~MAIL FROM SALEM MA.~

The day before yesterday the mail came as usual.  Nothing unusual until I spotted this among the advertisements and bills!  I wondered "Who could be sending me something from Salem?"  and I opened it...
...and Autumn Leaves began to fall...and fall...
and I began to smile from ear to ear!

My very Fall friend over at October Farm sent me this from Salem MA.  Remember?  I told you about it in my yesterdays post? 

You see, what you must understand is that I will never get to Salem.  No.  I won't.  I don't even kid myself, so this is so very special to me.  I love Fall and I get such a kick out of Halloween and when this arrived...I practically jumped for joy!  Thank you, Joyce!

See the little delicate lettering?  Joyce! 

See the little cauldron and the waves of steam coming from it?  Joyce!

I have NO clue how she did this....Joyce made them herself!!

See those little leaves?  Well, when I opened the envelope...and pulled out the card...little golden leaves of different hues sifted to the ground.  Pretty much the only beautiful Fall leaves I will experience...and never, never like they have on the East Coast.   

IF I had never discovered blogging...things like this would never happen to me.  *smile*

I am SUCH a happy camper!

My Granddaddy used to say "Mona, don't worry about Goblins gettin' ya!  They'll letcha go when daylight comes and they get a good look attcha!"  :)  

Happy Halloween!

Lovn'hugs,

Mona

~EVERY MOMENT A BLESSING...~

 I take nothing for granted...nothing...

This Halloween season has been fun.  The problem is that it is arriving at the speed of light.  It just seems I found most of my things and...it is over in just a couple of days.  But what fun I've had...
I just need a wee more energy...

This time, just a few days ago or so it seems...I was busy getting seven little ones ready for trick or treating..then came the Grandchildren...and now even they are all grown up.  Some having their own children and some still in college.  Only one in highschool..and soon it will be over for him. 

No matter...I will continue to do Halloween, and Thanksgiving, and Christmas and Valentines and St. Patricks and Easter and the 4th of July...to the end. 

My Mom stopped..will I?  I wonder...

My favorite Halloween cat...probably because he scares me? 

Just stuff....this is not a good picture of my hand made crow..but he really IS a work of art.  He is all sculpted with stitching...and then mounted on a post. 

5 to 6 inch cookies.  Impressive? :)

Just one filled the candy dish...bless it's heart!

A cup of hot tea and one of these and you won't want dinner.  I promise!

Daughter Mary is my cookie maker.

Small cookies.  Pumpkin, as you can plainly see..and..a tombstone..and a black cat and a moon...

Now this is my all time favorite thing..pumpkin to be precise.  His arms and legs are roots..and he is all hand sculpted with stitching...Ohhh...how I wish I could do things like this! 

I might...but..why when I can find such great artists that do them so beautifully. 

I hang on to what used to be.  I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing.  It's just the treasuring of memories of time gone by.  It's ok. 

It's been a beautiful Fall and I hope I see many more of them. 

I have been enjoying all of your beautiful Fall photo's of your Halloween decor..new babies, and some fantastic Holidays.  If you haven't met Joyce at October Farm..please go by and see her recent trip to Salem MA.  I was fascinated...and tomorrow on Saturday I must post a most beautiful card she sent me that she made herself. 

What a time is all is....what a time! Makes me want to sing and dance under the moon..and if I could, I would!  Ok...I kidding around!  Sorta....

Love and hugs..

Mona



~YOU NEVER KNOW UNTIL YOU ASK...a garage sale tale.. ~

The porch is ready for Fall and Halloween and I refuse to do one more thing to it. 
Everytime I go out there...I remember hearing someone say.."Whenever you leave the house..remove one accessory!"  Are we ever really happy, totally, with anything we have done...or is it just me?!  Probably just me... *sigh*

Enlarge the photo below...and you will see exactly what I mean!

I bought new hanging floral baskets a couple of days ago...and hung the old ones out under the trees.  They need to be replanted...so..in the Springtime...that is my chore.  DO THE BASKETS!  I promise myself this each year...and then...buy new ones!  I HAVE to stop doing that!

 Yesterday, Sweet Husband tore all the old Red Apple ground cover out and treated the soil with amend..and today, in went the new flowers.  Doesn't look too great right  now, but give it a few months. Ok, maybe until next year this time... 

 I got my pumpkins out front, finally...added a bit of color...and I swear to you, I'm DONE!  OH, and I added some new Fall flowers to the beautiful mosiac flower pot that Penny @THE COMFORTS OF HOME made for me!  I LOVE that pot!!  (Enlarge to see the apple of my eye in the distance...and the center of my story below.)

 Yes, I know the flowers are puny... but you just wait!  One of these days...some time in the distant future..I hope, I hope! 

 And...this is my BIG pumpkin..at least for this neck of the woods. 

 Another view of our porch...and my little bistro table...LOVE that table..and it is as near Cindy's @ APPLESTONE COTTAGE as I could get it!  I am SUCH a copy cat!   

 

Ok...here is today's garage sale story. 

Not a lot of garage sales today..and those that were out there yielded nothing...and then it happened!

We followed the garage sale sign and drove up in front of a yard filled with lots of things...but I saw nothing..because I had seen what I wanted!  This little pale yellow wheelbarrow filled to the brim with flowers..and exactly the size I wanted! 

I found the lady of the home and asked her if the little wheelbarrow was for sale..KNOWING full well what the answer would be..as it was tucked into a little flower garden.  She smiled said, "Oh no, that is mine and it's not for sale."    I smiled back and said "Are you sure?"  She said.."Well, what would you pay for it?" and I countered with "Well, what do you want for it?"  She said "Let me just go inside and talk to my husband." and off she went.  In few moments she returned and said.."He drives a hard bargain...he said forty dollars,"  I said "Thirty!" and she said "Thirtyfive" and I said "SOLD!" 

Which proves, you never know until you ask!  :)

I also found, on the way home..a beautiful pure white cable knit sweater for $3.00! 

I DO LOVE Saturdays!

Lovn'hugs,

Mona 



~RATS AND BATS..AND SECOND CHILDHOOD..~

 I hope I am not the only one struggling with posting.  I am sure I'm not.  It should be easy but...I have been at this for at least three hours or  more now...so if these photos seem out of sequence to you....they are.
I tried.  Sometimes the directions work..and sometimes they do not. 


I bought these apothecary jars from Victoria magazine.. I thought they were so cute.
I added the ribbons and then decided on the buttons too.

 

I stitched little pumpkin buttons onto the ribbons for added interest.....(like it needed it!)

I should have probably photographed them before I put the candy inside.
In black script it says HEMLOCK, or POISON, etc. 

A big pumpkin button on this one...I had fun!    See the eyeballs?  :)

A few bats flying across the garage door......



I added the rats across the back of the couch.  Neat huh? 



The more I played with these the better I liked them. 

I love the Martha Stewart wall art and usually don't do much outside the house..but this year I found this too tempting.





Decorating for all the different seasons has been a joy of mine ever since I had my first child.  As time goes on...each year I think I am NOT going to do it anymore.  NOT this year, and every year I get caught up in the magic of it and am off and running. 
In the blogging world you are never alone.  That's what is so great about it.  A world within your world.
A total source of fun...I love it!

You are my sunshine!
Mona

~HEART OF THE HOME... FROM THE 50'S

I am joining Shelia @ NOTE SONGS for her Kitchen Party!  GO SEE!



Little corner sink

I am always going to clear things off ..but somehow I never do..

 



Just enough room to make toast...that's all we need..



The view from standing next to the red Kitchen Aid mixer you just saw. 



Little island I bought from JC Penny's...



Nice little cooking area but I keep dreaming of an old 50's range there!  Ah well...



Other side of the little island. 



I wanted you to see my cheeries ...again...painted on.  I was REALLY into cherries once.  Still love them!

A favorite of mine in this  fifties kitchen is this little yellow oven.  It's tiny...but again...I just love it!



View toward the garage door.  I should probably clear off the magnets??



Some day I will remove those magnets...but right now...some have just appeared...

 The bowl is Mosser..red glass that I love... also the butter dish on the counter...LOVE THAT STUFF.

