Glimpses of Octobers Past...and How to Make a Baby

Hello friends and Happy October!

I love this month and will love it even more when the temperatures start to behave.

We got a little teasing last week with some cooler temps but they were short-lived...

...no surprise there!

So since there is really no fall-ish stuff going on here (yet),

here are a few fall photos from the archives so we can at least pretend!

Remember that time when the wind blew a perfectly shaped leaf wreath upon my deck?

I don't either...but it sure was fun pretending.

Our lovely local Lake Michael, taken a few years back...

I really need to take a drive out there again soon.

 

I just love pretty pumpkin stems, don't you?

~

 Sooo.... now that we have that out of the way,

I will continue to dream of cool fall breezes and falling leaves until it actually happens.

But until then, I have a little tutorial for you.

And it has nothing whatsoever to do with the autumn weather...or the lack thereof.

I want to teach you how to make a baby!

WHAT?? YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW??

Ohhhh...I'm not talking about that kind of a baby!!

Keep on scrolling and I'll show you what kind of baby I'm talking about.

~

So on Sunday I attended a baby shower for a young mother-to-be at my church.

She was registered at Target but I rarely go according the registry when it comes to gift giving.

I enjoy giving something a bit unexpected but also quite practical.

The idea came to me to construct a sweet little "baby boy" even though she is expecting her own.

It has been twenty years since I made the first one and then several years later, my second.

This is the third one and each time I think I have done something a little different.

Shall we get on with the tutorial?

STUFFED "BABY" GIFT TUTORIAL

(I couldn't think of what else to call it...lol!)

Here's what you will need to purchase...the colors and designs of course depend on whether the expectant mother is having a boy or a girl:

• baby blanket, somewhat plush or bulky (y'all don't want to the baby too skinny)
• Onesies (I purchased a 3-pack sized 0-3 month size...the larger the size, the more "fillings" you will need)
• whatever outfit to dress the "baby" in, same size range...I chose a 2-piece long sleeve/long pant set...easier to form the body in.
• bibs, again I just purchase a 3-pack set but this is totally optional
• a hat or cap...many little outfits come with one
• anything else you chose to add such as a toy (rattle, stuffed animal, teething ring, etc.)

 At this point, the choice is up to you as to how much you want to spend. There are many other things you can add inside the clothing (crib sheets, receiving blankets, bath towels, washcloths) or outside (sweater, jacket, shoes & socks, etc.)...this is where you can use your imagination! I believe the first baby I made was stuffed with crib sheets and towels. I actually wrapped it up in the blanket and tied with a bow when it was all put together. Be creative!

 



I thought the zoo animals were cute so I kept with the theme. 

When I came across that darling little elephant, I knew he had to play a part! 

Buried deep inside his belly is a squeaker, I think there might be a rattle in his behind 

and his ears have crackly plastic inside....he's just a noisy little elephant!

So now let's get started putting this little baby boy together, shall we? 

Begin by folding the blanket in half vertically, with the longest measurement going up and down.

Next, form a ball about the size of an infant's head using batting, 

tissue paper or like I did here, using bubble wrap...

...and then place the ball inside the exact center of the blanket. 

I used a piece of ribbon to tie around the ball to make the baby's neck.

As you can see, the baby is already starting to take shape...

or is that Casper the Friendly Ghost??

 

Now, using a Onesie, start to create the body by dressing the "baby"...

 this will help you to form and shape the arms and legs and then build on that by adding 

the rest of your purchased baby clothing and other items.

As previously stated, I bought a three-pack set of Onesies so to help me form the bottom half,

I folded and "hid" the other two in his pants, so to speak...lol! 

They basically became...the...crotch...THERE, I SAID IT! 😲

As you can see, it's lookin' a bit more like a baby!

Now it's time to put some pants on this little guy...again, the outfit helps to shape the body. 

Work the blanket down into the pants sort of sculpting the legs and feet. 

The footed long pants work best and shoes may even be added if you like.



I hid two of the bibs that were in the three-pack underneath his little jacket and then buttoned him up.

 

He's quite the little chub-muffin, don't you think?
And he's also taking up most of the slack in that little outfit.
No worries though...after a trip through the washer and dryer, it should be back in shape!




And now for the hat...

 

And here he is...a bouncing baby boy!

 



But I thought he was looking a bit peaked, 

so I printed out a cute little face and stuck it on with tape...lol!

There really are no limits to what you can use to construct the baby. When I have made these in the past, I actually stuffed the head with a usable items such as a bath towel or crib sheet. Another cute idea is to also find a stuffed animal about the size of a baby and dress it all over with baby items which can then be wrapped up in a gift blanket. No matter what you decide, just have fun with it and I will promise you that he or she will be the hit of the baby shower! And the look on the little mama-to-be's face will bring joy to your heart!

And the best part is that no wrapping is necessary!

~
Now, go on out there and enjoy your October!

Late October Hodgepodge

Happy Wednesday...
and welcome back to Joyce and her Hodgepodge.
She asks the questions and we answer them on our blogs.

So this has been a strange fall but we are finally just starting to get some pretty color.
It may be another week before I get some decent photos so in the mean time,
here are some spider webs.



I love lace doilies and I love it even more when the roadsides are decorated with them.



A favorite hay barn on a favorite country road.

Here are some milkweed pods I pulled from the archives since I haven't seen any this fall.
My go-to place where I normally find them growing has been mowed down several times this year.

I came across these lovelies in an old folder from a couple of years ago,



Trying out a newly acquired lens here...



...and here.

My lantana looks so out of place among all of the dry, fallen leaves...
...but it's still going strong!
~
So let's get on with the questions....

1. What's surprised you most about your life or life in general?

Wow, tough question! Life is certainly full of surprises...where do I begin?? I remember being a young girl and lying in bed at night and wondering how long I would have my parents with me since they were so much older than me. I also remember doing the math in my head...by the time I was 20, they'd be in their 60s...by the time I was 40, they may not even be living. What a tremendous blessing that they both lived to be in their 90s...Mom, into her late 90s and able to enjoy their many grand and even great-grand children. Also when I think back, the thought of leaving my home town never even crossed my mind or seemed like a possibility.  I am one of only two of us eight kids who's life took them away from home.

2.  Sweet potato fries, sweet potato casserole, a baked sweet potato, a bowl of butternut squash soup, a caramel apple or a slice of pumpkin pie...you have to order one thing on this list right now. Which one do you go for?

There is no one answer for me when it comes to sweet potatoes...it all depends on what I'm eating with it. If I'm eating a burger, I'd go for the fries...turkey, the casserole for sure (Thanksgiving just is not Thanksgiving without it)...steak, I'd go for baked. For dessert pumpkin pie, no doubt! Come on Joyce, how can you just pick one of these items from the menu??

3. What's a famous book set in your home state? Have you read it? On a scale of 1-5 (5 is fantastic) how many stars does it rate?

I did not know of any books that were set in Ohio...that is until I googled it. The list that came up were no books that I had ever heard of or read...in fact, most were rather dark in nature...not my cup of tea anyway. I did however notice that "Beloved" was on the list. Somehow, I managed to see this movie when it was on TV but did not read the book. It was interesting but rather dark as well. If I was rating it, I'd give it maybe 2 stars.

4. There are 60 days until Christmas...have you started your shopping? How do you stay organized for the holidays?

No, I haven't...and I don't.

5. October 26th is National Tennessee Day. Have you ever lived or spent any time in Tennessee? Is this a state you'd like to visit one day?

Why, yes...I have spent LOTS of time there! I fell in love with Tennessee when I was a girl and first traveled through it on our way to SC to visit my brother. I often fantasized about living in those mountains one day. Little did I know then that years later, our youngest son would go to college in Nashville (Trevecca Nazarene University), meet his wife and wind up making his home there. Most you know that we also hope to make a home there as well, hopefully very soon.

The top rated tourist attractions in Tennessee are-

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park (Gatlinburg area) - yes, it's heavenly

 

and one of the great tunnels...

 

 

Elvis's Graceland (Memphis)

Birth of the Music Biz (Memphis and Nashville) - yes, many times

Dollywood (Pigeon Forge)

Tennessee's Military Heritage (many battlefields)

The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home)

The Parthenon (Nashville)

Oak Ridge American Museum of Science and Energy

Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley Railroad - yes, honeymoon...does riding the Incline count?

