tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279987592024-03-07T08:14:04.448-06:00Macs & CatsWelcome to the chaotic cathouse, where cats and Macs rule, and I guess we drool.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-47953283748558561372008-04-05T21:21:00.003-05:002008-04-05T22:55:42.305-05:00GIVE THAT WOMAN A DICTIONARY!After reading my last post, I had to go back and make sure I actually have a college degree. My spelling is atrocious! I is a college gragiate. Please pronounce that word phonetically. See, that's my problem, I'm a victim of phonics. That's what happens when you're a '60's baby. That was the age of "experimentation" which evidently included the brains of small children trying to learn to read and spell. I still count on my fingers! I'm waiting for the 1-800-Sue-Meee lawyers to advertise for a class-action suit against school systems who taught phonics. I mean, really, when you are 8 years old and see the word "fatigue" AND you were taught to "sound it out" then it's no wonder we all gave up on books and started writing video games. Fah-ti-goo (that IS glue with no L). How were we supposed to know it was a French word? Last I checked I don't live in Canada! I think I was in college before I discovered it was pronounced Fa-teeg. OK, I'm going to disclaimer at this point. I am typing with a handicap (in addition to my mental issues) since I have the bird finger wrapped in Co-band (I REALLY don't know how that is spelled, but it's that stretchy stuff that sticks to itself, for those of us allergic to adhesive). Have you ever tried to wrap your finger with one hand? It's HARD! Evidently hitting the right keys is harder.<br /><br />Now, I want you all to know that a miracle happened to me today. No, it doesn't take much to qualify as a miracle in my eyes... Today, my DH VOLUNTARILY walked into Hobby Lobby with me! Can you believe that? AND he actually wanted to buy something!!! I about passed out and died right in the middle of the garden statues. Sadly, if I had, no one would have known for a week or two. Cliff would have rolled me right onto the lowest shelf and whistled right out the door smiling at the thought of liquidating my craft room and selling all my hardware/software. I think the rest of the girls at HL about passed out too. They thought my DH was a myth, like Sasquatch (no smirking if I spelled that one wrong--spell check didn't know it either). I think ulterior motives were in play. This IS March Madness time, final four college basketball. He was sucking up to me so I wouldn't complain all the way through a full day of basketball.<br /><br />I was the beneficiary of some really cool gifts for my birthday this year. My friend Candy made me the cutest mini lunch tin with note cards and a Sakura (don't even think about it) Stardust pen. PLUS, all my favorite candy and a handmade card. My life is complete! What could be better than that?! Well, I'm here to tell you that not only did I get ONE handmade card, I got TWO!! I'm on a roll! My friend Lori made me a cute card and gave me the Garden color set of Ciao Copic markers! OMGoodness, I had to run for the Depends! When you get over 40, jumping up and down is NOT a good idea unless you are on fire and need a quick way to put it out. [Smirk] Yeah, you ladies know EXACTLY what I mean. We go from diapers to Maxipads and then back to diapers with grown up names like Depends. Huggies just doesn't sound right if you're over 5. Add that zero after that number, and it's a whole new ballgame! Some ad exec made a killing when he suggested that someone re-brand diapers as "adult peace-of-mind" wearables. Probably the same idiot who suggested they put "Have a Happy Period" on feminine products. Dude! Give that beer back to the girl at the bar! You don't deserve it.<br /><br />So, after I put my walker and defibrillator away when I got home from Hobby Lobby and changed my diaper, er, Adult Peace of Mind disposable, I promptly kept my appointment with the librarian, then worked feverishly on a logo spot to go on the SCS anniversary newsletter. After that was the loonngg walk into the living room to watch my cat watch basketball and my DH sleep through it. I don't think things are going well in his bracket. Normally, we would have at least three sets of broken TV remotes by now. The living room was a big snooze, so I came back here to the home office (aka, Master Bedroom) and took up surfing again. What an eventful day! Any more excitement like that and I am liable to have a heart attack. Or cough up a hairball, whichever comes first. For my parting nightime thought, sound out critique...The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-38773295252920303862008-04-04T22:21:00.013-05:002008-04-05T23:10:06.145-05:00I FEEL LIKE A BI MONTHLY MAGAZINE!I can't figure out why it is so hard for me to post on a regular basis. I think it is a character flaw,or, more likely, a memory deficiency. I get so distracted by life in general, that I don't take the time to get up here like I should. So much has been going on, that when I think to get up here with a few words today, they won't matter tomorrow (which is probably the point...)<br /><br />Lately I have been helping a close friend of mine who owns Clear Dollar Stamps, a clear photopolymer stamp company. This company puts out a variety of clear stamps, from whimsical to Alphabets, but with a special emphasis on Christian stamps. If you are looking for some really nice Christian stamps, CDS has them! www.cdstamps.com She also sells the largest selection of rollograph stamps and we are now designing for that as well. She has never advertised, but you'll see a lot of her stamps in the gallery at SCS (SplitCoastStampers.com). Look for our ads there in the next few months.<br /><br />I do some stamp designing and all around moral and technical support for CDS. I don't know which of us leans on the other most, we're both married to accountants, let me tell you ladies, hiding the stash has reached an art form in my house! If I could get my cats to hide brads or glitter in their mouths, I would have my own mule system to get my embellies down and out of sight. I'm thinking of buying some fatigues to run my missions with...it would only take me five minutes to look like another cat in the house, just go around and rub on everything and PRESTO, I've furred up another cat!<br /><br />I am "the Geek Behind the Curtain" who is otherwise known as Cathouse on the SCS board. Designing stamps sets is new to me, although graphic arts are not, I've been doing that as long as I can remember, right before the Mac came out. That may even be farther back than I remember... That's why I am a true Macavist. I've dabbled in the dark side and it hurt my brain. I retreated to the ease of use, no virus worries of my Mac and only go to the PC when I teach Photoshop Elements classes. You can read about those on my Fix That Picture blog. I'm going to start offering some free seminars on Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 at the Hobby Lobby stores and off-site and talk about hybrid scrapbooking. If you're in to that, or would like to try it, or get advice on hardware, software, digital cameras, etc., we will have it (even for PC users!). Start looking for my flyers at the end of this month. I've also got some AWESOME classes coming up for Mother's Day, Graduation and Father's Day, so be watching for those! (Heavens, I should be posting this on my Conquest Keepsakes blog...sell, sell, sell!) There will be more information about those things, and the Children's Miracle Network crop, next week. We're going to be there!<br /><br />If you want to read some more totally innane stuff about Macs, our cats, and us, you can check out my archives. Be prepared... to see lots of cat pictures and goof ball stories and my rants about why the Mac is a superlative platform compared to the PC. I can war on subjects better than Rome (sports reference there). The best pics and stories are the ones about me in the hospital for two weeks in June of 2006. Whacked out on morphine and blogging! I couldn't eat, but I played the air keyboard a lot, only to wake up mad that all that work I done was just a druggy dream. With pantomime. Much to my chagrin. I'm sure I was the patient entertainer of the month that year.<br /><br />I need to take a new pic of my slightly dented MacBook Pro 17" that my cat dumped on the floor a couple of weeks ago. We almost had flapcats for breakfast instead of flapjacks. Two big old scratches on the top, it literally did a half pike, flipped over on its back and landed right on the feet of my table. I swear I saw three of my cats holding up signs, 9.1, 9.3 and 8.5 (I think the last judge was bribed to low-ball his vote). I think I instantly killed three flies, and retarded a fourth cat from oxygen deprivation with the large, sucking noise my throat made trying to breathe (the other three voters were already retarded). And it was ON when it happened (I'm SURE there were bonus points for that). All I could think of was ripping up the house to make it look like a tornado hit (it would fly I'm sure) and I could cry to the bean counter about what it did to my laptop and how lucky it was that almost all of us escaped (I think I would have flattened a cat just to make the story stick). Lucky for me, when I picked it up, I got mail! heh heh heh OK, maybe not, but it was still running and so far no hick-ups yet. I dodged a shovel (we don't have guns).<br /><br />Well, I am getting back to my creative roots. Creating stamp sets for Clear Dollar Stamps has been an awesome experience and has resulted in tendinitis of my middle finger. I've been offending people left and right. My DH says I have "bird" finger. Anyway, I especially like working on the new line (that I can't say much more about) that is having it's first few sets introduced this month. Most of my designs focus on vintage or classic styling, or bolder Christian themes. I'm not a "whimsy" person. At least a cat set is in the works! And I am obligated to do a dog set. Sigh.<br /><br />Our first set in the Clearly Christian Line, Set Apart, was released this month along with an Antique Seals set. Appropriately called "Set Apart" and "Antique Seals." The Set Apart set is going to be different than any other line of Christian stamps you have ever seen, and the guys are going to love some of these stamps (judging by all the tats I see on those March Madness basketball games). I even put a set of flames on there! You can view all of Lori's stamps by clicking the link on the right-hand side of this page, and view samples of all the stamps in her Idea Gallery.<br /><br />We are working on a restructuring of her site, trying to tackle one thing at a time. She's a stay-at-home mom and runs her business out of her house. She's an amazing person and I feel privileged to work with her and her other design team members. They are some of the most talented people I have seen, and I've spent twenty years plus in the graphics industry. One of our card designers is Kristi VanDoren; who has had her articles and works published multiple times in Scrap-N-Stamp magazine, among others. The upcoming July issue will have an article from her talking about that fabulous Princess Mirah self-adhesive Batikit fabric paper and stamps from Clear Dollar Stamps and Prickly Pear. She is a 30-year veteran of stamping. Sorry about the "Veteran" word. You know I'm as old as you are, if not older. BIG sigh.<br /><br />CDS also sells other stamping supplies, and if you don't have a Zutter Bind-It-All or Round-it-All, or, heaven forbid, you don't have a Cuttlebug, then you need to pick up that phone (or keyboard) NOW and get them! At the moment, we are the only company stocking them (BIA and RIAs) in southwest Missouri (that we know of) and CDS also ships internationally (yep, that means you Canadians). We're keeping them in stock, along with all the coils, covers and accessories. We've also started stocking the Copic markers all the stampers love and we are trying to get some Nestabilities so we can play some more! :-) Evidently, the whole crew aboard the slow ship from China is playing with them at the moment.