While Rob and I were in Roanoke last weekend, my friend Erin came over for an afternoon of Halloween crafts and wine! She and I went to college together and have barely had a chance to catch up since she moved back to the United States from Wales this past year, so it was really nice hanging out with her. 

With Halloween right around the corner, I wanted to do something easy and fun with pumpkins that didn't involve carving them, so I set us up with some glue, glitter, spray paint, and jewels. I don't usually make time for any crafty projects, and every time I do, I'm always amazed by how fun it can be to get creative and try something new. It really does make for a terrific friend date, so grab a girlfriend this weekend, pour a couple glasses of wine, and glitter yourself a little pumpkin!

The only downside to this method of decorating pumpkins is that you don't get to roast the seeds after you're done! But it was really fast and super easy to clean up, so I think it's perfect for a last-minute Halloween idea. I'm sharing detailed steps and instructions today on The La Crema Blog, so head over there next to make your own!

This post is brought to you in partnership with La Crema.

Photos by Sarah Gatrell of Photo + Love.

I love fall as much as the next girl in Uggs, but to tell you the truth it can be kind of a bummer missing out on Pumpkin Spice Lattes and apple pie (I still maintain that the former tastes like a Yankee candle, but whatever) because of Paleo tendencies. Obviously no one is forcing me to give up dairy or sugar, though, so every year I try to make some kind of Paleo-friendly seasonal treat.

This year I went with a baked apple dish, partly because I had some gorgeous apples from our wedding florist's orchard, but mostly because I am the proud new owner of a mandolin slicer and I'll literally make a chip out of anything these days.

These baked apples are delicious, comforting, and make your house smell exactly like fall. Amen.

Ingredients:

• 4 apples, washed and sliced evenly--I use this handheld mandolin (affiliate link)
• 2-3 tablespoons of grass-fed butter
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves)
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a large bowl, add honey and vanilla, then the apple slices. Mix well. Sprinkle in pumpkin pie spice and mix again.
3. Layer apple slices in small pie dishes or a larger baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes.
4. Let cool for a couple minutes before serving, but have them warm! Enjoy.

My brother came to visit us in Charlotte last week and we made plans to cook a huge meal together. Sean is great at making even the most regular of things feel really special, and we love cooking together, so obviously I decided to go all out and attempt to roast a duck.

Even though it seemed a bit intimidating at first, everything came together into a beautiful meal and such a fun way to celebrate the beginning of fall in our new place! La Crema was nice enough to send us a few bottles of pinot noir, too, so that didn't hurt.

Thanks to La Crema for sponsoring this post. Visit their blog to get our roast duck recipe!