MERCURY GLASS HALLOWEEN

I was visiting Lola the other week to see what she's been up to...that gal is always making the prettiest stuff!!! One talented lady with a needle and thread or sewing machine also with decorating ideas. On her sidebar I clicked on some link that took you to a link of a bunch of ideas for autumn and a bunch of blogs. I as clicking around visiting so many neat folks And I found this one who had made this Faux Mercury Glass. She had done a pumpkin and I had a glass pumpkin sitting in the cabinet like she used. I love old Mercury Glass though don't have any. This lady's blog with the Faux Mercury Glass Pumpkin also took you to tutorials for three different finishes she had come up with for Faux Mercury Glass.
While at Wal-mart last week I got a can of spray paint that was a shiny silver mirror like finish. Later went hunting for the glass pumpkin...found it in the last cabinet where I was looking. Wasn't in the group I was sure it was in. It had been up above the refrigerator for years I am sure. I gave it a quick bath, let it dry a while. One of the finishes I read about you leave it wet inside. Others you dried. I decided to let a few droplets remain and sprayed away the inside of the pumpkin. The tutorial showed the outside wrapped in plastic and taped so not to get any paint on the outside but lazy bones me did not do that step. I sprayed it, set it aside and let it dry a while. The next day I decided I didn't like the places the water drops didn't let the paint adhere so I resprayed the insides. this time you can tell where the droplets were but still has silver there. I like the results. My pumpkin my F-I-L gave me around 30 years ago with candy in it. But I was at Wal-mart this a.m. and they had them in clear glass and also a fall green glass...like the old avocado green glassware of the 60's and 70's. Boy did I just date myself!

The picture doesn't do it justice it does look a lot like Mercury Glass.

ANOTHER SHIRT

While at the Fall Festival "Baby Lucy's" mommy saw the girls in their shirts I made them and wanted on for "Baby Lucy" as she is called by the girls. I have idea those three will be calling her "Baby Lucy" when she is 50! My mother was called "Baby" by her parents, aunt and grandparents...she was in her 70's when her parents and aunt died and still called "Baby".

I think this is as cute on the black if not cuter, as it was on white shirts.

CELEBRATING AUTUMN

Here are the three girls with the shirts I did for them at the Fall Festival yesterday at Newport News City Park after they had their faces painted.



A family tradition we started few years ago...daughter, her husband and three babies get in their car, we get in our car, some years her husband's parents get in their car, his brother and his family gets in their car and we head over to Surry County to College Run Farm to pick pumpkins. This year son-in-law's parents and his brother and his family didn't go because of other commitments but the rest of us went and our oldest grandson rode with us. We picked pumpkins, afterward we had delicious homemade vanilla and pumpkin ice-cream they have for sale there. And shopped in their gift shop.

We go across the JRB---James River Bridge which is 4-1/2 miles long to go Isle of Wight County. Ride past fields of cotton, soy beans, peanuts, corn, etc. to Surry County where more fields of the same growing.

And we start seeing fields of pumpkins and know we are nearing College Run Farm.

Laura with a little pumpkin she picked

Here are some of the family checking out which ones they want and picking their favorites.

Emily said she must have her bling-bling purse if shopping for pumpkins

Rachel with her gourd


Some of the pumpkins I got at College Run Farm.

More of them...
Later today and tomorrow I need to get my stuff down and out for Halloween...my wheelbarrows, porch and area around scarecrows need a lot of sprucing up.

JUSTIN IS THIRTEEN ! ! ! and PUMPKIN PATCH

Today we celebrated Justin's 13th birthday. He always reads his cards.Money and I-Tunes gift cards were big hits.

Justin blew out all his candles.

This week was also Becky's birthday and she opened a reversible blanket Robyn made for her.


Before the party we went to the Pumpkin Patch
We met the youngest daughter and her family there. Here are the oldest two cutting pumpkin vines.
The middle one loved this little one.
And the oldest one loved this little one...
But the youngest one loved this one
When we got home I added them to some I already had bought previously.

Along the steps...
In the wheelbarrow
And the other wheelbarrow...I did make this wreath on my front door.
Other side of the porch.

