English I Blog Post 2 -- Your SSR Book

Hello again everyone!

Today you are going to add another new post to your blog.

Now that we have gone to the library and you have chosen your first SSR book, you need to do a post about what you chose.

Tell the title and author of the book.  Find a picture of the book online (save the picture so that you can use it) and insert the picture in to your blog post.

Explain why you picked the book you picked.

Make predictions about what the book will be about, and what reading it will be like, based on the title, the cover, the author's name, and anything else you know about the book.

Once you have finished this task, and published the post, look at the posts of your classmates.  Read them and make comments on them.  Do you think their book sounds interesting?  Have you read the book they chose before?   If so, did you like it?  Remember to speak with good purpose only.

Once you have finished that, you may begin reading your SSR book until the end of the period.

No homework today ;)  yay!!

<3, Mrs. McCrory

English I -- your task today is YOUR PERSONAL LITERARY HISTORY

Hi everyone!!!
Welcome to the world of blogging.  I am so excited for us to have this online community where we are sharing our thoughts and ideas with each other.

Your task for today is to do a blog post of your personal literary history.  Using images and words, tell the story of the books that have influenced you and how you feel about reading, whether it is good or bad.  Once you have completed yours, you should look at the blogs of your classmates, and if they have finished theirs you should read it and comment on it.  Make sure your comments are always respectful and appropriate.

I look forward to reading each of your literary histories!

Mrs. McCrory

An interesting post by "The Grammar Gang"

I found this post interesting and I thought you guys might, too.  Especially those of you in AP may find this informative as we move forward with writing formal essays...

http://thegrammargang.blogspot.com/2011/11/rules-we-live-by.html

Photography

I really enjoy taking pictures, and sometimes I think I take some really nice ones.  I'm never sure what other people think, but I love them so I guess that's all that matters. :)

 (three above from JM prom 2011)

 (my backyard after rain)

 Lucy portrait!  Lucy is my friend Tara's dog, and I took a lot of portraits of her 2 spring breaks ago to launch her entertainment career :)

Three above and one below taken on Roanoke Island at the site of the Lost Colony.

 Christmas snow in Asheville in 2009

 Rosalie!  My family's paint.

 Mountain Laurel

 Max dealing cards

 Alex playing cards

 Sarah playing cards:  family reunion at Doughton Park, June 2010

 Max on sunrise hike at Doughton Park.

 Uncle Fred on sunrise hike at Doughton Park

Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Doughton Park near Boone, North Carolina.

some stuff I made...

Ok, so so much for posting everyday.  Maybe I'll start with just being happy if I keep posting now and then.  I'll work up from there. 

Today I wanted to share some pictures of things I've made.  I haven't managed to take any pictures of the many skirts I have made, and somehow I only have one picture of a bag, even though these are the two things that I make the most of.  But I'm going to post some pictures of journals and things that I've made:

 These are some small journals that I covered and decorated with some appliques.  This green one was my favorite.  The green fabric is a Japanese import, and the flowers are outlined in metallic gold.  It's strikingly beautiful in person.

 Another journal.  I wish I could find this fabric with the kitties in kimonos again -- I love it so much!!

 This is the first three pocket wallet I made.  I have made a lot more since, and tend to decorate the flap with buttons now.  They are so cute!  I gave several as Christmas gifts.  I hope the recipients loved them as much as I do.

 I call this my portable pocket.  It's really a phone cozy with a long strap so I can wear it across my shoulder -- so that I do not misplace my phone when I do not have pockets.

 more journals

 Another journal -- covered in one of my ALL TIME favorite fabrics.

 The only quilt I've made so far that wasn't just squares.  The colors came out a little more Easter-egg like than I wanted, but I'm still pretty proud of it :). 

 This is an Amy Butler Swing Bag -- I make and sell a LOT of these.  This one is for a very sweet person that I like very much! :)  And it took me MONTHS to make it, so I hope she forgives my tardiness.  I love the bold graphic flowers.

