Gophers

In Torrington, Alberta, there is the world-famous "Gopher Hole Museum".  I'm not kidding, it really IS world famous!  It was not world famous until PETA got wind of it and protested.   That made it world famous.  

Before I go any further, I have to warn you.  If you ARE a PETA member, or if you have any objection to seeing gophers in what some might consider compromising positions, please click your back key and visit me tomorrow. Now that I've warned you, we'll go forth.  Please keep in mind that there are a BAZILLION gophers in the world and their burrows trip horses who then break their legs and have to be put down as a result.  And if I sound like a redneck, it may be because I am.  

BEHOLD:

 

First, the little critters fight back.  Probably hunting hunters.

 

It must have been one fine meal.  Probably included bumbleberry pie, I'll bet.

 

On the way to a fire call, one of the fire-fighter tripped and fell.  His colleague  has a good sense of humour, but I don't see him making a move to help.

 

A parishioner finds the sermon a tad boring. I can relate.

 

Young love.  You can't see the Harley in the foreground.

  

Hanging out at the town pool hall.

 

The high school fashion show.  I'll bet there is a dance after.  Wanna chaperone?

 

A joyous occasion.

 

A Royal Canadian Mounted Gopher and his trusty dog, Fluffy.

 

Drama at the beauty parlour.

  

This one's for Jana.

  

Vancouver or bust.

If you're still with me, you must find these funny, as did I.  When I was in the museum, there were some young women looking at the vignettes and laughing so hard they were crying.  One of them said she has some, shall we say, incontinence issues.  She should have been in my shoes, I could have used a pair of Depends.

Friday Fill Ins #188

1. Life is _all we've got_.
2. _Just_ keep going.
3. My last text message (or IM) ended in these three words: _Call me_.

4. _Lobster_ is what I'm thinking about for dinner sometime soon.

5. On the 1st day of August _I spent a great deal of time wondering where summer was_.

6. _My daughter is_ lively and energetic.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _a sauna and swim at the hotel_, tomorrow my plans include _the farmers market early in the morning and then a class with my friend Lisa at Treasured Memories_ and Sunday, I want to _come back to town and go to A Taste of Calgary_.

 

 

I hope you go and visit more Friday Fill Ins!

Twinchies

I finished it!!Yes, I now have the alphabet in Twinchies on my wall!  and I can open the window in my studio without fear of teeny tiny pieces blowing away.  Yay!

A friend was over earlier today and she commented that she could never do something as "fiddly" as this.  She was saying how she couldn't believe I had made this.  I did not tell her about my Inchie fetish.  I thought it would be too traumatic.

It's not the greatest picture, cus the whole canvas is about 2 feet wide.  You cn click on it to make it bigger if you like.

That's about all I can say about this.  I have to go lay down now.

I'm exhausted.  lol

I'm linking up with

Things with Wings

My buddy Lori from I been thinkin' 'bout Inkin' is a member of the Simon Says Stamp Design Team.  How cool is that?  And thanks to her, I've discovered the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog with their funky new challenge(s).  I can't say "challenges" because this is their first one.  You know, that's how I've found everyone I admire and learn from in blogland.  One person I vist tells me about another tells me about another and so on.  Like that old shampoo commercial, if anyone remembers.  ANYHOO,  over at Simon Says Stamp and Show they have offered us the prompt of "Things with Wings".  This is my contribution.  A papier mache mannequin (for some obscure reason, my mom would always call the mannequin a "bust"), which I sponged all over while watching TV, with assorted run-of-the-mill shiny paints.  The wings are some AWESOME German scrap I found (and got so excited when I saw them, I hyper-ventilated).  I covered it with rub-ons, a heart, a chain from my jewelry fixin's and charms.  Oh.  Bling.  Gotta have bling.  I know, I know, that doesn't really tell you anything about the products I used, but it's all I got.  If you're really curious, come to my house.  Maybe you can figure it out.

There you have it.

BTW I know it's Wordless Wednesday, but I was feeling particularly wordy tonight.

