October 26: Pumpkins All Around #Blogtober2021

 There was a time when I automatically thought of orange when I thought of a pumpkin. Now they come in all colors. And a lot of colors have meanings. They signify different physical conditions. There are four that are seen most often for health conditions.

A blue pumpkin shows autism awareness. A teal pumpkin is for allergies. If on the porch, it shows that allergy free treats are available. A child carrying a blue pumpkin bucket lets you know that he has food allergies. Purple is another clue. Purple is for epilepsy, letting people know that the householders are familiar with it. It has only been the past few years that the color hints have been used. Personally, I think if there are any such issues, then the adults shouldn't rely too much on the pumpkins.

Many people go with the colors as part of their decorating schemes. I've seen many pumpkins created from sweaters and shirts. It's very easy to make one by using a sleeve, Just cut the shape you want, gather the bottom, stuff, put in a stem and gather the top. Easy Peasy. Circles can be cut to cover an artificial form, or stuffed.  These can be made with hand sewing and glue. No sewing machine necessary.

I really like the idea of using shirts for  keepsake pumpkins. I have seen some that show the placket and pockets. 

I made only a few pumpkins this year. I used some vintage orange velvet and antique lace. I will still be adding some leaves and berries to it. Maybe I will use vintage buttons.  Another velvet pumpkin is the base for assorted brooches. I've also seen forms covered with decoupaged napkins. After all, if they don't have faces on them, they can stick around in November.

Stems are getting a lot more creative lately too. Sticks picked up from the yard have probably been first choice, but I have seen corks, vintage silverware- tarnished or shiny, crumpled brown paper, wire, and wooden clothespins.

Many years ago I decorated small pumpkins to sell. I added leaves and flowers and some ribbons to the top and they were pretty unusual at that time. When my oldest son got married, we decided that they would be unusual centerpieces. My new daughter-in-laws mother couldn't picture them on the tables, so she brought centerpieces too. So each table had my rustic country craftsy decor and a shiny mylar covered sparkly vase. It all worked out and we laughed about our different styles.

 

I really like this nineteenth century pincushion. I have seen several versions of this in my old needlework books. Someday I'll make one. Maybe.

October the Twenty Fifth: Pumpkins #Blogtober2021

 Pumpkins do not grow on trees. But this time of year, I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Actually, I just saw a photo of a tree along a sidewalk decorated with all sizes of pumpkin trick-or-treat baskets. And pumpkins on porches. And pumpkins along walkways. And pumpkins of every shape and size and color. I feel a little guilty that I haven't bought a single pumpkin this year. One just doesn't make a statement, and it does seem that this year is all about the abundance.

                                                                           

This is not my house.

This is also not my house. Mine is the one you will see without a single pumpkin. I am feeling the shame tonight, but I stand by my decision.

Does anyone still make jack-o-lanterns the old fashioned carving a pumpkin way? I haven't done one for quite a while, but I did come across a few hints that sounded like good ideas. I read that cutting a hole in the back of your pumpkin first makes it easier to clean. The cap stays on. I really liked the info to slice the bottom off the pumpkin, then clean it out and carve it and set the candle inside. Once again, the top stays on. I'm a little leery of hint number three, but I would love to know if it works. This one involves cutting the lid, and then taking a portable electric mixer, and whirling it around the inside. All the seeds and gooey innards, are supposed to stick to the whisk beaters, and come out very neatly. In my mind's eye, it just doesn't work that way. I don't want to try it, but would love to see it. I'm sure there is a video somewhere.

I can't even think about Halloween without reliving my years as a fraternity house mom. My "young men" got very excited about the holiday one year and bought several pumpkins and had a carving party. They put all the pumpkins on the front steps. I thought it was so sweet. The next day an administrator or board member drove by the house, and before I knew it we had a big scandal. A few of the carvings weren't as innocent as they should have been. For several days there was a lot of  talk about expelling some of the artists and closing down the House. After that I kept a lot closer eye on pumpkin decorating. Every year there was a big Halloween party with some pretty crazy costumes and more glitter than I had ever seen. Sometimes I miss those boys.

Although I don't have outdoor pumpkins this year, I do have some inside my house. Part Two will be coming soon.

October the Twenty Fourth: Reading and Writing #Blogtober2021

 Tonight I am taking a little break from Halloween. This blog post may be all over the place since it doesn't have a theme, but I am hoping something comes from my disconnected thoughts. Writing isn't always easy. Sometimes the words just flow, and that's when I feel compelled to write. For all the times I've written on my blog, I have almost always waited until I had something I wanted to say. And that is why I haven't written very often. (Also the photos. I never have photos available!!!) Usually I write about once a month, although at times I have gone much longer than that. By entering this challenge to write every day in October, I have learned that I can post something without waiting for my Muse to gently kick me in the backside. I have really enjoyed it, and I like to see what I come up with. I've said before that I feel like I am writing to myself, because it's really hard to know how many people actually see this. I have been pleasantly surprised at some of the "Likes" I've received. And I've wondered why it doesn't seem to reach many people. 

I've spent an excessive amount of time this month on the internet. I am researching, which I have always loved to do, but it does lead me down the rabbit hole. I am also trying to educate myelf about Facebook, and Blogger, and Instagram. I find it very complicated most of the time, but I am learning some new things. Just trying to put my words together takes a lot longer than the five minutes people give me by reading them.And I really appreciate that you do take that five minutes. I probably won't keep writing every day after the month ends, but I am wanting to make myself do this at least once or twice a week. A good friend told me recently that she doesn't read my blog as much now because I write too often, and that she doesn't have the time. So, I guess less must be better.

 I am working on a book of essays. I don't have really grand plans for it, but I want to have something for my friends and family. I think I must write because I like to see my words. I guess that's as good a reason as any other.

                                                                            

October the Twenty Third: Witches Tea #Blogtober2021

 

A Witches' Tea 

will be served at three

                                                                              

You're invited to prepare the pot

And drink it while it's piping hot

We'll have some treats upon a tray

And nibble til it's time to play

We'll practice all our games and spells

Until we all can do them well

And afterwards a fond goodbye

As on our brooms to home we'll fly.

There are some amazing ideas for Witches Teas on the web. I really didn't know it was a popular party idea. Here are some sites you might want to peruse.

Tatertots and Jello

Make Life Lovely

Up to Date Interiors

Enjoy Your Tea!

October the Twenty Second: Which Witch? #Blogtober2021

Tonight Miss Witch is taking her broom and leaving the party early. I'll be back tomorrow with more words and fewer pictures. 

October the Twenty First: Let It Go #Blogtober2021

Colder today and windy too. I'm not ready for the leaves to be falling yet. Autumn always seems to be the shortest season, I think. This year it's taken awhile for the trees to turn. I hope they aren't too quick to drop their leaves. Before this happens, don't forget to catch a falling leaf and make a wish.

      

 Flynn Mansion

   Living History Farms

    Urbandale, Iowa

 When I worked as an historical interpreter in a Victorian mansion, I spent a lot of my free time researching decorating, needlework and housekeeping books and magazines published in the 1870's. I still have many old books in my personal collection. Colorful fall leaves were often used to make Christmas decorations in the nineteenth century. In the fall we gathered leaves and twigs and acorns, and copied some of the arrangements from the past. We dipped colorful leaves in wax and arranged them on the fireplace mantels and tabletops. We stuck them on picture frames and mirrors, and made garlands to hang across the windows. Long branches and leaves filled our cut glass vases, and pottery pitchers. And, yes, it was the best job ever.

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go."  That is a wonderful and profound quote. And  appropriate to so much in our lives. So many times when we have to let things go, we aren't able to see the beauty that can follow. It can be books, a job, extra weight, a closet filled with clothes that no longer fit, our youth, furniture, houses, dear friendships, and even the special people in our lives. The bareness of late October trees serves to remind us that spring always comes back into our lives. No matter what happens.

October the Twentieth: Feeling Fallish #Blogtober2021

 

That's kind of the way I feel tonight. Our Autumn has been unseasonably warm this year. Until today. It was cool and cloudy and a little bit blustery. Yesterday it was very warm. One year ago it snowed several inches, very unexpectedly. We never know what to expect. Today reminded me that I need to find my hat and gloves. I really wish that I had already gone shopping for a new coat. I have started to change over to winter clothes in my closet, and need to put summer away. I am feeling a little "under the weather" tonight, and really do think that perhaps summer has collapsed. I am ready for hot tea and a snuggly blanket.  Good night all.

October the Nineteenth: Ghoulies and Ghosties #Blogtober2021

Many years ago, I first learned this prayer. Maybe some would call it a poem.

