Photo from Brooklyn Limestone blog
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Queen of Halloween
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Halloween Party Games & Activities for the kiddos
Looking for ideas to keep your youngest Halloween party guests entertained? Here are a few games and activities for school or home celebrations:
Skeleton Scavenger Hunt {Family Fun Magazine}
Photo from Family Fun
What You Need
- Large cardboard or plastic skeleton decoration
- Long sheet of paper
- Marker
- Tacks or tape
Instructions
- Trace a large cardboard or plastic skeleton decoration on a long sheet of paper. (Use a skeleton with movable limbs like the one shown here.)
- Next, carefully take the skeleton apart at its joints and hide the parts around your house or yard.
- During the party, ask the kids to "unearth" the bones and reassemble the skeleton by tacking or taping the parts onto the outline. When the skinny spook has been re-created, celebrate by giving each player a small prize.
Halloween Tossing Game {Better Homes & Gardens}
Download and print the Better Homes and Gardens patterns (found here), a sign for the Can Toss game and one to wrap each can. Measure around the cans and cut printed papers to wrap around them; secure with glue. Arrange the cans on a tiered shelf with designated points. Provide the kids with table tennis balls to toss into the cans.
Photo from Better Homes & Gardens
Roll a Jack-O-Lantern {my own interpretation of a game at Oopsey Daisy Blog}
What you need
Pumpkins cut out of construction paper
Eyes, noses, mouths and teeth cut outs (or markers for the kids to draw the features)
Dice (I'd love to find a huge die to use for little kid's kindergarten party but a small set will work just fine.)
Instructions
Roll the die and let the kids create their crazy pumpkin!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Easiest Pork Tenderloin recipe
The busiest time of year is among us so I'm here to share a scrumptious easy weeknight dinner :: Amazing Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker.
Ingredients
1 (2 lb) pork tenderloin
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
3/4 cup red wine
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.
It was delicious and moist and so very easy!
Monday, October 3, 2011
EAT, DRINK, and BE SCARY! dinner menu
If hitting the streets in a polyester costume on Halloween is not up your alley, an EAT, DRINK, and BE SCARY dinner party is a perfect way to spend the evening with friends.
Once your guests sit down for dinner, start your goulish meal with a warm bowl of Green Gruel with Eyeballs.
Photo from Epicurious
or for a more elegant presentation, Spiderweb Soup (use yogurt or creme fraiche to draw the spider webs)
Photo from Le Chat Gourmet
For the salad course, a Warm Butternut Squash and Arugula salad hits the spot.
Photo from Apartment Therapy The Kitchn
And for the main course, Beef Tenderloin with Garlic Horseradish served with a side of Potato Ghosts.
Photo from Epicurious
Photo from Epicurean Mom
Later this week, I'll have drink recommendations to round out your Halloween dinner party!
Friday, September 30, 2011
FREE....
Now that I have your attention there are FREE cute Halloween printables at Better Homes & Gardens.
I'm definitely adding these vinyl embellishments to my IKEA lanterns.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Last chance for Halloween invitations
How about this lovely black, white and orange chevron invitation? I think it's perfect for a Halloween dinner party!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Boo! Back with more Halloween ideas....
At Back-to-School night yesterday, I signed up to help with little kid's Kindergarten Halloween party. There are both peanut and gluten allergies in his class so I've been all over Pinterest looking for inspiration. So far, I've found a few great ideas!
Leave it to Martha to come up with this adorable party favor idea. And my google research says that marshmallows are gluten free. SCORE!
Photo from Martha Stewart
I love this idea but I'm not sure it'll fly in a class of 5- and 6-year-olds. However, it does fit the "gluten free" and "peanut free" bill and it's healthy to boot.
Photo from Taste of Home
Photo from One Charming Party
Supplies: fruit (green grapes, strawberries, pineapple, etc.), skewers, plastic bat rings, hot glue gun and scissors.
Simply cut the ring part off of the bat rings. Trim the skewers shorter if needed. Hot glue the bat to the top of the skewer. Slide the fruit onto the skewer. Trim the pointy end off the skewer if desired.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Don't be SCARED....
Halloween planning doesn't need to be FRIGHTENING!
Check out these simple ideas to be the "ghoulest" person on your block...
Tombstone Taco Dip from Better Homes & Gardens
"Ghouls Night Out" from Country Living Magazine
The Floating Ghost from Every Day is Crafting Day blog
Monday, July 18, 2011
DIY Dining Room Art
Traditional Home
While thumbing through a recent issue of Traditional Home, I found the above inspiration for our bare dining room walls. The room desperately needed color and I didn't want to break the bank. With the help of Adobe Illustrator, IKEA and 3M Command Strips, I created the artwork for less than $100.
I love that as you walk up front walk of our traditional home, you see a modern pop of color through the front window.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Settling in....
We've moved and that'll be my excuse for not posting in two months. We're settling in and decorating. When I find a few spare moments, I'll share before and after photos of our remodel. In the meantime, I'll leave you with this photo of our view and new Windsor Smith drapes. I'm in love!