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">BACK TO THE STAMPS</span><br />If there are any of these stamps sets that you would like to have, drop me an email and I'll arrange to get them out to you. I stock them so I can sell them at classes to make it convenient for all of our Hobby Lobby friends who want more clear stamps than they carry! So here they are (in order I hope...). I should preface this with some info on the first stamp collection. It is called, collectively, the Perpetual Planner set. This set is made specifically for use with 6 x 6 binders, whether you ring bind or coil bind with the Bind-It-all. It stamps beautifully and all the sets coordinate not only to it, but to my other vintage stamp lines. I will post samples of these sets tomorrow after I recover from this gargantuan post. You can start it at any month and put in as many or little as you want. A perfect gift for mom!<br /><br />And the order is:<br />Vintage Flourish Perpetual Planner Collection (there is a discount if you buy whole set)<br /> Vintage Flourish Script Alpha upper and lower $22.99 (108 stamps)<br /> Vintage Flourish Months $7.99 (30 stamps)<br /> Vintage Flourishes $14.99 (18 stamps)<br /> Vintage Flourish Calendar (includes individual numbers and phases) $14.99 (37 stamps)<br />Gothic Alphabet Upper Case $29.99 (38 stamps, about 1 1/4" tall each)<br />Gothic Alphabet Lower Case to coordinate with the large letters $17.99 (43 stamps)<br />Cherish Valentine Set (works for weddings and anniversaries too!) $14.99 (28 stamps)<br />Antique Seals Set (great for stationery!) $14.99 (15 stamps)<br />Set Apart Set (first in our new Clearly Christian Line) $14.99 (19 stamps)<br />Family Heritage Set (great for scrapbooking family history) $14.99 (17 stamps)<br />Old Time Christmas $14.99 (20 stamps)<br /><br />Keep in mind, these are just the ones I have worked on. There are tons of other really cute stamps that rival any other stamp companies' products or designs. We use high quality photopolymer, which makes for non-yellowing stamps. Buy some now! My cats have to eat...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh461Out61q6VcBDq_Ql_MJbyfqxheoJdx-HWf8q8YEkfDF0UNTLYVhjrw6b2ttxOEB45IfFqW_FX-SUxUqaSgazNk4dvMXB53HkQhclQ6aOleh6vBr-fR7G_xY87ra6idkV7sx/s1600-h/PerpetualPlannerBlog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh461Out61q6VcBDq_Ql_MJbyfqxheoJdx-HWf8q8YEkfDF0UNTLYVhjrw6b2ttxOEB45IfFqW_FX-SUxUqaSgazNk4dvMXB53HkQhclQ6aOleh6vBr-fR7G_xY87ra6idkV7sx/s400/PerpetualPlannerBlog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185632785270681026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQObiG34Ih0fyJSP4IN_MwfO0uv3URCzP8gJogLG4Wz4iZLeYlHJrV0Z_yhFIsavbUmVJ1BUNuTWmtEA6SU7f70EWRmPIVeQndIX1rwyNp2f9UQ5VITdY87GVJ2wbfUGuuoQP/s1600-h/GothicAlphaBlog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQObiG34Ih0fyJSP4IN_MwfO0uv3URCzP8gJogLG4Wz4iZLeYlHJrV0Z_yhFIsavbUmVJ1BUNuTWmtEA6SU7f70EWRmPIVeQndIX1rwyNp2f9UQ5VITdY87GVJ2wbfUGuuoQP/s400/GothicAlphaBlog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185632652126694834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWrw2KSmCuZWK84Bo4QpwYN9cOtkACNgT4RPqSvF4oQP8OS43RbF8aWFhBfZyqgBGacUHh8VClMTK0CXsuC7md57aR1pK8aSkyXa6LPjZaucl6MLnNLJHMomWYZtMGtuDuRVi/s1600-h/Cherish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWrw2KSmCuZWK84Bo4QpwYN9cOtkACNgT4RPqSvF4oQP8OS43RbF8aWFhBfZyqgBGacUHh8VClMTK0CXsuC7md57aR1pK8aSkyXa6LPjZaucl6MLnNLJHMomWYZtMGtuDuRVi/s400/Cherish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185631307801931138" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///Documents/%20Freelance/Clear%20Dollar/Blog/PerpetualPlannerCS.jpg" alt="" /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2B2ukZu9Vx7s9DUAT61-hhVThYb2MkHSTGhBavpgUawcg7SWNMel6DUdIiffVJlVjNetDNfODUoULhloExOux0fH_wr_RhoM-DIZopCgPlBKt0Gfe65O2wB2wmqbmqZwEItp/s1600-h/Antique_Seals_5531.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2B2ukZu9Vx7s9DUAT61-hhVThYb2MkHSTGhBavpgUawcg7SWNMel6DUdIiffVJlVjNetDNfODUoULhloExOux0fH_wr_RhoM-DIZopCgPlBKt0Gfe65O2wB2wmqbmqZwEItp/s400/Antique_Seals_5531.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185629847513050402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrIwCPalS5WTYTh8Bl_BnCKV9iJ6ktysHcRqKOqIKqHLqW_HHBV2vFWuRuvikN9-0qkkkQ-YQXhawRC4g5ztaJLnoGv1XX9kUq3zBpfSpXu-o6lt2J4qC3DtjX7HaQDjEE-uq/s1600-h/Set_Apart_5526.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrIwCPalS5WTYTh8Bl_BnCKV9iJ6ktysHcRqKOqIKqHLqW_HHBV2vFWuRuvikN9-0qkkkQ-YQXhawRC4g5ztaJLnoGv1XX9kUq3zBpfSpXu-o6lt2J4qC3DtjX7HaQDjEE-uq/s400/Set_Apart_5526.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185629851808017714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaN0Cmk2rtTIjIZonM3MJ9O1Kt7VUkzGX1un2psJB11Fed0-OWVJ9ipjFw4-XKYMckCEVVLVMpwkWSl8GQoOZV6PSZVIcHfrKrsZcUVd_oOR69-hhOaNhOpKpZYYm-2aVI58z/s1600-h/Heritage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijaN0Cmk2rtTIjIZonM3MJ9O1Kt7VUkzGX1un2psJB11Fed0-OWVJ9ipjFw4-XKYMckCEVVLVMpwkWSl8GQoOZV6PSZVIcHfrKrsZcUVd_oOR69-hhOaNhOpKpZYYm-2aVI58z/s400/Heritage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185629856102985026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8qNV2i8CctWKpTctxyPT7EiLXdnFj99LrD7xLYroHj_f3tRWrRcuI9f22lM-F5LeeJoGbi47ZxNSQ8HTvJOyXSMqAs46Q3JPRfq4Bcm_SZM0Yq10qEU34vxssqj66FiY63JM/s1600-h/Christmas.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8qNV2i8CctWKpTctxyPT7EiLXdnFj99LrD7xLYroHj_f3tRWrRcuI9f22lM-F5LeeJoGbi47ZxNSQ8HTvJOyXSMqAs46Q3JPRfq4Bcm_SZM0Yq10qEU34vxssqj66FiY63JM/s400/Christmas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185629860397952338" border="0" /></a>The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-83433945090151408882008-02-20T12:48:00.002-06:002008-02-20T12:58:56.124-06:00SNIFFY CAME HOME!!!!A miracle! Sniffy walked into the house this morning, through a door I KNOW was closed! We had been leaving our outside door open a crack to our work/John Deere room, but not the door to the house. Cliff found that door open this morning about an hour after he got up for work. He said he felt cold air coming up from downstairs and went downstairs to check. The door was open and Sniffy ran right by him! He picked him up and went running through the house screaming and crying "Sniffy came home!" in his underwear and t-shirt! He was laughing and crying at the same time. For those of you who know my DH, that is NOT a personality trait common to him. It was totally amazing! Sniffy and I promptly curled up together and took a nap! <br /><br />He wasn't matted at all, no injuries, didn't even look like he had been outside. All I found on him was sticktites, one small scratch behind his ear (probably from trying to get by Pekoe) and a small bit of paint between two toes on one hind leg. There is new construction behind us, but I had already gone through all the open houses several times. But I couldn't get in to any of the locked ones. Maybe he was in one of those that was just painted, and got shut in accidentally. I don't know, and the construction guys swore they hadn't seen him. I don't know what to think other than God's helping hand opening doors for Sniffy! We had so many people praying for him and God answered our prayers! I hope Sniffy has had enough of the outdoor world! Thank you to all of those who prayed and offered tips and resources on finding Sniffy. We are truly grateful and humbled.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-90719606392609960912008-02-20T00:03:00.005-06:002008-02-20T00:37:56.606-06:00SNIFFY, WHERE ARE YOU?If you haven't heard by now, our gray medium long haired goofy cat has disappeared. He ran out the door the day after the ice storm (2/13/08). We just had our old cat Coon put down and were grieving him and now Sniffy too. We've put up fliers, filed a lost cat report at the Humane Society, checked with Animal Control, listed him on PetFinder, and spread the word to the other shelters, vets and pet stores in town. I'm posting some additional and some older pictures of him. Of course his Christmas picture is below and there are some in last years' archives. He has had kidney stones so requires special food. He is semi-long haired, looks like a bit of a ruff, hair is long the back of his haunches (he looks like he has baggy pants) and his tail looks like he got the short shrift--not long or short, kind of a scraggly inbetween. He has a squeaky meow, when he chooses to talk, but he mostly trills and hums when he purrs when he wants something, an unusual sound and loves to bump his head on everything (got to spread that sexy scent of his I guess).His eyes are a greenish gold color, they can look either color depending on the light. We really miss him a lot, especially to loose him so soon after Coon passing. My DH is taking it pretty hard. Sniffy was everyone's buddy, the sweetest best lap cat ever (besides Coon). Maki and Pewter miss him, they know something is wrong. <br /><br />We do have a new member of the family. We adopted one of my parent's barn kitties and her name is Pumpkin (Punky for short). It is a female tortie with lots of dark pumpkin color on her and black. She's just been spayed and had the unfortunate issue of having one of her ovaries separated and they had to do exploratory surgery to find it, so her incision was 3x the size it normally is. She had to wear an e-collar for 10 days. Didn't bother her a bit and she plays with everybody and everything. Especially strings. I've caught her several times dragging my sweats and tennis shoes by the strings. Nothing seems to be off limits to her, literally. She dumped my MacBook Pro laptop onto the floor this morning. All I could do was watch and scream "noooooo" in slow motion as it whacked the floor. It was running at the time no less. So far the computer is still functioning, with a couple of dents on the top but nothing broken. She just about became an embellishment. <br /><br />We did get Coon back today in his little cedar box. I cried all the way home from the vet. I never though I would live long enough to see him pass on before me. Anyway, here are the pictures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CElb_M-hcheoSmhbZGDuL0si33ZvwV-9sQCBfDifY1uOsHWPBVG60CnnRGzEYwWdnFCh64yFnPI7_K-tQkiPkvrY2L3yPS2Do-MHoT_9YmvMmmw7BoHhCzSihicpXsp09xRp/s1600-h/SniffyFace3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CElb_M-hcheoSmhbZGDuL0si33ZvwV-9sQCBfDifY1uOsHWPBVG60CnnRGzEYwWdnFCh64yFnPI7_K-tQkiPkvrY2L3yPS2Do-MHoT_9YmvMmmw7BoHhCzSihicpXsp09xRp/s400/SniffyFace3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168943442463424610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSx7bUR6S0Khi2APVQS-2W1mekN5dBL63xjignAEHM5pQfBSQBoZ7QjK5YVfxxQo_LEfeq2Rb9SxRURTHJf-HfKCpv2EyaQnToo9i3PA_t4jSsl8UCVCHXBOoGGJrgwZrfNA3S/s1600-h/sniffy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSx7bUR6S0Khi2APVQS-2W1mekN5dBL63xjignAEHM5pQfBSQBoZ7QjK5YVfxxQo_LEfeq2Rb9SxRURTHJf-HfKCpv2EyaQnToo9i3PA_t4jSsl8UCVCHXBOoGGJrgwZrfNA3S/s400/sniffy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168943468233228402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAuuOViPuM01_NzyV3TgOhv5ClN90QkYtCDRXXzbwt8Yt97usDg7CGhOAngCvDAnsuaC_BOQAAhiNqtjvo3qZX4gCsCVVUJngbM-lBtMJoaPTDaXdCYwKT3WfRlC2BeQB-8hk/s1600-h/SniffyTV_WASvsSEAweb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAuuOViPuM01_NzyV3TgOhv5ClN90QkYtCDRXXzbwt8Yt97usDg7CGhOAngCvDAnsuaC_BOQAAhiNqtjvo3qZX4gCsCVVUJngbM-lBtMJoaPTDaXdCYwKT3WfRlC2BeQB-8hk/s400/SniffyTV_WASvsSEAweb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168943472528195714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPdVMm5Lf2g1cEunLZ09lrfEg8oO3tq2ybxOVtZBE6jEqwE4c8HIy9H4S6jHkXHRfAKeEVOVgH8VG-2VcvAdXhBhWRuYpMIgdd1PnsEpwTBAF4xY5jom_XLbuhlnwslXgZ5PB/s1600-h/PumpkinORSmokey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPdVMm5Lf2g1cEunLZ09lrfEg8oO3tq2ybxOVtZBE6jEqwE4c8HIy9H4S6jHkXHRfAKeEVOVgH8VG-2VcvAdXhBhWRuYpMIgdd1PnsEpwTBAF4xY5jom_XLbuhlnwslXgZ5PB/s400/PumpkinORSmokey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168943412398653506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm4jvTsP1khjEOnAKpmiPPi-J6tqRKJ4K5emPgyA23kwiwI8jr2kML-A1j4yYAPfaQfA1ikcv0u-u-O9_9amdOzGGLxnDj5vJ2eSYHBTzOoix7C3lIEaz-jLiB5GWEDel7OK_/s1600-h/Pumpkin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm4jvTsP1khjEOnAKpmiPPi-J6tqRKJ4K5emPgyA23kwiwI8jr2kML-A1j4yYAPfaQfA1ikcv0u-u-O9_9amdOzGGLxnDj5vJ2eSYHBTzOoix7C3lIEaz-jLiB5GWEDel7OK_/s400/Pumpkin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168943438168457298" /></a>The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-67371347110696493292008-01-14T17:03:00.000-06:002008-01-14T17:44:11.279-06:00IN MEMORY OF COON<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3pAP3gn4m730WXZh_6aYULwFY4a7w0s5mq8mpkFLT0X-pxUB79Md5lzGriU_cwGAHWpUa_3eamqJcY4upiFxXbzAyK-opXvPYm8agfdcUVQ1GYOJH0ZxTSD_hHTDRxwTVthU/s1600-h/CoonWeb.