PopSiCLe ArT**

New creations...
hot glue, popsicle sticks and chop sticks.
..and some paint.

Lastnight I had my family art night at the school and had a fabulous turn out. I will post pics later. It was such a great time.

More BoXeS**and some Clay.

Ho Ho Ho
I'm still going at it.
It's a box blowout.


Only a few more to go and I'm done done done.

I am planning a Family Art Night at school for Tuesday night and sent flyers home with every student earlier in the week. I ordered some clay and thought it would be fun to have families make pinch pots. I want to raku fire them in a trash can over the holiday break.
But we have a problem..
150 people have R.S.V.P'd.
I thought maybe 20-30 students would respond...
nope. 150 people are coming. I think people go nuts for clay.
So my "relaxing" weekend has turned into a weekend of bagging clay into 150 zip-lock baggies. I've recruited 6 volunteers for the night and am starting to feel a little panicked.
yikes, yikes.

MaKinG PiEs**

I baked a few pies lastnight while we watched a few episodes of LOST (my new favorite show). We started season 2 lastnight...oohhhh...it's getting good.

I stayed up late baking so I'm feeling tired today, ready for the weekend.
Although, being able to have pie and coffee for breakfast makes staying up late completely worth it.

GobbLe, GobbLe**

Today's creation...
a wild wild turkey.

It needs another coat of paint but it's about ready to be wrapped up and shipped off. It's not everyday you see a wood burned wild turkey.
I'm thinking of starting a series.

Perhaps, rodents.
Or maybe... prehistoric animals,
...sloths?
Oh the possibilities are endless.

BuRninG BoXeS**

I wish there was a 'Burnt Wood' perfume.
When I go 8 hours without burning something I start to crave the smell. Don't be alarmed, you would crave it too.
Hot, crisp, burns your nostrils when you get a big whiff, oh so satisfying.
Hannah, you know what I'm talking about here.

I did this little wooden box yesterday. It's a Christmas gift for someone who likes purple (my least favorite color). I honestly can't remember the last time I picked up a tube of purple paint, or a purple oil pastel, or purple crayon. I'm trying to let it grow on me a bit.

New dooR, neW ShoEs.

Vito put up our new screen door this weekend. It's been sitting in the basement the last two weeks while I sanded and stained it. I think it turned out nice.


I actually managed to get a tad bit of Christmas shopping done.
..and a little for myself as well. oopsie.


Only two weeks until Christmas break. It's hard to believe how fast December is flying by.

Warm Fire* Baked Spagetti*

Vito came home early last night, we(he)made dinner, built a fire and we watched a few episodes of LOST.
It's our new favorite show.
We are just finishing season one and I haven't quite decided if I really like it or if it's really corny. I'm leaning more towards corny but it is great entertainment.

I'm really looking forward to the weekend. I have tons of shopping/gift making to do, cookies to bake, laundry to do and a sweater to knit. As I'm typing this I'm wondering which two I will actually get a start at this weekend. I'm sure some hot chocolate and a good book could sidetrack me.
mmm... that actually sounds really nice, I think I'd prefer to get sidetracked. I could go for a cup of hot chocolate right now, a dobble of whip cream.
mmm..

BuRninG AwaY*.....

On Saturday I bought my first wood burning tool.
I can't stop.
Everyone is getting burnt wood for Christmas. We are having a little holiday soiree at our house in a couple weeks and I decided to burn the invites. (That doesn't sound right... burn?)
Anyway, I cut down some wood and spent the last few days carving away.
Pic on the front, invite on the back.
I painted the edges and they are ready to go.

I'd like to burn this design into a big chunk of tall wood and set it on the mantle. It would be a good Christmas gift if I wasn't so sick of doing it. Trying to make each one different gets a little old.


yay finished.

Santa Came EaRLy**

Anne Marie came over for a visit on Wednesday...
she came bearing an early Christmas gift,
a really good one.
She was so excited to give it to me she couldn't wait until Christmas.

Lets guess what it is...

"oh.. is it a nice warm winter hat..??"


"oops.. no it's a little cozy for my teapot...maybe.."

"oh wait.. could it possibly be a this seasons most stylish must have accessory!?

yes indeed! With this dreamy hat, I am sure to get more ooohs and aaahhs than ever before.
And no.. you cannot borrow it.

