Halloween card and book mark

First, let me tell you that I went to see my mom, with my best friend, and when we entered her floor, there she was in the dining room! The nurse said she was up and eating for all 3 meals!!! I was dumbfounded as I expected her to still be laying in her bed looking worse for wear. The PSW's were so happy and telling me she had 2 bowls of soup and I was happily flummoxed but I will take this and cherish it. She has been good all week and even recalled things she had not spoken about in a few years. When my friend told her she had separated from her spouse(narcissistic asshole), my mom did that knowing laugh which made my friend ask what she thought of her one day ex and my mom answered, "I thought he was a nit wit!" I love it!!   Now on with the show...

basic black cardstock, versamark ink pad, sizzex machine, die cut image, variety of perfect powders, brush.

Tuesday Throwdown-Spooktacular
Eclectic Ellapu-Dark vibrant colours or scary
Animal Friends-Halloween/Autumn
Happy Little Stampers-Anything Goes with Dies
The Male Room-Silhouettes

I love this die cut because you can do so much with this. I decided to have it cut out with my sizzex machine and then, carefully pulled the image from the die cut. I stamped all over with clear versa mark ink and, taking my pearl powders, I brushed on the colours where I wanted them. I glued the piece down on black cardstock and then placed it on orange cardstock. I added the silhouette of the cat, also down in powder, and added the spiderweb and pumpkins along with the saying.

distress inks, sun and cloud stamp, crackle paint, rubber stamps, scissors, tombow markers, embossing ink and powders.

Stamplorations:Tags-All About Fall and/or colours-Red, Orange, Gold
Simon Says-Anything Goes
Crafty Creations-Anything Goes

I made this sucker on a whim creating the background and trying the crackle paint. I hated the look and threw it in a corner where it stayed for quite a while. I finally picked up the piece of crap and dumped it on my table where I stared at the muck. Monday, I suddenly thought of an idea, which I have from time to time, and stamped, painted and fussy cut the owl image as well as the leaves (the smaller ones were embossed with powders). Now I like this bookmark but should I have a piece of ribbon or something attached to it on the upper left hand corner so it dangles down? Thoughts??

Thursday Movie Picks: TV Edition-TV Horror shows

I don’t have Netflix or HBO so the shows that will be talked about today, I have not seen, which is a bummer. Don’t adjust your sets as I am going back to some classic shows plus a couple of bonuses. I love the paranormal and have even experienced some odd occurrences so I always watch shows about this subject( unless it is those ghost hunter type shows). Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what the others have chosen.

1. ONE STEP BEYOND-1959-1961

This series, which I saw in reruns, really freaked me out. It came out around the same time as The Twilight Zone but it is like the Zone’s neglected sister...kind of like Jan to Marcia(Brady Bunch anyone??). This show was an anthology series that took eerie events that purported to actually happen, creating very creepy episodes. It shows many ghost stories but also stories of premonitions like Lincoln’s assassination to the Titanic sinking. The one story of a man staying at a home with an elderly woman, who is writing a story about the evils of the home, totally freaked me out. I still shudder when thinking about it. It was revised in 1978 which I watched where they duplicated most of the original shows including the haunted house one.

2.  KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER-1974-1975

Only 1 season was made of this frightening tv show that is a precursor for all the shows one sees now on Netflix and HBO. It is a classic and a cult tv show that nerds everywhere, love to watch and.... My name is Birgit and ...I am a nerd. This show is about a newspaperman that seems to find all these supernatural happenings and most don’t believe him. He fights off Dracula, meets ghosts and went into the sewers which still gives me nightmares. Very well acted with a humorous slant and scary as hell.

3. CREEPY CANADA-2002-2006

I love this anthology show that discusses all things creepy and weird that are purportedly true in Canada. They are half hour shows with real people talking about their experiences with reenactments. I loved watching this show since it was all things Canada and some events depicted are close to where I live. Obviously there are many ghost stories but also we have good ole Sasquatch. This show doesn’t have the gimmicks that many other shows have which is why it appeals to me.

Bonus....

4. THE TWILIGHT ZONE-1959-1964

I am re-watching this show right now since it is being shown on the Sci-Fi channel and it is a true classic that people around the world have seen. Rod Serling (brilliant man who died too soon) created this show and wrote many episodes and also appeared in later episodes since his voice is so distinctive that people wanted to see him. There are many famous episodes that are not horrific but some are like that nasty critter on the airplane wing that only poor William Shatner can see. Another poor man is trying to translate a book that aliens have given to men and another show has a man hearing howling in a monastery. Some shows are downright freaky.

