Outside at the shed

     I have been working on the outside decorations. I do have pumpkins here and there but they don't seem to show in the picture. My scarecrow, Curlie, is there to welcome all that enter. We are having an early Thanksgiving and I having it inside the new building. When it is decorated on the inside I will share those pictures too.

The Fall Decorating Continues!

 Hello Dear Friend!
 I am sorry that I have been gone for too long. I was so happy to see that many of you enjoyed the sweater pumpkins and I really wanted to share with you the spot where I first ran across the "how-to's" and after much searching I finally found it. Hummadeedledee was the place. I do want to give credit to her because I love the sweater pumpkins too!
 I have been working on a few more decorations in my home and outside too so here we go!

This little pumpkin guy turned out pretty cute, I even make one for my Mom...so easy!

This one is in the bathroom!

I finally framed Tom Turkey from Not Forgotten Farms...I just love him and I wide frame seems to make him even better.

 I wanted a new wreath for the front door but I could not bear the idea of paying such a high price for it so I bought a fall garland and cut it apart and wired it to a grapevine wreath I already had!

I had enough stuff left over to make a wreath for the back door too!

And finally, for today, I added a few more bowl fillers on the back porch...and then I changed out the tablerunner but forgot to get a picture. Hope you enjoyed this little snapshot into what I have been doing. Come back tomorrow  for the rest of the pictures!

Sweater Pumpkins

So many of you asked about the sweater pumpkins so I took a few pictures as I made one more so you could see each step...so here we go!

 Our first step was to go to the thrift store on  half price day to pick out a few sweaters. For this project we purchased sweaters that were green, off white, and orange. The sweaters were each 99 cents but after the discount the were each 50 cents. You then cut the sleeves off of the sweater. You can leave the cuff on the sweater if it has one. If you use the entire sleeve you will be making a pumpkin that is more like the large ones in the picture. This is a sleeve that I have cut to make smaller for a little pumpkin.

 Next, you will need twine or some sort of string to use on the pumpkin, this will create the veins and the stem.

Ok...turn you sleeve inside out and cut the twine so at one end it sticks out about 2 inches and on the other side it should be at least  5 inches longer than the sleeve. And you will need a smaller piece cut that you will use to tie around the end that will become the bottom.

This is what it will look like ...super simple!

Once you turn it inside out it will look like this. Dont worry if it looks bunchy...it will be fine once it is stuffed. All the twine will now be sticking out one end and the other end will just be open and ready to stuff.

I used batting but you could use plastic bags if you wanted.

 Once it is stuffed I start to bring the twine up and hold it in one hand and then I space the twine around the pumpkin...

Once the twine is space around the pumpkin, I tie the top and then put the twine more tightly so it actually indents into the material.  Then I tie it into a knot.

Now, take the remaining twine and start to wrap it around the top for a stem...

Once it is wrapped, it will look kinda messy...don't worry. Take another small piece of twine and tie it around the top so it doesn't unravel....will look something like this.

Trim it to make you happy...you can cut off more of the sweater at the top if you don't want so much to show over the twine...but I like that little bit of color...

Make a collection!!  I did leave the strings longer on the top of the larger pumpkins just because  I liked it. On the larger pumpkins I doubled the twine for the veins so there were two stings on each vein, not one. You could also use the body of the sweater if you want a very large pumpkin but I was out of stuffing so this is where I stopped. Of course my Mom has a matching set....the other sleeve of each sweater!!!
 I found this on the internet...this is not my idea. I have not been able to find the site again but if I do I will give credit where it is due! I hope this helps...they only take about 5 minutes or less to make and they are super easy. Enjoy you Saturday...be blessed.

Fall is slowing moving onto my back porch!

As promised...I gm going to show a few more pictures from my back porch. this is the only area that I have started to decorate for fall. I really am wanting to take down all the decorations on my front porch and switch them out but it might be just a tad too early for that. This little wooden bowl is holding some of the things we made last week.

This little owl is the one I purchased at Holly Hills Primitives...and it is just too cute.

We also made a few pumpkins that are made out of a sleeve of a sweater. They take about 4 minutes to make and they are just fun and cozy!! I will show a  few of them tomorrow.
 For today, I am going to put some laundry away and I am thinking of changing the bathroom from summer to fall....if I have the energy for it...lol
  We did get our rentals rented yesterday...and two hours later another called and he is moving this weekend...well at least for 2 hours we had them all full. Such is the live of rental properties. Just when you think all the painting and clean and fixing is done....not. Oh well...even that will not ruin my mood!! blessings to each of you

A few finishes and Fall decorations!

Hope you had a wonderful, long weekend. We didn't do anything special...just the normal stuff. My dh had to work all weekend so that took care of doing anything amazing. I have not been doing much stitching..a little.. but I haven't taken any pictures so I thought I would show what my youngest has been stitching. She is like a power stitcher. When she is stitching the needle is just flying....here is what she has been doing.

 I did start to clean off the back porch and put out a few harvest decorations....

  Does she look familiar ....yep she made it home from Michigan and is now on my back porch. I think she is adorable! The pumpkins and candy corn we made by my mother and myself last week while we were enjoying a few days crafting together. I tea stained the white pumpkin and I love the way they turned out.
 The candy corn was pretty simple too. We just sewed stripes of fabric together and then cut out the shape...simple...and  it turned out great. I stained mine but Mom said she has had old stuff her whole life and she wanted hers to look new!!! LOL And so it was...
  I have more pictures for you tomorrow!  Be Blessed.

Holly Hill Primitives...visited!!!

  Last weekend my husband and I took a much need rest and headed to Michigan. We had many stops along the way but by far the most interesting (and fun) was our stop in Holly Michigan at Holly Hills. I have been following this blog for a while and I was determined to get there for a visit...so when we got to this little town and found the shop....look who greeted us!!!! This is Abbey and her little love, Suzie Q. They were a sweet little pair, Abbey was taking great care of her...and she is a very friendly puppy.  There were so many wonderful displays..but...I know you want to see for yourself...Enjoy!!

  Sharon was working on Sunday and greeted us with a smile. She and my husband chatted while I was snapping the photos and then I did a little shopping too. I did purchase the Owl and the doll (two pictures up). Along with a wonderful candle that was nice and prim.
 There were many other shops that we visited...but I didn't take pictures of any of those...no need...I had all I loved in this shop!!!
 I am hoping to take my sister there when it is closer to Christmas and I am hoping to get a chance to meet the owner. I did get to talk with her on the phone but we just could not get our schedules worked out to meet...so we will leave that for another day!!! Hope you have a blessed day.