Monday, October 26, 2015

Happy Hallow-Week! Bone Yard and Franken Family Oreos

Pic Monkey Fun! 

I don't think I will ever out grow Halloween much to Mr. Chocolate's chagrin. Even with Grad School Boy out of the house, and exactly 0 trick or treaters last year, I can't help myself! 

I'm also not sure when GSB will stop getting holiday care packages. I thought "oh once he's out of college" but Noooooo.  

I've done all kinds of dipped Oreos over the years and this year's no exception. This time...acid green candy melts and Frankestein themed sugar decorations.  I didn't take pictures of the process because you can find the how to's all over Pinterest but here are my goodies! 


For these I covered completely in acid green candy melts and then put a candy  Papa Frankenstein, Mama Frankenstein, Baby Frank and Franken Pooch on top! The package also came with Cats and Bats. I love these things because they are so detailed and so easy ( but you don't tell people that of course!)



The rest of the cookies are a boneyard theme , just 1/2  dipped in the candy melts and sprinkled with black sugar and white sugar bones. All products are Wilton. I got mine at Michaels and Target. 

I packaged them up in cello bags along  with some Dove eyeball candies, and the rest of the goodie box contains a scarf for the cold weather he will not be used to this winter, two pounds of coffee, and of course more candy as filler! 


For some extra fun I decorated the inner flaps of the box with some Halloween scrapbook paper.  I had to include a card....cut out the "BOO" bat with my Silhouette, glittered it and mounted as shown. 




 Your kids may grow up but you will always be a mom right? 





Thursday, October 22, 2015

BFF Open House #229

The Answer Is Chocolate

Crunch time people! One week until Halloween! Did I scare you :) 

Here are some features from last week's party...still time! 


Adults love Halloween too. Sometimes I think more than the kids do. One Little Project has an AMAZING collection of party ideas for grownups! 


Want a more sophisticated pumpkin look for a thrifty price ( I'm NOT looking at you Pottery Barn)? How about combining metallic paint and chalkboard like Engineer Mommy did to transform a Dollar Store pumpkin? 



Transform plain muslin bags into fun ( or personalized) treat bags. Loving these from Much More Creative. She made her own but you can pick up plain muslin or canvas bags from lots of places. These have so many possibilities!


This week's chocolate feature is actually not from the party but one I want to try that I found at Kraft. How about a sludgy chocolate martini? The glasses are rimmed with crushed Oreos! Yum.

Now on to this week's party! 

   
   






Monday, October 19, 2015

Creepy Bride and Groom Silhouettes: Easy Vinyl Project




I get teased by my family for picking things up without a plan in mind...I can't imagine any crafter who doesn't experience this!  Maybe not the teasing but the picking up items without a plan. Or, the teasing. 

During the Summer I picked up a pack of metallic painted canvases at Michaels for 70% off. Two gold and two silver 8x8 originally 9.99 that I got for 2.99!  When I saw these creepy silhouettes in the ( no pun intended) Silhouette Online Store I knew what I wanted to do with my steal deal  canvases. 

This is such an easy project I didn't take pictures of the process because it's as easy as : 

  • Download images ($.99 each)
  • Size, cut with your Silhouette ( I have a Cameo) 
  • Apply to already painted canvas
  • Embellish
To embellish them I used metallic self adhesive rhinestones and washi tape. Easy Peasy




Thursday, October 15, 2015

BFF Open House #228

The Answer Is Chocolate

Hi all! The countdown to Halloween is upon us....two weeks from Saturday! Here are some ideas from last week's party that are not too late to whip up! 



Love these spooky display pedestals from Much More Creative.  You need to see how Brenda pulled a bunch of thrifted pieces together to create these. 


Pick up some pumpkins from the Dollar store, add some paint and some googly eyes and you have a Spooky Topiary. Engineer Mommy shows you how. 


Linda from Paper Seedlings showed how to make a fun Halloween card using something you'd never guess. Have to visit to find out! 


Finally this week's chocolate feature which comes from Anne at Upstate Ramblings. The secret ingredient? Pecan Pie M&Ms! Who knew they even existed? 

Now on to this week's party !

   
   






Monday, October 12, 2015

Creepy Crackled and Foiled Skulls



I had a lot of fun making these creepy crackly skulls for my mantle. They are so easy to do and look like they took a lot more work than they actually did. 

Supplies Needed: 
  • Ceramic Skull ( Mine was from Oriental Trading Company)
  • Black Acrylic Paint ( I used Craft Smart from Michaels)
  • Gold Acrylic Paint ( I used Martha Stewart Yellow Gold Metallic) 
  • White Glue ( I love back to school supply shopping for this craft staple)
  • Gold Leaf ( I used Simple Leaf by Mona Lisa available where fine art supplies are sold)  

Paint your skull gold ( or whatever base color you've chosen. 

When your skulls are dry, paint a coat of white glue over them. . 

When glue is still tacky but not dry ( temp and humidity make this hard to time so just keep an eye on things) paint over with the gold paint. Watch the crackle magic happen. You can hasten the effect with a blow dryer but the longer the paints cure, the more crackling you'll see. 

Optional: Improvise words to Rolling Stones "Paint it Black" and sing while you paint ie "I see a gold skull and I want it painted black" .  Or not :)





Metal leafing intimidates a lot of people but it shouldn't. It's easy ( messy at times!) but the effect is so worth it.  Follow the instructions on the leafing package. I usually use the leaf sizing glue but I was out. Mod Podge to the rescue. Just dabbed it on randomly where I want the leafing , applied the leafing by laying it over the glue and using pressing down w/ my fingers. I used a dry paint brush to brush away the excess and went on to the next spot. 

