Such Pretty Things

Pastel Pumpkins

As you probably know, I am not a traditionalist when it comes to Halloween colors.  You see, the color Orange and I are not friends. We actually have very little to do with each other. Over the years, I have vacillated back and forth from barely tolerating Orange to shunning Orange completely. Obviously, this is kind of a problem when it comes to pumpkins. I've done my best to work around it though. I've used white pumpkins and pink pumpkins in the past and they both worked out pretty well. But this year, I thought I'd totally go for it and make some pastel colored pumpkins. I bought a bunch of tiny white pumpkins and used powdered food coloring to paint them.  If you just mix up the powder with some vodka or clear extract, it makes a wonderful paint...

And I just love the finished texture - almost like a chalk paint...

...and you can mix up any colors you desire. I even used some sparkly gold for the stems!

Perfect for my "Orange-free" Halloween!

:-)

XOXO

Jessica

 

 

Pretty Resources: Tutu du Monde

Mini-mini-me and I were desperately searching for pretty ballet costumes for Halloween, when I came across some of the most beautiful tutus and dance costumes I had ever seen... 

Tutu du Monde is the brainchild of Andrea Rembeck, a designer mom who couldn't find beautifully made tutus for her young daughter. Designed in Australia and handmade in India, Tutu du Monde's tutus and costumes are any little (or big) girl's fantasy...

Imagine silks, tulle, sequins, and dusty pastels...

This is the stuff that dreams are truly made of...

Fortunately for us, they ship to the U.S.!

And, while the prices reflect the incredible craftsmanship, luxe materials, and attention to detail, these are true heirlooms that could be passed down to generation upon generation.

I just wish they made them in my size...

:-)

Jessica

* first photo by Moi, the rest from the Tutu du Monde website.

An Autumn Picnic in the Park

A few weeks ago, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful Autumn weather and hosted a little picnic in our favorite neighborhood park. I had fun putting together all the picnicy elements.  From vintage crocheted blankets to lounge upon...

...to pretty vintage trays for holding food and drinks...

I kept the menu simple. Delicious sandwiches in combinations like Brie, turkey, & apple and roast beef & swiss...

Pretzels and potato chips were the perfect picnic accompaniments and were served in fun vintage tins (washed and lined first!)...

For beverages, I served jugs of fresh apple cider.  An old Coca Cola crate corralled a selection of sodas in old-fashioned style glass bottles...

I used vintage floral sheets as tablecloths. For centerpieces, I put pretty Gerbera Daisies in blue mason jars. Colorful striped paper straws were also a must!

For dessert (sorry, I was too busy having fun to take photos!), I set out chocolate brownies, my s'mores bars, and chocolate chip cookies.  And favors were more of those chocolate-caramel apples that I showed you last week...

The park setting was a great place to host a picnic. The kids were able to run around and play...and the adults got to chat.  The food was yummy, the weather cooperated, and everyone had a wonderful time.  A perfect Autumn picnic in the park!

:-)

Jessica

 

 

 

S'mores Bars

Looking for an easy and delicious Autumn treat? Look no further - these S'mores Bars are truly incredible!

They taste just like real s'mores, but come in a neat little bar version. I adapted the recipe from Ann Thorton's Spicy Smoky S'mores Bars. Hers are wonderful, but these are a bit more traditional.  Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks salted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups milk chocolate chips
4 cups mini-marshmallows

18 plain graham crackers (about 2 packages)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving some extra overhang for lifting the bars out later. If using foil, grease well with some extra softened butter.

Place the graham crackers in a plastic bag and smack it with a rolling pin until the crumbs resemble a fine meal.  You will need about 2 cups. In a large bowl, combine your crumbs with the sugar, vanilla and melted butter. The mixture should look and feel like wet sand. Set aside a heaping 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom the foil-lined pan. Pop your crust into the oven and bake until it is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool.

Melt the milk chocolate - either in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave, watching it carefully and stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

Preheat the broiler.

Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled graham cracker crust. Spread the chocolate evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the marshmallows over the chocolate and press them lightly into the chocolate. Then, sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over and in between the marshmallows so that you cannot see the chocolate peaking through the marshmallows.

Broil the bars 6 inches from the flame until the marshmallows are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Refrigerate the bars until the chocolate is set and hard (2+ hours). Grab the ends of the foil/parchment and lift the bars out of the pan in 1 piece. Move the whole thing to a cutting board and cut it into 24 squares.

Oh, and make sure to make lots of these, as I promise you they won't last long!

:-)

Jessica

Chocolate Caramel Apples

Well, Autumn is officially here. I can see the leaves are starting to change color and apples abound at the local farmer's markets. I decided it was time to make some caramel apples...or better yet, chocolate caramel apples!

These are delicious and so fun to make with the kiddies. I could get all fancy and make my own caramel, but honestly, Kraft does a pretty darn good job.  So, grab a bag or two of caramels (the sticks are usually included), some good quality chocolate, some of your favorite apples (I like to use a nice, firm variety with a hint of tartness to offset all that sweetness), and some sprinkles.

Your apples should be at room temperature. Wash and dry your apples very well. Remove the stems and Insert the sticks firmly into the apples. Dip your apples in the caramel according to the directions of the package (the microwave makes this super easy) and set aside to dry on some parchment paper. When the caramel has set up, dip or drizzle the apples with the melted chocolate....and quickly add some sprinkles before it hardens. Allow to set up completely.

A few tips: Try to use organic apples or those from the farmer's market. The ones in the supermarket often have wax on them that will interfere with the adhesion of the caramel. Also, after dipping in the chocolate, you can put the apples in the fridge for a few minutes to help the chocolate set up quicker.

For fun, I like to put mine in cello bags and tie them with come ribbons made from vintage fabric!

Bon appetit!

:-)

Jessica