Hey there. I know what back pain is like...no fun. Hope yours feels better soon. These girls are getting too big to pick up much.

You have been busy. Lots of stuff going on. I've just got the usual mayhem going on over here. I have managed to get in a little painting. I am doing some coasters for my SIL next. (sending her a little pick-me-up package) I bought the winter 2009 Quick and Easy mag with all the ornies. I actually had another pattern ready to put on the coasters, but the snowmen by Sue Allemand caught my eye and I had to do them instead. She has hers painted on some tin pockets so I had to make some adjustments to the pattern,but not much. How many coats of sealer do you think I should use on a coaster and should I use anything special? I mean, would a different type of sealer work better than the spray sealer, do you think, with wet glasses sitting on it? Would clear contact paper over the top be better? They are just flat squares of cork with a thick paper covering that I'm painting over.

Anyway, that's all I'm up to today.

I'm surprised you didn't find more painted things at the fair. It seems to wax and wane doesn't it? Not for us painters, but for others. I do know that my DD and her friends really like my painted stuff so maybe a new generation of admirers are coming up.

One of these days I'm going to make some big lawn cutouts for the holidays, but then where would I store them? ha Plus a lady at my drs office said she had painted a big dragon for Halloween a few years ago and someone stole it right out of her yard. The nerve.

I've gotten out a few fall things for my front stoop, but will wait until this weekend to get out the Halloween stuff to decorate the house.

Anyway, I've got a bunch of stuff piled in my dining room that I need to get put away, do a few more loads of laundry and get my floors vacummed before it's time to pick up DD from school. Let me know if you go TS'ing. ha You know I want to hear whatcha got! Talk to ya later. Feel better. ~Anj

Hey woman....how's the back feeling today? I hope you are much better. What have you been up to?

I've just been cleaning and talking on the phone a bunch today to my in-laws. We can gab for hours. My SIL's on my DH's side are my best friends. We all get along really good together, unfortunately for me they are all in LA.

Other than that, I just cut up a bunch more tomatoes to dehydrate (will it never end???).ha Now I'm resting for a bit before DH gets home and we have a guy coming over tonight to talk about our life insurance and wills and such. Fun times. ha Trying to think of something quick for supper that doesn't include the word McDonalds. ha I really don't feel like cooking right now, but gotta figure out something.

Oh, was going thru some of my wood pieces from the TS today and found a cute Halloween one I want to get painted up. Not too much skill involved,but I think I'll like it when I get it painted. Talk to you later. ~Anj

Hi Anj, Not much going on here, we took off this afternoon and went for a matinee. Turns out Tuesdays are senior day, so our admission was only $6.00. We saw Eagle Eye, and it was pretty good but a bit scary if you really think about it. LOL Rich edged the yard while I ran the mower awhile ago, then I deadheaded some of the roses too. Glad that job is done. It cools down nicely here in the evenings, but I was still sweating--and I don't like to sweat!

I got my signs basecoated and found a little pattern for the word Boo, so I don't have to freehand it. Just need to get it transferred on and painted. Don't know why it takes me so long to finish things anymore.

DH is fixing his own dinner, he likes to do that sometimes, and it is more than fine with me. I think I might just have an egg salad sandwich pretty soon. We snacked at the movies so neither of us is very hungry.

You know, I'm finding that even projects that look so simple actually take a bit of time with the shading and details. I'll look forward to seeing your Halloween project.

I found a cute design last night while going through more of my old Crafts and Things magaazines. In the mag it's painted on a pumpkin, but I'll try to find a wood piece to paint it on. It says "come in for a bite", I'm thinking it would be cute to hang on the side yard gate since that's where the dogs are! (We won't tell anyone that Goldens hardly ever bite!) I think the design has a moon and a flying bat or something like that.

We were talking about taking the motorhome up to Laughlin. We have some friends there and in Lake Havasu, but then we checked the weather and it hasn't started cooling off much there yet, so guess we will wait until toward the end of October. Maybe we will see if we can get a reservation at the beach for a couple of days. It should be really nice there now, and with the kids back in school, might not be too busy.

