Halloween Tablescape

Halloween is a time when monsters come out from under the bed and all our fears come true. But what happens when these ghouls and other ghastly creatures want to sit down for a midnight snack? This Halloween tablescape is a perfect centerpiece for a haunted house; here, in a place long forgotten by the living, the dead come back for a frightful feast.

The creatures of the night gather for the feast.

Creepy crawlies are attracted to the rotting delicacies.

Ravens join the fray. The table turns purple to reflect that night is upon us.

  

For the undead, only a taste of the living will satisfy them. The birds gnaw at the fleshy remains. An eye for an eye makes for a satisfying drink.

The birds and rats want a taste too. The goblet has only the finest blood, aged to perfection.

 

This hand once belonged to an ancient king. Now he’s nothing but bones.

As Halloween ends, the terrors scatter until next year.

 

Divine Macaroon Cookies

When I travel to small towns, I love trying out local bakeries.  I find the most interesting taste combinations and flavors that I like to try out when I get home.  These Divine Macaroons are a variation of macaroons that we discovered at a small town bakery in Fort Bragg, CA. 

Divine Macaroons

Ingredients:

1 package 16 oz. Angel Food Cake Mix by Betty Crocker

1/2 cup cold water
1 tsp.  almond extract
1/4  to 1/3 cup  condensed milk
1 package (14 oz) sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

Directions:

•  Preheat over 325 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
•  Beat cake mix, water and almond extract at medium speed until blended.   
• Add condensed milk, coconut, and almonds nuts. Beat until well blended.
• Drop dough in balls or tablespoonful about 2 inches apart. 
• Bake 20 -23 minutes (Note:  this will slightly flatten). 
•  Let cool for at least 3-5 minutes then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

Enjoy!

Floral Arrangement - Sunflowers and Other Yellow Flowers

There's something about Sunflowers that evoke brightness and cheerfulness.   Maybe because of their vibrant yellow color  giving off  energy like the sun.  Their color is bold  and yet has that comfortable feeling, maybe coming from the earthy brown color of their florets, which is the middle part.  In any case, sunflowers, to me, are the kind of flowers that make me smile.   

Below are samples of Sunflower arrangements and other Yellow flowers:

This was specially created for a sunflower-loving  niece's wedding.  I've added some crystals in the middle to make it a little fancier. 

For this floral centerpiece, I've combined two kinds of sunflowers and added some naked sunflowers (where the yellow petals are peeled off) to balance the middle part.

Some residual Sunflowers from the wedding

Silk flowers are so beautifully convenient in any season and so versatile.  Here are two samples  of how a simple change to the silk flower makes the floral arrangement:

Silk Gerbera flower

silk yellow Lotus flower

See also:

Floral Arrangement - Match Your Flower's Personality

Floral Arrangement - Orange Flowers

White Roses and Wild Blooms

How to Accentuate Store Bought Flower

Floral Arrangement - Purple Wildflowers

Cheerios Peanut Butter Morsels

When you have hungry boys in the house, having goodies around for snacks is almost mandatory!  I was looking for something easy that could be done in a jiffy.  I checked my pantry and found  a few simple ingredients that let me create these Cheerios Peanut Butter Morsels. 

 

Cheerios has been a favorite of the family since the boys were little.  It is not only economical but also nutritious.  Years ago when we attended morning services, Cheerios was a lifesaver - snacking on them kept my 3 year old quiet!  Ever since, Cheerios has been a staple in our house. 

 

Cheerios Peanut Butter Morsels

 

1- 11 oz. Butterscotch morsels

1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy)

3 cups Cheerio's cereal

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup Reese's peanut butter chips

• Melt butterscotch and peanut butter in top of double boiler or non stick pan over low heat.  Once mixed and melted, remove from heat.
• Mix in cereal, raisins, then sprinkle in Reese's peanut butter chips last. 
• Cover cookie sheet with wax paper
• Drop by  ice cream or cookie scooper onto cookie sheet and refrigerate.
• Ready in 15 - 20  minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Customized Party Themed Banners and Accessories

I love creating customized banners that proclaim the event - they make  a statement!  Banners are one of first things that draw your attention when you're at an event.  Customized banners are normally very expensive and most of the time they don't fulfill my requirements.  When I'm doing a party I scout the walls (a great canvas to work with!) and try to find ways to enhance them given the theme and the budget.

Party 1:   Baby Boy Shower

Party 2:   Baby Girl Shower - Garden Theme

Early Retirement Luncheon- Indoor Garden Tea Party

A very good friend asked me to help plan her early work retirement party in a garden tea setting in September.  Early Work Retirement - ahhh sounds like heaven!  There were several challenges that needed to be tackled first.

Challenge 1:  the weather is so unpredictable where she lives.  Doing the party outside while raining and/or foggy could dampen the celebration. 

