Halloween 2010! and a couple other randoms

Three cheers for being able to post pictures again!

Hip, hip,
HURRAH!

Okay, one's enough.

Okay, is it just me, or is this seriously cuteness overload? (We got out Jason's old snowboots to complete the Popeye ensemble.)

Our ward party was out in the parking lot, which I didn't like much; terrible lighting for pictures.
By the way, Jamie's hat was 49 cents at Goodwill and had Thomas the Train on it, which I simply peeled off and replaced with a piece of fabric I'd painted an anchor on.

Our costumes were a hit. Lots of people complimented us, Jason had a great time hamming it up as Popeye, and people were stopping us at church that Sunday saying, "Hey, weren't you Popeye and Olive Oyl?"

I got the sweater new for ten dollars, sewed the collar and cuffs on, made the earrings out of buttons, and used sticky tape to put the ribbon on a skirt I already had. I've taken the collar and cuffs off the sweater now and plan to wear it in Sacramento--since it's too warm here most days.

These are Goodwill pants that I made into bellbottoms, and I sewed the bib collar thing (I forget the real name of it) myself. I also made the corncob pipe out of a cork and a piece of wooden dowel. We couldn't afford the price the army-navy surplus store wanted for a sailor hat, and I'd already done enough work on the costumes; I didn't want to make one. Oh well.

Just for the heck of it...

Jamie's first tricycle, which his Grandma and Papa Noall bought him as an early Christmas present!
He doesn't actually ride it yet, but he loves pushing the buttons that do turn signals and make music and horn noises.

Good grief, my baby is getting so big!

Good deals make me happy

I decided a few days ago that I want a cute hat, (1) to go a little out of my comfort range and actually try to be somewhat stylish, and (2) for the days when I hate my hair. And today, I found one--and didn't have to pay for it! This is crucial, since we are in dire financial straits again...or I guess I should say, more than usual. Long story short, I went to DSW Shoes to try to use gift cards I've had since last Christmas, found nothing, was literally on my way out when I saw a really cute hat! (I'd even looked through all the other hats and nothing worked.) So I got my hat without touching my bank account! YAAAAAYYY!

Also, earlier this week I was at Goodwill scouting out materials for our Halloween costumes and came across two wooden dining chairs that I actually liked...for SIX DOLLARS EACH! I was so happy. This has been my plan since we got the table, to "eventually" find wooden chairs for one side, and use the bench on the other. The turquoise Ikea chairs we've been using drive me nuts--I can't count the times I've tripped over or stubbed toes on them because of the stupid way they're designed, and they're not very comfortable. These wooden chairs are a totally light color, yet they still look WAY better than those dang Ikea chairs (which are now stacked in a corner, because there's no other place to put them...)

They're not amazing quality or anything, but they're made of real wood, and eventually they and one of the benches that came with our table will both be refinished to match it, and we will actually have a MATCHING SET! We've gotten lots of compliments on how well the table turned out, and we're very happy with it.

I also just went to Target (which is like setting a mouse loose in a cheese factory--I probably should abstain completely) to find a red shirt for my costume, and found a nice red sweater for $10, plus some other good clearance stuff for me and some for Jamie, too.

Why is it that having a few new things lifts my mood so much? It's the opposite of what I should be doing--saving every penny I can. But BEING poor is one thing--feeling like you always LOOK poor and shabby is like adding insult to injury.

I just feel like I'll be better able to face things in a new cardigan.

Btw, I would have snapped a few pictures of the stuff to make this post more interesting, but my camera cord stowed away to California with my family, so I'm waiting for it to be mailed back.

Any guesses on what we're going to be for Halloween? I'll give you another hint: part of Jason's costume is a cork.

Spooky Soap Dispensers (from Crap I've Made)

***Note: I sent this link to Char because she did a post about others who had made these soap dispensers, and she featured one of my pics on the post (link below)!

A couple weeks ago I saw this post on Crap I've Made, and fell instantly in love. As soon as I got the chance, I snuck over to Target and found the very same soap dispensers on clearance that Char used, and bought three. The only thing I had trouble with was figuring out how to put a jack-o-lantern face on mine without adhesive vinyl, much less a machine to cut it for me. After toying with ideas about sticker paper and even just freehanding with a Sharpie, I went to JoAnn and was inspired with this idea:

Foam! It may not look as crisp as vinyl from a cutting machine, but it's a heckuvalot cheaper and I love that it's glittery.

I traced and then cut out jack-o-lantern face shapes, and after failing almost comically with a glue gun (the way the foam peeled right off, it was almost like it was laughing at my stupidity for even trying), used my scary E-6000 (of the adhere-your-furniture-to-the-ceiling-if-you-want variety) glue to make that foam stick. Since it doesn't set on contact like hot glue and I didn't want to sit there holding it all night, Jason suggested this idea.

Scotch tape. Worked great!

Add some ribbon and ric rac, and here's the end result:

(Pardon the water spots. I did make three, but this pic is of the one I finished first and have actually been using at the kitchen sink for a few days now. :))

Yay for finding ways around the expensive craft equipment I can't afford!