Witches! Day 24

Today's post is all about witches. I am really enjoying the whole Halloween thing and each year, I seem to be getting into it more and more. However, I now have enough ideas to fill a whole house and I am beginning to think that I am obsessed enthused to the point of no return. LOL. So here you go...a little reminder of my Halloween party from last year. The witch's cavern!

In an earlier post, I told you that I went to buy a broom of a different kind. Last year, I saw a mechanical broom on the Martha Stewart website but it had 'not available'! I was in Asda a few weeks ago and there were just a couple of boxes on the shelves for Halloween. One of which was the same broom! It was £15. However, I bought this one - the same - Enchanted Broom, in Wilkinson's for just £10. A bargain I thought.

Wheee! It laughs and moves around the kitchen floor on it's own....no more cleaning floors for me! *Ü* You can see it here on Martha Stewart website. You can also see and watch it work in the video at the side on the site. It's the same one at MS's site and it has been reduced from $29 to $19 which is roughly £14! In the pic on her site is a black cat in the background. That too is on sale in Wilkinson's for £10!

This witch has obviously had too much too drink...so be warned! LOL. Clever decoration.

This vintage witch photo makes me smile. It reminds me of me and my 3 girlfriends! *Ü*

This witch's shoe container can be easily made in a few minutes with an empty Pringle container and some craft paper. Great for a variety of treats.

Martha Stewart has this witch silhouette decal on her website here (similar). One can be easily traced onto black card to put in a window for a spooky welcome. *Ü*

 Lastly, I printed off this Wanda The Witch game and we had fun playing. Just click on the picture below. Right click to your pc and print off. I took it to be copied to A3 size.

So...there you have it...lots to keep you busy in the half term holiday. Have fun. Keep warm and have a...

time..

Table decorating! Day 23

Ohh...I have had the BESTEST Halloween party with my family and the fun continues as they are here for another few days yet. The costumes and makeup were superb and all of the food turned out so well. I am so grateful to have spent the whole year planning and organising for memories that are priceless. *Ü* I was on the go for 16 hours yesterday and am feeling rather pooped today. So we spent the day chilling and playing games - Pin the wart on the witch's chin, I had printed out death certificates and prescriptions for the living! Then we had some glow sticks and made lots of patterns in the dark - photos to come as I have not had time to upload them. So the planning still continues.

Now we have gotten some food lists going on, we will need to make plans to decorate the tables. This website has a bling theme going on with sparkly skulls.

Another table setting that I really liked is here - Quoth Raven dinner party including making your own table dinnerware.

I come across soo many lovely blogs and I love this one by Kim at Party Frosting.  She gives lots of inspiration for decorating tables as well as lots more food ideas.

Of course there is Martha Stewart's ideas for party tables here. So much to choose from. Whatever theme you choose, do have fun. *Ü*

Party, Party! Day 22

Hurrayyy...today is Saturday - the day of my party has finally arrived and I am sooo excited. I think I may have told you before! *Ü* Still lots of last minute things to do due to keeping everything fresh. Boris is very excited too as he hasn't met all of the members of my family yet! *Ü*

In case you don't know who Boris is....he is my butler! He has served us well for the past 3 years. *Ü*

In case you haven't noticed....I haven't mentioned 'witch' in any of my posts...that will be for another day as well as costumes. *Ü*

Today is busy friends, so I shall leave you with a link back to the Halloween party I shared with my friends and sister last year here just to give you a peek at what is to come. Bring on the Boo Crew! *Ü*

Have a Super Saturday peeps.

Pumpkins II. Day 21

Welcome to my new follower - Jackie. Thank you for joining us. I hope you enjoy your stay. *Ü*

I know I have already done a post for pumpkins but I did say that I would feature recipes for what to do with the flesh.

The first recipe is for German Pumpkin Soup.

Here is another recipe for Deep Dish Pumpkin Meringue Pie. Ooo...doesn't this look yummy? I like the idea of meringue on top - different. I like different! *Ü* Gonna try making this today.

