French Script Delights

FRENCHKISSED update: These freebies are no longer available here but look for them in my Etsy and Zibbet shops!

Mes amies, here are two shabbily chic French script samples that I thought you would like. One is big, bold -- rather masculine, I would say. And the second one is quite demure and feminine. Ah... Paris.

Now, Blogger has changed their site and I'm none too happy about it. Have no idea why my downloads appear to be 'cut off.' But double click on each image and when it pops up in a new window, you'll see that it is all there. (Unlike some of us....:)I have been planning to start up a Facebook page once again and this prompts me toward that goal all the more.

Right now, I'm not up to wading through their changes, so I'm going to lay low till after the New Year.

For me, 2012 can't come soon enough. I am ready to say good-bye to this year. I have had a very stressful "holiday."

I spent Christmas eve cleaning part of my nephew's apartment. As regular readers know, my nephew has schizophrenia. The only thing worse than the disease is the American medical and legal system that family has to endure trying to get help.

For almost 3 hours, I was engaged in nonstop sweeping, vacuuming, bending over and picking up trash, dirty clothes, magazines and cigarette butts -- 6 mega-size black garbage bags -- and that was only the living room which doubles as his bedroom (and that didn't include cleaning out from under the bed), all the while trying to calm my nephew who didn't want me there and was pitifully stressed by my presence. Needless to say, his stress was stressing me. When I returned the next day to bring him Christmas dinner, he told me not to return for 2 days because his apartment was filled with smiling demons.

It is terrifying to put it mildy to look into someone eye's and not see the person you love and know.

And yet, when I talked to him on the phone today, he raved about how good the ham tasted and he sounded like his old self.

It is quite an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved...

As if all of this wasn't enough, my morning today started with a political email passed around among my family members which was all about Obama's evil Muslim religion and his cancellation of National Prayer Day.

Folks, my body is still reeling from reading it!

I haven't been so angry since I don't know when -- and I don't even plan to vote for Obama.

I am not "for" any political candidate, but I am FOR the truth. And when people opt to spread lies and hatred instead of taking 60 SECONDS to do a Google search and see multiple listings from multiple sources debunking the lies --- THAT really bothers me. When SANE people freely spread lies and hate with total disregard for what is TRUE, factual and accurate, that scares me as much as looking into the eyes of a schizophrenic talking about smiling demons.

So, yeah, I gotta lay low and engage in some escapism. Curl up with some of those Paris mystery books I've checked out from the library. I heard through the grapevine that my in-laws got me "Midnight in Paris" for a Christmas gift -- can't wait to receive it. By the next time you hear from me, I'll probably have watched it a half-dozen times:) So, excuse my 'bad' attitude and all those  words above in all CAPS. I'll see you next year with a new attitude and dreams of Paris. Bonne Annee!

Soup's On!

Several of you have asked me about my soup recipe. I'm not much of a cook -- been there, done that, you know -- since I was 11. But there are two things I like to make: this soup and cornbread salad.

Now, I'm posting the recipe from Clean Eating, but of course, how I actually make it is different:)

First of all, I don't use canned black-eyed peas. I cook up a couple cups of dried black-eyed peas. Simply my personal preference. Second, I don't use collards; I'm sure they would be great, but I prefer kale. I have read from different sources that kale is close to being the perfect food -- that's how rich in nutrition it is. Also, I do add meat to my soup. I sauteed some Italian sausage along with chopped up onion, celery and carrots. But you get the idea! Make it a time or two and then start playing with your own substitutions. As for the cornbread salad, I don't have a recipe for that. I make it so rarely (2-3 times a year) that I always have to "google" it and I never seem to use the same recipe twice. Cornbread salad makes me think of my momma. She "discovered" cornbread salad from I don't know where and though it sounds strange, it tastes great. It's kinda like cornbread dressing but instead of baking it, you just toss everything together as in a salad: crumbled up corn bread, sliced boiled eggs, celery, onion. I also add crumbled up bacon bits and sliced cherry tomatoes. Green bell pepper, too. Yeah, it starts to look like Christmas with the red and green. Sometimes I throw in some whole kernel corn. So make the soup and a pan of cornbread. Then a day or two later, use your leftover cornbread to make cornbread salad. That's what I'm gonna do. Happy eating!

Yes, I'm Jealous!

Mes amies, today I just discovered The Guardian, a British newspaper that I love to read, has been offering free images to download to use as gift wrapping paper. Today's freebie caught my eye and I'm not too proud to admit that I'm jealous. Perhaps the designer, Tacita Dean, altered this image to give it such a humorous 'slant' -- I've certainly never seen a card like this. But as that famous British sleuth Monsieur Holmes would say, The game is afoot! And I'm off to hunt my own sled treasure:)But you can just click on this link and it will take you to their site to download a HUGE file ready to print and wrap!

Gift-bearer at the Window!

