Autumn Silhouette Plates

Two white plates from the thrift store.

The squirrel and leaf silhouette can be found here at Yellow Mums.

I enlarged them a bit, cut them out and mod podged them onto the plates.

Picture Perfect!

Canning Applesauce

The first bite of an autumn apple picked from a nearby orchard is delish!

mmmmmm

Each year we roll up our sleeves to preserve this yummy-ness for the winter months.

6th Annual Apple Adventure

Canning applesauce has become one of our family traditions.  

It is the only canning I consider fun!

My kids really enjoy it and are expert applesauce makers now.

We couldn't have done it without this awesome ancient Victorio Strainer.

I remember using this exact one as a child making applesauce with my siblings.

Good memories.

This is what it looks like all set up.

It will mush the apples and remove the seeds and peels at the same time.

Here is our assembly line...

1.  prep apples

(take out of boxes)

2.  wash with warm water and a teeny bit of soap

3.  rinse in sink full of water with 1/2 cup of vinegar

4.  cut apples into fourths

5.  keep them face down to make picking up much easier

(no need to peel or core)

6.  fill up pots with apples- add a cup or two of water and steam

(the house smells heavenly)

7.  enlist in helpers (the waiting list is always full)

8.  put the cooked apples in the white bowl and strain away

The applesauce comes out one side and all the other stuff comes out the other end.

9.  taste testers

10.  can bottles in the garage in double batches

Check out the different colors of sauce using three apple varieties we mixed.

mmmmm

7 people + 8 hours = 83 qts of applesauce

AMAZING!

(thanks to the 2 canners)

Because I'm lazy I don't believe in re-inventing the wheel... here's a great site that gives step by step instructions on the canning part, Make it Do.

What's just as nummy as applesauce?  

Canned peaches!

Instructions on canning peaches with Make it Do.

Autumn Friends

I love autumn!  

I also love to glimpse what my crafty friends do with their craftiness.

Take a look....

I love the pumpkin turned on it's side.

Check out this adorable autumn village.

I love it!

Creepy eyes made out of black paper spy out the windows of this house.

It's really spooky at night with the inside lights turned on.

Painted jars.

Save them all!

Personalized haunted house cross stitched with love.

This huge pumpkin is darling!

Witchy witch wall hanging!

Glass Etching

My friend taught me how to etch glass.

It was easy.

Print numbers off the computer and trace them onto contact paper.

Make sure you trace them onto the contact paper backwards.

Place contact paper over your glass.

Follow the instructions on the bottle.

I've seen etching spray in a spray can too.

1.  Make sure you apply it in up and down strokes. 

2.  Do not dab as you see above, it will not turn out very well.

3.  Let the etching cream sit for a few minutes.

4.  Wash off the excess and peel off the contact paper.

Tah dah!

My friend made BOO jars.

My leaf jar turned out beautifully.

I traced leaves onto contact paper and placed them randomly on the jar. 

 I then etched the whole jar.  

Give it a try!

Paper Bag Pumpkins

These paper bag pumpkins have become my prized autumn decor.

Each one is made by one of my little punkins when they were in kindergarten.

Here's the one that started it all.  

From 2001 to 2009.

My collection is complete.

Super easy and fun to make....

-take a brown paper lunch bag and stuff it with old recycled paper or plastic bags 

-tie the top with a rubber band.

-paint the bag and let dry

-tie raffia, pipe cleaner or a ribbon for the top

-name and date the bottom

This pumpkin patch has their own place of honor.

Linking up to....
Fall Party @ Eighteen 25