A Very Happy Halloween & A Blessed Samhain

To all of my friends I have made this year through

this wonderful medium of blogging~

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~I am wishing you all a most

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and a Blessed

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Enjoy yourself however you may be celebrating this wonderful holiday!

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I am having a nice, albeit quiet Halloween and Samhain myself. My kiddos are out with their Grandma & Dad at a Halloween Party, and will be making the Trick or Treating rounds tonight.

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I sat this one out (literally!) because I am still in my cast recovering from my broken knee. (Its comin' off real soon! YAY!) So I have a quiet evening of Samhain celebrating ahead of me; along with the obligatory Pumpkin Chai, Chocolate & Halloween Classics to watch. I did have some more Halloween & Samhain related posts but I got sick halfway thru last week- so that put a halt in those plans. Ah well...

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So here's to saying farewell to the old year and

welcoming the new;

Honoring our ancestors & loved ones

and blessing the living.

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May you all be warm of heart and bright of cheek!

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Samhain
It is the time of burning leaves,

The crispness of the air has awakened

Memories both dark and hidden,

Memories of past feasts partaken.
I sit comfortly in this silent room

Computer keyboard beneath my fingers

Yet...my mind is never frozen here

In times past it wants to linger.
I 'see' a bonfire raging on a hilltop

With my people all gathered around

Our prayers to the Gods I shout,

Yet, in my dreams I hear not a sound.
The drums beat, the people dance

Wildness fills the autumn night.
The Other Side is so very close--

The Veil just beyond the fire light.
I reach, I feel, I almost touch...

Spirit fingers entwine with mortal

Then dawn's first light appears

And seals again the fragile portal.
I turn away from the cold ashes

Let the wildness leave my aching soul.
Another year til another Samhain...

On that night again I'll be whole.

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by Elspbeth Saphire

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Samhain by Jane Bengco on Elfwood

~Brightest Blessings from Danae <(:o) aka'Crafty'

Mrs. B's Final Halloween Giveaway

Well friends...we all knew the fun would have to come to an end at some time... and being that it is Halloween- that time is now. Be sure to pop over to Mrs. B's for her last day of Halloween giveaways- they sure are good ones today. (today's giveaway ends Nov.1st at 12noon EST)

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~Emboidered Tea Towel from Tea Towel Creek

~a Goodie Bag from Salem given by Jaz of OctoberFarm

~a book from Creepy Cute Crochet

~a pendant by Aunia Kahn

~ a Peeking Sal Tote Bag fom Organic Totes
~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

Awesome Halloween Wreaths & Today's Giveaways @ Mrs. B's

These are a few of my favorite Halloween Wreaths. I still have yet to get a decent photo of my own creation. A couple years back I made a Black Maribou Feather Wreath, ad strung orange lights on it. That year, I decorate it with some orange silk flowers and sme little black spiders (on the flowers so they would show up.)

After Halloween, I took everything (except the feathers) off,and hung it in my living room year round. (I like black!) Then, last year, I restrung it with white light, and stuck a wooden witchy plaque up top (kinda like where the bow might go). It was great, and it served as the hanger. I didn't even have to attatch it, I just slung the wreath over the plaques hanging wire & voila- insant art!

This year, I strung it with orange lights again, and decided to adorn it with the beautifull Spider Skeleton Halloween Hair Flower that I won from Mrs. B's Giveaway. It was made by Jamie,of Jammer Designz. (If you haven't seen her stuff yet- you can find her (here). It looks super cool- but like I said...no photo yet. sorry guys.

Anywho... I wanted to share with you all a few of the inspiration photos that I gathered. Mostof them are pretty straigt forward- and if you knw basic wreath creating techniques- you can re-create any of the easily. (If you don't- that can be googled.)

I have wanted to make this Black Rose Wreath (ala Martha), since I saw it few years back. I even bought the black silk roses to make it- and then proceded to us them in other projects! So...maybe next year. Ah well, thank goodness Halloween comes every year. Otherwise we'd never have enough time to get to al of the great ideas out there!
Black Rose Wreath
Spanish Moss Skull Wreath

Painted Egg & Raven Wreath

Silly Green Fur Eyeball Wreath

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And now for the Halloween Giveaway at Mrs. B's~

~A Witchy Magnet from Picard Creative
~A Digital Art Print from Angie Mroczka
~A pair of Beaded Earrings from Native Dawn

Also don't forget to check out Mrs. B's newest Examiner aricle, The Haunted Blog Tour Host & The Guest Blogger.

