More Autumn Decorations...

Pardon the monotony of today's post. An interesting little nature lesson was originally planned for today, but it was a bust. I am not going to disclose the failure quite yet in case I can figure it out for the future. At any rate, I am pulling what was supposed to have been next Monday's post as a substitution, so you're stuck with another piece on fall décor!

Taking a head-on picture of our mantel is tricky because of the mirror. When you look straight on, the reflections of the staircase and wall become distracting, so here is a side view.

You recognize my large glass jar. It's fun to use seasonally and now is filled with the oversized metallic acorns I bought at Hobby Lobby last year.

Its new companion was a recent find at a moving sale. In perfect condition with no chips, I was able to obtain this vessel for $2. I later saw it at Hobby Lobby for the regular price of $50. I filled it with these autumn leaves I already had.

The trio is completed by my cloche that my parents gave me a few years ago. I have used it in a million different ways. Since I am using little scarecrow touches in my decorations this fall, I borrowed this cute guy from my mother...and he is the perfect size!

To balance the mantel, I used this wreath that I have had forever. I know it's at least 15 years old.

Have a good weekend and maybe you'll see the originally-planned post in the future!!

Autumn Vignette

Since I shared the dining room table yesterday, here's a peek at the autumn vignette on the buffet.

It's tricky to photograph in there because our turn-of-the-century buffet has a mirrored back, so  please try to ignore the reflection of the door and windows and focus on the surface. Additionally, it's a cloudy day so the need for lighting didn't help with glares.

Did you notice the little owl shakers from Tuesday's table? They flew in to perch! I needed to keep the vignette simple since the pumpkin centerpiece (which I shared yesterday) is on the busy side. I pulled  this candlestick and grapevine pumpkin from my stash and placed them on my felt fall runner, which was a gift from my parents years ago. I love using it!

Then I decided that I needed a print. I was happy to find this free printable online, so I stuck it in a frame and called it a day.

Today, and always, count your blessings!

Pumpkin Centerpiece

I have seen so many pretty decorative pumpkins this year. There are glass, fabric, painted and mercury. When I heard that Dollar General carries the latter, my mother and I went to check them out. I thought it was handsome, but the battery-operated light within really sealed the deal. For $10, it came home with me!

Inspired by some advertisement catalogs that came in the mail, I decided to emulate one of the pumpkin groupings I keep admiring. Using the new pumpkin and then pumpkins, autumn leaves and mesh ribbon that I already had, I put together this centerpiece for our dining room.

In the evening, I turn on all of the electric candles.

I can leave this arrangement in place through Thanksgiving, so that works for me!

Enjoy your day!

Tuesday's Tablescape

Today is the perfect autumn day! The sun is bright, the temperature is in the lower 70s and the sky is that gorgeous "September blue". I've been decorating for fall, so this tablescape seemed appropriate with its autumnal touches.

I love the centerpiece, but it's not mine. It's on loan from my mother's stash.

The glazed green base goes well with my fine green plates (which came from the dollar store!) and my...

antique gold glass sherbets (which were a dime a piece at a yard sale!). If you join us, I hope you're not thirsty because I completely skipped adding glasses!

Whooo else loves these salt and pepper shakers? They were given to me when I was in 7th grade and had belonged to my Great Grandma Snook. She had an extensive collection of shakers and my sister and I each received a set when she passed away. I still adore their whimsical roly-poly eyes!

Are you thinking fall today? I hope your day is going well!

Swedish Meatballs

A few weeks back when we went to IKEA, we enjoyed their Swedish meatballs for lunch. I was inspired to try my hand at this entrée after reading a recipe in my current issue of Simple and Delicious (October/November). If you happen to subscribe to the magazine, their Swedish meatball recipe is on page 20. I tweaked just a few things (as reflected below), but liked it because it didn't take too long to prepare and the meatballs were similar to the texture and flavor of what I was expecting. There are several versions of this recipe online, so you can always pick and choose what you think sounds best!

