New Santa Doll

You're looking at a St. Nick doll I completed last week. I'm pleased with how he turned out. Especially since he is shipping outta here today to a fellow FAT member. Gail of North Carolina won one of the games I presented at our Holiday FAT Tea Party. I hope she likes him! Enjoy, Gail!! Hugs...debmarie

Winged Art

Goooood morning! My camera is alive once again! Thought I'd share my first ATCs with ya this bright morning. Ok, so it's afternoon. But I've been THINKing about it all morning. We had an Angel ATC Trade over at FAT, so it was my opportunity to finally give 'em a go. Only had to make 5, but I made more. I had a lot of fun "rusting" them up. (whispering...) I think I found a new obsession... Enjoy! ~debmarie :0)

An Angel Named Tim

I'm sure you're all familiar with Tim Holtz. You know - the King of stamp/scrap techniques. Well, he had the most awesome gift for us all and he called it the 12 Tags of Christmas. In case you missed it, here's the scoop.

Each day he would post a tag that he made, complete with crisp photos and easy-to-follow step-by-step instruction. As if THAT wasn't enough, he also gave everyone who tuned in, the opportunity to post a comment on his blog. From these comments, a winner was chosen, at random, to receive that day's prize package. Yeah, I know - AWESOME!!

I didn't arrive on the scene until after the first tag, and I left a comment every day. Oh, except for tag #11, because of some technical difficulties on my end (of COURSE!).

I left my comments in poem form. This might sound strange and NO, Iwasn't stalking him! I like to write poems for fun and this seemed like a good opportunity to share it. I mean, Tim put SO much into these daily postings and I thought it would be nice if I put some work behind my comments to let him know how we all appreciated what he was sharing with us. I'll post my poems in upcoming posts. But not this one.

This one is for Mr. Tim Holtz, one of the most generous people I've never met. And Mario, his assistant is equally wonderful! They are one great team. Oh, Ialmost forgot - in the middle of the 12 Tags of Christmas, Tim and his crew put on what sounds like was an inCREEEEEDIBLE Hideaway Holiday weekend for a small group of lucky attendants. You MUST visit Tim's blog and read the taste of the weekend (in the comments). Sigh....

http://timholtz.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Well, to make a short post long, it is with a smile and a Snoopy Dance that I announce I won the Day 12 prize package! Yeah, can you believe it?! ME! The one with the Adams Family cloud over her head all the time! I am SOOOOOOOO jacked!! The kids and I really DID so the Snoopy Dance when I read that! :o) LOL! I sure hope I can make more than a mess out of these generous gifts!

I'll close with the lead-in and the actual poem I wrote and posted on the 12th day:

Grungy, grungy, little star;
I left no rhyme, but I wasn’t far.
Yesterday I could not get through
Once I wrote my rhyme for you.

I was so sad, but so you know…
That I would never ever go;
I’ve learned so much here, thanks to you!
Now my Christmas List’s long as my leg is, too!

Grungy, grungy, generous star,
Hard to believe how giving you are!
I hope u like the following rhyme,
A twist, oh yes! So until next time…


TIM’Z 12 TAGZ o’ CHRISTMAS
(by Cap’n Coldblood - one angry pirate!)

Arrrrrgh, the 12 tagz of Christmas.
So what! And who carez?!
Ye won’t catch me ‘eartiez
Distressin’ some squarez!

For we’re too busy pillagin’
‘N diggin’ fer treazure!
Ye won’t find ‘em paintin’
‘N stampin’ for pleazure!

We’re lookin’ for booty
In all forms and sizez;
‘N we don’t need no packagez
Fulla surprizez!

We’re here to wreak havoc!
Aye, ‘n boast our pirateness!
There’z no time for glitterin’,
Girly politeness!

Yo ho ho! Walk, now!
Gitta move on that plank!
‘R yew’ll hang from the gallowz
‘N you’ll have YOU t’ thank!

It’s high time that I gather
Me ‘eartiez around
And set sail for the land where
Gold treazurez be found!

Ahoy! let’s go, Tiny!
Arrrrgh, where iz it ye be?
Put DOWN those damned scissorz –
Yer comin’ with me!

It’s time t’ git goin’ –
Arrrgh! What the ‘ell’z THAT?!
Th’ whole crew’z gone loco!
Yer all makin’ TAGZS?!

Ol’ Long John’z got fragmentz –
‘N grungeboard ‘n glue!
Set sail, now, me matez!
There’z plunderin’ to do!

The ol’ Jolly Roger
Is callin’ t’ us!
We’ve no time for ribbonz
‘R makin’ a fuss!

Gangway, Jack & David!
Avast! ‘R ye addled??
Belay all that stampin’!
Yer brainz ‘R all rattled!

Red Beard’z got inkerz!
Arrrrrgh! ‘N Morgan’z got toolz!
Lay down all that bilge, now!
Yer lookin’ like foolz!

No, I DON’T wanna paint!
‘R emboss ‘R delight!
Come on! Grab yer scabbardz!
Git ready t’ fight!

What about wenchez? Arrrrrgh!
And shinin’ dubloonz?!
Blimey! What about treazure
‘Round the next blue lagoon?!

What ‘ave ye DONE, Tim?
Me ‘sea dogs don’t ‘ear!
What ye got in that chest, boy?
Aaaaargh! Hand it up here!

Splice up the mainbrace!
Arrrrrgh! Git me my rum!
Hand over the loot, boy!
Lemme try some…

Well, shiver me timbers!
What’r YOU lookin’ at?!
This stampin’s more fun
Than a bagfull o’ catz!

Gimme those inkerz!
Aaaargh! Gimme th’ bowz!
Put it ALL on th’ ship!
Weigh anchor! Let’s goooo!

Arrrrgh! Fair windz, me landlubberz!
I’m a changin’ me quest!
Ye best be on th’ lookout!
For Cap’n Distress!

Fuzzman's Gonna Make It!!

What a DAY I had on Friday!! Got the news that Fuzzman does NOT have leukemia or anything else horrible!! As the vet says, "He was hiding a simple bacterial infection". You pet-lovers KNOW how elated I was at that news! Talk about having to tie me down before I bounced away!!! No more crying. No more syringe force-feeding him 4 times a day. Merry Christmas to us....Indeed!

Fuzzman

Christmas is really coming up fast. I've gotten a lot done behind the scenes, just haven't been here to update. My heart's just not been in it.

My Fuzzy Buddy is sick and it's been making me sick. I'm trying to do things to take my mind off things, but I'm not so good at that. I found Fuzzman in the foothills of Montana, in October, 1997. A pretty good snowstorm had just left and it was COLD. We found him in the middle of this HUGE bush and rushed him into the vet. Vet strongly suggested I not get attached to this 2-week old kitten, as there was a very slim chance he'd make it. I fed him kitty formula every 2-3 hours each day and carried him around in a basket I made. Wherever I went, he went.

Well, he made it alright, and has been the coolest cat on the planet! He has a lot of dog-type traits and he yowls when he's feeling frisky. Fuzzman likes to try to trip me as I walk around the house in the morning, making coffee and getting the day started. He just rocks! And he's so cool looking, too. Many people tell me he could be a Ragdoll. I've wondered about a million times how such a beautiful creature got to that bush in the cold. Especially since the nearest farmhouse was about 2 miles away. I don't know if his mom was moving her kittens and got caught by the storm or a wild animal or if he was the runt (hard to believe by is size) and she was moving only him. Whatever the case, he's been incredibly awesome and a part of my heart will forever sob if he doesn't pull through this. Here he is...