Fall Mantle decorating

Bird Cage using Cricut Cutting Machine

More Music Sheets

Mod Podge Pumpkin Finished Product

Here are the Mod Podge Pumpkins that I finally made.

All you need for this project is:
Raffia, Spanish Moss, Mod Podge, foam disposable brush, Color Photo copies of Old Music sheets, scissors, Cutting Guillotine (any easy cutting device) Small Plastic Pumpkins, and a plastic tablecloth (just to help with easy clean-up).

To start this project you will need to Color Photocopy your music sheets.  (I just didn't have the heart to destroy these almost 100 years old sheets of Music)  Use color to maintain the yellowed look of the old paper.  Depending on how many pumpkins you would like to do, is how many photocopies you will need.  Its usually about 3-4 sheets per pumpkin once cut up to desired thickness.  I cut the thickness & length to match each Music Bar.  The Titles and Price information at the Bottom of the page was thicker.
I poured my Mod Podge into a clean plastic container to make it easier to use.  Start by applying Mod Podge with your foam brush to the pumpkin as wide & as long as the strip of paper.  Start at the top of your Pumpkin stem & place your first piece of paper onto the pumpkin.  Then apply Mod Podge overtop of the paper to get it to adhere better.  Apply the strip of paper any direction you like. (Up and down is the easiest)  Mixing each pumpkin up makes for a better display.  If need be use your scissors to cut the bottom of the strip of paper once its on the pumpkin so it doesn't overlap & get wasted.  Keep the little strip, for at the end where there are small areas that didn't get covered.

After you apply a couple of strips, you'll want to start smoothing the edges into the pumpkin grooves.  Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty for better results, with a fair amount of Mod Podge on 1 or 2 fingers.  Just keep doing these steps until all of the pumpkin is covered.

Once you have finished Mod Podging,  you can apply a large amount of Mod Podge or using a Glue Gun to attach the Spanish Moss to the top.  Rip off a chunk large enough to cover the top of your pumpkin.  Cut a piece of raffia long enough to tie it around the stem of the pumpkin, if you would like to tie a bow, cut it longer.  Approx.  6 inches.

Then you are done & can lay it on top of a glass cup to dry.

Hope you enjoy making these as much as I did.  I spent a Saturday afternoon with a dear friend and our kids making these.  Love the way they turned out and am thinking how to incorporate this process into a Christmas project.  Maybe cover Balls for the tree!!  Lets all think of some more ideas and share them here!

Collage of some of my Photography.

Upper Nicola Church near Merritt, BC

While on the quest for Vintage finds, there are always some photos that transpire.  I love taking photos & always have.  Its just a small little hobby that I like to do for myself, & also have been learning to edit these photos.  I entered many of them into the Local Fall Fair for 2011 & did relatively well to Ribbon in all but 2 out of 14.

Fort Langley, BC

Claysmore, Alberta.

St. Walburg, Sask.

San Fransisco, USA

Family Collection at home.

Quilchena General Store, Near Merritt, BC

Fort Langley, BC

Some of my Chairs, on a road in Lower Nicola, near Merritt.

A great & easy Thanksgiving treat.

This is a great little recipe, its not super sweet & you don't feel like it goes straight to your hips! ;)  Give it a try.  Its the recipe that comes with the Nordic Ware Pumpkin Patch Pan, that I used to get these cute little pumpkin shaped muffins.  Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 (16 ounce) can packed pumpkin
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
You can add a little milk or cream for less thickness (this is what I found with the recipe)

Heat oven to 375 F.  Grease and flour pan; set aside.  In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt; set aside.  In medium bowl, whisk eggs and brown sugar together until smooth.  Mix in pumpkin and melted butter until well blended.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until blended; stir in pecans.  Spoon batter into prepared pan, dividing batter evenly.  Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan; remove from pan and cool completely.

I made a small cream cheese icing just to dab onto top after dipping them into a bowl of granulated sugar while they are still warm & moist on top.  (Right after removing them from the pan)  When I have more time I like to use a icing bag with decorative tips to make leaves, a vine and flowers on the top.

Cream Cheese Glaze (optional)
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1-3 tbsp milk
orange food coloring (enough drops for desired shade)

To Make Glaze:  In small bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until the consistency of thick cream.  Stir in food coloring until as desired.  Drizzle cream cheese glaze over pumpkins.  Makes 12 muffins.

Serve in another cute Vintage baking tin, or layered in a cake dome.  These are super cute & great tasting.