A Halloween Moss Monster Craft

This post was sponsored by Plaid Mod Podge. I received compensation for this post. All opinions in it are my own!! 

For this craft of awesomeness I used Outdoor Mod Podge: a waterbased glue, sealer, and finish that let me use my decoupaging skills outdoors. Yay!A few years back I made a fun little bunch of Moss Monsters that lived in a little Moss Monster Mansion:

They were just teeny. But I loved them so. 

And, then I thought....

Why not make them bigger??

It was so easy to do.

And they look super dooper funny on the lawn.

Here's what you need:

~Mod Podge Outdoor

~Spanish Moss

~Wire

~Foam Block

~Spray Adhesive

~Big Googly Eyes

~Antique Paper

~Light Plastic (I got mine from a binder divider)

-Take the wire and push it through close to the middle of the foam. 

-Go outside and spray the block with the adhesive.....then quickly place the spanish moss all over the foam. 

 -Using the Outdoor Mod Podge, cut some triangles out of the plastic and some antique paper the same size and mod podge the paper to the plastic. These are going to be the teeth. 

-Use the Mod Podge on the googly eyes you've chosen to give them a little extra strength.

-While that is drying, go outside and use some clear acrylic spray to cover all the moss on the monster with a coat. 

 -Hot glue the teeth and eyes into place. 

-Hot glue some brown moss over the base of the teeth, then hot glue a little bit of spanish moss over that to make them blend together. 

-I used a little extra mod podge on the face, anywhere that I could see that the acrylic spray didn't do a very good job.

Once he/she is dry, you're done!!

This guy looks great all over the lawn. 

Kind of like a Halloween Muppet.

There was a little mouse outside scurrying around. 

I wonder if it was scared of my Moss Monster?

You can find Mod Podge online here:

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

I shared this post at the following link parties:
Between Naps On The Porch
Tatertots and Jello

 

Here are some other crafts with Mod Podge!!!

CARD: Best Prepaid Debit Card

I was compensated for this post. All opinions are my own!!

I've never tried a prepaid debit card before.....but let me tell you, once I read up on it, it made a lot of sense!

CARD  is a prepaid visa debit card that can do so much.

Listen to this:

~No credit check

~No check cashing fees

~No overdraft fees

~Access to ATMS worldwide

~Free to order, activate, and load

~Free app check deposits from your smartphone

~Free Card to Card transfers from anywhere, in seconds

~Thousands of cool designs to choose from 

I chose this one:

The Rachel Hale Bulldog CARD. 

The first time I used the card I got a comment on how cute the photo was, and I've gotten other compliments since then. It's really fun to have such a funky card. 

Here are some other designs I would totally love:

I totally missed seeing the Boston Terrier. As IF I didn't get this one!

Can you sense a theme or what? 

I just love those doggies. 

But, the CARD? That was pretty awesome. I can just get my employer to direct deposit right to it. 

The card is free for 30 days and then there is a $5.95 fee per month, but you waive that fee if you direct deposit over $800 within the month!!!

I think you should check it out. It is so easy to pick one out and get started!!

A New Baby Gift Basket

This is a sponsored guest post for which I received compensation.

New Baby Gift Baskets to Celebrate the Arrival of the New One

The best way to celebrate any occasion, no matter whatever the occasion might be, is to send gifts. There are many joyful moments in everyone’s life, which they want to celebrate with their friends and family. If one of your family members is expecting or has delivered a baby then you might want to gift them something quite special, which will mark this celebration. Now you might be perplexed as to what should be selected when it comes to gifting them on this special day. You have to worry nothing much as you can find lots of options these days. Also you will new and better ideas for choosing and decorating new baby gift baskets.  You can find all the information about the same from the net, where the dealers will allow you to customize the basket as per your preferences.

The task becomes all more daunting when you have to gift sometime for the new mother-to-be on her baby shower day. Here you have no idea about the gender of the baby, so it needs you to be very thoughtful while selecting the gifts. In this case, you can check what the online dealer has for you.  There are many things that you can include when it comes to filling the baskets of the new or to-be-born baby.

Some of the things that can be included in the basket for the to-be-baby or their parents are as follows –

• Beautifully coloured burp clothes, which can be used on babies of any gender.
• Wash clothes that are a must for the new born.
• Soft and colourful socks to cover their delicate and tiny feet.
• Blankets, rattles, and booties are some of the other things that you can also include in this basket.
• Nutritious fruits, chocolate box, cookies, creamy fruit cake, and other healthy and fresh items especially for the mother or both parents.

These things are required by the new parents, so the more they have the better. Many stores allow you to customize the basket and choose the items that you think the new parents might need. Also, at the time of buying ensure the dealer sells a quality product that is harmless for the babies.

Personalized Gifts:

The trend these days are for personalized gifts, where buyers can buy as much products as they want and pay for the same. The best thing is that the gift will be remarkably wrapped and parcelled to the desired destinations. There are many websites that sell quality products at a reasonably lower price. You can check different sites and choose the best one after comparing the features and offers they have for you.

