A Halloween Show & Tell

10.28.10-

   I'm been wondering what to blog about lately & no words are coming. Except I keep thinking about    WHERE did my favorite month go?  Does anyone else feel like October has FLOWN by?

I look around my house  & love looking at all my Halloween decor that soon has to go down for a season so I thought I would share some pictures with you to linger October a little longer.

{one good thing about starting a new month is another one of my FaVoRiTe things GiVeAWAY!}

**by the way on Oprah today she is reuniting the cast of The Sound of Music {my all time favorite movie}- something to look forward to this afternoon!!

-also I will be posting pictures soon for pre-orders on items for The {Holiday} Hive in Dec. -

So keep checking back!

Okay, I guess I had something to say ;)



My favorite scent candle & this terrific velvet pumpkin with a real stem. I got this new this year & LOVE it!

My pumpkin latern collection above the kitchen sink.  They look great glowing on the ledge each night.



Our downstairs mantle this Halloween



This is our newest addition to the family room.  I found this great, vintage bulletin board at my favorite consignment shop in Layton- The General Store.  I loved filling it up with Halloween this & thats

This was my 1st year ever decorating with corn stalks
{thanks to the McQuigley farms}
I like how it all turned out with the warty pumpkins & carved ones but I am totally LOVING the paper wreath that I made.  It makes the whole porch.

Last but not least the Witchy shelf!
-complete with hat, pointy shoes, stripy socks & dungeon key-
Did you see the sign? Only 3 days left to TRiCK or TReaTiNG!

Enjoy the last 3 days of October everyone

{M}

LuCKy- I owe it all to "Ellie"!

10.19.10-

I have been rather fortunate lately &  I owe it all to Ellie the Elephant. 

My sweet sister, Becca, got this little black elephant at Target & gave it to me.  Why, you might be asking would she give my siblings & I a little black "Ellie" well.... my Mom has one in her house that she got from my Grandpa Ford's house when he passed away.  Accordingly to tradition, or an old Chinese proverb or something, if you have a black Elephant in your home & point his trunk toward the front door its sure to bring GooD LuCK! 

Well... it sure has for me & my family ever since putting her on the shelf 2 weeks ago-

1-my little girl scored her 1st goal in soccer this year!

{ensuring a 2-1 ViCToRy!}

2-had a great turn-out for my H&H "BoO"-tique.

3- got a call from a KSL Studio 5 producer asking me to help with a segment in November- yippee!!

{more to come on this- I'm very excited}

4- had my name drawn out for a contest on my friends blog

{won this}
5-Miss Macey tried out for a singing part in Choir & got it. Way to go Mace!! {concert tonight}
6-got a free sitting for family pictures as a thank-you, from one of my clients, for handing out some flyers for her.
{how NiCe is that?  Thanks L, can't wait to see the pictures}


As I wrote down some of the things that have happened lately it made me realize that so many blessings & opportunities come into my life through wonderful family, friends & acquaintances. I am truly blessed to know so many wonderful people in my life.  

Hope you have had some good things coming into your life lately too
{if not maybe try go buying a black elephant ;)} 

{M}

Get busy & stay that way!

10.13.10-

I'm sure that if you are like me you have a million different things going on. Things to plan, stuff to check off the to-do list, places to run kids too, trying to come up with something to make for dinner, cleaning, laundry, PTSO meetings, &  it goes on & on!  

   {breathe!}

Well as I was looking through my November issue of Martha Stewart Living I came to an article that changed my outlook on being busy.  It was in an article titled, 10 feel-good things to do this November.

{I'm tying it into October & even carrying this philosophy into December}

-No. 4-

The next time you lament over your packed schedule, think of it as a blessing.  People who are busy are happier than those who are idle, even when tasks are forced upon them, according to a study in the journal Psychological Science.  It may seem counter intuitive, but it turns out that being active pays off mentally by giving you a sense of purpose.

True, isn't it really a blessing to be busy.  To have children to hug & take care of, to have friends to take something to show appreciate to,  a home to clean, dinner to make for your family, clothes to fold & to just being an active, involved citizen in your community. 

I love changing my perspective & seeing something in a new light.  I once heard someone say to not be upset because you have bills to pay each month but instead be grateful for the light, electricity & heat you get to pay for.  {LOVED THAT!}

So I'm keeping busy today & making bread & sharing it with friends who I owe a thank you too.

{It always turns out pretty, it's easy to make & yummy!}

              No-Knead Bread

3. C. all-purpose flour. {For wheat bread I substitute 1 C. of wheat flour}

1/4 tsp. Instant Yeast

1 1/4 tsp. Salt

Cornmeal

  In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 C. warm water, and stir until blended, dough will be shaggy & sticky.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12-18 hours at room temperature. {The ONLY hard part about this recipe is remember to plan ahead}

  Dough is ready when it's surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface & place dough on it, sprinkle it with a little more flour, fold over once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap & let rest 15 min.

  Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface & fingers, gently shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel {NOT terry cloth} with cornmeal.  Cover with another cotton towel & let rise for 2 hrs. 

  At least 1/2 hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-8 Qt. covered pot in oven as it preheats.  When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven  {CAUTION remember the pot is hot use hot pads} Slide your hand under towel & turn dough over into pot, it may look like a mess, but that is ok :)  Shake pan once or twice to evenly distribute the dough.  Cover with lid & bade for 30 min., then remove lid & cook for 15 min. more or until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.  Enjoy!

Give it a try, my kids love it!

I like giving it away because it looks very artisian like you got it from somewhere fancy. Shhhh, don't tell ;) 

{M}

365 Swap

10.11.10-

 I have so many things/ideas to share that I might be posting everyday for awhile.

{maybe I'm finally getting the hang of this blogging thing}

I wanted to tell you about the fabulous night I spent with some friends awhile ago. My Cultivate friends {Haley, Nicole & Jenn} & I planned, hosted & carried out our first 365 Swap.  What is Cultivate you may be asking- well, it all started over lunch at the Bun Basket, last November, with one creative, inspiring & wonderful friend & turned into a small group of talented, business oriented, amazing women.  Our goal was to start a little "club" where we would met each month for lunch discuss our lives, businesses & aspirations.  Our hope was as we talked we could springboard new ideas, give some guidance & advice to help each other. 

It has done that, for me, & so much more.

We picked the name Cultivate because it encompassed all that we wanted to get out of meeting each month together.

We decided we needed to have a project, something to plan & work toward & it turned into the 365 Swap. We all have a passion for antique shopping, junk finding & just appreciating good things.  

{365 for a yard sale we learned about it the Midwest that is actually 365 miles long.  How Fun is that!}

We each made up 10 invitations, invited some friends that we knew liked a good bargain {well loved & junky things} planned a menu, set the ground rules for the swap, made up darling nametags for each swapper, provided the clothes pins & had a lot of fun. 

{Oh, I forgot to mention we set up a Candy Bar station & made fake mustaches for fun photos}

I mean seriously, look how cute to have the drink station set up on a old black piano- loved it!

The yard looked darling with the hanging ecclectic decor {lampshades, giant tracing cards & vintage handerchiefs } the whole thing was so charming! It was a wonderful evening.

Each person that came could bring up to 7 items that they wanted to swap.  I have to say there were lots of great stuff to shop from. Everyone got a clothes pin for each item that they brought to Swap, wrote their name on it & then placed it on an item that they wanted.  If there was more than one clip on an item, all the clips were literally drawn out of a hat {a cool vintage army hat to be exact}

{I was not so lucky- 0 for 6.  But at least I had good taste to want the same thing as so many other ladies}

This is a picture of me with all the "winning clips"  on my hips. After we drew a name/clip from the hat I held onto them because all  the others who didn't win got a chance to "re-shop/swap" for anther item.

The {Cultivate} girls

Thanks to Haley {2nd from the left} for hosting it in her backyard, the perfect stage, & having the most amazing garage full of treasures to use to pull this whole thing off.  Nicole & Jenn {3rd & 4th from the left} you guys are awesome- so glad to be friends & yes, I did bring enough Pumpkin Bars {recipe to be posted soon-yum!}

We loved doing this so much that we have talked about doing another in the Springtime. 

 If you would be interested in attending the next 365 Swap, leave me a comment & let me know. 

{You can start working on putting together your pile of things now ;)}

{Chatting & enjoying an Indian Summer night in Sept. with friends!}

This post has taken me way to long to put all together so I'm tired & off to bed.

Sweet {Swappy} dreams!

{M}

Top 10 things!

10.10.10.-

  I have been looking forward to posting the date of 10.10.10 for awhile now. What a fun day!  I think I will celebrate it by having my family write down a couple of top 10 lists: 

Favorite things to do

What they like about themselves

places they would like to visit

favorite foods

favorite smells {we already did this awhile ago & it was so fun to see the responses- mine Lemons!}

what they are thankful for

or just 10 things that make them happy. 

This is will be a great little journal entry for them to look back on years later to remember this unique day.

So 10 things that I am happy about today-

1-Warm comfy bed- it was chilly this morning!

2- Pumpkins, squashes & gourds

3- Family

4- Family photographs {we recently had our pictures taken & I'm looking through 534 pics to edit}

5- Our home

6- Wonderful friends & neighbors

7- Sunshine

8-the smell of homemade wheat bread rising {the waiting to eat it is the hard part}

9- my grey long sleeve T-shirt I have on right now

10- Quiet {my kids are all doing a different activity right now & it's peaceful. I enjoy watching them be creative in their own different way}

Happy 10.10.10 everyone!  Look around you & find 10 things that would make your list today.

{M}

Thanks!!

10.8.10-

  Thanks to everyone who came to Hollyhocks & Honeybees Fall "BoO"-tique this year. 

{especially those of you who braved the rainy, gloomy weather today. Seeing all of you sure brightened my day.  Thanks to all of you who braved the crazy evening hours last night too ;) }

I hope you enjoy all of your new H&H finds & happy decorating for the Fall.

A few things I want to share :

This is a charming market that my dear friend puts together in West Haven.  You have to check it out, next Saturday,  LOTS of great stuff.

I will be taking H&H on the road up North next month to beautiful CacheValley!!

{Wa-hoo! My first time selling up in my beloved hometown of Lewiston}

Lewiston Gift & Craft Show 

Saturday November 20th 

10:00-3:00 

-CV friends & family tell everyone you know & come see me there!-

I will be bringing up some festive & delightful things for the Holidays!

and don't forget that The {Holiday} Hive will be coming in December.  More info. to come soon.

I hope everyone is enjoying listening to their H&H blog playlist CD that got one this week.

Happy Listening & thanks again!

{M}

Take your pick!

10.7.10-

PuMPKiNS for SaLE!!

{from the famous top-secret McQuigley pumpkin patch, home of the 2010 new pumpkin state record holder of 1,1,69 lbs.}

Come take your pick of Jack-b-littles, colorful gourds, unique pumpkins & gourds during

Hollyhocks & Honeybees "BoO"-tique

tonight {6:00-8;00} & tomorrow {10:00-Noon}

So grab your friends, call up your neighbors & head on over for unique Fall & Halloween decor.

Hope to see you!

{M}

Sneakie Peekie

10.6.10-

Whew.... it is a busy, busy day for me today. 

But before the day got away from me I wanted to post

a picture or 2.

{some of the things that will be available at the "BoO-tique" tomorrow & Friday}

Sassy, festive dressed up HaLLoWeeN frames.
{perfect for displaying all your little trick or treaters} 

Delightful {recyclable} book paper wreaths.  Perfect for this time of year {Black & White} there is a variety of styles with decorative paper centers & without.  Love these!

Lots of Fall & Halloween blocks just the right size to put here or there or give as a gift & of coarse H&H picture frames & word frames. Lots of styles & sizes to choose from.

and... last but not least these cute little guys.  {I have a whole flock just waiting to fly home to roost at your house}  Love their colorful feathers & puffy coffee filter tail feathers- darling!  {If I say so myself :) }

-All this & SO MUCH more-

Ok, now back to work getting it all put together. Hope to see you tomorrow night or Friday morning. 

-Remember you get a FREE gift when you spend $40 or more-

{Anyone excited about that??}

{M}

Lookie what you can get......

10.4.10-

                                                      FREE if you spend $40.00 or more

at Hollyhocks & Honeybees "BoO"-tique this week. 

Ta-da!  Your very own H&H blog play list CD.
Now you don't have to be by your computer to enjoy all the tunes. 

{Thanks to my sister Vaness for the idea & help putting them all together }

I've had SO MANY of you comment, or tell me,  how much you love listening to the songs on my blog. That I thought this would be a fun little gift to give all my fabulous customers.  It makes me happy to hear that you like listening to it while your busy at work or at home cleaning the house. I do the same thing too!  I like picking songs to put on there & love to find a great new tune so I've added a few of my new favorites

on the CD as well. I hope you will enjoy it.

-Don't forget- 

Thursday 6:00-8:00 p.m & Friday morning from 10:00- Noon

at my home in Mt. Green at 4011 Lilac Lane 

{if you need directions email me, it's easy to find!}  

-Hope to see you there {with a few of your friends of coarse}-

Sneak Peek of some of the goods coming tomorrow so check back!

{M}

And the winner is......

10.2.10-

As you can see I had some helpers draw out the winning slip

-Can't get enough of these fun mustaches!!  fake mustaches + 2, 12 year olds= FUN!-

{Thanks Miss Mace & Taylor}

Hmmmmm..... Fingers crossed, who's it going to be??

HoORaY!! 

-Look who is the winner-

Congratulations Courtney!
{or should I say HaPPy early BiRTHDay!}

I'm glad that an October B-day person won {by the way there were ALOT of you}  I always wished my birthday was in October, that's how much I love this month. 

Thanks everyone for entering H&H's first FAVORITE things giveaway!

{maybe there will be more- wink, wink!}

Enjoy the rest of this glorious weekend.

-Hope to see you all at the "BoO"-tique on the 7th & 8th.

{M}