Featured on AmericaJR.com: Succulent Pumpkin Planters

My post from October on DIY Succulent Pumpkin Planters is being featured on AmericaJR.com. Click below to check it out!

http://americajr.com/news/pumpkinplanters1028.html

Halloween Dessert: Caramel Apples

Love buying Caramel Apples in the Fall. I always found that Candy Apples made such a sticky mess and stained everything red. But Caramel Apples... Caramel Apples are perfect. When made with peanuts they are a great combination of sweet and salty. After my mom was craving one the other night, I decided to find a simple recipe online and got to work.

Recipe:

6-8 apples
6-8 wooden sticks
2 bags of caramel chews
2 tbsp. milk
peanuts and/or sprinkles

Recipe adapted from All Recipes

Instructions:

1. Unwrap the caramels (probably the most time consuming part).

2. Melt the caramels with the milk in a pot. Mix continuously on low to keep it from burning. The mixture should be thick. Add more caramels if needed.

3. Wash apples and pierce with the wooden sticks.

4. Have your peanuts and/or sprinkles ready in bowls for dipping.

5. When the caramel is completely melted smooth, dip apples and allow the extra caramel to drip off.

6. Immediately dip into peanuts or sprinkles.

7. Allow the caramel harden and enjoy :)

Painted Pumpkin Project: Don't Settle for Orange Pumpkins!

So the Succulent Pumpkins I made at the beginning of the month made it through Thanksgiving. They were a great centrepiece for the dinner, however they went to mush shortly after. Everywhere I looked, I couldn`t find anymore white pumpkins. People were either sold out or their white pumpkins weren`t the right size. I began to give up since I really didn`t like how the plants looked in the traditional orange pumpkins. And then while waiting in line at the grocery store, I saw it...the Chatelaine cover and decided: why settle for orange pumpkins? Pick a colour to match whatever room or setting you want.

I painted one black and spray painted the other brown. I wouldn't recommend spray painting pumpkins. It looks great, but takes almost 24 hours to dry. It was extremely sticky. The paint dries a lot faster. I loved the Chatelaine pumpkins. They were painted with pale pinks and shimmery golds. So you can really get creative with the colours.

All the plants used were succulents that I purchased from Martha's Greenhouse in Windsor.

 

 Black Succulent Pumpkin with Orange Bow


 

A little Halloween with the candles.

 Brown Succulent Pumpkin with Orange Bow

My two boring orange pumpkins.

 

Onyx stole my pumpkin top and ate it. Made a big mess on the grass.

Carve out the pumpkin top to fit the planter's size. Scoop out the seeds and insides. Paint pumpkins starting from the bottom. The paint will drip down and the bottoms only need one coat of paint since they won't really be seen.

Pumpkins need at least 2-3 coats.

Love the orange bows :)

 

Buddy checking out the situation - Also put a paper towel down in case there are any wet spots on the bottom!



I really love how the succulents look.

 

Add Spanish Moss to fill in the gaps and hide the soil.

Plants: Inspiration on a Fall Day

Can't believe flowers are still blooming in late October. Today has been sunny and warm, but the past few weeks have been chilly here. Not much is left, but there are still some stunning blooms around the yard.

A Mikasa tea cup my mom found at a vintage store on the weekend - apparently it is a fancy brand in the tea cup world.

 

Garden Rose

 



Blue Salvia

 

Stunning and has an amazing smell.

 

Red Begonias

 

Just Bloomed Garden Rose

 

I don't care what anyone says about Dusty Millers - I think they are beautiful.

 

Thanksgiving Candy Corn Cupcakes

Happy Thanksgiving to all! This year, I made Thanksgiving for my family. I did it once with my dad about 9 years ago. This year the parents were gone for the day so it was up to me. With the help of my brother, we turned out an amazing meal of epic proportions...

Apps:
hot spinach dip ,
mozzarella sticks,
deep fried pickles,

Dinner:
stuffing,
turkey,
mashed potatoes,
salad,
broccoli and cheese,
gravy,
chicken parm,

Desserts:
cookies,
fruit,
chocolate acorns,
AND
Candy Corn Cupcakes!

(click on the links to go to the recipes I used!)

Cake Recipe:

white cake mix
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/3 vegetable oil

1. Beat ingredients together and separate batter into two bowls. Use yellow and orange food colouring to dye batter.

2. Spoon yellow batter into empty cupcake papers. Top with the orange batter.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

4. Top with white buttercream icing.

5. Garnish with orange and yellow sprinkles and a candy corn.

Recipe adapted from: The Girl Who Ate Everything Blog

*Note: These don't actually taste like candy corn...they just look like candy corn!

Photos: Roses from the Garden in October!

Project: Succulent Pumpkin Planters

I got this great idea at work to create succulent pumpkin planters. First, carve off the top of a pumpkin. I used white pumpkins. They have a great shape and are easier to cut. Plus white pumpkins are unique and trendy this season. Fill a small plastic container with succulents and slip it into the carved pumpkins. It is important to plant the succulents in a container because it will allow the display to last longer. Add a bright fall bow for some colour and Spanish moss to fill the empty spaces. It is a great centrepiece for any table or porch for Thanksgiving and Halloween. Also the pumpkin can easily be replaced once it begins to rot because of the plastic container. Once the season is over, remove the container and keep the plants near a sunny window. The last two pumpkin pictures were made and are available for purchase at Martha's Greenhouse in Windsor. However if you are feeling creative and want to try it yourself, all materials are available for purchase at Martha's as well.

The one for my grandparents

The one for my mom

Use a variety of succulents

Able to purchase this one at Martha's Greenhouse in Windsor

Also found at Martha's Greenhouse

Falling for Fall

Falling for Fall with some festive decorations. As I mentioned before, I absolutely love fall. The weather, activities, food, and warm clothes! I made this wreath for my mom last fall and I decided to update it a little after it was squished in the closet for a year. The bows were made with brown and sparkly orange ribbon that I bought from Martha's Greenhouse in Windsor. They take about five minutes to make and they look great hanging from a fence, attached to your porch, or to cover up an unattractive spot in your garden. She has different colours to mix and match or you can buy them already made for $19.99.

Here are some photos: