Surprise Package

I attended a Christmas party recently where I took part in an ornament exchange. I decided to add some va-va-voom to the wrapping of the ornament...so, I created an exploding box to house it. On a pedestal of course- because that is just how I roll~
 
I pulled out a sound chip module out of a birthday card I had received and attached it to the side and base of the box. Once the sides fall down, the song begins...
The song is "Ladies Night" so I found an ornament that would tie in with that song... Champagne and chocolates of course! Because isn't that what we all drink/eat when we have a "ladies night?" *wink*

 Instead of creating the box myself, I found one at the dollar store to use as the base. I also picked up a glass candlestick and some poinsettias... 

It was very easy to create. I simply cut the box so that the sides would fall down making it flat.

I then used black construction paper to cover the edges so it would have a really nice finished look to it when it was completed.

I then cut patterned glitter paper for the outside of the box and silver glittered paper for the inside. I also created a little pedestal with an oval cut out of it to help cradle the ornament and to house the music chip module. I used white glue to attach all the papers and a glue gun to add the pedestal to the base. Lastly, I hot glued the glass base to the package and some poinsettias to the lid. Easy peasy~
It was a lot of fun to see everyone's reaction when the sides fell down and the ornament was revealed with the music playing. It was the first ornament to be picked by my friend Verlon whom I've known for years and years. She said it was nicer looking than her Christmas tree... which made me laugh out loud. My Christmas tree is a 2' high tree with the price tag still on it sitting on the table next to a container of newly bought ornaments. Yep. That is how I roll as I get older. My lovely white tree with all the fancy shabby chic ornaments are still up in the garage rafters.

 I have a lot more parties on the horizon... with a lot more things I'm needing to get working on....so many parties and so little time to get everything finished! Who has time to decorate a tree. :-)
big hugs,

Candy Cane Scarf

I finished up a few crochet items that I started a few weeks ago. I love-love-love to start a new project... I hate-hate-hate to finish them. *wink* I say that--- but I am delighted they are finished and happily going to be worn by my six year old grand daughter. I made a candy cane scarf. I crocheted it on the diagonal using a half double crochet stitch. That was a lot of trial and error seeing how I made up the pattern as I went along.

 I also made some candy cane boot cuffs~

 Lastly in this set I made a candy cane head scarf~
The half double crochet stitch is an easy stitch to build up rows really fast. When the set was all finished though-- it looked like it was needing something... so, I added some fuzzy white yarn around all the edges. I lurve it~

I also finished up two puppy hats. One for my grand daughter... and one for her to give to any friend of her choosing.

I see a lot more hat requests in my future. 
big hugs,

Treasure

Even though the weather is getting colder outside...(in the 50's - 60's) I have managed to bundle up enough to force myself to go outside in search of treasure. I don't like to be cold at all! I got this small steamer trunk for only $30. It is in very good condition other than the paint job. *wink* Someone had taken the time to hand paint the embossed metal on the trunk... very shabby chic, it will stay like this until Spring when I can get it outside and paint it to better fit in with my pirate theme.

I was told this wooden toy rifle was bought at Disneyland in Frontier land. It isn't marked, so who knows where it originally came from. I paid $3.00 for it, I think it will look fabulous inside one of the pirate stores hanging on the wall. The really large golf net and the hammock were only $5.00 for both. It is not easy to come across really large "real" netting. Most of the time I come across scrap pieces of real fishermen's netting and the prices are triple for what I buy golf nets and old worn hammocks.

 The brass tray below has abalone shell inlay around the edge. Pretty.

I found more trays and bags of colorful booty. I love-love-love the scalloped edges of the footed tray.

I managed to score two Jim Beam half barrels for $30...they were originally used for a display. Eventually I am going to make them both into small stools. 

Speaking of stools.... look at these oak stools that I bought for $2.00 each. You heard me right, two bucks each! These were the first purchase of a fabulous shopping day!

The seats look like little barrels... *swoon* they even swivel.

With the colder weather comes the "falling of the leaves." I honestly don't mind sweeping/raking up leaves. This year instead of tossing out the leaves, I am going to place them in the flower beds to help keep the Cannas tubers warm during nights of frost. We don't get to many freezing nights... but even one frost filled night can kill 'em dead or weaken them for the next growing season. My Cannas plants are kinda sparse as I had to cut the tubers to get enough plants to plant around the fence line. I am hopeful that the plants double themselves each year.

During the Winter months I still have projects I am working on in my yard. We pulled down the metal canopy that used to be over the lagoon area. It was always my intention to have that area covered with a much larger wooden structure. It seemed like the temporary covering was turning into the permanent covering.... so it had to go. No time like the present. Of course, this means a lot of reworking the area and moving around the plants to better fit under the new covering. I'm doing away with some of the planter along the fence to make the area a little wider. I have a huge bird of paradise that I just transplanted and I'm in the process of bundling up for winter. I've had this plant for about five years and I'd be so sad to see it die.

