OUIJA COOKIES & DIVINATION CHIC: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

October 31, 2019January 17, 2020 by msftliving, posted in Baking, Food, Mysticism

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, my spooky party people.

The day has at last arrived, so clearly that means we had to do some supremely spooky baking to go along with it!

This time starring: ouija planchettes & crystal balls

You know when you’re obsessed with something, but would never actually do it? That’s how I feel about ouija boards. Obviously it’s not in a ‘wears lululemon every day yet never sets foot in a gym’ kind of way. More just like loving the look and all the old-world vibes, yet knowing it’s always best to simply NOT MESS WITH THE REALM.

With it being the end of October we’re still plowing through the 31 for 31 horror movie marathon. Which means hours of watching naive casts of characters make the absolute WORST decisions possible – including haphazardly messing with ouija boards.

((looking at you, showboating psychic Brock Davies))

But that aside, have you ever checked them out on Etsy?? Seriously, some of them are outright works of art. And because of that, I am all about having one as decor in the house! Especially considering the rich and crazy history of spirit boards in general, it always makes for a great conversation piece. But, whatever you do…

Hide. That. Planchette.

Because when your friends get drunk at 2AM on a Saturday and decide it’d be a ~super cool~ and ~~hilarious~~ thing to play with for the ‘Gram – you’re going to regret it. The realm doesn’t mess around (!!!)

So with all of that said, we wanted to honor the ouija with a kitschy twist. Which made cookies seem the perfect answer! And since we’re rolling with the theme of divination tools that some people swear by, whereas others laugh in the face of, crystal balls felt like a totally worthy (& uber chic) pairing, too.

Check it out!

We used our same basic, no-spread sugar cookie recipe from a few weeks back…

Only this time, with slightly more jazzed up icing.

Sorry trick-or-treaters, you won’t be getting any of these gems tonight.

But to everyone nonetheless, Happy Halloween!!

xxAA

DIY PUMPKITTEN SQUAD

October 22, 2019October 22, 2019 by msftliving, posted in DIY

Mmm, there’s nothing like prancing around a pumpkin patch IN 90-DEGREE WEATHER.

Ugh. Fall, it’s normally not hard to love you, so why. WHY???

Anyway – it’s crazy to think that Halloween is already just nine short days away. And if that also means you’re running out of excuses to continue putting off that annual love/hate relationship you have with carving pumpkins, then do we have a fix for you!

Now, don’t get me wrong. Pumpkin carving is cool. I mean, I never actually did it for real for real until just a few years ago, but at the same time…there’s no denying the mess. Or the smell. Or how it feels like they’ve already rotted before you even ~really~ have time to enjoy them.

So from all of that we came up with a solution. Something cuter, cleaner & that can still be just as creepy if you get the beady eyes right: PUMPKITTENS!

A feline fierce take on classic jack-o-lantern vibes, mini pumpkitten squads are the answer to our pleas of ornamented squash vitality. Since we’re painting instead of cutting into the pumpkins, they’re guaranteed to last loads longer. PLUS, unless you’re a regular Michael Myers with knives, this method provides way more creative control with just as much customizable potential, too!

Seriously, it wasn’t until just YESTERDAY that we finally threw away the lone survivor of last year’s crop. So especially if you’re one to consider Halloween decor as just decor, then this project is totally up your alley.

// WHAT YOU NEED //

+ Mini pumpkins

+ All-purpose craft paint (black & green)

+ A very thin paintbrush

+ A pencil

+ Black pipe cleaners (2 per pumpkin; cut into 3.5-inch pieces)

+ Flexible black craft/jewelry wire (6 per pumpkin; cut into 1.5- to 2-inch pieces)

// STEPS //

++ Use the pencil to lightly sketch an outline of the face, including the eyes, nose & mouth.

++ With an exceptionally steady hand, first paint the green portion of the eyes. Let dry & apply a second coat.

++ Wash your brush & then paint the black portion of the eyes and outline the nose/mouth. Let dry.

++ Bend your pipe cleaners into the shape of a cat’s ear & stick them into the top of the pumpkin in an applicable, ear-like position.

++ Finally, stick half of the wire pieces on each side of the mouth & fan them out to resemble whiskers.

