Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Autumn in Avonlea!

A couple of weeks ago, I sent this invitation out to a few kindred spirits. (click to enlarge) The pie swap idea was inspired from the most recent issue of Victoria magazine and since our Evening in Avonlea was so popular last year - I decided we do something similar but also different.

Each guest was asked to bring a pie to share ~ I planned that we would eat as much pie as we wanted and then watch Anne of Avonlea! What a lovely way to welcome a cozy season! I love Fall - in recent years it has become my favorite season more and more.

Hope you'll join us via the photos ~ enjoy!

Apples and a pumpkin greet you at the door ~
as well as a simple Welcome Kindred Spirits tag held onto a pumpkin with a small brad ~
over the door, hangs this fun garland spelling "Avonlea" ~
Won't you come in and have a slice (or two) of pie?
I made Sweet and Savory Apple Pie also from the July/August Victoria magazine. Let me just say - this is my first successful rolled pie crust that looked pretty!!! I was so pleased!

Sweet & Savory Pie Dough
4 c. flour
1 c. shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/4 sticks butter, chilled and cubed
2/3 c. ice water

Combine first three ingredients in a food processor. Add butter until crumbly. Add water until dough forms. Divide into two rounds of dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour - I chilled mine overnight.

Roll out one portion of dough and place in prepared pie dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes with weights or a heavy plate on top. Then, remove weight and bake an additional five minutes.

Sweet & Savory Apple Pie
6 apples (I used a mixture); peeled, cored and sliced
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 T. flour
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. crumbled cooked bacon
1/4 c. heavy cream

Combine apples and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Combine dry ingredients and mix with apples. Stir in bacon. Spoon into baked pie shell. Top with remaining crust. Brush with cream and bake 35-40 minutes. Let cool.

Signs to label the pies ~ aged looking tags with washed sticks from the yard ~

Cute pie sign ~

Napkins adorned for Autumn ~

A clay pot with a candle ring tied on to look like a little wreath ~
filled with free Cover Girl lip sticks from CVS!!
Tea cups tagged for each guest ~
All the pies just waiting to be cut into and enjoyed!
We ended up visiting and not watching the movie ~ so I'm planning to watch it during nap times this week!! Can't wait!

Thank you for visiting!

54 comments:

Katy said...

What a fun idea!!! What care and love you took to make all that stuff and make the event fun and special! I am sure your friends really enjoyed it! I hope you all had a lovely time! :)

Anonymous said...

Three of my favorite things ,autumn, pie and Ann!!! A great combination!! I want to live near you and come over too :-)!! Your pie was beautiful, great job!!!Great idea!!!!tammyp

Laine said...

Wow, I'm pretty sure you have the best ideas ever! =) That is such a neat party..I want to try it next year! Everything looked so beautiful, I hope you had fun.

Mary Ann said...

I love this! Everything is so beautiful.:-)

Christi said...

What a fun idea! Something to remember for next year, for sure!

Carolyn said...

How pretty! Great Idea.

Just surfin' the Blogs and found you. I wanted to say Hi and nice blog.

Stop by and visit me sometime....
thebarberbuch.blogspot.com

Carolyn

Wendi said...

Everything looks wonderful, especially your pie! Great idea!

Anonymous said...

Dear Monica,

I am going to have to try your pie crust. The PA Dutch often eat warm apple pie with a slice of cheddar on top! Thanks for a beautiful blog this morning! What a great was to start the day!
Your sister,
Ruth, PA

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, how darling! This looks like something we'd see in a magazine! I wish I could have been there -- enjoy watching Anne this week! Happy Autumn! Love you, Mom

Anonymous said...

You are so creative! I just love how everything looked... and I agree with your mom, that could have been out of Better Homes and Gardens or Country Living. What a nice way to spend an afternoon with friends. :)

Anonymous said...

How fun! And that pie recipe sounds really interesting! I love the idea of putting cheese in the crust.

Melissa said...

Everything looks wonderful - wish I could have been there! Great pictures, too!

Tracy said...

You host the most fun and unique get togethers, Monica! I'm sure each of your friends felt entirely special and welcome in your home.

Amy said...

I love the front door welcome!

Julie Willis said...

