The Jujyfruit Family Mash! (A Very Belated Treat)

OK, I know Halloween is long past by now, but I didn't stumble across this fun video until this morning and I simply couldn't resist.

I decided that since I'm sitting here picking fun-sized Snickers bar out of my teeth, it's still current enough!

(snicker)

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

P.S. That time I meant the other kind of snicker.
P.P.S. Well, fine, you caught me -- BOTH kinds! Bwahahaaa... *sound of wrapper crinkling*

Yearbook Yourself

In case you've been wondering, even though my last post said I was "going back to bed" I haven't actually been sleeping this whole entire time.

I probably could have. (I probably should have.)

But, no, little sleeping has occurred. Instead, I've been working. Working and working and working. I'd post evidence but I'm too tired. (From all that working.)

Instead, let me just sit here and relax while I entertain you with photos of me from yearbooks past.

1952

The love child of Carol Burnett and Lily Tomlin, perhaps? I'm quite liking the dark hair on me. Or perhaps it is the 20-pounds-lighter face shape I am enjoying. I'm not sure.

*****
19601960 was a fine year for me, too. Although, getting my limp hair to do *that* on a daily basis would have been quite a challenge! (Not to mention the whole tiny waist & big pointy bosom thing.) I think my aunt might have this exact same photo in her actual yearbook. Or one that's eerily similar, anyway.

*****
1962That ultra-feminine, be-ribboned updo is fooling no one.

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1966Jujyfruit as That Girl.

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1968My cousin, Hannah!

*****
1970

And a slightly more distant cousin.

*****
1974

Add braces and pimples and a skinny tie -- it's 8th grade all over again.

*****
1978

I smell Breck shampoo.

*****
1984

I smell prom.

*****
1986

Amy, is that you? Or is it me? I'm confused!
*****

1988

My MOM! (Her sweater was greenish. Remember?)

*****
1990

I had this hair, minus the side wisp. (And my friend had those glasses.)

See?? Actual 1990! (just oddly missing some curl on the side)

*****
1992

The long nails help me remember this is not my real senior picture.

*****
1998

If I could have gotten the left side of my own hair to swoop up as high as this, I probably would have.

*****
2000

This one stumps me. Long, straight hair? Off-the-shoulder top? Totally unfamiliar. (Except for that one Halloween...)

I sorta feel like I should go dig through boxes and scan in some more old photos to document the evidence behind my comments. But that just sounds like more work.

Instead, I'm just going to give you a link so you can go Yearbook Yourself, too. It's fun!

Back to School!!

(my mental image brought to life with magical assistance from cornify & picnik)

I think this one pretty much speaks for itself. (grin)

Star in Your Own Movie Clip: More Internet Fun!

Here's another fun internet find for your viewing pleasure: my husband as Curly in City Slickers.



The customizable clip was offered as one of the choices for Father's Day viral marketing fun from Oddcast. (Office Space, Back to School, The Terminator, Dodgeball, and Robocop are also available if you prefer.)

Go to mymoviemoment.com to try it yourself!

And here's a tip: The face dubbing works better on some clips than others, so if your first effort doesn't work well, try a different clip! For example, Old School is a really funny diving clip...but would work best for someone with blonde or gray hair since the face shots are fleeting and a bit distorted (which rendered my dark-haired husband completely unrecognizable.) Just keep trying.

Face in Hole = An Entire Afternoon Gone! (But Definitely Not Wasted.)

I love finding fun new internet sites -- especially ones that are creative, interactive, and FREE! And, boy, I stumbled across a great one yesterday!

FaceinHole.com is a site that allows you to insert your face into a variety of scenarios to create a hilarious new picture. There's no software to download, it's easy to use, and the results are great. The existing scenarios cover a fairly wide range -- animals, art, sports, pop culture, celebrities -- and the site says you can even create your own, though I haven't tried that feature yet.

I fooled around with this all day, adding my husband's face here and there and just basically cracking myself up.

Look at these!

Admittedly, some scenarios work better than others...

...but faceinhole is definitely going in my bag of tricks!

Now I just have to figure out a way to use all these photos... (cue evil laughter!)

