DIY Halloween Party Table

Halloween is my husband's birthday.

We call him "Scary Gary"!

He turned 50 so we had a Halloween Birthday Party.

But you can use these DIY ideas for any Halloween Party

you give - for the little gouls, or the big ones!

Throw on a colorful tablecloth,

we chose purple instead of the usual orange and black.

Buy matching bowls, plates, etc.  I found most of mine at The Dollar Tree.

Serve up some Giant Spider Legs (black licorice wands)

and Ear Wax Q-Tips (mini marshmallows on sticks dipped in melted butterscotch chips).

Plastic fangs and giant spiders can be found at most dollar stores.

Make some giant eyeballs by dipping your favorite mini sandwich cookies

into white chocolate topped with gummy Lifesavers and chocolate chips.

Be sure to LABEL everything with interesting names...

I used corner tiles and wipeable markers.

Use containers you have around the house too. 

I used some glass jars with chalkboard labels..

Simply tape off a square and paint three coats.

Take labels off of individual sodas and use sharpies to make jack-o-lanterns.

Don't forget the evil witch's contribution to the party,

Poisoned Apples.

Fried Bat Wings and Salsa anyone?

How about some Crow Droppings (candy corn)

and a friendly little rat?

Just had to show our Jack-o-lantern outside...

Pretty spooky when it gets dark!

Hope this gives you some ideas in throwing your own

Halloween Bash.

Keep Calm (if you can!) and Kerri On (If you don't get carried off!)

MwaHahahaha!

Saving Flower Seeds for the First Time

Don't you just love flowers

especially if they're growing in your own back yard?

Me too!

Yet I have not been too successful in the past.

My trouble was that I just didn't pay attention when my parents tried to teach me.

So last year I joined a local Garden Club.

These little garden ladies are so helpful and packed full of knowledge

and are nice enough to share this info with me -

I can actually see my thumbs turning a little green!

So here, with their help, is my first attempt at saving some of my flower seeds.

I had great luck with marigolds this year.

I actually planted them from starter plants

but am told they are easy to grow from seeds.

The first step to saving the seeds is to pick the spent blooms.

I've shown you the fresh picked bloom above,

with a spent bloom below and to the left, and the seeds on the right.

Here's the close up of a "spent flower" one that has bloomed and dried up.

Make sure it is completely dry, then simply pull off the petals.

Each petal is attached to a seed!

If they are completely dry, as these are,

you can store them in a paper sack or individual envelope as I did.

Be sure to label accordingly.

Zinnias were my favorite flower this year.

I actually grew these from seeds!

I know, I can't believe it!

The same principle apply to the Zinnias.

Pick off the spent blooms and let them dry completely...

 store the dried seeds in envelopes or small paper sacks

 in a dry, cool space for next spring.

Here's a picture of the zinnias in their state of decompose.

Fresh picked Zinnias on top,

spent blooms - starting to wilt

and completely dry on the bottom.

Just one bloom will produce many seeds - I didn't count,

but probably around 30 is my guess!

Last year I spent $1.99 each for two packets Zinnia Seeds.

 

This year I plan to harvest 50 times that

from the blooms and expand my planting area.

It is the middle of August

 and my Zinnias are still blooming.

(I have a 3' x5' area on the NW corner of the house)

I cut fresh flowers every week for bouquets.

All I did was keep the soil moist until I saw the little sprouts forming,

then watered once a week.

Be sure to check back with me next spring

when I plant my harvested flower seeds.

(and we'll see if this worked!)

 

Keep Calm and Kerri On!

The Thermos: They don't make them like they used to.

 

Do you LOVE coffee?  Me too.

Ever need to take it with you

and grab one of the cute little Travel Mugs?

Low and behold, 20 minutes later your coffee is cold?

Yep.  Me too!

Well, no more! 

 I'm taking a stand against those adorable, personalized, stylish travel mugs

and switching to Dad's Old Thermoses! 

They may not be stylish, but boy do they keep your coffee hot!

I had to work late last night, so I did a test with the above red thermos.

Every hour I had a small cup of my coffee

(I add Caramel Macchiato Creamer and Stevia).

Every single time - and I mean EVEN 6 hours later,

my coffee was steaming.  Yay!

You can't say that about those new fangled travel mugs!

I found these three at garage sales this summer.

The most I paid was $2.

Awesome!

So, from now on, this girl is going

 RETRO THERMAL ALL THE WAY!

Coffee wise, that is!

 

Keep Calm and Keep your Coffee Hot, and Kerri On!

Ipsy "Glamour Academy" August 2013

It's that time of month again....

Ipsy!

This month's theme is:

GLAMOUR ACADEMY

(It reminds me of a "Hogwarts" theme,

 so I decided to use my Harry Potter Book series as a backdrop)

Go, go, Gryffindor!

