Festive Guyday Friday: Celebrate the Season with Santa Smoulder

Since this is the last Guyday Friday before Christmas arrives, it is only fitting we focus on fan art and photo edits with a festive flair (you would never guess I like alliteration, would you?). Ho, ho, ho!!

My Random Acts of RA Photo Editing: A bit of whimsy, a bit of snark.

Could it be? Maybe . . . life can surprise you.

He could be the leaner, sexier version. Kris Kringle Mach 2.0. 😀 Ho, ho, ho!

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Choccie, hugs, and pressies: Fedoralady’s Christmas 2012

Got my replacement card reader today and thought I would share a few photos from the family Christmas in Birmingham. Some of this offers proof we share the same DNA.  Entered into evidence, these photos of my great-niece A licking the bowl after her auntie SB  finishes whipping up something chocolatey.

She is DEFINITELY related to me.

Thirty-plus years ago, a little blonde-haired toddler absolutely adored her youngest aunt’s boyfriend. She couldn’t quite manage to pronounce his name, so she called him “Ben-jie.” And now that little blonde is all grown up and her little girl also adores that tall man with the sweet smile. Maybe one day, that dark-haired little girl’s child will feel the very same–although I am not sure “Ben-jie” will still  be able to lift the little one to touch the ceiling .

Our lovely sixteen-year-old H seems very pleased with those Amazon and Target giftcards.

We are all just a bunch of hams.

Hope you all had wonderful Christmases with those near and dear to you.

Merry Christmas from “the catwalk”: RA, so sexy it hurts!

Just in time for the holidays, the nice people over at Muvee Reveal  Technologies got the grinches out of their system and allowed me to upload the Retro video style pack to this computer (thank you so much, Patrick Bello, for your able assistance. I hope Santa was good to you). And then my Christmas angel allowed me to not only make a vid, but to upload it from home without a single hitch! So here’s another little Christmas treat for RA fans. It’s very tongue-in-cheek fun featuring our reluctant sex symbol himself. I hope you enjoy!

WARNING: This “Catwalk” styling does feature flashing lights, stars and other effects that may bother some people

It’s Christmas Time Once Again . . .

It’s now past 12 here in Lower Alabama and Christmas morning has officially arrived. Alabama was the first state in the U.S. to make Christmas an official holiday. We have always loved our celebrations here–families gathering to feast from sideboards groaning from the number of dishes upon them, houses decked out festively, people decked out just as festively in their Christmas ties and appliqued cardigans. We like to do it up right!

Small town Christmas parades, folks getting out at night just to drive around and enjoy all those pretty lights . . . church pageants with children sporting tinsel halos and cardboard wings, bathrobes and yarn beards. Even if they fluff their lines, it doesn’t matter. They delight us.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed, happy, healthy, inspiring year to come. And Happy Hobbit-viewing to our friends Down Under as TH arrives in theatres for Boxing Day!

Christmas Greetings from our Furry Friends

  Pictured above is our beautiful, sweet and slightly skittish Calico, Callie. She showed up at our house one day several years ago,  a half-feral kitten, hungry but not very trusting of humans. Over time we gained that trust. Today,  she is one very contented and affectionate (if slightly nervous) house cat–currently snuggled up next to her mom, purring softly.

All our pets over the years have been rescue animals, either adopted from an animal shelter or taken in as strays. May I encourage anyone considering adding a pet to their home in 2013 to consider finding a “fur-ever friend” through a shelter or rescue group.  There are rescue groups devoted to certain breeds, so if a Bassett Hound or  a French Poodle is your preference,  there’s likely a pure-bred friend out there waiting for you if you are willing to go to a bit of time and trouble to adopt.

And trust me–blended friends like Elvis, the hounddog mix seen below, make great pets, too. And please spay and neuter your cats and dogs to help fight against pet overpopulation problems in our country!

(PS Our German Sheperd (Alsatian) mix Rascal was too busy trying to greet his mom with kisses to pose for a photo . . .)

Yes, we occasionally do get snow in LA. This was shot in February 2010. Our three dogs at the time had never before seen the white stuff.

Thumper Cat, the three-legged, roly-poly tuxedo cat with a Hitler mustache is grateful for photo editing. No being forced by Mom to wear a miniature Santa hat! Thumper nearly lost her life as a tiny kitten after being mauled by a dog. She lost that leg, but not her spirit. We’ve had her now for close to 12 years. From our furry family members to yours, a very Merry Christmas and a 2013 full of hope, joy and love.

Bakin’ Cookies & Cookin’ Up Vids: Mmm-mmm good.

Last night I baked a batch of fruitcake cookies. First dozen over-browned in spite of my setting timer at lowest suggested time. Ah, well, I can attest they still taste fine. I just won’t be taking them with us tomorrow to my sister’s house in Birmingham.  For special occasions, they need to look pretty AND taste good.

