Happy Halloween!!

PB's costume was a hit this halloween.  The big kids that came by the house even knew he was Shaun the Sheep.  Last year I made matching owl hats for all of us to wear.  There just wasn't enough time to make hats for Hubby and I this year.  

My favorite part of Trick or Treat night was when PB said he didn't need to go to more houses because "I have enough trick or treats."  haahaaa

We also got a rare october snow storm.  We had trick or treat on Friday but our Saturday plans were cancelled.  I am still deciding what PB and I are doing tonight, he needs to clock some more time in that costume!!! 

Happy Halloween!!

Orange Laptop Bag

This is my orange bag that I used to take to work everyday when I was a teacher.  It has sat sadly in the basement for the last 2 years but has come out of hiding recently.  I have more responsibilities with my MOMS Club and this guy gets to go with me to meetings.  My hubby found this bag for me at Timbuk2 many years ago.  

Tonight is Trick or Treat.  I really don't like that it isn't on Halloween, I feel like it ends the month early.  Happy Halloween weekend!!

Shaun the Sheep Halloween Costume

 PB's favorite show right now is Shaun the Sheep.  If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing Shaun the Sheep, it's on Netflix streaming.  It's definitely not just a show for kids. Hubby and I were watching it before we had PB.  

PB happens to be amazing at animal sounds.  He does the cow, goat and sheep exceptionally well.  Check out his sheep sound:

I know I am biased, but that is an amazing baaa.  His awesome baaa is what inspired the costume.  I pretty much just want to hear that all through trick or treat.

Shaun has a poofy tail and a puff of fluff on the top of his head.

I used I Am Momma Hear Me Roar's Upcycled Boy Hats tutorial to make the base of the hat. I used the hat for PB's owl costume last year and it is so versatile.  The sheep face is a piece of felt that is sewn on the hat.

PB is wearing a black turtleneck that I got at a consignment sale for $1.50 and black pants I got at Kmart for $4.  The pants are girls leggings, I'll admit it.  Boys black sweatpants were too bulky and the leggings just worked better.

 I love that the ears flap in the wind when he runs.

 "bbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

The quick tutorial:

I took one of PB's outfits from the summer and used it as a template.  I cut 2 layers of white fleece and 2 layers of white knit.

Put one piece of fleece right sides together with a piece of knit and sew around the arm holes and neck hole and then do the same with the other 2 pieces

  

Cut notches in the neck and arm holes. This would be a good time to sew across the straps.  i forgot to do that and had to do it later. turn right side out.

Then place one half right side up.

Place the other half right side down and make sure the fleece and knit are matched up with each other. Then sew the fleece together and the knit together.

Turn right sides out with the fleece facing out.

 Stuff some stuffing between the layers.

Then I tacked a few stitches by hand here and there to make it look bumpy and not smooth.  I sewed the fleece layer to the knit layer.

Here is a close up of the bumpy fleece.  Then fold the fleece under and sew a seam around the bottom.  

If I had to make this again, i would make the pattern a little bigger.  It is a little snug to get on.

Now for the hat.  Sorry there aren't detailed pics.  I was under the wire and worked at night.

I made the hat out of black knit that I had in my stash.  The eyes are hand sewn on the felt and then I hand sewed the felt on the hat.  The ears are black knit with fusible fleece interfacing ironed on and folded in half and stitched together.  

The puff is white fleece.  I cut a big circle and did a wide stitch by hand around the edge.  I puled it together and stuffed it.  It was sewn on by hand and I tacked a couple of stitches in it to make it look bumpy.  

If you have any questions, please email me!! sorry my tutorial isn't very detailed!

I linked up:

Birthday surprise

Today is my birthday and I am 32.  Normally I wouldn't post about my birthday but my Hubby, for the first time ever, baked me a cake.  

He even iced it himself.  It was also the first time he ever used our Kitchen Aid mixer.  He didn't know how to turn it on :)  It has only been in our kitchen for over 7 years!  PB helped by asking over and over again to eat the cake.  

