Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Weekly Song Challenge-Week 13

 


A weekly song challenge-3 themes, 3 songs created by Jingle, Jangle Jungle and it is so much fun. I always try to go by the first song that pops into my blonde, greyish head so here are the 3 themes:

A PROTEST SONG

A LOVE SONG

A SPORT

1. WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE-PETE SEEGER 1955- SUNG BY JOAN BAEZ


Pete Seeger was a great troubadour as I like to refer to him. A folk singer and social activist who stood for what he believed in no matter what the cost. Peter, Paul and Mary made this song quite famous but I love the way Joan Baez sang this at the Kennedy Centre Honours and this song still stands up today as it did way back when. It is one of many protest songs that became famous during the Vietnam War. 

2. THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT SUNG BY FRED ASTAIRE-1936


This song was written by Jerome Kern and lyrics were done by Dorothy Fields for the musical "Swing Time" starring Astaire and Rogers and which won an Oscar. I was a kid when I watched this film the first time and daydreamed I would have a man sing this to me (without soap in my hair). Many famous composers of this time loved Astaire to sing their songs and, although he is a better dancer, you can tell that he wasn't bad as a singer either. There are sooooooo many love songs out there and many popped into this head of mine but this was seriously the first one. Who wouldn't want a man to sing this to them...well, my hubby wouldn't care for it but he doesn't count. 

3. TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME-JACK NORWORTH & ALBERT VON TILZER-1908


This version is one of the more famous versions sung and danced by Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra from the movie of the same name. I like to think they still play this song at all ball games but I have no clue unless I watch baseball so my brother has to let me know. This was actually a Tin Pan Alley song written by these 2 men(beside the title) who, apparently, never saw the game when they wrote this song. It was written on a napkin and I saw a picture of it which made me laugh with the doodles. I bet my brother could tell me more about this song. 

So what comes to your mind? What love song would you croon to your gal? Is there a sport song for curling?




Sunday, March 28, 2021

Elves Gone Amok!

 


ABC Christmas-E-for Elves, F-for Fir Tree, G-Garland

CCAYR-Anything Starting with E and/or F-Elves and Fir Tree

CHNC-Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps-Make Your Mark

We Love Chocolate Baroque-What You Love

I love Christmas(really? No kidding) and I love actually stamping the image and I love colouring. I bought this new tool where you can place the white card on the platform and hold it in place with these magnets. You place the stamp where you want it to go and the see-through platform, that you made sure is open(like a book) you fold onto that card to stamp the image. It picks up the stamp, which you can ink up, and then fold it back onto the card. It places the image right onto the card but here is the great thing, if you missed an area and the colour is weak there, you just open it up, re-ink the stamp and fold it back onto the white card. It will make another image exactly on top! You can also take a smaller stamp and create a wreath like I did here...I love this new tool. Once I inked everything the way I wanted, I took my tombow markers and coloured in the image...I always find colouring relaxing. I mounted this on brown cardstock and added the sticker garland which I also coloured the leaves and red berries. To add some sparkle, since you know I do this, I took some red Stickles and placed them wherever the berries were. I added the bow to finish it off. 

I sent Shady a card because, I just wanted to and he was, thankfully, over the moon with it which made my day! Well, he sent me a note of thanks along with washcloths and an Easter egg  that his wife, Kathy made and I am deeply humbled that they went to that effort. I had to show what she created and it made me feel so good because my mom in law used to make these washcloths and i loved them. It brought back fond memories so, again, thank you!!


Have a great week ahead!

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Thursday Movie Picks: TV Edition-Opening Title Sequence

 

Wandering Through The Shelves picked a great one this week because there are so many to choose from so I had to go with the first 3 that popped into my head and that I memorized and sometimes sing(badly) with my best friend. Here are my 3...

