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Category: fall

Autumn Leaves Light Catcher

Autumn Leaves Light Catcher

I love Autumn (and Winter. And Spring. And Summer – okay, I love them all …). I love the crispness, the colors, the baking, the lack of mosquitoes, and the way the light changes. It is not quite Winter blueness, but not quite Summer intensity – kind of warm, makes you feel cozy, like you are being wrapped in a blanket.

DSC_0071Our trees are changing colors so quickly, and then shedding their leaves promptly – changing and moving toward Winter. I was looking out our back window the other evening, watching the light stream through our maple tree. The color was just so glorious. Knowing that the leaves would be gone in just another day or two, I wanted to capture a little bit of that gloriousness for a while longer, to enjoy the light in the leaves for a few weeks more. So – an Autumn Leaves Light Catcher!DIY Autumn Leaves Light Catcher materials needed:

  • an assortment of lovely fall leaves (collecting these would be a perfect opportunity for a Nature Walk)
  • a branch – this can be straight or curvy, your choice!
  • string (you could also use fishing line/monofilament to achieve a “floating leaves” look)
  • scissors

DIY Autumn Leaves Light Catcher

step 1:

tie the string to the stem of a lovely little leaf.DIY Autumn Leaves Light Catcher

step two: cut the string to the desired length and tie it to your branch.DIY Autumn Leaves Light Catcher

and continue these until you like the way it looks! I like the way staggering the heights of the leaves looked, but there really isn’t any “Wrong” way to do this. Just enjoy the process. :DAutumn Leaves Light Catcher Project

Once you have the leaves suspended the way you like, add one more string to hang the mobile with and find a place where the light will stream through. After that, just remember to take a moment or two every day to enjoy the beauty, let the warmth of color and light feed your spirit.

This could be altered in all sorts of ways – add feathers! Use paint pens to decorate the leaves! Or glitter! Really, the only limit is your imagination. :)

If you’re looking for other Autumn Inspiration, I have some lovely Autumn and Thanksgiving things on Pinterest.

 

<3

I’m baaaaack!

I’m baaaaack!

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Olivia is always a joy …

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…and LOVES to “help” with all things related to the shop ….

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…especially when it means she can ham it up for the camera. :)DSC_0121

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Our new Autumn Leaves Garland (inspired by a special request from one of you lovelies!)DSC_0075 DSC_0062

 Autumn Leaves Chair Banner

 How do you jump back into a game when you’ve been absent for so long? The good news is, this corner of the web has been quiet because life has been very, very good. So good, so full, that all my “little grey cells” are getting used up every day, all my energy poured out, and there really hasn’t been anything left to share with you here (because, really, you lovelies deserve so much more than the dregs of me!).

Anyhow, life keeps moving (meaning, there is much to catch you up on!) and changing, and it’s beginning to look like one of those changes might be me returning to this little space a little more often! I’ve missed you all so.

 

<3

sometimes you need to look past the thorns

sometimes you need to look past the thorns

autumn thistles | the Path Less Traveled autumn thistles | the Path Less Traveled

These were just simple weeds on the edge of a parking lot. Until I took a second glance, and saw the beautiful purple and green, the spiny forms that would look so lovely in a pewter vase on our autumn table.

How often this is true in life! Things, circumstances, people that we first see as simple, ordinary, or thorn-covered, when we look closer are beauty-full.

May you see the beauty in the everyday ordinary bits of your day today. <3

apple tarte tatin (sort of)

apple tarte tatin (sort of)

The other night I made one of my favorite simple desserts – an apple tarte tatin – and it was so simple that I didn’t use a recipe. I made it once from Williams-Sonoma’s Pie and Tart, and have been making a version of it every so often from memory. And they’ve all been really good. (and really simple to make – always a good thing : D)

To make our version, you start with a few apples (2-4, depending on their size) which you slice thinly. I like to leave the skins on, but I think if you wanted to make an authentic apple tarte tatin you would need to take them off.
Then you sprinkle about 1 cup of sugar evenly on the bottom of an oven-proof skittle/frying pan. Dot that with 4 tablespoons of butter and then arrange the apples on top. The round part (outside) of the apples should be facing the bottom of the pan – you will eventually turn the entire thing upside-down and the bottom will become the top.
Then you top the entire thing with a piece of pie dough (or puff pastry – both are absolutely delicious options) and tuck the edges down.

Bake it in a 375 degree oven for about an hour or until the apples are tender when you poke it with a fork.
Let it rest for about 5 minutes and then place your serving plate on the skillet and (very quickly and carefully) flip the tatin upside-down onto your plate.

The combination of caramelized sugar and butter and apples and flaky dough is amazing! You can serve it with ice cream or whipped cream, but to do so is really gilding the lily. : )

Oh! I also have started growing herbs on our kitchen windowsill and love it! We have a pot of basil that has been so delicious to use and the cilantro is almost ready. I started some rosemary too and am waiting to see if it will sprout. Fresh herbs have been so wonderful!

a bit of autumn loveliness from one of my favorite places

a bit of autumn loveliness from one of my favorite places

I opened my email account this morning and found that I had gotten an email from Crate & Barrel. It was so colorfull and fall-ish. So lovely. I clicked on over to their website and here are a few of the things I found:
pumpkin spice chai (it has a rooibos base, so it’s naturally caffeine free).
it looks as if it would go well with the acorn shaped dark chocolates and maple and gingerbread cookies that they are also offering. afternoon tea is served!

acorn dishtowels

pumpkin platter – imagine filling it with molasses cookies, or apple spice muffins or serving a pumpkin cheesecake on it. yum!


Now that I have done a little virtual window shopping I want to bake, to go for a walk and pick up acorns to put in a glass vase, and, just maybe, head over to Crate & Barrel? I know that heading over there won’t happen today (it’s 30+ minute drive from the new apartment), but it would be so nice to walk in and smell their yummy fall candles and baking mixes, see the table linens for Thanksgiving …..

Baby Smillie Update

Baby Smillie Update

pre-birth portrait, Nov. 7
This morning John and I went to visit the midwife again, this time to get my blood tested for GD. If all goes well, I won’t get a call on Monday – if they call back, I get to go again and sit in the office for four hours while they take blood samples to re-test.

The midwife said that Baby is currently breach with the head on my right (which explains why I have been feeling the strongest of the movements on my left side), and that the little one is growing rapidly. Everything still seems normal, and we are both healthy. John is doing quite well, too, in case you are wondering.

The only other news is that we are now on the two-week appointment schedule – I have an appointment every two weeks so that the ladies at the office can keep and eye on me (us). Baby will be here soon!