St. Patrick’s Day Mantel Fantel

March 16, 2020 By Linda 4 Comments

I feel like that headline is over-promising. Too big and bold of a statement for what I’m actually showing you in today’s post …

and, dare I say, perhaps a little click bait-ee.

Though, does St. Patrick’s Day count as a click bait-able topic?

I suppose if I called it my St. Patrick’s Day novel Coronovirus mantel fantel that would have been click bait-ee. 😉

But now that I’m actively practicing hashtag StayHome (#StayHome) I thought I’d give the mantel a little St. Patrick’s Day spruce.

Oh who am I kidding with the #StayHome excuse. I’ve been #StayHome for decades and have been working on socially isolating myself for years …

I kid you not.

Especially once the kids moved from our neighborhood elementary school to high school. That’s when the playground interactions with the other parents abruptly stopped …

and the whole social isolation thing began.

Now, granted, I’ve always been a home body. It’s the Cancer in me.

Lazing about on the couch was a much coveted weekend activity of mine.

And ever since I started working from home after the birth of my son, I’ve fully adopted the #StayHome lifestyle.

When I told my husband that this whole #StayHome and socially isolating thing is a total no-brainer for me, he responded with a sad “awe.”

But no. It’s not sad. Truly.

Again, the Cancer in me loves to #StayHome. And a great weekend for me is when I don’t even drive the car! 🙂

And as for my so-called St. Patrick’s Day mantel fantel, I simply traced a shamrock cookie cutter shape onto gold, glittery paper and cut it out. Then I just attached to a thin wood dowel with tape.

Easy.

And not at all click bait-ee 🙂

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Neutral Valentine Decor & Craft Ideas

February 13, 2020 By Linda 3 Comments

Neutral Valentine Decor & Craft Ideas – Valentine’s Day in Gray, White, Burlap, Beige.

Do you have any special plans for Valentine’s Day?

A romantic dinner?

A special gift …

maybe even something handmade created with your blood, sweat, tears and love?

Or are you more of a big batch of chocolate chip cookies, a vat of ice cream, a bottle of wine and a rom-com for two kind of person?

Or one? 😉

Me? What am I doing on Valentine’s Day, you ask.

There will be washing of sheets and towels, packing, packing, packing and a flight from Florida to Chicago that lands on February 14 …

get this …

at 11:59 PM!

Why yes, that does sound like the saddest Valentine’s Day. Ever.

So while I spend my Valentine’s Day doing laundry, packing and running through airports, I thought I’d share some of my most recent, neutral Valentine decor & craft ideas with you all …

Yarn Wrapped Hearts

Fabric Stuffed Hearts … on Sticks!

White Rose Heart Wreath

Easy Heart Cut Out Mason Jar

Simple Valentine Table for Two

DIY Stamped Heart Wrapping Paper

Fabric Stuffed Hearts

February 6, 2020 By Linda 5 Comments

Fabric Stuffed Hearts – Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas – Neutral Valentine Decor.

Remember when I found the cutest little pumpkins on sticks at my local grocery store?

No?

Well, you can see them at this link …

Go. Go on. What are you waiting for? Go and take a peek …

and then come right back so we can gush about how adorable those little pumpkins on sticks are. And how we wish we thought of putting little pumpkins on sticks.

And question why-oh-why didn’t we think to put little pumpkins on sticks?!?

We may even be inspired to create a little pumpkins on a sticks happy dance.

And when we’re done gushing and dancing and questioning why-oh-why we were not the creative-little-pumpkin-on-a-stick-genius, we can come to the realization that each and every holiday now needs a little (fill-in-the-blank) on a stick to go with it!

Christmas. And Easter. And Fourth of July (okay, Fourth of July already has things on sticks). And St. Pat’s Day. And Valentine’s Day …

of course! Valentine’s Day!

Little hearts on sticks seemed a no-brainer.

Even better: I used leftover fabric scraps and leftover batting. All I needed to purchase was the sticks (ie. dowels) which I found at Michael’s for the whopping price of $.59 per stick!

