Simply Spooktacular :: Stylish notes on family-friendly Halloween ideas

via Fun Like Me

I've never been one for the gore of Halloween. Sure, I went to all the obligatory movies in my youth where nightmares come alive, boys in hockey masks came back to haunt year after year after year after year. Truth be told I hated them all. I sat in the movies with my eyes hidden by my hands, jumping more in anticipation of what was to come next then what actually came next. I've never favored the costumes of grim reapers and headless horsemen and all those bloody, and in my opinion stupid costumes that teenage boys favored. I liked witches and bats and funny Jack O'Lanterns... isn't that what Halloween should be about? Maybe I'm a Halloween prude, but I prefer my version of the Holiday to be more G rates.... apple bobbing, cider, pumpkin donuts, dress the scarecrow, sack races, children in adorable costumes - and the candy! That's what Halloween is to me! So below I've found ideas for your next Halloween get together, whether you're hosting or bringing something to someone else's party - ideas that will make you smile and not cringe. I don't know about you... I'm much more of a Halloween treat girl myself!

Betty Crocker

via Pinterest

via Taste of Home

via Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

  

Martha Stewart

via Tumblr

via All You

  

via Room to Inspire

via Martha Stewart

For these and many more ideas please visit my Pinterest board!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jessica

Get into the Spirit :: Family Friendly Halloween Decor Tips

I do love Halloween, but I opt more for a classical, fun and festive look as opposed to spooky, scary, gory. We all have our preferences and our own styles. I much prefer a treat over a trick any day! I'm all about the pumpkins and whimsy and not so much about the zombies and ghouls. Halloween is just around the corner and it's not too late to get into the spirit of things! Below are gentle family-friendly ideas I've collected on my Pinterest board to share with you. Some ideas on decor, food, beverage, craft and entertaining. I hope you enjoy the images I have chosen to share with you. It's not too late to get into the groove, after all The Great Pumpkin isn't due to arrive for another two weeks!

I wish I had an orange door! This Halloween decor is almost elegant with the careful and strategic placing of pumpkins of all sizes and shapes along with the candles and lanterns. This front porch is terribly inviting. I'd like to cozy up against those pillows with a warm cup of apple cider!

Sparkly Christmas lights and some black birds make give this understated front porch an elegant, fun, and whimsical feel. The detail is simple; the impact is anything but! 

I've posted this photo before. It's an all-time favorite. I love the simple balloons turned into whimsical and playful Jack O'Lanterns. Here's another example where less is truly more!

This is our first Jack O'Lantern of the season. My youngest and I carved it today. His name is appropriately Cutie Pie! I learned a trick and I wish I could give credit where credit is due. Sprinkle the inside of the pumpkin with some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice and the heat emitted by the lit candle will give off a subtle, gentle sweet aroma.   

This is about as scary as I go on Halloween! These darling little bones are so simple to make. All you need are some mini pretzels, mini marshmallows and some melted white chocolates! Dem bones, dem bones....

I love this festive way to serve wine (or champagne!) at any fall or Halloween party. I'm a huge fan of working with nature as a natural decor, and I do think the more simple the ideas, the more of an impression they will make.

I mean really, these are much too adorable! We're not entertaining for Halloween this year, but I will be serving these to the kids one night soon!

Another fantastic and clever idea! My oldest is not a fan of peppers, and I don't expect that she'll become a fan overnight, but I know she will find these positively precious!

I love the small pumpkins piled up on top of each other in these tall glass vases and think they'd look elegant on any mantle as well as on any dining room table. 

Krylon is the secret to inexpensive craft pumpkins to create a magnificent and elegant look to add to your Halloween decor. Place these around your hearth, on your mantle, as centerpieces on your dinner table or as decor on a buffet or any side table. A little spray paint can work wonders!

I love the idea of turning white pumpkins into mummies. The fun and whimsical faces are sure to delight even the youngest Halloween enthusiast!