5.  THE X-FILES-1993-2002

I expect this to be popular this week and with good reason since it still has new episodes coming out and so many know about this show even if they haven't watched it. I saw almost every episode and was hooked on it. Sometimes the episodes were lighter but, on the whole, they are dark and creepy. It starts off where a young FBI agency, who is also a doctor, is asked to keep her eyes on the the spook FBI agent in the basement-Fox Mulder. She is always trying to give logical, scientific explanations while Fox just rolls his eyes. He believes in aliens since his sister was abducted by one and as most of their family dies on one way or another, she slowly realizes not all is as it seems. Throw in some people who always seem to work against the duo (Won't cigarette smoking man die already!!) and plot twists that just mess your mind, you have some great work here. I have to admit 2 things...I feel that the writers even got confused with all the twists and turns and there is that one episode that is now banned in the U.S.  That episode is disgusting, creepy and gross but still good.

So many to choose from...which one would you talk about?

Thursday Movie Picks- Body Horror

I want to make things very clear, I am not hear to scare you with images of me in a bathing suit. I am not hear to mention Mama June from that Honey Boo Boo Show or basically those Walmart characters, but I will talk about body horror, this week’s theme from Wandering Through The Shelves.  Personally I think people who have tattoos all over their body is not appealing especially when they will get old and wrinkly...bleccchhh. Ok I chose these 3 films and hope they work with the theme.

1. THE WOLFMAN-1941

This is the film that started the whole wolfman franchise. Lon Chaney Jr plays sweet Lyle Talbot who goes back to his home after his brother’s passing. He ends up helping a little gypsy girl when something attacks the gypsy camp and Lyle gets bitten in the process. This is the beginning of the end for poor Lyle who now turns into the wolfman when there is a full moon. This movie might be tame compared to other wolfman movies but I love the atmosphere of this film. It takes on, like many horror films made from the ‘30s & '40s, the German Expressionism that was throughout the Silent films from Germany in the 1920s. I believe Jack Pierce created the wolfman and I still think the look is one of the best.

2.  HOUSE OF WAX-1953

This was the start of Vincent Price becoming synonymous with horror movies. He plays a talented wax sculpter in partnership with Burke who wants to burn the place down for the insurance money. Burke does burn the place down with Price in the building, hoping he died.....he didn’t. Price is very much alive and starts a new wax museum and has the help of his own Igor played by...Charles Bronson! The wax figures are hailed as very lifelike....almost too lifelike especially since people are disappearing. This was one of the first films made in 3D and a great movie with a unique take on the horror genre.

3.  ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU-1996

This is a remake of a 1932 film starring Charles Laughton and one I have to see still but I did see the remake which is just batshit crazy. This film was fraught with difficulties from the stars to the location shooting. I actually saw this movie in the theatre and didn’t mind it. I should watch it again since it is classified as a horrible film. So Kilmer helps save someone from a plane wreck in the water and takes him to an island. There they meet Dr. Moreau who is played by Marlon Brando whose face is very white (think Michael Jackson) plus he has his own mini me. Soon you find out this doctor is playing God By taking the DNA from animals and humans mutating the animals into human hybrids. These poor animals and humans undergo torture and pain. It is really quite the nutty movie and I bet, the original film is much better.

What would you choose?

Loving Animals..a Couple of Cards

I love animals even the ones that can destroy a garden or are considered pests. Now, I have been known to set mouse traps and get those little critters and rats can stay away, but I do love most creatures. I created 2 cards and hope you like them.

various brown cardstock, distress inks, apricot brown dye ink, rubber stamps, Gamsol Pencils, stencil, mica spray, embossing powder, scissors, stickles glitter

Christmas Cards All Year Round- Monochromatic browns
Addicted to Stamps-Holiday
Dream Valley-One For The Boys
Tuesday Throwdown-Stencilling

I had fun creating this card..I usually do especially when I want to escape  the craps of life. I took a basic white cardstock and  rubbed distress ink colours, in browns, and then wetted (is this a word?? meh...who cares) it down for a muted effect. I placed a wood stencil pattern over top and sprayed the bronze mica spray to achieve that background effect. I stamped the deer image and coloured it with gamsol pencils along with the mountain and trees in the background. I fussy cut the image and adhered it to the card. The snow part in front, I cut from the image and placed it with pop up dots to create some depth. I did the same thing with the 2 trees that I stamped on a separate piece of paper, cut them out and placed on each side of the mountain background. I stamped the Merry Christmas Stamp in bronze and embossed it with terra cotta powder. I added some stickles for some glitter and 2 border stickere that I coloured in brown marker.

white glossy cardstock, rainbow ink pad, roller, dog rubber stamp, post it note, scissors, leafy stamp and saying stamp, black ink pad.

