An Apple Party with Tree Top

Last week I got to host the coolest party with Tree Top - an apple party!  We celebrated National Apple Month by pressing fresh apple cider, making apple crafts, and eating apple-tizers.  It was a blast!

Apple Cinnamon Popcorn

There are a zillion more photos and cool things after the jump!

To decorate for the party - and celebrate all things apples - we built a giant plywood screen across the back of the truck bay and I painted giant apple slices on them.  I cut honeycomb balls into apple shapes inspired by these honeycomb fruit over on Studio DIY.  Before the party started we gathered all of the children who are members of "my team" and got a picture of the gang with our favorite brand logo!

One of the crafts we made were apple bird feeders.  These are so simple to make.  It's great for using apples that are a little bit older - and creating a little fun fall craft with your kids.  Also, the birds will eat the seed as well as the apples.

Washington Sliders {made with apple sauce, Beecher's cheese, bacon, and locally grown mustard} 

The most exciting part of the party was pressing fresh apple cider.  I picked up more than 140 pounds of Washington State apples from the local farmers stand to turn into juice.  It's amazing how captivated a group of children can be when there is apple grinding happening.  

The children all took turns throwing apples into the grinder and got to try their hand at turning the grinding wheel.  When it was time to press the apples, the children also got to press the apples but it gets hard after a few minutes so Mr. Hedin took over that job and the children used small milk bottles to collect the juice as it poured out.  

Not everyone cared if they drank the cider fresh off the press.  I mean, why would you when there was a cooler full of juice boxes in the kitchen?

I also discovered recently that if you mix Tree Top Three Apple Blend with ginger ale {equal parts} you get a deliciously spicy and sparkly apple mock-tail.  

The Three Apple Blend is also amazing mulled!  

My children's favorite craft was turning juice boxes into mummies!  We used electrical tape and skinny duct tape from the hardware store to turn juice boxes into fabby little monsters.

SWAG!  No one left the party empty handed!  We filled bags with copies of my book, apple juice bottles, and apple sauce squeezers.  Perfect sizes for lunch or for toting around in your bag to keep the kids happy. 

I am a huge fan of the Tree Top company.  Their juice has always been my first choice because it's based in Washington State.  When they approached me to work with them I was ecstatic.  I love when I get to promote companies that I already support.

Tree Top is a grower owned co-op that supports more than 1,000 growers in the Pacific Northwest.  That means the apples in the juice are locally grown and 100% of the apples are grown in the USA.  Tree Top supports local farmers and local families.  I'm a huge fan.

This party and post were sponsored by Tree Top

Weeknight Halloween :: Flaming Rats

My children were completely creeped out by these rats.  Once they realized they all hated them, it became a game to see who could be around it the longest.  I think Pearl won.  As candle holders, they are perfect for Halloween - and they literally could not be simpler.  Make your own and share them with #weeknightpartygirl.  I can't wait to see your Weeknight Halloween.


Weeknight Halloween {+ a video!}

It's time for Halloween and time for another video!  Halloween is a super fun time of the year for a little quirkiness and turning the ordinary fabulous!  I made a jello shot cocktail, a creepy crawly candleholder and all of it in no time at all.

Click through to watch the video and stay tuned all week for step by steps and recipes!

Dia de los Muertes {& a Mask}

Tune into Q13 FOX News this morning at 8:20am and we'll celebrate Dia de los Muertes together!

Dia de los Muertes is most identified by elaborate skull face painting and masks made to resemble the dead.  What better way to celebrate than by creating your own mask?  Also - turns out the are unbelievably simple to create.  All you need is a little doodling with a black sharpie.

I searched online for inspiration then just started doodling on the masks.  You can decorate the top with faux flowers, tissue paper flowers, or giant colorful puff balls.    Ole!

You can have your own Dia de los Muertes adventure inspired by the new movie

Book of Life

!

Visit

www.worldmarketsweepstakes.com

to enter the sweepstakes through October 24th, 2014.  The Grand Prize is 5 days {6 nights} in Mexico at Grand Velas Riviera Maya, free movies for a year, $1,000 World Market Gift Card, and awesome Book of Life Merchandise from Cost Plus World Market!

National Apple Month :: Cider Pressing

Over the weekend we pressed apples with the family to make fresh apple cider.  We had planned this before I knew it was National Apple Month - but it worked out perfectly!  Since so many of you asked about pressing apples on our vintage apple press, I thought I'd share a bunch of our photos here {below the jump}.  

We used a mix of Jonagold apples and Granny Smith apples.  Some times we gather apples from a friend's orchard that they couldn't sell at market - this time my parents picked them up from the local fruit stand.

The apples go into the top of the press where there is a grinder with sort of vicious metal teeth.  Mr. Hedin used an old axe handle to move the apples around so they don't get stuck in the teeth.

The children get to throw the apples in, but we are nervous that their fingers will get in there somehow.  Lars had probably just gotten in trouble for getting too close to the teeth as they were turning.  Thus, the charming expression. 

Once the apples are ground up they drop into a slatted barrel that we line with cheese cloth.  

After the slatted barrel is full the cheese cloth gets folded over the top of the apples and a large piece of wood is placed on top so the press can squeeze down evenly.   

Juice then pours out the spout on the bottom of the press. 

 You can drink it right away.  And we do.  Some people pasteurize it but I've found it takes the "fresh" flavor out of the juice.  So we just drink it fast or freeze it.  We tried to make hard cider one year and it was an epic fail.  Epic.  I'll stick to buying it.  

National Apple Month :: Apple Cider Waffles

National Apple Month is like homecoming and a wedding reception and New Year's Eve all rolled into one when you live in Washington State.  We are apple central people.  It also means that fresh apple cider is at the farmer's market and that stuff is dreamy.  When I was a little girl we used to press apples from my grandparents farm with a vintage apple press of my uncle.  

Recently, my dad found the exact same cider press - only a new one - and we brought it home to the beach cabin.  I love that we get to press cider with my children the same way I used to press cider with my grandparents.  

The only trick with making your own cider is that you end up with BUCKETS of cider.  B.U.C.K.E.T.S.  I've found ways to use it up {and it freezes well} but these waffles may be my very very favorite.  They perfectly capture the flavors of fall and are amazing topped with whipped cream, maple syrup and freshly chopped Honeycrisp apples.

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg

½ cup reduced cider

½ cup butter milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar and spices.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine everything else and beat until a little fluffy.  Quickly stir in dry ingredients - batter will be a little lumpy.  Scoop batter onto hot waffle iron and bake.

Serve with fresh whipped cream, maple syrup, and sliced apples.