Every Halloween party needs its own special party dish. This Graveyard dip is sure to please every appetite! This ghoulishly great idea comes to you from Better Homes and Gardens. Click here for the recipe!

This memorable Mummy Meatloaf will put a smile on your young Trick or Treater's face. A perfect meal to serve quickly before the young ones head out to paint the town red, or orange as the case may be! This recipe was created by The Knead for Speed, which she adapted from Epicurious. Click here to see the recipe.

Have an elegant Halloween dinner party with a few of your closest friends. Krylon spray paint once again takes center stage. Some gold paint and a few pumpkins in various sizes create a magical and elegant setting.

I've seen many variations of apples and white tea lights, but I think that this version might just be my favorite! I love the look of the rustic bucket and the glow of the candles reflecting off the sides. This is a must in any backyard fall entertaining get together!

Oh my Gourdness! Aren't these characters totally adorable? Legend has it that the original Jack O'Lanters were created from potatoes and turnips and not pumpkins. The practice of decorating “jack-o’-lanterns”—the name comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack—originated in Ireland, where large turnips and potatoes served as an early canvas. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, home of the pumpkin, and it became an integral part of Halloween festivities. 

All images via Pinterest

I love this fun, clever, creative and oh so simple way of turning a large pumpkin into a cooler. This is another example of how something so simple and natural makes such a strong statement!

For these and other great Halloween ideas visit my Pinterest boards here and here. 

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!

XXOO

Jessica

Not Just "Witch Crafts;" Fun and Easy Ideas for You and Your Family

Welcome back to another installation of Holiday Bliss hosted by HousewifeBliss. I am privileged and thrilled and delighted to be participating with this talented group of bloggers. I must tell you, however, while I love to entertain, decorate, cook, bake and create, I am incredibly lazy. I live for instant gratification. I can't sew. Can barely iron. I've been told I'm like Annie Oakley of the Glue Guns, though! I can make anything seem as though I've spent hours prepping... but I have neither the desire nor the inclination. But, shhhh... don't tell the husband!

So in the spirit of Halloween and my pure laziness I have created a post purely for those Lazy Mummies like me. The following will delight and tickle your and your little one's fancies. The best part about these easy-peasy tricks and treats is that it leaves plenty of time at the end of the day -- or at the beginning or middle -- to pour yourselves a Bloody Mary... or Blood Orange Martini!

So kick back... get crafty... and Cheers!

All photographs below are courtesy Martha Stewart's Halloween Central... (I'm lazy, remember, if I searched the entire internet for ideas there would be not time to shake or stir!)

A perfect party favor or item for Halloween class grab-bag

These ghoulish Madelines are those only a Mummy could love!

You drive me batty!

The cutest Jack-O-Lanterns I ever did see!

Meet the Root Family... You'll totally dig 'em!

 

A little something for Mummy at the end of the day...

Too darling to actually be spooky!

Little Firecracker!

Next time the kids say they are bored reach into your pantry and grab a box of pasta.
They'll keep busy... No bones about it!

Great crafty ideas with potatoes... perfect for all numskulls!

Ssssssssssssssstay away from my candy!

Pick one... any one...

S'cuse me waiter... there's a bug on my brie!

Won't you please visit the other wonderful gals taking part of the Holiday Bliss? I promise they are not half as lazy as I am ;)

Mindy Lockard Tips for Holiday Tipping

Pemberley Collections Miniature Pumpkin Garland - A How To Guide

Lily Lemon Tree Dressing for Party Success-Stylish Attire for the Chic Hostess

The Savvy Host Handling too much "merry-making" (yours or theirs)
Ab home Interiors Fabulous holiday florals-Essential tips for the floral impaired
Tatertots and Jello A crafty hostess gift
Lucky Life Parties  Decking the halls to make your home party ready
The Daily Basics  Starting the kids in your family on collections

Housewife Bliss  Global Citizen's Guide to Holiday Festivities

A Surprise Awaits You!

