Saw these beautiful frayed rosettes...

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JmNadLhQpTDhypdKJZUjaBSnMHlJT5s2yUWYX0fPIMI-zYgXtptQvnQhUEqXEnEkynkW_teQCjBjsrIkPa1yvkjFz5VNT1fq7LC5E2uArzVSpOOgxoYCCikdo90RgtyZ26teAFA-86s/s1600-h/22.jpg
&

http://pepperblossomdecor.blogspot.com/

And just found a tutorial on how to make 'em! Hooray!

http://madebythemamamonster.blogspot.com/2009/09/see-im-not-totally-worthless.html

Craft night #3

Craft night #3 will be at my house next
Wednesday, October the 21st at 6:30 p.m.

All invited~ bring a friend/sister/vt companion/neighbor/etc.

We will be making hairbows/hair clips.

Bring any of the following to use & share:

Large flowers (as seen above)

hot gluegun/ glue

ribbon~ a spool or two

Sequins, shiny centerpieces, etc.

needle/thread

no-fray

sharp scissors

hair clips

RSVP in comments, or by email.

Found: Pictures of Craft night #2

I just found pictures from craft night #2

(stuffed pumpkins & carmel apples).

What a fun night.

The recipe for carmel apples can be found here:

http://creativeholidaygiftideas.blogspot.com/search/label/visiting%20teaching

A *naked* shaking booty, and other wonderful things....

Lately Jake has taken to pulling himself up to the end of our bed, and "dancing" by shaking himself. He does it especially when I sing, which cracks me up. Naked or clothed, he doesn't care just as long as he gets to shake it. I only got a short clip of it.... makes me laugh every time.

And on to other wonderful things... I have decided that October is the month to finish up my old unfinished projects. So yesterday I finished a wall hanging. I embroidered this pumpkin years ago- it was so easy! An easy explanation is this: choose a design/pattern/picture you like (I printed mine from online clip art), outline it on fabric with a pencil *lightly*, cut out fabric and under it put a thin layer of thin batting, pin and and then use embroidery thread to hand stitch! Super easy. I like the home-made look to it.

With some fall fabric I had to outline it, it turned out beeeee---utiful!

Also, I have been thinking a lot about color lately and how I love color combinations. While putting away dishes I realized that these 3 colors are soooooooooooo my favorite Halloween colors- Limey green, pale orange, and light purple. Love it.

Halloween Banner

Jolyn, this post is for you!

Remember how we did the small banner saying "Halloween" when we were running out of paper, and we didn't think it'd be that cute...? Well, the joke is on us, because...I have to admit, I think it's my favorite! It did turn out cute, didn't it!

2 Winners and a BIG LOSER!

Things have been going good this weekend.

Saturday I went to yard sales

and got some really fabulous finds!

Lots of Christmas Gifts!

(Did I mention that I have officially christened this Christmas........ "Homemade/ Second-Hand Christmas"? )Everything this year will be either handmade by yours truly with stuff I already have, or will be bought second hand. But not to worry- IT WILL BE AWESOME!

Anyway, back to my yard-sale adventures: My three best finds?

A new "diapee-wipee" (Diaper & Wipes) case for $1, A black & white toile shower curtain- $2, and this mirror with frame- $1.

Before...
(I bought it for the frame, because I was going to make a peice of acorn artwork with fabric. But thank goodness I decided to clean it up before I removed the glass, because I ended up loving it and leaving it just the way it was!)

After!! (Just a little windex and wood-cleaner was all it took!)

Happy thing #2:
I finished my fall "H" pillow! Yay!

It looks super cute. The brown bias-tape really makes the fall colors pop!

Now, my sad news.

I've been lovin my blog background (acorns), and so figured that I could make a cute peice of artwork copying it.

Everything was going so well.... I was even going to do a little tutorial (follow the pictures)....until....

It was looking so cute, all laid out and ready to go....

when....

The iron-on adhesive didn't work at all!

So I tried to improvise and sew around the acorns...

Crash and burn! Drats! Have you ever made something so ugly

it is better just to throw it away and start again....?

I did.

Anyway, sad for me and the wasted 2 hours I spent.

I'm still lovin' the acorns, though. I think I still need to try to duplicated it, maybe in a different medium... scrapbook paper with modge-podge? paint?

All you can do with a Cricut!