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I hope you all enjoyed this quickie Halloween Wreath post, and maybe came away with some ideas & inspiration for creating your own.

~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

Halloween Crunch Time~ Treat Wrappers & Vintage Die-Cut Image Downloads 4U

~It's getting to be that time; the 'big night' is almost upon us; the candy and costumes are flying off of the shelves; the kids are counting down the days; and us parents are starting to wonder if we have all of the party preparations done- this is what is known as....Halloween Crunch Time!
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Well, no worries- there are plenty of great quick & easy recipes, decor & party ideas to be found...some of them even right here! (LOL)
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One of the things that is like icing on the cake- for decor, party treats or even just for something special to gussy up the treats to give to the people you love- is Halloween Clip Art & Templates. They are great for projects of all sorts- Treat Boxes, Cupcake Toppers, Banners & Garlands, Masks & much more.
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These can be printed up onto nice cardstock, or regular paper, and make the perfect last minute additions to your holiday haunting. All of these are Free Clip Art & Templates from the entertaining & decorating guru- Matthew Mead. (*Of course only for personal- not commercial use.*) Be sure to check back in the next day or so, for even more last minute goodies!

Vintage Pumpkin Face Large- Download (here) Vintage Black Cat Faces x4- Download (here)
Vintage Pumpkin Faces x4- Download (here)

Vintage Treat Box x1- Download (here)

Spooky Labels or Tags- Download (here)

Orange Candy Wrappers- Download (here)

Yellow CandyWrappers- Download (here)

Happy Haunting! ~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

Creepy Crawly Cupcakes

This creepy crawly cupcake is a classic Halloween favorite.
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To make it, follow these steps:

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1. Start with frosted store-bought or homemade cupcakes.

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2. Place purchased truffle (or a Whopper) in middle of a frosted cupcake for spider head.

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2. Use melted chocolate to adhere two red mini M&Ms to truffle for eyes.

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3. Cut eight pretzel sticks in half.

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4. Dip pretzels in melted chocolate to adjoin broken sticks for spider legs.

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5. Insert pretzel sticks in cupcake around the truffle for legs.

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Have a great day!

~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

A Picturesque Posse Of Pumpkin Personality :)

This gaggle of gourds are more gay than gruesome, but they are guarenteed to garner gusty giggles from guys and gals alike! (Say that 10 times fast.) hehehe :)

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But really, the folks at GoodHousekeeping did a great job of giving us easy to recreate Jack-o-Lanterns. These characters are simple to carve and are constructed of props that many of us have on hand. They are the perfect bunch of last minute showstoppers for your porch or parties.

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Bewitched Pumpkin
~First, buy a pointed hat at a party store and use it to determine the size of your pumpkin head.

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~Buy a small bag of green Spanish moss for the hair and strong floral pins to hold accessories in place from a crafts or floral supply store.

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~Cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin and clean out the inside. Use a washable marker to draw on the pumpkin's eyes and mouth, then carve along the lines and wipe off the existing marker with a damp towel when finished.

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~Use crafts store floral pins to adhere the moss to the top of the pumpkin. Place the hat on top of the moss and pin in place. Cut away the wide end of a small gourd, creating a flat bottom to pin onto the pumpkin as a nose.

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Band of Bats
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~Small pumpkins (and small helpers) are great for this no-carve project. Use black fun foam from the crafts or art supply store to cut out wings and ears. Secure them to the pumpkin with floral pins.

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~Use a washable marker to practice drawing on your desired face. Finish by drawing over the face with a black permanent marker.

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Possessed Pirate
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~Purchase a pirate hat, patch, and feathered friend from a Halloween party store. Use your pirate hat as a measurement to purchase the right size pumpkin.
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~Start by cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin and cleaning out the inside. Use a washable marker to draw on the pumpkin's face, then carve along the lines, wiping off any existing marker when finished.
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~Pin the bandanna, eye patch, earring, and hat to the pumpkin with floral pins. Next, use a glue gun or wire to attach the bird to the hat. Scatter a few pirate coins under the base of the pumpkin for a golden touch.

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Spooky Skeleton
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~Buy a top hat from a party store, making sure to use your hat as a measurement to purchase the right size pumpkins for the head and body.
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~Cut a hole in the bottom of each pumpkin and clean out the insides of both. Then cut the top off the lower pumpkin to hold the head in place.

