Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

Even though we haven’t had ANY fall weather here yet, I still can’t help baking fall treats!



If you follow me on Facebook you know I’ve been on a bit of a pumpkin craze this past month {or two} and I can’t seem to stop! {Is there a pumpkin anonymous club I can join?}  So, here’s one more --

Glazed Pumpkin Muffins

To make these muffins I used my two ingredient pumpkin muffin recipe.

I also made homemade glaze:

• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 – 3 Tbs milk

Directions: Mix sugar, vanilla extract and 1 Tbs of milk together until smooth. Add little bits of milk until the consistency is what you want. I learned that less is more!


I think these little pumpkin muffins would also make cute place cards on a fall table setting – what do you think?

Can I still say ‘Happy fall’ when I’m in shorts and it’s 80 degrees?

Well, I'm gonna!

Happy fall friends! xo

Linking up at Tip Junkie; tatertots and jello and here!

Fall Food: Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Are you ready for fall yet? Have you been busy baking fall treats? Well, since it’s been 100 degrees here lately (no joke!) and turning on the oven is the LAST thing on my mind -- I have been all about no bake and cool food. So, enter the pumpkin cheese ball!

Yes – apparently I am turning everything in my house into pumpkins right now! I like to call it the “Cinderella Effect.”





This recipe {or craft?} is simple and looks great at parties! What a perfect little fall appetizer set with some crackers around it! Simply buy a cheese ball, carefully make pumpkin groove lines with a knife or spoon around the edges and add a thin celery stalk for the stem!

And you’re done! Easy as pumpkin pie!

I asked my kiddos: “Isn’t she cute?”
Kiddos: “How do you know it’s a girl?”
ME: “Um, you’re right buddy… I don’t.”

But I bet s/he’s yummy!

Happy Fall Ya’ll!

The World’s Best Peanut Butter Dip

Well, that title was given to this dip by my boys and, in their world, this is the best tasting dip ever! {Hey, who am I to argue?} To me this is the best dip ever because it's so easy to make!




You only need 3 simple ingredients to make this magical dip! Ready?



INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter {A little more, or less, to your preferred taste.}
• 1 jar (7 oz.) of Jet-Puffed Marshmallow crème
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese {softened}

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together completely with a large spoon until smooth!! That’s it! SERIOUSLY!

• You can eat it right away or you can chill it in the refrigerator until you're ready! {Refrigerate any left overs}

TIP: It makes it easier to mix if the cream cheese is softened and the peanut butter was not refrigerated.

And voilà! You have made a yummy snack for your friends and family to enjoy!! It's so quick and easy to prepare, I know I'll be bringing this dip to a fall party or two this season! :o)



I recommend apples to dunk into your delicious peanut butter marshmallow dip!! We also enjoy it on celery, pretzels and spread on bagels!
WARNING -- this dip is deliciously addictive! You may find that you don't need any snack for dipping - just a large spoon! ;o)




What would you dip in YOUR peanut butter marshmallow dip?




Linking up here and:

Wordless Wednesday: {First Day of School}

{Find the printable here! <----PS, these words don't count!}

{Find the printable here!}

Jute Pumpkin {tutorial}

Is it fall yet? I usually like to wait until Labor Day to bust out the fall décor, but this pumpkin was so cute I just couldn’t wait to make {and share} it! In my Pinterest hunting I saw Sarah Dawn Design’s twine pumpkin photo and knew I had to make my own! I love getting inspired – don’t you? Wait until you see what is hiding underneath this pumpkin pretty!


Here is my version using jute:




What you will need:

• Jute {or twine}
• Toilet paper roll – yep – that’s right! {one for each pumpkin}

Also...

• Glue/Hot glue
• Scissors
• A short stick for the stem
• Any embellishments you would like

STEPS:

1. To wrap your pumpkin, cut long strips of jute rope {about a yard at a time, give or take}. Glue the end of your first strand of jute in the center of your toilet roll and start wrapping it carefully around the roll:




2. Continue wrapping around the roll, gluing the ends {and beginnings!} of each strand of your jute as you go!




Sarah recommended wrapping your twine in sections {i.e. skipping 2-3 inches between each strand the first time around and then rewrapping in the spaces the second time around so the toilet paper roll doesn’t bubble. I think my roll was smaller because I didn’t have a problem continuing around until the end. Mine closed up nicely, but, you may need to play around with the wrapping until you find a method that you like.}

3. And then, just keep going and going… and going! Wrap until your roll is completely covered! It’s easy, but takes a little while to wrap, so be patient! Watch a TV show or listen to some good tunes! {Rap while you wrap anyone? hee hee}
 
4. Secure your last jute section with hot glue and gently place a stick in the center of the roll. Add a little dollop of glue to secure your stem and you are done!


And all your patience will be worth it – because here is your shabby sweet pumpkin sitting pretty!




After I finished making this 'lil pumpkin, I decided to play dress up:








Which style is your favorite? Or do you prefer to keep it simple?





Thanks for reading! Fall – here we come!

Linking up at some of my favorite parties this week!

Book Club Party

I loooove books and last night I had the honor of hosting my girlfriends in our very first book club meeting!



We read Educating Esmé by Esme Raji Codell, a funny but smart diary of a first year teacher. (We ARE all teachers in the group after all! Preachin’ to the choir!} I had read the book in a previous book club years ago {I hope that’s not cheating!} and thought my friends would enjoy it as well. So, to kick off our first meeting, I threw a book themed party! Below are some pictures of our night!


Welcome wreath -- We {heart} Books!!






For the tutorial on how to make this wreath, click here.

Book banner.
Let me tell you, maybe it’s the English teacher in me, but it was SO HARD to cut up a book for this banner!! Why do you think I’ve never made one of those super cool book page wreaths? I can’t bare to tear apart a book. It was like Sophie’s Choice. How do I choose? Luckily I found a discarded book of mine in my classroom, ready for the trash, binding falling apart… yes, even that still hurt a little. But this book page bunting banner looks sooooo cute – maybe I will forgive myself one day…





Book themed food labels:

















{I admit – I had to Google “books with Strawberry in the title”. I couldn’t think of one!}





And a table set for our little quartet:




I made those bookmarks and used one of my favorite Pinterest-found quotes!






I folded yellow school paper as silverware pockets.


And of course you need friends! One of our girlfriends recently moved back into town and she was the motivation to start this club up again! Thanks girl!!! It was so fun!



And of course discussion questions about the book --



It was a great night! I am so glad my girls wanted to start up a book club! Even though reading time can be hard to come by, it is definitely worth the time with friends!

Are you in a book club? What have you read? {We're always looking for ideas!}

Want to read along with us? Our next book is How We Love Our Kids: The Five Love Styles of Parenting by Milan and Kay Yerkovich. I have already heard from a few people how GOOD this book is!! I wonder what style of parent I am… Happy reading!




Linking here:
Be Different, Act Normal; C.R.A.F.T.; The Gunny Sack; Skip To My Lou; Tip Junkie; Today's Creative Blog