Leaf Looking Drive

I must confess that I love the red leaves the most!  Our Maple tree that was so small that we could gather all of the fallen leaves in a paper lunch sack is now producing 10-12 full size lawn bags.  Still, looking out my craft room window (conveniently located on second floor) this is what I love to see.

Mr. Wonderful was about take his riding mower with its leaf gathering trailer through the bounty.  I ran out to take pictures of what can only be described as 'the beginning or sorrows'.  You see, I think fall is beautiful and I do like to look at the leaves but truth be told, I live in the Upper Midwest and we do WINTER like nobody's business here and I don't like it.  This might be 'home sweet home' but I don't like cold and snow for as long as we normally get it.  Can you tell that the anticipation of November through April is not  one of joy?  I can take snow till December 26th and then it could all be gone and I'd be glad.

Autumn leaves do bring one annual happy activity:  THE LEAF LOOKING DRIVE.  This year we headed West of the metro since it's late in the season for leaves and the leaves in the southern part of the state are already on the ground.  We went to a favorite haunt where vintage stores abound.  I love to see the groupings and my camera now tickles my memory since a lot of stuff falls out of my head if I attempt to just remember a cute idea.  Mr. Wonderful has this book in his childhood collection in his library.  Why didn't I think of bringing it out?  The Mystery of the Flying Skeleton will be on display tomorrow!

 

Clearing out the geraniums I have plenty of pots, you'll probably see faux gourds and some dried weeds in them next year on my porch.  This is just too easy not to copy!

Using every square foot for display, this historic bank building probably never imagined the vault of the future would hold baby clothes and vintage chairs instead of $$$$.

Now I've seen my share of garland and grapevines but have you ever seen tiny pumpkins on garland?  Hmm, hot glue and let me take a look at what's in the basement.  I like to decorate for fall in September and then leave it up until the day after Thanksgiving because that is my favorite day of the decorating year!

CHRISTMAS COMES TO MY HOUSE on Black Friday.  No, I don't shop, I do drop by the end of the day though!

The displays for the holidays were few and far between but I sniffed a few out because, well, I love Christmastime!

Look at this!  All you Putz House lovers would be drooling for certain, sparkle, sparkle, sparkle!  At our house we have real estate too, little lighted houses in vignettes set up in every available corner on any flat surface I haven't claimed before Mr. Wonderful 'takes that hill' with his Dept. 56 New England and North Pole Villages.  I could never do what he does with layers of Styrofoam, light cords and and accessories.  He is a genius of landscape and village building and I just soak it in!  

I said, I love 'looking' but then at the second to the last stop  I saw this metal tree.  I couldn't help myself, I said to my beloved, "I really, really, really like that tree and I want it."  I pressed on through the huge store alone when he made a circle the opposite direction. You see, we NEED Christmas decorations like a hole in the head and I am barely working at my little 20 hour a week job. 

Getting back in the car, I had forgotten that I didn't go back and beg some more when...tinkle, tinkle, clink, clink!  I heard a sound coming from the trunk.  Smiling I said, "You couldn't really hide it from me could you?"  He smiled, "I knew you really liked it."

TAMMY'S IN LOVE