UBlue Birthday Blog Hop

Welcome to the Understand Blue Birthday Blog Hop! You are probably here because you want to join in on the celebration of Lydia Fiedler's birthday- which is today! This is my personal tribute to the Kydia. If you didn't get here from Gary's blog- xlsior.blogspot.com you can start from the beginning of the hop at Angelique's blog- sweetsandtarts.blogspot.com!! I'll give you the name of the next U-Blue fan to hop to after you visit here, at the end of this post!

So, are you ready to say Happy Birthday to Kydia? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

I first heard of her blog after the 2008 Stampin' Up! Convention. I was perusing through other blogs when I stumbled across the best thing that I have seen in a long time. A true artist who lived near me! As I browsed posts on her blog I became more and more infatuated with Lydia's art AND her sense of humor. I think I ended up looking at ALL the posts from the very first post she ever created. Visit her blog- understandblue.blogspot.com.

I started commenting on her posts and before I knew it I was checking out her wonderful art every morning. She even commented back by way of e-mails before she went to work. We established a great rapport and became friends even though she and I had never met.


She'd answer questions about every topic under the sun and I realized that not only was she talented and funny but, also very smart. She persuaded me to start Twittering and I am so thankful for that. We realized that we had several things in common and even though I still haven't met her, she is one of the most cherished people in my life. I love her and when we do meet, I know we will hug each other to death!

I know that Lydia (or Kydia, I call her because of a typo I made while commenting on her blog) LOVES Asian art and so I wanted to give her a little pressie.



This is a signed print from 1957 by T. Nakayama "Girl With a Sunflower". Very contemporary for 1957, it is a Japanese woodblock print. I hope you enjoy viewing Kydia! So sorry that the photograph is so bad. I started freaking out because this happened:





Can you believe it? That darned squirrel that's been showing up in everyone's photos came by for a visit- with a birthday hat on!!! I just got so shaky and was glad I caught him while photographing this print before he scampered off. How lucky are you, Kydia? He was just popping by to tell you to have the most wonderful birthday ever.

Kydia, we all- members of this blog hop love you very much. I hope you have many, many more birthdays and thank-you. Thank-you so much for enriching my life. Now, you need to go and give Monique a chance to say Happy Birthday!

Readers and Kydia go to monimoe.blogspot.com for more birthday happiness! Bye for now! Mwahh!

Lisa

First Annual Bacon Blog Hop- Bacon Bits!!!!

Welcome to the most unusual blog hop of the century! I know what you are thinking!..........

O.K., I don't, but what I am thinking that you MAY be thinking is that I've gone crazy. Well, if I have then a bunch of my Twitter friends have too. We decided that our love of bacon should forever be preserved (or cured- hee-hee) in a blog hop memorial and that we should share with others the joy's of smelling, loving, eating and looking at bacon.

You probably got here from Gary Guetzlaff's blog: http://xlsior.blogspot.com/2009/08/birth-of-bacon.html If not, you can start at the beginning of the First Annual Bacon Blog Hop by visiting Leslie Hanna: http://thecrookedstamper.blogspot.com/2009/08/twitter-bacon-blog-hop.html
At the end of this post I'll let you know of the next blog to hop to for more bacony goodness!

What is it about bacon that people adore? For me, it is the salty deliciousness that seems to produce endorphins when I eat it. I also adore the fact that bacon can be added to a multitude of dishes. And last but not least, I love the fact that other people feel this way too!

Art has been created concerning the topic of bacon. I have seen tee-shirt, tennis shoes and bras all bearing the symbols/pictures of bacon. Creating delicious recipes using bacon is also an form of art- cooking. So far my favorite object, which in itself is an ode to bacon, are these:
Oh yeah baby, come to mama! I can actually smell fried bacon when looking at this picture. Wait, I think I am actually drooling also. Lemme go find a tissue because I need to wipe the tears of joy from my eyes!

At the Zazzles website you can find many different kinds of bacon-patterned shoes. There is even a tennie that has one of my favorite combos on them- bacon and eggs!

Yes, these shoes are art. Whoever came up with idea HAD to be creative and imaginative in order to incorporate his/her design onto a shoe- classic definition of art- to be viewed by all art and bacon lovers in the universe.

I have a story related to bacon- sort of. It's actually about a wild boar. You wanna hear it? If so, come back to my blog tomorrow and not only will I tell you a story but I will have whipped out a cute piggy card. I'll just keep bacon, not boars or pigs, as the main subject today. I wouldn't want to hurt "bacon's" feelings by not dedicating this entire blog post to it.

