Duffy Brown's Mystery Party - Annette Blair [ Edited ]

[becke_davis]

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dulcinea3 wrote:

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becke_davis wrote:

Fabulous pictures! I love your tiara!

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Thanks, Becke!  The costume suggestions included a tiara, being the First Lady, and I remembered I had this plastic one that said 'Birthday Girl' that my sister-in-law got me for my 50th birthday party.  Then I looked online for Canadian flag images, and found one with a heart shape, which was perfect to tape over it!  As you can probably tell, some people rent costumes for these, but I enjoy coming up with my own.  I got the scarf and a shiny little silver purse with heart appliques at WalMart, and found the headband with the pink rose and some stretchy pink 'pearl' bracelets at CVS.  Then I just wore a pink print broomstick skirt and ivory wrap top that I already had, because I would have worn clothes like that back then.  We had to bring food, and I made mini club sandwiches and said they were 'Canadian club sandwiches' (even though I just used regular instead of Canadian bacon).  I was also able to supply a good selection of disco CDs!

It's funny this came up now, because I'm about two years behind on my scrapbook, and just did the pages for this party yesterday!

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I just got back from the party - soooo much fun! One of the first people I saw when I arrived was Annette Blair! I didn't even realize she was coming! 

Cloaked in Malice 

Skirting the Grave (Vintage Magic Series #4) 

A Veiled Deception (Vintage Magic Series #1) 

Larceny and Lace (Vintage Magic Series #2) 

Death by Diamonds (Vintage Magic Series #3) 

The Kitchen Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy #1) 

Naked Dragon (Works Like Magick Series #1) 

Bedeviled Angel (Works Like Magick Series #2) 

Butterfly Garden 

Jacob's Return 

Gone with the Witch (Triplet Witch Series #2) 

Sex and the Psychic Witch (Triplet Witch Series #1) 

The Scot, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Accidental Witch Trilogy #3) 

My Favorite Witch (Accidental Witch Trilogy #2) 

Never Been Witched (Triplet Witch Series #3) 

An Undeniable Rogue                 

[becke_davis]

Anyway, the party was a blast. The rain held out until ALMOST the end of the party, and then the thunderstorm rolled in and gave us quite a light show. I'm going to go post all my pictures on Facebook. I'm going to have an early night (long day tomorrow!) so I'll share them here later. 

BTW, the first book in Duffy's series comes out in the fall:

Iced Chiffon  

[Fricka]

Thanks for the great pictures, becke and dulcinea3! Those parties look like they would be quite fun! I'm jealous that there's nothing like that in my area(that I know of). At least I can get vicarious pleasure out of viewing both of you in your costumes.

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Well, we had a nice visit with my niece, her husband, and their baby yesterday. He was soooo tiny!( He will be a month old June 5).  He was very good, too--slept through all of lunch, and didn't fuss much when they picked him up and took turns holding him. I took pictures of Mom and Dad standing next to my niece holding the baby. Hope those turn out well.

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becke, as far as I know, I do have a job for the fall semester-- the budget cuts that made my summer employment get dropped will hopefully not extend to the fall. I should know fairly soon if students are going to be calling for some private tutoring this summer.

June is going to be a killer month, though-- both of my parents have their birthdays this month, and then there's Father's Day, too. I'm trying to think of some low budget gifts I can get them, but I can tell my savings are pretty much going to be wiped out by August, if not before then. I had been hoping to get to take a weekend trip to Florida to see my nephew, niece-in-law, and their baby daughter, but of course that is out of the question now, and since he and his family may be moving to the Phoenix area, I'll get to see them pretty soon anyway.

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I just read on Janet Rudolph's Mystery Fanfare site that the next  Left Coast Crime convention is going to be in Monterey, Ca , and the two honored guests will be Cara Black and Louise Penny. Man, would I love to be able to go to that! Of course, I will have to wait to see how my employment at the community college pans out for the next couple of semesters before I can even think of being able to go.

[dhaupt]

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Fricka wrote:

Thanks for the great pictures, becke and dulcinea3! Those parties look like they would be quite fun! I'm jealous that there's nothing like that in my area(that I know of). At least I can get vicarious pleasure out of viewing both of you in your costumes.

*********

Well, we had a nice visit with my niece, her husband, and their baby yesterday. He was soooo tiny!( He will be a month old June 5).  He was very good, too--slept through all of lunch, and didn't fuss much when they picked him up and took turns holding him. I took pictures of Mom and Dad standing next to my niece holding the baby. Hope those turn out well.

********

becke, as far as I know, I do have a job for the fall semester-- the budget cuts that made my summer employment get dropped will hopefully not extend to the fall. I should know fairly soon if students are going to be calling for some private tutoring this summer.

