Friday, September 26, 2014

Garlic Ghost Pumpkins ~ Have I Flipped?

I'm not sure but I think I may have officially FLIPPED!
 Hubby seems to think so!
 
I have spent all this past week making all the pumpkins
that I had planned on making for the last two years and
never got around to doing them. I was just plain and down
out right determined I was going to do them this year come
heck or high water!
 
I have made sweater pumpkins, chenille pumpkins, cotton
checked pumpkins, drop cloth pumpkins using rolls of
tolit paper, and even collected some palm nuts I found out
in the yard that are orange and look like tiny pumpkins! I
added those to a couple of decorations I made for Fall.
Oh...and pumpkins made of t-shirts!
 
I've made them in a couple of different ways and still have
a few to go and then I think I'm done....maybe! It seems
everything I look at could be a pumpkin! But by golly this
year, I am finally accomplishing what I have wanted to
try and do and am getting them off my list and mind once
and for all! I feel much better now that that task is done!
Well I'm almost done!
 
But I think I am on pumpkin overload! I go to the store
to pick up a few things I needed, and on my list was some
garlic. I get home and am putting away the groceries and
as I turn around I spy my bag of garlic. I take them out of
the bag, set the three bulbs on the counter and my phone
rings. After the call I proceed to finish putting away the
rest of the groceries and go to pick up the bulbs of garlic
to put in the veggie crisper and what do you suppose I see?
 
Pumpkins! I see my bulbs of garlic as Pumpkins!
 
Well of course I had to do it! I got out my black and white
craft paints, and some twine to make three little bows. In
my wacked out mind, the tops of the garlic bulbs have now
become hair and in need of a bow. I painted eyes on each
of the bulbs, and mouths, glued on the bows with my glue
gun and then what do you suppose I see. GHOST'S!
So now I got three cute little Garlic Pumpkin Ghost's!
 
 
Thinking they were so cute I took them into my hubby's
office here at home to show him my new creations. Guess
what he does? He starts dying laughing! When he finishes
he suggests I get the thermometer so he can take my temp.
Then he starts laughing again! After a few seconds I asked
if he was done, he said yes and starts laughing again!
 
So I go back downstairs thinking to myself....hmmmm
well I think they are just dang adorable! I got a silver
tray that is in desperate need of some polish, laid some
fake Fall colored leaves on it, and place my garlic pumpkin
ghosts on top and then sprinkled some acorns I pick up
from out in my driveway and set them on the end table.
This would be the end table right next to where my hubby
sits in the evening to watch the boob tube!

 
 When he comes down later in the late afternoon, he goes
over to sit in his favorite spot and sees my little garlic ghost
pumpkins. I'm in the kitchen and I'm just waiting...just
waiting for one more crack of laughing! But this time he
surprised me. He says, "sweetie, those are so cute and the
way you did them on that tray really looks nice!" I'm silent.
He says, "sweetie did you hear me?" I said, "yes I did, are
you afraid I might poison your dinner!?" He starts laughing
again and say's, "no...well maybe!" Then says while he is
still chuckling, "your mind never ceases to amaze me...
YOU are the only person I know that would paint a face
on garlic and add bows! But I really do think they are cute!
Only you dear....only you!" Now do I believe him...nope!
Why, because every time he looks at them he starts laughing
again! I think he was just afraid what I might to do his
dinner! And I....still think they are just dang adorable
even if he is still laughing! The big meany! Am I wacked!?
 
I don't know, but it's way way past bedtime....I'll sleep on
it and see how I see it in the morning.
 
When I get my pumpkins all done I'll share my over load
of pumpkin making I now have. But at least I have done
what I was determined to do! I can say the hubs hasn't
laughed at them....he actually complimented me on them!
 
That's a good thing for him because this girl is
already thinking of a good backup get even plan
to put up my sleeve for the next time he utters
another laugh! Shhhhh, don't tell but I'm thinking
some mashed up guacamole in the next dish I'm
making! He gags just looking at that stuff!
 
HA!
 
Beware buddy beware!
 
I still think they are cute don't you? Who cares
what he thinks....he's a guy!
 
 
Here's a sneak peek of one of my sweater pumpkins
that was on my two year ago list to make. I just had
to add some sparkle too! Hubs really liked these!
 
Have a great weekend ya'll!
 
TaTa For Now!
 
 
With Sincere Appreciation I Would Like To Thank
 
 
For featuring my Garlic Ghost Pumpkin Girls!
And my Chic little Sweater Pumpkin too!
 
