and lettuce in the greenhouse and carrots and parsnips outdoors. It is late to sow parsnips, but the seeds should produce small, sweet roots.

Yesterday I walked round the garden and noted the rhubarb is pushing its way up through the earth. Last year the crop was not very good so I’m going to move it to soil enriched with manure. Hopefully there will be a good enough crop to provide rhubarb pies, rhubarb crumbles and rhubarb chutney which is delicious in cheese sandwiches.  The buds on my apple, pear and plum trees are swelling but my peach tree is not doing as well as I had hoped. Every year I grow something different, two years ago I bought the disease resistant peach tree and planted it in a large terracotta pot. So far it has yielded only one delicious peach. Maybe I should plant it in the ground. Last year I planted blueberries in pots of ericaceous compost; they have grown in size and cropped fairly well. As for my soft fruit, the redcurrants and blackberries crop profusely. Redcurrant jelly aka jam made after straining the fruit is delicious, and like rhubarb blackberries are very versatile. I still have enough blackberries in the freezer to make another blackberry and apple pie. My raspberries look promising but, this year I need to plant a new strawberry bed. I also plan to buy a dwarf nectarine which I can grow in the greenhouse. It might do better undercover than my peach tree has done outdoors.

 Of course, basil needs warmth to thrive but my other herbs are doing well. Even in the worst weather I have rosemary, sage and thyme to flavour soups and stews, and a variety of other herbs which I use medicinally and to make herb teas. My favourite herb tea is black peppermint tea. I pluck a generous handful of leaves, bruise them with a rolling pin to release the flavour, put them in a teapot and pour boiling water on them to release the flavour, allow it to stand for two or three minutes before straining it and adding organic honey. I also like lemon-verbena tea made and sweetened in the same way.

Every year, some crops flourish and others are a disaster for various reasons. For example, two years ago my plum tree was loaded with honey-sweet fruit and last year it produced nothing. However, in spite of battles against slugs, wood pigeons from the woods behind my house which peck at my greens and squirrels that steal my fruit I usually have enough surplus home grown fruit and vegetables to give away. (One year, to my astonishment,) I even saw a grey squirrel picking my brussel sprouts and burying them!) However I am always optimistic when the growing season begins, and later, even at the coldest times of the year, either have something fresh to eat straight from the garden or hone-grown from the freezer. At the moment my curly kale has survived freezing conditions. Sometimes I strip the kale from the stalks, shred it add a little sea salt and then steam it. Next I add sesame seeds to a little olive oil, stir fry them very briefly and add the kale which I stir fry for a minute. It is delicious with a little lemon squeezed onto it.

Why do I go to so much trouble to grow my own? There are several reasons. My garden is organic, and I believe organic food is beneficial for health. Freshly picked fruit and vegetables taste delicious. Herbs add flavour to almost anything. I enjoy deciding what to cook and going into the garden to gather it. Also, I am a strict vegetarian, which means I do not eat meat, fish or eggs, but I am not a vegan, I enjoy organic dairy products.

Even if you do not have a garden I suggest you experiment by growing a few tomatoes, lettuce, or anything else you fancy in containers. I’ve even seen lettuce growing in old trainers!

By the time you read this I hope my garden will be fruitful – in other words, my very own little Garden of Eden.

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk 
http://rosemarymorris.blogspot.com

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome to Talent Tuesday! Today we're learning more about Phyllis Humphrey. Take it away, Phyllis....

THE ACCIDENTAL SINGER

 

     I’ve been writing seriously for thirty years, and although I’m no Nora Roberts or support myself on my earnings, they do pay expenses and I’m in the black. The only other thing I do is sing in musicals produced by the local Performing Arts Club.

     That began seven years ago when my husband accused me of spending all day at the computer. I realized I needed to get out and meet people, so I went to an audition, hoping to get a part in the chorus of the show, or, if lucky, part of a duet or trio. Instead I was given two solos and, although there was no pay, I enjoyed the thrill of audience applause and compliments in the lobby after a performance.

     When I was a child, my sister took piano lessons, and I took singing lessons until high school occupied all my time. But I continued to love singing, bought Broadway show albums and sang all the songs for myself. Also for my husband, who, when we took long trips in the car, would ask me to sing.

     Nevertheless I was surprised to find that strangers liked my voice. Not only that, the PAC had many talented, formerly professional singers among its members, so I felt honored to join. One lady was the fifth Laurie in OKLAHOMA on Broadway and Richard Rodgers played piano at her audition.

     My latest (7^th) appearance occurred earlier this month when I sang in a group number, and then a solo of “It’s the Little Things” from Stephen Sondheim’s COMPANY. This is a long song, and difficult, because it consists of a series of 27 “little things” that bear no relationship to one another, and must be memorized (and sung at a fast tempo). Here’s a sample of one verse:

“It’s the little things you do together that make perfect relationships.

