It's a Dogs Halloween ....

Hey, it's me, Betsy the blog master. Someone has got to come rescue me, these people I live with have decided I needed to celebrate Halloween and this is what they have done to me. Stripped me of my dignity. I'm about the create a revolution, "Dogs of Fullerton United" or otherwise known as the DFU. Keep your eyes peeled, we may be on the 11:00 news.

This is just WRONG ...

I refuse to look at her and that stupid camera any longer.

 Happy Halloween from one dog witch to another!

BOO! Flash Backs are so Scarrrrrry!

I woke up this morning to a frightening sight! Yikes, my daughter had posted a picture of herself and her brother and me of a trip we took to Universal Studios many, many years ago. It made me sad to realize how many years have gone by since this picture was taken. Those two sweet little faces are now 31 and 35! And we won't even discuss how old mom is.

When my very "hip" son see's his picture on Facebook this morning he is going to DIE when he see's how I have him dressed!! Oh, memories, so bittersweet.

I'm the hot chick in the sunglasses ....

Happy Halloween Everyone!

All Hallows Eve ....

It's the eve before Halloween and my neighbors have been very busy preparing for this hallowed night. We have several grave yards in many shapes and sizes, ghosts preparing to party and creepy ghouls prowling the yards! Here are a few of my personal favorites!

This is my absolute favorite grave yard! It looks so genuine ... this picture doesn't do it justice. The home is one of Fullerton's premiere vintage residences and this little cemetery looks like it could actually be real. The tombstones, the names they all look so official!

Another shot from the other side of the walkway to the front door. Three more grave markers and some pumpkins!

 

See what I'm saying!! The little front yard cemetery looks like it could really belong there! On the balcony they have a gaggle of party ghosts!

A closer look at Casper and friends ....

Another neighborhood cemetery with a friendly ghoul checking me out!

I found a home covered with pre-historic spiders ...

Check out that roof! Eeks, those are some really big spiders. They also have a graveyard, and ghouls ....

Another ghost ... he is hanging out curbside inviting other creepy friends to gather with him.

 Fortunately for me my neighbors aren't to much into bloody stuff. I've seen some places with scary looking things running around with axes in their backs, missing body parts and blood dripping off forming pools of red goo. Ick ...

I really am not much of a Halloween person and I don't decorate for the night, but I do love the little kiddies that come to my door all dressed up wanting a treat ....

Big Savings!!!

Santa Legs 2 .....

Our Longaberger group met this morning for our monthly meeting. Our fearless leader, Debbie asked if I would teach the group how to make the infamous Santa Legs. Of course I said yes so this morning, bright and early I headed to the adorable cottage of Kathy and John Collett to teach leg making! 

Kathy's home was built in the mid 50's - today they are referred to as "mid-century" homes. Over the years they have added on and maintained this adorable home BUT, they have also retained the homes original integrity. Of course I had my handy camera along so I could share some pictures of her little cottage.

Curb appeal! Kathy definitely has a green thumb, everything in her yard is alive, vibrant and in bloom. I love her picket fence and wanted to be sure to capture it in my picture.

As you enter the room to your immediate left is her amazing craft room. Does this space look familiar? I was once the kitchen! To the left is a window and below was where the sink used to reside. All the above cabinetry is original without the doors. I love all the detailed trim work! the next room to the right is her laundry room ....

Cute and functional!! Check out all that awesome Longaberger! The basket on the wall is for her laundry detergent and in the window sill she has two different baskets containing her various laundry supplies. As you step further into the next room there is the cutest little bathroom. The rooms just go on and on!

This is where the magic happens! Kathy's office, compared to mine this is clean and organized!

 

Next stop ... the cutest bathroom ever. This is an absolute vintage bathroom, complete with the original aqua blue tile ...

Original counter top and sink, the cabinets have been refaced and to the immediate left is a stall shower ...

OMG do you remember these!! As a kid we had the "cave" shower stall, they scared me to death! As a group we decided this is the ONLY space in Kathy's home that has empty corners!! She has a thing for filling up the corners in her house!

A final shot of the bathroom ...

