Falling for Fall

Gourds Galore

I do not take Fall lightly.

There is something about Autumn that tends to take all of my stresses and frustrations and, moment by moment, relieve me of them.  A whiff of cool, fresh air followed by a tingling chill thats runs up the spine from the warmth of the sun relieves, even for a few moments, the weights of the world I let myself carry.  If I were forced to oscillate between intense summer heat and frigid winter cold I would be an emotional, bi-polar wreckage;  bouncing between the go-go-go stress of summer activities and the depressing "I'm ready for it to not be cold" stress of the winter.  I am so thankful for the season of life that allows me to sleep well at night with no heating or cooling, maybe just a cracked window letting Mother Nature lull me to rested-ness with her gentle whispers and perfect lullabies; to snuggle up underneath the perfect amount of sheets and quilts and be totally and utterly at rest.  Sigh.

My heart rejoices when the leaves of trees begin ever-so-slightly to resemble the dancing flames of campfires that have been and foreshadow those that are sure to come.  A repressed spirit emerges from within me that cries out to those I dare not forget....Apple Cider. Peanut Brittle. Pumpkin Pie. Peanut Butter Fudge.  My long time friends gather unfathomable strength upon the changing of the seasons and force themselves into fruition through the means of my feeble hands.  I am but a lowly vessel; sacrificing alloted grocery dollars to bring about the reign of the all things festive.  Maple Pumpkin Cheescake, you are queen.

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake...Great Success!

Linvilla...a small portion of 300 acres

Aside from my complete servitude to all things dessert, I had the most incredible weekend.  For those of you who are not from the Philly-Metro area, I am going to indulge you in a not-so-secret place that produces many a variety of fruits, flowers and veggies.  For me, this is home-away-from-home.  A farm, an orchard to be exact.  Linvilla Orchards.  This is what city folk do to get their country kicks.  Throughout the year Linvilla capitalizes on the ever growing market of people who want fresh, wholesome, organic food and who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty to get it.  Literally.  Many people in this northern area don't have the means to farm or space to raise their own produce, so Linvilla allows people to come and "pick-your-own" or purchase from their Farm Market.  Their Market is well stocked with every kind of jam and preserve, honey and syrup, chow-chow and salsa, pie and pastry....everything you could imagine. During the spring/summer months they boast of a well stocked lake that people are allowed to spend the entire day fishing for free....if you catch and keep it's 3.99/lb.  No license required.  Come December, you can chop down and drag home your very own Christmas Tree!

Man of Many Talents

This time of the year their festival is centered around...you guessed it...pumpkins!  Dustin and myself along with some friends, Erin, Kelly, Stephen, Josh, and Andy, embarked on an adventure to pick our own apples and find the perfect carving pumpkin.  After sifting through trees brimming with Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Fuji, Gala, Staymen Winesap, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith and Pink Ladies, we made our way to Pumpkin Land.  With gourds in sight, we neared the prize only to suddenly be distracted by an entrancing aroma wafting over from the other side of the Farm Market.  Whatever could it be?  I must admit I do tear up at the remembrance of this day.  Jalapeño Poppers.  Potato Chip Rings.  Apple Fritters. FUNNEL CAKES!  Deep Fried Heaven!  I can't describe how hungry I instantly became.  Oh the joys of Fall.  We indulged and topped our Potato Chip Ring with Ooey-Gooey Cheese Sauce.  We devoured every last crumb. And then felt sick.  It was inevitable.

Behold....the Potato Chip Ring

Chomping down on a few juicy Golden Delicious apples :)

Night fell and we found the pumpkin(s) of our dreams and headed home; heads held high, eye lids barely held open.  It was only 7:30 PM.  Granted, I go to bed early, but not that early.  So we made a pit stop at Pinocchio's and selected a few fine, festive ales and headed home.  This Sunday was mine and Dustin's turn to host our Family Festival of Foods (where we get together, eat, share our hearts, seek God, and eat again...another blog for another day!) so we needed our rest in order to prepare and were dropped off at our doorstep.  Remaining in the front yard, backs to the earth, faces to the sky, we tried to take in the glory of a beautiful Fall evening alongside one another, hot mug of apple cider in hand.

