Is It Time For Halloween Already???

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Near by my home is a fabulous nursery with a incredible gift store. For the holidays they are over the top in decorations, displays, beautiful plant arrangements and tablescapes.  It is so wonderful, tour buses bring bus loads to visit, particularly at Christmas.

So off I went with a couple of girlfriends today to attend the opening....thinking "Halloween is a couple of months away". But they start  every holiday early.  I noticed TJ MAX even had Halloween decorations out.  No matter this place sells out quickly...if you see it and like it, better get it asap.

Opening day was yesterday and already many things had SOLD signs...not little dinky things, lovely $500 things!!! 

Here are just a few quick pictures I took today

Yesterday was the first day of the Grand Opening, and from reading the local newspaper this morning it reported people were waiting for the nursery to open. I'm sorry I forgot to take pictures of the grounds outside as it is a full and beautiful nursery with grade A quality plants.  The creativity of the artist who work there always inspire me to come home and copy them to the best of my ability.  If I end up going again, I will take photos of the grounds as they are worth seeing.

After looking at these photos, I feel I need to take a few more as I have missed some of the really  out there items...and I would love for you to see them.  It's Halloween like you've never seen before.  Every year they try to top the last year.  Many years there are moving things like hands coming out, a very, very large spider coming down from the ceiling, fog and creepy music.

We had a fun day and now I'm actually looking forward to decorating  when October comes.

And then off to lunch we went...

It's still summer...thank goodness

But I'm in the mood for this meal.. I'm "making" bread....well... I do put the ingredients in the machine. Then I set the timer and when my nose tells me to check, it's bread..wa la
Love, love my bread maker, I've had it for quite a few years.  When the family comes for Sunday night dinners, the bread is gone in a flash. But they only want the basic white bread....no they say, don't try all the other flavors in the cookbook.  Just hand them the butter!!!

The bread will go well with this soup

And then this

will result in this, my favorite cookies and a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ah the best way to end a meal or a day, or even an afternoon respirte

Care to join me?

Hydrangeas

I love hydrangeas ...love, love love them.  I have many plants surrounding my yard.  The plants were fully loaded with blooms this summer.  I make sure I constantly cut them for the house and dead head them, as I believe it makes them bloom more, just like roses do. But they are already cutting back with their blooms....sad me

I am still holding out with hope that I will have many more bouquets for the house, as I always keep fresh flowers in the house...preferably from my own yard...   ok, maybe from the yard across the street~~  ya know the house that has been empty since January....and only a VERY few times...truly
(Besides, the original owner only planted hers after she saw how spectacular mine were every year.)

As the bouquets have dried, I have left them in the vases throughout the house.  I have fallen in love with the subtle colors. I normally throw them out and put fresh in every week....but

I gave a bouquet to my friend Linda, she had sent me pictures of hers as they slowly dried, so I decided I would try that too.  Now I also am loving the dried look.

My lovely eldest daughter found this old wooden box this summer while she was furthering her education near Sacramento. She then brought it home and stenciled our initials on it. Clever girl that she is. I love my Thank You gift  for taking care of granddaughters number 2 and 5.

As the hydrangeas have dried I've been putting them in the box .  I love the contrast  between the crispness of the flowers and the mellow old wood.

For now this is where the box shall reside....like most items in my home, not for long. I love to move and change out the decorations seasonally, and for the holidays . I'm liking it under the coffee table
for now.

I love to take jewelry classes

About a year  ago I joined Sharilyn Miller for a weekend class at her home in Idyllwild, CA
www.sharilynmiller.com

I took home many new metal smithing ideas. I started with these components ...

and here is the finished bracelet

This past week or so, I decided I needed a few new earrings in colors I didn't have

maybe, just maybe I got carried away....now I need to find a way to store them.

And here's the party girl

Here's her mom photo bombing

And lastly..here we all are in our party attire

Number 2 granddaughter

It's celebration time tonight.  No. 2 has decided for her 13th birthday family dinner to have Breakfast

for dinner.  Grandpa has left for the store to gather the ingredients....she has asked for pancakes, hash

brown potatoes, ham, scrambled eggs, and G is surprising her with fried apples, oh and toast.

Also requested was a ice cream cake for birthday singing and blowing out of candles.

The best part........we are all wearing our pajamas.  It's a smaller crowd tonight as her Uncle Reid and


 Aunt CoCo are in L.A for another birthday dinner.  So, we're 12 around the table.

Here she is getting her gift from Tutu  (me)  Lunch

and

She didn't even flinch,  nary a tear even. Brave girl, maybe its because she rides horses

and has experienced how far down the ground is......

Today..

While my niece Madi did her laundry I was busy too.  She has basketball practice at UCI for 6 weeks

before school starts, so she is spending the weekend with us. Doing homework and using the washing machine.

Here's what I started yesterday with a group of girlfriends.  We had an art day making paper beads.

and this is the almost finished product .  I think I will add some dangles.  It was easy and fast to make. 

a little hard to see on my pretty pink  mannequin "Rylen"

For the paper beads, cut paper one inch wide by 12 inches, roll up on a toothpick and glue the last little

 piece.  Coat with diamond glaze, let dry. Using about 4 inches of wire and make a lop at one end, load

 bead cap, spacer, colored bead and paper bead-finising with another loop to attach to the chain of your choice.

Traveling

One day I happened to check Stephanie Lee's blog and saw she was going to be teaching in Mexico.

After much searching and checking it all out I decided to go...well... it was full.  Much to my surprise

 the three artist ;  Stephanie Lee, Judy Wise and Katie Kendrick added another week.  I was able to join

the new group of ladies and have found myself taken care of by  the kind and comforting Rebecca

Brooks, the hostess.  She has taken many groups to San Miguel de Allende and has made me to feel

safe traveling to Mexico  with her detailed information and kindness answering any question that I may

have.  She has taken care of every little detail and I know that I am in good hands.

This is a picture of the town that I found on Rebecca's web site "recuerda mi corazon"

I had never heard of this town but as I have been telling everyone about my trip, many people have said

that they have been there and how beautiful it is and how much I will enjoy it. It is know as an artist

area, selling leather goods, copper ware and tinware.  Rebecca laughingly tells me to bring an extra

suitcase.

I am looking forward to "meeting' the fellow travelers via blogs, and social media...I feel very brave 

going by myself but know I will come home with many new friends.

busy summer

Oh how I love summer, seems I dread winter and cannot wait until the first signs of spring.

This has been another busy summer.  Babysitting grandchildren, hosting birthday dinners, traveling..

going on an Alaskan cruise with family and attending a wedding in Montana,

making art and jewelry with girlfriends, taking jewelry classes and celebrating our anniversary.

I always enjoy my beautiful peach tree and try to use the peaches before they fall and the squirrels  get

 them before I do.  See the little guy in the tree...well he likes peaches too.

This happens every year, the animals love the peaches as much as we do