Starting Your Cutting Garden

There are no hard and fast rules to creating a cutting garden, but deciding which of your blooms to cut can be difficult. You don’t want to mess up your exterior landscape, but you also want the beautiful flowers indoors. If you are going to struggle with chopping up the look of your landscape, you may consider creating a separate cutting garden away from your landscaped yard. This garden will be specifically for cutting and is typically setup in vegetable garden format with rows of your favorite flowers. Or you can plant flowers any way you’d like, since it is for the expressed purpose of cutting for beautiful indoor flowers.

If you want to keep your garden together, or don’t have the space, one option is to color coordinate your gardens. Plant in similar tones (cool colors, dark, light, etc). Then, even when blooms are cut, there are plenty of the same or similar colors left. This also prevents the garden from looking messy or confetti like.

Caring for Your Garden

Your cutting garden will be maintained in the same fashion as your standard landscaping garden. Knowing what plants, shrubs, or flowers grow best in your is key. Speak with your local garden center to f ind out which blooming varieties will be best set for your soil type and climate.

Creating Your Bouquet

Now come the fun part: creating your bouquet. Bouquets can be simple, elegant, or a single
flower nicely packaged. Regardless of what is in your bouquet, there are a few tricks to keeping your bouquet fresher for longer.

Follow these simple tips:

• Cut your flowers when it is coolest outside (typically early morning).
• Place the stems directly into water after
  cutting.
• Freshly cut the stems when you bring them inside.
• Add floral preservative to the water for extended life.

Creating a beautiful cutting garden is easy and rewarding. What is your favorite fresh-cut flower?

Top of the Morning To You

A Green Smoothie

Start the day off with a healthy, nutritious Dr. Oz smoothie. It’s green and good for you!

• 1 cup spinach
• 3 stalks celery
• 1/2 cup diced seeded cucumber
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 small apple cored
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon lime zest

Combine all ingredients in blender and purée. Add a banana for a little sweetener.

For the Kiddies

Sparkling Limemaid Float

• 1 12 ounce can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
• 1 quart lime sherbet
• 1 2 liter bottle lemon-lime flavored soda
• Crushed ice

Pour limeade concentrate into a large punch bowl. Add the sherbet and stir until smooth and well combined. Pour in the soda and stir to combine. Add the crushed ice just before serving.

Or to make the wee ones feel more grownup, try this sparkling water, green drink:

• 4 ounces sparkling water
• 4 ounces white grape juice
• 10 green grapes frozen
• Green food coloring

Put the grape juice, 8 of the frozen grapes and a couple drops food coloring into blender. Blend and pour into glass. Add sparkling water to taste and garnish with the remaining frozen grapes.

Cocktail Hour

Appletini

• 2 ounces Irish whiskey
• 1 ounce sour apple schnapps
• 2 ounces white cranberry juice

Place all 3 ingredients into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a fresh apple slice.

Everybody’s Irish

• 2 ounces Irish whiskey
• 1 tablespoon green crime de menthe
• 1 tablespoon green Chartreuse

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a green olive.

Tropical Leprechaun

• 2 ounces coconut rum
• 1/2 ounce Blue Curaçao liqueur
• Pineapple juice

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour in rum and Blue Curaçao and then top off with pineapple juice. Stir the top slightly, leaving the blue on the bottom of the glass, until the drink turns green.

After Dinner

Shamrock Shaker

This creamy, smooth drink is a decadent mix of coffee and almond along with milk.

• 1 1/2 ounces Kahlua coffee liqueur
• 1/2 ounce amaretto liqueur
• 2 1/2 ounces milk

Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker and file with ice. Shake vigorously and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Sprinkle with edible green and gold powder for garnish (you can find this in a cake decorating store).

Late Evening

Lucky Lime Float

Scoop lime sherbet into a mug and add 7Up or other clear soda. Garnish with whipped cream (tinted green of course) and some green sugar sprinkles.

The Irish are known for their celebrations complete with toasts. Some silly, some blessings and some with deep meanings that make you pause for a minute.

May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Than the happiest day of your past.