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3pAP3gn4m730WXZh_6aYULwFY4a7w0s5mq8mpkFLT0X-pxUB79Md5lzGriU_cwGAHWpUa_3eamqJcY4upiFxXbzAyK-opXvPYm8agfdcUVQ1GYOJH0ZxTSD_hHTDRxwTVthU/s400/CoonWeb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155475696592702754" /></a><br />Well, the dreaded day is coming this Thursday. That is the day that my beloved cat, Coon, my 16 1/2 year old black and tan tabby, is going to meet his Maker. Coon has been sick for almost a year and we are lucky God allowed us to keep him as long as we have. Coon has been my "Bubba" since he was born in my hand back on July 24, 1991 in Virginia. He lived with me in Virginia, then Missouri, and did the cross country trip in a U-Haul to California. While we were in California, we added Cliff, Kahlua and Mocha to our family, and then lost Mocha before we moved back to Missouri. Since being back here, Coon has been the head dog in our cat family that includes Pewter, Mr. Sniffy, Maki and Kahlua, who is now almost 10 years old. Thursday she will be the oldest cat in the family. <br /><br />Always my buddy, he would curl up at night and sleep next to me with his head on the pillow and his paws across my arm. For whatever reason, he thought nipping at your nose was affectionate. Or he could have been showing me he was the alpha cat. Coon is one of the smartest cats I've ever had. He understands "No", "Down", "Out", "Stop", "Come" and "Go" and always comes when you call him by name. With "down, out and go" Coon goes in whatever direction I am pointing. Truly a well-minded cat. He can open cabinet doors, sliding doors, and has begging down to a fine art. One time while we were in California, just after Cliff and I got married, I started shutting Coon out of the bedroom. He wasn't having that, so he started pawing at the door incessantly. After 15 minutes or so, we'd get up and shoo him away, only for him to come right back. So we started spraying water on him. That worked for about two weeks. Then, one night we heard a thumping noise downstairs. We didn't know if someone was trying to break in, so Cliff grabbed a tennis racket from our closet (all we had at the time) and we opened the bedroom door and slowly crept down the stairs. We could still hear the thumping noise coming from the kitchen. So we slowly inched our way into the kitchen and didn't see anything at first. Then, we heard another thump right above our heads, where Coon was sitting with his paw under the door, pulling it open and letting it thump closed. As soon as he saw us look at him, he chirped and was off the fridge in a flash, and by the time we got back up stairs, he was curled up on my pillow waiting me to come to bed. We gave up, and learned to sleep with our hands over our noses. <br /><br />Still the alpha cat, all he has to do is "give the paw" to the other cats and they back down, even though they have their claws and fangs and Coon does not. He just raises his right front paw and give them "the look" and they either pull their heads back or physically step back. He's still the Alpha Cat for a day or two more. Thursday we will put him to rest and end his pain. He'll always be my Bubba Coon. Bye Coon, I'll see you on the other side.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-71770660094164903052008-01-03T20:02:00.000-06:002008-01-03T20:06:37.657-06:00NEED KNOWLEDGE!Sometimes I wish I knew more about web stuff. Like, how to get my paragraph text to line up with my images on the blog, and then make a break between elements.<br /><br />I guess I need to re-educate myself. There's no excuse for ignorance. I have DreamWeaver CS3, just need to get busy and relearn a new version, it's been way too long since I did any web work!<br /><br />Now just to find some of that spare time...The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-27694202256759997622007-12-16T21:10:00.001-06:002008-01-03T19:43:59.793-06:00AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE CATS!<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1nIgga0CpYjpcIwbpAUDz8HxUcOzqPkTGROqvcJ9p37ALXZuXR_4KMyDlUNvmns1EdXb0O_dm7Fnvgj6icTkeTBQNcuQMGY2ysjfrg8i-3Oyyw2HrV85pE3xjHAK8PTyu1uO/s1600-h/CoonChr05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1nIgga0CpYjpcIwbpAUDz8HxUcOzqPkTGROqvcJ9p37ALXZuXR_4KMyDlUNvmns1EdXb0O_dm7Fnvgj6icTkeTBQNcuQMGY2ysjfrg8i-3Oyyw2HrV85pE3xjHAK8PTyu1uO/s400/CoonChr05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144789199484964114" border="0" /></a>These pictures are from a Christmas or two ago, but they haven't changed much and neither have we (except for Coon, but you wouldn't want to see how he looks now). If you compare me to the Christmas photo in the last post, you can tell I've lost weight, but not so much. So, I guess I will go from oldest to youngest. First is Coon, 16 year old male tabby, born in my hand (literally), so I'm the Momma. Well, really Cliff calls me the Cat Whisperer as usually at any one time most of the cats are sleeping or sitting around me when he comes home. That goes for their hair too. I haven't figured out how to create a static distortion field to deflect cat hair.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr6rQjgmtlVNJ6oBtSsZR-741c7sPZSivKXqSDGBx4c3KTK2cM4JS5mTbxmJmJhxfC4WU5pjFj_NFD2x1c_z9xJA_gcqbzFKk2MviTm98cFy_oYKG5kKE0xb-vqmu1Bx37gBY/s1600-h/KahluaChr05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr6rQjgmtlVNJ6oBtSsZR-741c7sPZSivKXqSDGBx4c3KTK2cM4JS5mTbxmJmJhxfC4WU5pjFj_NFD2x1c_z9xJA_gcqbzFKk2MviTm98cFy_oYKG5kKE0xb-vqmu1Bx37gBY/s400/KahluaChr05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144788654024117506" border="0" /></a>Next oldest is Kahlua, the vapor cat. We call her that because she pretty much has lived under a piece of furniture most of her ten years. She's a tortie shell Himalayan with the most beautiful blue eyes. She has finally come out of her shell when she is in our bedroom with Cliff and I and as long as Pewter or Mr. Sniffy aren't around. Pewter has a hate-on for her. Not sure why. Otherwise, when we're in there she cries to be petted! Go figure! At night she paws at the blankets, and if we put her out of the room and bring the troublemakers in, she beats on the door wanting back in the room. Will wonders never cease! She likes to sleep in the sink, and only plays when no one is watching. And she watches to see if anyone is watching. She's a very odd cat, but most torties are.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4eJaGfJOZq_6aFfTEZvMZS1mI_46W-oQvETDoYVdgYx0fN65XPEbwetKOdKWgNrC9HaiI-Kn42g7f6eGt1KCpWQXJPlfn4hRCu0LHlzBYE_tueIM47yJf-gZsJiKXDFEOQkL/s1600-h/PewterChr05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4eJaGfJOZq_6aFfTEZvMZS1mI_46W-oQvETDoYVdgYx0fN65XPEbwetKOdKWgNrC9HaiI-Kn42g7f6eGt1KCpWQXJPlfn4hRCu0LHlzBYE_tueIM47yJf-gZsJiKXDFEOQkL/s400/PewterChr05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144788649729150194" border="0" /></a>Third in line is a neck and neck tie between Pewter and Mr. Sniffy. Pewter was born in October 2001 and we got Mr. Sniffy at Christmas 2001 as a rescue so we don't know his exact birth date but he is about the same age. We'll do Pewter first. He's a Lilac Point Himilayan and a very beautiful cat with blue eyes, OK, they all have blue eyes. His are a steel blue and he always has this mad look because his brows are prominent. He did NOT appreciate the Santa hat one little bit. But he's like one of those movie stars. He KNOWS he is beautiful. He thinks it's all about him. If you don't pay attention to him when he wants it, he starts knocking things off of whatever he's sitting on (which is usually the coffee table, kitchen island, bathroom counter, or table). He'll look at you, look at the item in question, look at you again, then, while he is still looking at you, takes his paw and whacks the item right off the surface. Then he looks over the edge and looks back at you. At this point I pointedly ignore him. Doesn't matter. After about the fifth or sixth thing, and all that's left are candles, I get up. He also likes ice tea and ice water. He doesn't drink from a bowl, OHHH NOOO, it's the faucet or a cup of ice water for him. Snob.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQEZZR4bitKQL09ax25uWMxgqkoTujFMzfW5hnab9BdjfwnKXnhCxKpQ4nPP3ghVDdM5tRvzOwOIgpclyiMq5Sg6zh5QoZ9B_xK4Kboi2sLa2PMlF1nME3Bkn1CDqOW5qQWie/s1600-h/SniffyChr05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQEZZR4bitKQL09ax25uWMxgqkoTujFMzfW5hnab9BdjfwnKXnhCxKpQ4nPP3ghVDdM5tRvzOwOIgpclyiMq5Sg6zh5QoZ9B_xK4Kboi2sLa2PMlF1nME3Bkn1CDqOW5qQWie/s400/SniffyChr05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144788645434182882" border="0" /></a>Mr. Sniffy, the rescue. Also known as the Poodle because he has baggy pants on his back legs. He has an identity crisis, he doesn't know if he is long haired or short haired. When he purrs, he trills, kind of like a tribble (any Trekkie's?). And he has kitty nightmares. He growls in his sleep! He's the most affectionate cat, lap cat, head butts you until you either pet him or throw him across the room out of annoyance. He knocks over lamps, pushes just about anything around you just to wipe his sexy smell all over everything. He's too sexy for his tail. He thinks a LOT of his backside. If you have a cat, you know, it is all about the butt. No kiddin'! You have not bonded with your cat if you have not been given the tail once or twice. He's also Mr. Jumpy. VERY entertaining. The hat freaked him out. It kept touching him...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFzDi55IZb23AUu_B0h9wa-cfWOc5eWXQbpKRfpbWx-7NrthvtZlmmvi9biUltEicM-aZ9Yiqlg8ImUccDSu6aTp_cpr3N4eszzSUJJvCERLDIYR7BKMgB65N1qJ3Nl9K2Jix/s1600-h/MakiChr05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFzDi55IZb23AUu_B0h9wa-cfWOc5eWXQbpKRfpbWx-7NrthvtZlmmvi9biUltEicM-aZ9Yiqlg8ImUccDSu6aTp_cpr3N4eszzSUJJvCERLDIYR7BKMgB65N1qJ3Nl9K2Jix/s400/MakiChr05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144788641139215570" border="0" /></a>Then there's Maki (Macciato), she's our seal point Himalayan. She's as dumb as a box of rocks, and one very jealous little kitty. She thinks her name is Coon. Since he has been sick, every time I call for him, she comes. If he comes, she whacks him. But first she starts by grooming him, then she whacks him. Then she growls and hisses and spits and acts like she is evil incarnate. Coon just looks at like she's lost her marbles. He doesn't understand she never had her marbles to start with! tee he hee She hated the hat too. But she's so cute with her little tooth sticking out. She loves to be made over and petted. She's pretty social too. She's the door greeter! I had to do some extensive 'shopping on this picture. Let's say, don't believe everything you see in the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit issue.