Fwd: Simple Times - 11/01/09 - Simple Autumn Ideas

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Simple Times

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Vol. 11, No. 13 -- November 1st, 2009

http://www.SimpleMom.com

DSimple

Copyright 2009 Deborah Taylor-Hough

ISSN: 1527-1269

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Celebrating more than a decade of saving your time, money and sanity!

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IN THIS ISSUE:

-- "Dear Readers"

-- Simple Living Quote

-- Simple Autumn Ideas: Recipes, Decorations & Crafts

-- My Autographed Books on eBay

-- Letters to the Editor / Reader Tips

-- Assorted Information (archives, etc.)

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< < < O.U.R S.P.O.N.S.O.R > > >

 

Tupperware® Online Catalog

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Same great products ... shop online convenience!

 

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Dear Readers,

 

Well, we only saw about two dozen trick-or-treat goblins this year.

I just never know from one year to the next how many we'll see. I

think it just depends on the weather more than anything. It wasn't

quite as rainy tonight as predicted -- I'd expected to see nothing but

raincoats and umbrellas at our door.

 

Our family’s annual Halloween tradition is to pop a bunch of popcorn,

brew some spiced apple cider, turn down the lights, and watch Frank

Capra’s classic movie, Arsenic and Old Lace, starring Cary Grant. It’s

absolutely hilarious! Dark comedy at it’s best.

 

Plus the movie takes place on Halloween, so it’s seasonally appropriate.

Spooky, morbid and dark … without being too spooky, morbid or dark.

Tongue-in-cheek, laugh out loud, "almost" scary fun. ;-)

 

http://tinyurl.com/ArsenicOldLace

 

 

Simply Yours,

 

Debi

(Deborah Taylor-Hough)

Editor, Simple Times Email Newsletter

--Author of the popular Frozen Assets series; A Simple Choice: A

practical guide for saving your time, money & sanity; and Frugal

Living for Dummies®

--Editor, Simple Times and Bright-Kids email newsletters

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Visit my simple living blog!

http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/

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SIMPLE LIVING QUOTE

 

"I have no regrets, no last wishes, for I want EVERY DAY to be the

one I remember."

 

~Tiffany Kirchner-Dixon

 

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SIMPLE AUTUMN IDEAS

Copyright Deborah Taylor-Hough

Used with permission. All rights reserved.

http://www.SimpleMom.com

 

 

The weather's changing, summer's finally over, and there's a

definite chill in the air many days. Now we can look forward to

some of those fun activities that only happen in the autumn:

Collecting leaves and pine cones for wreaths and other decorations;

heading out to the local pumpkin patch; baking fresh apple and

pumpkin pies; brewing hot spiced apple cider (hey, I can smell it

simmering just thinking about it).

 

In November, the United States celebrates Thanksgiving Day. One

of our family traditions for this particular holiday is making a Thanks-

giving Tree. We make a tree trunk with bare branches out of black

craft paper and tape the "tree" to the dining room wall. Then we cut

out individual autumn-colored leaves (red, orange, yellow, brown)

from more craft paper.

 

As someone in the family thinks of something or someone they're

thankful for, they write the item or person's name onto one of the

leaves and then tape the leaf to the tree branches.

 

We try to put the Thanksgiving Tree in place by mid-November so

our family has at least a full week to add more leaves to the tree.

By Thanksgiving Day, the tree is FULL with the names of people,

events and things we're thankful for. This is great fun for the kids

and a meaningful addition to our family's holiday traditions.

 

And what would holidays be like without a few special treats?

 

My favorite recipe for hot spiced apple cider is one of those throw-it-

together-as-you-go recipes, but I'll try to explain the process as

best I can. First, I take a large jug of apple juice (a gallon if we're

entertaining). Then I pour the juice into a large pot on the stove (or

into the slow cooker if I don't want to use a burner). Heat to a simmer.

 

Then add the following ingredients to the pot:

 

--about one cup of frozen orange juice concentrate (this ingredient

is a MUST)

--approximately two teaspoons (more or less) of EACH of the

following: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves (whole or ground)

--and sometimes I add about one cup (or less) of cranberry juice

cocktail

 

Let it all simmer for awhile (half an hour at least). The smell wafting

through the house while the cider is simmering is simply heaven.

Mmmmm ... Serve the hot spiced cider in mugs. For a nice touch,

add a whole cinnamon stick to each mug.

 

Having a large pot of cider simmering on the stove when company

arrives is a sure way to make them very happy that they chose to

come over to your house.

 

And for another treat, make some baked pumpkin seeds. After all

the pumpkin carving or pie making, don't throw out the seeds.

Separate the seeds from the stringy pulp (don't rinse or remove

every last bit of the pulp -- the pulp adds flavor). Place the seeds

on a cookie sheet, stir in about 1/4 cup of melted butter, sprinkle

with a small amount of salt and then bake in a 350 degree oven for

10 minutes until lightly browned. Enjoy!

 

 

And here are a couple of ultra-easy Autumn craft ideas.

 

Leaf Prints:

 

Make your own cards or gift wrap by using nature's bounty of freshly

fallen leaves. Use poster paint for printing on paper (for cards, gift

wrap, etc.), or use acrylic paint if you decide to decorate an item

that needs a waterproof finish (glassware, clay pots, etc.). Brush a

small amount of paint onto the underside of the leaf where the veins

are more pronounced. Carefully place the leaf where you want the

design printed and cover with a layer of paper towel. Gently roll a

olling pin over the top (or you can use the side of an empty bottle).

Remove the paper towel and lift the leaf.

 

 

Wheat Weaving:

 

Soak wheat on the stalk (from craft stores or local farmers) in a tub

of water for an hour or so. Holding three seed heads together, braid

the stems of the wheat stalks. Curve the ends around to make an

oval loop, a circle wreath, or even bend it a bit to make a heart shape.

Tie with brightly colored ribbon. As the stalks dry, they'll hold their

shape. Add to your autumn decorations.

 

 

Now for some simple Autumn decorating ideas.

 

Christmas lights aren't just for the December holidays. I frequently

use the strings of tiny white lights around my front door interspersed

with autumn leaves, pumpkins, gourds and other autumnal decorations.

Rather than giving the house a "spooky" look, the tiny white lights

brighten up the decor and make the front door into a welcoming

entryway.

 

To line a festive walkway, make luminaria out of pumpkins or carved

gourds. After cleaning out the interior of a pumpkin, you can use drill

bits of different sizes to make dots and circles, arranging them in

festive designs all over the pumpkins (abstract patterns, bunches of

grapes, faces, etc.).

 

Rather than using candles to light your carved pumpkins or luminaria,

thread white Christmas lights into holes carved or drilled into the back

of the pumpkins. Consider using carved pumpkins or gourds as autumn

centerpieces on your holiday table.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

--Deborah Taylor-Hough is the author of Frugal Living For Dummies®,

A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide to Saving Your Time, Money and

Sanity, and the bestselling Frozen Assets cookbook series. Visit Debi

online at: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Taylor-Hough

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More books -- new and used -- coming soon!

 

 

Debi's Current Book Auctions:

 

Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month

Frozen Assets Lite & Easy

Frugal Living for Dummies®

A Simple Choice: A practical guide for saving your time, money & sanity

The Simple Mom's Idea Book (my newest book ... just released Sept '09)

 

http://myworld.ebay.com/dsimple1001/

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Feel free to forward this newsletter to your family and friends. :-)

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / READER TIPS

We'd love to hear YOUR tips and ideas for simplifying daily life.

Send your simple living comments and tips to: DSimple

 

 

Re: Frightfully frugal costumes

I found some beautiful (and very inexpensive!) princess/fairy costumes

for my girls at the thrift store … old frilly prom dresses look great on them,

need a little taking in or shortening, but even with my limited seamstress

abilities, they will look fine! I’m so glad we found something frightfully

inexpensive instead of just “frightful!â€

--Peg

 

 

Re: Homemade alternative to baby wipes

I’d like to share a recipe for homemade diaper wipes. If you’re using throw

away ones, you’re throwing away cash! For homemade wipes, if you really

insist on disposable ones, cut a roll of Good quality paper towels in half,

each half will fill one purchased wipes tub. I prefer to use rags, like old wash

cloths, or cut squares of flannellette (old receiving blankets, or flat diapers

are great!).

--Boil and cool a cup or so of water.

--Once cooled, at least to tepid, mix in a couple ounces of baby oil (preferably

a natural one, without petroleum ingredients), and about the same amount

of baby shampoo or body wash.

--Pour over your “wipe†of choice

Wipes made with rags, will keep longer, and not get smelly if you use more

oil and shampoo. (You could add lotion too if you wanted!)

.... from

 

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DEBI'S NEWEST BOOKS!

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and save 20% off everything!

 

 

The Simple Mom's Idea Book

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While starting life as a new wife and mom, the author always wished

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and show her the ropes of how to be a stay-at-home mom, live on one

income, survive in a tough economy, educate her three lively kids, and

successfully raise children to adulthood. If you've been looking for simple

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Basics of Inductive Bible Study

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excerpt from Charlotte Mason's writings specifically on the topic of habits.

Edited and introduction by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

 

 

Books available at www.Lulu.com/dsimple

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SIMPLE TIMES RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Book list for frugality and simple living

Go to: http://snurl.com/simplebooks

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As always, a special "Thank you!" goes out to Gary Foreman

and the friendly folks at The Dollar Stretcher for making this

mailing list possible!

 

== http://www.stretcher.com/ ==

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EDITOR'S BOOKS AND RESOURCES:

Books and resources by Deborah Taylor-Hough

Editor, Simple Times Email Newsletter

http://snurl.com/debisbooks

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"FRUGAL LIVING FOR EVERYONE!"

A Community Outreach Workshop

www.SimpleMom.comWorkshopsEvents.html

 

 

This popular workshop presented by Puget Sound area author

Deborah Taylor-Hough, is the perfect Outreach Event to offer

your community during this time of economic uncertainty.

 

Be part of the solution for your neighborhood by offering this

workshop at your church, MOPS program, or through your

local civic group.

 

Community Outreach Workshops available include:

 

... Cooking for the freezer

... Saving money on food expenses

... Writing workshops

... Easy educational ideas for kids

... Living within your means

... Simplifying the holidays

... Parenting (preschool thru teens)

... Successful New Year's resolutions

... General homemaking

... Voluntary simplicity

... Christian growth & discipleship

... Inductive Bible study

... and more!

 

 

Deborah can provide themed workshops tailor-made for your group

or community's needs. Debi is also available for consultations for

individuals, churches, and other groups on outreach strategy,

missional living, publishing, writing, media relations, and low-cost

publicity planning.

 

Contact Debi at: DSimple for more information.

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DEBI'S ON-LINE RESOURCES:

Website: http://www.simplemom.com

Frugality/Simplicity: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com

Cooking Ahead: http://frozenassets.wordpress.com/

Tupperware®: http://snurl.com/DebiTupperware

Kids' Books: http://snurl.com/books4kids

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NEWSLETTER INFORMATION

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Copyright 2009 Deborah Taylor-Hough. .

3930 A Street SE, Ste 305-119, Auburn WA 98002

Contact us at: DSimple

 

 

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