Its Been A While

It's been a while since I posted a birthday card so today, I am sharing with you a super simple one. I love polkadots!

Digi Shack Wednesday

If you are not seeing a pudgy pink pig chowing down on birthday cake you have a problem. Either (1) you have had too much to drink or (2) your computer monitor is out of focus.  Regardless which of the two possibilities is the answer, I sincerely hope you fix the problem immediately!

Meet Harold. Harold came to live with me when he was a wee lad wearing the same silly brown coat you see him wearing today, except that it fit him then and he didn't need a shave.  Harold likes to do odd jobs around the house except for cooking, cleaning and laundry. He has weak eyes, so he absolutely will not perform any tasks that require his appearance outside.  So that pretty much leaves Harold to light my path when it gets dark which is rather annoying because he is so slow and I am always afraid I will run over him with my car.



Both of these fun images plus many more can be found at The Digi Shack. Please take the time and visit each of my Shack Sistahs by using their links found on my sidebar.

Another Eek!

Is there anything more touching then to see the outstretched arms of a mummy reaching for her child. Oh wait, wrong spelling. Is there anything more hair-raising then to see the outstretched arms of a mummy headed straight for you, even if it is wearing glitter. Justinklined provided a  freebie for their Halloween challenge that I  couldn't resist so I decided to grab it and go. After all, mummies always get a bum wrap -- pun intended!

Snow

Since we have had an extremely hot summer, I think we are going to have an exceptional winter with lots of the four letter word that starts with an S. So when I noticed Sassy Cheryl's Challenge was to make a card with snowmen and buttons, I decided to go ahead, get out my shovel and practice.  Unfortunately, the snow did not photograph well enough to see.

It Ain't Pretty

Did you ever see the backside of a witch? Well, it ain't pretty but Sassy Cheryl's did a great job trying to capture the essence, warts and all.

Poorly Pup

You know the soft spot I have in my heart for dogs, especially dogs in need, so when I saw this sweet image at Stampin Dragon Designs, I had to have it. Poor thing has a boo-boo on his head that needed a band-aid but, truth be told, we all know that a kiss will always make it better.

Be sure to visit all the Stampin Dragon Design team members' blogs listed on my side bar.

Laundry

Laundry is another tough but necessary domestic job that I hate. But who else will do it when you live with two Goldens?  My Golden girls always give me the same old excuse when asked to perform any chores . . . we don't have thumbs. To be fair, I do not permit the dogs to leave the yard, so that leaves me to drag the dirty clothes down to the river to pound on rocks. This time of year, the water level is low so it is essential to wade farther out to find water deep enough to get the clothes wet. Then you have to backtrack and find a good rock to pound on and then back out to deeper water to rinse.  Hauling dripping wet laundry home is no easy task either.  Good thing I have a clothesline to hang them on to dry. If clothing was not an essential part of daily living, I would just leave the clothes suspended on the line so that each time it rained, they would get washed.

New Dogs, Old Dogs

I love to hear when friends get a new puppy (as long as its not from a puppy mill), or better yet, an older dog that's been tossed aside. For me, its a happy occasion that calls for a "show of support" card.

When I get a new dog, I always make them watch informative television programs about animals with the hope of curtailing the length of time necessary for potty training. I mean, after all, if they can train a seal, elephant, or whale to do stunts, they should be able to train my dogs! Since I have stumbled upon this form of training, getting my K-9 friends in the sit position is easy as long as I am holding a yummy morsel. Begging, on the other hand, is really not a trick, it is something dogs do naturally at the sight or smell of food. But I must admit, "play dead" is not a trick I have ever desired to have any of my dogs perform. Even so, this clever image, available at The Digi Shack, makes a perfect welcome card especially with "yellowed" newspaper as the background.

Happy Day After Labor Day

Today is release day at The Digi Shack and I have the pleasure of sharing with you one of Brian Lock's new Halloween images and as usual, his images cause my funny bone to kick it up a notch.

This poor little witch tried hard to hide her heritage, but when your head is glaring purple and the biggest part of your body, it is difficult to conceal. To avoid sneers and jeers she has moved away from the neighborhood into the old witch's retirement home. Next to all the grizzled pea-green hags, she's a real beauty and is slowly regaining her self-esteem.

Although it is not new, this gem, also available at The Digi Shack, speaks to my heart.  I would much prefer watching television over exercising or doing something domesticated like washing dirty dishes, cooking, or cleaning. I couldn't help but take a picture of the framed motto "Changing the channel is  exercise" that hangs over my recliner and include it on this card. Do I hear an amen?

