The Birth of Pumpkin Fysh

My oldest is relentless. This is often times a trait I admire in her but then other times when she holds me to a promise I made several months earlier...not so much.

She had been talking about vising The Corning Musuem of Glass or CMOG (pronounced See-mog like a local) since before we moved to watch a hot glass show. Now, I have been a trillion times. It's a great place to haul visitors or just pop over for a quick lunch.

Then the school sent home a flyer about a free family night. I am all about free, plus the flyer mentioned free cookies and brownies. Again, I am all about free & dessert!

There were a trillion little kids running around. Lexi skipped over all the crafts and headed directly to the hot glass show where they were working on a ginormous glass pumpkin. Well, she headed directly to the hot glass show by way of the brownies & chocolate chip cookies.

We watched the whole show and then ran out to design our own. They generally pick one piece to make from the audience. Having done something similar a few times over I was not even thinking either of us being chosen.

Lexi had stated quite emphatically that she wanted a glass fish. Or Fyyyyyyssshhhhh. Which is how she said it in between stuffing her face with brownies.

Just as we were contemplating hunting down some pizza to wash down the brownies, they called her name over the loud speaker. She then floated up to the hot glass show, marched to sit down in the front and beemed for the whole half hour.

Please join us in our excitement in welcoming Pumpkin Fysh into our family. The perfect pet that just needs to be dusted now and again!

Oh and Gaffer Artist Dude that picked our Fysh to make! You ROCK glass guy!

Accidental Junking at a Nursery

I have been making my rounds to old haunts lately. One place I hadn't been to yet was the big nursery close to where we used to live. I figured they wouldn't have much as it's nearly the end of our growing season, but I was on the look out for really small plants. 

I am trying to set my terrariums back up from moving. Sadly I did not find any but was assured that come spring they would have a large amount of that kind of thing. So I have tabled that project for now. 

They did however have one of their greenhouses set up still in garage sale mode. They had a large sale the previous weekend. Yes, came home with goodies!  The pink lantern was on the free table! I have had this ombre paper lantern pinned from Constantly Stamping and I've been on the look out for one. 

While I was driving home, I looked over at my new treasures and had a thought...

What if I mount that heavy metal scallopy base to the vase? Of course they will have to be painted something else..

Yeah. THE MAN groaned and walked away when I showed him. I'm thinking paint colors now!

Happy Saturday! We're off to a work picnic...hope I win the free vacation day that the boss is offering up. Wouldn't that be fun!

Mantle Madness

So before we moved to Corning, I knew we were buying a house with a mantle. The whole idea seemed romantic. Decorating it season to season, a fire place, and all that jazz.

Then we moved in and THE MAN spent 2,000 hours getting the media cabinet set up. In case you are wondering what that is like, imagine trying to turn a calf around in a Momma Cow with your arm...oh never mind. Needless to say, it was painful, people were grumpy, and wires were everywhere. Add in having shingles and I decided making it pretty was a project for another day.

IN FACT, I kept telling THE MAN nicely to just get all the things working and I'll work on situating the wires, etc. very soon. ;-)
















Turns out soon was really much, MUCH later. In fact, so much later everyone celebrated when they came home one day and things were finally tweaked around. It started with that owl that I happened upon at Home Depot. It randomly caught my eye and prompted me to pull out the fall stuff.

I then went back later for a second glass silvery pumpkin for the other side. I'm pretty pleased with it, which doesn't mean it will stay this way for long.

Now I'm in the mantle decorating business, I have already started thinking Christmas....maybe topiary....maybe big letters...

Happy Friday! The oldest and I are off to the Corning Museum of Glass to see what kind of trouble we can get ourselves into!

Almost 8th & 6th Layout

I admit these wouldn't have been the colors I normally would work with BUT I was going for trendy & teen kinda and the yellow bottle of mist might have been an accident....

Anyhow run what you brung as they always say...

And the colors are growing on me...

The gray chalk ink around the edges cheered me up with the white journaling...

I do really appreciate THE MAN talking the kids into posing. I mean, I bought school photos this year but let's face it...they never use something really cool like a huge tire all worn out from little people climbing all over it! These tires were at the campground we stayed in when we went to the PA Grand Canyon earlier this year.

And there you have it on a Hump Day. Short and sweet!

Have a good one!

The Regal Purple Lair of a Teen & her Minions

Mom, I don't understand why you complain so much about painting...THIS IS FUN! Says the kid who has painted never.

Having painted my fair share of rooms before I winced when she said that. I had been dreading painting her room since before we moved and she announced that the grayish green color wasn't up to her standards. Personally I found it a nice shade of neutral but as you can see I lost that battle!

