Aloha, I'm Donna, known everywhere on the Internet as "Champuru." I'm a Christian, blissfully wedded to my perfect match (the yang to my yin) of 15 years and a stay-at-home mom to my miracle baby, born in October 2008. Living life in Hawaii, less than 5 miles from my hometown, seeking balance in her pursuit of family, faith, recreation, and rest. Read more on the About page.
My friend, Jan, a professional artist and calligrapher, will be teaching a class on how to create this beautiful Friendship Star, just in time for Valentine’s Day! If you’re interested in attending the class, here are the details:
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Place: A Place in Time, 48 Maluniu Avenue, Kailua
Cost: $20
Call 261-2882 to register
All materials are provided except basic supply kit: double sided tape, glue stick, small portable paper cutter, bone folder, scissors, ruler, and pencil.
One of the great things about keeping a journal is being able to go back to it six months, one year, five years down the road and revisit that time in my life. Reading old entries remind me of what I’ve been through, how far I’ve come, and how much farther I have to go.
I recently installed a widget called LinkWithin which generates related stories at the bottom of each entry. I’ve been having fun re-discovering old entries and seeing photos of Baby Champuru and how much she has changed over the course of this year. It really makes me glad that I’ve been relatively diligent about keeping the blog up to date. It’s my virtual scrapbook and I know it will only become more precious as the years go by and Baby Champuru is no longer a “baby.” *sigh*
A while ago, I printed some MOO MiniCards with my favorite Flickr photos. On the back is my contact information. On Flickr, a lot of folks were doing MOO MiniCard swaps. I received a lot of very creative cards from people from all over the country.
When I placed my order, it was printed and shipped out of Moo’s UK office. Moo recently launched in the US and they’re offering a special 20% off (on one item) promotional for first-time customers. All you have to do is use this promo code when checking out: GDJ68J. But hurry, this offer expires on May 29, 2009.
Moo makes gorgeous quality products from your photos: business cards, minicards, postcards, greeting and holiday cards. What’s unique about Moo is that you don’t have to get 100 cards of the same photo, you can get a different photo for every card! Another benefit is that it interfaces easily with your Flickr or Bebo accounts. If you prefer, you can upload your images to Moo directly. Not a photographer? You can create products using the graphics created by professional designers featured by Moo.
When I launch my own business (someday… soon… I hope), I will create new business cards with Moo. Maybe we should start up the MiniCard swapping craze again!
On the date of the official release, my copy of Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon came in the mail today. I can’t wait to start reading it!
Did you order your copy yet?
Cindy Pon is also giving away some great prizes on her blog for helping spread the word about the release of Silver Phoenix. Go to her site for details on how to enter for your chance to win an original framed Chinese brush painting by Cindy or if a $100 gift card to your favorite book seller. You don’t even need to have your own blog to be eligible. So, check it out!
Never before have I been so excited about the release of a book. Cindy Pon’s debut novel, Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia will be released on April 28, 2009. I pre-ordered my copy on Amazon.com and according to the shipment confirmation, it’s due to arrive on April 29.
Aside from the compelling storyline (check out the trailer), I am especially thrilled about the publication of this book because Cindy Pon is an online acquaintance of mine. We’ve been following each other’s online journals since the early days — even before “blogging” became a buzzword. I’ve been reading with interest about her dreams of becoming a published author and seeing it come to fruition right before my eyes. It’s inspiring to see someone set a goal, work hard, and achieve it.
Cindy’s warm personality and witty writing style has made her one of my very favorite bloggers. I will soon be adding her to my list of favorite authors!
on the day of her first betrothal meeting–and rejection–ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. she can reach into other people’s spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams…and that’s just the beginning.
ai ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor’s palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. she must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. and then she meets chen yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance–of anything with the making of legend.
Check out the trailer below. It will make you want to order your copy of Silver Phoenix immediately. I promise.
by 
