october book giveaway!

September 29, 2015

This month’s giveaway book is a favorite of mine. When I need a quick dessert for guests and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the grocery store in preparation, this is the recipe book I grab! Every dessert in it uses just four ingredients!

Desserts 4 Today by Abigail Johnson Dodge is a wonderful collection of recipes for flavorful desserts with just four ingredients. It is from this book that I adapted a meringue recipe to create my rosewater meringues. I know you will enjoy this recipe book as much as I do. It makes a special dessert as easy as four ingredients!

To be entered to win a copy, simply add a comment to this post. The winner will be chosen at random from the comments received during the month – my way of saying thank you for sharing pleasure in simple things with me! Good luck!

The winner of last month’s selection is Heather. Congratulations to you! A lovely book Sea Glass Treasures from the Tide by Cindy Bilbao is on its way to you to remind you of summer all year long!

For Instagram followers, this month’s challenge is to post photos of white pumpkins! You know white pumpkins are one of my fall obsessions…let’s share! Post a photo of one you have decorated – like I did here – or, one you admire. Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share your favorite white pumpkin photos. Happy fall!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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celebrate fall with flowers in a pumpkin

September 25, 2015

It has been somewhat of a tradition for me to use the end of the season flowers from my garden for a flower display in a pumpkin. Each year, once fall arrives, I use the few flowers left in my garden to create an arrangement in a white pumpkin.

I guess it is my way of admitting it is, in fact, fall! Usually, the only blooms left in my garden are a few burgundy mums – planted to match the color of my front door – in the front yard and a few small white accent flowers in a couple of my potted arrangements.

This year I used a mini pumpkin for my arrangement since there are so few flowers left! I just hollowed out a mini boo and added an old flower frog for the flowers. If you create one, just remember that pumpkins are not always water tight. It is a good idea to trim a disposable plastic cup to line the inside of the pumpkin as a safe guard, before adding any water. The flowers can be added directly in the plastic cup or, some flower foam can be added and saturated inside the cup first.

An easy and fun way to celebrate the start of the new season!

Thanks for stopping by for Friday field trip!

Have a fabulous weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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diy mini mummy pumpkins

September 22, 2015

I was inspired by a Pottery Barn pillow to create some pumpkin mummies for a child’s Halloween display.

They are super simple to create and so darn cute! All you need are a few baby boos (mini white pumpkins), cheesecloth, a glue gun, and a black permanent marker.

Start by using the permanent marker to draw two eyes on the pumpkin – reference the photos here to guide your placement.

Next, cut a long strip from the cheesecloth, approximately 1” – 2” wide. This can be adjusted based on the size of the pumpkin.

Wrap the cheesecloth around the pumpkin, keeping it in place by attaching it with beads of glue from the glue gun as you wrap. Be careful not to burn yourself – don’t push down the cheesecloth with a bare finger – because the cheesecloth is so porous, the hot glue will go right through to your fingers!

Also, be sure not to cover the drawn eyes completely! They need to peer through the cheesecloth!

There you have a pumpkin mummy! It is sure to add some whimsy to a Halloween table! Make one or a whole bunch! Wouldn’t they make adorable favors for a Halloween party? Or, a great gift for a favorite teacher?

Have fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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painting acorns

September 18, 2015

For Friday field trip today, I am painting some acorns! This is my last ‘neutralizing fall’ element. After completing some pine cones and some leaves, the acorns are my final painting project.

These little fall icons are very easy to paint and they can be painted to match any décor. I don’t use paint brushes any more when painting these small pieces; I much prefer paint pens.

For this year’s fall display, I first painted the bottoms of all the acorns with white paint pens. After the paint was good and dry, I used a little piece of a clean rag to rub the white paint with gold metallic paint.

For the tops of the acorns, I used a cotton swab to add some clear paint glitter to give them a little bling!

That’s it! Now the acorns have been painted to match the rest of my ‘neutralized’ elements! I will team these elements up with some of my hand crafted velvet pumpkins and will add some white pumpkins of varying sizes throughout my home.

