As promised, I am back today with another apple-themed post. I got up bright and early this morning to make another new (to me) apple recipe: Apple Walnut Bread. As I was preparing all of the ingredients, I noticed that the recipe didn’t call for any cinnamon, so I did add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to my flour mixture.

This picture just makes me happy–I love to have several different varieties of mini bread loaves in my freezer that I can pull out at a moment’s notice, and my stash is bone dry. These loaves are a good start to building up my supply again. One recipe was to yield 3 mini loaves, but I was able to get 4, which made me feel less guilty when I cut into one of the loaves for breakfast!

I even got out my apple dishes to use this morning, and I don’t know what made me happier–the warm, just out of the oven bread or my apple dishes! The dishes are by Pfaltzgraff, and the pattern is called Delicious. I only have the salad plates and mugs, and I use them in the Fall when friends come over for coffee. This pattern has long since been retired, which makes me appreciate having them even more.

But, I digress. Back to the bread–mini bread loaves are the perfect size to share with others, and I have a packaging idea to dress up the loaf pans for gift-giving. First, I want to teach you how to make a layered, paper apple which will be the embellishment for the package.

You will need some newspaper or old book print, along with 2-3 squares of patterned paper. I chose to use an apple die-cut as my bottom layer, so I will only need 2 squares of patterned paper. The third square of patterned paper could be substituted for the apple die-cut.

Start by folding your papers in half. Note, if your patterned paper has patterns on both sides, make sure that the pattern you want to use is on the inside. Once your paper is folded, then draw half of an apple shape near the top of your newsprint/book print fold and cut it out.

I have placed my first apple on my apple die-cut for better visualization. Keeping this first apple folded, slide it down along the fold, and cut out a second apple half just slightly larger then the first one.

I am showing my first layer in red so that it is easier to visualize how the second apple is cut. Once you have the second apple cut, slide both apples down again along the fold and cut a third, slightly larger apple out of the newsprint/book print.

Now you will switch to your first piece of patterned paper, and taking all three folded apples, place them on the fold of the patterned paper and cut out another apple slightly larger then the last.

Cut out apples with the remainder of your patterned paper pieces, remembering to cut the apple slightly larger than the last layer.  When you are finished, you should have 5-6 graduating-sized apples.

Now it’s time to glue the layers together. When you cut the layers, you go from smallest to largest. When you glue the layers, you go from largest to smallest. I use liquid glue, and I like to pour out some glue onto a small paper plate, and then use a toothpick to run some glue all along the fold line on the backside of each apple. The finished apple should look something like this:

I think these apples are so cute, and the newspaper/book print layers add so much charm. You could easily use this same concept for other symmetrical shapes, i.e. hearts, stars, butterflies, etc. The apple die I used for the base of my apple has leaves. As an alternative, you could cut some leaves free hand and glue them on. I also stamped some seeds on the top layer; those seeds could be drawn on instead.

Are you still with me? Good, because now we get to put the whole package together.  I think it’s probably easiest for you to take a look at one of the loaf pans all finished, and then I’ll back track and explain the steps:

I made a template of the top of one of the loaf pans before I washed it for baking. I then used that template to cut the shape from 3 different kinds of paper. Once I had my loaf pan wrapped in plastic wrap, I placed the paper on top of the pan. I glued my layered apple onto a small doily; threaded a double strand of baker’s twine through the open cuts in the doily; and secured everything on by wrapping the twine completely around the entire loaf pan. I like to use double strands when I’m using baker’s twine, as I think it gives the bow a little bit more “beef” or weight. Here’s a closer look at the apple embellishment:

I realize that not everyone has patterned paper on hand, so I also used parchment paper:

and brown paper:

I wanted you to see that you can use whatever you have in the house as the paper topper, and that even plain parchment or brown paper can look fabulous with a little ribbon and embellishment. You’ll notice that I changed up the apple for the brown paper wrap and put all of the color in the front, and I also used red gingham ribbon instead of the baker’s twine to offset the paper.

Here’s my happy trio of mini bread loaves, all dressed up and ready to share. I can’t decide which one is my favorite–do you have a favorite?

Well my dear friends, we’ve come to the end of today’s post. My breakfast is all gone, and my bread loaves are all packaged up. Thanks for joining me today, and, as always, remember:

“May the waves kiss your feet, / the sand be your seat, / and your friends out number the stars.”

-C-