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!

MONDAYS SUCK

How did the weekend fly by so fast? Maybe you still need some relaxing time? Why not conjure up a few drinks with the ghouls after work? How about a batch of my signature cocktail, The Black Widow.... here's what you'll need:

2 oz black vodka
.5 oz Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
2 oz blackberry or grape juice
black licorice and sugar for garnish (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with black licorice and add a plastic black spider to the stem of the martini glass.

A few of these, and Monday will soon be a distant memory. Enjoy. (Remember, this one is strictly for adults only!)

MAKE A SPIDER WEB CAPE

How cool is this????

I love this cape, and I think it would make a lovely cover-up, to wear on my date night with The Count, this weekend!

And want to know the best part??? It's a NO-SEW PROJECT! Honestly, would I lie to you?

Thanks to a super-easy tutorial from Delia of deliacreates.com..... you can do it too! Delia says this is all you'll need:

~fleece fabric – about 1 yard for a small child, 1 1/2-2    yards for an adult

~tailor’s chalk or sidewalk chalk

~1 yard of ribbon

~sharp fabric scissors

~ruler or measuring tape

Remember, there's NO SEWING REQUIRED, to get the step-by-step instructions, click here!

That Delia is a wicked, crafty one!

SPOOKY WEDDING BELLS

 

Now that it's officially Spring.... the Wedding Season will soon be in full swing!!!

If you're planning a wedding, and you're a spooky kinda  bride-to-be, maybe something along these lines just may be what you're looking for....

Check out this gown from Gothic4Weddings.... If you're looking for a Gothic yet romantic wedding dress, they have a number of stunning options for a Gothic themed wedding.

 

You can buy online from their wide selection of the finest gothic inspired dresses.

There are many styles of each of the categories.... and bridesmaids dresses or flower girl dresses to match too.... for any Gothic and Victorian themed wedding.

They've got lots of great ideas for non-traditional colors (like this dark violet) and some classic white gowns too.

Be sure to check out their site, and get started planning a spook-tacular wedding!

DAY 127

Well, the Queen has returned.... Finally. It was quite a turbulent time around the Manor for the Count and I. We both were in dire need of some RIP.... so we decided on an extended stay in New Orleans. Just what we needed to get back on our feet again.

All is well... no worries. But I feel like there's so much to catch up on. So many things that we saw, and that I wanted to blog about, over the last 126 days!

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures from our holiday.... It's the LaLaurie Mansion. Yup, that's the one. (If you were a faithful follower of American Horror Story.... you know all about it! If not, you may want to check this out!)
 

I've got so many more fabulous pictures of New Orleans to share in upcoming postings!

And thank you to all my Halloweenies for the get well wishes, I'm glad to be back!




 

HAPPY *cough* MONDAY!

Please excuse my absence over the last week or so.... it seems that the Manor has been struck with a nasty case of the Black Plague..... and not as much fun as you would think.

But no worries.... I'll be up and around in a few more days, and back to business!

Have a BOO-tiful day!