Card Making A-Go-Go

Eclectic Ellapu- For Purple Team-Lady's Birthday
Alphabet Challenge- P for Pretty Petals

Yellow, mauve paper-used cuddlebug. Stamped flowers and coloured with gamsol pencils. Added corner stickers and border, Happy Birthday, stickles and ribbon.

Whimsy Stamps- Monochromatic

All green-paper scraps, used cuddlebug, perfect pearls, embossed green dye, stickers, green marker, baseball man stamp and embossed in green.

Glitter & Sparkle- Use Pink
Dream Valley Challenge- Lace and Ribbon
Crafty Creations- Vintage

Light pink and brown cardstock. light pink lace wrapped around cardstock, Border punch lace coloured by different dyes, pearl strands, stamped image, apricot brown on glossy white cardstock. finished with pale pink ribbon.

Whimsy Stamps- Monochromatic
Glitter & Sparkle- Use Pink
Eclectic Ellapu- For Pink team-use Hearts

Stamped image and coloured with gamsol pencils. Stamped cupid, coloured with tombows. Stamped and embossed borders. Added hearts and stickles.

Now I am getting my groove on with making cards! My hubby created a beautiful craft room for me-I can't believe the room which I can now fill up with more crap. The first card is for my best friend who loves yellow and purple and flowers are always nice. The second was for my brother whose favourite colour is green and he lives, dreams and eats baseball (well not the latter, that would be gross). The last 2, I got my Kay Thompson in groove (the song "Think Pink" from Funny Face) and actually made really girly cards. The first one is for my cousin who had a baby. The last card is for my friend who lost her pug a couple of weeks back. That pug was her baby and she is devastated. Miss Sydney had a great life though-she ate better than her parents! Miss Syd would have home-made salmon while they ate pizza. Animals are wonderful creatures and deserve the best. Now look it, I am talking more about Miss Syd than the baby that was born..um....of which I can't remember the name...oh well-It's a girl.
 Which is your fav? I bet the guys will pick pink:)

Under-Rated Treasures Blogfest-Freaks

FREAKS-1932



This is my pick for the Under-Rated Treasures Blogfest! hosted by the wonderful Alex J Cavanaugh.
This 1932 film is rarely seen and was banned for many decades due to the nature of this film and the horrific ending which most ended up on the cutting room floor.

It was directed by Todd Browning who shot to fame for Dracula with Bela Lugosi. He was also a favourite director of the great Lon Chaney, The Man of a Thousand Faces. Many people today shun the terms freaks for obvious reasons and shun this film which is a shame. It is a horror film but the horror is not due to the "freaks" but due to the  so-called "beautiful people".  The beautiful High wire gal played by Olga Baklanova decides to marry the midget played by Harry Earles when she finds out he is very wealthy. She concocts a plan with the brutish strong man (her lover) to slowly poison her new husband but she did not plan that the other "freaks" realize what is being done and the ending becomes quite horrific.

The strong man, let's just say can sing falsetto but this scene, how he became, um,..that way was cut  (sorry for the pun) from the film and is considered lost.

The scene shown above has actually been used in different ways in other films so some of you may think this saying, they repeat, is familiar. Todd Browning was very fond of all the people on the set and the "freaks" truly cared for him. Todd Browning wanted to make sure they never felt slighted or used in a bad way and when one watches this film one realizes the care he placed towards the people who suffered from some rare afflictions. Prince Randian (not seen here) was born without arms or legs but you see him take out a match, light it and light his cigarette. Just in case you google him, he had  5 children:)  Harry Earles was in a couple of other films by Todd Browning and the other pretty girl who plays his true love interest is actually his sister in real life, Daisy Earles.

You have quite a few people we never truly knew who existed but they did and had these abnormalities and rose above them. Johnny Eck is amazing since he really has no pelvis or anything else. He would do a skit with a midget (OK I am not politically correct here so..so...sue me:)) where Johnny would be on top of the midget and they would wear a long coat and go on stage looking like one man, He would then jump off  and the people would shriek in horror (I think that is kind of funny). In this film one wonders what strength he must have had in his arms.  Daisy and Violet Hilton were Siamese Twins who, today, would have easily been separated at birth but in those times, it was impossible and where do such people find a kinship? The so-called freak show - better to be paid for being gawked at and have a home than being gawked at, ridiculed and hidden away which happened to so many. Oops I went off topic, anyway, I love the scene where one man proposes marriage to the one, much to the displeasure of her sister, and when she is kissed by her suitor, the other twin smiles and feels the pleasure-pretty dandy for those times.

