A Pumpkin Skirt Made for Twirling

I bought this pumpkin fabric over a year ago in the last trimester of my pregnancy. I thought I could make something cute before the baby (Elodie) got here. The problem was I was too mentally tired to decide on what to make and too physically tired to make it.

A year later I pulled it from the pile I keep of things that need to be mended or finished up. I asked Harlow if she wanted a Halloween skirt to match the sequin pumpkin shirt I got her at Walmart. She said yes!

Instead of cutting a rectangle and sewing it up, I cut a sort of trapezoid shape to give more fabric at the bottom to make it twirl. I’m not sure I would go that route again, but it definitely twirls more than a rectangle skirt. I might try a circle skirt next time. I put elastic in the waist to make this an easy project. 

Now, what else has been waiting for me in that to-finish pile…

Spooky S'mores

🎃Looking for a way to use up your kids’ Halloween candy or forgoing the usual trick-or-treating this year? Make spooky s’mores!

🍪Our family loves an old fashioned graham cracker s’more, but mix it up with different “sandwich” options. The cookies are Pillsbury break and bake pumpkin cookies with white chocolate chips. I added some sprinkles on top.

🌈It’s hard to beat traditional marshmallows, but let’s add some color with Yummallo rainbow marshmallows and Peeps monster and pumpkin marshmallows.

🔥Don’t have a fire pit? Set your cracker/cookie on a cookie sheet. Top with your marshmallow. Toast it under your oven’s broiler. Watch it toast to perfection!

🍫A milk chocolate bar is the traditional filling, but I like to amp it up with a peanut butter cup! Reese’s has different shaped, colored, and flavored cups to give taste options and add visual interest.

🍡Fill blank spaces with options you and your guests can snack on while you assemble your s’mores. I used candy corn, m&ms, Oreos, meringue cookies, and gummy candy.

🧟‍♀️This is your chance to make scary good concoctions!

Halloween Dress from a Tablecloth

I’ve been thinking about making this dress for a year now!

Last year Keiko Lynn posted a pumpkin tablecloth dress she made, and I wished I could luck out and find the same fabric. While shopping for dining room chairs on the Kohl's website, I found this tablecloth!

I followed the same DIY Daisy tutorial that I used to make the yellow floral dress. I changed the neckline to a square neck with facing. I went with big sleeves and shortened the skirt a bit. I made the measurements smaller than last time but still felt it was a bit too much fabric for my small frame. I saw someone else added straps to tighten the dress at the waist, so I did the same. This dress is liking wearing a lightweight blanket!

This was a fun project. I had to work in small increments since I don’t have a lot of uninterrupted time (one-year-old baby constantly on the move). Without distractions, this is a good day project. 

I checked, and this tablecloth is sold out now. But buying a tablecloth, especially on sale, is a great way to save on the cost of fabric. This is a jacquard fabric, which would be more expensive at a fabric store. If you see tablecloth, sheet, or curtain patterns you like, you can turn them into clothes!

Halloween Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing

My oldest daughter turned 6 this month. I usually make a cake from scratch or alter a cake mix or go all out with the cake decor. Since I was making the cake with a 2 1/2 week old baby in the house, I needed to try to make an easier cake this year. This is what came out!

The cake is Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge box mix. It's a yummy cake and so much quicker and easier than the chocolate cakes I usually make from scratch. Yes, I prefer my scratch cakes, but if you put enough icing, any cake tastes delicious!

The icing is the one thing that's homemade. I'm an icing fan, so I think it's worth the bit of extra work to make your own instead of using store bought. The peanut butter icing recipe is from Brown Eyed Baker, and I covered the cake with her chocolate ganache recipe, too (in the same post as the icing recipe).

I knew I wouldn't have time to make my own cake decorations since I was home alone with a newborn. Thank goodness Halloween candy is out right now and comes in different shapes and colors! I used Reese's peanut butter pumpkins, bats, and ghosts. They all kind of looked liked blobs, so I used icing gel to differentiate them. The gel melted a bit on the bats, so you still can't tell they're bats 😂.  I used lollipop sticks (from Michael's, I think) to put the Reese's on the cake. I had the sprinkles already, but I think they're still available at Walmart with the fall cake items. The gold candles are from Walmart. The number 6 is a Wilton candy piece from Michael's. On the front of the cake is "Witch's Brew" Kit Kat green candy bars, and candy corn is along the back of the cake. The candy corn "leaked" a bit in the fridge. Let's pretend that's part of the Halloween aesthetic. 

The cake was yummy and perfect for an October birthday. If you have the time and the motivation, I definitely recommend making the cake from scratch. If you're short on time, the Duncan Hines mix is a good substitute. You don't have to tell anyone that it's a mix! The icing is good by itself...on a spoon...in case you wondered.

Happy Halloween!

There's a touch of Halloween spirit around our house:

Have a good Halloween weekend!

Happy Halloween Weekend!

TRICK OR TREAT!

I hope you have a safe and fun Halloween weekend!

Here's a little treat (that I discovered from on the brink...of something beautiful blog) that will help you remember this year's festivities!  Go to coreymarie.com for the free download!

Here's to ya getting lots of yummy candy!