I am ready! Treat bags for the witches, ghosts and goblins who knock on our door, CHECK!
Spooky cupcakes to share with neighbors, CHECK!!
Now I’m counting down to the Ghost Hunters Halloween special! (One of my fav shows by the way). DH and I will be making homemade pizza and garlic cheese bread for dinner, YUM!
Happy Halloween everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a Friday night. Good coffee and my first attempt at knitting with my handspun yarn!!! As you can see, it is a modest sized little ball of yarn in a variety of colors. I took the remainder of my Sept Phat Fiber box samples and spun them into one continuous yarn, to get a rainbow of colors! I’m trying to knit up a square to donate to an afghan for a friend, so let’s hope this works!! I’m using a Log Cabin Square pattern, but rather than changing yarn colors for the different sections, I’m just knitting along and letting the colors change as they were spun. Should be…..interesting….
By the way, I finished the lapghan I started a few weeks ago.
It turned out to be about 39 inches square (give or take a smidge) and there is a quite unique applique adorning one corner. You’ll have to be patient to see that one because I decided this is going to be a gift and chose the applique quite strategically for the recipient. Shhh, secret….
I often think about how to make my pictures of knitting projects a little more enticing…a little more pro. My biggest issue is usually not the camera or the actual picture-taking (DH has a knack for photography), but the where. First, let’s be honest, I have to find a ‘clean’ place. So no one will go….”Great scarf Kel! Hey is that your dirty laundry on the floor in the background?” or something of the like. (Not that any of you would ever do that to me…and I thank you for your willingness to turn that blind eye!)
Recently while I was cruising the pages of the latest abc distributing catalog, I came across this little baby:
For a mere $19.99!! What a steal!! I can hang accessories on it, use it for taking awesome pictures of my scarves and such, SCORE!!! It arrived today and after just about 10 minutes of assembly, VOILA! Magnificent! I just HAD to take a picture!! So I naturally grabbed the nearest thing….and being in the kitchen, that would be one of my aprons:
Yep, I have aprons with my name on them. And stars. Any seasoned road-traveler may recognize this apron. I worked for several years in college at a Cracker Barrel restaurant. I earned my 4 stars (the highest level, pats self on back) and got the maroon trainer apron. Oh yea, I’m good. What did I do in said restaurant you may wonder?? I was the Retail Trainer for the gift shop!! That’s right, talk about a fun job!! And as a result, I became a MASTER gift wrapper and gift basket maker after plowing through several Christmas seasons there. Hmmm, I may smell a gift wrap tips and tricks post coming up in the near future for Christmas….What do you think?? Anyone interested??
PS, my old work aprons make the BEST home aprons!! Maybe I’ll take some measurements and post for my friend Kim, who is now a apron-making pro!
A fitting title for Halloween week!!
I finished this book on Monday. It was a super quick read and reminds me very much in style and content of the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. In this case the main character is a half-werewolf, half-vampire mix and she works as a guardian liason….guardians being a ‘police’ force that keeps the non-humans in check. The books are set in Australia, which was a new one for me so that made it a bit interesting. This is the first book of a series, so I’m now reading #2 and have ordered through #6 on one of my fave websites, paperbackswap.com
Because I know you are all DYING in anticipation!!!
These came home with me yesterday:
Naturalizer Hunt in Black
I decided to go to my local Shoe Warehouse rather than buy online. This does narrow the options, but then I can try them on. Is it just me, or are shoe sizes getting more like clothing sizes…..the number doesn’t matter?? I bought 8.5, for YEARS I tell ya, I have worn a 9. But lately I’ve been needed 8.5. Now I really doubt that my feet have shrunk! I think designers are trying to drive us crazy!!! I walked around them in the store for 15 min (no kidding) to make sure they were ‘the ones’ . I’ve been known for doing this. I wore my wedding dress for an hour in the bridal store when I first tried it on. I didn’t want to take it off!!
Anyhow, I’ve decided to be practical and hold off on the REALLY AWESOME cowgirl boots. (They are going on my list of Twenty Wishes!).
another pair of shoes. I’m boot shopping for some winter foot protection and of course I’m loving the most impractical thing I can find:
Justin Gypsy Cowgirl Boots.
