Frosty Parts 4 Sale In The Window

It's beginning to look a little like Christmas.......well at all the other blogs that is.  It's a bit frosty at my place. 

Assembly Required

My blog has been sidetracked by.... 1) bins of ugly Christmas stuff I don't even think the jolly happy soul that I am can repurpose..... 2) by threats of mutiny from my kids if I dare to suggest not using the stretchy- knit-endless fill-stockings they have hung by the chimney with care for years, you'd think the stockings came to life one day.... and lastly 3) there must have been some magic because I did a quick and simple window display to give the illusion I have plenty of time to fuss with such things.

I was so happy when it was done I began to dance around.

Nothing matches except the bins!

I just hope my bedroom won't look like this till January.  This is the "good" side, I hope this stuff melts away.

If you aren't humming Frosty the Snowman yet, slap yourself and start reading again from the beginning.

Down in the village I own that vintage building {here}, with the gutted upstairs and main-floor-barber-shop-turned-band-practice-area for son #2.  (But check out that authentic floor!). The window had an old plastic tarp hanging in it so no one could see the mess inside, but outside it's as alive as it can be.

Behind the curtain it's still a mess from jamming and snacking as they laugh and play just the same as you and me.  

From the sidewalk the view is much better now, all around the square as a matter of fact.

In August I took every extra frame I had, thrifted some more, painted some with CeCe Caldwells Slate and we set up a photography display, which may or may not have been a smart idea for a semi retired photographer to do.  Look at Frosty Bliss go.

They were painted in slate or silver so they would match a certain Kodak dresser {here} that we also took to the window.  (Sorry for all the reflection in the glass, the sun was hot that day).

All the photos were printed in black and white.  I just didn't want a bunch of competing colors. 

Behind all the photos are some old doors, windows, corn cob pipes, and behind that is the one and only multi use fabric...... drop cloth - hung as curtains.

Throw in a barber chair for old times sake.........

 and little initial tags to match the person in each photo, made from a vintage music magazine.  All the people are recent local clients, I thought they would enjoy seeing themselves.

The magazine was .10¢ and it has some great stuff inside.  The cover colors are beautiful, I picked it up one day running here and there.

I took some pieces of poinsettias and red bows from the bins and placed them all around the tone-on-tone window display.

In August two of the loves of my life dropped the 500 pound barber chair on my big toe as it was on it's way to the window.  They only paused a moment and didn't hear me holler STOP!  It healed up nicely but I didn't set foot or toe back in the window till now. Thumpety thump thump.

 With a broom stick in my hand I reused some glass light fixtures that were pumpkins in October {here} and turned them into snowman heads.  I mean isn't that what you would of done?  Made glass heads out of pumpkins?  It's a fairy tale they say.

So the crate of snowman heads are for sale, but you have to assemble them yourself.

It contains everything you need..... eyes, carrot nose, scarfs, twigs for arms, Frosty's broom, but please don't bring the snow.  We'll have plenty of that before long.

I've gotta hurry on my way, so I'll wave goodbye saying don't you cry, I'll be back again some day.

Parts of Frosty The Snowman are Partying at:

Wildly Original Party @IGottaCreate
Christmas Holiday Craft Party @MadeInADay 
Home for the Holidays @ForRent.com 
Simpy You @ SimplyKierste 
All Star Block Party @FullCircleCreations 
12 Days of Christmas @BeyondThePicketFence 
Cowgirl Up @CedarHillRanch 
Creative Inspirations Party @EmbracingChange 
Open House Party @NoMinimalistHere 
Transformation Thursday @TheShabbyCreekCottage 
Everything But the Kitchen Sink @ALittleKnickKnack 
Friday Free For All @FiveWaysFiveDays 
 Happy Hour Friday @CraftyScrappyHappy

Frosty's bits were featured at:
I Gotta Create


Full Circle Creations

The Kodak dresser keeps on giving.... it was featured at Cowgirl UP from this post

Vintage Ice Skate Wreath

As soon as I saw these ice skates - in the heat of the summer - I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.  Don't get me wrong, I wasn't wishing for the cold of winter right then and there.  Today's high was 30 and soon the lake will be froze nice and solid and ice skating can begin.

But these vintage skates won't be cutting any lines in the ice.  The best thing about them is the inside.  Look at that awesome plaid fabric.  I know a certain someone who would probably love to add these to her decorations, but they are mine allllll mine.

This was an easy project, it took me longer to hang the wreath on the door than it did to make it.  When I made my Fall wreath {here} that I salvaged for .50¢ I also picked up a Christmas wreath for .50¢.  All I did for this was cut it in half so it was more like a spray, hung some .25¢ garage sale bells along with the $1.00 pair of ice skates, and I have a wreath I love on my mudroom door.  Total cost....... $1.75.

They look nice from the inside too.

