Unique Wall Decorating Idea for Washrooms!

The Washroom Quote We Featured

The Twitter Principle - I call these 'Mom's Visual Tweets'

A few years ago, we updated our main washroom, and one of the accessory items I wanted to place on the wall was a quotation that didn't relate to the room itself.

Typical washroom quotes normally involve something about brushing your teeth or maybe soaking in the tub. However, you don't have to limit your choices. You can easily select words usually reserved for a bedroom, kitchen, living room, or office.

I elected to go this route mainly because it's the one room I know I'll have the kids' undivided attention in! I'm using what I call 'The Twitter Principle' - I call these Mom's Visual Tweets. Especially since some of my boys are men now, reading a short, profound message is much more effective than mom (a.k.a ME) blurting out one-liners! Not to mention that short quotes qualify as NOT too much information!

I've also placed quotes on the fridge for the family to read, but since our washroom was recently updated, I used a small space on the wall to feature this lovely message:

Our Washroom with Wall Quote - Wall Quotes

However, don't feel you have to be limited to being profound and deep with your word choices; you can also choose fun quotes, especially if the washroom is deemed a 'kid space,' or you can have a quote personalized and simply select your own words. 

The above photo shows the canvas quote I put on our own washroom wall, as well as a photo that shows you how I used a small section of the wall to feature it. You can see that you only need a little wall area to find a space for a quote.

Reading and gathering quotes and sayings is one of my favorite hobbies, so much so that I've created quite an extensive Pinterest board about quotes: 

Follow Barbara Tremblay Cipak's board Favorite Quotes on Pinterest.

Have fun decorating!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Baseball's All-Star Game

Review of a Mid-Summer Classic

*Updated on 3/10/2025

Welcome to July baseball from Wednesday Elf, known as the 'baseball fan contributor' here on Review This!  It's time for a mid-season story about baseball's All-Star Game.

The All-Star Game

Stadium Seating - Source: FreeImages

The Mid-Summer classic known as the All-Star game has occurred (nearly) every July since 1933.  (No official MLB All-Star Game was held in 1945 due to World War II and was cancelled again in 2020 due to a worldwide panendemic.) 

Baseball Stadium Image from Pixabay

The 2025 All-Star Game will be held July 15th at Truist Feild in Atlanta, Georgia ~ home of the Atlanta Braves. 

Facts About the All-Star Game

The All-Star game is held on either the second or third Tuesday in July to mark a symbolic halfway-point in the Major League Baseball season.  Known as the 'All-Star Break', no regular-season games are scheduled on the day before or for two days after the Tuesday All-Star Game.  A number of festivities are held the day before the All-Star game, including the 'Home Run Derby', a contest between MLB's top home runner hitters, which began in 1985.

2015 was the 30 Year Anniversary of the 'Home Run Derby' (1985-2015)

The participants (players) in this annual mid-summer event are chosen by the fans in both the National League and the American League.  Until 1947, the team selections were chosen only by the managers, but since then the fans get to select the starting lineup.  The pitchers are still selected by the managers.  Ballots used to be given out at ballparks throughout baseball for voting on players for the game.  That year (2015) was the first year that all voting is done entirely on the internet.

All-Star Game Venue

The ballparks chosen for each year's All-Star game alternate between the National and the American League, with venues selected for a variety of reasons by a MLB selection committee. The choices may be made to commemorate a particular historical occasion, the opening of a new ballpark, or a significant year. For instance, the game was held in Yankee Stadium (home of the New York Yankees) in 2008 as it was the final year for that stadium prior to the new Yankee Stadium opening in 2009. 

The Midsummer Classic: The Complete History of Baseball's All-Star Game

While waiting for the next All-Star Game in 2025, us baseball fans can catch up on past All-Star games with this great baseball reference book The Midsummer Classic.  It's a fun book for baseball fans who love reading and compiling statistics.  The book has facts and play-by-play game data of every All-Star game through the year 2000. (published in 2001). A comprehensive resource for fans, researchers and baseball historians.







Wednesday Elf , the baseball fan, has more stories about baseball which can be found at:

Baseball Moments and Memories Blogspot

More baseball stories on Review This by Wednesday Elf:

• Why I'm a Baseball Fan
• A Collection of St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Players
• Quiz: Do You Know Your Baseball Jargon?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Woolite Dry Cleaners Review - Dry Cleaning Clothes at Home

For many years, I have been allergic to the dry cleaning chemicals that dry cleaners use to clean our clothes. Finding an easy alternative and being able to Dry Clean my own clothes at home, is truly fabulous and it is so very easy!

