Sunday, August 30, 2009

Mosaic Monday Bunday

After our hiatus of nearly a month, Mosaic Monday is back! Our winner last time, with a tough theme to guess, was marilavado who was the only one who correctly guessed the secondary theme was TWILIGHT. So how about this week, my friends, do you know the secondary theme? (Remember Mosaic Monday Bunday always features rabbits!)

Guess today's theme and win a Mosaic Monday Bunday prize!

Click any pic to see its Etsy listing!


Leave a comment with your guess, and I will be pooling the names of those who guess correctly from both my LiveJournal and BlogSpot and drawing one winner per week. Winners eligible to win a prize once every 30 days and international players are welcome! Good luck!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Etsy Blogger of the Month: Memories for Life Scrapbooks

I can't believe I let nearly the whole month slip by without mentioning August's Blogger of the Month! I mean, she has the BEST ideas and the CUTEST things in her shop!

Flip Flop scrapbooks! Who'd-a thunk it?!


And look at this!


So much wonderful scrappy goodness in her shop! She also has notebooks and recipe books and other wonderful things! So check her out and see what she has that might be calling to you...

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Wind Chimes

You may have noticed the small wind chime I added to my blog in the upper right hand corner. Isn't it lovely? So peaceful. And to me, so much better someone else's favorite music. (What if I had my own music on? That's not to say I haven't ever discovered some great new music, or rocked out to someone's blog music; just some seems very obtrusive.)

I can't remember where I first came across the chimes, but it was a challenge for me to figure out how to install them, even with the page translated! So to save you the trouble of figuring it out on your own, I shall explain!

To get the windchimes, you head over to this site: KuruKuruParts Windchime

There you will find three scrolly text boxes, two with code in them: the first is the code for the one I have, the second is for the widget one displayed on that page, and the last (with no code) has the Terms of Use in it.

If you copy & paste the code from the first box onto your website, it will display a small ad, which you can see in my side bar underneath the one for Book Swim, and the windchime will show in the top right corner. The chime's picture will rotate at random through the ones shown on the site.

Yes it is that simple.

If you add it, let me know, I'd love to see! And I'd love to hear your opinions on *noisy* blogs (including mine)!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Tasty Tuesday: Braided Sesame Bread

This week's Tasty Tuesday is something Jacqueline is really the expert at making, but it is my favorite I think of all that she makes. So I will let her explain how...

Just click here and visit her new blog, Scrumptious!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

This is not why I am fat...

But I almost wish it was...

My LJ friend, Popfiend, posted something about KFC marketing a new Double Down sandwich, which actually sounds yummy, not that we eat fast food out very much anymore, and the same thing, made at home, tastes better, but you have to admit it's lo-carb! Anyway, I ended up discovering this blog somehow, and I was riveted. I made poor Jacqueline nearly nauseous with some of the descriptions, and was astounded by many of them myself. Others I can't wait to try! (Bacon Nachos anyone?)

I couldn't help but keep clicking Next, even though I could feel my arteries clogging and my hips getting bigger. (Why yes, I even had to remove my pants midway!) And then I found this:


Now this is something I have been looking for more info on for over TWO YEARS! Yes, more than 2 years ago I saw this ad on some foreign website I couldn't read, saved it, and have been vainly hoping Pizza Hut in the US would suddenly have it. And while a snowball has a better chance of surviving in Hawaii (you thought I was gonna say Hell, didn't you?), I am happy to have found this lovely review of it - complete with pics - so I can recreate it (with improvements of course) in my own kitchen... Yay!

And then this conversation happened...

Bunny: I can't stop clicking next on this blog...
Bunny: oooh look the infamous frito pie

ivorygrace7: hehehe!

At this point, i came to the end of the blog... I was *so* saddened, I actually cried out! And Jacqueline heard me in the other room, and replied...

ivorygrace7: sorry that it ended!
ivorygrace7: (OMG! It sounds like a relationship ended or sumpin!)

Bunny: I wanted more greasy fatty sugary carby foods
Bunny: pictures anyway
Bunny: of the cheesey sugary bacony goodness


LOLZ!!!

ETA: Have you seen this??? Jacqueline & I are perfecting it in our heads: mini corn dogs instead of twinkies, dip in a 13x9 pan not on a cookie sheet... and we don't even watch football!!! XD

Cross posted to my journal...

Friday, August 21, 2009

Fix-It Friday

I've been liking the super-saturated images that mimic the hand colored photos in books from the 60s and 70s lately, and I tried to do the same here...

First I cropped the image square. Then I started editing by duplicating the image 3x and de-saturating and softening them all. The middle layer I set to screen at about 50% to lighten up the image, and the top I set to soft light. Then I added a layer of dark blue to the top and set that to overlay as well. Then I took a big eraser with 0% hardness and erased all over the boy's face so he didn't look like Violet Beauregard. LOL!

I added another layer, set to overlay, of a piece of scrapbook paper I scanned. It was a yellowish textured paper with clouds on it; it's been on my HD for a while and I don't have it labeled so I am sorry I can't give you anymore specifics on that... And finally, I added a dark border, feather it out 13 pixels and blurred it. OH, and I erased the eyes on the soft light layer which really brightened the colors a lot...



Compared to the original:


There are lots of other's submissions over at...

Amazing

Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party from William Castleman on Vimeo.



Thank you all for your good luck vibes this morning... I think I did ok, but I won't know til the end of next week; so keep those fingers crossed...

Thursday, August 20, 2009

WISH ME LUCK

I have a job interview tomorrow morning for a job I think I would *really* enjoy! Think good thoughts!

TiLT: ABCs

Recently, Gala Darling suggested we all make our own love alphabet, and since it's been several weeks since I last posted a TiLT, here's mine!


Antonio, Allie, animals, and art
Bunnies, birds, and BBQ (separately for the most part)
Color and coloring with crayons
Daddy and deviantArt


Antonio, July 4th


Esme and Etsy
Flatrock, family, friends, fireworks, and Frank
Green grass, Google, gerenuks, and the Goddess
Horses and ponies


Flatrock at Sunset


Ice cream
Jacqueline and JoAnn
Kittens and cats (particularly especially my own)
Lia, the lake, love, and LOLcats


Jacqueline & Lia and the lake


Mommy and Mykel and muscle cars
Nerds (the candy and the people) and Neopets
Olives and oranges
Painting, purple, and pencils


Mommy, July 30th


Queens and queers and quesadillas
Rocks, rivers, and rabbits (yes I know technically it's on twice)
Sex, sunshine, and sandalwood soap
Tomatoes, fresh off the vine


Melody Rose, June 27th


Umbrellas in rainbow colors
Vanilla Coke, Vanilla Pepsi, V8 juice and VW bugs (old style)
Wind, wading, waffles, and wandering
Xanth


Me, wading at Flatrock


Yoga, Y!M, yumminess, and YOU!
ZenHabits



Things I Love Thursday is brought to you by Gala Darling...

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

The Honest Scrap

About a month ago (my how time flies) I was given an award by Eve who runs Through Eve's Looking-Glass, and in all the hub-bub, it's taken until NOW to post it and pass it on. I really think this is a good time too, for honesty and putting it all out there. I've been so guarded about posting things here, worrying about offending anyone, and although I promised myself I would stop doing that and be authentic, but I haven't.

But when someone close to you dies unexpectedly, it puts things in perspective, and if you can *see* and are very brave, all kinds of changes can happen...


Anyway, here are the rules:
  1. “The Honest Scrap” award is not one to hold all to your self but it must be shared!
  2. First, the recipient has to tell 10 true things about themselves in their blog that no one else knows.
  3. Second, the recipient has to pass along this prestigious award to 10 more bloggers.
  4. Third, those 10 bloggers all have to be notified they have been given with this award.
  5. Those 10 bloggers that receive this award should link back to the blog that awarded them “The Honest Scrap’ award.
Woo! TEN bloggers! That's a bunch, but I shall try my best...

First, 10 truths!
  1. I never know what to put on these lists, mostly because I live most of my life so transparently.
  2. However, while I am not hiding things, I may not have ever stated them out loud here on this blog; so I will now.
  3. I am polyamorous. (For more info go here, here, and here.)
  4. I am bisexual and in a committed relationship with another woman.
  5. I have been unable to have my own children, but am still trying.
  6. I don't believe in organized religion, but I do believe in individual spirituality.
  7. My natural hair color is purple. ~_^
  8. I feel like I've cheated somehow to become a grandparent, like I didn't have to do the hard part.
  9. I cling too tightly to the past ... and my stuff. (Can you say packrat?)
  10. I feel big big changes coming in my life, but can't put my finger on them quite yet...
And now to choose 10 bloggers to pass it on to...
  1. Jodi from the Seabolt Family World
  2. Julie with A Heart of Mersea
  3. Jacqueline who writes Not Your Typical Weight Loss Blog
  4. Charity Joy Bells who shares her Thoughts (and Le Cake Day!)
  5. Jenn who Cooks
  6. Kaerie Faerie
  7. Uuuummm... Maybe you noticed....
  8. I'm not much of a rule follower....
  9. So 6 is all ya get... :P
  10. But feel free to take the award and pass it on yourself if you'd like!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Great Deal

For a few weeks now I have been wanting more colored Sharpie-like markers to color on some plastic things but have been refraining from buying them because 1. we're broke, 2. the only ones I could find individually were black, 3. the multi-packs with the colors I wanted were all too much money. Well on Sunday, my mom got the paper and there was a coupon in it from A.C. Moore for 40% any one item or if I went on Tuesday (today) 50% off any one item. (If you've got one in your area maybe stop by and see if the store has any of their ads to share...)

I had forgotten how I used to get those whenever they came out and go buy something, even if I didn't need anything, just because I could. However this time I knew just what I was going to get! We stopped at the store on the way home and wandered 'til we got to the markers. They had all kinds of sets, and even had them individually, but I had told myself that *ideally* I wanted to buy some for under $5, but would spend up to $7 including taxes.

I really like clicky pens; no losing the cap, ya know? And Sharpie has a line of retractable pens now, but they're usually more expensive. Well, on this particular day, in this particular store, there seemed to be someone looking out for my interests. There was a 8 pack of the usual rainbow colored markers for $9.99 and next to them, an 8 pack of retractable almost rainbow colored markers for $6.99. And I kept looking... trying to figure out why the retractables were priced lower... and if I could do without yellow and brown and purple...

Well eventually I opted for the cheaper - but retractable! - markers. I figured the yellow doesn't show well anyway, I had a purple at home that worked, and the main thing I was coloring was already brown; so... We took it to the cashier, who rang it up, added my 40% off, and told me the total was over $11. Huh? I thought, How'd it go from $6.99 to over $11? Of course, I notified the cashier who was kind enough to check on it.

Seems someone had restocked a whole bunch of the retractable markers, priced at $17.99, on the hook for the all black markers, which were $6.99; and since it was "so confusing" she let me have the markers at $6.99 with the 40% off, meaning I got $13.80 off! That's more than 75% off!!! And I got the markers I *really* wanted at the price I *really* wanted...

Thank you, Universe!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Circle of Life

One thing ends and another begins. My 38th year ends, my 39th begins. One semester ends, another begins. Summer winds down, the harvest kicks off. My step-father's life ends, and my gift-daughter's son is born.

Circle of life; wheel of the year; tick of the clock... It never stops...

It's been a busy month, a crazy fortnight, and a very surreal week....

Maybe someday I can find the time to write more coherently about it...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

DBAD

Definitely.
Emma gave birth to Benjamin Ian Duby yesterday at 8:42 a.m. weighing 8 lbs. 14 oz. and this morning about 7:15, my stepfather Frank passed away.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Frank

I am writing this from the family lounge on 9F at University Hospital, where I have been since noon today. My mother called me this morning and had me come to Syracuse. She needed to make the decision to take my stepfather off life support. He is now getting what they call Comfort Care: he has a morphine drip to keep him comfortable, but all other support has been stopped. He is breathing on his own and they have removed the tube for that. He still has the heart monitor things on his chest and the blood pressure cuff and the feeding tube in, but they aren't hooked up to anything. The feeding tube is there if they need to give him Tylenol or something direct to his stomach. The swelling on his brain hasn't gone down and it's not something they can operate on. There are no guarantees he will wake up, and if he does he will likely not be the same Frank. My mother is afraid to leave, but he could be like this for a very long time...

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Update again

There's been no change. He's breathing on own, not sedated; the bleeding has stopped, but the swelling has not gone down. No other changes. They can only keep him comfortable for a few more days or something... then mom might have to make hard decisions.

Update on my step-father

I would like to thank those of you who responded with your well-wishes to my last post. At this point there is still no change in his condition. He is still in ICU and intubated, and has had a feeding tube added. They did take him off the sedatives, but he is still in a neck brace and still unconscious. Still no idea why he fell or why he is not waking up.

My mom is holding up. She's got a long time friend of the family staying with her, and she's going to work still because they need the money (and probably for the distraction), but of course, she just wants her husband to come home. And I just want my mommy happy...

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Think Good Thoughts Please

My step-father collapsed while walking home from the bus after work yesterday. In addition to having cuts and bruises on his face, he has multiple small bleeds throughout his brain, and 2 large ones. He is still unconscious, has been intubated, and is undergoing tests today. Any healing energy, prayers, good thoughts, etc. that you can spare and send to him and my mom are greatly appreciated...

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Le Cake Day

To eat the cake, keep it and even give it as a gift.



Being one who LOVES cake, when I found out about Le Cake Day, naturally I had to request my own cake; and Charity Joy Bell gave me the loveliest cake, which I am now going to share with Jacqueline, who I think will really like this pretty cake!



Here are the rules:
  1. If you want to get and give cake (and you're not Jacqueline), go to Le Cake Day and request your own! ^-^
  2. When you get cake, copy and paste the Le Cake Day Code into your post or onto your sidebar (whichever you choose).
  3. Have good enough manners to say "thank you" to me or to the person who gave you the cake!
  4. Pass the cake on (by copying the cake and pasting into your post) to only one person who should in turn pass it on to only one other person. Pass the cake by linking to the site of the person you want to give it to, and then notify your friend that he/she "has got cake."
  5. You may pass on the same cake that was passed on to you, or you may look for a different cake which you think would suit the next person better.
  6. Let the next person know about the rules by copying these rules and pasting them into your post.

Monday, August 03, 2009

Mosaic Monday Bunday

Guess today's theme and win a Mosaic Monday Bunday prize!

Click any pic to see its Etsy listing!


Leave a comment with your guess, and I will be pooling the names of those who guess correctly from both my LiveJournal and BlogSpot and drawing one winner per week. (Remember Mosaic Monday Bunday always features rabbits!) Good luck!

For other Mosaic Monday posts, click here!