Archive for 'Pumpkins'

Cranberries and Pumpkins

cranberry, pumpkin, recipe Pumpkin season is not quite over yet – a Halloween full of ripping open thick orange pumpkin rinds and stringing out the guts contributes to a nicer version of pumpkin destruction called the oven!

This beautiful and delicious stuffed pumpkin recipe inspired me to search for the greatest cranberry and pumpkin fusions available as food for the soul and creative displays for the eye…

pumpkincranberry This hanging chandelier from Martha is one of the most elegant pumpkin and cranberry displays that I have found and would be suitable for the largest dinner event of the year.

An upside-down cranberry pumpkin cake would complete the look as the perfect finishing centerpiece and a grand finale of your Thanksgiving meal.

cranberries Glass jars never fail nor do tall pillars full of cranberries, according to BHG’s cranberry holiday displays.

Just add a few mini pumpkins in between…and a loaf of warm, freshly baked cranberry pumpkin bread set in a basket.

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Posted on 15 November '09 by WebSpinstress, under Centerpieces, Pumpkins. 1 Comment.

Gothic Masquerade Pumpkins

gothicpumpkin My masquerade pumpkin invitation cards have been popular on Zazzle for a little while, most appropriately used for Gothic weddings and Halloween parties. This year, I decided to make the real-life versions by hand-stitching them in Venetian style with elegant black cording and beautiful fabrics. I’m holding one in my avatar…after almost 15 hours of hand-stitching and yelling obscenities at these things in standard New England tradition. lol

GothicMasqueradePumpkins masqueradepumpkins2

My piratey renaissance neighbor and friend, Faustus, from FriedMush received his skull pumpkin version today…there’s 2 more available RIGHT HERE on Etsy. I decided to give Etsy a try for quick listings for my blog and we’ll see how it goes. Grab them quick if you’re interested – I only have a few days to ship them in time for Halloween. I’ll have them listed all year round though for Gothic and masquerade themed wedding decorations. These are the darkest, most elegant pumpkins available!

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Posted on 23 October '09 by WebSpinstress, under Centerpieces, Dark & Elegant, Decorations, Pumpkins. No Comments.

Spider Web Pumpkin Template

SpiderWebPumpkin With an entire weekend of mixed freezing rain and huge fluffy white snowflakes falling to the ground, and now killer ladybugs and zombie bees attacking my screens today in 60 degree weather is trying to kill my Halloween inspiration. So, I turned to visions of smiling lit Jack-O-Lanterns and ripped apart pumpkin chunks to search for the perfect carving template this year.

I didn’t end up finding the perfect spider web pumpkin template, so I created my own instead. Hopefully it will keep it’s intricate slivers intact as I attempt to carve out my new masterpiece. If you’d like to print a free pumpkin template, click HERE for the full-size image…

WebSpinstress Pumpkin

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Posted on 20 October '09 by WebSpinstress, under Dark & Elegant, Decorations, Printables, Pumpkins. No Comments.

Pumpkin Topiary Displays

whitepumpkintopiary If you’re looking to add some extra height to your Fall and Halloween arrangements, a pumpkin topiary is fun to create and makes a memorable display for your guests.

Simply drill and shove a dowel through the middle of their innards and then embellish your stacked pumpkin collection.

pumpkintopiary3 BHG has a unique Halloween display of pumpkin topiaries using orange pumpkins, large spiders with painted diamonds and stripes. I love how a portion of the dowels are exposed and painted to continue along with the topiary design. It radiates with masquerade appeal…and I can think of a few special ideas to spooky up the design a little more.

pumpkintopiary
I found this display from Imperfectly Beautiful, who created a tall and whimsical pumpkin topiary. It includes hand-painted black and white polka-dots, ravens, and an elegant birdcage design stacked on top of a planter with Spanish moss placed carefully around the edges.

pumpkintopiary4Black and White Pumpkins are elegant and fun. These pumpkin arrangements are made with just stickers, but you can duplicate the same look by using swirly vintage rubber stamp designs or by painting them yourself. Beautiful collection of centerpieces, by the way…don’t forget to check out the complete blog post!

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Posted on 16 October '09 by WebSpinstress, under Centerpieces, Dark & Elegant, Decorations, Halloween Crafts, Pumpkins. 1 Comment.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

pumpkin cupcakesQuick Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes:
(Makes 12 cupcakes)

1 box spice cake mix
1 egg
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oats

Stir together spice cake mix, egg, and pumpkin. You can add nuts, dried fruit, or any other additions to the batter. Pour the batter evenly into cupcake pan. In a separate bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, oats, and flour. Spoon your brown sugar mix over the top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Need a few more festive cupcake ideas?
Try these Creepy Crawly Cupcakes for Halloween!

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Posted on 14 September '09 by WebSpinstress, under Cupcakes / Cakes, Halloween Recipes, Pumpkins. No Comments.

Halloween Bento Boxes

Bento boxes are a perfect Halloween lunch for the kids, but would also be a unique addition as Halloween party food. You can combine your favorite sushi and vegetable arrangements on large platters in between the olive and egg eyeballs for an elegant touch.

halloweenbento
A cat chicken sandwich with skull and crossbones hard-boiled egg combo. Source

hellokittybento
Halloween Hello Kitty – steamed carrots and sweet potatoes used to create the pumpkins. Source

nightmarebento
Nightmare before Christmas – a very cheesy Jack Skellington with macaroni au gratin and ham & cucumber rolls. Source

ghostbento
Spooky rice ghosts and carrot pumpkins. A simple and boo-tiful Bento. Source

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Posted on 17 August '09 by WebSpinstress, under Halloween Recipes, Party Ideas, Pumpkins. 2 Comments.

Pumpkin Seed Recipes

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Wash and drain your seeds and spread them on a nonstick or greased baking sheet. Coat seeds with oil. Bake for about 30-45 minutes at 300 degrees until light brown. Remove and season with salt.

Sweet or Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Use Worcestershire sauce and butter, salt, or oil before roasting/toasting.
For spicy pumpkin seeds, try cayenne, paprika, chili powder, Hickory BBQ
powder, or Cajun seasoning. For sweet seeds, use brown sugar, cinnamon,
and/or nutmeg before cooking. For candied seeds, stir cooked
seeds in melted caramel and sugar then let cool, separated on a baking sheet.


Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Cook 2 cups of granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a sauce pan. Bring to
a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved and golden. Keep cooking until
golden brown. Stir in 2 cups of toasted seeds and pour your mixture onto
a large nonstick or greased baking pan, spreading it into a thin layer.
Cool it completely, then break into pieces. Keep in an airtight container.


Other Uses

Add toasted pumpkin seeds to a party mix with crackers, chips, and other
nuts. Add them to a soup or salad. Use to garnish your favorite main dishes.

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Posted on 9 August '09 by WebSpinstress, under Halloween Recipes, Party Ideas, Pumpkins. 1 Comment.