Bats and rats! Day 4

It's the turn of bats and rats today.

Clipart from The Graphic Fairy or right click to save to your chosen folder.

Rat silhouettes - I think these are from Martha Stewart's website.

The Rat Pack

I bought this pack of bats and rats at Wilkinson last week....for the grand sum of £1! Such a bargain.

There are 18 of each and can be used for a variety of things. I will place the rats into holes that I will cut out of a pumpkin with an apple corer. More about that in the pumpkin themed post another day.

I do like this cute bat cushion. Rather different and probably easy to make in time for Halloween.

The instructions can be found here.

Let's go back to Martha Stewart's website! She has a whole lot of ideas to do with bats!  Here is the list and

last up....this Martha Stewart mice border punch will make your layouts and pages look effective.

Have fun with your preparations peeps.

Owls! Day 3

Welcome to my new followers - Helen and Jules. Thank you for joining us and I hope that you will enjoy what you see. *Ü*

Today's post is all about 'Owls'. There is something about an owl 'hoot' that is comforting to me and yet they can give a weird sense of spookiness. When I was a child, there was a HUGE Oak tree in my front garden and almost every night, I could hear an owl hoot!

When my husband and I visited the Broadstairs Food Festival last Friday, there was a display of owls. I just had to hold one - for nostalgia sake. *Ü*

I am going to post a combination of food stuff and makes that I have come across regarding owls. One of my very favourite websites is Martha Stewart's. The link will take you to a list of owl inspired makes. She has everything covered on her website - all holidays, all seasons and everything inbetween. *Ü* So without further ado...first up...is a little owl treat box. Instructions found here.

These owl cookies are cute...photo but no recipe. It would be easy to make up a batch of shortbread and roll out for a similar look, using chocolate drops for eyes and slivers of almonds for the beaks. 

More cookies... recipe found here. They look very nice presented in little cellophane bags, tied with a ribbon.

Lastly... this is an owl template, which can be used as a paper piecing for a layout, card - or whatever takes your fancy. *Ü* Just right click on the image below and save it to your chosen folder.

Toot toot for now... have a great night... and listen out for an owl's hoot. *Ü* 

Along Came A Spider! Day 2

Today's post will be all about spiders, so if you have a phobia or cannot bear to look at one....it's best you click off now! *Ü*

I have a fascination of spiders. I do love to watch them weave their web and I can even hold a tarantula but when it comes to the big hairy spiders that dart across a room...I have been known to scream - LOUD! I took this photo on a sunny autumn day a few years ago and I LOVE how the web glistens. Such a work of art.

Just to prove how brave I am - was (a few years ago)....here is when I got to hold a tarantula and... what WAS I thinking when I let it onto my neck!! Eeek! LOL.

So now I have some Halloween makes and bakes with everything spiders. To start...this pretzel spider web is cute and so easy to make. Scroll right down to the bottom of the page and you get to pass lots of other things to make along the way.

If you fancy decorating your plates with a spider web, check here. Char used Martha Stewart glitter paint.

I like this spider anatomy frame. Get the free download too and here is a link to 2 tutorials for cut out spider webs.

My collection of Halloween goodies has increased over the years but my youngest daughter Keeley 'made me' buy this HUGE spider which drops down by 4 feet at random! Eeek! It's from Wilkinson.

That's all for today folks...have a super Sabbath and enjoy creating fun for your little ghouls! *Ü*

Welcome to the month of October...

...and a BIG welcome to the month of Halloween! *Ü* I LOVE Halloween and for those of you who are new to my blog, you will soon notice how evident that is. *Ü*

I try to give some tips and ideas for what has become a now popular holiday in the UK. The shops are finally stocking Halloween goodies and I enjoy gleaning ideas from different sources which I will share with you over the next month to help you have your best Halloween party - EVER! *Ü*

Last year I had the most wonderful Halloween party with 3 of my girlfriends and my sister which took 2 years in the organisational process. It was everything I had hoped it would be - and more. If you are interested to see what I mean, take a lookie here. *Ü*

This year will be even better - if that is possible! I shall be entertaining 14 of us as my 3 daughters, 3 son-in-laws and my 6 grandchildren will be coming for a BIG party....oh ... and my husband too! *Ü* Lots of preparations, organising and cooking in advance to cut the work nearer the day. It will be an early party -  during half term week while the children are off school. *Squeal*. I get soo excited about planning surprises etc.

