I recalled my excitement as a kid for Halloween. Going from house to house for treats was fun. But having a fabulous party at home with your friends is also great. Here a few craft ideas I gathered from Martha Stewart’s Halloween central. They will come handy for the school Halloween treats that your kid will bring or if you are hosting your own family-friendly Halloween party.

You can also go wildly fun like building a huge cat hole. Beware of the little kids who hide inside. As you can see, it is not that complicated to create a visual impact and set the mood for a great Halloween party.

Making an Impact with Simple Craft Projects

Cats, owls and pumpkins are classics that can always be reinvented. They are easy to make whether you cut a silhouette, shape them with food or stamp fabric. There is still plenty of time to craft these projects. Take a look at these for a head start.

Treat Bags

+ Creature Candy Dishes
+ Halloween Takeaway Treat Bags
+ Pumpkin Favor Pouches for Halloween

Party Decor

+ Bewitching Tree Decoration
+ Halloween Hang-Ups

Halloween Homemade Sweets

+ Invisible Lollipops
+ Halloween Lollipops
+ Black Cat Cookies

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Cindy of Hungry Girl por vida captured the essence of simple elegance with these shots of gray paper straws. You cannot go wrong with single serving glass milk bottles for a baby shower or a kids birthday party. You can simply remove the commercial labels or go one step further and tailor the bottle with an event tag.

There is another reason why you will feel good. Besides its more sophisticated tones, the Kikkerland gray paper straws are more eco-friendly since they are biodegradable than the traditional plastic straws. Caring for the Earth is a good message to send at a baby shower party.

For a movie night or a circus party, you may prefer to get a box of blue and white  or red and white paper straws. + Paper Straws by Kikkerland $3 for box of 50 + photos: HungryGirl on Flickr + via Parcel Post

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Carving pumpkins is great but we do not all have the talent of making complex design. And if you have young kids at home, they will prefer simpler images.

What you need our a few printable carving templates and stencils. You do not have to carve the pumpkins, you can simply paint a silhouette or do both.Then, you create a vignette to give life to your theme.

I selected on Better Homes and Gardens 4 pumpkin decorating projects that anyone could do it without passing all day on the project. These cute pumpkins will not give nightmares to young kids. If you put your painted pumpkins outside, apply a varnish to protect the painted silhouette from the outdoor elements.

+ The Haunted Mansion pumpkin was realized by chiseling the windows of the painted mansion. Then, they added a moon behind. Get the haunted mansion template.

+ This is the happiest pumpkin. This interpretation of the cat pumpkin is girlie. Add a bow and ears to your drawing. Print first the Feline Stencil.

+ The creepy crow is a classic. Tufts of garden moss or ornamental grass help keep the pumpkin stable inside the birdbath. You can punch the eye of the black crow stencil.

+ I like the simplicity of the Spooky Spider Stencil with its luminous web. The lines of the web are carved just deep enough to let the glow of the candle shine through the pumpkin walls. pumpkin photo

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Anne Schultz of Hello Hanna sent me an email to introduce her awesome playful placements for kids. They will keep your kids occupied while you are preparing the meal. I think it is a great idea since you probably notice that kids enjoy very much playing with stickers. My nephew and niece are doing it all the time.

For a party or a day-long play date, it is a fun activity that is quick and fast to set up. Plus, on the back of placemats, their is an activity area. You can vary the activity each time or let you kid draw what they like.

Four pop-up characters with their own sheet of stickers are packaged in set of 8 placemats. Kids can choose their character and dress it the way they like. I like this product for the peace of mind and its creative value.

Get-set placemats is available in three themes: robot, animal jungle and girlie dolls. You could also buy a set for home that you use on Sundays. The placemats are printed on heavyweight uncoated paper stock. Therefore, they are not reusable.

The gals behind Hello Hanna, Anne Schultz and Jina Choi, are moms living in San Francisco, California. They used their knowledge of early-child development to to spark kids creativity.

SOURCING:
+ Get-set placemats $14.95 USD

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It is no secret that I love giraffe on stationery, plush animals and art prints. It is probably because I always dreamt of being tall. On my quest to find cutely modern giraffe invitations, it seams natural to stop at Minted.

