Sunday, October 30, 2011

weekend winsome


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Halloween!


Halloween is one of my favorites and I look forward to it every year. I love the cold weather,warm bonfires,pumpkins, and scary movies that come along with it and I had the chance to enjoy some festivities this weekend. Luke and I carved up our pumpkins,made some yummy roasted seeds, and  baked pumpkin bread while having a spooky movie marathon ..our tradition. We always have to watch Arsenic and Old Lace, it's our favorite Halloween movie!


Last minute costume..Dorothy!
vintage dress,shoes,and bag from the flea market

Zizi is a stand in for Toto



I hope everyone had a fun Halloween weekend!


 

Thursday, October 27, 2011

midweek menagerie

a collection of thoughts and things..

The weather has been especially crisp the past few days and it's really starting to look and feel like fall. We went for a walk around the neighborhood and had some fun with the pups at the playground near our house.
I don't think I'll ever be too old for the swings..




Loquat-swingset chain



It's finally cold enough for my vintage beret, I'm so glad I found one in a camel shade!





Mogwai!

The view from our back porch..I love the huge old trees and the pretty fall leaves.





I hope everyone is having a lovely week!


Monday, October 24, 2011

creature comforts

the civil wars-pressing flowers

This weekend was spent enjoying the weather,listening to music, and hanging out with these furry creatures..I love my animal crew!

Zizi




Baxter


Copper


and introducing Mogwai!!


This cutie is my little brother's pug..he recently got a new job so Mog will be living with us for a bit. I love all of his little snorts and piggy sounds and his howl is so adorable/funny haha He's fitting in perfectly so far!

my favorite kind of outfit, light layers. I wish it was 70 and sunny year round!


These tights were originally cream but I was dye-ing for a deep red pair haha..






I was admiring this dandelion in the yard..they always remind me of my grandma Nola. She used to make wilted dandelion greens for me,I think it was the French in her!

I found this pretty piece at the thrift store later that day..I love when that happens!


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

dish : pecan n' pumpkin pie recipe




I had a slice for breakfast,it's that good. Pie is appropriate at any time of day..the perfect food.

Makings:

2 pie crusts

(Filling)
1 29oz can of pumpkin
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar

(Topping)
2 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. cold butter cut into small pieces
1 bag(2 cups) chopped pecans

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425

Mix filling ingredients together until smooth, pour into the 2 pie crusts. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile combine the topping ingredients to create the streusel, stirring in the nuts last.  Remove the pies and reduce the heat to 350. Sprinkle each with the topping and continue baking 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center of each pie comes out clean. Cool.





The result is a creamy pumpkin pie topped with buttery caramelized pecans..so good! I've nicknamed it the flea market pie, the topping reminds me of those heavenly Cinnamon sugar roasted pecan stands. Baking in the fall/winter is one of my favorites things, along with watching Pushing Daisies. I'm going to attempt to make a Pear/Gruyere pie next!


Sunday, October 16, 2011

day tripper : pumpkin patch



I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air.
Nathaniel Hawthorne




Fall weather this weekend..sunny, 70, and breezy! We took a day trip to the farm and had a perfect weekend full of a few of our favorite fall traditions. Pumpkin picking and pie baking. We'll be carving them up soon..can't wait for roasted seeds! I'm so glad we spent the weekend outside, it's going to be in the 50's this week..ugh.






We found our perfect pumpkins!

My vintage plant stand serves as an impromptu pie rack..these turned out amazing! I can't wait to share my recipe with you!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Monday, October 10, 2011

weekend winsome: fall favorites



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We haven't had a chance to visit the pumpkin patch yet and I hoping to find some time to go next week.  It's one of our favorite fall traditions, we go every year!  I'm loving the pretty fall leaves everywhere. We walked to the chili cook off on main street and there were tons all over the sidewalks..they have such a satisfying crunch haha.  Crisp air+crunchy leaves+ chili=perfection.
                                                              
My bangs are in that awkward too long stage..not sure what I want to do with them yet. I always get stir crazy when the seasons change and start trying to change my hair style/color!




                                                               


He's an intellectual




We tried to do some sleeping in..Copper always wakes us up too early!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!




Thursday, October 6, 2011

midweek menagerie

a collection of thoughts and things..


Leopard! I've been working on the house and painting this week so I've been living in crummy t-shirts and sweatpants.. it was nice to dress up a bit for dinner out with Luke.







Since we had a ton of apples from the orchard I've been trying to make recipes to use them up. I'm running out of ideas..and a love for apples haha



after the perfect weather we were having it's back to the hot 80's,ugh.. it feels like summer. I can't wait for the weather to cool off again, it's supposed to be fall!



Zizi loves the warm windows

I hope everyone is having a great week!





Monday, October 3, 2011

Inspired by: Bright Star


I've been painting the bedroom in our 1860's home for the past few days and it may have turned into a slightly longer project due to a few too many breaks for tea drinking and a movie. I was sitting on the deck watching little white butterflies flutter about in what's left of the garden and I had the urge to watch one of my favorites, Bright Star.

mmm..vanilla chai


“I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days - three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.”
John Keats, Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems of John Keats to Fanny Brawne



This film is based on the last three years of the life of poet John Keats and his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne. It's set in 1818 and features the beautiful English countryside and the most amazing colors and tones, I want my entire life to feel like this movie!  I adore star crossed love stories and this is one of the greatest.


I collect vintage butterfly pieces and I'll be displaying them in our bedroom along with two old wood butterfly nets I'm using for wall art.



Our bed linens are ruffled white cotton reminiscent of a lovely victorian lawn dress



Fannie is inspiring as a talented seamstress who fashions her own ruffled neck pieces and gorgeous gowns.



I can't wait to finish the bedroom, I have so many diy projects to do!

we get such pretty light from the sunsets, the dark walls left from the previous owners were bringing me down!



I finally found my perfect pale grey/duck egg blue shade..in a fitting name- dew of silverberry. I can't wait for everything to come together although I think I'm going to need to cook a delicious meal so Luke will finish the walls for me..I do hate painting the trim..