Various easy Halloween crafts!

This week I did a few random crafts for Halloween that were easy to the budget and easy to do.  First I made a cake platter using an idea that is all over the blogging world.  These are the supplies that I used to make it:

I then put a liberal amount of glue around the base of the candle pillar and pressed the plate down.  I turned the plate upside down so I could better center it on the candle pillar.  Isn't it so cute!  The finished picture would have had some cupcakes on it to display but I ate them.  What can I say - I am a junk food fiend.  So you are going to have to settle for apples.

I love how it gives the plate a little height and makes it a display!

Second, I made a cute treat for some neighbors.  I am in charge of an activity for some girls in my church and we thought about doing the 'Boo' activity for some people in the neighborhood but we wanted to do around 12 and our budget isn't all that extensive so this idea was born. 
These are the supplies needed along with tape and glue dots for the eyes:

I made these Halloween mummies and they ended up costing around 75 cents a piece so we are giving 2 mummies with a tag attached that says "Some 'mummy' loves you!  Happy Halloween!".  I would love getting chocolate and I hope the people that get it will too.  What do you think?

Hope you enjoy your Halloween season and go get your craft on!

Leafy Tree for Fall!

Sorry for the wait on the post but I have been busy with some other things.  I have been canning - salsa and raspberry jam.  I love fall with all the things going on and the smell of salsa in the house.  So onto the blog post- I had this idea as I was driving home the other day from eating lunch with my honey.  I had a couple styrofoam cones left over from a trip to the Dollar Store and I remember that some blog used some fall leaves to cover a wreath.  Well, why not cover the cone and make a fall tree?  So first I bought some fall leaves at -- you guessed it! - the Dollar Store and I already had the styrofoam cone so so far I am into this craft $3.00!  I came home and started making it by hot gluing on the leaves to the cone.  I started at the bottom and worked my way up.  After I had covered it once, I added some more to fill it out.  I then found an old candle pillar and put it on there.  Here is the finished picture! 

I had some leaves left over so I added some to a grapevine wreath and used some gold tulle and made this cute wreath too. 

I still have some so I might have to try a cute table runner that I saw with burlap and fall leaves.  Hmmmm - decisions, decisions.  :)  Hope you enjoy the project and enjoy your crafting!

Easy Paper Pumpkin

So I have been seeing fabric pumpkins everywhere in the blogging world and I have been telling myself that I want to try making it but I don't have as much cute fabric as I do paper.  I am a paper addict - I admit it and I know that it is a problem so I need to make more using paper.  So I had an extra styrofoam ball from the candy corn topiary and thought - hmmm pumpkin!  So here comes some Modge Podge, scrapbook paper, and the stryofoam ball.  
First, I cut some strips of paper out - they were 1 1/4" by 12".  That fit around the ball that is 4 inches.   

Next, I cut off some of the bottom so the ball would lay flat.

Then, I started to Modge Podge the strips of paper and put them on the ball.  I used some pins to hold the paper into place until it dried a little bit.  The paper would crinkle up as I continued to put it around the ball but I liked the look so I keep going. 

When I had all the strips in place, I put some circles of paper to cap the ends and put another layer of Modge Podge on it. 

I had a piece of stick or square dowel and I cut off a piece of it for the stem.  I painted it a brown color and tied some tulle and ribbon on it for decoration.  Let me know what you think.  This was simple but I still might have to try a fabric pumpkin.  According to me, you can never get enough fall decorations.

Thanks and I hope you enjoy your crafting!

 

Caramel Apple Cake

So I have a really good recipe for a strawberry cake and I wanted to try something new with it.  Since it is getting to be fall I decided to try the cake recipe using apples instead of strawberries.  I am trying to cook more with what is in season and apples remind me of fall.  So I was watching Cupcake wars on the Food Network and they are always trying different combinations, recipes, etc.  I thought what reminds you of Halloween and Fall more than Caramel Apples.  How yummy would it be to adapt the recipe to make a Caramel Apple Cake?  It turned out really good! 
I have to say that the caramel drizzle on top I made using just sugar and butter.  After the sugar caramelized I added butter and then drizzled it on the cake.  It turned out like hard candy caramel so next time I might use a caramel sauce that contains milk, etc. or buy a caramel ice cream topping.  It still tasted wonderful and I will be making it again.  I hope you enjoy the recipe!

Caramel Apple Cake

Ingredients:
2 large apples, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
6 Tbls butter (softened)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour

Cook the apples in saucepan covered with water until soft.
Mix all ingredients together and mix until fluffy.  Fold the apples into batter.
Pour into greased 9 inch pan.

Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Lower tempeture to 325 degrees and cook an additional 30 - 35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Caramel Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp butter

Place sugar into heavy saucepan and put on med-high heat.  Shake sugar until it melts and turns golden brown.  Stir in butter and drizzle on top of cake. 

Thanks and let me know if you like this cake - I loved it!