More Pumpkin Decor

 

It’s definitely starting to look like fall around here.  Today I had the windows open all day and you know I love that!  LOL!

I’m sure you’re like me and have been reading all the fall decor blogs out there.  And you may have had it up to here with pumpkins by now, so I’ll make this quick and painless.  
Here’s one more you haven’t seen.  Did I mention that Autumn is my favorite season for decorating?  I think this is my fourth post about fall decor. :o)



I made this cutie out of elongated oval fabric pieces sewn together.  Then a little “knob” for the stem with a fake leaf and bow for another quickie decor piece.

Happy Halloween!
Rebecca

Quick, Easy Tassels

This week we made the bed transitions with our little girls. The two year old moved from the crib to a mattress on the floor.  The six month old moved from the co-sleeper to the crib.  Luckily it’s been a pretty smooth transition.

But as we moved furniture around, I no longer had a bed to stand on to reach the light and fan pulls.  I know - bad.  My four year old “scolds” me for standing on the bed since he’s not supposed to. Lol!  So I whipped up a cute tassel for the girl’s room and then another for my son’s room.



Some purple ribbon left over from the curtains and a little *BLING* for the girls.



And some blue jean strips for the boy.  Cute and super functional.  But best of all, EASY!!



Oh, and free!

Later,
Rebecca   

Pick A Pick A Pumpkin

Pumpkin month is upon us.  I felt like a mouse in a maze just trying to get into the grocery store today.  Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere!!  But I didn’t buy any this year.  This year I decided to grow pumpkins in my garden.  I really wanted that whimsical look of the pumpkin in Cinderella.



It was modeled after a variety called Rouge Vif d'Etampes so last spring I ordered some seeds and planted.  Well they got planted in May.  That’s a little late for around here, but I spent “prime” planting time bringing a new life into this world <but I digress>.  So the pumpkins were planted a little late.  After a hot and wet summer the plants have actually survived and have little pumpkins on them.



Here is one of my little beauties.



It’s still kinda small (only about 8 inches across) so I’m hoping it grows a lot between now and Halloween.   And I’m excited that this variety also makes a good pie.  YUM!!
 
Have you ever heard this song?  My mom used to sing it to me when I was little.

Pick a pick a pumpkin

From the pile

We can make it’s eyes

And a great big smile.

Pick a pick a pumpkin

Round and clean.

Then we’ll be ready for

Halloween.

Happy Autumn!!!
Rebecca

Fall Mantel Decor

I finally got my mantel decorated today.  I LOVE it!! (And so do my little ones, which could mean trouble!!)
I didn’t have a chance to buy anything new this year, because I refuse to spend the time I need to bargain shop when I have the kiddos with me.  Their patience doesn’t last nearly as long as mine for such things.  These are the same pieces I’ve been using for years, but I completely rearranged how I usually decorate with them so it feels new to me.  I also shopped the house and added a few pieces like my pickle crock and my old watering can.


 












I also pulled out my cake dome for a cloche and scattered nuts around my candles on a serving platter.



 


























I can already hear the many times I will have to tell the kids not to take the nuts and leave them all over the house.







Their favorite is, of course, the scarecrow.  He gets a special place up high.  My son is convinced the house is now safe from birds.  Little does he realize that he and his sister have probably already scared all the birds away for MILES!   :o)



There are still a number of things at lower levels.  Let’s see if my two year old will listen when I tell her not to touch.  I hope I get to leave this up for longer than it takes me to get the pictures.

How do you decorate when you have little ones in the house?

Rebecca

Out par-TAY-ing at:

Fall Decor Fillers

I’m so excited autumn is here and the cooler weather is starting to hit.  While spring is actually my favorite season, fall is my favorite season for decorating.  I usually have my fall decorations up by early to mid-August, but really got behind this year.

If you’re looking for some cute but cheap fillers for your jars, bowls, and baskets, try some of these ideas.
Most of the fillers I used are natural things I found on our farm (I’m sure you could find stuff on the sides of roads or in your yard.  I did make these little vine balls out of covered wire.  I bought it for a different project, so I consider it free for this one.  :)  Just pretend you’re making a yarn ball and wrap until it is as big as you want it.  Simple!




Here I have them mixed with nuts in a thrift store jar.  In the other jar are some dried lemon eucalyptus leaves from a tree I used to have.  When it died I saved the leaves and use them for decorating.  After many years they still have a nice fragrance and a great autumn color.



I cut tall pampas grass for the pitcher.  I went outside looking for something to give the table height and remembered these beauties on the far fence-line.  I swear there was an unidentified animal rustling in the plant when I went to cut them. *Shivers at the thought that it may have been a snake*



The bowl has a layer of cheap potpourri with large pine cones, cinnamon sticks, and decorative apples on top.  The apples were from wally-world, but years ago.  I don’t know if they still carry them.



Using the Pottery Barn catalog for inspiration, I tried to fill under the table with a few more things.  I didn’t have any large pieces like I would have preferred to use, but I also didn’t want to go spend $$$ to replicate the look.

Clustered on one side is a few fall harvest decorations I got from Hobby Lobby last year during the 70% off after-season sale.



On the other side is an old picnic basket that’s been in the family for years.


 
Doesn’t this weather make you want to go have a picnic?

Rebecca

Joining the fun at:

Birthday Castle

It’s been a while since I last posted.  I’ve been working on an appliqué quilt for my nephew, but I don’t have any pics to show you.  My sister is only giving me pieces of it at a time to work on.  We’ll put them all together later.

   
But we did have a double birthday here recently and I wanted to show you the fun cake I did.  My son turned 4 and my daughter turned 2.  Their birthday’s are one day apart and we have been celebrating them together… at least until they’re old enough to want their own day and theme.  Last year I did a train cake from Wilton’s puzzle cupcake forms.





This year I thought surely I’d have to do two different cakes.  Something pink and girly for my daughter and ??? for my son.  So when my son came to me with a book about a farmer who had a birthday and told me he wanted a PINK cake just like the farmer, I figured I’d lucked out.  :)

Here’s his their pink cake that he and his 2 year old sister love!



I’m not the greatest cake decorator.  I’m certainly not a professional, but I love that I can create something myself and give from my heart.  Happy Birthday to my little ones!

Rebecca

Pears, Pears, Pears!!

The other day, my sister came to help me out with the kids so I could spend the day processing and canning the pears from our pear tree.

It’s a variety of Asian pear that is similar to a Bartlett, but juicier and ripens earlier in the season.  With all the rain we had this past winter and spring, we are enjoying a bumper crop from all of our fruit trees.  So I was happy to have some time for putting away the pears to enjoy throughout the year and to share with others.



As a child I helped my mom process the apples from the big apple tree, so doing the pears was very similar.  I cut some into halves or quarters and canned them in a light sugar syrup. 



Then I made a big batch of pear sauce (just like apple sauce).   I saved some sauce to feed my little ones, but the rest I made into pear butter and pear leather.


I love to eat the pear butter on toast in the morning.


Pear leather is just like the fruit roll ups you buy at the store, only this is organic with no sugar added.


To make it, I flavored some of the pear sauce with cinnamon and cloves and spread it into a tray on my dehydrator.  A few hours later and I have a great snack that’s easy to take on the go or pack in lunches.




This dehydrator was a wedding gift and I don’t use it enough.  I love it!  And I love to share homegrown foods with my family and friends.
 




Fun fact: Pears are best when they are picked a little green and allowed to ripen indoors in a cool dry place.  This gives them a less gritty texture.

Blessings,
Rebecca

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