Didn't Win

Just real quickly thought I would let you all know I didn't win the theme contest, but Perfect Christmas Eve came in 2nd. So I did some research a bit ago and it looks like the guy that won is a pro...so this old great grandma doesn't feel too bad. I can't say I wasn't disappointed because I am a tad competitive. And I had tons of people tell me that Perfect Christmas Eve was much more "Christmas" than the one that won, so thanks to all of you. 


And to all a Merry Christmas.

NEED VOTES

I have said before that I don't seem to have a grasp on what people like. Apparently it is an age thing! I am a traditionalist when it comes to holidays, especially Christmas. I thought my design "Perfect Christmas Eve" would gain more votes than it is. So, if you have time to do me a favor, please go to: http://brandthunder.com/2011/announcing-best-holiday-browser-theme-finalists-vote-for-your-favorite/  and place a vote for Perfect Christmas Eve. You can vote every day through Dec. 22nd.

I had decided I was done making Christmas wallpapers and Personas but ended up and made a bunch more today. I should save them till next year because I am pretty sure everyone is busy and not changing things on their computers. 

I am really looking forward to Christmas Eve this year. It will be so much fun with all 3 great grandsons here, all 3 kids and most all of the grandkids. Can't wait to see them open their presents. I always try to make sure I spend the same amount on each child, but the problem is you find something for one that is a bit more than the other, so you have to buy a bit more for that one, etc. etc. But I am done! All but one wrapped.  We only give the little ones gifts anymore. It just gets too costly.

I hope you all can be with family this holiday and enjoy your time with them. Time is so short and everyone has so much to do, but you don't want to say someday, "I wish I had spent more time with.....or told someone you loved them and didn't. So if you can't be with them, call...you won't regret it.

Merry Christmas to all out there and a Happy healthy 2012. Just think of all the political commercials we have to look forward to!

I AM A SEMI FINALIST IN BRAND THUNDER CONTEST

 

Perfect Christmas Eve

Hi, all...I don't  think I mentioned that I was entering some holiday themes in Brand Thunders contest. Today they announced the 5 semi finalists. and I actually have two that are semi finalists. One is  Perfect Christmas Eve, which is my favorite and the other one is called A Year to Celebrate. Actually having 2 in puts me at a disadvantage because I can't ask you to vote for just one!

I don't do Facebook, etc. so don't have a social network except for family and the fans who happen to read this. But I am going to ask you to go to:  http://brandthunder.com/2011/announcing-best-holiday-browser-theme-finalists-vote-for-your-favorite/ 
and vote for one of my designs.  You can vote every day through December 22nd.

I included a shot at the top of the one I like best and hope you check out Brand Thunder, vote, and tell your friends. Thanks one and all and  a Very Merry Christmas. And thanks to Brand Thunder for getting me involved.  


I will check in on the 23rd of December and let you know if I should happen to win.

Brand Thunder

I just wanted to report that I now have quite a few designs on Brand Thunder and they are being used. The designs they have can be used on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Firefox, so anyone that doesn't use Firefox can now fancy up their browser. If you are interested, you can find their site at: http://gallery.brandthunder.com/en-US/ 

I got my 2012 calenders finished for the family and also got our Christmas cards designed and printed out. Now just have to get  the letters written to go with them. Then I have to start getting Christmas decorations up. I don't put up as much as I used to. Putting them up isn't so bad, but taking them all down is a big job.

I doubt if I get back on before Christmas so I will wish you all a Happy Holiday. Call the ones you love that you won't be seeing!

December, December

A Purple Christmas Delight

 https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/445900

It is really hard to believe but the last month of 2011 is here. Where has the year gone? I have worked so hard on Christmas and winter designs and have a bunch more made to submit so I should quit making them, but I still have some good ideas and will probably work up until Christmas eve. I have more spirit for Christmas this year and it will be so much more fun with toddlers around. I had a great time doing some shopping for them this year. I personally do not like going to town to shop so love Amazon. The things come right to me and I don't have to get frustrated with crowds!

I have made quite a few designs for Brand Thunder and they are being used, too. I think I mentioned that they were going to feature me on their site and I was so surprised that they actually did. The link to see it if you are interested is: http://brandthunder.com/2011/theme-spotlight-firefox-personas-theme-designer-madonna/  So many places say they are going to do something and never do, so I was kind of pleased. Brand Thunder is having a contest for the best browser theme and the winner gets an IPad. Wow, I would love to win, but I don't have the social networking it takes to get the word out. I had to sign up for Twitter to submit the designs so I do have a Twitter account but my sis is the only follower, so it isn't too popular. I really wouldn't know what to tweet anyway!

There are so many good designers anymore and I am amazed at some of their work when I have time to look which isn't often. I did notice that animated designs are becoming the big thing. I doubt if I ever try to make one, though. If it comes to the point where that is all users want, MaDonna will retire! Again!

My favorite thing to make, though is the wallpapers. They are so much easier to really get all the graphics into because of space. And I am getting so many fans it makes me feel very good. For this old lady it is kind of neat. I got to thinking the other day about designing and came to the conclusion you have to have an imagination to design anything.  And I have always had an imagination, ever since I was a little kid.

