Halloween on Historic Harrison Boulevard

Tomorrow is Halloween and in Boise's Historic North End ~ Halloween is celebrated in a big way ~ especially on Harrison Boulevard. Homes are preparing their decorations in anticipation of a big crowd. The entire boulevard is blocked off to traffic as hundreds of children from the Treasure Valley flock the street for Halloween fun!

Historic homes are decorated with spooky graveyards.

Neighbors compete for the most creative decorations. What appears to be just a couple of carved pumpkins leads to a front porch filled with....

Lots and lots of carved pumpkins with two mummies guarding the the front door!!!

Up the street are ghosts and goblins ....

Enter at your own risk!!!

The spirit of Halloween is everywhere!!!

Oooh ... look out for this entrance!!!

There is a spooky castle on this street .... and watch out for the fire breathing dragon!!

Watch out for that castle wall!!!

Ghosts are everywhere and while kids will be delighted ...

I am thinking that some parents may end up feeling like this poor skeleton ....

Ready to go home and take a nap!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Thanks for taking a spooky tour of my neighborhood.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween

Lots of love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Treasured Memories

The last four months have been tough ones for me. First, I lost my Daddy in June. On September 4th a co-worker and friend of mine died very suddenly. Last Thursday a close family friend also passed away very suddenly.

Time passes so very quickly. There are memories of loved ones now gone, but never forgotten. On November 17th my very favorite Aunt Susan goes into the hospital for open heart surgery to repair two heart valves. It's a serious surgery, but one that must be done because if it is not ~ she will die.

Treasure those you love. Spend time with them and let them know how much you care. Time passes too quickly.

I'm taking the time right now to let all of you who visit my little blog to know how much your friendship has come to mean to me. Blogging is so much more than just showing pics of our latest decorating projects or sharing recipes, etc. It's a way to reach out to new friends and old. It's a way to create precious, treasured memories.

Thank You!!

Lots of love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

The Warmth of Autumn

The temperatures here have really cooled off. We even had a dusting of snow on the mountains just above our city. Halloween will be here this Sunday and the houses on our streets are decorated to greet the little visitors. I have a vintage card to share with you and ...

A festive centerpiece on the table. While I brew a cup of cinnamon stick tea, stop by and visit Suzanne for Vintage Thingie Thursday.

Just think Bentley, in a few days there will be lots of kids visiting our cottage. I know how much you love to see all of your little friends!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

It's Monday

It might be a cold, wet and dreary Monday ~ but this happy little Mary Engelbreit image is putting a smile on my face. Have a Happy ME Monday everyone and be sure to stop by to visit Vicki aka the Cherry Chick for ME Monday!

Okay Bentley, let's put on your little yellow slicker and head outside for walkies!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Shabby, Thrifty and Pink

I love to rearrange and add new elements to my cottage, but that can get very pricey ...

So, I am always visiting estate sales, thrift shops and garage sales for interesting one of a kind items that don't break the budget. Anything decorated with soft pink flowers always catches my eye!! I am linking up with the following parties:

Show and Tell Friday

Debbiedoo's Garage Salen

Pink Saturday

Bentley remember the cute little stuffed bear Momma found for you at a garage sale? You do and you want to play with it now!! Okay, let's do it.

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Autumn Picnic

We are so lucky here in Idaho. Our autumn days are pure bliss. Afternoons like this one make me want to grab a quilt, pack up a picnic and enjoy the day!

David and I will enjoy some wine, some cheese, grapes and some crusty french bread.

And collect some decorations for a fall display. I hope that you are taking advantage of the lovely autumn days too!! I am linking up with Sue's Rednesday and the other Susan's Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to stop by and visit them too.

Go get your Pooh Bear Bentley and I'll throw him for you to chase!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Beach Dreams

I love the sea and it is my dream to one day have a little cottage near the sea. A place to walk along the sand, collect shells and listen to the waves roll ashore. So until the day that I do have that little cottage by the sea, whenever I find something that reminds me of a coastal cottage, I put it aside for the future. Like this sweet painting of a seaside village.

And a nautical lamp I found at a thrift store and painted white.

And a few shells that Bentley and I collected on our last trip to the Oregon Coast. I'm linking up with Marty for Table Top Tuesday and Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays.

Bentley, come sit in my lap and we will look at photos from our last trip to the coast!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Bentley's Bath

My Momma just gave me a bath ~ I didn't like it very much!! I hope I don't have to have another one for a very, very long time!! That's all ... I think I'm getting a treat now.

Love and puppy dog hugs and kisses,

Bentley

Mini Metamorphosis

I'm doing a bit of redecorating at Ash Tree Cottage ~ and that includes the miniature rooms too. I am cleaning and painting and freshening up.