First, a BIG thank you to my two friends

who signed up for Ipsy using my link!

I received an extra gift, the Lime Crime Nail Polish

in "Crema De Limon"

This is what it looks like with two coats on.

It is the first time I've heard of Lime Crime

and I must say I like the formula, it isn't two thick,

yet covers pretty well. 

This isn't a color I would normally pick out for myself,

but sometimes it's good to step out of your box.

I think I like it! Yay!

Here's a view of everything out of my Glamour Academy Makeup Bag

still in their boxes....

ooh, ooh....do I see an Urban Decay product?  Oh yeah baby!

One more glance at the super cute makeup bag this month.

It has a cool "crest" logo, which

 has little silhouettes of beauty products...

so cute!

So what did I get by Urban Decay?

A sample lipstick!

In the color "69" which is a warm based red.

I needed a red lipstick.

You know, they say EVERY woman can wear red lipstick,

you just have to find the right one.

There are lots out there, cool based or warm based,

and they really make you look glamorous!

Next item:  a shimmer powder in the color 17 Bronze

by Mica Beauty.

I really like Mica Beauty gel eyeliners, they are a great brand.

Yet, I probably won't use a shimmer powder,

but I do know exactly who to "gift" this to!

Michael Todd sent every Ipster this month one of two products...

a scrub or a facial mask.

I received the "Pumpkin Nutrient Rich Facial Mask".

Moisturizes and nourishes.

My skin is getting drier as I get older,

so I can't wait to try this.

Lash Booster Mascara by Pixi!  Yes!

...and last, but not least,

a Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Mai Tai, a pretty coral orange!

Here's another look at my August Ipsy Bag "Glamour Academy"

If you would like to sign up for Ipsy and haven't yet,

remember its ONLY $10 a month!

You can click on my link below to sign up:

 

http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h8hqaawjtrmj2y7

 

Keep Calm and Kerri On!

 

Ball Jar Silk Flower Arrangement

 

I've been keeping an eye out for scrumptious silk flowers (like these hydrangeas)

at garage sales and second hand stores.

I found this bunch for only $7 at the local Goodwill.

I decided to look around the house for a vase large enough to display them

and came across this Ball jar.

Left over twine and an old key completes

a simple, yet striking arrangement.

Simply wrap the twine and tie on an old key, or trinket.

Wah-lah.

The perfect centerpiece for my kitchen table.

What can you find around your house,

that you can breathe new life into?

Think outside of the box!

Keep Calm and Kerri On!

Monkey Bread Recipe

 

I had a house full of people last weekend

so I made three batches of Monkey Bread for Sunday Morning.

I prefer to make it in a Bundt Pan (it's the prettiest)

but since I only have one of those,

I also used an 8" round cake pan

and a 9"x13" baking stone.

Here is the recipe for 24 rolls

in a bundt pan:

 

MONKEY BREAD

24 frozen rolls (I use Rhodes)

1 cup of packed dark brown sugar

2 tsps. cinnamon

1 small pkg of Cook'n Serve Butterscotch Pudding Mix

1/2 cup of butter (or 1 stick)

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

 

The night before serving,

Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray,

sprinkle nuts and cinnamon in bottom of the pan.

Place the frozen rolls around the bundt pan, as evenly as possible.

Sprinkle the Butterscotch Pudding Mix powder over all of the rolls.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter and brown sugar together

until it starts to bubble.

Pour the butter mixture over the rolls.

Cover with foil or Saran Wrap

and place in the refrigerator.

The rolls should thaw in the fridge.

About an hour before I bake the rolls

I set them out in a warm area

 (like close to the coffee pot or oven, to rise even more)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until the top of the rolls are brown.

Let the pan rest for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving dish.

Be sure to give the sticky syrup time to drizzle down over the rolls

before removing the pan over top.

Enjoy.

I made the 8" cake pan (12 rolls)

with extra pecans for the "nut lovers"

The above picture is of the 9"x13" pan

before I inverted it onto a plate

and let the yummy glaze sink down over the rolls....

Yummmmm

For the bundt pan, I left out the pecans

for those who don't "feel like a nut".

 

Monkey Bread is always a great hit at my house.

Hope you try this recipe!

 

Keep Calm and Kerri On!

DIY Couples Shower on a Budget

This post is an "over-all" view

of how I gave a "Couples Shower"

 for my son, Austin and his fiancé, Katlynn,

on a budget.

 

Almost all of the decorations I made myself.

For instructions on each decoration,

please see my blog posts for July and August of 2013.

 

Hope this inspires you to give a Couples Shower

(without breaking the bank)!

 

I had a total of $150 to spend on the shower.

But if you want it even less expensive, I have given other alternatives.

I decided first, what I wanted to splurge money on

and decided: 1.) the invitations

and 2.) the cakes.

