The Pinterest Report: DIY Stickers and Spray Paint Art

 

 

Week Three: DIY Spray Paint Art (Sticker Version)

{all photos linked to source}

 

The Pin:

Again linking to my own since I can't find the original pinner.

The Link:

Brassy Apple: Cut it out! Canvas Tutorial

The Test:

You need: (tutorial's way) canvas, fabric, contact paper, spray paint, staple gun, printer and exacto knife or cricut machine (my way) canvas, letter stickers, fabric, spray paint, hot glue gun.  Also newspapers and a well-ventilated place to spray paint.

What to do: Follow the link above if you want to see the original lady do it.  Pretty much you staple the fabric around the canvas, then make your own quote and letter stickers, put the stickers on the fabric, and spray paint.  Then remove the stickers.  How I did it?  Wrap the fabric, with a considerable hem, around the canvas and hot glue in place.  Use letter stickers (mine are mismatched because I just used what I had on hand) to create your quote.

I also used this little sticker maker thing to create my own version of sticker paper, which I then made raindrops out of.

 

Spray paint over the stickers and let dry enough that you can touch the stickers without getting paint on you.  Then carefully peel the stickers off.  Mine were still sticky and just looked cool, so I found an old sticker book to put them in for future use.

Voila!  You're done.  Just let it sit to dry a little longer.

"Some people feel the rain; others just get wet." ~Bob Marley, random singer I've never heard of.  Found this quote - you guessed it - on Pinterest.

I liked this project better than the glue one from last week, but I'm thinking I should get more contrasting colors if I do it again.  This time I just used stuff I had lying around to try it out.

The Grade:

 

A Question for My Lovely Readers

Lately I've been trying to come up with ideas for new things to write about here.  I do a lot of author interviews and book reviews; I like talking about personal issues when they come up; and every so often I'll share a poem or short story of mine.

 

But I want to try something new.  I want to write something that you, my lovely readers, want to read.

 

So please do share what you'd like to see here!

Do you have any questions for me?

Any guest posters or author interviews you'd love to see featured?

I have the new book discussion guide section on my book reviews page, but there's only one discussion guide currently available.  Any others you'd like me to write?

How about products, movies, books, or services to review?

The comments are open for discussion!

Book Review: Another Life Trilogy



Click the cover to buy

 

Trilogy Rating:

When I Was Joe

It's one thing watching someone get killed.  It's quite another talking about it.

Almost True

This isn't the first time that someone's tried to silence me forever.  It's just the first time that someone else has died instead.

Another Life

I'm trying to look cool and like I've been doing this for years.  I'm trying to look like this is no big deal, nothing special, nothing new.  But it feels like it might be.

Let me start off by saying that this series was a new thing for me.  First off, I'm not one for thrillers, which this series definitely counts as.  But I enjoy mysteries, a similar genre, so I gave it a shot.  Another first about these books is that I've never read stories both written by and targeted to British people - with British lingo, punctuation, grammar, etc.  It was actually pretty fun to see all the differences and try to decode the British English.  (I will note the author's website, wheniwasjoe.blogspot.com, has a page with British lingo and slang definitions.)

Starting with When I Was Joe, the series follows Ty, a boy who witnessed a murder and enters witness protection after telling the police about it.  However, things aren't quite what they seem; Ty, his best friend Aaron, and the police are all keeping details to themselves - who can be trusted?  In Almost True, Ty's family loses faith in the police protection that has failed them and Ty's aunt takes him to her own idea of a safe house, where Ty learns that he has an entire family and history he knew nothing about.  In Another Life, Ty faces charges for his own bad choices and his newfound cousin Archie decides to find out who Ty really is.  Throughout the series, secrets and misunderstandings surface while Ty struggles to make - and keep - trustworthy friends while staying alive and protecting the ones he loves.

The writing style is great, especially for the genre: very gripping and fast-paced without being rushed.  The character's voice comes out naturally through the narrative.  The characters have good traits and bad, but there were quite a few times I felt like the main characters weren't really any better than the 'bad guys.'  I've never been to England (at least when I was old enough to remember), so I can't say for certain, but it seems the writer really knows her setting well and the details and description are well-balanced.  They give you an idea of what's going on and where the characters are, without boring you with excessive detail.

