Sunday, September 30, 2012

What's Up?

 
Tonite for the very first time I will be watching The Amazing Race on CBS.  Team Beekman, aka Brent and Josh are competing for the 2 million dollar prize. You know I am very fond of these guys, and it will be fun to see them in all the different situations that this game presents.  Did you know that their show, The Fabulous Beekman Boys is on the Cooking Channel?  On Thursday nights... Check the Cooking Channel website for times in your area.  They will show the first two seasons, hopefully the attention from The Amazing Race will get them a new season.  These guys are the sweetest!  Team Beekman, Yeah!

 
Baking...

 
Baking...

 
and melting...  I made some cupcakes and this autumn bark for dear Charlotte's birthday bar hop.  I frosted the cupcakes with cream cheese and  nutella frosting, Charlotte's favorite.  The pumpkin coffee cake was supposed to be for a Octoberfest we were invited to by our good friends Dot and Kev.  Unfortunately, hubby's tummy was not in the Octoberfest mood.  They'll go into the freezer for another day. The apple crisps are for the guys, and me.  More baking later this week for a meeting...can't bring the coffee cake, I already served it at our service night!  Gosh, I love to bake and I love this fall weather.  Take care my friends, have a great Sunday!! 


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Thursday, September 27, 2012

You Gotta Have Friends!!!

 
Dear Barb and Lynne my blogging pals from Michigan could not even get out of the car before I was snapping some photos to chronicle the big event.  This meeting has been in the making for over a year, with a almost meeting at Tipton last year. I met Barb once before, and this was my first meeting with Lynne.  It's amazing how much we already know about each other through our blogs and emails.  Though we have not spent much time together, we are already good friends.

 
Just look at these girls!  Sweet, charming, talented, warm, wonderful... You know I'm always looking for sisters, these are the kind of girls I'd choose. Did I mention beautiful?

I set the table with a little gift...A book they were supposed to get in Tipton, a vintage looking hand towel I made and an angel charm my Guild makes.

 
Barb made me this beautiful crochet needle keeper.  It's so pretty and embellished with old lace and pretty little sparkles and feathers. (The lavender sachet smells so good.)

The perfect place to hold my cherished crochet hook that was my Mom's  Thank you Barb, you are so creative and talented.  Barb and I met through a post I did on pirogi, you know the Polish dumplings.  We share a Polish heritage, plus a love for family, baking and babies.

 
This is my mystery box of Michigan chocolates from Lynne...Why, you might ask didn't I open them yet?  Because, once opened, they will disappear.  I am saving them for just the right moment when I can savor them with my family.  Thanks Lynne.  Lynne says she is not talented, but I've rarely met anyone so good at making friends.  We sat down and did a crafty project, and I have to say that Lynne jumped right in.

We made little sacks of simmering potpourri, and stamped a card to staple to the bags to seal them up.
I love crafting with friends, and with my own potpourri simmering on the stove, it set the mood
for a perfect fall afternoon.

 
The girls got to meet my hubby and our son Mike.  The conversation with Mike about tattoos and piercings would make a great blog post someday.  These girls are awesome. 

Thanks Barb and Lynne, for braving the highways and byways of Chicagoland to visit me. It was great to have you in my home, and I hope you'll visit again and again.   Check out their blogs... Babs Just a Babblin and Irish Garden House.  Safe travels Barb and Lynne!

Enjoy this beautiful day my friends!


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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Autumn's Mellow Time

 
I love how the light changes in the fall.  The angle of the sun makes everything look different.
This pitcher spoke to me, all crazed and stained.  It had a story...

 
It was used and kept in spite of it's stains and cracks. 

 
I was excited to find it at the little flea market, for a song!

 
Checked out the Pottery Barn windows for fall.

 
No new trends, except the metallic pumpkins.  So you know I came home and spray painted one.  Still needs something, perhaps...glitter? (Sorry Jean. She hates glitter!)  Not today...

Preparing for a visit, some friends from up north...I can't wait.  Enjoy this beautiful day my friends.


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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Weekend Bake Sale

 
I keep all my baking supplies in my island to have everything at hand when beginning to bake.  It is a idea I got from Martha years back and works so well.  I got an early start on my bake sale baking.

 
First I made the pumpkin coffee cake I wrote about before. 

 
Then apple crisp.

 
A little packaging...

