Friday, November 6, 2009 at 4:00AM I'm having so much fun here at the Art Weekend learning all sorts of useful skillz. And I'm looking forward to attending Spark later today for a total crafting overload. I've been really busy but I still managed to squeeze in a guest post over at 30 Days yesterday. You can check it out and see all of the invitations that have been inspiring me.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 4:00AM 
I have such a fun weekend planned--all starting tomorrow! It's packed full of so much craftiness. The amazing & super sweet photographer Nicole Hill Gerulat and her awesome crew are putting on The Art Weekend. I'm signed up for 5 classes: Floral Arranging, Photo 101, and Tabletop Photography on Thursday. And on Friday I'm taking Screenprinting and Bookbinding. Nicole has rounded up so many fabulous teachers that I wish I could take MORE classes.
Unfortunately Spark the Event is also this weekend. (Our fair state never has cool stuff like this. Why oh why did they both have to be the same weekend?) Anyway, I am overlapping classes a little bit on Friday so I'll be hurrying back and forth between the two (luckily both events are in downtown Salt Lake City). Hosted by the darling and talented Rhonna Farrer, Margie Romney-Aslett, Jefra Linn, and Elizabeth Kartchner, Spark is going to be a once in a lifetime experience. They have rented out the historic monument site This Is The Place that is full of cool old buildings. It is Utah history to a tee. They are offering a bunch of mini classes on Friday. And on Saturday, there is a fabrics class, jewelry class, photography class, and a paper crafting/journaling class. I'm even making a weekend of it and staying in a hotel in the city to save on driving time. Anyone else going to one or both events?
Monday, November 2, 2009 at 4:00AM For over two months I have been working with a fabulous web designer: Sarah Bray at s. joy studios. I love what she has done with my new site and I'm really excited to show all of you. I'll be all moved over to my new home at onecharmingparty.com hopefully by next Monday. This blog will no longer be around and I know that this might mess up some of your bookmarks or blog readers, but I hope that you will make the move with me. My new site will be more user friendly and I will be adding some new stuff on there over the next few weeks too. Here is my new logo that Sarah designed:
Also, I have a fun giveaway planned for next week that you won't want to miss. So stay tuned.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 4:00AM Here are the two other drinks from Martha Stewart that I was considering using for the Teen Halloween Party. This one would be super easy and you could do the inside chocolate painting the day before.
I liked this one because of the rim dipped in green stuff. Very gross looking.
I didn't find this idea until last night, but I think this would be pretty easy to do too. And you could also carve the apple heads the day before. Anyone else remember making shrunken heads in school with an apple and a glass soda pop bottle?
Find the recipes and instructions here.
halloween Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 4:00AM 
Maybe I should name this post: A trend that I don't think will last. I took the designer cookie class workshop over the weekend at my local Viking Cooking School. It was fun. Chef Bryan from a local TV station was our chef. I hung out with my amazing design assistant Kara while we decorated Halloween cookies and learned some cool techniques using sugar cookies, fondant and royal icing. But even without eating any of the cookies, I'm pretty sure fondant on a cookie is a bad idea. Sure, it can look pretty (don't look at my cookies for an example of that) but everyone knows that fondant doesn't taste good. And cookies are supposed to taste good. Honestly, I don't know where this trend is going. Let's rank frosting by taste: 1. fondant (not so yummy) 2. royal icing (better, but really not yummy) 3. buttercream (yummiest). My prediction: I don't see much of a future for cookies covered in yucky frosting. Proof: even my somewhat-sugar-starved kids wouldn't eat them.
classes Friday, October 23, 2009 at 4:00AM I hope that I've shown you how easy it can be to throw a fun teen party. A little imagination can go a long way.
At last, the key to the Halloween Mixed-up Mystery Menu.
1. Fork: Witches’ Broom
2. Knife: Devilish Dagger
3. Spoon: Skeleton Shovel
4. Sauce: Bat’s Blood
5. Garlic Bread: Vampire Venom
6. Parmesan Cheese: Moldy Bones
7. Spaghetti: Mummy Brains
8. Green Salad: Goblin Guts
9. Drink: Wormy Juice
10. Fruit w/ Spider Toothpick: Spider Slime
11. Cupcake: Head of Hedwig
12. Vanilla Ice Cream w/Fly: Ghostly Goo
halloween Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 7:34AM 
I'm not sure if I've explained the whole concept of this party fully. This was a three course meal where each guest filled out a menu themselves, picking what they would eat for each course. No two dinner were served up the same. The fun part is that the drink, utensils, and food, all have different names--scary, spooky names. So no one really knows what they are ordering. Then each course is brought out separately and they might get all utensils and no food, or a cupcake and spaghetti sauce. It's a fun, wacky way to celebrate Halloween.