I have to contact a lady who I met at a boot fair who has several snakes and tarantulas! Hopefully, she will let me 'borrow' a few for props and atmosFEARic purposes! *Ü*

Let's begin with the planning stage. Parties are all about the food. I do like to have something substantial and lots of nibbles too - usually homemade... AND something out of the ordinary - gross to speak! LOL.  So this is one website that gives lots of ideas for treats for your little ghouls... and this is another - page 2 - for some really gruesome grub! *Ü* I shall be making the worms for sure.

If you are a member of Pinterest, you may want to check out some Halloween ideas and pin them to your boards to keep for later reference. I do have an enormous amount of 'pins' on my pc which I have collected over the years, so I will share them with you during the month. In the meantime, enjoy the build up...I certainly will. Do let me know if there are any questions and I will do my best to answer. *Ü*

Toots for now peeps.

We're Having A Heatwave!

WOW! The weather has been glorious for the past few days here and is set to get even hotter for the weekend! *Ü* A record breaking 90c for Saturday. I am all for that. Wall to wall sunshine at the end of September! We have been to the beach and today there is a Food Festival in Broadstairs, so food and sunshine - a perfect combination. *Ü*

Enjoy the sunshine as it has been forecasted that we are due to have snow in October!!! LOL.

Tomorrow will be the start of Halloween for me, so do check by for some ideas and tips for a Happy Halloween celebration. I am sooo excited to be hosting a BIG family party and we 14 are all but one ready with our costumes. *Squeal*. Our party will be on Saturday 22nd October during the half term week as it means that all of my daughters and families will be able to attend. *Ü*

Toots for now peeps.

***HAPPY BIRTHDAY*** to me!

Another year has passed and I am another year older! How time flies! I have been having lovely surprises almost every day last week. A big box of Cadbury's goodies arrived first, then a card and goodies from my good friend Marsha in Michigan. The following day my Halloween goodies arrived as a gift from my youngest daughter, Friday a pressie was on my doormat when I arrived home from the hairdresser and yesterday....on the way back from church, my husband told me that we had to go collect something from my daughter's! To my surprise...it was a ploy to get me there for a birthday treat! LOL. I am usually quite observant and 'suspicious' of plots but I had no idea! *Ü*

On the front door was a banner 'SURPRISE' and afternoon tea was laid out on the table in the conservatory! Ooo... I LOVE afternoon tea. We had hot crusty bread and strawberry jam...a very favourite teatime treat when my girls were young and very memorable for them all.

Chocolate brownies, a favourite cake of mine - Struesel and a Lemon Drizzle cake that Michelle's elderly neighbour baked for me. Aww...such a lovely afternoon. Then I had pressies from 2 of my daughters. 2 Art Deco glasses for my mineral water that I drink all day, special cookies by Rick Stein from Cornwall from my eldest daughter Lisa's recent holiday and some money, that I will spend at Alexander Palace next Saturday. *Ü* I felt very spoiled indeed.

Today, I had to be ready by 9.30 as my husband took me out for some 'therapy'...I knew not where...and realised when I opened my card that it was for a fish spa treatment! *Ü*

We then had a Toby Carvery lunch. Mmm. My grandson Cameron will come over after school. So all in all, I am having a wonderful birthday so far.

Ohh....and this is one of my fave pressies that I got....a bag from my sister in Devon! Ooo....sooo me & well timed for Halloween! *Ü*

Thank you to those of you who have sent me birthday wishes, cards, pressies and emails. I so appreciate your friendship and love.

Gone fishing!

I'm back from my travels! *Ü* I have spent the past week with my sister who lives in Devon. She has been in hospital and had surgery for kidney stones, so I wanted to spend some precious time with her....AND she is going to be 60 on 17th September. So for 2 days, we are both going to be 60! I remember the big build up for my 60th last year. It was definately my best birthday - EVER! *Ü*

So, on to my trip. My sister's house is elevated on a slope with beautiful views of the bay and every day I was there, I awoke to a different sky. Such beautiful sunrises on most days but each one still very different with the sun peeking through the clouds or sending rays up into the blue sky.

As my sister wasn't feeling too good, we spent time on her sun deck. After a hospital visit to remove the stent she had in her...ugh...she was a different person and although she felt quite sick at first, she soon felt better in herself. We then made up for lost time and went to have some therapy - my birthday treat from her - in a fish tank! Little fishes nibbled the dead skin on our feet! We screamed with laughter as it was such a weird sensation at first. LOL. It seems to be a new thing in the country.

We also managed a visit to a boot fair and had a Devon cream tea! *Ü*

So, now my travels are over - until Alexander Palace on 24th September that is! *Ü* Until then, I shall get my head down and get on with playing catch up!

Have a good week yourselves and thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.