halloween blues

it is that time of year again and i just don't seem to really care. usually i love halloween and fall and everything that goes with it, but this year i'm just kinda...meh..

the pic above was from two years ago with some of the kids when our theme was toy story, every year i pick a theme for us and our neighbors and we go all out with decorating the front yards and with costumes. our kids friends and our friends often join in and the cast of characters can get quite large.

i got the inside of the house decorated but i just cant seem to get in the spirit this year, we are doing lord of the rings this year which is one of my favorite trilogys but to be really super honest i just cant seem to care one way or the other. maybe im just overwhelmed with life at the moment and dont have the emotional energy, does that sound like to much mumbo jumbo? i dont have  any other explanations....do you ever feel this way 

Project #2

So project number 2, so I realize that this is a christmas project but I wanted to go ahead and do it, so here it is.

It is actually a paper mache house that I first painted white and then covered with scrapbook paper. The roof was done with strips of paper that I first curled around a pencil and then glued on. I then put on a layer of mod podge and sprinkled some fake snow on.  

The whole thing sits on a wooden spool that I wrapped some xmas ribbon around.

Not sure if I want to put a hangar on it or leave it as something to sit on a shelf.

Project #1 haha

Yes i actually got one done and finished.

so i painted three paper mache mushrooms. two of each color, without further ado here they are.

project one is in the books, now i need to get another one done for this week, maybe i can finish the house.

i do wish there was someway to get them to stand up on their own, if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

52 projects

For several years now i've been trying to do a 52 projects in a year, inspired by a forum on crafter.org.
and needless to say every year i have failed miserably. So this year i am at it again, at the moment i am working on painting six paper mache mushrooms and decorating a paper mache house. hopefully i will get the mushrooms done tomorrow and will post the results. the mushrooms will count as one project and the house will count as another.

i am still doing the orginization challenge. took a couple of weeks off due to the holidays. so far have done my kitchen counters and pantry. have started on week three which is the fridge and freezer. will post pics of that progress in the next week.

so every week i need to get a craft project done and organize some part of my home. ya, i so got this....

First week of 52 Weeks to an Organized Home

This week I am starting the 52 weeks to an organized home project. http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/organized-home.html. I do realize that this officially started in January, but I just found it yesterday. I guess us late comers have the advantage of being able to see everyone else's results and get ideas from them. 

So, the first week starts in the kitchen, specifically the counters and sink. So here are my before pics.

We shall call this the microwave corner. Although there is much more there than just that.

This one will be dubbed the coffee corner.

The sink.

And the catchall area.

So far I have removed the microwave (after cleaning the inside of it), along with everything on top of it, cleaned the window and sill behind it and the counter it sits on. The microwave will probably go right back where it is as this really is the best place for it. I also purchased a basket at wal-mart today to put all the mail and school papers that come in the door and normally get dumped in the catchall area. Its not an ideal size and it is fabric which is also not really a good idea in the kitchen but it will do for now until I find something else.

I'm thinking I will get rid of my old knife block but keep the knives in a drawer and only have my newer one on the counter, which will free up a little bit of room in the coffee corner area.

Of course all of this will get rearranged once all the xmas decorations come out but none the less it will make room for those and everything can go back to its new home after the holidays.

I will post after pics sometime this week once I get it all done.

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

I love cooking with pumpkin in the fall. So I will try just about any recipe that features it. 

For this one you will need a shallow pan or bowl to mix all your ingredients in. I use a 6x6 baking dish.

Next is 1/4 cup of milk.

 

Then comes the pumpkin, 1/4
of a cup.

 2 eggs go in first.

Followed by 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

                            And 1/2 a teaspoon cinnamon.

2 Tablespoons brown sugar (I used light brown      sugar).

   Then mix it all together, I doubled this recipe to make enough for five people.

Just dip your bread in, making sure to coat both sides. I used wheat bread.

  And if all goes well you will end up with a nice stack of yummy pumpkin pie french toast.

As always if you try it please let me know how it went.

Fall Mantle

I missed posting this yesterday, but wanted to get it on before I started changing the house for the winter holiday season.

So without further ado here is my fall corner of the home.

Just a few simple things can really make a big impact.