KIDS CRAFT PROJECT

I get lots of questions for easy craft projects for the little monsters, and here's a festive project that isn't too difficult. I found it on this really fun site called Kaboose.com! 

This bewitching witch's hat makes a great table decoration for your Halloween party, and is super easy for little goblin fingers to make.

What you'll need:
2 sheets of black construction paper
1 sheet felt (green, orange, purple, or red)
Strip of black felt
White craft glue
Scissors (use safety scissors for the kiddos!)
Tape

How to make it:
1. Roll 1 sheet of black paper into a cone. Secure with tape (see image).
2. Trim the bottom of the cone so that it will stand up on the table.
3. Use a cup or jar as a guide and cut out a circle from black paper large enough for the hat brim.
4. Glue the cone to the circle and set aside to dry (see image).
5. Cut ¼” or ½” strips of felt and glue them around the cone.
6. Cut a strip of black felt to go around the base of the cone.
7. If you like, cut a bat out of black felt and glue to your hat.

Tips:

• Buy construction paper at the dollar store for plenty of fun projects.
• Felt is inexpensive so stock up on 5 or 6 sheets each time you go to the store.
• Traditional Halloween colors include black, orange, purple, red and green. However, you can use whatever colors you like for this project!

Check out Kaboose.com for more great craft ideas!

DEVINE INSPIRATION

You know, when you have Halloween on the brain as much as I do, you can't help but find everyday things that reflect your love of all things spooky.... anytime of the year!

Check this out from fab.com. Wouldn't these funky plastic chairs be the perfect place for your guests to sit and rest their bones at your Halloween bash? Or how fun would these be to have at this year's family bar-b-que?

I'll take 13.....

FREAKY FRIDAY

After almost two months of no rain...we got it good yesterday! Finally! We had severe lightning and thunderstorms and lots of rain.

Love the rain... and the cracks of thunder lasted well into the nite! We even got another down-pour this morning about 6 am! It would be a good, dark and dreary day to stay home and have a "Munsters Marathon"!

Who's with me????? I'll make Bloody Mary's.......

Happy Friday!

OH BABY!

You know Halloween is right around the corner, so if you think you're just gonna whip-up a fabulous costume for the kiddos overnight....guess again!

How many times have you heard me say....start planning NOW!

Well, this is one of those times.... babies and toddler costumes aren't too difficult, but if you have a specific idea in mind, you want it to be as perfect as it can be...so you don't want to put it off!

Check out some of these amazing ideas that I found floating around on the web.....

For more great costume ideas for kids of all ages, check out Kaboose!

'TIS THE SEASON

With only 72 days until the Spookiest Day of the Year, I loooooooove seeing all the magazines in the racks that are filled with ideas for projects and recipes for Halloween!

My wonderful hubby got this for me, when he made a stop at the grocery store yesterday, and I've already read it from cover to cover!

This issue is filled with great recipes and ideas, so make sure you pick one up!

I think I may try out a few of these recipes this weekend, and remember...it's NEVER too early to start planning!

LET THERE BE LIGHT

I'm always looking for easy projects that the kiddos can help out with, that won't take a lot of time or crafty skills.... sometimes it can be tough for mummys and daddys to have projects that aren't too difficult for everyone in the family!

Well all you need to try these cute lighted pumpkin faces...  is a few glass bottles and jars, an old plastic dishpan or tub,a few strings of twinkle lights (plain white or colors) green and black acrylic paints, orange or white tissue paper, black construction paper, scissors, and some good old white school glue.

Be sure all the bottles and jars have been washed and dried. Put about half a bottle of white glue in an old plastic dishpan fill half way with water. Mix well.

Take a single sheet of orange (if you're making a pumpkin face....use white if you want to make a ghost) tissue paper, open it, and lay in glue/water mixture. Swish around to coat with glue (don't fold it or rumple it too much, it'll be too difficult to spread out over the glass) then tear or cut off in smaller sections, and lay inside the jar or bottle. Repeat this step until the glass is completely covered. Let dry. Move on to next jar or bottle.

Once you've completed all the faces that you want, take black construction paper and glue on eyes, nose, mouth, etc. on the front of the glass. (Or you can paint with black acrylic paints, whichever look you like better) If you're making ghosts, that's the final step.

To complete the pumpkin faces: once all the faces are on all of the jars and bottles, take some green acrylic paint and go over the rim with a paint brush. Let dry.

Then set in a line (this looks great on a window sill or along a walkway or porch) and put some of the lights in each jar or bottle, and move down to the next one, until you come to the end of the string. Plug in and watch all the faces light up!

HALLOWEEN PILLOWS

You know, when it comes to decorating for Halloween, you don't have to decorate every nook and cranny, like I do at the Manor. Sometimes just a few well placed and festive pillows add to the holiday spirit!

Maybe you've got lots of little goblins running around the house, and you just don't think it's a good idea to put time and money into elaborate decorations....that's understandable! But you can get really creative and making pillows is pretty easy, so don't be threatened by some of these amazing designs.

 Just get some fabric paint and scrap material and go to town! I think you'll be amazed at what you can do. A few spooky bats, pumpkins and maybe a witch with a pointy hat aren't really too difficult to create.

Give it a try.....I'm sure they'll be BOO-tiful!