It's Good to be the Queen...

I saw the King's Speech.

If you have not seen this movie yet, RUN, don't walk, to your nearest theater and see it.

Those of you who are oohing and aahing over Colin Firth right now, please squelch - no one else can hear what I'm saying!! Try to focus!! Everytime I try to start talking about this movie, someone FAINTS over this man. I need you to hang on. Try thinking about bacon or something.

Anyway, I loved the movie nine ways to Sunday. Since I have an ancestral, hair-stands-up-on-the-back-of-my-neck-quick-reach-for-your-musket-and-get-your-revolution-on reaction to royalty, I adored the Australian irreverence for the crown most especially at the beginning of the story. I loved the humanity of the royal family, and I loved seeing a tiny pretend queen Elizabeth.

I thought one of the saddest moments in the movie was when the newly-kinged man's daughters curtsied and called him your Royal Highness - the look on his face (stop drooling) alone was Academy Award worthy.

I'm not sure I've ever seen human frailty done better, really, or seen a more vivid picture of the prison that the royal family lives in. It's different from just the fame prison because you can't escape your DNA. You're just stuck there learning to curtsy at age 2 and hoping some other brother or sister gets picked.

I'm fairly certain that I would have been kicked out quicker than old David was - because I'm nearly positive that curtsying thing would have been a deal breaker in my toddlerhood. I have no idea what they're feeding those kids over there, but it's definitely short on SASS.

And although the movie is such a beautiful ode to courage and friendship, I left with three words on my mind... God Bless America.

I prefer my royalty with a little more....

SASS

There's a creature that knows it's good to be the queen!

I was so excited that this movie, today's Free for All Friday challenge, and my new Antidepresstamps Royalty stamp set all converged today, to send all of you off into the weekend feeling Queenly.

I stamped the crown from this set in Poppy Parade on a circle I cut with my 3" circle die. Then I stamped it again in Versamark, clear embossed it, and then sponged Summer Sun ink all over it.

Then I added some Recollections silver bling that Beate got me hooked on.

The card base is Poppy Parade, and all the patterned paper is from the In Color Paper Patterns Pack. Bringing in the blingy floofy fun are pom pom trim and a trinket crown. The greeting is also from the Royalty set.

I'm hoping for a quiet, crafty weekend, with of course deferential service to Queen Maddie Bat. My sweet friend Jimmye Sue of Texana Designs is having a trunk show tomorrow at Scrapology - you should come! She's doing make & takes and showing off her latest designs from 12-5.

What are you doing? Whatever you're doing, I hope it's fun!

Loveyameanitbye

There's Just Something About a Fat Cow

That makes me giggle. Well, in this case, a fat little Longhorn. I'd like to think he's not a steer either. :) Wait - do longhorn girl cows have horns? I can't ever remember. Now I'm confused.

But let me back up.

My dear little Libby came up to see me for lunch one day - I am lucky enough to have a Central Market cafe in my building - and she brought her friend Jimmye, who owns Texana Designs - and I taught them brayer tricks during my lunch hour. Everyone needs a brayer trick, right? And the brayer goddess of the world, Michelle Zindorf, who taught her amazing workshop at my house last year, was kind enough to actually teach me which end to use and all that :) so I was somewhat useful, if not Michelle-ish.

So we brayered, and Libby wrestled tea out of a giant crock for us, and Jimmye, who is a little sparkly gem of a lady, gave me this adorable stamp WITH A FAT LITTLE LONGHORN ON IT! I think I said "awww" about forty squillion times.

I AM so thankful for Jimmye and Libby and I wish I got four hour lawyer lunches so I could stamp downstairs with them every day.

I stamped this fat little guy in India Ink on Stampin' Up! watercolor paper, and then used my Aqua Painter to paint him and his landscape with Dusty Durango, Really Rust, Summer Sun, Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Creamy Caramel.

I used a rubon and DSP from the Hostess Prints Pack to finish off my chubby bovine.

I hope you like him.

What are you doing today?

It's my mom's birthday today - Happy Birthday mom!

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?