How beautifully simple. I really liked the lipstick container idea. Today we are own our way to see the Historic Biltmore Hotel by the Gulf. It reminds me of the Sands Hotel in Avonlea. Different color, but same era. I'll have to try and take some pics!

Patty Williams said...

You are such a cutie patootie!

Your pie is GORGEOUS !

And, I love the pumpkins and apples at the door!

Charree said...

I really like this idea. I have done several cookie swaps around Christmas, but I have never thought of a pie swap. I just might give that a try.

Amy said...

Yum! That pie looks delicious! I just love all of your special touches and I am sure your friends appreciated them too!! It sounds like a really lovely evening!

Anonymous said...

Love this idea! Everything looked beautiful, I am sure all your friends had a wonderful time. I also really love your apron!
Kristyn

Willys and Elizabeth (Lizzie) said...

You are amazing... these are the type of things I would love to do but somehow it never works out. I may actually try and do something like this in a few weeks, if everything works out.
Thanks for sharing...

Julian said...

I want to live by you! You are so creative! Love the ideas!
Christina

Tracey said...

You have the best ideas....what a great life you have!! I'm jealous!!

Carrie said...

You are ADORABLE!!!! Simply ADORABLE!!! If I lived closer...I would be inviting myself over! I love to bake, but I'm not good with homemade pie crusts. I'm writing your recipe down! Thanks for sharing! Happy Fall Yall!

Anonymous said...

You never cease to amaze me with all of the creative ideas you have Monica! Thanks for sharing with us :) I saw the Sweet and Savory Pie recipe in Victoria and now I am going to try it for sure:) Thanks again. You are a blessing!

Anonymous said...

Monica,
All the comments are making me laugh! Yes, you are adorable, and a real cutie patootie, but I am laughing none-the-less.
Thanks for hosting the pie-swap. Everything was so cute that you made. Although, now I'm thinking that I missed some of the things you showed pics of! LOL! I need to come back by and look around a bit more.
Hope you enjoy Avonlea this week...the girls and I(and the boys) may do so as well!
Love,
Dawn

Julie said...

That sounds like so much fun. The pies look delicious.

thanks for sharing,
Julie

Becky said...

Monica, what a wonderful idea!! I wish I lived closer so I could participate. I love the Anne series!! You truly do show how much love and care you put into each thing you do. I love gaining new inspiration and kindness from your posts.

Barbie @ Mamaology said...

I can't tell you what a blessing your blog is to me!!! Your creativity inspires me to do the same! And helps me to enjoy life more! I am thankful to the Lord for you:)

Deb Burton said...

What a lovely, lovely time you all must have had! What an awesome idea for ushering in my favorite season of the year. i think I'm going to do it with my family as a warm way of enjoying each other's company.

Jenn said...

What a pretty evening you all must have had.

*carrie* said...

Everything is darling! Thos tags/labels are really cool.

Elise said...

How I would love to live near you!! That looks like such fun, I will have to plan something similar for my friends. I love your apron!! And are you wearing pink shoes or slippers? In cold weather, you will always find me in slippers at home. Even when we have people over.
Elise

NanaNor's said...

Monica, What a fun idea-loved all the details, especially the invite. I'm going to share it with my daughters and maybe next year we can do it in our fellowship. Your pie looks so good-all your decorations bring in our season. Blessings to you!
Noreen

Anonymous said...

Hey Monica,
Everything looks so pretty. Sorry I couldn't make it or that I didn't get back to you. Hopefully next year I can make it. Thank you for the invite though. Autumn is my fave season too.
Kelly

Jenny said...

Oh how I wish we were neighbors! :)

You have such a gift of hospitality and of making everything around you so beautiful.

I need books (and blogs) to think this stuff up! How ever do you do it?

Jill said...

What a wonderful idea.
I love the picture of you by the door.

P.S.
I think you need your own television show!!!

Anonymous said...

Dear Monica:

How lovely everything looks! I'm with many of your friends. I wish I lived near you!!
Your Mom had told me about your party on Sun. & I forgot to ask you about it this morning.
It was sooo good to talk with you today. It's just too long between our phone visits!
The lunch idea for the girls was adorable too. You are indeed the most creative "fun Mama" around!!
God Bless you in all of your efforts, Honey.

Love you, Grandma

Sheila said...