How To Make Fabric Stuffed Hearts

Materials

Fabric

Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter

Dowels

Batting

Sewing Machine

Hot Glue Gun

Pencil

Fabric Stuffed Hearts. Neutral Valentine Decor. How To Make Stuffed Hearts. How to Make Fabric Stuffed Hearts. Sewing Stuffed Hearts Tutorial. Neutral Valentine's Day Crafts and Decor. Fabric Valentine's Craft Ideas. Hearts on Sticks. Stuffed Hearts on Sticks.

Start with two squares of fabric and a heart shaped cookie cutter.

Trace outline of heart onto fabric squares.

Pin the two pieces of fabric together.

Cut out heart leaving a 1/2″ seam allowance outside of heart outline.

Pin wrong sides together.

Sew with 1/2″ seam; leave 3/4″-1″ opening. (For the hearts on sticks version, leave the opening at the bottom “v” of the heart; see dowel insertion picture).

Stuff heart with batting. I used the eraser end of a pencil to help push batting through opening.

Pin opening.

Sew opening closed.

For hearts on sticks, you’ll leave the opening at the bottom of the heart. Insert dowel into heart through batting.

Use hot glue gun to close opening and secure heart to stick/dowel.

And you’re done.

I don’t know about you, but I think we may need to create a little hearts on sticks happy dance. 😉

Pin It!

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Heart Cut Out Mason Jar Votive

February 4, 2020 By Linda 9 Comments

Heart Cut Out Mason Jar Votive – Easy Valentine Craft with Mason Jars, Scrapbook Paper.

Heart Cut Out Mason Jar Votive - Easy Valentine Craft with Mason Jars and Scrapbook Paper

It’s hard to imagine a time when I didn’t have a Valentine.

Oh, who am I kidding! Who could ever forget all those Valentine-less years in middle school. And high school. And college. And the majority of my twenties.

Sigh.

Those Valentine-less scars run deep!

Who could forget being assaulted with all things red and pink and hearts and flowers and chocolates in heart-shaped boxes from mid-January through mid-February. Seriously, you couldn’t swing a dead cat without being reminded that, once again, you would be spending Valentine’s Day — and night — alone.

All alone.

What’s really hard to imagine is that in four years time I’ll be at a half-way point where I’ve had equal Valentine-less and Valentine-full years …

wow!

My middle-school-high-school-college-twenties self could never have imagined that a life with more Valentines-full days than -less could ever exist for my sad-sack-loveless self!

And while this mason jar craft certainly features hearts, it doesn’t mean it’s just for the Valentine-full. The Valentine-less can certainly enjoy a little mason jar candlelight as they enjoy a Hallmark movie. Or perhaps something from the incomparable Nancy Meyers. 🙂

How To Make Heart Cut Out Mason Jar Votive

Materials*

Wide Mouth Mason Jar (16 oz. Pints)

Scrapbook Paper (12″ x 12″ sheet) – p.s. I found this blue & green heart design at Michael’s

Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter

Scissors

Paper Cutter (optional)

Tape

Ribbon (optional)

Tea Lights (or flame-less candles, your choice!)

*Includes some affiliate links

Start with 12″ x 12″ sheet of paper and a heart cookie cutter.

Cut a strip 3 1/4″ wide X 12″ long.

Trace heart in center of sheet of paper (I traced the inside of the cookie cutter).

Gently fold in half (try not to create a deep crease) and cut out heart shape.

Center heart on mason jar.

Tape in place.

Fold over excess paper and tape in place.

Add a ribbon.

Add candles.

Light.

Oh, and I kept this heart cut out mason jar votive craft nice and neutral so both the Valentine-full and Valentine-less can enjoy!

Pin It!

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Winter Wreath with Painted Pine Cones & Buffalo Check Bows

January 28, 2020 By Linda 3 Comments

Winter Wreath with Painted Pine Cones & Buffalo Check – DIY Winter Wreath.

When I returned home from Florida in mid January, my house was still in full on Christmas mode.

And to really set the stage, my husband lit up all the twinkle lights to greet me after my late night flight home! 🙂

And when I say late night, I mean late late night. The cab dropped me off at 1 AM!

But all those twinkle lights greeting me after my late night flight made my heart sing.

Mostly because my two-and-a-half weeks in Florida were unbelievably stressful.

