Born into the Sea of Squidoo
This is a tale of how I came to be the Squidoo Lensmaster known as BevsPaper. You will read about how I came to swim in the Sea of Squidoo and follow my journey through the waters.
I will also introduce you to fellow Lensmasters who have swam with me along the way. They might have offered me encouragement as my tentacles began to grow. They might have given me instructions and helpful hints on how to make my ink be a darker, more readable, blue.
Some of the fellow squids are Squid Angels who have been kind enough to bless a lens or two making my tentacles grow stronger and swim greater lengths in the rating pool.
This lens is a personal journey with hints and tips on how to grow and succeed here on Squidoo. I dedicate it to all the wonderful squids I've met and hope that new "Baby Squids" will glean some insight on how to swim in the great Sea of Squidoo.
The graphic at the left is from the Graphics Factory of which I am a member and can use their images.
It All Began with Sylvia
In June of 2008, Sylvia aka boutiqueshops suggested to the members of a Small Business Forum that we check out Squidoo.She explained about writing a lens and how that could be helped to promote our business and provide deeper backlinks for some of our pages on our websites. Her explanations were interesting and I came over to see what she was talking about.
Sylvia didn't stop with just an invitation. She encouraged me with reading my first lens, giving some tips and sharing her knowledge.
Her insight into the construction of a lens was helpful. I remember one of her comments was "I see the possibility of 3 other lenses that can be written from this one lens". Then she explained what she meant. I always think of her when I'm constructing an outline for a lens idea. Looking to see if there is another lens that can add to the one I'm working on.
She became my first fan, rated my lens, and left a comment. She has continued to give me support along the way and I so appreciate her nurturing my first attempts as a newborn Baby Squid. I would not have discovered Squidoo if it hadn't been for her. I would not have continued without her guidance in the beginning. Thank you, Sylvia!
On June 18, 2008, thanks to Sylvia, a new Baby Squid was born and named BevsPaper.
A few Lenses by BoutiqueShops
Sylvia has written many lenses so this is just a sampling of her work.-
The Cat Who Loves Lilian Jackson Braun
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Back in the 90's I spent a good amount of time on some medical challenges & had lots of time on my hands. I picked up one of these books to help me pass the time. I was immediately drawn into the timeless town of Pickax, in Moose County, 400 miles no...
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Farrah Fawcett, Forever An Angel
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Donny Osmond recently said "She will always be an angel to me." I can't help but agree. Although I wasn't a fan early on, I was eventually won over by the strong woman I realized she was. Since she was a little girl, everyone fawned over her obvious...
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Homemade Gift Basket Ideas For Men
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Are you at a total loss when it comes to thinking of a gift for that Special Man in your life? Husband, son, father, grandfather, uncle, brother? Fret no more! You can do it! Gift baskets are as much fun to make as they are to give. Gift baskets giv...
It takes a village to raise a Baby Squid. One thing I learned very quickly was that there were all of these wonderful Squids who were willing to take the time to read my work, comment on it, and rate it for me. Willing to nurture and encourage a young squid just as we do with infants.
EelKat helps me grow
I can't remember if she was already a Giant Squid or if that came shortly after she joined by Fan Club. Wendy continues to write some pretty awesome stuff. You don't always know that Eelkat stopped by. She will sometimes favorite a lens but rarely leaves a comment. But she does reach out in other ways, by promoting a lens on one of her lenses.
Eelkat recently (April 2009) became a Squid Angel and she now records her blessings in monthly lenses.
Angel? I'm Not An Angel I'm Your Faerie Squid Mother
Blessed April 2009
Blessed May 2009
Squidoo Teachers

As my little tentacles began to grow, I began to swim around in the school of squid. I have found many wonderful teachers which use their time and talents teaching the Baby Squid and Giant Squids how to use html coding and css coding to dress up our lenses. Make them prettier, help define certain areas, and so much more.
