‘Tis the season for enjoying the sweet, fragrant deliciousness of pomelo fruit.  If you’re not familiar with this southeast Asia native citrus fruit, a pomelo is the ancestor to a grapefruit.  Unlike other citrus fruits, however, you don’t eat the individual wedges.  Just the pulp is eaten.

Don’t let the fact that they’re related to grapefruits scare you.  They are sweet and fun to eat!  A bit pricey, but so worth it.

I participated in a few holiday craft fairs last month, a much welcomed treat, as all such events were cancelled the previous year due to Covid.  My scrap fabric trees were popular sellers, as were the ornaments.

Early December seemed to fly right by, seemingly leaving me little time to do elaborate Christmas decorating, but I managed to make things festive enough for spirited pleasure.

And, garland is my ribbon of choice for gift wrapping this season.  It’s just so sparkly and pretty.

It’s just a few days away before the baking begins.  Oh, those delicious smells that will permeate my home!

I know, I know, we’re already a month into autumn.  But, it’s still been feeling “summerish” around here, though not for long.  Next week’s forecast looks to be bringing on some cooler temps and a bit of wet weather.  Oh well.

Anyway, I thought I’d do a little recap of summer at the createaerie.  I’ve been out of touch with blogging since the spring and thought it’s about time I make an appearance.  This happens every year.  My gardening season begins, and I drop blogging by the wayside.  So typical.

Who wouldn’t want to start their summer off with observing the emergence of a Cecropia Moth from its cocoon?  What a magical experience.

Not long after, a mama wren took residence in this house and gifted me a little chirping choir of babies.  Same time next year?  I sure do hope so.

May, June and July were busting out all over with punches of color everywhere in my yard.  I was a happy gal.

 

And, as summer progressed, bees and butterflies were doing what they do best – pollinating!

 

This potted combo was probably my favorite of all my personal container plantings this season.  I’m especially a sucker for floral splashes of orange; however, I really don’t turn my back on any blooming face.  I love them all!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this better-late-than-never summer stroll of my garden.  And, while I let it prepare to bid good riddance to the growing season, I will be preparing for some upcoming holiday craft fairs.  I can’t wait to show you what I’ve got brewing.

Stay tuned…..

 

Industrial is not the first word that comes to mind when you think about decorating for Easter.  I love comfy, vintage style decor, but I also have an affection for that edgy, urban, industrial flavor.  There’s certainly no reason why both styles can’t be fused together, and below are a few examples of how I did just that.

A scrap of butcher block and some rusty wire rods elevate my handmade Easter eggs to sculpture display status.

Here’s an unlikely nest – a gutted out jumbo pocket watch.  Who woulda thunk?

This menagerie of unrelated objects is pulled together with an earthy color scheme.  The display is understated, yet curious.

I purchased the large, paper mache egg at an end of season sale last year, with the intention of decorating it in some way.  Well, I changed my mind.  I love it just the way it is, so much so, that I put it on a pedestal.

This little trio was simply meant to be displayed together.  The earthy colors harmonize so well.

I hope you enjoyed this post and have taken away some new-to-you Easter decorating ideas.  And, yes, I still love my colorful, comfy, vintage style things too!

 

Hey folks, I found another recipe for deliciousness – lemon ricotta cake!  This time, kudos goes to This Italian Kitchen.

Now, I did have to slightly modify the recipe to accommodate my adorable mini four inch cake pans; the original is for a nine inch springform pan.  I cut the ingredients amount by 1/3, just enough to make three mini cakes, and adjusted my bake time to about 40-45 minutes.  One went to a friend, one in the freezer and one down the hatch.  The outcome?  Well…. the proof was in the pan.  So delicious!

Oh, and I used my trusty handmade cake strips.  I can’t stress enough how well they work in preventing a dome topped cake.  And, the mini cake pans….. they’re so much fun to bake with.

Lemon ricotta cake is sweet, but not too sweet, and perfect paired with coffee or tea.  There’s an ever so slight density to the cake, and the dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs.  Really.  I think it would make for a perfect Easter dessert, adorned with a few edible flowers for springtime festiveness.

There you have it – a lemon ricotta cake that fits in the palm of your hand.  Sweet!