It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Condo Blues World Headquarters and Thunderdome!

This year our family broke a decorating record by having our Christmas tree decorated after we came home from Thanksgiving dinner! Take a look.

Other houses have Christmas gnomes. We have Vikings!

Our tree is actually a rosemary bush our Thanksgiving host and hostess gave us at the end the evening. I decided to have a laugh and decorated it a few German Christmas ornaments friends gave us on their vist last fall. I' bought the Viking gnomes from a friends shop at the renaissance festival as a birthday present to myself after admiring them for the last 2 summers.

We need to put our Christmas tree up soon. This one's not going to last long for as much as we've been using it to cook with fresh rosemary. Nom! Nom!

Be sure to pop over to my food blog Lazy Budget Chef and enter our $175 Amazon Gift Card Givewawy after you've shared and read all of the amazing party posts!

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Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Or Happy Random Thursday in November to our readers outside of the US, LOL.

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away!

Eek!

I barely have Halloween put away!

I have no idea what I'm making for Thanksgiving dinner, besides something that goes with turkey. What are your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes? Help a girl out!

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Happy Halloween! Time to add your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!

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Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

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Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Friday Favorites Linky Party 499

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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Allergy Free Trick or Treat Ide: How to Make DIY Bottle Cap Halloween Pumpkin Pins

I know first hand how much it stinks to get a bag full of Trick or Treat candy on Halloween and can’t eat most of it due to a severe food intolerance or allergy.

It’s a total bummer.

That’s why I display a teal pumpkin to let my Trick or Treaters know that I have food allergy safe treats to hand on out Halloween. We let the kids decide if they want a Treat or a Prize. My husband mans the Treat bowl full of candy. I woman the Prize bowl with food allergy friendly non food treats.

This year’s food allergy safe Trick or Treat Prize are Jack o’ Lantern pins I made from caps in my bottle cap collection.

My quick and easy bottle cap pins are a kid friendly craft if you are looking for a Halloween party craft activity. You can also make them ahead of time and give them out as party favors.

How to Make Recycled Bottle Cap Pins

Save this Pumpkin Party Favor to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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How to Dye Suede Shoes

I bought a pair of cream suede oxford shoes similar to these thinking they would look cute with jeans but didn’t wear them very often because of the color. Changing the color is easy as dying the shoe. Since these are basically an extra I have and don’t’ wear I decided to go with something fun and dye my suede shoes blue with this exact suede shoe dye. *Cue Elvis joke here* (Disclosure: I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience)

I was very nervous about messing up this project and put it aside for quite awhile after I bought the dye. Once I got up the nerve to do it I learned dying shoes a new color isn’t hard, just a little messy so make sure you protect your work surface and you’ll be fine.

Pin this tutorial to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!

How to Dye Shoes a New Color

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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How to Make a Jester Costume

One of the things I love about sewing costumes is the challenge and I try to do that with every jester dress I make. Normally I cut each piece of my sewing pattern out of a different color fabric to create a color block jester costume, I load it up with jingle bells, and I’m good to go with a costume that’s close to jester’s motley.

I need a new jester costume for renaissance festival and historical performances and when I want to dress to empress on Halloween.

This time, I went for the Crazy Person Challenge of sewing a jester costume with a homemade diamond pattern quilted fabric. I made new everything from the skin out:bloomers, hoop skirt, skirt, bodice, and hat. This project took four months to complete.

Which just goes to show you I don’t just play a fool on weekends, it’s more of a 24/7 lifestyle. I’ve never quilted before and after this project I may never quilt again!

Pin this costume tutorial to your Pinterest boards for later! Share it with your friends!

Photos by Jay Robinson and Checkmate Photography

How to Make a Female Renaissance Jester Costume

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

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Let's Party!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

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Wow how summer has flown this year! I can't believe Labor Day is here! Let's kick off the long weekend early!

Time to add your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!

Let's Party!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

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August has flown by at record speed. I can't believe we're already at Labor Day weekend! Fortunately we have an incredible number of projects to read while my US readers are hopefully relaxing on this last long weekend of summer.

Time to add your fantastic and creative craft and DIY projects, recipes, and ideas!

Let's Party!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things - Pin

Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter FB | G+ Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Lauren at All About That Mommy Life - Pin | Inst

Jennifer at Busy Being Jennifer - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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