Well..I don't classify myself as a writer in any degree but I have a love of the written word even if I tend to write run-on sentences and make up words because that is how my neurotic, fun crazy mind works:) I have been looking at the blogs for this support group and have felt insecure to put it perfectly, to even join in as I do not consider myself a writer. I have written poems and, when I am at home (yup I am at work so shhhh) I will place my Christmas poem on this blog...when I get the chance. Christmas is always special to me, always has been. I don't get sucked into the commercialism of it all as I decide to tune that part out. I can't change the mass mindless extecutroids to put Christmas music on before Halloween has even been and gone, so I choose to not listen to it. I wonder how many versions of "Santa Baby" can really be out there. The new Taylor Swift version sounds like Minni Mouse carooning to Goofy behind Mickey's back, I think Minni always was a slut actually. oh so back to Christmas... Christmas reminds me of warm times of yesteryear. My mom, who is German and Germans LOVE Christmas, really instilled the spirit and warmth of Christmas and what it truly means. This year has been a rather difficult time with my spouse not able to work due to his arthritis and I am carrying the financial load plus my mom, who was living with us, slowly fading like a shadow from my sight due to her dementia. It has been a difficult year. Only 3 weeks ago we had to place her in long term care and that was just another death in her long chapter of life. Thankfully she seems to be doing well there and I am happy about this. With all this I also was thinking of the top 10 christmas movies I would consider as the top. So without further adieu I give my top 10 starting with my favourite and the best even if one sees it every year...

1. It's A Wonderful Life-Perfect film and despite all that one goes through, the message is true.

2. Scrooge (1951)-the version with Alistair Sim-Black and White of course-THE best version

3. Miracle On 34th Street-Edmund Gwynn IS the perfect Santa

4. Christmas Story-"You'll shoot your eye out!-Who wasn't dressed by their mom's for winter

5. White Christmas-Love the musical but wowzer's is Vera-Ellen way too thin

6. Going My Way-Barry Fitzgerald stole the film and Rise Stevens is the perfect Carmen

7. The Bishop's Wife-Even though it stars Loretta Young I still love the movie

8. Holiday Inn-Great Dancing just have to get past the Abraham number(ick)

9. Christmas Vacation-Who doesn't love to see a cat get scorched(Don't kill me I have 4)

10. Muppet Christmas Carol-Who doesn't love the muppets-great movie

Others that are great are Bad Santa-Just horribly funny in every way. Nightmare Before Christmas-Unique is the word(sorry went "Grease" all of a sudden) Love Actually-excellent ensemble cast, The Santa Clause and Elf-more typical flicks but still fun to watch. Let me know your favs...

A Quick Card

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/11/make-it-monday-63.html -Anything Goes
http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/2011/11/flutter-by-wednesday-179.html -Theme of Friendship

First-I used the cuddlebug on the background and I then used tombow markers and did a watercolour effect in blue, pink, purple and green and I used a butterfly sticker and corner flower stickers and placed it over the coloured tombow for the effect. I used pop up dots and placed it on the card. The bottom part, I used a fancy scissor to cut and coloured it in yellow and placed a "Thank-You" sticker. I made this card fast for the PSW (Personal Support Worker) who has been coming to our home since the summer. We consider her a friend because she has been so wonderful and patient with my mom. My poor mom-a very beuatiful lady inside and out who now is in the stages of vascular dementia. I just got the call last Thursday that a bed is now available for long term care. She is going tomorrow and I am so sad and scared. We can no longer provide the care that my mom needs. She fell for a third time and really bruised herself up and luckily my wonderful spouse, Michael, was here and helped her. She is OK...just had some bad bruises but she is OK. She has always been fiercely independant and defiant and when she realizes she is in a home she will not be happy and she will take it out on me and Michael. I have to do my best to be logical and not let my emotions take hold as I have so much guilt. I gave the card to the PSW but the card is for so many who have been here for me and continue to do so and also for my blogger friends who always leave such kind words. I spoke to a cousin last night who said "I guess you and Michael can't handle it and so you are putting your mom in a home." He has no clue. The butterfly means Joy of Life and I want to embrace that rather than the negative feelings. The next couple of days will be hard especially tomorrow and so I hope my mom will adjust quicker than I expect.

