September Kitchen Decor

 
"When you change the way
you look at things, the things
you look at change."

~ Wayne Dyer ~

I just salvaged this rusty metal bucket from a farm dump! The bottom's rusted away, but you can't even see it. I placed a wide glass vase inside for wildflowers.

This pastel pitcher sat in my booth for months before I decided to bring it home.
I was glad to have it handy for an overflowing bouquet of hydrangeas.

One of the first ways I decorated our home for fall on a budget was with apples.
They used to be growing in our backyard. Now I just pick them up at the grocery.

This rusty wire wreath was a flattened oval jumble when I found it.
I carefully pulled it into a wider oval shape. It's hanging on a clear pushpin.

My husband found these insulators in a ditch! Took quite a bit of scrubbing,
but now they're a colorful focal point on the countertop (or windowsill).

Just by bringing in a few fresh elements, I now feel so much better
about my kitchen. Ready to do some baking and welcome fall!

How about you... are you ready for the change of season?

Love the Light

"I will love the light
for it shows me the way,
yet I will endure the darkness
for it shows me the stars."

~ Og Mandino ~

Morning light casts such pretty shadows on my living room curtains.

This book's cover was in rough shape. Looks much better without it.

Until next time... thanks for stopping by!

Those Who Bring Sunshine...

"Those who bring sunshine
into the lives of others cannot
keep it from themselves."

~ James M. Barrie ~

I made these tags to price late summer & fall items
in my booth. It's nice to have a few different sizes...
Enjoy!

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*Internet Archive*
Silver-leaved sunflower

*TuckDB*
Scalloped border

*Lilac & Lavender*
Fabric texture


Thanks for stopping by!

Pitcher & Simple Country Bouquet

I love enamelware pitchers. Add
a simple country bouquet, and you
have a real thing of beauty.

I'm patiently waiting for the perfect pitcher, so I can
have a bouquet like this on my kitchen table. Until then,
 milk glass vases and mason jars will do just fine.

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*Antique Images*
Enamelware pitcher

*Flickr: perpetualplum*
Umbel illustration, 1917

*Shadowhouse Creations*
Softly aged sepia texture

*Lilac & Lavender*
Berry Seed Co. ephemera

Thanks for stopping by!

Queen Anne's Lace

"The great lesson is
that the sacred is in the ordinary,
that it is to be found in one's
daily life..."

~ Abraham Maslow ~

Printable sets of large and small tags, featuring
my favorite wildflower. Click here to read
a little more about the Berry Seed Company.

Printable Queen Anne's lace stationery (8.5 x 11").

I love Queen Anne's lace. At first glance, it looks simple... but
when you really look, you notice all the beautiful, intricate patterns.
I wonder how anyone could call it a weed. It's welcome in all my flower
beds, and makes itself at home right next to irises, daylilies, and roses.
I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing it bobbing in the breeze...
whether it's along a country road, or outside my kitchen window.

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*Antique Images*
Queen Anne's lace

*Old Design Shop*
Aged paper texture

*Vintage Feedsacks*
Label ~ "lace" pattern

*TuckDB*
Scalloped border

*The Sum of All Crafts*
Delicate rectangular label

*Lilac & Lavender*
Berry Seed Co. ephemera
 

"The whole world is a series of miracles,
but we're so used to them
we call them ordinary things."

~ Hans Christian Anderson ~


Thank you for stopping by!

Our Jack O'Lantern...

"It's cold and we are sleepy,
the air is cold and still.
Our jack o'lantern grins at us
Upon the window sill..."

~ Unknown Author ~

My 9 year old daughter created this original artwork!
I transformed her sketch into digital images to share...
so from both of us ~ please enjoy!

 Above, printable bookmarks or tags in brown and orange hues.
They look great printed on cream-colored card stock.

Below, printable bookmarks or tags for kids
(or kids at heart!) to color... this was my daughter's idea.

 Below, an 8.5" x 11" printable sheet of journal or note cards in 2 sizes.
I love the texture and shading on this jack o'lantern.

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in these images:

*The Graphics Fairy*
Torn paper texture

*Shadowhouse Creations*
Softly aged sepia texture

Thank you for stopping by!