Thank You! I'm tickled Pink!
 
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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

For The Love Of Twine

Are you a crafter, gardener, or a jack-of-all-trades kind of lady? If you are any of these then I am positive you know and have used twine before! If not, then I am going to share some surprising ways one can use twine! Twine has a plethora of ways to use and incorporate into I swear almost anything! I have used it in so many ways and projects my list is too long to list! One of the things I love about twine especially when used in my many craft projects, is the feel of a nautical beachy, or rustic look it gives. I like that a lot!
 
Recently I found this website through a friend of mine called Hometalk. Have you heard of it!? Well if you haven't you need to visit! It's an amazing site! I have been spending alot of time there when I'm not crafting.
 
At Hometalk, you set up an account, and then you can scroll through hours of projects for home and garden, and diy tutorials, and clip them to boards you create for future reference. Plus you can make comments on the things you like, pin them to Pinterest, Facebook, Tweet It, Google+ it, or email it to a friend. And....the best part....you can post your projects just like if you were blogging too!
 
In fact, I was so honored that my very first post, My Ballard Design Demijohn Knock Off Bottles Only Better With Bling! was featured right off! And they went viral! Every where, Pinterest, Facebook, and on other blogs and web pages! I was shocked!  And then, one of the gals at Hometalk visited my blog and fell in love with my twine wrapped bottles I made for my mom along with another twine wrapped bottle I did. I was asked to post those on Hometalk because they wanted to do a feature on those also! Now how lucky can one girl get in one day!
 
Plus when you post a share, you can add several pictures, of your project, and link it to your blog or website for more info if you want. Or just blog it all right there if you don't have a blog or website! How cool is that! And one more thing, if you have questions about anything, just ask! There is a group of professionals there to help and guide you along with everyone else on Hometalk that is a member if they have information to share on your question! It's great!
 
Hometalk has an audience of over 700,000 followers!
 
I was asked to curate at board for them on twine! Now that was really exciting and scarey all at the same time! I have never done that before....didn't even know what it was! But once it was explained to me, I was on it! It was suppose to be 10 to 15 projects using twine. Well I found over fifty I liked lol! I weeded and weeded, found some more, weeded again and got it down to 27.
 
I was aiming to try to show just how useful twine is, and how many ways twine can be used along with how may types of twine there is! From just a little touch of it, or a whole project, twine can change the look of anything for that just right finish! With the ones I choose, which was tough to decide with so many I wanted to share, you will also I'm sure be inspired by all the projects themselves that the twine was used in. I was for sure! Twine is a commodity no one should be without!
  
 
Click this link to see all 27 projects and get inspired yourself!
 
Some of my favorites were:
 
Let's start with some of my favorite Christmas twine
uses seeing as the holidays are just around the corner!
 
 
Don't you just love this display from House On The Way! This whole display is simply stunning! Those little cone twine wrapped Christmas trees just top it off giving this prettiness a touch of the rustic outdoor look of nature. See those gorgeous white balls!? You can also wrap balls in twine and add a sprig of holly and red berries too!
 
 
And look at this adorable cookie cutter wreath from Serendipity Refined! Here just that little touch of waxed twine to tie the cookie cutters on with just gives it a sweet finish too. Love this idea! Oh and those sweet mason jar candle holders ..... twine was used there wrapped around the top a few times holding a sprig of pine and holly berries in place. Very pretty!
 
 
This idea from Chirping With Charm is a great use of twine and a darling repurpose! Mason jar lids wrapped in twine for the sweetest ornaments! Just add some pretty holiday trimmings perfect for your tree!
 
 
One thing I love to use twine for is gift wrapping gifts. You can wrap paper wrapped gift boxes with it, or do like Andrea at Personally Andrea did here with this sweet way to wrap this candle gift! Here she used the twine for attaching the tag slipping it through a button and tying it in a bow. Special touches like this are such a thoughtful way to present your gifts. Twine is good!
 
 
Do you love to make banners!? Well the perfect item to hang your pretty banners on is twine! And if your banners are made with burlap...even better! Twine and burlap are like pea's in a pod together! Twine is pretty strong and can hold a good amount of weight too! Although banners weight very little....but isn't this great! Plus, the twine doesn't over ride your pretty creativeness. See how Ann at On Sutton Place did this. Just lovely isn't it....oh and wait till you see what she did on the backside of the banner! Ideas, Ideas, Ideas! Get your twine ready!
 
Now lets wander away from the holidays! Take a look at this genious use of twine and a fab repurpose/recycle for your garden!
 
 
A bicycle wheel trellis! How cool is that!
 
See more that Stephanie shares from her Garden Therapy on this unique idea and use of twine! It's great for the garden. Oh and I saw somewhere that if you take twine and do a knotted netting fence...you know...like a fishermans net, it helps to keep out small critters who love your garden more than you do!
 
 
And this framed artwork is adorable from Maryanne at Domestically Speaking!
Just that touch of bakers twine along the edge gave this sweet burlap heart more meaning! I see "Love and Kisses!" The bakers twine gives the artwork some pop and frames the heart as well. Love this idea! I'm thinking Mother's Day, a birthday, and of course Valentine's Day! Maybe even a rustic wedding prop with initials and an arrow added!
 
And this is just one last of my favorites! I had so many but just click the link under the "For The Love Of Twine" banner above and find more uses for twine!
 
 
Isn't this a cool use for twine! And what an idea! This really appealed to me because I am trying to grow my own herbs. So if I'm successful, now I can take this idea for drying my herbs! And of course I have a ton of twine!!!
 
Want to see more unique uses for twine!? Check out my "For The Love Of Twine Board"  and get inspired....to use twine!
 
Thanks Hometalk for the opportunity to create this fun board! I love twine!
 
Hope you all enjoyed the board and find some things that you just have to try using twine! If you have more ideas, share them at Hometalk! Everybody is looking for new ideas! If you haven't been to Hometalk....get there today!
 
Have a lovely day!
 
TaTa For Now!
 
 
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The First Ever DIY Link Party!!! The Event Of The Season!

Now this is a party you don't want to miss!!!!
 
The Best DIY Link Party Ever! One Party on 27 Blogs!
 
Amazing Right!
 
Share your three best DIY projects!
 
 
Here are my three projects I'm sharing!
 
 
 
I was so excited when these were featured by Knockoff Decor and Hometalk, along with a few blogs! They went viral on the internet, Pinterest, and Facebook! My first time EVER being featured for anything! I was truly honored! Was just the nicest unexpecting surprise ever to happen to me. I was tickled pink! Because there was such an overwhelming request for a tutorial for these, I put one together here. I'm a pretty thankful girl!

 
 
I was also truly thankful and honored to have my mummy pillow featured at Knockoff Decor, Craft Gossip, and on several blogs too! I don't know what has happened all of a sudden! But it sure feels wonderful to have so many love some things I have made! And I love a challenge! Grateful girl again! There is also the how I did this on the blog post at the above link.

 
 
And last is my repurpose or recycle gift to my hubby for his birthday with gifts from nature. Our dream is to have a lake house or beach house someday soon and I have been making all kinds of beachy nautical projects for that dream place.
 
This is the result of my vision one day with two stones and a stick! It became a paper weight in the form of a sailboat for my husbands desk in his office here at home. We love sailing and we miss doing that. That's on our dream list too, to have our own sailboat and to sail the dreamy waters again.
 
Well that's my share! If you want to share your three, or two, or one DIY, Repurposed, Shabby Chic, Vintage, or Farmhouse project, click on the party button at the top of this post! If you don't have one, either way click that party button and go see some amazing projects and ideas to get inspired! Check out all the amazing projects our party hosts are sharing on the links below! You'll find many others at each of their pages sharing their best works too!
Have fun!
 
Your party hosts are:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wow that was a lot of links!
 
Thanks for visiting and love hearing from you!
 
Have a great day!
 
 

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Two Stones And A Stick! Sailboat Paper Weight

Well they say summer is over and Fall is here...but here in my world, it's still summer! I do have to admit it feels like Fall, smells like Fall, the leaves are falling, the sun is shifting, and it's getting darker an hour earlier too boot! I'm not a happy girl. One good thing for me is with living in Florida, it's like summer year round, although we do get some very cold days in December, January, and February ... even this last March we had several cold cold days. The worst for me with Fall and Winter is how the daylight gets shorter and the nights get longer. I really really don't like that at all!
 
Well I won't let this change of season's take our dream away, the dream I have had all summer..... a house by the beach or a lake! I have been making several things to decorate this little dream place of ours in a beachy theme.
 
