This delicious fall apple cider punch is perfect for any fall get-together or Thanksgiving celebration. It’s quick and easy to make and sure to be a hit!

Fall Beverage Bar

I always put together a little beverage bar in our dining room and I love to change it up each season. This year I added this cute pumpkin beverage dispenser and some amber glasses I found at Superstore. And since I had a cute fall punch bowl, I needed to come up with a fall punch!

Apple Cider Fall Punch

While I do love apple cider all on its own, sometimes it’s fun to put a little twist on things! This delicious apple cider fall punch is super easy to make with just a few ingredients.

Can you make this fall punch in advance?

Yes! If you want to get a jump start on the recipe, mix the cider, cranberry juice, and orange juice together in a large pitcher or drink dispenser. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve and then add in the ginger ale and garnishes.

What can I do with the leftovers?

If you have a little bit of punch left and all of the garnishes, you can make up a simmering potpourri. Just add some water, a few cinnamon sticks and bring it all to a boil. Lower the temperature and simmer on low.  It smells just as good as it tastes!

Apple Cider Punch Float

If you want to be extra indulgent, try pouring this over some vanilla ice cream for a fun, fall float! Salted caramel ice-cream would also be good!

I hope you get a chance to give this apple cider punch a try!

More Fall Recipes

For more delicious fall recipes, give one of these a try…

Pumpkin Dessert

Cream Cheese Apple Dip

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Granola

The post Fall Apple Cider Punch appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

Simple and pretty fall decor for the kitchen. Lots of easy tips that anyone can do to create a beautiful fall kitchen of their own. 

Fall Decor for the Kitchen

I have a pretty simple system for switching up our season decor in the season. Just a few switches, can make everything feel fresh and new! If you look back on previous fall kitchen home tours, you can see that I generally follow the same steps each year and just try to use what I have in different ways. Today, I thought I would share some of my favorite items to add that fall touch to our kitchen.

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links which means that I may make a small commission {at no cost to you} from items purchased directly through the links. Thank-you for your support!

Faux Florals or Stems

I love a good faux floral and am always on the lookout for a pretty stem or branch! They definitely bring that seasonal touch and add so much warmth and texture to your space.  Don’t be afraid to cut up your branches if needed to better accommodate your space. The orange berries that I used throughout the kitchen came from just a couple of large stems and work great to fill in any bare spots in any fall display.

Fall Linens.

Adding kitchen towels, a table cloth or runner, napkins, or other linens in fall colors or patterns is one of the easiest ways to add a pop of color to your kitchen.

As an added bonus, they’re functional too! Display them by your kitchen sink, hang them from the oven, or roll them up to use in a pretty fall vignette.

Fall Scents

I absolutely love all of the different smells of fall. Cinnamon, apple, pumpkin spice, nutmeg – there are so many amazing fall scents! There are a number of ways that you can add those delicious fall scents to your kitchen. One of the first things I do at the start of each season, is to switch up our dish and hand soaps to a fresh season scent.

You can also light a fall candle, make up some simmering fall potpourri, or take some time to do a little fall baking!

Free Printables

Printables are a quick and inexpensive way to add some fall decor the kitchen {or any other space!}. They’re also a great starting point if you’re trying to decide on a color scheme or mood for your space. To make it easy to switch them out each season, just store the prints in the photo frame and rotate them around. I created this “Fall Is Proof that Change Is Beautiful” printable a couple of years and love the more muted colors.

I also have a ton of other free fall printables available in a variety of styles and colors. You can find them all HERE including this Hand Picked Farm Fresh Pumpkin sign. There’s something for everyone!

Trays

Trays help to corral similar items together and help to make your space look less cluttered. Use them to hold your functional kitchen items and add a few fall touches to create a pretty display.

The trays also make it easier to move all of the items around to clean underneath them and get rid of any crumbs or other kitchen debris.

Seasonal Kitchen Items

Since space is generally at a prime in the kitchen, I love finding functional kitchen items that double as seasonal decor.

The owl cookie jar, pumpkin tureens and little pumpkin pie plates can all be used as intended or used for extra storage fo other items such as linens, small kitchen utensils, seasonal cookie cutters, fall treats, or other items.

Beverage Bar

I kind of have an obsession with creating little seasonal beverage bars and actually have a few different ones that I put together this year. You can do a coffee bar, hot beverage bar, apple cider bar, or whatever you like!

This one is for our frothed spiced chai {and other steamed milk drinks} and teas. The tea bags are all stored in the pumpkin and any other items that we need that aren’t in the tray {i.e. sugar and additional mugs} are just in the cupboard above. The tea kettle is directly in the cupboard below, so everything is easily accessible in one place.

I purchased the milk frother last year and use it all the time in the cooler months for steamed milk drinks and hot chocolate. It definitely takes the drinks up a level!

I also made some free printable coffee bar labels {like the one on the chai} that you could use for any coffee bar or other hot beverage station.

Twinkle Lights

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how much I love my twinkle lights! I like to use them all year round, but they always feel extra cozy as the days start to get shorter.  Twinkle lights can be added to a fall vignette, beverage bar, above your kitchen cabinets, or anywhere else that you want a little glow!

It’s kind of hard to appreciate the lights during the day but they’re so welcoming when the sun goes starts to go down. I also used some lights on our fall beverage bar cart that I’ll be sharing later in the week.

Fall Centerpiece

Lastly, I like to create some kind of simple seasonal centerpiece for our table. I got the linen table runner new this year from H&M Home and added a wood cutting board and large white vase for some pretty fall eucalyptus stems.

