Thursday Movie Picks-the forest

I had to really think about what films took place in a forest because, it seems, so many are actually horror movies which I haven't seen. I think I accomplished the feat and am wondering what the other film buffs will choose. Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves (The Brainchild) to see what the others have chosen. Here are my 3....

1. ROSE MARIE-1936

I bet all of you are Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy fans:) No?? Oh well, what is fun is how hugely popular they were way back in the day since they were operatic stars, MacDonald being the more famous. This film became a huge hit and cemented their careers as a team. MacDonald plays a Canadian Opera diva who finds out her scumbag murderous brother , played by...wait for it... James Stewart, has escaped and is hiding somewhere in the mountainous woods of the Canadian wilderness. She goes to find her brother to convince him to turn himself in and ends up meeting a Royal Canadian Mountie played by Eddy. They sing the Indian Love Call and fall in love. They did actually film certain parts in the Canadian woods which is not outshone by the 2 singing operatic lovebirds. This is not everyone's cup of tea but I love their films because there is a certain innocence about them. One will never see these types of films ever made again which many say yippee but I am saddened by it. I chose the video above because Canada is celebrating 150 years so what better way to pay homage than to see nelson Eddy and the Mounties sing it up

2. ROOSTER COGBURN-1975

This is a sequel to True Grit with the great John Wayne teamed with the equally great Katherine Hepburn. You would think that the right wing Wayne and the democrat Hepburn would not get along but they did. They had a huge respect for one another and thought quite highly of each other and this comes across in the movie. Hepburn is too old to play her role but I don't really care. It's not as good as True Grit but, again, I don't care and find it a great western starring 2 older people that hold your attention. A settlement of missionaries is overrun by drunken bastards who destroy their home, rape and kill. Hepburn's dad( hahahaaaa-the actor was only a year older than Hepburn) is killed and the bandits take off. In come Rooster, played wonderfully by Wayne, who decides to go after the heathens but has to take Hepburn and one student along. They enter the Wild woods, high in the mountains, chasing the killers and encountering many challenges including rapids. It is a fun western made great by 2 legends who clearly enjoy working together. Wayne only had one lung at this time so keep that in mind too.

3. THE EDGE-1997

I would say this is the closest to a horror movie that I get but it's more of a thriller. I love that Bart the Bear steals all the scenes and rightly so because he looks like one mean bear...very scary actually. Anthony Hopkins plays a billionaire married to a young model. Alec Baldwin is a photographer who not only shoots the young model but also is having an affair with her. Baldwin and Hopkins take off in a small plane to look at all the wilds but their plane crashes. They are miles away from nowhere with little to keep them safe. They soon realize they are being tracked by one hungry, huge  bear and must band together to survive and not be dinner for the bear. This film keeps you on the edge of your seat. The location is beautiful and the acting excellent...Bart deserved an Oscar/)

What are your three??

Thursday Movie Picks-Movies based on True Events

It has been a sad week with the shooting in Virginia(Gun laws anyone??) and the horrible Fire in London...my thoughts are with the victims and their families. On Tuesday there was a tractor Trailer that overturned and phosphine gas was the cargo. Thankfully, the highly flammable gas was not disrupted but there were evacuations over a 2 mile radius. We live right near that 2 mile radius but we did not have to leave. Let's hope the rest of the week is boring. Let's talk movies to get our minds off all this sadness and this week it is all about movies based on true events. I am going all New movies so no old films showing here this week:) Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what the others have chosen. Here are my 3....

1.  HACKSAW RIDGE-2016

I was unsure how this film would be since I don't like violence for violence sake and I don't like religion being thumped on my head, but I was very pleased to say this film is neither. Now, don't get me wrong, it is violent but it is based on a horrible battle during World War 2 so there will be violence and I think what was shown is real and not overdone. In fact I think it is needed since we should not glorify it. Andrew Garfield plays Desmond T Doss a real life hero who, due to his religious beliefs, refused to carry a gun and was chastised and bullied by his own men until he proved just how brave he was when the battle began and the men were trapped. This man saved many, many men and won the Congressional Medal of Honor. It is beautifully acted and the battle scenes are well done.

2. HIDDEN FIGURES-2016

Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson are 3 African American women who work as "computers" at NASA in the early 1960's. They not only have to deal with being women in a male dominated workplace but they must also deal with being black. It just seems to showcase how a first world country can be so disgusting with their views of a people who are persecuted just for having a different colour skin. Ok, so these 3 women had to fight to show that their prowess is needed at NASA and that the space program may not have moved forward if not for them. It is well acted by the three leads but also Kevin Costner as the head of the space program. I loved Taraji P Henson's performance of this great lady (Katherine Johnson who is still alive at 99) and how she stands up for her rights and her knowledge of science and math. Just watching this made me laugh at myself since I still use my fingers to count.

