I am excited to once again be participating in the “Around the World on Wednesday” (AWOW) blog hop, organized by the lovely Angie McKenzie! The theme is “Favourite Month”.
At first, I thought I would choose August. Not only is it my birthday month but it’s also SUMMER and I love all things to do with enjoying the sunshine and the great outdoors. Then I considered how much I LOVE Christmas so I changed my mind to choosing December as my favourite month. However, when I really had to make a decision for this blog hop I skipped both August and December and have finally settled on SEPTEMBER as my favourite month!
I must say, September really IS a month that I LOVE! The Autumn weather in our part of Nova Scotia (Antigonish County) is generally spectacular, making up for our long winters and crummy Spring season.
This year our Fall season has been SENSATIONAL! While we’ve had snow as early as October in years past, we’ve had very warm and mild days right up to this month! It was so warm on November 1st that I actually took my dogs for a swim at the beach! So it feels like September was THREE months long this year – you’ll hear no complaints from ME!
I also adore this month because of the colours of the trees, the smell of the freshly picked apples, the crunch of the fallen leaves and beautiful crisp evenings spent around our warm and cosy bonfire with my Sweetheart and our friends!
We enjoy our bonfire almost every weekend during the Fall months (there’s usually a fire ban during summer).
I should also mention that September is a favourite month of mine because I’m busy preserving and canning my garden harvest, which is one of my favourite things to do! There is something incredibly satisfying about growing your own food and enjoying it all year long!
My mom did a lot of canning when I was growing up – she made relishes, pickles, jams and jellies. I do the same but I also make salsas, chutneys and tomato sauce, and I like to dehydrate as much as I can too!
This is my first year using a pressure canner, with our garden potatoes being my first veggie to try! Then I plan on pressure canning everything from soups, stews, and more vegetables! We’re going to need MORE shelves to store everything, that’s for sure!
September is also apple picking season! We have quite a few heritage apple trees around our property, from the farms of days gone by. These old-time apples are DELICIOUS! There are so many different varieties of apples and it’s fun, though often challenging, trying to identify them. There are more apple trees surrounding our two acres than I can count and most I have no idea what kind they are. The apples that are shown in the above photo, in the wheelbarrow, are obviously McIntosh and we also have a few crabapple trees.
There’s one tree near the creek at the end of our property that has big green apples that are probably amongst the most incredible apples I’ve ever eaten! They taste like a cross between an apple and a pear and aren’t usually ready until the weather gets cold and frosty.
Here’s a little apple history for you: apples aren’t native to Nova Scotia. They were brought over by settlers as early as the 1600’s from France, Scotland and Germany. Apples were used in place of sugar AND to make hard cider!
Along with freezing the apples for pies, cakes, muffins and other yummy baked goods, I always like to make a big batch of apple butter every September. Lemme just tell ya, NOTHIN’ smells as divine as apple butter simmering away in the oven! This recipe is the base of how I make my apple butter – I always tweak the recipe a bit with the spices and sometimes I’ll add a splash of maple syrup.
Have you ever heard of “Applesauce Meatloaf”? It’s a recipe I grew up on and my Mom ALWAYS served it with boiled potatoes, veggies and salad. I usually do the same. Isn’t it funny how we carry on simple family traditions like that and how we can instantly be transported back to our childhood with FOOD? Instead of using apple sauce in my Mom’s meatloaf, I like to use my homemade apple butter!
I am sharing my recipe with you today, along with a tutorial for the cute little booklet I’ve made to store my favourite recipes in. These little booklets are super quick and easy to make and are ideal for gift giving too!
I often share my canned goods by tucking them into gift baskets for friends and family. Of course, I’ll use Stampin’ Up! products to decorate the jars, add in a recipe booklet, and a coordinating hand-stamped card!
I made this matchbook recipe holder pretty simple. You could scallop the top edge of the fold-up flap, for example, or run the same flap through an embossing folder. Of course, I could have used dies for the title too, but I wanted to keep this project quick and easy, as I know there are a lot of new stampers who don’t have a lot of supplies (yet!).
If you’re interested in the other recipes on these cards, click on my recipe tab and you’ll find them there!
Recipe Matchbook
- Cajun Craze Base: 4 1/4″ x 11″. Along the 11″ side, score at 1 1/2″, 6 1/2″ and 6 3/4″. Fold on creases to create matchbook.
