Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tuesday-11pm

The last two days (or evenings, I should say) I have only gotten a restless 6 and 4 hours of sleep. I already emailed Dagan ad Leah to tell them that, unless they hear otherwise, I have to cancel Wednesday night. I am not sure how I'm going to stay awake while Caroline is here. Probably be one of the rare days I'll be greeting her tonight (...tomorrow?...what day is it?) at the door in my robe. ;) Such is life. My life, anyways--LOL!
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Karma takes it all with a grain of salt. As long as I am functional enough to feed her, talk to her, and give her some lovin'...all's right with her world. ;)
A couple days ago I tried filling a converter with some of this Parker turquoise ink that was Leah's mother's. It's the very bottom dredges, as you can see. I discovered it has become so thick and grainy that it doesn't even flow well in a fountain pen anymore at all--keeps plugging and skipping--so I decided to drip some on a damp page spread in my little art journal.
I also dripped some of the silver ink I got from Tori, too. As you can see, that didn't spread much at all. I had to tip the journal around to move the silver, but it is shimmery. Reminds me of pictures taken from high above the earth for some reason. Anyways, felt good to play with another background spread. :)
We did finally get a little snow!
Here's a before picture where it was almost melted away...
...before I went to bed in the afternoon while it was snowing...
...and after it was done. Doesn't look like too much. The mail lady told me she heard 3.5 inches but we both agreed it didn't look like that much at all. Probably because it is still bouncing in and out of melting weather out there.
Why did I see the mail lady? :) My Amazon order arrived this afternoon. I'd been trying to sleep for half an hour--to no avail--so I didn't mind getting up and getting dressed to go down and get the package. Especially because I knew the melatonin was in that little box...
...and the set of pretty (non white, sport-type) socks. ;)
Well, I took one of the triple strength melatonin capsules. And slept four hours. Woke up with the same headache I've had for two days. :( Better luck next time, eh? I'll keep trying it when I am not sleeping well, like now. Can't hurt...I don't think.
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The cat grass planter is jungle length now. Karma is so happy. I am happy that she can't pull out as much of the grass, too. Normally it lasts for a few weeks and then gradually dies off. Not sure if it is supposed to or I just give it too much water or not enough. I've tried trimming it and leaving it be. I suppose since it is actually barley & oat seeds and the like that it just isn't meant to flourish in a little pot?
It's worth the trouble to watch Karma contentedly graze--LOL! I've had cats who weren't interested at all in the cat grass. I suppose it's kind of like catnip where some cats love it and some could care less. Karma is so-so with the catnip...but the cat grass...she loves it and keeps going back off and on...day and night. Of course that could be because she knows it only lasts for just so long. That makes it a really special treat. ;)
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Well, I am still having strange things happen with google & blogger. I didn't change any settings at all and yet suddenly several days ago I started getting double emails for every comment. One is the black and white normal font and the duplicate is in a purple font. ??? I don't think it is doing anything else strange, but who knows? Has anyone else had this happen?
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I had a Russian (?) man sign up as a follower at the same time this started happening. He had no blog of his own and there was nothing written in English about him and he has never commented, so I found it suspicious. Also, at that same time, I started getting emails about anonymous blog comments (obvious spam) which never went through my approval first in blogger. They just slipped directly into my emails...and are in Russian (or whatever language it is) and are selling something. I have been catching them. Yesterday I blocked that follower and we'll see if that stops the spam attempts. I have never blocked a follower.
I felt guilty.
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Something else I feel bad about...the new double word verification. I absolutely hate it! I have been struggling to deal with it on so many blogs I follow. I really do hate to quit commenting ...but...this new word verification is driving me crazy! With my nearsightedness and the pain I get in my back and shoulders in the first place and then having to lean way forward to try to decipher the secret code to prove I'm not a robot...and getting it wrong most of the time...and often more than once...well, I have decided to skip commenting on those blogs. And even that decision is so annoying because I don't know (or can't remember) who has it until I have already taken the time to make a comment and clicked to post it. Argg!
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So, I feel very badly about it but I am going to make a list of who has the crazy word verification and keep it right next to my laptop. That way I can still remain a follower and read the posts...but I will know which blogs not to comment on anymore. I have never understood why some people have word verification AND comment approval in the first place, but people can do whatever they want to. I am just saying that the old word verification was annoying but it was rare for me to get it wrong so it didn't take all that much extra effort. This new anti-robot version is just too difficult for me to deal with. To the point that if blogger ever forces us all to go with the new blogger version and we can't remove the word verification I will either quit blogging altogether or have to move to someplace else like WordPress.
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With my limited productive hours each day...knowing I already spend too much time online...after the fifth time of being rejected after having written a long comment yesterday...I actually cried. Please...please...think about removing word verification. And, if I don't comment on your blog any more because of this...don't take it personally. Please come and visit me, anyways, okay? My blog family has always been such a scattering of light throughout my days...you are all so special to me...if we are ever forced to use this ridiculous version...I would be heartsick to leave you all.
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Okay. Enough said.
There are many, many bloggers very upset over this.
Let's hope google/blogger hears us and listens to us.
Think positive, right? :)
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Meanwhile...4 hours of sleep...zombie-ish...obviously not up to dealing with word verification at all tonight--LOL! I think I'll watch a movie or catch up on some recorded TV shows. Karma is out like a light next to me snuggled in her cat bed. The building has gone into nighttime quiet after midnight here. I feel badly that I was washing clothes till 3am last night. I really hope I didn't interrupt anybody's sleep. I'll be extra quiet tonight. ;)
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Have a great Wednesday!
I was just thinking how I'm so grateful to have Caroline. Can you imagine how thick the dust would be and how bad my bathroom and my floors would look? She's a blessing. And she won't even care if I greet her yawning in my robe with slitted eyes.
Life is good! :):)
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"Hold a true friend with both hands."
Nigerian Proverb