Thanks for stopping by for Friday field trip! Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. If you prefer velvet acorns, click here for a tutorial from my archives…enjoy!

Sharing at French Country Cottage.

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plaster of paris leaves

September 15, 2015

Last week I talked about ‘neutralizing’ fall and I demonstrated how to get started with some pine cones and bleach. This week, I am continuing on my quest to ‘neutralize’ natural elements for my fall décor.

Today, I am ‘neutralizing’ leaves! Actually, in this instance, the leaves are not natural elements – I am using super inexpensive fabric leaves. The way I ‘neutralize’ them is super easy and super messy! I use plaster of Paris to add a porcelain-like look to the leaves.

Plaster of Paris is one of those things every crafter should have in their workshop. There are so many uses for it and it is very inexpensive. Plaster of Paris is a dry powder that is mixed with water to create a mixture that hardens. It can also be mixed with paint to create homemade chalk paint.

To make the leaves, I simply mix up some of the plaster (2 parts plaster of Paris to 1 part water) and use it to cover the leaves. I use a disposable plastic cup as a measure and stir the mixture with a paint stirrer or plastic spoon in a disposable container. Believe me, you don’t want to keep any utensils you use for this project – it gets very messy! The plaster gets thick pretty quickly, so I don’t waste a lot of time as I dip each leaf to coat, one at a time, into the mixture. I also keep an inexpensive paint brush handy to add extra plaster as needed.

Once the leaves are covered, they are left on wax paper or parchment paper overnight to harden completely. A leaf can be draped over a plastic cup to dry with a curve, if desired.

The plaster leaves, once dry, can be enhanced with paint or glitter. I like to use metallic gold paint to paint the edges or create a ‘dipped in paint’ look.

These plaster leaves look great on a table, in a bowl, or as part of a fall display. Adding a name to a single leaf with a paint pen turns it into a great looking and unique place card! I use gold thread to make a garland of leaves for a window. (A hole can be added for hanging the leaf, but this must be done as a first step – before the plaster is added! )

I hope I have inspired you to ‘neutralize’ some leaves! Have fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Shabby Nest.

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neutralizing fall

September 11, 2015

It seems everyone is bleaching pine cones these days – and rightly so! For those of us with a passion for neutrals, pine cones can now be happily included in our fall decorating mix!

For Friday field trip today, I am demonstrating the start of how I ‘neutralize’ fall! Since I was in the woods last weekend, it was the perfect time to collect and bleach some pine cones.

I prefer a 50/50 bleach and water mix in a plastic bucket; keeping the pine cones in the solution 24 hours and drying them outdoors in the sun. If you haven’t bleached pine cones before, be warned that they close up when wet. It gets a little scary when you see them this way, but they open up as they dry.

Since the pine cones will float in the bleach solution, I put some paper plates on top of the pine cones and added a few rocks to be sure they were covered completely in the liquid.

That’s all there is to it! Those dark brown pine cones are transformed in a beautiful neutral hue!

I like to dip the tips of the bleached pine cones into some white or off-white paint or to add a little glitter (like I did with this batch) for some added sparkle!

I hope I have inspired you to do some ‘neutralizing’ of your own! Stop back next week and I will demonstrate how I ’neutralize’ acorns and leaves!

Have a wonderful weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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watermelon ice cream push pops

September 8, 2015

There are two big things wrong with Labor Day in my book. First, that it is called Labor Day…it is actually ‘No Labor Day’, isn’t it? Well, that’s what my friends and I celebrate each year. We get together and celebrate a day of no work. Over the years we have always joked about our celebration of ‘No Labor Day.’

But, the biggest problem with Labor Day is not its name. The biggest problem with Labor Day is that it signals the end of my favorite season! With Halloween décor in the stores and school back in session, it is hard to ignore the hints of the upcoming season. Fall is ready to pounce and I hate to think of summer as a thing of the past!

