Well, it's not good news...

The old computer is quite dead, may it rest in peace. We will have to get a new one, hubby needs it for his job searches and I need it for this, and yes, blogging is a legitimate reason for buying a new computer, even in the worst of times! I hope to be up and running by the end of the week, and catching up with everyone. I am able to steal a few moments on Laurens laptop but I really hate these things.
While you are waiting breathlessly for my return (I llike to think:>) hop on over to my sweet SIL at Blue Barn Bulletin and enter her 100th post give-away and say hello. You can see some of the painting I did on the nieces walls years ago. Looks like they will need to be redone :>) I hope to see you soon!

Bummer. my computer wouldn't turn on this morning:>( I'm using my daughters lap top to post this but I probably wont see you for a few days. I have my brother-in-law coming sometime tomorrow to take a look, lets hope it can be fixed rather than replaced. The last thing we need right now is another bill. I'll see you asap. Have a great weekend!

LOL, have you seen this?!

A friend sent me this link, you have to check it out:>) http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=370743&altf=Lbuimffo1&altl=Hsbdf Click on the Election 2008 window when you get there.

Fall Porch Party

Melissa, at The Inspired Room is having a Fall Porch Party. I thought I would join in, so I grabbed my trusty camera and headed for our small town's historic district. I was surprised at how few of the houses had done anything to dress up their porch! This row of homes is usually the jewel of the town, I have to wonder if the economy has really made everyone a little more conservative with their decorating dollars. This house though...how can you not snap a photo of an orange house in the autumn? It looks cute in the fall but I am not sure I would have the bravery to paint my home orange or whether I would love it so much in the spring and summer. If you click on these pictures they should expand.
Now this one I love. These quirky old cottages just melt my heart. The round top doorway, the sharply peaked entry, it is all so unique and cute, and I think they had the best decorations on the block! Simple but cute:>)

This house is another favorite, a huge old farmhouse in a cheery yellow with a beautiful matching barn out back. What I wouldn't do for a barn like that. Does anyone else covet old buildings? I see so many that are used for junk storage or nothing at all and I think of a wonderful studio for myself and one for Earl in the other end and I know there is just no justice in this world. We would use an old building like that, no doubt about it. The next house we buy has to have some outbuildings! And look at the porch. *sigh* The next house gets one of those babies too.

Stop on over to The Inspired Room and do some drive -by's in the comfort of your chair. I have my cup of coffee and it is only 39 degrees outside right now so I am glad I snapped these yesterday when it was nice! Have a great day:>)

A special gift

I have said it before and I'll say it again. Bloggers have the biggest hearts! One of my dear blog friends Kathryn Bechen, saw that my husband had been laid off and sent me this wonderful book as an encouragement. It is published by Guidposts and inside is an article Kathryn wrote recounting her own struggles and a miraculous vision and help in a similar situation.
It is Kathryn's wish, that when I finished the book I send it along to someone else who was dealing with stressful times. I found this book so encouraging, I would love to pass it along and I hope that the next person to read it will do the same. Please, if you would like to read this, and see Kathryns own testimony, either comment or send me an email at kathyscottage@yahoo.com, telling me that you would like it and I will send it right out. Thank you Kathryn for your thoughtfulness and kindness. I am sure this book will be a wonderful ministry to so many!

P.S. I should have said that the first to request the book gets it! Jan, it's yours and I hope you will pass it along and let it continue to be an encouragement to someone else:>)

Pumpkin Bread

I was a bad girl. I have had sinus problems for a week and finally went to the doctor. She thought I had a sinus infection and gave me some meds. Yay, but I was bad because I felt crummy so I skipped church tonight. It was cool and rainy today and you know how that makes sinus problems just seem worse. I was hanging out at home and decided I needed the smell of warm cinnamon pumpkin bread. It was a baking kind of night and the comfort of the warmth and the smell of cinnamon and pumpkin was irresistable.So I got out the trusty Betty Crocker cookbook, copyright 1969, and made the pumpkin bread. Except, instead of cinnamon and nutmeg I used some chai spice blend from the clearance rack at Meijer. And instead of nuts and raisins I added chocolate chips and craisins...I had three slices. My husband called me a temptress and had three slices. My daughter called me amazing and I don't know how many slices she had. But it was worth staying home from church to be called amazing and a temptress...don't you think:>)

I hope you can read this, sorry it isn't real clear.

