Halloween Link Party...

I hope your Sunday is going well.

Just a quick reminder that the Halloween Link Party starts tomorrow and runs through the end of the month.  Being hosted by Nicolette from momnivore's dilemma and the classroom CREATIVE, along with Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, and yours truly. 

I really stepped out of my comfort zone and 

put together my very first Halloween mantel. 

Here's a sneak peek. 

Hope you will come back tomorrow to link up and see the full reveal.

Lucy 

Happy Hour 3 Party Features...

Hello friends. I hope you had a great Friday and your weekend is off to a great start.

Each week it gets harder and harder to pick only a few projects, because truthfully everything that is linked up is worthy of a second look.{Check out week 3 here}. You guys are AMAZING. 

I can honestly say that you set the 'blogging' standards really high...:)

Let's get started.....

White Pumpkins & Silhouette via City Farmhouse & Pumpkin Soap via Clean & Scentsible

Stackable Boo Halloween Letters via Uncommon Design & Kids Halloween Soap via Its Overflowing

Fall Craft Pumpkin via the Space Between & Jute Webbing Pumpkin via at the Picket Fence

Halloween Spider Pumpkin via a pumpkin and a princess & Painted Porch Planter via Decor & More

Fall mantle via Just so Lovely & Gold Spray Painted Hydrangea via Finding Home

"New" Record Player via Suburbs Mama & Frugal Fall Entry via Number fifty-three

Fall mantle via The Sweet Survival & Fall Decor via Liz Marie Blog

Mixed Metals and White Fall Decor via My Fabuless Life & Fall Mantle Orange and Aqua via Cherished Bliss

Sewing Pattern Tissue Flower Feature Wall via Burlap & Denim & Tutorial for DIY X Leg Upholstered Bench via the Chronicles of Home

DIY J Crew Inspired Pearl Necklace via Not Without Heels & DIY Anthropology Letters via Lovely etc

Spooky Mod Podge Candle Up-cycle via B & B Build a Life & Turkey Silhouette Pillow Cover via Creek Line House

DIY Halloween Plate via Alderberry Hill & Chair Makeover via Town and Country Living

Candy Corn Gooey Cake Bars via Bru Crew Life & Grilled Peaches and Cream via Eat. Sleep. Make.

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Drizzle via A Pretty Life & Apple Pie Cheesecake Gingersnap Trifle via Shaken Together

3 Ingredient Hummus via the Space Between & Blueberry Salsa Spinach Salad via Design Stash

Caramel Vanilla Krispies via Poofy Cheeks & Mexitalian via Just Us Four

And last, but not least, our host picks of the week starting with mine!!!

Spray Paint & Distressed Drawers via Liz Marie Blog

Fall Entrance via Harbor Breeze Home

Pretty Little Desk via Sensible Nonsense Crafts

Amazing right?! And if you haven't had a chance to check out the rest of the amazing links yet be sure to check them out and add your projects here! I hope to see each and every one of you back next week and please bring a friend or two with you :) Happy Hour is always better with friends!!!

And be sure to check out our Happy Hour pinterest board for even more features----you guys are AMAZING and we want to share it!!!

Have a fantastic day ! 

much love,

Lucy 

Happy Hour Linky Party Numero Tres (3)

So happy you are here.

Come on in and thank you for 

joining us for our our third

 HAPPY HOUR linky party!

This has quickly become one of my favourite days 

of the week as I get to come and visit you all.

But first, let me tell you a little bit of my week.... 

This week I set out to put together a simple fall table using very neutral colours.  But while trying to describe it in a 'bloggy' kinda way, my heart took over.  I also shared a super easy way to make a drop cloth pumpkin, which I was a little insecure about because of its simplicity, but realized that is exactly why I loved them in the first place. 

We often risk falling into the trap of blogging for others and end up doing crafts that we think might appeal to the 'audience'.  My advice to you is to always be yourself and blog for yourself.  Having said that, I think it's also important to step out of your comfort zone and try new things, hence these pretty Halloween Anemone flowers.  I also announced the winner of the Cutting Edge giveaway.  Congrats Susan B!

On the home front, we are a little worried for our 16 year old cat (Benz) as he is losing weight and is very lethargic.  We worked out his human age and he is 84 years old.  It's going to be a sad day when he goes, but hopefully I won't be blogging about that for a long time yet.

Let's see what the talented Jaime has been up to this week...

Jaime shared a delicious apple fruit dip which is on my 'you're the best mom in the world' recipe list. I have a couple of those from you too via last week's links.  If you're looking for some beautiful inspirational photography ideas, you have to check out the list that Jaime put together.  Seriously beautiful, just like the sweet rocking chair Jaime recovered with some amazing fabric.  She rocks the furniture makeover department! 

What has Taryn been up to...

Considering Taryn was away for half the week enjoying some sunshine and playing with Mickey, she was still able to not only make this beautiful fabric wreath, but put together a very useful list of budget friendly room makeovers and she also guest posted in a couple of other places.  Not sure how she does it (?).