Wordless Wednesday

See lots more Wordless Wednesdays

here

Young love.

I'm just posting this b'cause I love it.  And yes, I DID give birth to her. So there.

Dog Days of Summer

Over at The Order of the Opus Gluei the Poobahs of Luscious Glued-ness have asked us to create something based on our interpretation of the dog days of summer.  Now in case you noticed the 1998 date on this LO, let me tell you that my ex-husband (who has mellowed considerably over the years) kindly let me scan some of his photos of the "old days".   So that's what I've been working on.  This particular one was taken on a camping trip that I and my best friend, along with our two girls (BFF) took to the "Seashore" sans the EX.  But it's in my pile of "old" photos.  Since summer has decided to pass us by in the region where I live, I think this memory will have to suffice.  And a good memory it is.

It's Tuesday, so I'm partying with these kind folks:

Be forewarned, there are a GAZILLION crafters who join these parties!!

August Dress

Here is my August creation for Margaret's Dress Up 2010:

I found this really cool pink shiny paper the other day and it pushed my plan to make a wedding dress right out of my brain.  That will have to wait yet another month.  AGAIN. We may be having a winter wedding.  I cuttlebugged it (I love my cuttlebug), then added a little apron and trims to the puffy sleeves with glitter. Why an apron, you ask?  Because she is canning beans.  Why would she wear such a fancy dress to do that, you ask?  Because she is a housewife from the 50's and ALL the housewives from the 50's wore dresses to do EVERYTHING.  And earrings.  And pumps.  Just watch Mad Men.  You'll see.

Rick Rack on the neckline and hem and a shiny heart at the bosom.  (Isn't that a great word "bosom"?  So much nicer than "boobies".) Funky ugly ribbon I bought years ago and immediately regretted, along the EMPIRE waist.  Yes, Virginia, it is a real empire waist.  Stacy from What Not To Wear would be pleased.  A bead from my way-too-big bead stash and then a dragonfly from K&Co. to complete it.  I remember the maker of the dragonfly, I am SO proud of myself.  Those who know me will be impressed too.

We have four more months to go-here are the ones I've made so far.  I love this challenge. and I love Margaret for conceiving of it and hosting it all.  I hope you'll go see here and tell her I sent you.

TTFN

I'm OK

For those of you who were concerened about how I am after my stoopid accident yesterday, I'm just fine this morning. Stiff, but that's all.  It's a new day.  I'm driving out of town shortly in search of photographic opportunities, and the truck only has a damaged bumper, so really it hasn't affected my holidays in any discernable way. You can't keep this chick down! Thanks for your concern though, it's nice to have friends!

Candy Time!

Tina over at Tina's Crafty Place has put together some pretty sweet candy, to ge given away by random draw when she reaches 100 followers.  You might want to go over there...

Color Challenge #64

Gingersnap's Colour Challenge is yellow, orange and red.  I fell in love with this image and was fooling around with some vaseline and paint, then stamped a bit, then did the distress ink background deal and this is what I ended up with.  You can't tell from the scan, but she is gazing into a crystal ball (glossy accentes), wondering where life will take her next.  Kind of like me.  On my very first day of vacation, I was in an accident.  Hit from behind on a freeway where the speed is 100 but all of a sudden, there was traffic stopped.  Ow.  I'm fine, but the whole right side of my body aches.  What's up with that?  Ah, it makes no sense.  I'm off to bed.  If I can't get out of bed tomorrow, I'll have a whole diffferent attitude, I can tell you.

In the meantime, I hope you visit Gingersnap Creations and see the wonderful work that is over there.

Just Jingle is Two

Yes, that's right, Just Jingle is entering her terrible toddlerhood years, as a blogger.  I think you should go see what she's up to, not because she is having a cool giveaway, but because she will make you smile!  Seriously smile, I mean.  Not a little smile, not a medium smile, but a great  big honkin' smile.  So hurry.  You can enter her giveaway while you're there, but that's not the most important things to remember.  She's talented.  And funny.  And she can be your new BFF.  Just Jingle

Chestnut Theme challenge #65

The folks over at Gingersnap Creations have provided us inspiration with the Great painters/Paintings of the world. 