1. GILLIGAN'S ISLAND-1964-1967


After being on the school bus for an hour, I would run inside, drop my books and turn on the TV to watch Gilligan's Island and then, Lost in Space. My mom, ever so patient, finally asked if there was anything else I could watch since I had seen the repeats, repeatedly. I told her no way! These castaways were on a 3 hour cruise when they got into a terrible storm and landed on an uncharted, deserted island. The first year, poor Mary Ann and the Professor were just "All the Rest" because Tina Louise-AKA Ginger- AKA Ego Maniac, had it written in her contract that she wanted no name to come after her. When many wrote in asking why the other 2 were not named, it was changed. The show is dumb and they all brought enough clothes, except for the Professor, The Skipper and Gilligan, to last until they were 105, but it is fun to watch. Nope, you see no belly button just short shorts.

2. GREEN ACRES-1965-1971

Green Acres is the place to be...Who doesn't love Oliver, who can't grow an aloe vera plant (after my own heart) never mind being a farmer who lives with his elegant, outstandingly dressed Lisa, his wife, in a true dump of a place. They must deal with a whole bunch of very weird people and Arnold the pig, the smartest of the whole bunch.

3. THE BRADY BUNCH-1969-1974

My Nose! Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! A lady meets a man and they get hitched(the very first show) with each having 3 kids. She has 3 girls and he has 3 boys and they must all get along. The patriarch is an architect but the 3 girls must all share a room and the same for the 3 boys. All 6 must share a bathroom. Alice has her own room and bathroom plus that orange kitchen. Nowadays a kid gets upset if they don't have their own spa. Anyway, so many shows are classic and, later on, they even became singing sensations(we will not mention the horrible variety show that came after..well, I just did). 

Can you sing a long to any of these?  Who is your favourite, Ginger or Mary-Ann? They are so catchy! Which tv theme songs would you pick?

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Weekly Song Challenge

 


March is almost done and we have not had any ice, fog or screwed up weather which is just weird. Anyhoo, This is week 11 created by Jingle, Jangle, Jungle and here are the 3 themes. I hope she continues this for the rest of the year. Here are the 3:

A TOY

A MONTH

A BOAT OR BOATING

1. OLD TOY TRAINS SUNG BY NANA MOUSKOURI-1967


Ok, I know, it's a Christmas song but this is the first thing that popped into my head and one that is on my Andre Rieu Christmas CD. I decided to go with Nana because she does have such a lovely voice and my mom loved her. 

2. THE GIRL WITH APRIL IN HER EYES BY CHRIS DE BURGH-1979


I had not heard of Chris De Burgh until a friend in high school opened my ears and eyes to this great story teller/folk singer from Ireland. I have quite a few of his albums and they are all pretty damn good if you ask me. His most famous is the song "Lady In Red" which is not one of my favourites.

3. COME SAIL AWAY BY STYX-1977


I love this song  that has almost all real instruments rather than the fake stuff used nowadays. Anyhoo, I first heard this song when I was at Crystal Beach. This was a great amusement park that opened back in 1889, I believe and had the famous Comet roller coaster which was right beside Lake Erie. I never rode it but my brother did many times and still considers it one of the best roller coasters as do many other who rode the thing. I am too scared of heights so I never went on it but I loved the twirly rides (still do) and would ride this Blitzer or something like that. It always had the look of being in the snow and you sat in cars that were all connected. You would ride in a circle that went higher up in the back and lower at the front as it sped faster and faster with this song usually blaring. It was a lot of fun. 


Which songs can you think up and would you still go on coasters or twirly rides because I would...I am a kid at heart.


Sunday, March 21, 2021

Card Making...and a 1..and a 2...and a 3...

 




Cute Card Thursday- Spring Fever

I have to come up with better titles, but I always sucked at that when I took creative writing. I had bits and pieces lying around so I took my stamp of these birdies, stamped them in silver and heat embossed them with a blue and silver embossing powder. I had this frame lying around for ages which I just sponged with various colours in distress ink. I took my yellow cardstock and ran it through the cuddlebug sandwiched between the embossing folder that has flowers all over it. I stuck them all in place with using various cardstock as you can see. I added the "Best Wishes" in gold sticker with some gems on each side. I have 2 different sized flower punches which I glued in place and placed 2 gems into the centre. Happy Spring!!


