The Let's Put More Chocolate In Thanksgiving Roundup

When you think of "chocolate" holidays, I'll bet you Thanksgiving is not at the top of the list. Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, check check and check. Hearts, Eggs, Pumpkins, Trees... easy to find. Thanksgiving? Not so much. What's a chocoholic to do? Most years I just complain about the lack of chocolate. This year I asked some bloggy friends to share some of their chocolate related Thanksgiving goodies and I also rounded up a few from around the internet.

Malia from Yesterday on Tuesday shared these fun, gobble worthy ( and no bake!) Turkey Cookies which would be fun for younger guests:

I am not a huge fan of pumpkin. I bake pumpkin pie and don't eat it. But Jessica from Mad In Crafts has a recipe I may just have to try and which I love just for the name: 

Say that three times fast "One Pan Chocolate Pumpkin Thanksgiving Wacky Cake". Look at that fudgy goodness! I may just be able to have my pumpkin and eat it too :) 

Viv, from The V Spot reminded me of an old episode of Friends where Monica tried to bring some more chocolate to Thanksgiving. I was right there with you Monica.  I think Viv's Mocha Brownie tart would be a great addition to any dessert table don't you? 

Do you have any leftover Halloween candy? Natalie from The Creative Mom has a wonderful way to use it up and decorate your Thanksgiving table with festive placecards. 

Here are a few other ideas I thought were fun to share.

Your favorite candy bar can be wrapped up in this downloadable label from Martha Stewart (see Martha, we bloggers still reference you!)  and serve double duty as a place card. 

Stephanie from Back For Seconds blog guarantees you'll be back for seconds of these Pumpkin Spice Fudge Brownies. 

I stumbled upon a new blog I need to follow called Sugarplum where I found this Double Chocolate Pecan Pie. YUM!

I hope you've found some chocolate inspiration for your Thanksgiving table. 

Chocolate and Silver Napkin Rings

I’m swapping out some of my Thanksgiving table décor this year and going with a Silver and Chocolate theme. I was looking around in my jewelry making stash and had an idea for some new napkin rings.

For this project you will need:

• Stretchy Beading Cord ( I used Stretch Magic 1MM)
• Focal Bead ( I used large chocolate colored glass pearls, available at craft and bead stores)
• Bead Caps
• Spacer Beads
• Faceted Crystal Beads ( I used Jablonex)
• Charms
• Jump Rings

You really don’t need any jewelry making skills to make these. If you can thread beads on a string, you can make these. I didn’t even take pictures of the process…decide on the order you want them, string, tie off your stretchy cord ( I always add a drop of super glue to the knot). I added my charms using jump rings ( OK you need to be able to open and close a jump ring which is super easy and here’s a tutorial how from Jewelry Making Journal

They go fast and are easy to do while watching TV etc.

Now I'm thinking I really need to get some metallic brown and silver chargers hmmm...

BFF Open House Link Party #130

Was Halloween already a week ago? November is already flying by! Just three weeks until Thanksgiving and the start of Hanukkah!  Then madness begins. Here are a few features from the last two parties ( kinda oopsed last week). 

With holiday entertaining season upon us, it's time to spruce up the homestead. Laura from The Shed has got a fantastic before and after  on some light fixtures that had seen better days ( I've got some of those too). Fantastic results!

Whether you need some additional seating or just a place to put your feet up, Kristina from ReMade Simple has a wonderful pouf idea using the sewing machine she got at Ikea. I didn't even know they sold sewing machines! 

It's apple pie time! OK not that you can't have apple pie all the time but this time of year is what I associate with apple pie the most. Love these apple pie cups from Roxana's Home Baking. Bite sized perfection. 

I say this every year. Thanksgiving needs more chocolate. ( Um Reeses, you can make a heart, a tree, an egg...you can't make a turkey or a leaf? ) Here's a cute idea to bring chocolate to your Thanksgiving table . Hershey's Nugget Turkeys from The Pin Junkie!

OK now time to see what everyone's been up to lately!

Painted Glass Appetizer Plates

Hanukkah comes early this year. It actually starts on Thanksgiving. Inspired by some votive holders I made as a gift last year, I made some little appetizer plates this year in festive Hanukkah colors. These are for the same friend.

For this project you will need:

• Clear glass plates ( I got mine at Cost Plus)
• All purpose craft paint ( I used Martha Stewart Gloss and Glitter paints)
• An oven or 21 days ( will explain below)

You’ll be painting the underside of the plates so clean the bottom with alcohol to ensure your paints adhere. This is kind of a reverse process . Place your plate with the bottom side up. I found it easier to elevate the plate on something.  I started with the gold glitter paint ( Florentine Gold) and went around the rim. Let dry and went around with a second coat.

