Outdoor Fall Decorating.

Okay, I am not the best nor the most creative decorator. But I tried my hand at turning the outside of my home into looking a little more fall/Halloween looking.
My flowers pots I have on either side of my garage have died. I thought about planting some fall mums in them, then decided to just fill them with pumpkins and squash. I stuffed some fallen leaves in between the pumpkins and such as well.{that bush in the background will turn a fiery red soon. I LOVE it!}

I have a bench next to my porch that I put a couple of pumpkins and squash on. I think we might stuff some of hubbie's old clothes and make a scarecrow to sit on the bench as well.

I took branches left over from when we trimmed our apples trees in the spring and sprayed painted them black. Then my pre-schooler and I put some spider webs on them and a couple of spiders.{we need to buy more of those spiders, I don't know where they all go!} We then stuffed the branches into our flower pots and added more pumpkins and squash!

I tied some Halloween ribbon I got from Wal-Mart last year when it went on clearance around my lights.

I moved my wood pumpkins I showed you here, onto my porch.{I still think I want to make a third one}.

And here's a picture of my porch. Not the best looking, but I feel like every year I get a little better! And I don't think I'm quite done with the porch yet, maybe add some corn stalks, and such.

2x6 wood pumpkins

I made these with some scrap 2x6's we had laying around. I had two different heights of wood. I sanded them down, then painted them a bright orange. I then sponged a darker orange over the top of that. The 'stems' were spare blocks of wood cut from a 2x2. I painted them a green then sponged a darker green over the top.
I just nailed the stems to the top of the pumpkins. But wood glue would work just as well!
I used some scrape pieces of fabric to tie around the stems.
I then painted some wooden hearts I had and glued them onto the pumpkins and added a little raffia to the hearts.
I think I might go buy another 2x6 to make a third pumpkin....

Zuchinni Soup

I'm sharing this absolutely delicious recipe with you that I got from my sister-in-law. We still have zuke coming out of our garden, and the weather has been cooler. So I've been in the mood to make soup!
This recipe is great if you have picky eaters because it is all puree'd up. No chunks of anything in it! Your kids{and hubbie} won't even know there is Zucchini in it! You've got to try it out!

Zucchini Soup

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, unpeeled and sliced thin{or shredded} chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 cup Butter
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Pepper*
1/2 tsp. Salt*
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Light Cream or Evaporated Milk

Saute onion and zucchini in butter until limp. Add chicken broth and simmer covered, for 15 minutes. Puree in blender and add cream of chicken soup, nutmeg,salt, pepper and cream. Blend. Heat and serve!
*I add more because I like more seasoning. Just add what tastes good to you!

Countdown to School blocks!

My pre-schooler is so excited for school to start! So I made her a countdown block set to count down the days till school starts! She doesn't start until the second week in September, but we can start the countdown now!

I used three different colored scrapbook paper. I cut them to the size I needed then I mod podged them onto painted blocks,{ the base is a 2x4 that I cut to about 7 1/2 -8 inches} then I used Vinyl for the numbers and lettering . But stickers or die cuts would work as well. Just glue those on.
These are the numbers you'll need~0,0,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7,&8{ make sure the 6 can double as a 9 if it's turned upside down}.
On the first block you use ~0,1,2,3,4,5. On the second block~6{doubles as 9},7,8,0,1,2.
I also have made these for Christmas here and Halloween here.
This has also been linked to a few show-n-tell sites here, here, and here.

Family reunion fundraiser items

I've been busy making a few items to donate to our Family reunion fundraiser. This is the first year we are doing a fundraiser, we'll see how it turns out! I think we will be raffling off items, with a few larger items being in a silent auction. All the proceeds will go to help fund future reunions!
So here's a few pictures of just a few items I've made and will donate for the fundraiser!
I'm putting together two packages that contain crochet headbands and hats for little girls/babies, that I bought at The Ribbon Retreat ,{SOOO afordable!} And I made the flower hair clips myself!~

Some Holiday Stackers. { I still need to make a summer one}~

A couple of small Pampered Chef gift sets I put together. { Did you know that Pampered Chef has an outlet store online? LOVE IT!!}~

Primary children's blocks~

I'll post some more pictures of more items later....

Stuffed Peppers

Okay, I realized that I hadn't shared any recipes for awhile. And one of my New Year's resolutions was to try out more new recipes. So, I've got a couple to share with you! This recipe I made last week. My sister-in-law made these last fall during one of her visits to good ole' Idaho. When I asked for the recipe, she couldn't find it. But she found one similar. So I used that as a basis and changed a few things. So, I don't have a very exact recipe for you to follow. I just kinda did things, but it turned out so good I wanted to share with you anyway! So just use this as a guideline and be creative when you make your own!

