WOW, aren't we beautiful?
SheKnows has really gone through a facelift and there have also been some changes. EVERYONE should now be able to have avatars and also you should be able to give yourself a custom title. I'm sure there a few other things as well but there are more changes in the works.
Be on the look out for announcements telling you about them.
It will be really exciting.
And we are also welcoming Autumn this month. Our temperatures might not reflect it in some places but it really is the beginning of Fall. Pretty soon there will be frost on the pumpkins and then Christmas bells will be chiming.
We are still experiencing staff vacations so please bear with us a bit longer. In fact, crisantemo will be away until the 20th, so if you could please ask for another maker that would be great.
I hope you all come on over and get your new fall siggies, blinkies and glitters. It's time to shed the summer stuff and spruce up for Fall.
I do have to let all our hosts know what a wonderful job that they do for us here at Graphic Central. They are the backbone and the lifeblood of this place. Their artistry is amazing and we couldn't do without them, any of them. Thank you so much ladies for making this the best place to be.



Each month, a host here at Graphic Central with share an aspect that they do here with everyone. Sometimes it will be challenging and sometimes it will be easier to follow. But I'm sure it will always be interesting
to learn. And this month Alyssa (JulyMama) from Blinkies is giving us her tutorial.






Our Get-To-Know-You question this month is what is your favorite part of the Fall season? All hosts please answer this in the Community Leaders board and remember to post your P&P email address so you can get your points. Thank you.



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Sept 1st - Labor Day
Sept 2nd - National Blueberry Popsicle Day
Sept 3rd - Uncle Sam's Birthday, Skyscraper Day
Sept 4th - Newspaper Carrier Day
Sept 5th - National Cheese Pizza Day
Sept 6th - Read A Book Day
Sept 7th - National Grandparents Day
Sept 8th - International Literacy Day
Sept 9th - Teddy Bear Day
Sept 10th - Swap Ideas Day
Sept 11th - 911 Memorial, Make Your Bed Day
Sept 12th - National Chocolate Milk Shake Day
Sept 13th - National Peanut Day, Positive Thinking Day
Sept 15th - National Hispanic Heritage Month begins, Make A Hat Day
Sept 16th - Mexican Independence Day, Mayflower Day, Collect Rocks Day,
National Play-Doh Day
Sept 17th - Citizenship Day, National Apple Dumpling Day
Sept 21st - International Peace Day, World Gratitude Day, Miniature Golf Day
Sept 22nd - First Day of Autumn, Elephant Appreciation Day, Dear Diary Day
Sept 24th - National Bluebird of Happiness Day
Sept 26th - Native American Day
Sept 27th - Crush A Can Day
Sept 28th - Good Neighbor Day
Sept 29th - Rosh Hashanah

Special Goings-On
Child Accident Prevention Week (1st Week)
National Grandparents Day (1st Sunday after Labor Day) Another Great Grandparent Site
Native American Day (4th Friday)
Hispanic Heritage Week (2nd Week)
Constitution Week (3rd Week)
National Child Care Week (3rd Week)
National Flower Week (3rd Week)
Good Neighbor Day (4th Sunday)
National Dog Week (4th Week)
Baby Safety Month
American Breakfast Month
Cable TV Month
Children's Eye Health and Safety Month
Classical Music Month
Library Card Sign-Up Month
National Chicken Month
National Courtesy Month
National Good Manners Month
National Hat Month
National Honey Month
National Pediculosis Prevention Month
National Piano Month
National Rice Month
National School Success Month
National Sewing Month
Read-A-New-Book Month
Women of Achievement Month



Pumpkin Praline Mufffins

Sweetened with molasses and spiced like pie, these full-bodied muffins are topped with a light butter crumb. For a real treat, serve them spread with whipped cream cheese

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Praline Topping
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
Muffin Batter
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub them into a crumbly topping. Set it aside. Heat the oven to 400° F and grease the bottoms only of 12 standard muffin cups.

2. Next, make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together both flours and the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, molasses, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients just until the batter is blended.

3. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle on the praline topping. Then bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them. Makes 1 dozen.



Denim Locker Pockets

In just a few easy steps, your child can turn an old pair of jeans into a couple of magnetic pen and pencil holders that mount easily in a school locker.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Scissors
Old pair of jeans
Puffy paint
Iron-on patches
Cloth tape or colored duct tape
8 adhesive-backed magnets (4 for each pocket), each at least 1/8 inch thick

Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Start by having your child cut each back pocket from the jeans. (Make sure she gets the material it's attached to as well and not just the pocket.) She should cut closely around the three sewn edges of the pocket, but leave an extra inch of material on the back piece, above the pocket opening.

2. Now she can start decorating, first attaching any iron-on patches according to the package directions. Once the ironing is done, she can apply puffy paint designs.

3. Let the paint dry. Then, with the pocket facedown, fold the 1-inch flap of material along the pocket's top edge and secure it against the back of the pocket with the tape.

4. Finally, affix a magnet to each corner of the pocket (add a dab of tacky glue for an even stronger hold, if needed), and it's ready for hanging in a school locker.



My book selection this month is Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters by Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House. She wants our daughter's to know that "power is within them." They should "have faith in themselves, set their path and be ready for opportunity.

I certainly think these are all values we all want for our daughters. When my girls are ready, it might be something I will give to them to read.



We thought maybe you might have a question about something that goes on here at Graphic Central. We have lots of forums here...Photography, Signature Fun-which includes, Blinkies, Glitter Names and Custom Signatures and Graphics. The hosts have added tutorials in each category if you would like to learn any of these graphics arts. Please read through the tutorials and have a go at it. And please show us what you make. We'd love to see. We are also very open to having volunteers and/or Hosts in our requests forums. Please inquire within about becoming a volunteer if you know how to make blinkies, glitters, siggies or graphics of any kind. If you have any other questions, something you would like to know about any of these fields, please let us know and we will give you the answer in the following newsletter next month. Just leave us a post.