Self Portrait Challenge - { hats week 4 }

I do love a good mystery...



Final week for "Hats" over at Self Portrait Challenge, come join in the fun!

{ fair day }

The State Fair - an iconic fall outing!




This year, I tried very hard to keep it within a budget. Our tickets were free through the Texas State Fair Homeschool Ticket program - woohoo! I packed our lunches and put them in my backpack with bottled water. I never took the girls through the midway, we were so busy the whole time that they never noticed we didn't get to it.

There are so many activites, shows, and educational demonstrations at the Texas State fair that don't require extra money. We treated it like a trip to a museum (learning!) and we had a marvelous time!


Here's "Big Tex" - he truly is huge, see the tree down in the right bottom corner of the photo (that is not a bush!)




In the huge pavilion where they show all the fair contest entries, we saw so much talent, including paintings, quilting, woodworking, and knitting (like the American Girl sweater below, that my girls are hoping Gramma can figure out how to replicate **wink**) We were also reminded that there are still people who make and can jellies and vegetables and beans in hopes of winning a blue ribbon!




Also in that pavillion, the enormous annual butter sculpure... this year, it was an entire saloon scene made of butter!







We saw a cow milking machine demonstration,
the junior competition for Brahmas,
a dog talent show,
a bee colony with honey tasting,
(my personal favorite) The Birds of the World Show,
and the ever-popular petting zoo:





Yes, a baby giraffe at the petting zoo!




After 6 hours of walking around, the girls spent some time sitting on the Footsie Wootsie foot massagers... it didn't seem to matter to them that the machines weren't on!




When all was seen and done, we spent $15: $10 for parking, $5 for a funnel cake we shared. Proof that you don't have to spend a lot to have a lot of fun at the state fair!

apple crisp..... in the slow cooker!

Every autumn, I like to buy a big bag of Granny Smiths and make a few tasty apple treats. This year, I've found a new recipe that I've fallen head over heels for - it cooks in the crock pot!

Start it in the early afternoon, and you'll have a warm, cinnamon-y finish for dinner.





Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

4 large Granny Smith (or other baking) apples - cored & sliced
1 c. water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice

Mix this together, spread evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker.

3/4 c. dry oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. butter @ room temperature

Combine the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter with two forks or pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the apples in the slow cooker.

Cover, cook on low for 2-3 hours or high for 1 hr.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for an extra treat!

a handful of small projects

Just few extra little projects I've worked on in the last week or so:

I made this card for my parents' anniversary last week...






recycled, reused, repurposed... waterproof, too!



easy to and fast to make, took me about 20 minutes to put together... I found a bunch of tutorials searching google for "juice pouch bag"

I'll be using this as a gift bag for a little girl's birthday gift next week. My girls have one, and love it... it's just the right size for carrying a Webkinz (no higher honor could be given a bag in this house!)




baby anella's dress



Thanks again to Rae for her free pattern & tutorial - it has come in so handy with all the babies being born to people in my life right now!

hothouse......

Why be stuck with muted, dark colors this fall?
Step into the hothouse for lush, beautiful flowers in delicate colors...

My newest line,
Hothouse
in my etsy shop...








Also, I've entered my Hothouse Countryside Dress in this month's EtsyKids Design Challenge - "Birds and Owls"...

If you have a just a moment, and the inclination to do so, please vote for me, #44, the second from the bottom in the poll list, here... thank you!

Fingerprint Friday - { Karis }

A baby is a reminder that God delights in making all things new...


This precious girl was born just three weeks ago. She is absolutely adored by her parents and sister and brother, and I'm sure you can see why! I spent such a sweet afternoon with her and her mommy...












One of her mommy's nesting projects was this dressing table/desk,
which she painted and distressed, then added new knobs...




I think I wore her out...





There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.

the fun theory

Question - are you more likely to do something that requires effort, like climbing stairs,
if it's fun?

Saturday....

Our town festival was Saturday, and yes, we look forward to this all year. Despite the uncharacteristically cold and cloudy weather for Texas in early October, it was a great day for us for sure, with lots to see and do, lots of fun and prizes and even a coloring contest!

Have I mentioned before how this girl is really brave??







The festival has a distinct Old West twist to it, since we have historic buildings and a spot along a famous cattle trail out of Ft. Worth, and of course, my husband's brainchild - a reenactment of the shootout between the Texas Rangers & outlaws Sam Bass & Seaborn Barnes. My husband has so much fun with this reenactment, even though he gets shot, seven times yesterday in fact (since there were seven performances, of course). I'm always glad to get him home in one piece in real life!




Sam's last stand, just before he's mortally wounded by the Texas Rangers...





Flying high...

love it ... love it ... l.o.v.e...i.t.!

I am sooo excited about the beautiful new fabrics and patternsAmy Butler has come out with for her new "Love" line!



I'm especially taken with her new Liverpool top pattern...
in fact, I've preordered it for my etsy shop, so watch for it soon!

But if you ask me to pick a favorite fabric from the line, my brain will go into overload, because I love all of them - every single one!!!

Self Portrait Challenge - { hats }

May I see your driver's license and proof of insurance, please?



OK, so this was a goofy idea for Self Portrait Challenge's new "Hats" theme, that got totally out of control... I was originally just going to do the hat on my finger, but then somehow I ended up in my kids' playroom at 6am building this car when I should have been doing a bunch of other things!

Fingerprint Friday { smiles }

First of all, I want to let you all know that the winner of myAnd Caramel Apple Giveaway is ANGELA! Congratulations!!! Email me with your email & mailing address so Nicole can ship your treat!

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

Today is Fingerprint Friday - and I'm reminded of the beauty that God created in a smile.

I saw a lady at the grocery store today who smiled when she happened to pass me, rather than the usual blank looks most people give as they continue on with whatever is in their minds. It caught me off guard, and I smiled back!

Smile at someone today!

You just might be the only person who smiles at them today.

Here's a shot of one of my smiling girls, just for fun :)






There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.

...where will your dreams take you?

It's the last week for Self Portrait Challenge's "portal" theme...