Cards I have Made

Dream Valley- Add Embellishments 

Happy Little Stampers: Christmas- Glitter

Addicted To Stamps- Christmas 

I made this card a couple of weeks back but just have not been able to get this on my blog due to work and  pet deaths( I’ll talk about this later). I love blue, purple and green together but blue dominates here:). I created the background using my colour bursts which you just tap a bit of the dust onto the white card. After, you spritz the card with water and watch it react and explode. You can pick the card up and let it drain into the other colours, add more water; let it dry and then add more colour burst with water. It’s fun, inky and messy...what I love. I had a large snowflake sticky that I attached to the card and then I added glitter in various blues using my glue pen. I took my snowflake diecut and cut it out from a silver paper using my sizzex machine, glued them in place for the border, added crystal embellishments in blues to finish my card. Voila!

CHNC-Add A Home

Happy Little Stampers- Anything Goes With Dies

I love this home stamp and wanted to created a mannish card. Again I created this card a while back. I stamped this card on white cardstock  and started colouring this card using Tim Holtz dye ink pads with my sponges. I used some robin blue and various browns to create the rustic colour. After, I stamped the home and just coloured the leaves and berries with tombow markers. I ripped the paper around the image and took a sharpie, in Copper, to colour the edges. I adhered it to 2 different cardstocks...another one  Done.

Stamping Sensations- I Love

We Love Stamping- Favourite Stamps

I have these flower stamps for each month and they remind me of my mom who made many egg creations using quail eggs ( plus all other eggs) cut out and having the flower and stone of the month inside. She would make the tiniest flowers to place inside these small eggs. I'm not that creative as she was a true artist but I can make these nice cards. I stamped the daffodils and coloured them in with...man I forgot...oh yes, my gelatos. No not the ice cream but these colours that look like a see through lip balm holder. They have a creamy texture that I rubbed on a surface and  using my water brush, coloured the flowers. Next, I took other coloured cardstock and used my sizzex machine to do the die cuts. To get the embossed edges I kept the cut paper in the diecut and used my cuddlebug to wring it through. I glued it all in place,  added the Crystals and another card done.

Hope you sll had a nice Easter.

Thursday Movie Picks: Diaries

 

This week I am speaking about Diaries. Wandering Through The Shelves created this posting where you pick 3 films that fit the theme.  I decided to be very narrow in this week’s theme and hope you enjoy it. 

1. THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK-1959

I fell in love with this amazing girl when I, myself, was her age. Every year I read her book, her diary, about her and her family's experience during WW2. I had the honour of visiting where she and her family hid when the Nazis occupied Holland. When I found out she died and only her dad survived, I cried. This was the first film I saw that dealt with her experiences and the people we got to know through her eyes. I was impressed with Ed Wynn's dramatic performance since he was known as a comic. Shelley Winters played the mom of Peter ( who kissed Anne) and won the Oscar for her portrayal. Joseph Shildkraut played Otto Frank and he did a fine performance. The only one that grated on my nerves like fingernails to a blackboard was Millie Perkins who played Anne. I did not think she was good at all even though the real Otto Frank approved her.

2. THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK-1980

This was a TV movie but, it's a movie so I am including this one. This one has Melissa Gilbert as Anne Frank and she does a much better job than Millie. At this time, Gilbert was getting raves as Laura Ingalls and made quite a few movies like the remake of the Miracle Worker. Doris Roberts plays Peter's mom with James Coco as Roberts' husband. This was a better telling of the famous Anne Frank and her family. Its still not the best but it's worth seeing if you can ever find it.

3. THE ATTIC: THE HIDING OF ANNE FRANK-1988

This TV film ( I couldn't find a small video of this film just this interview) is also about the Frank Family but through the eyes of Miep Gies who helped shelter them for the 2 years before being ratted out by someone. Miep was played by Mary Steenbergen and, to me, this seemed to be the best version of this tragic, true story that I have seen so far. Paul Scofield plays Otto Frank while Lisa Jacobs plays Anne Frank. Jacobs has not done a ton of acting but she just seemed the most natural and genuine. I need to watch this one again plus I want to see the one with Ben Kingsley in the role of Otto Frank. 

The beautiful soul of Miep Gies died at 100 years old! She, her husband and a few others did their utmost to shelter Jewish people from the Nazis. If you have never read Anne's diary, you should. If you ever get to go to Amsterdam, seeing where they hid for 2 years is a must. Shelley Winters donated her Oscar there and it can be seen there to this day.

