When I was a little girl, candles were only lit on special occasions. They illuminated our holiday tables, celebration dinners and birthday cakes. Days and nights, when the house was filled with guests and good times. While the birthday candles were extinguished with wishes and big breaths, the tapers usually burned themselves out, after a long evening of laughter, conversation and family. Needless to say, the warmth they cast, extended far beyond the wick.

Good October Morning, Friends! I hope you are all doing well on this brisk Saturday morning. Well, brisk in my neck of the woods, anyway. Today, we welcome a new month. Calendar and Artist Shop Information Yes, I know I'm a bit behind, but it's been a busy two weeks. I'm finally getting a chance to catch my breath.

OK, so I have a confession to make and I hope you don’t judge me too harshly. You see, this weekend I started playing with Christmas decor. I know, I know for the last 10 years I’ve said it over and over again. No Christmas decorations until after the last Thanksgiving plate has been cleared away. This post is sponsored by King Of Christmas , all opinion are my very own. Whoops. Well, it's not my fault.

When it comes to fall decor, I seem to stick to the basics. And by the basics, I mean pumpkins. I guess you could call me a traditionalist, but that's just what makes me smile. Yes, yes, I have branched out a very few times to create ghost lanterns from old ceiling fan parts or  adorable spooks from air dry clay . I've  whipped up a black cat and, most recently, a creepy little spider sign . However, on the whole, I'm all about those pumpkins.

I've been on a crafty upcycling kick lately. For some reason fall always gets me in the decorating mood. I'm not sure if it's that let's get cozy vibe the cooler temps bring or the fact that the holidays are inching closer. Either way, lately, my creative spirit has taken hold. And I find myself digging into my thrift store stash to play. Exhibit A.

Well, it's official, fall is here and Mother Nature is dishing out some appropriate weather. Now, normally, I'd be kicking and screaming as summer slipped away. However this year, when my husband closed the pool, I barely noticed. Seriously. You see, this year, I knew I had a very large stash of thrifty finds in need of attention waiting for me. And trust me, I haven't wasted anytime digging into that pile. I started with, what I think, is the most darling makeover I've ever tackled. It's literally dripping with sweetness...which is quite appropriate, since it started out as doll furniture.

Some people decorate with their eyes. They see something and know, right away, that they've struck gold, but not me. Nope. I've always, always decorated with my stomach. Weird right? I know. It sounds odd, but hear me out, because maybe you do this, too.