Last fall we were disappointed when we couldn't find any Baby Boo pumpkins for our fall and Halloweenie decor. So we did what every baby white pumpkin loving person would do. We bought seeds.  We were first time pumpkin planters and we had big plans for our harvest...  ... of millions. I planted 10 seedlings in the oak half barrel next to the Lavatera. They grew beautifully, had oodles of flowers... and nothing else. A little post-planting research told me they wouldn't bear fruit in a container. They needed lots of room to spread their prickly stems and tendrils. Oops. There went our dreams of little white pumpkins everywhere this fall. Lucky for us I accidentally planted one seedling in the front flower bed thinking I was planting a Lavatera. They look quite similar when small. Well, this pumpkin went crazy out there growing across the lawn and pushing around the perennials and annuals. The frost took it......

We finally have an arrangement over our piano. All it took was a thrift store find yesterday, getting out a favourite painting by my aunt today, and an uncanny ability to procrastinate on the project I was supposed to be working on.  Ta-da! The before shot. Note the Barbie vacuum & iron on the piano. The only NEW item here is the gorgeous cow print found yesterday at my favourite thrift shop for $10 -- the frame is in perfect shape and I love the colours. The sweet prairie farmhouse watercolour was painted for me by my dear Aunt Shirley in 1986. She's the one on the backseat of the horse in my header above (my mom is in front). I found the hand turned frame for $3 about 3 years ago and was going to paint it white. Glad I didn't get around to that yet. I printed the butterfly art from  The Graphics Fairy  and the picture is hanging from the same old twine that it came with. The chickadee cross stitch was another thrift store find for $2... I......

Here it is, another mantle decorating season and I still have my unsightly Canadian Tire sconces, wafer thin mantle, and the fireplace is yet to be updated. Those changes are getting closer to the top of the list though, thank goodness. My easy-on-the-budget mantle display used items I had on hand.** **With the exception the curly top white pumpkin that jumped into my cart at WalMart this morning. Who could resist it's crackly goodness and wacky stem? (The flour and sugar in my cart needed some seasonal company anyway.) I found my dad's old  tackle box  last month while up in their attic. I also found out that it is very hard to do a happy dance when you're in a confined space. The antlers were from the attic too and this pair were left 'au naturel' for now. The painting was a gift to a friend of the family in the early 1920's. My dad and grandfather about 1942 -- the pre turquoise tackle box era. I'm not sure who took the ph......

With frost on the pumpkins a few mornings this week we figured it was high time that Bach and Beethoven switched to their autumn finery. Johann is sporting a warm pumpkin chapeau adapted from a free pattern found  here  on Ravelry. Ludwig flaunts a jaunty leaf collar, lovingly hand crocheted from the finest acrylic yarns in my stash. Please don't tell him it is actually a free pattern  for wine glass cozies, also found on Ravelry. Piano lessons started again yesterday for Miss M and she always enjoys festive company at the ivories. Perhaps I'll make myself a matching ensemble. Or not. Linking up to: Common Ground ...

Well, it's not really the blues, more like the aquas. Fall is in the air here and that means it's time to change things up. Naturally that involves another vehicle and holiday trailer. I was initially disappointed when my VW bus arrived in orange but it has grown on me over the years... it's perfect for fall! We are still on a bunting binge, so I made this one with digital papers by  Michelle Coleman  and this handy  free template . I found the small orange pumpkin at WalMart for $1.50 -- everything else I had on hand. The crow & pumpkin were a bargain find in January at Kohl's when Macy was just three; we were in California visiting Granny & Gramps. I was the only crazy woman snapping up Halloween clearance.  I printed the lovely pumpkin label from The Graphics Fairy, found  here  and slapped it on a big tin of diced tomatoes. The white pumpkin on a pedestal has a black cat on the other side -- she won't ma......

One of my favourite treasures is my 1950's American Bisque Popeye the Sailor cookie jar that belonged to my Grandma Gladys. I think I get quite a few traits and loves from my grandma, funky kitchenware being one of them. She and my Grandpa Jack, my father's parents, are in the photo on the baking pan; the apples are from our tree.  Gladys with Buttons and Bows circa the late 60's or early 70's. She groomed her dogs, my mom groomed our dog when I was growing up, and I groom Max. (He's even starting to look like a schnauzer again, so I must be getting better at it.) Grandma, my Aunt Marlene, and one of the trailers that my grandpa built. Look closely and you'll see a budgie in the cage in front of them. I guess I come by my love of camping, retro trailers, and budgies honestly. Macy, four, and our budgie 'Cookie'. Oh how he loved lime tortilla chips. As soon as the bag was rustling he'd fly over and perch on your ......