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It's Me, ChristyB Lifestyle blog of a middle-aged mom of two

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RETRO CHRISTMAS // I am one that likes to change t

RETRO CHRISTMAS // I am one that likes to change things up each year when I decorate for Christmas. This year I’m struggling with what I want to do. My record player setup may have sparked an idea - vintage Christmas.

It’s the perfect spot to hold the new but retro looking record player and speaker along with the vintage ceramic Christmas tree handed down from family, secondhand records found at various antique stores and Christmas books I had as a child. I have a soft spot for sentimental items. This year may be the year to forget a specific color scheme and pull at the heartstrings with family hand-me downs.

How are you planning to decorate this year?

HAPPY DAY BEFORE HALLOWEEN // One last little outd

HAPPY DAY BEFORE HALLOWEEN // One last little outdoor spot of our Halloween decorations to share this year. These giant spiders migrate to a new location each year. They’ve gone from crawling all over the back side of the barn, to crawling down a giant spider web to infesting our back patio fence. Wonder where they will end up next year.

THE HAUNTED BURNING BARN 🔥 // Welcome to this y

THE HAUNTED BURNING BARN 🔥 // Welcome to this year’s Halloween barn display. It’s been inhibited by skeletons and they set fire to the place.

iPHONE NIGHT PHOTOS // Did you know your iPhone wi

iPHONE NIGHT PHOTOS // Did you know your iPhone will take photos like this? Most phones will automatically turn on night mode in low light situations. Just position yourself under a tree, point your phone’s camera toward the sky, and hold very still while it takes the photo. That’s all there is to gorgeous night photos of the sky. Tag me if you try it.

WITCH HOUSE // This year’s front porch Halloween

WITCH HOUSE // This year’s front porch Halloween inspiration was sparked by another new addition, the orange glowing flying witch and a random Temu sign. May I present to you, the Witch House.

LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW | THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN //

LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW | THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN // “There was a contagion in the very air that blew from that haunted region; it breathed forth an atmosphere of dreams and fancies infecting all the land.”

Introducing this year’s new addition to our Halloween yard.

SCARECROW DUO // They aren’t scaring many crows

SCARECROW DUO // They aren’t scaring many crows but they sure make the tired garden beds look cute.

We used scrap 1”x2”s to make simple scarecrow forms and picked out the perfect outfits at Goodwill. It’s a fun twist on fall if you’re not in to scary Halloween decorations.

FIRST DAY OF FALL POTTING BENCH // Summer has offi

FIRST DAY OF FALL POTTING BENCH // Summer has officially faded into fall. The summer potting bench setup has been refreshed by switching a few of the tired summer plants out with lush fall plants and adding a few pumpkins. I actually grew all of the pumpkins here but the biggest one on the top right. Added in a dead tree limb from the yard and fall has arrived. 🍂🎃

‘TIS AUTUMN // Happy first weekend of fall (well

‘TIS AUTUMN // Happy first weekend of fall (well, starting tomorrow). The barnstand is bursting with pumpkins to get you in the mood for the season. Pick your favorites. Prices marked on the bottoms. 1909 Woodlawn, Pleasant Hill. Open today until 7:00pm. Most likely closed tomorrow due to rain. Cash and Venmo accepted.

We’ll be back to fully stocked next weekend with fresh fall baked goods and our Halloween debut.

DIY RAFFIA FALL WREATH // As I began to dream up w

DIY RAFFIA FALL WREATH // As I began to dream up what I wanted to do on the front porch for Halloween this year, I knew I wanted a wreath of good size that would work Halloween through to Thanksgiving. This year for the porch, I’m thinking lots of natural, found fall elements as the base with Halloween mixed in. When Halloween is over, the fall look will last until Thanksgiving. That inspired this DIY wreath made only from a wire wreath form and raffia.

NOTE: I do plan to hang this wreath on my covered front porch out of the elements but it’s currently full of houseplants that will need to be moved inside soon. I won’t be leaving it here on the back patio to get wet. That was way too much work to get destroyed by rain. Check back here soon to see it in its intended spot when I complete the fall/Halloween front porch.

Resources for what I used are on the blog: www.itsmechristyB.com. Search “raffia wreath”.

CHRISTY B’S BARNSTAND // Celebrating the upcomin

CHRISTY B’S BARNSTAND // Celebrating the upcoming fall season with pumpkins, mums, plants and cornstalks and Pleasant Hill’s homecoming festivities with plenty of unique purple and gold items. Holding on to the last of the summer season with fresh flower bouquets, garden vegetables and potted house plants. Our honor system barnstand is located at 1909 Woodlawn, Pleasant Hill. Open Saturdays and Sundays, 8:00am-7:00pm. Cash and Venmo accepted.

FALL KITCHEN SHELVES // In honor of the start of S

FALL KITCHEN SHELVES // In honor of the start of September, I added a touch of fall to the kitchen shelves. I needed somewhere to put the five whole gourds that grew in my garden this year. A $3 packet of seeds, an unknown amount added to water bill for a grand total of 5 mini gourds. Worth it? The joys of gardening. But the fall decorating part is fun.

Sources for everything used here on the blog: https://www.itsmechristyb.com/fall-inspired-kitchen-shelves-2024/

GOOD MORNING // The barnstand is open on this beau

GOOD MORNING // The barnstand is open on this beautiful morning. 1909 Woodlawn, Pleasant Hill, MO. Open until dusk. Cash and Venmo accepted.

