Halloween at Kelly's

Over the last 7 years I've developed so many products, each one designed to help make my life easier! Every single product we make has been tested in rigorous labs tests, otherwise known as my home.

You got a love a tablecloth that is water-resistant, wipes clean and looks great for years. This tablecloth has been on and off my table for years now and it still looks like new. You can't say that about most tablecloths, can you?

I used one of our new 56" straight cut runners made of chalk cloth for our annual chili night toppings bar. Spooky descriptions are optional -- as our kids have gotten older the names of the food has gotten grosser. Yuck!! We can't have a party with out chalk cloth.

Happy Fall!!

Chalk Cloth Table Topper in action!

Chalk Cloth Table Topper in action!, originally uploaded by ModernJune.

We had a blast last night hosting our annual Halloween Trick or Treat Party. The entire family agrees that this is our most favorite gathering of the year. The chili pot is on, the snacks are spooky and the company is always entertaining.

This year I broke out a Modern June Chalk Cloth Table Toppers for myself. You know I have to test all my products, I simply can't make something I don't want to use, and use often. I was really surprised that I didn't have one of these bad boys before yesterday. I have to say it fit perfectly on my island, it almost seems like I planned it that way.

Chalk cloth is a holiday hit, check out all the other hostess-have-to haves at our Modern June Etsy Shop and plan you next party with us!

Wicked Ice Cubes

A quick trip to my local CVS found me with a couple of packages of creepy gummy worms and a plan!

The kids thought it best to tear them into pieces.

Left hanging out of the ice cube trays makes it even more spooky!

Now that's just gross, our guests tonight will love it!

witchy sweets!

At Wednesday's Park Day all the moms made sweets for the kids Halloween Parade, there were so many yummy treats but this one I had to try out for myself!   Check out these cute little witch hat cookies. They are so quick and easy, just melt the kisses in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and then adhere them to the cookies. Cute, easy and delish!

Daily Pic 10.12.09

The creepy portrait was left in my shed by a previous owner, she is spooky isn't she?

check it out!

You all have to go check out Artsy Mama for some Halloween goodness. She has recently added the Modern June Halloween Banners to her wonderful list of favorite banners. I am honored! Her site is full of great ideas for the spookiest holiday, so go and have some fun. I know I'm inspired--I still need to deck the halls a bit more! Don't worry I'll post pics!

Thank you Kari for the shout out!

Halloween

US 2008, originally uploaded by ModernJune.

Every year we head up to the Ashland Berry Farm for our annual hayride and pumpkin picking. This year was a bumper crop, the drought seemed to have missed their fields completely.

At the farm you can buy all the pumpkins you can carry for $20.00. Every year we go out into the fields and pick out the best pumpkins we can find. Each member of the family gets at least one big pumpkin. I found a gorgeous white pumpkin, still on the vine. Once back from the fields we pile all the pumpkins into Don's arms -- this year he got four big pumpkins, three wee ones, and and a load of gourds for the three step test. Maddie's pumpkin fell off (trying to escape), and rolled off, losing its stem in the process and ended up in a mud puddle. Maddie was left in her own puddle of tears. A staff member surprised her by getting her a similar one, making sure it had a great long stem.

I love this time of year, everything is changing and cooling off. Every year this trip is like walking through the door into the best season, for us the holiday season has just started. From now until New Years Day we will be gleeful with one holiday spirit or another!

Happy Halloween and Season's Greetings!

All Hallows Eve

Grave Yard cake, this is an oldie but goodie. Christi said we needed gummy worms in the cake. I forgot we did that one year. I have to remember the worms! What was I thinking? Maddie and Aidan decorated the tombstones this year, I love them!

Once the tombstones were finished the fun continued. This is Aidan's creation.


Maddie was great and made tags for all the food. We had Monster Muffins (corn muffins), Zombie Knuckles (chicken nuggets), Ghoulish Gruel (chili), and Dead Man Crackers just to name a few things on our party menu. I love Maddie's curly handwriting. I wish this photo came out better, I thought the red cabbage bowls were great! Everyone liked them.


