How to Make a Holiday Snowman from Pumpkins!

Meet Joe Snow! Joe was created by our friend and designer, Andy Hopper, for a holiday article in the Birmingham News. We loved Joe...he's not only adorable, he's a very smart use of leftover pumpkins and gourds from Thanksgiving decorating. So, before you toss those pumpkins, get out some spray paint and turn them into holiday decorations! You know I always say that if it takes more than some duct tape and some spray paint, I can't do it. This project is so simple, anyone can do it and it's a fun holiday to-do with the kids!

Make a Pumpkin Snowman

Supplies

3 pumpkins or gourds in varying sizes

twigs for arms

ribbon for scarf

Scotch Super Strong Indoor/Outdoor Mounting Tape

Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Spray Paint in Semi-Gloss White

adhesive for nose

Sharpie, paint, or black marker for eyes, smile, etc

Dixie cup and small paper plate for hat (or find one at a craft store)

Don't use pumpkins or gourds with soft spots. Select three pumpkins in or gourds to stack. Use a heavy duty tape like Scotch Super Strong Interior/Exterior Mounting Tape that will hold up to five pounds to hold the pumpkins together. (You can also use wooden dowels but the pumpkins will deteriorate rapidly.) 

Spray paint the pumpkin with white Krylon Indoor/Outdoor spray paint in Semi-Gloss white. Allow to dry for 1 1/2 hours.

Stack and fit the pumpkins together. Fix the mounting tape to each pumpkin and re-stack. 

Use the stem from a small gourd for the nose.

Draw or paint on Joe's face.

Spray paint a Dixie cup and a small paper plate black; glue together to make hat. Trim with ribbon.

Use a sharp, pointy object like a screwdriver to make a whole in the middle pumpkin for the arms.

Use Joe as a decoration for the buffet or entryway. Sit him on a cake stand like I did here-- surround him with berries, holly, or evergreen... you can make another in red with different accessories to make a holiday Santa!

We'd love to see your creations so send in your holiday decorating pictures to our Facebook page!

Easy Halloween Party Ideas: Carve Your Own Pumpkin People!

We did these pumpkin people last year and they got such rave reviews, we're repeating them for you this year. It's a great family project and a great way to spend an afternoon. Pumpkins are pretty inexpensive this year so you can make a couple of these for your front entry. Be sure to freeze the flesh for pies, soups, and more fall favorites.

Here's how:

You'll need three pumpkins in graduated sizes and a dowel, broomstick, stake, or piece of pipe or PVC for each pumpkin person plus "accessories" to dress them up. First, carve your favorite pumpkin face. Next, stack up your pumpkins to see how they fit together naturally. Next, drill a hole in the top of the bottom pumpkin and insert the dowel until it hits the bottom. Drill a hole in the top and bottom of the middle pumpkin and thread it onto the dowel. Last, drill a hole in the bottom of your carved pumpkin (the face) and place it on the top. Decorate with buttons, flowers, a hat, etc. FYI- I just made some of these and cheated a little and used carpet tape to stick the pumpkins together since I didn't have a drill handy and it worked great. For more unique pumpkin carving ideas, check out with all kinds of decorating ideas. Some don't even require carving. More Halloween ideas for decorating, costumes, and menus all week! Stay tuned!

Back to the Classics! Patriotic Parties for Memorial Day

Monday, May 25th, 2009 is Memorial Day! In a salute to the troops and in honor of our country's struggle to get back on our feet financially, let's all fly the flag and throw a classic backyard Memorial Day party this year! I love going old school-- and although I love keeping up with the trends, I am really old school at heart. This backyard BBQ is a blast from the past. From the music, to the decorations, to the backyard games and the dogs and burgers on the grill, this one goes back to Memorial days past but with a few new traditions that you'll love!

The Party Vibe

Go old-school with lots of USA flags, buntings and streamers. You can find all kinds of flags at Oriental Trading Company. Add different lengths of ribbon to flutter in the breeze. Tie them in trees or to the top of a pop-up tent like we did. This is a fun decorating idea for any party theme. Mix and match your red, white and blue--- don't worry about perfection!

I love this adorable standing Uncle Sam flag holder ($29.95 Oriental Trading Company) to greet guests as they arrive--- especially helpful if most of your guests will be coming to your home for the first time. Let him be an annual guest at your Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day parties.

12-feet of flags $3.29 Oriental Trading CompanyMake pennants from a cheap white clothesline (under $5 at Wal-Mart or hardware stores) and red, white and blue bandanas. You can re-use both at another time. If you are not feeling it, just order these metallic 12-foot pennants; perfect for decorating a deck or a fence. You can use them year after year.

Make life easy by ordering a patriotic party pack of hats, balloons and old-fashioned noise-makers (don't get this if you have kids, they will get on your very last nerve until you hide or break them--oooopps!)

The Party Menu

This one is easy. hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and your favorite slaw. There are so many great recipes on myrecipes.com; check it out for some new twists on your family's favorites. Here are the recipes I plan to make:

Spicy Cheddar Stuffed Burgers; the chipotle pepper puree adds some extra zip. If you don't want to make the puree, sub chipotle pepper instead but go easy- a little goes a long way.

Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers can be made ahead and grilled at the last minute. A great twist on the cheeseburger and a new classic!

Need burgers or steaks for your next backyard bash? Omaha Steaks is great one-stop online shopping and they've always got a deal!

Grilled Red Onions- perfect to add to a burger, snaz up a hot dog, or serve as a side to potato salad or baked potato. Yum.

And what about the hot dogs? Throw on a bunch of your favorite slaw to add a little garden to your dog and you'll give this old-school classic a healthy twist.

And what is an old-fashioned backyard cookout without potato salad? Every family has their favorite recipe but if you need some help, here's a classic potato salad recipe that is very similar to my favorite.

Check out the red, white and blue rims for this raspberry lemonade! Add some fun straws or stir sticks and you'll be able to use your beverages not only as a drink and as fantastic party decorations! Cut the stars out of pineapple with a cookie cutter. Add some citrus vodka or raspberry vodka to give this recipe a little kick!

 No party is a party until the music starts. You can create and post your own playlist on iTunes or just download your favorite summer tunes to your MP3 or iPod and the music can play all summer long!

Some tunes on my ALL SUMMER LONG playlist include:

All Summer Long-Kid Rock

Summertime-DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Summertime- Kenny Chesney

California Girls- The Beach Boys

California- 2Pac

Hot Fun in the Summertime- Sly and the Family Stone

Beautiful Day-U2

Summertime Blues-Alan Jackson

Three Little Birds- Bob Marley

Summer Nights- from the Grease Soundtrack featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

Smooth- Santana and Rob Thomas

It Must be Summer- Fountains of Wayne

The Party Fun

The wheelbarrow race, three-legged race, hula hoop contest, bobbing for apples, sack race and the egg and spoon race are all back to the classics favorites that require little or no equipment!   

Here's to a great summer season of entertaining with friends--- simple, cheap and fun. Grab a wheelbarrow and fill it with ice and drinks and you're ready to roll!

Holiday Decorations for the Kids

Once again my precious niece Kaitlin has put together some adorable decorations for our family's holiday gathering. She used apples, peanuts, almonds, some googly craft eyes and a paper napkin folded as the big bird's tail feathers. Aren't they great? Keep these apple turkey centerpieces in mind for next year, or add a wide black, some cotton and you've got a cute Santa. We'll have photos of those soon for your kid's holiday party decorations. And there's no waste because you can peel and eat these later! Thanks Katie! You're the best!