fall flavor: gooseberry patch banana walnut bread from scratch

I'm not the authority on Fall, (though I think that sounds like a job I would be willing to sign up for), but I love so much more than pumpkin this time of year! Please don't get me wrong, pumpkin & I have quite the love affair, but really; gooey casseroles, thick stews & hearty breads all deserve a little stardom this season as well. Banana bread is another one of these use everything waste not, want not recipes I live for. The whole premise behind banana bread is to use mushy, old, on the verge of being thrown away bananas! I love it! The other wonderful thing about banana bread is that there is a very real chance you have everything you need at home already. Plus, you can make it as simple as you'd like or as much of a flavorful explosion as you like! A big thank you Gooseberry Patch as always for having some of the most delightful recipes!

Made with Love; Banana Walnut Bread

Two (2) Cups all purpose flour

One (1) Cup white sugar

Two (2) Eggs

Three (3) mushy bananas

1/2 Cup walnuts

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tesapoon salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

Sprinkle of oatmeal (optional)

  I am happy to report this is an easy recipe, but I recommend using measuring tools at this party!

Set your oven to 350º.

Get all of your ingredients gathered on your workspace.

Measure & Pour your dry ingredients; flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt.

Baking powder is one of those things that gets lost in the back of your cupboard, so if you're worried about it having expired this is what you do. Pour  1/2 cup hot tap water in a glass, drop 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in the water, if it fizzes, it hasn't expired!

Next add the eggs, melted butter & sliced bananas.

 

 

Use your hand masher to lightly mush the bananas into the mixture

Sprinkle in walnuts

Stir mixture with a sturdy spoon

Properly grease your pan , I use a butter stick & then coat with flour

Pour into 9" by 5" pan

Sprinkle with oatmeal & lightly press into mixture (this is totally optional)

Bake at 350º for 1 1/2 hours

Let cool

Slide knife between bread & pan

Remove loaf, Slice & Enjoy!

 

 

Magnifique!

What else would you add?  Strawberries, a variety of nuts, cinnamon? Are you crazy mad at me that I said pumpkin isn't the only star of Fall? Forgive me!

 

It's just another everyday holiday with jillie!

do it yourself: vintage halloween picture frames

Part of the charm of any holiday decor is homemade. Welcoming guests into a space you put time into creating allows them to feel like they are experiencing your home, & in turn learning something about you that is unspoken. A home should be seen as your heart on a sleeve. The things that matter to you most are bursting the minute someone opens your front door. Family photos, pets greeting you at the door, decorations, smells of candles or cookies or perfume, it's all a reflection of you. What do you want to say without speaking a word? 

Vintage charm is appealing to so many because the craftsmanship is of high quality, the verbiage is often flowery & romantic & it isn't a common item that makes you feel cookie cutter. I have a deep love for pieces previously owned, I want to feel the love & see the character of a lifetime. Sometimes we also see things created to look vintage & with that comes a higher price tag. For the life of me I will never understand wanna-be antiques with large price tags, it's not really special & it's usually not well made, so why are you gouging the price? If i had one word of wisdom it would be to save for the heirloom pieces. Bring them into your home with open arms & cherish them. Pass them down to your children & if it's not their style pass onto your grandchildren. You know how nothing goes out of style, it just cycles through a generation.

This craft is a nod to those expensive wanna be antiques that are over priced for no reason. I literally replicated the same quality for pennies & these are items that though aren't real antiques will stand up to being boxed away & brought out, year after year.

vintage Halloween picture frames 

Scratched & worn picture frames at the thrift store should range from .25¢ to 1$
Printed pictures at home 
Card stock
Scissors
Glue stick
Spray paint

Start by picking out frames that catch your eye, they can be metal or wood. Try to steer clear of any frames with large gouges in them unless you plan on using wood filler & sanding it, which seems more trouble than this project would deserve. Surface scratches, chipped paint & outdated wooden frames with gold accents are perfect & inexpensive. 

 Step One; Spray Painting

Clean your frames with warm water & soap.
Wash the glass & let dry.

Next, find a spray painting zone, someplace well ventilated, a cardboard box cut open is great! I spray paint so many things I actually have some old stepping stones stacked by our workshop that I use as my zone.

Get your handy-dandy bottle of spray paint, for the black frames I used a cheapy brand that cost 1$ for the can & it worked just fine.

The oiled bronze bottle of Rust-Oleum paint & primer is about 8$ a can & worth every penny in my opinion, (the handle is comfortable to grip, the spray is even & it applies nicely on different materials).

An important tip about spray painting is to start spraying before your project that way you're not getting a round spray blob with spidery lines (see the blob to the top left of the frame on the stone).

Get a feel for your can & move quickly, do not try to apply only one coat, rather you should apply two or three light coats layer by layer.

 

Here is a video showing the first coat, demonstrated by my wonderful husband, notice how quickly he's moving!

 

Once you've finished the top & sides let dry for about 15 minutes, it will still be a tad tacky to the touch, if you need to spray paint the back now is the time (some will be black already or velvety).

 Step Two: Finding & Printing Images

While your frames are drying begin a Google search, for Vintage Halloween Images, click an image you like & then save the image to your desktop, resize to fit your frames & print.

My printer has resizing options & image quality choices, I selected "best photo quality" on "regular paper".

Once printed I placed my pictures next to the card stock & let my imagination run.

 

I kept with a traditional orange & black theme & aimed for variety with polka dots, stripes & zigzags. The frame with the little girl atop the pumpkin came with matting inside so I just put the picture in & was finished!

 

 

  

 Next, I cut out my images using a crafting blade & scissors.

 

 

 I folded flaps to glue my pictures rather than gluing the actual image. That way it didn't look like it had specific glue spots anywhere.

 

 I let the glue set for a minute & put the frames back together with my new pictures inside!

  

You might be wondering what happened to my oiled bronze frame, I thought that deserved something very special, Sydney's latest school picture!

It's just another everyday, holiday with jillie

everyday decorating; dining room tablescapes

I hope you found inspiration in yesterdays post about tablescapes around the house, I'm back today with tablescapes for the dining room table for three very important Halloween occasions. A party, with tiered foods, platters & bowls, where people walk up & serve themselves. A dinner party where everyone is seated at the table, you want to have the food family style on the table with an open area in the middle to speak to each other. Lastly, an everyday, holiday where it's just you & the family on a weekday night where you want to sit & share your day with each other.

Let's get to partying, shall we?

 This first tablescape is the busiest with multiple heights. Around it would be colorful platters of candy apples, witches brooms, veggie trays & tiered cupcake stands! The buffet is cleared behind for the plates, napkins & drinks... mmm, warm mulled apple cider!

This next table is similar but I prefer it, you can enjoy the decorations from any side rather than only one,  there is more room for food, & there is some decor on the buffet as well. filled with food, both of these tables will delight your guests & not be in the way. Not to mention, the lights will be dimmed & the candle holders will fill the area with a warm glow.

Just a little detail shot, these playful characters are happy to see you!

We fell in love with this weird little kitty & are pleased with him year after year.

This next tablescape is for a dinner party. The table is open & inviting. There is plenty of room for casserole dishes & a salad bowl, which is what those metal skeleton arms are for tossing! Family style is so inviting for guests & helps them to feel at home in yours! Every pumpkin could have a slit in top with a piece of card stock & your guests name, so seating is a breeze.

Everything on the table serves a purpose, like these adorable salt & pepper shakers.

Heavy napkins are perfect for saucy casseroles or thick stews.

Lastly we have an everyday, holiday look, all treat no tricks! Plenty of room for everyone, a colorful tablecloth with a casual flatware display.

This is a great display for younger children afraid at Halloween, there is nothing scary about this guy! 

 

 Everything you need in one place; family, food & good conversation in this warm & inviting space! 

 

It's just another everyday, holiday with Jillie