THIEVES JEWELRY CLEANER // I have shared my love f

THIEVES JEWELRY CLEANER // I have shared my love for Thieves concentrate as an all-purpose cleaner before. Today, I'm using it to make jewelry cleaner by adding a capful of concentrate to a small 4 ounce jar and topping it off with water. I soak my jewelry for a few minutes before gently brushing with an old toothbrush. Then I rinse with water and dry with a towel. Just like that I have clean, sparkling jewelry using an all-natural cleaner free of any chemicals. Did I mention, it smells amazing, too?

I use Young Living's Thieves concentrate. You can find a link on the blog: www.itsmechristyB.com

BARNSTAND UPDATE // With a couple of weekends unde

BARNSTAND UPDATE // With a couple of weekends under my belt with the new barnstand (my take on a self-service honor system roadside farmstand), there have been successes and fails. Fails like when I walked down one afternoon to check on stock to find ants had somehow gotten into the homemade cookie boxes and were feasting on the cookies that had taken hours to bake. For anyone who stopped by and saw that, I was mortified and I apologize for what you had to witness. We now have new packaging and clear plastic containers so you can see the selection but the ants can no longer partake. Successes like the joy I get when I glance out the window and see someone checking out the barnstand. THANK YOU to all that have stopped by or helped spread the word!!

It was originally my intent to open the barnstand on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. However, working a full-time job that often requires overtime and needing to completely add and remove stock each morning/evening until we find a way to secure the stand, I have decided the barnstand will be open 8:00am until dusk every Saturday and Sunday until further notice, weather permitting. My plan is remain open weekends through the end of the year. The barnstand will be closed in January and February to reenergize and hopefully enjoy some sun somewhere warmer than Missouri in the winter. We will reopen in early spring for the next season.

The barnstand is located at 1909 Woodlawn, Pleasant Hill, MO. We accept cash and venmo. If you’re local, I hope you’ll stop by often. You can also follow here on my Instagram stories for a preview of what will be added to the barnstand each weekend.

For a further look into how my little barnstand came to be and what will he stocked over the coming months, you can read more on the blog: www.itsmechristyB.com.

PRESERVING SUMMER'S FRESH CHIVES FOR WINTER // It

PRESERVING SUMMER'S FRESH CHIVES FOR WINTER // It literally takes an empty water bottle and 10-minutes of time to preserve fresh summer chives for use all winter. Simply chop fresh chives, drop them into an empty water bottle and freeze until you need them in the middle of the long winter months. The chopped chives won't stick together once frozen so they can be pulled from the freezer and sprinkled on any dish at a moment's notice. Such an easy way to to make the garden last all year long.

EASILY REVIVE HARD, STALE SOURDOUGH // Sourdough n

EASILY REVIVE HARD, STALE SOURDOUGH // Sourdough notoriously hardens quickly due to "starch retrogradation" meaning the starch is no longer absorbing moisture. Instead it is releasing moisture causing the bread to harden. But don't throw that stale bread away!

Sourdough or artisan bread can easily be revived by soaking the remaining loaf under running water. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes. Be sure to watch the bread carefully as you don't want to over bake. The outside should be crispy and golden and the inside soft and warm. This same method works for reviving frozen sourdough, as well. Let the loaf thaw to room temperature for several hours or overnight then use this method to refresh.

SAVING SUNFLOWER SEEDS // Before the birds enjoy a

SAVING SUNFLOWER SEEDS // Before the birds enjoy all the dead sunflowers, be sure to harvest some spent heads and collect the seeds for planting next year.

Cut the sunflower heads as soon as the blooms have faded and remove the chaff by rubbing a finger back and forth across the head to reveal the seeds. This eliminates some of the mess when drying out the seed heads for 3 to 4 weeks. Once the heads have fully dried, the seeds will turn dark in color and easily fall from the flower heads with a little coaxing. Store seeds in a brown paper lunch sack in a cool, dry place until spring.

Sunflowers are the gift that just keeps giving year after year. Growing difficulty level for sunflowers is super easy. Satisfaction level is high. Cut fresh flowers to enjoy inside. Leave the rest for the pollinators to enjoy. Collect seeds to replant the next spring. Leave the rest for the birds to enjoy.

CHRISTY B’s BARNSTAND // Here she is in all her

CHRISTY B’s BARNSTAND // Here she is in all her glory. My cute little barnstand modeled after our actual barn has come to fruition. She’s officially open and stocked full of goodies.

Currently filled with homemade baked goods, fresh vegetables and herbs, fresh flower bouquets and potted houseplants, the plan is to offer a variety of options throughout the year changing things up on a regular basis. We’ll be open, weather permitting, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until sundown. Cash & Venmo accepted. 1909 Woodlawn, PH, MO.

We built the barnstand using old lumber from my great-grandparent’s then grandparent’s home that was recently torn down next to my childhood home and leftover metal from our barn build. I’m a sucker for sentimental value and this little barnstand holds a lot. I’m excited for this new little venture.

MAGICAL SUMMER NIGHTS // My motto for 2024 was "ma

MAGICAL SUMMER NIGHTS // My motto for 2024 was "make everyday special" so I setup a candlelight dinner in the garden just for fun. Twirling flowers, flickering candles and the magical summer nights. This is the life!

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