WEB WEDNESDAY - Lolabboutique

click here to be taken to her most adorable blog and site!

The format and design and overall look of this blog (to coincide with her most lovely web shop site) has everything I love - Birds, branches, music, even a little crown!

I think her ways of expression are so keen with what I love that I just had to share! Hope you enjoy her site as much as I do

Thanks for stopping by!

A HALLOWEEN WEEK WELCOME!

Click here to spot a Ghost! Live Ghostcam somewhere in England

Welcome, my little spiders, to Halloween Week...on my Blob...I mean ---Blog!!!

bwahaha...

Some special posts to come this week to get you into the mood of spooky ookey fun!
Until then, enjoy some "haunts"!

Watch what scared our (great) grandparents in 1922 here

Watch what made me piddle my pants in fear when I was 11, here
and here (couldn't sleep for days)

Watch what made me sleep with the light on for about 2 weeks when I watched it in my teens, here and here. Like that creepy little lullabye?

FAUX CARAMEL APPLES - Saturday DIY

Saturday DIY How to make Faux Caramel Apples!
FAT FREE is always good!

Here is a wonderful tutorial from Blogger, Janis Settzle, on how to make yummy-looking Faux Caramel Apples. I love how she made these and I think they would look so wonderful in a tall Apothecary Jar or on a pedestal stand!

She shared her method and recipe on these fat-free, guilt-free treats on her blog:

INGREDIENTS:

8 good sized faux apples that you find up in the attic in the Christmas boxes and of course they are in the last container you look in.

8 colored pencils or you can use dowels but I always use what I have sitting around.

8 different ribbon colors and patterns or I guess you could use all the same. Sometimes these can be found tied on or wrapped around other projects.

A good old heavy duty glue gun and lots of glue sticks. I tried my glue pot but it didn't work.

A bottle of craft paint that you have in the basement that looks like the color of caramel.

DIRECTIONS:

Wrap the pencils with the ribbon gluing as you go so it doesn't slip around.

Poke them into the apples in the top.

Drizzle hot glue around the top very generously so it will run down the sides in globs.

Let it cool
Make sure your glue gun is really warmed up and wait about 10 minutes before doing the next one.

Paint the glue with 3 coats of paint. Spray with clear varnish and glue a bow on.

Is she genius or what? Thank you, Janice for sharing this great DIY with Blog world!

...And the WINNER(s) are.....

Who Won? Who Won!!!?

I am utterly shocked and fully ecstatic of all the comments I received for my very first Giveaway! Wowee!

I sincerely thought I would only get like 3 comments so I was delighted to peek in this morning to see 35 lovely gals put their names in the hat!

I am so grateful that you took the time to make leave a comment and say some of the sweetest things about my humble blog. I feel so blessed to have a voice and forum to put all my little thoughts down. Thank you all for reading!

It's Saturday Morning and I'm ready to have the hubby draw the winners. He didn't know he would be participating, mind you but he was happy to oblige (just wishing he could've finished his breakfast first)

Here are the 35 cute little commented entries all ready to go into my glass bowl

Mr. Lucky Charms was unaware his delightful breakfast experience would be interrupted by my request for him to pick a winner from the bowl.

"Who, me? But, I'm eating my Lucky Charms!"

First Winner is picked!

Not to be parted with his coveted bowl of nourishment, hubby picks the
2nd and 3rd place winners
Congratulations to the 1st Winner, Kristina R. who receives
the Black/White Gift Set!

Congratulations to 2nd and 3rd winners, Kristen & Todd, and Jessica, who will get custom calling or bloggie cards made by moi!

Please contact me at tempfishie@gmail.com to claim your prize!

I will be doing more of these giveaways in the very near future so please check back often or be a subscriber/follower for the latest/greatest ideas and giveaways!

As always, thank you so kindly for stopping by!

My FIRST Giveaway!!!!!

TADA!!!!

My very first Giveaway (it's not much at first but let's see if this sparks any interest) to thank the readers and friends that have read my little piece of journaled life in the last few months.

I've seen so many great blogs and journals and this is just a simple way of saying "Thanks!"

We are living in depressing times these days so having something sent in the mail to cheer one up is always a big welcome!

For my first giveaway I went with a black and white (think 30's film) theme.

Included you will get two sets of black and white blank greeting cards (you can use them plain or embellish them with your own touch), a red/white writing tablet and a fridge magnetic "TO DO" list. Also, you will get a cute chandelier rubber stamp with black stamp pad and a box of chocolate covered toffee (to eat while you watch your 30's movie).

This is how the giveaway will work:

Post a comment to this post. It can be about anything. If more than one person comments, I will conduct a drawing and announce the winner on the blog sometime this weekend. You will have till Saturday morning to add a comment. Once the winner is announced, I will have you email your address to me (tempfishie@gmail.com) and it will be merrily sent to you.

A second drawing may take place (if I have enough interest) and the winner will get a set of their very own custom "calling cards". They are modern cards with a vintage touch to send to friends and family, especially during holiday season gatherings. Tuck the cards in your purse if you run into an old friend, go to a reunion, tuck it into a Christmas card. Show folks how to keep in touch! It sure beats looking for a piece of paper in your purse or a pen.

It will include your name, email, phone number, website, blog site, etc. Just about anything you want it to say. Think of it as a personal business card only for your personal life. The Victorians knew a good thing by sending out calling cards....can you imagine if they had blogs and cell phones back then? It wouldn't just be a name printed on them.

Keep in mind, they are the size of business cards and they are enlarged to show detail.

Here are some samples I played with:

Well, that just about sums it up. Spreading some love to my friends in BLOG world and wishing you a very happy Autumn Weekend!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

A Day Trip with the Fam....