I don't have this film in my collection but I love it and appreciate it as a testament to their strength, and being a family and sticking up for one another even if that means something very, very bad must happen to the pretty folk.

I did pick the 3 others but it would be too long of a post. For TV Show I picked "This Is The Law"-a game show with a panel of known people(well kind of known) and a host  who shows funny skits about actual laws being broken. These laws are quite obscure and the panel has to figure it out. I think only my brother and I watched this TV Show from the 70's. I really loved the groovy shag carpeting on the walls.

I picked for music, Klaatu. a Canadian band that had a couple of hits back in the 70's. They became more famous for people thinking it was the Beatles behind this band(they weren't). I love their version of Calling Occupants of Intersteller Planetary Craft" better than the Carpenters.

My book is "Hollywood" by Kevin Brownlow about the beginning of film until the silent films ended. It is based on the TV Documentary of the same name that I have in VHS but it has not come out in DVD (major issues with all the estates). To get a real grasp of early Hollywood and the people who lived it, this is an excellent book and you can find snippets of the documentary on Youtube. Viola Dana, an early actress was wonderful and heartbreaking as she lost the man she loved, Ormer Locklear in a stunt he performed. She watched him crash his plane. The camera crew were to take the lights off him so he could get out of the free fall of his airplane(shooting at night) but they didn't take the lights off and he crashed. She was still heart broken all those years later.

OK so this is my pick(s). I will enjoy everyone else's. Now back to organizing my craft room and making some cards!!

Lauren Bacall-Part 3 on my list

Lauren Bacall born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924-died August 12, 2014.

She became a hit with her first film, met and married her co-star Humphrey Bogart and remained married to him until his death from cancer. She was sultry in voice and body and men loved to whistle if that meant she would come to them (You have to see the first film she made). Her nickname was Slim and she preferred to be called Betty in her private life.  Bogie and Bacall made 4 films together and they started the famous rat pack, not Frank Sinatra. After Bogie died, she became involved with Sinatra who promptly dumped her when she mentioned to the press they may get married (nice guy eh?). She married Jason Robards Jnr whom she later divorced. She was strong-willed, sexy, gutsy and spoke her mind. I love it that one her last "roles" was on Family Guy. Now I don't watch that show but I think it is quite funny that this 89 year old Grand Dame lent her voice to this program. Now on to my favourite top 10. Again if there are any you can add, let me know:)

10. The Mirror Has Two Faces-1996- OK I resisted this film for a while because it was produced, directed and stars Barbra Streisand who, at that time, seemed to have a head as big as Cleveland. Don't get me wrong, I love her in "What's Up Doc" and "Funny Girl" and she has a beautiful voice but she can be annoying:) Have you ever tried to sit through "Yentl". OK this film is redeemed by the great acting of Lauren Bacall and when she was nominated for an Oscar (her first!), everyone expected her to win...she didn't (Juliette Binoche won for "The English Patient").

9. Young Man With A Horn-1950- This is supposed to be based on the life of Bix Beiderbecke who did not have a happy ending and this film does but most films gloss things over. It is a good film with solid acting and Lauren plays a woman who is not the most sympathetic.

8. Written On The Wind-1956-A Douglas Sirk film. He directed "Magnificent Obsession" and "Imitation of Life" and is known for great melodramas and that 1950's colour one thinks of in a typical film from that era. It is fun, a bit trashy and all played to the hilt by Bacall and Rock Hudson.

7. The Shootist-1976-This, to me, is one of the saddest films because it shows an ailing John Wayne in his last role as a once great western man, fast with a gun, who is dying of cancer. I cry every time and, if this was a list on John Wayne's films, it would be higher but this is on Lauren Bacall. She plays his one time girlfriend who still harbours feeling for him and vice versa but knows it is of know use. Considering she was an ardent democrat and he was an ardent Republican, they still both got on well and they respected one another off screen.

