Thanksgiving Tables and Place Cards

I cannot believe how fast Thanksgiving snuck up on me.

I confess. I did not even get any of my fall decorations out. 

I might as well just zip on into the Christmas stuff. But not until we get back home.

Right now I’m working on place cards for Thanksgiving.

And if you need a last minute idea, then this is for you.

We just cut down a little sapling from the backyard. A thick branch would work too. 

Then we chopped it up into little chucks with the chop saw. And by we, I mean he.

And then HE used the Dremel tool to make little slits. 

All he had was a metal cutting disc but I’d recommend one for wood. 

It took a bit of effort which isn't really safe.

I printed out the cards on some olive green card stock. I downloaded a brush set from Shadowhouse Creations that had a variety of tree silhouettes. Easy peasy. Except for a little printer glitch. There is always a glitch it seems.

Those of you that have been around here for awhile might remember me mentioning our big Thanksgiving feast that we have at my sister’s house in Jacksonville.

We’re down to 24 this year.

We like to eat outside under her big old oak trees. But Thanksgiving 2011 was too windy.

We had to move it indoors and the table overflowed with kids in the kitchen!

I think we were over 30 last year.

 

Here is what it looked like outside for Thanksgiving 2010.

And then back in 2009 we were able to set up outside as well.

Place cards can be really simple to do. They have to be when you make so many!

I hope we can be back under the oaks this year.

I’ll let you know if the weather holds out!

What are your Thanksgiving plans this year?

Will it be big and loud or small and quiet?

And come back later this week. Skyland Drive has something to share with you all!

Think Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

:)

Sweater Pumpkins

Have you heard of the new FOLK magazine?

This is their first issue.

I love the way they embrace living simply. Nothing fussy or fancy. It’s about enjoying the beauty that is around you and the little things in life that bring a smile to your face.

I fell in love with this issue so I subscribed.

I’m looking forward to when the next issue arrives in my mailbox.

I had picked up this wool sweater at the thrift store and I wanted to try to felt it.

It didn’t really felt they way it should have because it was a blend and not 100% wool.

But it did soften up nicely and so I wanted to find way to use it.

Inside of FOLK was this how-to from Deb Kennedy. She made these cute sweater pumpkins.

It looked easy enough so I thought I’d give it a go and see how they came out. 

There is no sewing involved so you non sewers can do this.

Here are my versions.

 

I like the way the stem curved a bit on this one.

 

I was able to make both of these out of just one sleeve.

Now I want to go find more wooly sweaters and make more!

I still have the body of the sweater left so I need to see what else I can come up with.

I’m thinking a cozy pillow might be nice.

Have you repurposed an old sweater into something else?

Leave me a link, I'd love to see it.

Linking up with:

DebbieDoos: Magazine Copycat Challenge
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Midwestern Sewing Girl: Everything Autumn
Freckled Laundry: Air Your Laundry
Inspired By Charm:Thrifty Thursdays

Backyard Bench

I finally got around to potting some mums for the backyard.

I didn’t do anything to the bench I um, acquired.

Other then putting some wood hardener on the legs.

I put a couple of stones down for the uneven legs too.

See that blob next to the mums?

Our little backyard turtle came out to say hello.

And Henry went right to it and tried to play hockey with it.

I kept shooing Henry away so he’d poke his head out again but it was a no go.

A neighbor’s tree came down about a month ago and the debris has still not been picked up. So I had #3 son and my hubby grab a couple of stumps for me to use as plant stands. 

They were thrilled. 

The bark is peeling off but it looks pretty cool without any bark.

I haven’t put anything out front yet but I have a lot of my summer plants still blooming.

Besides, we can enjoy them more out back since that is where we usually are.

I had this odd little cluster of mushrooms growing in the yard.

I found them so interesting looking.

They might be why our grass isn’t looking too hot right now.

Perhaps it's time to fertilize again.

 

It’s also time to start doing some projects inside.

I really want to get the kitchen done before the holidays get here.

It the one room in the house that is still bugging me.

I just have to jump in and get going.

Do you have any projects waiting to get done?

Linking up with :

Fishtail Cottage: Outdoor Fall Decor

Fall Mantel

I don’t know what happened to this week. It flew by.

I have a feeling the next few months will do the same.

So much to do, so little time.

I thought I’d show you what I did to the mantel. I did leave some of my summer things up and mixed in some fall-ish stuff. It works better that way for me. I’m still wearing shorts here.

Oh how I long to wear some boots and a sweater.

So my seabirds stayed along with a few shells. I used the two glass hurricane covers. One filled with wheat and the other has a strand of berry garland just wrapped in there.

I just added some fall leaves to the sand and shell I already had.

I think they made a pretty filler.

 

My bucket of driftwood on the hearth got a few leaves as well.

On the other side I filled another old farm bucket with some mums. The mums are real but the gourds in the twig basket are fake. They are pretty good fakes though.

Some smaller mums fit right in a couple of milk glass pots in that old tool caddy.

I love these little beaded Indian corn.

Did your week fly by as well?

I worked in the yard a bit yesterday. I’m trying to refresh some of my pots with some pansies. I need more. 

I still have more weeding to do as well so I can lay down more mulch. That’s the part I don’t like. 

But it does make it all look so much better.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys a little time outdoors.

Linking up with:
Funky Junk Interiors: SNS #103 Fall Mantels

Is It Really Fall?

Well Helloooooo!

I know it’s been over a week. I am so behind with everyone and there is just no way to catch up. So forgive me if I have missed your birthday or anniversary. Mazel tov to everyone!

I’m going to have to click on the “mark all as read” in my reader. The number is scaring me.

I had a great visit with my mom. The week went way too fast. 

Even though she lives south, she had to travel north through Atlanta. We have the equivalent of a bus station here and there are no direct flights. Sorry Mom.

I’m getting my Fall things out and up. I will show you soon. I even picked up some mums.

I just need to get them planted along with some pansies.

I love that pansies last all winter and still look great come spring.

We still have hummingbirds around here. Are you still seeing them?

The purple lantana has gotten a second wind and the butterflies really love them.

So much for squirrel proof feeders.  

How does he hang on by such tiny little feet?

My white orchid is blooming again.

We get a late Fall around here.

My azaleas are even blooming.

And while I was hunched over getting the orchid shot this guy was eye balling me from above.

I was so hoping he wasn’t going to pounce on my head.

He was making all sorts of grunting noises at me.

The salvia is starting to fade but it is still covered in bees. I lost count.

I should probably trim it back but they really like it.

So what have I missed?

Who’s going to fill me in?

Anybody?

Bueller?? 

Bueller??