The White Peony and Pink Catnip

I went to New York a few years ago for a trade show. Trade shows can be crazy, and you're with people all the time, most of whom are selling you something, so it can be a bit overwhelming. I was also the only girl, which has its own disadvantages.

On the last day in town I was determined to do something without the herd of Y chromosomes, so I snuck off to the Russian Tea room for lunch. It was great, because aside from two extremely rich and somewhat drunk older ladies, the place was completely empty.

I couldn't pass up tea in the tea room, so I ordered something I've never had before - white peony tea. When it came, it was in a glass teacup, like those crazy Russians do :) and it had dark cherries at the bottom of the cup.

It was incredible. I wish I had thought to ask them what brand it was.

I guess they're not the only ones with white peony tea though, because imagine my surprise when it showed up in our Tea Shoppe set in the mini catalog!

I made this card with that set for the Leadership art contest. I didn't win. :( But I had so much fun making it!

I actually sprayed the stamp itself with Blushing Bride Smooch and then stamped it before it dried. So in the second picture you can see how shimmery it is.

I used other fun mini catalog goodies like the Doily Sizzlit, the Blushing Bride pleated ribbon, the striped embossing folder.

What a fun set. I saw an UBER cute tea gift set with this set that we are going to make at my February stamp class if you want to come!

Now speaking of pink - one of the most hilarious things in this AWESOME book I'm reading (Recommended in Carrie Cudney's Why Women Buy class) is the statement that "pink is not a strategy" in marketing.

She says that male ad executives view pink as "female catnip" and think that if they turn a product pink, that that is a new gender based marketing strategy. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Oh I love this book.

There are actually two books, so here they are again - one didn't show up in the reader version of my feed, so here is the one I'm reading now:

And here is the other one Carrie referenced - Marketing to Women.

I can't wait to read that one.

Female catnip!!

SNORT!!

Hope you're having a great week! :)

Loveyameanitbye.

You Win Some, You Lose Some...

I've been in a lot of contests in my life.

I remember being the almost winner of a spelling bee in fourth grade. Palms sweating, I spelled the word that would mean I won or I lost.

I lost. I had a dearth of spelling mojo. So I spelled it dirth.

I left that contest with nothing. You COULD say I left with a knowledge of how to actually spell dearth, but let's be real. I don't care. I have a dearth of caring about the word dearth.

But what's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious about art contests is that you don't leave with nothing. You leave with a piece of art. And probably one that you like, since you entered it in a contest.

So when you lose an art contest, it never really feels like losing. At least to me.

Here's the piece I entered in the Austin Art Boards contest. This is a contest with Reagan Outdoor to create art that will be used for billboards around town that aren't under contract. Great idea for beautifying our spaces.

I just expanded my convention swap. << Click for supplies/technique. The size was 6 x 24 so they could scale it properly for a billboard. Interesting size for a cardmaker to work in. But with a little help from Inspired by Nature, it was a good canvas composition.

It doesn't feel like I lost. It feels like I have something pretty to put on the wall. :)

Independence!

Today, the humble (kidding - I meant chosen ones) citizens of the Great Republic of Texas celebrate our Independence! We whisper tales of Davy Crockett and reflect on the great sacrifices at the Alamo as we sip Prickly Pear margaritas, eat BBQ and generally brag about things, including the fact that New Mexico is only its own state as the result of some sort of clerical error that we are all still mad about.

Texas Independence Day is also always a little sad for me, as it is the day that the soulless combination of China and the American pet food industry killed my little Spotty cat. :( I miss her still, and that transgression is, and will be, as long as I breathe, unforgiven.

So for little Spotty cat, I bring to you a public service announcement today, because a pet food recall posted yesterday caught my eye. Here is where you can go to see all current pet food recalls.

No one cares about your animals as much as you do, and least of all most pet food companies. I did about six months worth of research after her death which I will summarize for you.

• Don't believe claims of organic, all-natural or human-grade food unless you verify it yourself. I found most of this to be marketing at best, and an extremely unladylike word at worst.
  
