SSSSSSPOOKY WELCOME MAT

What a wonderful, dreary day here around The Manor. I thought I'd share someting just as delightful, that was sent to me, from one of my favorite Pinterest pals.....Very high on the EEEEKKKK factor..... (you know I love that!)

Do you want to make your guests jump out of their skin? Well, this'll do it! Just make this creepy door mat crawling with snakes....  Guaranteed to make everyone do a double take as they approach your front door!

It's really ssssssssuper ssssssssimple to make. Here'ssssssss how....

Get a bunch of rubber snakes from your local toy store. Spray-paint them all a glossy black. Create various lengths of snakes by cutting them in two; arrange at the edge of a thick plastic-foam board, and using a hot glue gun or staple gun, attach to the edges. Set the board underneath a regular old doormat! Ssssssssso ssssssssssimple and ssssssspooky!

You know, this might be a goood way to keep away those pesky door to door ssssssssalesmen.....

BRIGHT IDEA

It's another project day, and you all know how much I love making accessories that really spook up a room. And subtle spider webs make great accents for your Halloween home.

You can cast an eerie shadow over the room with this easy-to-make spiderweb lampshade idea, from the super-crafty folks at Better Homes & Gardens.

What You'll Need:
~Lampshade

~Spiderweb-printed acetate (You can find these at most craft stores, or buy online)

~Spray adhesive

How to Make It:

1.Make a tracing paper pattern for one side of the lampshade.

2.Lay the pattern atop the acetate, and cut out the shape with scissors or a crafts knife.

3.Spray the acetate with the adhesive and press onto the shade.

Super-easy and super-creepy! I've used this pattern on tablecloths, napkins, and even painted on tabletops and bookcases.

Because after all, a home can't have too many spider webs, can it?



MISSING NEW ORLEANS

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a Spook-tacular weekend! The Count and I spent a lovely evening reminiscing about our fabulous holiday in New Orleans, so I thought I'd share a few more of my favorite pictures from Jackson Square....

 

For well over half a century, an open-air artist colony has thrived at Jackson Square, with artists painting and displaying their work on the outside of the iron fence. Under the shade of the oak trees, you can sit and have a pastel portrait done in about one hour, and you will be hard-pressed to find better portrait artists working outside anywhere else in the world.

To find out more on historic Jackson Square in the French Quarter, click here!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Need a spooky and fun weekend recipe? How about graveyard taco dip with gravestone tortilla chips! Food bloggers Jo and Sue have an awesome recipe, and you’ll see it’s just as simple to make, as it is cute.

Hint: It’s basically seven layer dip, but with fewer layers. So easy!

---

Graveyard Taco Dip

First layer:
1 can refried beans or refried black beans
Second layer:
2 cups sour cream
1 pkg taco seasoning
Third layer:
2 avocados, mashed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
Fourth layer:
1 cup salsa
Fifth layer:
1 bunch scallions (green onions), chopped

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and taco seasoning. In another small bowl, mix the mashed avocados, minced garlic, and mayonnaise.
In a small Pyrex dish or pie plate, layer the beans, sour cream mixture, avocado mixture, and salsa. Sprinkle the scallions on top.
Chill at least an hour, or until ready to serve. (The dip can be made a day ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.)
To make the tombstones and tree, cut the shapes you want out of 2 large tortillas. Place the cut-out shapes on a parchment paper lined cookie tray and bake at 350 degrees until the tortillas are nice and brown. Put the tombstones and tree in the dip just before serving.

To check out more incredible recipes and party ideas, hop on over to the Chickabug Blog!

TAKE A STROLL THROUGH THE FOREST

One of the fun things about being The Queen is all the amazing, creepy, and hauntingly beautiful things that I find, as I fly around the www searching for the best Halloween has to offer. And this just happens to be one the coolest things ever!

Every homemaker knows that a chandelier can instantly take a room from drab to fab. And artists Thyra Hilden and Pio Diaz's "Forms in Nature" chandelier is no exception.

Check out this beautiful piece of art, that's actually a stunning chandelier! And want to see the best feature???

