The Chain Linky CLIMB Party!

Tweet #ChainLinkyCLIMB
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  WELCOME! It's the month long Networking Blog Hop  Networking means helping each other grow!!  If you want to promote a CLIMB link, then use #ChainLinkyCLIMB on Twitter or Google+ so that we can all help each other grow! Here's how the Giveaway & Co-hosting works - the co-hosts from the previous month's CLIMB will have the opportunity to participate in a Giveaway during the next CLIMB - that gives co-hosts 2 months in a row of blog growing fun!!  (If you would like to co-host please sign up at the end of this post using the last "Linky") Please welcome The March 2015 Chain "Linky" CLIMB week#2 co-host: Anna from "Cuddlebug Cuties" (Click on the blog button below) Anna is our permanent week#2 co-host.  Checkout what's been happening on "Cuddlebug Cuties" lately:  Wake Up Wednesday Linky - join us every Wednesday!! Paw Prints on My Heart Creativity on the Go ________________________________________________ We are looking for wonderful Bloggers like YOU to cohost the March &/or April 2015 CLIMB!! (please sign up in the "linky" at the very end where it says "sign up to cohost HERE") ________________________________________________ 
Also, our CLIMB GIVEAWAY! Please enter below -one person will win:

- $35 Paypal cash from Eclectic Red Barn, Sew Crafty Angel,  Cuddlebug Cuties & God's Growing Garden

- 1 Ad Space on A Peek Into My Paradise - $30 value
- 1 Monthly Ad Space on God's Growing Garden - $15 value

- A darling Necklace with Lake Superior Sandstone Pendant by ShorelineDesigned - $15 value

          
HAPPY FACE NECKLACE
Toothless, Large Hand Drilled Lake Superior Sandstone Pendant on Silver Link Chain with Custard Milk Glass Trade Beads, Novelty Necklace

Grin and bear it! This is a "cheeky" pardon the pun, fun kind of a necklace. This flat, roundish, lovely bisque color sandstone is one I found in Lake Superior. It asked to become a happy face - though be it a toothless one! I have given her 5 mm eyes and a toothless grin.
I have hand drilled her top side and fitted her with a stainless steel jumpring to dangle from a sparkly silver link chain, complete with sterling silver lobster clasp, which has 5 of her missing "teeth" strung along side! The "teeth" are lovely custard color (or un-whitened teeth colored) glass trade beads.  The chain undone end to end is a long 29 inches, and as fastened hanging down including stone will hang 16.5 inches. The stone face is about 2 inches around. Smile!"

by ShorelineDesigned

Total prize value is $95!!

CLIMB Giveaway Rules & Conditions: - this is open worldwide (void where prohibited) - You must be 18 years or older to enter  - You MUST have a blog to win the Ad spaces (otherwise these will become a second place prizes)

- You must live in the lower 48 of the United States to win the Necklace (otherwise this will become  second place prizes)
- You MUST have a valid PayPal account to win the Paypal Cash (otherwise this will become a second place prizes)

- This Giveaway is open from March 2nd, 2015 until March 30th, 2015

- Winner must respond to email within 48 hours or a different winner will be chosen

- Giveaway Hosts & Co-hosts can NOT enter this Giveaway!, however - MARCH 2015 CLIMB blog hop co-hosts ARE allowed to enter this Giveaway (provided they are not also part of the Giveaway)

- correspondence is done through email and the winner's email addresses will only be used to deliver or set-up e-prizes.  Email addresses will NEVER be sold or shared.

- All prizes will be delivered by the contributing Bloggers/Shop Owners.

- if you have any questions or concerns about this Giveaway please email one of the hosts:

Angie:  angeliquetower@gmail.com

Angel:  sewcraftyangel@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now onto the CLIMB (blog hop): We have changed it up a bit - instead of linking your homepage you may now link up to 4 of your family friendly blog posts per month!!

