Saturday, November 1, 2014

November Thoughts

November Is Here!


Happy November 1st everyone!  Isn't that picture gorgeous? And a lovely poem too.  I love Fall.

It is very windy and chilly here today, so I am hoping to go up in my attic today and start changing over some of our clothes and doing a bit more of a clean out.  My goal for this month is going to be this quote I found:


I am pretty sure that's going to be a lot easier said than done (or in this case cut and pasted).  Wish me luck!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

It's The Great Pumpkin ..... (Recipe Collection that is)

Halloween will so be here, so I have a collection of great pumpkin recipes to share with you today.

First check out this cute one for Halloween Pumpkin Bars:


And this looks delicious!

Deluxe Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/deluxe-pumpkin-cheesecake

How about some Pumpkin Nutella French Toast?

Link: http://soupaddict.com/2013/10/pumpkin-bread-pudding/


 A "Paula" pumpkin recipe (so I'm thinking it must be good)

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-gingerbread-trifle-recipe.html


Pecans are never a bad idea...

Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/caramel-pecan-pumpkin-bread-puddings


Neither is chocolate!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pound Cake
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-cake


This double layer pie looks yummy!

Dutch Apple Pumpkin Pie
http://www.meals.com/recipe/pumpkin-dutch-apple-pie-28641


As does this additional streusel topped recipe.

Pumpkin Steusel Cheesecake Bars
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pumpkin-streusel-cheesecake-bars/35777889-f94f-413d-91cc-e02a009eca2e


Speaking of streusel....how bad could Pumpkin Bourbon Pecan Pie be?


Lastly, a muffin and a cake recipe that look delicious

Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Muffins
http://www.onceuponachef.com/2010/10/pumpkin-pecan-crunch-muffins.html




You know until I started searching these, I never knew so many delicious pumpkin recipes existed!  I need to stock up on some pumpkin before the Thanksgiving rush!  Seriously, the other year stores on the East coast ran short of canned pumpkin and it was nearly impossible to get.  And yes I know I could carve up my pumpkins from my step and scoop out their filling but (shamefully) I must admit I rather just have a can...

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Feeling Nautical

I've been working on a few nautical themed things to have on my table at our school's annual fall bazaar.  

First, some beaded ornaments:




These ornaments use 18 gauge wire and assorted beads, with a sea charm bottom.  I also make these in summer similiar to the ones in the bottom picture with a piece of wire wrapped sea glass as the charm for sale in the gift shop.  Some people use them for sun catchers as well.  

Here is the problem with this project....I have bought WAY too many beads.  Once you start buying beads you can't stop, cause they are all just so darn pretty.  I want to share two cartoon memes that represent me and my beads LOL.  And based on the fact that I got these off other people's pages this must be a common affliction.







I have also been working on coming up with and painting different designs on my wooden bouys. Here they are in progress:





This is going to be a busy week for me at school, so just a short post today.  Thanks for checking out my blog!

Sunday, October 26, 2014

It Was Starting To Look A Lot Like Fall ... Then Came The WInds

Every year I end up having to get new outside Christmas decorations (and every year I swear this is the last time I am going to buy anything for outside) because we always manage to have a Nor'easter or Coastal Storm before Christmas arrives and it tears them to bits.  Living on an island you can be subject to some pretty strong winds.  So last weekend I started decorating the front of my house for Halloween / Fall.  Can you guess what happened this week?


Yep, blown to bits.  Moving on.....  On Thursday I was happy to get my door decal I had ordered in the mail.  Since things had quieted down a bit, and I was really excited to see how it would look, I came home from school and set to work fixing up once again.  If you remember from a previous post, I got the idea for a door decal from this picture.  This is from a blog I like to follow, Thrifty Decor Chick, and her door looks a very similar color to mine.


I decided to go with the saying "Blessings".  Here is a pic from me having glued things back to my wreath and trying to spruce it up, while applying the decal to my door.  We recently had to change the deadbolt too, so my door paint needs a touch up, too.  But it's been a little too chilly and rainy this week for that.


Decal going on.......and the finished product:




I bought one of those Command hooks so that I won't have to use the wreath hanger, but I haven't tried it yet.  So, from Thursday evening til Saturday afternoon my house looked like this:



But I should have know something was up when I pulled back for a long shot and saw these gray clouds gathering...



'Cause guess what it's like at my house this morning.  I haven't even gone outside yet but I think my flag has blown out again.  Other people have flags in my neighborhood but mine always takes off.  (I have had to chase this flag all over my yard, the neighbor's, and once - my neighbor Katie will swear it's true - up on my roof).  And I am not in a hurry to look at my wreath.  At least I am pretty sure my door decal has stayed put.  LOL.   Happy Sunday everyone!

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Faux Stone Tile Painted Backsplash In The Kitchen

I needed a backsplash update in my kitchen.  Last year we got new countertops, and I knew I wanted to do something different to the walls and backsplash area as well.  I was hoping to get stacked stone or stone mosaic tile, but it didn't work out.  Next, I looked into using tin ceiling panels, an idea I had seen online.  At the same time I had begun to experiment with faux painting, and while searching for more backsplash ideas, I found a couple of blogs where people had painted their backsplashes to look like stone.  During Spring Break I decided to try mine.

I used a stencil to help with mine, though many people just tape off the area with painter's tape.  I looked this morning to find the website and stencil I used to share with you, and can't find it.  It was a tile stencil, and it had large diamonds on one overlay, with smaller ones to fill in the empty spaces in between on the top overlay.  I ended up doing only the large diamond shapes.

