Halloween Is Almost Here!

October is half way over already! Can't believe how fast it is going...been busy working on crafts and fun things for our annual Halloween party. Caitlin has invited nine girls. I love when they all get together and we take a group photo.

We just finished stuffing the piñata ` ~ she chose a bat this year. I ran over to Dollar tree to get more of my crows before the Christmas decorations takes over the store. Got a few more. I have enjoyed making them so much!I have them all over the place.

Has anyone had issues with Windows 10? My new computer offered the upgrade for free and I took it but I find that it gives me trouble loading pictures for blogger :(  Now I find out that Windows 10 and blogger just don't jive together ....so if you are wondering where I am in blog land...it's cause of this Windows 10 thing...It took me forever to get that one photo above....

I hope you will join me on my facebook group if you are on faebook. I know some people fear facebook for strangers. I have had it for years and I only friend people I know. You don't have to allow access to just any one. The link for my group is up top.

So in the photo above I had gotten that big jar from a recent garage sale. Some barn stars, home spun, pip berries and a timer candle and there she is....

That's about it for me. I'm gonna play around some more with blogger and my pictures to see if I can upload them through something else....Have a happy day!

It's Crow Time!

Saturday is here again! And the start of a three day weekend. I hope you have some fun planned. The weather has cooled down quite a bit here and the wind is blowing. I had such a busy week between appointments for my Mom and some fun things at school, but I did do a bunch of crafting in the craft room my husband made me. God Bless that man for making me the perfect space. Caitlin and I have such fun in that room. I've been making more crows. They are so much fun to make.

 They are all over the kitchen and dining area just waiting for Halloween!

Caitlin made these spiders from a kit at Michaels. I had one of these spider webs in the Halloween stuff so I decided to use it to display her little friends. So often these little types of projects get lost over the years--now they can stay on their web and never be lost!

Everyone is waiting to celebrate. Plus we have our party coming up! We have some lists to make for that! Caitlin thinks she will have about eight girls...pretty easy.

I also made a bunch more pumpkin gals. Let me tell you that I believe crafting is a form of therapy! The sheer joy my brain feels when creating makes any problem seem less stressful!

Except perhaps for this guy below who has a big spider sitting on his head...that could be a problem! hahaha

I went to my favorite thrift store last week and as soon as I walked in I spotted two Lizzie High dolls!

Only $5 each! I was so happy and they even have their tags still on them!

I'm off to have another cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate chip coffee cake I made! Happy Saturday!

October!

My favorite month of the year is here! For so many reasons I love October! The Fall, the leaves, Halloween, cooler weather, beautiful foliage, comfort food....the list goes on and on!

I am almost done decorating the house. I started early so that we would have more time to enjoy it. Some years I was decorating until the very last day...now I like to get it up and add! Here is the kitchen so far...

These pictures are all in my kitchen dining area.

Still working on my Halloween tree. I have a lot more to add.

My scarecrow people and my pumpkin people. I am busy making more of these :)

My crows! I have had so much making them. I saw the idea on Pinterest. Only difference is I didn't use the big feathery crows from Michaels or AC Moore. They were 7.99 each and I knew I wanted to make a bunch. I found these guys in Dollar Tree and for $1 each I could make lots and lots, and they are actually fine. Less feathers made it easier to work with glueing outfits on them!

Happy october and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Welcome Fall!

Oh my goodness! Today is the first day of Fall! I feel so excited and happy! I guess I feel somewhat dormant over the Summer cause we get a little laid back when school is out but once the Fall begins there are so many things to do! Crafts to make, parties to plan, apples and pumpkins to pick, and lots more! It can be as busy as you want it to be and we are busy right up to Thanksgiving! Then a  whole new fun begins the day after that!!!

I've been having so much fun working on my Facebook group too. It's going so well and I have met even more wonderful people.  Anyway, I've been in the mood for pumpkin everything. Coffee, muffins and I've also been addicted to carrot cake! I never made one from scratch but I think I would like to try. I do have a recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip bars I want to try and my husband brought home a 25 pound box of Hershey chocolate chips last night from a job he has been doing! So I'll have plenty of  chocolate chips.....Oh man....

Dollar Tree has had the best stuff lately and if you haven't been there lately, they have lovely burlap flowers and leaves...

I haven't gotten my first pumpkin of the season yet...very soon. We have our plans for apple and pumpkin picking.

We did visit the annual pickle festival last weekend. There is also a nice farms stand there. This is on the farm my husband renovated last year.

Of all the things at the pickle festival, everyone, including my daughter (in the green) and her buddy, seem to like the most are the pickles on a stick! Yummy Koshur or garlic pickles on a stick. Delicious!

