Okay, it was more like 24 gumball machines...
but after tying each little ribbon, and packaging up each of these Valentine treats, it started to feel like 76!
So worth it to make a whole room full of five-year-olds smile though! Hope your Valentine's Day was a ball too. 
Year before last, Williams Sonoma had the most adorable Valentine wreath in their catalog. It was was comprised completely of retro style Valentines that had been decoupaged onto a wooden form. I logged that idea away to borrow sometime in the future...
We have had three snow days in a row because of extreme temperatures in our area, so I decided to put my own slant on that wreath idea. This is what I came up with in my spare time. Again, I exercised some restraint with what I included. The base is so glittery and happy that I couldn't cover it all. Okay, I could have, but didn't. I am thinking that it needs a bow though. What do you think?
Okay kids, I pulled it off... Barely... By the skin of my teeth... Snipping the last thread seconds before walking out the door... No exaggeration. Six yards of fabric, fifteen yards of cording, one broken needle, and a whole spool of thread later, I finished. But check out the coup de gras... Behold the bubble helmet!
This crowning touch could not have been pulled off without the help of some obliging friends who are handy with a jigsaw.
Much fun was had by all.
My services were paid for in candy. All is right with the world.
October gave a party
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And dry grass now that autumn was here.
And full of fences to walk on and sidewalks to skate on and a large ravine to tumble in and yell across. 
And it was the afternoon of Halloween.
And all the houses shut against a cool wind.
And the town full of cold sunlight.
But suddenly, the day was gone.
Night came out from under each tree and spread.
Behind the doors of all the houses there was a scurry of mouse feet,muted cries, flickerings of light.
The wind outside nested in each tree,
prowled the sidewalks in invisible 
Anyone could see that the wind 
Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet.
Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys
From kitchen windows drifted two pumpkin smells:gourds being cut, pies being baked.
Attics were still being rummaged, old locks broken,
The wind came a seized a thousand dark leaves 
I've been getting little corners of my house decked out for autumn. In my entry way I have this table where I like to have small favors for friends and family who might pop by. I change it out seasonally. Right now it has these pumpkin shaped jars filled with candy corn.
These were so fun to make. I just bought the jars at the craft store, filled them with treats and topped them with ribbon. Easy. So glad October is here. Happy Day!
I just adore clever people who are wildly creative and fun. I know you do too, so I had to take this Pink Saturday to introduce you to my FABULOUS Etsy friends at Anders Ruff. They designed the wonderful graphics for Courtney Dial's dazzlingly genius "Pink-O-Ween" concept featured in these photos.
These gals create the most AMAZING array of party goodies. From invitations to mini candy bar wrappers and water bottle labels, they have everything to make your event one of a kind and memorable. This is a peek at just one of many printable graphic design collections they offer.
They can design anything your pretty little head can dream up to make your event extraordinary. 
Don't you just LOVE it? Knew you would! Pop on over and give them a look. They are donating a portion of their sales to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation as well. Creative and caring. Gotta love that!
Thanks to the girls at Anders Ruff for letting me show off their creativity. And to Courtney Dial of Pizzazzerie for the beyond gorgeous table styling. And Kristen Steele for the lovely photography.
And thank you for stopping by today for a visit! For a list of all of today's participants please click over to the blog of our wonderful hostess Beverly. Happy Day!
Wishing you a fun filled 4th, a delightful Pink Saturday, and merry making all around!
Everywhere a chick, chick! I bet you weren't expecting chicks in technicolor, now were you?
These two needed a couple more hours of shut eye. Stupid rooster with his, "Cockadoodledoo!"
This pair talked the whole time and wouldn't take direction.
This one did nothing but complain.
And this guy, with a face only a mother could love, had to use the restroom every ten minutes.
The first Christmas my Sweetie and I were married a cute little tradition started. On Christmas Eve when it was time to unplug all the outside lights and turn off the tree before turning in for the night my husband said, "Let's leave them all on tonight." Now I'm the type who would leave every lamp on 24/7 if left to my own devices, but my better half is not. He's the frugal fellow with an ever mindful eye on the electric meter, making sure I don't send that little spinning contraption (or him) into orbit during the month of December. Giddy about leaving the lights on, yet curious about the logic I asked, "Why?" He sweetly responded, "So Santa will be able to see the house." A tradition was born. Global warming and exorbitant electric bills we care not for thee. On Christmas Eve, the lights stay on!
This is one of my favorite decorations. I keep her out year round, but at Christmastime she takes center stage. She is guardian over the bottle brush trees and the butter mints. What a delightful occupation, don't you agree?
For a glimpse at other dear treasures, pop over to the blog of our wonderful hostess Beverly for a list of all of today's participants. Hope you are enjoying each day leading up to Christmas!
I don't remember what was in this package, but I do remember that the Christmas I was four my family bought a brand new artificial tree and all new candy land themed ornaments to go on it. We previously had a white tree with all blue ornaments, but that year we wanted something different. I remember vividly going to Sears to help pick out the new tree and all that would go with it.
The ornaments were my favorite part. There were gingerbread boys, girls and houses along with glittery white reindeer and snowmen that looked like sugar cookies, yet were made out of styrofoam. To my four-year-old sensibilities all these delightful decorations looked good enough to eat. So much so, that is just what I did. One by one I sampled each type of ornament. I left some of the houses with tentative teeth marks in them while the gingerbread men suffered more severely by having whole bites taken out of their heads. What was not bitten was at least licked. Hey, I'm not proud, I'm just reporting the facts.
In this photo I was caught red handed, absconding with yet another decoration. I can't tell if a gingerbread man was about to be crippled or if a reindeer was about to become lame, but it didn't look like I had much remorse over the whole thing. So much for our new decorations.
Hello sweet friends, thank you for stopping by for Scrappy Jessi's 3rd Annual Cookie Exchange!
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I found this yummy little tin awhile back, and it had to come home with me. By no means did I need another tin, but I couldn't resist the faded peachy pink perfection of it. Can you blame me?
It has proven itself to be quite utilitarian. After all, at this time of year one cannot have enough places to display jolly little trees. Don't you agree?
