halloweens past...

only 1 more day until trick or treat time! i love to take the kids trick or treating. so cute to see them run up to the door and then the look on their face as they run back down with big grins, showing off their loot. when jake was little, i would make his costumes and dress him up as pumpkins and scarecrows and even an ostrich one year! he was so adorable. then he got a little older and wanted the store bought stuff because it was "cool". ooooh heart break. but i got over it:) i went looking through some old photo albums and reminisced about halloweens past and all the sweet costumes and times we spent together. how and when did my little babies grow up so fast!? i couldn't resist posting some of my faves...

and for giggles here is me (on the left) and my sister back in the day:) remember the good ol' days when you could just wear your dad's shirt and tie and call yourself a hobo? so funny!!

happy halloween eve my dears!!! what are your plans?

xoxox...jenn

bowled over...

i have a confession to make. i am obsessed with bowling pins. oh yeah. bowling pins. i am in true love. every where i go, i look for vintage bowling pins. tall ones, short ones, skinny and stout ones. love. them. all. and i am having SO much fun painting some of them! the truly chippy, painted, fabulous ones (like in the 1st photo) are going to stay just as they are and live with me. (can't resist. just can't!) it is a delight to create something new from something old! it's true. so, while my little studio starts transforming into a mini santa's workshop...(HOW is Christmas a couple short months away!?)...my mind, and paintbrush, is on chipped up bowling pins from years and years ago:) here are some teeny gals that will be hitting the shop today!!

AND i am soooo super happy to announce that i have an article in the upcoming issue of Artful Blogging!! some of you little detectives already knew about my article...but i was keeping my lips sealed until i saw it with my very own eyes:) my issue arrived on our doorstep last week and there was some happy dancing involved:) thank you TONS to sweet Christen (senior managing editor) and the whole staff of Artful Blogging. i am so thrilled to be a little part of my favorite magazine!

the issue hits news stands november 1st if you'd like to take a peek! lots of xoxo to you guys! happy tuesday...

vintage friday...

what better way to say hello to friday than taking a peek at some vintage treats:) these are some of the little treasures that will hit the shop in the next couple of days. it has been a crazy week. my husband has been traveling a lot...the weather is bananas (and not in a rachel zoe good kind of way!)...school stuff...house stuff...sick stuff...whew. but we are all snug in our beds tonight (as i write this) and thankful for each other...thankful for our family. happy weekend sweet friends!! there are pumpkins to paint, leaves to rake, boys to snuggle and halloween candy to sneak early:) enjoy whatever you have planned...or, even better, not planned:)

xoxo...jenn

we have a winner...

number 2 !!!

char at we blog artists

big halloween congrats to char and thank you so very much to all of you for making my halloween celebration EXTRA special! what a lovely time! thank you again to dear vanessa.

now, go have an extra fabulous TUESDAY everyone!

see you super soon...

xoxo...jenn

let the magical celebration begin...

oooh i've been waiting for this special day to arrive! the magical halloween celebration hosted by the fantabulous vanessa of A Fanciful Twist is finally here. click on the link to visit vanessa's party and to see a list of all that are participating. so put on your striped tights and your witch hats and your polka dotted bow ties and come along for the ride!

my little story starts with lulu and edwin. they were terribly excited about attending miss v's halloween celebration. they stayed up all night making little party hats and everything.

when the alarm clock sounded that it was finally time to get to the party, they could hardly contain their excitement!! hip, hip, hooooRay!

but a mean old witch, that rented the apartment below them, had other plans. she cast a spell and sent them to another place and time. one where they were sure to never find their party.

there was a very bright light and lulu and edwin were suddenly swirling about

when they finally stopped swirling, they looked at each other and exclaimed..."oooh that nasty witch must have sent us to another place and time. how will we ever find the halloween party now!?" lulu and edwin did what anyone would do in such a situation. they dusted off their party hats, held their heads high and set off to find a way home.

they came upon a strange little group of clowns who demanded they have a crab walking race. of course they complied.

and of course lulu won. she was a very fast crab walker. they cheered with delight and told lulu and edwin to look for the girl holding a star. she could help them find their way.

they walked and they walked....enjoying each others company...until they saw the girl holding a star.

she told them they were being very brave and to keep their heads held high and to not be afraid and to remember what day it was. a day filled with magic...halloween! so, lulu and edwin headed off into the forest. "a pumpkin patch!" lulu exclaimed. "oh we must get a pumpkin and take it to vanessa, we just must!"

lulu picked the very best one and was the happiest lost girl ever.

but she knew they must get UN-lost very soon, or they would indeed miss the halloween celebration. lulu and edwin asked every interesting character they came upon. "how, oh how, do we find our way home?" edwin asked girls in boats.

lulu asked girls dressed in black...

the tiny pin people were completely no help...

things were getting creepy. it felt like they were being watched...

but, thankfully for lulu and edwin, they met a delightful old couple named rosie and albert. they all sat down and played a game of cards. when suddenly it hit lulu..."OF COURSE!"..."it's right here in front of us edwin!" when indeed it was. the magical number of halloween.

31

they quickly said farewell to rosie and albert and sped off to where they began. they ran around in a circle 31 times with all the confidence in the world and guess what? it worked! lights started flashing and things started spinning...

and in the blink of an eye, they were home. that mean old witch could NOT ruin their fun. they headed off to the halloween magical celebration with oodles of excitement and joy!

thanks so much for stopping by my little party everyone! don't forget to visit lovely vanessa and take a peek at all the other parties going on. as a halloween TREAT...when you leave a comment on this post, i will enter your name to win one of my noodle and lou studio mounted halloween prints. they are pictured above...you can choose between the "3 girls in black" or the "halloween boat ride". both are 4.5x4.5 wooden squares featuring a print of my original paintings...painted black sides and lots of mica added to the edges. i will draw the winners name on tuesday morning...october 2o. good luck and happy, HAPPY halloween!

xoxox...jenn

old toys = happy jenn

a few lovely old toys from the shop that make me oh so happy...

still playing a bit of catch up...but aren't i always? wink wink! thank you for all the LOVE regarding my wooden lulettes! you guys are SO supportive and truly wonderful to me. thank you ALL!

so, vintage toys are making me happy today...what's making YOU happy today!?

xoxo...jenn