HOMEmaker's Challenge #2: Fashion for Less Edition

Today is Challenge #2 from The HOMEmaker's Challenge hosted by Amy Bayliss.

I have had so much fun the past two weeks with these challenges. But this week's was a bit harder for me.

Challenge #2 is called "Fashion for Less" and our challenge was to put together three new outfits without spending any money. Whew! This is hard especially since I have no sister's living close to me! 

But I made do and remade an old dress. 

This is the original. It is floor length. I wore to a dance in high school and have never touched it since. It's too long and too boring haha. {Sorry these photos are from my phone. My camera is dead)

And this is the re-done dress! 

I shortened the dress and took the excess of the bottom and made a cute sash belt for it. And then took some more scraps and made two matching flowers and a white flower just to add a little spunk. 

And while I only did one outfit and not three and while this is not exactly a new outfit since I probably still won't be wearing this for a while it is now a cute dress for something fancy and I'm so happy with the outcome!

I know all you crafty ladies aren't impressed ;) but I am! I only recently started sewing and this was my first attempt at altering something and I'm so happy with the outcome. 

And I am leaving in about an hour for an eight hour drive to go see family so that's my excuse for only doing one outfit. 

Can't wait to see what you all come up with! 

Longing for a Real Fall

Have you ever been to Apple Hill? It's located in Northern California.

My Guess is no..if you have been there then you will really understand this post! If not I'm sure you can still get the general feeling of it and appreciate Fall.

Well the entire point is that I.Miss.It! 

Apple Hill is a wonderful area about an 1 1/2 hours outside Sacramento and about 45 minutes from Lake Tahoe nestled right in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada's. 

Hubby and I moved over 2 years ago to the city {And 500 miles away} and I have dearly missed this beautiful country ever since. 

There's something about Fall that makes me long for hot apple cider, warm fires, apple picking, orchards, and the general wonderfulness of being outdoors. 

You know that little known painter Thomas Kincade? 

Well he grew up right down the road from Apple Hill {In my home town} and painted this beautiful picture of it

Sunday at Apple Hill

Now don't these photos just make you long for a hot fire, a warm drink and family all around?

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This photo was taken in Apple Hill and was used for our Christmas pictures last year. 

Oh yeah...did I mention this is where we got married?!

 Told you I love Apple Hill

Well thanks for reading. I guess the sum of this all is that I am so ready for Fall!

Oh I know you are all saying "It Is Fall!" Yeah well...where I live the seasons don't really change. 

I'm ready for falling leaves and beautiful colors. 

I'm ready for cold weather and hot drinks.

I'm ready for great holiday meals.

I'm ready for great times with Family. 

I'm ready for the Holidays!

Who's with me?

Vintage 1950's Christmas Photos

Christmas is coming soon and that means...Christmas photos!! 

Hubby and I love photos and we have decided that every year of our marriage we would get posed photos done. So this year we decided to do something fun with them!

Along with some normal photos for our Christmas card we thought it would be fun to get some vintage photos done! 

Laura Newman's photography inspired me in this! 

I absolutely love her photos. 

So I thought it would be fun this year to get some fun vintage 1950's photos taken {Because I LOVE the 1950's!!!} 

I have been looking around at some fun inspiration and wanted to share with you all. 

I think the milk shake idea is oh.so.cute!

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Love the Hat!

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Love her Dress!

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Hands down Favorite Dress E.V.E.R!!

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After all this I feel a new blog design coming on...

Anyone got any fun suggestions for our vintage photos?

Homemakers Challenge: My Creative Cupcake

Today marks the first Homemaker's Challenge hosted by Amy Bayliss

The first of many challenges to come is to make a unique and creative cupcake that expresses who you are.

This is what I came up with

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mini Cupcake Bites

These express who I am because

♥ I Love Fall! I love decorating for fall and I love finding fun ways to express the season with food!

♥ I am not the biggest regular cupcake fan but these are perfect for me! They are bite sized and oh so moist and gooey inside.

♥ My last and biggest reason that these express who I am is that these are a fun holiday tradition. I am always on the hunt for great tradition ideas that I can make with our kids one day. These are the perfect dessert for little ones to decorate and I look forward to many holidays spent in the kitchen with my children letting them craft their own little perfect bite sized treat.

In case it's hard to tell from the photo these little wonders are made with a cake and frosting gooey center  with a chocolate base and peanut butter top and topped off with cute leaf sprinkles and a peanut butter Reese's pieces to top it all off.

The Ingredients

Yummmmy

I got this adorable recipe from Bakerella {Which is very ironic since this week's prize for the challenge is her new book which I have.been.drooling.over}

Head on over to Amy's site HERE  to check out all the other great cupcake entries and to do an entry of your own!

{Encourage me judges!}

The Homemakers Challenge has Begun! Are you in?!

Okay I want to share with you something that I meant to share with you a while ago (woops) that starts this week.

It's called the Homemakers Challenge.

That has a nice ring to it right?

One of my favorite bloggers Amy over at Life: One Magnolia Scented Bubble Bath at a Time is hosting this wonderful weekly challenge that started Friday! That's right..it already began! So head over there to jump on board.

How does Amy explain what this challenge is? She says,

"Homemaker’s Challenge is a weekly link-up blog hop that puts emphasis on having fun and sharing ideas. It features a showcase of women who have stepped up for the challenge and embraced the art of making a home."

How fun does this sound?! Well the challenge just launched and this weeks challenge involves baking some wonderfully unique cup cakes :)

 

So if you are passionate about homemaking or just want to whip together some yummy treats then head over and link up! Oh..and did I mention...there will be prizes!!!

Check back here on Friday for my own unique cup cakes!

Hair Accessory Winner and ANOTHER Giveaway!

Hey thanks to everyone who entered into the Sister's Sweet Creations Giveaway!

We have a winner!! 

TopHat from The Bee in Your Bonnet has won! 

Her favorite item is the 2 piece Halloween hair clip set

Go HERE to get your very own clip set!

AND if you didn't win then don't worry because I am offering another chance to win a cute accessory! 

My adorable friend Ria is hosting a giveaway for me over at her blog Life as a Wife

Check out the super cute item she picked out! 

An adorable brown and pink flower headband. Head over HERE to enter for your own chance to win any one item from my shop!

Headband Giveaway Ending Friday night!

Okay I have been a bad blogger this week. Back to school and lots of changes happening! 

SO my giveaway was supposed to end last night but I'm going to extend it until Friday night {9/17} at midnight! So get your entries in! 

Go HERE to get to the giveaway. 

I'm giving away any one item from my Etsy shop! So check it out before it's too late :)

I'll announce the winner on Saturday morning. 

Happy Friday everyone!