Pumpkin Night . . .

Because some of you enjoy our family traditions, I present this year’s antics from our annual Pumpkin Carving Night . . .

 

We never used stencils until Emily came around.  Ryan and I balked at first – I came around a couple of years ago, and Ryan finally decided to take the plunge this year.

 

As usual, our supervisor was hard at work . . . but it was exhausting.

 

Emily’s creation this year was Boba Fett from Star Wars.  Ryan has always been a Transformers’ fan – used to have a decal on his Jeep.

There is nothing p0litical about my entry – I just thought it was funny.  And it turned out much better than I anticipated.

 

Hope you and all of your ghosts and goblins enjoy the last few days before the time change . . .

The Fairy Godmother and Godfather Return . . .

Last weekend was our annual trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.  We usually get there just in time to see the fall colors at their peak – but not this year.  Way too much rain and warmth during the summer – the leaves still haven’t started changing here in Ohio, 300 miles to the north.

But we still had fun . . .

 

Got to spend the weekend visiting (harassing?) my dear friends Darlene Domel and Picasso Gaglione, the Fairy Godmother and Godfather of Rubber Stamping.  They are still enjoying their well-deserved retirement in Knoxville, but come out of hiding once a year to join us.  Some of their neighbors even stopped by to see what it is they have been talking about all of this time . . .

Steve Lindeman from Toomuchfun commandeered a scooter on Sunday and did a few laps around the convention hall . . .

My friend Suzanne Reed took advantage of the “demo table extenders” that I designed for Sally Lynn MacDonald from Gel Press – both ladies like to stand and have the blessing of higher than normal elevation . . .

One of my neighbors is a huge Tennessee Volunteers fan – she lost her dad last week, and she loved my idea of this as an alternative to flowers . . .

 

The weather was delightful, so I took advantage and spent some time on the golf course next to the convention center – you’ll notice the Smoky Mountains in the distance.  This was my best shot of the day – and after I took the picture, I even made the putt for a birdie!  The 18th hole is right next to the building and parking lot – so when I noticed the Toomuchfun trailer next to the cart path, I veered off and took a pic to let Steve and Michelle know that I had arrived . . .

Fort Wayne Fun Means Birthdays and Burgers . . .

We spent the weekend in lovely Fort Wayne, Indiana – and near record high temps allowed me to wear shorts both days of the show (even though it was freezing in the building on Sunday).

 

Since setup on Friday was four days before my birthday, and since I was entering my seventh decade two months before our humble promoter, Steve from Toomuchfun marked our booth with a message instead of a name – the picture has glare on it, but it says “Birthday Boy”.  And one look at Robin’s foot reminded me that she had dropped a Glass Media Mat on her big toe at the Cincinnati show seven weeks before (don’t do this at home).

 

Saturday morning before the show opened, there was an excited crowd ready to cross the barrier to the show floor.  By lunchtime, they were spending time at the tables and chairs closer to the wall . . .

Saturday was Robin’s birthday – as usual in Fort Wayne, I had a cake for her that we worked on all weekend.  Her t-shirt says something about being 59 – we have fun with our ages, since she catches me for three days every year before I run off and leave her again.

Steve and Michelle’s daughter Alana was in heaven all weekend – she has adored Keia Arnold since she was born, and they hadn’t seen each other in a year . . .

 

After the show on Saturday, Robin and Keia took me to the #1 burger joint in Fort Wayne.  Bravas is just outside of downtown – the owner is a twenty-something who started with a hot dog cart, moved up to a food truck, and now has a brick and mortar establishment.

 
 
 

More pics of Bravas and our food – yes, it was that good.

Sunday started with a “vendor meeting” – Steve and Michelle always get donuts for the vendors, and they arranged a few of them for me.  I was serenaded by my fellow vendors as I blew out the candles.  I love our traveling band of minstrels . . .

 

There was also a card.  I already know what you are thinking – “It’s NOT handmade!”  You are not the only one who noticed . . .

 

Alana chewed out her dad, then sat down at our demo table and made one for me herself . . .

In Memory of a Good Friend . . .

I got a text on Saturday evening – the message stopped me cold.  I really have been expecting it for a long time, but each time Kathy Krivitski (Seaside Stampin’ Ink) had another health crisis, somehow she pulled through.

But not this time – she died on Saturday afternoon.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Kathy, with one of the birds that she loved so much.  The last five years, she has had her adorable granddaughter Gracie to give her joy and lift her spirits.

Our prayers go out to Joe and the rest of the family.