What is Wednesday - Halloween

Halloween is the day before All Saints Day.  First started to mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, with its darker days.  

In Ireland and Scotland they used turnips to carve, but the immigrants to North American like the native pumpkin better for carving.  The first recorded carving the pumpkin started in 1837, but it was not until the mid 19th century that that it become associated with Halloween.  Thousand of vintage Halloween post cards shows children dressed up, but not going door to door trick or treating.

The first mass produced customs for Halloween where in the stores in the 1930's.  Beside ghost stores at parties there is apple bobbing, or eating donuts hung from string that had to be eaten with out the use of your hands.

Halloween foods include candy apples, candy corn, caramel apples, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, roasted pumpkins seeds and apple cider.  Enjoy your Halloween and make it a safe day for our kids..

Dirtroad Team With Valentine Fiber Art and Fine Old Things

I have been missing again, more health issue! With that said please take sometime to visit with two more shops from the Dirtroad Team.  The first is Donna from Valentine Fiber Art.  Donna makes a lot of different items with a portion of her profit going to the Calliope Rescue.  They are a group of volunteers who rescue and rehabilitate animals to be permanently placed with a family forever.  Donna crochets bags, totes, pincushions, facial scrubbies, and more.  Make sure you check out each item for the all would make some great stocking stuffers, while help a pet find a new home.





The next shop is Karen from Fine Old Things. Karen is always on the hunt for some new vintage treasures for her Etsy shop, and with 13 pages of vintage goodies you will finds something for yourself or for a gift. Bring back some great memories with the McDonald's glass mugs or some other wonderful memories. Many of her items could be added to Christmas stocking also.  Keep checking her shop for that missing item you have been looking for, or contact her for some help.

Artfire Daily Collection

One of my collections on Artfire made the daily collection!  Stop by and find some wonderful items.

Hot Cocoa

  Curated By: Basketsbyrose

ArtFire.com

Craft Tutorials

Artfire Collection

Apple Orchard

  Curated By: Basketsbyrose

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Big Give Away over at the Rusty Thimble

Stop over at the Rusty Thimble and enter to win a big give away.  Follow the link then follow the rules.

Good Luck!

http://therustythimble.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-winter-wonderland-giveaway.html

Dirt Road Team Contest Spirit of Autumn

Follow the link and vote for your favorite item from the Spirit of Autumn contest.  Make sure to leave your email address to be entered to win the Stoneware Mug from Montezuma Mudd Pottery.  Contest ends on October 6, 2012.

http://www.dirtroadart.com/contest.html

Have fun voting and may you be the lucky one to win!

Dirt Road Team - Melbecreations and PWOriginals

I'm back with two more wonderful shops from the Dirt Road Team on Etsy.  I was away welcoming home my son and daughter in law from Afghanistan.  The first shop is Melbecreations, come and meet Melissa the owner of this shop.  She comes from Minnesota, where she loves to photograph Mother Nature.  Once she has her pictures done she turns them into some amazing kaleidoscopes.  Each picture can make many different kaleidoscopes.  Melissa then turns these kaleidoscopes into prints for framing, note cards, sun catchers, ceramic titles and pendents.  Check out each one to see if you can find the animal or flower that made up each one.  Melissa is also are team cheerleader, promoting each of us on Facebook, Pinterest and more.




The next shop is PW Originals, come and visit with Pam from Virginia. Pam designs, creates, sews, shops for fabrics for her wonderful purses, scarfs, pillows, pincushions. She even has purses and bags for girls and young ladies. Pam started sewing at a young age, making money sewing formals gowns with a rented sewing machine. She made all her clothes in college! Her love of fabric shows in the care of each items she makes. Pam has a kind word for everyone on the team, and keeps us going! Besides sewing well, she volunteers at the hospital local gift shop. If you are on Etsy and live in a small town, come and visit with the rest of the team. We love all forms of art!

What is it Wednesday - Ice Box

The first refrigerator used ice blocks to keep them cold.  This was  the latest and greatest fine for the kitchen.  The poem below comes from the book "A Garden Supper Tonight" by Barbara Swell.  Little poems where used to help get chores done and keeping a house in order.  This one is for the new ice box!

Ice Box Rule

Keep your ice box clean and neat,

For it hold the things you eat,

Milk and butter, to be nice,

Must be kept against the ice,

As they quickly spoil and smell,

                                          You must have them covered well,

                                           Fruit and vegetables should go

                                           With the meat, on shelves below.

                     

                                            When Mother Let's Us Help - 1916       

Warming up the home for fall!

It is that time of year for straw, pumpkins, scarecrows, cornstalks!  With this done it is time for the apple orchard for some cider and donuts!  Take the time with very little money to make your home a happy place to be!  All of these goodies (less the scarecrow - which is 15 years old) came from the local farmer down the road.  Love to support our local farmers and find some great finds to make my house a home.  Happy Fall!