 

By participating in this blog hop your understand that your link might be featured &/or promoted on our blogs & social media.  Also, by participating in this blog hop your email address will be added to our CLIMB list & you will be sent an email reminder next month. 


Remember - If you co-host you will receive a free Weekly Sidebar Ad and your blog button will appear on both Angie's blog & Angel's blog!!
(The Ad will run live a few weeks after you have co-hosted)

Sign up to receive emails about the CLIMB

The Chain Linky CLIMB Party @ Sew Crafty Angel

    Happy Valentine's Day

Tweet #ChainLinkyCLIMB
<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/p/chain-linky-climb.html" rel="”nofollow”" target="_blank"><img alt="God’s Growing Garden" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/Sponsors/Climb200_zps6c2cafff.jpg" /></a>

  WELCOME! It's the month long Networking Blog Hop  Networking means helping each other grow!!  If you want to promote a CLIMB link, then use #ChainLinkyCLIMB on Twitter or Google+ so that we can all help each other grow! Here's how the Giveaway & Co-hosting works - the co-hosts from the previous month's CLIMB will have the opportunity to participate in a Giveaway during the next CLIMB - that gives co-hosts 2 months in a row of blog growing fun!!  (If you would like to co-host please sign up at the end of this post using the last "Linky") Please welcome The February 2015 Chain "Linky" CLIMB week#3 co-hosts:

Cathy from "A Peek Into My Paradise"

(Click on the blog button below)

  Cathy is our permanent week#3 co-host.  Checkout what's been happening on "A Peek Into My Paradise" lately:
Blogger Opp - Luck of the Irish Cash Giveaway Fruit Swirl Coffee Cake Growing Circles Hop#54

& Carrie from "Daily Musings" (Click on the blog button below)
Carrie's blog is so inspiring!  She has so many insightful posts that will help you grow in your Christian walk!  Also, join her every week for a fun "Bloglovin" blog hop!  This is how she describes her blog: " This is my journey lived out loud in reflections. My journey focuses on faith, family, and my intense desire to make a positive impact on the world. You will find that I focus my own personal spiritual journey. I also like to write about the oddities that seem to happen to me in life. Humor and the love of Christ are my goals. I hope that you find something here that will touch your heart!" ________________________________________________ We are looking for wonderful Bloggers like YOU to cohost the March 2015 CLIMB!! (please sign up in the "linky" at the very end where it says "sign up to cohost HERE") ________________________________________________ 
Also, our CLIMB GIVEAWAY! Please enter below -one person will win:

- $20 Paypal cash from Sew Crafty Angel & from Cuddlebug Cuties 

- 1 Ad Space on A Peek Into My Paradise - $30 value
- 1 Monthly Ad Space on God's Growing Garden - $15 value

- A gorgeous Necklace with natural raw marble beachstone by ShorelineDesigned - $20 value

MARVELOUS MARBLE NECKLACE
Marvelous Marble - Natural Raw Marble Beachstone from Lake Michigan, Black Waxed Cotton Cord, White Recycled Glass Krobo Bead Unisex Necklace "Simple and elegant Stone. Glass. Fiber.  I have found and drilled this Lake Michigan raw black and white marble beachstone, hand drilled a 5 mm hole, hand strung it onto a quality waxed cotton cord and topped it with an ice-white recycled glass Krobo artisan bead.  This unisex necklace can be worn long as is - perhaps for layering with others, or you may snip and re-knot the cord to your liking.  As is, the necklace as tied will hang a long and leisurely 27 inches including the 2 inch glass and stone pendant."

by ShorelineDesigned

Total prize value is $85!!

