Happy Halloween!

Happy Pumpkin Day! Here are a couple of pumpkins I spray-painted white to add to the pumpkin decor. I left the stem in its natural state, but I have seen others paint it and it looks nice too.

The smaller pumpkins were hand-picked by my almost 2-year old daughter during our yearly pumpkin hunting at the pumpkin patch. I think she did a pretty good job of choosing some extraordinary pumpkins, don't ya think? :0)

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!



[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: trick or TREAT!]

Since many of you may be hosting Halloween parties or just enjoy making ghoulish treats, here are some fun ideas to add to your holiday recipes list for this scary season!

1. Giant Black Widow
2. Haunting Hot Chocolate
3. Eye-Scream Sweets
4. Monster Mouths
5. Fresh from the Lab: Bubbling Cocktails
6. Wicked Witch Cupcakes
7. Orange Jack-o'-Lanterns with Sorbet

Sources:

Better Homes & Gardens

Martha Stewart

Parents Magazine

Parenting Magazine

[Jen]

Jack-O-Lanterns! Oh my!

My husband and I carved these pumpkins when we first got married (been married for almost 6 years now!). We wanted to make our first Halloween special. :0)

 [This little guy is supposed to represent our little hamster, Caramel Apple (R.I.P. August 2007). We got her on Halloween that year (hence the name), so we carved out a cute little hamster pumpkin. See the 2 front teeth?]

[This goofy jack-o-lantern I carved out using a face template I found online. Thought he was kinda cute. It was pretty simple to make. Just printed out the template onto some plain ol' computer paper, poked little tiny holes along the lines, and carved it out based on the pattern of the holes (e.g. "connect the dots"). Such fun!]

Happy Pumpkin Carving! :0)

[Jen]

[Motivational Monday: Decorating Pumpkins]

Recently been to a pumpkin patch or plan on going soon? Well, here are some very creative and festive ideas on decorating your prized pumpkin (s).

 [Etching pumpkins always looks so nice. Plus, by not carving it all the way through, your pumpkin will last much longer. I love how this is displayed on a stairwell with some tea lights and other pumpkins and gourds.]

 [A pumpkin topiary! Wouldn't you love to have this on display at your front door? I am sure there is a way to secure the pumpkins together, but I love this whole look.]

[A simple yet classic way to decorate with multiple pumpkins. This Halloween, carve your pumpkins with a sharp, stainless steel cookie cutter. It takes the guesswork out of designing it yourself and looks very clean. Line your jack-o-lanterns up with some candles lit in mason jars, and you're all set!]

[I love this "hairy" pumpkin! Just too cute! Turn your pumpkin on its side, using the stem as a nose. Carve out the face, and place cooked (or uncooked for a spiked look!) spaghetti inside the pumpkin. Great idea when pumpkin decorating with the kids!]

[all photos courtesy of Southern Living]

[Jen]

Happy First Day of Fall!

Don't you just love the Fall season? Today in the U.S. marks the first day of Fall. So exciting! I love how the leave change into the most beautiful colors making everything feel warm even on those brisk, cold days. And, to those of you who enjoy decorating your home, there are endless ways to add natural decor to give the inside of your home that same warm feeling.

[I LOVE this Indian corn wreath! And it looks pretty simple to make. I would assume you could take an ordinary hay wreath and hot-glue the corn to the wreath with the shucks flared out. Seems easy peasy! Hmm...do I see a "How-to Tuesday" tutorial on this in the near future??]

[Wouldn't this be the perfect table setting for your next Halloween/Thanksgiving dinner party? Different sizes and colors of pumpkins on top of dark-colored books add a sophistication to the entire look. Plus it's a great inexpensive way to liven up any centerpiece.]

[This looks like a fairly easy centerpiece to make. And miniature pumpkins are so much fun to decorate with! Just carve a hole in the center of the pumpkin, place a votive or tall taper candle inside it, and secure it all with some museum wax. These would look lovely placed on a platter or in a shallow bowl filled with rocks or stones]

[Of course, this one I absolutely adore! I love the rich, deep red color of this frame. And the leaves strung along some orange ribbon really give it that extra flare. Perfect for decorating a mantel or shelf.]

All photos courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

[Jen]