DIY - Grateful Picture

 I have this thing about pictures in my house having meaning for our family.  There are no random prints on our walls.  Everything has a connection in some way.  So when I saw this great DIY project on Catherine's Creative Corner, I knew it was going to make an appearance on my fall mantle.

She does a great tutorial on this here.  I am not going to repeat it.  Check her post out and then stay awhile.  She has a lot of eye candy you will enjoy.

This is my version.  I am so very pleased with how it came out.  Here is what I did differently.  My frame came from my stash of thrift store frames,  After measuring, I went to my computer and created a document that was 11 by 17 (knowing that I would be cutting the end off to fit the frame.)  Then I selected my font and started typing away all the things I was thankful for.  I cut down a piece of tan construction paper to 11 by 17 and put it in the printer.  I printed it off and then stuck it in the frame.  I used by Silhouette digital cutter to cutout the word grateful.  I used white contact paper.  It is much cheaper than the vinyl sold to go with digital cutters.  I stuck the word to the glass on the front of the picture and there you have it.  

If you don't have a digital cutter, you could easily print out the word and place it under the glass.  Then you could trace over it with glass chalk paint.  Same effect, different method.

 I must say that I am totally in love with my mantle this year.  From the pumpkins we got on our family trip to the pumpkin farm to the masterpiece that reminds me of all that I have, this mantle screams family.

I hope you have blessing in abundance this season.

Patty


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A Little Bit of Fall

We love all things fall....beautiful colors, crisp air, celebration after celebration, caramel apples, candy corn, apple pie....I could go on and on.

A few weeks ago I decided that despite our heat wave of mid seventies weather, I needed to give autumn its proper due and haul out my fall stuff.  I think I put if off because my cupboards are bursting at the seams with all my thrifting junk!  An organizing frenzy is long over due!  After several hours of digging through boxes, arranging and rearranging, our house is now "fallified.

 The main seasonal decorating I do is on our mantle.  Stay tuned for a tutorial for the grateful picture.

 I have always loved those bloggers who post Christmas pictures of the rusted toy truck with bottle brush Christmas tree in the back.  I have been on the lookout for such a vintage truck.  Holy cow, are they expensive!  My cheap little heart just can't drop that kind of money.  I found this beat up metal tractor this past summer at a flea market for $15.  Thrift Chick says it is better with our farmhouse.

 I have a thing for minnow buckets, kitschy creamers and candy corn...obsession is a word that comes to mind.

There are a few other spots I am still tweaking.  They may make an appearance later on (or realistically I may not touch them for the rest of the season and just ignore my dissatisfaction.  That is truth of how lazy I am.)

Patty

Mum's, Pumpkins and Gourds, Oh My!

I have been eyeing the racks of mums outside my local grocery store for weeks.  I have resisted buying anything because I knew we planned a trip to the pumpkin patch where there would be untold autumn wonders.  With the trip out of the way, I finally got to indulge my fall addiction.

 Enamelware, pumpkins, a wool blanket and a rocking chair...if that just doesn't scream fall.  However, let's be real.  That blanket isn't staying there.  With the farmer harvesting the field adjacent to our land and the gale force winds that blow across our yard during fall storms, it would just be a moldly dusty mess.  For blog art's sake, we will just pretend it is always like this.

 Isn't that gourd amazing!  The pumpkin patch was full of awesome gourds and pumpkins of every shape and color.

 I love minnow buckets.  Thrift Chick tells me I have enough, so I have walked away from several during our thrifting forays.  However,  I am not sure I can hold out much longer.

Don't you just love the lacy orange pumpkin.  Again the pumpkin patch came through in spades.  Forget the grandchildren I would have gone for just the produce alone!  The green thermos thing came from an estate sale.  I uncovered it in the barn and paid $2 for it.  It is not a thermos as there is no spigot.  It is very, very heavy with ceramic insides.  Anyone know what it is?

The next time I get around to posting ( I am a realist when it comes to my blogging ability!) we will head inside for a little fall decor.

Patty

A Tradition Revived

Every fall when our kids were little, we would head out to a farm to get pumpkins.  These expeditions included hay mazes, pumpkin painting, caramel apples and other great fun.   However, as they grew older, Saturdays become about sporting events and singing performances.  With the grandbabies now mobile, I decided to revive the tradition.  Alas, the pumpkin patch we used to go to is no longer in existence.  My assistant at work suggested a place just across the state line.  So this past Saturday, we all headed out.

 Ady was not thrilled with how dirty and heavy the pumpkins were.  We had to convince that she would not find a clean one.

 Abe , on the other hand, went for the smallest and easiest.  He could not be convinced to find one that was orange.  When we went to weigh them, the clerk just laughed and said, "That one is free!"

 Climbing on pumpkins is such hard work!  

 The adults got a little competitive at the duck derby!

 This was so much better than the patch.  Everything was clean and colorful.

 My DIL loves orange and when we spied the orange lacy pumpkins we said it was if they had been grown specifically for her.

 Grandpa was just a little too big for the barrel ride, but the grandkids loved having him on the train.

 Daddy's jumping sent Ady flying.

That will scare those silly crows away!

We all agreed it was well worth the 45 minute drive.  If you are near Convoy, Ohio, stop in at Lincoln Ridge Farms.

Patty

Fall Views

The only holiday I used to decorate for was Christmas, but in recent years, I have discovered the fun of changing things up with the seasons.  Not only does it prevent the boredom of the same old thing, but it also gives me more of an excuse to hit the thrift stores!

The pilgrims are Byer's Choice and a gift from my Mom.  The pumpkins are Target clearance and the candle stand is thrifted.

The goblet was Hobby Lobby clearance as was the foilage (The hardest about buying on clearance is waiting a year to use it!) The wrought iron arch was thrifted.

The old church attendance sign was thrifted. ($3.00 at Salvo!)  Thriftchick says I need to put some words in there.  Any ideas?

The lantern was thrifted and the jug was from an estate sale.  The estate sales in our area are half off on the second day...so fun!

After a week of rain and wind, we are supposed to have sunshine...I hope to get out and enjoy some real fall views.

Happy Thrifting!
Mama Thrift

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