I am participating in Housewife Bliss' Holiday Workshop. She will be hosting several wonderful bloggers every Thursday to write about various entertaining aspects through the holiday season. Be sure to visit her and all the other wonderful people participating in this series!

Halloween is just a few weeks away. I know my children have been planning their Halloween costumes for several months already. It's a Holiday they adore. I think they might actually like getting candy for Halloween more than they like their Christmas presents!

This weekend we'll retrieve our collected Spooky and whimsical Halloween goodies and place them strategically around the house. I tend not to go crazy this time of the year, but the children do enjoy seeing a witch's hat here, a broom there... a scary rat or bat strategically hidden by one sibling, taken and moved by another... watch out because it will be sure to give you a fright!

First of all, with any decorating - sprucing up the house - I love to involve the children. Since they are such a grand part of our lives it is important that their presence is felt. I love these votive Jack O Lanterns that they made. They couldn't be more fun and they couldn't be easier to make!

For instructions please visit here!

I also love seeing dancing ghosts all over the place during the holiday season. This is another fun activity you can do with your children to dress up your front lawn.

To learn how to make these cute spooks, visit this site.

 As always Martha Stewart has the cleverest ideas. I love these gourd bird feeders. They add a subtle holiday touch to your outdoors. Fill them with birdseed and you'll have a wonderful bird oasis. Small pumpkins can be hallowed out and substituted.

Image, Martha Stewart

If you plan on having an evening gathering there is no more delightful way to light your walkway than with these pumpkin or gourd luminaries.

Image, Martha Stewart

Image, Martha Stewart

Image, Martha Stewart

If you are going to have a family friendly party you'll need to have some activities to keep the children entertained. Depending on the ages of the children attending, you may want to hire a local teenager or two to help with babysitting so that you and the other parents can enjoy yourselves.

Fun activities for all ages include potato sack races, three-legged-races, autumn related scavenger/treasure hunts, pumpkin decorating, pumpkin carving, pine cone hunt (much like an Easter egg hunt!) and mini pumpkin toss (in lieu of an egg toss).

I love a scarecrow making contest! You'll need a bale or two of hay and some old jeans or overalls, flannel shirts, hats, bandannas... If you have none of these items at home, you'll be able to pick up these items from your local Goodwill store for practically pennies! You'll divide all your guests into two or three teams (or as many as you'll need depending on the amount of guests and the ages of your guests) and make sure to have mixed ages on these teams. The goal is to stuff the hay into the clothes and create a scarecrow. The team that does it the fastest wins!

Or you could have a scarecrow relay race! Instead of hay team members dress in the overalls, shirts, bandannas, etc and race across the lawn, then disrobe and pass the clothes on to a team mate until all members have dressed, raced and undressed. This is loads of fun!

I still love the concept of apple bobbing. I know this worries some parents, and of course you'll really need to make sure that whoever is participating is free of any cold or other virus. Add a bit of Clorox to the water (as done in preschools and day cares) to remove potential germs. This will not harm the apples or the bobbers. Place the apples in a large, low bucket and let the fun begin!

Eating hanging donuts while suspending from a string is fun as well. You'll need some donuts (if you have access to some apple cider donuts, get them... they are so yummy and festive and lend themselves perfectly to an Autumn Harvest Party! You'll need some string to tie around the donuts, and something to hang them from so that they are dangling. The object of the game is to get your donut and eat it first!

How about some bowling using some gourds? 

Part of the fun of the Halloween season are all the wonderfully sinful, devilish and delightful little treats, and as with anything Halloween, there ought to be an element of surprise! Perhaps serve up these scary chocolate critters?

I made a Spooky Centerpiece for the children last year. They adored it and everyone asked for more eyeballs! The rat disappeared and we ended up playing Find The Rat for the next couple of weeks!

EntertainingMom loves her cocktail napkins. I collect everything from Target brand to Caspari!

It would be remiss of me not to offer a spooky cocktail. Is our little creepy, crawly friend sweet or scary?

