I've been wanting to share this...

I have been away from my computer for a long time! We were away for 10 days and now that we're back I have not been feeling real great. Hope it goes away quickly-I leave again next Tuesday for New Jersey to visit my sister and my daughter!
I had very limited computer access while I was away so I'm far, far behind with visiting my favorite blogs! I have lots to show you but first I want to tell you about something I was busy with before we went away. Two months ago I got an email from my blog buddy Deb Damboise of Say it With Letters! asking if I would be a guest designer for a Fall project featuring one of their wood shapes. I have worked with Deb & Steven's products for several years and I love them. The variety of shapes is phenominal and the ease of working with them makes it super fun. I was honored and excited to be asked to create something for their company.
The shape Deb sent me was a pumpkin. Oooo, nice and fat and round!

 I decided to alter it in a vintage style which I love. K&CO scrapbook paper that looked like vintage wallpaper, some stamped text, distressed paper doily and some silk flowers and ribbons.

After I completed the pumpkin, I turned it over to photograph the back. SIWL always puts these great notches in the wood to make them easy to hang and to hang in a balanced way. When I looked at the blank pumpkin back, I decided I wasn't quite finished!

What could this mean?

I covered the back with some Fall striped scrapbook paper, traced a nose and eyes using an eraser and finished him off with some Fall leaves and some flourishes! But he still needed something else. Of course! Braces!

So there you have my pumpkin with two sides! If you go to Deb's blog, you can see the tutorial.

Because the notches on the back are covered with paper, I am displaying this on a plate stand. He looks real cute in my family room! After Halloween, I'll just flip him over.

Thank you Deb, for having confidence in me and asking me to participate in this project! I had a blast!

My next post will feature some amazing things that have come in the mail!!!!!

Before I go.....

We are almost all packed up for vacation! We leave tomorrow for the Outer Banks (North Carolina) by way of Maryland. We'll be at our son, daughter-in-law and grandson's for 2 nights and then the 5 of us will proceed to the beach! YAY!
Things have been pretty crazy here in the meantime. I have been working for 2 weeks on the designs of my new card set for the Fall craft fairs. I wanted to have everything cut so I would just have to assemble them while on vacation. (I can't do 6 hours on the beach like the rest of my family...I'm too fair skinned) There are 7 cards in a box and I'll do 30 boxes this year. That's 210 cards folks!

Then, I've been clearing out bathrooms. We are having our 2 1/2 bathrooms renovated. The powder room is finished and our contractor will be working on the other two while we are gone. That means that I had to choose light fixtures, mirrors and towel bars for all three bathrooms. (That was in addition to picking out 3 vanities, commodes and plumbing hardware.) I have been so confused! .

I'm hoping it will be like HGTV when we come home...you know, "1-2-3 open your eyes and see the reveal!" I will post pictures when everything is in place.

I have also been working on 2 swaps and a secret project that will be revealed very soon! Just a peek for now. By the time I return I will be able to post about it.

The squirrels have been going crazy in our yard. We have 2 hickory trees and the squirrels (and chipmunks, too) have been climbing up and down, eating their bellies full and also stashing nuts all over for the winter later. This little guy has a big box of acorns all to himself. He is very happy!

Oh well, I will miss you all but I will be having a good time being a grandmother! (We bought the Disney movie, Cars, to take with us and even some little Matchbox cars from "Cars". Charlie should like that!)

I have to rescue him from the people who created this look....what have you done with my grandson?

That's more like it!

Is it my imagination or have I completely lost control in Blogger? I can't seem to situate my pictures where I want them. Wonder what I'm doing wrong?

This is how I feel this evening!

from Flickr-Dalla*

The Yard Sale was a success!

 Mimi wrote a great ad and it attracted over 100 people.

We all had a great time and met some lovely people.

We drank lots of coffee and ate donuts!

We bought from each other (you're surprised by this!)

I took no pictures!!

I am totally exhausted...standing for 5 hours on concrete is hard when you're 60!

Wish you all could have been here!

Thanks Michele, Michele, Mimi, Joni and Bethanie.

Good night dear friends!

PS-This is blog post #97....I will have a giveaway for #100, hopefully before this month is done!

Tell everyone you know!

This is a real short post today! I have so much to do to get ready! This Saturday, September 12th, 6 of us who craft together are having an unbelievable overflow sale at my house. We have stamps and stamp sets, scrapbook papers, stickers, embellishments and albums, counted cross-stitch supplies and patterns, quilting supplies, paper crafting tools and storage pieces. Oh yes, books and magazines, too! Great prices! We have all gotten to the point where we have to destash or be swallowed up by supplies.
If you're in the Pittsburgh area (or would like to be) please email me through this blog, (just click on my profile info) and I'll give you the address. 
Remember, this Saturday, September 12, from 9-2. Hope to see you!
I'll be back with a regular post soon.
xoxo