October 26, 2015
Side note: I’m currently in Italy on a culinary adventure with my girlfriends. Did I really just type that sentence? We’ve been planning for months. I’ve reached that stage in life that when bucket list opportunities arise you go for it and we’re going with gusto. I prepped some posts in advance (shocker!) and I’m looking forward to sharing more about my trip when I return.
You’ll be able to follow my Italian adventures on Instagram and if you’re not on Instagram what the heck are you waiting for?
I’m in love with these little pumpkin arrangements. They say fall with a California-never-ending-heat-wave vibe. Right now, our garden is overrun with leggy succulents and the grocery stores are brimming with a beautiful selection of pumpkins. These were the brainchild of my itching for that warm and cozy fall feeling that’s hard to pull-off when it continues to be shorts and flip flop weather.
This is so easy to pull together. If you don’t have leggy succulents in your yard, steal from your neighbor (just kidding!) or head to the home improvement store. The grocery stores have really upped their pumpkin game — my favorite are the white pumpkins, often called “Casper” pumpkins. These pumpkins also make the cutest little “vase” for flowers, too.
Pumpkin arrangements make for great gifts for friends. I can give a little of my garden that they can then plant in their garden — post pumpkin enjoying on a table or countertop. Once the pumpkin starts to soften, you dig a little hole in your garden or container and slide the whole thing in. I’m not entirely sure (going on a hunch), but I think it will live happily ever after from one garden to the next.
What you will need:
8 succulents (preferably with a longish stem) — I recommend using a max of three different types of succulents in an arrangement.
Spanish moss (uncolored)
1 small white “Casper” pumpkin
Knife or carver
Soak a good handful of your Spanish moss in water. Next carve the area of the stem out of the pumpkin about 3″ across and scoop out the seeds. Don’t discard the seeds, save them for roasting! Or, if you throw the seeds in your compost pile you’ll probably never have to buy a pumpkin again!
Fill the hole with moss and start adding the succulents. This is not an exact science; you’ll get a feel for where to place them if you keep rotating your pumpkin. Look for holes and plug in a succulent. I like to have a mix of longer and shorter to create some depth to the arrangement.
The finishing touch is adding more moss — sticking it in any holes and tucking some between the opening of the pumpkin and succulents. Wipe the pumpkin clean. You may want to place the arrangement on a saucer to protect furniture. If the succulents look a bit dry, spritz them with water.
Isn’t that a pretty little pumpkin?
