Multicoloured Imagery--The Artful Musings of a Woman in The Prime of Life...

Sale-A-Bration Starts Today!

2012-01-24T18:53:00.002-06:00

Stampin' Up! has a super-duper sale each year called Sale-A-Bration--an opportunity to be rewarded with free products. Earn a free item for each $50 in purchases (including from our Occasions Mini and the Clearance Rack). This sale only runs until March 31, 2012 so check it out soon for your Spring crafting needs!

And if you have been waiting to order the 2010-2012 In Color items, don't wait much longer...our catalog year is changing. The current Idea Book & Catalog will be ending a month earlier than originally scheduled as we are lengthening the time frame for our Mini Catalogs later this year (and making them bigger as well!)

These are exciting changes, but it does mean early retirement for Blushing Bride, Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, and Poppy Parade :-0

On the other hand, the 2012-2014 In Colors will be available in June (and I can hardly wait to find out what they are)!

The Occasions Mini ends April 30, followed by the current Idea Book & Catalog on May 30 (rather than June 30). The new Annual catalog will begin June 1, and will be valid thru May 31, 2013. Our Holiday Mini will be released August 1, 2012 and run until January 2013 (concurrent with the Annual catalog). Confused? Please don't be--I'll post more details as they are available. For now, enjoy earning free product with purchase during Sale-A-Bration!

One O'clock Jump by Lise McClendon - finished 1/17/2012. EB, HM. 3 stars

2012-01-20T22:41:00.000-06:00

I really wanted tolike this book. I love the time frame(WWII), I love Kansas City, I love historical mystery, I love swing music, Ilove (most) cozy mysteries...but this book just cannot rate over 3 stars withme.

So, the question is--what did I not like? Why only 3 stars (and that's generous)? Maybe too many secondary characters thatreally contribute nothing to the plot but take up space. Now, this is the first of a series, so whoknows--could they take a bigger role in later books? Perhaps, but why not introduce them at thattime instead of having them walk in and out of scenes for no apparent reason?

I understand redherrings, and I think I "get" the reason to have characters interactenough to get a sense of the good guys versus the bad guys, but some scenesseemed unnecessary for the book--I don't want to post spoilers, but some ofDorie's "dates" felt like filler to me--like when we would write alot of description (in big, loopy handwriting) in school to pad our word countor page count.

Don't get mewrong--this is not a bad book. The main characters are somewhat interesting, although they each seem to suffer from a neurosis of one kind or another. It seems all have something troubling in their past or something they wish to hide. I was caught up enough in the mystery that Iwanted to finish it to see "whodunit". I may read the second Dorie Lennox, Sweet and Lowdown, to see if the series improves, but I don'thave the overwhelming desire to jump straight from one to the other like I dowith other series. And I'm quite glad itwas a Kindle read because I certainly would not want it on my keepershelf.

I did actually learn a lot from reading this book. I learned my novel-in-progress has too many extraneous characters who take up space but don't help advance the plot...and that inserting either factual history or back story needs to be done very carefully to prevent the "big, loopy handwriting" syndrome.

Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big?

2012-01-19T23:19:00.002-06:00

Okay...I've been an abject failure at the 100 Books Reading Challenge for two years in a row. But I have read chunksters both years--actually, many of my favorite authors write books big enough to hurt you if you drop them on a bare toe (the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, anyone?)

So, in an effort to "FOCUS" my reading this year, I'm not signing up for multiple challenges. Here's my only reading challenge for 2012: The Chunkster Reading Challenge. I'm going for the "Do These Books Make My Butt Look Big?" level, because I have several huge non-fiction tomes to read this year regarding the Civil War (as well as Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, The Scottish Prisoner by the aforementioned Ms. Gabaldon, and Rebels and Traitors by Lindsey Davis, and several volumes of the Wheel of Time series started by the late Robert Jordan and being completed by Brandon Sanderson).

I'll keep everyone posted on my progress and my 2012 Reading page will always denote which books count for this challenge. If you love to read "big" books, come on over and join us! One note: E-reads and audiobooks are not allowed unless a disability requires the use of adaptive devices (the rules are posted over at Chunkster, along with a great list of "big" books).

Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big? - this option is for the reader who can't resist bigger and bigger books and wants to commit to SIX Chunksters from the following categories: 2 books which are between 450 - 550 pages in length; 2 books which are 551 - 750 pages in length; 2 books which are GREATER than 750 pages in length (for ideas, please refer to the book suggestions page for some books which fit into these categories).

Dr. Martin Luther King--What Would He Think of Politics Today?

2012-01-16T18:31:00.000-06:00

(Warning--I'm getting political here, so if you want to skip this post, feel free.)

I love history, so I watch politics closely. I'm a native Texan in my fifties, so I remember the Civil Rights movement, although I was too young to join in and my parents, staunch supporters of Governor George Wallace, would have murdered me if they had known I did not agree with their white supremacy (it was bad enough when I insisted George McGovern would be a better President than the aforementioned Governor Wallace).

As a student of the Civil War (1862 is the time frame for my novel-in-progress), watching South Carolina and other states try to revise voter rights and listening to Governor Rick Perry and others advocate states' rights makes me sometimes wonder if I have not traveled back in time to either the 1950s or worse yet, the 1850s.

Maya Angelou, the noted poet, playwright, and civil rights activist, once said, "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."

Karl Marx, the German philosopher, was once quoted regarding history: "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce."

George Bernard Shaw, winner of the 1925 Nobel Prize in Literature, had this sage comment on history: "If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience."

Something tells me we are walking a tightrope between "doing what is right and doing what is easy" (that's Albus Dumbledore talking to Harry Potter after Voldemort's return).

There's no problem in my mind with states' rights, as long as the state does not marginalize its citizens on the basis of race, age, sexual orientation or religion (I am talking legal citizens here, whether born in the USA or naturalized--I'll save my thoughts on immigration for a future post). HOWEVER--If the premise for removing government from the federal level and returning it to the states is a ploy to revoke our individual rights as human beings, I fear a regression in our country back to the days of "separate but 'equal'"(?), "Irish (or whoever) need not apply", back-alley abortions, health care only for the rich--okay, I need to stop now--if you have read this far, you see my point (even if you don't agree).

So, on the legal holiday celebrating the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I suggest we all take a long hard look at where we as a nation have come from and which direction we wish to move towards. For me, personally, I choose to move forward, not backwards.

(Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. speaking at the Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C., in 1963.Credit: National Archives and Records Administration)

Honored By One of My Mentors

2012-01-15T21:38:00.000-06:00

Liebster, in German,means "darling" or "beloved" but I gather that in the blogging world, it is an award given from one small blogger to another in an effort to spread friendship, knowledge, and readership. I couldn't find the exact start of the tradition, but receiving this award is an honor. It evidently is designed to be passed to bloggers with less than 200 followers and since I currently have less than 20, I feel even more Blessed to have been chosen.

My crafting mentor over at GottHeartArt for some unknown reason decided today to honor my blog. Beverly, I appreciate the thought very much. Watching you develop your blog and enter challenges and become a member of various design teams has been a true inspiration to me.

By accepting this award, I am to link back to Beverly's blog and thank her for choosing me. Now, I need to choose five other bloggers I follow who each have under 200 followers and provide them with their own Liebster. I follow about fifty blogs on different subjects (although I tend to lurk on virtually all of them), and some bloggers I follow choose not to accept or pass on these types of awards. I've tried to choose bloggers who have not published that restriction on their blog, but if any of my awardees choose not to pass this on, please know I have chosen you for your inspiration and there are no strings attached.

Sue at random.on purpose. Inspiring crafting and more inspiring thought process. She posts on many different topics and is truly a Renaissance soul.
C. W. Gortner at Historical Boys: Historical Fiction for Men and Women. This is a great blog for readers of historical fiction--lots of guest posts from authors of the genre.
Kim at Jenkins Journal. This is a super Stampin' Up! blog, and Kim barely makes it under the 200 followers wire (she's at 198 right now, LOL).
Neet, Von and Zoe at Just for Fun. A UK-based artsy challenge blog with tons of inspiration (all three ladies also have individual blogs that are cool to read too).
Suzanne at The British are Coming, Y'all! Not only does Suzanne write fantastic historical mysteries set during the American Revolution, but she also hosts other writers who discuss relevant history.

These five blogs are only some of my favorites and are listed in no particular order. I'd love to honor more bloggers--writers, crafters, historians, cooks, readers--check out the blogs listed on my sidebars if you want to see the many paths my mind travels (that is, if you enjoy eclectic LOL)

The Making of A Royal Romance by Katie Nicholl - finished 1/10/2012. PB, NF. 4 stars

2012-01-12T14:21:00.001-06:00

This is the updated edition of William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls, revised to include the courtship of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, but still released before the wedding plans were even finalized. It was a quick read; the author has followed the two Princes for many years and presented a pretty straightforward biography of both young men.

I'm an unabashed Royal watcher and was in the mood for something akin to comfort food. For me, biographies often fit that bill better than mysteries because with a mystery, I'm having to think to follow the plot, whereas with a biography, I can simply sit back and learn. This volume fit that need fabulously.

Silver Lies by Ann Parker - finished 1/7/2012. EB, HM. 4.5 stars

2012-01-12T14:01:00.001-06:00

#1 in series--SilverRush Mysteries

It's 1879 andColorado, especially Leadville, is booming with miners and the necessarycommerce surrounding a silver rush. InezStannert and her partner Abe Jackson are still running the Silver Queen saloondespite her husband having deserted both his marriage and the business.

As the town'sbusinessmen try to civilize the region enough to bring in the railroad (andalso consolidate their own power), the seedier side of human nature flourisheswhere it is least expected.Ann Parker writesvery well developed characters. Theirpasts are parceled out only as necessary and the female characters (especiallyInez) may be strong-willed and independent, but don't come across as 21stcentury women in petticoats. I lookforward to revisiting Leadville's residents because their actions are indeedtrue to the time frame.

Likewise, theportrayal of Leadville and the silver rush was well researched and Ms. Parkermanages to educate without taking the reader out of the story. I appreciate the sources she lists at the endso that I can read more about Leadville.

New Orleans Ghosts by Victor C. Klein - finished 1/6/2012. PB, NF. 4 stars

2012-01-12T13:51:00.002-06:00

A slim volume but lots of info on the ghostly happenings in the New Orleans area; good bibliography and written with enough skepticism on the paranormal to present a balanced viewpoint. Got this thru Paperback Swap and I believe there are updated editions available if you search. I'm using it for background color for my novel (and will credit it accordingly).

2012 Reading Page--Revisiting The Idea

2012-01-12T13:11:00.000-06:00

Talk about getting ungainly and out-of-control quite quickly--I've only read three books this year and the posting of those reviews onto a separate blog page has already become unwieldy and unattractive.

Somehow, I was hoping that each separate "page" on this blog could have individual posts just like the home page. After studying the (sometimes honestly confusing) Blogger Help pages, it seems that each blog page is designed for static information. Therefore, adding book reviews as each book is read rather defeats the purpose because if I don't want to scroll downward constantly, how could I expect my visitors/followers to do something I'm unwilling to do? LOL

So let's revisit the idea. Using my word of the year--FOCUS--I will re-focus that page into a simple listing of the books I read this year. Before it gets any crazier on that page, I will move the actual reviews onto my home page as separate posts (which will also allow for each to get labelled appropriately--another way to FOCUS information). I can also add cover photos at times with direct links (and no, this blog is still not monetized--whenever possible, the links will go directly to the author's website and you can choose purchase options from there).

I hope this makes more sense for you dear readers, because it certainly will be easier and more sensible for me. As always, feedback is welcome.

New Year and New Reading Goals

2012-01-08T14:58:00.001-06:00

Since my reading the past few years has not met the massive challenges I have joined for 100+ books, I've decided to not publicly humiliate myself by setting my 2012 reading goals that high again.

I read a lot--especially while researching the Civil War for my novel-in-progress. I also read a lot on the art/craft of writing. Much of this reading is piecemeal--magazine articles or certain chapters from various texts. As an example--I currently have seven partially read Civil War books and five writing guides all in various levels of completion and I work back/forth and between them as I need the particular chunk of information. So, these are not yet added to my "Books I've Read" pile on Paperback Swap because they aren't yet finished...yeah, I know, I'm an obsessive-compulsive nerdy geek LOL (and let's not talk about the software manuals I am currently wading thru since upgrading to Office 2010 and Windows 7).

So, I'm doing something new with my TBR mountain and reading list/book reviews this year. Let's see how this works (and I'd love feedback either now or later on as the year progresses). I'm adding a new page to my blog for my 2012 Reading. As I start a book, I'll add it to the list. As I finish it, I'll add a review (or at least a star rating). If I post a review on Goodreads, Paperback Swap, Amazon, or anywhere else--and if that review is not a copy/paste of what I post here--then I'll add a link to the review.

Although I think the definitions I use are pretty standard among readers/writers, here's a quick glossary of my (personal favorite) acronyms:

DNF - Did Not Finish: this seldom happens for me and I always give a book 100+ pages before giving up on it, but if I rate something DNF, I'd rather have surgery without anesthetic than finish this book--YMMV so I will always give specific reasons why I could not read to the end
YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary: most people's opinions and tastes are quite different from mine, so please remember that I am only expressing my opinion and I'd love civilized discourse if you have a different experience with an author/title/genre
CTT - Crime Thru Time: not only is this a great website devoted to historical mystery as a genre, but there is a very active Yahoo Group associated with the site. Members are both readers and writers and my membership there is one reason I have a TBR mountain rather than a TBR pile LOL. If you love historical mystery, come join us!
TBR - To Be Read: these are books I currently own, either as an e-book (and I'm trying hard to purchase more of these, especially for pleasure reading) or as a physical tome. My master lists of these are on Paperback Swap and my Kindle account and I try to keep the lists current to keep from buying duplicates unawares (some books I have in both formats for a reason, and some I also have on Audible so I can listen while doing other things).
HM - Historical Mystery; HF - Historical Fiction: I read a lot of both, but since some readers enjoy one but not the other, I will always try to note which genre a title fits into best (IMHO)
IMHO - In My Humble Opinion: an alternate for YMMV

Since this post has become a novella in itself, I'll post my system for assigning stars soon. And once I learn how, I'll try to link this post to my 2012 Reading page as a reference (guess I'm pulling out the "Google Blogger for Dummies" guide again LOL).

The Occasions Mini Catalog is Now Available!

2012-01-04T21:40:00.001-06:00

Find the Mini as a PDF here

I placed a preview order on Sunday and am anxiously awaiting a few of the goodies from the Occasions Mini catalog, especially the You're My Type stamp set and the Labels Collection Framelits Dies. I have some new notebooks just waiting for that typewriter to be stamped on the front LOL. The Framelits will really have me giving my Big Shot a workout, and you can look forward to seeing many of these products in the next few months (if I intend to send Valentines to my office mates, I need to get started on the design...I'm considering using the Candy Conversations stamp as a starter; what do you think?)

And although the Clearance Blitz is over, there are still some great deals to be had on the Clearance Rack including a lot of the retired whale-style punches (while supplies last). My online Stampin' Up! store is available here for shopping 24/7.

Readers and Book Lovers Unite!

2012-01-04T20:50:00.002-06:00

Just saw this on my January Goodreads newsletter: World Book Night 2012

On April 23, 2012, readers in the US can hand out free books to encourage others to read! Thanks to the generosity of publishers, authors, bookstores, libraries and others, thirty different titles of various genres and reading levels will be provided to volunteers free of charge to distribute.

I know my metropolitan area has homeless shelters, orphanages, nursing homes, bus and train stations, and many other places where people may get lots of attention during holidays but not so much at any other time of year. Stopping by after work for a few minutes on a Monday night to hand out a few books to people who might need the escapism that reading offers seems like a slam dunk way to pay it forward for those of us who love the written word.

Some of the titles are:

young adult fiction (The Hunger Games--soon to be a major motion picture)
non-fiction (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks)
memoir (Just Kids--winner of the 2011 National Book Award)
mystery (Q is for Quarry)
science fiction (Ender's Game--won both the Hugo and Nebula)

I'm grateful I was encouraged to read--it has enriched my life for over fifty years. Who taught you your love of books? I challenge you to join in World Book Night 2012 to honor that person or persons in your life who helped you become the reader you are...

2012 Word of the Year = FOCUS

2012-01-01T18:10:00.002-06:00

Main Entry: focus
Function: intransitive verb
: to concentrate attention or effort -- "she was already focusing on her next role"

"focus." Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged.

Merriam-Webster, 2002.

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com (1 Jan. 2012)

The last 56 years have taught me that I am not a person who needs to make a lot of New Year's resolutions (see yesterday's post to understand some of the reasons why). I do need to set yearly goals or guidelines so that I'm not floundering around willy-nilly for the next 365 days. When I recently read somewhere of the idea that a single word could help me concentrate my efforts, I decided my word for 2012 would be "FOCUS".

