Fall Candle Wraps

I put to use some more of those cold porcelain leaves I made using my recipe from this post and had also used to make fall napkin rings and made some really simple candle wraps to match the rest of my leafy decor.

I just cut four pieces of twin to the same length (long enough to tie around my candle) and then used a glue gun to secure the leaves to the twine.

Wrap those guys around your candles and you're instantly festive.

Fall Napkin Rings (from Shower Rings!)

Another simple and inexpensive craft. Do you know how cheap plastic shower rings are at the thrift store? Under $1 for 12 of them. So, I decided that 6 would make a nice set of fall napkin rings to be used for Thanksgiving.

Pretty, right?

I used some twine and a glue gun to cover them, but you could easily use jute, too, which might even give better coverage. 

Begin with a dab of hot glue to secure your beginning end of twine.

Make sure that the ring is "unhooked" so that you can slip the twine through that space in order to wind around your shower ring.

I wound around loosely a second time in order to insure full coverage - no one likes icky white plastic peaking through.

When finished winding, seal the rings shut. You can then begin to add your embellishments for the top of the ring.

I chose to add some cold porcelain leaves that I shaped and painted myself. You might remember my tutorial for cold porcelain here. You'll also need some floral tape to cover the remaining visible plastic portion on the ring and provide a smooth surface on which you can attach your leaves.

 

  

All that's left now is to place your lovely napkins through those rings and serve up some dinner (maybe even Thanksgiving dinner?).

Apple Garland

This simple apple garland is made with faux apples strung together on twine. It's a pretty decoration for fall and you can make it as simple or grandiose as you'd like with as many embellishments as you prefer. For now, I think I like this one very simple with only apples and leaves.

Since I don't have a special tool for threading styrofoam apples, I fashioned my own out of wire and duct tape. I attached the twine to the end of the makeshift wire needle with the tape and got ready to string a dozen apples.

Once I pierced the apple, I worked to make sure that my wire remained as straight as possible as it made its way through the apple.

When I could see that it was beginning to poke through the other side, I pierced that area just a bit with another wire end, just to make my "needle's" exit as easy as possible. I used my wire cutters to grab and pull the wire all the way through, just because their grip is better than mine.

Your wire will obviously push through some of the styrofoam so that you'll get some small pieces that are pushed out with the wire. Also, your exit hole might look a little messy once you pull everything through; just use your finger to push the styrofoam and apple skin back into place.

I tried to make sure that I strung them at different angles so that the final result would include apples that could be viewed from multiple angles. String a whole bunch of them and hang them up!

At this point, I cut up a faux leaf branch with some wire cutters in order to get smaller 3 leaf bunches, poking the ends of those into the holes I made for stringing the apples, just to one side of each apple. I added two bunches to either end of the garland.

Of course, you could get really creative and add many different things. Maybe even blend a pennant banner between the apples. Or, keep it simple. I really love mine.

Fall Leaf Hanging

This pretty leaf hanging is just the thing to hang in an archway. It's easy to make and almost free, since I gathered the leafy branches from my back yard.

First, I dried the leaves between two towels for a few days, just to insure that they dried flat. I understand that there are more involved methods of drying leaves, especially if you're looking to preserve them for a long time. But since I sprayed them afterward with a clear, acrylic sealant, I figured they would be durable enough for my purposes.

Once they were sprayed with the acrylic spray and completely dry, I could begin to plan out the placement of the branches.

From there, it was pretty quick. I used hot glue and twine to hold together my bundles.

I looped a piece of twine to act as a hanger and attached that to the center of the two bundles.

I used hemp to create a simple bow for its center.

And hung the finished product in my dining room.

Pretty!

Butternut Squash Basil Pasta (Vegan Optional)

It's the season for squash. And I particularly love butternut squash. I've seen many recipes that vary up this idea, so feel free to search for more. This is just the way I chose to do it. It's really simple, really delicious, and really good for you.

Butternut Squash Basil Pasta (Vegan Optional):

1/2 a butternut squash, cooked

1/4 cup basil

1 box pasta shells, cooked and strained (toss with olive oil if preparing ahead of time to keep from sticking)

2 tablespoons vegenaise (or other vegan mayo-like spread)
1/4 cup olive oil

about 3/4 cup almond milk

salt and pepper to taste

I always cook squash the lazy way. I clean it off, intact, poke holes in it, and throw it in the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes (time depends on the size of the squash). I place foil underneath it or set it in a pan since the drippings from the slits in the skin will fall in the oven.

Once the squash is cooked, peel off the skin (so much easier to do when it isn't raw!), cube it up, and put it in your pot with the olive oil. Turn the heat to about medium-high. Use your favorite mashing tool to get it really smooshed up. I prefer this way rather than puree because I like some small chunks of squash. Snip or chop your basil and dump that in. Again, nothing wrong with some chunks of basil. They're delicious.

  

Place your dollop of about two tablespoons of vegenaise into the squash mixture, along with almond milk and salt and pepper (to taste) and stir it all together.

  

Toss your prepared pasta shells right into the pot.

Serve it up. Right away. Because it's delicious and you'll want to taste it quickly. I put a sprinkle of parmesan on top of mine, but if you'd rather go vegan go ahead and skip it.

Fantastic stuff, I tell you.