My Halloween Style

Although I would love to come to work in costume, it really isn't the most professional thing to do, so I refrain.  I do flaunt my own Halloween style nonetheless:

Black dress pants/ white 3/4 sleeve T-shirt/ orange scarf

Awesome studded skull flats

Halloween lampwork beaded bracelets (made by yours truly)

Happy Halloween & A Blessed Samhain

 

Blessed Be!

Fall Used to Be My Favorite Season...

I used to love fall... okay, actually I still do love fall, but for some reason this year, the beginning of Fall is the beginning of the insect invasion.  Seriously, people, I am under attack.  Two days ago there was a milipede by the dogs' bowls.  Last night there was a HUGE centipede on teh wall in the family room that I had to wack and them hack at with a magazine. 

This morning was the worst.  This is what I found in my kitchen... THIS!!!

OH MY GOD IT WAS HUGE... like big enough that I could see eyes and fangs!!!

I killed it, probably by screaming so loud, and then took it outside to photograph, lest is rise from the dead in some zombie spider form.

Ok, Fall... one more insect incident and you and I are through!

Baby Shower Decor

My aunt held a baby shower for my cousin recently.  Although it was her third baby, it had been so long between the second and the third that she had gotten rid of most of her baby thing.  It was a small shower, mostly family and a few of my cousin's neighbors.  I was in charge of decorations and favors. 

My first stop was, where else... Pinterest and boy did I find some cute ideas there.  The theme was "nautical" and I was looking to keep it classy and inexpensive, so I decided to go with flowers, and banner for the food table, and a cake banner for, obviously, the cake.  I found a printable nautical flag alphabet banner and stung the paper flags in some jute twine that I had.  I found some small galvanized buckets at Goodwill that I thought would be perfect for the flowers that I bought (at the produce outlet no less... for $9). 

And finally, I whipped up a cute little cake banner with some ribbon scraps, bakers twine, and bamboo skewers.

The mama to be was thrilled and I was pleased too.

I Conquered My Fear

well one of them anyway.  I am still afraid of squirrels and horror movies, but I am no longer afraid of water bath canning.  YAY ME!

My mother has been telling me for years that it is easy and nothing to be scared of, but sometimes a girl has to learn these things on her own.  Plus, if you read all the canning web sites it is botulism this and death that. 

Anyway, I bought the big granite wear canner and have canned strawberry jam, apple perpper jelly, tomato puree, raspberry vanilla jam, and kosher pickles.

I don't have pictures of them all, but  here is the strawberry jam

 
and the tomatoes and pickles

Of all the things I have canned, I have had everything seal except one jar of pickles.  Which I stuck in the fridge to mature.

Happy Anniversay!

Thanks for putting up with me for 8 years!  Love you!