Holiday Hiatus

taking a "holiday hiatus" from the blog.
not sure when i will be back. . . keep you all posted.

for now. . .
Merry Christmas to you and yours and have a *TERRIFIC* holiday!!!

Christmas Cards and Christmas Movies

getting started on our annual Christmas Card photo shoot. . .

here is a HINT:

i am SOOOOO stoked to share the final product. . .
it's gonna be kitschy!

don't you just love the movie Rudolph!?!
it is a Plant House tradition to watch it every Christmas season
(over and over and over. . . to be exact!).
i think it is *THE* best Holiday special out there.

what do you and your fam like to watch around this time of year?
are you into kiddo movies like "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" or something more traditional like "White Christmas"?
personally. . . i love most of them!
we will also be watching:

"Home Alone"

"Miracle on 34th Street"

"Mr. Kruegar's Christmas"
(if you haven't seen this. . . you MUST!!! Jimmy Stewart is *amazing* in this movie. . . and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sure can skate! a very touching show that reminds you of the reason for the season)

"White Christmas"

"Just Friends"
(purely for adults! but purely funny!)

"Mickey's Christmas Carol"

"Muppet's Christmas Carol"

"Frosty the Snowman"

"The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"

"A Christmas Story"

"Elf"

"Christmas Vacation"

"The Santa Clause"

"Garfield's Christmas Special"

AND. . . . . .

i would LOVE to get my hands on
"Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas". . .
do you remember this beauty?


featuring the *oh so* popular California Raisins?
i remember this special as a kid and want to watch it with my girls.
i am pretty sure it is an acid trip!

*whew*! we will have to watch a movie a day, no? (^0^)

*FREE* retro Christmas tags!

i just love finding bright and cheerful retro graphics.

(i especially LOVE finding them when they are *FREE*!)

check out these *free* Christmas tags i came across online today. . .

they are sure to brighten and retro-fy all of your holiday packages this year.
now to get to the wrapping!

i found them at "Free Christmas Clip Art". . .
along with these jolly Santas:



i can't wait to use them for some kitschy Christmas cards, presents and projects!
(i am particularly partial to the "Big Guy" with blue eyes. . .
reminds me of a 1960's Christmas!
wouldn't he look grand hanging over a fireplace mantle!?!)

overwhelmed

feeling overwhelmed today.
maybe it's because the house is a disaster.
(and i seriously DON'T want to do anything about it. . . cleaning! yuck.)

maybe it's because no matter how hard i try. . . i CAN'T get comfortable!
(already at "that" stage of prego life. . . being huge is zero fun.)

or maybe it's because the girls are grumpy and sick.
(when will we NOT be sick around here! argh.)

don't know.
i am just overwhelmed!
any thoughts lovely people to make me feel "under"whelmed?
(^0^)

tis the season

tis the season to stay up *crazy* late and shop some deals for Christmas cuz Black Friday is here. . .
anyone else with me on this !?!

Gobble, Gobble

{thanksgiving last year. . .
the girls sure have grown a LOT since then!}

Happy Turkey Day everyone!

we are planning a very low key Thanksgiving here at our home. . .
full of relaxation. . .
each others company. . .
and *of course* food!

i am *SO* grateful for all that i have and i am glad i have this season to remember that and express it too.
i hope your day is full of love and family.

Happy Thanksgiving
(^>^)

Experiencing Technical Difficulties

i just love computing.

but when they *crash*. . . it becomes a bit of a hassle!
i have been experiencing technical difficulties with my desktop for about a week now.
but. . . it is back from the "doctor" and i can start up my geeky computing once again!
yay!

having no computer really is the pits!
let's hope getting this new hard drive will make everything better :)

(and thank heavens everything was backed up! or we would have lost it all. . .
the pictures. . . the scrap pages. . . the downloads!
eek! makes me sweat just thinking about it. . .
especially losing the pics! talk about break your heart!
its all thanks to my hubby Pace. . . what a guy!)

Baby Boy Bedding

been doing a *LOT* of "baby boy" searching lately.
boys are a whole different animal than what i have grown used too and research is definitely needed. (^-^)
"boy" stuff is easier to find than it used to be. . .
or so i have been told and from what i have seen!

since our crib bedding is WAY more "girly-fied" than i want our boy to have. . .
i am going to overhaul everything we already own.
a somewhat green decision!

i bought these coordinating fabrics to make the skirt, quilt and bumpers.
(now before you chastise me on using crib bumpers. . .
keep in mind our crib was made in the fifties!
i think the bumpers will be safer than having the slats too far apart.
*NOW* you may proceed to chastise me on having a crib that is about sixty years old!!!!
talk about RECALL! maybe we should just buy a new one?)


very retro with a splash of kitsch and WAY more boy oriented than flowers and PINK.
can't wait till they come in the mail!
then the sewing begins.

School Pictures

Indiana had her school pictures taken a couple of months ago. . .
this is what she wore and how cute she looked!
what a turkey girl.

she got her picture package back this week from school.
(and no. . . she didn't do fish lips for that pic! tee hee!)
so exciting to get that *FIRST* school picture of my little gal!

i remember getting my Pre-K pictures taken. . .
i was snuggly sitting next to the teacher (teacher's pet from day one!)
and we had them taken in our teachers side yard.
see. . . we had our Pre-K at somebody's home. . . not at a school!
it's SO fancy here.
the East does things very differently than what i grew up with (^0^)

Good Day Toffee!

brand spanking *new* magazine mates!

Toffee
issue one
all digital and *ALL* about indie arts and crafts!
from crafting printables to the latest goods that you should be making. . . Toffee is a great mix of inspiration and can-do FUN hip projects.
founded by an Aussies with style. . . you know it's going to be good!

and guess who landed the FRONT cover for the FIRST issue!?!
none other than my *best bud* Danielle Thompson!
isn't she lovely?
purchase this beaut of a mag and get the low-down on Danielle and her kitschy, crafty life!


buy the mag. . . download the mag. . . read the mag. . . LOVE the mag.
that's what i did (^0^)

One Buck Wednesday. . . Fresh Blooms

these Fresh Blooms are perfect to brighten up any craft/scrapping project!
One BUCK. . .
*today only*. . .
so HURRY over to Jessica Sprague to grab yours! (^0^)

good gravy. . . it's November.

first off. . .

*THANK YOU SO MUCH!*
for all your sweet comments and thoughts about Megan and her lovely family.
it sure is heartbreaking and still hard for me to understand and cope with. . .
but, i am sure the Smith Family can feel all your love and prayers!
they really need it. so keep it coming!

doesn't this November seem to be FLYING by?
although. . .
that is good since i *can't* wait for turkey day.
yum yum.
nothing like indulging on plate after plate of mashed tators, turkey and gravy.
yum yum.


i also LOVE November since it is always good to remember how thankful i am for my family, friends and wonderful life.
we really do have *SO* much and i am grateful for that. (^0^)

i am also grateful for gravy.
delicious, thick gravy.
yum yum.

the loss of a dear friend

this morning i found out that we have lost a dear, sweet friend. . .

and my tears won't stop flowing.

Megan Smith is a wonderful woman that i met when we first moved here to Buffalo.
always upbeat and smiling. full of laughter and fun. . . she was a joy to be around!
we hit it off from the start and she became a very good friend to me and my family.
her hubby Ryan and my hubby Pace even started a business together!
it was kismet that we met in this life.

it is heartbreaking to say. . . but today. . . in the early hours of the morning. . .
Megan lost her fight to Leukemia.
it's hard to understand why such a wonderful, beautiful young woman would be taken away from this Earth so soon. . .
but, Heavenly Father must have needed her more.
she fought her battle hard. . . but now she can be at peace.

we want everyone out there to send their thoughts. . . prayers. . . and love towards Megan's family and loved ones. . .
*especially* to her husband Ryan and their sweet baby girl Rylee.

you can visit this site to find out more about Megan, Ryan and Rylee and their *incredible* story, strength and character.

