Going Offline For a Bit & Show & Tell Friday

I thought that this week I would share what has been keeping me busy and why I'll be offline for a couple of weeks----we're moving. Just down the road a few miles, but still lots of work.

I'm really looking forward to the new house, which is almost 100yrs old, but has had a lot of updates to it---and still needs a few more--like repainting the kitchen! You'll see that a bit later. Here's a picture of front of the house.............

...and a side view of the house as you drive up the driveway. It's a 4 bedroom, 2 bath with a very large sewing room in the finished basement, which I'm really looking forward to, so I can spread and out and create!


Follow this link to my Webshots album and you can see some inside shots as well. So I'm of to do a bit of moving and will be back about the first week of November or as soon as they get our internet hooked up at the new place. Do you think I'll get more done without internet? We'll see!

Don't forget to check out the other Show & Tell Fridays over at Kelli's Place .

Vintage Halloween Cards

I had said I would share a few vintage halloween cards the other day and here they are. Just a few of my favorites. Please feel free to use these however you wish, but please make sure to save them to your own hard drive by right clicking and saving picture as and not linking directly to them.
These make great little greeting cards--of course that's what they originally were, they make darling little tags for treat bags, print them on fabric-- see my How to Print on Fabric tutorial --and they are adorable to help dress up your web pages. Let your imagine run and do something fun with them! Enjoy!

Surrounded By Cats

I've had several people asking about my halloween pennyrug, so I thought I'd share about it. It stitches up fairly quickly and is such a comical piece. Everyone always comments on it. I did make it myself from wool felt and it's from the pattern Surrounded by Cats designed by Lakeview Primitives Make sure to check all of her great wool patterns. I have several on my to buy list--someday.
Here's a tip too for making penny rugs. Trace your pattern pieces onto the dull side of freezer paper. Iron it--shiny side down, to your wool or wool felt and then cut it out. It makes for more accurate cutting and I find it much faster and the freezer paper templates can be used over and over again. As Martha would say--It's a good thing!

Saturday's Treasures

There's a new little flea market in town, so yesterday the husband and I decided to stop in and see what they had and sure enough I found a new treasure! Aren't they pretty!


When I eyed this little set I thought Oh I must have this! However the sticker on the piece in the center said 25$ (yes I know that's backwards) and I thought I'm not paying that much for these, but I had to at least touch them, so I picked up one of the pieces that was sitting in the bowl and the tag read--6.00 4 pc set. Well that I would do, so I snapped them up and kept admiring the 25$ center piece when all of sudden my eyes focused in and I could see it said 25 cents!!!! Not dollars! Well hey it sure looked like a $ sign to me even though it was in the wrong spot. So I snapped that piece up too and I couldn't believe my little bargain of treasures. I really must get glasses and learn to pay closer attention, so as not to lose out on future treasures!

Show & Tell Friday--Cookie Jars

It's Friday again and today I decided to share my cookie jars with you. If I had more space I'd have way more cookie jars--so I guess maybe it's a good thing I don't have too much space. ;)

These first 2 are 2 of my very favorites--Queen of the Kitchen a Mary Engelbriet piece that I treated myslef to a few years ago and Ernie who is not wearing his original head, because one day the cat decided to get a bit too close and off went poor Ernies head--sort of like Humpty Dumpty, we couldn't put him back together again, so I found just a head at a thrift store--this ugly bright orange one, which will have to work until I find just the right Ernie head. Ernie joined us about 15 or so years ago when my husband found him in a little antiques shop in Kansas and gave him to me for Christmas that year. He always sits so politely with his little hands folded.


The little hen cookie jar is a from the Warren Kimball line that I found at TJ Maxx a couple of years ago for just 7.00, so I snapped it up!


The last of my cow collection. Remember cows back in the early 90's. She's also one of my very favorites. I was working as a cookie decorator in a little shop when my husband brought this to me at work one day as a fun little gift. She's sat in my kitchen and held lots of little things--mostly cassette tapes--yup, she still has one or two in there, but never any cookies.


This little guy is Pumpkin Jack. I can't wait for fall time to roll around every year so I can enjoy this little guy. He was one I found at Michales craft store a few years ago. Isn't he a happy little pumpkin.


My little merry moose that my son gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago. He's so cute, who'd steal a cookie from him.


And mammy, who's always cheerful and ready to bake. She was an ebay purchase a few years ago.

