Sunday, October 9, 2011

All That Glitters





October has shaped itself into a very busy month. The calendar has pen scribbles all over it, my mind is a slippery mess of purple, orange and black thoughts and I feel the rhythm of this train gathering speed and I am running, to try and keep pace. I think part of it is the impending twilight that creeps faster through my windows in the evening signalling for me to get things done sooner, while daylight is still true. An earlier evening means I get to hopefully hit the couch at a descent hour, since night boasts an early darkness, and watch The Tudors marathon on Netflix with Jeremy. No complaints here, but it means for fuller days ahead.

The traditions of autumn are in my face staring me down: Pumpkin bread baking. Halloween Trickster. Pumpkin Patch visiting. Owl Cookie baking. Firewood prep. Apple Pie baking. Pumpkin butter making. Glittering pumpkins.
What's "glittering pumpkins?" you say? 
 Oh, I'm so glad you asked! I just knew you wanted to do a craft with your children that is a guaranteed mess of all messes that includes glitter that you will find floating around the house for the next three months. : )








Grace and I have been doing this for the past three years and Jeremy moans and groans every single time.

"You're going to do that again? Are you serious?", he says.

 "Yes," I answer, "It is tradition."

It may be a hot mess, but you are rewarded with the cutest little glittery happy pumpkins to gaze upon all month long. They catch the light and sparkle plenty with their cute coats of colorful diamonds cheerfully shedding happiness all over your house. Actually, I get very paranoid about this and have taught Grace to put them in one spot in the house and never, ever touch them again. We oooh and ahhh at them, but don't touch them once they are camped out, unless she is too anxious to show someone, and they are whisked away leaving a sparkly trail for me to clean up (sigh.), but by then, once the glitter is airborne, that's it. Sparkly House. What I find amusing is random glitter in kitty fur, glitter on my car steering wheel, or when Jeremy goes to work with some glitter on his cheek and comes home that evening with it still on. He he. It is a fun project and we've glittered bigger stuff like gourds and squashes, but that just means a bigger mess, so now we just stick to baby boo's or Jack be Little's. Small pumpkin, small mess... Not.  Here's what you do:



1. Gather a handful of small pumpkins.



Or cats, whatever.


2. Prep your space. Spread newspaper down, and in a paper plate put a little mountain of glitter. I use Martha Stewart glitter which has worked very well. Set a spoon next to the plate. Brief you child about glitter, and the importance of turning your head away if you need to sneeze. From experience, that is of utmost importance.







3. Hold the pumpkin by the stem and cover the whole outside ( but not the stem) with glue. I used Martha Stewart glittering glue.






4. Once covered with glue, hold the pumpkin by the stem over your paper plate. Spoon the glitter over it while gently spinning the pumpkin around to cover the whole surface. 
















 






5.Set another piece of newspaper down and put the finished glittered pumpkins there to dry overnight. Lather, rinse, repeat. : )


















I do hope you might find some sparkle in your heart to try this. You may hug me, or kick me later, it depends. It is a messy, but fun craft. The scarf wearing, seeing your breath, cider sipping, crimson leaf falling, woodsmoke in the air, crunchy under your feet weather has begun. Time to settle into the traditions that make your family memories buff out to a shine. Or sparkle with glitter. Happy fall to you, everyone. ; )





3 comments:

  1. I love reading your posts. I am also really interested in some of those fall recipes you mentioned...

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  2. oh and hahaha I will soon be sending a photo of my glittered cat and my wounds.

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  3. Hahaha! Thanks Shanon! Your pumpkins looked so cute! I'm glad you and Ea enjoyed them!

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