Develop Your Accent

Start with changing your accent colors. If you’re bored with the current colors of your vase, candles, and knickknacks, wrap them up for another year. Then it’s time to choose one to three new colors. From small items, like candles, to larger ones, like throw pillows, once you choose a new theme the same old same old couches and walls won’t be the focus anymore. You can brighten up a neutral room by adding blues, greens and oranges or add depth to a light-colored room with black, red and dark green accents. If you feel the room is dreary, try colorful yellow and blue accent pieces.  Now it’s time to hit up yard sales, thrift shops, church craft sales and discount stores for your new accessories. Or search for end of season sales, discounts and close-outs to stretch your budget. If you can afford it, a new area rug or curtains can make a world of difference too.

Work With the Seasons

Many of us really go wild at the Holidays and the house just glows with color, sparkle and warmth. When all that comes down in January, it can look a little plain at home. Experiment by using colored indoor Christmas lights on an artificial trees to light up a corner of a room. Consider adding colorful bowls and collections of natural items to various tables – changing them as the seasons change. You can use feathers, nuts, twigs and pinecones in the fall and winter. Swap it out for rocks, driftwood and  shell collections in the summer months.  Fill bowls with silver and gold ornaments, jewelry and baubles to add some glimmer to a room.  Take a walk outside and cut whatever is in season-not just flowers, but leaves, and greens, and bring a bit of nature and seasonal color indoors.

Get Rearranging

This is something I did recently and it makes me feel like I have a new room. I brought the den coffee table and end tables into the living room, then I sold my old living room table on a local buy and sell group. (Selling old pieces and using the money for previously owned furniture is the way to go!) Then I took an old toy trunk that was in the playroom, put it in my den as a coffee table and draped it with a lovely black and white fabric checker board for a whimsical look.Look around bedrooms and spare rooms to see what you like that can be rotated  out and be in the main living areas for a while.

Splash Some Paint

Another change can be in simply painting the walls. Whether you opt to redo an entire room, or one wall, a new color goes a long way. If you are creative, stenciling walls or even painting and distressing pieces of furniture can make a world of difference in a room. A recently painted ottoman in my home, going from drab brown to turquoise, looks amazing.

Whatever your budget, your home is your haven and you want it to not only reflect your personal style but to be a source of happiness when you look around. So choose to make a few small decorating swaps to see some beautiful and colorful changes around the house.

Surprise your co-workers with this exceptionally stomach turning, yet tasty, dish.

The Most Disgusting (yet yummy) Halloween Treat: Kitty Litter Cake

Okay, this one is not for the weak of stomach; however, it is sure to keep the co-workers talking. This is a recipe for a Kitty Litter cake. It is super tasty, but also disgusting to look at. If you are looking for a laugh and want to bring the most disturbing cake to your office celebration, I promise the kitty litter cake won’t disappoint.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of chocolate cake mix (your favorite kind can be German, double chocolate, or standard chocolate, your pick!)
• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 pack of vanilla pudding mix (2 if you want it a little more gooey)
• 1 package of your favorite vanilla cookie (I use vanilla wafers)
• A bag of Tootsie Rolls
• Green or brown food coloring (I prefer green)

Optional:

• Brand new kitty litter box
• Brand new kitty litter shovel/scooper

Directions:

1. Cook both cake mixes per box directions. Doesn’t matter the pan size as you will just be crumbling the cakes. Once the cakes are cooked and cooled, crumble the cakes into a large bowl. Next use a blender or food processor to crumble the cookies. You want them very crumbled to resemble kitty litter.
2. Separate out 1/3 cup of the crumbled cookies and add green or brown food coloring. Set aside.
3. Mix together the crumbled cake, non-colored cookies crumbs, and pudding until moist. Add the mixture to the clean kitty litter pan.
4. Heat the Tootsie Rolls slightly in the microwave so that you can mold them. Remove and gently shape the ends so the Tootsie Rolls are no longer blunted on the ends, instead you want them slightly stretched and rounded. Bury the Tootsie Rolls throughout the cake.
5. Now you have the kitty litter base with some hidden surprises. For the top, srinkle the dyed cookie crumbs across the top of the cake. Then place some of the molded Tootsie Rolls on the top. You can even drape a couple gently over the side of the kitty litter pan.

Now you have a very disturbing looking, yet tasty, office treat. Everyone will definitely take a second look at this creation and before they take a bite they’ll be wondering what they’re about to bite into!

What is the most disturbing Halloween treat you have encountered? Could you eat a kitty litter cake?

Image Source

As I’ve been browsing online for a few ideas for my home, I’ve seen some of the most creative outdoor Halloween decor ideas that are not only simple to pull off, but they look amazing and will wow your guests.

There is something about driving by, or walking up to, a home that has their outdoor space decorated for the season. It’s very welcoming and adds nice curb appeal. So get ready to grab those brooms, pumpkins and milk jugs because it’s time to decorate your outdoor space for Halloween.

Milk Jug Jack-o-Lanterns

This idea is great for so many reasons. Not only are you recycling your milk jug containers that usually end up in the trash, but this is a fun Halloween craft for the kids to get involved in. It’s also extremely affordable. All you need are:

• Milk jugs
• A black sharpie
• A knife that will cut through the milk jug
• White lights

Here’s a fun step-by-step explanation of how to make these. You can give the jugs all different kinds of faces and they can light the path to your door.

A Witch Was Here

I am thinking about incorporating this idea on my front porch because I just love it so much. All you need are:

• A broom or two (it needs to look like a witch’s broom),
• Some pointy witch shoes
• A frog and a pumpkin
• You can even create a sign that says “A Witch Was Here” or one like the original idea I pinned here.

This is such a fun idea and will give your house guests a good laugh.

Your Very Own Bat Cave

No, I’m not talking about a bat cave like Batman’s, but this idea from Martha Stewart, queen of all things Halloween. This is a very simple idea and all it takes is her bat template, thick black paper and painter’s tape. You could add a few bats to your outdoor Halloween décor the day of Halloween. It might be a good idea to laminate the bats in case it rains and so you can use them again the next year.

Jack-o-Lanters Galore

If you love to carve pumpkins, spend a day or two carving them up with every different face and design you can imagine. Then set up a display similar to this one at Good Housekeeping. Not only did they use different faces and designs, but they also painted some pumpkins white. That adds such a classy look to your Halloween décor.

Frankenstein Your Door

This is by far one of the most fun and original ideas I’ve seen this year. Why not turn your entire door into Frankenstein’s face? Anna from  My Life and Kids used some foam and poster board, googly eyes and 3M strips to create her masterpiece. The project cost her less than $6 and she has a porch the entire neighborhood will be talking about.

Do you decorate your outdoor space for Halloween? Share some of your most favorite ideas with us from years past.

A while back my family started the tradition of making several loves of pumpkin bread on an early Autumn day. This sweet and flavorful bread is simple enough to make that the kids can join you in preparing it.  And it’s so delicious, your family want it for breakfast, lunch, snacks and even dessert.

We wrap up the extra loaves and bring them to friends and teachers as little gifts. It’s also great to bring as a dish to a Halloween party or for Thanksgiving dinner as a festive alternative to pie.  You can serve the bread warm with butter, cold and cubed as a “finger food” snack, or even ice it with a bit of sweetened creme cheese. The options are endless.

The following pumpkin bread recipe yields 2 loaves.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 /12 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cooking oil
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 pound can of pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs plus 2 egg whites
• 2/3 cup water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease two 9x5x3 loaf pans.
2. Stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl: set aside.
3. In a large bowl, blend sugar and oil until fluffy.
4. Add eggs, pumpkin and water.
5. Gradually blend in flour mixture; mix until fully blended.
6. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing. Can be frozen in proper freezer bags for up to 2 months.

Serve and enjoy.

Though it’s no become an internet inside joke that there are more Pinterest-planned weddings than there are engaged couples to throw them, Pinterest can actually be a wonderful tool for a bride to map out her vision for the big day. You can browse a plethora of images to inspire ideas for décor, dresses, and all the details. There are many perks to planning a wedding with Pinterest.

Keep all your ideas in one easy-to-manage place – and take it with you everywhere: By far the best part about planning your wedding is the site’s easy accessibility and organization. From just one place you have access to millions of wedding ideas, and easily organize all the images that inspire you for quick reference later. No more ripping sheets out of bridal magazines and messily stuffing them into a folder or file. Plus, you can take Pinterest with you everywhere: access it on your phone, computer, laptop, tablet, etc.

Discover vendors, photographers, designers: By opening yourself up to images from around the world, you will discover new wedding photographers, dress designers, cake decorators, and all the special vendors to make your wedding magical. You’re no longer stuck crafting a list of vendor names from bridal magazines, phonebooks or references from friends, nor are you limited to the wedding gowns you see in magazines. You’ll find thousands of gowns on Pinterest, from real weddings or direct from designers.