I am hoping to get the new gazebo (for lack of a better word) built before the frost comes and damages a lot of my plants. Having a hard cover over the top surprisingly keeps the area a little warmer... plus, I normally have every plant in this area completely wrapped and covered for the winter season. It looks like a homeless encampment with random blankets, sheets and things covering every square inch...

As you can see I always have something major I'm working on. I keep thinking I'll have time to start working on something inside my house, but that never seems to happen. I still haven't painted my kitchen... eiy-eiy-eiy...  Next up?--- I've got a massive Elephant ear plant that is in my sites for being moved... wish me luck :-)
big hugs,

Winter Crocheting...

I have been struggling with a bad-bad cold going on several weeks now...Nothing life threatening, just a cough from hell. I have been trying my very best not to go out into the cold to aggravate it any worse so I've been staying inside and doing a lot of crocheting...
I've made eight hats... The two brown ones are going to be puppy hats for my grand daughter and whomever she wants to give the other one to. The six blue hats are going to be made into Daisy Girl Scout hats for my grand daughter's Daisy Girl Scout troop.

 I'm still in the process of making all of the daisy petals for each hat. I need to make 10 petals in different colors for each hat. Each petal symbolizes something that the girls have learned with Scouting. I also whipped up a little Owl that was touted as a project to use up scraps of yarn. I just made one so far, once I add eyes, I'll see if its cute enough to make more.

I also came up with a swirly frosting pattern for my crocheted cupcakes. I made 4 of the cupcake wrappers and 10 frosting dollops. I've now got the frosting pattern memorized.
I also made a pair of slippers for my grand daughter. The yarn I used was an impulse buy... It looks beautiful as a skein, but as a finished project, not so much.

I do believe it is officially winter here in California as my little cat Pee Wee has given up hunting at night for the warmth of a fleece blanket.

As my bad-bad cold is nearing its end... (I hope) I am wanting to get outdoors and start building a new patio cover for over the lagoon area in my backyard... and also, I need to buy some more yarn. *wink* 
big hugs,

Happy Halloween

We had a little Halloween party last night.... there were just under 50 people in our pirate backyard. I was surprised there was room for that many people seeing how there is sooooooooooooo much pirate stuff out
 there!

All of the newly added lighting really made the pirate atmosphere come alive.
The lights seem to make everything sparkle...
Treasure scattered everywhere...

 Odds and ends of ships pulleys and chains...

 Way off in the distance...

 The Boutiki...

 To the left of the Boutiki you can find the "Spin to find your Pirate name" board. Sometimes the hardest part of being a pirate is figuring out your pirate name...

Beware of Pirates...

  Entrance to the step down lagoon...

 One of an over flowing treasure chest in amongst the plants...

 A ships cabin set in the lagoon...

 Some treasure placed here and there for safe keeping...

Critters hiding in the bushes...

 Signs warning of impending doom...

 Be scared, very, very scared...

 This is by the entrance to the game area...

 A few games being set up next to the rubber band shooting gallery...

 A smaller treasure chest with skeleton hands reaching up out of the ground holding onto the dead pirates treasure....

 Small skeletons clinging to the ships cabin...

 New lights in the lagoon...
New lights in the game area... (games are not set up yet)

 Walking up the other steps from the lagoon area into the game area...

 Under some ships netting is the Pirate bar...

 To the left and right of the actual bar I had set up a comfy couch and two comfy chairs that seemed to be a popular sitting spot... (not pictured)

 Neptune standing guard next to the pirate bar...
More treasures...

 The roped off walkway leads to the hose spigot...

 Another chest filled with pirate treasure...

 A crow looking for a piratey morsel...

 Lots and lots of bones....

I did manage to find a small skeleton in my yard to sit in the small boat I had floating in our pool. I would like to get a larger one, but for now it worked out fine.

There was only one small child who was frightened to tears upon entering our pirate backyard. I guess if your little it would seem a little crazy to see all of this, and so of course, it MUST be real.

It was fun to have people over enjoying our yard for Halloween. I would love to host more Halloween parties in the future. Now that winter is fast approaching... the games, chair cushions, gazebo covers all need to be put away for the season. All of the containers left in the yard that could fill up with water will all need to be turned upside down for the next few months.
The next project for my backyard is going to be a wooden pergola of some kind over the lagoon area. Taking on that job will also consist of moving about 90% of the items in that area along with some of the plants to get it to look better.
I am still needing to work on creating better games. The most popular games were the Shooting gallery, a basketball game and the foseball table.
Fun times, fun times...
big hugs,