THat sounds like so much fun, what a great way to greet Fall, which is also my favorite season. Have you ever heard of doing a soup swap? I first heard of it in a magazine, I am hoping to try one this winter after Christmas. I love reading your blog you have such inspiring ideas that you share!

Anonymous said...

Who doesn't love Anne? Adorable idea, as always.

Anonymous said...

Oh...I forgot to ask! Where do you find your aprons? I have been looking for pretty little aprons like that and just can't find them anywhere. Thank you!

Eleanor Joyce said...

Just delightful - everything about it! Wish I could have been a guest.

Monica Wilkinson said...

rebekahdawn: Thank you! I love that apron! It was made for me by Amy's (www.momadvice.com) mother-in-law. Another place you could check is www.etsy.com and type in aprons - I'm sure there are lots of cute ones there! :)

~katie~ said...

Just lovely!!! :-) You know ~ your blog is the first place I ever heard of Anne of Green Gables, and I know I claim it to be my favorite movie...like many other women out there, I soon found out! I loved your post last year on your 'Anne' event with your kindred spirits. I love the theme you came up with this year! The picture of all the special touches and you to welcome everyone at your front door just spelled "warm and inviting" to me. Thanks for sharing! You're so creative!

Bella @ Lil Daisies said...

I love this idea! I love planning "get togethers" with friends (kindred spirits)....so, I think I may borrow this idea and use with my friends too. I will post about it too so that you can see how it went.
But, I wanted to ask you how did you make your invitations?

Blessings,
Bella

Unknown said...

That is so neat. I wish I lived some where where it was cool enough to do something like that.
It's still 104 here in AZ and "Fall" started on Monday!
I might "browrow" your idea any ways and try it in the begining of Nov. for a mom's night out for my mom's group!
Katrina in AZ

Monica Wilkinson said...

Hi Bella -

I made the invitation in Microsoft Word and then exported it as a PDF file so that it would attach easily to an e-mail and open easily. I did all the invites by e-mail this time and it seemed to work well. I look forward to hearing about your gathering!!

Hope that helps!
Monica

Anonymous said...

Another post I LOVE! This is all so appealing to my eyes. I love autumn, pies, fall colors, and the fragrance in the air.

Thanks for sharing! Did you like the flavor of the savory/sweet pie? Looks delish!

Andrea L.

Monica Wilkinson said...

Hi Andrea - I did like the pie especially with some freshly whipped cream on top! Mmmmmm. My hubby didn't love it - so we'll probably stick with the sweet apple pie in the future! :)

Jackie Brown said...

Really neat site. Just found it from centsiblesawyer. How did you make the aged tags. I'd like to duplicate. Maybe you had it somewhere and I missed it. I love the welcome Autumn party idea. I host a cooking group once a month and I would love to have a party like this. cookandplaywithjackie.blogspot.com
I've also thought about making the Christian scripture signs as well because they are an arm and a leg. I made a simple painted one for my newborn son, 'Your are wonderfully made' I also woodburned a treasure chest for my daughter's spiritual birthday that says Daughter of the King and her spiritual birthday. Just thought I'd pass these ideas a long. I'm enjoying the site when I have time.

Monica Wilkinson said...

Hi Jackie ~
Welcome! I simply cut the tags out of whatever paper I had on hand and inked the edges with dark brown ink. You can just sort of rub your ink over the edges to age them! Hope that helps!
Monica

Jill said...

Why, oh why, can't I be your neighbor? I would have loved to come to your little soire.'

I can tell you are definately a kindred spirit!

Mrs. U said...

This is such a WONDERFUL idea!! I sure wish I lived close to you- I'd have invited myself over for sure!! :)

I so wish I had kindred spirits living near me... until then, I will just virtually visit with them online! :)

His,
Mrs. U

~katie~ said...

Monica, I was looking through your archives for a tutorial on making the profile cut-outs ~ I thought I remembered it was a couple of months ago...and I ran across this post again while looking for that one. :-) I love your Anne of Green Gables posts and ideas!! The second time looking at this post, I now am admiring your tea set. If you ever get a chance, could you let me know what brand/style that is??
Blessings,
Katie

Anonymous said...

Hi Monica,

I love your acorn stamp tag. Do you remember where you got that at? I think it looks very festive to fall and Thanksgiving.

Richelle
Richellecucchi@comcast.net