Trick or Treat

Last year I saw versions of these online and could not wait to try them myself this year -
I believe Martha started it, so blame her!

 Happy Halloween - hope you give the tricks and get the treats!

Creepy Crawly Jelly

Halloween is a brilliant excuse to play with your food - if you thought the teacakes were simple - 

you haven't seen anything yet!

Last Minute Halloween Teacake Ghosts

Hello!  As Halloween falls in the middle of the week this year, I have a really quick and easy last minute pudding/dessert/treat idea.  All you need is some white chocolate/icing, dark writing icing and a teacake....

Making your own Easy Stencils

If you cant find something in the right style, size, shape or design -
there is a cheap, quick and easy solution!

Are you carving your pumpkin this weekend?..

 ...don't throw away your seeds!

Rinse them, lay flat on a lined tray and coat in a good layer of olive oil, sprinkle of salt and pop in the oven until golden brown [around 20 mins, turning after 10 mins at around 180].

Have a great weekend!

Halloween Chocolate Apples

Boo! [I don't feel I've posted enough about apples covered in sugar]

Hello!  Today I have a really quick ideas post if you are stuck for some halloween themed treats - more chocolate apples!  I know, Chocolate week really wasnt that long ago and on Monday I made caramel ones, but as soon as I had the idea for these, I needed to try it.  They were pretty quick to make [the longest part being the setting of the chocolate] and are a great variation of these for Halloween.

Following the same steps as this post in preparing the apples, I coated my apples, but then used the back of a teaspoon to create the effects.  For the pumpkin [using Silver Spoon Chocolate Orange Buttons], taking the spoon up and down the apple created the lines and ridges and for the mummy [using a Milky Bar], taking the spoon across and around the apple gave the layered effects of bandages.  Apply the first coat and allow to set:

 If needed, apply a second coat [just to add more texture and cover any shades of green]:

 Once completely set, I used Sainsburys Caramel writing pens to add the details:

You could also make ghosts, monster heads, or even spiders [wrapping black pipe cleaners round the base of the skewer for legs] and eyeballs with your decoration. Happy Halloween!

[This now ends my annual posting limit of chocolate apples!]

Don't forget, you can follow me on Pintrest:

  

 and Twitter!

Tweets by @ThingsSheMakes

Button Covers

Good Morning - a really quick post today - create your own buttons with these easy button covers and a simple 'How-To'

Fabric Yo-Yos

So simple and can be used for so many different things - here's a simple 'How To' for yo-yos

Autumn Leaves Wreath

It's already Autumn, has been for over a month you say?  That's my time keeping for you.

Caramel Sauce

Ah! Monday again so soon.  I hope you had a brilliant weekend - as I promised myself, I had a caramel cooking experiment, the results of which I bring you today. 

Glitter Top Pumpkins

Warning: This post contains some truly awful photography.  Sorry.

Chocolate Week {Chocolate Apples}

Hello - Happy Friday.  I thought I'd finish my Chocolate Week [booo!] with one of my favourites - chocolate apples, perfect for the Autumn and Halloween.

Chocolate Week {Marshmallow Pops}

Marshmallow?  Good!  Chocolate?  Good!  Chocolate+Marshmallow dressed up in sprinkles?

These are really quick and simple sweets that I made for a party and they took minutes to make.

Chocolate Week {Chocolate Spoons}

I hope you are happily making the most of this Chocolate Week - it's the rules to be eating it all the time you know?  Today I am sharing my own version of chocolate spoons, which I have made myself simply because they are cheaper than buying them and you can make them to your exact liking.  One of these little lovelies costs about £1.99 in the supermarket for one.  One. That's definitely not enough. So this way, I can make as many as my moulds will allow!  I am on a real plain chocolate kick at the moment - I used to hate it, but now I am making everything with it.  If plain chocolate is not quite your thing, substitute any references to it with your favourite.

National Chocolate Week {Real Hot Chocolate}

Hurrah! Chocofest continues!  I am posting today about my attempt(s) to make real hot chocolate over the weekend and why I thought it was better than just popping into the supermarket, buying it and saving myself the time and bother.  If you try it too, I really hope you can taste the difference and agree that it is worth it and easy enough to whip up that you'd be tempted to try it again sometime.

National Chocolate Week {Chocolate Popcorn}

Hello!  It's National Chocolate Week!  I know, every week is really chocolate week [for me anyway], but as soon as I realised there was a national celebration of it, and I started this blog to start documenting the things I make, I picked my favourite uses of the stuff and made them all and have them to share with the Internet this week.  If you have any amazing chocolate recipes you can share with me, please, please do - I'd love to try them!  So, to start........Popcorn:

I love popcorn.  Really love it.  Put a bowl of it in front of me and I can eat the lot before the film starts...and I resent having to share it - I want the whole bag for myself thanks.  I'm a salted butter fan, but popcorn has been making its way in the supermarkets as a luxury snack with brands such as Heston Bloomingcantspellit, Love Da Popcorn and Tyrrells all offering amazing flavours you would never have thought of associating with it.  As I'm not quite as adventurous and it is Chocolate Week, I've a few simple ideas for dressing up your own popcorn to keep you company next time you watch a film.

National Chocolate Week {8th-14th October}

Oh yes. Is there a better week?  Don't think so.  Having missed Cupcake Week [yes, there is one - I WILL catch you next year my pretty] I am so pleased to learn of the existence of my best friend forever, Chocolate and a week of celebrating it.  I'm also pretty sure it means you also have to eat it every day.  Rude not to.

As I could pretty much take a degree in the subject, I thought I would dedicate a week of posts to my favourite food and a few recipes that are also perfect for this indoors season.  Here is what I'll be sharing next week [I'll link to the posts from here as well once they're up]:

Monday 8th October {Chocolate Popcorn}

Tuesday 9th October {Real Hot Chocolate}

Wednesday 10th October {Chocolate Spoons}

Thursday 11th October {Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows}

Friday 12th October {Chocolate Apples}

As always, all are easy, simple and quick....and yum.  God Bless you chocolate, and all who eat you.

Don't forget, you can follow me on Pintrest:

  

 and Twitter!

Tweets by @ThingsSheMakes

Doily Wrappers

You know when an idea hits you that seems so ingenious, no one could ever have thought of it before? I would like to thank Google for always reminding me I am actually probably 2 years late in my thoughts and ideas.  What I am posting about today is in no way original, except I made mine for muffins - ha! Eat that Google [with a pretty doily wrapper round it].