CTS #2; CFC #75 ~ The Edge; LIM #90 ~ Autumn; Pixie's Crafty Snipperts #43; *A Hand Turkey*

And we're back around to Sunday Funday ~ Whoosh!

You might say Moe Joe came calling yesterday carrying a basket tied with a big plaid bow, filled with apple cider and pumpkin pie, fresh-shelled walnuts, and yellow leaves as big as your head.  That's how nice it felt when four of my favorite card challenges all lined up like stars this week just when I was short of time.  Check it:

We have the brand-new and already populated CAS(E) this Sketch! #2.  

We have the busting-with-news CASual Fridays #75 "over the edge" challenge.

 

Both of these CAS (clean and simple) challenges are womened by extremely talented teams who create loads of spectacular card ideas for you!

~~~



And we have the Less Is More challenge where the theme for week #90 is:

AUTUMN

Chrissie is hosting by herself this week, with stunning inspirational cards on display.  I wish her pal and former co-host, Mandi, all the best as she opens her new wedding services business, Finishing Touches!  You can visit her personal blog and she'll be back playing with Chrissie at LIM whenever she can.

~~~

At work on Friday, the office manager handed out a doohinkey the marketing department had made up for clients and staff.  The firm name is on the other side.  Apparently they couldn't afford to have it printed on both sides.

Is it:

1. a pacifier for quints?
2. a blown-up surgical glove?
3. a turkey?
4. a new-age harmonica?

It's a turkey!  It's made of tiny highlighters!

How cute is that?  I was going to grab two of them and give them to the twins, but I'm not sure DDIL would approve since the colors might not wash off things they might be inclined to color with the adorable weedle highlighters.  Myself, I wanted badly to color the light switch covers in the house, but Mister sent over Will Power to put a curtail on my fun.

Howover, being child-like, as some of my kinder friends would say, I still love my crayons.  I no longer cut with the little baby skissors with no points, but only because my big fat fingers don't fit in the holes nomo. 

Seeing the turkey highlighter brought back memories of making turkeys from the outline of my hand.  Do you remember doing that?  Not with my hand, of course, with yours.

My hand turkey looks a bit anemic with those pastel colored feathers.  Obviously, I had better upper body strength when I was five. 

I bet I can do better on a card!

I'm sorry the shadow makes it look like it's a three-legged bird.  It snot, see:

I used a flower petal die to cut the turkey feathers and a teeny portion of the PTI Harvest Berries die for the feeties, which I snipped.  Ewch.  Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, but Turkey isn't taking any chances.  He lined up per the sketch and took off running "over the edge" in his "autumn" colors, grateful to get away!

And cuz he's all made from scrapz, I'm taking him to show the playmates at Di's Pixie's Crafty Workshop! for the next class on 4N holidays!

~~~

I'm humbled and delighted to have received another Liebster Award.  Thank you so much to Tracey McNeely of In My Creative Opinion!  It's an honor, indeed, to receive this from Tracey.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!  As always, thank you for stopping by to visit.  Special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower or leave a comment!

Paper:  Bazzill swiss dots; SU! DSP
Stamp:  SU! unknown sentiment set
Ink:   Kaleidacolor
Cuttlebug flower petal
PTI Harvest Berries die
Corner Chomper

LIM Week 84 ~ One Layer Card With Foliage; and One Layer Wednesday 105 ~ Autumn; Gratitude Campaign 2012

 Hey, Hey,

I'm playing in Mandi's and Chrissie's Less Is More challenge, which is a one-layer card featuring foliage.  I'm combining it with this week's One Layer Wednesday (OLW), which features both Susan's Gratitude Campaign 2012 and Cheryl's fun theme this week, Autumn.

So up my alley.  So the wrong time for Moe Joe to leave the Playhouse.  Actually, I think he's still here, he's just wasted.  I finally broke down and went to the doctor this morning about my flipping flipped-out back.  He prescribed pain pills and muscle relaxers.  Said to come back in two weeks if it isn't any better.  I'm so sure.  Dude, I'll be seeing a different doctor if it isn't any better long before that!

Here's my entry.

I'm feeling negative about it, which I'll blame on the meds and behinds which, I don't like it when other artists are negative about their cards.  So instead I'm going to say, what a doggone cute embellishment that is!

~~~

I have been wanting to share this with you for a few days: 

Some of you know that I subscribe to Dictionary.com's "Word of the Day," even though lots of days I forget to look at it on my home page.  Well, last week my eyes were drawn to it and they couldn't believe what they were seeing.  Turns out there is a real word in the Dictionary that describes my "special" way with words!  I know!  Can you believe it?!  I'm totally not even making this up - you can check it out yourself.



Word of the Day
Wednesday September 5, 2012

cacology \ka-KOL-uh-jee\ , noun:

 

Defectively produced speech; socially unacceptable diction.

