Faux Reals, Yo.

Remember last month when I carved a pumpkin with the thought it might last into this month?

I was wrong.  A week later it looked like this:

 Ugh.  I just puked in my mouth a little.

Needless to day, that little dude didn't make it much past Halloween. 

Later that week, I was at Michael's and I saw they had craft pumpkins on clearence for 70% off.   The gears in my noggin started crankin'.  I quickly grabbed two orange pumpkins in different sizes, and a white "Cinderella" pumpkin.  Nine dollars and fifty-three cents later, I skipped out of the store.

Using the same method from the first time, I printed out an image and with a little cutting (and a lot less scooping), I now have a monogram pumpkin:

I used black paint for the scroll work, because honestly, I wasn't cutting that out.  Hells to the no.    I should also note that you cannot use a real tea candle for these- LED candles only (otherwise you will have craft pumpkin en flambe). 

What about the other two pumpkins?  They are just chillax au natural for now.  Next year when we (hopefully) have a house, I will try the numbers game again.

What do you think?  Worth the $9.53 I dropped on it?

Always & Forever,
  ME

Dare to DIY: Week 2

I am jumping in feet-first to Kim's DIY Blog party.

This week is "Dare to Entertain".

I don't host Thanksgiving, and I'm not quite ready to breakout the Christmas garb just yet, so I decided to set the table for a sweet lunch for some special ladies in my life.

Someone last week requested to see the fine china I registered for the wedding.  However, I have a confession to make:

We didn't register for fine china. 

A  couple years ago, I fell in love with some china in an antique shop.  I think I picked up eight place settings for $120.  I decided to pull it out, and use it for my lady-like lunching.

After being inspired by my outing with my BFF Eddie Ross, I decided to try to mix some antique pieces with new by using the plates we did register for- Martha Stewart's Hudson in Green:

I thought the green band in the newer china really brought out the darker greens in the antique design.

Each guests seat was marked with their name and a small bouquet of seasonal flowers

I wanted to keep the stem wear light and airy because the table was small and intimate

This is my attempt at being seasonal- a $2.50 wicker pumpkin I found at Target in the clearance bin.  I was really attracted to it's natural texture, but I enjoyed the whimsy of the berries and curled vines

Ladies,  shall we sit and lunch?

Do You Dare?  Come join the fun at The Newlywoodwards!

Always & Forever,

  ME

Trick or Treat

One Tuesday morning, I found a couple Reese's Peanut Butter Cups stuffed in a frosted glass in our freezer.  I texted JEGs and accused him of trying to hide candy from me.

That was a mistake.

On Saturday morning, I opened the freezer to make waffles, and found this:

My husband strung them from the freezer by sewing them together.



The best part is that smartass crafted this little project on Tuesday night, and I didn't even see it until Saturday morning. 

I was lying on the kitchen floor in hysterics when I saw this.  I still giggle every time I think about him taking the time to sew together packets of candy.  Honestly-- can you even read that sentence without chuckling?

I love that man.  I really do.

Always & Forever,

  ME

Wedding Crashing: Mountian Rustic

This past weekend, JEGs and I traveled up to Macungie, PA for a wedding held at Bear Creek Mountain Resort

Friends, this place was a decor whore's dream.  Modern, rustic, sleek, AND environmentally friends.  I adored it.

Our room was so warm and inviting.

Hello big gorgeous mirror, how are you?  My name is Lizzie.  Would you like to come home with me?

Normally, I would be all "alright with the checked pattern already", but I really loved the contrast between the larger and smaller patterns.

I've never been skiing before, but if it means I get to hang up my jacket here after a long day of hittin' the slopes, sign me up!

Big bronze-framed mirror:  gorg.  Black granite counter tops: I die.  Multiple times.

Oh yeah, the wedding.  Let's talk about that.

JEGs grew up next door to the groom, Eric.  We had just met the bride, Meghan, this past June, and I was instantly smitten with her.  She's a sassy red-head, and you know we sassy Gingers have to stick together.

The ceremony was held in a beautiful church, and I have to say it was easily the most beautiful ceremony I had ever attended.  It was a full Catholic mass which at first made me a little antsy.  However the priest of officiated the ceremony had known the bride all her life and was able to not only make the service personal, but also very funny!

The church



Meg and her father



 What I loved most about this wedding was the simplicity of it all.  Other then the purple on the bridesmaids dresses, everything was decked out in earth tones-- so appropriate for a November wedding!

