Blessing in disguise

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on August 20, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

The doors closed and she was out of a job, worried about how she was going to make ends meet. But soon she discovered the closure was a blessing in disguise.

Two years ago, the paper company that Judi Jamieson-Rader worked for closed. Suddenly, turning her hobby into a business was a “do it or die” situation, as she put it. In short order, she plunged full speed ahead, turning her artistic talent into a new full-time job.

Along the way, her Middletown home became her new place of employment as the owner of a glassware business.

Today, Jamieson-Rader markets her hand-painted goblets and stemware from her website,Judipaintedit.com. Enamel paints are used in the floral designs, followed by a clear coat for durability. The glasses are then baked to make all products safe for dishwashers.

Looking into a Judipaintedit wine goblet is like gazing into a real flower. The intricate details in each painting bring the glass to life. The crafted glasses are made for all occasions.

Also, everything Jamieson-Rader uses — paints, glasses and scalloped tags — are made in the U.S., she noted.

“It gives me personal satisfaction to contribute something to our economy regardless of how small it may be,” she said.

For more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/blessing-in-disguise/article_37783318-e989-5ff7-9e22-adc4366ccb91.html

Llama love at first sight

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent | 0 comments

Posted on August 14, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

It was love at first sight when Rehanna Stepnoski came face to face with a llama on a trip to visit her uncle’s quarter horse farm.

The 18-year-old from Buckingham set out to own one. Borrowing a small horse trailer from another member of the Bucks County 4-H Club, she and her mother trekked to a llama farm in Gap, Pa. “We spent Mother’s Day picking out an alpaca,” she explained with a giggle.

Today, as president of the 4-H’s leadership-oriented Teen Council, she is the proud owner of two lamas, Dolly and Coco.

Rehanna will be busy showing off alpacas that can open gates and walk over see-saws at the Middletown Grange Fair in Wrightstown this week.

Like Rehanna, Elizabeth Wiltshire, 17, of Doylestown has been an active member of 4-H and divides her time between several clubs. She is vice president of Teen Council and a member of the Swine, Paw Prints, Little Rascals and Fuzzy Critters clubs.

The kids are taught in Paw Prints how to groom and control their dogs while working them in training circles. At the Grange Fair on Sunday, Elizabeth will be demonstrating her skills with her dog, Abby, a 6-month-old collie mix.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of 4-H in Bucks.

“4-H is the largest and oldest youth organization in Bucks County,” said Nancy Stephenson, 4-H educator in the Doylestown office. ”There are over 8,000 youth in the organization. It is bigger than the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.”

For more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/falls/llama-love-at-first-sight/article_16258494-d74e-57a8-94c5-4eeb973421a4.html

Quilts to inspire wonder

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent | 0 comments

Posted on August 12, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Ellen Lucas’ mother-in-law gave her more than 50 hankies that belonged to her grandmother who died last year.

She knew in that moment she wanted to make a Hankie Quilt to honor her. Each square of the quilt is made up of the hankies, and Lucas even incorporated some of her grandmother’s crochet work into the quilt.

Dozens of quilts made with love and dedication by Bensalem’s Quilting Academy have found a place at the Bucks County Visitor Center on Street Road in Bensalem.

The colorful, handmade works of art hang from the 25-foot ceiling rafters of the center for the Eighth Annual Bucks County Quilt Show presented by the academy club.

No two quilts are alike.

Each academy member works on independent projects, according to Linda Dougherty, director of operations at the visitors center and a member of the academy with two quilts in the show.

“Some of the work is done by hand and some of the work was done with sewing machines,” said Dougherty. “Quilting means joining three layers together.”

Quilts are crafted by Bucks residents who belong to the Quilting Academy, at 3671 Hulmeville Road in Bensalem.

For more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/quilts-to-inspire-wonder/article_2dbd2232-3266-51f3-a081-8230bf2254a4.html

Protesting through music and lyrics

Posted: Sunday, July 8, 2012 5:00 am | Updated: 7:46 am, Sun Jul 8, 2012.

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent | 0 comments

Protesters pitched tents and camped out at Snipes Farm on Friday in Falls as part of this week’s 99 Mile March between Philadelphia and New York City.

The march, which began at the Liberty Bell and will end in Liberty Square at the National Gathering of the Occupy Movement on Wednesday, has drawn between 70 and 100 participants from around the country.

Many were scattered on towels and blankets at Snipes, trying to stay cool by refilling water bottles from the faucets at the camp site where some have been since Thursday.

The group, calling itself Occupy Guitarmy, traveled from Center City to Falls strumming guitars and singing protest songs along the way.

“The theme of this march is that they have money for war but not for school music programs,” said Tony Bates, one of the organizers. “Learning music expands spatial intelligence.”

The Guitarmy takes pop songs and protest songs and reworks them to fit the issues of the Occupy movement during the marches.

“Music moves you and pulls you into change,” said Mary Spokane, 65, of Olympia, Wash. “Without music, people like John Lennon, we would not have had a revolution. It was the music that made me join this group.”

For more go to:http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/protesting-through-music-and-lyrics/article_516b6b91-6103-554d-83d5-c747f04f2f41.html