~Happy New Year!

Thanks to all of you who have come by in the last year and been so sweet and such great friends! Your notes, messages and emails have been such a treat and I have enjoyed every single one.

See you next year!

I wish and hope for each of you

a New Year of

Perfect Health, Abundance, Peace and Happiness!

~Christmas Eve, Joyful Wishes, Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale! Etc..

It's Christmas Eve already! With all the snow I've seen on the weather channel, it must really seem like it to many of you.

Nothing new on the table this year. I've had everything for either a long time or at least a couple of years. My lovely old Irish linen napkins on the "wrong"side where I kind of like them. I'll move them to please other another time. The plates were a surprise that I had forgotten about. I should have been using them for the last month but decided they would be pretty for a little dinner.

If you wander by here on your journey of home tours or just playing tourist in Blogland, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and PEACE in the New Year. Maybe we can create Peace in the World one person, and one family at a time.

My heart is filled with Christmas Joy even as there is an ache over the war that wages on beyond our sight and sound. War is evil, said a wise and wonderful Noble Peace Prize winner. Very seldom ever necessary and always evil. I pray for the young soldiers so far away from home this HolyDay , their families, and for all the people there.

May You Be Filled with Joy and Peace!

Merry Christmas, and Peace On Earth
to Men of Good Will!

~Christmas Joy, Happy Sunday

Happy Sunday!

A little Christmas in the morning room. The mercury glass Santas and Snowman are newer, but have a great old fashioned look. Sweet Daughter thinks it's funny that she is represented by the little snowman since she towers over me by 5 inches. But of course if you are a mom, you know they are always your baby.

Closeup of the cloche, bell jar, filled with lime green ornaments with a few red tossed in as well. I found a couple of the rhinestone snowflakes and love their sparkle and vintage look.

Vintage ornaments have such a special look. I've seen some amazingly beautiful collections in BlogLand. Mine is small. Some of them look quite old, even though I'm not an expert at dating them. But I love the touch of age they add when used with newer pieces.

~Snowflakes & Silver, Christmas Joy Saturday

Snowflakes found their way into the family room as well this year. The mantel is dressed with more snowflakes and everything is silver and white with touches of gold and evergreens. I found the snowflakes at Target early in the season, and got them quickly before they were gone. They look better in the halogen light than in the living room's natural light where I used the snowflakes that I made from wood forms. Those were prettier in that light.

I've been thinking of doing this room in more whites and neutrals so I wondered if I would miss color on the mantel this year. I'm not sure if I miss the color, but I do love the snowy, wintery feeling of it right now.

It's cookie day at our house! We will be baking my favorite chocolate chip cookies and some white chocolate macadamia nut ones to take to my in-laws. That's if I can hide enough from Sweet Husband, because he loves those, too.

I'm trying to take a few breaks now and then to go on the Home Tours, from both Tracey's site and BooMama's. What wonderful homes, people and decorations! It has been such a joy to visit each of you. And it makes me wonder, are you making cookies today, too? And are those little presents all wrapped? I'll be doing some of that the next day or so as well.

Thank you to each of you for sharing your homes, and for taking the time to post a comment here. You are so appreciated!

Happy Saturday!

~Friday, It's Almost Christmas

Do the days go by more quickly the closer it gets to Christmas? I think so!That's if you are already grown and have lots to things to do. If you are 5 or 6 years old, the days go very slowly waiting for the big day.

Christmas is my favorite time to really enjoy my love of religious icons and symbols. I've been looking for an older Mary statue for a while. During the trip in November (for my birthday) to Renninger's Extravaganza I was so happy to find this beautiful one. The couple who sold it to us had done a lot of buying in Europe and wasn't sure if it was from France or Belgium. Whichever, it's perfect. I love it with the antique keys, tarnished silver pot and newer silver hearts.

Sweet Husband just brought the fantastic blooming Christmas cactus in the other day. I totally forgot that I had set it outside under some other plants last year. What a great plant. Forget about it and it will be ready a year later, with no freezes, of course.

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

~The Morning Room Christmas Tree

Have you seen Christmas trees that are just so perfectly designed? Well this is not one of them. This is pure sentimental whimsy, silly. We put all of the fun and totally lovable ornaments on this little tree. We have everything from lovely silver framed family pictures, which some are waiting patiently to be put up still, then there is fake candy, and Nutcraker guys, Santa, bears....everything old fashioned and whimsical. It makes me laugh and makes me cry. Pictures of my wonderful Dad whom I miss a lot, the Darling Daughter when she was little, me at about 3, those kinds of things. A silly, tender little tree which is so much fun.

You know I love snowmen and snowflakes. Aren't these guys cute? The snowmen were found one year apart at Marshall's most likely. They look old already and suit this little area perfectly. I still look for cupcake and tart ornaments in blown glass, they are just so cute.

OK, that's all that was on the camera. Just a little bit more to come.

It has been so much fun to join in the Holiday Christmas Tours. Thanks for coming by to visit.

~Thursday, Christmas Joy 2007 Gingerbread or Pictures?

Although I had fully intended to take the rest of the pictures, yesterday Sweet Daughter called and asked if we could make gingerbread men cookies after she got done with work. Well, of course we can. Since I had no recipe I went searching the internet, settled on a 5 star review and made the dough. I don't eat gingerbread, my chocolate chip cookies are next!

So no picture taking time yesterday. But before I go run errands I snapped a quick one of the wicker chest which holds the table linens in the living room decorated for Christmas.

I usually buy things in three's for Christmastime, because my little family consist of three! So you will see three antique keys, three hearts and three beautiful earth crystals. I love things from nature.

The bird's nest I use often, but always at Christmas. Several years ago Sweet Hubby came running in the house quite excited over his find. A sweet bird's nest tucked way inside the Christmas tree he was trimming to bring inside. I found a tradition on line that it was a sign of goodness to come. How wonderful!

That year I put a couple of birds, one of each of us, and an egg for Sweet Daughter. She was not sure she wanted to be represented by an egg! Funny girl. *Although I did mention it before...She decorated most of the tree this year. I unpacked and talked about each ornament. She humored me and pretended she had not heard it all before. Sweet!

More pictures to come. Have a Happy Day!

~Christmas Joy Wednesday, Holiday Home Tour

Merry Christmas, from our Home to Yours!

Thanks for coming by to visit. Tracey at Notes from a Cottage Industry is hosting this online Home Tour. Thanks Tracey for such a fun idea!

I'll be posting new pictures each day until Christmas, so you are welcome to come back often and see what's new.

Each family has not only traditions, but within those they have their own decorating style that makes them happy. Each tradition and style of decorating is so special. I love to see the trees, wreaths, ornaments, cookies and whatever you chose to be a part of your Holiday celebrations. This is our home, and we are very happy to share some of what makes us happy with you.

Because it was a Snowflake kind of year, I made these pretty large snowflakes, all glittered in silver and gold with different images in the center. Family members wanted a couple of them and I decided to use one on a mirror on the living room mantel.

This mantel has kiwi/lime green beads, acorns & ornaments, intertwined with evergreens. There are silver glittered snowflakes and a large crystal one beside the little silver bucket filled with ornaments and lights. The large lime green ornaments were found at Bombay a few years ago and are wonderful for bringing in the same green, and the large mercury glass ornaments from Z Gallerie reflect light in such a beautiful way.

I once found the cutest little glass rabbit ornament for $6. When it was broken I went on a search for another glass rabbit. That began our love of Radko ornaments. The first ones were rather expensive, so there was only one added each year. Then the tree fell down! A few of the Radko's took the fall badly. Should we just stop collecting them. Or....shall we tie the tree to the wall each year. Ah, let's go with the second choice.

One of our favorites for a couple of years was small houses.
This is one of those. Kind of like small doll houses in blown glass.