Stuffed Peppers

4 Red Bell Peppers,{ you can use green, but the red ones are a little sweeter}
1/2 lb. cooked ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
mushrooms
an 8 oz. bag of Montery Jack cheese

Cook peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes.
Oh, before you do this, wash and slice the top of your peppers. Scoop out the seeds. You can either leave as a whole pepper, or slice in half length wise, which is what I did. You can get more filling piled on them this way!
When peppers are done cooking, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

If using fresh mushrooms, cook in a pan in a leetle amount of oil. I have no idea how many mushrooms I used. I just used what I had left in my fridge.
Combine ground beef, rice, mushrooms, onions, salt and about 4-5 oz.of the cheese. Just however much you want!
Spoon into peppers and place peppers in a greased baking dish. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 30 min. Top with some more cheese and put back in oven until cheese melts. Enjoy! If you have picky eaters who don't want to try the peppers, the rice mixture is very good by itself!

Thanksgiving Turkeys for Pre-Schoolers

This last week, my daughter had a turn to bring a snack to pre-school. At first, I thought about making Navajo Fry Bread, because they had been learning about the Indians and pilgrims. And my husband is half Navajo, so I have his mom's recipe for fry bread. But then I saw these cute turkeys on a blog somewhere, and I thought I had to make them! Aren't they cute! Okay, some look a little deranged, but it was my first time making something like this!

I made them using oreo cookies, candy corn, Reese's Peanut butter cups, Whoppers and of course, frosting to hold them all together!

I asked my husband if they looked okay. If he thought the kids would like them. He said," They're pre-schoolers, all they're gonna see is sugar." He's right! They aren't going to care what they look like. It's all yummy goodies!

Snow Dusted Pumpkins

Okay, these look ALOT better in person! They look like I missed spots in the pictures, but they really are beautiful! They look like snow has fallen on them and are all glittery!

I hosted a 'Cents of Style' party the other day. This was my refreshments table. The Pumpkins looked so good on the table!

All I did was 'paint' some craft glue on my mini pumpkins and then dusted on some white glitter. Honestly, they sparkle and look so pretty in real life! You'll have to try it to see!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

I found this recipe on here, She found the recipe on Good Things Utah. I knew I had to try these!
I was going to take a picture to tempt you to make some of your own, but.... My hubbie had the camera, once again, and he was off hunting.
Honestly, I think it's time we each got our own cameras!
But trust me, these rolls are sooooo yummy! You have to try them!
The only thing I did different was make 1 1/2 times the frosting recipe. Because I LOVE frosting on my cinnamon rolls!



Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting!



Ingredients:



2 T. yeast

1/2c. warm milk

1/2 c. canned pumpkin

2/3 c. sugar

½ t. salt

1 egg, beaten

¼ c. melted, butter

1/4 t. ground cloves

1 t. cinnamon

4-5 c. bread flour

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed (On top of rolled out dough)

2 T. cinnamon (On top of rolled out dough)

2 T. melted butter(On top of rolled out dough)





Method: Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Wait 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, egg, sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon and cloves and mix well. Slowly add flour one cup at a time. Scrape down sides of bowl after each addition of flour. Turn into lightly greased bowl, cover and set in warm place until double in bulk. Punch down dough and let rest for 5 more minutes. Roll dough out into a rectangle.Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle the dough with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Starting with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seams to seal. With sharp serrated knife cut roll into 12 1 in. pieces.{ I actually use some floss or thread to cut thru the dough. Much easier!} Place rolls, cut side up in greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise until double, 30 to 45 minutes.Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle with caramel frosting as soon as they come out of the oven. Let cool until warm, add the rest of the frosting. Enjoy!



Caramel Frosting



¼ c. butter

½ c. brown sugar, packed

2 T. milk

¼ t. vanilla

Pinch of salt

½ c. to ¾ c. sifted powder sugar



In a small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over med. Low heat 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, salt, and powder sugar. Beat with Electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more sugar for desired consistency.

Pumpkin Cookies

This is another easy peasy recipe! Here are your ingredients....

Once again, use ONLY the Spice cake mix. NONE of the ingredients on the back of the box!
And for cookies you use a 29 oz. can of pumpkin.

Mix well. At this point you can either leave it as is, or add nuts or chocolate chips. I prefer to use chocolate chunks in my baking!

mmmm.....

Then drop by tablespoonful, {I have a handy dandy cookie scoop that I use},onto a greased cookie sheet.Bake in oven at 400 for about 15 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rake. This recipe makes about 3 1/2 doz. cookies.

Don't they look yummy!

They look even better when you put some on a Halloween plate to take to the neighbors!

Don't you wish you were my neighbor?

Easiest Pumpkin Spice Muffins ever!