• Understand that all the vitamins that are used for both pets and humans in the US come from China.
• If a company's CEO will not speak to people with concerns about what goes into their food, they do not deserve your money and they certainly don't deserve a furry little life.

Through my research I found a great company that produces actual human grade, small batch cat food, and I have spoken personally with the CEO and owner, who is a vet and owns tons of her own animals, including horses. She described to me in detail all of the safety and testing measures they use, and the source and quality of all of their ingredients. So her food is what I've always fed my tiny balls of furry trouble, so I'm happy to share my find with you. The company is called Life's Abundance, and I recommend you watch the video on this page.

RIP little Spot.

Now on to furry balls of trouble.

One of the Virtual Stamp Night Challenges was to make a card representing a dream. Since my desk was home to Maddie during the entire event, who rudely slept and did not lift a paw to help me clean or Photoshop my images, I thought I would make a card about one of HER dreams.

I love it when they fall asleep and start frantically running or making little eating motions. I'd love to see what's going on in there. It cracks me up. So here's what I think they are dreaming...
I used my Sassy Maddie Stamp, of course, and a Picture Show rat/mouse stamp that I've had forever and just think is hilarious. Believe it or not, I used the heart from Sweetheart and a marker to stamp and punch the Be Mine out. I was too unorganized to find another stamp set that says Be Mine! Surely I have one though, right??

I think Splotchy dreams about yogurt and grape popsicles. Little nutter.

Now speaking of challenges, we have a pretty cool challenge happening on Splitcoast right now. All you have to do is stamp to win an insanely cool prize too.

Can you handle it? If so, click here, and good luck winning $500 worth of goodies!

Variations on a Theme of.. Man I Love These!

I just do. They take a long time, but they're so worth it! They are just variations on this card, and I'm making them for the South Austin Artists Coop next weekend - are you coming to see me?

I'll be there Saturday and at the Hadassah bazaar on Sunday - contact me for details on either or both if you will be in town!

In the meantime, enjoy these little ditties! And today is the last day to vote for my book in the Blurb contest - click the link in my sidebar at the top to vote, or if you're seeing this in a reader, click here.






Have a great Monday!!!

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It's a Passion!

There are degrees of obsession, I think.

Let's talk about something you and I understand. Stamps.

We're all obsessed right? We use words like "HAVE TO HAVE" and "NEED" (insert squealing and gasping).

You can be obsessed with cleanliness. Or checking the door forty times when you leave to make sure it's locked.

Those are fun and/or harmless. And there are some obsessions that aren't either.

But obsession and passion are very different.

For example, stamps are an obsession for me, but ART is a passion. The flame never dies, I always love it, it always brings me joy, and I miss it when I'm separated from it. But that being said, I take it everywhere with me. I don't see words sometimes in magazines - I see patterns. I see color combinations in the clothes people wear. I want to take apart things, like office supplies, or junk mail, and put them back together in a way that pleases me. I love being around arty people, talking about art, reading about art. I love the smell of art in a museum.

You know.

That's why you're here.

So tonight, with the help of my friend Angelique, I'd like to make a case for my passion for shoes. I can't explain what happens when a girl and a shoe meet - I just know it's a passion.

Angelique described it so beautifully here, that I cannot top it. All I can do is show you.

A month or so ago, on Miss B's blog, she had a photography challenge. Photograph your favorite pair of shoes. For whatever reason, the challenge spoke to me. Maybe because my favorite pair of shoes is from London. They were too expensive. I only wore them once. In Kansas. They are

in my closet, each lovingly placed inside its own bag, inside their lovely box. But I love them like they are living breathing things. And I am pretty sure they love me back.

Meet ... my shoes.

*sigh*

Who wouldn't be passionate about those? And yes, I clicked my heels together.

And I know it's a letdown after that, but here's my card.

Appropriately, it's from the new catalog set called "Things I Love".

You know what the beasts love? Organic Greek Yogurt. It's a passion. :)

Two notes to Stampin' Up! people. I will be Twittering during convention the up to the minute skinny - and is my custom, blogging. As is also my custom, I will be giving out prizes.

This will begin when I depart for the airport, so follow me on Twitter, join my fan page on Facebook and subscribe to the blog. There will be different prizes in different places, and guess what?