Color Throwdown- dark green, bright green, gold, white-


Christmas Card Throwdown-Slimline Card-


I have been on a green kick lately, maybe because of St. Patrick's Day but I had this image in my mind when I saw the colour combo over at Color Throwdown. I took my star and ornament die cuts and placed them on the sizzex machine on top of dark green paper, cutting side down, rolled it through the machine and...voila! I glued it down(not so voila) on gold sparkly paper and cut around the image. Now comes the cuddlebug machine where I rolled the lighter green paper through, sandwiched between the snowflake folder. I layered it between white pearl paper and dark green and adhered them all together. I decided to actual make bows, at which I suck at, and glued them on top of the ornaments..oh and the ornaments look 3D because I used pop up dots on them. I took my letter stickers to make the French Christmas saying and there she is. 


Winter Wonderland-Trees

CHNC-Inspired by a Christmas song/Carol...I thought of "O Tannenbaum"

I had cut out a green, shiny tree over a year ago with this shiny paper and it was lounging around like a deadbeat in my craft room so I finally kicked its ass to be of some use. I glued a dark green backing to it and added a gold border sticker to the edge (to hide a mishap I did). I used the same tree diecut to cut it out of the red cardstock using my sizzex and adhered it on top using pop-up dots. I had some sparkly gold cardstock lying around so I cut it out to make it look like some glittering ground. I added the sticker saying, star border and star stickers to complete the look. Finally, I took out my stickles and added the tiny dots on the trees. 

There ya have it! 

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Thursday Movie Picks-Fake Identity

 


Have you ever thought of just leaving your present life and creating a whole new identity? I have to admit, in my younger years, I felt like escaping but this was when times were quite tough. I longed for something fresh but I would have told my immediate family so I guess that is not the same thing plus I love my name too much. Others have actually done this like William Desmond Taylor-Silent film director, lothario, and still unsolved murder victim and Olivia Newton John's one-time a-hole fiance. Who do you think killed Mr. Taylor, Joel? This would make a great film (unless one was already done and not in ABC TV movie style starring Charlene Tilton). There are plenty of films that have used this ploy and I will be interested what Wandering Through The Stars will choose, plus her other followers, so, without further adieu, here are my 3...

1. BEGGARS OF LIFE-1928

I would love to see this late silent film version again(came out the year of my mom's birth) starring the beguiling Louise Brooks (she had led quite the life and anyone who loves a good biography should read Barry Paris's book on her plus her own  book called "Lulu in Hollywood". She was very intelligent, rebellious and an accomplished writer). She plays a hapless girl who accidentally, kills her abusive step dad before a vagabond, played by Richard Arlen, happens upon the scene. To help her out, she dresses as a boy and they go off together hopping freight trains. They meet one of the kings of the vagabonds, Wallace Beery and become friends. All hell breaks loose when her fake identity is uncovered and some baddies want more from her plus the police have not given up on the chase. This is one of her best films certainly from Hollywood and the train scene is excellent.

2. THE LADY EVE-1941

Henry Fonda plays a young man who was studying snakes in the Amazon for a year who also happens to be the heir of a brewery company. He is on a ship and so is Eve with her father and his partner. They are con artists who bilk many men out of their millions before taking off for their next mark. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love with the hapless oaf only to be spurned when he realizes the truth. Now she is pissed...er bothered...no, pissed is better, that he left her so she decides to get even and shows up at the oaf's family home as someone completely different although she wears no disguise. At first he is appalled  that no one believes him but he finally just thinks it is a strange coincidence. Oh how I love a screwball comedy and Fonda never looked more handsome and Stanwyck never more stunning.  A great Preston Sturges comedy.

3. THE MAJOR & THE MINOR-1942


I used this film before, I know, but, considering all the hoopla over what is right and not right, I thought this would be a perfect film that was even considered a bit ewwwww even in its day. I enjoy this Billy Wilder film( he loved to bend the rules) and find it very funny even with the underlying ickiness. Ginger Rogers is a full bodied woman who needs to get back home but when the train fare is too expensive, she devises a way to get on the train.... play a 12 yr old and get on for half fare. She does just this but when the conductor catches her smoking she dashing into a booth of one good looking teacher/soldier, Ray Milland. He thinks she is only 12 and she ends up at his dad's military academy where she is the toast of the town with all the horned up boys. The only one she can't fool is Milland's fiance's sister who is also 12 and knows she is not a youngin'. Of course it is a farce and we know that he will end up with Ginger but how will it all work. This film is very funny and Ginger Rogers plays it to the hilt as the kid. It's an excellent farce. Her mother in the film is also Ginger Roger's mother in real life and the 2 were inseparable. 

So, which 3 would you choose?

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Weekly Song Challenge

 


Another week for songs and I always try to go by my first thought so it is, often eclectic, as I like to say. Jingle, Jangle, Jungle thought this weekly series up and she has the first half of the year figured out. The other half, she would like anybody's input so, if you wish to give your 2 cents worth, hop over to her blog and give your input and even join in:). Here is her list for this week:

1. A Parody

                        2. A song written for a girl

3. A Planet  

1. WHITE & NERDY BY WEIRD AL YANKOVIC-2006


I find Weird Al weird and one I am not sure I want to know but man, is he intelligent the way he can create a parody from some famous songs. This one is a parody from "Ridin'" by Chamillionaire & Krayzie Bone(really? I bet their names are something like John and James). When I saw this video, I laughed so hard because it is truly nerdy and when Donnie Osmond shows up..I lost it. Too funny.

2. SWEET CAROLINE BY NEIL DIAMOND-1969


I always liked this song and then I heard who Caroline was....Caroline Kennedy who was something like 12 when he wrote this....ewwwwwwwwwww. Now, since then he mentioned he wrote the lyrics with his then-wife, Marcia in mind(no not Marcia Brady..ewwwwwww) but he needed 3 syllables  for the girl's name and Marcia didn't work. He recalled a sweet picture of Caroline Kennedy on a horse with her Parents standing next to the horse and thought it was sweet so...there you have it. I will think that is what he truly does mean..but still...ewwwww. I still like the song though.

3. JUPITER SYMPHONY BY MOZART-1788


Yeah, ok, it's not a song but it's the first thing that popped into my weird head so if you want to feel some culture and have time to kill, have a listen because it is a great piece of music and one of the best known. Actually it is Symphony # 41 and became known as the Jupiter symphony later...not much later but still, came after his death. Apparently, the use of the first chords reminded either Johann Cramer or Johann Salomon of Jupiter's thunderbolts. Jupiter is the Roman God (Zeus the Greek). I am a lover of classical music so this is why this popped into my head before any other, more recent, song.

Hope you enjoy today's song choices and would like to know which ones you would choose?

Monday, March 15, 2021

Soft Christmas Card

 


Christmas Card Throwdown-Color Challenge-Grey, Rose Gold, White 


CHNC-No Patterned Paper

Sparkles Christmas-Clean & Simple

This was a fun one to do and I actually combined The Christmas Card Throwdown sketch from last week and the colours for this week. I tried for rose gold but it just looks like pink. I rarely use patterned paper so the grey piece was created using my cuddlebug and an embossing folder. You just put the piece of paper between the folder and run it through the cuddlebug..voila! I have tons of paper pieces lying around so I used this glitter pink that has gold flecks in it for a background look. The star is a sticker as well as the border and the edging which I just pieced all together. I added the saying on the pink piece as the finale. I think this is simple enough. 

