Candy Corn Cookies - Two Ways

Candy Corn Cookies!! Aren't they so festive? We tried this recipe last year and loved it so much we made it twice and remembered it enough to do it again this year. It is just a simple sugar cookie but it is really tasty, I got it from the TasteofHome website.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Yellow and orange paste food coloring (I used liquid and it worked fine just took a bit more i suppose)

Directions:In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Now there are two ways to form the shape of these yummy cookies and I have tried both. For the first way which is a bit simpler, split the dough into thirds and color one orange and one yellow leaving the last third white.

I stole the idea of how to shape the cookies from Kathie at her blog Kathie Cooks. Thanks Kathie, such a great idea. You take a bread loaf pan and line it with parchment paper or plastic wrap. (Just a tip, I used plastic wrap and it still had a hard time coming out. Try multiple layers.) Then just layer the dough in starting with orange then yellow then white. Try to make your layers as flat as possible.

Then put your pan in the fridge for two hour up to overnight. I did two hours and it worked great. Take your dough out of the fridge next and out of the pan, and slice it the short way in to 1/4 in slices. While you are slicing preheat your oven to 350.

Next cut your slices into triangle shapes. Squish in the corners so they look more rounded and place on your cookie sheet. (Another tip, I always cook my cookies on parchment paper so the bottoms don't brown as easily)

The second way may take a bit more time but I think it is worth it. You get bigger cookies and they all look like candy corn.

 Form your dough into a log and cut it into 6 equal parts.

 One section will stay white, the rest of them you can start by coloring it all yellow. (I just stuck mine back into the mixer and added the color in that way.)

 Take your yellow dough make a log again separate it into 5 sections. Leave three yellow and pop the other two back into the mixer and add your red to make orange.

 Then you layer them all together in gradually thinner layers.

 And form it into a Candy Corn shape.

 Wrap in plastic wrap and stick it in your fridge. It helps keep the shape if you pop your head in the fridge every once in awhile and turn the cookies, so all the sides stay flat.

 After a couple hours in the fridge all you do is cut them up and pop(I am saying pop a lot today...)them onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 7 to 10 min in either shape and voila! They should not be brown at all.

Ta DA!!! They are delicious and perfect. But... if you want to take them one step further like I did, you can glaze them!!! Yummo. It was just a simple glaze, I got the recipe from my handy dandy Joy of Cooking the 75th anniversary addition. (If you were wondering)

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbs water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

That's all folks, mix it together and apply to your corn. I used a pastry brush, actually it might be a basting brush but whatever. I also doubled the glaze recipe because the above only makes 1/2 cup of glaze.  Then you place your cookies on cooling racks and brushed them and let them sit for 20-30 min so the glaze hardens up.

Oh they are so cute and so delicious. I want to try a lemon glaze on top next time. And do not let your lame significant other tease you about the fact that some of the colors are upside down on the cookies. (If you shape them the first way.) And if he or she does, no cookies for them!

Sorry about the two different qualities of pictures, the first were taken last year. Thank goodness I have a new camera, not perfect but better!!

Wicked Witch Board

Me and my sister like to get crafty together.  One day, she showed me this picture and I knew it was perfect for my Halloween decorations.  It was pretty easy to do.  All I did was get a board ( you can have one cut a Home Depot) or even Joann's has some pre-cut, but use you a coupon. Then I painted it black.  I designed the lettering on my Silouette to fit my size board.  I think my board was around 12x20 but it would work doing it a bit smaller.  Then I just cut it in the different colors of vinyl, but you could do it all one color if you want.  Then Just add the embellishments you want: ribbon, wire, spiders, leaves, glitter, tulle, whatever floats your boat.  These are so easy to customize.  You could do a smaller one to make a door hanger.  If you wanted, you could even cut it out of cardstock or just regular stickers.

