1stAngel & Friends

I have just seen a review. Not just any old review though, its a review from a guy that helped me a lot when I first started selling my artwork, Nifty. And, not just any review by Nifty, but a review of a print of MY artwork he has bought!!!

I am thrilled to pieces, proud as punch and just a little bit happy too

Thank you Nifty!!

Here is the link Loxly Gallery Giclee Print Review

Off to have a coffee and a rest now.. quite overcome with it all

“Horticulture’s answer to Damien Hirst” Martin Gayford, Daily Telegraph.

“Call that a public garden? I’d call that a work of genius” Carolyn Hart, Independent on Sunday.

WhatAreKidsSaying.com, an exciting new website for kids and teens, announces that it is going to pay the college tuition of the first three members of its website to reach 50,000 points.

WhatAreKidsSaying.com, founded by University of Michigan graduate and former NFL Linebacker, Ian Gold, offers kids and teens a platform to express their thoughts and opinions, without fear of judgment or criticism.

“The greatest resource on our planet is not measured by the NASDAQ or the Dow. Our greatest resource is the innocent and profound nature of our kids and teens, and it is extremely important that we began to capture it,” says founder, Ian Gold.

Adding to a growing list of his “off the field” endeavors is NFL superstar Wide Receiver, Greg Jennings. The Green Bay Packer is the WhatAreKidsSaying.com National Spokesperson. Jennings, a self-proclaimed poet, is excited about the opportunity to begin encouraging kids and teens to let their voices be heard.

Gaining national notoriety as a vehicle of self-expression and creativity, WhatAreKidsSaying.com is loaded with features! After kids and teens become members, they can participate in a variety of creative writing contests. They will also be given their very own time capsule, where they may store personal writings, photos, and music, rediscovering their treasures for years to come!

The site says WhatAreKidsSaying.com is not a social network. It is a safe and secure environment where kids and teens have the freedom to express themselves freely. The website is for kids and teens that are 18 years old and younger. Please feel free to contact us at rsvp (at) whatarekidssaying (dot) com.

Winning Writers is now accepting entries for five poetry and prose contests on its website. These contests will award over $24,000 in cash prizes. Founded in 2001, Winning Writers is today’s leading source for timely literary contest information. It helps writers find the contests that are most suitable for their work, and steers them away from contests that are low-quality or deceptive.

Short Story Contest 17th year.
Fifteen cash prizes totaling $5,350. Top prize $2,000. Seeks short stories, essays and other works of prose, up to 5,000 words. Winning entries published online. Both published and unpublished work accepted. Fee per entry is $15. Postmark deadline: March 31. Judges: J.H. Reid, D.C. Konrad. Complete guidelines: www.winningwriters.com/tomstory

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest (no fee)
8th annual free contest seeks humor poems. Fifteen cash prizes totaling $3,336.40 will be awarded. Top prize $1,359. Submit one poem by April 1 deadline. No entry fee. Winning entries published online. Judge: Jendi Reiter. Complete guidelines: www.winningwriters.com/wergle

War Poetry Contest 8th year.
Fifteen cash prizes totaling $5,000 will be awarded. Top prize $2,000. Submit 1-3 unpublished poems on the theme of war. Winning entries published online. Entry fee: $15. Postmark deadline: May 31. Judge: Jendi Reiter. Complete guidelines: www.winningwriters.com/war

Here is another story gleaned from my dreams.  This one I had last night…

This story is fully copyrighted to myself,
Elizabeth Edwards (1stAngel) All rights reserved 2009
NO reprinting or republication without written permission

The young girl, still wearing her hockey uniform, sat impatiently tapping her hockey stick on the metallic train floor as it sped through the town.  She craned her neck round to see where they were and pouted prettily when she realised they were still many stops from hers.  She didnt look at the guy sitting opposite, but he was watching her.

————————————————————

In the next compartment an older woman shifted uncomfortably on the hard seat and shifted her shopping bag as the coffee jar dug into her leg. Her husband would be wanting his dinner when he got in from the factory shift and she was running late.  Her stomach churned and she looked down and smiled.  Rubbing it gently with her free hand she murmured, ‘Not long now pet, then Daddy can give us both a hug’, She sighed happily and leaned back a bit to give her baby some more room.