In 2012, I want to focus on:

My Blessings more and my disappointments less
Creating items, not collecting supplies--even though the new Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini that starts January 4th is the best Mini ever, and 2012 Sale-A-Bration begins on January 24th, LOL
Shrinking my TBR mountain, not increasing it--and as I complete a book, I want to post reviews in appropriate places
Writing more and researching less--the first TGAN draft needs to be completed by July
Blogging more consistently--this blog will continue its multiple purposes (crafting, writing, and my life in general)
Networking more with other writers
Eating healthy foods in smaller portions
Increasing my retirement savings as I decrease my debt

And now a caveat for my readers: 2012 is an election year in the United States, and my friends know I'm a political junkie. So far, I have kept politics off this blog primarily because I feel the election cycle has become way too drawn out. Although I will try to maintain a balance here, part of learning the art of focus means also that I must be even more true to my inner self than I have been in the past. Hopefully, any discussion occurring here as a result of a post will be respectful and calm. I do reserve the right to edit or delete comments containing any form of hate speech or excessive expletives. I don't expect all my readers to agree--I do expect them to be respectful of others' opinions.

I may or may not post specific goals as the year progresses, but I will keep track of my need to focus on the subjects listed above. Do you have a focus for 2012?

Letting Go and Starting Over

2011-12-31T17:03:00.000-06:00

"Letting go is an act of strength and courage.

It helps healing begin, frees you of the weight of the past,

and opens doors to a new future."

~~Stephanie Tourles, Lift Me Up

My mother's voice is screaming in my subconscious, trying to strangle me into the belief that I failed miserably in 2011. I did not complete my reading challenges. I did not get 50K written during either Camp NaNoWriMo session, nor during November--in fact, I don't believe I got 50K written on my novel this year. I did not make, much less post, a lot of cards--even my best friends did not receive handmade birthday greetings (some were lucky to get a quick e-mail acknowledging their big day). I did not lose weight. I did not pay off all my debt.

Mother, I loved you, but your unrealistic expectations for me while you lived damn near drove me into insanity and helped encourage some really bad behaviors for years, so please allow me to kindly (but firmly) tell you to be quiet. I'm grown and I make my own decisions (and accept the consequences of those decisions).

I hereby let go of the unfinished idealized list of accomplishments I had set for myself for 2011. No more weighing myself down with regret or negative self-talk. No more wallowing in what did not happen the way I wanted it to.

I did accomplish many things in 2011:

Attended on-site training at my job (which helped me stay actively employed all year)
Paid off one of five student loans
Kept my Stampin' Up! demonstrator status active (and increased my customer base)
Learned multiple new software programs
Set up a complete wireless network in my apartment to maximize the connectivity of my work equipment to the company network (allowing me to continue to work remotely)
Decreased my carbon footprint by decreasing my electrical usage in my home (even with record Texas summer heat)
Replaced my microwave after accidentally almost starting a fire in it one night while I was busily writing
Upgraded my laptop after managing to fry the hard drive in the old one

I also read for pleasure--primarily on my Kindle or my Kindle for Android app. Between Paperback Swap and donations to my local public library, I succeeded in moving over 300 books out of my apartment. On the other hand, I brought in about 150 physical volumes because I still cannot seem to do historical research without actually highlighting passages and making margin notes LOL.

Speaking of historical research, I did a lot of it--and read quite a bit about the craft of writing and publishing (and about marketing yourself). I didn't reach my goal of 100 complete books in this year, but I did manage to read portions of over 100--see, research to me doesn't always mean reading from beginning to end; some of the Civil War material I have accumulated may never be read cover-to-cover, but it is being read as necessary to help with accuracy for a specific scene. The same with various texts on using software programs--most of these texts are getting used weekly and marked accordingly, yet only as the information is required.

Was I a success in 2011? Why, yes--I may not be rich monetarily, or have a managerial position at my job. I don't own a home or a car. But none of these things define success for me. I have friends. I have a comfortable apartment and a lease until 2014. I have a wonderful job with nice benefits. I have my health. I have a slowly increasing retirement savings account and a slowly decreasing debt load. I have hope for both my future and the future of this great land (still the best place in the world to live).

What else could a woman hope for? My Blessings are many and my regrets for the past are very few. With that attitude toward my future, my end of year message to my Mother's ghost is simply this--I am indeed a successful, happy human being full of delight in the present and ideas for the future.

Here's to opening doors of wonder and delight for 2012!

Lessons Learned

2011-08-29T18:52:00.000-05:00

To all those on the East Coast affected (however slightly) by Hurricane Irene, our thoughts and prayers are with you...

Six years ago today, I was sitting in a home in Picayune, Mississippi with my boss and her husband, watching Katrina in all her glory uproot pine trees that were over a hundred years old as if they were saplings. We lost power and were unable to clear roads for several days--but we lived through the destruction. I'm alive today in great part because folks who did not know me well insisted I evacuate with them rather than stay alone in my New Orleans apartment. Many in New Orleans Parish and other areas of the Gulf Coast were not so Blessed.

It was interesting to me as I watched the various government agencies react to this weekend's weather. As Catherine Aird once said, "If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to serve as a horrible warning." We all saw (especially in hindsight) many mistakes before, during and after Katrina six years ago this very weekend. Some things worked back then (the good examples) and other simply became horrible warnings...

I was pleasantly surprised to see FEMA and local and state officials show they learned lessons from Katrina:

Mandatory (and early) evacuations of low-lying areas prior to the closing of mass transit
Early deployment of National Guard and other emergency personnel to ensure as rapid a response to emergency that weather would allow
Shelters set up in advance with supplies available to house evacuees
Coordination of every level of government to allow each level to handle its own responsibility with the knowledge that the next level up is already prepared to step in and take over if necessary

The hindsight pundits that today are saying this weekend was "much ado about nothing" are entitled to their opinion. Frankly, though, I would rather see a coordinated, timely, forewarned response than the devastation in lives and property that occurs when we simply sit back and hope for the best and then scramble to react after the fact.

To those of you experiencing the horrific flooding, stay strong. It may not look like you will recover now, but recovery is possible. Things can be replaced. The quotation on my desk calendar today is from Buddha and seems most appropriate:

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."

I've Extended my Camping Trip

2011-07-31T22:02:00.000-05:00

July's version of Camp NaNo kinda sucked...it started well, but the Texas heat plus my day job doing data entry made it very difficult for my right wrist/elbow/shoulder to allow extensive additional typing. A series of surgeries over a decade ago left weaknesses in my right arm and while it usually causes me more trouble in extreme cold, this summer's extreme heat (today was--I believe--the 30th day in a row of 100 degree days; the second longest streak of consecutive days Dallas has seen) has totally worn out my arm. (Extra weather trivia--the longest streak was in 1980; I was pregnant that summer with my youngest son, and pregnancy in this type of heat was no walk in the park either LOL.)

Okay--so little writing got done. Not to be defeated permanently, I have changed tactics. I'm allowing technology to help me for the August camp session. I've loaded Dragon Naturally Speaking 11.5 onto both my personal computers, so I will be dictating "Louisiana Lightning" and hopefully be much more successful in "writing" 50K in 31 days.

I will confess that I did read a bit in July, and this past Thursday made time to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part 2. I'll be adding the books I read to my challenge lists, and perhaps write reviews later. The movie will receive its own review here soon. Suffice it to say--I loved it!! Thank heavens they split the last book...

July also started the new Stampin' Up! year and the new Idea Book & Catalog is the best I've ever seen! Our Summer Mini catalog will end August 31, and the Holiday Mini will begin September 1 (I'll be able to post links then). So, I'd love to be stamping and having fun--I miss my card challenges tremendously--and if the dictation works like I believe it will, my arm may allow some creating soon (I hope).

Stay as cool as you can, and I appreciate all my followers being so patient with me as I try to work thru health issues and get back to sharing online on a more regular basis.

I'm Going to Summer Camp!

2011-06-30T23:10:00.000-05:00

Camp NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow! I'm planning on another 50K and since July has 31 days, I only need 1613 words each day to be a winner! November was a bust for me last year--I was a "pantser" rather than a "plotter"--and so when the wonderful people at The Office of Letters and Light decided to have a summer camp program, I jumped at the chance to escape from the Texas heat and spend time in 1862 Louisiana (yeah, I'm still writing about the Civil War).

Not that I expect July to be an easy road of writing. I have a working outline (no more being a "pantser" for me, LOL), but July holds its own set of writing challenges--the new Stampin' Up! 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog debuts tomorrow! It's the yummiest one I have ever seen! And of course, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II debuts on July 15...even though I know the ending, I have to see this one on the big screen as I have all the prior seven.

However, I have a wonderful inspiration piece to keep me motivated. My dear friend Beverly over at GottHeartArt is a published artist in several card making magazines and has recently branched out into mixed media. She decided to gift me with a beautiful piece for my writing area:

Isn't this the most awesome gift ever? The acorn idea came from reading Sage Cohen's The Productive Writer and I encourage any creative soul to read this book, as all the tips and techniques are inspiring for anyone who wants to pursue a dream.

So--even though my idea of camping out usually means a cheap hotel room without cable (I used to say with a black and white TV but that would really prove how old I am LOL), I am headed to writing camp! I'll try to check in here more often than I have been (which would really be ironic given the scarcity of posts the past few months), but I will surely post my win come July 31 (nothing like the power of positive thinking LOL).

For any Canadian readers, Happy Canada Day on July 1 and for the Americans, Happy Independence Day on July 4! If you are visiting from anywhere else--welcome and I hope to get to know you better ;-)

Thanks for Serving Our Country

2011-05-30T17:56:00.000-05:00

Standing in the grassy sod bordering row upon row of white crosses in an American cemetery, two dungaree-clad Coast Guardsmen pay silent homage to the memory of a fellow Coast Guardsman who lost his life in action in the Ryukyu Islands., ca. 1945 ARC Identifier 513229

I chose this photo (courtesy of this site) in honor of my late father who served in the Coast Guard during WWII in the Pacific. Thank you, Dad.

And thank you to all the other veterans of all the other conflicts and wars we seem to get enmeshed in...you protect our freedom and deserve our accolades. May the Creator Bless you and your families today and always.

"If You Can't Say Something Nice..."

2011-05-21T23:12:00.000-05:00

Anybody old enough to be able to finish that phrase as it came out of your mother/grandmother's mouth? If you wonder where I've been, life threw some curve balls recently.

Because I understand the word "responsibility" to mean that I adjust my work schedule to help the company that pays my bills and buys my groceries, I just spent several weeks working odder than normal hours. Blogging took a back seat, especially as I don't want to be known for ranting incessantly and recent American political events have certainly been rant-worthy in my eyes (although I did get quite a few laughs when Donald Trump attempted to make me take him seriously as a Presidential candidate).

I did get some enjoyment while away from the blogosphere--the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was absolutely breathtaking. It was a real treat and so very different from the weddings of Prince Charles and Prince Andrew. Yes, I'm a Royal watcher and not ashamed of it and feel that "The Firm" has learned much this past decade or so--the young Royals will serve Great Britain well (as long as Princess Beatrice picks a new designer for any future hats LOL).

And, I slipped in some historical fiction between work shifts--three wonderful novels set in the South during the American Revolution: Paper Woman, The Blacksmith's Daughter, and Camp Follower. All by Suzanne Adair, they can be read as stand-alone stories, but as they share characters, they work best read in order. I loved them and can hardly wait for the next volume--without giving too much of a spoiler, she has created a villain that you absolutely love to hate.

My schedule at work may be returning to a sense of normalcy, so I hope to get back to regular posts--the Stampin' Up! catalog transition begins June 1st when the Last Chance Lists post in preparation for the July 1st launch of the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog. NaNoWriMo is holding summer camp this year--they'll be announcing more details on May 25...

Finally, I want to get back into my studio and participate in card challenges again (plus let's not even mention all the great movies coming out this summer), so I am quite grateful my job is allowing some time for some fun for the next few weeks. Let's see if I can post some fun stuff here this summer ;-)

Facebook Phobia--Unnecessary Fear?

2011-04-08T22:17:00.000-05:00

I love being "wired to the world". Technology powers my day job in multiple ways, not the least of which being the cable modem that allows me to telecommute (a fantastic perk for someone who no longer drives a car). I can barely remember a time without e-mail and web-surfing. Shopping online and having items delivered is a fantastic option in saving time and effort. I also love running my Stampin' Up! business online because it is a sideline job. And let's just think for a moment about how much easier historical research is in the internet age ;-)

But social networking like Facebook scares me. I have a lot of friends and family of all ages scattered across the country and most are on Facebook. I know the value of Facebook as a tool to market products, so I know as a writer that I will probably need to set up a FB account for my writing sooner or later. The scary part is the lack of control I may have over my personal privacy.

Many of us have made life choices that have caused consequences that were not what we had planned (and life seldom offers do-overs). I love my life and who I am, but after having been abused, robbed, and stalked at different times in my life, I jealously guard my freedom and my ability to live without fear of those criminals finding me once more.

On the other hand, there are people from my past I would love to find..as an adoptee, I've often wondered about my biological roots, and Facebook would be a wonderful way to reconnect with school friends and far-flung relatives.

So, there is my conundrum. Do I trust the privacy controls that Facebook states are in effect, or do I continue to isolate myself in a cocoon of my own making and risk falling further and further out of touch with people who mean a lot to me?

For now, I will do what I always do when making a major decision...I'll do more research. And who knows? We may meet on Facebook soon after all ;-)

Putting My Butt in My Writing Chair

2011-04-07T19:24:00.000-05:00

Found this over at Confessions of the Un-Published! today. Great "tough love" for writers!

It has been a really strange day for me. My schedule change threw me for a bigger loop than I expected, because I am a creature of habit--I've worked a lot of jobs and worked weekends on many of them, but it has been years since my days off have not been consecutive...so today was spent doing housework, laundry, grocery shopping (aka general living), and I just looked up to realize a full day has gone without getting to write or create :-(

Jackson's great video reminds me that I will never have a finished novel if I don't write the danged thing LOL...similarly, I won't have any more cards made for OWH or challenges if I don't sit at my studio table and create them. So, even though my TBR mountain has been calling my name, and there are many new Blu-Ray/DVD movies out that I want to watch, and I want badly to blog-surf to see what new inspiration is out there (like Jackson's video for instance), I am signing off the Internet for the rest of the night...TGAN and writing chair, here I come!

March Madness (or, Where I've Been and Why I Haven't Posted)

2011-03-30T20:14:00.000-05:00

Wow, March is almost over and I only posted once :-(

My Muse is no longer missing, but she has been told to sit quietly in the corner for a bit longer while general living takes precedence.

I'm over whatever crud I suffered from in February, which is good, because I spent a week this month cross-training at the office. What an eye-opener! I learned that I indeed still enjoy learning new things, but that absorbing information and putting it into daily practice are two very different things. I also learned that I function much better in a solo environment (I had totally forgotten how loud a call center environment really is). Yet another lesson is that it is much easier to keep a positive attitude about work when exposure to negative attitudes is kept to a bare minimum.

I also found a fantastic place to stay--Homestead Studio Suites. Clean, neat, friendly staff, reasonable pricing, and even "green"...they use toilet tissue made from recycled paper and CFL bulbs in all the light fixtures. The kitchenette was super clean and as I had a refrigerator, stove, microwave, toaster and coffeepot, I only ate out because I chose to and not because I had to. I couldn't ask for anything more from a hotel, especially since the bus stop was right at the end of the driveway and there was a Walgreens as well as multiple restaurants within a block's walk. Next time, I may even remember to ask for the senior discount, since they consider 55 a senior (I didn't learn that until after I got home). The only downside was the dearth of decent TV...they lean heavily toward ESPN and news channels. Thank the Creator I had my Kindle with me LOL.

So, I read. I've added the titles to my 100+Book Challenge list at the bottom of my blog and I may eventually review the titles, but this post is already lengthy. And life will be changing even more in April; I was notified today that my schedule is changing at work. No more Saturdays off. Instead, I will be off Thursdays and Sundays. It does break up my week and it provides a differential for the Saturday hours, so all in all I am looking for the Blessings.

While I will no longer be able to attend any Saturday educational seminars at the library, I will have weekday bus travel available to use the larger University libraries in the Metroplex. Many of my friends are retired, so we can still get together for the occasional lunch. Actually, the more I think about it, the better it sounds LOL.

March was a madcap month. April will be a month of adjustment, so posts may still be a bit sporadic. At least some of my down time in April will be dedicated to Royal-watching, so don't be surprised if my blog turns a bit British in the coming days...

My Muse is MIA

2011-03-06T20:03:00.000-06:00

Try as I might this past week, no creating with paper was done :-(

Lots of general living occurred--work (of course LOL), the cleaning and bill-paying and shopping that had not happened recently due to illness, and the beginnings of a slight rearrangement of my crafting area. For me, organization and creativity only co-exist when outlining chapters for my novel (and I did manage to roughly sketch out a couple of chapters this week, so all is not lost).

