Wednesday, December 15, 2021

The Halls Are Decked Christmas 2021

Merry Christmas 2021!
The halls are decked and ready for Christmas.
There are a few new things on the table this year.
My mother surprised me with a set
of red "Margatini" glasses from QVC. 
She said they would also make 
excellent dessert dishes.
They come in a set of 6
I scored these "Santa Belt Napkin Rings" 
 this year from eBay for $26.99
I saw them at Pottery Barn back in 2013
and wanted them ever since.
Santa Belt Napkin Rings From Pottery Barn, Christmas 2013
The hutch-buffet looks pretty much the same.
Over on the green cabinet
We find a ginger bread house.
It's a 10'' illuminated 
Gingerbread House by Valerie
Mom sent it to me from QVC.
Cher thinks everything looks delicious, 
she's just too short to reach
Sam gave me this Mackenzie-Childs 
"Candy Cottage Cupcake Box"
It's going on the hutch!
I just love the little candy cane 
and gingerbread man.
She got it online at Neiman Marcus 
with free shipping!

During the pandemic I went crazy 
collecting old Marklin Maxi 
all tin G scale trains on eBay.
This year I displayed my 
red Central Pacific 
one under the Christmas tree.
Never a big hit with collectors.
Marklin started producing Maxi to compete
with LGB as a children's hobbie. 
They even run on LGB track.
Maxi went out of production in 2007 when
Marklin bought LGB in a bankruptcy sale.
Each car was a separate bid 
at different times throughout the year.
I really like the trains, they are well made
and all tin, which sort of gives it a 
vintage look.
Thanks for stopping by
and Merry Christmas!

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Thanksgiving 2021

Happy Thanksgiving!
The decorations are out and ready for the day!
Pretty much the same look as last year.


However, Sam did surprise me 
with new pheasant napkin rings! 
They're from Williams Sonoma

They match the pheasant centerpiece
and the pheasant candle holders also from 
Williams Sonoma.
I picked up these amber hobnail glasses 
From Dillard's this year 
From their Southern Living 
Festive Fall Collection.







Cher says "What's with all the fuss?"

 Thanks for stopping by

and have a great holiday!

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

On Halloween, Oh, mercy me!

A vintage poem with a new illustration by me!
I also changed "witches" to "werewolves"
Thanks for stopping by and Happy Halloween!

 

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Halloween Neon


This year I went crazy and replaced almost all 

my fading fairy lighted Halloween shapes

with new bright faux neon Halloween shapes.

Here's my new animated waving skeleton.
New at Target this year for $35.
There was only one left by the time
 I saw it on the shelf.
He's replacing my animated 
blinking wings fairy light bat.
seen here over the spider.
Its bulbs were burning out and 
also very faded.
I also fell for this cat!
Again at Target for $35
He's replacing an led bulb cat outline 
that I had hanging in the front window
because this one is so much cooler!
Here's a faux neon witch I bought online
during the pandemic that I will hang
over the garage!
She's from the Home Depot for $150 
but she is bigger than the others at 36''.
This flickering eyes and nose skull
was from Target two Halloweens ago.

I loved it so much I was thrilled 
when I saw they had more to choose from 
this year!
Here's the finished display on my house.
Really brightens the place up!
The white neon is so bright that when I saw
this animated ghost at Target I passed.
I think it would brighten the place up 
a bit too much.
But if something green comes out next year 
count me in.
But shop early, they go fast!!
Thanks for dropping by and 
Happy Haunting!

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Christmas Pics Plus a Trip to Virginia to CLEAN!

I'm a little late posting this.
Just some pics of Christmas 2020.
One thing different this year, we put the
tree at the back of the house in the family room.
Much less disruptive to daily life
when I don't have to move my La-Z-Boy out
of the living room for the tree to come in.
That white deer lamp is new!
We snagged that at Marshalls this year.
It sort of matches the white deer 
on the kitchen table.



And the white deer salt and pepper shakers.


I seem to have white deer throughout the décor.
And regular deer too.

The rest of December I was off to visit 
my parents in Virginia.
I also tried to help Mom clean out
Dad's junk collection in the garages.
He always thought he'd make money
on the stuff he brought home, but never tried to sell it.
After his stroke it's too much for him to even go out there.


I convinced Mom we needed to rent a dumpster.

Now we're off and running.

Started making progress.
The Neighbors came by to help.
Started making lots of progress!
Filled up the dumpster.

Had to rent another dumpster to keep going.

Rainy out but had to keep at it!
Started on garage bay 2
Their old neighbor Jeff stopped by to help.


More stuff than I thought there'd be in garage bay 2.

Dad comes out to see what I've been up to.
He wants to knock my block off!
Not really...
Well, maybe.
I start to uncover his tools, here's a table saw.
Made a lot of progress.
From the laundry room steps looking out.



Filled up Dumpster 2
There goes dumpster 2.
Here is dumpster 3
Garage bay 2 is pretty good.
Now to the backyard, where Dad built another garage,
I've always called it "The Barn".
He thought he would refurbish VW bugs in there.
He never finished the first one.
Believe it or not there is one in there.
My visit was for two weeks, 
but I extended it to three weeks
so I would be around for Dad's 
melanoma cancer operation on his ear. 
For 84 he was a real trooper.
Dumpster 3 almost full.
We uncovered cousin Doris' 
100 year old back porch swing.
There's the Bug peeking out!
It's a convertible and all the pieces 
are in here somewhere.
Dad comes out to explore a garage he hasn't 
been able to walk through for years.
He sees his work bench for the first time in maybe 20 years.
Dumpster #4 is delivered.
I uncover a masterpiece!

My last full day with the help of neighbors 
we manage to fill the dumpster.
But not completely clear out "the barn".

Not a bad three weeks of work.
Garage bay 1
Garage bay 2
I did a little decorating too!

The garage is still messy but at least it doesn't 
look like a crazy hermit lives here.
A lot of stuff went to the Vietnam Veterans of America.


And a lot of little treasures were found...

Golf balls and flag pole finials 
clubs and machetes and coolers
Hess trucks
Drum sticks
Artist paint
Bigfoot?
Belt buckle 
brand new athletic supporter
VW parts
Fishing poles
Cool sleeping bag with three layers, 
it's missing one layer
Bats and balls
Silver plated serveware.
A spoiler
CB Radios
Sniper mask?
An inflatable raft with oars and pump
Knife from Turkey
Fake Rolex
A Dooney & Bourke purse
Old bullets and muskets
Collectable cards
Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake candle
More watches and handcuffs
Tamagotchis
More artwork
Plus, no trip to Virginia Beach would be complete
without a long drive to the newly remodeled 
Virginia Diner 
for their Southern buffet,


I accidentally turned on an elongated 
lens effect on my phone. 
The place looks huge but that's just the lens.
The buffet was like 16 feet or so, not a mile long.


But of course we need peanuts and chocolate.



Also a trip to Dad's favorite place,
Bangkok Gardens.
We actually went twice, he didn't 
remember the first trip.

Gosh I sure do miss those two.
But I hope you had a happy and safe
holiday.
Thanks for stopping by
and happy hunting.