- Recipe cards: Basic White measures 3 3/4″ x 4 1/2″; glue a 1″ x 3 3/4″ strip of Designer Series Paper (DSP) across the top. Stamp the sentiments with Cajun Craze ink pad. Use Simply Scored Tool to ‘draw’ lines with the stylus every 1/4″ (I started at 1/2″ below the DSP and finished at 4″). Glue to 4 3/4″ x 4″ piece of card stock and tuck inside the matchbook.
- Tuck all five recipe cards inside the matchbook and wrap Tear & Tape around the centre of flap. Remove adhesive backing and adhere the ribbon. Add a bow.
- Front of book: Glue 4″ x 4″ piece of DSP to front flap. Stamp sentiments with Cajun Craze onto Basic White card stock that measures 2″ x 3 1/2″. Add veggie images, using markers to ink them up. Add die cuts, securing in place with glue. Adhere the stamped layer to a 2 1/4″ x 3 3/4″ piece of Bumblebee card stock. Place onto matchbook with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
I‘ve been making these matchbooks for a long time – I just LOVE them! Last year I made one similar to the one I shared with you today and have a video demonstration of it. HERE is the original blog post. The sizes are a bit different, but it will show you a fun variation of my recipe matchbook.
As you can see, these matchbooks are so versatile – you can use them as recipe books, photo albums, hold your favourite quotes or, you could even use them as treat holders and tuck in a packet of hot chocolate!
I hope you enjoyed today’s tutorial – and my (and my mom’s) meatloaf recipe if you try it!
It’s so much FUN to be a part of the “AWOW” group of demonstrators from around the world! I invite you to click on the links below to visit their blogs and see what their “FAVOURITE MONTH” is and the projects they’ve created for this theme! My sweet friend, Angie McKenzie, is next on the hop and I know that she will have something FABULOUS waiting for you…
Tina Zinck – CA (you are here)
Thank you for stopping by today! HAPPY STAMPING!
Love your little Recipe Folder Tina … and wow, look at all that preserved goodness! You have been a very busy girl. Beautiful part of the world you live in, for sure!! xxx
Thanks so much Cheryll!
Thanks for sharing, both the project and the recipes. I’m in Queensland, Australia, and it’s the end of spring here, apples are cheap at the moment, Having never made apple butter, I’m keen to try it out.
Hi Christine. Apple butter is so easy to make. I think you’ll really enjoy it. I’d love to hear if you give it a go and how you like it! It’s even good just with toast and can be used as you would apple sauce.
Hi Tina!
Thanks for this great idea and the recipe!. I loved hearing about your garden and all the foods you preserve. Makes me want to try myself. I enjoy your blog so much. Thanks again for all you do and share.
Sue
Thanks so much Sue! I’m so HAPPY that you’re enjoying my blog!!!! xoxo
I’m smitten by your dogs! So cute! I gotta ask, what breed is the one on the right? Did I mention that they’re very cute???!!! Great project too 🙂
Hi Kim! Both Rosey (she’s black and white) and Cooper (my ‘golden’ boy) are rescue dogs, so their breeds are a mystery. I do know that Rosey has border collie and terrier in her and Cooper has some terrier too. Other than that, they’re ‘mushkadoodles’ LOL In other words, a mush of breeds! I’ve had them since they were puppies and now Rosey will be 12 this coming Valentine’s Day and Cooper is 9. They’re both amazing dogs and I love them to bits.
Oh Tina, What an absolutely gorgeous gift and a wonderful array of produce. You really have been busy. I’ve recently made orange marmalade and you’ve now got me thinking of gift giving ideas xx
Thanks Mikaela! I haven’t made orange marmalade in YEARS and now YOU’VE got me thinkin’ I need to make some! LOL xx
Tina- you’ve been BUSY!! I love trying new recipes and your matchbook recipe book is very special! I like to can Lilikoi Jelly each year and it’s popular with my friends & family because you can’t find it in stores. And that sunflower photo is stunning!!
What a wonderful post!!! If we still lived in our last home I would probably be saying September is my favorite because I loved our apple harvest too. Now I just depend on the farmer market for our apples
You make a powerful case for September to be your favourite month, although for us here in the Southern Hemisphere, I guess the corresponding month would be March. Your pantry of garden goodies is inspiring all by itself, but your recipe set is wonderful – and a great gift.
Love the recipe album and all your reasons you love September.