Orangie's Attic

A Comeback and College Cookies!

2013-08-30T07:30:00.000-05:00

I'm back! I'm sure you missed me (not)... I took a WAY long blog break. Life got crazy, senior in high school and a VERY busy 7th grader put a big fat damper on my creative activities. Now I've sent Sweet Son off to college FAR FAR (18 hours far) away last week, and I need something to keep my mind from the feeling I'm always forgetting something (that would be my KID), and wondering if he got up for class. Can I just say, college is SO MUCH COOLER now than when I went... I really would love a do-over, and this time I promise I would not sleep through class. Did I mention I'm worried about SS sleeping through class?

So, my project this week was our first College Care Package... which included standard snacks and junk food (and some fresh tortillas, cuz' he's a Texas boy and, let's face it, Virginia is NOT the Tex-Mex capital of the world). But the most fun part of our package was the cookies... or really, how we sent them. Dear Daughter and I spent an afternoon on this fun little project... we started by making the classic Nestle Tollhouse recipe. Don't know what got into me because I haven't made cookies from scratch SINCE the inception of Slice and Bakes.

The things we do for our kids...

After reading a couple of suggestions on Pinterest, we decided to try the Pringles can packaging method... so easy and fun AND we got to eat the Pringles before we could start. Win win! The can keeps them fresh and intact and cookies fit like a charm. I was surprised to find we could get about a dozen and a half cookies in one of those classic cans. We had to test a little to figure out how big to make the cookies so they would fit... Dear Daughter was happy to eat the mistakes.

For the can, rinse and dry out the inside, then it's ready to decorate (or not!). We used some card stock and stickers in his school colors, and put a little "love" note on top. Tie it with a ribbon to help keep the lid in place. Box it up with some extra padding (and more junk food and a cool $20, of course), and send it Priority Mail or UPS early in the week so it doesn't sit in the post office getting stale over the weekend...

Hopefully we will have a happy(er) college boy in a few days...

Until next time (and hopefully not SOOOOO long), peeps!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday... March Photos of the Day

2012-03-21T06:15:00.001-05:00

So, I left off at WINDOW... I can't promise I did these in order but I did them.

RED... ZZ Top /?concert at the rodeo

LOUD... New York City

Someone I talked to today...

FORK... in the road.

SIGN... and yes, that's THE Mystic Pizza.

CLOUDS... and beach in Glen Cove, NY.

Car... and Miss LuLu, the GPS that steered us all the way through the Northeast last week.

Sunglasses... and an awesome friend I hadn't seen in 20 years!

Green... Sweet Son on the United States Naval Academy Campus

Leavin' on a jet plane...

2012-03-14T06:32:00.001-05:00

At the time this posts I will be on a plane with the little cutie-pie in this pic... except the little cutie-pie is now almost 6 feet tall and carries the luggage. Yep, I'm heading off with Sweet Son for CollegeTour-A-Palooza... four schools in five days in a part of the country I have never seen.

Just me.

and the boy.

and a rent car.

and 100's of miles.

FAR FAR away from home.

Did you catch that FAR FAR away part?

Have I mentioned he's not seriously considering one single school in
the great state of Texas?

NOT.ONE.SCHOOL.

Didn't I mention something Monday about my children perhaps being a "tad" too ~~freakishly~~ independent?

Heavy.

Sigh.

I guess I'll always have the pictures.

And Handsome Hubby... with whom I am not celebrating my TWENTIETH wedding anniversary today, because... well, I'm on a plane with SS. No worries... HH and I have a BIG trip planned with FIVE WHOLE DAYS of celebrating our 20 (TWENTY!!! Did I say TWENTY?!) years as a pretty darn happily married duo on the most amazing beach in the world... one month and counting. WOOT!

Monday Mom Moment...

2012-03-12T09:39:00.002-05:00

I'm having a moment... see that cute little smiling face on the left? That's Dear Daughter... it's Spring Break (woo hoo!) and she's spending the week with her awesome Aunt Kim and her cousins at "Camp Aunt Kim". Today they are at the Texas State Capital celebrating the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting. She and her aunt are kindred Girl Scout spirits, and they were beyond excited for this little adventure. This is the first glimpse I've had since she left yesterday, and I won't get my hands on that cuteness again until Sunday. SUNDAY people. That's an entire week without my little mini-me, my partner in crime, my joyful little ball of energy and hilarity.