If you are going to carve your pumpkin, you may want it to last for a few days. In order for it to stay as fresh as possible, it can be sprayed with a solution of water and a little household bleach. It prevents it from going mouldy too quickly.

I bought a mini pumpkin - from Sainsburys - 99p. It's called a 'Munchkin' Pumpkin! *Ü* So cute. It will feature in the mouth of one of my giant pumpkins! I haven't got time to take photos and upload them now before the party tomorrow, so I shall of course take lots of pics at the party and make a longgg post one day next week when my family have gone home on Thursday.

*Squeeal* I am sooo excited...not even thought of my own costume yet, although I have lots of outfits to choose from! I made my husband's skeleton costume - I painted bones onto a new black t-shirt that I bought from a charity shop for £1...and an old pair of black trousers.

My guest creatures have been ordered - sadly I cannot have one of them as it is to be taken to an event in Blackpool at the weekend....it would have been a Barn Owl (like this one) that was to sit on a perch in my conservatory! Fab photo opportunity...

...but I WILL be having a snake....not just any snake but a 6ft Python!! LOL....AND...a Tarantula spider - a real beaut. I will save you the photos of those - just yet! *Ü* Anyways...I will leave it there as I have a list of things to do for today. Enjoy your preparations peeps. Ohh...just a couple more pumpkin ideas for carving...
this pumpkin coach is FAB for a fantasy themed autumn party.

 ...and this happy family can be found here.

That's it folks...for another day. Stay warm.

Halloween Nail Art! Day 20

I don't feel properly dressed unless I am wearing nail varnish and Halloween is a time that I like to be a little extreme with my nail art. *Ü*

If you are dressing up this Halloween, consider some of the following ideas for your nails. *Ü* There aren't a lot of links on 'how to' but they are quite easily done without instructions. (Use a cocktail stick for intricate designs).

Red and black are a classic combination.

This Rocky Horror design is appropriate too.

Here are various designs...

I like this Frankie design...

...and this green and black would work very well. The black is a crackle varnish. I now have several colours in my collection and you can buy it in lots of supermarkets, Superdrug and Boots.

Orly is one make of nail varnish that has become quite popular. It comes in tons of colours. Check out your suppliers and get creative.

Have fun.

Nibbles and dips! Day 19

When I am looking for Halloween recipes, I can always rely on Martha Stewart!  These appetizers will give you lots of choice when it comes to nibbles and dips!

I LOVE these Cauldron cookies which can be bought on etsy. There are soo many cookies to choose from - or if you have cookie cutters, why not make your own.

Owl cookies look really cute.

I have already made my menu list for this year which consists of 'Guacamouldy with Bat Toasts', (for a photo, see a previous post for pumpkins). It can but placed in a bowl and served as a dip. I made the Brain Mousse last year...see here. Scroll down a little to view.

Dips can be arranged in various ways. One is to serve in small pumpkins like here...with a selection of crudites - celery sticks, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks etc.

Ok...I am off to see a lady about a spider! Eek! *Ü* Have a good day.

Monsters! Day 18

Thank you to all those of you who leave me a lovely comment. I really appreciate it. Welcome to my new follower Elaina. *Ü*

Halloween is all about 'monsters'! I guess the big names such as Dracula, Frankenstein and Werewolf come to mind for me. So today's post is about MONSTERS!

On my travels around the web...I came across this blog where Fonda of southernscraps created a Frankenstein decal for a handsoap bottle which I thought was fab. So I have re-created it for my own Carex handsoap container but I had to hand cut mine as I don't own any cutting machine! It did take me over an hour! I downloaded a free bottle label for the reverse... 'Germs are scary'! *Ü*

Here is a link to make Frankenstein crafts with your little ones. Also here. There are Dracula crafts here and if you really want to go the extra mile so to speak...they are doing trips to Transylvania here! *Ü* I think I will give that one a miss...and  here are colouring pages of werewolves for your little monsters! *Ü*

Have fun. Please leave me a comment to let me know if any of these links are helpful or you might use them. It helps to know if my time is worth it. Thanks so much. *Ü*