Bed & Breakfast Browser

Bed & Breakfast Browser is a new site I just finished. It’s a directory of bed & breakfast inns across the US and Canada. It has about 9,000 B&B’s and 18,000 photos for launch. WikiTravel tidbits and integrated Google Maps (API) supplement the accommodation details. The site is fairly basic in it’s current form (I want to build some rank in the search engines while I develop). The ultimate goal is to provide the most decked out B&B directory online. There are about 50 other B&B directories, most of which charge $50 – $500 per year for listings. The idea here (when done) will be to provide 100% FREE listings for innkeepers. Instead of charging for “top spots” in the results, I’ll list the “biggest” listings first. This will encourage the innkeepers to provide more info and photos for the travelers, making our site bigger and more useful than other sites. And that, being that this is a free / context ad-supported site, is how we’ll bring home the bacon.

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My Little Gang- Sculpey Creations by Sudi

I’ve been working with Sculpey lately, my new hobby, kind of out-of-charater since I am not one-bit-crafty but it’s been fun. Sculpey is colored clay that can be baked.

For all my friends -Erin and Noelle- in Colorado who want a Sculpey tutorial, here it is.

All suplies can be bought at your local craft store.

Sculpey comes in little 2 ounce blocks. You can buy them individually and pick your favorite colors or buy them in multi-packs which is cheaper and well worth it, IF you like all the colors in the set.

You will also need a set of basic plastic tools. Do not use kitchen tools.

    

Zip Lock Bags to put all your sculpey in by color. It keeps it neat and fresh.

If you want to polish your creations you can buy Matte or Glossy Lacquer.

To make pencil heads you will also need to buy cheap pencils at Target or Wal-Mart. I reccomend fun pencils as opposed to the regular yellow ones.

Also buy a small plastic container to put all your supplies in.

If you are making Christmas Ornaments you need the hooks, etc.

Sculpey is pretty hard so before you mold it you will need to soften it with your hands. You can either make your own creations, get ideas from Sculpey.com or buy Sculpey molds which ever you prefer.

Sculpey creations must be baked at 275 degrees for 30 minutes. Place a sheet of aluminun foil on cookie sheet and place creations on it. (not directly on cookie sheet since you use that for food).

Please remember never to eat snacks while you are “crafting”. When you are done, wash your hands thoroughly.

And now presenting Sudi’s creations…. “My Little Gang” (click to enlarge)

Jonah	Waiting to be baked	My Little Gang – “CD Cover”
Mariah – the classy lady in the hat	Stevie & Puppy	All Done

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Church Members

Steven and I went forward in church about a month ago. God had put it in our hearts to become members of our church for a while now. It has been a very fun process. First, on that day we met with a counselor who asked us a lot of  questions and had us fill out a membership application. The requirements are, baptism, membership class, interview with the Servant Ministries Director and the actual “Right Hand of Fellowship Ceremony”.

Since Steven and I have both been baptized by immersion, me in 1988 and Steven in 2003 that is one step we don’t need to worry about. The membership class was Sunday, it was two hours long and so much fun, we learned a lot, had a great discussion and at the end the head deacon met with us and asked us questions about our faith in Christ. His name is Dan and he was very nice! 

On Tuesday we were interviewd by the Director of Servant Ministries, her name is Joyce. Steven met with her privately at first for about an hour and 15 minutes and then I joined them. My time with her was great, but I will say no more since Steven wants to blog about our time with her.

At this point all of our information is being processed as we are being ushered into a new phase in our lives. When we started this process I knew it would be good for us, but I had no idea we would be so blessed. However I am not one bit surprised because whenever we give more of ourselves to the Lord, He always pours out blessings. He always, always, ALWAYS out-gives us.

In the next couple weeks we will get an invitation from Dr. Jeremiah to join him at the “Right Hand of Fellowship Ceremony” which will be on a Sunday evening. We will be introduced to the whole congregation and then we will be official. Following the ceremony we will celebrate with other new members at a New Members Reception. We are very excited! We are so happy and feel so privileged to know Jesus and to serve Him.

God is Good- All the time! 

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Gratitude Visit

A “gratitude visit” was developed by Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman to promote strong emotional health. He tells people to think of someone who has made an important difference in their lives. He asks them to write the story of how that person has helped them, and then to visit that person and read the story aloud. Tests show that a year later the people who had done so were happier and reported fewer episodes of depression. Even more important, think of what it must have done for those who were thanked!

The apostle Paul had a long list of people who had helped him and for whom he was grateful (Rom. 16:1-16). He wrote that Phoebe had “been a helper,” Priscilla and Aquila had “risked their own necks” for his life, and Mary had “labored much” for him. And he took time to write his thanks in a letter to the church at Rome.

Who has helped to shape your life? Could you make a gratitude visit—for their sake, and for yours? —Anne Cetas

After reading this, I sent out 5 emails to people who have made a tremendous difference in my life.

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