Hey ladies, head over to Shell In Your Pocket where Sandy is having a really great give-away. You're going to love it:>)

Shipshewana

On our trip downstate this weekend, my husband and I took a little trip into Indiana to visit Shipshewana. Have you ever heard of it? It's a little Amish / Mennonite enclave with lots of great stores and places to visit. On this particular trip I had one goal, to check out the fabrics in Yoders Depatment store. Oh, my! I fell. in. love. I wanted it all. Every brightly colored 1030's feedsack reproduction I saw. Oh yes, the colors.
The patterns. The charming old fashioned prints. I want them all!

I did walk away with a few that you will be seeing in some projects, and most importantly I got the names of the lines I loved best so I can look them up locally. We also went to a not so little fabric shop called Lolly's fabrics in downtown Shipshewana. Two floors of cotton goodness. I am not a quilter so to tell you the truth, I have never paid any attention to quilt shops. Oh, what I was missing.

Now I intend to visit every quilt shop within a 50 mile radius of where I live. I just can't believe what I have been missing all these years! Anyone have a favorite online source of beautiful fabrics?

P.S. I was afraid that I had forgotten the pink in all my post's for October, but going back I see that they each have just a touch of pink! :>)

Parents weekend

Do you think she missed us?
She was jumping up and down on the corner when we drove up. We had called to tell her we were 5 minutes away.

Her dad was mildly happy to give her that long awaited hug.

And I had to put the camera down to get mine. I did so much better this time. I only cried half the way home. *Sniff* Only 6 and a half weeks 'til Thanksgiving break...then we get to do it all over again:>)

We are off to see youngest daughter at her colleges "parents weekend"! I can't wait, it has been 6 long weeks since I gave my baby a hug and I don't know if I will be able to let go once I start:>)
I have plans to head to Shipshewana, Indiana with hubby while Victoria finishes up her morning classes, then off to my brothers guest house nearby to kick back, watch movies, and make her favorite veggie lasagna. Then shopping, a movie, maybe the local ice cream parlor. We will , all four, be together again and it sounds like heaven!
On another subject, I haven't blogged much this week because I have been working on a top secret project that I am so excited about, I wish I could show you right now but it will have to wait a couple weeks. I know, I hate it when I see that kind of thing, such a tease. But, I really am just bursting at the seams! The picture above isn't the surprise but it is one of four quilt blocks made by my grandmother over 50 years ago. They have been in my stash for at least 20 years and I finally decided to convert them to hearts. One for me, three for you! I'll have them in my etsy shop next week. They are made of real vintage feedsack, even the backing has printing from the sacks on it! I think grandma would be happy that they are finally seeing daylight:>)
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, I know I will!

A Murder of Crows

Although...crows this cute just can't be called a murder! I had a special order and since it is just as easy to make a few as it is to make one, well, I made a few. One has flown the coop, but two more are waiting in my etsy shop for a new home. I am working on other things after this so this is really the last of the flock (really!) It has been a great weekend to work on goodies for etsy, I didn't have to go anywhere, yay! Sometimes it's good to just stay home, and I love working on new projects, so keep your eyes open, I'll list new creations as I finish them:>) I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall weekend. I plan to lay in a sunny spot and just dream for a while this afternooon....well, ok, and bake bread and cookies, but that is recreational right? What can smell better than that on a cool autumn day? Have a great day everyone! Enjoy the colors and smells and freshness of the season!

I almost forgot my pink for this post! Here is a "sweet" pink heart charm just for you!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Make Lemonade! Or lampshades:>) Am I going to let a little set back keep me from doing fun things? Well, of course not! Using a shade and fabric and trim I already had I redid this lampshade for the bedroom. Cost..$0. I felt like I needed a touch of black in this room to spark up the pinkish roses. Doesn't every room need a little black?

Being the toile fiend that I am, finding some toile in my stash was no problem, I had the black seam binding too. It isn't perfect but it is beautiful. I can see why people love to do this now. I was a little nervous because I had never done it before, but it was easy peasy. I love it!

Finding pink in my house isn't easy, I am a lover of all things red. Not burgundy, not rose...red! So when BJ at Sweet Nothings challenged us to post something pink every day in October for breast cancer awareness, it was with a little trepidation that I said I would join her. My sweetheart found a set of these little pressed glass heart shaped dishes at a yard sale this past summer and brought them home for me. I use them by the bedside and one at each sink for my rings. This time, I found some vintage beaded earrings to toss into the dish. Just for BJ and breast cancer awareness. Don't forget your mamogram! A friend of mine at work was just diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. How did they find it? At her yearly mammogram. Fortunately they found it early and it is very treatable. That is the key isn't it? Finding it early? Sigh, I know, I hate them too, but I am going. How about you?