Halloween

A few pics taken on Halloween. The 2-1/2 year old is a butterfly...note the teacher put it on her backwards....I can't imagine two people dressing 14 or so children who are 2 year old in their costumes...so it's understandable....in the schools Halloween Parade. Teachers and staff dress up too! The wings are suppose to be on the back. The 1-1/2 year old is the pumpkin.

Note the peanut pumpkin DD got it for me at the College Run Farm's Pumpkin Patch. It looks like it is covered with peanut shells. Next to the 2-1/2 year old.

Six week old frowning while napping in her carrier. She's dressed in a fleece pumpkin p.j.'s.

1-1/2 playing ball with some cousins.

2-1/2 year old sampling some treats Auntie brought by for her.

The slowest Halloween in years last night. Really disappointing. The grandbabies came. As did one of their cousins. Then some children, about four, I didn't know all dressed up adorable with parents walking with them down the street. We have a curfew so it stops at eight. About ten after a group of five young-men friends with the grandsons came by so I let them LOAD UP...less to temp me. I always give out full size candy bars and usually have a lot of repeat customers from previous years. Some parents are bringing their children, who tricked or treated here when they were kids.

A lot of grouches out there this year...all the trick or treaters said along with DSIL who took his brother's children with his around last night said only three out of 12 -14 houses were participating on the streets in walking distance from where we live. I noticed it on our street. What irks me is a neighbor I love dearly....she always gave out candy when her grandchild was of age but now she turns her lights out and pretends not to be home. Two houses the widowed men living there are getting close to 90 or there already and VERY FEEBLE...don't expect them to but healthy active people come on now!!! I feel if my kids or grand kids ever participated or heck myself as a kid then it's payback time folks. One thing if it's busy and you run out then OK....but it's SLOW in this area as it is...One bag of candy will take care of it.

Now some asked for updates on Miss Daisy...she still has the UTI a year later. After two different medications one she couldn't take because of reaction she had to it. Apparently it's a chronic condition she has learned to live with the best she can. BUT it can cause kidney damage and her lab work is normal but low normal. So we are on a new to us medication. Bad news is it can cause blindness that isn't reversible. But it appears of on a lower dosage it doesn't happen. She's on the lowest dosage once a day for a month. Call in two weeks to talk to doctor. Take her back in a month for a repeat of the lab work.

I love craft shows. One of my favorites has always been Plantation Christmas at Chippokes Plantation in Surry. DH, DD, 3 DGDs and I went to it today. I have never been so disappointed. First time in my life I did not make a purchase...well I did have an apple dumpling to eat and bought some food for the others with me. In past years a lady from PA had been there with her gorgeous baskets. I always left with one or two huge ones. Another lady always there with items made from damaged quilts...pillows, dolls, etc. Always bought some pillows or Santas or Snowmen...she wasn't there. Only saw one snowman head with a carrot nose sticking way out that I thought about purchasing, didn't see a price tag but a candy corn looking pillow was rather over priced so I didn't bother to find out the price for the snowman's head. One both of some quilt throws and quilt totebags. I did love those but something I can make. DH said he thinks he'll take that show off our list of those we attend. Normally we go of Friday but because of the Parade we decided to go today. We actually thought more would be there today...not busy at all.

Well, the Richmond Christmas Show at the Showplace is next weekend and then the first of December is the MECCA Bizarre Bazaar. . . my favorite along with the Newport News Fall Festival. Also heard the people who used to do the William and Mary Christmas show are having one soon at a motel in Williamsburg...or someone doing one with a lot of those old vendors. That was a small show but wonderful items.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Y'ALL ! ! !

Isn't this picture precious?

I love these old postcard looking pictures for various holidays. I have a few seasonal/holiday type postcards that were sent to my grandfather and my great-aunt / his sister.

MIA

I have been MIA lately. I have done some machine embroidery for my DD. She bought some place mats for Christmas from the Dollar Tree Store. A red plaid with a touch of green and metallic gold. She is into monograms big time and asked me to put a green "G" in the center of them. She sent me this picture of one of them.

My computer is not feeling well...had been planing all week to take it in to the computer doctor as still under warranty. DSIL did help it but told me I may have to take it in.....It was doing better then got worse and tonight it seems like it's a LOT better. I didn't get it in as DD had dentist appointment so we had the three baby girls that morning. Another morning we took the three baby girls down to see their great-grandparents/DH's parents for a visit. Then took them to their favorite place Gus' Hotdog King for lunch. For a 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 year old they can pack away those hotdogs and french fries. This has become a weekly tradition for us. That morning DD had her six week checkup from having baby girl number three.