27 comments:

Jenny Woolf said...

I loved that turquoise ink. I used to use it in the fountain pen days. I can't get ballpoints to write that colour. Maybe I should switch back to a fountain pen. Your journal pages look good.

I THINK that Blogger has taken some notice, the word verification has suddenly got easier!! still nonsense words, but really not that much different from what it was before. Just a little bit harder to read but not that black and white patch that made it such a nightmare. What do you think of it?

Beth said...

I hate the word verification from google now. Very frustrating. I just try an plow through it. I have never used word verification. I wish google had spam blocking like word press.

I hope you get some rest today,.

Gwen said...

That ink is the most glorious colour. Does it water down well, sorry; I can't remember whether you did water it down or not?

You did the right thing in deleting the suspicious follower...you just don't know what they may be leading up to...it is all very worrying.

The double word thing on Blogger is so annoying, I don't know anyone who likes it.
People could remove it and still moderate their comments.It would be a pity to drive people who comment away, just because of it.

Perhaps it will just go away.

Have fun and speak to you soon:)))

Love the socks and the melatonin is good, but we can't get it here. My friend gets hers from the US.
It works best if you stay in the dark...so says my local friendly scientist.
xxx

DJan said...

I just left a comment on a blog that had the Word Verification on, and I also noticed it didn't have the half black half white word. I was able to answer it right away. They must be listening.

It's been a strange winter in many places, Rita. I cannot believe that Fargo, of all places, has such a little bit of snow!

TexWisGirl said...

i am TOTALLY with you on the anti-word verification thing. i've been asking folks that use it to consider removing it. but i won't continue to comment if their blog still has it...

Celticspirit said...

Hi Rita.
I don't like the double word verification thing either. There are times when I have to click on it a bunch of times before I get some words that I can even figure out. I don't have it on my blog because I don't need it. All my comments need to be moderated and I think that is enough.
I've tried the melatonin and it works pretty good but I do like Valerian root better. But different things work for different people. I will probably need to take something because I have barely slept the past 3 nights. Every little noise seems to be waking me up when normally I would just sleep thru it. I guess I have too much on my mind.....maybe too much excitement over my future.....
Well anyhow I hope you have a great day! love ya.

laurak/ForestWalkArt :) said...

let's see...first, LOVE that turquoise color! too bad it's thickened up and can't be used in pens...but you'll have fun in other ways! like the background you did! nice!
LOVE karma's jungle! now if she crawls in there...and peeks out at you through the tall grass...please snap a picture!!
glad u got your pkg...i remember you mentioning before about waiting for your melatonin!
as far as the word verification...you know i agree with you...i mentioned it in my last post too. BUT i did just leave another blog where they had it...and like a couple of people mentioned...it was easier to read. i thought it was a fluke, but maybe google has changed it since others mentioned it too!

well...take care...get some rest! :)

Toriz said...