Using a tray or cutting board helps to ground your centerpiece on the table and, if you have a more involved centerpiece, makes it easier to take on and off the table.

Favorite Places to Purchase Fall Decor

I don’t have a lot of links to my seasonal decor items as many of them were purchased years ago, but if you have any questions about anything specific, I can always share where I purchased it. I thought it would be helpful, however, to talk about where I like to shop and what I look for. That way, you can find your own items that you love!

HomeSense {or HomeGoods/Marshalls/TJ Maxx}

There are lots of unique seasonal items so it’s always fun to shop here. I also find it’s the best place to find inexpensive linens.

H&M Home

There aren’t a lot of brick and mortar stores that carry the home decor line, but check out their online site. I always love their items and they generally have really great prices. I especially like to purchase pillow covers and pillow inserts here as they can be purchased individually so you can just get what you need.

Affloral

One of my favorite places for faux florals. I did purchase the terracotta eucalyptus leaves from here this year.

Decor Steals

I love this online site for unique home decor pieces.

Michaels

They often have some cute seasonal decor items and I always like to look here for faux florals and greenery. I do find that the regular priced items are on the expensive side, so I do always try to buy when items are on sale or if I have a coupon.

Pottery Barn/Crate and Barrel

If you’re looking for more of a splurge, these stores always have beautiful seasonal decor. Even if you don’t purchase, they can be a great source of inspiration! I like to check out their end of season sales as they often have really heavily discounted items.

If you have any local garden centres, many of them will get in some really cool seasonal decor items as well. I’ve found some of my favorite finds at some of our local garden centres. I have also found some great pieces at Superstore, which is a Canadian grocery store. I guess it just goes to show, that you can find seasonal decor almost anywhere, so be sure to keep your eyes open for that perfect find!

More Fall Decor for the Kitchen

If you’re still looking for more fall decor ideas for the kitchen, you can find some of my previous fall kitchen home tours here…

• 2021 Fall Kitchen
• 2020 Fall Kitchen
• 2019 Fall Kitchen
• 2018 Fall Kitchen
• 2017 Fall Kitchen

I hope you enjoyed the tour and found some inspiration to add a little fall touch to your own kitchen!

More Fall Decor Ideas

For more fall decor and DIY ideas, check out these posts…

The Best Free Fall Printables

Fall Beverage Bar

Apple Cider Fall Tray

The post Fall Decor for the Kitchen appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

If you’re looking for fall decor inspiration, these cozy fall home decor ideas are sure to please! Lots of simple fall ideas for every room of your home.

Fall Home Tours

Hello, hello! It’s been a while since I’ve done any blogging, but I’m so excited to be back for the fall season! I’m jumping right in today and joining Marty from A Stroll Thru Life for her annual fall home tours. There are over 30 bloggers joining in on the tours, so there will be tons of fall inspiration for you!

If you’re coming over from White Arrows Home, welcome! I’m sure you enjoyed Kristin’s tour of her beautiful log home in The Northwoods. She has so many unique finds and pretty seasonal touches!

Our Fall Home

While I’m always sad for summer to end, I absolutely love decorating for fall! Fall decor is totally my jam – I love the muted fall tones, natural elements, and cozy textures.

I usually have our home decorated for fall by the Labor Day weekend, but I’m a little slow this year due to a flood that started in our laundry room over the summer. I was expecting that our hardwood floors would be getting replaced around this time, so I thought that I might have to skip the fall decor this year.  Unfortunately, it turns out that getting our floors replaced through insurance is not a fast process, and may still be a few months out. At least now I can decorate for fall!

Cozy Fall Home Decor Ideas

Before I decorate each year, I always like to look back at what I did in previous years. It really helps to get me excited for the new season and allows me to think about how I can re-use my decor pieces in different ways. So… today I’m going to be putting all of last year’s fall decor ideas into one big fall home tour. I hope it provides you with lots of simple and easy ways to incorporate some cozy fall decor into your own home. Let’s get started!

Fall Front Porch

There’s nothing like coming home to a warm and cozy front porch. As the nights start to get darker earlier, I love having a little glow on the front porch to welcome guests.

Last year, our fall porch included lots of natural elements and traditional fall colors. Mums, pumpkins, fall leaves and hay bales all added pretty pops of color and texture to create a warm and welcoming look.

And my favorite part of the porch was that beautiful night glow! Use string lights {or Christmas lights!}, outdoor candles, lanterns, or lighted trees to brighten up your space

FOR MORE FALL FRONT PORCH DETAILS CLICK HERE.

Fall Dining Room

Our dining room is the first main room you see when you come in our front door and is usually the first space that I decorate for the seasons.

I often start with the centerpiece for my dining room decor inspiration. This nature-inspired centerpiece was one of my favorites and served as the color inspiration for the rest of the room.

I also like to set up some kind of seasonal beverage bar or snack bar in our dining room and have done lots of fun different set-ups over the years including an apple cider bar and this fall hot beverage bar. Last year, I made some new free coffee bar labels and put together this cute beverage bar.

These air dry clay leaves were one of my favorite DIYs from last year and I love the detail they had to a simple set of string lights.

FOR MORE FALL DINING ROOM DETAILS CLICK HERE.

Fall Kitchen

Next up is the kitchen! Since the kitchen countertops are prime real estate, I try to incorporate our fall decor in functional ways as much as possible.

I always have fun dressing up our sink for the different seasons. A new dish towel, some fall scented dish and hand soap, and a few fall stems add that perfect fall touch and make it so much nicer to do dishes!

To keep things looking tidy and uncluttered, I like to use trays to corral any decor items together. And adding some twinkle lights always makes things prettier!

