Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Autumn Greetings

September 010
This is my favorite fall wreath.  No reason.  It just makes me happy…
I can’t wait to put it up every autumn :)
The pieces are all thin wood.  I cut them out with my scroll saw and hand painted them before gluing to a grapevine wreath.
Acorns, pumpkins and corn: September 009
 More pumpkins, leaves and a sunflower: September 013
And an autumn angel
who is…
September 015
GiViNg YoU a HaRVeSt WeLCoMe: September 016
CAST your cares
on the
LORD and he will SUSTAIN
YOU;
he will NEVER let the RIGHTEOUS fall. Psalm 55:22
(Couldn’t resist sharing this favorite “fall” verse :)
Linking to:  
Join  us Saturdays at tatertotsandjello.com for the weekend wrap up         party!Get your craft on Thurs.MakingPhotobucket
The Girl Creative MarketingMondays

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Toffee Mocha…

Another seasonal favorite at Starbucks is toffee mocha. 
It pretty much tastes like this…
mocha_crunch_hmpg Photo via Wiseman House Chocolates
Chocolaty, yummy toffee.
In a cup.   
(Toffee mocha, oh how I Love thee)
Make yourself this yummy treat at home (When you’re not indulging at the Starbucks).
Only 2 ingredients
Toffee Creamer
1 cup non dairy coffee creamer (powder)
1 cup packed brown sugar
Process in a food processor until well blended or whisk together in a bowl.  Store in an airtight container.  Add 1-2 tablespoons to 1 cup of hot coffee. 
And if you’re feeling a little sassy…
slap some whipped cream and cinnamon on top:    
244781181_7776034b03
You’re welcome. 
Linked to: 
TastyTuesday200pixPhotobucketTempt my Tummy Tuesdays
wfmw-300x198 Join  us Saturdays at tatertotsandjello.com for the weekend wrap up         party!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

swingers and climbers

Have you noticed there are two definite preferences, when it comes to playground play? 

You see.

There are swingers 

and there are climbers. 

                                Skyleigh Claire likes to swing.

Please.

DO NOT attempt to remove her from the swing.

Such efforts will be met with MUCH weeping,

wailing and

gnashing of teeth.

(She’s serious about her swinging).July 275

                  Nolan Ryan is a climberJuly 287

        and so is MatthewJuly 276

                                     Lacey Brooke, too!July 283

  Nolan tries pushing…July 284

          But it’s WAY too hard July 286

Which one is your favorite?

fyfyfyfyfyfyfyf

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Anatomy of a pitch

Some photos of Lacey pitching this summer.

Except

You’ll have to imagine it at 60 miles an hour.

In other words.  This is super slow-mo.  

Preparation
July 037

            The windupJuly 034

Scary face required.July 038

               The releaseJuly 033

Batter’s view:July 032Strike 3. Batter’s OUT O

fyfyfyfyfyfy

Pumpkin Spice

Do you
       big puffy heart
this:
My Pictures
As much as me??
How about making some at home 
to get you by…
until your next Starbucks trip?
Last year I posted my Just Like Starbucks recipe here.
(PS. It’s delicious)
But this is even easier:
PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE CREAMER
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup powdered coffee creamer
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Measure all of the ingredients (even the vanilla) into a food processor and process for about a minute, or until it is all powdery smooth and the texture is even. Store in a container with a lid.
You can add more or less spices, according to your tastes.  Splenda can be used  instead of sugar. 
Double or triple the ingredients so you don’t have to make it as often.  Cuz you’ll be making it often.  :)  
Linked to:
Tempt my Tummy TuesdaysTastyTuesday200pixwfmw-300x198 Photobucket
Join  us Saturdays at tatertotsandjello.com for the weekend wrap up         party!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Thursday, September 9, 2010

The summer of perpetual motion

July 021Spring and summer flew by this year.  Busyness from dawn to dusk - there was little time for blogging and visiting all of you!  

Reason for perpetual motion #1:  Matthew played on a traveling baseball team this year b  

And by travel, I mean their league is actually in ANOTHER STATE!   

April 038

From March through July, we were privileged to drive back and forth to Colorado and/or Nebraska.  At least 2 and sometimes 4 days a week. 

He loved every minute and gained lots of experience. 

But it SERIOUSLY stretched my time management skills! 

Such as they are. 

It.was.a.struggle. 

Plus.  Until early June, game day temps were in the low 40’s.  Minus a few thousand degrees of wind chill. 

SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL, I tell you. 

By July, my fingers had finally thawed and I took a few pictures:

Swinging in Castle Rock       
July 012

The much feared lefty slurve pitch
July 029

Pitching at Highlands Ranch. Strike 3. Again.
highlandsranch 
Swimming between tournaments
July 018

July 025


Playing first base in front of the beautiful Rockies! July 195 
Looking forward to next season!

(Remind me of that in March, K)?

qfqfqfqfqfqfqfqfq

FaLL BLeSSinGs FRieNds!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Fall’s call

September 104
Summer is short here. 
So short, people here say we only have 2 seasons: 
1) Winter and 2) It Feels Like Winter
Or, more appropriately,
1) Winter and 2) Road Construction
As such, we really don’t have much “fall” to speak of.
It just gets a little colder than it already has been.  All the pretty green flowers, gardens and trees succumb to frost.
And every morsel of weather that is non winter related is cherished and DELIGHTFUL. 
The extreme cold cooler temperatures and the mountains many feet of snow will be here soon enough.  Perhaps even tomorrow.  REALLY. I’MNOTKIDDING. 
Oh, and don’t forget the incessant gale force entity known simply as THEWIND. 
To sum up- the weather here is LOVELY.   Please come visit any time. 
qfqfqfqfqfqfqfqfq
A primitive light box is fun and cheerful in any season.  Here’s how I make mine: 
Start with an old sewing drawer. 
September 105
If you don’t happen to have a sewing drawer, use whatever you have on hand…. an old tin, sifter, colander or you can even paint a paper mache box to match your theme.  It’ll look great no matter what you use!
Cut a piece of Styrofoam or florist foam to fit inside.  To fill the sewing drawer, I used fabric pumpkins, fall berries, pine greenery and a fall star. 

I used a twig from a lilac bush for the stem and used my primitive grunging recipe to coffee stain and scent them.  They smell SO good!
The star is made from muslin with a pretty scrap of fall fabric whip stitched on top.  It’s also stained and scented.  September 101
I insert small sticks or dowel pieces into the stuffed pumpkins and stars… then stick them into the florist foam.  The berries and greenery have their own stems. 
Tuck in a strand of twinkle lights.   September 100
 
And finish with a strip of fabric tied in a bow. 
September 104
I use mine with a timer – to come on at dusk and turn off at bedtime.  I love to change the theme and have a twinkly primitive box all year.f


FaLL BLeSSiNgS!
Linked to:
Photobucket
Show and Tell Green 4968565891_49cca02266_o
Get 

your craft on Thurs. giveaways
Join  us 

Saturdays at tatertotsandjello.com for the weekend wrap up         party!