Happy Halloween!

I found a giant velvet robe at the thrift store a few weeks ago and bought it with plans of turning it into Red Riding Hood's cape.  I brought it out to show Evan and he was so concerned that I thought Red Riding Hood wore a robe.  Silly boy!  I finished my cape just in the nick of time and I am so glad we thought to get a giant, wolf-ish looking dog so that he could be my costume accessory.

We live just blocks away from the classy historic district and get a ton of trick-or-treaters as a result.  Last year we ended up locking the screen door to the front porch and shutting off the lights because every time the door-bell rang, puppy Gesso almost wet his pants.  (and maybe we just wanted all the candy to ourselves.)  We'll see how long we last this year.  Happy Halloween everyone!

Deep Thoughts

I am a list person (!) and I always try hard to finish everything on my list before the day is done.  And since I hadn't been getting much art time in lately, I was sure to put that on the list yesterday.  I found myself dusting off my watercolour paints and doodling, among other things, this snippet from Mrs. Miniver.  The fall colors are out in force and taking over the city, (which isn't as scary as it sounds), and it is quite incredible!  Oh October, you are so nice.

I stand corrected.

Remember last year when I 'invented' Holly Peanut Butter Cups?  And how I got a little bit cocky and told Reese's to 'eat my shorts'?  hehe.  Well.  I stand corrected.  Because I found a recipe for Reese's peanut butter eggs (remember Easter?), that could totally eat Holly's peanut butter cups shorts.  And they are rocking my very world.

Evan has been gone this week for work which is how these came to be.  When Evan is gone things get really boring around here and the clock ticks extra loud, the appliances hum, and I eat things like a big bowl of raspberries + peanut butter eggs for dinner.  And chocolate covered pomegranate seeds for breakfast (Evan please come home!!).  Anyway, the point is that while Evan is gone I do all sorts of irresponsible things.  Like look for sinful new recipes to try.  And these are the very definition of sin.  So I guess you could say I've been sinning all day.

Peanut Butter Eggs:

adapted from this recipe

filling:

1.5 c. powdered sugar

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter (I like Adam's no-stir.  because I hate stirring peanut butter.  hate.)

2 Tb. butter

1 Tb. milk

coating:

1.5 c. dark chocolate chips

1 Tb. shortening (I know it's weird, but it works!)

Mix together filling ingredients until completely combined.  Roll into little balls (or eggs!) and freeze for about an hour. 

Once frozen, melt chocolate and shortening in the microwave and dip peanut butter balls in chocolate.  Let harden on a sheet of wax paper and then eat them all at once.  I won't judge!

Home Again

 

We have returned after a week spent skipping through Southern Utah.  It is Evan's happy place and it makes me pretty happy too.  Although our adventure was cut a little short on account of my dumb cold, it felt so nice to be back to the land of red rocks.  Ahhhh.

Bedazzled

That's right.  I glued sequins and glitter on a pumpkin.  Spooky!

We are leaving today on a little adventure to Evan's most favorite place on earth.
See you in a few weeks!

Millions of Peaches

We live in a town void of orchards.  It is the worst.  It means no road-side stands or 'pick-your-own' farms.  It means super lame grocery store fruit.  It also means long winters.  But!  I had a friend who knew of a friend who had a friend that lived in Washington State and who was coming to Montana with a truck full of peaches.  Peaches!  We jumped on that boat as fast as we could.  We are peach people.

And so we have spent the past week having a peach with every meal.  And for every snack.  It was probably the best week of my life.  And then things got dramatic: the peaches were at their prime and we still had half a box left.  What to do?!  I'm not cool enough to know how to can stuff.  And our freezer can only hold so many frozen peach slices.  How 'bout fruit leather?  Okay.



Peach Leather:
4 peeled, pitted peaches
juice of one lemon

Combine peaches + lemon juice in a blender and blend until no chunks remain.  Pour into lightly greased dehydrater trays (this amount yielded three trays).  Press the 'on' button.  Take a nap.  When leather is done becoming leather (5 ish hours?  I'm not sure, I was taking a serious nap) cut into strips and roll in parchment paper.

Yay!  Yum!

Fabric Printing

 I picked up a fabric printing book a few weeks ago at Border's going-out-of-business sale (so sad they're closing, but I can't lie--70% off books is nothing to cry about!) and this was my first attempt.

Verdict:  Fun!  And not as scary as I thought.  

Also, much messier than I thought.

burlap for president!

I was in the mood for a new tablescape (I really don't call them that in real life), one that was kind of fall-ish, but also one that wasn't too fall-ish.  I sometimes am incredibly difficult.

And as I was reaching for my bin of crazy colorful quilt scraps, I paused.  And then I had a thought: why not do something different this time (we all know I have enough crazy colorful things already), why not something well, sort of neutral.

And so I purchased 1/4 yard of burlap, did a simple zig-zag stitch around the perimeter, and layered a piece of green fabric on top of it.

I asked Evan what he thought of the new tablescape, he said, and I quote, that he appreciated the "lack of pink".  WHAT?!?  Just kidding.  I  appreciate it too.

