Clear and Cold

I admit it, I did not look out the window on New Year's Day. Well, I am sure I did, but not specifically to check out our weather. Fact is, I did not know that was the Sisterhood theme til about the 7th. So from what I can remember it was clear, cold with some snow left on the ground from the day after Christmas - also known in my house as the day before the year's Most Important Holiday!

The pond in my yard never freezes completely; I expect this little girl and her pooch have found the one at the back of our property, or perhaps the one across the road. Yup, there are a lot of ponds around here, and all, but mine, are frozen.
 
I read somewhere that what you do on New Years is what you will do in the coming year. "Cool!", I thought, "we are going to do more socializing!" Then I realized it was not referring to New Year's Eve, but rather New Year's Day. Oh well, looks like 2011 will be much the same as 2010 as I spent the first of the year playing with my Christmas and Birthday goodies (techno gadgets), reading and watching movies. Bummer. I was really looking forward to hosting more friendly get-togethers...





Card Details:
Image: Mary Engelbreit for All Night Media
Sentiment: N/A
Cardstock: GP, SU
Ink: Memento, Memories
Tools: Nesties, Cuttlebug embossing folder
Coloring: Prismacolor markers
Embellies: unknown ribbon, Stickles

Dog/Cat Diary Excerpts

Recopied from The Best Article Every Day because it is so funny and resembles certain members of my household...

Excerpts from a Dog’s Diary…
8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm – Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm – Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat’s Diary...
Day 983 of My Captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. Bastards!
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.
The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now...

My Craft Room Needs a Name

It has been a while since I blogged, and here with the New Year (again), it seems time to get back into it.

My stamp room needs a name. Every other room has a name. Not Susie or Joe, but exciting names like Living Room and Princess A's Bedroom. We do have an itty room with a(n unwatched) TV in it that has come to be referred to as the Den. I tried recently to rechristen it the Office, because Main Squeeze does have a desk and computer in there, but that just does not seem to be going anywhere. Since I stamp everything I make with a red wolf, Den seems appropriate, but we cannot have two Dens. How about Wolf's Den, you ask. Well, not too far away there is a casino, two of 'em actually, but this one in particular has ads for the Wolf Den. I cannot have a craft room with the same name as a smoking, drinking, gambling joint, although I did tell my doctor the other day that in my next life I was going to do all those things as well as drugs and hooking cuz refraining does not seem to have mattered health-wise, but that is another story. You can see how having that same name does not appeal... in this life at least.

I bring this plea to you, my faithful followers, as it has been more than a year now and I am stuck. What shall I name my stamping room?

Thank Ewe

Many moons ago, Main Squeeze, Princess A and I hosted an Open House. At that point we had owned our new home for 10 months, so it was time. Here we are two months later and I still owe some thank you notes. All I can say is we never expected gifts, and the stamp room was in complete disarray (Hence the sporadic blog posts for such a long time) Fortunately Scrappy came to the rescue!

My one goal for this week was to complete a card for the Crafty Hos. After all, I am supposed to be a member of the DT. Now that Princess A is back in school,  and I have had some time, I was able to finally organize the stamp room with my new storage units (I ♥ The Container Store!). It is not quite done, but I can walk across the floor without injuring myself or breaking anything, and I can easily access all of my supplies! As Princess A mentioned the other day upon glancing in, "wow, this room is cleaner than it has been since we moved in!"

This weeks Crafty Ho Challenge is a Sketch Challenge:

Immediately, I thought of the farm as the main image. The rest followed from there. Princess A looked at the card for several moments and stated, "I don't get it".

I really need to find a "Thank Ewe" stamp.











Card Details:
Image: SU
Sentiment: Stamps by Judith
Cardstock: GP, SU
Ink: Memento, SU
Tools: Crop-a-Dile II Big Bite
Coloring: Prismacolor markers
Embellies: Unknown eyelets, SU dimensionals

Be the Dog

The other day I was outside with Roxy, throwing a tennis ball and eating a handful of M&M's. OK, more than a handful. After each return, Roxy would look at my fist hopefully, but received no candy. I told her, "M&M's aren't good for dogs. Frankly they aren't good for people either."

This got me thinking. I wonder, if dogs were the superior being (as we humans like to consider ourselves), would they destroy their bodies with the doggie equivalent of our junk-food and bad habits?

I tend to think they would do a better job of living.



(I got the title for this post from a friend's website. Be sure to tell Carolyn I sent you!)

A Little Night Music

My, my, my it has been a loooooong time since I have posted.

This week a good portion of the Hos are in North Carolina enjoying themselves at the HPC (Ho and Pimp Convention, I believe). Sadly I could not attend this year. Again. I cannot tell you how many times I have kicked myself for not going when it was in NJ. But I was new to the stable then and feeling rather inadequate. If only I knew then what I know now...

So anyway, as I was saying, since many of the Hos are away from their computers and more importantly their crafting desks, I figured it was high time I did my part for this DT and made a card.

Audrey came up with the sketch challenge this week,

and a challenge it was.

I just was not sure what to do with that split panel thing in the background. I knew right away what image I wanted, but nothing else. Once I decided on background, however, it all came together.

I will leave it to you to decide, is this little girl staying up way past her bedtime, or is she dreaming?

Card Details:
Image: SU
Sentiment: SU
Cardstock: GP, SU, unknown designer paper
Ink: Memento
Tools: Cuttlebug embossing folder, SU Punch
Coloring: Prismacolor markers
Embellies: Unknown brads, generic pop dots

Love my Elzys!

Today was my first foray back to stamping in a few weeks. What better way to come back than with a card for "My Favorite Stamp Evah" swap? I had trouble with this one only in that it was so hard to choose a stamp - I don't have one favorite. I sure do adore those Elzybells, though!

Given the chance, Princess A would spend all her time in the swing; alas there is school, and violin lessons, and homework, and practicing, and chores, and... well, you get the idea. But this little Elzy has no such constraints.

The sketch is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday (#47) with one of the elements removed, which seems to be my method lately.

Thanks for sticking with me through my 'radio silence'. I hope to be able to find more time to stamp (among other things) again.







Card Details:
Image: Elzybells Art Stamps
Sentiment: SU
Cardstock: GP, SU, DCWV
Ink: Memento
Tools: Nesties, SU punch
Coloring: Prismacolor markers
Embellies: paper piecing