Image: sxc.hu

Take nature walks, browse around your own yard, find memorabilia of other years and create lovely and unique collages on various backgrounds.

You might use fabric, cardboard, shingle, colored paper, foil, bark and other background materials.  If they’re too flimsy, put a firmer material behind them.  Then add leaves, pebbles, twigs, bark, paper cut in autumn shapes, burlap, twine, yarn and other objects that will combine into an artistic piece.

Sometimes you may have a theme.  Other pieces may be simply an attractive arrangement of the objects you have on hand.

I saw some autumn collages made by second graders the other day.  These were glued on colored paper attached to cardboard.  Then the youngsters cut out leaf shapes, added some they’d collected outdoors.  They dabbed the arrangement with paint.  Most had something Mom could hang on the wall for an eye-catching art piece.

What have you done for autumn collages?

Post from: Blisstree

Collages from Autumn Collectibles

Image: sxc.hu

Sometimes these involved Halloween costumes, perhaps midst colorful leaves.  Other times the photos simply consisted of my daughter, grandchildren or nieces with pumpkins they carved or have ready to decorate.

My nieces sold pumpkins from their garden for several years and had a mound of them near the road in front of their house.  My husband took  lovely photos of the girls midst their pumpkins.

I’ve included some of my pumpkin photos in the book I made, using scrapbooking techniques and my fall poetry.  Those of pumpkins and youngsters definitely added interest.

I’ve mainly used this as a teaching tool in my scrapbooking and poetry classes.  But I’d like to investigate self-publishing it.

During these lovely fall days, take your camera, find some pumpkins and arrange them with your youngsters for a photo opportunity.  The photos definitely will create memories.

Post from: Blisstree

Photos of Youngsters with Pumpkins

Image: sxc.hu

How does Pumpkin Time inspire you?

• Colors in decorating
• Colors and designs in fabric art
• Pumpkin collages
• Pumpkin and fall inspired book, like my poetry and autumn one
• Pumpkin stories like my “Mama’s Prize Pumpkin” in my anthology, Tales of Adventure & Discovery.
• As the subject of poetry written by children and adults, such as that I teach in my workshops
• Jack-o-Lanterns, both carved and painted
• Table decorations and centerpieces
• Costumes for Halloween
• Oil and Watercolor paintints
• Fabric designs

Post from: Blisstree

Pumpkin Inspiration in Arts & Crafts

So I’m going through and doing my annual “fall cleaning” with my recipe folder, and the one section that I pay a little more attention to is my desserts. I have a habit of printing off pretty much any recipe that catches my eye, or ripping out a magazine article of something that looks good one day, and a week or so later leaves me wondering what I was thinking. The purge is satisfying, especially when I’m able to thin the folder down a bit. At the same time, though, seeing so many of my autumn favorites gets me in a mood to fire up the mixer!

That being said, and because September 21st happens to be Pecan Cookie Day, I’ve added the ingredients to make my favorite Pecan Shortbread Cookies to this week’s grocery list. I’m really in the mood to not only start baking, but to start filling the house with yummy fall scents, too!

~ Pecan Shortbread Cookies
~ Mini Pecan Pumpkin Pies
~ White Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Cookies
~ Butter Pecan Cookies
~ Orange Pecan Cookies
~ Buttered Rum Pecan Cookies
~ Organic Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies (video)
~ Gluten-free Butter Pecan Cookies

What are your favorite pecan cookies?

Post from: Blisstree

Pecan Cookie Day

September 17th is the perfect date for National Apple Dumpling Day. The yummy pastry really couldn’t be easier to make, and chances are you’ve got everything you need for it right in your pantry. They’re said to have originated in the northeastern United States and are popular among the Amish, who have them for breakfast or as dessert after dinner. If you’re serving them as dessert, don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!

My favorite apples to use for pretty much any apple baking — whether it be tarts, dumplings or pies — is the Granny Smith. It holds up well in the baking process and the tart taste manages to hold its own against pastry and sugary fillings and syrups.

You can also play with add-ins if you’re in the mood. Raisins (which are more traditional) or other dried fruits like cranberries or even chopped apricots can be added in with the apples before they’re wrapped up in the pastry dough, or leave them out altogether if all you want is the apple.

Below are several recipes and methods to check out:

~ Traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings
~ How to Make Apple Dumplings, Step by Step
~ Quick Apple Dumplings
~ Sprite Apple Dumplings
~ Diabetic Recipe for Apple Dumplings
~ Vegan Apple Dumplings
~ Slow Cooker Apple Dumplings

[image: flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

Autumn Apple Dumplings

The 5 x 7-inch scrapbook album was ideal for my photos. I used scrapbooking stickers, papers, and stamps to decorate the pages. These were arranged around the words of the poem throughout the book.

I also scanned several of the pages to show writers they (or a printer) could reproduce this album as a book they might give as gifts or sell.

