out, out, damn (empty) pots

Nothing like starting the morning off with a literary reference to keep you on your toes, eh? 

So this is the ol' homestead all suited up for the season.  We like the snowmen.  We don't like the empty pots adorning the stairs.

Frosty says top o the morning to you.

This picture was inspiration for the empty pots.  S's dad graciously scoured New Jersey for large pinecones and brought me back a grocery bag full.  None were the mammoth size that this person has, wonder where they live.

Source: ploughyourownfurrow.wordpress.com via Thecape on Pinterest

Glee!  Not too bad, right?  I knew there was a reason i left these things on the stairs! 

Just the right amount of cheer, just the right amount of "huh.  would you look at that."

These are at the end of our walkway, by the sidewalk.  Perhaps as you're walking by with your dog,

you notice a bit of bling, a bit of holiday cheer.  Puts a little more spring in my step when i see something i like and maybe haven't seen before.

Sure, my pinterest inspiration was full of lush greens and undoubtedly taken with fancy camera-so what! Super happy with my now not empty and holiday-fied pots. 

Whadya think? 

What do you do with your pots when it's too cold for plants?

You can find me here, and also in my sidebar:

Xmas Crafts @ House of Hepworths, Multi Color Holida Decor @ DIY Club, Holiday Crafts @ Centsational Girl, Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table & Dreaming, Motivate Me Mon @ Keeping it Simple, Amaze me Monday @ Dittle Dattle, Making the World Cuter @ Making the World Cuter, Making Monday Marvelous @ CRAFT, DIY Project Parade @ DIY Showoff,  Met Monday, Xmas Outdoors @ Sassy Sites, Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design,  How Pinteresting @ The Vintage Apple,  Transformation Thurs @ The Shabby Creek Cottage, 100 and Under @ Beyond the Picket Fence, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, Share Awesomeness Thur @ The 36th Avenue, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, SAS @ Just a Girl, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, Addicts Anonymous @ A2D, feature yourself fri @ Fingerprints on the fridge, Weekend Bloogy Reading @ Serenity now, Catch as Catch Can @ My Repurposed Life, Open House @ The Answer is Chocolate,

Pinterest Daydreaming-Winter Wonderland

Now that Thanksgiving is over, Autumn feels like it's coming to a close (even though we've had a weekend of warmer weather, and the first day of winter isn't until the end of December). Technicalities, people.  It's what we did with the warmer weather-decorate the outside of our home with white icicle lights and hat tipping snowman-that has me ready for a winter wonderland.

Warm woollen mittens and hot chocolate...ain't nothing better on a cold day.

Source: thesweetestoccasion.com via Thecape on Pinterest

Source: littleemmaenglishhome.blogspot.com via Thecape on Pinterest

For a home that has a little bit of Christmas....

Source: hgtv.com via Thecape on Pinterest

Source: ploughyourownfurrow.wordpress.com via Thecape on Pinterest

And a little bit of Chanukah...

Source: williams-sonoma.com via Thecape on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Thecape on Pinterest

And a mixture of both...

Source: etsy.com via Thecape on Pinterest

Source: perpetualkid.com via Thecape on Pinterest

Source: perpetualkid.com via Thecape on Pinterest

However you decorate or celebrate, happy wintertime to you!

Source: weheartit.com via Thecape on Pinterest

I can't be the only one who busted out the lights while it's still November--how far along are you on your winter decorating?  Outside only?  Tree and menorah aglow?  Stockings hung?

Not too shabby winner

How was everyone's Thanksgiving?  I don't know about you, but when we got home last night i was full and i was sleepy.  Too sleepy to go online, that's for sure.  That meant this morning was time to draw the winning number for the Shabby Apple giveaway.

Lucky number 13 was Christina, who said "i like shabby apple on facebook."  Yay, Christina, i'm super excited for you.  Now it's back to coffee sipping and paper reading for me.

Enjoy the long weekend, my friends.

What i learned at work today

I love being out of the office, though it means i can't blog or read blogs-not that i do that at work or anything, no of course not...

ahem...

and today i realized some things about myself that i would like to share with you, randomly, on the day before Thanksgiving.

Number 1.  I could not be a teacher.  Now, usually i think this way because i wouldn't want to be "on" every day, but today i think this because I would get fired for not keeping my shit together when talking with disrespectful and rude teenagers.  At a health fair recently i may have gotten a little too sassy when illustrating how little disrespect i would take when talking about an important topic.  There was gasping from the other students in our conversation.  There were looks from surrounding students as i reiterated this conversation to a colleague.  Guess these spoiled kids aren't used to being called disrespectful?  They were, and i'm not gonna whisper about it.

Number 2.  There is such a thing as a Pennsylvania Dairy Princess whose role is to educate about milk and cheese and the goodness of those things.  She wears a crown and a sparkly sash while she does her educating.  I educate about important topics (see Number 1).  I want a crown and sparkly sash.  I want to be Pennsylvania Dating Violence Awareness Princess.  Let me see if the agency will go for that.

