Zombie Sewing

I noticed that Spoonflower is having a zombie plush sewing contest. I figured all of you creative ladies might like to hear about this and take a swing at creating your own zombie plush toy to enter.  Here are the details or you can click on the link to go directly to Spoonflower for more information.

 Zombie plush toys. With Halloween looming, create a cut & sew pattern for a zombie plush toy. Please include sewing instructions on the design itself. Entries will be previewed at the scale of a fat quarter (21" x 18"). Deadline for entry is Tuesday, October 2, 2012.

Pin Boards

I thought it might be fun if we shared our Halloween Pin Boards. I spend so much time pinning fun ideas and I can't decide what I want to share for this!

Add_housewife Halloween Board

I also found a tutorial for making zombie dolls

My kids are very excited about this swap. I told my neighbor about it and she's making a 3 + ft tall zombie storybook creature for my kids out of papier mache. I'll post some pictures of it soon. :)

Frank's Fingers

So Frank is not a zombie but he is a monster! I make these yummy treats every year for the family. Last year, between work and church and everything else, I actually forgot and everyone let me know that was not acceptable!!!!

Unlike a lot of recipe on line, this is not a sugar cookie recipe, it is actually for Ice Cream Cookies and is a VERY old recipe which I double when making these.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons softened butter
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 beaten egg yolk (important)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
candied cherries, cut in half (I use green ones but couldn't find them for this batch.)

Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolk, vanilla and flour and mix will.
add a couple drops of green food coloring into the dough.
Then, using a small amount of the dough (like a spoonful), form it into a cigarette shape. Sort of squish it on the pan, placing the cherry toward the end as the fingernail.
Take a knife and make 4 little slashes where the knuckle would be. Just look at your hand to get the idea.

Here is what they look like before being baked:



Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. You'll get 22-24 monster fingers.

Here is what they look like after!


Creepy!

Halloween Tree ....

I've decided on my mantelpiece Halloween decor for this year ...... lots of black, sparkly tulle, with spooky houses and skeletal looking trees.
Next up ...... The houses and tulle are taken care of, now what to do about the trees. Ahhh, you have to love Google .....
I found this tutorial:  http://www.fantasywhispers.com/halloweentreetutorial.htm

You just have to, have to, have to ..... pop over there to look at it, especially if you need some Halloween trees !!! This tree is exceptional. It is made by a lady named Vania Cruz Perez.
I've already dug out the wire hangers (I knew there was a reason I kept them), and the floral tape ..... Miss Zombie is nearing her completion, so Halloween trees next, is what it will be :-)
Hope everyone is having fun creating their Zombies ...... I know I am.

Pumpkin People!

I saw some little pumpkin people by Jennifer Murphy on pinterest.
Jennifer's website is here. I couldn't find anything about the pumpkins on it...but take a gander at her work. GORGEOUS!

I kept searching for a tutorial and hit pay dirt by ending up on the Martha Stewart website.

I think if you are a member of pinterest, you can get the photo tutorial but I haven't joined (yet.)

That being said, these are so stinking cute that crafty folk would love to make them!

Let's Talk Halloween Delicacies ....

Our partners have been assigned, and now we can get down to some creating ...... I don't know about y'all, but I'm pretty excited about this swap !!!!
Browsing through our Halloween pictures from last year, I found those that involved food ........... Let's face it, Halloween is the only holiday that you can serve up the grossist of the gross, and get away with it :-)
So I thought I'd share them with everyone - none of them are difficult, but they certainly caused a few giggles and yuks from everyone.

First up ..... Brain juice with the victims icy skull floating in it !!!! This was a delicious cherry fruit punch. The skull mold was a Wilton one, that I found at Target - it worked like a charm. I actually went and bought 3 more of the molds after Halloween, when they were reduced to pennies. The ice melted pretty fast, so this year, I'll make a few extra molds and then just replace them once they melt.







This was so much fun ..... there were a few people who would not touch this chocolate cake. It was a regular chocolate cake that I baked and iced, and sprinkled with bone shaped sprinkles. The cockroaches are plastic bug toys, that I placed strategically :-)

Bones ..... meringue bones !!!! I whipped up a batch of meringue, and piped bone shapes onto a baking sheet and then baked them. Once cooked and cooled, I lightly dusted them with cocoa powder, to make them look like they were freshly dug up.

Let's see some of your Halloween yummies ....... a girl can never have too many Halloween ideas filed away.

Happy Creating Everyone.





Partners emailed!

okay zombie creators! I've emailed everyone their info....but here is who you are partnered with:

Sarah and Debbie
Micki and Laura
Spring and Val
Sherry and Jennifer
Melinda and Heather
Kerry and Aniko'
Jill and Chrissy
Susan and Kristen

If I accidentally emailed you someone else's info, let me know..,mistakes are bound to happen when organizing swaps!!!!

Have fun blog stalking and emailing one another to help you make the perfect zombie doll!

4th Annual Halloween Swap! CLOSED!!!!

Time for my annual Halloween swap!

I am starting this one very early to allow for international shipping, etc.

This year's theme is:

"Zombies in Story Book Land*"

Sign ups start today and end August 11th at midnight.

Mailing deadline is SEPTEMBER 17th. Please ship using tracking and delivery confirmation if shipping within the USA. Please email me the tracking number.
If your doll has not been received by September 30th, you are required to send a replacement package.

This year, we will be swapping:
1 Handmade zombie doll. The doll should be designed after a *classic* character in a children's story book. The doll must measure at least 8" in size. You can make it using any medium you choose, taking into account any allergies noted on the registration form.
Include 3 Halloween related tuck ins. Use the list your partner gives you as a guideline.

Cost: My swaps are meant to stretch your creativity, not buckle your budget. Expect to spend a minimum of $5.00 -10.00 creating your package. (Cost of packaging/shipping is not included in this amount.)

All levels of crafters are invited. The most important thing to remember is this: Create something you would love to receive. When your partner opens her package, she should be thrilled. We want this to be a wonderful experience for everyone.

One last thing. If you join, please do me the favor of posting the swap badge on your blog to encourage others to join in too.