Halloweened Out

Is it over yet? Now don't get me wrong-- you all know how much I love Halloween, but this year, I’m kinda ready for it to be over. I think it’s because we started with the cider mills a bit too early, and we have exhausted all the kid’s Halloween activity options. I was so happy that Q was actually old enough to be at least a *teensy* bit interested in spooky festivities that we went a little overboard. If I see one more Disney princess costume (specifically those filled with mean little girls who stick their noses up at my Strawberry Q), I may puke.

So how were your weekends? Ours was lovely. Friday was dinner with friends and their daughter, Ramona, who is Quinn’s buddy. We went to a chaotic Halloween event at the local YMCA. There really wasn’t too much for them to do besides steal cones from some of the games like little mice and stack them up on the floor. We didn’t stop them because there was no order anywhere else anyway.

Saturday, my parents came over. My mom brought ground bologna. Are you familiar?? I’m sure it will sound appalling to those who are not. It’s ring bologna ground up and mixed with pickle relish and mayonnaise. It’s like ham salad with bologna instead, and it HIT THE SPOT. At night, last minute we decided to run over to a Halloween event in the city where I work. It was drizzling a bit, but it was still pretty nifty. She got a little scared, but she reallllllly likes Nerds, so that helped mitigate her fears.


Yesterday, I finished up her trick or treat bag. The pattern’s based on a Martha Stewart owl clip art craft in the October Living. I just drew on the bag with a temporary ink pen and stitched over. I thought I should maybe fill some more stuff in, but eh. If I have time tonight (between making Halloween cupcakes for work potluck and frosted sugar cookies for daycare), I may stitch Quinn’s name on. Not perfect, but very Girl Land. Whoops! Looking at this pic, I definitely need to iron out my hoop crease a little better.

Oh, I also tried this. One word—ugh.

Last thing—Girl Land merchandise is now available for sale in-state at Red Shoes in Ann Arbor!!! That makes 4 stores which makes me very very happy and proud. Sigh.

Me Want Food

Gack. So I made the front cover of our local newspaper doing what I do best-- eating. I'm sharing this fairly unattractive picture with you for sport. This was from a Taste Fest that my friend, Shelly, organized. My friend, Noreen, and I went after work last Tuesday.

So I was half expecting to see the FIRST picture the photographer took. It was of me with half of a shrimp tempura roll hanging out of my mouth and my eyes half open. The photographer came over to get my name, and I said "I don't think so". I was pretty bitchy to him only because I'm already feeling fat, bloated, and unattractive. I didn't need to view the proof in black and white. So he was kind enough to take this second photo. I got his name and contact info and told him I'd be hunting him down if he ran the first one-- I was half kidding, half COMPLETELY serious.

Good thing I made it crystal clear because this was on the front cover of our local paper this morning. And like really REALLY large. While it's not the most flattering pic, I'm just thankful it wasn't of the first picture. I may have cried. I'm thanking my lucky stars.

**Update: Apparently, the picture is more hideous than I originally thought. I have gotten several "sympathy" calls today from friends asking, "Are you ok???". Cringe, cringe. I am going to crawl in a hole now. See you next year.**

Lovely Bones Update

Are you sick of hearing about this yet? Please bear with my deep obsession. I feel that I will, inevitably, be let down by the movie version, but I can't help but hope. C'mon, Mr. Jackson!

So Dark Horizons reports that my boyfriend, Ryan Gosling, is out as Susie's father, and Mark Wahlberg will replace him!. I'm not sure how I feel about this as I do love them both, but I think the scale was tilted just a tad towards Mr. Gosling. Still unsure how Rachel Weisz will (spoiler alert) be able to cheat on EITHER OF THE HOTTIES with Michael Imperioli, but I did read that the role requires a few extra pounds. Even still...I'm just not a monobrow type of gal, I suppose.

Filming started yesterday in Malvern, Pennsylvania if anyone lives near.

P.S. I had to post the pants-dropping Marky Mark phase of you, M.W. (sorry), because I remember you when! I think sometimes you seem a little too big for those previously-saggy britches of yours, and you need to remember where you came from. I saw you in 1991 in concert with the Funky Bunch at Meadowbrook Music Hall when my 2 friends and I had our parents drive us 2 hours to Detroit, and you put on an average show-- until we got to see your Calvins, then it was alllll good. Awwwww yeah. xo

Back...in Black

Hi kids! I missed ya. I was at a conference last week, and this week, I am just in a funk. I can’t get out. I’m feeling underwhelmed, uninspired, and just downright icky. But enough about me, how are you doing???


I went to a very informative Urban Planning conference last week. My favorite part was a mobile workshop of an old insane asylum that they are transforming into a mixed use development. The hubby and I have been following this for 5 years. These pictures are some “before” pics from a few years back. Note the scary balconies with chainlink fences over them to keep the patients in! Eek!