Well, I am going to sign off for today. I don't have much new to report so will say good bye and if I don't get on before Christmas, have a merry one. But I will  try to get on before, I swear.

Have a good night everyone and thanks for writing.

HAPPY THANKSIVING

 Frost on the Roses

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/443997

Hi, all. I wanted to take the time to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving and hope you get to spend it with family. As many as can make it to our house will be here so have started my shopping. We just got a call from our oldest grandson that we will have a new family member for next Thanksgiving. So that is exciting. Our family is very heavy on the boy side so it would be nice to have at least one more girl! But as long as it is healthy we will be satisfied.

More good news, anyway for me. But it involves more work which I really don't need. But as I posted earlier this month I was invited to make designs for a site called Brand Thunder. They are in the early stages but it sounds like a good deal for people that don't use Firefox or even if they do. The Personas from Brand Thunder can be used on Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome. So today I spent some time submitting some. The way they have you submit is much easier and faster than Mozilla. So I may try to match wallpapers and Personas for both Mozilla and Brand Thunder. Their home page is:  http://brandthunder.com/homepage/ so you  might want to check it out.

I just finished reading an email from them and they want to feature me on their site so I have to put something together tomorrow! So that is exciting for this old lady. 

The design I featured today is a nice winter design. The wallpaper to match is available, too and the link to the wallpaper is under details at the Persona site. The wallpaper got a lot of hits very quickly and I got tons of comments on it so hope the Persona becomes popular, too. It makes all the time and work involved worth while.


So I am going to sign off for the day. You all have a great holiday and I will get back soon.

Glow Lilies

Glow Lilies

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/438875

Just a quick post to let you know I am putting some of my Persona designs on Brand Thunder and they can be used for either Firefox or Internet Explorer!  The link for this one, Glow Lilies is: https://bt-engage.com/themes/i4i4p/Glow-Lilies/download. Just in case you use Internet Explorer rather than Firefox you should be able to click that link and download it. I may try it...probably should have before I posted here.

Have a great day....♥♥

November

 Raindrops Keep Falling

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/434975

Wow, I can't believe I didn't take the time to post since the beginning of last month! I am sorry, but if you follow my work at all you know I have been very busy. I keep saying I am done with fall designs and then I get an idea or some graphic that I have to work on. But I have to start concentrating on winter and Christmas, which I am working on.

I have to say I like making wallpapers much more than Personas. I have so much more area to work on and can get an entire picture or theme made. But with Personas the space is so small it is hard to get an idea displayed so you can really see it. So some of the Personas aren't as good as the wallpapers that match.

I am beginning to think about the holidays and trying to figure out where everyone will be and who can make it here for Thanksgiving. This will be the 53rd year in a row I have fixed Thanksgiving dinner.  The first year we had a 1 year old baby boy and expecting our 2nd child in 3 weeks and I was 19 years old! We couldn't afford to buy a turkey and since my husband is/was a hunter and deer season was over we had deer. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all came for dinner. Our family always have each family bring something so it wasn't all on my shoulders. But I still remember it very well. I got very tired but it is a tradition I am very proud to have kept. My grandmother used to always bring candied sweet potatoes and after she passed on, my mother made them for years. But at a certain point I knew I would have to learn how to make them so I had gotten the "recipe" from my Grandma. I have to start working on my menu soon. It won't be hard because we have pretty much the same thing every year. But it is always so much fun to get together and with having little ones in the family again it will be so great.

But before we get to Thanksgiving we have our County Council voting next week on the Japanese developer that wants to build a luxury type hotel around his golf course with some commercial properties to go along with it. (This is all to be built on the 500+ acre farm that is next to us.) Of course the big, fancy homes will be clustered around his golf course, too. So far it has gotten approved going through 2 local government entities and this will be the last hoop they have to jump through. And I know the very conservative council we have now will OK anything that the development/real estate community brings to them.  So I am not looking forward to that. I know it will be appealed to the state and hopefully get tossed out then....but we shall see!

And of course the elections are next week! So don't forget to vote. Our state has mail only voting and that is great. You can sit down on a Sat. or Sun. morning and really take your time voting. I think you get more people to vote that way, too. This may not be a national election period but if you stop to think about it the local elections are actually more important and have more effect on you than the national elections, so VOTE!

Oh, I have to write about the unexpected surprise we had one morning last week! I went to go on the deck to hang out some laundry and there was a pygmy goat on the deck looking in the sliding glass door! It was the cutest thing ever and it was shivering because it was a chilly morning. I called neighbors to see if anyone had bought one but no one knew anything about it. We tried to catch it but that is impossible and it disappeared and we couldn't find it. A little later I looked out the window and it was sound asleep on the deck in the sunshine in front of the door. It wanted to come in the house! Well, we had to find out who owned this little guy so I called Animal Control and they said someone had reported it missing so it's owners came and he got to go home with them to be with his sister goat! They had just purchased them and when they were unloading them, he got away. They were afraid a coyote had gotten him since it had been 3 days. I wonder where he was all that time before he found our home. I am so glad he is home now and hopefully warm and well fed. But I have to say I fell in love with the little critter!

