Tips To Preserve Fall Pumpkins and Gourds For Your Autumn Decor

How To Preserve Fall Pumpkins And Gourds  

Hello all, I spent my Monday soaking these cuties - pumpkins and gourds in a bubble bath. You know living in the South, our Fall temps can differ from sweaters and boots one day to shorts and flip flops on another day. Do you want to preserve your pumpkins and gourds even longer?  

No one likes to see their Fall decorations become mush before Halloween. 

For years I’ve always sprayed my pumpkins and gourds with a matte sealer before placing them into my Fall décor and it definitely works. However, I heard about this formula from a local farmer recently and I’ve researched it too. So, I thought let’s try this step in addition to spraying them. I want my pumpkins and gourds to last, and especially my clients pumpkins and gourds to last the entire Fall season without them turning to mush. Hey, they may even last till Christmas!  I’ll keep you posted! 

So these pumpkins and gourds are getting a nice bubble bath today.  Y’all, I’ve been told it works! And if it doesn’t, at least they are clean to display in your Fall décor. Doesn't hurt to try it. 

How to Preserve Pumpkins & Gourds:

*Prepare a mixture of bleach, cold water and Dawn or a dish soap of your choice. 

(One gallon water, 2 T. bleach and a squirt of dish soap.)

*Soak real gourds and pumpkins stem down to keep them from bobbing out of the water, soak for 15 to 30 minutes. Use a tub, laundry tub, outdoor sink or even your kitchen sink.

Rinse and dry well. 

*Before adding to your decor, it’s optional to give your pumpkins a quick coat of spray matte sealer. It helps preserve them even longer and it works! 

***Do not eat pumpkins and gourds after soaking them in a bleach bath and spraying them. Also, wear gloves to protect your hands anytime you are working with bleach and sprays. 

Happy Fall Y’all!   

Charlotte NC - SC Seasonal / Fall / Holiday Decorating Ideas

 

Holiday / Fall / Seasonal Decorating Ideas 

A Charlotte NC Seasonal and Holiday Decorator, Tonia Mosteller shares her seasonal Fall favorites!  

Our BFF Seasonal Fall Craft Day 

Getting my girlfriends homes ready for the change of season 
from Summer to Fall and decorating for the season. Adding Fall decorations with little touches of the Thanksgiving holiday and then transition to the Christmas holiday.

Well after having so much fun on our first "Seasonal Fall Craft Day" making our holiday tinsel bear and sleigh Christmas ornaments we just had to make it another fun day hanging out making Autumn (Fall) seasonal wreaths and eating delicious food!

We planned another day to Michaels and Hobby Lobby, gathered our shopping list and away we went. The decorations/crafts we purchased were: grapevine wreath, twig wreath, wire, fall autumn leaves, owl, initial letter, faux pumpkins, green ivy and leafy fall sprigs.

As a holiday-seasonal - event decorator of Charlotte, NC I had a wonderful time creating these handcrafted wreaths for my friends and helping them decorate their homes for the Autumn season. We spent the day laughing, baking and creating wreaths, and we made some delicious Fall seasonal favorites in the kitchen too! 

Boo-hoo....do you see Mr. Owl? 

He's hiding in the Seasonal Fall Wreath. 

Our Autumn breakfast menu for our Seasonal Fall Craft Day.

Nothing says Autumn like a warm and delightful, 

homemade loaf of pumpkin bread! A great way to welcome Fall and the season! Yummy!

Here is the pumpkin bread recipe we found on Steaming Gourmet! 

It had 5 stars and we give it 5 stars too! 

Ultimate Pumpkin Bread 

Author: Amy Wilson
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 20 mins
Serves: 14

A fabulous pumpkin bread and the best you’ll ever taste.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, really soft, half melted really
3 large eggs
1 16 oz can of pure pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Method

Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray two medium loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the wire whisk attached, dump in the sugar. Take the butter and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, so that it is half melted. Dump it into the sugar. Add the eggs. Cream these three ingredients together on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the pumpkin and combine well.

In three batches, add the dry ingredients and mix gently until each batch is just incorporated. Scrape the sides between each batch.

Pour half of the batter into a one of the prepared pans. Fold the pecans into the remaining batter and then pour it into the other prepared pan. Bake side-by-side for about one hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean the top is golden.
Notes

Yields 2 loaves.

Holiday Breakfast Quiche is simply delicious! 

This is a recipe I got many years ago from my sweet friend Julie, 

it's an old recipe from her mother. 

I call it "Holiday Breakfast Quiche", because of the colors from the peppers 

that gives it a colorful and festive holiday appearance. 

Holiday Breakfast Quiche Shopping List and Recipe

• (1) Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage 
• (1) 9" fold out Pillsbury Crust Pie Shell
• (1 1/2) cups Grated Swiss Cheese (note...use a good quality cheese, makes all the difference)
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Red Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Chopped Onion
• 4 Eggs (slightly beaten and set aside)
• 1 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream

Preheat Oven to 375, bake 40 to 45 mins (depends on oven)

Crumble sausage as you allow it to cook and brown until it is done. Drain and immediately add in Swiss cheese, mix it together. Then add all the ingredients listed above, including eggs and mix together. Follow directions on pie shell box and place pie shell in your quiche dish. Note....within 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover quiche lightly with tinfoil to prevent it  browning too much on top and the edge of crust. 

