SO EASY, IT'S SCARY!

 

Ok, tomorrow is the first day of October, and with only 30 days and counting, I've gotten many frantic e mails asking for the easiest decorations to spook up the house for Halloween.

Well here are my top 5 favorite ideas. Not to worry, they're super fast, super easy, and are super fab-boo-lous!

Ok, all you need for this creepy entry way are some black trash bags. Take scissors and cut strips length-wise so they blow in the wind. You can put this up this up with duct tape (use black, so you won't see it) in a matter of minutes!

Now for some scares for the inside of the house.... With a few dabs of hot glue, and a bag or two of plastic spiders, you can attach them to doors, windows, stairways..... actually any where you can imagine. Keep in mind, if you want to attach them to the wall, the glue may leave a mark once it's removed. So I suggest any surface that's glass or has a glossy finish, and only use a dab.... you won't need a lot to hold these little guys on.

On to idea #3.... every house needs some bats for Halloween, and these look great on tall branches sticking out of a huge vase on the floor, or as a centerpiece on the dining room table! I loooooove this idea, and have done it soooooo many times, but it never gets old!

All you'll need is some black ribbon, some hot glue, and a white paint pen. This one is as easy as 1,2,3.

1. Cut ribbon to make bows for on the branches. Tie them on the branches, where you think they'll look best.

2. Use a dab of hot glue to hold in place.

3. On the knot of the bow, take your paint pen (or white acrylic paint and a tiny brush) and make eyes. Da ta! You made a bat! Now, keep doing that until it looks like a flock of bats.

This is one of my personal favorites, and I've been known to do this all year long around The Manor. Candles that drip blood just give your room that little added touch that says you're a super stylish Halloween Homemaker! 

What you'll need for this is some white pillar candles in assorted sizes, a few red candlesticks, and a lighter or matches.

Take a red candlestick, light it, and hold it over the white pillar candle. As the wax drips, hold it over the edges of the white candle so it can drip over the sides. This may take a few mintues to get the wax to melt quickly, but once it's good and hot, it should melt pretty quick.

*Keep in mind this is a grown up only project, not a good idea for the kiddo's. 

And the fastest decorating tip I can give you, that'll give you the most BOO for your buck.... cover all your furniture with sheets and torn cheesecloth fabric! It'll take a matter of minutes, and will really spook up your living (or dead) room!

There you have it. My top 5 fast and favorite decorating tips. Now come on, let's get moving.... you've got a busy day ahead!

 

BLOODY CANDLE LIGHTS

It's project day! And today's project is a fun one....
A lot of you have been asking about making my famous Bloody Candles. So let's continue with our bloody theme. This is an oldie but a goodie, so let's revisit the ghosts of blog posts past, shall we.......

You all are well aware, of how much I love to create pretty things.... all covered in blood. Well, today's project is no different.

If you're like me, you've been saving lots of jars for all kinds of projects. And now is the time that we're finally gonna put them to good use, and make some bloody candle lights!

This is a super easy project, and will look amazing, with the rest of your Halloween décor.

First of all, you'll need a few jars, of assorted sizes. Make sure they're thoroughly cleaned (labels removed) and dried. Then we'll be using red and black acrylic (gloss) paint.

Then using a medium size (craft) paintbrush, cover each jar with a thin coat of black. Let set for about a minute or two, then lightly wipe off with a paper towel.... leaving a bit of the paint, creating a "hazy" effect on the glass. Do this to each jar. Let dry for about 10 minutes.

Then using a thinner paintbrush, dip the end into the red paint, and make drips along the rim of the jar. Make sure to let some of the paint drip down the sides, and even add a few smeared fingerprints.

Let dry for about 2 hours. Then add white votive candles, and group together to make quite a fab-boo-lous centerpiece!

 

*Please keep in mind, jars can get hot, so please do not display candles unattended! Also, be sure to keep away from where your little monsters can reach! Safety first!

HAPPY BLOODY FRIDAY!

I've been asked many times over the last few months, for my favorite recipe for making fake blood.... Well, I do have quite a few to choose from, and just in case you missed it the first time, here it is:

What's a Halloween costume party without blood for special affects? Fake blood is available in novelty and party supply stores but making it yourself is fun -- and you'll see more realistic results. Mix up a batch before a party and keep the local vampires in good supply.

Here are some recipes for you to make your own realistic-looking fake blood. Real blood is reddish brown so you may need to alter the amounts of ingredients for the desired affect. Keep in mind, fake blood is messy and some of these recipes may leave stains -- so use with caution and allow plenty of time for drying.

Homemade Fake Blood:
1 c. Karo Syrup
1 Tbsp Water
2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
1 tsp Yellow Food Coloring

Mix together in a mixing bowl and you're done. Try adding blue or yellow for a different shade.

Simple Fake Blood:
Clear Corn Syrup
Red Food Coloring
Milk - Optional

However much fake blood you want to make, is how much corn syrup you'll need. Pour it into a bowl and mix in some red food coloring. Add some blue if you like. Adding a small amount of milk will make the blood appear darker and thicker.

Realistic Recipe:
2/3 c. Corn Syrup
1/3 c. Warm Water
5 Tbsp Corn Starch
4 tsp red food coloring
1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
2 drops of green or yellow food coloring

Mix the corn starch with the water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the food coloring slowly, checking for color.

Cheap 'N' Easy Blood:
~Plain Flour
~Water
~Red Food Coloring
~1 tsp. of Coffee

Boil the water on the stove, then sieve in the flour, making sure you get ALL of the lumps out. The quantity of ingredients aren't important, it just depends on how much you want. Once you have the flour mixed nicely into the water it should look nice and thick. Next, add the red food coloring.

You will notice that it's a ghastly, bright red color but don't worry this is why we add the coffee. It is important that when you add the coffee to make sure the mixture is hot, otherwise it wont dissolve, but up until adding the coffee can be done in a ordinary mixing jug or pan.

Palmolive Imitation Blood:
You can also make fake blood with Palmolive dish soap, (it doesn't matter how much you put in) it depends on how much blood you want! Add red berry powdered Kool-Aid! This is great for prop projects, but be aware, IT WILL STAIN!

Have A Bloody Good Weekend!

IT'S ALL HERE IN BLACK & WHITE

Sometimes it takes months of planning to pull off the perfect Halloween party. But if you've decided this year to do something a bit more sophisticated, like an All Hallows Eve dinner party, why not try a black and white theme?

It's really a lot easier than you think. Black and white invitations, subtle decorations, even cocktails... and don't forget the perfect costume!

 

 

 

And when it comes to the dinner table, check out some of these spooky & elegant table settings.... and remember, sometimes all you need is some black and white spray paint, glitter, maybe a few cobwebs, and you can transform anything!

 

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

Happy First Day of Fall to all my Halloweenies!

What a glorious day! Get ready to feel a little chill in the air, leaves crunching below your feet, and the smell of candy corn.... how delightful!

And with 37 days until Halloween, I know that your to-do lists are getting longer each day, but why not celebrate this special day with a fantastic Welcome Fall Dinner, tonight?

Try this Spooky "Eyeballs" Casserole.

 

Once the family gets over the scare factor, they will enjoy the rich and hearty tastes of this pasta bake recipe. The "eyeballs" are made of fresh mozzarella cheese and olives. Served over a bed of al dente pasta and flavorful meat sauce, this dish is not just a gimmick. It tastes great! It's also easy to make, so that you can spend more time celebrating the first day of Fall.

 

Kids and adults alike will be amazed at how creative this dish is and will love how it tastes, too! This recipe comes from my fiends at All Free Casserole Recipes.com, and it's devilishly delish!

 

Serves: 8

Preparation Time: 15 min         
Cooking Time: 35 min         
Baking Dish Size: 9 x 13                   

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Italian Sausage & Garlic Italian Sauce
• 1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 7 cups bow tie-shaped pasta, cooked and drained
• 1 container (8 ounces) small fresh mozzarella cheese balls
• 2 tablespoons sliced pitted ripe olives       

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch shallow baking dish with the cooking spray.
2. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the sauce, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and pasta in the prepared dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the pasta mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and cover the dish with foil.
3. Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Arrange the cheese balls randomly over the pasta mixture. Place a sliced olive on each cheese ball. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Happy First Day of Fall.... enjoy!

 

 

WE SCARE BEACUSE WE CARE!

I know that most of you Halloweenies will agree that scaring the pants of the little monsters is one of the true joys of Halloween. Come on, you know it's bad, but you love it anyway. That's ok. As long as it's good, harmless, fun.

And if you're looking for a few good pranks to make the kids scream, here are my top 5....

Fake Bugs In The Cereal Box
What a classic! There's nothing funnier than the kids opening a box of their favorite cereal and finding bugs! Be sure to use really large ones, so they don't accidentally end up eating them.... remember, it's one thing to scare, but safety first!

Here's Lookin' At Ya!

Just add googly eyes to everything in the fridge, and turn everything around, so they eyes are facing the front of the fridge. Oh, how I love this!!! Then when the kiddos go in there for an after school snack, they'll get quite a surprise!


The Haunted Mirror
Write a scary message with liquid dish soap in the bathroom mirror. When your kid gets out of the shower they’ll be shocked to see the steam revealed your hidden message. I’d suggest: “Eat your veggies or else.”

Plastic Spiders In The Ice Cubes
Just fill up those ice cube trays with plastic spiders, and be sure to give junior a nice, icy cold glass of his favorite fruit punch! I promise the screams will be well worth it! And remember, make sure the bugs are big enough they'll see them, we don't want them choking on plastic spiders! And make sure to do this with the older kids only!


There's A Spider On The Toilet Paper!
I looooove this! I know, I've featured this little trick before, but I do love it so! All you do is get a black Sharpie marker and draw a spider on the toilet paper. Voilà! Instant fun!

Now, if that just wet your appetite to prank everyone in the house, be sure to check out BuzzFeed for more fun Halloween pranks!

*bwah hahahahaha!

CLASSIC VILLAIN COSTUME PARTY

Are you searching for something different? A fun-themed-grown-ups-only party idea? Well here it is.... Host a costume party with a twist. Have all your party-goers come costumed as their favorite movie villain! Maybe it's Cruella de Ville, Bonnie and Clyde or Mommie Dearest, everyone has a favorite bad guy! Have a best costume contest, where guests vote for their favorite characters.

Start out by sending party invites, printed up to look like movie tickets. Make sure to have a zombified ticket-taker at the door to take admission tickets. Don't forget classic move snacks like popcorn, soda, and Goobers to make the theme complete.

 

Provide ballots with each guest’s name listed and have party goers vote for their favorites. Be sure to award prizes for the a first, second and third place winners.

 

 Once everyone has had a chance to see all the guests, collect the ballots. Figure out the winner and award a prize (and an Oscar trophy, of course!) before everyone leaves!

Once again, everyone will think you're such an amazing party planner! Witch, of course, you are!