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~Stack the pumpkins as shown in the photo and use a washable marker to draw on the pumpkin's face and chest design. When happy with your design, carve along the lines and wipe off the marker with a damp towel when finished.

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~Carve out one hole in each side of the bottom pumpkin that will tightly hold small tree-branch arms in place.

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~Use floral pins to secure the hat to the top pumpkin.

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~Make a bow from paper or fabric and secure to the top of the larger pumpkin with floral pins as shown in the photo.

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Mummified Pumpkin

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~Cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin and clean out the inside.

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~Use a washable marker to draw on the pumpkin's face, then carve along the lines and wipe off the existing marker with a damp towel when finished.

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~To finish the mummified look, shred cheesecloth and wrap the pumpkin's head.

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~Secure cheesecloth with a crafts store floral pin or glue gun.

Crafty Witch Files: How To Make A Besom

The Witch's Broom is an icon of Witchcraft and Magick, as well as a Samhain & Halloween staple. With these holidays right around the corner, I thought that this would be a good time to share with you all how to craft your own Witch's Broom, known as a Besom.

Technically speaking, a broom is the flat ended sort of object that we generally use for physical cleaning; while a Besom is a round shaped bunch of straw (or other plant material) bundled around the center handle, and is used to cleanse an area of negative enegy, usually in the preparation of ritual or magickal work.

While you can buy a besom, and there are many lovely ones to choose from -it's also pretty easy to make one of your own. The bonus of making it yourself, is the addition of your own energy tied to it's creation. Although the items that follow are for the more traditional style of besom, you can use nearly any types of branches and plant materials available to you. Even a wooden dowel from the Hardware Store can be used. Another alternatve is to purchase a Dollar Store Broom for its twist off handle.

It is a good idea to match the materials to the type of magick to be worked with it. The traditional magical formula includes a bundle of birch twigs, a staff of ash or oak, and a binding made from willow wands. This makes for a besom that incorporates both the male energy of the God- in the oak or ash; and the female energy of the Goddess- in the willow. A besom to be used primarily in Healing Rituals might be made of birch & lavender; and one for Kitchen Witchery might be made of cinnamon.

After the basic construction of the Besom, there are innumerable way to decorate it. Handles can be carved, wrapped or painted; and all sorts of embellishments can be attatched to it. Things such as feathers, crystals, coins, beads, bone and other totems can adorn it and enhance the work you plan to do with the Besom itself.

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You'll need:
A four-foot length of ash or oak for the handle
Thin branches of birch for the bristle part (you can substitute a woody herb like mugwort or thyme for the bristles if you like. I have also seen wondefull besoms made from aromatic herbs, such as lavender or cinnamon. )
Lengths of willow or heavy cord to bind everything together
You'll also need scissors and a bucket of warm water. Whatever you'll be using for the bristles -- whether it's birch, an herb, or some other wood -- should be soaked in the warm water overnight to make them pliable, as should the willow binding, if you're using it.
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FIGURE 1

~Line up your broom handle and bristles, with the bottoms of the bristles pointing towards the top of the handle.
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~Lay the handle on a table or the floor, and place the bristles alongside it, lined up about four inches from the bottom. Point the bottom of the bristles towards the top of the broom, because you're going to flip the bristles in a minute (see Fig. 1).

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FIGURE 2

Wrapping the Bristles ~Tie the bristles in place around the handle.

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~Use the willow branches or cording to wrap the bristles around the broom (Fig. 2). Add as many as you want to make the broom full. Make sure you tie the cording off securely so your bristles don't come popping out later.

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FIGURE 3
Tying the Magic in Place

~Finally, fold the bristles down over the inner tie, and then tie on the outside.

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~Now, take the bristles and fold them down over the willow binding or cording so that they're pointing towards the bottom of the broom. Tie them down again at the base of the broomstick to secure them(Fig. 3).

~As you're wrapping the cord in place, visualize your intent for this besom. Will it be strictly decorative? Are you going to hang it in place over a door? Perhaps you'll use it ceremonially, or maybe even for physical cleaning. Focus on what you're going to be doing it, and charge it with energy.

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The Final Step
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~Let your broom dry for a day or two, and when it's all done, consecrate it as one of your magical tools.

