Fall Favorites

September 22, 2015October 1, 2015 RefreshHer7 Comments

Did you know that tomorrow, September 23, is the First Day of Autumn? My daughter, Whitney has a birthday today and it often falls on the first day of fall, her favorite season! She’s my favorite first-born. =) Would you pop over to her blog and wish her a happy birthday today?

As I mentioned here, I like to slowly bring the fall decor into my home. The Lord, the Creator of the seasons, brings autumn in gradually, until one day we wake up and find that the seasons have changed.

I looked through summer’s window
and was so surprised to see,
Autumnal hues and colors
were peeking back in at me.
—Denise Cunningham

Isn’t that the way it seems? One day we look out and realize that fall has slowly enveloped us!

In honor of this new season, I’ve gone through and pulled out some of my favorite autumn decor from the past years. Hope this inspires you a little…now that Fall is almost officially here!

I love these little pumpkins and the pop of color they give to the dining room’s turquoise.

The entryway table…

Of course, you have to add some fall touches to the outside of your porch, too!

Throw a cat in there, too, it gives an added special touch!

On the first chilly morning, we love to pull the kitchen table over to the fireplace for a cozy spot for breakfast!

Here are a few from my “old” house…

The Scrabble board set up with fall words…

Then a little twist on a fall wreath…
Find the instructions here

It seems everyone is buzzing about fall this year. Are you on that bandwagon, or are you sad to see summer go?

Lovingly,

Video on Making Homemade Tortillas !

September 21, 2015September 30, 2015 RefreshHer8 Comments

A Pioneer Woman on the screen I am not, but here’s my best shot at making a video of how to make homemade tortillas! it’s not easy to do your own video taping! Sometimes I entertain myself while cooking – watch and see what I mean!

Here’s the recipe:

Whole Wheat tortillas

4 Cups whole wheat flour – You can use all-purpose, if you prefer!
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup warm water – more if needed

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients together.

Add oil and mix with your hands until it feels a bit like cornmeal. Add water and mix to make a soft dough that is easy to wlrk with. Knead a minute or so. Divide dough into 16 balls and let them sit, covered on counter for about 15 minutes. Press into tortillas with tortilla press.

Bake on ungreased heavy skillet or a griddle that is on medium-high heat. Cook them unto brown spots appear and then flip and cook on the other side.

You can find the recipe for the Beef Carnita Tacos here. I love to do these in the crock pot. The meat shreds apart beautifully and the flavors have cooked together all day and are so delicious!

Will you try your hand at Tortillas? It’s a fun project with kids!

With love from my country kitchen,

Crafts

How To Make Paper Medallions

September 18, 2015September 30, 2015 RefreshHer1 Comment

As promised on Wednesday, when I showed you my newly decorated wall of paper medallions, here’s a tutorial on how to make them. This is my method, which ~~no doubt will~~ may differ from other’s techniques!

Accordion fold your paper. This was a 12 x 12 piece of scrapbook paper. Once it’s folded, accordion style, fold it in half.

For the large medallions, you will need to pieces of paper.

2. Nestle them together.
3. Secure them in the middle, either with a staple, a piece of clear tape or hot glue.
4. Open out the fan folds and secure the pieces together, making a circle.

It should look like this…

Punch a hole in the back of the medallion, in order to hang it.

The hole should be unseen, in the back of the pinwheel.

Gently hammer a straight pin into the wall. Slip the medallion onto the straight pin to hang!

I made another smaller medallion to go in the center. I love the contrast. it also helps to hide where you secured it in the midle.

Now, stand back and admire your handiwork!

Isn’t that simple? It’s also tons of fun! Hope you’ll craft up some for your house or party!

Stay refreshed,

Uncategorized

Three Incentives to Help You Accomplish Your Goal

September 17, 2015September 30, 2015 RefreshHer2 Comments

That adorable black dress that’s a little too tight and your niece’s upcoming wedding have a connection – it’s called incentive. So you cut calories out of your daily diet, say “no” to the special coffee drink at Starbuck’s and pretty soon you’re smiling in the mirror – wearing that adorable black dress.

