Life Inside the Page: Michaels Craft Store Finds | September 5-7, 2014

September 8, 2014

Everywhere I have looked lately, fall and holiday are bursting through the remnants of summer. From the leaves on the trees in my yard starting to turn their brilliant shade of red to the stores at the mall adding aisle after aisle of faux Christmas greenery...summer is becoming a distant memory.

I am not sure where I lost track of it...summer that is. Somewhere in between the morning watering of all that grows in my garden and the nighttime sitting and watching the sun set earlier and earlier the days ticked off of the calendar and another page was changed.

Soon the fireflies will disappear along with the butterflies and for months there will be nothing but a blanket of white. And all that will remain will be the hope of green once more and nights on the porch listening to summer, after dark.

Fall is my favorite time of year. Perhaps it is because of the cluster of holidays that begin at that time...feeding my forever creative soul. And no matter how old I become, I still seek out all that reminds me of my youth.

This weekend I stopped in Michaels Craft store twice...not for anything in particular, just checking out what they had out for Halloween. I can have a sale of my own from my attic, so it's not that I needed anything I just like seeing how trends change and what products are available.

While I was out for Chinese lunch, I was thinking about my sisters new puppy and how I want to make her a Santa Claus red cap for picture taking. And with that thought I thought...maybe a Halloween Witches hat too.

{me with Spirit on Saturday}

As soon as I walked into the store I saw the display of Halloween goodies and sure enough there were colorful witches hats...yet not singles but a garland. Perfect. I could clip them apart picking the perfect color and use the others atop pumpkins for outside decorating.

I know it may sound silly...putting the hat on the puppy...but the back story of this is my sister had two Golden dogs and in a matter of one year, they both died from cancer and she is beyond devastated over it. She wanted a new puppy and with every turn she was met with one disappointment after another. And it is hard to be a family member watching someone be so heartbroken that mere words cannot console them for over a year.

Last week, she once more sent pictures of a litter of ten puppies and once more had her heart set on getting one....and all you can do is hope that this time it works out for her. For a year I told her that when He thought it was her time...her buddy would come.

Happily....it was finally her time. She sent me a picture of the runt of the litter telling me she picked this little girl out and she needed a name. It was late and I was tired but I said...what about Spirit. {when my brother went through the same thing after losing his German Shepard many years ago he asked me for a name for his new puppy...and it was I told him all along...so she is called Faith.}

I thought Spirit...not as a ghostly name...but one of happiness...joy...elation...bring her out of her sadness .... Spirit.

We later found out that she was born on the day (this year) that my sister lost her second golden...last year. He, always has a plan. ;)

Anyway...back to crafts...here are the little hats and Halloween.

Around to the other side is now THANKSGIVING....wow.

This colored glass is a cheaper looking version to that I have from my grandmother many, many years ago. everything old is ...new again.

Love packaging...

In the impulse aisle on the way to the registers...these new Christmas $1.00 goodies...paper, notepads, cards, files, package gift tags, journals, so much more. Great for filling up gift bags...and now is the time to grab what you want because in a few weeks...this will be picked out and gone before Christmas ever gets here.