Fall Mantel

Although I decorated our mantel several weeks ago, I hadn't shared it yet. I wanted to keep it simple and seasonal. Don't be distracted by the reflection of the plantation shutters caught in the mirror.

I began with my favorite glass jar and filled it with oversized metallic faux acorns.  

To add texture, I set it on a burlap remnant and for dimension, I inserted some artificial fall leaves.

I coupled my chunky candlesticks (a teacher gift I received from a sweet family) with a picture I took a few years ago. To balance the leaves on the other end of the mantel, I added a sprig of matching leaves.

I typically pilfer through my stash when I decorate. Putting together new combinations for fresh looks each season is just the odd way my brain works! Sometimes people ask me where I store all of my loot. Labeled totes containing seasonal decorations go in a storage room in the basement. You can click here to look at a post in which I addressed the topic three years ago.

I hope your day was a good one!

Tuesday's Tablescape

With a hint of fall in the air, the colors in my grandparents' china seemed appropriate for today's table. The muted tones have always appealed to me.

My rooster not only matches the dinnerware, he also provides a rustic feel which seems especially fitting for this time of the year. By the way,  I love his snazzy tail feathers!

Blessings to you!

A Little Break...

We enjoyed some time away last week when we visited Branson, MO. This popular little Ozark town in southwestern Missouri is a common destination complete with numerous music theatres and attractions. Our idea of a great little break includes exploring a region and sightseeing which is exactly how we spent our days.

Poking around attractions like Ripley's Believe It or Not or Hollywood Wax Museum was enjoyable. More lighthearted than our usual stops, they were both well done and fun to see.

Historic tours are right up our alley, so we were eager to tour "Shepherd of the Hills" and were not disappointed. It was excellent. This old homestead from the turn-of-the-century is the actual setting of its famous namesake book.

Fascinating to see, this is the actual desk on which Harold Bell Wright penned the story, The Shepherd of the Hills in 1907.

A lovely old church was a part of the tour. 

The absolute highlight of the trip was going to Sight and Sound Theatre to watch the Bible story of Samson come to life. With over 2,000 seats, this famous theatre has a 300 foot long wraparound stage. 

Show pictures of Samson were not permitted, of course, but this dynamic statue was on display in the lobby.

This was our first Sight and Sound Theatre experience and we are now hooked! The next production, Noah, opens in the spring and runs through the end of December (2020). We plan to go see it.


We appreciate the rolling hills of Branson.

Look at Mr. Chipmunk who watched us as we watched him one day during a walk.

It was great getting away because a little break can make a big difference!

Moss Walls

We recently had the pleasure of attending a workshop/seminar at a local business called Growing Green. They specialize in interior plantings for office spaces, hotels, hospitals, shopping centers, residences, etc. This was a professional opportunity for my husband since he does business with them and my mother and I were invited to tag along. We were delighted to do so. Growing Green designs, plants and maintains planters of all sizes and shapes, green walls and they also provide and lease large scale seasonal decorations (trees, wreaths and planters in commercial lobbies). You can imagine how interesting it was to tour the facility, particularly the Christmas staging area!

Are you familiar with green walls? These trendy spaces are vertical panels, both inside and out, on which plants are grown or displayed. There are two types. Living walls host individually potted plants and create quite a statement.  Moss walls  require little, if any, maintenance since there is no soil base and the plant is dormant or preserved. The topic of the workshop was moss walls. Regrettably, I neglected to take any pictures of the examples they had in their showroom. 🙄 So, please click here to see the portion of Growing Green's website highlighting their incredible moss wall creations. The culmination of the evening was the opportunity for each of us to build our own mini moss "wall" (picture). We were provided our choice of frame, multiple moss options and a vast array of natural elements for embellishment. One could select anything from seedpods to small stones. Additionally, there were beautiful clear glass pieces in different colors. Equipped with hot glue and ample materials, our imaginations shifted into gear and we all began working. My husband chose a chunky wooden frame for his personal design.

My mother and I each selected a frameless option. The back of this type has an arm so that it sits up on a tabletop. 

It was a great experience and we had so much fun! 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Old Fashioned Apple Cake

Sometimes I forget about a recipe for several years, only to happily rediscover it and that was the case with this apple cake. A friend shared her recipe with me a few months ago and since autumn is the prefect time for apple desserts, I am sharing it with you! This recipe has been around forever and while there are numerous versions of it, most are basically the same. It is moist and flavorful and tastes like the apple cake you had when you were young.

Old Fashioned Apple Cake

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 cups diced apples

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 T cinnamon

Using a mixer, mix together oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla and then set aside. Peel and dice apples. Add to mixture. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to bowl of first ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased 9 by 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes until golden and done.

Top with a dusting of powdered sugar or serve warm with a scoop of whipped cream.

Click here for a printable version.

Happy baking to you!

Cotton Bolls and Gyros

I am sharing two completely unrelated product endorsements. 

Faux cotton remains a trendy decorating accent and these stems from Dollar Tree are pretty good quality.

Certainly not perfect replicas, I think they are comparable to others sold in craft stores and at a fraction of the cost. I was happy to find them in stock at our local Dollar Tree and picked up five. They sell really quickly, so you will want to check your store if you would like any. They are a seasonal item, so they won't be restocked when they are sold-out.

Whether clustered in a vase or woven into an arrangement of greenery, these will be fun to use. I plan to incorporate them in one of my trees this Christmas.

For many reasons, I am not a fan of premade food products so it's especially surprising that I am recommending this. 

When I read about this kit in our local restaurant supplier store ad, I decided to give it a try because I wanted to make a Greek meal. I admit that I did not have very high expectations, but was pleasantly surprised with the quality and taste. Everything is precooked and microwavable, but I prepared ours using the oven and stove.  I made a fresh Greek salad and fresh oven-roasted Greek potatoes to go with our dinner. I would buy them again. I searched online and discovered that they are carried at Walmart stores. No matter where you get them, they are kept in the frozen foods section and do require to be transferred to the refrigerator for 12 hours before preparing. 

Have you ever purchased either of these items? 

If so, what did you think? 

Tuesday's Tablescape

Happy October...or as we say here in Cardinal Nation, Happy Red October! Our St. Louis Cardinals won the division championship and today's table is set in their honor! ⚾

"Red October" is a play on words from the movie by the same title. We, in St. Louis,  adopted the term in 1982 during the World Series when our Cardinals played the Milwaukee Brewers. We won, the term stuck and each year that we are in the playoffs we refer to this time of year as our RED OCTOBER!