Enjoy, the Holiday Breakfast Quiche it's divine!!!

Of course no breakfast is not complete without a cup of hot Pumpkin Spice coffee! Pumpkin creamer, added some cinnamon and 

homemade whipped cream on top as the garnish! It was fabulous! 

Wishing you a fabulous Fall, may you make some great memories with your family and friends and enjoy this beautiful Autumn season! 

Tonia Mosteller

704-651-8878

Holiday - Event - Seasonal Decorator

Charlotte, NC - SC 

Visit Innovative Interiors website for more information about our 

Seasonal / Holiday / Event Decorating Services

Innovative Seasonal Holiday Decorating

Happy Fall Decorating! 

 

Fall Decorating Inspirations 

 

Charlotte NC Seasonal and Holiday Decorators 

Fall in love with Autumn and jump into your Fall decorating feet first, you'll give your front porch, living room, bedroom, or any other space in your home a taste of autumn with pumpkins, plaid, chunky blankets, and more seasonal staples that you love to decorate with.  And when you are all done adding your Fall decor, sit back and relax with a slice of banana bread and a cup of pumpkin spice. Enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

Fall is just around the corner, now that we are in September it is the perfect time to cozy up your indoors and outdoors spaces. Start thinking about decorating your home for autumn, many stores such as Lowe's and local nurseries are already putting out mums and other Fall plantings to use for your Fall decor. Create an inviting outdoor environment for your family and friends by displaying autumn-themed decor around the outdoor spaces of your home, whether it be your front door or back patio. 

Traditional favorites are items such as bales of hay, layered with pumpkins, and mum in rustic wooden baskets or galvanized tins. Create color themes with mums, pumpkins and gourds. Pumpkins and even gourds varying shapes and sizes add visual interest by elevating them in height. Corn stalks, wreaths, scarecrows, lanterns, chalkboard signs and burlap are also trendy items to use for your Fall decor. When decorating for fall, take into consideration the seasons, where you can transition from autumn decor to Halloween to Thanksgiving with having a main theme and possibly changing just a few items to cut out your workload. 

However, if you are one to change with every season and aren't sure how to pull everything together, a Charlotte NC Seasonal Holiday Decorator with Innovative Interiors Holiday Decorating  offers a free inhome or office consultation. Our seasonal and holiday decorators will meet with you to determine your decorating needs and put decorating plan together that works with your budget. We also offer virtual consultations too! Whether you are looking to decorate for the seasons or holidays and events we have solutions for you. 

 

Tonia Mosteller 

Charlotte NC Seasonal / Holiday Decorator 

704-651-8878 or email at tonia.ihdecorating@gmail.com

Seasonal / Holiday Decorating Services

Autumn / Fall Theme Decorating . Spring / Summer Theme Decorating . Winter Theme Decorating . Indoor / Exteriors . Front / Back Porches and Patios . Front Entrances . 

Home / Office Decorating .  Fireplace Mantels . Table Centerpieces . 

Stairwells . Seasonal Handcrafted / Natural Centerpieces .

Garlands . Wreaths and so much more!

Holiday and Event Decorating - July 4th . Halloween . Thanksgiving . Christmas .  New Years 

and several other holidays we specialize in decorating.

Fall in Love With Autumn

Hello September!

We welcome you! 

Autumn begins on September, 22nd and Fall decorating begins for most of us in September too. Fall is my absolute favorite season and everything that goes along with it. The warmth and coziness that Autumn brings, it makes my heart sing. I love being outdoors this time of year with my family and friends and our fur baby. Now it's time to spice up the indoors and outdoors with great Fall decorating. 

Apple picking, leaf peeping, hot chocolate, weekend mountain getaways, hiking, cooler weather, apple spice, banana and pumpkin breads, pumpkins and gourds, jeep rides, fresh air, sweaters and boots, pumpkin spice everything, lattes, sitting by the fire, and hayrides, oh my! Let Autumn begin and Fall decorating! 

Celebrate the start of the Harvest season by going all-out, get outdoors and gather some wonderful natural decorations to use for your Fall decor and make some Fall memories with family and friends too. One of our favorite times to visit New England is in the Fall, we love to visit our family in New Hampshire, it's such a beautiful state, especially in the Fall. 

 

Then some apple picking with friends in North Carolina, riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking, making homemade apple cider from the apples we picked at a local apple orchards, and finish our weekend in the mountains with sitting by a cozy fire...with gratitude in our hearts. "Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale." Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature. 

  

Exploring nature with this handsome guy, our happy place. Sometimes you have to get out and let the cool breezes hit you in the face and enjoy the fresh Autumn air. Our fur baby loves to do this! So many great places to visit in North Carolina and several local pumpkin patches and apple orchards not far from the Charlotte area to explore this Autumn. No time like the present to get outdoors and explore North Carolina, embrace the beautiful Autumn and Fall colors!  

