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Well, howdy-do Sugar Pie Sistas! I’m mighty glad y’all came for a visit to The Farmhouse! Pour yourself somethin’ yummy to drink, relax, make yourself at home and enjoy part two of….

apple-caramel

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In between rain storms I’ve been as busy as a honey-bee inside the Farmhouse cleaning out closets, packing up warm weather clothes and  unpacking winter-wear. It was a good time to weed out things I did not wear that much and donate them to a local shelter. Outside I’ve been pulling weeds, tilling the soil and planting mums in russet shades of Autumn splendor.  I also “planted” some bright orange pumpkins too! An idea that I got from my dear friend and old next door neighbor, Catiena from The Vintage Housewife! . Years ago, I saw that she had nestled a few plump pumpkins in her front yard landscape, among shrubs and flowers. It looked like she had her own little pumpkin patch growing! I thought it looked so adorable and what  an easy way to color-up the yard with Fall! It’s such a happy Harvest Homecoming look.

mums

God Bless this home in which we live;

God bless its every part.

God grant it peace and sweet content.

God grace our every heart. ~ Bert Whitehouse

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Creating a welcome-home feeling is every woman’s challenge. As the makers of our home we want the hearts of our loved ones to feel hugged as they walk in through the front door. We want the sights to be warm and cozy, the sounds to be calming and joyful, and the smells to be yummy. We want to create a comforting environment that will help melt away the stresses of the day.

“If I can just get home, everything will be all right.” What a blessing it would be if every member of your family and mine knew that there is one place on earth where everything will be all right!” ~ Elizabeth George

stack-books

A crooked stack of vintage books topped with a squatty  little pumpkin adds an unexpected touch of whimsy to my front entry sideboard. Inexpensive and so easy!  There is something about Fall that invites us to sit in front of a warm fire with a hot cup of tea, all cozy with our snuggly socks on listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof-top falling from the heavens. That’s Autumn bliss!

“I once asked one of my smaller children what he thought a home was and he replied, ‘It’s a place where you come in out of the rain’.” ~ Gigi Graham Tchividjian

books

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Bare branches from the woods held together in a bucket of Plaster-of-Paris. I placed the bucket in this bronze-colored urn (found at Hobby Lobby at half price a few years ago).  I like to change the look of my twig-tree through the seasons. Sometimes I have family photos hanging, other times, Christmas ornaments.

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A country Farmer, carrying his harvest bounty, stands ready to say “howdy folks, welcome one and all!”.  He reminds me of my Italian Grandpa Mattia with his lush garden and orchard. I remember as a little girl taking hand-held walks with him as he pointed out the abundant array of fig, avacado, orange, lemon and cumquat trees, to name a few. His vegetable garden was filled with tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, salad greens, basil, parsley and other tender garden treasures  ripe and ready for grandma to prepare her delicious meals from recipes she brought back from the Old Country. After dinner Grandma made me a cup of hot milk with a half  teaspoon of sugar,  I would sip and savor its warming sweetness as I listened to Grandpa’s stories told in his charming broken-English accent. To this day I enjoy hot milk with sugar, it always brings back a harvest of endearing memories of my “country farmer”  Grandpa.

(I found my cute country farmer at Home Goods several years ago.)

blue-chair

A chippy childs chair is the perfect perch for a happy pumpkin topped with an Ozark blackbird!

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Aunt Jane of Kentucky a sweet homespun  story of a woman whose quilts became the albums and diary of her life. Showcasing a favorite book and surrounding it with seasonal embellishments is an easy way to cozy-up a nook.

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My silly Autumn declaration was  written with my favorite Chalkboard Markers. The same  markers that Starbucks uses to create their signs that advertise yummy drinks like Pumpkin Spice Latte!

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fall-sign

When creating my little chalkboard messages I like to write the letters in a up and down (or high and low)  format instead of  in a straight line. It just seems more jolly!

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display-case

A few of my favorite things add a little touch of whimsy inside this glass display case (This glass case came in a set of three graduated sizes, I purchased it at The Secret Garden here in Branson. Here is the phone number (417) 334-2040.)

glass-case

silverware

Two Vintage silver serving pieces was the treasure I found in  Hannibal Missouri for $4 dollars!

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To add a little Autumn goodness to my baking center, I  moved all of my cookbooks to a different bookcase and placed my brown Transferware on the shelves. One princess pumpkin in front of each plate gave me the clean and simple  Farmhouse-Harvest look I was after.  Just moving things around is all it takes to freshen up a room…and it’s free!

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pumpkins-in-bread-pan

A simple white enamel bread pan filled with fresh-picked  baby pumpkins and Indian corn is homey and sweet. It really doesn’t take much to bring into our homes the delights of the season. You can be as eleborate or as simple as you like.  The point is to recognize the changing of the seasons and the beauty that comes to us wrapped up as  exquisite gifts….glimpses of Heaven… sent from God to bless our hearts….they are whispers of our Lord’s  love and faithfulness.

“Traditions reveal the significance of our lives. When we set aside the everyday routine for special customs, we focus on what’s important to us. Observing special days and events gives us a chance to pause and reflect on our lives.” ~ Paul and Leisa Thigpen

Decorating is the “thang” that I so enjoy doing! But you know, it wouldn’t have any meaning for me if  Jesus was not at the center of my life! He is the joy behind all that I do. He is the one who makes my house a home. Jesus is everything wonderful!

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:15

front-porch

And now,

with Autumn’s moonlit eves,

Its harvest-time has come,

We pluck away the frosted leaves,

And bear our treasures home.

~ John Greenleaf Whittier 1807-1892

I am sending y’all Sugar Pie Blessings and hugs! Thank you for always leaving me such encouraging comments, they mean more to me than you’ll ever know!

Thanks for stopping by for “pie”!

Aunt Ruthie

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