Christmas cards for October...in November

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/11/make-it-monday-62.html -Anything Goes

http://abcdtchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-card-challenge.html -Christmas Card Challenge

Yes I am late for http://www.christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com. In October one was to use Halloween colours in the cards-Green, Black, Orange and Purple with cut outs or so..OK I am going from memory and it is after 11pm here and I should be in bed...Well I missed the October challenge by a week for that site...why? I was going to post this on Halloween day but that was a day of hell. It started off where I wanted to find out information on early pension plan. I spent over a half hour on the phone and never spoke to one person. I wanted to check my banking...and "Fraud" came up after i got into my banking. I called the bank who had to promptly cancel my card and credit card as there was a virus on my computer at work. I had to call our computer guy who had to fix my computer. I was wondering why i couldn't reach my husband at home...answer-the men working on our road tore our cable off and we had no phone, TV or internet. They also did some damge to the wiring so they have to get this taken care of too. My mom was beside herself and we had to keep telling her every 10 minutes why she has no cable(she has dementia). I had to watch my Dancing With The Stars..It is my favourite show and I called my friend(using my old cell phone that i rarely use) and he said no problems in coming over to watch it. I get into the car...and it doesn't work-not a peep! I was, how should I say, slightly upset, so i walked to his place...took a good half hour but I got there. Our cable got hooked back up on Wed. and i got my banking taken care of but what a day. Needless to say I just did not have any energy to place my cards on until now. The Angel card I used my new favourite which are the prisma pencils and the other cards I used my cuddlebug to cut them out and also to emboss which I had to get the hang of so I had to do it in 2 stages. I think they didn't turn out too badly and I still ended up using glitter..Glitter is always good on a "rainy" day.

2 Posts for Many Challenges

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/10/challenge-82-burgundy-gold-green-and.html - Burgundy, Gold, Green and Cream
http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/10/challenge-141.html - Leaves and fall palette

I didn't use the wreath inspiration from Colour Create because my friend's birthday was the other day and he loves those colours so I used pumpkins which was for the ABC Challenge blog...which I missed(S$%#!) but it still works for the colour pallette and Crafty Creations! I stamped and embossed the fall display and the Happy Birthday (used burgundy embossing powder). I placed that on cream cardstock and then placed it on top of the green and placed it on this really pretty burgundy cardstock that is shiny and has gold in it too. I stamped a pumpkin(for ABC and in honour of Halloween) and all these leaves which I embossed in gold, green and burgundy and placed that around the edges and highlighted with gold sticker borders. Happy Halloween Everyone!! PS I don't think that burgundy paper came out too well in the photo..bummer

http://thestampmanchallenges.blogspot.com/2011/10/night-time.html - Night time
http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/10/simon-says-anything-goes.html - Anything Goes

http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/2011/10/challenge-19-anything-goes.html
- Anything Goes

I missed out on the fairy Tale Challenge at Simon Says last week and I love Fairy tales so I was inspired by last week and added the night time for the Stampman Challenge and Simon Says and Dream Valley had anything goes which can also go for the next card above. I used glossy black card for the background. On black paper I used the powder in bronze and 2 different purples for the flower card...which my hubby said it looks like one could smoke it and be happy:)...goof! It does look like one of those happy plants though. I used stickles for the flowers and the edging in purple and dark gold and I used stickers for the border which i coloured in purple and added some stars. I think it has a magical fairy tale look it don't ya think? Onto the next card...

Monday, Monday

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/10/make-it-monday-60.html - Anything Goes

Hello and yes I am back....I should have an evil laugh after that saying so ....just pretend. My mom is slowly getting worse...well she can't get better. Dementia is just sad, nasty and sometimes, humourous-at least I have to find the humour in things so devastating. She can't remember any more that she used to go to Tim Horotn's for coffee and a donought or to Zellers for some lunch. She just wants to stay in bed all day and it is hard to get her out. She is now very close on the list for long term care and I could get a call tomorrow or it could be January so I am a bit on edge. She told the PSW how happy she is here and has it so lucky as so many others do not and she is so happy that she is not in an Old Age home. My heart sank and I just feel I am stabbing her in the back but everyone tells me it is for the best and my logic says they are right. When the day happens when we bring her will be one of the worst days for me because I know she will take it out on me and I will feel I am betraying her. Anyway this is one of the things I have been dealing with along with another cat(yup I am nuts) and Thanksgiving. Let me tell ya...my hubby went all out. I did the prep work but he cooked the actual dinner and it was fantastic. His ham was so delicious-whole cloves, salt, pepper, mustard, pineapple and a whole bottle of beer! It was great tasting!! My friend came from BC to spend some time with me and we enjoyed some beautiful walks and he will soon spend a couple of months in Thailand...lucky bugger! Now on to my card for Make it Monday. Actually someone ordered a card for their friend and I was so surprised and happy that they wanted me to make the card. They wanted it in purples and a flower...and no sparkle:( That was hard for me to do. I don't count the bit of sparkle on the ribbon or the crystals I used. I coloured the flowers with prisma pencils and cut each out and mounted them with pop up dots on a white shimmer paper(Yup I don't count the paper either) and then the light shimmer lavender paper I sponged with some purple and aqua colour for depth, added the ribbon around the edges, the crystals and the wording(which I coloured in purple). I am glad to finally make a card. To everyone whom I visit-their blogs, when one goes through difficult times, your humour, creativity and beauty give me strength and it is amazing how we touch so many, so I am just saying thank you!

