Travel Tuesday

Well, Butch just got back from Argentina and Brazil on Thursday and I just got back from scrapbooking on Sunday. And now, we're on the road again! At least we will be when I finish bridge this afternoon. Butch is going to pick me up and we'll head to the beach. Matt and Sharon are already down there. We'll have 3 days together before we go to Atlanta and Sandy & Greg's. We have tickets for the George Strait concert with Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town and Willie Nelson! What a concert! I'm so excited!

It's going to be really busy for the next few weeks. Blogging might be taking a backseat for a bit!

We'll see.

Scrapbook Saturday

So I'm off scrapbooking. I'll have plenty to share from the trip. But in the meantime, there's this.

I've been working on some Christmas pages. I was happy to use on of the tags I made. I printed the large outline 2021 and put the star in the middle for the title. That was easy and fun. 

But, best laid plans often go awry--especially with this hobby! Things that should be easy aren't always. I knew I wanted to print the journaling on this oval shaped card. Well, somehow, it slipped in the printer. It's the only card like this that I had. So, I thought. about it for a second and came up with this:

Yes, you can tell that it's not lined up perfectly. And the ink smeared. I used the stars to fill in the blank spot at the bottom. Is it perfect? No, not by a long shot. But you can still read the story and that's most important. Just keeping it real here!

The picture on the right side opens up to show more pictures inside. I love doing that when I have a lot of pictures.

I'm going to have a lot of layouts to put in albums---my least favorite thing!

Friday Funnies

Five Things Thursday

Come on in!

Welcome to Morgan and Olly's house.

Notice the needlepoint purple cat? I really enjoyed making that. It was done in panels and then put together. She asked for it so she got it! 

I love her table. It's so festive.

When I see her house all decorated, it makes me wish I'd done mine this year. but, I decided that it wasn't worth it for the little time we'd be at home. I'm getting lazier and lazier about doing holiday decorating. It seems like such a chore. Actually, now that I think of it, the least I can do is get out my Halloween needlepoint pillows. 

This is one of my most favorite projects. It was really fun to stitch. I also love the finish work--that vintage-looking golden trim. I loved doing all of those different stitches on the jack-o-lantern. This one actually stitched up pretty quickly--maybe about a month or so. I have not decided who is going to get this.

This witch candelabra has glow in the dark ghosts.

This is one of my oldest projects---actually, the first Halloween pillow I made. 

This was another fun one to make. There are so many cute details.

This is another favorite. I enjoyed stitching this creepy bookshelf. 

I love the skull and the rat. I don't know who's getting it. 

I have a list of what I've already given away and what is still left to give. I guess the next time we're all together, I'll have the girls pick. It thrills me that they actually like and want my needlepoint. That's about all they want!

Tuesday Thoughts About...

...Halloween costumes

When my brother, sisters, and I were little, we dressed up with whatever we could find at home. There wasn't money for store-bought costumes. So, usually, my costumes consisted of wearing my brother's clothes. I went as a Boy Scout, a baseball player, a cowboy, and a fisherman. Conversely, my brother did not dress up like a girl. I don't remember what he went as. 

One year, he and I both dressed up like bums along with our friends-rubbing coal on our cheeks. Kind of like Clem Kadiddlehopper (you know, that character on the Red Skelton show). As our "trick"(back then, you had to perform or tell a joke), we sang the song--"We Three Bums (or however many of us there were) of Orient are, smoking on a rubber cigar. It was loaded, we exploooded, now we're the bums on Mars!" Sing it to the tune of "We Three Kings." Go ahead, I'll wait.....................you did it didn't you? I knew you would! I have no idea where we got that idea from.

Anyway, I remember thinking that when I had kids, they would get to have store-bought costumes. I remember Sandy went as Princess Leah when she was in kindergarten. As it turned out, I was so embarrassed as everyone had homemade costumes, but not just regular clothes from around their house---real costumes that their moms made. Well, this mom couldn't sew, so I had to revert back to whatever I could come up with from around the house. Talk about a full-circle moment! Sandy didn't like that plastic mask which I made her wear anyway. I don't think she's ever forgiven me for that!

The best thing that ever happened to me regarding costumes was when the girls were old enough to come up with their own costumes. This was after they were sick and tired of what I came up with. I made Stephanie don a black trash bag stuffed with crumpled newspaper and go as a California raisin. I don't think she's ever forgiven me for that! 

The second best thing that ever happened to me was when my friends took pity on me. Now, it didn't start out to be Halloween costumes, but costumes required for birthday parties. One time Mindy was invited to a chuckwagon birthday party. My friend, Nancy who made amazing costumes for her girls, volunteered to make Mindy's cowgirl costume. In exchange, I wrote their names with glitter. I knew that was going to be Mindy's costume for however many years she could fit into it. By the second year, she could no longer wear the little cowboy boots, so I made her wear her rain boots. I don't think she's ever forgiven me for that! 

Along the lines of friends bailing me out was the time Stephanie and her friends decided to go as jailbirds. My friend, Karolyn made those black and white striped costumes. I don't recall what I contributed to those, but surely I did something. I always pull my weight. Unfortunately for Karolyn, I think she had to make 6 of them.

The third best thing that ever happened to me was when Sandy and Stephanie took over coming up with costumes for Mindy. They dressed her up as a little cheerleader--really cute. Another year, they used part of the cheerleader costume and painted her blue to make her a Smurf. That was really cute too.

There was a time when I actually did sew a costume. Butch and I were invited to a party. I had him lie down on the floor so I could draw around some black fabric to make him a nun costume. That ended up being pretty hilarious. It didn't last long because, since I didn't know anything about sewing, I didn't know about backing up to lock in the stitches. So, I sewed and cut, sewed and cut. It didn't take long to unravel! I actually made Stephanie a little nun costume at the same time. She laid on the floor and I drew around her!

As you are reading this, I'm going to a Halloween party today. My other Nancy friend, wants us to either dress up or wear Halloween-type clothes. I'll be wearing this shirt:

And maybe these accessories. 

I'll decide when I get dressed. The little hat hair clip is pink. And then, of course, the Dracula earrings don't exactly match either. I might go with a pair of cute witches hats that I have since they will go the best, but they aren't my favorites. 

Honestly, the whole idea of costumes makes me break out in a cold sweat. I'm just not good at them. I guess I can't be good at everything. Sigh.

Mindy on Monday

When Mindy and I met for dinner on Friday night, she was telling me about the day she had planned for herself. She called it: "Self-Care Saturday!" 

First Stop:

    Barry's Boot Camp

 She treated herself to a pumpkin protein shake there. I could go with the shake,             but forget the boot camp.

Second Stop:

    Pure Sweat & Sauna

She had a studio infrared sauna with chromotherapy. I have no idea what that is, but maybe I need it!

Third Stop:

    The Spice and Tea Exchange

She got a specialty iced tea. I'm definitely on board with tea--but I don't need to drive to East Nashville to get it.

Fourth Stop:

    Not sure where she went to get this. 

A henna tattoo. I've actually done this once at Disney when it was so hot that it was a smeared mess within an hour. I would like to get a real one, but I cannot convince Butch to do it with me!

Fifth Stop:

    Lunch at Radish Kitchen.

Her favorite lunch--the west coach bowl. I would never go to a restaurant called Radish anything. I don't like them at all! Kind of reminds me of "Lettuce and Slug" in England. Now I regret not trying it just because of the name!

Sixth Stop:

    Venetian Nails.

She had a pedicure and had to select the shade called "Big Sagittarius Energy" since that's her sign. That's exactly why I wouldn't pick it. Seems like a betrayal of Capricorn.

Seventh Stop:

    Baked Bear Cookies.

She had a custom "Cookie Monster" cookie--"white" blue chocolate macadamia nut, Oreos, cookie crisps with salted caramel pretzel fudge ice cream! Her plan is to keep it in the freezer and make it last. That doesn't work for me. I love cookies--especially with ice cream. I'm better off not getting one at all!

Eighth Stop:

    Kroger---actually, she did this before the cookie. I'm thinking the cookie was the reward for that awful task!

But, Mindy loves grocery shopping! She saved $57.47 with coupons and deals and was pretty excited about that. The girl takes after her dad for sure. Okay, I hate going to the grocery store. I put it off as long as possible. 

So that was her full day of self-care. But there's a little more to her story. And we're calling it:

Spillover Sunday as her self-care continues. I got this text from her first thing this morning:

"Went to bed at 9 last night and woke up at 4 a.m. and started doing my food prep for this week."

This is turkey stroganoff over half butternut squash noodles and regular noodles. Justin gets home this evening, so she must be planning dinner! As for me, it will be egg and tuna salad---again! I've had it about four times this week already. Quick and easy when I don't have to worry about cooking for anyone.

After her meal prep, she went to 2 back-to-back Barry's classes. She's participating in a challenge that ends when we're at Morgan's wedding in November, so she has to double up in order to complete the challenge.

Then, her last self-care activity. She took a water color painting class at a bar in The Nations. As it turns out, the instructor was the director of Fine Arts at St. Cecilia Academy--where Mindy graduated from high school! 

She said it was very therapeutic and relaxing to be painting in the open air on such a beautiful day. That definitely counts as self-care!

Her weekend was a success. While I, on the other hand--stayed home the entire time. Now that's my idea of self-care. I wore my around-the-house lounging clothes (not pajamas this time), ate when I felt like it, read a lot, watched lots of TV while doing other things at the same time (like my blog posts, editing pictures, making lists, and a little Christmas shopping), did a couple loads of laundry, inventoried some gifts that have come in, got ready for my scrapbook retreat, made spaghetti sauce for the trip, and even made several layouts. I stayed up late, got up early, and took full advantage of this time alone--knowing there wasn't anyone I was bothering. So, for me, it was a totally relaxing weekend. I have a busy couple of days before I leave on Wednesday for scrapbooking, starting with an 8 a.m. meeting in the morning. I'm ready! Come 5 a.m. tomorrow, I'll hit the ground running as usual!!

So there, a post about Mindy and me! Your welcome.

Something for Sunday

This is the craziest weekend. I feel like my family is all over the place! 

I met Mindy for dinner--just the two of us--since Butch and Justin are out-of-town. Justin is in Maine visiting family and friends.

Butch is in Brazil at Iugazzu Falls. He was supposed to go with his buddy, Jack, but Jack had to cancel due to illness. So, he's down there by himself. Some of my friends asked me why I didn't go with him. I have no desire to go to South America.

He's having a great time. Today he emailed me and said that he wishes I was with him and he thinks I would love it. I probably would because I usually like  everywhere I go. But really, I just want to stick with Europe. There are just so many places I still want to visit.

If I hadn't just had about a half dozen of my pictures blown up and framed, I totally would have used this one. Hmmm, maybe I can't figure out a place--maybe at the beach. We'll see.

Stephanie and Nicky are in LA with Jordan and Robbie. 

And me, well, I'm just sitting at home--perfectly happy to be relaxing. I did 3 Christmas layouts yesterday. And you know those 45 tags I made? Well, I didn't use nary a one! And you know what that means, I never have to make another one for the rest of my life!

I hope you have a relaxing Sunday!