This time of year, when the work day is done, we often just sit and look at the tree and decorations in the living room. It doesn't matter if the ornaments are new or old, although we do like them to be glass. The heart of our Christmas decorations is always right here, the tree, mantel, a table or two and the Crèche all find their place here each year.

More pictures tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed visiting!

**EDIT: Welcome to those from BooMama's Tour List!

I just saw that one and added my site to it. **

~Christmas Decorating, Just A Little Bit

The days leading up to Christmas are so precious, and yet somehow I over booked, over worked, over whatever it all. To slow down and try to enjoy each day, I quickly (is that slowing down?) took a few more pictures. I really didn't do as much this year. I wanted less stuff but it didn't really make it less messy to just get everything out to try to pare it down. Oh well.....maybe next year. I am determined to have less stuff.

It's a Snowflake year! I have lots of them everywhere, silver or white mostly. I've loved them for a long time and started collecting some beautiful white porcelain ones around 1984. I've been looking for a potter who makes them ever since, but no luck. If you ever know of any handmade ones, please let me know. But they might be too difficult to ship. I've broken 2 or 3 of the ones I had.


I hope all of you are able to take some time to slow down and really be in the moment of this Holyday Season.
(( Rhoda, I thought that last picture was big. I'll try to do better. :) ))

~Monday, The Winner is.....

Congratulations Rebecca! Be sure to go visit her site.

Email me your address, and it's on the way to you.

Thank You to each of you who stopped by. As you can tell from how late in the "day" I'm writing this, today was busy, with out and about stuff. But I did try to snap a couple of pictures. And here's one anyway.

My feeling this year to embrace red. Although it's in a dash here and there. I haven't used red in a couple of years, so it was new and fresh again with my kiwi/lime green.

This arrangement is on the table in the living room. It is similar to what I did last year, with purple and green. When I found the old picture, I wanted to use the same silver and jar again. I changed the ribbon on the large ball, but didn't think it was worth taking the picture again! I'll post a picture or two everyday this week to catch up a bit!

(Dede, that print is available at my Esty shop. Thanks for asking.)

~Friday, Christmas Joy, GiveAway

Oh it's Friday again! It sure came much quicker this week.
I've made some 5 x 7 inch prints of the Christmas Silhouette for gifts this year since everyone loves it when they see it in person. It reads Merry Christmas 2007.

Just leave a note on this post by Sunday Night and I'll draw a name out of the cookie jar and post the winner on Monday.

If you have Christmas pictures on your site, please let me know. I want to see what you have done to bring the Joy of the Christmas Spirit into your homes! And I don't want to miss a one.

Today's assignment for me, is to take some pictures. I sure am late at getting these things done this year. At this rate I might not get cards even in the mail. See you all later. But I hope to have some new Christmas pictures up to share very soon.

~Christmas Special at Etsy Shop

Through Thursday, Dec. 13, as a Thank You,

I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on all Orders $49 and Over.

This will give you a nice savings

depending on the size of the order.

I'm trying to beat the last minuet Post Office rush!

New in the shop, one of my Art Collages. I remember falling in love with Italian Art & Architecture while studying. I never got over it. It still is my favorite. No matter what came before this period, or after, my heart stayed right here.

Note to DD: The gold charges were purchased new about 5 years ago. I'm not sure where they came from, but most likely not expensive. I have not seen any quite like them since at a decent price.

~Happy Monday, The Winner Is....

Mrs. Wilt ...such a cutie name to use, from The Sparrow's Nest!

Glass Christmas Ornaments, Snowman and Thumper

I really thought there would be no outdoor lights this year. Everyone around here is just overworked this year and even the lights seemed like just more work. So I was not going to let it bug me too much. I didn't even whine a bit about it. But then, out of the blue, Sweet Hubby got out the ladder! So it's not as many as in years past, but at least the icicles are hanging down with dancing lights from the eaves as they usually are.

The inside is still waiting for me! Waiting for the boxes of art stuff to get out of the way, and put away. Which is about any minute now, I keep promising.