3. LION-2016

This true story starts in 1987 and ends in 2012 and what a journey! The little boy who plays Saroo (Sunny Pawar) should have been up for an Oscar because he was excellent. Saroo adores his big brother who has a job and, after much begging, allows Saroo to join him. The big brother tells his baby brother to stay at the train station since Saroo is so very tired and has a tough time waking up. He watches his big brother leave and this is when his journey begins. Young Saroo wakes to find himself alone and he starts looking for his brother. He ends up on a train and falls asleep waking up to the train moving across the country and now he is totally lost. He must fend off many dangerous situations, never mind hunger and ends up at an orphanage where he is finally adopted by a very kind Australian couple. When he is in his 20's, he can not shake his home and must find out where he comes from and must find his mother and brother. A beautifully acted film and one that sticks pretty close to what happened.

What would be your 3??

2 cards to show ya

I have been a busy camper, not in the, "I've traveled to Paris" kind of way or "I have solved the riddle of  Stonehenge" but just busy seeing family, birthdays, calling people I have not spoken to in a long time and all the rest of that type of jazz.  I have also been catching up on some movies that were Oscar worthy and reading ...such fun:)

I created these cards back in May and am just showing them now. One if for my Dear Hubby's birthday and the other is for my best friend who is going through a horrible divorce and one that could be on a TV show.

variety of stamps, flower punch, distress inks, scissors, blue dye ink pad, embossing powders, sizzex machine,

Tuesday Throwdown-For the Men
The Flower Challenge-Anything Goes
Simon Says-Male Card
Retro Rubber Challenge-Anything Goes-rrcb64
Happy Little Stampers-Anything Goes with Dies

I created this card out of love for my hubby and was so scared he would think it too girly but he loved it. His favourite colour, like me, is blue so the card is all about that colour:). The bird stamp is one he found for me which I used since he loves all animals(more than people) and he feeds the birds in the winter. I took blue cardstock that I punched out a design and used the cut out part for the focal point.  With a deeper blue, I stamped a swirly image, that must be 15 years old now along with the stamp saying, all over the blue cardstock and added some stars. I stamped and embossed the bird image on white and place it behind the blue cardstock. I used distress inks in a variety of blues and purple, watered it down and placed white cardstock on top to get the blues effect (no B.B. King, sorry). Once it was dry, I punched out a ton of flowers and then I took some blue and violet pearl paint and coloured all the flowers. I stamped leaves in green and embossed it with Turquoise glitter powder and then fussy cut them all out. I started laying the flowers out all around the image, gluing them in place along with the leaves and also used pop up dots for some 3D effect. I stamped the happy birthday on a piece of lavender cardstock, cut it with some fancy scissors and adhered it to the card. he loved it...he better! :)

cuddlebug machine, distress inks, butterfly sticker, flowers and star sticker. embossing paste, gold paint, word stamp, gold embossing powder, cardstock pieces, stencil sheet, embossing folder

Happy Little Stampers:Mixed media Challenge-Glitter
Eclectic Ellapu-A touch of pink and/or purple
Crafty Creations-Anything Goes
Animal Friends-Animals with wings

My dear friend is going through ...major shit at this time. There is no other way I can say it because it involves, affairs, compulsive shopping, major debt incurred under her name without her knowing, many trips to Bermuda with his mistress...that is just the tip of it. I have been helping her as much as I can and I made this card for her. I actually just tried this stencil with the embossing paste that I coloured with gold paint and it turned out quite well I think. I put the pink glossy cardstock into the embossing folder and rung it through the cuddlebug and started layering. I finished it off with the butterfly and flowers that I fussy cut out and placed it onto the card with pop up dots. My friend appreciated it and I am glad for that.

Thursday Movie Picks-double features

This is a heavy week for movies because it's all about the double feature so I'm not going to blah blah even though I enrapture you, often, with my literary style....hahahahaaa. Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what double features the others have chosen. Here are my double features that you may want to see in the drive in.

1. LOVE AFFAIR- 1939

This is actually the first film of what I call a trilogy with the last one being Sleepless In Seattle. It is Romance time and this is all about Irene Dunne meeting, bedroom Eyes, Charles Boyer on a ship and fall in love. They decide to meet on top of the Empire State Building but, on her way there, you guessed it, she meets with an accident and can't get to her destination. Does it end there? Oh please! It is a true romantic film and a very nice watch.

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER-1957

This is the more famous remake and one that makes a brief appearance in Sleepless in Seattle. This time the film stars Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr as the 2 romantic leads who meet on a ship and fall in love. The first part is almost comedic but then takes a more dramatic turn when things go splat. I have to say I actually prefer this one to the original.

2. THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN-1957

I have to go with the cheesy 1950's  horror flicks because there are so many. I decided to go with this double feature. This is about a man who ends up growing larger and larger due to a plutonium blast that makes him grow but, unfortunately, not enough blood goes to his brain and he goes nuts (sounds like some of my clients). What is the military to do but take him on at Boulder Dam.

ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN-1958

These films are so bad that they are great and I have spoken about this one before. A rich, spoiled woman whose husband wants her dead so he can have her money, leaves and meets up with a man from outer space who looks like the Genie from Mr. Clean. Somehow the radiation from the space ship makes the gal grow until she is one angry 50ft mean machine.  She ends up creating havoc in the small town, taking her dumbass husband and getting electrocuted by the wires...dems da breaks!

3. TIME AFTER TIME-1979

I love this film which was used as inspiration for a recently defunct tv show. Malcolm McDowell plays H.G. Wells who talks to his friends about a time machine he has created. Unbeknownst to him, one of his friends is Jack the Ripper played by the under-rated David Warner, who steals his machine and ends up going to present day. Wells follows him to the present day to stop him and he, Wells not Jack, ends up meeting the love of his life. It's suspenseful, romantic and well acted.

SOMEWHERE IN TIME-1980

Utterly romantic which stars Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour about a young actor who is  approached by an old lady who gives him a watch asking him to come back to her. He can't get her out of his head and reads up about her and finds out she was an actress in the early 1900's and he starts falling for her. He reads about time travel and finds a way to go back into time to meet her. It is so romantic and one that just cemented my big crush on Reeve. Seymour never looked more beautiful and the theme music used throughout the film is lovely.

What double feature would you pick?

Thursday Movie Picks: Tall Buildings

Is this weird or what, but I am actually choosing 2 newer films this week! Ok, some may not think so but, to me, they are new:) It's all about tall buildings and you will never, ever catch me in this type of predicament since I freak out when I am on the second rung of a ladder. Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what other films have been chosen by us film nuts. Here are my 3 plus a bonus....

1. THE TOWERING INFERNO-1974

It's an Irwin Allen production which means fun and campy! There are a mega load of film stars in this flick from Paul Newman to Steve McQueen( who wanted to be posted first in the credits and then wanted to be on the left side when he had to share his name with Paul Newman on the credit opening). Paul Newman plays an architect who designed this mega structure for his dad In Law, William Holden. To celebrate the grand opening there is a big ball at the top of the building where many big wigs attend. No one realizes that a fire has started in a closet...except for OJ Simpson but, instead of going down to the closet and using a fire extinguisher to put the small Fire out, he disappears and the fire gets out of control. I always laugh at that scene. Now, of course we wouldn't have a film if they just put the fire out. When the blaze goes nuts, in comes Steve McQueen as the fire chief to try to control the blaze. We have people panicking, people crying and poor Robert Wagner walking in full blazing glory. I love this flick.

2. ENTRAPMENT-1999

This is not a fantastic film by any means but a fun one to watch and you get to see dance moves from Catherine Zeta Jones as she wiggles  and winds herself around some laser beams not to mention the camera lingering on her butt. So she plays an insurance investigator who is asked to investigate and nab the famed thief played by Sean Connery. She learns some tricks from him and he learns...about her nice ass. Anyway they end up at Kuala Lampur at those insane twin buildings with some glass bridge connecting the 2 towers. They plan to steal a lot of money and end up outside those building high, high up. Even watching that made me ill and, yes, I will never be caught up there...ever. Anyway, intrigue, deceptions and who is playing who, is wrapped up in this fun flick.

3. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE:GHOST PROTOCOL-2011

I like these flicks even though Tom Cruise's character would have broken all his bones and he would be slobbering in a cup somewhere if he actually survived all he does in these films. This 4th installment has Tom and his team after some device that could hurt the world..of course. They end up in a very tall building in Dubai. Of course, Tom can only get to something if he climbs outside the building so he does...and guess what? Tom Cruise really is outside that building doing most of the stunts! He is nuts we all know that because he think Scientology is aok instead of  nutty and dangerous, but he also must be an adrenaline junkie since he loves doing these stunts. This movie has death defying stunts, 2 women duking it out and some fun humour. I'd love to see Jeremy Renner in a comedy actually.

Bonus pick.

4. SAFETY LAST-1923

Harold Lloyd is one of the top 4 comedians from the silent era. He plays a meek man who leaves his mother and girlfriend to go to the big city and make good! Somehow he ends up outside a tall, department store building and is trying to get in with much hi jinks. Now it is filmed in such a way that you think he is up that high but he is not. The facade of the building he is climbing was built on top of  the highest building at that time in L.A. Mattresses were placed at the bottom in case he fell. All worked well but afterward, they tested it out on a dummy that was the same weight as Harold. The dummy fell, bounced off the mattress and went over the edge! Another point...back in 1919, Lloyd was holding a what he thought was a prop bomb. He lit it with his cigarette which blew up taking his thumb and index finger with it and laying him up in the hospital for a few months. When he is climbing look at his right hand and you will see it is a glove to hide his disfigurement.