Mid-week trip to ATLANTIC CITY with Family

My parents live in a 55+ community where daytrips are planned quite frequently. Being that mom and dad haven't been out of the house in over a year due to Grandmom's health, they felt it would be a good idea to get out and enjoy the Autumn air by the sea and take in a show. Dad wanted to treat me to accompany them and my aunt (who also lives in the same community) to the bus trip.

Bless their hearts...always thinking of others.
Now keep in mind I was the youngest one on the bus....The median age was 70. I was outnumbered! But, I knew my mom especially needed a chance to get out of the house after everything that she went through this past year. I wanted to go and make sure she was having a good time.

check out vintage Atlantic City Boardwalk. Then...

....and Now. I kinda like the "then" version better.

The highlight of my day was when I started to get bus sick.

I have a terrible time with middle ear and motion sickness...and at the very moment I told my aunt next to me that I feel sick, I received a text from my husband: "Are you BUS SICK YET?"

The man knows me well...Perfect timing.

I think I need to lie down...I may faint.

Tums? Air? Bed? Anything?

Also perfect timing was the fact that he was driving his truck back from work on I-95 norhtbound at the same time the bus was going southbound. He told me to look out the window and there was my cutie husband beeping the horn and waving to me! That made my day!

Finally got out of all that noise and lights and enjoyed the scenery!

I brought some fresh Philly Soft Pretzels to hand out on the bus in the spirit of Give and Get. "If I give them pretzels, maybe I'll win some cash on the slots". I am not a gambler. The thought of spending so much time in a loud, noisy overstimulating casino makes me edgy. Still, I had 4 dollars set aside to play in the nickel machine. My first spin, I won $11.50. My 2nd machine awarded me $12. The pretzels cost $13. I spent about 5 dollars in the slots. So I came out ahead by 5 bucks. I'm a winner, dangit!

Wish you were here!

Always glad you took a moment to read!

WEB WEDNESDAY - Sweet Cottage Dreams

This week's Web Wednesday find is from a little blog that has cuteness all over it:

I began reading this little blog about a month ago and I love the simple layout, design and just overall fresh and fun posts. It's a great blog to read with hot chocolate or tea and cookies!

She really welcomes you into her site with many added little bloglets (side graphics). Her dog, Doughall, is adorable and becomes a part of experience. Her photos are inspiring and I feel like I am in a grandmom's kitchen pouring over good reads and inspiring pictures. It looks like she knows her way around a needle and thread too!

Cute bunting she has on Etsy

I think this blog is so full of warmness. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

MOVIE MONDAY - CINDERELLA MAN

At this time in our society, we need a movie like this!

click on the trailer video below:

"When America was on it's knees, he brought us to our feet"

I didn't think I would enjoy this movie as much as I did. It had all the makings of a raw, modern Frank Capra movie...

That being said, I think it's a great movie to watch especially now with the US economy in peril as it is.

It's much more than a boxing movie. It's a soul-searching movie of determination, sacrifice, dedication and persistence. However, the main element I took away from this movie is PATIENCE.

Patience is a virtue and for all those who are fed up with the way things are in society right now, WATCH THIS FILM!

Based on the amazing true story of an average modest man with a family in need of shoes, James Braddock and his quest for survival in the hardest time of U.S. financial history. He boxed to survive, not to claim a reward. It is also a sentimental love story of husband and wife and what they believed in for their family.

With OUTSTANDING performances by Russell Crowe, Paul Giamotti and Renee Zellweger. This is a movie I would be proud to keep in my library. It makes you appreciate the times our grandparents survived. IF they could do it with much less, we could do it too. I love this film. It makes you cheer not just for the underdog boxer, but for the humility of what is right and decent in this world.

I Heart Business & Calling Cards

I love interesting business cards.

I also like the idea of passing out the old-time calling cards
as people used to do.

Instead of digging in your purse for pen and paper, you would hand them a calling card with name and address...nowadays we could update them with email, cell, blog address, etc.

It's so interesting to see the different designs and patterns and unique styles of business and calling cards. Here are a few I am currently admiring and drawing inspiration from:

Brilliant! Two-sided business card w/owner's self branding! Cute!

Wet Paper Bag gets a four star rating for ingenuity in shape!

Wow. Look closely, you can almost feel the letters pressed into the card just from viewing it!

I love the rounded corners and simple illustration of Paulabirdy's card! from Paulabirdy's blog
Clever use for an old ruler! This is genius to put a business card on wood!

I love the vintage image used for this card! found on one of my favorite magazine, Victoria Magazine

A great visual hangtag for business design by Phrizbie-Design, Inc.

Really cute die-cut look from Phrizbie-Design, Inc.

the scrolled edges on this card are so elegant!
from Smashing Magazine and Creative Bits

Hope you gained some inspiration from these wonderful designs! Thanks for stopping by!

Crafting 101 - FOUR CIRCLE CARD

Today's DIY is great for upcoming seasonal holiday cards as well as invitations or announcements .

I love unique shapes and designs for card-making so seeing this tutorial on E-How made it really easy to design something creative.

1. Start with four circles of even size. Use a circle punch or circle cutter to cut your circles. Make two circles of each color/design. Two dark and two light circles look great together

2. Fold each circle in half, then unfold. Make the creases sharp

3. Arrange the circles so they are overlapping, with the creases from the middle of the circles lined up in a square shape. Arrange them so the colors/designs are alternating.

4. Glue together the overlapping areas
5. Glue a square of cardstock in the center of the inside of the card, if you wish. Add a greeting or decorate the square.

6. Fold circles along creases, folding down in circular order. Enjoy this DIY and show me your pics!