Ireland

     The land of my Grandmothers and a Grandfather is celebrated each year on St. Pat's Day, a reminder to the world of all things Irish.

     I hope those who are Irish, if only for the day, enjoyed the celebration. I hear the weather bright and sunny for the NY St. Pat's Day parade, and that's a blessin'

     That's Andrew and Sarah and one of their children...the photo is not labeled and we guess it may be one of the three children they lost to a mysterious illness in 1921.

     He was an Irish cop in New York, she was the Mother who gave birth to ten children, including my Dad.

     After Andrew died in 1923, Sarah and the children went back to her homeland, but only for a visit.

     These are especially tough times for Ireland. So many took advantage of the great economy in the mid to late 2000's, that they fell all the harder. from The Great Recession.

     Though I hold dual-citizenship with Ireland because of my ancestry, and even carry an Irish passport, I've yet to visit. Maybe this year?



[NASA has provided a gorgeous photo of Erie from space...no wonder she's called The Emerald Isle!]

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!! with some Irish quotes and notes

Erin go braugh!
(That means "Ireland Forever" according to wikipedia.)

Indiana Museums of Music, see side bar for website

"There are only two kinds of people in the world -

The Irish and those who wish they were!"

- Irish saying

Don't forget to wear a bit 'o green today!

vintage crate label, Dover Publications



Here are some fun activity sheets for the kids. These are perfect for when they have to wait in line or rides in the car.

TURN OFF THAT TV/MOVIE/GAME!!

fun (cautionary) fact: The brain's activity level is the same

when watching tv or sleeping.

.

Hmmmm....I don't recall ever learning something new or communicating better with others or using any brain cells when I am sleeping....

Remember, click on the picture and it should come up

with a larger version that you can easily print.

Courtesy of Dover publications. See side bar for website.

Here is a fun web site that has international children paper dolls that you can color, cut out, mount on cardstock (yeah cereal boxes again) and play with or display. There is a nice Irish/Scottish boy included.

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/TCR/0615_57-59.pdf

Here is a cute little paper doll girl and an Irish costume:

These are from a booklet of paper dolls "Friends Around the World" by Current, 1985. I will be adding some more of the international costumes in future blogs.

If you haven't tried the joys of glossy paper, do it! I like to print my base paper doll on cardstock, and then print the costumes on glossy paper. Just let the ink dry thoroughly and it works great!

Saint Patrick's Cathedral, New York, New York, USA

Budget craft:

Free magnets -

Gather together all those business cards and ads on magnet sheets that you aren't going to display.

Gather some images to print out, or rubber stamped images.

  * Don't forget all the wonderful photos, vintage clip and other art that I provide every day!

Tip: Recycled calendars are excellent places to find glossy images. And don't forget pictures of family and friends! (or Pierce Brosnan....)

Trace around the magnet onto printed images/stamped image; cut out.

Attach paper image to magnet front with double stick tape. Trim any edge overhang.

You now have beautiful magnets to include in a card or gift basket, or to display on your metal surface choice of the moment.

"There is no strength without unity."

- Irish proverb

Johnstown Castle, Ireland

Here is a simple bead pattern for an amulet bag done in peyote.

I'm sorry, but I don't know who to credit with this design.

One of my absolute favorite places for free beading patterns is:

http://www.bead-patterns.com/

Well, I still have tons of Irish history fun facts, Irish vintage clip art and images and photos, Vintage Irish Song Sheet graphics, Irish craft ideas.....

But they will have to wait for another day!

I have so enjoyed spreading a bit of Irish the past several days.

What shall we do tomorrow?

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com



Day 5 all things Irish

Good morning!

"Ireland is where strange tales begin and happy endings are possible."

- Charles Haughey, London, 7/14/1988

sheet music published in 1915.

courtesy of Indiana Music Libraries

Here is another green dress for Liana's paperdoll from yesterday:

and another one, a bit more modern!