"From ghoulies and ghosties,  

And long leggity beasties,

And things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord deliver us"

I have read that it originated in Scotland, or in Wales, or maybe in Cornwall, England. It's been around for a very long time, since the eighteenth century, or 1800, or 1905, or in 1912. It's anonymous, or it was written by Mr. Chaplin and appeared in a book called "The Beggar's Wallet. Obviously, there are many opinions about it.

A series of three postcards was drawn by Stan Chaplin in 1905. They were called "A Cornish Litany" and all contained this poem at the bottom. Each was a different scene, but all included scary monsters.

The poem was expanded into a song in the Broadway play "Meet me in St. Louis" in 1989. It was sung by the children and the Irish maid in a Halloween scene.  It wasn't included in the Judy Garland movie produced in 1944. Too bad. It's pretty cute. It can be found on YouTube.

I actually made a cross stitch sampler of this prayer and put it into my children's bedroom when they were young. I can't find the exact one, but it was something like this, except it had some long leggity beasties in it. 

October the Eighteenth: Buntings and Bows #Blogtober2021

 Whenever I've gone to England, I've always noticed buntings hung all around, making celebrations even when there isn't one. Buntings, banners, and pennants were originally used as early as the seventeenth century to brighten events and add an air of celebration. Here in the U.S. they were often available for patriotic occasions. I remember them when I was very young, but usually they were the plastic flags on a string used at furniture stores and used car lots. (I can say that. My dad sold used cars.) 

I have a passion for buntings. I especially like to make them from vintage images glued to paper and chipboard shapes. I arrange them on leaf or floral garlands and then start adding fabric strips, tulle, muslin, vintage trims, buttons, doilies, ribbon, lace, and whatever else I have. Some of them had tiny pumpkins.

I've used the same plan to make one with birds and flowers for our bedroom window. I made another one for the kitchen , and also several for Christmas, Valentine's Day, all the seasons, and St Patrick's Day. I have started to sell them, and have put a few in my Etsy shop, Victorian Gypsy. I also have a booth at an antique mall and sell them.

Another style I like to make is from old quilt pieces and vintage fabric yo-yos.  I like to put buttons or beads between the circles. I acquired a large bag of circles and needed to find something to do with them. Some of the circles are made into pockets.

This picture is pretty plain, but I usually put buttons between each of the puffs.

Most of my photos are Halloween related tonight, but I do like these made from antique quilt top pieces. Some unknown lady made enough of these for a quilt, but never got them put together.

October the Seventeenth: Party Time #Blogtober2021

Many of the old Halloween postcards emphasized fun and laughter rather than scary times. Here are some pictures showing jolly events. As I'm writing this the Hallmark channel is advertising Christmas movies. I only like one holiday at a time. I know the stores have had December decorations out for awhile. It doesn't make sense to me that we start decorating earlier and earlier, but the time is going by much more quickly than it ever did before. A conundrum for sure.

 

Thank you for your replies to my last post. Sometimes writing this blog feels like a party of one!

Wishing everybody a joyous and jolly Halloween!

 

October the 16th: Halfway There #Blogtober2021

 

I have passed the Halfway mark. And today I am feeling very discouraged about this whole blogging thing. I have actually had a blog since 2005, and my reader base feels like it's gotten smaller. Truthfully I haven't been very consistent or very prolific about it, but somehow it seems like it should be going somewhere after all these years. I am enjoying this challenge because I love October, and it does give me a lot of subjects to write about. I am not very competitive though in many areas, but I wonder why I don't reach more people. Most of my readers find my blog through Facebook.  At this point, I just feel like there is a magic instruction book that I should have read, that tells me the secrets of blogging, and facebook, and instagram. I am interested in anything that works except making a TicToc video. No singing. No dancing. No eating anything gross.

I'm curious to know what most readers like when they use Facebook or read blogs. Is it keeping in touch with family and friends? Do people enjoy seeing pictures of friends the most? Or is it keeping track of your own schedules and documenting the activities you are involved with? Do you belong to lots of groups? I like the decorating and craft groups and that people have so many ideas of things to do. Do you like to read blogs or are they outdated?  I enjoy hearing about old friends that I probably would never see if we didn't have social media. I stay away from almost everything political and sometimes snooze people for a while. Sometimes it all gets to be too much information.

I would really like to know what readers think. If you could take a moment to comment it would be so appreciated. Happy Halfway to Halloween.