Enjoy the week ahead!




Thursday, March 11, 2021

Thursday Movie Picks-Movies that Haven't Aged Well

 

There are going to be many films listed that, I fear, I will like and may be Keelhauled as a result. I just learned Pepe Le Pew is gone from the 2nd stupid sequel of Space Jam because he is perpetuating rape. Sigh....listen, I get it...the smelly bastard doesn't take no for an answer...that smelly bastard but I like that smelly bastard. It made me love skunks, smell and all. Remember the poor le Mew, La Meow was all for getting some love but once she smelled his pep, she had to go. She was all for some lovin' just not the stinkin. In fact, there is one cartoon where she plugs her nose with a clothespin so she can be with him and he takes off only for her to follow him! Yeah, I am probably in the minority but I like him and Speedy Gonzales who was quick in feet and in mind. I do digress, Let's see what everyones' picks will be, so head over to Wandering Through the Shelves and see which films people choose as films that have not aged well. Here are my 3...

1. LADY IN THE DARK-1944

I had wanted to see this film for quite a while which was called a "woman's picture" starring Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland(whom I always wanted to punch in the face for some reason). When I finally saw it, I was just pissed. I must have been in my late teens when I saw this flick where Ginger Rogers plays the head of some fashion magazine and is quite successful. She is engaged to one guy, fights with another who thinks he knows better and a third who is quite handsome. She dresses down, no fluff for this serious gal who suffers from headaches and refuses anything feminine so..she must be mentally ill. The 40s was the age of psychoanalysis, Freud style and this film reeks of it. She sings and dances her way through dreams and reality finally becoming cured and seeing that she loves the man who can tell her a thing or 2 and makes the a-hole her equal in the magazine after falling in love for the idiot. Ughhh

2. THE SNAKE PIT-1948

Olivia DeHavilland stars in this film as a mentally unwell woman who meets and falls in love with a nice guy but abruptly leaves only to meet him again in NYC..I think. They marry but her illness only gets worse. She ends up in a mental institution but she has no idea how she got there and does not remember her husband. We find out she has schizophrenia and with the help of a good doctor she, at the end, is getting the help that is needed. Now this is a good film and worth watching for Olivia's great acting as the hapless gal with a medical condition (I hate using the term mental to be honest when dealing with people who struggle, bravely, with diseases that come from the brain). It is one of the very first films to portray "mental" illness in a serious and compassionate manner as we see her sink to her depths only to rise slowly from them. At one point, because of the nastiness of a nurse, Olivia ends up in the "snake pit" which was a level where people, with no further hope of becoming better, go to spend the rest of their lives existing. The gentle doctor finds her and rescues her making sure the nurse will get reprimanded. The problem with this film, even when I watched it, is the Freudian aspect..again, used to help her plus condoning electro-shock therapy as a good treatment which seemed barbaric to me even when I was a kid. The look of this facility and the methods used now date this film but it is still worthy to see.

3. THE FBI STORY-1959

Oh...I hang my head low with this one because it stars my favourite, James Stewart but this is a film I just remember shaking my head at in disbelief. At one point, I do forget the reason why Stewart's character says this comment but I do remember laughing at this. Stewart is recalling his life as an FBI agent and when the "Red Scare" happened when many people were condemned for being Communist because of their way of thinking or who knows what, they were blacklisted. This one scene, Stewart says that this man did something(sorry, I can't remember what) so he is obviously a communist..haha ....hahahaaaaaa. I just was shaking my head at this comment. Almost the whole film is done in flashback with Stewart, after hearing J. Edgar Hoover (you know the guy who broke souls but wore dresses in private and was probably gay but went after people who were gay and anyone else he didn't like) give a rousing(HA!) speech, join the FBI. Stewart's character infiltrates the KKK, deals with the big gangsters from the 1930s like Baby Face Nelson and faces Communism head on. I have to see this again to just remember how bad it really was. Maybe I am being too hard on it but, since Hoover approved of this film and made a cameo, probably not. 

Which films would you choose?

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Weekly Music Challenge

 


Another musical challenge over a Jingle, Jangle, Jungle who created this fun challenge where you don't need to be a musical aficionado to join in. I'm learning a lot from the others. So here are the 3 themes she chose this week.

1. TV Theme

2. A Coin

3. Time of day

1. BEWITCHED WRITTEN BY JACK KELLER & HOWARD GREENFIELD-1964

I love this tv show and I love the song so much. I find it sparkling, sophisticated and just fun. It is from another era that I miss. Have any of you noticed that the tv theme song seems to have gone by the wayside. They just play a couple of bars and start the show. We no longer hear a song or see the names of the people before the show started. I miss that.

2. 10 CENTS A DANCE SUNG BY RUTH ETTING BY ROGERS & HART-1930

This song was made famous by Ruth Etting and her life was quite a dramatic one made famous by the film, "Love Me Or Leave Me" starring Doris Day and James Cagney. I heard her sing this song when I was a kid and I loved it...yeah, I guess I was a weird kid.

3. TUESDAY AFTERNOON BY THE MOODY BLUES-1967

I didn't hear about the Moody Blues until I was in High School and when I heard "Nights in White Satin", I had to learn more. I bought the record and was enthralled. I consider it one of the best albums ever and this song is just so good. It has a melancholy tone to it...to me anyway. 

What would you pick and do you think TV shows today are into the fad of not truly having a theme song? I love the Game of Thrones theme so am I just missing them all because they are on the 30,000 streaming networks?

Monday, March 8, 2021

Rabbits

 


Cute Card Thursday- Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps-Use Die Cuts and/or Stencils

Animal Friends-Rabbit

I grew up on a sawmill and have quite fond memories of my family home. You know that men from a lumberyard can be quite, shall I say, salty. One morning, my dad was wondering what the hell was wrong with the men not starting up the mill, so he went out right at 8am instead of 10 minutes later. Now, some time has passed and still no start of the mill, my mom decided to go out and I followed because I had to know. Apparently, a mommy rabbit made a nest and gave birth to 6 bunnies. The men didn't know what to do as they didn't want to disturb them. My mom, ever the pragmatist, said to just put them outside but it was still cool out so she created a nice nest in some soft sawdust away from the machinery and they started the mill. The bunnies were very cute and soon the little bunnies were scampering about and the men brought lettuce and carrots and making sure they would not get harmed. I thought that was the cutest thing..the rough men were all goo goo over the rabbits. 

This was a quick card with 2 different embossing folders used on the green and brown cardstock run through the cuddlebug.  The Kraft colour was run through the sizzex machine with the die cut image frame to create that nice image that the bunnies are adhered to. I took pop up dots to make the 3D look. I finished the card with 2 different coloured green heart gems and placed them on the 4 spots you see.  surrounding the rabbit.

Any Bunny stories to tell...and no Playboy bunnies:)

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Thursday Movie Picks:Oscar Winners Edition-Best Actor & Best Actress

 

Oscar, Oscar! Oh...I wish I had an Oscar Meyer Wiener... sorry..that just popped into my head. We are back to Oscars and this time it is about Best Actor and Best Actress which is full of delights from ones who deserved the Oscar to others that you just shake your head at. I am not going to talk about controversy or if she/she should have or shouldn't have won but just about the actor/actress that won in a film that I like and I also like the performance. Wandering Through The Shelves created this great theme fest and every year, she knocks it out of the park. OK, here are my choices and I am choosing 3 Best Actor and 3 Best Actress...

