For the last few years I have made my Christmas Cards instead of buying them. Not sure what prompted that change. Maybe I had more time, maybe I could not find cards I like, maybe I am just plum crazy.

This year I snagged the card design from Cathy Z using Honey Bee Stamps. I also did my cards last year from Honey Bee Stamps.

Although these cards were easy to make I had to glue a million little letters and pieces together.

Of course I was late mailing my cards again. Like every year!

I decided this year to decorate the envelopes as well. I used my new Maltese Return Address Stamp on the card. It looks like Ms. Olive.

For the inside of the card I used a Tim Holtz Christmas Stamp that I had found in my stash. Thought it would work perfectly.

And then on the back I have my Handmade by ShinyTinFoil.com stamp. I just ordered it on Etsy and the dear woman mailed it within one day. It is adorable and I will have to order one with my name versus my brand.

And the final piece is the envelope. The bunnies come from the same Stamp Set.

However the thrill of it all, is that once I posted it on Instagram, Honey Bee Stamps reposted it. I received over 600 likes and got some new followers on Instagram! Yahoo!

I mailed off the stamps and the some peeps let me know they got theirs. No returns in the mail (as of yet).

Until next year.

I really need to get started sooner. LOL.

Adding to the Simon Says Anything Goes Contest!

It seems to take forever for Autumn to show up in Southern California. Here it is in December and I noticed the neighbors trees had finally turned golden.

When I drive to work I drive down a street that has beautiful trees that turn golden and red with a touch of light green. And for a brief moment I have Autumn. I love the feeling. I tell myself I simply must move somewhere that actually has autumn. And an Autumn that happens in November and not December.

Autumn here only lasts for a few weeks before the trees are bare, and winter is here. On this particular day all the trees had turned golden. I marveled on the drive home how pretty all the trees where. When I parked my car, I looked up and noticed the glory of the golden leaves I just had to capture it, if only to remember Autumn for more than a week.

I have been so busy I have not had to time to blog my continued Autumn Bucket List. On my list I said I would have an Autumn Inspired Home Spa Day!

It was the first time I have bought a bath bomb from Lush. So much fun and glitter! I was smelling good after a good relaxing soak!

It was cold…. it rained that night…..

I wanted HOT apple cider….

I did not have any….

I went to Starbucks….

A picture of a Starbucks cup is boring….

So I added the picture of the cup on a nice table with apple floral display.

So since this post is rather boring, I thought I would add a recipe for Starbucks Copycat Apple Cider Recipe.

 

I snagged this from www.momsneedtoknow.com  Click on the recipe to go to her website.

I think I need to make sure of this…..  I just need apple juice.  YUM

Well after the painful photo shoot with the dogs and their scarfs, I decided to get creative and Photoshop the spoiled little goobers into autumn scenes.

Here they are hanging out with some crows and a scarecrow.

Sitting in the middle of a beautiful Autumn Road.

The girls on some Autumn steps.

The girls seem to get around.

And finally individual shots in a pumpkin patch.

and Olive.

Before you know it, they will be in Paris.  LOL

I think I forgot to add this onto the blog.   I posted to Instagram but forgot to post here.

I found this cute little cover from a catalog called Lakeside Collection.

Here is my bed.  It threw a pumpkin decorative pillow on to make it complete.

It is a thin cover but surprising that the print is on both sides and came with the two pillow shams.  A great deal for $35 bucks for a King-Sized item.  The pattern is so cute.  I think it was worth it.

Click on the picture to take your self to the website.

 

It has been cold here.  Which is a bit surprising since we are in the middle of wildfires.

In fact it rained last night.  I was so excited to hear the rain, a true surprise.

The cold inspired me to jump into bed, pull up the quilts, blankets, pillow and dogs.

I grabbed a book I just started that felt like autumn.

Penny loves to get on the bed with me.   She loves sleeping next to me as she may get a belly rub.

However I do not think she likes my book of choice as there is no pictures of dogs on the cover

Olive decided to sleep on my book.

Makes it a tad bit hard to read.

I picked up this book because it had an autumn cover.

 

THE BRUTAL TELLING by Louise Penny

Chaos is coming, old son. 

With those words the peace of Three Pines is shattered. As families prepare to head back to the city and children say goodbye to summer, a stranger is found murdered in the village bistro and antiques store. Once again, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team are called in to strip back layers of lies, exposing both treasures and rancid secrets buried in the wilderness.

