Every now and then I get the purging bug. I go through my craft closet or a kitchen cabinet, see items I haven't used or have been meaning to use...for years...and donate them. Well, last week when I was looking for some supplies to make my placemat apron, I found a few old jars and thought, well, it's now or never.

And you guessed it. I finally chose now.

I have never been one to blindly follow trends or take public opinion into account when decorating. I think if you took a peek around my house, that would be evident. I live in a very old and very small 1920's cottage, I have laminate countertops in my kitchen that I adore and not a stitch of grey paint in any room.

I'm a super hard sell, you're never going to talk me into buying something I don't love, so your opinion, Mr. or Mrs. Salesperson is falling on deaf ears.

I'm a New Yorker and a Sicilian one at that.

Several Christmases ago, my sister arrived at my home with four of the prettiest Pottery Barn placemats for me. The holiday hostess!!

I instantly fell in love. 

A few days ago, I was on Facebook and a shocking post came across my screen. Candy Corn stacked up in the shape of an ear of corn, with the tag line, "How old were you when you realized it's called candy corn because if you stack it up, it looks like corn?"

Um. WHAT???

We were late for a birthday party, but that was nothing new. Working, renovating and taking care of the kids had me on the ropes. I was trying to do it all and semi-succeeding, but I was never on time.

The party was a good thirty minutes away at a bakery. A bunch of five year olds, their parents and any tag-a-long siblings were going to make a dozen of their very own, custom created cookies. It was going to be a messy endeavor and the outfit my daughter was wearing was definitely not appropriate.

Brand new and black.

When I asked her to change, she was fine with the idea. Ever agreeable, she pulled out a little pink dress that we were both happy with and I said, Great. Let’s go.

No.

Several years ago, I sat at the computer and wrote down some of the DIY jobs on my seemingly never-ending to-do list and called it The Project Pile.

I carefully chronicled what needed to be repaired, completed or totally made over in this tiny little cottage of mine, in the hopes that by putting it out there for all the world to see, it would provide me with the motivation to find the time I needed to actually get it all done.

Did it work, you ask?

Well. Sort of.

Decorate your house for Halloween with a dollar store treat bag banner. Make the kids happy and still get the elegant look you like. It's like having your decor treat and eating it, too...

I am not a big fan of Halloween. As a matter of fact, last year I was thrilled that everyone here was way too old for trick or treating and I no longer had to participate in this, my least favorite holiday of the year.

Even better, I was finally able to decorate my way in October. I ignored Halloween altogether and dressed my home for fall instead.

There were no spider webs on my front door, no cardboard cats, no vinyl cling witches and no orange.

Well, very little orange.

My sister is an amazing second hand shopper. She finds the most unique and valuable items. She has an eye for it and great instincts and she often brings me home very cool thrift store treasures.

So I was not at all surprised when, last year, she presented me with this Christmas craft book that she picked up for a buck.

Debbie Mumm's 12 Days Of Christmas.

Fabulous.

My mom passed in January.

She'd been sick for a long time and while her passing was not at all unexpected, it was still jarring.

As death most often is.