Grim Grinning Ghosts

I just had to add this today for Halloween. I LOVE these guys from The Haunted Mansion! Whether you are lucky enough to be at Disneyland tonight, or just out and about - watch out for witches and goblins and Grim Grinning Ghosts!

Happy Halloween from 1949 & The 1950's

Thought I'd share some vintage Halloween snapshots. The first two are from 1949. That's my brother-in-law in the skeleton costume, and the picture on the right is a kindergarten group:
These next two are from 1955,(left), and 1953 (right). That's my husband and his older brother. Some of the masks were still here in the house, and I use them when I decorate!
And, then the brothers again on the left, in 1954 (he really liked being an Indian, I guess, since that's what he was two years in a row!), and some friends are in the photo on the right from 1950.
Hope you enjoyed seeing these old costumes from back then!
Here's wishing you a Happy and Spooky Halloween!

Disney Halloween

A giant Mickey Mouse Jack-O-Lantern at Disneyland last October:
They really decorate the parks for Halloween! This one was taken from the train station looking back out at the front entrance turnstiles:
I really enjoy watching The Nightmare Before Christmas on Halloween , if I possibly can. And I also love the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay at Disneyland with Jack Skellington and all the other characters. We got the new Blu-Ray version of this film, and I cannot believe how fabulous it looks! The difference is astonishing - the colors seem to have a luminescent quality. We were watching it on our computer with the VHS version playing on the TV at the same time to compare the two. Amazing.
I found this record album in a thrift shop - so I added it as a backdrop among my Halloween decorations.
And I had found this one at another thrift store last year:
Disney and Halloween - a delightful combination!

A Great Day

Along with (and because of) my sisters, I had a wonderful day on my birthday! My first choice and our first stop was here:
Yep, finally made it to the Anthropologie store at The Fountains in Roseville. I LOVED it. I could have spent a LOT of money in that store.
Wasn't really quite sure whether they'd mind me taking pictures, but I did get this colorful shot:
We also visited the Vera Bradley shop. What a lovely place. The ladies who worked there were delightful. They even gave us water bottles with VB patterned labels on them! Now, I have to see whether I can save up for the bag I'd like to buy. That is, if I can decide which pattern I like best!
We also made it to a few other favorite stores: Sur La Table, Crate And Barrel, and at The Galleria: Williams Sonoma, Harry & David, The Disney Store, etc. We didn't have time to go everywhere -but we really enjoyed our shopping! By the time I came home the next day, between birthday gifts and birthday money, Roseville shopping and my thrift stops on the way home, I had some pretty great stuff!
My sisters gave me the hankies, embroidered swan towel, vintage swan decal border, swan earrings, and two ceramic Dutch shoes above for my collection. I found the bird planter at a thrift shop, and the farm animals book, buttons, and a vintage box of Anagrams with embossed wooden letter tiles inside. And below, the mini latte bowls are from Anthropologie, and the floral frame and a great orange and black Made In India tablecloth (half price!) were from one thrift shop, and the bright painted floral "things" from another:
And (below) this vintage Christmas tin was literally tucked under a shelf on the floor at another shop. I was glad I found it. And there are two more of my mini latte bowls - I bought every color. I already have 12 of the large size (from the catalog). On my way home, I also found the flower loom, floral fabric remnant, ribbon (because I like the little Santa), and four pretty green plaid napkins.
Oh - and I did manage to get a single piece of "birthday" cake, too - and it was yummy. Thank you to my sisters for giving me a wonderful birthday!

Pumpkins From Better Homes And Gardens

First up: Painted pumpkins from Better Homes And Gardens Magazine, circa 1961:
A simple and pretty centerpiece from 2004 - nestle a pumpkin into the center of a wreath of leaves:
From 2005, Pumpkin Nog -looks pretty, and sounds kind of good:
How cute is this? From 2006, a centerpiece with a kitty at the pumpkin farm:
This one is from last year - make a stencil for your pumpkin from a paper doily - so pretty!
And from their 2008 October issue - I LOVE this idea! Polka-dotted pumpkins!
I've been a subscriber to this magazine for 30 years or more, and you can always count on them for delicious and easy recipes, and for great gardening and decorating ideas. Just another of my favorite magazines.

Halloween Cats II

As promised on August 22nd , I saved a page of my cat calendar to show you this month - so darned cute!
I love to save the pages from Cynthia Hart's Victoriana Calendars for use in decorating, or for collages:
Another great Victoriana Calendar page with lots of cats, and a couple of kitty cookie cutters:
This background was an auto dealership mailing envelope - black and orange - I had to save it for Halloween! Thought I might use it in a scrapbook or something. The scary cat air freshener is from my friend Heidi:
And my favorite Halloween cat! My precious Dizzy, on "His" favorite stool by "His" favorite window, asleep on "His" Halloween table:
I love my sweet kitty SO much!

