SPARKLE MOTION NEWS - MAY 2012

[Madame Vita]

 

[xena91388]

The month of May is a special time for music lovers the world over. In the 1950s, as a war-torn Europe rebuilt itself, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)—based in Switzerland—set up an ad-hoc committee to search for ways of bringing together the countries of the EBU around a "light entertainment programme". At a committee meeting held in Monaco in January 1955, director general of Swiss television and committee chairman Marcel Bezençon conceived the idea of an international song contest where countries would participate in one television programme, to be transmitted simultaneously to all countries of the union. The competition was based upon the existing Sanremo Music Festival held in Italy, and was also seen as a technological experiment in live television: as in those days, it was a very ambitious project to join many countries together in a wide-area international network. Satellite television did not exist, and the so-called Eurovision Network comprised a terrestrial microwave network. The concept, then known as "Eurovision Grand Prix", was approved by the EBU General Assembly in at a meeting held in Rome on 19 October 1955 and it was decided that the first contest would take place in spring 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland.

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition. The Contest has been broadcast every year since its inauguration in 1956 and is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. It is also one of the most watched non-sporting events in the world, with audience figures having been quoted in recent years as anything between 100 million and 600 million internationally. Eurovision has also been broadcast outside Europe to such places as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela despite the fact that that they do not compete. Since 2000, the Contest has also been broadcast over the Internet, with more than 74,000 people in almost 140 countries having watched the 2006 edition online.

While the voting process is often steeped in controversy, no matter which country wins, everyone has fun! Especially when big name celebrity singers are featured such as Lulu, Celine Dion, Sir Elton John, ABBA, Lena, Olivia Newton John, Julio Iglesias, AQUA, and many, many, more!

Eurovision's Website
Eurovision's YouTube Channel

 

[Madame Vita]

 

[One Witchy Woman]

Witchy's Pest-B-Gone Potions Class

Hello Sparkles and welcome to another of Witchy’s Potions classes. This time I will be sharing all sorts of ‘potions’ to repel and dispel those icky little monsters of summer…BUGS! We will start with homemade and all natural bug repellants for you and your pets and then cover how to rid your plants and yards of them. So without further adieu, let’s get started.
This first one smells pretty nice and is a great mosquito repellant.

Citrus Spray
1. Remove the peel from 1 orange with a sharp knife. Cut the peel into small pieces.
2. Place the peel, 4 or 5 mint leaves and 4 or 5 sage leaves into a large bowl. Pour 2 cups of water into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a piece of cloth and leave it overnight.
3. Hold a strainer over another bowl. Pour the ingredients in the bowl over the strainer. Keep the liquid and throw out the mint leaves, sage leaves and orange peels.
4. Pour 2 cups of witch hazel into the bowl. Stir the ingredients.
5. Pour the witch hazel mixture into a plastic spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto you and your children's skin each time you leave the home, especially in the evening when the mosquitoes are more active.

Natural oil essences are also quite easy to use and can be mixed easily to make creams, sprays or even candles. The following oils are bug repellant.

Single Essential Oils: Peppermint, Spearmint, Eucalyptus radiata, Lemon, Lavender, Tea Tree, Cedarwood, Idaho Tansy, Rosemary, Patchouli, Citronella, Lemongrass, Thyme, Sage

You can easily mix a few drops of any of these oils in whatever mix you like to peraffin wax to make candles, added to cedar chips or cotton balls for use in drawers or closets, or mix them with a base liquid/cream for topical use. You can also mix these oils in with a non-smelling lotion for a bug repelling moisturizer. It’s a good way to apply it to children and babies.
Base liquids are easy to come by. I like to use 1 cup liquid witch hazel and 8 oz water with mine as a spray.
Here are some of my favorites.

Insect Repellent Blend:
1 cup witch hazel liquid
8 oz water
6 drops Peppermint
6 drops Tea Tree
9 drops Eucalyptus radiate

Blend of essential oils:
1. Mix the following essential oils in a 4 oz. container: 20 drops Eucalyptus oil, 20 drops Cedarwood oil, 10 drops Tea Tree oil, and 10 drops Geranium oil.
2. Add 2 oz. of a carrier oil (such as Jojoba). Mix well.

