I'm digging the color, orange. Orange is really hip. Thinking about it (orange), concerning event planning and catering, bold colors like orange always punch up a party space. But to keep it kind of "calm" and not so shocking, the best colors to go with pumpkin orange for decorating are other shades of orange that are kind of "muddy", rich navy blue, and some shades of green and pink. Think about not pairing it with black.
I've paired all-out, bright colored orange with black before. It was for a non-Halloween party. We gave it a "designer" feel by adding big, bold black and white stripes added with different types of leopard print chiffon, with intensely rich chocolate velvet. The orange was displayed in the floral centerpieces. It was divine.
If you love orange, too - here's what loving it is supposed to mean: People who love orange are typically outgoing, creative, expressive, and young at heart. The color "orange" is actually the color for the birth month of August. Check out the new book called, "Colorstrology" by Michele Bernhardt. It's all there.
Celebrate Fall! Incorporate some orange into your life by placing orange Gerbera daisies on your desk, or wear an orange top, or hang a piece of art (with the predominate color in it being orange). Orange makes you feel happy! Enjoy it's pumpkin orange-ology, y'all!
Cool Pumpkin Carvings
Free pumpkin carving stencils
If you're the type that's really into Fall Harvest or Halloween, that likes to let your creativity run wild and loves to carve pumpkins - but you don't have time: carve a virtual pumpkin and email it to your friends. Or if you do have time - print it, and use it as a template to actually carve out the real thing.
More free pumpkin carving patterns/free pumpkin stencils
You can also carve flames into a few pumpkins, place them in a heap (with the biggest ones on the bottom) in your fire pit, place another layer on top, place votive candles inside each one of them and light... And you've made a pumpkin light show. Now sit back and enjoy it with hot cocoa, soft music, and a few friends!
Homemade Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin Pie Recipes
This is really, really good and I think you'll like it - even if you're not such a big fan of pumpkin flavor, like me. I like this pumpkin butter recipe and Costco's Pumpkin Cheesecake, too. Neither of them is extremely dominate in its pumpkin flavor. And in my opinion, Costco makes the best pumpkin cheesecake. So I don't bother to make it - although I never made the Philadelphia cream cheese pumpkin cheesecake recipe or the Libby's pumpkin cheesecake recipe - which I understand are both really good. I do plan to make at least one chocolate pumpkin cheesecake. Doesn't that sound good? I'll give you the recipe when I get it concocted. I think an altered recipe can often be better that the original version. My affinity is for easy and quick recipes.
Chocolate pumpkin butter is one of those great all-purpose spreads that you can use on a slice of toasted bread (Milton's All-Grain Whole Wheat, available at Costco, is my very favorite and the best bread ever, hand's down). And you could add to it, a slice of your favorite cheese. Some people might like it as a breakfast condiment, spreading it on muffins and pancakes. However you decide to use it (because you will [use it], because it's good), I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. It 's another easy and quick recipe; 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
Chocolate Pumpkin Butter
Makes 4 and 1/2 cups (36, two-tbsp. servings)
4 cups pumpkin puree or two 15-oz. cans pumpkin
1 and 1/4 cups pure maple syrup
1 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
Chopped hazelnuts (optional)
1.) In a 5-qt. Dutch oven combine all ingredients except nuts. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently for 25 minutes or until thick. (If mixture spatters, reduce heat to medium-low). Remove from heat; cool.
2.) Ladle into jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch space from the top of container. Cover and store in refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 6 months.
3.) To serve, top with chopped nuts.
How to make pumpkin puree
You can use this when canned pumpkin is needed. The cool thing is, it can be frozen and stored up to six months, so you can enjoy fresh pumpkin flavor all year 'round.
Pumpkin Puree
Makes 5 cups
Two - 3 and 1/2 lb. pie pumpkins
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pumpkins in 5x5 -inch pieces. remove seeds and strings. Arrange pieces in a single layer, skin side up, in foil-lined baking pan.
2.) Bake, covered, 1 hour or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop pulp from rind. Place pulp in blender or food processor.
3.) Cover and blend or process until smooth. Transfer to freezer bags. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze up to 6 months. Thaw in refrigerator to use.
You might need to know this...
When you walk the grocery store aisles you'll see both pumpkin pie filling and canned pumpkin. If you are wondering what the difference is, pumpkin pie filling is canned pumpkin with ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg added to it. Be sure to double check your recipe to determine which type is needed.
Pumpkins are fun! And the color "orange" is fun! Pumpkin orange-ology is nothing but unadulterated joy and good fun. The term should not be taken to heart or taken seriously. Have fun living it!
Other Related Articles:
Halloween Falls on a Saturday
Costume Parties: For Halloween and Otherwise
The Best Autumn Harvest Keoke Coffee
Holiday Party Time
Event Planning: Transform a small space into a small wonder
Court your caterer to get what you want
The Color Effect of your Party
Top 10 Blogs for Design Style Inspiration
Image source: Mr. Greenjeans
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