Spooky Things at HomeGoods!

I L.O.V.E. Halloween! - I don't know what it is, but I love Halloween more than Xmas! I did live next door to a cemetery for about eight years, maybe that made me morbid? Summer is winding down, and the days are getting shorter ~ I feel Fall approaching. I went to HomeGoods today and I found some treasures!

I found this *beautiful* witch today! I put her on the easel in the corner of my kitchen - I'm not ready to leave her there - just taking a picture. I was debating about purchasing her - I had her in my cart (actually laying on top of the cart) and then I had three different women stop me and say "where are those" - I said, I think I got the only one {I did - sorry} I knew I had to bring her home! Broomhilda is in the house!

I found these treasure's too! The SPOOKY blocks, candy corn garland and the Dracula that you plug into your computer! Dracula was only $4.99! I 'm working on some Halloween projects - but you'll have to wait to see those! If you want to find the good Halloween stuff, start shopping now! *Boo*

Just Call Me a Cigar *Box* Aficionado !

I don't know what it is, but I love cigar boxes. I love the smell of them and I love the all different designs of the boxes. I even love the smell of a cigar that hasn't been lit – that's where my love stops, I cannot stand the smell of a burning cigar...ugghhh!

I collected 30 cigar boxes, some cigar stores give them away or they sell them for next to nothing. What was I going to do with all of these?

I wanted to make a floor lamp with them! I saw something many years ago on HGTV (I can't remember which show...sorry!) they made a floor lamp with the cigar boxes...they drilled holes in the center of them and viola!

So, that's just what I did! Or should I say, I had Eric drill the holes and then I assembled it! Teamwork!

My baby boy, {Ryan} just moved out, so I gave the cigar box lamp to him (picture is in our family room) for his new apartment, he loved it...big surprise, when you're children leave the nest, they all of a sudden appreciate you and the things you do for them. I think the two pan's of lasagna and meatballs I prepared for him to eat during the week also helped out! I had fun doing this project, number 10,367 on my list of projects to complete! *wink*

Breast Cancer 3-Day Walkers ~ Rock!!!!

Sunday, August 9, 2009 and I can't stop smiling ~ Because of the Pair Tree!

Yesterday, I participated in a "Cheering" event for the, Breast Cancer 3-Day walkers in the Chicago leg of the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk! My friend Denise, and her family live on a street where all these hero's pass by on the second day of their three-day walk. This was a very inspirational, and moving event ~ seeing over 1,600 people pass by who have trained for this day. I have never clapped, cheered, congratulated, cried, smiled and laughed so much in one day!

Denise came up with the idea to have a "Pair Tree" in her pear tree in her front yard! She enlisted her mother-in-law to make 50 "pairs" to hang in the tree and collect donations sponsoring each pair! Her goal was to collect $500, however when the word spread, she received over $1,000 in donations! The "pairs" with wings, are in memory of special angels who have past on because of breast cancer. Denise's entire family all rallied together to make the event a success! They did such an outstanding and *uplifting* job pulling this all together! They are hero's!

The walk started Friday, August 7, 2009 - it rained most of the entire day. Saturday, started out rainy, then ~ the sun came out and it was a good 90+ degree day! These walkers were outstanding with their energy ~ we started cheering for them at 9:00 a.m. and didn't stop till 1:30 p.m. when the last one's passed by.

There were so many moving stories told in just the few seconds that they walked by the Pair Tree, but the energy and the reason why these hero's were walking was awesome! I love the color pink, and it was so great seeing so much of it!

This walker told us about how he was walking for his grandmother and his sister, he made this tie-dyed shirt ~ grandma was a DD and sis was a AA! They are both survivor's and that's his inspiration for walking!

The local newspaper even did an article on the Pair Tree! The walk ends today, I can't stop thinking about all these hero's who passed by and thank them for their dedication and devotion to such a great cause. Love and prayer's for the 3-Day walkers! *smile*

Here's my Facebook photo albums (Album 1) (Album 2) of all the pictures I took!