Another Odd Fact for 2009

Yes, we know how much we love these and this will be a quick post for the end of the week Friday. It has been a good week and what better way to end it than with this little e-mail making the rounds on the web.

Yes, and I am also listening to another Odd book by Dean Koontz, I am really starting to like this series and am getting use to the actor who is reading the audio book. I am going to have to admit there is NO better voice than the one that read all of the Harry Potter books. I fell in love with that guy.

OK, here we go:

Your Age by Chocolate Math (the email had wonderful images of chocolate - just use your imagination.

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate (more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1759.... If you haven't, add 1758

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number -- The first digit of this was your original number (i.e. how many times you want to have chocolate each week). The next two numbers are your age (oh yes it is!!)

Odd fact: This is the only year (2009) it will ever work, so spread it around while it lasts. Here's to chocolate!

Go on - you deserve one! YES, I am going to eat it tonight.

My dear les amies hanging out in the Breeze

Today, I did remember Wordless Wednesday and Patty's Serenity Tea Parties (my name for them not hers) ... but guess what, today is Thursday. How quick I forget!

Oh well, today I took the afternoon off and played some vigorous tennis double matches from 12:00-1:30. Headed home, took a cooling shower, and then made me an iced coffee. My mom use to love her ice coffee in the hot summertime in Oklahoma City and it took me years to find out why. It was good -- almost as good as the one's from Dunkin Donuts and as many calories.

After that pick-me up I came upstairs to work on my final Rolodex card titled "Amie" = Girlfriends. I enjoyed working on this one today and guess what, it was not what it originally planned and so I changed horses in mid-stream. (must be my Oklahoma upbringing).

Originally I did the red background because I was going to do A = apple but the PaperWhimsy image I selected didn't work. So, regroup, pulled out a French dictionary to see what would work for an "A" - yes I was determined to use that alphabet letter and since I used French on one other Rolodex card (M = merci) figured I would do the second one. Found three new images and we were on our way.

Now all I have to do is the backside of the four cards which will use dictionary words with the definitions of each word. Will work on that a little later. The fronts are done!

One other pretty to show you my dears. I ordered this incredible package from Where Women Create. It is called object of desire. The link will take you right to it. It is so wonderful and even smells "old" like the music in my grandmother's piano bench. Oh what wonderful memories. Just scrumptious, scrumptious, scrumptious! Beautiful eye candy, girlfriends!

Merci is # 3 in my Rolodex Cards

Well, I meant to finish her last night BUT my trainer, James, had Mary and me out on the courts from 4:30pm-6:00pm. It was hot, muggy, and down right horrible. Muggy Muggy Muggy and so by the time I got home this body wouldn't move. I even had trouble falling asleep because my muscles just wanted to stretch. Yes, I admit it outright ... I did it to myself. Oh the insanity of aging!

Well, I finished the sweet girl using the letter "M" -- decided to go french and did "merci."

I think she came out fun although I have yet to figure out the look on her face. And, yes, I let the Glossy Accents dry before I touched the card!

Need to get some dinner. Enjoy your evening - I say to you as I yawn. Cancelled tennis after work because we thought it would rain - it didn't but is now.... hmmm, there is a lesson somewhere in this sentence but I don't know where!

Oh Oh in the Breeze

When you hear someone say, "oh,oh" -- what does that bring to mind. I know when I say it what it means. It is not necessarily good. Something went wrong usually at my own hands -- like a tennis ball flying off the court as I heard it hit the rim of the tennis racket.... Oh oh....

I finished the second Rolodex card for the trade yesterday. I was pleased with it. I was letting it "dry" upstairs. You see I use Tim Holtz distressables doo-dad typewriter keys and after I cut them out I put Ranger Glossy Accents on the top. Oh, Oh, you have to let them dry or they mess up. I came back upstairs thinking I would sit and blog about the little card. No, no....... I, somehow laid my glasses right on top of the card. Personally, I think it was the resident gremlin up here and that gremlin was upset because I was cleaning up some of the chaos.

OK, breathe in, breathe out, repunch the "e" and the "a" and glue them back on. Get the glossy accents. Check the souffle colors put on the tea cup stamp created by Michelle Ward and sold by Stampington. Add a little black ink line. Turn the card around, add another so you don't put your hand in the still-wet glossy accent. AND, OH OH - the glossy accent slipped off the letter as I was spinning the card this way and that and everything is a mess again. So now I have to really really really clean up the mess with some Memories Sweep Potato acrylic paint. It does match the background paper. Whewwwww.....

