I love this

here

Craft Time Again

I found this cool up-cycled wreath at West Elm and am thinking I could make a DIY version out of wooden snowflakes and a cardboard frame from the craft store!! To be continued...

 

 

kraft Snowflake Wreath ~ $30

Thanksgiving Planning

Pretty

Eclectic

So Sweet

I wish I was in this dreamy bed right now...

I wish I was wearing this...

and these...

found here, here, and here

Halloween Day!

This Halloween is a beginning for me, much like other Halloween's of my past (like meeting my husband 8 years ago.)

Today I drove across New Mexico into Texas to settle in to what will be my temporary home for the next three months.  I will begin training at a new job tomorrow that will hopefully turn into my career.  So, although I'm not dressed up and I am sitting in this hotel room all alone, Halloween is still a special day for me! Happy Halloween!

Pumpkins

Some Costumes

Just a few more days to get ready for the BIG NIGHT! Here are a few last minute costumes ideas I like:

Natalie Morales as Justin Bieber

 

Kim Zolciak

Snooki

 

 

L-O-V-E

bhg.com

Sweet and Salty Bones

 I love these easy, yummy bones.  A cute decoration that can be added to any chocolate cake or cupcakes!

White Chocolate Pretzel Bones

To make the bones you take pretzel sticks and different sized marshmallows.  Put a marshmallow on each end of the pretzel and then dip the whole thing in melted white chocolate and then cool.  Such a good idea!!

More Yummy!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

A yummy recipe from Eat Drink Pretty:

For the Whoopie Pies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Maple-Cream Cheese Filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, the dark brown sugar, and the oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

5. Use a small cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop a rounded, heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure that the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.

7. To make the filling, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with no visible lumps, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.

8. To assemble the whoopie pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon the filling (about a tablespoon) onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving.

Brown Paper Bags turned Trick'or'Treat Receptacles!

This is a cute idea for those of you going trick'or'treating or just for giving out Halloween treats (and so simple!) :

MarthaStewart.com

I also like the easy idea of painting a plain brown bag with chalkboard paint and personalizing it to what you or the kids want.  Again it can be done for trick'or'treating or for gifts...hmm...could also be done for Christmas wrappping...

The Menu

Some Fall food ideas:

Mexicali Casserole ~ bhg.com

Butternut Squash ~ cooks.com

Carmel Apple Cake ~ foodnetwork.com

We Picked Our Pumpkins!

We went to the Mesilla Valley Maze this morning and wandered around the corn maze and then went and picked out some pumpkins that we will carve later on in the week!

A Little Decoration

The Swell Life

While the cupcake looks delicious, I really like the cake stand decorations.  The little candy corn trim would be soooo sweet on these:

Modern Chic Home ~ $42

Halloween Sale

Zombie at Tiffany's ~ $10

Now through November 1st, Threadless  has all their spooky tees on sale for guys and girlys!

The Haunted Places

An interesting list of local haunts: Haunted Places in New Mexico

Deming, New Mexico

 

Time to Party

Decorations:

10 Poms ~ $30

 Invitations:

Custom Party Invitations ~ $7.50

 

 Favors:

Halloween Party Favor Centerpiece ~ $18.00

Not Halloween But...

I will still do my Halloween post today but I had to take a detour to Christmas for a minute and say how pretty is this wrapping paper from Sundance Catalog?

Eco Wrapping Paper ~ $28 Set of 8

Craft Project Day!!!

I love the look of this Cupcake Dome, it could be a fancy glass dome but it is actually a 2 liter bottle! So easy to do for so many things like place settings, centerpieces, scary decorations.... and so pretty on the glass platter!

Directions and Picture via Pattie Wack

Things to Do Before October 31st

1.  Carve a Pumpkin

2.  Explore a Corn Maze

3.  Make some Pumpkin Bread

5.  NMSU Homecoming

Doggy Costumes (that really are cute!)

I just had to share this Doggy Shark Costume from my friend's blog SewDoggyStyle.  It just might be the cutest pet costume ever!

Chumlee, The Little Shark

Finished Quilt Shots

I individually quilted each square with a skull design

Dia De Los Muertos Rag Quilt

Happy Haunted Friday

Country Living

A Halloween tabletop to inspire your party planning...only two more weeks...

Masks to Buy

Yesterday was a mask to make, today are masks to buy! I love masks and they are so easy to put on with really any outfit for any kind of Halloween party.  Here are some of my favorites from Etsy:

Halloween Mask ~ $6.50

Leather Harlequin Mask ~ $35

Great Horned Owl Mask ~ $45

DIY Mask

This sugar skull mask from The Crafty Chica is perfect for the Day of the Dead Celebration in Old Mesilla!

Find the How-To here

Almost Done!

Here is the finishing stages of the Dia de los Muertos rag quilt that I have been working on! I am so excited! One more washing and the fringe will be done and I will have an awesome quilt. More pictures to come!

Cheeky

Pumpkin Butt Skirt ~ $20

Bat Dress ~ $85

whoot whoot Owl Dress ~ $80

would you wear these?

Baking Weekend

I decided to decorate some Halloween cookies this weekend! I used pre-made sugar cookie dough and some Halloween cookie cutters and colored icing. They were very tasty!  I also made some really easy Pumpkin Cookies with spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin, bake for 10 minutes at 350 and it makes about 3 dozen (plus they make your house smell amazing!)