I meant to share this little thrifting at the beginning of October but my posting has been shabby at best.

I actually have more Halloween/fall decorations than I'm actually using. Kids, want any hand-me-downs?

And yet...did I pass up this dollar-store find of 8 jack-o-lanterns. NO. Silly me.

These mercury glass votives were $1.50 at Big*Lots. I wasn't wild about the jewel and displayed them with the jewel not shown...but turned one around for you since you may just love the jewel. I am a new fan of mercy glass.
Back at the dollar*store was this little brown birdie. I currently have an orange, flicker, battery votive that looks cute.
Have you any thrifting finds you want to share. Here's to frugality and fun.

Happy day, msk

Halloween 08

I could say this pic is "for the girls" who love to see their "little brother". But I too am rather fond of this big dog. The clown costume was the easiest to put him into so that won out. Our ward Trunk or Treat was really fun and yummy with the bishopric grilling hamburgers and hot dogs and plenty of side dishes. I don't know who made the root beer but it was so good. Today on our walk we saw smashed pumpkins in the street and that always makes me a little sad. At least there were no out-houses for the rowdies to overturn. I worked the Prop. 102 phone bank until noon and that for the most part was very rewarding and I was glad to do it. I was thankful for kind people on the phone and glad I didn't deal with too many of the other kind. We had a wonderful Saturday night Stake Conference meeting tonight and I'm looking forward to tomorrows meetings. Sweet dreams. Mom

Silly Fun Halloween Love

I've been reminiscing and feel just horrible that I didn't take more Halloween photos of you kiddos back in the day. I think I was always too stressed to come up with costumes that cost zero and I didn't think about cameras. Really. While talking to Andy this week we shared the Halloween he was an awesome Rubik's cube...and no picture to share; he was so sharp. Also that same year Jesse was a great skeleton wearing my black leotard and tights and I cut out the "bones" from white paper plates and attached them. I think Jesse came in 2nd place in the entire Schubel School costume contest. The winner was really good, Egyptian something but our costumes that year were fantastic for the non budget. Really good. Maybe I should mention that Jesse was very young and didn't know it was creepy to wear his mom's ballet gear!! Oh the young and pure stage.

Well, I'm off to buy the candy, had to wait or I'd eat it all. Really. And then I'll try on the 3 costumes that Kirby has and decide which one he'll wear this year. Oh, I'm not one of those crazy dog owners. I do it for the kids in the neighborhood. Really. Okay, I love it. Kirby always has this doleful look while in costume but he is just the best sport and does it for the cause.

I'm on the verge of tears here just thinking of your darlings, missing you and wishing we all were closer and I could share all the holidays with you and the grands. Really.

A Little Halloween Deco

Well I hauled in the boxes of Halloween decorations from the garage and started the seasonal transformation last night. I have to take much of the current deco upstairs and stash it until January. It's a worthy cause. I love seasonal deco.

I found these pretty little wreaths at Big Lo.ts and uncoiled the wires that held them together.



I placed three of them around the chandelier and think it looks really nice and fallish. Here's the aerial view...can't you picture me standing on the dining room chair for this shot.

Side view. It looks prettier but since it was last night and the lighting wasn't great it doesn't show as well.
Mantel in family room seems a tad sparse but okay.
Candles for now in the fireplace...too hot still at 100 degrees outside. Can you see that chunky brown candle? It has carved oak leaves on it and a great, great fragrance to it. I bought a pair of them last year after the season holiday-marked down from $9.99 each to $2.48 each. Score! At Tar.get.

Part of the growing black cat collection. If anyone finds a darling, inexpensive black cat tell me where and I might go get it. Or...I might hope there are still some the day after Halloween and then go and snatch one up-that's my mode of operation. This is my second wreath holder. I found it when in PA with the kids last May at Knoebel's in the gift shop. I had to unscrew the tip finial to fit it in my suitcase flying home. I think 2 wreath holders is all I need and it's fun to have one that reminds me of the PA kids and grands.

I still have some garland to put on the windows, book shelf and mirror over the piano but that's all.

Now to get ready to teach a pie baking class at my home tomorrow. Maybe I'll get away with photographing the event and blogging it for you-I'll ask permission, it's the right thing to do. We are such a pie family. A from scratch pie family. Has anyone found a reputable publication on pie being a health food? It's just fruit, right.