One Stamp-several looks

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/09/make-it-monday-55.html -Anything Goes

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-79-pink-brown-cream-white.html -Pink, Brown, Cream, White

I had a great time bashing some movies that I know some people love but that is what is so much fun...a difference of opinion:) so now on to card making. I made all of these on the weekend and would have uploaded them yesterday after work if I did not get attacked by the killer shrimp meal..I will not order from there again...ick. OK so all these cards I stuck to the same colouring and same stamp but I thought it would be cool to try all the different methods one could use...and I know there is so much more...The top one I used chalks, even for the backgound.

This card I made my first attempt at prisma pencil crayons and I think it turned out quite well. The background I sponged in 2 brown inks and then brayered it to try to get a leather look..I into leather but that's for a different blog:)

This card I inked and embossed the image in gold and then used my tombow markers in a watercolour effect. the background was also done with the tombows and then I used water to try to meld the colours together.

Of course, I can not stay away from sparkle so I used pinks and greens for the sparkle and even a brown for the stem-all sparkly because in a former life I was a magpie:)

Yup Tombows again but this time I used them straight on the paper and then water to put it all together. the background I used alcohol inks. Finished it off with cuddlebug, pearls and stickers

This last rose I coloured with twinkling H2O's and placed it on the paper that I cuddlebugged and highlighted it with brown sparkle...can't get away from the sparkle:)

Worst Movies Ever!

Well I was going to have a lovely evening last night watching the Emmy's. We ordered take out and I was watching the horrible show(they went back to 1970's dreck with singing people in bad outfits) and I was beginning to feel a little...oozy. I went to bed and Blammo! I had to rush to the bathroom and for the rest of the night I hugged the toilet...well, er...I sat on the throne and hugged the bucket. Needless to say I will not order shrimp any time soon. My stomach calmed down and my hubby went to the pharmacy and got some gravol and I fell finally to sleep around 7am. I have been trying to sleep but they are working on our street and the whole house is shaking....not fun when your insides have been upturned. I found this new site(well to me that is) and was intrigued because it is about movies. It is http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2011/09/worst-movies-ever-blogfest.html -Worst Movies of All Time. I figure I will give my selection and I don't care if people don't agree with me as that is what makes the world go round:) It was hard to pin it down to just 10 because there are so many awful movies out there and some are so bad they are good(think "Plan 9 From Outer Space" or "Dr. Jekyll/Sister Hyde"). So here is my list:

1. Titanic (1997)-Overblown lovey dovey where the 2 keep going back into the ice cold water. The effects were good but take that away and you have the Love Boat sinking. I was expecting Isaac to be serving drinks while Doc pants after Kate Winslet and Gopher scratches his head seeing the iceber come closer. A much better film is "A Night To Remember". Titanic was over-rated, overblown and took away from the actual events for 2 kids in heat...next...

2. Touch Of Evil- This Orson Welles film is almost always on the best list of great films...I don't agree...think Charlton Heston as a Mexican. It is painful and the only thing that I found funny (the film is supposed to be a noir thriller) was Marlene Dietrich(yup I think she plays a gypsy but I have tried to block the memory of this film) looking at Orson Welles and saying in her German accent "You're fat". Poor Orson Welles for living his life backwards (started with Citizen Kane and ended selling wine in commercials).

3. Avatar- Oh looky another James Cameron film. Another overbloated mind numbing flick with great effects...and not much else. take the effects away and I half expect Gene Autry, Roy Rodgers, Randolph Scott or Joel McCrea to come riding up. A basic story of nasty whitemen taking over the land but subsituting Indians with blue beings. Empty flick

4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull- Stupid, stupid stupid-he survives a nuclear explosion in a fridge and comes out without a scratch. The wonderful Cate Blanchett decided to do a Natasha accent. I was wondering where Rocky and Bullwinkle were. Beyond stupid

5. In The Bedroom-In boredom is more like it. I actually paid money to see this boring flick. I know it won Oscars and all that but who wants to see Sissy Spacek smoke a cigarette while Tom Wilkonson cuts his hedge. My ex was literally counting the tiles on the ceiling as he found that more interesting.

6. Atonement-Another slow plodding flick that I would rather have my eyeballs scratched than have to see that boring piece of crap again. Great idea but friggen way too long and boring.

7. The Thin Red Line- Yup a war film and I do love war films but again-way too long and I was yawning through it. I know- all star cast yadda yadda but there are many others that are much better and hold my attention and don't beat my head over with "war is Hell" spiel...ughhh

8. The Painted Wagon- I love musicals and the song Maria(pronounced Mar-righ-aaa) I love, but the leads are Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood.....singing! .....singing! They can't sing! It is better to watch Oklahoma, Show Boat or Sound of Mucus oops Music. Sorry I actually do like the Sound of Music....I know I know...:)

9. The Conquerer-I LOVE John Wayne..I Mean I LOVE John Wayne but this movie is his worst. Picture him as Ghingas Khan...enough said. The lines are famous for being bad and can you hear him say this line..."I take this Tar-Tar woman..." The sad thing is they made this movie downwind from a nuclear testing site and all the leads, the director and I think 78 other people from the film production got some form of cancer and most died. Sad end to a F%*(& bad movie.