Skating on over to:
Newbie Party with a Twist @ DebbieDoos
Christmas Party @ RedHeadCanDecorate


Thank you's for Skate Wreath Featured at:
DebbieDoos

The Silhouette is at the Ranch.... O yah!

 The smells of Thanksgiving are filling my home.  And I like it.

Every day for the next month there will be something shake'n or bake'n around here.  And the newest thing shaking is that a Christmas present to myself has arrived.   I make sure to get what I really really want.  And I'll tell 'ya what I wanted what I really really wanted........

A Cameo Silhouette.

Ain't she a beauty!

And just because I'm a budding Cameo Silhouette artist, the folks at Silhouette are offering my super fantastic readers a chance to purchase their own Cameo or Portrait on Black Friday for a great price.  OR, if you already have one, get 40% off your supplies.

To get any or all of these BLACK FRIDAY deals here is what 'ya gotta do........
Come back November 23rd - Black Friday starting at midnight after you clean up your turkey.  Go to the Silhouette America web page link:
http://silhouetteamerica.com/blackfriday.aspx and enter the promo code BLISSRANCH.  You can order your very own Silhouette CAMEO® that includes 1 copy of Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition (MSRP $349.98) for $229.99  a most excellent price!  If you've been waiting to get one, now is the time.

~OR~

The new Silhouette Portrait for $179.99 

~OR~

40% off at silhouetteamerica.com.  You can stock up on supplies for the New Year, or better yet create your own awesome Christmas gifts.

Offer expires November 30th, 2012 .... You have a whole week to use the code.

(*rain checks not available. 40% off discount excludes the Silhouette Cameo, Silhouette Portrait, downloads, download cards, subscriptions and gift cards.)

·        
 Santa Brawn is usually cobbling away in his workshop all through December making gifts, and as the proud owner of my own Silhouette you can bet he'll be cobbling a lot more.  Making signs and letters and more signs and more letters to make dressers like this:

  Kodak Moment Dresser

And bar carts out of dressers like this..........

 Old Dresser Turned Beverage Center

And signs like this.....

Wood Scrap Art

Before I had a Silhouette Cameo I had to do the letters freehand or I was limited to the font/stickers I could find at the store.  But not no more sweetie!  This fantastic little vinyl cutter is going to open new doors for my creativity - my lazy creativity that is -  I avoid doing many of the projects trapped in my head because I know how long they will take and the tedious steps of making my own letters.   I can't wait to get going on it, I just have to order myself up some of the 40% off vinyl and I can fire that puppy up!

So while you are making that midnight turkey sandwich, I'll be getting ready to hit the black friday sales all from the comfort of my chair.  I'll probably have a turkey sammy too!  Are you going shopping on foot or do you let your fingers do the walking?

Turkeys, Chairs, and Lisa's Husband

If you are wondering what turkey, chairs and Lisa's husband all have in common listen up and I'll just tell 'ya. This is a wordy post, but I have three stories to tell, so just read it and stop complaining......

At the beginning of the week my friend Miss Doo, that's Debbie Doo had a post for People Magazine about the Sexiest man alive issue. Yes, we DIY blogs and crafty ladies write stuff like that from time to time.  We paint, and drill, and use nails,  but we're not blind 'ya know.

Bliss had an empty choice

 So Miss Doos posed the question to her readers if we could pick the man for the cover this year who would we pick?  I thought on it and this was my comment to her:

"There is no shortage of beautiful people and handsome men for People Mag to choose from but I’m just not finding one that I would add the word *sexy* to the handsome part.  I KNOW…. what’s wrong with me??". 

It bothered me that I didn't think any man was handsome and sexy both, have I gone blind? (With the exception of course of Brawn, but as far as I know People Mag wasn't considering him).

Help, I'm stuck in this pan and I can't get cooked

I'm hosting Thanksgiving for my in laws.  A pretty good sized group, if everyone were able to attend it would be upwards of 50 people including kids.  Brawn is the 4th oldest of 12, no matter how you slice it, or carve it, we need plenty of turkey.  We are expecting around 30 which includes our own gang, and when I cook a turkey I like leftovers to get the family through the weekend while I am out shopping and for my midnight sandwich.

Once upon a time 43 pounds sounded like an ideal turkey size.  We bought the bird in the spring and he came to us the day before Thanksgiving all fresh.  Forty three pounds of turkey carcass caused several problems, like ummm, Tom wouldn't fit in the pan, or the oven.
Or the fridge.
Or anywhere but on a chair as a guest.

My in-laws are pretty easy to please when it comes to food, but raw turkey isn't on the list.  We had to take the gobbler to friends at the local pizza shop to saw it in half.  At 10:00 the night before when we realized the beast could not be cooked as he was.  Isn't your local pizza shop owner also a butcher at the market?  Ours is.  Thank goodness!