I thought THE MAN was going to cry when we came home from the hardware store with two gallons of Regal Purple. He shook his head and asked why the adult in charge allowed her to pick such a very daaaaaaarrrrrrrkkkkk color purple and could I guess how many coats it might take....I reminded him that the adult that did not go to the store and that said "let her get what she wants" should leave the other adult alone or at least bring her some wine.

Three coats of purple paint later, a rug steam cleaning due to painting with a teen, and assembling the metal bed frame and her room is almost put together. I still owe her a floor lamp which I'm working on finding.

She really wanted a platform bed. We had planned on building one, but this metal frame I found on Amazon was inexpensive and well made. She had the bedspread pinned for MONTHS before we moved so she was really excited to finally put it on her bed & sleep with it. It's very pretty! Looks heavenly!

Here the other side of her room. You can see the fish tank who holds one very spoiled Betta fish called Sephira after the dragon in movie Eragon and her guitar. 

It's daytime in these photos so the other pet is missing. Eragon naps during the day only to emerge at night & beg shamelessly for treats. His other hobbies include shedding & yowling. He is showing me nicely with his whole body what shelf the treats are on....what a good cat...

And there you have it. One very happy teen who is so excited about her regal purple lair and two parents who are happy only ONE kid wanted their room painted....

Happy Monday!

Hackers, still Stoners, almost Hawks Oh My

I can honestly say I was glad to see the end of the week was finally here. The week before which was the first full week of school was equally special on it's own, but this week we were all sick. 

Since this happens never, I am pretty impressed at our skill at being walking zombies and getting through. 

I can't recall the last time I was sick. THE MAN and I were trying to remember and finally decided this new whatever the heck you wanna call it that seems to be strolling through the US made it's way to our house. Pretty sure the kids brought it come from school or perhaps it was lurking in the doctor's office last week where we were for a well child visit and hopped a ride. 

Regardless we all sound like hacking seals. 

We have a pretty low impact weekend planned. Chasing some chipmunks (Patti the dog), vacuuming the house (the kids) and laying the plywood down on the floor of our "shed' is on the list. Maybe making an apple crisp. 

I hear it's going to rain tomorrow, so I'll be scrapping I believe after a trip to the grocery. 

Hopefully next week the kids feel a bit more like Hawks. That is the mascot at this new school. My oldest has moved from sitting by herself to sitting with dudes. She announced most scientifically that 13 year old boys don't have a problem with saying the word Penis but have a large problem with the word Vajayjay. I am working on not worrying about any of it. She's got a pretty good head about her and isn't easily impressed. 

Luke says they are still mostly Stoners (which was the mascot at the last school, don't laugh that dude holding a pick ax looked crazy & strong) although he also has some dudes he's hanging out with now. Not to mention the new school serves pizza daily. I am hoping he gets sick of having a slice each lunch without me having to say anything. 

The house smells like breakfast and the coffee is awesome! Raising a cup to the start of the weekend!

Shabby Tea Caddy for THE CUTTING CAFE

When you are making something for yourself you tend to use ALLLLLLL the things you like....roses, gold, shabby, and antique! Which is of course WHY there is monogram of a gold P!

Wait, I forgot to mention the dragon fly perched on the lip of the antique cup! I had been hoarding that dragon fly for weeks! You can get one similar from Renea Bouquets in her Etsy shop. Don't say I didn't warn you that they are addicting!

And since I knew this caddy was for ME, I splurged and cut out two files! I am using THE CUTTING CAFE's Stationary Caddy. Yes, my caddy is double sided! It was very easy to make it double!

I wanted mine to be very sturdy and shabby, so I covered both sets after I put them together with vintage papers & modge podge. Added some coats of gold paint, splatters, mists, and grunged them up a bit with an ink pad. 

Here is a photo looking down at the top of the caddy. Yes those are real screws! Since I used recycled glass knobs, I wanted to secure them properly. My tea caddy won't be losing a foot anytime soon!

I can't wait to fill this up with pretty tea bags, hot cocos, sugar cubes, and fancy smancy spoon! My little shaker will hold cinnamon!

Looks like I need to host a tea party soon!

Hope your Friday is amazing!

A Romantic "Little" Potting Shed

We have puzzled over this weird little area by the carport since we moved in. My MIL suggested it was for outdoor dining and in fact she is likely right since there is a round hole for an umbrella. It's been there for several owners since the lady who came to get her French chocolates didn't know what it was for either.

We don't own a patio set and probably won't, so it seemed like a good spot for a shed. We need some place to hang up shovels, store the trashcans, and put the snow blower. Potting shed sounds so romantic doesn't? Yeah. I probably won't use it for that. HOWEVER, I was sold on the idea that I would, right? ;-)

THE MAN has previously built a very nice barn and one very lovely shed. He operates by the motto Go Big or Go Home on these types of things. In fact, you might say little is an understatement. Take a peek at the existing shed that we do own. It's a little on the sketchy side and we're pretty sure there is a groundhog living under it. It's also not large enough to store all the parts for the tractor. (Or at least what is what I'm told)

Both my FIL and Dad are now asking, well HOW BIG IS IT. And when I say it's 12 by 12, at least one will shake their head and say it's not big enough!

