photo album!

 
This is the cupcake costume I made Olivia.  It was so much fun this year because it was the first year she actually grasped the concept of Halloween! 


My little thumb sucker, any ideas to break the habit...

I am in love with fall, it is so beautiful here during fall.




I love making fabric covered invites and cards, I made these for a 1st bday party for the little boy I babysit.

 
It was our first snow of the year, and Olivia loved playing in it. She was too little to play in it last winter, we can't wait for more snow here.

Trick or Treat

Well, I can not believe it has been over 1 week since I posted anything.  I am sorry, it has been crazy busy with me working 2 jobs. I babysit during the day and work at a local pizza joint at night (which by the way has the best pizza ever)

Some crazy things have happened-

Our car finally was "fixed" after almost 2 months of sitting at the mechanics.  I had been getting more furious by the day as the the weeks progressed.  Why the quotations you ask, well, the mechanic did not even have to fix it, nor did he charge us a dime.  Several weeks ago, he did the diagnostics on the vehicle and confirmed that no gas was getting to the gas line, so I ordered a fuel pump and when he went to go put it in, the car started right up.

This would not be such a big deal except that we have been with out a car for several weeks, and then all of the sudden it's not broke anymore. Who know how long it had been sitting there, ready to drive, and meanwhile we are riding around town on our vespa. What the hell?? So now I have a $160 fuel pump, and a car that is all sorts persnickety. Fabulous!

My Subaru is finally in the shop because it needs a new engine we are thinking?!?! Wouldn't it be fabulous if it just started working!!

Today is full of sewing as I finish up Olivia's cupcake costume and my Pez dispenser costume. This should be fun!  I will post pics once they are finished but just to give you an idea, this is where my cupcake inspiration came from... Lemon Tree Creations and Pottery Barn Kids

This afternoon will be filled with pumpkin carving and lots of it, my hubby decided that he absolutely needed this giant 40 lb. pumpkin?!?!  I have never seen such a big pumpkin  : )

Well I have a lot of stuff to finish today, but I will be back with updates and pictures, but until then please enjoy my new favorite song by the ever so fabulous Taylor Swift. I am in heaven now that her new album is out, it is her best ever, and I have so much respect for her for writing all of her own songs, being true to herself, and always holding herself up with so much class despite people always trying to bring her down.




This song is pretty similar to how things have progressed through the years with me and the hubby. I love this song as well as "Never Grow Up" but there was no video yet that I could find.

Just Call Me Chef

I have recently expanded my cooking horizons, you see I don't normally cook.  It has always been the hubbys job to cook dinner.

The other night, I made a delicious Butternut Squash Pizza. It was a play off of this recipe from allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1/2 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 (16 ounce) package refrigerated pizza crust dough
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place sliced onion and squash in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat.
2. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until onions are lightly browned and squash is tender; set aside.

1. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into an 8 inch round. Place the rounds on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (you may need 2 baking sheets depending on their size). Distribute squash mixture over the two rounds and continue baking for 10 minutes, checking occasionally, or until the crust is firm. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Cut into quarters, and serve.  

Now, the above recipe is where I drew my inspiration from. I however, used a premade pizza crust that was on a super sale  in the bakery dept.  I then made a garlic paste using minced garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little bit of flour for thickness.  

Spread that onto the crust, then put on the butter nut squash, onions, more garlic, rosemary, and just because we wanted a fancy pizza we put some feta crumbles and some prosciutto. We topped it off with nice thin slices of tomato.

 


I hope you enjoy this, we sure did, especially with a fabulous bottle of red wine. MMM!


I also made caramel apples the other day, which everyone else like but I could not eat. I tried but for some reason it bothered my teeth.





Hope everyone is enjoying the last of beautiful fall days. We sure are, this is my little princess sporting her father's orange hunting vest from when he was that age.  His mom made it for him 26 yrs ago.

 

We have been taking lots of long beautiful walks through the town and even hit up some thrift stores where I purchased the flannel shirt I am sporting. It is a Ralph Lauren in the men's section and was only $3.00 and is super comfortable.

Have a great day everyone!

FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!

GIANT FAIL.

HUGE FAIL.

MEGA FAIL.

FAIL. FAIL. FAIL.

Please tell me that I am not the only one who experiences this while crafting away yet again another genius idea!?!?

Let me submit the evidence, and prove to you this FAIL. that I speak of.



This was my take on an owl hat for my daughter, it is also before I could stomach finishing the ears off because it is such a giant FAIL. that it simply belongs in the trash.