I didn’t want perfectly even coverage. I wanted a kind of mottled, watercolor effect so my painting was random. Once the second coat of glitter was dry, I used a sponge paint dauber and “spounced” one shade of blue (Martha Stewart High Gloss Pond) randomly around the rim. When that was dry, I painted over that with High Gloss Indigo.

Kind of looks like I taped it off with painters tape doesn’t it? Once that was dry, I used another sponge pouncer and more of the Florentine Gold glitter paint and went over the unpainted part of the plate.

Here’s where the oven comes in. You can either “cure” your plates by letting the paint sit for 21 days, or you can let them dry for an hour, and bake them in the oven. Place your piece in a cold oven, turn to 350 degrees ( the glass needs to heat up gradually), bake for 30 minutes and then let your oven cool down to room temp.  They are now top rack dishwasher safe and all the paint is on the underside so the tops are food safe.

This was a really easy, fun, and rewarding project. You could make a few of these as gifts, for your own holiday entertaining, and the only limit is your imagination on a color scheme.

Sharing At: 

BFF Open House LInk Party #129 Better Late Than Never

Happy November all. Hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween. Time got away from me so the party's a little late and no features this week. Still, let's see what everyone's been up to !

Brown and Silver Paper Wreath

Mr. Chocolate and I were in a shop the other weekend and I saw a really simple but elegant wreath kit that inspired this project. He knows me so well because he said " I can see you thinking how you can make that". HA!

For this project you will need:

• Wreath base ( I cut mine from a scrap of cardboard)
• 6 sheets coordinating 12x12 paper
• Strong double sided tape
• Millinery paper roses

I cut the wreath base from a scrap piece of cardboard using a plate as a template and a lid for the inner circle.

I chose metallic brown, grey and silver and white patterned  papers from my stash and made a template to use so all the pieces would be uniform. While I have electronic digital cutters, I just felt like doing this low tech. Cut my 12x12 papers into 6x3 pieces, folded in half, traced my template on the fold and then cut them out. The fold in the middle gives the wreath some depth.

Using double sided tape, I went around the inner circle adhering the leaves as shown. You can see I wasn’t precise but it didn’t matter because you’ll add two more “layers” of leave which will cover the gap.

When I got to the third (innermost) layer, I folded the ends of the leaves through the opening and taped the ends to the back of the wreath form. I originally thought I’d stop there then decided I wanted some more depth. I had paper roses left over from my “Cheap to Chic Pumpkin” project and since this was the same color palette, voila! Hot glued those around the center.

Since I already had all my materials it’s hard to estimate a cost but fairly sure this was under $4 with the most expensive element being the silver patterned paper. I get most of my papers when there's a 5 for $1 sale at Michaels or JoAnns, so I'd splurged on that paper at a scrapbook show. Yes I do too know what's in my stash Mr. C!

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Catching Fire Inspired Halloween Costume

We are going out this Halloween for the first time since…ever I think. At least since before College Boy came along. 

Add to that  my excitement about the next “Hunger Games” movie “Catching Fire” coming out next month and I had an idea for my costume.  Unfortunately, the thing that gave me the idea proved the most elusive. Cover Girl cosmetics created a whole line called “The Capitol Collection” that I have been unable to find in stores. Nonetheless, I had this in my head ( and sorry CG, found some other makeup).

Normally, I’m all about black and white, or neutrals including neutral metallics. But it’s Halloween right? So I am going for color. I’m doing my own variation of the look on the right. My only dilemma was that in the Hunger Games trilogy The Capitol are the bad guys. But despite being called The Capitol Collection the actual looks honor each of the districts from the story who are the underdogs. Yes, I am a grown woman and I read this series! Don't judge.


Inspired by the colors of District 4 ( right picture) I went into my craft stash to see what I could come up with. In my Blue Moon Bead design team supplies I laid eyes on these:

Fun blue beads, turquoise and greens and gold leaf charms. Without a specific pattern in mind I just kind of played around and strung them on a choker, hen added some brightly colored variegated ribbon.

I made a matching bracelet using memory wire and more of the beads, leaves, and ribbon and of course had to make a matching pair of earrings!

I also went into my closet and grabbed a shirt that had seen better days and sprayed it with blue and gold metallic glitter paint.

Planning to wear with a black skirt and boots. If the makeup idea works out you may see pictures. If not, this never happened!