****So many of you liked my mantle. I was thrilled! Thank you all for your encouragement! After a couple of days, it still seemed kind of empty to me, so I added a few more things trying to give it a bit more substance! I added another couple of small chickens to the barnyard. That helped some. The next morning when I first woke up, my eyes were drawn to the bookcase directly across from the bed. I realized I was looking at an embroidery hoop and "canvas" that my mom had made for me many years ago. It has been sitting in that same spot for years! It dawned on me that not only was it special to me because mom made it, but the colors used were gold, reds, browns, and a tiny bit of orange and it was in the shape of a rooster!! So quick, like a bunny, it joined in the mantle party by filling in a bare spot on the opposite side from the "barnyard". It looks like it was made for that spot! I was so excited that I had become aware that I had the perfect addition! Thanks, Mom!!
**** On Friday I finally remembered I needed some tall candles to flank my dining room table's turkey and pumpkin. I happened to be very near Hobby Lobby, so I popped in to pick some up. I didn't take a cart. I was only getting candles. Right! Of course, Hobby Lobby is NOT a place that you can go in, get one item, and leave immediately! Well, I guess some folks can, but I can't, so after I found my candles I began to wander a little bit.
The candles were very near the Halloween/Thanksgiving decor section, so that's where I started. They had bunches of things I liked for the holidays, but I was very strong and didn't give in to temptation....until the moment I saw the perfect little chicken to add to the mantle. He was small, only about 6 in. tall, in all fall colors, lovely little guy. That's when I noticed the signs: 50% Off All Fall Decor!! Oh my. Half Off. Half!! That was more than I could resist. So the little chicken joined the candles. Then I noticed just a bit beyond the chicken, a little sort of patchwork pumpkin, very similar in design to the turkey and pumpkin already on my table! All of a sudden I was juggling candles, chicken, and pumpkin! But it was all half price, so it was okay! I decided I'd better get out of the Fall stuff pretty quick! So I wandered toward the lamps. I'm always on the lookout for lamps, even though I don't really "need" them. I didn't see anything I liked all that much, so I walked out of that aisle feeling very proud that I dodged a bullet!
I decided it was time to go, so I started back toward the registers. I almost made it too. ("Almost" being the pivotal word.) There on the endcap was a selection of small little lamps. Uh-oh! There was one in particular that drew my eye. About 12 in. tall from base to the top of the finial, it was a dark bronze-ish color, the shaft of the lamp was similar in shape to a fluer de lis, and it was topped by a rounded glass shade, topped with a cute little finial. I turned the lamp on and there was actually a bulb in it! When lit the shade turned out to be a rich dark ruby, mottled with darker splotches (that's the technical term, you know). It was darling. It would look great on one of the shelves of my large Bakers' Rack. Still, I was ready to walk away. Really, I was!! That's when I noticed the sign: 50% Off All Lamps!! Oh Crap!! How was I supposed to resist a lamp I loved that was half off! I looked at the price tag, thinking maybe it would still be more than I wanted to spend. Regularly $39.99. Sale price $19.98!
Somehow my $4.00 candle purchase, ended up a grand total of $42.00!! Damn!
The lamp looks great on the Bakers' Rack though!
****Have I mentioned that the Big Guy has been doing all the grocery shopping for the last couple of years? (That's okay, because I had done it for all of the 40 years proceeding!) Anyway, I asked if he would look and see if they still had decent looking pumpkins and if so, if he would pick up 3 or so small ones. He agreed cause he's a nice guy (and a sucker for holidays just like me). He came home with three very nice pumpkins for the front of the house. Three different sizes and three different shapes, they're perfect. Each of the three were larger than any pumpkins I had ever bought, because Mikey is a LOT stronger than I am. Whoo hoo! Bonus!
****I had a couple of other random things I was going to write about, but I think I'll save them for another time. If I can work up my courage to try to post photos again, I'll show you the additions to my holiday look. Maybe even before Christmas! :)
I hope you'll show the changes to the mantel. I'd love to see the piece that your mother made. Sounds like your house is ready for Fall. (Surely there is not anybody out there who can resist H.L. sales! They are always wonderful! Personally, it sounds to me like you did a great job of resisting. I really want to see that little lamp. It sounds so pretty. You are going to have to post pictures now. You can't leave me hanging like this. laurie
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