My Porch

Apartment living doesn't give the best options for showing off your holiday decorations to neighbors and folks passing by. Seeing that we are now on year four of aparment dwelling, I've had to get a little more creative. I'm glad I have a banister to hang stuff on. Mike keeps asking me why I buy outside decorations. My simple reply, "We won't be here forever." Am I turning myself into a liar?



I made these banners because I HAD to use this fabric. I went into Elaine's Quilt Block and these little Fats Quarters were all neatly stacked on the display table. I'll take one of each, Thank You! I made 8 or 9 of these bad boys. I am so pleased to go to my sister's and mother's house, and see these sweet little banners hanging up in their homes.



Now this little beauty has turned out to be one my biggest letdowns in decor purchases. I was at the Avenues Street Fair working in the University of Utah Printmaking booth, when from across the way, the sun hit this thing so beautifully. I went to take a closer look. Shocked by the $25 sticker price, I asked them their techniques of glass and metal cutting. "Oh yes, everything is made in our workshop. We salvage sheet metal, clean it, and cut it to our shapes. Then we treat it so it won't rust. Then we do the mosaic last."

Wowzers... that is a lot of work. I could justify paying that much for it. I pulled out my wad of cash and handed over the money. We talked about local boutiques and farmers markets. We exchanged cards. I thought I had found new best friends.

When I got home, I so proudly hung my little cut glass "BOO" hanging outside of my door so all visiters could partake in its simple beauty.

A week or so later... I made a stop at the local dollar store for something fabulous, I'm sure. As I walked in the door, my heart broke into a million pieces. There, hanging in the halloween section was my "BOO", without the cut glass of course, but it was still my BOO. Why did these sweet, hip, crafty ladies lie to me? I felt like buying them all up so they couldn't deceive any other suckers like me. When I got home, sure enough. I pulled back their sticker price tag (it was so cute, so I left it on) and there was the gold "Made in China" label underneath it. :( Ladies, CYA on this type of thing!

I still see those ladies at markets and boutiques around town. I've never told them that I know they lied to me, but their work is definatly less magical to me. Anyway, that wasn't supposed to turn into a crazy rant. I just wanted to show you my cute little decorations.

I love when Halloween is in the earlier part of the week, because then we get to celebrate it all weekend! Tonight I have costumes to make and a party to go to. Tomorrow is the party at church, where I am in charge of the cake walk... gotta do that, too. Mike entered the chili contest, and Cohen has to live up to his title of "Scariest Costume Award". Although, he is going to be Charlie Brown, he has got to win something.

Happy Haunting!