Crafts

Pumpkin Halloween Decorations + The Jack O’ Lope

4 · Sep 1, 2015 · 5 Comments

Guys I’m so excited… We are heading into my favorite time of year!

AUTUMN!!

And with Autumn comes all kinds of fun decorating… Back-to-School, Fall, Apples, Pumpkins and Halloween to name a few. I am thrilled to be one of this year’s Michaels Makers and this months challenge is PUMPKINS.

I’ve always loved pumpkin Halloween decorations and I decided to take kind of a silly route with my challenge and make my version of the Jack O’ Lope…

I thought it turned out fun! It was so easy to put together, I just gathered a few supplies at Michaels Craft Stores. Did you know that Michaels is carrying HALF pumpkins?! No more will we need to pull out the heat knife to try and cut our craft pumpkins in half. We can buy them that way now! Well played Michaels, you always know what we need.

I found this great chalk board at Michaels (I couldn’t find it online, but it is in stores) and thought it would be fun to add some antlers to my half pumpkin for a fun wall piece for my Halloween display, to make a Jack O’ Lope of sorts.

First, I seasoned my chalk board to give it that worn in look.

I crushed a little chalk and then rubbed it all over the board with a cloth or paper towel.

That way it looks more like a used chalk board rather than a black sign.

Then I hot glued some antlers that I had hanging around onto the board…

Then, I glued the half pumpkin in place right on top of the antlers.

It fits perfect!

Next, I set-out to create a fun Halloween display to show-off my Jack O’Lope.

I grabbed some of Heidi Swapp Marquee Bats (sorry, they aren’t online but they are in-store) and spray painted them black with Krylon Chalkboard Spray Paint.

Then I added some paper wall bats that are also available in-store.

I added a Halloween printable that I created last year, I still LOVE it!

You can download it HERE.

To fill-out the scene, I added some more pumpkins to the drawer of my buffet…

I wrapped one with a pumpkin sleeve from the Martha Stewart Halloween collection at Michaels. They look really cool and are an easy way to dress-up any pumpkin.

Last but not least and made another set of large dice to use as decor this time. I just love how they fill-in the scene with a little more whimsy. These are super easy to make and are fun to have on hand for all kinds of things. I LOVE my new black set for Halloween!

All together, I think it makes a pretty fun scene for the season. My kiddos think it ‘s pretty cool anyway.

How do you like to decorate with pumpkins? Do you like to decorate for fall, or do you jump right into Halloween like we prefer to do?

Michaels is having a great sale on the crafting pumpkins this week, 40% off… Run and grab some quick before they disappear!

Disclaimer // I am a member of the Michaels Maker crew, this is not a paid position but I do receive store credit in order to create projects for the Michaels Makers program.

Vegetable Frittata

0 · Aug 31, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Compensation for this post was provided by Unilever via AOL Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Unilever or AOL.

Not too long ago, I shared my love of all things brunch!

I shared one of my all-time favorite breakfast treats… Lemon Drop Crêpes.

Little did you know, that post was just the beginning. I’ve been working on creating a fabulous summer inspired brunch menu that is perfect for celebrating this time of year.

I adore summer. There is just something special about this time of year. The warm weather, trips to the lake, sleeping-in and farmers markets. I LOVE spending the morning at the farmers market and running home with my bounty to create a fun meal for the family.

We love eggs here in our house. We typically have some type of egg dish for dinner at least once a week. Eggs are a fantastic source of protein and paired with good fats, they make for a fantastic meal! When I was working on this summer brunch menu I knew I had to incorporate a tasty egg dish. I came up with a lovely Summer Vegetable Frittata.

What is a frittata? It’s kind of like an oven baked omelet. You add your favorite ingredients to an oven-safe skillet. Top it with an egg mixture, lightly start the cooking process on the stove and then finish it off in the oven. They are super quick and simple to make.

For this recipe we start with some simple fresh ingredients…

Summer Vegetable Frittata Recipe

9 eggs

1/3 cup of whipped chive cream cheese

2 tablespoons heavy cream (feel free to substitute with skim milk as a lighter alternative!)

salt & pepper

1 1/2 cups of shredded Italian cheese blend

2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter®

1/2 small white onion

1 cup asparagus

2 cups grape tomatoes

1 lemon

1 bunch of chives

1 tablespoon feta cheese

When you are putting together a dish like this, you want to make sure that your ingredients are fresh and nutritious . Have you thought much about the fats that you use when cooking lately?

We need some type of good fat in our diet… We ALL do! Good fats are a source of energy and essential fatty acids your body can’t produce on its own. When I was putting together this frittata recipe, I used I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter® as the fat that I used to sauté my vegetables in.