As I implied before, cooking is a form of art. And I cook a lot- with bacon. I never NOT have it in my fridge. Right now I have your common thin, plain bacon and thick, peppered bacon waiting for me to indulge my tastebuds. Pancetta is another form of bacon. It is an salty, spiced and cured Italian delectableness. Here's a potato dish that I have made and loved- this recipe is from the Food Network. The version I made was just out of my head at the time but this'll be sure to please!

Bacon and Pancetta Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 thick-cut slices bacon, roughly chopped
• 2 (1/4-inch thick) slices pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon and pancetta are brown and crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and pancetta pieces to paper towels to drain. Add the potatoes and garlic to the pan. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are golden and cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the thyme, cooked bacon and cooked pancetta to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer the potatoes to a large serving bowl and serve immediately.

Yummy! Try it- NOW!!!!

The next blog to visit will be Lydia Fiedler's blog: undhttp://understandblue.blogspot.com/2009/08/why-ill-never-go-back-to-vanhorn-tx-ode.htmlerstandblue.blogspot.com.
She is sure to have an awesome tribute to one of her favorite foods- BACON!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting our First Annual Bacon Blog Hop. Gotta go and clean up my studio- it looks like a pig sty.

Lisa

Sassy Maddie Shirt on a Sassy Kelly

Helloooo- hellooo- helloo- it's echoing here at PagePlace because of all the "empty" non-posts! Sorry to be away for so long- no excuses, no reasons, just busy. Isn't "busy" a wonderful word? It describes so much and is still a 4 letter word (pun intended). I actually know somebody that can't stand the word "busy". They hate it when someone tells them that "they are busy".

I'm gonna change my first name to "Busy" just to piss them off.

Yeppers, that's the kind of mood I am in today- happy, busy, don't mess with me, busy, FRIDAY, busy.

Soooooo, do y'all remember the KYDIA? She had her Maddie stamp that she designed printed on shirts. Kelly is wearing one up above. Is it not cute? Doesn't it just "say it all" like the word "busy" does? I'm gonna order one for myself- you can too! Just go to Understand Blue and look in her right sidebar.

Maybe if I order one for myself Lydia will finally put me on her favorites list on Twitter- hint, hint. She certainly has helped me so much on learning how to use Twitter. I even discovered TweetDeck today- but that is getting way ahead of myself. First I need to follow some people that are following me and need to find the time to sit at the computer to compile my list.

Sooooo, do y'all wanna see some crafty stuff? It's old but never been posted and I finally had time to take some pics. How about "Re-Do's"? I put up some things that I have done that I am going to re-do in current Stampin' Up! In-Colors eventually.




I made these Jumbo Paperclips last February and forgot to take a picture of them then. I went into Kelly's room (they were for Valentines Day for the girls in her school class) earlier this month and found it. I LOVE THESE THINGS!!!! So sturdy when made with pop-up glue dots. Her class loved them. Today I will work on casing it with the new In-Colors.




This is my absolute favorite card that I made at the San Antonio SCS Shoebox Swap earlier this year. The person that designed the card was not there but sent her supplies for everyone else to make it. I have no idea who that person was, otherwise I'd give credit. Hey! Whoever you are, I am in love with this and am gonna case using new In-Colors and the supplies I have, O.K.?!?

Soooo, the theme's of today's posts are: Kelly, Kydia, Maddie and a really big thank-you to Understand Blue for helping Cletus get her head out of her......... I won't go there, but you know what I mean.

Y'all have a great weekend, ya hear? And if you are going to the SU! convention, I hope you have a FAN-FREAKIN-FUNTASTIC time!

Until next time,
Lisa

My 4th "attempt"!

Sometimes I don't care if I have my camera settings "just right". I care about the subject way more. Here, above, is real beauty, just my beauty that I created with my body. She is perfect except for the "666" that is tattooed on her head.



That smile I will always love- it's clean. unobtrusive and fresh- simply said- my nephew- whom I love enough to have had a sleepover for the last three nights. I just want to see the smile more- that's all.






My family- I love them and am so glad that they are with me. They are really cool.


America Reigns- with freedom and just and all that is right. Have a great Monday and Tuesday- Lisa

Nathan from "The Jerk" says......

......the new catalogs are here, the new catalogs are here!

That's right! Today is the first day of a brand new year for Stampin' Up! Our catalogs have gone back to being published once a year instead of twice a year and this new cattie is WONDERFUL!

As I type, the people over at SU! are updating their systems and my personal website. But starting at 12 noon Mountain Time you can click on the photos (of the new catalogs) to the right in my sidebar and start perusing and ordering and drooling and ordering and wishing and ordering!!!!!!!

I'll be back later today- off to update my blog a little more!

Have a stampingly good day!

Lisa