Category Archives: Filmmaking

Stimulating the Palette with Food Art

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Good food is wise medicine. ~Alison Levitt M.D., Doctor in the Kitchen®

flower kidsSpring has arrived in southern parts of the country. Gardens are sprouting new crops of fruits and veggies. Today on All Things Fulfilling, we will share images of food art that have been circulating over the internet. Mouth-watering ideas and all elements of art – color, shape, form, texture and values have been used to create these food compositions, as well as use of line and space. The visual effects are enough to make even the pickiest child want to eat the daily recommended servings of produce.

Some food art is basic, and any Mom or Dad can make it to impress their families, and stimulate palettes. While other compositions are very time consuming and are best left to highly skilled caterers. With practice and the help of proper kitchen utensils, books and DVDs anyone can now become a culinary artist in their own kitchen, and promote better nutrition.

John Gargone, a chef from Pennsylvania, teaches others his craft of food carving and sculpting in his popular book Food Art: Garnishing Made Easy and through his independently published DVD series.

You are invited to take this tour with me, through the fulfilling world of food and art. Perhaps we will both be inspired to include a little more creativity in our food preparation and diets.

apple with fruit

gold fish

goldfish adult

owl adult

motorcyle adul1imagesCA0MLBNUrose advancedbrocolli poodle kidsjpg

bird advancedface kids

Return on tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Stories of Faith on Film

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 “Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and  looks out the window which hope has opened” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Easter lily

To many people around the world, preparing for Easter  means more than shopping for Peeps™ candy, jelly beans, chocolate eggs and other confections. Spring is the season of renewal of spirit. For people of faith, that means remembering the Easter story of biblical times – a tale of crucifiction, death, resurrection and life.

On this Film Friday, I have resurrected a list of the top ten Easter movies of all times. Although Easter is several weeks away, perhaps your family would enjoy receiving one of these films in their Easter basket. I am posting this list early so you can add one of these DVDs to your shopping cart. Many of them are considered to be epic productions and can be located, and your order can be fulfilled through the Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com :

    • Passion of Christ (2004)

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    • The Robe (1953)

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    • Ben Hur (1959)

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    • Holiday Inn (1942)

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    • Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

The Last Temptation of Christ

    • King of Kings (1961)

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    • The Easter Parade (1948)

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    • Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

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    • Jesus of Nazareth (1977)

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    • The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

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It’s interesting, as I was doing research for this blog I noticed that most of these films were produced decades ago. Is it true that the American people have fallen out of favor with the one of the cornerstone principles that our country was founded upon, faith? Is that why contemporary filmmakers are not approaching religious subjects? I’d like to think not, and Reelz is offering outstanding programming over the Easter Season.

Barabbas: Where the Bible Left off…His Story of Redemption BeganClick for info & ordering, a Reelz Easter Event,  premiers Monday, March 25 and Tuesday, March 26. Part I  of the mini-series, featuring Billy Zane, will be broadcast on the night of March 30 and Part II on March 31. To find out the times and the channel for Reelz in your viewing area, please visit this link . There is also a trailer on the Reelz website .http://www.reelz.com/barabbas/.

I’d like to end this blog with an audio Chapter from my memoir Gift of a Lifetime – Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. It is a short Easter story that the entire family can enjoy listening to together. Have a great weekend!

Blogging and the Noggin’

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social-media-takes-over “Regardless of the changes in technology, the market for well-crafted messages will always have an audience.” ~ Steve Burnett

Blogging seems to have an effect on my perception of daily living. Staying alert to what is going on around me, forces me pay closer attention to the idiosyncrasies of life. As a blogger I’ve begun to think there is a story in everything, even when there isn’t.

I share this affliction with many  journalists. People, places, events, conversations – they are all of great interest to me. It has gotten to the point that I need to pause, and think, whether something is really newsworthy. Everything, it seems, that passes by the radar screen of my brain gets paid attention to with heightened awareness. 

What’s a blogger to do? I’ve never been known to be a drama queen, so I don’t quite know how to handle the symptoms of this “thing” that is occurring in my brain as a result of being a participant in e-marketing. Social media, has changed the landscape of how news is shared dramatically.

