Happy Jack

Happy Jack is really looking forward to Halloween this year. He's already creeped my hubby out so he knows that he will have a ton of fun! I have to hide him until he gets a new home....lol. Find this happy creepy fella by clicking on ETSY .

"FOOD" For thought......

Cooking is a wonderfully creative way to express warmth and love. I've collected a few cookbooks over the years and this recipe comes from PUEBLO INDIAN COOKBOOK, compiled and edited by Phyllis Hughes. As with most recipes I find that I like, I tweak it a bit to suit my families tastes. I hope you take the time to try this as it is delicious!

PUMPKIN SOUP

2 T. butter or olive oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried mint, or 2 tsp. fresh, minced
1/2 tsp. each sugar and nutmeg
2 cups cooked peeled pumpkin or butternut squash
2 c. chicken or lamb broth
1 Tbsp. flour 1/2 c. light cream or canned milk
1/4 c. shelled, roasted pinon nuts or pine nuts
1/2 lb. italian sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained (this is my addition as my family likes meat, but the recipe is great without it)

Melt fat in kettle, add tomatoe, green pepper, onion, seasonings and saute 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, broth and meat if using. Stir until blended and simmer 20 minutes. Mix flour and cream or canned milk to a smooth paste, stir into soup. Salt to taste, heat to boiling and simmer 3 minutes. Serve hot, with toasted pinon nuts or pine nuts sprinkled over. Servings 4-6.

Now I'm off to tackle a mountain of ornaments for an order....have a great day!

Punkin Chunkin? Who woulda thought?????

The History of Punkin Chunkin

Depending on what legend you are listening to, the beginning of Punkin Chunkin varies. This is the one believed to be the closest to the truth. Only the men present in the Blacksmith’s Shop really know the true beginning.

It began in 1986 as a group of men sat in a local blacksmith shop arguing over who could throw an anvil farthest. Someone heard some local college students were throwing pumpkins by hand to raise funds for their school. The group embellished that event. Anvils turned to pumpkins and Punkin' Chunkin' was born.

In November of that year, Bill Thompson, Trey Melson, John Ellsworth and the Burton brothers, Chuck & Darryl, met on Thompson’s farm, outside Milton, Delaware, with their inventions. Ellsworth’s chunker was a combination of ropes, tubes and pulleys, while Melson and Thompson’s chunker was various garage doors springs connected to a car frame. The Burtons machine was a wooden pole mounted on a trailer, powered by auto springs. One of the spectators, Larry McLaughlin, maintenance supervisor in a local town, was seen hanging from one of the poles that day and local punkin chunkin rumors were that he was caught up in the action and was attempting to throw a pumpkin by hand. He tossed it 50 feet. By the end of the day, Thompson and Melson were the victors with a throw of 128’ 2”.

Three teams competed that first year, where only a handful of onlookers watched. But since then, the event evolved from human chunkin' into oversized slingshots, venerated catapults and air cannons with names such as Bad to the Bone, The Terminator, Mellow Yellow, Poor & Hungry and The Aludium Q36 Pumpkin Modulator (named after a weapon used by Marvin the Martian, the pint-sized, high-strung alien from the Warner Brothers cartoon).

Last year, thousands and thousands of teams competed across the continent. Several corporations are entering teams and competing against other companies. The growing popularity of Punkin' Chunkin' has spilled into schools around the world. Many teams from local High Schools and colleges compete as part of their physics and science projects. Even families, Scout Troops, and Youth Organizations are now vying for the coveted first place spot and bragging rights.

Gee, I would have never thought about this!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.......

Okay, I know it's a bit early for snow, especially since the leaves are just now starting to turn here, but this frosty fella couldn't wait to be introduced. He's all buttoned up and snuggly in his fur ruff and cap, and is patiently waiting the first sign of snow. He reminds me of fun times in North Pole, Alaska when we would go out cross country skiing, or out to find wood and then come home to a cup of hot cider or cocoa. This cheerful guy can be found on ebay by clicking on the title of this post. Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for exciting changes on AHAO.

A special gift....

Okay, here I am putting up Christmas before Thanksgiving is here, but you know, getting a jump on the season so you can actually take time to enjoy it is never a bad idea. These adorable creations are hand sculpted ornaments with an added twist. They are also small gift boxes that will hold a special surprise for your cherished someone. They are perfect for a special ring, or other small piece of jewelry. The bear will hang on the tree as well, so he is a perfect collectible ornament for the bear lover. See these by going to my website. Just click on the title of this post, and whalaaa!

Did you see snow lately?

I've heard that it's snowing out there somewhere and .....oh look! Santa has a light dusting on his robe! This handsome fella was created over a tall gourd using paperclay. I hand shaped and designed each snowflake and he has been hand painted. He is dusted with a bit of reindeer magic dust, so he sparkles. This Santa is 14" tall and can be found on ebay .

BWAAA-HAAA-HAAAA........

Go on..... stick your hand in the bowl for some candy.....I dare you........

He he....... Angus is ready, along with his little friend, to surprise you on Halloween night.....so stop on by and grab a hand full of candy..... if you dare..... happy trick or treating...... you can find Angus on ebay right now by clicking on the title to this post. A big thanks goes out to  Linda of Gourdqueen originals who got me into sculpting on gourds. She has been a big influence in what I create and invited me to be a part of AHQU. AHQU is a group of Halloween artists on ebay and they are quite a talented gathering of folks. 

Well....off to Facebook to see who's lurking around....

Labor Day Road Trip Art

Off to Oregon we were, to see how the house was coming and get the place squared away for winter. With the price of gas my husband is trying to beat the system by slowing down to 60 mph, which really does save us money. So it takes us 12 hours to get where we need to go. It gives me plenty of time to work on my designs for sculpting and to get a pencil drawing done. So here is the result. Can't you just taste the mellow sweet juiciness of the apples and the tart sweetness of the plums? Ahhhh, I love this time of year! Now off to put into reality the designs I came up with........