a Frightfully Wonderful Winterland

Stop by the Humble Arts on this Hallow's Eve ♥ and see all of these wonderfuls while they are still available.

Tonight's the Night!

I love Halloween and look forward to all the kids in their fun costumes.

I remember we would drive to the big sub-divisions to go trick-or-treating and come home with a grocery bag full of the sugary stuff!

Tonight, the weather is going to be in the 70º's so I bought a ton of candy to pass out.... it's not uncommon for us to get 300+ kids at my front door. I'm expecting them to come knocking until late in the evening - and I'll be ready ♥

KNOW WHAT THESE ARE, RIGHT?

Booo-bee's !

Happy Halloween, friends ♥

Humble Confections

We, at the Humble Arts have been counting our many blessings!

With deep gratitude to Joyce of Everydaisies for doing such a wonderful job, we have compiled our favorite recipes and family traditions to share with others and give back with much thanks to our customers.

Beginning Nov. 1 and running through Dec. 31, anyone who purchases from the Humble Arts site or signs up for the Humble Arts newsletter will receive a copy of our Humble Confections PDF e-recipe book .

It's really a lovely compilation with some of the most delicious recipes to cook up and share!

Smile for the Birdie...

Do you ever start out creating something only to switch gears entirely before the dust settles?

That's what has happened to me this week! I started out working on a little snow fella but last night as I put on putting the finishing touches on his face, I just couldn't find one little ounce of testosterone in him! So - yup, she must have been a tomboy hiding all her beautiful features from me, because I think she has blossomed into a beauty.

Belsnickles, anyone?

Just wanted to share my newest creations with you - they are heading to the Humble Arts come Nov. 1 (good grief - is it really NOVEMBER???)

CHEYENNE is the WORD!!!

So, maybe GREASE is supposed to be the word... but I think CHEY hits closer to the mark for me!

I'm so excited - tonight is the opening night of GREASE! and my niece Cheyenne (in the yellow sweater above) has the lead role of Sandy ♥ (If you click the link above, there is a big write up and a 4 minute video showing bits of the actors and the awesome inside of the Missouri Theatre)

To make things even better, my nephew Darb is playing drums in the band - and it is showing in a wonderful old theatre in my home town of St. Joseph, MO.

I remember fondly watching many 007 movies in this theatre. I'm not sure if it was Sean Connery himself, or watching his Bondness in these enchanting surroundings, but I fell immensely in love with both the man and the theatre growing up.

The Missouri Theatre presented the kind of ambiance that used to make the movie so magical. Instead of going to the movie to watch the film, you paid admission to admire the enchanting surroundings and make "going to the movies" a memorable occassion. I'm sure you know the kind of place I'm talking about - with the velvet drapes, the plush seats, the interior columns and fantastic portraits on the walls. But what really made this theatre so special to me was the balcony and the amazing canopy that spread across the ceiling - I found a link online that showed photos of the interior as I remembered it - and current views from the recent renovations that gave a wonderful facelift to the old gal! Check it out ♥

I may try sneaking my camera in just to get a few shots of the place .... for old times sake :)

It's a Happy Kitchen!

Just about every Friday morning from the 5th floor of our office building, you can catch the awesome aroma's coming from the kitchen of cooking bacon, eggs and hash browns. And this morning was no exception. It ends up being such a fun time when the girls gather in the kitchen, slicing and dicing and fixing up some good eats!

We always take turns cooking and helping - and since I organized the social this week, I was in the middle of commotion - rattling pots and pans.

Somehow (and dont ask where it came from...) this song got stuck in my head! As I started singing, the girls around me started doo-dee-doo'ing it cuz none of us knew the words. None of us, that is, except Lisa who DID know that part of the words to the song went something like "a little bit of Tina something something something..."

And being the kind and generous person I am, I figured it was only fair to share it with you and let you sing along too!

Happy WooHoo 1/2-day Friday, Friends ♥

(Cookie would like to thank the happy camper who posted this picture on the internet so I could snag it. I dunno who you are, but that is mighty fine sausage!)

Have a Holly Jolly....

I just finished up this lil Belsnickle mounted on a rusty funnel.

He was kinda fun to whip up and I rather enjoyed not fretting over what to put in his hands.

I just wish he would learn to fold clothes while he hanging around the washing machine! :)

This fun fella will be listed on this month's release of the Humble Arts come Nov. 1 - so be sure to tune in and see what all the girls have to offer up!

HO HO HO !!

Be sure to join us for our

TDIPT Mercantile's

Christmas Open House celebration during the month of November!

We've got wonderful door prizes created by some of our very own TDIPT artists,

as well as a $50.00 gift certificate up for grabs.

And it's so easy to get entered ....

Just sign up for our TDIPT Newsletter.

It's a 2 step process, so be sure to follow through and get confirmation. Anyone who purchases an item from the Mercantile will have an extra chance, w/ every purchase made.

We're celebrating this fun and festive event w/ our second annual
"I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" theme as well.

All of our artists will create Christmas Treasures in hues of white, off white and lovely creams!
Don't miss out on the excitement come November 1st!

♥ Pink Thursday ♥

In honor of Breast Cancer awareness, our entire company has promoted "PINK THURSDAY" today with contests and doorprizes. It was alot of fun to see so many men and women all decked out in their Pretty Pink Best to promote such a worthy cause.

I lost a very good friend to breast cancer a few years ago and several dear friends have fought and won the battle, I'm thankful to say!

So please, as a favor to me - won't you click the pink ribbon in the upper left corner to give the gift of a free mammogram to another sister? It's a very simple and quick act to help save another's life!

Blair Witch

I've been working on another Blair Witch project and finally finished her this morning.

She will be making her way to Texas and I sure wish I was going along!

Hope she behaves herself ♥

5 Minutes away from Heaven

ok, not really Heaven....

but from the looks of the pictures someone took and shared, it's purdy dang close to it! :)

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

So you may ask yourself.... why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Acorn ♥ Annie

Lemme introduce my newest (and sweetest) lil annie ... all dressed up and ready for the TDIPT Mercantile on the 15th.

I hope she makes you smile - she sure makes me happy ♥

Does anyone have a piece of electrical tape?

Many years ago, my brother offered to pick me up from work when I was "wheel-less". To thank him, I was going to offer some gas money and looked over his shoulder to see what the gauge registered. My eyes were immediately focused on a piece of black electrical tape covering something that looked to be glowing underneath.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I asked him what was up with the piece of tape?? His response (and I'm sure this made total sense to him) was that the engine light wouldn't go off, so he decided to cover it up so he wouldn't keep worrying about it!

Really, does that work? I responded.

Well, that was a long time ago and I totally forgot about that piece of tape until this morning while watching the local news. I heard that our legendary National Debt Clock in New York City has run out of digits to record the growing debt!

The Times Square ticker needs two additional digits to track a national debt 100 times larger than the current $10.2 trillion. Updates will be made next year, adding more room for digits but for now, the digital dollar sign on the billboard-style clock has been switched to a number one - the "1" in $10 trillion.

So of course, I'm wondering.... does anyone have any electrical tape???

Trick or Treating could get a little Dicey...

This could be a recipe for disaster....

for some unsuspecting kids this year ...

but never fear, lil buddies - I'll leave the light on for ya ♥

do nothing ♥ and ♥ nothing will change

Anyone who knows me, knows my stand on abortion. It's one of the few topics that will allow you a visible reaction in my attention...

And as excited I was this weekend, knowing that my nephew Darby and his wife, Cheyenne were coming down.... I was even more focused from the minute they walked into the house last Saturday and Darb was wearing this T-Shirt:

I had to know more and immediately asked about it! Chey jumped on the computer and took me to a site that is busting at the seams about the whole abortion issue and the effects it is having on us. If you feel the same as I do about the plight of the unborn, I urge you to check out ABORT73.COM - and share the site with your kids, your friends and everyone you can think of!

ABORT73.com has so much deep and detailed information - and they have some pretty awesome t's to wear your belief boldly. Thanks to Darb and Chey, I can share this with you and others. ..


I urge you .... check it out: ABORT73.COM and educate yourself on the facts!

Please take a number...

♥

We'll get to you just as quickly

as we can, my Friends...



Please Enjoy...

and have a Stress-Free Day!

♥

Just another sweet giggle....

I think women of any era will fully appreciate this story...

A Michigan woman and her family were vacationing in a small New England town where Paul Newman and his family often visited.

One Sunday morning, the woman got up early to take a long walk. After a brisk five-mile hike, she decided to treat herself to a double-dip chocolate ice cream cone.She hopped in the car, drove to the center of the village and went straight to the combination bakery/ice cream parlor.

There was only one other patron in the store:Paul Newman, sitting at the counter having a doughnut and coffee. The woman 's heart skipped a beat as her eyes made contact with those famous baby-blue eyes. The actor nodded graciously and the star struck woman smiled demurely. Pull yourself together! She chides herself. You're a happily married woman with three children, you're forty-five years old, not a teenager!

The clerk filled her order and she took the double-dip chocolate ice cream cone in one hand and her change in the other. Then she went out the door, avoiding even a glance in Paul Newman's direction. When she reached her car, she realized that she had a handful of change but her other hand was empty. Where's my ice cream cone? Did I Leave it in the store?

So, back into the shop she went, expecting to see the cone still in the clerk's hand or in a holder on the counter or something. No ice cream cone was in sight.

With that, she happened to look over at Paul Newman. His face broke into his familiar, warm, strong friendly grin and he said to the woman, 'You put it in your purse.'

A big big night ...

Tonight will be the one and only Vice Presidential debate... are you excited to watch or just sick and tired of the whole rigamarole? (I know many are and can understand that too.)

I don't think I've ever been so excited about a Presidential race before - I want to watch and I'm hoping for the best! Here is the rundown of what is to come:

Who's debating:
Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware and Republican Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

• Biden, 65, has been a senator for 35 years. He is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
• Palin, 44, has been governor of Alaska since 2006. She is the former mayor of Wasilla, an Anchorage suburb.

When and where:
• Time: 8:00 cst tonight. The debate, being held at Washington University in St. Louis, is expected to run an hour and a half.

The format:
Each candidate will have 90 seconds to respond to a question followed by a 2-minute discussion period for each question. Each will have a 2-minute closing statement. PBS correspondent Gwen Ifill will moderate.

How they're preparing:

• Palin: She has been practicing at running mate John McCain's Arizona ranch, with campaign officials standing in for Biden.
• Biden: He has been in Wilmington, Del., with Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm playing Palin.

The audience (this is where it gets big):
The viewing audience may set a record for a vice presidential debate. In 1984, 56.7 million watched Vice President George Bush take on U.S. Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, D-N.Y., the first woman on a major party ticket.

♥ I'll be curious to see if you tuned in - and hear what you thought of it tomorrow! ♥