 

Examples:

"As to prose, I don't know Addison's from Johnson's; but I will try to mend my cacology."

 

Lord Byron, The Works and Letters of Lord Byron

 

~~~ 

 

"Such cacology drives some people to distraction."

 

Linton Weeks, "R Grammar Gaffes Ruining the Language? Maybe Not", NPR

 

~~~

Cacology comes from the root caco- meaning "bad."  I beg your pardon?  That seems awfully similar to the word "cacao" and we all know THAT does not mean "bad!"

But it does make sense when you think of the word cacophony, which means "a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds."  Discordant means that annoying sound corduroy makes when your knees rub together.  I'm just kidding about that, but this word thing can be a full-time hobby.  When you look up one word, the description often contains another word you have to look up.  At my age, by the time I've ridden that word merry-go-round to completion, I've forgotten what the original word was that I was looking up!

Cacophony is pronounced Ka-cough-o-ny.  I always read it as Cack O. Phony first, then stop, remember, and read it the correct way.  Talk about annoying.  I also have trouble with the name "Penelope," which, you guessed it, I always want to pronounce Pen Ah. Lope, like it's a member of one of the hundreds of subspecies of antelope.

~~~

As ca-ca as my blitherings may sometimes be, I delighted to report that I was nominated for a Liebster Award by Shirley-Bee.   Thank you so much, Shirley!

~~~

Okay, that's enough interdiction for today.  I hope you're having a great day whatever you're doing, or sleep well, if it's night time where you are!  As always, thank you for stopping by to visit.   Special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower or leave a comment!



Paper:  PTI white
Stamps:  Clear Stamps "Botanicals"
  SU sentiment
Ink:  Color Box Tuscany; Judi Kins
  embossing powder, Metallic Bronze
Embellie:  Boutique Trims, Inc.
Corner Chomper

Mojo Monday 244 Contest and CR84FN 55

Happy Thursday!

I like to participate in sketch challenges because they stretch the boundaries of my comfort zone with their layers and scallops and bowfishes.  I usually like my sketch challenge cards when I'm finished with them, but you won't find original ideas for them in the Card Idea Filing Cabinet inside my brain.  Inside there it is clean and simple.  Inside the filing cabinet, I mean, the rest of my brain is dirty and crazy as a flea fiddling on a corn cob.

So my choice of stretch-a-sketch this day is this sketch from Mojo Monday:

The amazing Julee Tilman designed the sketch and this week is Contest week so click over and join in the fun!

For colors, I am using the colors in the current CR84FN Color Challenge, which are delusciously lavender, celery, and gray:

I first thought of using lilacs for this, but I reached instead for Lavender Berries.  Like so:

Aren't they pretty with their silvery dew glistening in the sun? 

Lavender berries are grown in a very small region in the Alexander Valley in northern California.  Every three years, the farm owned by cousins Yulev and Peit Burchirl open their property to the general public to observe the harvest.  There is always a long waiting list and no map is provided with your ticket so often people never find the farm.  No one ever gets annoyed by this since there are so many friendly and welcoming wineries in the surrounding area.  The Lavender Berry Harvest is a treat, especially for the toddlers who have waited since infancy, so if you ever get a chance to go, grab it. 

As a follow-up to Wednesday's post about What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday's ATC card swap, I wanted to show you this stunning Artist Trading Card I received from Redanne, just because I told her that I thought her work was beautiful.  That's what I call a generous artist!  Here is her extraordinary ATC, stamped and colored on canvas:

As long as I'm doing collages, I also wanted to show you the clever PFC pipe structure that Mister made for me to hang sheets over my beautiful hydrangeas so they don't burn up in the heat.  And, man, are these girls sensitive.  I have to put up the sheet tents if it's over 70 degrees outside even though they are only in the sun a couple of hours!  Eau La La.  But they are so precious, I put up with their southern belle ways.  (The PFC pieces screw together for easy mantling and dismantling.  In the first picture, I've already screwed together four pieces, each, to make the square tops.)

Lastly, but definitely not leastly, please welcome my new followers! (I'm so excited to have reached 90!!)  Yesterday, I welcomed "solitary_star," but I couldn't direct you to her awesomeness.  My loyal follower Kara Lynne gave me the intel, so I can properly welcome Eileen of Stars Cards!  Also, please say hello to Rita of RMG Creations! 

In addition, I'm very pleased to share that Kara Lynne also nominated me for a Liebster Blog award.  Thank you so much, Kara!

Please enjoy ~ and, as always, thank you for stopping by to visit.   Special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower or leave a comment!

Papers:  Oh, I forgot to take a close-up of the cardstock.  It's a lovely gray with tiny lavender and purple threads running through it; maker unknown.  The other papers are SU certainly celery, Bazzill lavender, DCVW designer paper, and Biggie Jr. watercolor

Stamps:  berries, Michael's WS-032; SU sentiment, set unknown

Ink:  Memento tuxedo black, Marvy markers

Ribbons:  SU lucky limeade; Offray lavender

Cuttlebug and Nesties dies: circle and lacey circle

Butterfly: unknown, loose in a drawer

One-Layer Wednesday #86: Women Rule

I'm back!  It's been difficult to watch some of my favorite challenges pass me by this week:  WOYWW, Simply Less Is More, and CAS-ual Fridays, to name a few.  I could look at them a little, with my phone, so that was good.  Some of you have very nicely missed me and I thank you for your notes of concern.  It's been a harrowing week, which I will explain at the end of the card conversation, so those who just want card conversation don't have their eyes glazed over before the card appears.  We've all had that happen at one time or nother and it's almost impossible to see any artistry in the blur that results.

So m'kay, first things first.  I am pink with happiness that  Susan and Jennifer are back with One Layer Wednesday (#86) which is "Women Rule."  Susan and Jennifer added two exceptionally talented women to their OLW team, Cheryl Emery of The Paperie Journey and Heather Telford of Bits & Pieces.  The new team will alternate hosting the challenge each week, but the extraordinary Susan will always be our MC and she'll provide room and board on her side bar.  And vodka-infused ice cubes on request. 

In honor of the two new talented hosts, the OLW challenge this week is to make a card for a woman in our life.  A mom, a daughter, or any other woman who is special to us for any reason. As a former foster child, I did not have the pleasure of a familial mother growing up, but indeed I have been more than compensated in my adult years by all the wonderful women who I have adopted as "moms" along my way. 

Having said that, however, one clear stamp image came to mind for this challenge and it does not have to do with moms.  It's a stamp that I can't easily use for normal greeting cards, but one I think is perfect to welcome the two new hosts and one that depicts women who are special to me.  My card* is for all my women friends, local and in outer space, I mean cyber space, who mean the world to me in terms of inspiration, entertainment, and the love of creativity.

Among such women, are several new followers to my blog and my appreciation is vast.  I'm happy to welcome Shirley of Paper Creations By Shirley; Lesley of Always Playing With Paper; Patty of LaLatty Stamp 'N Stuff; and Kathy of Stamping Still.  It's a thrill to have such talent in the house!

Before I finish this section, please allow me to thank Tui Nathan of Freshly Made Sketches for choosing me as one of the past week's Princesses for my card.  To say this was a exciting event in my week is an enormous understatement!  (BTW, it was great fun reading all the comments on that post about the "nappy" pin memories!)

*I hope to heaven when you click on the picture, you can see what that delirious woman is holding in both hands and get what I'm talking about! (Ever notice that delirious and hilarious sound a lot alike?)            She has a rubber stamp in each hand. 

Last, but certainly not least, I was nominated for a Liebster Blog award by Shelly N. Thank you so much, Shelly!

Please enjoy ~ and, as always, thank you for stopping by to visit.   Special thanks to you if you take the time to join as a follower or leave a comment!

Paper:  PTI kraft

Stamps:  Mad Stamper by Uptown Design Company, 

 sentiment PTI Signature Greetings

Ink:  PTI dark chocolate, true black

  Marvy markers, water brush

Bit O' Bling (that's not a company, I just made that up)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

So here's what happened.  You might want to grab a beverage.  (I'll try not to put to fine a point on the ookey stuff.)  So in my last post last Friday, I mentioned we would have the twins for the weekend.  Well, that never happened.  On Wednesday last week I had a routine colonoscopy for my Crohn's with unroutine results in that diverticuli were discovered (that's a whole new disease) and biopsies were taken.  Thereafter, something inside either popped a buckle or didn't want to heal.  I noticed this, but it wasn't overly concerning until Friday night after normal doctor visiting hours were over.  Natch.  Mister and I stupidly decided to take a cautious approach and went on to bed.  In the predawn of Saturday morning, I got up to take a wee-wee and next thing I know I'm doing an impression of Ginger Rogers.  I did a mean two-two-step hard right into the hall wall, making impact with the left side of my face and my left shoulder.  I went down like a sledge hammer, out cold. 

Mister sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.  Away to my side, he flew like a hero, seeing at once that my pressure was zero. 

Okay, nevermind, I can't keep that up, I'm too weak for that.  To make a long story longer, no, just kidding ... the long and short of it is that I just got out of the hospital last night at 10 p.m. and while I was there I had five blood transfusions.  No wonder I wasn't blogging!  Actually I started to feel lots better by Monday afternoon, then the worst thing of all happened.  The hospital wifi went belly up!  I know, right?  And it was still out when I left last night.  To say I went a bit stir crazy is putting it mildly.  These young'uns seem to be able to do all matter of business on these itty bitty cell phones, but, boy, not me.  I could actually hear the little nurses tittering after they left my room, having seen me hunched over pecking at the phone with my bony sharp index finger, one pathetic letter at a time.  Not even that, more like peck, peck, oops, back up, peck, oops, oops, back up, too far, peck, peck, peck, back up ...  I'd lift my weary head, my blood-shot eyes crossed, and by the end of my five-day stay, they were no longer giving me sharp utensils to eat with.  I am confident that they are still rejoicing in my exit!

