If you are new to The Vettel Farm then you may not know that grasshoppers have taken over pretty much everything outside. We are patiently waiting for our first frost so they can leave the premises. The grasshoppers have eaten every single mum I have brought home, so I have been brainstorming other ideas for cute outdoor decor this year. I found these massive pumpkins at Hobby Lobby and I knew they would be such a statement piece and would last years and years. Here's the full how-to on how to create a topiary with them! Supplies Large pumpkin (found here) Medium pumpkin (found here) Small pumpkin (found here) Piece of rebar (I cut mine to 35 inches, but this will depend ...
Pumpkin Topiary DIY
Halloween Finds at Walmart
Wally World has truly stepped up their game this year, their Halloween decor is on point. So many options that are vintage inspired too! The true MVP is the ADORABLE vintage inspired cat yard stakes, which also come in a cutie ghost and pumpkin as well! This year's Halloween decor has a fun pop of color too! Minty green and pastels, along with really cute modern decor too! Tap the photo of each item to find it at Walmart! And Happy Halloween! ...
Best Halloween Sweatshirts of 2022
It is currently 100 degrees in North Dakota, so I am hoping by sharing this blog post it may give Mother Nature the hint to cool down because I am ready for sweatshirt season! My uniform every Fall is cozy socks, leggings and a crew neck sweatshirt with adorable Fall and Halloween graphics. It is my favorite decorating get-up and each year I treat myself to a new sweatshirt! This year I really focused on vintage inspired graphics because those are always the ones that make me so happy! All of these are from small shops, so you are celebrating Fall and supporting a small business all in one click! I always love to ask everyone what their guess is for which one I am bringing home this ...
How to Paint the Perfect Terracotta Pumpkin
Everyone, I mean EVERYONE is in love with the terracotta pumpkins that Pottery Barn released this year, but most are not in love with the steep price tag. So I set out to discover how to paint the perfect terracotta pumpkin, one that looks realistic and doesn't break the bank. I used my collection of vintage terracotta pots as my model to get the perfect color! Perfect Paint So I took a gamble on two types of acrylic paint. Both were said to resemble authentic terracotta. I tested each paint color on a pumpkin by itself, but found that they actually created the perfect color when mixed together! I used this Cermacoat Terracotta and FolkArt Dusty Trail. I used baking soda with ...
Best Neutral Fall Stems
Growing up in New York, I had the distinct opportunity to live where Fall is absolutely breathtaking. I remember raking leaves was my favorite because my Mom and Dad would always let me jump in the massive piles. The colors of the leaves were magical and the cool, crisp air of the Northeast was the best. Living on the prairies of North Dakota now, I always strive to recreate this Fall feeling with wonderful faux stems. There are so many exceptional options this year in an array of those muted Fall colors we all love and adore. Tap the photo below of each stem to shop! These stems from Hobby Lobby are in my top two favorites, as are these very popular fig stems you can find here! The ...
Amber Glass Pumpkins
Amber glass is a perfect pair to all autumnal decor, so what better than an amber glass pumpkin. If you would like to learn more about amber glass for fall decor, check out this blog post here! There are pumpkins big and small in varying shades of amber glass. I especially love the pumpkins with the tendrils at the top! One of my favorite things about my amber glass bottle collection is the variety of size and patterns. I can see that same likeness in these pumpkins, so many different sizes and different textures too. Each just the perfect amount of vintage nostalgia for your Fall decor this year. You can see each item by clicking the photos below. Shop the pictures to find the amber ...
Back to School Book Wall
As a "retired" school counselor books about school are my specialty. School can be an intimidating place for many children and sometimes a friendly story about school can be just the ticket to help. Books about school are also great to share in the excitement of the start of the school year for your children. Decor For our book wall this year we incorporated a few "non-book" items that really added to the school nostalgia. We used a homemade garland of apples my daughters colored, school photos, vintage chalkboards, and some vintage school signs. Here is the apple printable we used. Other fun vintage style decor pieces could included vintage chalk boxes, crayon boxes, erasers, a flash ...
Back to School Freezer Meals Part II
School supplies, school buses, school shopping - it's that time of year! Students around the country will head back to school in the next few weeks and that means BUSY schedules. But busy schedules does not mean you have to skip a wonderful home cooked meal. Enter the freezer meal! A few years ago I shared 15 of our favorite back to school freezer meals and they were a huge hit! They are so convenient to have on a busy school night and you will feel like Super Mom at the end of the day. Here is the link to the original 15 Back to School Freezer Meals! I made all five of the new recipes in one day and doubled them all for a total of 10 dinners for our family! They were relatively easy ...
State Fair Lemonade
Every state fair we attend I make a B-line to the lemonade stand. There is nothing that compares to that savory big cup of lemonade full of chunky lemons and the absolute best lemonade ever. So throughout the summer I find myself craving this delicious fair treat, so I decided to make my own! The true star here is marinating those lemon rinds in the sugar for 12 hours. This is the perfect key to success for creating the most perfect lemonade. So if it's hot where you are or if you are just missing your fair favorite drink of choice, this recipe is for you. State Fair Lemonade 7 Lemons1 1/2 cups Sugar6 cups Cold Water Wash lemons and peel lemon rinds ...
Victorian on Van Buren Carriage House: Details
I have said it before and I will say it again, it's all in the DETAILS! Special details are what make renovations worth the extra time and effort. Incorporating special details into any historical project is extra important. Small elements like hardware, trim, and accent walls are all important decisions in the design process. Here are a few elements that we incorporated into the Victorian on Van Buren in the carriage house apartment to give it that extra charm. Entryway For this apartment we had to incorporate an entryway because it attached to a garage. To do this we knew we wanted to incorporate an antique door. We found an antique door with a window, which was perfect because it ...
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