First off, I made the pattern just a tad to big on the sides, and a tad to small on length.  I also thought it would be fun to do a funky print, but I now believe it is in my best interest to stick to normal owl like patterns and colors.

Secondly, the applique is just God-awful.  I used interfacing with it and tried to stitch it on there, but it just looks sloppy. ( My applique is not great, I would appreciate ANY feedback)


Let me tell you a little secret......


Are you listening closely??

All right, I have committed myself to making only handmade presents for Christmas and I am in dire need of a sewing tutor, or mentor. I realize that in the blogging world that means it would not be in person, but I am so new to this, and there is no one where I live to help me.  I have asked the (only) quilting store around here, and have not gotten much help.  I really want to be a great seamstress, but I feel like I am just failing miserably at it.  I need some help, so please if there is anyone out there willing to take me on, I promise to try my hardest, and be great.  : )

Hopefully I will be back tomorrow with some caremeled apples, and an easy butternut squash pizza!  YUM!

Pouring My Heart Out

  

This is new to me, I have never participated in one of these but it sounds almost therapeutic. Don't you think?

There are a million topics right now that I could pour my heart out about, but I will try to keep from writing a freaking novel.

My biggest issue in life at the moment is that I absolutely hate where I am living right now.  It will be 2 yrs in December that we moved to this dinky little town in the middle of Montana. My husband transfered with Albertsons and got into a manager position, it was a good move for his career and we both wanted to try life away from where we had grown up.

Days before we were supposed to officially be in Montana, I had a surprise positive pregnancy test, we moved without telling anyone because we just wanted to get settled first.

Upon first impressions, it's a cute town with a lively Main St. and has the overall appearance to be a great place to raise your kids.  Although I missed my friends and family back home, I agreed to give it 1 yr before making any irrational decisions.  That 1 yr has come and gone, and I am more than ready to be closer to home. 

I have made no solid friendships here, I have not met any mothers with children the same age as my daughter whom I can have play dates with, and we have no support system here.  It is not feasible for me to go back to school here because of the cost of child care and travel involved with the school located here.

We don't want to move back home, but definantly closer, like 2 hours away closer instead of 12.  The town where we want to move has a great college, and a descent job market, along with the perks of small town living. (I am so not a city person)

All of this would be much more doable if we weren't having to put $3,000 into our cars at the moment. Hell, for that amount I could probably buy a better working car, which is pretty bad considering that our cars aren't bad, old, or misused vehicles. We are just having some rough patches, and I know that in a few months everything will (hopefully) start falling back into place.

Just That Kind of Mood

You my friends, are about to get a sticky note novel!

Aren't you excited??








  

  In case you were wondering what a vino scooter is, this is our current means of transportation. My car needs a new engine, we have the means to pay for that- just need to find one, and my hubbys car needs a new fuel pump.  Long story short in the sticky note novel. :)





This song totally sums my mood up for the day.  They are a fabulous band called Mumford and Sons!

I hope you enjoyed the song :)

Halloween Candy Corn Wreath Tutorial

Let me first apologize for not being very diligent about taking pictures for every step of the process.  I just sorta get into this craft mode, and forget that, "duh, it's going on my blog. I should probably take pics."

 

Now imagine this wreath with ugly wooden hearts hanging from it with some "Home Sweet Home" crap on it and lots of raffia attached to it. Then you will know what it looked like when I picked it up from the thrift store for $1.00

I also purchased some orange spray paint ( I seriously heart spray paint) and some candy corns.

I spray painted it really good on both sides, I just love the glossy look of spray paint!


 

Then I took my glue gun (does anyone else have a relationship with their glue gun?) and sporadically glued candy corns onto the wreath and added some sweet Halloween fabric to the top to hang it with....

Like this...

  


 


Anyhow, that's it!  Pretty simple, and cheap to boot.

I am linking up to these parties...

        

                                                       

    

Pink Sparkly Boots, and Super Delicious Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

 

I am seriously dying over how stinkin' cute these cowgirl boots are.  I am for sure getting them for my little cowgirl this winter, just hopefully not at 35$ a pop, I will have to look on Ebay, but they are of excellent quality.