Yes, it is OK. Thank you, thank you, thank you...... a big sigh here.... As you can see, I also decided to add, once again, the Chatres Lace Lt Pch Prima flower for her collar. Overall I liked how this came out. Have not touched the back yet, I am now moving on to the next card....

You know, you always hear there are no mistakes, just some opportunity for creative inventiveness. Well, yes, there are mistakes in art and sometimes we have to accept the fact that nothing we can do will fix it. It is called "acceptance." I have one such mistake hanging on the wall to remind me, it is OK to accept and move on without stressing. Check out this one:

Oh yeah, baby, there are mistakes! LOL..... this is from a Christmas ornament make-and-take from Recollections before they closed. Guess you have to let the Stickles dry? MAN, like will I ever find the patience to let stuff dry! One day, yes, one day!

Roloing and other sundry stuff in the Breeze

OH Boy, I did get ONE front side Rolodex card done yesterday. I'm taking a hint from one of the artists in on the swap. I read where she is doing all of the fronts and will go back and do the backside later on. I like that. I sometimes get hung up on the backside! Go figure. When I laid out the "color" cards I want to use, I selected the blue one first and then went to my paperwhimsy stash of stuff. Came up with the "R" word = RSVP. Used a little party girl and a Carte Postale (digital sheet from PW) and finished it off with rhinestones and Stickles.

Her head dress is made out of this wonderful "Chatres Lace" Prima flower found at paperwhimsy. I cut the flower up and so love the lacy quality of it. They just look too cute in their little blue container! Yes, it is all about the marketing!

Oliver was over last night and we had a bad rainstorm. He did enjoy his roast, I thought it was a little tough (I bought the wrong cut) but he loved it. You can see him peering out the window watching the rain pour down. Poor little thing, panting away. Lucky there wasn't too much thunder or lightening.



Luckily we got outside prior to the storm so he could do his after dinner business! And yes the rains came down!




Well, today has been a good one and is flying by really fast. Played tennis this morning. It was 80 and so muggy I had water droplets on the eyelashes - not good when trying to serve. Got my laundry done, lunch at my favorite Glory Days Grill, and grocery shopping accomplished. I bought a variety of what I will call "serenity" stuff. I love reading Patty's Magpie's Nest blog, especially on Wednesdays. She does tea time and with such grace. She does wordless Wednesday with brings such serenity. She just has lots of cool stuff, oh yeah, did I tell you her art work blows me away?



Anyway, at the grocery store I found some interesting candles and tea. Right now I do have one of the little candles going and it is very beautiful and calming. It has been a busy day and usually my time upstairs here in the chaotic studio is calm. . . most of the time except when I am in a panic trying to get something done on a deadline. This week I am going to take some special time to light a little candle and drink a cup of tea. I remember and have such wonderful memories of the Twinings Tea Store in London.

I have been eating this fantastic yogurt that you cannot find everywhere (here in my neighborhood I find it at Giant Grocery store). It reminds me of what true yogurt should taste and look like. It is also very healthful for you. I did a comparison of it to LaYogurt Mango:



Chobani at 6 oz has 140 calories, no fat, 19 grams of sugar, 14 grams of protein, 80 mg of sodium, and 20 grams of carbs. Not bad. LaYogurt at 6 oz has 170 calories, 2 grams of fat, 33 grams of sugar, 7 grams of protein, 110 mg of sodium, and 33 grams of carbs. Try the Chobaini you will love it! OK, enough of the ads. I need to begin to create..... The salmon is soaking in good stuff and will make a lovely dinner.

Saturday and the honeysuckle are in bloom

Can't believe it is already just past noontime today. I got up early and did my tennis clinic. Oh my, it was hot and muggy out there today. We are not use to this -- nope, not the way our summer has been going. For once it felt like summer in the D.C. area! Got home and got the roast in the crock pot. You see baby pup Oliver is coming over at 4:45 today and I will be puppy sitting with the baby. So we are going to have a special dinner: roast, carrots, potatoes, steamed green beans, garlic bread -- and for dessert, (Oliver loves this these days) popcorn. Oliver's mummy and daddy are going out to dinner. I win... I get Oliver for the evening.

I need to start on my paperwhimsy Rolodex Cards. In fact I went out and bought a Sizzix Bigkick because they have a new Rolodex Bigz Clear Die. Please note they call it an address card. Oh yea!! That means I won't have to be trying to cut those little squares out at the bottom. Yes, I know there is a punch from Rolodex but GUESS WHAT.... it is not the same. No it is not. Don't let anyone tell you it is! A big SHOUT OUT goes to Korie who told me about this when we were over there on 4th of July. Thank you, sweetie....

