In the midwest, it’s time to face the facts. It’s fall. In fact, it’s been fall for a while now. We’ve been layering up and breaking out the sweaters. Speaking of sweaters, if you've browsed Pinterest for simple fall crafts, you've likely seen these cute pumpkins made from sweaters. We decided to give them a try with our own sweater find.

This post was originally posted July 7, 2012

Goodwill stores may not be the first thought in your mind when Valentine’s Day rolls around, but it should be up on the list. Your local store location easily offers date-worthy wear, even if it’s just comfy sweats for a night in. The donation door makes an easy drop-off for a long-procrastinated box of former Valentine’s things that no one wants to claim any longer, and the shelves are full of potential ambiance makers and supplies for sweet DIY gifts.

Jay Oliver became a fan of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana after touring The Excel Center, Indianapolis Metropolitan High School and Commercial Services facility. These tours allowed Jay to learn far more about Goodwill's mission and how much more there was to Goodwill than just a retail store.

We’re big believers in growing imaginations while reducing waste which is one reason why we love DIY kids Halloween costumes made from Goodwill finds. A few years ago, we were inspired by the movie Frozen to try our hand at the lovable woodland creature, the reindeer.

Setting the scene: You're hosting an autumn-inspired meal for a group of friends and though the food could speak for itself, you'd really like to add that Joanna Gaines touch to your table. Alas, your crafting and decorating skills—on a scale of one to ten—would be in the below zero range. Fear not, we've got the perfect craft for you! For around $8 and 10-15 minutes of your time, you can create a simple, elegant, fall-friendly decoration, make several for a centerpiece or scatter them around the house for a continuous touch.