Thrift Store finds ... and our dog is famous!

I was so happy to come across these Cath Kidston cannisters in a thrift store last year.

All of her designs are so cheerful, and I fell in love with the pink roses against the blue background on this Coffee & Tea set. Perfect for our little cottage kitchen!

Mr. J gets very excited when he sees me reach for the Coffee tin.

That's because it holds his treats rather than coffee!

Now take a good look at the sweet face on the Charlee Bear Dog Treat bag...

I think they borrowed sweet Mr. J for a photo shoot when I wasn't looking! Here he is doing his best impersonation of the dog on the bag!

Thankfully the snow we got overnight amounted to no more than a dusting. But with temperatures back down in the 30's for the next several days, we are wondering, "Will Spring ever arrive in New England?"

I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday, so be sure to stop over and see what everyone is sharing this week!

Donna

Catching up, a new camera, and a lovely award

It has been quite a while since I posted. I am still not completely over my bronchitis, although I am up and about once again, thankfully, rather than flat on my back on the sofa.

I had an opportunity to try out my new camera recently.

Baby, sunning in front of the living room window, was a more than willing subject.

Yes, I dropped my old Lexmark point & shoot and it would no longer do anything for me. It wouldn't even open. A sad day, indeed.

How I'd love to buy a "bells & whistles" camera and get really creative...

... but, alas, my budget only allowed for another inexpensive "point & shoot."

One of my girls has a Canon Power Shot and she loves it. (Another plus, I figured she could show me how to use it, which was a big bonus since I hate reading instruction manuals!)

So I'm now the proud owner of a 12.1 megapixel Canon Power Shot SD1300. And I really do like it!

The sun was very bright behind Baby when I shot these photos...

... so I picked up a lot of cool reflections.

One thing I've noticed already is that this camera has a better stabilizer than my last one. I don't have the steadiest hands, and I'm getting a lot less "blurry" photos with the Canon.


Of course I have to admit that Baby was as still as a statue for most of these photos.


Quite 'out of character' for our crazy little ball of fur!

But even the best photo shoots last only so long...

And Baby let me know she'd had enough as she had more important things to tend to (i.e. her daily grooming).


So she turned her back on me and that was that.

Along other lines, I have been sooooo tardy in acknowledging the lovely Stylish Blogger Award that Laurie from Heaven's Walk bestowed upon my blog. Thank you, Laurie!! You must pay her a visit! You will just love her blog, filled with an abudance of charm, style, and love. Her house is 2-die-4 and you'll flip for all the projects she shares (like her recent Paris Flower Market bucket!), Not to mention, she has the most gorgeous fur babies! Again, Laurie, thank you so much!

The rules state that I am supposed to share 7 things about myself. Because I am sooooooooooo boring, I am going to link back to a post from 2009 where I shared 7 things about myself (because they are all still true! hahaha). So if you'd like, you can click here to read 7 things about me in my "More than you ever wanted to know about me!" post! I'm also supposed to pass this along to 15 other bloggers, but I'm going to open it up to anybody who would like to join in the fun because you're all stylish bloggers!!!

And last, but not least, here's to warm weather arriving. We've had some teaser days in the high 40's/low 50's, but then it drops back down into the 20's. I will be SO happy when spring truly does show up on my doorstep! Stay warm during these last few weeks of winter weather!!

I'm also linking up to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday. Cindy always shares something amazing, and you'll also find a list of many other bloggers participating in Show & Tell, so be sure to hop on over!

Donna

The Witch and I are speaking again...

Earlier this week I told you that Patience was giving me the cold shoulder - all because I stole her lampshade hat for (heaven forbid) a lamp!

Well, Bandit lamp and I are happy to report that Patience is in a much better frame of mind these days. The pink fedora has been replaced....

...with a stylish witch hat, and just look at the smile on her face now!

Originally she wanted to wear both the mask and the hat, but I convinced her that wearing both was a bit much...

...so she finally agreed to let Mr. Lamp wear the mask.

It's so much more pleasant now that we're on speaking terms again.

Be sure to head over to see Cindy at My Romantic Home for her Show & Tell Friday post, as well as a list of all the other bloggers participating this week. Happy (almost) Halloween!

Donna

Cottage Halloween Decor, minimalist style

We awoke to a beautiful day here in New England and, although not entirely sunny, the rain was at least a thing of the past.


I want to thank all of you for your heartfelt comments on my last post about stress. It seems that so many of you are, or have been, in similar situations with aging parents, etc. Carol, you were the only one I was not able to personally respond to. Thank you so much for your sweet comment on this topic as well...


Today I decided to put out a few decorations, and I do mean a few. Unlike other years, where I've had tons of pumpkins, fall leaves, and a wicked Witchy Woman, this year I'm going the minimalist route.


One lone pumpkin sits in a birdcage in the familyroom...

... but oh, what a pumpkin! Robin's egg blue with pink roses... be still my heart.

And at the risk of sounding like a well known political candidate in her new commercial, no, I am not a witch...

...but I do have a soft spot in my heart for black cats! This little cast iron sweetie has taken up residence in a bird cage...

...while this little beauty has nestled up against one of my all time favorite chenille pillows.

So that's it for this year's decorations. Don't blink or you'll miss them!

Now the outside is another story! Lots of little ghosts and goblins will be descending on our home this Halloween, and I love to decorate the yard for them. My girls always enjoyed trick-or-treating so much, and it's still such a fun part of the holiday for us, giving out the treats to all the kids who visit! So I'll share the yard in an upcoming post...

And thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for all your kind comments, thoughts, and prayers...

Now be sure to pop over to Cindy's Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home! There are loads of links to beautiful blogs! Grab a cup of tea or coffee, sit back and enjoy!

Donna

Make your own PHOTO Pumpkin!

I thought this might be a good time to repost a fun project that I shared last year. After all, Halloween is right around the corner, and the stores are full of faux pumpkins right now, so it seems like the perfect time!


So gather up some of your favorite Halloween photos of pets...


... or children...


... or both!

....and then click HERE for Step-by-Step instructions on how to create your own PHOTO PUMPKINS!! (What a great gift for a grandmother - the little ones all dressed up in their trick-or-treat costumes!!!)

Now pop by to see Cindy at My Romantic Home for her Show & Tell Friday post and a list of all the other bloggers participating!

Happy Autumn everyone!

Donna