She's A Betty

Colonial Williamsburg Christmas Decoration Inspiration

My family and I spent Thanksgiving week in Williamsburg, VA. It was a great trip, and since the Christmas season apparently starts in late November, Colonial Williamsburg was already decked with holiday wreaths and garlands. Below are some of my favorites:

A stunning apple wreath & garland...

...a simple doorway garland with rope & leather wreaths... 

...and another eye-catching garland bunch, which includes a pineapple and a hedge apple.

Aren't they lovely? It's amazing to me how festive and Christmas-y they look, all without ornaments, ribbons, or lights. Hope you find them as inspiring as I do!

Book-a-Month Giveaway: Mary Anne Saves the Day & The Girl With the Silver Eyes

This giveaway is closed.

First, a big thank you to those who entered last month's giveaway! The winner (chosen by random.org) is Carla.

I'm giving away something a little different this time. Instead of one new book, the winner will get two nostalgic favorites from the 1980s. More details below the fold.

I loved both of these books as a child, and my glee upon rediscovering them convinced me that some of you might also welcome the nostalgia trip. Having reread them, I feel they've held up well over time, and could also make solid middle grade reading options for young women in your lives.

Note that these are used books from the 1980s, so expect page yellowing and other small imperfections. They are in good to very good used condition, however, with tight bindings & clean pages (no writing or stains).

Here's the back cover of Mary Anne Saves the Day, book #4 from The Baby-sitters Club:

The DRAMA. 

As a child, my parents actually punished me by taking away my Baby-sitters Club books for a week. As a punishment, it was horrible & effective. I'm not the only one who was cuckoo for the series, either: The Daily Beast has an article about The Baby-sitters Club's persistent cult following. 

The second book is another cult classic, The Girl With the Silver Eyes, by Willo Davis Roberts:

Good ol' telekinesis. A Goodreads reviewer described this book as darker, older child's Matilda, and it's kind of true. If you're still having trouble remembering this one, check out Lizzie Skurnick's (author of Shelf Discovery) Fine Lines column on it.

To enter the giveaway, tell me about one of your favorite out-of-print book or book series from childhood. It can be recently reprinted (like The Baby-sitters Club, Sweet Valley High, or The Vampire Diaries series), but should have been out-of-print for some time. It doesn't have to be for children or teens either; some of my favorite books came from my parents' shelves.

Details: One entry per person, and please include your email so I can contact you if you win (email will not be shared with anyone, ever). Contest will end at 12:00 AM EST November 30th, and the winner will be announced later the same day. I will ship internationally, but can only cover up to $5 on shipping. Winner will be picked at random.

To Try: Stroopwafels, or Dutch Caramel Wafers

In high school, I went to Holland on a school-sponsored exchange program. One thing I discovered was the delicious stroopwafel, a treat made from two crisp wafers held together by spiced caramel.

Stroopwafels are traditionally placed over a hot mug of coffee or tea. Not only do they act as mug snugglers, but the steam from the beverage softens the wafer and the caramel inside. In other words, they are perfect cold weather treats. 

I found these at Cost Plus World Market, and recommend the brand (each box contained 8 wafers and cost $4). People in larger cities should also check in the international sections of their grocery stores or at local bakeries. You can buy stroopwafels online at Amazon or from The Vermont Country Store as well, although prices can be steep. 

Have you eaten stroopwafels? If so, what did you think?

Halloween Week 2011: Spooky Coasters D.I.Y. Project

When I saw this Guinness ad campaign, I knew I had to try a D.I.Y. version because, well, look at it: 

Cool, right? The campaign originally ran in Romania as a low-budget way to promote Guinness during Halloween. It was a success.

I decided to copy the ghost coaster (without fingers, as the material I used, cork roll, isn't suited for detailed cuts), and then design one or two coasters of my own.

The New Designs

I drew the templates for each design on printer paper, building upon the outline of a wine glass base. I struggled with the bat coaster design, at first trying out a fat Batman logo-type bat. But a) it looked weird, and b) the wings were too separated from the coaster base. Then I found this bat placemat tutorial. It's the perfect shape, and she even includes a template (which I didn't use, but probably should have).  

The other design, the hairy toad, came about because I wanted to use angry eyeballs on one of the coasters. I didn't have a finished template, and made half my design decisions while cutting it out of the cork. I'm calling it a hairy toad coaster, but I also think it looks like a soot sprite.

Make Your Own

Templates

I've uploaded jpegs with outlines (done by hand, they're sketchy) of the finished coasters. Here are the bat & hairy toad coaster templates & here's the ghost coaster template. 

Materials & Steps

What I used:

• cork roll
• black & white acrylic paint
• a foam brush & a paint brush
• an X-Acto knife & a cutting pad
• printer or other firm paper for the coaster template

Cut the cork roll into tiles, and paint the tiles with black acrylic paint using the foam brush. Once dried, cut out coaster shapes from the cork using the printer paper templates, X-Acto knife, and cutting pad. Retouch coasters with black paint as needed; paint eyes onto the hairy toad coasters with a paint brush.

Make It Better

Because this was an experiment, I used materials I had on hand, i.e., cork roll. But the cork roll wasn't great. One, I could not get the curl out of it, despite days of flattening the cork under heavy books. Two, cork roll isn't suited for detailed cutting. It crumbles far too much. Finally, I didn't love how the acrylic paint looked on the cork. The shiny-looking patches you see in the photos aren't as noticeable in real life, but the whole thing looks unpolished. 

