I am over at Whatever DeeDee Wants today sharing some ideas for creating a fun and inexpensive centerpieces for your table. Check the options then come on over and see how to put it together:

(Seriously, easy and on the cheap, ladies!)

If you want to put those kiddos to work, here is a tutorial for making paper turkey place holders.

Emily has been asking to make mosaic votives like the ones we did at Christmas time. I thought that they would be an excellent addition to our Halloween decor; and after some procrastination we finally got around to making some. The girls loved this activity and it is so easy and relatively low mess, it’s perfect for after school or for a long weekend like we are starting tomorrow. Really, I don’t know what I was waiting for.

materials

clear votive candle holder (Or re-use small canning jars as we did. We loved how the rounded 1/2 pint jars looked. I think something big like a pickle jar would also be great.)
tissue paper
mod podge ( I recommend the gloss finish) thinned white glue will also work in a pinch
scissors
paint brush

directions:

1.  Lightly sketch your design onto the tissue paper if needed. Cut out the pieces, I used strips to give it a pumpkin-y feel; the girls preferred more of a mosaic technique.

3. Brush a thin coat of mod podge onto an area. It dries fairly quickly, so it is best to just coat a few inches, apply tissue, then move to the next section. It is alright if it gets a few wrinkles and uneven spots. This will give the design more character. Slick a little more mod podge over the tissue paper to adhere it to the glass.

4. Work your way around the entire exterior, covering all of the glass with a final coat to seal. If there are areas where there is a ridge or bead of mod podge, smooth out with the brush so that everything is even and flat along the glass.

Once it is completely dry, place a candle in your new holder and arrange on the table or line your spooky sidewalk with pumpkin luminaries. I recommend LCD votives – not only are they safer for little hands; but if you turned the glass upside down, you will need them as there isn’t enough O2 for a candle. Enjoy!

…I mean it literally. It just tickles the girls to have a monochrome dinner and a green table for St. Patrick’s day is the perfect way to celebrate. I thought I’d throw out a few ideas. Share in the comments if you have a fun tradition.

• Shamrock pancakes are a Jensen specialty. Just tint the batter green. LuAnn freehands with a spoon; I find it easiest to pour the batter into a gallon zipper bag and snip a corner off. Either way, make your shamrocks by joining 3 (or 4 if your lucky, hehe) circles or hearts for the leaf and a little stem. Perfect for breakfast or dinner.
• Green eggs and ham are a popular choice. Stir a 3-4 drops of green food coloring into the eggs as you scramble. To color the ham, let it sit in heavily tinted water overnight. (I have to admit, we had this in YW when I was 13 and I refused to touch the ham. It looked nasty to me. Just so you know…I still think it would be worth trying.)
• For a twist on green milk, squeeze a few drops of food coloring into the bottom of a glass and set it out on the table for the kiddos. Once they are seated, fill the glass with milk and watch their surprise as it magically changes color. You can tell them it is a leprechaun trick.
• Tint bread or rolls green for dinner (add the coloring at the start of making the dough). I think we are going to have green bread bowls for dinner (maybe even shamrock-shaped bowls if I am not to crazy by then), filled with my favorite creamy chicken noodle soup–dyed green of course.

• You can mix a little food coloring with milk and paint it onto white bread if  you aren’t  into making it from scratch.
• My other main dish possibility so far is green chicken and rice. I think adding 6-8 drops into the water before cooking rice would work well. Then make a creamy chicken mix and dye that too. Serve with peas and green jell-o and you are set.
• Of course, shamrock sugar cookies, or green cookies or cupcakes, in general are a welcome St.P treat.
• Don’t forget how many other food items you can stir a little green into; such as mashed potatoes, cream cheese, oatmeal, grits, ice cream, rice krispy treats, and more.
• On the non-food front; my cute friend Melissa gets a visit from a leprechaun at her house. He leaves gold foil coins, shamrocks, and treats for their kids. He could also plays tricks as outlined on this eHow article.
• If you can round them up, you can use Easter egg dye tablets in your toilet or screw one into the aerator of your faucet to have green water come out.
• Family Fun has a bevy of great ideas, including instructions on how to make a Leprechaun Trap.

image via family fun

I can’t wait for this happy go lucky holiday! It is the day after my little sis’ birthday, so we have always loved to party hard for this one! Hope you guys enjoy too!

This is a fun one! I love to make these for friends; the votives look so beautiful lit up. You can make them simple and sweet or over-the-top intricate and stunning. Either way, just a little tissue paper and a glass candle holder or even 1/2 pint jar will transform into a great gift. So head over to Today’s Mama and make one or three today!

We were always excited to head over to Woodburn, OR for Oktoberfest when I lived at home. Although beer certainly is the centerpiece of the festival, there is a lot to see and eat at these carnivals. Oktoberfest is arguably the largest festival in the world, hosting well over 6 million people in the actual fair in  Munich last year. It was first held to honor the newly married Crown Prince Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria in 1810. Celebrations run from late September to the first Sunday of October and chances are there is a festival being held in a city or town near you. However, if you’d like to celebrate at home, I suggest having a german inspired dinner, possibly trying out a traditional game of skittles, and making these Edelweiss hats to wear for the party.

edelweiss hats

materials:

large piece of felt or construction paper; trimmed to 12×18-inches (traditionally green)

white and yellow felt or construction paper for flower

*For paper, use a hole punch to make 6 circles or do one larger circle. You can also use 6 yellow pompoms or beads for the center.

feather

glue (glue stick for paper, craft or hot glue for felt)

directions:

1. Fold the sheet of felt or paper in half. (It should now measure 9×12.)
2. Fold both top corners in towards the middle evenly, leaving 2-3 inch border along the bottom. If you are using felt, you will need to tack the corners down with a bead of glue.
3. Fold the bottom up on both sides each to their own side.  This forms the brim.

4. Cut out an edelwiess flower. (Here’s the pattern I used:) If you are using paper, use a hole punch to make 5 yellow circles and glue all together.

5. Make a small puddle of glue on one side of the hat and lay the bigger flower down to make the base, then put the smaller on top. Next add a puddle in the center of the flower and arrange the circles to form a center.

6. Then tuck (and glue if necessary) the feather behind the flower and feiern!