Hubs made me the cake my Mom made me every year for my birthday, a carrot cake.  He got the recipe from my mom and everything.  I had a really great day but the icing on the cake (HA) was Hubby baking for me.  What a wonderful surprise :)

The cake was delicious! I hope this isn't the last time he bakes :)

Carefree Cowl Knit Along

Shannon from luvinthemommyhood is doing a Carefree Cowl Knit Along.

I couldn't resist joining so I picked the Gap-tastic Cowl.  I am a little more than half way done.  

Don't adjust your computer screen, I chose purple yarn.  I know, why not orange!! Well, I couldn't find the right weight yarn in an orange that I liked so I was going to pick grey.  But I already have a few grey scarves and always wear black.  I decided to live on the edge with purple, and also my BFF, B, was with me when I bought the yarn.  B's fav color is purple, maybe she brainwashed me :)

PB's costume is done!!! There was a lot of hand sewing and it took way longer than I thought it would.  Now PB just needs to get healthy so I can take his picture!!

Orange magnet for orange art

PB made some cute artwork at school this week.  They do a bunch of crafts with hand prints, it just melts my heart.  He is always so proud of his artwork and can't wait to see it on the fridge.  We always use orange magnets to hold up the artwork.  This one is from IKEA, no surprise.  If I see orange at IKEA it just jumps in my cart and goes home with me.

PB is not feeling great today so he didn't go to school :( He just wants to lay on the couch and watch Shaun the Sheep.  My Hubs has been working really long hours too which is a bummer.  But all this staying in the house and having to entertain myself at night means PB's costume is almost done!! I can't wait to show it to you!!! Happy Weekend!

Another Card Swap and Zipper pouch

 I did another card swap.  The theme was fall/ halloween/ thanksgiving/ birthday.  I did Fall and since I am a one trick pony, I made fabric cards again :) Check out the cards I got in the swap:

Fall and Birthday

Halloween.  The ladies came up with some really cute cards.  

I also sent out the zipper pouch to the winner of my 1 year giveaway...

Sam of Fitness Food and Faith was the winner. 

I would love to say that PB's Halloween Costume was finished... but it's not.  I KNOW I AM FREAKING OUT!!!! The past 2 weeks have been too crazy.  I need to get this done!

Mummy Cupcakes

I made some spooky cupcakes for my moms club halloween party yesterday.

They were really easy to make. I was pressed for time so I used a vanilla cake mix for the cupcakes.  My mom said she saw mummy cupcakes and they used fondant for the wrappings. I didn't have time for fondant so I made my own buttercream icing and jut put it in a piping bag with the flat tip on. Then I just made strips with the piping bag across the cupcake.  I used some black gel for the eyes.  I think they look pretty impressive for not spending a whole lot of time on them. 

Anyone have any favorite spooky cupcake ideas?

orange candy corn

I have a confession.  I can't be trusted with candy corn.  I limit myself to one bag a year and I only open it the week of Halloween.  

This bag got opened early... oops. 

I let PB try one and he said, "oooh I need to eat more of those."  It's like he was reading my mind.  That is what my brain says when I get a whiff of these.

The good news is that I finally started working on PB's halloween costume.  Now I am sewing all sugar high!  I am making the pattern from scratch and am hoping to make a big dent in it this weekend.

I am running my first 5K tomorrow.  I am really excited/nervous.  They published the route and I heard the big hill that was there in previous years is now gone.  That makes me feel a little better.  I had some really good runs this week and I am feeling confident. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!! Thanks for stopping by!

Drawstring backpack

PB's friend, M, turned 3 last month.  I whipped him up a drawstring backpack using Anna from Noodlehead's tutorial.  This was really easy to sew and will be great to hold some cars when he is on the go.

Anna's tutorial uses khaki pants to make the bag.  I didn't have khaki pants that hubs would let me cut up.  M loves trains and cars so this fabric I thought would be cute for him.  I appliqued an "M" on the bag.  If I made this bag again, I would put the M towards the center of the bag, it kinda disappears when the top gets closed.  

