Goodbye 2011

As I finish off this year, I'll do what all the hip moms are doing, lols. Here are my favorites of 2011.

I like my photo collages, nothing better than remembering the really fine moments that I've had with my little one. I can't say we went to the beach this year, or did really cool museums, but we were together,  and that is all that matters.

While my bogging is slow now, my family has lost a very wonderful person. Though we continue to tear for her, she has filled all of our hearts with so much love. And she will always be loved and remembered.

I hope that everyone has a happy and safe new years.Cheers to the next one being even more fab.

Extra measures

I find myself awake at 3:00 am and think, well if I have to be awake I can catch up on things.

Lately I have discovered that I need to take extra measures against the cat and my precious Christmas tree. I do love them both so, but the cat thinks that the tree is made for climbing. And as she is getting healthy and growing well when she tries to climb a branch or two they bend under her weight. And, mind you, I have no idea how because the wire is very thick! But I also knew that I had two very nice still in the box strings of soft white lights.

 Once, somewhere, I had read that cats do not like the sound of aluminum foil. So we will see how long this lasts.

And hopefully now we will have our nice tree, and a less irritated me. 

I don't think she looks that bugged by it. She is pretty happy on her throne. :)

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

Allot has been happening lately. Lil one was very very sick with a bad viral that we either got while we were out eating or shopping. Today though I got allot done for the first time in two weeks. I did laundry, swept the carpets and watched cartoons. And tonight I made my first successful pie crust and some really terrific dough for rolls.

As you can see it looks great! I had to break down a couple recipes to get what I wanted. And I also made it so that there was only enough for one crust.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
5 to 8 tablespoons of really cold water

Adding the flour, then the salt, mix with a fork Next add in the shortening and start with around 5 tablespoons of cold water. To get this mixed in properly I know that there are a few different ways to do it and all successful. But even though I have all of those extra tools I used my fork to press the chunks of shortening to the side of the bowl with the flour and did this over and over again till I could tell it was together well.

Put down wax paper on your rolling space and gather your dough in your hands and make it into a ball. Place the ball onto the wax paper and flatten it slightly. Put another piece of wax paper on top and roll to your specified size.

I would love to tell you how I got this in the pie pan and cut the extra off and pressed the sides but I'm afraid you'd roll off your chair with laughter. You'd be better to google it than follow my example. - But once it was pressed down and looking pretty I wrapped it up with saran wrap and put it in the fridge. **Let it settle for two hours or overnight. (Otherwise it will shrink when baking). Not the best I'm sure, but pretty good.

Lol, you can tell I took these on my cell. This dough for rolls was made from the recipe here and if you've made dough before you know when you've got a good or bad mix on how it feels when you make it. This dough is amazing. I can't wait to make it into rolls in the morning! Usually I don't follow instructions for recipes to the T, but I followed this one and I am very happy on how it turned out. I will say that I used two more cups of flour, but all of my bread or roll recipes that I have done I have had to add extra. I think its my house. :)

 I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Our Indian summer

For a couple days this week Pennsylvania had a nice Indian summer going on. My little one was so happy that he was able to wear shorts. We also got to play outside and do more leaf clean up.

He played in the yard while I got to work on a new project. I learned how to do a cable like stitch with crochet.

I found out how to do it from this book I ordered on amazon. I love the ideas it gives me. I have a slight problem with being able to follow patterns. I switch everything around because I don't like to follow the directions down to every stitch. So I started some fingerless gloves with some of what I had learned from reading in the book. I finished them this morning but I don't think that I will be selling them on the etsy. I think they are too chunky. Though the yarn is described as a 4 I think its a 5.

Oh, you read that all the way through? Lol! Yes, my cousin and I have an etsy which I have included a widget to on the right of this page  --> --> --> Take a peek. :)

Reflections on Halloween

Lil one and I really had fun this Halloween. He loved decorating with me outside. We did a full graveyard in the side yard. And he just doesn't get scared by it, he takes it all in fun like I do. So its great. We make fun, and he loved pumpkin head and how I had him peeking out from behind a tree in the woods. I'm just so glad we had a good holiday. :)

I liked it allot. We ended up having quite a bit of loot too. Tee hee. And mumma got to have all the kitkats!

Lil one's pumpkin. 

Mr. Love's Pumpkin.

And the Mumma pumpkin. 

Can you guess where I got the images? lol. 

Happy Wednesday everyone! 

Some bulb planting and a craft area

My little peanut butter^.

Yesterday the landscaping crew came by and did all the yards and then did leaf control!! I've never had this before, the last place didn't do it. But this, they took something to my garden beds and got out all of the leaves! I was incredibly happy. And if I would have known I would have tried to tip them I was so glad that I didn't have to do it when I was planting bulbs.

