Lazy Autumn Day

Now that I have finished the two craft projects I had been wanting to do and I don't really have any time this week to start any new things, I find myself roaming around the house doing some mundane chores and using the time in between to continue to tweak autumn. As much as I love my Halloween and Christmas decor, I truly think that autumn is my favorite. It calms my soul. I love everything about it...the colors, the scents and all of the activities it brings with it. It will all be coming down soon but most of it will reappear in November so I don't mind still adding to the vignettes as I find things...both new and just "rediscovered" things.

I found this cute little sign and the shelf in the guest bath was just begging for something else.

And then I came upon this sweet little gift from Liv. She made it in G.S. a number of years ago. Her mom was her leader so it was no surprise that there would be lots of holiday crafts coming from that troop. It is sitting next to the tree that her sister made me in scouts. I always seem to forget it when I am decorating because it is very fragile and I wrap it up and store it somewhere safe. It is always a happy surprise when I find it every year.

If you look carefully you will probably see a few of the repairs...hence the reason it gets such special treatment these days.

I bought some leaves for another project and didn't use them all. Since I have always felt the dough bowl needed a little "oomph", I draped the branches among the pumpkins and I like it better now.

And then there is another late find. The last few years I have found some beautiful autumn dinner ware at WalMart by BH&G. It has really rivaled PB designs and at a way better price point. And so, every year I check what might be new. This year, I haven't found any by BH&G but, there is some that is the WalMart brand, I think. They didn't have any plates that I needed as I already have so many it would take something really special for me to buy more. But, I did fall in love with this serving bowl, I love the design on it so much. And, since I use this stuff all of September and November, I didn't mind splurging a whole $10. Lol

And I realized that I forgot to share our Friday Night Lights from last week. It was Trinity's homecoming so lots of festivities and lots of family to help cheer on the team to yet another win!

I think I'm going to spend the afternoon back on Pinterest...not looking for more craft ideas but this time, looking for some kid Halloween food, games and crafts. My youngest grand daughter asked me if we were going to fit in our traditional kids' Halloween weekend. With all of the football and other autumn activities it is probably going to be tight, but I am going to get some plans ready just in case we can pull it off. Worst case scenario, it might just be Presley and me but at least tradition will live on in some form. Stay tuned.

Last One...For Now

Today was pallet sign day. Since I have found tearing apart old wood pallets a really hard job - not to mention just lugging that super heavy thing home - I choose to make my pallets for signs these days. I'm pretty sure I could also buy one already made but, since I only used two fence slats ( at $1.08 each ), I'm sure this was the most inexpensive way to go. Not to mention the fact that I enjoy using my chop saw and putting the pallet together. And, this was finally my chance to use that felt pumpkin from Dollar Tree.

It was a simple matter of cutting the slats and using some wood glue on two cleats on the back. Because this was so small, I didn't even use any nails.

All of the ones I had seen on Pinterest simply left the wood raw and sprayed over the stencil with cream or white paint giving you a wood colored pumpkin when you are done. I will admit they were very pretty but, in my house, if it is "autumn" anything, it must have a bit of orange.

With that in mind, I decided to try to get an orange pumpkin by first painting the entire pallet orange and then over spraying with white chalk paint. I wasn't sure all of the orange would get covered but it did just fine. Also, I am so glad I bought a set of the Waverly chalk paint brushes. The larger surface and stiffer bristles made painting the rough wood so easy!

I was also worried that the "stencil" might move when the spray of paint hit it but I lucked out because the stencil was felt and the wood was rough so they stuck together very well. I was also a bit careful to just spray directly down instead of from the side.

And, voila! This was seriously so easy and the Dollar Tree has these felt shapes for almost every holiday so I think I might see more projects in my future.

When I brought it in I toyed with painting the leaf green and the stem brown but decided not to add any other color. I had also thought about adding some raffia but also decided against that. Either or both options are still possible if I change my mind. I did use some of the Waverly antique wax to bring down the brightness of the white and then I also gave it a light sanding to knock down a bit of the wood.

This is not where their home will be but, since my house is already so full of autumn decor - with truly not a free inch anywhere - I put them here for now. Halloween will be coming very soon and then when the autumn decor returns for Thanksgiving, I will be able to find just that right spot for them.

