Yarn Wreath

Last year I shared a beautiful yarn wreath that I had seen at Recaptured Charm.


I did end up making my own version, but never shared it here. Well, today is the day to share. I really had a lot of fun making this and it is not at all difficult. Mine is smaller than the inspiration, mostly because I'm a cheapskate. The Styrofoam balls are pricier than you would think.


I also made yarn trees. Again, the foam cones are pricey. I cheated. I used posterboard rolled into cone shapes. Waaaaay cheaper.


I love the look of them displayed together.

Spicy Pumpkin Chili

(Not my image. This is the picture from the Allrecipes website.)

Friday night we had a Trunk or Treat and chili cook off at our church. I decided to try a new recipe. It was one I found online and was itching to try. I cooked this up on Friday afternoon and I LOVED it. It is spicy and almost a little sweet. It is warm and earthy and delicious. So here's the link to the recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Chili

I did make a few changes, just because I wanted to use what I had on hand. I swapped out the Northern beans for corn. I like corn in my chili and I didn't have any Northern beans, so it worked out well. I used home canned tomatoes, homemade tomato sauce and a can of Rotel (tomatoes and green chilis.) I think the Rotel added a little extra spiciness which was nice.

This is a perfect recipe for a crisp fall day, or cold, snowy afternoon.

Enjoy!

(My chili arrived late and was not entered in the cook-off, so I can't tell you if it is a contest winner or not. I can tell you that the crock pot was scraped clean at the end of the dinner, so it was well-liked!)

Holiday Season 2011

Tomorrow is the last day of October and I have to say, I am soooo feeling the Christmas spirit already this year! Today is cold and rainy, and other parts of the country are experiencing their first real snowstorm of the season. As I sit here in my cozy home, looking out at the cold, drizzly day, I feel it's time to share my first post here in Christmasland.

Last year I decided that THIS Christmas I wanted to decorate with warm whites, grays, and silvers/mercury glass. But then I walked into Joann Fabrics the other day and saw a huge section of red and white decor. It all had a clean, Scandinavian look to it and my heart skipped a beat. I loved it all. I think the line is called Nordic Noel. At least, the online items I can find online are in that line.



So maybe I'll stick to my more traditional reds and whites. I spotlighted some cute products with Scandinavian flair back here. I'm thinking I should probably embrace what seems to appeal to me.