For the ladies on your list, you’ll find Anju art jewelry with necklace and earring sets for only $25.  Cuff bracelets are only $20.  There’s a story behind this jewelry and it’s not mass produced in China!

From the Siam Women’s Co-op, you can enjoy the Twice Rice bags made from recycled rice or sugar bags – again – nothing mass produced here and your purchase helps support a wonderful cause.  Pick from one of many styles and designs featuring the great art found on these sugar and rice labels.  Prices start at $12.

High-quality photo albums featuring “flex pages” for 4″ x 6″ or 5″ x 7″ photos are a favorite for only $20.  And, as a bonus,they come with a gift certificate for custom framing.  So, it’s almost like getting the album for free!

You’ve just got to see the prints of Rob Smith, Jr. cartoon characters – Florida’s native beasties!    These fun, colorful prints are only $15!  The photos don’t do them justice!

Come visit us Friday, December 23rd from 10 am until 6 pm, and Saturday, Christmas Eve, from 10 am until at least Noon!  (Probably later depending on traffic!)

As Julie says, make sure your gifts say, “You are special;  not, Blue Light special!”

FastFrame

117 S Kentucky Avenue in Downtown Lakeland between Main & Lemon

863-688-5251

www.fastframelakeland.com

(click image for link)

Saturday, October 1, 2011        9:00 – 3:00

South Kentucky Avenue (between Main and Lemon Streets)   Downtown Lakeland

Help uncover Polk County’s undiscovered talent in this festival for lovers of all things “Book”!

Here’s your chance to meet and support local authors, illustrators and publishers (just in time for the holidays!)  in a Downtown showcase. Who knows? You might even be inspired to write that book that you’ve been “meaning to get to” for years.

It’s also a great way for local authors and illustrators to come out and promote/sell their works. Deadline for participation is Friday, Sept. 16th – but, the sooner you sign up, the more pre-event promotion you get! Space is limited.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorsnIllustratorsFestival for more information.

Organized for you by Terisa & Sparky Glover of  The General Store; Ellen Simms of FastFrame, and Teresa V. Martinez, author of  “Success in Exile”.

Sponsored in part by Lakeland Downtown Development Authority

FastFrame is offering 20% off of their custom framing services on one item per family through May 31, 2010.    At FastFrame, you can rely on the “Design & Craftsmanship – Your Total Satisfaction Guarantee” so we know you will smile when you look at your new piece of art hanging in your home or office.  We specialize in preservation framing to insure that your art is framed with the most appropriate techniques and materials available.

Come visit us  in Downtown Lakeland on South Kentucky Avenue, between Main Street and Lemon Street.  We’re here Monday through Friday from 10 AM until 6 PM, and Saturdays from 10 AM until 4 PM.  We’ll be happy to make after hours appointments, as well.  Call Ellen at 863.688.5251!

Thanks to a team of devoted volunteers, supporters and homeowners, and the enthusiasm of those that attend, this event has become a highlight of spring in Lakeland.

This year the tour will originate at the Hauger Bunch Realtors office at 415 S. Kentucky Ave. Formerly a private home, this historic building has beautiful woodwork throughout, plus a great view of Lake Morton.  Another new feature of the tour is that the trolleys will not only ride through the neighborhood, going to the featured homes, but will also run through downtown Lakeland, with two stops along the way.  This will make it possible for participants to enjoy a tour of Munn Park hosted by Jim Studiale and John White from Historic Lakeland. This tour paints a picture of how the city  originally  developed. Also, this is a great opportunity to visit the shops and restaurants in the downtown area.

Tickets will be available at Brooke Pottery, Fast Frame and Home Essentials in the month before the tour for $12 and on www.historichometours.com for out of town guests or those wishing to pay with credit cards. Proceeds from the tour benefit the association, plus several local charities. For more information, go to www.lmna.org .

This year the tour begins at Hauger-Bunch Realtors, 415 S. Kentucky Avenue just off of Lake Morton Drive in Downtown Lakeland, FL. and  includes Historic Munn Park in the heart of Downtown. Trolley transportation is available for the tour route.

Proceeds benefit Agape Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, and Phillip O’Brien Elementary School.

For more information visit our website www.LMNA.org

Tickets are $12 and may be purchased in advance at one of these fine downtown shops through Friday, March 19th:

Brooke Pottery 223 N Kentucky Avenue

FastFrame 117 S Kentucky Avenue

Home Essentials  314 N Kentucky Avenue

 profess your love on a wave swept beach, or recognize that while you come in a close second,  football is his first love.      

       There are so many more from which to choose. Sport, movies, kids themes.

11″ x 14″ is only $35

8″ x10″ is only $30

 117 S Kentucky Avenue, between Lemon and Main

At both local and national levels, this competition encourages children, ages 6 through 10, to create a piece of art based on the theme: My Favorite Place.    Through November 14^th, Simms will be accepting artwork in to the store for the contest. “There are a lot of talented children in Lakeland, so I’m assembling a crack team of judges to help with the selection,” commented Simms.

 What do the winners get?