Here's the deal... I have prided myself on raising independent, self-confident children. Mine were the toddlers who skipped happily into Mother's Day Out without so much as a glance over their shoulder. I pitied the moms with the clingy, screaming psycho-separation anxiety kids. Now it has backfired on me and I am the one with psycho-separation anxiety... they go, and they WANT to go, and they smile back at me from photos I'm not in, from adventures I only ~~maybe~~ share virtually (Sweet Son is anti-facebook, so I don't even get that little luxury when he's gone). This is our goal as parents... I know, this is what we are supposed to do... raise them to be self sufficient, happy and well adjusted. I'm good with that most of the time... except when I get no sleepy, squishy cheeked kisses first thing in the morning for an ENTIRE WEEK. Ok, I will stop my pouting ~~shortly~~ now. Back to your regularly scheduled Monday...

Friday Photo of the Day...

2012-03-09T07:31:00.000-06:00

View of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Carnival from Reliant Stadium

Jumping in a little late, but I've decided to try this Photo of the Day Challenge... join in if you feel like it!

Yesterday was WINDOW... took this last night at the rodeo, and HH could not figure out why I WANTED a pic with the window bar showing. Now he knows.

A few more from another fun night of pretending to be a cowgirl...and yes, I finally got to wear the outfit.

Chuckwagon Races

ZZ TOP!!!

Every cowgirl's got to have a cute cowboy...

Million Dollar Monday...

2012-03-05T07:38:00.001-06:00

Handsome Hubs and I had a date night (woot!) on Saturday... we were gifted (more cheers for the work perks) tickets to see the Broadway Across America production of Million Dollar Quartet.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is the smash-hit musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time.. Here they are on that night in 1956...

And here is the cast of the show...

What a great time... my problem? I hear awesome live music and can't keep still, took every ounce of self control in my body not to get up and start rockin' out in the aisle. Ummm... not exactly welcome by the "premium seat holders" at the Hobby Center. It is beyond me how all these people could sit and listen to "Great Balls of Fire", "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Walk the Line" without so much as a HEAD BOB.

Come on people, loosen up!

Afterwards we were invited to a special post-show party where we were able to meet the cast... HH said he felt a little like he was at Disney taking pics of his wife with the Mouse.

Funny man he is... but hey, I'm not proud.

With Jerry Lee Lewis... who happens to hail from Manchester England.
WHAT THE HECK?

Johnny Cash! Love that man in black...

And finally... that hunka, hunka (20 year old) burning love... check it out, he even has the lip thing down.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday...Naughty and Nice Nieces

2012-02-29T06:31:00.005-06:00

If only I knew what scheming is going on in that pretty little curly head...

Cook-Off Recap...

2012-02-27T06:51:00.000-06:00

HH and I had a wonderful time on our annual date night to the HLSR World's Championship Bar-B-Que Cook-off on Friday... I know, I am clearly NOT wearing the planned outfit. Again with the $#%& Texas weather, that awesome Lunar Cycles top would have had me freezing my lunar cycles off.

Plan B, same jeans, boots and jewelry (sheesh, what's up with me and the BIG earrings lately), old brown cardi (from Kohl's, and I do really have a hand under those bell sleeves), paired with funky little embroidered tank found on clearance at my local Ya Ya Clothing Company boutique, belted with wide belt with turquoise buckle, also from Ya Ya. Lunar Cycles top will now be attending the ZZ Top rodeo concert in a couple of weeks... $%&# weather better cooperate.

Now, on to the FUN stuff... COOK-OFF! For those of you non-Texans, or Texans who have never attended this Cowboy Mardi Gras, I snapped a few pics...

These are from the Holy Cow Cookers booth... one of a 100's of teams that compete, and then put on a huge party with free food., drinks, bands...

and yes, this is all set up in a giant TENT.

Did I mention free mini CRAVE cupcakes? Nothing like a Bud Light and a cupcake...

Ran into some of our best friends and neighbors...

And then we discovered the free photo booths.

Uh, yeah... we went a little ~~bonkers~~ overboard.

More Cook-off action...

And just in case you're unsure which Porta-potty to use...

What's Up Wednesday... and a WINNER!

2012-02-15T08:07:00.000-06:00

What's up? Valentine's Day is what's up here... turned out to be a lovely day. Started my day volunteering at the junior high getting 2400 (no joke) carnations labelled and ready for delivery to a bunch of eager middle schoolers... funny, funny to read what they write to each other. My fave? A shy looking little 6th grade boy who was filling his order out for me last week and quietly asked

"how do you spell anonymous?"

After Carnationpaloooza, had lunch with some of my favorite friends and then came home to find this surprise sitting on my kitchen counter...

Ahhhhhhh... tulips, my fave! My mama knows me so well.

A dozen roses and tickets to see Million Dollar Quartet from Handsome Hubby.

Date night on the horizon! Woo hoo!

This yumminess from my babies...

And finally, from all of my loves...

WOO HOO! Not a bad day for an old mom...

And here's what I wore for a long day of hearts and flowers...

Cardi - White House/Black Market (2 seasons ago on sale)

Tank - Target Micro Rib Tank (best tanks EVER!)

Jeans - Anthropologie Holding Horses Cropped Jeans

(I'm short enough that when I roll down the cuffs, they are the perfect length NON-cropped jeans...

and FYI, got these WAY on sale, because I will NEVER pay $200 for a pair of jeans!)

Red Patent Flats - Payless American Eagle (old, old, old but great shoes and I think they still sell this style)

Sliver Heart Earrings - Target

Bracelets - clearance at Target and American Eagle

Black Bling Belt - Target clearance ($5.98!)

So, how was your favorite Hallmark holiday?

Lest you think I forgot, fear not... we have a WINNER! OLGA you are the winner of the Blog Birthday Giveaway! Congrats and I will be contacting you soon...

Friday Finds...

2012-02-10T07:38:00.000-06:00

So, I've been on a thrifting kick lately. Perhaps it has something to do with those two words that are looming larger and larger in my future... COLLEGE TUITION. Or maybe I'm just cheap. Whatever the reason, I'm having some fun finding things both for myself and the booth. Check out my latest treasures...

Just adore this cute little rattan and bamboo side table... it was marked "not for sale" but was sitting in an area of FOR SALE stuff, so I took it up front and asked and YIPPEE, it was in fact mismarked and mine to take home for a whopping $4.00! Yes, please! This little sweetie is booth bound.

I can't get enough of shabby old artwork... this one is very old and very sweet. The bird? Just loved his colors and doesn't he look so regal? Also booth bound!

These chickens make me happy... two of them are salt and pepper shakers and two of them are just plain cute. Off to the booth they go...

Now, a few things for ME! What I'm finding about thrifting for clothes/accessories? There are things I would probably never pay full price for, but would love to have if the CPW (cost per wear) were low. BINGO!

What's in my cart?

The corduroy leopard print jacket was in new condition, and only $9.00. Animal prints are the new neutral and I'm a little obsessed. SCORE.

The giraffe bag... so cute! I love to change up bags every now and then, but this is not versatile enough for me to justify a big purchase. But at $5.00?

Yep, I can justify.

The NEW red Coldwater Creek peplum jacket/blouse. Not something I would wear too often, but perfect for substitute teaching or those times when I need to look a bit dressier/more professional... and at $6.00 it's a steal.

Check out those rockin' red Laredo Ropers! These are actually for Dear Daughter, as it's coming up on Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo time... her feet are still growing and I am not spending $100 on boots she will wear for a week and then outgrow. These? Leather, name brand, excellent condition, and only $20.

YEE-HAW!

That's all I got for now...

don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY, last chance this morning!

TGIF!!!

Wordless (at least as close as I will ever be) Wednesday...

2012-02-08T07:23:00.000-06:00

Fatbooth Fun

Super Bowl Jello Jigglers

High School Swimming DISTRICTS

Happy girl got the part! "High School Musical" Wildcat Cheerleader...

Happy 1st Blogday and a Giveaway!

2012-02-03T06:50:00.000-06:00

So, I totally would have missed the fact that TODAY is my little blog's big first birthday were it not for my number one cheerleader (mom) who sent me a lovely little congratulatory note yesterday... thanks Mimi! I'm a little bumfuzzled as to how the last year has just evaporated, but I'm quite proud of myself that I'm still keeping up with this little adventure, even if not quite as often as I would like.

