HAPPINESS IS...

Our Back To The Future Halloween Costumes - Marty McFly & Doc Brown

 

ONE POINT TWENTY-ONE GIGAWATTS?!

For those of you who got my NOV 5, 1955 Back To The Future reference, I bow down to you. Maybe you watched this movie as many times as I did? My brother and I only owned two VHS videos growing up. Annie and Back To The Future. We played them over and over again. I could probably repeat each movie line for line.

Thankfully, Hal loves BTTF just as much as I do. With a wig and some 80's thrift store threads, he makes a pretty darn good Marty McFly, don't you think? We found the orange vest and checkered shirt at Goodwill. Then borrowed the denim jacket, Walkman and headphones from my parents' house - a treasure trove of 80's paraphernalia. The jeans and sneakers were his own. He almost carried around his current skateboard, but didn't want to mix up the decades. Big no no.

Me, I'm wearing a crazy white wig, a cheap SAS safety suit with a radiation sticker on the back, welding goggles, yellow dish-washing gloves, and my dad's tool belt. I found a vintage remote controller off eBay and penciled out my eyebrows with white eyeliner to look less like myself. For an adult party we're attending tonight, I may cut off the legs of my jumpsuit turning it into a mini-dress to become Sexy Doc!

Now for props. I completely nerded out and printed a copy of the Save The Clock Tower flyer that Marty is handed at the beginning of the movie, with Jennifer's phone number written on the back. Hal is also carrying around the faded photograph of the McFly family! And I kept hidden within my bosom, the letter that Marty wrote to Doc, warning him that he would be shot by the Libyans in 1985. It's even written on the 50's cafe letterhead. For my costume, I even tore it up and taped it back together for ultimate authenticity.

Hal says his favorite couple's costumes are the ones that look funny when you kiss. Bet you've never seen Marty McFly and Doc Brown make out before.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN friends! What are you dressing up as this year?

PAST COSTUMES:

• Khaleesi from Game of Thrones
• Gatekeeper and Keymaster from Ghostbusters
• Tin Man & Friends from Wizard of Oz
• Failed Circus Performers
• Bob Ross & Happy Little Tree

{Top image by: Christopher Bachmann}

Etsy Faves 12: Sweater Weather

It's officially sweater weather here in Seattle. We caved and finally turned the heat on in our house. I'm proud of ourselves that we held off until the end of October this year! With the heavy rains, I've been pulling out my knits and wool socks. And cuddling up in an orange chevron blanket my grandma made, very similar to the one featured. So enjoy these Etsy Faves, my friends - everything warm and cozy.....

1. Warm Thoughts Greeting Card by Warren Tales
2. Chevron Crocheted Blanket by Winkel Van Cinkel
3. Hand-Knit Open Back Sweater by Plexida
4. Autumn Leaves Photo by My Little Pixels
5. Felt Acorns by Felt Jar
6. Faux Fox Knitting Kit by Sincerely Louise
7. Vintage Polka Dot Tea Kettle by Old Time Goods
8. Hand-Felted Slippers by Jurga Felt

 

DIY - Calligraphy Pumpkin Carving + Free Pattern Download

Halloween is a big deal in my family. Every October, we get together in full costume to eat treats, play games, drink cider, watch spooky movies, and you guessed it - carve pumpkins. This year, instead of some complicated cut out of Walter White's face (which took more time than anyone should ever spend on a pumpkin), I decided to create a simple, classy calligraphy BOO!

And then share the pattern with you!

SUPPLIES:

• Pumpkin
• BOO PATTERN
• Lino cutter
• Masking tape
• Pin hole cutter
• Serrated knife
• Tea light
• Matches

STEPS:

• Download and print the BOO PATTERN. It should fit a medium to large-sized pumpkin. Feel free to scale it down if your pumpkin is small.


• Cut open the top of the pumpkin with a serrated knife. You can find a cheap carving kit here. Scrape out the "guts" with a large metal spoon (I used an ice cream scooper), thinning out the side you'll be carving.


• Attach the pattern to the pumpkin with masking tape.


