Our Creator's Splash of Colorful Fireworks

by Lois Breneman ~ Heart to Heart ~  September, 2019

Our Creator God blends all the colors in our world so beautifully, even when the spring and summer plants He created are fading, dying, and emerging into the new autumn season!

There are touches of golds, oranges, reds, mauves, blues, silvers, and other hues mixed in to replace the green.  He beautifully paints and transforms each leaf before it fades away and drops to the earth to decay and nourish the ground before spring according to His plan.

We have an amazing God who gives us all things to enjoy, including fabulous colors of autumn that He puts on display in a splash of colorful fireworks during this season.  For everything, there is a time and a season.

If your life is in a difficult change of seasons right now just remember that the same God who created you loves you and will indeed make all things beautiful in His time.

Fall Porch and DIY Reclaimed Wood Welcome Sign

Creative Ideas

As you know I love Fox Hollow Cottage.  You absolutely must visit her site.  Here is another wonderful project from Shannon.  The full tutorial is provided through the link.  http://foxhollowcottage.com/2013/10/fall-porch-and-diy-reclaimed-wood-welcome-sign.html

Fall Porch and DIY Reclaimed Wood Welcome Sign

Used with Permission by Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage

Hi again, Fox Hollow Cottage Readers! I'm so happy to be back this month with another project!

And this one just happens to be huge! Literally. 

With the change of season, I've been busy sprucing up our front porch. And this year, I decided to make visitors feel extra welcome with this huge sign!
 

Here's how I made it! It was SO easy!

I started with these pre-cut letters from Hobby Lobby!

And then I painted them with some left over exterior paint - Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore

Once the letters were dry, I placed them on my weathered board (which I snagged from my parents farm, just like this one).

Once I was sure everything would fit with the proper spacing, I used my super hot hot glue gun and glued them right onto the board. Those letters are stuck!

Then I just propped it up on our front porch. COMPLETELY easy!

And it looks a-mazing!

And so welcoming!

Heck, even I feel welcomed walking up!

I'm in love with the combination of the aged wood, rusty nails, sleek letters and cornstalks... which I chopped down from our field!

Our front entry is officially dressed for fall. 

I'm in disbelief of how amazing this project looks for how easy it was to make! Those are the best kind!

Happy Fall!

Bread Dough Pumpkins

Thanks to Jill Lane in Virginia for this cute autumn craft idea!

Mix until smooth:

2 cups white flour
1 cup salt
3/4 cup hot water

If the dough is still a little sticky, add more flour.  If too dry, add more water until it's easy to handle.  Knead until the dough is elastic.  Make a ball, flatten it a bit and use a knife to make creases in the pumpkin.  Stick a twig in the top for a stem.  Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.  It might be a good idea to let them dry even more overnight before painting them.

Paint pumpkins and add raffia or ribbon bows to the stems.

Aren't they cute?

                                                                Jill Lane's photo

Here's another version of making bread dough pumpkins, using lacquer and glitter as well:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4487349_make-salt-dough-pumpkins.html

Outside with Kids: 15 Ways to Play with Nature

Wonderful and fun ideas for spending time with your children!
These can also be saved on Pinterest!

http://on.apttherapy.com/3ruzRX

Previous image  Next image

Flower Stained Glass Window: Artful Parent

I don't know about you, but Fall is one of my favorite times of year. My kids and I get outside more than ever: I love the cooler temperatures and the fact that we don't have to worry as much about constantly slathering on sunscreen or getting eaten alive by mosquitos. And the colors are the absolute best! My kids are constantly coming home with collections — rocks, sticks, leaves, and yes, even pockets full of carefully collected mulch. Rather than throw out all of those amassed treasures, we often try to put them to good use. Here are 15 of my favorite crafty projects to do just that — so get your kids outside and play with some nature already!

