At the Diner Table

Dale and I like to frequent a little diner just over the border in Washington state. It's called the Otis Grill. It's so wonderfully home-grown. The folks that own and run it are just great. They get to know you and can place your usual order as soon as you walk in the door. There's no frills. Just excellent food and service ... in a home town country sort of way.

You must try their Patty Melt, their Reuben, or their French Dip!

At our favorite table, there's a little chip in the Formica. Is it any wonder this diner has a piece of my heart?

Pumpkin Mug Rugs

I was sorting my photos the other day and ran across this project from last Thanksgiving that we forgot to post.

Jodie crocheted these cute little Mug Rugs to sit at each place on the table.

It was another sweet addition to our tablescape.

Oh, Hello, Kitty!

  

Earth Day

Jodie and I met via Skype for a crafternoon. Since it's Earth Day, we decided to craft with recycled materials. Jodie used cardboard and bottle caps for her project.

I decided to start our Mystery Box #4 project ... a Christmas project. There were quite a number of recycled items in that box. I added a few more. So far, the recycled items I'm using are:

• Oatmeal box
• Peanuts can
• Batting bought at a thrift store
• Fabric from a child's dress
• Nylon stocking
• Styrofoam ball (not recycled, but old)

It looks like this project will take several days to complete, but I feel good about today's start.

"What is it?" you ask?

"Shhhh! It's a secret!"

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Coloring Meditation

Jeanne stopped by to spend some time in the Studio with me. Today, we decided to color. Julie gave Jeanne a beautiful mandala coloring book for Christmas. Jeanne found a mandala with hearts for me to color. I used vibrant colors.

Jeanne chose a more pastel colorway.

While we colored, we chatted via Skype with Jodie. A lovely crafternoon was had by all.

Gingerbread Train Station [part 2]

These are the individual cars each of us decorated.


JEANNE

I especially appreciate the icicles dripping off the side of the roof

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JULIE

Julie put her special signature on the roof of her engine. I like her purple smoke stack.

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JODIE

And who is this fine fellow?

Why, it's the Prince of Candy Cane Lane!

MARGARET

My car was overflowing with the presents, ready for delivery.

So long, gingerbread, until next year! 

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Gingerbread Train Station [part 1]

For the last three year, the AuralArtists have gotten together on the day after Thanksgiving to make a gingerbread creation. The first year we created a gingerbread house, complete with a fish in a brook and a rainbow bridge. The second year we worked on a little gingerbread village.

This year we created a gingerbread train station. Each of us decorated a car. Then we set it in a winter wonderland.


THE OVERALL VIEW

Two engines, two train cars, a licorice track with pretzel railroad ties. Four species of trees. Three expressive snowmen. Coconut and icing snow. Loads and loads of candy.

[click for larger image]

[click for larger image]

THE TREES

We used the fabric circles / wooden skewer / star button trees for the last couple years. The sparkly blue tree was found at a thrift store.

We made the centerpiece tree by curling a piece of paper into a cone shape, then wrapping it with gold tinsel garland. Then we gave it a garland of red and green ribbons and a jelly star on top. To finish it off, we added tiny wrapped gifts and sugarplum presents.

The chocolate trees are made from Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and a Hershey's Kiss. We finished them with a garland of frosting and lights made of teeny candy jaw breakers.

THE SNOWMEN

This is the third year the snowfolk have made an appearance. They're made from rolls of felt with felt and button scarves, painted faces, topped with a hat made from the fingertips of a knit glove.

This is the happy Christmas tree farmer.

This poor fellow's snow fort started to melt and fell apart.

This overly excited chap is totally wowed to catch a glimpse of The Prince of Candy Cane Lane.  You'll meet him tomorrow!

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I found the inspiration for the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup trees on Pinterest
Original by Good Housekeeping

Fall Garland

For this project, I combined two ideas I found on Pinterest. The first was a polka dot garland made in Fall colors. The second was a autumn leaf garland. The second came with a set of templates which I traced, then cut leaves from construction paper in fall colors.

Once all the pieces were made, I punched two hole in the "top" of each piece using an 1/8" hole punch.

Next I laid out the leaves and dots on the table, putting a dot between each leaf. I also was careful to keep from putting two of any one color side by side, and of not having two of the same kind of leaf adjacent to each other.

Once I was satisfied with the order, I threaded the dots and leaves onto some red and white striped baker's twine. I had enough garland to swag across the mantle

and across the windows in the same room. I was quite pleased with the outcome. It was one more thing to make our home festive for the Thanksgiving day celebration.

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Dot garland inspired by
Mailbox Happiness

Leaf garland inspired by
A Beautiful Mess

Looks Like a Pumpkin

... tastes like a dinner roll. Well, because it is.

This is another idea we found on Pinterest that we used for our Thanksgiving meal. 

• Frozen dinner rolls ... defrosted
• Cut slits around them with kitchen scissors
• Poke in a piece of walnut or pecan
• Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment
• Bake per the directions on the package

They came out so cute and looked great all piled up in the bread basket.

Thanks to Jodie for the photo.

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Inspired by Thistlewood Farms

Turkey Brigade

Say! Who are these fine looking bald fellows?

Why, they are the turkey brigade Jeanne and I made for Thanksgiving. We included one at each place setting to use as nameplate holders. 

We used a clothespin for the body. Painted the upper portion with brown acrylic paint. Added a felt beak, felt wattle, and googly eyes. We had a hard time finding feathers, for our fine friends, so off to the dollar store I traveled where I gathered up four feathered Mardi Gras masks. Jeanne carefully disassembled them and -- voila! -- tail feathers. The turks stand in a base made of spraypainted foam core.

But like all rafters of turkeys, these chums just wobbled around and did not want to stay in strict formation. Gotta love them gobblers.

Many thanks to Jodie for taking photos of the completed birds.
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Clothespin turkeys inspired by an image I found on Pinterest. If anyone knows the original designer, please let me know so I can give proper credit.

Turkey Platter

It's time to play AA Catch-up! 

Even though the artists haven't been posting, that doesn't mean they haven't been crafting. Or in this case, playing with their food.

Over Thanksgiving last November, we were all able to be in the same place at the same time. Before gathering, we planned several crafty ideas to present at our Thanksgiving meal. The idea of a turkey platter made out of fruits or out of meats and cheeses was bantered all over Pinterest. We grabbed onto that idea and took a big ol' bite.

My daughters were the main architects. I supplied the ingredients. They did a fantastic job with ...

and here it sits among other nibble-ables. See that feathered fellow in the background? I'll tell you about him next.

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Our platter was inspired by
Also, That's It