Other items that I knew would cost money would be the supplies

for my DIY decorations and favors; gift wrap paper; nuts, mints and teas.

Everything else I needed, I used what I had on hand.

Choose your color scheme.

I chose the colors Purple (Katlynn's favorite color)

and Green (Austin's favorite).

I ordered my invitations off of weddingpaperdivas.com/

You can choose your design as well as colors,

they were very comparable to other personalized sites,

and I was impressed that you can finalize the invitation before printing,

and if you have any problems, they are very easy to work with.

I spent $56 on 30 invitations.

Don't want to spend that much? You can also MAKE your own invitations.

Search Pinterest and other websites for ideas; or buy the "fill-in" invitations

found at discount and drug stores.  You can usually get 12 for under $5.

If you can, start shopping early for party supplies

and the materials for the decorations.

Michael's and Hobby Lobby have great sales each week

and by planning ahead,

you can save LOTS of money.

Decide what type of shower you want.

We chose a couples shower with cake and tea at our house.

Some other options can be:  a barbeque, picnic, a wine party or kitchen party.

...or maybe you just want a "girl" party for the bride: lingerie party, Pampered Chef, Tupperware,

bachelorette party, whatever you decide will be fine.

 

Decide on a focal point.

For this basic couples shower, I chose the table with the refreshments.

Decorate accordingly, carrying over the color scheme.

Consider making your own tissue pom-poms to hang over the cake table.

(for easy instructions, see my previous post)

Will you be serving Cake, Cookies or Cupcakes?

Consider making the cake, cupcakes or cookies yourself.

Even though I love to bake, I knew I had a lot more to do,

so I opted to spend $60 on two cakes, instead of stressing out.

Lemon; and Chocolate Raspberry -

iced the same, with shaved white chocolate.

I saved a little money by decorating the tops of the cakes

myself with silk flowers (purchased 50% off),

I then used my own vases (white milk glass)

to decorate with.

If you are able to buy the flowers at a great price

you can buy extras to decorate around the party location.

When it comes to candles,

I try to purchase white, year around.

This way I can dress up the candles with ribbons

or paper to fit the season.

Search Pinterest and the internet for ideas

for easy DIY shower favors.

I found this idea on Pinterest.

I used Raspberry tea bags (just bought two boxes at Walmart: $3 each)

and made individual little bags tied with ribbon

and sandwiched the string tag between

baby pictures of the bride and groom that I printed myself.

The stickers I purchased on sale, and hand wrote the names,

since I couldn't figure out how to print them.

Everybody at the shower raved about what a cute idea this was.

...and it was only pennies a piece!

For the table decorations:

Don't have a matching table runner?  Try gift wrap paper!

Measure 1/2 the length of the table, add two feet for overhand and then

 cut in half the long way, taping together, folding the sides under. Wah-lah!

To personalize the table more, I purchased simple unfinished wooden letters

at Hobby Lobby and painted them black.

I bought the groom's and bride's first initials: K and A,

and also L for their last name.

They can use these as shelf or wall decorations in their new home.

Another great idea I found on Pinterest

was the rock vase.

Simply find or purchase smooth flat rocks

and metallic permanent pens.

Each guest at the party can write advice or well wishes

to the couple.

Put the signed rocks in a clear glass vase with some

green moss as cushion.

A very stylish keepsake!

Be sure to decorate your door or entrance

into the party.

There are lots of wreath ideas on Pinterest.

I made this myself....the instructions are on another post on this blog.

Give the bride and groom VIP seating

by decorating and labeling their chairs.

Is the couple outgoing enough for a game?

This couple and their wedding party are all about FUN!

So we coupled the bride with the groom

and the bridesmaids with their groomsmen

for a timed game of  "Toilet Paper Brides"

....only the men were to be the brides!

Each was supplied 3 rolls of toilet paper, scissors and tape.

When time was up, we had "the bridal walk" and three judges

(chosen from the guests) rate them each from 1 thru 10.

Everyone had a great laugh!

If this is not your cup o' tea,

be sure to look at other ideas for fun, creative, inexpensive games online.

Be sure to assign one to two people to serve the food.

We served cake, butter-mints, mixed nuts, peach iced-tea

and hot raspberry tea.

Consider using your best china or collectibles instead of paperware.

I used my depression glass and white china.

I used an old silver tea set that I bought at Goodwill for the hot tea.

Make time at the end of the shower for the couple

to open their shower gifts.

Have a volunteer ready with pen and paper

to record the gifts and who they are from.

Before the shower

I supplied the bride and groom with a gift bag

filled with two packages of thank-you cards,

a notebook, nice pen,

and a book of "love" stamps.

Last, but not least,

take lots of pictures....

not only of the bride and groom

but of all their friends and family

who attended the party.

Keep Calm and Kerri On!