Check out Liana's web site for tons more paperdoll models and dresses.

http://www.joechip.net/liana/

more IRISH HISTORY from

Paragon Publishing 2002

In 1541, Henry VIII was declared king of Ireland by the subservient Irish parliament. He was the first person to be so delcared since Edward Bruce. Wishing to bring the whole of the country under his control, he decided that complete Anglicisation was necessary.  Where previous administrators had tried to emphasis the differences between the Gaels and the Anglo-Irish, and so keep them segregated, Henry was intent on dealing with them all in a similar fashion.......

King Henry mounted the first serious challenge to the Gaelic culture in many parts of the country, by insisting on a uniformity of English language, customs and dress throughout the whole kingdom.

Irish Proverb:

"There is no strength without unity."

Today I would like to share with you a recipe made in a crock pot.



Corned Beef and Cabbage

courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens:

www.bhg.com/recipes



ingredients

 *  one 3 to 4 lb.corned beef brisket with spice packet

 *  1/2 small head cabbage, cut into 3 wedges

 *  4 medium carrots peeled and cut into 2" pieces

 *  2 medium yellow potatoes cut into 2 " pieces

 *  1 medium onion, quartered

 *  1/2 Cup water

directions

1. Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut brisket to fit in a 5-6 quart slow cooker.  Sprinkle spices from packet evenly over meat; rub in with your fingers. Place cabbage, carrots, onion, and potatoes in the slow cooker. Pour water over vegetables. Top with brisket.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 - 12 hours or on high-heat setting fro 5 to 6 hours. Transfer meat to cutting board. Thinly slice against the grain. Serve vegetables with a slotted spoon.

Makes 6 servings.

I do hope  you are enjoying this Sunday.

See you tomorrow!

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com



Day 6 St. Pat's Day countdown, paperdolls, mazes and vintage clip

Good day!

"A world of wishes at your command,

God and His angels close at hand,

Friends and family, their love impart,

And Irish blessings in your heart!"

Today is a beautiful day outside. The wind is still, the sun is shining and there are some blue skies peeking out between clouds. My Great Dane Tanner just wants to sit outside in the sun - sniffing the breeze and soaking up the sun, and, well, what ALL Great Danes do - napping!

and one of my favorites - remember, he is napping -

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's spirit remains unawakened."

- Antole France

Here is a wonderful celtic knot maze from Dover:

You can click on any of my pictures and they open in their own little window. You can then copy and paste, or just print.

Please be courteous about copyright laws.

If you didn't come up with the idea, don't say you did.

Try to always give credit where credit is due.

Here is another interesting maze based on Ireland:

courtesy of Dover

For future Crafts:

Time to save an egg carton or two. These need to be made out of the paperboard/cardboard kind, not the styrofoam white ones. Any color will due, as long as it is bio-degradable cardboard type material.

For a SUPER Egg project coming up, please start saving those twistie ties that come on bread or bags of things. You will also need a variety of silk ties to cut up. Not any other kind, just silk ones. I finally broke down and purchased a handful from my local ARC thrift store. My husband had this strange objection to my cutting up some of his ties....go figure.

A silk scarf might work, I'm going try that this year also. I don't know if it will work yet, so don't depend on just silk scarves. Get those ties!!!

For our CD project you will need a hundred or so CDs. That means a pile of them! It does not matter what is printed on the CD at all.

We will be making a purse with all the gum wrappers you are saving. You might want to hook in with a youth group or something to get a good supply of them. Perhaps a junior league baseball team? I kinda' shudder to think one person would chew that much gum themselves!

Here is another paper doll set with an Irish theme:

Liana's Paperdoll Blog is a website with all original (and copyrighted) paperdolls and their fantastic wardrobes. Well worth a check.

joechip.net/liana

Well, I think that's enough for today! I'm looking forward to a recipe for traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage cooked in a crockpot for tomorrow.

"Irish Alzheimer's:

You forget everything except the grudges."

 - Judy Collins



inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com