Chocolate and Flowers for November

     Did you eat chocolate today for Halloween? I did - fudge and one mini chocolate cupcake with sprinkles on top. I even dressed up as a spider web with that type of cotton web you see in the stores, either white or green. I wore the white, and I clipped little black and orange plastic spiders all in my hair.
     Today has been a fun day - one of those kind of days when good things happen and you hear good news. Isn't it wonderful to have those kind of days? You know the type. You pray for needs, desires, and they happen. Yes, that kind of day. Now I feel excited that tomorrow is November, though I do feel the year is ticking away mighty quickly.
     When I was watering my flower beds this evening, I felt an urge to plant new flowers. But again, tomorrow is November. Winter is around the bend, and I wondered what kind of perennials could I possibly plant that will bloom now and make it through the winter. After a bit of searching, I found the prettiest perennial that will make you want to eat chocolate. Have you ever seen, or planted, a plant that gives a chocolate aroma? Here are two examples of what they look like:

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/berlyrata.htm

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/berlyrata.htm

What are your favorite autumn plants and flowers that you use to beautify your cottage and yard? 
Some of my prettiest flowers blooming right now are these beautiful Marigolds:

Marigolds in My Tomato Garden

Marigolds in My Tomato Garden

I'm linking to Simply Designing.

Pink Pumpkin and Coffee Shop Decor

A friend of mine orders her coffee from The Coffee Klatch, a fun place for family and friends to gather on a Friday evening in Southern California. I stopped in to check out the coffee beans, saw a yummy-delicious photo of a pumpkin pie brownie on the door, and ended up ordering the pecan bar. The coffee bar attendant explained that the picture shouldn't have gone up yet on the door because those particular brownies haven't come in yet. That's how I ended up with the pecan bar. After I paid for it I noticed the cutest little pink pumpkin on the glass counter. This coffee shop has mostly oranges, reds, and browns for decor, but on the counter they have the pink pumpkins, pink sparkly decorations...
the cutest cup with a pink handle:

Hario V60 Glass Dripper

Just a note about the pink coffee cup - it's a coffee dripper! It's the neatest thing I've ever seen. You can grind your coffee beans, then put this cup/glass dripper over your coffee cup, insert a small coffee filter, put the coffee in the filter, and pour your hot water in and let it drip - for only $25.05. Contact The Coffee Klatch to order (see the link above).

...and then there's this very fascinating pink art chair:


What a fun place for an outing with my hubby on this evening! The building is a renovated old winery. Notice the grapevine entrance in the following You Tube video:

I hope you've enjoyed your old winery/coffee shop tour, and now join me as I link to the fun Pink Saturday by sweet Ms. Beverly.

Mini Pumpkins for Food Day

Today people in our country celebrated Food Day with the goal to eat more healthy. I went to the grocery store, and the first thing that I saw was a display with an enormous amount of not-so-healthy food - candy for Halloween. But on the opposite side of the candy were several bins with various sizes of pumpkins. So, I bought a couple, one little white one and one little orange one.

Mini Pumpkins for Food Day

Then I made my way over to the pet aisle to purchase "healthy" dog food for my elderly Shih Tzu and cat food (I assume it's healthy) for my mama cat and her two growing kittens. When I arrived home, I just had to go check on my square foot garden. The squash plants are really big, and right now the squash are itty bitty yellow ones - several of them. It seems like my eggplant plant grew big all of a sudden. I didn't think it was going to pull through the hot summer, but it looks like we might see some pretty eggplants soon. A square foot garden is a little work when you're starting it, but it is well worth the organically grown fresh vegetables.
I'm linking to Home Sweet Home Party

Pink Halloween and October Decor

Pink has been a favorite for Halloween and fall decorating in October for the last few years. Check out these images from 2007 up to 2011...

beginning with pink flamingos in 2007:

http://www.squidoo.com/skeleton-flamingos

...and spiders in 2008:

http://www.pinkfrosting.com.au/shop/item/spider-frenzy-massive-ceiling-decorations-36m

...pink decor in 2009:

http://www.casasugar.com/Fall-Style-Chic-Pink-Orange-Halloween-Dcor-5350409

...pumpkin and pink flowers in 2010:

http://blog.alesyabags.com/tag/halloween-decor/

 ...AND FOR 2011 BREAST CANCER AWARENESS...
http://www.casasugar.com/Pink-Swan-Project-2011-19048602









I hope you've been inspired by the display of pink decor from 2007-2011.
Join me over at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday.

Vintage and Unique Canisters

Clamp lid canisters like my glass jar canister set are nice for kitchen use. I love to use vintage canisters of all sizes, metal, glass, and anything unique. They make practical, yet fun storage bins...like these rustic ones:

Source: napastyle.com via Dori on Pinterest

Source: relique.com via Rick on Pinterest

...and small ones...

