An Apple a Day.....

Happy Monday to you all!!  

Hope you are enjoying the fall season quietness before the holidays set in. I told myself this year I'm not overdoing it & not stressing this season. If it doesn't get done, then it wasn't meant to get done. Just saying that to myself was a bit of a relief...holidays should be enjoyed and not so stressful you wish them away right?

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Thought I'd share my Apple Orchard pictures with you all today.  The hubs and I went a couple weekends ago to one out in the foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains & it was a gorgeous day.  We spent a few hours there picking apples, enjoying some warm apple cider donuts and walking around enjoying the day.  I'm STILL eating an apple every day from the 1/2 bushel we picked...and gave some to Alexa at college and my mom too!  They are so yummy!

The hubs in the land of apples...I mean look at those loaded trees...beautiful!!

Look at this wonderful antique apple press they had...I'm not sure where I'd put it but I'd love to have one. Vintage machines that like are gorgeous works of art.

We picked a variety of apples including Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Nittany & Rome.

If I lived near or on an apple orchard like this you would find me out underneath the trees with my camera, a good book and probably enjoying an apple. It was beautiful!

I loved the red apples against the brilliant blue sky...gorgeous colors!

Gorgeousness right?

I would've loved to have brought an apple crate home but I'll settle with a picture ;)

This pic was taken with my iPhone but I love it so I had to share it!

The trees were just hitting their Fall peak of color when we were there.  Now half the trees have lost their leaves and are looking bare. (Winter is a'coming..sniff sniff)

The fresh, warm apple cider donuts were mmmmm....need I say more!

This photo was snapped with my iPhone too but this is only a small part of the orchard and these are all baby trees. As you can see it went on and on and on!

Something about this scene made me think of the Wizard of Oz...I could so live out of the hustle & bustle and enjoy some more of the quiet life these days.

Hope you enjoyed....and hey, go enjoy an apple...they're good for what ails you!

Paper Scrap Pumpkins..DIY!

This is a fun little project to do in your spare time to dress up your home this Fall.  You can use things found around (and outside) the house.  Everything I used were scraps from my craftroom...a great way to recycle and reuse!  And just by changing the colors/patterns of your papers you can change the theme of your pumpkins.  So if you want creepy scary, bright & sassy or rustic and vintage...that's all up to you!  Have fun with it!

I went with more rustic colors and papers that fit in well with my home decor so I could move them from room to room if I wished.  

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SUPPLY LIST:

Empty Toilet paper or Papertowel rolls (OR) rolled construction/craft paper 

Strips of scrapbook paper or other papers 

(use a paper with a good weight)

Glue for paper (I use Scotch 3M Quick Adhesive)

Embellishments or accessories of your choice

Tree bark, thick sticks, or some other item for the stem

If you are squeamish about using toilet paper rolls for any reason just use a paper-towel roll or create a tube roll with thick construction paper.  I don't have any issues with using toilet paper rolls from my bathroom...my son's however, ummmm NO....lol!

Cut a "trial" strip of paper to see how long you want each for your pumpkins.  If you want a more squat pumpkin then make the strips longer, for a taller/thinner pumpkin cut them shorter.

I made two different sizes of pumpkins...for the smaller one I cut about 1/3 off the toilet paper roll.

I used the whole roll for the larger pumpkin.  I wrapped both rolls with coordinating paper so that it looks nicely through the strips of paper.

All my papers were from an older My Minds Eye line...I used a mix of Halloween papers and just regular everyday patterns that fit my scheme.  Because I used two patterns per pumpkin I spaced the strips out as I worked and then filled in varying the pattern so it was even around the pumpkin.  When you use a thicker paper it holds the "curve" of the pumpkin better than a lighter weighted paper will.

I cut a circle of paper for the bottom of each pumpkin and glued it once I was done adding all my strips.  This gives the pumpkin a nice base to stand on evenly when you are finished.

Then you add your decorations as you see fit.  I got sticks and thick bark pieces from my woods for my stems...I liked the more rustic look.  And I used burlap and tulle for the "leaves".  The toilet paper roll give you a nice area to add you elements to...I stuffed the bottom of the roll with tissue paper and then added the stem and burlap/tulle to the top so it didn't sink.

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I love the way they turned out & they cost me a total sum of $0.00...can't beat that!!

Also a fun project to make with your kids....pre-cut the strips of paper and let them have fun with it!

Happy Scrappy Fall!!

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Entering in these Linky Parties:

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The Scoop #141

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36th Avenue

Best of The Weekend/ Little Miss Celebration

Amaze Me Monday

TGIFall Friday!

Happy Fall Friday everyone!  Just thought I'd pop in here and say HI and hope everyone has a great weekend.  We are having sunny, blue skies and temps in the low 70's today and all weekend...I'm taking advantage of every moment too.  Walks with the dogs & hubs, taking photographs in the woods and our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch and wine tasting tour.  I'm not a winter girl so I take every advantage of the nicer weather before the cold hits us...then I hibernate like a bear lol!

Thought I'd share a few pics I took the other day from my walks in the woods after it had rained.  Still working on learning my camera and all its functions and getting the right lighting and mood framed in my photos.  One thing about photography is how much it relaxes me...almost like meditating...perfect for those days when I'm feeling a little burnt out.

The colors of these leaves are so vibrant...they just made me so happy!

I loved that all these leaves were in 3 different color stages...the green of summer, the yellow of fall and finally some in the end stages of brown before they fall down to the ground.

One of the last blooms & buds on my rose bushes....loved catching it with the raindrops poised on each petal

One of my favorite photographs I've ever taken...this old tree trunk has Father Claus waiting for folks to find.  So cool right?

Both photos taken with my camera from the same exact spot....love how the change of colors/tones goes from a gorgeous & bright Fall image to a bit more mysterious and secluded view.  The woods behind my house are gorgeously littered with fallen trees and huge rocks covered in moss...how can you not love it?

Yes, this is the photo I made the other wordy version out of :)

Found a few berry bushes still clinging to the warmth....

And I had to snap one of my Baylee....yes she's looking shaggy but always so cute!

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Fall Has Hit Virginia.....

Fall has definitely come to Virginia....leaves a'changin'...temps dropping. I like Fall & I like December but after that I hate everything till Spring comes back...literally. Not a winter fan here.

But I will enjoy Fall..something about the smells in the air, crunch of the leaves & warm colors everywhere...how can you resist it?

We live on Goose Creek which feeds into the Potomac River about 2 miles from my house.  Its always gorgeous in the fall even though the water isn't too high in the creekbed right now.  I walked Baylee down there the other day to check it out & take some pictures before the leaves start dropping.  Always so peaceful and my dogs get REAL happy to snuffle in the leaves and get their feet wet LOL!

Both of my dogs are Cairn Terriers so they love to go on walks and sniff out every frog, bug & animal within 5 miles of where they are!  Casey doesn't walk as far these days so she had to stay home but Baylee was on a mission and could not be stopped LOL.  She just cracks me up..the dog would walk until she could walk no more I swear!

I decided that Fall needed to hit the inside of my home too and pulled out my bin of fun :)

I love that the colors of my home complement fall colors so well...just warms it up that much more.

I love the lighter colors of my dining room now...if you missed the BEFORES you can check it all out HERE!

Paddywax Candle  
And this is one of my favorite Fall candles to burn....love the musky scent..reminds me of where I grew up near tobacco farms (not a cigarettes smell).  Its a soy candle and it comes in these beautiful amber apothecary bottles...burns for a longgggg time.

Out came the rusty colored pillow for the rockers and a matching mum for the front porch.  Like that rose photobomb there hahahaha...it couldn't help itself in all its beautiful glory.  The other bushes need to be clipped but waiting on a new blade for my trimmer...still not here...ugh.

New fall wreath on the front door and a couple of my pumpkins.  I didn't go all out this year because we are heading to South Carolina to visit Alexa at college over Halloween. Riley is staying home and I just didn't feel like decorating outside like usual...I will save that for Christmas!  But little touches always bring some Fall fun.

Have you decorated for Fall yet??