Changing seasons, cooler temps and everything pumpkin spice definitely gets me in the mood to decorate for Fall and the upcoming holidays. Check out my next post for some Fall Decorating Inspirations! 

Call for your Free Fall / Seasonal / Holiday Decorating Consultation

 

 Tonia Mosteller 704-651-8878 or email tonia.idhecorating@gmail.com

Innovative Holiday Decorating 

Charlotte NC Seasonal and Holiday Decorator 

 

 Fall in Love With Seasonal Decorating!

As a professional Holiday - Seasonal - Event Decorator of Charlotte, NC I am thrilled the seasons are changing! And I'm looking forward to all the beauty Fall brings!

When glorious colors from the beauty our trees comes alive to display abundance fall color. Mother Nature's decorates our land with colors of yellows, reds, greens, golds, purples, and oranges. It's the perfect time to decorate your home indoors and outdoors for the upcoming season. From the holidays of Halloween to Thanksgiving, no better time to show off your personality and add color and spice up your home! Below are some great ideas from BHG on how to add some fall color to your outdoor spaces! 

The key for outdoor decorations is to include different elements in outdoor decorating . Apples, pinecones, evergreens, and so on. Look at each season from spring, summer, fall, and winter...each season brings color and natural elements from the outdoors to decorate until your heart is content.

Fall Squash and Foilage

Mix bright orange squash with earthy pottery for an autumn hued display. Fill the vase with beautiful crab apple branches for their ripe apples and lush leaves.

Creative Pumpkin Arrangment 

Display hollowed-out pumpkins filled with potted fall flowers along a retaining wall. A procession of pumpkins would also look stately on your front steps.

Fall Festive Lights 

Adapt Christmas lights for the Halloween and Thanksgiving season. Position sturdy bare branches in a pot half filled with small rocks or potting soil. Fill in the top of the pot with gourds and pumpkins. Wrap strands of lights (white lights or specialty outdoor party lights) around the bare branches. 

Fall flower Bouquet

Scour antique stores and flea markets for a tall and tapered, galvanized steel container with a handle. Fill with fall flowers and hang by the handle from a hook on your front door.

Potted Pumpkin

Turn an old planter into a pumpkin perch for fall. Hot-glue corn husks to a straw wreath form, along the top, bottoms, and sides so that the ends of the husks all point outward. Stick sprigs of ornamental grass into the wreath form to fill in any gaps. Set the wreath on top of a garden urn and nestle a pumpkin in the wreath.

Pumpkins Path

Add some pizzazz to your front yard by lining a walkway with pumpkins. Around Halloween, replace some of the whole pumpkins with carved jack-o'-lanterns.

Fall Backyard Porch Decor

Add a string of decorative outdoor lights to your porch railing to illuminate the night.

Windowsill Fall Decorations

Dress up blank windowsills with an arrangement of harvest-inspired elements such as miniature hay bales, ears of Indian corn, and leaves. For Halloween, add a miniature jack-o'-lantern or two. For Thanksgiving, add a handful of pinecones.

Photos and articles about photos courtesy of BHG.com.

We welcome "Fall",  will be so happy to see you! 

Happy Fall Decorating from our home in Charlotte, NC to your homes.

Fall and Seasonal Decorating in Charlotte NC

Transitioning from Summer to Fall in a North Carolina home, bringing new life to another beautiful season.  A great way to add a punch of Fall decor is changing up summer pillows without the added expense of buying new pillows. The pillow covers featured in the photos below are from Amazon. Simply cover existing Summer pillows with new Fall pillow covers of your choice, it's a nice way to bring new life to existing decor. Some of your summer plantings can also transition into Fall, many of the grasses were from summer potted plantings. The orange and cream throw featured is from TJMaxx, they have so many cool throws that will fit into any Fall decor. The harvest/holiday sign (Holiday saying is on the other side) was created using an existing board we had from another project, choose a paint color of your choice for the board and for the Fall saying, select a Fall seasonal saying that you like best and stencil or hand paint it on the board. The best part by using the other side of the board you can create another holiday or seasonal saying. The Harvest sign has a Christmas saying on the other side and simply flipped over when the porch transitions to the holiday decorating. Pumpkins of all sizes purchased from a local pumpkin patch or you can grow your own pumpkins and harvest them to be used for Fall decorating and carving, and the pumpkins seeds are wonderful to bake when you carve the pumpkins for Halloween. The wreath and mantel was created using materials from mother nature, Micheal's and Hobby Lobby. Seasonal and holiday decorating can be done easily by incorporating some existing decorations and decor around your home and using mother nature as another great resource. 

Think outside the box, Fall and seasonal decorating can be done with imagination and creativity, and you don't have to break the bank to do so. So many budget friendly ways to decorate. Be on the outlook for my next Fall / Seasonal Decorating post! 

Happy Fall Ya'll!  

Interior and Exterior Fall / Seasonal / Holiday Decorating Services | Charlotte NC

Seasonal / Holiday / Event Decorator Charlotte NC / SC 

Call for your Free Fall / Seasonal / Holiday Decorating Consultation 

 Tonia Mosteller 704-651-8878 or email tonia.idhecorating@gmail.com