Cath, etc.

Some Moxie Fab Love

If you didn't know, I host another blog, the Moxie Fab World, for the magazine I work for, Paper Crafts. I don't talk about it too much here because I think that many of you Cath, etc. readers don't paper craft or scrapbook or do anything much whatsoever with pretty pieces of paper.

Which is fine. I certainly don't hold that against you. ;)

But I wanted to let you know that there are some exciting things going on over there this week and on the Paper Crafts blog that you might want to check out. 

We're celebrating the release of our moxie fab special issue, Stamp It! Cards. It's our best Stamp It! issue to date and I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty stinkin' proud of it. It's chock full of stamped cards that will just tickle you down to your toes. Not that I'm writing marketing copy or anything, it's just true.

I mean, just look at the cover:

If that doesn't make you happy, I'm not sure what will.

But I digress. The cool thing is that there are tons of prize giveaways on both blogs and even if you aren't a stamper yourself, I'm guessing you probably know someone who is--and wouldn't they just love to receive a gift of stamps from sweet little ol' you?

But maybe what you'd be even more interested in today, in particular, are the 10 original free handmade cards some of my favorite designers (who are also some of my best friends) in the industry have worked up for a giveaway. That's right. 10 original handmade cards that you could enter to win and give to someone yourself. Click here to see what this fun giveaway is all about.

So hop on over, give it a look-see. Leave a comment on any of the posts this week. Get picked as a random winner. See what I do in my day-job.

And share a little moxie fab love, from me to you.

Hip! Hip! Hooray! (2)

...these mags are on their way,
Not tomorrow or today,
But on a happy otherday
To two gals far away

Let's give a shout Hooray!

Congratulations Amanda Teel and Kerry A! The Random Integer Generator has chosen you as the winners of the World Card Making Day give-away! These will go in the mail as soon as you send me your addresses!

Thanks to everyone who played! It has been simply moxie fab hearing from so many of you during this week of paper crafting love! Stop by again any ol' time!

What was I up to today? Check here, here, here, here, and here.

Hip! Hip! Hooray!

...these cards are on their way,
Not tomorrow or today
But on a happy otherday
To someone far away
Let's give a shout, Hooray!

Hey Stef! The Random Integer Generator has deemed you the winner of the 100th Post contest! Hooray! These cards are on their way, not tomorrow or today, but on a happy otherday...

My 100th Post: Let's Celebrate with a Prize!

Yep. 100 of these babies. 100 little morsels from my brain. Thanks for tuning in. I've enjoyed myself immensely. Hope you've been mildly entertained as well. Been thinking about this whole blogging thing and how much I freakin' enjoy it am obsessed with it. How I never watch TV anymore except for one show on Monday nights and it's going away maybe I'll have to give its replacement a shot we'll see.

How I seem to need to write a blog every day like it's a drug in my veins this inkling to blog coming on around 7:30 PM when the day is settling down and the work noise is finally silencing and the house is growing quiet and I get to plug in and put it down, entering a zone that nourishes me in ways I never even hoped it would.

As in how much I love hearing from you, my blogfriends. How I learn from your insight, gain validation from your support, laugh out loud at your humor, delight in your charm. How much your comments uplift me just knowing that you're there. How many friends I have gained, some I know some I don't but I thank you all just the same.

So to thank you blogfriend, I think it appropriate that I offer a prize that comes straight from my heart. How 'bout six cards from my old handmade card business, Cards by Cath? Leave a comment saying what it is you like the most about this whole blog reading business (or just say hello) by midnight MST on Monday, September 8, and these cards will be yours:

 

Here's to 100! May the next 100 be as fun as the first! Thanks again for being my blogfriend!

Gold Medal Prize Winner

On the gold medal podium, the announcer's voice rings through the arena in three languages, "Ladies and gentlemen, representing herself, the gold medal winner in the Inspired by Michael, Inspired by You blog contest sponsored by Cath, etc.--Karen!"

   _{Photo credit}

Thanks for playing, Karen, and thank you also for your kind words regarding my own gold medal goals. You're a dear! Your prize will be on its way shortly!

_{^{Results tabulated by using the Random Integer Generator}}.                         

And the Winner Is...

Alice!

I used the Random Integer Generator to come up with the winner, which came up with the number 7, and since Alice posted the 7th comment, then Alice it is! Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who played the Good Summer Reads game! I just love all your suggestions--and yes, I picked up a copy of Twilight, although I've put all the suggested titles on my Must Read list. Should be fun!

I'll put a book in the mail for you by the end of the week, Alice!  Enjoy!

Good Summer Reads & A Prize at the End

In a little over a week, I'm going on vacation.

Mark and I are dying to get away. Is that because we're in such desperate need? Or maybe it's because we know it's getting closer so it makes the waiting that much more painful? Or maybe it's a combination of both? What I do know is that both of us need a break from our abnormally crazy work lives, the ponderous heat of the summer, and the utter dreariness of routine.

One of my favorite things to do on vacation is to sink my teeth into a good, long book. I savored every page of Middlesex by Geoffrey Eugenides on a lounge chair on a Mexican beach while my cabana boy, Medardo, brought me uno mas de Miami Vice, dobles, por favor. So I'm wondering what a good choice might be for this upcoming furlough. As our departure grows closer, I've started to consider my options. I've got two books to read for my different book clubs including I Been in Sorrow's Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots by Susan Straight and Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. I've got several books waiting in the wings, including Brief Encounters with Che Guevera by Ben Fountain, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, The World According to Garp by John Irving, and Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

But I've been hearing a lot about this Twilight book (I know, I'm a little late to the party on that one), and I still have the last two Harry Potter books left to read (very late to that party, practically a pumpkin), and a gal who spent some time looking at my page, The Best Books I Have Ever Read, has recommended that I read The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, of which I've also heard rave reviews from some of my book club buddies. (Thanks for the tip!)

So many books, so little time. What do you think? What kind of books make the best summer reads? Which ones have you not been putting down?

To thank you for your input, what say you leave a comment recommending a good summer read and I'll choose a random winner? The prize? One of my best-loved books, gently used but thoughtfully given.

Let the recommendations begin! You've got until midnight on Monday to be eligible for the prize!