Chelsea's Tree book for step kids

It is very important that children achieve a sense of self and relatedness. This book does this in a caring manner. Lionel Bryan, M.D., Psychiatrist, Advisory Board of Inspiration Publications Both children and adults will enjoy reading Chelsea’s Tree and using the activities in drawing closer as a family. –Rev. J. Alexander M. Div., M.S., Lamplighter May 2001

Children often experience anguish and confusion when two families are merged into one. Marcy McCann’s Chelsea’s Tree is a great way to help children cope with their new situation. The story revolves around a little girl who explores the differences and benefits of her new family. The hardcover book, aimed at children ages 4 to 8, also includes maps and stickers to show where relatives live, a photo album section, a glossary of family relationships and a list of resources. –Your Stepfamily Magazine August 2002

This sturdy hard covered book contains a beautifully illustrated story, activities, maps, stickers, and a photo album section. The book has a multicolored handle for ease of carrying. Geared to stepchildren and children of blended families. Age appropriate 3 – 7 Endorsed by health care professionals. Chelsea’s Tree is a charming, original way to help a child make sense of his or her world. Judith L. Hunt., Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Try playing these jigsaw puzzles with the kids for a few nights. I think you will see how easy it is to spend time having fun once you slow down to enjoy a few minutes with the family.

Check out our children’s books that are sure to be another great way to spend quality time with your family.

Great things to eat during the Route 11 Yard Crawl

My friend Dick from “Brain Freeze” is bringing his Italian Ice cart Saturday for The Route 11 Yard Crawl. Stop by my studio for LtdEditionPrints.com and King Street Art Works for some tasty refreshment. We have brand new keyboards, pottery, loads of kitchen items, bar stools, paintings at reduced prices, framed prints, china.

234 West King Street, Strasburg, Va 540-465-5729 at KSAW.

Ren Crawford's watercolor large colorful abstracts

Diane Rasmussen and Ren Crawford invite you to attend their Foyer Show reception featuring many pieces of Diane’s jewelry and Ren’s beautiful paintings. Diane and Ren invite you to join them for food and live music from 2 to 5 PM on Sunday August 14, 2011. Doors open from 11 AM until 7 PM Sundays.

Diane’s use of wire wrapping stones and semi precious gems to create unique earrings, necklaces, bracelets and Zen Catchers has become the hot commodity since being offered to the public in 2009.

Earrings from Huayruros Seeds and Wood Beads

King Street Art Works!
234 West King Street
Strasburg, VA 22657
King Street Art Works!

Despite the recent popularity of the Local Food movement, many communities, particularly in smaller rural towns, have resisted the trend, citing the added expense or unavailability of local goods. But in the town of Strasburg, Virginia, a small café is striving to change negative perceptions about eating locally—one plate at a time.

“Especially in rural areas, people do not spend as much of their income on food. ‘Organic food’ is seen as something for people with money— city people,” says Wendy Willis, who, along with her sister Cristina Willis, co-owns and operates Cristina’s Cafe. The café attempts to combat that perception by emphasizing the availability of locally grown produce, meats, and dairy products.

“Eating locally is most important,” says Willis, adding that Cristina’s café strives to “educate people about what is around them and what is available seasonally” by using locally produced ingredients (people in the ‘biz call this “locally sourced “) in their dishes whenever possible — sometimes as close by as the herbs and tomatoes grown in the café’s garden — and creating their menu based on what is available seasonally.

The Friday Night Farmers Market, held during the summer months, sets up along the perimeter of the café’s small gravel parking lot.

Credit: Cristina’s Cafe
In addition to serving locally sourced alternatives to the fast food found in Strasburg, Cristina’s is also strengthening this Main Street community’s local food economy by hosting a farmers market in the café parking lot. “I go to a lot of farmers markets, so I know a lot of vendors,” says Willis, who initially organized the market to serve as a place both for local vendors to sell their goods, ranging from organic berries to handmade soaps, and as gathering spot for Strasburg residents to get out and socialize. The markets are held on Friday nights to avoid competition with Saturday and Sunday farmers markets, and attract a mix of locals and tourists alike, depending on the week.

