Ghost Shirt

Thanks for still following me.  Life sometimes gets in the way of all of the things we want to do, like blogging.  I still plan on posting occasionally, but it will be few and farther between posts.  But if your here, thanks for sticking with me!

This cute little ghost shirt is adorable.  I saw this post on pinterest and I really wanted to make one. I had the felt and the ribbon on hand so the only cost of this project was the white shirt and that was $3.88 from Walmart. 

It only took me about 10 minutes to pull it together.  Cut your felt, pin it and sew it.  Easy Peasy!  The bow is not actually sewed onto the shirt.  It is attached with a safety pin.  That way I can take it off after Halloween and use the shirt as a layering shirt. 

Just wanted to pass along a fun idea!

Silly Jack-o-Lanterns

These would be a great craft for preschool.  In fact, we may do these for our party!  We took paper plates and painted them orange with tempera paint.  I printed the silly faces from Family Fun. They had a great idea, to print these on sticker paper and let the kids use these to decorate pumpkins, rather than carve pumpkins, but where's the fun in that?  I let each of the kids pick out their own face and glue them on.  This is what we came up with.  They were so easy to make and are so cute!

Spiders

I got this idea, from here.  It's one of my very favorite sights! These were originally Christmas ornaments from the dollar store.  They came in packages of 8.  They are styrofoam, but whatever is on top of them (glittery paint), stopped the spray paint from melting the styrofoam.  They started out white and we spray painted them gray, because well, it was what we had :).  You could also paint them with acrylic or tempra paint.  We cut pipe cleaners and stuffed them into the styrofoam to make the legs.  Add some googly eye's and  you've got a cute collection of spiders. 

This is a craft that is doable for preschool, but in small groups.  I had to really help the two girls, who are both 3.  My 6-year-old did great.  This would be a great craft for a school party.

We cut pipe cleaners up and pushed them into the styrofoam to make the legs.  Add some googly eye's and you've got some nifty spiders!

Mock Halloween Canvas

I love making these canvases.  I've posted about them before.  This was a big, nice canvas that I got at DI for $1.50. I painted it black, because believe it or not, it was pink!!!  I printed out this fun sign, ripped the edges, and modge podged it to the canvas.  It didn't turn out the way I had envisioned, but I think it looks alright.  I put it on the top of my mantle, kinda of back in the back.  It bubbled a bit, but from a few feet away, you can't tell!  That's the perfectionist in me!

There are lots of these kind of signs floating around the web right now.  Lot's of fun subway art and great Halloween printables!  Good luck deciding which one to make.

Easy Halloween Costumes

Haven't figured out a costume for your kiddo yet?  Parenting has a great article for you!  35 Easy Homemade costumes, all you need is scissors, glue and paint!  I love homemade costumes.  I wish I could get my kids to stray away from the commercialized costume business.  They are expensive and usually don't last long. This year I only had to buy 1 costume, thank heavens!  We borrowed and came up with one for my little girl, but maybe next year I can convince them to make their own.

Today we are doing our traditional Haunted Gingerbread houses!  Can't wait!  It's a sticky and sweet mess!  Have a good Monday!

Yeah for more Halloween Freebies

There are way to many good ideas out in blog land!  How do you pick just one?  Here are a couple more great websites full of ideas.  I think I'm done looking, I've found lot's of goodies and now it's time to make a few!  Happy Saturday to all of you!

Tatertots and Jello has a fabulous list with 20 different printables and some great ideas!

Amy, over at Living Locurto, has a great list going with 15 different fun printables she has found floating around on the web.  Everything from cupcake toppers to invitations to banners!  She also has a second page full of fun crafts and free printables!  This sight is a cauldron full of Halloween fun!

Great Hallowen Freebies

The web is full of great Halloween ideas!  I have been finding them everywhere.  There is also a lot of freebies out there.  Just wanted to share 2 that I have downloaded with you. 

Have you ever seen the blog, Lawteedah?  It's my new favorite blog.  She has a ton of great ideas for preschool!!  I spent a long time today going through the whole blog!  She has this great free download kit that has some fun activities.  I made up the puzzles and the memory game today.  Can't wait to play them with the kids over the next few weeks.  We will be using them for the preschool and my Kindergartner's  school parties!

