Cheesy Splurge

Hello, my name is Alicia & I'm addicted to.... CHEESE!

Today, I wondered into HyVee (normally don't, they're on the other side of town) & one reason I enjoy this grocery store is the fancy cheese section. Luckily, they were having a little sale. I limited my self to these three: 

Left: Eifel Tower Brie from Canada 

Middle: Red Waxed Dofind Gouda

Right: Kerrygold Aged Cheddar with Irish Whiskey from Ireland

Yes, whiskey... & it was amazing... all three were actually. 

Brie: creamy deliciouisness.

Gouda: soft, not strong, easy to eat with anything.

Cheddar: dry, smokey, lots of melt-in-your-mouth flavor

Now, we'll just have to see what Paul thinks.Can wait to try more! There's a cheddar made with port wine that I'm dying to try.

Do you have a favorite cheese?

Mantle Decor

Since Paul & I have moved, we finally have a mantle!!! This is the first one I have EVER had. This holiday season, we are doing it very frugally. So I'm taking in all those Pinterest ideas that I already have all the 'ingredients' for.

My favorite, this old window chalkboard.

 This I originally made for our wedding seen here:

It's super simple to make homemade chalkboards. Pick up spray primer & a can of spray chalkboard paint. Tape off the border. Spray a couple coats of primer. Let dry, then spray a couple coats of paint. What I have learned from drawing on it:
- It draws better after you have drawn & erased it multiple times
- Side walk chalk & art chalk work better then school chalk (in the beginning)
After the paint dried, I combined it with my favorite decoration & weather... SNOW & snowflakes! The wording was completely free handed by yours truly. Pretty proud of myself. I love a good font.

Next, I was checking Joanns for some cute, glittery snowflake candles & when I found them, they were out of my budget. So, I took some of our left over wedding candles and glitterized them. You know glitter is the herpes of crafts... it gets everywhere! and I LOVE it too! Paul, not so much. haha ;)

All you need:

- Candles

- Elmer's Glue

- Glitter

Instructions:

Glue the candle the design you desire - just one one side. Glitter it. let it dry. Then repeat with the other sides. If you try & do more then one side the glue will roll.

With the love of snow, brings snowmen! This idea came from this Pinterest link. I looked at the picture & went from there with my own idea.

What you'll need per snowman or lady:

- 3 Foam Balls of different sizes

- Wire (I had a fencing wire already in the garage)

- Yarn (for two I used almost one full 'log')

- Buttons (or I used a couple scrapbooking 3-D buttons dipped in glitter)

- Burlap (the length depends what your tying)

- Hot Glue gun

Instructions:

Wrap foam in yarn. Tack with glue. Once all three are wrapped, cut two pieces of wire a couple inches in length. Poke in the biggest ball half way. Dot hot glue around it then put on the middle sized ball. Repeat with the top 'head' piece. For the hat, I did two different styles. The one on the female was easier then the males. Females: coil wire around until it's big enough. Males: form in the shape of a hat. First layer is easy, it's the 2nd & 3rd layers that are a little tricky to get the same. I wanted them to have 'buckles' on the hat, which is a square I formed with needle nose pliers. Poked in the twisted wire arms. Dipped the 3-D buttons in glitter, glued on. If you use buttons, simply glue on. Scarves tied around their neck - easily done when they're laying down. The female's hair is burlap strings braided.

'LOVE' sign is also hand made, only I can't take the credit for it. It was a wedding gift. The pine around the base of everything is the trimmings from our Christmas tree.

Still have to get our stockings hung but this is a great start.
Have any decorations you love?

Sunflower Smiles

Anyone who knows me, knows I love sunflowers! They were all over our wedding, in my house, art subjects, & even on my skin.

They put a smile on my face everytime. Oh & this big, bright love started way before moving to the Sunflower State. Kansas was named the Sunflower State due to all the wild ones roaming the hills & roadways.

Did you know there are over 60 different kinds of sunflowers depending on where you are. The one on this painful canvas I doodled back in 2006 in one of my Czech classes in Prague. Yes, I was inked in a foreign place; No, it wasn't in a back alley while I was drunk.

This is the wild or native sunflower which is mostly seen on the side of the road. It reminds me of the dirt road to my parents. With in it there are 5 letters... can you see them?

