Kayc's Challenge: One of these thing is not like the other...

Confession time!  I'm currently obsessed with the HGTV show "Flea Market Flip."  You have to tell me you've seen it because it was made for me!?!  Thanks to Netflix for making it readily available, I watch in to the wee hours of the morning.

So... where am I going with this you ask?  One of the challenges on the show is to Take two completed unrelated items and make them a pair.  Can you guess where this is going?

I challenge you to make a pair out of two totally unrelated items.  You can use anything you have at home or something you see when you are out and about treasure hunting.  Because you are you, I know that you won't have any trouble completing this on time.

There are already some great existing pairs in the world, for example:

Whiskey & Ginger Ale

(Clink, clink, slurp.....* burp*)

 

 

Batman & Robin

(Only REAL men wear tights!)

 

 

Barbie & Ken

(Real hair!? Come on Ken, you look way better in plastic waves with paint highlights)

Or the curious pairing of Schmidt's Summer Sausage and donuts, seriously, our Dad is weird!

Challenge Details:

Create: A Pairing of Different Items 

Medium: Determined by You

Time: You have until Saturday, November 1st

Do you accept?

Carol's Challenge: Tis' the season to add SCARE! - RESULTS

Alas, thou dost comprehend!  I didn't abide by the timeline rules, but the last week was crazy at both home and work.  I know... what a lame excuse, but I honestly didn't have room for a creative thought in my mind!
 
Ironically, scarecrows kind of creep me out.  I find them unsettling and cryptic, so I knew the first autumnal decoration that I was going to make would have to be a happy and straight forward spin on a scarecrow.
 
Ask any child of the 90's what their favorite movie to watch during October.  I'd say that 99% of them would say Hocus Pocus (if you are asking women, I'd assume men would have a different opinion)!  However, it is a Carlson, and now Miller, tradition to watch it only on Halloween night, but I've been antsy to watch it at least once a week!

So, two days ago, I sat down to tackle this challenge with that movie still on my mind and serving as my inspiration.  I fired up Netflix and dug through my insanely unorganized supplies to find inspiration to create a Binx Scarecrow Cat!

It all started with this sketch.

 

I set out with a pile of felt, a needle and embroidery thread to create life!  No measuring or patterns needed here folks!

 

 

Binx was originally intended to be more scary, but it was hard to execute when stitching everything by hand.  I now have one cute (the yellow eyes make him look a little sinister, right?) hand crafted guard cat who will protect us all by making sure that an idiot virgin doesn't light the black flame candle on All Hallow's Eve.



Carol's Challenge: Tis' the season to add SCARE!

Somethings never change: We're sisters and we find the need to fill October with epic scary movies with Halloween themes. From Corn Fields, to Haunted Houses, it doesn't matter if we've seen the movie once or 100 times, we have no problem revisiting it each year at this time. 

So this October I challenge you to take your scare to a whole new level by crafting a Scare Crow to join in all the scaring fun! Use your favorite movies as inspiration and create a new fun guy that will keep the scares going in your house for many years to come!!!

Challenge Details:

Create: Scare Crow

Medium: Determined by you

Time: You have until Monday 10/20

Do you accept?

Kayc's Challenge: Art will be Art - RESULTS

We use to make collage after collage after collage, each on meaning something different. In fact I still have a small box that I made into a collage that I use for jewelry! So naturally, when I read my challenge for making another collage, something I haven't done in probably 5 years... my mind blanked on how to make a worthy collage!

All I could think of is that my modern day collages have been ruined by Pinterest. I don't get fashion magazines to look for ideas, I don't by food magazines for the recipes, I don't get health magazines for new work out ideas -- I simply go to w w w DOT P, I, N, T, E, R, E, S, T DOT com! Egh! I hate being so locked on to technology. 

After 10 minutes of thinking, I did what anyone would do looking for craft ideas -- I WENT TO PINTEREST and searched my page! BAM, a perfect idea that I've been MEANING to do for way to long...and NOW, now I get the chance to do what I've been putting off. Here is my results to the challenge: Collage! It's edgy, out of the box idea, but it's PERFECT and it's my story!

First step --- Go to the thrift store and get WOOD framed pictures, sand paper and wood stain because the picture frames are ugly!

Second Step -- start sanding the frame to find out your WOOD frames are composite, and a sticker that just looks like wood!...Finishing sanding and stain it anyway!

Third Step -- Get your favorite Instagram pictures printed. Be terrible at sizes and ignore that pictures printed size 4inch by 4 inch are obviously going to be WAY to big to fit in tiny, previously stained not wood, wood frames! TOSS FRAMES

Fourth Step: FIND SOMETHING IN HOUSE to keep your challenge idea alive! Remove poster, glass, and start building your very own modern looking customized Instagram hanging picture!!

FINAL RESULTS: 

Morale of the story -- Don't give up when things aren't working out as you planned. Keep thinking, look outside the box, recycle, reuse and be creative. You can do anything if you put your mind too it! For this challenge I had to put my mind in overdrive to solve one problem after the other!!! That's what this blog is all about. Finding creativity in ALL depths!

KAYC'S CHALLENGE: Art will be art...

I consider myself creative, but there are times when I lose my drive or I need some new inspiration and I go to my notebooks.  Over the years I have filled numerous notebooks with clippings from ELLE, Nylon, Fitness, Vogue, HGTV Magazine, ELLE Décor, Country Living... there are just to many to name.
 