This is my party suggestion: have a few friends on hand to help. Also, set up food stations where you can find each menu item. I had silverware in one spot, the drinks in another, the pasta and sauce on the stove, etc. And I had a decoding menu "key" in a central location so that we could figure out what to serve up. Each of my helpers and myself were assigned to different kids. For the person we were assigned to, we filled their order for that course, we took their food out to them, and we cleared their plates. This kept everything running smoothly and we could make sure that every teen got their food and wasn't waiting.
halloween Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 4:00AM 
I totally cheated on this one. The party was held at the home of a woman who decorates her house insanely cute for every holiday, including Halloween. I wish you could see all of the cool stuff she had.
halloween Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 4:00AM The kids actually ate the whole dinner really quickly, in about an hour. After they were done we played The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow. I really like this game for a crowd. Everyone is given a card--some are townspeople and some are werewolves. The townspeople have to figure out who the werewolves are without getting themselves eliminated from the game. And it's a good ice breaker for awkward teens who don't always know how to interact with the opposite sex, know what I mean?
halloween Monday, October 19, 2009 at 4:00AM 
For this party I used several different dishes to lessen the confusion when we were serving up the food. It was all part of my mastermind scheme: orange for the salad, white for the pasta, glass bowls for the fruit, etc. For your party please, please don't give in and use paper plates. Remember to keep your Halloween Green. I know what you're thinking, "But Brittany you have a lot more dishes than I do." No, I have a lot more pink and blue dishes than you do. It was hard for me to come up with Halloween colored dishes too. But you can make it work, just use a little creativity.
halloween Friday, October 16, 2009 at 4:01AM 
Now comes the fun part. Take your menu and rename the food with spooky or silly names. Include the utensils and the drink with the menu items for extra fun. The party guests will fill out their dinner "order" for three courses. Who knows what they will get served up and in what order. For example, you could order spaghetti noodles for one course and spaghetti sauce for a different course, but you won't know since the food has all been renamed somethng different. It's all part of the mystery. I used 12 items including the utensils and drink. I'll post the menu "key" later.
halloween Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 4:00AM 
I made a very simple and inexpensive drink. First, I made gummy worm ice cubes. You don't need to use a heart shaped ice cube tray, it's just what I had on hand.
Fill the tray with gummy worms then add water.
All frozen.
I filled each cup with gummy worm ice cubes and Sprite. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
halloween Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 4:00AM 
Make a list of the food that you want to serve at your mixed-up mystery dinner. Here is my menu: spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce, Parmesan cheese, french bread, green salad, fruit salad, cupcakes, ice cream, and a drink. This is a dinner party where the guests will choose their food for three courses, only the food will be named different names so that they can't recogize what they are ordering. But more about that later. For now just start pulling an easy menu together and aim for 9 items. Oh, and a little tip: 12 year old girls don't eat very much when seated with 12 year old boys. Don't plan on a ton of food.
halloween Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 4:00AM 
I would recommend splurging on a cute dessert made by someone else. You will stress yourself out trying to make invitations, plan a menu, decorate your house and organize a whole party. You don't need the added complication of making an unfamiliar creation. Especially because these tend to go horrifically wrong. Horrifically. Wrong. And all at the last minute. Leaving you in tears. No, don't say it. I don't want to hear that you are the exception. You know a bride wouldn't make her own wedding cake. Just trust me here. I ordered these organic custom owl cupcakes from Sugared Magnolia.
Monday, October 12, 2009 at 4:00AM 
I made these invitations very inexpensively using some pre-cut cardstock from Bazzill Paper. I photocopied the party info and chandelier, used a scallop punch to cut out the chandelier, used a circle punch for the color behind it, and tied some coordinating ribbon on the bottom. I bought the downloadable chandelier image on Etsy from Monique Chvatal for only $2.00. Orange invites for the boys and black invites for the girls.