I accidentally ordered some of the stamp sets we are getting free at convention - so the prizes this year will include stamp sets!! INCLUDING THIS ONE! :)

And if you're coming to convention and would like to meet up with me and other readers at a little happy hour, please join the Google Group in my sidebar - that's where all official communication about the event will take place!

Finally - I have another Blogger Webinar on Thursday, with staggered times for newbies and people who already have a blog but want to spiff up. Register in my sidebar.

Happy Tuesday!!

Have you signed up for the UBlue Cyber Club? Attended one of my Webinars?? Come on - get your geek on! :)

Want to see my other blog?

Life BC

*****************************

Hey - before I start, there is going to be one more Blogger Webinar before I go to convention. If you haven't signed up already, please do so in my sidebar - try to sign up this week so I can get it on the schedule. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

*****************************

Remember way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and we were all in a time BC - Before Catalog - and I told you that I loved the new Asian stuff they had in there?

Well this message is brought to you by I WAS NOT LYING. I LOVE IT.

Especially this set, which is called Dream Gardens. It has this gorgeous teapot in it that I can't wait to use!!

So tonight I sat down to make a blue and white card with the teapot and the border, and then David Duchovny showed up, I saw a bright light, I lost 12 minutes on my watch, and I wound up here.

Alien abduction really changes up your color scheme and layout, FYI. Other than that I feel fine. :)

Well, my skin is glowing, but really, other than that I'm fine.

Hey - if you are in Austin, consider voting for me for Best Local Blog & Best Local Blogger in our Austin Chronicle poll! I'm in the Media section.

Here's the link.

Have a great Thursday!!

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Need a Little Classic Decor?

Well you are in luck!! Welcome to my little stop on the Doodle Factory Blog Hop celebration of Irene's latest amazing creation - Classic Decor! You have a chance to win all the stamps in this new set as well as the matching sentiments, so don't miss a word!

The next stop after my blog is the incredibly talented Andrea Cloutier - wait till you see what she has cooked up.

But first, come into the little sassy home I've created with these images.

First, you know I had to start with a beast. This chubby little kitty cried out for a wallpapered drawing room and a flowered chaise lounge, courtesy Basic Grey Marrakech paper.

I made her striped with the Colorless Copic Blender after coloring her all over with brown. Same with the highlight on the kibble dish.

Now, let's move into the dining room, where I've hung a chandelier. I made it LOOK like I paper pieced this intricate beauty, but I didn't - I just hung the "walls" with Stampin' Up! Razzleberry Lemonade DSP, stamped the chandelier on top, and then colored it with my white gel pen and added rhinestones for the crystal!
The floor is also Razzleberry Lemonade, and the ribbon is Soft Suede.

The greeting is from the matching Doodle Factory Classic Decor Sentiments - and you have to see all the cool typography in this set. As a designer, I'm a font nut, and these really stole my heart.

Now, are you thirsty? How rude to invite you into my Classic Decor home without offering you a drink! What will it be? Wine? Coffee? Tea? You're in luck - we have them all!
I stamped these in black on kraft cardstock, and then colored them with copics and my white gel pen. The colored cardstock and ribbon are SU! Bermuda Bay. The sentiment is from the matching set, which I know you're gonna win! Wait for it...

Now the formal living room is very understated. I love to hang out in this monochromatic room on the lounge with my flowers and a book. I think about you when I'm in there, and how you make me feel at home!! :)
Fun, yeah?

Ready to see some more? Ready to WIN these??? Well head on over to Andrea's, or if you came directly here, there's a full hop list below - be sure and start at the top so you don't miss any blog with a prize on it!!

And if you don't win - no problem. There's a special for the release - if you buy the full Classic Decor set and matching sentiments, you will get all your cling mount FREE! This special runs from today through the 10th.

So here's the list - enjoy your trip!

Starving Artistamps

Donna D

Juliana

Donna B

Kathy

Lori

Me

Andrea

Natasha

Irene

Dawn

Jenn

Nina

Laura

Kazan

Tracey

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You Don't Know What Color My Polar Bear Is...

You don't.