I was Blessed to receive a tax refund this year and chose to use a portion for Stampin' Up! products during Sale-A-Bration, primarily because of the great free product available with every $50 purchase. The down side to ordering cardstock and stamps and ribbons and embellishments comes when you have to find a place to put all the goodies LOL. So, instead of using the creative side of my brain (the part that was MIA anyway), I organized my dies and stamps and paper. My brain stayed incapable of designing cards--what's up with that?? I even watched a few videos on You Tube to inspire creative thought, but all I could find was a blank slate...

That's not entirely true--I did conclude I had a few needs. I need ribbon storage. I need to find the instructions to my sewing machine (it has been unused so long, I can no longer remember how to set it for a zigzag stitch, much less use any of the more decorative stitches). I need to find my muse...

Billy Boyle WWII Mysteries

2011-03-01T21:49:00.000-06:00

One of the first books I downloaded after I bought my Kindle last year was "Billy Boyle: A World War II Mystery" by James R. Benn. Granted, at the time, I was looking for free or very low-cost Kindle titles having just dropped a chunk of cash on the Kindle itself. This looked interesting and was free at the time. Now that I've read it, I'm hooked on the whole series (and they are definitely worth paying for). Great action, just a hint of romance (not too much for male readers), strong characters, and lots of information on WWII incidents that are not at all well known.

Billy is an Irish police office in Boston when America enters WWII. His mother is a distant relative of Mamie Eisenhower and believes that the family connection would be enough to keep Billy safe from harm if he could only join "Uncle Ike's" staff. Then General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed Commander of the US forces in Europe. Oops. And since Billy just made Detective, "Uncle Ike" decides to use him for certain investigations best left way out of the limelight. Oops again. Even though Billy isn't the desk-job type, he hadn't planned on any of this.

I recently read the next three books in the series: "First Wave", "Blood Alone" and "Evil for Evil". Each could be read as a stand-alone although the character development from one volume to the next certainly enhances the series. We travel WWII Europe from England to Norway to Algeria to Sicily to Ireland. Each incident is based on actual wartime events.

I don't write spoilers, but I do give praise when it is deserved, and this series deserves great praise. I'll be reading "Rag and Bone" between now and September because "A Mortal Terror" launches then. Somebody needs to make a movie/mini-series/TV series from these tales!

Sunday Snippet from the Sickbed

2011-02-27T14:24:00.000-06:00

My plans for the past week or so were waylaid by the "crud"--no voice above a whisper, a throat that feels like it was scraped with sandpaper and then had acid poured down it, coughing until my chest hurts and I wet myself, fever that caused chills, stuffy ears that cause all noise to sound as if it is being heard through a muffler, no appetite (actually, that is a good thing if you are big like me LOL)--in other words, abject misery.

The down side to all this? No crafting because my brain did not want to function, therefore I missed several cardmaking challenges. No energy to clean house, do laundry, grocery shop, or participate in any general living. No research or writing on my WIP because my muse was as sick as my body.

The up side to this? I could still work since I was not commuting and was also not exposing the whole office to whatever germs I have. So, even though my customers heard a less than enthusiastic and softer than normal voice, they still got their accounts taken care of. My company still had me available (even for overtime) since we were already short-staffed. Because I could work, I saved my PTO for fun stuff (PTO=paid time off). I even earned overtime pay ;-)

There was also one more up side--I read several wonderful books toward my reading challenges. Reviews will be forthcoming on all of them, but I have at least added them to my 100+ Reading Challenge list (at the bottom of my blog). (Reading is easy when you cannot sleep because you can't breathe or you keep coughing LOL).

I am really hoping to get a bit back into the groove of life this week...between starting to feel better and no (scheduled) overtime for the next couple of weeks, let's see if I can participate in a few challenges, read a few blogs, write a few lines, and take care of hearth and home.

Gingersnap Creations--Coffee & Cream

2011-02-19T21:51:00.000-06:00

My cardmaking buddy Beverly of GottHeartArt turned me on to this great challenge blog and Yahoo group, Gingersnap Creations. This is my first card for one of their color challenges--GC88, Coffee and Cream.

All the products are Stampin' Up!

The base is Crumb Cake and the panel is Naturals Ivory. The ribbon is Chocolate Chip taffeta (retired) and the strip of ribbon was colored darker using the Chocolate Chip marker, while the bow is the regular ribbon. Hemp twine strings the tags and the brads are retired from last year's Occasions Mini.

The two tags are from the "Puns from the Past" set and stamped in Early Espresso. The "Take A Sip" wheel was inked in Chocolate Chip.

I actually really liked the way this turned out (maybe because I love coffee so much LOL) and I hope Gingersnap will like it too ;-)

Oops! Missed the Deadline (AKA Gotta Get More Organized)

2011-02-16T23:14:00.001-06:00

Well, I misread the deadline for Jingle Belles this week and missed being able to enter the "No Red, She Said" challenge by a few hours :-(

I've tried to play there faithfully but just couldn't find my creative mojo this week where crafting is concerned (although I did outline a few chapters for my novel). I need to work out a schedule of sorts I guess--a way to keep track of the posting days and the deadlines for the card challenges I enjoy. So far, it's been hit or miss (mainly miss) and I want to get more organized.

So, you card makers out there--how do you keep track? On a calendar? Make a daily/weekly chart? What works for you? All I know is what is not currently working for me...

Doily Card with No Red

2011-02-16T22:09:00.000-06:00

This is a quick post under the wire for Bah! Humbug! and Jingle Belles...Bah! Humbug! wanted one or more doilies and Jingle Belles was "No Red, She Said" so once more I combined them and then I am hitting the hay for the night. (OT again today LOL) Maybe someday I will get more than one card done in a week?

Don't fault the picture please--the card is quite nice and dimensional in person (all products except the dollar store doilies are Stampin' Up!). Baja Breeze background with snowflakes in Baja Breeze and Marina Mist; the brads are Tempting Turquoise and a single silver glitter brad on top of the tree.

The tree base is Soft Suede edged in Always Artichoke and is punched from the new Build A Cupcake punch. The folded doilies were all crumpled and then inked (direct-to-paper)--the top one in Wild Wasabi, the middle in Garden Green, and the bottom in Always Artichoke. They were then folded and inserted inside each other (just a tip--Sticky Strip is really needed to hold it all together without crushing the ruffly parts).

It's tactile but not girly; Christmasy but not red...hope you like it ;-)

William and Kate: A Royal Love Story

2011-02-08T23:03:00.002-06:00

I freely admit it--I'm a royal watcher...I have followed the English monarchy to a greater or lesser degree ever since 6th grade when I found out that George Washington was a descendant of English kings. The Windsors are people who are sometimes forced into boxes not of their own choosing and although they have riches and power, they are able to make the same human mistakes as the rest of us.

I watched the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer. Prince Charles is an environmentalist after my own heart who has been forced to forge a distinct path for himself while awaiting a job he was born to but yet he would have to lose his mother in order to claim that job. He married for dynastic reasons--she was not the love of his life, yet he did not choose the path his great-uncle David chose.

Princes William and Harry are a new breed--they inherited "the Firm" through their father and their connection to the "common people" through their mother's brief example in their lives. I follow their careers with interest--and yes, their love lives as well.

"William and Kate: A Royal Love Story" is but one of the books that has been published in the short time since the official engagement announcement, but it had already been in the works for quite some time. It was a quick read--enjoyable and I'm sure as true as the recollections of the persons quoted (both named and anonymous). I wish the two young people the best--living in a spotlight cannot be easy, but they seem to be forging a path for themselves as a couple who will do the best they can in their own way for their country...we can ask nothing more of any of us, right?

Buttons, Bows and Scarves

2011-02-07T18:53:00.000-06:00

Once more, a serendipitous situation for this harried crafter--my two favorite Christmas Card Challenges, Bah! Humbug! and Jingle Belles unknowingly coordinated their challenge so I could use one card for both ;-)

I had been putting this card together already for Bah! Humbug! who had asked for Buttons and Bows when I found out that Jingle Belles was asking for scarves, mittens, hats or earmuffs, and guess what my snowman buttons are wearing? Voila--hats and scarves LOL!

No clue where the snowman and snowflake buttons originated--they are from my quilting days when I collected funky buttons, as are the tiny navy buttons.

The top fold card is Stampin' Up! Naturals Ivory, with a Whisper White Top Note die cut that was then run through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. Not Quite Navy Ink was used direct-to-paper on the die cut and sponged around the edges of the card. I'm not usually fond of using wide ribbon on cards, but the Not Quite Navy striped ribbon loosely knotted here so resembles a scarf that I feel it is the perfect finish to the card. I didn't use a sentiment because if I send it to OWH or From Our Hearts, it could be used for a winter anniversary or birthday or "thinking of you" type card...hope you enjoy it!

Alan Bradley--the Flavia de Luce Series

2011-02-04T22:08:00.010-06:00

Mystery Fanfare's current contest is to win a copy of Alan Bradley's third Flavia book, "A Red Herring Without Mustard". Flavia de Luce is an eleven year old girl in 1950 London, and Mr. Bradley won the Macavity Award for the best first novel at the 2010 Boucheron with "Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie."

I'm a big fan of Mr. Bradley as he was 70 when "Sweetness" was published which makes me hopeful for publication, since I'm only 55 LOL! One of my best friends read "Sweetness" last year and has passed it to me saying that it is a "must-read", so I'm moving it up the TBR mountain (she also claims it is a quick read--we'll see...my reading time is so limited with this snow. You would think snow would mean snuggling in front of a roaring fire with a good book, right? Not if you work from home---grrrr--but I digress LOL)

Now, I need you to vote--do books set in 1950 count as historicals? After all, that was over fifty years ago...heck it was even before I was born ;-)

What do you think? Historical or not? Whichever you believe, pop over to Mystery Fanfare and enter the contest...

The Scarlet Pimpernel

2011-02-04T19:30:00.000-06:00

Thanks to the Lauren Willig "Pink Carnation" series, I have gone back and rectified a serious error in my recommended reading list for high school and college. Believe it or not, I never read many of the classics (tested out of several years of English and therefore missed many Literature classes). This series, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, was included in the "skipped" list until now. I had seen the Leslie Howard movie version of course, as well as a TV adaptation once upon a time, but I'm happy to say, I've finally read the novel itself on Kindle (like many classics, it is free for various e-readers and probably as a PDF if you go looking; undoubtedly it would also be available on Paperback Swap). This is being counted toward both my 100+ Book Reading Challenge and my Historical Fiction Challenge.

Wow. Once you get past the period writing style (and the small errors in transcription), the story really moves quickly. The plot line is short, sweet and to the point, and contains several false leads--I can see why the character became so well-loved and why so many adaptations have occurred. I'll read the rest of the Baroness' novels to see what happened to the rest of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel simply because they are fun reading, but I honestly like the Willig League of the Pink Carnation better ;-)

Altered Notebook (since Anything Goes) for Paper Players

2011-02-03T18:41:00.000-06:00

Paper Players' Challenge this week is Anything Goes, so I chose not to make a card. I am a notebook junkie, but I hate using plain, boring composition notebooks, especially when working on my novel. I've wanted to use this Stampin' Up! Newsprint DSP for quite a while, and I needed a new notebook specifically for trivia about New Orleans...this paper just seems to put me into a New Orleans circa 1862 frame of mind LOL.

The lace is the Raven Lace (recently retired from the Holiday Mini) and after cutting the Top Note die and using the outside to frame part of the paper, I took the actual die cut shape, turned it 90 degrees, and die cut it again to make the wonderful square medallion on the bottom (it also gave me a set of parentheses/brackets that will show up soon on a card...) And once more, my apologies for the photo; the book looks much better in person. The Take Note oval stamp is from the Notably Ornate stamp set.

The Paper Players Blog Hop is also still active, so go check it out and then play with us, since "Anything Goes"...they are a fun group of ladies!

Here's the video that inspired the new way of cutting my Top Note:

Not MIA yet...But Close (AKA Why I May NOT be Posting Much This Week)

2011-02-01T15:43:00.000-06:00

We have snow and ice--it's 19 degrees right now, with a wind chill factor making it 9 degrees. I've teased with a few folks this week that we are doing this on purpose here in North Texas so the Packers fans and Steelers fans will feel more at home next weekend for the big game; after all, it was sunny and 76 degrees here Sunday LOL.

As usual, weather like this keeps people from coming to work. That's probably a good thing in some cases, since many folks here don't really understand the concept of "drive slowly and carefully in ice" and many more don't believe in "do NOT tailgate the driver in front of you".

So, our already shorthanded office is limping along without our two closers until the weather clears. When I finish this post, I will be going back to work (i.e., walking into the back room and logging back in) and will work by myself the last few hours we are open. No craft projects made today and no reading done towards my challenges and no research done for my novel. Oh, well. Things could be much worse--I have said this before, LOL--I have a job I enjoy and the world's shortest commute (approximately 20 steps, depending on whether I'm leaving my kitchen, my living room, or my bedroom).

But, if I don't post for a day or two, I've not fallen off the face of the earth--I'm just doin' the day job that pays for the fun stuff LOL. I'll be back as soon as I can--and until then, y'all stay warm, dry, and safe, won't you?

Stampin' Royalty Sketch Challenge #56

2011-01-30T21:29:00.000-06:00

Trying to squeeze this in under the Stampin' Royalty Sketch Challenge for this week. This is another minimally embellished card because it too is headed to either Operation Write Home or From Our Hearts.

The stamps are retired from Stampin' Up! (the Big Bold Birthday set), but if you have My Digital Studio, they are available in that awesome software program. The whole card is Concord Crush and Whisper White (patterned papers are from the In Color hostess DSP pack).

Another card that is simple, quick and easy to reproduce in quantity should you have a need to ;-)

Paper Player's Blog Hop!

2011-01-30T19:45:00.001-06:00

I just had so much fun (and ended up following several new blogs LOL)! The Paper Players are having their first Blog Hop today (several stops are giving away blog candy ) and I learned a lot in a short period of time about all the wonderful great products Stampin' Up! is offering in our Occasions Mini--and with Sale-A-Bration going on until March 30, what better time to shop (who doesn't love free?)

Go check out the Hop (and play along with the newest challenge--Anything Goes)...I'm off to make something now ;-)

Jingle Belles' Sketch Challenge

2011-01-30T17:47:00.007-06:00

I loved the sketch challenge at Jingle Belles this week--nice and simple.

Many of the cards I will be making for these challenges will be sent either to Operation Write Home for the troops to use to send to their loved ones, or to From Our Hearts for the same purpose, so quite a few will be embellished simply if at all (the flatter the better for these purposes) and will have white, plain insides to maximize the amount of writing space for the sender's message. This is one of the cards designed with that in mind--mainly retired Stampin' Up! products: Always Artichoke cardstock (current) with Deck the Halls fabric, Tags for Christmas tag and inked edges that are Cranberry Crisp and True Thyme (all these are retired). The Cherry Cobbler seam binding and library clip simply set off the single embellishment.

Here's the Jingle Belles' sketch that was the challenge, so I think I may have kept it too simple, but I am still happy with the result and I hope the serviceman/woman who uses it will be happy with it too:

Oldies for Bah! Humbug!

2011-01-30T14:29:00.002-06:00

Bah! Humbug! has challenged us this week to use oldies--stuff we have had stashed away and perhaps even forgotten we had. So, the only "current" Stampin' Up! item on this card is actually the Chocolate Chip frame and the piece of Very Vanilla the trees are stamped on...

I've loved this Patterned Pines set from Stampin' Up! ever since it came out, but it is retired, as are the colors I used here--Cranberry Crisp and True Thyme were both In Colors for 2007 but I always loved them and couldn't wait to pull them out for this card. The herringbone DSP is actually from a retired set called Autumn Meadows and the corduroy button/brad combo were Kraft and retired before Kraft was renamed Crumb Cake. The bottom piece is a button and the top piece was a Kraft brad that I rolled and smooshed over the Cranberry Crisp pad because unfortunately I was unable to get re-inkers in 2007 for any of the In Colors before they sold out (won't make THAT mistake again LOL). Really Rust and Cranberry Crisp were patted onto the Very Vanilla cardstock layer with plastic wrap--I LOVE that technique...

And I love how simple and easy this challenge was after the "cracker" challenge last week--ladies, thanks for giving us a bit of a break LOL!

Rest In Peace, Ariana Franklin -- "Mistress of the Art of Death"

2011-01-28T17:19:00.001-06:00

I've had this series on my TBR mountain for a while now and just haven't gotten around to reading them...sadly, there will be no more written. Ariana Franklin was the pen name of Diana Norman, a British journalist who won awards for her historical mystery series. While researching for this post, I found several historicals written under her own name as well--they look so good I will be adding them to my list of books to read "someday". Diana died, aged 77, this week.

Great Giveaway at Passages to the Past--"The Tudor Secret"

2011-01-26T21:16:00.000-06:00

I love the Tudor period and this looks to be the start of a really wonderful series: "The Tudor Secret" is book one of the Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles by C. W. Gortner.

Go over to Passages to the Past and sign up for the giveaway but I warn you, you may stay there for quite a while because there are some wonderful books reviewed on this blog (I added quite a few to my TBR mountain from there LOL).

Pink and Green Christmas Cracker

2011-01-26T14:17:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure about pink for Christmas...of course, I am SO not a pink person ;-)

But I committed to a couple of Christmas card challenges for 2011 and boy, are they wanting me to stretch my creative muscles way more than I have in the past! The Bah! Humbug! challenge this week is a Christmas cracker and as a good ole Southern gal from Texas, I'm not all that familiar with crackers, even if I have read a bit about them. Then add in the Jingle Belles challenge of pink and green, and I was almost whupped. But, I finally came up with this:

I used Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Regal Rose and Blushing Bride (all from Stampin' Up!), and even though the picture doesn't show it that well, the cracker is dimensional--it was crimped and then folded under top and bottom so the Pear Pizzazz DSP ends could be folded and tucked under the edges. Another smaller crimped piece of Blushing Bride was inked with Regal Rose then the punched snowflakes (again Pear Pizzazz DSP) were added along with a smaller Regal Rose snowflake stamped onto Whisper White. The "JOY" is a portion of a stamp from the "Season of Joy" set from SU! (Thank heavens it is Sale-A-Bration because I really need to order some more Christmas sets LOL)

Okay, Jingle Belles did say light pink (Blushing Bride), dark pink (Regal Rose), and lime green. The closest I got to "lime" was Pear Pizzazz (looks kinda like the inside of a lime to me) and Old Olive (which sorta resembles the outside skin of a lime, right?)...so I hope they let me slide by.

Pedestrians are People Too!

2011-01-24T18:11:00.001-06:00

It may surprise some Americans, but not all adults in this country choose to drive. I haven't owned a car since 2004 and usually don't miss one at all--even when I do miss having one, I don't miss the cost of owning a vehicle: car payment, insurance, maintenance, gasoline, parking...need I say more? And besides--my eyesight is too poor for me to drive (my peripheral vision is shot).

So, I take public transit and I walk. I walk to the library, the post office, Starbucks, Goodwill, and various restaurants/grocery stores/drugstores. To do so, I must cross streets--sometimes "major" streets. Being a sensible woman, I cross at a light whenever possible and wait for the "walk" sign. The signals in my community offer a person 30 seconds to cross 4-6 lanes, and have a loud, mechanical voice at the crosswalk counting down the last 20 seconds. Gratefully, I am still healthy enough to cross in that length of time, even carrying groceries.

So, you may be wondering why I seem to be grousing...and I'll be happy to tell you. Drivers, please pay attention. It is true in Texas that you can make a right turn on red after you stop. People, pedestrians have the right-of-way, especially when they have a "WALK" signal. I don't care what you drive or how much it cost you, hitting a pedestrian will cost you even more. Yes, I know--you are in a hurry to get where you are going. Well, guess what, I have important things to do, too, and I am paying attention to my surroundings because you are too busy texting/talking/eating behind the wheel to pay attention to the fact that I had to step back up on the curb and stand through another cycle of traffic signals to keep you from hitting me. Is it too much to ask of you to wait 30 seconds for me to safely cross in front of you?

Unmasking the Black Tulip--Willig Does it Again!

2011-01-23T11:57:00.000-06:00

It's all Lauren Willig's fault I stayed up until 3 AM this morning--her second hysterical historical about a spy network operating from England into France (and another from Bonaparte's France into England) had laugh-out-loud moments as well as present-day moans of self-recognition.

Again,we read a book within a book. Just as in "The Secret History of the Pink Carnation", we travel back and forth 200 years--from England in 1803 (the spy networks) to England in 2003 (the researcher and her foibles). As both settings build on those from "Carnation", I highly suggest this to be a series best read in order.

I was delighted to return to her finely-drawn characters and even more delighted that so many red herrings were in place. The fact that a bit of license was taken with history does not detract in this series as nothing is so blatant as to be jarring, and enough historical accuracy is present that I now want to undertake a study of that period of French history (one of the periods I have had little interest in until now). I also like the way that bodice-ripping romance shares the stage with mystery and intrigue--it's almost like getting two books for the price of one LOL.

I hate spoilers and refuse to write them, so I will say no more of the plot. I will say that since I have book three, "The Deception of the Emerald Ring", currently on my shelf, I am having a very hard time going about my normal Sunday chores--grocery shopping, laundry, housecleaning, card crafting--because I so desperately want to begin the next adventure (this one is set in Ireland). But general living does not get easier with postponement and with a probable 50+ hour work week ahead, I have chores to do...

"Lazy?" Really? Let's Look Again

2011-01-22T20:03:00.000-06:00

I want so badly to scream sometimes when people think that because I work from home I sit around eating chocolate bonbons and watching TV while wearing my pajamas. It is true that I eat too much and exercise too little and it is also true that I have music playing softly in the background while working (or sometimes I may play the sound of a documentary with the video off--my home PC sits behind me when I am working and I can turn off the monitor and listen to the audio track as background noise). I do not however "play around" while on the clock; I stay tethered to my phone and to my data entry screen as much or more than anyone at our actual call center. Even bathroom breaks are shorter because I don't have as far to walk LOL.

My brain is wired in such a way that if I am in pajamas, I am "lounging" and "lounging" is far different from "working." It's true--I'm not in shoes all the time (I hate shoes), but especially on cold days, I have on socks or booties. It's also true that I may be wearing a scrub top (I love the pockets) or a t-shirt and jeans, but I wear nothing while working that I would not wear on a trip to the grocery store.

We are quite shorthanded right now, so we are all working extra hours to ensure adequate coverage. The folks in the office are often the recipients of catered lunches--pizza or boxed lunches are the usual choices. Me? I fix lunch here. The result? More dishes in the sink at the end of the day, and more electricity being used (let's not even talk about needing to keep a heater on in the office). Sure I don't travel back and forth to the office...that makes it easier to count on me to work oddball hours like split shifts ;-)

So, am I lazy? I think not...especially after watching this video again. One of my favorite singers singing one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite movies:

I'd love to know your thoughts...what do you define as lazy when you are at home all the time? Does working from home mean "hardly working" rather than "working hard"?

Voices in My Head...

2011-01-20T19:35:00.007-06:00

I've often said my brain carries a full-fledged entertainment center inside it, ready to break out at a moment's notice. Some people would think that makes me borderline crazy. People who know me well are astonished at the amount of trivia my mind holds--bits and bobs of this and that, facts and figures that would bode well if I were ever brave enough to test for Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune (which I am not--stage fright would undoubtedly turn me into someone who resembled a mannequin--you know, stiff and quiet LOL).

But I am hearing a new set of voices in my head these days. Not only do I live much of my life in 1862 ferreting out facts and trivial bits to use in my current novel, but I have just rediscovered several pages of notes I made in New Orleans that are the beginning of a fantasy. I have soldiers and poets and elves and healers and princesses clamoring to have their tales told. Their world would seem ancient to us and has none of the "conveniences" available even in the 1700s, so this chronicle is much different from anything I am currently writing.

Nevertheless, these people are whispering in my ear and asking me to tell their story. I'm starting to dream their world and their dress, their mannerisms and their speech patterns. They are in need of help from unseen forces who want to destroy their land--who am I to deny them that help? Something tells me this will become the outline for NaNoWriMo 2011 if not written before November...

Guess I'll take the time to listen to the voices in my head...

Harry's Law -- My Newest DVR Obsession

2011-01-19T12:47:00.001-06:00

I love strong female character actors. I love strong middle-aged personalities. Put the two together into a sharply written, funny, morality play and put it on TV in prime time--voila! A new hit--one that is already programmed into my DVR for the Monday nights when I may have to work.

Harry's Law is the newest NBC drama from the pen of the brilliant David E. Kelley and it stars one of my all-time favorite actresses, Kathy Bates. It also stars a funny young woman, Brittany Snow (you may have seen her as Amber Von Tussle in the remake of "Hairspray" starring John Travolta).

If you want laugh-out-loud funny combined with a moral tone that is pointed but yet not overly-preachy, this may be your new favorite show too ;-)

Just Because...A Color Challenge

2011-01-18T19:56:00.000-06:00

The Paper Players are running a Color Challenge this week: River Rock, Rose Red, Baja Breeze, and Very Vanilla. I love color challenges because I learn so much about putting different combinations together (that's something I am usually too scared to do on my own). Once I have direction though, I can often make it work and I think it does here (all products used here are Stampin' Up!)

The card base is River Rock with a Baja Breeze layer punched on one side with the Scallop Trim border punch. A Very Vanilla rectangle is stamped in Rose Red with the phrase from Notably Ornate, then the corners are ticket-punched and the piece is sponged with Rose Red. Both the safety pins and the button brads are copper-hued Vintage Trinkets. The phrase is mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals.

My flowers are actually River Rock cardstock stamped in Rose Red with the butterfly from the hostess set Punch Potpourri, then punched with the butterfly punch, edged with Rose Red, curved slightly and attached together with more of the Vintage Trinkets button brads.

The Very Vanilla seam binding is easy to gather if you are patient--cut a piece about half again as long as the card and very carefully (I used a silk dressmaker's pin) grab about the middle three strands of the binding on both ends. Slowly gather from each end toward the middle by pulling those strands (it is much easier than it sounds as long as you are gentle and don't break the thread). Gather until it is the length you need. I used glue dots on the ends (which are underneath the Baja Breeze layer) and actually tied the two strings together in the middle and then used regular transparent tape to fasten the knot and ends to the cardstock--that keeps everything straight and taut but nothing on the front of the card has to be fastened down.

It's not country or Victorian or vintage or retro--I'm not quite sure what this card is stylistically, but I'm pretty pleased at the way it turned out and I hope you like it too.

Gingerbread Men for Christmas--A Stencil Project

2011-01-17T23:45:00.002-06:00

Here's my stencil project for the Bah! Humbug! Challenge this week. I have very few non-Stampin' Up! papercrafting supplies left these days, so when I saw the challenge was to use a stencil and I had none of our Decor Stencils to hand, I had to "phone a friend" and borrow something. Since I have a decorative button collection that included gingerbread men/women, I decided that would be the theme. Here's what resulted (everything except the stencil and the button in the middle are SU! products):

I ran Crumb Cake cardstock thru the Lattice folder and inked the edges with Cherry Cobbler. The seam binding bow is Cherry Cobbler and the diagonal accent is Chocolate Chip edged with Cherry Cobbler (oops--now I'm hungry LOL). The stencil was a Lasting Impressions brass stencil that I used as a pattern for the gingerbread men (traced and cut loosely around--I didn't really want them cookie-cutter perfect). SU! markers colored the eyes, bows and buttons, while a white Signo gel pen was used for the icing lines. The small button is from Jesse James (I think--if I am wrong and you know the right company, please let me know; all my buttons are out of their packaging and stored by season).

Quick, simple and non-fattening...

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

2011-01-17T20:22:00.003-06:00

Just read my second historical of 2011 for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge and the first of the Lauren Willig Reading Challenge I mentioned a few posts back. Please don't try to categorize this book because it is a blend of different genres: swashbuckling adventure meets romance meets intrigue meets comedy meets chick-lit...man, what a ride!

It doesn't seem on first glance that the concept would work--a main character researching the past and reading the reference material she reads--but it does work and on a delightful level. I try never to post spoilers when reviewing a book and I won't start now, but suffice it to say, I was reading along and seeing Errol Flynn and Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland meeting Natalie Portman and Emma Watson and Meryl Streep.

I'm not a big fan of chick-lit so I had hesitated reading this when a few friends had given the book short shrift. They were SO wrong--once the actual historical portion began, I was in for a wonderful read. I laughed and cried and giggled and bit my lip--this was just the kind of rollicking escape from reality I needed right now and I am so glad I have the second in the series sitting on the shelf, because I am starting "The Masque of the Black Tulip" tonight!

Acrylic Paint Snow

2011-01-17T19:19:00.000-06:00

I've never been a painter, but somehow I have a ton of acrylic craft paints. The Jingle Belles Challenge this week is Use, Practice, Create with acrylic paints--easy, right? Not for me...I'm not the do-over type at all, so there are a few things I might change here should I decide to make more of these, but once more, the card looks much better in person. Not Quite Navy cardstock (Stampin' Up!) is the base and a very coarse sponge was used to make the snow out of white acrylic paint. The SU! retired hostess set Pattered Pines was used for the trees--I stamped them multiple times in SU! Garden Green ink and simply eyeballed them on top of one another over and over until they were as dark as I needed. The bottom of the card is actually embossed in white so the texture could be felt (I used Versamark ink direct-to-paper so that it wasn't perfectly smooth and SU! white embossing powder). The Garden Green cardstock strip was crimped and the saying was actually from using a marker on one section of a stamp from "Seasons of Joy" that was then punched with the Modern Label extra-large punch and mounted using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Finally, I lightly sponged Not Quite Navy over the top of the "snow" and rubbed softly with a paper towel. Sometimes less is more, so I left off any embellishments, which will make this card easy to mail.

I am Wealthy

2011-01-15T21:00:00.002-06:00

No, I did not win the lottery, or even get a raise...here's what I mean by wealth:

"The greatest wealth is health." ~~Virgil

Sure, I'm 55 (both AARP and IHOP consider me a senior citizen) and about eighty pounds overweight, but I am in pretty good health--no daily medications, fair eyesight, decent hearing, my own teeth and only the occasional ache/pain. Maybe a migraine once in a while, and a few sinus headaches in the average year. Sometimes a cold or a bit of stomach flu--all in all, a very Blessed life health-wise.

That is not to say I cannot do something to improve my health. I know I need to lose the excess weight and I know it can be done because I've done it before. Working from home took away my daily walks--to/from the apartment or the office to the bus stop. But I can walk daily to the mailbox. I can stretch and exercise here in the apartment (no jumping jacks or running in place--I'd scare the downstairs neighbors to death thinking an elephant was about to come crashing thru their ceiling LOL). Exercise is possible.

And I can change my eating habits. I have already cut back on ordering pizza--that has also improved my budget immensely--imagine that ;-)

So far, I have removed soft drinks from my life (the first thing I always do when starting a healthy eating regimen) and have started eating more vegetables and fruits. Whole grains and beans have replaced "white" foods (rice, pasta, bread). No more French fries. Salt actually is not an issue because I haven't added it to food in years and don't eat salty foods (I actually don't even like salty foods LOL).

And I found a great series of books that will help...The entire "Eat This, Not That" series of books is awesome and easy to follow (who cares if Men's Health magazine sponsors the whole website? Good information is good information no matter what the source and these books are helping me choose food items that are better for me).

My biggest issue (oh, that was a bad pun LOL) is the fact that I simply love the taste of food and I am horrid at portion size. Sure, I could blame the food packaging and super-sized portions on restaurant menus, but the ultimate problem is the amount of food I eat in a day. I cannot blame other factors because they do not hold my mouth open and force food into it, now do they??? Of course not--I am responsible.

So--a public confession...I eat way too much. 12-Step programs all say that admission of the problem is the first step, so I admit the problem and am actively working the solution one meal at a time.

If I want to keep my wealth, I need to work on my health. I'll keep you posted...

I'm on a Search for the Pink Carnation--Wanna Join Me?

2011-01-14T17:33:00.002-06:00

Here's to the Lauren Willig Reading Challenge for 2011! Serendipity is running rampant in my life in 2011. As part of my reading for the Historical Fiction Challenge, I was already reading the first volume in this series, "The Secret History of the Pink Carnation" and I was loving every minute of it! Now I find a reading challenge dedicated to the series? What a wonderful coincidence! So, of course I have joined and have committed to the entire series in 2011 (eight books in all). Come over and join us, won't you? And, now, I'm off to read some more...

To Perk You Up! A Colour Challenge

2011-01-13T17:20:00.000-06:00

It may not perk you up, but I hope it makes the friend receiving it smile a bit. A co-worker was in a collision Monday and has a concussion, so I wanted to make her a card. She loves coffee, so I chose the old-fashioned percolator from the SU! "Puns from the Past" set and had decided to use Marina Mist and Old Olive--while mulling over how I wanted the card to look, I saw that Stampin' Royalty's Colour Challenge #54 this week was Old Olive, Marina Mist and Concord Crush. Sure enough, the addition of Concord Crush to the mix was just what this card needed, so I am entering their challenge since they were the inspiration. The Old Olive DSP is retired, but the filigree brads, Concord Crush DSP, stamp set and Marina Mist inks are all current. Thanks, Stampin' Royalty because this wouldn't have come together this way without your input.

