Daily Painting 6

I am challenging myself. A painting a day, every day.

Here is Day 6:

Halloween 2015

This Halloween we wanted to create a spooky haunted forest but still keep it light and playful enough that it was still warm, inviting and not too gloomy.  

Some dead tree branches from the yard were perfect for making a huge impact - and the best part is that they cost NOTHING!

When you bring lots of natural elements into the decor everything falls into place. Sea shells, leaves, branches, pine cones and any other natural element can cover your decorating schemes for all the seasons and holidays.

"Creepy Cloth" is a very loose weave gauze-like fabric that can be draped from almost any surface to create a delightfully creepy look. Here we have draped it on our picture frames (two professional artists in the house and we have EMPTY picture frames....we're cuckoo!).

A simple branch in a flower pot with some floral foam and a centerpiece is born!

Birds perched in random places makes it feel as if they have landed there themselves, and that we are being quietly outnumbered by some spooky guests.

Orange and black is such a traditionally Halloween color scheme, but it can feel a bit tacky at times. With the right balance and some natural elements some Halloween elegance can be attained.

A bird and some silk leaves on each place setting helps tie the buffet decor to the table. We found our birds at Dollar Tree.

We like to bring out the ornate silver charger plates and accessories for a Halloween look because it feels like they could be right out of an old haunted mansion!

We found some lovely salad plates with a subtle embossed leaf pattern covering the entire surface of the plate. The natural leaf pattern makes them ideal for autumn decor and because they are plain white instead of fall colors they will fit in beautifully with Spring and Easter decor as well.

Here is a look back at last Halloween with our buffet in burgundy and black. 

As always, thanks for stopping by! Likes, shares, pins, follows and comments always greatly appreciated!

Pineapp-O-Lantern: A Tropic'alloween Treat

Who says you can only make a Jack-O-Lantern out of a pumpkin? 

Not me! 

Allow me to introduce you to a frightfully fun Halloween treat that makes a great presentation when serving a fruit plate, or fruit and cheese platter or even an awesome Halloween breakfast!

I'm calling it a Pineapp-O-Lantern: A Tropic'alloween Treat!



It's basically the same process as carving a Jack-O-Lantern, so I wont bore you with an in-depth how-to, but I will share some tips.

I went the traditional route - cutting the top to make the 'lid' of the Jack-O-Lantern and then scooping out the contents, but I'll definitely be doing things differently the next time I do this (see tips below).

A much more efficient way (and what I ended up doing about half way through digging and scooping pineapple) would be to make the 'lid' cut at the top, and also chop the bottom off the pineapple so you can approach it from both ends.

Then you'll only need to run the blade of your knife around the inside edge of both ends, hollowing out a cylinder and sliding it out. This will leave you with nice hollow shell for carving a face, as well as a nice neat tube of pineapple to core and slice for serving.

All that's left to do is carve a face, and pop in a battery operated tealight candle (I got my candles 2 per pack at Dollar Tree, batteries included and they even flicker like real flames!).

This project is great for bringing some whimsical Halloween fun to an unexpected place like a fruit platter, and I love that the pineapple top looks like spooky spiked hair!

EXTRA TIP: It's not just for Halloween! Change the facial features slightly and you could carve a tiki face into the pineapple for an awesome display for a luau or other tropical themed summer party!

Well hello there Mr Creepy Pinapp-O-Lantern face!

Pepper Pumpkins and Mashed BOOtatoes

Pepper Pumpkins and Mashed BOOtatoes! 

I actually made them this year, and here are the pictures to prove it!! (and illustrated six step how-to guide and recipe below)

Every holiday season I start decorating and preparing just a little bit earlier than the start of the season -- which lulls me into falsely believing I have plenty of time to prepare and create all the fantastical holiday projects that dance through my head.  Yet somehow I go from being the early bird planner to the last minute loser every year without having any idea what happened to all the time between.

