The beginnings of my Autumn decorations

So I've been feeling a bit behind on my Autumn decorating.  But tonight I started on my mantle.

It's coming along but needs many little projects, which hopefully will mean I can track my progress on here, and then the Mantle reveal!

SO first project is inspired from Pinterest and friends.

you've all probably seen this floating around pinterest.

I tried to find the original source but the problem with pinterest is sometimes it can get tricky to track it down. And I'm not sure where it comes from, there are a few people who have done their own tutorials, And the lovely Elva at More Than Just a Drop in the Ocean did a lovely tutorial with an added bit of paint. You can find her tutorial here.

I used a Jones soda bottle a Martinelli's bottle and a wine bottle to create these.

I used Hemp string and my trusty glue gun, turned on netflix to watch some shows and got to work.

I decided to do mine a bit different, for the soda bottle as you can see I completely wrapped it, the clear wine bottle only got wrapped in the middle kind of like a label, and the Martinelli bottle I started at the bottom and worked my way just over half way up. I like the look!

I'm thinking of painting with black something spooky on one side of each of them to give myself the option of turning them to the spooky side for Halloween and back to the plain side for other times, I haven't decided on that part yet. What do you think? I am thinking I will likely use them a lot in my Autumn decor so having them reverse does make the switch from Autumn to Halloween particularly easy.

These beauties are now sitting on my mantel with the beginnings of the Autumn decorations waiting for the Autumn mantel reveal.

If you decide to make some of these bottles I'd love to see how yours turn out.

xoxo

Being Grateful

It's been a while, I'm going to be completely honest and let you know I'm not sure how great I am going to be at this blogging thing. I do want you to know that I have a DESIRE to be great at blogging and I hope that I will become much better. So thank you for your patience.

I truly believe words are powerful! Don't you? I know the words we say out loud, the words we write, and the words we think gain power as we use them. The more we use words the more power we give them. So where am I going with this?

I have been impressed to give more power to my gratitude, by speaking, writing, and thinking more words of gratitude. What a positive impact on my life it would be if I chose to focus more on all I have rather than on other less uplifting thoughts. Could this make me grow as a person? Yes I truly believe it will, so here I am committing to you to be more grateful, and to back up that gratitude with words! I feel the desire for more personal growth in my life, and so it's time to do something about that.

Is it a coincidence that Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner? I doubt it, but I am awed that it is a natural time in our lives for Thanksgiving.

from Oprah.com

I want to start a gratitude journal not just full of things I am grateful for but also full of thoughts and findings while studying gratitude.

I may post on here about my gratitude from time to time, I hope you don't mind.

I am GRATEFUL for the beauty that surrounds me in this season.

pretty Autumn leaves, you can tell they would make a fantastic crunch sound just by looking at them.

I am GRATEFUL for a fantastic family who show me such love and support.

(I just realized I need to take a picture of my inlaws, I am GRATEFUL for them too!)

We've grown since this photo was taken I have a new little niece.

I am GRATEFUL for my supportive, generous, loving husband who works so hard for us!

He is just SO handsome.

I have so much in my life to be grateful for! 

What is your favourite quote on gratitude? Do you do something to help you focus on being grateful?