cake truffle balls

Well I saw on Bakerella's blog all these cute little designs she did with the cake balls, and just had to finally try and make some myself.  There is no red velvet cake mix to be had in our area, so i just used a chocolate cake mix, and added the cream cheese frosting to it.   shaped them with a scoop,  and through in the freezer for a bit.  Then decided to go for the pumpkin look, spiderwebs on pumpkins, and ghosts.   It makes so many at one time. 50 of these little buggers.  I think next time i will freeze them and move them to bags for storage, and just take out enough for what ever i'm doing..  regardless, i started in and did  them all.  i melted the candy coating in the microwave, but i think next time i will try a double boiler, so i can keep the heat more consistant underneath the coating.   For a first attempt they turned out pretty good.

Gratitude & life's energy

Just a quickie today- i think.  I've been thinking about some things and one is gratitude.  Sometimes i get lost in all the things around me.  It seems like there's too much clutter, too much I need to do. Too little time to be with my family & friends.  Too much want. 
     If i change those thoughts around i can see that i have  much to be grateful for.  I'm thankful for the friends and family i have and every moment that i get to spend with them.  Do i wish i had more minutes with them, of course i do, but its more important that i can appreciate what i have.  I have a wonderful spouse, and lovely daughter who have made life full and joyful over the years and for them I give thanks.  My aunt who is one of my best friends, my friends who fall in and out of my life- all of them make my life more joyful. 
     The clutter i hate (it stifles my mind and energy)- my spouse really doesnt know how much i hate it- he thinks i like it.  Oh you have know idea about this one, BUT i have clutter, which means i want for nothing.  I need to get rid of things, quit being over sentimental.  I learned from my MIL that when you want to clean out things, offer it to people who you think might want to use it. And if they say "NO" then its time to take it to goodwill so some one else can.
Unfortunately in my crafty mind, I'm always thinking of what I can do with this in the future, BUT its time to say how long have i had this? Have i done anything with it?  Will i use it in the next 7 days? Then lets move it along.  OF COURSE there are things we have we dont use every 7 days- sewing supplies, and some crafting staples,  etc. But even those need to be reduced. 
     So usually when we think about gratitude people associate the word attitude with it.  Its all in your attitude of how you see things.  But i believe its more than that,  its not just attitude.  You can fake attitude, i've done it many times.  It's really about being honest with yourself.  Looking at all that you've been granted in your life. 
     I have in my control  the ability to declutter, bring the energy back to my life, and create for my family and friends.  I know there are changes all the time, and making the most of those changes is acting with gratitude.

metallic pumpkins

I don't honestly remember whose blog i saw these done in silver, but i was fascinated with them, i had to go out and make some of my own. I used the carveable  pumpkins  from Michaels. Now is a great time since they are 50% off. Then purchased spray paint in Chrome and Copper.  I sprayed them all with the chrome, but wanted more depth.So then i sprayed them with the copper kind of lightly. Then i felt like i lost the chrome color so i went back and sprayed in some more chrome to brighten them back up.  I decided that  adding a flower arrangement with some halloween suckers would be good, and made one of these to give as a gift to a dear friend.  Will leave  it as a surprise on her doorstep. I was outside taking photos as the sun was starting to set behind our hill, and got just the perfect glow.  I'm really pleased with how these turned out.  They are easy and you should not feel intimidated if you give them a try.

hope you all are enjoying our gentle fall weather!

Lovely Sunny Day!

Waking up today to such a lovely sunny fall day is perfection!  Its brilliance, and the air is crisp, and energizing.  It's a college holiday, so my daughter is home this morning, which indeed is a rarity.  Actually having her be home is a rarity, since her senior year has started. She runs up as i came down the stairs so "whatcha gonna do today?"  Hmm well i have and appointment later, what are you going to do?  I have homework.  The constant answer it seems, homework- if its not homework for her school classes, its homework for her choreography classes.

   Last night we went on the search for a vintage photo of my mother.  She was modeling for a photographer in the woods in a suit that looks as if its made from a few bandana's tied together- something sort of wood nymph like.  I've always loved this picture of my mom.  Now my daughter wanted to use it for a storyboard for one of the pieces she was creating.  What a compliment. See photo to the left.  It was interesting though, as we toured thru this old album of photos where most NOT ALL but most of the individuals had passed on.  She would look at a photo and say who's that?  and it would be my mom, or an aunt.  And then we found this beautiful picture of my grandmother, and she says who's that?  It's my grandmother, I said, she looks at me and back at the photo, and says you look like her.  I'm in total agreement.  My lovely grandmother was short, blonde and rubinesc.  My mother was tall, dark haired and not thin, but was not over endowed on top.  I prayed as a kid i wouldn't have my grandmothers abundant breast.  I certaintly was headed that way, and as a teenager, and it scared me.  Fortunately somewhere they stopped and i do not have the abundance of my grandmothers breast or lack of  my mothers (according to her) but am happily in the middle.  This tour thru the photos was not very long, and a little sad for me.  My daughter never met my grandmother, or mother, or several other dear relatives.  She has grown up only knowing stories of them, and actually knowing a few other relatives on my side, and my spouses parents and siblings. It was an interesting time.
So today, we have lovely fall weather and the feel for foods made from winter squash or pumkin.  The smell of cinnamon cooked.  Perhaps i will make the little pumkin tarts that Bakerella made  a week or two ago. Pies and tarts always bring back family memories as well.  It's just one of those days.
Have a great one!
trev

ahh the weekend

Today has been one of the very mixed feeling days.  It started out good, I turned in 86 yards of fabric for the purge stash sale.  I'm hoping alot of it sells. I only asked for a few pieces back, rather than donate.  Then,  tired  still, i  went to work at the studio with kids i teach which i usually find very rejuvinating.  Then happily set off to get coffee and call a friend about going to the movies tonight her husband is out of town for the weekend at their sons parent day for college.  As soon as she answered i could tell something was not right.
She finally gave in and told me had just found out yesterday she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and was still trying to get her head around it.  After talking for about and hour about outcomes, and not writing the book before its written, because we all have a tendency to imagine the worst possible scenario instead of the best.  I know this friend well and she has been there for me many times.  The year i was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma, she did all the good thinking while i did the I'm not going to think at all.  When i had duct removed from my breast she was my good thinker again.  We are both the kind of people who do for others and never let others know we are sick or we need help.  Stubborn supporters of others never letting others do for us.  I know she will get thru this and i know i will be there for her, and that my job will be talking to her, making her see things in a different light.
 This is not the day i planned but it is the day i had given to me.  And i'm thankful that i was able to share with my friend something that is so dreadful in her mind, and help her to get thru.  At this stage there isn't much more i can do except show up with a pint of ben and jerry,s some hot coco and bottle of baileys.  This is the girls fix everything bad in our lives. Bad dates, fights with spouses, missing your kids in college- as they grow into their own adulthood. We will get thru this, and happiness will return.