10. The Greatest Show on Earth- This is the worst film to ever have one a best picture Oscar! If one watched it one might say...it's OK..it has many big stars for the day like Charlton Heston, Cornel Wilde and my fav, Jimmy Stewart but it is so campy and it won against High Noon, The Quiet Man and Singing In The Rain which wasn't even nomintaed! Overblown hype made by Cecil B DeMille...

Dishonourable mentions include Ace Ventura (Turned it off-hate it), The FBI Story, Pope of Grenwich Village...

Making it Green

http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-15-picture-inspiration.html - Picture Inspiration
http://thestampmanchallenges.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-31-monochrome-and-one-other.html - Monochrome and one other colour

http://ppp.makeitmonday.blogspot.com -# 54-Anything Goes

The first card and the second actually are both for the picture inspiration. I made the card below but was a bit dissatisfied with it and I wanted to use the pussy cat since she is on a table and I saw the table in the picture inspiration although the table is entirely different:) The card above I stamped in clear and embossed in clear the fern and leaf. I used cotton batton with dye inks in darker yellow and 2 greens and then wiped it off so one could see the white ferns. I used alcohol inks in yellow and pearl and mounted the cat and coloured the picture in tombow markers. I used a border punch for the bottom of the card. I stamped in 2 different greens the saying and added the crystals and stickles around the word.

This is more my monochrome card. I did actually use a clear stamp for leaves and embossed in psychedelic for the background although it was a bust..I think. Anyways, I coloured the backgound in 2 different greens and a little yellow(my extra colour) in pastel chalks. I stamped the fern in a green and again used a slight yellow for the middle and green on the edges in pastel chalks. I coloured the sticker border in green and topped it off with green flowers which I highlighted with some stickles. I hope this works for monochrome:) It has been a day of memories and of sincere thoughts and feelings. My thoughts have been with the friends across the border and green, to me, represents growth and beginnings. All the best to you

Christmas Challenge-Something Old

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-challenge.html - Everything on the cards must be at least a year old
http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/09/make-it-monday-53-birthday-blog-hop.html - Anything Goes

I can't believe I did the CCAYR so soon! I am actually quite pleased with myself. The card above I had some scrap paper lying around for a few years (don't we all have this:)). I had some sparkly green paper and an ornament sticker from at least 5 years ago and the holly leaves. I cut out the stickers and placed them around the card and the ornament in the centre and I used my good ole stickles in red that I bought at least 6 years ago and finished it off with some glitter border stickers.

This Santa I have had for for 6 years I think and the tissue paper I got from a stamp store(they used it to wrap up the stamp). I stamped my old Santa in apricot brown dye ink and surrounded him in some old braid that has been hanging around for a decade or so and finished it off with border stickers and some red crystals. I found it a challenge to find old stuff and also remember when I bought everything. These I also know (the borders) were at least 2 years old and same with the crystals.

I had this red gloss mirror paper for at least 3 years and the gold ribbon netting was from a wedding I went to 5 years ago(the coated almonds were wrapped in the netting. Does anyone ever eat those almonds?). I wrapped the paper with the netting and then I used basic black card stock (remnant) and stamped the tree in gold and embossed with egyptian gold and highlighted with my border stickers...all over 3 years old.

I had this lovely red soft glitter effect paper for at least a year...it is so pretty I had a hard time to cut it(strange... yes). I used a basic black remnant paper and stamped it in gold and used gold powder for embossing. I then coloured it with twinkling H20's using iridescent red, green and garnet and magneta and sage green and a dark green for all the colouring....Yup highlighted everything with my stash of border stickers. I know I bought my H20's way over 6 years ago and the border stickers are always over a year or more.

The last card I went blue! I used that great mirror blue paper and the picture doesn't do it justice...this paper is so pretty! I had the glitter stickers for, I think 7 years if not more, and I used it as a border. I took creatix paints in iridescent, blue, green, and violet and brushed it on black paper and then...painfully, I might add, I took sticky tape and patiently lifted the remains of an ornament (The actual outline I used a long time ago but this was what was left and it still shows the image of an ornament) from the paper it was on and then transferred it onto the paper I coloured with the creatix paints that I bought a decade ago. I finished it off with a ribbon I bought about 6 years ago. So there is all my old stash but I have so much stash that I could make 20 cards or more with all the old stuff. This was fun! Everyone have a great week and month ahead!

Christmas Cards Done!

