SEASONAL DECORATING

I recently spoke at a local garden club on simple ways to decorated for the Fall and Christmas seasons. The following are before and after pictures of how to bring the seasons in to your home.

Before picture of dining room table.

After pictures using assorted fall gourds,rustic turkeys, colorful linens, & fall garlands.

Before picture of the side board.

After pictures using a set of 3 candle holders with fresh nandina leaves and gourds. The arrangement is encircled by a beautiful fall wreath.

Before picture of the living room mantle.

After picture of the mantle using pine garlands, paper whites, and festive ornaments.

Before picture of the living room coffee table.

After pictures using a collection of blue & white ceramics, manzanita branches, white orchids, winter branches, festive ornaments, and frost santas.

YOU'RE INVITED

All the elves at Evelyn's have been working joyfully getting ready for our 21st annual Holiday Open House, Sunday, November 11th, 1:30-6. This year's holiday open house is sure to be one of our best with truly unique collections of holiday collectibles and decor. Mark your calendars now to attend. This is one event you will not want to miss!

WITCHES' NIGHT OUT FUN

Thanks to all the witches that flew in to our frightfully fun Witches' Night Out. We had so much fun and are already planning next year's fun event!

We loved all the unique and fun witches' hats, jewelry, and accessories you wore!

We hope you all had as much fun as we had!

WITCHES' NIGHT OUT RECIPES

Everyone loved our ghoulishly delicious appetizers we served at our recent Witches' Night Out and we are happy to share the recipes:

SWAMP GOO DIP (Charleston Cheese Dip) 1/2 C. Mayo, 8oz. Cream Cheese softened, 1C. Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 1/2 C. Grated Monterey Jack Cheese, 2 Green Onions Finely Chopped, Dash of Cayenne Pepper, 8 Ritz Crackers Crushed, 1 Package Bacon Bits. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, mix the mayo, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, green onions, and cayenne pepper, and bacon bits. Transfer to a shallow baking dish. Top with cracker crumbs and bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Serve with your favorite crackers.

WITCH EYE BITES (Water Chestnuts Wrapped in Bacon) 2- 8oz. Cans Whole Water Chestnuts, Drained, 10oz Soy Sauce, 1 lb. Bacon Cut Into Thirds. In a medium bowl, marinate the whole water chestnuts in the soy sauce 6 hours to overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Wrap each water chestnut in 1/3 bacon slice and secure with skewer and arrance on a large baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 17 minutes, or until the bacon is lightly crisp and evenly browned. Serves 8

TOAD HAIR CAKES (Coconut Mini Cup Cakes With Cream Cheese Frosting) 1 Package Coconut Cake Mix, 1/2 Cup of Butter, 8oz. Cream Cheese, 16oz. Powder Sugar, 1tsp. Vanilla, Sweet Coconut Flakes. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fill mini cupcake liners with prepared cake batter. Bake according to package directions. Let cool. To prepare the cream cheese frosting, beat together softened butter, softened cream cheese, and vanilla. Slowly add powder sugar. Frost mini cup cakes and sprinkle with flaked coconut.

CREEPY CRAWLING CRUSTACEANS (Marinated Shrimp) This recipe has been previously posted. Click on Recipes below to locate this one. It is from Holiday Evening of Design, September 2011. Enjoy!!

FALL ARRANGEMENTS

The chill in the air today tells me that Fall has arrived. Make entertaining easy with these easy Fall arrangements made from clippings from the garden and a few fresh flowers from the florist.

This is an easy arrangement made in a plant saucer holding oasis and filled with fall leaves, a variety of mums, fresh artichokes, and topped with a unique pumpkin. Great for a dining room table.

Take a decorative cachepot and add oasis. Fill the container with a variety of leaves including nandina, maple, pittosporum, and dogwood. Next add garden hydrangeas and fresh apples attached by florist pics. This is great for a sideboard or coffee table.

This arrangement screams Fall. Take a glass cylinder vase and put 2 large heavy duty rubber bands around it. Next take Indian corn (remove the husks) and place in between the rubber bands around the vase. Use a decorative ribbon to tie around the vase and hide the rubber bands. Fill the vase with a variety of fall leaves and flowers from the garden. To finish off this arrangement, add fall leaves and decorative gourds around the base of the arrangement. This is great for an entrance table or side board. Have fun decorating for the Fall season! Come in the shop for more great ideas on how to decorate your home for the holidays!