Halloween Swap

When I saw this over at Nest Sweet Nest, I knew I had to sign up! My first swap, how exciting, how fun, how...oh crap what should I do, I mean I don't even know this person, will she even like what I put together, what am I thinking, I can't even think of something to put together!


So these were my basic thoughts after I had signed up LOL! Then I received my partner's name and email, so I decided to ask her what she likes and dislikes, yada, yada...



So this is what I sent my first swap partner Beth!

I decorated this box (pink and glamorous were in the rules?) to hold some huckleberry muffins. Beth had never heard of huckleberries, so I thought I would send her something to try.

She had mentioned that she likes whimsical things...so I got her this...

To go in this...

Here are some more goodies...I didn't get a picture of everything I had sent her because on the way to mail the box, I stopped at a store to get some tape...they were just putting out the Halloween stuff, so I had to get a few more things :)

Look what came today!!!! This is what I got from Beth :)

Thanks Beth for being my partner!!! I LOVE all of my goodies you sent!!!!

When the Husband's away...the Wife will...decorate

The past two days my hubby has been up in the hills hunting elk. Hopefully he finds one today or tomorrow because our freezer is E.M.P.T.Y.


Last night I took advantage of his absence and stayed up late cleaning and decorating. I'm loving the way things are starting to look with the warm colors of fall all around me. Even though I have yet to finish painting my living room, I still put some things out for fall and I realized that I have been missing 'eye candy' in that room for far too long. So, painting that room has moved to the top of my list.




This is a built-in in my dining room...






I love the colors of this arrangement...








Stay tuned for my fall tree...

I HEART Fall :)

I've always wanted to paint some pumpkins this way...maybe this year........

I love this idea of sticking a candle in a pumpkin...

I COVET Bramble Furniture!

I recently found a furniture company...you should check out their website...they have lots of pictures of their showroom...I could totally redo my WHOLE house!...baby steps...:)

What I've been up to...

The past few days I've had a craving for creating! So...naturally...I had to feed that craving :)



The pumpkins have been done for about 3 years, except for the tops (really...I didn't know how to finish them, I was looking for a stick of some sort to make the stem...but then I got into my spool collection for another project and thought they would be perfect!)

This is my first attempt at a chicken wire cloche...please don't look too close LOL (Hey Elise, feel free to tell me how you make your tops look awesome...wink...wink :) Anyway, it turned out cute and I like it :) I'm spray painting a pizza pan for it to sit on...thinking of adding some more spools to the pan for "legs." :)

(What do you think of my awesome furniture arrangement? Really it's not always like this, just 5:00 in the morning when I workout...and when I vacuum :)

The final thing(s) that I got out yesterday involves Christmas (I know, I know!!!) I'm not ready to show them yet but I did them a few years ago for a craft show. Maybe sold one or two, and a whole bunch to my mom (they are the best supporters!!!). Well, all I can say is that they are really DORKY and my taste has really changed!!!! Sooooooooooo...I'm re-working them and I'm thinking about opening up an Etsy store (OK, who doesn't have a store). When I get some done I'll share...:)

Please HELP!!!!

Do you remember the post about this lamp?

Well...now I can't stand it?! I think it's the flag fabric on the shade that's bugging me? I need your opinion girls!!! What would you do to make this better?

Fall Treat...

Over the past weekend I made lots of yummy recipes, but this one is my favorite during this time of year :) It's so good I always double the recipe :)



Pumpkin Pie Pudding


1 15oz. can solid pack pumpkin
1 12oz. can evaporated milk
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c biscuit/baking mix
2 eggs, beaten
2 T butter, melted
2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
whipped topping



In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a slow cooker coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

Sigh...

This morning I woke up to 39 degrees outside! I so did not want to get out of bed, especially since I put our flannel sheets on yesterday :) I'm considering starting a fire in the new stove, but I'm not sure how bad it's going to smell with the stove black curing?

Our weekend was a big hit, but guess what? I didn't take a single picture!? Not sure how that happened, oh well, you can't win them all LOL! I think the best part was the fire pit we put together in the back yard...it was so much fun to sit around it and roast marshmallows! I learned a new trick that I want to share...instead of using regular chocolate for the smores, try using resses peanut butter cups (the big ones). They are so good that way and I promise you will want a glass of milk to go along LOL!!!!

Wood Stove...

One of my first posts was about "getting wood" for a wood stove that we didn't have yet. Last weekend my hubby's dad came down and helped put in our 'new to us' wood stove!

The before:

It was a HEAVY bugger! It took the three of us to get it off the truck and into the house...Makaila said we looked like penguins walking when we were carrying the stove...yeah, it was real funny...LOL

I was in charge of painting it with stove black...

While the boys cut a hole in the roof...

Our new chimney...we got lots of attention from the neighbors...

We wanted the stove to be in the corner and at an angle to the room, except the rafters wouldn't let that happen, so that's why it's in the spot it's in...

The after...we LOVE it! I actually don't mind the position it's in now. There is room in the corner behind the stove to put one of my old doors for decoration when we are not using it. Now I can finish painting the living room...