The lovelies, I used in the wedding were the gorgeous big red & yellow ones. They were in bouquets, milk cans, our archway, & on our remembrance candle.

If you read the 'Props To The Crafty' you'll see that sunflowers (maybe another word for??) were the base to some of the gifts we received too. LOVE!

I have another sunflower piece I'm working on... but it's a surprise!

What's your favorite flower?

Paint a little Halloween

One of the best holidays of the year!

Time of candy, sweet decorations, & dressing up! An excuse to be whatever you want & have a great time.

One tradition I have with my self, family, or whomever likes to join me is carving pumpkins! Love it! I love coming up with my own design & seeing all the other carvings out there.

My designs this year

We believe if you're going to do it, do it right. Even with Halloween & going all out. Only doing it frugally... homemade is the best! I especially love costumes that involve paint.

This year Paul & I were Papa Smurf & Smurfette. 

Yes, blue EVERYWHERE! Total cost of our get ups = $32 (including paint!). My dress was a cut & tied sheet & second-hand was the rest.

Once we were all blued up, we ate, drank, played, & sang at my friends' Halloween party.

 Who knows what color our tub will be 2013? But you can guarantee it will be amazing!!!!

What were you? What has been you're favorite costume &/or favorite Halloween tradition?

Wedding Dancin'

FINALLY! We have Internet again! Let the blogging begin. I have A LOT to catch up on.

Might as well go back to the wedding. One thing Paul & I love is music! So, it was important to us to have amazingly, awesome tunes. Ranging from sawdust, boot kickin, booty shankin, love making tunes.

We kicked it off with one that sums Paul & I up when we go out... LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem

Our song was one of the first 'red dirt' songs that I introduced Paul to when we were long distance dating.
Kyle Bennett Band's Everything To Lose. LOVE IT! Our friend took a video only I'm unable to upload it.

The father - Daughter dance was a song that meant a lot to me... Miranda Lambert's House That Built Me. It reminded me of growing up in our house & in the house mom & dad built. From putting our hands in the walkway cement to getting ready for prom to driving around the white fence every time I come home.

The Son & Mother dance was I hope you dance. Picked by Paul's mom.

Throughout the evening we heard everything from Footloose to Nicki Minaj to Neon Moon. After the tunes really got going we broke out the microphone. Paul sang to me - Forever & Ever Amen by Randy Travis. My cousin sang us a Charlie Pride song. Paul's friend & dad sang us songs... among lots of others. .

Then Paul & I have our song that we love singing together (I'm not the singer I just have fun). Johnny Cash & June Carter's Jackson

~ Get your groove on!

Please Vote!

Not only in the National election but for Dallas & I too!

A week ago I stumbled upon a K-State Super Fan contest. Submit a photo of you or your love of Kansas State. Top 20 are picked by a group. Those 20 are put on Facebook to be voted for. Most votes by November 15th is sent to the December 1st KSU v. TX game. Take their chance at punt, pass, & kick their way from one N-zone to the next for a $500 gift card to GTM.

After K-State made #3 in the ranking, I was in Wall-greens picking up some hair color (Halloween!). Purple caught my eye, and WALLAH! I had an amazing idea. Dallas is white... like the perfect canvas.

This is the one I submitted. Wish I would've been in it & íntsagrammed it up, but I was an excited mess 

Well, the other day she ran off - like she does occasionally - & dog shaming came to mind. Not familiar, visit Dog Shaming. com.

It says, I ran off, so now mom made me super fan...um... Go K-State!...

After that, saw the contest... PERFECT!!! Picture sent in. Few days later, email "Congratulations! You have made the top 20!"

PLEASE GO VOTE FOR US!!! CLICK ON THIS TO GET YOU THERE! Once there, click on SUPER FAN VOTE & find Dallas, RUNAWAY FAN.

I haven't had the funds or time for a game in a long time & I would LOVE, love to attend.

THANK YOU ALL!

my favorite pic

The aqua net Mohawk :)

 READ Dallas'side of the story at Around The Hydrant.

Time...

Wow! It's been a while. Sorry guys :(
With moving & our honeymoon I haven't had any bloggin' time. We're also waiting to get Internet at our house.
Stay tuned for lots of posts! I've been hand writing them in the time being.

~ Lady Wittkop