September's Flower

"Now violet and rose have had their day,
I'll pluck the soberer asters with good grace
And call September nothing but September."

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox ~

I used a black ink pen to outline most of the petals and leaves...
it was fun "working" on them this afternoon.

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*TuckDB*
Asters and foliage

*Graphics Fairy*
Handwritten poem


Thank you for stopping by!

Pumpkin Muffins & Printable

"It is the sweet, simple things of life
which are the real ones after all."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder ~

Our family loves these

sweet & simple pumpkin muffins!

I made the recipe into an 8" x 10"

image for instant kitchen art...

Some tips & advice:

1.  Only grease the bottoms of the muffin tin.  Skip the sides.
2.  Fill an oven-safe dish with 1" or so of water, and place in the oven while preheating.

3.  Preheat your oven for 15 or 20 degrees hotter than the recipe states, then reduce to recommended temp when muffin tins go in.

(The tips above help batter rise & peak quickly ~ topping off the muffins nicely)

4.  Did you know muffins freeze really well?
        After they've cooled, place in a large freezer bag.
        To reheat, pop in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
        To send in lunches, place in a sandwich bag and they'll thaw by lunchtime.

Here are the free graphic & font
sources used to create the printable:

*Lost & Taken*
Grungy wallpaper texture

*Knick of Time*
Chalkboard texture

*Bumble Button*
Theater program border(4th image down)

*Dafont.com*
Freebooter Script

Take time to enjoy the sweet,
simple things in life today!

October Pumpkins...

Bonfires and pumpkins,
Leaves sailing down...
October is red
And golden and brown.

~ Unknown Author ~

~ Printable pumpkin note papers ~

My daughter had a party at school,
so I put together 25 little bags of candy.
We added a pumpkin image to each,
because my daughter thought everyone
should have a pumpkin to color...

The printable I used is below:

The pumpkin clip art is my original artwork.  I also used
the aged background from an image on the Old Design Shop
in my lined notepaper.  Thanks, Julie!

Thank you for stopping by!

October's Party ~ Clip Art

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came...
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

~ George Cooper ~

I made the 2 printable papers above for my kids
to color & cut out.  We all had fun with it!  I've also
included the individual clip art leaves for you.
Below are sources I based some of my clip art on:

Ivy leaf
Laurel leaf
Maple leaf
Oak leaf
Oval leaf

Thanks for stopping by!!

A Wise Old Owl

"A wise old owl sat on an oak;
The more he saw, the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why aren't we like that wise old bird?"

~ Edward Hersey Richards ~

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*Old Design Shop*
"Holiday Fun" owl

*The Sum of All Crafts*
Circular scroll label
Delicate rectangular label

*Free Trinkets and Treasures*
"The compliments of the Season"

Thanks for stopping by!

In Dreamful Autumn

Pale amber sunlight falls across
The reddening October trees...
Are we not better and at home
In dreamful Autumn?

~ Ernest Dowson ~

Here are the free graphics &
sources used in my artwork:


*Boston Public Library on Flickr*
Boston Brewery Poster c. 1880

*Lost and Taken*
Grungy wallpaper texture

*Old Design Shop*
Back of French postcard 

*MudBay Images*
1792 Farm sale document

*Lilac & Lavender*
"Antiqued" lined paper
Back of postcard

The sheet music is from
my personal collection, c. 1940.


"Catch a vista of maples
in that long light and you see Autumn
glowing through the leaves..."

~ Hal Borland ~

Autumn's Queen Chrysanthemum

Ah! She is not a "Summer Friend,"
She stays when all the rest have flown,
And left us flowerless and alone;
No singing birds, or blooms to lend
Their brightness to the autumn haze,
'Tis she who cheers the dreary days;
'Tis joy to know so sweet a friend;
No fairer flower blooms 'neath the sun
Than autumn's queen Chrysanthemum.

~ Hattie L. Knapp ~

Here are the free graphics
& sources used in my artwork:

*TuckDB*
Pink Chrysanthemums
Scalloped border

*Vintage Ephemera*
French script, 1816

*Lost and Taken*
Grungy wallpaper texture

*Lilac & Lavender*
"Antiqued" lined paper
Gift card envelope
Back of postcard

The sheet music is from
my personal collection, c. 1940.


Thanks for stopping by!!