XThe Old Back Porch

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - Easter Edition

2013-04-07T05:00:00.000-04:00

My son and his family spent Easter weekend with us, so I got three days with Isabella! We had a nice Easter Sunday dinner at my brother's house and visited the Atlanta Zoo on Monday. The weather has been just gorgeous over the last few days, too. Here are my entries for this week's prompts:

Outside

I just had to pose outside on this beautiful Easter Sunday. I was digging my hippy dippy Easter blouse...LOL!

Chatterbox

Everyone knows how much talking a 4-year-old can do; Isabella was directing me with the camera as the cousins prepared to play "Twilight."

Comfort

Isabella felt comfortable enough to have her cousin carry her around like a corpse.

In the Kitchen

We had buffet-style Easter luncheon in my brother's kitchen.

Trees

My favorite time of year is when the cherry trees burst into bloom!

Enjoy your week!

Sketch It Saturday - Unscripted Sketches #205

2013-04-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another great new sketch from Unscripted Sketches. Sketch #205 is perfect for a card:

I combined it with the case file from CSI:

and used the sketch as the banner for my layout about three sides of my personality:

Credits: CSI Coordinates, Chevron brush

Don't forget to link up your creation at UnscriptedSketches.com!

52 Card Pickup 2.14

2013-04-05T05:00:00.000-04:00

This week, I used the prompt from 75 Creative Card Challenges to make a ruffle.

I combined that challenge with the sketch from Clean and Simple:

and the color combo from ColourQ:

to create this birthday card:

Credits: Neenah and Bazzill cardstock; Martha Stewart punch; Paper Smooches sentiment; Want2Scrap pearl.

Now it's your turn! I can't wait to see what you come up with this week...

Movie Review 2013.10 - Argo

2013-04-04T05:00:00.000-04:00

Finally out on DVD, we were one of the first to get Argo from Netflix. I was excited to see the Best Picture of 2012, and I was not disappointed. It is the true story of the rescue of six Americans from Iran during the hostage crisis. These six were lucky enough to sneak out of the embassy just before it was taken by the Iranians, and they were hidden in the Canadian embassy. Ben Affleck played CIA agent Tony Mendez who was assigned to get these Americans out of Iran. He came up with a plan to disguise them as a movie production team from Canada looking for places to film. The story was funny, exciting, and had us on the edge of our seats at the end. A must see!

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Nest Building

2013-04-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

Yellow

2013-04-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Credits: Kim Klassen 3003 texture; Nancy Claeys 110 texture.

Book Review 2013.6 - Behind the Beautiful Forevers

2013-04-01T06:42:00.000-04:00

Katherine Boo is a Pulitzer Prize winner and documented this true story about life in the poorest section of Indian society where families live in cardboard shacks and working as garbage collectors. It follows a couple of families fighting to survive life near the Mumbai Airport. This is a world where women commit suicide or attempt to on a regular basis, where boys sell trash to make money for their families, where murders go unsolved because these people just don't matter to society. This is a world that is so tragic it's hard to imagine, but it is everyday life to these desperate people.

I found this book to be so sad I could hardly finish it. Although it was well written, I cannot say I enjoyed it.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - Rhodes Jordan Park Edition

2013-03-31T05:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another week of photos! The week was busy at work, but short. I took Friday off to get ready for my son and his family to visit over the Easter weekend. After a doctor's appointment, I went to a park nearby to snag my photos for the week:

Water

This park had a nice lake full of wildlife.

Empty

This little sparrow stood out in this empty patch of grass.

Fresh

This goose was acting very fresh with a duck. The poor duck had to dive under water and hide to get away from him.

Weathered

This little group of ducks look like they are weathering the chilly morning perfectly well.

Ordinary

Just an ordinary day...

Thanks for stopping by - Happy Easter!

Sketch It Saturday - Unscripted Sketches #204

2013-03-30T05:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another great sketch from Unscripted Sketches!

This week, I combined the sketch with the case file from CSI:

to create another Key West scrapbook page:

Credits: CSI Coordinates, NRJ journal stamp.

Why not try your hand at this week's sketch and link up at Unscripted Sketches - see you there!

52 Card Pickup 2.13

2013-03-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

This week, I used the prompt from 75 Creative Card Challenges to doll up a die cut.

I combined that with the sketch from CAS(e) this Sketch:

and the color combo from ColourQ:

to create this birthday card:

Credits: Neenah cardstock, Bazzill cardstock; Distress Stickles; Paper Smooches sentiment.

If I'd have had the right colors of stickles, I would have done the green dots in the center of the flower. Oh well...now it's your turn! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Movie Review 2013.9 - The Intouchables

2013-03-28T06:53:00.000-04:00

The Intouchables is the true story of Driss, a man from the projects who is just looking for someone to sign his unemployment paperwork to show he is looking for a job when he meets paraplegic, Philippe, looking for a caretaker. Driss has no interest in caring for a paralyzed middle-aged man, but, after interviewing many credentialed caretakers, Philippe is drawn to Driss's big personality. He asks him to try the job out for a couple of weeks, which comes complete with living quarters in Philippe's mansion. Driss is a little turned off at first with his caretaker job, but he takes Philippe on some wild rides and does not see him as a handicapped person. The two form a strong bond that lasts until this day.

This movie is so touching and sweet, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a French film with subtitles, but that's just another reason I love it. I highly recommend this movie and give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Instagrams

2013-03-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

I was inspired by the Instagram collages at Simple as That to create my own collection of my latest Instagrams:

Spring on the Street

2013-03-26T05:00:00.000-04:00

It was raining Saturday morning when I took this little snapshot of spring on our street. After passing through RadLab, I used Kim Klassen's Now texture Overlay 48% and Nancy Claey's Laundry Day Multiply 59%.