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXskA10g7TIxZN6DxhrQ6C6Rwf6s7NwIG6sY1aYhl5YPSCurf2A5WQYCvcfDNpaFkhyHOxkZD6UUOB63JVXEPLFBYmvr_Pflnr8BUCR6P_DSCmPmvImx_tXs_eY-gshK77Ogif/s1600-h/PekoeChr05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXskA10g7TIxZN6DxhrQ6C6Rwf6s7NwIG6sY1aYhl5YPSCurf2A5WQYCvcfDNpaFkhyHOxkZD6UUOB63JVXEPLFBYmvr_Pflnr8BUCR6P_DSCmPmvImx_tXs_eY-gshK77Ogif/s400/PekoeChr05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144788636844248258" border="0" /></a>And then that leaves the "squatter" cat, Pekoe (aka Pekoe Orange Tea). He showed up the winter of 2002 on our deck, he was probably about 5 months old, neutered, obviously someone's pet, but we couldn't find the owner. It was Thanksgiving and below zero outside, so I put a box with blankets and water and food and he hasn't left since. He's an orange marmalade tabby, weighs 13 lbs, and drools when you pet him. We did eventually take him to the vet and get shots, FeLuke tested, etc., and keep him on anti-flea stuff. That would make him about five now. He was so happy to be inside for a picture, he could have cared less about the hat and drooled all over my jeans the whole time. He'll lay on his back and drool while you clip his claws. The rest of the cats think we are cutting off their paws and it's like shoving bamboo slits up your fingernails to clip their claws. Maki gets eye infections and turns into Linda Blair, who knew a cat could turn their heads around like that? :-) But Pekoe lives outside. In the winter when it gets really cold or lots of snow or ice, he stays in the John Deere room, much to the consternation of Mr. Sniffy. He didn't get that name for nothing! (Note that double-negative, we're famous for those down here in tha steeks).<br /><br /><br />And that's the brood. Merry Christmas from all of us! One more week til the big day. I really NEED to start making my Cinnamon fudge before I start getting hate cards instead of Merry cards! Soooo much going on, for once, I have a ton of stuff to talk about, but not enough time!</div>The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-48026063324686678112007-12-15T22:43:00.000-06:002007-12-15T23:09:02.966-06:00MERRY CHRISTMAS!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nWMTHDsrfOwB_s05EGevuURzPALxSIyIs3MTcfApEbVTUYmqf5wdeoX6E-DEuE_fzXGbs-OGVvPJHF2Zph0cj1D2mLFo_LLF9UiAY1kOKoM1HFQJv2jKh1vk2Ie7an5FMnIW/s1600-h/VCChristmasParty07Flat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nWMTHDsrfOwB_s05EGevuURzPALxSIyIs3MTcfApEbVTUYmqf5wdeoX6E-DEuE_fzXGbs-OGVvPJHF2Zph0cj1D2mLFo_LLF9UiAY1kOKoM1HFQJv2jKh1vk2Ie7an5FMnIW/s400/VCChristmasParty07Flat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144432652774886578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, the Carol Jones Christmas party at the Chateau on the Lake at Branson is over and what a good time it was! Of course I had to stretch the DH's nerve to the last inch by having my hair done at the last minute, so we barely got there in time to eat and missed the schmoozing hour. We had the priviledge of sitting with Cliff's boss Jim and his wife Chris at Carol's table and I found out that accountants are all truly alike. As long as you aren't talking about money, they are the funniest people at the party! Jim kindly loaned Cliff a Grinch tie which was so appropriate! I'll have to go find one for him, can't have him borrowing it for every Christmas party!<br /><br />Of course the rest of the office clan was there, I'll have to post some more pictures of that, but I'll post a picture of Cliff and I that one of the other DH's took for us using my XTi. I sent the picture in an email (since I knew I wouldn't get a card out before Christmas) and forgot about my yellow eyes. Creepy. So then I 'shopped it and I've posted a non-yellowed version of it. Ho ho ho! And no snow either. So much for the 8" to 10" of snow that we were supposed to get last night that had everyone else flocking the supercenter for milk and bread!<br /><br />MO pics later...<br /></span></span>The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-11596899245904505722007-12-09T19:29:00.000-06:002007-12-09T21:07:53.889-06:00CHRISTMAS 'SHOPPIN'I've been playing with my Photoshop working with some layering and montaging. I haven't done anything fancy in a while, so I thought I would show you how I Christmas 'shop! All the babies are represented (including the DH), except for Kahlua. I don't have a good picture of her that works well in this grouping. But here they are, Front and center is Pewter, then clockwise, sleeping is Coon, the kitty with the bow on her back and the attitude is Maki, and the cat with the Santa hat looking like someone just told him he was a dog, is Mr. Sniffy. That's a pretty normal look for him. He can be fast asleep in your lap and your stomach growls and he'll come up off your stomach three feet and land in the floor looking at you JUST LIKE THAT! Like an alien is going to pop out and sing "Rag Time Gal!" Enjoy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KCNwGceNdjGubVm0rxg3BZhstlMompZW1smDyxLIb6wSvu-g8ulZC3hva2LqhfdqM4popdMxSawyUTuPJW6RBLPEDMwc6yGQtWW4OjgywcwrVnkSA1yTCIONntX-w92ZttFx/s1600-h/KittyLayers.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KCNwGceNdjGubVm0rxg3BZhstlMompZW1smDyxLIb6wSvu-g8ulZC3hva2LqhfdqM4popdMxSawyUTuPJW6RBLPEDMwc6yGQtWW4OjgywcwrVnkSA1yTCIONntX-w92ZttFx/s400/KittyLayers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142175570060919394" /></a>The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-85270317309908383752007-12-08T22:37:00.000-06:002007-12-08T23:20:46.646-06:00ASLEEP AT THE SCREENThat's me. Asleep at the screen. How bad is it when you're typing an e-mail to a friend and you nod off? I can understand when you're riding in a car, the droning of the road noise, nice warm heater blowing, music playing that you can sing in your sleep.....ackkkk I just ran off the road!!! Good thing I'm wearing Depends! Ooops, my secret's out. And I don't even have an embarrassed smilie to put here. How about this one? <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMR7iEvltPr9QvzNvXzY8GsskYCJZ8dmj_xS5NYoJrdQu6hLnvHam9gZHRhBU485XZHWLvxgNIkckURnm8pDWFEpsThvBh8GTeFM08UqathN7SGhFIg_q3ZIYgfkYEFrmwskIM/s1600-h/potty.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMR7iEvltPr9QvzNvXzY8GsskYCJZ8dmj_xS5NYoJrdQu6hLnvHam9gZHRhBU485XZHWLvxgNIkckURnm8pDWFEpsThvBh8GTeFM08UqathN7SGhFIg_q3ZIYgfkYEFrmwskIM/s320/potty.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141828704207127106" border="0" /></a><br />I had to steal this one from one of the stamping forums I like to visit. It's a classic. For those of you who have IBS, I KNOW you KNOW what I mean. Are you smellin' what I'm steppin' in? Thought so... or, since I just ran off the road, it's probably what I'm sittin' in. ROGL! Kiddin'! Or am I? Hmmm? Someday your day will come, trust me. And if it isn't one, it will be the other. You women KNOW what I mean. One day, something really funny will happen and you'll go to laugh or you'll sneeze and whoops! What was that? Uh, huh. Yeah, we're reverting back to our childhood. As you get older, you have the potential to become a one man (or woman) show. Laugh, pee, toot. Burp, pee, toot. Run, pee, pee, pee, toot, toot, toot. Get a rhythm going and you could be the red man team. Because I would be turning red if this happened to me...in public. What goes on at home, stays at home, YKWIM? Uh-huh girlfriend, I thought you would.<br /><br />So, how tired do you have to be to nod off at your computer? Especially when you are doing something you really like and you want to do. There's no road noise. My laptop is so quiet I have to stick my ear on it to see if it's still running (who knows, maybe static electricity is running the screen...). No music. If I play my iTunes, I'll get sidetracked up to the iTunes web site and start surfing for music, then I'll be mesmerized by my visualizer graphics and that will definitely put me to sleep. FOCUS, VICKI, FOCUS!! It's not warm in this house, thanks to the Grinchmiester, I mean DH. He feels that 68 degrees is a comfortable temperature to live in. IF YOU'RE A BEAR! So, I'm sitting in the chair, with three blankets over my sweats, with my scuffies, a t-shirt, a sweat shirt, and a fleece shirt on, trying to work. I think the reason I nod off is because I can't move. I'm motivated to type that email, but my fingers are frozen. Sorry Amy, I'll have to finish that email tomorrow...kitty kisses your way!The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-23370975288511949372007-09-24T20:10:00.000-05:002007-12-08T23:40:12.221-06:00HERE I AM AGAIN....Maybe some day I'll get better at posting more often. With three blogs, it's hard to do any one of them justice. There's so much going on right now, that I think I'm getting ready to have a BOD or a SBBD (for you windoze users, that's Blue Screen of Death, for the Mac user's, it's the Spinning Beach Ball of Death). There aren't that many sightings of the SBBD for us Mac users, but occasionally, it happens. At least I don't have to waste three hours a week doing virus and spybot checks. I had to do it for my PC's the other day and was astonished at the number of different things it has to look for. I'm glad the only thing I'm running on the PC is FireFox and Photoshop Elements 5. My hubby runs Quickbooks and Office occasionally on the desktop unit. The whole virus thing is such a non-issue for Mac users and has been for eons. Even in the OS 9 days, viruses were few and far between.<br /><br />I must say I am LOVING my MacBook Pro 17" Wide-Screen. The glow-in-the-dark keyboard is totally kicker. Oh, it's fast too. Like that is an afterthought. I had to bite the bullet and upgrade to CS3. Adobe CS2 ran like a dog on the Intel chip. CS3 purrs like a kitten. Hate the new icons though. Somebody at Adobe lost their imagination. I think they went to work for Oracle. When I worked there, you could have a complete conversation that looked like text messaging. Alphabet soup. Acronyms Anonymous would have been a great self-help group to debrief ex-employees working in high-tech. No more WISE, CRM, SQL, VM, SME's, TTT, T3, CCM, SPM, blah blah blah. Now Adobe is all Ps, Ai, Id, Fl, Dw, Br, Ac, Pr, Ae, etc. Of course, Microshaft does them one better. No second letter, just one. W, X, P, E (Entourage for you Windoze people). If Mac had Access, it would be A. We have FileMaker Pro instead, FM. Then there is Apple. It is all about I. iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, iWeb, iWork, iPod, iPhone, iMac, iBook and eventually you get to iPoor. Of course I LOVE all the OS X iterations, they are all cats. Puma, Panther, Jaguar, Tiger, Leopard, Lion, Cougar, Bengal (OK, a Tiger or a bad football team), Housecat, Fluffy, Mr. Sniffy...you realize I'm making up the ones past Leopard. No insider info here. At least they are tangible things of strength. Windoze? XP. Extra Poor, Cross Purposes, Cross People. And Vista? What's that? (As all the PeeCee IT people are still asking themselves.) Such a vague term for a piece of software that is still behind the Mac OS X by several iterations. An OS X wannabe. Been there, done that, wrote the OS about it five years ago. Where ya been there, Bill? Hello!<br /><br />Remember, the name of this blog IS MACSncats. So today is a Mac day. I just love it when some PeeCee owner tries to blow smoke about how much better a PeeCee is than a Mac and how a Mac isn't a business machine. I just love poppin' the hood on my little beauty and blowing their doors off. Speed wise, design-wise, usability-wise, support-wise (no techie hubby for me, don't need one for a Mac—actually I don't need one at all, but that's another story), application-wise, best of all, fun-wise. Do you EVER hear a PeeCee owner say, "I LOVE my PC!"