News

Ghost Hi-Hat Cupcakes

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Marge W | 0 comments

Easy Boo Halloween Cupcakes

Fall is here, let the Halloween party countdown begin! The ghosts are all a grin with a little scary sweet spin! A big BOO for you and all your trick or treat friends too! Ghost cupcakes, flew off the plate after one white chocolate taste. At the Spooky Stone Cemetery party place, SCARY!!!

Ghost Hi-Hat Cupcakes

Choose your favorite cake mix, I used vanilla cake mix and made a simple butter cream frosting colored with orange food coloring. An extra large round piping tip was used to make ice cream type swirls. I actually craved a vanilla soft serve after dipping these High Tops cupcakes in white chocolate, mmm, yummy. Inspired by Gareth Ghost, Hubert Ghost and Maud Ghost I made frightfully boo faces with an AmeriColor Gourmet Writer (a food coloring marker).  There are also many fun color cupcake papers to choose from that make cleanup and individual serving a breeze for you holiday celebration. I made quick cupcake paper covers by cutting strips of paper and taping the back.

Halloween Hi-Hat Cupcakes Ghosts


Ingredients:

Cup cakes made from your favorite cake mix. Frosting (homemade or store bought). White chocolate melting wafers. Orange food coloring. Gourmet food coloring marker for ghost facial expressions.

    Directions:
    Frost your cupcakes using a spiral motion with an extra large piping tip. Place your frosted cupcakes in the freezer until chilled, this keeps the frosting from melting while you dip your cupcakes. While your frosted cupcakes are chilling, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave being careful to use low heat to prevent it from seizing. Stir the chocolate several time while melting. Pour the melted chocolate into a small deep bowl (deep enough to dip the entire top of the cupcake. After your cupcakes are chilled turn each cupcake upside down and dip until covered, hold the cupcake upside down for a few seconds to drip off the excess chocolate. If you prefer a thicker chocolate shell you can even dip the cupcakes in the chocolate a second time. After the chocolate coating has set, draw your favorite spooky ghost expressions.

    Halloween Hi-Hat Cupcakes

     What is your favorite Halloween treat?

    Isadora Witch Halloween Giveaway

    Posted on September 24, 2015 by Jessica Weston | 10 comments

    Enter to Win Isadora Pumpkin Witch.

    Isadora is dressed for all your Halloween festivities.

    A creative cloth Halloween Pumpkin dressed in an orange and black striped dress. A Joe Spencer Halloween doll.

    Isadora Pumpkin Witch is quite the Halloween party hostess.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Shop Joe Spencer cloth dolls with hand-painted faces for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring and Summer.

    Congratulations to our Winner, Vicki Jean from Virginia.

    Bethany Lowe - Holiday Decorations with Vintage Nostalgic Appeal

    Posted on September 19, 2015 by Jessica Weston | 0 comments

     

    Bethany Lowe creates Halloween and Christmas decorations inspired by her love of antiques and warm childhood memories.

    Bethany Lowe was born with artistic talent, she loved to draw even in kindergarten. By the first grade her teacher noticed her love for art and even kept a sculpture she had made of her father riding a horse as an example to show the other children for years to come.

     

    Bethany grew up on a horse farm in the Midwest in a small community where families went on horse drawn sleigh rides, ice skating on the local ponds, Christmas caroling with family and friends, playing in the snow and building snowmen were favorite winter activities. She looked forward to Halloween parties, trick-or-treating with friends and pumpkin carving contests.

    Bethany settled down as a homemaker with her husband on a farm in rural Henry County Illinois and raised four children. The farming crisis of the 1980's pushed her to do something to support her family. Drawing on her natural talent Bethany Lowe began making handmade Santa's. Bethany traveled the country with her trailer filled with her handmade folk art to sell at craft shows. Bethany gained a great deal of recognition with her nostalgic Saint Nicolas Santa Claus figurines. She was chosen on three separate occasions to make folk art decorations for the White House Christmas.

    The Bethany Lowe Christmas Collection feels of yesteryear and includes; old fashioned goose feather trees inspired by old German Christmas trees from the 1800's, Santa's and carolers based on old Christmas card scenes, bottle brush trees, bubble lights, putz houses, vintage style Christmas ornaments, old fashioned felt stockings and pillows, pennant, tinsel and glass bead garlands.

    Bethany Lowe in Halloween CostumeThe Bethany Lowe Halloween Collection include vintage style boutique decorations including; antique style paper mache pumpkin buckets based on old German Halloween decorations, figurines based on images from old Halloween post cards, hand-painted tin lanterns with vellum that light up, witches, bats and moons galore.

    Her handcrafted collectibles made from paper mache, hand painted tin, mercury glass, cotton batting and old fashioned tinsel delight today's collectors and antique collectors alike. Bethany Lowe's holiday decorations mix well with vintage and antique Christmas and Halloween decor.

    Bethany Lowe has such a warm and charming spirit, the same feeling you will get from her wonderful nostalgic holiday decorations.

    Planning A Halloween Wedding?

    Posted on September 19, 2015 by Marge W | 0 comments

    Halloween Wedded Bliss couple can't wait to kiss...

    Here comes the bride then comes the groom. They're going to be married real soon! They set the date, so don't be late. Bones keep a clattering, teeth keep a chattering.

    Planning A Halloween Wedding
    Halloween Wedded Bliss Couple


    1. Plan Where to Have It

    An outdoor woodland scene creates a rustic feel. Choose an old stone chapel or haunted house for a spooky effect. Autumn color mums create a natural setting in yellow, orange, white and rust tones. Place orange or white pumpkins throughout, for your Halloween theme.