 
Sure hope they 'go' and we make some money for our pet projects.

For the family I made some turtle cookies...used my favorite pudding cookie recipe, added chopped pecans, chocolate chips, and caramel pieces.  These will get sent off to NY, enjoyed by my guests this week and given the Willoughby Seal of Approval by the guys and Charlotte here at home.

Have I mentioned how much I love my family?  I've been missing everyone so much, as busy lives and distance keep us apart.  We started the day with a long face time with the whole family in NY, it was just like hanging out.  Then Charlotte spent the day and did homework while Jon worked.  Charlotte and I laughed and laughed...it felt so good to have a girl in the house!  Then as the guys came home we had a small celebration for Charlotte's birthday next week.  This Mama was HAPPY to have the nest filled again, if only just for a little while.
A busy week ahead, but one more day of beautiful fall sunshine to take in before we return to our regularly scheduled life.  Have a great day my friends.


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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Apple Time

 
We used the last day of our mini vacation to go to Edwards Apple Orchard in Poplar Grove, Illinois.

 
The ride is through a lovely countryside, passing beautiful fields and barns.

 
It was our first really cool day, and we were lovin' it! 

 
The barn at Edwards is picture perfect and the grounds are beautiful.

 
Could this farmhouse be any sweeter, even the truck is a peach! (or should I say apple?)
Inside the barn... Pumpkins covered in an unusual fabric...

 Gingham fabric pumpkins...


 Local honey...



Beautiful displays... I've made my own version of this candle.  I save my canned pumpkin cans and have filled them with candle wax, and a long wick.  Using the remains of last year's candles...mixing all the fall scents.  I do like the plain brown wrap of this candle.  It could be easily duplicated with stamps and computer generated words...

 The barn is awesome.


 Really beautifully done.


 Something for everyone, especially the vintage loving kind.


Scarves...  So many wonderful things to see, so much inspiration.  A perfect fall destination. 

The highlight of the day, the apple donuts!  Holy Smokes, they were so good!  It was a minor miracle that we got back with some for our son Mike.  The best we've ever had, and warm, straight from the kitchen!

That's it for vacation time till the holidays.  It was fun being home with my dearest, a lazy long weekend my hard working hubby really needed and deserved. 

I am anticipating a visit from two of my FAVORITE bloggers, Barb from Babs Just a Babblin and Lynne from Irish Garden House.  Barb and I met quite a while back, but Lynne and I have not.  Looking forward to meeting up with these two, the kindest of friends from the beautiful state of Michigan.  There is a Great Lake between us, but we have managed to forge a sweet friendship through our blogs, emails and even a phone call or two.  Can't wait to hug these sweethearts! Barb has the best recipes on her blog, a vintage camper that she and her dear hubby completely renovated.  They travel and camp in Glamping style.  Lynne tells a great story, has a big heart.  Lynne has the prettiest gardens and is my most faithful and supportive commenter. Both girls are adventure seekers.  Check out their great blogs, and I'll let you know if we get in any trouble together;-)

Enjoy this beautiful day my friends!



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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Autumn All Around

 
My potter's bench becomes a display space come fall.  I filled the jars several years ago with dried oranges...do you have a dehydrator?  Nothing smells as good as oranges drying, for me classic autumn.  Then there's nuts, multicolored popcorn and beans.  If you want to be a hit with the preschool set, fill a bin with beans for the young one to play in.  Measuring cups, spoons, cars...they will play for hours.  You will be finding beans under the sofa for quite a while ;-) Those corbels came from one of the oldest homes in our town. 

 

 
See how I am using the basket I made, it's holding fat wood kindling and firewood.
The first fire in the fireplace...sigh...so romantic.

 
I added some autumn plates to my tablescape I've had to dust a few times...
It is so pretty and I enjoy looking at it. 

 
Filled a vase with leaves and day lily stems I collect just for this purpose.  Those pots are from Southern Living at Home.  A few years back the home party hit my circle of friends, and you know how that goes...
You have a party for a friend and then your friend has a party... But, I have to say that Southern Living had some of the most beautiful pieces, that I still use for entertaining and decorating for all seasons.

I haven't forgotten my crafting, just other obligations taking me out and about.  I am loving this cool crisp weather we are having.  Hope you are having a great week too.  Thanks for visiting, and enjoy this beautiful day.


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