Sneak Peak at Fall Projects

I have been completely inspired by all the creativity out in the bloggersphere and I know I'm not alone on this.   Ideas and inspiration from fellow bloggers can lead you down a tricky path.  You start by visiting one of your favorite sites and before you know it, you are three blogs deep trying to remember where you started.  With a little effort, I was able to recreate the path where my current inspiration all started.

Last week I visited Kate over at  Oh Write because she posted a really cool picture of her fall mantle.  I then followed a link on her blog to a  Fall Mantle Party at Nester Place.  From there I visited site after site of amazing Fall or Halloween themed mantles.  This all got my creative juices flowing and here's what I've done so far.  (Goal here is also to keep things on the cheap.  Going to need some spending money when I'm in Chicago.)

This sort of scary house was something I bought years ago when Stinky was little.  This was back when he was a joy and treasure.  You know...before he became a teenager.  (OK...I'll stop beating that dead horse).

Cute, but a little corny maybe and as I'm not a huge fan of scary Halloween decorations, I decided the place needed a little updating to welcome the Fall season.

Using some acrylic paint (20% off at Michael's), I now have this cute little house.

I plan on writing "Welcome" down the sign on the front door.  Just waiting for the paint to dry completely.  I'm pretty happy with it.  I know the freehand windows are kind of funky, but I think it gives the place character.  (That's a nice way of saying, I suck at drawing.)

My next project utilized these frames on sale at Michael's for $4.99, plus I had the 20% off everything coupon.  I just used a couple of my leaf stamps and made some art.  Simple, but pretty I think.

I hope to have the mantle actually done sometime this week, but I've got a few more things to make.

Again...Happy Fall Everyone.

The Week in Review and Miscellaneous Thoughts

My brain is all over the place.  Here's just some highlights:

Misplaced my camera, which gave me a small heart attack.  Turns out I had just relocated to a "better" spot in my bedroom.  Clearly NOT a better spot.

Got a new car this week.  I'm super excited about it, but it's just like my last car.  2008 Red Jetta...replaced by a 2010 Red Jetta.  Is that lame?  Does it indicate a complete lack of imagination?  Or does it show that I know what I like and I like what I know?  Hmmm, makes you think doesn't it.

Brilliant episode of 30 Rock last night.  They merged with one of my other favorite shows when Tracy got into a NY cab and it was "Cash Cab".  So freakin' clever (and Ben is so adorable).

I' ve been hanging out with my good friends "Joann" and "Michael's" this week.  Very disappointed in myself.  I promised no more visits for awhile.  But,  it has been about 3 weeks, does that equal "awhile".  Had a 20% off entire purchase coupon (including sale items).  I couldn't waste a perfectly good coupon.

I need to get a new pair of jeans that fit my ever expanding waistline.  Muffin top is killing me.

Actually found a practical use for Facebook this week.  Long story, but basically found a friend that I went to school with from K-12 (and then we even went to the same college for a couple years). 

It's time to de-flower my porch and deck.  Everything has got to go.  So sad to see my home grown tomatoes go away, but I probably have enough fresh basil for one more batch of pesto.

Am I the only person in the world that hates creepy Halloween decorations.

How is it that I only find my grammer and spelling mistakes on my posts after I've published them.  Then I edit and republish again, only to find another mistake.  Keeping in mind I've already proofed it two or three times in draft mode.  

And finally...this time next week, I'll be in Chicago with all my girls.  So excited.

Happy Friday!

A Purse By Any Other Name...Would Be A City

Krissy found this very cool website.  It's from a purse designer named Jenna Kator and she has line of purses that pay tribute to our great state of Michigan.

Every purse is named after a different city in Michigan.  They are so cute and you just got to love the names.

http://www.jennakatorhandbags.com/2010-spring-summer-collection.html

There are purses for most of my favorite Michigan cities, including the one I live in.  Take a peak when you get a chance.

Iron Jawed Angels Movie Review....Kind of

As part of local Patriot Week activities, I got to see the movie Iron Jawed Angels at a lovely little tea house in Royal Oak (Goldfish Tea...lovely if you like tea and live in the area, it's worth the visit).