Source: etsy.com via Joni on Pinterest

...and don't you love these for fall decor?

Source: thefarmchicks.typepad.com via Kristine on Pinterest

and these white and black beauties...

Source: zgallerie.com via Ayleen on Pinterest

and bean fun decor...

Source: mushkiloves.blogspot.com via Crystal on Pinterest

What type of canisters do you use in your decor -rustic, vintage, new, colors, black, or white?

Glass Canisters

What makes a person become a collector of an item like canisters for instance? One day I was walking the aisles of a favorite antique shop full of a variety of vendors' shops. The realization hit me that I like canisters, especially the jar-like kind with the tight-fit clamp closures. I spotted a set that day that piqued my interest, and I made a note to check on it the next time I visited the antique store. But before I left from that particular visit, I paid attention to every canister with the clamp closures. There were a few of them. It seemed then that I kind of like these type of canisters. In fact, I like them a lot. My mind imagined some fun ways to use and display them in my home. It's possible I could become a collector of unique tight-fit clamp closure styled canisters.
A few days ago I went back to that antique shop, and guess what. The canister set, the one I spotted that piqued my interest, was still there! Let me tell you something about this antique store. If you see something you like, you'd better grab it because items don't linger there too long. I know because I've gone back to buy items that someone had already purchased. The prices are great, the quality is excellent, and the shop is visited by many other vintage and antique shoppers. So I grabbed that canister set without a second thought on this visit. Here it is:

the glass canister set I spotted at the antique shop

It's mine now:)

Does anyone else love to collect unique canisters? See my next article on more canisters.
I'm linking to these fun parties this week:

• Twice Owned Tuesday Party 
• Wow Us Wednesdays

Fall Fruit Decor Tour Part Two

You are entering Part Two of my Fall Fruit Decor Photo Tour of my recent stroll through Carriage House Antiques. What did you like about Fall Fruit Decor Tour Part One? I love the fourth photo, the one with the Pumpkin Beauty. They're all pretty as the following ones are.
Okay, let's begin Part Two of the virtual photo tour:

Pretty Fall Colors for Thanksgiving

Gorgeous dishes with purple and green grapes on the side!

A Festive Country Look

Elegant Window Display

Fun Red and White

Makes Me Want to Go Shopping at a Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard

A Fruit Variety for the Fall

A Wagon Load of Fruit

But for now let's get the pumpkins out - it's Halloween time!

Thank you for strolling along with me on the Fall Fruit Decor Tour!

Happy Pumpkin Decorating and Eating!

I'm linking to the following parties:

•  Comment Love Day

Fall Fruit Decor for the Holidays

Take a virtual tour with me on my stroll at Carriage House Antiques and see the latest fall fruit decor in time for holiday planning. You'll notice a touch of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas along the stroll. It's a time to plan for special family and holiday occasions, and Carriage House Antiques provides a large array of vintage and antique items to choose from throughout the vendors' shops. Enjoy the stroll.

Fall Fruit Decor Part One:

Gorgeous Pink and Green Fringe with Lovely Pink and Purple Berries

A Touch of Purple

Who Can Resist Red and Purple Grapes?

Look at this Pumpkin Beauty

Fruit with Roosters

Love this Basket and Frosty Berry Look

Fruit of the Wood

Royal Festive Colors

A Touch of Red, Orange, and Brown for Halloween and Thanksgiving

Oh Yum It's Time for Pumpkin Pie!

If you've enjoyed Part One of this stroll, don't miss Part Two with more beauties to see.
I'm linking to:

• Monday Mingle

Pink Desert Rose Franciscan Ware

Pink Franciscan Desert Rose dishes

Source: macys.com via Dawn on Pinterest

drew my attention as a young bride-to-be, and my favorite piece is the crescent shaped salad dish. That was in the 70's when my mother saved Big Bonus Stamps and Green Stamps. I think it was the Big Bonus stamp books that you could collect Desert Rose Franciscan Ware from. If you know which one - Big Bonus or Green Stamps, let me know. I listed the Desert Rose dishes at Nacol Jewelers in my city for the bridal registry and was fortunate to receive several place settings as gifts. The Desert Rose gifts and the settings my mother purchased for me with her stamps amounted to several settings, and I was delighted. I've used them through the years until my husband and youngest daughter and I began our RV lifestyle. The sad thing is that my set is now stored in an attic due to the RV lifestyle for many years. My mother knew I couldn't carry my Desert Rose dishes in the RV so for helping her at our annual family Christmas party she always hosted, she gave me a four-place setting of cups, saucers, and bowls to take along. I have cherished that special set and have enjoyed using it to serve on special occasions. My plan is, hopefully sooner than later, to get the dishes out of my parents' attic on one of my trips to their country home. I want to enjoy them and not save them only for special occasions. Desert Rose Franciscan dishes are beautiful on display, but they are more enjoyable when used.