I like to switch up my artwork from season to season, and have a ton of free fall printables that I have created over the years. They’re pretty much the easiest way to add some seasonal decor! You can find them all HERE.

FOR MORE FALL KITCHEN DECOR IDEAS CLICK HERE.

Fall Family Room

Our family room is right off of our kitchen and dining space. I added lots of warm fall colors, cozy blankets, and pretty fall florals to create an inviting space to cuddle up in on those cooler fall nights.

The battery operated taper candles  on the mantel turn on and off with a remote control so they’re easy to use and add that light glow with our fireplace.

I also like to add some seasonal candles or diffuse some fall scents to really create that fall feeling!

FOR MORE FALL FAMILY ROOM DECOR CLICK HERE.

Fall Bedroom

Last year was the first year I decorated our bedroom for fall and I will definitely be doing it again. I loved how warm and cozy it was!

There are lots of easy and inexpensive ways to add some coziness to your space using candles, fall scents, and textured bedding, pillows, or throws.

It creates such a relaxing space to unwind each night before bed.

And don’t forget to add those lights!

Thank-you so much for touring around with me today! I hope you enjoyed our fall home tour and found some ideas that you can use in your own home. It’s amazing how just a few simple touches can bring in that seasonal coziness! If you’re new to the blog and would like to stay in touch, you can always find me here…

EMAIL / INSTAGRAM / PINTEREST / FACEBOOK

The tours continue tomorrow morning over at Decor to Adore. Laura always has the best ideas for creating beautiful seasonal decor on a budget!

More Fall Home Tours

For more fall home decor ideas, be sure to check out these posts. There will be new posts added each day this week, so be sure to check back!

Monday Fall Home Tours

A Stroll Thru Life / The Stonybrook House / StoneGable / Shiplap and Shells
White Arrows Home / Clean and Scentsible.

Tuesday Fall Home Tours

Decor to Adore / Simply2Moms / 11 Magnolia Lane / Calypso in the Country
Country Road 407 / Pink Peppermint Design

Wednesday Fall Home Tours

Whispering Pines Homestead / Cuckoo4Design / Southern State of Mind
This is Our Bliss / Thrifty and Chic

Thursday Fall Home Tours

Our Southern Home / Southern Hospitality / Hymns and Verses / Worthing Court
Southern Home and Hospitality / Remodelando la Casa

Friday Fall Home Tours

Pasha is Home / CitrineLiving / Quarters One / Up to Date Interiors
A Pretty Life in the Suburbs

More Fall Decor Ideas

If you’re still looking for more fall decor ideas, you may enjoy these posts…

Lighted Fall Pumpkin Basket

Harvest Moon Fall Tablescape

Pumpkin Season Free Fall Printable

The post Cozy Fall Home Decor Ideas – Our Home Tour appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

This easy apple snack board is loaded with crisp apples, delicious dips, caramels, and other apple-inspired treats for the ultimate fall treat. Perfect for a fun snack, appetizer, or dessert.

Apple Snack Board

We always love going apple picking in the fall and it’s fun tasting all of the different apple varieties. Plus, there are so many delicious apple recipes that you can make. From homemade apple sauce and apple crisp, to salted caramel apple pie – I love it all!  Now I’m going to be adding this apple snack board to my list of must-make apple recipes. It’s quick and easy to put together and has all of your favorite fall flavors!

Apple Snack Board Ingredients

While there are lots of different variations that you could do, here is what I included in our apple snack board…

• an assortment of sliced apple varieties
• caramel sauce
• cream cheese apple dip {This is SO good – find the recipe HERE.}
• nut butter
• caramels
• salted caramel waffle cookies
• dried apples
• graham crackers
• Teddy grahams
• cinnamon
• pistachios

Other Ideas to Add to Your Apple Snack Board

You can really add whatever you would like to your board, but here are some ideas of items that pair nicely with apples. I love a little cracker sandwich with brie and an apple slice!

• cheese slices or cubes
• Brie
• crackers
• pretzels
• dates
• mixed nuts
• caramel popcorn
• honey

How to Put Together an Apple Snack Board

Choose your board.

I used a round wood tray for our board, but you can use a cutting board, serving tray, cookie sheet – really anything that will fit your items. Just be sure that it’s food safe or line it with parchment paper.

Make your grocery list.

Think about what items you would like to go with your apples and write out a general list. It can be easy to buy too much, so don’t go overboard. I find it easiest if I try to stick with some kind of theme/color scheme I always try to look around the store to see if there are any other seasonal items that go with the theme too. You can often find some new items that you haven’t tried before!

Assemble your board.

Add items that require bowls and any larger items to the board first. I added the three dip bowls and the apples first.

If you have room, you can even add a seasonal decor item like the ceramic squirrel I have in the center of ours. This is also a good way to make your board look more full if you don’t want to use as many food items.

Fill in with your goodies.

Fill in any gaps with all of your goodies. If you have a bigger board, you can do 2-3 piles of each item around the board so it’s easier for everyone to reach.

Create some apple labels.

if you’re testing out a variety of apples, you can create these simple apple labels in minutes so everyone knows what kind of the apples their tasting. I listed the most common apple varieties on this printable and you just need to print it out and cut out the apple varieties you’re serving. Use a paper cutter to cut horizontal strips with the words, wrap the strip around a skewer, and secure with double sided tape or glue. Trim with scissors and add a v-cut in the end.

