Yesterday we went to Hobby Lobby so I could buy some yarn and some orange paint. Our craft store choices are limited here in Central Illinois, so I shop where I can. I was shocked at all the Christmas out at Hobby Lobby. I would bet almost half of the store. DH wondered if they ordered stuff ahead of the tariffs so they had plenty.
Needless to say, we didn't buy any Christmas decorations; we have plenty already. But, I wanted some orange paint for my fall project.
One of my goals this year with the garden was to plant pumpkins so I could decorate with them this fall. Well, one lone, small pumpkin isn't going to cut it. Oh, well. And being frugal, I didn't really want to spend money on anything else for outside. Then it came to me...why not make use of all the metal cans and plastic lidded containers I've been saving? So, two bottles of paint later, I'm working on these items to make them into pumpkins. We have plenty of twigs and sticks for stems. I did "splurge" and spend 25 cents on some green felt to make leaves. Hopefully these will turn out decently and I can use them for a few years. I'm hoping that I'm not only keeping these items out of the landfill, but also reusing a few things we have.
One of my newer hobbies is making candles. I made a couple a few weeks ago and burnt one of them and yesterday, pulled the wick out of it and melted what was left and added wax to it to make another candle. These are not fancy or huge, just something fun to do and enjoy.
I was thinking yesterday while looking at all the Christmas and fall decor at Hobby Lobby, how I pleasure is pulling out the indoor decorations I have and most were bought at thrift stores. I wonder if some people buy new every year, hence the overstocked shelves at so many stores. I did go crazy this year and make some new pumpkins...DH bought a pool noodle to put in the garage so we didn't hit and chip the paint on the car door. He cut off a small section, so I cut it into pieces and used some leftover yarn to make "pumpkins" by winding yarn around them, again using some small sticks for stems, and some brown ribbon I had to tie a bow.
Do you decorate for fall?
September 16th, 2025 at 06:01 pm 1758042060
September 17th, 2025 at 02:55 am 1758074148
My mother was very ‘crafty’ and I have seasonal mats - made in the Dresden Plate quilt pattern - for every season.
I switch them out, and then I have an accumulation of Knick knacks - some were hers - that I display.
My Halloween ones include plastic cats that my aunt gave us when my brother and I were toddlers - they had lollipops in them. My mother displayed them every year. They aren’t antiques yet, but they are ‘mid century modern.’
They were probably originally owned by a millionaire - they most likely came from Woolworths! If my memory is correct, they came with a few orange and black lollipops.