No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas...

Hello, there! 👻

I've procrastinated this month, I'm late to the party, but decided to share what I am doing this weekend. The link below shows awesome photos, a list of materials you'll need and instructions for cute DIY decorated pumpkins. 

30 No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas - Real Simple Magazine

04Mummy Pumpkin is one of my favorites.

I'm going to look at Dollar Tree for a big plastic pumpkin. They may have the google eyes and bandage material. Thinking...strips of white t-shirt material will also work. I'll cover less of the pumpkin and show more orange. Not going to attempt to use toilet paper as suggested, mine will be going outside.

🎃

If you, or someone you know, is a diehard traditional pumpkin carver, this link shows easy ways to carve using printed stencils. 

26 Pumpkin Carving Stencils 

If pumpkin decor doesn't interest you 😉, I searched Halloween and came up with 24 articles on the first page...there are five pages. 😀

🎃

Thanks for dropping by. Enjoy what’s left of October and stay safe, especially on Halloween.

~Molly xo 👻

P.S. And this blog post is brought to you by my Halloween Collection at Zazzle:

October Halloween Holiday
by itsMolly

There Are Over 600 Million Blogs in the World

 ...so, thank you for being here and reading mine. 😊

Hello ~

I've returned from England after six months and anxious to get a blog post written to say 'hey I'm still around', but more importantly, sharing a positive wellness article, or three. 

Once again, I’m linking to Real Simple magazine online. If this article is not for you, the site is loaded with something that will be of interest, I guarantee 💯%.

Doctors Say These 9 Habits Can Actually Make You Smarter and More Creative

In my experience, number 09 is spot-on to help increase creative energy and improve a foul mood.

If you don't fancy the creative topic, there are hundreds 😉 of fascinating articles about, what we all have in common, Sleep.

Or 6 Foods You Should Never Eat for Breakfast, According to RDs. Some of these are common grab-and-go favorites... but it’s a good reminder why they might not be the best choices. I have to admit I completely ignored number 06, but that’s just me. 😁

Pass on the kindness.

Soak up what’s left of August ♍ and stay safe.

~Molly xo

August Canna Lilies

Life Is Really Simple, but We Insist on Making it Complicated. ~Confucius

 Hello! 

A bit of quilling news first.

The 2024 Annual NAQG Conference "NAQGCON" will be held in Oklahoma City, OK, on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton. This location is only 5 minutes from the Will Rogers World Airport. There is a huge discount on rooms when you book as attending, and for the first time, an "early bird" discount if you register by February 15. There is so much information on the website here North American Quilling Guild.

Positive Daily Affirmations

I haven't posted this link in a while. Real Simple magazine online is very inspiring, even if you only scroll through and look at the pictures.😄 I hope you will take a look and find something entertaining or helpful or both. It will renew each month.

Real Simple Magazine

Enjoy February 💖 and stay safe.

xo 

~Molly

Happy 2023!

Hello there! 🌼 

I have a few links that may be of interest to you. This first one is not paper related. It's more "new year, new you" (good articles on Dry January). I recently began looking at Real Simple online and have found some amazing tips and ideas. I also think it is a good way to keep up with trends (was a pop culture nerd when I was younger). The recipes alone, food and beverages, is worth a look. 

Even though I retired from quilling last May, I continue to look at what Miriam's Quilling is sharing. She gives so many ideas in her videos. What I like is she quills most of the pieces offline, so her videos are brief, and you see her finishing the project. If you notice her using the 1mm wide paper, go ahead and use 1/8" (or even 1/4") to save some frustration. I mentioned a while back where to purchase these papers from Romania. Phew, I plan to try again at some point, but the paper strips kept cutting my fingers while twirling. 

You just need to look at this article-- there's no way to describe it, other than miniature paper cutting to make people and much more. I love miniatures and this is about as tiny as you can get with paper figures. While there, take a look around Ann Martin's awesome, unique paper blog.  

Happy New Year to everyone! Wishing good health, happiness in the year ahead, and all the best to you and yours.

xo🌺

Molly

P.S. Pantone's Color for 2023 is "Viva Magenta". Hex Code #BB2649.

Real Simple Refreshments

In case you haven't heard, it is HOT in Texas. We have received only 2.94 inches of rain this year where I live. Nothing is better or more relaxing on a hot day than a refreshing drink, something different, perhaps a mood enhancer. Treat yourself to something refreshing!

Here are 40 Real Simple drink recipes. 

And with drinks you need coasters.

Board Walk Candles and Quilts is the best shop I have found for beautiful quilted coasters. And they are great for gifts because they cost next to nothing to ship. Check them out!

Enjoy!

~Molly

20 Low-Cost Decorating Ideas

I've been a bit under the weather and until I can get back to feeling creative and crafty, here are some pretty ideas from Real Simple Magazine.

20 LOW-COST DECORATING IDEAS

Enjoy!
-Molly

31 Smart, Low-Cost Organizing Ideas

31 Organizing Ideas from Real Simple Magazine

I know so many people cleaning and organizing this week! I am going to start this weekend when two of my girls come to visit and help. My big tip is to buy at a Dollar Tree if you have one close by. They have many organizing products to use. My favorite is their HUGE bags to store things. I used to buy the Ziploc brand and spent about $4 a bag. Dollar Tree has all sizes, big enough for a twin bedspread for only $1, smaller ones are two and three for $1 and they all have handles.

Do you have any favorite cleaning or organizing tips?

Happy Wednesday!

-Molly

Another Real Simple Favorite

I don't know about you, but I find many of these 50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things in Real Simple Magazine very inspiring :o)

My favorite = the decorative drinking glasses with the window stickers on them so you can tell which one belongs to who. Much more classy than the usual colored rubber bands that I use around the soda cans when the grandkids are here!

-Molly

Coffee Break

My favorite coffee is freshly brewed, strong, with a splash of Half & Half. I always like to experiment and change up our coffees during the holidays.

Starbucks is not a favorite. Too many years of having to go buy it (this was before there was a store on every corner and no drive-through), get it freshly ground and bring it back to the office. We finally got a coffee service and they delivered it in cute little one-pot packages. Much more convenient but I swear that was not Starbucks regular coffee in those packets. Another reason is I can't afford it ... (except for the Vanilla Starbucks Doubleshot Energy Coffee for my four hour road trips :o)

I went through a stage of loving chicory coffee by the truck load. Knowing now that chicory is bad for you, I hope it was a chicory blend. I drink very strong coffee, so I believe that was when I started adding a bit of milk to it.

The flavored coffee was short lived too, along with coffee after supper, flavored creamers and coffee with Baileys. Oh, I still love all of these but in moderation now. And I like the free bottles of hazelnut and cinnamon syrup they have at the convenience store coffee stations. Guess was Starbucks charges for a splash of that in your cup?!?

The following are related Real Simple links.

The Best Coffee
Keeping Tabs on your Caffeine Intake
9 Energy Boosters

-Molly