The picture above was done by Steve Thompson (tagsforkids) who permits us to use his art with the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License. attached. And a link back to his lens SquidArtToo ... the Sea Quell
My Favorite Teachers
in the School of Squid
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Squidoo CSS - my favorite code to spice up a lens
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I've gathered my favorite Squidoo-code for later reference. I'm tired of trying to find that specific lens I used a css effect on and then having to go to edit-mode, copy paste, and then go back to the lens I was working on. This lens will he...
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The Stylish Squid - Cool Graphics To Deck Out Your Lens!
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Does your lens need a little extra something? Find it here at The Stylish Squid! Here you will find some of the most original banner and divider graphics tailored specifically for the Squidoo Community. It may be just the push you need to make your...
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Add Borders to Your Lens Photos on Squidoo
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Would you like to jazz up the photos on your lenses? You can use borders on your images to give them much more impact and to help them "pop." You just need to use a little bit of simple HTML magic. I have included easy instructions for a variety of...
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HTML Squidoo Tricks How To Lens with sample codes step-by-step
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HTML Squidoo Tricks How To Lens with sample codes & step-by-step instructions to change fonts, background colors, table of contents, modules & images.
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bdkz's Best Squidoo Tips
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Welcome! I'm Bonnie, lensmaster bdkz. I'm a Giant Squid & RocketMoms Organizer here on Squidoo. I have created over 400 lenses, been "Lens of the Day" twice and have had 15 of my lens in the Top 100. I have been with Squidoo fo...
A Teacher's Lessons on Modules
to use while swimming the waters of Squidoo
This is a really awesome series by lensmaster (Teacher) FunGifts4All. Sandra has come up with a lesson plan that fits all Squidooers, from the Baby to the Grown-up Squid.-
E & F Modules
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The E and F modules have a lot to offer. The eBay Module let's you add eBay products to your lens and earn money when readers purchase items when they click on the products from your lens. The ESPN Module let's you display ESPN News on lots of sports...
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"C" Modules
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Tired of using the same old modules on your lenses? Want to spice them up a little or try something new? From CafePress to Craig's List, the C Modules have a lot to offer. Promote your CafePress shop. Add a CNet News module to your lens. Check out t...
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"B" Modules
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While there may not be a lot of them, B modules can be a lot of fun. Spice up your lens with Backtype by following conversations about your topic. Use the Big Arrow Module to spotlight one of your favorite links about your topic. And, what about Boi...
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D Modules
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A lof of fun modules that begin with the letter D. You get community type lenses such as Digg and Dipity. Some fun modules like Duel and Did You Know. Also a module that helps you raise money for your favorite charity. So check them out and spice up...
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"A" Modules
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When I originally started this lens, I was going to list all modules and how they can be used. But, after taking a closer look at how many are out there, (over 150) I realized that it would be an impossible task to try and display all modules in a si...
Teachers Give Us Tools Too
Some teachers of the Squidoo School offer us tools in the forms of widgets to use in our lenses.One of my favorite "Teachers" in this category is thefluffanutta
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Lensmaster Tools and Utilities
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SQUIDUtils.com Utilities and Tools for the Expert Lensmaster SquidUtils is the place to find complementary utilities and tools for your Lenses on Squidoo. Here you can see all of your lenses and groups, with shortcuts to some of the most vital func...
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Love This Lens Widget
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One of the (many) secrets of getting a good Lensrank is the star ratings that other Lensmasters can give to your lens. Getting them to actually visit your lens is hard enough, yet sometimes they leave without clicking on the stars at the top. This w...
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Lens Health Check Tool
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Originally developed for SQUIDUtils.com, the Health Check Tool can quickly identify common issues with your lens. The advice that it gives can help improve the ranking of your lens in the search engines. This lens will tell you more about what it do...
A very important place to swim to is SquidU. You meet other Squids there who give you advice, encourage your efforts, and can learn some tips. I saw a big difference in my success after I swam over to those waters.