It's My Birthday!

I'm 39 years old today.

I think the years are beginning to show.

Grow old along with me at Age-O-Matic...

...and send your results to jujyfruitmcgee@gmail.com.

I think that might make me feel better.

On This Episode of Jujley's Believe It Or Not!...Obama, My Mom, The Numbers 82 and 15.3, Balminess, Thievery, and The Lone Fox

Subtitle:

"Wednesday's Random Week in Review, Because Time & Space Have Little Meaning Around Here"
-OR-
"How Perfectly Normal Mid-Week Posts Sometimes Start Out Just Fine But Then Plummet Towards Bizarre"
-OR-
"Seriously, Jujy, Don't You Have a Load of Laundry You Should Be Doing or Something??"

Ok. Quick recap of Monday first.

My mom and uncle were among the lucky few who were able to score tickets to see President Obama at Monday's Town Hall Meeting, right close by in little ol' Elkhart, Indiana. This is Obama's first such appearance since his inauguration, and the fact that he came here, of all places, is an oddity in itself.

Why did Obama come here, to OurTown, USA? Because of this:

The Elkhart and Goshen area recorded the largest jump in December unemployment figures in the United States, according to data released this morning by the federal government.

Elkhart-Goshen had an unemployment rate of 15.3 percent in December 2008, up from 4.7 percent in December 2007.

Yep, that's right. I now live in the official Recession Capital of the Nation. Which is not funny.

But here's something that IS funny -- for some reason, Obama singled out my mom to come up on the stage and pose for photos!! And then, on Tuesday morning, one of those photos ended up on the front page of the newspaper!

See?
Ok, I totally made that part up. (With a little help from myinauguralphoto.com!)

But, seriously, she DID end up on the front page photo of one of the local on-line news articles with coverage about the visit. Well, sort of.

See?
The yellow arrow points to my actual uncle in the bottom corner of the photo. The blue arrow points to my virtual mom who was, in fact, directly beside him.

And the two of them were also spotted on the televised local news coverage of the event.

See?So now, not only is my mom on Facebook*, but she's also practically famous! Odd, eh?

OK, next oddity!

Here's another headline from Tuesday's news:
Less than a month ago, it was 80 degrees colder outside than it was on Tuesday, (-19 degrees on January 16, and 62 degrees February 10).

Do you see that? EIGHTY degrees warmer?! That's odd, I tell you! (Especially when you consider that it is still chilly enough out for jackets and sweatshirts and there are patches of snow still on the ground; I mean, we're not talking summer here, folks!)

Next oddity:
There was a red fox running around our neighborhood today. That's right, a single red fox! I saw it off and on for about an hour, and even followed it around the neighborhood at one point. I never had my camera with me when I saw it, unfortunately, but the story is true! True and odd!

photo source (since I didn't have my camera!)

And if all that was not enough to give you pause, how about THIS: I was just informed that as I was sitting here typing this -- right inside the front window of my house -- money was stolen out of the construction worker's vehicle parked in our driveway, less than 30 feet away! And I saw NOTHING!

...AND THEN, right after I learned about the mysterious thievery, the phone rang -- with a caller ID of 999-999-9999! -- and the Fraternal Order of Police asked me to make a donation!

Seriously, folks, I can't make this stuff up!** (I mean besides that one little picture, of course.)

What is going on here?

Was it the fox?! Mere coinkydink? Conspiracy?? Are we being targeted? Do The Others want revenge? Should Hurley change his lottery ticket to 15.3 - 80 - 30 - 999 - 999 - 9999 - 48?

Because that's an impressive list of oddities for a 48-hour period in one sleepy little town, isn't it?
Discuss!

And join us again for future episodes of Jujley's Believe It...Or Not!

*****

*Oh, hi, mom! Just kidding there! And can you still babysit tomorrow night? KThxBai!

** Well, actually, I could. Pretty easily. BUT I DIDN'T!

More Computer Fun: Kiderpillars!

Here's a fun little stop-motion movie we made over Christmas break while the cousins were all together. (And, no, that's not my house, but I will post photos soon to relieve your fears about that sad light gray paint.)



