Thankful & Monster Eggs

Hello Friends! I hope each of you is doing well. Sandy has come and is slowly leaving, at least for us in PA. We are thankful and in praise to our Father that we are safe and have power. The power went out many times but by God's grace it always came back. We have quite a few fallen trees and branches scattered around our property. There were times last night when the wind sounded like a freight train. Unfortunately a shed in our backyard was damaged pretty badly, but we hadn't even begun to use it. Now we just have to figure out how to clean everything up. My prayers go out to those who are still dealing with Sandy and her aftermath.

In case you still need to make a special treat for Halloween consider making these Monster Eggs that I blogged about last year. Read all about them HERE. 

Red/Foliage

For this week's theme I have only one image to share because I think it should stand alone. A couple weekends ago we made an impromptu visit to Arlington National Cemetery since we were in the area. This is where my husband's grandfather was laid to rest. The leaves were just starting to change. As we walked in silence between the rows of those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedoms we came across a breathtaking symbol. One vibrant red tree stood alone shedding it's leaves, one by one.

Orange/Warmth

As the chill of the season increases it's incredible how warm I feel. The colors of fall sooth my soul and make me feel so cozy. Here are a few images I captured for the photo theme this week Orange/Warmth.

Of course I can't help but share a few more images from our Fall falls hike. The colors were spectacular! It was the perfect warm Fall day and there were hints of orange everywhere.

If you get a chance you should stop by  Bumbles & Light or Live Out Loud  and be inspired by all the gorgeous images people are sharing.

Yellow/Light

Well I barely made the photo challenge this week, I believe the yellow/light theme ends tomorrow. This is one of the most beautiful times of the year to take photos. The colors here in PA are so vibrant! I took a walk around our property to capture this theme. There is a forest behind our home that lights up during the golden hour.

You can't help but be drawn in by the light and the glowing leaves. When there's not someone bow hunting in these woods I love to wander my way through them.

In the middle of this mighty stand of trees is a pond.

 The light shining through the yellow leaves is mesmerizing.

I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such beauty.

I found this interesting leaf and couldn't tell which tree it came from. I didn't find any others like it.

Lastly, I'll leave you with a sneak peek of some pictures I'll have to share in the future. The past weekend we went on a Fall Falls hike and saw over 20 waterfalls! It was glorious.

Enjoy the season!

Tidbit Tuesday (transforming furniture)

There's no better furniture to experiment on than the free kind. When we purchased our home we were blessed with a variety of pieces of furniture left behind by the previous owners. One of the pieces was a small rolling cabinet. I decided to try my hand at a rustic finish a.k.a. crackle finish.

I'm thrilled with the way it turned out! It really adds interest to the room. 

I left the inside and feet the solid color. It works really well as a printing cart/station.  Having a wireless printer is handy because the printer doesn't have to be on the same desk as your computer.

Of course changing the hardware is a quick fix. Don't you love these fun squirrel knobs?

This was the first time I've done a finish like this and I would say it's pretty much fool proof. So if you're looking for a fun way to update a piece of furniture without worrying about being perfect than this technique is for you.

Taste of the Town

Last weekend we went on a Taste of the Town. We've only been here in PA for a few months and we thought it would be a good way to explore this new place we live and hopefully meet some new people. This event was hosted by the Pocono Mountain Arts Council. It was a walking tour of the town that included stopping at various galleries, business and restaurants. Most places had yummy samplings waiting for us. 

Moving to a new place can be so lonely. Things are different and unfamiliar. You have to start over with everything like finding a  new hairdresser and doctor which are two of the worst things to have to start over with. Even though I feel out of place and lonely sometimes, I have HOPE for the future. I know that I truly am never alone, because of the One who lives inside me and gives me that HOPE.

I didn't take my camera with me on the Taste of the Town, I didn't want to be the weird one... I did snap a few pictures with my i-phone though. Some of which I already posted on Instagram (my user name is creatingthoughlife). It was a fun tour of the town. We found out all the business are having a scarecrow contest. A cupcake shop gave all of us a cupcake, I chose banana split. We discovered lots of great places to eat. We also found out where all the galleries are located!

If any of you have recently moved. I know what you're going through. I recommend subscribing to the local paper, at least get the Weekend edition. That's how we found out about the Taste of the Town. It takes a while for a new place to start feeling like home, but it will eventually.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Green/Journey

I'm happy to say that I'm participating in an Autumn photography challenge hosted by Bumbles & Light and Live Out Loud. My hope is that this will force me to get out my camera more this Fall, something that I've been missing lately. I'm also looking forward to being inspired by others work and see what they capture for the prompt. Feel free to join in, you can find out more information by clicking the button at the bottom of this post.

The leaves have started to turn here in PA. How can such a change happen so fast? It seems like it happened overnight.

The birds have started to migrate. They frequently stop in the pond behind my house to rest for the long journey that lies ahead.

The water is flowing freely getting out it's last dance before it begins to freeze.

Hen of the Woods has made it's Autumn debut making it's home in the mossy crook of a mighty Oak.  

Tidbit Tuesday (blind tie-back)

We recently got some new blinds and the cord is super long, especially when the blinds are open. Blinds usually come with a cheap little piece of hardware that you can attach to the wall or window frame.  Usually they're not attractive but they work well keeping the cord up and out of the way.

We have found so many old interesting pieces of hardware around our farmhouse. I decided that the solid brass window locks from the original windows would make great tie-backs for the blind cord.

 

In our living room I attached two window locks to the wall so that the cord could wrap around them.

My husband was really surprised when he saw what I did but it has grown on him and he's really happy with the character it adds to the space. Not to mention it allows us to put some of that old hardware to good use and on display to enjoy.

In another room we decided to just use one window lock, which works great too.

So today's tidbit is to inspire you to try something new when looking to tie-back those blind cords. See if you have anything interesting around your house or maybe you might stumble across something at a flea market. Enjoy every inch of your home!

I noticed that there are some new followers,  WELCOME! I'm so happy that you're here. Please don't hesitate to say "hello."