Two weeks ago it was my Mr.’s Birthday. I have been designing a home office for him and I had this idea to make him a gift this year. Well it was one of his gifts. I decided he needed something beachy but it needed to be masculine too. I wanted it to go well with leather furniture, his dark wood desk, bookcases, a few antiques, and not clash with his golf stuff, or his collection of memorabilia of nerdy things. He's a software architect, designer, and developer, for the medical profession. He is quite the smarty pants he is!
 

So I made him this! It's a sailboat paper weight!
 The "SS Jack!"
 
I think it looks pretty masculine and looks great on his desk! It has a bit of a rustic old nautical look. I like it a lot with his antique clock and vintage books. And...he loved it!!
 
I use to sail a lot back in the day when I was pregnant with my first child. I miss doing that so much, and have as part of our dream place on the beach or lake, a sailboat on my list! Oh my Mr. loves sailing too! We both are water freaks and love the calm and peace we get being around the water. I hope by the time we get our dream, he will be able to sail with me. The biggest problem will be being able to get him in and out of the sail boat. I'm going to have to put my thinking
cap on and come up with a solution for that. He has been trying to recover from a bad stroke six years ago now. Still so far to go...but we are still hopeful!

 
I was sitting out by our pond in the back yard watching the goldfish and I spotted these stones. I thought of different rock art I have seen and thought about trying to paint something on them. I love to recycle and I hadn't tried anything with stones yet, but today I would! How it got to be a sail boat I can't tell you.....but two stones and a stick later I had the "SS Jack!" Well actually a couple of weeks later!

 
I stacked my two stones on top of each other and walked back to the house. I set them on the patio table and all of a sudden I got this vision in my head! Maybe it was because of sitting by the pond staring into the water and thinking about growing up on the lake, and missing what I used to love, the lake and sailing. Sailing! My vision was sailboat! Maybe I could pull this off! So I went and got some white spray paint and painted both the stones completely. While they dried I went into the woods next to my house to find the perfect stick.
 
OH!!! BTW! Today as I am writing this post on my back patio, I hear this big noise at the side of my yard! I get up to go look and there is this big black bear walking along side my house! Freaked Me OUT! Not going in those woods again, and probably won't be sitting out here at night anymore either! Now I know what all those noises that sounds like someone is walking around at night must be! Durn bears! Didn't know they were right around where we live! And we live twenty blocks away from downtown Mt. Dora! I called my friend from animal control to report this and she tells me, "Oh yea, there are several bears in our area! I'm now thinking, it's time to move!
 
 
Anyway....I found my stick, and once the paint had dried on my stones, I took some Gorilla Super Glue spread it over the stone that was going to be the bottom of this sailboat, then took my glue gun and spread a good amount of that on because that sets quicker than the Gorilla Super Glue does. I then set my smaller stone on top. I used both glues because I didn't want the top stone to slide off before the super glued dried. Those stones are heavy buggers believe it or not! When picking this up if it fell apart and hit your toes, that stone would bring tears to your eyes! Anyway, the two glues worked great and they are good and stuck together. Next I glued the stick on the top of the two stones again with both glues. I tried using just the glue gun but it kept falling off. I think it was because of the paint, it just wouldn't adhere well. 
 
I set the stones now the boat, on my counter to let it set overnight to make sure all the glue had dried so it wouldn't come apart on me. Now I go looking for some fabric for my sails. I found this blue plaid shirt of my Mr. that I hate him wearing, so I thought this would make great sails...I loved the blues and yellow with the white in the shirt .... and this way hubby won't wear this darn thing again! It looked like an old man shirt on him!
Well that was as far as I got. I just couldn't get inspired any further. I looked at it every day for two weeks as I walked by it a bazillion times a day. Just couldn't see it. Maybe it was the fabric I was planning on using, I don't know.
I moved on to making a Fall centerpiece of candle holders for my table, a mummy pillow that I saw on Pottery Barns website, and some toilet paper rustic pumpkins. I had crap all over the place. As I was cleaning up, I came across some natural looking rope I had planned on taking back to the store and forgot to do it. I picked it up, looked at my stones and saw the glue that oozed out from when I glued on the stick. The rope would be perfect around the bottom of the stick to hide the glue. And.....it had a nautical look to it! Perfect!
So I added it and liked it! But then I thought I should put some rope around in between the two stones. Did it and, I liked it a lot too. Now my brain is getting inspired and I see my boat vision, but better than the first vision! With my other projects I had been working with my drop cloth fabric, love that stuff! The color I have is in a natural off white, which played along with my rope. Now I'm on a roll and thoughts and pictures are flying in my mind!

