Easy Ideas for a Festive Thanksgiving

It's not too late to think about adding a little fall flair to your Thanksgiving table.  Here some easy and inexpensive, last minute ideas.

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Coconut Pecan Cookies

Several weeks ago I shared these pudding cookies, which I first saw over at Chef in Training.  You know I love to make different versions and variations of the same recipe, so today I've got Coconut Pecan version to share with you!

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Pumpkin Bread

Fall weather is finally in the air around our house!  It really makes me crave the tastes of fall and all those great Thanksgiving classics!

Today I'm sharing a little taste of fall. I made a little tray of fall goodies for my husband to carry to work last week, and the Pumpkin Bread was a very popular treat. Hope you enjoy!

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Fun Halloween Sweets

Photo Credit: Taste of Home

Can you believe that Halloween is just a couple of weeks away? Whew...how time flies! Today I've got an array of fun sweets and treats to help inspire your creativity this Halloween!

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Pumpkin Wall Hanging

During the summer I shared a couple of projects made with embroidery hoops.  And here's another! This Pumpkin Wall Hanging is very easy and very budget friendly!

I made with it with a couple of sheets from scrapbook kit that I got at the Dollar Tree and (believe it or not) the fabric from an old shirt.

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Free Halloween Printables

Halloween Party Printables from Party Planning Center

My Free Fall Printables post was my most viewed post last month, so for this month I've got some Halloween printables for you. As always you'll find links to the sources where you can download these beneath the photos. Happy Downloading!

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Harvest Halloween Sponsor #3: Peach Tea Couture

Our next Harvest Halloween sponsor is definitely a sponsor for all seasons! Peach Tea Couture offers adorable, personalized onesies, t-shirts, and printable party supplies.

The owner of the shop, Abbe, a fellow Alabama native (smile), calls her shop, "a little slice of heaven right here on the web. Everything here is very stylish—very Southern."

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Harvest Halloween Sponsor #2 Paramore Art Works

It's time to spotlight another Harvest Halloween sponsor.

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Harvest Halloween Sponsor #1: Kelly's Cottage Shoppe

As some of you may know, I'm participating in a Harvest Halloween Blog Hop. By the way, If you'd like to participate in the hop, you can still sign up over at Savey Spender.
For this event, I will be giving away a prize pack of items from 4 different sponsors, and each week leading up to the event I'll be spotlighting one of these great sponsors.
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Fall Letter Craft Tutorial

I love fall crafts and decor!  I made this shabby style fall craft the other day.  I guess you'd call it a wall hanging (even though I've hung it on the fridge).  But the concept behind my little fall letters could also be applied to banners, cards, place mats and more.

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Fall Leaf Jar

At Christmas I just love jars filled with Christmas balls, so last year I took the idea and applied it to fall. 

It turned out really cute, and the best part of all is that I didn't have to spend a dime. I already had the gold Christmas balls that I used.  And the leaves actually fell off of some fall garland that I had. Rather than throw them away, I figured why not use them for craft materials!

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Free Fall Printables

Photo Credit: Inspiration for Real Life

A cold front of wind and rain came our way yesterday, and today it's actually 71 degrees in our house without any air conditioning!  I'm know the fall season doesn't officially begin for another couple of weeks, and we'll probably have a few more hot days ahead, but today I'm officially in the mood for fall!

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Halloween Treat Box

We were grocery shopping the other day when my husband picked up a big box of cupcakes. This was the same weekend that I broke out all the Halloween decorations for outside.  I find that if we don't keep snacks like cookies and cakes out on the counter, they will  be forgotten in the cabinet and will eventually have to be thrown out. I was deciding which bowl or jar to the put the cupcakes in  I got inspired to create this cute little treat box. 

To make your own treat box, just take any box or other container you find around the house.  Then get a couple of coordinating scrapbook papers. ( I purchased the packet which included 8 sheets of Halloween paper from the Dollar Tree! I actually bought it a year or two ago and had totally forgotten about it.  Big surprise when I started hunting through my paper drawers!)