     The hobbies you pursue together,

     Savings you accrue together

     Looks you misconstrue together

     That make marriage a joy.”

Or, my favorite:

     “The concerts you enjoy together,

     Neighbors you annoy together

     Children you destroy together

     That keep marriage intact.”

Now I need to write some more, finish the novella I started and revise my long mystery novel. I guess I’ll go back to singing to my husband in the car. You can check out my Book List on my website: www.phyllishumphrey .com.

 THE END

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome back for another Talent Tuesday!

Today I'm bringing you Kelley Heckart. Kelley makes decorative wall crosses from driftwood, shells, stones, crystals and from pretty much anything she find either in nature or at swap meets.

And now, in Kelley's own words......

How I started making crosses

 

About 10 years ago my mother was seriously ill. I wanted to make her something to put on her nightstand. Over the years I had collected driftwood, shells and stones so I decided to make a small cross for my mom. She recovered and she still has that cross. I decided to keep making the crosses.

 

I have always loved the cross and how it has symbolized faith from very early times. Over the years I have added new designs like burning different symbols into the wood. I have three different styles that I work with—Native American, Rune and Neolithic/Goddess. Each piece of wood is different and calls to me. I try to highlight the natural shapes and designs in the wood and each cross is unique. They come with an attached leather strip so the crosses can easily hang on the wall.

 

I sell my crosses in my Etsy store called Kels Cool Crosses.

Wow, how awesome, Kelley! Thanks for sharing these with us. Folks, if you want to find out more about Kelley or her crosses, visit her.....

Facebook 
Store Website Page
Kelley The Author

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome to another edition of Talent Tuesday! Today, please help me welcome Eleanor Sawyer! Read on to find out about her talent! Here is Eleanor in her own words.....

While I am completely inspired by writing these days, I've also found that my stories have influenced another fun and time-consuming craft: creating shadowboxes. Each box is a snapshot, capturing an idea or relationship between texture and subject matter. To me, the containers become an inventory of segments: found or collected objects, old photographs, prints, and cards. Some shadowboxes are inspired solely by a keepsake having been stored safely since childhood. Or, an idea originates from the loose pages of an out-of-print book. Here are some examples:

1) Just Out Of Reach

2) Peace Chain

3) Divinity

 

4) Lock & Keys

 

 

 

Thank you for the opportunity to share with you all!

~ Eleanor Sawyer

 

For more samples, visit http://www.eleanorsawyer.com/gallery/.

el@eleanorsawyer.com

http://www.eleanorsawyer.com

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome back for another edition of Talent Tuesday! Today's guest is a lady from my Celtic Hearts RWA writing group, Paisley Kirkpatrick! Take it away, Paisley!

 

My hobby has opened a door I never anticipated. I started sewing in the ninth grade. The craft came easy for me and over the years I have sewn many items, including my own wedding dress and also my younger daughter's. But, it was after we lost our older daughter to cancer just before her 32^nd birthday, that I started using my skills to overcome the terrible loss my child. One of my friends asked me to join her and a friend learning how to make quilts. She stressed that in the olden days women made quilts to help mourn a death in their family. At that time, I realized the importance of accepting we no longer had Kellie and decided I would make quilts filled with my love for her and give them away. This new aspect of my life exploded, and took off with a life of its own.

 

In the past ten years I have made and given away 41 quilts. Maybe keeping busy with these brightly colored squares pushed the sadness into manageable mode simply because I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself any longer. I know Kellie is smiling down on me saying, ''Way to go Mom."

 

The first year I made ten baby quilts, most were Kellie's friends. These crib size quilts are made of flannel in bright solid colors and appropriate prints depending on whether the quilt is for a baby boy or girl.

 

 

Since that first year I've made a lot more, including seven for Brenda Novak's Childhood Diabetes Auction. I love receiving photos of the children enjoying these quilts and just this past week I got a photo from my nephew's wife with their two little girls sitting on the baby's quilt. It's the first time I've been told the quilts wash well and the girls wrap up in them every day, especially while watching television. Along with the crib-size quilts, I have started making small pillows -- like we used to get on airplanes. I use leftover fabric and batting to make them. When a little one is hurt or sick, I shoot one of these pillows off and they give the little ones something special to help make them feel better.

 

I learned how to put photos onto fabric and have made quilts with book covers, photos of favorite movie stars, family photos, and am thinking of one that has photos from our vacation in Scotland someday, if I ever have spare time. One very special wedding quilt that I made for Kellie's friend who gave us so much help during her illness, turned out so beautiful that I am thinking maybe she had her hand on mine while I made it.

