Chocolate on the keyboard: June 2009

Jun 30, 2009

Goody Giveaway over at Allen Designs

UPDATE July 4th - the giveaway is over - but please stop by Allen Designs to see the wonderful items Michelle creates
see here the winners of the goody giveaway
http://allendesigns.typepad.com/blog/2009/07/goody-giveaway-winners-are.html

I have purchased a few products from Allen Designs and they are just so fun and I enjoy decorating my home with them and or giving as gifts. You can enter their current Blog/Studio Goody Giveaway for a chance at owning one of their whimsical designs. Drawing will be held July 3rd.
Have fun exploring all they have to offer for sale too :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P/S
Designer Michelle Allen is the daughter of another talented Artist : Karla Dornacher Karla sells her artwork at Aimee Asher
Good Luck at Allen Designs and Happy Shopping at their Blog Shop

Jun 26, 2009

GIMP - An Introduction

The Gimp is a FREE photo/graphics editing program that you can download and experiment with. It has often been compared to the expensive Adobe program "Photoshop".
digital-photography-school.com is offering some articles all about this FREE program
and the following is an Introduction to it and its features:
GIMP - An Introduction
Shared via AddThis

**I have downloaded & installed the GIMP program but haven't really explored or played much with it. My program of choice is Microsofts Digital Image and I find I do most of my graphics/photo editing etc. using that program.

Jun 16, 2009

Summer School Anyone?? Free Classes

Hi,

Here's an excerpt from my Virtual University newsletter. VU is one of my favorite online Learning sites. I learned how to make webpages there and lots of other interesting things over the years I been visiting!
Quoted from June 2009 newsletter:

Free Class: "How to Avoid Phishing and Identity Theft"
____________________________________________________________________

Surf to knowledge this summer with a FREE four-week class on "How to
Avoid Phishing and Identity Theft." The class will be taught online
and begins July 6. This short but indepth course will give you the
knowledge and skills necessary to protect yourself against phishing
and identity theft schemes. Weekly lessons will provide a revealing
glimpse into how phishing works and why it works so well. Techniques
such as social engineering and malicious code embedded in web sites
and email will also be examined.

This course is designed for novice users but it is also suitable for
experienced users and those in the corporate workplace. Enrollment
is not required; links to weekly lessons will be provided on your VU
desk. Those who are visiting VU for the first time can create their
own web Desk instantly at http://vu.org/subscribe.html

There are no prerequisites and everyone is welcome to enroll in this
class. If you have friends or co-workers who could benefit from this
workshop, please encourage them to attend. Further information about
the class can be found at http://vu.org/ksurf/142/free-desc.html

____________________________________________________________________

Free Class: "Change Your Life - The Best is Yet to Be!"
____________________________________________________________________

A new online learning community - HigherMind.Net - has launched this
summer and is offering a free, four-week class on "Change Your Life:
The Best is Yet to Be!"

Put your life on the road to happiness and discover highly effective
techniques that can be used to change your life for the better based
on positive thinking and insight into your higher mind rather than
impulsive choices. Explore powerful self-healing techniques such as
Affirmations, Rhythm Breathing, Meditation, and Visualization. Learn
how the law of cause and effect has controlled your life since the
day you were born, how to overcome obstacles to your happiness, and
how the power of positive thought can put your life on a gratifying
new course.

There are no prerequisites, no textbooks required, and everyone is
welcome to enroll in this class. For further details and to enroll,
visit http://highermind.net/calendar.html

Note: To attend this class, you will need to create a new Web Desk
for yourself; simply follow the link provided on the Calendar page.
The procedure for creating a new desk is the same as what you are
accustomed to at VU, and you can probably use the same 6-digit User
ID at both sites.

Virtual University is a global learning community dedicated to the
helping hand mission of "Empowerment through Knowledge." Over two
million learners from 130 countries have attended online classes at
our global village campus. http://www.vu.org

http://vu.org

Copyright 2009 Virtual University. This newsletter may be reprinted
in whole or part as long as this copyright notice remains intact.

Jun 14, 2009

Happy Flag Day

Show your COLORS - The RED, WHITE, & BLUE!!
Interested in a little History of our Flag..visit:
http://www.usa-flag-site.org/history.shtml

Artwork by Bradley Clark and is available in a wonderful graphics collection
sold at DAISIE Company

Jun 10, 2009

I'm book'in now online...