My Favorite Framed Prints #19

These two framed prints that I'm sharing today are pages from old children's books.
I decided that I needed to display them with my Halloween decorations.
Two different and wonderful depictions of Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater. I'd rather have pumpkin pie, myself.

A Very Mary Halloween

I have been a huge Mary Engelbreit fan ever since the first time I bought one of her cards in a gift shop. Naturally, I subscribed to her magazine at the very beginning, and I've saved every issue starting with the Premier Issue, shown below. Looks like mom and Junior are ready to roll with their Jack-O-Lantern-to-be from the pumpkin patch:

Pictured below is the Oct/Nov 2001 issue. I must admit that I liked it better when her artwork graced every cover, but it's all right, I still love it and look forward to every new issue with glee. (Glee - yes, that's right.) This year's calendar has another great "witch" with a big, fabulous hat on the October page. I love Mary's witches!
When October comes, I enjoy using my magnetic paper dolls to decorate with. I just put them on my black floral trays, and prop them up somewhere. I think Ann Estelle just pulled that rabbit out of her magician's hat, and Michael is ready for blast-off in his astronaut costume!
Sophie is all ready for the Masquerade Ball, and Ann Estelle has been out trick or treating already in her adorable (not scary) witch costume!
Mary's greeting cards are so cute. The one on the left was given to my husband and me in 1995 by my mom- she knew what I liked!
I also buy a Mary Engelbreit calendar every year, and save the pages to use in decorating and/or crafting. My sister took the calendar page one year and made it into an envelope for my birthday card! I loved it so much, I saved it - of course!
May your Halloween be very Mary!

Gone With The Wind

If I remember correctly, I first saw this wonderful film when I was in high school, during one of the re-releases to the theaters. It truly is spectacular, and I've loved it ever since.
I saw this book for sale at an antiques show over 30 years ago for $25. I couldn't afford it then. Now I have two. It has color pictures inside from the film.
This little paperback cook-booklet was a promotional item from Pebeco toothpaste, I believe from the same year the movie came out (1939):
And in 1991, Turner Entertainment Co. put out this facsimile edition in hardcover - had to have that, too:
Years ago, I was a member of the Movie Book Club - I purchased a lot of books from that club! Including this one by Gavin Lambert about the making of the film -just something else to fuel my fascination with one of the greatest movies ever made.

It's My Birthday

My sister gave me this adorable little birthday girl a few years ago. So close - the little rhinestone marker missed the day by just one! I call her my Birthday "Eve" girl - get it?
I still want to have a birthday cake - I miss birthday cake, okay? I mean - look how excited I was with my birthday cake at 2! I STILL love cake - I love sweets WAY too much, in fact.
I really do still feel like I never really did quite grow up. That can be good or bad depending on how you look at it, I suppose. But it's true. I found this card a while back. I liked it so much that I can't bear to give it away to anybody. This is the front of the card:And here is what it says on the inside:
Enough said. I'm off to play....

(Card by Laughing Elephant, Seattle)

Then And Now #17 Minute Rice

First up, a Minute Rice advertisement from 1957:
And another from 1963 with a recipe for leftover turkey:
This 80 page recipe book is dated 1965:
And the "Now" - as it looks today:
And , of course, it's available in brown, too.
And, most recently, they jumped on the ready-to-serve bandwagon to offer this, as well:
There are a lot of other quick rice options available these days, but Minute Rice was always in our house when we were growing up - and I still use it today.

Happy Birthday to Annette!

I'm sure you will all join me in wishing the happiest of birthdays to the beautiful Annette Funicello! Everybody loves you, Annette!
(The picture shows the cover of the boxed set of two CD's I bought awhile back at The Disney Store. I LOVE them - I never tire of listening to her lovely voice - especially all of the songs from "Babes In Toyland", and "How Will I Know My Love", and "Mr. Piano Man"!)

Witches (Goblins, And A Ghost)

I'm starting off with this page from one of my all-time favorite books "Chicken Soup With Rice" from the Nutshell Library by the fabulous Maurice Sendak. I am obsessed with this book - I have been for YEARS. "Whoopy once, whoopy twice, whoopy chicken soup with rice!"
"Little Witch" is another book I've had for years; it's a cute little story:
I took this poor lady's picture and doctored it up- now she's a witch, too (sorry lady - I'm sure you were actually quite nice!):
Another witch - Madam Mim from Disney's "The Sword In The Stone", lovely in pink and purple:
The page above is from this book - another favorite and one from my Disney Little Golden Book collection:
Poor Donald Duck- doesn't he have enough troubles? In this book, she shows up next door to him!:
OK - this is really Mother Goose - but I'm sorry - the hat, the broom - fair game!:
And this is just some "old woman" but: hat + broom = witch,in my book!

"I told you once, I told you twice, all seasons of the year are nice for eating chicken soup with rice!"
That may be true - but fall and winter are best - don't you agree?