When I read a magazine, I rip out anything that I find inspiring, unique, creative and start a pile.  Once a week I go through my clippings and glue them in to my notebooks.
 
When we were younger we used to make our own collages by taping magazine clippings to our walls and I want to see if you still got it!?
 
This week, I'm challenging you to create a COLLAGE!  My process is incredibly straightforward, but there is no doubt in my mind that you will create something extraordinary!
 

collage/kəˈlɑʒ, koʊ-/                           

noun                   

1. a technique of composing a work of art by pasting on a single surface various materials not normally associated with one another, as newspaper clippings, parts of photographs, theater tickets, and fragments of an envelope.

 

2. a work of art produced by this technique.

Compare assemblage (def 3).

 

3. an assemblage or occurrence of diverse elements or fragments in unlikely or unexpected juxtaposition:

The experimental play is a collage of sudden scene shifts, long monologues, musical interludes, and slapstick.

 

4. a film that presents a series of seemingly unrelated scenes or images or shifts from one scene or image to another suddenly and without transition.

 

collage. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved October 06, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/collage

 

Challenge: Collage

Medium: You Choose!

Due Date: You results must be posted by October 13th

 

Who hasn't wished for all of their favorite things to

be in one place at one time!?

Challenge: Fall Beers = COMPLETE

Moments after challenging Carol to kick off challenge for a blog that I knew was so fitting, I had the challenge sent back my way! After accepting, I knew there was no way I could deny the summon! Through a super busy week at work, jammed pack weekend and no time to catch up with my thoughts, I was able to pull off the challenge that I thought was virtually impossible! Here is my results of the beers I could find!

PLEASE NOTE: Finding seasonal beers in Alaska is not always the easiest challenge. What I thought would be so easy turned into going to 4 liquor stores, searching coolers high and low and reaching outside the box. It was fun, rewarding and lived up to its name -- CHALLENGING!

Beer 1: Out of your Gourd: Pumpkin Porter! A tasty porter, but one that doesn't drink as a dark beer!! Plus...who can deny the label!

Beer 2: Shock Top - Pumpkin Wheat! I got this beer to try as a last minute grab for a Sunday Football Beer. However, Shock Top let me down! Usually a safe, easy, tasty grab, this one was bland on the taste buds and didn't have me reaching for me. 

Beer 3: Leinenkugels Oktoberfest! An easy pick, easy drink, easy share! A go figure for Leine's! Always a fridge stocker for me! Mellow, Smooth, Tasty!

Beer 4: Fireside Chat! As days get colder, we're constantly reminded FALL is HERE! Fireside Chat is an AMAZING pick up to warm up as the weather gets cooler! This beer gets up to my top two favorite beers discovered during this challenge!!!

Beer 5: Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale! You know we're sisters when 2 of our beers selected pretty much started with the owl's on the label (of course applaud Carol for my newly found Owl obsession)! This beer is AMAZING and if you get a chance to try it this fall, I'd highly suggest it! If you're looking for a true pumpkin ale, with pure pumpkin flavor and a kick of nutmeg, look no further!!! This is my NUMBER ONE pick form our 6 fall beer challenge!

Beer 6: Shiner Oktoberfest! A smooth, mellow, light way to end the night! This beer carries the flavors of a white beer full of citrus hints behind its Belgium flavored ale. A flavorful choice if you're looking for a change up on your typical Friday night drinker, but not a wise choice for a one night stand (beer) :D

FALL CHALLENGE: RESULTS!

I gladly accepted the beer challenge from Kayc. However, I wouldn't consider it a challenge... this is me we are talking about and I LOVE BEER! I do struggle with a gluten insensitivity but it's hard to turn around and walk away from shelves full of pumpkin and Oktoberfest libations (I'm working on my self control).

 

With that in mind, I headed to the liquor store last weekend to pick up some new brews! Amazingly, only one beer was a repeat, but it was for a good cause.

 

Beer 1: Alaskan Pumpkin Porter

There was no better way to honor my sister's challenge then to enjoy a beer from her current home - Alaska! This beer had the right amount of pumpkin, not overpowering in the least.  It was a delicious treat on a fall evening.

 

Beer 2: Schell's Oktoberfest
This is my repeat beer. Shell's is one of the most underrated breweries in my opinion. Oh, P.S. I am absolutely biased as I grew up in Southern Minnesota.

Beer 3: Traveler Jack-O Sandy

This was my least favorite beer that I had. It tasted like liquefied pumpkin pie, just not for me, sorry Traveler.

 

 

Beer 4: Anchor Brewing Big Leaf Maple Red Ale

THIS IS DELICIOUS! I don't typically drink red ales, but I'm glad I tried this one. I enjoyed this on the deck with my husband during dinner this week. The tinge of maple syrup is enough to take the edge off of the bitterness I experience in red ales. The only downside... we realized that we need to buy a rake.

 

Beer 5: Bell's Best Brown Ale
The only other thing that can rival my love for beer are owls. I fell hook, line and sinker for the label. It has a nice flavor, but the label is infinitely more awesome than the beer.

Beer 6: Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale
This ale is a great way to wrap up this challenge. I've been sipping on the blood red while finishing up this post. It has definitely gotten me in the mood for October. It was also a beer to kick of my husband and mine's October tradition, a month long horror movie fest.

 Follow me on Instagram: @musesofasagittarius