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-challenge.html - Use 4 items from this list: Chipboard, Hand stitching, Ribbon, Inking, Stamping, Textured Paper (embossed is good), Metal Embellishments, Alphabet Stickers or rub-ons for Sentiment, Stripes.

http://christmasstampin.blogspot.com/2011/08/weve-got-monoand-winner.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChristmasStampinAllYearLong+%28Christmas+Stampin%27+All+Year+Long%29 - We've Got Mono

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/08/challenge-78-kraft-red-and-whitecream.html - Colours Kraft, Red and White/Cream

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/08/challenge-134-dies-n-punches.html - Dies N Punches

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/2011/08/flutter-by-wednesday-169.html -Celebrate

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/08/make-it-monday-52.html - Anything Goes

OK I was in the middle of placing this all in my post when i hit a magic button and lost it all...I also just about lost it. So there are many posts here but first off for CCAYR they had this huge list and it was fun to do! I did not do Chipboard or stitching as it is hard enough for me to sew on a button. The first card is also for Mono. I have to admit when I first read that I thought the poor lady got the illness! I then realized, after my blond moment she meant Monochromatic. I used brown for the theme. I also entered this in the Colour Create Challenge. There is white in the sparkly snow and the Red is the crystal for Rudolph's nose. I actually thought of Rudolph and Clarisse being adult and happy...You know that song..."there's always tomorrow, where Dreams do come true..." hmmm I wonder what they are like behind closed doors. This would have been good for my inner animal from Craft Creations but I missed that challenge. I don't think I am a deer anyway...I wonder what animal I am...maybe ir depends on my moods(hahahaha). The second pic has stamping and coloured with tombow markers, the ribbon surrounds the look and thegreen backing was cuddlebugged. I placed the star for the metal embellishment. The third is Happy Feet:) That penguin who got lost and was fixed up and recently brought back to the wild. I thought that was a good celebration! Heis so happy so he has a fish for a gift, the stripes are on the backing of the border punches. Alcohol Ink dyes were used for the watery effect and The little fat angels(cherubs) are his guardian angels. I hope i got the challenge right for Crafty Creations in regards of the dyes. The Angel was stamped and water coloured with tombow markers I actually used an image from Simon Says...their card pattern but I believe I missed out on their weekly card too...bummer. I placed the ribbon on the side and around her (pale lavender). I realized after that the white paper she is on has stripes in it:) The top and bottom alcohol inks were used and i used the cuddlebug on them and the word "joy" is on the side. The last card are with bells on green and dark red background and also alcol inks again used and then cuddlebugged (I like my word). I used punches too from the cuddlebug on the 2 corners. Ribbon and a metal star embelishment and the gold is a lovely textured backgound paper. So my lengthy blog is done! Everyone have a great day...and i hope i do the bloghop correctly:) oh and no time to reread what I wrote so if ny mistakes...oh well next time will be better:)

Christmas Cards Done!

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/08/august-challenge.html - Do 4 from this list:Chipboard, Hand Stitching, Ribbon, Inking, Stamping, Textured Paper(Embossed is good), Metal Embellishments, Alphabet Stickers or Rub-ons for Sentiment, Stripes.

http://christmasstampin.blogspot.com/2011/08/weve-got-monoand-winner.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChristmasStampinAllYearLong+%28Christmas+Stampin%27+All+Year+Long%29 - Monochromatic (I couldn't put Mono as i thought it was the illness:)

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/08/challenge-78-kraft-red-and-whitecream.html -Kraft, Red, White Cream

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/08/challenge-134-dies-n-punches.html - Dies N Punches

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/2011/08/flutter-by-wednesday-169.html - celebrate

Butterfly, Butterfly

http://365cards.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-174-super-sketchy-sunday.html -Super Sketchy Sunday

http://thestampmanchallenges.blogspot.com/2011/08/challenge-29-anything-goes-with-summer.html -Anything Goes with Summer Colours

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/2011/08/flutter-by-wednesday-167.html -Punches or die cuts

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/08/132-color-combo-red-orange-green.html -Use Red, Orange and Green in Card

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/08/challenge-77.html - Use Blue, Green, White, Red & Brown with Texture

I have entered alot of challenges and this will also work for http://makeitmonday.blogspot.com. I used the cuddlebug for the white texture background and placed a yellow circle and on top of that a patterned tissue paper that has butterflies on it. I just used the one butterfly for effect...but it is tissue paper! I took green cardstock for the top band and I punched out the flowers and the smaller butterflies and the 2 leaves in the bottom corners (actually they are from another flower punch out and that is the remaining left overs from the flowers). Of course I used glitter in orange for the 2 big flowers and red glitter for the red middle flower and the little butterflies in the corner. I also used light green for the little leaves. I used a brown ribbon-it was silky on either end and see through in the middle so I cut the ribbon to place the 2 silken parts on the edge of the green cardstock and I actually made a ribbon from the middle part which I placed near the bottom. I finished off the circles in brown stickles and light blue pearls. I think I meet the colours for Colour Create...and Crafty Creations and it is summery since the colours meet summer and who sees a butterfly in the winter unless one is in the Dominican (Think about January and shovelling snow). Hey, after the past week, this weekend was eventless. Everyone have a great day...and week!

