A Day to Create

It's a week later and I finally have a chance to post my pictures from my monthly sew in with the girls. Usually we work on our block of the month for our Civil War Sampler quilt but this month Rita and Penny were busy, busy getting ready for their bi-annual quilting retreat in Temecula. I sewed and listened to the two of them chatter and create. Watching them made me sad that I will not be going again this year ... sometimes a girl just has to do what she doesn't necessarily want to do ... be good!

Here is our happy little group. Me, Penny and Rita

Fun jars will be adorable luminaries ....

My block for September is the Ohio Star. For something different I printed a center piece with the name of the quilt and our names.

All done! Check out those beautiful pickles! Rita gave each of us a jar, she found them on her trip to the mid-west. I think they are just to pretty to open!

 A simply perfect lunch. Fresh fruits, chicken with cranberries salad and the best toasted cheese sandwich ever! Rita used a delicious whole grain bread, honey mustard, two kinds of cheese and thinly sliced apples in the center. Oh my gosh it was the BEST ever, perfect for a September gathering!!

We wrapped up the day with some additional sewing, chatter and a yummy dessert. It was an Italian treat of some sort with fruit on top ... to die for!

Welcome Fall ....

While I'm recovering from my surgery and basically house bound I decided today was a good day to begin making my home festive for fall! I still have more to do but I have a good start on it. For some crazy reason I did my back patio table first ....

The back portion of my home is covered with large windows so I see my back yard all the time. Since this is the case I want to like what I see!! I love my two Longaberger lanterns, they have such a colonial feel. I can just visualize a Salem pilgrim holding one high in her out stretched arm wearing a long black cloak while winding through a narrow, foggy lane on a cold dark night.

Inside, my family room fireplace mantle is very simplistic. Three Longaberger white washed pumpkins, a hand crafted pheasant from Audrey at Bay Ray's Child and a few spikes of color. Below is a garland of string beans (leather britches) with dried chili peppers. I got this idea from Karen at My Colonial Home blog. She uses cranberries in lieu of the chili peppers. I plan to do another with cranberries as well! Once the beans have dried they curls up and look so cool! They will be ready just in time for my Christmas decor'.

Family room dining table ... loaded with Longaberger pumpkins made of Hardwood Maple ... love these!!

A gathering of pomegranates in a dough bowl on my Hoosier ....

The Santos Angel is dressed for fall!! She is wearing an October doll quilt accompanied by a re-done pumpkin. This big guy was originally a nice green tone, then after a couple of years outside it went to a ghost white color, now, with a coat of black spray paint it's a lovely black! I love spray paint!!

Side one of my kitchen island caddy ... The funky pumpkin in the front is a new addition this year. It also came from Audrey Baker of Bay Rays Child. She really does such nice quality work.

And, side two ... love this pumpkin towel. My friend Paula gave me this last year.

And finally, the living room entry. My big ole Bemis pumpkin from last year and a few more re-purposed mini pumpkins are nestled on my Tobacco Rose quilt. I love to use my guilt's blended in with my holiday decor'.

When you Least Expect it .....

I'm a "doer" not an observer! So when I found myself at the emergency room on Wednesday evening it was not what I had planned. After numerous exams and vital exams I was having a CAT scan at mid-night. That was so fun, drinking a half a cup of cranberry infused medicine was not my idea of an evening snack. By 2:00 my doctor was standing bedside informing me I would be in surgery at 6:00 am. Wow, things were moving rapidly and I was not liking the idea of surgery at all. At 8:00 I was in recovery and beginning to wonder what the heck just happened!

It was Thursday morning and I had plans. I was going to pick out my fall pumpkins and begin decorating my front porch. Instead I was feeling dopey and drugged and lying in a hospital bed! I won't bore you with the gory details ... I just wanted to share some highlights.

This was my first new adornment. I was extremely dehydrated so they hooked me up to an IV as soon as I entered the emergency room. I am especially fond of these, they hurt, are always in they way and make it very difficult to sleep!

As part of a hospital stay you are poked with needles A LOT! Since the right hand was housing the IV network they found it necessary to only utilize my left arm for removing my blood.

By this morning my arm is now a nice solid purple. I can't believe these nurses draw blood all day every day and this is they best they can do!

 For my first 12 hours I was feasting on an all water/IV diet. By Thursday evening I was indulging in chicken broth, hot tea, jello, V8 juice and SlimFast! Wow, I was now on a stage 2 diet, yum!

I do have to say the hot chicken broth was yummy. My throat was raw from the tube they inserted during surgery and the soup was so soothing. Is anyone jealous of my meal??