For YEARS I have planned to make stuffed peppers carved as Jack-O-Lanterns and mashed potatoes in the shape of ghosts that I rename mashed "BOOtatoes" but somehow Halloween passes before I can bring my Halloween dinner visions to life.

Well this year it finally happened! We made my Halloween dinner dreams come true! It was fun, festive and most importantly DELICIOUS.

So, here is the recipe we used and the step by step pictures along the way. This is recipe was created and tweaked to be more healthy by my mom, the lovely and talented artist Peggy Hickey.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

Peppers

3 Orange Bell Peppers

1 half pound (85% lean) chopped beef

1/4 cup dry uncooked oatmeal

1 half a small onion diced

1 tablespoon Gravy Master

Sauce

1 can (16 oz) tomato sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Steps illustrated below!

Preheat the oven to 385 F degrees.

I started with the lovely orange peppers that I see in the store every year, only this time I bought them early, forcing myself to make this meal before the peppers went bad. 

I treated the little orange peppers just like pumpkins -- cutting around the top as a 'lid' just like when carving a Jack-O-Lantern.

This made it quite easy to pull all the seeds out in one easy step.

Cut the seeds off the 'lid' and clean out any stray seeds inside.

Toss the seeds, but keep the 'lid' for later.

Then the fun part of carving the 'face'.

Channel your inner child and give each pepper it's own playful or spooky personality.

Don't make them too scary or you'll be afraid to eat it!

Make the stuffing by combining:

1 half pound (85% lean) chopped beef

1/4 cup dry uncooked oatmeal

1 half a small onion diced

1 tablespoon Gravy Master

Fill each pepper pumpkin with the meat mixture.

Don't pack it too tightly or it may not cook evenly.

Put their lids back on and pop them in the oven!

Bake for 45 minutes at 385 F degrees.

I DARE you not to smile back at them when you see their little faces smiling out from the oven --it's not possible.

While they are in the oven, start the sauce by combining the following:

1 can(16 oz) tomato sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Combine tomato sauce, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar in a small pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves and it's nice and hot. Don't overcook.

Serve with mashed potatoes spooned into ghost shapes and use peppercorns as eyes and mouth. 

You could use a pastry bag for the ghostly mashed BOOtatoes, or you can artfully dollop the potatoes - snowman style.

I used a plain ole spoon and placed a large dollop on the plate, then a medium one on top of that and a small one on top. Pay extra attention to the peak on the top dollop because that will make the ghosty head. 

Open the top of the pepper pumpkin and pour sauce inside the pepper so it oozes out creepily.

This sauce is tangy and sweet and a perfect compliment to the peppers.

And thats it! 

I've wanted to make this meal for so many years, and we finally did it! 

Okay...full disclosure. We made these on November 4th !! 

But in all fairness, the Halloween decorations were still up, and being after Halloween meant no trick or treaters to interrupt dinner, and we had lots of leftover candy for dessert!

Also, we are always looking to create healthy meals, and ground beef does not typically make it into our meal plans. Peggo had the great idea of adding the oatmeal to the stuffing with the rationale that the beef may raise cholesterol, but Oatmeal lowers it, so they cancel themselves out! While that science may or may not be completely sound, the oatmeal does bulk up the meat filling so you get a nice big portion without feeling too terribly guilty!

Dunkin Donuts

Oh..My...God.....

Dunkin Donuts that look like Pumpkins.

It's like the universe designed a perfect mouse trap for me..

It turns out that the hospital where we are visiting our Evie every day is right next door to a Dunkin Donuts....

....and they have donuts that look like PUMPKINS! 

Oh Great Pumpkin! How could you do this to me?

Impossible to resist.



Stress and carbs -- both dancing an intoxicating Pasodoble' in my body. 

Sugar that goads and fuels the anxiety spikes like a matador's red cape -- then dropping off to the side suddenly so the bull has wasted it's energy charging at the empty cape, exhausting and subduing  the beast into a comfort-food induced nap. 

