That Thing Called Life...A Day in the Life of a Crafty Mom

Okay here's your scary rundown of the holidays: Halloween....21 days away. Thanksgiving...45 days away. Christmas...76 days away. New Years...83 days away. Are you ready for all the holiday get together events?  More than likely this answer is no.  Unless you are a phenomenal planner and have been working on that Thanksgiving menu since July.  If so, then you either have no kids or you have mad skills.  Either way, you go with your super organized planner self.  I actually feel that by even thinking about planning for these events, that I have accomplished something. The one thing I feel that I need to get started with holiday planning, is a good planner.  I have tried several different set ups over the past few years, and I have either found myself with multiple planners and notebooks, or I have created my own planner and added pages to support this.  The only holiday I really have to do all the cooking for is Christmas, and it consists of al...

Today's post is going to be in reference to some of our local area haunted attractions in North Carolina and South Carolina.  I will also try to do a post soon with some of the nation's best haunted attractions.  For now, here is a list I have put together for the Carolina's: Booger Jim's Hollow Blacksburg, S.C. Opens October 1st The Fear Farm Blacksburg, S.C. Opens October 1st Wompus Woods Cowpens, S.C, Opens September 24th Field of Scream Gaffney, S.C. Opens October 1st The Haunted Pyramids Lawndale, N.C. Opens September 23rd Bar H Haunted Hayride Boiling Springs, N.C. Opens October 14th Last but not least, the Carowinds Scarowinds spectacular event opens this weekend. Located on the N.C./S.C. border near Rock Hill and Charlotte. Know of any other local Haunted Attractions?  Feel free to share in the comments below.  Please comment as well if you have been to any of these locations and what you would recommend.  I look forward to...

We all have those Pinterest ideas that we want to try out.  Some are fails, but some are a great success.  Check out these super cute cement pumpkins my friend Amanda tried out. Plastic pumpkin pails are filled with concrete mix and then left to dry.  Once they are completely dry, you do have to cut away the plastic pail, but the result is adorable. The only catch is that they are heavy, so I would suggest making these close to the location you will be displaying them if you can.  The cost is very reasonable, especially if you buy up extra pails in the clearance section after Halloween. Otherwise you can usually find these for around a dollar each during the season.  Amanda said that one 80 pound bag of cement mix was less than $5 at our local hardware chain, and made about three pumpkins.  What you see here would cost less than $20 to make, and could be used year after year.  You could even paint these different colors and decorate them t...

These are some super cute craft and snack ideas.  For the first one, I have used medical gauze before as well.  And the cupcakes?  Love them!  I just want to know, where do you find those little sugar knife toppers? Until next time, Amy~The Dixie Diva (This is not my video, just a cute video I found on YouTube.  Please give credit where credit is due.  I would love to hear your feedback, as to whether or not you've tried any of these, or if you want to keep seeing posts like this.  But most importantly, if you like the video then please give the YouTube video creator a thumbs up and leave them a comment.)

To start off our holiday countdown, I thought I would share this cute video I just found on YouTube.  These are four great treats that require no baking.  The only pre-prep required in one is to make jello, and another you melt white chocolate.  Simple, quick and easy.  These would be perfect for a Halloween party. I love Halloween.  Possibly more than Christmas?  My friend's and family would scream "YES" to answer that question, but I really do love Christmas time as well.  Especially seeing the light decorations and listening to Christmas music.  It's so calming. Okay that's it for now.  Short, sweet and to the point. Until next time, Amy~The Dixie Diva (This is not my video, just a cute video I found on YouTube.  Please give credit where credit is due.  I would love to hear your feedback, as to whether or not you've tried any of these, or if you want to keep seeing posts like this.  But most important...