Downtown Knoxville - yes...Jim had a job interview there once

Lookout Mountain - yes...honeymoon

The Titanic Museum (Pigeon Forge)

The Museum of Appalachia (Clinton)

The Lost Sea Adventure (Sweetwater)

How many on this list have you seen? Looks like about 5.

Which one on the list would you most like to see? I'd love to visit The Museum of Appalachia.

 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Can y'all believe that Thanksgiving is less than a month away? The years seriously seem to get shorter and shorter as I grow older and older. 

Until next time...

An Unseasonable Hodgpodge

Greetings from the tropics!

Just kidding.
But if I didn't know better and someone led me outside blindfolded,
I might very well be convinced that I was in the Bahamas.
This is what it really looks like when I walk out my door...

...plenty of falling leaves and a tad of color but it feels nothing like fall right now.
Our local weather forecasters totally missed it.
Thanks to Hurricane Nate, we are experiencing this "lovely" taste of the tropics.
Now don't get me wrong, I love a tropical paradise when the surroundings match the temps...
...but this is a bit extreme.
Oh, and remember that chili I was going to make over the weekend?
Well, the hamburger meat is now in the freezer
and the other ingredients are waiting (impatiently) on the pantry shelf.
I even bought that bag of tortilla chips for my nachos...MAN!
So.....my taste buds have been put on hold.
~
I'll stop complaining about the weather now because it's time for Joyce's Hodgepodge,
and because I can't do anything about it anyway!

You know the drill...she asks the questions and we answer them on our blogs.
Here are this week's questions:
~

1. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your sense of direction? 1=can't find my way out of a paper bag and 10=if I've been somewhere once I can find it blindfolded ten years later.

I think I have a pretty good sense of direction and would probably rate myself at about a "7". And this all depends on if I am doing the driving or the navigating. If I am just one of several passengers, you might as well forget it if we are heading somewhere unfamiliar...I am usually too busy running my mouth rather than paying attention to the route. Normally, it just takes a couple of times to feel confident about where I am going and I rely a lot on landmarks, not necessarily the road signs since I don't see them well until I am right up on them!

When was the last time you looked at/used a map you could hold in your hand? (phones don't count!)

It has probably well over a year. I have only had my iPhone that long and did not have a car with a built-in navigation system until I got my CR-V earlier this year. I didn't use an atlas but I did print directions off Google maps and go by them.

Back east, down south, out west, up north...choose one of these directional expressions and tell us why you chose it.

I've never been out west and I've always lived closer to the east or the southeast. That would leave up north. There are many places much more "northern" than Ohio but that has pretty much been where most of my northern travels have been limited to.

2. Did you do more talking or listening yesterday? Talking. Is that typical? Yes, but not the rule. Describe your yesterday in one word. Positive.

3. Time, money, water-power-resources, opportunity...which one on the list are you most guilty of wasting? What might you do to change that?

If I am being honest (and that is how we are to answer these questions, right?), I have to admit that I find myself wasting time more than anything, which can then become a wasted opportunity, am I right? I don't think that we need to be busy 100% of the time...we all need down time to just do nothing in particular or to do the things we like to do. This is how I see myself, anyway. I have never had anyone else tell me that I'm a time waster. Lord knows that there are many things on my to-do list...and the key word here is LIST. When I make a list, I get 'er done!

4. Did  your family take regular vacations when you were a kid? Tell us something you remember about a family roadtrip from your own childhood.

When I was growing up, a family road trip consisted of piling in the old Buick on a Sunday afternoon and heading about 20-30 miles out to the country to visit various aunts, uncles and cousins. We had a blast traveling down those back roads, especially when we convinced Dad to take that hill just a little faster (when there were no other cars coming, of course). Losing our stomachs when we reached the bottom of the hill was the high point of the day! I wrote more about the things that make me go aaahhhh over on my childhood memories blog. When you are a family with that many kids and Dad was the one and only breadwinner, an actual vacation was something we knew nothing about. But you know what? I never ever had one regret about the way I grew up and what we could and could not afford...you don't miss something you never had. I was actually about 13 or so before I left the state of Ohio. My youngest older brother took me and two of sisters on a road trip to South Carolina to visit our older brother and his family. I not only got to experience the Smokey Mountains along the way, and stepping into the Atlantic Ocean at Myrtle Beach for the first time was all it took for me to want to go back to those places as often as I could...or anywhere else for that matter.