That's what I love about cats; as long as they get food and love, they don't care when it is. With how my sleep pattern is right now I wish I had a cat not a dog (cats just go use the litterbox, dogs wake you up so you can take them for walks). I love the dogs - especially Kero - but... Man, what I wouldn't give right now to have been able to just give a cat a quick pet then turn over and go back to sleep earlier, instead of what I had to do, which was to get up and dress so I could take the dogs out in to the nasty weather (there's a storm at sea, and we have the edge of it). Anyway, enough of that... Give Karma some loving for me!

Glad you were having fun with the inks. You're description makes me think of stars in a velvety sky. Not sure why since it's silver and purple, not silver and black, but it does (and you solidified the image with your comment). :)

YAY for snow!

Karma eating the grass still makes me laugh; and makes me think of cows. Of all the cats I've known - not counting Karma - I've only known 2 who ate grass, but one would eat anything (she especially loved bugs), and the other wasn't sure if she was a cat, dog, human, or something else all together, so I just put it down to her being mental. But when you mention Karma eating the grass I don't think of them; I think of a cow. LOL!

I've got a couple of followers that just seem to be there to follow and that's it. I think it's weird, but they don't seem to be doing any harm, so I've left them. Hope blocking that follower fixes your issues!

I think whoever invented word verification was a pain in the backside! And, anyway, I bet a robot could do it better than us. And does it matter if we're robots? Nothing wrong with robots; I could probably have some interesting chats with a robot...

Oh, and, if they force us all to have word verification, I'm moving my blog to somewhere else!

Can you send Caroline over here? I think my dust bunnies are breeding! ;)

Love the proverb!

Friko said...

Another peek into your world, I love it that you ramble on as the mood takes you.

Cat grass? Never heard of it before.

Desiree said...

do I have the crazy type word verification on some places anywhere I can not read some of them and then swear I have it right but it says i dont :S

AliceKay said...

I hope the melatonin works for you and you can get some much needed sleep. I know how you must hurt when you don't get your sleep, because I hurt when I can't sleep. It's a cycle that sometimes takes awhile to get thru to the other side.

That background spread does look like a shot from outerspace. Pretty cool. :)

We've had some snow flurries and a few snow squalls, but the ground is still bare here. The mountains have snow, but not down here. (which makes me very happy. lol)

Cool socks! Definitely not white. :)

I'm glad the cat grass is growing well. I asked Terri to get me some nice clean oats from the oats silo so I could send some to you to see how well they would grow, but he hasn't gotten any for me yet. (i just reminded him after seeing your picture. we have tons of it at the feed mill) *winks*

It seems word verification on other sites can be extremely frustrating, too. When I see some of those things, I say to myself...wth is that?!? LOL

Loved that quote. :)

Anonymous said...

I hear you with that stupid word verification. They make it so it doesn't even look like english anymore. And if I'm thinking, is that an L or an I than I just give up. I sure hope you start to feeling better. I've been pretty slow moving today but I just did a lot of reading and I actually made it to my art class! It's been months since I've gone. I love that blue bottle. What a beautiful shade of blue! It looks so neat with the silver... like moonlight hitting rippled water. Beautiful.

You know, I haven't had anything odd happen with my gmail except today when my adds were in Chinese/Japanese characters... it said the ads are based on my emails but nothing I've gotten has been in those Asian characters... so I don't get it.

Queenie Jeannie said...

Hugs, hugs, hugs!!!!

I've always hated word verification! And I've never, ever had it on my blog. Once in a while trolls make it necessary to moderate my blog, but word verification serves no purpose. And yes, blogs that have both really irritate me!!!!

Blogger & Internet Explorer have never gotten along, so I use Firefox instead. Still...Blogger will always have some issues of its own and usually when they "upgrade" or "improve" service in some way.


I hope your days/nights improve soon. Not getting enough sleep, or feeling rested!, is really a pain in the butt! Have you tried those blue lights?? I got mine from Amazon and it really, really worked!! Great during those long winter stretches where it's just "gray" all the time!

More hugs! And waves to Karma on my way out!

Rita said...

Jenny--There are some beautiful turquoise bottled inks, yes! Might be time to get out that fountain pen. GouletPens.com sells samples, too. I love that! I have not ever had to buy a whole bottle that I regret since I ran across them online. They do ship overseas, too. ;)
I did see some of the double word verifications without the black and white box yesterday, but I am just totally burnt out from WV right now. I wondered if they changed it. too.

Beth--So far the spammers are obvious to me. I just mark them as spam and delete them. If WordPress is a lot better I will have to keep them in mind. Thanks!

Gwen--Yes, I wet the pages first and the drips went wild! Most ink spreads pretty well in water. At least the ones I've used for making bookmarks with WC paper. This art journal I made with 140 lb. WC paper, too.
I think the more complicated the spam fighting gets, the trickier the spammers get. So far, moderating has worked just fine for me for a long time.
My melatonin is in the dark in my medicine cabinet--so that's good, I guess. ;)

Djan--Maybe they have been listening and actually changed it? I have to admit that I am so sick to the gills of WV, though, that I just see that box popping up and I'm gone. Maybe I'll feel differently later.
It is really kind of spooky that it has looked like October or November all winter long. The farmers are wondering about drought already. Strange winter, for sure.

Theresa--I am just totally fed up with WV, too. Even the plainer two word ones I saw yesterday...I thought I'd try them and the second one...I failed!! I think I mixed up the "L"s and "I"s. Sorry, but right now...I see WV and I am gone.

Barb--I just moderate, too. I don't even have the moderate after 4 days choice because I occasionally get them right away in the first couple days. They even try to write suck-up comments in English but they have links to sell purses or some such. They're pretty obvious and easy to catch. I'd rather deal with them than word verification--LOL! ;)

Laura--Oh yes! I'll definitely use the ink for art projects. It's such pretty ink--even the last drops won't go to waste. ;)
LOL! Karma's never stuck her head in the cat grass that far but if she does I hope I can reach the camera in time.
I still messed up with the new cleaner squiggly 2-word version. I am still passing on WV for now.
Have a great Thursday!! :)

Rita said...

Tori--That's why I don't have a dog. We can have dogs here, but can you imagine me with my crazy hours and days I barely can function trying to get a dog from third floor out to the bathroom several times a day? Especially when it's below zero! Cats are more independent and less bothered by changing schedules usually, too. I really don't mind scooping a cat box--LOL!
Karma does make me think of a cow...spotted...chubby bellied...grazing--hehe!
I have followers, too, who never comment. But the new Russian and then the bombardment of Russian spam...well, he went. I am sorry it he was actually legit and it was a coincidence.
Caroline--I bet she'd love a vacation to England--LOLOL! ;)

Friko--Oh yes! I can definitely be a rambler...a stream of consciousness writer. In head, out mouth, as they say. LOL!
Maybe cat grass is just a crazy American thing???

Desi--Yes, you do have word verification. :( :( :(

AliceKay--Yes! I hurt all the time in the first place. Then when I don't get sleep it is worse--making it harder to sleep and stay asleep. Yup! Vicious circle.
Hey! I have the tan (non-white) socks on right this minute as I am talking to you. ;)
Oats! Most of the packages say they are 90-100% oat seed! I never thought of the mill! OMG! Duh! I could pay you for oat seed!! Awesome!!