However, on a content level, this series is not exactly recommendable.  When the series starts out, there's a good deal of violence and slums-of-London living (smoking, drinking, shady people, not the best parenting, etc.), but that's to be expected with the storyline and setting.  It's as the series goes on that I feel things get out of hand.  With the first book it was mostly the violence, and then language, and then some immorality (not at all graphic, I will say).

With the second book there was more violence, more language, and a whole lot of really poor choices.  I kept reading, thinking this was one of those books where people are really stupid and then see the light near the end.  That sort of happened.  And then the third book started with a different character, and drugs and mindless popularity and more stupidity came onto the scene.  I kept reading, although the writing style had gone downhill and the head-hopping drove me nuts.  Finally, though, I couldn't take any more of Archie's stupid choices and Ty's anger and anxiety.  So I quit.

All in all, I think this series started off well.  The characters were great, and I really loved Patrick and Helen from book two.  But everything just kind of unraveled as Ty struggled with PTSD and Archie acted like a complete idiot.  So, as you can see above, I've listed individual ratings for each book and give the overall trilogy two and a half stars.

I received these three books for free from the author in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

The Pinterest Report: DIY Glue and Spray Paint Art

 

Week Two: DIY Spray Paint Art (Hot Glue Version)

{all photos linked to source}

 

The Pin:

 

I couldn't find the original pin, so I used mine.

Elmer's glue, let it dry overnight, spray paint

 

The Link:

 

This is one of those pins that just links to the whole site.  The original tutorial isn't really a tutorial and is nearly impossible to find, so I'm linking to a follow-up that won't do you much good. Sorry.

 Questionable Logic: DIY Craft Overload!

 

The Test:

 

You Need: either Elmer's glue (original tutorial) or a hot glue gun (my no-patience version), a canvas, and spray paint.  Also newspapers and a well-ventilated area for the spray painting.

What to do: Use the glue to create your doodle or quote, then let that dry.  Spray paint over it and let dry again.  That's it, you're done!

 



pre-spray-paint



post-spray-paint

 

I liked making it and it was super-easy and pretty fast.  However, it was almost too easy.  I like more involved projects, generally.  Also, (this is probably entirely my fault), I don't really like the messy look.  I'd recommend this more for people with steady hands and more patience than I have.

 

The Grade:

 



The Fantastic Blog Award

Nearly two weeks ago, Sarah from Inklined and Critic from The Book Critic awarded me with The Fantastic Blog Award!

 

(Speaking of Sarah, don't forget to enter her Teen Ten Page writing contest for a chance to win a ten-page critique from yours truly!)

 

Let me first say I'm sorry it took me this long to post about it. *penitent face*

 

And now, the rules:

 

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and tag them.

2. Ask the next person five questions and answer the five questions given to you.

3. Award five new people.

4. Always post the rules! ;)

 

 

Sarah's Questions:

 

1) What was your favorite part of blogging? I just enjoy sharing my thoughts and words with others.  That's why I started blogging, and that's why I keep at it.  Lots of bloggers are authors trying to build a platform (which could, I'll admit, be me someday), or bloggers who make money through the ads and promotions on their blogs, or businesses trying to garner attention for their products.  While they end up with posts classified as more helpful than mine at times, and while they have the large followings and inboxes full of fan mail, I prefer to simply put myself out there and let those who connect with me enjoy the smaller, one-on-one feel of my site.

2) What are some of your favorite blogs? Actually, you can see all the blogs I follow and read regularly on my page: Blogs I Read.

3) Are there any blogs you follow that have really huge followings? Several, yes.  I won't list all of them, but some examples would include my real-life friend Kathryn's blog (Singing Through the Rain) and the Books & Such Literary Agency's blog.

4) What's your favorite subject to read in? Write in? Being the teen I am, I mostly read
young adult, although I read some Christian romances for women.  Within YA, I like to read contemporary, dystopian, and fantasy/fairy-tale (plus some speculative).  I don't have a favorite genre to write so much as one I'm best at, and that would be general contemporary YA.

