Winner's of the Winter Wonderland Giveaway

Congrats to Katie from All These Boys x 5.

She won my Lil' Grungy Tree.

Hop on over to The Rusty Thimble to see who else won the wonderful prizes.

Have a wonderful afternoon.

Just some stuff and Hallween Love

Good Morning everyone.  Can you believe how dark it is getting earlier and earlier?  It reminds me of the years we lived in Alaska and the cold-dark that spread clear into the day there.  Isn't it breathtaking?  This was taken in the middle of the day near the shortest day of the year.  You are overlooking at inlet actually.  The point is so high that you are above the clouds.  In the summer, when it's clear, you can see the bush planes flying back and forth.  They would be so close to you.  

I can't wait for the time change.  There is just something about the goodness of the sun whether it's warm outside or not.

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I can't but help feeling sentimental.  Some days are like that.  This week especially as my husband and I celebrated our 14th anniversary on Tuesday.

Oh, my Heavens we look so young.  If any of my daughters wanted to get married barely after their twentieth birthday I would say "forget it, that's way to young".  It's a miracle, that as being as young as I was, my heart was wise enough to know what kind of a man my husband would turn out to be. He amazes me more and more each year and our marriage gets better and better too.

I am so blessed.

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There has been some new fall decor added to my mantle.  Isn't it so cute?

We have two large windows on either side of the the fireplace and recently she has decided that she likes to sit up there to keep watch.

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I don't decorate for Halloween much.  My kids came home from school after I had put some things out and exclaimed "it doesn't look very spooky".  I admit, it doesn't.  Small and simple has always been what I have done.  But, the most important thing is that you really love what you have, and I do.

This little Halloween Miss is very special to me.  I saw her last year at the shop we love to go to on the Oregon Coast and passed her up even though she was really what I wanted.  This year, I wasn't letting her go.  I was so happy that they had her for sale again.

Years ago I picked up this pottery pumpkin.  I always set him on a luminary candle stick.

I fell in love with this spell book I saw on some one's blog.  It was a tutorial so I made my own.  

All of it got put on my mantle along with the volunteer pumpkins that grew in my garden and the witches broom I made from my dried raspberry plants.

The G.W. primitive house is going to be so fun for all the holidays.  

My dear sweet Tula.  I saved you for last because you are the best and my favorite.  I made her last year as an ornie.  She was such a fun thing to see come to life.  Tula was also one of the first primitive crafts I had ever made.  

This year, I seam ripped a few of her bottom stitching, pulled some stuffing out, and made her a make-do.

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If you have made it to the bottom of my post I applaud you.  I just have one last thing to share.

Baby has been wearing her Halloween costume non-stop.  At night, she sleeps with it by her side.  I thought it was funny to see a frog playing video games:)

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Only a few more days to go sign up for this massive wonderful giveaway Brenda is hosting.  It's going to be a great day for a lot of lucky ladies.

Click Here to Enter

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Truly wishing you all a wonderful Fall weekend.  I appreciate all my wonderful friends who visit me and comment so faithfully.  If it weren't for all of my followers and friends, there would be no 

Front Porch Primitives Blog.

Patina, Patina, Patina ~Tuesday Display Chain

To tell you the truth.  I had no idea what patina was until a year ago when I started learning about prim.  I had to look it up in the dictionary and then find examples of it on Google Pictures.  Even then it was still a little vague.  I did manage to find a few examples of it in my home.  Some of it's the real thing, some of it's faux, but it's all beautiful.  
If life gets you down, just put on your patina colored glasses and then you will see just how meaningful our past and present can be.

~Great Grandfather's Chair~

~Candle Stick~ 

~Antique Spool Light~

~Kitchen Bell from Spain~

~Antique Crate~

~Masher~

~Wash Tub~

~Apothecary Drawers~
(My Mother owns this piece)

The beauty of old never ceases to amaze me.  I am so blessed to be able to fill my home with the things I love.

Wishing you a wonderful day filled with Patina.

P.S.~  I think Patina would be a cute name for a little girl.

pat·i·na 2  (ptn-, p-tn) also pa·tine (p-tn) n. 1. A thin greenish layer, usually basic copper sulfate, that forms on copper or copper alloys, such as bronze, as a result of corrosion. 2. The sheen on any surface, produced by age and use. 3. A change in appearance produced by long-standing behavior, practice, or use: a face etched with a patina of fine lines and tiny wrinkles. [Italian, from Latin, plate (from the incrustation on ancient metal plates and dishes); see paten.] ~Courtesy the Free Dictionary by Farlex~

Tuesday Display Chain~ See it, Do it

Dear friends, I am seemingly stretching across the board with this post.  No where does this spell primitive, but life always isn't.  And with three little girls with hair past their shoulders, what mother could resist?

Today's Tuesday display chain is "See it, Do it".  I love to have my hands lovingly in my girls hair. (Boy, that's a lot of love:) Every day before school they get it done.  Some days it's just a pony tail, other days it's more.  But, my girls will always remember having their hair looking nicely.

I have seen many mother's do their girls' hair (on line) and I have tried many of the styles myself.  I am so glad I took pictures of them. 

Here are a few if my favorites.

So today, my girls are on display:)

Now you know that I don't just work with fabric, or paint, or wood, or glue, etc.  I love to work with hair as well.  I always have since I was a pre-teen.  God blessed me with three heads to do each morning.  

Some Fall Decor and The Oregon Coast

It seems like forever since I have done a "normal" post with pictures and thoughts to share.  Life gets that way sometimes.  Simple as it may be, these are some of the displays around my home this fall.  The girls help me decorate on the first of every September.  A tradition they and I look forward to alike.

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 The vacation we took to the Oregon Coast never fails to deliver.  As many times as we have been there the scenery never tires.  I am always amazed at the splendor and beauty of it every time.  I wish with all my heart that I could just pack up and move to a beach house there.  It is a home away from home.

The girls spent hours of their "down" time playing the a bucket pulley system I devised.

Down the beach on Tierra Del Mar.

It's fun to see my girls and their cousins get old enough to walk between beach houses all by themselves.  A little group of giggling friends.

The waves were AMAZING at Depoe Bay this year.  We have never seen them that large.  They were crashing onto the rocks and up over the edge of the side walk.  We watched them for a good hour blowing up through a channel and creating a massive spray.  Way better than Old Faithful for sure:)

This year I taught them to make Sand Meatballs or "Sand Bombs".  Something I did as a child.

Even baby figured out how to do it.

Spending time with Grandma digging for buried treasure.

Amazing Sunsets.

Hubby tried so hard to catch the elusive Salmon but no luck this year.  We did however pull in a ton of crab.  Yummy.

On the 11 hour drive there are so many neat things to see.  I love the tree farms especially. Miles and miles of trees.  All spaced exactly the same. 

May my heart ever lie with the Ocean.  Someday, we will retire there.  Someday.

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Today is a down day.  My IC has flared up this morning:(  So, I am laying low and taking it easy.  Oh, except for all the laundry.  Ha ha.

Have a great day. And don't forget to go and sign up for the Winter Wonderland Giveaway.  Just click here.