Sometimes all we need is a little motivation to get us spurred forward in a goal. A couple days ago, I posted about living a life of poverty; a life that does lots of talk, but not as much action.

Could I encourage you today to look at the list you may have made mentally, of what you have only been talking, about and get a little incentive for those goals?

Here are Three ways to get incentive for a project before you:

Have someone hold you accountable. Ask your spouse or a close friend to check up on your progress. Wanting to start an exercise program? Have a friend text to ask you how it’s going. I actually have a friend who asked me to do this for her, and at first she had to answer in the negative about getting started, but then, because she knew I’d be asking again soon, she got the program off the ground! Weight Watchers works on this principle of accountability. When you know you’re going to stand on the scales, it is quite an incentive to say “No” to the birthday cake at the party at work!
Make progress markers on your calendar. I’m trying to memorize a passage of Scripture. I went to my Google calendar and marked what day I should be finished. That has been staring me in the face, and keeping me from losing sight of my goal!
Plan a reward for when you get finished. If you plan to clean out the basement or your family room, for instance, decide that once it’s finished you’ll host your girlfriends over for a party in your newly cleaned space! Take yourself for a manicure or facial after another goal is completed. Whatever kind of reward would motivate you – put that incentive out in front!

These incentives will help, but the best help is prayer. Proverbs 16:3

Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established.

The Lord will direct and give you wisdom about how to move to the next step.

Don’t let those desires sit and collect dust like books on a library shelf, give yourself the motivation necessary to move past the talking and get it accomplished.

Lovingly,

Crafting · Home decor

How To Add A Statement Wall for Under $5!

September 16, 2015September 15, 2015 RefreshHer6 Comments

I am blessed to have a sewing/crafting room at this Empty Nest stage of my life. I used to do my crafting at the kitchen table. It’s pretty great to go in my craft room and be able to leave out my projects while I’m working and not have to put it away so we can eat dinner!

I want to make this a lovely place where I’ll enjoying spending time. I’ve been stashing away ideas on my Pinterest Board, and have been anxious to add some details to one wall in particular. It’s the longest wall in the room, and I had hung only one large-ish picture on it, but it wasn’t enough. It really needed something else. Soooo…

On a recent trip to Hobby Lobby, I noticed that their scrapbooking paper was 50% off. I started collecting an assortment of patterns and colors that would coordinate well and bought two of each that I liked. I ended up with twelve sheets, which came to under $5 with the sale.

When I got home, I began crafting these paper pinwheels…

(For an easy Step by Step tutorial on How-To Make Paper Pinwheels, check back on Friday!)
I’ll also show how I hung them on the wall with a really simple technique!

I already had three of these pinwheels left over from Alli’s wedding, so I made six more, giving me plenty to add to my empty wall. Here’s the finished project:

I love it for a craft room, because it fits the room’s theme! It’s all about creativity and I think the paper pinwheels say, “This is a place of productivity and imagination!”

I think these pinwheels are adorable and would add a nice touch of whimsy to other places (aside from a craft room), like a nursery or a child’s room. Like this one:

Girl Heirloom Nursery — I think if you switched out the circles with the pinwheels it would be so cute!

Or for a backdrop wall for a shower or party, like here...

I love how they used different sizes. I may add some smaller ones to my collection!

This wouldn’t be the style for some, but I think it’s adorable!

How about you? Do you like paper crafty things on the wall, or do you only do professional and sleek?

With love from my crafting room,

I looked through summer’s window and was so surprised to see, Autumnal hues and colors were peeking back in at me. —Denise Cunningham

I looked through summer’s window
and was so surprised to see,
Autumnal hues and colors
were peeking back in at me.
—Denise Cunningham