I'm a copy cat!

I'm joining in with Debbie over at DebbieDoo's Blogging and Blabbing for her second copy cat challenge. I participated in her first challenge and it was so much fun! There are some really talented copy cats out there in blogland!!

For my copy, I chose an image from the September 2011 issue of Country Sampler:



I'm copying the centerpiece on the coffee table. It's kind of hard to see the details in the above picture so here's a closer view:



And here's my version:



Everything I used in my copy cat version came from the Dollar Tree. I purchased a plastic serving tray that I spray painted black, three plain white coffee mugs, three bags of candy corn, two different fall leaf stems that I tore apart, and a package of pumpkin scented tealight candles. I already had the lace doily I used to ground my display and I used a black paint pen that I had in my stash to write my letters on the mugs. I placed it on my Grandma's sewing machine in front of my fall topiary. I think it looks perfect there! And the best part of this little vignette is that it only took me about 10 minutes (not counting drying time for the spray paint) to put this together! Simple and quick ~ ya just can't get any better than that!



So, what do y'all think? Am I a good copy cat or what?? Please be sure to click here to check out Debbie's blog to visit all the other great copy cats there. I love these parties! They are so much fun and it's a great way to use your imagination to create your own little vignette or display.

I'm also linking up with some of the fabulous blog parties listed on my sidebar as well as at Savvy Southern Style and over at Grits and Glamour's Keep It Simple party. Please be sure to check them out!

Until next time. . .

September 11

September 11, 2001 ~ Ten years and a million tears later. . .never forget.

Until next time. . .

Cracker Candy

I found a super simple, super yummy candy recipe the other day and thought I'd share it with y'all. It's called Cracker Candy.



Cracker Candy

1 sleeve saltine crackers
2 sticks butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 12 oz pkg semi sweet chocolate chips
chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place entire sleeve of saltines in a single layer, salted sides up. You do not have to spray the foil with non-stick spray. Over medium heat, begin to melt butter. When butter is almost completely melted, add brown sugar and stir only once to blend. Bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. DO NOT STIR ANY DURING THE 3 MINUTES!! Remove from heat and pour over crackers. This is your toffee. Use a spatula or butter knife to evenly spread the toffee over the crackers to ensure all crackers are coated. Bake for 6 minutes. Carefully remove from oven. It will be extremely bubbly! Once the bubbles subside, sprinkle all the chocolate chips over the crackers. Place back in the oven for about a minute or until the chocolate is almost totally melted. It should look glossy. Remove from oven and using spatula or butter knife, evenly spread chocolate over the crackers making sure all are as evenly coated as possible. If you are using nuts or any other topping, add it now. Lightly press down into the melted chocolate. Allow to cool to room temperature completely. If necessary, you can put it in the refrigerator to finish cooling, but only do this after it's reached room temperature, otherwise, the chocolate will seperate from your toffee mixture. Break into pieces and enjoy!!

Here's a picture of the candy from a side view, showing the cracker, toffee, and chocolate layers.



This is so good! And fattening! But hey, we only live once, right?? I made some today to take to a tail gating party Scott and I are attending tonight for our local high school football game. It would also be great to make for the holidays, using crushed peppermints on top of the chocolate.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

Until next time. . .