Friday, October 9, 2009 at 4:00AM 
Last week I put together a mixed-up mystery dinner for a local church youth group of 12 & 13 year olds. It was so fun and kids that age are very entertaining to watch. (I forgot about all of the peer pressure that they are surrounded by.) I think this will be an easy and inexpensive party for you to recreate. So over the next two weeks I'll be posting the 10 steps I used to create this party and it will all wrap up in plenty of time for Halloween. Please forgive the photography of the party, I took the pictures myself.
halloween Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 4:00AM 
Photo by Juushika Redgrave
You knew it had to be done. Whether you're vegan or not, here's a fun list of candy put together by petakids showing which candies are animal friendly. This list is great for new vegan moms like me, especially at Halloween time with all of the candy around. And no, candy corns aren't on the list.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 4:00AM 
Every year it's the same dilemma. What should I give out for Halloween to the trick-or-treaters? I've given out a variety of non candy items, cheap candy items, and recycled candy from my kids' bags when I ran low. When I go the alternative route and dare to give something out of the norm, my husband always gives me a stern warning that our house is going to get egged during the night. It never has.
I went to a big box store today and noticed that they are selling huge bags of smarties for only $5. Hard to compete with that, I know, especially in this economy. But here I sit, determinded to give out something that I can feel good about while appeasing my husband. I've decided that I'm going to give out the expensive candy item, no not the gigantic candy bars, tiny boxes of Glee Gum. Yes it's candy, so maybe our house will continue to remain egg free. And yes I know that I'll pay $30 vs $5 for the smarties. But I'll sleep easy tonight. This gum is all natural, doesn't use ANY high fructose corn syrup, and is allergen free. And for the month of October, all online orders of 2 Mini Glee Variety Packs will include a third bag for free. Sweet.
I might give out one non-candy item in addition to the gum. I'll let you know if it becomes available.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 4:00AM Cupcakes taste better the second day. That's what one my favorite bakers told me once when I was ordering cupcakes for a party. She always bakes cupcakes the night before. This gave me an idea. I've found some cute Halloween cupcakes, perfect for parents to make with their kids. It can be fun for kids to measure out the ingredients and help with the mixing. But if you aren't up for the mess and if your kids dread waiting for the finished product, how about giving this a try? After you put your kids to bed, make the cupcakes yourself. It will be quicker, you can clean up the mess while they are baking, and the cupcakes will have time to cool overnight. Then you have a sweet surprise waiting the next day. The cupcakes will be denser and yummier. If your kids still want to help out, let them measure out the ingredients for the frosting. Plus they'll still have the fun of decorating.
For inspiration:
Also, I found these darling candy corn cupcakes from I Heart Cupcakes. Seriously, I think they're so cute. I don't like adding food coloring to food, but if it doesn't bother you, then give these little cuties a try. They might be more fun to make with your kids awake. Or not.
Monday, October 5, 2009 at 4:00AM 
Do you hate leftover Halloween candy as much as I do? I mean, really, do my kids need that much sugar? I read about this idea before I was ever married and I've been using it since my oldest child could understand the concept. The Great Pumpkin comes on Halloween night, takes the candy that kids put out for him, and leaves a present in its place.
Here's the scene. On Halloween night I get my kids dressed up in their costumes, make them eat dinner, and then either my husband or I takes them out trick-or-treating. It's always cold here in October, so they don't stay out too long. My kids walk into the living room, dump their candy onto the floor and check out their loot. I let them eat as much candy as they want. I let them keep all of the non-candy items. And then they willingly put their uneaten candy back into their trick-or-treat bag and put it on the kitchen table. They don't have to do this--it's purely voluntary. But they know that if they leave their candy out, if they can part with the mini sized candy bars and endless rolls of smarties, there will be a cool present waiting for them when they wake up. The Great Pumpkin then comes sometime during the night and takes all of the candy out to the car to be taken to work the next day. Much like Santa, he then leaves a gift for each child.
Why I love this:
1. I don't need all of that candy lying around my house and I certainly don't want my kids to eat it. I know, I sound like the bah-humbug of Halloween. I'm not. All four of my kids get to choose if they want to participate. Every year every single one gives up their candy.
2. I don't have to fight with my kids over getting rid of the candy.
3. I really love Christmas and I love the chance to give my kids a quick present to tide us all over through the holiday season. I know, it's contradictory. I don't care.
I'm posting this early in the month so that you'll have time to think about this, an opportunity to introduce the concept to your kids, and a chance to purchase a Great Pumpkin gift for whoever wants to participate. Let me know if you're going to give it a try.
