I recalled how many of you looked for pumpkin-carving ideas last year. Do not worry, I will bring you more inspirations until Halloween starting with these wonderful pumpkins that I found on Martha Stewart. The key is to decide on a theme. You get an extra WOW when you create a vignette.

One thing that Martha taught us is to not simply rely on pumpkins. Gourds and squashes fit the occasion as well. One detail is to carve the gourds and pumpkins from the bottom. This way it keeps the stems intact. Mixing sizes and forms is another design lesson when you are planning your vignette.

Variations

The Arise for the Dead pumpkin was carved by a reader of Martha. Jacquie W. used photos of New England headstones as templates. You can shape animals (see top collage) by cleverly assembling several pumpkins together. Or roll lino ink over the silhouette to add a sophisticated touch to your carved pumpkins.

The headless horseman and the skeleton rider pumpkins were created by a master carver named Tomas Gonzales. Tomas is an artist.

GET THE LOOK:
+ Pumpkin Alligator and Snail
+ Birdbath Family
+ Pumpkin Raccoon Bandit
+ Spooky Silhouette Designs
+ Spider Squash

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I succumbed to the charms of these photos. It is a fact that the team of stylists at Martha Stewart often make us dream. Here why these photos are my favorite ideas of the moment.

+ Eating s’mores around a campfire is a treat. In case you were not aware of this tradition, the basic campfire s’mores recipe has been popularized by the Girl Scouts. It called for two pieces of chocolate bars sandwiched between two graham crackers. You toast the marshmallows and place it on the chocolate in order for the chocolate to melt. I find that it is simpler to spread Nutella and its adds the hazelnut taste. Martha found a way to make the process more stylish by making Star-topped s’more sticks.

+ I like the simplicity of the wild flower centerpieces. Plus learn how to make these Message-in-a-Bottle Place Cards. Go for flat surface bottles since they safer than using round glass bottles. Square bottles are not too hard to find.

+ How to illuminate your outdoor table can be challenge. The LED lights do not always works and they require batteries. Instead, you can built on the look of a chandelier by hanging a dozen heat resistant glass jars and votive holders from your umbrella. Be careful to position them so that your guests will not hit them with their head. Create a sense of movement by alternating the heights of each do-it-yourself lanterns. You will need chains and S hooks to create this project.

+ The Origami Picnic Basket is a space saver. Through a clever folding technique you will transform a five-foot square of oilcloth into a basket strong enough to carry your food and drinks from the car to the picnic spot. Make sure to use an oilcloth, not a regular fabric.

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The best hostess knows that it is up to her to find ways for her guests to interact. When you host a big event, you cannot be there to introduce everyone. To avoid awkward moments or to explore new conversation topics, why not plan a conversation starter game.  With games that look as great as those ones, everyone will want to participate.

The three games I selected involved some do it yourself tasks. You probably have recognized her style. You will find the detailed set of instructions on Martha Stewart Weddings site.

I Knew you when…

During cocktail hour, each guest sticks a flag where they written their name into the year she met either the bride or groom. I imagine doing this at a milestone birthday party. Everyone later share how they met. Since you need something that you have no problem pinning the flag, ask the print shop for an oversize print to be mounted on foam board. It will be a nice souvenir for the guest(s) of honor.

Change is Good

You put vintage coins on a cute box wrapped with a ribbon. Each guest opens their box. One by one they tell the story of something good that happens to them on the year of the coins. Shown here are the chic Semikolon gift boxes. I bought the same collection to neatly store my magazines.

I Spy…

This is a game that will occupy the kids. Equipped with their own portable or digital camera, the kid who took a picture of the most challenges on the list win. This is why I think a cheap digital camera will work best for this game. It is called I spy but it could have be named I shot.

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR:
+ I Knew you when – including
+ Change is Good
+ I Spy

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In case you did not heard, the latest cookbook from Martha Stewart will be released next Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009. You will find inside Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes 175 ideas and recipes for cupcakes, frostings, fillings, and toppings. There are no second guess of what it should look like since every recipe is accompanied with a picture.

Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes is designed to have something from every level of bakers. You are sure to find inspiring cupcake decorations to fit every occasion. The cookbook covers classic recipes such as devil’s food cupcakes, sweet surprises like peanut butter and jelly cupcakes, elegant treats like tiny cherry-almond tea cakes up to festive showstoppers topped with piped buttercream blossoms or meringue bouquets.