I have to confess--my flower is a dollar store mum I pulled apart and inked--not super happy with it but I had none of the wonderful SU! paper flowers and rather than trashing this mum, I recycled it. (The next SU! order I place will be embellishment-heavy; our flowers take color so much better although this doesn't look too bad, and if I had already possessed some Marina Mist ribbon, it would have appeared here as well).

On another note--I've been really motivated this year with cardmaking and with blogging (and even with my writing), but the next several weeks may pose a challenge of another sort. Until the recipient of this card returns to the office, I'll be working extra hours and some odd shifts. I am determined to keep up the pace with this blog, but if I disappear for a couple of days in a row, it will likely be due to work. Bear with me dear readers, and I'll try to keep creating and posting...and check out the great work other people are doing by clicking my sidebar links ;-)

Valentines Aren't for Lovers Only, Are They?

2011-01-10T21:06:00.000-06:00

I haven't given a Valentine to anyone in years...somehow, my upbringing and life experiences combined to tell me that you will only receive a Valentine from someone who loves you (in the romantic sense) and you should never give a Valentine to someone you do not love (again, usually in the romantic sense, although exceptions could be made for your child or grandchild). And of course, commercialism is rampant for February 14th.

This is however a new decade and a new Linda with new thoughts and ideas...so, I have decided that in the interest of spreading honest affection to those people who mean something special to me, I will make (and give) Valentines--and here is the first one:

I saw that The Paper Players had posted their first challenge for 2011 and it was for a Valentine; I love to follow them, especially since they use Stampin' Up! products, but didn't play actively there in 2010 and decided to do so this year. This card went together very quickly (less than 15 minutes) and only used two pieces of the 6x6 DSP pad of In Color paper that is a level one hostess gift in the current catalog. One sheet was Blushing Bride and the other was Poppy Parade. A couple of flower brads, a quick word stamp from the "With All My Heart" set, some sponged edges, and voila, a simple Valentine for a special friend.

I actually like this layout so well, I may use it for other occasions sometime--I could see using stars instead of hearts for a patriotic card, couldn't you?

Anyway--hope you enjoy it, and I hope you'll come play over at Paper Players...

Monday Musings

2011-01-10T18:28:00.002-06:00

"A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change." --Earl Nightingale

I love quotes! I collect them for inspiration and to put in my handcrafted cards, and sometimes use them for chapter headings in my various works-in-progress.

For 2011, in an attempt to post more regularly, I hope to share some of my favorites and will do so under various headings, including Monday Musings. This one seems like a great choice to inaugurate the series...I've shared before that I am considered a Pollyanna by many, but famous people often make fortunes off the power of thinking positively.

I will not proselytize during these posts--my faith disapproves of preaching in any form, so what I intend here is a simple jumping-off point for your own thoughts. Some quotes may resonate with you and others undoubtedly will not. That's okay. I hope somewhere, someone, sometime, finds one or more of them useful.

Countdown to Christmas 2011

2011-01-09T17:17:00.001-06:00

I confess--I let Christmas 2010 preparations slide off into the pile of "good intentions" and never got my cards made even for friends, much less co-workers. I of course used the excuse of renovation, then of NaNoWriMo and lastly of work, but in reality, pre-planning and less procrastination would have done wonders.

I already knew of (and visited from time to time) the great Christmas challenge blog, Bah! Humbug! (I had even played once) but I always let other things come before crafting last year. Now, I have found a second Christmas challenge blog has just started (thanks, Sue for pointing us to this one on your great blog). Jingle Belles are a couple of very talented women who are encouraging us to make a card a week (that's now 48 before Christmas--more than enough for my office and close friends LOL).

I had already decided to play at Bah! Humbug! and had decided on a gift card holder featuring holly. Adding in the Jingle Belles challenge of inchies on a card seemed reasonable, so here's what I am entering for both blogs. All papers, stamps, and punches are Stampin' Up!

This is the front of the holder; it is based on a great video tutorial from Holly over at Rubber Redneck but with several changes...the Always Artichoke inchies on the front are mounted on a belly band made of Crumb Cake. The patterned papers are the recently retired Deck the Halls DSP and the stamps for the front are from the Tags for Christmas set which was also in the just-ended Holiday Mini. Sorry I don't have measurements for anything--one of my best friends says I am way too OCD for my own good when I make cards and has encouraged me to "loosen up" and that's what I have done here. I eyeballed everything, once I made sure the interior pockets would be nestled in well. Speaking of the interior...

Here is the inside bottom flap (yes, I know--I need a photography class fast LOL...I promise to read my camera manual soon and also get a lesson in using my light box). The green strip is actually the front of the bottom flap...I tried folding the top flap back all the way so it wouldn't show in the photo but couldn't seem to get it to hold still long enough to take my hand away, so pretend the top holly piece isn't there, okay? You'll see it for real when you look at the inside picture below...

And finally, the inside. The pouch is a Very Vanilla medium envelope that was sealed shut, then cut in half, so where the finger hole is on the middle panel, there are two pockets--one for a gift card and one for a hand-written note (or if the recipient is really special, a gift card in each pocket LOL). The stamps on the bottom are from the Bells and Boughs set (again, recently retired--I still had all these things out so before storing them away, I decided to use them). The red I used throughout is Cherry Cobbler--I love that color; it is a true blood-red and gorgeous!

So, I have one Christmas card/gift down for 2011...come join us at Bah! Humbug! and Jingle Belles, then we can all rest easy after Thanksgiving knowing we have our holiday cards done ;-)

The Fine Art of Recycling--Faux Metal Wall Art (It is Awesome!)

2011-01-07T19:39:00.000-06:00

These are fantastic pieces of wall decor! Great for any wall because you make them yourself so you can adapt the size to the wall space you have...and the price cannot be beat! Like the site where I found this post originally (Totally Tutorials), I am not going to share the base material--see if you can guess...(I sure didn't).

Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom has some other fascinating "faux" tutorials-- and go check out what she does to make her beaded Faberge eggs (I bookmarked it for Easter decor--older kids could even do these, I bet).

Now, I just need to sort thru my recycling...

Boss' Birthday Card (and a Challenge Entry)

2011-01-06T17:41:00.000-06:00

My boss' birthday is today, so I threw together a quick card that had nothing wintry on it--when you have a birthday so close to Christmas, it's easy to get tired of red and green or winter-type cards. These are the Stampin' Up! In Colors for 2010-2012--Peach Parfait, Pear Pizazz, Concord Crush and Poppy Parade, along with the Flower Brads and the Circle Circus stamp set on a plain Whisper White card blank.

I used a font on my PC (Matisse) and the Modern Label extra-large punch for the sayings which are edged in Poppy Parade (one of my new favorite colors).

I seriously need to learn to set up and use my light box properly--the Concord Crush circles are a beautiful rich purple but they sure look almost navy here, while the Poppy Parade items resemble a pumpkin orange color. Oh, well, the card looks much better in person. A quick FYI--with the weight and size of the brads, I mailed this in a padded outer envelope--and it required extra postage.

Then, as I was blog surfing last night, I realized one of my favorite challenge blogs, Stampin' Royalty, is celebrating their first birthday! How cool--they are some very talented folks over there and I had wanted to play last year, but we all know where that idea went in 2010, LOL. So, I took to heart the fact that their challenge this week is for a birthday item, and I am entering this card there (if I can figure out how to link this post onto their blog). Happy Birthday to your blog, ladies! Go on over and get inspired ;-)

Reading is for Everyone...

2011-01-05T15:48:00.000-06:00

One of the blogs I frequent posted this not long ago, and I just have to share (go visit Karen when you get a chance--her Wordless Wednesdays are wonderful as well...)

I have been so very Blessed to always be able to find books--even when I was recovering from various less-than-pleasant periods of my life and moving around a lot, I would continually find the closest library. Of course, without an address, you cannot have a library card, so how do you get reading material to carry with you?

This book club is such a cool idea--as I remodeled, I donated books to Goodwill and to my local Friends of the Library group (and of course, listed and traded many on Paperback Swap). My next stack may go to our local homeless shelters (Dallas actually has several...the need for them makes me sad, but the fact they are there is a good thing). Another place that may need books would be our local shelters for abused women and children (again, our area has several but I wish the need for them could be eradicated).

What about you? What do you do with the books you no longer wish to keep but which could still be read and enjoyed? Are there shelters in your area that could use them? The holidays are over--many of us are reorganizing our lives and our homes...perhaps our library shelves could be cleared and shared? After all, words are food for the mind and soul...

(off to call some shelters and see if they could use some books...)

Historical Fiction--A New Reading Challenge for 2011

2011-01-03T17:51:00.006-06:00

Found this on a blog I already follow--Historical Tapestry, a great blog for fans of historical fiction--and since the top level, "Severe Bookaholism" only requires 20 books for the year, and since I write historical fiction and since I already read one in 2011 (THE EXILE by Diana Gabaldon), how can I not sign up for this?

So, yesterday's post regarding THE EXILE--AN OUTLANDER GRAPHIC NOVEL will serve as my first entry for this challenge and I only have nineteen more to go LOL!

100+ Book Reading Challenge 2011--I Have Begun!

2011-01-02T08:45:00.001-06:00

I mentioned this challenge in yesterday's post, but because I subscribe to the old adage that what you do on New Year's Day is what you will do all the next 364 days, I wanted to ensure I read for pleasure on 1/1/11--and I did. Sign up and join us--all the details are on the sign-up page linked above and my reading list is currently housed at the bottom of my blog (until I can learn the art of setting up pages in Blogger). There are other reading challenges listed here as well (the library challenge looks quite interesting and with as much research as I still have ahead of me, I may try that one as well; a book read for one challenge can also be counted for another). But now to my first review of 2011--

I've never read a graphic novel; I tried comic books when I was younger but never got hooked. However, when my beloved author Diana Gabaldon announced she was re-telling the story of Jamie and Claire Fraser from Murtagh's POV, I knew the time had come to "go graphic". My autographed copy came during NaNo and I reluctantly put it away but I made sure I took time to honor it as my first read of 2011. Once more, Diana did not disappoint. Covering about the first third of OUTLANDER meant that it was a quick read (after all, the graphics are supposed to overshadow the story line, right?), but it was still superb--and the artist's renderings of Jamie and Claire and Black Jack are wonderful. I will re-read this again simply to enjoy the drawings and also to catch the nuances between the depictions of Dougal and Murtagh and Kenneth. OUTLANDER fans will not be disappointed, and newcomers to the series may enjoy a short peek into the saga.

So, one book down and 99 more to go...

"The Times...They are a Changin'"

2011-01-01T18:05:00.003-06:00

I looked everywhere for a still photo of my favorite scene in John Water's Hairspray where Divine as Edna Turnblad is sitting with her husband Wilbur (played by the wonderful Jerry Stiller). As much as I love the remake starring John Travolta as Edna, I miss what seems to me to be the signature line from the whole movie--"It's the times...they are a changin'".

That's my motto for 2011--the times are changing, and I need to be flexible enough to embrace those changes. Changes at work are a certainty--a positive attitude regarding those changes helps the company realize I am an asset. Changes are needed in my eating habits--that saying, "You are what you eat" should not mean I am fast, easy and cheap LOL.

Changes are needed here on my blog as well--a more disciplined approach to posting is forthcoming. My intent is to post each Sunday at the very least, even if it is only what I shall call a "Sunday Snippet". That snippet may be a quote, an interesting website I've found, a short book review, or perhaps a (totally unsolicited) product recommendation.

Stampin' Up! has given us a great opportunity to have a blog directly on our website, so my cards and other projects will often be featured there beginning this year (although I may post a picture here as well). I intend to make my paper crafting more of a priority this year as it is the cheapest form of therapy I know other than reading.

Speaking of reading, we can tell from the list at the bottom of my blog that I failed to meet the 100+ book challenge for 2010...I did read a few more books than those listed, but rather than go back and try to recreate the list, I'm giving myself permission to move on. Here is the link to sign up for 2011 and as I am an incurable optimist with these challenges, I'm heading over when I finish this post and signing up for this year. Thank Heavens for my Kindle (and for Kindle for Android)!!

Finally--I am forging ahead with my writing. Much of today was spent organizing research notes that had been stacked in various spots throughout the apartment, and a trip to the library is on the schedule for tomorrow. As I found out during NaNoWriMo 2009, I do not write well when I am not organized, so I'm giving my OCD tendencies more control over my writing life. I'll post pictures soon of my writing corner as I intend to spend many productive hours there this year.

If you have read this far, I thank you. It was a long post but expressing goals and dreams becomes wordy at times. To all of you--A Blessed New Year and may you experience many positive changes in this new decade...I wish love and happiness to you all!

What a Decade it Has Been...And a Glimpse of What's Ahead

2010-12-31T20:56:00.001-06:00

First..the glimpse (if you haven't already noticed LOL)--I've remodeled my blog! Since the apartment got remodeled this year, I felt I could do no less for my blog. For the moment, the changes are mainly cosmetic, but my post tomorrow will outline some plans and ideas I have to improve Multicoloured Imagery...as they say on more traditional media, "stay tuned"...

Now, a look back--a bit of reflection on where I've been...

Ten years ago, I was in a loving, committed relationship and working for a major metropolitan city. We were anxiously awaiting whether or not the entire computer world would come crashing down on our shoulders due to Y2K. It didn't. We survived. Then came 9/11/2001. I'm a native Dallasite who was in fourth-grade music class when JFK was assassinated; I was a housewife shopping for groceries when Challenger crashed. Neither prepared me for the tragedy of 9/11, but neither brought up from the core of my being a love of the United States of America that the aftermath of 9/11 stirred from my unconscious self. That intense patriotism lives to this day.

On a personal level in the first half of the decade, I realized commitment from one party in a partnership is not enough to sustain the relationship. I left (he was grateful). I changed jobs after hitting the glass ceiling repeatedly (I was happy). Looking back, there was a year or two when the outside world may have thought I was floundering a bit. I certainly realize now that while I was reinventing myself as a single woman in my late forties, I was also suffering from depression. I tried a geographic cure, thinking that a complete change of scenery would do me good--and it did. New Orleans gave me strength and a sense of self I had never experienced. I fell in love with the people and the character of the city--it was quirky enough that I could allow myself to simply be me. Sure, I didn't like much of the social inequity I saw, but I also understood its roots and was accepted into the lifestyle and community in a way I had never before experienced.

Then came August 29, 2005 and a hurricane named Katrina. Once more, I faced a crossroad. Rebuilding my life from scratch back in Dallas just seemed logical at the time simply because I still had friends and family here.

Fast forward five years--I'm single and loving it. I have a great job that supplies all my needs and many of my wants. I live in a fantastic apartment in a decent section of town. My friends and family ebb and flow in and out of my life as we grow as individuals--some stay for a season, some for a reason, and a few for a lifetime. All is as it should be. I salute the challenges and accomplishments of the last decade and I give thanks to the Creator who made all this living of life possible.

And I look forward into a future filled with hopes, dream and possibilities...Welcome to the world, 2011!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T21:10:00.000-06:00

Today is Christmas--some folks celebrate the day as a religious one and others celebrate home, hearth and family while still more observe the commercialism of the season.

Whatever you do on the 25th of December, I hope you enjoy it with all the wide-eyed wonder of a child...and if you have health, hearth, food, family and friends, consider expressing gratitude for all the Blessings that are manifest in your life...

"Why it is Good to Write"

2010-12-05T23:34:00.000-06:00

A quick addendum before bed--one of the cozy mystery authors I follow posted this on her blog today and the Universe in all its wonder decided I needed to have some of my thoughts validated...how cool is that? If a published author can make it through horrendously bad first drafts and still come out the other side, why can't I?

Go check out Elizabeth Spann Craig--she's cool ;-)

Lessons Learned from Losing

2010-12-05T18:24:00.001-06:00

I "lost" NaNoWriMo 2010 by the rules of the whole thing--I wrote only 19,000 words during the thirty days from November 1-30. The goal is 50,000 and I personally know it is doable as I did it last year.

But did I really lose? I prefer to think not--I am using this NaNo "non-win" to learn some lessons as to how I personally can become a better writer. These lessons may mean nothing to my readers, but simply putting them into a public forum will help me be more prepared for the task next November 1st.

#1: I am a planner, not a "pantster"--I write much better when I have my historical facts already researched and a simple outline of my plot and characters. Since I am currently writing historical fiction with a time-travel twist, stopping to look up facts in the middle of a sub-plot slows me down considerably. Because of my apartment remodel this year, I had not planned anything as far as plot, minor characters, settings, etc. and it showed from the very beginning. Much of the time I would have spent in the actual writing process was spent in figuring out who was who, why they were where they were, and what difference it really made anyway ;-)

#2: NaNo is about getting the words down on paper and shushing your inner editor as to grammar, spelling, etc. I gratefully use spell-check at the end of each session, but I have learned that editing the story's flow and punctuation can definitely wait until later.