A ride on the antique "lollipop" railroad. this may be Caitlin's last year on it :(  We'll see....

 

School is closed today for the Jewish holiday. I have some things to take care of around here and this weekend down comes the rest of he Halloween goodies! We are having a party again this year but it will be small, maybe about eight girls. I still do lots of prep for it though. I'm going to make these little boo cups as one of their party favors:

I try to do a new party favor each year plus I keep some of my old favorites. It just wouldn't be Halloween if I wasn't making some of the same things every year! And it's cute that some of the girls know this and would question me if I didn't make a certain something! A couple of these girls have attended our Halloween party since they were infants!

Enjoy your first day of Fall!

Some Favorite Things

Good Morning! Has anyone done any decorating yet? I've started. Within the next two weeks Halloween will be out all over the house and porch. I'm enjoying taking it out a little at a time instead of one day where it is ALL out. I think it helps me where I place things too. For some things, they must go in the same spot every year. It's like a tradition! These little pumpkin guys must be in my kitchen.

 

And I look forward to seeing my three lady friends in the foyer to greet our guests:

They are right up the stairs in a big closet waiting to descend the stairs and start the Halloween season! I think I hear them cackling!!!

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary! We haven't celebrated out yet (we usually go out for dinner) but we plan to this weekend. I'm married to a wonderful man :)

We are starting to make up our plans for our annual Halloween party. Are you doing anything different this year? Caitlin will be inviting her friends and my son and his girlfriend will be helping to host the party. It's so much fun having another helping hand! (meaning his girlfriend!)  Her family loves Halloween too! Hurray!

 

I love these lights on top of my hutch so much! I've since added some pip berries up there too but those tiny orange lights are my favorites! And I love that they are on a timer. Every day at 4:30 they pop on!

The newest craft project I'm working on right now is my crows...I bought black feathered crows and I'm dressing them...kind of like how I dress the pumpkin people. I saw them on Pinterest. Hats, collars, etc.! So cute. I'm trying...we'll see how they turn out. Mine won't looking as good as those:

I made pumpkin spice muffins last night and I am going to have one with my second cup of coffee right about now! I'm craving pumpkin anything! I made these Pepperidge Farm Pecan Caramel rolls the other day...So good! They are in the refrigerated section of the supermarket with the crescent and biscuit rolls. When I pick my apples, it'll be apple everything!

Don't forget! If you are on Facebook, join my country decorating group! go to the top part of this page and you'll see it!

Have a happy Friday!

A Beautiful Time of Year

I think by now everyone who reads my blog knows this is my favorite time of year. I love the Fall for so many reasons. I love the color, the activities and the nesting part of it I feel. The colors of Fall decorate my home year round. It's just magical to me.

School started September 8th and we are off to a good start. Caitlin likes her teacher and my son likes his schedule. We have some nice activities coming up and a weekend trip so there is a lot to look forward to.

I've been busy decorating and creating when I have the time. may I introduce you to my scarecrow people? Below is one seated next to one of my pumpkin people.

I have made several and love them. I get the head with the pick at Dollar Tree and then with some pipe cleaners, cupcake papers and decorations I have a new friend!

Here's some of the gang:

They're a happy bunch! And they became fast friends with the pumpkin people! Caitlin and her friends love to come over and create all these little people. They have some great ideas to dress them!

I had hoped to get some mums this weekend but we are getting lots of much needed rain. Maybe next weekend.

I hope you will join my Facebook group! It's called Country Home-Decorating & Creating Country, Prim & Amish style. You can click on the picture for it top right! I'm having so much fun and meeting so many new people. Recipes, crafts, decorating---come join us!

Anyway, back to the blog here...I'm planning the Halloween decorations but haven't started yet. Pinterest has so many great ideas. With school starting I had a lot of shopping to do so I made notes of all the things I want to go back to. Honestly I can be on there for hours!

Here is a photo of my son from a week ago. He hates when I ask to take his picture but I asked him if I could take one since I always post photos of Caitlin. He's so funny and it took me a few minutes to get him not to be a clown so that I could take the picture!

I had the best carrot cake the other day! I have to get a good recipe to make my own! So delicious! I think it's my new favorite cake!

Have a great evening!

Fall Decorating!

I'm so happy to take out the Fall decorations and begin! The silk leaves went up on all my windows in the kitchen and the sidelights of my front door on August 31st! Out came the leaves to outline my table in the family room. A few pumpkins...not doing Halloween just yet but shortly.....

My favorite time of year is upon us! Every day there is something to add or adjust to make it just right!

Hope you're having doing all your decorating too!