ROW ONE

1. Leaf Insects: Modern Parents Messy Kids
2. Painted Sticks: Nature Linc Farrington
3. Flower Stained Glass Window: Artful Parent
4. Leaf Crown: Varpunen
5. Yarn-Wrapped Sticks: Aesthetic Outburst

ROW TWO

6. Nature Color Wheel: Playful Learning
7. Leaf Drawing and Doodling: Artful Parent
8. Fall Leaf Animals: Handmade Charlotte
9. Layered Leaf Art: Amanda K. by the Bay
10. Wax Paper and Crayon Leaves: Vanessa Christenson

ROW THREE
11. Clay Leaf Mobile: The Craft Train
12. Handmade Stick Boats: Minieco
13. DIY Painted Stones: Giochi di Carta
14. Nature Crowns: Small Hands Big World
15. DIY Story Stones: Paint on the Ceiling

An Autumn Craft: How to Make Folded Paper Leaves

 (plus, a free printable template) ---->

http://www.happyclippings.com/2013/09/diy-folded-paper-fall-leaves.html

Note from Lois:  These are beautiful and would be such fun to make this fall!  I plan to make these at least thirteen of these in various colors with our two oldest grandchildren to use as colorful favors on our Thanksgiving table!  They could also be added to autumn centerpieces or arranged around one.
 And here is the pattern as well as the folded leaves that my two oldest grandchildren helped to make as favors!



For a free download for other autumn folded leaves:
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Paper-Leaves-Pattern-Trick/

Pumpkin Seed Fall Craft

Pumpkin Seed Pumpkin Fall Craft   www.allkidsnetwork.com    Thanks to Leslie Lobdell in Arkansas for this link!

 

Fall themed pumpkin seed craft for toddlers. Kids will enjoying making this pumpkin craft out of pumpkin seeds. They will enjoy painting the pumpkin seeds and then putting this craft together.

The Sights and Aromas of Autumn for Your Home

by Lois Breneman, © 2006, Heart to Heart

 

As nice as natural decorations are, three years ago I decided to switch to mostly nice artificial decorations, such as brightly colored pumpkins from craft stores to use in my fall decorating.  Why?  For three reasons - beautiful simplicity, savings and less clean-up.  I found this to be a quick, easy and less expensive way to decorate!  This way I don't have to continually buy pumpkins each fall at rather high prices only to find them thrown into the street or see them rot on my sunny front porch.  The gorgeous colorful pumpkins, gourds and silk fall flowers that I found in craft stores over the last few years will be a decorating investment for years to come.  Rather than buying everything all at once, spreading it out and buying mostly things on sale made it easier on the budget.  But now this year it was so easy to simply get the fall decorations out of my fall storage boxes for my front porch and inside my home - with no further shopping necessary this year or for a long time to come.

 

For a fall basket of pumpkins on the front porch, in order to raise up the pumpkins a bit, so less decorations are needed, I stuffed the bottom of a large fall basket with newspaper and covered it with tissue paper, so the ink wouldn't rub off onto the pumpkins.  Different sized pumpkins and vivid fall flowers were arranged in the basket, covering all the tissue paper.  A few more pumpkins were arranged on the porch, in front of the basket, as an overflow from the basket.  Autumn decorations, rather than Halloween decorations are what I choose to display in my home and our fabric store had a vast array of lovely door decorations at half price.  I hung one decoration on the door and two more on the nails driven into the brick on either side of our door.  Then using small hooks at the bottom of our front windows, used each December for poinsettia swags, I hung garlands of colorful fall leaves below the two center windows.

 

For the kitchen table I use colorful gourds, smaller pumpkins and fall flowers from a craft store arranged around an orange pillar candle or a jar candle in the center of a large doily.  Sometimes I place them on a colorful autumn platter and add bright fresh apples for eating.  Mixing fresh decorations with silk works very well.

 

Years ago I bought a dozen large burgundy-red paper mache' apples and usually arrange them either in a large copper bowl or on a four level metal tier - you know the type you often see at Christmas with a pineapple on the very top level, and apples beneath.

 

A touch of autumn can be added by arranging garlands of colorful silk leaves on the fireplace mantel, hearth, or around chandeliers.  Add swags of autumn flowers above framed pictures and mirrors.  Add baskets filled with colorful chrysanthemums, gourds, pumpkins and orange nandina berries.  If you have orange nandina or pyracantha berries growing in your yard, you are most fortunate, and by all means, use those rather than silk ones.

 

Arrange a lovely basket or cornucopia of nature's bounty, including fresh fruits, vegetables, walnuts, almonds and acorns and tuck in a few silk autumn flowers and a sprig or two of orange nandina berries or pyracantha berries, also known as firethorn. 