Solution 1: We decided to do an indoor party and have the appetizer and initial socializing outside on the patio. So, even if it rains, we won't have to move things around in a frenzy.

Challenge 2:  Create a garden setting inside the house when the color scheme is very masculine and has a fish theme  (her husband collects anything with fish).

Solution 2: Create several fresh Floral Arrangements (flowers of her choosing) that fit the table's character; accenting it in the sweet hues of  blue and pink. 

Challenge 3:  Fit 40 people for a sit down luncheon in the main living room and still make it look cohesive.

Solution 3: Use round and rectangular tables to maximize the living space, make each table special by alternating the colors of blue and pink per table and accessorize with those colors.  

 As people are entering, there's a table by the entrance door that I filled with nic nacs with gardening books and tea sets to create the welcoming feel of an outdoor garden while they look over a compiled album of  co-workers and departments she's worked in.  Also, each guest receives an entrance ticket for door prizes.

For the entrance hall, I could not fit these long stemmed flowers on any of the round tables, so I decided to use her long narrow vase to highlight the height of these flowers.

The Social Order of the Day:

Appetizers, drinks and dancing in the patio while still waiting for the rest of the guests

 Luncheon: Tea sandwiches, smoked salmon, salads, fruits, desserts

Game 1:  Guess what's in her purse/shopping bag

 Game 2:   How well do you know the person?

Blue Table  1:

  Master Table - where the guest of honor is seated,  I accessorized it  mainly in blue  and created a floral arrangement combining all the flowers she bought.

Floral arrangement on the master table

 I made a card that had a poem about retirement (the card was later used for a game - we love to recycle!)   

The following Floral Arrangements are a little bit different since I only have a limited  flower selection that I could work with to create a custom design per table.

I created the flower arrangements based on the size of the tables so it wasn't  too overwhelming.

 Pink Table 1:  Rectangular Table

For this rectangular table, everything is pink  - even the flower arrangements.

a second flower arrangement almost mirroring the other on the same table

 Pink Table 2 - Round Table

Pink Table 3:  Transitional Table

 Where colors are starting to get mixed - there are a very slight blue highlights mixed in  (blue candlesticks, blue cards).

Blue and Pink Tables

These tables showcase the alternating colors of blue and pink.  The mixed floral arrangements dramatically highlight the combination of colors.

I clustered all the greenery in this room to make the room more like a greenhouse

These floral arrangements were later given as prizes. 

Luncheon Meals

Assorted tea sandwiches

Assorted fresh fruits (not pictured)

Smoked salmon

Shrimp

Quiche

Broccoli and fruit salad

Honeyed Ham

Assorted bread and cheese (not pictured)

Assorted drinks (not pictured)

Assorted Teas (not pictured)

Dessert Table

Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Cake

Carrot Cake

Assorted Tea Cookies

Rum Cake

Strawberry filled with cream cheese filling

To make this  wall (which is normally  decorated with a huge historical map) conform to the scheme color of the party, I covered it with a garden quilt that my husband's grandmother made.  Majority of the desserts were homemade.

I created a 3D effect of a ceramic watering can next to a quilted pot of flowers.  I also created the 3- tiered cake to symbolize a sprinkling of wishes to her old life  (chocolate cake) and more wishes to her new beginnings (white cake).

 Overall, given the floral arrangements and accessories ( highlighting the blues and pinks) had given my friend's house a magical transformation that she and her coworkers enjoyed!

Floral Arrangement - Silk Flowers

Over the years I've created a number of silk flower arrangements that befit the occasion or the season.  I love to be surrounded by colors anytime of the year, especially during the cold, dreary winter months.  What better way to do that than flowers.  I depend on silk flowers because they provide me better selection and do not confine  me to only seasonal flowers.  I love to mix and play with the different textures of silk flowers, all of which makes for a better display.

 Below are a few samples of floral arrangements I've created using silk flowers:

I designed this floral arrangement for a baby shower on a hot summer day, given theme colors of pink, yellow and green.

I made this silk floral arrangement as a memento of a successful  non profit event I co chaired, and gave it to the founding president.  This silk arrangement has samplings of the silk flowers that were used to design the event's tables given the theme colors of pink, purple and green.

I love the elegant way these flowers looked -  especially in a cluster -  because they reminded me of early fall.  I wanted to preserve that autumnal feeling by adding artificial water to this  floral arrangement (I used Quick Water for Silks).

This was my very first creation that combined real flowers with silk flowers.  One fall day,  I ended up with extra carnations from a floral arrangement I made for a friend and I decided to experiment mixing it with silk.  I was trying to tie the colors in one of the mirror in the room with blue, red, white and pink colors, thus, the result.

 One of my first creations on a cold and dreary January day.