What are your picks??

Cards galore!

What can I say except I made some cards in the last 2 weeks. It is a big birthday month with 7 birthdays ending with mine on June 2nd! My hubby just turned 60 and looks way younger which is great for him:) I made a card for him but it will turn up later so it is not in this round. Without further adieu, here are my cards

Cuddlebug, sizzex machine, stickers, village cutout, markers, glitter, rubber stamp, distress dye inks, white marker

Christmas Cards All Year Round-Precipitation
Addicted to Stamps- Holidays
CHNC2-Always Anything Goes Christmas

I have this village die cut and used the blue background that I created with dye inks and had cut out the village. I had the hole or silhouette of the village so I just cut out the village with white cardstock and inserted it into the cutout part. I coloured the village with markers, I used glossy accents on the village and sparkle on the snowy parts-hard to see how it looks here as it looks like a shiny sparkly goo. Anyhoo, I used the white marker on the raised bumps for snow and adhered it to cardstock with the last being a beautiful shimmery gold cardstock which  was run through the cuddlebug to get the raised design. I finished it off  with the Happy Christmas stamp and stickers for the borders.

Poinsettis stamp, scissors, tombow markers, gold die stamp pad and gold embossing powder, border stickers
Craftyhazelnut Challenge #1-Use some gold
HLS-Watercolor challenge-use some red

This was fun to do! I took watercolour paper, stamped and embossed the image and then, using my tombow markers, I coloured in certain areas.  I took my watercolour brush and blended the colours. I cut out the image and placed it down on the cardstock. I stamped and coloured the image again but just the flowers, cut the flowers out and placed them over top the image using pop up dots for a 3D effect. I added the border stickers and some stars.

Poinsettia die cut, distress inks, sizzex machine, cuddlebug machine, embossing folder, antique gold dye pad, some gems, of course not real:)

Eclectic Ellapu-Anything Goes
HLS-Anything Goes with Dies

This is obviously girly unless you are a Liberace wanna be. I cut out the poinsettia image and using the distress ink pads and some water, I coloured the flower. I put the cardstock through the cuddlebug for the raised image and took the gold ink pad and lightly skimmed over it so the raised image got some colour. Added the bling and Voila! This will be a nice birthday card for my sister whose birthday is Dec. 22nd.

Various blue ink pads, a sponge, rubber stamps, cardstock, stickers

Crafty Creations-Anything Goes
Glitter N' Sparkle-Anything Goes

This was fun... I say it again but it's true. You can play with the colours and can use the same stamps and get a different take every time. The glossy card really takes well to the colour you rub on with the sponge. The rubber stamps are all from one block, sort of speak, to create this scene. My dear friend, who loves the tropics and met his partner when he was in Thailand, just recently got married. He loves blue, the tropics and the ocean so I thought this works for him. They loved the card!

Thursday Movie Picks:TV Edition-time Travel

It's the last Thursday of the month and this means TV edition. Now, I chose not to watch the latest TV show about time travel (Timeless I believe) and it was saved by cancellation due to the fans writing in.....just like what happened to Star Trek way back when. I am going to rectify that and start watching that show on youtube. Head over to Wandering Through The Shelves to find out what the others have chosen. Here are my 3....

1. TIME TUNNEL-1966-1967

I was so little when this came out but I still remember the actual time tunnel which looks like it would make me dizzy. 2 scientists invent a time machine and enter into it but can't get out. While in other periods of time, they must make sure not to change the course of history. Their first stop is on board the Titanic! Great show that ended way too early and now has a cult following. Love the Music-sooo Irwin Allen isn't it?

2. LAND OF THE LOST- 1974-1976

This was a Saturday morning show that I enjoyed despite the really cheesy effects. A father and his 2 kids end up going over a waterfall and going back in time to the land of dinosaurs. One T- Rex would love to make them his snack bit they always evade the peanut-sized brain Rex. They make their home in a cave and the young girl even befriends a young brontosaurus whom she rides like a pony. Eventually they meet up with an intelligent race that look like the Gorn's cousin. This cheesy show ended up having a following which produced a bad movie starring Will Ferrell and a TV series remake of this TV show. I think this kind of fits the theme...doesn't it?

3. QUANTUM LEAP-1989-1993

Love this show and loved Scott Bakula whom I wished I could have met back then to do things not allowed in some states:). He plays a scientist who, through some "quantum leap" inhabits the bodies of people and only his trusty friend with a computer can see him as Sam and Sam is the only one who can see his friend. They have to find out why he replaced the person so he can somehow change the course of history and make it right. Once he accomplishes this he travels immediately into the body of another. It was well written and could be serious and funny especially when Sam ended up as a woman.

Which picks would you choose?