Trying out my hubby's laptop

Hello all.....I was ready, last time to chuck my ^%$* computer out the window because it took me almost 2 hrs to download the pictures, fix them and then place it on my blog and connect my pic to the other blogs. I'm not kidding...2 hours. So my hubby has a laptop which he rarely uses as he is not into computers and neither am I but i use them more then him. I did this card quite a while ago and I am not even sure if this was on a previous post of mine because i forgot:) I just did the poking hole thing for the butterflies and placed the middle butterflies on and then used beads to highlight them. I coloured the surrounding butterflies with chalk. It has been a freakly week here in my neck of the woods. The lady I told you about before is holding her own but is still in an induced coma and she has had many skin grafts. My ex, I found out, worked with the nut who set her on fire and everyone had to go for counselling because they never thought he would be the type to do this. Last Sunday my good friend, her husband and 2 children were at a flea market and 2 masked men came in for a robbery...they had guns and at one moment the bastard pointed it at my friend's husband. There was a struggle with one gunman and an older man got shot but he is in stable condition. Thankfully my friend and her family were safe but crazy. One guy got away. We had the one young girl fall over the falls and 2 people fell into the niagara gorge. I had a client come in and he told me he just came from Mars (nope he wasn't kidding) and that he has to wear the metal (all around his chest) so the electro magnetic waves from the U.S and \Canadian government won't get him and give him cancer. He talk about knives etc... Can I say it has been nutty!! I just had to rant but at least I put up some pretty butterflies. Hmmm I hope that doesn't mean I am flaky:) oh and I am going to enter this on http://makeitmonday.blogspot.com.

Martini anyone?

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/01/make-it-monday-48.html - Anything Goes

Hi there! It is Monday and thankfully..a Holiday here so i get one more day of vacation and Mondays always suck when going to work. For this card, I had the green card piece lying around for a couple of years with the squares knocked out and I thought it would be a perfect card for a martini. I was originally going to have a 60's sofisticate style but it went in another direction...which direction I don't know but such is the way of a martini. I glued glossy white cardstock on the green and I used rainbow dye ink to stamp the Martini glass. I placed it on blue paper that I put through the cuddlebug (which I love) and mounted it on wine card stock. I edged everything with gold stickers and I had these flowers cut out from the cuddlebug and I double stuck them with sticky tape. One side I put multi coloured glitter (my other love-glitter) on and the other side I could glue right on the card. I also ended it with a stamp of "Happy, Happy, Happy" on the outside and inside I placed Happy Birthday and another Martini glass. Have a great day and afternoon everyone. I also want to thank everyone for the wonderful comments I have been receiving...to the gals who follow me and the new ones who view it, a much appreciated thank you to all of you.

Pink and Green and White Oh My

http://365cards.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-152-saturday-background.html - Add paint to your background

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-76-pink-green-and-white.html - Pink, Green and White

I used a cuddlebug again for the background and I "dry" painted with some cotton from creatix paint in pink amd chameleon green. I used the cuddlebug again for the flower edges the pink centre and the green centre piece. I highlighted the centre with the bird freed from it's cage. I then shifted through...patiently..the tiny crystals i have for light green and light pink and added them at last. As a final note...I chose the bird free from its cage as a bit symbolic. It is funny that yesterday I wrote that life can change in a instant. Last night I heard absolutley dreadful news about a lady I have met 4 times through my best friend. I will not share details but one should pray for this lady as she is now in the burn unit in Toronto fighting for her life. Her husband and 2 children are trying their best to cope. The bastard who did this to her has been caught and is in jail. It is truly horrific and so the bird, to me, represents freedom and it can sing as loud as it wants. The pretty colours are for purity and friendship and love. I think that says all. Sorry for the downer news...

Christmas #5

http://365cards.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-151-friday-background.html -3 layers on your card

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-challenge.html - White with Bling & Flower

