A DIFFERENT KIND OF FLOWER

I love the idea of using objects other than just flowers in arrangements. These are all wonderful using plants and vegetables in purple tones.
These are from brown paper bag.

WRAP IT UP!

Love the jump rope. Great for big gift boxes!
Last year I used newspaper and red ribbons. It looked great and was so cheap! This year I am stealing the wax seal idea below.

SEWING PAPER

I love the idea of sewing on paper. Stitches certainly complete the whimsical look of the artwork!
I would have never imagined stitching my own wrapping paper.

FOR THE LOVE OF ALICE

These mushrooms are begging for Alice to come and visit.

CAUGHT IN THE SPIDERS GATE

This spider gate is an antique from around 1900. I wish I could see the house it belonged to.
Frightening gate in Crystal Cave, Sequoya National Park, CA. It has been know to scare little children. It might scare me too!
This one guards Spider Gates Cemetery in Leicester, Mass.
Jeffreys Bay South Africa residence.
I want this one!

OCTOPUS TABLE

Love, love, love this table. I can't wait to try something like it!
This one is by Will Means You can view his website here. http://willmeans.com/

MY BEDROOM WALL

I have been trying to decide what to do to the wall behind my bed. I planned on painting something with a high gloss in the same tan color of my existing wall I just didn't know what. These walls were done by Scott Waterman and I think they will be the inspiration for my walls when I get around to it this winter.

FALL AT THE BOTANICAL GARDENS

As per our usual weekend outing we got outside to enjoy the beautiful day. Taking advantage of the Public Library's free passes to local venues, we headed to the Chicago Botanical Gardens, which was in full fall bloom!
The crab apple trees were heavy with fruit.
Woodland sculpture, he reminds me of Peter Pan.
Mums, mums and more mums!
These weird and spiky flowers are called Sea Holly.
The hanging mums are yellow Anemone mums.
One of the last pops of purple.
Cute little Butternut Squash mushroom.
Fall standards.

Okie Dokie Artichokie!
Mega pumpkins and squash.

SOME THINGS I CANT WAIT TO TRY

These cookies are too beautiful to eat!
Great way to keep you baby occupied!


So simple, yet so cute.

FALL RAINBOW

Truly the colors of fall!

SPOOK HOUSE

That is a lot of pumpkins!


Every day when I pick up my kids from school, we drive by a certain house that has an inflatable spider and two black cats in the front yard. This totally delights the kids. I just think how big their eyes would get if they could see this house!If Spencer saw this house he would be too scared to go in the gate. This man does this every year for Halloween in WA. You can see some crazy pictures of his numerous monsters at his website. http://www.halloweenhouse.org/

WOMEN'S PARK AND GARDENS

A couple of weeks ago I took a walk around the Prairie Ave Historic district and the Women's Park and Gardens. The gardens are full of wonderful flowers, apple trees and little critters.

I love this picture. It was the only flower like it in bloom and really stood out against all the green vegetation surrounding it.
The apple trees were so heavy with apples but there were signs around not to pick any thing so I hope that someone is making use of them. Maybe the bunnies hiding under the trees.

VACATION, VACATION, VACATION

Costa Rica! As work is picking up full speed for me (as it does every fall) I am already dreaming of a winter vacation. Being only 30 something degrees outside does not help. A couple of years ago, Kevin and I dropped off the kids at my parents house and took off to Costa Rica. Seeing these pictures makes me even more anxious to get some sand and sun in destinations unknown for now.

These cute little Howler monkeys woke us up every morning. If we got too close though, they would turn around, lift their tails and show us their very white scrotum. More funny than scary.
Tajalines, or Land Crabs, they come to the beach from their inland homes at the beginning of the rainy season to lay their eggs. Apparently they walk in a straight line going through peoples homes and any thing else that is in their way.
Big old croc on the river bed. With out our guide I would have missed him.
These colorful Motmots were everywhere.

Breakfast and a vista make me happy!
Beach and a cocktail make me even more happy!
Mr Brown Pelican was keeping watch while we snorkeled.
Surfing made Kevin happy!
Pineapple made the crabs happy.
Costa Rica was full of beautiful flowers. Nectar for the humming birds.


Starfish!

Every morning we would pick a banana from the tree beside our veranda and take in the view.

Ferns bigger than me in the cloud forest.
These Strangler Fig vines grow up and around an existing tree, killing it and leaving a hollow place for the animals to build homes.


Authentic Ox cart. These are a symbol of Costa Rica. Many are ornately decorated but this one has seen a lot of use.

Sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches and are protected in Costa Rica.