When my Sweet Daughter was in high school or early college, she and her best friend came over and wanted to decorate the Christmas Tree. They had a ball, and kept saying....Mom is going to change it. They came in the next day and checked it high and low. I didn't turn the tree around like the episode on "Friends" but I had kind of rearranged. And they noticed every single thing!

This year, I got the lights all on, and yes, Sweet Daughter wanted to decorate. Just to give me some Christmas Time. :) She did an excellent job! But she was sure I'd change things. She came in from work the next day, and I only had to confess changing to ornaments, they just needed the space the other one was in. I actually left it alone!

You cannot image how strange this tale is unless you've lived with a designer who measures everything and almost carries a level on her for a hairclip! I love the tree as it, more because she took the time out of her busy schedule to do it along with me, while I unpacked the ornaments and talked about them all for the upteenth time.

We have been collecting Radko's for over 10 years. Not just for the name but because we love the old fashioned look and quality of them. I know I haven't been shopping much when I realize I haven't bought a new one at all this year.

Wish me luck in my battle with the boxes and messes around here. I am determined to win even if it takes putting a POD in the driveway!

~Friday GiveAway, Christmas Joy

It's Friday already so it's time for another little Gift from me to you.

Yes, Rebecca, I thought this would make a great ornament, too! This would be lovely on a tree, a gift, a door knob...all those places you have thought of to decorate. It's 2.5 inches wide, 5.5 long, 7 with the wired ribbon hanger. So cute!

Leave a note by Sunday night, but you know I sometimes get to the computer late on Monday morn. Don't worry, I always toss those names in as well. For those of you who posted yesterday and early today, you will get your name put in, too. It's Christmas, let's spread some good cheer!

Happy Friday!

~Thursday, A Little More Festival Decorations

Here are a few more pictures from the Festival of Trees this year. I still need to go through them and adjust light and resize. I'll post more later.
It's always fun to get a little inspiration from these events. I am eager to see what all of you are doing for your decorations. I love this time of year!

~Monday and the Winner is....

Congratulations Linda! Note #3

Please send me your address to
DecoratedHouse at aol.com and I'll send the gift out to you!

I will have a few of my Monogram Foil Tussie, Cones available for the Holidays.

You can order them in either silver or gold with your choice of letters. The dangling goodies on the end vary, crystals, snowflakes, stars.

You can add red to the medallion as well. I think that looks great.

You can see more pictures on Etsy, and also see one that has sold with JOY on it if you like that better. Limited number available since I'm going to stop working on the shop and try to enjoy Christmas before it flies by!

How's your Christmas decorating coming along?!! I always forget it is a bit of work isn't it? I'll forget about the work part in a couple of days though, I always do. The tree is up in the LR. We were lucky and found a noble fir among the fraizers again this year at Lowe's. I think it's too much trouble to grab the few that get by them. They were almost twice the price at Target but I was going to go back there if I couldn't find the noble somewhere else. They are such beautiful trees. I think they are much easier to find anywhere north of us.

I will be so looking forward to seeing all the trees and home dressed for the holidays with the BlogLand in such full swing now. So many more places to visit now. But so little time to get to all of them!

Have a wonderful day! Thanks for coming by.

~Christmas Joy, Friday GiveAway

Does it feel like Christmas yet? It's 80* here today, so that makes it a bit warm for getting in the mood. But that's what air conditioning is for, isn't it?!

For years, I always decorated for Christmas 10 days before Christmas Day, and tried to keep everything out for another few days after the big day. Somewhere along the line, the starting day got sooner and sooner. Part of the reason was my daughter. She pointed out that it sure was a lot of work just to have the decorations for such a short time. Now the beginning of December usually gets me going, and try to leave it up past the day after Christmas! I hope we find a tree this weekend and then doing a little sparkling around here.

Friday Christmas Joy GiveAway!

