Bewitched

I never thought Cathrynn would be anything but a princess or fairy for trick-or-treat. Wrong, she wanted to be a witch this year! But, she is bewitching as a good witch. I had my doubts but some great clearance fabric made a magical cape and I got a bit carried away with blinging the hat. When she came home from school and saw the finished product (yeah, yeah on the 30th cause that's how I operate, as my 8th grade teacher once dubbed me - the procrastinator), she was awe struck.

Vintage Teacup Fall Swap - Part 2

This is the goodie basket I sent off to Rebecca for the Vintage Indie swap.

I love the delicate acorns on the teacups... they were made a short distance from here, at the Taylor Smith Taylor plant, in the 1940s. I tucked a few fall hankies in the basket - one even had acorns on it, an old Florida spoon, maple syrup in a maple leaf glass jar, apple butter, tea, and hot apple cider mix... I love this season!

Innocence Lost

I accidentally deleted this... forgive the repetition!

Last year, my dear daughter, Cathrynn came home from kindergarten rather upset after she'd sang a bit from Both Sides Now, and when the teacher recognized it & sang along. My girl was devastated to realize that it wasn't original to our family. I imagine her teacher, Mrs. C., stifling a smile & laughter as my dear sweet girl sang her own rendition of her MOM's song. In the face of such betrayal, I made sure she knew I was also not the lyricist for all her other favorites - The Sun'll Come up Tomorrow, The Rainbow Connection, Hush Little Baby, the Happy Birthday song...

That's what happens, you send your five year old to grade school, and they learn about life beyond the happy, safe, innocent world I've created for them. They learn that a much more talented lady came up with Both Sides Now when I was still in grade school. That there are soldiers fighting a war. That not everyone wants to be their friend. That other kids are watching High School Musical while they've been happy to watch Noggin. That people do say stupid because it really isn't a bad word (although it will always be in our home).

Why so melancholy this morning?

I was having bloggers block and getting my inspiration from some of my favorite blogs instead. Charlotte Lyons wrote one of my most favorite craft books. I like to say she wrote the book on crafting! She recently reflected on a trip to Starbucks. And summed up my feelings about life in general.

Somehow, I've advanced in life to a really good place, except when standing around chatting with the other preschool moms. Most of these women are closer in age and life experience to my son, Vince. I am a lifetime a way. I am staring menopause in the face. I am mature.

Would I change places? NO! Not for one split second would I go back to my 20s. Yikes. I like my 40s. I just don't like when I hear a song and realize how far away I am. My 25 year high school reunion next year? That must be someone else. The math is wrong. I am young at heart. Wise. Mature. Cynical.

Vintage Tea Cup Swap!

I received my package from Rebecca - a gorgeous hand stitched tea towel which will be displayed in my vintage inspired kitchen. I'll have to tell everyone "hands off"! I've never had anyone stitch something just for me. I am delighted!!! If you're in the market for a treasure like this, please visit her Etsy store - MelysBaby!

The cup & saucer are one of my favorite brown transfer ware patterns. I've never owned transfer ware in brown but I'm happy to say that on Friday I found a matching lone plate at a thrift store that I plopped the fragrant candle down on. The start of a lovely Autumn-y china collection.

I'm hoping that Rebecca is as pleased as I am...I was not as speedy as she was at mailing hers out, but I hope by Monday she'll be enjoying it. I'll post a pix then so as not to spoil her surprise, in case she's reading this.

Trade-sies!

Do you remember being a little girl and doing trade-sies with your girl friends & sisters? Of course, with 3 daughters my mom put her foot down on several occasions, or we'd all have lost our favorite toys on a whim & promise!

As grown-ups (ahem, loosely defined) my girlfriends & I do our own version of trade-sies - bartering, swapping, sharing, trading - whatever you call it! We have a pretty steadfast rule - no money changes hands, but we all end up with some new-to-us-stuff. Heck, half my house has been furnished that way (thanks Dana & Darla!). I left the house on Saturday with a wing chair, drop leaf table and two odd dining room chairs and returned with this settee(sans cats & cool wall sconce) : Cool, huh? I'll be attempting a slipcover for my bedroom. And I Can't wait to see what magic Dana does on the table & chairs.

Last month, I went out on a limb and decided to do the Vintage Indie Tea Cup Swap. Hoping we'll both be quite pleased! I'll post a few pix of my package as soon as I can :D

Fall Wreath & the Fish Pond

The fall decor is still stuck in the attic. When we bought the house last winter, it seemed easily accessible, the usual cut-out in the upstairs hallway. Not drop down stairs like we'll probably put in one day (let's call that item #65 on the house to-do list!).

It wasn't until we started putting away the Christmas decorations (all 17 totes & misc. boxes - should I be embarrassed dear friends? I think not, if you're reading this you've probably got just as much if not more stashed!) that we realized this was a job for someone smaller and stronger - Vince! He's busy at the moment staying on the Dean's List (brag!) and after a weekend of dog sitting for Grammy & Pappy - thus freeing me up to do the Fall Festival in Beaver, well... I really just can't ask for him to brave the record breaking heat & humidity to retrieve my stuff. Can I? Well, not without the offer of some home cooking.

Soooooooooooooo... how's that for too much information?... I picked up some glitter letters at Joann's last night and some stuff Mom bought me last week and did a quick wreath. The faux feathers were a nice touch, especially since there wasn't a real taxidermied bird nearby (ahem Dana, do you want to share what's hanging in YOUR window?) While out there, I took a pix of the pond since it's in the middle of a cleaning and not soylent green at the moment. When the foot of snow and ice melted in the spring, imagine our surprise to find the Koi fish alive in the murky (putrid!) water.
The previous owner also ripped out ALL trees & shrubs and replaced half the lawn with this charming red lava rock... this vine/weed was welcomed with open arms. We have big plans for the landscaping but they're currently on that ever growing to-do list... right after summoning the courage to reach inside and fix broken chain in toilet tank (anyone else have an unrealistic fear of what's in the tank - please tell me, the husband thinks I'm insane) , bail water out of bottom of dish washer, crank the disposable into action, and curse at the a/c.

But I think I'll go sew first :D

Edited to add this...Frank & the girls went a bit nuts and bought an entire bag of spooky stuff - huge spiders & webs, fake blood, you name it... it all makes me paranoid & itchy as I'm their favorite victim. Luckily, we don't have 8 inch spiders here so it only gave me a small heart attack!

Fall Festivities

We sold a variety of vintage shabby chic treasures & junquey stuff on Darly's red brick sidewalk. My totes looked charming on a clothesline... garnering more interest than buyers unfortunately.

Heritage Days 2007 -
Slowed to the pace of the wicker rockers on Darla's pretty porch, as an old metal fan offered the only respite from the heat & humidity.

Stop by Pearls & Peapods for great pictures of the Festival!

Classic cars lined the streets and bands provided live entertainment from the gazebo across the street. Hopefully, next year will bring more big band and less do-wop!
A young soldier escaped the heat in Darla's side yard under a tree. I wish you could see the details and the wool pants. And I was complaining in my sundress!

You're invited!

The charming town of Homewood Junction is hosting it's 19th annual Heritage Days Fall Festival from October 6th & 7th, 2007. My dear friend, Darly's lavender dollhouse/cottage is directly across from the gazebo. Dana will be bringing a truck full of treasures from Doe Hill and we'll all be selling our vintagey, antiquey, thifty, junquey, shabby, crafty treasures...heck, we don't even know what all we'll be selling 'til we drag it all out!

Say the Blogger Code Word: Junquey Gals and receive 10% off my handcrafted totes & purses, key chains, pincushions...

I'll be crafting 'til then...