Halloween Weekend

With Halloween on a Sunday + many days school free before and after + Scott moving the remains of the old office all weekend, I heeded his recommendation to take the kids to Utah. Saturday night the kids put on their costumes and ran around happy as clams eating their huge candy stash from our ward trunk or treat the night before. After all the kids were in bed, my Mom, Julia and I slipped out and went to "Dracula". It was done as an old Orson Wells Radio show with about 10 total participants all in 40's attire reading from dimly lit stands. A few were in the background playing the piano, tapping shoes on the table for 'walking' sounds, wiggling panels of sheet metal for thunder, etc.... it was awesome. It was a small, damp room up at the Castle theater so we all sat there, huddled together... shivering from the chill... or was it the eveeel vampire HIMSELF?
Luckily the rain did not extinguish the annual reign of ghost flying around my house. They were at it again- flying across the yard to the neighbors, across the street and back...the kids loved it.
On Sunday morning I thought it would be fun to make pumpkin pancakes so I used apple slices. YUM. Sunday night was our big family celebration. We ate tasty food and played Just Dance.
Oh Yes.
Just Dance.
This is a new phenomenon around our house and I brought it with me to spread to my family. WE LOVE IT. The music is awesome, the dance moves are sweet, and the laughs are the best. If you haven't played this yet, I really recommend it. And then I challenge you to Rasputin (Click on it. Seriously.) Yes, we did look scary most of the time. Disco kicks and the running man do not come easy to some, but we had a frightfully good time nonetheless!
Besides, what could be more scary than these foot long Twizzlers I found!?

Chain Gang

I've been wondering how to efficiently display/store my necklaces and this is the first idea I've come across that I like. Awesome, no?
But for $50 I think I can make one with some dime store animals meself. AND... what if it was all painted white, hm?

Pre-lloween

The week of Halloween was really fun. We had a lot going on so I will start with the first half.
I am all for buying costumes if A) they see one they love and B) if it's worth the price (which it usually is). So Sadie's, I bought. Only for some reason most of the Sleeping Beauty princess dresses were all knee length or overpriced, so I bought the less expens. one and added a fluffy skirt below. Done. Luke and Elliet, however... were harder. Luke wanted to be a Minion from 'Despicable Me' so... yeah. I had to make that one. And Elliet saw a Peacock costume for over $100! in a kids magazine. There is no way I was paying that. So we made that one, too. The talent was happy and that's what is important, no?
The great Mr. Shenkberger lobbied hard to get the trunk or treat back this school year with success. I was so happy! This is a great event and the kids love it. They have a costume parade and go from car to car (parent volunteers), collect candy and end with a huge group Monster Mash dance. I am glad he keeps Halloween fun at school. I have such a dorky grin on my face watching all those kids in costumes dancing to that. Halloween is the BEST.
I decided to go for a monster truck this year using foam cushion for big teeth and had a gaping red mouth complete with a child skeleton. I put a treat in his rotted teeth, too and told all the kids that may happen to them if they get too close. The best part was I found some awful belching mp3 audio files and made a playlist of those so the car would sporaticaly burp. Tell me what kids wouldn't love that?!
We also shared this with our ward trunk or treat night (another great time) and left for UT the next day. More on that next!
(Look at Luke in that bottom pic smiling at me from within the hungry teeth)

GND

Well Hi! Long time no blog.
Yes, it's like a slippery slope. The more you put it off, the easier it is to lose a desire all together. But I really have been super duper busy. And guess what! I have caught up on back posts, too. And have future dated those so you'll have more to read throughout the week. I know, it's so freaking exciting.
I thought I would start with the GND show because it was hoppin'. We had a great turn out which always brings a tear to my eye. I love being able to showcase cool design/products for people and have it so strongly supported. I really love the girls who do this with me year after year and see the vision. And then to have such cool people who appreciate and support it.
I was so busy during the night that I never got pictures of the evening. I wasn't able to make much this year (big surprise) but did fit in some creative things that were floating in my brain. I had these shield necklaces made so you could have one alone on a chain or with a little 'honorary' ribbon. They are a small 1/2" tall, perfect every-day jewelry. I was really pleased with how they turned out. And they are quite affordable, I might add. Only $30 for the plain or stud-edged style and $35 for a ribboned one. It's the holidays people- if you think this would make a rad gifty for that stylish someone (ahem- even you, perhaps?), there are a few left. Let me know if you're interested. Easy Peasy Christmas Gifty.
The second creative execution I tried was vintage string art. I know, I know. Totally weird. I bought this random 70's kit on Ebay in the summer that started it all. I have more ideas I want to try but only had time to make some geometric designs this time. They are big suckers, though- two feet square. And thanks to my Dad and his wise woodworking ways, we figured out a way I can whip these out without using a hammer. So I got to boogie down (more on that to come) in the garage with an air compressor brad gun. Good times, good times. I really thought this was almost too odd a venture to display, but people actually liked them and I sold a few!
I am looking forward to a little breathing room this week. Where I will eat. A lot.