Engage your friends: Thanks to Pinterest, your friends, family and bridesmaids can offer input and help you plan. Create boards and add trusted friends as “contributors” so they can add inspirational images to share with you. Friends and family can also follow your wedding boards on Pinterest and comment on your wedding items to give their two cents. You can even “pin” something you’re not sure about and tag your friends’ names in the pins so they’re alerted to offer input in the comments. Pinterest keeps the wedding planning connected to your loved ones, even if they live far away or have busy schedules.

Whim It

All year long we’re running our lives around schedules but with the kids off from school, in day or sleep-away camp, and the summer breeze keeping everyone relaxes – it’s fine not to plan ahead. Be spontaneous! It will help ensure the weather is good, dictate how many people can come and minimize stressing details.  And, you’ll have a terrific chance of limiting the attendees since many may have plans and either graciously decline or just stop by for a cocktail. This means even less work for mamma. Love that!

K.I.S.S A.S.S.

(Keep It Simple Serving)

Unless you’re a Martha-type who enjoys prepping and schlepping there’s no need to razzle dazzle nor do it all so be an A.S.S.

• A: Ask for Help
• S: Serve Finger Foods – Look for those that are already prepared and available at money-saving prices in Costco, Wal-Mart and many of your local supermarkets.
• S: SCOOP ‘N SERVE:  This is a simple serving idea that looks good and is a great kiddie task. Have them use an ice cream scooper to scoop out a variety of different sized melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew) to use as serving bowls for salads (coleslaw, potato, tossed and fruit salad); condiments and desserts like ice cream or the fresh fruit they just scooped.  When the get-together’s over, toss the melon bowls out and viola – no muss or fuss!

Chomp ‘N Chuck

This is an outdoor get-together so you don’t need to bring out your best china—buy everything that’s disposable from the plates to the flatware to the cups, platters and pans. Another reason your manicure will thank you!  Also have garbage and recycle bags in several spots so guests can easily ‘chuck’ their stuff’ when they’re done and you can continue to be lazy!

Chill It

Here are a couple twists on the usual beverage cooler:

• POT LUCK: You probably have a few extra pots gathering dirt in your garage from last year so put give them a cool twist.  Fill plastic flower pots with ice and add a little water, then stock them with single-serving refreshments. After the party, just let the ice melt, tilt and water the lawn! Tres eco-friendly!
• NEW SPIN: If your washing machine is in easy, no tracking dirt throughout the house, distance use it as an extra cooler by filling it with ice and canned beverages. When the party’s over, let the ice melt and put the washer on rinse to drain. I’ve also seen toilet bowls and tanks filled with ice and stocked with single serving drinks but this idea doesn’t ‘bowl me over’ … forgive the pun!

Let it Blow

To eliminate the wrinkles from vinyl or plastic outdoor tablecloths take aim with your fave styling tool:  your handy dandy blow dryer.  Hold ye blower about 6 inches above cloth and use a setting hot enough to erase but not burn away those wrinkles. Unfortunately this does not work on facial wrinkles!

Please share any summer entertaining tips and tricks you have below or tweet me at AccidentlHswife!

Games

Games can simply be put together.  Create an obstacle course for the kids to run through, kicking a ball through the course.   Another game is a relay race wearing a sombrero. Divide the kids out into even teams and give each team a sombrero.  Each teammate must run the length of the race track and back wearing the sombrero. The sombrero must be passed to the next person in line. The first team to complete the relay wins. The most popular mexican game is a pinata.  Pick a festive one to hang from a tree and let each child hit it with a stick 3 times, until it busts open.  Have bags ready for the kids to put their candy.  If your adventurous you can make your own pinata.

Crafts

Give the kids some crafts to keep them busy. I love tissue paper flowers.  Girls can make them and with a some hair pins they can pin them in their hair.   Make sure you have lots of brightly colored tissue paper.  Another great craft is to have the kids make their own maracas, they can make some music of their own.   To keep your kids busy before the party starts, making decorative garland to bring in the spicy decor.

Food

For your food there are recipes to impress your guests from cocktail to dessert.

Margarita

For a light refreshing margarita try my AshleyRita.

