Harvest is currently going on around us. We live in Central Illinois where the two main crops are corn and soybeans. It has been very dry not to mention hot, so the combines are kicking up lots of dust and dirt around us. The other night when they were picking soybeans a few fields over, it was like we were living in a fog. Having a clean car is almost impossible during this time. 

My DH's daughter will be getting married in a week at our place. We have worked hard on some of the decorations, including wrapping tin cans with burlap and lace for "vases." I wrapped a wine jug (our church buys communion wine in a large Mogen David jug) with material to make a stand alone vase. 

I melted down some old candles to make new candles for the tables since she has a harvest theme. I doubt if we will light them unless it is a calm day, but they at least look fall like. 

When we were cleaning out the pole barn I found a metal lantern. I don't think it is old. It looks like a reproduction. I've been told we will have straw bales around an arbor for the wedding so I looked up how to convert this lantern into one that can hold an electric candle. Who knew a painted tuna can could do that? I know the bride to be used to laugh at me about saving stuff like cans and paper bags and all that, but not any more. The lantern's wick had something that stuck up to hold it, so I needed a level surface and the tuna can fit the bill.

The bride to be bought plain burlap and then realized the holes were too large to cover anything. I suggested we make table runners out of it by weaving very thin ribbon down the sides and hemming the ends. She liked that idea so I did that.

I mentioned the paper bags...I grew up using them and the few times we get them, I just cannot bear to throw them away. I started a new hobby and I am no way professing to be great at it, but I wanted to try and make bars of soap. I thought, well, what can I put around them and then it dawned on me, why not cut stripes from a bag and label them. So, I had some scissors that make a design when you cut with them and I did that. I'm into homespun, so it works.

Recently I painted a coffee plastic can so I had an additional container to hold seeds. I have been saving seeds from what I've grown to be able to plant them next year. I've been using old prescription bottles and even plastic spice bottles to hold them. I then put them in the coffee containers. I had one originally, now I have two. I like the idea of reusing stuff. 

I had a pair of work jeans that were getting so worn, that they were starting to separate. I saw something about using the canning jar rings and cutting strips of the denim and tying them around the ring to make a flower. I had some rings that were starting to look pretty bad so I figured, why not? I had a piece of burlap to use for the center and I went outside and found some sticks to glue on as stems. 

The other day we went to an orchard to buy some apples. I like to make applesauce besides having the apples to eat. I'm always reading things and discovered you are supposed to be able to make apple cider vinegar with cores and peels, so I have 4 quart jars fermenting with my leftovers. I like the idea of using things and getting as much as I can out of something. I made and canned apple sauce and with the juice made some apple jelly.