Monday-9:45am

Truth.  

I was catching this magnificent sunrise while I was chatting with you on Friday.  ;)

I'm not always up this early... 

...and the sky was filled with October colors. 

This is the best my camera zooms, but I almost missed the moon and a bright star in that morning sky. 

In ten minutes--the sky was blue.  Not a hint of color remained.  I share with you the brief sunrise miracle display. 

Well, Friday I got mail and packages galore!!  First a surprise from Felicia over at Mouse Potato Designs.  She's a "neighbor" to the west in Montana.

She even decorated the bubble envelope!  

We had been chatting about card making.  You may recall the birthday cards I made for 2012 with the caulk frosting.

 Well, believe it or not, the lauded ScorTape has buckled away from the embossed blue paper over time!  You can press it back down and it just pops back up again.  ScorTape is touted as being so sticky and so permanent...I was actually shocked.  And disappointed.  

Felicia was telling me about the similar Scrappy Tape she uses that is cheaper.  Lo and behold...I get one of her beautiful cards with the elaborate packaging AND a package of Scrappy Tape to try!!  She made my card with Scrappy Tape so I can see what happens over time. 

If it sticks to this corrugated card stock six months from now it's definitely a winner! 

Felicia even decorates the back...

...and the inside.  So pretty. 

Karma had to check out the envelope, of course.  ;) 

Then I got another envelope from Connie over at Far Side of Fifty...a "neighbor" to the east in Minnesota.  I won her "guess when we will have the first snowfall" contest (was on the 4th, as you may recall, and I was the closest guessing October 11th).  I was expecting some cards.  But then there were two wrapped packages inside the envelope?

The first one I opened--I just roared with laughter!  Connie had also sent a gift for Karma!!  Cat treats and a buggy-eyed fish on a bouncy string toy!  

I really got the prize!  Look at these lovely cards made from Connie's wonderful photography!  

So thanks so much to both Felicia and Connie!  

Bloggers are just the best people!  I feel blessed to have met you all.  What better time to get wonderful things in the mail than when you are feeling crummy, right?  You gals really made my day!!  :):)

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Oh, and I didn't get pictures of Karma leaping about after the fish--yes, she does leap--lol!  But I did get pictures of her with those treats in her treat ball. 

The treat ball is supposed to give her exercise... 

...but she figured out after the first day that she can lie there and roll the ball back and forth to get the treats to fall out.  I'm not the only one who's efficiently lazy around here--ROFL! 

The Amazon order arrived, too, on Friday!  I got the new phones basically set up and working on Saturday.  Still some tweaking to do--ringer volume, my own message, etc--but they are up and running. 

I ordered a headset, too (because I can't grip a phone very long with my bum arm).

The new little battery alarm clock works fine.  No chime--but is quite startling!  It flashes red when it goes off and demands attention in erratic beeping and increasing volume.  Quite dramatic, I tell you!  I can almost imagine it bouncing up and down, waving tiny clock arms, and stomping its feet for attention--LOL! 

Karma's case of canned food arrived...with three dented cans.  I'll use those first.  She's still using up one and it will be a few more days before we will open our first Felidae can.  I'll let you know the Karma verdict.  ;) 

I did order a bottle of Collage Pauge.  Now it's true--I've not been impressed with Traci Bautista's online class at all.  There's been zero involvement from her except to announce she's posted the videos each month.  No students have posted comments since June.  Her videos could put you to sleep.  (But then so could Bob Ross's and I loved him--lol!)     

But--I have seen several mixed media artists and crafters on youtube use Traci's Collage Pauge.  They say it is a little thinner and more transparent than other mediums.  So, I thought I'd try it.  Just because she's not a very good teacher doesn't mean she doesn't know how to create a decoupage medium, right?  She's an excellent self-promoter, that's for sure.  But I believed the people on youtube over her--LOL!

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Finally...I got the last of the clear tubs for the wall shelves! 

The little white baskets are now being used here and there in drawers and shelves around the apartment. 

I love these clear tubs for the shelf unit. 

I got some 6 X 6 inch smaller ones, as you can see. 

Did I say I love these tubs!  They can hold heavier jars and bottles... 

...or a mishmash of stuff. 

And I still love my Artbin Prism clear containers I've had for years.  Might have to add a few more of those, too.  ;) 

Anyways, I am still blowing my nose, sneezing, have the unrelenting sinus headache, and all the rest.  So, my guess is allergies.  I haven't had this bad of a hayfever type reaction for many years, but it's been so dry for months and it's always so windy up here...not a surprise, I guess. 

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Meanwhile, Karma and I are just hanging out.  Supposed to be near 70 for the next two days...could be the last hurrah!  I had a visit from the lady who oversees Caroline (cleaning girl), paperwork to fill out for the office that I need to walk over this week, and the usual laundry & cooking & such...nothing too exciting, but just nice.  Every day has something to offer, right?

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Enjoy your week.  

Smile.  Laugh.  :) :)

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"To bring the sublime into the mundane is the greatest challenge there is."

Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan