Autumn Candy Jars

It's officially Autumn which means routines are in full swing. School, cross country, Tuesday morning Bible studies, men's group, women's group, home group... Do I need to keep going? Or do you get where I'm going with this?

Last week my women's group started up again. I am SUPER excited, we're studying different books of the Bible. Anyway, last week we got together to plan the upcoming year over a very yummy dinner. An e-mail was sent out in advance for volunteer to bring salad, drinks, dessert, etc.. I missed the e-mail. That is until the day before we met. Everything for the meal was covered so I had to come up with something else for the ladies, and quick.

I had some baby food jars a friend had given me and a couple bags of M&M's in the Autumn colors. Idea!!

I'll decorate some baby food jars, fill them with candy and voila... gifts for the ladies.

I used my Cricut and the Give a Hoot cartridge to make little tags.

I painted the lids a chocolate brown color to cover the Gerber label and sell by date. Then to decorate the actual jar I used my hot glue gun and a few different materials. I wrapped jute, ribbon and raffia around the jars. (Yikes! Blurry picture, sorry.)

Then used jute or raffia to tie the labels on. Add some colorful M&M's (peanut and regular) and I was done. Literally just in time to walk out the door. Whew that was close!

Here is the final product.

Autumn Blessings.

Linking to: Somewhat Simple, House of Hepworths, Punkin Seed Productions, eighteen25

Autumn Decor... So Far

I shared my Autumn Wreath and my Faux Autumn Branches with you a couple of weeks ago. I decided I couldn't stop there, so I have been working a little here and there on the inside of my home. Bringing the beautiful colors from outside, in.

So far I've done a little work in my living room and half bath downstairs. I decided not to add a lot of pumpkins yet since it is only September. My autumn decor usually stays up from September through the day after Thanksgiving, when it's replaced with Christmas decor. Because it's out for so long I only put a few things out to begin with and add over the next couple months. In October I'll introduce pumpkins and in November I'll bring out more stuff.

Here are a few pictures of what I have out so far.

Of course the wreath on my front door.

On a small bookshelf in my living room. I've had this pumpkin spice candle for a couple of years. I just tied some jute around it and put it on a candle holder I picked up at Kohl's on clearance. I gave it a coat of Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint and am thrilled with the outcome.

I have a set of three of these iron pumpkin candle holders. I got the from an AtHome America party I hosted about three years ago. The books are right off our office bookcase, they just happened to be perfect autumn colors!

The whole thing. The vinyl on the wall above the bookshelf is Joshua 24:15 from Uppercase Living.

A ceramic acorn candle holder on one of our end tables.

Iron pumpkin number two.

On our other end table, the match to the candle holder on the book shelf. I used a little jute to tie the leaves on.

Iron pumpkin number three.

The half bath downstairs. The spray painted wine bottle was part of my living room decor until I made my book page bottle. Now it helps lighten the mood a little in our smoky grey bathroom.

And what do ya know? More jute!

Hope you've enjoyed a little peak at my autumn decor.

Blessings.

Linking to: Keeping it Simple, This Blessed Nest, Punkin Seed Productions, eighteen25

Faux Autumn Branches

I just love these warm days and cool nights. The changing leaves are incredible! Don't you agree? I wanted to bring a little of those brilliant colors in to my home but wasn't too cool with the idea of whatever creepy crawly creatures might be on those leaves.

When my brother-in-law was trimming up a tree in their back yard my sister asked if I wanted any of the branches. Yes please! So I loaded up the back of my van with branches. I was able to store them in the garage, out of the way, I don't think Tall Man even noticed they were there until I got them in the house. Score for me!

I cleaned up the branches, plugged in my glue gun and pulled out some leaves I bought at Michael's last year. I sprayed them with gold glitter spray paint. Now they sparkle and sparkle makes everything better. I took the branches and arranged them in my Book Page and spray painted bottles. For where I wanted these bottles in my house the branches had to be arranged just right, so they don't poke someones eyes out.

Once the branches were the way I wanted them I started hot gluing the leaves on. I used a few larger leaves and some smaller ones. I didn't want to over do it so I didn't put a leaf on every branch. I really like how they turned out. What do you think?

Autumn Blessings.

Linking to: House of Hepworths, Just a Girl, Craft-O-Maniac

Mantel Envy

Every time the seasons change I notice people in blog land dressing up their mantels or "fantels" in Fingerprints on the Fridge's case. Can I just say I LOVE her fantel! Don't you?

