My Blog is Moving…
With the New Year, I’ve started a NEW blog and wanted to share. American Spirit and Friends will cease at the end of the month. If you liked this blog…I think you will like the new one too. Thanks for joining me on this new journey and hope that you will stop by often! http://www.weavingfriendships.blogspot.com
Pumpkin Pie Cake
I’m not even a fan of pumpkin but this cake is awesome and a good alternative to pumpkin pie. My friend and customer Sue F shared this at Weaving Friendships last week. o so yummy!
Pumpkin Pie Cake
Lower Layer
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 large can evaporated milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
Upper Layer
- 1 pkg yellow cake mix
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup butter melted
Mix ingredients for lower layer and pour into ungreased 9 x 13″ pan. Mix yellow cake mix and shopped pecans and sprinkle mixture over pumpkin mixture. Drizzle melted butter over the top.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees or until knife comes out clean. Enjoy and thanks Sue!
Everyone is talking about…
The new 8 in One Entertainer! It has 8 known uses (thus the name) but we know there are so many more out there. Click on this link to see a fun video of the best ever Pottery piece you are going to have to have! Available in ALL the Pottery Colors. I got mine in CHOCOLATE!
- Roaster
- Relish Tray
- Cake Pedestal
- Divided Server with Bowl
- Pizza Stone
- Small Bowl
- Covered Dish
- Large Bowl
Specs: Large Bowl 10 1/2 “d x 5 1/4″h; Capacity: 156 oz., Small Bowl 5 3/8″d x 3 1/4″h; Capacity: 18 oz. Platter: 11 1/4″d x 1 1/4″h. Vitrified-safe for use in microwave, oven, dishwasher and freezer. Fits nicely in the Social Gathering Basket.
Another Fill-It Idea for Baby
Last night we had a “meet and greet” our new grandson, Hendrix. Fun to have the baby already here to introduce him to family and friends.
Fill-It Hurricanes
Oh my goodness! We had such fun playing with the Fill-It Hurricanes at Weaving Friendships. The possibilities are endless! The cool thing is the bottom and top are separated by a round metal disc. You can either leave it in or take it out for the look you are going for. We were definitely going for a fall theme and can’t wait to see what we come up with for Christmas! Enjoy!
Utensil Crock
Don’t let the name fool you. October brings this awesome Utensil Crock for just $25! It’s vitrified so it can be frozen or heated, put in the microwave or oven. Even goes in the dishwasher too. At last night’s “meet and greet” with our new grandson, Hendrix, I filled it with whipped cream for our awesome pies from Willamette Valley Fruit Company. (bought them at EZ Orchard)

I placed it in the freezer a couple of hours before the party. Added the whipped cream and it stayed cold all night long!
There has to be a gazillion uses for this:
- holds long pretzels or bread sticks
- straw keeper
- bottle of wine
- ice bucket
- fill with beans and add knives to it
- curling iron/flat iron in the bathroom
- paint brushes or craft supplies
- any more?
Tami’s Birthday
Today is Tami Longaberger’s Birthday. She is such an inspiring person and a wonderful advocate for all women. Read her autobiography Weaving Dreams, The Joy of Work, The Joy of Life. available at Amazon or any fine bookstore.
Apple Dumplings
This recipe from Pioneer Women is making the rounds. I made it at Weaving Friendships last week and it’s to DIE for! Easy to make and even better to share. I have to admit that Dave and I finished off the pan after everyone left for the night. O so good!
Thanks Betsy for sharing this from her home show hostess.
Apple Dumplings
- 2 sticks butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tubes crescent rolls
- 2 granny smith apples
- 12 oz mountain dew
- cinnamon
Peel and slice your apples into 8 slices each. Wrap each slice in a crescent dough triangle and place in a sprayed (greased) pan. Longaberger’s 9 x 13 Baking Dish works perfect for this. In a bow, melt your butter and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Pour over top the the wrapped apples…or spread on top with a spoon. Pour the Mountain Dew all around and sprinkle with Cinnamon. (I added the cinnamon to my sugar mixture) At this point you could add as much or as little cinnamon as you like. I used about a 1/4 of a tsp since I’m not really fond of cinnamon. Place in 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot with ice cream or whipped topping.
Pumpkin Hollow
Emily and Sue always know of the greatest places to go. Pumpkin Hollow is definitely worth the trip. They are open until October 30th. Another awesome day with the Ansel women and their friend Sue from back east. Thank you very much.

Now you know where I got my pumpkin ladder idea. Had seen it several years ago in Country Living but this is what really got me to thinking about doing it. Put my old ladder to good use.
I’m looking forward to heading back to Albany for their Christmas Season beginning on November 11th. You can follow them on facebook at Pumpkin Hollow. Happy Pumpkining!
Pumpkins make me happy!
okay. I surrender. It’s finally fall here and I just had to go get some pumpkins. I’m just not an orange girl but between my Denver Bronco’s and the Orange Crush, the color of orange is becoming more appealing to me…and pumpkins are just so fine this time of year!

Made my trip to EZ Orchard on a Monday to avoid the weekend traffic. These giant mums are beautiful!

I even managed to pull my cart beyond the corn maze to the pumpkin patch so that I could pick out my own. Maybe coming on a Monday and not the weekend wasn't such a good idea. No David Dear to help me. lol

Did I mention that EZ Orchard has the very best apple cider donuts?! O Yum! I had 3 for breakfast, 2 for lunch and lucky David Dear got the last one!









































