Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

BY Jen

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

I can’t believe Halloween is in 5 days! I have been seriously slacking on Halloween prep and projects this year. I couldn’t go without doing something crafty though, so I made these gold and white pumpkins. You can use real or faux pumpkins for this project. I used fake ones that were on sale for 60% off at Michael’s and spray painted them off-white. These are a super easy (and classy) way to decorate pumpkins.

 

Color blocked gold pumpkin

You will need:

  • Liquid gold leaf (you could also use gold spray paint)
  • Painter’s tape
  • Paint brush (a cheap one you will throw away).

Directions: Mask off half of the pumpkin using painter’s tape. Paint bottom half with the liquid leaf and repeat with a second coat. Allow to dry and remove the tape.

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

 

Glitter ombre pumpkin

You will need:

  • Spray adhesive
  • Painter’s tape
  • Gold glitter

Directions: Mask off the pumpkin’s stem (if you don’t want glitter on it). Spray the top of the pumpkin with spray adhesive and sprinkle with glitter while the adhesive is still wet.

Note: You can use a spoon for the glitter if you don’t want to end up with glitter hands like I did

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

 

Mini Polka Dot Pumpkin

You will need:

  • Gold pins

Directions: Stick pins all over the pumpkin to make tiny gold polka dots!

Note: this worked perfectly with the faux pumpkin I used, it may be more difficult with a real one depending on how tough the skin is.

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

 

And there you have it… super easy ways to glam up your Halloween!

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

Glam Gold & White Pumpkins

Papalo Pesto

BY Jen

Papalo PestoEvery other week we get a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box from a local farm in Austin. It is full of fresh, organic veggies and fruits and is always different, depending on what is in season. One of my favorite things about getting a CSA box is discovering new things and figuring out how to use them. Recently, I received an herb that I had never even heard of: papalo.

Papalo Pesto

Papalo has a taste very similar to cilantro, with a little bit of a peppery bite like arugula and slight floral notes. I had no idea what to do with it! I did some research and there aren’t a ton of recipes out there. It is most commonly used in salsas in Mexico and South America, but I wanted to go a different route and decided to make a pesto.

Papalo Pesto

Cilantro makes a great pesto, so I figured why not papalo? And I was really happy with the results! If you don’t have papalo (and most people probably don’t) you can use cilantro instead. I served this on fish, but it would also be great on chicken, pork, veggies, or pasta.

Papalo Pesto

Ingredients
  • 2 cups loosely packed papalo leaves
  • 1 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
  • pinch of black pepper
Directions

Combine the papalo, garlic, almonds, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the food processor running, pour oil in a steady stream through the tube and blend until smooth.

Papalo Pesto

Currently Loving: Fall

BY Jen

It is finally starting to cool off a bit in Austin! And while it isn’t time for sweaters or scarves yet, It is starting to feet a bit like fall. I am getting prepared, and here are some fun fall finds!

Currently Loving: Fall

1. Cable Knit Throw Pillow from Target  |  2. Essie ‘Good as Gold’ nail polish  |  3. Ankle Boots from Aldo  |  4. Fox Mug from Paper Source  |  5. Kilim Print Pouch from Anthropologie  |  6. Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Tea from Trader Joe’s

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