#3: I am NOT a linear thinker. That may sound strange from someone who just said she has to plan out a plot, but when researching history, I usually find myself jumping from settings to personages to food to transportation to economics to... (well, you get the idea). As any and all of this minutia may come in handy, I hesitate to stop researching in this fashion. I simply need to do it during the other eleven months of the year LOL.

#4: If work can get in the way, it will LOL. And I am not just talking the "9-5" job I have that pays the bills; I even took some vacation days during November in the hopes that I could dedicate those days to nothing but writing. Some writing got done those days, but I also had housework, laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, granddaughter's birthday party--again, you get the picture. Since I have neither a personal assistant nor a spouse/roommate, if these "general living" tasks are to be done, I must do them. And since I cannot think well surrounded by cluttered chaos, I defeat the whole shebang trying to work with a mess around me.

#5: I don't create well when fueled only by caffeine and chocolate. Perhaps because both of these (especially caffeine) are a part of my daily life, they are not efficient pick-me-ups when my body is weary and my word count is flagging. Actually, I am now reducing my chocolate intake on a regular basis since I have discovered that protein actually boosts me into extra energy. I'll never totally abandon my dark chocolate, but I no longer consume it in quantity at a sitting. It gets savored only as a treat and for energy I turn to dried fruit, protein, nuts, and healthy low-glycemic carbs. Coffee, on the other hand, is still very much a daily staple LOL.

So, I lost the battle of NaNoWriMo 2010, but I won the war. I learned more about my writing and research style and I learned how to fuel my older body to respond more proactively to stress. Onwards and upwards toward NaNo 2011 and I'll see everyone at the finish line--I'm off to write another chapter...

Bits and Bobs while I attempt NaNoWriMo 2010

2010-11-29T19:49:00.000-06:00

Little nifty pieces of information have come to my attention lately through all sorts of odd mailings and e-mail links. I would normally try to make each a separate post, but with NaNo 2010 having taken over my November and much general living haven gotten in the way all month as well, I've decided to settle for a simple list format. Check out these links for some uber-cool stuff!

Operation Paperback -- send books to the troops!
GreenDisk -- recycle your technotrash!
Office of Letters and Light -- the blog representing the genius(es) behind NaNoWriMo
Sherlock Holmes -- 21st Century style

The One Thing that WILL Tear me Away from NaNoWriMo 2010

2010-10-01T16:36:00.000-05:00

Patriot's Day 2011

2010-09-11T14:48:00.000-05:00

Since I live half my life in 1862 these days as I progress with my novel, I thought I'd share a quote from the Civil War era that is just as apropos today as it was when it was written:

"It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it" ~~~~~ (Robert E. Lee, at Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1862)

In memory of those lost during the attacks on 9/11/2001, and those brave soldiers lost since then as they defend our right to live free in the United States. May the Creator of the Universe Bless this country and its leadership.

The Single Life

2010-09-06T10:37:00.000-05:00

I love being single--I can eat breakfast at dinner time (Chocolate Cheerios, anyone?) or dinner at breakfast (Domino's pizza is even better cold out of the refrigerator LOL). And I need not tout the advantage of having only one person's laundry to do, right?

Yet, there are times when a second strong back (or even a second set of hands) would come in handy. Take yesterday, for instance. I was running coaxial cable from one room to the other through a hole punched in the wall. Had a person been in the other room, all the coax would not have mysteriously vanished into the wall cavity and somehow tangled itself around the already present Ethernet cable. Hence, I now have a much larger hole in the wall and a smashed up finger to boot.

Then let's talk furniture assembly. I've been Blessed. I am now in the position to replace the bargain-basement and dumpster-dived furniture from the early post-Katrina days with real wood pieces (albeit the RTA type). My cherry-finish TV stand for the bedroom was time consuming to assemble but looks fabulous. The oak bookcases for the bedroom (yes, I know--two different finishes, but the oak finish has a decided reddish tint and they coordinate well; when you are needing free shipping to your second-floor apartment, you sometimes make those compromises)--well, let's just say, they aren't particle board LOL. I had to open the box in the living room and carry the individual pieces into the bedroom. And, due to the fact the edges are finished the way they are, you need tons of assembly room--the pieces slide into one another (think tongue and groove assembly). I still need to nail the backing this morning, then I get the honor of trying to pick up and position a 100-pound bookcase against the wall so I can attach it to a stud (there is not a single wall in my bedroom that is level).

It's times like these that a man could prove useful LOL. I have several male friends--most of whom are single. One of my girlfriends suggested I cultivate at least one of those males and for the price of a home-cooked meal (or two) a month, I would have a personal handyman. The thought rolled around in my head for a while last night, and again this morning as I nurse my various muscle aches and pains. Would it work? Possibly. Is it worth it? Probably not. I don't do well with the whole "damsel-in-distress needs knight in shining armor" thing, primarily because I am lousy at asking for help. And I really don't want the care and feeding of another human being (see first paragraph above LOL). Besides, once I do manage all the assembly work and the revamping/redecorating of the apartment, I will have the great sense of personal satisfaction that comes from a job well done.

Yeppers, it's the single life for me...now, where did I put that blasted screwdriver?

Gearing Up for Fall

2010-08-15T20:24:00.000-05:00

How I wish fall was in the air--it's still 100 degrees outside and it is after 7 PM. But I find myself gearing up for autumn--usually happens this way when the school supplies go on sale. See, I'm an office supply junkie. Nothing excites me quite like new #2 pencils, pristine notebook paper and a brand new box of Crayola crayons.

The office end of my new studio is pretty well finished--I've hung the curtains and put "bright light" bulbs in the lamps. I've set up my bill-paying/household hub area and set up a filing system for current papers. I finally purchased my autographed copy of "No Plot? No Problem!" by Chris Baty, the genius behind National Novel Writing Month (AKA NaNoWriMo, which is actually international in scope now). My copy came yesterday, and I can hardly wait to hunker down and read it this week ;-)

The lamps over my sewing table and my crafting table both have daylight bulbs, so even without an overhead fixture, I have task lighting where needed. My crafting supplies have been severely decluttered, especially any non-Stampin' Up! products, to the delight of my granddaughter, some crafty friends, and the Salvation Army. I realized that I am a collector of "stuff"--five years from Katrina and my house was crammed to the rafters in crafting supplies and books, all of which I fully intended to get around to "someday".

Well, there are only so many hours in the day for anyone, especially a working writer, so I am being ruthless this time in only keeping what I truly love and will use consistently. In crafting, that's Stampin' Up! In reading, I happen to have a wondrous library less than a mile up the street, so only my research materials and those books I re-read periodically need to grace my shelves on a permanent basis.

My books are being sorted into piles--Paperback Swap, Friends of the Library/Salvation Army, and keep. I've already lowered my TBR mountain by over 200 volumes and want to pare the remaining 500+ by another third or so before Labor Day. I had to put my Paperback Swap account on hold because of the number of hoarded books other members are wishing for--I need to replenish my postage account there in a big way before I can accept requests LOL!

So, just a bit more to do before the big reveal here, and I hope to be finished by September--then even if it stays 100 degrees plus here, my house will be decluttered, clean, and ready for fall ;-)

The Blessings of Being "One"

2010-08-08T10:21:00.001-05:00

This month is a reflection month for me since experiencing Hurricane Katrina five years ago (I have other reflection months for other reasons--November for instance because of my birthday). When I returned to Dallas on the waves of Katrina, I knew the city well--it is, after all, my native locale. But, I was raw inside: vulnerable, in need of emotional shelter, wanting comfort, wanting someone else to be the strong one, wanting to follow rather than lead...

I had tried various forms of communal living from 2002-2005. I had tried living with my daughter's family (that turned into a multi-generational mess). I had been a live-in nanny for a dear friend (TMI on way too many levels and a great way to lose a best friend). I had a roommate to share expenses (a necessity for living decently in New Orleans without being rich). When Katrina struck, friends and family really pitched in to get me to Dallas and help me get back on my feet. The independent, stubborn, Scorpio side of me wanted to ensure I was employed and housed and fed without charity as soon as possible. That was the easy part--I had an apartment by September, a job in October, and life moved on. The emotional, needy Scorpio side of me ran into an old acquaintance who on the surface was everything I always knew he could be and I chose to give him another chance. Thankfully, I lost only possessions, time, and the respect of others who knew I had made a poor choice of partner. The scars which could so easily have been physical were only emotional, and they have taught me many lessons.

That's all background. The here and now is a Blessed Singleness. I cherish my friends and even most of my acquaintances. I cherish more my ability to live life alone--picking and choosing my companion of the day based on the event; knowing that many times my most loving companion is myself. My circle of friends narrows as I age simply because I choose to have only positive thinkers surround me. We need not agree on politics or religion or any other topic, but we need to respect one another and support each other in our goals in this second third of our lives.

It's Sunday morning. I'm not finished rearranging my apartment. There are dishes and laundry to do, meals to cook, bills to pay. I could get overwhelmed with general living yet I sit here basking in the knowledge that

Man can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as... from a lack of bread. ~Richard Wright, Native Son, 1940

I found this video this morning on 52-Card Pickup, a card challenge blog I follow faithfully for her wonderful challenges to be more self aware. I want to instill enough self-discipline to start participating in her challenge, but for now, I need to just publicly thank her for her inspiration on a weekly basis. Thank you, Sue.

Office Relocation

2010-07-27T21:43:00.000-05:00

Here's what I did this past weekend (with tons of help from a BFF who brought her hubby and son along to manhandle furniture)...you can see the before pictures on a prior post.

Here's my new office desk. The small table to the right shows where the studio part of the room begins--it holds my die-cut machine on top with various accessories and my current Stampin' Up! wood mount stamps are in that cart as well. The desk itself is from Staples and the husband/son combo mentioned above were my knights in shining armor to put it--and its twin--together. I love my balance ball chair! The ergonomics are superb and I can also use the ball separately for quick stretching sessions on my breaks ;-) The small cart to the left is under the window and holds my paper shredder, my "to be filed" papers, and my boom box (gotta have classic rock while I work LOL).

Then, here's my "personal" side of the room, where I handle household business. It is set up in such a way that I can easily do research for my novel and also work my SU! business. Since the room is bigger, the claustrophobia is gone and I no longer want to run from the room when my work shift is over LOL. It is also amazing what having matching furniture in this room is doing for my self-confidence. I already feel more professional about both my writing and Stampin' Up! as a part-time job. And I have to mention the printer--it duplexes! I've posted before that I am an old-fashioned researcher who highlights research materials and rough drafts. Well, being able to print in draft mode and auto-duplex is a great way to save paper and ink!

In case you are wondering, the network cabling went off without a hitch--I still need to hide it under the carpet as it runs through my bedroom and the living room, but the distance from the modem to the router was no problem after all, which was such a Blessing!

The part of the room to the left of my personal desk will eventually hold my sewing table (I hope to get that part of the room organized next weekend). Then comes a shelf unit with various crafting supplies. The closet is a walk-in and is currently transitioning from my clothes to general storage so may be photographed later but certainly not yet ;-) Between the closet and the bathroom door (this room was designed to be the master bedroom), I have placed a shelving unit and my fan. I'll add those pictures to my next post so I can show off the studio side of the room...

Deathly Hallows Part One (four months away LOL)

2010-07-19T16:45:00.001-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Okay, I am having trouble waiting... thanks to the recent Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family and the little sneak peeks of the final two Harry Potter movies, I'm really looking forward to seeing how they have translated the final tome of the series onto film.

Of course, the timing of the film's opening creates challenges for me. Yes, it opens the day before my 55th birthday--a great birthday present!-- but having attempted an opening day viewing of OOTP (Order of the Phoenix for the Muggles reading this), I find I enjoy any movie more when the theatre is less crowded. Usually, the second weekend would suffice--in this case, probably not so much as that will be Thanksgiving weekend.

Of course, November is NaNoWriMo, so I will be totally committed to writing 50,000 words in thirty days that month and will also be working full-time at my day job.

So, when can I finally see Part One? Rest assured, it will definitely be prior to Christmas--after all, Voyage of the Dawn Treader comes out at Christmas LOL...

Definitely Decorative! Great New Stampin' Up! Catalogs!

2010-07-03T21:58:00.001-05:00

I'm loving the new 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! catalog items, especially the Definitely Decorative chalkboards that are mountable onto any clean, flat surface. Even an apartment dweller can use these--they simply peel off when you move (no holes in the wall to be filled LOL). How about one on the pantry door for a grocery list, or the mudroom door for family reminders?

And what can I say about the new Color Collections in the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog? They are absolutely gorgeous! Fresh, exciting, new colors for all occasions. And the new Getting Started Collection is ideal if you are just entering the realm of hand-crafted paper projects--cards, scrapbooks, art journals, home decor items (dare I say that Christmas is just 25 weeks away from today? And handcrafted gifts mean so much to the recipient who can feel the love that went into the production...)

I hope you find time to wander through the wonders of the new items (and certainly, feel free to place an order). Playing with inks and paper and glue and scissors and glitter is something we need never outgrow...

Office Relocation, Phase One

2010-06-27T20:45:00.000-05:00

You all know I work from home. I'm in the same room of my house from 6:30 AM to at least 4 PM and if I am using my personal desktop, it is even longer.

So, these are two corners of my universe:

and then of course, my crafting studio is in this room as well, so if I should be trying to make cards, sew, quilt, etc., I am in the room even more. There is a small window with a bakers rack full of junk between the two desks, but since it looks directly into the patio and living room of the apartment across the way, I don't always have the blinds open.

As this is the smallest room in the apartment and the one most full of "stuff", it is hot, cramped and crowded...and I am miserable.

Especially after I was having A/C problems the first time (last month), I began looking for solutions. I hate the mismatched desks. I hate the fact they are 1) both corner desks, 2) they are neither one actually set into a corner, 3) the style of the desks preclude storing items the way I like to store them...in short, they may have been cheap solutions at the time, but they aren't working appropriately for my lifestyle.

So, as I started looking for better desks, I asked the advice of some friends. They know me--they know I collect office supplies and craft supplies and have a large research library. They also know I keep my A/C set on 80 to control my electric bill. Their solution? Switch my office with my bedroom. What a concept LOL.

See, my bedroom is much larger. I cannot put a ceiling fan in my current office because it would blow stuff around on my crafting table, but if that room was my bedroom, a ceiling fan would be an option. The closet in that room has double sliding doors and would be more than sufficient for my small wardrobe, while the walk-in closet in the current bedroom would allow for storage that would NOT have to be out in the open.

When I first moved in, I did not consider this a viable option as I was having to run Ethernet cable along the baseboard and punch holes in the wall simply to hook up my work PC. I was fearful of the distance and what it would do to my signal strength. Now, however, with a state-of-the-art modem and wireless router, moving my work equipment another 15 or 20 feet should pose no problem.

I'll post more pictures soon--especially the wonderful new matching desks I found!

Pollyanna Positive versus Nellie Negative

2010-06-22T18:03:00.000-05:00

I have truly come to believe I live in a land far away from reality. This land is a land where something good happens every day--a land of job and housework and bills and laundry and a never-ending "to-do" list. A land where having to do dishes means there was food to cook. A land where even if a punk from the neighborhood comes through and turns off the A/C unit outside as a prank, I still have fans and electricity to run them while waiting for maintenance to find and solve the problem. Yes, I live in a dream world--a world where it is easier to count Blessings than complain about challenges...

I stopped watching newscasts several years ago--journalism has taken a giant leap away from Who, What, When, Where and How and stands mainly in the ever-enlarging camp of Why. "Straight" newscasts--without opinion and slanted commentary--are so few and far between, they are almost non-existent. Doomsayers and gloom-casters dominate the media. The relative ease of commenting semi-anonymously on stories broadcast on the Web seems to encourage what my parents used to call "open mouth, insert foot". If negativity isn't broadcast on the news or on You Tube, it is Tweeted, blogged or Facebooked. Is it simply because these things are not being said directly to someone's face, or have we as a culture lost the ability to be cordial and mannerly to each other, even if we disagree?

I have always felt I had a fairly balanced view of life. Now, I watch the world spinning past and read of bullying in schools causing teen suicides or peruse the comments on news articles where total strangers call each other names unfit for print. If that is balanced, I want no part of it. I was raised in the era of "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." That did not encourage lying, but it did carry the expectation that I would always try to find a silver lining in any person or situation.

Since I still choose that way of viewing the world, I welcome the title some friends have bestowed upon me--the nickname of Pollyanna Positive. I'd much rather see the world through rose-colored glasses and look for the good in everyone. Positive thinking is not a new concept by any means, but it does seem to have fallen out of favor.

I pledge to do what I can to bring positive thinking back to the world--does anybody care to join me? Anybody at all?

Keep On The Sunny Side of Life

Written by Ada Blenkhorn in 1899.
Music by J. Howard Entwisle.