Well, just turn on the light... and look at the amazing forest of shadows that appear, as the light shines through the branches!

While this light fixture is absolutely incredible, the shadows are indeed a bit haunting. In this case, sleeping with the lights on might not be the best idea if you're afraid of the dark!

Oh, what a magnificent addition to any Halloween home!

HOLY HAUNTED MANSION!

I want this. I need this. I have to have this.

Have you seen the Dooney & Buorke Disney Haunted Mansion Bag?

This purse was released at Disneyland and Walt Disney World on September 13, 2013. It sold out in less than an hour and is probably the most desirable of the Disney Dooney & Bourke bags ever made!

D&B say they don't have plans to release another one until 2015-16. This purse is impossible to find now, and may be just a bit out of the Queen's royal purse budget (the cheapest one I saw on e bay was $1,500.00).... and I have a feeling The Count would not be too thrilled about the purchase.

But for those of us who want that creepy couture look without spending a Queen's ransom.... check out Shadowbinders and Total Cahos Bootique on Esty!

I know what's on my Christmas wish list, this year!

IT'S A GHOST IN A JAR!

 It's another Super-Easy-Project Day!

Check out this Ghost in a Jar project, it's just full of ghostly cuteness.

This crafty crafter used a bell jar with a stand, and it looks great. You could pull off this same look with fancy or plain jars of any size and shape, and it would look 
FAB-BOO-LOUS!

I'd fill the jars with batting or stuffing, that you'll find in the pillow making section of your favorite craft store.... fluff it up inside the glass container.... and paint black eyes and a mouth on the outside of the jar with acrylic craft paint. (The best thing about using the acrylic craft paint, is that after you want to take your decorations down, you can just peel the paint right off the glass!)

If you're like The Queen and you have a stock-pile of glass jars for future projects.... I say grab a few jars with lids, spray paint the outside of the lids white, and that becomes the base of the ghost!

What a great project for little monsters to help with, and another use for all of those glass jars we've been saving....

EEEEEEEKKK!

Happy Monday, Halloweenies! Hope you all had a frightful weekend.

I managed to get some much-needed cleaning done around The Manor, and as I was going through some boxes of Halloween treasures, I came across tons of my favorite plastic black spiders! I just love those little guys, and I go through quite a bit of them during the holidays.

They're fun to add to picture frames, or the bathroom mirror with a dab of hot glue, or scattered across the window sill or fireplace mantel, and I promise.... you'll hear lots of screams, if you add them to your dinner guests favorite cocktail!

Trust me, it's so simple, it's scary. Just take a plastic ice tray, put 1 spider in each space, add water, and freeze for a few hours. 

May I suggest making a lovely pitcher or punch bowl of your favorite Witches Brew, and throw in a bunch of these spider ice cubes! It'll look fab-BOO-lous! 

There are so many fun things to do with them, the possibilities are endless. So, stock up on these little cuties before it's too late.... the more bags, the better!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

You know being The Queen can be quite a job, and sometimes you just need a little time to goof off, and I admit, sometimes be a little nerdy, too.

Yes, I've become a comic book nerd. I never thought I'd ever say that.... but it's true.

As you may well remember so many months ago, I was quite beside myself at the launch of the new comic book series "AfterLife With Archie"!

Well my back issues showed up on the Manor doorstep this morning, and I've decided to sit and read them all from cover to cover today. No interruptions.

So enjoy the day, do something goofy or nerdy.... it's ok! And if anyone asks, tell them The Queen gave you permission.
 

WELCOME!

Nothing says "Welcome" to your Halloween home more than a freaky front  door mat, and this idea is super cute and super easy!

Just take a regular old welcome mat, add some witchy stockings filled with stuffing, and black witchy shoes. Then take the legs and duct tape them to the back of the mat, so when you place it in front of the door, it lays flat.

I'd also make sure that you have good lighting on the porch, so your guests (and little trick or treaters) don't trip and fall.

Told ya that would be super easy.....

