i LOVE this...simple coat of spray paint, then design is carved into the skin of the pumpkin...
plaids and polka-dots....
numbers, bats, and welcome pumpkins....
Country Living's take on painted pumpkins....
use stencils from other crafty projects....
more stencils....
painted pumpkins with decorative nails and studs....
elaborately draped with fabric beads:
classic, in charcoal gray:
beaded, studded, and layered with other colors:
classic style, yummy green color:
whimsical, with charms, keys, pearls added:
i LOVE this teal color:
two of my favorite fall colors:
i tried my first DIY tshirt necklace last night...nothing to blog about...but i did learn a few things that i will share with you if you are considering cutting up an old tshirt of your own and trying this out:
V and Co.'s pinecone wreath:
Centsational Girl's magnolia wreath (created from leaves she gathered at the park!):
Reynie's southern wine cork wreath: (You can also find a good tutorial video from Nikki in Stitches here.)
T. Matthews' recycled magazine wreath:.jpg)
A new way to reuse an old grapevine wreath...Super QT's burlap wreath:
Alisa Burke's driftwood wreath (Anyone want to scour the shores of the Mississippi with me?):
And finally, my favorite and most quirky design of the bunch..... Sunset's farmer's market radish wreath:
finding these fun ideas makes me want to go wander the aisles of my local grocer to find my own quirky wreath making supplies! Maybe you will see my own fall wreath up in a few days!
one thing i gleaned from reading it was a better understanding of the health benefits of cooking with many herbs and spices....who knew that a sprinkle of this or that could give you so many vitamins and minerals??? i tend to gravitate toward the same garlic, onion, and pepper routine, but this book has made me want to be a little more adventurous with my seasonings!
so i got on a kick to revamp my spice collection, and someone had told me to try Jay International Foods on Grand (near Tower Grove Park if you are familiar with STL)...so last night, my husband and I stopped by....i spent a VERY long time browsing aisles that look something like this...
so many crazy foods...so many languages....it was all so exciting! after about 45 minutes, we left with a huge basket of freshly packed spices (1 pound containers for around $1.50/piece! I should never run out!)...garlic, rice noodles, south american coffee, and other goodies....
on our way out we grabbed some sesame seed honey candy....so addictive! and did you know that sesame seeds are a major source of calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc? and if you have any struggles with arthritis, the copper content should ease your pain (or so my book says!)
looking for inspiration, i started googling...this is a taste of what i found....first, DIY burlap letter magnets from this blog....
...then i found several blogs walking you through the process of sewing your own alphabet magnets....a little to involved for my taste, but adorable none the less!
...or what about this adorable wall decor using all types of letters....and look at the "O"... a giant button! TOO cute!
...i found several places where people simply take traditional ABC blocks (you can find them at any craft store) and glue a magnet on the back, making a quick and easy alphabet magnet set....
...or i could give a nod to my college days by using the greek alphabet :-)
...these are fun...thin chipboard letters (found in the scrapbooking aisle)...mini magnets attached to the back...a very "Crate and Barrel" approach to ABC magnets :-)
...this has nothing to do with magnets, but i am a sucker for anything wooden...with little drawers...and the ABC's?!?!?!? [drooling]
...this last one is from etsy...probably the most directly inspirational pic i have found for my project...these little plastic letters were simply decoupaged...and are now being sold for $20/set!
...so my goal this week is to make time in my life for several projects, including transforming my dollar aisle ABC magnets....check back to see what I come up with!
...i wondered this as i bought this lovely dress yesterday [see first picture below]....as i was at the check out, i looked around and realized that I had a good 5-10 years on most of the girls in there....then i second guessed my choice to indulge in forever 21's glorious stock of pretty summer dresses....
...thankfully, the 40-something woman at the checkout reassured me that the dress I chose was modest enough....especially if I wore it with leggings :-) haa haa. good thing i bought those too!
so even though i may be approaching the "too old" mark for shopping at forever 21, i wanted to give you a sampling of some of their new summer dresses that i love so much...
(and please note, all these dresses may be worn with leggings!)
these last two are less than $15/piece!
happy shopping, all you post-middle-school-forever-21-aholics!
their beautiful handmade reception was held at the art center in indy... a super fun and fitting location for the two of them!
here are some elements of the affair...starting with the guest book table....
the welcome table was decorated with our bridesmaid bouquets....
the "quotester coasters" were adorable...each one inscribed with a quote from the happy couple...
a close up of a few....
and my favorite....
and the lovely programs...
book mark favors modeled after library circulation slips....so cute...SO leigh!
photos of the couple....and the beginning of scrabble themed decor.....
"Memory Moleskins".....
and for the little ones....library and wedding themed coloring pages!
a spitting image of the bride and groom!
and heres a close up of the table decor....they utilized old books, bottles, and teacups....
another close up....
and a third....
other tables were graced with these book planters...
a close up of the bridal party table...
the bride and groom's table...
the brides bouquet...
his and hers chairs...
the dessert table, complete with a homemade cheesecake decorated with scrabble x's and o's....
a message at the dessert table...
cutting the [cheese]cake.....
outside, the dancing area was decorated with this book page heart garland...so simple but so beautiful waving in the wind....
a vintage record player to set the mood on the dance floor!
my hubby, the bride, and others bustin a move....
apart from dancing, the lovely grounds of the art center afforded guests the opportunity to explore and be their own photographers....
remember these frames? here they are in action at the wedding guest photo booth....
a message for the bride and groom: WE CANT WAIT FOR RED HEAD BABIES!
the garden was decorated with several sculptures...offering a fun playground/hang out spot for the kiddies...
there was this beautiful trellis walkway perfect for kissing....
....or climbing.... :-)
....or just taking a cute photo with the bride!
congrats on your beautiful wedding, leigh and joel! we love you!
