Have a Lovely Weekend!

We'll be back on Monday with more Babs Blog goodness...but we are signing off tonight for a long weekend. One of us will be finishing her bathroom renovation this weekend and the other will be jetting off to New York City for the weekend. Both of us will be taking a little Babs Blog Break as we will be away from our computers. We wish you all a beautiful fall weekend. If you are hosting a Halloween shindig, we hope you'll take photos and send them our way so we can pass your brilliant hostessing ideas on to others. If you are simply taking the kids out for some trick-or-treating, we hope you have a safe weekend with lots of beautiful family memories. Above all, remember to enjoy the people you spend the weekend with---that's one of the biggest lessons we've learned from Babs. :)

'til Monday,
Jill and Kari

Stop By For a Spot o' Tea?

When we were kids, Mom (the real Babs!) would make this fabulous spiced tea mix. It had Tang in it and it was yummy, yummy, yummy. A big batch would last us through the winter and we would often take it along on family camping trips for when we needed something hot to sip by the campfire. It was also a great "gift tea"---put into mason jars with a cute lid cover, it made a really festive and sweet gift for Sunday School teachers or friendly neighbors. Whenever fall rolls around, it always seems like it's time for a nice hot mug of the Tang Tea. Allrecipes.com has the Tang Tea recipe! We recommend that you check it out and make a batch to get you through the upcoming chilly months. (Another great thing about Tang Tea: it's inexpensive to make and a batch is quite plentiful!)

A Welcoming Home for Guests

Have you noticed that the best hostesses aren't always the ones with the nicest homes or fabulous, catered parties? The best hostesses are the ones who truly care about the comfort and enjoyment of their guests. This is the time of year when we open our doors to friends and family, and whether it is for an evening or an extended stay, be sure to think about what your guests will need to feel special and truly welcome. Whether it is a thick quilt on a guest bed, or a special soap (or soap dish!) in the bathroom, your thoughtfulness will be appreciated!

Beat the Holiday Rush!

Here at the Babs Blog, we have never been a fan of holiday shopping after Thanksgiving. For some reason, frantic crowds and packed parking lots make us a tad cranky. That's why we are making our lists and checking them twice... now. It might sound a bit nuts, but we love to have our shopping finished by mid-November. That way, we can relax and enjoy what the holidays are really about.... family, church, and of course, lots of entertaining! Click on the pictures above to start shopping at etsy.com!

Mail-able Cookies!

Its time to start looking forward to the holidays. By now, most people have their Halloween plans set and are planning Thanksgiving. In this age of far-flung families and outrageous airfare, some might not be able to travel to all of the celebrations to which they are invited. So if that sounds like you, be sure to send something almost as sweet as your presence instead! Jan Hagels are one of our family favorites, and a great option if you have time to bake. If you are too busy to whip something up yourself, Whimsy & Spice has a wonderful selection on etsy.com.

The Great Pumpkin

As children, our annual pumpkin carving was fun, messy, and yielded a bunch of poorly hacked little jack-o-lanterns. We were kids, and it was all we could do to not cut off a thumb while carving a crooked smile into our pumpkin. (These were the days before pumpkin safety knives for children---we were just expected to be careful and Dad and Mom would help monitor the situation so no limbs were lost). These days, it seems like pumpkin carving is no longer for kids! Adult pumpkin carving has taken on a new height of sophistication. While we still think a bunch of excited kids hacking jack-o-lanterns is more fun and creates the best memories, it can be fun to see what patient adults are doing with their pumpkins. Martha Stewart is probably the expert on this (of course, she has an incredible staff to hand-select the perfect pumpkin and then they get paid to make sure the carving comes out perfect....) and her website is where you can find the how-to instructions for all the pumpkin beauties above, in the photograph. Even if you just peruse her website to dream of what it might be like to have all the glorious free time it takes to create a lace-cut pumpkin or a pumpkin chandelier, the ideas are still great. And, if you do happen to make something fabulously grown-up out of a pumpkin this year, send us a picture so we can share it with our other readers! In the meantime, we hope that all the hacked-up jack-o-lanterns create smiles and good memories for all. Have a very safe and happy Halloween.

Harvest Finds from Etsy

Check out Etsy.com for these and other fabulous "Harvest-themed" items for Autumn. Click on the photos to begin shopping!

For the Love of Butternut Squash...

Butternut squash pretty much rocks. It's extremely versatile, has a really delish taste, and begs to be used in Autumn cooking! We are butternut squash fans and recently, three recipes crossed our path...much to our butternut squash-loving delight! Try them for dinner...you won't be disappointed!


First is a goodie from Williams-Sonoma: Kerchief pasta with Carmelized Squash and Fresh Herbs. Yum. Try it. Anything with the word "carmelized" is to die for.



The second dish is also a Williams-Sonoma treat: Penne with Butternut Squash, Sage and Bresaola. If you aren't so familiar with "bresaola," think "proscuitto." Sooooooo good.



Lastly, a simple but yummy Butternut Squash Bisque from Allrecipes.com. So hearty and toasty on a chilly fall day!

Election Madness...

Whether you vote through absentee ballot or at a poll, remember to vote! Some states are allowing early voting or, if you're like some of us, you've already sent in your mail ballot. Regardless, it's an important election and you forfeit the right to voice your opinion about the state of affairs if you don't vote!