5) If you could interview one author on your blog, who would you pick? I've reviewed several authors already, but I'm going to assume you mean more like the huge, best-selling, untouchable authors that are too busy to accept all the bloggers who invite them.  (That sounds pessimistic, I know.)  I would have to choose from one of the authors I've already invited for my blog party.  Surprisingly, I've only gotten one "sorry, no time" response (which means we'll be having some awesome authors at the party!!).  It was from Shannon Hale, so since Suzanne Collins is unreachable to all media, I'll go with Shannon.  Her Books of Bayern series is absolutely amazing.

 

Critic's Questions:

 

1. What was the last book you read? Was it good? Right now I'm reading a trilogy written by a Keren David and published in England.  It's pretty good so far; I must say it's very interesting to notice all the little differences between modern-day American and English works.  Even punctuation is different!  I won't say any more, though, because I'm planning to review the trilogy when I'm done. ;)

 

2. What was the last blog you read? What do you think of it? I get quite a few blog posts through email, so I can't really say which one I've read most recently... all of them are good, though.  I only subscribe with my email to blogs I really, really like and can't stand to miss one post from.

 

3. What are your favourite tv shows? I love the old CBS shows Christy and Beauty and the Beast.  Shows still running that I watch would be Psych and Once Upon a Time.  I don't watch many television shows, but I adore these!

 

4. What is your favourite genre of book to read? See Sarah's question #4.

 

5. Did you like reading in primary/elementary school? Oh yes.  I loved it!  I was actually ahead of my class in reading in first grade, so while they worked in the reader I was reading Junie B. Jones and Johnny Appleseed biographies. :)

 

Bloggers I'm Tagging:

Kristin from K's Journal

Katelyn from The Life of a Teenage Writer

Becki from Being Becki

AnnaKate from Because He Loves Me

 Jessica from Diary of a Beautiful Soul

My Questions for the Nominees:
1. Favorites: song, music artist, color, food, season.
2. Why do you blog?
3. If you could spend 24 hours with any one person from history, anyone at all, who?  The catch: you can't tell anyone from the past who you are or anyone from the present where you went/who you met.
4. Tell us the two fashion/clothing things you hate most.
5. Now you have to wear one of them.  Which will it be?



Extended Deadline - Teen Writing Contest

Hello there, lovely readers!  Just wanted to drop in early today and tell y'all that Sarah from Inklined has received no entries for the teen writing contest (what?!), so the deadline's extended through October 4.  So pull out your stories, blow off the dust, and send in a little something!

Link: http://inklinedwriters.blogspot.com/2012/09/teen-ten-page-contest.html

3:57

Recently I posted a miniseries of an Ever After movie fanfiction I'd written.  It was followed by requests for more fanfictions, which I actually don't usually write.  Only about a year ago, I was most firmly opposed to fanfiction in general as a terrible waste of time and usually awful quality of writing.  That's beside the point, though, and since I've discovered the true drive behind writers of fanfiction - the pure fun of it, which I tend to lose sight of in all my writing - I've written three.  Here is my second, a much shorter work based off my favorite Taylor Swift music video.

You duck under the branch, careful not to let the oil spill from the lantern. Holding it a safe distance from your hair and dress, you continue your quiet path to the cherub statue.

He reaches it just before you do. When he sees you, he smiles and you feel like your corset tightens on its own. He looks so wonderful, standing by the lilacs with his black tailcoat unbuttoned and his white neckcloth tied crookedly. The unique green of your own attire sets off your eyes, and it helps you blend into the garden. Neither of you have changed since the party earlier that evening.

You hurry to meet him and smile ridiculously - you can't help yourself, and it seems he can't, either. You both know the risk you're taking by meeting him, and the risk he's taking by even being here, when his own group left the grounds hours ago. Yet neither of you can ever seem to keep away. He starts to speak, but you place your finger on his lips.


"Not too loud. The house isn't far from here. They'll hear us." You whisper it directly into his ear, straining to hear your own words. You'd be dead if the schoolmistress caught you with him.