FRENCHKISSED update: These freebies are no longer available but check in my Zibbet and Etsy stores! I am immune to the frenzy of the holidays because ... I don't do 'em:) Yes, I'm a grinch. However, for anyone out there who is scrambling at the last minute, looking for just a little special something they can 'throw together,' I thought this French postcard would be perfect. Who can go wrong with birds? And this little bird is bearing a gift for the new year: a lucky clover.
The simplicity of this design lends itself to so much customization. You can paint, watercolor, bead, glitter and any other kinda frou-frou touch -- or not. I mean, really, just add a ribbon and it's a winner, don't you think?
My original unused card is, of course, the one with the French Happy New Year (Bonne Annee) greeting. But here's a blank version and one in sepia, too.
Now, I don't mean to rush off, but I know you're busy too, so I'm gonna be brief (and besides, Blogger is doing weird things!)
I spent the weekend in Paris (thanks to Claude Izner's mystery "Murder at the Eiffel Tower":) and I really wanna go back. But before I do my time-travel to 1890s Paris again, I'm going to get a pot of my favorite winter soup simmering on the stove: kale, italian sausage, black-eyed peas, onions, carrots, cabbage......

The Poodle Sisters

FRENCHKISSED update: The Poodle Sisters are no longer available as a free download, but look for them in my Zibbet or Etsy shop!
Mes amies, may I introduce the Poodle Sisters?!

I know, I know, my momma would send me to bed with no supper for being so tacky, but I poke fun at my "Poodle Sisters" with a great deal of affection. And trust me, the situation I'm in right now, I need a good sense of humor. My place is under construction!

I'm under attack from every angle: the upstairs bedroom, the front door downstairs and the entire living room area. I'm surrounded by clear plastic wall tarps. Knock on an exposed wood beam, if everything goes as planned, the construction workers will be out of here in 36 hours. In the meantime, there's much banging, sawing, drilling, hammering and pounding by about a half-dozen or so carpenters replacing the huge picture windows in the living room, rebuilding the upstairs deck, replacing the doors and such. My 'million dollar' view of the gorgeous Columbia River is now a sheet of huge plastic -- and I'm just so thankful the clear plastic lets in some light. I was having a Deluxe Bitch mood envisioning a dark brown tarp barrier with no light at all. I can't handle having no natural light!

Needless to say, with windows removed, jambs and door frames being rebuilt, the winter chill is coming through. [Why all this construction is taking place now is a long story that has to do with a lawsuit settlement, the condo builders and the condo owner...] I've given up heating the outdoors and moved a portable oil heater next to my desk. Yes, it's been an interesting morning....:)

I had several false starts but was determined to get my Poodle Sisters to you. See, here's the original postcard: The French script adds nothing; the drab, gray background does nothing. These girls decked in all their furry finery are just crying out for a new environment! And so I entrust them to your care with full confidence that you will create a dazzling winter wonderland worthy of fur-trimmed go-go boots:)
OH....my original postcard was mailed to Elisa in 1905 -- on May 22! And just FYI, the cutout was created from a 1200 dpi scan. After cutting around them, I enlarged them to get them back to standard postcard size, about 3.5 inches wide, and then saved them at 300 dpi. After the fact, I realize I probably should have dabbed some rosy glow to their cheeks -- but you don't mind too terribly if I let you do that, do you? The hammering and drilling are getting the best of me. I think I'm going to go hide under a goose-down comforter ....:)
PS My Buy 4 Scans/Get 2 Free offer is still going on .....Details on the home page of my Etsy and Zibbet shops.

Busy Little Bee

Busy little bee I've been. Uh-huh:)

Have a great weekend!

The Eyes Have It

FRENCHKISSED update: This beauty is no longer available as a free download, but look for her in my Etsy and Zibbit shops! I'm offering three different versions of this week's free download. The above image is closest to the original postcard. I took the dull gray, sorta black and white card and went for what I call a rick dark "walnut" color.
This sepia version below turns her into a redhead, which really makes me jealous. In my youth, when I lived under the Texas sun, my brown hair used to get sexy red highlights. Since I'm half Irish, I have always felt cheated out of not being born a redhead. Ah, c'est la vie ... And here's a version that's just a little dreamy ...I'm not familiar with the CL publisher's mark and my postcard back is totally blank. I always love some trivia to go with such a pretty face, but who can resist a good mystery! So it's up to you to fill in the blanks and create a story for her. Oh, those eyes! What story do you think lies behind those doe eyes?!

Last week I only showed up to post the weekly download. This week I'll be popping in again later. I've been really REALLy busy -- just visit my shops and you'll see what I mean. You might wanna take advantage of my special offer going on: buy 4 scans and get 2 of equal or lesser value for free:)

OH, and for those of you who really loved the ice skating image from last week, here are two more I have in my Zibbet shop: http://www.zibbet.com/FrenchKissed?c1=special-this-shop&search=ice+skating&username=FrenchKissed