I have a busy rest of the week but I'll let you know if any more ideas float by in Pinterest. Stay tuned.

Still Tweaking

It looks like I will be decorating for Halloween a little later than usual this year. I need a good four full days to have everything up and in order and, this year, life seems to be getting in the way. I have a number of commitments that are on the calendar that just won't give me that four day window. With that in mind, I decided to go ahead and tackle the other autumn ideas that I had. I figured they can be out for the next week or so and then can make a reappearance for November.

This first project is a lot like some jack-o-lanterns that the kids and I made a number of years ago. For whatever reason, they have been popping up all over blogland of late and I wanted to give them a try.
I picked up a 4X4 at Lowes and then some various embellishments at the Dollar Tree and HL. I cut the 4X4 into varying lengths and I was good to go.

The first step was to paint them. I used Waverly chalk paint for this project. The paint dries so quickly and I like the softer feel.

After the base coat, I painted polka dots on the largest and smallest and then added stripes to the middle pumpkin.

Next came a quick distressing.

I found some branches in the yard that came down with the last storm and cut them into stem sized pieces. My initial plan had been to drill a bit of a hole into the top of the pumpkins to give the stems a bit of a place to sit down into but, since the 4X4 was pressure treated and the middle of those pieces is really, really hard, I decided to just use a lot of hot glue and call it a day. These are just going to be sitting somewhere for show so they won't be banged around at all-the hot glue should be just fine.

I really wasn't sure how I would embellish them but decided on just a bit of raffia and a burlap leaf tied on with a piece of jute.

I had this tag in my scrapbooking stash so I decided to add it to the largest pumpkin.

In the scheme of crafts, they are really no biggie but I was just looking for something to wile away an afternoon and this filled the bill. I have the supplies for one more idea so we will see what tomorrow brings. Stay tuned.

Finally I Get to Play!!

It has been a week of doctors and tests-which, sadly, I have come to accept as I get older. I am definitely NOT a doctor kind of person-some might say I have "white coat" syndrome. Not sure about that but I will say medical facilities are not my happy place. But, there are some tests that my GP insists on and I trust him...so I do as he says. Happily everything is clear and I am "free" for at least six more months!

In any case, all of that running and prep kept me from any of my crafting. I have told you many times before, I like to start projects bright and early in my day. I am not one to come home after a busy morning and dive into a craft project. I love crafting and like to take my time. And so, with today lying totally errand and appointment free for me, I am going to start a small project. Then, later in the week I will head out to pick up the wood for some of the other things I am dying to try.

Can you guess what I'm doing today?

Yep, it is one of my favorite no-brainer crafts - fragranced soaps. I have been "making" soaps for many, many years in every shape, size, color and scent. This actually isn't "making" soap - which involves lye and many more steps than I care to take. It is melt and pour...and for my purposes, the end result is just fine.

I will say that back in the day, I had all sorts of molds and made many complicated, layered soaps. But my tastes have changed and I am fine these days with either just a simple shape ( heart, shamrock, leaf, etc. ) or a bar full of beautiful fragrance. So the bar is what it will be today. I just want to wrap it up simply and use it as an add on to my Halloween gifts this year.

It is almost embarrassing to post this as a bit of a tutorial because this is about the only real step...cut soap into cubes and melt following directions on the soap package. Then, add in whatever you want. In this case, I used pumpkin pie spice - which not only gave it a lovely smell but also helped with the color and the little bits of texture you see, 2 drops of orange and 1 drop of burgundy colorant and a dropper full of autumn fragrance oil. I did end up grabbing a whisk to get the pie spice blended in because it definitely clumps when the powder hits the melted soap.

That is when this little cutie becomes your best friend...a spray bottle with a very soft mist nozzle full of  rubbing alcohol. Once you have whisked the soap, it is inevitable that you will have bubbles and a light misting with the alcohol will pop them all.

I used half of the block of soap which equals one pound and will make four of the bars from the mold I am using. I chose shea butter soap this time but have used both the clear glycerin and goat's milk soaps in the past. It kind of depends on the style you are after. I actually chose this one this time because I had it in my stash from some other holiday soap that I never got to. But, I think it also gives the soap that soft orange color and kind of primitive feel I am wanting.