There's a dark and a troubled side of life
There's a bright and a sunny side, too
Tho' we meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view

[chorus]
Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life

Tho' the storm in its fury broke today,
Crushing hopes that we cherished so dear;
Storm and cloud will in time pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear.

Let us greet with a song of hope each day
Tho' the moments be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Saviour alway
Who keepeth everyone in His care

Plans are Made to be Changed, Right?

2010-06-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

When I posted early in the year I had joined the 100-Book Reading Challenge, I stated that only "fun" reading would count--nonfiction research on writing styles or historical research for my novel would not count.

Well, here I am, halfway through the year, and I have read a measly two books for fun (my challenge list is at the very bottom of my blog). So, I am invoking the right of a woman to change her mind. I have had so much true fun reading about the Civil War era that I cannot help but want to list the books I am devouring.

(Yes, I believe in reincarnation and I know I was a librarian in at least one past life. I loved researching reports in school, find genealogy fascinating, and my ideal job would be as a research assistant for a historian or archaeologist).

So, I am adding to the list all the titles I have enjoyed thus far in my travel back to the South of the 1860s. I am also going to add the wondrous writing aids I have found and whose pages may have started out pristine but have been highlighted, underlined, and otherwise annotated. Some have become trusted companions on this novel-writing journey. I may even write mini-reviews of my favorites at some point in case they may be of help to others.

One thing I have not done as yet--even if the links to the book titles should point to the Amazon description (something I try to avoid--I always make every attempt to link to the author's website), that Amazon description is not a monetized link. Any opinions on any book or product featured on this blog is a non-compensated opinion. I have paid for the products I review. Should that situation ever change, I will prominently announce the fact.

Scroll down and take a look at where my reading has taken me. Since I'm not the HTML girl, I can't seem to color-code the list as I would like ("fun" fiction vs. history vs. writing guides), so I'll try a series of asterisks:

* will mean historical research
** will denote a writer's guide

no asterisk is "fun" (fiction, escapism)

If you are an author and know of other books I should read on the art of writing good fiction, please share the titles. And if you are a Civil War buff and have insight on source material that would enrich my setting, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks in advance for sharing!

New Book Blog

2010-06-09T21:31:00.001-05:00

My buddy who made the wonderful card I posted a while back is not only a talented papercrafter, but a voracious reader (as is her octogenarian mother). She has started a book blog and is posting reviews of her books on the way to her 100-book challenge goal.

I had so much fun these past couple of months revisiting the Outlander world of Jamie and Claire Fraser as written so expertly by Diana Gabaldon. No, I didn't re-read them myself--Beverly borrowed them, and I got the pleasure of experiencing a world I love through another person's impressions. These books are not for the faint of heart--dropping a hardcover copy of any of them on your foot might easily break a toe LOL, but they are exquisite drama.

Enough, though, about Ms. Gabaldon's world. I am enjoying Beverly's Book Pile because of her honest reviews and because her tastes run the gamut from YA fiction to historical fiction to mysteries and even to fantasy sci-fi (a woman of varied tastes, much like myself).

Her blog is fairly new, but go take a peek and you might find something new to read ;-)

Stampin Up! and My Digital Studio

2010-06-05T17:00:00.004-05:00

I just got this and am experimenting as I can with all the great features--take a look at how wonderful it is!

The Good Life

2010-06-01T17:44:00.000-05:00

I'm back--Most of my network problems are fixed here at the house. The early heat wave caught my A/C by surprise, but it is now working (it looks to be a long, hot Texas summer). My laptop's replacement battery should be here any day now. My day job is back to "normal" after software changes and upgrades. In other words, general living is giving me a short break LOL.

When the network was down, I managed to study the art of writing historical fiction. I also managed to do quite a bit of research the old-fashioned way, and I am now back to crafting scenes. I do so love being productive ;-)

Several home projects are also in the works. I've decided that the room I spend the majority of my time inside should be the largest and coolest room in the house, so I am in the process of switching my office/studio and my bedroom. It is giving me an opportunity to cull non-Stampin' Up! crafting items (my granddaughter is a budding artist and always loves supplies) and to replace my mismatched desks with coordinating pieces. Of course, this will take several months--and a couple of vacation days while I do the final switch as new Ethernet needs to be run--but I hope to have it all in order by Labor Day.

Speaking of Stampin' Up! I just got My Digital Studio and I am so excited! I'll be posting a video later this week about this great software. We've just posted our Last Chance List for the 2009-2010 catalog year, and I have already placed my first order for 2010-2011 Idea Books and Catalogs (they go "live" July 1st). Feel free to check out all the goodies (including info on our new Color Collections); they are on my recently updated website.

And, I must admit--I played a bit (not something I do often). I went to see Iron Man 2 and Robin Hood. Both are excellent in their own way; my tip of the hat goes to Robin Hood for the most realistic portrayal of the original folk tales (and this comes from a person who has loved the Errol Flynn version since girlhood). These will definitely be added to my DVD library as soon as possible, to be watched and enjoyed again and again. Robin Hood actually ranks up there with Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Indiana Jones (and my friends all know how often I watch those LOL).

It's good to be back in the blogging world. I hope to post more regularly now that the PC issues seem to be under control. Thanks for not leaving while I was M-I-A.

Nagging Network Nastiness

2010-04-11T12:59:00.001-05:00

Hey, I'm online--sort of. This PC has Internet access (at least for now). I'm not the brightest when it comes to "geek-speak", but I can usually hold my own and am not too afraid of trial and error when dealing with electronics.

I may have to rethink that position. My home network has now lost the ability for any of the components to speak to one another (reminds me of a family feud, actually, the more I examine the problem). Last year, I updated my wired-g router to a wireless-g to add a laptop running Vista to the home PC (running XP) and the work PC (also running XP). When I then upgraded my printer to a wireless model, I had no problem hooking it into the same network.

Now, my granddaughter has inherited the old e-Machines desktop (the one that ran XP), and my new HP desktop running Windows 7 was--I thought--added to the original network. Boy, was I wrong. To add insult to injury, in trying to make everything talk to one another last week (updating various drivers to be Windows 7-compliant, etc.), I managed to lock the laptop and the printer out of the original network somehow, and as it was password-encrypted on multiple levels, that network is out in cyberspace but I can no longer connect to it. I could not even get any of the PCs to connect reliably to the Internet via the ethernet connection with the router. (I'm sure some of you can hear my screams of pain and frustration; even though I am old enough to remember manual typewriters and rotary dial phones, I choose not to return to those days LOL).

Obviously, I have to work my day job, so I finally just unplugged the whole mess. My work PC and VOIP phone are hooked directly into the router and the network connections restored to my job. The home desktop has the printer connected temporarily via a USB connection (what a waste of resources and memory that is), and my laptop has a temporary wireless connection to the wireless router.

Hence, this post after many days of being unable to connect. My writing has been scarce and sparce, but some has occurred because of course I still had Word; and my research has become dependent once more on the printed page. Actually, that has been the silver lining to the cloud--I hope to post soon on some wonderful writing references I have been privileged to read this past month.

So, with a wondrous Sunday afternoon ahead of me, I will end this. I have read the networking tutorials online for my router and will be unplugging everything and resetting in an effort to rebuild a working network from scratch. New wireless-n routers are calling my name and one would probably be the easiest way to go, yet my pocketbook is screaming in protest.

The challenge begins--can I actually set up a new network that works with the equipment I have and give my purse the victory? Or will my geeky, electronics-junkie alternate personality (that I try desperately to keep under control) win out and have me buy a new router? Stay tuned for the results...

Clean my Clothes with Fruit?

2010-03-22T20:36:00.001-05:00

I can't describe how absolutely cool this whole idea is! Hop over to one of my favorite green blogs, Easy Eco-To-Go and check out her results when she tried Soap Nuts for washing clothes. I don't like static but I hate the cost of fabric softener, so I have been using white vinegar. It's fairly effective (usually) and no, my clothes don't smell like vinegar, but the softness factor lessens a bit with each wash. My other laundry issue is ensuring I purchase detergent when I have a ride because small, easy-to-carry bottles/boxes are even more expensive per ounce, and large containers are heavy and/or bulky. So, when I saw this, I immediately went over to the Laundry Tree site and started reading. Doggone it, I had just yesterday purchased (more expensively!) a bottle of lavender essential oil and a bottle of tea tree oil, or they would be added to my starter kit order. As it is, I am trying the energy blend essential oil and will be back at a later date with my results. I am not asking the company for samples and I am not telling them I will be posting my review on my blog. This will simply be a blind test based on my never-ending search for organic, non-petroleum-based, "green" products for my life. If you decide to check out Julia's blog post about Laundry Tree, will you please tell her I sent you? Thanks!

Marvelous Mail on Monday

2010-03-22T17:55:00.000-05:00

Look what wonders I got in the mail today!

My friend Beverly over at GottHeartArt mailed me this great card (she does awesome work--she's been published in both the April 2010 edition of Scrap and Stamp Arts and the Spring 2010 issue of Just Cards!)...it is wonderful to receive any mail at all that does not pertain to business, but to open the mailbox and find a handcrafted card made especially to lift your spirits? Man, that is a Marvelous Mail Day! (If you want to know the particulars about the stamp, papers, etc., her challenge post about this card is here).

I have been having a bit of a time with certain scenes in "Don't Trust the Rain", but this gem of a card and the sentiment behind it is the encouragement I needed to move past this rough spot and continue the tale. Once more, I have been reminded to put the words on the paper now and edit the dross away later--just keep seeking the end of the story ;-)

Green Isn't Just for St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching No Impact Man (I hope to find a used copy of the book soon) and yes, I watched thru a non-green source as I have a subscription to Netflix (I choose renting over borrowing but haven't given up on media yet LOL). As green as I try to live, some of their experiences will not be copied by me. For one, I cannot give up electricity as I work from home. But I can give up electricity for an hour--and will do so quite willingly on March 27 at 8:30. After getting my electric bill today and seeing what heating this apartment did these past two winter months, I am seriously looking for ways to cut energy use yet further.

Having my water heater drained and cleaned out by the apartment complex is on the list. Making sure that it can work efficiently is important (here is a great PDF of how to drain your own water heater). Actually, I missed how they handled the hot water issue in the documentary (maybe I need to watch again), but I enjoyed seeing them do laundry in the bathtub by stomping it (think Lucy Ricardo stomping grapes in the vintage "I Love Lucy" episode). Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it enough to do all my laundry that way LOL.

I already use public transportation or walk and as my friends can attest, there is no elevator to my second floor apartment ;-) I have thought about a three-wheel bike, but there is no place to park it here and frankly, Texas drivers aren't as friendly to bike riders as they could be...

My composting experiment has proven--at least to me--that an apartment dweller in Texas can compost on their back porch slowly but surely. All food scraps (excluding meat and dairy) for two years have composted into a single 18-gallon plastic tub. No flies (even in Texas!) but I never could find a local source for red wigglers so this was done without vermicomposting. For "brown" material to mix into the compost, I simply used the contents of my shredder each time it filled. Not a bit of this was scientific, but it has worked.

We've already discussed my toilet paper experiment (BTW, I still have half a case of the Marcal and twelve rolls of the Office Depot paper) and for 2010, I just may keep toilet paper around for my guests only.

All in all, as I write this and watch the History International "Irish In America" special, my form of "wearin' of the green" this year has taken the form of "livin' more green".

This has not been a particularly articulate post--I'm knee-deep in TGAN research (Louisiana Native American culture is this week's focus), and I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day per se ever since we buried my mom on March 17, 1988, but I felt the need to post something here today.

Come join those of us who will work or play by candlelight for an hour on March 27 at 8:30 PM local time...and I promise a better post next time ;-)

Plots that Simply Plod Along

2010-03-03T18:30:00.000-06:00

"Don't Trust the Rain" did not start out to be a historical mystery--it began as historical fiction with a time-travel twist. My characters are now in New Orleans in 1862 and they have survived the time warp that sent them there. They are scattered and need to be reunited.

On the surface, it sounds like I have made lots of progress--and I did with one group of characters. The second group are being stubborn. They simply want to plod along aimlessly and aimlessness is boring! (And if you think it is boring to read, try writing it LOL).

So, I need to prod these folks into some action and add some excitement and period color into their journey. That is sending me back into the realms of research. I love researching history, and as an old geezer who learned to use printed encyclopedias and card catalogs, I'm loving the ability to research on the Internet in my pajamas at home ;-)

Speaking of research, I cannot write enough praise for Kathy Lynn Emerson's How To Write Killer Historical Mysteries. She writes some of my favorite mystery series, and this book is an outstanding guide for all historical fiction writers (just skip the genre-specific parts).

So, when counting my 250 daily words for the next week or so, they may easily be hand-written words noting clothing and building structure and timelines and foodstuffs and communication and transportation--well, you get the drift. Lots of notes with lots of diagrams linking those notes into some semblance of colourful plot.

Do I need to add a murder to excite my characters? Or perhaps a theft? I have no problem writing violent acts if necessary and some planned scenes exist in outline form between Confederates and Unionists (it is early in the Civil War after all), but I am not a reader who enjoys violence for the sake of violence or sexual assaults simply to advance the action in the book. If I don't like to read it, I certainly refuse to write it. Other means must be found to make my reader want to turn the page ;-)

Writing is fun. Researching is even more fun. Forcing characters into action can be work...

A Ray of Sunshine ends a Cloudy Week

2010-02-26T21:46:00.000-06:00

This has not been one of my best weeks of 2010. I am trying quite hard to get well after being exposed to several sick people last weekend (one had strep throat) and so have muddled through in spite of the aches, upset stomach and sinus headaches. No cards made; minimal writing done on TGAN; bare bones cleaning and cooking; no laundry...the best part (until now) of my week has been that I continued my perfect attendance streak at work by not calling in even though my body said "stay in bed". The weather hasn't helped as it has been dreary, cold and wet much of the week.

Then, I open up my blog to post a review of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and what do I find?

I got this really cool award from my friend Beverly over at GottHeartArt! I feel a bit like I won the lottery! She and I met shortly after Hurricane Katrina sent me back home to D/FW from New Orleans. The stamping group we met through is now defunct, but we clicked from almost the first day we met--and I feel Blessed to call her a friend. Thanks for my first blog award, Beverly!

If I understand how this works (and if I get it wrong, blame the headache LOL), I am to list ten of my favorite things and then pass the award to five people who inspire me...

1) Chocolate--tied for #1 with coffee (there's a reason my avatar has a coffee cup LOL)

2) Reading--my TBR mountain has over 500 very eclectic titles

3) Writing--even if it sometimes slogs along at a snail's pace, I can no longer imagine life without writing

4) Cardmaking and stamping--and crafting in general, especially eco-crafting

5) Mexican food--I love food in general, but Tex-Mex has my heart ;-)

6) Research--sounds crazy, but I must have been a librarian in at least one former life

7) "Green" living--not as green as I want to be, but hope springs eternal; it is a passion

8) The History Channel/History International--that's what reality TV means to me

9) Star Wars--tied with Lord of the Rings; I have probably 75% of the movies' dialogue memorized

10) Vintage 40's (before me, but not by much LOL) and 50's decor (see #7 above); ADORE thrift stores

And now to my Awardees (in alphabetical order)...these ladies' blogs are awesomely inspiring to me as a writer, as a reader, as a crafter, as a "greenie"--I wish I could award more ;-)

Uber-Cool Site, Uber-Cool Scrubbies, Uber-Cool Bags

2010-02-17T19:30:00.001-06:00

"Uber" is the term I use when I am super excited about something, and I am super excited about my new scrubbies sent by Christi because I sent her my stash of mesh produce bags. These are great! One is of the mesh produce bags, but one is made of plastic grocery bags (plarn), and I already love it for my non-stick cookware--no scratching and it is really quite sturdy.

I love recycling when I can, and I crochet when I can, so I had been saving my mesh produce bags to see what could be done with them. My BFF Beverly over at GottHeartArt crochets the most wonderful scrubbies out of nylon net, but why buy net if something can be recycled? So, I had been saving these bags.

Well, crocheting is so far down my "want-to-do" list that it has almost fallen off the end. TGAN is taking up much of my free time, and I still want to participate in card challenges when possible. I'd love to read more (100 book challenge, anyone?). If you read my recent post about a "To-Don't" list, you may understand why I decided to simply mail all the produce bags to Christi. They are getting utilized and I get the storage space--what a win-win situation!

I haven't yet ordered any of her fat bottom bags, but one may be purchased soon as my new Spring/Summer purse. Hop on over to Christi's site and look around (her blog is great, too)!

Writing Prompt Wednesdays

2010-02-10T18:35:00.001-06:00

Michelle over at Southern City Mysteries has started this great Wednesday Writing Prompt. Her prompt for today is "How the tides came crashing..." and here is what came to mind from that:

The ground was still soggy as Epps tried to gather fallen limbs. The fast tide in this small creek made it obvious even to his young eyes they'd lived through no ordinary storm. "Well," he thought, "Mom and that Charles fella are saying we've gone back in time. That sure means we were lucky not to have drowned. How they expect to make a fire out of this wet stuff I don't know, but I better not go any further upstream. If this really is around Bayou St. John, I could walk into swamp and be a goner for sure."

