The Hollywood Movie that Wasn't

Vintage movie stars photos inspired this collage... and while they are of the same era they never were cast together. And while Merle Oberon was in a flick called "Dark Angel"- this wasn't from that feature but from a set of images for "Player Cigarettes" as is the Nils Asther shot. I just saw them and thought.. oh... Hollywood really missed out on this one. I'm sure it would have won the 1934 Academy Award.

The Wait is Dreadful...

Today's Design compliments of:
SnarkyARky

"The suspense is terrible... I hope it will last." -Oscar Wilde

12x8 (original)
also in 12.x12 square format.

Today's Quote brought to you by:

Vincent van Gogh

"I tell you, the more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people."

Digital Collage: original size 14x10x300dpi

This is a moody piece that has that resonance of optimism and hope that is similar to the essence in his message.

Siren's Song

“Come closer, famous Odysseus—Achaea’s pride and glory—

moor your ship on our coast so you can hear our song!
Never has any sailor passed our shores in his black craft
until he has heard the honeyed voices pouring from our lips,
and once he hears to his heart’s content sails on, a wiser man.
We know all the pains that the Greeks and Trojans once endured
on the spreading plain of Troy when the gods willed it so—
all that comes to pass on the fertile earth, we know it all!”

-- Homer

Reviewing Old Photos... Reliving Old Memories

Last rays of sunlight stray past the rose bush... 

S is for Sunflowers

Brought to you by the letter S! 

☆.•♥• Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake Recipe! •♥•☆

Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake

☆.•♥• Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake Recipe! •♥•☆

For the cake base mixture~
3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted- (saved as the last ingredient!)

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except for the butter.
once mixed ...slowly pour in the butter. Very gently stir this in- doesn't have to be thorough. Puddles (or pools) of butter will make it easier to swirl in the Goodie.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

The Goodie ~ better known as the Cinnamon Swirl
1 cup butter, soft to the point of almost melted*
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cinnamon

For the goodie, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. 
I used the food processor and was thinking it would be crumbly but it's not. 
Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Glaze~
2 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

While the cake is warm ~ drizzle the glaze over the cake. Enjoy! :)

Cake Base Mixture

Lastly- add butter!

Cinnamon "Goodie"

Cinnamon "Goodie"
Doesn't Crumble

Drop more evenly than pictured here
and swirl into cake base mixture.

Drizzle Glaze

Powder Sugar Glaze

Enjoy!

Learning Photoshop {Again} #Touch

Upgraded the iPhone from PS-Express to the new PS-Touch App that was initially designed for iPad technology. Why?? Because it's Adobe!!

I thought it would be straight forward and me knowing PS like I do was not expecting having to look up tutorials. Surprise!! This old dog needs to know a few new tricks! And which icons represent my beloved methods of magic that I like to utilize on my art.

Yippee for online tutorials!

Blood Clots are a Silent Killer

The medical facts of a silent killer and my personal experiences.

The following is the speech originally presented in 2007 and then posted here on this blog.  Republishing as part of: DVT AWARENESS MONTH.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I. 200,000 Americans will die throughout the year from deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE); more than from drunk drivers, AIDS, breast cancer or homicide.

DVTs are treated in 2 milllion Americans each year. Of those patients developing a first-time diagnosis of DVT- 75% were not aware of the risk- factors prior to the event and were unaware that there are preventative measures.

I have had multiple episodes of DVT since 1975 and suffer from resultant chronic post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). I have lost a kidney and the majority of functional vein capacity in one leg from below the knee to above the hip.

II. Risk Factors
A. Inherited or acquired predisposition to thrombophilia.

1. Thrombophilia is the tendency to clot or a blood-disorder. As a child I was fascinated with the Queen Victoria and her descendants- one in particular was Prince Alexei of Russia, a hemophiliac, whose mother's reliance on Rasputin to treat his bleeding helped bring about the end of Imperial Russia. Other than that- I had never heard of blood-disorders and to be honest- I found their murders much more fascinating.

It wasn’t until 1998 that there even existed a test to determine the most predominant clotting disorder,  Factor V Leiden. Before that time, many died of clots with their family not knowing why they had clotted.