Why

Well, one of the reasons why I have been neglecting posts. I thought things were going to slow down after Halloween but they haven't. The speed has maintained and the rest of my month continues to look that way. But soon- soccer practice/games will end, events will pass and then it's December. So yeah, no comfort of calm there. Life is good though, and I'd rather be busy than not I suppose.
I am making some cool new things for our show next week. Perhaps I will post some peeks for you all.
School is out tomorrow and Friday and S will be on a boys trip so I will have lotsotime to wax creative and play with the kids. Hoorah.
Plus I have a long list of music to investigate. Watch for new recommendations soon (unless you're not tired of those silk stocking gams?).

Framed!

Talk about a custom bike!
Then I can sit on meself.

Party! Yep-yep-yep-yep-yep

Last weekend was our 7th Annual Halloween Party. The theme this year was TV Characters. I still haven't had time to post all the pics but I at least needed to post (esp. for Juls who keep asking) our Yip Yip costumes. Yes! That is what we were this year. One of my enhancements included a velcro mouth so you could open it up and talk to people face-to-face. You know, instead of face-to-gapingyipmouth. It was quite the useful feature. And as with many of my craft projects, an ambitious little pain. But overall, success wouldn't you say? S and I had many giggles even before the party. If you have forgotten the Yip Yips from sesame street days ago, shame on you! Now go review here. And include your kids! They'll laugh, too.
This was another perk of having Rich come for his Birthday. They could attend our famous party. Now all of my siblings have attended our party at one time or another. Woot!
And what looks better than Rich, as Robin, donning the awesome Photoshop Birthday hat?! Happy Birthday, Rich! We sure hope you enjoyed your weekend because you are SOOOO OOLD. :) Loved having you guys!

P to the Arty

Last week was stacked with one thing after another. Mostly in preparation for one of the highlights of the season: our Halloween Party! But my camera has not been cooperating lately so I won't have pics of that for you just yet (I borrowed one).
Rich & Randi came to Vegas for the weekend and joined in the festivities. But mostly I talked him into coming for his 30th BIRTHDAY! And what better gift to give than tix to CHROMEO!!
This was the first time they have performed in Vegas and it was a great show. We were pretty bummed out to discover that the promised Holy Ghost (the band, not the spirit :)) did not play that night, even though it was advertised so. Boo! Otherwise, the night was funk-a-licious. What talent! What style! What awesome lit up leg synth stands! It was a super weekend kick off.
As for the rest, busy but successful. It feels nice to have the big plans in the middle of the month so I can now enjoy the rest of Halloween fun sans party stress.
Also, big announcement this week: Scott's new office in the NW will be open tomorrow! They have been setting up all week. It looks really great and I'm so proud of him and all his hard work. Now we cross our fingers....

Rogers Gardens 2010

Alright, my fellow Halloween fans! Get ready for this years tour of Rogers Gardens in Newport.
If you are not a fan of Halloween, you may skip this post (Bore!).
This store does such an amazing job. I cannot express my awe at the creativity and obvious fun they must have doing it. I smile at every turned corner, every shelf, every room. I've decided that this would be my dream job. I would love to make people feel that way. So- if you have a store and want me to this, I'm available! How fun would it be?!?
Without further blibbidy-blab, let's go!
Now, c'MON. They turned the already-rad "It's A Small World" art deco design into a haunted entry. Disney macabre? GENIUS, I say. They even honored the tick-tock clock face movement twisting back and forth... back and forth...