Desert Rose collectors appreciate the Franciscan dishes that were made in California because of their mold and color details. The California version of these Franciscan dishes are more superior to the more current versions. Since the Franciscan Ceramics division in Los Angeles was closed in 1984, "Made in USA" Franciscan Ware is now a collectible. Franciscan Ware is now being produced in England, and the only hand-painted patterns not discontinued are the Apple, Desert Rose, and Fresh Fruit. They are all beautiful, but my favorite is the Desert Rose.
Join me at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday.

Pillow Decor for Rustic Cabins and Cottages

During this time of the year I love the weather changes and colors. The fall season brings crisp mornings and a blend of brown, orange, yellow, and red colors. It's nice to add a touch of the fall colors inside. A simple way without spending much money is by changing your pillows. They come as simple or fancy as you could want and can fit into any budget. You can find about any style or shape you want - round, square, triangle, letters, burlap, or whatever you like.

Multi-colored pillows brighten a room like this rustic setting...

Source: oraclefox.blogspot.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

brown and cream,,,

Source: greigedesign.blogspot.com via Six on Pinterest

the natural look with letters...

Source: imperfectlypolished.com via MariAna on Pinterest

and I love the blue hues in this pretty rustic setting...

Source: junkmarketstyle.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

Pillows are easy to make if you are into crafts. Through the years I've enjoyed making my own. One of my favorite stores with different styles of pillows is Pier 1 Imports, and they often have them marked down.
Last but not least...I just love this wagon with all the pillows...

Source: thefoundblog.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Happy Rustic Pillow Decorating!

Southwest Cottage Nature Living

The interesting part of cottage living in the Southwest is the surrounding nature. For instance, I'm amazed at how easily a cactus can break yet quickly show new growth. Awhile back I found a bird's nest in my cacti garden. I never did see any birdie babies. The weight of the nest loaded the branch down so much that the branch fell. Not many days after new growth began where the branch had broken off from. I wish some of my other garden plants would grow so easily and without any water like this one does. Occasionally, I get my gloves on and grab the garden clippers and cut the weeds out of the cacti garden. Lately, however, I've let the little garden take on the wild appearance of its normal Southwestern arid nature. That's the beauty of it - though I really do need to clean it up a bit and remove the fallen branch.

Fallen Cactus

New Growth

Outside my fixer upper cottage this morning I found this black feather:

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: 

his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Psalm 91:4

KJV

Later in the morning I was reading my Bible and read Psalm 91: 4 about how God will cover us with his feathers. After I read the verse I wondered if the wind had already blown away the feather. I took my camera and went to find it. The feather was still there in the same spot I'd first seen it. A single feather, a reminder of how God takes care of us.
If you've visited my blog much, you've learned that I blog about cottage life. That can include decorating my cottage fixer upper (some day, hopefully, we will finally have it "fixed up") and enjoying the nature that surrounds my cottage like:

• My pet dog
• The stray mama cat that's already had three litters
• Kittens
• Gardening
• Tomato Garden
• Roses
• Flowers
• Cacti

Pet lovers, I'm having a funny pet story contest if you'd like to join. The winner will receive a pet toy for her pet. I would love to hear your funny stories about your pets. Let your pet loving friends know about the contest.

Spooky Office Supplies

Three items are always found in a home or day-job office. Folders, paper, and paper clips. I have an at-home and a day-job office. At the day-job office one day I found a Spooky picture in my office.The Spooky picture shown below is perfect for Halloween, too. I've added my own pink touch with the HAPPY PINK SATURDAY, the pink smiley face, the pink Post-It, and the pink paper clip. Funny how tiny items like a pink paper clip can make one happy, but I just love those plastic kind of paper clips - especially the pink ones. Beginning at the early ages of only three or four, it was a treat when my dad would give me a stack of junk mail to play with. Playing office or schoolteacher were two of my fun ways to enjoy my early childhood. Now I wish I could snap my finger and watch all the junk mail disappear - and the bills, too. Wouldn't that be a nice trick or treat!

My Favorite Folder

My Spooky Picture

The little story behind the Spooky picture is this: a coworker that is always funny and loves to make people laugh lacks a certain peripheral vision. Sometimes I'll bring a document to him, and he doesn't hear me walk in. Nor does he see me. When I speak, he'll jump. It's always so funny. So that's how I acquired the Spooky picture - and now nickname.

I'm linking to Pink Saturday to share my Spooky picture!
HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!

If you have pets at your cottage, you're invited to join the cottage funny stories pet contest at this blog.