June is going to be a killer month, though-- both of my parents have their birthdays this month, and then there's Father's Day, too. I'm trying to think of some low budget gifts I can get them, but I can tell my savings are pretty much going to be wiped out by August, if not before then. I had been hoping to get to take a weekend trip to Florida to see my nephew, niece-in-law, and their baby daughter, but of course that is out of the question now, and since he and his family may be moving to the Phoenix area, I'll get to see them pretty soon anyway.

*********

I just read on Janet Rudolph's Mystery Fanfare site that the next  Left Coast Crime convention is going to be in Monterey, Ca , and the two honored guests will be Cara Black and Louise Penny. Man, would I love to be able to go to that! Of course, I will have to wait to see how my employment at the community college pans out for the next couple of semesters before I can even think of being able to go.

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Fricka, my heart goes out to you and you will be kept in my thoughts and hopefully somehting will come up for you.

My daughter is an adjunct professor and she always was hungry in the summer and now that she's a single lady again she's even hungrier, she was fortunate to find summer work plus she performs more in the summer than other times of the year.

[dulcinea3]

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Fricka wrote:

Thanks for the great pictures, becke and dulcinea3! Those parties look like they would be quite fun! I'm jealous that there's nothing like that in my area(that I know of). At least I can get vicarious pleasure out of viewing both of you in your costumes.

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Fricka, my friend gets the party kits from Murder by Mail, so you could have one of your own!  I don't know how expensive it is, but you can do it with as few as 10 people.

http://murderbymail.com/

It's fun just reading about the different themes, and the crazy names of the characters!

[mary_kennedy]

The party sounds wonderful!!  I bet everyone had a terrific time...I think I'm living in the wrong part of the country ,I am wildly envious.

[writerfire]

Good Morning everyone!!

Have a great Sunday!

[becke_davis]

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Fricka wrote:

Thanks for the great pictures, becke and dulcinea3! Those parties look like they would be quite fun! I'm jealous that there's nothing like that in my area(that I know of). At least I can get vicarious pleasure out of viewing both of you in your costumes.

*********

Well, we had a nice visit with my niece, her husband, and their baby yesterday. He was soooo tiny!( He will be a month old June 5).  He was very good, too--slept through all of lunch, and didn't fuss much when they picked him up and took turns holding him. I took pictures of Mom and Dad standing next to my niece holding the baby. Hope those turn out well.

********

becke, as far as I know, I do have a job for the fall semester-- the budget cuts that made my summer employment get dropped will hopefully not extend to the fall. I should know fairly soon if students are going to be calling for some private tutoring this summer.

June is going to be a killer month, though-- both of my parents have their birthdays this month, and then there's Father's Day, too. I'm trying to think of some low budget gifts I can get them, but I can tell my savings are pretty much going to be wiped out by August, if not before then. I had been hoping to get to take a weekend trip to Florida to see my nephew, niece-in-law, and their baby daughter, but of course that is out of the question now, and since he and his family may be moving to the Phoenix area, I'll get to see them pretty soon anyway.

*********

I just read on Janet Rudolph's Mystery Fanfare site that the next  Left Coast Crime convention is going to be in Monterey, Ca , and the two honored guests will be Cara Black and Louise Penny. Man, would I love to be able to go to that! Of course, I will have to wait to see how my employment at the community college pans out for the next couple of semesters before I can even think of being able to go.

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Wow, that's going to be a great Left Coast Crime next year! It's a long way for me, so I doubt I'll make it.

[becke_davis]

 Part 2 of my multi-part interview in the Newark Examiner is now up:

http://www.examiner.com/article/creative-killers-an-interview-with-lois-winston-part-2

Part 3 of the Examiner interview of me is now up, and Anastasia adds her 2 cents:

http://www.examiner.com/article/murder-mayhem-and-mop-dolls-an-interview-with-lois-winston-part-3

The final installment in my 4-part Newark Examiner interview is now online:

http://www.examiner.com/article/a-kaleidoscope-of-crafts-and-corpses-an-interview-with-lois-winston-...

Lois Winston
Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun,

an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery

Publishers Weekly & Booklist starred reviews

Death By Killer Mop Doll, coming 1/12

http://www.loiswinston.com -- http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com

[becke_davis]

Here's a picture of me with a cute bartender at the restaurant where a large group of us had dinner Saturday night. I look like one of those google-eyed dolls here!