~If you will be doing any decorative work on it, such as carving, painting or wrapping it with fiber-this can be done either before or after the initial consecration, and should be done with magickal intention.

~Then, when all decorative work is finished, you can reconsecrate it and begin woking with your very own handcrafted Witch's Besom.

(These instructions have been adapted from about.com)

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One last word- I wouldn't try to use it for flying purposes! I'm sure you all have seen the results of some of the other Neigborhood Witches flying attempts!
Silly Witches! Flying is for birds! Heeheehee...

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Thank You for joining me for this edition of The Crafty Witch Files!

~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

Coffin Party Favor Boxes & More Halloween Giveaway Fun

Coffin Party Favors
For an appropriately creepy take-home treat, fill coffin-style favor boxes with candy bones. Give the boxes a casket look by weathering the edges with chalk and adding press-on letters.

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What You Need:
Tracing paper
Die-cut machine and box die cut (optional) (We used AccuCut Box #18.)(pattern download here)
Dark gray card stock
Rub-on alphabet (We used Reminisce Font Buffet: Chicken King)
Double-sided tape
Crafts glue
7-millimeter-diameter round red rhinestone
White chalk
2/3 yard of 1/2-inch-wide red ribbon

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How to Make It:
Enlarge the box shape to fit the card stock.
Trace the shape on tracing paper; cut out.
Trace the pattern on card stock and cut out the shape.
If you're using a die cut, cut the shape with a die-cut machine.
Cut out the letters "R," "I," and "P" from the rub-on alphabet.
Rub the letters on one side of the shape.
Fold the shape into a box, using double-sided tape to secure it at the side and bottom.
Glue a red rhinestone atop the dot on the "I." Rub all edges of the box with white chalk.
Fill the box with Halloween candy and tie it closed with ribbon.

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~I included the pattern download site here:(COFFIN PARTY FAVOR DOWNLOAD SITE)

I wasn't sure how to directly link it to the file I saved- so this site will take you to the BHG page, and click on the download there please. Thanks. :)

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Now- for the Halloween Giveaway fun, on Mrs. B's:

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~a Busy Body Family Organizer from The Busy Body Book Website

~an 8x11 print of the Moon from Tammy Murray Cline Photography

~a pair of Autumn Hairsticks from Manifested Dreams

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Thanks for visiting!

~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

The Black & White (& Orange) Halloween Inspiration House of My Dreams!

If any of you have followed either of my blogs for even a small amount of time- you may have noticed (or heard me say!) that I have a love affair with the colors Black & White. The Artist/Designer in me goes nuts for that positive/negative imagery....add in pattern or texture and I am a goner!

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I tend to gravitate towards Black & White with the addition of one other color-usually red, or some version of it- like pink (or orange in the case of Halloween!)

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You all also probaby have gathered that I am always on the hunt for fresh ideas & inspiration (both for myself and to share!)

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Well my friends... last night while perusing my usual sources of fun & fancy...I came across a Black & White EXPLOSION OF INSPIRATION! -and I wanted to share. These photos and ideas came from the folks over at Good Houskeeping (with the exception of the above photo; which is from Better Homes & Gardens.) I hope that they inspire you and give you all some great ideas for decorating your own homes! (These are of course no where near the end of my Black & White Halloween Inspiration Ideas & Posts-but in the interest of keeping my posts a managable size(!)-I leave you with this.)
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Three Steps To An Evil Entrance

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1.Wicked

Wreath
Take your door from boring to boo-ring with a ghoulish grapevine wreath: Lay down old newspaper and spray-paint a 16-inch crafts store wreath with black spray paint. While the wreath dries, send your little boos & ghouls out to find small twigs from the yard.
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Using a glue gun, adhere a few twigs to the wreath and push a few extra twigs in between the grapevine, making sure they follow the same direction. Next, secure a mini pumpkin and small plastic spiders to the wreath with a glue gun. Finally, stretch out crafts store cobwebs across the wreath for a stark look.

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2. Pumpkin Pillars
Before you assemble your scary stacks, be sure to choose pumpkins that are the right size for your urns (the largest should fit right on top of the urn and the others should fit on top of each other. as shown in the photo).

