GET YOUR HOME FALL-READY Simple, Affordable DIY Projects You’ll Love
Housewares stores are currently full of cute autumn decor, but the cost of refreshing your house’s look each season adds up quickly. Fortunately, you can do a lot for less. Many DIY crafts are not as complicated as you might think. In addition to saving money, you’ll create personalized charm none of your neighbors can match. REPURPOSE YOUR PUMPKINS. Small gourds are incredibly versatile. Just sprinkling a few around your dining room table or mantle makes it feel like fall. But you can quickly elevate them using metallic paint to add cute designs, phrases, or names. Another option is to wrap seasonal fabric around them like a pouch, gathered at the stem. If you feel more ambitious, you can also use pumpkins to make succulent planters. Cut a crater in the top of the pumpkin, pop in the succulent and soil, and press the dirt until snug. LIGHT UP THE NIGHT. The soft glow of a lantern or candle is the perfect way to get the cozy vibes started. Instead of succulents in the top of your pumpkin, you can set wax and a candle wick to create
something unique. If you’re bored with pumpkins, try the same with acorn caps.
An even simpler idea involves glazing real or fabric leaves on the outside of mason jars with craft glue. Then add decorative stones and a wax or battery- operated tealight for a seasonal twinkle. DECORATE YOUR DOOR. Wreaths are a DIY staple for several reasons. They’re easy for beginners to make and can set the tone for your home by offering visitors an autumnal focal point. You can buy a variety of starter wreaths at the craft store, so find one that suits your taste. Then pick up other supplies like leaves, pine cones, dried corn, and ribbon. Now you’re ready to hot glue to your heart’s content and create something distinctive. If you need further ideas, look closer the next time you shop. Many of the fun fall items for sale aren’t very difficult to make yourself with a few minor adjustments and a little creativity.
JOURNEY TO MNSOM LOVE, WAR, AND MUSIC
LIDIIA NEMIROVA’S INSPIRING
Vocal teacher Lidiia Nemirova took an unlikely path to Minnesota School of Music. While she had long planned to teach music, she expected to do it in her native Ukraine. But the Russian invasion changed many of her plans. Lidiia got involved in music at a young age, starting violin lessons at 5 and switching to piano at 6. She picked up vocals as a teenager and studied music in college. During school, she enjoyed teaching piano to adults and assisting with lessons for 8–9-year-old refugees. She began her first official teaching job at MnSOM in February 2023, and she adores working with students. “The kids love it here,” she says. “They say they were waiting for their lesson all week. Eric creates an atmosphere where the kids are glad to come back.” Becoming a new teacher has been an exciting journey. “I enjoy that I can explain things I didn’t understand with my teachers,” she says. “I want to describe difficult ideas in simple words, and I love when even a 7-year-old understands what I mean.”
love story is prime material for a Netflix film. She was assisting eastern Ukrainian refugees at her church in western Ukraine when the air raid siren sounded, and everyone headed to the basement. She met Vlad and his brother there. They had nowhere to go, and the church was full, so Lidiia and her family offered them a place to stay. “We thought these two guys would be at our place for 2–3 months,” she remembers. “And they stayed for four months.” The couple eventually fled to Poland but had trouble finding work because they didn’t speak Polish. Fortunately, she says, “My generation has English lessons from second grade,” so the United States was a better fit. Lidiia and Vlad married and came to the United States one week later. She applied for the position at MnSOM on her first evening in the country and interviewed the next day. “It was a miracle,” she says. Through everything, Lidiia has maintained a positive outlook. “Sometimes, bad situations can bring you to a good place,” she says. “The war was the biggest trauma of our lives, but in the end, we’re glad we are here. Now I’m working my dream job.”
While Lidiia loves her new job, coming to America as a refugee has been difficult. She and her husband, Vlad, joke that their
2 • www.mnschoolofmusic.com
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