jolly snowmen

Next up is my entry way, and these jolly snowmen are the first thing you see when you enter my house. Some are ornaments... the large wooden one in the center was made for me years ago by my sister in law Dianne, and the majority of them are reproductions of snowmen Christmas decorations from years gone by (as are the bottle brush trees, which I love). I am hoping to add to this collection each year.

This large pear-shaped guy is by far my favorite. How can you look at him and not be happy? From the tip of his polka dot party hat, to his little tree and blue party coat with it's puff buttons, he just makes me smile :)

This more traditional snowman with his real twig broomstick and his humorous hat (held above him by a spring) stands proudly on a pedestal and looks at the world with his eyes and mouth made of - what else? - coal.

I adore this very old fashioned Mrs. and Mr. Snowman couple made out of pipe cleaners! Someone took a lot of time and care to add all the detail to them - their hats and bows and glitter, their little coal button eyes & mouths and her buttons, their scarves, foliage, and his candy cane and her pearl. So darling, I just love them :)

This view is kind of from an odd angle, but I wanted you to see all my sweet snow flakes hanging on the ceiling!

My "MOD" version of a Christmas tree: most of my coffee table books stacked with a poinsettia plant at the top! The Apartment Therapy blog would be oh so proud ;) Just please forgive my awful cement floor - aargh......... 

I loved how this photo turned out, so I'm going to close with it for today. I hope you are all taking time to ENJOY your holiday preparations and the season itself. More of my pics coming soon - and some other fun things too :)

Christmas Porch 2009

It's that time! So welcome! My Christmas porch is different this year. I thought about it a lot over the course of last year. I was ready to let cutesy go. I love fun, and colorful, and unique, but I'm not big on cutesy. I wanted things to be more understated this year - more natural but still festive, welcoming, spiritual, simple. Next time I would add a bit more from eye level and up. It could use a little more color and brightness. But all in all, I'm really pleased about how it turned out, and it makes me smile every time I come to the door :) I hope you enjoy it too! 

Up next is my entry way, where happy little snowman will greet you - and a few other festive vignettes bringing cheer to the holidays around here too - so be sure to stay tuned for that! In the meantime, drink some cocoa!

Sandpoint Snow

This is one of my favorite photos. The first time it snowed up in Sandpoint Idaho, way up at the top of the Idaho panhandle by Canada, where we lived on top of a mountain, John and I reacted as if we were kids. It had been cold and raining, the boys were all at school, and we were in different part of the house. We must have looked out the windows at the same time though, and realized the rain had suddenly turned to snow. I hardly believed my eyes at first. I still remember the smile of wonder on my face. We instantly pulled on sweatshirts and ran outside to greet the falling powder. It was a magical moment I'll never forget.

I'll be back ASAP - my hard drive crashed and it's given me much distress! But I have lots to share - stay tuned!

first night

Hi my dears. Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah! Being that the hard drive to my beloved laptop literally went KABLOOEY early this morning, I have been distraught all day trying to figure out how I was going to create this post. I stole my son's laptop for a time this afternoon, and am finally borrowing my husband's laptop tonight. OY

I am not Jewish myself, but all my life I have had many friends of the Jewish faith. What a fascinating religion. I also spent 6 months studying in Israel when I was in college, so the people and the land have a soft spot in my heart. When my children were young, I made a menorah out of wood, and carved Hebrew characters in it using my dremel tool. Every few years we would celebrate Hanukkah along with Christmas because it was important to me to teach my children to know about and respect the beliefs of others. I love the origin of Hanukkah - it is a beautiful miracle indeed - and I have fond memories of celebrating those times.

So happy first eve of Hanukkah! I found the above menorah a few days ago on - where else? - Apartment Therapy. I absolutely loved it! They had a post on eco-friendly menorahs and this one made out of galvanized pipe was so creative I couldn't take my eyes off of it!  

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel. How I adore this story! In fact, my entire family adores this story - so much so that we have read it year round for countless years. Even tonight when I pulled it out, my 18 year old quickly grabbed it away from me as soon as he saw it. A delightfully playful story about brave Hershel who helps a little town celebrate Hanukkah again by outwitting the greedy, creepy, and downright scary goblins that have been tormenting the town for years. The story is wonderful, but the illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman are so creatively and beautifully drawn, they bring every page to life. A story you will never tire of!

So happy first night of Hanukkah my friends - I wish you all a lovely celebration :)

Special times xoxo

buttah

I know all of us think our dog/s are the most adorable dogs on earth - and they are. You all know how the sun rises and sets around my 2 dogs Luna and Angel. But sorry folks - this sweet baby HAS to be the most precious baby on the face of the earth. Such a random post, I know... I have resisted posting this pic sooo many times. It floats around the internet now and then, and every time I see it my bones disintegrate and the rest of me just melts into a pool of buttah. I received it again from my friend Tami last night, and it never ceases to reduce me to an overdose of cuteness. So take a few minutes to smile at God's precious little creature, and have a great day :)

bare

Pathetic, I know. Please don't call social services. There are Hot Pockets and waffles in the freezer, I promise. We even had a few protein bars left. But when I opened the fridge yesterday morning and finally focused on how COMPLETELY EMPTY it was ("would anyone like some A-1 on their yogurt? or perhaps some ketchup on their cream cheese?").... I really truly was slightly mortified that I could let my fridge reach this state! Are you even kidding me!?! Have I really been so blindsided working on projects and Christmas that I didn't see this coming?!? Were all those activities really more important than making sure my family has FOOD!?! Um...