 

Spring! Where Art thou

 

So I'm at my new office in the Falls but I am stuck as I have no proper hook up between my monitor(older) and the computer (newer). The Purolator is to be here by latest 10:30 tomorrow. Last week was crazy and I felt like a ping pong ball as to when I would be up in Miserysauga or here in the Falls(too long and boring to explain).  Oh well, I hope I do aok once everything is working. On Saturday, I did my groceries and came out just when it decided to rain or was it sleet, or hail? It was Crap that's all I know and it gave me the idea for my music post especially since it turned sunny after I got into the car. I'm not using "Singing in the Rain" even though I love that song and the movie because I'm afraid I will have to bitchslap Gene Kelly.

1. COME RAIN OR COME SHINE SUNG BY JUDY GARLAND 1963

I believe this was from her TV show but to hear a better recording is from her legendary Carnegie Hall concert but I couldn't find it through blogger. This has been done many times especially by the great Billie Holiday but Judy introduced me to this song so this is why I chose Judy. This song came from a Broadway Musical called St. Louis Woman which ran for 113 performances. It was written by Harold Arlen(Music) and Johnny Mercer(lyrics).

2. THE RAIN IN SPAIN SUNG BY JULIE ANDREWS AND REX HARRISON-1956

Julie Andrews originated the musical performance of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady but, since she was not a famous movie actress, she was left in the dust by the studio and gave the role to Audrey Hepburn. This Lerner and Lowe musical became famous resulting in an Oscar nod for Audrey Hepburn but she lost that year to....Julie Andrews who won for Mary Poppins. 

3. LISTEN TO THE RAIN SUNG BY ENYA-2008

Isn't this pretty? I think it is but I love Enya and have a couple of CDs of hers. This was actually written by Amy Lee when she was still in high school and was released in 2000! She is a co-founder of the rock band, Evanescence. I listened to this one as well which is pretty neat and doesn't truly sound rock to me. 

Having rain, hail, freezing rain, sleet? What Rainy songs can you think of?

Thursday Movie Picks-Psychic/Mediums

 

So Wandering Through The Shelves got ahead of herself because she posted a theme for April 1st and April 7th--oopsie:)) I hope she saves the April 1st theme for next year because I am going with the correct date of April 7th. Going back to work, with the travel time to boot, has made me very far behind in my replies to your comments and commenting on your blogs. Hopefully, next week will be back to norm except I will be working:)). Thank you for all your sweet comments on my beautiful Wallace. It sucks when a furbabe leaves us and that we have to make that decision. Anyway, this is on a brighter note which is all about psychics and mediums which I am fascinated about. Yes, I have gone to a medium and some comments were uncanny while others were reaching. Actually, John Edward is one that is uncanny in what he says. OK, on with the show...

1. BLYTHE SPIRIT-1945

I love this film that stars Rex Harrison as a remarried author who travels to the countryside with his 2nd wife to get more info on the novel he wishes to write. They contact a medium thinking it lots of fun until the ghost of his first wife appears leaving poor Sexy Rexy at his wit's end. Now the medium, played gloriously by the great Margaret Rutherford, has to try to send his first wife back to the heavens but how is another matter. A great play by Noel Coward and expertly directed by David Lean before he went epic. 

2. NIGHTMARE ALLEY-1947

Yup, the new film, starring Bradley Cooper, is a remake  of this film which stars Tyrone Power in the lead. Now, I just saw the new film, which is excellent but this, too, is well made and was Tyrone Power's favourite film. He stars as a handsome (hell, it is Tyrone Power) conman who stumbles into a fair/carny show and witnesses a Geek show ( a supposed wildman who bites the heads off chickens, you know, Ozzy Osborne) wondering how anyone can get that low. He is hired to help out at the Carny and soon becomes the boy toy of Joan Blondell who has a mind reading scam going on with her alcoholic husband. Ty learns all he can about this mental shell game and rises in popularity. Another gal in the fair falls for him and goes with him when he decides to take this game on the road rising to great heights. At one of his mind-reading shows, he meets a female psychiatrist and a secret bond starts to happen. Tyrone Power was sick of his pretty boy image and wanted to be taken seriously as an actor which is why he took on this role but the audiences were not loving it so it bombed back then but is now heralded as a classic. I think of both films as apples and oranges and should not be compared too much even though it is the same story. Both are excellent.

3. THE GIFT-2000

Cate Blanchett, who is in the remake of Nightmare Alley, stars in this film about a psychic/medium trying to make a living in the backwaters of a small Southern town. She reads tarot cards for many people including Hilary Swank as a poor beaten upon wife of a very nasty Keanu Reeves who really hates Cate Blanchett. Cate is also friends with a put upon Giovanni Ribisi who is abused by his dad. Unfortunately, Cate now has dreams of a rich bitch (Katie Holmes) being murdered and she goes to the police about it but is laughed at until they find her body. Greg Kinnear rounds out the cast as a sympathetic teacher who was engaged to poor bitchy Katie. I really enjoyed this small gem Cate made just before mega-stardom. I thought all the actors were excellent in their roles including Keanu as a really mean bastard. The ethereal feel to the film also brought more to the whole theme with the surroundings adding that extra touch. It is worth a look.