Minted is an online store offering fresh, modern custom stationery and invitations. They opted for the talents of independent brands and designers to bring something new on the marketplace. Without knowing, two design studios are represented twice. I guest I really enjoy the style of pottsdesign and Sweet Tree Studio.

+ Baby Giraffe Baby Shower Invitations by Jennifer Postorino $60 for 25
+ Baby Silhouette Baby Shower Invitations by Emily of pottsdesign $67 for 25
+ Circus Children’s Birthday Party Invitations by Sweet Tree Studio $67 for 25

The next three inspired me for their versatility. Each drawing could lead to a fun party theme while keeping a surprise on how you interpret it until the guests show up. It is ideal if you haven’t decided on your decor when you need to order your invitations.

+ Cupcake Baby Shower Invitations by pottsdesign $67 for 25
+ Cheery Frock Baby Shower Invitations by Kelli Hall$67 for 25
+ Onesie Whimsy Baby Shower Invitations by Sweet Tree Studio $67 for 25

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Amy Atlas has made a name for herself in a niche market. She specializes in dessert and candy tables. I am not alone to love her sense of style. With Halloween in 6 weeks, it is good to review what you need to set up  an awesome candy table.

Therefore, I read Amy Atlas’ interviews and examine her marvelous portfolio to sum up how you can try to design your own sweets buffet at home.

• Start with a theme
• Put attention to the table linens and service ware. They should be beautiful and coordinated to get a refined look
• Vary the heights of trays, stands, bowls, jars and footed plates. Design cute tags for every vessel.
• Repeat elements to create a sense of collection.
• Add festive decorative elements to enhance your table. Your goal is to impress.
• Create a backdrop to your buffet table.
• Survey the bakers and candy purveyors on your area. Make sure to taste everything; it has to be delicious not just pretty.
• Order desserts or candies based on what you want the table to look like instead of limiting the quantities to the number of guests. Plan for refilling, when applicable.
• Provide goody bags for your guests to take home desserts or candies. The goody bags can be a container that fit with your party theme.

How much candy you need?

You need an abundant choice to create an impact. Get 8 to 10 candy varieties. You need a least 8 ounces of candy per guest. To give you an idea, 6 ounces fill a small gift bag. Better to add more and round up because people will take some home.

I read on Martha Stewart that you need 8 pounds of jelly beans to fill a 1-gallon bowl. The same 1-gallon bowl will hold 5 pounds and a half of malted-milk balls or 3 pounds of wrapped taffy. Estimate that three quarter of your guests will take individual wrapped candies like pinwheel lollipops.

One practice that is not common is to host a sweet party later at night. Now that you have some guidelines, think about it.

MORE:
+ Amy Atlas

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The first two ideas are something you can do yourself. I imagined the Owl cupcakes from a Back-to-school party. It is so easy to do that you can ask your kids to help you. I got that idea from Real Simple. On chocolate icing, you use 2 Oreo halves (cream-side up) and 2 Junior Mints to make the eyes. Add a Runts banana for the beak.

Jewellery making parties are popular with little and grown up girls. Use candies to decorate cupcakes. You do not have to stop at floral patterns either. Get an assortment of sprinkles and sugars and let your creativity flow.

The Professional

My favourite cupcake maker in Montreal, Michelle of Clever Cupcakes did the last two ideas. For a little boy, she created this amazing circus theme cupcakes. They are Vegan chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting topped with handmade fondant circus characters and circus tents.

For a Pink Princess birthday theme, Michelle handcrafted fondant pieces inspired by The Princess and The Frog tale. Michelle said on Flickr that she was inspired from another of my favourite cupcake maker, Blue Cupcake.

PHOTO CREDITS:
+ Owl cupcakes by Real Simple – photo by Alan Richardson
+ Decorate with Candy by Real Simple – photo by Ngoc Minh Ngo
+ Vegan Circus Cupcakes by Clever Cupcakes

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Vacu Vin is launching a new set of glass markers especially for Halloween. These 13 creepy creatures are charming enough to be used at a kids party, if you like. You stick the marker on your glass, cup or beer bottle to identify it. The glass marker stays in place by suction. They work as well as the Party People glass markers that I reviewed last February.