Book Review 2013.5 - Love the One You're With

2013-03-25T06:21:00.000-04:00

I've read a couple of other books by Emily Giffin, and I like the light style in which she writes. Love the One You're With follows the life of newlywed Ellen Dempsey Graham, who is perfectly happy until she runs into an old flame, Leo, on the streets of New York. Leo was the bad boy and life with him was exciting and unpredictable. Her husband, Andy, adores her and is the consummate Southern gentleman, always steady, always faithful. Yet, once she sees Leo again, she is obsessed with what if. Then, when Andy moves her to Atlanta so he can join the family law firm, she wants out. How far will she go to be happy?

I think the "what if" fantasy is a common one, and the author really explored how far someone can take that fantasy. It was entertaining to see that fantasy played out through Ellen's eyes, and I enjoyed the ride.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2013-03-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

It's another rainy weekend in North Georgia...my daffodils are looking pretty spiffy and bring a lot of sunshine to the neighborhood. Jimmy has been swamped at work with customers using their tax refunds to get their cars fixed. He's been working long hours every day, including weekends, so I haven't seen much of him. I've been busy at work, too, trying to make up for the week I was off. But, all is well, and I got my photos taken with time to spare. We're eagerly awaiting my son and his family's Easter visit, so I'll have lots of granddaughter photos again...LOL!

Here are my entries for this week's prompts:

Asian

These little drink umbrellas remind me of Japanese parasols.

Wavy

I love the wavy lines in this orchid.

Draw

I've been taking some art classes online, and for this one, I used a print ad as an underlayment for my drawing. Learn something new every day!

Soft

What could be softer than an old kitty cat?

Texture

I love the mix of textures when this shrub blooms - if I could only remember the name...

That's it for me...enjoy your week!

Sketch It Saturday - Unscripted Sketches #203

2013-03-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another great sketch from Unscripted Sketches. I think this week's sketch would be ideal for a card, but I just HAD to adapt it for a scrapbook page! So, I used the corner element as a tag for my title:

I combined the sketch with the case file from CSI:

and I used them to make a page about Our Lady Star of the Sea church in Key West:

Credits: CSI Coordinates, Tangie Gesso Mask & stars

Don't forget to link up your creation at Unscripted Sketches...see you next time!

52 Card Pickup 2.12

2013-03-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

This week, I used the prompt from 75 Creative Card Challenges to say thank you in a different language.

I chose the sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping:

and the color scheme from ColourQ:

to create this thank you card:

Now it's your turn - I can't wait for more inspiring cards!

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Chalk Texture

2013-03-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

Kim Klassen provided us with a lovely chalk texture to apply to a photo, and I had the perfect one from my St. Augustine trip. I went from this:

I love both versions - this is from one of the homes in the Dow Museum.

Friendly Cat

2013-03-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

This cute little kitty cat jumped right in my lap as I sat waiting for the Old Trolley Tour train to pick me up. When I got up, he moved to my camera case.

Movie Review 2013.8 - Skyfall

2013-03-18T05:00:00.000-04:00

Although Sean Connery is my favorite James Bond, Daniel Craig is a pretty close second. In Skyfall, James Bond is after a list of secret agents that has gotten into enemy hands. Right at the beginning of the movie, Bond is shot, and it appears all is lost. Somehow, he survives this friendly fire hit and plunge into a river from a speeding train (it is 007, after all), and he trains his way back into the fold. M almost seems to be trying to kill him herself when she lets him return to service. Javier Bardem appears in the middle of the movie as the villain Silva who knows M from a previous encounter. He is responsible for revealing the list of secret agents to the world, and now Bond has to stop him.

The film is full of great visual effects and lots of action. I found it to be a little long but entertaining. I'll rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - St. Augustine Edition

2013-03-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday, everyone! I just got back from a week-long photography workshop in St. Augustine, Florida, and I'm having withdrawals already. St. Augustine is such a rich photography environment - photo ops at every turn - and I was with a couple of great mentors and 11 other photographers from around the country. So much fun and great new techniques. I can't wait to go on another trip!

Here are my entries for this week's prompts:

Lucky

Our group got up extra early almost every morning to shoot a sunrise. On this particular morning, we went across the river from the lighthouse to get this photo before the sun came up. I was lucky enough to get this shot.

Irish

The Basilica Cathedral in St. Augustine had an altar dedicated to St. Patrick.

Daylight

It's hard to beat sunrise on the beach.

Pot of Gold

One of the beaches in St. Augustine is full of cochina rock, and this one had a little pot worn away by the water.

Clover

Well, technically it's ivy, but what a treat to find this peacock nestled in the ivy at the Fountain of Youth!

I didn't see nearly everything I wanted to see in St. Augustine, Florida, and I can't wait to go back! Enjoy your week.

Sketch It Saturday - Unscripted Sketches #202

2013-03-16T05:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another great sketch from Unscripted Sketches!

What a great sketch for a scrapbook layout! I realized I hadn't scrapped my photos from my Key West trip in 2011, so I took the opportunity to get one done:

Credits: TDF51 JSD Daydreamin' kit.

That's it for me - I'm still recovering from my latest trip! Why not try out the sketch this week and link up at Unscripted Sketches this week?

52 Card Pickup 2.11

2013-03-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

Almost Wordless Wednesday - Header

2013-03-13T05:00:00.000-04:00

In the Beyond Layers classroom this week, Kim Klassen showed us how to make buttons out of photos and create a blog header. This is a technique I'm fairly familiar with, so I came up with this:

On the Road

2013-03-12T12:49:00.000-04:00

I'm out taking pictures...