My Thanksgiving Chalkboard

Decorating for Fall is just something that's not happening this year.

Thanksgiving is this week.
I'm hosting. 
My poor family...

There will be a deliciously fried Turkey by Mr. Concrete (it's already thawing).
Loads of wonderfully tasty treats provided by my mom, sister and yours truly.
And I know we'll be having a fabulous time no matter what...

But my sweet family will be dining in semi-chaos!

Windows with half painted (and un-ironed) curtains. 
Homeless knick knacks scattered in every corner. 
Piles of half completed projects.
A laundry room nightmare I'm not currently discussing.
And a dog with a decidedly strange (unfinished) haircut.

In repayment for dealing with all that craziness, I decided to provide at least one festive item for their viewing enjoyment. (I'm counting on it's powers of distraction!)

I've seen several tutorials using chalk to trace letters, but it was Rachel's tutorial at Holy Craft that got me revved up to try this today. Thanks Rachel!!

I only have two teensy weensy tips to share with you that I've found helpful when playing with my chalkboard...

If you want bright white lines, get your chalk wet.
Wrap it in a wet paper towel, hold it under running water or dunk it in a bowl of H2O.
Any and all of 'em work just fine!

Second tip... Q-Tips!
Get 'em wet and use 'em like an eraser.
Works like a charm!

Once I had the wording all chalked in, I added all the extras: pumpkins, leaves, fruit, wheat, etc., free hand (with a bit of inspiration from HERE).

I probably shouldn't mention that the little mess in the upper right corner was supposed to be either an orange or a small pumpkin surrounded by Maple leaves and acorns.
The longer I stare at it though, the more it really just looks like Holly leaves and an ornament.

Grrrr... this was supposed to be Thanksgiving, not Christmas!

Oh well. 
Pretend I didn't say anything and we can all just agree it's a Pumpkin/Orangey thing.

  

Fun Parties I'm Linking Up With:

Sunday

DIY Showoff ~ Flamingo Toes ~ I {heart} Nap Time ~ My 1929 Charmer ~ Nifty Thrifty Things ~ Twigg Studios ~ Under the Table and Dreaming

Monday

Alderberry Hill ~ Between Naps on the Porch ~ Boogieboard Cottage ~ Debbiedoos ~ The Dedicated House ~ Flour Me With Love ~ Holly's Stamping Addiction ~ Home Stories A to Z  ~ Pinkapotamus ~ Serendipity & Spice ~ You Are Talking Too Much

Tuesday

Claiming Our Space ~ Coastal Charm ~ Cowgirl Up ~ The D.I.Y. Dreamer ~ Elizabeth & Co. ~ Homework ~ House on the Way ~ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia ~ Not Just a Housewife ~ Today's Creative Blog

Wednesday

 A Creative Princess ~ Embracing Change ~ Fine Craft Guild ~ Fireflies & Jellybeans ~ Ivy & Elephants ~ My Girlish Whims ~ {PRIMP} ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ Sew Much Ado

Thursday

The ArtsyGirl Connection ~ Beyond the Picket Fence ~ Bliss Ranch ~ City Girl Gone Coastal ~ A Glimpse Inside ~ House of Hepworths ~ No Minimalist Here ~ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ Somewhat Simple ~ Sweet Bella Roos ~ The 36th Avenue

Friday~

Common Ground ~ Crafty Scrappy Happy ~ Create Craft Love ~ Finding Fabulous ~ French Country Cottage ~ The Grant Life ~ Jennifer Rizzo ~ My Romantic Home ~ Redoux ~ Serenity Now ~ The Shabby Nest ~ Stuff & Nonsense ~ Tatertots & Jello ~ 2805

Saturday

Classy Clutter ~ Funky Junk Interiors ~ It's Overflowing ~ Natasha in Oz ~ Positively Splendid ~ Too Much Time on My Hands

Pretty Napkins Make Even Prettier Pillows!

It's Saturday.
And according to my Weather Channel app, it's 71 degrees outside.
That means that I should be using what will probably be our last weekend of good temps to mow the yard one last time.

But I'm not.

It's cloudy and it's blustery and I just don't feel like it!

So instead of being the responsible adult I know I should be, I made a pillow.

Two pillows actually, (identical) but who's counting.

Had Pier 1 not had these perfect linen napkins on sale for $3.96 yesterday, then I probably would have mowed. (I'm lying to you, it never would have happened!)

But they did have them, and I bought four. 

And sitting in my mess that I pretend is a laundry room just happened to be the four feather pillow forms I bought at the D.A.V. for $2.48 a piece. (I've recently been made aware that not everyone knows what the D.A.V. is. Disabled American Veterans... it's a thrift store like the Goodwill but the proceeds go to disabled vets.)

So pillow making is what happened.

And boy was it easy!

I was diggin' the finished edge the napkins already had, so I just laid two of them (wrong sides) together and sewed three sides together along the existing seam line.

After that I stuffed my pillow in, pinned up the last side, and sewed it closed.

Easy peasy!

I've come to the conclusion that feather pillows are THE ONLY way to go when it comes to throw pillows!

They're awesome.

Just look at that perfectly karate chopped pillow.

It's a thing of beauty.

I'd also love to tell you that since these script napkins are obviously for Thanksgiving, that I'm just decorating for fall here.

It's not true. 

I'm way too lazy for that.

My projects have all gotta work double, triple, quadruple duty, oh screw that, I'll use 'em till they fall apart.

It's how I roll...

Fun Parties I'm Linking Up With:

Sunday

DIY Showoff ~ Flamingo Toes ~ I {heart} Nap Time ~ My 1929 Charmer ~ Nifty Thrifty Things ~ Twigg Studios ~ Under the Table and Dreaming

Monday

Alderberry Hill ~ Between Naps on the Porch ~ Boogieboard Cottage ~ Debbiedoos ~ The Dedicated House ~ Flour Me With Love ~ Holly's Stamping Addiction ~ Home Stories A to Z  ~ Pinkapotamus ~ Serendipity & Spice ~ You Are Talking Too Much

Tuesday

Claiming Our Space ~ Coastal Charm ~ Cowgirl Up ~ The D.I.Y. Dreamer ~ Elizabeth & Co. ~ Homework ~ House on the Way ~ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia ~ Not Just a Housewife ~ Today's Creative Blog

Wednesday

 A Creative Princess ~ Embracing Change ~ Fine Craft Guild ~ Fireflies & Jellybeans ~ Homestead Simple ~ Ivy & Elephants ~ My Girlish Whims ~ {PRIMP} ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ Sew Much Ado

Thursday

The ArtsyGirl Connection ~ Beyond the Picket Fence ~ Bliss Ranch ~ City Girl Gone Coastal ~ A Glimpse Inside ~ House of Hepworths ~ No Minimalist Here ~ The Shabby Creek Cottage ~ Somewhat Simple ~ Sweet Bella Roos ~ The 36th Avenue

Friday~

Common Ground ~ Crafty Scrappy Happy ~ Create Craft Love ~ Finding Fabulous ~ French Country Cottage ~ The Grant Life ~ Jennifer Rizzo ~ My Romantic Home ~ Redoux ~ Serenity Now ~ The Shabby Nest ~ Stuff & Nonsense ~ Tatertots & Jello ~ 2805

Saturday

Classy Clutter ~ Funky Junk Interiors ~ It's Overflowing ~ Natasha in Oz ~ Positively Splendid ~ Too Much Time on My Hands