I am also going to recommend you go over the Korie's blog, We Will Always Have Paris, to see her Friday Favorites. Korie - you nasty little enabler you -- I went over to Etsy Seller Piddix and bought some wonderful Alice in Wonderland digital images. Korie shows you her "pin-up" girls inchies. Too cool and prices are good and they are digital!

Well, I need to get to work. Just wanted to touch base. I need to work on the Rolodex cards and start organizing this chaos. I need to put up another "hanging" shelf - oh boy - not my favorite job in the world to do alone but we do what we have to do!

Honeysuckle Breeze Musings

Or not......

On the way to work today while sitting in traffic, I notice a horseshoe on a piece of equipment. White on white, have to look close, nudge up, dig for camera, and the other drivers must have thought I was nuts as we were stopped at the red light. Hmmmmmmm Yup, a horse shoe hanging the way it should so the luck doesn't run out.... and the "shark" didn't touch it.... we kept our distance. OK, must not have been paying attention to my new book I'm listening to in the "Odd" series, but I really was.

So, team tennis went OK last night. We (the gals) won our doubles match in a tie break. Yea. My mixed doubles partner and I haven't played for at least three weeks and we weren't necessarily in sync but it was bundles of fun. Nope, didn't win that one, not even close.

Since we had a little rain and my tennis friend couldn't play after work I decided that when I got home I wanted to work on another blank page in the Gratitude Journal. And so, I challenged myself to:

1) Use a rubber stamp I haven't used

2) Use the Starbucks paper from a coffee break today

3) Use some clip art which is scattered around

4) Use some rub-ons

5) Have fun, don't stress, and get it done in a couple of hours

The results:

And, it was fun. Yes, I even "wrote" on this page.... you know that is one of my goals as stated the other day. I also sewed. The stamp I used is called "Man of Distinction" from The Queen's Dresser Drawers. It has a coffee theme and thought it appropriate on the Starbucks bag.


I was pleased with the page.

OK, I am now changing the subject as I "sniffle" a little. Yesterday, I saw her again - the little lady bug. She was the cutest car I ever had. Yes, there are times I miss her and think I should have still hung on to her but that would have been silly. She was at the gym and her new owner had her top down, under a tree, and she looked happy. I still miss her every once in a while....

The shark is doing OK and the shark is a "big girl" car..... we will be together for a long time. By the way, did you figure out the license plate???? Check Wednesday post.... the word -- is --French for "Shark." Jimmy Buffet is alive and singing!

OK, back down to earth.....I probably need to start another page in the Journal. Will be back with you tomorrow. Sleep tight, pleasant dreams, and let little lady bugs dance in your life..... they are special.

Wordless Wednesday in Honeysuckle Breeze

The Breezy Journaling

OK, I have to admit this probably should not be called "journaling" although it is about the Gratitude Journal. I am still working on covering the blank pages and challenging myself at the same time.

I was at the Paper Source last week and they had the strangest (to me) publication on sale for half price. It is called "Gothic & Lolita Bible" straight out of Japan. WOW, interesting catalogue.... which I figured out on my own. Yes, I really did before I "googled" it.

Who knew that Gothic Lolita is a distinctive Japanese fashion style. Nope, I didn't. I have never seen it before but it drew me because I found some Asian paper (The Bee) elsewhere in the store that I have seen in layouts in several publications. I figured I would like to use that paper in a layout and utilize some clip art I bought last year.

That being said, I don't work much in the Asian realm. It just doesn't happen. Having said that, I have to admit that the first "Asian" art work I tried was at the "Painted Page" Michelle Ward workshop in Wisconsin last year. The reason: just because I felt like a "challenge" and did not want to work in my comfort zone. Here are the two pages I completed there:

From there to here..... it took several days to work on this.... thinking and mulling over what exactly I was doing. Experimenting with torn paper and layering, I have to admit I like the two pages. You can hardly see the background paper that launched this spread. I used a paint chip from Home Depot, feathers, an illustration from my new catalogue, some clip art, a white transparency frame left over from another project and a circle picked up somewhere along the way. But the color worked on both pages.

It was like I was wanting to show the present and past both at the same time. This is one reason I went to the clip art and used it in the right lower hand placement on the page. At first I thought I might like to imagine the mother and daughter both in the same career in different eras. But that story was only in my mind. And then the second page emerged:

OK, I know the next thing I need to start working on is making the "journaling" a little more visual (you notice there is no writing on either of these two pages). One blog I have been following is a jewel in this art work, Lindart's Art. I became acquainted with her through Michelle Ward's GPP Street Team Challenges. Take a look at her journal pages. She has been working on a "prompt" each day in July. On her July 1 post she mentions that she is in Kelly Kilmers Journaling group. I'm not familiar with this group but am going to do some research. I think I might like to try something like this and when you see Linda's art work you will understand what is drawing me to it. Enjoy.

