Well, we made it!! I've posted at least something every day this month!! I didn't think I'd make it when I got sick. It was hard to consider what to post when my brain was all fuzzy and cold-addled!
I did get some new art done this month (as promised, Vicki!) I procrastinated until the last possible minute... I know, I know - hard to believe I'd do something like that! :) I'm mailing these cards off today to make it under the wire for postmark by date!!
The swap is a Project Runway swap for my Sharpie group! ATCs based on the Bravo show Project Runway - which I had never seen until recently. One of my fellow Sharpie Scouts sent me a tape with the first two episodes of season 4! Boy, it is a fun show! I'm sorry I can't watch more as we don't have cable! I'll have to keep up online and watch clips I think.
I made three cards that were my take on some sketches from season 3, and one card based on the first challenge of season 4 - to show how I would be as a designer. A fashion designer I'm not, but these were fun! These first three are my take on the sketches.
This last one is my attempt at a design. I used real fabric for the skirt and top. The belt and embellishments are pieces of ribbon. And the background is silver sharpie. I think it's cute, but it certainly wouldn't win any fashion awards!
The deal is this: Answer the prompts by typing the answer into a Google image search. Choose a photo from the first search page and post it! The results may wind up a bit odd! :) (I linked to where I found the image so credit is given!)
8. Town where you were born (This B&B - The Porter House - is on the same street where I grew up - about a block and a half from my house! Windsor, CO)
9. Town where you live (Fort Collins, CO)
I've been shopping on Etsy lately! I'm looking for great, unique presents, and boy, am I ever finding them!!
I think I can share some of what I've found here IF I don't attach names in case the recipients are reading!
I bought these and these. I may be keeping some for ME! :)
I also couldn't resist this little guy! SO cute! (I'm going to have a hard time parting with him, I'm afraid!)
I also bought something from this shop, but I won't tell you what since it might ruin the surprise!
This is my favorite place for soap! I haven't purchased any lately, but I will! Love it!!
AND, I haven't bought anything yet, but this shop, and this one, AND this one are among my favorites and all have things I'm considering!!
Mike's birthday is coming up, but Etsy isn't working for him! I have found some fun stuff though! I can't share though because he might look here now and then and I don't want to ruin his surprises! :)
anything interesting to say... but I'm so close to the end of NaBloPoMo, I won't give in now! So... I'm going to share more interesting (?) facts about me! Suzie "unofficially" tagged me to share eight random things about myself. Now... coming up with new things about me is hard, but here is my attempt!
1. I LOVE shoes. But, here's the weird part, I hate to wear shoes. I kick off my shoes very first thing in the house (and also in other people's houses too!) I sometimes have them off in my office also. Why do I like shoes, but not like wearing them? It's a mystery! My favorite style is Mary Jane's because then my tattoo shows!
2. If (when?) Mike and I get married (which I think we'll do at some point!) I want to wear red! I've never dreamed of a big wedding like some girls do. I don't want anything traditional at all! I'm thinking outdoors, fairly pagan in nature, and definitely a red dress! Perhaps a sari (like this one?) and I'd definitely like to have traditional Indian mehndi on my hands too.
3. I love Ethiopian food. I didn't even know what it was until I met Mike. We have a wonderful restaurant here in Fort Collins called Nyala. The food is so yummy! It's eaten with no utensils. You use a bread called Injera to scoop bites. I don't really like the Injera, but I like the food so much it's worth it! My favorite is a butternut squash dish! YUMMY! And the mushrooms - to die for!
4. My mom and I play Scrabble via email. We have been playing like this for a couple years. She used to always beat me, but now I beat her every now and then.
5. When I get a new CD, I tend to listen to the one song that drew me to it in the first place over and over. Right now, I can't get enough of Brandi Carlile! (Playing now on my blog!) I love The Story and Turpentine. I play these two over and over and tend to ignore the rest of the songs!
6. KBCO is my favorite radio station. Each year they make a Studio-C CD - live performances for their station put on a CD. They release it in early December, and you have to stand in line for several hours to get one (and they sell out FAST!) I have done this three times! It's always freezing cold, but fun. I am trying to decide whether to do it this year or not! It comes out on Saturday and has a great line up of songs... we'll see if it's snowing or if I'm willing to brave the cold!
7. I could eat Chinese food for every meal. No, really! I love it that much. Unfortunately, Mike isn't a huge fan, so I can't talk him into ordering nearly as often as I'd like. I get it for lunch at work whenever I can talk others into it! Cold Chinese for breakfast is about the best thing ever! (I DO prefer the leftovers cold!)