The ATC on the left is from two paintings of flowers by Renoir (we don't need a first name, do we?)

and the one on the right is of a little girl by Emile Munier.  It's worth noting that the only part of the Emile's painting that I used is the little girl.

Classics, doncha think?

If you go over to Gingersnap Creations, you'll see lots more work by the masters.

Both past and current.  ;-)

ATC's that have been sent and rec'd

Sunflower

Isadora Duncan

Birds

My favorite drink

I'm partying with:

Friday Fill Ins

1. Life is _tiring sometimes_.
2. _But we just_ keep going.
3. My last text message (or IM) ended in these three words: _ I can't text!_.
4. _East Indian food_ is what I'm thinking about for dinner sometime soon.
5. On the 1st day of August _I was amazed that summer is half over!_
6. _Right now I'm not feeling particularly_ lively and energetic.


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _going to hear a guest speaker_, tomorrow my plans include _NOTHING THAT IS EVEN REMOTELY CONNECTED WITH WORK (yay)_ and Sunday, I want to _take a road trip to the gopher museum._!
 
And that last one certainly DOES warrant an exclamation point.  I'll take pictures for you.

Rooster Party!

Barb over at Bella Vista is hosting her second annual Rooster Party today!  I had made a couple of ATC's for a "Rooster" swap (who knew?) and thought they might be something appropriate for her party:

AND

I do hope you'll visit Bella Vista if you at all like roosters.  And I know there must be a lot of you out there, cus there are a LOT of people participating.

C'mon, when was the last time you were invited to a rooster party?  I've been looking forward to it all month!

One More Sleep

and I'm on vacation. Hah!

U is for Unhappy

Today is What's on your Workdesk Wednesday?.  I've pulled out a project I started quite some time ago, in a silly moment.  It's the alphabet in Twinchies.  See, I said it was silly.

Here:

None of it is attached, it's just a mish mash of what seems like a gazillion little pieces.  When I originally started it, I had it all laid out, but then I accidentally nudged it trying to get something out from underneath, then the cat walked across it (and we all know how that works), then I forgot it was there and threw something on top of it (and I do mean THREW)...  Well, you get the picture.  So last night I re-arranged it all and threatened both the cat and my daughter with bodily harm if they so much as LOOKED at it.

What?  why don't I finish it?  BECAUSE

I'm also working on this.  Not sure what it's going to end up as, but I LOVE this ochre colour and I had an overwhelming need to paint something with it. (lucky the cat was in the other room)  So I simply moved from one side of my worktable to another and went for it.  It's lovely to have a large worktable.

Except, I can't open the window in case there is a big gust of wind.

August Calendar

Directly in front of my computer, well, no, wait, that's not true, I'm directly in front of my computer.  Let me start again.  Right behind my, nope.  Bear with me.  To the left, slightly, on the wall behind the desk on which my computer monitor sits, I have my calendar hanging.  This calendar is for me to look at as I ponder the deep meaning of my existence. Each month, I do a digital page just for me.  Something that makes me smile.  As I type this, and glance up lovingly at my calendar, I notice that I have yet to fill in the numbers of the dates.  Oh well, no mind.  At least I have my LO.  That's WAY more important than the dates.  It's still July, right?

Speaking of computers, my delete key stopped working the other day, so, brave soul that I am, I decided to pry off the key and see what was underneath.  Well, I popped it off with my paper piercer and WHOOPS!  Up it flew in the air and landed I know not where.  Took me about an hour to find the darn thing.  That is not, however, the reason I share this story with you.  No.  I want you to know that if you are ANYTHING like me, never, ever pry off the top of ANY of the keys on your keyboard.

(It's gross)

There was so much fluff and cracker crumbs and unidentified stickiness (probably juice or something like that) that I may never recover.  Nasty.

PLUS,

My delete key still doesn't work.

