Happy HALLOWEEN . . . Hands?

How 'bout a little candy corn you can carry around with you wherever you go this Holiday season?

Here's how I made my Happy Halloween Hands.

First I started with a coat of white paint.

Then I put a little coat of yellow at the bottom.

Then I finished with a middle coat of orange.

And Happy Halloween!

What an easy fun way to decorate for the holiday!

NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge

NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge

The Short Screenplay Challenge is a competition that challenges writers around the world to create short screenplays (5 pages max.) based on genre, location, and object assignments. Each writer will participate in at least 2 writing challenges and as many as 4 depending on how well their screenplays place after each challenge.  Feedback from the judges is provided on every entered screenplay and there are thousands in cash and prizes for the winners.  The Early Entry Deadline is September 25th and space is limited, so make sure to register soon.  Good luck writers!

Archery

I've always thought it would be fun to learn how to shoot arrows with some sort of precision. So, when I saw the course for adults that would only take a one day commitment, I was all for it especially since it only took a one-day time frame.

This class will teach us all the basics. It's a seven hour course. And after this one day I should know whether or not I want to sign up for an 8 week course.

Minecraft DIY shirt

I wanted to make something special for my hubby and he LOVES Minecraft so this was simple to personalize.

All I did was take a sponge and some black paint.

I cut the sponge in half and inked one side.

Then I started stamping out the pattern on the front.

And I kept on going.

Until I finished the picture.

And  I think it turned out nicely.

Happy Boo...zeday - The Perfect Way to Celebrate turning 21..derful

Here's an easy way to celebrate  someone turning 21 with a booze bouquet. And what a perfect time of year to add a little extra BOOs to the pot.

Here's all you need:

INGREDIENTS FOR A BOOZEDAY BOUQUET - FOR A 21...DERFUL BIRTHDAY

1 Flower Pot
Flower foam
colored paper
ribbon
10 candy sticks - or bamboo skewers
5 mini bottles of alcohol
3-4 ghostly peeps

Take your empty flower pot and fill it with floral foam and tie a ribbon around the rim:
 

Then cover the foam with tissue paper, craft paper or even shredded paper:

I used numbered craft paper - because it seemed appropriate for a birthday celebration.

Next secure the alcohol minis to the candy sticks with tape.

After all the minis are secured to the candy sticks, pre-cut the holes in the paper for the sticks to poke through and start decorating the bouquet .

I added a few ghostly peeps to the mix to make it absolutely boo...tiful ;D

But you could use cookies or marshmallows or any kind of peeps.

Then I covered the little peeps in baggies so they wouldn't get dried out.

All-in-all I thought it turned out really boo...tiful :D

So CHEERS! and Happy Boo..ze...day

Word for Wednesday

Guess what it means...

This word is the quiz of the day.

Won't you take a guess?

Come on, what will you say...

Give it a try, come on and play...

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY: skedaddle

Do you know what it means?

Can you explain?

Or do you think its crazy...

What do you think?

If you want to know the answer read down below for the answer.

Further....


FURTHER.....


The word skedaddle means "depart quickly or hurriedly; run away."

What a Weekend

We spent the weekend in beautiful San Diego. It was a weekend filled with bike riding, running and football...oh yeah,  and food, and lots of it.

We had a great time watching the SeaHawks play against the Chargers. Unfortunately the Hawks were defeated but it was great watching the skydivers land on the field and to see the celebration of the 200 anniversary of our Star Spangled Banner.

It was mighty impressive.

How 'bout you...how did you spend your weekend?

Homemade Candies

First you need candy molds

Then you melt the white chocolate and add the food coloring. Then you fill the molds with the melted chocolate. Place the molds in the fridge and let the chocolate harden. Then you unmold the chocolates and trim the excess.

It's super simple to make candy.

I put these ones on the top of cupcakes.

Next time I use different colors of chocolate but this was for a baby girl's shower.

9.1.1.

In Memoriam

The Aids Walk

There were some super cool costumes - especially on such a HOT day. I couldn't believe that people were willing to put these heavy layers on and wear them in the 90+ degree heat of the day.

There were plenty of volunteers.

And it was a fun two mile walk around the city streets.

The Color Run was Ran

What a fun way to spend a day at the Color Run with friends and helping to raise money for the Dream Factory of Oregon at the same time.

Next year we're going to know how to dress for this event. :D

OPENING NIGHT - Dr. Horrible - September 4th

My son will be performing at the Funhouse Lounge  at 2432 SE 11th in Portland, Oregon, this month, singing and acting and we'll be sitting in the audience...laughing and enjoying the show.

Performances are:

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog -  Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, Sept. 4th, 5th,   6th, 11th, 12th, 13th,  18th, 19th, 20th, 25th, 26th, and 27th  7:00pm
Late Shows Sept 20th & 27th 9pm
Funhouse Lounge, 2432 SE 11th Ave. , Portland, OR 97214

Tickets Start at only $12
VIP Tickets are available and include VIP lanyard, buttons and autographed picture of the cast

Also you have the opportunity to buy the role of "The Mayor" That's right buy your way into the cast. Only one per show.

Word for Wednesday - Curmudgeon

Do you know what it means...?

Come on, say it out loud...curmudgeon...

The sound is a hint...at least I think so.

Take a guess...

But if you don't know, scroll down to find out the answer



Further....




FURTHER.....