Take me seriously when I say I love Fall.


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Baby Hud + Big Boy Miles

My youngest sister is having a baby soon and I definitely wanted to make her sweet baby boy something. Boys are so much harder to make things for than girls.  They are tons of girl-y things to make but no so much for the boys.  I bought a cute book of baby things by Lotta Jansdotter...very cool girl...and it has so many cute boy/girl things to make.  I chose this giraffe rattle a) because it's NOT clothing (baby's get so much of that) and b) it's fairly simple to make.  I picked out a grey fabric from Ikea...also neutral and fairly modern...and when I cut out the two pieces the one side (first picture) came out with the pattern and the back side was totally solid grey.  For me, that wouldn't do.  Fortunately it gave me the chance to get ultra crafty and test out my hand embroidery skills...i love doing that.  I definitely like the embroidery side the best.

Embroidered Side of Rattle

Upclose View of Stitching : Hudson (his name)

Another fun thing that I love to do....t-shirt transfers!  It's a great way to make plain ol' onesie's really fun!

What could be funnier than this?...

Quote: "I pity the foo...who changes this diaper"

Also, one of my sweet nephews, Miles had his 2nd birthday in August.  What do you get a two year old? Toys? Clothes? No! A hand made Monster Buddy of course!  

Again, this is from the same book as the Giraffe Rattle.  Props to Lotta.  This is so easy to make, really.  It's so funny to look at that mischievous face.  

Bottom line...Miles hated him.  So typical.  His older brother, Ethan, loves Monster Buddy.  He always comes through for his Aunt Raven.  He makes my heart smile.  Every. Time.

P.S. His arms and feet velcro! What's not to love?

P.S.S.  I made him out of a bed sheet I bought at a goodwill for $1 (i did wash it first!)

Here are all of my precious nephews:


Baby Hudson....Due November

Miles....cute, cute, cute!

Ethan.....the coolest 2nd grader I know

Byron....aka Baby B....ruff & tumble!  He knows no pain!

Brennan....hilarious! He's so smart and so clever.  His age is deceiving of his ability to understand the world around him.

Jackson.... Two words. Heart. Breaker.

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Pretty Please With A Cherry On Top?

There is something about a beautiful wedding that makes my heart skip several beats....not flatline, just pitter-patter.  Maybe it's the romanticizing about life long love and companionship or the thought of uniting two separate, beautiful lives into one equally beautiful life.  Maybe it's just the stunning dress and the sharp suited tux or the good food and good times.

Right now, I feel like I am at the crest of the phase of my life where everyone around me is getting married and soon everyone around me will be having babies.  I have attended three weddings this summer, have been invited to at least two that I was unable to attend, and have kept up with many more on the beloved world of Facebook.  Weddings are everywhere!

I loved my wedding....outdoor reception, gorgeous dress, good food, handsome groom :)  All the little details that can go into putting a wedding together make me so happy.  I love the creativity and thoughtfulness that have been put into the different weddings I have attended and those that I love to view online.  Speaking of which, my entire inspiration for writing this post is a recent wedding I was made aware of from a blog I love to read (Design Sponge).

If I had seen this before Dustin and I were married, I would have definitely put on my whiskers and copy-catted every detail of this wedding!  I have combed through every picture and every detail, multiple times, ooh-ing and ahh-ing at perfect little touches that make this wedding simply beautiful.

Next big shin-dig I have my hands in, will definitely reflect some cherry-loving, mountain-veiwing, vintage-inspiring details.  I have two more sisters left to be married off....hmmm... :)


Moutainous View....haybales, really?  There are butterflies doing somersaults in my tummy!


Beauty defined....kraft paper linens...stained, wooden, folding chairs...white, stringed lights....sigh, I'm in love!


It's all about the details!  For place settings, they traced a scalloped plate (so stinkin' easy) and the napkins are dish towels...love, love, love!



