The Best Christmas DIY Decoration Idea

Tiny Red, Green and Copper Cowbells hung with twine are easy, chic, classic and versatile Christmas decorations. 

Let's decorate our new house for Christmas!

When I moved last, after graduating college, I donated or otherwise left any tinsel, lights, Sorority Santa hats, stockings once decorated with glitter and ornaments I didn't pick out of the community beer can recycling pile. 

My Christmas decorations? I was starting fresh.

I decided a short time ago, that it's not just what we buy - although securing particular items we want is still worthy - it's how and where we buy or secure it from that brings us the most value of owning the item. Plus, I didn't want to purchase decorations that contribute to the deterioration of our planet and living systems. Considering, you know, the Christmas spirit and celebrating life. anyway...

We have so many little tiny cow bells. I had a ball of twine.

I tied each cowbell onto the rustic twine so it would keep it's position. 

How about that for a simple, old-fashioned and unique Christmas decoration you can make yourself?! For extra flair, try adding additional ribbons and twine as bows. Find Christmas Bells here.

When you're done with long strings of hanging cowbells, they make adorable and unique ornaments too! 

Maybe thrift will again be a dominant social idea? And if it is, do we get to make more crafts?

Wild Ginger, Homemade Cookies, Vintage Oil Lanterns and Pastel Mini Buckets from the long weekend

At Red Hill General Store, we had a wonderful memorial day weekend! Here's a few photos of finds from Memorial Day weekend yard-sales, flea markets and nature finds. 

On a Sunday afternoon hike we found wild ginger!

Wild Ginger in Virginia's temperate deciduous forest. 

Homemade cookies by Kassie at her lemonade stand!

Old kerosene lanterns. We picked up a vintage kerosene lantern for camping this summer for $45. You can buy a brand new oil lantern here (From $9 - $21) or replace the wicks from your antique memorial day finds (click here for replacement oil lantern wicks).  

Love these darling pastel mini painted sold-color pails. You can find these plus more sizes, shapes and colors here.

How to keep tomatoes from rotting

This summer has been wet. The tomato crop this season has not been good.
Most people we've talked to say their tomatoes look like -

our heirloom tomatoes last week. 

Hopefully future summer weather will return to normal. In the meantime, we just learned how we can best plant our tomatoes in anticipation for summer rain next year. 

Our friend messaged us how he achieved a successful tomato crop, "My tomato beds are done in hugelkultur. 2 feet deep, filled with hardwood logs, and pile the dirt back on top to be about 2 feet tall. The tomatoes have good drainage now. They're up off the ground so the breeze can keep the plants drier than they would be planted at ground level. Constant water supply and they don't have wet feet. I haven't had a problem with bottom rot or moisture splitting despite all the rain."

They are pretty cool. The photo below is from this place and they have more information on this genius garden bed. 

With less rotting garden tomatoes - the more fresh food we can harvest to preserve for the winter! Read this expert canning supply post about making Salsa from Red Hill's tomatoes, green peppers and hot peppers!