Mint-based bug spray:
1. Place 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. of either catnip, spearmint, or pennyroyal (all in the mint family) in a spray bottle.
2. Add 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol and 1 cup of water.
3. Shake well. This is great for killing those home invaders that ‘bug’ us indoors.

Herbal insect repellent safe for use on the face:
1. Blend 4 drops each of sandalwood, cajeput, and lavender essential oils with 2 teaspoons of carrier oil (such as extra virgin olive oil).
2. Mix well and apply as needed.

Vodka Mist Insect Repellent:
1. Mix the following in a spray bottle: 50 drops Jojoba, 50 drops Lavender, 25 drops Eucalyptus lemon, 25 drops Lemongrass, 25 drops Patchouli, and 25 drops Catjeput.
2. Add 1 fluid ounce of vodka.
3. Mix well.
4. Apply jojoba oil before spraying the repellent on the skin.

Natural insect repellent lotion:
1. Place 2 ounces distilled water in a large mixing bowl.
2. Slowly drizzle in 2 ounces of olive oil while beating quickly with a wire whisk.
3. After the oil is mixed into the distilled water, stir in 120 drops of citronella essential oil.

Pets are plagued by bugs as well, so for your pet pals use these recipes:
1. Put 10 drops each of Citronella, Eucalyptus radiata, and Peppermint in an 8 ounce spray bottle with water.

2. Put 2 drops pine, 2 drops Eucalyptus radiata, and 5-10 drops Citronella in a spray bottle of water. OR Mix 5- 10 drops Idaho Tansy or Peppermint Oil in a spray bottle full of water, shake vigorously and spray.

For those of you that want to mix and match your own ‘potions’ here is a list of oils and their specific anti-bug uses.

Specific Oils for Specific Insects

Mosquitoes:Lemon, Peppermint, Eucalyptus radiata, Lemongrass.
Moths: Patchouli, Cedarwood, Hyssop, Lavender, Peppermint, Spearmint
Horse-flies: Idaho Tansy floral water, Purification Oil
Aphids: Mix 10 drops Spearmint and 15 drops Orange essential oil in 2 quarts salt water, shake well and spray on plants.
Cockroaches: Mix 10 drops Peppermint and 5 drops Cypress in 1/2 cup salt water. Shake well and spray where cockroaches live.
Silverfish: Eucalyptus radiata, Citriadora
Ants: You can smear a line of Peppermint or Spearmint across your kitchen counter or floor and the ants won't cross it. If you already have a line of ants invading your house, just draw a line of oil across them and they will turn back.
Beetles: Peppermint, Thyme
Caterpillars: Spearmint, Peppermint
Chiggars: Lavender, Lemongrass, Peppermint
Cutworms: Sage, Thyme
Fleas: Peppermint, Lemongrass, Spearmint
Gnats: Patchouli, Spearmint
Spiders: Peppermint, Spearmint
Ticks: Lavender, Lemongrass, Sage, Thyme
Weevils: Cedarwood, Patchouli, Sandalwood

Simple and cheap alternatives are to dab a little vanilla extract, the kind you bake with, on wrists, bends of knees, and behind ears to smell nice and repel mosquitos. You can also rub a lavender flower on the same spots. Mosquitos and other biting bugs that fly hate the smell and taste of these two things.

Now say your garden or yard has ants, here are some simple ways to get rid of them.

Pepper Ant Spray:
• Boil 2 or 3 cups of water.
• Add about ½ to 2/3 cup of chopped hot pepper. Let marinate for a few minutes.
• Run the mixture thru a sieve to remove the peppers.
• Put the liquid in a squirt bottle and use when necessary.
• Be careful not to spray directly on foliage.

Minty Soap Spray
• Mix 2 tbsp of Dr. Bonners mint soap with a gallon of water.
• Spray directly on ants.
This will also work to ward off other pests on foliage however be care when you spray it directly on your plants. It has been known to burn some plants if too much is applied.

If you have them on concrete or wood then simply sprinkle with farina or cream of wheat and ‘trap’ them by drawing a line of cinnamon around the mound or ants with a cinnamon stick.

