Boxwood Clippings

Incase you missed it…here’s the project I shared over at Lil Luna last week, I hope you likey!

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 I’m so excited to share a very easy, very cheap, and very chic centerpiece for your fall enjoyment!

Here it is:

I hope you like it as much as I do! In fact, I kinda surprised myself once it was all finished!

I didn’t have a plan; just a color pallet of gold, black and a hint of brown (so hot right now!), and with that I went on a little scavenger hunt around my house to see what would fit the bill. The only thing I bought was a can of gold spray paint to help tie ordinary objects together. It was well worth the $3!

I used leftover Christmas wrapping paper for the runner and hung sprayed leaves from my chandelier for a dramatic effect!

Spraying little glass jars instantly transformed them into glamorous vases. Pine cones, acorns, stones, twigs and feathers all scream fall, so they were a natural fit…naturally!

My point is: you don’t have to spend any money to decorate; use what’s around you, and at the very most splurge on a can of paint! I hope this inspires you to create your own centerpieces. I’d love to see what you come up with.

To see more of my spur-of-the-moment—almost zero budget—seasonal decorating, see HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE!

Yesterday we made our Mum’s yummy, Spicy Carrot Soup. It is healthy, easy, inexpensive and perfect for a Halloween supper.

Here is the recipe:

2 lbs carrots

2 medium potatoes

1 large or 2 medium onions

2 knorr stock cubes or chicken stock

1/2 cup of long grain rice

Salt + Pepper to taste

Curry Powder to taste

Peel potatos and carrots and cut in even pieces, peel and cut up the onion/s. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and then saute the vegetables in the oil for a few minutes until partially cooked. Cover with water and add stock cubes (or chicken stock), add the rice and bring to the boil. Once boiled turn down the heat and simmer for at least an hour or until veg are very tender. Blend with a hand blender or blend with a food processor and season to taste with S&P and curry powder.

Serve soup piping hot, and garnish with blob of sour cream, a swirl of fresh cream, grated cheese, or a sprig of cilantro.

This soups is perfect with our favorite no-knead bread and  is so hearty and warming I think it should be a new Halloween tradition, it would be perfect before sending the kids out on a cold night! Thanks for the recipe Mum! What are you up to this Halloween?

Sometimes decorating for a holiday can be a lot of work, and lets face it…sometimes it’s just not worth it. Halloween for me is always up for debate; I love feeling spooky, yet feel Autumn decorations are more worthy of my time since they can be enjoyed all the way from September to December.

To solve this little dilemma, a few years ago I decided at the very least I’d deck out smallest room in my house for halloween, the downstairs guest bath. There’s only a book shelf and mirror so it takes an hour or less, but feels so festive when making a quick trip to the loo.

This year I went with muted greens, black and white:

I kinda love the results!

I used some grey cheese cloth that I got at the Dollar Tree, and other halloween pieces I’ve had for years. Other than that, I pulled some Christmas ornaments, and took some dusty miller clippings from the front of our house.

I love gathering bits and bobs from around the house and seeing what I can come up with. Sometimes the challenge is even better than heading out to the shops.

Have you guys created anything out of nothing this spooky season? We’d love to see!

As I’m sure you guys know shipping can be excruciatingly expensive, even a little extra weight can really cost you. Therefore, when it comes to gift wrap we choose tissue paper over regular wrapping paper, for the weight and flexibility.

It’s a good idea to add a sheet of white tissue paper under the patterned one, so you can’t see through it. Then just add a bit of ribbon, and that’s that…off to the post office.

There’s nothing like opening your mailbox to a pretty parcel, it makes me feel so loved!

Before the age of blogs and Pinterest, my main source of holiday inspiration was from Martha Stewart. Her magazines were jam packed of ideas, mostly simple but all so chic.

These are still some of my faves:

 All projects and photos found HERE.

These pictures are make me feel chilly and cozy all in one, and I often think how great it is to have seasons and holidays, they keep the year ticking and me constant state of excitement!

Don’t you just love this time of year when all the Halloween goodies appear? I’m not one for the blood and guts, but cute products I can’t get enough of.

Here are are couple of my faves I’ve had my eye on:

1. Haunted Silhouette Centerpieces: an easy decoration for just $1 at the Dollar Tree…holler!

2. Chevron Stripe Treat Bags: $5 for 20 at Gygi, adorable for favors and trick or treaters.

3. Feathered Crows: again from the Dollar Tree for $1. I used them HERE and HERE.

4. Orange Paper Straws: from Gygi, $7.99 for 50, they make any drink a partay!

 5. Spider Mug: just in time for hot drink season, found at Crate & Barrel for $5.95.

6. Halloween Cupcake Papers: all the inspiration I need to get my bake on! $4.95 for 50 from Crate & Barrel.

Little seasonal touches around the house add a sense of occasion, and a warmth of home. Can’t wait to add a little to mine.

