Tuesday, October 02, 2007

I think Autumn deserves a new look!!!

I know you're probably laughing, I tend to change my template a lot around here, I think having the advantage of knowing how to do it tends to make me mess with it whenever the mood strikes me.

I do like this one for Fall, the colors, the changing leaves, the pumpkins, just makes me want to grab the family and head for the nearest Pumpkin patch. I remember when we went last year, still back in Idaho, what a blast we had.

With it also comes the eagerness to craft my little butt off, I have so many ideas for decorations and Halloween, let's not forget that we're also but a mere less than 3 months away from Christmas........boy time really has flown by.
Whatever I DO decide to make, I'll be sure to take pictures to share with you all.


So last night we headed to Cracker Barrel for dinner, it's one of our favorites restaurants, it's cheap and the food is amazing. I had the Country Fried Steak, Curt had the Roast Beef dinner, Jasmine had pancakes (don't ask LOL) and Nicholas had the Macaroni and Cheese. It was great but of course we can't ever just walk out, seriously, I think they need to offer blinders there so that you can make it from the table to your car without stopping to oooohhhhh and aaaahhhhhh at all the goodies in the store.

The kids got a few little toys, we picked up some old fashioned bottle root beer and then I got 3 new Gooseberry Patch cookbooks and I'm in LOVE with them.....I haven't even made it through my first one "Autumn in the Country", there's so many good recipes, tips and ideas etc....I'm in heaven!


Then I also picked up "From Grandma's Kitchen" and "Come on Over"......yep HEAVEN I TELL YOU!!!!
Gooseberry Patch has become my favorite store, I could do some major damage there LOL

How beautiful is this Crocheted Throw??? Oh if only I could crochet. My poor grandma tried so hard to teach me but I just could never get it, now knitting, I'm good at, sewing great too, cooking just love, but crochet?!?!?!? I just don't get it, I end up making this huge link chain LOL
That's all that comes out of my projects, just a link chain....I might be able to turn it into a necklace I guess.....


I worked a little too hard this weekend, was cleaning and cleaning and ended up pulling a muscle on my back, so I've been kinda slow and putting off anything that requires moving too much which pretty much rules out ANYTHING LOL
It's frustrating, I see the laundry piling up and the floors needing to be sweeped again, thanks to my shedding pugs, and I can't do it.....oh well, there's always tomorrow right???

Anyway, I need to get going, I have the best smell permeating the air.......Swiss Steak cooking away in my crockpot, I can't wait for dinner and it's not even noon. Better go find something to eat right now.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I LOVE YOUR NEW LOOK...you are so artistic Sandra!!" I really feel like going to the pumpkin patch NOW..LOL!!

"I pray for your back and hope you are feeling strong as ever very soon." Now, must go back and finish reading all your goodies..ummm!!

~xoxo
Jeannene

Renee said...

Your blog is gorgeous!!!! I love the new look! Fall is my favorite season and I can never look at too many pictures of it.

Please stop by my blog when you get the chance; there's an award for you there.

Anonymous said...

i love the new look!

the crochet blanket looks like the blanket i crocheted last year.

Cheri said...

Oh- girlfriend- there is nothing like the smell of swiss steak in the crock pot!! YUM!

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

Swiss steak cooking is one of the best smells! Growing up I loved when my mom made that meal. I like your new look- beautifully Fall.
Those cookbooks look awesome! A woman can never have too many cookbooks. Enjoy!

-Andrea

Mari said...

I love the new look - I guess I'm finally ready for fall! Glad to hear things are going better for Jasmine. I've been wondering how she was doing.

Michelle said...

LOL!!!! You made me laugh & smile.*coming to you from the library on this rainy day*love the template and lucky you on the cookbooks.Thanks for the blog visit.. ;=)
hugs .

Jen said...

I love cook books just like you. AND I love your fall look.....love it. I'm with you on fall stuff. We leave for Florida Friday afternoon....7 days on the beach...I cannot wait there fore its hard to get into the fall mood when all I think about is the ocean.

Liberty said...

I love your pumpkins! I am the same way as far as crocheting and knitting go. I LOVE to knit but if I try to crochet it doesn't work for me...I actually start having a little bit of a panic attack if I try too hard to do it! :)

Sandy said...

Sandra, how do you change your blog so often? Are there free templates and pics you can use?

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Your blog really looks nice!! Thanks for stopping by mine..with a name like mine I guess I stay in the summertime arena a lot!! BUT OH i really do like Fall!!
I crochet and have since I was 10!! i think that if you like to knit that crocheting does not come as easy, course my mother can do all of it!! I am not a knitter!! Also nice that you like to cook..that is one thing that i wish I liked to do. i have seen those cookbooks. We have a CRACKER BARREL just down the road from us and it is our favorite especially for breakfast!! I always go to the CLEARANCE section!! smile.
Sandy

Tammy said...

Your place looks so nice and fallish...I am not template-savvy, so I can't really change mine yet. I might have to finally break down and pay to have it done...sigh.
Those cookbooks are adorable- they look like something I would love to have in my kitchen library! :)

Michelle said...

I love your new look!

Cracker Barrel is such a fun place to have dinner and then browse! and hey, nothing wrong w/pancakes for dinner! :)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE it Sandra! Oh how I wish I knew how to change the look of my blog. *sigh* I am html illiterate I'm afraid!

