The "Queen" has arrived

This year I made Jayna a little queen costume for Halloween. She had this cute white dress that would be for a wedding or fancy event and since we have not had any of those I thought it would make the perfect queen dress. The best part about this costume was that everything was so simple and fun to make. 

Halloween Outdoor Decor

I try to add a little to all my Holiday decorations each year, and this year I decided to take another que from Martha and make a "spooky" wreath. 

Saving Pumpkins Seeds

This was the first year that I have ever bought white pumpkins. I just love the angelic look of them and have always wanted to buy white ones. So to not let my perfect pumpkin purchases go to waste I decided to harvest the seeds in hopes that I can plant them in the yard this next spring. I have never planted pumpkins before let alone preparing my own seeds for storage. So I looked up on line how to do it and all the instructions I found were pretty simple.

Instructions on this project:

I washed the seeds with water and placed them on a drying rack making sure I sifted through them every once in awhile. Then after a couple of weeks or so of drying I put the seeds into envelopes. Now all I have to do is place them in a dry dark place (my basement kitchen), and cross my fingers it worked.

So I am really hoping that I will be-able to have a post next fall showing off my home grown white and orange pumpkins.

Spider-Web Cupcakes

These turned out way better than I expected and they were a big hit at the church party. I made the spider webs a couple of days ahead of time and then made the cupcakes themselves yesterday and assembled the spider webs on them when I got to the party. I found this stand at my favorite little restaurant supply place, and attached a fake spider to the top of it. I think it added a nice Halloween touch and fit in with the spider webs great. My husband also won the chili cook-off at this party. We were competing though so it was bitter sweet.

* If you want further instructions or tips on making these spider webs feel free to contact me.

Halloween Freebie!

It may be to late for most of you to sneak in one more Halloween project, but here is the best Halloween freebie around from Love. Obsess. Inspire. So for those of you who are feeling ambitious or are already thinking of how you can make your Halloween decor even better next year, these would be a perfect addition to your bag-o-treats. Don't miss out on these free printables. Enjoy and Happy Halloween from the Bird and the Berry!

Spooky Window Silhouettes

I took my cue from Martha when I decided to do these spooky window silhouettes for Halloween. We made them last night for our Family Home Evening activity, and they were a lot easier to make than I thought they would be. The impact of these simple decorations is well worth the money and time spent to make them. Martha suggests using plastic weed barrier for the black silhouettes, but I opted to use black felt that worked just as well and probably comes in a larger variety of sizes to fit your different windows. I didn't even bother to hem the edges of the muslin fabric. Since they will only be used once a year I think the raw edges will be just fine. The best part about this Halloween project is that you can use your imagination to come up with any silhouette you choose. I liked the birds that Martha did, because they are not to scary for the little neighborhood kids, or a child's bedroom. Husband did the witch all by himself, and I think it turned out pretty good. Now all I need to find are colored light bulbs for those rooms. I have enough fabric and felt to do one down-stairs window too. So if you have any suggestions on what I should do a silhouette of leave a comment.

I'm walking into spiderwebs, so leave a message and I'll call you back...

I love this table-scape I found. I tried making the spider webs on those cupcakes out of royal icing, but I think you actually have to have patience to make them. They worked, but were very fragile. I could just see myself having a melt down trying to put them on cupcakes for the ward Halloween party. So I think I am going to pass on doing the spider webs and come up with something else that will help me keep my sanity.

I used to do an annual tea party during the winter, and want to come up with another annual party. An annual Halloween party could be fun and convenient the more I think about it. November and December are so busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas that it is hard to fit a party in, so October would be a good time to have a party anyways. I will have to think about this some-more and see if I can talk the husband into it. My friend Mindy does a Halloween party every year and it is always a hit with her friends, although she goes all out for every holiday.

This Just In!- Husband has just informed me that some of my practice spider webs have hardened more and are not as fragile as the ones I was trying to work with earlier. So he thinks I should be more patient and do the spider web cupcakes for the ward party. I guess I will try it again and commit to it. I thought about dusting them in edible glitter so maybe I will do that too. The party is Friday night so look for my post about the spider web cupcakes because it will either be a hit or a bomb. Wish me luck!

Trying New Things

Sometimes trying new things works out and sometimes it doesn't. This post is a perfect example of that. Last night I wanted to try my hand at piping flowers on the top of cupcakes. I had some leftover frosting from a previous project and cupcakes ready to go in the freezer, so I busted it out. I think they turned out pretty good. I need a bigger tip than what I was using, but it was fun to just practice the technique. I used candied fennel seeds as the flowers center. I think it looks fun. Obviously it would look better in a pink or other floral color, but blue is what I had to work with.



Then this-morning I called my sister in-law to see if she needed anything for my nephews birthday party tonight. She seemed like she could use a hand so I told her I would make cupcakes. I have been wanting to try this new frosting recipe so I thought this would be as good as any time to try it out. It is really creamy which is what I was looking for, but it is not as stiff as I usually like. So my piping did not hold it's shape as well. They still look okay, but not as great as they normally do. I might try the recipe again and see if I can't get it just a little bit stiffer. I have cute little foam halloween stickers that I have put onto toothpicks that I will stick in the cupcakes once I get to the party. I am just crossing my fingers that the frosting holds up until tonight, and doesn't start melting on me.

All you can do is try right. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

Halloween Decorations

The Fear Factor Activity was a hit. We had a great turn out and the girls loved and feared the activity. They faced fear in the face in the form of mystery shakes in skull mugs. Which were really just McDonalds shakes, fries, and burgers blended together. We had no vomiting thank goodness, but a couple of the girls looked sick from all of it.