6. Dark Passage-1947-An interesting camera style as it is shot, mostly, from looking through the eyes of Bogie's character. This is the third pairing of Bogie and Bacall and she does a great job as his love interest.

5. How To Marry a Millionaire-1953- This is quite a fun comedy starring Bacall as a smart gal who doesn't believe in true love but believes in marrying for money...in other words, all the fake T & A gals of today who are marrying old male stars who have one foot in the grave. I digress. It also stars Betty Grable in one of her final roles and Marilyn Monroe who does a great comedic performance as a very blind gal, when not wearing her glasses, looking for money..um...I mean a man. It is fun, and shows 3 different women but all are strong.

4. Key Largo-1948- This is the last pairing of Bogie and Bacall on the big screen. Edward G  Robinson plays another bad man but always great. His gang is holed up in a home with Lionel Barrymore as the patriarch and Bacall plays his daughter. The tension of the people being kept prisoner by the gang really sets the tone. Claire Trevor won an Oscar for her boozy take on a good girl gone a bad way. I always cringe at how Lionel Barrymore is treated in the film as he was really in a wheelchair suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis.

3. To Have And To Have Not-1944- The film that introduced Bacall to the world and also to Bogie her future husband.  "You know how to whistle Steve....you just put your lips together ..and blow". Sultry, sexy, strong and she sings in this film. Not bad for a first start!

2. Murder On The Orient Express- 1974-Agatha Christie novel starring a cast of characters all stuck on the famed train. There are many big stars on this film from Albert Finney, Sean Connery to Ingrid Bergman but Lauren Bacall just about steals the show as a blowsy rich dame who talks up a storm. Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar for her performance but I think it should have been given to Bacall.

1. The Big Sleep-1946- The plot is so mind bending that if you can figure it out I shall give you a gold star. The great acting from Bogie and Bacall is so classic in the second outing together it is a pleasure to see them spur and bring on the heat especially when they are talking about horse racing but they mean something entirely different. Thank god the censors were too dull-witted to get the true meaning.

So here we are my 3rd outing on 3 greats we lost during the summer. I know all of you have lost a wonderful friend in the blogging world and I would have made a sunflower card in  Tina's honour but my supplies are packed up at the moment. May you all have a wonderful time remembering your friend.

The Liebster Award-My Insecure Writers Support Group Post:)

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group!  This was created by Mr. Ninja the Great, Alex J. Cavanaugh! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

The Liebster Award exists only on the internet, and is given to bloggers by other bloggers. It pays tribute to new blogs, or blogs with a follower count of less than 1,000–including Twitter. The word “liebster” is German in origin and has several definitions, including but not limited to: dearest, sweetest, kindest, pleasant, endearing, lovely, cute, nicest, valued and welcome. 

The rules:

1. Link back to the blog that nominated you. (Elizabeth)
2. Answer questions that your nominator has set for you.
3. Share 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 5-11 blogs that have less than 1,000 followers to receive this award. (Remember, this includes Twitter.)
5. Create 11 questions for your nominees to answer.
6. Contact your nominees and let them know you have nominated them. 

I have been given this award again and am very touched (in more ways than one...um...sorry:)). Actually this is quite nice and I thought it would be great for the Insecure Writer's Support Group too:). So, without further ado, here we go with the questions I need to answer:

1. Have you ever noticed how JJ Abrams likes the number 47? Or how the answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42? Certain people identify with certain numbers. I already admitted to having an affinity for 11. What is your signature number?

57-why? My husband. It is really weird but he sees this # everywhere. He does not look for it but it comes up repeatedly. When I met him, his exit off the freeway was 57. He was born in 1957, licence plates, TV programs etc... will pop up 57. In fact, yesterday my husband got a painting from his dad and on the back of this old painting, there was the #57. This has now rubbed off on me. I thought I will try to find 64 (I was born in 1964)...nope! It doesn't come up. Very Weird

1. Back in January, TIME magazine published an article on bad passwords. (I managed to find this again to illustrate a point while having a conversation with some juniors at the end of the last school year. They argued that a bad password was great protection as no hacker would try these anymore. I disagreed.) Have you ever used a "bad password"? Did you think it was good, or did you just need something easy? 

