Goin to Forks!

To all of my Twilight Peeps.. next weekend we’re going to FORKS!  Whoo Hoo!!  Pictures to follow.. Just had to tell someone who cares.. my Hubs just rolls his eyes!!! 

I’m working on a project that I hope to have done by Monday~!

Have a super weekend…

Yeah, yeah, yeah.. I know~!

I’m once again, the bad blogger.. I mean, I’ve even logged in a few times to blog, then just sit there.. I just can’t think of anything exciting to blog about, then I think, does there NEED to be something exciting to blog about???  (yes, that was a run on sentence.. and I don’t care!- for a couple of my readers, you know who you are, Illana Hosley would give me a BIG FAT F on this blog entry!!)

  Anywhoooooooooooooo.. I bought some more stars.  I know.. did I really NEED to have 20 dollar store barn stars?  NO!!!  But, I’m painting the new batch Red today.. I have a scheme in mind that involves a lot of red and white for the Holidays.. I hope it looks as good in person as it does in my mind.  I’m hoping to sketch out what I want so that I have a plan for my Christmas Home.  I have a LOT of Christmas stuff.. like 7 or 20 bins of stuff in the garage.  In our old house I put up 2 big trees, on smaller kitchen tree, and the kids each have a tree for their rooms.  That was when my house was 2400 square feet.  NOW I’m living in 1245 poorly laid out square feet.  I have enough room for the tree (the one that has the broken base.. I have an idea for it, not gonna share it till I put up the tree) a kitchen tree (yep, OCD kickin’ it here) and the trees for the kids rooms.  Why do they have their own trees?  Well, it started out as a joke, because I’m not one of those.. “lets decorate the tree as a family” kinda gals.  I have serious control issues.  So, I bought them their own trees.. color coordinated to their room decor (of course) and they can decorate them however they want.  Its fun, really.. I tell them how much fun they are having!  I let them help a little with things; the Christmas Village, Stockings.. but when it comes to my tree.. well, I do it alone.   Oops, off task.. back to the decorations.  Last year I went a little overboard.. tried to incorperate MANY different things into a small space.  So, I figured if I have a plan.. I won’t (will try not to) go overboard.  We’ll see.  PLUS- I have to see what all of my bloggin’ buddies are doing.. things I may need to copy.. so, I need to NOT take out everything I own.  I do know I want a new Wreath for my front door.  I’m hem-hawing around about that one- I LOVE these From Ballard Design:

But then I see this one from Pottery Barn that I could easily do..

I’m sooo torn~!   I’m sure that the round will win out, because I have 3 (perhaps more) plain evergreen wreaths out in the garage- end of the season clearance!  ALSO- I would love to find some fun fabric to make new stockings.   Of course I love the tradition of having the same stockings from birth to adult.. but, my taste has changed.. drastically!  I’m getting rid of the Cutesy Country stocking holders that I HAD to have about 8 years ago.. I want something else.   Any ideas?  What do you use to hang your stockings?  Do I even neeeeed stocking holders?  I mean, cuphooks work, right?  And they don’t get knocked off!  And.. they don’t have to clash with the “ideas” I have for the mantle.. hmmmmm…. And the stockings.. well, I’m not getting rid of them (I’m way to sentimental) but I’m not going to use them this year.  I want some red and cream toile or checks.. that is what I’m on the hunt for.  A friend and I are going to “the city” next Friday to hit the HUGE JoAnn’s, Michael’s and Big Lots, plus a couple of nice Thrift Stores.   Don’t worry.. I’m not going over budget, I sold a few things on Craigslist to fund my project.  I’ve been scouring the internet and have found lots of ideas for fun stockings.. I’m actually excited to get out my sewing machine!!   

  In other news.. Football is OVER!  Yeah!  My car is so happy it doesn’t have to trudge across town every day during dinnertime to pick up a carload of sweaty boys.  I will miss football games, but not the drudgery of football practice!  Its been a week, and already that boy of mine is bored!  He’s going to start hitting the weight room a few days a week to “get ripped” as he tells me.. lol!  He’s done with sports until baseball, so at least the weight room will keep him in shape.  And the girl.. she’s just busy busy busy being a Tween.  She’s involved in Girl Scouts this year, a very active troop, so that keeps her busy.  She’s also taking a babysitting course from the Red Cross since she’ll be 12 soon.  That’s the official age of babysitting here in our Navy World.  She couldn’t be happier to find a way to earn money.. she is going to be an accountant, I swear, she loves the almighty dollar! 