Next cut your paper to fit your box.  Since I'm not the craftiest person in the world I find it helps a lot to trace the shapes you need with a pen or pencil.  For this particular project I found it easier to cut each side individually but whenever possible, I try to wrap the paper around the item I'm decoupaging.

Finally apply mod podge to the back of your paper and stick the paper to your container.  Make sure it goes on smooth.  If you're using a cardboard box like I did, you could alternatively use a glue stick.  After you've completely covered your container, you can finish all the project by giving it another light coat of mod podge.

After it dries, your ready to fill the box with your favorite Halloween treats!

I'm sharing my project at these crafty linky parties.

Halloween Coffee Table and Coaster Craft

I finally got my Halloween stuff out this past weekend.  In the past I've only decorated outside, except for some fall garland over the cabinets in the kitchen, and some fall leaf window clings on our back door, but this year I decided to brighten up the indoors a bit.

I created this cute arrangement for our coffee table in the living room.  Usually I like to be very elaborate and "busy" with the decor, but in certain areas, I tend to keep it a little more minimalist.  One reason is because stuff can get in the way in certain places, and secondly my cats would be too tempted if I covered the tables with too much stuff.  In fact, in the photo below you'll notice a small set of gray ears just to the left of the pumpkin. (That's Rebel.  He loves to decorate, and his style is, well...very unique!)

Easy Table Cloth:
For the coffee table, I simply used a few yards of cute Halloween fabric-- no sewing or crafting involved --and it's much cheaper than any table runner you could buy.  Of course, the jack-o-lantern was added to the center.  I thought about getting a couple of smaller ones to go beside it, but here again, I'm keeping it simple.

Making Your Own Coasters:
And finally I made these cute little coasters just to have something else to set on the table.  For these, I simply took a couple of old coasters that we weren't using.  Then I used them as a stencil to trace two circles and I cut them out.  For the next step, I've seen a lot of people using mod podge to stick the paper to the coaster, but since we won't really be using these coasters, and since they'll only be out for a month I came up with an idea to help me change up these coasters any time I want.

I had some magnet strips with adhesive on the back.  And I just took my scissors and cut a very small piece of magnet off, and stuck it to the coaster.  Then I cut off another small piece and stuck in on to the paper.  Put the paper and the old coaster together, and you've instantly got a new coaster!  And after the holiday, you can either throw the paper away or save it for next year.  Meanwhile you can create a new set for the next holiday.

Next week I'll be sharing a Halloween mod podge project that I did over the weekend and another table decoration, so please come back and see!

This week I'm linking up to these craft & decor parties, plus over at My Blessed Life and Tater Tots and Jello for the Celebrating Autumn event, and Susie QT Pies Scraps for Life for the Halloween Tricks N Treats Party!

Thanksgiving Menu Must-Haves

Need a little inspiration to get you through the Thanksgiving holiday? Here's a collection of recipes to get you started. Happy Eating! And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Cornbread Dressing from Southern Living

Chicken-Green Bean Casserole from Tablespoon

Sweet Potato Casserole from Taste of Home

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes from Good Housekeeping

Caramelized-Apple Spice Cake from Martha Stewart

Ultimate Pumpkin Pie from Food Network

-Jerri

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I'm posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Ultimate Recipe is Swap is hosted by Life as Mom.
Friday Feasts is hosted by Momtrends.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Hooked on Fridays is hosted by Hooked on Houses

Sweet Thursday: Halloween/Fall Edition

I hope everyone has a great Halloween this weekend! If anyone out there is still looking for a sweet treat to make for the holiday, or if you're already making your Thanksgiving plans, here are some yummy creations to choose from.

Join The Round-Up: If you have fall/Halloween dessert that you'd like to have included this round-up, just leave your link in the comments section, and I'll add you.

November Round-Up: The next round-up will be on November 19. The theme will be Family Favorites. So anything goes!