For paint I used my trusty Lowe's and Home Depot paint samples.  I LOVE those things.  I have so many of them I'd be ashamed to admit the number.  You see I am addicted to paint and paint colors. Really!  And spray paint. 

I wasn't doing any blogging yet so only have a few before and afters to share.  I took these to share with my husband who was away on the tug at the time.


Step 1:  Taping off the top of the countertop and the bottom of the cabinets.



Step 2:  Measuring and Getting Started.  I wanted a full design at the end of the counter next to the fridge, so I started there and worked backwards to the window over the sink.  This picture is after it was dry and I was cleaning up, but you get the idea.  On the other end of this wall I started with a full design starting at the corner and traveling toward the sink.  This worked out well for me.  In the picture you can see my stencil, the natural sea sponges I used to do the painting, and some of my little sample pots.  I used 6 different colors layered on top of each other for this faux granite effect.  The colors were a light cream, beige, medium tan, two different browns, and black.  I used the beige as the base, then the tan, then the browns, and highlighted with the cream and black.  It matched up really great with my countertops.




Step 3:  Getting in the groove.  In the corner on the oven wall, I started with another full design and worked to the left.   Please ignore the mess and dirty dishes in the sink.  Let me warn you if you decide to try this - it IS NOT a quick project.  This took me all of one day and evening (with breaks for paint drying time) and a little bit the next morning.





Step 4:  This summer I decided to change out my hardware to copper and add copper accents.  This project was one of my first blog posts.




Remember the light I got and didn't like the color of, so decided to add more copper accents.  Here is what it looks like now.



Now that I have lived with it a while, I am considering going back and doing the second overlay to add the accent "diamonds".  If I do, I am thinking to do them in a darker black based shade to help tie in the black appliances.  (like this combo I did on my scarred up living room end table top). What do you think?





Monday, October 20, 2014

New Ideas & More Fonts To Share


Have a look at some of the projects going on around my house at the moment.  I found the little slates with jute hangers at Hobby Lobby on my last trip, and the got the idea to stencil them with my crab stencil and add some nautical sayings underneath.  This was my first try.  Also in the picture you can see some glass jars.  I hope to turn them into jute wrapped jars, accented with a charm and filled with some sea glass.  A bit like this idea  I shared in my post about jute wrapped crafts.



Another thing I want to share that I think I might have mentioned before is Sharpie brand Paint Pens. I love them. They are a recent find for me, so I don't know how long they have around, but they make lettering, drawing and fine detail so much easier!



Check out this cute Halloween craft Sharpie posted on their blog that used their paint pens.


So, I did not know that Sharpie had a blog.  Now that I do, I'm pretty sure that it's one I will keep checking out.  Here is a link if you'd like to check it out too.  I didn't have long to look around but it looked like a place to get a lot of great ideas!


And, speaking of writing and lettering here are a few more free fonts from www.1001fonts.com that I'd like to share.  The theme this time is Handwriting (Script) Fonts.  I find these really useful!  I have shown a picture and included a link to the font's page.  Please be sure to check out the rules and licensing info if you decide to download and use them.
















I'm afraid that's it for now, cause it's back to work for me.    I hope your Monday is going great!

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Thrift Stores & Dollar Tree...Got To Love Them

Up this morning and determined to get a lot of things done today.  My husband is home from the tug after a rough flight into Philadelphia airport in a thunderstorm on Wednesday (after a two hour delay flying out of Florida and about an hour of circling Philly).  Yikes!  He sleeps most of the first day he is home, but is getting back in the swing of things now and will be grilling for us tonight and tomorrow. Go, hubby!

Got a few things to show you today, then it's back to business.  Today I want to share with you more thrift store and Dollar Tree finds.  These are from my most recent trips off the island.  I'm afraid if I lived off the island I would never have a cent to my name between thrift stores, Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby & Michael's, Sonic and Panera.  

First, here is a cheap Fall spruce up to the crock in my living room that belonged to my Nanny.  All of the florals came from Dollar Tree and came to a grand total of about $8 including the little green foam brick I stuck them in.  I like how it turned out!  


This picture has a look at the corner of my living room. I have a lot of items that belonged to my Nanny & Dada, from their house where I grew up.



Nanny, Dada, and me


                                        


In that living room pic you can also see a wooden candle stick up on the shelf that came in one of my recent thrift store hauls.  It was either 50 cents or $1, but it looks nice up there with with a wax dipped timer battery candle I got from ebay.  I love those timer candles that turn themselves on and off at the same time each day!

I haven't had a chance to post any pictures of the things I got when we were away on our trip last weekend.  So here's a look:



my new $2.50 Nine West purse and $4 giant heavy glass bowl from Halo Ministries Thrift Store (Snow Hill Rd in Salisbury - great place!)  In the picture below is the mirror I got from Rt. 346 Emporium in Parsonsburg, and the thrift store wall pocket I fixed up for my door, but decided to keep in the kitchen.  The mirror was $15, which I think was a good deal for it's size, and it looks really nice over my buffet.







Take a look at Lucky the Cat watching me type my blog from atop the one piece of furniture (other than the table) he knows he is not supposed to get on, which of course he has claimed as his "special place".  And he knows I won't do anything to him either, cause he's my "baby".  smh





I am also trying to list a few things for sale on ebay today, and bring down some stuff from my attic to finish my Fall decorating and have a small yard sale.  It's busy, busy, busy here again today!   Cue up "The Busy Song" and let's sing once again.  Have a great weekend!