I I haven't started PB's halloween costume yet!! ACK!  I had a few projects that I had to finish before I was allowed to start the costume.  One of the major projects was wedding photos.  I took photos at a wedding a few weeks ago and had over 2200 pics to go though, edit, retouch and make pretty.  They are finally done and they look awesome! 

Here is a peek at one of the group shots:

This really took up all my free time so I am so glad to be done :) 

Time to get started on the costume!

Corn holders help little hands hold apples

I had a moment of brilliance today and I had to share.

PB was eating an apple today and he kept complaining that it was too cold for his hands and his hands were getting yucky.  So I grabbed the corn holders and stuck them in.  Why didn't I think of this a year ago!! To think I was just using these for corn! Do you have any other uses for corn holders?

Orange Skeleton

Check out my glittery orange skeleton that I got on clearance after Halloween last year at Target.  He greets everyone when they come in the front door.  I actually forgot I bought this guy and when I was unpacking my Halloween decor bin I had a very nice surprise. 

There is nothing I love better than an after holiday clearance.  My favorite thing to look for on holiday clearance is bakeware.  Last year I got 2 cupcake tins with to-go lids for only 5 bucks!! So if you are looking to run into me on November 1st, I'll be at Target (both of them) checking out the deals :) Hopefully I get some more orange for my house year round too!

Happy Weekend!! I hope you get to do lots of fall activities!  We are going to a pumpkin patch and hopefully picking up some more apples, I am in the mood to bake.

Lobster Rolls

The grocery store by us, Wegmans, had a lobster fest event a few Saturdays ago.  I never cooked a lobster but was feeling ready for the challenge.  Hubby has been to a few of the New England states this year for work and fun and he sent me pics of lobster rolls he was eating.  I am highly suggestible and they have been haunting me for months.  So when I saw the lobsters all lined up at the store, I had to bring a few home to try to capture the delicious taste of new england lobster rolls at home.

I washed them, steamed them, cleaned them, chopped them into large chunks and then made some lobster rolls. It was so worth the hard work.  They were amazing!!

Lobster Rolls- recipe inspired by many lobster rolls eaten over the years. I used instructions from Mark Bittman's book How to Cook Everything to cook the lobsters

1 lobster per person steamed, cleaned, cut into large chunks

2 Tbsp mayonaise
juice from 1 lemon
salt, pepper
hot sauce
1 Tbsp chives, finely chopped
1 Tbsp basil, chopped
New England style hot dog rolls
Butter

Mix mayo, lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper, a few dashes of hot sauce, chives and basil.  Pour over lobster and toss to coat.  Spread butter on the outsides of the New England style hot dog rolls and toast on a medium heat pan until golden brown. Each lobster should make 2 rolls for 1 person.  Divide the meat evenly onto the toasted rolls.  We served it with a salad and chips.

I linked up:

7 Minute Halloween Garland Wreath

In just 7 minutes I made my front door a little spookier :) It really did only take me 7 minutes and that included a run to the basement to get ribbon to hang it on my door.  

you need:

A 12 inch styrofoam ring 

2 pkgs 3 ft length garland (i picked these up on clearance at target last year)

9-11 straight pins

cardboard pumpkins (i got these at joanns)

ribbon about 16 inches- to hang it on the door

Stick a pin through the end of the garland and into the styrofoam ring.

Start wrapping.  Since you are using 2 packages of garland, make sure the first covers the first 1/2 of the ring.  Secure end with another pin and pin the start of the second strand of garland and keep wrapping. End with another pin. So far you have only used 4 pins!

To stick the pumpkins onto the wreath, I tied a knot at the bottom of the strand for my pin to go through.  Then I just stuck it in the wreath where it looked good. 

To Hang: I cut a 16 inch length of ribbon and pinned it on the back of the wreath with more straight pins.  so easy!!!

I linked up: