It's no secret that crafting, especially with thrift store finds, is my passion. And there's no better time to do that than during the holidays. Of course, I gather ideas for Christmas crafts all year long...but thrift shopping can tricky. You can never be quite sure you'll find what you're looking for, when you're looking for it. So when I see things I think I might use in December, I grab them. Regardless of what the calendar says.

Lately, I've been very into trying new crafting techniques. I finally bought myself some yarn and a hook to learn how to crochet. I've been playing with glass paints and this week, I make a beautiful sign with paint inlays. It's a relatively new way to get a hand painted look without stenciling or using furniture transfers . And as soon as I saw them, I was smitten.

Several years ago, my daughter, an old soul who adores vintage pieces, decided she needed a secretary desk in her room. Frankly, I didn't think it was the most functional piece for a middle school girl. I knew that years of makeup mirrors and laptops, textbooks, notebooks and journals were all waiting in the wings. And there was no way, they were all going to coexist peacefully on that small, fold down, writing area. A pull down flap, that also forced her to push her chair back, in a tiny room, to access. Not practical. At all. But she insisted and I gave in.

This week I decided to get a little crafty with some of my summer thrift finds. I honestly have so many great pieces to makeover, it was hard to decide where to start. So it's a little ironic that what I grabbed first was this Grateful, Thankful, Blessed pumpkin stencil from the dollar store. You see, stenciling is not my favorite kind of DIY. Well, not anymore anyway. In the 80s and 90s it was my go to craft. Although, I was never really very good at it. I'm a lazy crafter. I like quick and easy DIYs and stenciling requires patience and precision.

So Halloween is over and apparently now, it's Christmas. I get it, the season is short, Christmas is fabulous, and I fully support decorating decisions that make you smile. However, at the moment, the only trees I'm interested in are the ones that have finally decided to change colors outside. And I'm not ready to hurry my fall decor out of the house.

My mom was the most amazing cook. Truly. She was the best. And over the years, I've shared some of her delicious recipes. However. So far, I've only shared the Italian recipes . You see, my dad was Sicilian and my mother learned how to make all of his favorites ...and make them like she was born in Italy herself. But she wasn't. She was Albanian.

Happy Halloween! It's a chilly day here on my island, school is almost out and the trick or treaters will be knocking on my door anytime now. Before they do, however, I wanted to share some of the easy DIY decor I've crafted over the past several years. To decorate for the day. And celebrate. I'm not a fan of anything super spooky or scary, so most of my decor falls into the adorable category. If that's your jam, too, then settle in and let's take a peek around my holiday house. 1. Halloween Transfers On Glass I used Halloween transfers from Dollar Tree to create fun glasses and candle holders for my table. It's a great way to add some sparkle to your costume party without breaking the bank. 2. Treat Bag Banner Who says treat bags are just for candy? They can also be used to create a Halloween banner to liven up your living room. Mixed with a few gift tag ghosts, they make an elegant statement. 3. Splatter Screen Spider Wreath Ok, I know I said I wasn't int...