  Happy FRIDAY~~!!!

Here’s what I did to those stars….

And I LOVE it!!!  Now, I think that the stars are perfetctly cute in their original state.. but they don’t really fit into my “idea” of what I want to do this year.. so, after MANY coats of spray paint (there wasn’t an ounce of grey primer in the paint cabinet) .. here’s the final star!!!  And.. I LOVE them!!!  Oops… I already said that!!

Here’s a refresher.. This is how they started out:

snowman star

And here’s the finished star… They are Antique White with Black flecks on them.. White was just a little TOOOO much for me.. so I misted some black paint over the white..(Actually, I was painting something else, and the paint misted itself.. and I REALLY liked that look!!) 

white star

Here’s an up-close shot…

white star close up

I’m thrilled with how they turned out.. 3 down 7 more to go!!!  I can’t wait to try them out on my tree and mantle! 

Finito!

From THIS:

old

To THIS!!!

For $3.45!!  Whoo hooo!!  I LOOOOVE projects like this!  Hope the Hubs likes it!

BOOOO’ED

Darlene of Darlene’s Days Boo’ed me today!!  How fun!

Now this is going to be fun!! Here is how the Blogging Boo will go. Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they’ve been “Boo-ED”. Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture) and tell them to Boo their friends. (Then put the pic in your side bar so everyone knows that you’ve already been Boo-ed and to send the pic to someone else.
Are you scared yet!!??
BOO!!

3 days till Halloween

And I’m thinking about Christmas!!  Oh, don’t worry, I’d NEVER skip Thanksgiving.  Sheesh, I barely skip breakfast, do you think I’d skip THAT meal??  LOL!!! I’m actually excited for Thanksgiving this year.  For the first time in, well, forever.. my family is coming to my house!  My Mom, my Brother and Nephew, and our Bestest family friend Deb!  It’s going to be great!  But, my Mind is decorating for Christmas!!

  I made a trip to the Dollar Tree.. amazing, ME??  At the Dollar Tree?  Or as we call it, The 20 Dollar Tree!!  Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever spent under 20 dollars there.  There’s always some school supply or gadget that I need.. or a decorating idea.. that I NEED!! 

So, I was there.. and I saw THESE

Barn Stars

Oh yeah.. they’re cute enough.

santa

snowman

But wait.. there’s Spray Paint involved!  I had to go to Walmart to get some of that.. can you believe that I was out of Spray Paint?  I didn’t have ANY black or Heirloom White.. hmmm.. is that a hint???  I’m going for a new look on my tree this year.. maybe it involves black, white or red.. maybe!! 

And.. while I’m on that topic.. Last year my tree stand DIED!  I just remembered this today.  Now, it’s not my forever and ever tree… it’s a 7 feet, pre-lit slim pine.  I dream of having a tall fluffy one.. but it just won’t work in THIS house.. maybe next year!!  So, last year I put the tree in one of my crock’s (not the shoes) and loaded it with pebbles to hold it up.. It worked fairly well, but I still worried about it endlessly!  So.. I’m thinking of finding a big Urn in the Garden Shop at Home Depot (I have my eye on one.. on clearance)  and cementing it in there.  What do you think?  I’ll be using this tree in the Dining room in our next house.. so I want something pretty.  Help me out!!  I have it pictured in my head perfectly.. just hope that it turns out.  I’ve never actually cemented anything.. soooooo…

And… check out this beauty.. (lol- Sophie and Sully are sniffing it for you)

valet

 I found this at the thrift shop on base yesterday.. it’s marked 4.99.. I got it for 2.49!!  Whoo hoo!!  I’ve been looking for something like this for my bedroom for Hubs’ stuff!  It’s definitely getting some spray paint today- along with the stars!  I’m hoping that it warms up a bit so the paint will dry!! 

How’s your Tuesay???

I got an award!!

Well.. Marie over at Watch the Wind Blow By gave me this award.. it means a lot to me because she is one of my first bloggy friends.. and her’s is probably one of my Most Checked blogs!  Thanks so much Marie.. I love it~!! 

She gave it out to some of her oldies but goodies.. I think I’ll do the same!  So here ya go!

