Sketch Challenge 30 Nov 2019 ~ 2 or 3 photos 1 page layout

From More Scrapbooking with Sketches by Pam Hedden

Journal Challenge 29 Nov 2019 ~ Giggles

Scrapbook a layout about a photo that makes you giggle.

Don't scrapbook?  

Journal about this or create a page in your art journal.  

Just get creative!

Journal Challenge 28 Nov 2019 ~ Tell it Again

Scrapbook a layout about a story you've told before. 

Don't scrapbook?  

Journal about this or create a page in your art journal.  

Just get creative!

Save 15% this week . . .

My publisher is having a sale.  

Order direct from them and save!

You can see my books at A Fresh Start.

Movie Review: Two Lovers

Two Lovers (2009) was directed by James Gray and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw.  Loved it.

Two Lovers is a romantic drama full of truth and emotion that kept me riveted to my office chair for almost two hours.  (I was in an office chair because I was watching the movie on Netflix on Hal's computer.)

If you like action, lots of skin, noise, colour and slick lines don't bother even turning this movie on.  If you enjoy a movie that moves you emotionally and intellectually, that doesn't require all the schtick to keep you interested, and that feels true, turn it on.  Their is a lot of emotion in this movie which might make some people a little uncomfortable but it comes across to the audience as very real.  I think that is the theme of this review . . . it is real.

Joaquin Phoenix plays the part of Leonard, a young man, who is bi-polar, living with his parents after a failed suicide.  He is quiet and a little brooding, yet funny and sexually confident.  Leonard is still grieving for his fiance, who broke off their engagement and disappeared from his life, when he meets two very different women and faces choices which he isn't emotionally ready to make.  Sandra, played by Vinessa Shaw, loves him and just want to care for him.  She wants a real relationship with Leonard.  Sandra is safe and comforting.  Michelle, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, is focused only on herself, rather manic and needy and accepts as her due that Leonard will take care of her whenever her married lover doesn't step up.

If you are hoping for a "love-conquers-all" kind of ending, don't turn it on.  Even at the end of the movie Leonard still isn't capable of making his own decisions, allowing life to happen to him.  And isn't that real?

Sketch Challenge 23 Nov 2019 ~ 7 photos 2 pages

Hellmann's Creamy Hot Artichoke Dip

Just in time for holiday parties . . . 

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients in 1-quart casserole.  Bake uncovered 25 minutes or until heated through.  Serve with your favourite dippers.

Enjoy.

A Taste of Canada ~ Thrills Gum

Thrills is a Canadian brand of chewing gum originally produced by the O-Pee-Chee company of London, Ontario, Canada which was subsequently bought by Nestle in the late 1980s. It is well known for its purple colour and its distinctive floral rosewater flavor.  Comparisons of its flavor to soap are so prevalent that recent packaging states "IT STILL TASTES LIKE SOAP!".

On Amazon:

Thrills Chewing Gum, 10 Count - 20 Pack
by Thrills Co
Price: CDN$ 40.99 & FREE Shipping.

5 new from CDN$ 20.75
Sometimes You Just Need To Have A Taste Of Soap - What, Wait, What
Uniquely flavored gum tastes like soap, but everyone loves it
You have to try it to understand
Now Certified Peanut Free
Made In Canada


I love that you can buy NEW gum for $20.75 . . .

Christmas Movie Review: Surviving Christmas (2004)

You know Christmas is only a month away when Christmas movies, great and good and bad, start running on TV.

Surviving Christmas is one of the bad Christmas movies. Apparently Ben Affleck opened his own production company in order to direct and star in some very stupid movies.  I hear he's doing better now.  This was an annoying movie because Ben Affleck, as a lonely obnoxious millionaire, played his part way over the top . . . way way over the top.  He could not possibly have been more obnoxious.  In fact, he was way way way too obnoxious.

The high point of this movie is Tom and Christine Valco, played by two amazing actors . . . James Gandolfini and Catherine O'Hara.  The Valcos were just trying to get through the holidays with their kids before telling them that they were splitting up.  Unfortunately for them, Drew Latham (Affleck) grew up in their house.  He tours the house and then offers the Valcos a huge pile of money if they will pretend to be his family for Christmas.

It doesn't go well because Latham is demanding and obnoxious and the Valcos have their own problems.  Like any Christmas movie worth its salt, everything works out in the end.

My favourite little gem in this movie is Bill Macy, playing Latham's Doo-Dah (pretend grandfather).  I remember Bill Macy from the TV show Maude.  Best gag of the movie is when Doo-Dah can't make it to a dinner party at the Valcos and decides to send his understudy, played by Sy Richardson.

Sketch Challenge 16 Nov 2019 ~ 3 photos 1 page

How to make your own textured paste

http://gabriellepollacco.blogspot.ca/2013/06/a-tranquil-moment-with-new-websters.html

Homemade Smooth Texture Paste

1/4 cup Talcum Powder (I used Johnson's Baby Powder, Make it smell good too!!)
1 tablespoon White All purpose School Glue
1 tablespoon White Craft Paint
Some Water

Instructions: Combine talcum powder, glue, white paint with disposable chopsticks (or plastic spoon) in an airtight container, adding water to get it to the consistency you are looking for. You want a nice thick texture much like toothpaste. The mixture will keep perfectly for many months.

Cereal Jumbles

I had to get out one of my old cookbooks and come up with a sure-fire recipe. What better way to remember which recipes are best than to look for the pages with the most spills on them . . . LOL . . .

