Easy EASY Burlap Pumpkin Tutorial

 Last month was our Annual Fall Festival at my son's elementary school.  It is a really fun event, a chance for the students and their families to have a great time together, and it's also the PTA's one fundraiser of the year.  My friend Tamara and I were the "Decorating Committee". OH my, it was such a fun job!  We had corn stalks, paper leaves, and we discovered the magic that is Deco Mesh!  I had purchased quite a LOT of orange burlap when I first saw it at Hobby Lobby.  Only $3.99/yard, and if you use a coupon, it's even cheaper!  I used some to make a bunting that read,  "F A L L   F E S T I V A L", and I had a TON left over.  Tamara came up with the greatest idea:  What if we made "pumpkin sacks"  similar to the orange trash bags you fill up with leaves and put in your yard?  She has the BEST ideas, and she is so crafty.  You can check out her blog HERE.http://www.livinginlilliput.com/
I was really excited so I got to work on that burlap!  I will say this about the material, be prepared for a bit of a mess.  Just put down old sheets, and wear old clothes.  Kind of like you're getting ready to paint.   I included a couple of tips that cut down on some of the mess.


Remove one thread from the burlap, marking where you want to cut.  Less mess! 
I also found that spraying it lightly (outdoors) with a clear spray paint cut down on the shedding.

 


I loved not measuring!  Just make sure you end up with a shape that is more rectangular than square, so you have room to bunch a "stem" at the top.  Sew right sides together with a zig zag stitch.






I added an angle at the bottom, it helped the pumpkins shape better.  After you finish sewing, turn your sack right side out.



STUFF STUFF STUFF it with old newspapers, or whatever you want!  I just stuffed till the shape was right,
and I felt like it was solid enough not to tip over.

Pumpkins need leaves, right?   This was a great use for some scraps I had.  I just printed out
a clip art leaf, and traced it in different sizes.  Then I pinned and sewed them right-sides together, leaving an opening to attach to a long piece of ribbon.

I sewed around the leaf and down the middle to make it look a bit finished.

PUMPKINS!  Ta-DA!  I made all four of these in one night.

I tied on the ribbon-leaves, and added some tulle and other ribbon scraps.

So cute, and easy!  They made great decorations for our Fall Festival, and great gifts too!

Preschool Graduation

Harper is officially done with her first year of preschool!

Both of our kids have been so lucky to have Mrs. Brown as their first experience with a teacher.  We love her!

Harper had a great year, and learned so much!  She's excited for one more year with Mrs. Brown before Kindergarten.



Good job, Harper Kate!




 We are so proud!

Mandala Monday

Today is our first day of Cannon's off-track break, and we're already going stir crazy! 
It's turned out to be a chilly day, so being stuck inside didn't help.

I remembered seeing on Pinterest (YAY Pinterest!) that there were Mandala Coloring Pages available.  A Mandala is a circle, but it is far more than a basic shape.  The possibilities are endless!  I found a bunch of places online to print out coloring pages for the kids and I, and away we went. 
 Then....
It got so quiet!  It got so pleasant!  ("Can you please pass me the blue pencil?", "Hey, that one you're coloring looks awesome!")

And you know what?  We all got calm.  Around and around we went, some of us creating patterns, some doing more "abstract" work.

Around and around.  It was almost like we were going through a tunnel, and we came out on the other side, a little more mellow, a lot more NICE.  And especially for the Mom, a LOT more patient!

The kids moved on, but I had remembered seeing this done on rocks with a Sharpie pen on Pinterest (YAY Pinterest!)


And since the Mom can ALWAYS afford to be more chill, I kept going.  Around and around again.

Maybe Mondays aren't so bad after all! ;)

Dear Dad,

 It's April 14,2013.  You've been gone for four years now.
Our family is growing.  THREE, (almost FOUR!) Great-Grandkids have arrived since you left.  You would absolutely LOVE all these kids!  The rest of us are just all getting old.  You'd love that too!
I remember when I found out I was pregnant with a boy.  I was terrified!  I called you BAWLING.  You said, "What the hell are you crying for?  Boys are COOL!    Jesus Key-rist!  I'll get your mother on the phone."  (you had no clue what do do with your daughters when they started crying!)
You were right.  Boys ARE cool!  You and Cannon loved each other sooo much.  He still talks about you.  He still remembers so much, even though he was so young when you passed away.  I am so happy for that.

Dad, it's been FOUR whole years since someone called me a "Nipple-Headed Idiot"!  Or relieved my stress by saying, "Big dildo-deal!"
It has also been four years since I heard, "You're beautiful as spacious skies" or "You're beauty-mous!"
I still think that gross smells can be described as "Sour Owl Shit", so that one stuck!
Dad, thanks for leaving me with your crazy sense of humor.  It has served me well!  I am totally inappropriate most of the time, I'm still a Buchanan!  Also, thanks for the wonderful cussing skills! 

 

 Dad, I'm so glad you got to meet Harper, aka "Harper Valley PTA" before you left.  It has been really fun telling her stories about what a crazy cat you were.  I also make sure to tell her you were "As cool as the other side of the pillow"!

Dad, I'm sorry we were out of town when you passed away.  I knew, when we were leaving and I asked you if you wanted me to bring you back a seashell, and you said, "No thanks.", that you would choose that time to pass.
Dad, I feel really guilty that I wasn't here.  But I know you did it for Cannon.  I'm glad his young mind contains memories of you as a fun, lively, spunky crazy grandpa.  Thank you for leaving him that gift.

We miss you Dad!  I hope you are hanging out with Granny Kate, and Grandpa, and your son.  I wonder if there are slot machines in Heaven?  Probably no beer, but I'm sure the family and friends, and the whole Paradise thing make up for that.  I wonder if you're allowed to cuss there?
Dear Dad,
We miss you.
We love you so much.
Every Day.
Love,
Piper

Eight Is Great!

Cannon's birthday was pretty much a four-day event this year!  It started on Friday, with his VIP day at school.  We love LOVE his teachers so much!  His Chinese teacher had all of the kids make him Birthday cards in Chinese.  His English teacher plays her guitar in class all the time, and she had Cannon's classmates sing to him, and they got to have a Q&A session after he did his VIP presentation.  Pretty cute!  We donated a book to the classroom in honor of his birthday.  His teacher had him sign it, and it will forever be a part of her collection, with his cute little name in it.
Then he came home for presents. SKYLANDER GIANTS!!! WOO! (I guess!)  Now I know why my parents were so NOT interested in Super Mario Bros!
Saturday, he had a little party at Boondocks with some friends.  Pizza, Cupcakes, Laser Tag, Video Games... CHECK!







Sunday we headed out for Zions and St. George.  Road trip!  A little sunshine goes a long way!  The kids were super excited to stay in a hotel, and swim.  It's the little things I guess!






Happy Birthday Cannon!  Here's to another wonderful year!


Thanks for being such a great kid, son, and big brother!