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Dirt Road Adventures – Thankful, Holiday Shopping and More

Happy Sunday, and welcome to Dirt Road Adventures! This is where we review all the exciting events behind the scenes, on the website, and the sources of inspiration I discovered online during the past week. This weekly recap ensures you don’t miss any of our adventures.

Hey Friends,

First, I want to say a big “Thank You” for opening this email. I know you have busy lives and probably get hundreds of emails. The fact that you take the time to support my journey as a creator and blogger does not go unnoticed. Without your encouraging words, it would be easy to become uninspired. It’s amazing how, on those uncreative days, someone always lifts me up with a sweet comment. With those simple words of encouragement, I feel renewed and ready to tackle the next project or decorating challenge. You were included as I counted my many blessings over the Thanksgiving holiday. I couldn’t continue on this journey without your support. I’m so thankful that you find my ideas inspiring and helpful. I’m looking forward to sharing more and more ideas.

What did you do over the weekend? Did you survive all the Black Friday shopping? We decided to spend the day shopping in actual stores to hopefully walk off all the food from the day before. However, we had to stop for lunch before we got started. LOL! It looks like we will need to do a lot more shopping.

After lunch, we began to explore. First, we were greeted by this amazing Santa at Paysage Home in Wilmington.

The store is amazing, and I got so many creative ideas from their unique displays. You may see some of them soon.

The day was filled with good friends, much laughter, and the cutest displays to kick off the holiday season in style. These bears were adorable!!

(Posts on The Ponds Farmhouse may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See the full disclosure details here.)

Adventures at the End of the Dirt Road

This is a look back at all my adventures this past week.

Can you believe it’s December 1st? The clock is ticking down, but I’ve got you covered. Here are some of my latest ideas to help you decorate on a budget and create a cozy Christmas atmosphere.

In Case You Missed It

DIY Advent Christmas Wreath Centerpiece.

Rustic DIY Advent Wreath: Forge A Cozy Christmas Centerpiece

There’s a nip in the air, and it’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas! Are you ready to embrace the tried-and-true traditions of the magical Advent season? How would you like to create a rustic Advent wreath Christmas centerpiece that’s both beautiful and easy to make? With the first Advent Sunday just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start this cozy DIY project.

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DIY Christmas Napkins on farmhouse dinner table.

DIY Christmas Napkins with Cutlery Pocket

So here is a quick and easy DIY Christmas Napkins with Cutlery Pocket tutorial. These are perfect for the Christmas Holiday Season but can be easily adapted for any season.

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Christmas table runner on Christmas Tablerscape.

Easy And Unique Christmas Table Runner Tutorial In Red and White Plaid


Would you like a creative one-of-a-kind table runner for the Christmas holidays? I’m sharing a step-by-step tutorial so that you can make your own.

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Christmas Village made from old book pages.

How To Upcycle Old Book Pages Into A Magical Christmas Village

Do you love a magical Christmas Village displayed for the holidays? If so, you will love this idea to Upcycle Old Book Pages into a unique vintage style, old-world DIY Christmas Village display. You’ll never believe it’s made from inexpensive ceramic Christmas houses from Target. I know you will love this fun old Christmas decor transformation.

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Evergreens used as Christmas decoration ideas.

12 Creative Christmas Evergreen Decor Ideas for 2024

Nothing says Christmas like fresh evergreens, which add a rustic ambiance and festive fragrance to your home. Today, we share 12 creative ways to decorate with Christmas Evergreen Decor. Whether you like fresh, live greenery or prefer to decorate with artificial, we have some amazing ideas for evergreen garlands, wreaths, mantels, and more.

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Bottle Brush trees makeover for Christmas decorating.

Who says you need to spend a fortune to get the latest bottle brush trees this Christmas? I’ll show you how you can transform your humble bottle brush trees into show-stopping Christmas displays with these affordable, on-trend ideas. Ideas from Anthropologie and Pottery Barn are easily duplicated with inexpensive Dollar Tree materials, some ribbon, baubles, and a little creativity. So grab your hot glue gun, and let me show you these amazing updates.

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Christmas garland made with dried pears and oranges.

How To Make A Simple Dried Fruit Garland With Pears and Oranges

Can you imagine the warm, inviting aroma of oranges and pears drying in your oven. Who knew that something so simple as dried fruit could be so festive? This easy-to-follow tutorial will guide you through drying and creating a fragrant and visually appealing dried orange and pear garland. Let me show you how this easy garland can enhance your existing Christmas decorations.

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Adventures Off The Dirt Road

Why Didn’t I Think of That?

There are so many wonderful blog posts each week, and I’m sharing some of my favorites with you today.

There are so many creative ideas, and I’m always asking myself, “Why didn’t I think of that”? LOL

What’s In My Cart

Hey, did you stock up on Black Friday Deals? Well, have you noticed that all the deals have now switched over to Cyber Monday deals? Yep, you can still get some amazing items for cheap. Here are some of my favorites and a few that I’ve added since “to-now”! LOL

Coming Soon

Y’all, I still have so many ideas that I want to share with you. This week, you can expect tours of my porches with some great tips for outdoor decorating. In addition, I have several projects in the works that you will not want to miss. So stay tuned!

Cindy@CountyRoad407

Sunday 1st of December 2024

I love all of your DIY’s Rachel. I tell all of my friends how talented and creative you are. And how jealous I am of your porches and spaces to decorate enjoy! We will go shopping next weekend and I am so looking forward to it! I know the little town will look so festive! Thanks for featuring my gift wrap ideas. I always appreciate the support. Merry Christmas!

Rachel

Monday 2nd of December 2024

Cindy You are so sweet to share my ideas with your friends. You are very talented, and your ideas are amazing, also. You are so supportive and I appreciate you so much.

Mary from Life at Bella Terra

Sunday 1st of December 2024

Rachel, I am so thankful to you for all your weekly inspiration and stories! Thanks for sharing my mini-charcuterie boards! I am hoping for simple, yet elegant decor this Christmas. It's been one of those years where life has been a bit too much so definitely trying to find ways to celebrate simplicity. Have a beautiful December!

Rachel

Monday 2nd of December 2024

Mary, Thank you for stopping by. Simple is always on my mind but then I just keep adding on. LOL. Have the best week.

Diana

Sunday 1st of December 2024

This is fun and I need some of those garden gloves wish she had garden scissors.

Rachel

Monday 2nd of December 2024

Diana, I'll pass that along to her. Thanks for stopping by.