Having said that, Just for fun, I am sharing my (just-for-me) August calendar with:

Holiday Happenings

Over at Gingersnap Creations  they are running a deal where they give you a prompt for Christmas cards, with the plan that if we make 5-10 cards each month, beginning in July, we will have 25-50 cards when it's time to send them out.

It's a great theory.

Now I want you to know that there is no way on God's Green Earth that I will be making 5-10 cards each month.  But that's OK, cus I'm pretty sure I don't have 25-50 friends.  So it's all good.  If I make even ONE card each month, I should have it covered.

I can't remember which companies made the parts of this card (it was six month's ago, OK???)  But I CAN tell you that the scalloped paper on the right hand side was the packaging from something I bought.

And it's hard to see in the photo, but there is stickle snow on the moutaintops and the penguin's apron is covered with glossy accents.  His chubby tummy just begged for that.

This month's theme is "Outdoors".  I think this fits.

Well, maybe I'll do another card.  You'll be the first to know.

It could happen.

Look down and start creating

That's what they've said over at The Order of the Opus Gluei  this week.  Their Challenge #166 is entittled "the shirt off your back".  Now I have to tell you, before I begin, that it's been very hot up in my studio here, the last few days.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaning.  BUT, my daughter has taken off for the weekend and so, I am sitting around in my underwear.  Granny Panties, y'know?  I NEVER thought I would be wearing Granny Panties, but here I am, sittin' here all droopy-drawered.

What does this have to do with this ATC, you ask?

Nothing.

Except that when they said "Look down" I did, and when I realized I had no pants on, I knew IMMEDIATELY what I would like to show you.  And VOILA!  It kind of looks like she has no pants on, doesn't it?  It will be a while before SHE's wearing the dreaded Granny Panties, I can assure you.  But when that day comes, AND IT WILL COME, she'll be just like me, looking in the mirror (accidentally) and going, WTH?  Who's that old broad?  And what is she doing in my bedroom?

I can guarantee it.

Anyhoo, how did I make the ATC?  Geesh, I've been going on so long, I had to scroll back up to see what it looks like.  It's a digital background, and the pop-dotted hottie is downloaded from the Internet.  The sentiment is by Danielle Donaldson .  Another mystery-internet-download is the rose.  I stamped the swirl and foiled the edges.

That's all.  Easy-peasy.  Even for someone wearing Granny-Panties.

And then there were none

Beth over at Crazy4Art4u is having her first giveaway.  You have to tell her what "and then there were none" means to you.  I find this intriguing.  What does this mean to me?  Well, I would love to tell you that it speaks to me of fairies and hovering blimps and flowers and poetry.  NOT.  What it makes me think of is the song "99 bottles of beer on a wall".  How embarrassing.  Oh well, my philosophy is "the truth shall set you free."  And that's the truth.  that's what I think of.  Deep, huh?
Beth doesn't know yet what exactly she's going to give away, but that isn't really important to me, I just think her premise is fun.  Maybe you will too.
Go visit her, tell her you sent me.  Tell us what this means to you.  It will be more esoteric than what I've come up with, undoubtedly.  How could it not be?  lol
Can you hear me humming it?  99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer.....

Nothing to see here...

Move along, move along.  Nothing to see here.

My friend Wendy over at Bliss Angels was wondering out loud how people display their ATC's.  Good question.  I have some in a box,  actually, I have A LOT in a box, and then, I have some on the wall.

I've discovered (as you can see by this example) that you can fit two vertical ATC's perfectly inside a 4x6 mat opening.  I can only assume that it's the way it is supposed to be.

Then of course, there is the ubiquitous 7 Gypsies "Printer's Tray" with which that we're all familiar.  That's not my idea, I just followed directions.

 

Why did I ask you to move along, you wonder?  Cus I'm cheating today.  I would bet I've put all of these images on my blog in times past, and so I'm doing it for the second time.  I think in Bloggese, that's against the trules.  Having said that, I don't much care, really.  This is for my buddy Wendy.

and it's not like there are "Blog Police", after all.

Are there?