All right, I admit it. I hate going to the grocery store. I hate it. I really do wait as long as possible to go, unless I am out of diet Coke and/or Ruffles. Actually, that's not true - I'll send my kids or my husband on a DC/Ruffles run, and they know they must go or face my wrath. But the store... the same things over and over again, year after year. Blahhhhhhhhh. Especially for those of us who are cursed with the I HATE COOKING curse. And it really IS a curse I might add. I would give ANYTHING to love to cook! ANYTHING! To have a family of boys and to hate cooking is a guilt-producing irony fest. Every single day! UGH. I can't even go there right now.


So YES, both John and I went to the grocery store yesterday. Even though it was pouring rain. And YES, our fridge is stocked with something besides condiments. And YES, our family once again has real food to eat. In fact, I'm fixing taco salad for dinner tonight - AND MY TACO SALAD IS REALLY GOOD - so please don't judge me too harshly. Oy - I need a diet Coke :)  

friends are the family you choose

Oh people... I would be remiss if I didn't shout out a very heartfelt thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to my dear friends who made me feel so special on my birthday. You know the saying "friends are the family you choose for yourself"... well, that's how I feel. Not a day goes by when I don't pause to give thanks for such precious friends.

Since we were crammed into Davy's truck driving across the desert on my birthday (not really the kind of birthday activity you look forward to) my friends really brought a smile to my face when I reached home. There were gifts at my door, gifts snuck into the house, cards everywhere, something like 60 Facebook wishes, e-mails, blog comments, messages on our answering machine... you name it. Even Davy's girlfriend and best friend Val & Liam had decorated the white board with a sweet message :) And it didn't stop there. Gorgeous, yummy bundt cakes, delectable pumpkin bread, candy, cocoa, several friends chose awesome ceramics that are so ME it was just uncanny... and the sweetest sentiments in cards you could imagine. You friends... you have blessed my life so much. I just want you to know that, and to know how much I love and appreciate you  ❤

Thanksgiving weekend...

a beautiful sunset at the LDS Temple - getting ready for the lighting ceremony

the Christmas lights were so pretty and it was a crisp evening!

wow - normal faces! (confession: attempt #2)

now there is a nice looking family :)

much of the weekend was devoted to playing "Ninja"

any game where you can slap each other silly is very popular with boys

"Hey I know! Let's get Kaylee to play with us!" Poor Kaylee...

"Don't think I trust you guys for one second..."

LEFTOVERS! YUM!

I really gave birth to this? Really? Seriously? Oy Vey...

Here is Kaylee in action as the head life guard at the pool where she works when she's in town

Awww - is she just too cute or WHAT!!!

Yeah baby - lifeguard power!

movie time!

Uncle Fred fixin' up one of his huge Sunday breakfasts

Aunt Dianne & I did our share too! I made all the pancakes and forced my family to come witness it ;)

Happy birthday to ME! 

NO I DID NOT TURN 50!!! THAT WAS A SICK JOKE FROM DIANNE!!!

She's just jealous because I have years to go before I turn 50!

But I loved my cake and it was an awesome birthday :) 

"To everything - turn, turn, turn - there is a season - turn, turn, turn -

and a time for every purpose under heaven..."

wearing my groovy flower child birthday flowers :)

that's right - peace baby, and happy birthday :)

all this birthday action plum tuckered out Snickers - hee hee

late one night we found John & Fred at the piano singing Christmas carols - how cute was that!?!?

it's just a mystery how these brothers look nothing alike......

I sure love you Dianne - thanks for such an awesome weekend xoxoxo

Thanksgiving!

I can't believe it's taken me this long to post our Thanksgiving photos! I'm going to blog like a maniac for a few days so I can get Thanksgiving weekend and all our fun posted, and move on to the holiday season at hand! 

We drove to southern Utah where John's brother and his family now live. Our oldest son Danny and our niece Kaylee drove down from where they are going to universities in northern Utah so we could all be together. It's our favorite time when all of us can be together :) Look at the gorgeous table Kaylee set for Thanksgiving! 

Complete with individually hand-dipped candy apples! Yum!

Oh my gosh, just look at my adorable niece Kaylee! I love this precious girl!

Oh look... one of the mentally disabled Walker boys has appeared... poor Kaylee...

This is what happens when the 3 of my boys get together. I gave up on trying to get a normal photo of them.

