Younger kids like things on the spooky side -- but not too spooky. They still have fun with plays on words and things that are not quite what they seem. Imagination sells so you can slide in some healthy food with fun names! Here's a few winners from the snack table: Above are precooked brats (or hot dogs) baked in a dough mummy wrap! Recipe below Ghost brains, Goblin Gizzards, Troll Toes and Witch Fingers! Label each item for maximum impact. I had a hard time with the "easy" witches' fingers! The knuckles creases wouldn't show up and the fingernails kept falling off. A little black frosting gel solved both problems. A bit under the sliced almond helped it stay in place on the string cheese. I made the knuckle creases with the back of a table knife and used a very ... [Read More]
Halloween
Halloween Party Table Decorations
I needed table decorations for a quick little do planned for guests who are grade school age. You could also use these decorations for any age group from grade schoolers to adult. My main criteria was inexpensive (aka CHEAP!). I already had the large vase on hand and plan to put the candy corn to another use so they were the starters for my table. I added the candy corn to the vase, using an empty pint jar in the center and pouring the candy corn around it. That's still five cups of candy corn! A trip to the dollar store and seven dollars later . . . . I added the white bats to the side of the vase by wiggling them in with a table knife. It would have been easier to have put them in as I poured in the candy corn! The foam sign needed a mounting stick so I scoured the garage ... [Read More]
Autumn Porch
We replaced our faithful olllllld computer yesterday. It was a lot more fun finding and buying the new one, than it is getting all the information transferred over to it. I was shocked at how much had accumulated and deleted a bunch, but still the chore has kept Bytes busy all day -- and me too! But it was a beautiful day to snap some pictures of the front of the house to share with you. It's fall and we're getting in the spirit -- cue spooky music ~~~~~~ The onion headed gardener tends . . . the gardens at the Spooky Birdhouse! And that's about as spooky as it gets at Chez Charlene this time of year! Scarecrows and spiders . . Pumpkins and ghostly boos. . . . A wreath to welcome you. . . . . . and the fairies, too! Don’t miss a thing — subscribe by email or RSS ... [Read More]
Halloween Party for Preschoolers: Snacks
Plan a fun Halloween play date with the preschool set! Nothing truly scary for this age. I’m a fan of decorations, snacks and games centered around scarecrows and spiders, pumpkins and cats for little ones. Parties should be simple, quick and colorful with the emphasis on the fun activities and playing with friends. These cute – and yummy—little mice are made with three simple ingredients. Glazed donut holes, chow mein noodles for the tail and sliced almonds for the ears. Sammy Snake is made from pieces of string cheese alternating with cherry tomatoes. He has a cheddar slice tongue and eyes from black frosting gel. Instead of cherry tomatoes, use chunks of ham, mini crackers, carrot or green pepper slices. Spiders made from round snack crackers are quick and easy. Use Ritz ... [Read More]
How to make a pompom spider for Halloween
Halloween spooky but cute! These spiders are the kind you won't mind having in your house come fall! They are made from yarn and pipecleaners so are inexpensive. And they are quick and easy to make. You (or an older child) can make several in an evening! First create a pompom from black or brown yarn. If you've not done one before, follow the easy steps above. I used a piece of cardboard about 4 inches long and two and a half inches wide to wrap yarn around, but you can use the palm of your hand instead of cardboard. I tend to keep wrapping tighter and tighter if I do it on my hand, but can control the tension better on the cardboard. The more wraps you make, the fuller the body of your spider will be. My yarn bundle was about two inches thick when I quit wrapping. Slip the ... [Read More]