by Sharon | Sep 1, 2016
Oh Yes!!! September!!!
Fall is on the horizon . . . even though the weather is a bit warm.
I like going out early wearing a sweater. It allows me to pretend that fall is here. Yes, some of the trees are turning and the leaves are falling. Nature is getting ready for fall.
I’m looking forward to getting pumpkins for decorating rather than carving. I find it run to have them decorating my front porch . . . along with my fall wreath I put on my front door. I don’t go all out with the decorating. Just enough to celebrate the change of season.
This is a perfect time for you to get into your fall crafts.
If you haven’t been in the mood to do any of the 3-D buildings from either Ray Keim’s Haunted Dimensions or Ray O’Bannon’s RavensBlight, you might find something from Family.Disney more to your liking.
It’s never too early to start thinking about special cupcakes you’d like to make for Halloween.
Goofy is on-hand to give you a bit of a frightfully funny cupcake design — of course, featuring him. He’s doing a franken-goofy thing you might want to try out on your family before your Halloween gathering.
Click the cupcakes to the left and you’ll be taken to the recipe so you can begin planning this delightful party treat.
This may inspire you to give Mickey and Donald a square head . . . or maybe not, but this concept would work with creating other Disney character images on your cupcakes. And there are always the cupcake toppers . . .
That should get you thinking fall a bit . . . I know you’re busy with a new school year with the kids . . . but it doesn’t hurt to look ahead.
Have fun!
Sharon
by Sharon | Sep 8, 2015
I’m all into fall decorating and this witch hat is an excellent place to begin.
You can check out any left over items from last fall that would be excellent to decorate this hat for your table.
I love the rustic natural feel of the decorations. I have some small plastic cauldrons I’d add plus maybe a frog and a black cat.
It may be a good idea to put batting or tissue paper inside the witch’s hat to keep it standing up. The stars are a nice touch.
I’m sure you have dozens of ideas and items you could use to decorate your witch hat and proudly display along with the party food.
This hat truly needs a party!!
I’ll try to attach a witch’s broom to the display to let your guests know the witch is home for the night.
Have fun!!!
Please leave me a comment.
Sharon
by Sharon | Sep 6, 2015
Here’s a great Fall project that will get a whole lot of attention when you put it in your front yard.
I like starting the season with fun projects. It’s excellent to be able to make these plastic pumpkin planters and fill them with flowers or herbs. These do have personality.
Basically, what you see is what it is and how to make it. I can give you some basic tips, but you may already have an idea of how you’d like to create your own DIY project.
As I said, these are plastic pumpkins. You can make the face you want on them and drill a hole in the bottom of each pumpkin for drainage.
To keep these beauties in place, you’ll first need to put a long stick into your planter pumpkin pot and one-by-one decide how the pumpkins are going to be stacked, allowing plenty of room for the flowers or herbs to grow and be beautiful. You will be doing a lot of drilling holes in your plastic pumpkins to get their placement just right on the stick or stake.
I was thinking this would be fun to set up, on a smaller scale, for a party centerpiece for your table minus the dirt in the planter pumpkin pot. There are plenty of variations you can do with this great idea.
For indoors you could use twist ties to attach the pumpkins to the stick and have them for your guests to take home with goodies packed inside. You could even add names on the back of them.
I do like this idea for the yard, but it’s always fun to come up with variations for indoors as well. I’m sure you’ve come up with a few ideas of your own.
As with all DIY projects, have fun and allow your imagination to soar.
Thanks for stopping by and please leave me a comment with your thoughts about this project and what variations you’ve dreamed up.
Sharon
by Sharon | Aug 19, 2015
It Depends Upon The Image . . .
For me, nothing is more inspiring than a field of bright orange pumpkins. And the fallen leaves . . .
I do love fall . . . and all that goes along with it . . . the crunch of leaves underfoot, the fresh crisp smell when the season changes . . . the cool nights and the cooler days . . . I love wearing sweaters and going to the various places that sell pumpkins right out of their pumpkin patch.
There are the hay rides, Halloween Parties and, of course, Halloween — and with that comes the carving of pumpkins . . . the nights in front of a fire . . . the ghost stories . . .
I may cheat this year and re-read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I usually save it for Halloween, but for some reason I want to get back into that story. It is a classic and has become a tradition at my house.
I even enjoy watching the Disney cartoon of it. It’s nice to revisit these characters . . . it doesn’t matter that I know what is going to happen, it is still an exciting story I can read over and over again.
Just like other stories you may never tire of reading or hearing again and again.
I may be torturing myself by bringing up this picture, but it is always nice to anticipate what is to come. I do find it relaxing and tranquil.
I know of people who absolutely love Christmas as much as I love fall . . . they begin planning their decorating and begin shopping early. We do anticipate what makes us feel good. Fall has that special thing for me.
I also know of some who are enjoying their summer. This is their season! They love the hot weather and going to the beach. They’re totally caught up in the season and savoring the BBQs and the camping and all that summer has to offer. It is truly invigorating to them. And the telling of ghost stories while sitting in front of an open fire. There is something about being outdoors, maybe in the woods and being inspired by the dark shadows of the night . . . and the shadows cast beyond the light of the campfire.
We all have our favorite season, some love them all and take them as they come . . . and enjoy every bit of each one from start to finish . . .
