Thursday Movie Picks-The Dark/Night

Boogedy, Boogedy.....it’s all about the night or the dark.....I am hearing Norma Desmond right now. Anyhoo, for this Halloween month, it’s all about scary and it will be interesting to see what everyone else will choose. Considering I took too much pot for my pain and slept Monday away, it was our Thanksgiving so I didn’t miss work, I....where was I going?? Man, nowhere dude....head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves and find out what everyone else has chosen.....here are my 3.....boogedy, boogedy...

1. WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF-1966

Talk about a Horror show! This takes place over the course of one night when a battling, boozy couple played by the famous, battling, boozy couple, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, come home from a cocktail party with a young, idealistic couple played by George Segal and Sandy Dennis. Burton is a professor married to the Dean’s daughter and they hate each other, verbally abusing each other and torment each other while spilling drinks over their uncomfortable guests. Taylor actually put on pounds to play a woman who doesn’t have much class and she chews the scenery every chance she gets and is great at it. She won the Oscar but was pissed when Burton didn’t win and I don’t disagree with her. I actually find this play brilliant but difficult to watch because you never want to have drinks with these people. They are nasty, crude, repulsive and ugly..perfect horror movie about marriage.

2. AMERICAN GRAFFITI-1973

This is a great movie that takes place over one night where you get to meet a variety of high school kids ready to move on in their lives and go to college. Steve, played by Ron Howard, is with his girlfriend, played by Cindy Williams and you see them kissing and talking about their relationship. Curt, played by Richard Dreyfus, is trying to find this mysterious blonde who mouths, “I love you,” to him, sending him on a horny quest for her. You have Harrison Ford, before Han Solo, driving around saddled with a kid, played by Mackenzie Phillips and, my favourite, Toad, played by Charles Martin Smith trying to find the strength to talk to girls. This film has many layers and treats the kids and their issues with intelligence, dignity and fun. It is a cool film that, taking place in 1962, sees the demise of the innocent 50’s and you see small hints of the turbulent 60’s coming.

3. CLUE-1985

Yes, this is based on the board game that I loved playing and still do. You have all the favourites, from Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum to Miss. Scarlett and Colonel Mustard. It has a great cast with the wonderful Madeline Kahn and the great Tim Curry. They are all invited to a scary mansion on a very rainy, thunderous night. You get to meet all of them and realize they are all hiding something. The movie may not be the best as other screwball type comedies I love, but I get a kick out this movie. Once the murders start happening, it gets even more screwy and I love it. It is not a great film by any means but, if you want to forget the world for a couple of hours, have fun with this film. Oh and 3 different endings were shot for this film and, depending which theatre you went to, you would see a different ending than someone else.

Which 3 would you choose?

Thursday Movie Picks: Halloween Edition - Home Invasion

October is here and we Canucks are celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend. We don’t go nuts the way the States does for this holiday, because Christmas is more important....oh yeah, I went there..hahahaaa. I’m thankful that I have a 3 day weekend. Oh wait, no, I’m thankful for family, friends..blah, blah but hey! A 3 day weekend!! Ok, I’m a bad girl so now on to the movies this week and it is Halloween month but I am not choosing scary movies this week. It will be fun to see what everyone else has chosen, so head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves and see what spooky films they have picked, here are my 3...

1. ARSENIC AND OLD LACE-1944

Oh yes, this is a home invasion and one of the funniest, zaniest comedies starring Cary Grant, Pricilla Lane, Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre. Cary plays Mortimer Brewster, a writer about how marriage is wrong. He is getting married to the girl next door, Ms. Lane and they go back home to collect their suitcases to go on their honeymoon except their is one problem, his sweet darling aunts kill elderly men with their homemade elderberry wine. The daffy old aunts believe they are helping the old men and enlist their brother, who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt, to bury the “yellow fever victim” in the basement. Poor Mortimer now must deal with this so he contacts the rest home so they will take in his beloved aunts and uncle but he didn’t count on his long gone brother to enter into the mix. The brother and his doctor hold everyone hostage which makes things difficult for Mortimer especially since his brother brought a dead body of his own.  Zany, fun with an over the top, slightly manic ("I'm the son of a sea cook!") performance by Cary Grant, a fun performance by Raymond Massey and The kindly old aunts who steal the show, played beautifully by Josephine Hull and Jean Adair. Love it!