I'm tired, so better get off here and go sit on the couch for a bit. Thought my back was better, but the yard work has made it ache again. I'll catch you tomorrow, okay?

Luvs

Sounds like you had a nice afternoon at the movies. Is that the one with Shia Labouf? Looks pretty good. So far he's been a smart young man picking good movies to star in.

Woman, you should have rested your back a little longer. ha How's it feeling? Take it easy today and give it some time to heal. =) It's been so chilly here that our grass has slowed down it's growing a bunch. Probably won't need cutting again for another week. We do need to winterize some more this weekend.

I was looking thru my books last night and drawing different eyes to see what I wanted to paint on my little Halloween project and came across a pattern I've been wanting to paint. I found the wood fence slat at the TS a while ago, but couldn't find the pattern again so I was happy to see it. One thing leads to another you know. If I'd have kept going I know I'd have found more to line up for myself so I stopped. ha I don't want to plan too far ahead for myself so that I get overwhelmed and shut down. I did start on my ceramic Thanksgiving bears last weekend too. DH saw them last night and told me they look evil (their white eyes staring out of the painted body). ha

I'm not sure if we are doing our 12 days of Christmas now. The people we planned to do it for moved. Need to try to figure out someone else, but don't want to be wasting my time painting those things when I have other things I want to paint.....if that makes sense.

I'll look forward to seeing your project as well. Cute to hang it by the ferocious doggies. ha

The beach is nice anytime in my opinion. I love being at the beach. Hope ya'll can get a reservation.

I ended up throwing some corndogs in the oven for supper last night for the kids. Real nutritious I know. I ate a salad and DH had leftover ribs. It was a hodgepodge. Better plan for somthing a little better tonight. Was trying to wait to go to the store until tomorrow so I'll need to go dig around in the freezer and see what I can find to put together. I think I have some halibut so maybe that will be the menu du jour.

You take care of that back and I'll chat w/ya later.
~Anj

Hi Anj, I decided to bring my soda and play on here a bit tonight. DH went to play pool, one of our friends talked him into being on a league again. It's good for him, and he is pretty good still.

You know, having a backache sure makes me feel grumpy. I hope it hasn't reflected in my tone on here this week. ;o(
It does seem a bit better today.

I've invited my three neighbor ladies over tomorrow morning for muffins and fruit and a little girl time. We mostly talk if two of us happen to be outside at the same time, so I thought it would be nice if we could all four sit down together for a bit. I bought the muffins, got extra because I know my DH will want one, and perhaps the ladies will want to take one home to their DH too. Hope it will be fun for everyone--at least it helped me motivate DH to get his stuff off the table and counter! Yahoo! He likes to pile things then never touches them again, but doesn't want anyone else to do anything with them either.

I got my little Boo signs painted, now I need to attach them and the pumpkin/kitty to a yard stake. I had basecoated the signs black, then painted the words with an orange. Boy, it took me three or four coats to get good coverage! I was using Folkart paint, which is thicker than some, so would have thought it would cover quicker. Got any secrets for good coverage on letters? Funny, even after all these years, I always hate the part where the piece looks ugly before you get it base coated well and start adding the details. ;o)

Your dinner was like some we have around here, I like to do that sometimes just to use up the leftovers. Allot of the time, we eat a late breakfast/early lunch, then don't want anything too heavy for dinner. I bought a new seasoning packet thingy for pork chops today. One of those where you sprinkle the seasoning mix on, place them in the bag and bake in the oven. I'm anxious to see if they are any good. DH is not real fond of pork, but hopefully this will be nice and moist and tender so he will like it.

Well, I'd better check in on Holidays, then I want to get to bed early. Plan to vacuum and mop before the gals come over in the morning, so will need to get up on time. Take care and I'll catch you tomorrow.

Luvs

Have fun today with your little group. That sounds like good times.

Didn't know R. played pool. I love pool. I used to work in a video store that had a pool hall in the back when I was a teenager. We'd play every day and I got pretty good, but we went to the one at our local bowling alley a few months ago and I sucked!! ha Still like to play though.

The only thing that I've heard about the painting is to put a dark green under anything red so you don't have to use as many coats? I'm not sure if that works or not. I don't think I've ever done it yet. ha I mostly use Delta paints or Americana, but I bought a big bottle of Apple Barrel brand in Barn Red cause it was on sale and I am not liking it at all. Needs tons of coats to have good coverage. Need to go get some more in the Delta. And I've got to be more careful cause they sometimes put the 'Gloss' in with the regular paints and I hate painting with those. They are so slimey. I've ended up with a few of those by accident. Makes me mad cause I don't realize it until I've opened them and start using them. They don't cover well either IMO.

I have used the Bag n Season spices on pork tenderloins. At first I was leary about putting plastic in the oven. ha Some flavors we like, some we don't. I guess you just have to experiment. Makes it pretty tender though.

Well, I've got grocery shopping to do today and if I have time afterward will drive over to DH's work and have lunch with him. Glad your back is feeling better. You are right, pain will make you grumpy, but I haven't noticed you being different in your posts. Have a good one! ~Anj

Hi Anj, I missed having my morning coffe on here, so thought I'd sign on and catch up.

My little morning gettogether went great! The ladies were here from 10 till 12:30 and we did allot of talking and catching up. They loved all my Fall decorations, and one said she always looks forward to seeing what I will put up each season/holiday. Then she said "where do you store it all?". Had to laugh because that's the question I ask myself constantly but somehow keep finding a way to stuff it all away somehow!

I had never heard that about using green under the red. I'll have to give that a try for Christmas stuff. And I know what you mean about being careful what paint you pick up. Is that gloss supposed to be like patio paint, or is it to avoid having to use a sealer? I've never used it, but do wish they'd put it in a different area. I avoid the Apple Barrel brand too, just too thin for me. I used to buy mostly Delta until I started doing the One Stroke, then I bought the Folkart because it is thicker. I've tried the Americana since PF reccommended it, and like it too. I'm sometimes tempted by the new Craft brand paint for 50 cents that Walmart and Michael's carries now. It's made by Plaid, but I'm afraid it will be like the Apple Barrel and be too thin.

I'm willing to do two coats for good coverage, but having to do more than that irritates me. I guess I need to figure out which paints are opaque, or semi opaque so I know what to expect.

Good luck with the grocery shopping. I hate it anymore-- I go, spend too much money and still don't know what to cook when I get home! LOL One of my friends has her daughter and two kids living with her again. She showed me how she made things simpler by creating seven menus. She made her grocery list from that, and repeats the meals each week. She said she keeps it posted so the kids always know what's for dinner, and whoever gets home first can start it.

Well, my yard has been mowed, house is all clean, dirty dishes from gettogether are all done, so it looks like I have a free afternoon! Yahoo! So since I'm cleaned up, maybe I should go shop for DIL's birthday present which isn't until the 17th. Or I could spend the day in the craft room. Think I'll have a soda and think about it! LOL

I'll catch you later.

Luvs

I knew the hostess with the mostest would have a good get together. ha You've had me craving muffins all day. ha So did you find out if any of your friends are crafty or interested in learning to be?

I ran to the grocery, got them all in the house, put away the cold stuff and zipped over to DH's work for lunch. Couldn't pass up the TS of course so I dashed in there on the way home for just a little while to go thru the books and wood section. I think I found a frankenstein head with some other parts (they were in a bag)for 50cents so I got it and a few little books for 25 cents each. One I already had, but decided I'd send it to my SIL. She doesn't get to paint much, but I'm trying to get her into it again. She needs a hobby. She used to always do freehand painting so I want to teach her to use patterns. Oh and I got a leatherbound Christmas Carol book for $2 and one of the Gooseberry Patch Recipe books for $2...you know how much those are new. It's the Gifts For Giving one. Some nummy looking recipes in it. And that's all I got today.

Came home and put away the rest of the groceries and started laundry. Got the kids a snack and now time to help with homework. I'm doing mini pizza's out of biscuit dough for supper. ha I know I'm on a roll this week with the nutritious meals. ha I was laughing on your comment....I go, spend too much money and still don't know what to cook when I get home!.....I feel exactly the same way. My family could probably deal with the same meals every week, but I've got to have some diversity. ha It would make my life much easier if I'd buckle down and do the 7 meal thing Hmmmm.

I know where I store all my holiday stuff. In my attic! It's the whole length of our house. I've been trying to move everything to one end so we can get one side done with spray insulation, then we'll move it all back to the other side and spray the opposite end. I've decided I need to have a holiday yard sale this spring and weed thru some of these decorations. ha Geez. I didn't know I had so much until I had to move it all. I put up signs in the attic in sections to organize it while I'm doing this. Fun Fun fun...NOT!

Ok, well, I just wanted to stop here and see how your morning went. Back to work. ha ~Anj

Hi! I see you are here at the same time as me since the gallery posts kept jumping to the top on me. ha Hope you are having a good day. I'm busy busy. Just stopped for a minute to catch my breath before I start supper. I got all my Halloween stuff out of the attic as well as all the winter clothes and I've been going thru those having the kids try them on. Ugh....now where to put them all. ha At least it looks like I won't be having to buy too much to supliment their closets except for oldest DD. I'm pooped. I'm gonna have a Mountain Dew and see if I can get a little pick me up. Talk to ya later. ~Anj

Anj, I know how busy you are, so rather than have you hop over to Holidays, I thought I'd post pics of my Fall table and decs here for you to see. I'll add in a few things for Halloween in about a week.

I want to take a pic of the finished stake I made with the pumpkin/kitty plaque. DH put screws in them for me this morning. I think I'll give DIL one along with her BD presents, keep one for me and take a couple along with a cople of the winter signs for my lunch bunch. (That should work out well since some may not do Halloween and they can just choose which one they want.)

I got DIL a gift card and bought her a book she had put on her suggestion list. Just want to figure out a way to wrap them up real cute now. Also found the cutest little princess book on sale for $3.99. It has clothes and accessories that you can stick to the pictures and then remove them and change them out. That should entertain GD for about five minutes! LOL

I'll look forward to seeing your Frankenstein head, you are so good about figuring out designs for the wood pieces. That leatherbound carol book sounds neat and what a bargain! I have a few of the Gooseberry Patch books, two for holidays and one called "For Bees and Me". Also have a hard bound one for Christmas--it says volume 8, but I've never run across any others. At the antique store where I worked, the spiral bound ones were $17.95 so you really got a bargain on that too.

You are so lucky to have that nice big attic for storage. I remember when you were up there organizing in the heat of the summer. That insulation will make a big difference on the heating/cooling bills too. Organization is so hard, but so worth it in the time it saves in the long run.

Good luck with the craft sale, I love to give things as gifts, but other than that, I seem to have such a hard time parting with stuff! LOL But I do know what you mean, there just comes a time when you want to clear out the things you are not using or are tired of and make room for some new stuff. I should follow your lead--while I have paired down a bit, I'm still holding on to some things I don't really use anymore.

Here's a few pics for you to see:

Luvs

Hey, stopped in for a water break. Whew. My DB stopped by (the one who does the spray insulation) and told me we gotta get the attic done before the cold weather comes....which is any day now. He wants to start this weekend!! Ay yi yi!! So he said get back to the attic and get busy tonight. My back is broken. I have my whole living room destroyed (DB said it looks like my house threw up) with clothes in piles everywhere some going to the TS others to a friend and some we still haven't gone thru. Geez. And I had so much to get done tomorrow...not the least having to put my dog down if we can get an appt. Flu shots for the kids in the morning and the list goes on. Maybe I can reschedule the flu shots and put off saying goodbye to my doggie for another week. I'm stressing a little.

Thanks for putting the pics here. You have been busy and everything looks wonderful. Love the placemats...are those new? I like the pumpkins on the stands. All your cute dishes and painted things. I love the bright leaves over the door. If I run across any I'm gonna copy you if you don't mind. Very pretty and sets off your door. I don't even want to think about getting my decorations out now. I'm too pooped to think about having to pick them all back up again when I'm done. ha Sad.