Yippe I did all 5 of the challenge at Christmas Cards all year round!!! I get so excited over the littlest things but to me it is not little. I also have done a whole 5 days at 365 day cards and again, no small feat for me. OK Enough patting myself on the back. let's get to the card...I used my cuddlebug on glossy white paper using the snowflake design. I placed a pretty white striped paper on and then on basic white cardstock I stamped and embossed in silver the narcissus flower (again)and just used a light green tombow marker for the leaves. I used a soft gold dye ink pad and, using cotton that I saved from a pill bottle, dabbed that colour around the sides for a little shading. I used glitter stickers for the border and I again used my cuddlebug to cut out the filigree and adhered it to the card with Diamond glue and also used the glue for the snowflake that I found and unsure where I found it.... possible was my mom's former stash. By the Way she is doing much better with the rispiradone and , yes, I have been hiding from her on my vacation. This may sound cruel but if she knew I was not working she would not leave me alone. Last night she came down looking for me 4 times in less than 5 minutes. My hubby talked with her but she was crying and upset but when I went up 5 min. later she was smiling and OK...such is the nature of the disease. I spent a wonderful day with her last Thursday and the weekends too so i am not a complete meanie. You just need some moments to yourself when dealing with someone with dementia. Anyhoo at least she is not telling us off, leaving the house, or burning the house down. She is 8 weeks free of smoking!! I am very proud of her and relieved...no more pens in her mouth lit up!! Oh I do carry on but I felt like blabbing. Now I wonder what August will bring...I mean with card making:) Life is always full of surprizes and I choose to ride the wave of mayhem making cards, enjoying each day and all that other friggin crap:)

Christmas Cards 1, 2, 3

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-challenge.html - White, with Bling & Flower

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/2011/07/flutter-by-wednesday-164.html - Stripes always with an angel, Butterfly or Fairy

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/07/129-christmas-in-july.html - Christmas In July

Actually all 3 cards are used for CCAYR, and Crafty Creations. The angel was stamped in silver and embossed in Silver and then coloured with tombow markers. Glitter was used for her wings and dress and I decided to use a soft pink in some of the dress. To create the stripes for Flutter By Wednesdays I used excess white papers and I highlighted the stripes with silver stickers and the edges with stickers too. The tiny crystals added around the angle are little white flowers. I think this one is my fav..If I can be so bold as to choose one.

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-challenge.html - White With Bling & Flower

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/simon-says-shaped-cardscreations.html - Shaped cards/Creations

The 2nd card is smaller than the others since I decided to do an oval shape. I have these cute stickers-little angel holding a Christmas flower. I layered him(her??) on a cuddlebug paper and this shiny white paper. I used glitter stickers to surround the ovals and finished it off with some white crystals

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-challenge.html - White With Bling & Flower

http://365cards.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-150-thursday-background.html -Background-Wet/Dry Embossing

With this third Card, I used the Cuddlebug-snowflake design (I felt flaky today:)) I used Gold dye ink and Gold Embossing powder for the poinsettia and then, with a glue pen, I put white sparkle on the flowers OK technically they are supposed to be leaves according to Poinsettia experts), pale yellow for the berries(centre is supposed to be the actual flower...really), and light green for the leaves. I did 2 poinsettias and cut both out. The bottom one is the entire stamp and the top one I just cut the flower part to give a 3D effect. I used sparkle stickers for the 4 corners. Voila! That is about the entire vocabulary of my French:)

Part one for Christmas Cards

http://365cards.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-149-wednesday-background-challenge.html - 2parts patterned background/2 parts solid background

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-challenge.html - White with bling & a Flower

OK a first card for the July Challenge for CCAYR and 365 day cards. Of course it is white for the Christmas card challenge. In 2 areas I embossed in silver and I also embossed the centre flower for December. I used stickers in silver for outline and finished with some bling...crystals! A simple card but i think it works out OK

Blue Christmas

http://365cards.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-148-tuesday-background-challenge.html - Stamp your Sentiment.

http://christmasstampin.blogspot.com/2011/07/all-about-youand-winner.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChristmasStampinAllYearLong+%28Christmas+Stampin%27+All+Year+Long%29 - All About You-Your Favourite Colour

Hunka Hunka Hunka Burnin Love...Oops wrong Elvis song. It's been going through my head. I shall blame the heat on this:) Well Today at 365 Day cards the background was to stamp your sentiment over the whole background and at Christmas Stampin one could use your favourite colour so Blue it is!! Is there any other better colour..I think not:) OK OK I hear ya roar but for me it is Blue. I have this shimmery blue silver cardstock which I used a smal snowflake and stamped around the edges (hard to see but it is there). I took light blue card stock and I stamped "Season's Greetings" all over in the same colour and then embossed it in blue pearl for a subtle look. I took my Merry Christmas Stamp and stamped it in a blue dye ink. I then took a Big Merry Christmas stamp and stamped it in blue ink and embossed it in Lapis Lazuli. I took dark blue card stock and stamped the ornament "Noel" in silver and embossed it Opal powder. I mounted them and then I had some extra felt bits lying around in blue sparkle and I cut them to edge for a border and finished it off with blue crystals. It's a Blue Christmas in hot July.

Peacock Pizazz

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-75-cream-aqua-and-pale-pink.html - Cream, Aqua, Pale Pink
http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/2011/07/flutter-by-wednesday-163.html - Open Challenge

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/2011/07/make-it-monday-47.html - Anything one wants to do!