Have you ever gone to see a psychic? Impressed or not? Which films can you think of?

Rainbow for Dogs

 

Monday was a tough day. I had to travel to Mississauga that took over 1 1/2 hrs instead of an hour and 10 min. They drive crazy. My first day at work was really good but this was the day we had to put Wallace down . He was such a scaredy cat but he was ours. His cancerous tumour, on his left leg, broke open. His back legs were giving out due to arthritis and he was throwing up. He was 13 and may not have survived another surgery. We had this tumour taken off twice, last year but it only grew back and there was no more skin to make it heal. My hubby talked to him as he passed under the rainbow bridge.

In his honour, I have 3 songs and hope you like them.

1. POOR OLD ROVER SUNG BY BING CROSBY 1939

Isn't this such a sweet but sad song? I had heard this before but can't recall where and remembered this was sung by Der Bingle. I could only find out that he recorded this in 1939 which was composed by Ray Johnson and Del Porter. Bing liked their act (there was a singing foursome who became famous on stage singing and playing the Ocarinas-I had to look that up. It's like a weird looking fat flute but sounds really pretty.)

2. THE WHISTLER AND HIS DOG COMPOSED BY ARTHUR PRYOR IN 1905

I am not sure who did this rendition but I thought it was cute and enjoyed watching the video.

3. OLD BLUE BY THE BYRDS-1969

I love The Byrds and I love the colour blue so this works just fine. Apparently, this is an old folk song from the 1800s and has been covered by many musicians over the years. 

I am exhausted from travelling ...have I mentioned the crazy effed up hwys? It took me over 2 hours Tuesday morning to get to work. The nuts on the hwys  are...well,... nuts. 

I miss Wallace and so does my hubby... 

The Star for April

 I Have always been keenly interested in this fine actor, singer, activist and all around genius since I learned about him when I was a kid.

PAUL ROBESON

BORN: April 9, 1898

DIED:  Jan. 23, 1976

AGE: 77

DIED FROM: Stroke

MARRIED: Once-Eslande Goode (1921)

CHILDREN: 1-Paul Robeson Jnr.

AFFAIRS: Numerous-most famous with co-star (in Othello), and white, Dame Peggy Ashcroft

KNOWN FOR: His strong leftist political beliefs; his pursuit for equality for all; Civil Rights; Deep, Rich Voice.

First of all, I do not agree with his fervid appreciation for that demon Stalin. I believe, since his dad was a former slave and Paul Robeson experienced racial hatred in the States, it led him to be open to other countries who did not deplore him even though Russia was responsible for millions of lives being destroyed because of their race. Robeson was (in)famous for not believing in Holodomor where 7 million Ukrainians died of starvation and disease in 1 year at the hands of Stalin nor the millions of Jews and others who criticized  Stalinist Russia. 

OK, that being said, I still admire this controversial figure who, despite knowing it would harm his career and himself, he stood up for what he thought was unjust like the States who refused to serve African Americans in most places, treated them like dirt and lynched many because these white S.O.B.'s are as bad as Stalin..sorry but they are for their hatred for another simply because of their skin colour.

This man could hold an audience with his great physique, standing at 6'3" and a powerful voice that commanded respect. He was admitted into the prestigious Rutgers University at just 17, became a star athlete in Football but was good in many other sports. He also became Phi Beta Kappa and was the class valedictorian. He became a lawyer but was met with major racial bias and, since he showed an interest in acting he took that route becoming famous on stage especially in Eugene O'Neill Plays and Shakespeare's Othello. His wife was his coach and mentor even after the affair with Peggy Ashcroft, who helped guide him until she died in 1965. He tried to bring dignity to his film roles and pushed for equality but stopped making films in 1942 until the African Americans have equal ground.

He sided with the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War giving many concerts for them as well as the Moore Shipyard workers in California plus, of course, the Civil Rights movement. He was on Hitler's "kill" list when they thought they would be successful in taking over Britain (Robeson was living there for a while). In 1940, at his most popular, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel was the only one who would take him in but charged him an exorbitant rate and he had to sign under an assumed name, just because of his colour. Robeson decided to sit in the lobby every day for 2 hours to make it known he was staying there. Soon after,  the hotel changed their tune. 

This man spoke 20 languages, was blacklisted during the McCarthy era (no kidding) and dealt with depression and, possibly, schizophrenia. He tried to commit suicide when he was in Moscow and had to deal with electro-shock treatments, tons of pills and mental asylums. His son believed that it was the CIA and MI5 that were behind his dad's mental issues, giving him drugs, that created his mental state. This is unknown but he did suffer in his later years. I can't help but respect this man despite his liking of the evil Stalin.

