Halloween party

Great fun was had by all, but I think I had the most fun--all week-- getting ready for it was just a blast!!!!! The idea started with the fact that I grew enough pumpkins for each of the grand children that live in the area to have one. I have always loved Halloween but since Ashley grew up and we get no trick'r treaters I had no excuse to decorate. A party was the best idea I've had in a long time.


visitors were first met by scarecrow

and then proceeded through the graveyard

to be met by black cats and skeletons

then... on to the pumpkin patch

I'm not sure whose funeral this is--but Mike ( Seymour's son) seems to be giving the eulogy and Stacey is doing the burying. LOL

witchy poo in the pumpkin patch

our masterpieces
for some reason we got no pictures of all of us carving--too sad

then it was time to eat!

Calvin and Leo playing in the witches brew

witch fingers ( soft pretzels..pretty yummy)

the eyeball deviled eggs were pretty good, but no one touched the boogers on a stick!!

for Dessert--Devils Food Graveyard cake and I Scream

I really was such fun--were hoping to make it an annual tradition.

new window

We finally got this project done!

before

and after

another angle

so you can see that it is still not finished. But the window is in-- Joy joy joy glee glee glee!!!!

it's been unfinished, open to the studs wall ,since I move in 7 years ago. The wall will eventually be a faux finish like the bottom half of the hall. this wont happen till mid December --Then the tiling needs to be finished--which won't happen till spring or summer when we aren't using the stove. we actually need to replace the stove and the floor tile so hopefully that will happen in the summer as well.

Sarah Palin

So here is a little something that made me laugh really hard. (note: I'm NOT a Sarah Palin fan. If you are you'll prol'ly wanna skip this post)


Here is a link to the original guy who created it--bigger so you can read it better! --AND...you can even buy T-shirts and MUGS!!!! whoo-ooo

Sarah Palin Debate Flow Chart

okay--one other blogworthy incident ( I guess..) I burned the crap out of my forearm taking a pan out of the oven a couple of days ago. about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide deep 2nd degree and it hurts like &*^% he**--well ALOT. so stupid!!!

o-KAY Reni--just for you! I promise its pretty boring!

we have pretty leaves!

then there is the saga of the " Ugly Pilgrim" seen here to your left.

Last year I bought this guy at Hobby Lobby for about a dollar--he was on clearance for 90% off or something and he is was the only one left--no matching lady or Indian. Everybody thought he was hilarious and he was dubbed the "Ugly Pilgrim". (Well, he IS kinda ugly, LOL.) And I determined that he is now an essential part of Thanksgiving--Kinda like the "Ugly Turkey Plate" (which Patience now has BTW)

I've been on the lookout since the season started this year, hoping I would find a matching Pilgrim-ess, but until yesterday no luck. I was afraid he would have to remain a bachelor forever.


So...... yesterday I FOUND her--and on sale too!


She isn't nearly as Ugly as he..he is so gray looking compared to her. Kate remarked that at least the Ugly Pilgrim had a hot wife! So I guess I can't call them the "Ugly Pilgrims". They will remain "The Ugly Pilgrim and his Wife" ( or maybe she's his daughter--or as Seymour just commented: Perhaps she's his mistress?--Hester Prynn maybe?)



It really doesn't seem possible that it has been two weeks since I updated, but I've been really busy--with the house of course--I told you already that's pretty much all I do! I haven't blogged about the projects yet cause nothing is finished . LOL we did get Kate's new room painted but it is still a mess. so photos as soon as she gets it all cleaned up.

Other incidental projects are also pending--got the top of the balcony railing finished and trimmed. Those of you who know the house know that is has been open drywall and unfinished wood. It is now topped and trimmed in white.

Seymour said he had planned to finish it in oak--but I figure he had his chance--20 years!!!! Now its my turn! I'll get some pictures up soon I promise.

Also ( Ashley if you are reading this, sit down. ) The WINDOW by the wood burning stove is getting put in and FINISHED!!!!! OMG.!!!!!!!!!

so anyway I've been waiting to post till I got everything done, but, well... you got some silliness too. Thank Reni!

I find it hard to update--compared to all you young people--with all your kids and their "doings" and cuteness--my life seems very pedestrian. Everyday is pretty much same-ol' same-ol' and all I have exciting to show is pics of my house! (I'll be posting soon about my cats and I will never hear the end of it from Emily who is convinced I'm already sliding into my dotage and "crazy cat-ladyhood!" LOL)
Anyhoo... her are some pics of my HOUSE!

I got very ambitious after the Bedroom got done and fixed a couple of small areas that have been needing attention ( ie were bugging me!)

I did the hall way to the basement first--so here are the before and after pics of that. I don't know how well you can tell from the photo, but the update colors are both faux finishes.
they turned out very nicely and I LOVE that wall now. Before it was just blah and it bugged me!
It also had no finish trim--baseboard or around the door so that got done as well. I'm getting to be a pretty good trim carpenter if I do say so myself!



I also got the curtains on the wall near the couches finished--they were just strips of cloth hooked up and had been that way for several months. Sewed, rehung at the right height and I also changed the color of the wall-- Less aggressive and more elegant. Much better! I had too much " purple and orange; orange and purple" going on. More interesting , better design now.

The next project is moving rooms around.--with some painting going on I'm sure. My craft room is moving down to the basement, Kate is moving into my craft room--she has been such a good sport about living in a tiny space but with this change she'll have a normal size room. the grandkids toy room goes back into the fan room ( where Kate has been) and the workout weight-cage and related equipment moves up to the landing ( out of the space where my craft room is going) where it will be accessible to all for excellent workouts this winter! whew. Did you get all that?
We hope to get that all done before I leave for Utah--where I can apply my excellent skills and well developed muscles to Reni's "little" project. LOL

I finished the bedroom and here are the after pics. this first one basically from the same spot as the before pic Then the photos kinda travel around the room counter clockwise. New curtains, new artwork new lamps and bedside table and new closet door. wheee! I really love it.

Since I published a pic of some of my sculptures in progress, I thought maybe I should show you something a bit more finished. this Santa was the head on the left in the previous photo. he has no hands yet and he will eventually have elves and a sleigh.


Here is a full body shot and one with my hand so you can see the scale. I have such a good time doing these dolls, I almost feel guilty doing it!

For those who may not have seen my work before--the faces and hands , and anything that is "skin" is sculpted from translucent polymer clay. The body is a soft body over a pose-able wire armature.

I design and sew the costume and make the boots--real leather--and any additional details and accessories--whatever is needed to complete the vignette.

BLOG GAMES

Okay, Gusti. I'll play (even though I wasn't really invited and I'm not a photographer lol I'm getting even pushier in my old age!) .
let's see...fourth picture in the fourth file....

This was taken in about march of this year. these are two Santa Claus heads I was working on. I took a bunch of pictures to document that my work was original and one of a kind in case it ever comes up! Now I'll need to go and take pictures of the still-in-progress Dolls. All I did this summer was landscaping! I tag Reni and Quinn and Ashley