The centerpieces had no flowers, only a single lantern atop a block of wood with the table number painted on each side and a ring of berries surrounding it.

The ring of berries were also echoed at the cake table

All the decor, including the buffet table, was very minimalist, but still had a very pull-together feel.

My absolute favorite thing about the decor (and I am kicking myself that I didn't take a picture earlier) was the escort card table.  They took branches and made notches in each of them to hold the place cards.  Holy crap, best idea.  Ever.  So jealous I didn't think of it ;)

OMG, can we talk about the food for a minute?  De.  Vine.  During the cocktail hour I practically hunted down the girl carrying around the raspberry and brie puff pastries.  Everytime she would walk by, I perked up and was all "Yes, I would love some" before she even asked.

For dinner, I ordered the filet mignon.  That was wrapped in bacon.  And infused with cheese.  It was like a cholesterol nightmere, but it was sooo friggin good.

They used to play Transformers together

Meghan and Eric met while attending Penn State.  I've been to a couple PSU weddings, and most of them are the same;  bridesmaids wear blue and carry white flowers, and every surface has a lion on it.  I get it... We are Penn State and all that jazz.  These two (God bless them) didn't go that route.  Instead, someone dressed up as a Nittany Lion toting a flag ran in the reception and stuck around for a couple photos!

I almost forgot to tell you about the other guests at our table.  We were afraid we weren't really going to know anyone becaue the only other people we had ever met (once) were sitting at another table.  We were pleasently surprised when this guy sat down next to JEGs and introduced himself as Joel, and JEGs was all, hey I know you-- we grew up together!

So we are doing the usual, where do you live, what do you do, this , that and the other thing.  Then I heard the best words I've ever heard from another wedding guest:

Joel:  I'm a stage manager for Martha Stewart's show, 'Martha'.

Me:  I love you. 

Joel.  Ooooo.  K?  Never got that reaction before.

After bombarding him with questions like Do you know Eddie Ross too? ( No.)  Is Martha wonderful as she seems? (She's ok.  Not a bitch like some might think)  Does she shit rainbows?  (I never looked)  Who was the craziest guest ever? (Jeff Goldblum.  He talkes in third person)  I think he realized my obsession with She Who is Crafty. 

All in all it was a beautiful wedding, and we couldn't be happier for the couple!  Best wishes to you and we hope to see you soon!



It's a Party!

My girl Kim over at NewlyWoodwards is having a party...



I discovered  Kim about this time last year when she hosted her Dare to DIY and I couldn't wait to participate this year.  However, with out of town wedding this past weekend, I forgot.  Oops.

Sooo, I'm going to link you up to some of my blogging friends who did follow through.
Crushed Velvet Pumpkins by Shennanigans (classier then it sounds!)

Thanksgiving Treats  from Oonafey (I may or may not have licked the screen while reading this)

Be Thankful Blocks from Peachtree City Life (consider this idea stolen)

Hopefully I can get on the ball of the rest of the party!

Always & Forever,
  ME

$#!t My Pilot Says: First Edition

My pilot is a funny mofo. 

One thing you need to know about him, is he is the complete opposite of me; he's a 50-something, military retired, man who is a self-confessed curmudgeon.  He is very old school some aspects, and doesn't like technology.  He tends to mix up his phrases and sayings, which often leads to hilarity.  He is a good, caring man and around the office we call him "PoppaBear".

Last week, one of our co-workers, Zac, called the office because he said he got a call from PoppaBear.  I handed the phone over to PoppaBear and he said to Zac:

"Sorry dude, that was just a booty call".

I believe the term he was looking for was "butt dial", as in his phone dialed a number while in his back pocket. 

Always & Forever,
  ME

Color My World: Autumnal Hues

Around October, I like to switch over from my mauves and melons of summer and switch over to the darker colors of autumn.  This year, I decided to really make the jump in to a really dark color- Sally Hansen's Wholesome Earth

I think a short, dark nail is so chic and modern, and I love the depth of this color.  It's really hard to see in this picture, but the color is a dark red/purple color-- very Twilight-esque and perfect for Halloween!

However, my beef with darker nails is the upkeep;  I feel like they chip so easily and it's super noticeable.  I find myself constantly repainting them because, gosh, what will people think of me if I have chipped nails???  I know what they are saying... "She was a nice girl, but goodness, those nails!  More chips then a Chips Ahoy! We can never talk to her again".