FILMS:

1. Emperor Jones-1933

2. Sanders of the Rivers-1935

3. Showboat-1936

4. Song of Freedom-1936

5. Big Fella-1937

6. King Solomon's Mines-1937

7. Jericho-1937

8. The Proud Valley-1940

9. Tales of Manhattan-1942

Here he is in Showboat

What I Watched in March= A Lot!

 Get Ready...Set....Go!

1. DEAD RECKONING-1947

Classic Film Noir starring Humphrey Bogart and Lizabeth Scott as the Femme fatale. Worth a look for sure. Putting a woman in the pocket came from Bogie himself.

2. THAT HAMILTON WOMAN-1941

Love this film and now own it! Winston Churchill's favourite film. First film starring Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh when they were husband and wife. Based on the great love affair between Lord Horatio Nelson and The stunning Lady Hamilton. Vivien owns this film! I watched the commentary too.

3. THE DEBT COLLECTOR-2018

I could only find this clip in another language...it doesn't matter because it's meh. Dude who can fight is hired to collect on debts with a fellow debt collector for shady people. Not a good one.

4. BATTLE OF BRITAIN-1969

Excellent movie on this battle that was a decisive moment in the 2nd World War. It had some funny bits, very sad bits and great aerial photography. Great cast with Christopher Plummer, Michael Caine, Ian McShane etc...

5. MCKENZIE'S BREAK-1970

POW camp filled with Germans, led by Helmut Griem, have the better of the British commander until Irish bad boy, Brian Keith, comes to bring order and find the tunnel. Better than I thought it would be and I love Brian Keith.

6. CYCLOPS-2008

Ughh...Eric Roberts makes some bad shit...and this is one of them. For a TV flick the effects weren't bad.

7. WILD BILL-1995

I enjoyed this western starring Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin and John Hurt about the final days of the legendary Wild Bill Hickcok. Well acted with some funny bits but showing the true dirt of this era.

8. FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE-1978

This film takes off a year or so later after The Guns of Navarone (with Gregory Peck) where Robert Shaw plays the Peck part and Edward Fox played David Niven's part. Harrison Ford is the young man who feels he must babysit the elder 2. The job...blow up a bridge so the Nazis can't use it. I prefer the Guns with Peck as Ford seems to overact. Robert Shaw died shortly after making this film at age 51.

9. DUNE-2021

Had no desire to see this but, it was up for Oscars and everyone seemed to like it so, I watched it. It's excellent!Timothy Chalomet plays the gifted, young man who is to lead something or someone. he dreams of Zendaya who lives on a ghastly planet with plenty of sand but no beach but it has giant worms.

10. THE KINGSMAN-2021

This is an enjoyable prequel to the Kingsmen movies about how this secret service started. Ralph Fiennes is always excellent. A fun, but with sad moments, film that is worth a look.

11. THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE-2021

Who remembers the debacle of this religious couple who brought in millions of bucks for themselves? I do and I remember seeing her makeup and just in shock that her eyes did not explode from all that mascara. Not a great movie but a good one and Jessica was really good as the very perky Tammy. 

12. THE QUICK AND THE DEAD-1987

I believe there are 3 westerns called "The Quick and the Dead." This stars Sam Elliott (be still my heart) as a cowboy/gun man who takes it upon himself to protect this family (Tom Conti and Kate Capshaw) who are being followed by some very unsavoury characters. This is a really good western, much better than that dreck starring Sharon Stone, and worth taking a look. A good old fashioned western and I love these plus the newer ones. 

13. WEST SIDE STORY-2021

A remake of the Oscar Winning 1961 film of the same name that stared Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno but I prefer this new version better! That says a lot because normally, remakes are the opposite. Great dancing but you still feel the kids are threatening. Worth a look for sure.

14. RESPECT-2021

 A really good biography starring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha as she rises from obscurity to major stardom and all the pitfalls that can happen. She should have been nominated.

15. BELFAST-2021

Excellent film based on Kenneth Branagh's early life growing up during the major tensions that were occurring in Ireland at the time. The kid who plays Kenneth, Jude Hill, is excellent and I love all the acting in this film. The cinematography is also just brilliant.

16. NIGHTMARE ALLEY-2021

Love this movie about a conman who finds his way onto one of those travelling circus/fairs/freakshows back in the 1930s and finds a way to make a name for himself but at a high cost. Great acting by Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Cate Blachett and others.  This is a remake but another good one and one I wanted to win for best cinematography.

17. DOG-2022

I heard people making fun of this film so I wasn't sure but I love animal movies. I am so glad I saw it because it has more depth than the trailer puts out. Both are suffering from PTSD but Channing Tatum wants to get back into action and can, if he brings this dog to Arizona to his former owner's funeral and then bring it to a base to be euthanized. The comedy is quite funny but the drama end is very touching. Worthy to see. 

Long one...I know. Have you seen any?