Just stuff......you know....



My spooner.  I think my most convenient thing!



So..there you have it.  My kitchen.  My contribution to Shelia's PAR TAY!!! 

ALL DONE! 

Kitchen hugs!

Mona

~SPRAY PAINT= FUN AND FALL DECOR~

 At least for me!  A garage sale find for 50 cents. 

It doesn't matter if one arm is a bit crooked...all the better!  After all...it's Halloween month!



An old brass wall sconce...and black spray paint...




A bit of ribbon...grungy candles and ....Halloween whimsy for the wall!



Last years find which I love!

When I went in to take a picture to add to my post...I discovered something!  I think they match...PERFECTLY!  That's amazing.  Different home, (this one was from an estate sale) from last year and the wall sconce above is from a garage sale this past week!  Am I pleased....OR am I pleased!!!

How I LOVE that spray paint!

I missed Met Monday.  I Always forget! 

I hope your Monday was peaceful and quiet..and nice.  Mine was...after a rather hectic weekend.

Love, hugs, and candy corn to you!

Mona

~TOOTING ONE'S OWN HORN....~

I just wanted to let you know...that I am very aware that tooting one's own horn about their birthday is ...not really the thing to do...so I must publicly apologize. 

You see, I just suddenly became very aware that most of my life I have been...hiding from my birthdays.  Not wanting to admit my age?  Hating it when someone wished me a Happy

Birthday...even though I would
NEVER have thought of saying anything but "thank you!"   But...it's changed.  I LOVE to hear it because I suddenly became aware...that every single hour of ever single day, of every single year is a gift!

It always has been.  I just didn't realize it.  I was ashamed of...weight gain, gray hair and all the things that come with losing your "bloom" as they call it.  No more.  Today I am grateful to be aging...(ok, I do have my moments!) :)

As of Friday, I will always welcome every birthday with horns blaring and flags waving!  Yes, I am sorta embarrassed about "tooting" my own horn and shouting it from the rooftops, as I told Dena of Swaddle Cottage but...what is done is done...and I am just so pleased to be alive and healthy (now!) and so delighted for the time I have.  Time to love, to enjoy, to sing, to play to enjoy my friends. 

Happy Birthday's have taken on a new and glorious meaning!  So ..be sure and shout yours from the rooftops too so I can wish you all the joy there is to be had in this lifetime...because it is so very short.

Tick, tick, tick!  :)

Love and hugs and more love to all of you!!

Mona

~SECOND HAND ROSE'S 74TH BIRTHDAY...~



Secondhand Rose...me in my second hand clothes!

My dear friend Balisha at NEVER ENOUGH TIME asked if I would like to list ten things I loved.
Without listing family, dear friends and kitties and puppies and of course babies, OH, and Christmas...I did my best...and I did it HER WAY!

It went something like this:

Ok, Balisha, you asked me to do,
A simple little chore and because I love you..
I quite decided to give it a try...
So I thought and I thought,
And I stared at the sky...

When suddenly it came
As out of the blue,
 Ten things that I love,
Without a doubt t'is too true.

 I do have some things...
So without further adieux
I will happily and delightedly,
Share them with you!

There's Painting
And blogging,
My piano,
Cute shoes,
There's gardening,
And toys
To decorate with too...

And sewing and baking
Hot chocolate, so sweet..
Warm sweaters,
And old quilts,
(I need lots of heat)

And of course there's old hats
Old lace and old clothes
For you see, in the end,
I'm just a second hand Rose!

The end


Lots of love and many hugs,
Mona

 ...second hand rose..they call me ...second hand rose........(walks off singing....)

~IS THIS BRAGGING?~

This is Emily.  She is my eldest Grandson, Adam's tiny daughter and recently turned two years old.  There is an older photo on my sidebar.   

Emily, age two years.

Adam is Emily's daddy at age two years

This is Grandson Adam at the same age.  Other than the coloring they look so much alike.  Adams eye's were and still are green.  I am always struck by how alike they are.  Even their behavor at that age is similar.

Emily has her mother, Christina's coloring...and it is gorgeous!   

I had him a lot when he was a baby because his daddy was in college and his mommie worked.   When Emily was born, Adam called me and said "She is yours, Grandma..I give her to you!"  In essence what he was saying was.."I love you!" 

I understood!

Thank you for letting me brag a bit.  It is a Grandmothers right...isn't it?  You don't mind? :)

Love and hugs,

Mona

P.S. Emily recently won a "cutest toddler" contest in Orange County, California and was on the front page of the newspaper....and now I AM bragging and you can smack me down!!  Now I deserve it!!  :)

~SENTIMENTAL ME~

This Saturday we went on our usual garage sale treasure hunt!  And I found a treasure that really captured my heart.  I am now the new caretaker a lovely little sewing kit.  After buying it and going through it's contents, I began to realize that I had bought a very cherished item that once belonged to a woman who loved to sew!

  I do not craft as much as I used to when I was younger, but I know when I have found something that someone cherished.
The tiny roses attracted me to it..so I bought it for $1.00. 
It wasn't until I got to the car that I looked inside...and I was amazed and very touched. 

The first pocket had thread in it...and needles stuck in it..for a quick find.

The clear plastic zippered pouch was FULL of needles of every size plus a tool that had never been removed from it's card.  It was called "Purple Thang" which I thought was funny.  It claimed to be a tool for just about everything in the world of sewing.  Getting stuffing into very tight places, for example? 

This pouch had four seam rippers in it of all sizes.  One was in a case. 

And there was this little "housewife" as they used to call them.  It appears as though someone had made it.  Perhaps a very young beginning seamstress.  A gift for someone?   It is in the shape of a winter mitten...with little flowers embroidered on it....

...you lift the cover and you can see all the little goodies that are there.  l

A pair of wonderful needle nose pliers that were like brand new.  The spring keeps them at the ready...I've never owned a pair like this and I love them. 

A lovely ornate sterling silver little heart needle threader guarenteed to thread even the tiniest of needle eyes...
Well....it excited half blind me!!  :)
To thread that tiny needle eye you just lay the needle on the little bar and push the delicate wire through the needle eye and it pops open so you can thread your needle and pull the thread through the itty bitty eye!  WOW! 
(well...I get excited about things like that!)

...and would you just look at this?...perhaps you have seen them..but I never have.  I have seen some made for the wrist, but never for the finger.
It is handmade...which interested me right away so I studied it carefully.
 
You take a bottle cap
Drill a neat little hole in the top of it.
Then you take a little length of golden stretch cord, thread it through the hole and tie a knot in it and snug it down and clip off the excess.
Then you fill the bottle cap firmly with cotton and cover it with your favorite velvet fabric..or whatever and glue it to the sides of the bottle cap.
Then you glue and wrap a pretty braided length of trim around the cap and let dry.  Then you add the pretty cord around the top...and slip it on you tiny dainty finger...and you are set to sew ...and always know where your needle is.   :)
So...whaddayathink???   :) 
I thought it most clever!!    No...honest!  I did!

Now this I really loved.  Three tiny pairs of scissors...one is beautiful and I forgot to show it.  It is a pair of lovely silver stork scissors.  I'll add it later..ok?   DO you see that gorgeous Victorian scissor holder in silver?  It has a tiny chain to hang around your neck with a ribbon if you like.   Very lovely. 

I added this photo to show you the delicate little charm hanging on the second pair of scissors accompanied by fresh water pearls.  Sweet?  INDEED!!

Look!  LOOK!  Leather thimbles.  Now I know avid sewers are probably familiar with these but I had never seen them before...and used to sew all the time.  The tops are of brass I believe...REAL leather in two sizes..

A....tatting shuttle?  It looks as though someone was attempting to learn...or had begun to make something and put it aside.  It is made of ivory.  Not plastic.  I won't buy anything ivory..but I will not throw it away either.  It's perfectly beautiful!

And these are the four seam rippers.  and  *taking a bow*   that's all folks!
Now wasn't this a treasure to behold?  It was for me!  Would you have paid a dollar for it?  :)

Love and hugs this beautiful Fall day!! 
Mona

(To the dear former owner who has passed on.... I will treasure and care for this little sewing kit.  I just want you to know that.)