The mini TV still gets only black and white reception ... no color. The old black telephone is still a rotary one, and yet ...

it's still a comfy little spot with some new paint and it's a Mini Metamorphosis for this Monday.

I'm on my way over to the other Susan's cottage where she is always posting her special blog Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to visit her!

Okay Bentley, we are on a roll. What shall we transform next??

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

There's a New Chick in Town!

Thelma the chicken has been prevented from coming over to our cottage ever since Bentley decided to be the Winner Winner of a Chicken Dinner! She is safely in her yard next door. So since we can't have a live chicken living in our garden, I found this cute little one at a garage sale. I have decided to name her Thelma II.

I will say though, that the real Thelma sure looked cute perched on the arm of the vintage rocker on our front porch!!

Yes Bentley you may peek through the fence to see the real Thelma, but you are not allowed to pull out her tail feathers!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

A Pink Vignette

I am very pleased to be a featured blogger for this Pink Saturday. Thank you Beverly! Here is a little pink vignette for you. Pink is such a sweet and nostalgic color and it deserves a sweet vignette. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

Bentley ~ I'm thinking about doing some redecorating. We will be visiting the paint store. Do you want to go for a ride in the Jeep? Everyone at Home Depot loves to see you.

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Vintage Dollhouse Sewing Machine

I love this little vintage dollhouse sewing machine. The treadle moves, the drawers open and the needle moves up and down. It's a vintage mini treasure! I'm not sure, but I think it is bakelite. Whatever it is, I think it's a cutie. I'm on my way over to Suzanne's for her weekly Vintage Thingie party. Have a great Thursday!

Bentley, I have the day off. Let's have lots of fun together on this beautiful fall day!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Heart of The Home and a Winner!

Welcome to my kitchen ~ it is indeed the heart of our home.

My kitchen is not modern. It's homey and cozy, but it means business. I have a professional stove, and lots of pots, pans, and utensils at the ready. Form comes first and style follows.

Spices and herbs are readily available.

Dishes are stored in open shelves to make it easy and accessible to "plate" a dish.

There are stainless and copper pots and pans ready to be used.

There are aprons ready to grab and baskets filled with potatoes, onions and garlic.

There is a beamed ceiling and painted cabinets. There are baskets and collections of pottery.

There is an old hutch filled with loved pieces of pottery, tole, miniatures and Beatrix Potter figurines. It's the cozy and comfy heart of our home, filled with things we love, and things that work for us. Thank you for visiting! Please visit Sheila at Note Songs for her Heart of the Home Party and Sue at It's a Very Cherry World for Rednesday.

And now .... big drum roll ... the winner of last week's give away is ... Elizabeth and Gary of Home is Where The Heart Is. Congratulations!! Send me an email so that I can get your address. Thank you all for participating!! If you didn't win, don't fret ... I'll have many more giveaways!!

It's been a very exciting day Bentley! Come help me choose our next giveaway!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Mini Buffet

On one of the shelves of my hutch is my mini buffet. I love minis, but don't have a dollhouse yet ... so I love displaying them in mini vignettes within life sized hutches, in bookcases and on table tops. I think it adds a bit of whimsy to a room. Well, that's my excuse anyway!

Be sure to visit Marty to see what everyone else is displaying for this week's Table Top Tuesday.

Yes Bentley, you are exactly right! Sometimes you toss one of your little squeak toys on top of your Mum's tables and inside the hutch too for a bit of whimsy!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Some Romantic Evening

I just love being a girl. I love vintage train cases and boudoir lamps. Silks, vintage pearls and ballerina music boxes.

Silver dancing slippers and French perfume. Photos of my Yorkies in vintage silver frames. I especially love this antique ballerina music box that my Daddy brought back from Switzerland.

Thanks for letting me indulge in my romantic dreams of things that are vintage, pink and vignette. I am participating in these fabulous parties:

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Show and Tell Friday

Vignette Friday

Pink Saturday

Simple Pleasures

Bentley ~ let's give you a bath and get you all fixed up for this evening. Bentley?? Are you hiding Bentley??

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

A Happy Rednesday Give Away!!

Happy Rednesday everyone. Here is my little white pumpkin accented by some lovely red tomatoes from a friend's garden. Yummy!! And now ...

Here is a little red give away. I am giving away my little red box that is covered with Mary Engelbreit Paper Dolls. And if you open it up you will find some cute Cath Kidston cocktail napkins inside. All you need to do for a chance to win is:

Become a follower if you are not already one

or

Leave a message if you already follow us

I will post the winner next week. Good luck!!

Thanks for visiting us today and be sure to stop by and visit Sue, our lovely weekly hostess of Rednesday!!

Bentley ~ would you like to choose the winner of our give away?? (All bribes of dog biscuits will be eliminated).

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo