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As the seasons change one of my favorite things to do is decorate the house. In February of 2017, we moved into our home and I have worked hard to…
As the seasons change one of my favorite things to do is decorate the house. In February of 2017, we moved into our home and I have worked hard to be very picky when it comes to home decor. I really want to love the pieces we add, even if it takes time. As I pulled out the Fall/Halloween boxes this year I realized that there was an empty spot on our fireplace. Determined to find a fun item to put there I got to brainstorming – and that is how we ended up here. Time for a fun DIY – Halloween Decor project, Wooden Pumpkins!
One of my favorite stores is the Home Depot, during a recent trip I dug through the cull lumber (scrap/damaged/warped woodpile). In the cull lumber, I was able to find some 2×10 and 2×12, because cull lumber is not suited for building it is usually for sale at a deep discount. For my particular items, they were discounted 70%!
Once I decided on my plan to make wood pumpkins I had Aaron assist me in cutting down the wood.
I cut the wood into three different sizes:
- Large Pumpkin: 12 x 16
- Medium Ghost: 10 x 12
- Small Pumpkin: 10X 12
After cutting each piece I sanded the fronts, sides and edges using 60 grit sandpaper. This cleans up the wood, cleans up the cuts and removes the markings from the factory/store.
**Be sure to sand out any paint or stamp completely before moving on. The stamp will bleed through the paint.
I used craft paint from Michales, foam brushes and paper plates. For my pumpkin colors, I mixed different combinations of orange, brown and yellow.
Once they were painted and dry it was time to move on to adding faces. Normally I would have just free handed the faces, I believe that would be just as great. But I ended up making multiple sets so I chose to make a stencil. To make the stencil I used Stencil Blanks I found at Michaels (see above).
- Print out pictures of the faces you like.
- Place them under the Stencil Blank and trace with a Sharpie.
- Using a wood burner/soldering iron, cut out the design. (You can also use an Exacto knife.)
- Pop out inside pieces and blue tape into position on your piece.
- Using a foam brush fill in the stencil area, being careful not to get too much paint around the edges.
- As soon as the design is painted remove the stencil.
See traced design on the Stencil Blank.
See Soldering Iron, cutting out design.
See final design placed on painted wood.
Use blue tape to lightly position stencil.
Allow drying for 24 hours before stacking.
I chose to paint the backs of the pumpkins so I can use them as fall decor in addition to Halloween decor! I love dual-purpose or reversible decorations!
I do plan on adding a stem to each one, but I ran out of time. Perhaps a piece of wood or maybe even some rusty re-bar. 🤔 I love anything rusty!
Thanks for stopping by, if you try these out let me know!
Also, in making this blog I did make multiple sets.
Love the idea, but not a DIY-er? Email/DM me for details on purchasing a set!
Will ship in the US.
xo,
Carolyn
Being a (bonus) mom to a nearly 17-year-old daughter is tough, but not for reasons you would expect. It’s not the mood swings, the overreactions or even the boys that…
Being a (bonus) mom to a nearly 17-year-old daughter is tough, but not for reasons you would expect. It’s not the mood swings, the overreactions or even the boys that give this mama grief. It’s the pressure of raising a self-sufficient adult who is prepared enough to problem solve in the real world. Raising fully functioning adults is hard work and I feel like no one is talking about it. Sure we talk about teaching little ones their ABCs and potty training, but when do we ever talk about teaching our children to make decisions for themselves, take initiative and know what to do if you hear water rushing in your ceiling. 🤷🏻 I mean seriously.
Over the summer while my husband and I were vacationing in Hawaii our 16-year-old was home by herself. She had a schedule packed with work and drill team practice. She took care of the animals, fed herself multiple times a day and even kept up with her schedule – being on time everywhere. Things were wonderful, her father and I were very proud. On the last day of our trip she had a fender bender. This was her first experience with an accident in Texas, much less an accident where she was the driver. She tried to reach us but with the time difference was unable to wake us…
Life Lessons
Not having us to fall back on she was forced to problem solve. Before we left I supplied her with a list of 8+ people that were “on call” if she needed anything. In that moment she had to think for herself and work the system. She called 911, exchanged information with the other driver, took photos and was handling the situation pretty well. She made several phone calls until she reached someone. That someone, was able to help her catch her breath, reassure her that it would be alright and track us down. Roughly 45 minutes after the accident the news had made it to Hawaii. Her father and I then sat on the line and waited for the tow truck. She had done it, all without us swooping in to save the day. Although we were riddled with guilt, “What ifs?” and frustration – overall it was a very gratifying moment. It’s easy to imagine your children being ready to leave the nest, it’s a completely different thing to be confident that they will thrive and turn into productive adults.