I couldn't share all this with you without pictures!  C'mon!  Imagine if you will, waking up from losing nearing half the hemaglobin in your body and seeing this:

Yes, that's my Mister, not a Martian.  He's even cuter without his helmet:

And after I had taken on some high octane red fuel, but still heavily medicated, I allowed as how he could take a picture of me:

Yes, that's a stuffed animal and it's mine and it's name is Mr. Froggie and so what?  That's another story.

I know you need a refill on your beverage by now, but real quick, I just have to show you this picture:

My darling, and I do mean darling, daughter-in-law Rachel sent me an email with this picture taken with her camera phone of the twins "enjoying their baby books."  Their baby books, as they call them, are the two scrapbooks that Bama (that's me) made for them of their first year of life.  They do love their baby books, for sure, but seriously, is that not the funniest most telliing picture ever?  You would have to be optically challenged not to see the entire pre-picture wrangling that went on. 

Rachel:  "Boys, your poor Bama is in the hospital and it would cheer her up so much if I yank you out of a deep sleep and set you on this coach and lay these enormous and heavy books on your legs and make you smile your winsome and handsome smiles ... geez, guys, make an effort, can't you?  Please, please, I'll buy you Skittles, just try, for Bama ... .." 

It was a gesture of pure sweet love, not so much on the part of the twins, but certainly on the part of Rachel that I will treasure forever.  And I will laugh my butt off every time I look at it! 

Mister wants to know if I have a publisher for this novel and if not, could we please eat dinner now?

Bye.  Bye.

Liebster Award!

Normally when someone is kind enough to make a comment on one of my postings, I receive an email in my Gmail account.  (Amusing Aside:  Being a Bloggy Baby, I innocently and happily sent replies via Gmail to all my lovely commenters to thank them.  Some weeks into this thing, and with the help of the Kind Susan Goetter, I discovered that my replies were going to someone named "No Reply-Comment."  Well, for the gove of Lod, that's just stupid that it lets you hit Send and off it goes into cybersphere with no indication to you that you've not connected with your intended addressee!   Reedunculous!  But, as usual, I digress.)

So, anyways, Friday I was just messing around behind the curtain at my blog, checking out stats and so forth, when I clicked on the Comments tab.  All very nice, there are all the comments that the Gmail people had sent me via Gmail, except, wait, what ho?  What's this now?  There is a comment that I've never seen before, that never was alerted to me by Mr. Gmail in my inbox!

This card is amazing! I've left you a blog award over on my blog. -Sue http://supersuelovestocraft.blogspot.com/ By Sue Wieberg on WOYWW 145 on 3/16/12.

Well, of course, I was intrigued and clicked on over to Sue's blog to find out that she had very kindly designated me as the recipient of a LIEBSTER AWARD!  It's my birthday, It's my birthday!  Well, not really, but that's how it feels!  What a very lovely thing for Sue to do.  You can click on her blog above.  Thank you, Sue!!

This award is given to up-and-coming bloggers who inspire you and have less than 200 followers. The Liebster Award takes its name from the German word meaning "Beloved, Dearest, or Favorite."  As part of the tradition, you then pass the award on to five bloggers that have motivated and inspired you. 

I enthusiastically pass the award on to these women whose work I admire very much:

1. Lisa A. at I'm In Haven
2. Ardyth at Maskerade
3. Deanna Jean at Kloset Kreations
4. Karen at Made by Meadie
5. Deb at My Craftroom Creations

 The new honorees are now asked to do the following:

1. Acknowledge the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Give this award to 5 other bloggers, who must have less than 200 followers, and let them know through a comment on their blog.
3. Post the award on your blog
4. Best of all:  Bask in the glory, have fun, and SHARE THE LOVE!

Thanks again to Sue!  To my readers, please visit Sue's blog and the blogs of the five new Liebster Awardees above and congratulate them!  It is indeed an honor!  And, as always, thanks to all of you who have stopped by and left a comment for me!

Yesterday I spent happily researching blogs to find my picks.  I'm hoping to be back later today to post a card. 

P.S.  The moral of this story is that it's good to be a Nosy Parker and click around with reckless abandon.  Of all the mails for Mr. Gmail not to send to me via my Gmail inbox!  Can you imagine?  I never would have known if I hadn't been snooping!  Funny old life at work again.

Happy Crafting,