Two words...yum + so stinkin' cute...ok four words!  Again, brown paper lunch sacks, seriously, could it really be that simple?


I already have an obsession with glass bottles and jars, so seeing sweet little flowers tucked so daintily into these classic containers brings a tear to my eye.  Also, how cool is it to decorate your cake with cherries versus the typical flower arrangements?  I am all for thinking out side of the box...clearly so was this bride!



Words cannot describe how this cabinet makes me feel.  End. Of. Thought.  Also, drinking from a mason jar is one of my most favorite nostalgic things ever!


So what do you think?  Am I crazy to be so crazy about this wedding?  I think not.  Check out more pics of the gorgeous wedding with the details of who, what, where, and when on my favorite blog Design Sponge.

That's it for now.

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Why Must I Love Crude Humor + Tommey Family Visit

I can't believe it.  What seems like a month ago has already turned into a year.  Yesterday seems so near and yet the days keep on moving right on by; unlike a slow and steady train making it's way along sure and tangible tracks, my days fly by like the roadrunner on crack.  So long Wile E. Coyote.  Hello mayhem.

Dustin left for a 4 day conference in Chicago this morning.  So jealous.  How I would love to spend this week in the Windy City instead of in the whirlwind of Back to School Madness.  I don't think a whirlwind carries quite enough potency to describe the Back-to-School insanity at Staples. Christmas at Staples doesn't even hold a candle to Back to School time at Staples.  Trump Card please!  Regardless of the number of hours I work this week, I do know that my adorable husband will not forget to bring his work weary wife (say that three times fast!) a fabulous souvenir home from Chitown. "Ahem"...babe, are you reading this?

Dustin's parents came to visit this Labor Day weekend along with cousin Matthew (just for one night) and we had a blast!  Dustin and I....really just Dustin....have given a lot of Philly tours to friends and family since we've lived here.  This trip, we gave his parents a lot of re-run tours (who doesn't love a good re-run!), things that Dustin and I have seen or experience countless times, i.e. Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Cheesesteaks - a 1,000 times over, Eastern State Penitentiary.  But, we had several "firsts" this time too, like.....

Our First PHILLIES Game!
Phils vs. Brewers - GO PHILS!

Topped off with Chickie's and Pete's famous CRAB FRIES...drool!



JACK'S FIREHOUSE - across from Eastern State Penitentiary

We loved this place!  A little more expensive than you would normally expect to pay for lunch at a restaurant, but after the experience we had, it was oh-so-worth-it!  Upon first glance, I read right through the word Firehouse and didn't realize that it's really a real firehouse.  It hit me once I noticed the brass fire poles stretching from floor to ceiling.  It's obviously no longer used for it's original purpose but it still has the look of a 19th century fire station.  After being seated and really digging the looks of the place, we were served our water from a chilled, vintage glass bottle...love, sigh....then after ordering the waitress brought out fresh, homemade, buttermilk biscuits and mini-cornbread muffins with, also homemade, strawberry preserves. Double sigh.

Once our food had arrived, we took a moment to gaze in awestruck wonder at the some of the most deliciously captivating entrees that we had ever laid eyes on.  I ordered the breakfast quesadilla which was generously stuffed with the most perfectly cooked eggs, thick strips of bacon and spicy, pepperjack cheese.  I am regretting not taking a picture of this before I devoured it...darn.  Wait!  Googleimages to the rescue!

After our meal, which filled us to the brim and then some, our waitress brought us the check along with a little gesture of hospitality.  Seriously, this is my favorite part.  Accompanying our bill were fresh, steamy, melty, chocolately,smelly-goody, home-stinkin-made, complimentary (what!) chocolate chip cookies!!!!!!  This restaurant will forever be distinguished in my mind as a restaurant above all others.  Who does that?  Complimentary homemade cookies?!  It was like a cleansing the palette thing they do at some Asian restaurants with sherbet, except warm and chocolate. yes ma'am!  I was super impressed, if you can't tell. Come to visit me in Philly and I promise I will take you there!  Please come, be my excuse to go!