Well, it's a rough idea of one of my character's thoughts at the moment. I promise it will read better in the finished novel ;-)

Standing in the Shadow of Greatness

2010-02-09T17:17:00.000-06:00

I know few writers personally but need to surround myself with intelligent, supportive, creative people who constantly strive to make positive changes in their personal life and who also attempt to positively affect others. Some of my friends scrap, some know and understand gems, virtually all are voracious readers, and some make cards (as I do whenever I have "spare" time).

I was Blessed to meet one such person almost two years ago, and she is a crafter extraordinaire. That has now been proven as she was just notified one of her cards is being published in the April 2010 issue of Scrap & Stamp Arts.

Go over to GottHeartArt and see some wonderous eye candy! Beverly has been a talented crafter her entire life and her card designs run the gamut from cute and cuddly to clean and simple and into the lavish and elegant depending on her mood. She's also been a featured/guest designer on several card making blogs, and is the current guest designer of the month at Creative Inspirations.

During NaNoWriMo last November, when I honestly wondered how I could ever accomplish 50K in 30 days, she was the best cheerleader a friend could ever desire. Even now, when I worry about the direction my novel is taking or the time it is taking to finish, no matter how busy (or how sick) she is, she makes sure I know I have someone in my creative corner cheering me to the finish line.

In an age when so many seem to interpret the Golden Rule as "Let me get them before they get me", it is very refreshing to have honest, supportive friends, and it is wondrous to see those friends be recognized for the quality of their work...

Congratulations, Beverly--here's to greater success in the future for you and your cards!

250 A Day Progress Report

2010-02-08T23:23:00.000-06:00

I'm determined to do this; and I was equally determined that it would only count if I wrote the words toward my novel.

I have a character who is not cooperating. I have a job that required a LOT of writing to customers both Friday and today (well over 250 words each day). I want to comment on blogs I follow. I had to write e-mails regarding fraudulent bank transactions this weekend.

The word count exists--the words toward the novel do not. In my past, because I did not do this perfectly, I would give up and beat myself up for doing so. Today, I acknowledge the last four days did not go as planned, but I will not give up.

Everything that I wrote from Friday thru today had to be well-thought-out and highly edited. Responses to customers must be concise, truthful, polite and grammatically correct. Certainly the e-mails required to handle financial situations need to be business-like, firm, honest, and to the point. I want my blog comments to be readable and contributory and as encouraging to the artist/writer as possible--a critique if you will, rather than a rant or criticism.

My fiction has a tendency to "flow" and comes to me in brief scenes. The editing comes after the plot. I will head to bed now knowing I have written well for these four days. Tomorrow, after a good night's sleep, perhaps Diana will either behave and let me write what I want about her, or she will have told me in a dream what her next move will be ;-)

At any rate, tomorrow's words will be some part of TGAN...

A "To Don't" List--Is this the answer?

2010-02-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

I love Whatever...Whenever and visit this blog as often as I can...check out her links as well--she's artistic and funny and this post on over-achieving could have been part of my yet-to-be written autobiography LOL.

I have 24 hours in my day--established fact, right? And the job that pays for everything takes nine of those hours, including computer boot time and the 30-minute lunch that allows for nothing but eating.

Of the remaining fifteen hours, my body requires a bare minimum of six being spent in sleep, with 6 1/2 to seven being even better. Occasionally, I can get by with five, but the older I get, the less flexible my body is when it lacks proper rest. So, use six as the touchpoint, and we now have nine hours a day for everything else that "general living" requires.

Let's define general living as cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, paying bills/handling mail, personal hygiene (shower, anyone? LOL), etc. Granted, in a one-person household, a few of these things are not daily tasks--laundry is once weekly. Walking to/from the grocery store takes time. Carrying groceries by hand means more trips because there are limits as to how much I can carry. So, the days I go to the store are usually weekend days. Other errands requiring bus travel (I call it "destination shopping") are either vacation days or weekends because the bus trip alone can exceed an hour each way.

So, at nine hours a day times seven days a week, I have 63 hours to work with. If cooking for one takes a total of an hour daily, followed by an hour of general housecleaning and a half-hour of mail/business, the free time is reduced to 45.5 hours. With walking/bus times for the household shopping, let's reduce that by a minimum of 9.5 hours weekly.

I am a writer of historical/speculative fiction. I need time to research. I need time to write. I need time to network with other writers. I need time to study the craft of writing. With the idea of my most recent challenge in mind, let's devote a minimum of one hour daily to writing, and perhaps another daily hour to research. There go fourteen more hours, leaving 22 left to "schedule".

I am a paper crafter who sells Stampin' Up! as a sideline, primarily to receive the discount (although all new customers are quite welcome to my website LOL), and I enjoy my crafting. In an ideal world, I would play with paper (or at least be puttering in my studio) for an hour a day. 22-7=15.

Who doesn't like to connect with friends? I talk on the phone often with my friends; I follow various blogs (and have people who follow mine--wonder of wonders). Welcome to my new followers--I am so happy to meet you! Reading and responding to e-mail takes time. Commenting on blogs takes time. This socialization is important to someone who works from home.

Look at what I am doing to myself! I have already posted that over-organizing and my pursuit of perfection denies me the opportunity to simply enjoy life! I need to learn to say "no". I need to learn to "hit a lick at a snake" and know that BALANCE is key. "All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull person", and who wants to be dull? I don't.

Who wants to join me and make a "To Don't" list?

250 Words A Day Challenge

2010-02-01T18:01:00.000-06:00

A lot of "general living" has occurred already in 2010, but I am determined to continue writing. I am also determined to make writing a daily event. As I cruise the various writer's blogs I have found, this great challenge badge appeared several places.

This is doable, even for someone who types as slowly as I do. When a scene is percolating in my mind, I can write a mostly unedited 250-word section in 30-45 minutes. If I learned nothing else from NaNoWriMo, I learned to put the words on a page. Then if I walk away from it for a day or so, I read it thru the eyes of my audience and my editing is tighter.

So, even though my 10 for 10 in 2010 is already off track (I read nothing for pleasure in January, so I still have 100 books to read before December 31, and let's not even mention "exercise"), I am posting another public challenge to myself. Now, if I could just fine some free widget somewhere that would keep a running counter of the number of days I succeed in writing at least 250 words...

(P/S: this challenge is lenient, and I could count the words of this post as part of the 250. I am setting the bar higher for myself, and the only words I will count will be those written for TGAN, aka "Don't Trust the Rain". With that in mind, I wrote 369 in advance of posting this LOL)

Lessons Learned (Or, Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks!)

2010-01-21T21:14:00.000-06:00

My last post was my entry into the world of card challenges. I received wonderful comments from new visitors here, and was even featured on 52-Card Pickup and was just totally tickled at that!

So, I was determined to enter into the card challenge world on a weekly basis. I started searching challenge blogs and making lists (even set up an Excel spreadsheet) to keep track of the blog, the challenge post date, the challenge itself, the due date--well, you get the picture.

Once more, I allowed my over-organizing self to impede my having fun. I had even made a card for Bah! Humbug's second weekly challenge, but got so caught up in the idea of posting one card for multiple challenges that I flat over-organized myself out of getting the card posted at all! (I know. I hear my friends laughing. You all know I try so hard to be perfect at things that most of my great intentions fall by the wayside because of my incessant over-planning.)

So, I posted nothing. I'm following a few more cool blogs, though, and I vow once more to participate more and plan less. To remember that it is progress, not perfection. To settle for "enough" (if I have a card done, by golly, I'll post it even if only for one challenge).

Most of all, I want to remember that for me, card making is 1) FUN and 2) THERAPY after a day dealing with the public. Although they are called "challenges", there is no losing. If I am featured--hey that's uber-cool. If not, I had fun trying. After all, my ambition is to become a published writer. That is where the greatest amount of my "free" time is being spent. Cardmaking is just another hobby to keep my creativity flowing when words won't come.

In the immortal words of Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day." Perhaps there will be a challenge entered then.

Let's Celebrate!

2010-01-10T20:35:00.002-06:00

And what are we celebrating? I am entering my first Challenges! One of my BFFs over at GottHeartArt has said for ages that I make challenge-worthy items, so here goes. Of course, speaking of challenges, photography is a huge challenge for me. Trust me, this little pouch looks much better in person; it seems anywhere I am in my home that has blank wall space ends up with a green or yellow tint to the background. If I am going to post more challenges, I need to do two things--1) learn how to use all the features on my camera and 2) set up a spot with a decent easel to take post-worthy photos.

Anyway, here it is. A small gift pouch based on a great You Tube video from Monica's Passions (I love her accent too). I made my pouch bigger by using a 8 1/2" square of paper. The SU! Sending Love Specialty Paper (from the Occasions catalog) is glittered on one side, so instead of simply folding the pouch, I also used some SNAIL to keep it all folded neatly. The Chocolate Chip edge was glued to each edge of the back side of the front flap and the brad holding the bow goes thru the front flap and the two folded sides, but not all the way thru the pouch front which keeps the inside of the pouch neat.

I put a slight curl to the back edge (my idea) and crunched the bottom as Monica suggested. Since I am bow-challenged, Monica's idea for affixing bows using brads absolutely ROCKS!

Other products used (all SU!) are the wonderful Pretty in Pink Sending Love Epoxy Brads, both Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip Classic Inks, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, and one of my all-time favorite punches, the Curly Label.

And although I have always liked the wood-mounted stamps from Stampin" Up! they are truly rocking it with the new clear-mount, red rubber stamps, like this "With All My Heart" set. That's where the punched label's background came from, while the saying belongs to the "On Your Birthday" wood-mounted set.

So, in for a penny, in for a pound. Now, if I have figured out the Mr. Linky thing (another challenge for me--I sometimes get totally baffled by some of the simplest PC tasks), this seems to fit three Challenges:

1)     Stampin' Royalty -- Birthday Theme Challenge (Their first challenge)

2)     2 Red Bananas -- Banana Split Sunday Challenge "Think Round"

3)     52-Card Pickup -- Make It Count

52-Card Pickup is a totally new blog, and I had originally thought to enter this in their first challenge but they have already posted #2. I still think it fits the post theme of aims and goals and choices, don't you?

Stampin' Royalty is new, too. Somehow, new challenge blogs don't seem to be quite as intimidating to a challenge newbie LOL.

I'm hoping the round edge to the stamp on the tag and the curved bottom help qualify this as "Think Round" for 2 Red Bananas--if not, well, there is always the brad and I will have lived and learned.

Inspiration for 2010 (and a New Challenge Blog)

2010-01-03T16:50:00.000-06:00

My cardmaking buddy over at GottHeartArt is one of the most encouraging people I know (and one of the most talented cardmakers I have ever seen). She pointed me to this brand-new blog and I immediately started following; the post about "choice" resonated in my very soul.

My fifties have been leading me in the direction of appropriate choice slowly but surely. Each time I set more appropriate boundaries between myself and others; each time I choose to "Finally Love Myself"; each time I exercise for even 5 or 10 or 15 minutes; each time I cook rather than order in; each time I spend even 15 minutes daily doing something creative; each time I write another scene in TGAN--each appropriate choice made allows me to be true to the inner Linda and true to the God/dess of my understanding. And with every appropriate choice, my soul grows and develops into what I should be.

Life is a journey, not a destination. The "experts" are suggesting that we all plan to live well into our eighties and based on many of my friends, this is not an exaggeration. That gives me a minimum of 25+ years. When I was 25, I couldn't see living to 50. Now, I can't NOT see living to at least 80 and I would prefer 100+, especially if I can still see and taste and move and feel and read and write and...

So I will follow 52-Card Pickup and GottHeartArt and Scandalous Women and Killer Hobbies and all the other wonderful crafting and writing (and reading) blogs listed on my sidebar (and many of the ones listed on their sidebars). I will emulate these ladies. I will lurk if I must and participate when I can. I will learn from them.

I will continue the journey...

Happy New Year (and new Decade)--AKA 10 for 10 in 2010

2010-01-02T19:26:00.000-06:00

I subscribe to the philosophy that years ending in "0" start the decade (similar to the fact that a person is not one year old until they have been on the earth for 365 days). So, this is not only a new year, but a distinctively new decade for me.

My "bucket list" is far too long to post here, and many of the items listed will rely on certain other accomplishments occurring first, so let's simply concentrate on ten things I want to achieve this year. I figure ten achievements for each year of the next decade, and by 2020, I will have crossed off 100 "bucket list" items, and that is certainly not too shabby, especially since 2020 also brings my 65th birthday LOL!

So here are my "10 for 10 in 2010" goals (in no particular order):

Obtain a passport. Travel to Canada is no longer possible without one, and I'd love to make a trip to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Complete the manuscript of "Don't Trust the Rain" in time to start the rough draft of "Lightning Strikes Home" during NaNoWriMo 2010 in November.
Participate in NaNoBloMo at least one month this year, so don't be shocked at some point to find a post a day here (not until after shift bid in February at work, though).
Stampin' Up! has 48 exclusive colors in four color families. I want a Classic Ink Pad in each color, and only have ten so far, so by December 31, 2010, I want to own the other 38 colors. Bonus goal would be to also have the markers and refills.
Replace my glass-top dining table with a table made of real wood (and wood chairs to match LOL). Here's the one I really want, as it will also serve as a great writing desk in my uber-tiny dining room.
Pay off one of my student loans, and then put that monthly amount into savings.
Post at least one card or other creative project on this blog each month, using exclusively SU! products.
Complete the annual 100-Book Reading Challenge. I'll be posting my list of completed books here. Just scroll to the bottom and the list will be under the HGTV Green Tips widget.
Join (and attend) a local writer's group. The challenge in this is finding a group that is available by public transportation.
Exercise a minimum of fifteen minutes a day at least four times a week. I have the equipment. I just need to establish the habit ;-)

Of course, I have minor goals as well, like figuring out how to link to other sections of my blog (the 2010 reading list for instance). And, if these are complete prior to year's end, I can certainly add more to the list LOL.

Resolutions for Writers 2010

2010-01-01T06:00:00.003-06:00

Oh my Heavens! Friends of mine read J.A. Konrath's Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels mystery series so I know they must be good (they are currently buried in my TBR mountain or out on loan to other friends), but I found this blog thru yet another blog I follow and is this ever the kick in the pants I need to print and post over my writing desk!

All aspiring writers need to follow this blog, no matter the genre. This is straightforward, no-nonsense advice from someone who is where I want to be and who doesn't sugarcoat the pathway.

Wow! I think I'm gonna go write!

Challenges Can be, well, Challenging

2009-12-31T19:08:00.002-06:00

December 31, 2009 is here and I only read 92 books this year, so I missed my 100-book Challenge. Most of what I read turned out to be nonfiction writing guides or other research for my novel-in-progress. Since TGAN (now "officially" titled Don't Trust the Rain) is set in Civil War New Orleans, my four memoirs for the "In Their Shoes" Challenge didn't get read either, much less the mysteries for the "On the Porch Swing" Challenge.

Usually, not succeeding in something like this--even though it was voluntary and "for fun"--would depress me tremendously. This year, it has not. Whether I am finally maturing in my attitudes (at 54, one would think I was already mature) or whether I am simply loving myself more these days I cannot say. Perhaps both, with a healthy dose of Hacuna Matata and Que Sera Sera thrown in for good measure.

Just for today, I choose to close out the old year celebrating my accomplishments and not dwelling on what could have been done better. After all, writing 50,000 words in November despite what life threw my way was a tremendous feat. I did take a short break, but am back to writing on a regular basis.

I also started crafting regularly again, enough so that I re-established my sales relationship with Stampin' Up! Not a lot of customers yet, but I joined primarily to collect their products at a discount and have fun using quality papers, inks and stamps. Therefore, this venture is successful and can only grow from here. For a personal challenge this coming year, I want to post at least a card or project here a month that uses exclusively SU! components.

And I posted much less here than I would have liked. I missed opportunities to post my reviews of several fantastic books and even better movies (you HAVE to see "Sherlock Holmes" by the way, and they simply MUST make a sequel--preferably with Jason Isaacs or Ewan McGregor as Professor Moriarity; but I digress once more LOL).

So, I'll end the decade on a positive note--I have a wonderful job and two fantastic avocations that are supported financially by the wonderful job. I have my health. I have great friends who support not only my paper crafting but my writing, and who even (usually) tolerate my reduce/reuse/recycle idealogies.

Here's a final toast to 2009--Thank you for the opportunities to learn and grow and develop into a better person! Challenges are simply ways of expanding my horizons.

This is a post to look back; tomorrow I will move forward. Lots of exciting plans so check back often.