Here are a couple pictures of my Halloween decorations I put up this year. Since this is my first year in this house I feel like my decorations have no home, because everything was bought for spots in the old condo. I am sure it will take me a couple of years to get everything how I like it.

Sadly enough that little Boo basket full of candy and handouts for the Fear Factor activity is still sitting there just like that. I totally forgot to give them to the girls last night. Sad.


I got the bottles on the fireplace from a mad scientists house a couple of years ago. You think I am kidding, but I'm serious. It was one of my many junking adventures. I was on my way to pick up pizza for dinner and saw this house kind of hidden on the side of the road with tons of stuff on the lawn and people going through it. So I thought "Yard Sale!" So I turned around pulled over and got out to take a look. I totally started going through stuff on the lawn and was more than excited to see tons of old bottles everywhere. Then I started getting kinda worried because I was slowly realizing that nothing was organized like a yard sale, the stuff on the lawn was really weird, and the house looked abandoned. Then I looked at the person next to me that was going through the bottles and she looked like she was totally on crack. So I went up to someone else on the lawn that looked like they were bringing stuff out of the garage and house and asked them how much the bottles cost. To my embarrassment he explained to me that they were just clearing out a relatives house that had just passed away because it was going to be demolished. I felt so bad. He told me I was not the first person that had stopped and that I could take whatever I wanted for free as long as I should it to them before I took it. It was crazy! It was all antique medical equipment. I guess the relative was a doctor and collected old medical things, and his house was just full of it. I felt weird taking the stuff, but I really wanted some bottles. Is that terrible? There was an awesome bed frame too, but I couldn't fit it in the jeep. My only regret the next day was not taking every bottle I saw. I even went back, but the crack head must have taken them all. The weird lamp I had in the living-room of the condo was also from there. It was an old surgical lamp. Ryan hates it and calls it our "Saw" lamp. I had some explaining to do that day because I was gone so long to get pizza and didn't have my cell phone to call and let him know what was going on.

I love getting stuff second-hand or from weird places. that way when I look around my home I see stories not stores.

Fear Factor Activity

Here is what is on the schedule for today. Tonight I am in-charge of the 10 and 11 year old church girls activity. Since it is Halloween time I have planned a Fear Factor activity for them. I took them these flyers on Monday night inviting them to come to the activity and their response to the idea was pretty good. To be honest I was worried they were too young to even know what Fear Factor was, but thank goodness they seemed familiar with the show. So tonight I have conjured up some gross events for them to compete in. I am just hopping and praying that more than two girls show up, because if we are short players that means me and the other leader will have to do some of these gross games. Cross your fingers for me. There will be mystery shake drinking, baby food taste testing, and dog bone relays to name a couple of the things I have planned. I really hope the girls have fun. I am trying really hard to get them excited about Activity Days. To tie the activity into something spiritual I am going to give a mini lesson at the beginning about the difference between fear and faith, and how we can take our fears to God and be comforted by our faith in him.

*Side Note- Little Jayna Berry has been scared to go in the laundry room ever since I made these invitations because she could see the "bugs" on my desk in there. They are just little bugs I bought at the dollar store and hot glue gunned onto the invitations. She would run in there and then back up while she pointed at the desk and said "bug, bug, bug" It was too funny.

Since You Asked Nicely

Since you asked nicely here is the recipe for my families famous pumpkin cookies.

Ingredients and Directions

---

• ½ cup Butter
• 1 ½ cup Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup Canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 ½ cup Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1-2 cup Chocolate chips

---

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in separate bowl.
Add dry mixed ingredients to creamed mixture and mix well.
Once mixed stir in chocolate chips
Place by heaping tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet

If you want to use the whole can of pumpkin just triple the batch. I think that makes 6 dozen or so cookies.

* Bake at 350 for 15 minutes

You Have Been Booed

I remember as a kid packaging up plates of pumpkin cookies to go ditch on neighbors doors. We would leave a cute little note that explained that they had been booed and were to pass it on to other neighbors.We also would leave directions for them to place a boo sign we had left them in their window. Then we would beg are parents each night to drive us around the neighbor hood so that we could see how far are booing had spread. This year my mom booed me by mail, so I had to pass it on. Here is my new take on an old favorite halloween tradition. I hope no-one I booed sees this post!




I made the boo sign and tags on the computer, and bought the cute little buckets at Walmart. The pumpkin cookie recipe is my mom's. She created it by combining several recipes years ago, and now it is a family staple and favorite during October. They are the best pumpkin cookies by far.

Scrappy Pumpkins

These were really fun to make and so easy and cheap. In-fact we made them as an activity with the 10 and 11 year old Activity Day girls. All you need is some seasonal scrapbook paper, modge-podge, and those cheap little plastic pumpkins that you can find at the dollar store or Walmart.

Instructions: First tear your scrapbook paper into appropriate sizes for the size pumpkin you are working with. Second squeeze some glue onto a scrap of paper and use your fingers to rub the glue all over both sides of your piece of scrap paper. Third place the scrap piece of paper that is now covered in glue onto your pumpkin and use your fingers to press it down and smooth it out so that it forms to the pumpkin. Continue with these steps until your entire pumpkin is covered. Then let it dry and you will have a cute little pumpkin all dressed to impress.

I have only had time to make one so far, but I would love a whole little pumpkin patch of these guys on my fireplace mantel.