Looking forward….

To decorating for the holidays! Where did you think I was going with that…not on your life.

I would like to share a few ideas that I am planning on scattering around the house this holiday season…first something to snack on…

Click here for the yummy recipe…

My husband picked up a couple of old bird-cages on the side of the road.  I plan to paint them black and I hope they turn half as nice as these, minus the black ravens of course.

Our guests will most likely be greeted by this guy…

Here is the inspiration for my mantle…except I don’t have a mantle but I do have a hearth so use your imagination…

I am also planning to wrap a few gifts…I really like this combination of textures and materials…

Then there is always time for Christmas Kiss and Photo…

A Tricky Treat

Well…it’s almost time for the Ghosts & Goblins to come knocking on the door begging to be tricked and treated.  The homes in our neighborhood sit on large pieces of property, some sitting as much as 200′ from the road.  If the kids were to attempt to Trick or Treat the neighborhood they would be plumb tuckered out before they hit 10 houses…So our neighborhood association hosts an annual Halloween Hay Ride & One Stop Trick or Treat…

The tractor drawn wagons filled with parents and kids sporting their favorite costume slowly snakes its way through the neighborhood…stopping along the predetermined route so their pillowcases and plastic pumpkins can be filled with the much sought after Halloween treats…

As we wait with treats in hand for the hay ride to pull up to our driveway , we visit with neighbors wandering the streets doing their own trick or treating...There isn’t much fun in handing out candy one piece at a time…and because we don’t have the opportunity to trick the kids with a scary farmer sitting on the porch or to jump out from behind the bushes and give them a fright…we must do something that at least resembles the tricky part before the treat...After much consideration and searching the internet I finally stumbled upon an idea for a tricky treat…

Here is what the kiddos will be getting when the hay ride stops at our house…a very Tricky Treat courtesy of  Pinterest via The Queen’s Card Castle!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED…

SURGICAL GLOVES
SMARTIES FOR THE FINGERS
CHOCOLATE MINIATURES FOR THE HAND
PLASTIC SPIDER RINGS
CRAFT RIBBON OR HEMP

October Photo a Day Challenge: Lunchtime

There was a time, a few years ago when I ate lunch out at really nice restaurants every day of the week.  I loved it!  But those days are long past…I know longer work or live in the BIG City and I love it!  Now, most days I pack my lunch.  This process usually starts out like this, staring into the fridge….Will it be this?

Or will it be this?

What did lunchtime look like for you?

Tomorrow’s October Photo a Day Challenge is…This happened today: What’s something that happened today? Shoot it and share it.

October Photo a Day Challenge: Standing

Today I stood here and there…but then I stood here…

Standing…In our citrus orchard!

Where did you stand today?

Tomorrow’s October Photo a Day Challenge prompt… Lunchtime: Take a photo of your lunch, or around you at lunchtime.

October Photo A Day Challenge…

Check out the details for the October Photo a Day Challenge hosted by FatMumSlim…

Let me just say this…I really miss blogging.  I miss everything about it…I miss the entire creative process.  I will not offer a single excuse…Life is filled with choices.  Every day we are presented with opportunities and with each opportunity comes a choice.   There is a process that takes place; you must evaluate the Who, Where, When, What, How and Why of the new opportunity.  Then there is the process of shuffling, prioritizing, scheduling and implementation.  Through the process some things fall through the cracks, are placed on the back burner or are completely ignored.

Chantelle over at FatMumSlim has put together a great photo challenge for the month of October…I love a challenge and this is a great one that I can focus on my love of the fall season through photos.

The Prompts

1. Where you stood: Take a photo of where you’re standing.

2. Lunchtime: Take a photo of your lunch, or around you at lunchtime.

3. This happened today: What’s something that happened today? Shoot it and share it.

4. What you read: Did you read a sign? Are you reading a book? A blog? Shoot and share.

5. Shadow: Take a photo of your shadow or any shadow.

6. I’m thankful for…: What are you thankful for today? It can be simple or BIG. Share it.

7. Light: You can shoot sunflare, a street light, light from the sun… any kind of light.

8. Angle: Look at angles in buildings, structures, books, anything. Find an angle and take a photo.

9. Red: Take a photo of something red.

10. Emotion: Happy. Sad. Angry. Overjoyed and so on and so forth. Be creative.

11. Something close-up: These photos might be a little mysterious. Take a photo of something really close-up.

12. On the table: Last month we did table, but this month let’s do ON the table. What’s on your table?

13. Landscape: Take a photo of the skyline, a landscape you see.

14. Makes you laugh: What’s something funny that makes you laugh. Share it.

15. Dinnertime: Just like lunchtime, only later. Take a picture of what dinnertime is like on this day for you.

16. Something you wrote: Take a photo of something you wrote or drew.

17. Fruit: Take a photo of a piece of fruit, or a few.

18. Made you smile today: What made you smile today? Find it. Shoot it. Share it.

19. Letters: Take a photo of letters. They might make up a poster, or something bigger. Or even be mail?

20. 4 o’clock: Take a photo a 4am or 4pm – whatever you’re doing at that time.

21. Calm: Take a photo of something that makes you feel calm, or represents calm.

22. In your town: Take a photo of something from where you live. It might be a building, people, park or something else.

23. The view from here: Take a photo of your view from where you are. It might be your office, your home, traveling. The everyday can sometimes be very interesting.

24. Weather: Take a photo of the weather today. Let’s travel around the world with everyone’s weather photos.

25. People: It might be people you know or people you don’t. Take a photo of people.

26. Listening to: What are you listening to? Music? Children laughing? Share it.

27. Morning: Take a photo of your morning.

28. Looking back: Take a photo of something from your past, or from just behind you. Look back and take a photo.

29. Moon: The moon is just about full tonight. Take a photo.

30. Clothes: Take a photo of clothes. Perhaps what you’re wearing, or in your wardrobe, on a mannequin or otherwise.

31. Whatever you please: Are you celebrating Halloween tonight? Perhaps take a photo of that. Today is free choice – take a photo of ANYTHING you like.

Pinterest Inspired…Williams Sonoma Aroma!

This post was inspired by a Pinterest pin…and the fact that fall has arrived!  We all have aroma association…there are people and places that we associate with certain aromas.  When I smell jergens lotion, I think of my Grandmother.  When I smell cooked cabbage I think of my Aunt Julia’s house.  So it is not so far fetched to associate Williams Sonoma with this aroma…Rosemary vanilla citrus!

Indredient/Directions

Fill a pot with water
Add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
Add 1 sliced lemon
Add 1 tblsp vanilla

I view recipes and directions much they same, they are merely a suggestion unless of course we are baking.  So use what you have and as much or as little as you like. 

Time 2 Bait the Trap…

The Hummer’s have been humming around our house for at least a month.  Filling their tiny little bellies with the nectar from the plumbago and knockout roses.  However, the roses have almost played out and the plumbago has gotten unruly.  Both will receive a much-needed pruning this weekend.  This will cut back on the sweet nectar available for the hummer’s, so in order to get a closer view of these beauties….its time to bait the trap!