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Cut off the tops of the pumpkins (discarding all but the smallest pumpkin top). Clean out seeds and pulp from inside the pumpkins and stack them as shown. After the pumpkins are hollow and stacked, use a black washable marker to test designs for your tree. Once you are ready for a permanent picture, go over your design with black enamel craft paint that will not run off in wet weather. When the paint is dry, carefully wipe away any washable marker line using a damp towel. To emulate stars, drill 1/4-inch holes into the pumpkins. For the three-tiered look, draw and carve out a crescent moon on the smallest pumpkin.
Last, place candles inside the pumpkins to bring the spooky scene to life.

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3. Jack-o'-Luminaries
Pick up a few small white gift bags from a crafts or party store. To make the black house as shown in the photo, draw or stencil the shape directly onto the bag using a pencil. Once you are happy with your design, fill in the drawing with a black magic marker. To light your path, place small candles into glasses or votives, then into the bags.

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Frightening Foyer
Give your guests the gift of spook as they enter your haunted house.
Batty Branches

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Choose a large pumpkin that is the right size for your entry table. Cut the stem flat across the top of the pumpkin. Carve out a small hole in the top that will hold one branch (or several branches) to create a treetop. For the bats on backyard branches, use patterned Halloween papers from a crafts or scrapbooking store to cut out bat shapes and hang from the branches. Tape a thin 1/8-inch ribbon from the back of each bat and tie the ribbon to secure bats the branches.

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Patterned Paper Votives

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Buy or reuse 4-inch to 8-inch straight-sided glass votives from the crafts store.
For each 8-inch votive you will need one sheet of patterned paper, one sheet of black paper, and one sheet of black tissue paper. First, cut a piece of patterned paper that will cover the outside of the votive. In the center of the paper on the backside, trace a bat shape with a pencil. Cut out the shape with small scissors. Place a small sheet of black tissue paper over the cutout and tape in place. Wrap the paper around the outside of the votive and tape in back along the seam. Make a border by cutting two strips of 1/2-inch black paper to wrap around the top and bottom edges, taping again in the back.

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Candy-Filled Cones
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For each candy-filled cone, you will need one sheet of orange tissue paper and one 12-inch black paper doily. Cut the orange tissue paper into a square shape large enough to cover the doily. Cut three evenly spaced slits into the center of the doily, leaving it intact. Form the doily into a cone shape in your hand and secure with tape or staples along the seams. Place the square of orange tissue paper inside the cone. Grab a heaping handful of tasty treats and fill the cone.

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Table of Treats
To set the scene, rip cheesecloth for a moth-munched look and drape over the table. Arrange snacks in servingware and on cake stands, then tuck in crafts store creepies and crawlies (spiders, skulls, mice, and crows).

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Create this fiendishly fun floral display by purchasing spider mums at the local florist. Lay down newspaper in a well-ventilated area to keep paint off furniture and floors. Spray-paint the flowers with black Krylon spray paint and put them in a slim vase. Nestle the smaller vase inside a larger vase lined with black-and-white patterned wrapping paper.

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Deathly Pale Desserts

If you don't have time to bake from scratch, buy a package of slice-and-bake sugar cookies from your local grocery store. Also buy a tube of Wilton's white royal icing and Wilton's black paste food coloring from a cake-decorating or crafts store. Bake the cookies as directed. After the cookies cool, cover them with white icing, mix up your black icing, and use the black icing for decoration.

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You can also make these cookies from scratch by using a simple recipe for sugar cookies and ornamental frosting.

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Mantel Magic Channel greetings from beyond the grave by finding three white pumpkins similar in size that will fit on the width of your mantel. If you cannot find white pumpkins for sale, you can spray-paint your pumpkins with white enamel spray paint. Once the paint is dry (about 30 minutes), use a washable marker to draw out the letters B-O-O on the pumpkins, as shown in the photo. Use a black permanent marker to finalize your design and wipe away any of the washable marker that shows with a damp towel. Adorn the mantel to your liking with mini pumpkins and gourds.

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Immortal Ivy
Use black spray paint to color artificial ivy from the craft store or real ivy from your garden. After ivy is completely dry, weave it through the pumpkins and drape over the mantel's eerie edge. You may need to use a small tack or tape to hold a piece or two in place.
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I hope you all found this Black & White Menaerie as inspiring as I have! Enjoy your day!

