Friday's Finds

I found the neatest vintage Betty Crocker Cooky Book Friday at the thrift store for only a $1. The original price was 1.95--see the little gold sticker still on it. It's from 1963, so these would be the cookies of my childhood. I was 2 years old in 1963. Doesn't it have a fun cover!


It's been fun to go thru the recipes and see which one's I remember as a kid and which one's we don't really see anymore.
The book is full of wonderful vintage graphics as well--they're as much fun as the recipes! The book doesn't have much wear at all on it--no spills of vanilla or flour dust and it smells good--sort of like a powdery perfumy grandma. LOL! Now to decide which cooky to make first!

Plus Size Halloween Costumes Fancy Dress Ideas

I have had a few people say to me that they were finding it difficult to find Plus Size Halloween Costumes and Fancy Dress Ideas in larger sizes, so I have done a bit of research and come up with some great ideas for you:

I guess fancy dress at times cam be similar to dressing in your normal day to day clothes, I say this because even though you are wearing fancy dress, you still want to look good.. that is unless the fancy dress idea is just to look silly!

Fuller-Cut Fancy Dress costumes
What you need is a Fuller-Cut costume, these often come in sizes 16 -20 (UK) and are perfect. The Fist image on the right is a fantastic example of a plus size Halloween costume idea, why not dress up as a slinky Wanda the wicked witch? This fancy dress is a slimming black color and looks sophisticated to boot. Cost approx: £32.49

Gothic Pirate Queen Halloween Costume!
If witches are not your thing and you'd like nothing more to snuggle up to Johnny Depp, I mean "Jack Sparrow" why not give a pirate costume with a Halloween twist to it a go? This Gothic Pirate Queen costume comes in one size only and is suitable for plus sizes 16 -20 (UK) price approx £34.99

So where can you find Plus Size Halloween Costumes?
Both these fancy dress costumes are available at Party Domain
Telephone Enquiries : 0845 2300 331
International: 0044845 2300 331
Email: sales@partydomain.co.uk

I hope that has given you a few Halloween Fancy Dress Ideas, till next time, see ya!

Fancy Dress Ideas: Pirate Master

Welcome to the first post of Fancy Dress Ideas UK and to our very first "idea" for you!

With Pirates all the rage here in the UK at the moment largly due to to the adventures of Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the films Pirates of the Caribbean, I thought I'd start of with a few pirate fancy dress ideas!

Ideas for Him:

Fancy Dress Ideas: Pirate Costume
The Capt'n Cutthroat Fancy Dress Costume
This is the perfect costume for the man with a slightly dark side and edgy side to him! One with ambition and one who wants to rule the waves!

The fantastic thing about it is that you can easily add plenty of other accessories to this fancy dress, just depending how deep into the character you want to go! There is always the classic pirate eye patch and no pirate would be complete without a beard and moustache (or mustache).

So here can you get this Fancy Dress Costume?
In the UK, Jokers' Masquerade if THE place to go, it has the largest online collection of adult fancy dress costumes and Halloween costumes in the UK today. They have are over 10 000 costumes and they have a huge range of pirate fancydress costumes.

Right thats is all for now from Fancy Dress Ideas UK hope this has been of some help to you.

Fancy Dress Ideas: Halloween Extravaganza

Here is one of the best fancy dress ideas in the UK for a while: A special Halloween Fancy Dress Extravaganza at Simon Drake’s House Of Magic in London, UK.

So if your looking for a Fancy dress Halloween party, tickets are now on sale for for the annual fancy dress halloween special evening which is available as a shared evening on Friday 26th October. This event has become more popular each year with past acts which include Richard O’Brien singing The Time Warp at midnight.

There can be very few entertainment venues in the UK like The House of Magic and they have even had clients fly whole groups of people from overseas to experience a full evening.

For more details and to book:

Contact: Simon Drake's House of Magic
Tel: +44 (0)20 7735 477
Emal: info@houseofmagic.co.uk

That's it from Fancy Dress Ideas UK for now but check back soon for our Halloween Fancy Dress Special

Fancy Dress Ideas: Wonder Woman Costume

On todays issue of Fancy Dress Ideas we will be focusing on the fairer sex and what better role model than wonder Woman!

This costume is perfect in many ways, as it is so versatile. Wear it to a Superhero fancy dress party or even a 70's or retro party (Wonder Woman became a huge icon firstly in the 70's in the US, but later also became very popular here in the UK.

This sexy outfit probably sums up the term "If you've got it, flaunt it!" Not only will you look stunning in this fancy dress costume but it will also make you look smart! Wonder Woman was all things, both beautiful, strong and smart!

Where to get it you ask? I found this and a whole bunch of other Super Hero Fancy Dress Ideas on Jokers' Masquerade Super Hero FancyDress.

So if you harbour any fantasies of becoming a Superhero for the night this has got to be top of the list for your Fancy Dress Ideas.