A beautiful cuckoo clock all black. It was huge! And notice the bird....

I thought these clip boards on the walls in this room was a clever idea. Photocopies of weird things. Some ordinary and some way creepy, like that clown near the top and the woman screaming.

Check out the vending machine in the back. Yum!

The theme inside was basically a toy factory gone wrong. All these happy things that are now haunting. The first thing you see coming in is a ventriloquist doll sitting on a table who keeps making scary jokes about how you won't leave or how he did something veery wrong.
As you keep walking through you see the elements of this idea everywhere.
This wall of Frankensteined Jack'O's was really clever. They blinked on an off with the fun music. I love all the circuitry and plugs and spray painted 'burn out' marks everywhere.

The ceiling even had huge, rotating gears.

Then in the middle of the back room was the big ventriloquist machine, making the same dolls we just saw greeting you at the front of the store. Look at that thing! That's an intense project!

And peeking inside will show you they are escaping with minds of their own.

Nearby was an area that looked like creature/machine experimentation.

In the entrance to another room, the door frame was made to look hot and burned away like this, entering an area where a blast occurred.

A blast of toy dolls! Check out all that work. And all those charred, black dolls. Oh boy. Delightfully sinister. This is when Scott had had enough and he returned to the car. Said it was all too twisted for him. (teehee- I love it!)

A close up of the plastic devastation....

Everywhere there were pieces of things.

Even tucked here in a cabinet.
I didn't get a picture of this but they had pretty girl dolls in their boxes, just as you would see at a toy store, all dressed up and smiling, mounted on the wall and on shelves. But some of the heads were wired so they would turn back and forth randomly. And they were named weird things like "Bedtime Betty" or "Sleeping Sally". I don't remember exactly, but titles that were super creepy.

I liked these pumpkin faces. Thought they would be easy to make with funkins and save the $30+ price tag.

Now this.... This table was beautiful. Weird, random sculptures of faded wood. I loved it. But they were pricey!

Hope you enjoyed the tour and are inspired to enjoy the rest of your October!!!

Recycle That T

Be Green! Go Eco! Whatever your reason to slash up an old T...
I made this little knit number (the scarf) the other day and it actually worked.
Check Academe for instructions on making your own.

Newport in Oct

We just returned from our seemingly annual October visit to California. It started a couple of years ago taking the kids to Disneyland for all the Halloween hype and we keep coming back. Don't know how much longer we can do this as the kids miss some school days, but we made the most of it.
Wednesday night we left and hurried to our friends house in Corona where the kids stayed and Scott and I left right away to catch The Drums and Surfer Blood in L.A. It was cool to compare this show to the one we saw in NYC in Jan. They sounded better and performed better. I expected the crowd to be going nuts but they didn't. We were tired, though. Most shows start at 8pm and end around 10 or 11- this one began at 10:30 and ended after midnight. Wow- we are old potatoes because we were beat the next day - too old for that kind of crazy night life. But it was worth it for one night. This old surf sound trend is enjoyable and great for people watching.
The rest of the trip was relaxing and fun. There were some uncommon hot days so we enjoyed being outside, going to the beach and the pool and even hitting Disneyland Sat night (another late nighter). Then Monday we woke up to rain! Bah. We went to Dland anyway. I guess it's fair in all our visits that we finally hit a rainy day. It was more like a misty day and it disappeared after lunch time.


I so enjoy our little family. My husband makes me laugh and the kids are great. We had a nice time but it is good to be back in routine again today. October is already on it's way and I still have yet to release my decor everywhere. Whatwhat?!? Time to get going!
And do stay tuned for the famous Rogers Gardens update. Oh yes. I went. And I took many a pics to divulge the spooky fun.
PS- The store fronts in the last collage are some I saw while visiting Laguna in August. Along the same strip mall was an Andrea's Liquor store and a Scott's Donut store. I had to show S and take photos. I think these fit the bill. In another life I would probably be a lush and S would be... soft and sweet. Ha!

Like I Said

The warm nights are diminishing and the calm cool is tip-toeing in. Tip-toeing? Did you know I was talented at writing? Good grief. That is horrible but I just read an awesome book so I thought I would try and be poetic.
Moving on.
For reals, though, y'all, it's gettin way nice at night now. (That's better)
The other night whilst watching yet another soccer practice, the sun was perfectly behind this goal frame, shading my face for a few precious moments (I sure love it when it gets behind those mountains instead of in my face).
Looks like my attempt to have a peaceful, insightful comment with this picture is so not going to happen. What I meant to say was:
Ahhh... beautiful evenings as summer closes.

Starring

TaDa!
Scott's name is in lights!
It is so exciting to see the final touches coming together in all the office relocating. Scott has been balancing so many things... I'm amazed he can keep things straight. The new location in the North West is almost done and looking great.
And they finally got the signage done at the already open South West location.
Woowoo! Way to go, S!

FunFunFun

September is going out with a bang. These last two weeks we've had day to day things happening. Some normal/ boring stuff, some fun/seasonal stuff, and some exciting/lucky stuff.
From the Fun/Seasonal category last week: Interbike. Always a candy store to walk around and check out. I still love all the color that is blooming. Even Neon bikes!
From the Exciting/Lucky category: Phoenix passed through town so we went with some friends. I was just as excited to see Neon Indian open but they were a little anti climactic - what you'd expect from chill wave, I guess. They did don a guitar that lit up (see pic) so they get points for that. But Phoenix sounded AMAZING and they played a good mix of old and new. We'd never been to the Palms before and that venue was smaller than I thought- so double bonus.
Also last week was book club. This month we read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I enjoyed the book a great deal and highly recommend it. The food theme was anything 'fall' flavors but the night before I had a vision to make meringue mushrooms and that is where my Thursday went. Making this darn cake. Actually, the mushrooms were the easy part- it was fitting in a homemade cake as well that took more time. I am so starved for creative windows that when I find a reason to require it, I have no self control. This was way fun to do. It is a little brown and blah but I did not have the energy to make green frosting and pipe grass knolls around. Take it to the next level, readers! You can do it.
Now we have more fun and music around the corner.... Yippee!

Follow Follow Me

I've had this in my downloads and forgot to share it.
This was on the wall when the kids started school and it stopped me in my tracks. I loved it! How fun to walk around art like this in the halls.

Lotoja 2010

Lotoja this year was great fun.
I actually forgot my camera so you'll have to enjoy pics from the phone for these memories. And not many at that! I am getting lazy in my memory keeping me thinks.
This trip we tried more new things. A highlight of which was our stay at the Anniversary Inn in Logan. This place had different themed rooms and Scott and I were in the "Lost In Space" room. It was a riot. Black lights lit up the space wall murals everywhere and we had the coolest toilet EVER. It's the big, chrome pillar you see here with a door. While within the 'transport', you are encompassed with dials and blinking lights. That night after dinner we had a room tour and visited everyone's different themed rooms. We started with a European Vacation and then went Under The Sea (WOW- we got some good stories on that one- the bed was a boat) and finished with an Arctic Adventure. What a way to kick of the race!
The next morning we were up early to begin the race. I did a leg with some other friends so I took off before our group. I thought it would be freezing but it was perfect and I felt good throughout. This is the second time I have done the first leg of the race and love it because it's flat and fast.
Then the caravan of the day, following each team mate along and whooping from the car. We were lucky to have beautiful weather all day. Other than some traffic frustrations, we didn't encounter any problems and all were safe and well. The guys made great time and came in 6th place this year. Movin' up!
After the race, we all checked in to our (awesome!) hotel and then ate one of the most delicious meals we've had yet on these trips at Osteria. YUM.
Most everyone in our group had to head back after breakfast the next morning except for Rich & Randi so we hung out with them all day relaxing in Jackson. Then Monday we headed back to Provo. One of our good friends and relay team members, Shep, had an open house for his new salon space that evening so we were happy to be in town to attend that, followed by some Thai with R&R.
Scott and I had a nice bike ride the next morning and I gasped when I looked up and saw all the colorful trees. So beautiful! Then we met my parents for lunch before going home.
I love spending this weekend with Scott as we drive, being with great friends and family, making new memories and enjoying the beauty up there. Another great summer end cap!