Happy x ☺☺☺ (part 3)

My mind is in a much better place this past week... possibly due to the face that my MIL hasn't talked to me since Sunday. LOL But seriously, thanks for all of your kind thoughts and prayers. You will never know how much that has really lifted my spirits!

By request, I will share with you a photo of the great dolls I had the inexplicable luck in purchasing during the last Black Apple update. Don't worry, I will not be a "Greedy Gus"... although I would love to have a Sophie someday, I will not be attempting to get another doll for some time. But I am sure I will be tempted at the next update...grrr!

Here they are, taking advantage of the antique chair that I recently recovered the seat. Looking at them makes me so happy. I didn't expect the Sleepy Sam to be sooo much bigger than the little doll!

And I received the VERY special Christmas present that I pre-ordered way back at the beginning of August! Here is Dance Time Brobee, still hiding away in the Toys R Us box. I want to push his button SOOOOOOO bad, but I must not...

I found some Yo Gabba shirts and sweatshirts at Wal-Mart today. Yippee! Those will help in making the girls into their favorite characters (Toodee and Brobee) for Halloween. Speaking of Halloween, two of my favorite soft-sculpting artists sent out emails today of their impending updates! These fine ladies would be Jennifer Murphy and Jenn Docherty . How I covet their cute little works of art! Check them out.

Tonight I will make a rack'o'ribs for the first time ever. Not sure why I haven't made them before, but I received some in a meat parcel I bought...so what the heck! I rubbed them down with a mixture of salt, sugar, paprika, and a little cajun seasoning and steak seasoning. I plan to cook them low and slow in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or so, turning up the heat and putting barbeque sauce on during the last 30 minutes or so. We shall see how they turn out!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! My husband will be working on replacing the living room windows, and I would like to get started on a few crafty ventures!

♥♥♥

ps... Don't forget about the Autumn Amigurumi Giveaway! You have until the 22nd to post comments and add me to your watched blogs to earn more entries!

Everything's Coming Up... Mushrooms?

Ah, 'shrooms! After all of this recent rain, the shady spot in our front yard is like a mushroom pasture. Now that it is drying up a bit, I really should mow the lawn... then only the small ones, close to the ground, will miss the guillotine.

Yesterday, I was mightily cheesed-off at my MIL (whom I have diagnosed with untreated bipolar disorder, but that is another story....) so I decided to whip off a fast amigurumi for some instant gratification and a good measure of happy. Possibly influenced by the carpet of fungi visible from my favorite chair, I chose this easy pattern from Kat Crochet. In no time, I had a finished Morel mushroom ☺ Our area is big on mushroom-hunting, and the effect of the holes in the crochet really look like the grooves in a Morel mushroom. I need to add a cute kawaii-ish face to him yet. [Does anyone know of a free, small GNOME amigurumi pattern, or have a pattern they would be willing to share?? I really want to make some small gnomes to perch on/under the mushroom(s) ]

Then I started thinking...a lot of these cute, vintage finds I keep promising to post about have a central theme: mushrooms! Check out this framed picture I bought for 25 cents. I actually intended to toss the picture and only use the frame, but the whole thing is starting to grow on me now. The frame is a neat vintage plastic faux bois:

Check out these old napkins. I bought the set of 4 for $1, and I think they are really cute. With two little ones, we stick to paper napkins... but maybe I might sew something out of them.

I like the rabbit and mushroom details most.

Lastly, I just found these kitchen towls in a bag I had forgotten about. Although they don't really go with the color scheme, etc. in my kitchen, they are really thick and soft. They will make great drying towels!

Wow, that's a lot of mushrooms! And as much as I like a cute fungi knick-knack, picture, fabric, etc., my favorite thing to do with them is eat them. LOL

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful Autumn-like weather!

♥♥♥