Now, I have a question to ask.  Do any of you NOT have T.V.?  Because, we don't (yet) and I like it this way.  We seem to spend much more quality time together as a family since not having TV in our new place, (think Yahtzee, Scrabble, and Jenga) I am enjoying it, but today I realized that I may have to go back  to having TV, you see, I have a dilemma.  Since we don't have T.V., my husband decided that instead of spending all day together as a family like he promised today would be, he felt the need to go to his (usually drunk) friends house to catch part of a game- 1 1/2 hours part of a game, so I think I need to order some T.V.

Quite a dilemma, huh?!?!

 

Anyways, as I sit here stewing about my dilemma, I am eating my emotions in these delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, I even added cranberries to one batch of them.  YUM!!!

I got the super easy recipe from My Baking Addiction, it is rediculously easy, I even had all the ingredients on hand, which if you know me at all, never happens when I am trying to bake something.

They are my most favorite cookie in the whole world, but super expensive at the store for just 6 of them!

I hope you will try this recipe...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from allrecipes

yields 16 large cookies

Ingredients

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla paste (extract will work just fine)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt.
2. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
3. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.
4. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.


I will be posting a tutorial on this wreath for Halloween sometime tonight or tomorrow.

 

I just need to add a few more spooky elements, and then I will post it,

but right now I am going fishing with my family.

Have a great Sunday everyone

Things are starting to look up, sorta

First off I just want to share a song that always puts me in a good mood, never fails!



Anything by DMB actually, it just makes my whole day but it usually has to be live.  The energy in their live music is just insane.  I have been lucky enough to attend 2 DMB shows with backstage passes, and they are some of my best times in life thus far.
image credit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dave_Matthews_Band_-_Stand_Up.jpg
I have officially decided to get this tattooed on my hip or shoulder. I can't decide~ 

Anyways, enough of my DMB obsession....


We are getting the subaru fixed here shortly which I am so thankful for...  but unfortunately when it's fixed we have to make a trip to Minnesota for some not so happy reasons.


I have a list of projects a mile long to finish, including a quilt that I was supposed to be doing with Fat Quarterly's Quilt Along, but never did because we moved.  I swear that's a valid excuse!

I have a few skirts for Olivia that I need to finish, and a lot of Halloween and Thanksgiving related crafts to get to.

Here's a sneak peek at some of the fabulous inspirations out there....

  

I am loving this picture frame with pumpkins, the options are endless.  Imagine plastic spiders, or 3D lettering with the word BOO. I found this tutorial on eighteen25  but you can also find it at Becky Higgins blog.  Go over there, seriously.  Her photography is absolutely inspirational.




Seriously could these Turkey cupcakes get any cuter, I don't know if I could even it one they are so cute.... yea your right, I could totally eat one, or maybe all!

These can be found at Donna's blog, Chuckles, Grins, & Banged-up Shins.




Jana over at Bits of Me created this awesomely creative take on Subway Art.  I am in love with the book pages.







 












I am jumping on the fabric pumpkin bandwagon, and using this fabulous tutorial from Tatertots and Jello.
I love that Jen used unique fabric for these, they really pop!

That's all for my fall project to-do list for now.

But before I go, I would like to direct your attention to a blog that really inspired me and lifted my spirits up. It is a blog that I think all bloggers should read, no matter how big or little you are in blogland. 

So please go to Mustard Seed Creations and read her advice on blogging, it really gave me the boost I needed to back into the swing of things, and helped me realize not to be so hard on myself when I visit all the other fabulous blogs out there.

Life goes on

Hello blogger friends...

It's very nice to see you again :)

It has been quite some time, you know with my being neglectful moving and all...

Do you all ever get in a bad mood and stay that way for a very long long time??

Because I am in a mood, and have been for several months now to be perfectly honest, I am on the verge of being extremely depressed, and I hate being this way.  I really don't have much of a reason either.  I have a beautiful daughter and a great marriage to my wonderful hunk.  

But you see, the thing is that I hate where I am living. I despise this place with all of my being.  We have been here for almost 2 yrs and I have yet to say that I have truly met an honest to god true friend.  I thought I had some, but they have all recently proved me otherwise for the most part, and it's not because they are not good people because most of them are.  I apparently just don't have that kind of friendship with them, the one where you can call each other ANY time of the day and they will be there for you.  The kind that might as well be on your family tree.

I don't have that here, nor do I have any actual family here besides my daughter and husband, I miss having that. I miss not being myself and spending my days working out, crafting, cooking, and what ever the else hell that makes me happy.

Apparently I have bad karma, or I made God mad, because for the last 6 months it has been one thing after another, and it's always a very bad thing (like both of our vehicles breaking down) and it's always expensive.

