Halloween Shopping and a Party, too.

Yes, the Halloween craze continues...

Good news for Halloween nuts like me - Target is back just about as great as ever for the holiday. They expanded their section - as big as their Christmas display - about time! I drooled over all the new stuff and just couldn't help buying a few new things to add to my collection. (I'm bad...)

First up - a fantastic tablecloth!!

From Target.com here.

Here's a close up detail of mine:

They don't have any available online, but they had them in the store, but very few so if you want one I'd grab it fast! They had other cute tablecloths, but I just love the cool fonts here - it looks even better in person. My only complaint is it doesn't come for a round table, only oblong, oh well.

Also too cute to miss - these salad 'tongs':

Guess I'm making a salad now for Halloween because these are too funny not to use.

And not to be missed - Miss Vanessa's Halloween Party!

I'll be having a little party here, too, of course. :)

Witchy Woman...

I am such a kid when it comes to Halloween. Seeing things up on Etsy and in the stores for Halloween gives me such a thrill!!

I can't wait any longer to show you the latest item I bought for my favorite holiday.

I found these two great old books to add to my witchy decor...

Beautiful aren't they? But no, they were not the greatest antique/vintage score every - they are book boxes from Garden Ridge of all places!

So now I can safely store a few of my Halloween items after the holidays. They are some of the nicest book boxes I've seen - very nice covers that feel pretty real and the smaller book is rather textured and both of these feel like a real book in your hands. I'm over the moon about them. ;)

The other items displayed are: a great dark red bottle I've had for many years - looks like something the Wicked Witch Stepmother from Snow White had. I also have a blue one, my small crystal ball on a stand (I have a big one elsewhere - this one I keep on my bookshelf year round), and finally a fantastic dark red scarf with moons and stars I purchased in Salem, Mass.

Colorful Quilt Throw

I'm just popping in to show off the quilt my 89 year old Yiayia gave me this last weekend. She worked so hard on it and it's so cheerful and colorful.

Louie approves as you can see. ;)

Louie: Pretty quilt, I can't wait to shed all over it...

I especially like the colorful embroidery floss stitching the squares together - so pretty. The batik fabrics are my favorite. I just love the color scheme - it seems so fitting for the summer. I'll be packing it away soon to enjoy next year.

I'm not big on quilting myself. I like quilts, but the actual process of making them doesn't interest me much. I usually prefer far more subdued quilts of two colors - like red and white or blue and white and usually stear clear of patterned material, but in this case it really works. I love it. ;)

I don't know about you, but I think it's pretty impressive for 89 years old and bad arthritis to stitch it all together by hand. I told her I'd post pictures of this up on the computer and she was quite impressed and proud. Thank you, Yiayia - you're an inspiration! :)

Hoping you all have a bit of color and cheer in your day, too...

Fall Cheesecake

Now that it is September and the weather is cooling down it is inevitable that we turn to Fall for inspiration.

Today we celebrated my grandpa's birthday so my grandmother decorate a small cheesecake for him with strawberry topping, fresh strawberries and a chocolate bow as well as a sprinkling of chocolate fall leaves she made herself.
She told me she made the chocolate modeling clay herself with melted chocolate chips and corn starch - the yellow and rust colored leaves were from white chocolate.

Happy Labor Day Weekend and so long summer - I'll miss you...