Insecure Writers Support group

I have been bummed because I have not been able to do any cards lately especially since my mom went into long term care. Christmas came and went like a whirlwind but by Christmas decorations....yup they are still up and I am not happy. Now i LOVE Christmas, anyone who knows me, knows this and I do keep everything up until the 6th of January since that is 3 Kings day and some countries like the Ukraine, I believe, celebrate that day. The problem is that I got sick. Well..OK OK Jan. 6th I celebrated with my best friend a little too much and the 7th I was making magic with the porcelain God which I have not done in a few years. Considering all the stress of the past 2 years I actually found that drunken fest quite liberating. I had enough ability on the Sunday to take the tree down and then I started to feel the disgust of that cold come on. I thought it would come and go as I have been so great with colds but NOOOOOOOO it felled me with one big kick in the ass! Since last Friday I have been down and out with a bad sinus infection to boot. You know the feeling...when you blink and breathe through your nose it hurts so much that you wish someone would come with a screwdriver and just drill it out of your sinuses. Well I felt I heard the drill all weekend. I am finally back to work and decided to whine about my cold and dreck on my blog. One thing I have done is watch movies. Now I can't recall all the movies and many i had seen before but it is so much fun even when one is ill. I will admit that some I nodded off on but that is due to the cold. So Let's see I shall start off with one we saw in the theatre before i got sick:

1. Sherlock Holmes #2-If you think I will remember the full name...think again I am lucky to remember my own name. This is an excellent film and on par with the first. Just as entertaining, witty and well written and the first film and now i can not picture anyone else being Sherlock or Watson but for good ole Robert and Jude.

2. The Searchers-Great..GREAT John Wayne Ford western. I LOVE John Wayne and he is my favourite..yes ahead of Clint Eastwood!!! I challenge you to even try to say someone is better than the Duke!

3. The Shootist-Duke's last film and one that makes me cry (the other is the Man who Shot Liberty Valance"). It is like we are watching his own life in some ways except that the cancer was probably due to his 4 pack a day habit and /or that awful film "the Conqueror" where so many died of cancer due to the bomb testing site.

4. MClintlock"-Great rollick with Maureen O'Hara-wish i could have gone down that mud path with them-seems like fun

5. High Noon-Great film par none and with the Quiet man one of the best of the year. Tell me why did "The Greatest Show on Earth" win best picture??

6. Die Hard"-oh boy-I like Alan Rickman and laugh at how Bruce keeps undressing during this whole flick. It is fun to watch but by no means great unless one says it is great schlock.

7. Die Hard 2-yup I watched this too...blame it on the illness. It is stupid, silly mindless dreck. The CIA would have been called in with the FBI.. ugh bad crap

8. "Across The Universe"-I got this film as a gift from my ex a couple of years ago and finally watched it and was blown away by how good it was. I love musicals but you don;t have to be a musical lover to love this film. Quite intelligently done, well written and played. Should be better known.

9. Shadow of a Doubt"-This was Hitchcock's favourite of his films and I love it as it also stars one of my faves...Joseph Cotton. It is like Frank Capra's world silently on crack-Great film.

OK that is my whine for the month. Take care and thanks for reading

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:)