Almonds

I'm not even going to attempt to explain what made me think of this because it's...well it isn't important. I just thought of these almonds I had as a kid. The neighborhood kids would be invited to swim at one of the houses on our block from time to time during the summer. The woman who invited us was....interesting. This was back in the mid 70's and I was too young to understand it back then, but looking back, I think she was a health food nut. She might have even been a vegetarian. Her house always smelled kind of weird. Not bad, but not a smell I knew. Her house was decorated with ethnic prints and sculptures....unusual to me since I'd never been exposed to any of that. She dressed in ethnic prints, too. Long flowy Muu Muus with chunky turquoise necklaces and multiple cuff bracelets. Just everything about her was different. Very nice lady tho. So anyway, we'd get to go swimming and she'd almost always come out to the deck with this small bowl of almonds that were in some kind of marinade. All the kids, including me, devoured them. They were so good. But the bowl they were in was tiny and there might have only been 10 or 15 almonds, so that meant we'd get maybe 2 almonds each. This sucked! You know, you when you swim you can get pretty hungry and 2 almonds barely registered. But nonetheless, it was what she gave us as a little treat and we were happy to get them since she was in no way required to feed us anything. I've always remembered those almonds. I'm pretty sure they were in oil and had a garlic and herbs but other than that, I have no idea how to replicate the recipe. She has a daughter who is older than me by maybe 5 years and I've actually seen her myspace page. I hardly knew her tho. I'm pretty sure she'd remember me, but isn't it kinda weird to email someone and say "hey, you wouldn't happen to know how to make those killer almonds, would you?" Seems like it would be a little strange...

My Life As A Musical

I've done this for about 5 years. I answer questions with songs titles from my iTunes list.

Are you female or male:
Big Girls Don't Cry (Fergie)

Describe yourself:
Poker Face (Lady Gaga)

How do some people feel about you:
You've Made Me So Very Happy (Blood Sweat & Tears)

How do you feel about yourself:
Meant To Live (Switchfoot)

Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend:
Don't Know Why (Norah Jones)

Describe your current girlfriend/boyfriend:
Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop (Landon Pigg)

Describe where you want to be:
Away From The Sun (3 Doors Down)

Describe what you want to be:
Brick House (The Commodores)

Describe how you live:
Glitter In The Air (Pink)

Describe how you love:
I Don't Love You Much Do I (Guy Clark)

Share a few words of wisdom:
Let Your Love Flow (Bellamy Brothers)

Join in and share your answers in the comments :)

don't get compromised

You all know, or at least I think you know, one of the things I do at work is deal with spam. It's an uphill battle. We get better at blocking it and detecting it, but the spammers also get better at what they do. The biggest problem is when spammers send notices from addresses that look legitimate and ask for account information. People fall for it over and over and over. Usually it's something like "send us this information or your account will be turned off". The user sends the information the second they think they will loose their precious email account. Then the madness happens.

Let's be clear - never......NEVER send anything personal in email. And when I say personal, I mean account information of any kind. NO legitimate email provider will ever ask you to send them your personal account information via email. Never. If you get something like that....even if it looks totally legitimate....it's not. If you get something and you're not sure, always run it past your systems administrator, or whoever the IT people are. Have them advise you if it is legitimate or not. Chances are it isn't. If you have to renew something or pay for something and you get an email notice about it, legitimate vendors will give you a link to a website to do the renewal. This is a whole other can of worms, but you should know if it's a legitimate website if you use their services. If you want to read more about secure websites, check out this site. I promise it's legit :)

Next, never ever store your password or any other personal information in files on your computer. You're just asking for trouble if you do this. Especially PC users. If your computer gets hit with spyware, they're going to find this information and you'll be up a serious creek.

Install anti-virus software on your computer. Go to the big electronic store and find the biggest computer geek that works there. Trust me, they're easy to spot. Ask them what to buy. And then buy it. And then actually install it.

And just a note about computer geeks. It might sound like I'm being.....ummm....unkind when I talk about them. Well, it's nothing like that. I'm married to a computer geek! Some people have even said I'm a computer geek...but they don't know what they're talking about. Anyway, geeks have beautiful incredible brains and should be admired for them. It's just a fact that a lot of computer geeks usually have a certain...look about them....you all know what I'm talking about. Don't act like you don't know. I say usually because this isn't always the case. Some geeks don't look the part, but generally if you talk to them for more than a minute, you start to get a sense of it. I work with geeks....tons of them. To look at some of them in passing, you might not know. But like I said, after you start talking to them, it's going to become obvious.

Alright, that's my spheele. Go forth and email securely and admire the geeks in your life.