October the fifteenth: Back to the Theatre #blogtober2021

 Tonight was my first visit to the Civic Center in nineteen months. My friend and I have had season tickets for the musicals for several years. We just saw "The Band's Visit" which was originally scheduled for May, 2020. Things were a little different than they used to be. Masks were required. We also had to bring our vaccination card and a photo i.d.  The world is a different place, but if we do what we can to keep ourselves and others safe, then I am all for it.

 It wasn't my favorite, but it was good. It was a story that took place in one day after an orchestra from Egypt was stranded in the wrong town in Israel. They were supposed to be on their way to play at the Arabic Embassy but ended up in a very small town, and stayed with several families in the town. It didn't tell full stories, but gave little glimpses of the lives of the people. Everyone was very talented, with beautiful voices. I found it a little hard to understand. Sometimes they were speaking more than one language, but that was the point; it wasn't always easy to communicate. And not really any dancing. I like dancing, and stories that fall together perfectly, and happy endings.  This one was a glimpse into a day. It was probably more realistic than the happy ending stories.

There was a lot of music, all Egyptian and Arabic based. I was reminded of my wild and reckless youth as a belly dancer. I decided to take lessons for my fiftieth birthday present to myself. I actually belonged to a dance troup from 2000 to 2010, and had a lot of fun with them. I didn't perform much, because I get terrible stage fright, and I am a pretty awful dancer, but I practiced with them every week and went to the parties. They are still around, and I try to see them when I can. This is not a picture of me.                                                     

                                                                               

October the Fourteenth: Bits and Bobs, and Bats #Blogtober2021

 Bats are probably my least ever favorite Halloween decoration. But, I do have to admit this one is kind of cute. I found the picture at papertreyink . I'm not sure if there is a pattern.

I do have a long list of reasons for my bat aversion. And now I will share them with the world. One of my first memories is waking up to a bat flying about the room. I was very young, about three. We lived in a duplex house and my bed was a couch in the front room. 

As a  teen, I loved to scare myself with a good vampire book or movie. I'm surprised I didn't wear a string of garlic around my neck as protection. I did have a little cross necklace, just in case.

                                                                           

Several years later, I was a young mother living in a big old house. One night I went to bed early with a headache. Once again, I woke up to a whooshing sound of a bat flying around and swooping over my head. Screaming, I finally ran for the door. My husband was on the other side, holding it shut. He said I shouldn't let the bat escape or we'd never find him. After some more murderous screams on my part, he came in and managed to trap the bat between the window and the screen. And then he went to bed and FELL ASLEEP!!!!!! I'm not sure if I ever forgave him. I sat up all night watching the bat.

I had a few more instances both in our house, and in the two museum houses I've worked in. I once gave a tour while watching a bat on a curtain.

My craziest bat story was in the middle of the night. I was in the bathroom, indisposed, when a bat appeared flying over my head. From a seated position, I managed to grab a towel, throw it up in the air, trap the little creature, bringing it to the floor. I put a wastebasket over it, locked the door, and told my husband in the morning. Essentially, I gave him another chance to be my hero. We found out that our bats had come in through a very small opening in the bathroom light fixture. Luckily, they weren't living in the house.

My most recent batty adventure was a few years ago. I was watching my three young grandchildren, and had just gotten everyone upstairs to bed. They live in an old Victorian house. Several rooms on the main floor connect in a circle and there is an open stairway to the bedrooms upstairs. Suddenly, a bat appeared, and I knew I had to keep it away from the kids. I closed the door to the dining room, so it could travel around the four rooms. I was so worried it would go upstairs. My plan was to call my daughter, and get them home, but, of all times, I had forgotten my phone. Plan B was to get him outside. I knew from past experiences that a fan at the door will help them to find the way out. I didn't have a fan, so I thought that opening the door would be the next best thing. So for nearly an hour, I stood at the dining room door, and watched him as he flew in a circle from the front room, parlour, another room, and enclosed front porch over and over again. When he was on the far side of his journey I ran to open the door and then back again.  He flew in the same path, and didn't venture up the stairs. I watched him and knew I wasn't able to fall apart and scream.  Finally, I got him outside. When my Meg and Jack got back home, every single light in the house was on, and I was upstairs guarding the kids, who had peacefully slept through it all.

And yes, I do know that bats are good for the environment, and that they eat mosquitoes, and yet........