A is for Autumn

When we lived back east/ish in Ohio, something magical would happen every Fall. The leaves on the trees would go from green to a kaleidoscope of beautiful colors.
The vibrancy of those colors is what was so amazing.

What I realize now is how little you actually appreciate things like Fall leaves when you live in places with trees and seasons! People would hire landscapers to do Fall Clean-ups, where they basically come in and strip the trees of all the dying leaves and pile them up and haul it all away! The tragedy of it all still boggles my mind. I mean don't the leaves fall for the soul purpose of allowing us to rake them up into great big piles and then stand backwards and put your arms out, close your eyes, and fall backwards into the pile?


Living here in the desert of Arizona, you miss out on Autumn leaves.
But fortunately, we have places like Hobby Lobby to help us all pretend that we have an actual Autumn. We can go there and buy all the fake leaves we want.
Sad, I know.
It's like all the people we see with fake snowmen in their yards and icicle lights at Christmas time around here. You just sort drive by with a sad expression of pity for all the lack snow.
Because it is A week for my Illustrations of Life Project: A is for Autumn.
So, without further ado. My version of an Autumn Wreath.

It is so easy to make I feel like it is redundant to even tell you how to make one!
Oh well, here goes.

I found 3 of these metal stars at a garage sale for .25 apiece. ( I hate when I read that people find things at garage sales and fix them up. All that means is that the rest of us can't go buy on too!)I just spray painted it with some spray paint from another project.

Then I went to Hobby Lobby while they were having a 50% off Fall sale. Grabbed a few of these lovelies.
x 2 of each except the white pumpkin
I originally was going to buy a couple packages of the loose leaves that come with I think 10 or so to a pack. But then I saw the display for the garlands and they were so much fuller and this one even had pinecones on it too! ( no before pic )
the wreath was .25 at a garage sale.
I gathered my supplies. Wrapped the garland in a big circle and attached it to the wreath with white twist ties that you can totally see and that bother me to no end. I am OCD so a normal person would tell you to randomly stick the accent pieces into the wreath, but I'm not normal. There is no rhyme or reason to the way I did it ( other than to me) so, randomly put your picks anywhere you please.
 
 
I hung it from my door with one of those great removable hooks that you just pull the sticky tab and it comes off. Not sure if it is supposed to be permanent, but I am pretending, and have used it all year. and yes my door is dirty. It's dusty here ok. And we just had a major dust storm not too long ago. Yep, we are lucky enough to get dust storms. So all you people that are snuggled up to your cozy little fireplaces when it snow, think of all that your missing out on.
Like dust. On your front door.
And Cactusmen instead of snowmen..

Here!

I linked this!

Here!

Here

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here

here!

A is for Attitude

Late on night, it was a little after 9, the doorbell rang.

With a sigh of exasperation after battling with the kiddos to get them to bed ,even though they were all not tired- and obviously starving and- Oh yeah, I forgot I really did have homework- and just one more kiss goodnight-and we don't have to listen to you the first time because Dad isn't home.

I dragged my weary self to the door, ready to do battle with whatever hapless solicitor schmuck had the bad fortune to ring my doorbell at this late hour.

All 4 kiddos also felt so inclined to come tumbling down the stairs, ignoring my vehement yell-whisper to stay upstairs, to see who it was.

And I am now even more angry "Because now if it is not a salesman but a serial killer we are all dead instead of just the brave self sacrificing mother".

However when I opened the door, this is what I found.......

A nice big container full of these lovelies.

My attitude was now changed from eye-rolling annoyance, to humility and gratitude.

It might just be cupcakes.

It might not seem like a big deal.

But I am ......

Humbled for the time and effort it took to make these.

Grateful for the laughs and smiles it brought into my home.

So, thank you to whoever took the time to bring joy to a weary mothers home.

Thank you.

Letter a week challenge

As part of my illustrations of life project I am starting a letter a week.

This week is ......

A

For my A week I am going to start of with a picture I have titled : Always.

Even though there is that stupid watermark again,

this lovely photo of my Husband and I at my sis's wedding was taken by the lovely and talented Miss Emily Johnson.

Thank you for capturing this moment for us. Your talent is limitless and we are lucky to know you.

Paris Thomas. This is a beautiful story.

I laugh-cried when I watched this. He is one of the funniest people. But I especially appreciate his testimony.