2. SUDDENLY-1954

I just saw this film a few months back and, of course, enjoyed it. Sterling Hayden, in his wooden style, plays a cop from the small town called Suddenly who has the hots for Nancy Gates, the sweet gal who lives atop a hill with a great view of the town. Enter small time hoods headed by Frank Sinatra who take over the gal’s house because they want to assassinate the president who is coming on the train. They didn’t expect Sterling to come by, which he does since he wants the gal to be his wife and become the dutiful 50's wife. She hates guns and anyone dealing with guns and Frankie is a psycho hell bent on killing. I found it tense, well-acted and quite the nail biter.

3. WAIT UNTIL DARK-1967

This film stars Audrey Hepburn as a blind married lady whose husband  is given a doll, that is loaded with heroin, by a young lady. Hubby doesn't think much about it and brings it home only to get a call about another job. He has no idea that the call comes from the goons wanting the doll. Soon, someone comes knocking befriending Hepburn but he is just trying to retrieve the doll. This does not go fast enough for the ring leader played, menacingly, by Alan Arkin. She soon realizes she is in danger and it becomes a cat and mouse game. This was frightening because it feels so real and Audrey Hepburn does an excellent job as the very frightened but resourceful victim. Alan Arkin steals the show as the unstable but intelligent, ruthless crook. An excellent film worth seeing.

What film(s) would you choose?

Christmas is a comin' & the geese are getting fat

Yup, I have no geese to show you but I do have some cards which, I hope, you will enjoy.

Cuddlebug, embossing folders, stickers, gems (not real, of course), design rubber stamp, black dye ink and black glitter embossing powder.

Eclectic Ellapu-Anything Goes

Crafty Creations-Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps-Anything Goes

I enjoyed making this card which was not that hard to do and I think I will make this in a variety of colours. 4 different papers were used with 2 placed in an embossed folder and shoved through the cuddlebug machine to get the design. I took the rubber stamp and put black ink on it, stamped it on a red paper and put the sparkle powder onto the design.  the powder only adheres to the stamped area. I heat embossed it and then layered it all using double sided tape. I took some gold stickers and outlined the border along with the having the "Merry Christmas" sticker and snowflakes on the final black paper.

distress sprays in blue & gold, stickers, gems, gold dye ink & gold sparkle embossing powder,  leaf rubber stamp, scissors.

ABC Christmas-S for Snow and T for Teal
Happy Little Stampers- Christmas Challenge-Tree
Sparkles Christmas Challenge-Blue & Gold

Cuddlebug, embossing folder,  same leaf stamp, silver embossing powder and silver dye stamp, pink ink, gems, scissors, wink of stella(glitter pen/brush), mirror pink paper

Twofer Challenge-Leaves
Penny Black-Make it Feminine

I joined a new blog for stamping and i finally created 2 cards using the same stamp!  It is that blasted leaf which I fussy cut out many times:). In my Christmas tree image, I used the leaves to try and make a Christmas tree and placed light blue gems around.  The teal and gold background was all done with sprays and it gives a nice shimmery effect you can't see with this pic but I tried for a different snowy background. My non Christmas card was for a friend who retired from our agency after being here since 1997. I took a pink ink pad and covered the embossing folder with it. When i shoved it through the cuddlebug, not only the design printed off but the colour adhered to the card.  I follow a few people who create cards and shamelessly used what they did for my 2 cards and hope they don't mind.

Cuddlebug, embossing folder, dye ink, pearl green embossing powder, distress green ink pad, water, sizzex machine, poinsettia cutting image, gem, ribbon, sticker saying

Flower Challenge-Anything Goes
Winter Wonderland-Ribbon or Twine..Missed that one but it is now Anything Goes:)
Cute card Thursday-Monochrome
Sparkles Monthly Challenges- Dies or Punches

I swear I didn't punch anyone:) I took the poinsettia die cut and, using the sizzex placed the paper in it with the die cut and rung it through  to cut the  flower.  I used my cuddlebug to put throught the holly embossing folder and gently swiped the dye pad across and added shimmer embossing powder to highlight the leaves.  I pieced everything together, added ribbon and some sticker stars & the saying. Voila!

Wolf stamp, Blue, black & silver paper, stickers, Light grey tombow marker

Simon Says-Anything Goes
Stamping Sensations-Starting with B-Black & Blue, Beasts(cute beasts)
Happy Little Stampers-CAS-Wild
Animal Friends-In the Forest
Alphabet Challenge-Nature

OK so wolves are wild and they can live in the forest so I thought this worked. Even though I layered the card, I think it is pretty simple since it is just card layers, I stamped the wolves in black and added light grey to take away from the white added some corner stickers and the saying.

Forgive any spelling or grammar faux pas :)

Thursday Movie Picks: TV Edition-Anthology

September is now almost done....shaking my head in freakish WTF?? I am not much for this week because of pain and, this past Tuesday, we had to travel to Toronto to the Allevio Pain Clinic for my hour of infusion where I get super stoned. That’s not the bad thing although it takes me all day to get back to norm and I get a headache and sleep most of the day. the crap is I have to take a vacation day, we have to leave by 6am to get to the clinic in time for 9. The worst is the QEW, 427 and the 401 because people are nuts in driving. The QEW is so busy never mind the 401 and that is if there are no accidents which can make traffic a mega nightmare. Canadians are crazy on the roads with weaving, cutting you off, driving way too fast...it’s insane. Ok..that’s my rant now on to tv and the ole Anthology series. I almost chose one today that I love but I am saving it for October so I have 2 that, I believe, will be popular and one less so. You can find out if the 2 I pick will be popular by venturing to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what everyone has chosen. Here are my 3....

1. TWILIGHT ZONE-1959-1964

Rod Serling died too young at 50 probably due to all the cigs he smoked per day but, in his lifetime, he created some great tv and this is the one he is most known for. He often would write the episodes and, later, introduced them in his stiff-lipped, staccato voice. Many episodes have become famous, from the gremlin on the airplane that drives William Shatner nuts to the kid entering the 4th dimension. The music is very well known even though that particular musical piece only started on the second season. I bet many kids have watched a Simpsons’ episode and have no idea the show is parodying The Twilight Zone. To Serve Man is one creepy episode but I have my favourites and all are well acted that starred many actors from the past as well as many that would become famous like Robert Redford. Which episode(s) is your fav?

2. AMAZING STORIES-1985-1987

I am probably one of the few who watched this show that was created by and, often, directed by Steven Spielberg who, by the way, directed the initial episode of Night Gallery created by...Rod Serling. I would like to revisit these episodes because they were better than given credit for and, unfortunately, only lasted 2 seasons. The episodes were well written and, many famous people starred or directed episodes from Clint Eastwood to Martin Scorsese. Unfortunately, the executroids cancelled the show due to low ratings which was a shame.

3.  LAW & ORDER- 1990 TO 2010

I could have chosen nothing but the law and order shows from New York, Florida ( take those sunglasses off and say some quip Mr. Caruso) to Wainfleet...hahahaaa sorry, that’s where I grew up and had to give some snark. The basic premise starred the same 6 people-2 cops and their Captain and the DA, his assistant and their boss. The first half hour was all about apprehending the culprit and the 2nd half was how the prosecution would send them up the river. It took away all the soap opera stuff of most shows and mainly dealt with the crime and how the system worked. It is so popular that there are many version that were and still are out there. They usually do take from the headlines which will be fun to see what will be done with Bill, up the river, Cosby. I have to say, I always disliked that man and found his humbleness as fake as a 3 dollar bill. I only watched the first season of his 80’s show before I found it pretentious and, “look at me, how aww shucks I am” crap. When he would take his name off the Emmy’s list and would only accept the People’s Choice Award, I knew he was a smug a-hole who knew how to charm the people. Oops, I digress again. Ok, so these are my 3.which ones would you choose? Gosh, I am full of attitude today:)

Thursday Movie Picks-Farm

"Green Acres is the place to be, farm living is the life for me"...oops sorry, whoever loves to get up at 4am, clean up shit, work until hands are raw from bailing hay, and send off cows to the butchers and chop chickens’ heads’off have no clue. I grew up on a sawmill but we were surrounded by farms and my friend was the next door neighbour, so I helped out with hay baling, catching chickens, cleaning up the barn plus picking fruit and veggies. They had a good free hand:). Did anyone else ever work on a farm or live on one? I wonder what everyone else will pick, so head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves and find out. Here are my 3...

