Punkins

Last weekend we enjoyed some family time when my dad & step-mom came in for a visit. In the three years we have lived here, we have never visited the little antique shop/pumpkin patch that is less than a mile from home. It was high time!

I've been playing with Photoshop lately {could you tell?} & using it to enhance my pictures. I love the way the technique I'm using makes the colors pop & almost glow. You can see some examples below. The first one is the original; the following photo is the enhanced version.

We picked out several cute pumpkins & a whole bunch of mini-gourds for home decor. I think those were a pretty good deal at 4/$1. There were mini white pumpkins that would look adorable, when hollowed out, as votive holders for the harvest table. I'm probably not going to carve any of the big pumpkins, but am considering some painted pumpkins, perhaps using one of the stencils here. The antique shop was charming & I can't believe how much the kids enjoyed it! These are real antiques, as opposed to new stuff made to look vintage. We admired really old telephones, an antique baby stroller, chests and wood burning stoves. I drooled over two big bins full of metal cookie cutters. I plan to go back for those when time permits. I fell in love with a big window pane with mullions making about 12 different sections. Cleaned up a bit, I'm wondering if it could be hung on the wall, with some photos mounted in some of the sections. At only $18, I think it may just show up in my living room. My dad took notice of my fascination with the vintage oil lamps & offered to buy me one. They remind me of something you'd see in a Pottery Barn catalog, only at a fraction of the price. I am told mine can still be used, so will need to purchase some lamp oil and a new wick. Here it is:

Remember those little knitted pumpkins & how I was so addicted fascinated with making them? Well, I'm back at it.

I forgot how many stitches to cast on, so this first one is a baby compared to the ones I made before. So cute & slightly imperfect, just like a real punkin! A set of three will serve as a housewarming gift for a lovely family.

{{Kudos to you if you've managed to stay with me this far & not fall asleep!}}

Last but not least, a family photo from the punkin place {Photoshopped of course}. Think it's suitable for a Christmas card?