Donna--So glad you are feeling better and went to your watercolor group!
Moonlight hitting the water--yes! I can see that, too. :)
Asian ads? That's strange, too. Lately it's like--what's next! ;)

Jeannie--Yes--having both? It's just a blog, not Fort Knox--hehe!
I'm using Safari on my McLap. I don't think it makes much difference what you use because it's just blogger. I think it's just gotten so big since google bought it, you know? Hey, it's free. I can't complain (even though I do sometimes), but I don't have to deal with other people's word verification if I don't want to. There are a lot of sight-impaired people who CAN'T. Think how unfair it is to them.
Anyways, enough of that.
I've never tried the blue lights, but then this happens to me randomly year round. I don't know as sunlight has much to do with it. I'd be depressed if that was the case from what I've read about it. Totally fed up with WV, yes--but I can't say I'm feeling depressed. Might not hurt though...for the vitamin D, isn't it? I do take a multiple vitamin, but could need more. :) Happy Thursday!!

Carolyn Dube said...

NO GUILT! You needed to block the strange one selling things-and you did what was reasonable!!! As for the robot verification - I am totally with you. I now worry that mine is not working the way I intended and making people go through and do it all the time. It is set to only do it for "suspicious emails addresses (known spam addressees). Hopefully blogger will find a better way to do this- I have read tons of posts upset about it. By the way- that blue ink is scrumptious with the silver on your journal page!!!

Toriz said...

Yeah, quite! Stick to having your kitty (which is what I plan on doing in future, LOL!)

LOL! Now every time I think of Karma for a while I'm going to be imagining cows!

Yeah, I bet she would; well, she's welcome to come clean... er... visit, any time she likes. ;)

Crazy Life of a Writing Mom said...

That silver looks gorgeous!

I've cried about word verification before--it can get sooo frustrating especially when the comment disappears.

tammy vitale said...

I remember that turquoise ink being called "peacock blue" and I used it in fountain pens in the 4th grade because at catholic school we weren't allowed ballpoint pens. Can't push the envelope too much, yanno. I haven't thought about it in ages!

I had a rough night last night too - who knew that Mucinex has a "keeper awake" something in it? It must because I slept very fitfully and I never do that when I'm sick - felt like I had had a big shot of caffeine before I went to bed. Still taking it today to keep the cough suppressed and find myself very awake and not at all hungry (despite not eating dinner last night) so I'm guessing there's definitely some speedy something in it. I cut the dosage in half. I have a big day in Baltimore at the Craft Show on Saturday and I don't want to be collapsed from no sleep!

Pet Karma Kitty for me.

Carol said...

I'm with you on the word verification !! Hate it! isn't strong enough.
I'm going to have to plant some cat grass for my kitties and see how they like it. They sure do love to chew on my Aloe Vera :0(

Harvest Moon by Hand said...

The double-word verification process is difficult for me too. There have been so many times that I couldn't read the letters and thought, "Why can't they just make it easier?"

So, I realized that if the double-word verification was standard on other Blogger blogs, then it probably was like that on mine too. This morning, I removed it and am only doing comment approval. Hopefully there won't be too many spam comments like before doing the word verification process.

On another note, the turquoise ink is beautiful - such an amazing shade!

Hope you're getting more rest and feeling better.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I sure hope ya get to feelin' better Miss Rita and get some badly needed sleep.

I personally have always hated word verification and hate it even more now.

'Never used it and sure not gonna start.

God bless ya sweetie and have yourself a fantastic weekend!!! :o)

Dee Ready said...

Dear Rita,
Your blue and silver journal spread pleases me mightily. Lovely. I'm sorry to hear that sleep is eluding your so persistently. You body, brain, and spirit must all be weary.

As to Goggle. Like you, I'm finding that double word verification difficult. Friko--an extremely popular British blogger--has decided, as you have, not to leave comments on those blogs that use it.

I'm taking your suggestion of keeping a list of those blogs and reading but not commenting on them. I'll leave a comment to say what's happening. Perhaps the blogger will change the setting for it.

Peace.

Serena Lewis said...

I hope you manage to catch up on lost sleep, Rita. I hope those headaches leave you alone too.

I like what you did with the ink in your journal page. I wonder if it would have worked okay if water was added and it was then used like a watercolour?

Cute socks!

Karma looks so cute feeding at her all-you-can-eat cat grass restaurant.