 
Side note: That photo in the frame behind the sailboat is a picture of the old house I grew up in on Fine Lake in Michigan. It went through a couple of remodels and that screen porch became more living area, and then it was a kitchen. A year and a half ago it was torn down to the ground and a one story took its place for my mom. It was on that lake, I learned to sail. If things work out, my hubby and I hope to be living there in the summers. My mom passed away this last May and left it to my five sisters and I. We've rented it for the time being, but hopefully next summer we will have it back and be staying there and, I will be sailing that lake again all summer long! Two of my sisters sent me that picture in the frame for my birthday this last July. At the bottom of the frame it says,
"Where memories are made." Our whole life of memories are at the place...with the new house being built by the hands of my moms family to boot!.......That place is staying in this family! We aren't done making memories yet!
 
Now back to my sailboat paper weight gift again! 
 
I laid my boat over on it's side on my drop cloth to draw a line for the shape of the stick. Then from there I drew the rest of the sails from that and cut them out. Then I decided I wanted stripes on the sails so I found some nautical colored fabric paint I liked and taped off my stripes using some painters tape and painted in my stripes. I let that dry, but thought the sails needed something to frame them, plus keep them from raveling. In jumps the twine! When the paint dried I got my glue gun and little by little I edged the fabric with my glue gun and laid the twine in place. After that was done, I decided to put a strip of the twine around the rope pieces too. That just seemed to be the perfect thing to enhance the rope. Now it just seems to all play together.
 
Yea! I was happier with it now! 
 
 
Then I remembered sails have numbers on them! Why I don't know, but I needed to add some. As I was pondering what I wanted as numbers, I came up with two important dates. That would be just perfect and as my hubby is big on every date that pertains to everything in our life together, I went with the date when we met fourteen years ago... August, 11 back in 2000. That was the day we were to be married on too, but his stroke messed that up. Now because this was for his birthday, the other set of numbers became his birthday. September 6. I got so excited because I knew knowing my hubby like I do, he was going to love this! I drew those on by hand with a black gel ink pen.
 
Next I needed to name this boat.....this boat was for him so "SS Jack" it was! I got out my stamps and ink pad for the name and stamped it on.
 
I added one more piece of twine to represent that thing you hoist the sail up with....can you tell I don't know sailboat lingo lol. One more thing...a flag for the top of the mast is it? I don't know but I cut out a flag shape, painted it and attached to the top.
 
As I was sitting looking at it being so pleased with my little gift and myself, I was playing with the twine and thinking knots. That lead to making a knotted loop for a throw line to hook the boat up to a imaginary dock.....oh and one more thing, port holes.....had to have port holes using the twine for them too....and DONE!
 
Not bad for two stones and a stick aye!?
 
 
Hubby loved it....I loved it! My vision went from here to there, to this. I am amazed with myself in how it turned out! It's amazing how bits of nature can be used to create fun projects that can become a nice little accessory to decorate with and with a purpose. And this one with a dream attached with it too!
 
Now when that house by the water where ever it is comes along, and hopefully my moms so I can go home at least part of the year....(no winters for this girl), this is going to be even more perfect in hubs office! And while he is working I'll be out sailing! Or maybe I'll figure a way to get him out sailing with me too! I hope!
 
When dreams come true!
 
Oh remember that ugly shirt I was going to use for the sails and didn't, well I hid it at the bottom of my fabric stash! Shhh....don't tell!
 
If you want to try this all you need is:
 
Two thin oblong stones..(not sure what they call these.)
One stick
Fabric for your sails (or masts?) & flag
Scissors
Twine
Rope
Glue gun and glue sticks
Gorilla Super Glue
White spray paint for your stones
Fabric paint for the stripes on your sail
Small craft paint brush
Painters tape
Small letter stamps and ink pad
Black Gel Ink Pen
 
Follow what I did up above! Or do it whatever way you see your sailboat to be. It's amazing what can be created using natures gifts, and a bit of imagination and a vision! This would be a fun gift for kids to make for a dad's special day! It's definately unique! You can't buy this in the stores! I'm beginning to believe you can recycle just about anything! It's one cool sailboat!
 
I really love mine...or I mean Mr. Jack loves his....and it made the perfect paper weight and birthday gift too!
Hope you love yours too!
 
 
Always a pleasure to have you visit!
Would love your thoughts, but play nice!
 
 
With Sincere Appreciation I Would Like To Thank
 
 
for featuring my Two Sticks and a Stone Sailboat
Paper Weight! Thank You!

 
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