And mostly because leaving for Florida on the day after Christmas was a very abrupt, stark and unexpected end of my holiday …

which was a bit surprising since I spent much of December 2019 struggling to get in the Christmas spirit.

But landing in Florida on December 26th killed all Christmas spirit.

Sorry Floridians. But Christmas in warm(ish) weather is just not inspiring!

But now I’m back in Chicago. For now.

Okay, I’m back on the plane tomorrow for Florida.

But it’s still cold here. And it’s still winter here. So I needed a winter wreath for the front door.

Nothing Christmas-ee.

Just winter-ee …

Winter Wreath with Painted Pine Cones Tutorial

Start with a wreath form. I used a 14″ twig wreath. And fabric. You definitely want fabric. Or ribbon. Ribbon works too.

Personally, I used some leftover buffalo check in gray and white. I got my fabric from this Etsy shop …

Use that fabric (or ribbon) to tie a bow.

Tie two more bows. For a total of three.

Add faux eucalyptus sprigs. I got mine here (affiliate link). They easily tuck into the twigs on the wreath. No wires needed.

Add some faux roses. I’m pretty sure I got these from Michael’s. Again, like the eucalyptus, they just tuck into the twigs.

Finish with painted pine cones. Here’s a tutorial on how I painted mine. I attached using some floral wire.

And you’re done.

The only thing left is to hang it on your door!

Like so.

Pin It!

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Thanksgiving Dining Room

November 27, 2019 By Linda 2 Comments

Thanksgiving Dining Room – Thanksgiving Centerpiece & Table Setting.

I’m not hosting Thanksgiving this year …

but if I was, this is what my Thanksgiving dining room, table and centerpiece would look like.

And although I’m not hosting Thanksgiving, this is a monumental year.

And for many, many, many years following this year I will be hosting.

Indefinitely.

You see, my sister-in-law and her husband are moving. Opting for warmer climes in their retirement.

So she will be hosting this one last time … in the beautiful, cozy home where she raised her family … this year.

And after she leaves, our Thanksgiving celebration will become much, much, much more intimate. Mike and I and our kids. And Mike’s sister Sarah …

though I have the feeling she may travel at Thanksgiving time to visit her sister in the warmer climes that she loves so much.

There is something bittersweet about Thanksgiving this year.

I know this is a natural progression. Families expand. Families compress. And families expand again.

For my family, we’ve now entered the compression stage of life.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! 🙂

No Carve Pumpkin Crafts

October 21, 2019 By Linda 4 Comments

No Carve Pumpkin Crafts – Pumpkin Craft Ideas for Kids.

No Carve Pumpkin Craft Ideas - Halloween Crafts - Halloween Crafts for Kids - Fall Craft Ideas with Pumpkins - Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas with Pumpkins

I have a little pumpkin fail story to share with you all.

It was October 1993 and I had packed up all my worldly belongings and hit the road in my white-on-white Volkswagen Cabriolet convertible to Chicago. I had no job lined up, but I did have a really fun and funny fiance with the most amazing blue eyes waiting for me. And a really cool apartment to live in.

I was eager to start our life as a couple, to make a home together, and to create and celebrate traditions together.

First up was Halloween.

We didn’t have a front porch to decorate. We lived on the second floor of a building with four apartments. Our outside entry was four concrete steps.

Oh, and the chances of our getting trick-or-treaters was practically zero.

But I was eager to decorate for Halloween and we went ahead and got a couple of pumpkins from one of the many pumpkin patches that pop up on every empty lot in Chicago in the fall. We sat on the kitchen floor and carved them up. Then rinsed and dried the pumpkin seeds, sprinkled them with salt and popped them in the oven.

When it got dark, we put our pumpkins in the front window of our apartment and lit them up with candles.

And as they flickered away, we cozied up on the couch with our toasted pumpkin seeds.

The start of a great tradition. Right?

Oh how wrong I was!

The next evening as the sun fell, I decided to light up those pumpkins again. But when I removed their little pumpkin stem lids …

I jumped back.

And dropped the pumpkin stem lid.

Because the inside of the pumpkin was just filled to the brim with mold!