I have such a strong reaction to dry cleaners chemicals, that I simply stopped buying clothes that had to be dry cleaned. It just was not worth it no matter how beautiful the apparel was, or how much I really wanted something. Even the smell of dry cleaned clothes that someone else may be wearing, can cause me to get an extreme headache.

I am thrilled that I have discovered a way to dry clean my clothes at home and not get sick!  I have had so much success with this method, that I look for clothes to dry clean just so I can dance by my dryer.

Woolite Dry Cleaners Sheets

It may be seriously hard to believe, but dry cleaning your own clothes at home is as simple as throwing a piece of cloth in your dryer with your garment and turning on the dryer.

Materials:

• Woolite Dry Cleaners Secret Sheets

Tools:

• Dryer

Instructions:

1. Throw your garment in the dryer with a Woolite Dry Cleaning Sheet

Satin Cape in Dryer with Woolite Dry Sheet - Photo by Sylvestermouse

2. Turn you Dryer on Medium Heat for 20 minutes!

Dryer Control Photo by Sylvestermouse

3. Remove your Garment from the Dryer.

It is now Ready to Wear!

Dry Cleaned Cape - Photo by Sylvestermouse

Additional Notes about Dry Cleaning this Particular Cape

I personally made this Dr. Orpheus Cosplay Costume Cape for my son for Halloween in 2013.   There is a large emblem on the back of the cape that I had to cut from satin fabric pieces.

The real beauty of the Woolite Sheets is that they did not fade or fray even the emblem.  It came out of the dryer clean and just as vibrantly beautiful as it was the day it was made.

Since I enjoy making specialty costumes, it is so very awesome to have a trustworthy method to dry clean them.  They are truly a lot more reliable than any dry cleaner and they don't leave strong chemical odor on the costumes or clothes.  They actually smell good!

Emblem on the Back of the Cape - Costume & Photo by Sylvestermouse

Woolite Dry Cleaning Sheet Tests and Review Conclusion

Since Woolite is a name I have trusted all of my life, I did not hesitate to try their dry cleaning sheets.  After all, Woolite is the product I have used for decades to wash my cold water delicate fabrics.  I am thrilled beyond belief to now be able to wear clothes that have to be dry cleaned.   I love satins, silks, velvets, etc. and I missed having them as part of my wardrobe. 

Due to my personal allergies, I do use the Fragrance Free, but there are scented sheets available.

Have you tried either of the Woolite Dry Cleaner's Secret Products?

 Woolite Dry Cleaner's Secret Fragrance Free Woolite Dry Cleaner's Secret, 6-CountCheck Price Woolite Dry Cleaner's Secret Dry Cleaning Cloths, 14-Count BoxCheck Price

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Photographing Old Country Churches

A Photographic Tour of Churches 

I love looking at old churches in the countryside. When my husband and I are out driving, I often look in the countryside for those steeples that are a sure sign of a church. We will turn off the main road on our search of the steeple and most of the time we find it attached to a charming country church. Since I always come prepared with my camera, we stop so I can take a few photos. 

We spend a lot of time traveling in our car to photograph lighthouses and when we do we often find a few churches to photograph too. Most of the time these churches are closed when we arrive so my photos are primarily of the outside of the buildings. We have seen all types of churches but I think my favorite is the small white country church that we see throughout the countryside. I have seen these little churches both in the USA and Canada. 

 The photo here is an example of that type of church. This photo was taken in Elsah Illinois, a small 19th century Illinois town just off the Great River Road. The church was built in 1874 and for a long time was the only place of worship in Elsah.

 

O Come Let us Worship Greeting Card by mbgphoto
Look at more cards from Zazzle.

On this page I will show you through my photographs some of the churches we have visited during our travels.

Finnish Lutheran Church

We were driving the side roads on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Upper Michigan looking for a lighthouse that I was wanting to photographed. Our GPS got us near the area but not quite to the lighthouse so we were doing a bit of back road exploring when we came across a sign for an historic Lutheran church. We stopped the car and looked down a narrow gravel road/path where we could see the church in the distance. After a bit of discussion, we decided to go down this path and see the church. When I got out of the car I was swarmed by mosquitoes so I took a few quick photos and got back in the car.

