Pumpkin Sign

I found this box by a trashcan a few years ago that was weathered and worn, and it's original use was at question.  I took it home thinking it would make the perfect craft.  I promptly left it outside and forgot it and two (or three?) years later, the box had fallen apart, but there was a neat 'end' piece I used to paint a vintage-ish looking sign on.  I just free handed the letters while looking at inspiration via pinterest.  Now.....I just need a few pumpkins for my farm and I'm ready to Halloween.  

Paper Pumpkins

I've really been embracing the orange, pink, and black I'm seeing around the web for Halloween.  I have lots of vintage decorations at home, but for work I made a few things to take and decorate my classroom.

I painted paper mache pumpkins from Michael's with some paints and added ribbons, and a banner I made on my embroidery machine.  More to follow soon!

Pumpkin Brownies

 I was just going through pictures on my phone and I found these brownies I made for a few of the mentees at work.  I wanted to try these out, mainly b/c I wanted to use the little paper envelopes I found at Joann this past fall and needed something that would fit inside the cuteness.  It turns out, the recipe was good too.  Before I let go over November and truly embrace December, how about one more 'fall' recipe b/c I think pumpkin shouldn't be limited by seasons.  The original recipe is a simple one from Betty Crocker.

 PUMPKIN BROWNIES

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INGREDIENTS

FILLING:  3 oz cream cheese (softened), 1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix), 1 egg, 3 T sugar, 1 t cinnamon, 1/4 t. ground nutmeg

BROWNIES:  I used the fudgy brownie mix, but the original recipe calls for the supreme mix.  Water, Veg. Oil, and eggs the boxed mix calls for.  

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Heat oven to 350.  Spray 9x9 inch pan with cooking spray.  

2.  Beat together the filling ingredients.  Set aside.  

3.  Make browning batter according to box directions.  

4.  Spread 2 14 c. brownie batter in pan.  Spoon filling by T evenly over batter.  Spoon remaining browning batter over filling.  Use a knife to swirl together the two with a few swirls to create a marble design.  

5.  Bake for 38-42 minutes (or until toothpick inserted 2 inches in the middle comes out clean).  Cool 30 minutes.  Place in fridge for 2 hours to cool completely.  Cut into squares.  Store in fridge.  

Mail a Pumpkin

I'm always trying to find fun ways to send things through the mail. This Halloween I'm sending some treats in these little pumpkin cans.  

 I used a pull tab can of soup that I opened with one of the openers that removes the lid without leaving a sharp edge.  I then sprayed the can orange.

I filled the can with little treats I found at the dollar spot and Party City favor bins.

I added some confetti from Hobby Lobby to fill the extra space.

 I took a glue gun to reattached the lid so it can be 'popped open.'  Since this is going through the mail I'm also taping it.
I colored on a face with a black paint pen and added labels and mailing labels to the can and then sent it on it's way.

 You'd be surprised by what you can ship through the mail-no brown envelope required.

Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake

Last year some of the gals at work decided to do a friendsgiving after a long day of working our school's version of the Turkey Trot.  We usually don't get to eat until almost 2 pm, so we've got the appetite for a potluck!  I decided to try out Paula Dean's version of the gooey pumpkin cake.  Trying her chocolate chip gooey butter cake at her restaurant in Savannah it still one of my favorite culinary adventures.  This dessert did NOT disappoint.  I love the yellow cake crust...and pumpkin is always a good idea!  

Gooey Butter Pumpkin Cake

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Ingredients for Crust:  1 pkg (18 1/4 oz) yellow cake mix, 1 egg, 8 T of butter (melted)

Ingredients for Filling:  8 oz pkg cream cheese softened, 15 oz can of pumpkin, 3 eggs, 1 t. vanilla, 8 T of butter (melted), 16 oz powdered sugar.  

Whipped Cream

Instructions:  

1.  Heat the oven to 350.

2.  Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter.  Mix well with an electric mixer.  Press into the bottom of a greased 13x9 inch pan.  

3.  In a separate bowl.  Beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together.  Last add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Mix well.  

4.  Spread pumpkin filling over the cake mix.  Bake for 40-50 minutes.  The center should be a little gooey when you pull it out of the oven.  