Readers’ Choice Color Inspiration #4

Here's my card for Kristina Werner's Readers’ Choice Color Inspiration Challenge. I used this card as inspiration for the layout. The owl stamp is from Studio G and the paper is from DCVW Indian Summer Fall stack. The little embellishments were a gift so I'm not sure where they're from. I do have to say, the orange and yellow diamonds on the owl look horrible in this photo. I'm not sure why. It might be the blue with the orange/yellow just don't photograph well. It looks great in person :) Hope you like it!

I'm pretty excited :)

Greg got me a new Cricut cartridge and it's all owls! Owls are a very popular trend in card making and scrapbooking....as you will see with the next card I post :) Anyway, I was looking at all the die cuts on this cartridge and I got to thinking how cute it would be to do all the holiday cards for next year in just owls! Valentine owl, St. Patrick's Day owl, Easter owl....you get the idea. I'm excited ~ I think they will be cute!

I also got to thinking that some....maybe all of you, have no idea what a Cricut is. If you can stand to watch it, below is a infomercial about it. I got 31 seconds in and stopped it because it is so rehearsed and the people are bad at acting excited. But if you want to know what it is, go for it!

Happy Father's Day!

Hope all you Dad's have/had a good Father's Day!

Here's the card I made for my Dad and Father-in-law this year.

The tree, tire swing and clouds are all stamped onto computer paper that was printed with Father's Day sayings and at varied degrees of darkness so the words would not be too distracting. Then I cut them out and glued each section to the white card base. *Everything* has printed words on it, even the blue background and the tree trunk. The background is very light so it's nearly impossible to read, but the words are there. The trunk is hard to read, too. And, of course, you can't read the tire because I colored it black :) Most of the card is colored with chalk, but I did use colored pencils in a few spots.

Hope you like it!

Readers’ Choice Color Inspiration #3

Here's my card for Kristina Werner's Readers’ Choice Color Inspiration Challenge. My inspiration piece was the little "Bling It" tree. It fit in with the colors perfectly. The stamp is from the "Fairies" Stampin' Up! set and the plaid background pattern stamp on the pink paper is from Hero Arts. Hope you like it!

I have a feeling this is a worthless attempt to explain a feeling, but I'm going to try.

There are times when...for lack of better words.....my soul is transported to another time. Usually the past. It's trigged by different things. Sometimes music, sometimes a photo or a place, sometimes a scent in the air. Today it was a song. I usually get a very vivid image in my head. It's like I'm there. I can feel the moment physically. And the weird thing is, sometimes it isn't an actual memory of something that happened, but rather a feeling. Like I am remembering a feeling but the vision I have isn't an actual moment that happened. It's just something conjured up to fit the feeling I am recalling. The feeling I'm having today is a recurring one. It's winter. I'm going home for Christmas. Everyone is there and the feeling is happy. A warm feeling. Joyful. These are old feelings for sure. I long to feel them again, but I'm pretty sure they will only be felt in memories like this one I'm having now. Things change and you can't relive the past. But for now I am on my way to Christmas....the air is cool and the bright lights sparkle. I am happy....because, after all, it was the most wonderful time of the year.

EtsyInspired #90 ~ Sunshyne Silverwear

Here's my card for the Etsy Inspired Challenge featuring the Sunshyne Silverwear Etsy site as the inspiration. The challenge is to use that Etsy site as inspiration when creating a card/project. My inspiration piece is this spoon pendant. Wouldn't these spoon pendants be great for a chef or someone who runs a coffee/tea shop? Very unique and fun. I was thinking Rachel Ray always wears unique necklaces and one of these would be good for her :)

Here is my card. Did I go overboard on the polkadots? I just couldn't help myself once I got started. The background might be hard to see, but I stamped dots and used VeraMark ink with clear embossing powder to create a tone on tone effect. The flower stamp is by Laundry Line. I stamped it once in fuchsia and once in yellow so I could cut out the center of the yellow one and add it to the fuchsia flower for more interest. I used green ribbon to act as "greenery" :)

Hope you like it!

100 things about me

This is going around on blogs now so I thought I'd see if I could come up with 100 things. Hopefully you won't fall asleep.