Funny reading my very first post (no pictures, DUH, what was I thinking?)... we were having a snow day the next day. A SNOW DAY. Exactly one year later, and it was 88 degrees yesterday. Remember what I said about our weather being ON CRACK? Welcome to Texas... don't like the weather? Just wait a minute.

Interesting to realize how my style has changed as much as it has stayed the same over the last year, and how my interests are evolving. I've found that I really enjoy writing... I guess I have always been the one who preferred writing a paper over taking a test. But now I find myself forming blog posts in my head and then frantically looking for something to write it down, or jumping out of bed to type something up because I know in the morning I will get so busy with the business of the day that it will have completely escaped me.

A girl knows her limits, but a wise girl knows she has none... Marilyn Monroe

And how on earth did I go from ZERO followers (well, besides Handsome Hubby and Mimi) to 765 in one short year? Insane! I hope I don't bore you too often, and I hope you all stick with me for another year. I have "met" some wonderful folks in this virtual world! As a THANK YOU to ALL of my virtual friends, those that have been with me from the beginning and those of you who are new,
I'm feeling the need to celebrate with... what else?

A GIVEAWAY!

So, what am I giving away you ask? I had to think awhile, and I decided to share with you one of my all-time favorite products (and no, I'm not getting a kick-back, this is not a sponsored post, and I am buying this with my very own cashola just because I LOVE you all...).

What is it, you ask?

Benefit High Beam Complexion Enhancer

One swipe of this magic potion on your cheekbones gives you that lovely pregnancy glow (ok, I was more green than glowing, but I know you're SUPPOSED to glow) without having to change diapers or pay college tuition. You will have the perfect amount of sparkle, without looking like an 8 year old that got crazy with the body glitter.

And all you have to do to enter to win this little bottle of magic?

HOW TO ENTER

To enter the Orangie's Attic Blog Birthday Giveaway, you can either:

1) Become a FOLLOWER of the Orangie's Attic Blog via Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, Blog Lovin' or Email Subscription and leave a comment letting me know which you choose.

BUT I AM ALREADY A FAITHFUL (BELOVED) FOLLOWER, YOU SAY?

In that case you can...

2) "Like" Orangies Attic on Facebook, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know you're a fan.

3) "Follow" Orangies Attic on Twitter then come back here and leave a comment to let me know you are a follower.

And for those you sweet friends who have already done ALL of the above (LOVE you), just leave me a comment to say HELLO, please enter me!

Only ONE entry per person, so please note that you only have to do one of the above to enter. I'm all about easy...

And one more thing, make sure I have a way to contact you if you win - an email address or a username to message you via Facebook, Twitter, Etsy convo, Blogger, etc.

Giveaway is open to US residents & International residents with restrictions - see official rules for details

Giveaway ends Friday, February 10th, 2012 at noon PST. Winner will be announced shortly after.

THANKS friends and followers...
looking forward to another year of rollicking randomness with YOU!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday... Puppy Love

2012-01-18T10:33:00.000-06:00

I just wonder what is going on in that fuzzy little head...

Book Club Review: The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

2012-01-16T09:39:00.000-06:00

Another gathering of the Lit Wits last night, and another lovely evening with great food and good company (thank you, Sarah!). This month's book selection? The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman, a New York Times best selling debut novel which follows the topsy-turvy private lives of the reporters, editors, and executives of an international English language newspaper based in Rome as they struggle to keep it—and themselves—afloat.

This book reads like a collection of short stories, tied together by the backdrop of the newspaper. Personally, I found it hard to feel a real connection to the book, just as soon as I would get interested in a character...poof, they're gone. Others found this the very aspect that kept them interested, different strokes and all that you know. Apparently others also found it quite funny , the humor somehow escaped me. Again, different stokes...

Overall, I would say 5 of the 8 in our group would highly recommend this book... personally, it wasn't a memorable choice. I decided I would have preferred it in movie format, Robert Altman directing in "Short Cuts" style...

"Short Cuts"

It wouldn't be Book Club without some fun treats... we, of course enjoyed an Italian dinner (when was the last time you had chianti?) topped off by gelato and cannoli's (seriously, how many weight watchers points can I kill in one sitting?). YUMMO. Our dear Jana brought the party favors, as always she amazed us with her creativity ... you'll have to read the book to figure out the significance.