We did happen to get a few good photos of all of us smiling at the camera instead of rolling eyeballs/holding a brother in a headlock/blowing out candles/drooling/breaking something/etc. Sitting next to Kaylee is my terrific nephew Sam, and on the far right are my wonderful sister in law Dianne and brother in law Fred. They made our Thanksgiving awesome and we are so grateful for them :) They always go out of their way to make things great.

tree crash

Perhaps you are wondering why there is a very large eucalyptus tree lying horizontally across my backyard. I should be posting Thanksgiving weekend photos and the beginnings of Christmas at this point. Well, those pics are all on their way. But I have to back up for this one extra post of thanks.

Some of my Facebook buddies already know this story, but I feel it's worth repeating. Please note the huge mass of branches right next to the trampoline. That's where my dog Luna and I were standing seconds before a gust of wind came and the limb came crashing down. It had fallen earlier, half into a smaller tree outside our bedroom window and half onto the roof on top of our bedroom. As Luna and I stood outside assessing the damage, and I was wondering what to do, it entered my mind as plain as day: GET AWAY

I quickly thought of course! It would only take another gust of wind and that whole thing could come down! I said out loud "Come on Luna - I don't want you to get hurt" and snapped my fingers so she would quickly follow me inside. The second - the very SECOND - we stepped off the grass away from the trampoline, a big gust of wind came and I heard a crashing sound. The entire limb with all it's branches, rolled off the roof and out of the tree and came slamming down right in front of us. In the exact place where we had been standing seconds before. 

Above is the poor smaller tree the huge eucalyptus limb originally fell onto... You can see where it just couldn't hold it's weight any longer and two of it's largest limbs were broken off as well. 

And of course, here's Matthew my lumberjack, who went to work on it within a few minutes after he got home from school and saw what had taken place.


All I can say is, those people who say there is no God? Who say that little voice inside is a bunch of hooey? Who say that close mishaps like this are just a coincidence? Who insist guardian angels are a sham? All those jaded people who say believing in something is just a crutch for the weak? I say to you... MULE MUFFINS.

December 1st!

Can you even believe it? Wow, December 1st! And I'm barely making it at that - it's almost over! I've been playing catch-up the entire day and the day really got away from me. But I was determined to wish you all a happy December 1st, as I myself am always so excited for the holidays to officially arrive :)  

My birthday was yesterday - I can't believe I missed posting on my birthday! I still get as excited about it as if I were a kid :) But we were on the road all day returning from our Thanksgiving trip to see family and our oldest son. Not the greatest way to spend a birthday - driving through the seemingly endless butt ugly desert of Nevada, the 4 of us crammed in the cab of my son's truck... but we DID have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and birthday celebration before we departed. I sincerely hope all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving as well! And you know I will post on our fun excursion ASAP! 

But in the meantime, is this not the COOLEST Christmas tree??? I've been trying to catch up on Apartment Therapy's main blog all day today, between loads of laundry and whatnot, and I smiled mighty large indeed when AT San Fransisco blogger Molly Anderson reposted this tree from last year. I remembered it instantly because it had completely knocked my socks off! How fun to revisit it again - it was like seeing an old friend :) The original post came from Dutch artist Jane Schouten of All the Luck in the World. 

So innovative, how she used all these tiny found objects and little keepsakes to turn into something so amazing! It's so fun to look at all the tiny details she used - the majority of these colorful objects have little to do with the holidays, and yet together they all end up making a crisp, modern, colorful tree on her bright white wall - so striking! As always, there is beauty in the details - it's the little things people!!! 

Anyway, happy December 1st! My motor is officially running! Heh ;) 

givin de tanks

I'm sitting in the lobby of the local community swimming pool in southern Utah where my niece is lifeguarding. They happen to have wifi so I can finally connect with the rest of the world. Yay! So happy Thanksgiving, two days late! We have been having a wonderful time with family, and I hope all of your Thanksgiving celebrations, wherever they were and whatever you did, was just as great. It has been awesome to have my 3 boys together with the rest of our family members for these few special days. Except this morning when I was abruptly woken up at the bottom of their hairy, stinky dog pile. Still, I have much to be thankful for. Just a few of the obvious:

• sunshine
• color
• family
• Christ
• friends
• flowers
• pets
• favorite smells
• my country
• music
• diet coke & ruffles :)
• design
• talents
• antiques
• projects
• service
• quilts
• faith
• all the little things I love so much... that really aren't little things❤

mirror, mirror

Remember the LOOK mirror in my entry way? It has undergone a few transformations already. Alas, it has just recently completed a huge metamorphosis! Look how wonderful the new version turned out! Using all black and white scrap book paper, and large plastic buttons, it sets a completely different tone - yet still remains interesting and unique and fun. I LOVE IT!

It wasn't hard to get all the candy wrappers and the rope off, but as you can see, I had some sanding to do to get the Mod Podge residue off, and try to make a smooth surface once again. 

I used my electric sander to get through the layers of Mod Podge, but it was rough on other areas. And little did I know I was a bit too careless with it - I actually sanded some of the mirror itself, which of course made some marks that will always show :( AARGH! This mirror has been through a lot, so some of the lumps and bumps refused to give in. After wiping it all down, I ended up spray painting the frame white once again, to make it as uniform as possible before starting the main part of my project. 

