Monday 31 October 2011

October

 October is the one time in the year that you find a pumpkin on our step.....and the one time I have lots of orange things around the house....i love the warm and earthy colours of this mellow month and am sorry it has gone by so fast  so that here we are already on its very last day....
 .......i found some lovely decorations this year......sweet little pumpkins on sticks, golden yellow gourds...
 .............which i kept in the potting shed until it was time to decorate the house.........
 .........and my favourite florist in our little town had made adorable little garlands of chinese lanterns ....
 ......perfect to festoon the potting shed, or the kitchen windows, where they look beautiful when the sun sets  behind them and they form a delicate silhouette.....
 ......the Halloween bunting i made last year is making a spooky reappearance on the mantlepiece, and there are lots of sweeties waiting in a bowl near the front door ready for this year's little trick or treaters to call......
 ......before i go, i'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who is taking part in the Battersea Doggie Bag campaign mentioned in my last post...and thank you to The Making Spot for featuring it on both the Mollie Makes blog and the Cross Stitcher blog....the campaign is set to run for quite a while so i am leaving a link in my sidebar.....
.....and i couldn't go without showing you this little doggie too....it was my dear grandson Charlie's fourth birthday last week and he is a born dog lover.....so besides all the classic boy's toys he wanted for his birthday i made him this special little felt doggie too......
Thank you for visiting me today, and for all your sweet comments on my last post...and the lovely emails too....wishing you a happy Halloween and a wonderful week ahead.....back soon. xxxxxx

26 comments:

millefeuilles said...

Dear Helen,

Good morning to you! I share your regret that October has been and gone. We have had the most amazing weather for most of it and it has been magical watching the leaves change colour dramatically.

Your potting shed will go down in history, Helen! It is so very lovely!

I love chinese lanterns too. My mother used to have some in her garden around this time of year when I was a child.

Beautiful bunting in pretty and unusual Hallowe'en colours.

Happy last day of October to you and your family and happy birthday to Charlie!

Naturally Carol said...

Hi Helen, your little white dog reminds me of the tale of Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy. I think it is his alert stance and tail held up in the air! It is the last Spring day here and it has been such a cool and comfortable one that I am hoping this Summer will not be too hot. Here's hoping your Winter will not be too cold either.

Crafts @ Home said...

Happy Halloween, and what a wonderful, tastefully decorated house you have, full of orangy goodness, mine will be quite tacky in comparison..... What a beautiful October we had this year, Have a super evening and a happy week :)
Sue Xxx

greenrabbitdesigns said...

Lovely orangey post Helen, I do love pumpkins. :)
I'm sorry October has gone so fast too, I'm also sorry ours has been so wet, I prefer it dry, crisp and bright.
I'm sure Charlie was delighted with his little doggie, it is lovely!
Have a great week and happy halloween,
Vivienne x

Annie said...

That little felt dog is adorable Helen, what a lovely gift. And your Chinese lantern garland is so pretty.
We will also have a bowl of sweets by the front door this evening, but no one seems to come trick or treating here any more. Happy Halloween x

Kentish Keg-Meg said...

Such a beautiful felt doggie. Love the orange colours of this month captured in your photos. Where did October go?

mynestofyarnandbuttons said...

Boo! Hi Helen, Did I scare you? Love your October post. The decorations are so fun, they all look so wonderful together. Love the Chinese lantern garland, really clever. Congratulations on all the Battersea Doggie bag campaign articles. It is a great cause.
Your grandson's doggie is so special, I'm sure he will cuddle it for a long long time.
Have a wonderful week. xoRobin❤

Patty Marker said...

I agee, I am sad to say goodbye to October as well. It is the last leisurly month before the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It is certainly a lovely month in your house. It all looks so beautiful. I didn't get a chance to tell you but your doggie bags are adorable and what a wonderful cause. Have a wonderful week. Patty

Thedarkerside73 said...

I really can't believe that October has gone so fast too. Although I have found it to be a bit topsy turvy this year.

Love your pretty halloween decorations. So rustic and lovely. I am afraid our decorating is a little bit gaudy and plastic! Lol.


Hope you have a lovely week.


MBB x


p.s I have a born dog lover too! That pup is just so cute!

serendipity said...

What a lovely idea, making a garland with the chinese lanterns. We used to have them in our old garden but they were a bit invasive. xx

Jane said...

Such lovely autumn colours Helen and indeed it's hello November tomorrow. Your little dog you made for your grandson is so cute, I am sure he will be very loved.
Jane x

Mia said...

Happy Halloween, Helen!

Lovely pumpkins and other October festivities! I cannot believe it's November tomorrow already... Have a great one!

Yours,
Mia

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

Helen, that is a wonderful idea to string the chinese lanterns.
Your gourds are beautiful!
xx
julie

flowers on my table said...

As usual Helen, lots to delight in over here. I must admit to not being the biggest fan of orange, but at this time of the year it does add a certain warmth. I love the little dog you made for Charlie, and congratulations on the magazine mentions. Have a lovely time this evening, love Linda x Oh sorry I almost forgot, many thanks for all your kind and lovely comments.

KaPaworld said...

What a wonderful colours!! Beautiful post...

sew said...

I'm not usually an orange sort of a girl, but it has to be done at this time of year. I haven't been able to get hold of any Chinese lanterns locally :(
I have two doggie bags ready for the post.
Happy Halloween.

Little Nell said...

How nice to see Halloween decorations which aren’t all severed limbs and ghouls! A lovely display.

Jenny said...

Happy Halloween Helen! We sadly have not really gotten into Halloween at our house this year (or any year really) even though I say every year we should, so I am really quite envious of all your Halloween decorations - the Chinese lanterns are especially beautiful, I bet they look lovely when the sun shines through them! Hope you have fun giving out treats to the little callers - we just had our first little skeletons at the door - so cute! xxx

Lace hearts said...

Thank you so much for leaving such a lovely comment about my script dogs. I am just so in love with script fabric - I can't get enough of it and am constantly buzzing with ideas for how to use it. I love all your orange goodies, as your felt doggie is just perfect. Chinese lanterns always look so special, don't they, and so delicate. I'll definitely be visiting your blog again. xx

Teje Karjalainen said...

Dear Helen, Thank you for this super happy Halloween post! Orange hasn't been really my colour but now it is my favourite! I love all your sweet photos and that cute dog is the best! You made me want to sew one 'Nero'!
xxx Teje

Teresa Kasner said...

What fun decor you have collected for this wonderful orange-y month! I also love the Chinese lantern string, what a find! Tomorrow I'll be putting away the Halloween stuff and bringing out my small collection of turkeys.. keep an eye on my blog to see them. :-)

((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Poppy said...

I would have got those pumpkin decorations too! I never found much I liked this year. I made a garland with my lanterns.

The little doggie is adorable!
Wishing you a lovely week too.... Lou xxx

Pomona said...

I love all your pumpkins - especially the small ones. We grew Jack Be Little last year which are small and cute, but my husband has taken against them. He can't see the decorative potential, and regards them as a complete hassle to put into soup compared to the large ones!

The felt dog is lovely, too - I am sure that Charlie will absolutely love it.

Pomona x

Scented Sweetpeas said...

Love that chinese lantern garland, may have to borrow that idea and use my chinese lanterns that way :-) Oohh you may like this pattern for Charlie too - such a cute hound:

http://bustleandsew.blogspot.com/2011/10/bit-of-mixture-and-return-of-my-free.html?showComment=1320151736099#c3231272233923437930

Natalia Glazacheva said...

Helen, thank you so much for your comment on my blog. Nice pictures =) Like your pumpkins and glass bowl. And you dog in white is so cute, just love it!
Natasha

koralee said...

Love your little doggie...so so adorable. October did zoom by.. didn't it?...that's ok.....Christmas is on it's way!!!! Hugs.