I was diagnosed with Factor V Leiden heterozygous (one of two mutated genes) in Spring of 2007. The tests haven’t been performed yet to determine the presence of Proteins CNS and can only be drawn when I am off of blood-thinner, a risk in and of itself.

2. Five% of Caucasian Americans and 1% of African-Americans have FVL.

B. Cancer, Trauma, Advanced Age or Unhealthy Life Habits or Situations

Autoimmune disorders such as lupus, acute medical illness with restricted mobility, and certain heart or respiratory diseases can cause blood-clots or pulmonary embolism.

1. 60% of patients undergoing major surgery, such as hip replacement, who remain immobile in bed after operations without preventive treatment may develop clots

2. Age, smoking and obesity contribute greatly in the episodes of DVT.

3. Airline passengers on long-haul flights call it “economy class syndrome” and office workers that remain seated at their computers for extended periods of time without taking breaks (often called “desk jockeys”) account for 34% of DVT/PE.

C. Women’s Issues
Women are at a higher risk for DVT. Birth-control pills, Pregnancy and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) are all contributing factors.

1. Healthy women taking oral contraceptives have a three- to fourfold increased risk of developing a DVT or PE compared with women who do not take birth control. Women with factor V Leiden who take OCPs have about a 35-fold increased risk of developing a DVT

2. PE is the leading cause of maternal death associated with childbirth. A woman’s risk of developing VTE is six times greater when she is pregnant.

My first known episode of DVT was at age 24 during childbirth, with repeating and devastating occurances in two additional pregnancies. While doing family genealogy it was discovered that one great-grandmother died not long after pregnancy. If you are researching family medical history- In the “old days” it was often called “milk leg”.

III. Symptoms

Often called the “Silent Killer” because as many as half of all DVT episodes
produce minimal symptoms. A number of other conditions display similar symptoms and mask the true culprit until the misdiagnosis can be corrected or results in death.

1. Leg pain, swelling (called edema), tenderness, discoloration or redness of the affected area and skin that is warm to the touch are the most significant of DVT presentations.

2. PE events are characterized by chest pain, shortness of breath, heart
racing or pounding, passing out or sudden death. These episodes can be a result of a fragment of clot breaking loose from the vein wall and traveling to the lung or a clot forming directly in the lung.

3. Symptoms frequently misdiagnosed include: charley horse, muscle sprain, twisted ankle, sore or achy muscles.

4. PTS or post-thrombotic syndrome occurs in 20-50% of patients after a dvt-event and usually is established within the first 2 years after the acute thrombotic episode. It is a disabling chronic condition consisting of leg pain, swelling, hardening or calcification of veins and skin and ulcers.

IV. Diagnosis

While there is a blood-test to determine if the blood is too thick- only x-rays or ultrasound are thorough in their conclusion.

1. Venous ultrasound is the least invasive of the tests.

2. Contrast Venograms are x-rays that display the clots by injecting radiographic material into a superficial vein.

3. EKG, Chest x-rays, arterial blood-gas and lung scintigraphy for PE’s.


V. Treatment
Treatment for DVT, PE and PTS are limited - all medications increase the risk of bleeding, allowing for bruising and are one of the hardest drugs to manage with interactive medications.

A. For clots caught early in development- clot busters (tPA) may be administered.
B. Blood thinners take a while to regulate and require rigid prothrombin monitoring. Foods rich in vitamin K (leafy green vegetables), soybean, green tea and a a variety of herbal supplements are to be avoided.
1. Heparin injections may be given through IV or injections.
2. Lovenox injections must be given subcutaneously (in the belly).
3. Coumadin or the generic , warfarin is commonly called rat-poison.
C. Leg elevation with compressive therapy and/or extremity pump.
D. Compression stockings or TED hose are the mainstay of therapy- many times the extremity must be custom fit which takes additional time, is expensive, and not covered by many insurance's companies including the Medicare system.

