Charming Charm Bracelets

When I was a little girl, I received my very first charm bracelet. I was hooked. It was exactly like this one with all the Ten Commandments and a bible charm. I was in love with this bracelet and have loved charm bracelets ever since.


Bonanza.com

It has been years since I owned a charm bracelet and since they are all the rage, I thought I would stop by Etsy to see what great bracelets I could find to add to my wish list. The first one I saw was this lovely one with pink in it. I fell in love with it.


Bijou X Karma Jewelry

I love Mickey and Minnie. Always have, always will. I got a new fleece jacket for Christmas last year. Red with Mickey on the front. I need this bracelet to go with it. Then I need a sweater with Minnie on it to go with the bracelet.


(Monkey's and Munchkins)

Isn't this the most unique thing you ever saw? I would wear him on a charm. I would wear him on my arm....but I still would not eat green eggs and ham.


(Murals for You)

My dear friend Lindsey would freak out over this Harry Potter bracelet. It is so cool.


(Pipnbling)

Be still my heart. A Thirty-One purse bracelet. Check it out. She covers a lot of the patterns. Her site offers many more. This would be so neat. I absolutely adore this.


(Clay Purse Girl)

This one is so cute. A perfect bracelet for me since my nickname is B.


(Betsy's Supplies)

But if anybody ever made anything that was a perfect fit for me. This is it. You know I love to bake. I am going to definitely have to add this to my wishlist. This is just way too cute.


(Deb's Treasures)

I also still love Italian Charms. They were all the rage several years ago.

Now to decide which one I would like to have and figure out how to charm my hubby into buying it for me. 

I can't believe it's November

November 1st. Already. It seems like just yesterday we were dragging out the flip flops and planning vacations. I get excited about the changes of each season. But today I realized something that kind of depresses me. Garage sales are probably over for the year. I'm going to have to find other outlets for my thrifting. Our thrift stores never have Pyrex. I mean never ever. So I'm going to have to find some in a neighboring city since I won't be doing vintage hunting at yard sales till spring. 

I hope everybody had a safe Halloween. We just had two trick-or-treaters this year. No one in our neighborhood even had their lights on but us. This is discouraging since I always love seeing the costumes. My daughter had me go with her last night since Hubby was home to man the candy bowl. So I did get to see a few. But the best costumes by far were the ones my daughter-in-law made. She is very talented and I can't figure out how she even knows where to begin but they turn out awesome. Garret was a grave robber. And yes, there is just one person in the costume and that is Garret. 

Alexis was a captured mermaid. Again, only one person in the costume and that is Alexis. These are totally awesome and I don't know how in the world she can figure out how to make them.

My sister has changed some things on her front porch. She bought some placemats for just a couple of dollars and took a seam ripper and ripped one end open. Then she stuffed them with fiberfill and hand stitched it closed again. The end result were some gorgeous pillows for the front porch. 

Her swings just makes me want to curl up with a good book. 

I have got to find me some placemats to try this with. 

I'm changing my plans for this weekend and delaying my antique shopping until another week. I'm not sure what I will do this weekend. My daughter doesn't have to work and I don't have something else planned for the first time in about 6 weeks. So I am sure we will go somewhere to do some type of shopping, even if it is to get ideas for Christmas. 

I should know better....

If you will recall, Caleb volunteered me to bring cupcakes to his 3rd grade class party today for Halloween. I am the Queen of Duncan Hines. I sit upon my throne with my sceptre and crown shouting to the masses my Cardinal Rule #1 ... "Accept no substitutes!"

And then what do I do? I break Cardinal Rule #1 and buy a store brand cake mix. I baked the cupcakes last night and now I remember why we created Cardinal Rule #1. Suffice it to say, I am leaving in a few minutes to purchase a Duncan Hines Cake Mix and hurrying home to bake 24 cupcakes, frost them and decorate them to get them to school by 1:00 this afternoon. 

I should have known better when I poured the mix from the package and it was the strangest color of chocolate I had ever laid eyes on. But I persevered, believing it would be okay in the end. I added the ingredients, mixed it up good and thought the batter was the sickliest shade of chocolate - not to mention it stunk. I know that sounds strange. I mean whoever heard of bad smelling chocolate? I thought maybe they would be okay once they started cooking. Oh my gosh! My house smelled so bad I had to light candles to hide the nasty cupcake smell.

