Halloween Treats for All

by Jessica // October 16, 2014 // No Comments

Halloween is only a few weeks away, it’s time for parties and gatherings with friends and family. This season the options are endless for goolish, tasty treats that the kiddos are sure to enjoy, and a few for mom, too! Here are a few of my favorites picks, sure to be tasty and not too difficult to prepare. The pictures have clickable links to the source for recipes and step-by-step instructions.

via www.southernliving.com Try using pumpkins to add interesting height to your buffet this Halloween.

via www.dixiecrystals.com This yummy treat has only six ingredients, Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles.

via www.erinsfoodfiles.com Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles, another pumpkin truffle option, they look delish!

via www.marthastewart.com Marshmallow skulls top madeleines shrouded in bittersweet chocolate.

via www.notquitenigella.com How about brains, grotesque with a blood clot hidden inside the cupcake?

via www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com Love this simple vampire bite cupcake, it is vanilla cake with bloody jam centre and bloodied fang marks.

via www.karaspartyideas.com This is a cute idea for a fall party, using mini Oreos and Reese’s pieces.

via www.tasteofhome.com Adorable ghosts, a simple way to decorate your juicy strawberries.

via www.annies-eats.com If you need a chocolate fix, this colorful Halloween bark is a good balance of sweet and salty.

via www.katherinemariephotography.com This is an easy idea for the kids to help prepare.

via www.craftberrybush.com This is definitely the cutest idea for older kids and adults, how can you resist a candy apple bar? Bite size is perfect and you can try them all. Check out Lucy’s blog for recipes and more cute ideas.

via www.pinterest.com/pin/68724549731 Beautiful presentation of a candied apple bar.

via www.mylitter.com Here is another great option for candied apples, great for little hands. Be sure to read the helpful tips, under the recipe on www.mylitter.com.

via www.life-in-the-lofthouse.com If you are not into candied apples, how about a little caramel apple dip? This recipe also looks delicious.

via www.shewearsmanyhats.com Here’s a simple recipe for your pumpkin seeds after carving your jack-o-lantern , this one has only five ingredients.

via www.dearcrissy.com This is another simple recipe, only six ingredients, most are already in your pantry. This with your morning coffee, yes, please!

via www.marthastewart.com I had to add this jack-o-lattern pick, made me smile.

Hope you enjoyed this post and are hungry now! Dont’t forget to subscribe and share with your friends. Have wonderful day!

Jessica

Halloween and Fall Decor

by Jessica // October 2, 2014 // No Comments

Happy Fall Y’all! Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the cooler weather. This week the hubs is headed home, so it will be especially sweet at the Johnson household.

Last week we were outdoors, so this week we are moving inside and checking out a few great ideas for decorating your home for the fall season. The pictures below have clickable links that will take you to the source.
via www.bhg.com Make ordinary objects a little creepier with a coat of black paint. Find a tree branch (the more twisted and gnarled, the better) and spray-paint it black. Once dry, insert the branch in an urn or pot. Finish by placing a few black ravens on the branch.

via www.babble.com This is another cute idea to hang in you entryway, above your table or island.

via www.marthastewart.com How about this for your coffee table? If you have boys, this would definitely get two thumbs up. Made of tea-dyed eggs and fishing lures, it’s sure to make guests scream.

via www.marthastewart.com Another cute idea that the boys are sure to love, a nice dining room table centerpiece.

via www.marthastewart.com This is an option for those who have little ones that are scared of jack-o-lanterns. These are made of daikon radishes and turnips, and an easy project to make with the kiddos.

via www.countryliving.com This a great option if you’re not into the traditional Halloween colors, keeping it simple with neutral decor.

via www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com/aunt-ruthies-autumn-home-tour, for more pics. I like the look of the lit branches on your mantel or at an entry. I’ve seen the pre-lit branches at Kirkland’s and Target for around $10-12 dollars.

via www.hgtv.com Using leaves the kiddos have collected is another creative way to decorate your dining room, mantel, or over your kitchen sink.

via www.MarthaStewart.com To make this you need: miniature gourds, a drill with a fine bit, and twine. Drill a hole through the center of each gourd. Thread twine through an embroidery needle; run it through the holes, knotting it at both sides of each gourd to secure in place. Click on the picture complete step-by-step instructions. This garland is great for indoors or out.

via www.countryliving.com Dried gourds and squash on this mantle remind me of my grandmother. Additional ‘Tiny Bottle’ gourds hang from a garland of chestnuts.

via www.marthastewart.com This is a great option if you are going for a more formal look, great for Halloween or Thanksgiving. All you need to accomplish this look is a can of silver spray paint and pumpkins in various sizes.

