Monet and Me

are playing with a new toy. From Black Oak Games a set of Celtic Knot Dice. Last year close to Christmas I saw them advertised, but they were sold out of the blue dies. A few weeks ago, they crossed my path again and this time I jumped. I purchased the basic set with 18 cubes. in Just My Shade of Blue

The set came with a booklet with multi-player games to play, puzzles to solve, or you can make your own patterns or traditional patterns like the 4 cube, 2 x 2 thread knot called King Solomon's Knot.

Scrolling through the store there was also a nine die set with Cats and Salmon. Like a crazy cat lady could resist it. This is a stand alone set or it can be combined with the other sets.

So, procrastination desk toy, study aid, or party game, Knot Dice fills the bill.

Happy, Little, Time Waster

 

If you like magnetic words to make sentences, poems, etc. on your fridge, you'll love Magnetic Poetry Online.  All the fun of the word magnets without having to find a place to store them or running out of room on your fridge doors.  There are lots of sets to choose from, and did I mention free to play?

Music Game

 

Ok music lovers, here are the rules…

Answer each category with a SONG. No repeats and DON’T USE THE INTERNET (it's tempting but DON’T). Go with the first song that comes to mind, change the answers to your own (Can’t steal mine!😉). 

* Something to Wear -Blue Suede Shoes, Elvis

* A Place - In My Room, The Beach Boys

* Animal - Alley Cat , Bent Fabric and his piano

* A Number - One (is the loneliest number), Three Dog Night

* Color - Blue Hawaii, Elvis

* A Girl’s Name -  Gloria, Van Morrison

* A Boy’s Name - A Boy Named Sue, Johnny Cash

* Profession -The Doctor from Put De Lime in De Coconut, Harry Nilsson

* Day of the week - Monday, Monday, The Mamas and The Papas

Your turn.

T Stands for A Puzzle

What's this?

A picture of tea and macarons

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Gift Idea for Gamers

 

Do you have a Gamer  and are scratching your head for a gift idea? Does your Gamer have an alter ego/character they use to play role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons? My Young One can help bring your Gamer's character to life. She will translate the character into Hero Forge for you. You will get links and screenshots of the character. This is not a physical Hero Forge Mini. You will need to order that through Hero Forge itself.

She also cannot create copyrighted characters for you. The characters must be original and created or owned by you.

If you're interested check out her Etsy shop: Wish Upon A Spud. Tell her The Great Manusinistra (All Hail!) sent you.

The Name Game

 

I'll begin Chocolate (and your word doesn't have to be food oriented)

Word Game

 

I saw alignment, gratitude, and selfcare

Sackboy from Little Big Planet

 Gift giving to adult children can be difficult. What do they need? What do they want? What do they like? It's easier for me to take the Italian route and just give money (a check). That way they can save or spend. A card or envelope with a check in it isn't very exciting.

I was trying to think of a way to present the Young One's Christmas gift in a fun way or wrapping. She's a gamer, enjoys video games, computer games, table games. For her birthday, I had already made her a Gamer Gift Box and Card. What else could I do?

When she was a teen, she played a game on the Play Station called Little Big Planet. The game involved a character named Sackboy or Sack Child. The game was a puzzle game. You guided your Sack Boy through mazes and obstacles. You also dressed Sackboy in various costumes and decorated the walls of his abode with stickers and stuff. 

I'm not sure how I thought of Sackboy, but as luck would have it, I found a crochet pattern for him. Make Your Own Sackboy The cool part of this doll was the working zipper. His body cavity would be the perfect place to tuck the check. Three weeks or so before Christmas, I began crocheting the doll. After a couple of false starts, the doll began to take shape.

I used to play Little Big Planet with the Young One. More often than not, I watched as I was so slow with the controls or couldn't remember which control button did what. The Young One patiently went over buttons over and over again.

Her Sackboy would pick up a frying pan and would sidle over next to my Sackboy as I tried to remember buttons and how to pick up objects. When I didn't get the buttons correct, her SackBoy would bang my Sackboy upside the head with the best BBBBOOOnnnnnggggg sound effect. That would dissolve us into gales of laughter.

