{Found – Country Living}
Tag: country living (page 1 of 1)
I’ve been busy pinning some Halloween tricks, treats and ideas onto my Halloween Pinterest Page so come on over and join me there:
1. Halloween Pumpkin Punch from Honestly Yum
2. Witch Cupcakes from Country Living
3. Spider Cupcakes from Bakerella
4. Oreo Milkshake from My Baking Addiction
5. Hi-Hat Brownies from Dieters Downfall
1. Halloween Candy dishes from Martha Stewart
2. Papier Mache Puppets from Mermag
3. Bubblegum Necklaces from A Pretty Cool Life
4. Halloween Noisemakers from Martha Stewart
5. Candy Corn from The Purl Bee
1. Witches by Phoebe Wahl
2. Charlie Brown Poster Tumblr
3. Star Wars
4. Halloween Entertaining from Country Living
5. Frankenstein and his Bride
Doesn’t this picture just make you want to have a pumpkin party? It certainly makes me want to have one! I can see the picnic table now, covered with newspapers and pumpkins all sat at the ready to have bewitching or bemusing faces carved into their rich orange ribbed flesh.
As your guest carved away you could serve popcorn balls, apple slices with oozey goozey caramel to dip or maybe fresh baked doughnuts rolled in cinnamon and sugar and hot apple cider.
Candles lit as night falls in, good music playing while everyone carves away and just enjoys each other’s company and a lovely crispy fall evening for it to take place in… I’m ready for a pumpkin party, how about you?
(Image Country Living)
Today, as September comes to a close the last little taste of Summer is clinging to it. Even though the sun shone bright this morning, through the mist on the common, it was still so cold. Our breath hung in little icy moisture droplets above us as we waited for our cherry red bus to come.
I love Summer and all it holds, but I love this time, when seasons change from one into the other and as the curtains draw on the final little bit of Summer and we kiss it goodbye, I welcome, with arms open-wide, all the best that Fall has to offer us. And one such thing is a bounty of gorgeous apples. I grew up on a farm and one of our staple crops were apples. There was nothing better than when my Dad, came home with the first of the year’s apple cider in frosty jugs for us to gobble down.
Apples in season, meant ever-ready bushels of sweetness awaiting us. Thin sliced apples with crackers and hoop cheese, fresh frosty cider, my Dad’s applesauce for breakfast and my Mom’s apple butter spread over hot biscuits. Fall holds a sweetness to it all of its own, a beauty of color and taste.
As we truly kiss the last of Summer goodbye and welcome in Fall, I found a recipe that I thought I would share with you, I have had cookies similar to this growing up and this was just something to delicious not to share!
Iced Apple Cookies
- 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
- 1/4 teaspoon(s) cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon(s) nutmeg
- 1 1/3 cup(s) (packed) light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup(s) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup(s) pecans, chopped
- 1 cup(s) raisins
- 1 cup(s) chopped Red Delicious apple
- 1/2 cup(s) apple cider
- 2 tablespoon(s) apple cider
- 3 cup(s) confectioners’ sugar
Directions
- Make the batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Cream the sugar and 3/4 cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the pecans, raisins, apples, and 1/4 cup apple cider.
- Bake the cookies: Drop by heaping tablespoon, 2 inches apart, onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten each mound slightly and bake 18 to 22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, remaining cider, and butter until smooth. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of icing over each cookie. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
(Recipe & Image copyright Country Living)
I love the idea of re-using things, even if you are using them for something other than their original intended purpose.
There are a few vintage pieces in our house that are used in a new way, like my Victorian pine cutlery tray; it has become the catch-all “pot” on the table for scissors, tape, pens; an old train box now holds cds and a vintage sweets crate is now the holder of my laundry items…
I have had this little project idea on the back-burner for awhile now, I can’t seem to find the right metal tray, but I know the one for me is out there.
In the mean time I thought I would share the Farm Chicks project idea with you that I want to do. Enjoy!
(Image and directions copyright Country Living Magazine – The Farm Chicks)
(Image by Norman Rockwell, saying from “simple country pleasures”, Country Living)
I have been so involved the last few days with all of my Christmas Fair projects I have almost forgotten it was pumpkin weather. Walking out into a crisp autumn day early this morning, to post a letter, I did remember!
It was the kind of English Autumn day where the sky was silver and the brilliant color palette of the leaves stood sharply against the silvery mist. As fallen leaves squeaked under my feet I started thinking about what I would carve on my pumpkin this year.
I love the “lantern” pumpkins that Country Living has in their latest issue. That would be a great idea for any occasion. I can just imagine having a barn party with “lantern” pumpkins guiding you down the hay bale path to a fun affair, like the Halloween party held in the barn at the end of Summer Magic, I love that movie!
They also showed how to turn mini pumpkins into votive holders. I have done that many times with pumpkins and apples, it is very effective and sets such a sweet tone to your table with leaves and ivy mixed in amongst them. It can also be a less expensive alternative to flowers if you are doing a dinner party on a budget. The votives work as both candle holder and decoration, with some foliage and twigs cut from your backyard or the woods and woven along the table you have an interesting display for not a lot of money.
I did a lot of printmaking in College, so, I loved their “Cinderella” Pumpkin Flower too. The carvings with the wood tools are so beautifully folksy. Or, maybe it is just that this orange pumpkin is contrasted against a pink background and I love PINK!
What are you carving on your pumpkins? Click here to go to the Country Living website for templates to create the pumpkin “lanterns”.
(All images used copyright Country Living)
I love pouring over Sarah Jane’s Blog. If you haven’t heard of her, she makes the sweetest illustrations. She has created some very cute cards for Halloween, the “You Spook Me” series are in her Etsy shop.
Her work is just whimsical, adorable, bright and happy! She is someone who inspires me and gives me hope in that she has worked hard on her own, starting small and through Etsy and her Blog she is now recognized worldwide. I am not looking to get recognized worldwide, I am just aiming to pay the bills by doing something that makes me happy.
My next goal is to start selling on Etsy, I think it would be a real opener to more opportunities for me. I read an article recently in Country Living and the woman who wrote the article, Katy McColl, has also written a book entitled: “Should I do what I love? (or do what I do, so I can do what I love on the side)”.
The title alone made me smile, I have stopped being in the rat race and although I have been looking devoutly for a job in the Art world, I am continuing on this path that feels right as things continue to fall into place on my road to happiness. I am doing the best that I can do with what I have and that is all you can really ask of yourself.
Click here to visit her Blog.