For cookie lovers, Martha with her team of editors at Martha Stewart Living released a popular book on cookies last year. With recipes organized by texture, Martha Stewart’s Cookies covers a wide array of sweet surprises, including the traditional chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, rum raisin shortbread, peppermint meringue sandwiches with chocolate filling, and lime melt away cookies. Amongst the 175 cookie recipes are the beloved Anzac cookies.

For a not too sweet version, try the recipe by Heidi of 101 Cookbooks. Heidi says that Anzac cookies are very easy to bake. Anzacs are made from oats, coconut, and flour coming together in a butter-kissed dough. Canadian Family featured a classic Anzac biscuit recipe.

SOURCING:
+ Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone’s Favorite Treat $15.68 USD
+ Martha Stewart’s Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share $16.47 USD
+ image: Anzac Biscuits on Canadian Family
+ image: Anzac Cookies on 101 Cookbooks

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I bring style, creativity and comfort to my parties. I believe in time saving solutions. This includes buying fine products from local shops instead of doing everything myself. I am not ashamed to say that I am not crafty. But once in a while, I will engage in handmade projects for my parties.

According to Martha’s quiz, I am a Thoughtful Hostess. I lose points for not do everything hand-made and not wrapping the left-over meals. I am too busy for that and I do not eat left-over. I like that we can compare our quiz answers with how other participants answered.

Interesting Patterns in Answers

To the question How long before a dinner party do you invite guests?, I answered 1 month. In fact, for a casual dinner (no special occasions) I typically invite people 2 weeks in advance. For birthdays or a special theme party, I will invite people at least one month in advance. The overall results show that

• 65% invite guests 1 week in advance
• 32% invite guests 1 month in advance

When a guest offers to bring something to your home, most people (58%) declined the offer since they plan for everything while more than a third (40%) welcome that the guests bring their favorite treats to share.

One question that was awkwardly asked was about the guest room. This question illustrated the disconnection in Martha Stewart’s ideal living and reality. Many urban people live in a small house or a condo unit where clearly there is no space for a guess room. This is my case. For that reason, I did not know if we should answer how we wish our guest room to be instead of how we do it right now, out of necessity. The answers were:

• 58% answered: Simple wall art and bedding in calming colors, a bedside water pitcher, reading materials, an extra toothbrush, and a single flower in a bud vase.
• 34% answered: What guest bedroom? Guests are always invited to stay, and can grab a spot on the couch or air mattress; there are plenty of extra pillows and blankets.

This weekend Lianne of Babyburrito described me in her blog as “Martha Stewart with an edge and way more appeal.” It is SO nice of her to say that! I will stick to my style.

MORE:
+ What Kind of Hostess Are You? quiz

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Pies are the ultimate comfort food. Thanksgiving and Christmas would not feel the same without pies. Do not worry; there is still plenty of time to practice your pie making skills.

I turned to Martha Stewart’s for help. I was sure to find on her Web site teaches a few tricks on piecrust decoration. Whether you are a novice baker or you simply wish to fine-tune your technique, read the 6 steps of rolling out a piecrust. What you will need is:

• Pate brisee (pie dough) – Read how to make Pate Brisee, also in 6 steps
• Flour, for work surface
• Rolling pin
• Long offset spatula
• Pie plate
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Egg wash
• Pastry brush

Then, perfect the art of piecrust decoration from the simple crimped edge up to the elegant lattice top.

My Two-Minute Solution

My method of doing a styled edge is simpler. I simply fashion my piecrust to the ridges on the rim and produce a perfectly fluted-edge piecrust. I enjoy the Emile Henry pie dishes, available in white, red, blue, green and yellow.

MORE:
+ Braided Edge Piecrust
+ Piecrust decorated with Cut-out shapes
+ Honeycomb Pattern Piecrust
+ Lattice Top Piecrust
+ Emile Henry Couleurs Pie Dish – $39.99 USD

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Stephanie of Stephmodo nicely executed her handmade pie-shaped boxes. These are a sure way to leave a good impression on your guests.This is a cool idea that you can do on Monday for Thanksgiving.

+ Via Black Eiffel

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I gathered a few cool Halloween ideas that I spotted on the Web today. These are my daily quickly links.

+ First, I visited Horchow. This shop never ceases to impress me. The Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake would make a stunning effect on your dessert table. I would integrate it within your candy station. If you put it a little bit out of reach, your guests will be surprised when you slice into the cake.

+ The Black Halloween Punch Bowl & Skeleton Ladle is so pretty that I would imagine reasons to use it at other moments of the year. Complete your spooky Halloween scene with these pair of ravens.

+ I already showcased several options to etch and carve your pumpkins. You can get at Macys the Martha Stewart Collection Pumpkin Carving Kit. The kit includes all the tools you need, 6 carving patterns and instruction booklet. I wish Macys was delivering in Canada.

+ I dare you to resist these Halloween Cake Pops by Bakerella. She brilliantly decorates Jolly jack o’ lanterns, mouthless mummies, werewolves, Frankensteins, scary skulls, black cats, bats, witches, ghosts, one-eyed purple people eaters, spiders and Jason of Friday the 13th. You will get a list of what you need on Bakerella. Sadly, I fear that I am missing the skills to reproduce these. Via Hostess with the Mostess

SOURCING:
+ Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake – $140 USD
+ Black Halloween Punch Bowl & Skeleton Ladle – $150 USD
+ Raven Pair – $45 USD
+ Martha Stewart Collection Pumpkin Carving Kit – on sale at $18.75 USD

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One clear fact that emerged from my debate on kid birthday party favors is the party favors must be useful to win everyone’s hearts.

Craft Project

Ohdeedoh showcases this vintage looking oilcloth lunch bag by Martha Stewart’s Living today. They have a universal appeal.

Kids uses lunch bags all the time. This model has the advantage that you can insert it in the kid backpack. You could add a Velcro if you want that the bag stayed closed.

Serve and Give

Seeing the lunch bag with the nametag made me think about using the bag to serve the food at a birthday party. The kids can bring home the lunch bag as their treat.

For the kids to enjoy this party favor, you need to find oilcloth patterns that will appeal to them. Make each lunch bag unique by varying the combinations of colors and patterns.

Visit Martha Stewart for the complete set of instructions on how to make the oilcloth lunch bag.

Eco-friendly Option

You can replace oilcloth with organic canvas if you wish an eco-friendly lunch bag. Simply draw a different image to make each canvas lunch bag unique.

>>> Sourcing:
How-to: Oilcloth Crafts: Lunch Bags on Martha Stewart
Via: Blogging MS: Make an Oilcloth Lunch Bag [Ohdeedoh]

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You wish to have friends over on Halloween’s day, why not plan your gathering around a stylish haunted house affair? This elegant dinner party is simple enough to prepare that you can host it in the middle of the week.

The decor by Martha Stewart

You start with a few decorative elements that I found while digging Martha Stewart’s Web site.

To set the ambiance and to encourage people to stay until the end even on a work day, you can set up a dessert station in advance. This way, you do not waste energy and you have fewer things to do during the dinner party.

Candelabrums are a must to achieve this look. The Haunted party theme was published in 2000 on Martha Stewart Living with the instructions to build the Coffin Table and the Moth-Eaten Curtains. I selected this set because several elements go along the entertaining trends.

It takes no time or special skill to make these Specimen Jars. Start with three stylish clear glass vases, ideally of different shapes but within the same family. Fill them with a few drops of green food colorant dissolved in water and place inside a gourd, a green cabbage and a fennel. It is as simple as that.

The menu suggestion by Apartment Therapy

I taught of making my own menu but Faith from Apartment Therapy did a great job at hers. I invite you to have a look at Apartment Therapy to see it all. The pictures illustrate my three favorite dishes from their menu which are Rest in Peas, Spider Web Soup and Rare Tenderloin with Provencal green beans.

I added the Devilish Eggs as an entree because it is a great example of a nicely styled plate that is easy to reproduce. The only part I was not fond of from the menu of Apartment Therapy was the dessert. Martha’s ideas for the Haunted House party look more appealing.

For the dessert station, you have a wide selection to choose from with Halloween Lollipops, a Graveyard Cake, Meringue Sweet Bones and red Shrunken Pears. If you host a small affair, I suggest you cook the Shrunken Pears.

Mignardises are little delicacies that French hosts served after the dessert course. Buy two pieces per person of fine chocolate to serve as mignardises. You can serve these with coffee, tea or a luscious Vintage Port wine.

Sourcing:
Decorations and recipes: Haunted House party by Martha Stewart
Via: Happy Halloween: Dinner Party Inspiration on Apartment Therapy

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I want to share some Halloween ideas that I got from Martha Stewart. They provide inspirations on how to set up your room, food and drinks for a Halloween party.

Setting the mood right away

Everyone will pass a comment about the Spooky Arachnophobia Porch. Be prepared if you do this one. You set a high level of expectations for the rest of your party.

The Candy-filled Headstones can continue the ball. For the setting, place the black paper bags placed in a tray filled with black sand. Pay attention to proportion when selecting the paper bag size and the tray. Pour red and blue food coloring in water to simulate a realistic blood.