Well, you might. Mine might, possibly, be blue. But if yours is green that's fine. Or orange, or whatever!

What in the world kind of teacher would tell a child their polar bear was the wrong color??

Don't get me started.

If I wasn't so sleepy, I would tell you a story about how I lost my mojo tonight, temporarily, and how blue squirrels made me decide to make a card anyway.

But I'm sleepy. So I don't have time to tell you the whole thing.

However, my new stamps from the new catalog came today!! And, even though they're not blue, check out the squirrels..

The little bench with squirrels is from the new Pendant Park set, and the greeting is from the new Kind & Caring thoughts. Yeah - it's all great.

Somebody on Twitter asked today what one thing you had to have on your cards. I thought about it for a bit, and then I answered - "space".

After I said it, I thought - Hmmm, maybe it's more than my cards. I love space. I love quiet, peaceful space.

I can't go to the movies, because I don't have space. I understand that that isn't normal, but I don't care. I love the desert. I can't stand the mall. I love the sky in TX that comes down to my feet. I love the early morning when no one is awake but me and a select few. I don't like corn fields, but I love wheat, because I can see over it.

I need to be able to see.

What do you have to have?

I hope a giggle, because don't forget - it's MMLM.

Oh, and speaking of laughing, I'm really a ding dong. I entered my order wrong from the new catalog, so I ordered two of this adorable set!!

So the winner of THIS week's Make Me Laugh Monday wins this set - WOW - who knew???

Better make it good ladies!!!

And to be fair, and spread the mirth to all, all entries must be in comments on this post.

LOVEYAMEANITBYE.

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# i thank America

Soo... Woke up this morning and started out on a very long walk. I love I've been able to do it three days in a row instead of two. When I hit the street, it's dark. An early start caused by a yowly Maddie Bat. She needs to be hugged before the sun rises or she turns into a werecat. Very scary stuff.

I fire up Twitter on my phone to entertain myself for the 20 minute walk to Starbucks.

And I discover that a new topic has been introduced overnight. Posts tagged with the keyword #ithankAmerica. Some people, as befitting the normal 80/20 rule, were idiots, but some people

were really cool and made me smile.

Here are a few of my favorites that made me forget where I was.

From @browneyedpea:

#ithankamerica for beautiful artists with plant names who send tears into space & rescue bunnies.

#ithankamerica that @understandblue is willing to take on North Korea mano a mano

#ithankamerica for friends from coast to coast

From @mariamkobras

#ithankamerica for lox bagels, smoothies, NY cheesecake, iPods and iPhones

#ithankamerica for Starbucks

#ithankamerica for @paperbat, @holyxuxa, @understandblue, @patriciamonkey and @browneyed pea for being friends.

Me too, Mariam.

You guys leave me your #ithankAmerica in the comments today and I will send one of you the card below.

I kept it simple, since here, it's kinda the thought that counts on this one. I bought this set in both French and English, because they're both sweet. They're from the new catty.

#ithankAmerica for you coming here today :)

Oh PS - years ago I bought this dog pillow at World Market. See the little doggie head on the corner? The beasts love it as you can see here, with little Maddie Bat hugging it post-nap.

Does anyone know where I can get another so that each beast can have one?

And to my friend - well, you know who you are - that observed that quite possibly, this little panther is spoiled, I would just ask - is to love, to spoil? Mmm - I think maybe no. :)

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Today, Take a Walk

You have an assignment today.

I'm going to give you some music to listen to while you read what your homework is. If you don't see a music player, click over to the blog. You'll need it.

Today - Take a walk. Through your art. 

I subscribe to hundreds of blogs. Sometimes I have more than a thousand unread posts because I don't have time every day to look through them. But I love em all.

And as I spend more time with each one, I could guess the artist at 20 paces for most of the consistent bloggers. Whether you think you do or not, you have a style. You gravitate towards certain things and you repeat and refine them. And that's a good thing. 

I had a great conversation with a coworker this week about how differently people see you than you see yourself. If you get just the right friend, they may describe you to yourself. You may be surprised. If so, that's very cool. You just met someone new :).