Yuck!

Apparently lighting a candle inside of a carved pumpkin inside of the house is not a good idea. And creates the perfect conditions to grow copious amounts of mold overnight.

Who knew?

If only no carve pumpkins were a “thing” back in 1993, I could have started a very different non-moldy tradition using any one of these no carve (and no mold!) pumpkin craft ideas … 🙂

Googly Eye Pumpkin

October 17, 2019 By Linda 2 Comments

Googly Eye Pumpkin – No Carve Pumpkin Ideas.

No Carve Pumpkin with Paint and Googly Eyes.

Can you stand just one more pumpkin project?Or are you all pumpkin’d out at this point?

I’m on the fence, honestly.

But I’m going to forge ahead with one more pumpkin craft. Just one more. I promise it’s the last one …

for this year.

But, seriously, isn’t this googly eye pumpkin just the cutest? It reminds me of when I was young and always veered towards the cute.

Okay, that’s not 100 percent accurate. Because, honestly, I still can’t help being drawn to the cute. Put a googly eye on a piece of fruit or vegetable and I’m all in. Or how about those edible googly eyes that people put on cupcakes and desserts. Again, I’m all in!

Plus this project cost me zero dollars. The cutesy in me picked up a bag of googly eyes years ago.

Can you believe it took me this long to get my googly eye fun on!

Added bonus: this pumpkin was so easy to make. Paint, googly eyes, and a glue gun is all you need.

Oh, and a pumpkin too! Can’t forget the pumpkin!

How To A Make Googly Eye Pumpkin

Materials

Pumpkin (real or fake, your choice)

Black Acrylic (or Chalk) Paint

Googly Eyes

Glue Gun

*includes some affiliate links.

Two coats black paint.

Grab a googly eye.

Attach with glue gun.

Press in place.

And you’re done!

Easy. Cute. And it plays nice with my fancy bejeweled and flowered pumpkins (link below).

Pin It!

Googly Eye Pumpkin. No Carve Pumpkin with Paint and Googly Eyes.

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No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins

October 10, 2019 By Linda 9 Comments

No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins – Glam Pumpkin Craft Idea.

No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins - Rhinestones on Pumpkins - Bling Pumpkins - Glam Pumpkins - Painted Pumpkins.

My front porch is sad. And empty.

It’s naked.

I really, really want to decorate it. I really, really want to put my terracotta pumpkins out there. I really, really want to purchase some unique pumpkins in various colors, sizes and shapes from Trader Joe’s. Along with some mums.

But I’ve been holding out.

And now the neighbors are showing me up. Big time. They’ve pulled out their A game this year …

You see, I decided early in the summer that this is the year I’d give my porch a refreshing coat of paint.

It’s chipping. And looking pretty run down.

But as the summer progressed, I progressively came up with excuse after excuse of why I need to wait until next week to paint it.

It was too hot.

It was too rainy.

It was too close to our vacation and I didn’t want to potentially leave the project half finished.

It was too close to taking Molly to college and I was distracted with all that entailed.

It was too expensive so I’ll just wait for a Sherwin Williams sale/coupon.

And next week turned into months …

… and eventually a whole new season!

All too soon my next week excuses will include a) it’s too cold and; b) it’s snowing!

But I’m going to be totally serious here: NEXT WEEK I’ll be painting that front porch.

And when it’s dry, I’ll be decorating the bejeezes out of it!

Watch out neighbors.

In the meanwhile, I’ve been having some no carve pumpkin fun. Remember those little orange pumpkins I used for my orange, black and white table setting (see here). I decided to dress them up with some crystals, pearls and roses …

How to Make No Carve Jeweled Pumpkins

Materials*

Pumpkins (found mine at the grocery store)

Paint – White, Off White/Cream, Gray – I used Rustoleum Chalked Paint

Stick-on Rhinestones

Stick-on Pearls

Mini Ribbon Satin Bows

Small White Beads

Glue Gun

Tweezers

*includes some affiliate links.

Tape stems and give your pumpkins two coats of paint. I used chalk paint because a) I like the matte finish and; b) it dries quickly!