(NOTE: if your pumpkin(s) are unusually hard, you might need to use a toothpick, psycho ice pick or any other sharpish object to make a small, prelim puncture before sticking your pipe cleaners and/or wire into place)

And there you have it! Adorably festive (& somewhat everlasting) pumpkittens ready to usher in yet another fabulously spooky season.

Let us know how they turn out for you!

xxAA

4 HALLOWEEN DECOR TRENDS YOU NEVER WOULD’VE GUESSED

September 10, 2019 by msftliving, posted in Pop Culture

If you didn’t get the memo, we’re only 51 DAYS AWAY from Halloween.

I know, I know – it’s hard to believe when it still feels like the surface of the sun outside. But once the networks start promoting their October lineups, dejected pool noodles get marked for closeout and the PSL debuts before school has a chance to start, then you know it’s about to get real.

And if you’re spooky season-obsessed, then you also know it’s time to sound the most important alarm of all: HALLOWEEN MERCH HAS ARRIVED!

Although, this year? It may not be quite what you’re expecting.

Of course you have the usual suspects: pumpkins, bats, skulls…you know. But this time around it seems retailers nationwide are aiming to keep things fresh as well as chilling. You’ve probably heard the buzz behind TJ’s new yogi skeleton air plants or the surge in tropical Halloween aesthetics (don’t worry, it’s way more chic than you’d assume). However, if you think that’s as crazy as things are getting this year – think again.

Now don’t get me wrong, we’re all about it! The contrast of cute & creepy is always a win. And the degree that stores have stepped up their holiday decor game in recent decades has been pretty revolutionary. Don’t lie: we all know the kinds of decorations our grandmas have stockpiled in their sheds for the last 50 years. So decor that’s both seasonal AND shows off our personal styles? Can’t beat it.

So to kick off our prep for the superbly spooky season, let’s take a look at some of this year’s biggest (& somewhat surprising) decor themes – soon to hit a shelf near you.

// GLAM //

OK, so glam-o-ween is one that’s actually been around for a while. But how could we resist leaving SUCH a great thing off a list like this? Mercury glass, jewels, metallics and more—what’s seriously not to love about elevating an aesthetic to make it as dark & dreamy, yet refined as possible.

++ Skull Decanter | Williams-Sonoma

++ Mercury Glass Skull | Target

++ Jeweled Metal Fly Ornaments | World Market

++ Black Glass Goblet | At Home

++ Disco Ball Skull | Target

++ Marbled Pumpkin Set | Joann

++ Halloween Feather Wreath | Wayfair

++ Full-Sized, Distressed Gold Skeleton | Grandin Road

// CUTE & KITSCHY //

Another thing about Halloween is that it’s equal parts fun for adults and kids alike. So it only makes sense that the daily doses of cute you currently see in every other facet of retail on the planet (looking @ u sloths, llamas and unicorns) would make their way into these seasonal goods as well.

& if you don’t believe me, just go to your local grocery store and tell me there isn’t a llama sitting in the Halloween section right now.

++ Halloween Llama | Pier 1

++ Fairy Skeleton Ornament | Joann

++ Halloween Unicorn Cookies | Williams-Sonoma (OK not decor, but so cute)

++ Pumpkin Succulent | Target

++ Unicorn Skeleton | World Market

++ Halloween Teapot | Pier 1

++ Halloween Sloth | Target

// OLD WORLD / STEAMPUNK //

In addition to love, vampires and Nikki Sixx’s heart, steampunk never dies, either. A case that’s especially true when it comes to aesthetics of Halloween! From Victorian Goth vibes to old world treasures, this year has brought a healthy host of products that celebrates the timeless look, no doubt.

++ Spooky Record Player | Wayfair

++ Poisons & Potions Wagon | Target

++ Skeleton Carriage | Michaels

++ Spooky Cameras | World Market

++ Antique Phone | Grandin Road

++ Pumpkin Coach | Wayfair

++ Spooky Film Projector | World Market

// RETRO //

As we’ve seen with every recent movie and TV reboot: nostalgia is clearly in. And apparently the same goes for Halloween. Although tons of stores roll out their own spins on vintage products, the latter half of the twentieth century has obviously been a particularly popular source of inspiration.

Besides, let’s be real – those life-sized, animatronic zombie props are basically just Big Mouth Billy Basses in disguise.