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~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

Today's Giveaways On Mrs. B's

Quick Giveaway Post to let you all in on the fun going on over at Mrs. B's. Head over there to throw your name in the hat to win:
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~An Altered Wooden Spoon from Cauldron Craft Miniatures
~A Skele-Spider Hair Flower from Jammerz Designs
~A Knitty Kitty from Thalia Took

So join in on the fun! Good Luck!
~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

OctoberFarm Giveaway

Hey guys. Jaz, from OctoberFarm is having a giveaway for some of the lovely treats she recently brought back from her visit to Salem. So take a trip to OctoberFarm to enter.*

~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'

Building Your Very Own Outdoor Mummies For Halloween

Decaying Mummies are part of the Halloween landscape- brought to life in our imagination from years of Hollywood Halloween & Horror Flicks. Throughout the month of October (and the months leading up to it (!) Halloween Yard Haunters everywhere are playing with paper mache, muslin, cheesecloth and plywood- (not to mention spraypaint, tea-stain & glue!)- all in the process of creating the perfect Halloween Mummy.

While I cannot possibly guarantee results as realistic as these- (mainly because the 2 examples above are real-live (or real-dead!) mummies!- I can give you some simple instructions for creating yard Mummies of you very own! These exquisite specimens (below) were created by the very talented folks at the Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Magazine (& website).
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I am merely the humble messenger who is sharing them here with you today. (Although I did make some of these a couple years back...and they turned out awesome!- I don't have the photos on hand- nor the scanner to share them with you here.) And to be honest with you all- I also don't have the super gorgeous home & yard with which to create such a fantastic backdrop!- NOT that I think my readers would hold that against me! LOL.)
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Halloween Decor: How to Make a Mummy
Having sloughed off their mortal casings, dirt-stained mummies escape their vaults to haunt this spine-chilling scene. Scare the pants off passersby with a front yard featuring zombie-like mummies that eerily rise to haunt the twilight landscape.

What You Need for One Full-Figure Mummy
12-x-14-inch piece of 1/2-inch-thick plywood for base
4 angle braces
40-inch length of 2X2-inch lumber for body brace (note: For the half-figure mummy, sharpen one end of this length into a point.)
12-inch length of 2X2-inch lumber for shoulders brace
2 strap braces
Drill
10-inch length of 1/2-inch-diameter dowel
Wig form
Glue gun and hot melt adhesive
King-size quilt batting
2 1/2 yards of 40-inch-wide muslin
Duct tape
Two 22-inch lengths of heavy wire
Polyester fiberfill (optional)
Khaki spray paint
Floral spray paint
For One Half-Figure Mummy
You'll need all of the materials listed above for the full-figure mummy, but omit the plywood base and angle braces.

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How to Make It
~Fasten one end of the 40-inch length of lumber to the plywood base using angle braces on all four sides.
~Referring to the diagrams, center the 12-inch length of lumber (the shoulder brace) on top of the body brace, forming a T-shape; fasten with strap braces on the front and back.
~Drill a 1/4-inch hole in each end of the shoulder brace.

~Drill a 1/2-inch hole in the center top of the shoulder brace.

~Push one end of the wooden dowel into the wig-form neck opening and secure with glue.
~For the legs, cut two 27-x-36-inch pieces of quilt batting and two matching pieces of muslin. ~Lay one piece of batting on a flat surface and roll it into a 27-inch-long tube. Secure with duct tape.

~Lay the tube on one piece of muslin and roll it to cover the batting. Secure the muslin with glue. ~Repeat for the other leg.
~Assemble the Body
~For the arms, cut two 22-x-36-inch pieces of quilt batting and two matching pieces of muslin. ~Roll into tubes and cover with muslin as instructed for the full-figure mummy legs.

~Push one piece of wire through the center of each arm tube, allowing the wire to extend beyond one end.
~Using scrap quilt batting and muslin, make two 5-inch-long foot tubes.
~Stand the leg tubes side-by-side on the plywood base with the body brace between them. ~Secure with duct tape at the hips, knees, and ankles.

~Wire the arms to the shoulder brace.
~For the body, measure and cut two or three pieces of quilt batting and one piece of muslin that are shoulder-width and long enough to extend from the tops of the legs in front, up over the shoulders, and down to the tops of the legs in the back.

~Lay the body pieces over the shoulders and secure with duct tape at the waist.

~Stuff the body area with scraps of batting or fiberfill to achieve the desired look.