We had allot of fun planting them and I did cut back one of the neighbors yucca plants because it was in my gardening space. It looked like she was not to happy about it, but I was nice and only cut like nine or ten realllllly long leaves (?) off. All in all, in a little more than two hours we had 4 bags of bulbs planted and I can't wait for spring already for them to pop up.

Another thing happening round here is that I am already getting ready for Christmas. Yay! I pride myself on having all shopping done before Dec 1st and the cards sent the week after Thanksgiving. So that December is just a month to have fun and relax and if I want to pick up something here and there it is out of kindness and not last minute thinking on what could be a gift not well thought through. I bought a swag for the front door, and made sure it was one without lights because I have lights that I want to put on it myself. Also this year, we  bought what is my first time decorating outside with a lit deer. Sometimes I think them tacky but I really like this one. And only one. Lol.

I know I haven't posted in a while, but this girl has been anxiety central. Why, I am not sure. That, combined with a toothache to rival a hurricane. Yhea. But a couple nights ago (like at midnight) I finally conjured up a plan. I have no extra bedroom in this house, and I wanted a desk from Ikea for Christmas because I am tired of having my crafting stuff on two different levels. Up, down, up, down... need a pen, run down, need some card stock, run up. Uuuugh. Well, that has all changed. (taken from where I sit at my laptop)

And I moved my lil ones crafting stuff upstairs too so that when I am working, he can pretend to as well.

Now I feel more organized and more on the ball. Now maybe I can get more done. I like to be organized! It truly makes me happy. :) And because I have all that organized. I have my laptop space cleaned off.

So! Very! Happy! Soon, I'll have a very exciting post indeed about setting up shop! :) Hope everyone is having a fantastic week!!!

The month for pumpkin

October has always been my favorite month. Football gets in full gear, leaves are turning bright vibrant colors, I can wear my hoodies, and enjoy really great food with pumpkin as an ingredient.
Each day of the month there is pumpkin something. If its my coffee or my meal or dessert I love it all.

Stuffed French Toast - Pumpkin n cream cheese - King Arthur recipe for the french toast - my own for the honey wheat bread used 

Pumpkin pancakes - Justin Rasmussen's recipe

Pumpkin & Mascarpone Ravioli (with Illchester on top)

I have been so happy cooking (and soon baking) this month. Nothing brings more warmth into your heart and  good smells into your home than some really terrific food. <3

My son wants to make some muffins next, so soon I will post pictures of those too but I have to feel a little bit better before I am able to do that. - I hope everyone is having a terrific October! 

My new favorites, an adventure, and one not so favorite.

I've been so busy!! Last week was a blast. My little man turned three!! Its so exciting to see him grow. And he is the most well mannered when it comes to thank you's and excuse me's and all the other lovelies. I'm so proud of my little boy! 

First thing I want to share with you are two new things to my world that I am adoring and can't wait to start working with! 

The book was bought at joanns and I can't wait to start making things from it very very soon! The stamps I got here and I love them so much, they are a perfect representation of me and how sassy I am. Lol. Love likes to call me a tart. 

This last week we did allot of things to celebrate my little boy's birthday and our favorite was the zoo! 

We had the most amazing time, with only one fit because he didn't want to sit in the stroller, and I just laugh every time I see him sitting on the turtle because his little face is twisted looking at my mom. We will always be biiig fans of the PPG zoo and aquarium. Though I get more out of the aquarium than he does. And he got to come home with a HUGE elephant. Lol. We have lots of new toys all over the house and we just went through the old ones to see what we are going to donate and throw away. So yay! In comes the new and out with the old. :)

And leaving today on a note - I will never buy these again. Never ever. uuugh... 

Remembering

Remembering allot of things today. But most of all I spent allot of time last night wrapping presents for my little ones birthday this next Friday. And we are going to the zoo for his birthday, a tradition we started on his first birthday (photo above).
Time goes so fast when you have a little one. I'm sad to see him grow up, but very happy as he does grow up that he makes life for me an interesting, sticky, adventurous journey.

Homemade Card Donations for Breast Cancer

I spent some time today and did some cards for some wonderful women. - I got online this morning to look at the blogs I follow and found a link from My Pink Stamper. The first posting that I missed is here and the one I found this morning is here.
I made three cards today, I brought all my stuff downstairs so I could work at the dining table so I could watch my little one play and I put on a movie for him. Later I might do some more when all is calm and listen to music.

Inside - Smile

Inside - For Being Amazing

Inside - Make Everything Possible

I had such a blast making these cards and am having fun as the only cards I have really made lately have been in sets of 6 to sell and these I could just be creative. I am using the DCWV Sweet stack as the colors are perfect. And using lots of Cosmo Cricket embellies, tiny type and Glubers for the first time. I really liked using the Glubers too, it was fun!