Since the Party People markers look like 12 little monsters, you can blended the two sets. Get 2 packs of each set. Put them in a box. Ask each guest to draw their glass marker. This way, you could host a party with 50 guests and run little chances that 2 persons with the same character put their glass next to each other.

SOURCING:
+ Vacu Vin Glass Markers Party People $7.98 USD for 12
+ Creepy Creatures Glass Markers by Vacu Vin

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I feel that Montreal is a little bit behind in cake decorating. We probably win more points on the taste but what about the creative elements. This is why I am pleased to have found two cake decorating shops that are on the right track.

If you are looking for an outstanding cakes that could be from the Ace of Cakes crew, these two can help you.

The first cake shop, Jessica Berard Cakes specialize in wedding cakes and sculpted cakes. I like the fashionista cake.

The second cake decorator is Cake Sucre d’art. She has done many kid birthdays and baby shower parties. Her daisies and bees cake is awesome.

If you know more outstanding cake decorators in Montreal or elsewhere, feel to inform me.

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As a follow up to yesterday’s garden and jungle creatures pancake molds at Williams-Sonoma, I found these no-fuss designer cupcake kits. You will get the upscale look with the satisfaction that you did it yourself. Sadly, they are from an Australian brand called Sweetiepie Cakes.

They currently produce 16 themes from baby showers, kids birthdays, bridal showers, weddings, women have tea partys and more. The kits are not cheap but each kit contains more than the typical cupcake kit.  You get the vanilla cupcake mix, ready-to-use icing, shaped decorations, cupcake wrappers, 2 paper cases for baking, a mini spatula, a round cutter for sugarpaste icing. You only need to supply the kitchen tools and the perishable ingredients.

If the cupcakes are for a hostess gift, you can get Kraft cupcake boxes for 6 with a cute gift wrap tag. Or you can print your own gift tag and use a string to secure the box. They also sell two styles of gift box for individual cupcakes.

SOURCING:
+ Sweetiepie Cupcake Kit S42.95 AUD

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These pancake molds should be a hit at your next family brunch or the morning after a sleepover birthday party. They may need a little practice so make sure to try them out a few times before you use them for a crowd.

Make sure to brush with oil or butter the griddle and molds. You could use a spray but I am not a fan of cooking spray. You can mix the two sets for more variety. Both cost $18 USD for a set of 3 assorted molds at Williams-Sonoma.

+ Make pancakes in the shape of a snail, a ladybug and a butterfly with Garden Creatures Pancake Molds
+ Get flapjacks shaped like monkey, lion and elephant faces with the Jungle Pancake Molds
+ Delight them with Caterpillar Cakelet Pan & Decorating Kit $36 for the cakelet pan, $16 for the decorating kit

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Every kid is fond of the circus. This festive kid party theme never gets old.  For the busy mom, a circus party is ideal since you can easily buy the basic elements.  Make sure to custom the theme. How you assemble everything is a great way to start. With the help of the computer and small craft projects, you will create a unique circus party decor. Concentrate on the buffet table and a few decorations displayed across the room.

Set the Tone with your Invitations

Go wild with the invite and put inside more that a invitation card like did Caroline for the second birthday of her son. Read how she created her amazing circus party invitations on her blog. Make sure to keep one invitation as a keepsake for your kid.

Popcorn bags are easy to find. Having a coupon on all items extend the circus theme as we used to know it. Pinning  a fabric on the wall transform it in a photo booth. You could lay down a make up table with a couple mirrors, wigs, red clown noses, and  clown overalls. Do not forget to supply makeup removal gear. If talents run in the family or in your neighbor households, organize a 10 to 15 minutes circus inspired performance.

Caroline Armelle’s party was certainly well-executed. Click here for the full story on the circus kid birthday party for a little boy.

CREDITS:
+ Images from Armelle – how to craft the circus party invitations
+ Via Design Mom

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