HALLOWEEN PARTY

My friend Alisha and I can't resist any reason to throw a party. We invited a few of our friends families and had so much fun (despite it having to be rescheduled to Nov 1st because of my sick kiddos). All of the costumes were amazing!

{the costumes}



{the food}

bubbling cauldron cheese dip with bat wing dippers, bones and blood, mummies with mustard dip, apples and toffee dip, veggies and spinach dip, 7 layer spiderweb bean dip and chips, witches brew, dirt n' worms & pumpkin pie tarts

{invitations & party favors}

{the games}

donuts on a string are always a huge hit. even better when they're tanya's homemade donuts

Halloween Carmel Apples

Caramel Apple Recipe

1 pound brown sugar

2 sticks butter, at room temp

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

12 apples

12 dowels


Topping:

1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 TB shortening

Combine ingredients in a 2-3 quart saucepan. Heat at medium low temp, stirring constantly but slowly and frequently scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook caramel to the soft ball stage (236) degrees. Pour into a small deep metal or heat proof bowl and let cool to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Push a dowel or stick into the top of each apple. Dip apples into caramel using a straight up and down motion. (Too much agitation causes the caramel to separate and become oily). Place dipped apples on baking sheet and place in the fridge for 15 - 20 min. Next, dip caramel apples into melted chocolate, then sprinkle with decorative candy.

TIP: Granny Smith and Fuji apples are the best apples to use. Make sure you wash and dry them because there is a waxy film on the apples which will make the caramel not stick.

To make the sticks I cut a 12 inch dowel in half. Then cut out 5 inch by 1.5 inch scrapbook paper. I spread Mod Podge on the back of the paper and rolled it on the stick. It sealed perfectly!!

Submitted by Brandy Dunaway
www.dunawaydivasanddad.blogspot.com

Tall Cupcakes

Okay, here it is, the tall cupcake post.  The pan is made by Wilton, along with the cupcake wrappers/papers.  I found both at my local craft store (Michael's).  There are 6 cupcakes to a pan. One cake mix makes one pan.  Then I just use a can of frosting and decorate according to the occasion. 

Crafty Halloween Decor

Witches Boot

1 witches book kit from Wood Connection(includes boot, star, and moon)
20 gauge black wire
2 yards 1/4" ribbon
5 3/16" Zision Eyelets( I used Kiwi/Lime color)
Black, green, purple, orange, yellow, and white acrylic paint
Silver glitter spray

Paint the bottom part of the boot black. Paint 1/2 of the top green and the other 1/2 purple. After it dries paint an orange stripe. Sand the edges and apply a coat of stain(minwax colonial pine). and wipe off. When dry spray with glitter. Using a glue gun, glue eyeletz into "shoelace" holes. When dry, lace up with ribbon. I used a pin with a ball on the end to fish it through. Push wire through the hole in the tip of the boot and on each end of wire attach the star and the moon. I curled it up to make it cute.

Witch hat

Supplies
hat(I used a DCC Crafts paper mache hat 9" high and 12" diameter. However I have had a hard time finding them. I saw a foam at Roberts and Micheals that would be cute to use and it is already black.)
2 yards of 2" or 2 1/2" wired ribbon
1 yard of two other styles of ribbon
20 gauge black wire
decorative spider(tai pan)
1 yard of pom pom fringe(may need more or less depending on size of hat) I use 1/2 inch wide
2 small wood stars(wood connection)
1 small wood moon(wood connection
Black, yellow, purple, and white acrylic paint
Silver glitter spray

Paint the hat black and one star yellow, one star purple, and the moon white. After drying sand the edges of the wood pieces and apply a coat of stain(minwax colonial pine) and wipe it off. Let those dry. Spray the wood pieces and hat with a light coat of glitter.
Dry. Poke 3 small holes in the top of the hat to attach the wood pieces with wire. Wrap the wire around the wood pieces and put into the holes and curl the wire to make it stay. Using a glue gun attach the pom pom fringe to the edges, and use a dot in the back just to hold the wired ribbon in place. Tie a knot with the wired ribbon and before you tie it off just lay the other ribbons in the knot. Tie a bow with just the wired ribbon. Glue the spider on and that was it.

