Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2009 in Holidays

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A Good Day to Celebrate!

October 27, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Recipes, Staff

October 27 is Caramel Apple Day and there is no better way to celebrate than with some yummy caramel apples. We've had the privilege of sampling Jackie's apples on a few occasions and we can attest to their deliciousness!

6-8 Small to medium clean, tart, apples (Apples from the store usually have a waxy finish that needs to be washed clean. Dry very well; caramel will not stick to a wet apple.)

Craft sticks for handles
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
2 cups brown sugar
¼ cup Karo syrup

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook on medium heat-- a too hot burner will scorch easily. Stir mixture constantly, scraping the bottom often. Do not walk away from the cooking caramel!! If you use a candy thermometer heat to 240 degrees or when tested in cold water to firm ball stage. When mixture hits the right temperature, add 1 tsp real vanilla stirring quickly.

Dip clean apples in caramel and place on parchment paper. The apples will not stick to parchment paper which is a very good thing. You will have a little caramel left in the bottom of the pan that you can not dip into so I drizzle this caramel over the already carameled apples for a little extra goodness.

Enjoy!!

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BOO!

October 24, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Scrapbooking

Don’t be scared – all you need are paper-mache letters, shadow boxes, and fabric or scrapbook papers to create this whimsical Halloween décor. Display on a shelf or table for a unique Halloween accent.

 

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HALLOWEEN FUN CHECKLIST

October 21, 2009 Buy Halloween Candy!  (Baby Ruth is hardest to resist for me)

  Pick out Costumes (When I was a girl my favorite costume was a Hobo. I put a bag on a stick and coffee grounds on my face for beard stubble)

Big sale on Candy – better get some more

Go to the local Harvest festival to select a potpourri of pumpkins

Send Halloween Postcards – Use  6 ½ x 4 ½  paper Cardstock from our new Harvest & Holiday paper pack.  Just add a message, address & postage to the back and drop in the mailbox- simple as that!

Have a Pumpkin Carving Contest among your family members

For Quick Halloween Night Window décor – paint a couple wooden candlesticks black, cover with black glitter and top with a couple of small carved and lit pumpkins

Decorate the Front Porch – gather any of the following: Cornstalks, hay bales, old broom, scarecrow, golden colored mums, autumn leaf garland, luminaries, a basket full of gourds, a door banner and of course an assortment of pumpkins & autumn leaves to cover the steps. 


No time to make Caramel Corn? – Stock up on more Candy – Don’t want to run out!

Halloween is Saturday night this year – Invite friends over to celebrate. My new tradition is having my little friends Kate & Lena over to help me answer the front door and pass out candy. They love the princess costumes and scream and run away at the scary ones. It’s always entertaining!

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Quick Halloween Tricks

October 16, 2009 in Holidays Panel prints make fun, quick projects. Use our Treat Bag panel print to create a quickie Halloween Trick or Treat bag for your little ones. For fun holiday décor, check out our Halloween snow globe and coir mat to set out to greet your Trick or Treaters. (all available at JoAnn Stores) As always, we do have the best Desktop Screen designs and our latest, “Spooky Town” is no exception. Spooky! 

 

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Quilts for Sale

October 12, 2009

In between getting your Halloween decorations and costumes together, it’s also time to start some planning for the upcoming Christmas Holiday and I’ve decided to offer some quilts and projects for sale.

These are all one of a kind, beautifully handcrafted in the Debbie Mumm Studio for our quilt books. To make it even more enticing, the prices are extremely reasonable. Here’s a preview of what we’re offering and a link that will take you directly to my listings on eBay. Why make it yourself, when I’ve already made it for you!

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Mad Hatter Vintage Flea Market

October 9, 2009 in Creativity, Decorating, Friendship, Quilting

I got to attend my friends Flea Market Sale this last weekend and it was so magical! Gladys and Celia (mother and daughter) are both so cute and have such a magic touch when it comes to turning their flea market finds into true vintage treasures.

Even though it was their first event they had an enormous turnout to the Five Mile Grange which was decked from top to bottom with antique linens, jewelry, furnishings, seasonal decorations, mirrors, vases, pillows, signs and so much more. Everywhere you looked your eyes were delighted by sparkles and glitter and twinkling lights.

All seventeen of their hand picked vendors wore fun hats and were all just so darling – just like all their wares. 

My other good friend Lynn prepared delicious homemade soups, tarts and scones to keep our tummies happy while we shopped. So yummy- The pumpkin soup was delish! I can’t wait until their next event!

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Countdown to Halloween!

October 5, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Holidays

We’re counting down to Halloween with weekly project ideas and this fun project is one that older kids will enjoy making. Light up your steps or walkway with grinning ghosts, cats, and jacks’. Tin buckets (or clean tin cans!) are pierced with hammer and nails, then painted for daytime fun.

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Fright Night is Near!

October 1, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting

Only 31 days until Halloween! Fright Night has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love the cast of characters that includes jack-o’-lanterns, playful ghosts, haunted houses, cats and bats. The spooky frights and fun-loving delights of the holiday make decorating for Halloween especially fun and with my new Spooky Town Fabric Collection for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, you’ll be able to scare up some great decorations and costumes in just a few hours.

The collection includes pillow, apron, placemat, and treat bag panels as well as a great collection of glittery and ghostly coordinates. The panels make for fast sewing and we turned one of the pillow panels into a great door banner. So, sew up some fun before the bewitching time is here!

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