I am not usually much of a black & white person where decor is concerned, so this is a departure for me. Everyone knows I adore color, color, and more color :) But I also know that black and white rests the eye and gives it a place to focus, especially when using a lot of color. So I thought a black & white entry way might be a good effect in a home, particularly before introducing visitors to a lot of color.

I ended up choosing 6 or 7 different black and white patterns of scrap book paper that I liked, which was more than enough to cover the large frame. I wanted more than just a flat surface though, so this time I chose buttons as my textural element. That worked well because some of my papers resembled fabric, like houndstooth and damask. I wanted to keep it simple but I tend to like large accents, so I lucked out finding a package of black & white buttons, some of which were actually quite large. 

I basically cut the paper into a patchwork type pattern using my paper cutter. There was really no planning, other than making sure all the paper was equally divided and had a good balance. Similar to when I made this TRAY. I glued them to the frame with Mod Podge of course, and then coated the entire frame with Mod Podge when all of them were in place.  

I hot glued the buttons on, alternating black & white, large & small, where the edges and corners of the papers met.

I AM VERY HAPPY WITH HOW IT TURNED OUT! 

many thanks to ?

So as this week of gratitude begins, I will start off with many thanks to whoever sent me a mystery gift of some lovely stationary! It came from Segullah Press in Provo, Utah, and it looks as though they used vistaprint.com to have the stationary printed(?). But they did list the artist who painted the actual paintings - her copyright is on the back: Leslie M. W. Graff, and I found her website HERE! Her artwork is simply wonderful! 

Whoever sent this stationary with Leslie's artwork must have known it would really resonate with me... it's colorful and vibrant, it uses nature as a base, it includes geometric shapes, it's stationary of course... and did I mention it's full of gorgeous, saturated color!?! :) I do really love it - I just wish I could thank whoever sent it in person. So whoever you are, thank you! And let's all start this week out being grateful for something every single day. 

*Epilogue: my dear friend Joan 'fessed up :) Thank you my friend! I LOVE YOU ❤JOAN❤  

Be of Good Cheer

Cherry toes are Cheerful toes! Happy Friday and have a great weekend! :)

it's a wonder I'm semi-normal

So lately we've been watching some fun movies such as "Monsters Inc." and "Monsters vs. Aliens". I had never seen "Monsters vs. Aliens" and especially liked the character "Bob", the blue gel-like monster that reminded me a lot of Patrick Starfish of Sponge Bob Square Pants fame :) And "Monsters Inc." is a favorite of mine ("Kitty!") even though I had only seen it a few times. What a stupendous concept for a movie. I mean seriously, whoever thought up that whole concept was a complete genius. But enjoying the vast variety of monsters the artists created for that movie got me thinking.........

When I was really little I had a monster. The one you see here. It may look cute to you because it's pink and fluffy, but you have to believe me when I say it was NOT cute. It was terrifying! All it consisted of was a large head about the size of a basketball, with flat, floppy feet coming out of the bottom. Just a head. Of fur and eyeballs. I admit my drawing is kind of lame. It's a fair likeness except it's not terrifying enough and I think it's eyes were actually bigger. And yes, they were really bloodshot like that! AND they weren't flat - they were huge plastic orb-like eyes the size of tennis balls! 

My monster sat on a shelf next to other stuffed animals up high in my room across from my bed. I was literally only 4 or 5. Yeah. Where this thing came from I have no idea, but somehow my grandmother pops into my head. So perhaps she had something to do with it. I'm thinking she did. Which would make sense. And that's all I'll say about that. I never thought about my monster too much during the day. But night time was a different story. As it always is when you're a kid. It would sit up there and stare at me with those EYES. With those stupid bloodshot menacing eyes. And I would lay awake half the night to make sure it was still sitting up there on the shelf. 


Now my kids of course, upon hearing this story, immediately asked me why I never said anything to my mom about it! And you know, all I could think of was the SKA (standard kid answer): I don't know.

The End 

coziness continued

Okay, okay - I just couldn't help it. I got carried away by all the cozy goodness of my last post and my mind started spinning, and my fingers started searching, and you know what happens after that. But come on - how cute is this little hand knit mug cozy!? It's from Wayside Violet's Shop on Etsy of course. And it's seriously so adorable I think I could keep drinking from it all the day long.
I was looking for regular hand knit scarves - really I was - but you guys know how I love things that are different from the norm. When I came across this leafy button scarf from Bright Light's Shop I was totally entranced! (I refuse to use the term 'smitten' because it's the new overused buzzword and I hate it) And she has other really unique creations too!
Those of you who know me all-too-well know that my life revolves around my dogs :) So I couldn't resist throwing something cozy in for our little furry friends. Here we have a softer-than-soft pet nest blankie made of minky material from Your Lovey Boutique. Cat or dog, if your baby loves to burrow and be oh-so-cozy, this is oh-so-adorable :)
Now, I'm trying really, REEEELY hard not to play favorites here people, but seriously... are these lidded mugs not the MOST DARLING THINGS YOU'VE EVER SEEN!?!?! Sheesh, I nearly had a come-apart when I laid eyes on them. They're hand made from Karen Goldberg 1's Shop, which is a must-see because her pottery is simply FABU!!!
Oooooooh, so soft, so cozy, so lovely anywhere in your house! What is more comforting than chenille!? This 16x16 pillow cover is in my personal "favorites" list. It comes from Vintage Home's Shop and it's just simply dreamy. Take a peek - she's gearing up for the holidays too!
And last but certainly not least (especially for those of us who can't seem to get enough of felt - and I mean real felt, not the stupid fabric store felt), here is a simple die cut wool felt coaster set from Filz Felt's Shop. So very understated, so very useful, so very cool.