Remove tape. At this point I was going to spray them with matte sealant but I forgot. Ah well. Since these pumpkins are real, they’ll be tossed soon!

Grab your stick-on rhinestones …

and start sticking on! I just eyeballed spacing.

The Jersey in my is loving the glam!

Now grab those stick-on pearls …

and start sticking on!

Reminds me of my pearl necklace!

Which reminds me, when is that cardigan and pearls style trend coming back? I think it’s time for a revival!

Next up are the silk mini roses and pearls. I used to sew these onto the collars of onesies for my nieces to dress them up!

You need a hot glue to apply these.

For the little pearls, I used hot glue and tweezers to affix them.

I then I need to do a little paint touch up!

So cute!

If only these were waterproof, I could put them on the soon-to-be-painted-next-week-pinky-swear front porch and really razzle dazzle my neighbors!

🙂

Pin It!

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Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral

October 8, 2019 By Linda 14 Comments

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral – Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas.

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral - Thanksgiving Table Setting Idea - Pumpkin Centerpiece Idea - Pumpkin Table Setting Idea

The weekend before last I returned to New Jersey.

Thanksgiving Table Setting Idea - Pumpkin Centerpiece Idea - Pumpkin Table Setting Idea - Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral -

And, yes, I can hear your moans and groans about New Jersey. The snarky “poor you.” And the “why would you?”

But can I defend my birth state for a minute here?

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral - Thanksgiving Table Setting

Sure, Jersey conjures images of the stinky New Jersey Turnpike. Or crime-addled Newark. Or those Jersey Shore folks from MTV (who, by the way, are not from New Jersey!)

But New Jersey actually has some really, really pretty parts.

Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral -

Stop laughing!

Jute Pumpkin DIY - Jute Crafts for Fall - Fall Table Setting in Gray, White, Jute, Neutral - Thanksgiving Table Setting Idea - Pumpkin Centerpiece Idea - Pumpkin Table Setting Idea

Our adventure began at Newark Airport. It’s quadrupled in size since I last flew in/out of that airport. And stepping off the plane onto one of the new concourses was mind melding.

Seriously.

I thought we may have landed in Tokyo. Or Singapore.

The concourse was super, duper high tech. Tables with iPads at each and every seat replaced the traditional benches you typically see outside gates. The center of the concourse was a giant bar/restaurant with an iPad at each chair.

Did I mention it was mind melding?

You could use the iPads to order food. Or drinks. Or go online. Or shop. Or, or, or …

a hundred other things you could explore based on all the apps loaded on each one.

After we finally figured out (with some airport personnel assistance) how to find the rental car, we hit the road.

And it didn’t take long … as we headed north west to the destination of my niece’s wedding … for me to realize that New Jersey is actually pretty lush.

Lush!

Seriously, stop laughing!

Living in the Midwest for so many years I’ve become accustomed to everything being flat. But New Jersey? Well, at least the northwestern part of New Jersey is hilly. And lakey …

yes, I said lakey as in we were in a region with lake communities.

On the afternoon before the wedding, we joined my sister and her husband for at a lovely (and very Pinteresty) lakeside restaurant. The day was gorgeous. The views spectacular. Yes, the views in New Jersey were spectacular …

I can still hear you snicker …

and the wedding was beautiful. A Pinterest dream. At a remote historic site with multiple barn-esque structures for the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception.

The bride was beautiful. The groom beamed. And my brother (the father of the bride) was filled with such pride and joy!

And me?

It was so wonderful to reconnect with my family — all together in a single space — after such a long time apart.

And it was wonderful to reconnect with my birth state and remember that New Jersey has some really beautiful parts.

Oh, and we actually caught some early fall foliage in those lakeside towns.

Beautiful!

You can stop laughing now. 🙂

Pin It!

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October in the City

October 5, 2019 By Linda 14 Comments

Fall Front Porch with Pumpkins and Mums – Chicago Front Porch for Halloween.

It’s the first Saturday of the month and you know what that means …

okay, so you probably don’t know what that means since it’s only the second month I’m participating in this blog hop.

