Thursday 19 May 2011

Sh*t Happens and other Old Wives’ Tales

Good morning you all! Hope you are all fit and ready to start your day.
Over at *Simon Says Stamp and Show* this week the motto is *old wives’ tales*, trying to explain some of the sayings we so often use without really thinking about them. My title today is not one of the ones I chose to make a tag of, might be difficult to put into a (polite) picture. But yesterday evening I got a taste of the truth behind it. I have to take 2 tablets every evening – no problem. Yesterday I had them on the table next to my laptop. As usual I was busy multi-tasking; reading blogs, watching TV, putting the finishing touches to a mini book, and taking my tablets. I had a small handful of half-pearls on the table, with which I was adorning some pages. Can you guess what happened? I picked up the pearls (small, peach coloured and very pretty), and swallowed them down with a glass of water. I realised what I had done almost at the same moment, because I saw that the tablets were still on the table. I wasn’t quite sure what to do, so I decided to ring my friend B, as she is a doc. Now there’s another saying that laughter is the best medicine, and if that is true, then I got a wonderful dose of it. She thought it was very funny. After a moment, I did, too, and she does not think that there is any danger of permanent damage from swallowing half a dozen pearls. They should leave of their own accord sooner or later. As I said at the beginning, sh*t happens. And sometimes it’s studded with jewels….
But back to the SSSS Challenge. I have made 3 tags, showing three different quotes: *don’t put all your eggs in one basket*, *time and tide wait for no man* and *A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush*.




And I finished the mini book I started earlier in the week. It is about 3”x2”, as I made it with the off cuts of another book. The covers have been embossed and distressed with worn lipstick, the pages have been cut from torchon water colour paper, distressed with ancient linen and worn lipstick, and then stamped. I used water colours to paint the stamped images, and some floral rub ons to enhance the pages. I am still trying to get the look of old illustrations. Then I added a bit of lace, some pearls (!!!) and some stickles for the finishing touches.




Now I am off to do some painting, and then I will clean -it must be done!- my arty kitchen.
Thanks for looking, have a great day and take care!

33 comments:

  1. LOL val, sorry but couldn't help but smile at the pearls, I know I shouldn't have, (sorry, have straight face on now)...

    love the tags, all fab and great 'wives tales' love the book too, have a good day...

    maria xx

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  2. No apologies here .. I was laughing out loud! Do you feel like a little oyster? And your book ... if in fact you had carried on without noticing and used the tablets on the book .. it probably would have felt 'much better' ... :o). OK, I'll be good now. Great bookmarks with great sayings. The little book .. so much fun! Love all the stamps and all the colour. You have some great stamps for creating pages and the colours you use are what makes them pop. You have a great 'eye'. Now, try and stay out of the jewelry box, I hear once you've had pearls, nothing else will do. xx and hugs from Mexico, Donna

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  3. Donna, laughing is good, and it was funny, so enjoy it! And the thought of my butt as an oyster is screamingly funny!

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  4. i came to say how much i liked the graduated shading from blue through to green on your tags (which I do) but ive been distracted by that book. how pretty is that. it reminds me of oriental silk screens and prints. very nice indeed.

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  5. wow all this is so beautiful, wish i could learn this stuff from you :P

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  6. ROFL -sorry Val!!
    Love the bookmarks but that book is absolutely stunning! Such wonderful images and colours.
    Hugs xx

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  7. Hi Stav hope you are feeling better petal. Gorgeous tags and mini book.
    Very pretty indeed. They do say Sht Happens and yours will be very pretty indeed:):):):) Please say you're not thinking of recycling!!!!! Watch our of pretty peach coloured pearls:):):):) Take care sweetie.
    hugs
    xxx

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  8. I am ROFL at your title of this post!!!!!
    More fabulous tags. I love your creativity Valerie.
    Then the book - WOW.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  9. WOW! The tags and little album are gorgeous!

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  10. Wow! Be careful today about what you ingest... lol. Love the pages in your beautiful album, especially those two where the images cross over in the center of the pages. Lovely!