..or maybe not.  I might have an active imagination.

Anyway, if the Wholesome Earth is a little too vampire for your taste, I also keep Sally Hansen's Natural Sienna and Elegant Cognac in rotation.


Wholesome Earth, Natural Sienna, Elegant Cognac

I'm a whore of Sally Hansen.  I must be the sparkly bottles.

So ladies, what is your favorite color when the mercury begins to drop?

Always & Forever,
  ME

I'm Like the Nancy Drew of Smells.

This past week, I kept smelling something funky.

It was everywhere I went too:  the car, our apartment, my office.  I could smell it before I showered and after I showered so it wasn't me (thank god).  However, it was driving me absolutely batty.

So the other day I'm looking for my phone in my purse, and out of frustration I dumped my purse out onto my desk.  I saw the usual stuff; planner, wallet, keys, lip gloss, diva sunglasses...

Whoa whoa whoa..  You guys-- what the eff was that??

Friends, I found the smell.  It was lunch meat.

When I went food shopping on Monday, the lady at the deli counter gave me a slice of ham as a taste test. I wasn't really hungry, so I only nibbled on about half of it.

I guess I wasn't really thinking, and I wrapped the other half up and just stuck it in my purse.  Where it stayed for 5 days. 
 
So the Mystery of the Funky Smell has been solved:  it was the week old lunch meat.  And he would have gotten away with if wasn't for those meddling kids, and their dog.
 
Always & Forever,

  ME

Vote or DIE.

Remember circa 2006 when Puff Daddy P. Diddy was all ' Vote or DIIEEEE'??

Well, that year I was living with my parents.  On Election Day, for whatever reason, I got held up at work later then normal, so I wasn't able to make it to the polling place until 20 minutes before they closed. 

I KID YOU NOT, around dinner time, a group of people showed up at my parents' house and asked why I hadn't voted yet.  My parents informed them I was on my way to the polling place at that time.

Holy ish you guys, P. Diddy wasn't kidding.   I think he sent people to kill me. 

So make sure you vote today-- Or P. Diddy will come after you.

Always & Forever,
  ME

Halloween Weekend

Happy Halloween everyone!

It's time for a little weekend recap, shall we?

On Friday, we stopped by my parent's house to celebrate this little lady's third birthday.

That's my niece Bridget Grace, and I'm telling you, she's gonna be a heart breaker.  But then again, I might be biased.

Anyway, after the party, JEGs and I ran around to finish up our Halloween costumes.  This year I was bound and determined to wear a couple's costume because we never do.  So after tossing around a bunch of ideas (Snooki and The Situation, angel and devil, dead bride and groom), this is what we came up with:

We were dressed as a ring master and the world's strongest man!

I gathered my costume from H&M ( blazer), Forever 21 ( shorts), Target ( tights) and Icing (iiitty bitty top hat).  So basically I shopped at a bunch of stores I am too old for, and was that awkward adult amongst a bunch of teeny-boppers.  Creeper.

JEGs getup was actual a caveman's costume, complete with bizarre furry cuffs.  We snipped off the faux fur and added a mustache for that vintage-inspired look.

We headed out to Lancaster for a house party, and the other party-goers came out in style:

Bonnie and Andy played up the fact that Bonnie is six months pregnant by dressing up as Juno and Paulie Bleeker

Mandy and Evan were easily the most sophisticated as Posh and Becks:

..and the award for the most dead-on-ringer goes to Mike, who dressed as his doppelganger, Chris Daughtry

Mike's fiance, Lauren, also went for the music-inspired look and was a Black-Eye Pea.

We had a great time, I drank too much, and by the end of the night I was passed out on a chair.

Classy, I know.

Most of Sunday was spent recovering from said good time, until about 4:30.  Our friends Connie and Joe were hosting a haunted backyard for the neighborhood kids to walk through.  We volunteered to help out and I played a very convincing camper who was killed by a masked murder (aka, JEGs).

I'll be looking for my Emmy in the mail. 

We headed home and curled up in front of the TV with some hot chocolate and Ghost Hunters Live.  After about 45 minutes, we realize how boring Ghost Hunters Live was, and caught up on Survivor.

So how was your Halloween?  More tricks then treats?  Any good costumes?

Always & Forever,
  ME