Tonight I made a new Christmas vid. Lots of festive RA and his ChaRActers.  Too late to even considering uploading it; maybe I will do that in Birmingham borrowing my sister’s wi-fi.  Anyway, here’s a little taste of what’s in it.

Not sure how much time I will have to post anything tomorrow as I bustle about getting ready to hit the road. We will be back Sunday evening. Just a quick trip to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family. MIddle Sis is already up there with her hubby. Here’s the menu for the weekend my sister emailed to me. I admit I got a bit hungry after reading it.

Friday night supper

Asian Chicken Soup and /or Steak Chili

Chicken salad croissants and grilled cheese

Apple cake

 

Saturday Brunch

Nephew’s Famous French Toast( it has to go some to beat Aunt S) with real maple syrup and bacon

Niece H’s sausage crescent roll casserole

Hot fruit compote

 

Appetizer/snacks

Humus with pita chips and veggies

Pigs in the blanket

Sausage with cheese in won ton wraps( recipe from Chef Sh)

 

Afternoon meal-time to be determined by group

 

Niece Sh’s wonderful pork tenderloin

Green bean bundles-these are great-when we use to have covered dish lunches at work, one wife always sent these by request. Yum!

Lima beans or as we all called then butter beans

Sweet potatoes     5 cup fruit salad

Sister Schubert rolls-one of these days, I will make Mama’s but not this time, sadly.

 

Dessert

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Cupcakes from Nashville Bakery-the Best!

Turtles by S

(add to this Fedoralady’s Fruitcake Cookies and Mr. FL’s Splendid Sausage Balls)

Thumper has been spending lots of time beneath the Christmas tree. She doesn’t bother anything; just sniffs a bit, studies the lights and chills. Pretty adorable. I tried to get a photo of her; then my card reader died. Hopefully the new one will arrive Monday.  Here’s some other art I did from the Homey, Homely Christmas Tree.

This is Benny’s favorite.

But I do like my Blue Santa, too.

And this is one of my favorite ornaments. A sweet little angel.

Catch up with y’all when I can. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sunday Smorgasbord: Santa’s on Board!

I don’t know that I will get much posted in the morning before leaving for Prattville, so let’s get into some holiday feasting tonight. I’ll share our experiences watching The Hobbit with you later tomorrow. Have a wonderful Sunday/Monday, everyone!

Feeling festive again!

I know some of my RA friends. including our own dear Judit, are going to be in London for tomorrow night’s big premiere of The Hobbit.  My fellow blogger, Seba aka gisbornesboy, is in a theatre in Stockholm (?) Sweden right now totally enraptured, I am certain.

The fantastic story is unfolding before him and Richard stands larger than life as Thorin, that deep, chocolatey voice resonating through the theatre. It must seem like Christmas has arrived a couple of weeks early.  I wish everyone participating in red carpet/premiere activities tonight and tomorrow a wonderful time. What a holiday season this one has already been for Richard Armitage/Tolkien fans!  Truly it helps make our spirits bright . . .

Hopefully this gif works. Click on it if it doesn’t.

Santa Hunk, I can’t wait to see you!

Here I am humming “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” with a smile on my face, with visions of sugarplums Richard Armitage dancing in my head. And boy, does the man know how to dance . . .

Judit, I know you don’t love his hair in this pic, so I took care of that. 😉

Guyday Friday: ‘Tis the season to be stunning

It’s the official kickoff of Christmas shopping in these parts today, and my official kickoff to sharing more holiday fun with our Richard and his ChaRActers. To help get you in a festive mood, here’s some Guy to make your season merry and bright . . . 😉

I just had to share. (Warning: potential cuteness overload)

This is the Christmas e-card I created for my sister featuring her adorable dog, Hannah. I played around and sent her a few samples yesterday to get some feedback and this is the style she requested. I have done cards for each of my cats, but soggy weather has prevented me getting any progress made with the canines’ photos. They won’t be as agreeable about posing as their little lady cousin. 😉

Christmas comes early to TAE

It’s been hot, hot, hot in my neck of the woods and for many more of you out there. I think it’s time for a bit of Christmas in July–snowflakes, cozy sweaters, Santa and his elves, and a delicious turkey dinner . . . all in TAE style. Enjoy!

Sir Guy is not amused at the prospect of criticism for his carving technique.

Guy’s smirk indicates he knows he still manages to look hot even in a ridiculous holiday sweater and dodgy hair.

Perhaps the world’s most adorable Christmas elf.

Who knew Ebenezer Scrooge could be . . . HOT?

In another vain attempt to lessen her husband’s general gorgeousness and tremendous appeal to the female population, Gerri has dressed him in a rather frightful Christmas sweater. Nope, didn’t work.

And come December, we’ll all enjoy a special holiday treat, courtesy of Sir Peter Jackson and a certain talented actor we all know and love . . .