And the last little guy is a snowman that I got at the thrift store last year for 4.00! I surely couldn't pass him up!


I love my cookie jars, but they've never held any cookies. Not that I don't bake, because I do, I just don't want my cookie jars broken when little or big hands are snitchin' cookies from my cookie jar. I find an ugly ol' plastic tub works much better for that!

Thanks for dropping by and don't forget to stop past Kelli's to visit the other wonderful Show & Tell Fridays.

Free Halloween Printables

There are lots of wonderful free Halloween printables on the net, so I thought I'd list a few of them here for you to use and enjoy. Just follow the links.

Please feel free to use this image--please right click and save it to your computer rather than linking directly to it. Thanks!


Free Halloween Printables.............................

Seneca Pond Crafts This site has 4 pages of freebies! You'll find Fall and Halloween mixed in, so make sure to check out all 4 pages and don't forget to check out her download for purchase--lots of gorgeous tags, graphics etc.

Ewe N Me Printables Check out her July 2007 freebie for vintage Halloween hang tags. Lots of other great freebies and graphics to purchase too.

Alenka's Printables This one has some cute tags and check out there 2005 selection for Halloween doorknob hangers.

Instant Printables This site has tons of great free printables and lots for purchase at very reasonable prices as well. Go here for some halloween bottle cap printables by Huckleberry Arts . Don't forget to check out the Free stuff under the Products drop down box.

Land O Lakes has some cute halloween gift labels in pdf format--free.

Family Shopping Bag Cute halloween tags--kitty mask -- stationary -- bookmarks .

If I find more I will post them and I'll be posting some freebie vintage halloween images from old cards for you to save too. Enjoy!

股市历史新高上玩过山车

神华炼钢铁 工行掌舵

新快报讯 (记者 蠡清) 昨日沪深两市均小幅高开，并迅速突破投资者的心理整数点位5800点和19500点，下午开盘后升势加剧，市场人气高涨，指数双双创出历史新高5860.86点和19600.03点。但随后受指标股纷纷跳水影响，指数急速回落，沪指在短短的40分钟内回落了130点，给人以坐过山车的感觉。尾市沪指收报于5771.46点，上涨55.57点，涨幅0.97%，再创收市历史新高，成交1654.50亿元；但深成指收报于19264.04点，下跌54.13点，跌幅0.28%，成交777.34亿元。



从盘面看，以央企为首的大盘蓝筹股表现继续出色。炒股 从板块上看，金融、钢铁、煤炭和有色金属等板块对昨日沪指突破5800点贡献较大。其中，煤炭板块在新上市的龙头老大——中国神华(601088)一举涨停的激励下，西山煤电(000983)、兖州煤业(600188)、盘江股份(600395)等一、二线品种都涨幅居前；随后工行(601398)、交行(601328)异军突起，钢铁板块也炉火旺旺，济南钢铁(600022)首先涨停，酒钢宏兴(600307)等钢铁股以及宝钢(600019)、武钢(600005)等主流品种快速回升。有色金属板块也出现补涨，主流品种如包头铝业(600472)、中国铝业(601600)涨停。可惜的是，这些领头羊在下午两点后大多晚节不保，钢铁、煤炭板块迅速回落，金融股也开始跳水。尽管尾市得到修补，但“过山车”行情还是给投资者带来阴影，也为后市突破整数关增添了变数，尤其是在沪指5800点心理关口。

分析人士指出，昨日两市尾市大跳水主要有以下几方面的因素，首先是舆论带给投资者的心理阴影。昨日开始前，各大网站都转载了一篇文章，说十月份的股市尽管交易日较平时少，但市场存在的变数并不少，并具体列出了十大变数。昨日尾市的跳水，估计与此有关。其次是投资者的恐高症所致。此外，机构为了更好地应对即将推出的股指期货，对大盘蓝筹股也有洗盘的要求。盘面显示，一些走势较好的人气股在下午开盘后就开始走弱，如两市的金融人气股浦发银行(600000)、招商银行(600036)和深发展(000001)。

尽管如此，分析师大都看好后市，认为沪指6000点关口只是迟早的事，市场牛市的基础并未改变。在此段股指振荡走高期间，建议投资者投资大盘蓝筹股。

Oh My Friends Do Spoil Me!

I am always amazed at how blessed I am to have some of the wonderful friends that I have! Yesterday my mail box was better than Christmas! I had 2 pkgs from ornie swaps and 2 surprise packages from friends.

Look at this! It's the pink Spodeware I had on my Wishy Wanty List (I now have 2 of my wishes granted and one of them twice!) I absolutely love, love, love this! Valerie Hanchett is my friend who spoiled me but good! She sent me not only these two gorgeous pieces of pink and brown Spodeware , (did I mention I love it!) but also a beautiful CD--For the Beauty of the Earth by Mark Geslison and Geoff Groberg. (make sure to listen to the sample music). I have listened to it several times and will be listening to it way more as I eat the wonderful chocolate truffles she sent along and yes I still have a few--4 to be exact, but rest assured they will be gone before the afternoon. hehee! Thank you so much Valerie!


I also have a piece of gorgeous yellow Spodeware given to me by another wonderful friend (my Whatever Fairy ;) ) that I just love and will be hanging them in my kitchen along the soffits as part of my transfareware collection, which is beginning to grow!

Not only was I blessed with this, but then my friend Donna Anderson of Canada sent me a most wonderful pattern and a really sweet little flower kit. When I opened her envelope I couldn't believe it, because just yesterday morning I was looking at a pattern that I've been wanting and just hadn't purchased yet, but now I was ready for it, for a project I'm working on and I knew I couldn't order it and have it arrive in the time that I needed it by, so I moved on. Well lo and behold there in my mail yesterday afternoon was that very pattern! This one by Crab Apple Hill Studios I couldn't believe it! Guess you know what I'll be stitching on this afternoon. Thank you so much Donna!

Didn't I tell you I have the most wonderful friends! They are so very sweet and generous and I am tickled pink at being so divinely spoilt! Thank you! :)

Snow? Snow. Snowww!

Look at what we woke up to this morning--in October! Snow! And it's been snowing for at least the last hour quite steadily and hasn't slowed down. Now I love snow, but this is a tad early, (we usually get our first snow in November), however we are still enjoying it, especially after spending the last 3 years in Florida. This is a treat!

Our little red barn and 3 of the 4 ducks--they're loving it! I haven't asked the chickens yet how they feel about it.


The big blue spruce in the backyard. I should go plug in the Christmas lights!


What used to be the garden. As you can see it's not too deep yet, so we'll see where the day takes us. The temps are supposed to be in the high 30's. Hmm....that's not to warm sounding. In case you're wondering where this is at--well I'm in Southeast Idaho--part of the Inter Mountain West and boy won't the mountains be beautiful when we can see past the snow!

Show & Tell Friday--Laundry Cubbies--Insides

Last week for Show & Tell Friday I shared my laundry room cubbies and my friend Marian requested a peek into each one, so this is for Marian.......


This huge corn bowl--not one of my favorites--was one of my husband's purchases. It reminded him of the old corn ware that his grandmother had--but this bowl is huge and it's hard to find a spot for, however it does lend nice color to the shelves. The watermelon bowl I found at a Dollar General store years ago and the paper mache watermelon I've had forever.


The basket was a thrift store find and the darling little pillow was made by my friend Robin as part of a laundry room swap we did a few years back. It says: Where oh where are all the matching socks? I don't think we'll ever know the answer to that question.

The watermelon bowls again from Dollar General many years ago and the wood mammy and watermelon game board from a thrift store and the little black doll holding the kitty is from a swap I did with my friend Emily Franz a few years ago.

The chicky shelf---the 2 little white salt & pepper chickens were my grandmothers and the other chicken given to me by my oldest daughter sits in an old McCoy bowl my mother gave me.

This poor little shelf needs some more things added to it--but that's a good thing. The little sheep is from a swap and the other things were from yard sales and thrift stores.

Another chicky that belonged to my other grandmother, a cannister that I found at the thrift store--I just love the cross stitch sampler look of it, a little apple that I made and one of my potholders in my collection.

A rooster weather vane the husband bought for me, a little corn husk doll that was part of a wedding gift almost 26yrs ago and a neat little red retro metal box.

The mammy shelf--I've collected these little pieces from the thrift stores over the years, except for the large mammy in back and she is a really neat vintage quilt applique piece that my mom gave to me a few months ago-she's one of my favorite pieces.