You don't need a fancy new laptop to make one of these, but it sure did make the process more fun. (and faster!)

Hand-Knit with Love

I've been having some crafty fun around here lately. (And I've put in some long hours over at Santa's Sweatshop Workshop! I can hardly wait to show you, but I promised the big guy that I'd keep my secrets secret just a bit longer. Check back AFTER Christmas to see those photos.)

If you are being gifted by me in real life, you know what all that means, don't you? This:

Now I readily admit that there have been a few things along the years that haven't quite turned out the way I imagined them. Many of those are still in a drawer somewhere -- or even, possibly, a landfill -- but I'd like to think that I've come up with some really good stuff along the way, too. Right? Right?? Ok, thank you!

Now, if you happen to have in your possession one of my more questionable crafts...well, I apologize.

(But please note that I'm only apologizing for the ones that I agree are a little bad. The ones that I think are great but that you actually really sort of hate? Those you must continue to appreciate. heh.)

That's the thing about crafting -- it's all so subjective; one person's trash is another person's treasure. My craft might be your craftastrophe. (thanks for the site link, Rachel) Yep, that's right -- there's an entire website out there based on Crafts Gone Bad; their tagline reads "because handmade isn't always pretty."

(Be forewarned, things get rather cringe-y over there at times and it's often NSFW* but there are some classically tragic wonders to behold, for sure.)

It's given me a new standard by which to judge my projects, though, which is this: Would This Craft Look at Home on Craftastrophe?

Or, alternatively, What Would Craftastrophe Do? (I think making yourself a WWCD bracelet to wear while crafting could be a very good idea...)

So, with these questions in mind (and with bracelet on wrist)**, I would like to offer previews of some sweaters I knitted last night, just to get some viewer feedback and make sure I'm on the right track...

This first one is for my husband -- a nice manly vest in black, with appropriately understated applique:

The next sweater was created specially for my sister-in-law (the youngest, liveliest, most energetic member of our family) in a jaunty shade of green with the very latest in holiday embellishments:

(I envision it with a star that flashes and bells that jingle when she moves her arms...)

Finally, here is one for my mom, a classy, refined woman with classy, refined taste:

So how did I do? (giggle) Do you have any suggestions for me? Any design elements you'd recommend?

If so, please pop on over to the sweater shop at weloveholidaysweaters.wehatesheep.com to design and "knit" your own custom sweater! It's great fun and only takes a minute, and then you can email your sweater to a friend with a custom message.

I want to see what you make, too! Send your knitted best to me at jujyfruitmcgee@gmail.com.

I am a crafty force to be reckoned with this year. Get your Gift Faces on, folks.

*******

*after seeing this phrase numerous times over the years, I FINALLY realized what it meant just yesterday: Not Suitable For Work. I had it somehow confounded by SWF (Single White Female) in my mind and interpreted it as a vague warning about the possibility of sleazy pop-ups or personal ads or spam if you click on the link... But now I'm in-the-know and can use it to make myself sound all hip and internetty! (And perhaps now you can, too!)

**(and with tongue in cheek!)

'Tis the Season

Brace yourselves, because I've finally done a couple of things:
1. Purchased a can of paint!
2. Shopped for Christmas presents!
3. Elfed myself!

Stay tuned for photos of the mystery paint color and also for Jujyfruit's Christmas Gift Guide (2008 edition), both coming soon.

The elf item (#3 on the list) is ready for your viewing pleasure below. Click & enjoy! (and then go try it out -- it's hard to stay all meh when watching your elf self!)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

These special e-cards are only available for a limited time, so hurry on over there and Elf Yourself today!

And Now for the Talent Portion of Our Show

The hubster and I decided to take a little break from all the work we've doing lately, and brush up on an old routine of ours...

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

(giggling) If you would like to try some fun dance routines of your own, take a look at jibjab.com in the "Starring You" section.

Enjoy!

Election Day Joy & Merriment

I woke up this morning and had to run immediately to the computer to read the headlines and make sure that Obama really did win last night. (I went to bed before it was all official.) And though I really don't like to talk politics, let me just state for the record that I'm thrilled (as you probably gleaned from various comments I've made on this blog).

