Pumpkin Cheesecake - The Sort Of Healthy Dessert

I love pumpkin. Seriously love pumpkin. Last year when there was a shortage of pumpkin and you couldn't find any in the stores for months, I was getting a little desperate. Sad but true.

My kids aren't the best eaters, I admit it. Sometimes pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins are the only way I feel like I'm giving them a few vitamins. We eat pumpkin year round but there's something about fall that makes me want to add a little pumpkin in to lots of recipes. It's healthy, it's readily available in a can (that is unless there's a pumpkin shortage!), and you can substitute it for oil in many baking recipes.

In searching around for some new pumpkin recipes to try out this year, I kept coming across the most amazing looking pumpkin cheesecakes and thought I'd share a few.

Halloween Mantel Decor and More

Need some spooktacular decorating ideas for this Halloween? I don't know about you, but I think my kids get more excited about the Halloween decorations than the Christmas decorations. Almost a month ago my son was begging me to start hanging the ghosts from the ceiling! And I think I might have to agree.... really, whats more fun than being able to purposefully hang spider webs up? Aren't we usually trying to knock those things down?

I've gathered a few of my favorite ideas for decorating your Halloween mantels and more...

Halloween Front Porch Ideas

Is everyone getting ready for Halloween? It's about that time to break out all the Halloween decorations from the attic and get this party started! I love seeing everyone's front porches as fall and Halloween approach. I thought I'd share some fabulous inspirations from the web that I saw over the weekend..... from front porches to front doors and a few ideas for planters, too, I hope these photos will inspire you to get this Halloween party started!

Beautiful pumpkin topiaries as seen on Carolina Bride.

And of course, there is the fabulous Pottery Barn front porch decorating ideas.

I just love Cinderella pumpkins! Stack three graduating sizes and place on top of an urn and you have a beautiful and easy decorating idea (from Pool and Patio)

These monogrammed pumpkins from Better Homes and Gardens would make a fantastic decorating idea, too.

Ciao Newport Beach shares a stunning front porch display.

Fill Pottern Barn style lanterns with candles and mini pumpkins.
These would look beautiful inside as well.

Possibly my favorite.... a simple display of pumpkins, hydrangeas and other greenery from EAB Designs.

So easy to make! A moss covered wreath with a few mini pumpkins (seen on Pinterest)

Heather Bullard shares a gorgeous and simple idea for creating beautiful planters.

With these ideas, I hope you are all inspired to buy a few pumpkins and spruce up the front porch a bit.

I just love Halloween! Happy Fall Y'all!

{Customer Feature} Football Week Party!

My fabulously talented customer, Michelle, whose Elmo party was featured last week on my blog, has been super busy with parties lately! Not only did she host an amazingly adorable party for her little girl, but she's also just sent in the photos from her little boy's football party. Wow! That's alot of parties in a short period of time.

Michelle loves to go all out for her kids' parties, and as you can tell from her photos, she does a wonderful job with all of the details. Inspired by the Auburn football party I styled for a friend, Michelle went to work changing all things Orange and Blue into a ROLL TIDE celebration of her little boy's favorite team, Alabama. Using Amanda's Parties To Go's Football Printables which offer your choice of two colors and any team logo was a great way to get the party started!

With football season in full force, and Alabama ranked as one of the top teams in the country, Webb's invitation was a great way to get his friends excited about his party.

Michelle used megaphones and foam footballs from the Dollar Tree as cute centerpieces for her turf-topped cupcake stands. These kinds of DIY projects that won't break the bank but are fabulous for setting a party theme.

Best of all, Webb's dad got out in the yard with the boys and played a few rousing games of football. How much fun!

Michelle gave each of the guests their own football as a take home gift. Simple, but adorable with the printable favor tag attached.

What a great party, Michelle! And I love the painted backyard to resemble Bryant-Denney Stadium. I'm sure the boys got a kick out of that!

Thanks so much for sharing Webb's party with us!

You can find the printables (customizable for your own favorite team)
  Here in my Shop.

{Football Week} - More Football Food & Drink Ideas

With so many fun football ideas out there for tailgating and game day get togethers, I put together another great round up of football foods and drinks. Be sure to check out Football Week Part I and Part II from earlier this week, too.