5.  Serve with whipped cream.

Crocheted Pumpkin Banner

 Last year I began the journey of crocheting.  My second project was these pumpkins.  The tutorial was originally for small coasters, but I strung mine together to make a bunting....because....I love buntings.

Here is the adorable tutorial for anyone out there that crochets.....or wants to learn-this one was pretty easy for a beginner and because nobody is wearing it, it's OK if it's not perfect...which is pretty much how I pick all of my projects-forgiving in imperfections!  I excel at forgiving crafts.

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

My grandmother's recipe is the best pumpkin bread.  The end.  You can get the original recipe here.

Last year I found myself with an extra can of pumpkin, and a brother coming to Christmas dinner that is vegan.  Once upon a time he loved this recipe too, so I decided to look up some substitutions.  Everything, BUT the eggs are vegan friendly.  I did some research on taste/rise etc and found a great substitute for this particular bread.  It calls for 4 eggs, which is a lot to substitute without altering the taste too much.

I did a half and half of banana and flax seed so it didn't taste too much like banana bread, but it also didn't have too many seeds/nutty flavor.

I soaked 2 T of ground flax seed in 6 T of water for 30 minutes.  I added two pinches of baking powder to that, and pour this and 1 large smashed banana into the mix when it called for eggs.
Honestly, I think it was even better than the original recipe!  It's very rare that I've found the substitutes don't impact the taste in vegan food.  I realize that isn't so significant for vegans, BUT....this recipe makes us all happy!  Vegans for the win on the new version of this one!

Glam Pumpkin

I pretaped a segment that should air today on Good Morning, Texas.  I'll post the video later on facebook.  Basically, there will be a lot of glitter and jewels, case in point, this funkin the executive producer asked me to bedazzle.

It just so happens....I know about bedazzling.  I stocked up when they were half off at Hobby Lobby and then just used the adhesive on the back to stick them to the funkin.  If you want to keep it year to year, I'd suggest some supper glue, but for a one year display, the adhesive is pretty sticky for display purposes.  I also got some glitter letters to stick to the pumpkin as well.  I've been really into golds and whites lately....even in my fall decor.  Depending on our rain consumption and weather turns, browns are sometimes they only pieces of fall we get here in Dallas, but....here's hoping for some great colors as those leaves start to fall this year.

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

 I made these pumpkin pie cookies last year.  I gave them out for Thanksgiving treats.  If you aren't a piping master, this is your cookie.

 I used this sugar cookie recipe and added karo syrup so the icing would harden.  It's so much tastier than royal icing.  I used the lid of one of my kitchen jars to press out the circles (I just held it up to the box to maximize my cookie size, but ensure it would fit).    I just squiggled on the 'crust' by cutting the tip off a ziplock.  I took a spoon and 'plopped' it on top of the cookie.

I found these little Wilton boxes that look like a pie container to put them inside (at Michael's).  I added a tag and ribbon.  So simple.

Faux Copper Pumpkins

 I few years ago I bought some copper pumpkin lanterns that I fill with mums and candles.  This year I took a page out of the world of dollar crafts and I made my own with plastic pumpkins.

I just grabbed some spray paint and different sized plastic pumpkins (I love this current toddler size from Walmart that was about 80 cents.  It took one coat and now it's ready for a little potted plant/gift.  I'll be back with those results.

Pumpkin Painting-Gone Pickin'

I picked a picker last year.  He had all this random junk treasures...including this rusty old broiler lid.  He was at a parking lot sale.  He had junk, beautiful, beautiful junk.  This little lid got a makeover.  I love the rust and figured it'd needed pumpkins and a message.  I'm skipping the wreath this fall and adding a large broiler lid to my door instead.  Somebody has to keep the neighbors entertained.

Beer Bread Gifts

 Last Halloween I put some of these together for my friends.  I saw the idea at homewithmandy and knew it was the perfect gift.  What a great hostess gift if you are headed to parties, or....just want to make someone's day.
You can buy the disposable pans, or....I found thee at the dollar tree, which seemed like a good price to me.  I grabbed some pumpkin beer and then mixed together:

Ingredients:  3 c. wheat flour, 1 T. sugar, 1 T. baking powder, 1 t. salt in a bag.

