Harvest Happy

The sun is shining and it's a muggy, hot day! A drastic change from just a few hours ago and about a 180 degree difference from yesterday. Tuesday's chilly temps and cloudy skies put me in the mood for Fall. So, dressed in my favorite pair of jeans and most comfortable sweatshirt, I spent most of the afternoon carefully packing away my home's summer wardrobe and headed to the basement to dust off the totes that hold all of my fall goodies. 

What I love most about living in Iowa is the chance to experience the beauty of every season. While most say it's their least favorite part of living in the Midwest, I can't help but think that if we didn't experience the harshness of Winter we'd be hard-pressed to enjoy the arrival of Spring. Every Spring I am so thankful to see the new buds bring promise of warmer weather and fewer layers of clothing. Soon after the flowers bloom and the muddy lawns become green and lush, the intense heat of Summer on my skin always helps me shake the last of the winter blues. Pool days, catching fireflies, sand between your toes, dirt under your fingernails, and the unmistakeable call of the cicadas in late-July always have a way of refreshing my soul. And, then, just when you begin to become a bit tired of it all, mother nature teases our senses with cooler temps, falling leaves and a bountiful Fall harvest. I think it's the idea of coming full circle that I appreciate so much, or maybe it's my tendency to get bored with the same 'ole same 'ole. Either way - I love to visit the desert and the beach, but prefer to keep my feet firmly planted in the prairie.

Fall is quite possibly my most favorite of the four seasons. Our garden is a family effort - my husband tills the soil in the Spring, we all help plant, I usually take care of the early Spring weeding until our grass clippings keep the weeds at bay. My husband keeps things under control during most of the summer and helps with the majority of the picking, the boys help with the eating and I am responsible for the canning. While I love the satisfaction of growing our own produce to eat, shelve and freeze, the Fall harvest, for me, is by far the climax of it all. The pumpkins are my pride and joy and the corn stalks take a strong second. I was recently asked, "So what do you make with your pumpkins?" And the simple answer is...absolutely nothing. They are solely for decorating. 

Decorating for Fall brings a sense of calm and warmth. Perhaps it's the deep hues of red and orange or the smell of apples and cinnamon. Happy pumpkins sitting on my front porch, the scarecrow standing guard over the corn stalks rustling in the wind and the acorns falling silently to the ground are all the perfect greeting when I come home to my little piece of the "country" on a cool Fall day. Bringing the warmth of the season indoors is just as enjoyable for me as it is outside. I love creating little vignettes around the house that bridge the gap between nature and home. While walking through the house, usually picking up whatever toy I've managed to step on, I love catching a glimpse of the little pops of Fall that have been tucked away in every little corner of my home. 

And although it is without a doubt, my favorite of the seasons, when the last of the leaves have fallen and there are promises of colder days ahead in the forecast - I'll gladly wave goodbye to Fall and open my arms to snow angels, hot chocolate and wooly scarves that Winter is sure to bring.

Fun-gi Stool

I have become slightly obsessed with mushrooms. AND - before everyone goes all crazy on me - I am NOT referring to the hallucinogenic drug-type mushroom. What I AM referring to is cute little anythings that resemble mushrooms - specifically toadstools! 

I think it might have something to do with the color palette. The red and white polka dots, paired with yellow and green, just tickle my creative underbelly. They make me happy and anything that makes you smile has to be a good addiction, right?!

One of the small negatives of repurposing is that I ride a very thin line between crafter and hoarder. I find things in my husband's toss pile and often pick them out and set them aside. He loves it! (insert sarcasm here) A few of those pieces of "junk" that I rescued recently are some wooden wire spools. I've seen a ton of uses for them on Pinterest as of late, and I finally found just the right use for my spools - kids' toadstools! I found some inspiration on Pinterest:

 And with a few modifications of my own my version is just right for a pint-sized tushy.

If you happen upon some spools that are begging you to rescue them, below is a tutorial (or my best attempt at one) on how to make the stools yourself. The wire spools themselves can be a bit tricky to find, but I happen to have a really great hookup. On his days off from his "regular job" my hubby happens to be an electrician. Oh sweet wire spool heaven!!!

Wire Spool Toadstool Tutorial

Before you start, trace the top of your spool onto a piece of plywood, or any other sturdy piece of wood. I used some scrap wood we had lying around the house. Then, beg your husband to cut out the circle using a jigsaw. I'm capable, I just like to make my projects a family affair! This circular piece of wood will be a fabric-covered top for your toadstool. Sorry - I'm still learning this blogging thing and didn't take a picture of this step. 