8. I love to re-read books. I have re-read my favorites SO many times. I think I've read the entire Harry Potter series at least 4 times. And Nora Roberts - I re-read my favorite trilogies by her often. I know the story, and the outcome, but somehow it doesn't matter. It's like an old friend!
OK - that's all the weirdness I could think up for today! I'm not tagging anyone specifically, but if you do play along, let me know!
I was back at work today... but still feeling pretty bad. I called the doctor and we're going to try antibiotics since this illness is being so stubborn. I sure hope they help!!!
I thought I'd "borrow" a meme from DebR for today. She did this a while back and I thought it was fun - tucked it away for a future post - and here it is.
The rules are - spell out my middle name and tell you something about myself starting with each letter.
My middle name is Dale (named after Tammy Wynette and Dale Evans)
D - Drink - my favorite drink is Canada Dry club soda - raspberry flavor. It's not sweetened - just has a hint of flavor. I go through many bottles of this a week. I have to run to the grocery store often to procure more fizzy water!!
A - Anne of Green Gables - one of my all time favorite book series AND movie series. I've read the whole series numerous times and watched all umpteen hours of movies many times. I recently watched the first four hours again! Love it just as much as ever!!
L - Libra - I am a Libra - totally! I fit the bill on everything about Libras - my chart is full of Libra and very little else. This makes it hard for me to make up my mind because I can always see both sides! I have to find balance in everything.
E - Energy - Until I met Mike, I had never done any energy work. Because he does Reiki, I've been introduced to that and to several other modalities of energy work. I like it! I don't feel the energy as much as Mike does, but I can feel energies now!
I am getting cabin fever! I have been sick for a week. And I still feel sick. I thought it should really be gone by now... and I'm tired of whining about being sick! :) (The doctor did test for mono - I've had it before, but she said it was possible. I DON'T have it thankfully. Last time, in 2001, I was out of work for 2 whole months because my liver function was affected... not pretty. My mom came and stayed with me for a month.)
In spite of being sick, Mike and I have had an OK week. Playing World of Warcraft, and watching the first season of Lost again. We're excited for the release of season 3 on DVD! We want to watch it so we can catch up and watch season 4 "live" instead of waiting for the DVD release!
I'm simmering a pot of split pea soup on the stove for our dinner. I'm tired of soup (because early in the week that's all that worked - my throat was too sore for anything else!) but this soup is ALWAYS good! :)
I hope you all have had great weeks! And I hope the last week of November (and my every day posting challenge) is better!
Henry is SOOO happy it's space heater time. He can be found any time the heater is on, curled up near it, or with his paws stuck under it. I even caught him with his nose stuck darn near in it!
Miss Girl hasn't discovered the heater. But, she loves it when I sit still (for instance, watching a movie)! She curls up in my lap and demands pets. Mike captured this photo. She leaned up against me and then flopped over so I would rub her belly. That is her ultimate favorite thing! (I didn't correct her eyes because... check it out - one is glowing green, the other is red! Weird!)
For us... We were supposed to go to Mike's dad's house today for his family get-together. Unfortunately, this illness still has it's grips on both of us. Mike is running a low-grade fever today and I'm just coughing like a mad-woman. I'm really tired of being sick, let me tell you!!
We decided to go ahead and make the dip we were planning to take with us. It was really yummy (and will be - we have LOTS left still!)
Here's the recipe (since that's what I seem to be posting the last couple days!)
Chipped Beef Chile Dip:
2 packages Stouffer's Creamed Chipped Beef (we didn't use this - but made homemade chipped beef gravy instead!)
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used more than this)
1 can (4 oz.) diced Green Chiles (I didn't have diced green chilies, so we used 505 Brand green chili sauce - and about 8 oz. instead of 4)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
COMBINE cream cheese, cheddar cheese, chiles, onion and garlic powder in crock pot. Add creamed chipped beef; stir well. Allow to melt all together and get hot at medium heat. Serve with chips or bread. We used Asiago cheese bread from Panera. YUM! :)
It wasn't the turkey dinner and trimmings, but it was good. We're just hanging out in our sweats and playing a lot of World of Warcraft while we convalesce. I am getting a bit stir crazy though! I was looking forward to the get together today, and am sad to miss it. I also am wanting to start Christmas shopping too!! Maybe tomorrow.....
Or if you're not in the U.S., happy Thursday!