~Use scissors to clip a hole in the batting and muslin at the center top of the shoulder brace. ~Push the end of the wooden head dowel into the center hole in the shoulder brace and glue in place.
~Cut the remaining muslin fabric into 2-inch-wide strips and wrap the mummy as desired, securing the strips with glue. Spray the mummy with khaki and wood-tone paints to distress as desired.
For one-half mummy:
~Assemble as directed for the full-figure mummy, omitting the base, legs, and feet.

Halloween Tricks & Treats~ Super Fun Gross Out Food For The Kids

Whether you are having an all out Haloween Bash, or just want something a little extra-special to make Halloween (& the days leading up to it) more memorable- there are plenty of Spooktacular Halloween Recipes to choose from. I spend a good amount of time each October searching thru the seasonal magazines and websites for new recipes to try out, and add to our tried and true favorites. These are a few of the fun ones I found over at the Family Fun Magazine site.

There is never a shortage of sugar around Halloween, so I'm usually looking to balance it with some healthy but fun snacks. (With the exception of the last receipe! Which I just couldn't resist because they are so easy & cute & look so tasty!)

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Now... I want to add one extra little thing that many of us Pagan Parents do when we are making up our Family's Halloween Treats (that most of the other Folks would probably not be thinking of)- is that we add that extra dash of magick in. Food can be charmed for any possible purpose- and even better when the ingredient's natural properties are used.

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Spiced Apple Cider can be charmed for love, Carrots for clear sight, Yams for prosperity. Kids love this little practice, and it is a great excersize to get them thinking about the qualities they would like to bring into our lives- and the properties and symbolism in what we consume or use. And...its just plain fun! So give a bit of thought and intention into your food preparation & you can be killing two birds with one stone! (Figuratively speaking of course!)
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MINI MUMMY FACE PIZZAS

Disguises aren't just for the kids on Halloween. Surprise your family with these dressed-up, spooky-looking snacks for a Halloween treat. Kids can help by spooning the pizza sauce on the English muffin and making the mummy face with the cheese and vegetables.
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Ingredients:
English muffins
Pizza sauce
Black olives
Scallions
Red or green pepper
Cheese sticks or slices
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Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350º F. For each mummy, spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin (toast it first, if you like).
Set olive slices in place for eyes and add round slices of green onion or bits of red or green pepper for pupils.
Lay strips of cheese (we used a pulled-apart cheese stick) across the muffin for the mummy?s wrappings.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasty.
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CHEESY MONSTER FINGERS
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Partying in costume calls for easy-eating fare, and these cheesy monster digits fit the bill.

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Ingredients
Mozzarella string cheese
Green bell pepper
Cream cheese
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Instructions
Wearing plastic gloves or sandwich bags over your hands to keep the cheese as smudge-free as possible, use a paring knife (parents only) to cut each string in half and then carve a shallow area for a fingernail just below the rounded end of each half.
Mark the joint right below the nail as well as the knuckle joint by carving out tiny horizontal wedges of cheese, as pictured.
For the fingernails, slice a green bell pepper into 3/8-inch-wide strips. Set the strips skin side down on your work surface and trim the pulp so that it's about half as thick. Then cut the strips into ragged-topped nail shapes and stick them in place at the ends of the fingers with dabs of cream cheese.
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CRUNCHY EYEBALLS
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Set out a platter of these creepy peepers, and your Halloween party guests are bound to do a double take.

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Ingredients
Carrots
Cream cheese
Pitted black olives
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Instructions
Simply slice carrots into 1-inch-thick chunks, top each with a blob of cream cheese and one half of a pitted black olive, and serve.
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EYEBALLS ON A FORK

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These scary-good Halloween treats, prepared and eaten on the same fork, begin with a doughnut hole dunked in white chocolate.
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Ingredients
2 (11-ounce) bags white chocolate chips
12 doughnut holes
Semisweet chocolate chips
Tube of red decorator frosting
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Instructions
To coat a dozen doughnut holes, melt the white chocolate chips over low heat (and keep the chocolate warm while you work). With a fork, spear each doughnut hole and submerge it in the melted chocolate to coat it, then gently tap off any excess.
Stick a semisweet chocolate chip with its point cut off onto each doughnut hole, cut end first. Place the forks (handle side down) in a mug and allow the chocolate coating to harden.
Use a tube of red decorator frosting to add squiggly veins radiating out from the pupils.

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Have a Spooktacular Day!
~Danae <(:o) aka 'Crafty'