Saturday, August 27, 2011

movie night at the Blondins

The whole Blondin clan took in 3D Captain America, an event that doesn't happen all that often. When the kids became teens I pretty much resigned myself to only occasionally spotting them, during random trips to the kitchen, pretty much, or as my youngest generally greets me after work w "hey, what's for supper?" ... so imagine my surprise when both accepted our invite to the movies!

If you liked the retro style and feel of Iron Man, you're bound to like this one! I did; the boys all did, and my DH thanked me for talking him into going to the movies. My eldest and I are generally the movie fanatics in the household. They did a great job of adding 3D effects to this, and suffice to say it's no scene spoiler to say the young Steve Roberts is frustrated by being rejected for military service yet turns out to be the perfect candidate for some special scientific experiments that turn him into a powerful superhero.

Stay after the credits have finished ... as there's a preview of a group get-together movie in the works of multiple super hero characters. I hope Stan Lee and his family are making a mint on the movies, and are able to live comfortably on his new popularity.

I haven't been card-making lately ... been on a reading binge. Read The Help recently (plan to see the movie in a couple weeks w my movie buds), and am now reading Something Borrowed (have already seen that movie).

Sunday, August 21, 2011

movie day at the Blondins

I'm soooo bad; haven't posted much lately. And there be no card-making in the Blondin household this weekend either. I actually worked late Friday, then brought work home (ugh!), and Sunday played with my latest toy (a nook - finally broke down and got an eReader - but with an N2A microSD card to be able to multitask as an Android ... wish me luck here!) and broke away from that to see a movie w friends midday.

I'd suggested we see this one last month, but a couple of my recently retired friends now get to travel at whim and one was away when Crazy, Stupid, Love hit the local theaters. Both Sue's were back in town this weekend (yeah, 3 Sue's who hang together ... what are the chances of that, eh?!) so we got together today w Barb to take in the movie and eats afterward.

The movie was great, tho' I was a bit hesitant to suggest it as I wasn't a fan of 2010's Date Night. Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, and Emma Stone, with smaller yet significant parts played by Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon - all of whom I like - it was mainly about surviving a mid-life crisis in the marriage of the Carell and Moore characters. I won't spill the beans by saying anything more ... just go see it!

Seen any good movies lately? Please share! I downloaded my first book on the nook and have started reading The Help - probably another movie we'll see soon! ... and now, I'll return to reading! Hope you had a t'riffic weekend and thanx for stopping by!

Monday, August 15, 2011

get well NOW, Pat

My stamping buddy Pat was out of commission this past weekend and unable to take in a gal's weekend outing w us, so today I dropped off a get well package, hoping she'd heed my message and get well RIGHT NOW, Pat (in case you're reading this)!

Today's card is a hybrid; I scanned in the bag and used that for background and cut out one of the flowers to attach to the outside sentiment.

stamps: n/a; paper: Staples' bright white, SU's Old Olive card stocks; ink: PC-generated

Sunday, August 7, 2011

apple of my eye

Here's a card incorporating my first attempt at coloring using Faber-Castell's Mix & Match Gelatos, which my stamping buddy Pat and I tried our hand at during a stop at one of the booths at this past weekend's Heirloom stamp show in Novi MI. They seemed the consistency and size of lipstick tubes, and we used them similar to how you'd use watercolor crayons. I used their green, red, and yellow for the apples in the picture. We used yellow and drew a few stripes across all three apples, then used red and green additionally in the two left-most apples and blended each of the apples using a paintbrush and water. We dabbed the paintbrush against the green gelato to pick up enough color to color in the leaf. Easy peasy! My colors are all rather muted and work for the current Embellish Mag color challenge when adding the kraft card base! And I had the sentiment at home in an inexpensive clear stamp set from Oriental Trading. I left the inside of the card blank to use for a note later.

Have you tried these gelatos yet? And what's your take on them?

stamps: Lockhart Stamp Co's pefect apples, Oriental Trading's fruit salad; paper: A1 Neenah white, Paper Reflections' black, SU's Crumb Cake card stocks; ink: Ranger's black soot distress ink

CFC14 smile!

Aren't daisies the friendliest flowers?!

I have a few different sized daisy punches and pulled them out to make today's card. It was a toss-up as I knew I was going for either Black-eyed Susans or Daisies - and daisies won out! The current CAS-ual Friday CFC14 challenge is to add glitter to your Clean And Simple project using an adhesive glue dot or strip. I used glue dots both to adhere the daisies to the background and to add the glitter, which was white, onto yellow circles that I'd punched from two hand-held circle punches.

The "smile" stamp's from the hand scripted set I got from a muse studio at Heirloom's Rubber Stamp & Paper Arts Festival in Novi MI this weekend. I went with a few friends for a gal's day out outing, and we coupled it with shopping at IKEA and lunch at TGIF's. YUMMY and nice day!

stamps: a muse studio's hand scripted; paper: Paper Paradise's black, Staples bright white, and SU's Summer Sun card stocks; ink: Ranger's black soot distress ink; accessories: Sulyn's glitter; tools: Family Treasures' mini daisy and McGill's daisy and circle punches, and glue dots

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

where do YOU find your inspiration?

I found this list of 33 ways to stay creative on the Paper Craft Planet's blog and they found it on Kim Burmeister's blog ... and I thought I'd share it here w you! I couldn't find it on Kim's site so I've no idea if she wrote it or fetched it from some other blog ... but I'm curious ... do you think the rule 24 is not lined up on purpose. I'm just sayin' ...

Just up and checking the news before getting my day underway. A wind turbine farm's being erected in the Thumb area, expected to be up and operational by calendar year end. That makes me happy. Nothing like using renewable resources to create energy!

Thanx for stopping by and I hope you have a t'riffic day!