Oriental Trading has some cute artificial turf football can insulators.

And Everything Sweet makes adorable football juice boxes with a little creativity and some scrapbook paper.

Paisley Petal Events creates a fun football party drinks with printable team flags.



Try some of these Referee shirt Koozies from Nobbies Parties.



Or these football jersey koozies as seen on So You Think You're Crafty from Positively Splendid.

And how about this great idea for football placemats for the kids from Social Couture.

Make Merry Events shows us how to make football shaped whoopie pies.

Papery and Cake has a great tutorial for making Oreo cake ball footballs.

Everyone loves rice crispy treats, and with some Cocoa Rice Krispies, you can make some fun football desserts in no time at all. Photo from Sherri Foxman.

Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons has a super cute idea for a healthy alternative to all the sweets.

I think I might make these for my son's school lunch tomorrow. He would be thrilled!

{Football Week} - Football Tailgate Food Ideas

What's a Saturday without football, tailgates, and of course, all the food! Sometimes I wonder is it really the football or all the yummy food that brings everyone together, covered head to toe in their favorite team colors to celebrate another big game. From the wings to the dips, chips and all the great desserts, great food is certainly a big part of game day Saturday.

Check out some of the fabulous football-inspired food ideas from around the web:

Bakerella shows us how to make football field cupcakes with football candles (as seen below).

Football candles are the easiest cupcake toppers ever from Cake Art.


Mini Baker Cupcakes has a great idea for making football cupcake toppers from Tootsie Rolls.

What a great tailgate treat or party favor for the little ones by Vintage Confections.... football inspired lollipops with your choice of team colors.

Tailgate food wouldn't be the same without some guacamole so why not make it fun by creating a football field like this great idea from Avocado Central.

Football shaped food is always a fun idea, too, like this Cheese Ball from Snack Picks and these yummy deviled eggs from My Recipes.

Bring a smile to the little ones' faces with these football brownies from Betty Crocker or these double dipped sugar cookies from  Tablespoon.

Bakerella has a wonderful tutorial on how to make football cake balls..... almost too cute to eat!

For the perfect table covering for all of your game inspired food,  Hostess with the Mostess shows us how easy it is to make a football field tablecloth from green felt and white ribbon.

Birthday Direct has you covered for all your football party ware needs..... from paper plates and napkins, cups, shakers, stickers and party decor -- all in your favorite team's colors and logos.

Football quins from Sweet Baking Supply are a fun way to decorate cupcakes and cookies with ease. And while you're there, take a look at their fun helmet shaped sucker molds and football cake pan.

{Football Week} - Great Ideas for Football Fun!

Living in the south, football reigns right up there with God and country. Game day Saturday is a bit of a religion.... the comradery, the team spirit, the tailgates. Decorating everything from our houses to our cars, our kids and even our pets in all things orange and blue (or whatever those other colors are for those other teams). From the oldest to the youngest, people just love it! With that in mind, I thought I'd do a little web research and find some great ideas for football fun.

Not Betty Cookies on Etsy has some amazing decorated sugar cookies, the perfect addition to your next tailgate!

Sweet Designs Boutique has a fabulous football inspired typography sign, customizable to your team's colors.

Angel Food on Etsy makes some gorgeous football shaped sugar cookies.

Bees Knees Creative makes football truffles for you! No need to bake, ladies, just click and order and they are shipped straight to your door!

And I couldn't leave out Amanda's Parties To Go's Football party printables! Choose your own team colors and celebrate in style.

How cute is this football cookie bouquet from Fond Times? 
I know lots of little football fans who would LOVE to receive this!

What a great idea! Life in Wonderland made a football inspired vase from football textured scrapbook paper, laces and a cardboard blumebox.

Southern Belle Boutique on Etsy makes custom aluminum water bottles with your own names, colors and phrases. Perfect for team gifts and birthday parties.

Adorable outfits for adorable little girls are a football season favorite, too.... The Uptown Baby makes a super cute ruffled pant and appliqued football shirt with your choice of team colors.

And we sure can't leave out the boys! Sweet Pea Plus Three on Etsy has a cute little appliqued shirt.

And Little One Boutique offers a jersey-style shirt with your child's name and age, too.

What fabulous and fun football ideas. Stay tuned for some great tailgating treats tomorrow!