The church is a simple white structure that the sign in front said was built in 1888. From the sign I also learned that this church was built by a group of Finnish Immigrants who banded together to form this congregation in Jacobsville, Michigan in1886. They first met in various locations until the church was completed in 1888. Today the church is part of a larger congregation, but it is still used to hold summer vesper services.

Historic Phoenix Church - Michigan Upper Peninsula

As we traveled up the main north/south road in the Keweenaw Peninsula we would come across this historic church. We stopped several times trying to get it in just the right light. After a search of the internet, I found that this church was originally built in 1858 in the mining town of Cliff. In 1899 in was taken apart and reassembled in the town of Phoenix where it still stands today. Masses were held at the church until 1957. Today the church is sometimes used for weddings and memorials.

Our Savior Lutheran in Minnesota

We stopped to photograph this church while traveling to photograph lighthouses along Lake Superior in Minnesota.

Norwalk Michigan Church

This is a church that we ran across while we were traveling in the lower peninsula of Michigan. Whenever we see an interesting looking church we stop to take photos. I like to use the photos to make greeting cards.

St. Charles Missouri Church Steeple

Church steeples can often be seen for miles around. This is a steeple that is one that is a bit closer to home for me. It is in the downtown area of historic St. Charles Missouri.

Lee's Chapel

This church was photographed on the campus of Washington and Lee University in Lexington Virginia. This chapel was built in 1867-68 at the request of Robert E Lee, who was then President of the University. When Lee died he was buried beneath the chapel. The chapel is on the list of National Historic Places.

Churches on Canadian Cruise - beautiful church seen during our stops in Canada

This is a church we saw while on a cruise stop in Nova Scotia

If you have enjoyed my photographs of country churches you might want to check out this book of churches in Minnesota. 

Click to View on Amazon

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing A Folklore Calendar

Desk Calendar For The Word Lover And Folklore Enthusiast

Not only am I a fan of the folklore of the world but I also like to stay organized so one of my favorite calendars is Forgotten English.

Forgotten English 2016 Boxed/Daily Calendar

I enjoy keeping my tasks in check each day but I also love the words which have vanished from our vocabularies that are given to me on a daily basis. Yes, I'll admit I am kind of a time management junkie but I guess that I am also a word junkie. Since I read a lot of historical fiction, sometimes these calendars have come to the rescue when I wasn't sure what a word meant. Besides getting the definition, I also got an explanation of why the word was used and how it came about being a part of language in the first place.

Take the word "fragor" for instance. It means a strong or sweet scent. From the explanation I would guess that just about any human being in rural Britain during medieval times would have had quite a strong and nasty fragor about them. You see, many folks reserved one day a year for their annual bath. That is right! They bathed once a year whether they needed it or not! Ewwww! Tradition at the time was to have that bath on the first Saturday of June which was the day before Sweetening Day when many a couple were wed. Some historians believe that King Henry VIII was bathed when he was born and not again until he died.

That is one of the things that I love about this calendar each year! I get an archaic word but I also learn about the culture of the peoples who used that word in their daily lives.

An instance of a word that really hasn't disappeared from use but is just spelled differently now, is the word gaol. Often times when reading a book that is a fictional story taking place in an era long past we will run across this word. A person might have gone to gaol or someone might go talk to the gaoler. We spell this word jail today. It is pronounced the same just spelled differently. Now, isn't that just fascinating?

If you are a lover of trivia, folklore and words in general; I do believe you will enjoy this desk calendar. It might also be something to think of as a gift for someone on your list that enjoys these topics. What a great idea for a gift for an English teacher! Don't you think?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Review of My Life in Greeting Cards

An Impossible Dream?

Some of My Favorite Greeting Card Lines

"You should make your own card line, " my friend said.

At the time I was a card buyer for Logos of Westwood, a Christian bookstore in Los Angeles, and I loved greeting cards. I loved reading them. I loved discovering new card lines I was sure my customers would love. I loved roaming the aisles at the Los Angeles Gift Show every year to find something unique, funny, lovely, warm or thought-provoking that stayed within the bounds of good taste.

