DIY: Pumpkin Vases

When I recently posted about the DIY: Pumpkin Puree,

I told you to check back soon for another DIY post

because I felt like I was cheating reposting about the puree.

I have guilt problems, but it probably works in your favor!!!

Well folks, soon is here and I am so excited about today's post!

And while technically I have blogged about the topic in the past,

I'm revisiting it and doing it ALL over this year,

instead of cheating, again, and reposting a past post!

Enough talk outta me, let me show you how to make these beauties!

The Goods:

Fall Colored Flowers

Mini Pumpkins

Floral Foam

Scissors

Cut the top off your pumpkins and scoop out all the seeds/goop.

Wash out, dry and then fit your floral foam inside each pumpkin.

Start with one variety of flower and secure them in the floral foam.

Keep adding the different varieties of flowers until your vase is filled.

And it looks something like this!

Or maybe like this!

Play around with the different flowers 

until you get the look you're going for!

Each one will look a little different and that's totally ok!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

CONFESSION: I don't love the quality of these pictures.

They were taken quite awhile ago on an older camera, 

but I'd been saving this post until Fall because hello - pumpkin!

Even though the pictures below aren't the best,

 these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are AMAZING.

Please don't let the pictures fool you.

When looking at Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipes, 

I realized I didn't love everything about a single one,

so I combined two different ones to make something I did love.

For the cake part, I used Mix and Match Mama's recipe,

but I'm not the biggest fan of canned frosting,

so I used the cream part from Momfessional's recipe!

Let me show you how they're made.

The Goods:

Yellow Cake Mix

Vegetable Oil

Eggs

Pumpkin Puree

Cream Cheese

Butter

Vanilla

Powdered Sugar

Cinnamon

Combine cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs and pumpkin puree with mixer.

Mix until ingredients are well combined.

Transfer mixture to large zipper bag.

Cut off the tip of the zipper bag and start piping mixture.

Make small circles on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving room to expand.

Bake for about 10 minutes, then cool on pans for a few more minutes.

Remove to wire racks and finishing cooling completely.

You'll notice about half of mine turned out near perfect,

where the other half sadly just weren't as pretty.

While they're cooling, it's time to make the frosting!

Cream together the butter and cream cheese.

Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon

and mix until everything is combined. 

Grab another large zipper bag and transfer frosting to that.

Then cut off the tip and pipe onto half of the baked cakes.

Lastly, add the other side of the whoopie pie and you're ready to go.

Now dig in and enjoy these yummy pumpkin treats!!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Cakes from Mix and Match Mama

Frosting from Momfessionals 

For the Cakes:

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Eggs

1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

For the Frosting:

16 Ounces Powdered Sugar

1 Stick Unsalted Butter

1 Block Cream Cheese

Splash of Vanilla

Few Dashes Cinnamon

1. Combine cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs and pumpkin puree with mixer. Mix until ingredients are well combined.
2. Transfer mixture to large zipper bag. 
3. Cut off the tip of the zipper bag and start piping mixture. Make small circles on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving room to expand.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes, then cool on pans for a few more minutes.
5. Remove to wire racks and finishing cooling completely.
6. Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and mix until everything is combined. 
7. Transfer frosting to another large zipper bag.
8. Cut off the tip and pipe onto half of the baked cakes.
9. Lastly, add a second cake on top to finish assembling the whoopie pies.

Halloween and Fall Decor 2015

When I blogged about my DIY Bat Decorations,

I mentioned that I didn't do much Halloween decorating this year.

While my place doesn't look like it has in years past,

I still have some festiveness that I thought was worth sharing!

I pulled out all my Halloween and Fall decorations,

but only picked a select few to put out this year.

And yes, that's two giant tubs full of decorations!!!

Right when you walk in, you'll know it's almost Halloween!

Don't be scared of this GIANT spider - he's harmless!

Seeing that we don't get "real" Fall in Los Angeles,

I have to fake it with the Fall Leaves garland and mini scarecrow!

And last but not least, the DIY Bats!!!

Hope you all have something fun planned for Halloween this year!

Favorite Things About Fall

Happy Friday you guys!!!

I'm back today for another Friday Link Up!

And again, I'm linking up with THREE different groups.

Make sure to check them all out at the bottom of this post!

Last month I posted about ways to wrap up Summer.
If you missed that you can read it here.
And now that it's officially Fall, it's time to talk about my
FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT FALL!!!

I don't know about you,
but when Fall rolls around it's "holiday season" for me!

No, I'm not talking Christmas and New Years.

I'm talking about Halloween and Thanksgiving!!!

Decorating, Celebrating and all that goes with both holidays!

It's time for Pumpkin EVERYTHING!
Local stores have been stocking up on pumpkin "stuff" for weeks.

And that makes me a happy girl.

I pretty much love pumpkin in anything and everything

Pie, Ice Cream, Seeds, Puree and more!!

You can eat squash pretty much all year long,
but something about Fall just screams squash to me.

There are many different kinds and ways to prepare squash.

But three of my favorite type of Fall squash are:

Delicata, Butternut and Acorn

It's been HOT in Los Angeles and I'm ready for it to FEEL like Fall.

I'm looking forward to cooler weather and the leaves changing...

But sadly maybe not in LA just yet...
HAHAHA

And last but not least bring on the Fall clothing!!!
I've always loved Fall clothes and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Even if it's not cool enough just yet,
Bring on the Sweaters, Scarves and Boots!

Now for more Friday Link Up Fun, check out the blogs below!

Andrea and Erika's blogs from Friday Favorites.

April's blog from 5 on Friday.

Karli and Amy's blogs from oh hey friday!

That Time Christmas Took Over My Apartment

Yup! You read that right, folks.

Christmas has officially taken over my apartment!

It started the day after Thanksgiving and has continued ever since.

I'm pretty sure I'm done decorating for 2014, 

so I figured it was about time I share my Christmas decor! 

Please keep reading to see all the holiday festiveness.

Going to the local lot and getting my Christmas tree!

A girlfriend went with me to get my tree this year,

and she was SHOCKED they strapped it to my sedan!

Now that I have the tree, let's start from the front door.

Getting festive with my DIY yarn wreath that I made last year.

And the DIY copycat PEACE sign I made this year.

Detailed post on the sign coming soon, so check back!

Little Christmas knickknacks scattered around my apartment. 

Christmas kitchen fun!

My wonderful Christmas tree with and without the lights on.

My TV stand gets decorated for every holiday.

And my mantel gets decorated too!

Even my bathrooms get decorated!

Love me some festive towels.

Homemade snowflakes that have amazingly lasted a few years!

LOVE these banners, but I can't get them to stay put!

Every time I walk by the den, the darn thing is dangling.

Ahhhhhh flannel sheets! I put them on this past weekend,

and have loved climbing into my cozy bed every night since!

See? Holiday towels once again!

And last but certainly not least,

GIANT ornaments hanging outside.

Hope you enjoyed my Christmas decorations tour.

And if you'd like to see past year's decorations,
then check out 2013 and 2010! 

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

In THIS post, I told you how I made Pumpkin Puree.

And I also mentioned how easy it is to make!

So today, I'm showing you how to make your own.

It's simple, I promise!!!

The Goods:

Pumpkins - THAT'S IT!

 I used a regular one and a sugar one.

Cut your pumpkin open, remove seeds/pulp and cut into large pieces.

Roast at 325 for an hour and a half or more - until super tender.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets.

Once cool, remove skin and cut into chunks.

Add to food processor and thin with water.

Measure out and package up your puree.

You can use it right away in something yummy 

or freeze and use in the next few months!

And that folks, is it!!
Super easy like I promised.