Happy Halloween!!!

On Hallowe'en the thing
you must do
Is pretend that nothing
can frighten you
An' if somethin' scares you
and you want to run
Jus' let on like
it's Hallowe'en fun.
- - - from an Early Nineteenth Century Halloween Postcard

May your tricks be rewarded with lot of treats!!!

Mandi

A Give Away!!!

The countdown is on!  Jump on over to Mementos on Facebook and become a fan!  This month+ long event ends on Halloween!   All fans will be entered in a giveaway of a custom party package for 20.  That’s right, you could be the happy recipient of a set of custom candy wrappers, water bottle labels and one other item from our line of party favors.  Perfect for your next special occasion! 

Candy bar wrappers and water bottle labels will be the same size as those in the bottom photo below.  And you can choose from tiny labels for mini chocolate bars, ‘kisses’ labels or coin labels (in bottom photo, top left) for your third item.  Or how about a ‘bag tag’, a laminated luggage tag to match your party theme?!  Add a photo (of that birthday person!) or your logo and you have a one-of-a-kind matching set for a special occasion!

Become a fan today!!!  The winner will be announced here on 11/1, together we’ll work on that perfect party package!

Mandi

The fine print:  Candy and water are not included!  We’ll send you the printed wrappers/labels etc, you assemble them.

Only at…

Disneyland!  Where else would you see candy corn growing?!!!  Please click on photos to get the BIG effect!

Or a 13’ carved pumpkin that looks amazingly like a mouse???

My favorite window EVER !!!  Found in a remote corner of California Adventure…

And the Haunted Mansion was To Die For~:~:~:~:

 

I loved the vintage halloween images they used in lots of the vingnettes around the park!

Most fun of all was this…

…spending time with my sister (on the right) and niece Sabrina and my mom (she went home early)…now THAT was a fun-filled day!

Looking forward to the next 50!!

m

The O’neil Sisters visited RWAP!

We had some special guests at Room With A Past on Friday!  Kitty and Jennifer O’Neil stopped in to take some photos of the shop and buy a few trinkets too.  They are sooo sweet, and amazingly creative!

They blogged about the shop here, using a photo from my ‘glam halloween’ display…stop by there site for some fun decorating ideas!

Spooky stuff! 

m

You just have to…

…visit Room With a Past  THIS weekend!

You won’t believe your fall-lovin’, pumpkin carvin’ trick-or-treat’n eyes!  It is packed with fall decorating treasures you will not want to miss!!!

(Photo credit Room With a Past)

BOO!

Mandi

Memories…

I was going through some old photos,  and came across this one that brings back fond memories.  It is from the early 1900’s and is of downtown Anaheim (CA) looking east up Lincoln Ave (formerly known as “Center Street”).  See the building on the right  with ‘SQR’ on the front?  I worked there in college in the late 70’s.  At the time they were tearing all of those beautiful old buildings down.  To say I loved working there is an understatement!!! I adored that place! 

 

Please click on the photo to enlarge it!

My only memory of SQR when I was young was shopping with my mom, Joanne, Melissa and Meg after an Anaheim ‘kiddie’ halloween parade.  I remember going UP in the fabulous OLD elevator to the top (3rd) floor.  There was a man in the elevator that you could tell what floor you were going to and he would push the button, and then hold the door for you when you got to your destination.  

Fast forward to 1978 when I worked there and that same elevator operator still worked at the store.  His name was George and he had worked there since he was a young man.  The elevator (and top floors) had been closed years before but George moved to the shoe department where he worked until the store was torn down in ‘78.  I learned alot from him about shoes, how they were made, what the best materials were, and even how to ‘stretch’ a new shoe that was too tight (if it is leather you spritz it with rubbing alcohol and then WEAR IT!!).

I have had a passion for fashion since I learned to sew in 7th grade in Miss Palmeris class at Fremont Junior High in Anaheim.  I still have my apron that I made in her class…that sewing project inspired me to become a seamstress and I spent hours making my clothes in high school.

So imagine the excitement when I worked at SQR with all the high fashion!  Well…by the late 70s the styles were fading but they did carry some of the top brands.  I loved putting outfits together for displays, and going down to the basement of SQR to retrieve a mannequin or two for a display!  The elevator didn’t work so we had to carry them up the stairs but what a fun job it was!  A trip to the upper floors was a little spooky, the old oak floors squeaked and the only light came from the windows…but it was still a grand old place.

Ahhh…memories!

Garden Market Style!

We spent the day outdoors at the Le Jardin Garden Market in their gorgeous gardens in Pleasant Hill. Lots of sun, fun and new customers to introduce to our vintage image stationery and Mementos chocolate and favor designs to. Home for the day looked like this: (please click on the photo to get the bigger picture!)

And since the Danville show two weeks ago was all halloween, I mixed it up a bit and did some FAB new designs for clipboards and market bags:

Love ‘em! The customers did too…a nice indication that I’m doing things that others enjoy! I strive to keep up with ‘trends’ while keeping my designs unique and fresh. You won’t find these anywhere else, that’s for sure!

The weekend was B-U-S-Y, Room With A Past was open and let me tell you, it was AMAZING!!! It was just incredible how much we sold.

So I’m ready for a few days off…I think I’ll go back in the archives and drop in a post or two of some oldies but goodies. In the meantime, have a wonderful week!

Mandi