PinterTest Kitchen: Triple Craft

Pinterest has definitely bitten me with the crafty bug.

Except I feel like I have no time to execute.

Plenty of time to pin.

But not enough time to warm up that glue gun, bust out the exacto knife, or cut out googly eyes.

But a few Sundays ago, my house was clean.

My meals for the week were prepped.

And I had a few hours to myself.

So I started with the craft that seemed the most foolproof.

Because I am one crafting fool.

Master of Disaster.

Remember?

Anyway, Washi Tape Pumpkins:

Source: realsimple.com via Kim on Pinterest

And here are mine:

I vote total success.
Off to a good start.


Next I decided to go out on a limb, and try something a bit more challenging - remember last month, I made the Christmas Card Wreath? When I got the supplies for that wreath, I got supplies for this one:

Source: kojodesigns.blogspot.com via Kim on Pinterest

And here is how mine turned out:

Even more awesome than I imagined it would!
I used my Washi Tape on the clothespins - which made decorating the pins super easy.
I also used a small wreath (6" diameter?) and mini clothespins.
Come on by for a Cuppa.
You can choose one from the Tea Wreath.

At this point my sense of accomplishment was high, and I still had a lot of time left on a relaxing Sunday afternoon.
Last month's PinterTest Party, my bloggy friend Jamie PinterTested the Spooky Halloween Bunting - and it turned out AMAZING.
With all of this blogging, my scrapbooking supplies are busy collecting dust - so I took them out of retirement and made a spooky bunting of my own.

Pinspiration:

Source: organizeyourstuffnow.com via Jamie on Pinterest

And the results of my very first bunting:

LOVE.

Such a fun day of being a Crafty Mc Crafterson.

Linking up with Jessica over at Keep Up With the Johnson's for November's PinterTest Kitchen:

A Day at the Beach...Chalet!

Last week it was my mom's birthday.

And I played hooky took a vacation day from work.

My sister also had the day off, so we made it a family day in San Francisco.

We had lunch at the Beach Chalet.

Which is right at the Nike Women's Marathon Finish Line.

It was much more fun to go back and eat, not having just wogged 13.1 miles.

(Yep, still talking about it).

I tried to make the next bunch of pics into collages, but on the apps I tried, 

and even on Picnik, they kept rotating.

Because they are annoying like that.

We also dined with this guy painting the window next to us.

Slightly awkward.

Just slightly.

But my dad got his favorite dessert ever, bread pudding.

And this wasn't just any bread pudding, butterscotch bread pudding.

If you can't tell, he liked it.

Why did the seagull cross the road Great Highway?

Finished the 1/2 Marathon right at this spot!

Good question, right?

Probably to get to Ocean Beach. 

Which is basically why we did.

I don't think there is any day more beautiful than an October day in San Francisco.

It's one of its best kept secrets.

Clear. Warm. Sunny.

We got it all.

We were headed to the Legion of Honor Museum.

But my sister made a comment that it was too beautiful to be inside.

So we dilly-dallied around outside the museum.

Because, who needs a museum when you can see things like this.

And take 23853 family photos self portrait style with it as your backdrop.

And put your toes in a fountain like this:

Might be against the rules.

And someone traipsed through the trees like she was channeling her inner Bella Swan

Looking for anyone who glitters.

And yeah, we explored the exterior of the museum a bit.

And I have a feeling it brought out my inner artsiness.

Because check out these beauties:

My goal in life is to be the Ansel Adams of InstaGram.

Yep. Mission accomplished right there.

The Legion of Honor is home to  a casting of Rodin's, The Thinker.

He may look familiar.

When I was in my hippy dippy no grades and no tests special college program,

I had to visit this statue on a homework assignment.

These two weren't so keen on the museum explorations.

But, it made my mom's day to discover the "Ionian Columns"

Which match the column charm she got herself in Greece.

As weird as it was that she noticed that,

she was actually kinda right.

Afterwards, I begged my parents to take a quick drive by Fort Miley

(which I never knew existed)

Cause my pupster's name is Mylie (not Cyrus, but close, right?)

The good news is, it is gorgeous.

It has an awesome view of the Golden Gate.

A gorgeous running trail along the bunkers.

And the hull of the SS San Francisco.
(Future exploration mandatory).

At the end of the day, 

I found this little guy.

And wished

all my InstaGrams would turn out super artsy
every day was a vacation day
my mom wouldn't make me go back to the museum with her on a rainy day
for a million more wishes

 that every time I explored SF it would be just as lovely.

Linking up my uber artsy instagrams (a day late)
with Sweet Shot Tuesday

Get Me a Hat with a Buckle and Call Me a Pilgrim!

Guess who got her Pilgrim on last weekend?
Oh yes.
Your's Truly!

CuppaPilgrim Fact: Pilgrims eat olives.

First up, I got my craft on with the lovely EMJ the other night - at her Crafts and Crap evening.
Thankfully, with a name like that, Masters of Disasters are totally allowed.
Because usually when I craft, it ends up pretty crappy.

But, with the pressure off.
My crap turn out pretty freaking awesome.

I whipped up a journal for April of The Gingerbread Blog's Journal Swap (on it's way to you Steph!!)

And then I helped Ellen whip up this beauty of a thankful journal....for someone yet to be named....

I got rolling on a friendship bracelet.
Okay...maybe my skillz aren't exceptional in friendship bracelet world.
My 4-knots need a little work.
Especially on the blue row.
Let's just not bring up, okay?

And my favorite project, the fall garland.
I chose colors that were both fall-ish.
And match my living room.
Mission Accomplished.

So yes, handmade goods - very pilgrimy.
Don't you think?

But wait.
I'm about to take it to another level.

I made pumpkin pie.

Oh.
Just keep waiting.

Wait.
For.
It.

From these babies.

Yep. You can give me that buckle hat and cornucopia now.

While those suckers roasted, I whipped up my homemade crust.
I have been baking pumpkin pies since my Aunt gave me this crust recipe when I was around 8 years old.
But I always make them with canned pumpkin.
I didn't even know you could make a pie from actual pumpkins (I thought they needed to go to some crazy processing plant or something!

Do you love my recipe box and cards?
Back when I was 8, my mom gave them to me - since she wasn't using them.
Retro chic.

Then I cooled. Scooped. And pureed.

Before I went to EMJ's on Friday night, I whipped up THIS homemade pumpkin pie spice to add to a batch of Pumpkin Fluff (so good).

I told you, I'm straight Pilgrim these days.

I wasn't on a cruise. I was on the freaking Mayflower. Then growing some maize.

I used the TJ's recipe sticker that came on the pumpkin.

1 1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree (each pumpkin made just exactly that)
1 Container of Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 1/3 cup)
1 Cup of Hot Water
1 Egg

and I spunked it up with 1 1/2 teaspoons of my own spice!

Bake at 375* for 55 minutes.

And voila!
Pumpkin pies from sc-rizz-atch.!!!

Not exactly the most pumpkiny colored pies.
Who needs Red 75 and Yellow 23 anyway.

It was very tasty.
OF COURSE!

Have I mentioned I'm not a perfectionist?
Rough edged crusts are my signature technique.
You should try it sometime.
It's very freeing.

You know what else you should try?
A slice of this pie.
The crack down the center gives it character.

DUH-LISH-US.