? And who said the Mac isn't a gaming machine? Come on dudes, get your head out of your floppy slot and check out the list of top notch games ported to the Mac these days. AE just released Madden NFL '08, Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, Need For Speed Carbon, and Battlefield 2142, six of it's hottest titles. Finally, consider this, can you run both Mac OS X AND XP/Vista on the SAME computer? Nay, I say, only on an Intel-based Mac. Two ways too. Boot into it, or install Parallels and run both simultaneously. I'm all over THAT!<br /><br />Of course PeeCee users whine about how Macs are more expensive than PCs. Let me postulate this. I'm still using, with current OS and current software, a Mac G4 AGP that I purchased new in 1999. Count it folks, that's an 8 year old computer. I've made some upgrades, a daughter card to speed it up, some RAM, larger hard drive, DVD-R/CD-R (it had Wireless). How many PeeCee's, let's say a stock Dell machine off the shelf 9 years ago. Anyone still running current software and using it daily as a production machine (not just to surf the net)? Now that is a good investment. PeeCee's are throw-aways. You buy it with the knowledge you are going to have to replace it in two years, at the longest, to keep current with hardware and software. Not so with a Mac. Besides, if you bought a PC comparable with a Mac, speed for speed, feature for feature, oh yeah, you can't, because you are still running an antiquated OS. Sucks to be you! OK, I am admittedly PC bashing. I have to do that every once in a while because I do occasionally get tired of the smug PC people talking about how much better their computer is when they have NEVER EVEN USED A MAC! How can you say something is better if you haven't used the other? You know why PC users won't try a Mac? They're afraid they'll LIKE it. They'll be taken in by how EASY it is to use. That you can walk into Panera Bread, boot your Mac and it automatically finds the wireless network and asks you if you want to join it. No plowing through the Control Panel to set up to a different network. Sigh. You just don't know what you're missing. BTW, Office came out on a Mac first. I was using Word and Excel in 1986. You don't realize how unproductive you are on a PC compared to a Mac. How many man-hours you lose to virus issues and toubleshooting. How shallow you use your programs (i.e., you don't use most of the features of the software you do use). It's not fun to work on your PC. The Mac is FUN and it is also ALL Business too. You CAN have BOTH! No need to feel guilty having fun on your computer while you are "working". Mac users do it every day. And don't bash on me about loving my Mac. I've built three PC's and I train people on PCs and PC software. I've walked on both sides of the street. I've had jobs where my only work computer was a PC (ah, those old Oracle days...). So I DO know what I am talking about. I troubleshoot, to a limited extent, other user's PCs. So I'm not a part of the PC ignoranti. But I do live in Missouri, the Show-Me state, so if any of you would like a demo, just swing by Springfield and I will be priviledged to show you the way to iHappiness.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-41843137457004289312007-07-31T21:39:00.000-05:002007-07-31T22:20:21.151-05:00THE ERRATIC POSTER POSTS, DETAILS AT 11Ok, so I'm a pathetic poster. I just haven't had much to say lately, too busy sleeping. This has been one of those summers where I have been motivated by the lack of motivation. It doesn't help when you get up and, after an hour or two, you look around and all the cats are laying around in various contorted positions, snoozing (or snoring, in some cases) away. An hour or so of watching and listening to that and it's like water torture tapping out "nap, nap, nap, nap." I fight it like a woman on drugs (which I am) and finally succumb to an afternoon nap after a strenuous morning of watching cats sleep, surfing the web doing research (yawn), and working on some of my personal projects (nodding off). <br /><br />Eventually I realize it's 2 o'clock, I haven't eaten lunch, I'm not hungry and I AM going to take a nap. So off I go, detaching my cell phone, my iPod, and my glasses and slithering in between the covers. Slithering is about all I can manage at that point. No jumping into bed. Just slithering. At some point, several of the cats feel somewhat sympathetic with my plight and curl up on the bed with me, and pinion me between the covers. Now, who could get out of that and not stir those sleeping little angels? Little do I know, it's all a part of their plan...<br /><br />You see where this is going. Nothing better than an afternoon nap with a fuzzy, purring, stuffed toy, that eats, yaks, sleeps, poops and cries. Who needs Mattel? Or, for that matter, kids? Tidy Cat and I are TIGHT! Those folks at LitterMaid are on my Christmas card list. We own stock in NutroMax and Science Diet. My geezer cat and I share a bottle of steroids. My vet goes to Aruba every year, twice. OK, maybe he doesn't, but I am still waiting for my multiple cat discount. People should get a price break at five. And that doesn't count the squatter on the deck. I guess I should quit calling him that. He's been there about five years now, and he has a name and he has made an official visit to the vet for shots. His name is Pekoe (he's an orange marmalade tabby, orange pekoe tea, get it? ok, it's a stretch). He came to us previously neutered, so we didn't have to invest in that procedure. He naps too. It's a conspiracy. They think one day I won't wake up and then they can chew up all my scrapbook paper, the corner of my laptop and chew all my silk flowers. There'll be no stopping them. They'll be drinking my tea (yes, my cats LIKE ice tea), eating my Ritz crackers and sliming my ribbons. It will be chaos and all because of a nap. Its a diabolical plan that I am sure they took all night thinking about. I really need a life. Oh, and an iPhone, if any one has one they want to get rid of. Maybe? Just thought I'd sneak that in there.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-74149616724602410692007-04-19T17:31:00.000-05:002007-04-19T18:40:17.161-05:00NOW, HERE'S THE VERSE...I found it a few weeks back but just haven't taken the time to post. Then, this afternoon on Hank <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hanagraf</span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">sp</span>?) a woman called in asking about the new heaven and new earth, and another right after that asking about pets in heaven. Hank gave the same proof that I gave in my previous post about how the new heaven and earth are the heaven and earth as it was created in the beginning, perfect and without sin, and WITH ANIMALS! Hank didn't take a stand for or against whether our petted pets will be in heaven, he did say that several respected Bible greats, such as C.S. Lewis thought that they would be. Anyway, for the verses that describe the animals in the new earth, when Christ reigns over it are in Isaiah 10:6-9 (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">NIV</span>):<br /><br />"The wolf will live with the lamb,<br />the leopard will lie down with the goat,<br />the calf and the lion and the yearling together;<br />and a little child will lead them.<br />The cow will feed with the bear,<br />their young will lie down together,<br />and the lion will eat straw like the ox,<br />The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,<br />and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.<br />They will neither harm or destroy<br />on all my holy mountain,<br />for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD<br />as the waters cover the sea. "<br /><br />In Romans 8:18-23 (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">NIV</span>), Paul talks about how the earth itself groans and waits for it's new birth with the return of Christ:<br /><br />"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">firstfruits</span> of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. "<br /><br />If God created all of these things the first time, perfect and good and without sin, why would they not be a part of the new heaven and earth? We don't know those answers now and can only go by the hints the Bible gives us, as we can not fathom what heaven is—John describes it as best he can in terms we can understand, but as the Bible says, who can know the mind of God? Here is what John says in Revelation 21:1-5 (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NIV</span>):<br /><br />"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things have passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." "<br /><br />So one thing we do know, we will again walk with God in the cool of the Garden! Amen, come Lord Jesus!The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-7976231889719946632007-03-19T20:48:00.000-05:002007-03-19T22:16:20.423-05:00WHY I THINK THERE WILL BE CATS IN HEAVENNow there's a topic! You would be surprised how many people either agree or disagree with this theory, but here goes my theory about why I think there will be cats in heaven (and please notice I did not say my specific pets will be there, I hope so, but I have nothing Biblical to support that wish).<br /><br />So, I'll start out by quoting <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Genesis</span> 1: 24-31. A long passage, but it all goes together to make the point I am shooting for.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds; livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day</span>.<br /><br />First off, notice that in verse 29 that God gives "everything that has breath of life in it" green plant for food. So this means ALL the animals, INCLUDING man and woman, were initially vegetarians, they ate only green plants, fruits, etc. Not that I am advocating vegetarianism, but I want to point this out as some people use the argument that there won't be animals in heaven because they eat meat. They only started eating meat, AFTER the fall of man and when sin entered the world and the world was no longer perfect as God created it.<br /><br />So then, let me point out that animals were created in God's perfect world, the world where in verse 31 "God saw all that he had made, and it was VERY (my emphasis) good." So animals were very good. They were not carnivorous. In <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Genesis</span> 2:19 God brought all the animals to Adam to see what he would name them. No man eating lions there.<br /><br />So this is why I think there will be animals in heaven. If God created them for his perfect world the first time, why would they not be a part of heaven? If man is going to be in heaven, and we are a fallen race that had to be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, why can we not expect to see animals there? The Bible says after the end times Lion will lay down with the Lamb in heaven. Whether this is a literal reference or figurative, I'll go for literal as I feel that the Bible is to be taken literally whenever possible. I think it clearly denotes when it starts referring to something figuratively. I'll endeavor to look up the specific reference for the Lion and the Lamb. I guess if I were to postulate, I would say that when Jesus returns and begins his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">millennial</span> reign here on the new earth, I think the new earth will be what God originally intended this earth to be. Animals, plants and all. My opinion on this, I don't have any specific verse to support this. If it happens that way, great, if not, whatever God has in mind is fine with me!