[becke_davis]

If you follow me on Facebook, you can see my pictures here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3552285922719.2122730.1139786050&type=3

These are just a few of the authors I hung out with over the weekend:

Before She Dies 

Under Fire 

Darker Still 

Hunter's Rise (Hunters Series) 

A Perfect Storm 

The Casanova Code 

Jacked Up (Fast Track Series) 

Animal Attraction 

Willow Springs (Destiny, Ohio Series #5) 

Inferno's Kiss 

Dead, Undead, Or Somewhere In Between 

The Fall of Rain 

Sweet Tea and Secrets 

Undercover 

Stone Kissed 

Until Emie 

Iced Chiffon 

Cloaked in Malice 

Fueling Her Fire 

Pirate's Woman 

Lord Demon's Delight 

How to Ravish a Rake 

Kiss the Bride 

Courting Justice (Harlequin Kimani Arabesque Series) 

[becke_davis]

The Governor's Sons                          

Serenity 

Caught in the Spotlight (Harlequin Desire Series #2148) 

A Touch of Persuasion (Harlequin Desire Series #2146) 

When She Wasn't Looking (Harlequin Intrigue Series #1352) 

Sweet Temptation 

Personal Protection 

Dying Wish (Sentinel Wars Series #6) 

A Midwife Crisis 

Genie Knows Best 

A Touch of Crimson (Renegade Angels Series #1) 

Shades of Desire 

Wicked Burn 

At Her Command 

Rebels and Lovers 

Heated Rivalry 

Time's Fugitive                 

I had hoped to meet these two, but never caught up with them:

Karma 

Born of Silence (League Series #5)   

[dulcinea3]

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becke_davis wrote:

Here's a picture of me with a cute bartender at the restaurant where a large group of us had dinner Saturday night. I look like one of those google-eyed dolls here!

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I love this photo, Becke!!!

[becke_davis]

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dulcinea3 wrote:

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becke_davis wrote:

Here's a picture of me with a cute bartender at the restaurant where a large group of us had dinner Saturday night. I look like one of those google-eyed dolls here!

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I love this photo, Becke!!!

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I look like a dork! My husband goes, "So now I know what you get up to at these conferences!" I didn't realize Wally (the bartender) had come up behind me, which is why I have that weird surprised expression!

[mary_kennedy]

Tell hubby this is an adorable picture!! Love it, love it.

[becke_davis]

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mary_kennedy wrote:

Tell hubby this is an adorable picture!! Love it, love it.

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:-)

[Fricka]

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dulcinea3 wrote:

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becke_davis wrote:

Here's a picture of me with a cute bartender at the restaurant where a large group of us had dinner Saturday night. I look like one of those google-eyed dolls here!

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I love this photo, Becke!!!

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Ditto. becke, you are still one hot tamale!

[Fricka]

I had my second visit to our family chiropractor yesterday, and my first acupuncture treatment.

I recently had dental work done, and unfortunately, the cuff on the blood pressure machine got too tight, and since then, I've had pins and needles running up and down my left arm. all radiating from the area where the cuff was put on my arm. . It gets really painful at times, which is why I've been going to the chiropractor. I'm thankful that I can still move my arm, and mobility hasn't been affected(so far, anyway,) and think that the pain has decreased a bit since this last visit, although I still have the pins and needles sensation hit me intermittently. I've also gotten an exercise where I put my left hand into a fist position and turn it clockwise 10 times. That helps stop the pain, at least temporarily.

I wonder if I'm the only person who has suffered such a bizarre injury in a doctor or dentist's office. (To her credit, my dentist was appalled when I informed her of my injury, and had the bp instruments in her office tested, and she let me know I no longer will have to have my blood pressure taken when I go to her office)

[writerfire]

Ahhhh scary!  And I have to go to the dentist Thursday!  Ahhh!  First time was bad enough!

[becke_davis]

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Fricka wrote:

I had my second visit to our family chiropractor yesterday, and my first acupuncture treatment.

I recently had dental work done, and unfortunately, the cuff on the blood pressure machine got too tight, and since then, I've had pins and needles running up and down my left arm. all radiating from the area where the cuff was put on my arm. . It gets really painful at times, which is why I've been going to the chiropractor. I'm thankful that I can still move my arm, and mobility hasn't been affected(so far, anyway,) and think that the pain has decreased a bit since this last visit, although I still have the pins and needles sensation hit me intermittently. I've also gotten an exercise where I put my left hand into a fist position and turn it clockwise 10 times. That helps stop the pain, at least temporarily.

I wonder if I'm the only person who has suffered such a bizarre injury in a doctor or dentist's office. (To her credit, my dentist was appalled when I informed her of my injury, and had the bp instruments in her office tested, and she let me know I no longer will have to have my blood pressure taken when I go to her office)

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This is horrible, Fricka! I hope your insurance will cover the chiropractor visits. Your dentist SHOULD be appalled - that's awful!