A Good Cause: Operation Shower

Photo from Operation Shower

Amy of the Stem blog is involved with a wonderful organization called Operation Shower. Operation Shower, a 501(c)(3) accredited charity founded in 2007, is a non-profit organization that recognizes and honors the sacrifices military families make by producing and coordinating baby showers and “showers-in-a-box” for pregnant and expecting military personnel and their families. It is currently run by a super-small group of dedicated individuals, and they NEED OUR HELP to keep this endeavor going and GROWING! Please check out the Operation Shower blog and consider how you can help them out this holiday season!

Double-Duty Harvest Decor

There's still time to deck out your house for Halloween, but consider choosing a scheme that will celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving at once. It will save you time, energy, and money... things we all love to save! Here are some ideas that will do double-duty for you during the Fall season and allow you more time for other things... like planning your Christmas decor! :-) (just kidding!)

One idea I LOVE for this holiday season is using candlesticks to display small pumpkins or gourds. You probably have the candlesticks already in your home, so put them to use in an untraditional way. You can also use this same display idea for other holidays.

Photo by Mike Staff Productions (obtained here); Tablescape by Susan Keels of Royal Park Hotel

Martha Stewart comes through again with inspiration to create a fun fall garland out of dried corn. Add the garland to your entryway with pumpkins and gourds to create a warm welcome for guests. Instructions on how to make this garland can be found here.

Another idea from Martha Stewart that I find intriguing is a cornhusk wreath. Find instructions on how to make the wreath here.

Note the mantel display also in the photo. I especially like this because it combines the autumn season with a touch of Christmas, and you can easily swap out the gourds for Christmas items and leave the berries and candles in place!

One more favorite from Martha Stewart is this pumpkin wreath. How fun! Click here for instructions, and you can do a similar thing with a Christmas-themed wreath.

History of Candy Corn

I came across this fun Halloween tidbit this morning and thought I would pass it along!

The following photo and information were obtained from MSN; you can find the original post here.

Candy Corn

First created in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderle Candy Company, the three colors of candy corn are meant to symbolize actual corn. Each piece is approximately the size of a whole kernel of corn, as if it fell off a ripe or dried ear of corn.

Candy corn is made primarily from sugar, corn syrup and honey. Working by hand, the original manufacturers first combined sugar, corn syrup and water and cooked them into a slurry. Fondant was added for texture, and marshmallows provided a soft bite. The final mixture was then heated and poured into shaped molds. Three passes were required during the pouring process, one for each colored section. Few changes have been made to the process or recipe, with machines now performing the tasks formerly done by people. Candy corn can be found at most popular grocery food stores in the United States.

Halloween Cupcakes

Cupcakes are one of my favorite treats, and of course, no Halloween party would be complete without Halloween cupcakes!

Check out this idea from Michaels: Haunted Manor Cupcakes

Some more Halloween cupcake must-haves from Michaels:

Freaky Friends Cupcake Pix

Cupcake Stencils

Skeleton/Spider Cupcake Wrappers

Skulls and Scrolls Cupcake Stand

You can also check out more Halloween treat supplies from Michaels here.

Halloween Tablescape Idea

Hi there! After a bit of a hiatus, Creative Entertaining is back with a CUTE Halloween idea for you. The best thing about this idea is that you can utilize items you already have around your home!

This tablescape design was created using the following items:

1. Tall glass vase with tall sticks

2. Lantern with candle

3. Ornamental ball

4. Antique lock and keys

5. Halloween card

6. Glass jar with Halloween candy

7. Scrapbook paper

8. Pumpkins

The scrapbook paper was used as a "mat" underneath the other items on the paper. In addition, Halloween-themed paper was used to create embellished tags that hang from the sticks in the vase and to embellish the candy jar. By gathering items from around your home and mixing them in with the Halloween items to create a fun and festive tablescape, you're reusing items you already have and you're saving money. This particular tablescape cost nothing, as all items were on-hand at home. How can you beat that cost for holiday decor??

Thanks to the Sporadic Scrapper for this wonderful tablescape!

Cookie Gifts: What's not to love??

One of my favorite blogs to read is Bakerella. She just posted this amazingly ADORABLE and easy DIY gift idea, which I then translated into "hostess gift" or "party favor" in my own entertaining oriented mind... Be sure to check this one out because Bakerella has already done all the hard work for you, even providing downloadable tags to adorn your gift with.

Take a look; how can you resist giving these away as gifts?? Click here for her blog post.

Picnics

Summer just can't be complete without at least one picnic! MarthaStewart.com offered up some tips on how to plan a picnic... which, truly, is not that difficult of a task but some really creative ideas are offered, including environmentally friendly tips! Below is a summary of Martha's picnic how-to, with my own suggestions interjected here and there.

1. MENU: Your best bet for picnic fare is going to be food that is made in advance without requiring ingredients that will make the food soggy (i.e., sauces). Also take into consideration the utensils and dishware that will be required to eat it. Foods simply requiring a fork or your hands might just be the best option!

2. APPETIZERS: Bring along bite-size snacks that can be easily divided up and handed to guests as they arrive. Martha suggests offering nuts as they are healthier than potato chips and are not easily crushed. I would also recommend dividing up the snacks into individual portions prior to leaving for the picnic, so your job is a bit easier.

3. MAIN DISHES: Martha recommends bringing open-faced sandwiches on a baguette or other hardy bread. That may require more work to travel with the sandwiches if you prepare them in advance. I personally enjoy the idea of a casserole (carried in a heat-safe tote, of course!) for a picnic option.

4. SALADS: Traditional leaf lettuce salads tend to wilt in heat, so consider making another type of salad. Pasta and bean salad are a good alternative, along with salads made of vegetables and grains.

5. PREP WORK: Do all of your meal's prep work at home (i.e., chopping, mixing, etc.).

6. CONTAINERS: Most of us tend to use single-use items like plastic wrap and throwaway containers for outdoor functions to simplify the clean up task. However, a more earth-friendly option would include using your own lightweight bakeware, tin containers, parchment, and twine. They will make a pretty addition to your table!

7. TABLEWARE: Pull out your camping or patio dishes and use them for your picnic. Lightweight enamelware or plastic break-proof dishes are a sensible alternative to paper or plastic plates, cutlery, and glasses.

8. PACKING: So now that you have all of your food and supplies for the picnic, how are you going to transport everything? Martha suggests using two large totes; fill one with food that is okay at room-temperature and the other bag should be insulated to hold any items that need to remain cold. I would recommend bringing along other reuseable bags for miscellaneous supplies and dirty dishes.

Martha offers a good suggestion for packing your food: pack a layer at the bottom of the bag, then place a small cutting board (or similar item) over it before adding a second layer of food. This will give you support within the bag, and the cutting board can act as a "table" for items at your picnic area.

9. EXTRAS: Don't forget to bring along cloth napkins, serving utensils, salt and pepper shakers, extra tea/dish towels, and a large towel or blanket to sit on.

I don't know about you, but reading Martha's suggestions for a picnic have me thinking about planning one myself! To see the original article from Martha Stewart, click here.

*All photos courtesy of MarthaStewart.com