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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Holiday creations....

This year I have decided to use my creative side and design my own Christmas cards. I have been busy with this the last two days, and still have more to make. I wanted to share a few of them with you.

I have had such a wonderful time making each one and adding special touches to make them each different. Not one of them is the same. Kinda like a snowflake. Ha!

So here it is, a glimpse of what I have been doing the last few days. Enjoy, and happy holidays!





*50 cards with envelope $9.99 Hobby Lobby
*assorted card stock colored paper or design paper
*winter stickers, snowmen stickers
*stamp pad/black ink
*holiday stamp

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Decorating pumpkins the easy way...

         I'm not big on carving pumpkins. I don't like to pull all that stuff out of it, and I don't like the messyness of it. So when I saw the idea to use glitter and paint to decorate pumpkins I thought this is right up my alley. It's easy, mess free and it adds creativity. Plus, there is no messy clean up.

What you will need.....
         1. pumpkin (any size you choose)
         2. sparkle glitter glue (I used silver, I couldn't find black)
         3. outdoor opaque paint
         4. circular sponge and paint brushes
         5. or paint markers



I make a polka dot, a solid black with silver swirls and one with black swirls.
It was alot of fun. I even got Brain involved.
 It dries really quickly and its extremly fun to do!
Have fun!
                                              What ideas do you have for your
                                        pumpkins this year?

Friday, October 22, 2010

Happy fall......

      I am stuck on the fall theme. Tis the season right? But I really do enjoy all things that come with fall. The smell, the beautiful trees changing colors,YELLOW, REDS, BROWNS. I notice the changes all around me. I love when I can have my windows open in the fall, and smell the clean crisp air. It makes me feel happy.
From my back patio, I can see the mountain with thousands of colors. It's beautiful.  
      As soon as September rolls around, I am in full speed ahead at pulling out all my fall decorations. Each year I need to add something new. So it's usually off to Hobby Lobby I go. I can literally drop $100 easily on decorations. Pumpkins, gourds, garland for the mantle, lights to brighten it up. I can make use of just about anything little thing I find.
      I bought candles during this trip. You can't have enough candles I say. The more candles the prettier my house smells. I light all of them around the house. Kitchen, dining room, family room, bathrooms. I want to have that great scent of fall in my home during this time of year. Don't you just love it?


I added this garland around the candles to give it a festive feel. I just wrapped it around the candles. It's easy and very simple.

What is your favorite fall decoration?

Thursday, October 21, 2010

I'm back...I've been so busy with my other blog that I neglected this one. But here I am, back to share with you the latest things we have been up too.

 Brian and I have been busy visiting a  few new spots around town.
We ate dinner at High Point Restaurant in Swanee Tennessee. We thought it was a really neat building, set off the highway, nesteled behind tall trees.  The outside was rustic which gave it a cozy old feeling.
The food was tasty, but priced a little high. Brian was disappointed about what it cost for him to get a steak and potato.

I had the glazed chicken with a mushroom sauce and broccoli. It was delicious.
I was disappointed that the restaurant didn't have the "Al Capone" mobster feel that I thought it should have, being that it was a place where Al Capone hid his liquor back in the 30's and all.  I was really hoping for that 30's vibe and Al Capone setting.  
But worth it if your in the area.


I LOVE FALL
 The color of the leaves, the smell of them burning and the sound they make when you walk on them. "Crunch, crunch!"
The pumpkins and gourds , ghosts and cotton candy. I love it all.
So when I found out that there was a Harvest Festival in Birmingham I knew I had to check it out. Like any women, I get really giddy over arts and crafts.
When we arrived, the streets were filled with venders selling arts and crafts, food, hot chocolate and coffee.
I don't like either one of those, but the coffee sure did smell good.
Mmmmm, can you smell it?
The town had a home town feel with old cobble stone buildings with little stores, shops and resturants. I peaked my head inside to take a look see, I was intrested to see what they had on the menu. But when I opened the door, it was so crowded I couldn't see the menu over the resgiter.
But it sure did smell nice in there.

As we made our way around the streets, I couldn't help but notice all the cute little ghots and gourds painted up with cute little faces.


I thought this little guys was so cute. He's singing at the top of his lungs..."la-la-la."

The painted gourds gave me some good ideas for a great craft project.
I will get right on that.

We stopped off at a Oak Mountain State Park on our way back home. Since I didn't come prepared to hike we just kept it to a small stroll through the woods. It was very relaxing. The smell of the fall leaves, the crunch under our feet.
Did I mention that I love fall?
                    
Which way do we go?

It was a beautiful fun day spent with the one I love. (and it is fall)
 
\

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

A full schedule...

Today I had lunch with a good friend of mine. When I first moved to Alabama, she was the first person in our subdivision to come over and introduce herself to us. We have been close friends ever since. She is a real southern sweet heart, with a heart of gold, and contagious smile. I opened up to her about my kids. She didn't judge me, which was nice. Sometimes I have a hard time talking to people about my kids, and the situation becaue most folks just think I did something wrong. But she didn't.
That's what I love about her. She's always ready to listen when I need to talk.

