Another Cute Idea from Celebrations.com

Crafts

Spider Straw Slip On

By Jeanne Benedict, Celebrations Expert
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This silly spider straw slip on makes a great accent to any Halloween drink.

Supplies

1 sheet each (8 1/2 x 11) black & yellow cardstock
Scissors
Glue stick
Toothpick
Hole punch
Black fine tip marker
Scrap cardboard or cutting mat
Craft knife
Straw

Directions

1. Cut black cardstock into an oval that is @ 1 1/2-inches by 2-inches. (Don’t worry about making a perfect shape. I think a misshapen spider is very cute!)
2. Cut 8 (1/4-inch) thin by 3-inch long strips of black cardstock for the spider’s legs. Coil each strip around the toothpick to give it make it a spiral. Apply glue stick to the ends of the spider legs and attach them to the back of the spider; 4 on each side. 
3. Punch a hole out of the yellow cardstock and cut the punched-out hole in half for the spider’s eyes. Apply each eye to the spider using glue stick. Draw the spider’s pupils on to the yellow eyes using the black mark.
4. Place the spider (right side up so you can see his eyes) on the scrap cardboard or cutting mat. An adult should use the craft knife to cut 2 (1-inch long) horizontal slits through the spider’s body below his eyes for the straw to slip through.
5. Insert the straw through the slits from the back of the spider position it near the top. Plop it into a Halloween drink as decoration!

Toad-ally Tasty Punch

This non-alcoholic ghoulish treat looks like a witch's brew but tastes like a refreshing fruit juice cocktail. Finish it off with rainbow shebert and gummi frogs! Eek.

Ingredients

• 1 5 oz Package Haribo Gummi Frogs
• 1 4.8 g Packet (makes 2 quarts) Kickin' Kiwi-Lime KoolAid Mix
• 2 Liter Water
• 2 Cup(s) Seltzer (flavored or regular)
• 5 Scoops Rainbow Sherbert
• 1 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 Cup Pineapple Juice

Directions

• Fill a large punch bowl half-way with ice. Add KoolAid mix, water, orange juice, pineapple juice and seltzer. Let chill in fridge for 1/2 hour before serving.

• Right before your guests arrive, garnish your punch with rainbow sherbert and a pack of gummi frogs. Use a ladel to serve.

Halloween Cupcakes

Frightfully Good Halloween Cupcakes

These creepy creations, which start from store-bought or homemade cupcakes, are sure to dazzle your Halloween party guests. And they're all wickedly fun to make! Note:  I frost cupcake with choc. icing and then pipe the white icing with a basket weave tip, so it has more icing on it.

1 of 25 The only thing you need to take off this dessert to enjoy is the wrapper. To make them, follow these steps: Start with frosted store-bought or homemade cupcakes. Use a pastry bag with basket-weave tip to pipe on white frosting. Pipe red frosting on for the mummy's eyes. Make two dots with black frosting to make the pupils. Yummy Mummy Cupcakes

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Some Halloween Ideas from the Friend Magazine

Jack-O’-Lantern Sandwiches

“Jack-O’-Lantern Sandwiches,” Friend, Oct. 1995, 32
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced dill pickle
1 tablespoon mustard
16 slices pumpernickel bread
1/4 pound (113 g) sliced American cheese
1/4 pound (113 g) sliced ham

1. Stir the mayonnaise, pickle, and mustard together.
2. Cut circles out of the bread, cheese, and ham with a 4" (10 cm) round cookie cutter.
3. Using a kitchen knife, cut the eyes, mouths, and noses in half the bread rounds.
4. Lightly spread the remaining bread rounds with the mayonnaise mixture.
5. Top with the ham and cheese rounds.
6. Put the bread faces on top. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Spooky Spider Races

By Janet Houston

Janet Houston, “Spooky Spider Races,” Friend, Oct. 1995, 33
You will need: two black pom-poms, four small plastic eyes, eight 2" (5 cm) pieces of black yarn, glue, two bendable straws.
Tie four pieces of yarn in the middle with a knot. Glue a pom-pom to the center of the knot. Glue two eyes to the top front of the pom-pom. Repeat for the second spider, and set both aside to dry.
For spider races, mark off Start and Finish lines on a smooth floor and put the spiders behind the starting line. Bend your straw so that the short piece is right behind your spider. Blow into the straw to make your spider move to the finish line. The spiders can also be used for team relay races.