Carrie Ann, Len and Bruno would all rate the performance a perfect ten.

It's like tossing a marble on the roulette wheel of health...

But...look how pretty...

I want to go to there.

Spooktackular Halloween Cereals

Okay, confession time. 

Before today I had never tasted Franken Berry or Boo Berry cereals! It's crazy, right?

Well, in the midst of my quest to appreciate all the tiny everyday miracles in life, and celebrate everything, a Halloween breakfast party was born.

When we saw Count Chocula, Boo Berry and Franken Berry cereals there amongst all the Halloween goodies at Aldi at a frightfully low price, the little kid in me reached out and grabbed them and slipped them into the cart when the adult me was not looking.

I am so glad my inner child was a little miss grabby hands this time.
Even the boxes make me smile. They are so Boo-tiful.

This is one very easy way to make a new family tradition and give little ones great Halloween memories just by making a VERY easy breakfast party any time in October.

As for me, I am still learning how to use my camera, so I took pictures of all of the spooky breakfast treats in their natural habitat (our kitchen table).

Mooning over the October Moon

There is nothing quite like the October moon.

I have many fond memories of going for evening walks (physical training for a trip to Disney World) and as we would reach a certain point on the road we would round the curve and see the October moon, low in the sky, HUGE and gorgeous.

The crisp Autumn air would dance with the balmy end-of-summer breezes, creating miniature tornadoes swirling through piles of leaves, making orange red and yellow kaleidoscope patterns in mid air.

It's one of the many sensory delights of the season that remind me that the world is a beautiful place.

Listen to the song 'Moondance' by Van Morrison while looking at the October moon this year -- it is something everyone should experience at some point in their lives -- truly magical.

Pssst!!  For those of you who were expecting some coarse humor about the kind of mooning that refers to exposing ones buttocks...I apologize for misleading you. All I can do is offer you this peach as some small consolation.

Disney Haunted Mansion Painting in Progress

It's time for a peek into the artist's studio!

Here's what I am working on right now... It's pretty much finished... but I need to get away from it for a while and see it with fresh eyes..

I love Disney, I love Halloween..

Put 'em both together and this is what comes out...

Is this a phone call from a ghost?

The audio of this clip has not been edited or manipulated in any way.

We received this message on our answering machine on a blustery day in October. We have no idea what it is or who it is from, but it is definitely the creepiest message we have ever gotten -- ever.

Though there is likely a perfectly reasonable and logical explanation for this message that does not involve ghosts, goblins, Heffalumps or Woozles, it's October -- let's get our spooky on!

Do you know what (if anything) is being said in this recording?

Happy Halloween!!

A Murder of Crows, Unkindness of Ravens

Nevermore!

One of my favorite natural Autumn occurrences is when flocks of black birds flying south for the winter make a stop at our house. It's always just a little bit scary, but exciting! While they are visiting,  the trees are alive with movement. The chatter of the hundreds of birds is like no other sound I have ever heard - it surrounds you.

They often swoop down in large numbers - in perfect  synchronization and cover the ground as they peck at the grass, covering it like a black carpet - swooping up and down from the trees in unison. 

But the most dramatic moment, by far is when somehow at the exact same moment every single bird decides to fly away.


The loud chattering suddenly goes silent and still and the there is a whooshing sound as they all take flight. Hundreds of them in a perfectly choreographed exit - it's breath taking.

Somehow I always manage to be outside to see this show at least once a year and I feel very fortunate that I get front row seats to this spectacle of Autumn splendor.

This annual event definitely inspired this years Halloween decorating.

Dollar Tree sells little black birds every year for Halloween and this year I finally picked up a few. 

I could not be happier with the results. Every time I walk into the dining room and see them I am reminded of my favorite Autumn experience. 

It's also slightly unnerving every time I rediscover their eerie presence in the house! 

Just a few of them with "creepy cloth" (a loose weave mesh cloth sold at Halloween) and the look is complete. It's a huge impact for very little cost or effort!