There is also my favorite way to rid your plants of the deadly aphid and its so simple it can be summed up in one word…ladybugs. Ladybugs are natural enemies of aphids since they are the ladybugs favorite food. You can buy them at any garden store or even online. Just brush the live ladybugs on the affected plants and that’s it. If a few fly off, it’s ok, they will come back. Ladybugs can eat every aphid in a garden in just days, they are totally plant friendly, and they come back to rich hunting grounds every year.
So there you have it my Sparkle friends. Now you can have a beautiful pest free yard or garden and enjoy the great outdoors without being ‘bugged’ indoors.  

[xena91388]

Spring is high and the waters are calling! Sure the oceans are still a bit cold but why wait!? Afterall, what better way to celebrate the end of school than with a Beach Party! Go ahead and deck your avatars out in their swimming best!

 

[Madame Vita]

 

[MidnightBlue9999]

cat_lol ~Sparkle Motion's Critter Moment~ cat_lol

It's critter time, come on grab your friends. As we look at another of our furry friends. With the giggling kitties, and Midnight the human the fun will never end.. its critter time!

Adventure Time spoof for the win!! Welcome to another edition of Sparkle Motion's Critter Moment. Now if you you read last month's issue, which if you haven't their all archived here for easy access. Anyway last month for easter we put the spotlight on the rabbit and because of this we got the request for this critter which i'll be getting to shortly but first the warning.

WARNING! Critter Moment contains images of cute animals doing cute things and pretty much images of general cuteness. Sparkle Motion does not take responsibility for any moment's of AWWW! you may endure while reading Critter Moment. Enjoy. emotion_kirakira

Alright now as I pointed out before the warning this critter was requested by Elizamimi last issue who said:

Elizamimi

hi, got a bilby in mind for easter? bilby - oceania 'rabbit'

Now I'll be honest with everyone, when I saw this I was having to go back through my research on the rabbit cause all through my research theres was no mention of an oceanic rabbit named the Bilby. But after some searching I found this little critter.



Judging from the looks of this little guy I think I found what she was asking for. So without further ado lets take a look at the Bilby.



The bilby is a nocturnal omnivorous animal found in Austrailia. "Bilby" is the common name usually used for the species but it can also be known as the dalgyte, pinkie, or "rabbit-eared bandicoot". Bilbies live in arid areas of central Australia. However their range and population is in decline.

The main characteristics of the Bilby is its long bandicoot like snout and long rabbit like ears. They average 11-22 inches in length and 2.2-5.3 pounds in weight. What differs them from bandicoots however is their longer tails, bigger ears, and softer silkier fur. They also have strong forearms and thick claws.



Bilbies are known for being excellent burrowers, usually making up to a dozen burrows around their home range moving between them for shelter from both predators and the heat.

They're Omnivores meaning they'll eat both meat and plants but apparently they don't need to drink water. All the moisture they need they get from the food they eat.



Bilbies are slowly becoming endangered due to habitat loss or change as well as competition with other animals. Feral cats pose a major threat to them as well as competition between rabbits for food.

That's it for this edition of Sparkle Motion's Critter Moment, before I go I'd like to once again thank Elizamimi for making such an awesome critter request. You rock girl! Now if you'll excuse me. Apparently the giggling kitties are making "nom nom" sounds to the bilby pictures so until next time.

Want to see a specific critter featured on the Sparkle Motion Critter Moment? Leave a comment and who knows you may just see it in a future installment.

 

[Madame Vita]

Pin Up Girl Contest. We loved all the submissions so much that we decided to show you all off! Here is a look at our lovely pinup girls. ^_^ Enjoy!

kehari_ginko

Booboo_gump

I-Sugar Is High -I

Yoru2121

Blues Sweets Shop

 

[One Witchy Woman]

Gardening In Alabama

Part 1. of an in depth state by state gardening guide

Its position along the Gulf of Mexico makes Alabama a hot, humid state vulnerable to hurricanes and tornadoes. Comfortable winter temperatures and annual rainfall averaging from 57 to 65 inches -- from north to south -- give gardeners a growing season between 200 and 250 days. A wide range of native flowers provide four seasons of color, from the 2,400-foot Cheaha Mountain in east central Alabama to the East Coastal Plain's gentle hills and flat expanses. Due to the severe heat of deep summer planting is best done from February to May.

February and March
* Although still cold in February, this is the best time to plant your hardy annuals and prepare your flower beds for summer annuals. In southern Alabama, plant bulbs like cannas and gladiolas. Wait until March in northern parts of the state. You can plant your tender annuals in March in southern Alabama.

