Alice in Wonderland - Halloween 2014

It's been awhile since I've been on the blog. We had a summer full of wonderful memories and sudden heartbreak. We enjoyed a road trip visiting family along the way, then two weeks after our return Stan's dad passed away suddenly. We were so thankful to have had a wonderful visit with him just weeks before. In the midst of so much loss, it reminds me again to treasure every moment we have.

Here I am only trying to describe the enormous emotions which cannot be described. And the strongest emotion was that life was as precious as it was puzzling. It was an ecstacy because it was an adventure; it was an adventure because it was an opportunity. The goodness of the fairy tale was not affected by the fact that there might be more dragons than princesses; it was good to be in a fairy tale. The test of all happiness is gratitude; and I felt grateful, though I hardly knew to whom. Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings gifts of toys or sweets. Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he put in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs? We thank people for birthday presents of cigars and slippers. Can I thank no one for the birthday present of birth?
-G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy (1908)

With all of that in mind, I thought I'd share our photos of Halloween. The kids, along with some friends, have been planning their costumes since June. My amazing friend, Heather, is a thrift store wonder-worker. She refashioned several bridesmaid dresses, along with several other pieces to make these rock star costumes. I was only responsible for the Elizabethan playing card whisk collar, and the hair and makeup. 

Here's to treasuring the little moments we have with our families!

Glitz Designs - Raven Blog Hop & Giveaway

Welcome to the Glitz "Raven" Blog Hop! This month we are featuring the new "Raven" Halloween line from Glitz. On-trend geometric patterns mixed with spooky sweet accents will fill your projects with Halloween treats.

As always, leave one comment here and one on each of the stops along the blog hop for a chance to win a "Raven" prize pack! The winner will be chosen at random from one of the blogs on the hop and announced on Sunday (11.03.13) on the Glitz Blog.

Supplies:

Glitz Design "Raven" papers: Diamonds, Triangles

Glitz Design "Raven" 6x6 paper pad

Glitz Design "Raven" Alphabets & Words sticker sheet

Glitz Design "Raven" Whatnots

Glitz Design "Raven" Bits & Pieces

Glitz Design "Raven" Giant Rhinestones

Glitz Design "Cashmere Dame" washi tape - polka

other: stencil, ink, doilies, Stickles 

Don't forget to leave only one comment per blog for a chance to win the Glitz Prize Pack. The winner will be posted on the Glitz Blog Sunday afternoon. Good luck!

Official Blog Hop order:
Amanda Resende - http://amandaresendescraps.blogspot.com.br/
Donna Espiritu - http://www.scrappydonna.blogspot.com/
Emma Poon - http://amazinglyscrapped.wordpress.com/
Jaime Warren - http://jaimewarren.typepad.com/
Jocelyn Olson - http://redballooncards.blogspot.com/
Karine Cazenave - http://karinecazenave.typepad.com/
Karola Witczak - http://www.karolakraftuje.blogspot.com/
Laura O'Donnell - http://itsallrosie.blogspot.com/
Lea Lawson - http://leascupcakesandsunshine.blogspot.com/
Leica Forrest - http://www.10-4livingoutloud.typepad.com/
Lisa Andrews - http://lisaandrews.blogspot.com/
Magda Mizera - http://www.magdamizera.blogspot.com/
Marie Ramirez - http://www.absosweetmarie.blogspot.com/
Mary Martinez - http://www.marnels.blogspot.com/
Mou Saha - http://collagecollagecollage.blogspot.com/
Nina Ostermann - http://ninasblog-scrapmama.blogspot.com/
You are here! Noel Culbertson - http://paperpassionpixels.blogspot.com/
Smitha Katti - http://www.smilingcolors.com/
Stephanie Bryan - http://www.stephaniemakes.blogspot.com/
Glitz Design blog - http://glitzitnow.com/blog/ 

Hello Goldie

Halloween has always been a family affair with fairytale flair for us. Last year, we kept the tradition with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Mixing up the softness of tulle and vellum with the geometric "Raven" elements keeps with the unexpected fun of our real life fairytale. I haven't taken the plunge into Project Life, so I use Glitz "Bits & Pieces" on layouts to add a little spice. They say variety is the spice of life, here's to a baby step toward spicy living. 