Without a word, he takes your hand and leads you to the edges of the garden. Under the night sky, the two of you whisper and continue heading away from the main house. You leave the garden and walk through a field of weeds and wildflowers. Eventually, tied to a tree at the edge of the woods, you reach the horse he will ride back - a gentle mare with white and gray markings. You feed her the apple he brought while he continues to talk with you about anything and nothing.

Too soon your time is gone and you have to hurry to make it back. You turn to kiss him, wondering if you'll see him again, but you barely meet his wonderful brown eyes before waking to your dark and sparsely decorated bedroom.

It's 3:57 in the morning. You have an hour and three minutes before your phone alarm goes off. Rolling over, you refuse to think about the dream that apparently has come back again.

***

I pull myself out of bed and stumble into the bathroom to shower. Although I only woke up once during the night, I feel like I never slept at all. I try to hurry anyway.

My outfit's been laying out for a full week. It had to be perfect - not too dressy but still pretty and adult-looking. I pull on the sage scoop-neck tee and button the mini black sweater. Then I slide into my favorite jeans and black flats. The long key-pendant necklace, a graduation gift from my parents, finishes the look and I return to the bathroom to fix my long blond curls.

Little electric beeps and the smell of bacon come from the kitchen, which means Mom's busy making breakfast. She's standing in her robe and slippers when I come in. Dad must be in the shower still. My brother and sister are still sleeping - school doesn't start for another week. They probably won't be up until just before I leave.

Dad joins Mom and me, and we enjoy waffles and bacon. Mom wakes up my brother and sister while I brush my teeth and grab my purse. The clock on my gray Hyundai Accent reads 6:28 AM when I pull out of the driveway and roll down the window.

"Goodbye!" I wave at my sleepy-looking siblings and crying mother.  She responds only with an odd, strangled cry, which I choose to block out.  I can't drive and cry at the same time.

My dad attempts to break the mood with, "No frat boys, remember!"

I give a courtesy laugh and shake my head, rolling the window up as I head off.


I'm checked in and ready to go for the day by 3:29 that afternoon. All my luggage is sitting on the empty mattress in my dorm room beside me. My car is safely parked in the student parking area; Dad helped me register it nearly a month ago. It's Monday, but school doesn't actually start for a few more days. My parents wanted me to be one of the first to arrive, to make sure I had time to get settled in. I glance at the bed across the room, identical to mine, and wonder who my roommate will be.

I need to unpack, but that can wait until later - maybe even tomorrow. I can't hear the birds outside through my window, but I feel like they're calling for me to join them. The weather is beautiful, and I want to explore the campus. My cell phone says it's 3:32. It doesn't take long to grab my shoes, campus guidebook, and purse and head down the stairs.

According to the book, there's a coffee shop, a library, and several other places I want to check out. But I don't head to any of them. I just start walking, and without even meaning to I find myself entering the garden.  I know from my original college research back in high school that this particular university was once a ladies' finishing school, known for its impressive garden. The original owners of the garden combined a traditional flower-bush garden and a fruit-tree orchard, creating a sort of haven in which the buildings around it are hidden from view. The university has done its best to keep the garden in the same condition as its finishing school days.

I wander through the trees and fountains, just enjoying the day for a moment. The place feels familiar, as if I'd been here and should remember. I almost laugh at the thought.  It must be a sign that I chose the right school. It's 3:53 when I decide to make my way to the garden's exit, on the opposite side of the entrance, and head to the library.

I never make it to the library. Just out of sight from the garden's exit stands a weathered marble statue of a chubby angel, framed by lilac bushes. By this angel, under an apple tree, sits a young man reading a book. I breath in sharply - not quite a gasp, but still enough for him to look up. He squints at me, closes his book, and slowly stands. We stay this way for a moment.

Anyone who saw us would have found it funny - two new college kids staring at each other. But my mind takes control of my body and I can hardly breath, much less move.  The warm day and birdsong are gone - even the man himself disappears from my view. All I can I see is a hand hovering by my own during a dance. All I can feel is a hot breath tickling my ear in the cold night air. All I can hear is the field of weeds outside the garden, rustling as I run back to bed before anyone can wake and notice my absence.

I blink, and the college boy stands before me again. The birds and warmth return, and I wonder if I imagined the strange moment. There are no fields anywhere near campus. I don't know this boy's name. I've never been in these gardens or on campus before, not even for a college visit.  Anyone would think me crazy to be so affected by one rather average-looking college boy.

But I know without checking that the man's book must be a biography, because anything else would bore him. I know he has a way with animals and enjoys riding horses. I know he wears something black every day, just because he likes to. I know his only family is his grandmother, and she's going to love me when I finally meet her. And I know that, every Monday morning of my senior high school year, at exactly 3:57 AM, I wanted to kiss him.

I take a breath. He slides one step closer to me.  I step forward as well, look directly into those amazing brown eyes, and kiss him.

He barely moves at all, just closes his eyes and tilts his head a little. His arms don't wrap around my back, but they don't push me away. I close my eyes.  We stand there for only a few seconds, our arms hanging by our sides, nothing but our lips touching. Just after I pull away, I slide my cell phone out of my pocket.

3:57 PM.

The Pinterest Report: Removing Glitter Polish

Week One: Removing Glitter Nail Polish

{all photos linked to source}

The Pin:

Remove Nail Polish

The Link:

Erica's Primp and Polish: Best Nail Polish Trick I Know!

The Test:

You Need: nail polish remover; cotton squares or balls (I prefer squares); aluminum foil strips; toe dividers (optional, but makes it much easier)

What to do: Soak cotton in nail polish remover. Put the cotton on your nail; secure it by wrapping with an aluminum foil strip.  Wait about 5 - 10 minutes, depending on how many coats of polish you're wearing and whether you're wearing topcoat.  Slide the wrap and cotton off your nail; the polish should slide off with it.  If not, rub your nail with the soaked cotton.

I'd been wearing my now-favorite then-new glitter polish, a really nice gold one, for my part as an angel in the Christmas production.  As all nail-polish wearers know, regular nail polish removal is nothing compared to glitter polish.  Glitter is fun, but it can be a pain!
When I was ready, I followed the instructions exactly.  I even set a timer and watched a show on Netflix while I waited.

It worked! :)  After trying it, I repinned it with these notes: for toes, put in dividers first; cut cotton squares in half for smaller toes, pinkies, and kids' fingers; easier to do on fingers than on toes, but you may need help with the last few fingers

The Grade:
 

Christians and Politics

Rather than writing a post of my own today, I'm inviting you, my lovely readers, to visit a blog I frequent.

 

A Christian Worldview of Fiction is a blog written by Rebecca LuElla Miller, an author of Christian fantasy.  Recently she's published some posts about Christians, politics, and the pro-life cause that really resonate with me.

An Announcement!

 Three months can be a long time, but I like to get a head start on things when it comes to schedules and my blog.  So, today I have an announcement:

 

Exactly three months from today, Blog of a (Maybe) Teen Author's second annual Blog Party will begin!

 

{via}

 

The annual Blog Party is a time of contests -

 

giveaways -

 

guest posts -

 

author interviews -

 

and lots of mingling with new people!

 

 

{via}

 

 

But, in order to have all of this, we need giveaway and contest sponsors.  We need bloggers and authors to guest post.  And we need authors to interview!

 

So if you're a blogger who'd love to join us -

 

an author willing to be asked crazy questions or giveaway a book -

 

 an artist looking to spotlight your Etsy shop -

 

or someone who knows such a person -

 

email me at newyorksnowflake@gmail.com and I'll gladly put you on the schedule!

To all my lovely readers, it'd be a great help if you'd spread the word and share a button!

 

Button code: http://maybeteenauthor.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUM2VnLt7apOvEFS-qYUd4vU3ftJ97kNHN6zmstCYUiW3Kqspgc_gpssbix9oSCItmYPZ1cKo8kL098Kd0sSokVOgpOsL5mcHfn56GTw3UrvRUIjICYLr6GqB0t4zLdFS_0oyIrcoXads7/s320/Blog+Party+2012.jpg

" width="320" />

I Am From

flower of the military brat

I am from beloved dolls, from bubble wands and crabapple trees.