This fun freebie is from Green Jello and Carrots!  It's a Friday only freebie so it ends tonight at midnight! 

Candy Corn Wreath

I saw this idea in the recent issue of Woman Magazine.  It's super easy.  I got the wreath at the dollar store and painted it black with acrylic paint.  They used black duck tape on theirs, but I already had paint, so it was one less thing to buy.

Once your wreath is dry, use a little hot glue and start gluing your candy corn around the wreath. Start at the same place with each layer.  That way if you have any blank spaces it will all be in the same spot.  This is where you will put your ribbon at the end.

With every layer of candy corn you will want to change the direction they are facing.



Tie some pretty ribbon around it and you have a fun Halloween wreath.  I am not loving the orange ribbon.  I am envisioning some wide, black, glittery ribbon, so I will probably go and get it today and change it out.  I found all the stuff I needed to make this at the dollar store and spent $3.00 for a cute wreath! 

Pretzel Ghosts

This was so easy and so much fun. I've seen it on a few diffrent blogs, so who knows where it originated. But it's a pretty easy idea. We dipped them in white almond bark, and then we made the faces by melting some chocolate chips. You could use black frosting, and it would probably be a lot easier to do.

Have A WITCHIN Halloween

I saw this idea last Halloween, had it bookmarked, and now I can't remember who to give the credit to. I am so sorry, please let me know if it is you so I can give you the credit. This is what we "booed" our neighbors with lastnight. I thought they were pretty dang cute and I must say they were pretty tasty as well. It is pretty self explanatory but we took a fudge stripe cookie, frosting, and a hershey kiss and made tasty witches hat. Super easy and my daughter had a good time helping me make them. I think it is great for kids to help you give to others, it teaches them to be unselfish and giving of themselves.

Boo

I stumbled across this today and had to share! We already have done a Boo this year, but no one is passing it around so we are going to go out and do it again tonight. So cute and free! Here is the link. Her blog is great, take some time to check it out!

Free Halloween Downloads by Talented People

A whole lot of fun, here!! An entire theme to run with. Go and visit Whisker Graphics to get these sweets! She also has a fun witch invitation, that you can get here.

Cute cupcake toppers from Accent the Party.

I love Living Locurto. It's a sight I frequently visit/stalk :)... Anywho, go here to find this darling template and fun idea for M&M cookies and much, much more! Were talking invites,

graphics, tags, and lot's of other printables. All for free!

Matthew Mead Style has tons of free Halloween downloads, like these fun candy bar wrappers!

He also has another whole page, here.

We Were Pumpkined

Last night we found this cute painted pumpkin at our doorstep. Isn't she so darling? I am thinking that it was the youth from church that did it. My kids thought this was the coolest thing ever. I think this is a very good idea-better almost than leaving a plate of cookies. We will enjoy her all through the fall season, we are still trying to name her. Any ideas???

This sweet pumpkin also came with a message:

"A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?" The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin." God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Halloween Cupcake Liners

I LOVE cupcakes! Aren't they just cute? You don't really have to gussy up a cupcake very much to make it cute. However, check out these darling liners for Halloween.
Look at this Jacok-o-Lanter. Cute little guy! How easy is this. Some orange frosting and sugar and your done! Stick your cupcake in that darling wrapper and your the hit of the preschool party! Seriously!

This is a little more my oldest boy's style. Pretty cool. Wouldn't it be cool to use some red food gel and make a brain on top?

Go check out these fun holders, here! They are a little more pricey, but so worth it if your looking to wow!!

Haunted Mansions

These are soooo much fun to make! We did this last year and had so much fun, we are going to make it a tradition. The fun thing about making gingerbread houses for Halloween is that you don't want them to be perfect. We just used graham crackers and glued them together with this frosting:

1 lb. powder sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 egg whites

This makes a really stiff frosting that you can use to glue your house together. You don't want to eat it, although it probably won't hurt you. My little girl kept eating it. It works so well. We had a two level house for one of them. We didn't have one house break or fall apart while we were decorating them.

We made the houses on Saturday afternoon and then let them dry over night so they would be nice and sturdy. And then we decorated with regular frosting and lot's of Autumn candy. The best part was that I didn't spend much because I had the graham crackers, frosting, at home. I spent a few dollars on candy. The most expensive part was the m&m's, but those are the best part because you eat them while you work!