Without spring and summer, we wouldn’t have the great harvest in the fall . . . Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same now would it?
I do love Thanksgiving, but it does seem to get crowded out by Halloween and Christmas . . . sure we celebrate it, but it does seem to be a “filler” rather than an honest to goodness holiday we thoroughly enjoy.
Look at how Black Friday has moved to Thanksgiving Day . . . all to get the great bargains to kick off the Christmas Season.
I am much too old fashioned to give up my Thanksgiving for bargain shopping. I love the time with family and friends.
If I want a head start on Christmas, I do my shopping in July and August. Those are the times that feel right for me. I also stock up at the end of the season sales, too. That’s when I believe I’ve really gotten bargains. Yes, things may be picked over, but many times others have waited, too. It does seem like a fresh selection of ornaments and decorative pieces for next year. It’s just remembering where I put them . . .
We’ve really changed how we shop . . . with the internet. I remember reading somewhere that with all the mobile devices we think of shopping every time we go online. Is that true? Is that how you feel? Is that what you do?
It’s an interesting concept. I need to think about it and watch what I do each time I go online. I believe I check my email and do research for my blog posts, but deep down I may have masked over my desire to shop . . .
It does make sense. I do a lot of shopping online. I prefer it to going out in the summer heat and traffic . . . I feel as though I’m helping those who do need to go out to do their school shopping . . . I’m not taking up a parking place they could use.
Shopping online has become a natural thing to do. Check out various prices without running all over town. Many times we do this research, then, instead of buying it online, we go out, buy it and pick it up and bring it home.
I don’t know if this is happening in your neighborhood, but some stores are merely showrooms. They are there with merchandise, but you’re going to have to order it . . . that seems a waste, but it is helpful to see it before you buy it. That has been my experience for quite a number of years with furniture. It’s rare that I see something and I can have it delivered in a few days. There’s been that lag time of three weeks minimum.
So, the concept of shopping online is becoming much more appealing.
I do hope you’re enjoying your summer and anticipating the holidays to come . . . or you may be just too busy enjoying your various summer activities or getting the kids ready for a new school year . . .
Thanks for stopping by!
Please leave me a comment.
Sharon, Owner of TwoCansOnAString.com
by Sharon | Nov 1, 2014
November has arrived with wonderful rain.
Many of you may not agree and many of you may be experiencing other weather. I do enjoy the rain, especially when I don’t have to be out in it. I love sitting at my breakfast table, looking out the window while I’m writing this blog on my laptop.
My power-walkers have been out earlier. Those are brave dedicated women who won’t let a little rain dampen their spirits. I do hope they didn’t get a chill. I’ll find out as the days progress — if I see them . . . or they’re in bed with a cold.
Tis the season for colds . . . be sure to take care of yourself.
My little Yorkie, Abby, is sleeping. She’s tired from the excitement of seeing so many children in their wonderful costumes last night roaming the neighborhood for good treats. I did hear someone remark about the number of granola bars they received. Hummmm, I gave out candy.
After the trick-or-treat crowd disappeared, Abby and I did take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. There were lots of interesting smells that caught her attention. We returned before the rain began to fall. It was a wonderful evening.
For a Friday night, I was surprised Halloween ended as early as it did. I suppose they had other things to do. I know after my walk I read Legend of Sleepy Hollow and some Edgar Allen Poe. It’s a tradition I established to settle down to get thinking about Thanksgiving and then Christmas. I realized fall has much more to offer until winter sets in.
I know many are thinking ahead to Christmas. Wanting to get started with their Christmas shopping. I think that’s wonderful. I, too, should be adding some Christmas ideas for your shopping pleasure, but for today I prefer to enjoy this rainy fall day and to think about the season and the way it makes me feel.
On my home page I have some thoughts and a fall video. I do feel much more nostalgic than at the beginning of the season, but I did feel it coming through.
I have always had a special liking for fall. There seems to be a special energy in the air. There’s something new with the beginning of a school year for children . . . then the whole Halloween thing. Now, it’s time to relax a bit and enjoy the beauty of the season.
Yes, there’s putting away many Halloween decorations, but I can keep out the pumpkins that haven’t been carved to be enjoyed until I decorate for Christmas. Yes, there’s that word again . . . of another holiday season . . . yes it does want to crowd right in . . .
I also keep out the haunted house and the village. This is something that doesn’t change just because Halloween is gone. Haunted houses do have their “season” of recognition, but if you’ll notice, that spooky old house is still there and still in spooky during the rest of the days, months and years to come.
It’s our focus that changes.
In the still of the night while Abby and I walked around. I thought of the peacefulness, the calm stillness of the night . . . then I remembered it still was Halloween and quickened my step for home.
Once inside, I did think about Icabod Crane and his adventure and mysterious disappearance. It is a wonderful story of a time long ago . . . with a mystery at the end . . . and the possibilities for imagination. I do believe and have thought that since Icabod was unable to capture the heart of the woman he desired, it was time for him to move on. He did get the wits scared out of him . . . but once he was able to think clearly again, he could move on to the next town and discover the opportunities open to him.
I like to think of this as an on-going adventure for him. Just as fall can open up many opportunities for all of us.
As I watch and listen to the rain . . . I pour another cup of coffee . . . thinking of this day and how wonderful it is to be alive to experience it.
