September Silliness - 2019 - It's a Wrap

It's time for Stream of Consciousness Saturday and Linda's prompt is Wrap/Rap.  You know it is almost Christmas again (don't yell at me, I have no control over the passage of time) and there are a lot of people who give gift cards as presents because it is easy.  Truthfully sometimes a gift card is more welcome than a set of knitted socks would be.

I think that it is appropriate to give gift cards, but a lot of times you wonder how to wrap them.  I mean, everyone knows what a gift card looks like and while you could put it in an envelope with a card, why not make it a little more interesting? 

Here's a short video I did showing how I make these cute Slider Cards.  I think it elevates the gift card to a different level, don't you?  Plus, you get to see my smiling face :)




I am slowly adding stock to the Etsy site and have just listed a couple of the Christmas ones.  There will be more for other occasions coming soon so check back.  If you have a special request, send me a message on Etsy and I'll see what I can do!   

Gift card giving doesn't have to have such a bad rap with something like this! 

Your questions for today:

What do you think of "Janet in the Studio?"  I was thinking of starting all my videos like that.

Pick One:  Gift cards or knitted socks?  Happy Saturday all!

September Silliness - 2019 - #SLS House

Jim has given us the prompt of Floor/House/Roof/Walls for this Sunday's entertainment.  A couple of years ago we saw Bon Jovi during their "This House Is Not For Sale" tour.  The album is the first album that the group did that was not on the Mercury record label after having been with them for 32 years.  It also does not include Richie Sambora who had left the band.  Jon Bon Jovi said the album is about their integrity.  The songs on the album clearly have a lot of meaning behind them.   

This House Is Not for Sale

Bon Jovi

These four walls have a got a story to tell
The door is off the hinges, there's no wish in the well
Outside the sky is coal black and the streets are on fire
The picture windows cracked and there's no where to run
I know, I know
This house is not for sale

I set each stone and I hammered each nail
This house is not for sale
Where memories live and the dream don't fail
This house is not for sale
Coming home
I'm coming home

Drove a spike into the ground and I staked my claim
Standing on the dirt where they'll dig my grave
Now what built these walls is in my veins
No time for looking back, the wolf is at the door
This heart, this soul
This house is not for sale

I set each stone and I hammered each nail
This house is not for sale
Where memories live and the dream don't fail
This house is not for sale
Coming home
I'm coming home

This house was built on trust
That's what it is and always was
No wrecking ball could knock it down
This house was built on higher ground

I set each stone and I hammered each nail
This house is not for sale
Where memories live and the dream don't fail
This house is not for sale
Coming home
I'm coming home
Coming home
I'm coming home (this house is not for sale)
Coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
I'm coming home (this house is not for sale)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Billy Falcon / John M Shanks / Jon Bon Jovi

This House Is Not for Sale lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Ole Media Management Lp, Concord Music Publishing LLC

Some pictures I took that night:

Interestingly, this was in March of 2017.  I thought these signs were particularly meaningful. 

And the video - this is how they opened the show we saw.  So cool!

I did a post about another song on the album last August for a #SLS prompt, Drive, "I Will Drive You Home."  That kind of works for this week too, doesn't it?

Can't forget the Pick One for today:  Drums or Guitars and why?

I'm a drum person myself.  While I appreciate good guitar playing, give me the beat of the drums every time!  Have a marvelous Sunday!

September Silliness - 2019 - Halloween Mini-Album

Missed a couple of days here but I've been working on something a little different.  Tried my hand at making a video to show my latest Halloween themed mini-album.  I want to start doing more of these.  I'd love to know what you think.





If you like it, I'd appreciate a thumbs up on the YouTube site.

The #SeeYouInSeptember prompt is "Seasonal" and I think this fits.

Pick One for today in keeping with the season, "Pumpkin spice:  Yes or no?   

September Silliness - 2019 - Weigh/Way/Whey and Spicy

The #SoCS prompt is Weigh/way/whey and the #SeeYouInSeptember is Spicy.  The way I am going to connect these things is like this:

I have been on many different "diets" as a way to lower the amount I weigh.  Some have been successful for a while.  At one point around the early 2000's I lost 44 pounds and was down to 169 pounds.  That was using the Weight Watchers way.  Of course things happened - don't ask me what because I don't remember anything specific - but I do know that I got all the way back up to 238 pounds! 

Far cry from this girl who, admittedly is quite a bit younger!

The next thing I tried was Hungry Girl program.  Again I lost about 40 pounds.  Why is it that I didn't keep going?  Who knows.  I am an Italian and I love pasta?  I am a wife and need to feed my husband who doesn't like low fat/sugar free foods?  Busy working so I call for take out?  All of the above! 