• Using a pin hole cutter, or a push-pin if you don't have one, poke small holes through the paper, tracing along the lines of the pattern.


• Remove the pattern and carefully scrape along the dotted lines with a linoleum cutter. No need to cut very deep, just remove the skin. This tool is magic. You'll never want to use a plain ol' knife again!


• Place a tea light inside and admire your handiwork!

 

This post is a collaboration with Porch.com, and is featured on their blog today! Hop on over to their site, where I answer a few fun questions!

 

Our Family Camping Trip at Moran State Park

I have the fondest memories camping with my family as a child. My folks took my brother and I all over the Pacific Northwest in a tiny old truck camper. Singing songs around the fire, playing Cribbage with the grandparents and learning to ride our bikes with no hands. 20-some years later, now that my brother and I are both married, and my niece is two, we decided it was time to air out the old sleeping bags and go camping together once again.

This time around, we arrive by motorcycle! My brother was kind enough to haul our camping gear in his car.

In late September, campsites at Moran State Park are first come, first serve. So we felt pretty darn lucky to have Vintage Island Vacations save us a prime waterfront location. You've already seen Country Rose, where my folks slept. But you haven't seen Bambi, the Airstream, where my brother's family stayed. It was cozy and plush inside, but nowhere near as cute as the Canned Ham. To save money and have an authentic camping experience, Hal and I opted to rough it in the tent... as rough as you can get with a blow-up air mattress inside!

One morning, we woke up at the crack of dawn (which took some major convincing on my part) to watch the sunrise from the top of Mount Constitution, the highest point in the San Juan Islands. Boy am I glad we did. It was a crisp sunny day and from the top of the stone observation tower, you could see all of the surrounding islands, the Cascade mountains and the coast of Canada! That stunning panoramic view was worth losing sleep for.

Moran State Park is the perfect place to camp, because there's so much to do on the island within a 15-minute drive. One day, we took the ferry to San Juan Island, where Hal and I went for our anniversary, for hard cider and apple brandy tasting at Wescott Bay and San Juan Island Distillery, soaking up some end-of-summer sun in their neighboring fields and orchards.

On another beautiful day, we wandered around Eastsound, Orcas Island's quaint downtown, for bookstore browsing, boutique shopping, and a spectacular dinner at Cafe Olga. We even caught the tail end of the Seahawks game at a nearby bar!

But the best moments were at night. Around the fire. Where ukuleles were strummed, s'mores were roasted, and my favorite little girl fell asleep on my lap.

{Images 13 and 20 by Christopher Bachmann}

Life In Five: 10

Working: on my art! I finally got over my creative slump and now our dining table looks like the aftermath of an art supply hurricane. It took me almost a year (wow) to really narrow down my focus and decide on a theme for my shop. Some things just take time I suppose. I'm aiming for an Etsy grand opening by the start of the new year. Yikes, did I just say that? Now that it's in writing means I actually have to do it!

Cooking: up the New Yoga Pot from one of my favorite veggie blogs, Green Kitchen Stories. It's a warm, healthy, comforting stew. Elsa's video recipe pulls you right into her kitchen, which I imagine smells like ginger and cinnamon. And it's a good dish to improvise. Throw in any veggies you have on hand.

Amassing: tons of great business advice through Creative Live. Have you taken any of their classes yet? Their platform is brilliant really. Experts teach 2 or 3-day intensive workshops online in the subjects of photo & video, art & design, music & audio, craft & maker or money & life. When you tune in live, it costs nothing. After it airs, they charge an affordable fee, usually under $100. So far, I've been able to catch Michelle Ward's Create Your Dream Career and Lisa Congdon's Become A Working Artist, both for free.

Loving: Postmodern Jukebox's videos. They're a group of musicians who collaborate with crazy talented vocalists to create jazzified pop covers. You'll have to watch to understand. Start with this one: Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass, featuring my new idol, Kate Davis. Amazing, right? Then I suggest The Neighbourhood's Sweater Weather, featuring Cristina Gatti. And Arianna Grande's Problem, featuring The Tee-Tones. So much fun. I'd love to sing for them one day.