Only “fix” I know, is to create a story, this morning, about this very issue . I feel better already, now I can go about my business of finding contentment in an ordinary day. Where will my observances lead me tomorrow?

Return on tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: Inocente

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“ Art is not what you see but what you make others see.” ~ Degas 

A life was changed on Academy Award night, when Inocente, a documentary film about a homeless girl and her passion for art, won an Oscar. Indeed, despite a dark and lonely past, Izucar, the subject of this real life story, has created a bright world around herself through her colorful art.  Her unwillingness to give up on life and her belief in sharing her art with others has made for an inspiring story. 

Husband and wife filmmakers, Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine decided to focus on the plight of Inocente Izucar when they met her through their involvement with artist Matt D’Arrigo and founder  ARTS(A Reason to Survive), “a non-profit organization that focuses on using art as a form of therapy and healing, for children and young adults struggling with major life challenges..

According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, 1 out of every 45 children live a transient lifestyle, floating from street to motel to shelters to living out of cars. This number has increased 33% in the past three years alone. http://usat.ly/YtbFoP. 

art of inocenteIzucar is representative of all youth who have discovered that their brightest moments in an hour or a day comes when they are exploring different mediums of art. For many, it is the only thing that gives them a positive reason to live. 

To read more about this inspirational independent  film and the documentary filmmakers, please visit this link
About Inocente and How to Order

Return on Monday to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Stories of Disappearing Acts

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“Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together.” ~ Unknown

Yesterday, as I walked, I began thinking about how there are things in life that we take for granted – like there will always be spring, puppy dogs, love, water coming from the Earth’s natural hot springs and rain coming from clouds in the sky. 

There are things that have always been part of our American heritage that are disappearing. We have always assumed there will be post offices to receive the mail, and a male and a female constitute a marriage. We can’t assume that anymore, it seems we are entering new horizons in every aspect of living. 

print media is dyingDisappearing traditions, mores, products, and professions need to be documented in books for the sake of future generations. An accounting of our country’s past history, stories about the family of man and how the world has evolved socially, economically, culturally, anthropologically are important  for studies and hypotheses about how human beings have survived throughout the ages and for future problem solving.

Take a look at fulfilling things that you thought would exist throughout your lifetime but have disappeared or are at the risk of becoming extinct in our society. Here is a list of twenty-five things to get you started. http://bit.ly/13GJ1Gx.  Help me add to this list. How has your world has changed since you arrived on this planet? Share them with our readers. 

At the bottom of this blog, click on comment, and digitally submit your observances. Your thoughts will be gratefully appreciated.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: Flying Books of Lessmore

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“Great is the human who  has not lost his childlike heart.” ~ Mencius (Meng-Tse)  4th Century BCE

Our blogs over the past few days have been devoted to e-books and the use of digital technology, design and typographyics enhancing electronic literature for adults and children. There are strong arguments for and against using e-books to teach children to read.

 flying books of LessmoreA former Pixar designer and Moonbot Studios are developing animated children’s books along with William Joyce author of, “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.” The app for these books is ingratiated with the latest technology and really open one’s eye to the potential of e-book development. Click here for Info & Ordering

Even if you are not interested in reading e-books, you can still appreciate the wonder of science and technology and how the world of publishing is evolving. Check out this video to get a glimpse into how books and movies are coming together for a new generation of readers. http://bit.ly/140sUz4 .

 To read more about Moonbot Studios and the creative and innovative e-books they are designing for children, please visit this link.http://bit.ly/140tahu.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: Surprising Developments in Life

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“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” ~ Unknown 

At the beginning of the week I posted a blog called Bundled Energy. The gist of the writing was that positive energy brings good things about.  If you missed it, here is the link. http://bit.ly/XirgZP.

Twenty five years ago, a bundle of joy, was placed in my arms, swaddled in a blanket.  A gift that has showered my husband and me with blessings in so many ways. What a pleasure it has been to watch our bundle of energy grow and develop, from newborn to an adult,  now thriving of  his own accord. Our dreams have been fulfilled and the arrival  that day was the birth of our son. 

Today, we wish Marc a fantastic Film Friday, although for him, everyday is Film Friday. In retrospect, with the path his life has taken, perhaps he should have arrived between the covers of a DVD. Just kidding! http://bit.ly/UJrK73.