Yesterday 6/9 I turned on my computer and was unable to get online...I have Verizon Internet and a DSL line - my modem and wireless router "seemed" to be working fine - I could see both my computers on my home network - but couldn't get online. Since "I Live" online - I felt homeless and out in the cold! So I took out my latest Verizon bill to get a phone number to call and saw that they had an insert for the new FIOS service and noted too - that they had a special going on that would make the new FIOS and Phone Service bundle - $10 less than what I currently pay for my DSL and Phone. So I called and asked all about the FIOS services etc. and they said they could hook me up first thing the next day (today) - and my speed would be much faster than the DSL line...so figured - I'd go for it - saving money and going FASTER - that's my kind of deal.
It took the technician about 2 hours to wire me up and he installed a new wireless router (so I still have my original wireless router that I bought new last summer and I will keep it for a spare - for when I move to Florida) - and hooked me up via my network on my laptop too.
I didn't pay anything for the hookup or wireless router , I am paying $80 (plus taxes and other "fees") a month for a fiber optic speed of what they call 20m/5m and their Freedom Essentials Phone Services.

I have noticed a much faster connection and loading of pages. I uploaded 50 photos to Snapfish in about 90 seconds - which was much faster than my DSL line.

I'm having fun speeding around the net tonight....check out your own area to see if the FIOS service is available at:
http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/FiOSInternet/?CMP=KNC-Consumer

*no I'm not getting anything for telling you about FIOS - I'm just sharing my bliss of being back online and moving quicker in my old age without sweating or aching muscles.

Jun 5, 2009

TGIF!! Remember its FREE Chocolate Day

I got my first 2 certificates today...and I will sign up for 2 more (the maximum allowed) Read this post to find out more and how you can get up to 4 FREE Chocolate Bars! http://chocolateonthekeyboard.blogspot.com/2009/05/friday-free-chocolate-tgif.html

Jun 4, 2009

Today is......

June 4th and it's : Hug Your Cat Day!!
graphics credit: Laurie Furnell's graphics collection "Folkart Sampler 2" available at pcCrafter.com

Just in case you need to keep up with what the world is celebrating or observing see these "wacky" links to information

Send Free E Cards

http://www.crosscards.com/cards/carddisplay.aspx?no=170

Wacky Fun Holidays Observances

Jun 3, 2009

Gardening, Traveling, and Yard Sales - Oh MY

Here's some online resources for your Summer times - for Gardeners, Travelers with Kids, and Yard Sale Holders - Happy Linking around the net

Graphic credit: c. Carol Halm pcCrafter.com "My Backyard"

Gardening Glossary

The GardenWeb Glossary of Botanical Terms currently contains 4400 terms relating to botany, gardening, horticulture and landscape architecture and is regularly updated. gardening tips

http://glossary.gardenweb.com/glossary/

Gardening Tips

http://www.gardeningtips.org/

http://gardening.about.com/

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/gardentips.html

Free printables for gardening planners and/or journals

From Northern Gardening.com

http://www.northerngardening.com/gardenjournal.htm

From Garden and Crafts.com

http://www.gardensandcrafts.com/gardenjournals.html

From Homestead Garden.com

http://www.homesteadgarden.com/journal.shtml

From Northern Gardening.com

http://www.northerngardening.com/gardenjournal.pdf

From Lowes.com

Planner

http://foodforeveryone.org/garden_genius/90/

From the Orlando Sentinal (may require free registration on website)

– Garden Journal printable pages

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/home/orl-db-plantprofiles-pdf-createyourgarden_journal,0,1876896.htmlstory

Printable PDF document
from: Jogena's eBook Directory
http://www.jogena.com/ebookdir/home.htm
For the Birds
A fun ebook with detailed information on attracting and enjoying birdlife in your own backyard. It covers feeders, food, environment, how to squirrel-proof, FAQ's, and lots more.
http://www.jogena.com/resources/birds.pdf

Printable monthly backgrounds from Hewlett Packard From Hewlett Packard (a.k.a. HP)

http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/downloads/pdfs_garden_journal.pdf

Visit the HP Activity center for finding all kinds of wonderful printables and project ideas

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/activityCenterHome?lc=en&cc=us

Garden Journal Mini Memory Book Learn how to create a colorful garden journal memory book. From "Scrapbooking"
episode SCB-228 http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/sc_techniques/article/0,2025,DIY_14232_2274963,00.html

If you’re in to Digital Scrapbooking or Paper scrapbooking or card making and need some quotes or sayings for your Garden photos take a look at these links

Quotes for Gardeners **note find more "quotes & sayings" resouce links

Garden Humor
http://home.golden.net/~dhobson/

Free printable seed packets and labels http://www.craftygardener.ca/packets.html

Flower Possibilities http://www.flowerpossibilities.com/recipe.html

Reference guide http://www.flowerpossibilities.com/ref_guide.html

Water Conservation Tips

http://www.conserveh2o.org/outdoors

http://www.conserveh2o.org/outdoors/outdoorconservation

Printable: http://www.conserveh2o.org/resources/rwpc_resources/Outdoor.pdf

More printables

http://www.conserveh2o.org/outdoors/outdoorresources#brochures

Landscapes

http://www.conserveh2o.org/outdoors/landscapes

Traveling by Car with Kids

Printable Car Games for traveling

http://www.momsminivan.com/printables.html

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/books/cartravelbook/

Travelin' Kids, the book of travel games, will have the tikes coloring pictures, spotting landmarks, and tons more while you navigate the open roads.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/acProject?dlc=en&extcat=toysstickerspuzzles&lc=en&cc=us&extsubcat=games&extproject=travelinkids&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN or

http://tinyurl.com/qtxnm8

Find downloadable games on this page from Best Western

http://www.bestwestern.com/tripplanner/funontheroad.asp

From Disney – Travel Printables

http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/places/feature/doca0303travelprintable/

Map out your day, check off your "must-haves" & don't forget the treats!
Travel Planner
Car Trip Checklist
Backseat Snacks

Free travel guides

http://www.lisasfreebies.com/travelguides.html

Getting rid of your Clutter?

YARD / GARAGE SALES

Need to get rid of your Clutter this Summer

From HP find this:

Free Garage Sale Kit – Printable

Time for a garage sale? We'll help you sell your goodies with style. Our handy kit makes it simple to create attention-getting garage sale signs and tags with attractive, easy-to-use designs. So get the family together, clean the clutter out of those closets, and get ready for the crowds to come calling.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/acProject?dlc=en&extcat=partykitsdecorations&lc=en&cc=us&extsubcat=specialcollections&extproject=garagesalekit&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

or http://tinyurl.com/o6elml

More helpful printables

http://www.rummagewisconsin.com/site_resource/downloads.htm

Use this service to create your own garage sale flyers.

http://www.garagesalehunter.com/FLYERS/FLYERS.ASP

garage sale checklist

http://www.mommysavers.com/Articles/garage_sale_checklist.htm

garage sale tips

http://www.mommysavers.com/Articles/having_a_garage_sale.htm

garage sale pricing tips

http://www.garagesalesource.com/articles/garage_sale_pricing/

article: My Junk, Your Treasure

http://www.thelaboroflove.com/forum/dollar/33.html

Other sites to visit

http://www.yardsalequeen.com/

http://www.tipztime.com/area/outdoortipz/yardsales.html

http://www.garagesalehunter.com/TIPS/TIPS.ASP

http://www.yardsalesearch.com/tips.shtml

http://www.frugalvillage.com/gsale.shtml

Tips for successful garage sale

http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/CF57C994-7416-42C3-ABDB-BC7503991BBA/0/garagesale.pdf

http://www.ifg-inc.com/Consumer_Reports/GarageSale.shtml

After the sale – if you’re donating what didn’t sell – here is a value guide from the Salvation Army

http://www.salvationarmysouth.org/valueguide.htm

and also a printable guide sheet

http://webpages.charter.net/asphelpdesk/downloads/Donations.pdf

**copyright graphics credits:

Chair on Patio by Carol Halm / My Backyard pcCrafter.com

Summer Time and the Living is Easy

Happy June...hope it's bee-utiful for everyone and that you have a great summer ahead!

Time to get outside do some gardening, walking, taking short trips getting to know your neighborhood again after a long winter (well it was in Northern US anyway) Lots of towns and cities have Free Concerts, and Events or low cost things you and your family can find to do this year - check your newspapers, online and in print...see what's going on.
Need to get in shape - Find a couple of Free Printable Lists - to "help you meet your healthy lifestyle goals"
from this blog: http://bacacreative.blogspot.com/
Printables Lists
http://bacacreative.blogspot.com/2009/05/freebie-lists-to-help-you-meet-your.html
She has lots of creative ideas - so have fun visiting her blog
*image from the darling "Creatable" Bumbly Bears (copyright) by Laurie Furnell at pcCrafter.com