How to Keep Apples from Going Brown

If you’re not going to be serving your apple board right away or want your apples to last throughout the party without going brown, here’s the best way I’ve found to keep apples fresh. It might sound a little weird, but a good ol’ saltwater bath totally does the trick. Just fill a bowl with cold water, add salt {approximately 1/2 tsp to 1 litre of water}, and let it soak for about 5-10 minutes. Place a clean paper towel over the top of the bowl to help keep the apples submerged. You can give the apples a quick rinse with cold water afterwards if you’re concerned about a salty flavor, but I find that it’s not really needed if you’re careful not to use too much salt.

I hope you have fun putting together your own apple snack board. Let me know how yours turns out! I’d love to see some photos.

More Apple Recipes

Want more apple ideas? Check out these posts…

Cream Cheese Apple Dip

U-pick Apples Free Printable

Homemade Apple Sauce

The post Apple Snack Board appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

Create a cute coffee bar or other hot beverage bar with these free printable coffee bar labels and coffee syrup labels. Just download and print!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may make a small commission from purchases made directly through the links provided. Thanks so much for your support!

Fall Coffee Bar

If you saw our fall dining room home tour, you may have noticed our fall coffee bar that I have set up on our sideboard. It’s really more of a hot beverage bar than a coffee bar since none of us actually drink coffee here, but “coffee bar” just sounds better. lol!

Anyways, today I wanted to share the coffee bar labels and coffee syrup labels that I made with you. These are non-seasonal labels that can be used all year round. I tried to think of as many different labels as I could, but you can always edit them to create exactly what you want. I printed the coffee syrup labels onto sticker paper and just added them to these glass bottles.

Even though I didn’t use them too much in this beverage bar, I also made some labels for the beverage drinks too. For our chai tea and hot chocolate, I put the mixes into mason jars and printed the labels out onto cardstock. I then just punched a hole in the top of them and attached the labels to the mason jars with some twine.

Coffee Syrup Labels

A variety of flavored coffee syrups are a delicious addition to any coffee or beverage bar.  In addition to adding them to coffee, you can use them with hot chocolate, a variety of steamed milk drinks, and even tea! I have a few syrup flavors that I have on hand year round like vanilla and caramel, but like to switch things up and add a few seasonal flavors in too. The Skinny Syrups are my favorite. They have tons of delicious, different flavors and are 0 calories, 0 sugar, and 0 carbs.

Coffee Syrup Bottles

If you like everything coordinated like I do, you can always decant your coffee syrups into glass bottles so they all match. I picked up these glass hand soap bottles from Amazon and they work great. The pump works well to dispense the syrups without any mess and the bottles are the perfect size. I also thought these bottles were really pretty, but they wouldn’t ship to Canada.

Mason Jar Storage

Mason jars are probably the easiest way to store your beverage needs, but you can always get creative with other storage options too. Our owl cookie jar is perfect for storing tea bags and packets of hot chocolate mixes. For the mason jars, these spiral ones look a little bit fancier {I’ve also seen them cheaper at Target but couldn’t find them online} and I like to change out the regular mason jar tops too. Screw on lids are easier to access and I think they look prettier. {I couldn’t find the same ones but these bamboo mason jar lids and these acacia wood mason jar lids are similar.}

How to use the coffee bar labels.

I originally wanted to print these out onto pre-scored labels as I thought the finish on the labels would last the best. I bought these 2×3 white Avery inkjet/laser printer labels but I just couldn’t get them to line up properly with our printer. {UPDATE: I finally figured out how to print them! Our printer does not have a label option as a paper choice so the labels were running too quickly through the printer. I ended up taping a regular sheet of paper to the back of the labels and it printed perfectly!}

After a couple of frustrating hours, I ended up just using this sticker paper instead. I printed out the labels and then just used a paper cutter to trim them down to the correct size. The labels have been holding up really well on their own, but if you wanted some extra protection, you could always place some clear contact paper over top.

How to edit the coffee bar labels.

If you’d like to change the label titles, you can do this in any photo editing program. In PicMonkey, upload the file to edit, then click on graphics -> basics, and choose the rectangle shape. Change the color fill to white, and adjust the size to place it over whatever label you want to change.  Select text and add your new label title. I used Raleway for the font in size 20.

Free Printable Beverage / Coffee Bar Labels

If you’d like to create your own labels for a beverage or coffee bar, just download the labels below and print them out onto cardstock, labels, or sticker paper.  Happy creating! {NOTE: As with all of my free printables, these are for PERSONAL USE ONLY.}

DOWNLOAD BEVERAGE / COFFEE BAR BEVERAGE LABELS

DOWNLOAD COFFEE SYRUP LABELS

If you’d just like the basic label to use with pre-scored labels, you can download this basic template.

BASIC BEVERAGE BAR LABELS
BASIC COFFEE SYRUP BAR LABELS

I hope you enjoy these! I’d love to see what you create!

More Beverage Bar Ideas

For more beverage bar ideas, check out these posts…

Fall Beverage Bar

How to Set Up a Hot Chocolate Bar

The post Free Printable Coffee Bar Labels appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

This delicious cream cheese apple dip is quick and easy to make with only 3 ingredients required. Perfect for parties, potlucks, or a tasty fall snack!

Cream Cheese Apple Dip

We always go apple picking a few times each fall and I love tasting all of the different varieties of apples. While the apples do taste delicious on their own, this cream cheese apple dip definitely takes them up a notch! This dip is rich, smooth, and creamy with a yummy caramel flavor.

This would be perfect for a potluck or an afternoon snack and can be enjoyed all year long. Use it for apples or a variety of other dippers – I’m sure you’ll be hooked. You really won’t find anything easier, quicker or tastier to make!

Cream Cheese Apple Dip Recipe

What are the best apples for dipping?

Really any kind of apple will go well with this dip, but my personal favorites are Jonagold or Honeycrisp. It’s always fun to play around with different varieties so try out a mix of sweet and tart varieties to see what you prefer. Here are some of the more popular apple varieties and their characteristics…

• Braeburn – tart, sweet, and aromatic
• Cortland – tart and crisp
• McIntosh – juicy and sweet
• Fuji – sweet and juicy
• Granny Smith – moderately sweet and crisp
• Jonagold – tangy and sweet
• Jonathan – tart flesh, crisp and juicy
• Winesap – very juicy, sweet-sour flavor

What else can I serve with this dip?

Aside from the obvious apple slices, there are a variety of other items that pair nicely with this dip. You can have fun experimenting, but here are some ideas to help get you started…

• other fresh fruit (bananas, sliced pears, grapes, etc.)
• graham crackers
• cinnamon tortilla chips
• pretzels
• animal crackers
• gingersnap cookies
• spread on a bagel

What else can I add to the dip?

It’s always fun playing around with this basic cream cheese dip. My favorite thing to add is toffee or Skor bits {you can find these in the baking section of most grocery stores}, but here are some other variations I’ve tried…

• cinnamon or nutmeg
• nuts
• mini caramel chips

Tips for the best dip

I’ve made this dip many times, and it’s pretty much impossible to mess up. Here are a few tips though, to get the best cream cheese dip…

• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing. This will allow the sugar to dissolve into it. You can always soften it for a 10 seconds in the microwave if you don’t want to wait for it to soften.
• If you want to cut down on the sweetness, you can reduce the sugar to 1/3rd cup.
• For a more whipped consistency, beat the cream cheese and sugar on high for about 4-5 minutes and then add the vanilla. If you don’t want to bother with washing beaters, a fork and a little extra arm power will mix it up fine.
• For an extra cute presentation, scoop out a large apple and fill it with the dip.

How do I keep the apples from going brown?

If you’re not going to be serving your dip and apples right away or want your apples to last throughout the party without going brown, here’s the best way I’ve found to keep apples fresh. It might sound a little weird, but a good ol’ saltwater bath totally does the trick. Just fill a bowl with cold water, add salt {approximately 1/2 tsp to 1 litre of water}, and let it soak for about 5-10 minutes. Place a clean paper towel over the top of the bowl to help keep the apples submerged. You can give the apples a quick rinse with cold water afterwards if you’re concerned about a salty flavor, but I find that it’s not really needed if you’re careful not to use so much salt.

You can also use a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice {or another acidic juice} in the bowl of water instead of salt, but it doesn’t seem to work quite as well and can leave a slightly tart taste to the apples. It’s not necessarily a bad thing – especially since the dip adds sweetness – but just something to be aware of.

Let me know if you try it and what your favorite variations are. Happy apple season!

More Delicious Apple Recipes

For more delicious apple recipes, check out these posts…

Homemade Applesauce

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

Apple Cider Bar

The post Cream Cheese Apple Dip appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

Add some pretty fall touches to your porch with these classic front porch fall ideas. Easy outdoor fall decor tips to create a welcoming front entry.

Fall Seasonal Simplicity Series

Welcome back to Week 5 of the fall seasonal simplicity series! How is it already the end of September? Each week my blogging friends and I have been sharing some of our best fall ideas to help you celebrate the season in style. This week we’re moving outdoors to show you our fall patios and other outdoor spaces. You can find all of the links at the end of the post, so be sure to check them out. If you’ve missed any of the previous weeks, you can find them here..

• Fall Crafts and DIY Projects
• Free Fall Printables
• Fall Mantel Ideas
• Fall Home Tours

Front Porch Fall Ideas

I always debate between going neutral or going colorful with our fall front porch, but, obviously, the color ended up winning this year! I feel like I went with pretty classic with our fall decor and stuck with all of the good ol’ fall basics.

I’ve put together five of my favorite front porch fall ideas to create a warm and welcoming classic fall porch and wanted to share them with you today. Hopefully, they help inspire you to add some fun fall touches to your own outdoor space.

Pick Pumpkins.

Nothing says fall more than pumpkins! There are so many different pumpkin options these days with a variety of colors, textures, and sizes. Whether you’re drawn to the classic orange pumpkins, go neutral with white, or opt for the more muted oranges and greens, there’s definitely something for everyone. To keep your pumpkins looking great all season long, be sure to read these tips for making your pumpkins last longer. If you don’t want to deal with real pumpkins, faux pumpkins are also an option and you can get some really realistic ones these days. Mix them in with a few real ones and no one will know!

Plant some mums.

Garden mums are probably the most popular fall flower. They come in a variety of colors, are easy to care for, and will last you throughout the season. We usually put ours out at the end of August and they last right through Halloween. I usually like to stick with just one or two colored mums, but added a whole ombre of color this year down our stairs.

Bale some hay.

Hay bales are super versatile and can add texture and interest to your front porch. They’re a great way to show off your pumpkins are add some height to other decor elements. Stack up multiple bales or use them on their own.

Dress up the door.

A fall wreath is always an easy way to create that seasonal feeling and adds a warm, inviting touch to your front porch. Again, there are so many different options, styles, and colors to choose from – you can always find {or make!} something that works for you.

Light it Up

As the nights start to get darker, there’s nothing better than a good fall glow! I love the cozy feeling of warm white lights and the flickering light of candles. They just look so pretty against the fall colors and add so much warmth. I couldn’t really capture how the lights actually look, but I tried my best. lol!

