Santa 2010 Version

By this time last year I had shown y'all about 12 different Santas and this year - not even one! 

Well something had to be done to correct that.

So...since this year has been the year for Rear View Characters....

I give you....

Santa - Buns of Steel

But before he did his workout tapes he was Santa - Buns of Blubber.

Hee hee - we had great fun as a family arguing the superiority of the two versions.  There was a third version that hubby said looked like he was wearing a diaper.  And while that does happen to some men as old as Santa, I won't show it out of my deep respect for the Magical Man of Christmas.

Head - 1 inch circle
Hair - scallop oval repunched
Shirt - 1.75 circle
Suspenders - word window
Buns - 3/4 or 1 inch circles
Thigh and Upper Arms - small oval
Calves - word window
Boots - modern label and 3/4 circle

Here is the pictorial "how to"

Daddy's Little Girl

Thank you for you kind words of support and love.  Daddy died Tuesday morning.  His struggles are over.

My dad was a suit-wearing banker and he loved to buy me red dresses so....

Thoughts and memories and ideas that spring to mind as Daddy's little girl deals with the loss of his physical presence will be recorded and kept in the pocket on this page.

There may be other men who love their families as much as Dad loved us, but there is not one that loves them more - because that is just not possible. 

The following words are from an article sent by one of his friends to Dad in 1978 with the comment "This sounds like you" and he was so right - it is the way my daddy lived.

One Minute’s Time May Mean Much

It only takes a minute to stop and say a few words to the newcomer you have been passing by with a quick “Hello.” To turn and draw a person who is obviously feeling like an outsider into a chattering group. To make the introduction, that may not be necessary but is a mark of friendliness. To approach public servants as human beings, and not just machines placed there for your convenience. To slow down when you are driving to give a pedestrian a chance to get across the street without scurrying. To write a note to a person who is ill or who has lost a member of the family. To give another person a lift when you have means of transportation and he doesn’t, even though it means going a few blocks out of your way. To send a clipping to someone you know would enjoy seeing it but might have missed it. To turn away a discouraged looking door to door salesman with a kindly refusal rather than a curt “No.” To really listen to what a child is earnestly telling you. To answer a letter from a friend soon after you receive it, instead of putting it off for months. To take the trouble to pass along the good things that you know about others. To build up the person who is feeling low or seems worried or discouraged. To let other finish talking about themselves instead of hurriedly interrupting – so that you can talk about yourself. It only takes a minute to do the kind, the gracious, the friendly things that may mean more than you will ever know.

I love you Daddy.   You live on in my heart.

Showing off the Rear Views!

I'm off having a good time at Stampin' Up! Regionals in Ft. Worth today.
Leaving you a little video I was playing with...


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Parental Guidance Suggested

Attention:   The following material is rated PG and is not suitable for all audiences.

(And if you are still going to look, you probably should swallow your coffee now)

I woke up yesterday morning with the idea of punching the back view of a golfer (hubby does have a birthday this month).  While attempting that, the classic plumber's crack came to mind.  So, I looked at some clip art and well, ya know...

I HAD to do it!

Surely you can think of some clever use for this character

• 
  
  even if you don't send cards to your plumber
• 
  
  even if your "man" isn't a handy kind of guy
• 
  
  even if you do all the house repairs yourself. 

'Cause you have to admit, you grinned when you saw it..... didn't you?  And don't you think that is worth passing on?  Make it and Mail it!

Now I'm out of here to spend the long weekend with the family.

Have a Happy Labor Day! 

See you again on Tuesday.

More Back to School

Young Miss Backsides is walking her little brother to school.

 

Awwww, isn't that sweet!

Back to School

Is this Little Miss Backsides as a child?  Or is this her daughter?  Either way, the butterfly punch for the backside is a constant.

Back to School has special meaning this year... 

This was my last 'First Day of School'.

After 17 years, I didn't get to take anyone to school on the first day - Kiddo drove herself  last week. (I got a new car, so she got my old one)

Kiddo is a SENIOR in HIGH SCHOOL
WHAT?

My little "Boo" is a SENIOR in HIGH SCHOOL?
Can't get my mind around it.  (sniffle)

She ought to be walking to second grade with her little backpack on, carrying a lunch box- not cruisin' into the parking lot after popping into the donut shop for breakfast.

Sure, she'll have a first day of college - but I won't be there to take a photo. (SOB!)  And she sure won't come home and sit down to have a snack and a chat about her day. (more SOBS!)

My nest is full (actually, overflowing with Miss Temporarily Move Back Home's apartment stuff) yet I've got significant twinges of those empty nest feelings...

Oh get a grip Ellen.  You have your punches to play with and the I-Fairy to keep you company.  And a mile long list of requests to work on.  And your house will stay CLEAN and the drains will stay unclogged and you will get to bed early because there will be no more curfews to enforce - you can dream peacefully (pretending that one is in her dorm studying and the other is fast asleep in order to get up early for her fabulous job)  Ignorance is BLISS!

Still....I'm advising you now - invest in tissues before this time next year.  I'm sure you will make a big profit just off me.

Back to the Islands

Little Miss Backsides - Aloha version.

In Memory

Sorry I went missing for a couple of days. 

My mother-in-law passed away after a very long illness and my hubby was in Peru on business, so I had to go boss my father-in law and brother-in-law around because... well, because it was my duty and privilege.

Today's project is in memory of my dear mother-in-law.

Her kitchen was always yellow and her radio was always on. 

