• 5 Minute Projects,  Holidays & Seasons,  Home Decor

    Pinecone Scale Pumpkin

    I’m so happy that it is finally fall! The weather around here has started to cool down and I can’t wait for the leaves to change.  We’ve finally begun to incorporate some fall decor into our home and I wanted to share a fun little project perfect for fall. Keep reading to find out how to make a Pinecone Scale Pumpkin.

    Pinecone Scale Pumpkin

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click the link and purchase. Clicking a link won’t cost you any extra money and helps keep this site running! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    This little project is super cheap to whip up and you probably already have most of the supplies on hand. To make this sweet, seasonal art piece, here’s what you will need:

    • Canvas  (or any material that would make a good background)
    • Pinecone
    • Pencil
    • Hot Glue Gun (with extra glue sticks)

    Note about the background: I chose a small 5×5 canvas for this project, but you can use any sort of backdrop for this project.  Painted or stained wood, metal, cardboard, etc. Just remember that the size of your background will dictate the amount of time put into the project.  I made a larger pinecone scale pumpkin on a painted wood piece (see it at the end of this post) and it took about 30 minutes to complete.
    Pinecone Art Supplies

    |INSTRUCTIONS|

    Step 1 – Draw a pumpkin shape onto your canvas. It doesn’t have to be perfect because pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes!

    Canvas Pencil Drawing

    Step 2 – Remove the scales from the pinecone, starting from the bottom. It isn’t too hard to remove them with your own fingers, but if you run into any tough spots, a pair of pliers would probably help loosen them up.

    Pinecone Scales

    Step 3 – Glue the pinecone scales onto the canvas. There wasn’t really any rhyme or reason to my gluing process.  I started by adding a stem to the top and then kind of filled the pumpkin in, adding pieces to cover up any white space inside.

    Hot Glue Pinecone Scales Canvas

    Isn’t this little guy so cute?!

    Canvas Pumpkin Texture

    These pinecone scale pumpkins add the perfect amount of texture to almost any vignette. I hope this gives you a little inspiration for your fall decorating and crafting!

    Pinecone Scale Pumpkin Large Small

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  • Holidays & Seasons,  Home Decor,  Outdoors,  The Country House

    Fun Neutral Holiday Front Porch

    There are less than two weeks left until Christmas and we are keeping super busy over here! We’ve finally come up with a place in our small home to stick a little nursery, so we have some major moving and rearranging to do. But that update is for another time. Today it is all about our Fun Neutral Holiday Front Porch!

    Striped Layered Rugs

    I just love participating in blog hops and am so thankful my sweet friend Kendra from Joy In Our Home invited me to join in for the Christmas Festival Blog Tour! There are so many great holiday ideas shared (mantels, vignettes, recipes, front porches, and tablescapes) and it is is exciting to meet new friends along the way.

    If you are stopping by from Making It In The Mountains, I’m so glad you are here! Isn’t Kristi’s front porch just beautiful?

    This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure.

    Last week, I shared our Christmas living room decor. But I wanted to add a little more pizazz to the front porch than just a boxwood wreath, so I made things a bit contrasty out here, while still keeping with my neutral tendancies.

    Holiday Front Porch Ideas

    I like to incorporate a lot of greenery, so I gathered different kinds from around the inside and outside of our home. Aren’t these wellies looking festive with some blue spruce branches and eucalyptus?

    Decorate Hunter Boots

    faux sage plant | boots | striped rug

    This new “welcome” rug from Magnolia Market (an early Christmas present from my parents) steals the show when layered with this pretty black and white striped number.

    Magnolia Market Rug

    See that bit of snow on the soil below? Winter weather is here!

    The cute lanterns were found for a steal at Walmart. (Buy a similar version here.) They look great next to the potted arbor vitae, which was moved to the porch to add some height and life to the scene.

    Lantern Decorations

    And those lanterns go oh so well with our new outdoor lighting! I love this light. It really helps dress up the front porch and is such a pretty upgrade from the previous one.