You know that saying about how God doesn't give you more than you can handle, well guess what?!  He can take some of it back because I can't freaking handle it anymore.  

So now I am going to go to work, because I had to get a night job at a local pizza joint.  This means I no longer get to put my daughter to bed and it also means that I will be serving stupid pepperoni pizza on Halloween night instead of taking my daughter trick or treating for the first time, all because some dumb 18 yr old Bia requested the night off so she can go smoke pot or go drink, hell, she's probably doing both.  And the only reason this is happening to me is all because we need money to buy my car a new engine and my husbands most likely needs a new fuel pump which are not cheap as we both drive foreign cars.

F my life right now.

Neglected!!!

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to inform you that I am in the process of moving and I am very sorry for neglecting my blog.  I hope all my readers will return once I get back on schedule.

Pretty please, with a cherry on top!!!!


I will be without internet for a little bit, but plan on getting it back ASAP!!!


I hope you all will understand, and I can't wait to get back into the blogland.



Love,


Me!

9 years ago

Nine years ago today, it was a chilly Tuesday in Wyoming.

I was in the ninth grade and new to that school since I was homeschooled 7th and 8th grade.

I remember alot of whisper and chatter in first period, but I had no idea what was going on. 

Down to the basement I went for 2nd period, it was Spanish.

Mrs. Shuck informed us that the WTC had been hit with a plane, we all sat their at listened to the radio and turned on a little TV. 

I remember just feeling more sick to my stomach by the second, and finally went home to my mom and dad. 

I proceeded to watch the TV all day, I will never forget that feeling in the pit of my stomach as I watched these poor people jumping out of windows to escape the horror inside the buildings.

That is my account of that life changing day Sept. 11, 2001.

A few years later, I went on a mission trip with a friend from church the summer that I turned 16.   I did go to ground zero and the emptiness there was indescribable.  There were still memorials everywhere, and a giant fence surrounding the area.


Today I have watched a few shows on the History Channel dedicated to 9/11, and they have been a chilling reminder to NEVER forget all the beautiful lives lost that day.  Mothers, Fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and the like.  All of the policeman, fireman, EMS, good Samaritans, and everyone else that risked their live so that they may save another.

It is so saddening to see all of the hate in the media the last few weeks, especially the Pastor from Florida!  I really hope that he does not follow through with the Quran burning, it will not make things better for America or our troops overseas, and I pray that he realizes this.

Obama made a speech today and one sentence really touched me, "We were not attacked by a religion that day, we were attacked by Al Qeda."

America was founded by men and women who came here to escape religious persecution, how American is it then, to burn another religions literature?? 

That kind of action will only provoke the extremists, and make things so much worse.  I hope that people in America can be the bigger person, and look past someone's religion, and see the person for who they really are.

I pray that everyone today can take one minute out of their day to give thanks for all of our emergency personnel, service men and women, and I pray that everyone may treat each other as they would want to be treated, regardless of religion, color, gender.

Hope everyone has a great day,

Olivia and I are recovering from a cold, so I will probably do some cleaning and sewing.

What are you doing this weekend??

My First Guest Post Ever!!

I am guest posting over at Straight Stitches TODAY!!! Please go look at my latest project, involving corks and chalkboard paint!! 

I am so excited about this, as I am quite new to the blogging world, and Straight Stitches is one of my most favorite blogs ever. 

The fantabulous Heather is on a fun vacation in Nashville (totally on my bucket list).

Here is a little taste of what you will find on my guest post today!

WoRdLesS Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday

 

  

Crafting away

I have spent the majority of my weekend crafting away. I made several flower clips for my beautiful daughter to put in her hair, and I made a project for my 1st guest post ever on the fantabulous blog by my blogger friend Heather over at Straight Stitches. I am not sure what day it will be posted this week, so I would love it if you could pop on over there sometime this week to see it.  You can find a little sneak peak right here of what I made.  I also bought supplies to make my first ever quilt- I am doing a quilt along this month with one of my favorite blogs- Fat Quarterly, and I bought supplies for a few Halloween/ fall themed projects for this month.

Are sick of all my links yet???

Let me show you the clips I made for my daughter and then we will get on with business...

Excuse my messy floor, I was too busy crafting.  (that was not a joke)

anyhow, when I get my camera up and running, I will take much better quality pics and put up a tutorial on my take of the flower hair bow.

Now on with the games,

  

I am linking up with Tuesday Tag Along today! 

Come join me in the partayy!!