About Me

I am an artist, and I get around! The world, that is! My lenses strive to bring together those two passions. I love to create and promote regional art gift products and showcase design/decor styles which appeal to me, whether they are Native American, Asian or tropical.
I have a passion for blue glass, blue and white pottery, southwestern pottery, funky socks, funky hats, and...pink flamingos!
I also happen to love cats.

Pink Flamingo Theme Party

I have lived part of the year in Florida almost every year since 1992, and I love tropical design, decor, clothing and themes. Down here we can enjoy outdoor living almost year round. For the rest of you, now that summer is almost here, it's the per...

Tam's Tees...A Zazzle Gallery

A gallery shop for those who love tees! Art tees, graphics tees, travel photo tees, tees with inspirational sayings. Tees for men and tees for women. And a small selection of ties thrown in for good measure. If you or anyone you know wears a lot of...

The Squidoo Zazzle Gallery:

Zazzle and Squidoo go together like bread and butter, with Squidoo providing a platform for Zazzle designers to get their work out to the public. So many lensmasters are also active on Zazzle, and they all have great work, so I am taking this opport...

Communicating with Cats

A page dedicated to communicating with funky felines! Does the MEOW have meaning? Having shared life with cats of all colors and breeds, I have a strong opinion. But read on, and then decide for yourself! In the absence of no kill shelter members on...

Moroccan Cuisine

The taste of Morocco is exotic, full of rich deep earthy flavor. It has long been considered as one of the most diversified cuisines in the world because of centuries of interaction between Morocco and the outside world. The cuisine of Morocco is a m...

CrypticFragments, Log of a Lensmaster

My lens total at the end of the first week of May 2008... 87. I have removed a few old defunct low-ranking lenses and published a few new ones. I am entering a new era of lensmastership, a period of refining and promotion. Yes, I will still be worki...

MY MySpace

 Welcome! Are you a MySpace user? I am. In fact, I probably use it more than I "should". Over the past several years I have monitored and maintained 12 different profiles, each for a specific purpose, different aspects of my life and i...

Adventure Workers

Welcome to the world of adventure work. These are jobs "outside the box", maybe even just OUTSIDE! Every year National Parks, ranches, resort and wilderness lodges (amongst others) hire thousands of employees from around the world to staff...

Oaxacan Woodcarvings

Bienvenidos! Welcome to the wonderful world of Oaxacan wood carvings, also known as "Alebrijes". Alebrijes are vibrantly colored handmade wood figures representing a wide variety of animals and other fantastical creatures. The current style was pop...

Laurel Burch, Artist and Designer

Laurel Burch was an artist and designer famous for her bright and bold cat and horse themed handbags, coffee mugs and other gift items. When Ms. Burch passed away in September 2007 the San Rafael, CA newspaper ran this blurb: "Bay Area artist Laure...

Pueblo Indian Culture

Welcome. This site is dedicated to the rich cultures of the Pueblo Indians who live in New Mexico. There are 19 recognized Pueblos who share ancient ancestors, but today each has its own distinct personality, with individual festivals, specialized ha...

Marvelous Moroccan Design

Moroccan style is about comfort and easy living inspired by the outdoors. It's colors and designs come from a varied ethnic history influenced by the Berber culture, French Colonials, and Islam. Hallmarks of Moroccan style include large lanterns, lus...

Cool Country and Cottage Style

According to the design experts at HGTV, "country style" is a "wide-ranging style depending on geographical location but in general exemplified by primitive furniture, muted colors, milk-paint finishes and vintage fabrics." People across the US and...

CrypticFragments Lens Stats

I am jumping on bdkz's bandwagon, so to speak, since she issued an invitation for others to borrow her template to track SquidStats. Starting today, I will keep a monthly tab of LensRank, and a log of traffic and earnings. The only thing I am doing d...

Manifesting Abundance

I am a firm believer in the power of the LOA, or Law of Attraction... I have manifested all manner of items and events, and I want to share my joy at this with everyone! Even though I have not seen the film "The Secret", which has brought t...

Asia Major, a Zazzle Gallery

A gallery for those who love the colors and design styles of Asia, specifically the Far East of Japan, China, and Korea. Asia Major features original graphic designs as well as imagery from well-known artists whose work is now in the public domain....