So is the case with your art. Look at it like someone else would for a day or two. This is hard. Harder than it sounds. Get someone to help you. Make them describe your style. Then refine it. This is who you are when you create. Don't change it - intensify it. It's your true talent. 

I think if I took a walk through all my art I'd find little monsters popping out more often than not. Lots of animals. Few people. Quirkiness. Irreverence. Humor. I think I'm a little offbeat.  I like to make fairly clean, defined designs. I like vivid colors. 

But here's the good part. 

That's not what I like to look at. I love ooh-ing and aahing over the shabby chic girls. The vintage and collage artists. The mixed media people. All the things I can't make look good. I love them. I wish I had those skills. But I come home to what I do, and try to make it better.

Now I would never give you an assignment without a prize. 

So here's the deal. You study your art. You leave me a comment on this post by Sunday at 5PM central telling me your objective description of your style.

I will give one of you the Martha Stewart Encyclopedia of Crafts. :) I won one for the blog header contest, and I had already bought one, so one is for you. Be honest. Be descriptive. Be timely. :)

In my crazy imagined world that I turned to art, I would see people walking down the street with owls for balloons.So I made my world. :)

I used the new Animal Stories set, with Summer Sun, Dusty Durango, Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point Blue and Black to create this card for this month's Stampin' Success contest. The greeting is with the new Modern Label punch. Fun, yeah? I'd love to see someone sassing their hiney down the street with floaty owls on strings. I just would.

Hope you have a great Thursday. I can't wait to see what you tell me.

(PS - this version of this song is not the best one. The best one is available on Itunes. It's by Katie Reider. I'm sad to learn that Katie died last year on July 14th. She had the voice of an angel, and this song is a lifetime favorite. RIP Katie. XO, me.)

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The voting was close for me & Heather, so they are alternating the headers (watch and they'll change) and sending us both the Encyclopedia of Crafts!!

Stay tuned because I will have a giveaway for this!!

Look below for Make me Laugh Monday and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR VOTES! I HAVE THE BEST BLOGGIES AND TWEETIES IN THE WORLD!!!

XOXO


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WHHHEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM IN THE FINALS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE MARTHA STEWART CRAFTS BLOG HEADER!!!

I HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THIS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO JINX MYSELF, BUT I'M IN THE TOP 5!!

CHECK OUT MY DESIGN, WHICH FEATURES PROJECTS FROM THE CRAFTS BLOG WEBSITE ITSELF AND IF YOU LIKE IT CAST A VOTE!

I AM DESIGN #2

WHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!!

WWWWWHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!


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Little Black Cats

Are totally good luck, I promise. Especially if you get a glittery shamrock to go with them!!
Maddie is the first black kitty I've ever had - I always wanted one. I love the panthery super bad@$$ look they have.

I made today's ditty with my Maddie Stamp, which I stamped in Black on Certainly Celery cardstock. Now you know how when you stamp on colored cardstock it's all grainy? I saw that and I thought I would make little white stripes on her. But when I started coloring with my white gel pen, I got all crazy and made her a split personality instead!! Then I laughed to myself like a crazy person, which happens pretty much every day.

I added white paw prints from that great retired Stampin' Up! set with the little mouse. That's Splotchy's favorite stamp to carry around in his mouth BTW.

I added dots with my white gel pen and a Stampin' Up! rubon for the greeting.

And then I thought you guys should get a picture of the stamp model. Now how could you not want a stamp with this adorable creature on it? Get one today and help a homeless kitty!!

This is her very gently taking a teeny pom pom from me. She's got pom pom flu. I had to put the bag of them in the microwave yesterday because she was crawling around inside my bookcases trying to get them. I'm going to post a video this weekend of the Pom Pom buffet I let her have sometimes when she's especially charming.

Hope you guys have a fabby Wednesday. Oh yeah - don't forget to vote for me in the MindBites screencast contest. You can vote every week, so if you've already voted - vote again. You'll get to watch my lesson on Google Alerts for free till June 1! Click here!

LOVEYAMEANITBYE.

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I LOST my Shirt in a Webinar!

Good thing they're audio only, eh?