I have a small case of Mantel envy. First of all a mantel is placed above a fireplace, which I love. There's something about the crackle of a warm fire on a cold evening that just gives me that happy, fuzzy feeling inside. You know what I'm talking about. When it comes to dressing up a mantel the possibilities are endless. No matter what the season or holiday you can dress up a mantel and the whole room feels better.

Again I was Googling (it's amazing I get anything done around here) and found some pretty impressive mantel displays. Some of which were done by my favorite ladies in blog land. Check it out.

Thrifty Decor Chick

One Fell Out of the Cuckoos Nest

Just a Girl

Little Big Nest

Doesn't that make you want to install your own fireplace with mantel or fantel? It does for me. But for now I'll stick with my bookcase and end tables.

Autumn Blessings.

A Day at the Farm

My family and I live in a housing development. One with sidewalks, driveways and HOA's. We are lucky enough to have a farm less than a mile away though. Not something many people can say when living in a development. Last spring I shared the ranch I grew up on with you, here. I love driving to work or my girls school and seeing this adorable farm on the side of the road. It makes me feel like maybe I haven't lost all of the "country girl" inside of me.

The other day I was driving to meet some friends for coffee and a little meal planning (more on that to come.) And I saw this...

As soon as I saw all those wagons leaned up against the tree in the middle of the yard I knew I had to put together a post for My Northwest Nest. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed the number on their sign. Lucky for me (and you) the owner of this farm is an incredible lady. She is so down to earth and a beautiful person. When she met me at the farm the next afternoon she was wearing jean overalls and what looked like hand made jewelry. We discussed our love of old rusty tables and galvanized steel. It was fantastic!

I would have loved to spend an hour hearing about all the wonderful things she has on her property. She had shopping to do and I had little chicks to get from school in an hour, so instead she left and I wandered her property snapping pictures.

There are little places like this to sit and enjoy the season all over the farm.

What farm is complete without a barn cat? This cute little guy followed me all around.

The furry pumpkin in the patch wasn't quite as friendly. He stuck around long enough to see who I was and ran through the field.

The rope swing is hanging between the garden and the pens. I imagine swinging on it in the summer afternoon sun as the chickens peck the ground.

Makes me think of the original Charlotte's Web.

This white picket fence and gate separate the pumpkin patch from the vegetable garden and barn area.

If you look beyond my farm yard friend you'll see the big red barn.

A close up of the yard tools secured above the barn door. A pretty cool idea, I thought.

The vegetable garden not only held greens...

...but huge sunflower's too.

When I was at the farm it was still a little early for all of the pumpkins. Here is one that I think will be perfect in just a couple of weeks!

See these guys? They had something to say about us being at their home. They honked and squeaked at me the whole time I walked along the fence.

The owner built this little room of sorts between the rows of corn. It was incredible.

This lantern was hanging about a red Adirondack chair. SO peaceful.

An old rusty shovel propped up in the secret room. Notice the still green pumpkin on the left?

This wheel is part of some antique farm equipment.

I have a feeling this old tractor still plays a vital role in preparing the soil for the next years garden.

A few more shots of the wagons that caught my attention in the first place.

The Complaint Department sign. 200 miles away. Cute.

After wandering through the farm I headed back out through the front yard of the home on the property. There's a beautiful farm house that the owners recently added on to. Along with a detached garage. But don't let the word garage fool you, she has this garage all farmed-out too.

These birdhouses were all over the place on my way out.

One side of the garage had this great wooden ladder, the barn star and horse shoes down by the window. All on the white washed wooden garage wall.

I just love the large red barn star above the garage doors!

In the front yard there is this awesome, rusty old washing machine filled with flowers.

Isn't it great?!?!

The front door is rustic, the galvanized steel watering cans are my favorite part of this porch.

Or maybe the white porch swing is my favorite.

And a row of colorful buckets along the railing. I like how they're all different. Similar in size and shape but different in color.

Barbed wire is nailed to each of the fence posts on the street side of the farm yard. I love this one with the tractor to the right and rows of corn to the left.

I feel like I just took you all on a field trip to the farm. I hope you had fun! And be sure to check your shoes before going in the house, this is a farm after all. =o)

One more thing... A little advertisement for the Prairie Home Farm. The last sentence resonates with me... My heart, too, is pining for October.

Blessings.