I am from bright colors and playful spirits,
Bookshelves and stacked boxes.


I am from dandelions and low-branched trees.

I am from reused Christmas cards and bony fingers;
From blue eyes and Edmond and receding chins.

I am from bookworms and individuals.

From the Don't Mess Up My Systems,
From the Act Your Ages and Same Differences.

I am from Noah's sons and Peter's vision.

I am from camoflague and brown-tan boots,
From dog tags and moving vans.

I am from first grade kisses.

I am from purple mountains and shining seas,
From liberty in law and patriot dream.

I am from unrecorded family trees.

From unknown countries and untold tales,
From unwritten history and unshared ancestry.

I am from America, and that's enough for me.

Homemakers-in-Training: The Heavenly, the Hopeless, and Me

people my age have trouble figuring out what to do with their lives.

There are three kinds of women in America.

There are those who are raised to be homemakers, who can cook and clean and organize and know exactly what to do when faced with scraped knees or algebra homework.

There are those who are not raised to be homemakers, and have to learn the hard way - after marriage, when Easy Mac and ignoring the clutter are no longer enough.

Then there's those who are in between.  That'd be me, lovely readers.


I'm great with kids.  I know how to make salads, enchiladas, and rice; I can bake a mean banana bread (from a box, but these days even that's an accomplishment apparently).  I've very proud of my bedroom, which I actually decorated myself and manage to keep clean.  It's like my own little house.

But I've never couponed or made a meal plan in my life.  I feel overwhelmed by a cookbook.  My number of fingers is greater than the number of loads of laundry I've ever done.  My dad is better with a sewing machine than I am.  (Well, okay, he's better than my mom, too.  I'd say it must be hereditary, but my grandma's a wizard.  Maybe it skips a generation and I'm just a late bloomer?  A girl can hope!)

So I've decided to take matters into my own hands and improve these things, or at least some of them, before I'm thirty and wondering why I call myself a homemaker.

Right now, this takes the form of creating a "household planner/binder" involving schedules, cleaning checklists (for my bedroom, I guess), and meal plans (hopefully that I can try out on my guinea-pig brothers).  To start off, I've hopped over to Only a Breath, one of the few Mom blogs I actually read.  I'm really glad I've been subscribing to her posts so long, because I know it's a place I can go for tips I'll understand on things I used to think were only for minivan-driving, three-kids-or-more-raising, coupon-blogging moms.

Sadly, this may result in actually getting my driver's license (for the purpose of grocery shopping) which my parents have been pushing me towards since I turned fifteen.

Can I just say that I hate growing up?

New Blog Series: The Pinterest Report

Since finishing the 30 Day Challenge a few weeks ago, I've been looking for ideas for a new Saturday series or theme.

Since starting this school year, my junior year of high school, I've also had more free time on my hands than I've had in a loooong time.

These two factors combined last week resulted in The Pinterest Report!

HTML codes don't like my blog posts, so to use this button, you'll have to save it to your computer and either turn it back into a button or make it link back to my blog.

 

Every Saturday, I'll post a recipe, craft project, cleaning tip, or something along those lines that I found on Pinterest.  Then I'll post my attempts and results when testing that pin!

If you'd like to participate in The Pinterest Report, contact me at newyorksnowflake(at)gmail(dot)com or comment on this post!  Your report(s) will be posted on your blog and mine, with links to each other's, on the same day.  You'll also be asked to put the above button on your blog and leave it for the month during which your report(s) is/are posted.

Stay tuned for the first weekly Pinterest Report next Saturday!

Teen Writing Contest!

Well, my lovely readers, today is another happy day of firsts for yours truly.  Why?  Because today starts the second round of Sarah from Inklined's Teen Ten Page contest - and I'm the critiquer! :)

Here's how it works:

1. Teenage writers send the first paragraph of their story, up to 150 words, in the text of an email to Sarah at sarah(dot)y(dot)faulkner(at)gmail.com.