Here's another version too :-)

Halloween Photo Booth Props

I love the photo booth craze going around. Mainly cause I love being crazy and taking pictures. I don't really love the printable paper props because I want something that will survive kids and multiple uses. First here are a few pictures of us playing in the photo booth cause lets be honest that is what this is about. Then I will show you pics and explain how to make these super easy props. 

See those fun props?

They are made with the plastic pumpkin push in decorations.

All I did was cut the spikey part off the back of the parts. I can't remember what I used (cause I am awful) but I either used scissors or my wire cutters. Then I used a lighter and melted the sharp parts just enough to make sure it was smooth

You can see some used examples of them in their pumpkins here, here or here

Then I used a skewer and hot glued it onto the back. I glued the skewers on at an angle to try to keep your hands off to the side and not in front of your face.

These are really sturdy and none of the skewers have popped off the back and they have been used multiple times and been stored for a year. 

Thanks and enjoy!! 

Skull Vase

First I want you all to know this vase is in backgrounds of numerous other pictures because I might have made it last year took pictures and didn't get it posted :( I know I am lame but I promise there are many many more posts like this.. yes I am meaning taken at least a year ago and then I finally get them up for you all to see. 

Also I took pictures as I made it and now I can't find them so good thing this is such an easy project.

Dollar Store Vase

Foam skull small enough for your vase

spray paint

adhesive

 First cut the back of your skull off! As you are cutting it off look at the curve of your vase and try to match it as close as possible so the skull will lay more flush making it look like 1 item. I used my kitchen bread knife and then a smaller knife and my nails to get the curve I needed. 

Then I glued the skull onto the vase. I used Elmers glue and it was BAD!!! If you look at my vase you can see streaks from where the glue ran while it was drying. Then I used hot glue and it melted part of my foam skull. So I would recommend using a glass adhesive ( I still don't have one cause I haven't glued anything else to glass) If you have to use one of the 2 mentioned I would go with Hot Glue it dries so much quicker and didn't streak. 

You have to be patient if you have a longer drying glue now is the time to leave your pretty vase and let it dry until tomorrow when you can paint it :)

 Now take your vase outside and spray paint it the color of your choice. I focused mainly on the outside of the vase because no one can tell you didn't do the inside. :) 

here is a background picture of the vase with crepe paper roses in the vase which I either need to make again or buy cheap dollar store Halloween flowers. 

Spider Fun

I love Halloween and all the decorations and costumes that go with it :) Today's post is all about spiders. We are going to make 2 spiders today and both are super easy and inexpensive.

Lets start with our wooden spider
you will need-
a short length of 2x4
wire (guage16 or smaller, you can use a wire coat hanger)
wire cutters
hot glue gun
drill
and small circles for eyes (I made mine out of sculpty)
paint

Here are your measurements. I will explain it simple now.....take a 2x4 board and cut it about 2 1/2-3 inches long. Yep it is that easy. :)

Sand and paint your block/blocks. I painted mine neon yellow.
then drill 4 small holes on the side of your spider. The ends that have been cut.

Now attach your eyes there are many options. Googley eyes, a wooden circle painted to look like eyes or make your eyes out of sculpty (I did sculpty so I didn't have to paint)
I hot glued my eyes on

now lets focus on those legs.
Cut your wire about 5-6 inches and make 8 lengths.
This part is the tricky part. You need to have 3 bends for each leg and the twist for the feet
lets start at the feet-make a small twist and then bend the wire up so your twist can sit flat on the surface. Once you bend your leg up let that length (the main height) be about 2-3 inches long then bend to over about 1 inch and then you should have a smidge left to bend down into your drilled hole.
that sounds confusing so lets just say you want a little to stick into the hole and then you want the rest of the leg to bent how it looks in the picture :)
Glue each leg into place so it doesn't fall.

Pipe Cleaner Spider

There are your instructions :) simple and fun

I love hanging the spiders off frames and my wall clock. Every time I check the time on the clock it makes me smile :)

Here is my fun holiday shelf. This is the main place I decorate every season. I had told some of the other girls about my shelf and they wanted to see it.