Can't wait to send these lovies out on Monday!

1,2,3,4,5,6... 9,10

This is what my little one has decided to chant while mowing the deck. I'm so happy we have the most well trimmed deck. He does such a good job, don't you think? - There is also a day to plan. My little boy turns three next week and we are taking him to the zoo on his birthday. We are pretty sure that we are opening presents here after while we cook (grill?) dinner. There ins't just one theme as we had originally planned. There is two, how lucky am I? Lol.
We have iron man who is his absolute hero and there are action figures all over the house to remind me of it.

 And the second is Thomas the train.

I think that after this birthday he will have more Ironman figures than his baskets can hold. But we are making the transition from wooden train and tracks to the Thomas take and play sets. Its getting hard to find around me any toy stores that carry the right track and trains and if we go to the take and play sets when we travel somewhere it will be easier to take them with us so he isn't as bored in the hotels.
I can't believe my baby is turning three. But very very proud of who he is growing up to be. I know allot of kids have started school in the last few weeks and he will be starting preschool. But for now, I get to enjoy my little one being home. Happy Thursday ~

Catching up

There have been quite a few things going around over here. But most of all I have been internet lazy. Good in a way really because I have been able to finish some things and start some others and spend some good time with my son and hunny. Last week we found our selves in New Jersey for an emergency for loves work and since he couldn't get a flight out fast enough he drove and took us all with him! <3 That weekend we went to Petco and adopted a kitty, which is something that I have been wanting to do for about a year or so. And she is adjusting to us thank goodness and loving that she has so many places to snuggle and be comfy. She really loves my blanket that I usually drape over the side of the couch!

Almost Two months old, she is our little girl tortie and with the help of my little one we have named her Pumpkin. She is really a blessing to the house and is adjusting well I think. In other news - You know those slippers I had been working on with different materials and it not working for me? Well yhea, my second material I was using for them was ribbon yarn that was gorgeous but that didn't end up working as they seemed to look like it was a pattern for a giant. So, on Saturday before I went to pick up our new Pumpkin I went to a craft store and picked up the following yarn -

I love both of them so much and am currently on the lookout for a good pattern using patons lace, but I used the other (that reminds me of an adorable watermelon when its all put together like that.

I really love them and am wearing them now. I did have some sizing problems with all patterns and I didn't want a strap across the top of them, so I made my own pattern and hello... I think I'm in love. :)

Sorry for the slight mark on my ankle, stupid bugs living next to the woods. But I love the height and everything. They don't slip off and are comfortable with everything. I have heard lots about people saying to use cotton yarn for slippers, and I did end up using wool but when I saw the yarn I just knew its purpose already. :) - Also I created another pattern as well and got lots of yarn to make some more, gathering stock for etsy. With a little of my sons help on keeping trying it on again and again it seems my first is his and I'm so happy he loves it! Introducing the Dinosaur hat -

Its so hard to get him to sit still for a picture as he turns three next week but I am glad that he likes it and it looks so cute on him.

That ones a little blurry and white balance is off but you can see his smile. He loves to wear it with his dino shirt. And something fantastic happened last week - I got my Cosmo Cricket Mystery Box  and I love everything that is in it!!! I am making a Halloween mini album from some of the things that came in it. I am really surprised what all came in it, here is a peek-

So much paper, and I've never used blackboard and coloring it with colored pencils is a blast! I am having so much fun with what I received and will be posting lots of pictures. I think that overall this is my second favorite paper ever.
What a fantastic last two weeks and I hope everyone is having fun as fall settles in around us.

Meow

I did a project a few days ago with the meow lite cricut cartridge. Purrrrr... I know when I got my 5th anniversary cricut I noticed that all I really did with my cricut is make scrapbook pages and didn't really make anything else. So with my new one I have vowed to do more. :) I knew the first thing I would be making with this one is something for my mother. A nice card to her to make her smile and maybe get a smile out of her.

Using these colors. The white is regular white cardstock, the brown and yellowish orange is a page out of dcwv sweet stack, and the pink is a single sheet that I picked up at a JoAnns one trip months ago.

Then cutting what I needed for the cat and the spoiled for the inside.

And the finished project. :) I used a page out of the mini all dressed up matstack for the background on the front. I didn't realize after I had written inside of it that I had forgot to put on the little white slits for the eyes so I used my pen touch in white to make his little slits for his eyes. It was the perfect card to send my mother because the cat and its little brown mouse looked like my mothers favorite, spoiled cat.

I think I will be doing more with this cartridge as I do love animals myself, and hopefully we will be getting a kitty soon ourselves. :) Here is hoping to a wonderful weekend.