Win Your Own Copy of What Plant Where Encyclopedia

This time of the year, my family and I spend lots of time gardening, shopping for the garden, tending the plants, and weeding to keep our garden a clean and well maintained space. For us gardening is exciting, tiring, and relaxing. We love reading books about gardening, trying a variety of different plants and flowers every year, growing to love some plants more than others, talking about plants, recommending our favourites and our tips to family, friends, and neighbours. Recently, I got a wonderful book from DK that tells all about what plants go where in our garden.

What We Do In Our Garden During Fall

The gardening season is almost coming to an end for this year... so I find spending a little bit of time each day will help us get ready to clean up and prep things for the next gardening season. Here are some of the things my husband and I do in our garden during fall.

Fall into Flavour with Puff pastry Apple pie

Fall is the time, I like making apple pies with puff pastry. My family and I cozy up to enjoy these apple pies for dessert, snack and breakfast :) The smell of cinnamon, which is our favourite spice with soft sweet apples inside the flaky puff pastry makes these goodies irresistible. Little ones are sure to love this dessert.

To make these puff pastry apple pies you will need...

3 apples

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 slices of bread

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp cinnamon

puff pastry

1 egg

Remove peels of the apple if you wish, and chop into pieces. Toast the bread and crumble it. Toss the apples with the bread, cinnamon, sugar and flour.

I used store bought puff pastry. Fill the pastry with the apple filling and make a wreath shape. Apply the beaten egg on top and sides of the pastry. Make slits so the air will escape and the pastries will puff well. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in a glass baking tray lined with a baking sheet at 375F until the pastry is golden and puffed. Cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving. 

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Knitted Pinnacle Poncho

Morehouse Farm has a beautiful collection of kits for us to knit fabulous items for babies, bags and purses, hats, scarves, home accessories, ponchos and many more.

I am making this beautiful poncho following the directions in the kit.  It is easy to follow even for a novice knitter.  This is my first time using circular knitting needles.  This kit has made it easy for me to start using this needle, which I thought would be impossible for me to learn :)

I like the choice of the vibrant colour and the quality of the Morehouse yarn that came in this Pinnacle Poncho knit kit.

The finished poncho measures adult triangular shape 5" from side to side and 30" from neck to tip.  

The 4 skeins of Variegated Morehouse 2-ply yarn and pattern was included in the kit.  I had to buy 2 #11 circular needles as instructed in the pattern.  The pattern is written in an easy to understand manner, not knitting language :)

Cast 3 stitches and purl the first row.
Then for the rest of the rows we have to knit and knit increase by 1 and then knit to the end of the row.  
Then knit increase by 1 and purl to the end of the row
Knit increase by 1 and knit the rest
Knit increase by 1 and purl the rest
These steps will be repeated until the needles have 130 stitches, it will be a V shape.  
The kit explains us how to do this.  
And after we do 2 of the same we have to put the triangles parallel to each other, wrong side facing out and bind off the shoulders using the three-needle bind (this is also explained).  45 stitches are bind off to the middle from both sides.  
Then we have to knit the neckline stitches that the kit explains in detail.

I enjoyed this kit and I think you will too.  These kits makes it easy for us to start and finish knitting projects that could be kept for ourselves or given as handmade gifts.

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Win tickets to Toronto Fall Home Show

Toronto’s largest Fall Home Show presented by Scotiabank runs from September 20-23 at the Better Living Centre Exhibition Place, 195 Princess Boulevard Toronto M6K 3C3.

The show will features more than 300 renovation and home décor specialists offering advice, solutions and inspiration for a wide array of home renovation and décor projects for our home.

• The Main Stage is presented by HGTV, where local experts and celebrities will offer insight, inspiration and advice.  
• Design Equations by Casalife and Benjamin Moore bring solutions for today's design and décor challenges.
• Discover innovative new trending products and design solutions with Tina's favourite fall finds.  
• Habitat for Humanity will have an ultimate upcycle challenge where we can see household items being repurposed.  
• Building Industry and Land Development (BILD) and Reno & Decor Magazine will give people opportunity to ask renovators one-on-one free advice.
• And lots of other programs...

Show dates and hours:
Thursday, September 20, 2012   11am to 9pm
Friday, September 21, 2012        11am to 9pm
Saturday, September 22, 2012    10am to 9pm
Sunday, September 23, 2012      10am to 6pm

Admission:                              

Adults:                            $15.00 at the door / $12.00 online
Senior (65+):                   $13.00 at the door / $10.00 online
Children 13-17:               $13.00 at the door / $10.00 online
Children 12 years & Under:   FREE

Giveaway:
2 people can win 2 tickets each to the show (it is free for children).  Giveaway ends on September 5th.  Open to people in Canada.  Please leave a comment on this post with an email or social media name so I can contact you back.
Update: The winners are Colleen and Victoria
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Summer products for children

If you are looking for cool sunglasses for kids and teens, then check out Eyes Cream Shades.  They have a cute colourful collection of sunglasses for children over 3 years.  These are good quality sunglasses that will keep the eyes protected from harmful UV rays.   
The sunglasses have shatter resistant polycarbonate lenses, which are thinner and lighter than regular plastic lenses.   

Kidorable will be celebrating July 4th by offering us free shipping with purchases over $50.  Use this coupon code JULY4TH from July 1st through July 8th to shop for fabulous unique goodies that children will enjoy.
We are enjoying the Kidorable umbrella, raincoat, boots and hangers and I think you will too so do check it out.

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Fall decorations

This time of the year when turkeys are available, we will decorate with some too ...

You will need...

tissue craft paper

craft feathers

construction paper

tape and glue

any type of paint

Use your imagination and create.

Being thankful... should happen everyday for everything we have. So remember to say thank you to everyone and thank God for giving you all the things you have.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011. Please Ask First