I hope you all have a great holiday season and thanks for using my designs. 

Love to all ♥

October

I am on my laptop while my husband watches football and I don't have my graphics in the laptop so this will be my first post without a graphic at the top.

I have started working on winter wallpapers and Personas. Kind of fun as I am having to hunt for more graphics. Last winter when I was making them I really didn't have a good hold on PhotoShop so didn't know as much as I do this year or how to do things so is a lot more fun this year and hopefully better designs.

Today was the first day I haven't done any designing at all for a long time. But I think it was good to take a rest from it. Just keeping a computer with everything updating constantly is a full time job. Firefox has new updates every other day seems like. And all of my extensions still won't work with the latest version. I have had one that I like called Gmail Manager that is so handy because it keeps your Gmail icons on the lower taskbar so you can see if you have new mail for more than one address. I had a hard time finding the update that would work with the latest Firefox so had to do a lot of searching to figure that out. It is hard for an old lady!  But keeps me on my toes. The one problem I am having with the new FF 7 is a jittery window and I don't like it. It is on my desktop and laptop so I tried opening FF in Safe Mode without any extensions and it was still jittery so I don't think it is my computers, but a problem with FF. I don't think I am the only person it is happening to, but you never know.

I have made some new Halloween designs and some are on line. One is called Haunted Halloween House and the wallpaper has become very popular. But the one I like the best is called Halloween Spirits and I will post that one from the preview on line:

Halloween Spirits

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/435097

 

I am still getting letters from people that like my work and that makes me very happy. I work so many hours a day on them so I get gratification from receiving letters. Thanks to all that take the time to write. I try to answer all of them.

 

Well I am going to sign off for now and will get back soon with some winter ones. I hope everyone is well and in good spirits! ☺

♥ to all!

 

September

Top of Mount Baker

http://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/794443/

I am so bad about posting here, aren't I? I get so busy working on designs I forget to post and then I notice it is a month almost and I haven't checked in. Well, I am still here. We went on a photo shoot Wed, and I took a lot of pictures but as anyone who takes scenery pictures, most of the time they don't turn out like you hope. The one above turned out really well. The sun was working with me this time! But we didn't get to go up near as far as we wanted because our vehicle overheated! You have all read my complaints about no summer weather, well we are having it now and it is in the 80's which is something for this area and it is supposed to get hotter over the week end.

For once I guessed right on a Persona that I thought might be a popular one and it was the one I showcased last month, Purple Prize.  It got popular very quickly for some reason. Well, it is nice but a lot of them are nice and just don't go anywhere so I figure it was just luck!

I really don't have any news since I work all the time! So I know my blog is not very exciting, so sorry about that.

One recent thing is the Japanese corporation that bought the huge farm across and down the road from us is trying to get more development AGAIN! We have been opposing this for 20 years and so far have been successful but I am in doubt this time since the new majority of our County Council is backed by realtor's and developers. And of course any development helps out their pocket books. I must say I don't have a lot of respect for them anymore when they believe the dribble they spew. Farm land should be farmed, not golfed on. I wonder who they think is going to feed our nation if they develop every acre of farm land. We went to a Planning Commission hearing last night and I got up and spoke and told the truth about the farm and the crops it has raised since we moved here 45 years ago.  ENOUGH! I can feel my blood pressure starting to raise!

So back to work I go. I have made a lot of autumn designs, both wallpapers and Personas and wanted to post the one I am using. I called it Autumn Love. 

Autumn Love

 https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/430739

You all have a great September. Till next time.

August Summer

Purple Prize

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/427552

We are finally getting some heat! I know everyone else has been sweltering but we have been lucky to get 70° here and we have finally made it. Our first really good weather has been this week and it is supposed to last through the week end. Hurrah!!!

I think I had mentioned getting an inexpensive video camera. Well, we got it, it is easy to use and it allows us to share videos with people through a program that is in the camera itself. And then I discovered Windows Movie Maker.  So made a little movie and actually put it on You Tube. I thought I would share it with you all. We were taking care of our one year old great grandson one day and my husband decided he would attempt to use it.  So you can check it out at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1oR4C0dlVs/ and you can tell we were having as much fun as he was. I just wish I could have deleted our voices and just kept his but I either can't or don't know how! Am still in the learning process. But let me know what you think of our beautiful great grandson.

I have been working too many hours designing as usual. I added one at the top of this post that I like and am using. It is funny because I will make one I think will really catch on and it doesn't! So it may not become popular but I like it and that is what counts, right? So hope some of you that like purple will enjoy it. Then I will notice one that I made a couple years ago and actually forgot about is on the Up and Coming list! So apparently I haven't got a clue about what people really like.

I am going out for a bit so enjoy this marvelous sunshine. I have laundry out on the clothes line and better get it in also.

Have a great week and hope the weather is good where you are.

August Already

Floral Elegance

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/422770

 Frog Loves Strawberries Too

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/423871

Hello everyone and happy August to you. We have sunshine today as we should in August!

