Halloween Treats

Just a quick post. I have a few projects to share, and will get them up soon. For now I will focus on Halloween Treats.

This year's theme for Halloween treats for my colleagues and adult friends was Candy Corn. It all started with finding the illusive Candy Corn flavored M&M's at Walmart in early October. Then walking around Target I found boxes of 1/2 size Candy Corn flavored microwave popcorn. So of course then I had to buy some Candy Corn to finish off the goodies inside the bags.

I kept the top of the bag simple:

4 x 5 1/2" purple rectangle folded in half
5 1/2" Elegant Edges, Oblong shift cut on Flourish 2 page 53
     K & Company pad of Halloween paper
Candy Corn cut, Smiley Cards, 4 1/2"

I did the same top for the goodie bags for my students, but they got candy, pencils and fruit snacks in their bags.

Love the Smiley Cards cuts. They are cute like DoodleCharms, and varied so you can usually find something. to use on just about any project.

For the Family/Friends/Block Party on the 30th I took the Candy Corn bags, and a few other goodies to share. I used a book I found earlier in October for my inspiration. "Disgustingly Delicious - Hilarious treats to freak out your friends" by CQ Products, had an array of "gross" foods to make and serve. Anything from Water Bugs  made from olives and rosemary leaves, to a cake concoction that is entitled Cat Litter... yep, they are gross looking, but the ingredients sound delicious.

I tried my had at "Fido's Feast" a chocolate covered cereal mix that looks like dried kibble. I also tried "Brain Food," a watermelon peeled and cut to look like a brain on a plate.

Too fun! Everyone thought this was just hilarious. And surprisingly enough it actually tasted good. (Never too sure this time of year buying a watermelon.)

Valentine Treats

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and I have been having fun working on gifts for my students. I hope my students will enjoy them.

Recipe:
5" x 5" Kraft Paper square
Frog (Create a Critter Cartridge) 2.5"
Lily Pad (Create a Critter Cartridge) 2.5"
Hello Kitty Face (Hello Kitty Greetings Cartridge) 2"
XO - pre-printed and purchased from a bargain bin at Local Scrapbook Store
Small Cello bags
Stapler
Treats

For my coworkers I made a simple Pecan Carmel Turtle goodie bag. The candy was super easy to do, and I just used a 4x4 piece of printed card stock for the top of each bag.

The recipe for the Turtles is sooo easy.
Preheat oven to 300 F
Cover a cookie sheet with foil or parchment
Place small twisted pretzels on the cookie sheet
Place an unwrapped Rollo (or other small chocolate covered caramel) on each pretzel
Bake for 8 min, or until candy is softened
While the candy is still soft press a Pecan half into the top of each Rollo/pretzel combo
Let Candies firm up, remove from the pan
Story in an airtight container (if they last long enough to be put away that is...ha ha )

***I bought roasted, salted Pecans from Trader Joe's and it added just a bit of yum to the snack. ***

The last Valentine Treat I want to share is the one I get from my husband each year. There is a small neighborhood deli in the middle of his UPS route that makes the most incredible chocolate dipped strawberries. They aren't the fanciest, but the have the greatest flavor. Each berry is covered in creamy peanut butter before they are dipped in chocolate. It is kind of like eating a chocolate dipped PBJ sandwich.

Thank you for taking a peek at my latest projects.

A Few of My Favorite Things - Seasonal Treats



Elly's Candy, Snickerdoodles, and Tea Time Tidbits.



I love to bake! Christmas is a great excuse to dig out many of my grandmother's recipes and whip up several batches of our favorites. It has become a tradition to box up all of my brother's favorites and give them as part of his Christmas gift each year. So this past weekend had me cooking up several batches of Snickerdoodles, Tea Time Tidbits (aka Mexican Wedding Cakes, or Russian Tea Cakes), and something we call Elly's Candy, named after my great aunt Elly. I have included the recipes in my grandmother's handwriting.

In the picture above, I used sliced, toasted almonds for Elly's Candy. I also use chopped pecans for this recipe.

Our family also has a traditional drink mix to make this time of year, Moondust Tea, also known as Orange Spice Tea.

