Fall on the Farm - 2016

It's nearly 90 degrees here in Sweet Home Alabama and we haven't had rain in months! We're experiencing pretty severe drought conditions and there are burn bans statewide. Brett has been on more brush fire calls than I can count! Unfortunately, no bonfires or sweater weather for us just yet this season, but the leaves are still changing and the farmhouse is adorned for Autumn! We patiently await the transition to crisp, cool air and warm mugs full of goodness. Until then, we'll crank up the AC and pretend we're not sweating to death. :) 

Every season I like to document and share our holiday farmhouse. It's fun to look back and see the decor from years passed and also see how the farmhouse has changed as we continue to restore it. It's sort of our way of virtually opening our doors to you and welcoming you into our home! This year I chose to go with a  pretty traditional scheme incorporating whites, neutrals and some pops of greenery because our temps have remained so mild. I still had lots of summer plants going strong and it would be wasteful not to keep them out!

Fall Exterior

Interior Touches

I typically keep our interior decor pretty simple because clutter stresses me out! We have an informal living room that welcomes guests as they enter the farmhouse through the front door. It's the perfect room to deck out each season! This year has been SO fun because Baker is totally into all the decor and asks me all the time if we can put more "magic" into each room. It makes my heart just beam!

You can find my DIY Chalk Lettering Tutorial HERE!

You can find my DIY Pinecone Garland tutorial HERE!

Baker added these little mini punkins to my sugar mold all on his own! I couldn't bring myself to move them!

Baker's first vignette! LOL!

Baker also helped me decorate a few pumpkins! We used Mod Podge to make this cute kitchen pumpkin with a copy of one of my Gramma's old recipe cards..

My sweet friend Loren Miller (IG @loren_miller) sent me this adorable garland from Target! I set it up just in time for my family to visit! Makes the dining room feel perfectly festive!

Nursery Magic

Baker's room got BOOed this year, too! He kept asking me over and over again when we were going to put "magic" in his room. So we got creative and used some gauze, twine and construction paper to make this fun mummy garland and his bat family.

Consequently, he also named every single bat Boo... 

So, meet Boo, BooTwo, BooBoo, BooThang, HoneyBooBoo, BabyBoo, and BootyBoo. #boys

And despite the hot weather, we've still had our share of warm drinks and yummy treats! You can find the recipe for these fun Candy Corn Rice Krispie Pops HERE! 

We also got the opportunity to head to Nashville for our third shopping trip with my sweet insta-friends! Brett's parents came along this time and we had a fabulous time shopping the Nashville Flea Market, exploring Franklin and just having a blast laughing, eating and having fellowship with our dear friends. Hop over to my friend Stephanie's blog to read more about our trip! I so badly want her to write a book! She has such a way with words and I loved her post about social media friendships and the evolution of our relationships. It's a good one..

My Flea Market Haul! All for about $100!

And last but certainly not least..

I can't give a family update without mentioning my honey's big news!

Brett was recently named Assistant Fire Chief for the City of Columbiana and we are so, so proud of him! He is so passionate about his career and sets such a wonderful example for our little boy. His work ethic and dedication are unmatched and the awesome crew at Columbiana are like family. I know he will do a great job! Congratulations, Brett!

We had so much fun at the 2016 Fire Prevention Parade! Every firetruck loving kid's dream!  We are so proud of you, Chief Ashworth!

Ashworth Family Reunion - Palisades Park - October 2016

Best Wishes for a Bountiful Season,

-Lauren

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DIY Chalk Lettering

My vintage schoolhouse chalkboard is one of my very favorite things! In fact, I have chalkboards in several shapes and sizes around the house. I love using them in fun new ways for parties and holidays. (My extra large one is one of those pieces that sort of migrates around the house because of its versatility!) I especially enjoy creating cool chalk art but my hand writing is just okay. I'm certainly no calligrapher and my attempts to duplicate beautiful fonts and typography are almost always futile. Typically they resemble elementary level scribbles at best! But I do have a few tricks up my sleeve.. And it's a short cut that doesn't require a projector! It's super easy and your lettering will look perfect. All you need is a printer, some chalk and a little tape.

First things first.. pick a design. The world's your oyster! 

Once you decide what you want your board to say, you need to print your graphic. You can use a fun printable or download some pretty fonts and create your own design. My inspiration for this demonstration piece comes from Lauren Buzetti over at Schoolhouse Electric. I swoon every time she  changes up their board! 

The next step is important! Once you have your sizing just right and you've printed your words/letters/pictures,  flip your paper over and evenly rub chalk all over the backside. Then, flip the paper right side up and place it exactly where you want it on your chalkboard. You can use tape to secure it so that it doesn't shift!

Next, take an object with a firm tip and trace the outline of your letters or shapes. I like to use a carpenter's pencil. The tip isn't so sharp that it will scratch or leave an indention in the board, but it's firm enough to transfer the chalk onto the hard surface. You can use a pen or pencil or just about anything firm enough to hold comfortably and trace with.

Once you've traced all edges, carefully lift and remove all the paper. The outline of your graphic will be transferred onto the chalkboard and you can use chalk or chalk markers to fill in as desired. (I prefer the aesthetic of regular chalk. Just keep in mind that chalk markers are semi-permanent and can be more difficult to erase. They're great to use in heavy-use areas or on things like pantry labels that get touched a lot.)

Light outline.. ready to be filled in!

I like to use the broad side of regular chalk to coat the backside of my paper and these two tools to fill in my art by hand after I've traced everything. You can buy the fine tip cartridge here! It's my very favorite and it also has a handy eraser tip that really helps to clean up your edges without using your fingers!

Easy peasy, right?! And the possibilities are endless.. You'll look like a pro in no time!

-Lauren