Every day I when I arrived at work, I'd check first thing to see which cards were selling. I loved competing with the other card stores and departments in the rest of Westwood Village. It made my day when people came in to browse the card racks and walked to the counter with cards by the handful.

But make my own card line? I didn't see how it was possible. I couldn't draw, but I knew I could find the words to match pictures. In 1975, though, designing and printing cards was an expensive business. I didn't see how I'd ever be able to make it work.

Cards in this picture are from my Logos days. From left to right, a Fravessi card designed by Rose Shirvenian, a Marian Heath card, and a Suzy's Zoo note card published by Current and designed by Suzy Spafford.

My Kingdom

What’s in this picture was only part of my department. It was my job to pick out each individual card that went into these racks. I did not allow the salespeople to inventory and stock them.I did it myself. When the reps came to call, I’d look at all the cards they had to offer in each line. I’d pick the ones for the store that I myself responded to or that met all the criteria I had. Cards that depended upon put-downs for their humor were rejected. I wanted cards that would promote and enhance communication between individuals.

 My target market was the people like me that liked to hang around card departments and just read cards. As we read, we’d see one we just had to get for this friend or that, or the perfect birthday card for Aunt Sue whose birthday was in two months, etc. Those who have the card browsing habit respond by buying the cards they like. In those days, email did not yet exist for the average person. Personal computers did not exist yet. So people still bought lots of greeting cards.

When people think of greeting cards, they often think first of Hallmark, at least they did back then. But we were a small independent Christian bookstore that hadn’t yet been in business for a year. Cards were supposed to be small part of our overall business. Hallmark wouldn’t even consider letting us stock their cards — not with a Hallmark store around the corner, Robinson’s across the street, and a stationery shop next door — all of whom carried Hallmark exclusively and would not appreciate the competition. So my job was to find alternatives.

Unlike many bookstores, we were a nonprofit organization, designed to be a ministry that reached out to college students searching for truth. We were also there to supply the books the Christian students at UCLA needed to grow their spiritual lives. The idea was to be within walking distance of the campus. Cards and gift items were what we called “bridge items” that were the first thing people saw as they entered the store.

Since most Christian bookstores of that day depended a lot upon selling church supplies, they tended to serve an older population of pastors and Sunday School teachers. They looked “churchy” from the moment the customer walked in. Logos stores like ours, which were always located near college campuses, did not want to look that way. The books were toward the back, and the cards and gift islands were at the front to engage the customers as they walked in.

Choosing Cards

As a card buyer, I had my personal dislikes. One of them was rhyming sentimental cards in iambic pentameter. I remember how I and the gal I was training to replace me (who left before I did) used to sit at the back with a box of these and laugh our heads off at the “syrup” that dripped from these cards. Ordinarily we didn’t carry this line except for Christmas and Valentine’s Day when we had a lot of men needing cards for their mothers and wives and other relatives. I often wondered why so many of the Christian card lines of the day were of this sentimental type and seemed geared to the tastes of the elderly — or their supposed tastes.

br /> However, I finally found some Christian lines with a contemporary look. Dayspring was one of them.  Dayspring cards often have a lovely photograph with a Scripture verse. They still have such cards, as well as other Christian cards with both contemporary and more traditional and floral designs.

We were not limited to Christian lines, however. Our criteria for choosing was based on Philippians 4: 9: “…whatever is true…,honorable…,just…,pure…,lovely…,gracious.” That did not exclude humor, but it had to be warm humor, that made the recipient feel better rather than insulted. I was after beauty, clean designs, and sentiments that would enhance communication between people. I wanted the kind of cards that made the buyer think, ” I really don’t need a card, but this is perfect to send to my friend Myra who’s going through a tough time, so I’ll get it.” We had lots of “thinking of you” type friendship cards for such buyers.

HIPPO BIRDIE GREETING CARD

One of the first major lines (meaning gigantic) we bought was a new one called Recycled Cards. Their first artist was Sandra Boynton, whose “Hippo Birdie” card pictured above, was an instant best seller with not only the college students, but also the senior ladies who liked to window shop in Westwood. Our section of Recycled Cards expanded to the point where we needed more card racks to hold them. I was thrilled to see that Sandra Boynton has chosen to market many of her products at Zazzle now. Visit her store:Sandra Boynton

Sandra Boynton Books

Boynton's Greatest Hits

After designing over 4,000 greeting cards, Boynton branched out into other products, including children's books. This set is a collection of some of them. It's not only Boynton's designs which make her work so popular, but also the way she plays with words. This boxed set contains four of Boynton's most popular board books. Toddlers love the bright colors, humorous drawings, and the short verses that beg to be read. Click the caption for a closer look. 

