Feather Boa Halloween Wreath

A few years ago, my kids informed me that we didn't have enough Halloween decorations. This was true, we didn't. Although I enjoy Halloween, I LOVE Fall even more and so that is how I decorated the house. 

Every year now, I try to add a few more Halloween decorations to our collection. Here's a quick and simple Halloween wreath that just took minutes to make. 

Supplies needed:

Round craft foam

2-3 Boa's

Accent pieces-Jack-O-Lantern is from Tai Pan Trading. Pumpkins and green twigs from Micheal's

Wrap boa around foam frame, pinning down the end pieces with straight pins. Then add accent pieces. The pumpkins and plastic twig pieces had stems on them so I just poked them into the foam. The Jack-O-Lantern was wired on around the foam then covered up by the boa.

Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars

I don't know about you but I'm a sucker for any kind of cookie and that includes sugar cookies covered in frosting. My husband and I started a 90 challenge which includes no sugar, so these were the cookies we chose to make over the weekend before the challenge started today. 

These are just like regular sugar cookies that you would roll out and cut into shapes with cookie cutters but much, much easier. No rolling out, just spread the dough into a pan then bake, cool, and frost!

When making the frosting I added a few drops of orange food coloring for a Halloween looking cookie with chocolate sprinkles on top. Since we won't be eating any treats come Trick or Treating day, these yummy cookies completely satisfied that sweet tooth!

I found this recipe here at Cooking Classy.

Simple Halloween Lantern

Now that the kids are back in school, I'm hoping to have a little more time to begin projects again. I love this time of year when the weather begins to cool down and all my favorite holidays are coming up.

Halloween is just around the corner so here is a simple project that anyone can do. All you need for this little decoration is a black lantern that I got at Walmart in the camping section and a variety of Halloween colored ribbon.

Since the lantern was already black it made it easy to just cut various ribbon and tie to the top.

You can also add little accents if you want, like this clip on spider that I picked up at the craft store. Viola, super easy!

House of Hepworths
Made in a Day
Whipperberry
Thirty Handmade Days
I Heart Nap Time
Positively Splendid
The Girl Creative
Brassy Apple
Lil' Luna
Ginger Snap Crafts
Southern Lovely
Someday Crafts
Bloom

Teacher's Back to School Kit

Here's another simple, yet practical gift for your new teachers. Fill a container with a few items that they can use in their classrooms. 

I found this cardboard tub in the dollar section at Target and filled it with clorox wipes, kleenex, glue sticks, scissors, hand sanitizer, apple shaped paper clips(found at Hobby Lobby), bag of chocolates and a jumbo paper clip bookmark. 

Download tag here

Back to School Teacher Gift

We're still waiting for school to start here but most kids have headed back to school. Here's a simple gift to give your teachers. Thanks to Eighteen 25 for inspiring this idea. 

Supplies needed:

Flipz Milk Chocolate covered pretzels

Twine

Binder Clip

Printable tags

Jumbo Paper Clip Bookmarks

This is probably one of the easiest crafts you'll ever make! We made a bunch of these bookmarks with a group of 11 year old girls who are getting ready to go back to school. I forgot my camera, so I wasn't able to take a picture of all the cute and creative bookmarks they made. Here are some that I made to give to my kids teachers when they go back to school here in a few weeks.

 All you need for this simple project is jumbo paper clips, and various colors of ribbon. I got the paper clips at Walmart but you can buy them at any office supply store.

When choosing ribbon, make sure it's not too wide. Thinner ribbon works best so you can tie several different ribbons on.

Also, make sure to tie the ribbon on the correct end of the clip so it will clip onto your book page like in the picture below.

Happy Reading!!

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

If you like chocolate, cookies, and brownies, these are the cookies for you! They are a chewy, chocolate piece of heaven! I absolutely love cookies and have now found another favorite. 

 Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
(recipe from Martha Stewart)

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in the centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen

*Cookie batter will seem thin. It should look more like brownie batter than a cookie dough.