Show and Tell-What I have been doing all of December

I had a busy month and don't really know what I did with it. Luckily, I took some pictures to remind myself!

I spent an entire Saturday making Christmas Cards for the family (there's a lot of them). I saw the idea on a box of cards at TJ Maxx and knew I could easily duplicate it. Best part-I already had all of the supplies.
I put this wall hanging together too. How much fun is this? The entire nativity with cute animals. There are 24 pieces-so next year I am going to figure out some sort of countdown thing to build the nativity-scripture, story, I'm not sure.

Each figure is held on with ribbon looped around a button. So cute!

How do you live

without the internet? It's hard. But I was very productive for the past week completing Christmas projects. I can't show you yet, but the big day is right around the corner!

Scratch n' Sniff-Dinner in a Pumpkin

How fun is this?

My mom made this for dinner one night when we were in Idaho. I don't know the exact recipe, but this is basically what's in it.

Hamburger-cooked

Rice-cooked

Water Chestnuts

Cream of Mushroom/Chicken Soup

Green Peppers

Celery

Onion

Mix all together and put it in the hollowed pumpkin then cook in the oven with the lid on.

When you eat it, scoop out the pumpkin. So delicious and fall-y.

We went on vacation

and it took me a week to recover.

It was worth it. We spent Thanksgiving week in Idaho with my family. Let me tell you how wonderful it was to 1) see a mountain, 2) see a pine tree, 3) see snow, 4) see two of my sisters and their families, and 5) have my parents take care of me for a few days. It was also wonderful to see Paul's parents who came to Twin for a few days and to stop and visit Paul's brother and his family while traveling.

And would you believe that I took only six pictures the whole time we were gone?

This is one of the pictures taken on the way out of town. It snowed about 10 inches while we were there. I love the snow. So pretty and clean!

Now on to December and everything wonderful that comes with it! Christmas, lights, trees, decorations, music, and food!

Happy Thursday!

This made my day! So, maybe my friend just handed it to me on my way in the door, but you get the idea.

Thank You!

Scratch n' Sniff-Sweet Broiled Grapefruit

So tasty, and a different way to eat grapefruit. I found this in a Taste of Home: Grandma's Favorites cookbook. It's like warm apple cider, but a grapefruit and not juiced. We ate this in the evening, perfect for a before bed snack. When oranges are in season, I'm going to try this.

Sweet Broiled Grapefruit

1 large grapefruit, sliced in half

2 tablespoons butter, softened (I only used a teaspoon per half and it was fine)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Maraschino cherry for garnish, optional

Cut membrane out of the center of each grapefruit half. Cut around each section so it will be easy to spoon out when eating.

Place 1 tablespoon butter in the center of each half. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over each. Broil until butter is melted and sugar is bubbly. Garnish with a cherry if desired. Serve immediately.

A Day at the Zoo

One fall day, two people went to the Zoo.

They saw an elephant eating leaves and decided to get an elephant.

The rhino was pacing around it's pen. The two people did not want to have a rhino as a pet because it might spray it's territory and they would have to put up signs warning people.

The two people visited the alpaca's and wanted one to take home. They are really funny.

Then the two people watched a turtle bury her eggs. You can watch it too.

After looking at all the animals the two people decided they needed a bigger place to live so the animals could come to their house. I am seeing a hobby farm in their future.

Happy fall!

Before and After-Window Treatments

Before: Naked Window
After: Dressed Window

Do you ever have projects that take f-o-r-e-v-e-r? These took f-o-r-e-v-e-r! I bought the fabric and started making them, then I ran out of thread. No one carries the right color in this small town, so after a week, I made it to a larger town and bought thread. Ready to go. Not quite! I started again only to discover I needed 10 more inches of fabric to make the tabs. Oh! the dilemma! After a few more days, and a trip to Wal-Mart, they are done. Not the greatest thing in the world, but they won't be here forever.

Before and After-Dishes and Candlesticks

Before: Plates, candy dishes, candlestick holders. $13 at Goodwill. After: Pretty decorations (I don't really know what to call them. Any suggestions?)

After washing, removing wax, and using goo gone for the sticker tags, I used the glue gun to attach the tops to the bottoms. Super easy, unique, and pretty!

Scratch n' Sniff-Pumpkin Seeds

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

Smells delicious! All I did was wash the pumpkin seeds to get rid of the yucky stuff. Melted a little bit of butter, tossed the seeds in the butter, and then poured cinnamon sugar all over the seeds. I spread them out on a cookie sheet and baked them at 350 for 40 minutes. (Your oven may vary, mine is about 50 degrees off from the dial, so I watch it closely.) About every 10 minutes I stirred them around. They are done when the seeds are crispy, but not burnt.
Now we have a fall snack!

Happy (post) Halloween

Was your Halloween awesome? Ours was! Some friends invited us over to carve pumpkins. They were really nice and shared their pumpkins with us. (I didn't buy any because we don't have any outside space.)

This is probably the best pumpkin we have ever carved. It was all because of those little tools. I have never bought them because I have knives. They make the ultimate difference though. Details are much easier to carve. Isn't it spooky?

The Mail

Sometimes I don't like getting the mail. I walk an entire block to the post office and get out my key to find there is nothing in there. This is the first time I have ever had a post office box and I didn't realize how much worse it is when you don't get mail compared to a mailbox right by your door. Today though, different story.
I got this package. It wasn't in my box, I had a key in my box that directed me to another box and after trying to figure how to get the key in (I was about to ask the post master) I found this great package. What's in it? I don't know. I opened it carefully, realized it is for my b-day, and put it in the coat closet. Honest. One week early is good, but opening presents on your b-day is even better. Hooray for happy mail day!

Before and After-Covered Shoe Box

This isn't a Halloween project, and I've been trying to stick with that this week, but this is a great idea anyways! Before: Shoe box that houses ribbon. After: Cute shoebox that houses ribbon.
You know those photo boxes that you can buy at craft stores?
I have a lot of those, I found them on a great sale 3 for $5.
Don't mind the big box in the photo, not on sale, but I liked it.
So, why throw that old shoe box in the trash when I can revamp it with a glue stick and 2 pieces of paper to get the same effect of the photo boxes?

Before and After-Cardboard Creations

Before: Old, used (at one point Jenni's, possibly used for plants, then sent to me with warm sweaters, then home to Halloween decorations-how fitting, then books) cardboard box.
After: Cute signs!

I cut off the flaps of the box because they are the perfect size for a sign, about 12 by 6 inches.

Cover with cute paper and embellish.

I love my slice!

Halloween Table Runner

This is what I made with the left over Halloween fabric from these bags.

It's reversible!

If I weren't an aunt...

I wouldn't have been able to make these cute trick-or-treat bags for all of my nieces and nephews.The boys had skeletons with orange on the inside that said "boo!" and of course a monogram to tell the bags apart. For the girls, this colorful "boo!" fabric with polka dots on the inside.
I used a tutorial from home-ec101.com.

Very fun to make, and I hope the little ones have fun filling them full of candy!

Now I'm on a Roll

So I have this blog. I think about it everyday. I will be making dinner and take a picture of the food, because it looks good and then I will think about posting it. I will be sewing something and take a picture of it and then I will think about posting it. You get the point. I have a lot of random pictures of things that have never been posted. So now...I am going to start a some series called Scratch n' Sniff-all about food that I make (I will probably include the recipe so you can enjoy it too) and Before and After-crafting, sewing, home decoring. I think this will help me get from thinking about posting to posting. Not an everyday occurence mind you. But more frequently than my previous posts.

Before and After

Before After
I never realized how nice a bed skirt really looks.
Also, I need some lamp shades-a work in progress.

Scratch n' Sniff

Because I wish you could smell how delicious this was.

Traditional Minestrone Soup Artichoke Chicken Pizza
And because October 10th was Canadian Thanksgiving, I couldn't help but celebrate and take a picture.

Sometimes I amaze myself with my kitchen skills.

Because I'm too lazy to upload photos...

You have been missing out on our great adventures of traveling to Kansas. It wasn't that great. Sixteen hours in a U-haul, almost loosing the car, and a monsoon rain storm. We did stop to see a few things on the way though, like this: Maybe you've seen this when traveling on the interstate through Nebraska. We went inside. It is a museum that uncovers the Great Migration West.

Not that the history part of the museum wasn't really cool (I like some good history), this was definitely the best part of the whole experience. You can see how fast the cars are going on the interstate. A few were in the 80s, but my finger isn't that fast at taking pictures.
We also stopped in Dodge City, Kansas. Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Gunsmoke, Santa Fe Trail. Just a few really cool things about Dodge City. This is at Boot Hill Museum and supposedly what the old town front looked like. We will be going back to this next summer to watch a gun fight.

Hobbies

I do not like moving. As an expert on the subject, 10 moves in 4 years, I feel that my time has come to settle down a little bit. So this is what we are doing for the next year. What am I going to do with myself for the next year without packing and moving every four months? Great question. With limited job opportunities, I am going to find some new serious, low-cost hobbies.

Hobby #1-reading. Two books in a week and a half. It helps that the library is only a block away and they are doing a Bingo game with book genres. I'm gonna get a black-out.
Hobby #2-crafting/sewing. I live above a quilt shop. You'll see what I come up with.
Hobby#3-cooking. I have to spend my day doing something productive.

Okay, so I already did all of these things, but now I am going to do them better. Wish me luck and any suggestions for another hobby!

September in Pictures

Our time in Minneapolis is dwindling. In fact, I have been packing, the u-haul comes tomorrow, and the next time I will post anything will be in Kansas. Even with the dullness of moving and trying to find somewhere to live in a town of 86, we have had a great time discovering more of Minneapolis and Minnesota. Paul surprised me with Twins tickets at the new Target Field.

Then we had "hotdish" on a stick at the State Fair. (Meatball, tator tot, meatball, tator tot, meatball, tator tot, dipped in batter, deep fried served with gravy)

We saw the world's biggest leather boot made from 80 hides in Red Wing, MN.

Then we went to the Mill City Museum. It is the one thing that everyone should do in Minneapolis. It took us three months to get there and it was incredible. Maybe you have to be really interested in grain elevators (Paul) to appreciate it, but we were impressed with the whole museum.

That's it for now. See you in Kansas.

Where in the United States?

Coolidge, Kansas

Hello next year of my life.

I Love Summer!

I have been loving my summer! Paul and I have been seeing some fun stuff in Minnesota and he was so kind to let me leave for my family's Girl Week. Spam Museum. This was hilarious and after spending an hour there, I still do not know what is in Spam.
Our Girl's Week was in Twin Falls. It was great to spend time with my immediate family and cousins. I have to admit that we all look really good.

We always spend the end of the week at my grandpa's house in Star Valley. You cannot beat the sunsets in Idaho.A major highlight while in Star Valley was flying with my uncle. I even flew the plane for a few minutes.

Back in Minnesota, Paul and I spent a weekend seeing the North Country.

This is the Headwaters of the Mississippi River. Fed by the lake behind us, it starts as a little stream.