--

1. I'm a natural blonde but my hair is getting a lot darker as I age.
2. I have no idea what I did for fun before I started paper crafting.
3. I like to twitter....er....tweet.
4. Zero interest in Facebook.
5. I'm persnickety about things.
6. I like to cook.
7. Unplanned weekends are the best.
8. I have cats.
9. Am a cat person. I understand them. They understand me.
10. Weird stuff happens to me. Seriously. Not just stuff, but weird stuff.
11. I have 3.....er....2.....humm. I have 1 friend.
12. I have the ability to see beauty in things that are not commonly considered beautiful.
13. I wish I enjoyed reading books....but I just don't anymore.
14. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the only vampire series that does it for me.
15. I don't like eggplant.
16. I live about 5 minutes from the house I grew up in.
17. I loathe jury duty.
18. I wish I could sew.
19. I have a lot of patience, but if you keep after me, it's out the door.
20. I don't have kids and have never wanted to have kids.
21. It's really hard for me to sleep unless it's quiet, soft and I'm laying down.
22. You will never get me to eat gooey duck. Google it.
23. I don't really like doing yard work. But I have a virgo husband so it works out.
24. I don't mind washing dishes. Good thing because the virgo husband ain't good at that.
25. I've owned 4 cars.
26. I'm a penny pincher.
27. Me and lizards....no.
28. What? I'm only on #28!? Ugh. Asleep yet? Ok, uh....I have a terrible memory.
29. I met Greg 2 days after my 21st birthday.
30. I love weddings. All the pretty things about weddings...gowns, cakes, glittery stuff.
31. Public speaking terrifies me.
32. Friendly isn't a word I'd use to describe myself. Standoff'ish would be a good word.
33. I enjoy people watching. People do a lot of stupid things so it can be entertaining.
34. Computers are nice....very helpful in life. Could not live without one. But they make me crazy.
35. Especially PC's! I'm a Mac only girl.
36. Only on #36 now. Ok.....uh....I love Halloween. Such a fun day!
37. I let my gas tank get to empty and the light comes on. Makes Virgo husband crazy.
38. I cannot play musical instrument.
39. I don't care for snow.
40. Whipped cream is the most tasty thing on earth.
41. Cheese is good, too. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup....so good.
42. I have a bad memory, but I can remember random lines from movies.
43. I'm hooked on the Real Housewives shows. I watch them all except Atlanta.
44. Of all the ethnic foods, Asian food is my favorite!
45. Dylan McDermott is my celebrity crush.
46. I drink chai every morning.
47. If I had never met Greg, pretty sure my life would suck.
48. I like football but baseball is boring.
49. Not sure I can watch the Chargers this season. They break my heart every season.
50. Half way though this. I wear flip flops nearly everyday.
51. I have no problem doing minor "surgery" on myself.
52. I'm patriotic.
53. I wish I had joined the Peace Corps when I got out of high school.
54. I think I was too sheltered. Good or bad thing? Not sure.
55. Rain makes me happy.
56. I fall asleep to the sound of rain on my iPod every night.
57. I'm Californian....no doubt about it. And I like it - so there!
58. Can't dance - can't sing.
59. My first job was at McDonalds.
60. That Free Willy movie is a true story? Who would swim with an orca in the ocean? CRAZY!
61. I dream things that would be perfect to turn into romance books.
62. I am addicted to paper. And ribbon. But I don't have as much as some people.
63. Never seen any of those Lord of the Rings movies, but I might rent them.
64. I love to save quotes.
65. My husband is my favorite person. Bet you had not guessed that :)
66. Ugh, only at #66. Ummm....Sephora is one of my favorite stores.
67. I startle every easily....people think it's funny because I jump, but trust me, it an't funny to me.
68. The number 19 has been my favorite number since 6th grade.
69. October is my favorite month.
70. I think 80's music is either really good or horrible. Mostly horrible.
71. I'm dependable.
72. I'm an old dog ~ don't like change.
73. I used to eat Kipper snacks with my Dad when I was little, but I can't anymore. They smell like cat food.
74. I don't need an alarm clock to get up.
75. I'm a big sap. Even commercials can make me tear-up.
76. Scary movies give me nightmares. I never watch them anymore.
77. I don't drink coffee, but I like Frappuccino's.
78. I do like the smell of coffee beans.
79. I have my tonsils and appendix.
80. I don't have my wisdom teeth.
81. Almost there! My favorite smell is all the stuff cooking on Thanksgiving.
82. I can be naive.
83. I don't care for musicals but I do like the show Glee!
84. I use pencils over pens.
85. I will listen to country music over rap if I had to pick one.
86. I think A LOT. About all kinds of stuff. Lots of wondering. Which leads to Googling.
87. One of my favorite things to do is lay in bed with Greg and read magazines.
88. My cell phone is usually dead. I hardly ever use it.
89. I get distracted reallllly easily. Working....working....OOOH, butterfly!
90. I'm lazy.
91. And indecisive.
92. I wish I was the heir to a huge fortune. Who wouldn't wish that I guess.
93. I will read TV show spoilers....I'm just too curious to wait sometimes.
94. I never watched The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family or The Walton's.
95. I have an awesome imagination.
96. If I have "a calling" in life, I have no idea what it is.
97. I have dental floss in my purse, my bathrooms, my craft desk & work desk.
98. Stuff in my teeth bugs me.
99. Terrible at math. Terrible.
100. Better at spelling, but not by much!

So glad I'm done!