Then my son worked the Keto lifestyle and lost about 30 pounds.  He suggested several times that I try it too but I was resistant.  It's not a healthy way of eating...too much fat...I have diabetes I can't have too many ketones in my urine...all excuses.  Finally, around my birthday in March this year, I decided that I'd had enough and it was time to get my act together so I investigated the Keto plan more thoroughly and found that it was actually not that bad and it might even help with my diabetes.  I had a basic set of lab tests done and checked with my doctor who said that each "diet" be it vegan, keto, WW or whatever, have their own proponents but in the end it really is just an individual thing and every body reacts differently.  She said that I should get repeat lab work in September to see where things stood.

I can say that so far I've lost 38 pounds since March and 54 pounds since my all time high of 238 (you do the math).  The last time I was at this weight was April of 2006.  I keep setting mini goals for myself and while I know that if I was even stricter with intermittent fasting I could lose it more rapidly, as long as I keep going in the downward direction I'm okay with it.  This is me today.  Excuse the messy hair and the glare from the light.  A bit different than the first picture, no?

My daughter and I have tried many different recipes from the books we've gotten and online and most of them have been very good.  I am still not a fan of really spicy foods but I am using more spices in meals than I did before.  Mostly I like garlic and pesto but on fish I use dill.  We do also add some whey protein occasionally.
   

Well, I think I've put myself out there enough for now and gotten both prompts in so here's the Pick One question:

Spicy or mild?  

  

September Silliness - 2019 - Cool Weather

Missed posting yesterday.  I stopped in the middle of the day to watch the Giants game and work in the studio so I lost track of time.  The #SeeYouInSeptember prompt was School Supplies and although I have no kids to buy school stuff for, Office Depot remains one of my favorite stores.  Pens and markers are my weakness and I love having lots of different points and colors. 

Just a few...

The #SeeYouInSeptember prompt for today is "Cool Weather."  The temperatures have dropped around here but I know that our Indian Summer will afford us some warmer days for the next month or two.  This is what I saw out our back door this morning.   

I have been wearing at least a long sleeved shirt or light sweater when I walk Benny in the mornings, especially since he is a sniffer and we make multiple prolonged stops so he can smell the ground.  We are also noticing increased activity since we live a few blocks from the local elementary school.  That takes some time too as he has to check everything out.  I swear our dog has a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out)!      

Today's pick one is Gray or Blue skies and why?  I like blue skies but the mystery lover in me likes the gray cloudiness as well.  Tough call.  What about you?

September Silliness - 2019 - Cozy Spot

It is September and that is the month when for the last 22 years we have been going to our cozy spot in the woods of Boulder Creek, CA.  My husband and his friend started a golf tournament there and it is such a beautiful, relaxing place.  I don't golf so I get to do my own thing while the guys are out on the links.  I do get together with the other wives but that is mostly in the evenings.  Introvert me loves the peace and quiet and the beautiful scenery. 

I tried to recreate a cozy spot in our backyard but when we cleaned it out and made room for the studio, things got moved around.  Besides, those chairs are old and worn out so they are on the way to the dump.

The backyard is still a work in progress so maybe I'll get a cozy spot again.  

Your pick one for today:  Floppy sun hat or golf cap?  Why?  You already know my answer!  Happy Wednesday.

September Silliness - 2019 #SeeYouInSeptember - Pick One

You know I love a good challenge and my blogging friend, Melodye Shore, has come up with one called #SeeYouInSeptember, a month of show and tell.  I'm not giving up on the Pick One series though so let's see how clever I can be with combining them!




I am not going to worry about September 1 and 2 because this is a stress free zone and because I did similar ones last month.  Today's prompt is "Favorite Color." 

I have to say that my favorite color changes from time to time.  For a long time it was yellow.  Then I added orange. 

California Poppy

A card I made practicing some techniques

When it came time to paint the studio though, I went in a whole different direction.

Baby Blue Ocean drink 

Nautical

Maybe my love for the ocean is stronger right now. 

It is the beginning of the month so Linda has given us the Escapist Coloring Club link too.  I'm surprised I didn't submit an entry last month but here are mine for this month.  I am still working in the Alice In Wonderland coloring book.  I may not be able to eat the sweets but there's no carbs this way.  

Magic potion

So there you have the color themed post for today.  My Pick One for you is:  Color inside the lines or outside and why?  As you can probably tell, I'm a bit more inside than outside.   How about you?  Favorite color to use when coloring inside or outside?