Halloween Collage.

I've been a member of Picmonkey, a photo program, for a few years now. I pay around $32 US per year to use the Royal program which has more features. I absolutely love it! It's simple and easy to use, but there are many features I haven't tried yet, so there is a lot of content in the program for professionals to enjoy too.

Today, October 21, I received an email from Picmonkey announcing new templates. So I immediately tried it out, and created the above. It was really fun to do and I did it in around 10 minutes.

I used a photo from 2014. For quite a few years I've decorated our windows with dolls, using Chatty Cathy and American Girl, with many props.

I won't be doing it this year, as the candy is so expensive, and all the neighbourhood children are long gone. Car loads of children drive in from all over, but they don't live here, so why should I hand out candy to them? I'm a complete stranger! Plus my hubby will be at his Taekwondo class so it's too creepy to do it on my own. A lot of the "children" are tall teens, bigger than I am! Halloween isn't what it used to be.

By Loretta Houben

A few 18" dolly items....

If you keep your dolly eyes open, it's really quite amazing what you can find while on vacation, or in the local dollar stores.

I bought the above hand made jar in a pottery in Medicine Hat Alberta while driving through the prairies this past summer in August. It was more expensive than the $ store of course, but I wanted a souvenir. 

I have two Dollar Tree stores fairly close to me now.

I spotted this darling jar candle, similar to ones that my hubby used to buy me when he was on business trips. It's made in the USA and was only $1.25!

I spotted these darling plastic containers (full of push pins) at my local Walmart store! I immediately knew they'd be great for cookies or candy. Now I have to try my hand at making a few out of polymer clay!

By Loretta Houben

Daiso, a Japanese store in Vancouver BC.

I visited Daiso, a Japanese $ store in Vancouver BC last week. I use my dolly eyes now to spot items for the mini dolls which are my newest craze! I bought 3 packages of erasers in the shape of food which I'd never seen before. Here are my two newest Lori mini dolls with their delicious meal. I should have labeled it "Japanese take out" and not Chinese!

I love the Daiso store. For years I only knew of one in Richmond near YVR airport, and that is a long drive. Recently I discovered one in Chinatown and that's easy for me to get to. I visit it about once every 2 months. There are thousands of items in that store. I love the stationary department as I use the binders for genealogy research. 

Last week I found the food and couldn't resist it. One package had 3 bowls with lids and noodles inside; so cute! And only $2 Cdn.

The other 2 packages had a tray of food, with a small mug and chopsticks. I just had to get them. They were also $2 Cdn each.

By Loretta Houben

Our Generation at The Bay

Ah, the fun of discovering a whole new toy section you didn't even know existed! After shopping in New Westminster briefly today, I decided to stay on the Skytrain and I went downtown to Vancouver in order to see the beautiful fall scenery along the way. I got off at Granville Station and headed through The Bay.

The lower floor had CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS already put up. I think this is simply ridiculous, as summer was one week ago.

So I ignored that section, and headed to the escalator but noticed that the Christmas display was cut in half from other years. In the other half was a gigantic toy display. I could see 18" dolls in the far distance so headed there. I was astonished to see a huge collection of Our Generation dolls, clothes and accessories, including horses, the diner, the camper and car, the ice cream truck and the kitchen set! Just amazing. I took lots of photos. 

I think the above sets is one of the cutest ever. It's a gardening set with a wheel barrow and gardening tools. I may have to go back and get it! It was $34.99 Cdn.

I did buy this set; the garden party.

I can't help it; I love parties and food and lemonade!

It was $24.99 Cdn and there were only 2 sets left.

I really liked this doll. Her name is June.

She is $39.99 Cdn, a much cheaper price than $154 for an American Girl doll, which is what I paid for Addy in April!

I'm quite pleased I found this today.

Of course, one can never be too sure how long it will last...

By Loretta Houben