Where To Find Me

This past year has been the most unpredictable of my life. I miss blogging terribly but as we heard often on the Mad Tea Party hop, nothing is as it seems.

I have heard that WordPress has changed greatly since I have been away, so coming back will require time for a learning curve. I look forward to that.

Meanwhile, I do a few posts on Blogger at http://lovevisiting.blogspot.com
including announcements of many giveaways, contests, reading challenges, and as autumn approaches several more large themed hops, in which I hope you participate.

You can find me on pinterest at http://pinterest.com/bestlectic/
and if you leave a comment with your name/address I can follow you there.

It seems I am on facebook most of all, having joined new groups and taking a few classes online there as well.  Laura DogsMom
You can subscribe to my feed or send me messages!

And just this week I am slowly being convinced to join twitter so I can follow the junk girls as they take the 127 World’s Longest Yard Sale by storm, coming from all over including Canada!    What should I use as a handle/twitter name?

The household has a few new babies and sadly a few of the older ones are waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge.  It is the cycle of life.

 

I want to continue the blogging relationships I value so highly.

Announcing A New Weekly Link Party

Our creative and thrifty (and generous) pal Van from

has begun 2012 with a fresh and ambitious outlook.

She is encouraging us all to share our goals once a week with a Sunday link party which will help us to remain focused and allow us to encourage and cheer on each other.

Let’s all contribute to making her new link up a success.

I would also love to hear what is working best for you in reaching your goals when you post.

Still suffering from the deadly head cold virus here (and lack of oxygen that comes with it) so posting mainly blog announcements and giveaway chances and party hops and reading and crafting challenges on my other blog.

If you have something you wish for me to promote, please give me a little advance notice.

My email address is found on my About Me page or you can find me on FaceBook as Laura DogsMom or Google Plus as LJ DogsMom.  On Etsy and Pinterest I have the screen name Bestlectic.

Does anyone have links to how best to use G+ and Pinterest?
My goals for 2012 include learning how to use those sites to a better advantage with a minimum of time involved.  A goal I am working on (continuously) is to organize my home and work space so I can more easily sell off the excess. I have already read 2 books in 2012! Now to let them go and move on.

I went out once only after Christmas to take advantage of the 75% off Christmas items at a local Goodwill Store and the customer appreciation 15% coupon.  I will show you the goodies as soon as I can breathe again.

I will add the names of the parties I am linking up to as soon as I see who is up and running.

I fear I have been away a looooooong time!

I want to add a few words here about another new linky party good for those of us wishing to show off our collections.

Some Good Stuff  at Some Good Times blog will be a weekly link up to show off your collections.

Sunday:

The Penny Worthy Project

Flea Market Finds

Blog Love

Goal Share

Monday

Thrift Share

Market Yourself

Motivated Monday

Tuesday

Anti Procrastination

Nifty Thrifty

The Sally List challenge

If you did not read this post last weekend on Pink Saturday, I invite and encourage you to visit My Place To Yours  and learn about this idea.

I am spending Black Friday and Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday trying to win my gifts this year.

To see my list of reminders for GiveAways and Blog Hops and parties, please click here.

Bingo Bounty

This past Halloween I was introduced to online BINGO, or more specifically Blog BINGO.

The hostess, in this case the wonderful Angela of The BLING Theory, will list a number of words in a blog post. The readers choose a certain number of words they wish to have on their virtual BINGO card. Each reader must email their list back to the hostess before the game begins.

   Once the game begins the hostess “calls out” words at regular intervals – it could be hourly or daily or whatever has been specified.

When all of your words have been called (this would be considered a full card game)
you email the hostess to claim BINGO.   The time of your email would settle any dispute if more than one reader claimed BINGO on the same day, unless the rules stated otherways.
(OK – how do you spell it? Otherwise or otherways? I have seen both.)

Beginner’s luck worked for me.     

Who does not love getting a huge box of goodies from the mail carrier?

Especially when it contains oodles and oodles of crafting goodies!

I know there are many out there lusting after this delicious pink possibilities package.

and as befit the season, some wonderful Eternal Love as well.

This bountiful RAK crafty package from Angela included many Teresa Collins papers and embellishments, plus stencils and other goodies to keep me happy during the coming cold months.

Oh- and Teresa has some free goodies for you as well.  Be prepared to fall in love with her blog.

I would also love for you to get to know Angels’s work from her UStream videos and her NING Network Creative Perspectives.

A super HUGE Thank You to Angela for this wonderful gift and for a fun time.

For those of you who can not get enough PINK GOODNESS, please click the link to visit Ms Beverly’s Saturday Party.

Show & Tell at Be different…Act Normal
Free For All  at Young and Crafty

Inspire Me Friday at Joyful Stamper
Free For All Friday at Sassy Sites
Fancy This at Truly Lovely

 

 

Some Good Stuff

Dreaming of a Gypsy Life

Life has been stressful recently. Lack of bountiful income opportunities, health issues with aging parents, as well as a nonresponsive computer, too many weather disasters affecting friends all over the world… gloom and doom wherever one turns. I needed to get back to nature and find a way to look for positives in my life.  It was time to go for a walk in the woods!

As I was strolling I came across an abandoned covered wagon.

I began to think that I could climb on board and dream up a new life for myself,
one with less stress, fewer obligations, maybe even more fun?
It was time to take a deep breath, relax and dream.

I let my mind float away.   I began having Gypsy Dreams.
The forest I was in was filled with magic.

The covered wagon was now a proper Gypsy wagon  –

     just as I had dreamt about.

I found myself sitting on the wagon deck with an invitation in my hand.

I thought I was hearing music.

It was getting louder.

I had best get dressed in something more festive!

Can’t forget the striped stockings!   The woods were filling up with colors and laughter and excitement.

It was turning ino a grand Gypsy Party!

 And what is a Gypsy Gathering without Fortune Tellers?

    I have heard it told that looking into one’s future is a power passed along with Gypsy blood.  Things have been so crazy in my life, dare I look to the future? Did I really want to know?

Perhaps if I chose my reader carefully… looked for a kindly soul…

(I  kept searching)  

A good way to get to know people, ask questions and find what you seek is around a campfire. 
I needed to find the campfire.  

They were just beginning to light one.                            Where is the wood?
I was about to witness more of the Gypsy magical powers.

I can not give away all of the secrets I learned.

Perhaps if you visit me again for a Practical Magic Party, or  A Fanciful Twist’s Halloween Bash  you will learn more?
Kindly leave news of other magical parties in the comments section.

I did find my fortune teller and had a look into my future.

Thank you to our hostess on this Gypsy Dreams party hop. To visit her and find other participants, please click any Gypsy party link .