I tend to stick with I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter® because I know that it’s provides good fats. It has 40% fewer calories and 70% less saturated fat than butter per serving. Not to mention that it has no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives and no partially hydrogenated oils. It has non-GMO sourced ingredients and it’s cholesterol free with 0 grams of trans fats per serving.. That exactly what I’m looking for when I’m cooking for my family!

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350˚.

In a medium sized bowl, add your eggs, cream cheese, heavy cream, salt, pepper and 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Whisk together and set aside.

In a oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter®. Once the I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter® has melted, add your diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook for another minute and a half.

Next, add 1/2 of your tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute. Reserve the remaining tomatoes for a garnish.

Pour in the egg mixture and cook just like you would scrambled eggs for 1 minute. This give the frittata a little body and helps the veggies to stay suspended in the dish rather than just fall to the bottom of the pan.

After one minute, add the remaining cheese to the top and place in a 350˚ oven for 15-20 until it look just set.

Remove the frittata from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime, prep your tomato salad garnish. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt a 1/2 teaspoon of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter®. This should take no more than 20-30 seconds. Add the remaining halved tomatoes to the bowl along with a tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt, pepper & 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped chives. Once the frittata has rested, add your tomato salad & feta cheese to garnish and serve.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! sources ingredients that are not genetically modified. However, in the field-to-tub journey of making our buttery spread there is some contact with genetically modified vegetable oils, resulting in a small amount in this product.

The Party Bunch Link Party // no. 92

1 · Aug 29, 2015 · 2 Comments

Hi friends! Welcome to our link party! As always I am super excited to see your awesome DIY projects, crafts, recipes and awesome ideas! Last week there was a bunch of delicious Apple Recipes linked up to our party and I had to share. To see them all make sure to click below!

Apple Recipes

Click HERE

Before we party come meet the crew & see our top picks from last week before we get started… Amy from The Idea Room, Mique from 30 Handmade Days, Heather from Whipperberry and Desiree from The 36th Avenue want to thank you for partying with us… You guys are the best!

Here are some of our favorite projects from this week!

Heather’s Favorite

Baked Spaghetti Lasagna by Lemons For Lulu

My family is going to love this dish!

Easy baked spaghetti casserole will remind you of lasagna, only better! lemonsforlulu.com

Mique’s Favorite

Strawberry Shortcake Sundays by Shaken Together

Oh my yumminess!

Amy’s Favorite

DIY Thermal Lunch Pouch by Woods of Bell Trees

I love this back to school idea!

Desiree’s Favorite

Fresh Peach Tart at Cooking On The Front Burner

I can’t wait to try this recipe1

Fresh Peach Tart | Cooking on the Front Burner

As always thank you for so may fabulous projects and recipes!

We hope you take a minute and button up HERE!

Also we want to invite you to click here and follow

The Party Bunch Favorites on Pinterest.

We are featuring more of our favorite projects and recipes from the link party on this board!

Now it is time to party!

TPB Party Bunch Link Up... Every Friday to Sunday link up your projects over at theidearoom.net , thirtyhandmadedays.com , whipperberry.com or the36thavenue.com Four bloggers = ONE BIG PARTY! We can't wait to see your projects!

Here are a few things to remember before you link up!

Please make sure to share the love and grab a button here to let your readers know that you linked up with us! By linking up with The Party Bunch, you are giving permission to any of us to feature your projects and recipes on our social media with a link back to you. Thanks!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Silhouette Curio is HERE

0 · Aug 27, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Guys… The new Silhouette Curio is HERE!!

I have a special discount just for you guys at the end of this post!!

Back in May, I had the chance to travel to Hawaii for the Silhouette Summit where they announced a TON of new products.

Linda from Craftaholics Anonymous and I with the CEO of Silhouette

All kinds of new consumable products, new software and software functions and TWO new members of the Silhouette family of crafting machines. The Curio and the Mint.

The Mint is a super fun little machine where you can create your own custom stamps and that will debut later this year.

Today, the Curio has launched. What’s special about the Curio you ask? Will this replace the CAMEO and Portrait?

The answer is no, it’s not meant to replace either machine. It is a new companion for your CAMEO or Portrait. It has all kinds of new features that the other machines do not have. For example…

Stippling – Not familiar with Stippling? It’s SUPER cool!! You create with little dots. Create stippled ink projects with Silhouette felt tip pens or even stipple foils and metals.

How fun is that? The world of creating with metal has just opened even wider!

Next on the list of new features…

You can etch on metal now as well. Create beautifully etched metal with the Curio’s etching tool to customize jewelry, charms, home décor, mixed media art, and more.

The Curio can Emboss with a new embossing tool!

The Curio has a dual carriage for double the fun!

You can still Sketch, you can do with TWO Silhouette felt tipped pens now.

With the Curio you can still Cut, but you can cut even deeper!