Today we were meeting for lunch to plan our first Halloween party which will be held at my house on October 16. Since we have met, she and I have talked about having a Halloween party, but just never got it together. But this year, it's gonna happen! However, Brian, my husband, thinks that dressing up (in costumes) should be optional. Which is fine. But I don't want to be the only one at the party dressed to the hilt in a costume. His main concern was/is that we are going to look pretty silly dressed in costumes outside in the backyard mingling and playing bag toss. Actually, his word was “enbarassing.”
But “embarassing” for who? Us, the ones that dress up, or for him? “Mr. anitsocial, the neighbors will think we are strange, I won't dress up, I hate parties, ok but let them dress up if they want too.”
So that's the announcement I made to all the folks that I invited. “Halloween Party at my house, and dressing up is optional.” More then likely, most, if not all won't dress up anyway. But, if it was up to me we would have full, blown out rock'n Halloween Party like the one that Bridgett, from “The Girls Next Door” would throw. Now I guarantee that Brian would have NOOOO objections to that dress up freeforall. He'd be the first in line!! But that's ok, it will turn out just fine, regardless if anyone dresses up or not. I still think I will though! Why not?

For the next month, it seems that every weekend is going to be full up with activities. This weekend (September 25-29) Brian's parents are going to be with us again. I have a wonderful evening planned for us. I have made reservations at “High Point Resturant” in Monteagle Tennessee. I got this informatin from a co-worker who had read a post on another friend's facebook. (Thank you Carol.)
From the looks of it on the internet, it looks awesome. It's an old mansion that was purchased by Al Capone back in the 1920's. It still has underground tunnels that he used to smuggle liquior. I'm really excited to check this place out. I will give a full discription on my blog about the experience. Then Sunday, we are going to check out this new litte cafe in Guntersville before taking off to the lake and letting the guys fish all day. Then for dinner I have to places picked out, but will let his parents be the final decision makers on where we eat that eveing. Either place will end up being a good choice, so it really doesn't matter. ( I will let you know which one we choose)

The weekend of October 2, there is a festival down in Dothan Alabama, that I have my hopes up for. I would really like to check this out, but not sure if we will just yet. I have to sweet talk Brian into going.
But if we do, I am hoping to check out another resturant that I found while browsing in “Southern Living” magazine, called the “Stage coach Cafe.” This is just a few things on my todo list. Hopefully check out the beach since we will be so close to Panama City Beach. My fingers are crossed.

October 16, I am participating in a breast cancer run/walk. I have been recruiting some of my friends to join me. If your interested go to lizhurleyribbonrun.org and sign up. It's for a good cause.
This is also the night of the “ optional costume Halloween Party” at 7pm.

October 22-24, me, my mother and sister are heading to Atlanta Georgia for the “Country Living” festival, which is sponsered by the “Country Living” magazine. This is a “girls” only weekend, no kids, no husbands...just the 3 of us crazy gals shopping, eating and enjoying the sights and sounds of Atlanta. I'm looking forward to this weekend away with my mom and sister.

And would you believe, that right now the weekend of Halloween we have no plans. Brian might throw in a race or two here and there, but none that has been added to the schedule for October. That might be just a weekend for rest and relaxation for us. But then again, maybe not.

But right now, I am going to focus on my costume for the party. The food, drinks and decorations.
If you have any good ideas please throw them my way. I will always try something new.

Tomorrow night we are suppose to check out this cave that has a thousand bats. Should be interesting.

Thanks for following us.






Sunday, September 19, 2010

....Change of plans


Well, our plans to check out the October fest on the Arsenal today was vetoed. We decided to drive an 1 & 1/2hr.  north  to Rutledge Falls, located in Tullahoma Tn. After we packed a few water bottles in the cooler we hit the road. We are pretty familiar with the Tullahoma/Manchester area, but we still used our Tom-tom to take us right to our destination. Needless to say, when we arrived,  our trusty navigation system kept telling us "you have reached your destination" but we saw no signs for any water falls. It was very frustrating to say the least.  I think the state really needs to advertise this a little better. Nonetheless, we finally asked directions, (so much for those expensive navigation systems) and the lady told us we were here...that we were actually surrounded by waterfalls. (I will never doubt my nav system again)
  The only problem with some of the falls is that we had to hike a few miles to get to them. Which we came prepared for. Unfortunately, we only found one.
  After we parked along side the road, we walked down a path and found the waterfall. Their was a few people swimming at the bottom, which seemed to look very relaxing, and refreshing.












The little red barn



After we left the falls, I wanted to check out this new produce market that I had heard about. It was just 15 minutes or so from the falls so it wasn't to far of the beaten path. When we pulled up it looked like a pumpkin patch with all the fall decorations and pumpkins out front. I was excited and had to check this place out. The place stayed pretty busy while we were there. Inside was a lot of fresh homemade Amish "pickled" jars of eggs, asparagus, bread and butter pickles. Fresh produce, such as corn, tomatoes, cabbage and lettuce. And a ton of peaches, which the owner was kind enough to let me try one while I browsed. Now that's southern hospitality! Fresh honey with the hive still inside the jar. All of this freshly made by the Amish.
I was very pleased with the hospitality, and sothern charm of this down home market. I left with a bag full of fresh peaches, apples, tomatoes and a pumpkin for my front porch. This is a must see!

Free-stone peaches

Fresh Honey





If your Manchester Tennessee stop by Dotson's Produce
located at 738 Hillsboro Blvd
You will love the southern charm.

 

                                         










Thursday, September 16, 2010

Always an adventure.....

Brian and I like to get out and enjoy the beautiful, but simple pleasures in life. We always seem to be on the go,checking out the latest and greatest.We try to find those little hidden gems that are tucked away along the side of a road less traveled.
Join us as we set out on our latest adventures and share with you our favorite places to eat, shop and travel. Our hobbies and intrests, our likes and dislikes and all the crazy things in between.

Let the adventures begin...