Flashback Friday - Mini-pearl Halloween

Here we are - another Friday is upon us! My neighborhood is alive with blow-up pumpkins, ghosts and goblins, fake tombstones and rotting jack-o-lanterns. Yes, Halloween is this weekend (thank the Lord) and after a whirlwind of parties and a sugar-induced coma, I will be able to concentrate on Thanksgiving! (This is one of my favorite days!) The mini-pearls are excited out of their minds! Sport Cort is dressing as a skeleton with a sword (emphasis on the sword). He wanted plastic numchucks but I had to draw the line somewhere. A plastic sword will do. Sweet Pea is going as "Aunt Jilly-Bob". This is a character that she made-up all by herself! She and her friends love to perform "shows" when they get together and this is one of her characters. Aunt Jilly-Bob is an old lady with glasses and a cane. We purchased a gray wig, granny glasses, a cane and a flowery dress and SAS shoes from Goodwill. She can't wait! Oh how I miss the princess and fairy costumes of yesteryear! Fisherman started out wanting to wear a shirt that said "person" on it. Don't you love adolescent humor? He has a big party on Friday and I reminded him that he would regret not having a "real" costume. After a brainstorming session and a lot of rejected ideas, Fisherman decided to go as (wait for it) Boss Hogg from the Dukes of Hazzard. This is Fisherman's favorite show. We are modifying a Saturday Night Fever, white three piece suit. The look is hilarious!

This year the mini-pearls really seem grown-up to me. They no longer want any type of Disney character and they have their own ideas and opinions about their costumes. I am the only one that has a hard time with this. It's hard to let go! I may be acting a little dramatic here, as this is coming on the heels of them telling me that they no longer want their picture made with Santa.(a tradition of the last thirteen years!) So, with a smile on my face, I will embrace their ideas and enjoy the weekend, as their excitement is contagious, but I can be sad on the inside if I want to! Here are a few pics of Halloween's past and the mini-pearls when they were mini.

This was after 9/11 - a firefighter and a dalmation

Sweet Pea as a fairy princess

One of my favorites! This was the "Princess and the Pea and a Knight"

This is Sport Cort as a TCU Horned Frog- and yes, that's me. I am not always a party pooper!

The Mini-Pearls in Neverland - Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Krissy

Banquette Beauties

The kitchen table is the "heart of the home" around our house. We eat our meals there. Attempt to navigate first, fourth and sixth grade homework there. We have our family "meetings" there. This workhorse also serves as my sewing table and it is great for all of those special school projects. The table has the scrapes, scratches, paint drops and glitter glue splatters to prove it! The chairs are another story. They are hard to move and make loud noises. In my dream kitchen, the chairs are replaced by a beautiful, built-in banquette. There is something so luxurious and inviting about banquette seating in the kitchen. (or any room for that matter) Of course, if I were to ever have one of these beauties in my kitchen, I would have to choose a style that looks good with glitter glue. So, for now I will keep on dreaming and enjoy the pictures of these fabulous banquettes.

Happy Wednesday!

Krissy

photo credits: unknown, countryliving.com, evadesigns.com, seattletimes.com, hgtv.com, 3.bp.blogspot.com, images.meredith.com, apps.facebook.com, shelterpop.com, corbisimages.com

Oh Welly!

This weekend we finally received some much needed rain around these parts! I must say I was happy for the wet stuff,as it meant slightly cooler temperatures and more "fall like" weather! Summer had not left yet! Our awesome, TCU Horned Frogs played on Saturday night and the cool, wet conditions inspired me to breakdown and buy some Wellies. As a self-professed Anglophile, I have had my eyes on these for years. I have the Burberry. I used to have my beloved Weller-dog - a Corgi, of course. I drink hot tea. I can make clotted cream. Those darn, rubber boots were all that was missing! I chose a fabulous shade of peacock blue that Hunter calls "teal." I don't like to use the "t" word, as it makes me think of the eighties for some reason. I wore my jeans tucked-in to those babies with pride and my feet stayed nice and dry. I am ready for my invite to Balmoral. I can muck around in style, now!

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral in her Wellies!

The Queen with one of her Corgis. My Weller-dog looked like this! Note her Wellies!

Do you think I would look good in a head scarf?

Hunter Wellington boots have been around for a hundred years. Yet, they are more popular than ever and considered "fashionable." That is something, coming from a country that is not known to be "fashion forward." One can purchase these boots in an array of colours (note the spelling) and styles. I chose the original, but have my eye on some others, too. The boots have the "official" nod from Her Majesty,the Queen, and have the crest and documentation on the packaging to prove it! I must admit that my Target rain boots are just as comfortable and they are cute with a fun polka dot pattern. So, are Wellies worth it? They get this powdery film on them, called "bloom." You have to buy a special oil and buff the boots when this happens. This is because Wellies are made of natural rubber. They will last forever, so beauty is really in the eye of the beholder with this purchase. I am looking forward to mucking about my garden in my retirement one day with my "teal" Wellies. I am sure we will be "old friends." You will have to decide for yourselves how you feel about them. I'm not getting rid of my Target boots. A girl can never have too many rubber boots!

The official seal from Her Majesty.

Gotta love that British "style."

This was my selection!

How cool are these "moto-Wellies?"

Cheerio!

