Halloween Candelabra

I have been keeping my eye out for an old brass candelabra and happen to come across one at a yard sale.

As a teenager and young adult, I loved old haunted mansion horror movies like ones starring actor Vincent Price. 

Those old movies always seemed to have a woman in a long flowing gown, descending a huge staircase at night, holding a candelabra!

I still love fall, Halloween, pumpkins, and a good scary movie.

When I came across this old brass candelabra at a sale in Michigan, it was the end of the day and they took $1.00 for it.  I knew with a facelift, it would work great for our annual fall party!

Upcycled Chalkboard Signs

OK, so yeah, I'm a trash picker.  I will definitely stop along the road if there is something in someone's trash that I think I can repurpose. And that's where I picked up the kitchen cabinet drawers to make these: Vintage Display Shelves,

and where I scored the wood for these Chalkboard signs!

These chalkboard signs are actually the ends or sides of kitchen cabinets. The cabinets already had this old, flaky grayish-blue paint, which really gives them a great vintage weathered look.

But you could also use an old heavy picture frame or mirror. Heavy because you don't want the wind to blow the signs over.

Texas State Flag Quilt

My daughter Jami and her husband Donnie and their kids moved to Texas for a job in 2009.  

I hate that they're so far away (I'm in Ohio) and that I don't get to see them much. 

But we have taken numerous trips to Texas and we think it's a nice state to visit. We've even been to the Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll in Dallas.

I'm a new quilter, I have only been making quilts for family members for the last year.  I decided to make Jami and Donnie one as a Christmas gift.

Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornaments

I make Christmas ornaments every year for my kids and a few family members. It all started as making ornaments only for my kids, but then I started making two or three extra to give as gifts, and that has now grown into a yearly family Christmas Ornament Exchange!

It usually takes me lots of thought and planning to settle on just the right ornament to make. 

A few I've made in the past are Vintage Paper Ornaments,   Beach Ornaments with sand and shells from St. Augustine, Florida, a Flag of Ohio ornament, and Felt Snowman ornaments.

Vintage Display Shelves

My daughter Alexis and I decided to try a booth at our local farmer's market.  We decided to sell our fresh eggs, garden produce, and vintage kitchen gadgets, while also advertising our farm and showcase Alexis's beautiful Champagne D Argent rabbits she breeds.

We decorated the booth with a "Farm Vintage" look so packed up my DIY Chalkboard Signs, vintage tablecloths, burlap banner, vintage tags, baskets, and all the items we wanted to sell.  

Camper Remodel, Part 2

This is the second post about remodeling our little camper. 

The first post you can find here: Camper Remodel, Part One.

We purchased our used little camper a couple years ago. We love to tent camp and will continue to do so but I always wanted a little camper. 

I'm in love with small vintage campers and although our camper is not vintage, just older, it works great as our first. 

Our camper box is only 16 feet long but very cozy and just right for us for now.

Camper Remodel, Part One

We purchased our used little camper a couple years ago. My husband Bill and I love to tent camp and have even tent camped all the way around Lake Superior while doing the Lake Superior Circle Tour.  

But I've always wanted a little camper. 

And I just love all the remodeled vintage campers I see, they're so romantic!

Our first little camper is not vintage, just older, but we did get it at a fantastic price, especially for being in like-new condition.

Easy Baby Burp Cloths

We had a new little granddaughter born in December!

She is so precious and her name is Lilly.  She's the daughter of my youngest child, Daniel. 

Late last summer we came up with our own design for their Pregnancy Announcements which we think turned out great and quite unique.  

 

With the new baby, I'm getting my sewing machine back to work!

State Flag Christmas Ornament

Besides our large Christmas tree full of homemade and travel ornaments, every year I put up a smaller tree in my dining room. This tree has evolved and changed themes and decorations somewhat over the years. It started out as a nature tree. Then I started mixing in cardinals (our state bird), which then led me to make the tree a Nature Ohio tree.

I have added buckeyes, cardinals, morel mushrooms, pine cones, bird nests, and various other things that can be found in and around our state.

We started a Crafting Circle and have an ornament exchange with family and friends every year, so I decided to make an Ohio flag as a Christmas ornament. 

 

Felt Snowman Ornament

This is a cute little felt Christmas ornament I made for our ornament exchange one year.

We have a really large family so instead of having a gift exchange, we started an ornament exchange. It's not mandatory so not everyone participates. 

It's so wonderful to receive the little gift boxes in the mail containing each homemade ornament. And many of us add other small gifts like specialty coffee or tea, candy, fudge, cookies, jams, bookmarks, or other goodies.

Many family members live out of state but for the ones close to me and who want to make crafts for Christmas we started a Crafting Group. It's a great way to stay in contact with friends and family while enjoying time set aside just for a hobby we love.

Thanksgiving Paper Craft

I got my idea for a Fall Decorated Christmas Tree a few years ago after seeing my sister Kathy's tree while visiting her in New Jersey.  
My fall tree is just 4 foot tall and in my kitchen bay window. 

I decorate this little tree for fall with autumn leaves, acorns, pumpkins, etc., and then add Halloween ornaments towards the end of October.  In November I use a Fall/Thanksgiving theme.

Since my Christmas Vintage Paper Ornaments turned out so well last year, IMO, I decided to make Thanksgiving ornaments too!

 

Halloween Apothecary Bottles

It's October and Halloween is almost here! 

Every year we host a Fall Party, put up lots of decorations, bake everything pumpkin and even dress up in costumes. 

The first week of September we had an Under the Sea Baby Shower and I used small glass bottles to make favors for that party and had about a dozen little bottles left over.

I decided to use the extra bottles to make these apothecary bottles for a Halloween display. 

 

More Halloween Costume Ideas

My son Daniel as a ninja, early 1990s

It's nearly Autumn and October. Yeah!!

The weather has been cooler here during the day and chilly at night which to me is just wonderful. And we're already seeing the edges of leaves beginning to change color. I am in the mood for everything pumpkin and even found a pumpkin salsa! 

We have an annual Fall Party and dress up in costumes every year which is always lots of fun, I think this year is our 11^th or 12^th consecutive annual party! 

Building A Hog Trough

We decided to raise a feeder pig this past spring for butchering in the fall.  We purchased “Burt” a Hampshire breed, from a farmer for $50.00.

Hampshire Hog History

Hampshire hogs are black with a white belt, heavily muscled, lean meat breed.  They are the fourth most recorded breed of the pigs in the United States.

The Hampshire breed is also the oldest, early-American breed of hogs in existence today. 

Canning Whole Kernel Corn

It's summer and along with many other warm-weather activities, canning the vegetables that are ripe and in season is something I do every year.

When corn first comes in, it can be a little expensive but as the weeks pass the price per dozen is greatly reduced.

When buying sweet corn in the husk, look for bright green color snug husks and dark brown silk.

Sweet corn is a low acid food so must be pressure canned to avoid food poisoning and botulism.

Pregnancy or Birth Announcement Idea

My son Daniel and his girlfriend Jennica have been living together for a couple of years and although they have talked about when they want to get married my son decided to make it official this year.
He is a hopeless romantic like his mother (me) so planned a dreamy romantic weekend by renting a lodge in a beautiful secluded area here in Ohio called Hocking Hills.  The weekend went wonderful and Jennica came home in a princess-dreamy-state all full of smiles, butterflies and happiness. 

The wedding is set for March 2017, a date they have had set all along because St. Patrick’s Day 5 years ago was the date of their first date.

Fast forward to April and Jennica sets me down in a teary-eyed state letting me know she thinks she is expecting! 

After a visit to the doctor’s, it was confirmed they got pregnant on St. Patrick’s Day.  How fitting.

Moving a Shed

Moving a small gardening shed or other small building is not impossible.  There's a couple of ways to move a shed; one takes hard work and numerous people, but no lifting. 

The second is to hire out the work.

We learned how to move a shed with PVC pipes and jacks from a guy who moved a shed for us about 20 years ago. 

The shed was sitting directly outside my kitchen at our newly purchased home and in the center of the yard.  Eyesore!  

Building a Greenhouse (Part One)

A greenhouse has always been on my list of things I want to help with gardening.  

When we lived in the burgs (city) our house had a 3 seasons room (sometimes called a Florida Room in this area), which was the closest to owning a greenhouse I have been.  

Because of all those windows it was easier to get my seeds going in early spring.  Having an actual greenhouse will give me a head start on planting and will also extend my growing periods. 

How a greenhouse works is simple. Sun streams through the windows and warms the surfaces inside. The glass or glazed panels trap the heat, keeping the temperature inside the greenhouse warmer than outside. 

Because the sun is key, it is best to build the greenhouse on the south – southeast side of the house and away from the shadow of other structures or large trees.

Strawberry Jam (No Canning Required)

Strawberry Freezer Jam in 30 Minutes

Strawberries are ripe here in central Ohio around the first week in June. 
I started making Strawberry Freezer Jam in the early 1990s and now my kids will not eat (or even like) commercially produced jam. Every year we go to a “Pick Your Own” farm to pick the strawberries fresh. 

When choosing strawberries, homegrown or farm fresh strawberries produce the best jam.  Store purchased lack the intense sweet strawberry flavor. 

I have also made cooked strawberry jam and it’s great for shelf life but there is just no comparison with Strawberry Freezer Jam for flavor. 

Building a Wine Rack

Small Pantry Wine Rack 

Last year we remodeled our kitchen, which took nearly a year.  And while at it, I also build a new pantry.  
When I built the pantry I didn't paint it right away because summer was fast approaching.   Instead, I filled the shelves and waited for colder winter months.  

So last month, while the snow was flying I decided to paint the shelves. And while the shelves were bare, I came up with the idea to build a wine rack.  

This wine rack is a simple design and easy for just about anyone to build.