I started doing this about winter time as a theme but haven’t finished it. You can use many topics and any size album. Then combine the scrapbooking techniques with your writing.

What ideas do you have for something like this?

Post from: Blisstree

Fall Themed Scrap Poetry Book

Save on Crafts offers the basic plan for making a great fall wreath, but you can choose any flowers, berries, or herbs you like.

A totally adorable fall planter idea from my pal Linette at Mother Earths Garden. You could use this for so many things and fill it with great fall flowers or accents. Also you don’t have to make a planter like this you could also use a real pumpkin or heavy bottom squash as a vase.

Flower & Spice Table Toppers from – I LOVE these. They’re minimal but look amazing, You can sprinkle them with a little clove and cinnamon essential oils for a more fall-minded scent too.

Also try this Nature Themed Autumn Craft.

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Fall Decor with Flowers & Leaves

Naturally, my thoughts also turn to warmer fare, and what cooler evenings mean for dinners, and cooler mornings mean for caffeination!

One of my favorite ways to “celebrate” is to grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Starbucks usually rolls theirs out around September 1st, and many other more local coffee shops will follow suit. I actually don’t get many of these throughout the season — the flavoring is a bit heavy-handed for my taste — but they do help mark fall for me.

Oddly enough, though I do like to make as many things as I can on my own at home, I never thought to check into pumpkin spice flavoring syrup. The best part is, you don’t even have to buy it. Using what you’ve probably already got in the cupboard, the blog Think Inside the Icebox has a great recipe to make your own pumpkin spice mix at home.

Using a simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar) combined with typical pumpkin pie spices, the concoction is boiled together and then strained before adding vanilla extract. Keep it in the fridge and you’ve got an instant autumnal coffee flavoring.

If you don’t feel like making your own syrup, you can always pick up a bottle, such as Torani’s Pumpkin Spice Syrup.

[image: flickr]

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Counting Down to Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Moon Cakes

Of course, just like the US Thanksgiving, it’s full of lots of food!  Moon cakes are one of the most popular treats during the festival.  They are a round semi-sweet pastry, filled with all sorts of goodies from savory to sweet, and they sort of resemble the moon.  You may find yourself waiting in very long lines to buy moon cakes, but they’re worth the effort.

San Francisco’s Chinatown Autumn Moon Festival will be held the weekend of September 19 – 20th, 2009, 11 am – 6 pm daily.  During the Moon Festival, Grant Avenue in Chinatown will be closed to automobile traffic, and the street will turn into a big bazaar, full of shopping, entertainment, arts and crafts, activities,  lots of food, and teeming with life.  There is no charge to visit the festival, and if you’ll be in town, it’s a fabulous cultural experience.

Some other related Moon Festival events include:

Moon Festival Photo Contest – As a way to encourage people to take lots of photos, this amateur only contest is simple to enter.  Fill out a Moon Festival photo contest registration form, and snap away.  Top prize is $500.  More details are available from the Chinatown Photographic Society.

Autumn Moon Film Festival – A new feature this year, the mini film festival will be held at the Four Seas Restaurant (731 Grant Avenue), both days.  Check out the viewing schedule and see if there’s something that interests you.  It’s a great opportunity for film buffs, and also a nice break in an otherwise busy festival day.

Follow the Moon Festival on Twitter @SFCMA.

Photo credit: miss karen @flickr

Post from: Blisstree

Celebrate Autumn Moon Festival in San Francisco’s Chinatown

So, as temperatures begin to descend, I thought I’d share my favorite recipe. It’s adapted from a Better Homes and Gardens cook book and was the first lasagna I ever made after my husband and I were married, and it helped dispel the misconception I had about how labor intensive and hard lasagna was to make (I remember my mom and her friends bemoaning lasagna when I was a kid!).

The recipe doubles very easily, keeps in the refrigerator very nicely before baking, and works well with either Italian sausage, ground beef and/or ground turkey, depending on what I have on hand. It’s also great with a combination of those three as well. It’s perfect served with a simple salad and garlic bread.

My Favorite Lasagna
adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

1 lb Italian sausage, ground beef, and/or ground turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 14oz can of diced tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
red wine (optional)
1 bay leaf
6 lasagna noodles
1 beaten egg
2 cups cottage cheese, or 15oz ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8oz shredded mozzarella cheese

~ Cook meat, onion and garlic until meat is browned, drain fat. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and a splash of red wine. Add bay leaf and bring meat sauce to a boil, then lower temperature and simmer for 15 minutes. (Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before assembling the lasagna!)

~ In the meantime, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain.

~ Combine egg, ricotta or cottage cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

~ Layer three of the lasagna noodles in a 3 quart rectangular baking dish. Spoon half of the cheese mixture over the noodles, then half of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Do a final layer of noodles, cheese mixture and meat sauce over top, and then sprinkle more mozzarella. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes (with foil on top) before serving.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

My Favorite Lasagna