Don carved some awesome pumpkins!


We had a big crowd again this year, about 7 families! We have had a Halloween party every year since M. was 3. It started out as pumpkin carving parties. That was insane, and only lasted two years. We have the best neighborhood for trick-or-treating, so we invite all our buddies that live in the country or families that don't have great trick-or-treat hoods. We always have chili and we always have beer! Some of the mamma's hang out with me on the porch and have some laughs! This year was no different. There were some missing people this year, The G family, the V. family and the Josie family were very, very missed! Why'd ya have to leave us?

I hope you all had some spookyness this All Hallows Eve!
I need a mystery to read tonight while cozy in bed!

I wish I a copy of The Raven! I should take the kids to our Edgar Allen Poe House! Ha! I found it on the EAP house site! Sweet, it is printing and I am off to my warm comfy bed!

Christmas chaos at Halloween

Ok this is weird, I am holiday confused. One minute I am working out last minute Holloween costumes issues and picking out the perfect pumpkin and the next I am surrounded in Xmas holiday fabric. I am so confused! : )

Happy Birthday Hubby!

I love the sign, made with loads of love! Maddie spent hours on this!

Pumpkin shaped pancakes! Yum! Janet sent me this link for halloween foods. I didn't make pumpkin flavored pancakes but I did use the idea for the shape! Maybe next week I will try the spicy pumpkin pancakes!

But the best part was this!

We treated Don to an afternoon at the Movies! The Nightmare Before Christmas!!!
It's back and its in 3D. Maddie and I sat there singing the entire show. Can you tell this Movie is a family favorite! We even own the soundtrack!

This cracks me up. It looks like a pagan ritual! But really it is birthday brownies! Not at all homemade but very, very yummy! I think they were much better than my recipe! I need better recipe of brownies, any one have one?

UPDATE! keep the recipes coming and I will post them! Kimmy if you read this I need the no pudge brownies!

Here is Christie's favorite brownie recipe!

BROWNIES

From Cooks’ Illustrated

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1¼ cups white flour
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
2¼ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325.

Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler. When smooth, remove from heat and whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking until thoroughly combined.

Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to chocolate mixture in 3 additions, stirring until batter is smooth.

Bake in a 9x13 pan 30-35 minutes.

Spooky Displays!

My house is looking spooky and sick! Today we have 2 out of 3 under the weather. It is just a cold with a wicked cough but we are taking that as a chance to stay in our jammies and decorate a bit more for Halloween. Can you tell that it is a big deal around here?

So the spooky flowers are up. It looks so bare to me after so many months with the Trays and Fiesta Ware, that was so nice and cluttered. I might add some mini pumpkins and then use them for November too.


I love the eyeballs in the bowl! Does any one know what these were to begin with? They are from Taco Bell Straws. About 10 years ago Taco Bell gave them out for Halloween and Don insisted that he keep them I hated them until I realized you could remove the eyes and decorate with them! Too funny!


This is what I did on the ledge that had the milk glass vases. The silk gerber Daisies are retired to the attic till spring.

Halloween mood!

Yahoo! the weather finally got chilly here in the city of Richmond, Va! And let me say it is about darn time! I love it.

I spent and hour laying on the couch reading to the kids about Jamestown while wrapped up in my favorite quilt. Then the kids and I just took a walk through the hood and dreamed about jumping in piles of leaves! We have loads of leaves to come. Before Halloween we let the leaves pile up and the make a maze in our front yard. It is not super big but the kids love it!

The other day I bought a ton of felt for my tree skirts that will be on sale at Feathernesters. When I got it home I kept thinking about what kind of things I could do with this for Halloween too. I always wanted to make spooky curtains. I saw some in a Martha Stewart Magazine long ago. I have not found my magazine yet so I looked around on line for the picture I have yet to find that either but check this out, Black Witch Curtains!!!! I am so doing this! I will post more about this in a day or two~

It's getting spooky!

Hi all, I am slammed with work so here are just a couple of pictures of our spooky looking house! Happy Halloween!