Free For All Friday: Trick and Treats

It's official

H*A*P*P*Y  B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y

AZLori

Let's see if it works again today...

1+0+1+0+0+8 = 10!

or 10+10+8 = 28

One year short of Lori's age... 29, of course!

Lori, hopefully your birthday will be as nice as your Birthday Eve.  It did occur to me yesterday that I never followed through on your great suggestion to share one experience I would love for us to share in the upcoming year.  I'll think big.  Before year's end, I would love us to revisit the 13th floor of Manzanita Hall - together!.  

Having wished Lori a happy birthday eve and a happy birthday, we are going to depart from birthdays for the rest of today, so that we may turn briefly toward Halloween, football, and whatever you might have up your sleeve. 

Hopefully many of you have kept your eyes open over the past week, in search of your favorite Halloween trick, treat, novelty item, baking item, decoration, or whatever else you might have run across.  Provided you did, we can have a fun day sharing our Highlowaha Halloween Favorites.  I for one am excited to see what you've discovered.

Here's my item to get us going...

I found this at Michael's Crafts.  I couldn't get the image any bigger, so if  you are having a hard time discerning what is pictured, they are Halloween party favors.  Though Martha Stewart sells all the supplies necessary in a "kit," there is no kit necessary.  The party favors are simply balls made out of paper mache and filled with small Halloween treats.  Cute, homemade, and inexpensive.  What else could you ask for?

Let me back up.  Using water balloon-sized balloons, fill with air and tie not.  Paper mache the balloons using orange tissue paper and a paper mache' solution.  Paper mache' solution is simply flour and water... don't let anyone try to tell you there's some super secret expensive ingredient.  Note: Be sure to leave a small  hole where treats will be inserted.  Once dry, pop the inner balloon and remove. Fill with fun treats (i.e. bugs, gummy worms, eye ball chocolates, or spider rings).  Cover hole with remaining orange tissue paper and solution.  Using black tissue paper, cut out bats, cats, or Jack-o-Lanterns faces.  Apply using the same paper mache' solution.

Matthew, Jack (that'll be messy)  and I will make these for their classmates and teachers.  If we weren't making them for our preschool friends, I would most certainly make them for friends, colleagues at work, for neighbors, or  for other swim moms who keep me company at the pool.  They're easy, cheap, and notable.  I'm practical, so I also like the fact that you throw the paper mache' ball away when you're done and there's no chatchka to clutter your home.

Now to something for which we actually need a secret ingredient.  Super Bowl Throw Down.  Competing next are Maureen and Katie.  The ingredients we are choosing between this week are...

Nutmeg or Candy Corn      

Place your vote.

Now it's your turn.  Tell me about the best Halloween item you've seen this Halloween season and why it caught your eye.  If you know the price, even better.  The Martha Stewart kit, by the way, is $12.99 -(less 40% if you have your weekly Michael's coupon).  Take the time to share and have your name entered in a drawing to receive a Halloween treat in the mail.

Signing off until tomorrow...