Good morning!~
        I thought I’d do a little post this morning showing you some of my season decor in my home. Granted, I live with children, so its looking nice and neat is fleeting! But they’re at school and well, I’m feeling festive!

    Autumn is one of my favorite seasons to decorate for. During a trip to Eureka Springs for our first anniversary years ago, I discovered Nicol Sayre dolls and have collected them through the years. I’ve also been a collector of antiques for many years, usually gathering my treasures through family, antique malls and estate sales. I often hear older antiques collectors bemoan the fact that ‘the young folks’ aren’t into antiques. Well, I am here to say that I am! Collecting antiques is tricky though, because they can be so expensive. That’s why I have to really hunt for pieces I can afford.

   One of my favorite estate sales pieces is this winged back chair that I snagged at an estate sale and was so excited to tote home. I saw it tucked into the entryway of a beautiful old home in Tulsa and it was one of those ‘I know I’ll never see something like this again that I can afford’ situations. The old rocking chair behind it is a family heirloom that is so beautifully made….the arms are at the perfect height to comfortably rest while you knit. The spinning wheel beside you, I’m sure you’ve seen it in many photos, is my prized spinning wheel that also was an estate sale find. I mean…..God bless estate sales! Especially on 50% off day!

    I’ve also collected lots of little holiday pieces that I love to bring out during the autumn season. Many of them were gifts, or special items I’ve collected piece by piece over the years. The two little dolls above in the white dresses were handmade by my friend Christine Crocker, who makes beautiful Queen Anne style dolls.

   For me though, I love Halloween when its spooky sweet and old fashioned. I’ve always been drawn to ghost stories and perhaps even a dash of the macabre (I do love to go exploring a beautiful old cemetery, especially in New England!). Im not into the gory or the frightening, but the cozy and homespun.

        On the living room trunk I’ve usually got a stack of my favorite books, and these are my current favs. The giant Grandma Moses tome was another great Antique Mall find ($5! Cheap antique mall books may be my weakness….just ask my many bookcases….) I also found this sweet book of American Folk Art from the Museum of American Folk Art in NYC, which I would love to visit one day. I’ve also been savoring Nora Murphy’s Country House Style, which just came out and is amazing.

    And so, that’s a little peek at things around here. Doing a little laundry and picking up while everyone is at school or work for the day, and then hoping to paint later. Im hard at work for art for the coming Open House at Blue Heron Antiques (November 3!) and creating art for Christmas.

   Thanks so much for coming by today!~
H