Happy Halloween

We have a bunch of hyper diapers over at our house now that we have been sugared up.  Hope everybody had a safe and fun holiday.

{simple pleasures}

Q:  What do the below two pictures have in common?

A:  They are both some of my simple pleasures and I love both of the them very much.(one a little more than the other, especially the one that looks at me with his big brown eyes:-)

I love pomegranates because when they are ready to harvest it's another sign that Fall is here.  My kids got to experience the joy of cutting one open and picking out everyone of the most delicious seeds (or Momma likes to say jewels) for the first time yesterday.  It was very exciting.  We picked our pomegranates from the fruitful tree @ the girl's grandparents just like I used to pick mine over @ my very own grandparents house when I was their age.  The circle of life continues......

Here's to lovely weather.

{candle sleeves}

I have always admired the look of the KaarsKoker candle sleeves from the first time I saw them in one of my magazines. When in Portland we had a chance to look @ them firsthand in one of the shops. Sister & I almost walked out of the store with some in hand but we couldn't decide which ones we wanted. When I got home I went to KaarsKoker's website and was pleased to see that you could order them direct. In the meantime I thought why not play around with pretty papers. I think it is fun and I plan to switch the candle sleeves out on a regular basis. I feel that they can give my chandelier either a festive or an updated look depending on the paper that I choose. So simple & fun.

  

  

Here's mine except they aren't crafted with as much quality but hey for $1.00 not too bad.

Go here to see more of the fabulous desgins KaarsKoker has to offer.  I still am trying to make up my mind on which ones I want.

What happens when a really swell guy that I call Dad has a birthday?

You make him a funny little ice cream cake with a candle to account for every fine year he has been on this earth. That's a lot of candles....but if you hang out with Dad for more than 10 minutes than you'd know that the amount of candles really doesn't mean a thing.   Dad's the biggest kid of them all.

Thanks for teaching me how to be happy! I love you Pappason.

{new sewless shades}

Dearest Jenny,

I have been reading your blog for a long time now & I like to read it not because we are from the same stomping grounds & not because we are distant relatives but because you author some of the most fabulous things on your blog.

I would have been waiting a very long time for some shades because a) I do not sew and b) I have many more projects and expenses that come before paying somebody to make my custom shades. You are my best friend today as I (I mean Stacey) hung my newly crafted shades that took not one stitch but just glue, scissors, $7.00 mini blinds, & fabric. From a far my shades could just about trick anybody from the trade.

I really appreciate your blog!

Thanks in advance for any other ideas. 

Sincerely,

FULL HOUSE

*****For all of the details on this very effective project go here*****

P.S - I would like to give Stacey a big HUGE thank you.

black and white

I almost forgot that I pretty much like all shades of black and white (including grey & cream)... 

until I realized that all of the pictures saved to my desktop had a certain trend thing going on.

{via Desire to Inspire}

{via Desire to Inspire}

{via Delight by Design}

{via Delight by Design}

Now I remember, I must think black & white sure is a swell color combo.

{the love cake}

Husband finally decided to have his birthday 2 hours after I got home my trip. I was a little heart broken that I didn't pull off the envisioned party but I hope I made it up to him with the cake I made from my heart. I didn't stop thinking about him in any one of those four hours that it took to make that cake. What a glorious day when husband graced his presence to this world. The value he has brought to our family is immeasurable so by me saying his birthday is one of my favorite days is not an exaggeration.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday my main Mr. Man.


OH MY, besides my kids, that cake was the most wonderful thing I have ever made....I am not exaggerating that one either. Everyone NEEDS to go and make it. Every little detail that went into making the cake was so worth it...even the very expensive dutch processed cocoa.  So my little cakie cake didn't exactly look like the picture but I didn't care because it was all about the taste.

Recipe from here, ENJOY!

ingredients

For cake layers
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup boiling-hot water

For filling
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
4 ounces coarsely chopped pecans (1 cup)
14-ounces can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

For glaze
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
10 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

For full instructions go here.

If your wondering if cake is included in my special diet than the answer is no but there is always an exception for LOVE CAKE.  I made my candida very happy last night:-)

Inspiration via Cielo Home

When I was in Oregon we mostly hung around sis's home and if we ventured off anywhere it was to observe what the beautiful nature had to offer.  On Sat. my non bed rest sister & I went to downtown Portland.  There was a heavy downfall of rain but I had my heart set on discovering what the downtown had to offer.  Unfortunately we were pressed for time & sort of got lost but we did manage to visit Cielo Home.  It was such a lovely shop.  In fact, I think it was just thing to jump start a couple projects that have been running around somewhere loose in that little head of mine.  That's the problem though, there is lost of loose matters of business that I seem to misplace all of the time.

Love that orange door.

{via MWTWT blog}

{picture via Cielo Home's website}

The shop did not offer Christmas stockings but  when I saw the below fireplace mantel adorned with stockings made of designer fabrics I thought of Cielo Home because they had a few upholstered pieces done up in the very same fabrics.  In person the fabrics are even better than pictured, very high quality.  I think I just may have to attempt new stockings in really cool non traditional Christmas fabric.

{stockings via Plum Cusion on Etsy}

Ok, thank you so very much Cielo Home because now I know how I want to refinish my bamboo table a bought a few years ago that happens to be sitting @ sister-in-laws house with the 20 other items.  She is so nice not to charge me a storage fee.  

{via my camera phone}

I didn't have a picture of the third project Cielo home inspired me to complete.  I assure you though that when I complete it I would love to share because it is SO EASY, FUN & CUTE.

Have I mentioned how much I miss my sisters?

Oregon

When I was 10 years old I told my Dad that I wanted to move to Oregon. He was a bit perplexed as I had never been there or had any family that lived there. I think deep down at an early age my soul must have known how much Oregon would speak my language.

Last night when my Dad & Mom picked me up from the airport from my very first trip to Oregon, I told my Dad that I still would like to live there. It was so much fun being with sisters & their kids. I have a dream that someday we will all live on the countryside 40 minutes outside of Portland.  Isn't Fall so beautiful...I could not help but want to jump up into the air when I saw streets lined with brightly colored trees.

All was well when I arrived home.

I miss you sisters.  

{make-believe shopping}

So I was going through & deleting pictures from my phone.  I found it interesting that I did not buy any one of the items....which is a darn shame.  I deserve an award.  I'm referring husband straight to this post.

Does anybody else shop with their cell phones?