 

Ahhh!  The smell of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg!  Aluminum foil on your stove burner with sprinkles of spices will permeate your home with these aromas when turned on the lowest setting.  The spices could also be added to water in a simmering potpourri pot.  Or make an autumn potpourri by mixing together orange peels, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla and even the contents of herbal tea bags and spread the wonderful natural aroma around using a simmering potpourri pot.  Make use of fragrant candles in autumn colors and aromas such as pumpkin, spice and hazelnut.

 

You might want to change your sofa and chairs by covering them with rich warm autumn hues - mixing a warm patterned quilt on the sofa and solid pieces of coordinating fabric on the chairs.  Change the tie backs on your curtains, add pillows, throws, quilts in autumn colors, if you want. 

 

I'm sure you won't want to try all of these ideas - I don't.  You might want to choose just a few to start out and add to your fall decorations for a few years.  Don't overdo though, or it may grow to be as much work as putting up and taking down Christmas decorations! 

 

When when you take down your autumn decorations - items you won't use until next fall, store them all together in large plastic covered storage containers, and label them for easy access for the following year.   Let your children join in the fun of decorating too!

Ten Things to Do this Fall

List compiled 2006 by Carol Vega in Pennsylvania, Christian homeschooling mother of 5.

Add fun to your fall:

1. Carve pumpkins for fun and decoration: Instead of carving a grinning jack-o-lantern, try making patterns using cookie cutters. Stars, hearts, moons, leaves and circles are simple shapes yet make interesting patterns. Cut off your pumpkin lid, scoop out the insides, insert the cookie cutters into the sides of the pumpkins where desired. A mallet may be handy. Repeat this process until you have a pattern you like. Add a candle inside. Place them in a display on your porch with some hay bales or in a cute wagon.

2. Buy a pumpkin and a potted golden mum. Cut off the top of your pumpkin and clean it out. Place the plastic pot with your garden mum down inside the pumpkin. This is so simple yet is such a festive planter. Makes a great table centerpiece, too!

3. Compare and Contrast the pumpkins! Arrange an assortment of pumpkins on a table and give each of your children a piece of paper. Number the pumpkins and number the paper. For each numbered pumpkin have the child, weigh it, measure around the widest part, measure its height, measure just the stem, describe the pumpkin. Have them record their finding on their paper. Then ask them which pumpkin was the heaviest, the widest, tallest and funniest, etc.

4. Take this assortment of pumpkins (from #3) and write numbers, using a black marker on the bellies of the pumpkins (5, 10, 15, 20, 25).  Place the pumpkins a few feet apart in your yard. Using a hula let the children toss the hoop and see if they can ring the pumpkins. Give them three tosses and see who can score the most points. After this game, you can still use the pumpkins to decorate with, just put the numbers to the back when displaying so they can not be seen!

5. Pumpkin pancakes: Add 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 cup canned pumpkin to your favorite pancake recipe and you have a yummy festive taste to start off your day!

6. For lunchtime fun, buy the pre-made cups of orange gelatin (single servings) at the grocery store. They usually come in a 4 pack for about $1.00. Before opening the containers, let your children make a pumpkin-type face on the outside plastic using black magic markers. Let each child show his or her pumpkin face to everyone, then open and eat! Added fun to lunch!

7. Yummy Punch in a pumpkin: Make up an orange-colored punch using orange and pineapple juice as two of the main ingredients.  Pour into a plastic pumpkin bucket. (These are sold in stores like Wal-Mart in September and October for children to use to collect Halloween candy. They are very inexpensive!) Serve the punch and enjoy! Refrigerate any leftovers!

8. Buy a small journal to use for the months of October and November. Write on the front "Things I am thankful for..." Each day of the month write about one thing you are thankful for! At the top of each page write the date and "I am thankful for..." Do this everyday in October and November and you will have 61 journal entries and remembrances of the blessings in your life! Great for homeschooling children as well as mom and dad!

9. Make a Thanksgiving Dictionary. Take a few sheets of lined paper, top it with a piece of black cardstock paper. Staple together across the top. Add a longer strip of black paper across the bottom that extends out about 2 inches on each side. Glue or staple in place. This will form a pilgrim's hat. Add a yellow square and glue a smaller black square inside the yellow one. This will make a buckle. With a white gel pen write "My Thanksgiving Dictionary" and your name on the cover. Inside write words in a column on the left side, leaving space for the child to fill in the definitions. Write words like: freedom, thankful, voyage, pilgrim, harvest, friendship, blessing, etc. (Make sure to write the child's age or the date on the back of this project, as this will surely be a great keepsake!)

10. Make a "Tom "Thumb."  Using non-toxic ink pads, make a turkey using your thumb prints. Make a big thumb print horizontally for its body, a pinky-finger print vertically for the head and many small fingertip touches for feathers in the back. Clean your finger and add the feet and facial features of eyes, a beak and waddle using colored ink pens. A great way to decorate place cards, thank you notes or just make one for fun (inside your "Thankful for" journal)

Autumn Leaves / Kids and Glue!

AUTUMN LEAVES ~ CRAFT FOR KIDS

by Denise Imbody

I used to do this craft with the different Sunday school classes I taught, and it was a big hit.

Materials:

A Big sheet of paper (your choice of size really)

All different colors of tissue paper

Markers or crayons

Glue or glue sticks

Scissors

Instructions ~ Have the children draw a picture of a tree, with bare branches, and ground--and whatever else they'd like in the picture. (If the children you are working with, are too young to do this, then have the pictures drawn ahead of time for them.)

            Cut the colored tissue paper into any size square--it's been a while since I have done this project - but I think 2" by 2" will work fine. (Again, you might want to have this done ahead of time too, depending on the age of the children.)

            I think glue sticks will work fine for this project. So, have them dab the glue in different places on the picture--some on the tree, some falling to the ground, and some on the ground.

            Then take the squares of tissue paper--1 at a time--crinkle it up—and put it on the glue spots.

            If you would rather use glue, you can use the tip below. After the children crinkle the colored squares, apply a little glue to each "leaf" with the cotton swab, and stick it on the picture.

            There you have it - a nice picture of autumn leaves.

Note from Lois: Another way to do this craft is by cutting 1 1/2 inch squares of tissue paper, centering a pencil eraser on the paper, picking it up with the ends of the paper around the pencil.  Twist the paper around the pencil, dip into glue and place each leaf on the tree in this way. 

KIDS AND GLUE! ~ QUICK CRAFT TIP

Contributed by Barb Campbell of Mississippi

Kids & Glue! What a mess that brings to mind. Years ago when teaching Sunday school to 4 & 5 year old children, I learned the neatest trick. Save lids from small plastic containers, like margarine tubs. Clean them thoroughly. When your child has an activity that requires gluing, squeeze some glue into the lid. Then have the child dip cotton swabs (Q-Tips) into the glue and use them to apply it to the paper or whatever it is they are gluing. Have plenty of swabs on hand so they can toss them away as they get sticky! This is much easier for children to manage than glue bottles and makes a lot less of a mess! You can clean and reuse the lids if you like or just throw them away and use a new one the next time you're gluing!

Painted Pictorial Pumpkins, and Perfect Practicalities

Various Ways of Decorating with Pumpkins

by Lois Breneman, © Revised 2005, Heart to Heart Newsletter

 

*Glue dried pansies on a pumpkin and coat with mod podge (from a fabric, craft or hobby store) or several coats of white glue slightly thinned with water.  It will dry clear and protect the pictures.  Use inside the house or on a covered porch.

 

* Glue color copies of your family on a pumpkin.  If you have fall pictures to use, that would be perfect!  Cover pictures with mod podge or several coats of white glue slightly thinned with water.

 

* Of course, pumpkins can be used as decorative touches in planning any outdoor displays for fall.  Arrange a display of assorted pumpkins in an old wheelbarrow, basket or wagon.

* Decorate a mantle or table with pumpkins, gourds, colorful leaves and mums, intertwining clear miniature lights in and around the fall harvest.

* Use pumpkins as punch bowls for cider.

* Turn scooped out pumpkins into serving bowls for soups, stews and chili.

* Use smaller pumpkins for individual serving bowls.

* Use the tiniest pumpkins or gourds as place cards for a meal, especially at Thanksgiving.

* Turn small pumpkins or gourds into candle holders by scooping out and inserting votive candles.

*A scooped out pumpkin makes a wonderful vase for colorful fall flowers!  Simply insert florist's foam inside the pumpkin for easy arranging. 

 

* Paint flowers and ivy all around the surface of a pumpkin with acrylic paints! 

 

* Sponge paint a pumpkin, using a deeper orange on a sponge, and dabbing all over.

Fall Is in the Air

LEAF PRINTS
Make your own cards, framed art or gift wrap for autumn gifts by using nature's bounty of freshly fallen leaves.  For cards, gift wrap or paper items, use poster paint for printing leaves.  If decorating an item that needs a waterproof finish, such as glassware, clay pots, etc., use acrylic paints.  Brush a small amount of paint onto the underside of the leaf where the veins are more pronounced. Carefully place the leaf where you want the design printed, cover with a layer of paper towel and gently roll with a rolling pin over the top.  Remove the paper towel, lift the leaf and there you have a beautiful leaf print!

WHEAT WEAVING
Soak wheat on the stalk, obtained from craft stores or local farmers, in a basin of water for an hour.  Holding three seed heads together, braid the stems of the wheat stalks.  Curve the ends around to make an oval loop, a heart or a circle wreath.  Tie with raffia or brightly colored ribbon.  As the stalks dry, they retain their shape.  Add to your autumn decorations.

A LUMINARY WALKWAY
Line your front walkway with luminaries made from pumpkins or carved gourds!  After cleaning out the interior of a pumpkin, you can use drill bits of different sizes to make dots and circles, arranging them in festive designs all over the pumpkins.  Try various abstract patterns, bunches of grapes or simply tiny dots all over the pumpkin to allow the candlelight to shine through!  Rather than using candles to light your luminaries, another idea would be to thread white Christmas lights into carved or drilled holes. 

AN AUTUMN CENTERPIECE
Thread white Christmas lights into carved or drilled holes of a pumpkin (as above).  For a beautiful autumn table centerpiece, also insert silk autumn flowers in the top, using the pumpkin as a vase. 

Floral Pumpkins / Pumpkin Fun / Pumpkin Custard

FLORAL PUMPKINS

by Lois Breneman - 2009 - Heart to Heart

You don't need to carve faces on pumpkins.  Try decorating them with autumn flowers such as chrysanthemums!  It will take quite a few flowers for an all-over effect, but a simple design would be really pretty as well.  Draw the design on the pumpkin first. Poke holes in the pumpkin with an ice pick, and insert stems of flowers into each hole.  Put enough water in the pumpkin to make the flowers last.


PUMPKIN FUN
by Julie Druck, York, PA - Editor of A Heart for Home - Used by permission

* A Pumpkin Warmer – Cut a lid, clean out a small pumpkin and carve a simple design like a heart in the front of it.  On the underside of the lid, cut criss-cross lines into the flesh.  Mix a tabl. of cinnamon and 1 tsp. of ginger together (or whatever autumn-smelling spices you wish).  Sprinkle about 1/2 of the mixture onto the lid and press into the flesh.  Next, score the inside of the pumpkin with lines and press the remaining mixture into the flesh.  Add a votive candle and light.  You’ll have a nice-smelling pumpkin warmer!

* Door Stop – Use a pumpkin as a door stop – it will add to your autumn décor!

* Autumn Windowboxes – After the flowers in my windowboxes have died off for the season, I often pile small pumpkins and gourds into them.  Much prettier than empty windowboxes until spring . . .

* Stone Pumpkins – Find a medium or large stone that sits flat on the bottom and clean it off.  Apply orange acrylic paint (two coats if necessary).  Glue a twig “stem” on top of each stone. 

* Frosted Pumpkins – Using tubed fabric paint (or other similar paint in tubes), apply snowflake shapes onto pumpkins.  Add lines coming down from each stem as well.  Work quickly and then add white glitter to the wet paint.  When dry, it will look as if there’s frost on your pumpkins.

* Decoupage Pumpkins – These are so festive and will look great on your sheltered porch!  Tear colorful tissue paper into squares and paste them on a pumpkin with ModPodge or watered-down glue.  (Using a double layer of tissue squares will come out with a bolder color.)  Overlap the squares here and there or make any pattern you wish.  When finished, add a coat of ModPodge or glue to the entire pumpkin.

To subscribe to A Heart for Home, send a blank e-mail to: aheartforhome-subscribe@welovegod.org    To send Julie a personal e-mail, write to: thedrucks@netzero.com     To view Julie's blog, visit: www.lifeinskunkhollow.blogspot.com