As it happened, I found a pattern to make a frying pan to complete Sackboy's ensemble. With a little fiddling, I was able to size it for the doll.

A tag would let her know that something was inside Sackboy, an origami envelope with the check inside. Happily, the doll went over just as well as the check did. I think a happy memory of having fun together. Either that or the joy of banging Mama upside the head with a frying pan. 😺

T Stands for A Give Away

Studio cleaning is a never-ending cycle, a  realization that I have too much sh stuff. So I've pulled out supplies enough to fill two of the large priority mail boxes. The boxes are filled with gently used items. Some items have never been used and are still in their packaging. 

I hate to throw the stuff away as the pastels, rubber stamps, watercolors, punches, embellishments are still in good shape. Some of these items were bought for workshops and used only once. Or not at all. Some were samples in goodie bags during open houses at the museum. Some were, I thought I'd  use it some day, but that day never arrived. 

 I'm hoping you can help me out. I'll raffle off both boxes, plus a small box for those outside the US. Just let me know in the comments if you want to enter the raffle. The 3 new recipients will be announced on Friday.

And since this is a T Day post, my drink reference is the tiny set of tea and coffee themed rubber stamps in the above photograph.

By the way, I can't guarantee which box of items you will get. The other boxes are filled with equally wonderful things.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Which Would You Choose?

On Facebook my town library asked, if you had to be trapped in a children's book for a month, which one would you choose? I would choose:

If you're not familiar with the story, armed with his purple crayon, Harold is a little boy who draws his way in and out of trouble while trying to find his way home.

Who Do You Write Like?

Sandra from Sandra's Blog had this fun game the other day. Submit a sample of your writing, and the site will analyze your writing and match you to a famous author. I tried twice with 2 different writing samples and both times came up with Raymond Chandler. 

Go here if you want to play, and I know you do.

So, who do you write like?

The Friday Five Good Things

Five good things that happened this week.

1. We went to see 1917 and then had a late lunch or early dinner at Uno's.

2. Awesome lunch and dinner leftover from Uno's. We got their buy one entree and get a second entree to take home. No cooking for a few days!

3. Kept getting errors on the Sleep Number bed controller. Tried one more time crawling under the bed and checking all the connections. Missed one. Plugged everything back in and no more errors.

4. New, slim, filter carafe arrived from Amazon.  The Brita pitcher was too big to fit in the refrigerator. Now, crystal clear, water from the tap to refill bottles/thermos for teaching, activities and traveling. Now won't have to buy water bottles when traveling. The Little Princess can't stand the smell of chlorine in municipal tap water.

5. While waiting to pay the taxes at town hall, a man can down the corridor pushing a dolly (hand truck). He looked at me and asked, "Want a ride?" as he whipped around the corner. So non sequitur it made me laugh.

How was your week?

And the five participants randomly drawn from Monday's Visits and Kind Words are:

Robin, Sandy from CA, jinxxxygirl (Deb), Divers and Sundry, FSG (You said not to enter Da Tabbies, so I entered you.😺) . Please EMAIL ME your snail mail address. Robin, I have your particulars.

Thank you, everyone, for your visits and kind words.

Visits and Kind Words

Leave a comment on this post. Five (5) people randomly drawn will receive something from me during the course of 2020, a surprise, going to dinner, some coffee, a letter, book, sweets... whatever I can think of to thank you for your visits and kind words. #alwaysbekind

Names will be announced on The Friday Five Good Things 31. January 2020

Winnie's Picks Acrylic Paint By Number Kit

Back in June, Eileen ran a contest on her blog, The Artful Crafter leave a comment to win a chance for a Winnie's Pick Paint By Number Kit. And I was notified I won on July 3!

I had my choice of any kit from Winnie's Picks (there are lots of wonderful kits to choose from),

or I could send a photo to have a custom kit made. I chose to have a custom kit made. Did I choose a picture of my girlies or Himself?

Nope

The package arrived on August 8. in a sturdy and well wrapped mailing tube.

The kit contained a rolled 16 x 20 in. canvas of my selected photo. 24 little pots of acrylic paint, 3 brushes (I bright (flat), and 2 small rounds) and some hardware (hangers and a couple of screws though there is no mention of what they are for or how to use them). There was also a sheet with some general how to go about using the kit instructions, and the same picture printed on a sheet of paper. There was nothing to indicate what this is for. Maybe as a reference sheet or to have other copies printed.