But for future months it means it’s time to for me and some of my blogging friends to get all warm and fuzzy for the upcoming month by sharing … well … things that make us warm and fuzzy about the upcoming month! It’s part of a Cozy Living series organized by the fabulous Jennifer at Town & Country Living. You’ll find the links to my fellow Cozy Living bloggers at the end of the post.

There are some years when October is right up there as one of my favorite months of the year: those years when October delivers the most amazing Indian Summer. Perfect crisp-but-not-too-cold temperatures requiring only a light jacket or sweater or hoodie. A month when you can swing open the windows and let all that fresh (city of Chicago) air inside!

And then there are the years when October does me wrong. When it’s day after day of gray skies and rain. When light coats and sweaters are covered by heavier waterproof jackets and rain boots.

But either way … whichever October decides to show up … my all time favorite part of this month is dressing up the front porch for Halloween!

And I gotta tell you, Chicagoans takes dressing up their front porches for Halloween super seriously.

Olympic level serious.

Some with much bigger displays than any Christmas lights show.

Some go super, duper spooky.

Some go super, duper cutsie.

And some (like me) some try to strike a balance in-between.

I’ve changed things up over the years (though the mums & pumpkins combo on the steps has pretty much remained a staple). Like back in 2012 when I had bats flying across the door.

More recently, at my daughter’s insistence — I’m thinking she’s siding with the super duper spooky folks — we’ve recently added some skeletons to the mix.

Our front yard was pure dirt last October (thankfully there is some nice lush grown-from-seed grass out there now). But last year we placed the bones in the yard, and after a few heavy rainfalls, the skeleton looked like it was just unearthed …

and ready for an episode of Bones! 🙂

Be sure to visit my Cozy Living blogging friends to find out what gives them the warm and fuzzies in October!

Duke Manor Farm / Creative Cain Cabin / Sincerely Marie Designs / Town and Country Living

Vinyet Etc. / Finding Silver Pennies / Hymns and Verses / It All Started with Paint

Jute Twine Pumpkins

September 26, 2019 By Linda 4 Comments

Jute Twine Pumpkins – No Carve Pumpkin Craft Ideas.

Jute Twine Pumpkins - No Carve Pumpkin Ideas - Fall Craft Ideas Using Jute - Fall Craft Ideas for Pumpkins

Not that I’m counting — I’m soooo 1000% counting! — but this is my sixth craft project using what I already have at home.

I’m so amazed at myself!

And, yes, I’m 1000% patting myself on the back!

I seriously didn’t think I could keep this up. That after a project or two I would ultimately give in and dash off to the craft store. But no. I’m really pulling this off.

And, yes, I’m 1000% humble bragging!

Total aside, I’m seriously saving so much in gas money too!

But aren’t these little jute twine pumpkins just glorious?

And when was the last time I ever used the word glorious on this blog? I’m thinking 1000% never.

I’ve been watching some YouTube videos (and when I say watching, I mean binging) of a travel Vlog from a couple who live in Wales. And they generously use the word glorious.

And lush.

And posh.

And delightful.

And I 1000% love all those words and need to incorporate them into my vocabulary. Stat.

In the meanwhile, I’ll just share how you can make your very own delightful, glorious, lush and posh jute twine pumpkins.

And they’re 1000% easy to make!

How To Make Jute Twine Pumpkins

Materials*

Jute Twine

Ruler or Yardstick

Tape

Scissors

*includes some affiliate links.

How To Make Twine Pumpkins - DIY Jute Pumpkins - Fall Craft Ideas with Twine - Fall Craft Ideas with Jute

Cut a length of twine that is slightly larger than 12″

Tape down both ends to ruler.

Tape a new length of twine to ruler (I didn’t cut this piece and just un-spooled as needed from the twine spool).

Wrap twine around the ruler (not too tight or it will be impossible to remove from ruler!).

Continue to wrap until you have a little over 9″

Gently remove from ruler (make sure to first untape all ends and to keep hold of the original 12+ inch length of twine taped to both ends of the ruler.

Like so.

Tie a knot using the two ends of the original length of 12+ inches of twine. Pull tight.

Also tie a knot using the two loose ends of the twine used to wrap the ruler. Don’t pull too tight when knotting to keep the pumpkin “loops” a consistent size.