"Old and Curious"

"If the pull of the outside world is strong, there is also a pull towards the human. The cat may disappear on its own errands, but sooner or later, it returns once again for a little while, to greet us with its own type of love.  Independent as they are, cats find more than pleasure in our company."
                                                                              ------------Lloyd Alexander

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Don't miss my Double Giveaway post for your chance to win!!

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Hi, Friends.....

I temporarily have broken-away from my usual style of flowers and cuddly animals for this card that I am entering in the MFP Simple Salutations Challenge.   The theme this week is to draw inspiration from your favorite subject in school.  Well, I am a science person through and through and majored in biology (.....way back when they were still discovering that blood circulates!!!  Ha!) so I had to make a biology-related card, of course.  


I have been just dying to make a weird anatomy kind of card because I found this wonderful old "doctor book" at a thrift store, that has personal significance to me.  I'll tell you more about that in a moment.  

I ripped a page out of the book....that hurt, but that IS why I bought the book!....
and distressed it by tearing, rolling, creasing, stamping, sponging, etc.  I stamped (Stampendous - Vintage Frames) and heat embossed the frame in black.  Thought this sort of made it look like a bizarre portrait!

I covered the anatomical diagram with Ranger Crackle Accents and let it dry and crack.  Then I sponged Distress Ink (Vintage Photo) over it, misting it slightly, so the ink would seep into the cracks. 

  
I inked and stamped on the back of the page so the curled parts would have continuity.  

Do you see the cat watching you?  He's been lurking in my stash and is stamped with Simon Says Stamp - Khaki. 

I stamped and heat embossed some gold spectacles in the corner and added my simple salutation of "Old and Curious" with Distress Ink (Walnut Stain) below the portrait.

Other supplies I used include:  DCWV Heirloom Stack paper, Hero Arts - Soft Vanilla inkpad, Hero Arts - Pattern Stripes background stamp (both of these HA products were prizes.  THANKS, HA!!!), and other stamps from my stash that were from weird thrift store grab bags....perfect for my card today!!  Ha.

My literary and antiquity-loving son is enthralled with the card.  He probably didn't know his old Mom was quite this deranged!....Or maybe he did.  (I asked him once what it was like having such a weird, nerdy mom.  He shrugged and said it was just regular to him. Hahaha!!!)  Well, usually, I am not quite so eccentric to want to make a card like this......but it was this old "doctor book" that did it to me......
 

I spied this humongous coverless tome at my local thrift store and immediately thought to myself.......Could it be?????......Is it 
possible????  This monster is over 1100 pages of old good quality paper, so you can imagine how heavy the thing is!! 
 
 I pulled it off the shelf and opened it up to look for confirmation...  No book title headings on the tops of the pages and no way to tell the date, but the anatomical diagrams looked right......


Then the book opened to this interactive chart.
YES!!!!  I remember these!!!  I had in my hands a copy of an old book just like my Grandma had at her house when I was little.  I don't remember what the title was, but she always just called it the "doctor book".  I spent literally *hours* poring over the diagrams and charts. 

This particular copy is missing the first 70 pages or so and two of the interactive charts, but I am so glad it, at least, has this one left.  Such amazing memories!!  I was totally thrilled at finding this book and the price was a whopping 80 cents!!! Yay!!!  We have THE BEST thrift store in existence!!! Thanks so much for indulging me my little story about this "old and curious" book!!

Ding-ding-ding.....Time to introduce New Followers #52-#57!!!!

Ionabunny - Gail (or Iona) of Crafty Nomad is a transplant living in Norway.  Her profile lists interests in:  rabbits, chickens, gardening and crafts.  Sounds like my type of gal!  (Cats and rabbits are close....just that one purrs and the other hasn't figured out how to, yet!)  It's fun reading on her blog about Norway and admiring her amazing and unique creations....giant turtles with women's underwear....whaaa-aat? lol....  Welcome, Gail!!  This ginormous smile is all yours!!!

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Karen Letchworth - Karen of My Cup Runneth Over...
is a homeschooling mom!  Yay!!  We homeschooled, too.  :)  Her blog is full of encouraging words and lovely projects.  Karen, I am so glad to have you following my blog.  This ginormous smile is for you!!  ETA:  I failed to mention that Karen is also blog admin at Word Art Wednesday...one of my new very favorite challenge blogs!!!

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Terri Burson -  Help me give a welcome to Terri of Waving My Wand.  Terri has some really fun projects on her blog.  She recently celebrated her first blogiversary.  Yay!!  Terri, I appreciate your support by becoming a follower!  Here is your ginormous smile!!!

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Christina's Creations -  Welcome to Christina of Christina's Creations!  I admired one of Christina's lovely autumn cards on Unity's Friends with Flair and she was sweet enough to come over and become a follower!!  Thanks so much!  Here is one of the ginormous smiles for you that I get whenever I have a new follower!

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Scrapbookingforu - Corrie of Corrie's Crafts is from north of the border in Canada.  I am really happy to have a couple new international followers!  Corrie makes some sweet and adorable cards and LOs, esp the ones featuring her little ones!!  Welcome, Corrie.  I appreciate you becoming a new follower!!   Here is your very own ginormous smile!!

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Gaylynn - Welcome to Gaylynn of Neat Nook Creations.  Gaylynn has a really pretty blog with lots of fun cards to browse through.  I am delighted you have become a new follower of mine.  I wish I'd known about your Here Kitty Kitty giveaway when it was still going!!!  Darn!  This ginormous smile is for you!!!

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As always, many thanks to each of you visitors and regulars who come to my blog.  Your comments make my day!!!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this bizarre creation of mine in the following challenges: 
1.  MFP Speedy TV Simple Salutations Challenge #112 - Inspired by Favorite Subject in School
2.  We Do Doobadoo Challenge #13 - Add Textures
3.  So Artful Challenges - August - Eyeglasses/Spectacles
4.  DRS Designs Challenge #137 - It Gives Me the Creeps!