VI. Famous celebrities having DVT or PE.

A. Survivors
1. Vice-President Dick Cheney
2. former Vice-President Dan Quayle
3. HIllary Clinton, former first-lady and NY senator
4. Lainie Kazan, actress “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
5. Terry Francona, Manager Boston Red Sox
6. Victoria Principal, actress “Dallas”
7. Ian Anderson, lead singer & flutist for “Jethro Tull”
8. Bonnie Bernstein, sports-journalist ABC-Sports and ESPN

B. Deaths due to blood-clots or related events.

1. David Bloom, NBC journalist, FVL
2. Shawntinice Polk, University of Arizona basketball player
3. Tammy Wynette, Country singing star
4. Harry Agganis, aka “the Golden Greek” Boston Red Sox
5. Dan Blocker, actor of “Bonanza” fame
6. Cesar Romero, actor played the Joker in TV-series “Batman” aka “The Latin Lover” and “Cisco Kid”

CONCLUSION: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a common but elusive illness that can result in suffering and death if not recognized and treated effectively. You can prevent DVT- Don’t smoke! Exercise regularly! Be aware of subtle symptoms if sitting for long periods of time.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
SPEECH PRESENTED
HENDERSON STATE UNIVERISTY
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
SUMMER II- July 16, 2007

Title: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) OR "How Do People Die?"

GENERAL PURPOSE: To inform of the silent killer: DVT

SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To inform of the risk and management of DVT

CENTRAL IDEA: Causes of hyper coagulability leading to the risks of Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and/or Pulmonary Embolisms (PE) occurance, diagnosis and treatment, and to raise general public awareness.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS:
1. Factor V Leiden/thrombophilia Support Site: http://www.fvleiden.org/
2. DVT Prevention site: https://www.preventdvt.org/
3. Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec04/ch046/ch046a.html
4. Venous Thromboembolism: http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com
5. National Library of Medicine and Health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6. http://ask.yahoo.com/20051128.html, National Vital Statistics Report, 2006
7. http://www.genome.gov/15015167

I ♥ my iPhone

I ♥ my iPhone 4s.

Yes.
Yes. I do.
I really REALLY love it.
I should name it, I love it so much.

Now accepting suggestions.



While this dude (obviously) isn't Steve Jobs... he's the 2nd most important Steve in the whole Apple universe. The other Godfather.
Steve Wozniak
Inventor extraordinaire displays his iPhone 4s.

Now. Back to business.

Why I ♥ my iPhone

• First off: it's compatible with my beloved iMac and all my lovely contacts, memos, calendars, etc. etc. integrate seamlessly.
•  Don't forget iTunes. No longer have to haul my iPod around to juke out. Seriously was too afraid to burden my poor little blackerberry with all that info- it might have exploded.
• Thirdly (and probably most importantly)... images. If pictures are worth a thousand words then I'm a poet wealthy in the most verbose sense of the term: loquacious. Too bad that doesn't translate to dollars, as then I'd be as wealthy as... say... Steve W.
• But back to those images.... not only can I access them, I can shoot quality pics and edit them from the same device! Oh, HAPPY DAY!! I'm no longer fretting over not having hauled my nice-big Canon lens out (and risked the sprinklers) to the garden to take a picture of a daisy.
• Then... I can upload them and share them with all 500+ friends and still not had to return to the house and get distracted by the domestic chores staring me in the face.

Yes.... this iUser is a happy camper and totally in love.

True Story: The first one I shot was my Mother. First PHOTO, duh! Then I proceeded to take several with Dad and (of course) one or the other was wonky. So... took phone home, uploaded to computer, edited in PS-CS3 to correct glare, white balance, add father-unit in, uploaded to FB, downloaded to phone, texted to siblings- happiness. Too many steps. But... I was learning.

Since then I use my camera (er... I mean phone) for the mundane, the day-to-day and most often for recreational purposes.

Exhibit 4: notice the photo of the trailer hitch. My first time to ever hitch (and pull) the trailer by myself. Rather than disturb Husband with troubling himself to arise and actually check my work- I sent him a picture for approval. He approved, I drove away and it was all... without... a bitch. One or the other of us would have done so had he had to get out of bed to verify this!

Exhibits 5,6, 8: Photos of the critters. I take these every day and send to Hubster to brighten his day.

Then... I discovered....

INSTAGRAM 

Oh. My. Goodness. Like Twitter but just images.
Can you say "Mo' Bettah"??
I'm not sure why I like it better than Twitter- but, I do. Maybe because I'm such a visual-thinker.

Nonetheless. That discovery has led to Photoshop Express, Photo Effects Studio (PSE), FilterMania2, WowFX and a whole plethora of other image editing apps.

My absolute go-to favorite image APPS are:

Snapseed  What can I say? Truly remarkable results and $4.99 is so worth it. NikSoftware has my vote for best understanding of what users want in an app that doesn't require a degree and/or a computer to turn snapshots into art. Yes. By far this app is the first one I open to tweak even the best of my shots because there is only so much you can really do with focusing and light adjustments in the natural setting and oh-so-much-MORE you can do within Snapseed.

My opinion: Five star

Selective Adjustments for brightness, saturation & contrast on multiple points.
Automatic and/or User-controlled image adjustment tuning.
The Straighten feature comes with a grid!!
Vintage, Drama and Grunge filters are plentiful and adjustable.
Tilt-shift and Frames.



Phonto- Because of my tendency to use all my skills used in advertising and want to pepper my images with text and/or symbols this is THE BEST way to do it and the price is right... this app is FREE!! There are 200 fonts preinstalled with this app and you can add your own favorites within iTunes to download on your phone. So far I've resisted that temptation and just stuck with the preloads.

The color-picker doesn't win any raves from me but after experimenting with the tints and shades adjusters and opacity I can usually find just the right tone. This app also includes the ability to make separate stroke color and lo and behold.... SHADING! Oh. yes... I like these features.

Now- here is the fun part. You can make more than just one layer of text with this app. Yup. You read that correctly. And.. using different fonts! And colors! The ONLY complaint I have is that I can't replicate EXACTLY (sometimes) the same color choices I made on the first layer of text which is really annoying- but, I'm learning to squint my eyes and come within pretty darn close.

Because of the versatility of this product I would give it a 5 star but because of that one complaint-

My opinion: 4.75 stars

Playing with Instagram leads to other users playing with their iPhones.

Friend, Jules, has been participating in a fun Photo-a-Day challenge given by FatMumSlim. I joined- of course... don't expect me to EVER get each and every day's challenge done. But- the one for 9.11 the word was "Hero". So.. using only the apps I had already downloaded, I created:

IMAGE #9 - SEMPER FI

The original image is of son from a friend's wedding and the initial image of his face has such poor lighting that I had to adjust the shadows on his face with Snapseed. The smoke/cloud/dust layers are multiple layers and opacity from WOWFX-Free, the helicopters are from FilterMania 2 and (sadly aren't his beloved Sea Knights- but, remember.. I'm using only what I have already loaded!) and finally the text is layered on in Phonto. Then uploaded into Instagram. Total apps used for one image: five. Six if you count the image storage for saving each altered version and then opening in a different app.

Yes... I LOVE my iPhone 4s. I can hardly WAIT to see what all the iPhone v5 has to offer. But.. since mine is new- I won't be finding out personally for a while. But for those of you considering a purchase... 4s has enough to make you happy photographer and it'll be cheaper, too!

From Photobombs to Memes... it's Gonna Go Viral.

There's no help for it. They are gonna go viral. Funny sayings. Funny faces. Not so funny photoshopped images. It's unfortunate but true... might as well laugh when it happens to you.

Sunsets on the Farm

My dear sweet husband.... he didn't know it at the time we bought and moved to the farm, but he gave me one of my favorite scenes.

Sunsets....

Sometimes they are brilliant. Sometimes serene. Sometimes both. Always a great way to end a day.

Weatherman Voodoo Doll • snark alert

Frustrated?

Dissatisfied with the same old forecast????
Irked with downpours ruining your tee-time???
Exasperated beyond belief by a lack of drought-relief??
Agravated juggling day-care providers due to snow-days?

Get your REVENGE TODAY using the WEATHERMAN VOODOO DOLL

Get relief and revenge the easy way!
Prick, jab & ZAP  your anxieties away
on this non-descript, palm-sized doll.
Order today! Supplies are limited!