The Willis sisters have a multifaceted approach to their conservation efforts. “It’s really all about being conscious of the waste you are producing,” says Willis. The café, which is the first Virginia Green-certified restaurant in Frederick and Shenandoah Counties, has incorporated various recycling and waste reduction strategies into their business practices. “There’s no local recycling pick-up for businesses,” says Willis, “so once a week we collect everything and take it out to the recycling plant.”

Beyond recycling raw materials, the Willis sisters put a compost bin in their yard to produce soil for their herb and vegetable garden. Dairy and other kitchen scraps are sourced to a local pig farm, which in turn provides the café with some of its meat products. Meanwhile, a stormwater management system consisting of a hose and gutter system and a 1,500-gallon rain barrel collects water off their roof, which they use to water the café garden. The sisters have also taken measures to reduce the environmental impact of their building by participating as a community pilot project for solar panel installation on the roof of their café.

Two Easy Ways to Green a Business
For businesess looking to green their practices, Willis suggests the following tips:

Be conscious of how much waste you are producing. Small changes in waste management can significantly reduce costs and environmental impact.
Look for recycling and community composting programs. Many areas now offer local pick-up, but if not consider doing your own drop-offs at local recycling plants. If your business is located in a rural area, contact local farmers to see if they can take organic waste; or if you have the space, start your own composting bin. Many urban areas have community composting sites as well.

Rebecca Chan is an intern with the National Trust Main Street Center.

This article is reposted here for those who could not read it on the original site. Cristina’s is across the street from my building so I can attest to the value of the food and the contribution to the community.

Ann Harrison's Studio Art Sale

Saturday July 16th from 2 to 5 PM.

Moving from the studio she called home for 35 years Ann is pricing over 150 pieces at prices too good to pass up.

Original water colors, oils, acrylics on canvas and papers, many fully framed and others shrink wrapped or ready to frame. Two wooden display units and some studio supplies, such as a matte cutter, also on sales during the event.

Ann moved to the U.S. from Germany at age 18 and raised a family of five. During this time she earned several degrees including her masters in fine arts degree from New York University. She held showings in several European countries and currently shows her work in several regional galleries including King Street Art Works which shares space in the building with LtdPrints.com.

Studio Harrison
381 Windy Ridge Road
Front Royal, VA 22630

Give Ann a call for more info 540-635-8493 or email her at annharrisonart@hotmail.com​

I’ve become more grateful each year, more aware, and more open to what adventures life might bring. It is an exciting process this thing called life and I hope that this season we will all to be more thankful, more open and more forgiving. It is my intention to give of myself to as many of those in my circle as possible and I encourage you to consider gifting yourself to those in your life. It can often be as simple as few minutes of time, a phone call, lending a hand, a simple hug or a hand on a shoulder. A plate of cookies and a cup of hot tea with a friend is a gift of time.

Consider a gift of time to those in your circle. I bet if you do your circle of friends and family will grow to be as valuable as mine is to me.

Here’s a quick video of TV3 Winchester’s coverage of LTD Print.com and King Street Art Works’partnership with Carpet Plus of Charlottesville VA.
The Re-Cork program is making an effort to recycle corks from the valley & surrounding areas.

So make sure to gather up your corks from this seasons parties and family gatherings, then bring them in to our shared space and do your part. We’ll be happy to show you around.

One more way to have a greener art buying center. Thanks Pat King of VAPhotosnline.com for being available for the interview.

Normal stuff any single person would do for themselves and that busy couples share. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that because Ron was now attending Lord Fairfax Community College I would try to take on a some of his share as my schedule freed up. Well I can tell you one thing! Laundry is a lot of work!!! Now the kitchen is too of course and the mess is right in your face if its not kept up…but sorting, washing, moving to the dryer, getting it out, folding it up so a person can come along and wear clean clothes is a “JOB”. Just want to remind all of you who aren’t sharing chores, or those of you who are sharing chores that it would be nice to trade once in a while so you realize how much is being done for you. Thank you Mr. Anderson. Now I’m going to take a nap.