And her patio/deck area. The little birdies were just a chirping away and the water features were flowing. It is so peaceful and serene out there. Perfect spot for reading or prayer ...

 Yes, we really did get some work done! 

Carmen and Nancy are busy, busy, busy! Their legs are done, I believe they were working on his little boots! We were working at Kathy's dining room table. Her husband added on a large kitchen as well as this room to the back of their home. This was a perfect spot for us to work in!

A Longaberger event is just not complete unless there is food! Kathy baked this delicious Sour cream Apple Bar for breakfast, it was sooo good to eat warm. I asked for the recipe, I'll share it once I get a copy. The Granny Smith Apples came fresh off her tree in the back yard.

 It was a lovely morning ladies, thanks for joining us.

Remembering the Aluminum Tree ...

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog sharing my childhood memories of the family Aluminum Christmas Tree. I will briefly catch you up on the story so you will better understand where my blog for today is headed.

The year is 1963,  our living room is all a glow (literally) just minutes after my daddy plugs in the magnificent "Color Wheel." This is the piece de resistance of the living room scene. My dad LOVED decorating for Christmas! This burly, heavy equipment construction worker could have put Martha Stewart to shame. I only wish someone would have photographed our home in those days after he waived his magic wand, it was awesome.

Now, for a 10 year old girl the glow of a silver, aluminum tree was highly anticipated. Dad would bring in the numerous boxes and begin the tedious assembly of the tree. The tall trunk would go into the stand and one by one and in a structured order the sparkly, silver branches would be inserted into the tiny holes. This took HOURS but oh so worth it! The tree would be set into place and then covered with hot pink sparkly ball ornaments! To make the whole scene more heavenly daddy would cover the tree with angel hair. Remember that spun glass that ONLY your parents were allowed to touch? Yep, that was a sure way to keep the kids away from the tree! It's late into the evening by now and the color wheel has yet to be plugged in, but once it has the room is a glow in rotating colors of red, blue, green and yellow. Since I was not allowed near the tree I would lay across the room on the couch and watch as the tree would gradually change colors ... it was like an amazing dream. Ahhh, life was so good.

Looking back on this tree I giggle and think "what was he thinking?" That tree was hideous ... but it was all the fashion in those days and we loved it to pieces.

Fast forward to October 24, 2013. Tanya, my partner in crime and I visited TPT Home to see their holiday trees and decor. To my surprise I was greeted by numerous, colorful aluminum trees!! All shapes, sizes and colors were their for purchase.

This picture was actually found on their website. I love the redware snowflake plates, however, they were no where to be found in the store  ... I was told they don't have every item in all the stores.

 

They didn't have this adorable pillow either ...

Now the glorious aluminum trees. Here is an assortment of small green table top trees ...

Nestled in between all that green were some small silver trees with covered gold ones below ....

This was over the top! Bright, flaming red aluminum with lights on it! Yikes

!

Yes, the picture is blurry, I was running away in horror. Just so you know, they did have a lot of assorted green trees as well, and there were MORE aluminum trees, blue and even black ones. If you are a cosmopolitan kinda gal this is the place to go!

 Located somewhere in the middle of the store is an accessories department. Purses, scarves, jewelry etc. Why is this in a home decor store you ask??? No clue!

Here it is, isn't this the biggest mess of stuff you ever saw!!! The best part of this area are the sparkly disco balls overheard.

Tanya LOVES jewelry so she was the perfect choice to model some of the goods. 

In all seriousness, if you are looking for holiday decor this is a really fun place to go and get some great ideas, prices are not cheap by ideas are free!!

A Day at my Little Red Machine ...

Monday was such a wonderful, relaxing day. My two sewing companions and I met at Penny's home for our monthly sewing day and I really needed some girl time. I love my hubby to pieces but with his declining health it's just good to get a break from the daily routine.

Going to Penny's is always a treat. I know we will have a delicious meal ... Lobster Bisque soup, a barley with vegetables salad, warm bread and dessert. Oh so yummy and I didn't have to cook or do dishes or anything but enjoy myself!! Thank you, thank you Penny!

