Christmas time bucket list...

First of all, let me start by apologizing for not being on top of my blogaboutmydog game.
I've been in a migraine cycle now for 7.5 solid weeks. 54 days, but who's counting :( I have seen more doctors, had more IV medications, had more side effects from said medications, etc than I care to talk about right now...so I'm not going to.

I'm going to talk about something that makes me happy. A light at the end of this bullshit.
Christmas time.
I love Christmas. I don't get annoyed when people put up their trees before thanksgiving, I applaude those people! Good for you!
I watch Elf, and listen to the Pandora Christmas channels (when Chris isn't home,) and I'm straight up obnoxious about it.

This year is going to be tough. One...I'm sick. I'm not able to drive right now. And a lot of times the meds I'm on make just getting out of bed difficult. And Two, I'm not working.
That means less money to spend on stupid things and more planning.
Because of these things I decided that I needed a Christmas bucket list...otherwise I might miss something!

1. Put up both trees, the "regular," one and Oscar's
2. Get Oscar to cooperate for a Christmas card photo and get cards out on time
3. Make "Hanukkah sack," gift basket for boys by the first night of Hanukkah. (The history behind this is a whole other story/blog post!)
4. Take Christopher to see "Festival of Lights," at Bull Run Park.
5. Finish gathering materials, work with Christopher to make our homemade gift for everyone
6. Manassas city parade on December 7
7. Hang stockings
8. Decorate the porch, just a little bit
9. Mail a card and one book each to my sweet nephews in Chicago
10. ICE at the Gaylord hotel in National Harbor
11. Host ugly sweater/shov'unda party at mouse house
12. Bake Christmas cookies...maybe do a cookie exchange? That would be fun!
13. Try and get to Gloucester to see Christopher's family, and the lobster trap Christmas tree!
14. Collect pet food, toys, collars, leashes, etc to give to the Humane society for Christmas
15. Would love to go to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, we will see.
16. Spend a million hours with family and friends until they are sick of me ;)
17. Christmas jammies!
18. Make new memories and traditions that will last for years to come with our little fam damily.

Halloween Wreath

Anyone who has met me more than once,  knows that I have a thing for skulls...I've got skulls in my bathroom, in my living room, on my front porch, on my shoes, jewelry, etc all year round.
So for me, October is just a month when it is *easier* to find them in stores!!

When I was thinking about what I wanted on the front door for the month, I knew it needed a skull, not too scary though. It needed some color to balance out the ugly green-ness of the door that I can't change, something cute and quirky, kinda girly and bright. I know, I know. Say that all five times fast. I can't help it, that's just me.

Anyway...here's what I started with:

I had an old Easter wreath that I made like 4 years ago...it was featured on the ooooold blog. It was getting old and tattered but this is what it looked like new and pretty!

So I cut that bad boy up, took all of the old, (now nasty) Easter ribbons off and then  had an empty foam wreath again.
I just realized that my apartment in Chicago had an ugly green door too. Ugh. What the heck? Moving on...

So I wrapped the wreath in 7/8 in ribbon, alternating a neon-ish green and orange. I used one grosgrain ribbon and one satin ribbon. I just like the mix of the textures. I'm weird like that.
You could hot glue your ribbon in place or use pins...I kinda did both. I pinned as I went, and then added hot glue at the end to anchor it and make sure nothing was going to move once it was outside!

Why green and orange and not the traditional Halloween black and orange? I'm getting to that. Hold your horses. Remember, I like weird and quirky and textures and funk.

After all of the Orange and green was in place, I added a big, store-bought black and white striped bow. I could have made this bow, no sweat...but I'll tell you, when you have a Michael's coupon or the thing is on sale for 40% off, don't be stupid. Use your time and resources wisely :) With the coupon, this bow was less than $2. I couldn't even buy the ribbon I needed for that, let alone spend my time making the thing, stabbing myself with the wired bits, etc. $2 is worth my sanity.

Next to the bow, my favorite part...my skully. He is just a cheapo foam one from Michael's as well. I think he was on sale for $1 or so. I have tons of skulls, but I wouldn't risk putting one of my faves outside on a wreath. That's just asking for a meltdown whenever Chris shuts the door too hard or the wind blows!

Fuzzy spider for good luck. She came already on an alligator-type clip, so I just clipped her right onto a fold of ribbon, and hot glued it just to be safe. She was about $1.50 on sale at Michael's as well.
I don't know if I really like her on there or not. We have so many REAL spiders on our porch...I don't want any of them getting any ideas!

I'm totally not kidding...

Ugh! Now that I've given you a heart attack...Final product:

Kinda off beat, funky, not too scary but has a skully, bright and neon-y, welcoming and Halloweeny...yup, Perfect!

America!

Wishing you a very Happy Independence Day, from our house to yours!!

*On a side note, as recently as Memorial Day...Oscar would fight me and try and chew off his patriotic bow tie! Perhaps 4 is the magic age of sanity for dachshunds? Hmmm...doubt it!