I have heard that there are some changes afoot across the internet so that may have had something to do with it. I couldn't access my Flickr account at all the other day. Kept getting a message saying - Connection refused. After checking it out on Twitter, I discovered it was a worldwide issue. Nobody could access Flickr. It was down for nearly an hour or so.

From what I understand, if you elect to moderate comments, you will get ALL the comments including the spam to moderate. You just then click the link that Reports it as Spam. Hopefully, it will stop it coming back. The other day, I elected in Settings to moderate only comments that were older than two weeks. Suddenly, I was getting Spam comments that were older than two weeks to moderate...whereas before, Blogger would have put them straight into the Spam folder. I went and changed my settings back to No Moderating and now I'm not getting bothered with the Spam to moderate...blogger removes it automatically. Only occasionally will one slip through that I have to manually delete from my blog but I mark it as spam.

I do think Blogger listened to the many complaints because that horrible B&W wonky, indecipherable word has been done away with...now it's the two words. I hate Word Verification of any description tho...it's a turn off to commenting for sure. I've never had it on my blog as a service to my readers knowing how much I hate it myself.

I can't fathom why some bloggers have BOTH word verification AND comment moderation either. If they are going to moderate comments, why put their readers through the annoyance of a word verification process too?? Makes no sense to me at all.

What people don't realise is that when they turn of Word Verification and opt to Moderate Comments, that WILL include all the Spam comment too. Been there, done that. Whereas, if they just turn Word Verification off and don't Moderate...they will actually get less or no spam at all. Blogger have very good Spam Filters in place now...makes life so much easier.

I know how you must have felt re. your fifth attempt...I would have given up after the third time.

I may well be a WordPress migrant too if things get any more difficult.

Caroline certainly is a shining light.

Have a good sleep and rest, my friend,

Love and hugs,
Serena xo

Rita said...

Carolyn--I went to click on your name and didn't even realize you also had this blog. I am now following and if you never see a comment from me you'll know you have WV--LOL! ;)

Tori--Yes--I've stuck with cats now for almost 23 years. :)

Elisa--Crying several times over WV did it for me. I already screwed up regularly on the old word verification. I'm so over WV. And it is so unfair to the sight impaired and blind. Done with it. ;)

Tammy--You were only allowed fountain pens and no ballpoints! I wonder what the logic was against ballpoint use?
My favorite colors of ink are the shades of blue-greens.
I sure hope you were well for the craft show!! I am so far behind online. You may have posted about it already. I hope the show went really well for you. :)

Carol--Wouldn't doubt your cats might enjoy the cat grass. The old wive's tale is it aides in digestion. Not sure if that is really true or not. :)

Ann--I am sooo glad you removed the WV!! I have been reading (up until about the time you posted this and I have been offline) but not commenting. Now I am throw in my two cents again--LOL! :)

Nezzy--Sadly, I didn't sleep well until Sunday night. Things will get better now, I hope. Usually after I finally collapse things start turning around. I sure hope you had a good weekend. I am just now going to be reading blogs after I finally get through all you dear commenters. ;)

Dee--Still weary, yes. But finally getting better now that I slept (Mon). Yes, I am done with WV. I need to find a sticker or whatever you call them to put on my blog. ;) I have a list going of the blogs that use WV, but I still read them. I wouldn't be following them if I didn't want to read them. ;)

Serena--I bet you could water down the ink and use it like watercolor paint. I think I'd use an old brush, though, just in case.
LOL@all you can eat grass restaurant!
It sounds scary to have no moderation and no WV. But if just occasional spam shows up and you can see it in the emails they send--be easy enough to track them down and delete them. But that is more work to do it after they have posted than to nab them right off the bat. I don't mind snagging them myself, actually. There's something refreshing about clicking that spam button--LOL! Maybe I take my frustrations out on them--ROFL!!
Yes, Caroline is a shining light! :)
Hope you had a good weekend, lady!

Intense Guy said...

Nice Socks!!

The grass will be high enough when you loose Karma in it... then you will need to reap it and make homemade bread from it (after you pull Karma out obviously).

:) I hate word verification.

Rita said...

Iggy--I actually have trimmed it and used it in handmade paper before--LOL! ;)