 

 

If I didn't tell you that my hubby helps pick out the fabrics, he'd be very disappointed. We head down the hill to our favorite fabric store and I tell him the colors and/or theme I want to use. He has a nose for finding them and comes back in a few moments with just what I had in mind. One very special quilt needed to have music notes, bright colors and some kind of peace and love on the fabric for the backside.

He was back in five minutes with everything perfect for the quilt. I'm thinking he's a keeper.

 

Along with the quilts and pillows, I also make and give away tote bags. Anyone who knows me knows I am addicted to Gerard Butler. He helped me with the healing as well as the quilts did so it was only natural I'd want to say thank you in a way I that I could make personal. I've made tote bags with his photos on both sides and send them to his fan club to raffle off at his birthday bash. The fan club officers send the money they raise to the Cancer Society, and a couple more of Gerry's favorite charities in his name. It's great. The first year one tote bag raised $2000 and the money went for Kids Kicking Cancer.

 

I was stunned at the amount they raised, but am so please to be helping with the cause. I will admit I did make one quilt with 24 photos of Gerry on it

 

and gave it to my daughter-of-my-heart, Carla. It's the only gift I have ever given away that has a string attached - I get visiting rights. :)

Folks, Paisley is giving you a SPECIAL treat! One commenter will win this pillow! (Prize will be mailed to North America addresses only.)

 

Thanks so much, Paisley!

 

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome back for another edition of Talent Tuesday! Today I have the fabulous Starla Kaye here sharing one of her other talents besides writing. Take it away, Starla!

 

My Journey in Making Memory Quilts

I started quilting several years ago along with my sister, taking basic lessons in quilt making. But I knew right away that making those big, beautiful full-sized quilts was not for me. I don’t have that kind of patience. I like doing things that take a much smaller amount of time.

My first memory quilts was designed from a photo I had taken on a trip to Blarney Castle in Ireland with my daughter. It shows the basic elements from the photo and I included a copy of our admittance ticket for that day. I enjoyed making this quilt, but it was a real learning experience about what things Not To Do the next time.

 

After more quilting lessons and more practice, I designed a quilt involving one of the favorite little restaurants in Carmel, CA that my daughter and I like: Tuck Box.

 

Then one day recently I found this neat two-dimensional ceramic picture my sister had of a small English village. I had to quilt it! I’ve visited several small villages in the UK that reminded me of this picture and wanted to add this to my memory quilt collection. I’m not sure you will be able to see it, but there is a dragon behind the houses by the castle tower. That was my brother-in-law’s teasing suggestion and I jumped on the idea because it seemed like fun. My sister thought I needed to add the swan to the river in front.

 

One of my more unique quilts that goes along with my writing is what I call my Western Romance Covers Quilt. It highlights 12 of my book covers, which is only about half of my Western romance books. It turned out really nice and I will use it at book signings and to hang in my office.

 

Making these small quilts goes right along with writing. I see both creative efforts as outlets for my over-active imagination. They are both about basically creating a puzzle and figuring out how to put it together.

 

Author: Starla Kaye

Website: http://starlakaye.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarlaKayeWriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/starla_kaye

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/starlakaye/

 

 

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome back for another installment of Talent Tuesday! This week I'm bringing you BJ Scott!

I want to thank you for having me on your blog today.

You're so welcome, Barb! Thank YOU for volunteering to share your talents with us!

My name is Barb Babbage and I write under the name B.J. Scott. I am an author of Historical romance, set in medieval Scotland. My first book, Highland Legacy is an Amazon Best Seller in historical romance and a contest finalist. It is available in print and e-book. My second book Highland Quest was released in Dec. 2012 and is available in e-book format. The third book, Highland Homecoming is slated for release in the summer of 2013. While my first love is historical romance, I also dabble in romantic suspense, time travel and paranormal romance. you can get my books at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0065KX8P8 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQKYPU0

When I am not busy working as a child care provider for children with special needs or writing, I enjoy a variety of hand crafts. I have had a small business for ten years, making heat pressed items, mugs, travel mugs, clocks, key chains, coasters, and a variety of other items with custom pictures, logos and designs. I have recently started doing wood framed ceramic tiles with book covers. These can can display at a book signing or just hung on a wall and enjoyed.

I want to thank Alexa for having me on her blog today.

Over the last few years, bling has become very popular. So why not for your books? My beaded book thongs are made using quality glass beads, Tibetan silver charms and leather cording. Each is hand made and no two are exactly alike. I make beaded key bobs with charms as well. You can select from Celtic symbols charms, fairies, hearts, dragon flies, butterflies,, four leaf clovers and crosses Done in a variety of colors and themes, these are sure to please any avid reader. The regular price is $12 per book thong plus shipping. Right now they are $8 plus $2 shipping per thong. These make wonderful gifts, prizes or are nice for your own personal use. Shipping applies to addresses in Canada and the US. I will ship to international addresses but there will be an additional cost for shipping. That will depend on where it is going.

