Tag Archives: Halloween decorations

Halloween Martinis

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IMG_4259I am so excited about Halloween this year! For the first time in years I am going to a Halloween party. That’s right, dressing up, going dancing and socializing with other adults. It’s been years since I have done this and though I have always wanted to have more of an adult experience around Halloween, it was often more about the kids, their costumes, their events and trick or treating. So my adult adventure never worked out.

Not that I don’t enjoy hanging with the kids and doing all kinds of activities with them around Halloween. Each year I find fun new Halloween crafts to do, create a Halloween menu for the day (which traditionally includes pumpkin pancakes – yum!), and add more to the decorations we have around the house and outside on the front lawn.

It’s fun, I get very excited (almost as much as I do for Christmas), as do the kids and we spend a good couple of weeks preparing, planning and expanding on our Halloween adventures.

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Bat Bites

But I would be lying if I said I am not looking forward to my adult Halloween. There’s just something about no bedtimes to worry about, no other people to be responsible for, and an evening where you can enjoy the company of other adults sans enfants.

So in the spirit of Halloween I started thinking about what I could do to add a little more ‘adult’ to my Halloween. What was out there that could make things a little more interesting? I always enjoy finding some new recipe to make in some kind of fun Halloween shape or theme. Last year I discovered Bat Bites, a cream cheese ball rolled in poppy seeds with tortilla chips for wings. Not only did they look super cool but they were also delicious!

This year I decided to go with some kind of Halloween drinks, some spooky concoction I could whip up in the kitchen. And with my new adventures in trying different martinis I decided there must be some kind of Halloween martini out there and would be the perfect fit! I hopped on Pinterest to see what I could find.

I was not disappointed, I found an abundance of Halloween themed martinis, the question was which one to try? Of course I wanted one that was sugar and dairy free, or one that I could modify easily. Yes I know, but this would just make things simpler and I would feel less gross after (I have really noticed that if I fall off the wagon, even a little bit with that I just feel sick after, my stomach is not happy at all).

I discovered a few and now have a list of martinis to try, such as the Black Widow and Witches Brew. But I did of course feel I should try at least one right away, so that I had something to share with everyone this week, you know to enjoy your adult Halloween this year.

The Poison Apple, a fabulous mixture of apple juice, pomegranite juice, honey and tequila, even a little healthy. Deadly in it’s title, it is also deadly delicious. I made two versions last night. First a virgin martini, omitting the alcohol, so that I could share with my son while we enjoyed our show for the evening. Then the full on version a little later, after he went to bed, you know so I could get a good idea of what it tasted like before I suggested it to all of you.

Both are very good, I love the pomegranite juice, but the one with the alcohol has a definite strength to it. Even if you are not a fan of tequila, you will likely still enjoy it as the juices and the honey sweeten it just enough to make it go down nice and smooth. You can even add in an apple floating in it for effect. Pretty cool.

I am looking forward to trying out those other martinis, though I have to purchase some ingredients first. There were even some recipes with dry ice, which would be super cool to do!

Poison Apple Martini

2 oz. apple juiceIMG_4254

1 oz. pomegranite juice

2 oz. tequlia

1 tsp. honey

Fill martini shaker with ice. Mix ingredients together in shaker. Shake well, pour into chilled martini glass and enjoy!

What’s your favorite Halloween drink?

 

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Spooky Halloween Crafts for Kids

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Getting into Halloween just wouldn’t be complete without a few spooky crafts for the kids to make. Besides the sweets and treats it is just as much fun to dress up, decorate and get the kids to add their crafts to the decor!

We put up pumpkin lights, ghosts and skeletons in the yard. I also have some Party Lite candle holders like a haunted house, jack and jill-o-lanterns. They are totally cute! We even have one of those ‘dancing’ stuffed toys that sings the Monster Mash. Luke and Chloe really like the haunted house and want to play with it. I made the mistake of letting them look at it the first day it was out. Though they were very gentle, there was a lot of crying when I put it back on the shelf.

We’ve had lots of fun though this week with Halloween crafts. Easy to make for little ones they add some spooky fun to our Halloween decor.

Bat Wreath (prominently displayed on our front door)

This craft is super easy and adds a nice flare to your front door. Bat WreathYou’ll need ring of cardboard, black construction paper, scissors, glue, small piece of wool.

Trace a small plate and a large plate onto a piece of old cardboard. Cereal boxes work great.

Cut strips of construction paper (about 1 1/2 inches by 4 inches), glue the strips into rolls, like making a paper chain. Glue the rolls of construction paper onto the wreath. If you like you can use other Halloween colors, like orange, purple, green if you don’t want to use all black.

Fold a piece of black construction paper in half and cut out half a bat shape (this will make the wings symmetrical). Use white pencil to draw on face.

Handprint and Footprint Ghosts

This craft is a great way to capture some memories of your little ones at Halloween. Put the date on it and you have a great hand and foot memory from one of their first Halloweens. 

You’ll need black paper, white paint and a black pen.

Dip child’s hand in white pain and place it on the black paper, fingers together to make a print. Do the same thing with their foot.

Let the paint dry and draw on some ghostly faces with the black marker. Cut out the ghosts leaving a thin rim of black around the edge. If you’d like to hang them up punch a hole in the top, or use them as unique invitations to a party.

Paper Plate Spider

You’ll need 2 sheets black paper, paper plate, black paint, white paper, black pen, glue.

Paint the plate black and let dry.

Fold each sheet of paper in half lengthways; then in half again. Cut along the folds so that you end up with 8 strips. Pleat the strips like an accordian.

Glue or staple the strips of paper to the plate to form your spider’s legs.

Cut two circles from white paper as eyes. Draw on the pupils and stick to the spider.

Lift Flap Haunted House

You’ll need construction paper (purple, orange, green, black and yellow), glue stick, scissors, utility knife (for use by adults only).

Draw a house on colored construction paper. Draw a large triangle on green to make the roof, draw a large rectangle on purple for the house and a small rectangle to make the chimney. Cut out pieces.

With a black marker draw a window on the roof, 2 windows and a door on the house. Have an adult cut using the utility knife, around the windows and doors leaving one side attached so that they will open.

Glue a scrap piece of paper to the back of the house and roof, using the same colors – do not glue the windows/door shut. Glue the house to a piece of black construction paper.

Using the other colors of construction paper make pumpkins, ghosts and bats to put in the windows. Glue them in and around your haunted house.

Lift the flaps to discover what’s inside!

There are so many creative things out there you can do for Halloween. Whatever craft you decide on the kids will love creating them and will enjoy another aspect of this spooky holiday!

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