CLIMB Giveaway Rules & Conditions: - this is open worldwide (void where prohibited) - You must be 18 years or older to enter  - You MUST have a blog to win the Ad spaces (otherwise these will become a second place prizes)

- You must live in the lower 48 of the United States to win the Necklace (otherwise this will become  second place prizes)
- You MUST have a valid PayPal account to win the Paypal Cash (otherwise this will become a second place prizes)

- This Giveaway is open from January 31st, 2015 until February 28th, 2015

- Winner must respond to email within 48 hours or a different winner will be chosen

- Giveaway Hosts & Co-hosts can NOT enter this Giveaway!, however - FEBRUARY 2015 CLIMB blog hop co-hosts ARE allowed to enter this Giveaway (provided they are not also part of the Giveaway)

- correspondence is done through email and the winner's email addresses will only be used to deliver or set-up e-prizes.  Email addresses will NEVER be sold or shared.

- All prizes will be delivered by the contributing Bloggers/Shop Owners.

- if you have any questions or concerns about this Giveaway please email one of the hosts:

Angie:  angeliquetower@gmail.com

Angel:  sewcraftyangel@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now onto the CLIMB (blog hop): We have changed it up a bit - instead of linking your homepage you may now link up to 4 of your family friendly blog posts per month!!

 

By participating in this blog hop your understand that your link might be featured &/or promoted on our blogs & social media.  Also, by participating in this blog hop your email address will be added to our CLIMB list & you will be sent an email reminder next month. 


Remember - If you co-host you will receive a free Weekly Sidebar Ad and your blog button will appear on both Angie's blog & Angel's blog!!
(The Ad will run live a few weeks after you have co-hosted)

Sign up to receive emails about the CLIMB

Halloween Fun with Gourds

I can't believe how fast time flies - I have been a "Contributing Angel" to this wonderful blog for more than half a year!!  This is already my seventh post!

Many of you may not know that I am a Gourd Artist as well as a Blogger.  I create many unique items with gourds......gourds that I grew in my garden (see the picture below of gourds growing in my garden).  I have been making these "Gourd-o-lanterns"©  for over 15 years now. 

As a Christian I do not believe in the "true" meaning of Halloween but I love the autumn season & I love the deep dark colors of the fall.  I always try to make my "Gourd-o-lanterns"© goofy or funny as opposed to scary or nasty.

What is a gourd-o-lantern you might ask?:

GOURD-O-LANTERNS ©

From first frost to all Hallows Eve the Gourd-o-lanterns are a welcome guest to any house harvest time.

How to use:

NEVER put a candle inside

ONLY use low voltage lights – eg. Christmas tree light strand (bunched up and placed inside), night-light etc.

NEVER leave light plugged in/turned on while unattended

ALWAYS ENJOY!

(all gourds were grown in my garden & all pictures & artwork that you see below are the sole creation of Angie Ouellette-Tower.  See "copyright, permissions & disclaimer" at the end of this post)

Silly Scarecrow
I think this scarecrow will make you laugh rather than frighten you.  I even used his face as a model for a linoleum print card that I made (see above right in the collage).  Click HERE to read about the history of scarecrows.

Funny Frank N. Stein
He is not to be confused with Frankenstein (hahaha) - His first name is Frank, middle initial "N." and last name Stein.  He is a genetic clone and still has some stitching on his forehead and jaw, along with some "stem cell" bolts in his neck (the bolts are made from the gourd stem).

Pumpkin-like
Gourds grow in so many different sizes and shapes unlike the pumpkin shape - that's why I think this version of the gourd-o-lantern is the most popular.  You can't grow a double decker pumpkin but I paint the bottle neck gourd to look like a pumpkin.

Winking Witch
I have no idea what she's winking about but I  think that her single tooth just adds to her smiling charm.  She has moss hair and a Halloween purple buckle on her hat. 

Black Cat
I grew up with cats as pets and I always thought it was silly that such superstitions exist about a black cat - that's why I researched that superstition last year in a blog post (click HERE to read that post).

ENJOY this Autumn season!

Copyright, Permissions & Disclaimer

Angels All Around

Well it's almost Christmas.  Wow!

Today I wanted to share a one of our Christmas traditions, Angels.