 The ceramic tiles are 6x8 inches and are framed in wood. Regular price of these is $25 plus shipping. They are available for a limited time at a price of $15 plus shipping cost of approx. $10.

For an idea of other items I make visit www.krittersncrafts.com. You will find the items all have dogs on them but you can have any picture you like put on the items of your choice. Email me for details and pricing info@krittersnkrafts.com and mention this blog post.

Thanks for stopping by today and if you are interested in ordering anything please contact me for details.

B J Scott

http://www.authorbjscott.com/
http://authorbjscott.wordpress.com/
email: bjscott@authorbjscott.com

HIGHLAND LEGACY, FINALIST 2012 OKLAHOMA RWA INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL AWARDS/LONG HISTORICAL ROMANCE. Amazon Best Seller for historical romance.

HIGHLAND QUEST, book 2 in my series is now available in e-book

HIGHLAND HOMECOMING: coming in the summer of 2013.

Talent Tuesday!

Welcome to Talent Tuesday! This is the day that I will be introducing you to someone else and his or her talent. It might be writing or it might be something else.

Today, I am honored to present to you a friend of mine I don't get to see nearly enough. Take it away, Brenda Sanders!

Hi there, everyone! My name is Brenda Sanders, but back when I was writing it was Brenda Bradshaw. I originally met Alexa at my first Romance Writers of America conference when it was in Dallas back in like -- '04, maybe? I picked her up in a bar. Seriously. I went to the conference not knowing a soul, and this chick came up to the bar where I was sitting to order a drink. I said: "Are you a writer?" and bam! She hasn't been able to get rid of me since.

 

I do so love writing, but the market changed drastically during that time and ePub took off, and in doing so, it flooded the market, and I decided that it wasn't something I'd be interested in. Thank goodness Alexa dug her heels in and kept on going -- look at her now! I used to see her pretty often at our monthly meetings (I drove about an hour and a half each way once a month) and now I miss her -- but thank goodness for technology! Now I get to read about her writing adventures all the time, from exciting news on a new release to her writing marathons she sets for herself on a weeknight.

 So, about me, I guess. I'm 43 and live in Texas, in this little town called Cameron. It's in the middle -- of nothing. An hour from Austin, an hour from Waco, and an hour from Bryan/College Station. Centrally located, yes. Convenient, ha! But I love this little town nonetheless. I lead Girl Scouts -- the bigger girls -- junior high through high school. I have four kids although two of them are grown now and only two remain at home. Five dogs and a husband. Whew! I also have Fibromyalsia and recently diagnosed with Lupus about this time last year. Last month I was told I had osteoarthritis (degenerative bone disorder) in my right hip -- at the ripe old age of 43. And they won't even consider a hip replacement until I'm 50 -- in seven years. So... I found something I can do to help supplement my disability: I own Tarnished Texan. I make clothes, vintage-inspired aprons, household stuff. I also crochet: afghans, hats/scarves and very unique baby afghans. I pride myself on taking vintage styles but changing them up, whether it's with fresh color choices or added accents, something to make it very much one of a kind. I did have an Etsy shop, but it's currently being revamped. It's only been in the last couple of months where I've realized I wanted to take Tarnished Texan, so I'm floundering around here at ground level with the grunt work and getting that into place so here soon, I can not only fly, but soar.

My newest adventure is with Origami Owl jewelry. When you live in constant and unrelenting pain, it's really easy to get mired down in depression, and last year I started this task, this challenge for myself and others who may want to join, to find the positive in every day life. To BE the change. To LIVE the difference. Then I was introduced to this jewelry, and it really reiterated all those positive messages I wanted to embrace. And not only that, but each piece is truly one of a kind, so it fit in perfectly with the direction I wanted to take Tarnished Texan.

I'm including a few photos. Examples of the afghans, the ponchos, and aprons, as well as a couple examples of Origami Owl jewelry. I'm very easy to find: Just go onto Facebook and look for Tarnished Texan -- that's me! I do have a website (www.tarnishedtexan.com) but it's still in start-up mode. The thing I love about Facebook is that people can follow that page without having to "friend" me, and as soon as I finish a new project, it's on there before anywhere else. So that's the best way to find me and what I'm doing. To see what's going on with the jewelry, simply log onto tarnishedtexan.origamiowl.com and build yourself whatever necklace you want with the charms, tags, dangles and lockets. And should you need to email me, I'd love to hear from you: tarnishedtexan@gmail.com

I hope you have a great day, and thanks for coming by. A special thanks to Alexa for featuring me as her first on Talent Tuesday. I just love that girl! Ya know what I recommend? Buying one of my afghans, buying one of Alexa's books, and curling up in a comfy chair and getting lost, even for a little while...

Thanks again!

Brenda Sanders

Tarnished Texan