SPOOKY

Long time, no blog.

We're back with our 2nd Annual Halloween Contest. This time, anyone who enters gets a chance to win a fabulous prize :) (U.S. and Canadian residents only). So here's what Frannie has been in the past:

SNOW WHITE - 2005

CINDERELLA - 2006

SLEEPING BEAUTY - 2007

GLINDA - 2008

Now, I didn't take a photo of the supplies I used to make this year's costume, but what I will tell you is that I did not have a pattern - I had to "wing" it. Frannie showed me the cover of one of her books and said, "this is what I want to be". It involved oodles and oodles of pink tulle, globs of glitter, another one of my headpieces and a matching wand (the wand was Frannie's idea).

Here's what you could win:

A "Giant" sized Hershey Bar specially wrapped by me. The ghost placement under the "Treat" is not included. How to enter: Just leave a comment telling us what you think Frannie's costume is for 2009. Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you. Everyone who enters gets a chance to win. If you guess correctly, you get a second entry. If you need another clue, take a peek at Miss Punkie Pie. I'll say no more. We'll probably announce the winner late Saturday or Sunday. You can enter up until then. If you'd like to spread the word about the giveaway, I would appreciate that. Feel free to use my "2nd Annual Halloween Contest" icon.

S.W.A.K.

KICK IT INTO GEAR

That's what I needed to do - Kick It Into Gear. Ever go through one of those slumps, nothin' seems to "get your motor running"? It think my "lightbulb" has been on energy saver lately; maybe it was the summer heat - made me feel sluggish. But summer's over now, right? And you know what that means - I have to put away my straw purses - who made up that rule anyway?! But rules are rules, so off they go - and that's what motivated me. You see, I wanted a new purse, and I've been looking around, but I haven't found anything that said "buy me!" Everything looks so heavy and dark, and let's face it, winter is a long season. I want to carry something that's cheerful, happy and sparkly. I figured the only way I would get all that in one purse was to make it myself. So I did. It started out with, you guessed it, two placemats (I can't believe I actually made a placemat purse), but hey, don't knock it unless you've tried it, right? Well, I've had these two placements for months, maybe even a couple of years, I forget, but I always thought they were so pretty - and I had never used them. (Lightbulb gets a little brighter.) Hmmmm... hey, I've got some vintage purse handles (I've always wanted to put a new purse on those) - (brighter still). Oooo,! Oooo! - I've got some super jumbo rick rack (brighter, brighter). Eureka! - leftover sparkly beads and a vintage button with rhinestones to boot! (Put on those sunglasses!) Ready for the reveal?

Now, I don't know the exact age of these purse handles, but I think they have to be at least 75 years old. They belonged to Ethel Pekar, who was a very lovely woman. She worked for many years as the secretary to the President of the Frisbie Pie Company*. There was a fabric purse attached to the handles, but too old to use, so I gently removed it and carefully packed it away. Ethel must have owned this purse before she was married because the label she attached to the inside handle has her maiden name typed on it. I would never dream of removing this. I will think of Ethel every time I look inside.

You know, I was almost tempted to leave out the polka-dots, but I just couldn't help myself.

So what gets your motor running?

Before I forget, Frannie wants you to see her "gear":

Backpack

Lunch Box

Frannie has just started the third grade, so that means we have been purchasing a new backpack and lunch box for four years now (if you saw what they looked like at the end of a school year and then five weeks of day camp, you'd understand why we have to replace them each year). Well, each year we purchase a Hello Kitty backpack and lunch box - never any other character - not to mention HK pencils, folders, note pads, etc. We also have (had) HK purses, shirts, shorts, dresses, hats, gloves, sneakers, shoes, socks, jewelry, hair ornaments, unmentionables, toys - did I forget anything? One year we even had a HK birthday party.

Hello Kitty - don't leave home without her!

S.W.A.K.

*The Frisbie Pie Company was founded in 1871 by William Russell Frisbie in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when he bought and renamed a branch of the Olds Baking Company. It supplied pies to Connecticut retailers and restaurants, including the Yale University campus. Yale students discovered that the pie tins, inverted, had an airfoil shape which enabled them to be thrown in various trajectories by a skilled person. This eventually evolved into the Frisbee trademarked flying disc and many imitators. (Wikipedia)

HOE DOWN THROW DOWN AND THE TOP 3 REASONS WHY FRANNIE LOVES SUMMER

A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

REASON #3

REASON #2

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY
FRANNIE LOVES SUMMER

I'm teaching Frannie everything I know, starting with purses!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Frannie also loves Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus - hence the song for the post. Now, if only Hello Kitty could sing.