• 2 parts club soda
• 1 part white tequila
• Splash of triple sec
• Ice
• Salt for rim (optional)
• Four wedges of lime

Directions:

If you want salt, wet rim of glass and dip into the salt. Put ice and remaining ingredients into glass. Squeeze limes into drink. Stir and enjoy.

No Cook Fiesta Shrimp Cocktail

For an easy, no-cook appetizer put some of your favorite salsa in a dish and line with cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tail still on.  I like to use frozen shrimp that is already cooked and ready to go. All you have to do is thaw them.

Cheese Quesadillas

Layer mexican blend shredded cheese in between two flour tortillas. Warm in microwave or on the stove top, and cut into triangles.  These are great for the kids.

Chili Tequila Tilapia Wraps

This has a couple of steps but they are worth the effort.

Tilapia and Marinade:

• 1 pound of tilapia
• 1/4 cup of tequila
• 1/4 cup of lime juice
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 tsp white pepper

Coleslaw (mix all together):

• 3 cups of coleslaw mix
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbs of olive oil
• 2 tbs of lime juice
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp of pepper

Cheat Aioli (mix all together and chill):

• 1 cup of olive oil based mayonnaise
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 half of a juiced lemon

Directions:

Grill or broil fish after it has marinated for 30 minutes or more.  Make sure the fish is cooked through. Lay out four jalapeno cheddar tortillas. Layer the slaw, tilapia, thin slices of avocado and aioli.  Wrap up and slice in half.  Will make 4 wraps.

Carmel Tres Leches Cake

For dessert, I have taken a traditional tres leches cake and kicked it up a notch. Make this the day before.

Ingredients:

• 1 package organic white cake mix and ingredients mix calls for
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup  organic milk
• 1 cup  organic heavy cream
• 1 pint of organic heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbs powdered sugar

Directions:

In a double boiler, put the sweetened condensed milk and cook at a simmer covered for about 40 minutes until it is a light golden caramel color. Stir occasionally.  While this is cooking mix and bake cake according to directions. Take caramel sweetened condensed milk off heat and let cool a few minutes. Slowly start to add in cream and milk, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed.  While cake is still warm poke holes and pour over milk mixture slowly.  I like to use a very large spoon to spoon the milk on. Chill cake. Take pint of cream and powered sugar and whip into whipping cream.  When cake is chilled spread over the top with an icing knife. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wrap up your party with some funny hot sauce bottles, to elicit laughter from your guests.  Find great bottles over at Tijuana Flats. Don’t burn you mouth on the way home.

That’s the situation I faced a few weeks ago. I trusted the hostess and my family arrived at the party empty handed and starving. To my dismay I found they were serving four different types of pasta, garlic bread, and a premade salad with croutons mixed right in. Since our allergy happens to be gluten, there was not one thing we could safely eat. To her credit the host of the party felt awful and admitted she completely forgot about the allergy, and she apologized repeatedly. It was an awkward moment though, and made even more awkward by the guests asking us why we weren’t eating. That party taught me a few things, and here are my tips on how to handle a party when you or your child has allergies.

1. Talk to the host of the party as soon as you get the invitation. Explain your allergy and how some foods can be cross-contaminated. Find out what they plan on serving and bring your own version. Or offer to bring a hearty side dish that you can eat as your meal if necessary.
2. If they absolutely insist that you not bring anything, talk to them again a few days before the party. Remind them of your allergies and offer again to bring something. I’ve started saying that because my daughter is so sensitive I feel much better if I know exactly what she’s eating, and that I would really prefer to bring her something myself.
3. If they still insist on making everything (and I was surprised by how often this actually has happened), tuck a protein bar or another small treat in your purse … just in case.
4. Train any children with allergies to identify what they can and cannot have. And start this from a young age. My daughter is only 4 but she knows a lot about what she can and cannot eat, and if she has any doubt she knows to ask an adult for help. She also knows never to trade food with the kids at school. I know I can’t always be with my daughter so I try to make sure that she knows how to make good choices.

I now know the importance of always being prepared – both for my child’s safety and also to avoid some uncomfortable moments. I always feel a little apprehensive, especially when I don’t know someone very well, asking them their menu or how they prepare their food. The vast majority of people are very understanding and we’re able to work out an arrangement that works for everyone.

What are some of your best tips for going out with allergies?