"It is Better to Live Your Life Imperfectly...

than to Live an Imitation of Someone Else's to Perfection"

Next up?

Thrifty Thursday...

2012-01-12T10:07:00.000-06:00

Been a LONG time, but took a little trip to my fave thrift stores this week... the antiques booth has been largely neglected over the holidays and really need some items to freshen it up. So what goodness did I find, you ask? For the booth...

Love this little circa 1950's shabby wicker shelf... perfect to replace another little shelf I just sold. I could have 100 cute chachkes in the crappiest of shelves and I promise you they will pull everything out of it and buy the shelf. GO FIGURE. Which is why I price every single thing in the booth, even if I intended it to be a "fixture" because sure enough, the fixture is what they want.

What else did I find for the booth? Nada. Zip. Zilch.... yep, sad face.

Lest you think my trip was wasted, fear not! I discovered one of my thrift haunts now has a "boutique" room... and BAM, turned that frown upside down.

I have been thrifting for antiques/furniture for years, but never shopped the clothes/shoes/accessories sections... until I started reading so many great everyday women fashion blogs and caught wind of some of their amazing finds. Discovered this website from a Nate Berkus segment (love me some Nate!), http://lookingflyonadime.com, Check it out, cuz' this woman will rock your world with her cheap chic thrift finds. Anywhoodle...

Jones New York animal print scarf, wood bead and silver necklace, tortoise shell and black beaded necklace and vintage pearl and crystal beaded necklace... grand total? $27... BAM! I have been loving scarves, animal print, and all things tortoise shell lately. Happy face.

But the grand finale? The icing on the cake?

The cherry on top of the sundae (can you tell I'm hungry)?

Wait for it...

wait for it...

Brand new, never worn, my size, SOOOOO comfy... $5.00. FIVE BUCKS, people! Got my name written ALL over them. BOO-YAH!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday...

2011-12-22T10:08:00.000-06:00

Ok... it's Thursday, not Wednesday. And this isn't exactly wordless either. But it's winter break, so cut me some slack... I'm all discombobulated.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever you celebrate!

This is our 2011 card. Yes, this was taken on summer vacation, as it is every year... when we are all tanned, relaxed, happy and not running in 400 different directions. I evened managed to squeak a REAL smile out of Sweet Son, who loathes picture day with his whole teenage boy heart. I also get them printed in September, not because I am some super organized freak, but because Shutterfly runs some SWEET deals in the summer allowing me to order my 250 cards without having to take out a second mortgage on my house.

Now there's some JOY!

And inside are these two cuties... looking back at our 2010 card I'm just a tad distraught as it appears in the last year a MAN and a TEENAGER GIRL moved in and someone kidnapped my babies... seriously, who ARE these people and what did you do with my kids???

Try It Tuesday... DIY Lip Glop... um, GLOSS.

2011-12-20T07:38:00.000-06:00

Dear Daughter has entered the world of junior high and the multitude of girl friends that comes with those crazy tween years... and of course, she being the most giving heart in our family, wanted to gift each and every one of said girl friends this Christmas. Seeing that her gift budget was not quite as large as her heart, we needed to come up with an idea that would be both tween approved and somewhat economical... hence, homemade Lip Glop!

After perusing a few different "recipes" on Pinterest,

we decided on this version...

You will need:

Petroleum Jelly

Kool-Aid (any flavor you like, we even mixed a couple)

Small Plastic Bead Containers (after multiple stores with no luck, these were finally located at Joann's)

Avery Mailing Seals

Start with about 1 cup of petroleum jelly in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt for 30 seconds at a time, then stir, until it is completely liquified... this will take several minutes and the bowl will be VERY hot, so good to have an adult do this part.

As soon as it is liquid and still hot, mix in the Kool-Aid. We started with Cherry, then Grape, then finally mixed Cherry with Pink Lemonade to make Cherry Pink Lemonade. It takes about 1 package of Kool-Aid to one cup of petroleum jelly. Immediately pour the mixture into the opened bead cups... let sit until it solidifies. The Cherry tinted it a light pink, the grape turned out a little too gray for my liking but DD was happy with it. The Kool-Aid gives it a lovely scent and a little bit of flavor as well...

The Avery labels are the perfect size to make your own, personalized labels. The Avery website has a free online program for creating and printing them in the correct size.