via www.countryliving.com Love the colors in the wreath and rug.

via www.southernliving.com How about this festive retreat to enjoy your morning cup of coffee. These lovely mantle arrangements are a combination of autumn leaves, hydrangea, berries, oak and magnolia leaves.

via www.southernliving.com An arrangement like this is alway sitting on my dining room table as soon as the leaves start to turn, the bigger the better. Branches of leaves cut from the yard, can’t get any more affordable or beautiful.

via www.marthastewart.com How about this half bat, half pumpkin pace setting?

via www.craftychickscuppacoffee.blogspot.com

via www.diana212m.blogspot.com How about this perfect fall potpourri to make your house smell like autumn? Click the picture to take you to the recipe on Diana’s blog.

Hope you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to subscribe and share with your friends. Have a great weekend!

Jessica

This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (NLT) ( Joshua 1:9 )

Give Your Porch Spook-Tastic Flair for Halloween

by Jessica // September 24, 2014 // No Comments

It’s finally fall, my favorite time of the year. I love that the weather is cooling off, the Halloween carnivals and festivals, football games, pumpkin patches, and last but not least decorating my home for the fall season. The decorative options for a pumpkin or two are endless, I’ve found a few of my favorites and I hope they inspire you to start decorating too. The pictures below have clickable links to the source for more information.

via www.bhg.com Love the look of this look, it’s simple, affordable and will look great through the Thanksgiving holiday.

via www.bhg.com With this arrangement stabilize the bottom pumpkin with rocks or sand; stack the pumpkins from largest to smallest, leaving lids with stems off on all but the top pumpkin.

via www.bhg.com If you’re into carving your pumpkins, this is a cute idea with sunflower seeds.

via www.southernliving.com To create this topiary, sandwich bay wreaths between pumpkins stacked in concrete urns, and top with a small pumpkin.

via www.pinterest.com This raven wreath is so simple, I would have never thought of something like this! The ravens you can find at just about any store that sells Halloween decor. The foam wreath is just painted or wrapped in a black ribbon.

via www.thegatheringplacedesign.blogspot.com This wreath is a great fall decor option to get you through the Thanksgiving holiday season and simple to make.

via www.susieharrisblog.com Check out Susie’s blog for step-by-step instructions on how to make these lovely fall wreaths.

www.bhg.com Love the color combination of this one.

via www.marthastewart.com This is a great alternative for the front door if you are going to be away with your own trick-or-treaters. I have actually done this the past few years, very easy and looks great.

via www.thistlewoodfarms.com

via www.marthastewart.com

via www.countryliving.com Another creative idea for your fall decor, a little metallic spray paint to add a nontraditional twist to your pumpkins.

via www.goodhousekeeping.com Carrying on with the raven theme, this makes a dramatic statement, sure to spook your little trick-or-treaters.

via www.marthastewart.com This one is a little more simple, but still very cute.

www.southernliving.com

via www.bhg.com The door decorations made from painted gourds are sure to catch the eye and chill the heart in the dark.

via www.potterybarn.com

via www.marthastewart.com This one is simply a large shredded garbage bag(the thin cheaper bags work best), I have also done this the past two years and looks great. It does tend to get very tangled, if you live in a windy area you may want to wait until a day or two before the trick-or-treaters arrive.

via www.bhg.com Easy to pose and secure with nearly invisible fishing line, the plastic skeletons can withstand the weather and hang out the entire season.

via www.bhg.com These spooky silhouettes are simply traced onto black paper or poster with a light placed behind. This is a project the kiddos can definitely help with.

Hope you have enjoyed this post and it has inspired you to get decorating for Halloween.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and please share with your friends. If you have recently subscribed and haven’t received email notifications please subscribe again, I’m still trying to iron out a few glitches. Have a great day!

Jessica

Happy Tailgating

by Jessica // September 19, 2014 // No Comments

Now that football season is well on its way, I’m always looking for a new recipe to take to fall/tailgate parties. Convenience is priority, if you can prepare the dish ahead of time it’s a definite winner. The recipes I chose are many of the standard tailgate dishes but with a twist to spice things up. The ingredients are listed, just click the pictures for the recipe instructions. I have also found a few fun gift ideas for your favorite fan, the shopping season is almost upon us, yikes!

