On this post, how to make easy succulent pumpkins, a classic minestrone you need in your winter recipe rotation, a fall playlist, and my upcoming event with Rails at Stanford
I’ve officially entered my fall girl stage with lamps on the kitchen counter, soup plans and pumpkin breads, sweaters sorted out and stacked waiting to be worn!
Your fall playlist..
This cute playlist popped up when I was on Spotify and it’s kind of a good one for now. When this heatwave ends, I’m looking forward to cozy evenings on the couch watching Meg Ryan movies in thick socks with a cup of camomile tea.
Succulent pumpkins
I had a little time on my hands when Max was gone kayaking and thought I’d give the succulent pumpkins a go again this year. I haven’t made them since the pandemic (when I had extra, extra time), and they are so easy and unique -and last!
This is a super fast craft and requires no dirt, and the succulents last with no care and can be reused when you are done. Just start with clean pumpkins and you need a hot glue gun.
If you have succulents, it’s easy to snip bits off and use them on your pumpkins. You can keep these pumpkins until January or beyond, and even plant the pumpkins if they are small or just remove the plants and stuff them in a pot.. You’ll be amazed how they can just keep growing with little care..
This was one made during the pandemic.. Loved the color of this one!
To make unique pumpkins, look for interesting colors. The little pumpkins make for cute gifts.
What you need:
Moss Mix– you can find at a garden or craft store and also here on Amazon.
Dried Flowers– or you can forage the yard for statice, dried lavender and dry roses- or get a bag like this one of straw flowers. You can also skip this and just do moss and succulents.
Variety of pumpkins– small to medium
Hot glue gun
These are the ones made during the 2020 pandemic with my neighbors Kim and Becca and I with our masks in the garage. It was a way of getting out of the house and being together! Can you remember how it was? Gosh how fast I forget..so glad to be over that year..
This is my materials I started with..Cleaned pumpkins, moss, the glue gun, and I had a few leaves and bits foraged from the yard to add in with the succulent cuttings..
I plan to give these small guys to the neighbors… You can tie a little tag on the stem, or place them in a cellophane bag with a bow and tag!
Some of these guys did not have big stems, so I put them in cellophane bags and used cute vintage looking ribbon to add the tags..
I just found Michaels has the cutest ribbon bundles you can buy that are random and vintage ribbons for each season.. I just bought this fall grouping and can’t wait to use it on more things..
Minestrone soup
Speaking of the past, two years ago I shared this wonderful classic minestrone soup…. Then somehow, the recipe was forgotten and I recently came across photos and the recipe and wondered why I had stopped making it -or how I lost the recipe.. Do you ever do that? Well I’m going to share it again, as we could all use a good minestrone in our lives.
The recipe is a good one and it is easily adaptable. I used cannelini beans, and zucchini and a few yellow potatoes with the other veg. I topped mine with shredded parmesan and a small drizzle of good olive oil..This soup keeps wonderfully for many days and you can freeze it too. You can also opt to use gluten free noodles and vegan parmesan.
Stone Soup
I was chatting to my dad about this soup, and the next day he told me he made ‘Stone Soup’ with all his leftovers..We were laughing because we had that book as kids. It was one of a pile my dad’s from his grammar school weekly reader collection from the 1940’s, that we loved as kids. I still have it somewhere…and my kids read it.
Dad said his was version was delicious! A good reminder to throw everything leftover into a soup occasionally at the end of the week.
The book by Marcia Brown is a Caldecott winner and is based on an old European folk tale of poor soldiers that come to a town and villagers say have no food to share, so they start a ‘soup’ in a pot with water and a stone. The villagers want to know what they are making and eventually they trick them all into contributing a small bit, to make a delicious soup, and throw out the rock. It’s a great lesson on sharing and that together we all have more… You can still buy the original version here. It’s one small kids might enjoy! I’m sure some of you will have a flashback of it..
Apple picking and pumpkin season!
It’s that time of year to go apple picking. We are spoiled for choice in the Bay Area.. There are so many spots. We have gone to Gizdich Ranch many times with our kids and brought picnics and took home some amazing pies.. We have also loved Apple Hill east of Sacramento, which is loaded with good places to stop. You can make a day of it there.
There are also you pick apple farms in Napa, Sacramento and other areas.. This article has all the places to go.
Half Moon Bay is another fun October weekend stop.. We love to go to the Half Moon Bay Nursery, below, for pumpkins when we do….They also have some great plants.
Makeup free and looking fresh..
Everyone was abuzz this week about Pamela Andersen going sans makeup to the Paris Fashion Week. I loved the photos of her and how fresh she looked.. We need to see more of this! I’m so over the big fake lashes, strong brows and contour that makes women look harsh. We don’t need it. Less fake, more real please.
My mother always said the less makeup, the better as we age, and I think she was right. I was inspired to let my hair air-dry and just wear some sunscreen this week and it felt good and also a heck of a lot easier. I also think the more we see ourselves this way, they more we will grow to love our natural state.
In that same topic, friends saw 70 year old Pat Benatar in concert this week at the Mountain Winery and I just love her natural hair and outfit don’t you? I think this silver hair is a softer look on her and so flattering..
On My Radar
Serena & Lily Fall Event is happening and this velvet quilt is on my wish list. I have been thinking about one for a while. I think I like the coastal blue that reverses to beige, but the Cardamon is also calling my name, especially with autumn here… My favorite bath towels are also on sale and so is my dining rug I love.
I love sweatshirts and just bought this wrap sweatshirt at Athleta. I was sold by the shape and how super soft it is. I am usually a medium, but It runs small and I went with a large. I think this will be cute with joggers as well as jeans and skirts. Very versatile.
Two New Los Gatos Small Businesses..
Two new small businesses that opened this week in Los Gatos that I am very excited about… One is the delicious Grocer+ Goddess that has been a small outpost, but now opened a large charming spot right on the park in downtown LG. I went with my pal Erin and we loved it. This fulfills all my requirements of a sweet space you’ll want to linger at. The food is healthy and fresh. I had a chickpea wrap with home made potato chips so GOOD! They also have breakfast, baked goods, wonderful takeout, gourmet groceries, and a small curated housewares section.
Late Friday a much missed Los Gatos gem, homeware store, Domus has reopened! After being closed for many years after a landlord pushed this beloved store out, the owner had an opportunity to restart again. I was there Friday morning, but they weren’t opening until the afternoon. I took photos through the window…
My heart was happy to see it looked as it always did, with clocks on the wall, pretty dishes, placemats and napkins, wonderful paper goods, and more! I can’t wait to have a place once again for gifts and cards. If you need a kitchen gadget- they will have it. It’s a unique and appealing mix only Domus has! Get there if you can. We need to help local brick and mortar stores more than ever, and it’s also just a joy to shop at such a well curated place. I’ll report more next week once I get in.
Next week -Tuesday I have a handbag post with Cindy for our Signature Style of October! If you need a bag, this is a good one to check out.
A Rails Event! PLEASE COME. On Saturday, the 14th, I am excited to be joining the Rails Palo Alto for a special event where you can check out the fall looks. I would love to meet you and will be there to help shop or style autumn looks 11-2. Come see the beautiful Rails pieces in person at their pretty Stanford store. They will be rolling out a lovely shirt that they have created to fundraise for Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Month too. It’s a great day out with a friend and lunch at my favorite place, Stanford. I hope to see some of you there! You can peek at the fall looks here.
At the beautiful Rails Palo Alto last spring… The store has so much!
Last weekend I shared an easy wall collage idea, some pumpkin options to add to your mix, and more.
Have a beautiful weekend!
Kim
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