43 pounds of big bird

So we cooked one half in the oven and the other on the grill.   The one Brawn put on the grill won hands down as the tastiest turkey ever, so since then he is in charge of giving us all the bird.  He relishes that -  x's two.

Back to the present....... I had to go out in search of the perfect sized turkeys, Thanksgiving IS a week away you know.  I have been looking on craigs list for some dining room chairs.  I knew what I wanted in my head plus they had some additional conditions like they had to be affordable.  My vision for a redo involved nailhead trim and feed sack backs, easily redone seats, since I can glue, staple and tape but can't sew.

 Something like this chair from the famous Miss Mustard Seed.  I covet this chair.  A lot.

Just last week I paused the search for chairs realizing I probably needed to paint, and pull the other room things together first.   Since craigslist has tons of chairs the right ones were sure to come along for the right price when I was ready.

Then I looked this morning.  These were there.  For a price I wanted to pay.  Apparently I'm ready.

Chair convention on my porch

I decided to combine getting the twin turkeys with a stop to look at those chairs.   They were pretty close to the vision in my head, both the turkeys and the chairs, and conveniently close to a Super Target that just happened to have Butterballs on sale.

We weigh 20 pounds each.  We love you Brawn, you sexy thing

But I didn't need a table, although I was willing to find a use for a huge dining room table in my already over stuffed garage full of projects and treasures.  Because I needed to put something else in that garage like I need a hole in the head.

One reason I couldn't think of a celebrity to crown as People's sexiest man alive might be because 'ya know... I'm no spring chicken.  Those young actors are cute yes, but I could be their mother.  And the old ones, ok, so James Bond is handsome, but he's getting up there in years.  Where is the middle of the road man for us middle of the road women?  Not too old, or not too young.

(source)

 Bond, James Bond

Lisa was a petite thing, and she described her husband as a "big guy, a really big guy" complete with hand motions on girth to emphasize how big, and she said he didn't want to bang in to stuff as he made his way around the table.  So I'm picturing someone looking a bit like that mafia actor guy James Gandolfini.  No offense to Mr. Gandolfini, there is nothing the matter with his looks, but I had not even considered him as my pick for the People Magazine cover.  I'm quite sure he wouldn't consider me for it either.

Source

James Gandolfini

While I was viewing the chairs with Lisa, Irene called her.  As Lisa told Irene the set was sold I motioned to her to see if Irene was interested in just the table.  She was.  As Irene drove to see Lisa's table I was at Target lifting 20 pound Butterballs into my cart, on sale for .99¢ a pound. 

With the 40 lb. twins safely on the floor of the front seat, I headed back to Lisa's to find out if I was going to be the owner of 6 chairs or 6 chairs and a table.  Irene wanted the table.  Perfect!  I wouldn't have to bother Brawn to fetch a table he surely knows we don't need or have room for.

Lisa's husband came home and helped me load, and the chairs all fit nicely, two in the back, three in the middle, and one riding shotgun holding down the turkeys.  My vehicle is always the dirty one when I go to the city, it has a panel of dirt road brown down the side.  With furniture piled in every available spot, I was a new version of the Beverly Hillbillies complete with vittles in the front seat. But minus the black gold or Texas tea.

Keep in mind I'm expecting a BIG guy, like someone who has eaten their fair share of Butterballs or I would describe lovingly as a butterball.  Mr. Lisa helped me load the chairs and I told Lisa he didn't look anything like I thought, that he wasn't that big!  Lisa said he's cute isn't he?

Now dear readers is the time to clear your mind of Mr. Gandolfini and all motions of girth, and start to picture someone more the size of The Rock or Vin Diesel big.  So I agreed with Lisa that he was cute, I think I said "yes he is,  he's very cute".  Trying not to put too much emphasis on the 'very' part for fear of embarrassing myself!  But... OMG!!!

Ummmm Lisa, I hate to tell 'ya but ......... he isn't cute.  He's drop. dead. gorgeous!   People Magazine didn't ask me, but Miss Doos did so I would put Lisa's husband on the cover (if Brawn was busy that day of course).  If Lisa sends me a photo I'll put it with this post, or under my pillow.

Red Yardstick Table

Ya'll...... the southern way.
Youse Guys..... the Midwestern way
You all or you guys........ that's how I learned it growing up in California.

So if any of you guys want to pop over to ReFreshReStyle and say *hey* to Debbie, you all will see my guest post of a little table redo using CeCe Caldwells Traverse City Cherry paint and some yardsticks.  While you are there check out the stuff the Divine Ms. D. herself whips up.  She's no slacker.

The Before

I tried to be classy on her blog (not counting saying wh*rehouse) since I was a guest and didn't want to look like a giddy schoolgirl, but since this is my blog I can say it.......

CAN YA'LL BELIEVE I have a guest post with 

DEBBIE FROM REFRESH RESTYLE..... ME ?????  Pinchy pinchy my cheeky cheeks.