1. THE EGG AND I-1947

I just re-watched this since I own the DVD and enjoyed it thoroughly. It’s based on a book about the exploits of a young newlywed couple who buy a farm, knowing likety-split about chicken farming. The movie became a smash (hahahaa..get it...smash..eggs..ok never mind) hit despite Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray being a bit too old as young newlyweds, but they were great in their roles.  The house looks just as bad as the chicken coops but she does her best to help make her husband’s dream come true. Enter a good looking woman who brings out the green in the new wifee and Ma and Pa Kettle who help out the newlyweds teach the ways of farming and you have a good entertaining movie. In fact, Ma and Pa Kettle were so popular in this movie that the studio used the actors, Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride, to make a whole bunch of movies based on their characters.

2. SO BIG-1953

I have not seen this film in decades but I really enjoyed this version and the 1932 film, with Barbara Stanwyck, but I remember the newer version better. Jane Wyman (the ex Mrs. Ronald Reagan) plays a teacher who helps a young man realize his dream of being a concert pianist. She ends up meeting a farmer, marries him and they have a son whom the nickname, So Big. Her husband dies and she is left to deal with the farm and her young son. She sees her son also has a gift in building and helps him to become an architect since her farm is now a success because of (blecch) asparagus, but he meets a wayward woman, the hussy. He loses his way and his mom becomes disappointed in him. She must overcome many hurdles especially being a woman in farming but her love for her son, for teaching and helping others see their potential keeps her going. It’s melodrama at its finest and Jane Wyman was the queen of melodramas in the 1950’s.

3. BABE-1995

I love this fairy tale movie that was a surprise sleeper hit and gave a huge career boost, not to mention an Oscar nod, to James Cromwell plus using an innovative way to have the animals talk and make it look believable. We meet Babe, a young pig who is bought by a farmer to grow up and become bacon. The young pig is brought to the barn and is scared and lonely but is taken in by the mom dog who is an excellent sheep herder along with her gruff partner who doesn’t care much for the pig. The pig is always polite to all the animals and just wants to be friends and the farmer takes a shine to the little pig. The farmer takes the little piggie into his home much to the cat’s chagrin and starts to teach the piggie how to rear..um, herd the sheep (no, the farmer is not Greek). I found the whole film enchanting, sweet and very clever. It must have been a challenge to act against all these animals. I loved the cottage and wished I could stay there myself. In fact, I had a dream where I asked the mice if i could sing with them. Apparently, I sang this song out loud and woke up my then current hubby. Yes, I have weird dreams.

Which 3 would you choose

Thursday Movie Picks-Good Remakes

We live in the age of remakes upon remakes, I mean, how many sPiderman remakes do we need? I almost believe that the good ole Hollywood have swallowed their brains and are shoving crap through their butts. Yeah, that happened long ago but they do make some good remakes, rare but it does happen. Wandering through the Shelves creates a theme each week and you pick 3 movies that suit the theme. Here are my 3....

1. THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH-ORIGINAL-1935, REMAKE#1956

This is unique because these films were directed by the same person, Alfred Hitchcock and, I have to say both are good but I lean to the 2nd film which stars, my fav, James Stewart and Doris Day. Yes, Doris was in a Hitchcock film and her most famous song (arguably) debuted in this film, “Que Sera, Sera". They play a married couple vacationing in Europe, with their young son, when their young son is kidnapped. They had come across a man who whispered something to Stewart just before the man dies and this results in the terrified couple trying to find their son. The song becomes a huge focal point in the plot to the point that I wanted Day’s mouth duct-taped shut but I understood why this was important to the plot. The original film that stars Peter Lorre is also a great film  that I thoroughly enjoy watching and, in both cases, the women were the reason their children lived. Check out both if you can.

