Have a Happy Halloween!

A red umbrella

What can be more inspiring than a splash of red on a rainy day!

There is no rain here. But I woke up this morning wishing we would have some. So I was searching for the inspiration and found this gorgeous photography print form the lucysnowephotography shop.

Lovely soft grays and a red spot... just gorgeous, don't you think?

I wish I was there...

Cozy time with cozy coffee

Winter knits for home are very cozy. Soft cable knit pillows and blankets are making you want to stay in bed forever. Little life pleasures like a cup of coffee will wake your up and fill with energy.

So why not think of cozy coffee?

If you like your coffee out of French Press, this pretty coffee pot cozy will keep it warm until you are ready for the second cup.

It is made of wool and acrylic yarn and feels so soft! The cheerful raspberry color will lift your mood on a gray day and may remind you of a warm summer full of sun, fun and sweet berries.

This is my vision of cozy home in a colder time of year. What are you planning to do for your home decor this winter?

Chicken soup

The chicken soup my mother cooked was delicious but always the same. It had some potatoes, some onions, some egg noodles and chicken in it. It is tasty and warming your soul when it's cold outside but this soup is not diet friendly.

This soup is different from what my mother makes for variety and better for diets. There is no starch in it so it is safe to eat if you are on a diet.

Here is my recipe - try it at home and you will love it, too!

You will need:

1 cup cubed boneless skinless chicken breast

8 cup water

1 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup sliced carrot

1 medium onion

1/2 cup wild rice or country mix

1 medium tomato, chopped
Salt to taste

Boil the water, add chicken breast, celery, carrots and onions. Add rice and cook all together until the rice is tender. Add chopped tomato, salt and cook about 10 minutes more.

Enjoy!

Ode to a pumpkin

What would you do with your pumpkin?

 You can put it on your porch and celebrate a Fall with it's bright color.

 You can cook it and enjoy the sweet flavor.

You can carve it and put a candle in it to scare the evil spirits on Halloween night.

 You can draw a picture of it and maybe, make a greeting card.

 You can make a colorful pumpkin-like beads and put it on a chain to make a necklace or a pair of earrings.

 Or simply knit with the pretty pumpkin colored yarn and enjoy the warmth of your hand knit creation!

Our knit wrap made it to the front page on Etsy

Our white lace shoulderette was on a front page of Etsy last Saturday!

Thank you, MayaHoney, for your lovely treasury!

My birthday

I had a really great birthday this year.

 I was not planning to celebrate it and did not think people were going to remember it but they did!

 I have receive a lot of calls, emails, cards and cute gifts.

 I even got two surprise parties from my friends this year!

 It is so nice of all of you, thank you so much. I really had a great time!

Plush pastels and morning coffee

I just finish making these new cup cozies and I just love them. The soft pastel colors are making them so feminine and pretty!

When I was making them I was thinking of a blooming garden covered with a sudden snow and a girl looking through the window with a cup of hot coffee in her hands. She is in a warm house but it's cold outside. She is not in a hurry today and can just relax with her cup of coffee and a book by the fireplace.

 Oh, a cat! I missed a cat!

The furry ball is right there, next to her. Just sleeping tight and seeing sweet dreams about the warm summer and lazy days in the garden.

It is all going to happen soon, it's October already!  I can not wait for the cozy time to begin.

Halloween fun ideas and the free bag toppers' graphic from GraphicLand

Halloween is all about the fun and treats and it taste better when it comes in pretty wrappers or has a nice tag. So I contacted one of my favorite graphic shops on Etsy, the GraphicLand, to get some new ideas and inspirations for the coming holiday. Irina, the owner of the shop was very kind to answer some of my questions and she also made a Halloween bag topper especially for my blog readers.

1. What does Halloween mean to you?
Halloween is not widely known in my country as in America. When I came here, I had heard about this day, but I had never celebrate it. So all what I know, I absorbed here - in America.

The holiday didn't become the day which we celebrate in my family, but it's definitely a fun day for me. I like the costumes, the tradition of trick-or-treat... :) And the most I like is the fun that people have around. My favorite thing about Halloween is to get a camera and to go to downtown to take picture of costumed people while they are trick-or-treating :)

2. Would you share some tips with us on how to use your images for Halloween?
I would love to share bag toppers* images for Halloween. I really believe they are going to be useful to decorate party favors. You just need to print, fold them, and attach to plastic bags with stapler. Hope you'll like them. :)

 

* These bag toppers were designed to fit a clear self sealed bag  about 5 1/4" by 7 1/4"

3. Name 3 things you would always use for Halloween party.
I would say spooky decoration, good friends and family, and of course a lot of food and fun. :)