I added a 12 oz beer and made some printable directions.

You can download them for free here.

All you have to do is mix the beer and the bag of mixings and bake it up.
I even made one for myself.  It taste great with honey....and it's oh so easy, and a fun presentation. Proof it bakes.

*One bag of wheat flour was enough for 6 loaves, though I did have to add about 1/4 c. white flour to the last loaf to have enough.  

Pumpkin Screen Painting

A little over a year ago I got new windows/screens.  I saved my old screens to craft with (plus this door below....that project is still on the shelf).

 I printed of a pumpkin picture like the one I painted last summer, but....I'm just now forcing myself to get these screens painted!  The key to painting on screens is A)  Choosing an easy design.  and B)  Paint on a trash bag or old table cloth b/c it will help the paint 'pool' and fill in some of the gaps in the screen as it dries so that the paint is a little darker.

I added a bow to the corner, but I actually just pinned it on the screen with a safety pin, this will allow the bow to be pulled of for storing it flat.  I also painted the silver a black color so it was more Halloween/Fall, and I sprayed a coat of water proofing spray to that so it wouldn't scratch off as easily.  

Pumpkin Baseballs

Awhile ago, I posted about painting some baseballs with snowmen faces.  My friend, Terry, taught me how to paint those guys up.   I recently found another bag of softballs and baseballs at the thrift store and decided to give them a fall twist.  I painted the whole ball orange, added a face and some black and white flecks.  I covered the whole thing with a layer of polyurethane so it wouldn't chip away.  I'm ready for you, fall.

Easy Halloween Card

 Anyone that has known me for longer than a day knows that I do everything I can in advance.  The last thing I want to do is to be stressed around a holiday, or....I'll start dreading holidays.  I start my Christmas list for the next year on December 26th....not even kidding.  So, needless to say, when I decided to embark on trying to make more homemade cards....I make those cards all year long.  A lot of my friends have little ones now, and I TRY to send a card for most major holidays.  I also rotate sending a little package.  I used to send packages every holiday too, but then I remember I was a teacher, and I was po' and postage ain't cheap....AND people kept having babies, so....I do what I can, and try to be random so it's a fun surprise and not just an expectation.  So Christmas and birthdays are for everyone, other holidays at random.   Fortunately, they are all still young enough that if it's their holiday for 'just' a card, they like that too.
   Anyway, I digress.  I recently found some cute little ribbons at Hobby Lobby and these fun little tags for 50 percent off.  I also found the (above) pumpkin bling and used some scraps and blank cards (also from Hobby Lobby) to put together this card.  Easy, and one thing off my to do list.

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake

Easter and pumpkin desserts isn't something we mix very often in my family, but....this year I did.  I had bought the stuff to make this recipe last fall, but...life happened, and I don't know why I didn't make it.  When I was pulling out the ingredients for other dishes for Easter, I decided to give this one a go.  It was really delicious, and it's great at room temperature the next day (which is good news for a house with a full oven.  So, file this away, or...hey, bust out the pumpkin this spring...I'm not judging.  I found the original recipe here.  

Pumpkin Dump Cake

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Ingredients: 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix), 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk, 3 eggs, 1 c. sugar, 1 t. cinnamon, 1 box Spice Cake Mix, 1 c. butter (melted)

Instructions:  

1.  Heat over to 350.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  

2.  Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon.  It will be very soupy.  

 3.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix on top.  Take the melted butter and drizzle over the top.

 4.  Bake for 55 minutes.  It will be slightly wiggly in the middle even when it's done.  Cool at least 30 minutes.  Serve with whipped cream.
Store in the fridge when you are done.

Blessing Pumpkins

I made some lumpy pumpkins for Thanksgiving.  I (had my brother) cut them out of some wood I bought.  I used some paprika colored paint to color them orange and added some fun words and paint splattered with white paint.  I'm just not ready to say goodbye to fall, though I do love a good Christmas carol.  My friend Terry made some little pumpkins like these....I'm a little late to the game.  Next year...I'll start earlier, but in the meantime....it's time to bake!