life is a circus...

The card for today is this fun little 4 1/4 X 4 1/4 guy!  This card was one I made for the Curtain Call's Carnival Craze, Simon Says Stamp Challenge- Circus (more mixed media art here but what the heck!), CAS-ology Challenge- Paper. I used two sets for this card, Inky Antics Honey Pop collection (don't know name sorry) and my Admit One from Lawn Fawn.  My fave part is are the tickets with the drooped ribbon!  You know that I love cute and this is surely that!  Because it is blank it could be a great baby card, birthday or encouragement card.  Thanks for looking and I hope you likey!

Now onto my every interesting circus analogy... ;)   Do you remember that comic that used to be in the papers called Family Circus?  It is probably still in the papers for all I know.... Well I was never a big comic reader and couldn't identify at the time, but it just occurred to me (this very instant!) how much I can identify with it now! 

For example, we've been battling with my daughter to try to get her to eat her lunch at school/camp.  She'll eat the small things, but not the sandwich...you know the thing with protein that gets her through the day.  When that happens by the end of the day we have a big meltdown (see left).  We've tried so many tactics I can't even tell you...  Another example, how many times have I had this conversation with her...(see right).  Then, on the turn of a dime we are having fun (below left)!  So much fun... and then back again!  Did you enjoy that ride?!  If only I could be so irrational all the time!  :)  Truly though, at times it feels just like being in a circus with a hundred little acts all occuring at once, lots of "oohs" and "ahhs" and drama and emotion everywhere and you are the circus master trying to keep it all together!  Totally worth it though, for moments like these (below)....  these are the moments that feel like nothing else in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It reminds me of one of those parenthood quotes about having your children is like, "deciding to forever have your heart go walking around outside your body."

For my Question of the Day today, I want to know one either a) what is your favorite comic and why? b) what is a quote or saying that inspires you? OR c) all of the above!

Enjoy your circus folks!

Thai Adventure

Here is the card that I sneak-peaked yesterday.  What do you think?!?  I got my new MFT feather die and was inspired to use this side of my Studio Calico Atlantic paper.  From there is just fell together and I decided to submit it into the Moxie Fab World Trendy Triangle Challenge.  When I couldn't find a triangle stamps I just made one by cutting a small foam block diagonally into two triangles (I had saved it for just such and occasion).  The ribbon was salvaged from some box of holiday treats or something from the previous year and went perfectly, so I used it.   I am also submitted this to the MFT Sketch Challenge #137. This is one of the easier times I've had designing a card.  I love it when it feels that way!

Today's Question of the Day is related to travel.  I hope I haven't asked this already...  What is one of the most memorable trips you've taken and what about it did you love?  It doesn't have to be vacation, it can be for whatever reason, work, family, etc.  If you care to read part of one of my long winded travel stories about a trip to Thailand, feel free to read on.  If not, thanks for stopping and I'd still love to hear your story so feel free to comment! :)



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My Thai Adventure 

How about I tell you about the time I went to Thailand for 10 weeks...by myself...  It was pretty awesome actually, I traveled all around the country and made awesome new friends.  I did several eco-adventures like a jungle trek and rafting, kayaking and snorkeling... all sorts of stuff.  What a wonderland that place is, an the food...mmmm!  I love eating true Thai food, all of it!  Especially the thai omlettes, essentially eggs cooked in a wok, served over rice with Pik-nam-pla  (fish sauce with chilis in it).  It might sound gross but it was delicious!  All the food was!  I have so many fond memories of that trip, I can't even begin to tell you all of them.  Maybe this will be part one of my Thai adventure story and I'll give you part two later.  For part one I promise to highlight something other than just the food! :)  I'll start with the end of the trip since it was a huge highlight for me.  Why not tell it backwards right?!?!

For the last half of the trip I spent a majority of the trip on a little island called Koh-Lanta Noi  (Noi meaning small as opposed to Koh-Lanta Yai meaning big island).  The island is about 5 miles across and I was at the very end of the island at Ban Loi Noi (see map) at a the Last Beach Resort, which were in truth, single room huts.  Literally, it was the last place to be found on the beach.  The remaining stretch of island was national park.

Let me tell you about how I got there...Transportation to the island consisted of taking a "minibus"...aka vanagon style mini van... from Krabi to a tiny little village and then across on a car ferry.  I can tell you that in the minivan, which typically seats maximum of 8 people, was filled with about 12 Thai people and myself.  I was in the back with two adults and two children for several hours bouncing around in 80+ degree weather 70% or more humidity.  Truly, these people didn't know what to think of me, such an oddity sitting in the back with my huge backpack sweating buckets!  The kids and I eventually traded gum for "candy"...aka flavored Mentholatum drops... aka vics...so it was all good.  :) Then onto a car ferry across the water, which I believe that held a maximum of 20 cars.  From the car ferry I got into the proper taxi...aka the back of a pick up truck... with 1/2 a dozen or more others as we bounced for over an hour to travel the distance of 5 miles.  The beginning of the road was paved but quickly turned to rutted dirt tracks.  The bumpy adventure was worth it, what a gorgeous site to behold.  A few huts with a jungle back drop, and the rest was sea and sky forever.