The Curio has an improved blade and more clearance which means more options. The Curio’s 5mm clearance allows you to etch, sketch, or cut on new project palettes. Think wood, foil, leather, foam, and even metal.

I can go on and on… You’ll have to go over to Silhouette and check it out for yourself.

I will be working on all kinds of projects here on WhipperBerry with the new Curio and would love for you to join me.

The price for a Curio is $249.99

The folks at Silhouette are giving you guys $15 off a new Curio if you use the code WHIPPER at checkout.

Click the link HERE to get the $15 discount

I can’t wait to start creating with the Curio, what about you? Head on over to their site to check out all of the new products and software options. The Silhouette brand of machines are truly my favorite crafting tool. I use them more than any other tool that I have in my creative tool box!

Disclaimer – I am a member of the Silhouette Makers Affiliate Program.

Tomato Galette + Pie Crust 101

3 · Aug 25, 2015 · 1 Comment

Summer just isn’t Summer without a bountiful harvest of tomatoes of all kinds. I know, I know… You’re either a lover or a hater. I find myself in the LOVE category. Salads, tacos, life in general, isn’t complete without tomatoes. The only issue I find is finding the time to try all of the amazing tomato recipes during the summer bounty.

If you’ve been following me for some time, you’ll know that I LOVE pie making. I’ve been good friends with pie crust for some time. Here is a post highlighting all of my favorite pie crust tips and tricks. Some people think that pies are just for the holidays and typically are only for sweet types of pies or galettes. NOT TRUE! It’s also not just for your grandmother’s turkey pot pie. You can make all kinds of savory treats with a mean pie crust. For example, my Tomato Galette.

What’s a galette you ask! Well, it’s a fancy term for a free form pie. You don’t use a pie plate, you just fold up your crust over whatever filling you have and voilá, you have a free form pie. First I start with my crust. I whip that up quickly with a few simple ingredients; flour, Crisco, salt, vinegar, one egg & ice water. The key is to keep all of your ingredients as cold as possible. I use Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening Baking Sticks when I bake and I will cut it up into cubes and then place them into the freezer for 20 minutes so they get nice and cold. Temperature is key to great pie crusts. Butter Flavor and All-vegetable Crisco® Shortening and Baking Sticks deliver higher, lighter-textured baked goods and have 50% less saturated fat than butter and zero grams trans fat per serving.

Once my crust is made, I chill it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes while I put together the filling for my galette. First I caramelized onions in Crisco Sauté Solutions Olive Oil Blend Stick with a little salt and a dash of sugar to help them caramelize. Then I mix my cheese filling. That’s a mixture of cream cheese, ricotta, parmesan cheese and some dried Italian herbs. Slice up some tomatoes and you’re all set to assemble. Once it’s baked, I drizzle with some Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil, add some fresh basil and it’s all set. Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil uses the highest quality olives available to help enhance your cooking; available in three flavorful varieties 100% Extra Virgin, Pure and Light Tasting Olive Oil.

Here’s a video I put together that will help you make pie crust your grandmother will love AND you get to see how I put together my tomato galette.

Looking for more great recipe inspiration? Visit The Crisco Heritage Kitchen, a hub dedicated to all things food, tradition and family, where generations of home cooks can gather and discover tried-and-true recipes that will delight and inspire.

Tomato Galette + Pie Crust 101 Recipe

Tomato Galette + Pie Crust 101

Save Print

Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

This simple summer meal is perfect any time of day. Grab some of those amazing summer tomatoes and you'll fall in love! Ingredients

Author: Heather // WhipperBerry

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

Crust
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups of Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening Baking Sticks
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 egg
4-6 tablespoons water
Filling
1 small sweet onion
1 tablespoon Crisco Sauté Solutions Olive Oil Blend Stick
½ cup cream cheese
½ cup ricotta
½ cup shredded parmesan
1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
2-3 large tomatoes thinly sliced
Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil & fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

In a large bowl, add flour, salt and cold Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening Baking Sticks. Use a pastry cutter to cut-in the shortening to the flour.
In a small bowl beat egg and vinegar together and pour into flour mixture.
Gently mix and add ice cold water until your dough just comes together. Be careful not to over mix. Pour out dough onto some plastic wrap and form into a disk. Wrap and place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling. Slice onions and caramelize over medium low heat with the Crisco Olive Oil Sauté Stick, salt and sugar. This will take 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, ricotta, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
Cut dough into quarters. Roll one quarter of the dough out on a floured surface into a 10 inch round.
Spread on ½ of the cheese mixture, top with onions and tomatoes. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.
Use the remaining ingredients to make up another galette.
Place in a 375˚ oven for 40-50 minutes.
Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle with Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil and garnish with fresh basil.

*Disclosure: As a participant of the Crisco Ambassador Program, I’ve received compensation for my time and product samples for review purposes. Opinions are my own.