Lots O' Fun with the Tommey's!

I have been watching YouTube videos too much lately, only because they make me laugh so hard!
Examples:

Antoine Dodson - Bed Intruder Interview & Song
"run and tell that, run and tell that, homeboy, home, home, homeboy"

I'm on a Boat - *Warning* the f-bombs are "a-flyin" "I've got my swim trunks & my flippy-floppies"
i confess...i don't know why but this is soooo funny!  call me scum, but I can't stop laughing!

If you can handle all the obscenities, please check out Burt & Ernie's rendition....it's so wrong it's funny!
Sesame Street Rap

Lastly, i heart Flight of the Conchords....
My favorite video of the week...Business Time....border-line raunchy, but not really.  Best line: "That's why they call them business socks"
"It's business, it's business time"


It's also 1AM....I'm so out!


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Careless Obsessions

It all started in Rome, Georgia. While walking through a local high-end clothing and gifts boutique (gift card in hand!), admiring the beautiful clothing and hoping there would be something on the sale rack that would fit and be in my budget, I happened upon a treasure that became and immediate obsession.  CatStudio.  Specifically, I love their hand-embroidered pillows!  Each one is a work of art, not only because of the intricate design and rainbow of colors, but also because each pillow is crafted by hand, taking over one week to produce a single one. Beauty.  Design.  Skill.  LOVE.  Most likely, (unless by generous donation!) I will never own one of those pillows, coming in at $150 a piece, however...I do cling to the hope of one day owning a dish towel.  "Sigh"...one day.

Almost one year later, post-discovery, I happened upon the July 2010 edition of Martha Stewart Living titled Amazing America.  First of all, I love Martha Stewart.  Another obsession for another day. The articles divulge different dishes and goodies from all fifty states and are accompanied by gorgeous photos of the meals/items and their processes.  After page 103, the direction and "draw" of my CatStudio obsession became clear. Very clear.  It wasn't the CatStudio branding, honestly I don't appreciate most of their product line...the dish towels and glasses are cool, and of course the pillows...but that's about it. What I love are the MAPS!  In the magazine, there is an article detailing a souvenir trend that began mid-20th century.  People began screen-printing maps of each of the fifty states on different textiles; scarves, tablecloths, dish towels, etc. and selling them in souvenir shops all across the nation.

There are so many ways to display these vintage souvenirs.

Hang them on the wall.

Frame them.

Turn them into dainty pillows.

Make a them into curtains.

Cover cushions.

Heck, use them for their original purpose.

The possibilities are endless.  Seriously, check this out and you'll see what I mean!

Oh, and for some crafting with maps, click here.

Oh Obsessions!

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Late Night Snack....Go Ahead, Do It!

Sometimes I get an itch.

Not the rash-y kind, but the kind that gets into your head and won't go away with the cold shoulder.  You just HAVE to scratch it.  What I mean is, sometimes, I just gotta get my bake on! I heart creaming together softened, light yellow butter and sparkley white and brown sugar crystals; that gooey mess makes my heart go pitter-patter (that's right before it relapses into depression about it's cholesterol levels).  The thought of adding an egg and a healthy helping of vanilla extract is enough to drive me to drinking...ahem, the whole bottle of extract!  Add the dry ingredients, and hopefully something in the realm of chocolate, and by the time it's coming out of the oven, golden-brown and perfect, the angels in heaven have hushed their singing to admire what is, the chocolate chip cookie.

Tonight I experimented with two tried and true, All-American favorites...the chocolate chip cookie and the cast iron skillet.  Crazy, right?  I must admit that the thought of these two obsessions coming together to create one, beautiful concoction made me drool on-the-spot.  Seriously.  

All credit must go to the legendary Martha Stewart and her notorious Cookie-A-Day emails that I receive. Every. Single. Day.  If loving sweetness is wrong, I don't wanna be right. 

Check out the recipe here.  Long live the Chocolate Chip Cookie AND the Cast Iron Skillet!

WAIT!  I almost forgot to tell you!  I added butterscotch chips in my version.  Excellent choice by-the-way.   If you're a fan of the buttery fantasy, throw them in! You won't be disappointed.

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Dear July, .....Where Did You Go?

OMG.....I know I have been like a ghost for the past month (last post 7/4!) but Dustin and I have been on a moving frenzy since the beginning of this month.  If you read my last post then you saw the incredible house we have moved into. So awesome!  And it's been late nights, busy weekends, no time to spare and definitely no time to breathe ever since.  Dustin and I single handedly moved 18 car loads of stuff to our new place, no need for a moving truck this go-round, Ruby Sue the Subaru put on her big girl panties and moved everything we owned minus the kitchen sink!   We blew up Craigslist with ads for several things we couldn't take with us and we are about 5 to 6 HUNDRED dollars richer for it...thank you Craig.  On top of moving everything out, we have been busting it to get the house cleaned up for "landlord inspection" which irritatingly keeps getting put-off.  But today was the official last day of our lease, so we spent all night last night and this morning/afternoon scrubbing walls, floors, cabinets, toilets and everything else we could think of in order to make our Italian lessor happy enough to give us our deposit back.  I am pretty sure my hands and fingers are gonna need some major TLC to recover from all of the chemicals they've been immersed in.  Hey, at least the itchy rash on my hand is drying up...kind of gross...but I guess a little bit of bleach can cure just about anything :)

On top of all the insanity that has defined my life lately, I can say that there have been several bright spots through all of this. First, my Nana and Granddad happened to be in the Philadelphia area a week or so ago and stopped by for a semi-surprise visit.  We totally loved getting to see them and spend some one-on-one time with them.  They took us out to eat a one of our favorite local Italian spots, Romarco's.  They have excellent Chicken Parmigiana and they have a Wine Book that could compete with the Encyclopedia.  We love that place and we loved that we were able to share it with them.

Almost two days later my mom and step-dad acted on impulse and drove 800 miles to help Dustin and I settle in to our new place.  They couldn't have timed it better.  Not only is having to move everything you own from one location to another overwhelming but unpacking and organizing it once you get there is doubly, if not triply, as overwhelming.  Mom got to wash a lot of dishes while I was at work and Lewis scrubbed our kitchen table and chairs and gave them a shine that made them look new again.  Oh, I can't forget to mention that they were thoughtful enough to bring a few bottles of that sweet Georgia wine I've been missing.  It's hard to find something that good in these parts.  We were pretty bummed when they had to leave.  Maybe next time they'll come up and we won't have to work them so hard!

On top of transporting everything we own, Dustin and I took on a few furniture makeover projects as well.  I am so glad that he was up for it.  I usually I have the big, crazy ideas but somehow he always get roped into helping me put the plans into motion.  I love it!

Here's our Hoosier Cabinet.  I bought it at a yard sale a couple of years ago for $20.  It needed some major restoration and my dad was so wonderful to take that project on and make it look brand new.  He painted it a shade of neon green that I had picked out (and loved!) but after 2 years of that it was time for a new look.  What better time than in the middle of moving, right?  Check out the Before&After...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Next we  painted my Great-Grandmother's dresser than I have been using for over 4 years and that has been a flat black since I've had it.  It is unique because the drawers have no hardware.  The drawer has a built-in handle.  The scallop detail on the front is how you open and shut the drawer.  We thought it would be cool to bring that detail out by painting a border around each drawer facing.  I think it turned out great!

BEFORE:

This is a terrible before picture because you can hardly see the piece.  It's in the lower part of the photo.  Just notice that it's solid black.

AFTER:

Oh, before I sign out I just have to show you these incredible glasses I bought at the Goodwill last week.  After 3 years of marriage and living with up to 8 people at one time, my good glasses, which began at a quantity of 8, have slimmed down to a mere 2.  I found these and it was love at first sight....especially for a buck each.  I think I have an attraction to green....

Sorry it took so long for the update....it won't be so long next time.....

P.S. Our new place rocks!

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