Fall Decorating/Velvet Pumpkins

Living where we do, we really look forward to fall and cooler temperatures. We decided it is time to kiss summer goodbye and start decorating for fall (and do it inexpensively)! We saw this great idea using different types of beans or peas and stacking them in a hurricane candle holder with the candle set on top; very inexpensive and great for fall colors. We Purchased the beans at a grocery store and it really added a cute seasonal touch to the table! Most of us already have this type of hurricane, but if not, they are easy to find at any discount decorating store.

So why stop here?  One Betty knew she just had to keep going! She remembered seeing these velvet pumpkins at an expensive boutique, but was not willing to pay what they wanted, so she decided to take a stab at doing it herself. She bought a few different colors of crushed velvet at Joanns, which was on sale for $2.50 a yard and found a great tutorial online. It was super easy and with one yard of fabric, she easily made three pumpkins.

Start out by cutting your fabric in a circle. She used a 20 inch diameter, but you can go a little larger or smaller depending on what you want. Using something round can help!

Next, fold the fabric down about 1/4 of an inch and sew a medium size stitch all the way around the circle.

Once you get all the way around pull it together.

You will want to fill the bottom with beans or rice to give it some weight.

Then comes the stuffing, not too full!

Pull the thread tight and tie a knot, before you add your stem. The stem can be hot glued on.

These were purchased a long time ago at pumpkin patch (Five for a dollar :) You could also use a thick branch if you have one handy.

For a final touch cut burlap for the centerpiece as a table runner and layer two colors for a more textured look. Very inexpensive and completes the natural look.

And there you have it!

Happy Fall Ya'll!

-The Betties

Recovering Chair Cushions

The dining room chairs have seen better days.  A new dining room set would be great...but that's not going to happen anytime soon.  So, off one Betty went to the fabric store to purchase new fabric hoping to give the chairs a fresh new look.

Well, spending thirty to forty dollars per yard was not what she had in mind (she only needed 2 1/2 yards but still, hoping for a cheaper solution).  She combed through the clearance fabrics and came up with nothing.  It seemed all of the new designs and patterns were full price and she left empty handed.

Fast forward to today at Target.  "Why can't I use the fabric from a twenty dollar shower curtain to overhaul the chairs?"  With so many new designs to choose from she grabbed one and ran for home.  Three are done and and she has three more to go.  She is left with more than enough fabric which leaves her some extra so that when the kids spill she has a back-up piece to replace the stained fabric.  These cushions will be scotch-gaurded as well.  The fabric is 100% polyester but looks clean and crisp and DOES NOT look like a shower curtain!  

No sewing required!  Just a pair of scissors and a staple gun.  

$20.00 and two hours later the job is done and the dining room set may just make it a few more years!

Have a great week!

-The Betties

Spiritual Meal Planning

One Betty was reading a recent article written by Dr. S.M. Davis (Pastor at Park Meadows Baptist Church) where he talks about training our kids to choose right. As parents we all hope and pray that the foundation we are laying for our kids is solid and will wet their appetites for choosing goodness.  Our purpose as Christian parents is training the souls of our children, who will live for eternity!

Seeing the familiar passage from Proverbs 22:6 in a new light today was a real blessing and great reminder.  Being more intentional and creative with our "spiritual menu" will hopefully make the kiddos hungry for more. It's so easy to put the focus on academics and extra curricular activities during this busy back-to-school time.  A little spiritual deficiency at the end of the week can become common and habit forming.  Here is an excerpt from the article.

CULTURE THE RIGHT APPETITE

 "An appetite is a natural or habitual desire to satisfy some want or need. It may be a natural appetite, or it may be one which we have created for ourselves. In Proverbs 22:6, the Hebrew word for "train up" is usually translated "dedicate."  It means that we should pay whatever price we need to pay--in time, attention. love, discipline, self sacrifice, etc.--in order to fully dedicate our children to the Lord and raise them for Him.  The phrase that occurs later in the verse ("in the way he should go") is the Hebrew word peh.  In other places in the Bible, that word is translated "mouth" or "eat"  "Train up a child in the way he should go..."--in the way of his mouth.  Sort of strange, isn't it?  What it's telling us is that we should train up our children with right appetites.  Don't let them taste the wrong things.  Why?  Because they might develop an appetite for those things."

What a huge responsibility, but one that God knows we can handle with His help!  Right??   Most kids don't automatically choose the right thing...but continuing to feed them "a simple diet of outstanding spiritual things," will help those taste buds mature and eventually crave Godly things!  Okay, so what's on the spiritual menu for the rest of the week besides going to church?  We better get busy "meal planning"'!  We would love to hear some ideas on how we can get creative with the kiddos as they/we grow in the Lord.  It probably starts with turning off the television....or getting off this computer!

Have a good one!

-The Betties

Chickens and Dogs...An Urban Acre Dilemma.

We all know about cats and dogs, but chickens and dogs?  This is almost a daily occurrence of rescuing  the flock.   Now, remember no animals were hurt in the making of this clip.  However, it's one thing to think about if you are going to have chickens and a dog.

The Zac Brown Band provides the beat.  Enjoy and have a great week!

Halloween Costumes!

As you might be able to guess from the pictures below...we LoVe Halloween. We have celebrated together with our families over the years at Stacie's (she hosts an amazing party every year). Although, the first picture is from 1995 at Dana's.  Enjoy a trip down memory lane with us and hopefully you will be inspired to come up with some fun costumes this Halloween!

-The Betties