2. Sarah and her friend Hannah from Candy Apple Books will judge the entries and choose two winners.

3. These two winners will send in the first ten pages of that story and get a critique from me!

Rules:

1. One entry per person.  If you send in more than one entry, you will be disqualified.

2. Sarah will send you an email confirming that she received your entry.  If you don't get a confirmation within 48 hours of entering, re-submit your entry.
3. The contest closes at 11:59 PM Eastern time on Thursday, September 16th.

4. If you are a blogger: please either post about this contest or grab the button below and put it in your sidebar.  Then, when you submit your entry, either tell Sarah you grabbed the button or give her the link to the post where you shared the contest.

Are you a teen writer?  Then what are you waiting for?  Go enter the contest and then spread the word!

{The code doesn't want to work for me, so to grab the button, save the image to your computer and, when putting it on your blog, link it to http://inklinedwriters.blogspot.com/}

My Writing Notebook

Most writers have either a writing notebook or a writing bulletin board.  All I have is a box under my bed of stuff from elementary/middle school and files on my computer from high school.  So, one day a long while ago, I decided to get a bulletin board.

Being the way I am, I went for the biggest one.  Therefore, we were limited in where it would fit on my bedroom walls.  This led to it hanging above my bed instead of my desk and becoming a sort of collect-all for random papers, like movie tickets, class notes or notes to self, postcards, library papers, drawings from kids I babysit, and the like.  It's nice to have a place to put all of these, but the idea of its being used for writing quickly vanished.

Several months later, at my church's annual Father-Daughter Banquet (a very formal event), I won a pink polka-dot magnet board with four cute butterfly magnets.  (We won't mention how unladylike it is to be the first daughter of eight contestants to swallow a Reese's cup and whistle into a microphone.  Suffice it to say that I won "a game.")  Well, I was planning to make this into a writing board, but that didn't quiet work out either.  It *is* used for collecting notes and thoughts for future blog posts...

So recently I was walking through the store and looking at all the clearance and spotlighted school supplies.  I've always been a sucker for new notebooks, highlighters, ink pens, sharpeners, calculators! Folders!  Binders!  Oh, the glorious supplies aisle!

Ahem, as I was saying.  I will take any excuse to buy said supplies.  So I decided to make a writer's notebook and buy a binder, file folders, and two actual folders.  (As well as markers and a notebook I later returned.)  That night I watched a movie on my laptop while decorating the cover of my binder.  The result?  An actual writer's notebook I fully intend to use.  I even printed off notes from my current WIPs to put in the folders!

The Law of Fetucide

It's been a while since I talked about abortion and the pro-life cause, although it's a fight that's close to my heart.  Recently, a lady at church told me about some local news she'd caught and thought I might want to share with you, my lovely readers.

A man in Henry County, Georgia, ran over his pregnant 27-year-old girlfriend in his pickup truck.  Police arrested him and charged him with felony murder and fetucide.  Being as involved with the pro-life cause as I am, I was a little surprised to hear such a charge existed.  Fetucide?  Is that new?  But I looked it up, and apparently it's a real law in Georgia.

Fetucide as defined by Georgia law basically means any unborn child being intentionally killed without legal justification by hurting the mother or being intentionally killed while their killer commits a felony.

So, a doctor does an abortion.  His justification is that the baby's unwanted (the parents can't afford kids/another kid, the situation involves a single or teen mom, the parents want a different gender, etc.).  According to the doctors, abortion does not hurt the mother.  And sometimes it doesn't - not physically, anyway.  But it always affects them deeply psychologically, and there are more cases of physical problems than abortionists will admit.  In conclusion, a man kills an unborn child on scant-but-legal justification and maybe without harm to the mother.  He's innocent.

This Henry County man runs over the mother and gets charged with what's essentially two different kinds of murder.  Right now, officials aren't even sure if the deaths were intentional or accidental, but either way this situation doesn't sit right with me.

How does any of this make sense?  Why does one man kill a baby and get called a doctor, while another man kills a baby and gets called a criminal?  It's so twisted.