Halloween Mantel - Do you believe in Magic!?

I love magic. Do you?

The great, old fashioned kind of magic. With silk top hats, white gloves, and capes.

 I also love Halloween and the special kind of magic that makes a mantel that looks like this turn into

something completely different.

So, I practiced a little magic on my living room mantel this week.

Fall Pumpkin Planter - A Cinderella Story

Did you read the story of Cinderella as a child?

Or, for that matter, do you still read Cinderella as an adult?  I do.

In fact, I seem to have a fixation with that story. If you don't believe me, see Exhibit A.

I've got to admit that, any time I read a story that involves a handsome guy with money rescuing a kind, hard

working,  girl from a life of cooking and cleaning, I think to myself,

"Really?  Sign me up!" 

Pallet Wood Sign, A Year of Blogging, and My Fall Mantel

It's hard to imagine that it's been a year since I started down the road to "blogger-hood".  Yep. 365 days. One entire trip around the sun.

Happy Birthday to My Youngest!

My son - Age 3, the shy boy who loved puppies and helium balloons.

Happy birthday, C!

Pumpkins, Ironstone and Copper - Fall Hutch

I'm happy to say that I'm finally getting a little fall decorating done around my house but,  you know,

decorating with Martha Stewart just isn't what it used to be

                               You've got to remember that while I do live with Martha Stewart, she's 14 now. In

yellow lab years, I think that's ninety-two. Unlike her namesake, she doesn't really have an opinion when it

comes to decorating. 

                                         Heck, she's only awake for about four hours a day.
                     

Fall Planters and Urns: What I DIDN'T do this Sunday

 I'll bet that you thought that you'd be reading about my fall outside decorations today, didn't you?

You probably thought that you'd be seeing photos of  beautiful urns like these two that I did for my neighbor, right?

Fall Decorating - Mantels and DIY Inspiration from the Past

I thought that I'd start on fall decorating today but when I woke up this morning, I thought, "Dang, when did WINTER show up?"

                   Seriously...It's COLD this morning!  Did I miss fall completely? Are we setting some type of record for the coldest September? 

        So, rather than going outside at 7am on a Sunday morning and risking frostbite (okay, it's really 55 outside but to me, that's COLD!)

                            I decided to look through last year's photos for a little inspiration.

Styrofoam Pumpkin Treat Container: Making Halloween Candy Less Scary

 

 Have you ever reached a point where you've decided that your Halloween "treat container" looks more gruesome than most of the children who would be reaching into it this year?

Truly...
                  so bad that you can't figure out why you didn't just throw it away last year?

Iron Wheels and Pallet Wood: Building A Harvest Cart

Do you have friends who give you really cool gifts?

The kind that you didn't really even that know you needed?

Like these "wheels"  that recently found their way to me via my friend, Paulie, the scrap metal dealer,

Keeping My Promise - Marking 9.11.01

I made a promise eleven years ago today as I sat in a team room less than a mile from O' Hare airport with my colleagues from New York.

A promise to keep alive the memory of a neighbor who had young children, three friends in their 30's who were just starting careers and families, one colleague who was working in a computer center in the north tower, hundreds of customers, first responders, and those who loved them.

People who lost their lives or who had their lives changed forever by the actions of that day.

Today, I keep that promise.

I remember.

I will never forget.


xo,

Scenes from the Vintage Market Harvest Market

You may remember the photo below from the Vintage Market that I participated in back in March. It was the first market of its kind in my home town. Held in the historic home of my dear friend, Polly and her husband Steve from Counting Your Blessings. There were a dozen of us who were vendors. We are all friends who know each other well enough to hold this type of event in one of our homes. 

Ombre' Glitter Pumpkin - Beating Blogger's Funk

Do you ever have craft supplies talk to you?  I do.

I was in the Dollar Tree, standing in front of the wreath forms, waiting for inspiration to leap off of the shelves and help me with the blogger's creative funk that I've been in for the last several weeks when I heard it.

Whispering at me from the hook way down at the bottom of the craft section, behind the glue and paint and misplaced flash cards trying to masquerade as craft supplies, "Pssst... Lady, down here.  Yes, you, the one who has been hanging out in front of the wreath forms. It's me, OMBRE' GLITTER!"

A Hint of Autumn: Pumpkin and Wheat Harvest Wreaths

Can you believe it's September? I can't.

Three days seemed like ENOUGH time

Happy Labor Day! 
Remember my word for this year?  It was contained in this post. My word for this year is "ENOUGH".