What a stressful busy week!!  I think I like the days leading up to Halloween better than the actual day. -K- Going into complaining mode for a sec.  I’ve had bronchitis, a sinus infection, cough, and pregnancy related nausea and sickness for the last MONTH and that may be why I sound like such a scrooge!! -K- moving on:)

Don’t get me wrong,  the decorating is fun…

Cornbellys is fun…

Pumpkins are fun…

Parades and parties are fun…

Making costumes is fun rewarding…

BTW.  One of our fabulous sponsors, the talented Kirsti from Kirsti Koo sent me a pattern to try out for my litte Batman wanna-be, and it was PERFECT!!  Really simple directions, easy to follow, and my son is in LOVE with his costume!!  Thank you Kirsti!!!

And trick-or-treating is fun… (although I think I like handing out the candy just as much:)

They lasted longer than I thought they would, and made out with TONZ of candy!!!  It was an AWESOME Halloween season!!

But tomorrow I think I’m ready to drink hot cocoa and make my Christmas playlist… Are you guys gearing up for the Holidays too!!!

Do you need some fabulous pumpkin ideas??!!

I have pumpkins coming out of the wazoo… thanks to this little patchy patch in my backyard

Be sure to stop over at Lil Luna, where Kristyn will be featuring some fabulous guests, tutorials, recipes, and crafts all featuring PUMPKINS!!!

I’m even sharing a little idea, click HERE to check out my tutorial:)

Happy Fall Ya’ll!!!

Pumpkins, cider, apples, caramel…  All things fall, and all things yummy!!  I found the perfect fall dessert, trust me, this cake will NOT disappoint!

I found this one on pinterest from My Recipes

Apple Cream Cheese Bunt Cake

• CREAM CHEESE FILLING:

• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• APPLE CAKE BATTER:

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 3/4 cup canola oil

• 3/4 cup applesauce

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 1 1/2 lb.)

• PRALINE FROSTING:

• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup butter

• 3 tablespoons milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

• 1. Prepare Filling: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended.

• 2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350º. Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.

• 3. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.

• 4. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).

• 5. Prepare Frosting: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake.

  

I’ve made this twice already, with requests to make it again!!  This is a good one:)

Enjoy!!

Just in case you can’t wait until trick-or-treat day next month, I have a fabulous excuse to go grab some candy bars and make a little pre-halloween treat!!

This one is LOADED with the good stuff, not for the faint of heart:)

Fall Candy Bark

Ingredients:
1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 Butterfinger candy bars (or 8 fun size bars), roughly chopped
3 toffee candy bars (or 6 fun size bars), roughly chopped
8 Reese cups, cut into wedges
¼ cup honey roasted peanuts
3 oz. yellow and orange peanut M&Ms, coarsely chopped
3 oz. good quality white chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Pour the chocolate over the foil and smooth into a thin layer with a spatula.  Evenly sprinkle the chopped candy bars, Reese cups, honey roasted peanuts, and peanut M&Ms over the melted chocolate.  Press gently to adhere the candy to the melted chocolate.  Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate, again using the double boiler method, until smooth.  Drizzle over the chilled candy bark.  Return to the refrigerator and let chill again until the white chocolate is set, 3o minutes more.

Peel the sheet of chocolate away from the foil and break into irregular pieces.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Pace yourself, it’ll be gone in no time!!

So by now you should know that I have a HUGE little obsession with burlap…

This is the last burlap project I’ve got to show you, I promise:)  I’ll give ya the short version so you can make your own…

I just cut some slightly tapered rectangles out of burlap.  I then used a stencil to paint the letters onto the orange rectangles.

Then I sewed the orange burlap rectangle on top of the regular ones, leaving a raw edge.  I attached the burlap letters to a long piece of jute rope by sewing them along the top using a 1/4 inch inseam.

Add some lace ties, and you’re set!!

Linking up HERE this week!

I guest posted over at Every Crafty Endeavor this last week, and this was the tutorial I shared with all of Amanda’s awesome readers!!

Sooo…  Happy Fall everybody!!!  Yesterday was the first time I actually felt that chill in the air, that smell of fall, and the leaves are even starting to change!!

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE fall leaves.  The rich colors, the crunchy sounds they make, the way they make the mountain side look like it’s on fire.

Leaves were the inspiration for my project today!

This is a simple craft you may be able to do without even hitting up the craft store!!  I’m all about thrifty people:)

Here’s what you will need to make your own Framed Fall Leaves Art:

Just FYI, my leaves are cut from an old fall garland I had, so they will keep their color.

*also a sharpie is optional if you want to add the script at the bottom

Step 1:

Step 2:

I used an old 8X10 picture as my template, and I knew I would need a piece big enough to stay behind the mat.

(where was spell-check when I needed it!!)

Step 3:

Step 4:

Bright, happy little fall leaves!!

That was fun right!!

Linking up HERE this week!

“It’s beginning to feel a lot like autumn…”

I’m getting so excited!!

Just wanted to share some of my fall decor ideas with ya!!

This is the top of my entertainment center and one of my favorite places for seasonal decor…

Have you seen these balls before…  I have a slight obsession with felt decor balls

Such a fun, easy way to add a pop of color to any season!!

Happy Fall:)

Linking up HERE this week:

Have you been over to Every Crafty Endeavor this month?

Amanda is doing a super fun series called…

I’m sharing a fun little fall tutorial today, come by and say hi!!!

Haha!! Do you like my post title?? Can you say it 3 times fast?

I CAN’T!!

I have seen so many lovely felt flowers all over blogland, including these ones my blogging partner made a few months back:)
and I have wanted to incorporate some in some sort of accessory somehow…

This is what I came up with!

Would you like to make your very own Fall Felt Flower Belt;)

Here’s what you will need: (Keep in mind, you can use any combination of flower or fabric as a cluster and I think it would be darling, add your own flava, that’s what makes it unique:)

This technique is also used to make felt flower decor balls, so once you have it down, you can do so much with it!!!

One flower down, 3 more to go:)

-K- halfway there!!

Sweet!!  Last one!!

Four Felt Flowers, CHECK!!

Now attach the flowers to your felt rectangle,

add some ribbon, buttons, or bling

Make sure you make a really cheesy face when your husband snaps a photo…

But I have to say, I’m loving this belt!  I can’t wait to try more colors and combos!

Linking up HERE this week:

Mmmmm… Burlap…

My new obsession love.

I know I just showed you a burlap wreath project. But I have another fun little project with…

You guessed it, BURLAP!!

For a festive fall runner, just hem up a strip of burlap on all sides.

Sew the black burlap ruffle to the end.  Sew the muslin ruffle, on top of that leaving about 1 1/2 inches of black poking out.

To sew the pleat, just fold and press your burlap every inch and pin. Sew along the raw edge sides to hold the pleats in place.  Remove the pins and Voila!!

Do you have any vases, jars, or apothecary containers hanging around?

For a simple fall craft, spray paint various sizes of pinecones in fall colors, and use them as fillers.

I’m all about simple:)

I had some tiny fall wreaths leftover from last year that I just knew would be worth keeping around! I used them for the base of the vases.

I’m getting sooo excited for pumpkins, cider, gorgeous leaves, that little chill in the air, and all things fall!!

Happy Fall Ya’ll!!!

Linking up HERE this week:)