Pumpkin Cake from Maltese Cakes & More

Great Pumpkin Cookies from Joy in my Kitchen

Jack-o-lantern Cake from Joy in my Kitchen

Apple Pie Muffins from Chaya's Comfy Cook Blog

Apple Tart from Chaya's Comfy Cook Blog

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling from Sweet and Savory Says it All

Pumpkin Streussel Bars from Sweet and Savory Says it All

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Filling from Nina's Recipes

Candy Corn Cookies from Nine More Months

Easy Crumb Cake from Secrets of a Southern Kitchen

Ginger Bars with Chocolate Chips from Millie's Place

Witch Cupcakes from Simply Sweet Home

No Bake Caramel Cookies from Simply Sweet Home

-Jerri

Falling into Fall Decor

Need a few ideas to brighten up your home this fall? Here's a few to get you started.

Welcome Sign from BHG. Here's a great project that adds a simple charm to your decor.

Pumpkin Vase from Martha Stewart. A centerpiece really brightens up your table, and this pumpkin vase with wild flowers is just perfect!


Naturally Beautiful Wreath from Southern Living. If you're looking for something a little different from the orange and yellow harvest wreaths, here's something for you in green.

Modern Fall Cornucopia from BHG. I love this idea! The greens and purples are just lovely for fall or any time of year! And you can always use other colors of your choice for you own custom look.

Mantle Decor at About.com. And a little color and fall cheer to your mantle with a few pumpkings and some leaf garland.

Harvest Centerpiece from From You Flowers. There are so many different centerpieces out there for the fall. And the colors in the piece add so much warmth to your table or buffet.

-Jerri

Not-So-Scary Halloween Giveaway

Is everyone busy getting ready for Halloween? You Can Make This has a ton of projects and ideas for Halloween and all occasions!

And this week I'm happy to announce that you can win a $50 bundle of Halloween downloads from You Can Make This! This is the perfect prize for all you crafty ladies out there, and if you're a little crafty-challenged, then you could pass it on to the crafter in your life!

Your $50 Bundle of Halloween downloads will include the following books:

Fancy Filled Tutu with Bonus 40 Tutu "Recipes"
Pumpkin Polly Patterns
Paper Piecing Project: Pumpkin Patch Pillow
Frayed Applique: Too Cute to Spook!
Little Miss Spider Applique Patterns
How to Applique the Easy Way
Hocus Pocus Patterns
Just a Little Something for a Happy Halloween Table Runner

One Simply Sweet Home reader will win this $50 bundle of "No So Scary" Halloween ebooks from You Can Make This. To win visit You Can Make This and leave a comment on this post, telling us an idea or project that you would like to try.

Giveaway Closed. Thanks for entering!



-Jerri

Festive Fall Garlands

Fall is such a wonderful time of year. Whenever we go shopping during the fall, I'm amazed at all the wonderful decorations for the inside and outside of the home. The colors are so bright and beautiful. And it really puts you in the mood and gets you excited about all the traditions of the season. Today I'm sharing a collection of fall garlands with you. Below each photo, you'll find a link that will show you where you can purchase the item or how you can make the item. Enjoy!

Fall Leaves Garland from Plow & Hearth. The front door is the first thing people see before entering your home. A wreath and garland like the one shown here will make a wonderful impression on your guests. The colors add so much warmth and everyone will feel at home as they enter your door.

Fall Garland from Simply Nice Gifts. Look at how much a little garland can add to the look of your table. I love the simple elegance of this! It would be perfect for a Thanksgiving party.

Dried Fall Garland from BHG. Deck the halls with dried fall garland! It looks like this is hanging over a hall tree, wash stand, or dresser. But it would look great hanging over your door way, or hanging in front of a buffet table.

Fall Garland from Williams-Sonoma. This one looks a little more rustic. I love the wreath that goes with it. This would be so lovely on your mantle piece, hanging in the dining room, or hanging on your front door.

Corn Garland from Martha Stewart. Has anyone ever seen corn garland before? I thought this was so unique! And just like with the very first picture, this garland really adds a lot to the doorway and just makes you want to go inside!

For more great ideas visit Hooked On Houses.

-Jerri