Creative Friday--Eva Training Edition

When I arrived at Michelle's house she and Eva already had a project underway. They were painting a black crow onto a blonde pumpkin. Eva was SUPER excited about this, and in very good form. She was totally cracking us up with the funny things she said like, "C'mon mom, let's get a move on." When we laughed at that she said, "Why is that funny? What's get a move on anyway?"


It was nice to find a box of my favorite muffin mix waiting for me at my special spot.


I got busy right away trimming photos and card stock and assembling these cards.


Eva laughingly asked me if I had seen the spider in the bowl facing me. What the?! Of course I'd seen the spider and had assessed the threat level (0.1 because the legs were a little creepy) and had moved on. But she knows I hate spiders and thought it would be funny to scare me. Halloween time is tricky time of year for me as an arachnaphobe because they're everywhere. I particularly dislike those thin, plastic spider rings because they look so real to me, especially when found on the floor. I experience many episodes of fight or flight or duh every October.


They made quick work of their project and it turned out splendidly. Michelle had traced the design onto the pumpkin, then outlined it in black paint, then Eva filled it in.

Another funny Eva moment came as she listened to me go on about how amazing I think our ability (as women) to multi-task is. I was recounting the craziness of my Thursday afternoon and the brilliant efficiency with which I handled things (if I do say so myself) and ended by saying, "We are just amazing." Then Eva said in a pouty, put-out way, "I'm not amazing." Then she thought about it for a second and said questioningly, "Am I amazing?" To which Michelle and I both replied, "Yes, you are, you're a girl!" It felt like Eva was being trained in more than just creativity this week.


After Michelle dropped Eva off at school, she came home and made us a scrumptious lunch of Green Chile Pork, which tasted especially good on such a chilly, Fall day.


Michelle had lots of project options, but decided to make flowers, she's got many skills.

Her finished headband!

I took a self-portrait of my reflection in the BOO ornament sitting in front of me. Michelle has the best Halloween decorations, they're stylish and festive.


I was so happy with my productivity level for the day. I am finding more and more (even though I've been doing this every week for years) that it is so therapeutic to write these notes. A lot of times they're thank you notes, but I also end up writing notes to people I've been thinking about, or who have said something thought provoking on their blog (or on mine). I am often surprised by some of the sentiments that come out of my pen because I hadn't realized how strongly I felt about something or how touched I was until I'm expressing it. It's powerful...if only it burned calories as well.


Speaking of calories, I brought some freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies and we may or may not have eaten the entire plate full.

Our late-day self-portrait.

**Have you ever painted a pumpkin?
How do you feel about those creepy, plastic spider rings?
Do you enjoy chocolate-chip cookies?
(What kind of question is that?)
Are you ever surprised by
what comes out of your pen?**

Comment Window Tidbit: Today is the first day in many months that I'm actually cold, so apparently Fall really is here.