For many years I've gotten an angel of some kind for Christmas.

I simply love angels, go figure right.

Before our little 2 year old came I had them everywhere, now most are 

in storage so they will survive the toddler years, hopefully.

I have a few out that are up high and a couple that were made by hand and 

cloth so they don't break when chucked like a football.

So let me show you some of my angels.  In my house there truly 

are angels all around us.

May there always be angels around you too.

Merry Christmas and all my best wishes for the new year to come.

Angel

   

November CLIMB & Giveaway

November Chain Linky CLIMB & a Giveaway   <a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/p/chain-linky-climb.html" target="_blank"><img alt="God’s Growing Garden" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/Sponsors/Climb200_zps6c2cafff.jpg" /></a>    New!!  We have added GIVEAWAYS to the CLIMB!!

Chain "Linky" CLIMB

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Through the Eyes of an Angel

Does your life feel like this balloon?

Air slowly leaking out, band aids covering leaks where a tourniquet is needed?

My post today is a little different than what I normally talk about. So I hope you will read my words as I'm sure that the woman in this post is not the only woman in this situation.  I'll warn you in advance that I'm a little more blunt today than I normally am.  Some topics just burn my butt and this is one of them.

I have this friend that I love dearly and for years I've watched her struggle and try to patch up her life.  
She's married to a real a real ass of a man. He is so verbally abusive that its unbelievable.  He tells her how ugly she is daily; that she's stupid.  Tells her the world would be a better place if she weren't in it.  Tells her every couple of days that he wants to beat her to death and slit her throat.  Their house has several holes in the wall where he has punched the wall when he was angry.  He tells her he's to smart to hit her yet.

Do I have your attention yet?

Yeah, he's a piece of work, isn't he?  I'm not exaggerating, this is how he behaves.
I'm sure you're thinking, "why does she stay with him"?   Well they have a little boy just under 2 years old.  She's terrified of what might happen if she divorced him.

Can you imagine what he could do to a small child?   I can, and it chills me to the bone.

This poor girl just keeps putting band aids on her life.  She wants to leave but the custody visits with the child's father terrifies her as she fears him being alone with their small son.  Their chihuahua bit his finger a few months back and she found her husband with the dog in the sink spraying it with hot water so I can see her concern.   It's not like verbal abuse does much good in a court.  It's all "hear say" ones word against the other, so what do you do?  I feel that someday he will kill her but I understand too that you do whatever you have to to protect your child.  He's never hit her so she has nothing tangible to show a judge to prove what this guy is capable of.   She's miserable and spends most of her time crying  

She loves her son more than life itself.  

What do you do in these types of relationships?  How long before all the air is drained from your life?  At what point do you reach the critical stage and the tourniquet becomes a necessity? How long before this mans violence turns outward?  Is the pain supposed to be felt less because the injuries don't show on the outside?   There are a lot of questions that are impossible but inevitable.

Would you feel more sorry for this woman because you can see her physical scars?

Is the pain of this type of torture not real because you don't have physical evidence to show a judge or jury? 

This situation burns my butt because I've been an abused wife.  Mine was physical as well as verbal.  I miscarried my Rebecca due to a beating so I do understand the fear this woman has.  Note: by my EX husband, not my husband.  I was married to a sorry excuse of a human being that thought beating and verbal abuse was what a woman should endure for her husband.  You'll always hear him say, "it'll never happen again" at least until the next time.  I am one of the lucky ones, after 2 years of beatings, I survived my last beating and got the hell out of that relationship.

 Many women are not that lucky and some never escape, at least not alive.

If you we're this woman, what would you do?  Don't just answer in anger or judgement, think about the situation as a whole.   What happens to your child?  Are you willing to risk his safety?  Are you willing to to find out if he will eventually "beat you to death and slit your throat"?  Who can help you?  This guy is a smooth talker, a true liar by every definition but totally convincing.  I've seen him in action.  What do you do?

Angel