It's hard to believe that it's that time of year again!  100 Days of Holidays begins today and I am so excited!  Well, at least I'm trying to be.  It's hard to get in the Fall spirit, when you still need tank tops and flip flops every day.  Here in the South, the forecasts keep telling us that we will have a "warmer than average" fall.  It's been this way for several years now, so I'm wondering when they will actually increase that average.  Ugh. Anyway! We are going to try and bring on the hoodie wearing, hot cocoa making, bonfire mood one way or another.  I'm going to be sharing with you some of my favorite links, blogs, DIY finds and everything else that goes with these 100 days of Holidays.  Time to lighten our spirits from all the negativity out there and get lost in some holiday fun finds. My first post for the countdown will follow this one. Until next time, Amy~The Dixie Diva

Let the countdowns begin!  I am so ready for a fun season this year.  Last year my pregnancy and complicated delivery slowed me down from doing quite as much, but now I'm ready to be back in the game!  Tomorrow I will be pulling out the Halloween décor and getting it set up.  It will be interesting this year, as my almost ten month old is in to EVERYTHING.  I may have to try that whole hanging a tree from the ceiling deal. ;-) To get the season kicked off, here are a few of my favorite ideas, Pins, and links. DIY Large Outside Halloween Spider Turkey Cupcakes Vintage Christmas I also follow along with 100 Days to Christmas on Facebook , viewing and sharing with other readers some of our favorite ideas. (Website link here .) Tomorrow I'll be posting about my month's worth of cooking in one day, including recipes.  A good start to the hectic and busy season ahead, is to get your dinner time routine simplified.  After some research, I decide...

Every year I decorate my mantle with a mix of fake and real pumpkins, spider web and other trinkets.  This year, I may have to do something a little different.  With a just crawling infant, I may have my hands full.  Right now, the front of the fireplace is where I keep her box of toys and things.  Not how I want it for the holidays.  So, in searching for new ways to express our Halloween spirit, I'll share with you some really cute and scary finds from Pinterest.   All of these can be found on my Pinterest page here , with links to their original sources.  I apologize if I am posting someone's photo that doesn't approve: please email me and I will remove asap. Keep counting down to all the holidays with me and let me know what you'd like to see! Until next time, Amy~The Dixie Diva

I love decorating for Halloween and finding new ideas every year.  This year, I plan to make my own wreath for the front door.  Even if you are not the crafty type, these examples are really easy to make.  Really want one but do not have the desire to make them yourself?  Check out Etsy.com where other crafters make and sell the product at great prices.  Here are some links to my favorite Pins, as well as links to several Etsy sellers. Tulle Wreath :  Simply cut to desired length and tie on to wreath form. Burlap Wrap Wreath : Same process as above, using burlap.  Add some card stock letters to give it an extra touch. Washi Tape Mason Jar Wreath :  Take the open lids from mason jars and decorate with washi tape, or you could paint them.  String them in to a wreath form. Here are some beautiful Etsy listings: Burlap Wreath in Purple and Orange Deco Mesh Wreath Ribbon Wreath Since these are not my photos, I do not have rights t...

Those that love the summer time do not want to know how close we are to Halloween, Thanksgiving (127 days), or Christmas (155 days).  However, there are those of us that just do not care for the heat and humidity.  We live for cool autumn days, football, bonfires, and decorating for the seasons.  Creepy, crawly, scary and fun fall festivals.  Cooking, (or as in my case-eating) a great turkey with all the fixings.  Cursing as we string lights on an artificial tree but staring in awe at the completed project.  If you fall in to these categories, then make sure to follow along! Here I'll be bringing you fun ideas for all of the holidays to try.  Some will be great Pinterest finds, links to other blogs, or some fun tutorials of my own.  My daughter shares my passion for Halloween, so she is always game to try new projects.  Here are some of my past craft attempts to get things started: Halloween Countdown. 13 Days of Halloween countdown fun...

