HALLOWEEN PARTY

halloween is all about them treats lets be honest. everything bad for you is free range, zero calorie goodness on that day, am i right?!  this year we are the first time in a long time headed out for halloween eve and so i scoured the Pinterest pages to find something spooktactular to make and take.

welcome young frankenstein. 

i openly admit this idea was not my own original thought (wish it was), but what i didn't anticipate when i blocked off a whole evening, dawning my best sweatpants and ponytail to make these, was how quick, easy and little mess it would be.

What you need: All of which i sourced at Michael's, however a good place to go is also your local bulk barn or bake shop.

• medium size marshmallows

• green candy melts 

• edible eyes

• black icing gel

• edible pen in black and red

• bbq skewers

How to do it: Melt your green candy melts following directions on the package (for me with no microwave, i did this by placing the candy in a glass bowl and placing it over a pot of simmering water). Be sure that your candy is well melted and stirred with no clumps. Next place a marshmallow on a skewer and then roll it in your melted green candy, making sure it is well coated. Then place it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, or stand it up using a vase to allow the candy to cool slightly. When the candy is still fairly soft, place the eyes on, pushing them into place. I suggest doing all your "bases" for as many as you plan to make now as you will need to allow the candy to cool fully for about 20-30 mins before moving on to the next steps. Once the candy has cooled fully, take your black icing gel and fill in the top of the head creating the hair. Using a toothpick, pull sections of the gel forward at the front of the face to create the look of the hair. Place a dab on either side of the face for the bolts (or ears). Finally draw on the mouth and stitches with using your edible pens.

Why not give it a shot tonight or this weekend if you need a last minute edible conversation starter this halloween.

click here to view the pinterest original post

Happy Halloween

*boo*
happy halloween!!

stumped for last minute halloween costume ideas? read this!

The Teal Pumpkin Project

ok, this is something that i recently just heard about, so you'll have to forgive me if you already have. it's the Teal Pumpkin Project, an initiative to support those tricker treaters who may have food allergies or food related sensitivities. it's very easy each year to get wrapped up in all the excitement around planning costumes and the idea of free candy, but i personally never stopped to think before about how this festive night affects those 
with food concerns. 

the idea with this project is that you place a teal painted pumpkin on your door step to let trick or treaters and parents know that this house is an allergy friendly house handing out non-food goodies. i mean seriously, how great is that! it can be anything like crayons, or stickers, or bubbles, etc. why not help make it easier for all kids, especially those with food issues, have a safe and happy halloween!

for more information on the Teal Pumpkin Project visit
 http://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project

*images via the food allergy org.

Happy Halloween

happy halloween everyone! 

hope you get your spook on today!

Easy Last Minute Costume Ideas

1 via, 2 via, 3 via, 4 via,5 via

if you haven't figured out a halloween costume yet and you know you might need one, why not try one of these very simple ideas. any of the ones you see here will get you in the trick or treat spirit, or ready for some last minute halloween shindig plans.

1// Little Red  - get a bit of red fabric at your local store (or use an old red sheet if you have) and attach two strings to create the draped look of a cape with hood, then throw on a red outfit, red lips and add a basket
2// Holly Golightly - using any sleep mask you can find, paint it a bright blue, then throw on a man's white dress shirt and some slippers
3// Rosie the Riveter - for this one all you need is a bright scarf or bandana for your hair and a simple jean shirt – oh and maybe some muscle
4// The Bat - using garbage bag cut out the size and shape of your desired bat wings, next staple them to an old black shirt. make some simple pointy ears out of black paper and hot glue them to a headband
5// Angry Cat - this one is likely the easiest of them all since it's just make-up. replicate this look above and to go the extra mile by throwing on a white turtle neck

Four Pin-tastic Pumpkins

halloween is just around the corner. i don't even know where this month went! this is going to the first time i'm home for this holiday, so i'm dusting off my costume box, busting out some ears and getting ready to greet the new faces in our neighbourhood. in light of these upcoming festivities, i thought i would share a few pumpkin design ideas that are really getting me inspired for this holiday. now to choose which one i want to try.

via

 dab on some golf leaf to glam up your pumpkin by using a general glue adhesive. this design also be done with any basic gold paint either brushed on our dipped

via

add some scary accents like these vampire teeth from the dollar store costume isle. this little accent can go a long way for a scare factor 

via

the washi tape magic. this is likely the fastest and least dirty option. perhaps a good one for any last minute planners out there

via

 drilled pumpkins look even better when they are lit up against a house or porch at night. just create a simple repetitive pattern for an even stronger visual effect

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! 

Hope your day is a spookfest filled with little tricks and tons of mini treats! xoxo

The Art of Pulp Fashion

In celebration of Halloween just next week I wanted to share an individual, who to me, inspires innovative costume design. Isabelle de Borchgrave is a creative genius. I believe that few people in the world are as talented and/or clever as her. Isabelle's raw talent literally recreates history in a three dimensional art form by way of strips of paper and bowls of glue. This is exceptional artistry.

On a trip to San Fransisco I came across a street sign for an art exhibit called "Pulp Fashion" at the Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum. After a brief cab ride up a very long hill with some amazing postcard views, I found myself at the museum. Let me start by saying that I'm a bit of a costume lover. No, let me try that again, I'm a bit of a costume snob. My heart flutters and melts at the sight of costumes. Ever since I was teeny weenie, I've always handmade my own, and attending special arts schools and studying theatre I spent a lot of my time working on my performance skills and the rest working in backstage costume shops. Costumes are a conversation. They are individual works of art that incorporate historical elements, emotions, methodical planning, visual interest and specific story telling skills. They are not just elements of fabric slapped on someone's body. Costumes, no matter what they are designed for, should never just stop at the clothing. They should incorporate the hair, the jewellery, the make-up and the accessories. Each piece handselected and/or recreated based on craftmanship and research. So much goes into making a truly well orchestrated costume.

Artist Isabelle de Borchgrave and her "pulp fashion" embodies all that costume design is (to me), but on a more innovative and heighten level. With her background in visual art and textile painting, she pays tribute to some of histories most famous fashion moments in exquisite detail out of mere sheets of well placed paper. She has created historical replicas – perfect in every detail – out of varieties of paper and acrylic paint. She has crafted shoes, jewellery and home decor, out of sheets of paper.  It's not just the visual that gets you when you see her work, it's the emotion, texture, the bends and folds,  hand painted patterns and braided layered elements, that you only notice over time that makes these creations so jaw dropping. Every detailed element, including the set design for her shows is custom-made of paper. I feel fortunate to have found the time to visit this exhibit, and am even more grateful for the gift shop coffee table picture book – my prized souvenir. I have to say, if there was ever a fire, one of the things I would surely be grabbing on my way out, is her design book.