    2. Make Your Own Bridal Bouquets & Boutonnieres

    My daughter and I did it on the fly and inexpensively the night before the wedding. We bought different fall color flowers at Trader Joe's. By the way we had never done it before, so if we can do it you can too. I also cut fresh mint and herbs from my garden to mix in the bouquets. Wide satin ribbon, florist pins, wire and tape were purchased from the craft store. After cutting the flower stems we picked flowers that went well together. Wrapping the stems together with wire and green florist tape, securing the satin ribbon at the top and bottom with a pearl tipped florist pin. We made brides, bridesmaid, flower girls' bouquets and the  grooms', best mans' boutonnieres using the same concept. We cut just the blooms of the left over flowers to fill the flower girls' basket. The flower girl had fun throwing them in the lake and along the path. At the end of the day she had the empty basket on top of her head, it was too funny and cute. Kids always know how to lighten up the party.

    Making Fall Wedding Bouquets

    Fall Wedding BoutonniereFall Wedding Bridesmaid BouquetFall Wedding Bouquet

    3. Halloween Wedding Lights

    String orange, purple, or yellow lights. Arrange candles in colors of orange, black, white or dark purple. Starlight micro led lights battery operated lights with flexible wire come in orange, purple and candlelight glow. Battery operated LED lights can be put in clear canning jars or around table centerpieces. No electrical cords to worry about, so use your imagination.

    Mason Jars with Orange LED Lights

    Battery Operated LED Lights

    4. Create Vignettes

    Welcome guests to sign in; spray old or inexpensive picture frames black, spray inside with chalk board paint write Welcome or spooky words on it. Decorate with tarnished silver platters, teapots, and silverware. White cheese cloth can be used to make spooky ghost web table covers by tearing the edges and making random holes. Angle and hang off sides of table.

    5. Pumpkin Drink Station

    Cut a large pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, an insert a bowl filled with ice (to use as ice bucket) or stick drinks in it. Serve a toast with Champagne in a black bottles (like Freixenet extra dry cordon negro).

    6. Halloween Wedding Entertainment

    Think outside the box, hire a Halloween comic or a magician. Play you favorite music or hire musicians and throw in Halloween music in the mix. Like The Monster Mash it's a graveyard smash. There are spooky good tunes out there! Be creative, there is no rules.

    7.  Halloween Wedding Food

    Serve pumpkin soup, skeleton pork ribs, white ghost piled high mashed potatoes with acorn squash. Porcelain basic white plates look monster smashing with black napkins. Crystal pieces can add a touch of sparkle and glam. No need to purchase, borrow from family and friends. An inexpensive alternative would be to have a simple Halloween potluck. Cloth or disposable plastic black tablecloths set to mood. There are plenty of disposable Halloween party plates, napkins in white, black, orange, purple, or blood red.



    8. Halloween Wedding Cake & Candy Station
    Serve orange frosted cupcakes or a wedding cake topped with a unique Halloween wedding cake topper. Fill colorful Halloween candy in clear glass containers or dishes (candy corn, monster mash jelly beans, licorice bats, harvest mix cream candies) there are lots of Halloween treats to chose from.

    Halloween Wedding Cake Topper

    9. Encourage Guests to Come in Costume

    Remember it's all about making the fun filled memories. Tip; Make sure to invite Grandma & Grandpa and the kids they can be a bundle of laughs!

    Invite guests to throw candy corn in the air after the Halloween wedding ceremony.

    R.S.V.P!

    Do you have any Halloween wedding ideas? We would love to hear from you!

    Lori Mitchell - Creator of Fun Loving Characters

    Posted on September 10, 2015 by Marge W | 0 comments

    A Magical Figurine Collection

    ☆゚.*・。

    Folk artist Lori Mitchell designs whimsical paper mache, figurines and sculptures. Lori's charming figurines with wire legs and silly colorful socks are her stand out trademark. Her characters come to life with magical child like expressions, delivering a bundle of smiles and fun to everyone they greet.

    Lori Mitchell Figurines

    Lori had a passion for art and drawing even in grammar school. Her big brother was a major influence, he was very good at drawing. Lori wanted to be just like him. Lori's high school teacher recognized her talent early on for art and gave her a vote of confidence with his encouraging words that stayed with her. Lori Mitchell continued her study of art at Rhode Island School of Design.

    When Lori Mitchell was just starting out as an animator she left her career to help her Dad after her mom passed away. It was a trying time but she never gave up on her dreams. Lori stayed true to her inner talents from childhood.

    When one door closes another one opens. Fellow artist friend Jody Battaglia encouraged her to work with paper mache. Lori had studied paper mache techniques while in college. Debbee Thibault another folk artist gave her helpful information on bringing her figurines to market. The time was right and Lori was ready to seize opportunity.

    Lori Mitchell came full circle and Karma came knocking at her door. Lori did the right thing by honoring her parents and good things began to happen....

    Lori Mitchell has taken paper mache to a whole new level. She finds inspiration from children, animals, nursery rhymes characters, folk artists and vintage toys. She crafts the original figurines from wood, wire and paper mache. Lori brings them to life with colorful acrylic paint, creative costumes, whimsical socks and expressive faces. Lori Mitchell's characters are so cute, they will put a smile on your face, you'll want to collect them all!

    Lori Mitchell reproductions are available at: The Holiday Barn

    Lori Mitchell Halloween figurines are fun loving childhood characters trick or treating in colorful Halloween costumes with Lori Mitchell's signature crazy socks. Carrying wands, pumpkin buckets or treat bags. Ready to go out Halloween night, with excitement of spooky good fun and surprise in their eyes!

    Lori Mitchell Halloween Figurines Group
    Whimsical Christmas characters with childish expressions filled with delight await Santa on Christmas Night. Popular Lori Mitchell Christmas characters include; Choo Choo MaGoo, Little Dasher Reindeer and Henry and Holly Come Caroling.