TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDIBTS #71

Welcome to 

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #71

Before we  begin tonight... I have an important question...

GIVE THANKS PRESSED LEAF PICTURE TUTORIAL

Let's talk turkey! Well, not turkey literally... let's talk about Thanksgiving!

I recently did a survey on my FACEBOOK PAGE asking "What is your favorite holiday",and the majority of those that answered said Thanksgiving was their favorite!

Yet, I often feel that Thanksgiving gets squeezed out of the holiday limelight by Halloween and Christmas!

Here's an easy tutorial to help celebrate Thanksgiving and it's true meaning...

LIVING ROOM CURTAINS

I worked all last weekend to finish the curtains in the living room.

 I've was dreading and putting off this project for at least 6 months! And they were actually quite easy to make. 

 I'm so happy they are finally hanging in the living room...

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ WEEK OF OCT 28, 2013

Happy Trick Or Treat! 

Here at StoneGable, we don't have many trick-or-treater. So sad!
Because we live in the middle of corn fields and have no close neighbors, we get very few costumed kids excited for candy!

I miss that...

DRAW YOUR LINE... WITH INDELIBLE MARKER!

photo source

Before my children learned how to drive, they were a captive audience.

Because they were very active in sports and ballet and cheerleading and church and drum lessons and the sort, we spent A LOT of time in the car! Lot and Lots of time! 

There they were, safely strapped into the back seat ... a captive audience. We talked about everything under the sun and I imparted my very best wisdom to them from the driver's seat...

PUMPKIN BREAD IN A JAR

If October were a food it probably would be pumpkin bread...pumpkin bread with a crumb topping.

Delicious, super moist, and full of autumn flavors!

Fall in a jar! 

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #70

PHOTO FROM ADVENTURES IN DECORATING

WELCOME TO...

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #70

I'm loving all the fall decor that is showing up this time of year! If you come here looking for ideas, especially for fall, you will leave with a ton of creative ideas and inspiration.

Here's just a few great posts from last week to get us warmed up...

BURLAP WREATH TUTORIAL

I know I must be one of the last bloggers to make a burlap wreath.

Why did I wait so long?  It's sooooo easy and is almost fool proof! And, here's the best part, it can be re-decorated and re-embellished for every season!

Here's how I made mine...

FALL PILLOW LOVE

Look what I found in my mailbox a few days ago! New fall pillow covers!

If you have been reading StoneGable for any length of time you will know that I have a love affair with pillows!

I don't think I have ever seen a pillow I could not love... and these are no exception...

ON THE MENU MONDAY ~ WEEK OF OCT 20, 2013

Today has been the perfect fall day, here at StoneGable! Cool temperatures, glorious blue skies, sunshine, and football!

The corn has been cut in the back field and I now have a panoramic view of the fields, rolling bucolic hills and farms around my home! I love love love the change of seasons... especially fall.

I'm sending you a little of the season in some of my recipes this week! Warm comfort food and what's being sold at local farm stands.

Now here's what's ON THE MENU...

STONEGABLE IS AT THE PICKET FENCE

Hi Friends! I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be AT THE PICKET FENCE today!

Heather and Vanessa are just the sweetest, most wonderful girls... I call them girls, because I feel like I could be there mother! I have such a lovely connection with them!

I met them at Haven and I just could not stop hugging them! 

They have a FABULOUS and wildly successful blog called AT THE PICKET FENCE... and StoneGable is being highlighted today in their series...

AT THE PICKET FENCE... PARADE OF HOMES

Please stop by and meet Vanessa and Heather and visit me there!

FALL ON THE FRONT PORCH

Welcome to the...

FALL PORCH TOUR

This year' porch is a celebration of fall's glorious colors!

Pumpkins galore and so much more. Come and join me on the porch...

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #69

HOME IS WHERE THE BOAT IS

Welcome to

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #69.

I hope you are delighting in all the colors and scents and tastes of fall! We sure are! Last week's TTT was so  full of incredible fall inspiration, I had to do two posts!

If you missed the one earlier today, click HERE

Let's enjoy some more creative posts...

NEED FALL INSPIRATION? CLICK HERE!

Last week's TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS  had soooooo much fall inspiration I just had to share!

See even more at TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS tonight...

VOTE FOR ME!!!!

I AM CAMPAIGNING!

I have no cross country bus tour or a world peace initiative or VOTE FOR STONEGABLE bumper stickers.

This is a grass roots effort!

I NEED YOUR VOTE!

And remember... every vote counts!

I am so honored to be nominated for

2013 BEST HOME BLOG

sponsored by Lamps Plus...

DINING ROOM CURTAINS

I finally made curtains for the dining room last week. After having the fabric for over 6 months and dragging my feet... they are finally hanging in our dining room!

But there is something that might surprise you about them...

ON THE MENU MONDAY ~ WEEK OF OCTOBER 14, 2013

Are you thinking of Christmas yet?