April and May
* You can plant your early started annuals in April, but wait until May for later plantings. Things begin to heat up in May, so use April to get most of your planting done.

The following is a listing of native Alabama flowers that bloom beautifully and grow incredibly easy for year round color and beauty.

Spring Flowers
* Atamasco lily (Zephyranthes atamasca) grows wild across much of southern Alabama northeast to Calhoun County. It colonizes shady bottomlands and damp woods. The 8- to 15-inch-high perennial has clumps of glossy, grasslike green leaves. Between March and June, the atamasco lily's stems have 3- to 4-inch, funnel-shaped blooms. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) grows in shady woods from northern Alabama south to Monroe County. This perennial make an attractive, 6- to 10-inch-high ground cover. It has a single, yellow-stamened white flower and a round, lobed green leaf. The March and April blooms last two days and the foliage until mid-summer. Both these spring bloomers like partial to full shade and moist, humus-rich soil.

Summer Flowers
* Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), common throughout Alabama, brightens roadsides and pastures with flat clusters of brilliant orange blooms. The nectar-rich, June-to-September flowers are butterfly favorites. The upright, 1- to 2-foot perennial needs full sun and sandy or gravelly, well-drained soil, according to the Texas A and M AgriLIfe Extension. Sun-loving bigroot morning glory (Ipomoea pandurata) shares much of butterfly weed's range. This climbing or spreading plant has up to 10-foot, purplish stems and heart-shaped, long-stalked green leaves. From early summer until frost, its purple-striped, white funnel flowers appear in fields and along dry, sandy roadsides.

Fall Flowers
* Blazing star (Liatris elegans) has 1- to 4-foot, slender stems with needle-thin green leaves and spikes of pinkish-lavender to purple flowers. The butterfly-attracting blooms open in descending order. The USDA reports wild blazing star populations in five Alabama counties. The 1- to 2-foot, annual slender false foxglove (Agalinis tenuifolia) also has needlelike leaves. Tiny, funnel-shaped light purple blooms -- with darker purple interior spots -- dangle from its reddish branches. It grows wild in extreme northeastern and west central Alabama. Both plants bloom from August to October. They like dry, sandy, well-drained soil and full sun.

Winter Flowers
* White fawnlily (Erythronium albidum) is native to northern Alabama's hardwood forests and thickets. Its elliptical, green leaves may have purple blotches. The 6- to 12-inch plant's backward-curving, white flowers occur between February and April. Fawnlily flourishes in fertile, acidic-to-pH-neutral soil and partial to full shade. Annual scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea) blooms from February until October in southwestern Alabama's warm, sandy soils. Standing up to 4 feet high, it has slender, branching stems with oval green leaves. Hummingbirds flock to its tubular, red, pink or white blooms. Scarlet sage thrives in heat and full sun to full shade.

Many people love to eat fresh foods and as such a vegetable garden is the way to go. For those Sparkles living in Alabama, the following is a list of veggies that grow well and when to plant them.

Winter
* Winter months make up part of the spring planting season in Alabama. From January to mid-February, gardeners can plant cabbage and cauliflower transplants; during mid-January to February, add lettuce transplants; in February, beets, peas and Irish potatoes can be planted; and in March, gardeners can add carrots, kohlrabi. Corn can be planted from mid-March to June.

Spring
* April heralds the time to plant beans, asparagus crowns, muskmelons, winter or summer squash, watermelons and tomato transplants. Between mid-April and mid-May, eggplant transplants and cucumbers should go into the garden.

Summer
* Starting in July, gardeners can add cucumbers and tomatoes, and eggplant and pepper transplants. From mid-July to mid-September, carrots and collards can be direct seeded. Late in July, pole beans, cauliflower and cabbage can be planted.

Fall
* August is a busy month for planting, with bush beans, Brussels sprouts and beets entering the garden, and cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, lettuce, Irish potatoes and summer squash added from early to mid-August. Kale can be planted starting in mid-August and Swiss chard in September.

With this as a guide I hope you have a gorgeous garden and beautiful bounty all year long. Garden on Sparkles.

 

[xena91388]

reserved!  

[Madame Vita]

 

[SparkleMotionTreasurer]

 

[Madame Vita]