A bit of Beau & Santa to hang on your tree or to fancy up a gift or door knob.
The picture shows 2 different ornaments, the one on the right with Beau Bunny is this week's GiveAway.

Post a note by Sunday midnight or so, and I'll draw a name and post it on Monday. Hope your Weekend is Wonderful!

Because it IS a Wonderful Life just to Be.

~Tables of Christmas Cheer

The Festival of Trees was an enchanting experience as it always is. The rooms at the Museum are filled with so many things to enjoy for the Holidays.
One area is set aside each year with tables all set beautifully with a drawing at each one for gifts from the sponsor. We still buy our tickets for the Tiffany jewelery prize and I can't tell you what the table looked like this year. I got sidetracked looking at the prize. (We haven't won yet either, after almost 20 years. It's a very popular drawing!)Although there might be one one or two tables which are just over the top and stuffed with things on it, these all are set so nicely. If you took away their framed advertising, the table would be ready for guests, welcoming without anything in the way of eating!

I'm not sure if there were more red tables this year or if I just noticed the red one the most!

Hope you enjoyed the tour with me.

~Monday, Congratulations, The Winner Is...

**Lisa!**

Send me an email with your addressand I'll send your Gift right out to you!

Thank you to each of you. I see I'm not the only one who
(almost) never goes out shopping on Black Friday!
We did find that a lot of things are still available on
Saturday and the crowds seem to be much smaller.
And Sunday was even better,
although we didn't go near a mall.

There will be lots of updates in my Etsy Shop
as the week goes on. I'll be offering free shipping
on all orders $75 and over.

I hope you stop by and see what's new.

~Friday Christmas Joy GiveAway

Today starts the Christmas Season for lots of people. It used to seem way too early to think of decorating for me, but I've been wooed into it sooner over the last few years. I'm always eager to see what my friends have created in their own homes. Quite unlike me, I was in the check out line at Circuit City and Staples this morning at 9 am. Crowds of people make me run the other way, but I made it through. Hope all of you who went to the Big Sale Ritual had a good time!

My Friday Christmas GiveAway is a 5 x7 Art Print
of Beau Bunny and Santa.

Just leave a note by Sunday Midnight (11/25) or before I wake up the next morning. :) I'll draw a name and post it on Monday. Good Luck!

~ThanksGiving Week...

Let the Fun & Givng Thanks Begin!

~Congratulations the Winner is....

Manuela from the Feathered Nest!

I'm so happy that Beau and Santa will be coming to your loving home!

Your ornament decoration is double sided with old vintage lace trim.

I know you will enjoy it.

It will be mailed out right away!

Thank You to each of you who took the time to come
by and enter the GiveAway!

~Christmas JOY, Friday GiveAway!

As a Thank You to all the wonderful people who come by here and stop to say Hi, there will be a Little Joyful GiveAway each Friday until near Christmas to just help spread a little Christmas Joy!

This Friday's Gift is a small Christmas Ornament, an embellished ACEO style Card/Ornament. It features Beau Bunny and Santa. The picture shows the image I've created for it. I can't show you the whole thing because I haven't taken a picture of it yet because....

Sweet Husband just called and said he isn't going to work today after all, so that means we are on our way out the door to Renninger's Extravaganza!

Let's see if I find any new treasures to bring to home.

Leave a note HERE by Sunday, Midnight EST, and you will in the drawing for the GiveAway. Good Luck!

~Such a Lovely Love Story, and Wedding

Weddings have gotten so carried away these days, sometimes it's hard to enjoy them anymore. It seems like it's all about how much money was spent to impress. But this wedding was beautiful. Oh it wasn't done on a tiny shoestring, but nothing was done just to impress and she was careful with her budget. It was however very special for other reasons, and this night and this wedding have really stayed with me over the last few days.

It's easy to say what you would do after being married to someone for many years and some kind of illness strikes, you do what needs to be done out of love. Period. This young woman has shown more courage and love than seems possible for someone so young, not yet 30.