You can also include in it some personalized soft toys such as teddy bear, which kids will always love. Toddlers get attracted towards colours and melodious music, so you can look for one such product. For the new born, on the other hand you can order for gifts with their name beautifully engraved on it. Parents will like to retain it throughout their life and celebrate the day of the sweetheart’s birthday. The dealers are coming up with more ideas for new baby gift baskets, so as a buyer you have endless choices.

A Marvelous Mess!!

Howdy!

Thanks for visiting. 

My biggest project this week was showing you all how to make a Halloween Witch:

You can find that post HERE....

And, all of you were up to tons of stuff! Here is a fun one:

Peanut Butter Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies

And, the post I'm going to feature on my sidebar for a week:

Oooooooo, you've got to go read about Antibacterial Soap at Brown Thumb Mama.

She did a great job researching and giving reason against the use of it..... and it is totally scary.

Thanks to all of you for linking up! 

I love seeing all of those fall themed projects out there. 

This time of year is so fun!!!

Now, on to the party:

Make A Halloween Witch Craft

Here is a little treat for you..... 

I made my first Halloween Witch for my Etsy Shop and I'm going to show you how I did it!!

Here is what you need:

Black Roving

Peach Roving

Hair Color Roving

Green Roving

Brown Roving

Needle Felting Tool

Needle felting is just like sculpting. It's a total blast, but it is *not* for children..... these needle are huge an they are incredibly sharp. This craft if for ADULTS.

 ~To start, get a handful of black roving and wrap it around and around itself until it is a cylinder shape. Then use the tool to bind it together, making it kind-of candy corn shaped (tighter on the top, with a wide round base for balance). 

~Take two smaller bundles of roving and make some sleeves for the witch. Candy corn shaped again, and at the ends where the hands will be going you can use the tool to indent the a little bit. 

~Then, attach them to the rest of the outfit like this:

~Now, it's time for the head. Take a ball of peach roving and use the tool to make it head shaped. 

~Attach it onto the top of the black outfit.  

 ~Add some hair to it, leaving the face clear.

Now, you can get some green roving and make some little elf shaped shoes out of a wrapped cylinder of green roving. 

~Attach those to the bottom of the outfit, pointing out.  

 ~Out of just a little bit of roving, shape some mitten hands and attach them inside the Witch's sleeves.

~Then, you can start to work on the face. Make a small ball of peach roving for the nose and attach it to the face. Leave it kind of soft, as you can take some extra time with the tool to sculpt nostrils. 

~Next, gather up a ball of peach roving for each cheek and attach it. You can also pull out the chin to make it more pointy if the roving on the witch's face wasn't too worked. If it is, just get another bit of roving and sculpt it onto the chin. 

~We need the hat! Take some black roving and wrap it around into a cone shape. Then, with the tool, work it so that the tip is gradually pointy and that the base is wide.

~Attach it onto the head of the witch through the brim being careful not to bother any of the face. 

~Yeah, you just totally made a witch.

Now, if this looks like too much work.... feel free to go to my Etsy shop HERE and buy one that I made!!!!! 

I shared this post at the following parties (and all those listed in my tab above):
Fiber Arts Friday

The Inspiration Exchange
Between Naps On The Porch

I Need The Best Lawn Service Around

This is a sponsored post written entirely by me. All opinions in it are my own.

You remember how I moved, right?

Well, since I moved we have been renting out our place. Everything is taken care of by the rentee..... except of course, the lawn.
For some reason, we take care of the lawn. It was my grand idea. I thought, "Hey, let's just do the lawn ourselves!" Then, I tried to follow through with it.... and it has been a complete flop.  Our lawnmower is in terrible condition. It came with the house when we bought it and has been fixed numerous times. It just isn't getting any better. I feel like I'm riding on a broken tin trampoline. We feel (and hear) the effects of every bump on this mower. Soon, the leaves will be falling and we use the mower to mulch the leaves instead of gathering them up, as it's so much better for the ground (it's like making a little compost). Also, Martha Stewart told me to take care of the leaves that way. Okay, her magazine did. The problem with all that is that this mower isn't going to be able to do that!!!!

I've tried borrowing other mowers.

Remember how that turned out?

Not so well. 

Our old lawnmower went back in the shop this week and just came out today.....but traveling the distance to get to the place without the guarantee of a lawn mower that will actually mow makes it a bit daunting. We're honestly thinking it's time to hire someone who can take care of our lawn, not just the grass, but the perennials and even the outdoor water features. Now that we are renting, it really matters to us that the house looks and stays in good shape. We need to find some Lawn Connections. 

To really fix our lawn, it would be nice to work on the stone wall up front. We have a half built stone wall (I suspect it used to be a full wall, as the land was farmed for a couple hundred years, but it was taken apart) that would look lovely finished. The stonewall is in the shade, so we have some hosta's along it, but I was thinking about adding something in between each of them. Astilbe is a shade plant (I believe) that might look good. Or, daffodils..... someone told me once to plant daffodils next to hostas because they bloom first but then look kind of yucky once they are done blooming and it is then that the hosta grows big enough and covers up the daffodil leaves. 