 This was my first cosmetic bag.  I've made a couple more since.  I really like it and I LOVE the fabric...

A recipe box that I covered and decorated with appliques.  It now belongs to my sister :). 

So, I hope you enjoyed a little tour of a few things that I have made.  I really need to take pictures of my skirts, and of the full sized quilt I made -- my first project!  And still my favorite.  I use it as the bed spread in my guest room, but when I need a mood lift, I use it myself :).  It always makes me happy.

Next I think I shall post some examples of my photography that I am proud of.  I love taking pictures!

Signing off for now
McCrory

Hmmm... ok, so I'm thinking...

I have absolutely NO spare time left in my life.  But I also have this insatiable need to express myself and organize my life by reflecting on the parts of it in one space.  So... I'm thinking of starting to blog again.  Each time I start it lasts about 3 days.  But also each time I start I end up with monstrously long posts that take me a long time to perfect.  I have to stop doing that.  So -- my goal is a daily post, but keep it short.  Then if there is more than one post in a day, then awesome.  Since my name is attached to this blog I will not be able to say much about my work because of privacy restrictions.  Sometimes I really want to congratulate a student or reflect on less positive things that happen.  If I feel I need to do this, it will not ever mention any names and I'll never complain (because that can get you in BIG trouble).

Today my sentiment is this:

This is my green stash

 This is my teal stash

And the sentiment is this:  oh sewing, sewing room, fabric, doo dads... I have missed you lately!  I have been so busy lately that we have become strangers.  But next week is spring break and we will spend some quality time together... I promise!

Also, check out my pinterest board!  http://pinterest.com/hemccrory/sewin-n-stitchin-n-style/  Since surfing is something I can not go a day without anyway, this is always getting added to.  My hope is to become magical and to also no longer need sleep so that I have the time in my days to do my first job, my second job, my tutoring jobs AND craft AND blog about it... hm yeah, that doesn't sound reasonable does it?  I mean, there is like cooking dinner and keeping house in there too.  Well...  I'll make most of it happen.  I just have to take advantage of breaks like spring break.

Much Love,

H

Who knew?

So my dog Izzy taught me something new today.  I previously had no idea that dogs could poop their pants!

One of my dogs, Isabelle (Izzy) is pretty strange.  She's afraid of loud noises, new people, going outside, pretty much anything outside of her normal routine (except the going outside part, but that fear comes and goes).  We don't know why she's that way; she's never been abused (we've had her since she was about 8 weeks old, from the SPCA -- whatever those 8 weeks may have been like we do not know, but I can't imagine she'd remember... ?).  It just seems to be in her genetic make-up to be a fraidey cat.
My other dog, Peanut, as a LOT of energy and is very athletic.  She gets to run around in our backyard, but that alone isn't really enough to get all of her energy out.  She recently discovered that among her athletic abilities is the capacity to jump over our SIX FOOT privacy fence.  She doesn't do it very often, however, only when she is really worked up for some reason.  So I decided (after her latest jump) that she needs to go on at least four walks a week.
So today was to be the first walk.  As soon as I got home, I changed clothes,  As I'm putting on her leash I say to myself, why not take Izzy, too?  I mean, she's not as full of energy, but what dog doesn't love a walk?  I guess Izzy doesn't...
So, yeah, while we're out, a lady who is talking on the phone on her porch calls out to me and asks me about Peanut.  She was saying that she saw her running around the other day (the day of her last jump) and wanted to know if she was friendly, etc.  Then the dogs and I get back on our way.  And in front of me I see Izzy's butt.
Izzy has pooped her pants.
No, I don't put pants on my dog, and I know that dogs poop naked every day and don't typically fail at it.  But Izzy's tail was tucked so far between her legs, and then she was so freaked out by me talking to that lady, that she pooped.  Right there, standing up.  On her tail.  And do you know, she walked all the way home that way until I let her in the backyard.  She took care of most of the business then, but I still had to give her a bath.
She's now chilling out on her favorite blue chair like the world is awesome.  Thanks a bunch...