Number 3.  I am strangely excited about Thanksgiving this year, more than other years.  There is no logical explanation for this.  It will be the same family (who i love) and the same food (that i can't wait to eat) yet my feelings of giddiness are freaking me out a little bit.

Number 4.  Going along with those excited Thanksgiving feelings is a recent shopping frenzy.  Why?  Is it brought on by all these Black Friday commercials?  I don't even need anything, yet i can't wait to pour over the newspaper and call aloud the deals and steals to S.  Yesterday i bought a new coat. 

I then bought a new work bag, because one clearly can't use rainbow polka dots alongside this gray and yellow plaid.  Black Friday sales starting at 12am...things for me or things for others.  A hard decision.

Number 5.  Speaking of shopping, don't forget the Shabby Apple giveaway ends tomorrow.  Go here to win this skirt.

I want to know...do you have a game plan for Black Friday shopping?  Sticking by the computer or braving the crowds?

Not Too Shabby (Giveaway)

Maybe if i excitedly squeal really loudly you'll be able to tell how super pumped i am to bring you a fabulous giveaway from Shabby Apple.  Who'd like some new clothes to wear for the holidays?  This gal would (hint hint, shabby apple powers that be!)  If you're not familiar with Shabby Apple, not only do they have tons of women's dresses, but they also have some great jewelry and shoes i'd be equally excited to try. (subtle, right?  i know).

Look at these beauties-they're called Gasp.  And i literally did just that.  For reals.  I want them.

Santa? 

Chanukah Harry? 

Size 8, if you please.

What we are offering you, dear readers, is this little black skirt. I chose this one because i thought it would be the most versatile piece and would work on all figures. Do you not love it with that sweet bow? 

 Know what else has a sweet bow?  My future shoes. 

If you want this skirt to be in your future, here's how to win it.

1.  You must like Shabby Apple on Facebook.  (Mandatory entry)

2.   Do you happily follow the blog?  Let me know with another entry.

A winner will be chosen on Thanksgiving. 

Thought it'd make somebody a little more thankful.  And that somebody has to be a US resident...sorry, my foreign friends!

Good luck, everyone!

Weekend Update

This weekend I:

-took in all things Halloween from outside. See you next year, light up spiders and animatronic spooky tree.

-walked in memory and honor of my father in the Pancreatic Cancer Purplestride 5k in Philadelphia.  We had an impressive team of 24, and raised over $1600 in his name.  It was a beautiful day, but one filled with mixed emotions from me.  I hated that we were there, yet I wouldn't be anywhere else.  I wore my crocs, which seemed to beguile some family members.  Sneakers feel too heavy since my normal shoe attire is flats.  Besides, if these crocs can walk for 12 hours straight while on vacation, then they can surely handle 3.2 miles.

-ate some fabulous Mexican food that, although i've only eaten at this restaurant once, i've been talking about the entire year since.  It didn't disappoint.  Flautas Mikey-you, me, my stomach-it's a date.

-attended a comedy show after said fabulous Mexican food.  Tell me, comedians, why must everything be about the size of your you know what.  Three comics, three people insisting theirs is bigger and how much the ladies love it.  Give me some word play over that kind of humor anyday.

-went to the Wilma Theatre for the play Our Class.  Intimate theatre, fabulous and haunting performances.  I like this venue.  Must see what their subscription looks like.

-finally have heat!  Yes, for the coldest week of the year thus far, we had no heat.  We had to wait for the duct work to be made for the new energy efficient system S put in.  The duct work is bigger than the system.  Seriously, it's a behemoth, but it's a silent behemoth.  And hopefully a money saving one as well.

I need a weekend to recover from my weekend.  What about you, was your weekend jam packed or spent in your jammies?

Yard makeovers and flower bulbs

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

My favorite flowers are daffodils and tulips, so needless to say i have dug plenty a bulb in my day.  Unfortunately the pesky squirrels love them, too, and last year they made off with them before they bloomed.  Thank goodness the ladies at Dig Drop Done are giving me a "Bulb-ucation" of tips to remedy that.  Especially Evelyn, who has given me a new idea on which bulb to plant to help keep those critters from my yard.  Visit visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more. 

"Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done"-an educational effort designed to excite women about the surprisingly simple beauty of flower bulbs-is giving away a $5,000 yard makeover!  All you need to do is submit a photo of your yard at their other site, Curbside Chaos, and you are entered in not only the makeover, but also for a visit and tips on planting from Taniya Nayak (@Taniya Nayak on Twitter).  Consider me entered!

   

 

Even better, for every share on Twitter, "Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done." will donate $1 to Rebuilding Together, the nations leading nonprofit that works to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities. 

Step 1 – Pick your Country (U.S. or Canada) and then pick your location within that Country (click on the color of where you live). 

 

 While you're over there entering, make sure you check out the interactive Garden Guru Tool in the lower left corner that lets you completely customize your planting by picking your state and your bulb of choice.

 

I didn't know about daffodils in pots-i'm totally gonna try this idea!  Ain't no squirrels gonna get these!

 

 

     I     Fabulous and cheerful...like me.  Now get those hands dirty and get to digging!