Autumn is Here!

The Crystal Cottage's Fall Debut

Fall is upon us and we celebrated at our store with a Fall open house showing off our newest treasures and treating our lovely guests to fall treats, drinks, and decorating with pumpkin tips.

 

Here are the recipes everyone has been asking about!

 

Caramel Apple Dip~

sweet, smooth and fluffy! It was a hit and we even had some bowl lickers!

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We also served a pumpkin roll~ check out the recipe for April's favorite!

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And a cocktail of course...  Just fresh apple cider and Captain Morgan's spiced rum.  Garnish with a cinnamon sugar rim and an apple slice or cinnamon stick and it's pretty and tastes wonderful!

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Now for all those fab pumpkin ideas:

 



 

Spray paint?  Yes, please!  These are real pumpkins, picked up at our local produce place and simply sprayed with antique white and a metallic silver. 

Top left~ silver pumpkins used as taper holders and placed on top of glass candle sticks.  Bottom left~ mini pumpkins used as tealight holders.

 

How pretty are these?!  For the larger white pumpkin~ spray it, let dry, carve, add green floral foam, add in your choice of flower, (we chose the all white look here)a little moss, and then we pinned the top and stem of the pumpkin off to the side.  Gorgeous and took about 15 minutes! 

The smaller white pumpkin~ spray, adhere sticky black letters (local craft store) and pinned on a burlap flower (available in our retail store)

 

~Traditional orange pumpkin~

 

 

Sprayed mini pumpkins metallic gold then added to a lantern with pinecones and these great battery lit green branches (branches and Eiffel tower lantern avialable in our retail store)

 

The night was just a bit busy so we failed to get pictures of the other creative ways we used pumpkins...but they were equally very cool(the pictures below are similar to what we created-images from pinterest.) We carved one and used it as an icebucket to chill a pitcher of homemade iced tea and another one lined with a pretty linen and filled with tortilla chips to scoop up the yummy spinach artichoke dip.  We also used the large cinderella pumpkins as base to serve our desserts.  They are low and flat so we just placed the dish of treats on top and it gave our foodscape a great contrast of varying heights. 

 

 

 

 

So we LOVE pumpkins!  Check out our Fall Board on Pinterest for some more great ideas.

 

Our next store event is October 28th.  Check in for what the Crystal Cottage Girls come up with next! 

 

 

PARISIAN BRIDAL SHOWER

 How Romantic?
The very in love couple stealing a moment at their pretty shower.

We love parties and love party planning even more.  It's always a group effort and we thank everyone who helped make this so special for the lovely couple! (That's you- Rebekah, Renee, Kristen, Marica, Luann, April, Gary, Jeff and so many more!)

In addition to those Charming Burlap and Glass Vases enjoy these special touches:

~Lavender sachets~

We hand stamped small muslin bags with an Eiffel Tower and French Script stamps, filled with lavender from our local Peace Valley Lavender Farm, tied with a bit of twine and dazzled with a tiny hanging crystal.

Simple, Beautiful. Cheaper than anything store bought favor and useful.  

~The Lunch~

I HATE not being able to enjoy a party that I am the host of.  So I do everything I possibly can beforehand so that doesn't happen. 

TIP:  Try a "Bagged Lunch"

Brown bags, menu printed on card stock, hand stamped clothes pins with a french script stamp and voila! 

Inside?  Homemade pasta salad (our own yummy recipe) and a summer mixed berry salad (ala Martha Stewart- check it out)

And cafe sandwiches from our local Wegmans.  We cut them in half, wrapped them in parchment paper, and tied with a bit of twine.  They were a hit and clean up was so easy!  More time to enjoy time with friends!

~Dessert Bar~

Delicious assortment including Eiffel Tower cut out cookies, cake pops, chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes by talented bridesmaid, Renee, and cake by an amazing friend, Jen.  

Tip with the "burlappy" and antique feel of the shower we kept all the desserts to the same neutral colors.  Crazy maybe, but look how pretty! 

~Wine Bar~

We are fortunate to have some pretty awesome items at our retail shop so we always put them to use at our parties.  Check out this beautiful wine bottle chandelier!  Perfect for hanging over a wine bar!  The bar included 5 kinds of wine and a wine punch.  Good tip to keep the alcohol simple and just have one theme or a couple of signature drinks. Cuts the cost drastically! 

~Appetizer bar~

Linen shower curtain from my own home hehe... and these pretty floaty coffee filter pom pom balls.

It was a warm summer afternoon and it turned so pretty.  Worth every planning and creating night.  It did rain after lunch and everyone rain inside from the tent...

but it just made the day that much more memorable.  

Congratulations to the happy couple xoxo!