Suzy's Zoo

 Suzy's Note Card Collection Stationery, Witzy & Boof - 10852 Suzy's Note Card Collection Stationery, Herkimer with Flowers - 10868 Suzy's Zoo New 2012 Assorted Birthday Card 6-pack 10153

Suzy Spafford's Suzy's Zoo cards will brighten up anyone's day. She gives her animal characters very expressive personalities and paints them in bold colors. See the duck in my top photo. 

The cards above are a sampling of note cards at Amazon. There are also mugs, stickers, and many other products with her designs at Amazon. 

Leanin' Tree

Amazon has a number of Leaning Tree collections by different artists available. Susan Winget, featured below, is one of my favorites. 

 The Art of Susan Winget - 20 cards with full-color interiors and 22 designed envelopes by Leanin' Tree

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Funny Birthday Card from Leanin' Tree

Leanin' Tree is another line I have always liked. They have many styles of cards. Some are beautiful nature cards. Some are funny western style cards like the one to the right. 

Some are humorous with cute animals like the one below. You can see them all easily by following any of the caption links.

A Birthday is No Time to Show Restraint
From the Thoughts and Felines Package

Crocus Cards by Nancy Donohue

One part of my job I really enjoyed was seeing what new cards the sales representatives had to offer me. I’ll never forget the day Camille, one of my favorite reps, introduced me to the D. Forer Company. She was short, and looked a bit weary. Who wouldn’t after lugging loaded display cases for several blocks? Parking in Westwood was very scarce and very expensive. When she came calling on me, she hit pay dirt. She pulled from one of her cases a line of cards called Crocus, published by The Forers, New York, and created by Nancy Donohue, about whom not much is written on the web. The only reference to her I could find was in a list of files belonging to an agent at the time of his death. Yet this woman must have brought smiles to thousands, if not millions, who read her cards.

In the card pictured here, one of the few I have left, the tissue box brand is “dripensnort facial tissues,” and the inside reads simply “and get you well soon.” I wish I had the entire collection to share with you. Born in the 1970′s, this line features the character you see here and some of her friends. It was obvious Nancy must have been a gardener, since there were so many references to plants in her greetings. I remember the punch line to one get well card was “All you need is a good mulching.” Another get well card and best seller showed our character with determined look, pointing a hose coming from a huge kettle of chicken soup. The inside read “You WILL get well.”

One of my favorite friendship cards she designed had a weary looking owl leaning on a young tree with only a couple of leaves. It said, “On occasion you must give into feeling dreadful and hope it will pass and everyone will still love you.” Inside it said simply, “It will and they do.” I still have this card, waiting for just the right time to send it.

If you think Nancy cared only about the sick, you’d be wrong. Her anniversary and wedding cards were among the most original and funny I’ve ever seen. Her Valentines were warm and wonderful and sold like hotcakes. And you couldn’t do better than one of her birthday cards. I have never yet seen any card on the market at any price I liked better than these, because they captured the depths of the human spirit, and they had an undertone of affection and kind humor. They were designed to make the reader smile.

Blue Mountain

Most of you reading this probably have always known about Blue Mountain cards and books. Many of you have probably sent their e-cards. In the 1970's though, Blue Mountain was a revolutionary step away from the gushy sentimental iambic pentameter verse that turned my generation off, to a fresh way to convey the thoughts of love and friendship many were feeling. These were the cards I sent my parents and loved ones that said just what I wanted to say, but better than I could say it. Logos of Westwood was the first in Westwood Village to feature a complete rack of these cards,and I was proud to introduce them. Unlike many of my favorite lines, these are still available today. The line of books has become very popular as well, and you can still get many of them.

 Blue Mountain: Turning Dreams Into Reality

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Blue Mountain: Turning Dreams Into Reality

I can hardly wait to read this book by Susan Polis Schutz. It seems Hallmark tried to incorporate the look of the Blue Mountain line as they have tried to imitate so many other competitors. In this book, we see how the Schutz's fought Hallmark and won. I was one of those small college stores they called on in those beginning years, and I'm glad I had a part in making them successful. See some of the other beautiful Blue Mountain gift books here.