5. If you could grow anything you wanted, what would you grow? Why?

Sunflowers and milkweed because they both attract butterflies...

...and because milkweed pods and those wispy seeds are among my favorite things. I'm still a little upset that the field of milkweed, the one pictured above, has gotten mowed down twice this year. 😒

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Gee, a nice warm bowl of chili sure would hit the spot. Some day.

~

So that's it for this Hodgepodge...and enjoy your break, Joyce. 

I have a sneaking suspicion that there will be some baby lovin' on your itinerary. 👶

And maybe in a couple of weeks, I'll be wearing my winter duds, who knows?

Late September Hodgepodge

Falling leaves hide the path so quietly.
~John Bailey
~
Yes, we can actually say it now...it's officially fall, even though it doesn't quite feel like it yet.
It's in the air though...the mornings and evenings have that certain something about them
that let you know the atmosphere is changing.
~
I snapped these photos at our local Lake Michael last Friday morning.



I got there just in time to catch the sun peeking out from behind the trees.
Fog was hovering over the lake and it was really quite beautiful.

Just that little hint of color lets one know that it's only a matter of time.

And speaking of time, it's time for Joyce's Hodgepodge...

...where she asks the questions and we answer them on our blogs.

~ 

1. What pets did you have while growing up? Tell us a little something about them.

The first pet that I remember was Tippy, our sweet family mutt. He was a gold colored mixed breed that had a furry tail that curled up over his back.

He was a very even tempered dog...except for that one time. He was lying on the steps going into the house and he was in my way. When I couldn't get him to move, I just stepped right on him (I was really little) and he bit me in the leg. Served me right, didn't it?! He forgave me and I forgave him.

Throughout the years, there were several cats, none that I can remember having names although I'm sure they must have. I do remember dressing one of them in doll clothes and pushing it around in a baby buggy. My mom put her foot down on having any more cats right after she came into the kitchen and found one of them on top of the table eating noodles right out of the pot. BAD KITTY! There were a few other animals in later years, one being my tiny pet chameleon, Cam. He was beautiful and I enjoyed watching him change colors to match his surroundings. He would sometimes lie on his back in the palm of my hand and I would rub his belly. Then there was Bugger the hamster (yes, that was his name) and after a photo shoot (yes, even back then) in my mom's flower bed, he somehow got away from me. After hours and hours of searching for him, I finally gave up...he was lost in the great outdoors, never to be seen again.😢

2. What is one thing you absolutely must accomplish today?

Jim is home after working a 9-day stretch...laundry is on the to-do list or sure.

3. Where were you ten years ago? What were you doing there?

Ten years ago I was right here doing the very same thing (well, not blogging)...but I was living in the same house, working the same job, doing the same thing I have done for the past 24 years. There is something to be said about continuity but I have to say, am ready for a new adventure! Lord, are you listening?? 😩

4. September 26th is National Dumpling Day. Did you celebrate? Apple dumpling, xiao long bao (steamed Chinese dumpling), chicken and dumplings, pirogi, matzoh balls, or gnocchi...which dumpling on this list would be your dumpling of choice? Have you ever made homemade dumplings of any kind?

That's pretty funny, I just saw where it is National Pancake Day...but I guess they are somewhat related...I mean if you are talking about both being full of carbs, right? Actually, I don't eat much of any kind of dumplings but it's not because I don't like them. Jim is not fond of wet, bready substances but now if you are talking about an apple dumpling, well that might be a different story because he does love him some pie! My dumpling of choice would be either gnocchi (Olive Garden's Chicken Gnocchi Soup...YUM) or the good old fashioned chicken and dumplings my mom used to make. And no, I have never made any dumplings that I recall.

5. 'There are two kinds of adventurers: those who go truly hoping to find an adventure and those who go secretly hoping they don't.' William Trogdon
So which kind are you?

I really think I am the first kind. I have always had an adventuresome spirit and even though I can be perfectly content and satisfied by the normal day-to-day, a change of scenery and routine can be quite exciting...and a little bit scary, as I may be finding out soon!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Temperatures are dropping here this weekend and we're planning to have one of these!



See you in October!