LUSH

In my opinion, LUSH makes simply the most unique and enjoyable bath products ever! They do lovely bath bombs (fizzies), scented bar soaps, natural shampoos, body gels and SO much more.  Based in the UK, LUSH now has shops around the world. If y...

Postcard Paradise, a Zazzle Gallery

I have always enjoyed collecting postcards from all the stops on my travels as well as from art museums. However it wasn't until I discovered Postcrossing in 2007 that I realized I was far from the only person with this odd addiction. Once I became a...

Nick Bantock

Nick is an English artist and author whose illustrated books and art postcards helped fuel a phenomenon. His Griffin and Sabine trilogy appeared in the early 1990s and became so popular that they gave rise to a second trilogy in the series. Since the...

CrypticFragments' Bio Lens

You may have seen my lensography...it is my highest ranked lens! However, a list of lenses cannot explain ME, and a lensmaster bio page seemed too brief. So I created this page to really let you get to know more about who I am behind this internet ma...

Tropiques, A Zazzle gallery

Welcome to Tropiques! A fun, funky gallery dedicated to capturing the feel of the Caribbean and tropical locales all around the globe. Our bright colors, images of the beach, and bold designs of palm trees and other native plant life will bring the f...

Johns Pass

Johns Pass is a shopping and tourist attraction on the Gulf Coast of Florida in the town of Madeira Beach. Originally a fishing village, hotel and condo development have launched the area into modern times, where retail and restaurants are now the to...

Domestic Violence

Look at my photo. Do I look like a domestic violence victim? A survivor? I am (a survivor). My point is that you simply CANNOT tell by looking when someone is being abused. This page was created in the hope that I can encourage others to get out of...

My Top Ten Lenses

It just occurred to me that a fun and interesting experiment would be to create a lens on my top 10 lenses, including a Featured Lens module for each, along with some statistical info on traffic, change in LR from start to end of each month, and so f...

Creative with Crayola

I love coloring...and I am almost forty years old! This passion was nurtured in my youth by lots and lots of crayons! It all began with Crayola! Founded in 1903 as Binney & Smith, Crayola remains the top producer of creative supplies, from a wide ra...

Flagstaff, AZ...A Newcomer's Guide

Founded in the last part of the 19th Century as a logging and farming community, Flagstaff, AZ grew with increased railroad traffic across the southwest. By the turn of the century, the Lowell Observatory was located here, along with a "normal school...

Crazy Quilt Fabrics

Even though I have for years been obsessed with the colors, textures, and patterns of fabric, I just started sewing 2 weeks ago for the first time since 7th grade! I love bidding on quilting squares from eBay for my patchwork projects and mixed media...

Eckhart Tolle Books

Eckhart Tolle is a German-born author whose inspirational material about spiritual awakening is taking the world by storm. His books "A New Earth" and "The Power of Now" have both been on best-seller lists and have been translated into some 33 langua...

Emperor Nero...

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, AD 37 - June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Caesar Germanicus, was the fifth and final Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his gr...

Simple Soap Making

Glycerin soap making is a fun easy hobby that can be enjoyed by all ages! It's relatively easy to get started, and the process is easily learned. There is a wide range of molds, dyes, colorants and add-ins available, so what are you waiting for? Get...

CrypticFragments Design

CrypticFragments is the pseudonym of Tammy Winand, an artist who works in various media. This site is dedicated to her galleries at Zazzle, a print-on-demand service which allows members to upload their photography and other artwork/graphics for dist...

Navajo Jewelry

The Navajo are an Athabascan people who migrated into the Four Corners region of the American southwest roughly 600 years ago. When they settled there, they were farmers and herders. However, when they came into contact with the Spaniards, they learn...

Mixed Media Art

Technically speaking, "mixed media" is any combination of two or more primary artistic mediums combined in a single piece of artwork. This lens will look at some popular forms, provide links to artists working in mixed media, and showcase books about...

Tokyo

Not only is Tokyo the capital of Japan, it is also on the cutting edge of modern technological society. The culture there reflects this in unique ways. And yet, Tokyo also retains aspects of the old ways. This page will explore some of these curious...