GIRLS NIGHT OUT

SEND OUT A 911

WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME FUN...

Mmmmmmm...... ITALIAN PASTRIES

SLIPPIN' AND A SLIDIN'

Mmmmmmm...... PIZZA FRITTA

YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY!

Mmmmmmm...... ZEPPOLES

LET'S GO, G.N.O.
LET'S GO, G.N.O.
LET'S GO, G.N.O.

'CAUSE IT'S A GIRLS NIGHT!

Frannie and her BFF - Festival Italiano 2009 - Westport, CT

S.W.A.K.

WOODSTOCK

Here's something I'll bet you didn't know about me, and if you did, you probably still wouldn't believe it. At least that's the look I get from most people when they find out that I was at Woodstock. Yes, the original 1969 version of Woodstock. Of course, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, that I'd be part of history in the making, but on August 15, 1969, my sister, her friend Donna, and I set off for Bethel, NY.

Now you might think, groovy, three girls on their way to a rock concert, but I have to tell you that I was only 12 years old, that's right, twelve. My sister was 16, and her friend, Donna, probably 17. After a sleepover the night before at Donna's, we set out bright and early Friday morning. We caught the MetroNorth train from South Norwalk into Grand Central. We were old pros at going to the city. I think I was about eight when I started to go on shopping trips, having lunch and riding the subway or bus with just my sister and her friend. We'd lunch at Orbach's, or Macy's luncheonette, or maybe the Automat, and we'd spend the day shopping. I remember purchases of a floppy hat one trip and some Mary Quant eye make-up crayons on another excursion. Never thought anything of it. But I digress. After arriving in New York, we found our way over to the Port of Authority and caught a bus to Bethel, NY. Now you've got to remember that this was a long time ago and I was pretty young, so my memory of this event is a little fuzzy. Anyway, later that day, we ended up in Bethel and walked on up to Yasgur's farm. I guess we arrived early because we did not get stuck in a traffic jam on our way to the event and there weren't crowds of people sitting in front of the stage yet, but just wait. We even had actual tickets that no one collected. I think we traveled pretty light. I believe we were under the impression that we would be able to get those little pup tents to sleep in or something - WRONG! I don't really remember how or where we slept, just that there were lots and lots of people all over, some with tents, sleeping bags or just blankets. I do remember standing in long lines for food and water and to use the portable restrooms (that's putting it nicely). I did not see any naked people - that I would remember! Oh, yes, the rain. Maybe that's why we didn't stay for the whole event, maybe we were running low on money, or maybe it was just too much. So we left sometime during the second day. But there was no getting a bus back, at least not for about twenty miles or so, you see, there was a huge traffic jam in every direction. So we walked and walked, and it was hot, and my feet hurt! If you're about my age, you might remember when "clogs" first made the fashion scene. Well, mine were white perforated ones with wooden soles and they were my first pair and they were brand spanking new! Ouch! But hey, who cares, my feet were cute! Eventually someone offered us a ride (I'm pretty sure it was a guy and he had a convertible and I think we sat on top of the car - actually it was more like a slow boat to China because of all the cars. Finally, we reached a bus station that had a bus going back into the city. I remember trying to clean up in the rest room of the bus station. I think we might have been a little muddy, not to mention smelly. And here I am today, blogging about it. Who would have thought.

I wish I had photos to share with you, but I don't so you'll have to settle for another song. One of my most vivid memories of the whole event was Richie Havens singing "Freedom". I'm sure we're in one of those shots somewhere. If you're looking out from the stage, we'd be about one-third of the way up and a little to the right. I'm the one with long brown hair, wearing the blue skort and white shirt (don't forget about the clogs!).



PEACE

Before I forget, I want to tell you who won the "Blogiversary" giveaway. I'm very sorry it took me so long to post this, but, hey, you know. So, without further adieu, Mary Grace McNamara of Hooked On Needles, come on down!