Moondust Tea Recipe:

2 c. Tang

1/2 c. Sugar

1/2 - 2/3 c. Country Time Lemonaid Mix

3/4 c. Instant Tea (no sweetner or lemon flavoring)

1 1/2 - 2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Ground Cloves

Mix and store in sealed container. 1-2 tsp mix in 8 oz. hot water and ENJOY!

Finally, one of my favorite seasonal drinks is the Gingerbread Latte at Starbucks. I can usually keep my willpower intact most of the year when it comes to spending $4+ for Starbucks. But as soon as Gingerbread season hits, you will find me looking for any excuse to get to a Starbucks for a Gingerbread Latte. The Cricut Circle has started a photography challenge thread. The second challenge was focal point and favorite snack. I chose to photograph a Gingerbread Latte. Here is my entry.

What a Day!!!

It has been raining nonstop since Thursday of last week here in So Cal. As of yesterday we have had more than 4 1/2 inches of rain in the past 5 days. For a "semi-aerid" region, we sure are wet right now. Most people would choose to stay home in a nice dry, warm house in this type of weather. But I chose instead to get up early and break in my new Disneyland Annual Pass. This is my present each year from my hubby, and my new card arrived just days ago. So, I had to make sure it works!

Actually, my real reason for heading to the Happiest Place was to try to get one of the illusive tickets for a handmade candy cane. You might be laughing at this thinking, "It is "just a candy cane." Yes this is true. But it is a HANDMADE Disney Tradition that very few people get to experience each year. The canes are the length of your hand and forearm; and They only make 3 batches a day, on 4 specific days during the holiday season. You have to get into line as soon as the park opens. For me this meant at the entrance at 7:30 am, in the rain. Into the park at 8 am straight up. The line for tickets was, by the time I walked through the entrance and headed down Main Street, in front of the Clock Shop and starting down the front of the Emporium. Unfortunately, this meant I did not get one of the tickets. Darn! One Cast Member was handing out a write up about the candy making process.

Here are some of the statistics they gave:

• Takes 1/2 hour to cook a batch and about an hour to pull each batch
• Each batch makes about 40 Candy Canes
• Only 3 batches are made during the day
• A team of three Candy Makers are needed to make a batch of Candy Canes (1 rolls the candy, 1 pulls the 15 pound block of candy, and 1 shapes the canes.

Here are few shots I took while watching the process this morning.

After watching them make the candy for a few minutes. I decided that I needed a blueberry muffin and a coffee to console myself. And SOME WARM CLOTHES! So, I headed to the Bakery on Main Street. I found my usual breakfast, and these cute treats too.

Since I have a pass and don't have to feel guilty for not staying ALL day (I can come back anytime I want.) I decided home was a better place to be.

Thanksgiving Cards for Friends

This year we spent Thanksgiving Day with friends. This group truly has become a second family to us over the years, and we appreciate the fact that they have included us in yet another famiy tradition. To say thank you, I made the following Thank You card to send to all the various households involved in the day's events. This design was originally created by Kristy at Craftin-on-My-Door and shared on the Cricut Circle Message Boards. Thank you, Kristy, for sharing with us.

Recipe:

Square Card - kraft paper cut 11 x 5.5, folded to 5.5 x 5.5
Background element - DCWV Amber Autumn Paper Pack,
                                - Lacy Labels Cart, cut Flower2 at 5"x 5"
Turkey - Cardstock scraps
            - DoodleCharms Cart, Turkey cut @ 2 1/2 "
Inked edges - Creative Memories, Brown Chalk Ink
Pop dots under Turkey shadow and the "paper" cap on the turkey legs

At our Thanksgiving festivities I also gave everyone a jar of Moondust Tea Mix (Orange Spice Tea), a holiday favorite in my family. I used 1/2 pint jars (cheaper by the dozen at the grocery store), and cut a circle and a ring out of coordinating papers to attach to the lid. These were cut at 2 1/2" from George and Basic Shapes Cart.)

I added leaves cut at 1.7" from the Thanksgiving cartridge, and a 4" tag, Rolly Poly font, Plantain Schoolbook cart.