No one admits to knowing the murdered man, but as secrets are revealed, chaos begins to close in on the beloved bistro owner, Olivier. How did he make such a spectacular success of his business? What past did he leave behind and why has he buried himself in this tiny village? And why does every lead in the investigation find its way back to him?

As Olivier grows more frantic, a trail of clues and treasures— from first editions of Charlotte’s Web and Jane Eyre to a spider web with the word “WOE” woven in it—lead the Chief Inspector deep into the woods and across the continent in search of the truth, and finally back to Three Pines as the little village braces for the truth and the final, brutal telling.

 

Getting this book had no correlation of the name Penny on the book and my dog.   Just a coincidence.

Of course Olive got in the mood and started to snore and roll onto her back.

SSSSSSSSNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE.

Glad she can sleep anywhere.

I think it is time to curl up under the covers with the fur kids.

I watched this video on making little dog scarfs.  I was excited to see something for a small dog.  Most patterns out there were for large dogs, and this pattern was great for Penny and Olive, but she also gave instructions on how to make it larger just on case.

 

For the written instructions, she also put it out on her blog.

https://poshpoochdesignsdogclothes.blogspot.com/2010/11/12-collars-of-christmas-8-button-dog.html

 

I found some cute yarn at Michael’s Craft Store in Pantene color palettes which intrigued me.   It was enough yarn to make several but I figured the pooched only needed one.

It was quick and easy to make.

 

I got some props to make it look more autumn.   Since I live in Southern California there is rarely any Autumn scenes naturally.  Work with what you have.

 

Penny was up first and she has no patience for Mom’s silliness.  Fortunately Penny does follow commands and actually sat there when I told her to.

I know my dog, and I read in her eyes “What did I do wrong Mom”

Nothing Baby….. you are a good girl.

Thanks Mom!  Here is a little tongue action for your camera.

I wish I could be over there, by the grass and look for squirrels.

Not so fast little one.   Must wear the pumpkin hat now.

Ummmm Mom, I dont think this is cool.  My friends will laugh at me.

Penny, you don’t have friends….you bark at every dog you meet.

Mom…..PLLLLLEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

OK baby, I will let you go……  So where is Olive.

When ever I tell Olive to “stay” she thinks she is in trouble.   She has to look at the sky and avoid eye contact.

La-dee-da….. I don’t see you…..

Olive look at me…..please Olive baby……

You are almost there Olive…. you are not in trouble.

 

Show us your pretty face and new fancy collar.

Thank you Miss Olive…. you are free to go.

So these pics are a tad bit late on the Autumn Bucket list.   I kept forgetting to get those pictures taken.  And being I am trying to pack up the remains of Halloween, right on the heels of packing up the Thanksgiving stuff.  Geez and I slow or what.  Does anyone else have this issue???

I quickly took some pics and called it a day.

This year I was more into Autumn instead of Halloween.  So I was very minimal on the decorating.

I did put out my classic stacked pumpkin ceramic.  I have to admit Michaels knocked it out of the park with this one.  It was inexpensive and so darn cute.

This one goes on the back of my griddle on the stove.   Looks all nice lit up at night.

I do have a new addition, it is the Witches Brew spoon rest.

I got it at Home Goods where wonderful things wait for me to buy them.

I put my  pumpkin salt and pepper shaker out but I dropped something on the little leaf that it sits on.  Need to pull out the crazy glue and fix it.  At least it was a clean break.

 

I always put own towels on the stove door because it really makes the decoration.

Not to mention also on the door of the dishwasher.

Why not.

And finally the single pumpkin on the counter top.

Not a lot this year, but it was enough to set the mood.

Sometime ago I saw this gingham pumpkin on Pinterest.

I thought, geez I can make this.

Normally I only like Orange or White pumpkins, but this just called to me.

Originally I wanted to do the pumpkin in gray, but could not find two colors I liked, so I went with blue and navy.

I did not realize how hard it is to paint a straight line on a curvy pumpkin.

Ugh this is not going well.

OK it is looking a little bit more like a gingham pumpkin.

A little messy here and there.

There is she is, on the front porch with the classics.   Thank you gingham pumpkin for not being too much a problem.

However my pumpkin tends to look like the Bath & Body works logo.  Hmmmm wonder why!