My Fall Mantle

Fall is my favorite time of year! I have said this many, many times. I love the colors, the smells and the sounds. I love leaves scattered on the sidewalk...and blowing in the wind.
I love fall!
Today I am showing my fall mantle. I usually have decorations up inside and outside by this time. I just haven't had time yet! I thought once I was a SAHM I would time to decorate and do those fun things....but I am busier now than when I worked!!

On with the mantle....
A view from the left side......

And a view from the right side....

I love the design on these candle holders. They stay up year round!

Nothing says fall like pumpkins and pine cones!!!

I thought it would be a fun twist to put pine cones in my favorite fall mosaic hurricane.

This was the center of my fall mantle decoration last year. This year it's just an accent.

This clock also stays up year round!

I love these neutral colors. It matches the rest of the decor in my living room.

We bought this seashell on our trip Galveston. I wasn't sure if it would fit well with my fall mantle but I think it does just fine.

I placed the coral candle near the seashell to help it blend in.My painting also stays up year round. My husband brought his home one night, along with several other paintings. I absolutely love this painting!

Thanks for visiting my fall mantle. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave them. I can use any decorating tips or ideas you've got. This weekend I plan to work on my front yard decorations. I can't believe it's that time of year all ready!!

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You can also enter my giveaway here. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the giveaway page. The giveaway winner will be announces Saturday!

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I am linking this post to two of my favorite bloggers....

The Nesting Place's Mantle Party (Fantle Party)

and

Hooked on Houses' Show Us How You Decorate

~~~Both pages are such great sources of inspiration and beautiful decorating ideas!!~~~

Rednesday - Russian Tray

It's Rednesday hosted by Sue at It's A Very Cherry World!

First up I would like to show you the roses I cut from my rose garden. This is the first time I ever cut roses besides cutting for dead-heading and I felt soooo bad! But... I have immensely enjoyed having fresh roses in my kitchen! And they smell so good!!!

Next up I am showing you a Russian tray I bought on eBay many, many years ago. The sign depicts Ivan and the firebird.

The tray is all handpainted and the attention to detail is amazing!!

I love the red accents on the firebird!

This particular painting style is called Palekh.

This tray is one of my favorites. I do not have it hanging right now because I can't find a good spot for it. My kitchen in this house is not that big so ALOT of things are now in storage.

The house we lived in previously was around 3000 sq. ft. This house is right at 1500. We really downsized...but we moved to a much better neighborhood so it was worth it. When we first moved in our rent payment was actually $50 more than what we paid for the large house. Now that we bought the home the mortage payment is a little more than half of our rent payment. But the kitchen in the first house was honestly the size of my living room now....hence, the reason I have so many kitchen decorations and no where to put them. But it's ok. I love my little home. It is "us." And we've added wooden floors, wooden blinds, painted...we've put our touch on it. It's crazy to think we've lived here almost 6 years already!

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And don't forget to enter my giveaway! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on the giveaway page and an email address to contact you if you don't have a blog!! The winner will be chosen Saturday!

Spirit Halloween..Oh Yeah!!

Every year the girls and I set out to find the best Halloween Superstore, Spirit Halloween or Halloween Express. We've all ready been through three so far and they have all been a disappointment. We like the stores that have scenes set up to draw you in and scare you.
We found it Sunday at the Spirit Halloween nearest our house.
As soon as you walk in these greet you....

Lena and I joked with CC that these are her future children!

I don't remember what this store was previously. But apparently it has a very pretty fountain and it was decorated up really spooky!

These Siamese twins were placed in a corner. They are animated but we couldn't get them to do anything.

He scared us pretty good...

Eyes not glowing....

And glowing....

This was a back section of the store.

CC's rats look nothing like these two. I don't think I could have brought them home if they did!

And Lena wanted this mug so bad. I think we are going to have to make a trip back tomorrow!

This little guy changed colors. I thought he would be so fun to hang from a tree or balcony.

Lena was to scared to even come in this section. She stayed behind!When you walked past him, he thumped real loud, fell down and then his head would turn completely around and his eyes glowed red!

This girl's eyes would light up red and she would shake real hard. All she needed to do was have a wicked little laugh and I would have run out of there myself!

And against the back wall was this....

And him...my true life nightmare.

And Freddy... He doesn't scare me the way Michael does. Oh, Michael Myers does something terrible to me. I don't know what it is. I know he's not real but my skin crawls every time I hear his theme music. Ugh!

This guy made me want to go rent Silver Bullet somewhere.

This ugly thing was just disturbing!

My pretties among all this scary stuff.
They also had normal decorations. Lol! I loved these faux candles!

More of the fountain on the way out.
So we enjoyed this store. For Lena visiting this store is the equivalent of going to a "haunted house." CC is so excited for us to visit the one house we go to every year since she was 9. I am just not really into it anymore. I can't tell her that. Last year I practically went just to please her. I don't know. I only get scared of Michael. But I've learned recently that as they grow we have to grow too. And if we want to stay central in their lives we have to change our likes and wants to suit their likes and wants. They want to go to a haunted house? We go to a haunted house. They want to go to the Petstore to play with a dog we will never be able to afford. I take them to play. All too soon even those things will no longer interest them and I will miss that. I miss reading books to them and dressing them up in dresses and big huge bows. I know that in order to keep doors open and a strong bond I have to take interest in what they like and I have to make myself REALLY enjoy it. I don't want them to feel that I am only half-heartedly approaching something that is important to them. Then they won't want to even do that with me and they will eventually stop asking me to do things with them altogether. I can't let that happen. So....I will be taking Lena tomorrow to look at another dog that is as much as a very nice car payment....and I will be taking CC to trade in the mean new rat she bought and smile as we pick out a new one together!