Just when I thought that I was done writing about Halloween, I remembered the fun Halloween stockings that I bought for my children last year at a Craft Fair!  When I found these adorable stockings, I knew they would be a great way to bestow some small Halloween treats in a decorative and reusable way.  (Click on the photo to see a larger image.)

If you’d like to stuff some stockings this Halloween (doesn’t that sound funny?) here are two different ways to go about it!

Homemade or Purchased Stockings

• Halloween Stocking Sewing Pattern – At Home Spun Hearth, you can order a sewing pattern to make your own adorable Halloween stockings.  If you’re handy with a sewing machine, consider creating these unique pieces for your children!    But, if sewing is NOT one of your talents (it’s definitely not one of mine!), consider purchasing the materials and have a seamstress (or a kind relative) make them for you! (Home Spun Hearth, Vintage Halloween Stocking, pattern number ZP-A0039, on sale for $15.49)

• Witch’s Shoe Treat Bags – and for a funky twist on this idea, consider these bright, colorful felt stockings from Lillian Vernon*!  Sold in a set of six, in three different patterns. (Lillian Vernon, Witch’s Shoe Treat Bags, set of 6 for $2.98)

This has been a terrific tradition for my children – one that they really look forward to, even more so now that my two older children are no longer going door to door gathering candy!  And one last tip – at our house we hang the stockings on the mantle two or three nights before Halloween so that the kids can enjoy what’s inside right up until the big night!

Do you have a fun idea for Halloween that you’d like to share?  I’d love to hear!

You may also enjoy:

• Halloween Gifts for Kids
• This Halloween Try “Booing!”
• A Halloween “Booing” Poem
• Let’s Talk About Halloween – Clever Halloween Costumes for Kid
• Hot Halloween Treats for School
• Alternative Halloween Treats for School
• Host a Halloween Cocktail Party
• Halloween Night Buffet
• Halloween Gifts for Grownups
• Halloween Candy for Grownups
• Why We Carve Pumpkins on Halloween

* It’s serendipity when the products we love are from the sponsors we love!

Halloween, well on its way to being some sort of national holiday, offers an endless array of terrific decorative items for your home.  Here are my finds for 2011!

For Your Home:

The Halloween Parade

The Halloween Parade:  hand cut from a single sheet of paper by Pamela Dalton, this charming piece of art will be a true heirloom. (Pamela Dalton, Halloween Picture, on sale for $175.00)

Spooky House Silhouettes

Spooky House Silhouettes:  this set of three haunted homes is the perfect touch for a Halloween mantle! (Touchstone, Spooky Halloween Silhouettes, on sale for $75.00)

Vintage Flying Witch Plaque

Vintage Flying Witch Plaque:  also perfect for over the mantle or on the front door, I love the visual impact of this piece! (Traditions, Vintage Witch Plaque)

Skull and Crossbones Decanter and Glasses

Skull and Crossbones Decanter and Glasses:  crafted in black glass, this set will lend an eerie touch to your Halloween night! (Charleston Gardens, Skull Decanter, on sale for $30.00, set of 4 glasses for $35.00)

Halloween Candle Holders and Luminaries

One of my favorite catalogs, At West End, offers Halloween candle holders in white glass with cobwebs and ceramic luminaries in traditional orange and black!  All are great additions to Halloween décor!  (At West End, Spider Web cups, on sale for $79.00)

Jack-O-Lantern Luminaries

Jack o’lantern design: (At West End, Jack-O-Lantern, set of six on sale for $98.00)

Halloween Bat Luminaries

Bats design: (At West End, Bat Luminary, set of six on sale for $98.00)

Ceramic Dishes and Goblets:

Plates

Adding just the right amount of fright, these two sets of four different patterns will be a family favorite and great for guests. (Grandin Road, Halloween Plates, set of four on sale for $29.00)

Goblets

Goblets: (Grandin Road, Halloween Goblets, set of four on sale for $29.00)

Ribbon Trimmed Table Linens

Trim anything with a ribbon and I’m sold. This selection of bright orange linens includes a table cloth, runner and topper each embellished with a variety of black ribbon. (Grandin Road, Spirited Halloween Table Linens, on sale for $24.00-49.00)

Cat Studio Pillow

These embroidered pillows depicting the unique qualities of each state and many cities, has extended its reach to Transylvania in honor of Halloween.  Love this! (Catstudio, Halloween Pillow, on sale for $149.00)

I’d love to know if any of these items will be joining your collection of decorations this year!

You may also enjoy:

• Halloween Gifts for Kids
• Halloween Cocktail Party
• Halloween Party for Kids
• Vintage Halloween Decorations
• Halloween Gifts for Grownups

With the incredible array of costumes in the market place, I thought it might be helpful to highlight a few stand out choices from Chasing Fireflies and Pottery Barn Kids!

