Doesn't Everyone use their Jigsaw over the Kitchen sink???

I decided to put a train under our kitchen Christmas tree and needed a 36" round piece of wood. Well, the home fixit stores had one but it was $46!, so I had to make one myself. I've found in the past that working over the kitchen sink (I put a paper towel in the bottom of the sink to catch the sawdust so it won't go down the drain) works well because of the height of the counter and I can maneuver the wood and saw pretty well there. It's also the most stable place I have to work till we get the garage set up. I know, it's unconventional, but if I waited for someone to do it for me, I'd never get it done.

I was also very proud of myself for remembering to drill holes for the lights from the tree and from this DARLING village I'm making! I'll keep you updated on the fun decorations I'm doing this year. I am having a blast putting this all together!!!

"Altar Boyz"

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Our Family

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Pre Thanksgiving Dinner

We had an early Thanksgiving Dinner with family and friends Sunday evening. Slade loved the dessert...

and so did Craig, Kelli, and Ava.

Chelsea made all the pies!

Amber and Nicole made these nummy Maple Rolls,

and even my grand-reptile Cosmo partook!

Ava has a special love for her cousin Cosmo.

More Roosters!!!

Since I have been on the subject of Roosters lately, I thought that I'd share some older paintings that I've done of our feathery friend. I know of at least 4 more paintings that I've done of roosters, so now I'm going to look back into my files and count them. (There just might be more)

Funny, how you sometimes don't realize that you tend to choose the same or similar subjects or styles in clothing sometimes till someone points it out to you. I can't tell you how many black skirts I have owned over the years. I know that I own probably at least 8 right now and they all have wonderful subtle and sometimes not so subtle qualities about them...Just like Roosters!

A "Thing" for Roosters

OK, I guess I do have a "thing" for roosters. I painted these three fellows specifically before we moved into this new house. The top is entitled "Looking Fierce", the middle "This is my Best Side" and the bottom "Bad Hair Day". I painted them while listening to the TV, and "America's Next Top Model" marathon was on. They are 16 inches by 16 inches and painted with oils. I think they need 2 inch deep black frames that the canvas "floats" in to "pop" them out of the wall a little more. I love these paintings, I get a kick out of them every time I look at them, which is the exact opposite at some other work hanging in my kid's houses that I gave them. I see all my mistakes over and over again in them. When you practice music or sports, the mistakes are out and gone, a paintings mistakes are forever....

More "Good Stuff" (I'm trying not to say "Crap" so often)

In our new house the ceilings are a lot higher than our old house, so I have 22 inches of space above my cabinets in the kitchen. This allows me another wonderful decorating space! I have collected old stuff from since forever. I especially love objects that have been in the family a long time. Anyway, I would be a good store person that sets up the displays, I would not be good in the selling department, because I would probably tell the costumers where there is a better deal someplace else! I can spend hours rearranging objects just right so that the composition is pleasing, the colors all compliment one another and making sure that there is variation in height. With a (self-diagnosed touch of OCD), I can get a little more concerned about arrangement than healthy and something a little off can bug me enough that I have to get out of bed to go change it. Well, this post looks like a confessional.... Oh well.

PS-I really am not collecting roosters, I just like their shape and colors, so please do not buy me any.... (only if it is FABULOUS!)

My Fun Plates...

I love these plates! My love for eating food (not cooking it) has lead me to choose the theme of fruits and vegetables for still life arrangements to paint from to finding wonderful ceramic pieces that explode with color and happiness. (It's funny, that I never paint any images of ice cream...) Anyway, I found the plate with the lemon and asparagus about a year before I found the other two plates, so I actually placed the first plate on the counter for a while. This is the beauty of decorating your home with the things that make you smile. We might rearrange where we put things, or add to the collection, or put it away for a while to wait for just the right place for an object to fit. I do have to say, that it is so much fun to be able to have the space to really show off some of the wonderful objects I've found over the years in this new big house of ours. When friends come over, they think that everything is new because at our old house things were cramped with all my "good crap" I've collected over the years. My "stuff" makes me happy...my family and friends make me feel loved, isn't it wonderful to surround yourself with both!

Raising our Children

I saw this fabulous sign at my mother-in-laws home, told her I thought it was wonderful, and she bought me one !!! Thank you Grandma Great! I know that a lot of the people who read my blog are young mothers, and probably have to count to 10 or breath in deep 3 times or sing a little hymn like I did when you are in the middle of raising small children and really hope that you do not kill them in the process. (I also just hoped I did not kill them when I fed them...) It is a wonder that we all grow up and turn out because parenting is a learn as you go, glean what you can from others and hope and pray for the best!

More Thanksgiving Decor

I got this cut felt runner at "Kirkland's" for $2.25 and the square nut wreaths at "Michael's" at 75% off so they were only $3.25 each! Whenever I say how much something cost, I always think of my Mom who said that nobody needs to know, but I just can not resist to brag about a good bargain. That's 90% of the fun to me of putting together "stuff" to decorate with. Don't get me wrong though, if something is absolutely fabulous, I can always make my family eat macaroni and cheese for the week! (just kidding, but really I'm not...)

YW in Excellence

We just had a "Young Women in Excellence" this last week. I said "Wouldn't it be cute to do those "Barbie" cakes in the YW value colors???" "Sure, I can do them, No problem!" (I had never made a "Barbie" cake, in fact, I don't know how many years it has been since I even opened up a cake box...)
OK, the decorating was pretty easy... but it took me 4 times x 2 cakes mixes each, to finally give up with the Wilton cake mold. My cakes would just not cook in the middle, even with that rod that you put in. So, I ended up making 8 three layer cakes and then cutting them each into a skirt shape. That's 24 caked mixes there plus the first 8 cake mixes = 32 cake mixes! So 32 cake mixes with 3 eggs each= 96 eggs! 1/3 cup oil each cake mix= 10 cups of oil!
It was actually fun after the decorating started and I can now say that "YES, I can make a "Barbie" cake, No problem!"

More Thanksgiving Decor

I just love this Turkey! I got it at Home Goods in Marshals two years ago for $12.99!

Oh Lucy, I'm Home!

Well, as many of my family and friends know, I don't cook. I say that because I simply do not find it fun. I loose track of what I'm doing and get bored really fast "watching the pot". So many things that I cook end up overcooked or burned as I forget that I need to be there in the kitchen. Anyway, recently I wanted to make some homemade rolls and buying frozen dough from the grocery store counts for me! I thought that the dough would not thaw out overnight. Then my Husband said that I should take the dough out of the bag to let it thaw out. Of course I didn't think He knew what he was talking about......need I say more?

Time for Fall Decorating !

I think that "Fall" or "Thanksgiving" decorating is the least expensive of all the seasons to decorate. Half of my pumpkins, vegetables and gourds are fake and were bought at least 50% to 90% off right after subsequent Halloweens. I also use them in my still life setups occasionally, so I guess if I was smart, I could deduct their cost. I also use some real vegetables. We'll see if we actually cook them or just throw them away (hopefully before they get too mushy and ruin the furniture!) Anyway, the pumpkin centerpiece is new. I cut the top off a pumpkin I used for Halloween and put Styrofoam and a few rocks from our backyard in it and arranged the silk flowers inside. I had to glue some silk leaves onto one side of the pumpkin because it has a mysterious bite taken out of it. Some little goblin got to it!
*Advice = Do not blow out your candles very hard because the wax will spray all over your newly cleaned mirror!

BUMMER

Well, my husband just called to tell me that on the radio, "they", "the people" were talking about the song "Crank dat Soulja Boy". I guess that the song is really naughty and all the stanzas mean something different about you know what, s e x. I am sooooooooooo disappointed and mad. I am so tired of finding out that what someone is saying doesn't mean what they are saying and that you can not say anything either for fear of mistranslation! I remember watching a movie made in the late 50's and the phrase "making love" meant "flirting and dating". I still say that a thing is "queer" as in "strange" and don't even think about "queer" being "gay" which also was just being "happy" and who knows what being "happy" means anymore!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ! AND I was just getting to know the fun "sweet" moves for this song ! ("sweet" as in "fun" not as in "sugary" .........)

The Boys love the Gore.

Making sure that all is fair in Glamma world!!!

A Different Perspective

I messed around with Slades picture while he was watching me, and he did not like me changing the color palette of his close-up! I assured him that this was really cool so he "allowed" me to print the grouping. He then proceed to cut the photos apart. I was disappointed until I saw how he was then gluing them onto a black piece of paper and making an even cooler arrangement. It was just another example to me of how we all have different perspectives of how things should be and that we can learn from the youngest of people. I just love seeing my grandchildren run with a "craft". Well, they think it's a craft and I think it is ART!

Trick or Treat !

I bet you think I said "OK, now pose!" Nope, the die is set. When these kids see a camera lens it's all over. Watch "America's next top Model" in 15 years, and there is a good chance any one of my grandchildren will be on the show.......(that's Slade's pose (lower left) by the way, He practiced in front of the mirror a lot to get that dead zombie look)