Her wine was always poured and her cigarette was always lit. 

Her heart was always open and her husband always adored her. 

She lived her life exactly the way she wanted for as long as she could.

She loved to go dancing.

She loved the Dallas Cowboys.

She loved her pets.

She loved her family.

She will be missed.

back - butterfly trimmed - but just used 1/2 this time (see "little miss backside")
sleeves - word window
skirt - large oval
legs - modern label cut to separate legs
arms - wide heart to heart next to wide heart to heart hole
hand - modern label ends trimmed with small circle in itty bitty shapes punch pack
shoes - small circle in itty bitty punch pack, trimmed - throw away from spiral punch for heel
hair - 1 3/8 circle and 1/2 butterfly

Back to Dancing

I have been thinking that this character needed a name and someone on Splitcoast provided it in a comment - "Little Miss Backside" - I think that is perfect!

Little Miss Backside tucked her curls up into a black wig to go Flamenco Dancing.  I'm guessing this dress is what she was shopping for yesterday....

What you can learn from this is that

WE WILL SURVIVE WITHOUT BLUSH BLOSSOM!

I used the new in-color, Blushing Bride, for her skin and I bet you didn't even notice the difference.  Oh sure, you can tell in person but this is do-able girls, it really is!

Her dress is Poppy Parade and the top layer is Peach Parfait.  The top layer also shows a new embossing folder, Vintage Wallpaper.

Can you tell I got my sneak peak merchandise?

Back to the Mall

I promise, I will not keep up with this same girl FOREVER - but she is so easy to make, I keep coming up with more poses.  You can place this pre or post wedding in the babe's life - but based on that waist line - I'd say before kids...

Wouldn't this be great on a gift card holder?

Made pretty much the same as the bride - just fewer layers to her skirt.
Legs are small MY WAY arrows - which is RETIRING at the end of June
Shoes are throw away part of the Spiral Punch
Visa card is Medium Jewelry Punch with the knob part snipped off

Yes, the legs and feet are a little small for that big old head of hair - deal with it - I lived in Texas during the 80s - I can do "big hair" if I want (grin)

Back in the Garden

That Inspiration Fairy! – I just never know where we are going when I pull out the punches….


An anonymous commenter asked what was happening next in this characters life – ya know, after the bachelorette party and the wedding…

Well since this is a PG blog, and I’m NOT doing honeymoon scenes, I thought we’d skip on to her new house and planting flowers.

That is a lie. The Inspiration Fairy is the one that came up with this gardening scenario – I was going for sitting on the bleachers at the kid’s game with a little “go team” pennant but the Fairy said NO. I’d like to give you a clue what was happening next in the babe's life (if anything) but I just don’t know.

I-fairy says this pose could also be petting the back of a dog.

Punches are the same as before, except her upturned arm is the narrow heart to heart punched next to narrow heart to heart hole. Her toes peeking out from her jeans are also the narrow heart to heart pieces.

Belt is from ¾ inch circle next to the same punch hole – belt loops are just tiny scraps

Trowel is a petal from the 5 petal flower punch - handle is one of the my way arrows (retiring at the end of the month)

What you can learn from this is faux denim if you don’t remember it from Workshop Santa. Just rub your night of navy ink pad back and forth, up and down on your bashful blue cardstock. EASY – and you can get whatever “wash” you like by the amount of ink you apply.

Stamped Image is from Simply Said - an oldie that you can still purchase - been at least a year since I've used it and I'm wondering why - it is a GREAT stamp set.

And I left plenty of room above the flowers for a sentiment - I'll add that when I need the card for something specific.

Family Health still an issue so I don't know when I'll have time to play and create something really NEW - hang in there with me please.

Back of the Bride

I'm sure I'll have other "back of" characters now that we've started this - but my brain isn't firing on cylinders today so I did the easiest one first.

"Back to the bar" must have been at her bachelorette party, maybe?

Just like the bar chick - but instead of the bar stool, I added layers of 1/2 butterfly punches for the wedding dress.  Emboss the cardstock first, then punch. 

I went a little nuts with the embossing folders but needed the texture to show the white dress and hat on the white card.

Flowers are the retiring flower trio punch - I just had to give it a little attention before the move to the retired punch drawer.

Back to the Bar

When I was making the back view of a blog babe (Joan's idea - see yesterday's post), I thought I'd try her sitting on a bench looking at a sunset on the beach. 

Well, somehow.... she wound up on a bar stool with an umbrella drink in her hand.  Maybe the Inspiration Fairy was having a hard day and needed a little extra somethin' to relax?

Let's hope she doesn't poke her eye out with that umbrella turned like that.

For safety sake, you might want to put the drink in her other hand.

Parts list:
Hat - wide oval and 1.25 circle - run through Square Lattice Embossing folder
Hat band - circle next to oval HOLE
Hair - scallop oval
back - butterfly
swim suit - butterfly - trimmed out back with scissors
arms - wide heart to heart next to wide heart to heart HOLE
hand - modern label tip punched with small circle in the new punch pack
Stool - all word window parts
Legs - middle arrow of My Way Arrow
Shoes - medium jewelry tag punch, trimmed

Drink from Cheers to You stampset.

Yeah, yeah the groovy guava cardstock and the pattern paper on the card are retired - but the wild wasabi in the suit is coming back!  Woo Hoo - Come on July and new catty stuff!!!!!  Retirement list comes out June 1 - oh!  that is Tuesday!!!!