Welcome to Project Inspire{d}! I am so glad you're here! What is it about rainy Mondays? Really, I cannot complain! Despite two hard frosts on Friday and Saturday mornings, we had the most beautiful weekend and I had so much fun taking photos of the mist rising from the lake and the beautiful colored foliage. Sunday afternoon we went for a long walk and stopped at the school playground to swing on the swings. I even took a paddle boat ride and enjoyed the colors from the lake. In October!! And we haven't even had Indian Summer yet! I hope you had an extraordinary weekend too! Thank you so much … [Read more...]
I love reading the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It's so rich with wisdom for living a good life. It's amazing how just a few sentences can open our eyes and set us on the right road. When I was in college and interviewing for my first 'real' job, I memorized Proverbs 3:5-6 from the New American Standard Bible. Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. I remember walking in to the big interview continuously repeating the words in my mind. It gave me peace, despite the trembling knees, … [Read more...]
I can't believe how quickly this month is flying by! We're less than three weeks from Halloween! At our house, we don't usually decorate for Halloween. But, I truly enjoy fall decorating and some years there's a lot of pumpkinizing going on. I've heard that Halloween decor is running second, behind Christmas in retail sales, so I know some of you are having a lot of fun decorating your homes. If you're still looking for ideas....we have some really Great Ideas for you this week from this week's Project Inspire{d} link party. 9 Fun Halloween Ideas.... SpiderWeb Halloween Wreath by It's … [Read more...]
There's something special about a bundle of love letters wrapped up in ribbon. Want to top that? Create a lovely stack of letters that is a treasure box in disguise... Sweetest Day is just around the corner! Those of you who live in the Midwest are undoubtedly familiar with the special celebration in October called Sweetest Day. Saturday, October 18 is Sweetest Day, this year. It's a day created by Cleveland, Ohio confectioner manufacturers back in 1921. You might have thought this holiday was a creation of Hallmark since the greeting card manufacturers are enjoying this day … [Read more...]
Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind. Theodore Roosevelt Have your heard the expression talk is cheap? I think my dad used that expression when I was growing up. When I look around my world...the people who are loving, serving, and caring for others at some personal sacrifice are the people who inspire me. Great thoughts are good... but actions speak louder than words. My heart overflows with gratitude today for the benefits I have received because of the sacrifice of a friend. Several … [Read more...]
Welcome to Project Inspire{d}! I am so glad you're here! Can you believe we're already a week into October?! And boy has October been different than the warm sunny days of September. I think it's rained every. single. day! As I type, I'm hearing thunder and seeing lightning. We've had so much rain that the little boats at the dock were nearly submerged. That's a LOT of water!! Well enough of the weather chat. I hope you have sunny skies and beautiful color wherever you look. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by, link up your Great Ideas, link back, and leave your warm words. You … [Read more...]
It's pumpkin time! I confess I am totally smitten with pumpkins. You can find me plumping the window box with pumpkins, tweaking muffin mixes with pumpkin, "pumpkinscaping" my sideboard with pumpkins, and even making pumpkins from paperback books. When I saw all your pumpkin time treats this week, I did the happy dance. Here are 12 Pumpkin Ideas from sweets to decor.... Thrifty Find Upcycled DIY Vintage Pumpkin from Edea Smith Pumpkin and Plaid Wreath from Posed Perfection Canning Lid Pumpkin from The Turquoise Home Slow Cooker Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake from Platter … [Read more...]
It's true! I've been at it again..creating home decor with book pages. Today, I'm going to show you how to make pumpkins made from paperback books and create realistic pumpkin stems, too. Right now, pumpkins and gourds are overflowing at every farm stand along the road. They're beautiful and colorful and expensive. So...what'a gal to do when her pocketbook isn't filled with extra pennies for a plethora of pumpkins? Create them from book pages, of course! A nice tall book page pumpkin is easy to make. Crafting skills not required! And those amazing pumpkin … [Read more...]
Growing up, it wasn't unusual for me to bring home an armload of books from the library on a weekly basis. One of my favorite reads was the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maude Montgomery. I loved Anne Shirley for her joy of life, not to mention the entertaining mishaps she got herself into by living life to the full. Please "pin" this image and share it on Facebook. There are a few stories that stand out in my mind. How fitting that this quote is from one of those memorable chapters... OCTOBER was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned … [Read more...]
Today I'm partnering with to share their special Anniversary Bonus Buys with you. I love celebrations. Especially when they help me get more for my money. My pocket book is going to LOVE . Many name brand favorites will still be $1...but they'll be available for a limited time in larger sizes...up to 58% more FREE for each item. Ca Ching! I've been wanting to create a fall table arrangement using a glass vase. So when I learned that Bonus-Sized Glass Vases would be a part of , I started to do the happy dance. Dollar Tree has been a great option for this gal with a pocketbook … [Read more...]
If you've been following here for any length of time, you know how much I love book page projects. Creating everything from Christmas trees to medallion wreaths, to spring-flowering branches with book pages makes my heart sing. As summer rolled into fall, I got the itch to create another book page project. Any guesses as to what I might have tried my hand at? Yup! You guessed it! Pumpkins and gourds. Please "pin" and share this image. You really can create pumpkins and gourds from paperback books! Especially if you have a great … [Read more...]
Mary Beth from Cupcakes and Crinoline ~ Malia from Yesterday on Tuesday Stephanie Chan from The Silly Pearl ~ Diane from An Extraordinary Day Welcome to Project Inspire{d}! I am so glad you're here! I'm pretty sure this seems silly, but when the clock strikes 8 on Monday nights, my heart starts racing with anticipation. I cannot wait to see what Great Ideas you link up! You are so talented. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by, link up, link back, and leave your warm words. You are the best!! I was going through my archives and this post … [Read more...]
Every where you look this time of year... midst the dying...there is beauty. There's something magical about autumn light. There is more contrast. And intensity. And then there is all that brilliant color that greets us... It's as if a bird had flown through the trees with a flaming torch, igniting fire upon fire. Ever notice how individual leaves become red or golden embers illuminated by the sun? And then there is the farmers' harvest...brimming with color. Apples, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes. Our world is awash with color and texture and light. Even … [Read more...]
It's apple picking time! When we lived in New York State, we had a favorite apple barn and orchard to visit. Picking apples there was just part of our fun. I was so smitten with the extraordinary floral arrangements and the perfect apple pie served in the apple barn, just that was worth the long drive. If you'd like a glimpse, you can come along for a visit here. Speaking of apples... Oh my goodness....I was drooling at all the wonderful recipes linked up this week! Here are 8 Apple Delights that you'll enjoy eating for sure.... Please... Pin and share this image on Facebook … [Read more...]
I'm pleased to partner with Plaid Crafts and Blueprint Social to introduce you to . Add the feeling of fall to your home in unexpected ways. Often when we think of fall decor we think of pumpkins, gourds, and colorful leaves. May I challenge you to think outside the box? I sure did when I created these fun, stenciled, animal print plates. Don't you agree....they're fabulous and unexpected? Certainly for my home decor. Today I'm going to show you how to use stencils, so you too, can create fabulous unexpected fall decor. Recently Plaid Crafts … [Read more...]
You've just moved into a 70's house with flocked wallpaper in your main hallway. What do you do? I know this didn't require a moment of thought... "Strip it off, as fast as possible!" Now, I know that not everyone subscribes to that thought. I know someone who didn't want to deal with stripping flocked paper off the lath walls of her old farmhouse, so she painted it. The pattern was subtle and it worked for her dining room. But...I digress. My good friend tackled the flocked wallpaper challenge and won! After countless hours of stripping away that ugly old wallpaper, she had … [Read more...]
Mary Beth from Cupcakes and Crinoline ~ Malia from Yesterday on Tuesday Stephanie Chan from The Silly Pearl ~ Diane from An Extraordinary Day Welcome to Project Inspire{d}! I am so glad you're here! I don't know about you....but I'm really starting to get that fall-ish feeling. Have you noticed the aroma of fall in the air. I love it! Weather-wise we're supposed to hit the high 70's later this week. More warm weather! Even though it's feeling fall-ish, I'll take it! On Saturday afternoon we went for a row-boat ride around the little lake. We noticed a few trees … [Read more...]