Spray paint your spools the color of your choice. I chose white, but whatever color scheme you choose to fit your space will be perfect. My spray paint of choice is Rust-Oleum Universal Paint & Primer In One. It's a bit more pricey than some, but it covers awesomely and has a nice spray nozzle that doesn't kill your hand. I paid $16 for two cans and was able to spray three spools with the two cans. Whenever I spray paint a project, I like to start by tipping the piece upside down and spraying the underside first. When that dries, flip the piece right side up and spray again. This process ensures you are getting all the nooks and crannies. 

While your spools are drying, you can cover the circular piece of wood with your fabric of choice. I chose a traditional red and white polka dot fabric for a toadstool-esque piece, but these really can be any kind of stool so any kind of fabric will do. My fabric was about $4 per yard and I bought 1 1/2 yards. Before covering with fabric, you'll want to pad your seats (no pun intended). Start by tracing your wood circle onto a piece of poly foam. 

I purchased these squares of poly foam from Hobby Lobby. The smaller squares were $1.99 each and a larger square for a larger spool was $4.99. 

Next, cut out the poly foam using sewing scissors.

Coat the back of the foam with spray-adhesive and press the foam onto the wood circle.

Now you're ready to begin covering with fabric. Start by centering your wood on a piece of fabric. Staple one side of fabric and then staple another piece directly across from where you just started. Repeat this on all four sides of your circle and then fill in the gaps, bunching fabric where needed. 

Once you have your entire circle covered and stapled, trim off any excess fabric. 

Finally, attach your stool seat to your wire spool by drilling from the bottom side of the "seat" part of your spool. (I asked my husband to do this part too! Again-family affair!)

And there you have it - your toadstool! You could definitely stop right here if you want, but I decided to take mine a couple of steps further. I added yellow ribbon to trim the seat and painted "grass" on the bottom portion of the stool with some green paint I had around the house.

I feel like the grass and ribbon add just the final touch to my toadstools, but you could certainly skip this step and still have a very cute stool of your own!

Now let your kiddos sit and enjoy (ribbit)!

Hold Your Breath & JUMP!

Well - here we are! My first blog post. I have never ever, ever written a blog...like, EVER. Pretty hard to believe coming from someone who used to be in public relations and marketing. I think maybe I've been a little nervous, or scared, or...lazy. Who knows. But nevertheless I'm taking the big leap into the vast unknown. I was prompted when setting up my new Facebook page for my little business I've been tinkering in for the last year or so. Creating a Facebook page made it seem a bit more authentic and I thought, what the heck, a blog would go fabulously with what I'm doing. 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Great question! I've been asking myself that same question since I quit "working" four years ago to stay home with my then baby boy. So I guess by day I'm a stay-at-home mom. By night I'm a self-taught seamstress, crafter and interior designer who hides away in her craft closet! Literally. My craft room is, NO LIE, a small (as in teeny) "walk-in" (as in walk-in, turn around and walk-out) closet that I managed to jam a card table, chair and sewing machine into. I'm addicted to Pintrest, HGTV, Better Homes & Gardens, all things Martha Stewart and SHOES! Keeping up with my two boys (now four and 20 months) is a full-time job. To find some balance in this crazy thing called life, I love to create little works of love that are inspired by my munchkins and my life as a practical mama.  Plus - I've got a whole lot of testosterone running around in this quaint little house and every now and then I need a little girly, fluffy stuff to keep me sane.

A lot of my "projects" are either repurposed items or insane ideas I've either a. thought up in my head, or, b. seen on Pinterest and thought - "I can do that!" I thought you might like to join me as I take a project from start to finish. And, as a "bonus," you'll periodically be subjected to my incoherent babbling about whatever soapbox I've decided to stand on that day, or maybe share a laugh or two with me about the three-ring circus we call home. 

"Ok, so what's with the name?!"

I wanted a name that would convey that what I do is mostly for children and women with children. I've also always had this lust for living on an acreage. Or at least the idea of living on an acreage. We actually made an offer on three acres two years ago and I backed out because I started hyperventilating every time I thought of how much work it might actually be to live on a "farm." Regardless, I still love the organic, refreshing feel of Iowa cornfields and open spaces. My husband and I found a great compromise in the home we bought two years ago. It's just a little over a half acre with an acre? public park behind us. We have a good size garden where we grow corn, pumpkins and other veggies and this summer we built a shed that is a can of red paint shy from a good old fashioned barn. I like to say our home and our lot is our little piece of the country right in the middle of the city. So...long story even longer...the name Hatchlings & Hens was born out of my love for the countryside and my love for making things for children and women with children.

Whew...ok...I think I've got enough up there to qualify as a "post" so I'll sign off for now! Stay tuned for what I promise will be my best attempt at jumping head first into the blogosphere!