Crafty Creations-Anything Goes
Glitter N' Sparkle-Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers:CAS-One Layer
Simon Says-Thinking Of You

My best friend, the one going through that horrible divorce, just lost her doggie, April. April was a border collie who kept my dear friend company through thick and thin. Unfortunately, April was 13 and had arthritis. She found her doggie, in the morning, all curled up as if asleep. I guess it's a great way to go but, as many of you know, it is horrible to suffer the loss of a pet so I made this quick card for her. I first stamped the image of the dog onto the glossy white card. I also stamped the same image on the post it note and then cut it out and placed over top of the main image on the card stock. I took my brayer(a roller) and rolled it over and over my one rainbow pad until enough colour was on it and simply rolled the colour onto the white card. I took off the post it note and, Voila!, the doggie image looked great! I stamped the leafy stamp around the edges and I stamped the saying and that is that! She loved her card.

Just to keep you posted, my mom is stable but going down. She eats a little but still loves her coffee so she drinks most of that. She ate her donut yesterday which is good. She no longer goes to the dining area and eats in her bed with the PSW's help or, if we are there, myself or my brother feeds her. She sleeps most of the time now but she still knows who we are which is good. I am going through pictures to get prepared and I have to laugh at how many pictures I have where my mom has her mouth open:)

Thursday Movie Picks-Dolls

Well, this one is tough this week. I did come up with 3 but it is the only 3 I have seen because evil dolls freak me out. There is one movie I have always wanted to see, Magic, with Anthony Hopkins so I hope someone brings this film up this week. Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what the others have chosen. Without further adieu, here are my 3....

1. DEVIL DOLL- 1936

I came across this purely by accident and was so happy I did. It was Halloween time, my parents were gone for the weekend and I was home alone. I just closed the drapes on a window because, the chesterfield I was sitting on, was up against the window and I did not want to turn around and see Sasquatch looking in at me. Yes, I just watched some show about this Bigfoot and got totally freaked, so I changed the channel but there was nothing on but the Exorcist, Jaws and all other freaky movies so I setttled on a rerun of the Love Boat. After that was done, I went to TVO(Canadian) and the great Elwy Yost was talking about his double feature night. This movie was the next feature which starred Lionel Barrymore so I decided to watch this and loved it. He plays a banker, wrongly convicted of a crime, who escapes, with a scientist,and decides to take revenge. He knows how to create living dolls by shrinking people down and having them do his bidding (he learned this from the dying scientist). I thought the special effects, for this time period, was quite good plus it was well acted by Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan who plays his daughter. Well worth watching especially seeing Barrymore dressed as an old woman.

2. TRILOGY OF TERROR: AMELIA- 1975

This TV movie truly freaked the hell out of me and still does! Karen Black played characters in all 3 horror movies and this one stands out. She picks up this African doll that she, somehow, finds appealing. She is talking to her mom about the doll and that she was told never to have this gold chain come off the doll or the evil spirit will come alive and come after her. She laughs and we know what will happen.. yup the chain comes off and this evil creep comes alive. You watch as she tries to fend off this doll who wants to inhabit her soul. I have to admit, I did laugh when she placed the doll in the suitcase and the thing takes the knife and cuts suitcase so he can escape. It is creepy, freaky with an unnerving ending.

3.  CHILD'S PLAY- 1988

Stupid flick about a butt ugly doll that are all the rage( think cabbage patch dolls..God, they were ugly) and this kid wants for his birthday. Of course he gets the doll but this doll is possessed by an evil thug that died holding this doll. Who cares..stupid, dumb ass movie that became a huge hit and spawned many sequels. For a better review of this film plus all the sequels, go to A Film A Day. This poor gal decided to watch this film plus all the sequels

Now for a final doll that’s little girl loved in a beloved tv show, Family Affair, and always had me baffled why this girl loved this ghastly doll...talk about nightmares.