Festive For Fall: part 2 (felt edition)

Felted candy corn (don't get confused!)

A felt-y leaf garland

Little felted acorns

And Mr. Owl.  A recent dinner guest observed that Mr. Owl looked just like a Furby (he wasn't offered any dessert).

And I know they aren't felt, but my friend brought me these beautiful weed/branch/pods things, aren't they BEAUTIFUL??!

Festive For Fall: part 1

 I know it's still a little early to be this excited about fall....but....so what.  I think it's fun.  I have been making some things to help our little house feel more festive, and this is where it all began.

Remember the Valentine Hearts I made?  Well, this was the same concept, except that instead of cutting out hearts, I traced some leaves from our yard and cut those out instead (smart move!).   I strung them from a fallen branch and hung them in front of a sunny window.

Oh how I love garlands and mobiles, especially seasonal ones.

Hope you have a great (fall!) day!

Weekending

This past weekend, our little corner of the world was experiencing a major heat wave (Fall, where did you go?).  And so we got out of there as fast as we could and spent a few days in the Spanish Peaks (which, disappointingly, were not in Spain).  It was PERFECT weather and we had the place all to ourselves.  Somebody forgot the sunscreen (okay, it was me), and so we showed up at church looking like pieces of fried chicken.  But really, it was a small price to pay for a lovely mountain visit.

{this moment}

{this moment} - a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' over at soulemama for all to find and see.

cookies and a little chat

Peanut butter cookies are where it's at.  Evan can't eat peanut butter, and since I'm not bold enough to eat an entire batch of cookies by myself (even I have my limits!), I usually make them whenever I need to take someone cookies.  This is my favorite recipe.  And this is my second favorite recipe (trust me, I've done my research).

A few more things:

::  I got a new job!  I am now a merchandiser at a super classy decor boutique.  (oh you don't know what a merchandiser is?  It's someone who aesthetically displays the merchandise.  duh.)

::  For the past few holidays, Evan has been surprising me with new music (cute!), and on my last birthday he got me this.  I love love love it.

::  Watching this makes me hungry.

::  Our friends have a neighbor who walks his cat after dark.  He also brings his guitar and sings ballads while they walk.  It is something to behold.

I think that about covers it.  Have a wonderful day!

my little secret

A year ago last Spring, I put away my paints and brushes after a few very terrible paintings.  I wasn't sure if I'd ever feel like painting again.  In hindsight, I can now see that I had been putting too much pressure on myself and it was messing with my head.  And so I did other things and other projects, anything to keep myself away form those evil paints!  

Shortly after I finished the flower wall, I decided it was time to give painting another chance.

And so I carried Big Brooke up from the basement and began to paint.

Let me say this: painting is not at all like riding a bike!  I was so rusty!

I told a very small, select group of people about my little secret, my painting-again-secret.  Because I didn't want any of that pressure to create a masterpiece creeping into my brain again.   

And I think my secret idea worked!  Yes, it was both hard and frustrating to be painting again, but more than all of that, it was fun.  And dare I say it, fulfilling.  I had missed painting!  Which were the most surprising emotions of all.

And the next time I decide to pick up painting after a years absence, I must remember to start on something smaller--my poor (weak) wrists almost fell off!

p.s. listening to this helped me not be so scared.  It is incredibly insightful.

{this moment}

{this moment} - a single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' over at soulemama for all to find and see.

Fishy

Sweetie pie Evan got me a fish-eye lens for my Birthday.  

It is so crazy cool!

Deep Thoughts

Ten thousand flowers in spring,

the moon in autumn,

 a cool breeze in summer,

snow in winter.

If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.

--Wu Men Huikai

Is it really September already?  How did that even happen?  It felt like fall yesterday, complete with long pants, misty rain, hot chocolate, and snow (3 inches!) in the mountains.  At the start of every new season I find myself claiming it to be my favorite.  Which gets confusing if you talk to me on a regular basis.  I read this quote the other day and it changed my life--it turns out that EVERY season can be my favorite.  Hoorah!

Wishing you a happy weekend  ;)

picnic please!

This project has been on my list since last summer (oops!), and I finally finished it this morning.  I found this sheet at a thrift store and it was definitely love at first sight.  It is so soft and happy that I knew right away what to make with it--a picnic blanket!  Not that we go on too many picnics around here, but I'm pretty sure it's because we didn't have a proper picnic blanket.  Yep.

I didn't want to spend too much time or money making this blanket (it is for outdoor use, after all) so I used a thrifted bedspread for the backing (hello orange!), tied it with chunky green yarn, and made bias tape from my scrap stash.  Easy!  Done!

And the very best part of all?!?  Matching pj pants (or are they picnic pants?)!  I used the flat sheet for the quilt, which left the fitted sheet without a job.   So it's new job is to be my pants. They are so so soft and only mildly offensive (Evan is still warming up to them...).  

Oh yes, we love our new picnic blanket.

p.s. is there anything better than dappled sunlight?  or a puppy?