The Smallest Act of Kindness

I consider myself to be a pleasant person and I enjoy doing frequent random acts of kindness. So today, I am going to do a significant act of kindness and reach out to all of you, my dear friends, and remind you that after today, absolutely, positively, under no circumstances, no, no, no, should you wear white shoes until the date on the 2011 calendar is Memorial Day!  This fashion law is not to impede your sense of fashion. Definitely not. It is for your safety. The purpose for this law (and there are white shoe patrols monitoring) is that when you are shoveling knee-deep snow, you do not mistake your tootsies for frozen white stuff and scoop them. So, again I say, be safe, NO WHITE SHOES until next Memorial Day. Now it's your turn to do a random act of kindness and tell your friends, and so on and so on.

Apples

Pennsylvania is the fourth largest producer of apples in the United States and its that time of year when the apples start falling from trees in abundance.  While apples are an important part of the agricultural scene in Pennsylvania, there are far more interesting facts about the apple. Apples are a member of the rose family and have been enjoyed by humans since sometime before 6500 B.C., I didn't realize Adam and Eve were that old! Apples were introduced in the United States sometime in the 1600s by the early European settlers who brought seeds with them. However, if you planted a seed from today's apple, you would not get the same kind of apple, sounds like the asexual reproduction police have been slacking. Apples are enjoyed fresh, cooked, my favorite way -- in a pie, or on the front of cards.

The Eyes Have It

Wink*Wink Ink has challenged the design team of Stampin Dragons Designs  to make a card and use the letter "i" on it. When I saw this adorable image, well, you probably can write the rest of the story.  The actual digital image is called "Poodle" and is available at Wink*Wink* Ink but to me, it is the spitting image of my grandpuppy, Sadie Mae. Sadie is a 30 pound cockapoo, fluff ball that knows how to get around me. As much as I love dogs, I do not allow them on my furniture or my bed . . . except Sadie Mae.  Sadie has been a constant source of motion and fun for the past four weeks. Now she's on her way to Japan and the house is so quiet. Sniff, sniff! I have attached a picture of her "cuteness" to compare. And yes, one eye is blue and the other is brown.

Join in the fun, the challenge is opened to all for the next two weeks. Use one of the adorable images of Wink*Wink* Ink and the letter "i" on your card and you might win 3 stamps/stamp set!

Another Birthday in the House

My little grandson, I say little because he is only 6.2 feet tall and weighs in at 225 pound and is still growing, turned 17 yesterday! No, I did not forget his birthday, I remember it perfectly because the closer we got to his birth, I would remind my daughter that she had to wait until after September 1. What a good daughter and grandson, he arrived at 12:01 am on September 1. How is that for a perfect daughter (well almost) and grandson (absolutely)!  Happy Birthday Stephen!

Happy News

Although my baby girl is off to Japan and I am very sad, I have such exciting news to share that helps take away the sting. You all know that I am huge fan of The Digi Shack so I am absolutely, positively thrilled to announce that I have been chosen to join the Design Team, a/k/a/ Shack Sistahs, for the next term. Yahoo!!! Wednesdays are Showcase Showdowns at The Digi Shack, and I am sharing with you three of their fabulous fun images.

The image on the first card is from the mastermind of my hero, Marlene "Looney" Shaw of Disguised as a Grown-Up fame.  Every morning Marlene's blog is the first blog I visit and every morning, I start the day laughing. 

Now, what do I say about a slightly-middle-aged man standing in his underwear? Well, I think I should explain the weight gain. It is not because he stuffs himself at every meal, not because he doesn't exercise, and no, its not because he imbibes too much beer, it is because he has so much information tossing about inside his head. I personally, think it makes perfect sense, why else would there be so many slightly middle-aged folks walking around with extra weight?

The innovative artistry of Brian Lock immediately hit home with me when I said this image because years ago, each of my children asked Santa for a hippopotamus for Christmas. Yep, just like in the song and Santa being such a swell guy fulfilled their wishes and left Hilda. All my kids are adults and have homes of their own and I am still stuck with Hilda. Hippos prefer water so she resides in my bathtub and she has been there so long she's scrubbed off the gray. Hilda is a vegan so I am constantly making her salads and then repairing her lipstick because she is so vain. So please, if you know of someone who will give Hilda a good home, please let me know, I will pay the freight and throw in the bathtub.

And this brings me to today's final card and my debut as design team member. I do know that witches are suppose to be well, witchy, but she's just too happy and spunky to make her a hag like some of her ancestors. This little cutie is another creation by Brian Lock and is a part of the next release that will be available September 7 at The Digi Shack along with several other Brian Lock originals.

Please take the time and visit the blogs of the awesome Shack Sistahs located on my sidebar. (Oh my gosh, I'm still pinching myself!)