"Hello Goldie" Supplies:

Glitz Design "Raven" papers: Chevron, Countdown, Grey

Glitz Design "Raven" 6x6 paper pad

Glitz Design "Raven" Titles & Accents sticker sheet

Glitz Design "Raven" Alphabets & Words sticker sheet

Glitz Design "Raven" Bits & Pieces

Glitz Design "Raven" rubber stamps

other: tulle, circle punch, sequins, cardstock, vellum

dear neglected blog, i still love you

oh my goodness, how did i get so behind... again? in the busyness of daily life, my poor blog has been one of the back burner items lately. we've been keeping very busy getting ready for stan's upcoming deployment and spending as much family time as possible together. So here is my week in review... starting with the cushy kissing reindeer slippers from target's dollar section. who knew slippers could be such fun?!

my wild little pumpkin princess with one of her self-thought-out poses after school. :)

torrey and daddy snuggling up on the couch for a daddy/daughter moment. she's going to have a bit of a hard time when he goes, i think. not that it doesn't have its effect on all of us, but this age for torrey seems to be ushering in the beginning of the tween changes for her... and daddy seems to have a magical way of teaching and growing her up. let me just say a special prayer of thanks to the person who invented the webcam!

darn daylight savings time messing with my natural light options! lol. so there may be two dozen more pictures of my christmas tree as i come into the end of the year! loving that lensbaby creative aperture deal, though.

can i just take a minute to say how much i love my husband? for the amazing man who will do just about anything {even wear green tights} for his girls... i'm pretty sure there's a special place in heaven for that man! we spent halloween night running around our usual stops visiting my parents, grandparents, great uncle, and friends from church as the neverland family - peter pan, wendy, john and tinkerbell. the man in green tights survived the whole ordeal and earned himself some serious points with his house full of estrogen!

being a little behind and backwards on our holidays, we didn't get to the pumpkin patch until the day before halloween. after school on friday, we rushed home and changed the girls out of their costumes and into some regular clothes for a quick jaunt to the pumpkin patch. (hence the eye makeup on emma.) the girls searched the muddy patch for their perfect pumpkins. i have a bunch more pictures here. it was definitely a very fallish day with the leaves whirling around in the wind. makes coming home to carve them with hot apple cider that much more special, though.

now i've gotta zip off to help with a veterans day project at the school! ah, the perfectly content and busy life of a mom. i wouldn't have it any other way!

fall is in the air, sort of

.

i promised i'd try to get some projects posted this week, and check this out... i'm actually doing it. yea me! not only have i posted them like i said i would, i got these up before downing even one cup of coffee. i'm quite sure that is worth something right there. lol.

these are some projects i made for lasting memories with my mind's eye, spider's web collection. lots-o-cute papers & goodies in the line. they've got the line available at lasting memories right now!

please forgive the crummy layout pictures... i was in a rush to get the projects down to the store, and shoulda taken a bit more time to snap the pictures. oh well! better luck next time! now off to take my sniffly nose & stuffy head off to a busy day of running around... but first i think i'll have that cup of coffee. :)

halloween madness

all the better to see you with, the wolf replied

the culbertsons going just over the top for halloween. do you know how hard it is to come by flannel pajamas these days? apparently they're not a hot ticket item. i had to go to 6 stores to find them... and if you're in the market, sears is the place to go! ;)

stan & i helped (in character) at the girls' school parties after he got off work, then made our halloween rounds. we do the kind of trick or treating that involves driving to 6 or 7 houses of family and friends.


the kitties before trick or treating. we were going to have a kitty and snow white. but when snow white saw the kitty costume accessories, she wanted to be a kitty too. so two kitties it was!

the kitties with great grandma & great pa.

grandpa looking a little too happy about the wolf gobbling up granny! :)

the wicked, wicked wolf and little red
the girls were singing, "hey there little red riding hood" all day