Autumn Fun!

I literally love Autumn!  It's my favorite season;  yes, Spring beauty rivals it, but my heart soars as the weather cools, so I can enjoy a crisp morning on my patio among my mums.  I have anxiously been waiting for their blooms!

I took my camera out the other day, after a morning rain and captured a few shots of area trees beginning to display their colors:

And this one that seemed a bit confused, with only half of it turning color!

Happy Autumn Everyone!

November Gift Basket Giveaway Winner!

and the Winner is . . . . 

winner of the Autumn Gift Basket giveaway is . . . . .

Edi of Memories for Life

package will be on its way  to Edi's house today!

Thanks for entering everyone!  

Monday's are giveaway days in November!  Enter often!

Yesterday, a new basket was put up for giveaway ~ check out the post here and enter!

#Pumpkinchocolatechip

My favorite season demands some good recipes!   The other day, I saw this picture posted on my granddaughter's facebook.  She said: My baking helper :)  #pumpkinchocolatechip

Her 'helper' is her cat, Luna. "Hi, Luna!"
But it just so happened that I made a batch of the same cookies that same day!  I guess we think alike!
From the picture, looks like Courtney uses mini choco chips too!

I don't know what hers turned out looking like, she didn't post a finished picture, but here are mine.

Little cookies about 1.5 inches in diameter--bite sized, just right for popping!  I know . . . don't pop too many! The calories add up!  And look at that color!  Just right for Autumn goodness!!!  They won't last long!

Recipe:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract 
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix flour, baking soda and power, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside. Cream sugar and butter in another bowl. Add in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until the mixture is well blended.  Gradually add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, and blend well each time until all the flour mixture is added.  Add the chocolate chips, more or less as you prefer. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared greased baking sheets. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes @ 350 degrees until edges are just beginning to brown--do not over cook.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to paper towel blotters or wire racks to cool. Makes about 5-6 dozen cookies, depending upon drop size.  Enjoy!   

Autumn Gift Basket ~GIVEAWAYs~

I Love Autumn!  Excited about the colors!  So . . .

Autumn Gift basket ready to go!  

WIN IT!

(Also, different giveaways every Monday thru Thanksgiving! 

Come back often to enter!)

Basket would make a great gift  for your Thanksgiving hostess!

Or you can decorate your own home with the Autumn motif items!

Two potholders, one set of fabric coasters, and a reversible (Autumn/Christmas) table runner 

ALL in autumn prints!

A $50 value!

Ready for gift giving!  Autumn items in a cute basket, packaged up with cellophane and ribbon!  
And you could win it!  

All you have to do for a chance to win is comment on this post! 

 (Other ways to enter too, see below!)

Winner announced on November 10th!

Enter to Win!

Rules~~~
 
1 entry:: Leave a comment here in this post! What will you do with the gift basket if you win?
2 extra entries:: Follow Abigail Jayne Art  on Facebook or  thePinkGrammy on Twitter !  Make sure you let me know that you are following with separate comments here to record your follow.
Optional extra entry:: My blog followers get a third entry! If you follow here just let me know by making a separate comment to record that entry.
Extra special optional entry:: Help spread the word!! Use your own facebook, instagram, twitter, pinterest, blog, etc...  to share the giveaway.  Come back and comment here with the link. 

Sorry this giveaway is only offered in the USA. 

Make several entries! Enter now through Monday, November 9th. The winner will be chosen by random drawing and will be announced on my Tuesday November 10th blog post!

* NOTE * If you're a "non reply" or anonymous commenter, please include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you if you win!

Thanks to all who enter the Giveaway!  

Also, watch for flash giveaways (24 hours) on alternate Mondays!       

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless Wednesday - Little Pumpkins

My little "pumpkin" grandson - Roman age 6

Wordless Wednesday - Leaves

'Autumn Fruit' cake recipe

Looks like I have been doing a lot of posts about products and my process leading up to the busy holiday season.  Since I recently opened (re-opened) another shop featuring aprons I thought maybe a recipe would now be of interest my readers.   I thought, hey, it's Autumn, the perfectly natural time for baking.  Here's a recipe for an upside down pear cake that my daughter gave to me. She has a pear tree and has been giving me lots of pears.  With two of us at home, we don't eat an abundance of pears, so her recipe was just the  thing to use up several of them! This recipe can also be done with apples.

This delightful light spice cake, offsets and does not overpower the pears.  We love it warm and often eat it again cold as a breakfast cake.  Love it!  (Recipe below.) Don't forget to wear a pretty apron while you bake!

Pear cake in process

Line bottom of the lightly greased pan with pears 

I even got some muffins with the leftover batter!

finished pear cake

Served up with ice cream!  Yum!

Apple or pear cake 

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice, optional
1/2 tsp ground cloves, optional
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup milk
3-4 apples/pears, peeled, cored, cut into slices


 1.  Cream together butter and sugar, about 4-5 min.
 2.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.
 3.  In separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt baking powder and spices.
 4.  Add flour.  Mix slowly to butter/sugar mixture.  Alternate between adding flour, then a little of the milk, until all mixed together.
5.  Grease round cake pan.  fan fruit slices onto bottom of pan, Pour batter over fruit.
6.  Bake 1 hour @ 325 degrees.
7.  When finished baking. Let stand on counter for 2-3 minutes. If needed loosen all around the edge with a knife. Then put the serving plate over the pan and flip over allowing the cake to slide out onto the plate.  Pear topped cake will be ready to enjoy
 8.  Serve warm alone or with whipped cream or ice cream!

Enjoy!

P.S. Using a few more pears, I have been known to make a pear sauce and spoon it over the ice cream!  YUM!

New product line!

Recently one of my retail buyers ask me to present some towel options for her shop.  What an opportunity!
And you know that I dove right in!  I used the opportunity to add napkins and table runners!  Here's just a glimpse of my new products.


Decorated Linen kitchen towels:

decoration close-up

Autumn Table Runner:

Reversible!

Matching napkins

Whatca think?  Watch for some 

more new offerings coming soon!

Practice for Autumn

 

Studying watercolor techniques this week: Review

These two little paintings are an exercise from the book Watercolor Right from the Start by Hilary Page. 

 This was lesson two on Understanding the Color Wheel. I really wasn't that interested in the color wheel discussion, mostly the technique of wet on wet.  Although my finish pieces are not exactly like the authors, I did learn a thing or two.  My pieces turned out with water marks more than I would have liked, instead of a blending of the colors in soft lines. I had the most trouble with the purple background.  Although I like the finished product on the right, my hubby liked the one on the left.  He was not used to the concept of the white space.  He's a kind of "Love the finished product" kinda guy, and felt that one was unfinished.  I think the one on the left looks "muddy" because of an allover wash that I used and didn't like, whereas the one on the right has more contrast and is different.  I like different!

Love to hear your opinion, especially since this is just practice!

Fall Small Stone

Photo is by pbphoto on Etsy

Misty drops on my forehead,

Wet grass underfoot.

Leaves of yellow and brown,

Crackling under with each step.

Crisp moist Fall air

In my nostrils.

Aw, Autumn

you're here again!
 lp

Photo is by phpoto on Etsy.  Please take time to visit the shop!  (click the link above) Thanks!

HEAT! Small Stone

Heat, heat, here again!  

Sweat I hate, uncomfortably sticky.
Fires everywhere, lightning go away!
Is this actually the pre-Autumn season? 
                                                 lp