When the party is over, if children are invited, you may want to send them off with Halloween goody bags. I prefer not to give out candy, as children get enough during the holiday season. My children and I made some wonderful Pumpkin Spice Play Dough last year. The gifts, the play dough wrapped in cellophane, came with directions for making more and with a special Halloween cookie cutter.

For how tos and instructions visit my post here.

Nice Jugs, Baby ;) A Fun Halloween Project for All Ages!

First you start off with your nice jug, baby ;)




and then you take a black Sharpie or other good black marker and draw a face on your jug,



Then you add a little grosgrain because your cute jug needs to get prepped out a little!



and you can add the word Boo! to it too, if you would like...

and you can have a little milk jug party and decorate your school's foyer with your Nice Jugs, Baby!

(For a fun, nighttime effect you can string white Christmas lights into the jugs and light them up. This gives the the jugs a fun and delightful non-fright!)

Looking for some more fun Halloween crafts? Spectacular Painted Pumpkins are fun for adults and older kids (and messy with little ones!) And if you are looking for something easier, we love to make these little Jack O Lantern Votives..a great project for all ages!

I'm sure we'll be crafting some more. Alexander is now fever-free but still has a terrible cough and runny nose. He's better off here at home with me for a while... He's supposed to be going on a Field Trip to a wonderful farm tomorrow. The trip is on rain or shine, but given his health we won't be going if the weather doesn't cooperate. The oven's been working on overtime, and will continue to be as long as I am stuck home with him, in the kitchen so be sure to check the food blog as I will be posting those soon too! I really don't want these goodies in my home, so let me know if you want any goody bags!

Don't Drink and Fly!

My love of napkins is evident even this time of year! I have a collection of fun and whimsical napkins in paper and cloth. Some are inexpensive from Target and Party City. Some are Caspari. I love them all and they certainly add a festive flair to any get together, whether it means having a girlfriend over for a cocktail or a larger crowd!

The following items can all be found on The Food Network Website:

I love this cake and think there is nothing corny about it whatsoever!

These little arachnids are really rather cute, aren't they?!

Er, excuse me waiter, there's a spider in my drink!




Candy Corn Cocktail gives the little candy a bit of sophistication!

Light my fire!

I have a little confession to make. I'm not, and haven't been much in the Halloween spirit this year. Normally the house is decked out with pumpkins and whimsy. This year I have a few items on the table in the foyer to please the children. But I haven't gotten that Halloween itch. Perhaps it is because the stores have gotten a bit out of control with the spookiness and goriness. Kids are scared to go into many of these places. And frankly, who can blame them? Halloween, I thought, was more about the little kids dressing up and knocking on doors and asking for candy. That's what I like about it. But lately I have seen one too many bloody corpse, headless horseman and others belonging to R rated films than a party store. Sure the adults should be able to have fun with Halloween too, but not at the expense of little children. These Party Superstore Warehouse places ought to be responsible as well. Perhaps separating the young Halloween items from the older, scarier ones. I don't see why Little Red Riding Hood's costume should be on the same aisle's as Freddy from Elm Street's. And while we are on the subject of costumes. If you haven't shopped for a preteen yet, well you are in for a rude awakening. Everything out there is slutty. And trashy. Everything. Little Red Riding Hood might as well be Little red Riding Ho... and Dorothy is Doro-Ho... Seriously! It's disheartening. I know my days of dressing Rebecca up as Madeline, Cinderella and the little fairy are over, but Slut White is not an option for her either! Sheesh!

Can't find the %!@%$# missing rat!

Eyeballs... check
Lizzards.... check
Eyes of Newt... check
Spiders... check
Dead Flies... check
But where is my missing rat?

The Halloween box came up from the basement today... and now I've got the itch... to bewitch my house!

My Halloween cookie cutters... napkins... placemats... cups... luminaries... crafts... are all out and ready to be strategically placed throughout the house.

I was really hoping to replicate this great platter I created last year but the rat is missing!