So I updated my blog and header a day early. Partially because I LOVE LOVE LOVE Halloween and can't wait to decorate and dress up and eat lots and lots of candy.

And partially because I'm kind of ready for September to be over. The beginning of school and football practice always bring total chaos, and I'm ready to settle into the routine. That and I'm ready to be done shelling out big bucks for everything from back-to-school clothes to fundraisers to football gear. (Oh, I know, that stuff never stops, it just seems like September tends to drain us faster than most months.)

Coincidentally, Heather at Dooce made an observation about September on her blog yesterday. It totally makes sense to me, and is something I hadn't thought about before. Go check it out.


Here's to Halloween, cooler weather (only 90° today, woo hoo!) and loads and loads of candy.

First Day of Autumn

The IE (Inland Empire) is odd for many reasons, one of them being that it can't follow a calendar to save its life. Here it is, the first day of Autumn, and this how we're going to celebrate:


I refuse to succumb to the heat, though, and I'm going ahead with Fall, at least indoors.

Here are a few things I'm thinking of whipping up, although in all reality I probably won't have time to do much other than throw a few plastic pumpkins on the mantle. (I suppose I could drag a bag with glue, twine, scraps, etc. to the footballs games and practices, but my stepsons think I'm embarrassing enough already.)

Anywho, even if I don't get to do these, they're still fun to look at.

Recaptured Charm made an awesome dollar-store twine pumpkin

Jaime at That's My Letter also used twine to decorate these adorable pumpkins.

The Nester made a ton of book page crafts and decor for her sister's book release party. I especially loved this leaf and vine creation.

I have a ton of coffee filters and have wanted to do something with them for a while. I love this Fall wreath at Mary's Meanderings.




Sweet Something Design made a maple-leaf garland using plaster leaves, much better than those garish colors they started out with.




And there are always cloth pumpkins to try, like these flannel pumpkins at The V Spot

I have a wool sweater with about 13 holes in it, screaming to be used for something crafty. This would be perfect.


Jean at Prim Crafts used muslin



I love these sweater pumpkins at Happy to Design



And more from Mary's Meanderings





Of course, I'm always up for something glittery, and these gals have gussied up some pumpkins with glitter spray paint, which I'm assuming is pure happiness in a can.


Infarrantly Creative made glitter pumpkins for her gorgeous tablescape



So did Tatertots and Jello

Sigh. So many pretties, so little time.

Have a great weekend.

Easy Peasy Fabric Pumpkins

My favorite season of the year is Autumn. I love a bit of chill in the air, the leaves changing their glorious colors, the apple cider and pumpkin pie. My only problem? Southern California doesn’t have seasons. Well, not the kind that the rest of the country has. I live in the desert, and this past week it has still been over 100° each day. The only leaves changing are the ones that are turning brown from lack of rain. So what’s a girl to do?

Fake it.

One project I’ve recently discovered is how to make fabric pumpkins. Hope Studios has an awesome tutorial, and I fashioned mine the same way she did. This is similar to the paper bag pumpkins we’ve all made, but much less messy and quite frankly, a whole lot cuter.

The only materials you need are
the following:

• toilet paper or paper towel rolls
• plastic bags
• sticks
• fabric
(I have raffia shown because I was thinking of using it for a bow but ended up not using it.)



For a full-sized roll (for smaller pumpkins, I used half a toilet-paper roll), I cut a square of fabric roughly 12 inches on each side. You could actually use less than this.


Take a toilet paper roll and wrap about 3-4 plastic bags around it. (For smaller pumpkins, you only need one or two.)


The other tutorial shows the bags just poofed up around the roll; I actually think that might be better as their pumpkins look more plump.

Now take the corners of the fabric and tuck them inside the top of the toilet paper roll.


Once all the corners are tucked in, fold in any fabric edges that may still be sticking out.


Place a stick inside the roll to make a stem (and to keep the fabric in place). If you want it to be more secure, you can glue the fabric inside the roll.


I also added a piece of a plant to make it look like it was from a vine, but you can also use leaves or anything else to dress it up.



On this pumpkin, I used rolled-up paper to make a stem.


You’ll notice I also didn’t stick to a typical pumpkin color. I like to mix it up! (Plus, I didn't have any orange until a coworker of mine saw my non-pumpkin-colored pumpkins in my cubicle and offered her supply.)




These are a fun, colorful, thrifty way to add a bit of fall decor, as well as using recycled materials in a non-traditional way. That works for me!

For other cool ideas, check out We Are THAT Family for this week's WFMW carnival.

The Autumn Wind

Ralph just sent this to me. Perfect for this time of year.

The Autumn Wind
by Steve Sabol
(not Ed, his father; thanks Ninja)

The Autumn Wind is a pirate
Blustering in from sea
With a rollicking song he sweeps along
swaggering boisterously
His face is weather beaten
He wears a hooded sash
With his silver hat about his head
And a bristly black moustache
He growls as he storms the country
A villain big and bold
And the trees all shake and quiver and quake
As he robs them of their gold
The Autumn wind is a Raider
Pillaging just for fun
He'll knock you 'round and upside down
And laugh when he's conquered and won.





Who knew football could be so poetic?

You can hear it being read here. The man's voice is awesome. (Makes me think of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven.)