MY MONDAY SURPRISE!

Hanging on my mailbox when I got home today was a package addressed to me from Kimberly at My Brown Bag Studio. I won her give-away a week or so ago. I had already had a pretty good Monday--but seeing this made it a GREAT Monday!
When I opened the package it was even better than the picture had shown. The frame that she painted is absolutely beautiful. My camera doesn't even show all the details. I've tried to think of a picture to put in but having six beautiful grandchildren doesn't make it easy when it comes to one frame. They don't all live here so I can't get a picture of them together (right now) so.............I'm thinking I may have to get creative and put some word in the frame relating to fall. We'll see what I come up with. I just couldn't wait to show you what it looks like now.
I go out to the garden to cut some okra for dinner and pass my muscadine vine......it was loaded. I tried making a picture to show and had to actually crawl underneath and make the picture shooting up through the vine. I'm sure glad I live in the middle of cotton fields because if anyone would have seen me under a muscadine vine with a camera they might think I had lost my mind!!!! I went inside and got the biggest bowl I could find and it took only a few minutes to fill it.
I ate quite a few while I picked. These are delicious. I'm going to make muscadine jelly from these. My grandsons (especially Zack) loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches so he'll really like this jelly. I'll have to tell him that it's grape. He is so much like his mother (you'd think she birthed this one) in the fact that he won't eat anything that "looks" different or has a different name. I used to tell Amy that a sweet potato pie was a pumpkin pie to get her to taste it.
I've never been too good at gradually doing things. I may have several projects started at the same time and trying to finish them all. Example at hand----I had this muscadine jelly project going and a friend said something about pears. PEARS!! Oh, my goodness---we love pear preserves! So, I say that I'd love to make some pear preserves this year. Look at this box of pears.
I am so glad to get them because a hot, buttered biscuit with pear preserves just can't be beat..........even better than muscadine jelly. So, right now I'm about to go peel pears.

MY FIRST STITCHERY & A THRIFT STORE FIND

I have admired so many of your beautiful stitcheries and I finally decided I would try one. I believe I got this pattern from Primitive Betty. I had intended to frame it but never got a frame the correct size. Instead, I made a small pillow. I will be doing more because it is something I can do while I am sitting and watching TV with my husband. There are so many free patterns out there and they are pretty simple to do. I know I'll get better with my stitches.

I made my weekly trip to the Thrift Store and I found this beautiful quilt rack. It was $12.98 but I had a 50% off coupon that expired the end of September (that I bought from the school) so I went ahead and used it on this. That means I got this for $6.49. It is in great condition and I know that my old quilts will be beautiful on it.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

I was tagged by Angie at The Happy Homebody to list 6 random things about myself and tag 6 others to do the same. Here are my 6 things:

1. I am a former elementary school teacher/assistant principal. I retired seven years ago and am now the secretary at our church. I teach adults in Sunday school who were once in my first grade class.
2. I hate buttermilk, (even the smell), but I will eat Ranch dressing.
3. I will buy any brand of catsup or mustard, but I must buy a certain brand of mayonnaise (Bama).
4. Three of my six grandchildren are adopted.
5. My daughter and daughter-in-law both are named Amy.
6. I LOVE Christmas....it's always sad when it's time to take the decorations down. I am excited when I hear the first of the Christmas songs playing on the radio, the parties, food, gifts to buy, etc...........

I was told to tag six people. These are my six: 1. Tammy at Country Girl at Home 2. Joy at Joys of Home 3. Robin at The Robins Nest 4. Marie at Watch the Wind Blow By 5. Linda at Behind My Red Door 6. Rondell at Tomatoe Creek Prims.

NEW FALL DECORATIONS

I told you that I was putting the topiary on my foyer table just for a short time. I'm off on Wednesday and I have made my other topiary (for another post) and finished this decoration for my table in the foyer (haven't done any housework, though). I copied so many ideas until I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to give everyone credit but I do know the BOO Picture idea is another one of Joy's. I finally finished making a cloche and it cost me all of $1.89 to make it. I bought the glass candle holder at the Dollar Tree, got the tea candle holder for $0.50, and the black tray it sits on at the Trift store for $0.39. I couldn't find any cheap finials so I found an old lamp in my attic and took one off so it was free! The berries on my candle sticks holding the white pumpkins were on a card at the Dollar Tree ($1.00 of course) and I spray painted them black for the spooky holiday. I'm pretty pleased with the way this turned out....especially the cost!
I love my blogging friends.....they have saved me $$$$ because I don't buy decorating magazines anymore....I have my personal decorators!

MOSS TOPIARY

Several weeks ago, Robin, at The Robin's Nest showed how she makes beautiful topiaries and changes ribbons for various seasons. She referred us to her mom's blog for more ideas, and after visiting both of these talented ladies, I knew they had created something else that I wanted. Robin's topiary was the one piece tree and her mom had one like above. I had a difficult time deciding which one I wanted, but Hobby Lobby had these forms and not the one piece so my decision was made!! Robin used the sheet moss which looked extremely easy but her mom had used reindeer moss. Again, I went with the reindeer moss. This afternoon when I got home from work I started working on this one. (I have the supplies to make two). It was SO EASY. I have never used reindeer moss and I'm a huge fan of it now....it is so soft and looks like the real thing!! I just used my hot glue gun and started gluing the moss.
After I finished --- and it really didn't take very much time at all -- I put some spanish moss in the bottom and tied a bow out of burlap. I really love it!
Since I only made one topiary today, I put this one on the table in my foyer but will use the pair somewhere else when I get it made. I have another idea (from another wonderful blog) for this table.....that will be another post.
I have gotten many ideas from Robin. She and her mother are so talented...be sure and drop by to visit her.

THRIFT STORE TREASURES

My husband was away last night on a church men's retreat, so I had me a night out at the thrift store. When I got home from work yesterday I decided that I was going to take my weekly trip to the thrift store a day early. I had so much fun because I didn't feel that I had to rush back home. There wasn't alot of "finds" but I was really pleased with what I got. I always look at the wooden things and when I saw these items I knew that I could make them look old with some BLACK spray paint and a little sand paper. I paid $1.48 for each of the wooden items (both candlesticks together). I like old kitchen gadgets and saw the strainer. This one is a little rusty but I loved it. I paid $0.59 for it. My mother used to have one that she used to strain her tea in. She didn't use tea bags....used tea leaves. I can't wait to paint and put them up!

By the way--I stopped by the Dollar Tree and they had white pumpkins....YEA!!!!

MY RAGAMUFFIN GARLAND

My latest copycat project was from Darlene's Days. She gave great instructions on making this ragamuffin garland several days back. I knew that I wanted to try it and found fabric on the "sale" table at Wal-Mart. I bought 1/2 yard of each of the five colors and it turned out to be exactly enough for the project I wanted.
She told us to cut each strip in 1 1/2 inch wide pieces. However, I tore mine instead of cutting it to give it more of the unfinished look. After I tore the pieces I cut each strip into 4 pieces (each piece was about 11 inches long).
I cut a piece of jute twine the length I wanted my garland to be and made a loop with a knot at each end. Then I started to tie each strip on using alternating colors. I did this sitting on my sofa watching tv. It didn't take a real long time. If you want your strips shorter, you can adjust to your liking!!
I hung my garland on the top of my hutch in the kitchen.
This is a view from the side. There's all sorts of ideas that you could do with this garland type. I read where someone cut their strips shorter and used Christmas colors and used it as a garland on a Christmas tree. This would take alot longer and use more fabric but I think it would be worth the time.
Be sure and visit Darlene's site because she has wonderful ideas.