Acquiring: all the necessary components of my Halloween costume! It's a goodie this year. A couple's costume with Hal. Top secret, but I'll give you a hint: NOV 05 1955. If you can guess from that clue, you're my hero.

What have you been up to lately?

Thoughts 09: The Healing Power Of A Belief

 

Whether you believe you can or can’t, you’re right.

- Henry Ford

One of our most overlooked superpowers is the ability to transform our world with our beliefs. A belief is defined as something we personally choose to accept as truth based on information we have collected throughout our lives. Take the phenomenon of the placebo effect for example. This fascinating NPR video on milkshakes shows us how a nutritional label is just "a belief in tiny writing." Beliefs can fool our physical bodies! For years, scientists thought the placebo effect was just a figment of the imagination. But research now proves that a belief can actually change our brain chemistry, enabling us to heal our own bodies, minds and hearts.

It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.

- Muhammad Ali

In June, I had another miscarriage. My second now. I wasn't ready to share this with the world until recently, as you can imagine. It took some time to grieve and accept what was. After writing about our infertility struggles earlier in the year, we were shocked to learn we had beaten the odds yet again, getting pregnant days before our first IUI procedure. But there were no celebrations, as something was off from the very beginning. My hormones levels were rising too slow and after 8 torturous roller coaster weeks, no heartbeat could be found.

Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good.

- Beatrix Potter

Today, I can truthfully say I'm happy. Happier than I've been. Which may seem unusual coming from someone who just experienced another painful loss. I've had friends comment on how well I seem to be doing, questioning how I remain so positive? I don't have a logical answer, except for this:  I believe that our baby is coming. Next month, next year, next decade - the when doesn't matter anymore. How do I know? Through intuition, dreams, and inner dialogues with our child - all things that cannot be scientifically explained or rationalized. I just have an undeniable, unshakable belief.

As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.

- Emmanuel Teney

Do you have any personal beliefs that fill you with hope and positivity? Or limiting beliefs that hold you down? Ones you'd like to reverse? The good news is, they can be changed! Every day, we get to choose whether to believe in love or fear. So darlings, what would you like to believe in today?

A Vintage Travel Trailer Named Country Rose

Ain't she a doll? When we went camping a few weeks ago, my family rented Country Rose, aka Pinky, from Vintage Island Vacations, a company that rents out Airstreams and Canned Hams to Orcas Island campers, delivering them before you arrive to your desired campsite. The concept is brilliant really - no need to own, store, haul or clean.

Country Rose is the cutest little 1960 Aloha, rivaling the pink hotel room we stayed in at the Madonna Inn last year. My 2-year old niece was in heaven! Inside was everything you'd need to feel comfy, a feather duvet on a full sized bed and a fully appointed kitchen complete with cookware, utensils and a french press. Have you ever camped in a vintage travel trailer?

P.S. Stay tuned for the rest of our camping photos in the next week or so!

11 MORE TRAVEL TRAILER GOODNESS PULLED FROM THE HAPPINESS IS ARCHIVES...

1. Cool Caravans
2. A Traveling Tea Parlour
3. Airstream Evolution
4. A New Way To Dinner Party
5. Travel Trailers For Birds
6. A Mobile Vintage Shop
7. The World's Smallest Movie Theater
8. Summer In Winter
9. An Airstream Penthouse Trailer Park
10. Hotel Camping
11. Family Road Trips

Four Things 12: Autumn's Arrival

You guys, how is it already fall? It really snuck up on me this year. But no complaints - like many of you, it's my favorite season of all. We're having a brilliant October here in the Northwest. Sandals and SPF during the day, warm socks and hot casseroles at night. In the coming weeks, I'm really looking forward to pumpkin scouting, costume hunting and cozying up in front of the fire!

Here are four things that get me excited to celebrate Autumn's arrival...

1. Apple Cider Caramels Recipe
2. We Love You Fall Print
3. Orange Wool Blanket Coat
4. Pumpkin Chai Latte Candle

What are your fall favorites things?