The Blog is 3 and the Birthday Presents are for You!

I'm so excited to offer my second Happy Handmade Giveaway to my readers to celebrate another year of Ordinary Lovely!  

Well actually its not a celebration of my blog, it's really a celebration of the friendships and conversations and support that happen here.  It's a "thank you" for your sharing this space with me!  

Three years ago, the first words I ever typed here were 

And so I begin… 

with no clear direction or defined purpose other than to consolidate the proof that my ordinary life is a pretty amazing composite of extraordinary moments. 

I didn't realize back then that you and the blogging community would be part of that extraordinary!

So -- I have three handmade-by-me gifts to offer three readers ('cause the blog is 3... get it?!?....... *crickets*.........)

Anyway, thanks, swell readers!  I truly, truly appreciate the friendships I have here!  

If you'd like to enter to win a gift, leave a comment here!  Introduce yourself if you haven't before, and everyone give me your ideas on what you'd like to see more of on the blog!   It would be awesome and much appreciated if you visited the Ordinary Lovely facebook page and followed me on Instagram, but those are just perks for you and me.  They won't buy you extra entries ;)  I'm doing things the old fashioned way - if you comment here, that's your entry.  One of my kids will draw names out of a hat on Sunday, November 15th and the winners will be announced the next day!  

Also, click here if you missed the announcement of the Ordinary Lovely Shoplet!  If you'd like to support me and do a little Christmas shopping, I'll have a handful of other handmade items up for sale on the blog soon.  

Happy Blog-iversary, readers! 

<3 Theresa

ps - I thought for two seconds about buying a styrofoam head from the craft store to display some of this stuff.  But, no.  I do my own modeling to keep things legit.  But don't worry... it will look better on you ;)

--- Happy Handmade Giveaway Prizes ---

Eggplant Infinity Scarf

Deep purple infinity scarf crocheted in a 

soft and thick wool/acrylic blend.

Cozy Button Beret

A soft beret crocheted in an Oxford Gray

wool/acrylic blend with button accents.  

Grab and Go Reversible Bag

This bag is perfect for dropping your stuff into and

heading out the door.

It's sturdy and flexible.

Reversible between bold retro flowers and geometric pattern.

Each side has one large pocket.

Good luck!

Autumn Handmade Items for Sale, the Ordinary Lovely Shoplet, and Why I'm Not Re-opening My Etsy Shop

Mini Announcement!!  I'm opening a Shoplet (that's a mini shop!) on my blog for the Christmas shopping season! 

For quite some time I'd been considering re-opening my Etsy shop.  I kept thinking and thinking about it and I never did it.  I finally realized it was because my heart wasn't in it.   Like, super not in it.  My fabulous life is also a busy one, and the spare time I have for creating things is at a minimum, and therefore very valuable to me.  I'm not even speaking of monetary value.  My creative time and energies are valuable to me in that they're good for my well-being.  

Years ago, when I was busy doing crafting for Etsy and craft fairs, it wasn't good for my well-being.  I finally realized I love being crafty when it's for my family and friends.  Crafting for "strangers" just doesn't hold the appeal for me that it does for some. I take a crazy amount of joy in gifting and selling handmade items to people that are connected to me - family, friends, friends of friends, regular and even occasional blog readers, social media friends.  If you find your way to my Shoplet, then I'm talking about you!

I've been a successful craftier in the past and I won't venture to guess what the future holds, but Etsy and craft fairs aren't for me in my current season of life.  Sharing the joy I take in making a few simple handmade gifts with friends is!  So I hope you'll visit the Shoplet when it's up in a new post in the near future.  

In today's post, you can check out the few things I have for sale to celebrate the remaining months of autumn!  (see below) Remember, it's still autumn! (see end of post for details on how to purchase.)

And if you're not in a position to buy anything this season, that's ok too!  Come back here on Wednesday for a Happy Handmade Giveaway to celebrate the third Birthday of Ordinary Lovely!  There will be presents!  (and they're for you!)  Ooh!  I can't wait!!!! 

*   *   *   *   *   *

...for sale...

Crocheted Harvest Pumpkins

3 soft acrylic pumpkins in harvest colors.  A sweet addition to your autumn decor - perhaps displayed in a basket on your Thanksgiving table!

Each pumpkin measures about 3 inches from top of stem to bottom and 3 inches across. 

$10, $3 shipping  

Crocheted Pumpkins (neutral colors)
(SOLD!)

3 soft acrylic pumpkins in decor-neutral colors.  A sweet and subtle addition to your autumn decor or Thanksgiving table.

Each pumpkin measures about 3 inches from top of stem to bottom and 3 inches across. 

$10, $3 shipping  

Harvest Home Theme Bibs for Baby (set of 2)

These thick, soft bibs would be perfect for your little one at the Thanksgiving table!  They have secure snaps closures, the backs are absorbent terry cloth, the fronts are pumpkins and autumn's bounty.  (Did you know my name, Theresa, means "bountiful harvest" or "reaper"  ?!?!  It's so autumnal!)    

Each bib measures approximately 10 inches from top to bottom and 8 inches across at the widest point.  The "fall" from baby's neck is about 5 1/2 inches. 

$12 for both, $3 shipping

*   *   *   *   *   *

To purchase something leave a comment here specifying which item and email me at theresa[dot]blackstone [at] gmail [dot] com.  In your email, please include the item you are buying, your full name and address.  At this time I will only be able to accept payments via PayPal (account at the same email address)  Once your payment is received I'll ship out your item!  Should be as simple as it sounds ;)  (fingers crossed, right!?)  hmm... I guess if payment isn't received within 4 days, the item will be listed as available for someone else to purchase (unless previous arrangements are made ;) ) 

I {heart} November

I feel like in mid to late September everyone loves autumn.  