Made in America by real Americans with real American biodegradable cotton • Non-toxic • If desired results are not achieved with first use then try using more voltage • WARNING: Electricity can be dangerous to your health • Batteries not included. Not for children under 99. This product is a toy, no actual thunderbolts should be directed at actual living objects • Patent pending • Trademark Licensing • Snark provided in ample amounts.

www.youbeenhad.com • 1.800.SIC.KTOY • NOT FOUND IN STORES

Snark provided by Sarah S Dixon

Disclaimer: I do not condone or suggest the actual use of voodoo or witchcraft. This was strictly an exercise in humor and isn't not intended to encourage such activity.  I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and give Him full credit for being the creator and master of the weather. Please see Micah 5:12 for His judgement on such activity.

Frog and Mouse by Getsuju Japan, late 18th-early 19th century 90.3 x 167.8cm Ink on paper Kaikodo, New York Source: [1]

This gray April morning I sit listening to the sounds of the frogs calling on the rains, the thunder answering "coming, I'm coming"; and the finch squabbling on the feeders. While that doesn't make a haiku, it did make me search for one. 


I found this lovely by:  Matsuo Bashō, a great poet and essayist of the Edo period (1603-1867).

old pond,frog jumping into watersoundtranslation by: Fumiko Saisho

Renku ("linked verses"), the Japanese form of popular collaborative linked verse poetry formerly known as haikai no renga. For more information, see here.

and here are the finch. colorful and chattery little beggars!!

The Shadow Kitten
from: The Kitten's Garden of Verses, 1911

Written & Illustrated by: Oliver Herford
Digital collage: Sarah Sally Dixon

There’s a funny little kitten that tries to look like me,
But though I’m round and fluffy, he’s as flat as flat can be;
And when I try to mew to him he never makes a sound,
And when I jump into the air he never leaves the ground.

He has a way of growing, I don’t understand at all.
Sometimes he’s very little and sometimes he’s very tall.
And once when in the garden when the sun came up at dawn
He grew so big I think he stretched half-way across the lawn.

The entire book contents can be found and downloaded at Project Guttenberg.

leaving January.... loving February!

Hogs 'n kisses- nothing sweeter!

Somethings just make the heart go swoon. 'er... maybe that should be swine. Anywhoozies.... it's time to pucker up buttercup- love me some piggies... and Razorbacks especially!

WHOOOOOOOOOO! Pigs! SOOOIEEE!!

New artwork for cafePress and Happy Valentines Season.

oh, January... you are so dreary!

Nothing goes better with you than: a warm kitten (or 4), a pot of hot apple cider and a stack of books.

Why then is it that I always find myself FLYING in January? The worst month of the entire year? and to warmer climes? Meaning travelers must carry a wide ranging wardrobe in order to be prepared for all activities?

Merry Christmas from the Farm-folk

Nothing sweeter than little burros!

Well-- except for little girls & boys!!

Vintage postcard layered with all kinds of digital findings.

Burning Desires...

“If you're bored with life, if you don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things, you don't have enough goals.”

― Lou Holtz

I thought of this quote when seeing this scene the other morning.

Oh!! What a glorious site! And, no-- the barn wasn't on fire!

Every Day is Thanksgiving

with the approach of our national day of Thanksgiving- I realize that every day I'm thankful.

• For a Loving Father who provided in the past a Savior.
• For the Savior who was willing to make the sacrifice on my unworthy behalf.
• For the Holy Spirit who convicted me to take Him at His word and Believe that His work was enough to forgive mine.
• For a family that Believes and teaches that to others.
• For friends that Believe.
• For a Country that was founded on those principles of Belief.
• For my birthplace and home in that same country- the Land of the Free & the Brave, the land of plenty, and the land where I am free to worship Him.

I have grown to realize that where God put me is exactly where I need to be in spite of my yearnings to see and be other places. I call it being content with His provision... and Oh! What a marvelous place it is. It's not necessarily a geographic location but rather a spiritual one.

Praising God for His Blessings this morning and all month... this year... this life.