I am sick of passwords! Everything needs a password and they are all supposed to be different...my head is going to explode. They are all supposed to have capitals and asterisk and numbers and all have to be different. I amaze myself that I put the same colour socks on in the morning

1. What time did you go to bed last night?  11pm-and this is question #3
2. What's the last movie you went out to see in a movie theater?  For a film lover I am bad-It was "LOTR-Smaug".
3. As you all know, Tuesdays are my "what if" question days. And I'm running a bit low on ideas. What's the best "what if" question you can come up with? (Or come up with a mediocre one. I'm kind of desperate.) Which dead film star would you love to meet? (mine would be Jimmy Stewart)
4. Where are your car keys right now? If I was 22, they would still be in the door since I was having a blast the night before but now, hanging up in the key holder area
5. Donna's New Day links to a random quiz on Sundays, and a couple weeks ago she found a quiz from the Oxford English Dictionary on finding the best new word for you. (They recently added a bunch of words.) Take the quiz (either frivolous or serious, or both if you're feeling adventurous), and give us your new word. Oh, I did this and it was fun. I am  Adorbs and Hyperconnected. Now it's your turn:)
6. Are you right or left-handed? I am not evil so that makes me right-handed. Anyone who dealt with nuns as teachers will know they would use the ruler on your left hand to make you change to right. Lovely nuns eh?
7. Are you with me in the cult of Doctor Who? (Are you watching the new season?) Who's your favorite Doctor? I never got into Doctor Who. I always felt the Daleks looked like salt and pepper shakers.
8. If I were to offer to knit you something (anything) you'd like, what would you request? A cup holder in blue so my fingerprints don't disintegrate from the hot tea or milk I drink (ha- you thought I would mention coffee)
9. Besides blogging, what's your favorite social media outlet (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.)? Hmmmm....Facebook I guess although I don't put much on there but I love to see other peoples pictures and I am enjoying Pinterest.

Now 11 facts about me:

1. I love animals and I would seriously do harm to any bastard who ever harms an animal. I would make sure they could never own an animal and I would send them away...maybe to the cornfield (any Twilight Zone people out there)?

2. I love creating cards, scrapbooks-love love love

3. I love playing board games but play rarely as my hubby is not into them....waaaaayyyy.

4. I love to budget hence why I have the job I have (Credit Counsellor)

5. Blue is my favourite colour, followed by purple.

6. I grew up on a sawmill and still love the smell of sawdust. How Canadian eh?

7. Christmas is my favourite holiday followed by Halloween. It's like the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other.heheheeeee

8. Sports is not a pastime I enjoy unless it is the Olympics or Tour De France. I could care less about a puck or ball going to a net or in a field. Watching people paint their faces, drink beer and eat heart attack burgers is not my idea of culture.

9. Love art, architecture, culture, travel, history, the occult-there is so much to learn and grow from

10.-Love, Love, Love film and film stars and everything associated with this but not the new people unless they show some acting ability like Jennifer Lawrence

11. I, would never, ever, think never mind do, place a naked or racy photo of myself on any device where it can go viral. Unfortunately no one would care and my picture may end up with the Wal-Mart people but no-never! I just don't get it.

Look I never even mentioned chocolate once:) mmmmmm...chocolate, (shaking head). OK I am now nominating 5 people who I enjoy reading their blogs:

1. Liz Blocker
2.Julie Flanders
3. Suzie Mac
4. Anabel Marsh
5. Robyn Engel

Here are my questions and if anyone wants to answers any of these in my blog here would love it:)

1. What is your favourite colour?

2. What major architectural wonder do you want to see before you die?

3. Which is your favourite animal?

4. What scares the bejeebies out of you?

5. What's your favourite dessert?

6. If you could time travel, where would you go and why?

7. What's your favourite film?

8. What's your favourite book?

9. What do you hate wearing but have to on occasion?

10. Chocolate or vanilla...or tutti frutti?

11. What's your ancestry?

OMG! This is a long one and I hope you read it through-hahahaaaa. Enjoy the day, month and year and happy writing to all of you:)