DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

 This diy comes from  www.thevintagedresser.blogspot.com  .   When ordinary leaves just won't do. Musical Leaves Tutorial When we were in one of our favorite shops in Snohomish a couple of weeks ago,  Joyworks,  I spotted some leaves they had hanging above their check-out area. They had been cut from music sheets from a song book. For some reason they struck me as a fun project to do, so here we go: On a trip to town a few days ago, I cruised some streets, looking for trees with pretty leaves. I was in a residential area and felt a LITTLE conspicuous parking in the street, jumping out and ripping leaves off of trees, but sometimes one has to sacrifice dignity in the name of "art"! LOL! Now, FYI, It would have been easier to use these leaves if I'd come right home and jumped on this project! But no---I waited a couple of days before I got to it, and the leaves were curling and getting kind of crispy! So, I smoothed them...

  There has always been a lot of debate in both the scientific and the supernatural realm with regard to what actually constitutes a ghost. Some believe that they are souls that haven't, for some reason, crossed over to the other side. Those believing in this theory suspect that there is something that the dead left unfinished in life. Therefore, they can't cross over until they finish whatever their task.     Others believe that someone holds them back, not allowing them to cross over. It could be a loved one who can't let go of them, or it might be an enemy who seeks to block them from paradise.     Some believe that ghosts are nothing more than residual energy left behind at a place where something tragic occurred. They call it a "loop" in time and space that replays the incident over and over again.     Both theories have some credibility. It wouldn't be unnatural for any one to want to complete their purpose in life. It...

Spiced Pumpkin Mousse With the arrival of fall and Thanksgiving around the corner, pumpkin dishes are back on our menus. Say “pumpkin” and most people say “pie”. But pumpkin is not just for pie. Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes include pumpkin breakfast muffins, pumpkin and black bean soup, and the sublime pumpkin mousse. Having planned pumpkin mousse for dessert for a catered party I set out to pick up some canned pumpkin. I had to go to four grocery stores to find it! Then just this past week the newspaper announced that there was a shortage of canned pumpkin. Hard to imagine. We are so spoiled being able to walk into a market and buy just about anything we need without thinking about it. I’ve made this pumpkin mousse many times to the delight of family, guests and clients alike. The best thing is it can be made a day ahead (or first thing in the morning) of the party. Being able to get something done and “off your checklist” in advance is always welcome. Pumpki...