Speaking of voting, you might want to consider an Election Day Party to celebrate the end of the campaigning! You can gather the fun party items above for your Election Day Party from Plumparty.com. It's up to you how you want to handle the Election Day festivities. You might only invite those that are from your party or you might decide to mix Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike. The most important thing for an Election Day Party is to have the TV on with election coverage and provide plenty of drinks and food. That way, even if the voting doesn't seem to be going your guests' way, you can still send people home full and somewhat happy.

Grocery Store Flower Arranging

These typical "grocery store flowers" were brought home from a quick trip to the market yesterday. Above, a $4 bunch of hypericum berries and yellow "filler" flowers.

Above, a $10 bouquet of yellow roses

And, lastly, a bunch of fun "pumpkin-like" stalks---don't know what they are, but they are fun! This also cost $4.

A silver ice bucket acts as vase. Here the bouquet starts to be built.

Adding those yellow "filler flowers" helps keep everything in place.


More roses are added...

Filling in the empty spots...



Voila! A beautiful fall arrangement that cost $18 from grocery store flowers---but it looks so much more expensive. So next time you are checking out at the market, check the fresh flowers and consider adding some to your table!

Chic Cupcakes

We love cupcakes! And these laser-cut cupcake wrappers from Paper Orchid only make our homemade cupcakes better. The lacy designs make each cupcake feel special. Check out the entire line by Paper Orchid and you'll find laser-cut wrappers for Halloween, baby showers, children's birthdays, Christmas, and more. How chic!

We Love Moo...

If you have never heard of or checked out Moo.com, you are missing out! Moo is all about printing, but unlike most printing places, Moo is affordable, allows limitless creativity, and doesn't limit you to using only one image per order. You can make custom stickers, cards, business cards, etc...and you can use a different design or image on each sticker or card in your order! The Moo.com site if full of creative ideas, so check it out. Think of using Moo the next time you want to create a custom invitation or come up with a fun little detail for your party. For wedding ideas, go to Moo's Wedding Idea Page. For other events, check out the Moo Idea Page for Valentine's, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother's Day...the list is limitless and so are the ideas!

Another Reason to Love Fall...

This Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe by Williams-Sonoma is a favorite. Full of delicious spices, it just tastes like autumn. Really, in the world of cheesecakes, this one isn't tricky to make. We've tried this recipe out for you and can attest, it's a winner. Any guest would enjoy a slice---or make it to surprise coworkers at the office or a hard-working hubby!

Papersource Does It Again...

We can't get enough of Papersource. They just have fun things! Check out these fun kits! Papersource has done the design work so you can put these kits together for fun, creative seasonal decor. These kits would be especially fun if you have kids at home---give them the reigns and let them craft your next party's table centerpiece!

Halloween Party Idea

Alas, sometimes the best-laid plans just don't materialize. The above invitation was created for a potential Halloween cocktail party that one of us was planning on throwing (with lots of help from the husband!) We were anticipating the end of our lengthy home remodel and we were going to celebrate with a little seasonal revelry. However, our renovations won't be completed in time and some other commitments came up, making the party a non-event. So...we thought we'd at least post our invitation idea so maybe some of you who are thinking of throwing a last-minute Halloween bash will be inspired! Ours was to be a theme party, but you could easily just do "Cocktails and Costumes" without any specifications. If any of you throw a great party, we want to hear about what made it a success! Happy Halloween!
P.S. You can click on either invitation picture to see it enlarged.

Williams-Sonoma to the rescue!

With holiday dinners right around the corner, many of you are making plans for family get-togethers and open houses. With all the planning that goes into a guest list, menu, seating, etc., oftentimes the harried hostess leaves the pretty little details until last...and then, because of a busy schedule or a failed menu item, the pretty little details just don't get accomplished. If you want a couple simple ideas to dress up your party, head over to the Williams-Sonoma site. You can check out chic place marker ideas and seasonal centerpiece ideas that are simple and can be planned well ahead of your party (before things get too crazy!) Williams-Sonoma has a whole section on "setting the scene", so you just have to poach a few of their ideas and apply them to your table. So simple, yet so chic!

A Great Fall Read from Anna Maria Horner

Okay, you domestic divas, if you want an invaluable resource for your "little bag of tricks," you need to check out the new book by Anna Maria Horner. Anna Maria is an amazing lady. She's a busy mom who designs a fabulous fabric line and generously gives creative ideas to those of us who need a little inspiration! Her new book is sure to be full of great ideas. Even if you aren't into sewing, you'll see lots of creativity to incorporate into your home and into your next soiree!

Pecan Pie Bars---Yum!

This weekend was perfect for trying a new fall recipe! Allrecipes.com to the rescue, once again! These pecan pie bars were delicious and the house filled with a yummy scent. These are a "cake mix bar," so they are very easy...if you are looking to whip something new up, try these bars!

Oh, Please Won't You Share?

A few days ago, we posted a request for readers of this blog to send us some special ideas. We're sending out one last request as we wish you a happy weekend...
We are looking for your favorite holiday recipe, tradition, decorating idea, etc. Just something special that you enjoy for the holidays. Email them to us at thebabsblog@gmail.com and we'll be posting your ideas on The Babs Blog in the coming weeks...
Don't be shy! Send us an email---we are waiting to hear from ya!
Have a fabulous weekend!

---Jill & Kari

Now on Delightful Blogs!

The Babs Blog is now being featured on Delightful Blogs! We are honored that this fun site has added us to their listings. To paraphrase the words of Sally Field, "They like us! They really like us!"
You can head to Delightful Blogs to check out other fantastic blogs on a multitude of subjects. While you're there, don't forget to look up The Babs Blog and give us a friendly rating!