I too love Gooseberry Patch! I'm drooling over your new cookbooks! How fun! I think on Friday I might have to visit some of my favorite used book haunts and see what kind of cookbooks I can come up with! My menus need a kick!

Hugs to you my friend! And plenty of blessings too,

Sherry

Courtney said...

Like I said I love this template. You always have the prettiest ones & I love coming to see what you have done with it today LOL!
I too LOVE Cracker Barrel. I have an americana/primitive country decorating addiction (As Matt would call it LOL) They always have the best things there. Plus great food. Shopping & food...doesn't get much better than that huh?!?!

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

Wow, your new template looks great! So fall like and happy :)

I love the Gooseberry Patch books. I haven't bought any (YET), but my MIL has several and I love to look through them. Can't wait to hear about the recipes you try from them!

heidi @ ggip said...

I love the pumpkins. And Cracker Barrell too, even if we don't have one nearby. I love pancakes any time of day, so I don't think it's weird at all.

Good luck on your crafts. Fall is so much fun!

Susanne said...

Wish I had your talent! I just love fall too. Those look like such nice cookbooks. I'll have to look in the library for them.

Laura said...

Love, love, love your new look! This has to be one of my favorites so far. We don't get beautiful leaves like that here. In fact we go right from summer into winter and skip fall all together. It's so sad.

Amanda said...

Thanks for visiting my blog and leading me to yours. I love your Autumn colors! Halloween sounds like fun. I've never lived anywhere that celebrated it so for me, its just whatever I see in the movies. The real thing must be much more fun.

smilnsigh said...

LUV your Autumn look!!! I want to go move right into that cabin in the woods!!! Mmmmmm, beautiful leaves just covering everything, and pumpkins down each side of the page annnnd a precious Autumn {is that a gif?} drawing at the top of the entries. And the great color print. You are amazing, Girl!!!! :-)

LUV that cover on the 'Autumn' cookbook too! Isn't it great how artists can capture the mood?!? I'm in awe of them.

Naughty you though... going and doing too much and pulling a muscle in your back! Tsk, tsk, tsk. What has your "Ol' Auntie Tilly" told you? Never clean too far! 'Twill always be there waiting, another day.

Mmmmm, did you mention needlepoint? Do you do needlepoint? Well, if so, go make a throw pillow and put it in a conspicuous place on your couch... with that saying... "Never clean too far!" >,-)

And yes, that Lobster Sauce and Pasta did look yummmmmm, hu? I'll have to point son who make it, to your comment in my 'smilnsigh.' He's really getting into this fancy cooking thing, and of course, loves the compliments. -grin- As we all do.

Mari-Nanci

Katy said...

oh i love your blog...it looks so pretty! You did a great job with it! :) I love those recipe books you got as well!!! I would LOVE them! Hope you enjoy!!! Have a great Wednesday! :)

gail@more than a song said...

I love your new look! And wish that I was able to change mine frequently too!
We love to eat at Cracker Barrel but almost never do unless we're travelling somewhere.

Unknown said...

Love the look! I wish I knew how to do that. I can sort of change my header ... and I do ... frequently. But the rest is beyond me :)

Madeleine said...

How do you people do that?? Your blog looks fantastic! And yes, autumn is here!!

I enjoyed your blog and will be visiting often!!

And how great are cookbooks? I don;t only collect them like alot of my friends, I actually love finding new treasures in them!!!

Robin said...

Hey- thanks for commenting on my blog! I LOVE your blog's look - it is so, well, fallish! LOL
And I do love that crocheted afghan. I do crochet, but it's been a long time. Maybe after I get all my Christmas projects out of the way, I'll give it a try.

La Dolce Vita with LeAnn said...

Oh girl, you have cost me money! Another visit to Cracker Barrel. Now if you could just teach me how to make my blog look at wonderful as yours does, I'd be Wowed!

FarmHouse Style said...

I love the pumpkin template! Cracker Barrel is one of my favorites too. My son always comes out with some new goodie...usually, so do I LOL!

Thanks for stopping in to offer birtday wishes and encouragement.

Hope that Swiss Steak is good:)
Rhonda

Jennifer in MS said...

Your new blog look is fabulous!! I love it!!

And Gooseberry Patch cookbooks are my abosolute favorite books! I have five of them myself and I can only think of ONE recipe out of MANY that I've made from there that I didn't like (and that was in my newest one!). Anyway, enjoy cooking. Getting new cookbooks always motivates me!

Mrs.T said...

I absolutely love the new look, Sandra!! It is simply gorgeous! You are sooooo talented.

And then you had to go and mention 2 of my other favorite things (in addition to fall) -- Cracker Barrel and Gooseberry Patch. We only have 1 Cracker Barrel anywhere near us and it's quite a drive. I have found that if you sign up for their online newsletter, you can find out about things like their porch sales and also take part in polls concerning food, music, etc. I actually won a gift card for a free meal for two! Also -- I'm sure you know this, but if you submit a craft or recipe to Gooseberry Patch and they use it, they send you a free copy of the book it's in. I have gotten several free books this way. Worth a try!

P. said...

Such a beautiful background and header.