Take a look at another super hero post of mine on Catwoman Costumes

Fancy Dress Ideas UK: Halloween charity dive

Definitely one of the most unique Fancy Dress Ideas I have ever seen, A Halloween charity Dive.

The Scuba Dive is part of a fund-raising dive at Gildenburgh Water in Whittlesey on Sunday, October 28.

There will be divers from all across the across the UK and you are encouraged to come along and take part in the day’s diving activities, which will include a treasure hunt underwater with a prize for the winning team, best Fancy Dress costume and top fund-raiser.

“All money raised on the day will go towards Mencap’s work with people with a learning disability, enabling them to take part in many of the leisure activities that other people take for granted.”

So if you fancy taking the plunge for charity and you live in the area, then a fancy dress Halloween dive UK 2007 could be just for you.

Fancy Dress Ideas UK: Flying Fancy Dress!

Those Magnificent Men in Their fancy dress and Flying Machines. Every year in the town of Bognor in Sussex UK people gather for the annual Bognor Birdman challenge. This year saw the 36th edition of the event where competitors "fly" into the sea wearing crazy fancy dress costumes and home built flying machines. It is great fun to watch, as well as to find some excellent fancy dress ideas.

The event is taken very seriously by some participants and with a £25,000 jackpot for anyone who can travel 100m, who can blame them! The more serious competitors don't tend to wear fancy dress, but the vast majority do and there are cash prizes for the best fancy dress ideas. This event held in the UK along with other eccentric events are uniquely British and long may they continue!

Check out this YouTube video for some highlights of last years event.

So if your looking for something to do in your fancy dress costume, or you are looking for some fancy dress ideas in the UK or just want a laugh, why not travel down to Bognor next year for the Birdman Challenge.

Show & Tell Friday--Laundry Room Cubbies

Friday again! Boy it sure rolls around fast. Don't forget to visit Kelli's and take a peek at all the other Show & Tell Fridays.


Today I thought I'd share a favorite spot in my laundry room--my cubbies. I love this little spot, because as you can see I can fill it with little treasures! Each little cubbie has a theme--or close to it. The people who lived here before had a daycare and these little cubbies were used for that. Below it are little coat hooks and the iron you see just died this week. Yup a 6 month old iron and it's cold as stone. Good thing I had another iron for a backup, but I really do wish I could find an iron that does a good job and lasts for years--not months!
I'm off to the thrift store to see if I can find any new treasures to add to my little laundry room cubbies--keep your fingers crossed!

PS--I have a poll over in the right hand column towards the top, asking what is your style of decorating, so don't forget to vote.

Fall is finally here--my very favorite time of year, so I thought I would share 2 of my favorite fall time recipes--Baked Potato Soup and Crusty Cornmeal Rolls. They go great together--just add a salad and you have the perfect fall time dinner. Enjoy!

Baked Potato Soup

Bake 6-7 medium potatoes. Baked potatoes really give this soup it's wonderful flavor. Let the potatoes cool a bit and then peel them--you can leave on the peel too if you prefer--and dice them.

Make a roux of 3 Tblsp butter and 3 Tblsp flour. Gradually stir in 7 cups of milk. Add the potatoes, and about 1/2 cup chopped green onion, several slices of cooked bacon, crumbled and about 8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Simmer till all is warmed through and the soup will thicken a bit. Add in a small container of sour cream, let warm through a bit. The soup should be nice and thick. Serve and garnish with more green onions, crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese and enjoy!


Crusty Cornmeal Rolls


These rolls take about 4 hours to make start to finish, but they are so worth the effort. They are very light and fluffy and one of our very favorites.

1/3 c cornmeal 2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c sugar 1 pkg active dry yeast
1 tsp salt 1/4 c lukewarm water
1/2 c shortening, melted 4 c flour
2 c whole milk 3 Tblsp butter, melted

In a heavy saucepan or double boiler, combine cornmeal, sugar, salt, shortening and milk. Cook over a low heat stirring often, cook until mixture is thick. Let cool, then add in the eggs. Dissolve the yeast in the water and add to the batter. Beat well, then allow to rise in a greased bowl for about 2 hours. Do not try cutting the time short. After the batter has risen, add the flour to from a soft dough. Knead the dough lightly and allow to rise again for another hour. Knead again. Roll the dough out with a floured rolling pin--not to thin about a 1/2 inch or so thick. Cut into rounds, brush with some melted butter and fold into desired shape. Place on a greased baking sheet and let rise for another hour. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or til just lightlty golden. Enjoy hot with lots of butter! Makes approx 36 rolls.
NOTE--Do NOT double this recipe as it will not rise properly.

Childhood Memories--From the Thrift Store?

Do you ever think back to your childhood and remember things that are seemingly not so important. For me I always had memories of a beautiful sunflower crewel embroidery piece that I remember my mother working on. This was during the 70's and I was about 10-12yrs old at the time and I can still remember her sitting with this large sunflower peice stretched between two dining room chairs stitching away--sometimes just her and sometimes with a friend. She finished the piece and it hung in our home for many years and then when I was 18 we had house fire and that was the end of the big stitched sunflower picture.
Fast forward about 20 some years to one of my favorite thrift stores and there it is! The crewel embroidery sunflower picture! It was the same exact colors, the same everything! It felt like home! I had to have it! Only 4.00! (It's a big piece--nearly 5 ft tall--with lots of stitching) What a bargain! So into my cart it went along with that look from the husband--you're going to buy that ugly thing--why yes of course! Nobody in the family likes it but me and even if it didn't have childhood memories attached to it I would have still bought it, because I LOVE it! So for 4.00 I actually got to buy a memory--that doesn't very often.


Don't forget to stop by Kelli's for more Show & Tell Fridays. Enjoy the weekend and who knows maybe you'll have an old memory pop up and give you an nice surprise too!

Halloween Ornie Tree

For about 5 years now I've kept a seasonal ornie tree and I change it with the seasons and it's just been changed over to Halloween. The best thing about my tree is that 99% of all the ornies on it are made by friends! We've been doing ornie swaps for about 5 or 6 years now, so I've got quite a collection. We're just starting this years swap, so I'll have more to add in the next few weeks and not all my ornies are on my tree at the moment--some will be going into other halloween displays. There are also some close ups of the ornies, so enjoy...................

I have lots of black cats and they each have a different personality.........

A ghost and gourd.............


Paper mache pumpkin and the witch is made of paper clay and crepe paper............


A masked cat and a kitty in a pumpkin.........



This little witch reminds me of Lucy in Charlie Brown and then there's the big grinny cat--one of my favorites!.......






Hey no intimidating other ornies on the tree--especially those of the same kind! The pumpkin with the big grinny teeth has scared the poor little punkin head doll...........

Ah, poor little punkin guy! LOL !


Oh now this pumpkin head is too cool! He reminds me of Groucho Marx and is made by Marla Millsap. She took a pair of those glasses with the plastic nose and decopauged tissue over them for this guys face. Is that too cute or what! ..............


This is Mad Jack--no one is sure what he's mad about--probably because he's wearing that saftety pin for his mouth, because he either said naughty things or didn't keep some witch's secret.


And this gal is my favorite witch and made by my friend Deb Stallings for a swap we did a few years ago. She has beautiful detailing that the picture doesn't pick up.

Now off to the basement to bring up my other boxes of halloween treasures and decorate some more!

Disappearing Nine Patch Doll Quilt

Well here it is finally--my little doll quilt I made for a doll quilt swap and I don't like this picture at all. I've tried a gazillion times and it just isn't photogenic. I think it really does look better in person--not quite so busy--the orange block is a lot lighter in color and the red/white is a small calico flower print--not polka dots--but you get the idea--I hope! This one measures 20" X 20" and I learned a lot as I went--for instance how I want to turn my blocks next time--not to use too busy of a fabric where the cream & red blocks go, that I think I would prefer to machine quilt it instead of hand quilt it--just to name a few things. When it comes to quilting I have a lot to learn--so guess I'd better make up another one of these, because we all know practice makes perfect!

Ava Grace Silent Auction Sept 16-22

In case you've not heard about this little baby--Ava Grace and how special she is, please click on the banner above and read all about Little Ava and the silent auction being held to help Ava in her journey. Many very talented and generous artists have given of themselves in an effort to help raise money to help Ava and her family. The auction begins Sunday September 16 thru September 22 or monetary donations may be sent to avagrace@thehumblearts.com

Friday Treasures

These are my Friday treasures. They were a whole $4! Boring you say--oh no wait til you see what they will become. There are 3 yards of beautiful Irish linen, perfect for many, many stitcheries and that other thing that I believe is a fancy casserole dish holder--there's not a lip to hold glass like there would be for a dresser tray--is going to be--do you know? A base for a crown! Of course I still have to figure out how to remove the handles and cross pieces, but I bet a hammer might do. Do you have the vision now? They're going to be beautiful! I love my simple treasures!

Show & Tell Friday--A Favorite Sewing Cupboard Corner

It's Show & Tell Friday! Don't forget to stop by Kelli our hostess' blog and visit the other Show & Tells.

Today I'm sharing a little corner in my sewing hutch. The jar is from a swap a few years back filled with vintage repro fabrics and some vintage rick rack a little necklace slide made by another friend from another swap, then there are 2 little doll heads that came from Italy that will one day be part of an altered art project. The little yellow tea cup is also a one day project--you know how those seem to pile up!--but until then this little tomato pincushion is nesting there. The hand painted box in the background was a thrift store find a year or so ago from when I lived in FL--hated FL, but they did have great thrifting treasures--the box is signed by a Linda Godwin, Linda your darling little box now resides happily in my sewing room. The little thimbles are a steal I found and paid about 50 cents each and they're silver.

