Happy Halloween!!

 I have a lot of fun projects to share this week, but since today is a very special holiday, I thought I would share some spooky eye candy and fun info, all about Halloween! Here is some fun vintage Halloween Ephemera...

Here is a fairly typical example of some Victorian Ephemera, which were almost like Spooky Valentines.

 

Here is a Halloween Glamour shot from the Forties. I love the look of these!

Here is a really strange and lovely Halloween themed advertisement. I am not entirely sure what Sapolio is, but I am guessing it is a type of lard?

Here is a creepy Pumpkin Man!

Here is another 1940's example. I think this image is just so fun and playful!

 I thought I would leave you with some fun links for your magical Halloween!

• Here is some background info on the Celebrated Night.
• Here is a fun page about Historical Ghost Stories. 
• Here is a fun list of some of the Creepiest Places on Earth. This link contains slightly more adult humor, so maybe don't share this one with the kiddies.

Have a Very Happy Halloween! I hope it leaves you happy and safe and full of candy!!!

Mid-Week Self Care

Hi Everybody!

 It is Wednesday. I have roughly 1 Billion things to do, and a horrible Cold to go along with it. I don't think Colds should be allowed to happen in October, but hey, I don't get to make the rules. Since I love you all, and am trying to get into a more steady blogging schedule, I am working though my stuffy,sniffles to get this post up. I couldn't think of anything more appropriate than a few ideas about Mid-Week self care. 


 Even if you aren't currently suffering from any sort of illness, Wednesdays can be rough. Normally by Wednesday, I am already tired from a busy week, and becoming pretty convinced that there is no way I can finish everything on my to-do list by Friday. In other words, I can use some pampering, but have very little time in which to pamper. Today, I have rounded up a few ideas for  some simple, cheap and fabulous ways to pamper yourself. 


 If you do anything crafty with your week, or you type you life away, your hands probably could use some relief. This super easy Lemon-Sugar Hand Scrub from Under the Table and Dreaming would be a great treat. All the ingredients you need are sugar, olive oil and lemon. Seriously simple. 

 As I have mentioned previously, Fall is a great time for my favorite beverages. Weather you have the sniffles or just want to unwind before going to bed, hot drinks are soo worth the time. I found this recipe for an easy, jazzed up apple cider in Sweet Paul magazine, and am desperate to try it. 

 While you are drinking your apple cider, why not go to Cracked.com to read some funny, clever and fascinating articles. I also recommend HelloGiggles or Rookie for some fun, more girly internet gold. Laughter is the cheapest way to pamper yourself I can think of! 

 Finally, I thought I would leave you with a Self-Care playlist perfectly suited for a crisp October evening. 

Fall Pilgrimage to Boone

 Fall break is upon us, and I was fortunate enough to start out the long weekend with a relaxing and beautiful trip to the Mountains of N.C. Mom, Dad, and I went up to Boone in order to see the foliage and spend a well deserved day relaxing and doing nothing. We ate at a wonderful new restaurant named Proper, which serves some legitimately wonderful southern style food. It is all locally sourced and that makes it extra delicious. They have a Sweet Potato casserole that is the best I have ever eaten! Next we did some browsing and lite shopping downtown. I picked up an amazing pair of grey, swede ballet flats at Lucky Penny,(the girl in the Fedora on the link page just happens to be my sister, Jordan!) on sale for $15! At the Antique Shop, Mom was kind enough to buy a Jadeite saucer and teacup for my burgeoning collection! After a trip to Cheap Joe's Art stuff, so my mom could buy some paint, we got on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 If you are ever near the Southern Appalachians, (Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia) you must make it to the Parkway. It is an absolutely magnificent road system built during the Depression as a Federal Works Project. It is one of the most beautiful drives in the world, I promise. We just drove leisurely through the wonderful woods and fields and outlooks. One of our favorite stops on the parkway, is always the Moses Cone House and Craft Center.

 This is a crazy, beautiful Neo Classical mansion built in the 1800s by a super wealthy mill owner, Moses Cone, as his mountain home. The house has one of the most beautiful front yards imaginable.

 We always like to go and look out from the porch and pretend that it the view from our front yard. I can't think of a better way to celebrate this, my favorite season and month!