berry careful

 Hello ladybugs. Can you believe it's the end of the week already?

Be careful when you stop at the craft store for a few Halloween 'must haves'.

If you run in, you'll have to take a peek at the Martha craft aisle...

Next thing you know, you'll feel the need to acquire all of the strawberry related items.

Because, your youngest is doing her best strawberry impersonation for Halloween.

 These items will have nothing whatsoever to do with her costume...

You'll spot a pinwheel making kit. 

That you didn't know you needed.

And then, you'll spot all kinds of little embellishments.

So sweet, your teeth might start to hurt a little...

Running into HomeGoods...

Just as dangerous.

Consider yourself warned.

 I'm joining the fun at the following:

Common Ground,  French Country Cottage,  FarmHouse Friday, and  My Romantic Home.

paper bead necklace

The flu hit our house last night. Three of the girls are home from school.

A project was required, once they were feeling a little better and the novelty had worn off.

Paper bead necklaces to the rescue.

According to Ms. Martha Stewart, paper bead making was a popular 'Depression craft'. Paper was scarce at that time, so girls used scraps of wallpaper and pages of catalogues to make their beads.

Cut paper of your choice in advance. Beginning at the end of the wide end, roll paper triangle tightly around a wooden dowel, being careful that edges stay even. When you reach the tip carefully glue down with a dab of craft glue. Slide the dowel out. When you have twelve beads you're ready to string them together in the pattern of your choosing.

The girls were fairly pleased with their results.

Simple + inexpensive = a satisfying project.

happy weekend

The sun is finally shining, and all of my girls are happily going about their day.

 Yesterday, we had a few school conferences. They went really well. The highlight, involved the girls bringing Rosie along to meet their various teachers. She spoke a little pidgin French to Madame, drew a few pictures for the art teacher, and brought down the house singing 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' dancing 'interpretively', accompanied by the chorus teacher on piano.  'Why do we have to go, I was just starting to have fun?' she wanted to know. And here I thought she was shy...

Tonight, we've a fun party to attend. A sweet neighbor of ours in turning ninety. He's amazing. Not only does he walk almost ten miles a day, he still works full time, and is charm personified. I'm certain if life were a race, he'd be the winner.

Wishing you the happiest of weekends, my friends.

vintage beaded flowers

Emptying a home you've lived in for almost forty years is a fair bit of work. 

My parents recently sold their home, and are relocating to a smaller space with a more workable floor plan. Hence, the need to cull and sort.

We're discovering all kinds of forgotten treasures. Some, more exciting than others.

This little cup and saucer planted with vintage glass beaded flowers is marked France on the bottom. Dusty, rumpled and a little bit neglected looking, it was spotted lurking in the corner of her pretty French country china cabinet. She recalls it might've been a baby gift...

My mom isn't really interested in keeping dusty mementos. She's all about moving forward and looking ahead to new adventures. Not being weighed down by possessions. There's definitely something to be said for this philosophy. As somewhat of a magpie, I definitely like collecting certain things. But maybe it's time to realize less is more?

If this little bouquet speaks to you, tell me about it. I'll be happy to send it to you.
Points given for 'fancifulness'. 

I'm just grateful they found a house they love, and thrilled they'll be in much closer proximity. 

Cue the happy dance.

Sharing the love at Very Merry Vintage Style and a beach cottage.

mouse in the house

 It was early, before sunrise.
Bob was in the basement, grabbing a few things from the storage room.

A little scratching in the corner, caught his ear...

The cooler temperatures, combined with our location next to 'Open Lands' resulted in a little furry fellow trying to take up residence. A trap laid, and successfully sprung.
The inevitable sad conclusion.

All I can say, is thank heavens my Bob was home. 

But, I fear the little guy wasn't flying a solo mission. He must've had friends...

And

where

 are 

they???

vintage gingham

 Oh my fine feathered friends, how are you this Monday?

Time for some fun, fresh finds.

Gingham, how I love thee...

Cheerful checks.

Crisp graphics.

 And the right amount of wear.

A set of twelve blue, and twelve red vintage gingham metal trays. 

For our next picnic with twenty-four friends? Art projects?

Suggestions sought.

And, a large Red Cross enamel medicine bin. 

For art supplies, crafty bits & bobs, buttons, and whatever needs hiding at a moments notice. 

I'm a big one for tidying up, tucking everything out of sight as I go along, all day long.

Have you found anything fun lately? Do tell.

happily organized

Is organization the key to happiness?

Although, I've no proof of that...

Anecdotal evidence suggests it's a possibility. 

 A family of six has quite a collection of footwear. As we don't wear shoes in the house, picture the pile. Spotted a vintage plant stand at an estate sale. After a quick coat of paint and the addition of a few locker baskets, the girls sorted through their favorites. We've narrowed the assortment to a chosen few per girl. Flip flops, sadly, were relegated to storage. Next spring, they'll meet again.

lake love

 Yesterday, we went to the lake. We keep our boat at a marina a few miles from our house. Reports of waves fifteen to twenty feet high? Worth a look, we figured.

 Alone, except for a flock of seagulls thoroughly enjoying the surf. 

 While the waves crash crazily along the breakwall. 

  Ted Turner once famously referred to Lake Michigan as a 'mill pond'. After being badly beaten and enduring winds up to sixty miles per hour in the sail shredding Chicago to Mackinac Race, he publicly retracted 'anything and everything I ever said about inland sailing'.

Not, a day for boating.

Instead, we admired a fellow visitor to the lake front.  She was busy eating her lunch, like it was her last. Rosie, convinced she was Bambi, wanted to know where exactly were Flower and Thumper?

While visitors of a different sort, perched in a lovely spot overlooking the bluff. 

What a way to welcome October.