INFUSION 101

 

I've gotten lots of requests lately asking where to find that infamous Black Vodka, I mentioned a few weeks ago. It seems that most stores don't carry it until the Halloween season.... but if you're not like the Queen, and you don't keep stocked up on the stuff, you're gonna love today's lesson!

We're infusing our own, and making the Queen of Halloween's favorite Black Magic Vodka!

Well.... the magic is that it's really black licorice flavored, but that's our little secret.

Now here's what you'll need to get started:
~Black food coloring

~1- 750 ml. bottle of vodka

~5 or 6- Black licorice sticks (usually about 6 inches long)

~Infusion jar (Or a clean, empty vodka bottle)

Here's what to do:

Take that bottle of your favorite vodka.

Make sure your infusion jar and ingredients are all clean.

Place licorice sticks in the infusion jar (or bottle), pour in the vodka. Close lid or cap tightly. Put in the fridge.

The infusion process takes about 2 days. This time allows the vodka to absorb all the flavors. Keep in mind, the coloring from the licorice will absorb into the vodka, so you'll notice the alcohol will start to turn black.

After 2 days.... It's time for the Taste Test! Once the vodka is infused to the point you like, remove the licorice sticks. If the flavor seems too intense, just add more fresh vodka. If it doesn't seem strong enough, let sit for another day. Then try it again. I wouldn't leave the licorice in there more than 3 days, the candy may soon start to break down and it might get messy in there. You want a clean infused vodka. You may need to strain it to put back into the bottle, so you don't get any bits of candy in your newly infused vodka.

Once you have the desired taste, pour the infused vodka back into the original, cleaned out vodka bottle. Add several drops of the black food coloring, to get the color you want, and gently shake to mix it through.

Put a pour spout on it for easy cocktail mixing! *poof!* You've just made my Special Black Magic Vodka!

Keep this special vodka fresh by storing in the fridge or freezer. Remember, this recipe is strictly for grown up witches and warlocks only!

Enjoy....

HAPPY E BAY DAY!

Oh ebay.... how I do love you so.....

And here's why.... Even though The Addams Family was only on television for 2 years, (1964 to 1966) it's star still shines brightly in TV history!

In 1964 RCA released the soundtrack album featuring such tunes as "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Tombstones" and "Hide and Shriek".... an original copy of The Addams Family soundtrack can sell for $150.00 or more! (NO.... I did not pay that much) But thanks to ebay, I did get it for a great price!

Now, if I can only find Wednesday's Marie Antoinette doll, my collection will be complete!

*Bwah-hahahahaha....

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Happy Friday everyone! Hope today is gonna be a boo-tiful kick off to your weekend!

So when you have a costume dilemma, no matter how big or small....  who do you go to for advice? Well, The Queen of course!

One of my faithful Halloweenies Erika, is hosting a family reunion costume party, at the end of the month, and is need of a ghost costume for a toddler. (Here's the fun part, their last name is CASPER, and the whole family decided to come as ghosts! Love it, Erika! So creative!!)

Her, her husband, and 2 boys are all decorating sheets as costumes.... but when it comes to Baby Ella, she didn't want her wearing a sheet over her head... or any make up on her face. So what to do? What to do?

How about this idea.... take one of those little onesies, paint a cute little ghost face on it, add a white tutu, and white tights. This way Ella will be adorable and comfortable.... and no safety issues. Problem solved.

Have a blast at the CASPER Family Reunion. Don't forget to send pictures, I know you all will look just BOO-tiful!

HAVE A WICKED THURSDAY!

Just a little something to give you the giggles today....

HOME TWEET HOME

I admit, I've been a bit garden crazy, lately. But it's my Spring Fever kicking in.... so with that being said, let's see some freaky and fun birdhouses for our fine feathered friends.

Now, I don't want you running off to your favorite garden store looking for some of these.... you won't find 'em. You're gonna make 'em yourself! Yes, you can do it. All you need is a plain, wooden birdhouse (any size and shape will do), a little paint, and some inspiration. And these crafters' creations sould give you great inspiration!

When you get started painting your birdhouse, you'll want to be sure to prime it first. Let dry. Then paint. Maybe add some moss or twigs with some hot glue. And once you've painted it to your liking, be sure to add a coat of clear gloss to seal and protect it from the weather.