Of course, I live in the North East. All of my choices in plants and the hows and whens of landscaping depend on the weather. If I lived in a place like Southlake Texas, my hostas would always be full. I do envy the foliage of sub tropical zones. Then again, I love the season up here. As I said earlier, the leaves are just now changing:

And, it's time for apple picking:

I love our seasons up here. I've lived out west before and it was nice.....but I missed all of the green and all of the water. When you're out west they say "river" and it looks like is a small stream. I'm used to rivers that are much bigger than that. And, that is what I could never get used to; the lack of green and blue colors around me. So, we moved back to Maine and eventually bought a house. And now I have to take care of it (even though I don't live there)..... I think it is time to find someone to take care of our lawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gift Hampers in UK the Best Way to Celebrate the Special Moments of Life

This a sponsored guest post for which I have received compensation.

Everyone loves to get pampered with gifts, no matter whatever the occasion might be. Buying a gift these days is not a daunting task, as there are many online stores that sell one of the best and impressive looking gifts that will make the recipient happy. There are many stores that sell cheap and beautifully designed gift hampers.  The people in the United Kingdom are no exception and they love to receive and present gifts to their families and friends. They never prefer to let go any opportunity to celebrate any happy moments of life. In order to cater the needs of such clients, many online stores offer the best gift hampers in UK for those who love to gift different things on various occasions. Chocolates are one of the most preferred options, and people of all age groups love them.

Types of gift hampers

At the time of selecting the gift hamper you need to be very thoughtful about the selection. If you are presenting something to your girlfriend then fill the basket with beautiful things that girls usually love.  There are perfumes, tops, make-up kits, and accessories that will make the basket quite impressive and worth. You can complement the basket with a bunch of beautiful flowers, which every women love. If you are unsure of selecting the better option, then the expert storekeeper will surely help you in selecting the best alternative. Not only will they decorate the items in an impressive way, but also help you in choosing the better items that she will love.

These days, many buyers prefer to check the options through online portal as you can find gift hampers for each and every occasion and that too in your budget. A wide variety of hampers such as special mother’s day hampers, Valentine’s Day hampers, baby hampers, Christmas hampers, wedding hampers, luxurious hampers, birthday hampers, food hampers, and hampers exclusively designed for men and women is available on these online gift portals.

Pack it in a better way:

If you are not confident of the way to pack the basket, then it is recommended not to do so. In this case you can seek the help of the expert, who has knowledge about such a task. Nowadays, many online dealers allow their clients to customize the basket and pack them attractively. All you have to do is place an order for the same and then worry about nothing else. Also they will get the parcel delivered to your home or the desired destination at the right time.

Benefits of online purchases:

• You get an option to have a look at different items that are sold like hot cakes in the market.
• The gift wraps are done by professionals, so you don’t have to worry about it looks at all.
• As you can customize it as per your choice, you will have a great time in buying the better product.

Online portals selling gift hampers in UK keep themselves updated with the latest trends and ensure to provide the better services to their clients at affordable rates. With better services and cheap products, you will have a great time in buying impressive items for your loved ones.

Gift Baskets for Men- Be Smart and Choose the Best One

This is a sponsored guest post for which I have received compensation.

Men love gifts as much as women do. It is just that they don’t reveal this particular fact. If you are planning to buy something sensible and special for your brother, father, or boyfriend then there are many things that you need to take care. You can buy them different things on occasions like on their birthday, promotion, anniversary day, and others. Sometimes it might not seem to be an easy task to buy them a gift, especially if you don’t know what they might prefer. Even if you are perplexed about the same then you don’t have to worry about it anymore as the choice are endless for you. You can buy one of the prettiest gifts for them from the net, where you can check the latest trends and choose one as per your budget. Gift baskets for men have become a fashion these days, where you can choose anything and everything that you might want to give to the man of which you are thinking.

In fact there are many things that you can have a look at. All you need to do is find their preferences and likings, and fill the basket as per your preferences. Just like you ladies, men also need many fashionable stuff and accessories. You can choose in special things to be filled in the basket like -

• Impressive cologne that they will like to use anytime and all the time.
• Attractive shirts that can be worn for all seasons.
• Ties, cuff rings, shoes, rings, bracelets, wine, video games, miniature pens, and others are some of the other options that you can include in the basket.
• Shaving gift set consisting of razor, shaving brush and lotion.
• Chocolates of all types and flavors.

Order the basket:

You can place an order for the product from online portal, where you can review different items and choose to be decorated in the basket. However before you choose one of the products ensure to check what is that the man craves for more. For instance, if he has huge collections of shirts then it will be a smart thing not to choose them. Gifts are meant to bring a smile on the face of the recipient. Thus, you can buy something that he has been craving for the most.

Men love watches, which can be worn for different occasions. Many online stores these days sell impressively designed watches which are stylish and cheap. Before you buy them, check the style and design they might prefer to buy as it will make them happy. Apart from watches, you can also have a look at some of the good quality and expensive wines and other drinks that men usually love.

Why should you gift?

Everyone loves to receive and give gift. Some need reasons, and some others don’t. No matter whatever the reason might be it is necessary that you gain proper understanding about the procedure to choose a gift, as it will make the recipient happy. While choosing gift baskets for men you need to pay special attention to what they might like and want to use.