So happy Monday and have another cozy day!

Etsy apparatus

So all this talk about straws, and diet Coke, and cold drinks, and even the thought of warm drinks coming up right around the corner for the holidays... got me thinking. Because sometimes I actually do that. Think about hand made things that I can attach to my *brrr* cold vintage Coke glass that freezes my hands. Or my nice, warm cup of cocoa, to keep it's contents warm. Ahhh. And that means I turn to Etsy, of course :)

So here is a teeny tiny smattering - just the very most tip of the iceberg, if you will - of offerings I found waiting there. And I was only looking for hand-knit! There was a literal plethora of all kinds of hand made holders in all kinds of fabrics and patterns just waiting for your cups!

Awww, just look at the little guy above :) Love him! A hand-knit, pea green CUP HOLDER that can keep it's collar as is, or flip it up for a taller cup! Dual purpose! Cool! I mean warm!
Okay, and how adorable is this one! This seller calls her holders "CUP CUDDLERS" and I love how this one is multi-colored. And you all know how much I go for color, color, color!
And I had to add this little PINK one because it was too cute :) This seller even makes knit holders for apples & packs of gum! Which just cracked me up!

Now......... all this hand-knit goodness got me thinking of even MORE hand-knit goodness and hand-WARMING goodness, so I continued my search even further. Being the computer keyboard typing genius that I am (just go with it) I need my fingers at all times of the day and night. But my hands are usually cold. So I've always kind of wanted some of those neato-bandito fingerless gloves. Which, I've learned, are also called hand-warmers, wrist-warmers, and a variation of other glove/mitten/fingerless/warming descriptions. Look at some of the cool ones I found below - again, just a very small example of the amazing offerings out there!

These beautiful aqua fingerless gloves are from seller NEW MOON who came up with her own pattern to make this lovely style. I think they're very chic - perhaps not as warm as some of the others, but I still loved them at first sight.

This paprika color is FAB and these hand warmers are called "SCROOGIES"! How cute! This seller though, not only has her "Scroogies" line, but a vast array of all kinds of other types and styles of gloves as well - patterned, etc. One of the largest selections I've seen! Wonderful!
Look at THESE! With vintage buttons even! I thought these were simply stunning! This seller had several lovely pairs with variations of this style - I would definitely love a pair of these :)

I hope you enjoyed my little foray into All Things Cozy today! They were all surprisingly affordable and fun to browse - check them out! :)

it takes a thief

~ Wendy's ~

"Hi. I'm Megan, and I steal straws."

You all know I'm a diet Coke fiend, and a vast majority of you know I have specific straw requirements with which to enjoy said diet Coke. In fact, I once went so far as to make a poster titled 'the Laws of Straws' with examples and definitions of different kinds of straws - both the best of the best, and the banes of my existence. And if I can ever figure out the right way to photograph the infernal thing, I will get it on here. Believe me, I've tried. But I digress.

~ local Shell station ~

Suffice it to say, I am of the camp that loves a wide, thick, hearty straw for maximum sipping pleasure. Or in other words, to get as much diet Coke into my veins as quickly as possible. I am not of the camp - and you know who you are - that likes a thin, tiny straw, with which to take a thin, tiny sip of miniscule proportion to savor. Or the side sippers who hold their straw in the side of their mouth. Luckily for you, I won't mention any names of people from these strange, various camps. Katie Larsen. Bob French.

~ McDonald's (the straw gold standard) ~

Alas, my love for diet Coke and straws has gone deep enough to delve into the dark side I'm afraid. It all began quite innocently when years ago McDonald's had a summer deal - something like a 64oz. drink for .75 cents or some miraculous price like that. Needless to say, I frequented that drive-thru. And began to love their straws. I also realized I was not the only one that loved their diet Coke or their straws. Hence, my affection for perfect straws was born, and I have been on the hunt ever since.

~ 7-11 ~

So when I find a straw I like... I grab a handful. Sometimes a small, polite handful depending on what kind of territory I'm in. Sometimes a huge handful depending on how sassy I feel at the moment or how desperate I am for straws. When the supply at home starts running low, I start cruising with ill intent. And of course I've convinced myself that this is just fine. That I've spent so much money on their diet Cokes over the years that a handful of straws is like my little thank you for keeping them in business. Yeah.

But I do feel much better for having confessed. I am a straw stealer. I hope you can live with that.

snowflake quilt & freaky Santa

This past weekend, the local antiques mall had their annual fall sale, and I scored 2 items I totally love. One of them obviously requires a bit of explanation. So please don't hide in a closet or run away just yet. Hang tight for a bit...
The first item is this adorable snowflake cross stitch quilt. I've never purchased a cross stitch quilt, but this one was stitched impeccably, and the main body of the quilt was hand quilted as well. I loved the snowflake design, and blue & white is a popular combination so it's often hard to find. Add to that the fact that there were no stains or holes, it was in excellent condition, and it was on sale for less than $75 and I did the happy dance right then and there! I am so excited to have it to add to my collection! I can't wait to wrap myself in it and drink some hot cocoa :)
Now, I'm aware that this little Santa is a bit freaky looking. He scares my kids. But to me, he brings back everything that was happy about Christmas growing up. My family had one exactly like him, only about twice his size. I've never seen another one like ours, so I was absolutely flabbergasted when I caught this one looking at me through a display case. I had asked my mother for ours many years ago when my boys were little, and she had said no... and for years now, all our family Christmas things lay crushed and forgotten somewhere in her garage. I have no idea what condition that old Santa would be in if I ever did find him. So to be able to purchase this little Santa was like purchasing a portion of my childhood that I have missed for a very long time. See? Neat story = not so freaky :)

actually hip

~ Julian Casablancas ~

So last Thursday on the Apartment Therapy blog, New York contributer Annie Werbler wrote a great little blurb about Julian Casablancas coming out with his first solo album entitled Phrazes for the Young. She actually wrote it somewhat apologetically, being that AT is basically a design blog... but she adores Julian Casablancas so much she just couldn't help herself. I admire such passion. And I'm always on the lookout for new music to reach down into the depths of my tie dye world and pull me up into the present. And his photo alone was enough to intrigue me. So I gave Phrazes for the Young a listen. I was instantly surprised. And instantly pleased.

Julian is the lead singer of the Strokes - a band I don't care for so very much - but he definitely has his own thing going for him with his solo music. I'm not much of a music critic - in fact, I'm lousy - but Julian's voice has depth and meaning, his songs are all diverse styles of genres, each with it's own very catchy edge, and his instrumentation is complex but never too much so that it overshadows the simplicity of his voice or the fun in his songs. There. That's about the best I can do. Luckily for you, I have a link where you can stream the whole album ---------> RIGHT HERE. Then you can hear it for yourself and hopefully enjoy it too. And purchase it. And enjoy it more.

This Is It

A few nights ago we went and saw "Michael Jackson's This Is It" - the behind the scenes footage of what would have been his upcoming return to the stage and 50 sold out concerts in London. And just from the practice footage that we were able to see, what a concert it would have been! Epic performances - the kind that history is made of. But as we all know, Michael tragically died at age 50, just 8 days before those historic concerts were to begin. And so, the reason for the film - to give his family and friends and fans a magical glimpse of who he is, and what would have been.

I felt that the movie was very well done. They didn't make it pathetic or sad. No one was trying to manipulate my emotions, or make more or less of anything. It was what it was - intense practice sessions edited together, mistakes and all. There was a lot of hard work going on among this incredible team of professionals, and some great moments of laughter, love, and prayer. And the highlight of course was Michael. His unbelievable quest for perfection regarding his music and every detail. His astonishing talent with dancing and the way his body moves like he is almost otherworldly. But we've always known that a lot of Michael was otherworldly.

My eyes welled up as soon as the film began. I grew up listening to the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson, I was always enamored by his amazing talent, saddened by his odd life, and heartbroken when he passed away on the brink of something that could have been so great for him and for the world. Such a loss of a tender-hearted, mixed-up, talented musical genius. So watching "This Is It", I enjoyed very much, seeing him interact with his singers and dancers and directors. What did shock me was how thin he was - did no one see this? He wasn't his usual tall, skinny self. He was literally skin and bones - skeletal. His hands and his head actually looked out of proportion to his body. That was frightening to see. His warm smile was genuine however, and he is always such a mixture of little boy, and perfectionist musician, and fierce performer. It's simply incredible to watch. I loved the arrangements of all the songs of course, and his new song about saving the world and loving each other. What I probably loved most was seeing him on stage at age 50, dancing as if he were ageless. That dancing groove ran through every fiber of his body. His dancers were the cream of the crop and probably 30 years younger than him, but he was still out there grooving and moving and showing them what to do. That was awesome. He was still the Dancing Machine. It will be a great way to remember him.

Halloween

A report on the Walker Family Halloween :) First off, above is an *adorable* chocolate bar with a handmade wrapper that my friend Rochelle made. You may recognize Rochelle's name because she's had her cute things make their way onto my blog several times in the past!
Matthew's junior high was allowed to dress up, so of course he layered himself in just about every piece of official army issue gear he owns! Which happens to be quite a lot!
I used to have mixed feelings about Matthew's strong penchant toward the armed forces. And that's putting it mildly. And putting it in words I can use on a family-friendly site. How a peace-loving, tie dyed, anti-war mother such as I, gave birth to a son who eats, sleeps and breathes military, and thinks nothing of fighting in the infantry on the front lines... I have absolutely no clue whatsoever.
But as you can see, Matthew is anything but cavalier about it. He takes it very seriously. Where I thought perhaps it would fade over the years, his interest in all things military has only increased. You have to have respect for that kind of dedication. And of course any mother would be proud her child wants to serve their country. So it still frightens me - a lot - but I have laid off. Matthew is who he is - and I love the person he is.

There's the smile that lights up my world :)

And how nice of him to demonstrate his camouflage skills.

Ah, here we have Davy and his girlfriend Val - who made the best Wonder Woman EVER! Plus... check out her AWESOME boots! YEAH! And Davy is Nick 13, the lead singer for the Band Tiger Army. I know. It's okay if you don't get it. But he did look spot on amazing.

Are they just too cute or WHAT!

OH! And how *adorable* is this photo!

Liammmmmmm!!! Liam came to join them in his totally brilliant costume - that he made himself - portraying Brandon Flowers from the Killers (more commonly known as B-Flo) as the Spaceman. Liam, you totally rock!!!
So first they went to trick-or-treat in Beverly Hills, which they said was a lot of fun.
And then they went to Hollywood to experience all the Halloween... festivities? oddities? freaks? fun? Yeah, I think some of all of that... and everything in between. The boys said Val got a lot of attention as Wonder Woman. Hmmm... YA THINK???

As my CA boys were having fun here, my college boy Daniel was up in Utah playing the role of Severus Snape (of Harry Potter fame) in a large cast of Hogwarts characters HERE!

I hope everyone had a terrific Halloween! My dogs took off with my burrito and massacred it. I'm still traumatized.

Fall Porch

DONE! I'm very happy with how my white pumpkins turned out - both the 2 big fakies and the small real one. And I think I'm liking how my little porch turned out. So come take a tour!
This year I added a few of my antique doll cradles among other things, and I like how they look. I put all the Halloween decor out front and kept the porch "Fall" so it can remain up through November. It looks just a tad sparse (?)... perhaps I need to add a trade blanket or a quilt... or perhaps I need to leave well enough alone :) Truth be told, I would love to do the whole porch in white & black pumpkins with big white candles - wouldn't that be spectacular!!!
Okay, back to reality - LOL :) I approached drawing on each white pumpkin a little differently. The large stars came from a stencil I had made for some terra cotta pots. I used a thin black Sharpie to outline the design onto the pumpkin (making sure it was straight!), and then used a larger black Sharpie to fill in the stars.
This little wreath is really nothing special, but it had lots of color and interest from all kinds of different cones, pods, berries, leaves, etc, and it was very cheerful.
I actually taped off and spray painted a few small orange pumpkins with white spray paint! See the "W" pumpkin? Well, it was lots of fun but you will definitely not be seeing any close-ups! LOL!
As shown in my sneak peek, the other large pumpkin was done by free-handing large numbers in pencil, then I filled the numbers in with different sizes of black Sharpies. That fakie pumpkin material, by the way, was very easy & fun to work with - FYI.
The small pumpkin with all the dots I just drew free-handed with the Sharpies - no pencil required!
Thanks for taking the tour! Hope you liked it! Happy Friday, Happy Halloween, Happy Weekend, and Happy Fall!

sneak peek!

So this year I decided to decorate my front porch with something a just little different than the norm for Halloween and fall decor. I really like white pumpkins but I've never used them before. They're such a blank canvas - I don't know why I've never had some fun with them!
Well I'm sure having some fun now! I bought one real pumpkin - the cute, little one - and two fakies on clearance, figuring it will be fun to use them again next year. I had some ideas of what I could do to embellish them, so without further ado, here is your little sneak peek:
Tee hee! That's all you get to see right now... but the whole porch should be done tomorrow and you'll be the first to see how everything turned out! I'm very excited to put it all together. So don't touch that dial - c'mon back! Same bat time - same bat channel!

I know, I know... I couldn't resist my white Luna posing with the white pumpkins :)

Halloween Dreams

An adorable stop-motion Halloween video from talented Collin Mapp. I watched Collin grow up from the time he was a little boy - he is now 30 and living in New York. Time flies! Enjoy his darling video! *credit and thanks to my friend Lisa for posting this on Facebook :)

*Decorated WHITE PUMPKINS are coming soon! Stay tuned!*

Abracadabra Soap Co.

This is going to be the * SQUEakiEst * CleaNESt * blog post I've ever had the pleasure to write! My creative and talented friend Dana recently started Abracadabra Soap Company, featuring her very own gorgeous, chunky, yummalicious, handmade soap! Oh, the lather... oh, the softness... oh, the aromatherapy every single time you use her soap! Divine!

Take the lovely, swirly example above ~ Persephone ~ "a paradoxical blend of juicy pomegranates, creamy coconut, Mysore sandalwood, with green notes of Eucalyptus, Thyme, Ginger, and Peppermint". Are you even kidding me!?!