But there are some other reasons I'm especially relieved that Obama won. Now that the Obama Presidency is secured, it feels safe enough to let you in on a few little behind-the-scenes secrets that have had me pretty worried these past weeks.

First of all, it seems that somehow MY NAME was being tossed around as a presidential option! And while I thank all you faceless internet supporters out there for your belief in me -- however misguided it may be -- it was CLEARLY a bad idea. Very, very bad! (I suppose there was some twisted logic in thinking a Blogger Mom was just as qualified as a Hockey Mom...)

Anyway, I am breathing a BIG OL' SIGH OF RELIEF today that the nomination never really got much farther than the local news, and I'm still free to sit around in my robe and sip coffee and blog this morning. (Shew! That was close!)

Local News Clip:


**Edited 11/6 -- If the video doesn't show up for you, you can watch it here.

Now, the second thing that had me worried was that I forgot to update my voter registration card after moving! I read all the fine print on the on-line voting information sites, and was fretting and stewing that I wouldn't be allowed to vote this year.

To make a long story short, I ended up going downtown to City Hall and voting early, just in case there was a problem. Everything went smoothly, and I was assured my vote counted. Thank goodness, because I was SO PARANOID that Obama would lose by a single vote...and it would be all my fault! My friend sent me a video from moveon.org depicting that exact situation. (Thanks, Lynne!)

I tried to go back to the website and personalize one with MY name on it, but the page is no longer available, so here it is hammering a poor ol' guy named Alan.)

**Edited 11/5 -- Shoot! The video actually says the non-voter's name is "undefined." Sorry about that -- looks like they've pulled the plug over there. I'm leaving it in anyway, just for history's sake.**

Just One Vote:


Here's to change! Can't you just feel it in the air?

Makeover Magic (Anybody Want To Go To the Prom?)

Today I bring you another entertaining website, this one courtesy of Mary Kay cosmetics.

Their website offers an online virtual makeover game tool where you can try out product colors and application techniques. I know this is probably very useful to someone who is trying to decide on a new look or color palette...but it also is very useful when one is trying to keep oneself entertained for the afternoon.

While they do limit the overall quantity of makeup a person is allowed to apply to one's virtual face, the program still provides plenty of personalization to paint a powerful picture (pun intended) of product possibilities and personal potential within the privacy of your own home 'puter room.

I know, that was a clumsy sentence, but wasn't it pretty?? See what a little creatively applied pink can do? It can hide your flaws!

Look what a little pink did for me:

Jujyfruit fresh out of bed

Jujyfruit ready for the day!

So, would anybody like to go to the prom with me? Go get yourself ready and send the image to jujyfruitmcgee@gmail.com.

Voki (Very Ventertaining Virtual Videos)

(Play the video to hear the beginning of this post; if you can't see it, let me know.)




So how do you make a Voki of your own? In a nutshell, this is what you do. First choose a basic character from the Voki library, pick a hair-do, tweak the facial characteristics, and adjust the hair/eye/skin colors to recreate the person you have in mind. Once the face starts to looks right, select clothes, accessories, and a background to add more detail. Then, as a final step, give your Voki something to say. The Voki site provides voices that will read your typed text...but you can also call in and record your very own voice, which is what I did for this clip. Your Voki can then be emailed to a friend (great snarky potential!) or embedded in a site to bring your virtual character to life.

Some faces work better than others, of course, especially if you are trying to make an actual person. I haven't found a really good match for myself yet. This one seems to be the best match so far, using Hilary Clinton as a base...but then I couldn't change the hairstyle to match mine. But I think you get the picture.

I'll show you a few other samples I've made, to get your creative Voki juices flowing.

Here's my husband as a Voki:


And here he is in the flesh:

"I agree -- it's really not that funny."

And here's our neighborhood VIP, Lucy:



The snarky potential is fun, too. Here's part of one I jokingly sent to a friend on Sunday morning:


(Now obviously, I was at home on the computer as well...heh, heh.) Anyhoo.

Get a Voki now!
Click on the link to go make a Voki of your own. I'm telling you, it's a hoot!