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  11. Oh what a laugh you've given us today Valerie! Tags are fab, what a great challenge. Mini book is gorgeous, every page is beautiful. Hee, hee, I'm still laughing! xx

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  12. LMAO!!! Seriously...I am laughing SO freaking hard right now! Sorry. But...it is funny. If it makes you feel a *tiny* bit better my husband has been taking allergy meds in the morning and the evening. The other day he realized immediately after taking them that he had taken the night time ones right before heading off to work. They make him EXTREMELY drowsy! He had even MORE tea than usual that morning! LOL! Your projects are super fabulous!!!

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  13. You cracked me up with todays post! Im sure the pearls will have an interesting jorney.LOL Loved yr tags today but the last book with all the stamped, painted and detailed pages was amazing. I do love your books! take care, gerri

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  14. I laughed out loud too! Hope your recycle day comes soon :)

    Your tags are gorgeous. The mini book is unbelieveably BEAUTIFUL, Valerie!

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  15. Ladies, I will NOT be blogging that recycling project!!

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  16. Stopping in for my daily dose of Valerie Inspiration! Great Post!! And Beautiful Art! Luv Ya, Tee

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  17. Wonderful post Valerie, I have a big smile on my face. Your tags are lovely and your mini book is beautiful.
    xxx Hazel.

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  18. A good laugh keeps us young. Thanks, Valerie, for providing my laugh of the day. Pearls for breakfast?

    Your finished book is fantastic with all of the added elements, lace and beads. What a treasure you have created. I love your tags too.

    Today is more yard work for me. After several days of rain, everything has grown and most of all the weeds.

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  19. Hi there, Yes, very funny! I did LOL but I'm calm now, poor you lost all those pearls :{
    Okay, just had to say love all your art and the mini book's a masterpiece. Take special care with your pills, who knows what you'll devour next, LOL, Thank You for sharing, have fun :0) xxx

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  20. Thank you today's giggle priceless! Hope you did not get indigestion as a result. Your book stunning you are so amazing XOXO Zoe

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  21. Ha ha ha ha! Of course you can now claim to be a real princess (they must poo diamonds and pearls, surely?!).

    Beautiful little book, Val.

    x

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  22. Oh Valerie I nearly wet my self what a hoot ! Can't stop laughing. Fabulous tags especially love the birdie one with the nest and your book doesn't look like a mini to me, more like a maxi. Fabulous everything in it. As we speak my suitcase is on the floor behind me and Rosy the frenchie is sitting in it will share pics when I return. Thanks for your best wishes.

    Marie

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  23. Thank you for such a great post Val it made me giggle. Great tags and love your wonderful book. Take care, Annette x

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  24. Your mini book is gorgeous, the tags and their sayings are fab, but I have to say the highlight of this post for me, is the story of the tablets, I have had such a chuckle about it. Yvonne x

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  25. You're not alone in the swallowing things by mistake... ;) Your tags have such beautiful color and I am so in love with that book! Wonderful inspiration to be found here, as always.

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  26. Your pill story is a hoot! I hope you are feeling better! Your tags are great and i love the sayings. I have had fun seeing what everyone is coming up with. Your card and book are fabulous too.

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  27. LOVE your journal pages and the birdie tags are too cute!

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  28. oh my! Great tags and journal pages!

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  29. The tags are just wonderful.. :-)

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  30. Wow!!! The coloring on all of these is absolutely stunning! Really nice work! :)

    Thanks so much for entering the Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge!!!

    -Sarah

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  31. Thank you for the morning giggle!
    Your tags are wonderful - and your book - wow! Love the pages!
    Thanks for joining us at the Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge!

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  32. I appreciate your words in the Cindy´s blog!!!! you so sweet at all!!!!and I am delighted with your blog ... everything here is very beautiful!You are so talented!!!!!
    Again thank you.
    Already turned his follower!
    Kisses and huges from Brazil
    Cynthia

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