Cards made from the heart

It has been a very sad week with what happened in Las Vegas. I just don't understand the people who claim they must never alter that amendment when that amendment was created when muskets were the major weapon. Heck, back in the 1880s, Wyatt Earp with his brothers made sure to clean up the towns they were watching over by having all people leave their guns before they come into the town. Just think about it.

Ok, these 2 cards are made out of love. My first card was with the people who have been affected by the mass shooting in Las Vegas but it can be used for anyone who needs to know that love and remembrance is what is needed.

Cuddle bug machine, embossing folder, utility knife, butterfly stamp, gold dye ink and gold embossing powder, pastel chalks, gold paint pen, stickers

Addicted To Stamps-Make Your Mark
Alphabet Challenge-O for Oval
Color Throwdown- Orange, Tan, White
Retro Rubber Challenge-Hit The Road, Jack-RRCB72

Butterflies, in native teaching, means joy in life, and I thought this is needed this week more than ever. Think about it, The Monarch starts hitting the road and travels thousands of miles from Canada and Northern U.S. all the way to central Mexico. I stamped and embossed the butterflies, which I bought about 1 1/2 years ago, and coloured them with the pastel chalks. I embossed the folder by running it through the cuddlebug machine. I took my knife and cut out the oval centre which I adhered to the butterfly paper. I coloured the edge and filigree with the wink of Stella gold pen and added the corner stickers.

Brusho colour powders, bird home stamp, embossing dye ink and blue dye embossing powder, saying sticker.

Happy Little Stampers-CAS Challenge-One Layer
Crafty Creations-Anything Goes

This was an easy card and I tried to make it nice and simple called a CAS. I dabbed a bit of the brusho colour on the white cardstock and spritzed water to activate the colours. You never know what you are going to get. The colours just pop and run where ever they go. Once dry, I stamped the image and embossed it with a dark blue powder. I did the same with the corner stamps and, as per the norm, made them crooked. I added the saying and gave it to my hubby since we celebrated 11 years together. He is my rock and he is a wonderful guy even though I want to kill him on occasion:)

FYI?..I am all better and am hoping soon my pain will be better. I will let you know next week. My mom is slowly ebbing away. She is so skinny and now just wants to sleep. I know that I will get a call, unsure when, that she just never woke up. Truly a good way to go.

Thursday Movie Picks-Masks

It's October so it's all about the spooky but I veered away from that...a bit. I am not one for slasher films so, sorry Jason, it's just not meant to be. I could have easily picked Star Wars since Darth is an Iconic meanie but I didn't. I was stumped at first but then, all these movies came into my head since so many heroes wear masks. Head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves to see what the others have chosen. Here are my three....

1. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA-1943

This is an under-rated film and the least known of all the remakes but I really love this one and wish I could see it again. Claude Rains plays the Phantom who now has a back story...he is a composer and his work was stolen. He became disfigured and retreats to the underground but comes back to help the beautiful Christine since her voice has captivated the Phantom. It also captivates 2 other men who wish to have Christine all to their own. What will she do? I actually like how this ended since it was a bit ahead of its time (way to go Christine).

2.  THE MASK OF ZORRO-1998

This is another film that has been remade and remade. We have the great Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power and George Hamilton playing this figure on film and there was a TV show also.. I went with this most recent outing since it is fun, adventurous and brought Catherine Zeta Jones to the masses...and to Michael Douglas, who saw her in this film and had to meet her. It begins where Zorro is captured by an evil man who takes Zorro's daughter to raise as his own. A couple of decades later, The man, much, much older, escapes prison when he finds out the evil man is returning with his now grown daughter. He meets up with a thief and starts training him to be the new Zorro. Zorro is for the man who wears a mask, saves the damsel and is heralded by the people. Antonio Banderas is great as Zorro and Anthony Hopkins plays the old Zorro really well. Entertaining movie for sure

3. THE DARK KNIGHT-2008

I think Christian Bale is the best Batman and this film, I think, is my favourite (love the first one with Liam Neeson too). We have masks everywhere in this film from Batman to the Joker wearing tons of cream make up to look the part of a psychopathic freak. You have a man that puts on a burlap bag to screw with the minds of people and have them go insane thinking there is an evil scarecrow. Lastly you have handsome Aaron Eckhart who becomes really disfigured and nasty since he becomes, literally, two-faced. Great action sequences, excellent performances that netted Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar and well written because it makes you think (If you were on that boat, would you push the button?).

I could have gone with Ironman, Spiderman, Capt. America..the list is long but those are my 3. Which would you choose?