Some Fun

By L. E. Gleeson

L. E. Gleeson, “Some Fun,” Friend, Oct. 1995, 33
I like the sounds of autumn leaves
As they scud and scurry by.
I like the mounds of autumn leaves
As I pile them up so high.
I like the fun of autumn leaves,
For I like to tumble in,
Then wiggle, squiggle, giggle out—
And tumble in again!

[illustrations] Illustrated by Pat Hoggan

Trunk or Treat - An LDS Tradition

Its's Time For Trunk or Treat

Holding a Trunk-or-Treat Halloween activity is a great way to keep Halloween safe. What is a Trunk-or-Treat? It's when several families get together at the church building, park their cars in the parking lot, open up the trunks of their cars, and kids come around to each car to Trunk-or-Treat instead of going house to house to Trick-or-Treat.

You can just have the Trunk-or-Treat part outside or you can have a combined indoor/outdoor party. Here are some fun Halloween activities you can do:

Trunk-or-Treat

1. Let people know the estimated number of children that will be there so they can know how much candy to bring.
2. If Halloween is on a Sunday you can hold the Trunk-or-Treat activity on Saturday the 30th.
3. Those who don't have trunks (or cars) can also hand out candy by standing in-between the cars.
4. People can even decorate their cars!

Indoor Activities

1. Pumpkin Carving Contest: People can bring their previously carved pumpkins to be judged and prizes can be given out at the end.
2. Bat Craft: These are easy to make and decorate. Their wings flap too!
3. Bobbing for Apples: A barrel, water, apples, and lots of towels.
4. Halloween Carol Sing Along: Common songs where the lyrics are replaced with Halloween words. Here are some links:
   • Halloween Carols 1

Country Gravy

In a large skillet, melt 4 Tablespoons of Butter and 2 Tablespoons of Bacon grease.  Add 4 Tablespoons of Flour and wisk.  If too stiff, add more Butter.  If too thin, add more Flour. 
Brown for a couple of minutes over med. heat.
Add 4 Cups Milk and stir with wisk until thick and bubbly.  This will take several minutes.

Enjoy over hot biscuits!

Gigging on the Current River

Every year for as long as I can remember, the Mays family have gathered on the banks of the Current River the first night of gigging season.  This usually occurs on Sept. 15th of every year.  The giggers get their boats ready with lights, generator and gig poles (of course) and head out on the river as the sun sets and the night sky starts to appear.  Most of the time the serious giggers go out first (to ensure we have a meal to prepare) and come back for the women and children a little later on.  Different members of the family usually bake desserts and bring side dishes to go with the fish, hushpuppies and potatoes.  And don't forget the deep fried biscuits!  (:Great with butter and apple butter:)
As the first trip returns with the fish, the guys start cleaning and filleting the fish for frying.  Curtis Mays is VERY particular about this process.  The scoring has to be very close together so that the bones basically disintegrate while frying.
Everyone eats too much and has really good time.  Lots of visiting and enjoying each others company occur during this family event.  We look forward to it each year.

Adrienne Turns 17!

Adrienne's birthday is tomorrow.  She wants an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen and a 3 inch lift on her truck!  Well, we'll see how that goes.  We will add some pics tomorrow.

Broccoli-Rice Casserole

1 Stick of Butter
1/4 Large Onion, chopped finely
1/4 Cup Celery, chopped finely
16 oz. Pkg. Broccoli florets, steamed until tender crisp
2 Cups Minute Rice, uncooked
1 Cup of Water
1 Cup of Milk
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup + 1/2 Can of Water
1 8 oz. Pkg. Velveeta Crumbles or thick shredded cheddar cheese
Pinch of Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the onion and celery.  Saute until tender and opaque.  Meanwhile cook the broccoli until tender crisp. Drain.  Sprinkle rice in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Mix water, milk, soup and the 1/2 can of additional water in a bowl.  Add sauteed veggies, broccoli, salt and cheese.  Pour over rice.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Great side dish for lots of different entrees.