Happy Halloween

We fancy men are individuals, so are pumpkins; but every pumpkin in the field goes through every point in history.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

~photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

I just loved these little pumpkin mushrooms and snails and so wanted to make them this year, but here we are Halloween evening and not a pumpkin mushroom to be found.

I've only got a few moments to spare because I've got to get Lydia ready for trick or treating and then we are off to a Halloween party. I'm sporting my spider earrings and Dino is going as an Italian guy (we're so lame).

Lydia decided to dress up 1980's style ~ aka Desperately Seeking Susan. Creating her costume has been so much fun. We've been looking back at some of my old photos (being a teen from the 80's) she keeps asking me questions like "What time did you have to get up to do your hair?" "Were you hot wearing all those accessories?" And the best "Did you dress like this everyday?" We did...the funkier the better. I was even able to find one of my old jackets....I believe its "vintage" now hee hee! What do you think???



Time for me to go tease some big hair on my girl. Wishing you all a safe and happy Halloween.

Have like a totally spooky evening.

xoxo Jenn

Passing Time

As I've been busy as a bee sewing in my new studio in our back yard, to pass the time, as I have yet to have a tv put in, I've been watching old and classic movies on my computer. My techie hubby bought some kind of sound system with a woofer(??) to plug into my computer and the sound is fantastic. He's always hooking me up with all that cool stuff.

I have to tell you that I just finished watching Cranford. If you haven't seen it it's an absolutely lovely movie. The series is set in an English village in the 1840s, just before the Industrial Revolution, and is based on a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. The setting, the clothes, the homes and furniture, everything about it is just wonderful. The plots are full of unpredictable turns...some parts funny and sweet while others are truly sad, it is a must see especially if you like classics.

Watch part one here and get hooked. You can see the whole series on youtube.com or rent the DVD.

"It was not the apple on the tree....

but the pair on the ground that caused the trouble in the garden"

~Unknown

One of my favorite Fall things to do is going to our local orchard for apples. Brown's Orchard also makes the best cider. Last year they lost there cider man and I hope upon hope that this year they have someone. Please Please Please!

If you've read my blogs before you may know that I have a sweet tooth (just a little one ~ hah!) My favorite pie is apple....or anything mixed with apples. I just read this interesting article about the history of pie dating back to medieval England. They were called coffyns, the crusts were tall and straight, like pots to hold the meats. The filling was served and the pie crust was thrown away...can you imagine! In America, the top crust was a disposable lid. In hard times, many households reverted to baking just a lower crust. Only the wealthy could afford an upper crust; hence the phrase "Upper Crust". I love finding things out like that.

Next week Lydia and I are planning our trip to Brown's Orchard. We'll be making apple butter and applesauce. I'd love to try canning apples for apple pie filling...I just have to figure out how to do that. I also found a recipe for apple cider donuts that I'm hoping to make, doesn't that sound lovely with a cup of tea? Of course, I'll be sharing recipes and pictures!

Sending happy thoughts today.....Jenn

FALLing behind

We've had chilly mornings here in Pennsylvania. I've brought out the wool blankets and have been lighting fires in the evening. It's been so cozy.

Autumn is definitely here and we are almost at our peak with the trees changing colors. Above is one of my favorite old trees by the church across the street from our house. I love watching it every fall. On the grounds is an old cemetery with some of the stones dating back to late 1700's, it's very interesting but kind of spooky when your trick or treating.

I have done a little decorating around here. On our front porch swing is a quilt that I bought from my friend Audrey at 1824 Antiques. It's a cutter quilt. Once I got it home, I just couldn't cut it. The colors are too beautiful....browns, greens, blues, and butterscotch calicos and homespuns. The backing is a wonderful old blue ticking. It makes me happy therefore no cutting will be done on this one.

Fall is also a busy time of year around here with my Dad, Dino and Lydia's birthday all falling within a month of each other. Of course we have to have parties. We do love to party....anything to eat, drink and be merry. Please if you know what's good for you try the Pioneer Woman's Pecan Pie. (I really do have a crush on her.) I made it for my Dad/Dino's birthday....not for them of course but for those of "us" who do not like cake. "Us" meaning mostly me. I could eat pie every day, it's just another food group here.

The Simple Goods show is coming up quickly and I've been stitching my fingers to the bone. How do you know when you have enough? How do you know what is going to sell? What to price them at? These things run though my mind daily....I do a lot of thinking and praying while sewing. What do you all look for while shopping for primitives?

Enjoy the week and thank you for stopping by. Sending warm thoughts your way.....Jenn