Swedish Meatballs

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup crushed oyster crackers crumbs

1/4 tsp. plus an extra shake or two of seasoning salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1/2 pound ground round

1/2 pound ground pork

1/4 cup flour

1 can beef broth

Mix egg, crushed crackers, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in ground meats, thoroughly combining so the ingredients are evenly mixed throughout. Shape into 1 inch balls (I used my scoop for uniformity) and place in a plastic bag which contains 1/4 cup flour. Toss until coated. Brown meatballs in a smidgen  of oil in a large skillet. Add the can of beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. Whisk in a few Tablespoons of flour into the beef broth until the gravy is smooth and thickened and cook for a few minutes. Return the meatballs to the gravy and heat through. Serve with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with parsley. This goes well with a hot vegetable and side salad.

If you decide to try this dish, I hope you enjoy it!

Front Porches and Fireflies

I love front porches and fireflies! What's better than sitting outdoors and watching nature's little lights in the dark sky? Now, however, the days are getting shorter, the nights cooler and soon it will be time to bid farewell to my favorite little insects. In fact, I am noticing very few fireflies these days; there were just a handful last night. So, I guess it's time to add my own light to the porch. I had been on the lookout for a small lamp and look what I found Saturday at a sale.

It's just the right size, is heavy enough to keep from being blown off the garden stool and was affordable (yes, I tested it before spending my 50 cents!). Its base even sort of mimics the garden stool base. I ditched the oversized deteriorating shade and got this affordable one at At Home.

Using a scrap of Mary Engelbreit fabric from my craft room, I decided to cover the shade. I just traced the shade by slowly rolling it on a large piece of scrap paper, added a 1/2 inch at the top, bottom and sides, and cut it out. Then I used that pattern to cut the freshly-pressed fabric. I sprayed the reverse side with adhesive and attached it to the new shade.

I can do a different shade for use later on during other seasons and easily switch it out.

I hope your weekend shines and that you have a few minutes to sit on the porch and watch the season's last fireflies!

Happy Fall!

Fall is here and everyone seems ready for pumpkins, mums and autumn leaves. The only problem is that summer still has its grip on us, so I decorated the front porch for fall in 90 degree weather!

Remember when I met Mary Engelbreit at a local meet and greet (see Merriment)? My favorite produce market carries her line of garden fairies, flower pots, garden flags and doormats. I bought this mat from them in preparation for fall and decided to put a more whimsical spin on the porch this year.

I thought Mary Engelbreit's iconic black and white checks would be a darling ribbon to use in the swag over the front door. Even though my search yielded no results, I couldn't give up on the thought. What to do? I found a Duck brand duct tape they call black and white checkered (is that a word?!), so it made me think.

What would happen if I made my own? I found this black ribbon and...

ran the tape down the center to get what I needed/wanted.

As I used to tell my students, you must be a problem-solver!

Happy fall! I wish you could join me on the porch!

This and That

You can imagine my shock when I was recently contacted by a company who had read one of my little ole' posts! It was after I wrote "Scrub"-a-Dub-Dub (click here if you missed it: Scrub-a-Dub-Dub)  that the makers of Scrub Daddy and Scrub Mommy wrote me to offer one of their company T-shirts in recognition of what I'd written. I told them I'd be honored to wear their shirt and not just while cleaning! By the way, I recently saw the Bed, Bath and Beyond ad and they now carry Scrub Mommy in addition to Scrub Daddy and there is a new product called Scrub Daddy Eraser. I will be buying one of those erasers to give it a whirl since I think so highly of their product line!

On an unrelated note, just the other day someone asked me one of the blog-related questions I often hear so I decided to address some FAQs.

Where do you store all of your decorations?
I recently addressed this. See Storing "Stuff" if you missed it.

