A couple of new, EASY, appetizers!

We had friends over for last nights Halloween festivities.  Always a good time!

I like to make finger foods that are easy for friends to help themselves to, so I can enjoy the mingling.

I tried out a couple of new appetizers that are quite tasty and quick and easy to make

 (my favorite kind of appetizers)!

These are pears, cored and sliced, with pancetta, goat cheese, pepper and 

honey drizzled on top (just before serving).  

They're a great combination of sweet and salty.

 

Caprese "kabobs".....basil, mozzarella and tomato skewered on a toothpick with pepper 

and balsalmic vinegar drizzled on top.  

These I usually make with bruschetta, but this is a nice twist.

If you're ever on Pinterest, you've probably seen this....individual veggie cups with Ranch dressing.  

(This way you can double dip as much as you want!)

An added bonus - you just throw away the cups - less dishes to wash!

And, last but not least, PB&J with gummy worms!

A kid favorite :)

I'm joining the following parties:

Show Off Your Stuff Party-Recipes @ Fireflies and Jellybeans 

Cream of the Crop Recipe Party @ Barns and Noodles

Petie

The spiders are taking over ~

My daughter got in on the Halloween crafting this year we these cuties.

 

Have a spooky Halloween!

Petie

Pumpkin Carving

 I love my kids, but I do not like carving pumpkins....

They always have big ideas for the designs, and they expect mom and dad to pull it off......not!  

They will help clean out the pumpkin "guts", but they get tired of the

 muscle work that is involved in the actual carving.

 This is what we came up with!

Happy Halloween!

Petie

Halloween Par-tay!

My daughter is off to her 1st Halloween Party tonight. 

 She's going as Google, or maybe she's a laptop? 

I think at 11 (almost 12 and going on 14), it's more about the fedora hat?!

 We ironed white lining material to freezer paper to print everything.  Basically, you iron the paper (sticky side up) to the material and cut it out in sheet sizes of 8 1/2 x 11, then carefully run it through the printer.

We'll see what the majority of the party-goers thought she was when she returns home tonight.

I'm partying with
Overflowing With Creativity at It's Overflowing

Have a great weekend!

Petie

Halloween costumes from the past ~

I took a walk down "Halloween" memory lane over the weekend!

 

Please excuse the sofa.  That belonged to my husband 

when we got married (and, yes, I still married him :)

Today, my daughter would probably not agree to be Buzz Light Year!

Ahh, the princess phase.  Do all 4 and 5 year old girls go through this?

My son was (and still is) a huge fan of the croc hunter!

My daughter looks a little scared of "croc hunter" here?!

The next year, still in the princess phase.....and croc hunter :)

By kindergarten, she updated to a ballerina!

Couldn't find my sons pic from this year :(

This was the beginning of the American Idol craze!

And, the "football craze" for my son!

I got in on the action this year too :)

By the next year, the "football craze" had influenced my daughter.  

(My husband went to the University of Alabama.....roll tide!)

And, the scary began...

Here, my son is the scary jester on the left, and my daughter, the Survivor contestant on the right.

And, last year, the "Emily In The Box".

 

I've finished my daughter's costume for this year.  I just need to get her in it for a picture.  

My son is 14 now and will probably throw something on at the last minute 

(because that's what 14 year old boys do).

Have you taken a peek at costumes past?

Tech-inspired Halloween Costume

This weekend I'm going to be creating my daughter's homemade Halloween costume.  She's going as......Google!

Stay tuned to see the complete ghoul-gle costume.  Get it?  Ghoul - gle!

Have a great weekend!

I'm linking to the following party:

Potpourri Friday at 2805 

Petie

Happy Halloween

This Halloween my daughter and her friends decided to be some of the toys from Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer's 'Island of Misfit Toys'.   We got the Charley in the Box.....remember the jack in the box toy?

Our version is a little different, but the same idea.  I cut the top and bottom out of a cardboard box, then taped it off in a diamond pattern and spray painted.

I had this piece of cardboard from another box. It fit perfectly for the top. I spray painted it and traced the circle using a small trash can as my template, then cut it out with a box cutter. 

This is how it looked before I taped the edges to keep it securely attached.

I cut armholes for the sides, again using the box cutter. I used duct tape to attach the top on the inside and clear package tape for the outside.

  And, voila'!

We had these pants from an old jester costume.  The belled collar is actually a dog collar from the $1 aisle at Target, and the hat, well that was a Halloween store purchase that will get lots of wear for crazy dress up days at school.

Isn't it cute!  

What are your trick or treaters wearing tonight?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Leftover Halloween Candy Recipes

Real Simple magazine has some great recipes for leftover Halloween Candy.

  (These recipes are a fun way to re-invent some of the candies.)

Candy Corn and Pretzel Bark

1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang. Spread 8 ounces melted white chocolate in the prepared pan and sprinkle with 1 cup miniature pretzels, ½ cup candy corn, and ⅓ cup dried cranberries.
2. Chill until firm. Remove from the pan and break into pieces.

Dulce De Leche and Snickers Terrine

1. Line an 8-by-4 ½-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Cut 14 Snickers Fun Size Bars in thirds (17 grams each; about 1 ½ cups total); arrange on the bottom of the pan. Top with 2 pints softened dulce de leche ice cream.
2. Press gently to settle the ice cream; freeze until firm, 6 hours. Invert onto a plate and slice.

 Frozen Reese's Banana Pops       

1. Halve 2 bananas crosswise. Insert a wooden stick into each piece; freeze the bananas and 4 Snack Size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (21 grams each) for 2 hours.
2. Chop the frozen candy. Coat the frozen bananas in 6 ounces melted chocolate; sprinkle with the candy. Freeze on a parchment-lined plate until firm.

SweeTarts Milk Shake

1. In a blender, blend 16 SweeTarts candies (about 2 tablespoons) with 1 pint softened strawberry ice cream and ¾ cup milk until smooth.
2. Serve in glasses and top with additional SweeTarts, if desired. 

 

 Twizzlers Popcorn Snack Mix

1. Cut 12 Twizzlers twists into 1-inch pieces (14 grams each; about 1 ½ cups total).
2. Combine with 4 cups caramel corn and 1 cup toasted pecan halves.

Courtesy of Real Simple magazine

Ghost Tree ~

I'm having a good time preparing for the upcoming 4th grade Fall/Halloween Party.  

As much as I talk about "weaning" from these school responsibilities, 

I have to admit the party planning is kind of fun. 

This is a treat for the kids in the classroom and something my daughter could help make.

You start out with a Tootsie Pop. 

 

Wrap the Tootsie Pop with a paper towel, 

(we used the paper towels that pull apart into half sizes).

 Tie a yarn ribbon around the ghosts neck and add eyes/nose with a black Sharpie.

I spray painted this terra cotta pot with black chalkboard paint and added 

the "Trick or Treat" with chalk, what else?

This styrofoam "tree" worked great to poke the Tootsie Pops into.

I carefully tucked the ghosts into the pot and kept adding to the top of the tree.

 

The tree is full ~ 30 in all.

I added a pop of color with an orange Halloween ribbon.

Done!

It was a great craft that I could do with my 9yo daughter.  

She colored the ghosts faces and helped tie the ribbons.

Hope the kids will enjoy their boo-tiful treat!

I'm linking to the following parties:
Sunday Scoop Weekend Wrap Up Party at I Heart Naptime 

Making the World Cuter Mondays at Making the World Cuter

Craftomaniac Monday at Craftomaniac
Your So Very Creative at Me Making Do