And that's how I chose this recipe . . .

online photo similar to cereal jumbles

Cereal Jumbles
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 well-beaten egg
1-1/2 tbsp milk
1 cup sifted enriched flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup finely cut dates
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flakes**

** I went to 3 different stores and could not find any wheat flake cereal. I ended up using Presidents Choice On Track cereal. It was a good decision. And I've been really enjoying eating the leftover cereal. **

Cream shortening; add sugar gradually, and blend. Add egg and milk. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Add vanilla, dates, and nuts. Crush cereal flakes slightly. Drop cookie dough from teaspoon into crushed cereal flakes and roll so that balls of dough are entirely coated. Top with nut meat halves, if desired. Place about 3" apart on greased heavy baking sheet. Bake in hot over (400F) about 12 minutes. Makes 2-3 dozen.

Yummy!!!!!

Note: The next time I made these cookies I was in a rush and just dumped the cereal into the cookie dough. Tasted just as good and a lot less work.

A Taste of Canada ~ Nova Scotia Lobster Roll

Sketch Challenge 9 Nov 2019 ~ 4 photos 1 page layout

Poached Orange Scallops with Mint

Closest photo I could find online.  We were too busy eating to take photos when I actually served this recipe.

1 orange, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup light cream or whipping cream (next time I'm using the whipping cream)

1 tbsp orange zest

1 tsp dried mint or 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1/2 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 lb scallops

Combine all of the ingredients, except the scallops, in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the head, add the scallops, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the scallops are whie and tender.  Remove the scallops and set aside.

Cook remaining mixture until the liquid reduces by half.

Return the scallops to the pan.  Heat the scallops in the sauce for 1-2 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Craft Room Organization Challenge #10 ~ Swaps

So how did you make out with Challenge #9?

I didn't realize how far I was behind in organizing sketches and technique ideas.  I'm still working on that challenge.

Are you ready for Challenge #10 ~ Swaps?

THE FINAL CHALLENGE!!!

Many of us have fallen victim to the lure of scrapbook swaps among local and online groups. All the hours, material, creativity, and postage costs make these items difficult to purge. But let's face it, not everything is YOUR style, you are NEVER going to use some of it. It's time to make S.P.A.C.E.

SORT: Keep only what you love.  If the colour or style does not make you smile, it must go.  Keep only what is significant to you - don't keep the soccer page swap items if your kids are into hockey and dance.  Sort into: KEEP, TRASH, SELL, DONATE

PURGE: Pack up the DONATE pile and give it to a beginner scrapbooker who might appreciate these items.  Throw out the TRASH pile.  Bag up and assign a price and your initials to the SELL items and put them directly into the garage sale box.

ASSIGN: sort your KEEP items into categories, theme, holiday, colour, whatever makes sense to you.  

CONTAINERIZE: Store your keepers in page protectors by theme in binders, or get them into giant ziplocs to create page kits for your next cropping session.

EQUALIZE: next time a swap arrives in the mail, take a few minutes to toss or give away what you know you'll never use, create a page kit for your next cropping session, or put in a page protector in your swap binder for storage.

At one point in my scrapbooking life I participated in a ridiculous number of swaps.  Not any more.  So I can say that Challenge #10, for me, is done.  

I'm off now to get some serious crafting done . . . 

Book Review ~ 100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces by Merna Forster ~ b

Just before the 2019 Federal Election I saw a post on Facebook urging women to vote. To remember that it was women like Susan B. Anthony who had fought for our right as women to vote.

Because Canadian women in history seem to be found only in footnotes of history books, many women don't realize that it was Emily Murphy, Irene Marryat Parlby, Nellie Mooney McClung, Louise Crummy McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards who were responsible for women being seen as persons under the law. Yep, before they won their battles in courts and goverment in Canada and in England, women were not considered as persons.

Merna Forster attempts to fix this dearth of women in Canadian history by researching and writing 100 Canadian Heroines. It is a very interesting book.

It was kind of frustrating/annoying that most of the women featured in this book came from privileged backgrounds. But I then realized that they would be the only women who would have the time, finances and support to step above the norm to become pilots, doctors, opera singers, politicians and such.

Not all the women were likable and some were downright annoying but you have to give them credit for accomplishing so much.

I just found out there is a new book by Merna Forster . . . 100 More Canadian Heroines. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Movie Review ~ Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

My son called this afternoon to tell me he had watched a great movie and he knew I was going to love it.  So I watched the movie and he was right.

This story has so many comedic elements to keep it from becoming unappealingly maudlin and the quirky characters are meant to be loved, liked, or hated in turn.  I felt this for each character.

The trailer tells the basic plot quite well.  Be prepared for some violence and coarse language.

Academy Awards, USA 2018

Winner Oscar	Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Frances McDormand
	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Sam Rockwell
Nominee Oscar	Best Motion Picture of the Year Graham Broadbent Peter Czernin Martin McDonagh
	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Woody Harrelson
	Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score) Carter Burwell
	Best Original Screenplay Martin McDonagh
	Best Achievement in Film Editing Jon Gregory

Sketch Challenge 2 Nov 2019 ~ 3 photos, 1 page

A Knitting Finish in October 2019

Scrapbooking Finishes in October 2019

I spent 5 days at Windswept Retreat House, 1 day at a crop put on by the local Kinette Club, and hosted 1 evening of Sketch Club . . . and here are the results . . .

Kit from Zsu Zsu's Pages

These next few photos are of a rescue of some of my sister-in-law's photos from a magnetic album.

I made this mini album as a gift for our niece to celebrate her graduation from nursing school.  The instructions for this album are in Album in an Afternoon.

Yes, I did fix the T . . . LOL.

Kit from Kit 'n Kaboodle