The color palette  brought down to just black and burgundy with a few orange pops of color really heightens the drama and amps up the creepy factor.
Fun Facts:
A group of Crows is referred to as a 'Murder' of Crows.
A group of Ravens is referred to as an 'Unkindness' of Ravens

I'm not sure what kind of birds are inhabiting our dining room,  but the names alone make the birds a creepy addition to the Halloween decor and seeing them in the house is delightfully unsettling for this spooky time of year!

Orange Twinkle Lights.

Orange Twinkle Lights!

I love Autumn. I love crisp Autumn days and chilly Autumn nights. With autumn comes shorter days and longer nights and an intense urge to cuddle and hibernate. As the days get shorter I like to brighten up the house with orange twinkle lights to make the house feel cozy and bright. I cannot get enough of that warm glow. It totally changes the feel of the house even with no other decorations.

To really get the most out of theses lights, I like to place them around lots of shiny and reflective items like glass and shiny metallic accessories.

Reflective objects double the amount of sparkle giving you twice the bang for your buck!

In the dining room it is the perfect excuse to pull out your 'holiday' serving ware so you can enjoy it even when you are not serving a holiday feast. Even the silver trays from the dollar store take on a whole new opulent feel when surrounded by fall leaves and orange lights.

Lighting can really change the mood, and for me it makes it easier to let go of the last bit of summer when I know I get to put up the orange twinkle lights and bring in that warm cozy glow.

The warmth of the light evokes the same emotions as gathering around the cozy glow of a fireplace as we settle in for winter, or an Autumn bonfire for gathering and telling ghost stories.

Here comes another Autumn full of warmth, light and celebration! Enjoy it!

Decorating for Autumn with Fall Foliage.

Happy October!!

Today is the first day of October, and my Autumn decorating has officially begun.

Though the leaves outside have only just barely started showing a hint of color change, inside the house our fall foliage is at its peak!

Nothing says Autumn like brightly colored fall leaves. Until I find a way to preserve real fall foliage at its peak color, my collection of silk fall leaves will have to do!

Over the years I have collected quite a pile them in the form of leafy garlands, leafy branches and loose leaves. These leaves transform the house into an Autumn wonderland over night.

Whether it is just placing a few scattered leaves on the dining room table or fireplace mantel among other centerpiece items, real or silk fall leaves really bring the Autumn feel into the house with a pop of color, a touch of nature and a hint of texture.

Garlands and leafy branches make it feel like an Autumn celebration every day. I think of the rich Autumn decor from the Van Tassels Halloween party in The legend of Sleepy Hollow.

A fall leaf  lit from behind creates a stunning stained glass window effect, which brings me to my most favorite part of fall decorations, Orange Twinkle Lights! (read more about decorating with orange twinkle lights by clicking the link)

Free Halloween Printable and Tutorial

Halloween is Creeping in...and creatures are stirring in the shadows...

If you would like to have some of the most well mannered mice in your house for Halloween, look no further.

• Just print the solid black mouse printable below on card stock or other thick paper 
• cut them out 
• stick them to the risers on your staircase with circles  of tape on the back

or if you want to save printer ink and you have construction paper on hand, you can do what I did and print just the red outline printable on regular printer paper and use it to cut your mice out of black construction paper.

TIP! If you want to cut several sheets at a time, line them up in a stack and staple them in multiple places (outside of the mouse shapes) before cutting. Then your stack wont shift as you cut and you will get accurate cuts all the way through on detailed areas like tails and nosies and toesies!  Templates Below!

Use this template (above) if you are printing on light colored card stock!

Use this template (above) if you'll be using black paper!

Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!!

Creepy Old Portrait

As Halloween rolls around again, I thought I should dust off this creepy old portrait I painted of Barnabas Collins as portrayed by Johnny Depp for the movie Dark Shadows.

Halloween Studio - Sneak peek!

 Some ghoulishly good times coming soon....