I posted two designs I thought turned out well for me. The first one, floral Elegance took a long time to make as their was almost 60 different layers I had to put in. The wallpaper to match it is on line also. This is the Persona I am using myself I liked it so well.

The second one, Frog Loves Strawberries Too was a fun one to make and I was tickled when I tried it on my screen. Fact is, I laughed out loud. So I hope others enjoy it. So many people are into frog "stuff". I have gone through different phases of liking something such as frogs. I had daisies at one point, where I had a daisy clock, mugs, etc. Then the owl phase, Native American phase and of course bears. I have a quite a few bear figurines, etc. in our house and outside, too actually. We have some big concrete black bears in a flower bed even! 

Well, hopefully our friends in the other Washington will come to a decision and get a vote soon. That is all we hear lately on the news, etc. My husband was reading an article to me out of the paper yesterday saying people are investing in wine and gold. I laughed and told him that was why I bought wine. He said not buy wine, but invest in wine. So I answered back that buying the wine and drinking it makes you feel better anyway. I think he finally agreed with me!

Well, I am going to get back to work. For some reason today I don't feel any enthusiasm for designing and my brain is kind of blank. I am sure something will inspire me soon and I will get some ideas. 

I hope you hall have a good week and take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Till next time.

Movies

Butterfly Blues II

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/420532

I was so excited about my latest accomplishment I had to write about it on my blog! I am learning how to make movies. Right now I don't have a video camera but the digital camera I have actually makes short videos. I had tried to use it once before, unsuccessfully I may add. But we had one of our great grandsons for several hours last week and it was lunch time. We have our 54 year old Cosco stainless steel high chair that my grandmother had sent money for when our first son was born. We re-did the upholstery when our grandkids were born so they could use it and now our great grandkids are using it! So it has gotten lots of use. Anyway, we had him in the high chair and we were feeding him. He had a spoon in each hand and decided he wanted to try feeding himself. So I got my camera and thought I would try the video again. And it worked! It is not the highest quality but it is so cute and he was proud of himself.  Great Grandpa would help put the spoon into the yogurt, etc. and he would get it into his mouth. We all thought it was pretty cool, so when I found out I actually had video of it, I downloaded Windows Movie Maker and went to work. I had so much fun learning something new and have made about six different versions of it. 

So now since I have a new hobby...I went to my favorite "store", Amazon and ordered an inexpensive camcorder and can't wait till it gets here. We have an old cumbersome one that must weight 10# and cost three times what the new one did, but it is just too hard to use.

I wish that we had had such technology when our kids were little. We had to use a square camera with black and white film, take it to someplace and wait a week for it to be developed! Actually I think they had color film back then but it cost more to be developed and we didn't have much extra money. But I do treasure those photos.

I have been quite busy working on wallpapers and Personas, though and the one I have  posted above was on the up and coming list in first place this morning. I have noticed people seem to like the color blue in designs, because I have made several with blue and they get quite popular. I did go through some of the ones that no one was using and hadn't gotten much use and deleted them.

We are actually supposed to have some sunshine this week end and we get to see another great grandson so it will be a good week end. I just wish I had my new video camera....

Till next time...have a good week end and keep using Personas and writing to me. I love hearing from you.

Names???

Peony Pride

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/415781

How is everyone doing? Enjoying the summer? It sounds like the eastern US is have a really hot spell. After thinking about it, I think I like our cooler summer better. The heat can just sap the strength out of you and as you get older you notice it more. The problem  the Pacific Northwest has is that it can be 60° one day and 85° the next and that is kind of hard to take. My Mom used to tell us kids to always take a coat because you never knew what the weather was going to do.

I have been working away as usual and enjoying it so much. I like making the wallpapers almost better than the Personas, though. You have so much more space to work with. I usually make a wallpaper first and then "try" to get most of that into this little tiny space at the upper right corner of the header and sometimes it is nearly impossible and sometimes it is impossible. Then I feel kind of like a failure...

For some reason I have been making a lot of Oriental designs lately. I think it is fascinating how I become fixated on one type of design and then go off onto something else. 

The design above, Peony Pride has become quite popular and I love making the floral/butterfly designs. But then, what compares to the beauty of flowers and butterflies? 

The one problem I seem to be having now is naming the design. Mozilla doesn't accept a title if another one with the same name is already on line, which in a way is rather dumb. What would it hurt to have two or three designs with the same name? Desktop Nexus doesn't bother with the names. 

I recently made a Persona to honor a local football player that was wisely chosen by the Tennessee Titans to play this year. He is a very talented athlete that could have played pro baseball or football but he chose football. I don't think we missed watching any of the college games he played in that was televised. The local newspaper even had an article in our daily paper about the Persona so I have made the big time! But it did please me.

A few weeks ago I wrote about  how playing music helped me out of a depression...and I am still doing it. If I find a song I like, I can play it over and over all day long. The latest tune I enjoy was sung on the television show THE VOICE. Blake Shelton and Dia Frampton sang "I Won't Back Down" and did it even better than Tom Petty. Listen to it sometime and let me know what you think. I have to say the title pretty much says how I have lived my life. I don't back down. My Dad told me over and over that you have to watch out for yourself, because you can't depend on anyone else to do so. Maybe next time I will tell you how my husband and I started a group that fought a development on a 500 acre farm across the road from us. But that is for another time....

