Is It Autumn Yet?

So today dawned with sunny skies...and temperatures to match although not quite as hot as we have been having. We are back to our summer afternoon storm patterns which are good and bad. When the storms really hit, we frequently lose our power so, even though it might be a few degrees cooler, it is still hot without any A/C but, the grass and flowers are happy again. Of course, these storms usually hit right around "pool time" for me, so I haven't made it into the pool for a few days either.

In any case, I'm not up for any outside projects right now and, since my company is now happening Saturday to Sunday instead of tomorrow, all of the things I was going to do to get ready today can wait until tomorrow. Bottom line is I am once again looking for something to keep me busy-well, something that I want to do to keep me busy. Believe me, there are more than enough to-dos around here but, as you know, I have to be in the mood.

And so, I saw something scrolling through some blogs and honestly thought I had everything I would need...and, I probably do but it is just taking me longer than I want to find it all so I am improvising. That improvising starts with making my own paper. Somewhere in my HUGE stash of paper I have some full of beautiful script...but I don't know where so, I remembered that I have a script stamp-and, luckily I knew right where that was! I also want the paper to have a gold-ish yellow color so I started by watering down some paint and giving the paper a coat. I like the way it is not an even coat because more is going to happen to this paper once it is dry.

After there was no dampness left, I stamped the paper with the script image again not caring if it came out perfectly printed.

Then it was on to some grunging. I ripped the edges and used some Tim Holtz inks to "dirty" up the paper. I was originally going to mount it on wood but decided I needed the size of the canvas to better fit the pumpkin.

I'm not much of a painter because I really don't have the patience needed for all of the shading, etc. but, for this project, any old pumpkin would do so I think I got a reasonable facsimile. lol

Then, it got decoupaged on to the canvas. I got a few more wrinkles than I normally do and I'm thinking it is because I used a heavier computer paper-probably should have just gone with the inexpensive stuff. lol

Once that was dry. I embellished with a little bit of green moss, a scrappy bow and a few sprigs of pip berries and seeds.

And so, there you have it. It actually took me overnight to get it done so we are now at Friday and I am hustling to change some plans. Because we are doing dinner on Saturday now, my grand daughter will be able to be with us so I am changing everything from a kind of healthy, carb filled runner's dinner (the race was cancelled because of the heat) back to our traditional back-to-school meal. Since I had already shopped for one I had to run back to Publix to shop for the change of plans but I am all set now. I am going to grab some lunch and then start cooking and setting the table. This dinner is great for company since most of it can be done ahead so I can enjoy being with the crowd and not in the kitchen. I'm anxious to do this...can't wait to hear all about school and catch up with everyone. Time goes so quickly these days that these kind of things are harder and harder to put together. You can bet I'll be back with some pictures soon. Stay safe and stay tuned. Oh, and maybe by the time I come back I will have figured out where this pumpkin will find a home-I have no idea right now. lol