These cute little pocket size lip glosses would be perfect for birthday party treat bags, class gifts, stocking stuffers, or girl scout craft projects. And let me say, they were quite a hit with the tweeny-boppers.

As for the name, LIP GLOP? Well, those moms out there will understand... you know how your adorable little toddler calls something the wrong name and you don't have the heart to correct them because it makes you LAUGH OUT LOUD every time they say it? Dear Daughter asked to use my Lip Glop one day, and it's been Lip Glop ever since...

Wall Plaque by Mountaine Meadows Pottery

Tasty Tuesday - Raspberry Tart!

2011-12-06T09:08:00.002-06:00

Just Sweet and Sweetly Hot Raspberry Jam - Paula's Garden on etsy

Hold onto your hats, friends... two posts in three days!

I know, I can hardly contain myself either.

Being it is THAT time of year, I have 4 events in the next 4 days which require me to contribute a dish of some sort... have I mentioned I am NOT a cook? Have I mentioned I was smart enough to marry a man who can whip up a gourmet dish from half a jar of peanut butter and an onion? Ok, perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration, but he does possess some pretty remarkable culinary skills for which I am eternally grateful. But it is a busy time, and I think I am on my own this week in the "bring a dish to share" department.

Book Club last week was hosted by my beautiful and gracious neighbor, Sherry... she gifted us all a tart pan along with a recipe for the YUMILICOUS appetizer she served (along with some YUMILICOUS cocktails).

Seriously, Book Club with adult beverages, fattening food, AND gifts? Makes it worth reading a few less than remarkable books.

So, we start with the tart pan...

I must say, there is something really cute about a tart pan.

Williams Sonoma Fluted French Tart Pan

And here is the recipe... which was included with the pan and all wrapped up with a lovely bow!

Even I, with my limited chef skills, ought to be able to pull this one off... to the store I go to load up on cheese and raspberry preserves. Do you think it REALLY matters if I shred my own cheese?

Post Script... if you can find the pre-shredded Velveeta I would highly recommend it for this recipe. I tried to shred my own, and it's a bit like trying to shred cream cheese. GOOD TIMES... not. Also, this can be done directly in a shallow pie plate or tart dish allowing you to skip the Pam and flipping onto a plate part of the recipe... a very good idea for a kitchen klutz such as myself.

Seussical Sunday... Holiday Topiary even the Grinch would love!

2011-12-04T10:37:00.000-06:00

Dr. Seuss Printable

Blog slacker reporting for duty... seriously, no excuse other than the usual lame "life is busy" which is just getting so boring. ANYWHO... today I'm back and bringing you a fun and fast little project to add some color and whimsy to your holiday decor. And when I say fast, I mean it took me longer to write this post than to make this project.

Some of you may remember this little pumpkin topiary I did back in October...

Fall Topiary

I loved these SOOOOOOOO much (I have one on each side of my porch), I really didn't want to take them down when we started pulling out the Christmas lights... but don't want to annoy the neighbors, so back in the fall decorating box they go.

So.Sad.

Now, what to do with my cute little iron urns for Christmas? After some online searching I found a few ideas, but since I am short on TIME these days, I needed something super speedy... running through the aisles at Hobby Lobby during the 50% of Christmas sale, inspiration struck like a directive from Santa himself.

I started with three of those large indoor/outdoor shatterproof Christmas ornaments in large, larger, and largest...

also some quick drying waterproof glass glue.

The biggest challenge was figuring out how to get these babies glued together and stacked in a way that they would dry without sliding apart. My solution, as you can see in the above photo, was to stack the clear plastic packaging they came in, with the balls glued together inside. These sat overnight to make sure they were good and dry, and the next day I just plopped them right into the urns...

Dear Daughter (aka Cindy Lou Who) thinks they look very Dr. Seuss...

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Where have I been???

2011-11-10T08:40:00.000-06:00

What the heck? I knew I'd been gone too long when one of my DARLING friends played the word BLOG in our Words With Friends game... along with a "hint, hint" message. GOT'CHA.
To quickly catch you up, I've been doing this...

For those of you who don't live in my neck of the woods... these are HOMECOMING OVERALLS. A local tradition is for the girls to decorate overalls to wear to to school and to the HC game to hold up the GIGANTIC MUMS they wear to the game... these are mini versions that I made for the "little sisters" because heaven forbid they get left out of the fun. You can only imagine what my dining room looked like during the creation process. OY.

And the MUMS... here is a pic of one of the most extravagant and creative I saw at the game... too big to even get the girl in the picture!

Your eyes do not deceive you... it lights up!

Not to leave Sweet Son out of the festivities (it was HIS homecoming afterall, HA!)... SS and darling date at the game with their mums, and all dressed up and ready for dinner and the dance...

And of course... there's was Halloween.

Diners, Drive-ins, and Dear Daughter! Most FUN part of this costume was the tray... Dollar store Coke tray and plastic glass... we put a pink napkin inside the cup to make it look like a shake. The burger and hot dog? Those are rawhide dog treats... HA! All glued down so she could carry it around as one piece. Oh, and she was smacking gum for extra effect...

This weekend is her BIG 12th birthday party... promise to be back with highlights of that extravaganza!

Friday Fashionista...

2011-10-14T06:32:00.000-05:00

I am definitely NOT a fashion blogger, but I have been following so many great everyday women who post daily fashion inspiration, I decided to jump on Polyvore and play around with it myself...

So, it''s October, right? Technically I suppose it's FALL, except that I live in Texas and today it will be 88 degrees outside... yep, EIGHTY EIGHT. No need for sweaters around here anytinme soon, we just have to fake getting our fall on around here.

This first set I LOVE LOVE LOVE for running around all day, lunch with friends, grocery store, College Night with Sweet Son... it goes everywhere, comfy as PJ's, lightweight enough not to sweat to death but still rocking those aweseome October colors. I have every bit of this except my earrings are a knock-off version from Urban Outfitters...

I've also become a HUGE fan of Anthropologie lately... I know, where have I been??? Better than to the party than not at all, I suppose. Found this in their sale room... short sleeves, lightweight, fall colors... that's what I'm talking about! Bummer, they didn't have my size... so got online and BAM, there it was in my size and ready to join my fall wardrobe.

Walled City Blouse

Add my GAP bootcut jeans, these awesome shoes (and yes, I see that they are $110 but I found them at Burlington for $24... CHA-CHING!), and a pair of statement earrings and I'm calling it a DATE NIGHT!
TGIF, my friends!

Thursday This and That...

2011-10-13T07:38:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! Lots going on the past few weeks, just going to catch you up with a little "this and that"...

Here's a fun fall project I finished last week... I know, I'm pumpkin possessed! Got my inspiration from Pinterest and will not even insult your intelligence by giving you the play by play in pictures... all you need are some pumpkins (I used foam from Hobby Lobby, you could use the real thing, too) and some kind of container... then it's PUMPKIN, E6000 (glue), GRAPEVINE WREATH, PUMPKIN, REPEAT...

set it on top of your container

(thanks to Mimi for the cool iron urns) and VOILA!

I made two of them to adorn my front porch and they will be there until

Thanksgiving... I "heart" them very much!

Then last weekend we attended a friend's 50th birthday party... I won't go into how much it DISTURBS me that my friends are turning 50, except to say that I'm pretty sure my parents JUST hit that milestone... right? UGH. Anyhoo... of course it was a "no gifts" occasion but felt weird walking in empty handed, so another Pinterest inspired idea (and I wonder where all my time goes, DUH!)...

Hysterical, right? Cute candy jar was from TJ Maxx, used some of my scrapbook paper and ribbon stash for the sign, and filled it with 50 Tootsie Pops... BIG hit and so fast and easy! You could really do it for any age... 30, 40, 50... not even going to mention the next decade yet. That's called DENIAL.

Oh, and I did finish my Couch 2 5K program... YEA ME! I am now supposed to have started the Bridge to 10K with my friend, Jules but I have been a slacker and SHE has not... think she's a week and a half ahead of me so I need to get off this dang computer and put my new running shoes on... until next time, my friends! Make the best of your day...

The Look For Less... Pretty Pricey Pumpkins

2011-10-05T06:44:00.000-05:00

I don't know what my deal is, I have been possessed by Halloween decorating. Perhaps it's my inner witch trying to get out, but in my defense we have had the same decorations for YEARS, they are looking a little tired, and I think they need a little EEK factor. There are gazillions of adorable decorations to buy... but why would you when you can make your own for so much LESS moola? I mean really, I would prefer to save my money for something I can't make
(hello, new fall boots!)...

