Hooray, the holiday season has officially begun!

My mom always said that the Christmas season starts when you see Santa go by in the Macy's parade. Now that that's happened, I can start listening to carols without feeling like a complete weirdo, candy canes are plentiful, and the cable company has started broadcasting the video fireplace 24/7. Rock on!

Another reason to feel festive? Michelle Perkett is sponsoring For Fun Challenges this week, where you can win several of her holiday digistamps. I've had my eye on one in particular for a long time and finaly I caved. Here goes:

 Speaking of slobber, wags, and wiggles, here's your much anticipated dorky dog photo of the day.

I love it when dogs don't seem to realize they've got their tongue sticking out. Cat's too, actually. Though non-human animals haven't got the market cornered, because I recently caught Scott sleeping with his tongue sticking out, too. What is it they say about people becoming more like their dogs? Hrm. I shouldn't make fun, though. I have parasomnia which makes me do all kinds of weird things in my sleep, like type, sew, give speeches (yes, apparently I gave a very cohesive oratory while sound asleep in bed. I'm so lucky Scott hasn't thought to video tape these things), etc. I've even written *and* sent emails in my sleep. They didn't make any sense, but it went out anyway and thoroughly confused everyone on the yahoo group I sent it to. Definitely not as cute as watching the dogs wake up when you (gently) grab their tongue that's lolling out. And now you know what that looks like. :)

Get your lab gear on, For Fun Challenges has a card formula this week!

So, what is this highly scientific formula that, if followed, not only *guarantees* you a fabulous card, but  could also win you a fabulous prize from this week's sponsor, Clear Dollar Stamps?

1 foodstuff + 2 patterned papers + 3 brads or buttons. Follow these instructions carefully (remember, no more than 3 buttons or brads!), and you too could end up with a card as magnificent as this one:

Okay, its magnificence may be up for debate, but you gotta love those stamps! Yes, stamps with an "S".  I mean 2 "S"'s (one at the beginning and one at the end). I couldn't decide between Clear Dollar Stamps' candy cane digi and cute mice perched on cheese stamp. As a rodent rescue volunteer, the myth of mice being prolific cheese eaters has always been a pet peeve of mine since, while they'll eat most anything if they are hungry enough, it's not really a favorite. Nonetheless, I was stuck in a dilemma because the stamp with the cheese loving mice on it was soooo cute. So, I took the mice and the candy cane and put them togetther with all the required bits, plus a ribbon and a lot of glitter. I don't know if you can see it very well in the photo, but the card base, itself, is massively glittery and I only added more from there. Festive!

So, drop by For Fun Challenges and give the formula a try. You don't even have to wear eye protection!

Super!

It's an unusual week at For Fun Challenges, because we don't have a sponsor. Instead, we got to choose our stamp of choice to make something with a Veteran's Day theme. I chose a soft red, white, and blue palette and this adorable Super Dog image from a Day for Daisies. I love her drawing style, in which everything looks like it comes from a softer, slightly magical world.

As a Zen Buddhist, I always feel a little awkward and strange when it comes to all things military and war related. We are forbidden to work in the military, to encourage violence, and the like, but at the same time, we should be conscious of the difficulty of the path those who do go to war have chosen in an effort to protect others, whether we necessarily believe in their methods or not. Though acheiving pacifism is not as easy as it sounds, the people who go on to experience the horrors of war, whether by choice or by force of draft, is so much harder. I abhor violence. I do not believe that war is anything but tragedy, but I guess ultimately, I approach Veterans Day not as a celebration or glorification of war and violence, but as a rememberance and recognition of the suffering of others who've experienced war first hand.

So, I made this card. The inside? "Thanks for saving the day!"

(This card is being entered in the Day for Daisies Challenge...the metallic element being the little blue and red metal roses above the sentiment.)

Well, now, that was a bit depressing. How about a doggie break:

Yup! It's sweater time again. Revco gets chilly, even indoors, so he sports sweaters, hoodies, or pajamas most of the fall/winter months. He's surprisingly tolerant of my picture taking during silly moments like the one featured here. He looks very dashing in this sweater when it's put on correctly, but this is more fun. :)

Shakedown!

The suspect: Weezee von Sparklebutt. The crime: Sitting in the wet glitter on the card I made  for my For Fun Challenges design team conribution this week, destroying it, and causing me to miss the deadline. Sure, I started over and remade it, but that's not the point. The point is that I had a lovely card design until some fuzzy meyow-y criminal I believe to be Weezee. So, what have you got to say in your defense, Weezee?

Stop! This interview is *not* over. Get back over here, cat!

Unfortunately, I think this is all we're going to get out of her, for the time being.

 So, here is the second incarnation of the card she destroyed. It's a special birthday card made for this week's For Fun Challenge, sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps. I'd been saving this orange and purple furniture paper for some sort of occassion, and finally decided that this was it. I don't know why I buy paper only to squirrel it away for years on end, but I do. I can't even recall what project I had in mind when I did buy it, but in the end, it was a cool excuse to make a cute purple and orange turtle (actually, he appears to be a tortoise) using this cute Bugaboo birthday stamp, so it went well in the end.

So, let's check in with Weezee one last time to see if she's wracked with guilt over the destruction of such an adorable wee turtle. I detect...none. No guilt whatsover. Look at her. Sigh. I suppose that's what makes her a cat. If she did feel remorse, she'd be a dog or human or something.

Stuff Yourself, Not a Turkey!

Halloween ended like 10 minutes ago which means it's time for Thanksgiving projects! Here's a gilded turkey for the CDAC progressive challenge. Mmm...I can already taste the Tofurkey!