Looking Back...

It is no surprise that many days I really miss the lil' store I use to have...and other days...honestly, not so much.  But if ever a season brings my anxiety about it back to the surface...it is definitely the fall of the year.  I loved the fall growing season, I loved the long days of working outside in the crisp air, I loved the smell of my store (I can still recall it when I think of it), I loved growing and picking pumpkins and the beautiful colors of the mums, I loved my annual Fall Harvest celebration which brings me to the thing I miss the most...I loved "my people"...the ones that came from far and wide to visit my special lil' place.  It was small & nothing fancy...but it was loved and nurtured by me and many others.

  I'm so thankful I had it.  

Here are just a few pictures that take me back to an extremely busy yet very happy time. 

Happy Fall Friends...what a beautiful time of year!

Cuttings from the garden turned into..

...a couple of quick, fun, easy and nearly free projects. Today some sweet ladies from an area garden club stopped by for a visit and we had a great time. Had some cider and yummy desserts and we made a couple of things using everything from my yard. So I thought I'd share a few pics with you. Now, I know many of you have seen projects similar to these but this was my simple take on a wreath and pumpkin topper. So.... here we go.

First let me say - Welcome gardeners and those of you who even say your thumb is "black". No "green" thumbs required for these projects. If you have got some scissors - jus' look around you - there are plenty of things to cut on.

First project - Pumpkin topper. Now there are a couple of ways to do this one. If you need a fresh arrangement to use for a dinner or decoration - this is so easy and literally was done in about five minutes. Soak oasis in water and attach to top of a sturdy pumpkin using skewers - and place a little moss around it.

Next, gather some cuttings from your yard (or your neighbors-hehe) I used some nandina berries, some lemon thread cypress cuttings, a few pieces off my mums, a wild marigold that had popped up voluntarily, a small gourd, some grasses and a bit of raffia.

Start filling in your flowers and foliage and in jus' a jiffy - you will have a simple but beautiful table arrangement.

If you need something to last a lil' longer - hot glue Styrofoam to the top and use dried or artificial flowers. At the end of the season - remove from the pumpkin and keep the topper to be attached to new pumpkin next year.

Next - you'll need some scissors, a lil' hot glue, wire, some pretty ribbon if you'd like and a wreath or honeysuckle vine.

These are my dried limelight hydrangeas I spray painted orange. Spray paint - it is jus' a wonderful thing. A lil' Indian corn....

...even some dried sunflowers I spray painted - some red, some yellow.

I simply tucked in some tops of corn for some height, wired the sunflowers on...

...tucked in some hydrangea, added the corn and some ribbon and it's done. No fuss, just easy and CHEAP!!! Remember though, this wreath would need to go in an area protected from direct sunlight and rain.

So never look at dried up flowers the same again - simply get some spray paint - and bring them back to life!

Happy creating!

Cathy