 All pieces will be displayed at the Downtown Lakeland Art Festival on November 14th & 15th (Saturday & Sunday) along the Lemon Street Promenade.  A first and second place will be chosen from among the entries, and both pieces will be framed for free, courtesy of FastFrame with framing materials donated by Nielsen Bainbridge.  The second place winner will be displayed at FastFrame at 117 S. Kentucky Avenue in Downtown Lakeland, while the first place winner is sent off to the FastFrame corporate office in Newbury Park, California, to be judged in the national contest.  The national winning artist will receive a $250 gift card for art supplies, with an additional $250 gift card going to his or her school.  In addition, the national winning piece will be displayed on the home page of the corporate website for the month of January 2010.  The second place winner will receive $100 gift certificate from FastFrame.

Rules – There are always rules!

Artwork must be between 8.5”x 11” and 11”x 14”, flat format, unframed and may be in any medium.  The artists must be between 6 and 10 years old.  No entries will be accepted before September 20th or after November 14th.  A release must be signed by the artist’s parent or guardian.  Winning pieces will be available to the artists after February 1, 2010. Other pieces will be available to the artists after December 1, 2009.

Winning the People’s Choice Award were Bruiser (the dog) and Collin Ledington (the owner) sporting red shirts, flowered board shorts and goggles and that “we just wanna have fun” attitudes.  Bruiser was seriously engaged in the  entire event!   Bruiser’s grin says it all!

Marcel (the dog) and Cassie Malouta (the owner) won the Judge’s Choice Award for the evening.  Both Cassie and Marcel sported wavy dark tresses and beautiful brown eyes and that attitude of quiet elegance that poodles and young ladies share.

Besides fame and not so much fortune…both winners receive $20 Downtown Dollars and a $25 FastFrame gift certificate.

Voting by the public was intense, but easily tabulated.  The panel of judges, however, fought like dogs over a bone, so additional judges had to be called in to break the stalemate.  The identities of all judges will not be made public.

Thank you to all of the competitors and we hope to see you next year!

          Bradley (the silly one) – He loves to juggle, even though he is a little clumsy.  Bradley tries to make the best of every situation by joking around.  He lives for the attention and laughter of others.

Cricker – You’ve probably never seen a one-eyed unicorn monster before, but now you have!  Cricker is exactly that.  He used to be trapped inside of a snow globe, and before that he doesn’t remember.  Nowadays he lives inside of an old decaying tree where he spends h free time balancing objects and hanging out with friends.  Cricker doesn’t like coup, and his favorite words are GLUE, SHOE, CLUE, and BLUE!

Flopps – Flopps is the only Boogily Bunny with legs!  She comes from antoher planet where material possessions weren’t as important as music and art.  Now she lives in a cardboard box and does something each day to make other peoples’ lives better, as well as something creative for herself and the environment.  Often she is seen dancing in the forest to music, or cleaning up garbage only to make a beautiful sculpture out of it.

Come in and meet all of the Boogily Head, Boogily Bunnies and Puff Dogs – and laugh!

MidFlorida Credit Union sponsors the September Back to School First Friday each year.  This year, MidFLorida collected teacher supplies at their branch locations.  You can still donate items to the cause at First Friday and designate them to a specific school.  Collection boxes will be in Munn Park at the DLp booth on the corner across from Harry’s.

Other fun activities at this month’s First Friday:

NORTH KENTUCKY AVE:

Have fun with Galaxy of Lights/JP Henderson at Lloyds of Lakeland.

Mitchells Coffee House has its monthly art reception.

BROOKE POTTERY:Do you know that Brooke Pottery offers a 5% discount to teachers and educators who work for the Polk County Schools? Teachers and educators have worked hard over the past few weeks getting the new school year underway, and Downtown Lakeland applauds this dedication with a “Salute to Educators” theme on First Friday.  On Sept. 4, visit Brooke Pottery for these free activities 6-9 PM:

Traditions Unlimited will have a teacher give away!

Listen to the Sax of Larry Pelton at Crispers.

SOUTH KENTUCKY AVE:

Catch a preview of the Grease production as cast members dressed in costume  perform a sneak peak (7pm) along S. Kentucky Ave. Also classic cars from the era will be on display!

Billy Needs a Beard will be playing in front of Palace Pizza.

Chere’ Mask and Leroy will be performing in front of Fresco’s Bakery & Bistro.

IN MUNN PARK:

SENATOR Paula Dockery’s office will be in Munn Park to take your questions/comments/concerns.

Lifestyles Family Fitness is always playing tunes and giving away prizes in Munn Park.

YMCA provide fun activities.

South Florida Baptist Association booth will have facepainting, balloon animals and sand art.

FOCUS TV will be on hand to video First Friday! Stop by their booth and tell them what you think of the event!

Classic Car show on the Tennessee side of Munn Park. Listen to the sounds of Starvin Marvin 50s DJ.

AROUND LAKE MIRROR:

Enjoy fried chicken picnic dinner with baked beans, salad and dessert $8.95 from 6-8pm. Music provided by The Sofa Kings outside on the patio from 7:30 – 11pm at Garden Bistro, next to Hollis Garden on Lake Mirror Promenade • Plenty of parking next to Hollis Garden. 686-3332

PARKING’S A SNAP!