Have a good week everyone and tell your loved ones you love them as you never know what is going to happen. I tell my husband I love him every night before we go to sleep.

Summers Here

It is the day after the 4th of July and summer is finally here! For the first time in awhile we had really nice weather for the 4th.

But now I will start getting sad, because this is the first year in many, many that I won't be able to ride my bike. I guess I should be happy and proud that I got to ride it last year when I was 71, but I told myself on every ride last year that it was the last year and for my own sake  it is for the best. I bought this bike new and have had the best of times on it. I had been riding motorcycles for many years, dirt biking for fun and then competition. I did really well, too and have the trophy's to show for it. At that time they didn't make motocross gear for women so I had to buy boys or mens. I rode in a marathon one time in January and it was 5 ° and so cold the kerchief I had over my nose and mouth kept freezing. But I loved it!

Then we got road bikes. I wasn't about to ride behind my husband so bought my own. The last one I bought was the one I have now. I saw a picture of it in a bike magazine and knew it was just what I wanted and it wasn't even in the shops yet, but I waited for 3 months and when they got them in, I traded my old one in and got this one. And have loved it since day 1. My husband even liked it so well, (after I finally let him take it for a short spin) that he traded his in and got one the next summer. 

The best part of summers was when we would load up our gear and take a road trip. We had a favorite cabin we would stay in on the east side of the mountains where it is much warmer and less traffic. When you are riding you smell the smells and feel the air. Those were the best of days and I will treasure them forever. 

So, it is kind of sad for me that I know those days of bike rides are over for me and I get jealous when I see people riding on the nice summer days.  But I guess I should treasure the memories and look at all the photos we took. So that is why I am sharing a picture my husband took of me last year on our last road trip.

This post has nothing to do with Personas except some of the photos I have used were taken on some of those bike rides. 

I just wanted to do a little sharing while I took a break from designing. More on that later. Not to get back to work!

Have a great week.

Happy Independence Day

Eagle of Freedom

http://animals.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/690709/ 

Almost the 4th of July and hopefully that is when our summer will start. I wanted to put a graphic on that depicted the 4th of July for me. It isn't just a day off from work, hot dogs and fireworks. It is the holiday that represents our freedom and the fight for freedom. I hope my friends from the USA have a happy and safe 4th.

I just discovered something that most people already know! Sometimes I get very depressed and have no reason to be so, but it happens and I think it happens more with age. Anyway it has for me. A couple weeks ago I was downloading a song from Amazon and it had been a downer day. But after playing the new song several times I really got to feeling better. So, I have been trying to play "my music" while I work and find at times I am singing at the top of my lungs. And let me tell you that is not a pretty sound! I can not sing! I can't carry a tune and half the time I can't remember all the words, but I feel better. But something I discovered and it wasn't a happy discovery, is if you update your computer you lose a lot of the licenses for your music. Luckily I copy most of my music onto CD's, so I can get it back and that is what I have been doing, trying to find some songs I had lost.

I received the nicest email from a fan in Germany and enjoyed reading it, plus she sent me a photo to use as a design so have been working on it. It sounds like she lives in a beautiful place and if the photo she sent me represents what she sees out her window, it is. She looks out on the Lothlorien Forest, so I will be submitting the design soon. It was kind of hard to work on, though and get as much of the beautiful photo into such a small space. There really isn't a lot of space to use to get a design into and sometimes I work for hours on one. 

I should mention the new header graphic I put on also. I called it Peaceful and is on Desktop Nexus as a wallpaper and I have a Persona to match. It makes me feel very peaceful when I look at it, so hope you all like it. the Persona doesn't show a lot of it because of space, though.

Last week was really nice. An old friend gave us her car because she is moving to Mexico and since my husband had maintained it for her and her husband ever since they bought it she wanted us to have it. What a generous gesture from an old friend. And our daughter needed a new car very badly. She works two jobs to be able to keep her house so can't afford to buy a different car. She has been driving a Jeep Wrangler with a rag top and this Subaru is like a Cadillac for her. So, she got it on Saturday and was shaking she was so excited. Thank you, Gloria. You are a very special person.

We also got to visit with some old friends we hadn't seen for a long time. And that was great, so thanks for popping in.

I better get back to work, but wanted to wish everyone a happy 4th and if you don't live in the USA, have a great week.

Till next time!

Updated my Blog!!!

We the People

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/411872

Well, I think I updated my blog so it has a different look. Hopefully it will! I had a difficult time changing from the old...but perseverance  usually wins out.

I am posting this design called "We the People" and thought I would use it on todays blog because tomorrow is Flag Day. We have our flag on a big flag pole and it waves in the winds of the Pacific Northwest almost every day. We do take it down in the winter because of the high winds we have here and it destroys a flag very quickly.