via www.southernliving.com

Grilled Salsa

2 ears fresh corn, husks removed
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded (optional)
1 small sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6 medium tomatoes, halved (about 2 lb.)
Vegetable cooking spray
1 small garlic clove, quartered
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Fried pork rinds

via www.myrecipes.com

Smoky Blue Deviled Eggs

12 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup freshly grated smoked or sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped jarred roasted red bell pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of ground red pepper

via www.bhg.com

Smoky Pineapple Guacamole

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled
2 slices fresh or canned pineapple
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
Tortilla chips or assorted vegetable dippers

www.myrecipes.com

Hot Spiced Boiled Peanuts

2 pounds raw peanuts in the shell
1/3 cup salt
3/4 cup hot sauce
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 bay leaves

via www.chef-in-training.com

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

1 package Hawaiian rolls
10 slices Gouda cheese
Filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup Franks Buffalo sauce
1½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Blue Cheese Spread
½ cup mayo
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup sour cream
Topping
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup blue cheese crumbled
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

www.ohbiteit.com

Sweet Heat Molasses Meatballs

1 cup Molasses
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Chile Powder
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 pinch of Cayenne..to taste
1/2 cup water

via www.lillybee.com

At Lilly Bee you can customize your ballet flats with your monogram, sorority, or team initials. They also have rains boots available in your school colors, check them out.

www.thomasdeanco.com

These crisp, tailored dress shirts come with logos in your team colors and are a perfect tailgate outfit for both genders.

www.cabelas.com

This is a must for your favorite tailgater, it’s available in all your favorite college or alma mater colors. Found at Cabela for $379.99.

via Etsy @ RedBarnProducts

A great game for all ages, whether in the back yard, tailgating, or at the beach with friends. This company I found on Etsy and they have all your college teams.

via www.theoldtry.com

I couldn’t help but add this print, a perfect little gift for your favorite Alabama fan. Check out this site for other affordable prints that represent your favorite state or team.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and happy tailgating. Thank-you again for following my blog, your support means so much! Also, if you have subscribed to my blog and are not receiving email notification, please subscribed again, I’m still trying to iron out the glitches.

Jessica

Fall Flowers

by Jessica // September 9, 2014 // No Comments

Now that the weather is about to start cooling off and football season is well on its way, its time to start thinking about planting our favorite fall flowers. Your choice of fall flowers will be with throughout the holiday season. What better way to greet your guests than with two beautiful planters flanking your front door or fall flowers lining your sidewalk. There are so many beautiful colors and combinations to choose from. Below are a few of my favorites and a some simple steps to hopefully keep your flowers looking lovely throughout the season.

via www.homestoriesatoz.com via www.southernliving.com This lovely trio is orange pansies, violas, and orange panels, also paired with wheat grass and ivy.

How to care for your pansies. Pansies are not difficult to grow. Good soil, steady moisture, and at least partial sun will provide the results you’re looking for. What they don’t tolerate is heat and humidity, which is why they thrive in spring and fall. Plant pansies 6 to 8 inches apart. Pansies respond well to regular deadheading. As often as possible, every couple of days if you can, pinch off faded blooms and any fruit (small green seed capsules) that may be forming. This will spur plants to continue blooming. Be sure they’re growing in a well-drained location, pansies are susceptible to saturated soil.

via www.southernliving.com This arrangement of pink blooms of ‘Strawberry Sundae’ twin spurs (Diascia hybrid) is paired with a beautiful pale purple pansy.

via www.southernliving.com Pair colorful pansies with an evergreen for an established planting that can still change from season to season.

via www.southernliving.com Place two of these cheerful pots flanking your front door to welcome your guests.

via www.southernliving.com

With mums, what you see is what you get, so buy the bigger plant. When night temps drop (mid-September), buy plants as they start to break bud. You’ll maximize bloom time. Once buds start to open, you’re pretty much guaranteed flowers―no matter where you display them, they are happiest in sun. Another tip via Southern Living to keep flowers coming is by watering and pinching. Soil should be moist, but never wet. Check daily while weather is warm, every other day when it’s cooler. Fertilizing is not necessary. Remove faded blooms to encourage even more buds to open and you’ll have color through October. If plants dry out, submerge in a bucket of water, or jab a sharp pencil into the soil several times and then water.

via www.katesgarden.ca This site has beautiful spring and fall arrangement ideas.

Kale and Ornamental cabbage plants prefer cool weather. The best time to plant them is in the early fall. Planting kale in August or early September will allow the plant to become established. Ornamental Cabbage and kale should be planted in a sunny location in a moderately moist, rich soil. Water ornamental kale if the soil dries out about 1 inch deep. Water with 1 inch of water so the water seeps deep into the soil. If your fall and winters are normally wet, you might not need to water them at all.

This gorgeous arrangement was found on www.serendipityrefined.com, absolutely beautiful.

via www.reposhture.blogspot.com Ornamental cabbage, mixed with an established evergreen and ivy. This arrangement has a few Christmas tree branches, pine cones, and decorative branches to transition from the fall to Christmas holidays.