Christmas GiftS*

I started working on some foam prints yesterday for Christmas gifts. I always forget how time consuming these things are until I start doing them again. It's fun and oh so messy. **

Is it ChRisTmas Yet?*

The Thanksgiving mini vacation was so nice. We were both home all week to spend time together and of course play with Matty's puppy. We took them for long walks in the morning so that they would sleep most of the day.
Taking them to the dog park was a little awkward. I was constantly feeling like some kind of drug dealer when calling for the dogs. "Cash...Kilo...come here..Cash... Kilo.."
We were getting looks.
So my call changed, "Cash...Puppy...Cash...Puppy.." not too successful.
Cash was so depressed when Kilo left, he spent two days lounging around, not even food interested him.

dogie walkie..

dogie sleepy..

We finished putting up all the Christmas junk over the weekend.
I haven't done a lick of shopping. I started making a few goodies but that's it so far.
it's been cool enough for afternoon/evening fires.. my favorite.

ThiRD grADe ArChiteCts**

I'm having the third grade classes design their own dream house. It has been so entertaining. I can tell which students have hampsters, they've been drawing tunnels to connect to different areas of their house.
Slides, tunnels, secret underground rooms, heart shaped windows, trampolines in every room, trap doors and secret swimming pools.
I'm ready to move in.

ThiS WeEk...

Made a collage

Dogsitting cute cute Kilo

Pulled out the Christmas decorations... haven't gotten too far yet.
Lights on the tree.

We bought some cool LED lights(is that what they are called?)
So now I don't have to worry about burning the house down.

I want to paint the bathroom (and clean the mirror)

Last day of work for the week. Getting ready to gobble down some turkey. mmmmm...

ThiRd cUps a ChArm*

... decaf of course.

Well, the last 2 were decaf. For some reason if I drink decaf, I think it's okay to drink 5 times more than I would of the "real" stuff.

My camera is broken, the screen is black when I try to take a picture. I have no idea how the pic looks until I upload it onto my computer.

I think I need to clean my desk.

Tomorrow is Friday!
yiP, yIppEE!

IDaHo.

Our trip home was great. I finished knitting all but a sleeve on my sweater, went for a few long runs, rode 4-wheelers for miles and spent lots of time hanging around my parents new guest cabin. It was so beautiful.
Heather and Ali came on Wednesday and spent the rest of the week with us. V and Ali spent most mornings and evenings hunting. brrrr.. too cold for me.



While we were there my parents had a wood fireplace installed in the cabin and it was wonderful. I hadn't seen any pictures while they were building it so it was an extra treat to see it for the first time.


Our future cabin site,
we made lots of plans.



Nothing says love quite like matching flannel.


Off they go to get our turkey dinner. gobble gobble.

FaLL BrEak, WiLd tHingS, CaBin in the WoOds*

Finally! Fall break is here.
almost.
at 3:20 today it will be. The kids at school have turned into WiLd BeaSts in anticipation for break, so I decided to read 'Where The Wild Things Are' to the younger kids and let them draw their own wild thing (self portrait).

We are flying to IdaHo tomorrow morning and will spend the entire week relaxing. Heather and Ali will be joining us on Wednesday. We'll be making cabin plans, reading books, going for long jogs, drinking coffee by the fire and knitting until our fingers bleed. Heather and I started knitting the same cute cute sweater a couple weeks ago so we have something to work on while we are up there.

I chopped my hair again.
See you soon mama.

Perfect FaLL WeekenD.

Saturday was so beautiful. Sunny, CoOL, ReLaxinG. Perfect weather for napping. Cash and I took a long nap in the afternoon. He actually napped most of the day, I however, did get some cleaning done. Vito worked in the yard getting things buttoned up for winter.

sleepy daWG.

As I was saving these pics to the computer, I found this picture of Cassius when he was a puppy. So so cute. I can hardly remember him like this, so little.

Sunday morning I ran in the 'Race for the Cure' with Brian and in the evening Vito and I went to a hockey game. Beer and Peanuts, perfect combo.

HaPpY FriDAy

Wedding in *CaLi*

Last week we were in California for our friends wedding. They got married in Dana Point at the Ocean Institute. It so so beautiful and nice to see friends. We didn't get to spend any time with Heather and Ali but will be spending a week with them in Idaho at the end of the month. Heres a few pics from the wedding.