I hope you all have enjoyed the holiday! Mike and I stayed home because we're both still fighting this illness. We're hopefully going to be able to join his dad tomorrow for their get-together.
I made a breakfast casserole for us for something special today! No turkey dinner (Mike doesn't like it anyway) but it was yummy! I've slept most of the afternoon away...
Breakfast Casserole
6 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 lb. pork breakfast sausage
1 can crescent rolls
2 cups grated cheese
S&P to taste
Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. Lay crescent rolls flat on the bottom of the pan without making them into rolls. Brown sausage and put on top of the crescent rolls.
Mix the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and pour over sausage. Top with grated cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Thanksgiving?! It snowed here last night!! We got about 3-4 inches of snow in Northern Colorado over night. It's very pretty and VERY cold today!
Here is what our backyard looked like first thing this morning!
And since I'm sharing photos today, I forgot about this event last week! On Friday afternoon, as Mike and I were leaving my office to head to Denver for the Gong Bath, the girl from next door came and got us. There was a fox on the roof of our office building!! It didn't appear to be injured or anything - it had just found a nice safe, apparently comfy, place to nap!
I, of course, had my camera handy! So here are a few pictures of our resident fox. (No really - a real fox!) I've actually seen him (her?) again since then too. He ran right across my path the other morning on my way in to the office! (These aren't great quality photos - but you get the idea!)
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving (if you're in the States! If not, happy Thursday!) Be safe if you're traveling! And enjoy time with your family and/or friends!!
I am still not feeling well, but I want to write more about the healing Gong Bath that Mike and I attended on Friday last week.
It was quite the experience. There was a whole room full of people (I'd say around 50 or so) and we all laid out our mats and pillows and laid down surrounding this huge gong. Richard Rudis (or Karma Sonam Dorje - his Buddhist name) was the "gong man" - for lack of a better term. (I found an interview with him online - read it here. Scroll down the page.) He started out by telling us what the experience might be like. He would start by playing the tingshas and the Himalayan singing bowls and then move to the gong. Once playing the gong, some of it would be quiet and soft, and it would get quite loud and very intense. (Which it did!!) He read a poem and then started off.
I find it difficult to relax and turn off my mind, but I was able to do so during this for the most part. I was quite curious to see what he was doing so several times I turned my head to watch him play. As promised, it did get VERY loud. It became more than sound at that point - it felt like energy radiating out to all of us. My body got quite twitchy at this point also. You really could feel the energy of the sound.
Richard told us that it would be a life-altering experience. I think it has been, although I'm not sure how I'm different. It was certainly powerful. The drive home (about an hour and a half) went by in a flash - Mike and I both were quite out of it... The next day was very ... sort of groggy. We'd find ourselves both just sitting and staring into space. It's a detox of sorts - it gets your energy moving and toxins surface and hopefully leave! I think that's partially why Mike and I both have gotten this flu! It was probably lurking and the gong bath moved stuff around and it surfaced... I'd rather not be sick, but getting rid of toxins is a good thing!
This was, overall, a great experience and something I'd definitely do again. In fact, I think it would be most helpful if you were able to do it often. I think you could really get some energy moving and flowing in the right directions that way!! You can find out more about Richard Rudis and his work at http://www.buddhistartifacts.com/. Very interesting stuff!!
I've caught some illness - flu or some such. It's not strep, but viral instead so nothing the doctor can do to help really... And Mike has it too - so we're a bundle of fun.
I almost forgot a post altogether, and here it is... Such that it is.
I'll leave you with some gratuitous cuteness that is kitties! :) This was a few days back. Oscar was on my lap "helping" me play, and Henry decided to join. They both stayed for quite a while and weren't even in the way!
Watching
(re-watching for the umpteenth time - and reminiscing, Mary {if you're reading!})
Anne of Green Gables
Listening to
(not at the same time as reading and watching the movie though!)
Brandi Carlile - The Story (now playing on my blog!)
Eating
YUMMY Holiday Hershey's Kisses -
in Hot Cocoa (my favorite), Mint Truffle, and Candy Cane flavors!
Details of the Gong Bath will be forthcoming tomorrow! It has been a rather low-key, restful weekend. My energy was quite sapped after Friday night's event!
The Gong Bath was an amazing experience! I don't think I'm fully ready to share, but I will in the next couple of days. Simply, it is a profound healing experience. I'm feeling rather fragile today, but I think, in a good way (if that makes any sense at all!)