Neat tricks for food presentation

The Spider Toothpicks are so simple to do. Cut the bugs off plastic spider rings available at party stores or toy stores. Then puncture their centers with a needle tool and insert the toothpick into the hole you just made. Stop by a craft store to find a needle tool.

A take on the fashionable silhouette trend is to decorate the buffet table with the Shocking silhouettes. Heavyweight black card stock silhouettes are propped above candles to create spectacular shadows dance across the walls.

Go for larger shadows as they look scarier. The instructions for this DIY silhouette project are easy to follow. Be safe and use the flameless candles that I spoke earlier this week instead of real candles.

Creepy and spooky drinks

Being wedded to an amateur mixologist, I may have reservations with the taste of some cocktail variations. But one thing for sure, the visual impacts of these creepy drinks are quite convincing. I suggest you make a few in advance to show them off to your guests.

My favorite is the Eyeball Highball. Full impact and great taste united. The eyeball is made with a skin-off radish and a green olive freeze with water on an ice tray. Once your guests are in, it takes you no time to serve them the creepiest classic martini.

If you are a fan of sweet drink, a Pina Colada drink in a red-rimmed glass is called Pina Ghoulada for Halloween. The red substance can even stain your lips on the rosy side.

Once you passed the slimy texture, you probably enjoy the tequila and lime cocktail called Swamp Sip.

With name like Ghost in the Graveyard, Screwed-Up Screwdriver and Berry Scary Martini, the Spooky Halloween Spirits look pretty special.

Sourcing:
Learn more: Bad Things in Tricks and Treats by Martha Stewart
Learn more: Halloween cocktails by Martha Stewart

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The naive jack-o’-lantern of your childhood does not suffice anymore. Like everything else in life, Halloween decors took on a sophisticated trail.

We may have to thank Martha Stewart for putting more pressure on us. But when you look at the results, the extra efforts are worth it. You start by grouping pumpkins to make a table centerpiece or an outdoor vignette.

With a little skill and patience, everyone can reproduce these striking pumpkins. The October issue of Martha Stewart Living comes with all the templates and a full set of instructions with the tools you need. A version of Denizens of the Dark is also available online.

A few shopping tips

Look at your space and select the best place to set your vignette. Use the provided templates or draw your own. Figure out how many pumpkins you will need based on your overall composition and your space layout before you hit the farm stand or the pumpkin patch. Bring your templates with you. If it is your first attempt at etching, buy a couple extra pumpkins to practice.

Stop by the garden center and buy moss. The idea is to create a scene so do not neglect the small decorative elements. Putting moss under and surrounding the pumpkins is crucial to create natural scenery. Better yet, brush some yogurt on the surface, mist often to create an aging look. Some people suggest mixing the moss with yogurt. Try to temporary aging the walls and the rest of your decor.

If you are really into it, you can mix insect props, fall vegetables and other Halloween décor items. You can buy them or rent several pieces at a prop shop near you.

Opt for pumpkins of the right sizes and shapes with slightly flat faces because it is easier to transfer the designs on them. Varying the sizes and shapes of the pumpkins usually looks better.

Etching versus carving

You mix these two techniques to vary the illuminations of your composition. That is a huge part of the Wow factor. Varying the depth of etching is little bit like varying the line strength on a drawing. What you should recall is that the more pared skin, the brighter the design will glow.

Some suggestions on how to proceed

The outdoor scenes full of watchful ravens, screeching cats, and fluttering moths will please children and adults. Do not overlook key design elements. For example, the rickety picked fence unites the row of three pumpkins in a depiction of a farmer’s field. If it is your first time, I suggest you start by replicating Martha’s vignettes. It is best to gain some experience before thinking of designing your own Halloween scenes.

Apparently, you will be able to enjoy your carved pumpkins until the Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States. For your information, we celebrate Thanksgiving the second Monday of October in Canada.

Organize a carving event

Getting help will reduce your stress and add fun to the whole thing. So do not be shy and invite a few friends to participate in the pumpkin carving. It is a fun afternoon activity. Plan a dinner after the carving session to thank your friends.

Why not distribute the flyaway favors that night? This is another impressive creation from Martha’s team. Fill a brown paper bag with candies. Cut thin strips into a second lunch bag and make sure you stop short of the base. Place the bag filled with candies inside the cut bag. Insert a small branch with an inch or two inside the bag. Cinch the tops of both bags and secure with black twine.

Sourcing:
Learn more: Denizens of the Dark by Martha Stewart
Learn more: Flyaway Favors by Martha Stewart

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