For Boys

The Very Hungry (and very cute) Caterpillar from Eric Carle: (Pottery Barn Kids, Very Hungry Catepillar Costume, on sale for $89.00)

A Not Too Scary One Eyed Monster. (Pottery Barn Kids, One Eyed Monster Costume, on sale for $59.00)

A Shark Story. (Pottery Barn Kids, Shark Costume, on sale for $59.00)

Secret Spy. (Chasing Fireflies, Spy Halloween Costume, on sale for $48.00)

Mummy. (Chasing Fireflies, Mummy Halloween Costume, on sale for $59.00)

Little Gnome that made me laugh. (Chasing Fireflies, Boys Gnome Costume, on sale for $48.00)

Great White Yeti. (Chasing Fireflies, Yeti Halloween Costume, on sale for $98.00)

For Girls

A Sweet Strawberry Fairy. (Pottery Barn Kids, Strawberry Halloween Costume, on sale for $79.00)

Eric Carle Inspiring Butterfly. (Pottery Barn Kids, Butterfly Halloween Costume, on sale for $89.00)

Yummy Cupcake. (Pottery Barn Kids, Cupcake Halloween Costume, on sale for $59.00)

Adorable Octopus. (Pottery Barn Kids, Octopus Costume, on sale for $54.00)

Pink Flamingo. (Chasing Fireflies, Pink Flamingo Costume, on sale for $78.00)

Pretty Peacock. (Chasing Fireflies, Pretty Peacock Costume, on sale for $78.00)

Queen of Hearts. (Chasing Fireflies, Queen of Hearts Costume, on sale for $98.00)

I hope that these suggestions help to narrow the field!  Happy Haunting!

You may also enjoy:

• Clever Halloween Costumes for Kids
• Halloween Stockings for Kids
• This Halloween Try “Booing!”
• Fun Halloween Treats for School
• Alternative Halloween Treats for School
• Halloween Night Family Buffet
• Why We Carve Pumpkins on Halloween

Host a Wonderfully Haunted Halloween Party for Your Kids!

Halloween is a terrific time to entertain younger guests – and while there are lots of spooky characters to choose from like ghosts, vampires or witches, the allure of a mummy themed party was just too hard to resist!  Mummies can be so much fun without too much “scary” and so here goes!

(ShinDigz, Custom Mummy Yard Sign, on sale for $14.99)

Invitations

From Fine Stationery*:

Mummies reign supreme at this wonderful personalized invitation site!  Look for:

A Mummy on an orange background inviting guests to get “unraveled” (Fine Stationery, Unraveled Mummy Invitation, on sale 10 for $33)

A Kid Friendly Mummy that’s more sweet than scar. (Pear Tree, Mummy Wrap Invitation, on sale 8 for $10.40)

DIY

Print your party information onto a 5” x 7” card and wrap it with gauze bandages from your local drug store before mailing!

Party Goods

• Simple Black and White – Simple black and white paper products will match this theme, especially if you add some napkins cut from cheesecloth!   (Check out Plum Party’s* nice selection.)

Decorations

• Personalized Yard Sign – Set the stage:  welcome guests with a personalized yard sign from Shindigz*! (pictured at top)

• A Glittering Black Candelabra -  this well priced accessory will be the perfect centerpiece when displayed on a simple white table cloth! (Costume Express, Glitter Candelabra, on sale for $14.99)

• Shrouded Candle Holders from the pages of Martha Stewart – stretch a square of cheesecloth around clear glass cylinders or votives of different sizes and secure the edges with 3 or 4 black safety pins (from craft stores).  With children as guests, I’d use safety tea lights instead of real candles! (pictured at right)
• Wrapped Pumpkins – Wrap a pumpkin or two with gauze bandages; use glue dots to adhere the gauze, leaving a small space for some creepy eyes cut from a sheet of craft foam
• Hanging Strips of Gauze – Create a mood setting entrance with strips of gauze hung from the front door!

Activities

• Mummy Wrap - divide the children into teams of two and supply each team with a roll of toilet paper.  The first team to fully wrap one of its members in TP wins!
• A Gift from the Mummy – before the party, again using a roll of TP, tape a small toy to the end of the roll and continue taping prizes and adding them to the roll until it’s been completely rewrapped with the gifts inside.  During the party, gather the children in a circle and invite each one to wrap the roll around a body part (i.e. arm, leg, ankle, wrist and so on) until a prize is revealed.  The roll is then passed to the next guest and so on until all prizes have been given away!  (Family Fun)

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• Mummy Pinata – from an adult perspective, this piñata borders on comical, but I am sure that the kids will love it! (Hollywood Toys Costumes, Mummy Pinata, $11.70)

Menu

Hot Dog Mummies:  Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 1 can (11 oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated bread sticks, 12 large hot dogs, cooking spray, ketchup and/or mustard

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll dough and separate at perforations into 12 bread sticks.
• Cut each bread stick lengthwise and crosswise into 4 pieces for a total of 48 pieces of dough.
• Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog to resemble “bandages” stretching the dough slightly completely covering the hot dog and a small separation so that the hot dog shows through the dough for a face.
• Place wrapped hot dogs on an ungreased cookie sheets and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and hot dogs are hot.  With mustard, draw features on “face.”