The man behind her made his plans. Read the rest of this entry →

Announcing the publications of Limited Edition Hard Copy and Infinite Edition Online Copy of:

zero - an art work in book form by ajaykumar and alok b. nandi

A Goldsmiths, University of London Research Project.

zero the special limited edition book is available to order, £8.00 from: zero@fluxtopia.net

zero the infinite edition virtual book is available to download at: www.zero.fluxtopia.net

The conception of zero is of vital importance for the existence of our current global society. The Information Age, the Digital Age begins essentially at the point of generation of zero in ancient South Asia.

Through these new book publications, as well as through films, performances, installations, workshops and other interventions, artists-researchers ajaykumar and alok b. nandi interrogate zero: from its historical and philosophical origins to it critical importance in our contemporary being. Read the rest of this entry →

Material scientists at The University of Manchester are causing a festive flap after developing a way of making Christmas wrapping paper - from TURKEY FEATHERS.

A team led by Professor Chris Carr from The School of Materials has broken down and filtered large amounts of bird feathers.

Researchers then used special machinery - unique to The University of Manchester - to turn the feathery pulp into paper.

And to mark the festive season, Prof Carr has joined forces with Dr Nick Clarke from The University’s state-of-the-art Digital Print Centre to create colourful feather-based wrapping paper.

The new innovation from Manchester scientists - piloted using duck, goose and poultry feathers - opens up the possibility that in future years the paper used to wrap a family’s presents could be made from feathers plucked from the turkey they are eating for Christmas lunch.

According to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), 10 million turkeys are consumed in the UK over the festive period - with around 6 million of them reared in the UK.

And according to DEFRA figures, in 2007 the UK produced 1,264,400 tonnes of chicken*.

The vast majority of feathers plucked from these birds are incinerated or end up in landfill. Each of these methods has implications for the environment.

It is estimated that around 120,000 tonnes of poultry feathers are produced every year in UK alone.

And there is a pressing demand for an alternative processing route for the feathers - especially as companies currently have to pay for unwanted feathers to be taken away.

As well as paper, scientists at the University have been able to make plant pots that are potentially flame retardant and more biodegradable than traditional plastic plant pots.

Researchers believe these feather-based pots may also offer enhanced fertilising properties as a result of the nitrogen supplied by the protein in the feathers.

Using The University of Manchester’s unique paper pilot plant, they have even made prototype EGG BOXES from unwanted feathers.

And in future years vegetable peelings may not go to waste, as researchers have even looked at making paper from these.

Professor Carr said: “Over recent years we have been working closely with industrial partners to characterise feathers, develop suitable cleaning technology and identify potential opportunities for new and novel products.

“Our progress in this field and the production of prototype products would have been impossible without the unique paper production pilot facility we have on campus. We are fortunate to be the only university in the UK to boast such advanced equipment.

“We are very excited and encouraged by our results and the prototypes we have produced, although there is still some way to go before products start to appear on the shelves.

“We see this as a real opportunity to take the large volume of poultry feathers, which are currently being incinerated or dumped into land fill sites, and put them to good use.”

The University of Manchester is currently working with industrial partners to develop the necessary processes and technology to produce commercially viable feather-based products.

Facebook Applications.

Hmmm some of you may say..’what the hell is a Facebook Application?’ and others will say, ‘Facebook Applications? Yes I can knock one out after tea’…

Well I am making an application at present.  A role playing game about art.  Its… erm.. a LOT harder than I thought it was and I am really struggling even though I am using a game maker.

I mean, how hard can it be to ask someone to do something that then does something else?  Its absurdly hard and I think this may end up as not so much an application as more an appliHUH?……….

Still I WILL make it and if it works great, and if it doesnt, well at least I tried!

On another note, two of the nicest ladies I know are meeting tomorrow in London.   I  SO want to be there too but its very hard for me for several reasons, the main one being that I find it hard even now to go off on my own alone.  Still, at least I get out now, there was a time when I was scared to even go out of my front door so things are looking up :)   Must be brave, Must be brave!!!

So the two ladies meet up tomorrow and I wish them all the best and I hope they have a sunny, gorgeous day :)  I KNOW they will get on perfectly they are both truly nice people

Finally, the lady from eBay has told me she will refund my money on that medialert pendant, so we may have a happy ending. At present my neck has got worse and I am trying to keep it in one piece with Savlon.

So, that’;s it for now.. no more excuse to stop building the application for a while *sigh*  Back I go……….wish me luck LOL