So I am going to share with you the easiest recipe EVER, {unless you buy them premade at the bakery} for making Pumpkin Spice Muffins.
You ready for a picture of the ingredients?
Here it is...
That's right! Two ingredients! One box of Spice cake mix. One 15 oz. can of pumpkin. That's it! Nothing else!

Dump it all into a mixing bowl and mix well.

Do not add any of the ingredients on the back of the cake box! Just the mix, and the pumpkin. Nothing else!

At this point, you can either leave it as is, or add chocolate chips or chopped nuts. I left it as is!

Fill your muffin cups, this doesn't rise, so you can fill them pretty full with out it spilling over during baking.

This recipe makes an even dozen!

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in one muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Don't they look good?

um....yeah. I had to have a bite. So good! Try them!

Pumpkin Bread

I made this over the weekend and was going to take a picture to get your mouth watering. But I couldn't find the camera. My hubbie had taken it hunting! I think it might be time for me to get my own... Anyway, my three nieces and nephew were over, so by the time I DID have the camera, there was no bread left to take a picture of.
But let me tell you, this is really yummy bread. I loved it and the kids loved it! You need to try it out!
I got the recipe out of 'The Essential Mormon Cookbook'. Again. But honestly, everything I try in this book is yummy! And I have to share it! Plus, it will make your home smell yummy!
{This would also be a good treat to take around to your visiting Teaching sisters, or your husbands home teaching families}


Pumpkin Bread

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix; set aside. In another bowl sift dry ingredients. Gradually add dry ingredients to creamy mixture. Beat until blended. Add chocolate chips and pecans, if desired. Grease one loaf pan or four mini loaves. Pour batter into pans. For one loaf, bake at 350 F. for about 1 hour or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. For mini loaves, bake at 350 F. for about 35-40 minutes. Makes one loaf or four mini loaves.

Glitter Pumpkins

I saw these pumpkins on Martha Stewart's show, like, 5-6 years ago. They are so easy to make and look great for the fall season.

Here's what you need to make them...

Mini pumpkins, mod podge{or any craft glue, I've even used Elmers glue before and it works fine}, a paint brush, and glitter. Now some people will say you need to use the really nice, fine glitter. But I just use my daughters craft glitter.

Paint some glue on your pumpkin...

Then sprinkle on some glitter and shake off the excess...

There you go! I put mine in a long wooden plate I got at Wal-mart last year for cheap. I think they still have something similar in the dishes aisle. Then I added some leaves and I wish I didn't run out of berries, I might go buy some more to add....

I ran out of the gold glitter, so the middle pumpkin doesn't have as much on it as the red ones. But I think it still looks good. You get the idea!

Fall blocks

Another Fall craft! And again, an easy one! { Please don't mind the stack of sheet music in the back ground!}

I had my hubby cut a 2x6 piece of wood into 8 inch blocks. AND he sanded the wood for me without me having to ask him! {I'm so lucky to have a husband like him!}
I sponge painted the wood a 'Bittersweet Chocolate' color that I got from Glidden Paint for free! I sanded the edges a little { the more you get to know me, you'll notice I almost always distress things }. Then I cut out some scrapbook paper to the size I wanted and mod podged it on. Then I added my vinyl letters and some ribbon.

Here's a little bit closer up shot of the blocks. I think it turned out pretty nice!

Autumn Stacker

Isn't this a cute fall stacker? It was soooo easy to make!
I had my hubby cut a 2x2{which is really about 1 1/2 x 1 1/2}. I sanded the blocks down.
Oh! the bottom block measures 10 1/2 inches.
Anyway, then I painted the bottom and top blocks a 'Terra cotta', and the middle block a 'Barn Red'. I sanded the edges jeeeest a little bit. Then I added my vinyl words. Easy, peasy! Less then half an hour, the only thing that takes time is waiting for the paint to dry.

'Harvest' Block

Okay, first off. I have to ask," Does anyone know why wood measures differently then what it is supposed to measure?" Example, I buy a 4x4, but it REALLY measures 3 1/2 x 3 1/2.

I couldn't remember what this block of wood was SUPPOSED to be. But right now it measures 1 1/2 x 2 1/2. And I cut it to a length of 8 in.

I didn't take step-by-step photos, because whenever I do they just seem to be all fuzzy...

Anyway, I sanded this block down and painted it an 'Autumn Brown'. Then I Mod Podged on some scrapbook paper. I cut the big H out of black vinyl, and the word HARVEST out of brown vinyl. I applied the big H first. Then HARVEST over that. I cut the leaves out of a piece of scrapbook paper that had leaves on it. And I Mod Podged those on as well. Then I just covered the whole front of the block with a thin layer of Mod Podge.



Turned out pretty cute, huh? I also made one for Thanksgiving I'll show you when we get closer to that time...