A year and half ago, their lives were full of fun with a dash of caution I'm sure since he was a police officer. He was hurt in the line of duty and needed surgery on his knee. Not major surgery. While they were doing the operation, he had a major stroke. He came out no longer able to talk or walk and had to learn all of this again at the age of about 30. Not something that would ever cross your mind at that age. She has been his "angel" as he said with great difficulty of speaking during the ceremony. What amazed me was how she looked at him exactly the same as if he were giving his vows with the most clear and perfect voice possible. She looked at him the same as he struggled with speaking as she did before the stroke, he was totally the same to her. Not a waver of her loving gaze as if he speech was still perfect. Weddings often make me cry. This time it didn't. I was too in awe of the courage and love I was privileged to see.

The setting overlooking the lake was spectacular, with huge cypress trees on acres of land. Such a perfect spot with this gazebo in just the right place.

Isn't this ball made of tiny lime green mums beautiful?Thanks for your notes on the previous post. I wasn't looking all that kindness, but appreciate it anyway. I just haven't been around to your blogs, which I love to do and wanted you to know part of the reason. I'm busy trying to do somethings for Christmas for the shop. But I seem to be really slow at getting things done.

Have a wonderful evening!

~Beau Bunny's Christmas Tree

~~Beau Bunny's Christmas Tree~~

Packing away all that Halloween stuff, I found a portrait from the late 1800's of our darling relative, Beau Bunny with his finely decorated Christmas Tree!

Isn't he something in his fine ruffled attire?!

New on Etsy today. There will most likely be 3 different Christmas Prints of Beau. I heard there is a picture somewhere of him with Santa! Stay tuned, I'm looking through old family albums looking for that one!

~Autumn's Amber Glow, Leaves

"Autumn's Amber Glow"

It's that time of year when you see so many magnificent pictures of leaves everywhere. I love them! Of course it must touch a place in the heart of many, many people since they travel just to see the beauty in person. It is so good to know that there are lots of people who enjoy and value the simple but amazing beauty of leaves.

The paintings often took months for sweet husband to finish. I didn't have that kind of patience. Each one was woven out of his imagination and love of painting. This one pays homage to Autumn's Beauty.

~Decorating with the Colors of Autumn

This time of year I am reminded how much I love the colors of pumpkins and fall leaves. Thank you to all of you who have posted fall pictures!

Although orange is not on my favorites list at all, there are muted colors in pumpkins & leaves that are so beautiful to me and I just crave them more this time of year. Rust, muted reds, terracotta, deepest golds, burnt orange and a million variations.........yum!

I need to take the Boo Sign off the front door and turn the Jack-O-Lanterns around so they are just pumpkins again.

The entry table hopefully will get a new arrangement sometime today to greet Autumn instead of celebrating Halloween.

This picture is from a couple of years ago with my favorite pumpkin. Now what shall we put there this year? Time to go find all those Autumn colors. Don't you just love this time of year?

Wishing you all a most wonderful Friday & Weekend!

~Water, the Enchanted Element on All Soul's Day

It was fun to go see what was happening in Blog Land for Halloween. There was a lot going on! I don't think I saw but a little bit of it.

I love seeing the kids come to the door, all dressed up. So cute. Even though it's not like "used to be" there is just enough left to still make you smile.

The Enchanting Water Fairy

Available now as Fine Art Prints on Etsy.

You know how much I love water.

So you won't be surprised how much I really love this painting.

Today is All Soul's Day. A strange and old holy-day. But it's nice to remember all those who have been with us in our lives and gave us Love, but who are no longer here on Earth. Blessings to all who have Loved us.

~Happy Halloween

Wishing You a Happy Halloween!

Thank you for your notes on my husband's painting. I love his art and I wish he had more time to paint now. But it was so much fun sharing it with you.

~New Art Prints on Etsy, My Sweet Husband's Art

My Sweet Husband's Art, now available in Prints on Etsy!

Of course I think he is an amazing artist. But it's really so much fun to be able to offer prints of his work on Etsy. We have discussed these for so many years. But most of the art shows he displayed at did not allow prints, only original work, so we never got around to having them made.