Andy Wong taught me all I knew about retail business.

It was Andy , the general manager, who let me be queen of the cards at Logos. His background was in physics and he was working on his Ph.D. in that subject when he was persuaded by one of his Christian professors to become the assistant manager of the new Logos store in 1972. I joined the staff in July of that year after volunteering for a few months. Andy was promoted to manager not too long after. He was energetic and had a lot of business sense, though he never, as far as I know, had formal education in that area. He trained me on things like inventory, working with sales reps, and managing my department. For short times I was even allowed to sub for him as manager when he was on vacation or medical leave. Without the things he taught me, I would never have known how to work with publishers, make the most of a trade show, or just organize my purchase orders and accounts payable.

He gave me the opportunity to spend most of my time when the store was open working with customers and recommending books at their request. It wasn’t long before customers would begin looking for me so that they could ask me what to buy next. All staff members were encouraged to borrow books from the shelves to take home and read so that we would know enough about them to make such recommendations. Whereas cards spoke for themselves, books didn’t. I could come in before the store was open and restock and clean up my department, and then, unless I was seeing a rep, I worked the floor and became a book salesperson.

At various times, I acted as gift buyer, as well as card buyer, and was consulted about children’s books when Andy was working with publishers’ reps. I and Marion, Andy’s wife and our gift buyer, attended the gift show twice a year in Los Angeles, and although it was hectic and tiring, it was also fun. I stayed at Logos from 1972 to 1981. By the time I left, Robinson’s and the stationery store next to Logos had either stopped carrying Hallmark or had given more of their space to other card companies. The Hallmark Store around the corner had gone out of business. I like to think that I was partly responsible for that.

It was obvious it was time to move on after I moved an hour’s drive away, and the drive was worse in heavy traffic. I carried my love of all things paper with me as I moved to Ventura County. I still thought it would be fun to create my own cards, but then, in 1982, I became a foster parent and that put everything else out of my mind.

From cards to kids to books, to Squidoo, and back to cards.

We will leave a few gaps here that have been filled in with other articles I’ve written that cover my parenting years, the loss of my children, and various aspects of my education resource book business, Barb’s People Builders. I am now retired from that business. 

When I started writing for Squidoo, I found out about Zazzle. Most of my Squidoo friends had Zazzle stores where they designed and sold products. At first I didn’t pay much attention, since I can’t draw and I couldn’t imagine making any products myself.

But there was one card company I used to love selling at Logos I haven’t mentioned — Marcel Schurman. This was a line of imported cards with either paintings by the old masters or more modern photos or paintings on the front, combined with some really fun messages on the inside. Sometimes, though, I thought I could have done better with the messages. I was sure I could come up with greetings that better matched some of the pictures. I had wished I could have switched my words for theirs to match some of those great pictures.

As I kept hearing more about Zazzle, especially after I started taking photo walks and coming up with pictures of my own I liked, I decided maybe I could come up with a line of cards after all. I could use photographs rather than drawings or paintings, and just add my words. And as a Zazzle associate, if I found someone else’s work I liked as well or better than my own, I could publicize it, as well. So I opened my Zazzle store: Barb’s California Card and Gift Shop, and then I added California Wine Country Memories and Gifts a year later. See the greeting cards I designed in my main store here.  The one below is my best-selling card. It was taken in front of my house and that is my coral rose. The inside says "and I wanted you to know it."

Coral Rose Card, Thinking of you today.

I now have several different product lines featuring my photography with or without words. Many are inspirational cards and posters, and many feature the wine country of North San Luis Obispo County. I’m beginning to make my dream come true and Zazzle has made it possible. If you have an unfulfilled dream of making your art or photography into products that can earn you money, you, too, can start a Zazzle store.  Become an associate and you can make money promoting the products of others while you are in the process of creating your own. If I can do it, anyone with the desire can. Click any of my Zazzle links and when you get to the site, click the "Sell" button for more information. 

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Art of Tolerance

Get For All Good on a Pillow

The Virtue of Tolerance: Making an Effort with Empathy, Kindness, Goodness, and Grace

Getting Better, with Tolerance.