2.  A STAR IS BORN-ORIGINAL-1937 REMAKE-1954

OK, so 1937 is not the original (What Price, Hollywood from 1932 is) and it was remade with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson in 1976 and now the latest is with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga which I want to see.   The plot is supposed to be somewhat based on the marriage of Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay but John Barrymore, John Bowers and John Gilbert all have been referenced as the inspiration for Norman Maine. I love both these versions but my heart belong to the great Judy Garland. She plays a singer(duh!) Who is found by a famous, alcoholic actor played by James Mason. With his help, she is groomed and becomes a great star while his star diminishes. Of course, she sings but I don’t classify it as the typical musical that was made at that time. You get snippets of her concerts that she was just starting to do and she gives on hell of a dramatic performance. That one scene, where she talks about her husband to their Hollywood mentor, is brutal, sad, realistic and mind numbing considering she had her issues with drugs and alcohol. The 1937 film is well acted and is about 2 actors, but my heart belongs to Judy who should have won the Oscar. Shady, even though it is classified as a musical, I hope you give this one a chance.

3. OCEAN’S 11-ORIGINAL-1960 REMAKE-2001

The original stars the RatPack, Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter and Joey as World War 2 vets who come together after a life of small time crime to do a heist. It’s ok and they reek suaveness but I love the remake starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Carl Reiner, Elliott Gould, and the late, great Bernie Mac, who also all know each other, for the most part from previous jobs they did. George decides to steal a ton of money from a casino run by a real jerk who happens to be seeing George’s ex, played by Julia Roberts. It is fun, witty, and quite well written and you know they all seemed to have a lot of fun making this film. Of the 3 I have chosen, this is the first remake which is superior to the original. I love the coolness of the film and how nicely they brought in a couple of men from the 60’s era. A Fun movie and so are the sequels.

Which 3 would you choose?

Card making-Yippee!

Christmas Card Throwdown-Hot Pink and Lime green colours-Colour challenge

Addicted To Stamps-Holiday

Dream Valley Challenges-Girlie

CHNC-Use the word "Joy"

Winter Wonderland-Christmas Joy

It has been cooler the past 2 days and I am so happy! I hate the heat so this cooler weather makes me skip for joy..well, if I skip. I might knock out a hip so I will skip to my lou in my head. Yes, Christmas will be soon upon us and I have been so lax in my Christmas cards, so I decided to make a card and  girlie one at that with lots of sparkle and attention grabbing colours. I had this stencil for years so I finally used the stencil and placed the paste on top followed by the green sprinkles so it would adhere to the paste. After that was dry, I coloured the other 2 letters in hot pink with my pastels. I stamped the holly leaves and embossed them in green twinkle glitter powder and in pearl green powder and fussy cut them out. I took some leftover cardstock in pink and glitter white and used the double sided tape to adhere it all together. I will send this card to my sister who loves pink.

 

  

Penny Black and More-Feminine

Simon Says-Stamp On It

I love Sue Wilson's stamps who is an artist inspired by the Native teachings of animal totems. She has taken her designs and placed them on stamps and I love them! I stamped the elephant on basic white and coloured the elephant in girlie colours since this is for a girl who just got married and she loves elephants. I took white card stock and coloured the background with some subtle distress inks, fussy cut the elephant out and placed her (can't be a boy) on the card with pop-up dots, stamped and embossed the word and finished it off with some border stickers.

Eclectic Ellapu-Anything Goes

Butterfly Challenge-The Letter E-Used all 6 from the wheel-Embossing Folder, Embossing powder, Embellishment, Emerald, Eucalyptus, Electric Yellow

The Flower Challenge-Anything Goes

My hubby and I will be celebrating 12 years together this coming weekend so this card will be for him. I hope he will like it. He has put so much love and effort into our backyard/sideyard garden(we are on a corner lot) and his labour shows it. I am forbidden to touch the  plants since I am the kiss of death..I once killed a spider plant so that tells you a lot about me with plants. I am so happy to have been able to use all the E elements from the Butterfly Challenge. I stamped the saying, (which I found in Vancouver when I was there in July) with green embossing powder powder, on a cream cardstock. I took an emerald green metallic paper and embossed it with a flower motif using my cuddlebug. I also took a die cut and cut out the centre with the sizzex machine and placed the cream cardstock so the saying peeks through the cutout part. I stamped, in gold and embossed in gold embossed powder, the flowers and fussy cut them out and placed them on each side with the smaller flowers raised up using the pop up dots. I stamped the little flowers in green and embossed them with pearl green and stuck them onto the card along with the butterfly. I coloured them with my tombow markers in the colours suggested by the Butterfly challenge. I think this is a good card for a man...I hope:)  I am so happy to be part of the Flower challenge and Eclectic Ellapu. All the challenges are always so much fun to partake in.