Gale's Gallery XIV: Easy, Peasy Pumpkin Project...

or at least it probably can be.  It sure did look simple in a Marie's Candies display.  I have a house full of supplies, but every time I get a hankering to make something, it takes several trips to the store to complete (and of course more money than I planned.)

The pumpkin from h#@l.  Nosey "Martha Stewart" polish hen coming up to see if this was a treat.

Here are the instructions, along with my tale of woe:

I didn't bother getting instructions because it didn't look like anything but a pile of painted lids and some cinnamon sticks.  I also didn't count how many lids because I didn't think that mattered either... However, all my Ball jar lids are attached to jars, so I would have to get some.  If you happen to have 24 of those puppies laying around, good for you!

I paid $5 for a box of 12 thinking that was kinda high, but I didn't want to drive all over.  Since I work at Lowe's,  I picked up a can of Valspar dark orange flat spray paint.  Krylon didn't have the right color, but I sure wish they'd make it.

I sprayed the 12 lid rings to the point I have an orange deep freeze and possibly, Jeep.  The paint said it was primer/paint for wood/metal/plastic.  My Aunt Fannie!  Every time you would touch them, the paint chipped off.  It was a real mess.  I was going for the "rustic" look, but this was ridiculous!  So, I decided to make the pumpkin and repaint it whole, then spray on several coats of satin sealer.

I have long strips of colored wire, but a long pipe cleaner or even ribbon would do (but something stiff is easier for one person to handle.)  I string up the lids and it looks like crap, flaking all the while.  How could I screw this up???  I got online and immediately saw the problem.  But they said theirs were only $2.50 a box at Dollar General, so off I go.  Not so, mine were bigger lids and I spent another $5.  Then another $5 on the cinnamon.  Whatever...there was no turning back now!

I finally finished and strung them, then used the tail of my long orange wires and hung it.  (It takes some doing to shape and tie it, but with a little finagling it will be fine.)   I sprayed it again with the orange because I refused to buy yet another can of paint, then two coats of sealer, throwing away the first can because it clogged up- but at least I had a spare.

Add a couple sticks of cinnamon and you're done!  I still don't trust it to not flake, but it is kinda cute!  Would also be cheap if you already had the lids and paint!  Except for the spray paint, kids could do it.  I guess one could also paint these with a brush and acrylic, but I am way to instant gratification-oriented to do that!

Until next time --Keep on crafting!

Gale

Buck-cat or Bear-keye?: When You Can't Be True To Your School

Well, it was a win-win, lose-lose proposition!  Last weekend, my Alma mater Ohio State hosted my son's school the University of Cincinnati and boy was I conflicted!  Taylor is in the Bearcat band so my sis-in-law (and also OSU grad) Mary and I wouldn't miss the chance to go see him.  She had no problem with cheering for the Bucks, but I felt like a turncoat!  (Though we both wore OSU t-shirts, Taylor gave me a UC button to even me out a bit.)

It was a perfect day to be outside, an easy trip in and out (amazing because there was a new record crowd of more than 108K), we had great seats on the west side of the field (no sun), high enough to see what the bands' formations were and not too far from where the UC band sat.  All was perfect except I'd fallen a week or so before and my knees didn't like the climb to C-Deck (for that matter, none of me liked it, but there were thinner, younger people wearing out as well!)  If I didn't have a heart attack then, it was more of a surprise I didn't at the top of the stairs when I was charged $13 for a bottle of water and a Diet Coke!  Found out later I was overcharged (scary when I was waited on by a college kid with a calculator) and it should have been $11, but still!

Things were going great until mid first quarter when two large fellows took the empty seats next to me and instantly folded me in half, while guy sat forward and blocked my view of half the field.  To add to the fun, he slobbered on my glasses as he sat down...I am still grossed out!  Fortunately, they left at halftime and never returned.

I cheered for both sides and since the last I heard Cincinnati is still part of Ohio, I could freely clap during "Script Ohio!"

The Bearcat band did a pre-game show where the sousas come running out (at their home games, the band runs down the bleachers and nearly always someone wipes out...) and then a post game show which I wish more folks would've stayed to see.

It was a close game until the last quarter when OSU pulled away.  The final score was 50-28.  Those poor ROTC folks had to do a zillion sets of push ups.  Every time we (ummm OSU) score, they do the whole total!  At the end of the game, Brutus Buckeye comes out and does one set, but he did 50 with no problem.

A drunken kid ran out on the field and got tackled by a coach, which watching it was no big deal, but it became a media-frenzy.  So much better stuff to report, but whatever.... We'd never heard of Ezekiel Elliott either, but I'm sure we will from now on!

Here is Taylor--boy was he hard to find among 16 Sousas!

Mary and I!

My view for the whole game!

The half-time show was great!  It was TBDITL's take on the Wizard of Oz (with a Block O!)  Click here to watch: http://bit.ly/1uRTjxC

If you want to read more about OSU football traditions, please check out my previous post "OH-IO!:  A Buck-eye's View of the Scarlet & Gray Craze"

Not to be outdone.... Audra performed her Ohio Wesleyan Senior Recital the next day on the horn.  I will report on that in a future post.  Needless to say, I'm proud of my kids and pooped from a wonderful weekend!

Until next time, enjoy the leaves as they turn!

Gale

P.S.- After all that "suffering," Taylor told me that it was fine to just cheer for the Buckeyes!  LOL.  Audra and I will be traveling to Paul Brown Stadium in Cincy in a few weeks to watch a UC home game.  What a relief to cheer for just one team!  (But I still haven't seen an actual bearcat...)