In Honor of the Beautiful Autumn Weather

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It's looking like fall outside-the crunch of leaves under my feet, the chill in the air, the squirrels running about burying their treasures. I just wanted to post a few of my favorite things about fall and some lovely craft items associated.

I'll take you back to a couple of years ago with me when I was living in Poland. I spent a year and a half there. I bought a rose made of fall leaves from a lady on the street. She sold it to me for 1 or 2 zloty which translates into less than a dollar US currency. (buying things off of people on the streets isn't as odd there as it is here) I thought it was so cute and creative that I made some of my own to send my family as ornaments. The 3 pictured I made, the one on the Christmas tree is her original.




The trick is to pick some nice looking leaves while enjoying a stroll in the park. You have to make the flowers the same day you pick the leaves or the leaves will dry too much. It takes some practice to make them look good but it was fun. Handle with care when dry as they will be brittle! But the possibilities are wide open in the color palette-dark red, bright red, yellow, a mix-it all comes down to your creativity and what you can find!

Next in Poland, I got this cute little notebook. I have a stationery addiction and have SO many notebooks. I use this one as a diary/journal. It's fun because the raindrops on the cover are actually 3D (some of them anyway) by some sort of resin on them so it's also clear. The downside is every time I use it a raindrop or 2 chips off leaving it looking fine still. It's a fun idea for someone to try maybe :D



And lastly as I was returning to Poland after 18 months of not seeing my friends or family I remember I told them to bring me Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies at the airport (even though I came back December 20th). That's what I missed most from America!!! I think that's what I'll do this year is make up some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and take them to my neighbors for Halloween or Thanksgiving :D

This next picture is of a bag that I bought Saturday and then added some adorable embellishments to yesterday. I LOVE it! I bought a bunch of bags to fix up as gifts and to possibly sell :D The picture isn't so great-the coloring is horrid compared to the real thing!




And last of all I will share with you a poem I wrote a few years ago. I was inspired while walking near the Spokane River on a community college campus. There was such a variety of beautiful trees. I hope you enjoy:

Autumn Dynasty
Walking through a grove of trees
on a Chilled Autumn day
vibrant colors, soft leaves falling,
beckoning to stay.

Many shades drifting down
brown, orange, yellow, red,
"How ugly these leaves are,"
I heard that someone said.

Yet I see the great expanse
brilliant carpet rolled out for me
leaves, like rose petals,
scattered as for royalty.

The pallet of the painter
browning, yellowing, once green sod
sprinkled with earthly brown, a hint of maroon,
and a shade of goldenrod.

The trees give up their leaves
as a thanks to those who've seen
the branches, twigs, stand alone
brown, empty, and lean.

Soon it will have a cover of white
just wait a season or two
because in a little while
there will be colors galore that are new.

Whispering in the rustle of leaves
"Let nature take care of it all"
the cycle of life takes place
with every leaf that you see fall.
~Jennifer Houser