Today we had the girls all day as DD is sick and went to family doctor. We had a bunch of errands to run and took the three girls with us. Then I went to have my hair cut and DH kept the three babies.

Well, as soon as I say I think computer is healed it has started flashing and dimming again..........maybe next week I'll get it to doctor.

Tomorrow is the Halloween Parade at the Pre-school DGD 2-1/2 year old attends on Friday's mornings. Hope to get some pictures of that to post. We had been planning to attend Plantation Christmas Friday over in Surrey at Chippoakes Plantation.....can't miss the big parade so we'll be going Saturday and hopefully DD will be feeling better and can enjoy it.

Tomorrow morning I MUST carve one of my pumpkins and hang it up for the trick-or-treaters. At least before dusk!!! Also grass-cutting day....normally that starts around 8 but suppose to be chilly, and with the Parade, will do it when we get home around noon.

As I said in previous posting I've learned of a new line in my genealogy. It led me to purchase two genealogy books. I've been reading one of those and entering the info on my family tree. I am so excited as it is a wonderful line with lots of history.

Halloween Apron Swap

I just joined my first swap! I feel so blog literate! That's saying something for someone as computer illiterate as I am.

If you love Halloween and if you love aprons you may want to check out this blog and join up for the Halloween Apron Swap too!

Hey, I added a link and it actually worked! I am so proud of myself!

Fabric, Patterns, Baseball, Halloween

Well, we don't have a game to attend tonight. Grandson and another player collided during game Saturday evening. Have not heard who had called for the ball. Or whose ball it was to catch according to where was hit and what position they were playing. At first they afraid grandson had broken his ankle but ER said it was sprained. They put his ankle in an air-cast. Sees an orthopedist this week. His dad took him to dad's sister's pool and worked on it Sunday. Afterwards his mom said he was walking better and looked better too. She said he would wear uniform jersey and sit on bench supporting the team tonight but he called and said he wasn't going. At any rate with the EXTREME HEAT we're not attending. Going to stay home in the AC and ceiling fan and keep as cool as possible.

Over the weekend I ordered on-line some fabrics and patterns. One arrived today from the Fat Quarter Shop. I ordered Sunshine & Sunflowers Quilt of the Month Book Design Originals, and Ho Ho Ho Pattern by Pearl Louise Designs. The Ho Ho Ho pattern I thought would be cute to make up for Christmas either for myself or one of the daughters. I love sunflowers and so does youngest daughter. I'm sure I'll find plenty in it to do up for either of us.

Fabric wise I bought a variety of pieces that tugged on my heartstrings. Daydreams Peony Paisley, Fanciful Felines Blue All Over Cats, Fanciful Felines Purple Cute Cats, Fanciful Felines Aqua All Over Cats, Fanciful Felines Pastel Panel, Fanciful Felines Pink Cute Cats, Marcus Brothers Blue Christmas Magic, and Farmers Market Pineapples.

Some of the fabric I have no idea what I'll do with it but I KNEW I must have them for my stash.
The Fanciful Felines line I have an idea I'll use them to make something for my cousin's daughter. She'll be the big 40 this August. Since her mom died she and I exchange birthday gifts. She loves cats and Halloween. I've been wanting to do something either quilted or a tote or purse for her. I'm thinking a cat purse/tote-bag for her birthday day. And maybe something Halloween theme in October. Maybe a table runner or wall hanging. She like her mom goes all out for Halloween. Her mom, my first cousin died three years ago. When her mom was alive she would dress up and go to this daughter's home and help her with giving out candy and treats. Now, this isn't answering the door and a candy bar, etc. This is a yard all decorated, front porch decorated. They dress up. Inside decorated too. She serves punch, homemade treats (cakes, cookies, cupcakes, fudge, deviled eggs, sandwiches), purchased candies, cookies, etc. It's a big Fall Festival for their friends, friend, relatives, and neighbors. I sure wish I lived close enough to attend.

I ordered some baseball fabric from Fabric.com. I've been collecting baseball theme fabric to do a quilt at least throw size for my husband.