Showing posts with label halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label halloween. Show all posts
Make it: Pumpkin Fever
Make it: Conker Pumpkins
Make it: Spooky Spiders and Vampire Bats
Halloween is just around the corner and although it is not as big here in the UK as it is in the US we still love to get into the spooky spirit. Steve and I normally snuggle up and have a horror movie marathon, although this year we may have an American Horror Story marathon instead (literally can't wait for the new season), anyway, in my shop at this time of year we get asked for fun Halloween activities for the little ones to have a go at in the holidays. My go-to suggestion is always pompoms and pipe-cleaners! So today I am sharing how to make some fun spooky friends to keep the little ones (and big little ones) busy this half term.
Make it: Pumpkin Pincushion
Today we have a spooky sewing treat for you to try your hand at, this super cute Pumpkin Pincushion. The best thing about this tutorial is that you can use it to make normal pincushions with pretty cotton fabrics all year round as well as these Halloween style ones, just pick a fabric of your choice. So let's get on and show you how we made this little guy.
Low Maintenance Halloween Outfits
Some years I go all out for Halloween and some years, like this year, I just want to be a bit more low maintenance. There are some great options from our favourite fashion brands around at the moment to make it look like you have made an effort, without going the whole hog.
Michelle Makes: Halloween Toffee Apples
Michelle from Spotted Rose is back today with a fun Autumnal treat for you all to try.
I am a big fan of Autumn, especially Halloween. It’s full of lovely baking, running through the autumn leaves, hot chocolate and toffee apples. They are a real childhood memory for me so I just HAD to try these for myself.
I was a little nervous because it means heating sugar to the right temperature, but these were really
fun to make! You don’t need a sugar thermometer either, there is a little test you can do, which i’ll explain. There are quite a few different recipes for these so I kind of adapted them all and made up my own.
Here’s what you will need:
Small apples (I don’t like biting into big ones, but use what you prefer)
Lolly sticks / paper straws
2 cups caster sugar
½ cup water
½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 tbsp golden syrup
Get the sticks ready first – I stamped my families names on some of the lolly sticks as a special little touch, you could add names or Halloween references !
Stick them into the bottom of the washed and dried apples.
I really wanted to try using paper straws in place of the sticks but they are quite flimsy, BUT by just
using the end of a circular ended teaspoon and sticking this in the bottom of an apple, it made a circular hole and they then fitted in perfectly.
Next to make the toffee, add the sugar and water to a pan and bring to the boil.
Then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or the 'hard crack' stage as they call it. If you don’t have a thermometer you can test the toffee by dropping a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and when removed be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, it’s not quite ready !
So, this is the fun bit – I decided to make my toffee apples a bit more ‘spooky’ and added some green food colouring and edible green glitter.
Slimy and gross hey!
Then, very quickly dip the apples in the toffee, swirl them around and drip off any excess. I used some flower oasis to pop these in and keep them upright to dry.
Here they are…
I then added red colouring to the next ones ...
... and decided to add a little sugar witch and some green glitter !
But the below are my all time favourite ones – I have been dying to try the new edible gold spray from Dr Oktker and this was the perfect opportunity!!
Gold toffee apples – doesn’t get much better than that hey!
Why not package them up in cellophane and ribbon and give
them away as pressies!
If they aren't devoured first like mine were.
Thanks so much for reading & happy Autumn!
Michelle, x
Holidays are coming, holidays are coming....
I am aware that as some of you read this you will think I am crazy for wishing away the last remnants of our ( in the end pretty decent) British summer, but Autumn and Winter are my favourite times of the year. I cannot wait for Sunday when it will be the 1st of September, when I am allowed to start being excited about it and allowed to mention the word.... Christmas!
Be aware that there are lots of wintry images and words that follow.
My favourite things about the coming seasons are...
The smell of : Cinnamon, Pine needles, Peppermint and Apples.
The clothes I get to wear : Jumpers, hats, scarves, gloves, boots and snugly socks.
The views I get to see : Autumn leaves, Snow, Frost, bonfires
and the first showing of the Christmas Coke advert!
The Food I get to eat : Shepherds pie, Jacket potatoes, Apple pie and Tomato soup.
The events I get to attend : Halloween parties, Bonfire night, Christmas shopping, Boxing day
and New Year's Eve.
And shopping for: Wrapping paper, Gifts, Christmas dinner and Craft supplies.
What are your favourite things about Autumn and Winter? Are you going to miss Summer?
Or like me are you excited for the new season?
Sammy xxx
Link for the week: Halloween Nail art from Hello Giggles
It's Half term week here and that means my job is Crazy busy! Due to Halloween being today, I thought it only right to share a link with that theme and with me not being a huge fan of the day itself, I thought I would go with something fun and not too creepy.
I found this cool nail art on one of our favourite blogs Hello Giggles over in the US that happens to have Zooey Deschanel as one of its writers - not bad hey!
Check it out and let me know what you think!
Love it
H
Make it: Big Draw Workshop
As the title says its all about the Big Draw this weekend for us. On Saturday, we will be doing a Shrink plastic workshop for the Big Draw at the Guardian! Yes that's right, the Guardian chose us, amongst other artists to be part of their Big Draw day! How exciting!
We will be working with the children to help them design their own Halloween inspired Shrink Plastic pieces. Getting them to draw on a thin piece of plastic, watching them go crazy when the plastic all curls up with the heat and then see it when it ends up so small and thick. That's the best part!
They will be able to make badges and necklaces or bracelets and lots of enthusiasm about trying out this fun plastic to take home.
So if you are in London and fancy a free workshop then pop down to the Guardian Offices, York Way, Kings Cross; between 2-4pm and we will help you create something fun!
Live it. Love it. Make it
H & Sammy
Link for the Week: Halloween Tie Dye from I love to create
This week I found this little gem of an idea for Halloween inspired tie-dye. How cool, I love the idea of making the tie dye in to a fun shape, not just a random pattern.
So go have a look and see what inspiration you can get. We would love to see what you make
Make it
H
Love it: Halloween 2011
Love it
Sammy xxx
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