Maybe that is why I am still hanging on to all things summer. I know that ignoring fall (bite my tongue for saying the word!) will not make it go away, but I continue to try my best to do so.

Watermelon ice cream push pops are a great example of some last minute summer fun! They are super easy to make and just scream summer. I made some for my ‘No Labor Day’ weekend, but they are fun to make anytime!

Now that these plastic push up containers are readily available in stores, you can easily create your own push up ice cream treats. I love these containers for homemade ice cream because soft, newly churned ice cream slips into them so easily. But, no need to make homemade ice cream for these treats – softened store bought ice cream works just as well!

For a watermelon looking treat, use three flavors of ice cream. Pick something green, something white, and something red. For mine, I chose raspberry sherbet, pistachio ice cream, and vanilla ice cream.

I put each flavor in its own bowl and soften each up a little bit using a spoon. For the red flavor, I added some mini chocolate chips while softening, to act as my ‘seeds.’ The ice cream should be a little soft, but not runny. If it gets too soupy, it will start leaking out of the bottom of the plastic container. (I first learned this lesson when I tried to make Jell-O shots in these containers by pouring in the liquid mixture before set – epic fail!)

Holding the plunger all the way down (open) while doing so, I put in a small amount of vanilla – enough to create a thin layer – then a thin layer of the softened pistachio, and, finally, I filled the rest of the container with the raspberry sherbet I had mixed with mini chocolate chips.

Into the freezer they go to harden up, and that is it!

These are easy to decorate for a party. Add a ribbon to coordinate with your decor. They also look great with a round sticker – either purchase stickers or print some on your home computer – round ones look great! I hope I have inspired you to make some ice cream push pops. You can find the empty containers in any store that sells cake decorating supplies – usually sold in a pack of six.

Thank you for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Craftberry Bush.

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summer sculpture showcase

September 4, 2015

Today we are visiting a sculpture garden in the historic district of Old Lyme, Connecticut. Sculptures placed over the 4.5 acres of property of artist Gilbert Boro make up the Summer Sculpture Showcase available for viewing by the public.

Over 90 large-scale, abstract sculptural works, inspired by nature and created by a number of artists – including Boro – make up the showcase, located adjacent to the Lyme Academy of Fine Art.

I was lucky enough to meet Boro, his private residence located amid the landscaped garden, on the afternoon I took a leisurely stroll through the exhibit. Speaking with him, it was clear art was his passion.

There is certainly something for everyone in the garden –an interesting assortment of sculpture created in a number of different styles and materials.

Easily accessible off Exit 70 of Interstate 95, the Showcase is a great summer stop. It is open to the public without charge from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, through September 13th.

I hope you enjoyed today’s Friday field trip.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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september book giveaway!

September 1, 2015

September always seems so far away when summer begins. Of course, before you know it, September creeps up and with it comes the threat of the end to the best season of the year!

I don’t know about you, but I am still cramming every last bit of summer into my days – and, that includes the monthly book giveaway!

Since it is technically still summer, I have chosen a book that makes me think of summer and all I love about it. The book is called Sea Glass Treasures from the Tide. As a sea glass collector for my entire life, I can appreciate the wonderfully photographed pieces Cindy has captured in her first book. Even those of you who may not live near the water or, have the opportunity to hunt for sea glass will enjoy this beautiful selection!

Photographer Cindy Bilbao shares with us the vibrancy, magic, and beauty in sea glass that comes from the tides of her favorite beaches. Her book shares treasured trips and helps keep summer alive all year long!

Leave a comment on this post to let me know you’d like to win this book. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments I receive.

Congratulations to Deborah, winner of last month’s giveaway selection Irresistible Ice Pops by Sunil Vijayakar. I know you will enjoy this wonderful collection of recipes for many summers to come!

In attempt to celebrate the last days of my favorite season, this month’s Instagram Challenge is to share photos from the last days of summer. Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share your best shots!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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october book giveaway!

celebrate fall with flowers in a pumpkin

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watermelon ice cream push pops

summer sculpture showcase

september book giveaway!