Then the baking was nearing an end. The timer went off and the cupcakes looked hideous. Did they raise nice and fluffy like my Duncan Hines. No, they raised to the top of the cupcake liner then spread out on the pan looking like a flat muffin top. But they were done and I took them out to cool. When it was time to pop them out of the pan....no pop. No twisting out, no prying out, nothing. Yet, the flat tops peeled off the top of the cupcake and they were very moist and fluffy inside, just really crumbly. We had to literally take our fingers and wedge into the side of the cupcake to get it to release from the pan. A special thank you to my dear hubby for helping release the cupcakes and clean the mess afterwards. Needless to say, 24 stinking crumbling cupcakes are buried in the trash can, tied up and ready for the dump today and I am going to go meet up with Duncan Hines and bring him home. 

And before you say anything, it was not the chef because I made a spice cake with cream cheese icing that turned out 100% perfection....of course, IT was DUNCAN HINES! Point made. 

On another note, I was going through my closet last night trying to decide what to wear today for Halloween when inspiration hit. I am not big on orange so I was looking for something that might go with the holiday. I found my absolute favorite sweatshirt I own. 

I got it at Myrtle Beach many years ago and despite numerous washings it is still so fresh and new looking. I love this shirt and wear it a lot on really cold days. It will be perfect for today with the black cats. 

Happy Halloween! 

Happy Halloween

Ghosts and goblins howling.

Spooks are everywhere.

Black cats are prowling.

There are witches in the air.

Moans and groans abound.

Scary faces can be seen.

Costumes all around.

Watch out ... It's Halloween!

 Break out the candy and goodies and bring on the trick-or-treaters. Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Halloween Eve

Halloween is just one day away. I guess I'm going to a Halloween party tomorrow afternoon. My grandson called me one day last week and said "Mamaw, guess what? I have good news." I asked him what and he said "We are having a Halloween party next Wednesday in my class and I told the teacher you would come to the party AND I told her you would be glad to make cupcakes for it." So I guess I am going to make cupcakes tonight and go to a 3rd grade Halloween party tomorrow. 

You know I love to bake. That is never a problem. But why couldn't he have volunteered me for cookies. Of all the desserts a person can fix, cupcakes is my least favorite. One time in 55 years, I burned the bottoms and now I worry every time I make them that they are going to burn. They never have but the one time when I used really old worn muffin pans, but I still worry about it. 

Oh well, better look online for Halloween cupcake ideas. 

Weekend wrap up

I had some granddaughter time this weekend. Two giggly girls are always a barrel of fun. We started off by going to Trunk or Treat at church. 

Even after being out in the cold and rain that evening they giggled and talked until around 11:00. I went in to wake them up for church the next morning and they were still in their giggle mode. 

Talk about some bedheads.

I was trying to find out what they wanted for breakfast but they kept saying "One more pose." It is a good thing somebody invented digital cameras or I would spend a fortune in film. 

They are both very loving little girls. They had the best weekend together. 

When we went to church, Shelby's teacher wanted Alexis to come into our class that day because she knew the girls would have a blast at dress up time. Two high class ladies waiting on somebody to serve them tea. 

Not sure what they were thinking, but it looks like Shelby was getting a little pensive that nobody had brought the tea.

 

Alexis Caroline

Shelby Rayne

The Divas

Our story yesterday was Daniel and the Lions Den. The class made lion masks for one of the crafts. Shelby does not have a lot of patience. Once Alexis had hers completed, Shelby decided she was finished too. Her mane is a little rough looking. But they had an awesome time together.

There are just not enough days in a weekend. Whoever created "the weekend" did not think it through. 

Some fun fellowship...

Went out on a date with a cowboy, a cheerleader and a cowgirl last night. We had a blast. Our church had Trunk-or-Treat.

The kids rode the train, played some games, climbed all over the fire truck, listened to some great music. I got to hear Miss Kelsey sing. She is in her mid-teens and one of the most powerful, strongest voices I have ever heard. She sings a lot on Sunday mornings and solos in our choir specials. I expect to someday say "I knew her when."



Everybody really took time to decorate their trunks. It was so awesome.




The kids had so much fun and the weather was so nice for the first hour or so and then it turned cold. They did get a lot of candy.

My daughter's father-in-law and his brothers have a lot of antique vehicles. They brought a few of them to trunk-or-treat for the antique car show.



It was a wonderful evening and we had a blast. Lots of neat and original costumes. Even Porter and Dolly stopped by with Bat Woman.

And I did get to enjoy my favorite part of Trunk-or-Treat...an awesome grilled hot dog with chili and mustard and a bag of chips. Yummy!