Jeeze louise...why are they always on HIS side!

As you can see, it's just the frame of the floor for now, but by the weekend we'll have that piece moved into place and the decking on....

More on this project later after I dig out 500 hosta plants!

All Star Layout from the KOA

These people of mine crack me up. Although it was just a couple of weeks ago, it feels like a lifetime has passed since I took this photo!

I still have the memories of this epic battle of chess though! Aren't those chess pieces cool? I kinda want an outdoor chess set myself. This is where Lexi and I got the idea to turn my red table into a magnetic chess set...a future blog post! ;-)

THE MAN (who now claims he wasn't trying all that hard) was seriously whomped by Lexi.

Here is the beginning on the game before all the trouncing.

Hold on, you need the actual photo so you can see Luke's expression. He probably was just wiping away a bug, but still...

I kept this page pretty simple but I'm loving these bright colors from last month's Scraptastic Kit.

They make up nice blooms too! I decided at the last minute I should take a photo of one up close and was too lazy to put the page back down on the sidewalk...so you get Patti too. She keeps an eye on me to make sure I'm not chasing chipmunks without her. Check out that butterfly from Renea Bouquets. SUPER COOL!

Hope your Hump Day was fabulous!

'Tiers Layout for Another Freaking Scrappy

It started Thursday afternoon when I picked Luke up at school to get him a physical. All of a sudden as I pulled around their new school, I started to cry for no apparent reason.

Now, keep in mind the new school was created from a merger, so we did not get a tour during the summer due to construction. So my kids had been there for nearly a week and I hadn't yet gotten a chance to check it out. The first week of school I am normally a complete wreck anyhow. Make it a new school....let's not talk about it.

Saturday I started a project I thought would be easy and it turned out to be way over my head. A few more tears. THE MAN approached the wild beast cautiously and put a weed eater in my hands.

Said, go kill the weeds you will feel better. He was right, I didn't feel too much better but I was really too tired to care!

Was sitting on the four wheeler while he finished up a few things and spotted the hills distantly blue green in the background. I thought I would take a photo since those hills are still a novelty.

We previously lived in the Twin Tiers for 10 years. The rolling hills in the background simply disappear and are just there if you live here a while. Right now everything feels brutally new. Grocery shopping, running out for something quick, new school....and of course the hills.

Made this page to remind myself that new quickly fades into common place. I just need to be patient and let it work it's way though. And maybe wack a few weeds. ;-)

The 15th is a sketch challenge over at Another Freaking Scrappy and I really loved what Anne came up with for this one. I don't normally twist things like this on a page and I was pleased at how quickly it came together. We also really appreciate pages about yourself, so this fit in nicely!

I used that strip of mesh tape (painted gold) to follow along with the sketch. In case you are curious, you can pick that tape at any hardware store. It is easy stained or painted as well if you are interested in something other than white. ;-)

Really in love with my flower clusters. Got a couple of packages of Prima Lyric flowers that I've been playing around with. I thought they really were pretty along with my oak leaves! Of course my title is a play on tears, in case you were curious! 

Hope you get a chance to play along! It's a lovely sketch!

SIMPLY....NO SPITTING: Hike over the Hudson Layout

Keep in mind I have known my Father in Law (Dad Pratt) since I was 18 and THE MAN was 17. So I am well aware he's quiet...but still a trouble maker. So when I said to the entire group PLEASE NO SPITTING OVER THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE I really meant no adults spitting over the bridge.

I was fairly confident I did not have to worry about my kids!

Dad Pratt gave me a look and said of course I am spitting over the side...it's a bridge. And that was that. ;-)

What a fun hike! I am so glad we went since everyone said later it was the highlight of the trip.

Here it is from the below. You get a nice view of the skyline and also any boats that might be passing.

Of course I had to use a flair with a sky scraper image on the top of my accordion bloom!

Love the library cards and that super fabulous butterfly from Renea Bouquets. I am really pleased with this paper line and how it goes so nicely with girl stuff too like butterflies and blooms!

TGIF!

A Bribe of Sorts: A Toast to my SIL

We have eaten A LOT of ice cream this summer. A LOT. However, I have not scrapped any ice cream photos!

This photo was taken during a recent camping trip and we had just walked across the Hudson on a walking bridge. It wasn't REALLY hot, but hot enough to warrant a cone! Lexi was not going to let us forget our promise though! She must have asked me eighteen times if we were really going at the end of the walk!

My FIL decided we needed to take this photo so we could text my SIL which is why we are all toasting her! Here is to you again, Jennifer!

My favorite part about this page is that it was one of the layouts I made while hanging out around the campfire. I added all the embellishments and the photo when I got home...but what I'm really pleased about is taking a paper line that is really pure boy and converting it to work with flowers!

I got a kit from Scraptastic called Boys of Summer which contains a lot of Crate Paper (see the score paper and the gamer paper?) purely by accident. Normally I pick out my kits, but this one came up while I was moving and since my email address changed by accident I did not get a chance to pick. THEN the whole kit was sent 5 hours north to the OLD HOUSE and finally a couple of weeks later showed up at the NEW HOUSE.

I normally would have saved it for page about my boy but Lexi spotted it and was annoyed. She said rather huffily that girls like to play computer games too...

I have never had anyone I know been offended by paper, but she had a point.

So, add a SUPER AWESOME BUTTERFLY from Renea Bouquets, a vintage key, flowers, flair, buttons and there you have it!

Hope your Tuesday was amazing!

Unique Stationary Caddy from THE CUTTING CAFE

Homework season is upon us again! (Insert small prayer here that 8th grade math teacher is the bomb so I do not have to embarrass myself & have to admit I cannot help oldest with homework)

Since I am depressed about the whole thing I figured I'd work on a little project to cheer myself up.

Homework season marks the official end to Camping Season. Since one involves campfires and marshmallows and the other does not, you can see why I might be upset. If they somehow wrapped Homework up with say drinking wine & eating chocolate, I'd embrace it...but mainly it seems that my craft supplies are raided and I have to explain for the 15th time why they should love the new books that this whole new common core blah blah blah is offering them and pretend I understand.

Anyhow, I figured I'd tackle the one thing that I could change. The raiding.

See, I am the one with all the stuff. Home office means I have the printer, the stapler (with colored staples), paper cutter, tape, sharpies, and tape runner.

Maybe just maybe if I give them their own, I will avoid the small person showing up and making off with my prize fussy cutting scissors which then disappear for almost the entire school year (Lexi!)

THE CUTTING CAFE has the perfect file to assist. Check out this Stationary Caddy which by the way is also useful in many other ways. I am pretty sure I need one myself!

I loaded this one up for the photo but I am tasking my oldest with figuring out what might help them the most. Kinda like taking her along shopping so all the "right" snacks are purchased.

I am pretty fond of this caddy. In fact, mine has FEET which is a pretty easy addition with some hot glue and some kind of hardware. I also managed to upcycle a small metal container I had which likely will hold push pins.

Here's to hoping this school year is fabulous and all that! Or at least that I manage to keep my own scissors though it!

Pretty Functional with Wings!

I am quite on the little metal suitcase all shabby kick. We might say it's an addiction since I have plans to alter a third!  Is there counseling for such a thing? Although I dare say there are some girls addicted to Prima and this kinda mixes the whole flower thing in...

Found that almost matching suitcase this past weekend while out Junkin'.....for $5!!!

And a NEW addiction (oh my!) are these butterflies...spotted them on Facebook and then visited her Etsy Shop.

Renea Bouquets makes these LOVELY amazing delicious butterflies and of course has a whole passle of other stuff that just makes me GRIN! Of course I had to add them to my suitcases immediately....

Here is the free butterfly she sent me with a hand written note. It is lovely!

Hmmmm....I think I'll design the third suitcase around one of the dragonflies I purchased from her.....

Happy Weekending, peeps!

Use the Tools Metal Tool Box Makeover for LESSology

Never pass up a free metal tool box, even if it's a bright shiny red with sharpie letters! Wait, you don't believe me?

Let me get you a before photo!

This lovely item came home with my husband and was part of a training course he took. Had to cover up the sharpie in a big hurry!

The whole thing got a coat of white paint! Well, maybe three to be precise! And then a bit of sanding to make it look shabby. Also modged podged on scrap paper & washi tape & then added some gold paint...gold paint to match the feet!

Of course, a tool box that is going to hold crafty stuff needs GOLD FEET, right? Those feet were originally brass knobs (with flat bottoms) and came from the ReStore (a thrift store where proceeds help Habitat for Humanity). They were a bit pricey at $2 piece, but were super heavy!

I also got those wood appliques there. Those were put to use on the top! More on THAT tomorrow.

My absolute favorite part are the flowers, doily, and map paper snuck in right around the handle.

Our challenge this month at LESSology is to include elements that have to do with travel...maps. tickets, luggage, etc. In this particular case, I used map paper ON luggage!

See, this is a perfect carrier for stamp pads & stamps when I go off crafting with my friends! 

Talking about friends, that doily is a lil pressie all the way from Australia from Lizzy Hill! Thanks Lizzy!

Hope you get a chance to play along with us!

Super cool prize for the winner!