Disclaimer

I created this blog so I would have somewhere to journal and share the things I make and do. I try not to steal other's ideas. Some of what I make I have seen in homes or in stores. Or I make a spin-off of something I have seen elsewhere. I will always try to give the proper credit where it is due.
~Mary

Friday, October 30, 2009

Pumpkin Cookies

This is another easy peasy recipe! Here are your ingredients....

Once again, use ONLY the Spice cake mix. NONE of the ingredients on the back of the box!
And for cookies you use a 29 oz. can of pumpkin.

Mix well. At this point you can either leave it as is, or add nuts or chocolate chips. I prefer to use chocolate chunks in my baking!
mmmm.....


Then drop by tablespoonful, {I have a handy dandy cookie scoop that I use},onto a greased cookie sheet.Bake in oven at 400 for about 15 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rake. This recipe makes about 3 1/2 doz. cookies.
Don't they look yummy!


They look even better when you put some on a Halloween plate to take to the neighbors!
Don't you wish you were my neighbor?







Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Easiest Pumpkin Spice Muffins ever!

So I am going to share with you the easiest recipe EVER, {unless you buy them premade at the bakery} for making Pumpkin Spice Muffins.
You ready for a picture of the ingredients?
Here it is...
That's right! Two ingredients! One box of Spice cake mix. One 15 oz. can of pumpkin. That's it! Nothing else!
Dump it all into a mixing bowl and mix well.
Do not add any of the ingredients on the back of the cake box! Just the mix, and the pumpkin. Nothing else!

At this point, you can either leave it as is, or add chocolate chips or chopped nuts. I left it as is!
Fill your muffin cups, this doesn't rise, so you can fill them pretty full with out it spilling over during baking.
This recipe makes an even dozen!


Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in one muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Don't they look good?

um....yeah. I had to have a bite. So good! Try them!





Sunday, October 25, 2009

Flower Loop Bows

I made some more bows for my daughter's hair. They are called 'Flower Loop Bows' and were so fun and easy to make!
I LOVE this brown and blue one! I found directions for these at www.theribbonretreat.com. On their home page at the top it says 'free how to projects'. Click on that and it will take you to a page full of hair bow instructions. Have fun!


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Halloween countdown blocks

I have seen these on alot of blogs, but I actually saw these first LAST fall at a craft fair in my town. I made one for Christmas last year that I'll show you later. Each side of the blocks have a different number on them. You rotate them as you progress towards Halloween.
I used three different colored scrapbook paper. I cut them to the size I needed then I mod podged them onto painted blocks,{ the base is a 2x4 that I cut to about 7 1/2 -8 inches} then I used Vinyl for the numbers and lettering . But stickers or die cuts would work as well. Just glue those on.
These are the numbers you'll need~0,0,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7,&8{ make sure the 6 can double as a 9 if it's turned upside down}.
On the first block you use ~0,1,2,3,4,5. On the second block~6{doubles as 9},7,8,0,1,2.
Have fun counting down to Halloween!



Sunday, October 18, 2009

Dinosaur Birthday Cake

We had my daughter's fourth birthday party yesterday. She said she wanted a green dinosaur cake. I found directions on how to make one at http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/rex-the-dinosaur--cake. It was much easier than I thought it would be. What do you think?


I cut the shape out of two 9" pans.{one cake mix}. The website shows you how to do that.
Then I made a homemade Buttercream frosting and tinted it green, then I frosted the cake. When ever you are frosting a cake, always do a thin layer of frosting first. This is called the crumb layer because it collects all the crumbs. Chill the cake for about 30 minutes, then frost it again. You won't have any crumbs showing because of the first layer you did.
Then I used white Buttercream frosting for the mouth and dots on the eyes.
For the eyes, toes, and small dots I used chocolate chips. I pushed them into the cake with the tips facing down. The bigger dots are Hershey Kisses that I did the same thing to. Pushed them in, tip side down. I also used Hershey Kisses as the spikes along the tail, back and up the head of the dinosaur.
My daughter loved it! And it was so fun to make!