I experimented with Jolyn's cricut yesterday and we made some cute things besides the banners. Did you know that it can cut fabric? And cut out HUGE letters? We cut out our initial H, and came up with cute monogramed pillowcase- to be finished later today- won't it be fun?

And...

out of paper, we cut another "H" to make a piece of art for the mantle.

I made these cute Halloween Banners today :

#1- "Boo"

(Boo closeup)

#2- "Spooky" for Megan & Mike (& family)
(Spooky closeup)

Cute, huh?

Now a question for you....

What are some fun phrases for Halloween & Thanksgiving/fall?

I would like to know, so I can include them in my next banners.

One more thing today- I FINALLY took my camera when I picked up Hyrum from preschool. I've been wanting to take a picture of these REALLY cute bean-bag pumpkins his teacher made. But these are not ordinary pumpkins. They are EXTRAORDINARY! They are filled with beans, yes, but made with super soft fabric, and real stems are glued on top! What a cute idea!!!

Remember... when you carve your pumpkins this year, save your stems! (And your seeds, for that matter! More on that later...)

What I want for Christmas...

The New Pioneer Woman Cookbook
Books by Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games & sequel (read this if you haven't!)

Cute decorations....

I need to get off the computer

& mow the lawn before irrigation,

but...

I just found pictures from Rachel's wedding reception!

(Please excuse the yucky plates and mess on the table)
I just have to give a shout-out!

Your decorations were so cute!
I really loved the tablerunners & centerpeices!

Good job! I'll have to borrow these, sometime.....

More fun with candles- this time, Bird Themed.

I found some interesting Martha Stewart bird stickers at Wal-Mart today- $3.50 for 5, or .70 cents a sticker (so a little pricey), but worth it.

Each candle was so different, I like them a lot.

It is nice to have a good stock of pretty, inexpensive, & homecrafted gifts.

Craft night #3

Wednesday, October 21st, at 6:30 p.m.
Hope you can make it!
Hair bows & Hair Flowers & other adornments

BYO: (and if you have extra, bring some to share!)

ribbon & flowers

(you can get at Michaels for pretty cheap- if you need a coup. let me know!)

I will supply:

Hot glueguns and gluesticks

Floral wire

Metal Hairclips

I know Wednesday is bad for some ladies.

I will try to switch off every other time to either Tuesday or Wednesday.

I love YouTube. Some funnies:

Scarlett Takes a Tumble



Charlie Bit My Finger- an Oldie, but a Goodie


David after Dentist- Poor baby!


Ok Go- My first YouTube favorite

Cuteness!

Look at these cute pumpins! Just makes me want to start crafting!

So I need some ideas for Craft Night #3.

So far this is what I've come up with:
Hairbows/Hair-Flowers, Candles (as seen below), Fall Toll-painting: Ghosts, Frankenstein, Candy Corn, Pumpkins, etc.
Banners like Jolyn made (see below)- from cardstock or fabric
Christmas Cards & Christmas Candy making

Please post & let me know what you want to do!... and on to other things. So, look what Jolyn gave me today.

She made it with her new Cricuit!!!

Watch out, this woman is crafty! I just love it. BEWARE!
How cute would it be to have banners in all themes: birthdays, holidays, sayings, etc.???

I made these this week:

I needed a quick & easy & cheap thank-you to give all of the sisters who helped at our RS Meeting. I came up with these Fall-themed candles.

So cheap- candles were $1 each at Wal-Mart, leaves were $1 for a huge bag (also at Wal-Mart), and I had the ribbon. & sooooo easy! I just tied the ribbon, cut it and added no-fray to the tips of the ribbon, and then hot-glued the leaves. Done. For about a dollar (& change).

Along the same line as I mentioned earlier, wouldn't it be cute to come up with other themes for these candles, in other colors? Birthdays, Christmas, Halloween? That is my job this week, to make a few more. I'll post when I come up with something great.

And to update, we had our Craft Night #2 awhile back and it was a BLAST! We made fabric pumpkins and carmel apples, and they were both fun. The pumpkins all turned out soooooooo different and all so cute. Here are mine:

But I have to say, I liked everyone else's so much (maybe more) than my own! I stayed traditional, whereas... Megan came up with a foot-long RED pumpkin, and Emily did a leapord-print pumpkin, as well as a white pumpkin. Very cute. :)