    Outdoor Farmhouse Lighting

    I’m really happy with how our Fun Neutral Holiday Front Porch turned out! What do you think?

    Fun Neutral Holiday Front Porch

    Thank you for stopping by! Next up is the talented Lindsay from Country Girl Home. Hop on over and check out her festive front porch!!!

     Mantels on Monday


    White Arrows Home | Repurpose and Upcycle | Timeless Creations
    Lemons to Lovely | Pennies From Heaven Home |  One Happy Housewife

    Vignettes on Tuesday

    Joy In Our Home | anderson + grant | Kingsbury Brook Farm
    My Creative Days | Poofing the Pillows | CityGirlMeetsFarmBoy

    Recipes on Wednesday

    Life Love Larson | Cali Girl In A Southern World | Crisp Collective
    Love In My Oven | Countryside Cravings | Curly Crafty Mom

    Front Porches on Thursday

    Making it in the Mountains | Elizabeth Joan Designs |Country Girl Home
    Little Brags | The Homemaking Momma | Lemons, Lavender, & Laundry

    Tablescapes on Friday

    Celebrate & Decorate | Noting Grace | 2 Bees in a Pod
    The Crowned Goat | Dining Delight | The Neutral Nest Interiors

  • Holidays & Seasons,  Home Decor,  The Country House

    White Farmhouse Christmas Living Room

    It’s that time of year again! ‘Tis the season for holiday decorations, package wrapping, and cheer. Our house recently got a little lovin’ in the decor department and I can’t wait to share our White Farmhouse Christmas Living Room with you today.

    Neutral Farmhouse Christmas Decor

    I’m super excited to be participating in the Home For The Holidays Christmas Tour Hop (along with 33 other talented home decor bloggers) hosted by Jenna at Wife In Progress. If you are stopping by from Twelve on Main, Welcome! I’m so glad you are here!

    This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure.

    Let’s start working our way around the room!

    This year, we are keeping things pretty & simple. Since we are expecting a new arrival in late winter/early spring, our minds have been busy with trying to figure out how we are going to get through the massive to-do list we have vs. decorating for Christmas. Our living room is looking pretty lovely though!

    Neutral Living Room Decorations

    I’m always one for neutral decor and the holidays are no different. Bringing in more natural wood tones this year helped to compliment the greens of winter.

    Coffee Table Decorating

    We also added some flocked pieces, like wreaths and garlands. I figured that they would go well with the new flocked Christmas tree we splurged on this year!

    White Farmhouse Christmas Living Room

    How fun is this pillow I snagged from PCBHome?! It goes perfectly with the neutral look we are rocking while still adding a little bit of whimsy.

    Christmas Tree Pillow

    Look at that beautiful Christmas tree below!!!

    The tree is a little smaller than our previous one, so it’s been fun trying to figure out exactly where we want to put it. (It fits in so many more places!) At first, it was on the other side of the room by the t.v., but I think it works better over here next to the sofa.

    Flocked Christmas Tree

    There is still a lot of wrapping to get accomplished before December 25th, but I’m happy to report that we have almost all of the presents purchased. That is a real accomplishment in this household. Usually, we are pushing up until Christmas Eve!

    Neutral Simple Wrapping Paper Packages

    Since we purchased a new tree this year, I kept the ornaments the same as last year. Between that and the pre-lit tree, decorating was a breeze.

    White Christmas Tree Ornaments

    We don’t have a mantel in our home, so I always let the top of our piano pretend like it is one and decorate as such. Just a few pieces pulled from around the home create a collected and cohesive look.

    Layered Decor Piano Mantel

    This little corner is all dressed up with a cozy blanket, greenery, and comfy throw pillows. (Get the look for less: Hearth & Hand X Pattern Throw Pillow.)

    Vintage Farmhouse Decor

    And that brings us back to the entryway. I love how light and bright this area is looking. It has definitely come a long way since last year!