Here is an “after” pic as well of a residential building. There are many residential condo units as well as wonderful businesses such as a the Left Foot Charley winery, Pleasanton Bakery, Higher Grounds (dig their website addy "javaforjustice.com) roasting company (the only free trade organic coffee roaster in North America), Stella Trattoria, a spa, salon, art gallery, deli, etc. And get ready because a new boutique hotel will be coming soon! Nifty. OH! And how can I forget-- the Underground Cheesecake Company is also moving there. Yummmmay.

On the crafty front, I’m working on embroidering a personalized trick or treat bag for Q. I will show you when I’m all done. Need to run to Michael’s at lunch to grab some more embroidery floss as well as some green felt to make some strawberry leaves to tie around her wrists and ankles for her Halloween costume. We’re planning on attending a Halloween event Friday night with her little friend, Ramona, and her mom and dad. Hopefully we won't get drenched cuz rain is in the forecast. Bummer!

Into the Forest!

So now that my craftroom is complete, I'm getting the decorating itch again! Our room is to be turned into Q's big girl room with a forest theme! I'm leaning more towards the mushroom/gnome/woodland creature feel, not so much the fairies-- not that I have anything against fairies!!! :) So imagine the wonderful timing when I received an e-mail alert from Little Odd Forest (love!) that these tree stump stool covers were back in stock! I snatched one up immediately.

My wonderfully talented aunt is going to sew a patchwork quilt for Q. I've been collecting a few Japanese fabrics, but I need to get some more muted patterns to work in there. It's hard!!! I'm not a natural at this. So besides the three kiddie prints (kids, animals, and mushrooms in a forest on white and pink backgrounds), I have a small mushroom print on white, and a small pink polka dot on white. Remind me to take pics of my swatches because I'm sure you all will have wonderful ideas for me.

There is also a wonderful closet in her future room which is begging to be turned into a "secret room". My grandma had a tiny kids-only room upstairs in her work room (she was a florist) with Peter Rabbit wallpaper, a toy piano, and table and chairs with china tea set. I have such happy memories of that bitty room! I wish I had some photos of it, but now the house has been long sold.

C'mon Kids, Get Your Sugar ON

That's right, kiddies, the Girl Land household is giving out FULL SIZE candy bars this Halloween. I'm obviously pulling out all the stops so I can get more than 10 stinkin' trick-or-treaters on my dead end street. Tell your friends!!! Ryan thinks they'll be mostly gone before Halloween, but I disagree. I can justify eating 10 snack size bars in a row, but to eat a full size candy bar???? To shame! That's my screwed up sense of logic for you.

The first year we had the house, I decorated with corn stalks, pumpkins out the wazoo, mums, pumpkin lights, and blared spooky sound effects out the window. I was unaware that kids just don't come down our street. Walter (my single dude neighbor across the street with the cutest Corgi, Goebel) and I used to sit in our respective enclosed porches and occasionally exchange the sheepish nod. He decks his house out with a fake graveyard and owls in the trees. Now I sit inside with the door cracked open and yell, "HOLD ON!" if they knock one too many times. I got a little lazy with my decorating this year. I'm waiting for my peach and greyish black pumpkins to get stolen (my white ones spouted legs and walked away last year). But I still did do the lights. whooooo. hoooooo.

We had one dude in our neighborhood growing up who did the full-size Snickers. Dr. Boulter. He was (wait for it) a dentist. Good career builder, Dr. B!

Anywho, hit another cider mill this weekend. Sixty degree weather=much better cider mill weather than 90 degree weather. T'was fun except neither Q nor myself drank any cider (unpasteurized). Although I eat/drink everything else I'm not supposed to while PG (deli meat, nutrasweet, caffeine, soft cheese-- all in moderation)-- I know, EVIL MOM. But something about the floaties on the bottom of the cider carton make it seem just so much more, I dunno, bacteria-filled. Another example of my screwed up logic. Hope everyone else's weekends were lovely!

I have only one more work day, then I am off with my friend to an Urban Planning conference upstate where Ryan and Q will join me Friday. The colors should be at their peak. We used to stay at the most BEAUTIFUL B&B B.Q. (Before Quinn) called the Wellington Inn. Seriously, if anyone is traveling to Traverse City, I'd highly recommend it and get the tour. This couple has taken painstaking measures to restore the home back to its original state looking for photographs and clues to show them how each room looked back in the day. And Barb is the best cook! Mmmm!

Ok, kids, off to bed. Ciao for now!

Decal Debacle

I received my decals from Ebay today. I knew the price was too good to be true. The woman had made them herself, and the print quality was pretty bad. She was nice though, and she's refunding all my money and said I could just keep them. I was pretty excited to know, however, that you can buy inkjet waterslide decal paper to make your own! I think they would work best on clear glass. I tested one of them out on an orange surface, and it didn't show up too well. Anyway, kinda neat to keep in mind. You can buy the decal paper by the sheet on Ebay, but I'm sure you can find it elsewhere.

I decided to just make my own stick-on decals for the treat pails myself. I think they turned out ok-- I definitely like the owl one better. They are in my shop. I'm so into the Halloweeny mood. I changed my shop banner for the occasion as well. Tee hee!

P.S. Check out my crafty friend, Cyndy's, new Etsy shop called Candy Buttons! Adorable stuff!