1. Tiff at Folded Gingham.. she has a WONDERFUL blog, but has been going through some hard times.. but I’m still Hooked on her Blog!  I think she has one of the first blogs I ever followed!

2. Kelli at There’s No Place Like Home.. I’m sure that ALL of you have run across her blog at one time or another.. it feels like you are going over to your favorite Aunt’s house when you go to read about what she’s been up to!

3. Jennifer at The Peterson’s Go Public.. Well.. there really isn’t anything I don’t LOVE about Jennifer!  She’s sooooo fun!  And her taste in Music is to die for!  Sometimes I leave her blog open just to listen to her playlist!!

4. Gina at Gina’s Public Diary.. well, she’s one of my oldest bloggin buddies.  I visit her allll of the time!

And Marie.. I’m giving it right back to ya girlie!!!

One more month.. need I say more???

My little boy…

went to Homecoming!!  Yep, I’m officially feeling old this week~  He went to the dance, and even had a date!  She’s the one on the right in the pink and black.. so cute!  Of course, I never got a picture of them together.. she had to go and set up at the dance, so he met her there~

the girls..

 This is the boys.. all gussied up!

the boys.. notice the white socks!!!

Here’s the coursage that I made for Jojo’s date.. I couldn’t find anyone in town that didn’t charge $35-$40.00!!  And they were pretty skimpy.. so I made this one.. $14.00!!!

coursage

So.. that’s pretty much what our weekend involved.. just working on homecoming!  Saturday and Yesterday we watched “Band of Brothers” on the History channel.  My husband and I have seen all of the episodes before, but they are sooo good!  I also made some Amish Friendship Bread this morning out of the starter that a neighbor gave me 10 days ago.  I used Pumpkin Spice pudding.  My house smells FANTASTIC!!  I stuck a couple of starter’s away in the freezer for the holidays.. just gotta find some more Pumpkin Spice Pudding!!!

Amish Friendship Bread

 

Happy Monday everyone!!!

I know.. I know…

I stink at keeping on track.. remember that ADD that I have self-diagnosed.  Well, I have 3 (yes 3) unfinished posts here.. and they are just gonna have to wait.   I’m just not in the mood to finish them..  Don’t worry, they aren’t full of great recipes, or neat pictures.. they are just excuses not to sit my butt down to write!  Pretty much.. I’ve just been lazy!  I do have one excuse~ My kids and the Hubs were home for 5 days!  Yep!  So, I didn’t get a lot of time to use the computer.

*Edited to add…  Today is now FRIDAY~!!  Where did my week go???  I haven’t had time to stalk my favorite blogs much, or even get my own blog updated!  I promise to try to be better!!!*

  So.. what have I been up to?  Well, I did get my Halloween stuff out.  I’m happy with most of it.. not happy with some of it.  Mostly, my cute little Halloween Village.  First I gathered my supplies.. some VCR tapes for height!  Who says that VCR tapes are outdated?  They make great risers!!

(sorry for the blurry image)

risers???

I usually put the village on my sewing table.. but I changed my mind this year…

village

I decided to put it ontop of the big black entertainment armoire…  It just looks so bare!  I don’t know what else to put up there.. It lights up at night, but you can’t tell in this picture.

village.. way up there!

Here’s a closeup of my favorite..

closeup

 I’ve been doing a little bit more decorating too..

My cute pumpkin’s on top of my china cabinet..  Remember?  They were just turned around to the backside for “fall.”  I will turn them back around after Halloween..

jack o'lantern

What a cute witch.. she hangs on the Hoosier!

Witchy Poo

Skull under glass anyone??  Or how about EVERYONE!!  So cute I had to do it too!! 

wal-mart skull

He sits next to my Halloween tree that I’ve had for years.. and a cylander of bones ala Dollar Tree!! 

My husband thinks I'm crazy... Skulls and bones, CUTE??!!

I found this white plate at the Dollar Tree (I do shop in other stores..lol)  It has a black rim.. I thought I would paint something on it.. just never got around to it.. so I decorated it with some Halloween stickers.. it’s on the Fridge~  I’m going to look for some scrolly (yep, that’s a real word) Rub On’s to put on it after Halloween, unless I find some cute Thanskiving Stickers!

Halloween Plate

 And lastly.. these Gouls that I got at the Dollar Tree about 5 years ago! 

Dollar Tree Gouls

That’s about it.. Happy Friday everyone!!!