Category: Pop and Thistle

Connecting With Love

Did you know that just thinking about love releases endorphins from the hypothalamus of the brain into the bloodstream? Chemical magic happens that makes us feel good. As with other themes, in writing about love we writers try our best to be original. Don’t want to fall into that netherworld of clichés. Don’t want to …

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“Flirtation” by Rita Dove

Flirtation After all, there’s no needto say anything at first. An orange, peeledand quartered, flares like a tulip on a wedgewood plateAnything can happen. Outside the sunhas rolled up her rugs and night strewn saltacross the sky. My heart is humming a tuneI haven’t heard in years! Quiet’s cool flesh—let’s sniff and eat it. There …

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Amigurumi Snowman Pattern

I had some leftover white, pink, and grey skeins of yarn from the baby blanket that I last posted, and I liked the color combination so much that I made this amigurumi snowman & scarf with the yarn. Here is the snowman crochet pattern. Supplies Vanna’s Choice® White Vanna’s Choice® Silver Heather Vanna’s Choice® Rose Shocking Size F/3.75mm Crochet …

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Swirly Birds of Paradise Tropical Soap for Valentine’s Day

Here’s a useful and whimsical gift idea for your loved ones – Birds of Paradise tropical scented pure coconut oil soap!  The fragrances in this soap combine sweet and tangy fruity scents with island hibiscus, making for a true tropical getaway. This is another one of my favorite superfatted pure coconut oil soaps – I …

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How to Make an Upcycled Juice Carton Birdhouse

I’ve been on a quest to upcycle every container I use and decided to make my juice cartons into bird houses!  These are mainly decorative, but I put one of mine outside anyway, just to see! This is a great project to do with the kids, too, just be sure that an adult does all of …

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Recipe: Triple Berry Mousse Tart

Triple Berry Mousse Tart Ingredients 1 2/3 cups vanilla wafer crumbs 1/3 cup quick rolled oats 5 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar 5 tablespoons butter, melted 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided 3 tablespoons sugar, divided 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened 3 tablespoons boiling water 1 envelope unflavored gelatin …

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Your Budding Artist: Age 1-3 Years

You may not know this but children develop art in a series of stages.  Early Childhood Education has broken those stages down to 3 stages ranging from 1 year of age to 5 years. It is important to remember that when we discuss any type of developmental milestones, we are looking at a “range of …

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Blending Fragrance Chords: Creating Your Perfect Scent

For over thirty years I’ve played piano, which must explain why I love thinking of blending fragrances in musical terms. Just like in music, fragrances have notes that range from high to low, and creating a balanced fragrance chord is a great way to achieve a complex, interesting blend. I recently made a scent which …

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“Amores (III)” by e e cummings

Amores (III) there is a moon sole in the blue night amorous of waters tremulous, blinded with silence the undulous heaven yearns where in tense starlessness anoint with ardor the yellow lover stands in the dumb dark svelte and urgent (again love i slowly gather of thy languorous mouth the thrilling flower)

Japanese Crafts: The Basics of Origami Folds

The first time I ever experienced Origami was in grade 4 when my teacher invited her good friend to come in and teach the class the art of paper folding.  If I remember correctly, we all did very well and by the end of the two weeks of lessons we could competently create a ball, …

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