The 2012 Debate

No, I'm not talking about these debates. Nope, not at all. I am talking about something much more important. Much more entertaining. And so much more fun...

The 2012 Costume Debate

On Redds list:

• Russian Soldier
• Jack the Skeleton
• Indiana Jones
• Darth Vader
• Spy
• Viking
• Ninja

On Dallface's  list:

• Sally (from The Nightmare Before Christmas)
• girl Darth Vadar
• girl Ninja
• girl Viking
• Monster High - Ghoulia Yelps
• Vampire
• Egyptian Princess

(apparently adding 'girl' on Dollface's list was a must...) So far the ninja's are winning, which is completely fine with me. Ninja costumes can be easy and inexpensive to make.

Really, I think they just want to be ninjas so they can add the cool ninja swords to their random toy/warrior collection.  Can't blame them there.

I would love to have a really great, spook-tastic,  hauntingly amazing Halloween bash this year, but quite a few of our friends here will be on leave and probably out of state. (click here if you are confused) If we do end up having a huge bash, like I want, here a few great ideas I found on Pinterest.

This one we will be doing for sure. I have an extra wreath at home, + Dollar Tree snakes + black spray paint also already at home = BAM  Too Easy and you'll have a front door that even Madusa could be proud of.

 source

This one I have actually been doing for years. This usually has a good response at our Halloween get-together, but not always. I swear, some adults just act to grown up. Grow Down! Since I am not entirely sure where my photos are of it, here is an example that I found. 

source

Covering your chairs in black tulle. Hello, how easy is this and why haven't I thought of it on my own! Face Palm!

I don't think I will use orange as the ribbon color though, rather purple or black. 

source

 If I have learned anything about preparing for Halloween decorating, it is to stock up on cheesecloth and tulle and LOTS of it!

If you want to follow my PARTY: Like a Goblin board on Pinterest, you can do so here.

It's on Like Donkey Kong

I'm pretty much obsessed with big, odd, or funky earrings.  
Below are a few of my more commonly  worn earrings. I have plenty more stashed away in a jewelry box on the counter. 


I thought I had posted a tutorial to the framed earring hold I had made years ago. Alas, after much searching, I could not find it. It's fairly easy; unfinished frame from Michaels Craft Store, pretty paint, lace, screen & sand paper from a home improvement shop. Put them all together and sha-bam. Loveliness on a wall.  

These amazing earrings here

have a large owl on them. I love it.

Even better, they were a whopping $1

Can't beat that!

I'm melting! melting! Oh, what a world!

Here I will share my little step by step on how to do one of those 

charming melted crayon on canvas art projects. 

I decided Dollface could use something pretty for her empty walls. I let her pick everything from start to finish. 

AND I even remembered to take LOTS of pictures along the way. Yay me!, right? ... you'll see...

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Step 1- Give the child canvas and paint and get the heck out of dodge.

Step 2: Let her work of art dry and pick out your colors. Dollface was digging the garden look and wanted to do greens for flower stems. Easy Peasy. Time to bust out the crayola stash from the back to school sale when crayons were like .25 each. Now the kids will be happy. The crayon basket has been replenished. Just hope they have no need for greens anytime soon.

Step 3: Attempt to come up with a pattern with the colors found. Then allow child to come along arrange them her own way. Clearly she knows best.

Step 4: She decides that no garden is complete without the sun shining down. So gather up some yellows and oranges and bash the crap out of them to melt in the microwave.

Step 5: Glue the crayons on canvas. We used a hot glue gun. It seemed to work wonderfully.

Step 6: Get your hairdryer and go to town melting these bad boys. I did notice that HOT on HIGH works best, but it also causes a bit of a splatter effect. I used my COOL button for bursts of cool air to stop some of the melted color from going further than I wished it to.

Step 7: DO NOT ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO TALK YOU INTO ADDING A SUN. 

I REPEAT, DO NOT FALL FOR THE CUTENESS. DO NOT DO AS I HAVE DONE!

 Step 8: Try like hell to get that orange eye sore off the pretty canvas! Do it now and do it fast.

Step 9: To Late. The damage is done.

Step 10: On a new canvas, repeat the first 6 steps. Skip step 4. SKIP STEP FOUR!!!

☼ ☼ ☼

This weekend I am going to try to:

๏ Finish reading Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

๏ Search for fabric for my kitchen. 

I need curtains in a bad way and not just anything will do.

If I could thrift something like the ones shown 
below, I'd be a happy girl.

Odds are that I will have to order. I hate buying new. Don't you? 

Thrift stores have spoiled me & my budget :)

How do you like these colors?

♡Color My World♡

 (btw: my husband totally hates these, lol he prefers the 

stagnate 'grandma' approach to decorating) 

๏ I suppose we will also hit the dog park or take the gang for a hike. 

I would much rather hiking.

There is something about a dog park that 
I dislike...a lot. 

Whats on your agenda for this weekend?

Upcycle your way home

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.


Once upon a time there was a dress
I mean there was a set of curtains

Upcycled Curtains

It was a dress, but then there was change
Repurpose is now the name of the game

(clearly I've been reading to many children's books)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


You start with this well worn and loved dress:
I liked to wear it with a pair of jeans :)

Then hunt down this handy little tool:

I found these hooks at Big Lots, fairly cheap. I wanted to reuse something in the house as a curtain rod, but wasnt able to find anything. So I bought a tension rod for $2:

From This :

To This :

BEFORE & AFTER

linked to:
fun to craft

A Vision to Remember 

Young and Crafty

Face Lift

Since receiving my adorable Paula Deen cookware set in Robins Egg Blue, I have been in love with them and their color. [thanks mom!] 

So when we moved into our home in August, it should have came as no surprise that I was drawn to Valspar Sea Sparkle! I have seriously been obsessing over this color! ... well this and teal and turquoise and purple and yellow... ok its safe to say that I love color. 

I have successfully given my laundry room and guest bathroom a complete color makeover! [let me tell ya, they needed it-bad]

Here is a little taste of what I've been working on:

before|after

There is still soooo much more work to be done. Baby steps.

things I never thought I'd be shopping for...

I want this! Who wouldn't? 

err My hubs. 

He has vetoed the zebra throne.

This is just one of the many odd things I have found myself pricing and shopping for in recent days. 

We are so close to closing on the house I can feel it in my bones!! 

Have I mentioned how excited I am to finally get a home of our own? Yes, well even more on that to come :-)