Happy Birthday, Anilu and Dave!

Today I want to wish my friend, Anilu, a very happy birthday. I think I have been posting this all over the internet - facebook, email, etc., but had to do it here, too. May this upcoming year be filled with only good things, doings and people, like me. Oops...my egotistical ways have even slipped in here. LOL! You know I am teasing. ;o) I wish you the best!

BIRTHDAYS

Speaking of birthdays, it was my godson's birthday on the 24th. The kid is twenty years old. That is hard to comprehend. I mean how can he get older when I get younger? OK...I have been saying the for years. I am sure by now there is eye rolling going on. Anyway...Happiest birthday wishes to you, too, Dave. I am so very proud of you....always. When I grow up I wanna be just like you. Cool?

Tag Times Two

This chick tagged me twice.

Liz

LIZ

The chick being Liz. She's funny. I'm not that interesting, so you will have to deal with blah blah blah. Well, I guess you really don't have to as this is the US (where I am typing anyway) and you have the freedom to turn me off, if you wish. God love the USA (and anywhere else you are).

OK...so here goes.

Five Things About Me Today,

a.k.a Liz Tagged Me, Part 1:

1. I have an uncontrollable urge to go outside and spray my neighbor with the garden hose. I have this urge fairly often. I have been known to put one of my neighbor's fire pit with my hose when he isn't looking. Only when he leaves it burning for three days straight without supervision. That's not the neighbor I want to squirt today. The neighbor I want to spray today is only seven and cute as a bug. We both love water gun fights and it is a warm one today.

2. I am in the midst of watching True Blood on DVD. I read the series of books and the comparison between the book and actors makes me giggle. Suave, debonaire Bill the Vampire talks like Elvis. Sookie! Not such a bad thing, but what happens when the real vampire Elvis is brought onto the show. If you read the books, you know what I mean.

3. At the moment I am eating a lunch of Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad. I have died and gone to heaven. If that's true, why do I still have a long list of to-dos?

4. Today is going to be a Sonic day. I am going to get a rootbeer blended float. I have no idea if it is good as Sonic only opened last week, but I have never met a rootbeer and ice cream concoction I haven't liked. Not such a good thing in the butt size department.

5. Reading Liz's blog (specifically her travel journal she made) reminded me of a funny story. My friends and I were once kicked out of an American Legion Bingo Hall. Who knew that yelling BINGO Y'ALL was "illegal"? The old ladies in polyester with multiple bingo daubers didn't like it and complained. Didn't matter. We went upstairs and bought pull tabs where I won $100 on the first pull. WOO HOO Y'ALL...you can keep your nickels!

Well, that is me today. A little fiesty. A little boring. A little tired. Blah Blah Blah.

Lots More About Me,

a.k.a. Liz Tagged Me, Part 2:

What's your current obsession? See number 2 above. Sookie - True Blood. Why? Who cares why.

What are you wearing today? Stretchy stuff. I'm gardening. My belly is big. Need I say more?

Why is today special? Every day is special when you wake up, have a bed, a home, friends and family and anything else you whine about. Aren't we lucky we have stuff to whine about?

What would you like to learn to do? Multi-task and Photography

What's the last thing you bought? True Blood DVD and Oreo Fun Sticks

What are you listening to right now? Birds chirping and kids playing

What's your favorite weather? I love storms. Big and noisy with lots of lightning.

What's your most challenging goal right now? Getting motivated to tackle garden work.

What do you think about the person who tagged you? Liz is awesome. Fun, wacko talented and creative and a great friend. Oh and an awesome mom. I wish she would quit running though. It makes me feel unmotivated. Ha! LOL!

What's your favorite guilty pleasure? I don't feel quilty about them and that is the problem. I'm using Liz's wording....stinkin' dq blizzards and come on, if you know me at all you know I will say...rootbeer floats. Oh and I just discovered Lemon Ice Smoothies at Culvers. No guilt. That is what I am guilty about.

Favorite vacation spot? I am not going to say Graceland. That was the most depressing place I have ever been. Elvis was not in the room. I loved Colorado and I love New York City.

What would you like to have in your hands right now? The itch in the middle of my back.

What would you like to get rid of? About 100 pounds.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? For just an hour...hmmmm...the moon. Oops...that's not in the world. Dang... A bank vault in which I could keep all that I could hold onto. Bars of gold anyone?

What language do you want to learn? Espanol

What super power would you like to possess? Invisibility or Ability to Fly. Can't I have multiple super powers?

What's your favorite thing about the city you live in? Everything you need is near.

What's your favorite piece of clothing in your closet? A pair of pants that don't fit. I refuse to throw them out as I will shimmy my behind into them again you can count on that.

What's your dream job? Retirement with money and fun stuff to do.

If you had $150 now what would you spend it on? Plants for the garden or mulch.

Do you admire anyone's style? Fashion-wise...no. Craft-wise...the list is long. I see something admirable in everything I see, especially my oh so creatively talented friends.

Describe your personal style. fashion-wise...Casual and comfortable. Scrap-wise...simple and uncluttered.

Who's fashion show would you want tickets to? ICK...no. I'm allergic to skinny a#$ed models wearing costumes no one in their right mind would ever wear.

Who's closet would you like to raid? No ones.

What are you most proud of? I'm a good person despite my upbringing. LOL! That is so not true. I mean I am good, but my upbringing was excellent. My mom will whip me good for that one. Kidding about the whip, too. She had a wooden spoon and soap to keep us in line. Oh man...I'm in troub...ble.