The pictures of the actual houses aren't the greatest, but you get the idea. Your kids will love it.

Halloween Motherload

Lot's of fun Halloween ideas to see here.................

Thinking Halloween......

Mandee and I are so sad that we don't get a chance to be room moms this year!! Waaaaahhhhh! We tried to offer our FANTASTIC services, but no one wanted us! How sad is that? If I can't be a room mom, dang it, then I'll be a cool mom and have a Halloween bash!!

I stumbled across a great sight called Craft Jr. Awesome stuff to be found here ladies! Check out just a few of my finds! This is a goldmine of a website!

Easy Finger Puppets. Who doesn't love a craft that involved pipe cleaners, pom poms & googly eyes??? Does it get much easier than this?

Mummy letters for your preschool and kindergartners.

Scary printable masks!

Darling little treat boxes in 3 fabulous designs!

That's it for today! I have lots of more ideas, but right now I only have time for ideas!! Hopefully once the school carnival is over, Mandee and I can breathe easier and have a little more time to do the stuff we love!

A Few Last Minute Details

Mandee is in charge of BayLee's Halloween party at school. I am helping at our Halloween Party and am in charge of my own little activity. For those of you who are scrambling to find a few fun things to do, let us give you some ideas.

I love Family Fun!! They have so many great ideas. Mandee and I are both doing this activity. We went through their printables and picked out 10 Halloween pages and made a little mini activity book for the kids to work on at the party, but also so that they can take them home with them. CUTE STUFF!!

The Toyshop has some creepy stuff!! Lot's of printable Halloween toy's and masks. Just print and make! Cool place!

Skip To My Lou has this darling little skeleton that you can make simply by printing out and adding some brads. I printed these out but have yet to make them. Check it out here.

Just a few more ideas as Halloween is coming up fast!! Hopefully this will give you a few last minute ideas.

A Little Something to Get You In the Halloween Spirit

Has anyone noticed that there is no Halloween specials on television this year!! What's up with that? I checked the local listings and I believe it's channel 4 has It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown on tonight at 7:00 P.M., mountain time, so you'll all want to check your local listings. I hadn't even thought about looking online for videos!! Tyson and I had fun watching this video and we checked out some more. Thanks to Erin for the idea!!! Does anyone else know about any others??? Have a happy Tuesday!

Are you a tricker or a trunker??

I grew up in a town where we ran rampant through the town on Halloween night. We lived in a small town where it was safe to turn your children loose on the unsuspecting neighbors and where it was safe to accept homemade popcorn balls and pulled taffy in our Halloween buckets. Such is not the case anymore.

I know that in the area, which Mandee and I live, in fact I think the majority of our state now does trunk-or-treat. I HATE TRUNK-OR-TREAT!! I know that a lot of people feel safer in that situation. However, I have a few gripes about it.

For starters, it takes away from the fun of the night. I love walking from door to door in the crisp, autumn air. I love watching my kids running inbetween each house and I love getting a chance to see others Halloween decor. I love the hot chocolate that is a tradition afterwards and I love getting to visit with my neighbors.

I know that Trunk-or-Treat is suppossed to be safer! In our city you have to register your vehicle with the city in order to participate in the town trunk-or-treat. I also know that lots of wards hold trunk-or-treats too. I am not going to list all the reasons I think trunk-or-treats are not safe. Nothing really seems to be safe anymore. The biggest reason I don't like them is you have HUNDREDS of children coming to your car, children you don't know. You bring HUNDREDS of pieces of candy, and yet you run out after 5 minutes, if your lucky to make it that long. All of the other parents also run out of candy and so the night is over within minutes. NO FUN AT ALL!!

Some years we go home to my small town and turn our children loose and follow at a reasonable distance as they run-a-muck. I always make sure they go to Layla's house to get some of her homemade taffy!! Man, I still love that stuff. Other years we go to my in-law's neighborhood to trick-or-treat because they are one of a few that still do! All the cousins get pictures together and then all of us, parents included, except usually for Grandpa, because somebody's got to be home to give out candy, goes along. We have pizza afterwards and hot chocolate.

What do you prefer? Are you a tricker or a trunker? What are your fun traditions? What are your favorite memories?