Alright...so now that you know what we've been up to this week, we want to know what you have done. 

Here are some suggestions that might be helpful for you....

A couple of photos and a winner announcement...

Hi my sweet friends. 

Just a quick little post to share some photos I

snapped earlier this week, along with announcing the

winner of the Cutting Edge stencil giveaway...yay!

Ever since falling in love with photography, I have been looking
at things in a slightly different perspective.  It's like living
through the eye of a camera and allowing the images to speak...

Looking for the minute details on things and thinking of ways to tell a story trough a photo.  Today, as I browsed through the produce department at the grocery store, I found myself looking at the various crates of fruit and vegetables, not to prepare a meal but to photograph. 

Daydreaming of staging a hot mug of cider in the woods or a beautiful simple centerpiece of apples gathered in a cloche.  It sure makes my time at the grocery store a lot more enjoyable.  You should try it :) 

And now, the winner of the $50.00 Cutting Edge Stencil is... 

Congratulations Susan B (entry #50)

I will be contacting you soon with further details :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to all of you who entered.

 I have other great giveaways coming soon.

Please don't forget to come back later tonight as we host our third HAPPY HOUR linky party.  Every week, I get to know you a little more and I look forward to visiting your homes as you share with me and others a little bit of you.  So thank you and I hope to see you again in a few hours! 

much love,
Lucy 

Halloween Crepe Anemone Flower....

I'm not big into Halloween...I know, I know...sorry. 

It's just a day that I have never really embraced. 

As a child, my parents never made a big deal of it either. I was even scared to go Trick-or-Treating because in my native language (Spanish), Halloween literally translates as 'the day of the witches'.  So yes, I was scared of witches too. 

This year, I am making a little exception and will be sharing some Halloween projects as I co-host a Halloween Linky party that will run for the entire month of October.  I will give you more details as we get closer to the day.  

Regardless of the holiday, I do enjoy decorating, so coming up with a little Halloween vignette was fun.  I found this beautiful black iron pedestal at my local thrift store for $3.99.  I think it looks very elegant holding the little baby boos and the white crepe Anemone flowers.  I guess I'm okay with an elegant Halloween as opposed to a spooky one. 

I love using crepe for flowers because of the paper's pliability.  The petals tend to look very realistic, don't you think?  You can use this tutorial to make the white flowers. 

So how about you?  Do you decorate for Halloween?  Is it spooky or cutesy? 

Thank you for visiting and please don't forget to stop by tomorrow as I'll announce the winner of the Cutting Edge Stencil...! 

much love,
Lucy 

Too easy drop cloth pumpkin....a tutorial

 Welcome back!  How was your Monday?

I spent the entire day attending an outdoor school trip with Bella.  While I cherish the time I'm able to spend with our little girl, I sometimes question my sanity while on these school trips.  Imagine if you will, sitting on a school bus surrounded by the little voices of 40+ 8 year olds, which when spoken in unison, can only be compared to a loud series of out of tuned instruments.

And yet even during all the commotion, I was able to find peace as I looked out the window 

and noticed the beautiful fiery show of autumn is about to start.  The air was crisp and as we walked through the forest, a single red maple leaf descended from above and landed on the ground.  There is no turning back...Fall is here. 

I recently received a message asking why white pumpkins are being used so frequently in Fall decor.  The truth is, I don't know.  Personally, I love to surround myself with the crispness of white as it feels clean and airy. 

Yet my love of white is confined to our living space only, as my wardrobe will tell you a completely different story.  Just ask my bright orange pylon coloured cords, or the pages of my sketchbook which are filled with bright watercolours. 

I guess it's a personal preference as to whether you decorate with the muted tones of white or you use the traditional browns and oranges of Fall.  I enjoy Fall decor either way. 

Source

I do see a new trend developing in the use of black, white and golden pumpkins.  But my newest prediction for next year is the use of bright coloured pumpkins.  All because of this genious idea.  It makes me want to start over and fill my house with bright coloured pumpkins...sigh.

The brightness and the beauty of the pumpkins above makes me feel like my little drop cloth pumpkin is inferior...but I will show you it nonetheless because after all, that is the name of my post....

1. Cut a 12" circle

2. Place batting in the centre

3. Gather together and tie an elastic band at the top

4. Wrap twine around to form stem

5. Continue wrapping to the top and use hot glue to hold in place

Too easy, right? 

I also made these big guys the other day...I like them...:) 

I've been using white pumpkins for a while now and haven't tired of them yet. 

But what do you think?  Is using too much white getting away from the whole 'Fall' theme? Or are you liking the new white pumpkin trend?  How about those bright pink pumpkins?

Talk to you very soon.

much love,

Lucy 

ps. Please don't forget to enter the Cutting Edge stencil giveaway...it ends soon!  The rug pictured above is just a little example of the many things you can do with your stencil...;)