But I digress.

Alice Paul

Iron Jawed Angels is a 2004 HBO movie about Alice Paul and Lucy Burns starring Hillary Swank, Julia Ormand and Angelica Houston to name a few.  This is the story of the real life young women who took up the Suffragette movement after the Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton era.  Alice and Lucy both spent time in London supporting the Suffragette movement over there.  That movement was more vocal and more militant.  Coming back to the U.S., both women...best friends in real life, wanted to bring some of those tactics over here.

One of the most significant activities they created were the "Silent Sentinels".  Picketers who stood outside the White House holding banners demanding the enfranchisement of women with the right to vote.  Ultimately this picketing caused Paul, Burns and many others to be arrested for obstructing traffic.  In defiance, they refused to pay the fines and were sent to Occoquan Workhouse, a prison in Virginia.

Lucy Burns

What these women suffered while in prison was shocking.  Many of these scenes were hard to watch, but I think it's important for all of us to understand what these women sacrificed in order to get the 19th Amendment presented to Congress and then ratified.

It was quite a remarkable film that had a profound affect on me.   Best of all, it has made me think and step outside my world to try to imagine if I could have that kind of courage.  Is there anything that I believe in so completely that I would risk such treatment and harm.?  I honestly don't know the answer to that question, but I hope the answer is yes, when it comes to my children, my family and womankind in general.

I've always been very happy and proud to be born a woman and this movie has made me even prouder and honored to understand a little bit more about the women who proceeded me.  What a great gift they have given us all.

BTW...Grade A

Ghost Town Movie Review

Ghost Town


Grade:  B+

I know this one has been out for awhile.  In fact, it was released in 2008, but who doesn't like to find out about a good movie rental.  I know I do.

This was our latest Netflix rental and we really enjoyed it.  It's the story of Bertrum Pincus, played by the always funny Ricky Gervais.  He's a mean spirited, people hating dentist, who after a routine procedure at the hospital, can suddenly see the dead people walking around town.

The story is somewhat predictable.  You know at some point Pincus is going to have to face is humanity deficiencies, but along the way...it has some very funny and some surprisingly touching moments.

If you get a chance to see this On Demand or to rent it, you won't be sorry.

Autumn Refresh

This past week-end was the Arts & Apples Festival in my little town of Rochester.  To me....having lived here for for 20+ years, Arts & Apples is my official start to Autumn.  No equinox signals the start of fall for me.  Just Arts & Apples. 

Therefore, with the help of Blogger's super easy Design tool, it's time for a new blog look.

I love this time of year.  I love the cool evenings, vivid colors and unique smell of autumn. 

It signals the change of what I cook.  Time for soups, chili and meatloaf. (I love meatloaf...so shhhhh to all you who just said "Ewww, Meatloaf???")

I love pulling out my sweaters and socks. 

I can also ease up on shaving my legs so often.  (Oh hush...you don't like to shave them anymore then I do.)

Here's hoping we have a nice, long autumn.

Happy Fall!

The Farm Restaurant...Yum!

We did a lot of home cooking while up on vacation, but we were smart enough to go out one night for an absolutely terrific dinner.  Just outside of town, on Port Crescent Road, is The Farm.  It's a wonderful little restaurant, open from May-October...oddly enough, located on a farm.  And it is just wonderful.

Owner and chef, Pamela Gabriel-Roth is a graduate of Schoolcraft College Culinary Program and after eating here...I've got to give props to the program and to the chef.

All our meals were delicious.  I had a Cedar-Planked Barbecued Salmon, that was just wonderful.  Jay and Krissy had a Cajun Shrimp with Grits.  Jay talked about if for a good hour.

So if you ever find yourself up in the Michigan Thumb...make sure you eat at The Farm.  It's worth the trip.

We're Back

We are back from out vacation in Port Austin and I'm just about to leave to take Stinky back to MSU.  So this will be a quicky post.

We had a great time and the weather for most of the week was great.  Here are some photos of the best part of the trip:

In my next post I'll tell you all about the great restaurant that we went to.  It was so yummy.