 Posted 9/30/2009 5:00:37 PM
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Hey Parents,
All Hallow's Eve is coming up fast... let's start sharing some tips and tricks to help get through this spookiest of nights!
I'll be posting later about some of my favourite Do-It-Yourself costumes and decorations... and I'd love to hear from all of you. How do you make Hallowe'en special for your family?
Sara Smith
Interactive Project Manager
saras@parentscanada.com
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Posted 10/1/2009 2:52:17 PM
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My costume last year was a classic Mummy. I made this myself using items I had at home, and a couple of things picked up at my local thrift store. It's a great costume for kids too, as it's inexpensive, easy and fun to put together, and easy to customize based on how warm you want them to be!
Materials:
- "bandages" - I bought some old white sheets and tore them into strips, but would recommend something with a bit more stretch to it (gauze, cheesecloth or similar)
- face makeup (pale/green skin and dark around the eyes)
- white undergarments (long-sleeve t-shirt and thermal underwear work well)
- thread for stitching, or hot glue gun and glue sticks
TIP: To make the bandages look as though they've been stuffed in a musty sarcophagus for thousands of years, you can "age" them by soaking them in black tea. Make sure they're fully dry before assembling your costume!
To assemble your Mummy, it's best to start with the undergarments already on, and wrap the bandages, gluing or stitching in place where needed. Make sure to leave enough slack that the top and bottoms can be easily taken on and off. Add finishing touches by wrapping additional gauze around hands, shoes, and head, and adding a bit of pale face makeup, and ringing the eyes with black.
Complete the look by walking stiffly with your arms held out in front of you, and groaning. Happy haunting!
Sara Smith
Interactive Project Manager
saras@parentscanada.com
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Posted 10/1/2009 3:38:52 PM
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I co-hosted a Hallowe'en party last year, and these treats were a huge hit!
Frankenfingers:
Make a simple samosa recipe, but shape the pasty into small cylindrical rolls instead of triangles. Making samosas is actually easier than it might seem, although they are a bit time-consuming. Try one of these recipes:
http://www.samosa-recipe.com/Vegetable_Samosa.html
http://www.indianfoodforever.com/snacks/samosa.html
**TIP: I buy the Clubhouse "Indian Masala" prepared spice at the grocery store - it's one simple step to adding a really authentic flavour.
When your "fingers" are ready, serve them with "bloody chutney". Purchase or make some delicious mango chutney, and add red food colouring (a tiny drop of green will help it look less pink, and more blood red).
Spider Cakes:
Use your favourite plain cake recipe to make cupcakes, but add small chocolate chips or sprinkles to the batter (these will become the crunchy "spider eggs" in your cakes!). When cool, ice your cupcakes with white or orange icing. Melt some dark or semisweet chocolate in a pan (use a double boiler to prevent burning!), and spoon into a cake-decorating tube (in a pinch you can also use a plastic baggie with a corner snipped off).
For spiderwebs: pipe chocolate onto the cupcake in a spiral. Then (quickly, before the chocolate hardens) drag a toothpick from the center to the outer edge; 5 or 6 times should do it.
For spiders: pipe a big blob of chocolate in the middle of the cake, and then add 8 spindly legs.
Enjoy!
Sara Smith
Interactive Project Manager
saras@parentscanada.com
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