Halloween Stem-ware

It's just not fair.

The big, beautiful orange gourd of the pumpkin gets all the glory.

It is what you notice first, what gets carved and decorated.

But what about the stem?  It is the pumpkin's life line, does all the work helping it grow,

and gets NO respect...

until now!

Introducing Halloween a few taSTEMakers that will stand out at the pumpkin patch...

Give your pumpkin a greeting!

This long, lean, straight stem was begging for a flag to wave in the October air.

Make your pumpkin GOURD-ous!

This perfectly curved stem was crying out for chamomile.

I hot glued them on and she was ready for her close-up.

Happy Halloween

Succulent Turkeys - a flock of Thanksgiving Centerpieces

We all know the importance of a succulent turkey

at Thanksgiving...

I guarantee these centerpieces will deliver every time!

How surprised will everyone be to have living turkeys on the table?

They are so easy to make.

Look for succulent plants where the "leaves" look similar to turkey feathers.

(I got mine in the copper tin at Trader Joe's)

Gather up flat, wooden ice cream spoons and paint pens, 

then get the glue gun ready...

Paint on your best turkey face...

then hot glue it to the side of your pot...

Place the plants back in and you'll have a flock of turkeys for your table in no time...

Who knew turkey farming was so simple and cute?!

linkpartypalooza

Mona Lisa Smile - make your own masterpiece

Have you ever wanted to pretend you are 

Leonardo da Vinci, Johannes Vermeer or Claude Monet?

Smile,

 I have the most amazing book to help your creative, artistic dreams come true!

Paint by Sticker is a compelling new activity 

for crafters, doodlers and coloring book enthusiasts of all ages.  

It is a simple, fun mixture of stickers and paint by numbers.

It's relaxingly therapeutic and you'll be so proud of your creation.

So move over, Renoir -

put down that brush, give your painters' pallet a new job as a snack tray 

and make a masterpiece...

Select your work of art and the coordinating sticker sheet...

peel off a sticker...

find its place on your art page and put it on.

That's it.

Just keep some tweezers on hand for tiny stickers or tricky areas...

You don't have to be too precise though, it will look like irregular stones on a mosaic -

beautiful, classic, timeless.

You'll be amazed how a blank page suddenly comes to life...

With 12 iconic works of art, 

you will have a gallery of your own in no time.

Mona Lisa may not have much of a smile, but you will.

Do you want a chance to win a copy of Paint by Stickers Masterpieces 

and a frame for one of your creations?

Let me know on Instagram here what makes you smile

by this Friday, September 23, 2016.

A winner will be selected at random.

Thank you to Workman Publishing for sponsoring this post.  All content is my own.

Star Spangled Sugar Scrub

We always spend the 4th of July with dear friends in the Napa Valley.

Five fun and festive families.

But the tide is starting to change for our annual reunion.

The oldest child, is about to head off to college 

and this may be the last summer we are all together. 

I wanted to do a simple, spirited treat for all the moms...

Exfoliating sugar scrubs are so easy to make 

and great to slough off all of that dry summer skin. 

To add some red and blue pizazz to my regular white scrub,

 I used rose and agapanthus petals.

I rolled and ...

snipped...

then stirred in oil...

and Star Spangled Scrub is ready for the fireworks!

Wishing you a sweet and smooth 4th of July.

Star Spangled Sugar Scrub

to fill one 8oz mason jar

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup light (in color) olive oil

10 to 12 rose petals (or any red flower) rolled and cut into ribbons

10 to 12  cut agapanthus blooms (or any blue flower) 

stir all ingredients until well combined and fill your jar

Happy Camper Airstream Wine Glasses

Honestly, I am not much of a camper.  

I love the idea of being in nature, with the crisp clean air, 

setting up camp under a grove of trees 

and getting cozy by a roaring campfire, but I also like the comforts of home.  

That being said, pour me a glass of creamy Chardonnay or classic Cabernet 

in an Airstream wine glass and I'm a happy camper!

Then serve cute camp themed cupcakes, 

and I may never come home...

There is not a better wine to serve while "glamping" than Sequoia Grove.

Not only does it's label look the part, 

but their Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are amazing. 

Sequoia Grove, founded in 1979, is a family-owned winery located in the heart of Napa Valley’s Rutherford, renowned for producing some of the finest wines in the world. Their tasting room is nestled in one of the last remaining groves of the majestic Sequoia sempervirens. Their consistent philosophy of making wines with varietal character that are reflective of the land helped establish Sequoia Grove as one of the premier Cabernet Sauvignon producers in Napa Valley. 

The Cab has notes of blackberry and mocha with hints of plum, sage and black cherry.

Their Chardonnay is citrusy and creamy, with touches of toasted almonds and fresh bread.

(and it looks adorable in an Airstream!).

The Airstream Glasses couldn't be easier to make.

Simply draw on stemless glasses with paint pens.

(Great tutorial for drawing a camper here)

If you make an error in your "art", a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover will help you erase.

Once you have your masterpiece finished, let the paint dry at least an hour.

Place on a baking sheet in a cold oven, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

After baking turn oven off and allow to cool at least an hour before removing.

Hand wash and gently dry after use.

This post was sponsored on behalf of Sequoia Grove via One2One Network. All opinions stated are my own. Always drink responsibly!

4th of July Tie Dye

One of our favorite 4th of July traditions is tie dying.

We do it every year and I have to admit,

 we have perfected 

The Swirl!

It is a lot easier than you might think.

You will need:

pre-washed cotton t-shirts

permanent dye

rubber bands 

clothes pin or your fingers

Spread out your shirt,

and with the clothes pin or your fingers,

pinch where you would like the swirl to start...

then gently turn in a circular motion until the entire shirt is twisted around it...

take a rubber band

(or a piece of string if you have a large shirt)

and place around the circumference to keep intact… 

then place a few rubber bands across the diameter...

prepare your red and blue die baths

 according to package instructions...

and dip in one side

(be careful, if your shirt is dry, the die will seep up, 

so just watch to make sure it doesn't go too high, 

you want there to be a strip of white around where the rubber bands are,

wet shirts will not bleed as much)

keep in dye until desired color is achieved

(the longer the better)

and gently squeeze out any access and let dry a few minutes before dipping in other side

I like to let the shirts sit for a few hours to really set in 

before rinsing under cold water until water runs clear

(do one side at a time so the colors don't mix)

Then the real fun begins!

The big reveal is so exciting,

at first it doesn't look like much but as you unwrap...

it comes to life...

and ta da...

Machine wash shirts separately in cold water.

Happy Summer.