Etiquette in the Sea of Squidoo
Personally, I believe this lens should be required reading when each new lensmaster joins Squidoo.-
Squid Etiquette
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Squid Etiquette is all about what to do and what NOT to do on Squidoo! It is a very different How To Squidoo than you have probably seen before. In our enthusiasm to not only publish our first few Squidoo lenses but also get traffic, we may forget...
Giant Squid Program
This is an elite group of squids to swim with and it is my hope that I will have grown enough to join this group at the next cut-off date of June 2009.In order to swim with this group in the waters of the Sea of Squidoo, you must have at least 50 quality lenses. You submit your lenses to the group of greeters and they will decide if your ink is strong enough.
Sometimes a young squid doesn't make Giant Squid on their first attempt. From what I understand you will be given some advice on what you can do to improve your work and then submit it again by the next cut-off date.
The picture above was done by Steve Thompson (tagsforkids) who permits us to use his art with the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License attached. And a link back to his lens SquidArt
Helping Me in the Giant Squid Marathon Swim
I was invited to join the Kab's Fabulous Squid Squad while I swim towards my goal of being a Giant Squid.-
Kab's Fab Squid Squad
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Hey there, fellow lensmaster. So, you're trying to become a Giant Squid, eh? Or, what's that, you're shooting for Giant Squid 100 Club? Well, welcome to Kab's Fab Squid Squad, a team of lensmasters just like you in a race for their lives (and when I...
Mentor Squids
When you are trying to achieve the rank of Giant Squid there are Mentors who will help you with your quest.They offer advice on things that you can do to improve your lenses. Cheer you on and help you use the strongest ink from your tentacles. They are very good people to know.
My Official Mentors
Robin invited me to look for a mentor and Kiwi's Outback graciously offered to mentor me.-
Giant Squid Mentor Kiwisoutback
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The Giant Squid Program is a prestigous honor and a completely attainable goal. With 50 lenses published under your belt, you'll be much better at crafting amazing lenses, selling products, promoting your website, and raising money for charity. Many...
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Giant Squid Mentor
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It's true. Squidoo is a great place to create web pages for free. But did you know that part of the magic of Squidoo also comes from the membership? Since Squidoo started in the fall of 2006, our lensmasters have continued to create great lenses and...
Squid Angels swim with us in the Sea of Squidoo. They give us blessings when they read something that they feel is worthy. Some will tell you they left the blessing, some will give one anonymously, and some will contact you with advice on what you can do to improve your lens before it is worthy of a blessing.
I always feel so humbled when I receive a blessing. It touches me deeply that they deemed me worthy. Their blessings encourage me to keep swimming and I thank them from the bottom of my little Squid heart.
Squid Angels That Have Blessed Me
Some of the Squid Angels are mentioned above for other reasons, so I won't repeat them here.Swimming with the Rocket Moms
While swimming around the Sea of Squidoo, a Rocket Mom asked me if I would like to join an amazing group of women from the internet waters in an 8 week course of study and fellowship.Beginning in June 2009 I started swimming with this remarkable group of women who offer support to each other in the lensmaking process. We share tips on making our lenses look nice. There are tips on using different modules for our lenses to help with traffic and money making ideas.
Each and every one of the Rocket Moms should get a special badge for the encouragement they offer both veteran squidooers and the Baby Squids in our group!
The goal of these intelligent and talented ladies is to help to improve the quality of writing on Squidoo by working together.
Some of my Favorite Squidoo Lensmasters
Many have encouraged my growth, given me good advice, or just written some awesome lenses that impress my tentacles.-
Chef Keem :: My Lensography
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My world looks different through my squid eyes: clearer, more thought-out, better researched, better understood. Make no bones about it - I love Squidoo, and it was love at first sight. On January 29th, 2008 I discovered a completely new opportunity...
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Who is Susan52?
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Known on Squidoo as Susan52, I'm a wife and a mom, a baby boomer, a writer and editor, and a busy businessperson who's still trying to figure out what she really wants to be when she grows up. As for the 52, well, let's just say it was a very go...
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Lensography of CherylK
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I discovered Squidoo in February of 2008 and decided that it would be a good place to practice writing, display my photography and learn a little more about the internet and all it has to offer. I haven't looked back. It's so much fun....
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Drifter's Tales
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Out from under the murky sludge of his past and into the light of the living, the creature crawls. Using the powers of the Ancients, he smites indifference and the wanton abuse of the human nature that drives some to just slide by. This is Drifter's...
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Hello, I'm Joan
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Hello, I'm Joan! Welcome to my Squidoo World. Squidoo is special because of the community - I have met great friends here, and every day I learn something new! Squidoo is home to over a million lenses and continues to grow quickly. Squidoo is one of...
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A Loving Lensography
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I am thinking today about "self-healing" because I am about to put another EBook on the World Wide Web on that topic, called: "22 Keys For Self-Healing: Self-Healing For Nurses And Everyone Else!" As I heal myself, the whole world seems to look lig...
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Comfortdoc - Griefdoc - Momdoc - Professordoc - Lensdoc - Blogdoc - Greendoc
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This is the lensography, or collection of lenses, for lensmaster Kirsti A. Dyer a.k.a. lensmaster Comfortdoc and Griefdoc. Depending on the situation and the circumstances, I wear a variety of hats, hence the various aliases... Comfortdoc, Griefdoc,...
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Sacred Path Divination
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My Great-Grandmother was a Native American. My Grandmother related to me many times the story of how her Mother died in her arms when she was only seven. That story is almost the only connection I have with my Native American heritage. Little is know...
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Tipi's...I Believe in Angels*
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I am sharing about some of the Angelic Encounters that I have had in Fargo, North Dakota. I believe I have had these revelations because I believe in God and needed the comfort and protection that Angels bring. They bring messages of faith, hope and...
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Mystic Mama
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Hello, My name is Bambi aka: Mystic Mama I live in the Highland Park area of St. Paul with my husband Scott. We're just a couple of old hippies now that the kids are all grown up and out of the house. One of the things we've always had in common is...
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My RocketMoms Experience
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RocketMoms was an idea pioneered on Squidoo. The idea was to capture and cultivate the best from the Work At Home Moms that seemed to dominate the number of lenses created on the site. The first session of RocketMoms was 6 weeks long. There was an...
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Homeless In America
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This photo essay is about the homeless in America. Once you've seen these black and white images of homeless people, from the documentary photographer, Tom Stone, you'll never forget them. Look into the eyes of your brothers and sisters in the...
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Vintage and Antique Dollhouses
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Collecting dollhouses is a most enjoyable hobby and certainly can't be regarded as solely the domain of women and girls. When it comes to the vintage and antique houses, they are highly collectable, even in poor condition some fetch very high p...
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Animal Spirit Totems
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Every one of us are given many Spiritual Helpers throughout our lives to help us go through certain experiences. As we grow spiritually our Spirit Helpers change. I know that some classes I have taken taught us that during our birth we are given cert...
Growing up in the Sea of Squidoo
Well, there you have it, my tales of swimming in the Sea of Squidoo and how it came to be. I'll continue to swim the waters, making new friends and growing stronger tentacles to produce better inked lenses. I'll let you know about my progress and add other tips for you to think about looking into as you swim the wonderful waters of this great Sea.It is a wonderful place to swim in, but you must be careful. It is so easy to become addicted to the ink filled waters. Then again, there are much worse things to become addicted to.
The graphic of a Squidaholic was done by Steve Thompson and can be found at SquidArt.
Baby Squid Becomes Giant Squid
July 2, 2009 I got the announcement e-mail. I am no longer a Baby Squid. Today I hold my head up high as a Giant Squid. I feel honored to have been accepted into this tremendous group of swimmers!Sure, I worked hard and I was able to create 68 lenses instead of the needed 50 for application. However, I would have never made it without the inspiration, encouragement, and friendship of my fellow Squidooers!
Seriously, if you think you would like to be a Giant Squid there are many of us who are willing to help you on that journey. Swim around some of the places that I've suggested above. Get to know people and most importantly WRITE.
If I can help you with ideas, proof-reading, or anything; please don't hesitate to use the "contact me" button on my profile. I was helped along the way by so many lensmasters and I'm ready to play it forward for Giant Squid hopefuls.
Baby Squid Grows Into a Giant and now a Coach
This past year has been quite an experience for someone who started the year as a "Baby Squid" and then grew into a Giant Squid. And now as I continue to swim the waters of Squidoo I've become a coach for the September 2009 Giant Squid Challenge. I'm now ready to be a part of the Village that helps to raise a baby squid.-
Bev's Baby Squids at Team One
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A new Giant Squid Challenge is set to begin on August 1, 2009. I'm Bev Owens aka BevsPaper here on Squidoo and I am one of the team members of Team One led by Mimi aka GrowWear. Our team is offering coaching for this session to anyone who joins our t...
Giant Squid Joins 100 Club
The baby squid who started this lens has grown along the way, swimming in new waters and meeting new Squids along the way. I joined the September 2009 challenge to try to become a member of the Giant 100 Club.On October 5, 2009, I received the e-mail letting me know that I had passed the test and was now an official member of the Giant 100 Club here at Squidoo.
Woot!
As this Squid grows...she becomes a Giant Greeter
In September 2009, Bonnie and Robin who are the Giant Squid Organizers contacted me to ask if I would be interested in becoming an official Giant Greeter. I can't tell you just how excited I was to get this invitation! What an honor!I'm so pleased to be a part of the Giant Challenges and to be able to officially encourage new Baby Squids as they hone their lensmaking skills and try to become a Giant Squid or a new member of the 100 Club.
Now, I get to pay it forward for all of the help and kindness that was shown to me when I was new and swimming in the waters of Squidoo.

I hope you enjoyed your visit here and that you will leave me a comment about your visit.
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- WordCustard WordCustard Jan 1, 2010 @ 2:38 pm
- This is a wonderful story. It's hard to imagine you were ever a Fresh Squid! I wanted to stop by and thank you for all the encouragement and angel blessings you've given me. I'm lensrolling this to my new thank you lens to the Angels of Squidoo (but wanted to stop by and thank you in person).
May 2010 bring wonderful things your way!
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- missbat missbat Oct 26, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
- An inspirational story for every Squid, new and old! Great lens!
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- AndyPo AndyPo Sep 4, 2009 @ 11:34 am
- Excellent lens.
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- Jewelsofawe Jewelsofawe Aug 10, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
- Congrats on being a giant squid!
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- capriliz capriliz Aug 3, 2009 @ 12:00 am
- What an amazing story! You have included so much information in this lens. I will definitely be referring back to this lens many times.
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- spirituality spirituality Jul 25, 2009 @ 3:54 am
- Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
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- jptanabe jptanabe Jul 22, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
- This is a great story! Love the way you give thanks (and links!) to all those who helped you on your journey. And such fun to read!
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- GrowWear GrowWear Jul 14, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
- One beautiful lens, Bev!
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- RinchenChodron RinchenChodron Jul 3, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
- Congratulations on joining us Giant Squids! Way to go. I love this lens 5*s
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- CCGAL CCGAL Jun 28, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
- Wonderful lens! Enjoyed it tremendously!
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Growing Squids Love to be Rated
Things I've written while swimming around
Lensmaster BevsPaper has been a member since June 18 2008, has rated 3,236 lenses, favorited 411, and has created 141 lenses from scratch. Bev Owens donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "Recipe For Happiness". See all my lenses