Krissy

Photo credits: shoppingtrolly.com,corbisimages.com, countrylife.co.uk, life.com, vintagelevi.com, gardenxl.com, ioffer.com, express-wellies.com, kelkoo.co.uk

Flashback Friday - Time Warp

In a mere nine days from now, my least favorite day of the year will be upon me. Halloween - ugh! I know, I know, I am a party pooper, but is Halloween really necessary? I am terrified of clowns and Halloween just brings that fear to light. Everyone running around "hiding" their real identity, trying to scare other people and begging for food from door to door. We just moved from a neighborhood that takes Halloween to the EXTREME. People arrive by the van load from other neighborhoods and the sidewalks and streets are jammed with children and adults trying to have fun while navigating the mayhem. The neighbors erect elaborate yard displays and everyone camps-out on their porches to greet the costumed beggars. Mr Pearl and I would take turns taking the mini-pearls trick-or-treating and staying home to hold down the fort and keep our candy from being pillaged. It's absolute chaos. And yes, we are planning to go back to the old hood to celebrate with the old neighbors.

As a child, I really wanted the candy and was willing to endure the torture of going out among the "crazies" in order to acquire my sweet stash. My parents were very diligent to check each morsel for contamination. I was proactive in protecting myself, as well. The word on the street was that the old lady at the top of the hill was really a witch and wanted to kill little children, I always threw her homemade popcorn ball away first thing when I arrived back to the safety of my home.

I did enjoy dressing-up though. (with the exception of the year that my mom made me go as a clown, wearing the costume from my dance recital - isn't that child abuse?) My favorite was the year that my brother and I went as Super Heroes. I was Wonder Woman and he was Superman. Our mom decided to give herself a break that year from sewing us full costumes. She bought us each Underroos with said super character on it, threw together a cape for each of us and "voila!" a costume! Underroos? Does anyone remember those things? They looked like the Super Hero from the front, but the back was white - they were UNDERWEAR! My mom sent us out in our UNDERWEAR! Oh, and usually here in Texas, Halloween is a sweat fest. It is still hot. The year of the underwear costumes, a freak cold-front blew in. Mom's solution: pantyhose under the Underrroos and I wore my knee high boots. Really mom? I wish I could find the picture for evidence. It really happened. Do you understand why I am not so fond of this night?

That's me in the Bugs Bunny mask!

Remember the boxes with the clear "peep" window on them that showed the costume inside?

The child abuse/dance costume clown. I think I was forced to smile.

I LOVED this one! I was a queen! The tiara was REAL! It was my mom's Homecoming Queen crown. The dress was one that I wore in my cousin's wedding as a flower girl. No, I'm not lying.

Does anyone wish the 70's would come back?

Some might argue that this is not a costume...

Hello? Is this thing on?

Me and my brother - a Cabbage Patch Doll and the Lone Ranger.

Mother sewed this year.

Yes, I do "decorate" my home and I made the yearly trek to the costume store with the mini-pearls yesterday. I will participate if they want to. I won't be called a "party pooper" but the first sign of anyone wanting to stay in, I'm there! I will pass-out candy in my comfy clothes and eat the leftovers with Mr. Pearl and watch a Rocky Horror marathon that is sure to be on TV. Now, I am going to step to the left and practice my pelvic thrust!

Happy Weekend!

Krissy aka UNDER Woman

Jolly Holiday

Ok, so I might have touched on the subject of "plates" before. Yes, it might have been last week, but I had more pictures that I wanted to share. I really do love transfer ware - blue, brown, purple, red- they all make my heart sing! Brown has been the "chosen" color of late and I have dotted the brown beauties on the shelves, walls and cupboards throughout my home. They make me happy. Transfer ware with pictures of people, set in charming, romantic, pastoral scenes, makes me think of the chalk drawing scene from Mary Poppins. The characters in these little plate drawings look so happy and peaceful, like life is just a "jolly holiday." Oh, if everyday were a romantic get-away and we could just sing and dance the days away without a care and be waited on by cute, little penguin waiters and be serenaded by farm animals and go fox hunting on a carousel horse. You will never look at your plates the same way again will you?

One from my "nest" - the beer stein was from me and Mr. Pearl's trip to Germany, an antique finial and in the background is an old printer's tray with a collection of shells inside.

This is in the family room bookcase. Spurs belonging to Mr.Pearl's grandfather, old wine corks, my grandfather's dog tags and one of several old Coke crates that I like to use to vary height in my displays and add a pop of color.

This wonderful breakfast room is from Dallasite Lisa Luby Ryan.

This is one of my own! A plate hung in an empty, vintage frame and an old prayer postcard tucked to the side.

Yes, I am aware that this is majolica - but I love EVERYTHING about this picture.

The pink gingham fabric backing the cabinet, the wonderful chairs, the roses and the plates-

of course!

Have a supercalifragilisticexpalidocious day!

Krissy

Photo credits: 1,2,4 (my own), 3 (home of Lisa Luby Ryan - not sure of publication), 5 (Traditional Home, November 2005)

If I had me a million...

My FAVORITE house is on the market! I am packing my bags! (in my dreams!) The sister of a friend completely renovated this home a couple of years ago and now they are on to the next project. The problem is they forgot to "ok" this with me. I haven't won the lottery yet and my funds aren't together to purchase the house...MY HOUSE! They had me at the antique, double front doors and the dainty chandelier tucked under the porch and the stucco treatment over the bricks and the wonderful abundance of windows and the darling back house/my studio and the entire inside of the home was painted by my friend, an amazing artist and the home is right by one of my dear friends and... and... and... You see? This is my house.

Well, I hope the new occupants will love it as much as I would have. If only I could purchase the house with my passion and love for it. What a novel idea! I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Here's a tour of MY HOUSE... if you have your funds together, and want more info, here is the link, if you buy it, you must let me visit and often!

Happy Monday!

Krissy