It's easy to love autumn when the stores are filled with back to school sales, the leaves are starting to be beyond brilliant, pumpkin spice drinks and doughnuts and hand soaps (guilty!) are everywhere, and you get to wear your favorite chunky scarf on the first crisp day of the season. There is sooo much to love about the first stirrings of fall.  It can make a person giddy.  

But fall waxes on.  And then it's November.  The nip in the air is replaced by cold winds. The formerly brilliant leaves are brown, or gone.  Pumpkin spice drinks are replaced with gingerbread lattes and candy cane cappuccinos :( And chunky scarves aren't just cute accessories anymore, but necessities for leaving the house.  

November tests one's love of autumn.  

I love autumn.  And I especially love November, in part because I feel a little sad for it.  It sort of gets lost in the hooplah that is that giant end of the year celebration - Hallow-istmas.  I love taking the deep, fulfilling breath of rest and gratitude that November offers before we become busy with keeping Advent and our preparations for celebrating Christmas.

I also love November because you don't always know what you're going to get.  We've been blessed with a mostly dry and gorgeous fall so far this year.  Last week we even had a few days in the 70s!  But those don't last.  And November shows its true nature in the flannel sheets, hot soups, mittens, and the first fires of the season.  

I love November because it often is the first month where we're inside more than we're outside.  We're gathering in.  We're drawing our children in from their play on chilly days, we're drawing our family close at Thanksgiving, we draw near around the fire, we gather in the heart of the home as the heart of the home.  Our house, which was more like a shell, a jumping off point for all the activity of summer, becomes more home-like - a warm, safe, sacred space for family life as the weather gets colder.  

Last year on the blog I celebrated November with a few special activities, and intend to do the same this year.  I have a few posts I've been saving up for Diabetes Awareness Month, I'm going to celebrate the "birthday" of my blog with a giveaway next week (!!), and I've got some opportunities for a little Ordinary Lovely Christmas shopping for you.  In fact, stop back here tomorrow for an opportunity to see (and maybe purchase!) a few things I have that are perfect for celebrating autumnal November!  

I hope you don't mind that I'm wrapping things up here by springing a photo dump on you from a late afternoon walk we all took last week on one of those rare gorgeous and deliciously warm November days.  This walk was so special to me because it's something we used to do a lot more frequently, but haven't done as much lately (homeschooling has been sapping a lot of the free time we used to have, but that might be another post for another time...)

Happy November!

Theme Thursday :: Same Picture, Different Angles

Just a quick pic post from me to participate in Micaela's Theme Thursday photography party.  There's nothing like sneaking into a link-up at the tail end of it...

Last week's challenge was to snap the same picture from different angles.  I'm no photographer, but I had grandiose visions of grabbing my not-a-phone camera and heading out into the world to find a gorgeous photo to call my own.  

It didn't happen.

But I did catch my girls playing Camouflage with some of our animals amidst the glorious soft fibers of our new shag rug....  

Bingo.  Same pic, two different angles.  I'm in the link-up.  Except it was with my phone, so... I still haven't proven myself to be that "legitimate photographer" that I know is inside me just waiting to emerge... 

Just as soon as I learn how to really use my camera.  

And that probably won't happen before the next Theme Thursday, because Thursday is tomorrow...

Don't forget to check out Micaela's photo link-up.  You can get all the details here and can check out all the other "other angle" pictures here :)

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole (THM S)

We've had a surplus of spaghetti squash from our CSA program this year.  My kids enjoy spaghetti squash as a straight-up spaghetti replacement with sauce, cheese, and meatballs.  But you can only do that so many times.  And when I say "you" I mean "I."  After a couple nights of spaghetti squash and meatballs, I was ready for something different.  And the Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole was born.  

It became a favorite and we've probably had it four or five times in the last two months.  What can I say, when your family loves something made out of spaghetti squash, you keep making it.  Plus the farm keeps sending up spaghetti squash.  Plus it's healthy.  And tasty.  And did I mention we've been getting lots of spaghetti squash??

Might I humbly suggest that you and your family might like it as much as we do :)

Psst!  This is an easy "recipe" for kids to follow.  Maybe help them with the squash cutting (because that can be pretty intense) and oven use, but other than that, this could be one you let your kids get on the table :)  I'm just sayin... You could conceivably take the night off in the kitchen and still get to eat this yummy dinner :)  

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole

Halve one large or two small spaghetti squash.  Remove and discard the seeds and pulp.

Give each half a few twists (or shakes!) of sea salt and pepper.

Roast upside down on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 1 hour.

(Small squashes may not need as much time)

Allow squash to cool until you're able to handle them.  Flip them over and use a fork to scrape the flesh into spaghetti-like strands.  Set aside.

Spread a thin layer of no-sugar-added tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish.

(I used homemade sugar-free sauce.  Because the CSA gave us insane amounts of tomatoes too ;)  Maybe I'll get the recipe for the sauce I made up here soon....  Let me know if it's a priority for you!)

Sprinkle some grated Parmesan over the sauce. 

(fresh shredded, or green shaker can cheese are both fine)

Spread the squash out over the sauce.

Then layer on your favorite pizza toppings. 

(I used green pepper, mushrooms, black olives, and turkey pepperoni.)

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes, until cheese is melted and browning.

Serve with additional tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. 

(For those eating a THM S meal, keep tomato sauce to a minimum.)

Enjoy!

You might also like...

Low Carb Pizza-Stuffed Peppers

Pumpkin Spice Almonds (a THM S Snack)

Eating for a Day the Trim Healthy Mama Way