it's looking like fall outside

I finished up my outside fall decorations today. I put out an old scarecrow, added some leaf garlands on the fence and changed my mini flag to fall also!

better flowers

While at a book sale I found this very vintage book from Better Homes and Gardens about Floral Design! It's from 1954. I thought it would be cool adding it to my design collection of books. All the pictures inside are all color and to say about the designs....they are definitely different! Maybe it will inspire some designs I create at Michael's! It only cost me 50 cents!

garbage

Last night we went over a friends house, and the guys decided to make garbage plates. If your from Rochester you probably know all about these interesting named "plates". If you don't know, check out wikipedia's site. So Mike's job was to make the hot sauce. I was out with my family so he made it ALL by himself! And boy did he do a GREAT JOB!

Awhile ago we did a search online to find a recipe. Just do a search on google!!

dirty birdy

My friend Nicky and her friend Sondra are setting up their shop at a local craft and art show. If your around check it out!!! Before leaving for Buffalo and PA I'm gonna try to stop by to see the Dirty Birdies!!

your invited

Over at Karla's Cottage, theres a party about what you love about your home! You too can join in also just click the link to her site!

Drop a link to your blog in the comment section with what you love about your home, or you can just lurk around and visit many beautiful homes out in blog land.

pumpkin topiary

I made this last week at work and thought I would share it with you guys. I have been getting a lot of comments from customers that they like it! It was kinda of a struggle putting it together with almost super gluing my fingers!

Maybe I might have to buy it for my house!

welcome fall

Happy 1st day of Fall everyone! It is a beautiful fall day here in Rochester! I LOVE this time of year, with all the beautiful colors and aromas! I just bought these Chinese lanterns to decorate my family room. Pictures of fall decorating coming soon!

Also on a side note: Today is my 101st post!! Happy Anniversary "The Happy Snow Globe"!!! Here's to 100's more!

board of inspiration

Our recent visit to Canada we went to IKEA, and found some good buys. One thing I was pretty excited about was a glass board to hang on the wall. When reading some of my favorite blogs, I've seen their take on a 'inspiration board", and I've been wanting to make my own. The glass board was PERFECT for it! It will always be a work in progress, but here's my start on my own inspiration board.

Some items on my board:

Dorothy, Toto and the Ruby Slippers

Queen of Glitter article

Pink glitter letters

Coco

Lace dollies

PINK peonies

Hot pink satin ribbon

box of thanks

As a thank you for all the goodies my Mom gave to me over the week, I decided to make her a little something. I took a box and painted it a couple of coats of a green sage color, personalized it , and then of course added some GLITTER. Using my Sizzix machine I made her a bunch of scalloped tags and wrapped them in ribbon and put them inside.

All in all, I think my little "thank you" turned out pretty darn well!

hydrangeas

At a recent sale, a lady was selling these GORGEOUS hydrangeas bouquets. Since none of my bushes bloomed this year, I've been looking for some stems so I can dry them for a nice vase arrangement. They are just beautiful!!

paper crafting

My Mom made me this really cute journal (right)for my blogging and crafting ideas to jot them down in. She's been cranking them out making one for herself (left) and another for her friend's birthday! I think they are so cute with how she designed them! What a great idea Mom!! Keep going with those GREAT ideas!!!

spooning

Something I have been collecting for awhile are Welsh Love Spoons. I only have about 4 in my little collection, because they are hard to come by in the U.S., but I would love to add to my collection! Although, last year I was at a Garage Sale and I found one for only $1!!

They were usually carved by young men, especially in Wales as a love token for their sweethearts, to show their affection and intentions, dating back to the 17th century. Sailors would often carve love spoons during their long journeys, which is why anchors would often be incorporated into the carvings. Spoons were also made for social occasions like weddings and christenings.

autumn branch

When my Mom was over on Friday she gave me a "happy fall" present, which was a Susan Branch "Autumn: From the Heart of the Home". I have been a fan of her for awhile now, so I was so excited to add this to my book collection! It's filled with so many yummy receipes such as, Gingerbread Cake, Toasted Snowballs in Chocolate Sauce, and Iowa Corn Bread...YUM! It also has cute little blurbs about decorating for autumn and one about sweater weather. There is so many great things in this book. It is a MUST have!

"it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all" laura ingalls wider

8 eyes?

Mike and I finally went to the eye doctor, and we both decided to get new glasses....what do you guys think??

sidewalk

Earlier in the summer my Dad, Mom, brother, and the two of us helped put in a new sidewalk in the front of our house. It was a lot of hard work, but boy did it pay off!! Just look at the before and after shots!

bed essential

Today my Mom and I hit a sale and I found this oh so cute side table for only $7. I've been looking for a night stand for our bedroom and I thought this would look perfect in the room. It was a little rough looking, so I cleaned it up and put some by the bed essentials on it...and PERFECT!

roses

While walking into Wegmans the other day, I spotted some mini rose bushes that were only 99 cents! I picked up 4 bushes to put in my new garden! Hopefully they'll come back next year

i heart free things!

Back in May I posted about finding some furniture for free by the side of the road. Well I worked on it, and I ended up making the cushions and covers for the seats and many, many pillows to put on it! I think it turned out really great and it looks perfect, and is great to sit and read in our sunroom!

on the lake

After visiting the Falls we drove to Niagara on the Lake. We had lunch at a small restaurant and walked the little town and shopped in the stores. One store I LOVED was a little English and Irish store. They sold my favorite chocolate candy, Flakes. My Grandparents would bring them over from Wales and they aren't sold in the states. So seeing them I had to purchase many bars of chocolate! They also sold some Welsh merchandise and had to get a mini flag to put in my house! Later we drove to Burlington to go to IKEA!! And of course I bought some things there!

happy birthday Dan!

Today is my brother-in-laws birthday. Happy Birthday DAN!!

glitter and pumpkins, oh my!

This past week my new boss gave me a project to work on: create a pumpkin for a instore contest. I decided to go with creating Martha Stewart. I thought it would be a great idea considering Martha is pretty big right now in their company; and plus it would be a great display coming into the store with her crafts.

I used 2 pumpkins, dressed one with a blue shirt, an apron and a purse. I made a little pocket on her apron and put her signature "M" and included a Bone Folder in her pocket. On her purse I used her Halloween stamps and glitter to decorate.

Then I wanted to add something to the display, so I used her glitter and glue to pumpkins. Her glitter is AWESOME! I must get some asap! Can you believe I get paid for this? I LOVE it!

What do you guys think of my little display?!?

off beat

I was looking on MSN travel's website and I saw a little article about off beat hotels. Heres a couple of hotels I would LOVE to stay at.

The Lighthouse, in North Wales: Set on the Welsh cliffs of Great Orme Country Park, with a dramatic 360-foot plummet to the sea below, this castle-like maritime beacon dates from 1862—and served as a lighthouse until 1985.

Taprobane Island, in Sri Lanka: on a 2.5-acre island with a Palladian-style mansion. How romantic would that be?!?

my 1st day

I started my new job today at Michaels craft store! I'm so excited to become their full time floral designer! I'm even more excited that I get a discount on all of their products, even Martha!!

A sidenote: You can NOW use your coupons on Martha's crafts!!

labor

happy labor day!

i heart potato chips

I was eating some Lays Wavy potato chips and look what I found!!