Not really. I just have three things to tell you. I want to post a card today, but tonight is the finale ofSo I have to walk, make a card, drink like 10 espressos so I can stay up for it - there's a lot to do!! But I have an idea for one I hope I can post after work.

But I wanted to have something exciting for you to look at, so check THIS out!!! I have Sassy Maddie Shirts!!!Shirts, aprons, bags, all sorts of fun stuff is in my shop.

She looks super cute on a shirt.

Don't forget to order her stamp to benefit Bernie Berlin's cat shelter either. Not only will the first 20 that send me their order get some hand stamped Maddie cards from me, but I may do a drawing of ALL the orders that are sent to me for a cute Maddie Shirt.

Finally - don't forget - my Google Reader Webinar is tomorrow at 6 PM Central time. If you haven't registered yet, please do so in my sidebar. You will get an email tomorrow with login instructions. This will last abou 45 minutes and teach you how to organize all the blogs you read, retrieve their content by keyword and REDUCE the time you spend surfing the net!


Don't forget to watch my Smack Talking Momma video (see sidebar) which is a free class on Mindbites until June 1 - and then vote for me in the contest if you like it! Feel free to make fun of my accent while you're at it! I had no idea I had one!

Losties - EEK! :) Can't wait to see what happens!!


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Warthog Babies Say Happy Mother's Day!!!

Just remember this Mother's Day that everybody is somebody's baby. Even warthogs. Cute, fuzzy, sweet little warthogs. So be nice. Because that little warthog's momma loves him. Even if you don't!
These cute hogs are from the Zooborns site, which I highly recommend adding to your reader so you can see baby animals daily, which is the secret to life, the universe and everything.

Happy Mother's Day to all you human moms, moms of cats & dogs and warthog moms!

I made a very simple card today for Mother's Day and liked it so much I did a second version in blue.

I used the Scene in a Garden set from Stampin' Up!, stamped in blackon kraft, and then just colored it with a white pencil. It's a two minute card. The rubon is from the Chit Chat set from the big catalog.

For the blue card, I stamped the greeting from Fifth Avenue Floral in black.

If you haven't had a chance yet - head over and see my instructional video on how to set up Google Alerts - it's free until the screencast contest ends. If you like it, please set up a login and cast a vote for me in the contest. (Click the link to go straight to my video)

For those of you who have never spoken with me, enjoy making fun of my accent, which is surprising and amusing some of my northern readers, who for some reason think I sound like a southerner! ;)

Have a great lazy Sunday!


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Just one Wake-Up till Caturday! A Furry Friday Videostravaganza!!

First of all, I must kick off your Friday in a MOST RIGHTEOUS WAY!!!

Check out this video!!! (Click the link if you don't see the video player)The ending is hysterical!!


And then, since it's furry Friday - watch this AMAZING video about white deer!! (click here if you don't see the video player) WOW. Harry Potter, anyone?




And finally - I have entered the Screencast contest at Mindbites!! I created a class on how to use Google Alerts to let you know when your blog has been linked, when someone mentions Stampin' Up!, or Bruce Willis or when Your Momma is talkin' SMACK!!!

Head over, and if you like it, vote for me in the people's choice awards!!! (Click Here if you don't see the player)

Is Your Momma Talking Smack? | How-to videos at MindBites

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I Heard a Creature in the Woods ... & a Tutorial

I did.

I've been walking a different route after work the last few weeks. Just changing it up, tricking the paparazzi - you know.

Anyway, I walk past a little wooded area on the beginning of the walk, and every day, in the same place, a little creature shoots off into the woods from right next to the sidewalk to deep under the trees, crashing around like a teacup horse.

I WANT TO SEE YOU, LITTLE CREATURE! WHAT ARE YOU??

I suspect that he is a large lizard, like the guard lizard that guards our driveway. Every day, for two years now, maybe more - a giant lizard sits in our driveway until I get home from my walk on the weekends. When I come up, he Nascars his big butt under a bush. He's like the Mr. T of lizards. He is very protective.