Mummy Dessert – Here are a few fun mummy inspired treats!

Marshmallow Mummies:  Makes 6

Ingredients:

• 18 large marshmallows; 6 thin pretzel sticks (approx. 3”); 1 box chewy fruit roll up (any flavor); black cake decorating gel

How to:

• thread 3 marshmallows on each pretzel stick, making 6 bodies.
• Remove fruit snack rolls from the packaging, but don’t unroll.  With kitchen scissors cut each roll in half horizontally to make 12 rolls of long strips. Unroll and remove paper.
• Wrap 2 long strips around each “body” to resemble a mummy, leaving a small open spot for the face.  Add black gel icing dots to make eyes!

This would also make a fun party activity!  (Pillsbury.com)

Mummy Cupcakes Done 2 Ways

Using prebaked and frosted cupcakes, decorate the desserts in one of two clever ways:

• Funny Mummy:  cut two small slices into large marshmallows being careful to not cut all the way through.  In the bottom opening insert one brown M & M (mouth!) and in the upper opening insert two green TicTac’s.  (eyes!)  Garnish chocolate iced cupcakes with mummy heads!
• Gummy Mummy:  frost cupcakes with vanilla icing. Place two matching colored M & M’s on cupcakes as “eyes.” Cut small strips from a roll of green sour apple bubble gum tape and arrange multiple “bandage” strips across the tops of the cupcakes at slight angles leaving the eyes showing. (pictured)

Party Favors

Fill squares of cheesecloth with an assortment of the items below and tie off with a black ribbon!

• Halloween Growing Monsters – this fun toy is a coffin that kids submerge in water. A mummy grows and emerges from its resting place! (Oriental Trading, Halloween Growing Monsters, $19.95 per dozen)

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• Gummy Mummies – this cute gummy candy mummy arrives packaged in its own plastic coffin! (Candy Warehouse*, Gummy Mummies, 16 for $24)

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• Chocolate Mummy Lollipop – this is adorable and delicious! (Sugar Plum, Chocolate Mummy Lollipop, $1.50 each)

• Mummy Rummy – if you’d prefer to offer just one party favor instead of an assortment, consider giving each guest a game of Mummy Rummy!  Wrap each game in black wrapping paper and use a length of gauze as the ribbon! (Mummy Rummy, $7.99 each)

• Curse of the Mummy Blogspot - for lots of other mummy related toys, games, movies and costumes, head to a one stop shop:  Curse of the Mummy’s Blog!

Wrap it Up!  (No Pun Intended!)

After you’ve sent the young guests home with their “mummies,” pour yourself and your spouse a beverage in these Hand Painted Mummy Pilsner Glasses.  Each glass features a unique drink recipe on the bottom! (Amazon, Mummy Pilsner Glasses, on sale for $29.99)

Happy Halloween!

You may also enjoy:

• Halloween Stockings for Kids
• This Halloween Try “Booing!”
• A Halloween “Booing” Poem
• Let’s Talk About Halloween – Clever Halloween Costumes for Kid
• Hot Halloween Treats for School
• Alternative Halloween Treats for School
• Host a Halloween Cocktail Party
• Halloween Night Buffet
• Halloween Gifts for Grownups
• Halloween Candy for Grownups
• Why We Carve Pumpkins on Halloween

The hype around Halloween is so focused on the kids – with candy, costumes and even gifts like those I’ve recommended on Busy Bee (Halloween Gifts for Kids)! But just so the Halloween “staff” doesn’t feel left out, take a look at the fabulous, hand painted glasses offered at Wrapables!  No matter what you’re favorite “poison,” there’s a glass for you!

Choose a Fabulous Halloween Glass

• First is “Wicked Witch the 3rds Martini Glass”, complete with a witch hat and broomstick! (Hula Island, Wicked Witch Martini Glass, on sale for $23.95)

• A pilsner glass for beer is embellished with mummy wrappings, (Amazon, Mummy Pilsner Glass, on sale for $29.99)

• A mug for coffee or tea features dancing skeletons (Amazon, Crazy Bones Beverage Mug, on sale for $29.96)!   Each style also features a unique drink recipe on the bottom of the glass!

• If wine is your beverage of choice, this candy corn embellished wine glass is perfect! (Amazon, Candy Corn Wine Glass, on sale for $139.99)

Treat yourself or a friend to one of these specialty glasses, perfect for whatever “poison” you prefer and perhaps the perfect reward for a hard night’s work!

You may also enjoy:

• Halloween Gifts for Kids
• Halloween Stockings for Kids
• This Halloween Try “Booing!”
• A Halloween “Booing” Poem
• Let’s Talk About Halloween – Clever Halloween Costumes for Kid
• Hot Halloween Treats for School
• Alternative Halloween Treats for School
• Host a Halloween Cocktail Party
• Halloween Night Buffet
• Halloween Candy for Grownups
• Why We Carve Pumpkins on Halloween