What I will share is the amazing sky as we drove to Denver. The trip itself was not pleasant - horrible traffic snarls, nasty drivers, etc. But, wow, the sunset!! I've just never seen it so amazing! All of these were taken from a moving car, so some are a bit fuzzy, but I had to catch this sky!!
And this last photo - I couldn't capture very well, but this is OPPOSITE the sunset. I've never seen anything quite like it! The light bouncing off the clouds - it was truly amazing!
Back with more details about the Gong Bath tomorrow!
Who knew this posting every day thing would be so hard?!
I'm over my migraine, but now I'm playing catch up for being asleep all day yesterday!
Mike and I are going to what is called a "Gong Bath" tonight. It's energy work, but that's all I really know about it! I'll write a real post tomorrow and tell you all about it!
Until then, I hope you are all well, bloggy friends!
With a migraine... No big post - only a "placeholder" post so I hit the every day post!
I had a bit of a headache all day yesterday and then the migraine hit just as I was driving home from work. It apparently was a medication resistant migraine. Nothing worked!
I went to work this morning, although I should have just stayed home! I wound up coming home mid-morning and sleeping a good portion of the day. I'm feeling a bit better now, but still a bit like a truck hit me. Hopefully, I'm back to normal tomorrow!!
It's mid-month November - half way through this blogging every day. I don't think I will continue once the November challenge is over. I don't find I have something I WANT to say or share every day! But, I'm definitely going to stick to it and finish the challenge!!! I've come this far...
So, today I thought I'd share a few more cute photos of moi! From back in the day!
I really was shy when I was a kid. (I'm not shy now, but still an introvert. A not-shy-introvert... is there such a thing!?!) I remember this coat - it was my favorite because it felt fancy to me! (1979)
This one is a polaroid - my mom's handwriting. Yes, I spell my name Tammy - it's that way on my birth certificate. But, for a while when I was little, I changed it to Tami. I didn't like all the Ms in my name! But, I went back - don't remember why or when! I completely confused my Aunt Carolyn. She has never spelled my name the same way twice! :)
This was at our local fair - it was held at Labor Day every year. I remember making this vegetable person - looks like I got a third place ribbon. I also remember entering things like cookies. My mom entered her pickles (which is the same recipe that I now make) and won ribbons! This is in 1981 and would have been just before my 7th birthday.
New art!! (I promised my sister - there would be new art to post this month! Here is the first of it!)
I am hosting a swap in my Mojo Art Group. We are making inchies and swapping 12 for 12. I've never made inchies before, but I've read about and seen them! 1" x 1" square. Now that's tiny!
For my first attempt, I took a paper that was 4" x 3" and did my doodle on that size rather than attempting 12 small ones. I cut it down today to get my inchies. I think I'll add some more to these (like probably glitter!!) but here they are.
First - this is the big doodle, before being cut down.
This is the same doodle after being cut down to 1" squares! I think each piece looks pretty cool by itself too!
I'll post the end results if/when I do some more embellishing! I have other ideas for other inchies too. We shall see if I get to them. I have an ATC swap due date approaching - theme Project Runway (a show I've never seen! But, I have ideas how to make ATCs look like outrageous fashions!)
I'm also participating in a swap called "Art Not War" - each person (9 total players) is assigned a letter from Art Not War... Then we each get a set of ATCs back spelling that out. I think this will be fantastically fun. My letter is T. I have to get started!!
Guess what we did this morning?! :) You got it in one - we raked leaves. And we're not done, but doing the front yard alone got us all tuckered out.
We live on a corner (a mistake we won't make again!) so we have WAY more area to cover than our neighbors... We've got a few more piles to pick up and the entire back yard still to go. I don't think it's going to happen today! Mike is off tomorrow (and I'm not!) so he may do more then... If not, it will have to be next weekend! It was fun, but a lot of work.
These photos show Mike working, and me laying down on the job, but I helped too! :) I promised Mike if I lay down in the leaves (for a photo op, of course) that I wouldn't spread them all about again! :)
Laundry was the other order of the day. Normally, I'm quite careful about leaving the dryer door open because of our cats (I've seen a kitty in a dryer accident and it's just awful!) But, just a few minutes ago, I had to run upstairs for more hangers... and I inadvertantly left the door open. Of course, I came back to find a black tail sticking out of the dryer. Luna had climbed in and curled up in the warm clothes... she didn't want to leave! Now that she's discovered this, I'll have to be doubly careful! Crazy girl!