1. JAMES CAGNEY IN YANKEE DOODLE DANDY-1942


Mikhail Baryshnikov was a huge fan of James Cagney and his dancing style. When the AFI(American Film Institute) awarded Cagney with a tribute, Baryshnikov was one of the stars who showed his admiration and stated that Cagney was one of the reasons for Mikhail going into dance(he is a premier ballet dancer). Cagney portrayed the famous George M. Cohan who is known as the man who owned Broadway and is credited for originating the American Musical Comedy. Cohan was a dancer, actor, composer, etc... Cagney knew how to create the bigger than life character including the style of dancing which stuck with Cagney as well. We know Cagney mainly as a gangster or a cop who is rough around and inside all the edges. This is a full on, patriotic, dancing filibuster of a movie that came out when the U.S. was entering WW2. I do groan when I see Cohan's parents come out as Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty but it was the sign of these times and Cagney gives it his all.

2. WILLIAM HOLDEN IN STALAG 17-1953


I love this film which is a dark comedy. William Holden plays it straight and he is not well liked by most of the men in the camp. He can squire anything, is sarcastic, doesn't play nice and dislikes most of them men as well, so that makes them even. When information keeps getting linked to the German guards, Holden is the first one they look at  and quickly beat up believing he is the fink. You also learn about many of the men who live on the barracks which includes the 2 biggest oafs who always do something funny or stupid...or both. They are played so well by Robert Strauss and Harvey Lembeck that they almost steal the show. This is a great war film that inspired Hogan's Heroes.

3. SIDNEY POITIER IN LILIES OF THE FIELD-1963


This is the first time that an African American won best actor and the 2nd time an African American won the Oscar(the first was Hattie McDaniel). I really liked Poitier's performance in this film where he matches wits with a German nun and, despite living a nomadic lifestyle, ends up helping a bunch of German nuns set up shop, sort of speak, in a small, desert-like community. It is quite a good film and the leading reason is Poitier and his relationship with the nun, played by Lilia Skala. He stumbles upon their abode and before he knows it, he is helping them build a church and both become enriched by their friendship. I would love to see this film again.

Now on to Best Actress...

1. BETTE DAVIS IN JEZEBEL-1938


 Apparently, Bette Davis landed this part when she lost the role of Scarlett O'Hara(Thank goodness) and, boy, does she know how to make a performance Oscar worthy. This is the Deep South when we are supposed to respect this high society and their, um, genteel ways(how they got to be known as genteel when they had slaves, I will never understand). Now, remember this was a film from a different time so we must watch it in this way. We have spoiled snot Bette Davis who is engaged to the handsome banker, Henry Fonda. She is always up for a fight(just like Davis) and speaks her own mind(oh my!). She wants to prove that she has her own mind and flips the bird at genteel convention by actually wearing a red dress at a ball, instead of white, even though she is single(I would be wearing red too...bring on the jezebel). Things don't go as planned and she feels mortified especially when Fonda leaves after dancing with her. When he finally returns, he comes with a wife but Davis has no idea. This is quite a good film with wonderful performances by all but Davis shines as the snotty little bitch.

2. OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND IN THE HEIRESS-1949


Talk about a juicy part in an excellent film that truly shows what a great actress Olivia was. This legendary actress passed away last year at the age of 104 and, with her, one of the last of the great film stars of yesteryear. She lives with her cold, unloving father and her aunt and is considered an old maid where her father berates her for not being pretty enough. In comes the beautiful Montgomery Clift who has eyes only for her and possibly her inheritance. Despite her father's nasty attempts to show her the truth about the man, she refuses to believe him and waits for her handsome betrothed to take her away from her miserable father. Will he take her away? What happens to her? The change in the young woman, all shy and sensitive to someone bold and all knowing could only have been played by an accomplished actress like De Havilland.