Then fill up those bird feeders, and watch the birds move into their new home!

BAD GNOMES!

Not looking forward to the yard work this Spring? Why not make it more fun.... and just a little bit creepy too?

Check out some of these bad gnomes, that would make your garden landscape just BOO-tiful, this season.

I need to find some of these for the gardens around The Manor! I haven't seen anything like this, in any stores, so I guess it's gonna be an afternoon of some online shopping, for the Queen.

I suggest every Halloween home needs some of these little cuties! 

Guaranteed to keep away those pesky salesmen.....

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN PRINTS

Several times a year, I look for some new and interesting art to adorn The Manor, and I came across this little gem while flying around on the www.

This site has got pages and pages of prints to choose from, they're reasonably priced, and it seems like every time I find one I love... then I find another one, I love even more! Decisions decisions.....

To find some really fab-boo-lous prints, click here!

CREEPY RAT CASSEROLE

So the weekend is finally here, and I'm sure you're asking yourself what you're gonna serve up the little goblins for dinner tonight. How about something that's guaranteed to get some eeeekkkks and aaaagggghhhhhs? This is one of the many cool recipes from the super-creative folks at Spoonful.com.

What you'll need

For the rats:

•   1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• uncooked spaghetti, broken into quarters
• thinly sliced raw carrots
• black peppercorns, cooked black beans

 For the blood sauce:

• 1 can (19 oz.) crushed or ground tomatoes
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Helpful Tip: This dish goes nicely with pasta or mashed potatoes.

How to make it

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, onion, egg and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Mix well.
2. Now make the rats. Using a measuring cup, scoop out 1/4 cup of the ground beef mixture. Form it, by hand, into a firmly packed teardrop shape -- pointy on one end, rounded on the other. This is your basic rat. Place it into a 3-quart shallow baking dish and gently pinch in the neck area. Poke a piece of uncooked spaghetti into the larger rounded end as a tail. Repeat with the remaining ground beef mixture.
3. When all the rats are neatly placed in the baking dish, stir together the tomatoes, water, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the rats. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, basting occasionally with sauce. Then cover the dish with foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the rats are fully cooked.
4. Gently remove rats, one at a time, from the sauce and place gently on a serving platter. (Take care not to damage the tails -- they're fairly delicate.) Into each rat, insert two carrot slices as ears, peppercorns (or whatever) for eyes, and a few more broken strands of uncooked spaghetti for whiskers. Spoon sauce around the rats and serve.... smiling wickedly.

This recipe makes about 12 to 15 rats, and should be in every Halloween Homemaker's recipe box!
          

WHAT IS A CREEPY CRAWLER WAX WARMER?

Happy Friday Halloweenies! It's been a busy week, and I'm glad the weekend is on it's way.... I wanted to share a little gift The Count surprised me with.... and I have to admit, I had never heard of this!

It's a Wax Warmer.... and I gotta tell you, it's the cutest thing, ever! Not only that, but there are tons of little, scented wax cubes that go along with it. I've been using it almost everyday, when I'm working in the dungeon.

What you do is, place the wax cube in the dish at the top of the warmer, then turn on the light, and it'll start to melt the wax.... thus providing an amazing aroma of your favorite scent. (I'm quite partial to the Autumn Harvest Spice, myself) What I really like about this.... it's safer than using candles, and the scents last much longer, too.

If you'd like to find one of these Creepy Crawler Wax Warmers, for yourself, click here!

Have yourself a Frightful Friday!

OH MY STARS!

One of my all-time favorite tv shows.... Bewitched.... is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year! Hard to believe, isn't it?

I fondly remember sick days from grade school, and staying home watching Bewitched! I think that Samantha Stephens is one of the reasons the Queen of Halloween is who she is today.

Samantha was funny, pretty, her house was always perfect, and she had some pretty cool relatives! I always wished that Uncle Arthur was my uncle.... and I've already informed the children, that when I become a grandmother.... I will be called "Grand Ma Ma"....

