worked towards the weekend . . .

Just a little peek into what I've been doing this past week . . . 

I made little 'favors' for my new Sunday School gals . . . 

Nothing big, just a fun little something for them to enjoy.  And definitely NOT a means to ingratiate myself with them.  ;)

I found this cute little silk flower arrangement while in Maryland. 

I layered pinto beans, popcorn and split peas in the jar to add a little eye interest.  

Sitting on the candy corn topper, it says "Happy Fall!"

Here are the fabrics I'm playing with for my Wicked blog hop block(s?): 

Are you curious to know what I'm making?!?  My day on the hop is Tuesday the 30th -- come back and check it out then!  Tuesday the 30th also happens to be the day they'll induce Kim, if June doesn't make an appearance on her own before then!

And finally, I played around with my sweet gum 'fruits' and here's what I've got . . .

I'm not so sure I'm finished.  I don't like the way it hangs with the wire, so I may try and attach a broad ribbon to hang it with.  I *do* like the way it sparkles!  I will say it was a booger to make!

And today's Foto Finish theme is "spooky or creepy".  This little guy jumped out of the grass the other day when Todd and I were picnicking at the pond.

Really he's a good spider ... but since the whole brown recluse bite incident, I feel all spiders are kinda creepy, so he's my offering!  Be sure to check out the rest of the *creepy* offerings over at Cat Patches!

And have a GREAT weekend!!!

:)

hickory, hickory, dock . . .

We had quite a line of storms move through the wee hours of Friday morning. But since the afternoon was clear and sunny, I decided to check out the ground under the sweet gum tree and see if any of its "fruits" had fallen.

I have to admit I was a little disappointed.  Not a single green sweet gum fruit on the ground.  I guess they only come down when it's windy enough (i.e., gale force winds) to blow down whole branches.  Ah well, no matter, the trip wasn't an entire waste ... I did happen to spot quite a number of these around and under that sweet gum tree (evidently they roll a lot when they fall) . . .

Hickory nuts in their hulls!

I collected quite a few that were ready to peel (that's what I call it -- perhaps the more technical term is de-hull) and by the time I got back to the RV, I had a tidy little pile.

But a pile of hulls meant I needed to actually do something with them.  So I rounded up some supplies.  Like . . . 

My trusty hot glue gun.

My needle-nosed pliers and my heavy duty clippers.

And some additional adornments -- some natural, some not so natural (but natural looking)(sorta).

Then I went to crafting . . .

I had such fun putting together my little hickory hull flowers!

And don't they make a sweet little bouquet, too?  Very woodsy and camp-appropriate.

That lichen I picked up from the base of the sweet gum tree, too.  There was a bunch of it out there -- I think that will come in handy again for some kind of wreath.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure.  ;)  

It was a wonderfully inexpensive (as in FREE) craft materials day for me!

All that fabric in my stash ... and I go pick up hickory hulls!

:)

nature's provision . . .

I was out yesterday watering my sweet little hanging baskets . . . 

Aren't they pretty? While I was standing there, the front door caught my eye. 

I love wreaths. Have I ever mentioned that? I really do enjoy a pretty wreath. I like indoor wreaths and outdoor wreaths and they are oh-so-seasonal and fun! Since Pinterest has come along, I've had the opportunity to pin quite a few different styles of wreaths . . . four hundred sixty-seven, to be precise. And out of all those wreaths, there is one in particular that has stuck in my mind. One that I *know* I have to make ... it *has* to hang on my door.

Source:  Martha Stewart

Isn't it pretty?  Simple but unique.  A Sweetgum-Fruit Wreath.  I want this wreath.  I will make this wreath.  My only problem?  Where to get the ... uh ... "fruit".  I knew we had a sweetgum tree at the Hunter Road property, but I haven't been able to get over there in the daylight to check it out.  Then coming up the road the other day, I noticed that the branch that had been laying there for a couple days ... it had something.  I stopped the car and put it in reverse, and sure enough, what was laying in the road was sweetgum-fruit!  Whoot, whoot!

So yesterday afternoon I took a little walk (not far -- this tree is less than fifty feet from the RV).  Isn't it a grand tree?

And what to my wondering eyes did appear?

Yup . . . this tree is just bursting with the things!

And then I spied a branch that had just recently fallen . . .

It was *loaded*!  

By the time I'd finished "culling the crop" I had a tidy pile . . . 

Almost enough for a wreath, I'm sure . . . 

Or something . . . 

Or another . . .

I'm sure I'll find something happy to do with all these.  And who knows, maybe I'll find enough to do two (or three or four) of these lovely wreaths!!

Definitely linking up to Thursday Favorite Things at Katherine's Corner!

Full day today, ending with a guild meeting!  Our speaker tonight is Bettye Kimbrell who's going to share, among other things, her leaf-pounding technique!  Should be loads of fun!!  Bettye is a national speaker, but luckily for us, she's a local girl.  I'm really looking forward to seeing her trunk show.  I'll be sure to take pics and share!

:)