<br /><br />So, I hope I have a kitty in heaven to give me as much joy and comfort as the ones God has blessed me with here. Of course then, I won't be focused on that I am sure. But I still think there will be animals!The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-41476674787344505042007-03-18T10:45:00.000-05:002007-03-18T12:24:36.343-05:00NOW THAT WE'RE PERSONAL AGAINNow that all the craft stuff is over at conquestkeepsakes.blogspot.com, I guess I need to think of something else to talk about, get personal again. You know I work on a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hanky</span> rating system. Just thought I would warn you.<br /> In life you have so many choices, it's mind-boggling. I'm watching my oldest nephew go through college and I can't help but think of all the things he has ahead of him, all the choices, some right, some wrong, some neither. There are some choices that take you in different directions and me, as a controller type, I want to know where that is before I go. Sad to say, we don't get that privilege. Only God knows that. So how do you know what to do? I'm in my mid-40's and I'm still trying to figure that out, because I'm still having to make those same blasted choices! Do I do this or that? What does God want me to do, what does the hubby want, what do I want? My problem is, I don't really know the answer to any of those questions right now. Do I even have to choose at this juncture? I would like to have an email from God. The burning bush thing might bring out the fire department, and the handwriting on the wall didn't have the best message when it was said and done. A dream would be OK. Most of those worked out well.<br /> I know I have Lupus for a reason, but it sure seems to want to poke it's head out at the wrong times. Or is it the right times? See what I mean? I'm a firm believer in all things happen for a reason and that God really, truly does have a plan. If I had a copy of it, I must have lost it somewhere in one of my super-secret hiding places. I have lots of those. Some day I am going to hit the jackpot and find all those things! Not sure why I would hide the plan though...<br /> So, I guess the best we can do is to pray, and then step out in faith. If it's the wrong path, God will shut the door and open a new one. I sometimes have problems with that. I really like some doors that God wants to close. I'm pretty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">stubborn</span> and I bet you He knows that about me. So, He has to break out the big stuff every once in a while to get my attention. You know, the bright light on the road to Damascus stuff. Here's hoping I'm paying better attention because the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Casa</span> De Cox was not on my list of vacation destinations last summer. Nice people but the accommodations were a bit sparse. Drugs were good, food, BAD.<br /> Letting go is hard. Change is hard. Getting use to a disability is hard. Losing friends is really hard, but making new ones is an indescribable joy! Especially this late in life. You need all the friends you can get. Hopefully with some of the same ailments you have so there is plenty of inappropriate, "too much information" chatter over the speakerphone.<br /> I want to do all the things I used to do as I think I would be more useful to the Lord, but maybe He thinks I am just as useful this way. I don't always feel very useful, but it's not about a feeling, it's about a doing. Someone told me once, "You don't feel yourself into doing, you do yourself into feeling." He's opening a door and sometimes I am too dense to see that the door is meant for me to take. Or, I don't want to take it, because I don't know what is on the other side. Now there's another personality trait I bet you He knows I have. He's got a big boot, too.<br /> I LIKE knowing things. The unknown scares the liver out of me (didn't need that organ anyway—Lupus will eventually want it, so might as well get rid of it on my schedule and not his). Since I was never coordinated enough to be good at sports, or gifted enough to be good at music or arts, I didn't have the looks, so pretty much all that's left is smarts. So smarts it was, or is, sorta. I'm finally getting tired of the "smart" thing. I'm ready to be dumb. My drugs are making me dumb. Half the time I can't tell you what I had for lunch yesterday, if I even ate lunch. Very questionable. So, even if I'm not as smart as I once was, I still love to learn new things. God knows that about me too. He also knows that regardless of whether I am smart or dumb, coordinated or uncoordinated, beautiful or homely, stubborn or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">malleable</span>, He made me this way from the beginning and He knew what I would be and what it would take to keep me looking up to Him. And if I haven't said it, thank you Lord for Godly parents and grandparents. I saw a quote from T. L. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Cuyler</span>, "Never despair of a child. The one you were the most for at the mercy seat may fill your heart with the sweetest joys." I know my Mom spent a lot of time at the mercy seat over me. I know God heard her prayers, but I don't know if I bring her the sweetest joys now, but I hope so.<br /> Anyway, I know He knows EVERYTHING about me. Big WOW there, can I get an AMEN?! Psalm 139. One of my MOST favorite chapters in the Old Testament. For those of you who think abortion is OK, that unborn babies are just blobs of tissue, and that you have the right to terminate a life that only God can breathe in, in any circumstance, you need to read this (I can hear that can of worms popping open):<br /> Starting with verse 13 and ending with verse 15 (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NIV</span>): <span style="font-style: italic;">"For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother's womb, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."</span><br /> There are so many other verses in the Bible where God says He knows the number of hairs on our heads, right NOW, and tomorrow too, and that He is waiting for opportunities to bless us when we are obedient to Him and His Word. Yet another thing that is hard for me. Being obedient. Boy, that's why He needs the big hammer sometimes. And I'm glad He does!<br /> So I've decided that the drugs can heave out the old, unimportant, "I don't need to know that anymore" stuff to make room for the new stuff God is trying to teach me. I love to read and learn, I love to watch others and learn (except TV, we all KNOW that's not real, right? Who does House think he is anyway...) and then, if I don't put all the new knowledge in my super-secret hiding place, I might be able to share that with others, and also share some of the "smarts" I still have that count, the God-given smarts. Maybe that's what the Lord has in mind. Learn something new and share it in perspective with what you already know. Creatively share who He is in all that I do, even if it is just making a paper craft. Love your imperfections, use them for His glory, and move on (or "get over it" as my SWEET hubby likes to say). Learn to deal, prayerfully meditate, incorporate, create and give and love the process as much as the outcome.<br /> Whew! A lot to think about. Every day is a new day and a new opportunity for me to sleep in. Ha. OK, do something useful. Like praying and not worrying about my choices, but accepting His choices, and not having to wait to hear "You've got God" when I log into my email. OK, I don't have AOL. Who needs AOL when you have a Mac? I'm pretty sure God has a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">MacBook</span>, both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">OS's</span> on one machine, no tower of Babel for Him! Just like I think there will be cats in heaven, but that is another discussion for another day.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-56763232335917955972007-01-24T19:22:00.000-06:002007-01-24T20:17:13.951-06:00New BlogsWell, the time has come. I'm going to move my craft information over to my new blog, conquestkeepsakes.blogspot.com. That is where you will find all the latest information on my classes at Hobby Lobby and other events and classes here at the home studio.<br /><br />I've given the craft side a more official name, Conquest Keepsakes. If you are attending the Red Hot Crop at New Covenant Academy, you'll see an ad in the directory and some slides on the big screen promoting Conquest Keepsakes. I am also giving away two free classes during the crop, so come and crop at the Red Hot Crop and support the fundraising event for New Covenant Academy. What could be better than 15 hours of cropping? Make-n-takes by the Paper Princesses? Vendor booths to see the hot new products? NOTHING is better than that!<br /><br />My other new blog covers the other side of my existence, digital imaging. I've been teaching Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 for quite some time now, but took some time off this summer and fall. Now we are ready to rock and roll with the new training center. We are up and ready to go and I have a new blog to cover the class schedules, equipment recommendations, hints and tips, etc. We'll soon have a full-fledged web site up, but this will get us started. The new blog is fixthatpicture.blogspot.com. New classes start in February. I am also giving away two free Photoshop Elements classes at the Red Hot Crop, so one more incentive to sign up for the crop! Email Sandy Higgins at shiggins@newcovenant.net to sign up. Registration has been extended to the day of the crop, February 3.<br /><br />So check out the two new blogs (which I am working on tonight as well).The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-89833159661036709952007-01-12T19:05:00.000-06:002007-01-12T19:54:18.706-06:00We're in the news!Sony Hocklander's story on "Find a New Hobby" ran in today's paper. She interviewed several people about quilting, knitting, beading, leatherworking, and photo arts, where we fell in. We had the last paragraphs in the article, which I like being the last thing people read, they tend to remember it! Here's what she put in from our conversation:<br /><br />"The flood of digital cameras has led to a growing interest in hobby photography—and using photographs in projects. That includes digital scrapbooking, says Vicki Conquest.<br /><br />Conquest, a photographer and graphic artist, teaches classes in Photoshop Elements 4, a photo-correcting program that includes digital scrapbooking capabilities.<br /><br />A lot of people also are interested in what Conquest calls heritage projects: Incorporating photos and mementos to create items for homes or gifts.<br /><br />That's the kind Conquest likes to teach in her home or at Springfield's two Hobby Lobby stores.<br /><br />"We try to do projects that make you think of family ties," she says."<br /><br />Altogether very nice, I thought! Talking about both things I love to do, digital photography and crafting, all mixed together. I guess this means I need to get my collective self together and make some business cards. I seem to be able to do that for everyone else but myself!<br /><br />Also, the boards are up at Northside as well. The individual letter and the Valentine Box are different than what is pictured here on the blog, so check them out to see a different look for the same project.<br /><br />Well, everyone get ready for the big ice storm!The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-70926262020412238742007-01-09T18:08:00.000-06:002007-01-09T18:32:57.670-06:00Nothing Like the Newspaper BusinessDue to space constraints, our lovely little article isn't going to run until either Thursday or Friday. Newspaper speak for, "Whenever we can fit it in." Unless you've ever worked for a paper, you don't realize how hard it is to juggle articles, ads and other items and to do it in a day. Working with Laura on her two newspapers in Ash Grove and Willard sure gave me a good perspective on that, and they are weeklies, not dailies. So, we'll read it when they get it published! It is supposed to be the feature story in the Life section, so at least we know where to look now...