40 Years Ago today in Honeysuckle Breeze

Nope, this was not what I was going to blog about today BUT it is a significant anniversary. 40 years ago today I was a mere 22 years old just out of college and a man walked on the moon, July 20, 1969. I remember it as if it were yesterday.

Sitting in front of the TV in Oklahoma City holding my breath waiting for the moment! At 4:17 p.m. EDT (3:17 CDT p.m.) they landed on the moon and six hours later at 10:17 p.m. - there was one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. And we all cheered.

Too bad we don't have Walter Cronkite here with us to review this historic moment. He was a fine fine man. I grew up watching him and, yes, like all others, trusting him. He was the one we listened to. He was the one we listened to when President Kennedy was shot. He was the one who calmed up that day to let us know it would be all right. We miss you. Rest well, you deserve it!

PaperWhimsey Challenge

I tried twice to load these photos on the paperwhimsy forum and it kept saying the file was too large. No it wasn't but I'm not in the mood to argue with a computer! LOL. Just finished the challenge on the Hilda Conkling Quotes. Her poem this time was called,

The White Cloud. It was a charming little poem:

There are many clouds

But not like the one I see,

For mine floats like a swan in featherness. . .

Let me tell you, I have been looking for my white feathers for three days. THREE days. Last I used them was on Marie - the one that got published in The Gallery. Yes, I did have some left over. OK, so I worked on this for two hours and it did not pop. Did not pop. So, I went over to the forum to see if anyone else had posted their poem yet. And there was Miss Chrisy and her white feathers. Darn nit..... I had to go back and look for the white feathers.....

I found them and I owe the inspiration to Christine. You did get me out of my chair and back into the closet to go through clear containers. And this time I found them....For some reason, when I look at clouds I think of angels. Don't know why. That is why I used an image from Stampington and printed it out on transparency. I have used this angel in the "Marie" art work I created. I still have a "booklet" out there at Somerset that has not been returned and if they decide to publish it, I so hope they use the "angel" page. Well, dinner is cooking and I need to check the oven. Have a pleasant eve.....

Creating in the Gratitude Journal

This week while you have been walking with Gladys on her life-journey, I have been filling up some blank pages in my gratitude journal. I have filled some up with clippings from old magazines featuring art work I like. And then I thought, get off your lazy butt and create some new pages. Pages that you might not be comfortable creating. Reach out beyond your comfort zone. For those who followed my 30 days of writing something in this journal, you have seen some pages..... OK, I'll try.

OK.

I'll try.

Earlier I placed an order with Stampington and Company and got The Unruly Girls Club (Angela Cartwright) FINALLY.... I love these gals and have seen great art work using these but I thought I would not use them that much. And then last winter I got "Piper" the necklace -- is she not adorable....

So with stamps in hand - I did have a page that I had glued down a graphic from a coffee bag and was waiting to be inspired on what else to do. I pulled out Claudine Hellmuth Studio paints (they are luscious) and painted the sides of each of the pages trying to pick up the colors in a ribbon I wanted to use. I then started stamping, adding images, 7 Gypsies Gaffer Tape, ribbon, chipboard swirl, left over "greenery" from the murder arch book, and here it is:

But -- It still didn't feel finished.... so out came the orange sharpie pen.... (sometimes I scare myself....)

Have sharpie will scribble.... The only thing bad about a sharpie and this journal is..... give up? Yup, it bleeds through the page and so.... I had to work on the next page. On this one I pulled out one of the Tim Holtz masks to experiment with. Now, at the crop last May, my table mate, Louise, told me I had to "prepare" the mask which she had learned the hard way. I only learn the hard way, Louise, and I forgot until I tried it. and then had to take another sheet of decorative paper and try it and smack down on the original mess:

I also used a new stamp I had bought at the convention a month ago -- Clear Art Stamps, "Believe." Took a couple of times before I got a good image. New stamps, you know! I ended up picking up (yes from the floor) some pieces of discarded "old" book pages and sewed the image (old paper is hard to glue) and stamped "believe."

Here is the finished spread which I like:

See ya tomorrow! - I need to go and create more havoc in a closet because I need some space to store some stuff. If I am lucky will finish tonight and show you tomorrow.