Some people are bound by one passionate journey, but others, like Lady Bea, choose to dance where the wind blows. Lady Bea embraces life as a grand adventure, piddles in a variety passions, and explores many different avenues. Why not go down more than one road, discover new paths, and follow multiple streams of dreams? This is why you'll find that Lady Bea blogs about whatever idea that suits her fancy. Come around to find something new and different, and perhaps something that will suit your fancy.

Friday, October 30, 2015

The Ripped Bodice Romance Bookstore

Why not?

I read romance. I've learned a great deal about the world and history through my prolific reading of romance novels.

It's about damn time.

Two ladies are running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to open a romance bookstore in LA. If they achieve their dream, then they will be the one and only romance bookstore in the USA.

You go girls! You can learn more about their campaign here: The Ripped Bodice Kickstarter Campaign


Hand up & pay it forward...


Thursday, October 29, 2015

Five Things that Are So Yesterday

Think about it: Things that were a big part of our lives (meaning those of us who are all grown up now) are not even on an average ten year old's radar now (including the radar). Remember Radar from MASH?

Oh, never mind.

Ask any kid and they will tell you that these five things are so yesterday:

We are so over it thing one: iPod
You can still buy them...as discontinued, refurbished, preowned...

But seriously, what is the point of carrying around an extra device when you can load all of your music onto your smart phone?

And let's face it: the average ten year old has a better smart phone than I do, and they know how to use it!




Totally beyond that thing two: DVD
You probably have a few still lying around your house, but when was the last time you actually bought a movie on DVD? I bet it has been awhile.

DVD's are so out, and streaming is totally in. I mean we've got DVR, TIVO, Fire Stick, Google Chrome, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. Who needs to buy a $20 DVD to shove into a DVD player that doesn't work half the time?

At least we no longer have to worry about the little ones putting crayons inside the VHS player (oh wait...that's really out).

Who even remembers this thing three: plug into the wall phone
I remember the dial tone phone that was mounted to the wall. And then came the push button phone. Next up was the phone with an answering machine.

Then cell phones took over the world. And even my first cell phone is ancient and unknown to a ten year old. Smart phones are all the rage, but if you're feeling nostalgic...

Go to the office or a hotel. You can still find a regular old-fashioned, plug in the wall wired up phone.

Thing four is so out of style that if you know what it is your showing your age: postage stamps
Okay...I know that you can still buy stamps and you can still mail letters, but answer this: How many ten year olds have bought a stamp and mailed a letter?

I'm going to bet on the side that most ten year olds don't even know how to address an envelope. Kind of sad, isn't it?

But of course that same ten year old can send an email, text, chat, pin, post, snapchat, tweet, and Instagram.

Times are changing and we must change with them, or get left behind.

That wraps it up. Almost. There is one more thing that is so yesterday: cutting out coupons
Perhaps you still labor away with a pair of scissors?

Even a ten year old knows that there is an app for that!

Stop cutting and start pulling up coupon codes on your phone. Grocery stores now have apps where you can load coupons, then scan your store card. Never, ever go to Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Macy's without a coupon. They come in your email, or can be found online, or on an app. Just pull it up on your phone and the cashier can scan it! Scissors are out and scanning is in!

And we didn't even get to records, encyclopedias, and life before cable TV.



Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Lady Bea's French Biscuits

French toast...yum...

The other morning, I had a craving for French toast. I whipped it up and certainly enjoyed it, but...

I had an idea!



Could I use essentially the same process for making French toast, but with biscuits?

I decided to give it a go.

First, I greased my pan with Pam, then I placed two frozen biscuits (Mary B's Biscuits found in the freezer section of Kroger) on the pan, and put them into bake for half the time required (20 minutes is required to bake these biscuits, so I set the timer for 10 minutes).

While my biscuits were baking, I whipped up the the French biscuit (toast) dip:

1 egg
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
2 T. milk
1 T. Splenda (you can use sugar)
2 tsp. cinnamon

I also melted 1/4 stick of butter in a bowl in the microwave.

Once the ten minute baking time was up, I took out the biscuits and used my silicone butter brush to brush melted butter on the top, bottom, and sides of the biscuits.

Next, I used a spatula to pick up the biscuit and dunk it into my French biscuit dip. I let it hang out in the bowl for about 10 seconds before removing it, and placing it back onto the baking pan. Then, I dunked the second biscuit.

I sprinkled some Splenda (you can use sugar) and cinnamon on top, and placed the biscuits back into the oven for another ten minutes.

After they were done, I poured a little pancake syrup onto my French biscuits. Oh la la!



Baby Ballerina Tutu Bodysuit

I have a soft spot for baby ballerinas. Perhaps it's because my just grown ballerina is studying ballet at a pre professional school halfway across the country. Sigh...

Love and cherish your baby ballerinas. They grow up fast! Check out my printed design on a baby ballerina tutu bodysuit:

Buy Now on Zazzle



The Secret to Successful Photography

And let there be light...

That's it.

That's the secret.

If you want to take a decent photo, then you need to flood the object with light. Try natural sunlight, photo lights, or even Ott-lites.


If you're trying to photograph an object to sell online, then it's very important that you light the object up. I found that two Ott-lites facing my item does the trick. If you need a pure white background, then no matter how much light you flood onto the object, you will still need to correct the background in a photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop.

For Adobe Photoshop:

1. Open the image in Photoshop.
2. Unlock the photo.
3. Use the Magic Wand tool, or the Polygonal Lasso tool to remove the background.
4. Hit delete.
5. Click on Select>Deselect. Save.