To begin our morning she had the best snacks for the autumn season ... Crunchy sweet snacks with pumpkin cream cheese spread.

The little crackers that have a yellow tint on the left were soooo good. They had pumpkin, cranberries, sunflower seeds and rosemary in them. All three of these fall treats came from Trader Joe's. I need to make a trip over there to get some of my very own!

My red featherweight machine just purred along like the trooper she is. I worked on my Drips of Honey quilt. It is created from only two fabric shades, grey and cheddar ... I will share it once it's finished, you will LOVE it!

Penny spent the day working on her doll sized quilts ... they all needed bindings done. Loved the colors she used on this one, so soft and calming. 

 Rita was borrowed in at the other end on the table working on her Civil War Sampler squares ... I have been making the easy ones and both Rita and Penny are doing the hard ones, this is a good plan don't you agree!!

HOPE - A Small Word .....

Saturday I attended a Charity luncheon at the Vallano Country Club in Chino Hills. The focus of the charity was Breast Cancer Awareness. For the past 18 years the Longaberger Co. has designed and sold a small basket named "The Horizon of Hope Basket" to raise funds for this very worthy cause. Using this basket as their key stone of the event this group of Longaberger consultants have worked their fannies off to raise money by collecting wonderful donations to auction off. In the previous three years they have raised a total of $37,000.00, their goal this year was to reach $50,000.00. I hope they made it! A lovely woman was there from the American Cancer Society to share information about breast cancer research & awareness and to make every one aware that due to the hard work of these ladies the local Mammogram Imagery facility is able to offer mammograms to un-insured women for $50.00!! They are dedicated to their mission that every woman receives a mammogram! 

 Let's take a tour of the luncheon ....

 

There were 16 of these beautiful pink tables with a Horizon of Hope basket at each guest seat ....

A lovely floral center piece arraigned in a pink and white Longaberger basket, these were all raffled off to the guests at each table! They smelled so wonderful too.

A happy, smiling Michell Coe. She was the basket weaver flown in by the Longaberger Co. for the event. Why is she smiling??? She's going to Disneyland when her work is done!

 

Christmas Collection on display .... A quilt I made several years ago, I love how well the colors coordinate with the Longaberger color pallet ...

Hummmm, that hurricane sure looks familiar ....

The beautiful Collectors Club Bushel Basket with lid and three items from our new booking collection. A favorite is the double spoon rest. Y'all know how tired your spoons can get!

Daughter and mother guests, Amy and Diann Jones. Amy is all smiles, she just received the news that she has been accepted into Northern Arizona University where she will study pre-med! Congrats Amy!!

Just a small selection of the items available for the opportunity drawings ....

And some more ... there were two more tables like this one plus ones side of the room was all for the Silent Auction Donations!

I just had to share this, a bowl of Tortilla Soup ... the tortilla was cut in the shape of a ribbon! So cool.

Dessert ... a delicious Creme' Brule topped with pink sugar and served on a Longaberger Pedestal Candle holder ...

Each candle holder was adorned with a charm like the one shown above ... so many special little touches made the event fabulous! Each guest was allowed to take the candle holder home as a gift.

I can not compliment these ladies enough on a job well done.

Let's Make some Legs!!!

From now until the end of December Longaberger will be offering different styles of Santa Belly Baskets for purchase! To make these baskets a bit more fun I created a pair of Santa Legs to place underneath the basket. Friday a group of my customers got together and made their own legs for the up coming holiday season. It was a fun day creating a fun project!

A set of Santa's legs under a Santa Belly Tea basket featured with our new Autumn Roads fabric square and a Santa Belly Tree Ornament.

I took a medium Fill-It Hurricane and made a Santa Belt with buckle to wrap around the middle. A red pillar candle is in the center and small black rocks fill the bottom ...

In celebration of Halloween I used our Large Fill-It Hurricane to create a Candy Corn table center piece! Once Halloween is over my hubby Joe will enjoy all those yummy corn Kernels!!

We also celebrated Ms. Susan's Birthday ... yum, a huge chocolate cup cake!

 Thanks ladies for creating with me!!