submitted by Mandi  (www.tmlloydfam.blogspot.com)

"BOO" sign

Used scrap wood, painted it black, modge podged the scrapbooking paper on the board, then sand papered, tore additional paper and glued onto the board and added "boo" in buttons with Ribbon at the top to hang

submitted by Mandy

Cute Anytime Gift Idea

Supplies needed:
2 colors of cardstock (Valentine's is coming . . . think pink!)
cellophane
coordinating ribbon
and . . .
Chocolates!

To make these little cuties . . . borrow your friend's scallop cutter to get the cute edge on the smaller circle. (Or you can probably buy that fun cutter at your local craft store.) Then I used the Creative Memories cutting systems circle patterns to cut the larger circles. I used a bit of 2-sided adhesive to stick them together. Finally, I used the CM circle maker to do the smaller circles for the coordinating gift tags, and a corner rounder to finish them off.

I've had my eye on these chocolates for two years now . . . they are from Costco and I think they are so cute! One box was $10.-12. I think, and dividing them up for these gifts had enough for the women I visit teach and for the elderly couples and widows in our cul-de-sac. (And of course a few left over for me to sample.)

These are nice because they are a small but delicious gift for a single person to enjoy.

submitted by
Alisha 

Holiday Frames

What a cute, easy, inexpensive way to doll up a multi-opening frame. This example uses Making Memories prodcuts, which I love.

Source: Unknown. (thus the smearing of the faces)

submitted by Hilary

Halloween Treat "Hand" bags

Ok, I know Halloween is over, but this was such a hit at my daughter's Kindergarten class party, that I had to pass it along.
I got the idea from Family Fun's website, which has the best ideas! Anyway, it is super easy and fun!

Here is what you need:
clear, plastic food handlers gloves (I found mine at the Dollar Store)
Candy Corn
Popcorn
Twist ties

Take the candy corn and put one in the finger of each glove. Then fill up each glove with the cooled popcorn, and really stuff it in there.
Then twist the hand closed with your twist tie. You are done! The kids loved them and they are sort of spooky too! I will warn you, that it
took me about an hour to fill about 15 bags, the popcorn was kind of hard to stuff into the fingers.

Submitted by Liz Brown (www.brownsarebloggin.blogspot.com)

Gumball Can

Saw this on Heather White's blog (www.heatherdwhite.typepad.com). This little treat really shows that it's all about the packaging. I mean seriously, no one would think "hmmm, I'll take my Visiting Teacher some gumballs", but when you see it like this, it sounds like a great idea!

submitted by Emily (www.delightfuldistraction.blogspot.com)

Halloween Bears

Saw this on Hilary's blog and thought it was cute. What a fun party favor for a kids party or fun for a class party.

I think DeMarle makes a Teddy Bear mold like this?

Halloween Treat Baskets

A kind lady in our ward always has a little something special for my kids on the Sunday before Halloween. This was her sweet treat this year. I thought it would make a great party favor so I took pics to remember the idea. The baskets are made out of black cardstock. The rectangular boxes are just little match boxes covered in paper. Then inside there is a little candy bar. The round treats have a mint sandwiched in between the paper circles and they all fit nicely in the cute little basket. I'm guessing the stamps came from Stampin Up.

submitted by Emily (www.delightfuldistraction.blogspot.com)

Halloween Frames

This year we hosted a Family Halloween Party. Each family dressed up and had a theme to their costumes (The Wizard of Oz, Pirates, etc.) and I took a picture of them as they arrived. I thought it would be fun to give them a little something to remember the evening by so I made these frames for the pictures to go in.