The highlight of my stay were my visitors ....

My ever faithful husband Joe was always with me. The three hours sitting in the ER, the after surgery marathon and bringing me home. My daughter Tiffany also came after work to make sure the hospital was treating her mom well.

 

 I'm home now and on my way to recovery. I have to stay on a liquid diet for a few more days and I can't drive so I am really house bound. However, it won't be long before I'm out and about and shopping for my pumpkins!

Availble Wednesday, September 25th!!!!

Oh my goodness ... it's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

As Promised ....

I hadn't forgotten to post the pictures of my Longaberger branch meeting Hurricane lamp pictures, I just kept forgetting to put the pictures on my computer from my phone. Geeze, all this technology these days is so overwhelming!

To start off the Longaberger Fill-It Hurricanes are available for purchase in two sizes, medium and large. I have both and use them all the time for numerous displays. They are $30.00 and $35.00 plus shipping ans tax. Who said Longaberger was expensive!!! These are sooo affordable as well as multi-functional.

For this meeting Debbie's goal was to share ideas for fall and Christmas.

This is a medium hurricane filled with mini pine cones on the bottom, a small pedestal candle on the top level surrounded by mini gourds. Tied around the center is a festive ribbon and a floral pick from your favorite craft shop. So cute and So affordable, use the items from your yard, neighborhood or your closets!!

The following pictures are hurricane ideas I use in my home shows, using some of our other Longaberger products. 

I have the large Fill It Hurricane sitting on a foundry serving piece filled with orange glitter balls (thank you Paula) and the new Collector's Club Witch Hat sitting inside! To the right is a medium Hurricane filled with orange gum balls on the bottom with black foil wrapped chocolates in a circle and a Longaberger candle in the top portion. Bottom right is also a medium hurricane simply filled with Trick or Treat candies. Hiding in the back is the Longaberger stackable pumpkins available the month of September only.

 Another medium hurricane created by a fellow consultant ...

She filled hers with pumpkin scented potpourri and tucked in an unusual pillar candle. We added an orange burlap bow accented with another fall pick.

 My final hurricane was again done by Debbie with a Christmas feel!

Debbie has an awesome pepper tree in her back yard. She picked berries enough for everyone to use in their own hurricane. She filled the bottom with pepper berries, the top with a simple ivory colored candle, surrounded by mini pine cones with pieces of cinnamon sticks. A burlap rosette with another festive Christmas pick finishes the front! So darn cute.

 Do you want you own Fill-It Hurricane??? Just let me know in the comment section and I'll get one ordered for you just in time for the holidays coming our way in a few short month!

Thanks for stopping in!

 

It's Here!! It's Finally Here!

Yes it is! For all of you cooler weather, fall lovin, leaf peepin folks Autumn officially arrived today and I am thrilled! To commemorate this special day I weeded and dead headed my summer flowers in the cool of the morning and brought out my metal pumpkin family. All 3 of them as well as the corn stalks have found their favorite spot in my front yard. Over the next few weeks the colors of Autumn will begin to emerge in my home while the Americana decor' will take a much needed rest.

Speaking of rest, I didn't get any of that today for sure. My daughter  launched her "It Works" business today at my house so I was in charge of set up, cleaning and take down. She had a nice group of ladies here to help her business set sail!

Phase one ... let's get relaxed. 

The cucumber water is icy cold and a tray of fresh veggies and raw almonds are a perfect snack for our mini spa day adventure.

We got the guests relaxed with cool cucumbers for the eyes, soothing spa sounds on the CD player and some cold water to flush their toxins! Told you this was a fun party!!

Here is Auntie Tanya getting in the "mood."

While all of us relaxed Tiffany explained the product line, how to using the Profit Powder to make an amazing, tasty smoothie and the advantage of the Wraps!

This cute little gal is Veanny, she is Tiffany's sponsor! She came out to share some more information and give Tiff some guidance through her first spa party.

Some very relaxed young ladies!

 My happy girl eager to get the party started. 

 

Thanks to all of the gals who came out and supported Tiffany on her new adventure. Her goal is to earn enough to pay for her wedding photographer! Good goal, lets wish her luck.

Autumn ... Just Around the Corner!!

Whoot Hoot, tomorrow is the first day of Autumn! The sky was cloudy all day today with temps in the low 70's ... this girl was in heaven! I attended my Longaberger team meeting this morning and the theme was fall decorating! Awesome, right up my ally. Our leader used the medium Longaberger Hurricane as her foundation and shared numerous ideas on how to use this amazing piece to decorate the home. Before we get to that we had the chance to see many of the Longaberger items the company is featuring the month of September. Let's take a look!!

