SVG Cuts - Autumn Challenge

Happy Autumn!  I love autumn.  The warm colors are very soothing, the cooler air is a nice break from the long hot days of summer.  Here in North Carolina fall starts slowly.  It cools off a little at night and the mornings are a little crisp.  Winter comes slowly.

Well with the start of fall SVG Cuts started a new challenge.  The grand prize is your choice of a Silhouette Cameo or photography by Leo Kowal.  It is a beautiful three piece fall themed canvas print and I know just where I would hang them!  Fingers crossed.

My entry was inspired by the children's book, One Enchanted Evening.  The book is illustrated in beautiful warm earth tones and makes me think of fall.  Everything used is from a kit or collection by SVG Cuts.  If anyone has any questions about how I put any of the pieces together I would be happy to share.

Here is a list of the files I used:

Crickets:

Body (size pieces for Groom 3% bigger)
Christmas Open House
Snowman Body and Panels and Hat

Silent Night  - Christmas Light Bulb and panels  - bottom pieces
Leaves Are Falling  -  Scarecrow  -  Head  -  Scale to 32% (3.264 wide)

Arms
Kate's Holiday Silhouettes -
Couple Under Mistletoe - figure - Groom's arms
Child Baking - figure - Bride's arms
Legs
Crisp Days of Fall
Scrapbook Page - Silhouette -trim upper leg to use for bride and groom
Antennae
My Big Day
Swirly

Bow Tie
Alice's Cuddly Friends
Mad Hatter - Bow Tie

Gazebo
Top  -  Popular Street Tulips – Egg Bottom
                          French Quarter Ironworks
Carousel Ride - Top (only six pieces)
B is for Birthday – Candle
Winter Gazebo - Bottom

Garland
3D Mums and Fall Flowers
Fall Frames and Elements
Caramel Apple Pie

Basket of Flowers
Harvest Hill Farm
Crisp Days of Fall

Waterfall Pictures

One of mine and my mom's favorite things to do is drive up to the mountains and take pictures of the waterfalls.  I have only been in the fall.  With three small children (not safe for them around the falls) it is hard for me to find time to get away.

The first year I went with my mom I did all my research on the internet and I found one fall that everyone said was beautiful and a must see.  It was in someone's backyard and it said that they didn't mind people coming by to see it.  I followed the directions but they weren't quit right.  Then my mom saw a pond that she wanted to get some pictures of so we stopped.

While we were there we noticed several cars had pulled in and driven farther back onto the property.  Wouldn't you know it - we had stopped in the front yard of the house with the waterfall.  We noticed an elderly couple sitting on there porch enjoying the wonderful weather.

Could you imagine how nice it would be to take your morning coffee and sit by a waterfall!  It was so peaceful out here.  I would have to put this one on my list of favorites.

Next, we traveled on up to White Waterfall.  It is the tallest waterfall in NC.  I was surprised at how far away the lookout was.  I will have to do more research on this one to find out where the "spot" is for getting better pictures.

 It was a very nice day.  We found a little treasure and got a few good pictures of the falls.

The next year we went to Pearson Falls.  The drive is not as far and the falls are just as beautiful.  Pearson Falls is in Polk County, home to my favorite County Extension Director, John Vining.  I miss seeing him at CED meetings.  We changed districts several years ago and he has only been in Gaston a handful of times since then.  Here's a shout out to you John.  Hope you and your family are doing well!

 We were not able to take pictures this past fall (2013).  My mom volunteers for the Susan G. Komen race, she collects the donations at the start of the race because she is not able to do the run.  She fell walking to the check in area and broke her arm.  Just a few inches below her shoulder.  Needless to say, she was in A LOT of pain for a long time.  In fact, it is now May, seven months after her fall and she still has pain and doesn't have full mobility in her arm.  Susan G. Komen did nothing to help her out.  She contacted them and told them what happened and that her therapy would not be covered by Medicare, they said their insurance company would contact her and she has never heard back from them.  I can't believe that a foundation that makes millions of dollars for the health and care of women who have breast cancer, care so little for their volunteers.  Especially one that is a two time breast cancer survivor.  Nuff said.

Boon Hall Plantation - Charleston, SC

I had a harder time selecting pictures to share from my trip then I thought I would.  I get lost looking at all of them.  Of course I have to go through them all, select the ones I like the best and then re-size them for the internet.  The problem is I like a lot of them but I also don't want to bore anyone with my pictures.

The view as you drive into the estate is beautiful.  It is a driveway lined with huge Live Oaks.

Our tour guide told us that these trees live 500-600 years and the ones that line this driveway are about 250 years old.  I started thinking about that.  What that means is in the early 1800's the landscaper who designed this knew enough to space the trees so they would create this beautiful tunnel as it were and not crowd the trees out.  My best guess would be that you could park at least 4 cars between each tree.  I find that amazing.  You have to have vision to design this.  

As you approach the house - this is the site you are met with:

I love the way the tree lined drive frames the house.  I find that I am again amazed at the thought that went into the design and landscaping.  

We arrived early and school had already started in South Carolina so there were not a lot of people the day we visited.  We learned that this was not only a working plantation but a brickyard.  They handmade bricks here for decades.  We were told that most of the bricks used for the buildings in Charleston from the late 1800's to early 1900's came from here.

The brick-house is being supported by a lot of beams.  They cannot allow it to fall down because it is a Historical Landmark.

The slave houses are the original ones from the 1700's.  I'm sure they didn't have the nice lawn and trees surrounding them like they do today.  I like how they have these set up.  There is a recording in each house telling you the history of slaves in the South.  This really was a sad time for American history.  I'm glad we rose above this barbaric practice.  How if we can only learn how to heal from this and really move forward.

They even had a butterfly garden out behind the Butterfly Cafe.

It was a very enjoyable day.  I would definitely recommend visiting this plantation if you get the chance.

Birthday Season

December starts the birthday season in our house.  My husband Bob starts us off in December, my sister and son Michael in January and my Mom, daughter Elizabeth and son John all have birthdays in February.  We have birthdays every other week.  Not to mention Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I started making treat boxes for our celebrations.  Below are a few pictures of some of the boxed I have made:

I really liked the teapot but wondered what it would look like if I reduced the size.  Here is the result:

You can just see the flag to the Hershey kiss that I put in the cup, it's not much bigger than the kiss.  This teapot was a hit.  Everyone decided that they liked it better small.

These two sets are from SVG cuts.  Tea for You and Me and For My Valentine.

February Birthdays

This carriage box is from Creations by AR

This next little box I found as a free file.  I have tried to find it again so I could share it but I couldn't find it.

I think Yoda turned out cute.

I also made the ipod box from My Scrap Chick.  I think the kids liked this one the best because I used string to attach the ear buds too.