Pumpkin Show and Boo

October is my favorite month of the year. And although one heck of a sickness (strep throat) has had me unable to fully enjoy myself for most of the month, I am slowly getting better (after 3 weeks of coughing) and am starting to get back into the swing of enjoying things. My laundry list of things I want to decorate and accomplish before October 31st is still significant, but I've been enjoying everything as it comes along.

This past Saturday, my mom and I visited the Rural Society Antique and Garden Show in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Although many of the antiques were at resale prices, and she and I both prefer to discover our own diamonds in the rough at garage sales and flea markets, it was a huge inspiration and greatly enjoyable. Every vendor there had impeccable taste in how they displayed their wares, and I walked the grounds like a museum. A museum full of things to tempt me, that is.

I did come home with three things though...pumpkins. One of the vendors was selling heirloom varieties at wonderful prices, and I couldn't resist taking home a few.

I love the stem on the blue-grey pumpkin, and I couldn't resist the Baby Boo as well.

My glass pumpkin from Home Goods is joined by this lovely one that ombrés from green to orange. I can't resist a good ombré color...in clothing or, apparently, in nature.


After searching through a blog that featured autumn front porch decor, I randomly decided that the four transom windows in my front door had to join the Halloween spirit. It's hard to tell in this photo, but the lights from the front hallway make the letters really glow and pop at night time. Of course here again there's so much more I want to do to the front porch. We'll certainly at least be adding our carved pumpkins closer to the 31st, and probably some candles for Beggar's Night itself.

Garage Sale Antiques

It seems like it has been ages since I've been able to go to garage sales with my mom on a day off, but this morning we had a slim window of time to peruse the straggler sales (most are over by this time of year). The first sale we went to was the best one, and the gentleman running the sale had a plethora of fascinating items. I came away with two I couldn't resist, both for kitchen display.

First I found this antique 1930s tin for "Dr Johnson's Educator Crackers". The font and advertising style looks almost pharmaceutical, and despite the awful shape it's in, I couldn't resist it for the cupboard-top kitchen tin collection.


Second is a piece of delightful local ephemera. Apparently there used to be a place in a small town near my city called the Valley Inn. One of the other garage salers this morning is from the small town, and he stopped me at a later sale to ask me if I'd sell him this menu. I was happy to tell him that there was actually a second copy at the sale if he wanted to run back to get it.

This is likely going to get framed for the wall of the kitchen, though I somewhat wish there was a way to display it that would grant access to the inside menu, which is so charming.


From the clearly Art Deco style of the menu, plus the three digit phone number on the front, I would say this is probably from the 1930s as well.


It's also a charming delight to read some of the menu items on the inside. Feel free to click to see larger. I especially love the Cold Tongue Sandwich, the Stewed Prunes for dessert, the "Hamburger Sandwich", and the "Postum" listed under beverages (which I had to look up to find more info on).

3 is a Magic Number

Three years ago today, in weather far different from today's dreary drizzle, I walked through a meadow barefoot and joined my husband in a rose garden to exchange our wedding vows.

Our wedding was as simple as could be...it was just him, me, and our officiant, Greg, who was also our photographer. After the ceremony and the signing of the legal documents, we strolled through the lovely Inniswood Park and took photos. We honeymooned in a castle by the ocean. (In Marblehead, MA) What could be more romantic?

My favorite photo from our wedding day:


Our castle by the ocean:


Today we celebrate our third anniversary (get it? That's us holding up 3 fingers together), so blissful and blessed in our happy home.


In the above picture, you can see a new living room artwork on the wall. I saw an ad on Craigslist from a seller here in town for some old 1903 sheet music in a frame. I love all antiques, but when I saw how very Pre-Raphaelite-esque the art looked, I wanted it! The seller wanted $20, but I offered $10 and it was accepted. The art is larger than I realized...the sheet music itself (intact inside the frame, though I doubt I'll ever take it out) is probably about 8x10 and then there's the matting and frame. It's lovely!


Third year is traditionally leather, and we always try to play with the traditional gift, but leather just left us both stumped. Tom found another list that named "glass" as an alternate, and we both went with that instead.

My gift to Tom...his favorite movie of all time is Paper Moon, and it's a film that, to put it mildly, has very little collectible memorabilia. So instead I try to get creative. A few years ago I bought him a Cremo cigar box like the one featured in the film, and this year's anniversary gift was a couple of antique Nehi soda bottles, like featured in this scene from the film. ("I want my two hundred dollars!" "Just drink your Nehi and eat your coney island!!")



Tom's gift to me was a new butterfly for my wall collection in the Dreaming Room (glass!) But when I saw it I immediately saw how romantic he was with his choice:


If you don't get the romance of it, scroll back up to the shot of us on our wedding day. Yes, he chose a butterfly in the same colors (practically identical, though it's not as clear in photos) as my wedding gown.


I love my husband.