WORD FOR WEDNESDAY: CURMUDGEON

It is a . . . .


bad tempered or surly person...and if you want to read more, check out this link

TUESDAY TORMENTS

I can't believe it. My three-day weekend has come and gone...so quickly I don't know what happened. I had so many plans, intentions and goals. But they slipped away like sand through my hands, at the beach (which is one place I wanted to visit this weekend...but didn't make it).

We spent the evenings in the park watching performances of Shakespeare plays. These talented troupes performed As You Like It and Star Wars. Yes, you heard me right. Star Wars.

And C3P0 and R2D2 were wonderful. If you are curious about any other characters in the Star Wars episodes, you might want to check out Wookieepedia ;D

Of course this was a spoof of the iconic Sci-Fi production but when you take Star Wars and add Shakespearean Iambic pentameter, it really becomes a blast. And, these actors did a tremendous job. But what was especially wonderful is that they did it more for the love of the art of acting than for the pay, although there were little green buckets placed strategically around the perimeter of the performance, for any audience members who just so happened to want to drop a $5, $10 or $20 into the pot. And it was such a wonderful time that I'm sure more than a few did just that....at least I hope so.

We started out early in the day by laying out a blanket and bringing a little food and a few drinks to help us make it through the late night hours of watching the play.

And it was more than a little crowded by the time the play began.

So we saw two plays and another spoof on Downton Abbey at a comedy club.

So, I guess that explains how my nights were whittled away. But W.O.W. how time flies. . .

How 'bout you? Did you have a wonderful holiday weekend?

Earth-Friendly Friday

It's the beginning of a three-day weekend...and do I have plans? Well, who doesn't?

I' want to spend time out in the garden, in the sewing room, in the mountains...hiking. Yep, I have more than a few plans, plus reading, and writing...

So what does all of that have to do with Earth-friendly Friday?

Well, one of my projects is to cut up a bunch of old tee-shirts and turn them into a rug...at least that's what I'm hoping to do. I don't know if this project will turn out beautifully or be a huge craft-fail...but I guess I'll find out. And, I'll post pics on Monday, or Tuesday...

So, how 'bout you? What will you do with your extra day?

Estela Bernal - Can You See Me Now

I spent the evening at A Children's Place bookstore listening to Estela Bernal talk about Can You See Me Now, her Middle Grade novel which is out in stores now.

This is a story about a young girl who loses her father in a car accident and has to deal with adjusting to her loss when her mother is emotionally abandoning her too.

It was a fun evening, filled with tales of writing and words of wisdom and inspiration.

Word for Wednesday - a writer's game

Guess what the word means...

WORD FOR WEDNESDAY:

PRIMORDIAL


Do you know what it means?

Can you guess?

If you don't know, try a guess anyway...

And if you think you know the answer....

Scroll down to see if you were "write" or wrong.



Further....


FURTHER . . . .


PRIMORDIAL MEANS:

existing at or from the beginning of time; primeval.

"the primordial oceans"

DIY Croakie

I wear my reading glasses all the time...because I read a lot. So I can't be putting my glasses down while I'm doing something else. That's where the croakie comes in handy. But, most of the store-bought varieties are not very pretty. So, I decided to make my own.

I went to Joann Fabrics and bought some beads and went to work. First you need little fastenings, which you can get at any craft store, including Joann's.

 Now I have a green croakie, a purple one and even a black and blue one.

They are fun to make and very easy.

Homemade Peach Pie

It doesn't have to be beautiful to taste yummy and it will leave mouthwatering memories your kids and family will remember long after the pie is gone.

Here's how I made my pie:

Ingredients:

DOUGH:

2 1/4 cups flour
2 sticks of butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

(1/4 cup extra flour for rolling out your dough).

Mix the ingredients together well and separate into two balls of dough. Then roll out two sheets on floured cutting boards (place cutting boards and dough in refrigerator to chill for 1/2 hour)

Peaches must be skinned and cut into chunks. I also rinse mine.

FILLING:

10 large ripe peaches
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg

Blend everything but the peaches together and then add the peaches.

 INSTRUCTIONS:

Use one sheet of dough to layer the bottom portion of your pie pan (bake at 450 for 10 minutes) then pull out of the oven and pour filling into pan. Let cool (but do not put in refrigerator-as pan could break from sudden change in temperatures), cut strips of dough and layer one way then the other across your pie pan. Use one extra strip of dough to edge the pie and bake at 350 for approximately 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. If edges get too dark, cover with tin foil.

If you're careful, you can get even strips, I just cut away and don't worry about it.

I like to add an edge of dough around the circumference to give it a more finished look.

I pinch the edges to make it look finished.
Then I pop it in the oven.

My edges tend to get overly brown, so I cover them in foil.

And when I pop it out, it's ready to eat.

Sweet!

Shakespeare in the Park

This weekend at Laurelhurst Park on Sunday afternoon at 1:00, Aug 24 - As You Like It, OPSF

The Original Practice Shakespeare Festival is a fun theater group that performs in the park during the summer. 

So bring a blanket, pack a picnic, and come see a show.

It's a wonderful way to spend a day. 

Thought for Thursday

If you have trouble with grammar or, if you don't really know when to use affect versus effect, you should definitely pop over to Grammar Girl's blogsite and check her out.

She has some great tips, hints and tricks to help you remember when to use what.

So, if you want a little extra help in the writing department, bookmark her site and maybe watch a tutorial or two.

Good luck with your writing.