Jack and All His Friends

Well...No Silly!
Not my Jack,
Jack-o-lantern.

We've been getting a little more DIY going on around here.

Isn't it great when it's simple and cheap.

Wash-up & de-label some empty soda bottles

&

get you spray paint out.

Didn't I tell you I am no artist?

My first one I used way to heavy a hand.

After him, I sprayed much lighter and some I used a permanent marker on.

Yes, we stuck some here there....and everywhere.

I was out of bottles and we still wanted more,

so an old Maxwell House coffee jug work out.

Here's looking at ya!

Be Blessed!

Putting Up Scarecrow Fred

I could barely wait for Jack to get home from school 
so we could get Fred, our scarecrow put out.

I thought we would have gotten him together over the weekend but rainy weather put a damper on most things this weekend. I must seem to be running behind the rest of the world when it comes to decorating but it is typical for us to get in the real feel of Autumn and Halloween about a week before and then we tend to roll with that until Thanksgiving.(I hate to be rushed through my holidays)
We're also more geared toward a harvesting theme over the Ghouls & Ghost
 but..
We'll be throwing in a little spookiness for our annual Monster Mash party that my sister helps me put on for our little band of  monster(kids).

This is how we started out with Fred.
A pair of my worn out bibs and button up shirt will serve as our scarecrows body.
Jack kept asking if he was going to be a boy or a girl.
Last year Fred should have been Fredricka due to the hat we chose but I told him it would surely be a boy.

I initially thought to get some burlap for the head but apparently the price of burlap is on the rise in Patrick County so we went with 
this cheaper cotton.
This isn't a very clear picture but I basically made a sack.
Folding it in have sewed the seams on both sides 
and then
I base stitched about 3 inches from each side seam allowing us to stuff the head and then draw it up.

We just used some old pieces of planks we had laying around nailed together for a frame.
We had already decided we were going to set him in an old chair we found in the edge of the woods so we went with shorter boards;
if you plan to stand him up longer boards would most likely work better.

Now your ready....
Stuff, stuff and keep stuffing.
We used some straw.
then 
We sat him in his chair and put on his hat.

Once I gather some pumpkins around him I'm sure 
Fred will be very pleased.
Thanks for stopping by.
BE BLESSED
and 
Be a Blessing!

It's a Spine-tingling Monday Music Moves Me

Good Monday to everyone!

Here we are looking at the beginning of a new week 

and 

another

Monday Music Moves Me.

This weeks theme is Spine-tingling Music.

What's makes one persons spine tingle may vary greatly from what makes anothers

and

for some folks that spine tingle is a good thing and for others a bad.

Just being alone makes many a folks spine tingle.

           

As for others ooh..they're scared of stuff like Voodoo.

I have a friend that goes freaky over dolls and puppets.
Some are most likely scared of the Master of Puppets.

              

And
 how do people fear the dreams in the night 

so scared of the Sandman.

                                 

We may all be crazy 

or maybe we're scared of those who call us crazy.

                               

I don't like things that Creep.

Maybe, we're all just afraid of being creepy.

            

If things such of these bother you  I hope the words from

Dark Bird  can help you out.

          

Do remember we're just

Wayfaring Strangers.

           

Thanks you for stopping by.

October in Patrick County

 Old, trucks, old tractor, the barn, the buildings.               Yeah you're in Patrick County.

  

         Let the road take ya!

How Great is out God!

Thanks for stopping by.

BE BLESSED!

Getting Ready for Anything and Everything Apple

Hey Yeah!!

It's that time of year again; Stuart Virginia's annual 

Apple Dumpling Festival!

October 19, 2013

I'm think I should conjure up some apple goodness but to get myself in the right apple state of mind I thought I'd revisit last years festival and gather some ideas. 

Since I was taking a stroll down memory lane I thought you might want to stroll it with me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Here you go!

Stuart, Virginia's Annual

Apple Dumpling Festival

Great turn out!

Lots of Artisans!

Yum..

Yum, yum

Local grown apple

                                               The guest of honor..Apple Dumplings

How 'bout Homemade ice cream atop those dumplings?

Music at the amphitheatre

C.C. Coates Band

Am I in the warm sun in the middle of the day?

Or..

Some dimly lit corner?

Great Blues Band!

What a way to enjoy an autumn day? This is just one of a few festivals that Stuart puts on but it definitely is a favorite. Nothing screams the turning leaves and the brisk air like the Apple Dumpling Festival. As you can see folks turned out from all over. Definitely a stopping point for many traveler. This little town is at the foot of the Blue Ridge Parkway and makes a wonderful place to stop on your next leaf watching adventure. I thank you for letting me share my day with you and thank you for stopping by 

Southern Direction.

Be blessed.