I spent about 5 weeks there in total.  Initially I hung with other tourists but they can and went and I became more like one of the locals.  I learned Thai massage, practicing it for a week in a little hut like this (see right...in fact this may be the exact one!).  I became fondly know as Yai (pronounced differently than Koh Lanta Yai) meaning grandmother, because at a mere 23 years of I looked much older to them.  The reverse stereotype was that they all looked much younger than they were.  It was all meant well and good spirited. :) In fact, that part of Thailand is partially Buddhist and partially Muslim, and consequently I had some Muslim suitors wanting me to be their second wife.  Yai indeed! :) Boy would they have been in for a surprise, I am one headstrong woman! :)

There is so much more to tell but I don't think you want to sit here for a week.  Meanwhile I hope you enjoyed this little (but long winded) tale of part of my adventure.  Let me know if you are interested in hearing more and I'll give you a part two!

PS- be forewarned that if you look up Last Beach Resort most of the pics found there are of some fancy place probably in a different part of the country or another country all together.  Though it may have changed since I have been there, it really was just modest and humble, which was all part of the charm!

Just a little sneak peak

Here are a sneak peak I am hoping to share this week....

....stay tuned!

Briny Blue

Happy Sunday folks!  Today's post is devoted to beautiful Briny Blue by Paper Smooches.  I just love this set!  So fun with all the critters!  A couple reasons I love this set...other than just loving PS stamps.  1-  I don't think I've ever seen another Orca whale stamp.  2- I LOVE this jell fish, one of my fave stamps in the set!  As an aside, when I got to the Seattle Aquarium, one of my things to see there is the cool jellyfish display that is like a large erected O where the jellyfish swim around you and you can walk through the middle.  The lights are often colored and you get these beautiful colored jellyfish to look at.  When we took my daughter there we thought that was so cool that we bought a stuffed jellyfish (and named it peanut butter- lol!).

When I saw this weeks Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge I knew I wanted to play, what a fun sketch!  I didn't want to go too much with the obvious though.  So I looked at it, flipped it on it's slide and around...what could I do?  Then I thought I could use the jellies in place of the clouds!  I still used a big circle shape and another shape to replace the hot air balloon but put the focus on the clouds/jellies.  I used my new Simon Says Stamp happy die (which I love) for the sentiment, added enamel dots and some crystal effects on part of my jelly to make it shiny.  Fun!

For today's Question of the Day, I am going to pick one of your questions.  This question is from Chunyuan and Barb-
 "What is your favorite paper crafting tool?"  That is a super hard question!  Anything that makes me have to narrow down my supplies or choose just one thing just makes me immediately scream out, "It's not possible!"  Which is super weird when you are in public...people really look at you funny... :)  Anyway, if I *have* to choose, I guess I'll pick my Big Shot.  All the dies that are coming out that go with stamp sets and embossing folders and largie dies for things like templates and boxes, super fun.  So what about all of you?

Thanks for stopping, I hope the rest of your weekend is fabulous!

Flashback Friday

Do you know where the term Friday originated?  No.  Well, the word Friday is based from the Latin root word Fri meaning crisp combined with the word day.  Put it together and you have crisp-day, aka cooked day, aka I am FRIED by Friday!  True Story!  OK, not really... I totally made that up, but it sounded pretty good didn't it?!  I was totally fried by the end of my work day today so it seemed like it could have been a possibility for how the word came about. 

Anyway, onto this week's flashback.  First the flashback to the card I made for the Little Tangles blog for my guest post about Neat & Tangled's birthday.  I didn't have the awesome new Dreams Do Come True stamp yet, so I freehanded it.  Admittedly, not even as close to as good as Danielle's actual stamp, but it seemed so appropriate for the occasion I had to.  Oh and I posted a super cute fun video over there too, check it out if you have time! :)

Now onto my fave questions and answers from this week:

Just Add Color (8/12)-
Q- Is there a color that has a specific meaning to you?  If so what is the color and what does it mean?  if not, then what is your favorite color?
A- Sav said, "my fav color... is green! I picked that in high school (randomly answered that question by singing "The green grass grows all around all around...the green grass grows all around." Yup-- that's how I picked my fav color!)... and never changed it. <3 em="">

Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler  (8/13)
Q- What is something you thought you would never like but were pleasantly surprised when you tried it?  It can be  reading this blog.... a food, an experience, whatever you want!
A- Kimberly said, "Sushi. I finally tried it in my late thirties!!! (ok I date myself I am mid 40 something' ish).  I did not know what to think. I am a "go alonger" type so when a gaggle of the office girls went to sushi, I hesitated, but said ok to follow the crowd.  To my surprise - I tried anything, and love most all of it, not only love it, I actually crave it more than any other food and must have it once a week. Went yesterday, and going today... LOL"

Doing the Chicken Dance (8/15)
Q- Have you ever spent any time on a farm?  If so, what was the most surprising thing you ever witnessed on that farm (e.g. seeing a chicken run around without a head...) and/or your favorite part? 
A- LeAnne said, "I, too, grew up on a farm, but while you're growing up there, you just think it's normal, so I don't have any specifically amazing memories...just fun to be able to run around, catch lightning bugs, go swimming in the pond....stuff like that. I do remember looking out my door one summer night and seeing the sky ablaze...I ran & called my dad and he told me the neighboring farmer's barn was on fire. That was SCARY! Thanks for the gentle nudge to get me walking down memory lane!"

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions everyone.  I like to ask them, they are fun and I enjoy getting to know a little bit more about each of you in turn. :)  Today's Question of the Day is again- if you could ask all these bloggie, crafty buddies of yours any question what would it be?  I asked this last Friday too.  I am hopping to get more answers so I can start sprinkling them into my posts and you can get the answers you want too! :)

Thanks for stopping and happy FRI-day! ;)

Doing the chicken dance!

I am running folks...running like a chicken with my head cut off these days, mostly at work.  I like to call it my chicken dance! ;)   I am hoping that I will get some respite soon.  Actually, I know I will, so I am not worried about it.  Meanwhile, down at the ranch....


...I've made this card for the Fusion Card Challenge #15 focusing on the lovely chalkboard portion of it and I accidentally matched the sketch too for a true FUSION! :)  I combined it with the colors from the ColorQ #202.  The colors made me want to use this Amercian Crafts set because the flower seemed just right.  My favorite part of this card is the May Arts Ribbon, the sharp colors and stripes jumps out me and says "HELLO, Look at me!!!!!!!"

So back to the farm... (BTW- did you notice these are great farm colors?!  Just an aside, but seriously, perfect!  Now I wish I had made a chicken card! HA!)  Did I ever tell you I grew up in Greenacres, WA? True story, it exists! ...And my name is Katie Brooks, but have also been called our Miss Brooks.  Remind you of any TV shows?  Even a spring chicken like me knows about these shows so you should too, but if not they were- Greenacres and Our Miss Brooks!  Too easy!  So all  of these farm/ranch references bring me to my Question of the Day- Have you ever spent any time on a farm?  If so, what was the most surprising thing you ever witnessed on that farm (e.g. seeing a chicken run around without a head...) and/or your favorite part?  Stacey- I expect a good answer from you girl! ;)



Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler.

Sup?!  ...Who me?... Yeah, I am good, thanks for asking. :)  Wanna check out the card I made for today's post?...  You aren't sure?...  Well check it out anyway, you might like it!  You never know until you try right?!

I know, I am a total dork....but that is why you love me! :)  During the Stamping Royalty blog hop I won some goodies and among them was this stapler and sentiment from Unity Stamps.  I saw it and immediately thought of Milton from Office Space.  You know...this guy....  "Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler."   I just laughed and laughed about that.  Being that I work in an office I get the humor and I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to take the fax or copy machine out to a field and beat it with a baseball bat!  Trust me when I tell you that paper jams *only* happens when you are pushing a deadline!  OK, calm down, I don't want to get all worked up here.... 

So anyhoo, I *had* to make a red stapler.  From there I wasn't sure where I was going but I decided to use Stack 'em High set from The Alley Way Stamps that looked like a row of staples to me.  (BTW- I won this set from winning this TAWS challenge- woot!)  I wanted to incorporate my little notebook paper die from PS and this red washi.  I decided to use a loose version of the Seize the Sketch #1 layout for my design.  I LOVE the way this card turned out.  I think it is the vibrant red against the black and grey that make me happy, not sure, but it makes me smile.  And what a fun card to give to someone to say thanks.  Meanwhile, I am also linking up to a new challenge called the Card Makin' Mamas Challenge (CMM73)- where the colors are black, white + 1 color as well as this TAWS Be Inspired 34!

I know a couple of you listed your questions on this post here and I will ask them soon, don't worry!  If someone has a burning question, please let me know by going here or by just posting it.  Today's Question of the Day is based on the opening paragraph, what is something you thought you would never like but were pleasantly surprised when you tried it?  It can be  reading this blog.... a food, an experience, whatever you want!

Thanks for stopping y'all!