<br /><br />In other news, the sample board is up at Hobby Lobby Southside, so if you want to take a look at the new projects in person. I'm still working on Northside. Doing two sets gets a bit time-consuming and sometimes those creative juices just run out of me all over the floor and get licked up by the cats. That's when they get their hair-brained ideas to hop all over my projects, chew on my papers, track through the paints, and lick the adhesives, those little varmits. Their ideas aren't half as good as mine. What's creative about gnawing off the paint on the edge of my laptop screen?<br /><br />And, oooohhh, iPhone. Apple announced it today. I'm waiting for the iWallet so I can afford to buy some iToys.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-82371218496643297842007-01-07T23:09:00.000-06:002007-01-07T23:52:41.637-06:00Crafting Alive & Well In Springfield!I had a reporter from the Springfield News-Leader call me on Friday regarding an article she was writing on picking up new hobbies. She had heard that I was teaching the papercrafting classes at both Hobby Lobby's and wanted to talk with me about it. We talked this evening and we not only talked about papercrafting, but also about digital photography/digital scrapbooking. So, you'll see some comments on both. The article is going to be published in Tuesday's News-Leader. I'm pretty excited and a bit humbled that someone would think of me to comment on the craft industry. My, how life comes at you when you get out and enjoy yourself! Scrapbook Generations is also in the article, with some pictures, I think, so it should be a great article.<br /><br />Anyway, we had a great time chatting and it looks like we may do another article closer to summer on digital photography and retouching images. I'm not sure if they could get me to shut up about that! We'll wait and see on that one.<br /><br />Don't forget, buy Tuesday's paper! Crafting is alive and well in Springfield!The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-31598606233655959632007-01-07T19:54:00.000-06:002007-01-07T21:17:11.959-06:00January Hobby Lobby ClassesWell, Christmas is over and it is time to get serious about crafting for the new year. What better way to start the new year than a holiday celebrating love! So, along those lines, here are a couple of new projects to celebrate love in our lives.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVkinOb9cFHiW3L4StSFLVh7ad1EIqn4_AOJn4zJzbbdPb1uhMSX0qrnmiOd38pYOsOSh9xzXe4IeLvrLmFFr_DtBt3p6VUQSrqMLaZuPMZgXatg9ZwZa3CftTFamNK8UWsD-/s1600-h/LOVEWeb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVkinOb9cFHiW3L4StSFLVh7ad1EIqn4_AOJn4zJzbbdPb1uhMSX0qrnmiOd38pYOsOSh9xzXe4IeLvrLmFFr_DtBt3p6VUQSrqMLaZuPMZgXatg9ZwZa3CftTFamNK8UWsD-/s320/LOVEWeb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017488710629545650" border="0" /></a><br />Our first project is "Love Letters" and it is truly LOVE in letters on a wall plaque. We'll be using decorative papers to cover wood letters, stickers, stamps and flowers, and a new technique with Gel Medium to give an artistic look to our wood letters. In the center of our piece, there is a plaque quoting parts of 1 Corinthians 13, all about love. Hang this on your wall and remember what love is truly about. This project is a kit class. Tools you need to bring are glue stick, exacto knife, cutting mat, paint brush, glue dots, pop dots, and sand paper.<br />Class Cost: $12<br />Class Dates: January 18 1:00-3:00p Northside<br />January 19, 1:00-3:00p Southside<br />Other dates/times by arrangement (vconquestcrafts@mchsi.com or 350-4569)<br /><br />Our second project involves customizing a single letter for a family member. Use it to pick up on a favorite hobby or personality of the person you want to honor. There are many techniques we can use to decorate your letter and we'll have several examples on hand. Purchase your 9" letter in the wood craft section and paper or embellishments you would like to use on your letter. Bring a paint brush, Exacto knife, cutting mat, scissors, and glue dots and we'll show you all the things you can do to decorate your letters. We'll have plenty of scraps, rub-ons and embellishments as well. This particular example is one honoring my neice Delaney who passed away last January from SIDS. This class is by arrangement. Give me a call and we'll schedule a date that works for you. Class Cost: $5<br />Dates/times by arrangement (vconquestcrafts@mchsi.com or 350-4569)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vGG7UNNlnleyXIVqjuXLUHDizwDHGKj4U7R-XL2qjspI289GaP0YUbxjeUZdf7NZpDb754DP176mEV6eznageVOPy3mZNrrHgVMxJfalzmzwAhUwfruKGwZaXlPNYuqZgCdW/s1600-h/DelaneyWeb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vGG7UNNlnleyXIVqjuXLUHDizwDHGKj4U7R-XL2qjspI289GaP0YUbxjeUZdf7NZpDb754DP176mEV6eznageVOPy3mZNrrHgVMxJfalzmzwAhUwfruKGwZaXlPNYuqZgCdW/s320/DelaneyWeb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017488891018172098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Our third project is a familar project brought back for Valentine's Day. Yes, the Valentine's Fantasy Box! Pick out your favorite Valentine's paper and let's make a box that you can stuff with candy or jewelry or lovenotes, or all three! As usual, your imagination is required! Supplies you need to bring are 2 pieces of patterned paper (inside and outside of box), 2 pieces of card stock (lid and boxes inside), glue stick, folding bone, scissors, and a trimmer. Class Cost: $10<br />Class Dates: January 25 1:00-3:00p Northside<br />January 26, 1:00-3:00p Southside<br />Other dates/times by arrangement (vconquestcrafts@mchsi.com or 350-4569)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqXOrbvX5mtoEKQqYnniuuoInf-dGybKdS-dKlVueWVhOaJ-vjxTtiXfVIU36xdSWriAm3zNIFA-yINp0urn7R0QK1NNKDAxny0MD7hv2FltKHE5EgUhHPP9zpTBnHXIXJv11/s1600-h/ValentineBoxInsideWeb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqXOrbvX5mtoEKQqYnniuuoInf-dGybKdS-dKlVueWVhOaJ-vjxTtiXfVIU36xdSWriAm3zNIFA-yINp0urn7R0QK1NNKDAxny0MD7hv2FltKHE5EgUhHPP9zpTBnHXIXJv11/s320/ValentineBoxInsideWeb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017489737126729442" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KzEfj3xkVaHAUc5rrzvKpXAkGHRwKnES0kSoB6vT-GA6JkgRopLFX1FaZxpJMeIX4ZEVMgpd2kKBzHpmosIxfyJZQe3CiEjcNS0hUDP8M8wOkQakireaB-s8KLYXanefX5C1/s1600-h/ValentineBoxWeb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KzEfj3xkVaHAUc5rrzvKpXAkGHRwKnES0kSoB6vT-GA6JkgRopLFX1FaZxpJMeIX4ZEVMgpd2kKBzHpmosIxfyJZQe3CiEjcNS0hUDP8M8wOkQakireaB-s8KLYXanefX5C1/s320/ValentineBoxWeb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017489247500457682" border="0" /></a>The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-39140253656676907462006-12-07T04:01:00.000-06:002006-12-07T04:43:59.408-06:00Future Projects and Past Projects<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaeKHzJQOIgc-w2IGe6xM1g_ipc2wrjpFkQcH9XjPLtba3q9TU6sYOXfa3ZNyg5bmau-lzFoayRdPt5DWaJ5-nxRbnnSVXUV62ELz8Cuaf6FOivR446kgzSP2Of3C-0LJG7YC/s1600-h/CanvasCalendarPew1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaeKHzJQOIgc-w2IGe6xM1g_ipc2wrjpFkQcH9XjPLtba3q9TU6sYOXfa3ZNyg5bmau-lzFoayRdPt5DWaJ5-nxRbnnSVXUV62ELz8Cuaf6FOivR446kgzSP2Of3C-0LJG7YC/s320/CanvasCalendarPew1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005733281392049938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoIX3xJfvsdWqrCldoPtqycsessHl2kMDjcrVCOsVJw8tzP_UaU0AagSoDXDe96vdv8I6v-3NcCI4HT5qaA5vfzw75sYwI8ns3vDgzdkFsXEeOLC6R1YeIOYs8SJuCWp9GNh9/s1600-h/VCPurseV2sm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoIX3xJfvsdWqrCldoPtqycsessHl2kMDjcrVCOsVJw8tzP_UaU0AagSoDXDe96vdv8I6v-3NcCI4HT5qaA5vfzw75sYwI8ns3vDgzdkFsXEeOLC6R1YeIOYs8SJuCWp9GNh9/s320/VCPurseV2sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005731576290033410" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmIQfd4tV1bNUSmL9LVhiCoObOGB80PLSnGa3JBj-mp8sULtWWDaUWO_BQ9oSVlmnkz8d60IzCIMkDw-Ml0i3KYl-TJO7wPQ4KB7Ajk7iPOdI7UlhLpsWMiwmFtCU6UtZfPtL/s1600-h/ClosedBoxes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmIQfd4tV1bNUSmL9LVhiCoObOGB80PLSnGa3JBj-mp8sULtWWDaUWO_BQ9oSVlmnkz8d60IzCIMkDw-Ml0i3KYl-TJO7wPQ4KB7Ajk7iPOdI7UlhLpsWMiwmFtCU6UtZfPtL/s320/ClosedBoxes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005731176858074850" border="0" /></a><br />Please be sure to scroll down the blog to see the current projects.<br /><br />I'm posting the past projects for posterity. If you would still like to do some, do a group or just buy one already done (in my copious spare time), give me a call.<br /><br />I'm working ahead on some pretty purrrrfect projects. No pictures (yet), but they include a fabric covered pail recipes box. Fabric, ribbon and chipboard along with some other embellishments will be a pail of a project.<br /><br />I'm also working on a Birthday book with a couple of surprises. You'll have to wait to see it. You'll never forget another birthday (although I wish I could forget mine...)<br /><br />I'm also ruminating over a yearly planner. I should have scheduled this one sooner, but watch out, I may be able to squeeze this one in the December schedule between Christmas and New Year's Day. This will be a workshop class (which means you will be my slave for 4 or 5 hours). Watch the blog and the store sample board. This is a kicker nice project and we will be using the Basic Grey notching tool for this project (if you haven't used it before and wondered what it was for). It will be a 3-ring hard-bound fabric cover with lots of ribbons and the calendars will switch out so you can use it year to year.<br /><br />An last. but not by any means list, the will be a new version of the purse! Can't let the cat out of the bag (no pun intended) quite yet, but you will love it and it has SO many possibilities.<br /><br />And, in case you didn't know, I DO teach Adobe Photoshop Elements classes for all you digital photographers (and those of you who get a digital camera for Christmas). You will not be able to find these classes ANYWHERE else. I've been working in Photoshop (big expensive brother) for over 20 years as a graphic artist and have digital gear up the wazoo (yeah, that's gonna hurt). We start with the basics and move on to advanced lessons like image collaging, vignetting, painting effects and making your own brushes and stamps. We are currently using PSE4 as the need to go to PSE5 hasn't made a case for me yet. Maybe later. These classes are offered in my home. I have a complete training set up (projector, screen, lessons, some laptops for those of you who do not have your own), and best of all, I'm bi-platform. For a former MacAddict, it was a bit of a change to work and teach from the PC, but I think Adobe Photoshop Elements is the BEST program, BAR NONE for image editing on any platform, PC or Mac. Adobe has done color image editing for 20 years and they know what they are talking about when it comes to color. They eat every other programs for lunch (I won't mention names, but MS wouldn't know color and calibration if it slapped them silly--don't bother). I'll be getting up my own website on this training soon, called FixThatPicture. It will feature my recommendations for hardware, software, printers, cameras, scanners, etc. Of course you know soon is such a vague and nebulous term...The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-5991779886381029542006-12-07T03:41:00.002-06:002006-12-07T03:53:30.554-06:00Butterfly Wall Clock<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbH54iEjeC705pyb1dt0IlkLwi4NBBHS4coRwAr93d9gxcKF28PCQKUtddqejwJuzwY_69qmePMUrnrXch3qaHDfNpORhsRs-9BBgO21q_zh1Zb1TjaWPiEd6sND7avbL9A04/s1600-h/ClockWeb1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbH54iEjeC705pyb1dt0IlkLwi4NBBHS4coRwAr93d9gxcKF28PCQKUtddqejwJuzwY_69qmePMUrnrXch3qaHDfNpORhsRs-9BBgO21q_zh1Zb1TjaWPiEd6sND7avbL9A04/s320/ClockWeb1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005718364970630866" border="0" /></a>And our last project.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Butterfly Wall Clock</span><br />Dates: Dec 7 Northside: 1-3pm, Dec. 8 Southside, 1-3pm Cost: $10<br /><br />This 8" x 8" clock is the perfect size to either display on your desk/table or to hang from the wall (hanger included). With a "Time Flies" theme with butterflies, it is right on target for the holidays, as we know how "Time Flies" when you are trying to find that perfect gift for a friend, colleague or family member. All supplies are furnished (including the clock movements). Tools and supplies you need to bring are (of course) Terrificaly Tacky Tape (red line tape), thicker is better for this one, ideal would be half-inch and 1" tape. Also bring pop dots, scissors and a paint brush. Also a Crop-a-dile might come in handy but an old fashion eyelet setter will work too. If you have some needle nose pliers, they would be handy as well (something with a small tip, or jewelers pliers). Have I dropped enough hints about the Crop-a-dile?The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-77512672192998683602006-12-07T03:28:00.000-06:002006-12-07T03:55:40.060-06:00"What Christmas Means to Me" explosion box<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C4lFWCO-afUwIWaINy6E7-kK8gKYcbOHvO4P7o05xdbwUwFb1yLgQUQTdzRlcV_2TJLx2ixbJQv79IbnqxeClc3fXK8FBG_U1m7W9FEGQfWvNxFdR5wUikDxu5MKKhBHENKU/s1600-h/ChristmasBoxTopWeb1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C4lFWCO-afUwIWaINy6E7-kK8gKYcbOHvO4P7o05xdbwUwFb1yLgQUQTdzRlcV_2TJLx2ixbJQv79IbnqxeClc3fXK8FBG_U1m7W9FEGQfWvNxFdR5wUikDxu5MKKhBHENKU/s320/ChristmasBoxTopWeb1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005717385718087362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1aytW54uNtnZz478jyHn53_3LXi95t0puP7xswiUViSjUdWCp_6DeK4saQi5LiT6Zjto1si2tK04HSNRrxmh710pMCCYcnHAQ2ID3uK0TsgTsVrjK8rLWi3lsgTyZYDWvQM1/s1600-h/ChristmasBoxSideWeb1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1aytW54uNtnZz478jyHn53_3LXi95t0puP7xswiUViSjUdWCp_6DeK4saQi5LiT6Zjto1si2tK04HSNRrxmh710pMCCYcnHAQ2ID3uK0TsgTsVrjK8rLWi3lsgTyZYDWvQM1/s320/ChristmasBoxSideWeb1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005717269753970354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvoRwiA1KzCCgokbJN1Nda8zD3LLHsH98sctpAYbLa7IJmCV4JwMsnZECC_5v4wLnEARjMnemBY3_gaTLcnv7FHs_bpaXv3yKKOyQIHQbmjLAU7B2-RdLujo_na1PwbYJig__/s1600-h/ChristmasBoxOpenWeb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvoRwiA1KzCCgokbJN1Nda8zD3LLHsH98sctpAYbLa7IJmCV4JwMsnZECC_5v4wLnEARjMnemBY3_gaTLcnv7FHs_bpaXv3yKKOyQIHQbmjLAU7B2-RdLujo_na1PwbYJig__/s320/ChristmasBoxOpenWeb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005717106545213090" border="0" /></a><br />OK ya'll, this is THE project of the season. You DO NOT want to miss this one! If you have to arrange an alternate date, do it, but you will WANT this project.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"What Christmas Means to Me" Explosion Box<br />Dec. 14 Northside: 1-3pm, Dec. 15 Southside, 1-3pm Cost: $12<br /></span>This WONDERFUL heritage Christmas box is one you will want to keep and look at every year. When you take the lid off, the box falls open revealing an ornament place card holder for you to put your family name and year on it. There are a total of twelve tags in the four sides for you to pull out with a ribbon to put a picture of a family member and name, and on the back of the tag, they write what Christmas means to them. This can be adapted for other holidays as well. You can put in new tags each year, then sit back and reminisce about holidays gone by. All paper and embellishments are provided (although some substitutes for paper may be made). Tools and supplies you need to bring are thin (really thin) Terrifically Tacky tape or a glue pen, corner rounder—if you have one, pop dots, glue dots, any size stapler (color staples provided), and scissors. And, of course, yourself!The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-90248794601002875872006-12-07T02:54:00.000-06:002006-12-07T04:00:40.212-06:00December Craft Classes—Post One, Yippee!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcvlbYD-v4OrczvsARFkClZmULTnTwWOgmszNUqeY1QMVHiJHQhI91jPTfywt3j1iwzk0z54QIie2Qgsia1u4Ve59WjO30shl1X5AgdQfBvdDovP_YvIQ7SXIHV5y1g5fhs76/s1600-h/ImageBlocksWeb1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcvlbYD-v4OrczvsARFkClZmULTnTwWOgmszNUqeY1QMVHiJHQhI91jPTfywt3j1iwzk0z54QIie2Qgsia1u4Ve59WjO30shl1X5AgdQfBvdDovP_YvIQ7SXIHV5y1g5fhs76/s320/ImageBlocksWeb1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005708130063564434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDIlz6hgT7HtKmtWw2PbZQFEELlwjK9kKD7iWDwdZ6R8gH6ys7AFSkO-QS5mCz9EO1K9RuBZ262GbQUvRN9zwwdlaXVtblTHm50ZrYDVNgwSLJhyVzQe9lpl_FfjXwwlCsFCm/s1600-h/AccordionHearts1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDIlz6hgT7HtKmtWw2PbZQFEELlwjK9kKD7iWDwdZ6R8gH6ys7AFSkO-QS5mCz9EO1K9RuBZ262GbQUvRN9zwwdlaXVtblTHm50ZrYDVNgwSLJhyVzQe9lpl_FfjXwwlCsFCm/s320/AccordionHearts1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005705763536584322" border="0" /></a>FINALLY!!! Here are pictures of projects. Blogger Beta hasn't let me upload for the past week, the littler bloggers! I'm starting with the Accordion Hearts and Blocks class. Here is the description for this class. It's a two-for, so a real deal and so easy to do!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Accordion Hearts/Photo Cubes</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dec. 16, 10am-12pm Northside Store (only opening) Cost—$7 for BOTH classes</span><br />The Accordion Heart ties up with ribbons into a heart shape, but when you untie it, the heart becomes an inspirational piece with words of encouragement on every side. You can set it on a table or pull it all around into a circle and tie the ends for a fully open hanging ornament. Beautiful ribbons, beads and paper make this a cute gift for a friend! Supplies are provided for this class. The tools and supplies you need to bring are scissors, folding bone or similar, and a 1/8" hole punch.<br /><br />The Photo Cubes are a fast and fun way to use some of those smaller pictures to display family and friends. We'll use cardstock and embellishments (stickers, rub-ons, letters, etc.) along with our pictures to create a cute set of photo cubes. The tools and supplies you need to bring are 1 package of 1 1/2" wooden blocks (they come 6 to a package for $2.99 in the wood craft section), a paint brush, pictures that can be trimmed to about 1 1/4", a square punch about that size ,if you have one (McGill has one in the tool isle at the 1 1/2" size and smaller), if you don't, then an exacto knife, ruler and cutting mat. If you want to age them, bring a brown chalk ink pad. (Just a factoid for you die-hard scrapbooker/crafter types, you may have seen the BE wooden block photo cube sets at your local scrapbooks store—for—wait for it—$13.00! Unbelievable! Nothing else with them but nine 1 1/2" wood blocks. Buy the Hobby Lobby blocks, with a coupon, two sets to make 12 and you still haven't spent more than $3.60 plus tax.) We're not that gullible are we?<br /><br />The cost for both classes is only $7! You pay $7 and get TWO projects!<br /><br />All the new projects can be seen at both Hobby Lobby stores. I've reschedule the Accordion Hearts/Photo Block class to Saturday, Dec. 16 from 10a to 12a at the Northside store (only slot available at the stores).<br /><br />Of course those of you who have already taken my classes know you can schedule a class time to suite your schedule, just give me a call (350-4569 my direct cell phone, you can still call the other number, but it forwards to my cell). We can still do past projects and also I can do groups, and to a limited extent, kits. I've been doing a lot of groups on weekends, especially Sunday afternoons, so if you have some friends, come on over and have a good time! Just give me a ring (or email) call to arrange a time. Some people have been asking me if I will sell the projects (as they don't have time to make them. I will sell them, but the cost is higher since I have to do all the work and no one to keep me company but the cats, who want to hole punch my paper and eat my ribbon. If you would like to do this, give me a call and I'll see what I can do.<br /><br />This month's classes have an extra surprise with them as a THANK YOU for coming to take the class. It might be edible (although I always have cholates and drinks if we here at the house) or it may be a surprise mini project. You know me, I am full of surprises!The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27998759.post-1162750760661842882006-11-05T11:44:00.000-06:002006-11-05T12:19:20.696-06:00Long time, no blogStory of my life. I start something and then life gets in the way. When did we all get so busy? I can't believe it is November and I haven't posted since August. Wow. That means one of two things, too much going on, or, I'm just not that interesting. It's probably the second but I'll look on the bright side and hope it's the first one.<br /><br />My inlaws came down and spent a couple of weeks with us. They live in Canada up on Lake Huron, but they are British and still have a pronounced British accent. It is always fun to go shopping or out to eat with them as the looks on the other people's faces as Christine and Peter talk is priceless. Some people just flat can't understand them. They do use a few different words for things than we do. A washcloth to us is a flannel to them. A secature to them is a pruning shear for us. There are others but those come to mind first. When someone from England tells you they are going to "spend a penny," that's their way of telling you they are going to the restroom. Long story to explain that one. We really enjoy their visits as we don't get up to Canada very often to visit the family. <br /><br />The kicker part is that we try to send all our Christmas gifts for the the neices and families (no nephews, the Conquest line on this continent is at an end) back up with Cliff's parents, which means getting them done by the end of October. Last time we tried mailing them (in November) they didn't get them until February. I foolishly made a decision several years ago that I would make all my gifts because no one remembers a gift card. And it is even harder to buy a gift card for a store here that will work in Canada as well. No Hobby Lobby where they live. So I lived in my craft room for two weeks. Christine even helped me make some of my projects (can't say what they are as those kids are too web literate and I think someone up there knows the blog). So mum's the word. Although Mum is what we call a flower but what the British call their Mom's. Confusing, eh? NOW we're speaking Canadian. :-)<br /><br />I've been teaching some craft classes here at the house and having a great time doing it. Nothing like a bunch of women with chocolate and glue and ribbon! The cats aren't liking it much as I won't let them jump up on the tables and show off their butts to everyone. I know they are pretty proud of their backends, but if I got up on a table and wagged my butt in everyone's face, I wouldn't have any friends! Heaven forbid if it was a bare butt like the cats have! LOL! OK, too much imagination. I have a magnet that says, "You aren't anybody until you've been ignored by a cat." I guess we are all somebodies as our cats are waving their tailends at everyone 5 minutes after our guests have had a seat. I guess that's encouraging. It gives "Cat-Friendly house" a whole new twist. Maybe we need a sign that says, "Beware of Cat Butts" as you walk into the house. Forewarned is forearmed. I could go on, but I'm sure I lost you at the part about me wagging my butt.The Cathousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10843443763630842938noreply@blogger.com0