But someday, I will sneak up on this new creature and hopefully find a little friend. A lizard, a chipmunk, a teeny fairy like Tinkerbell. I'm sure it will be fun, like this little duck.
Isn't he adorable?????????????? This card was in my head all day, fighting with the bulls and the bears and the stock trades for attention. I refined him on my walk and here he is. His name is QUACK!!!!! :)

To get this background, you need Gesso, a reinker, a foam brush and about four seconds.

This is kraft cardstock. First I painted it all with two layers of white gesso. Then I poured a little gesso in a bowl and added just a drop of Pacific Point Blue reinker and mixed it. It was so pretty in the bowl I almost didn't want to use it.But I did. And I'd love to tell you I learned that in my classes at the Louvre or something, but I didn't. I wanted blue, so I tried it.

I painted it on the top half and waited and waited.

Then I stamped the tree from Branch Out and the little duck from Animal Crackers in black.

I used my white gel pen for the buds and the trunk, and I colored the duck and the grasses with my Pitt Pastel Pencils - any old pencil will do.

It's such a quiet, kind of lonely little scene I didn't want to add a greeting.

If I had a stamp that said it though... I would have stamped

QUACK!!!!!!!

Now, in honor of the Make Me Laugh Monday Winner - Leslie - Here is a little video for you! This is one confused kitteh!! (If you are in a reader or email, click over to watch the kitteh-o)



Hope you're having a fabby Wednesday - LOST and Idol tonight - whatever will I do??

Oh - and if you're looking for me on facebook - I'm in stealth mode - so email me directly and I'll add you as my buddy! :)



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MY LUCKY NUMBER IS THE WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!

Time to announce the winner of the Momster!!!

(For those of you who are new here, this is a necklace, featuring a motherly monster that I designed for charity - $16 of every sale goes to Unicef. See this post for deets)

This actually freaks me out just a bit, because the winner won by the "supposedly" RANDOM.ORG - which is supposed to give me a random #. But it gave me my lucky number!! 13! So does that mean my lucky number is really truly now proven to be a lucky number? Or does it mean that Random.org actually does some sort of StarTrek style brain scan while it's "thinking" of your random numbers?

Especially since the numbering in the comments was off from the beginning? I wish Blogger would auto number comments actually. Hey Google - can you do that please? Bloggers everywhere would love it.

Anyway - I picked the actual 13th comment since it got all crazy, and that is my beloved Elizabeth!!
I thought it was very interesting that several of you mentioned this same book with equal reverence. I had never heard of it so I need to read it.

I'm also curious if any of the rest of you ever read Higglety Pigglety Pop about the dog who swallowed the mop?I really loved this somewhat creepy and sad, beautifully illustrated book. It will squeeze your heart.

Elizabeth - email me with your address so I can have them ship the Momster!

And remember, if any of you want to buy the Momster - she's only available till May 10, and $16 of every sale goes to Unicef.


Have you signed up for the UBlue Cyber Club? Attended one of my Webinars?? Come on - get your geek on! :)

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We won!!

You and me!!! Thank you SOOO much for your votes - my little Momster is now in the hall of fame!!!

And looky - they're going to sell her on their site!! $16 of every sale goes to charity! Hopefully people will buy them for their Momsters for Momster's Day in May! They will only be on sale until May 8th!

To thank you all for your loving support of Monster Moms everywhere.. Guess what I'm gonna do?

I'm gonna give one away!!

They are signed on the back by me, and I have another Blend Pendant that I adore - it's fun jewelry.

This time, instead of making you do something, I think I'll do a Random.org drawing to pick the winner. Well, I am going to make you do something though. I'm a bit of a liar.

To be entered in the drawing, you need to leave a comment on this post and do two things.

1. Put the number of your comment - follow the person before - you know the drill.
2. Put the name of your favorite children's book in the comment. If you want to include a little description of the book and why you love it so much, you will warm the hearts of Blue readers all over the world!

I will leave this contest open until April 17th - that seems like a good number :)~

Thank you so much for giving my little momster some love!!

The people at Blend agree - you are the best blog readers in the world!

LOVEYAMEANITBYE.


Have you signed up for the UBlue Cyber Club? Attended one of my Webinars?? Come on - get your geek on! :)

Want to see my other blog?