I have put a few patriotic Personas and wallpapers on line in the last week for the 4th of July celebration coming up. If you are an American, I hope you will look them up. This one means a lot to me since the first graphic on the far right is of an American soldier or Marine with his head down in front of the flag. I can't imagine what he is thinking about. Probably buddies that have been killed or maimed while they protect our rights and liberties. I wish the world was different so these young boys and men didn't have to leave their families to protect our freedoms. But it seems like people can't get along. Even in the US people disagree and always think the other side is wrong. I know I do most of the time!

Flag Day has another meaning to me, too. Our last and favorite pet was born on Flag Day many years ago. Isn't it silly to remember something like that, but I dearly loved him and losing him hurt me very badly. I can not, nor will not have another pet because I can't take the loss. 

I don't like losing things and people I love. They can't be replaced. I often wonder how a woman that loses her husband could ever love another man and re-marry. I don't think I could or would. My gosh, if I can't replace a dog, how on earth could I replace a husband? To be honest, I don't think I would want to live if I lost my husband. I get very sad even thinking of the possibility. Luckily he is very healthy and hopefully stays that way.

I can not believe what happens when I start writing in this blog! I end up and instead of writing about what I think I will when I begin, I end up being too personal. I didn't want my blog to be that way, but I guess since it is my blog, I can blog what I want. That is one of our freedoms! Right?

I got a message from an artist the other day, Sue Miller. I had used a graphic of hers that I had had for years so had no idea where it came from. We ended up emailing back and forth several times. I added her name and website to the specific design because I didn't want to take the credit for something she had done. She has granted me permission to use any of her art work and so I have used a couple. Her web site is www.suemillerart.com, so check it out some time. The two designs of hers I have worked on to make them into Personas are called, Snow Queen and Flo Sparkles. 

Putting a design on is so funny. Sometimes I make one that I am so pleased with and just know it will become popular, doesn't. And another one that I wouldn't personally use is well received. It is hard to know what people like, actually.

Butterfly Lights

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/408096

Butterfly Lights is absolutely gorgeous and I am using it. I made a wallpaper to match it and it is on line also. The link to the wallpaper can be found under details at the Persona site. But the Persona isn't catching on! So I do wonder if I really know people. Not so much, I guess. But maybe Butterfly Lights will catch on in the future. I submitted an iGoogle theme to match but it isn't on line yet, but they take awhile so think it will be added at some point.

I am going to close for now. I hope you like the new design for the blog. And hopefully I won't have such a hard time re-doing it next time.

Have a great week and enjoy summer.

Hummingbirds and Deer

Well, I have been trying to update my blog and remove the "fancy" design but so far haven't been able to figure it out so you will have to excuse me until I get an answer from the place I got it.

The wild life has been rampant in our yard lately. I got a great shot of one of our many hummingbirds at the feeder the other evening. The sun was shining through the kitchen window Sunday evening, so I grabbed my camera and took the picture through the window.   And yesterday morning this young buck was eating leaves off the cherry tree so took this picture through the dining room window. Guess it was good I got the windows cleaned a couple weeks ago. With all the rain we have had, the windows really get dirty.

I have been really working away at wallpapers and Personas lately. Making too many, as usual. I have wallpapers and Personas on line that match the hummingbird and deer. I won't leave links for them as I am sure you can find them. If not, let me know.

Please excuse my messy blog until I get it figured out.

Am looking forward to some sunshine this week end, unless the weather people change their mind.

Have a good one!

Still Busy

Spring Barn

http://architecture.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/663965/

 

We got out to take a few pictures and visit my brother and his wife a week or so ago. I found this old barn with a flowering plum tree in front of it and made my poor hubby stop along the road so I could take a picture. It turned out pretty well. I also made a Persona to match and the link to that is with the wallpaper.

 

We actually got some days of sunshine and it was great. We sold our whole rhubarb crop to a local winery and am excited to taste it. It isn't actually wine, it is mead and from what I have read about it, it is becoming very popular. It is a drink from the olden days and not made with grapes. I took the quote below from the winery's website, Honeymoon Mead.

"Wine made from fermented honey, rather than grapes, mead was the nectar of the gods on Mt. Olympus, the celebrated drink of poets, lovers and kings.  It has long been touted as an elixir of health, fertility and longevity.  But despite its rich history, mead is not well known in modern times." 

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? They don't bottle the rhubarb wine because they probably don't get enough rhubarb, but when it is ready he has invited us down to taste it as they sell it in their tasting room. He wants our whole August crop so hope it does well. It isn't as good as the spring crop, but still tasty. My hubby is going to split it and get some new starts going for next spring. For some reason rhubarb does very well in our ground. It was even featured in Country magazine in the early 2000's. The corporation that purchased the 500 acre farm next to us is trying to develop it into thousands of houses so they keep saying it isn't good farm land! Everything we have ever planted does very well but I guess you will use any excuse/lie to get your good farm land developed into housing. Houses sell for a lot more money than corn, peas, cattle, etc.!!!

We got to have our oldest great grandson for a whole day and it was sunny so we got to be outside. He and his great grandpa love it outside where they can spread their wings.

I was trying to cut back on designing as I said, but darn, if I didn't get some new graphics and worked through the pain!

I didn't like the font I had on my blog so when I checked it yesterday decided todays job would be to change it, so I did. I love the fancy fonts but it is kind of hard to read. 

