Falling Into Fall

Fall means hayrides, pumpkin patches and apple picking.  On a recent warm fall weekend afternoon, we experienced it all!

This is Justin in the early years exploring pumpkin patches, when autism was just a word.

 

Fast forward 20+ years, and here he is today ... still exploring, although he and the pumpkins have gotten bigger.

Lauren chose the perfect pumpkin to carve.

Freshly made caramel apples are yummy!  We bought the one on the left and a few of its friends.

Children of the corn.

Hayride love.

Apple picking and eating.

 

Apple slushes while apple picking.

How to Make Hand-Stitched Thank You Cards

This cute handmade card is super easy and serves as the perfect token of thanks for that special gift.  When the gift is handmade, I especially like to return the kind gesture with a handmade thank you card.  Hand-stitched cards are also great for birthdays, Christmas ... any celebration!

For my birthday, I received a special surprise from my jewelry designer friend, Tami, of a beautiful handmade necklace and bracelet.  She even made the beads from paper that was originally sunflowers.  Knowing that I am wearing sunflowers brightens my day!  What a clever idea.

HOW-TO MAKE HAND-STITCHED CARDS

Materials Needed:

Embroidery Floss in color/s of your choice
Needle 
Pencil, or computer, printer and tape
Scissors
1 sheet cardstock 
Envelope 

1.  Cut your cardstock to size.  I cut mine to 8.5 x 5.5" (then folded it in half so the finished size was 4.25 x 5.5).

2.  Either use a pencil to lightly draw your word or words, or use the computer method.  Because I forgot how to write in cursive sometime during sixth grade, I found a cursive font I liked (EnglishScriptEF for me) and typed out Tami.  I resized it to be 100 pts.  If using the computer method, print it, cut it out and use painter's tape (if you have it, if not use tiny pieces of any tape) to adhere it to the front of your card.

3.  Using an embroidery needle, punch holes around each letter.

 4.  Using embroidery floss (I used three of the six strands, but you can use all six if you would like a thicker line), use a backstitch to sew around each letter.  To make a backstitch, first tie a knot in one end and stick your needle up through hole 1 on backside of the card.  Then go down through hole 2.  Come up through hole 3.  Go down through hole 2.  It will soon make sense as to why it's called the backstitch. 

Next time, I think I will use a little button for the dot over the letter I.
 

I like to doodle on my envelopes.  This one got a flying monkey and some tattoo lettering. 

 

Here is my awesome new sunflower necklace and bracelet, courtesy of Tami.  There have been whisperings about her opening an Etsy shop, so stand by for breaking news!

~Merrill ♥