3. JUDY HOLLIDAY IN BORN YESTERDAY-1950


I just re-watched this film about a week ago and Judy Holliday is pure magic. It is such a shame she died too young from cancer (43) but, at least, we have a few gems like this classic comedy, with dramatic overtones. We have this brutish, stupid bully(no, he is not orange in the face with truly horrible hair) who comes to Washington DC to buy a few senators to get his own way but he feels his girlfriend needs some "classing up and to not make her so dumb looking". Enter William Holden who was to interview the bully but decides to take on the prospect of teaching Ms. Holiday some pointers about what makes their Country so great. From his teaching, she begins to learn that there is more to life than jewels and fur and she realizes she has a lot more brains and understanding of human nature than the oaf she has spent most of her life with. She creates a character that you fall in love with because she is eager to learn and, watching her outwit the numbnut she is with, is just very funny. The Gin Rummy game is justifiably famous. 

Which actors and actresses, who have won a best Oscar would you choose?


Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Weekly Song Challenge-

 


Jingle, Jangle, Jungle hosts this weekly song challenge where she provides 3 topics/themes and one has to come up with 3 songs that cover this challenge. The 3 topics this week are:

1. Song About An Angel

                             2. A Song With Bad Grammar In The Title

3. A Number                  

1. SEND ME AN ANGEL-REAL LIFE-1983

There are so many angel songs I could have gone with, but I am trying to choose songs that pop right into my head and this was the first. Annoyingly, it won't pop out of my head. 

2. AIN'T MISBAVIN'-SUNG BY BILLIE HOLIDAY- ORIGINAL 1929 BY FATS WALLER

I do like this song that was originally composed by Fats Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf(lyrics). I know there was a musical done in the 1970's with the same name and the song was sung by Nell Carter. This song was sung by many greats over the years.

3. 867-5309-SUNG BY TOMMY TUTONE-1981

How well, I remember this song when it came out and it was played, ad nauseam, in many dance bars/discos, I went to. The song is actually supposed to be a telephone # and sung..8675, 309 which is fine in song but I really hate it when someone tells me their phone # saying the first 4 digits then a slight pause followed by 3. Hey! It is not that way! You say the first 3 digits then the 4!! Geeez. I have a had a few clients, not from other countries but born here, who decide to screw things up and state their phone # in this most irritating way. This song caused quite the stir because many people started calling this # up and disrupting the lives of many people. I think this may be one of the reasons(correct me if I am wrong) why all #'s in films and movies start as 555. 

Can you think of any tunes?

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

2 Cards....Hope You Likey

 


Happy Little Stampers:Watercolor Challenge- Anything Goes

Simon Says- Anything Goes

I used color bursts in yellow and blue pearl for the background by spritzing the card with water and just sprinkling the color on top which bursts into these great colours. Once dry, I took some paper pieces I have and glued them on top. I stamped my cottage scene in black dye ink and coloured them with my gelatoes. This is not the tasty ice cream, but are like crayons although nice and creamy. I scribbled the colour on a plastic lid and then took some water on a paintbrush and put the brush into the crayon colour. Picking up that colour, I painted the scene which turned out quite nice I think. I might add a saying or not..haven't decided yet.


Dream Valley- Hand Coloured image

The Male Room-Steampunk

This card is for the wonderful Shady who offers his vast knowledge in music which started in the Dell. He grew up with many other teens spending many a day and night dancing and hanging out at this establishment run by a husband and wife team, named John and Helen Ettline who provided a refuge from the world. This image is his backdrop he has on his blog which, I believe, is off one of the walls at this shady glen.

I took a dark red and green color from the distress inks and used a sponge to colour the backdrop. I then looked at his picture on Shady's blog and drew the scene using a pencil before colouring it in with my tombow markers adding the graffiti as best as I could. I stamped the time piece on gold and embossed it in gold powder and added the heart. It is of a time past but never forgotten and always loved. If Shady has trust in me, I will gladly send this to him and add 8 picture corners because I thought he could add a photo of Helen  and John on the inside. Hope you like it and, for some reason, I felt I had to make it for you. That feeling would not leave me until I did. 

Everyone, have a beautiful day.