The instructions say to tape the canvas onto something sturdy like a piece of foam core. For the photo shoot, I taped it to an acrylic slant board I have, but I don't think that will be the best thing to use. I'll have to look to see if there's a large enough, sturdy, piece of cardboard or something else to use.

I'm looking forward to painting Ink. I also want to again thank Eileen for running the contest and for Gaetan at Winnie's Picks for a fabulous prize.

T Stands For A Very Merry Unbirthday

Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Since this is my birthday week, a celebration for T Day. If today is not your birthday, a very happy unbirthday to you. If today is your birthday, Happy Birthday 🎈🎂🎁 to you.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

The Friday Five Good Things

Five good things that happened this week.

1. Saw a majestic blue heron at Lake Manchaug on the way home from Red's house

2. My town had its first Fourth of July celebration in decades. A parade, music, activities on the town green, and fireworks.  While we didn't go to any of the activities, we did sit out on the front stoop to watch the fireworks. They were being shot off in a field behind the new neighbor's house.Sadly, we couldn't see the fireworks except for a few sparks every now and then, because the tree line was too high, but we could hear them. Himself and I had a nice time sitting and chatting with each other. (Video courtesy of our local cable TV station)

3. I got an amazing piece of Happy Mail (more later)

4. Had dinner and saw fireworks from The Brother's back deck at our annual get together.

5. I won a super prize from a blog contest. (more later)

How was your week?

Baby Pool

The Nephew and his Wife are expecting their first child sometime during April. The countdown is getting close as their Little Princess is expected to arrive on 4. April.

Babies have their own schedules. I thought it might be fun to have a baby pool. Want to play? Pick a day and time between now and 30. April when you think Baby G will make her grand entrance.

I think she'll arrive on Tuesday, 10. April at 6 AM.

Happy Mail and Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

Happy mail was waiting for me inside the mailbox.  First, was the cute baby mountain goat stamp. Too bad, the Canadian post office didn't properly postmark the stamp.

Inside, was a nice note with an insert.

Inside were these fun stickers from Stacy at Magic  Love Crow.  Stacy had a giveaway of her art on her blog, and I was a lucky recipient. Thanks, Stacy, you made my day.

And the winner of the cup coasters is

Valerie -Jael

Congratulations! I'll get them out to you at the beginning of the week.

T Stands For Cup Coaster Giveaway

A new neighbor moved in a couple of doors up from me. They were having an open house so I found this quick and easy cup coaster to take as a housewarming.

The pattern worked up quickly so I made another set of four. So for T Day, I thought I would hold a raffle. If you would like to have the cup coasters to keep your favorite mugs/cups from marring your table, let me know in the comments. (Cups not included)

I'll announce the winner on Saturday, 7 October 2017.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

T Stands for Art Challenge - Day 5

My calligraphy teacher, mentor, and friend, Callinana, invited me to participate in the Five Day Art Challenge meme on Facebook.


This piece comes from my 2011 art journal. It is my favorite journal page even though it was done at a very difficult time in my life. There are times when you have to go through the motions, even though you know what the outcome will be. From Harry Chapin's song Dance Band on the Titanic: "I'm in the dance band on the Titanic. Sing Nearer My God to Thee. The iceberg's off the starboard bow. Won't you dance with me?"

If you're not familiar with Harry Chapin or his music, you can have a listen.



Acrylics with glazes, Zig Painty, Dr. Ph. Martin's Spectralite Silver and whatever pen hit my hand first. A Gillotte 1068A, I think.

Today is the last day of the art challenge. I'm supposed to challenge other people by name to play along. Not everyone likes the memes, but if you're looking for a blog idea, you'll have 5 days of blogging done toot sweet. You can always post to Facebook, too.

And today is also Tea day. While I could show you the mug of cold tea sitting near me as I blog, that would be boring. Instead, a photo of these grande dames I found in my parents' attic when I had to clean our their house and get it ready for sale. There must have been at least one silver tea service on the Titanic.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang are up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.