Teapot Pin

I love tea and anything associated with it...as you know.  This little pin was great fun to stitch.  Do you like the steam coming from the spout?  I'm really trying to think up some more tea related things to add to my shop since I know there are plenty of other tea lovers out there too.

Controlled Fear

I really do love the progression of fall.  The weather is cool.  Sleeping is comfortable.  The leaves are beautiful in their many stages of changing.  All of the fruits and veggies from the garden are in.  The vividness of pumpkins and crisp blue skies and the colorful trees is amazing.  I love Thanksgiving--a time set aside to thank God for His many blessings and usually to enjoy family. 

The one "dark" area of fall which I wish weren't a part of the beauty of harvest is Halloween--and I just can't stand Halloween.  There is absolutely nothing about the celebration that is good, pure, or right.  Everything that Halloween is and all that it represents is evil.  I cannot understand why people who say they love God at any level regard Halloween.  All that Halloween is and stands for is the total and direct opposite of God and the Bible.

 "...and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." John 3:19

It is a day dedicated to death, evil, and fear.  It is a day full of witches, devils, creepy things, and spirits.  People like that things are scary and even violent--but THEY control the fear, so it's okay.  If people were to really consider a gruesome death, someone horribly disfigured coming at them, a real witch, a real devil, some one coming at them ax in hand, a violent event, etc.--it wouldn't be so much fun (and, yes, witches, devils, spirits, and the like ARE real).  Halloween is where the fear factor is controlled--giddily laughing at horrible things--never thinking of the reality of the terrible things that actually DO exist.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

People make "cute" jack-o-lanterns and "sweet" witches.  I received a JC Penney portrait studio ad with an adorable child dressed up as a devil.  This isn't funny, cute, or sweet.  Making evil and wickedness "cute" and "sweet" is an oxymoron.  There is nothing good about these things and all are directly spoken against in the Bible.  So our children miss out on trick-or-treating...they miss out on selfishly holding open their bags to all of our neighbors to be given all the candy they can get.  There are plenty of other more important things in life for them to do.  I'm not even going to go on about the drunkenness that goes on, the excuses people have via Halloween to dress up provocatively (yes, I've seen very young girls dress up as prostitutes), and the very real evil events that DO go on on this day.  No, the Bible and God are for me every day and will not be put aside for Halloween.

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."  Ephesians 5:11

Thank you, Donna!

Donna from Brynwood Needleworks had a 800th post celebration and giveaway, and I was certainly delighted to be one of the winners.  I really enjoy Donna's blog--and her creations are just gorgeous.  Reading her life's journey is interesting, entertaining, and inspiring to say the least. 

The package arrived beautifully wrapped and contained such fun and pretty things.  I can't wait to work on those Mill Hill bead kits! 

I thought I was only getting one kit until she said she was sending two.  Hooray!  In all of this it was a delight to learn that Donna used to live in the Portage area years ago.  I knew she had Wisconsin connections, of course, from her blog, but to know that she used to live so close by was fascinating.  It IS a small world.  Thank you, Donna, for such a wonderful package and conversation about Wisconsin.

Glorious Morning Glories

Now that the arrival of snow is just around the corner, my morning glories have decided to take off!  I put a pretty trellis over our well pump (it is so ugly and sticks up quite a bit from the ground) and had images of pretty morning glories covering that trellis and hiding that pump from about the end of May on.  Well, that didn't happen...until now!  I've decided to enjoy them despite their late arrival, and they looked brilliant in the sunshine this morning.  Don't you think so?

Waxing Leaves

I remember waxing leaves in the fall as a child.  It was a way, I suppose, to help keep fall going a little longer by preserving the leaves in all their beauty to enjoy well after they have all been trodden underfoot (and even under the snow!).  Of course these days there are many ways to preserve leaves; however, I still like to wax them for fall decor.  It is inexpensive and fun--especially collecting those pretty leaves during a sunny autumn afternoon walk.  
I thought these leaves would be pretty around my Japanese teapot--the colors matched--besides there is nothing like having hot tea during a crisp, fall morning.  Mmmmm!  Several of these leaves will find their way down to Florida where we have a niece and nephew who are freshmen at college and would no doubt welcome a "care package" with a token from "up North" in it.  If you don't live where these pretty leaves abound, don't forget the tissue paper leaves the kids and I made a few years ago.  They are pretty for sure and easy to make.  If you would like to go to that post, you may HERE.  There are complete instructions on how to make "stained glass" leaves in the post.  Happy fall!

Glorious Fall Foliage

This was the view this morning outside our dining area windows.  The sun was rising on the opposite side of the house setting these trees ablaze with color. 

It was truly a sight to behold, and I thought you'd enjoy the view as well.  Happy day to you!

Visiting...visiting...

...this has been a busy past week or two.  My grandparents (my dad's parents) flew up to Wisconsin from Florida to visit us and my parents.  They have never been in my home in all the years since my husband and I have been married (over 21 years)...we have always gone and visited them.  So, it was a pretty special thing for them to come and see our home for the first time.  I cleaned and scrubbed (even the chandelier--wow, does it sparkle!) with the help of the kids and hubby when he could.  They came, and we were busy every day.  They do wonderfully for being 87 ad 84, and they/we were constantly on the go.  We went to the Mall of America in Minnesota (something they have always wanted to do) and did the entire mall.  They took several tours of the surrounding area.  Thankfully the trees are turning beautifully, and they got to see some beautiful foliage (something they miss and just don't see in Florida) with the rolling hills, fields, and farms of Wisconsin.  My grandmother went to the kids' violin lessons with us, and she, my mother, and I even did a flea market where I was able to get some pretty treasures (see above--I love the enamel button--it's a keeper!).  We had a wonderful time.  It was a good visit with plenty of talk and laughs.  What good memories were made for all!