Wednesday, October 3, 2012

A GATHERED collection of autumn: recipes, leaf tours, and fall decor


Fall is a longtime favorite season of mine.  I feel like Goldilocks and the Three Bears: "it isn't too hard and it isn't too soft, it isn't hot and it isn't too cold...it is JUST RIGHT".  Autumn days are truly "just right".  It's almost impossible to stand outdoors and inhale this season and not feel inner joy.  All of God's angels are speedily working, as they paint over every single green leaf, brushing strokes of deep browns, neon yellows,  and glowing reds.  In the early morning, the air begins with a clean and chill crisp but peaks midday with perfect warmth.  The nights begin early, coaxing each of us indoors to gather together.  We cuddle up with the softest of blankets and light a candle, making our home sweet home smell like a candied apple! 

We use our weekend afternoons to crunch across leaves, sip on cider from a hot thermos with mittens over our fingers, and savor the wild colors of nature.  

In this post, I've raked together like a pile of leaves, an entire fall resource collection from my blog.  I took all the cozy fall and autumn flavored good stuff and put them all in one little spot...right here.   

In this post: 
fall recipes with apples and pumpkin,
fall decor, fall fireplace mantels, 
and fall scenery tours. 

So grab a mug of steaming soup, curl up on your couch, and let's get to it! ;)
NOTE: click on any of the links below to be taken to the recipe or for more details.


Pass the pumpkin pretty please and
pretty please pass the pumpkin!

First I have TWO ideas for pumpkin SHAPED food, one sweet and one savory:

Little Pumpkin cakes with caramel stems and cream cheese icing

Three Cheese Pumpkin Cheese Ball


Next are TWO super quick n' easy pumpkin desserts:




 And more pumpkin!

Use festive stencils to create art on your cakes.  Gently lay stencil down, snow some powdered sugar on and you've got a beauty. 




And the FINAL pumpkin flavor, two healthy pumpkin breakfasts:




Now onto the quintessential fall food, 
apples!









If you want your home sweet home to smell like heaven: 



Now onto COOKIES...it's getting serious.


Both of these are maple-flavored sugar cookies.





 Falling Leaves cascading beautiful sun burnt colors to the earth...

My favorite giant neighborhood tree:
more photos here: "the leaves by hundreds came"


Our Telluride vacation at the Peaks Resort...you've got to click over to see all the other photos.  The leaves literally GLOW in every single breathtaking photo.

Mt. Sneffels



In this older fall leaf Colorado tour from 2009, my boys look so young (and cute!):
Color it Pretty Colorado Leaf Tour on the Grand Mesa



A creative way to save all those collected leaves:

Pressed Leaf Fall Garland



Finally, to complete this post I wanted to finish with some fall decor.

 2010 decor: Feathering our nest for fall



 A fall fireplace mantel:


 
And 2011 fall decor: Autumn Atmosphere




Enjoy every blessed day of these brief and brisk {glorious} days. 
I'll have  brand new 
recipes, decor, and fall tours 
coming later this month!



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This post is linked to: Under the Table & Dreamin, Nifty Thrifty, Seasonal Sundays, Made by You Monday, Met Monday, Tuesday Tutorials and Tips, HOMEWORK: Be Inspired, Tasty Tuesday, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On, Works for Me Wednesday, Organize and Decorate Everything, Celebrations at Home,Transformation Thursday, Tablescape Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, 36th Ave, Foodie Friday, Frugal Friday, I'm Lovin It, Tickled Pink, Friday Flair, Design Dazzle, eighteen25, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors, Weekend Wrap Up sew many ways Six Sisters Saturday 

10 comments:

The Quintessential Magpie said...

What a GREAT post, Lisa!

I loved all of those fabulous fall foods. Say that real fast three times. LOL!

And the photos of the boys and their bikes. SO neat.

I have missed you, my friend, and I hope to return to blogging and be able to enjoy your ideas on a more regular basis.

XO,

Sheila

The Quintessential Magpie said...

OH, and Happy Fall to you and all of your boys, including your sweet husband!

caveman said...

Lisa, you truly are a word artist. Never before in my life have I wished I was wearing mittens, until now. Reading your words about God's work during the fall makes me hope this fall season lasts an especially long time.

caveman said...

And a Happy Fall to you and your family as well, Mrs. Magpie! :-)

The Tablescaper said...

So so many fabulous ideas. Do hope you'll bring this post to Seasonal Sundays.

- The Tablescaper

Sunshine said...

Thanks for the memories. Dad and I are so blessed to be a part of the many moments you create. And oh, the picture of those "littler" grand-boys is precious!

Unknown said...

thanks this

Jenny said...

Absolutely lovely.

Kozy Shack? I am so looking for that at the store.

I got some pumpkin flavored greek yogurt at Trader Joes.

Ummm...

Not a favorite!

Happy Fall lovely lady.

Judy@cutest-little-things.blogspot.com said...

Very lovely and heart cozy post!

Judy@cutest-little-things.blogspot.com

b. said...

No one soaks up fall like you! I feel like I can taste it just by reading your posts. ;)