Looking at the slides brings back so many memories of all those years of art shows! What work that is. It's hard to describe the whole gypsy style of going town to town selling art. It's much easier when you are really young!

~Snickers, Pumpkinheads & Bears

Pumpkin Head Guy and his Sidekick Bear, who is guarding the Snickers.

It's about time to say Trick or Treat and then pack away all the Halloween decorations. Halloween was such a big holiday when I was a kid. I think it was because it was one of the few times we ever got any of that junk to eat. And it was free, just for knocking on the door and politely saying Trick or Treat!

I remember more how excited my daughter was. I wish she would still go out Trick or Treating, but at 28, she just won't go. But she still finds the Snickers bef0re the little kids get here. But that's kind of part of the plan of the Holiday.

Make it a Most Wonderful Day!

~Your Tears Are My Prayers, Create Beauty

There are no words to describe the heavy heart so many of us have seeing what has happen to our friends in California. Within a few years the scorched Earth will be more beautiful than ever from all the ash. But the loss of lives cannot be replaced. One of the most beautiful group of words I've ever heard or read is in Liz Gilbert's book Eat, Pray, Love, the Italian phrase "Your Tears Are My Prayers." I was surprised that words could so accurately describe how you feel someone else's pain.


Create Beauty, Everyday.... Each day we have the choice of which door to enter through. I love doors, windows and gates, they almost always lead to somewhere.

This is a fabulous photographer that I believe Creates Beauty in the World,
Leah, of Mia Bella Vita. Her photos will warm your heart.

Have a Safe and Happy Weekend.

~The Perfect, Crooked Silver Teapot

Most of the time I tend to avoid garage sales and thrift stores. But I've spent a few hours at them anyway. Consignment stores I actually like a lot and often find things in them.

When we bought our first house we checked out garage sales a couple of miles away where they were usually gutting beautiful homes just to make them larger and grander. Usually making them no longer look as though they were a part of the original neighborhoods. Since we were trying to make our little tiny place a bit nicer, we found windows, doors and things like that. But it never quite made our tiny bungalow grander, thank goodness.

This day we were in a messy little store that we found by accident. My dear friend Kim finds such interesting treasures at her Good Will store, we decided to look for one while visiting the antique shops in a nearby small town. We now try to get out for more day road trips in part because of sweet Pat, who first enticed me to look around for trips that were close to home. The Good Will was a bust for me, but they usually are. What might look amazing in Kim's home with her fantastic style of decorating, doesn't always translate as well into someone else's home. And then there is Rhoda who loves garage sales, and often finds things to sell in her store, and even found something I needed once!

So this day we found the messy store, consignment type, with boxes of junk. Not necessarily cool junk, that I love. This was just junk. Stuff that someone didn't want, and neither did I. However, moving things around and looking a bit harder did begin to yeild a special treat here and there.

Sweet Hubby was busy looking for whatever he thought I might like to use for art. He came over with the perfect find, a silver teapot. He knew that I had just brought home a proud arm load of tarnished silver pieces and had been so pleased when I showed them off to him. Now he found a new treasure.

I looked at it, and it had seen better days. Much better days as a matter of fact. The top was bent and didn't look like it was too easy to fix. It was a bit overpriced. And I didn't need it since I had just bought a few items the same size and shapes. It was however perfect, in every way.

Here is stands. The most perfect old, tarnished silver piece I own.
I often use it in some arrangement in the living room or entry area. Every time, it reminds me of the wonderful day we spent together. My kind and caring husband began going on these little excursions just for me. I think now he enjoys them quite a bit, just because we are together and he likes seeing me find something special. We no longer have to go to thrift stores and garage sales because we can't afford to buy things new. Now we go to find something special from the past and to make our own memories.

So here it is, my treasured gift, the perfect, crooked, tarnished, silver teapot in a wonderful, imperfect, little house, which happens to shelter my heart, my family.

