Happy Halloween from my kitchen to yours. Our little kitchen nook is one of my most loved spots in the house to decorate. It's amazing how a new wall colour can change your Halloween look. I just left out the orange... Table for three? Note the supervisor peeking in from around the china cabinet.  ...

It is almost here... ...not Christmas silly.  ...

I had just been admiring the lower leaves left on the mountain ash in the backyard a day or two before a Halloween that was gracious enough to allow the kids to trick or treat without parkas under their costumes. Then... BAM!   ...

 I recently discovered that I don't have very much in the way of green. Lucky for me Will and his new pals were more than happy to dress for the occasion! ...

'Twas a month before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The hardwood was piled by the chimney with care, In hopes that the new floors soon would be there; The child wasn't nestled all snug in her bed, She was at school learning A’s to Zed’s. And me with my camera, sans the lens cap, Was ready for photos soon to be snapped. When out at the mailbox there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my perch to see what was the matter. Away to the doorway I flew like a flash, Tore a hole in my pj pants and heard a loud crash. The sun on the crest of the new-fallen snow Gave the luster of diamonds to our mailman, Joe. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a box addressed to me, in the city Red Deer. With a little old label, so neat and so slick, I knew in a moment, it MUST be from Vic’. Vickie a la Ranger 911 ......

I can't believe it is November already. E ven with all this snow  the first day of winter is still more than a month away -- it is technically still fall. Hmmm.  One of my favourite treasures is the Sunbeam Mixmaster that sits on my kitchen counter. It belonged to my dad's maternal grandparents. (We grew up baking with a chrome Sunbeam and I still think it mixed much better than my fancy mixer does today.) I love its yellowed bits and chipped metal. My grandmother gave this mixer to my great grandparents on their 50th wedding anniversary on February 21st, 1956. Another of my very favourite things are old family photos and the stories that go with them. I am fortunate in that we do have quite a few of each from both sides of my family and I am lucky that I have aunts from both sides and my parents who remember the stories.  Marlene and my dad circa 1945 in front of my great grandparents home. Yesterday I visited my Aunt Marlene (she's the li......

We couldn't let Halloween go by without warm wishes from these two characters. Doughboy and Remy had a tough time choosing their spooky attire for this year, so they would like you to pick your favourite(s). Don't forget to click on the Halloween music link at right to get the full October fashion effect. They are starting with their Pastry Chef & Cupcake costumes... ...

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......