Monday, October 12, 2009

Planting Seeds

The air is crisp and the sky is overcast.

The arrival of fall gets me pondering and searching for touches to make Thanksgiving special. When a guest in someone else's home, I like to bring a thoughtful hostess gift. And, on the lucky years my family gets to host, I enjoy building something fun into our holiday tablescape.

Seven weeks away, it's time to start planting seeds.

This year the Paper Acorn will come to my rescue. Heather, who has an eye for spotting unique items in keeping with the spirit of Highlowaha (and whose birthday is TODAY!), invited Etsy, artist Jessica Wolf, to send us a sampling of her work. Though Jessica creates all kinds of custom packaging for weddings, parties, and gifts, she generously sent us a sampling of the four acorn boxes pictured above.

I LOVE THEM.

I especially love them filled with simply decorated acorn cookies and some fall colored shred.

For Thanksgiving I will commission Jessica to make me a collection of acorn boxes using colors such as gold, terra cotta, olive green, and other earthy tones. They will be perfect atop each place setting of china and filled with small treats.

Take a look. Paperacorn.etsy.com

Or, check out what I did last year. More amateur than Jessica's, but festive nonetheless.

Want to win the four boxes pictured above? Here's how...

"Bearing a tiny seed that will produce a mighty oak, the acorn reminds us that great results can be born of humble beginnings." Tell me about one of your great results, born from humble beginnings.

Signing off until tomorrow...

15 comments:

Robin said...

Those are so cute! Though I have a question - just how many cookie cutters do you own?

Unknown said...

LOVE the acorn cookies!! I'll trade you services- I'll make you some acorn boxes if you can send me some acorn cookies. :0)

Thanks so much, ladies!

Jess

Brian K. Root said...

I'm impressed... all sorts of nifty ideas lately.

Hmmm... the most obvious thing that comes to mind for me in terms of humble beginnings is my education.

My humble beginnings are rooted in parents who had me when they were 17 and 18, respectively. My father dropped out of high school in the 7th grade, and mom barely finished high school. No one in my family has a college eduation, and here I am with a master's degree and working in higher education. Yet, my mom somehow instilled in me at an early age that education was important.

Jessie Freeman said...

First - HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER!!!!!
I love the boxes and cookies. I need a lesson in deocrating the cookies! How do you do it? I wish I lived in TX, I would denfinitely be over for a tutorial!
I have to agree with BeeKayRoot regarding education. I was never encouraged to go to college growing up. I never knew what I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. My parents who were very religious essentially told me I should marry a man to provide for me. When my parents got divorced after 29 years of marriage and my mom had to start over her tune quickly changed. She told me she always regretted dropping out of college to get married and I should go to school and be able to care for myself.
I was about 1 month from graduating from high school when that happened. I managed to work and got to school so I could have a degree and depend on myself. I was very driven once I figured out I could count on anyone to take care of me but me. Now, I am so blessed to have a great job and I am able to provide for my husband and I after he got laid off in February of this year and went back to school. It's a great feeling to know you can do ANYTHING you put your mind too.

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

Guys you have got to check out all of Jessica's stuff! I LOVE the Trick or Treat boxes she has on her site and there is so much more!

Cheryl Houston said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HEATHER!!!

I love that story, Brian.

I love Jessica's Etsy store.

Hmmm... humble beginnings, great results... I'll have to think.

Cheryl Houston said...

So true, Jessie. We can do anything we set out to do.

Peggy said...

Happy Birthday Heather!!!!! Is it 29??????

Born from humble beginnings!

My first move away from my hometown came when I was 31 years old... with husband in tow, a newborn 3 weeks old and a barely 2 year old.... we moved over 500 miles south from Caledonia, WI to Murfreesboro, TN. Jeff doesn't believe this, but it was over 95 degrees for 45 days straight, we had no yard (and we had a dog)the house wasn't completed yet, it was too hot to go outside, (midwest girl, not a southern belle) I had to find doctors and grocery stores, make new friends and I missed my family and all the comforts of familiarity. There would be days when dh came home from work and we were ALL crying!!!

I remember it was REALLY really, hard... but 5 years later when we had to move again, I was so very sad to leave that 'horrible' place, leaving the memories, many good, from where my babies and I all grew A LOT!

Heather @ HouseofShine.com said...

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and yes Peggy 29 =)!

My Mom stopped at 29 so surely I can't be any older than she is.

Katie said...

Happy Birthday, Heather!!!

I love those acorn cookies and boxes! I will have to check out Jess' etsy shop sometime today.

I also love the stories you all are sharing so far. I can also relate as neither of my parents graduated from college and education was drilled into my head beginning at a very young age. I'm very thankful for it now as I'm preparing to graduate with my masters degree this year.

Happy Monday, HLA!

Danko Family said...

I love the Etsy website. I scan it from time to time and am amazed at the creative talent!

My humble beginning happened 2 years ago when my husband of 5 years deployed while I was left behind with a set of preemie infant twins and no family close by. The boys and I persevered through a lot of ear infections, preemie sickness, a heart monitor, RSV threat, and no hubby close by to help. Looking back, I wouldn't have changed one thing that happened during his 15 month deployment. It made me a very strong woman and mother, and to appreciate my loved ones!

BeeKayRoot said...

Someone here on HLA shared a buffalo chicken recipe several months ago... I'm trying to find it again. I've used it before, and loved it.

Anyone have a clue regarding this recipe?

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Hmmm... a buffalo chicken recipe?

Could that have been Tera? Tera, come out, come out wherever you are.

Katie said...

Brian-

I'm not sure if mine is the one you're talking about...I think I've posted it on here before, but here it is regardless. My friends and classmates affectionately called it "Chicken Crack Dip" and I'm not allowed to show up at any pot luck without it!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of ranch dressing
2 cups of shredded cheese
1 pkg of cream cheese
1/4 cup of hot sauce

Cook the 2 chicken breasts until they are tender enough to shred apart.
Pour the chicken and all other ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Mix all the ingredients together.
Put into a 13x9 pan and cook on 350 for 12-15 minutes.

It's DELICIOUS!

BeeKayRoot said...

Katie - That looks about right... and it's pretty similar to all the other recipes I've found online.

Thanks!

_Brian