And Voila


After I was done I used some of the scrap leafing to highlight raised portions of the skull like the teeth, eye sockets etc. 



Sharing At 











Thursday, October 8, 2015

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Haunted Halloween Mantle and Halloween Spooktacular Giveaway from Oriental Trading Company


Surprise! It’s been a while since I’ve posted any projects but I’m excited to share my Haunted Mantle with you. (Disclosure, products for this post were provided to me by Oriental Trading Company) .

I’m sharing the overall mantle and in the coming days will share some tutorials of projects in this post.

I’ve been moving to a more gothic spooky look and when I saw these DIY ceramic skulls from OTC. I painted, crackled and gold leafed these for an elegant but spooky look.


To enhance the spookiness, I turned a large vase upside down and placed one of the skulls under it like a specimen in a lab.

I fell in love with this silver glitter fabric the minute I saw it and it was the perfect thing to simulate a magical spider web. I covered the mirror on my mantle with it and I wove more  of it on a side table.


I covered plain DIY wood photo blocks with paint, gold duct tape and scrapbook paper from a Poison Paper Pack  to make holders for signs to go with my spooky vignette.





Now here’s the best part of this post. Oriental Trading Company is having a weekly giveaway through October 17 with a chance to win $250 in Halloween products! They're also giving away a $25 gift card DAILY! Between craft and party supplies and Halloween decorations, think what kind of a party you could throw! Here's how to enter:

Spooktacular Giveaway from Oriental Trading
Visit www.spooktaculargiveaway.com today and enter to win their weekly prize -- $250 in Halloween products of your choice from Oriental Trading. Plus, they’re giving away a $25 Oriental Trading gift card every day! Contest ends October 17, 2015.


Thursday, October 1, 2015

BFF Open House #226 Happy October!

The Answer Is Chocolate

Friends,

I debated about going ahead and posting this week's party in light of today's awful events in Oregon. My thoughts are with the families going through the unspeakable.

Since I'd already let those being featured know they were, I'm going to go ahead and post the party but I understand if this week's traffic is light.

Peace. Love. Chocolate.

Here are some features from last week's party! 


Let's start with this layered frame chalkboard Scarecrow project from Much More Creative. Brenda shows how she layered and vintaged up the concentric frames. This would make a fun menu board too wouldn't it? 


While Fall is full of rich vibrant colors, and I love them, I also love the muted colors found in nature this time of year. Penny from Penny's Vintage Home has some absolutely gorgeous ideas! 


Mason Jars are still so popular and Engineer Mommy has a great idea to incorporate them into Fall and Halloween decorating with this Mason Jar Jack O'Lantern. 


To finish things off how about some Snickers Cannoli from Woods of Bell Trees? Yes please! 

Now on to this week's party. 

   
   













Thursday, September 24, 2015

BFF Open House #225

The Answer Is Chocolate

Happy Friday Eve all! How is it possible it's the last full week of September? It's officially Autumn and I can't wait to start decorating for Fall holidays!  Here are some highlights from last week's party! 



Nothing says Fall to me like copper, whether it's the metal itself or the color. These fun DIY copper earrings from Jewelry Making Journal are perfect for crisp cool Fall days. 


Here's a wonderful way to welcome Fall along with houseguests, new neighbors or just a fun gift for friends or family. A DIY  wood Pumpkin box from the lovely ladies at Lou Lou Girls. Wouldn't this also make a fun trick or treat box? 


You have GOT to check out this painted window from Artsy VaVa! I am in swooning love with it.

And with Fall bringing an explosion of pumpkin recipes, how about these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from One Little Project At A Time? 


OK let's see what everyone's been up to this week! 

   
   











Thursday, September 17, 2015

BFF Open House #224



The Answer Is Chocolate

Happy Friday Eve all! September is speeding by just like all the prior months have . Can't believe we are halfway through the month already! Fall is definitely in the air so here are some inspiring ideas from last week's party! 





This is a wonderful sign ( love the gold glitter letters) to welcome Fall and have up all season. Becca at Tulips and Orchids has a great tutorial. 


I love these pallet pumpkins from Alayna's Creations that are perfect for a front porch. 


Here's a slightly different take on a gallery wall from Artsy VaVa....she's been doing needlepoint since she was a girl and has expanded her love for the art to picking up coordinated pieces at antique stores, tag sales, etc. to complete a needlepoint gallery wall. 

This week's chocolate feature, just YUM! Mezzaluna ( half moon) Chocolate Covered Pastries from Woods of Bell Trees



Now on to this week's party! 

   
   



Thursday, September 10, 2015

BFF Open House #223 Pumpkins and Wreaths

The Answer Is Chocolate

Hi all. Hope everyone had a nice Labor day and a good week. Fall is definitely upon us and there were some great ideas shared at last week's party! This time of year it's fun to change out or add a wreath and pumpkins are a decorating essential. I may  not like eating pumpkin but can't get enough of decorating with them! 


I have long wanted to make some velvet pumpkins and even saved stems from last year's real pumpkins to use. Heather at Woods of Bell Trees has a great tutorial and I love the colors she chose. These are so elegant and can be out through Thanksgiving! 


Logan, at Logan Can shared a great tutorial on how to make a burlap wreath. Think of all the color combination possiblities with ribbons you can use! 

If you want a little spookier look, Rhonda at The Messy Roost has the perfect idea using eyeballs from Dollar Tree! 


I agree with Rhonda. The "eyes" have it! 


Who says pumpkins have to be round? I love these 2x4 pumpkins from Alayna's Creations. Again so many possibilities...paint, paper, stencil...all three? 

Now on to this week's party!