Here are the first four poured and drying. Sometimes I put them in the frig to rush their hardening a bit but today I am going to have lunch and see where they are when I return. Then it will be a simple matter of repeating the same thing again until I have eight bars.

The second set is hardening and the first set has been popped out. When I first started making these soaps so many years ago, the instructions I read said to cure the soaps for several days on a cookie cooling rack. I have mostly done this but when I am in a hurry and rush this step, I always end up with some condensation in my wrappings. Since I have more than enough time this time, I am going to let them thoroughly dry before I wrap them up.

And, speaking of wrapping them up...I was going to wrap them in some pretty autumn wrap and that is what I had pulled. Until I heard myself telling you that they were Halloween add-ons. What was I thinking? If this was going with my witch pictures, it had to be wrapped in Halloween paper. Not to worry as I had more than enough to choose from. These are my choices right now but I reserve the right to change my mind if it doesn't look like I am thinking it will. Lol

It is 24 hours later and the soap seems to be cured enough so it is time to wrap them up. I chose the darker web paper because I like the contrast against the lighter soap. I then tied them with some orange and black twine that I found at the Target $ Spot a few years ago. And then, I added the spider...just because I could. Lol 

They smell so good and I think they're pretty cute. They will make the perfect little add on to the other Halloween gift I made. Now that I've got my crafting juices flowing again, I will be back with more as soon as I get some supplies. Stay tuned.

As If...

As if I need one more craft or decorating obsession! I'm not sure how it happened, but as I have been reading the decorating blogs that I follow, I have somehow gotten moved over to videos that some of these women post...and I somehow now have notifications when they are going "live" and somehow, one seems to lead me to another then another - well, you get the idea.

These videos are almost always seasonal or holiday themed so you know that is right up my alley. But, do I possibly need any more craft or decor items in my already craft and decor item crammed home...especially when my new word has been "simplify"?

I hear myself saying "no" yet somehow I can NOT drag myself away from these posts. I have fallen into the trap of now thinking of these women as my friends and I just have to hear what they have to say. It would be rude if I didn't.

I know that these ladies are making money on these sites but they also offer a lot for free and that is where I am right now. With all of the ideas floating around Pinterest, I don't think I would ever pay to be in a private craft group but I enjoy this more than just Pinterest because the personalities of the crafters come through and it is fun to not only see how they will use the item in their homes but also, many times, where they have purchased all of the materials they are using. It kind of makes the journey a bit easier if you don't have to hit every store in town looking for something on the list.

And so it is that I have now come to feel that I "need" to scoop up all of the wonderful things the Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, Dollar General, Target $ spot, etc. have to offer. These ladies don't get any compensation from these stores but I can tell you, they should. Once they have recommended something, if you are not out and about a few minutes later, it will be sold out.

And, they are taking the same tacky things that I have looked at and just walked by and turned them into something totally different that I would absolutely use in my home.

And so, knowing that a friend was coming over soon and we love to craft, I took it upon myself to head out and just scoop up what I could - even before knowing what we would be making. Of course, a lot of the things were indeed already gone but I grabbed enough that I think we will have a choice of a few things. If not, maybe we can run out again and see if things have been restocked or perhaps we can find reasonable facsimiles. Lol Here's what I have so far. Do you see that felt pumpkin under the pile? I NEVER would have bought it until I saw it being used as a stencil in so many projects. What a wonderful idea!

These are not the exact pumpkins I saw and I think I will go more in that direction but they are very similar and will give us options. These are both available from etsy.com if you wanted to "save the middle man" (but in my opinion, the fun as well) and just purchase them.

Here is just one incredible idea for that pumpkin stencil. I also saw one where the shape was simply traced on to canvas with a Sharpie and then water colored in. I'm thinking I love the wood one so much that I might have to make a run to Lowes for some wood and give it a try pretty soon. It is just a matter of having the wood the color you want your pumpkin to be and then lightly spray painting over the stencil. Really is a no-brainer but I love it.

So that is where my thoughts are today. I have a few things to do before heading to our next football game but I will be back soon to let you know what I have decided. Stay tuned.

Wrapping It Up!