Happy 25th Birthday, Marc, on Monday! We are overwhelmed by our love for you and you make us proud, everyday. Have a wonderful year ahead and enjoy the Academy Awards on Sunday night. 

Marc at Reelz November 2012

 Embracing Life and Career in N.M.

 Putting his energy to work & reaping the rewards of staying focused on his dreams.

heart cake

Appreciate the gift of every day – ordinary and extraordinary!

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Bundled Energy

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“Problems are not the problem, coping is the problem.” ~ Virginia Satir

energy in the worldTime to change the channel, there is no reason to stay stuck on it. http://bit.ly/Xkquu0. I’ve had more than my fill of news about the Carnival cruise ship that let down its vacationers. The travelers talk as if it was if they were intentionally “wronged.”  Fact of the matter – it was  an unfortunate incident that no one could have predicted and everyone was in a difficult situation. And, there are no guarantees that life will always be smooth sailing.

I did hear a few of the “victims” say that they had joined in with others to create prayer groups while awaiting rescue. There you go! Bundling positive energy together and using good coping skills. Would it be any surprise if those folks came away from the incident with much healthier perspectives? When  communities of people bring positive energy together and create networking groups, good things happen. Negative energy does nothing to attract positive energy, we all know that.

Let’s face it. The steam that moves us human beings forward in positive directions ultimately comes from our own reserves; as we draw from our wellspring of strengths, inner exertion and convictions and pluck!

Time to go and plan our monthly meeting for We Write Steamboat – a  meet-up group for independent publishers!  It is happening this afternoon. And, soon it will be lunchtime, when I’ll fill up my tank  and nourish my soul by going on my daily walk. I know I’ll find something fulfilling to write about for tomorrow.

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.  All Things Fulfilling, is a space where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business.

Film Friday: The Oscars

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Film Friday: The Oscars

“Movies are something people see all over the world because there is a certain need for it.” ~ Wim Wenders 

You are invited oscars-2013-generic

Say! Look at that! I have been invited to the Oscars this year.  The Academy award winning movies and the range of nominations is extensive from best picture, to best actor/actress, to best animated feature, best editor, top visual effects and sound artists and so much more – a total of twenty four categories. 

Here is a list of nominees for best feature film. How many did you get the opportunity to see? 

I did not get a chance to see all of these films but of those I saw, my personal favorite was Les Miserables, without a doubt. Most disappointing? Life of Pi, however, the visual effects were fulfilling; perhaps a prize will come in that category. 

Did you know there is an official Oscars app. that can be downloaded so you will not miss any of the action? Thanks to the digital age, anyone in any community with internet coverage can get exclusive video and the latest news on the Oscars. To learn more about the app for your cell phone, please visit http://oscar.go.com/. 

Have a great weekend everyone, I am hoping to take in one more movie on the list this weekend, and that would be Lincoln. From the great reviews it has gotten, my favorite pick may be changed once I see it.

Return on Monday to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

Books and Films with Inspirational Messages

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“No heart has ever suffered when it has gone in search of its dream.” ~ Paul Coelho

heart pillows stuffedFebruary is Happy Heart Month! Over the course of the past month, messages from inspirational books and films have been at the core of our minister’s sermons at the UnitedMethodistChurch in Steamboat. Many people without religious backgrounds have read and appreciated these books also. They have been New York Times bestsellers. Here are the titles:

  • The Alchemist by Paul Coelho  (the movie is coming in 2014)

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  • Tuesdays with Morrie  by Mitch Ablom   (film adaptation also available)

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  • The River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean  (film by Robert Redford)

Click for info & ordering The authors of each of these books have created stories that take the reader on a journey into their own hearts, in search of the meaning of life and the Universe. Thought provoking, illuminating and inspiring, they raise awareness of some of the best parts of human nature, as well as stir up more difficult issues we are faced with as people who were created with faults, weaknesses and a full range of emotions that run from admirable to undesirable. The truth of the matter is that good books and films give us reason  to stop and ponder.

If you are searching for good reads with heart and soul content, you may want to consider Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Visit us tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.