Prayers for Megan

we will love and miss you Megan SO much.
this world won't be the same with out you.

oh that Indy!

my heart melted this morning.

as we were waking up for the day Indiana came into our bedroom.
i was still in "snuggle" mode on the bed. . . i.e. wrapped up warmly in blankets not wanting to face the cold morning!
and she came up to the side of my bed and started to stroke my cheeks with the palm of her hands. . .
then she said. . .
"your SO sweet mom. sweeter than a cookie."


oh that Indy!
instant heart melt! (^0^)

cookie by Minitoko

Halloween 2010

Happy Halloween!

we had a great Halloween. . . a bit frigid. . . but FUN.
we carved pumpkins. . . watched Hocus Pocus. . . ate chili and donuts (more than i should have!). . . and went trick-or-treating.

the girls just LOVE this holiday and i do too.
reminds me of being a kid.
plus. . . their is NOTHING like a Halloween out in the East.
so full of color and fall spirit.
the tall trees. . . the colonial homes. . . the farms. . .
it's like being in Sleepy Hollow.
it got very cold JUST in time for Halloween weekend and so the "trick-or-treating" part of our Halloween was cut shorter than usual.
we were freezing our niblets off!
Indiana was the first to complain. . . and that is SO not like her!
but. . . the girls got their candy (and even some FULL size ones! talk about making a kids Halloween!) and it was a frightfully good All Hallow's Eve.

here's a lowdown of Halloween pics:

Carving Pumpkins:

Indiana's very own pumpkin. . .
she drew the design and then had some adult supervision for carving. . . i.e. ME :)

Pace carved this bad boy. . .
notice something a bit off?
well. . . we bought our pumpkins at the beginning of the month and the squirrels took advantage of that! notice the chew marks? not to mention the HUGE chunk they ate of the side of our poor pumpkin (it began to rot!) . . . what to do!?!
we didn't want to waste this bad boy and NOT carve it . . . so, we noticed that the "chunk" looked kind of like an eye. . . so, Pace carved a mirror eye on the other side and it became Jack Skellington! how crazy. that squirrel was ONE good artist, no?

the finished products. . . spooky!

Church Halloween Party:

we had a church party for Halloween and the girls dressed up in different costumes than those they wore on Halloween. . . two costumes in one year. . . lucky girls!

Indiana was a gnome.
Kennedy was a Native American.

Halloween Costumes 2010:



Indiana went as a bat.
she's been talking about this costume for months!
my madre was sweet enough to send me the bat costume that i used to wear as a little girl! neat-o, right?
it was pretty awesome to see the costume that i wore and LOVED on my little one.
brought back many wonderful memories!
and she looked pretty DARN cute in it!
we went to the cemetery to take some Halloween pics and when we were exploring the different tombstones we noticed one that said: "BATT"!
i was stoked! we had to take some pics next to it (^0^)
what are the odds!?!

Kendy went as an Ewok.
it's the same costume that Indy wore at the same age. . .
but, she fit the costume perfectly!
(WAY more than Indiana did!)
Kendy literally is our Ewok.
she talks like one. . . acts like one. . . dances like one. . . it's just too much!
but, it's what makes her adorable!
we also didn't get any pics of Kendy at the cemetery :(
she was SO ornery (kicking, screaming, tantrum!) and fell asleep on the way. . .
H-E-double hockey sticks would have to freeze over for me to wake her!
so, her pics aren't as "cool". . . but i guess their is still time to go and do some "re-shoots" (^-^) but, we will see!
notice she didn't cooperate for these pics either. . .
when will these "terrible two's" be over!?!

Happy Halloween folks!
how was yours?

Halloween "Posie style"

totally cute Posie dolls all decked out for Halloween!
made by Kitschy Digitals
find them HERE.


doesn't Danielle take the BEST photos!

perfect for your kid's to take to school as treats for All Hallow's Eve. . .
or pass them out on the BIG night itself!

so versatile. . . i made this: