Favorite Photo Friday {#14}

Can you imagine? This little guy was indeed doggone cute....until you got up close and he bared his teeth and growled at me! This was taken last summer...imagine what HIS Halloween costume must have been!

Pumpkin Carving Fun

Our annual Jack-o-lantern carving evening! Extra fun that the Phillies won! WooHoo!

Week 19 Art Deck Prompt!

OOOPS! I am late with this one! Watch this space!

Favorite Photo Friday {#12}

If I were a house, I'd want to be a fancy Painted Lady. Who knew purple looked so good on me? Hee. This was taken in Orbsonia, PA, at a farmer's market/gift shop my sisters, mom, and dear friend Helen have frequented through the years on our "halfway visits" (midway between Philly and Pgh). Love the new paint job!

Favorite Photo Friday {#11}

Sunflowers captured while grocery shopping at Whole Foods. Perfectly beautiful. xo

WASSIMA ART DECK PROMPT! {Week 17}

Week 17 prompt is about putting together whatever is pleasing to you right now. I cannot GUSH enough about the fun I have been having with the Hitchcock Blonde kit and being a part of Cynthia's design team. This card is another reminder to me of this journey...all the pieces are my treasures and I plan to USE THEM UP, make pretty little homes for them, and have them always as a reminder of this special time. So sad that Cynthia has had to stop before it really got started...but stay tuned for more from this special girl! She has much much more up her artsy sleeves!

And here is my take on last week's prompt "Fall Is" -- oh yeah. All about the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks....cliche, I know. But still means "Fall is HERE!" for me!

...and on the back....a few other favorite things about FALL.
Happy Sunday! Off to get some errands done and enjoy this beautiful weather!

Swirls!

Favorite (Photo) Friday {#10}

Who knew Moisha was a reader? Hee. Was at my sis&bro-in-law's a few weekends ago...returned a book and delivered the tee-shirts for their donation to the Dragon Boat Race (thanks, L&L!) -- and set them on the sofa while we worked on the project of the day (Landon's programs for his bar mitzvah.) Turned around at one point and there was Moishie....watching us from his comfy perch. Awwww...Who's a good boy?

My take on the "inspiration board"

As I was working on a layout for the Hitchcock Blonde kit I knew I wanted some way to remember this fun journey with Cynthia into her dream of creative kits in her own style. I have kept up my "Proof of Productivity" book - to capture scraps and bits of projects through the years...and I thought I'd start a special one just for the Design Team work.

And so I began with a sketch I had drawn of a layout I wanted to 'lift' from something I had seen online....and just began tacking on the various scraps and bits from the Hitchcock Blonde kit that I had accumulated after 3 layouts. And thus, I give you my first "swatch" page....my version of an INSPIRATION BOARD. I like it.

On Sale! Quick before they sell out!

OK--if you haven't already.....hope over to Cynthia's Etsy shop and grab the basics of the Hitchcock Blonde Kit for the special price of $19.99!

She also has extra packets of her Hitchcock Blonde Patterned Paper for sale, and the black chipboard Skinny books. TREAT YOURSELF!

TAG, I'M IT!

OK... CAMERON tagged me --so here goes!

TWO "rules":
#1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs & replace any question that they dislike with a new question. (I only changed one--#12 is mine)

#2 Tag 8 people to do this quiz (my 8 are below!)

Here are my questions&answers:

1. How many songs are on your iPod? 386 (4G nano) 1375 in my iTunes

2. What music would you want played at your funeral? Don't think I want a traditional funeral -maybe a memorial service somewhere cozy. And for Music--all my favorite SAD SONGS one last time! (Rob & Jackie know the playlist if they outlive me!)

3. Which magazines do you have subscriptions to? Martha Stewart Living & Victoria (weening myself off subscriptions---too much STUFF and I never want to toss them!)

4. What is your favorite scent? I am with Cameron and love the scent of cloves and cinnamon. Also love the smell of (in no particular order!) vanilla, patchouli, department store cosmetics counters, freshly baked bread, coffee beans, babies, clean laundry off the line, Covergirl facepowder and foundation (so mom in the 60's/70's!), Origins' Ginger Essence anything, dewy or freshly mowed grass, anything citrus & honeysuckle.