I think I could rock these on the weekends!! Alas, what I need is something more practical, knee-high for better coverage and work-friendly….likey so:
Santana Gayle.
What do you think??
And another book down!! This was another book from the Blossom Street books by Debbie Macomber:
There is a lot to love about this book. For instance:
Do you see the cutie on the cover?! That’s Baxter!! Remind you of anyone??
It’s a typical Debbie Macomber heartwarmer. But what I love is the theme of the book, a bunch of friends who happen to be widows decide to reclaim their lives and happiness by making a list of twenty wishes. The wishes can be anything….from buying a pair of wild red cowgirl boots to taking a trip to Paris. The point of the exercise is to identify things that inspire you and in still happiness and then, go after them!!! Throughout the whole book I was thinking of what would be on my list of twenty wishes. A year ago, owning a house and having a dog would have definitely been on my list!!!!!! But now, I have those two slots free to put two other wishes in!! I’m totally working on my list and will post it when I’m done! I think this will be fun!
I haven’t posted about any books I’ve read in quite some time. I have been reading just as much as normal, but just have had a lull in tracking. I updated my “52 Books in 52 Weeks” challenge list, but I think there is at least a book or two I’ve forgotten. Oh well, so my list is conservative!
I just finished Kushiel’s Justice by Jacqueline Carey last week. Another hefty 900+ page book, this one took me two weeks to read. I must say, it may not be as compelling as Phedre’s story, but I still love it! I love Imriel in all his angsty glory!! I love that he battles with who he is. I love that by the end of this book he is more battle-scarred than ever and attracts inquiring stares when his scars show. I love that Phedre and Joscelin (be still, my heart!) are still part of the story. I love that he learns to love Dorelei. I don’t want these books to end, but alas they will. I have one more left in this trilogy and the stinking book store doesn’t have it in stock. GRR!
Got this in my inbox today! I must say, I’M SHOCKED! I really didn’t expect to hear anything back. This actually makes me feel much better, that my words were actually taken seriously! SUCCESS!!
Dear Dr. KellieBelle,
Thank you for your letter. I appreciate you writing to us. I’m sorry to hear that your experience with our shelter wasn’t what it should have been. I’m glad to hear that you have since adopted 2 puppies and that everything is going great for you and your new friends.
I will forward your letter to our Directors. We will also share your letter with our staff in order to hopefully avoid a similar situation in the future with another hopeful new puppy adopter. If I can be of any more help, please feel welcome to contact me again or Julie who is our Director of Adoptions.
Sincerely,
Laurie
For so many reasons!! First….just to set the stage, I got to watch the Saints!!! This was cause for celebration!! A native New Orleanian, I really miss watching the Saints every weekend. Football just isn’t the same. I’m in Patriots land, and I really don’t like the Patriots. ALL they ever play is the Patriots. I think Tom Brady is a girly boy. There, I said it. But this weekend was different because The Saints were playing the Giants and it was not at the same time as the Patriots so they actually aired it in Boston, WOO-HOO!!
In preparation for THE game (and in celebration of having the housework done thanks to loads of help from my hubby on Saturday) I decided to throw caution to the wind and an inch to my thighs by making Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and Pumpkin Fudge!!! Since moving to New England last year I have learned quite a bit about the history of the Whoopie Pie! They are wildly popular, come in lots of flavors and I even saw a show about them on a local channel (there was nothing better on TV at the time). While browsing the Better Homes and Gardens website, I came across this, SWEET! I made them and they are awesome! I have shamelessly eaten two of them today.
Here’s the cake mix. It’s basically just really thick and you spoon it out on a cookie sheet to make little cakes. Then you take the cakes and put the filling in between like a sandwich:
Then you inhale them like the awesomeness they are!!!!
I was afraid of the Pumpkin Fudge because I’ve never tried making any kind of candy. I was afraid I wouldn’t cook it enough and it wouldn’t ‘set’. For a first try I think this turned out great!! I could have cooked it a little longer. It’s a little soft and the textrue is a little grainy, like the sugar didn’t all quit melt away, but really it’s not bad! I have this little tub all set to go to work with me tomorrow!
And the Saints won! I did my victory dance while eating a Whoopie Pie, WHOOPIE!!!!!
Kelliebelle's Karma 