Paper Crafting

Paper Crafting is a broad term which covers a wide range of creative pursuits from scrapbooking and collage to rubber stamping and card making. I'll provide an introduction to some of my faves along with resources for supplies!

My Funky Passions

Look at the girl in that whacky hat! tee hee...that's me This page was intended to focus on all the unique and sometimes unusual passions and pastimes I get into. It is in the process of a complete overhaul to get it back into shape!

Japan

Japan is an ultra-modern country with a rich cultural tradition. It is a land of contrasts, where geisha talk on cell phones and gaijin study ancient arts. Urban youth are on the cutting edge of fashion and technology while dozens of festivals contin...

Fire Mountain Gems

If you are a beader or jewelry designer, most likely you are already familiar with Fire Mountain Gems. They are a top supplier of almost any variety of bead or jewelry finding the artist might need, from gemstone to plastic, jump ring to bezel to cha...

Vera Bradley: Handbags and More

Vera Bradley Designs, Inc. was founded in 1982 by Patricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, a 1962 graduate of Marymount College, and named after Baekgaard's mother. The company got its start when both were awaiting a flight in Atlanta when they...

CrypticFragments' Digital Photography Showcase

Sweeping landscapes, architectural images, still lifes offering commentary on our world... you will find these and more at CrypticFragments Photography. This page is an introduction to my work and my perspective on photography. I pursue this passion...

Arizona Ghost Towns

All across the desert southwest lie the signs of long-ago dreams which ended in dust. Empty shells of once raucous saloons, collapsing remains of general stores, the bones of abandonned mines... these are the ghost towns of Arizona.

CrypticFragments CafePress Shop

I have been a CafePress shop-keeper for over 2 years now. My shops feature my photography and art on a wide range of products that the customer can choose for himself, with a focus on Southwestern imagery. This lens will give you an idea of what you w...

Albuquerque, NM

Although not the capital of New Mexico (Santa Fe holds this title), Albuquerque is the state's largest city, home to a major university (UNM) and located along historic Route 66. I lived there for several months, and would like to introduce you to s...

Growing Veggies

I grew up helping my father grow veggies in south-central Pennsylvania and have never forgotten the thrill of digging up a potato or serving someone a beautiful red pepper right from my own backyard. Vegetable gardening is a rewarding and educationa...

An Intro to Chocolate

Growing up only 20 some miles from Hershey, PA, one of the world capitals of chocolate, I have been inundated with chocolate propaganda since a very young age. The idea that chocolate makes everyone smile and can help the world communicate (thanks, C...

Local Orlando...Beyond the Theme Parks

As a long time resident of the Orlando, FL area, I thought a lens featuring a variety of cultural and hometown aspects of the area would be useful. Whether you are a new area resident, someone looking for more options with your family, or an out-of-...

Hot Sauce!

You say Tabasco, I say HOT! If you like it HOT, you will like this page. It's all about hot sauce, hot foods, and how to get the heat into your diet. Whether you like it mildly hot or tongue-blistering, I will lead you to a product or recipe which w...

Cobalt Glass Decor

Cobalt glass has been manufactured since at least Roman times. Bottles and glass beads of this color have been found dating from the 1st Century AD. 2000 years later, it is still one of the most popular types/colors of glass used for decorative purp...

Somerset Publications

Somerset Publications, a division of www.stampington.com, publishes a wide variety of magazines directed at creative artists. From mixed media and altered art to unique jewelry and rubber stamps/card making, if you are a maker of wonderful things, y...

SeaGlass

Seaglass is a true case of one person's trash becoming someone else's treasure. Comprised of discarded fishing floats, bottles and other glass items which have broken and been tumbled smooth by tides and time, seaglass is an extraordinary prize from...

A Passion for Tea!

I acquired my passion for tea on my first extended visit to Ireland in 1995. Every morning, we had a lovely "cuppa" with breakfast. Every afternoon we had another with lunch or a snack. After dinner, it was not unusual to have 2 or 3 mugs w...

Ice Skating Video Showcase

I started ice skating at age 11 and immediately fell in love. Throughout junior and into senior high school, many weekends were spent at the local rink. I even took lessons from a former Ice Capades coach for awhile. But although I never became a ser...

Nara, Japan

Nara is an ancient capital of Japan, having served that role in the 8th Century AD. Some of the country's most beautiful temples are here, as well as scenes of natural beauty. The city is located in the Kansai (aka "Kinki") region of Honshu, the mai...

Tropical Coastal Cottage Style

Tropical style decor is hot. It uses the vivid colors of tropical reef fish and jungle macaws, of stunning tropical flowers and Caribbean cottages. When I think of tropical, I think of Caribbean, but it also includes Polynesian and Southeast Asian/I...

Mediterranee, a Zazzle Gallery

These are some of the greetings you'd hear if you were actually vacationing in the countries of the Mediterranean region. Although, unfortunately, we cannot magically transport you physically into a chair by the sea, we CAN promise that at Mediterran...

Charity Quiz Lens

Inspired by playing along in bdkz's lensmaster quiz last night, and having been looking for a way to create a lens to donate to charity, I have come up with this Charity Quiz lens. It's simple and straight-forward. Answer the poll questions and see...

Introduction to Ancient Rome

I have long been fascinated by the lives of the ancient Romans. Emperors and slaves, religious cults and early Christians, gladiators and centurions... It all seems so exotic and far away. And it is. But there are remnants of the Roman Empire across...

A Passion for Turquoise

Ever since I was a teenager, I've had an attraction to the beauty of turquoise. My grandmother gave me a raw chunk necklace made by Pueblo Indians in Albuquerque, NM and it was love at first sight!  Since then, I have traveled 1500 miles to get...

The White Rose City of PA

York is a town of about 41,000 people in south-central Pennsylvania's Susquehanna Valley. Founded in 1741, it is the location where the Articles of Confederation were ratified, often considered the First Capital of the United States. It is also the t...

Kansai, Japan

Kansai is the western section of Honshu, the main Japanese island. It includes the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe. The area is sometimes referred to as "Kinki", a name which threw me off at first! This page will take a look at some of the sit...

The Rubber Stamp Room

Welcome to the Rubber Stamp Room on Squidoo! Rubber stamping is a fun, easy, and very creative way to express your sentiments or create amazing art! The variety of stamps available is virtually endless. I wanted to put together a place which would f...

Tokyo Disney

In 1983, the popular American-based theme-park company opened Tokyo Disneyland, the first Disney park outside the United States. By 2007, Tokyo Disneyland was hosting roughly 14 million guests annually, ranking it the third-most visited amusement par...

The DUNE Chronicles

The fictional Dune universe is the political, scientific, and social setting of author Frank Herbert's six-book Dune series of science fantasy novels. The highly popular first book, 1965's Dune, was adapted into a film in 1984 and a televised miniser...

Time for Tea

I have lived in both Ireland and the UK, where I developed a love of black tea (I take mine with heavy cream, no sugar) and learned a bit about the traditions associated with it. This lens is a brief overview of those traditions and a look at the pro...

Found Art Jewelry

Found Art Jewelry is jewelry made from things not necessarily designed to be made into or worn as jewelry, including but not limited to buttons, skeleton keys, nuts and bolts and other hardware, ribbons, scrapbook embellishments, or anything with a h...

CrypticFragments Jewelry and Ethnic Design

Welcome to the showcase for my jewelry and mixed media designs. I love creating jewelry from wood, glass and silver beads, found objects, and charms. I also design mixed media cards, canvases and boxes. All of these items are available for purchase!

Affirmation Cards from CrypticFragments Design

Affirmation Cards are a popular self-help inspirational "tool". Each card by CrypticFragments Design has a deep powerful message aimed at buoying the spirit, be it increasing self-confidence or affirming abundance. Some are simple text, others have b...

Barbara Sher

Barbara Sher is a speaker, career/lifestyle coach, and best-selling author of seven books on goal achievement. Her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into many languages. She has appeared on Oprah, The Today Show, 60 Minutes, CNN,...

U2: Ireland's Best Export

Formed in 1978 in Dublin, Ireland, U2 released their first album, "Boy", in 1981, and has been a major league player on the world recording and tour circuit ever since. They are a phenomenon the likes of which the music world has rarely see...

Who Pooped in the Park?

An illustrated children's book with an attention-grabbing title. I can attest from personal experience in National Park retail that this book is consistently a best-seller. Let's find out what all the stink (pardon the pun) is about!

Provence

Although my five day visit was all too brief, I developed a passion for the places I visited which I'd like to share with you here. I'll look at some travel destinations, foods, and local products of the Provence region. This site is proud to be a m...

The Vibrantly Creative Tammy!

This lens is dedicated to the various creative works of Tammy Winand. Tammy is a photographer, an acrylic landscape/abstracts painter, a jewelry designer, and also works in collage/altered art/assemblage. She also writes creative non-fiction and occas...

Grand Canyon National Park

For 11 months, I was fortunate enough to live and work at one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon!  Grand Canyon National Park's South Rim is a unique environment which hosts an estimated 5 million visitors per year from...

Online Origami Outlet

Welcome to the new online origami outlet! This is THE place to find beautiful origami and chiyogami paper for your projects. These colorful patterned papers are traditionally used in the folding art of origami. However, they are also excellent for ca...

Japanese Candy

The candy products of Japan are not only tasty, but they come in some amazingly beautiful packages which tempt the eye. I fell in love with Japanese candy at the Japan Pavilion at EPCOT years ago, and still can't get enough! So I decided to create an...

CF World Emporium

The CF (short for CrypticFragments, their creator's, pseudonym) World Emporium is a collective of seven separate but related Zazzle galleries, each focusing on gifts and design from a different region of the world, plus two "sister" gallery shops fea...

Western Skies, a Zazzle Gallery

Western Skies is devoted to bringing you the best photography from the western and southwestern United States. We feature images from Arizona (including Grand Canyon National Park and Sedona), New Mexico, and (coming soon) Wyoming. Simply click on a...

Sarah ban Breathnach

Sarah ban Breathnach (pronounced ban brannock) is a self-help author whose works, especially Simple Abundance, have had a large impact on my life. On this site you will be introduced to her best known works and provided links to related online m...

UK Travel Suggestions

In 2005 I spent nearly six months living and traveling in the UK, so I developed a list of favorite places. Some are well-known, others not typically considered top destinations. I can recommend all of them for Anglophiles or anyone looking for place...

Kaffe Fassett Fabrics

fabric artist, quilt designer, and mosaic artist are just a few of the "titles" which apply to this unique creative soul. I am in love with his wildly colorful fabrics and know you will be too.

The Blog Life of an Artist

Well, this page was inevitable. As an addict of blogging and of Squidoo, it only seemed natural to use each to feature the other. I'm not sure exactly when I started my first blog. It was several years ago, probably in conjunction with an early MySp...

Recommended Destinations in Ireland

Ireland is a top tourist destination and one I can highly recommend. I have been there three times for a total of 22 weeks and feel a bit Irish even though I have very little Irish blood. This lens is about my favorite locations in the country, main...

Leicestershire

This lens is dedicated to the region where I lived for nearly six months between late 2005-early 2006. Although not typically considered a tourist destination, Leicestershire has a lot to offer, and I will look at some of the highlights in this lens....

Card Making

A fulfilling creative pastime which combines collage, rubber stamping, and a variety of other techniques to create one-of-a-kind handmade cards for friends, family, or for sale! This lens is an introduction to basic techniques and some resources for...

I Love Funky Socks!

Prior to 2007, my feet did not have any fun. I was very against socks which did not match the outfit I was wearing and mostly wore solid white sports socks or black anklets. The most fun thing about ANY of my socks until 2007 was a small lace ruffle...

Barbara Hodgson: Artful Novelist

Barbara is a Canadian author of several illustrated novels whose style is similar to Nick Bantock (author of the Griffin and Sabine series). Her books are published by Raintree Press. The pages are full of fascinating travel ephemera which can hold y...

SARK-a succulent wild author

SARK is the acronym of self-help/inspirational author  Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, whose works have had a large impact on my life. A survivor of many difficulties, Susan's passion for living fully and creatively transcends everyday existen...