My own education in All Things Dana's Soap started with one bar each of Kolohe (bananas! coconuts! mangoes!), and 2 of her Limited Halloween Editions - Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble (tobacco, pepper, vanilla, pears, sandalwood!), and Black Cat (star anise oil, cherry, almonds!). LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Hook, line, and sinker. I am now patiently waiting for more Dandelion Crown and Vanilla Bean......... did you hear that Dana!?!?!

But wait - there's more! Below is just a small sampling of Abracadabra's offerings:

~ Strawberry EUREKA! ~

"A whirlwind splash of strawberries, mandarins, limes, lemon pie, raspberries, grapes, and ooey gooey sticky caramel. This is just a wisp of Lily of the Valley and a dry woodsy essence"

~ Blue Betty ~

"Blueberry Biscotti drenched in blueberry syrup with hints of vanilla, custard, and cream cheese frosting. Underneath the sweetness is a base of earthy pumpkin, closes and cinnamon"

This is Dana! Isn't she beautiful? I adore this girl :)

CUTEST. FAMILY. EVER.

Just a little bit more about Dana and Abracadabra Soap Company. First of all, Dana puts her heart and soul into everything she does. Knowing handmade soap was the best of the best, she decided to make it herself so her family and others could enjoy quality products at reasonable prices. Being the creative force she is, she enjoys coming up with new blends of scents and textures. Dana uses only the finest ingredients and they are all listed right on her site. Her substantial bars weigh 5-6oz and cost a mere $6. Luxury that lasts and lasts for $6! Amazing.

Dana's following is starting to show by how quickly her bars sell out! But not to worry - she is always making more of her more popular soaps, and is constantly creating fun new ones as well. Check out her "Waiting in the Wings" section, where future soaps are on the curing racks and new ideas are launched. And she encourages plenty of feedback so she knows your faves (and your wishes). You can also follow her blog and join her Facebook Group as well! She's got you covered!

~ Spook! ~ (limited Halloween edition - 1 bar left!)

"a spoooooky concoction of Rhubarb, Block Pepper, and a majestic mix of Frankincense and Myyrrh"

~ Mermaid Melody ~

"a harmonious combination of tart limes, dainty verbena, and yummy coconut. There is a dab of vanilla to soften the tartness while some mermaid bubbles give it a lovely effervescence"

~ Desert Spirit ~

"captures earthiness in every way - it contains notes of Madagascar vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, and chili. It is rounded out with warm amber, earthy patchouli and cedarwood"

I love this photo of Dana - such a sassy, hip girl!

So listen peeps! Skidaddle on over to Abracadabra Soap Company and check out all the scentiferous creations waiting for you over there! Order a bunch of bars for yourselves and some to give as gifts for the upcoming holidays! You will be oh so happy you did!

Remember: Cleanliness is next to Godliness!!! LOL

sadness

I would be remiss if I did not post the sadness in my heart today, over the loss of my cousin Rick, the gentle giant of the Campbell family. He passed away early Sunday morning after fighting a sudden combination of critical health conditions that his body could no longer battle... leaving his family shocked and heartbroken. He is pictured here with his beautiful wife Becky, and their 6th grandbaby Kaitlin. My heart is aching for Becky, all their children, and their grandchildren. I feel an awful sadness for my aunt and uncle, who are absolutely devastated. I feel sorrow for my cousins - which includes my precious Shell - who just lost their oldest brother.

Rick, you will always be in our hearts ❤

I don't know why these things happen when they do. I do know that we will have the answers someday. It seems to take a lot of faith - and a lot of heartache - in the meantime. I pray with all my heart, that the Campbell family will be comforted at this time of loss and sorrow.

um... awkward

Okay, okay, okay - I just can't stand it anymore. You all know how much I love the People of Wal-Mart website. It never ceases to astound me. It makes me gasp out loud. Frequently, it makes me want to move to Europe. Permanently. Well I have found yet another website that is just as much fun! Awkward Family Photos is a must-see! It will captivate you! It will entertain you! It will make you waste more time than you can imagine! Seriously funny, peeps - seriously funny :)

Happiest Place on Earth???

This vacation dad has "itinerary" written all over him

WE SAID MERRY CHRISTMAS

I hope Grandma doesn't whack me with her beehive

nothing like a loving family packing their arsenal

take a nice long look at this sweet, innocent family...

hmmm... someone missing?

Check out Awkward Family Photos and have a great time!

*photo credits property of awkwardfamilyphotos.com

gangs in suburbia

The NERVE of this intimidating gang - infiltrating this quiet neighborhood in Helena, Montana! In broad daylight! My friend Wendy sent these to me - her son and his family live in Helena - and it made me smile. I just had to post them because it reminded me so much of when we lived on top of a mountain in Sandpoint, Idaho. We encountered moose and other wildlife all the time. I looked up once just in time to see a moose running lickety-split right through our back yard. So funny :) But the pics of this suburban neighborhood just cracked. me. up.

"Hey you guys - do I look like one of those plastic deer?"