Must get busy working and since I got the blog updated I have no excuse not to get to work. First a cup of coffee and then will get to it.

Have a great weekend and if the sun is shining where you live, enjoy it and think of me in the house with rain outside. 

Till next time!!!! 

After Mothers Day

Blues on Blue

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/404647

I was working on my blog yesterday and all of a sudden everything I had done was gone and apparently they were working on blogger so I lost everything I had put on. So will re-work it. 

I found this cool place by accident where you can really put in nice backgrounds. The link is: http://www.scrappinblogs.blogspot.com/. If you have a blog it would be worth checking out and donating to their work. I am going to since I love some of the designs and I don't have time to work on that end of a blog! I don't have a lot of money to toss around but I am sure every little bit will help.That is where I got the background for the one I am currently using.

Now to Mothers Day! I got to see or hear from all of my kids and some of the grand kids so was a nice day. I am so blessed that all 3 of our kids live within a few miles of us. Hope you all had a good Mothers Day if you are a Mother or got to visit or at least call your Mother if she is still with you. I told my Mom Happy Mothers Day and I know she can hear me, even if I can't see her.

The Persona I posted today is one of the best ones I have made lately and hope it becomes popular. I have a wallpaper to match it and the link is with the Persona, so I won't post it here.

I think I am going to have to slow down a bit on designing as my right arm and shoulder are really hurting. My Fibromyalgia gets so much worse if I over use certain muscles and holding a mouse all day and moving it around working in Photoshop is beginning to take it's toll. BUT my problem is that I can't seem to slow down. I made up my mind last night that I wouldn't do any designing for a few days and give it a rest, well...guess what...I had this idea and just HAD to see if it would turn out and it did! 

I have so many designs already made I could probably quit for a month and just get some of the extras submitted but I know me and unless it gets so I can't hold the mouse I will work. I will try to cut back though.

The US Postal Service is holding a food drive tomorrow so I am getting some bags filled to put out for them to pick up. I over buy on groceries so have more than we can use. This way I can clean out my cupboard and help someone whose cupboard is like Mother Hubbards, bare. I hope you will do the same. The thought of people going hungry is not a thought we should have to have, but there are many out there that are, so if you have an extra can of corn, put it out for your mail person to pick up. And have a great week end. We get to see the grand kids that live farther away and we are having a yogurt parfait breakfast and visit for awhile.

Till next time.

Violets and Pink

Happy after Easter Tuesday...I am breaking a record here posting two days in a row. I wanted to update my main picture, though and have worked all day trying to figure out what to put on. I like this one, called Violets and Pink. It is a wallpaper I added today and it is: 

Violets and Pink

http://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/651352/

  

The Persona isn't on line yet, as they are a bit slow reviewing this week so I will add the link when it is available.

I hope you all have a good week and will pop in again soon. So, until then....

Thursday...April 28th...Well, the Violets and Pink Persona is on line at: 

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/400138

Checking in from the chilly Pacific Northwest!

Fall Autumn

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/398260

I know, it isn't autumn (yet) but it feels like it. We got spoiled on Saturday with a beautiful spring day. We also got a chance to visit and play with our three beautiful great grandsons for awhile, so it was a very precious day. The babies are growing up too fast, though. I would love to post some pictures but I don't feel I should. I do have a Persona on line of our oldest great grandson and it is called The Littlest Cowboy. It is several years old and only shows his back, so I will post it. 

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/268112

 I have written about him before and his love of bull riding. He gets to go to a PBR event this week end and is very excited about that. 

I hope you all had a great Easter. Our weather was not kind to us but we had a good dinner here with part of the family members and we had a really great time.

My parents used to have the family Easter dinner, and after my Dad passed away in 1999 Mom carried on the tradition by herself. I remember the last Easter she had dinner for everyone in 2002. She was 86 years old and fixed so much food you wouldn't believe! But you could tell she was tired and told us, that it would be the last Easter dinner she could fix. And sad to tell, it was. She found out a few weeks later that she had ovarian cancer and it was terminal. My brother and his wife, my sister, myself and my wonderful husband put our lives on hold that summer. Mom got to be in her own home and we took turns taking care of her with the support of Hospice. Without Hospice we wouldn't have been able to do it, but Mom got to spend her last days at home with her family. I am sitting here, a 72 year old lady crying on the keyboard as I remember those last  days with her. I miss my Mom. I have some other stories I will tell about those last months next time, but just can't right not.

This started out to be a small note about our weather and ends up being a sob story. But since Mother's Day is coming up in a few weeks Mom is on my mind a lot. So, if anyone out there is reading this, think about your Mom, give her a call if you can't be with her. You never know when she won't be there and then it is too late. If you have questions you want answers to, ask as you may not get another chance.

Till next time....have a good week.

April 14th and Spring in the Northwest!

 

What we woke up to on this beautiful April 14th day!

 

I just had to take this photo this morning. It isn't anything to brag about, but I just posted a few days ago that it was feeling more like spring out. Well, this is what spring looks like in the Pacific Northwest. I am sure there was actually more snow earlier but we did get to sleep in a bit this morning and neither one of us could believe our eyes when I pulled the shade! If this keeps up the Easter bunny is going to get frost bite when he hides Easter eggs for the little ones.