Just call me Feathers McCoy:) I had this peacock top part flying around forever and I got the brilliant idea to use feathers. Why? Why Not?:) I used the cuddlebug with a peacock feather background on paper and I used the perfect pearls in variety of colours. I mounted it on Aqua cardstock and then cream cardstock. I glued the feathers to the back of the Peacock head that was embossed in Aqua and i finished it off with some pale pink crystals that were used for the butterfly as well. Every fantasy scene with a peacock should always have a butterfly. Butterflies represent Joy of Life and, no matter what crap goes on in one's life, it is still enjoyable...especially if it involves a little wine and friends. Have a fab day. Oh yeah...I just joined Make it Monday that I found through Marlene's Blog (http://disguisedasagrownup.blogspot.com) and I thought it was really a nice blog and once can do/add anything one wants...Fun!

Part Circle/Part Solid background..Chirp:)

http://365cards.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-147-monday-background-challenge.html- Half Polka Dots/Half Solid

At 365 Day Cards, I just can't seem to do a card every day and marvel at the people at this blog who can..Kudos to all of you!! I love this blog and look at it almost daily and then I wish I could get a card done every day:) Anyway, The challenge this week will be different backgrounds and today it is half polka dots and halk solid. I used the cuddlebug for the circle background and I used perfect pearls for the colour effect. The bottom paper is a nice shimmery pale pink. My friend Marni gave me a bunch of "pics" from a website she looks at and, since she is gifted with computer knowledge and has a printer that works, she copied a whole bunch of pictures for me and gave them to me for my birthday. I used stickles on the bird and flowers and leaves because I like stickles! I also used a left over shiny steel blue background as the middle divider and I have some really nice pearl/gold braid and then I used my cuddlebug again for the filigree work and ended it with come crystals. Tha..Tha..Tha.. That's All Folks!

Lavender and Lemon Thank You

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/06/simon-sayslemon-lavender.html -Lavender and Lemon

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/06/125-thank-you.html - Thank You

Yesterday my neighbour came by (I was at work) and she brought over these delcious Mennonite buns filled with spicy meat...They were delicious! Michael has been working on the roof(can we say crazy, hot, back-breakingwe have a very steep 4 sided roof...we did have help from his brother in law and my brother-thankfully) and she thought this would help. We loved it! What a nice gesture so I thought it perfect to give a thank you card for her since she didn't have to do that. I chose lemon and Lavender cardstock for the Simon Says challenge and I embossed with purple sparkle the thank you image. I used stickers in silver and some I coloured in purple. I had a cutout embossed flower(cuddlebug) that I took some sparkle to (How can I ever refrain from sparkle). Oh yes I also did those cut outs on the lavender to place the yellow piece in so it gives a girly effect. Now I am off to work. I am trying to walk everyday and hopefully I can do so given my joints being a pain(in more ways than one) and well just getting off my arse which is hard to do. Have a great day!

Christmas Time

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com/2011/06/flutter-by-wednesday-160.html - Open Challenge

http://thestampmanchallenges.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-26-alcohol-inks-and-optional.html -Alcohol inks and optional Sketch

http://christmascardsallyearround.blogspot.com -Open Challenge

OK I missed the 2 challenges for my Christmas blogs(OK,OK they are not MY Christmas blogs but great blogs to visit and see some great cards to make during the whole year. The challenge was at Christmas Stampinall year round and I think I got that a little wrong but I am now into my post and forgot how to get out of my post and save everything without my computer and me blowing up. My very truthful and humble apologies to the wonderful people who do the blogs. Anyway At flutter By Wednesdays it was an open challenge as long as there is always a fairy, butterfly or angel on the card. My angel is a bit victorian and it is a sticker. I tried this cuddlebug that embosses and cuts at the same time and I love it! I just placed stickles around and Voila! I made the card. For the Stampman challenge, one was to use alcohol inks. I used Wild Plum, Stream and pesto for the blueish look. I used the cuddlebug for the black cardstock and the red strip. I added a ribbon and then I used butterscotch and terra cotta for the small area where it says "Merry Christmas". Last week for Christmas Stampin, they wanted people to use an image for inspiration. It had the colours of the turquise blue and the bright green and there were big balls of yarn looking like a wreath so I used the cuddlebug(I am in a frenzy with cuddlebug recently) and I used pastel chalks and coloured in the dots. I cut out the middle and inside the card I stamped the penguin and coloured him in with tombow markers. I also stamped the snowmen, embossed with psychedelic powder and I embossed the wreath in metallic green. The 4th card, I had the snowflake lying around and decided to use lilac cardstock with silver cardstock and then blue. I used silver stickers for the border and stars. The last one I tried to do a homage to the friends in the states since you will be celebrating July 4th. I know...no white but I decided on gold tin foil paper and embossed them with stars which I placed on dark blue cardstock and then the strip of red with "Merry Christmas" and trees and border stickers! I can't believe I finally did some Christmas Cards!