wow! take a look at me!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 | | 2 comments
first, i should say that if you aren't following the new-ish site 'polly wanta crafter' then you are crackers.
that being said, guess who is featured!?!
ME!
and guess which craft?
no...not a balls one.
my halloween blocks!
so check out polly and look around-she has some great crafts!

homemade costumes from years past...

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the famous jedi costumes. i used mccalls costume pattern 268. 
half the neighborhood ended up using this for their own jedi costumes.
different year same movie. simplicity pattern 4795.
hair by mary!

no pattern needed for han solo...just the thrift store for a vest and black pants. oh and a wig!

this one is from 1975. my dad made me and my little brother train engines.
i love the tin foil smoke!
this wasn't a halloween costume-my niece was having a farm themed party and i got dressed up!
it was the early-90s and those pants were suppose to be that high!
and this was my dad, about 1980.
i have no idea what he was dressed up as. he always put together his own costumes and surprised us each year.
he liked to scare kids.


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halloween bats

im a happy hippy homemaker!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010 | | 3 comments
my friend summer always find great deals on food.
one time she called to see if i needed any bananas because she got a butt-load for 20 cents a pound!
another days she asks if i want any tomatoes. her deal?  how does $1.00 for a case sound?
so when she came across some free peaches i jumped!
growing up, my family canned tomatoes for gravy. we also made jelly, and wine from grapes. a lot of wine. but-hey-that is was italians do! especially immigrant ones!
so how do i can peaches? that just wasn't something i was familiar with. so i used my best friend google and found out that you can freeze peaches!
i'm certain most of you knew that, but i learn something new each day!
i used the directions found on this website but here are some photos from my day of being the happy hippy homemaker!
millions of peaches, peaches for me
millions of peaches, peaches for free
a nice cold ice bath!
yes, someone needs to clean out her freezer!

scarey halloween costumes of years past!

Monday, October 4, 2010 | | 1 comments
this is chris and i from 2008. it was a shrek themed halloween party. im sleeping beauty and he is the wizard from shrek 3. (yes, there are shorts under the robe!)
here is me, jeffery, my brother patrick and dayna (she was my neighbor, jeffery is her cousin).
we were in pittsburgh at the time, hence the steelers jacket over the magicians costume.
and the snowcoats on under everything else!
chris as bill clinton halloween 1997. my sister in law borrowed the mask to wear and her now hubby dressed up in a blue dress (monica). very disturbing.

but one of the most disturbing...halloween 2007.
that is parker, mitch, kameron, sawyer and nate.
im CERTAIN that mitch would love to know that this photo still exists and will be brought back to haunt him.

ps-still struggling with strep here. im on my second medication and although i can swallow, im sleeping alot. sorry if i dont email you back!
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the countdown begins!

Friday, October 1, 2010 | | 6 comments
no not for christmas (btw-only 85 days away).
for halloween!
time to start counting down!
again, always the copy catter, i got the idea here .
i made two sets-one for us and the other for my niece ella (she was 3 at the time).
some have spider rings and roaches.
some have candy.
all of mine have 2 prizes because i have the two kids and it isn't worth the fighting about who gets what.
last year when i took this photo i didn't know how to use my camera. so i apologize for the poor quality of the photo.

ps-all it cost was for the little boxes. hobby lobby was having a sale on cardboard boxes, so they were 50 cents each. and the scrapbook paper, magnets and embellishments i just had around.







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pigtails and gravy

Thursday, September 30, 2010 | | 2 comments
i got this from one of the local mid-morning lifestyle shows, studio 5, years and years ago. my family seems to like it, even though my oldest turned his nose up to it at first thinking it was a real pigs tail.

pigtails and gravy (country gravy-not the usual red gravy!)


1 pound ground pork or sausage. you can mix some ground beef in there if you want, but dont use all ground beef, there wont be enough flavor.
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (8 oz.)refrigerated crescent rolls
1 pkg (2.64 oz) country gravy mix (mix makes 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups milk

preheat oven to 375 degrees.
mix together ground pork, chopped onion, egg, salt and pepper. mix well.
roll refrigerated crescent rolls out on wax paper or parchment paper which has been dusted with flour. press together seams and roll out to 9x14 inch rectangle. spread meat mixture on roll dough leaving approximately 1/2 along one long side. using wax paper or parchment paper to assist; roll dough and meat up jelly-roll fashion. cut into 12 equal slices. place slices on lightly oiled baking sheet or on parchment paper and flatten slightly.
bake 25-30 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
while biscuits are baking, combine milk with gravy mix; stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. package gravy mixes usually thicken as they stand. thin to desire consistency with additional milk.
serve gravy over hot biscuits.

new baby gifts

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 | | 5 comments
i got asked to be in charge of the new moms and babies in my ward (neighborhood). part of my job is to get inexpensive gifts for the new babies.
i found this cute idea on support blog for moms of boys. check out the original design here.
now, here is mine and the few things i did differently.
the first thing i did was change the eyes. since we were giving these to newborns, i didn't want any choking hazards. they had buttons but i switched mine to 2 fabric circles for eyes.
i sewed back and forth over the 2 circles a million times, kinda sloppy in a cool way. 
and the jeans material...old jeans from my kids! FREE BABY!
yes, that is guitar hero ribbon! this one is for sure for a boy!

and here is 3 of my creations. i have to make some girl ones here soon, i think with some flowery fabric and some cute ric-rak hair.
makes you wish you were pregnant. doesnt it?!






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