5. If you had a million dollars that you could only spend on yourself, what would you do with it?
Private trainer, chef, ORGANIZER, handyman, valet (as in for my CAR). And a big old Victorian house with a huge wrap-around porch to restore and use as a B&B for my family and friends to VISIT ME/us! OH..and a MINI COOPER. Or a VW Bug. And custom-fitted shoes and BRAS. (....hmmmm...how much do I have left?)

6. What is your theme song? "Don't Worry. Be Happy." (seriously! life is TOO SHORT!)

7. Do you trust easily? I am a total PARADOX on this one. I trust things I hear from people I trust (not expecting them to be pulling my leg--which makes a lot of my family & friends think I am GULLIBLE!) But in my adult years lately---no--generally I am not "blindly trusting."

8. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think? Unfortunately - too often the LATTER! (But I'm working on it!)

9. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days? Yes. (But I haven't lost hope!)

10. What do you most like about yourself? I like that I have been tested in my personal relationships a lot in recent years, and have learned a lot about love and compassion and forgiveness and "doing better when you know better." I like that my instincts have been right more than wrong on big issues (not that I always FOLLOW!) I like that I am beginning to allow myself to call myself an artist, and that I define that in many (and always changing) ways.

11. Is being tagged fun? Yeah! It appeals to the teen girl in me!

12. What piece of art do you want to see in person (rather than a print, reproduction, photo, etc.)? Klimt's "The Kiss."

13. What have you been seriously addicted to lately? Oh my....too many things!! Coffee and Starbucks beverages that are NOT good for me! Creating (when I have a jillion other things that need to be done). Computer time - blogs/SIStv/PICNIK/email....

14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is? I THINK CAMERON IS (again, in no particular order!): creative, loving, loyal, artistic, quirky, a spastic perfectionist in an endearing way!, sensitive, beautiful, a REALLY talented photographer, compassionate, stylish, adventuresome, well-traveled, living a HUGE life with spirit and conviction and in an enviably great marriage : )

15. What’s the last song that got stuck in your head? Something that was playing in Old Navy when Tracy and I were there last--can't recall it now, but we both had it in our heads when we left!

16. What’s your favorite item of clothing? Gray sweater Rob picked out for me at Macy's last year - wish I had it in EVERY COLOR (sadly -- it only came in CREAM and when we went back--didn't have my size.)

17. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy? Sure. Especially in the form of the RICE KRISPIES SQUARES - marshmallow heaven : )

18. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground? If I am alone? Noone around who just dropped it? PICK.IT.UP. Keep it only if I can't reasonably find the owner.

19. What items could you not go without during the day? Something to DO or READ. Connection with Rob.

20. What should you be doing right now? HOUSEWORK. blech.

OK....TAGGING THESE 8: Divian!, Jackie, Karalenn, Mikayla, Niki, Sandy!, Shani (come on, please blog something!!!), STELLAAA!!!

Favorite Photo Friday {#9}

OK. How brilliant is this ad? I love this. And yes, I did seek out the "FIRST SHARPIE PEN" the next time I was in Target (score! they had the 3pack!) because I saw this ad -- but also because I LOVE SHARPIE FINEPOINT MARKERS and I am always on the hunt for the BEST black fine point. So far, love the pen.

And the ad is BRILLS. The tagline "WRITE OUT LOUD?" Oh yeah...they mean me. I will! I do!

And Mr. Beckham is not too shabby, either.

Win/Win!

Hitchcock Blonde Kit Layout {#3}

Oh I am SO IN LOVE with the STRING OF PEARLS paper. Had a hard time CUTTING INTO IT....but once I did I loved the look of a few strands here and there on this layout.

This photo is my mom and dad, Thanksgiving 1960. They had been married for a year by then, but my oldest sister would not enter the picture until the following December. I don't recall ever seeing this photo until very recently (thanks, Nik!) How gorgeous are those pearls on my mom?

Love her smile in this pic.

They only had 16 married years together before my father died.

What we all wouldn't do for another Thanksgiving with him.

Technicolor Postcards Hitchcock Blonde kit items: Black fibers (from burlap piece); heart cut from red burlap, Hambly transparency screenprint (Gold) and paper (Black Brocade), String of Pearls patterned paper; vintage pearl button and silk flowers; Thickers "Jewelry Box" letters in gold and black.