An old iron--that still works, china tea cup and a mammy shelf sitter that I made several years back. I love her cotton boll fabric she's wearing.


Old sewing drawers that the birds have taken roost in, a piece of cottage ware that was my grandmother's and a neat pincushion on a bedspring.


The shiny stuff--all thrift store finds.

One of my favorite shelves, because it's so dainty and farmhouse-ish. All thrift store finds and the little sugar bowl and plate just almost match in design. I would love a whole set of these.


And for the very last one my .50 cent copper tea kettle, raggedy andy cookie mold and red rose potholder--all from the thrift store. Speaking of which I must go for now as I'm off to the thrift store to see what treasures await me today. Keep your fingers crossed!

Don't forget to stop by Kelli's and see all the other wonderful Show & Tell Fridays.

Sexy Fancy Dress ideas for halloween

For this post, the theme is If you've got it, flaunt it, here are some of the best sexy fancy dress ideas for Halloween.

Seductress Fancy Dress Halloween Costume This Halloween fancy dress costume is perfect if you want to turn a few heads, it is a fancy dress costume available in plus sizes (UK Dress Size 16 / 18 ) as well as standard sizes. This sexy Halloween fancy dress costume is available on Amazon.co.uk

Devilicious Fancy Dress Halloween Costume What could be more sexy than a lady in red... don't go breaking into song now! Show of your devilicious side this Halloween. This fancy dress is available in plus sizes (UK Dress Size 16 / 18) as well as standard. This sexy Halloween fancy dress costume is available on Amazon.co.uk

Saucy Witch Halloween Fancy Dress Costume Back in my day witches were always meant to be rather ugly (Double, double toil and trouble and all that), it seems as though things have changed for the better! This cheap fancy dress is available in adult sizes 10 - 12 and for around £15 I think it is really good value for money as well.

Sexy Witch Halloween Fancy Dress Costume Really want to go to your Halloween fancy dress party as a sexy witch, but don't like black, why not try purple, you are sure to cast a spell on everyone you meet. Priced at around £16 is fantastic value.. but wont make you look cheap and available in adult sizes 10 / 14

Halloween Swap Ornies

I have to show you all the awesome ornies I've received in our annual Halloween Ornie swap with a few of my friends from the P&R Board. As you can see it's been a fantastic swap!


The flying witch was made by me--it's a wool applique with black chenille trim (around the outside edge--kinda hard to see) and a rusty jingle bell. Can you hear her cackling!

Oooooo ghostie is by Sandy Schutt. I just love this ghostie and believe it or not in all my 6 or 7 years of halloween ornie swaps this is my first ghost and he's fabulous!

The very cool grinny pumpkin guy is made by Ann Hole of Australia, so he had a ways to travel and he looks just awesome on my tree. I just love him!

I just love this fabulous vintage pumpkin crepe paper ornie by Mary Burke and look below at the back side of it. How cool is that!

This fantastic little punkin' head scarecrow is made by Christine Shepard . She even hand stitched on his little buttons! Lots of nice little details on this awesome ornie.

How cool is this guy! Also my very first mummy--he is made by Kathi Rode. Just awesome! I love how she made him out of the cheesecloth--the perfect thing to use!

Oh now you should see all the little pieces in this awesome altered art piece by Kim Lance I love the frog prince and how the little witch looks like she's gonna fly right off that moon any time. Very cool!

Look at this awesome little guy made from a domino by Marla Millsap. The picture doesn't pick up his deataling very well, but he's just too cool--vintage and altered art at it's best!


Wow, now this little witch made by Tracy Yarbrough is too shy--no she's hiding behind her raggedy ann mask...........

BOO! See! There she is and isn't she just fantastic! She has the cutest little orange glitter shoes that are hiding and I love her little face!

Fantastic Pumpkin Jack is by Phyllis Shows who is a superb painter! Phyllis never ceases to surprise me with her talent and wonderful pieces.

And this cool little pumpkin dude--also made by Phyllis is really a pin, but he's sitting at the top of my little feather tree until I'm ready to wear him, so he has double duty!

Didn't I tell you these ornies were the best! I have one more yet to come and I hope it's a bit slow, because when it arrives it means it's all over---but then I guess I have the next swap--our Fall/Thanksgiving Ornie swap and then the big annual Christmas Ornie swap! Yippee! I better get busy! A great big thank you too all of my swapping friends for such wonderful ornies!