In today’s parenting culture it is easy to rush in and help your children as a way to keep them a step ahead, but often times that actually lessens the learning opportunity. How do we give our children the space they need to grow and learn while still keeping them safe and maintaining our sanity?
Allow Mistakes
Something that I work with consistently is my reaction to mistakes. As a Virgo I can (sometimes 😉) have a firm grasp on perfection, and mistakes tend to throw a wrench in that. Knowing that mistakes happen and that often the best lessons are learned in those moments keeps me grounded. If you allow your children the freedom to make their own decisions it will give them the confidence they require to become their own person. Being there to pick up the pieces and get them back on track is very important, but be sure to let the chips fall before you do so.
Encourage New Experiences
Encouraging new interactions whether it be clubs at school, volunteer organizations or study groups. Interacting with new groups of people broadens your child’s horizons. By encouraging these interactions your child can learn from the experience and the experiences of their peers. Learning right from wrong, good from bad and productive vs nonproductive are all lessons one learns through experience. Making these distinctions before adulthood can vastly improve a child’s ability to thrive.
Remember They Are Still Kids
This is important. Being a teenager is the time in life where you get to be an adult 40% of the day and a kid 60% of the day. These kids have the rest of their lives to pay bills, cook dinner and take care of themselves – no reason to push them out early. Make the most of these last few years and allow them to be kids. After all, that’s really what we want as parents right? To always be needed?
They will leave the nest, and because of you, they will leave ready to take on the world. Cherish those moments, embrace the learning curve and always be there to pick up the pieces.
This is what parenting is all about, being the person we needed when we were that age.
Do you have any teens? What are some of your tips and tricks to stay sane?
xo,
C
During our visit to the Pacific Northwest this past summer a stop in Astoria, Oregon was at the top of our 16-year-old daughter’s list. She was determined to visit The…
During our visit to the Pacific Northwest this past summer a stop in Astoria, Oregon was at the top of our 16-year-old daughter’s list. She was determined to visit The Goonies house and see The Goonies exhibit at the Oregon Film Museum. So we set off north from Newport to Astoria. Along the way, we played in the sand, stopped for a million photo ops and worked up quite the appetite. 😉
As we were driving we were talking about what kind of food we wanted for lunch. Our visit in Newport was filled with delicious Clam Chowder (Read more on that here), sweet treats and even BBQ. One thing we hadn’t had was a really good burger. In addition to a good burger, we were all ready for some roughage 😋- time for a salad!
We drove into town and were quick to find a parking spot on the main drag (Commerical Street). There we set off for lunch – something with a great burger and salad.
As we headed up the hill we spotted the beautiful old building that hosts the Fort George Brewery + Public House. After a quick Yelp search, we knew we had found it – the perfect spot for lunch.
I started my meal off with their garden salad which is described as, “Local Kingfisher Farms organic greens, cherry tomatoes, shaved carrots, English cucumber, croutons with choice of dressing”. I mean like nummmmm, makes my mouth water just typing it! 😍
Adreena went after their Ceasar Salad, “Organic romaine, house-made Caesar dressing, parmesan, croutons, lemon wedge”. So fresh and crisp – she was obsessed!
For the main course, Adreena and I shared their Fort Burger, “1/3 LB. Painted Hills Oregon beef” served with a side of organic house cut fries and a pickle. This burger was flavorful and juicy – just what the doctor ordered!
Aaron opted for the Beer Cheese Burger, “Aged Tillamook cheddar sauce, frizzled onions, Applewood bacon” served with a side salad. He was highly satisfied with his choice.
We all left the table with full bellies and happy hearts. The Public House was beautifully designed with small touches of contemporary style mixed with the natural state of the building. It provided a cozy, comfortable environment that was very enjoyable.
Of course, we couldn’t visit a brewery without trying some of the local selection! 🍻 To go with our lunch I selected a cider and Aaron went for the Vortex IPA. Both were ice cold and delicious! I can’t wait to try more Fort George options, their beer list is a mile long!
Have you made it to Astoria or tried Fort George? I highly recommend it if you ever get the opportunity!
xo,
C