If you could choose one person who had passed to have lunch with who would it be and why? I'm with Liz on this one. My Dad. Why? No explanation needed really.

Now I am going to tag whoever read through all this. Yep...I took the easy way out.

Happy Saturday to all and to all a good night.

BASB Challenge 13: Dust Off Your Punches

I'm hosting the current BASB challenge, which is super simple. Basically, use a punch. Take them out of the package and actually use them to create a layout or card. I'm addicted to punches. Collecting them more than using them, so if you are like me this may be the push you need. Stop by the BASB Blog to learn more. I hope you can join in! The layout above is what I came up with. My hand is still sore. LOL!

Embellishing the Embellishments

I recently particpated in an embellishment swap at Studio Calico, which was hosted by Erin. I was paired up with my friend and fellow adorer of David Cook, Dawn. I thought it would be easy to do, but being paired up with a friend and someone so dang creative made me want to do everything perfectly. While nothing is perfect, I do like what I ended up with. I hope Dawn does, too. There were a few things I wanted to do. First, I wanted to use bright colors as they remind me of Dawn. She is always positive and cheerful. On top of that I love the colors she has in her office, so ta da the use of brights. Second, I wanted to do something involving flowers. She makes these amazing flowers. I deem her the ultimate flower queen and this is my homage to her in that respect. Finally, I wanted to use fabric, felt, fabric stiffener and punches. Why? Well, why not?

These were the last thing I came up with and the thing I liked the most. They are almost 3" across. I bought a super big circle punch specifically for this. Like I couldn't cut it by hand. Hey...I used fabric stiffener and needed to see if it could punch through fabric. It does as long as the fabric has had a lot of stiffener applied. The felt circles were hand cut. Punches do not like felt and stiffener on felt is gross.

I'm going to admit my mistake in making these as it resulted in kind of a cool effect. In order to find room to stiffen a bunch of fabric at one time I covered cookie sheets with tin foil. I then placed the fabric on the foil and painted it with the stiffener. Bad idea. Kind of. The stiffener plastered the tin foil and fabric together. Forever. I spent hours trying to peel the two apart with little luck. Finally, I just started cutting them into flower shapes and realized that I could then shape the petals giving the flower dimension. Holy stamens...I think I invented a technique. Yahoo...I liked them so much I made my friend, Liz, a belated birthday card with one. See photo below. Of course, it will reach her all smooshed due to being sent in the mail, but she can play with it all she wants. Happy birthday, Liz. Could I be any later? Ugh.

To finish up the bottom two photos are the remainder of what I sent. I just simply punched shapes and layered them with buttons and other findings. I made a few fabric covered buttons and have to do a shout out to Greta, who I stole the idea from. Thanks Twin! Another thing I did on some was to add Smooch around the edges. I had to buy this stuff, because of the name and the container. Yeah...I buy things for stupid reasons. I'm a pushover.

So that's that. Fun swap. I'd do it again. I have plenty of fabric stiffener left, too. Thanks for checking my embellishments out. Have a bright and cheerful weekend!

BASB Challenge 12 and NSD Layouts

Before I say anything I need to get something off my chest. Please keep me in your thoughts this week as I need all I can get. I thank you in advance. This is the week the pool boys will be coming to repair my pool and I have done my time with pool boys with carpenter cracks and mullets. I really think I am due hotties in tight jeans and t-shirts that will say yes to my every whim, including fanning me with palm fronds, serving drinks with little umbrellas and weeding my gardens. Send good thoughts and you will have an open invitation to come and get fanned on the pool deck. No charge. I'm all about sharing good.

GOOD

Now in regard to scrapping the new BASB challenge has been posted. Anne is hosting this one and it is based on doing a layout about an artist that inspires you. The artist can be fine art, music, etc. Check the blog out for full information. My layout is about Danita, who is a multi-media artist that I found a couple of years ago. At this time I was so over scrapping. It was boring and I was ready to throw in the towel. For some reason seeing how she used paper, paint, ink and other items inspired me and renewed my love of scrapping. Cheesy, but true. This is the layout I put together:

If you like what Danita does, other multi-media artists you may want to check out are: SuziBlu, Claudine Hellmuth and Tascha Parkinson. Some have tutorials on their blogs. You have to love a free art class. :o) There are plenty other artists out there, but that should get you started. I just realized that one of the art pieces I bought from Suzi is on her blog header. Very cool!

COOL

OK...below are a few layouts I did during the National Scrapbook Day celebration at SC. That was a blast and I got a lot done. Here they are:

Above: Done for April's Maya Mist Challenge.

Above: Done for Maggie's Inspiration Challenge

Above: Done for Tina A.'s Music Challenge. Song was Say Hey by Michael Franti and Spearhead.

Above: Done for Kelly's Ad Inspired Challenge

Above: Done for Emily's Self Portrait Challenge, Davinie's Hand Stitching Challenge

and Tina C's Open Space Challenge. There is hidden journaling. I didn't want to mess up the open space. Basically, it say: Don't let the photo fool you. Sure I look nice and happy, but somedays all that niceness wears off and things go flinging through the air. So true.

CHALLENGE
Whew. Done. Does anyone know how or if it is even possible to get Blogger to allow you to click on every photo within a posting and have it enlarge? Right now only the first photo is able to be clicked on. Not sure if I am missing something or if this is just the way it is. I would appreciate any input. TIA!