Here's a close up of the little thimbles. It's hard to catch their detail, but the one has a little house scene on it. I saw on similar to it on ebay awhile back that sold for $70! It think at 50 cents I got a steal! The little gold looking one has ribbons with something like a ball or pinecone that hangs from the ribbon and the other one is a very heavily embossed floral design. I think they are German, but not positive. If anyone has a clue about them I'd sure be interested in knowing more. Until later....Happy Blogging!

Thank You!

Well I'm quite delighted and would like to say Thank You to Miss Cassie for this sweet award! It's nice to know when you make someone smile and Cassie herself is very good at making other smile. Thank you!

In return I would like to bestow the "You Make Me Smile Award" to the following fellow bloggers who always make me smile........ Dawn of The Feathered Nest, she always has something wonderful happening at her blog. Marian of Crazyhaberdasher, a new found friend who lives on a whole nother continent who loves many of the same things I do, Robin of Bird in the Hand Primitives, who is so very talented, funny and a truly wonderful person, Frannie of Freedom Valley Farm, who is one huge smile constantly and Kelli of There is no Place Like Home, who is always working on bringing smiles to those of us in blog land and who is the hostess of Show & Tell Fridays. Thank you for bringing me and everyone else smiles!

The Comments Poll

Thank you to everyone who voted in the comments poll. It looks like 66% of the vote would like a reply--and I agree, so what I will do is if you leave me an email I will reply back via email and if no email is left then I will reply to you in the comments section--so you'll have to remember to check back. I always enjoy everyones comments, so I hope you'll keep them coming--I like to know what you're thinking. Thanks everyone!

Free Vintage Embroidery Patterns

I love to embroider and have collected up lot of free embroidery designs and sites--however I've not gotten much past the collecting part it seems. The vintage patterns are so charming, whimsical and timeless. Anyway I thought I'd share a few links that I have saved that are full of wonderful vintage designs for you to save, so have fun, make a new folder for them and you'll be all set when the mood to stitch strikes. Enjoy!

http://www.needlecrafter.com/index.html?page=http://www.needlecrafter.com/home.html

http://www.patternbee.com/FREEVRW.html

http://www.patternbee.com/FREENQ.html

http://www.patternbee.com/FREEPATTERNS4.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytransfers/sets/

http://mytransfers.blogspot.com/

Show & Tell Friday--Recent Treasures 9-07

It's Show & Tell Friday hosted by Kelli at There is No Place Like Home, so make sure to check out what everyone has to share today.

These are some recent treasures I've picked up in the last week. The plate I found at TJ Max to add to my transferware collection--only 3.00! Can't beat that and it's beautiful! Those darling little ice skates I found at one of our thrift stores--they're so tiny! I'm going to use them in my Christmas and Winter decor. The little violet teacup and yellow homespun tablecloth I found at a local antiqutey mall and the teacup was only 2.99! I've been searching for a reasonably (cheap) priced violet teacup forever and finally found one! Most of them run $10-$20 and I'm just not paying that for a teacup--I like them because they're pretty, not for collectibility and this one was perfect! Well it's Friday and I wonder what other treasures are out there in the world waiting to come live with me. Guess I better go search them out........................Happy Friday Everyone!

September is National Sewing Month

Did you know that this is National Sewing month. Did you also know that in 1988 President Ronald Regan made it a Proclamation . I think that says a lot that he thought it was important enough to give sewing recognition.

Check out The Home Sewing Association for a lot of great sewing info, tips, free patterns, a peek into others sewing rooms and more.

Go here to get a banner like the one above or the one in my sidebar to add to your blog or website in honor of National Sewing Month.

Go here to get a free downloadable sewing collage card.

Go here to find a long list of sewing sayings to use for fun projects.

Go here for 6 pages of fun sewing clip art--free.

So as stated in President Regan's proclamation.....

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 1988 as National Sewing Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

I think some good ways to fulfill this would be a good shopping trip for that fabric you've been wanting or new sewing machine or sewing gadget. Maybe set aside a day sometime this month just to sew something fun or to finish up a WIP or UFO. If your sewing machine is setting in a closet dig it out and have fun! Sew something!

Happy Stitching Everyone!

Embroidery Stitches Video--Online

I ran across this site that has free online videos with voice that shows how to do several embroidery stitches, so if you've had trouble with some and needed to have some help, check this out. Scroll down just a bit when you get there and you'll see a list of stitches.

Video Library Of Hand Embroidery Stitches

I've also added a few sewing images that I thought you might enjoy. Please feel free to use them, but please right click and save them to your computer and do no link to them here. Enjoy!