    Cozy Rustic Farmhouse Christmas Home

    SHOP THIS SPACE

    Stocking Hanger | Stockings | Mini Trees – Similar |Nesting Houses | Mini Ottomans

    Lucky for us, we already have 5 knobs for stockings so we won’t need to make a new stocking hanger next year when we add another one to the lineup. *wink*

    White Natural Stocking Hanger Holder

    My favorite part of this space is still this antique typewriter that belonged to my grandmother. We love having sentimental pieces in our home!

    Vintage Antique Typewriter Packages

    I hope you enjoyed seeing our White Farmhouse Christmas Living Room! Your next stop on this blog hop is Ashley from Little Glass Jar who is sharing a beautiful home tour. You won’t be disappointed!


    Monday 

    Christmas Home Tours - Monday Participants

    Wife in Progress // Inspiration for Moms // Sand Dollar Lane
     Saw Nail and Paint // The Tattered Pew // The Fat Hydrangea // Worthing Court

    Tuesday 

    Christmas Home Tours - Tuesday Participants

    A Blue Nest // Sincerely, Marie Designs // Town and Country Living
    Farmhouse on Boone // Postcards From The Ridge // The Frugal Homemaker

    Wednesday 

    Christmas Home Tours - Monday Participants

    Little Glass Jar // North Country Nest // Bluesky at Home
    Aratari at Home // Little House of Four // Twelve on Main // Elizabeth Joan Designs

    Thursday

    Thursday

    AKA Design // The Everyday Home // On Sutton Place
    Joy in Our Home  // Noting Grace // Making It In The Mountains //Shabbyfufu

    Friday

    Christmas Home Tours - Friday Participants

    Seeking Lavender Lane // My Creative Days // Thistledown Domestic Creations
    The Honeycomb Home // Flatcreek Farmhouse // Green With Decor // Atta Girl Says

  • Holidays & Seasons

    Fun and Unique Hostess Gifts

    Compensation for this post was provided by UncommonGoods, however, all opinions expressed here are my own. Read my full disclosure.

    It seems that everyone has a gathering or two to go to during this time of year. And what better way to show your appreciation for the host than by bringing along a cool gift? Whether you are having your own get-together or heading out to one, there are some great gift ideas from UncommonGoods that would be perfect for almost any host or hostess. Here are 7 Fun and Unique Hostess Gifts!

    Fun and Unique Hostess Gifts

    Have you heard of UncommonGoods before? They have so many distinctive gifts, jewelry, and home decor items. As a privately-owned retailer, their mission is to support and provide a platform for artists and designers (hence all of those nifty and fun things.) Plus, with every purchase you make, they’re proud to donate $1 to the non-profit of your choice. How cool is that?

    Slate Place Card Set

    I love the simplicity of these place cards and, as you can see, they can be used in different ways. Write names, numbers, or get super crafty and draw some fun holiday pictures on each!

    Cheese & Crackers Serving Board

    What gathering is complete without cheese and crackers?  This ampersand cheese and crackers board is wonderful for displaying all of the yummy selections the host/hostess may have.

    Homesick Candles

    I think that this unique candle is probably my favorite idea on the list. I have yet to smell the Ohio candle, but I can only imagine how comforting it will feel for visitors to get a scent of their home state. Plus, a candle always adds to the ambiance!

    Cocktail Hour Chocolate Gift Box

    You can’t really go wrong with a box of chocolates, right? Especially when they are flavored like your favorite liquor. I’ll take the champagne flavor, thank you!

    Bag of Coal Soaps

    These little lumps of coal are really quite the cheeky gift and perfect for even the naughtiest (or nicest) host on your list. What a fun way to keep hands clean and moisturized.

    Entertainer’s Gift Box

    Jelly and almonds and chutney, Oh My! This yummy gift box is certain to please a crowd with its variety of delicious goodies. Just add some cheese and wine! (It would go great with the cheese and crackers serving board above.)

    Life by Definition Coffee Mugs

    Keep the conversation going with some descriptive coffee mugs. Whether you fill them with coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or even mulled wine, the guests will surely be talking about these clever definitions.

    So, which of these fun and unique hostess gifts will you be grabbing from UncommonGoods?