So, that being said, I thought it might be fun to share some Bewitched trivia.... (It's funny, I can barely add or subtract, but I know lots of interesting little fun facts.... it's a gift)

10 Bewitching Trivia Facts:
The role of Samantha was originally offered to actress Tammy Grimes.

Child actresses Helen Hunt and Jodie Foster were being considered for the role of Tabitha.

Elizabeth Montgomery, who played Samantha, also played her deliciously mischievous cousin Serena in several episodes. She was not credited for the role, as producers figured it would be obvious. The role was credited to "Pandora Spocks", who didn't exist but received fan mail from viewers who didn't get the joke.

Sam and Darrin appeared in animated form in an episode of The Flintstones, as Fred and Wilma's new neighbors.

Actor Jim Backus was the first choice to play Abner Kravitz, but turned it down, because he just signed to do "Gilligan's Island"'

Samantha's official birthdate was stated on the show to be "April 15th, Ages Ago"

The Kravitz house was later used as the "Partridge Family" house.

Samantha's maiden name was never revealed.

Paul Lynde, who played Samantha's Uncle Arthur, appeared in an earlier episode as a nervous
driving instructor who teaches Samantha to drive.

Sam and Darrin's address was 1164 Morning Glory Circle.



Ready for a real treat? Let's hop on the old broomstick and fly off to 1164 Morning Glory Circle, shall we???

SSSSSSPOOKY SSSSSSNAKE CAKE

One of my favorite Halloweenies sent me this picture they found on Pinterest, and wanted to find the best way to recreate it. Well have no fear... the Queen of Halloween is here!

I love projects like this, because they're unbelievably easy.... and the finished product is amazing!

Ok, here goes.....
If you're looking for a super fast and easy way to recreate this cake, just go to your favorite bakery and get a plain cake (whatever flavor you like) and order it with white icing.

Now, when you get it home, you'll need to make a template. The easiest way to do this, would be free-hand, on a piece of poster board.

Make sure that you measure the diameter of the top of the cake, and cut out a circle, the same size.

Once you've done this, take a pencil and draw the snake on the circle. Cut it out, leaving the outline of the snake in tact. (The actual snake part is what you'll get rid of, since you'll need the outline to use as a guide, when you pour on the black sprinkles)

Now, if you don't trust your art skills, take this picture and enlarge it on a copier, to the same size as the top of the cake. Then trace it on to your circle-cut poster board. Cut out the snake, and use the remainder as your template.


Carefully place the template on the top of the cake, and pour black sprinkles on the template. Once the snake has been covered, very carefully lift the template off the cake.

See.... how easy was that?

Now, if you want to make your own cake.... may I suggest making a white cake, add a teaspoon of licorice anise extract, and a few drops of black food coloring to the cake batter. Then follow the same instructions as above, to add the snake to the top of the cake.

You've just made the perfect dessert for your annual Ssssssspook-Fest, and all your guests will be ssssssssssso impressed with your crafty confection!

You're ssssssssssso welcome.

APRIL FOOLS DAY FOLIAGE

It's planting day around the Manor, and I've added a few Black Cherry Petunias to the gardens, and I think they'll make a lovely addition, this season.

Aren't they spectacular? According to garden experts Thompson & Morgan,
Petunia 'Black Cherry' is truly one of a kind! Opulent, velvety blooms in a unique shade of red-black makes a strong statement as an accent plant. With a neat compact habit, Petunia 'Black Cherry' is ideal for containers, baskets or bedding. Team it with other annuals for a bold contrast - cerise pinks and golds for a contemporary theme, or keep it simple with a classic monochrome display. Height and spread: 30cm (12").

If you want to try your hand at growing these beauties, here's what they suggest....

Pot up petunia plants and grow them on in warm frost-free conditions for transplanting later on. Pinch out the growing tip of each stem to encourage branching and form a bushier plant which will produce more flowers later on. When all risk of frost has passed, gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over a period of 7 to 10 days, before transplanting them outdoors into baskets, window boxes and containers in well drained soil, in full sun.

Looks like it's time to get your hands dirty, today!