Happy National Adoption day!!

Did you know that November 17th is National Adoption Day? Congratulations to every child and family as they celebrate their forever family and the joy of adoption. 

 We know our lives have been forever blessed because of adoption.

OXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

 

Pumpkin Dump Cake & Dollhouse Pie

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite adoptive blogs (Do They Have Salsa in China?) posted this recipe and I recently made it for our family.  The top of this dessert reminds me of a crumbly coffee cake, while the bottom half tastes exactly like traditional pumpkin pie.   It is SERIOUSLY yummy and I found myself enjoying this delicious treat for breakfast some mornings (shhhhh....our secret).

Pumpkin Dump Cake

From M3 at Do They Have Salsa in China?

1–29 oz. can pumpkin (note, this is the big can, two small cans will also work)
1 –12oz. can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 T. cinnamon

Mix above ingredients and pour into 10 x 14 cake pan, ungreased. (I used my glass lasagna pan)

Then:

1 box yellow cake mix – sprinkle over pumpkin mixture
1 C. finely chopped pecans – sprinkle onto cake mix (I used walnuts because I didn't have pecans on hand)
¾ C. melted butter – pour over everything 

Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes (or even longer -- until a knife in the center comes out clean, like a pumpkin pie – if you use a slightly smaller pan your cake will be thicker and will need to cook a little longer). 

*I ended up cooking my version for 65 minutes.  Just keep checking that pumpkin filling.  
While I'm on the topic of pumpkin pie, I decided Josie's dollhouse needed a few mini pies for their own Thanksgiving celebrations.  

Bottle caps, tan felt, red seed beads and my glue gun were used in creating the cherry pie.  
The pumpkin pie filling was a mix of hot glue with a layer of orange glitter glue on top.  
Original credit comes from one of my favorite blogs...Let's go fly a kite!  When she shared her Canadian Thanksgiving pictures earlier this fall, she also shared her girls miniature dollhouse pies.  You can find her Thanksgiving post here.    Happy Friday!  I hope you have some time to play this weekend!

 

My sweet little Christmas house...

Erica's package arrived early this week and my Christmas house is absolutely breathtaking! 

It's so darling that I couldn't stop taking pictures.

Love the greenery around the toadstool and very jeweled Christmas tree.  Swoon!

Even the backside is adorable.  Just look at these sweet bunnies lurking around the trees.

Erica really spoiled me with all sorts of additional treasures.

Things like crafting supplies, a vintage Shiny Brite boot, toadstool ornament, Christmas corsage, miniature tree topper and special cards were included in her package.

Love the green handle on this gingerbread cookie cutter!


Just look at these delicate blue bird pinecone ornaments that she included for the girls.  So sweet!!

Erica thank you so much for all my special treasures.  You are such a talented young lady.  If you'd like to see more of her work, be sure to visit her blog and her etsy store .
 

Christmas house exchange...the reveal!

Now that Erica has received and opened her package, I can show you the rest of  the Christmas house that I decorated for her.  One of my favorite things is the tiny glittered covered package stuffed into the opening of the chimney.   

I glittered tiny millinery flowers for the trees and wreath.  If you look closely, you will see tiny toadstools near the front door.  

The plastic Christmas figurines were given to me by my Aunt Marion.  She generously shared her crafting supplies with me.

The fence and miniature wreaths came from Hobby Lobby.  I took the fence apart with wire cutters and glued it to the base of the house.  The pom pom trim along the roof line reminds me of little snowballs.

Here is a view of the back of the house.

The gold snowflakes that I added to the windows also came from Hobby Lobby.   This is how the house looked once it was all wrapped.

I also added a few more vintage Christmas goodies to my package before sending it out.  This was such a fun exchange.

Thank you for hosting, Erica.  I'll be sharing the house I received from her later this week.  It's just over-the-top dripping with Christmas goodness!!

An early Thanksgiving dinner at the dollhouse...

My keystone dollhouse is preparing an early Thanksgiving dinner.

The roasted turkey, apple pie, and cranberry sauce came from MothersMiniTreasures.

I also now have residents in my special dollhouse.

They are three rubber Ari dolls made in Germany.  Mother and daughter are busy setting the dining-room table with delicious food.

Father anxiously awaits from the living-room for the announcement that dinner is served.  Gobble Gobble!