Supplies:

wood frame (I got these at Michael's, they are made by Provo Craft, and they are normally about $7, but I had coupons)

orange craft paint

black craft paint

alphabet stamps (I already had these they are the foam stamps made by Making Memories)

45 inches of ribbon

glue gun

sand paper

To assemble simply paint the whole frame orange and let it dry then lightly sand around all the edges of the frame. Sstamp the word "Boo" on the lower right hand corner. Cut the ribbon into one 21" piece and one 24" piece. Hot glue about a 1/2" of the shorter ribbon on the back left side of the frame and do the same with the larger piece on the right side, both about an inch down from the top. Then tie in a bow off to the left side and then secure the back of the bow to the frame with some glue. Easy, fun, and festive!

submitted by Emily (www.delightfuldistraction.blogspot.com)

Altered Photo Tiles

Here is an idea, not mine originally, but it is super cute and inexpensive. Simply purchase some tiles, any size, color and texture you'd like; pick up some Mod Podge, and some clear glaze. Choose some pictures from your stash or have a few of your favorites printed up. Crop the photo to the size you think would look best on the tile. Play around first before you start mod podging! I put some rubons on the picture. You could also put some on the tile before you start mod podging. You can also use some things from your scrapbooking stash, such as rubons, stickers, or cardstock to back the photo with.

These are the directions:
1. Clean and dry the tile. Decide how you want the photos placed on the tile, and put any rub ons or stickers on before starting Step 2.
2. Dip your paint brush (the sponge kind works well) in the Mod Podge, and brush on tile gently but quickly, working from center out in long strokes. You can keep strokes all in the same direction or not, depending on the look you want. Once tile is well coated move on to step 3.
3. Get your photo and put a small amount of mod podge on the back, especially the edges.
4. Place the photo where you want it on the tile, gently pressing down, especially the edges. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, get more mod podge on the brush, working from center of photo outward again, covering the entire photo and tile. Once it is well covered, you can decide to make it a clean look or a cross hatch look, or gently go over with a sponge for a textured look. Then using a toothpick, pop any little bubbles that you see, and go back over that area to clean it up.
6. Let tile dry for at least 24 hours
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6.
8.Go outdoors or in a well ventilated area and spray the tile evenly with the gloss.
9. Let dry at least 24-48 hours.

These are the supplies:
Mod Podge matte (I found mine at Michaels)
Triple Thick Clear Glaze (Crafts Etc!) or any clear glaze you can find (I found mine at Michaels)
tiles (I got mine at Lowe's or Home Depot for under a $1 depending on size)
sponge paint brush (Michaels)
Small easel to stand the tile on (I purchased mine at AC Moore, but I am sure you can find them in any frame department.)

I believe the entire cost of one tile was $5 or less depending on the kind of tile you purchase and the kind of easel you buy!

Submitted by Liz
(www.brownsarebloggin.blogspot.com)

Trunk of Treats

Trunk of Treats

I saw something very similar to this on Hobby Lobby’s website, but changed it. All of my supplies were bought at Michael’s craft store.

The boxes are $4, I used a dark brown acrylic paint to paint the box, the orange paper is 59 cents, and the green paper underneath has a sheen to it so it is 99cents. The ribbons were each $1.99 and you can get 2 boxes worth from each spool. I also cut out the flower on the orange paper and stacked them for the raised look. You can put what ever saying you like on the box, I just happened to choose this one. I also made boxes with blue accents instead of green and they are really cute. You can then fill the boxes with whatever you like. These are great for visiting teaching, neighbors, etc.

Total cost: about $7-8 (this includes the candy)

submitted by Megan(www.tiltonfamily.blogspot.com)

Halloween Treat Boxes

Here's a Halloween gift I made last year for my girls at Church. I bought the little take out boxes from OrientalTrading.com and filled them candy, halloween jelly bracelets and other little halloween trinkets that I bought from OreintalTrading.com.

The take out boxes were around $3-4 (maybe less??) for a dozen and then I just filled it. I'm guessing each box including candy and stuff was around 75 cents. I made cards out of my scraps and I called it a day.

submitted by MaryRuth (www.thefrancks.typepad.com)