Do you really use all of your dishes?
Yes, I really do. I think it's foolish to have something that you don't use and enjoy. If you've grown tired of a set of dishes or have some you don't use, consider giving  them to someone else to enjoy. Otherwise, you're just using up valuable cupboard space.

Aren't you afraid that you'll chip family dishes if you use them?
There is always that risk, but I consider it's a risk worth taking. Use and enjoy! One of my favorite lines is from the Little House on the Prairie television series. The mother, Caroline, received some "fancy" dishes and she said it best when she stated, "Special dishes are not for special occasions...they are for special people."


Is your table always set?
The dining room is often set with a seasonal tablescape, but not always. We use the kitchen table each day, so the tablescapes you see there are typically just for the day. Summer is a bit of an exception because we eat on the patio a lot, so sometimes a kitchen tablescape could sit for a few days these days.

Do you ever use paper plates?
I don't use paper unless I have to do so. In addition to being addicted to dishes, I am a recycling queen and am conscious of what goes to the landfills. There are times, of course, when paper plates are the most practical idea for a particular situation, such as a picnic.


How many sets of dishes do you have?
Well...between china, seasonal and everyday sets, I would estimate that I have around 20. That excludes sets of four dessert/salad plates which I have and those are primarily seasonal in design. I have a small cupboard full of those.

How do you come up with your post ideas?
It's probably my teacher brain in constant gear, but I'm always open to new ideas and projects and I love to share with others. I gain inspiration from other people, so perhaps I can also pass along some small nugget to somebody who sees my blog.

Do you know what you're going to write about ahead of time?
Again, it's probably the teacher in me that forces me to plan ahead of time. I  attempt to line-out the ideas a week at a time and liken it to my lesson plans from my teaching days!

Do you decorate more now that you're retired?
Not really, although I might be a smidgen more detailed these days. I have always enjoyed decorating and even did so while I was teaching. When I played school, I spent 50 hours a week in the building and then spent many additional hours at home on school work. Finding a few minutes to decorate, though,  was always a treat to me so I found a way to get it in. I would rather decorate or make something than watch TV, for example. I have never skipped decorating for a season or holiday.  I really don't have much more free time now than I did while I was in the classroom, though,  because I keep such a busy schedule!

Do you craft more now that you're retired?
Yes, I do. Time for crafting was limited to breaks and summertime so I had two crafting goals upon retirement. I wanted to expound upon card making ( I have stamped  for years) and learn to quilt. I have a card ministry in which I am able to create cards and then donate them to a local nursing home. I have completed a quilted wall hanging and am continuing to learn this art. It's fun to have time to craft with friends since that was a very limited opportunity while I was teaching. Of course, I am also interested in a variety of other crafts,  which I  pursue when I'm able...and there is always my passion for spray painting!

Now I have a question for you.
Aren't you tired of FAQs?

Tuesday's Tablescape

I've always been drawn to cobalt and white pieces so you can imagine how these two items caught my eye at a yard sale Saturday. The sturdy candleholder can be used in a variety of ways and the little plate is intended to be a wall hanging. At 50 cents each, I scooped up both!

They inspired today's tablescape, so I picked through my cabinet and put together a cobalt and white table with red apple accents.

This plate was given to me by my paternal great aunt and uncle. It's a family heirloom which belonged to my great grandparents, so it's a treasure. It is usually on display in the dining room.

This is Saturday's plate, which I rested on top of a white plate.

These two plates and the rectangular centerpiece platter were gifts I received for Christmas years ago. They, too, are typically on display.

Although the centerpiece apples are faux, this one is the "real deal".

If you're local, your mouth is already watering at the sight of this treat. It's a Merb's Bionic sold at our area Dierberg's grocery stores. Unlike any caramel apple you've ever tasted, the silky covering is just the right sweetness to complement the tart Granny Smith within. Large, flavorful pecans top it off. They are big on flavor, but too large  to eat solo! We will be sharing this after dinner tonight.

Enjoy the remainder of your day!