I bought the trees last year at a local garden centre {West Coast Gardens if you’re local}, but these ones from Amazon look almost the same. We have the trees on an automatic outdoor timer and the outdoor candles also come with an automatic timer. They’re all set to go on at dusk and then stay on for 6 hours.

I move the candles more under the porch cover on rainy days, but love having the stairs lit up on nicer evenings.

And there you have it! I hope you enjoyed the tour and now have some front porch fall ideas to help you get started on your own front porch. Happy Fall!

More Fall Outdoor Decor Ideas

For more fall outdoor decor inspiration, check out all of these beautiful ideas from my blogging friends. All of the links are just below the images, so just click away!

The Happy Housie
Life is Better at Home
Inspiration for Moms
Rambling Renovators

Finding Silver Pennies
She Gave it a Go
Grace in My Space
This is Our Bliss

Modern Glam Home
A Pretty Life
Life is a Party
Clean & Scentsible

My Sweet Savannah
Lemon Thistle
Craftberry Bush
Love Create Celebrate

Taryn Whiteaker Designs
Tatertots and Jello

DIY Copper Hoop Wreath

Lighted Fall Pumpkin Basket

Fall Basket Wreath with Lights

The post Classic Front Porch Fall Ideas appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

This double chocolate zucchini bread is so moist and rich, it will soon become a family favorite. Have it for breakfast, a tasty snack, or a simple dessert to get your chocolate fix!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Our friends gave us a bunch of extra zucchinis from their garden and I’ve been having lots of fun using then up. I’m not fond of cooked zucchini, but I sure love it for baking. It adds moisture and a little extra texture. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in a few extra nutrients!

This double chocolate zucchini bread is one of my favorite ways to use zucchini. It’s so moist and delicious, I’m sure it will be one of your favorites too!

Why bake with zucchini?

In addition to adding some extra nutrients to your baking, zucchini adds a wonderful texture and moisture – similar to adding apple sauce or bananas. Zucchini has a mild flavor so it’s hidden easily and pairs amazingly well with chocolate.

Do I need to peel zucchini?

Nope! The zucchini skin is edible so there’s no need for peeling. Not only is it easier to leave the skin on, but it also adds color, flavor, and extra nutrients to your baking. Just wash your zucchini prior to using and you’re good to go!

How do I shred zucchini?

Grating

If you’re using a box grater, cut off the ends of the zucchini and just rub it against the side of the grater. While the box grater takes a little bit of extra time, it’s quicker to clean up than a food processor so it’s great for shredding if you don’t need a lot.

Food Processor

I usually use the food processor if I’m doing multiple batches. While it’s much quicker to shred the zucchini, it’s a little bit of a longer process to clean up the food processor, so it’s only really worth it for me if I have a lot to shred. When using the food processor, the zucchini tends to be a bit jucier, so I use a paper towel to blot up the excess moisture.

How much zucchini do I need?

One medium zucchini is equal to approximately 1 cup of shredded zucchini. Typically, grocery store zucchinis are smaller than home-grown zucchini so you’ll likely get more out of your harvested zucchini.

Tips for making the best chocolate zucchini bread.

• Don’t overmix the batter. Quick breads don’t need a lot of stirring, so just try to just barely mix the ingredients together. Overmixing can cause your loaf to sink in the middle or become too dense.
• Make sure your baking soda is fresh – it should be used within 6-9 months. If it’s been on the shelf longer than this time, save it for your cleaning and purchase a new box for baking.

I hope you enjoy this chocolate zucchini bread as much as we do!

More Quick Bread Recipes

For more quick bread recipes, check out these posts…

Pumpkin Nutella Swirl Bread

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread

The post Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

Simple fall kitchen decor ideas to add that pretty fall touch to your kitchen. Join in this beautiful fall home tour for easy fall decor tips that you can add to your own home.

Fall Seasonal Simplicity Series

Welcome back to week 4 of the fall seasonal simplicity series! Each week my blogging friends and I have been sharing some of our best fall ideas to help you celebrate the season in style. This week we’re celebrating fall all week long with 6 new fall home tours each day. There’s SO much fall inspiration for you in a wide variety of styles, so be sure to visit the links at the end of the post. If you missed the previous weeks of the series, you can find them here…

• Fall Crafts and DIY Projects
• Free Fall Printables
• Fall Mantel Ideas

If you’re coming over from Zevy Joy – welcome! I always love Annie’s style and all of her budget-friendly decorating tips.

Fall Kitchen Home Tour

I’m continuing on with the fall home tour today and moving into the kitchen! I’ve kind of been all over the place with our fall home tour this year, showing you our fall dining room and then our fall bedroom, but we’re back to the main floor again.

We have a fairly open layout, so you can pretty much see at least part of the kitchen from almost everywhere on the main floor. We updated our kitchen about 7 years ago now, and I love having a fairly neutral base that I can change up each season. I usually stick with more traditional fall colors in here as I love the pops of orange against the white cupboards.

Fall Kitchen Decor Tips

Start Fresh

Seasonal decorating is the perfect time to do a good cleaning and decluttering of your space. I roughly follow this kitchen cleaning checklist as I switch up our decor each season. I don’t necessarily do everything on the list each season, but it’s good to run through and see what needs to be done.  Since I’m moving around a lot of the decor anyways, it doesn’t take much extra time to give everything a good wipe down. You can grab the free printable seasonal kitchen cleaning checklist HERE.

Balance function and decor.

Counter space in the kitchen is generally prime real estate, so look for seasonal pieces that are functional too. This could include:

• tea towels in a fall theme or color scheme
• seasonal salt and pepper shakers
• seasonal cookie jars
• fall-scented dish or hand soap
• a pretty seasonal bowl or serving plate
• a seasonal beverage bar

You can also use your regular kitchen items and fill them with some seasonal favorites. I used a measuring cup for a little vase and a ceramic colander to hold some extra fall kitchen towels.

Use trays to keep items organized.

I’m a big fan of using trays to corral any smaller items that you have out on your countertops. Not only do trays add a little more interest, but they also help visually to create a less cluttered look and make it so much easier to move items off the counter when you need to clean. I have a tray in each of the corners of our kitchen as well as beside the stove to hold some frequently needed kitchen utensils.

Bust out the printables.

I know I say this all the time, but switching out framed prints has got to be the easiest {and most inexpensive!} way to add a seasonal touch to your space. Starting with the artwork is a great way to set the tone for your decor whether it be a particular theme, color scheme, or just overall feel that you’re going for.

This Fall Love printable is one of my new fall printables from this year. The Fall Is My Favorite print that I have in our dining room is another new one that coordinates nicely with it. I also have a ton of other fall printables in a variety of color schemes and styles that you can choose from {you can find them all HERE} so check them out if you’re looking for more ideas.

Use seasonal stems.

Adding some seasonal stems is one of my favorite ways to add some seasonal color and interest to our kitchen. I’m a big fan of cutting down larger stems into small pieces that can be layered throughout the room. Just tuck in those fall sprigs wherever you have gaps or need a pop of color!

I have these orange fall berries in various spots throughout the kitchen and they help to tie the whole space together.

For a more dramatic display, you can always use larger stems in a vase or pitcher like the one we have by our sink.

Dress up the sink.

Speaking of sinks, I always start my seasonal decorating in the kitchen at the sink. I love switching up our hand soap and dish soap for more seasonal scents. Again, using a small tray, cutting baord, or cake stand by the sink helps to keep all of your supplies looking pretty while still keeping all of your sink essentials easy to grab.

This year I placed my favorite Mrs. Meyer’s Apple Cider soaps and this cute kitchen scrub brush on a cake stand and then added it to a small cutting board with our little fruit fly trap {those fruit flies are always the worst at this time of year!}

Add some twinkle.

Twinkle lights add that pretty fall glow in any room. There’s always somewhere to add those twinkle lights! I have some battery-operated twinkle lights in both of the kitchen corners. Look for lights that have an automatic on/off switch so you don’t have to remember to turn them on and off each day.

Create a fall centerpiece.

Add a fall centerpiece to your table. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A bowl of mini pumpkins or faux gourds, glass or amber glass bottles filled with wheat or some fall stems, or a tray with a few of your fall favorites can all be put together in just a few minutes.

I hope you enjoyed our fall kitchen tour and got some ideas that you can use in your own home. Even just one or two little fall touches will make you smile!

Next up on the tour is Melanie from My Sweet Savannah. She has a beautiful minimalistic design style that I know you’ll love!

More Fall Home Tours

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the rest of the beautiful fall homes on tour this week. I always love seeing all of the different styles, color schemes, and different takes on fall decor! Just click on any of the links below the photos to tour.

Sharing with me today…

Deeply Southern Home
Sincerely, Marie Designs
Zevy Joy

Clean & Scentsible
My Sweet Savannah

Monday

The Happy Housie
The Tattered Pew
Jenna Kate at Home

Maison de Cinq
She Gave It A Go

Tuesday

A Pretty Life
Taryn Whiteaker Designs
Inspiration for Moms

Rambling Renovators
Grace in My Space
Nina Hendrick Design

Wednesday

Home Made Lovely
House by Hoff
Lemon Thistle

Finding Silver Pennies
A Pop of Pretty
Life is a Party

Friday

Joanna Anastasia
Paint Me Pink
Life is Better at Home

Love Create Celebrate
Tatertots and Jello
Craftberry Bush

 You can also find more of our fall home tour here…

Cozy Fall Bedroom Decor Ideas

Fall Dining Room Home Tour

The post Fall Kitchen Decor Ideas appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

Add some pretty fall touches to your bedroom with these simple fall bedroom decor ideas. Easy tips to create a warm and cozy retreat!

Our Fall Bedroom Decor

We’ve been working on updating our bedroom for over a year now. I’ve been so indecisive with any decisions {and motivation has not been high!}, that things have been taking much longer than anticipated. I was definitely hoping to be done by now, but we’re still waiting on finishing the trim and doing some kind of wall treatment on the wall behind the bed. If you have any ideas for me, I’d love to hear them!

Even though the bedroom isn’t totally finished, it didn’t stop me from decorating it for fall! I love cozying things up for the cooler months and bringing in some of those pretty fall colors. I hope you enjoy the tour of our master bedroom and are inspired to add some fall touches to your own home.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that I may make a small commission from items purchased directly from the links provided at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

How to Update Your Bedroom for Fall

If you’re updating your home decor for fall, don’t forget about your bedroom! Fall is the perfect time to add warmth and coziness to your bedroom. Warming things up – both literally and figuratively – helps to create a relaxing and cheerful fall bedroom retreat. The best part is, it doesn’t require a lot of time or energy and the tips can be easily applied in any space.

Pick a warm color scheme.

As the weather starts to cool down, brining warmer tones into your bedroom can help add that welcoming and cozy feeling. I found this terra cotta colored quilt that I loved and used it for the inspiration in our bedroom this year. I love the texture of it against our white duvet and I thought it was the perfect fall color.

Cozy Up Your Bedding

There’s nothing better than snuggling up in bed with Netflix or your favorite book on a rainy fall night. Switch up your comforter or duvet to a heavier weight, add some extra blankets or quilts or layer on some extra pillows for a more luxurious feeling. I always start with cleaning our mattress and switching up the bedding for any seasonal bedroom update. Not only does it make a big impact in terms of the look of the space, but it also makes a a huge difference in the quality of your sleep.

I love my bamboo sheets and generally use them all year round, but many people like to switch to warmer sheets such as sateen blends, microfiber, or flannel during the cooler months. I also choose to ditch the top sheet and just use a fitted sheet to keep things simpler.

Our bed is actually a storage bed so the whole mattress system lifts up with full storage underneath. We keep all of our extra bedding, off-season bedding and pillows under it, so everything stays close and can be changes up as needed. {NOTE: If you’re looking for a bed storage system, check the weight of the mattress. We were told there were no limitations on weight, however, our mattress ended up being too heavy for the hydraulics to work properly and the bed will only stay up if someone is holding it.}

Add decorative fall pillows.

Pillows are a great way to add texture, color, and coziness to your bedroom. I always start with neutral pillows as my base and then just switch up a few of the pillows each season. The three large, white Euro pillows stay year-round and then I just switch up the pillow cases on the king sized pillows and add a matching accent pillow to the front. I love the added texture and details on the pillow cases and they hardly take up any space for storing in the off-season.

I also added the Mornin’ Pumpkin pillow to the bench at the end of our bed. Again, I try to use seasonal pillows that have removeable pillow cases as much as possible, so I just need to store the actual pillow case instead of the whole pillow. Plus, they’re a lot easier to wash and can usually just be thrown in the washing machine with the rest of the bedding.

Create a pretty fall vignette.

A dresser or side table is the perfect place to add a pretty seasonal touch.

I like to start with fairly neutral pieces that can be used throughout the year and then just switch up a few elements with more seasonal decor. If you look at our dresser from our summer bedroom tour, you can see that the majority of the display is the same. I just switched up the faux stems, added the lighted pumpkin and some fall leaves, and layered on the leaf twinkle lights.

Gather up some cozy luxuries.

Gather up some of your cozy fall favorites and store them in a basket for easy access. This basket at the end of our bed holds an extra blanket, my faux fur slippers, and a faux fur hot water bottle that I love using on those colder nights. They’re just a nice cozy, luxury that feel like a treat at the end of a long day.

Clear off your night stands.

Night stands can often collect clutter, so take some time to clear away any items that are not needed on a regular basis.

I made an air dry clay leaf tray for any jewelry that I take off before bed. I used the same technique that I used with the air dry clay leaf lights I made. I’m just playing around with different finishes right now and will post a quick tutorial once I’ve tried some different options.

Add a fall scent.

Scents are strongly tied to our emotions and memories, so a nice, light scent can help to create a relaxing space and a peaceful sleep. I think fall has the best scent options out of any season. Pumpkin, warm fall spices, smoky vanilla, apple cider, fresh leaves – there are just so many amazing fall aromas!

Whether you like a lot of scent or just a hint, there are a number of ways that you can add that touch of fall to your bedroom. Diffusers are perfect to use if you like to control your scent level. Add more essentials oils for a more rich scent or just a few drops for a light fall fresh experience.

Reed diffusers are another option and come in a variety of scents. The more often you soak and flip the reeds, the stronger the aroma.

Candles are always an easy option {and add that beautiful glow too!} but you can’t really control how strong the scent is and you do have to make sure you’ll be in your room long enough to burn it the full width of the jar so you don’t end up wasting it. This one is a delicious vanilla pumpkin scent and I love that the container can be used after the candle is done.

If you love going to bed with some lightly scented sheets, make your own DIY linen spray. You can customize it with any fall-scented essential oils you’d like!

Switch up your stems.

While I did leave the olive branches in the vases beside the bed {I think they go well with pretty much any season}, I did switch up the faux stems on our dresser for some neutral fall leaves. They add some nice height and interest to the dresser and complement the terra cotta color from the bedding.

Light it up.

If you’ve seen any of my home tours before, you know how much I love adding lights! I think lights are especially pretty in the fall as the warm glow goes so perfectly with the amber, orange, and yellow fall hues.

I found these leaf twinkle lights last year at Superstore {a local grocery store} and wish I had bought a few more strings. You can also weave regular twinkle lights through a fall garland, make your own leaf twinkle lights, or simply use them on their own. The lighted pumpkin was also from Superstore and I have a few of them scattered throughout our home this year.

If you love the flickering candle light, but don’t want the scent, oil candles are another option that still provide that night-time glow. There’s also no minimum burn time, so they’re a great option if you just want the candle on for a short time.

Bedroom Sources

If you’d like sources to any of our bedroom items, I’ve listed as many as I can for you here. If you have any other questions, just let me know, and I’ll help out if I can.

• Gia Nightstand – Q Living Furniture
• Angelina Storage Bed – Q Living Furniture
• Gia Dresser – Q Living Furniture
• Gia Bench – Q Living Furniture
• White Duvet Cover – West Elm
• White Euro Pillows – HomeSense
• Fall Quilt – The Bay
• Fall Shams – The Bay
• Basket – HomeSense
• Wall Sconces – Wayfair

I hope you enjoyed our fall bedroom tour and take some time to cozy up your own space. Everyone deserves a warm and snug little retreat!

More Fall Decor

For more fall decor inspiration, check out these posts…

Fall Kitchen Decor Ideas

Fall Living Room Ideas

Farmhouse Style Fall Front Porch

The post Cozy Fall Bedroom Decor appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.