A personal saying, 'Kindness breeds Tolerance' ...Tolerance requires an accepting mind and a willing participant. It's not a spectator's virtue. To see life from another person's perspective suggests that we are attempting to live outside of ourselves, to mentally travel the journey of another soul.

This world is our home, we all live here, and we all deserve the best from each other.

Below you'll find a few of my works on Tolerance, Perspective, & Self Awareness.

I hope all your flowers grow

TOLERANCE

Hold my hand

then judge me

Or better

Feel my sameness,

Look me in the eye

then tell me I don't matter

Or better

See I am you,

Sit at my dinner table

Sharing food and conversation

then tell me I'm not worthy

Or better

Understand my hunger is like yours,

Take a walk with me

then hate where I live

Or better

Understand my plight,

Watch my children play

and tell me they are expendable

Or better

Love them as your own,

As I hold your hand

Look in your eyes

Eat at your table

Walk with you

Understand your plight

And watch your children play

I know I want to be better too

by Barbara Tremblay Cipak

SELF AWARENESS

I can't judge you

I'm too busy judging myself

I can't hate you

I'm too busy learning about myself

I can't envy you

I'm too busy competing with myself

I can't expect anything from you

I'm too busy expecting the best from myself

I can love you

By loving myself

by Barbara Tremblay Cipak, Copyright

PERSPECTIVE

From Your Perspective

What do you want me to know about you

I'm interested in your life

You're journey is my teacher

I'm wrong about so much

How can I make your day better

Show me what I can do

I am a willing spirit

by Barbara Tremblay Cipak

COMPASSION

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Sense and Sensibility Movie Review

I suspect we all have movies that we "go to" when we simply want to unwind.  A movie that we know we can trust to sooth our nerves while entertaining us time and time again.  Sense and Sensibility is one of my "go to" movies.  For a first time viewer, it may have some fairly stressful events and drama, but for me, it is an old comforting friend.  You see, I know the way it all ends!

The actors in Sense and Sensibility are so well suited to their parts that I often forget they are actors and do appear in other movies.  In my mind, Emma Thompson will always be the sensible Elinor.  Kate Winslet will always be the sensitive Marianne and Alan Rickman will forever be that dashing and stable Colonel Brandon, not Snape in Harry Potter.  As a matter of fact, he plays those two parts so well and claims them so completely, one would think he was two different people.

As for Hugh Grant, his youthful good looks and his ability to appear somewhat shy and naive, make him the perfect Edward Ferrars.


I should note, I do know there are other versions of this movie, but this is the version I prefer and these are the actors I identify in their respective parts.

Sense and Sensibility:  The Plot

By C. E. Brock via Wikimedia Commons

The movie Sense and Sensibility is based on the book (same title) by Jane Austen.  It takes place in the very late 1700's.  In a time when women were most often completely dependent upon their male relations.   In the case of the Dashwood family, the entire Dashwood estate was willed to one single male heir, John Dashwood, who was the son of Henry Dashwood and his first wife.  It is important to note here that even the current Mrs. Dashwood did not inherit anything and was dependent upon the benevolence of John Dashwood or other relatives.

After the death of Henry Dashwood, the Dashwood women all became the responsibility of their half-brother, John who was easy manipulated by his selfish wife, Fanny.  The three Dashwood sisters and their mother are forced to move out of their home of luxury and wealth and into a small cottage owned by a distant relative, Sir John Middleton.

The story is not only about their struggles to survive, but also the various romances of the young women.  Unfortunately, their reduced economic circumstances made them no longer desirable alliances by the wealthier families, which made them less likely to marry back into the wealth of which they were born.

There are broken hearts, shattered dreams, unexpected alliances and kindness, but there is also love.  The kind of love that hopes all things and endures all things.  For the forever hopeless romantic, this movie is an absolute must!

Trailers and Scenes from Sense and Sensibility

There are many remarkable, quotable scenes in Sense and Sensibility, but none quite so palpable as the moment when Colonel Brandon says "give me an occupation, Miss Dashwood, or I shall run mad".   His concern for the gravely ill Marianne, his stress and his need to do something, touch every heart in this unforgettable moment.

This was the only video I could find with the quote focus. 

Conclusion 

If you enjoy the works of Jane Austin, historical romance or simply romance, I have no doubt you will enjoy this awesome movie.  If it is your first time to see Sense and Sensibility, I recommend you have your Kleenex close by.

 Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)Check Price

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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