 I know it's only the middle of October. But this year I am starting my
Christmas shopping extra early (for me) so I can have the bulk of my gifts bought and wrapped by Dec 5th! That's my goal!

I get no joy in shopping or ordering things on-line the week before Christmas. It sucks the joy and ho ho ho right out of me.

So this is a gentle reminder, in the middle of October, for all those with good early shopping intentions...
Start making your list (shopping, that is) and checking it twice!

Then go out and enjoy the beauty of a mid October day!

Now, here's what's ON THE MENU...

A CALL TO PRAYER FOR OUR NATION!

Image courtesy of [koratmember] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net".

 Our country is in trouble! Not only because of the shutdown or the impending raising of the debt limit... again... or the childish, abhorrent behavior of most of our leaders.

Our country, the country I love, is sick!

Our country has fallen into grave and serious sin! 

Most of us, if we would search the depth of our souls, know it! It stares us in the face from the tv set and the computer every day! Our ears are filled with it... just walk down the hall of almost any high school or listen to what is playing on ipods!

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Is 5:20

This is not a political or social commentary today. I try to stay away from thing like that in my blog. 

Today I am calling for everyone who reads this post to prayer. Serious and authentic prayer for our beloved country...

NO-SEW HALLOWEEN NAPKINS

I have some good new and some bad news!

The bad news is...

I am not a big Halloween Fan!

(WHAT A BUMMER  WAY TO START A POST)

I know, a pox on my pumpkin! I have never liked the idea of scary and other-world things and celebrating death!  And I am a little upset with Halloween for taking so much attention away from Thanksgiving!

But... here's the good news...

 I do love kids dressed in fun costumes and giving out candy and cats and bats and pumpkins. So I created these fun NO-SEW HALLOWEEN NAPKINS with the tamer side of Halloween in mind...

FALL DECOR INSPIRATION

Today I'm digging in my archives to bring you lots and lots of fall decor inspiration!

Fall is my favorite time of year, so I use the outdoor splendor of fall and bring it inside!

I hope this round-up inspires you today...

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #68

It's
TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS
time!

Before we begin, I want to remind you that the Halloween Blog Tour is going on right now!

FALL TOOL CADDY ARRANGEMENT

My fall tool caddy arrangement reminds me of soup.  

Yes, soup!

Soup came about as a way to use up all the leftovers...when nothing was wasted.

This fall arrangement was made from all the fall elements I had left on hand.

A few white pumpkins, some small gourds, a handful of leaves, some stray willow balls a quartet of Indian corn, a sprig or two of berries... and voila

A fall arrangement for my kitchen table...

FALL HUTCH - WHITE PUMPKINS AND SOUP TUREENS

The little built in hutch in the dinning room is decked out for fall.

White pumpkins and soup tureen. Soft and simple...

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ WEEK OF OCT 7, 2013

Every bone in my body aches today! But, it's only to remind me that yesterday we had a fabulous family get together!

Lots of family... the whole family!
Lots of cooking... and hugging... and eating ... and watching football (GO EAGLES!)...and talking... and blowing out birthday candles...and cake eating... and sticky fingers everywhere... and Bobby giving the kiddos tractor rides around the yard... and a family football game.. and presents... and lots of laughter... and tons and tons of clean up.

The only thing that was missing was pictures! How could I?  Next time there will be lots and lots of pictures!!!

Today I'm taking Aleve... and finding my house... and doing stretching exercise... and basking in the glorious memory of a special family time! SIGH!

This week I'm wishing you happy family times and lots of great memories!
Make this week count!

Now here's whats ON THE MENU...

NEW ???? IN MY FAMILY ROOM

I'm a ... "I'll know it when I see it person", when it comes to my home.

I have an idea of things I need and want, but I'm not quite sure until I see something. And when I see the perfect piece I just know it!

Take my family room for example...

CREEPY OREO COOKIES

I belong to the

MYSTERY INGREDIENT CLUB

 sponsored by RATTLEBRIDGE FARM, host to Foodie Friday!

Each month we are sent a SECRET INGREDIENT and are asked to make something with it.

So much fun... we never know what we will get!

This month the secret ingredient was SPOOKTACULAR...

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #67

Welcome to 

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #67

A big thanks to all who participate and who come to be inspired!  Last week we had a great AND creative turnout and lots and lots of people visited!

Way to go!

Now let's see some of the creativity from last week...

PAINTING PUMPKINS WHITE

White mini pumpkins are very popular again this year! I had several people comment recently about the baby boo's I used to decorate StoneGable with this fall.

Apparently, mini white pumpkins are not available everywhere... but no problem. We can fix that!

I had a big bag full of orange pumpkins that I painted to look like baby boo's...

FALL AROUND THE KITCHEN

Happy October!

AND...

Welcome to 

FALL AROUND THE HOME

12 fabulous bloggers sharing 12 different rooms of the house all decked out in fall finery!

Today it's 

FALL AROUND THE KITCHEN

here at StoneGable.

I've been waiting for you...