Last year I started a series of 100 Days of Holidays and Inspiration and had a lot of fun with it.  I was really hoping to do one again this year, but, I am 12 weeks away from my due date (baby #3!) and I do not feel that I would be able to fulfill my duties of posting to it on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis.  As you can tell, I've been rather scarce around here this year as it is.  This pregnancy has had a few complications along the way, but everything is looking really good right now.  I've been trying to maintain my focus on keeping myself healthy and preparing for childbirth. That being said, I did want to share with you all some great links and other subscriptions you can sign up for that will provide you all kinds of holiday ideas from fall through Christmas and New Years.  My favorite that I look forward to is the Better Homes and Gardens 100 Days of Holidays .  Some years you will see the same old things, but it's a great refresher....

We usually put our gingerbread house together on Christmas Eve, but with a long weekend this year I decided to let the kids start early.  I had already made these cute peppermint trays that I thought maybe we could use with them.  Actually, I saw the idea on Pinterest and had to give it a shot. Peppermint Trays Starlight or Peppermints Baking Tray Parchment Paper Preheat oven to 350.   Arrange mints in pattern you decide on.   Bake for 10 minutes.   Let cool.  Mine had some air bubble come up and I found that if you don't pop them immediately then they are not going away.  I just used a toothpick to smooth them out.   I think this would have worked better if I would have had some kind of mold to put them in because, as you can tell in the pic, the edges began to run.  Once it was cool enough to touch, I flipped it over and let it settle on that side, which was perfectly smooth.  I did about 3 just to ...

Buy the Elf on the Shelf & Book, find unique places for it all season. DONE! Have all shopping done by December 1st. NOT BY THE 1ST BUT BY THE 14TH Make/Sell 10 Christmas outfits FINISHING #10 RIGHT NOW! Go to McAdenville to see the Christmas lights.   DONE! Finally WALK through McAdenville instead of just drive thru it. BOO-TOO COLD Make a gingerbread house with the kids. THIS COMING WEEKEND Read 1 Christmas book with the kids every night. PARENT OF THE YEAR-NOT! Watch as many Christmas shows and movies as possible. TV STAYS ON ABC FAMILY!! Have Christmas Photos made early. HAHA-ON THE 18TH! Get Christmas cards mailed by 2nd week December. ON THE 19TH Go see Christmas House in Kings Mountain more than once. ONCE SO FAR, BUT WE GOT TO WALK AROUND IT THIS TIME! Find new places to see Christmas lights. NOT YET Have a Christmas get-together. DONE & 1 MORE! Add 1 thing to outdoor decorations. WINDOW LIGHTS Finish painting bedroom. YES BUT IT WAS A DISASTER ...

You've seen me post on my Bucket List about going to see the Christmas Lights in McAdenville-aka Christmastown USA.  It's a small little town in North Carolina made up mainly of small mill houses and gradually shifts towards new homes on one end.  In the very middle is this beautiful pond with a fountain in the center.  The fountain lights up in all different colors and the trees surrounding the pond are all decked out in lights as well.  There is even a Santa Claus blowing snowflakes.  Here's a picture.   We also go to a couple's house in Kings Mountain, NC.  The man that owns it, Grady, has hand made Christmas lights and decorations.  I'm not sure of the full history on it, but it is amazing.  There is a circle driveway around the home and he stands at the entrance in a Santa suit handing out candy canes to everyone in each car that comes through.  We usually drive through it twice, but this year we noticed people out walking.  I...

Hi, my name is Amy.  Not only am I a craft hoarder I am a procrastinator.  I "like" to do things at the last minute. I thought this year I was on a roll with Christmas.  All of my shopping done, everything wrapped, baking and cooking supplies ready.  Then it hits me: there are 2 days left of school and I do not have any teacher gifts!!  I need 4 super quick and inexpensive gifts for these great teachers now!  Ideas are spinning through my head and I check my stash of supplies, but I don't have enough equal parts of anything.  I had fully meant to order these customizable mirrors from my great friend Laura at the Purple Alligator  ( called Look It's ) and now I don't have enough time (unless of course I could borrow Santa's sleigh & could go get them ;-) ).  These make wonderful gifts and she has them available in all styles.  Look for a feature on her soon, in the meantime, here is what they look like: They even come with t...