I don't know if I will have a craft sale, but was giving it serious thought after moving all that stuff around. ha My poor back was yelling sell sell sell. ha Well, I'd better throw the chicken in the oven and get back up there. It's not gonna organize itself. Wish me luck. Oh and that frankenstein head is a pumpkin poke I think. It has little sharp dowels that go into the head, 2 arms and 2 boots and there is a little bat that goes on a springy wire. At least that's the vision I'm getting. ha If I ever get time to paint again. Wah! ha Talk to ya later. I know I didn't get to comment on everything I wanted to yet. ~Anj

Oh, Anj, I know you have been so concerned about your dog. If she isn't in too much pain, maybe you can hold off just a bit longer until things are calmer at your house--I know you will be upset, and it will be hard to get all this stuff done while you are grieving.

Postponing the flu shots a week or so won't hurt either--give yourself a break gal, you are gonna make yourself sick trying to do everything at once. Moving and organizing all the attic stuff is a big job all by itself!

Would your Mom be able to watch the little one so you can sort things uninterrupted for a few hours? And just make something easy like veggie soup or chilli in the crockpot, so you don't have to do much cooking. You know you will be drop dead tired when evening comes.

The stands for those little Dollar Tree pumpkins were one of my TS finds this past year. Got them all for $3.00 I think it was. I used my clear glass ones last year, but really wanted black, so I just kept looking until I ran across these. Funny part is that since I got these, I've seen a few other sets as well! Isn't that the way it goes? LOL

I've had those leaf swags for several years, don't even remember where I found them. I've used them in lots of places, but they just seem to fit the door so well. I don't mind if you do something similar at all, that's what we are here for--to share ideas. ;o)

Well, good luck with the moving/sorting stuff today. Who knows, you may run across goodies you've forgotten about even! Wouldn't that be fun? Be careful about lifting those boxes--remember back aches are not fun! Just remember that all of us tend to fill up whatever space we have available--so don't beat yourself up over all you've accumulated up there. Take care.

Luvs

Hi...Finally down from the attic. Been there all day and got almost everything done. DH helped me today and we stopped to have supper about an hour ago(went out to Wendy's with my parents). Ugh, what a long day. DD watched the little one all day for us. I did cancel the flu shots and put off d-day for my baby for another few days.

The guy who is doing the installation called this morning and said he wanted everything stacked down the middle of the attic instead of all at one end like he said before. Sooooo, we had to move and restack all the bins I had moved to the far end. Sorted thru lots of things that just got stuck up there when we moved from the downstairs MIL apartment to upstairs and hadn't been gone thru. About 4 big bins of craft wood pieces and projects that I want to paint. Just everything that we don't have room for, but don't want to part with...you know how it goes. Anyway, we pared down big time and have all our garbage cans full (garbage day on Friday so I don't know where we'll put our regular trash this week!) and our trailer is piled up with junk, a bunch of stuff going to the TS and I still have all the kids toys to go thru. They don't have enough room for all their favorite toys so we swap them out from the attic every 6 months or so and it's like they have new toys again. Youngest DD is very good at purging, the other kids like to hang on to everything, but to their credit they do play with it all. It's mostly action figures. I have a whole bin full of Rescue Heros that I think I'm going to donate to my church nursery or the shelter. Little kids love them, but my kids have outgrown them. So we'll end up with maybe 2 bins to put back in the attic. The good thing is that we got rid of all the cardboard boxes and bags and put everything neatly in plastic bins that stack up so nicely and take up way less space.

So we got all our stuff sorted and stacked, but my parents still have a bunch of stuff up there to tackle. I told my DM I'd help her go thru her stuff. I think it's mostly books. They just got back from the deer hunt last night late. They were gone for 2 weeks so they are still unpacking their camper and washing, etc.

You know I already have a bad back and I haven't done it any favors by doing this, but I'll take a Tylenol PM (they knock me out)ha and a heat pack and hopefully I'll get some rest tonight. It's only 8 something and I'm ready to go to bed. ha You have a good one and I'll see ya later. I'm gonna go soak in a hot tub and hit the hay! ~Anj