The Scent of Autumn
by Arleen M. Kaptur

Description: Ideas spicing up your home during autumn. Make a fragrant spice-filled "pie" or fragrant beverage coasters.

Scents of the season can be a delight to your home, as well as excite appetites, and make it a pleasure to be home - Here is a simple way to bring Autumn and its wonderful aromas to your kitchen, or anywhere you or your guests would like to enjoy a hot cup of coffee, tea, or soup. Guests are delightfully surprised and feel so very special - you thought of everything!

Mix together 2 tbs. of ground cinnamon, 2 tsp. of ground cloves, and 2 tsp. of ground nutmeg in a small bowl.

Cut your material to a size that would be perfect as a "coaster" for hot beverages. Cut out 8 squares of tightly woven muslin, 8 squares of felt, and 8 squares of autumn or seasonal print material.

Take one piece of muslin and place 1 to 1-1/2 tsp. of your mixture in the center. Cover with another piece of muslin and sew or hot-glue together to form a "packet".

Take one piece of autumn material, cover with one piece of felt, then add your packet, cover with another piece of felt, and then your autumn material. Sew or hot-glue the material packets together. Add a decorative edging or other personal touch.

Every time you set a hot cup of coffee, tea, or soup on your "pad" the aroma from the autumn spices will add to the pleasure of your beverage. For Christmas or other holidays, change the spices.

These are great to have around all year long, and make great "gifts." Simple pleasures but a treat for family and friends and don't forget yourself.

If you have a pie plate, cover the inside with some felt, enough felt to stick up over the rim of the plate.

Trim with pinking shears and create a pie crust. Fill your crust with aromatic spices, such as apple pie spice, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, cloves, etc. Mix and match until you get the scent that reminds you of the season.

Using pinking shears, cut strips of felt to use as a lattice crust for your pie. Tart pans work really great with this as they are small and can be placed on shelves and counter- tops.

Hot glue your lattice crust to your bottom crust and add a decorative fall accent to the top - such as dried leaves, pinecones, etc.

Place your "pie" in the kitchen and the warmth from your cooking and baking will release the wonderful scents and bring family and friends to your home - just to check out "what's cooking?".

Don't let this wonderful time of year escape without savoring each special moment and detail that only comes once a year. ENJOY!

Copyright 2002. Reprinted with permission.