I hope it is nice and warm where you live....have a good day!

New Background

Sakura Pink

http://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/638370/

 

 MaDonnas Sakura Pink

 https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/395149

 

I made a beautiful wallpaper and it has become very popular so thought I would try using it as a background for my blog and it seems to work fairly well. So I posted the link for both the wallpaper and the Persona. I made this because cherry blossoms are most noted for Japan and since everyone is wishing the best for that country, I made these to show our support.

Today it actually looks like spring could be around the corner. 

Wishing you all a good week. And again, thanks for writing and letting me know you are using and enjoying my work.

Supposed to be Spring

Poppies for Spring

http://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/627008/

 

Well, it is supposed to be spring but we had hail and some snow yesterday which is NOT spring weather! Plus it was 30 degrees last night!  And the forecast doesn't sound very good for the week end. Guess I will just keep dreaming of warm weather and working at making spring, Easter and summer designs. The above picture is very springy and I have a Persona to match it at: https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/389335

 

The new header picture is one I worked on a long time and am pleased with it. Of course it is nature at its finest. The wallpaper is at: http://nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/634891/ and the Persona is called The Enchanted Forest Two at:  (https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/393769). The reason I called it Two was because the first one I made didn't show the deer in the preview and to me that is the best part of it.

Now to my updating to  Firefox 4. I did it last week and after a few minutes of making my own adjustments I like it real well. My very favorite extension called Sxipper is not available anymore so am learning to do without it. Apparently the author of Sxipper isn't going to upgrade it for FF4, either. I use a bookmark toolbar for easy access to the pages I check a lot and I have the tabs on the bottom, but everyone likes their screen to look the way they want it.

There are several other extensions I liked and used and am hoping they will become available for FF4 soon.

It is spring break and we got to have our oldest great grandson for an overnight visit and we had a great time. The only problem was it rained the whole time so we didn't get outside very much. But we all had fun and on our 54th wedding anniversary we took him out for breakfast! 

We have had a great 54 years, actually we have been together for 55 years because we dated for a year before we got married. So, I count my blessings every day. 

Easter Eggs Pink

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/345478

This seems to be  one of people's favorite of my Easter designs. I have made quite a few, though, so if you don't like this one, just put Easter in the search bar and there are many there, mine and other designers. Of course I am hoping you choose mine, but everyone likes something different.

I wish you all a Happy Easter and will be back soon.

Firefox 4!!!!

I wonder how many of you have updated to Firefox 4 and if you like it. I tried it last week and was very unhappy with it. It is very different and people are not very happy with the way the Personas display. I have a Bookmark Toolbar on mine so it shows more. But I used FF4 a half  day and put back in my older version of 3.6.16. I like it and it is much easier to design with. I know I am going to have to update to the new version, but...Another thing I didn't like was the home page place had changed, the re-load button was almost impossible to find, too. I am not a very patient person and when I am busy designing it just slowed me down too much. 

I just thought I would add a note to my blog concerning Firefox 4 and if I were you, I would wait a couple weeks till they have all the little bugs figured out and more extensions have been updated for it. Mozilla isn't going to change it as they are already working on Firefox 5, so we are going to have to get used to it. I don't think I will be designing any new designs for awhile that I am not sure how they will look. But I have lots done and know that if I have less showing they will be all right for FF4. Some people are saying that most of their old designs don't work at all. Can you image me having to re-design all of mine? Well, I won't be doing that!

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/388754

Jaguar Wild

 The design above is one I did before I had tried FF4 and I doubt it will show very much in 4, so I may re-design it as I really like it. The main complaint against FF4 is that not much of the design shows so you have to add toolbars, etc. and get it set up the way you like. Once I start using it I will post some hints for people that are Persona lovers.

I will be updating my blog with more spring "things" soon. 

Have a good week and enjoy your loved ones.

Oh, Magda, I lost your blog site. I went to it and it told me my invitation wasn't valid anymore, so please drop me another note.

Spring!!!

Little Girls Wonder

https://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/persona/382027

Spring begins on Sunday and one of my grandsons will be 28 that day so it is a very special day to me. Besides being a fantastic grandson that I am very proud of, he is my computer expert that builds my computers and keeps them running.

Our weather has been cold and windy and awful. I am so ready for spring and some sunshine, but I heard this morning that spring in the Pacific Northwest will be cool and wet! What else is new? I love it here but would really like a bit more sunshine.

I have been so busy working on designs and have tons made and more in my head and computer to do. The  one above is very springy, if that is a word. I started out not having any idea of what it would be and just kept checking my files of graphics and added to it and added to it and kept adding to it. I was real pleased with it. I had planned on putting an Easter design on today since Saint Patrick's Day is over but I made this and liked it better. If I make an Easter one I am especially proud of I will add it next month. 

Enjoy the week end and drop a note if you have time. I love hearing from people that like and use my work. 

And let us all keep good thoughts for  the people in Japan and the horrible, horrible time they are having. We wish you the very best in these hard times.