Halloween arrangement: The Crooked Teapot, new vintage style Halloween Cat in a Pumpkin, Real Gourds, newer Silver and Glass

**Thank You! to dear Teresa at Plum Water Cottage for the Smile Award!**
Sorry I always forget to mention these things.

~Halloween Give Away Winner! is...............

Congratulations. Elaine!

You are the Winner of the Halloween Give Away!

Thank You
to each of you for coming by
and leaving such kind and sweet comments
for the Give Away and Everyday!

~Halloween Give Away! A Little Treat

No Tricks, Just a Little Treat!
You know how I love a Give Away and what better
time than when "Trick or Treat" will soon fill the
air along with the cool breeze of autumn!

It's a Double Treat.
A discount at my Etsy Shop and a Give Away here!
If you purchase anything at my Etsy Shop wait for me to send you an invoice and I'll take 10% off the price of the item. Everything is being sent out Via Priority Mail, so you will have it within just a few days and in plenty of time to enjoy of the Holdiay!

And....The GiveAway is this wonderful
little Boo Ghost Art right here!
I think you all know how to play the game
in Blog Land

Just leave a little note on this post by
Sunday, Oct 21st. The name will be picked then.
This will be mailed on Monday, so you will have it next week!

~Celebrate ~Autumn

It's a new season, and it feels a little bit like it today! I think we might stay below 90*. Now that's a cool down.

This pretty French iron type flower basket has been sitting waiting for its closeup. The other one you've seen and I've used it for lots of seasons. I found this one a couple of years ago and I am just now getting around to using it. Even with some old elements in it, it seems like a brand new look.

But I forgot to get Halloween on the door before the Fall Decor!

I got a quick picture of it as it gets the spotlight of the sun and falling leaves today. This will go back up after the Halloween decor comes down.

I hope you are having a wonderful day and that your weekend is a good one!

~Thursday, Re-Creation....Delightful Dolphins & Dessert Lady

Even though beach time didn't work out on Sunday, I had this adventure planned for mid-week, Discovery Cove. The plants are so spectacular. Don't you love how they have the walkways leading to the water areas planted?

Simply beautiful.

The lazy river is quite long and you swim most of the way. With a floaty thing, it's not that hard and you do have areas where it is not as deep. It works up a good appetite for the nice meals they offer as part of the admission. Kind of like cruise food.

It is way too easy to take all of this for granted in your backyard. It isn't until I hear all of the accents and listen to how much it cost others to come here that I really appreciate it. This is such a wonderful place to relax. We got annual passes to Sea World so we can come back to Discovery Cove at a discount for the next year. Yipeeeeee, sounds good to me.

We spent quite a bit of time just watching the dolphins and their interaction time with the humans who come to be with them. Funny, no other animals pay to spend time with humans do they? :)
I've done this twice and it was an amazing experience to touch these magnificent creatures. Oh yeah, we get a kiss, too!

So after spending hours and hours swimming, snorkeling and beaching, all I could think of was the fact that I had ordered chocolate cake at several places lately and none were really great. Somehow I came to my senses and instead of going to the "Dessert Lady" and eating 5 portions of different cakes, we went to one of the health food stores and got the best chocolate cake, by Just Desserts. It was worth every single calorie and bite of fat! After working all morning doing more gardening, it was easy to rationalize it anyway.

I think Saturday will be a great day to go visit Renninger's Antique Market. I wonder what we will find this time.

~Monday ~ Re-Creation...Believe

Saturday Adventure

I love the Sea and so many of her creatures. Although I did visit the sharks too, they don't quite hold the same place in my heart as the dolphins and the whales.

The theme of the whole Shamu entertainment is "Believe." First picture is "Shamu" swimming towards us, and then a shot with a human just for size comparison.

Sunday beach time was cut out due to extreme weather. But I have a couple more quick trips ready to go the rest of the week after a nice day of weeding and gardening. :)

I hope you are all having a great start to the week.