I know I say this way too often but, "where does the time go?". Here we are already almost smack dab in the middle of September and I still have a huge list of "to-dos". I think the unseasonable heat we are having may have something to do with it. Most of the things on my list involve the outdoors and, if I don't get out there first thing in the morning, I feel like I will have a heat stroke.

There are some things that can't wait-like the exciting job of addressing the dragging wheels on the large gate into the back yard. That gate needs to open so that the riding mower can get back there and time and weight have definitely taken there toll on it. I thought it might be an easy fix but I was wrong. As usual, once I get going, one things leads to another and before I knew it, I was tearing the gate apart, nailing on new wood and trying to get the very large bolts back into those wheels. And then, all of the ground around it had to be dug out so it dragged no more. This was a job but Tawanda came to help and I got it done...at least until the next time.

That are the kind of things I have been up to this week. When everything came down for Dorian, it gave me a chance to re-evaluate what I wanted to go back up. Not everything made the cut but that is fine. The gardens look a bit more cleared out...for now. We shall see if it lasts.

So, when I finally made my way back to this blog, I realized that we still have just a bit of the 2019 tour to take. Let's finish up today.

Again, I'm keeping the sunroom pretty minimal because this is an area we use a lot and it is easy to just move the one vase on the table. 

As a matter of fact, this is what the table looks like as I type. I bought this puzzle as a Dorian time killer but, since we didn't really get any bad weather from the storm, I yanked it out one quiet afternoon and actually sat there until it was done. It is a picture of doors and windows and, since I have always been drawn to these kinds of pictures, I just couldn't stop!

I always like to have just a little "pop" of the season in my bath...

...with a bit more for my guests.

I love seasonal and holiday soaps...I am addicted. I'm not sure which it is more-the wonderful scents or the beautiful wrappings...but, I definitely have more than my fair share between these two baths. And, the only time I will crack one open is if I find an even prettier one to take its place. Lol

That is it for the autumn home tour this year. Believe it or not, Halloween will start creeping in before I know it as it is a many day affair. I am actually thinking of cutting back a bit this year-especially outside-because our whole family will be heading to Clearwater on Oct. 25 for one of Har's away games and then continuing on to St. Pete for the weekend at daughter #1's house. And the I will be staying on for at least another week. I know my neighbors already think of me as the crazy holiday lady but I don't want to give them more to talk about by keeping Halloween up out front well into November. We'll see if I'm still feeling this way when the decorations come out! Stay tuned.

Nothing Like Football in Florida!

While I am busy pretending that it is autumn, life goes on...as do our incredibly hot temperatures! There is definitely something to be said about "Friday Night Lights"! Daytime football in September - and sometimes even in October - in Florida can be brutal...but what's a Nana to do?

Because of the chaos and uncertainty that Hurricane Dorian was throwing around, schools were closed here for the whole week so that our buildings could be used as shelters for folks coming over from the east coast. Thankfully, they really weren't needed and by Thursday, school was back on but football games on Friday night were not going to happen. My grandson's school decided to play their game on Saturday morning...a VERY toasty Saturday morning and, because it was now morning not night, the home team's stands were looking straight into that glaring sun!

I made it through the first half and was then more than happy to join my daughter as she took her turn selling Celtic goodies in the spirit stand...which happened to be located under the stands in a beautiful shaded and breezy area! It was a wonderful game with yet another win but, we hardly had time to grab a quick lunch when we were off to my younger grandson and son-in-law's game at the Marion County Youth Football field. And, once again it was a scorcher. We have given up sitting in the stands on days like this and instead bring our chairs and find a spot of shade.

This actually turned out to be a nail biter...and, very long...game but in the end, another win. I am going to be optimistic and hope it can only get cooler from here. At least Har's game will be at night next week.

My daughter took this picture and it shows the three men in her life - her head coach husband, her older son manning the down marker and her younger son a Wildcat player - all in one photo.

I think I might see a future in sales for my grand daughter. She and her friend helped us out at the spirit booth and were relentless at getting people over there to make purchases-some that I am pretty sure they might not have made without these two hawking the wares!

And, of course, when these two games were over we still had the Gator game to go - happily in air conditioning with a cold glass of wine...and another win! Hoping to be back soon with an easy autumn project. Stay tuned.