These are from two very popular home decor stores...

So what's a girl who doesn't have a couple of hundred bucks to spend on pumpkins (and wouldn't even if I did) to do? Start with this...

I picked up these two plastic pumpkins at Michaels for about $5 each, but they are EVERYWHERE this time of year. I already had the black tulip paint, mod podge and scrap fabric in my stash, but if you have to buy them all three could be had for under $10 total. Now for the FUN part...

For the white pumpkin just grab your tulip paint and start dotting... I didn't use a pattern, just went to town swirling them freehand. This entire pumpkin took all of about 5 minutes to finish. My kind of crafting, baby!

For the monogram I first printed a large font letter on my computer and then traced onto the fabric. You could use scrapbook paper, but the fabric molds to the curves of the pumpkin so much easier. If you do decide to use paper, LIGHTLY dampen the paper before applying to the pumpkin... it will smooth out nicer and help avoid bubbles. One coat of Mod Podge to the pumpkin, place the letter and then let dry for a few minutes. Slap another coat of Mod Podge on top and you are on your way to the store to buy those new boots... I hit mine with a spray of clear acrylic sealer since it will be residing on my front porch.

Spidey is from the Dollar Store... I'm good, but even I don't think I could have made HIM any cheaper.

Stairway to 5K... An Awful Lot of Running To Do!

2011-09-30T08:56:00.000-05:00

Tote Bag

I'm back! I know... it's been awhile. Not an intentional blog break, but this school year so far has been ~~insane~~ interesting. One starting middle school and one in the all important junior year... soccer, tumbling, swimming and basketball, dance, play rehearsals, girl scouts, back to school nights, PTA volunteering, substitute teaching, pep squad, football games, and this week there is homecoming hoopla. C.R.A.Z.Y. But, mostly fun crazy, and I haven't just been running kids around...

Some of you OA old timers may remember the posts Run Kelly Run, Confession Friday and T.G.I.F. when I discussed my quest to complete the Couch to 5k running program. And I am happy to report that in the midst of all this CHAOS, I am ONE... yep, ONE run away from graduation! I have even managed a few outdoor runs, no small feat considering we are STILL hitting 98 degree highs on a regular basis.

Hand Stamped Cuff Bracelet

Some weeks I run once, some weeks 3 times, and some weeks not at all... but I have persevered and pushed through no matter HOW miserable... and let me say, some days are MISERABLE. Today, towards the end of my run, my Pandora radio was playing "Stairway to Heaven", which depending on your age you may or may not remember is the longest freaking song in the history of the world and the song we always knew to request last at every school dance... and today I was PRAYING for that stupid song to hurry up and get up that stairway as I'm sure our chaperones were 30 years ago.

Yeah, I pretty much still hate to run... and I am definitely NO speed demon. But I look forward to celebrating my graduation with you, and I'm even maybe considering moving on to the Couch to 10K. If that's the case, I'm thinking I need to find a new Pandora station...

Folk Art Painting

Make It Monday: Glitter Candles

2011-09-19T09:13:00.000-05:00

Really, what's not to love about glitter? And this is one quick and E.A.S.Y. glitter project. Seriously, the most craft challenged of you could do this in between ~~surfing Pinterest~~ loading your dishwasher and ~~facebooking~~ folding laundry. Here's what I started with...

Taper candles that were 79 cents at Hobby Lobby, glitter in coordinating colors, and Elmer's Spray Adhesive. ANY kind of candles would work, pillars, taper, votive... you probably have some laying in a drawer. I wanted these particular colors, so I bought them new, but I do have PLENTY barely burned I could have used in other colors.

Pour a nice line of glitter in the bottom edge of a cake pan. Lay the candles out and spray with the glue (one a time so the adhesive doesn't dry too fast)... best to do on wax or parchment paper, but I was out so I just used foil. Once you have them covered with a light coating of the adhesive, just roll the candle in the glitter. Press it down a bit so the glitter gets good and stuck, and then lay out to dry overnight.

I suppose you can guess I was doing some Halloween decorating... these add some great spooky sparkle to my living room and dining room! I plan to try to some different colors for Thanksgiving and Christmas, because they really do look so freaking pretty!