Tonight the Gatehouse No.1 in Orem is hosting their first “Ghouls Night Out” with live entertainment, food, decorating classes and seasonal discounts, I’ll be going are you in?

Do you guys remember my story about my little seed? Well here’s the update…they’re taking over everything!

Who knew planting little seeds could turn into such a mess! We’ve tried to get things under control by trying to get them to grow upwards instead of out, and it’s working quite well.

These wild plants became our babies this summer, and we’ve enjoyed seeing them grow daily. But the real fun is still ahead, decorating and eating them!

Over at Better Homes and Gardens, I’ve been finding all sorts of inspiration:

We ended up planting three different varieties and colours: green, white and orange. I’m hoping we’ll get enough to feel super festive once the weather turns.

There’s something very satisfying about growing things, I feel quite accomplished!

Wishing all you witches the spookiest of nights!

In England, Halloween is not as widely celebrated as it is here in the States, but as a child I never noticed as it’s always a special day for our family as it’s Gran’s birthday, and she’s always been one to know how to throw a party.

All the children would dress up as festive characters, (I was always either a cat or a witch), and we’d go out into the cold, dark night over to Gran’s house. Every year she decorates with pumpkins, turnips, and paper wall hangings, but my favorite decorations were black paper foot steps that were strategically placed around the main floor of the house.

Dinner was a child’s dream: a buffet filled with a variety of deli meats, cheeses, crisps, and countless desserts.

We were then set free to play with our cousins, and then later called back to play the yearly round of bobbing for apples. Instead of bobbling in water, they’d be hanging from a stick, and with hands behind our backs we’d race to see who could catch theirs first.

Then with tired eyes and full bellies, we’d head home with sweet memories, and treat bags.

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These parties still take place in one form or another, and there’s a new generation enjoying the magic my Granny brings to the season. It didn’t hit me until recently, that although it was Gran’s birthday it was her who was hosting a party for all of us to enjoy, especially the kiddies.

In that same spirit we decided a throw a spare of the moment party one Sunday evening while we were out in Cali with our sisters kids.

It didn’t take much as we simply found costumes, dimded the lights, played a game, had a mini dance party, and bobbed for apples. It was a great way to spend a quite evening, and hopefully we created some memories that will stick!

Our sista Helen has the most amazing house. One of the things we love most about it is the two fireplaces on the main level.

While we were there we thought it’d be fun to dress one up for Halloween. Helen had already purchased plastic rats, and a paper silhouette from the Dollar Tree, and had the electrical candle up all year long. We simply added a couple of things we found around the house: books, black tulle, and a “spooky” sign; then we purchased some fake web to finish the look.

I just love projects that turn out so effective, especially when they’re not planned or thought out and we just go for it!

This year I haven’t gotten around to putting up any Halloween decorations yet, other than my two wreaths that is. I’m not planning on going all out, just doing a couple of simple displays in one or two places, using my tight vases.

This is how I decorated last year, just in my downstairs bath:

Do you decorate for Halloween?

We love to see if you do. Send us Pics at mail [at] boxwoodclippings [dot] com.

Although the weather isn’t showing it, it is fall.

Determined to get into the spirit of the season, yesterday we put together a couple of Halloween buckets for a few of our nephews; and as you may guess, they were well received.

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Little unexpected treats like this makes being an aunty so much fun. But with more than 20 nephews and nieces it can quickly get very pricey.

Last year I shopped the Halloween clearance, and bought most things at 75% off. Then we just added a couple of treats and bingo, we made a whole mini gift basket for under $2 each, well worth it for a toothless smile:)

These days there are so many fun tights around, that I find myself wearing them every Sunday in the cooler months. As they tend to be on the pricey side, I hate it when I get a hole or ladder in them.

While clearing out my drawers this summer I couldn’t bare to throw away a couple of pairs I’d recently ruined, I didn’t know how or if I could even use them again, I just knew they weren’t ready for the bin.

I’m not quite sure when or how this idea popped into my head, but I’ve been waiting for the Halloween season to try it out…and voila here it is.

This is the easiest project ever, and takes about…ohhh 50 seconds.

Simply gather a vase or hurricane (6″-7″ diameter works best), and slip it into the leg of tights, then trim bottom and top leaving only about 1/2′ extra on each end. The tights hold themselves in place, and there you have it…done!

Easy Peasy!

Are you guys feeling the crispy air in the mornings? I am.

I thought it was just about time to make a couple of Halloween wreaths to hang from my front windows. Although, I probably won’t put them out for another week or two.

I’m not completely loving how they turned out, I may just trade in the crow for a big black silk ribbon, but I did have lots of fun making them. I got most of my supplies from the Dollar Tree, I think they’re halloween selection is pretty amazing for a buck.

I simply: spray painted my grapevine wreath black, glue gunned moss to it, sprayed the moss black, then added the crow and ribbon.

For two wreaths it cost me about $8 total, not too shabby.