The  featured basket at the left is one of our beautiful hand stained Collectors Club baskets, I love this basket to pieces. Center is the stacked pumpkins with our individual pumpkins to the right ....

Right of the sign is one of our new Autumn Roads Napkin baskets filled with assorted pumpkins ...

 Debbie made my favorite breakfast treat ... sticky buns. She baked these in our new 11" Flameware skillet and oh my gosh it was AMAZING to be sure ... I can still smell it baking. When we walked into her home this morning is was gloomy outside but inside we could smell the cinnamon, brown sugary treat baking in the oven, just heavenly.

Just looking at this circle of heaven makes me hungry for more!!

Are you wanting a plate of your own?? Are you wishing you had the recipe? YOU do!! I am posting it here for you to make some of your very own Sticky Buns. It's very time consuming and it calls for difficult, hard to find ingredients ... NOT!! These are so simple you will want to make them a lot!

 

The only somewhat difficult ingredient for me to find is butterscotch pudding. For some reason Californians must no like it so the stores don't always stock it.  I find it at Stater Bros. for local readers!

 And just for all of you I brought a piece home to share!

No fighting ladies, there is plenty for everyone!! Tomorrow I will share our Hurricane's ....

To Cute not ot Share!

Just had to share this adorable spider. He is only available for one week so if he tickles your fancy you need to let me know ASAP! Email me at baskets4anita@aol.com

Skool Daze ....

What does September mean to you? For me it has so many memories. The end of summer, time to return to school and see long lost friends, picking apples at Oak Glen Orchards ... and Indian Summer! Those dog days of temperatures in the 90's by day and 60's at night. By the end of the month we will be feeling the cool crispness in the early morning hours and the scent of apple crisp baking in the oven. September in the official gateway to fall ... my absolute favorite time of the year!

This quilt will always be special to me. I was a relatively new quilter when I purchased this kit from Temecula Quilt Co. I had never been so challenged as I was while making it. It's called "Back to School" thus all the school houses bordering the many snowballs! It took me a long time to get it done and I still love it!

Vintage back to skool supplies ... love my little chalk board from Bay Rays Child and a Longaberger Apple!

Many, many years ago my grandfather did demolitions on old buildings in Ohio. These old books were some of the things he brought home from a demolished school house in Southern Ohio ... I love the fact that he kept them and that I still have them as well! Inside the book a names of school children that used them over the years.

 Enjoy your September ...

Longaberger Road Trip!

With much anticipation several of my faithful Longaberger customers were at my home promptly at 10:00 am. Today we were heading south to Newport Beach to visit the always beautiful Rogers Gardens. As always they didn't let us down. Jewel, my 93 year treasure was so thrilled to see all the glorious flowers.

Jewel is in 7th Heaven being surrounded by flowers, she even wore the perfect dress for the day, loaded with flowers!

 The festive pumpkins were everywhere in all there orange, green and white colored glory ....

 

Just plain awesome!

I want all of these at my house ... each one is so unique in it's color, size and shape. I plan to make another trip back in early October to get my porch collection. With these warm temperatures I just need to hold off and wait for some cooler days!

Now I invite you to join me into the Haunted Gardens Night Gallery ... Booooooo, check out those creepy crows hovering above ...

The "Scream" was the official entrance greeter!

Scary cats, fuzzy little mice ...

And a glassed cabinet chock full of RATS! Yuck!!!!

Bazaar, creepy machines to create .....

Living Skeleton's! Another icky scene. Skeleton were EVERYwhere, and each one uglier then the one before it!!

A skeleton witch with a skeleton bird ....

A doll dressed for a haunted masquerade ...

And finally, a fabulous jewelry bar. Bracelets, broaches, spider rings and skulls.

 Shopping always stirs up an appetite and we were hungry shoppers. Our next stop was the California Pizza Kitchen aka CPK. It is soooo much more then pizza! 

Barb and ...

Marcia were the prize winners. Yes, Marcia is wearing a Red Hat bib, she didn't want to get salad dressing on her new Americana shirt! She is a hoot!

 Each of the ladies received a fun pumpkin to help them get ready for their fall decor'.

Seated and ready for some yummy good food!!

 It was such a wonderful day in Newport. A mild 79 degrees with a nice breeze made being outside amazing. 

I think Jewel had the best time of us all. She enjoyed cooler weather, a nice ride in her wheelchair and a delicious lunch.

 Thanks for helping me make some Autumnal memories!