If I were to do it again, here's what I'd try:

• use black PVC instead of cork roll or
• use thicker cork tiles instead of cork roll
• create & use an eye stencil for the hairy toads
• create coasters using a laser cutter 

Any or all of these tweaks could lead to cleaner cuts and sturdier & more professional-looking construction. At least I think so, what do you think?

Halloween Week 2011: Scary Reads

Do you read holiday-themed books? As a bookseller, I always wondered who the audience was for them (especially around Christmas, when we'd get 26 copies of Dating Mr. December).

Well, turns out that audience includes me. In anticipation of Halloween, I picked up Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party for 10 cents. The purchase got me thinking about good Halloween reads, and about making a short Halloween book list for the blog. Being a book nerd, my "short" list quickly turned into 50+ titles.

Halloween Book List

So I've created an Amazon aStore of my recommended Halloween books. I approached this list as a former bookseller, meaning it contains both books I love and books that aren't really my thing, but might appeal to others (for example, I don't like zombies, but zombie books are on the list).

I've also divided the list into 6 categories (see the left hand column) for easier browsing. And I've included only one or two titles per author (e.g., there's only one title by Stephen King), trusting you to fill in the blanks. Click the image below to visit the store.

Disclaimer: I made an aStore because it's the easiest way to make a book list with images, links & reviews. That said, I'm an Amazon associate, and do get a tiny percentage of the profit when you buy something through the aStore. It's a teeny-tiny amount, though, and I encourage you to shop around. Remember, there's the library. There's Paperbackswap.com. There are your local bookstores. There are free eBook versions of all public domain titles. And of course, there are your local thrift stores (my Halloween book was 10 cents!).

Bonus: Online-Only Treats

Here are a few more scary links that I came across before I decided to make an aStore:  

Emily Carroll's work: Carroll (who also wrote the disturbing His Face All Red) has a new webcomic called Margot's Room. Each Friday leading up to Halloween, a new part of the story comes out, with the link to that story part hidden somewhere in the room above.

Teeny-Tiny & The Witch Woman: An animated version of Barbara K. Walker's book, Teeny-Tiny & The Witch Woman is a classic, and one of my childhood favorites. I linked to it in the aStore (and still think children will love it), but it's also on YouTube if you want a quick nostalgia fix. 

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: I'm not going to lie--this book (also in the aStore) scarred me as a child. As Brian Miggels put it,

"That sh*t damaged me. Honestly, that picture of the girl with baby spiders coming out of her face haunted me for years."

And it's not just the cheek spiders, it's the whole book. If you don't believe me, here are more scans & comments; that Scary Stories has been one of the ALA's most banned/challenged books for more than 20 years is another testament to its power to disturb. Be sure to get the out-of-print versions illustrated by Stephen Gammell, however; his illustrations make the book.

Halloween Week 2011: Costume Ideas That Don't Require a Bikini Wax

October is a cold month, and platform shoes and low-cut bustiers (and sleazy dudes) are a party-going nuisance. Unfortunately, retail Halloween costume options for women still consist mostly of "sexy" this or "naughty" that. Which means you'll probably want to make your own.

Here are some of my favorite costume ideas, most of which are no-sew:

1. Pop Art/Comic Book Character

So cool. It's a popular look, but the makeup is time-consuming enough that it's not been overdone:

• Lichtenstein-inspired makeup by Karin Stone for MAC Cosmetics.
• "Homage to Lichtenstein" photo by Eva Mueller, makeup by Andrew D'Angelo.
• Comic-inspired headbands, $23 by Janine Basil.
• Another Lichtenstein-inspired photo by Shannon Brooke Imagery (makeup by Jennifer Corona).

2. Celestial Beings

Pair an elaborate star (made with foam glitter stars & wire) or moon headdress with simple dark clothes:

• Hedy Lamarr photo from Ziegfeld Girl.
• Cosmic headdress from Martha Stewart.
• Image from Alexander McQueen FW07 runway from Style.com.

3. The Grim Reaper

Paint all exposed skin black, and cover everything else with black or dark brown fabrics. You want a shredded, tattered look, like you've been wandering the world from end to end:

• Still from a Tsolmandakh Munkhuu runway show via Twisted Lamb.
• Wandering spirit portrait by Elisabeth Frederickson.
• Still from Asher Levine's SS11 collection, via Trendhunter.

4. Silent Movie Femme Fatale

Go for the dramatic look of a turn-of-the-century vamp:

• Photo by Salomé Vorfas (makeup by Cosmashiva).
• Greyscale costumes from Boing Boing.
• Dramatic eye makeup by Tanya Skinner (photo by Adam P. Fuller).
• Vintage Pina Menichelli photo from How to be a Retronaut.

5. A Whole New You

Use makeup to make your features really "pop":

• Bleach Ichigo Hollow mask makeup (with video tutorial!) from Chuy Yang.
• Zombie makeup by Lyzius.
• Two face makeup by KyleeGreider. 
• Big eye makeup by Killer Colours.
• Fake smile makeup by Sh*ttyLiquor.

6. House from Up

You may prefer to leave this one to the kids (it's better suited for outdoor trick-or-treating than indoor parties):

• House That Fell on the Wicked Witch costume from Coolest Homemade Costumes.
• Hot air balloon costume from Country Living.
• Real-life Up house by National Geographic.

7. Creepy Doll

Dolls are always terrifying:

• "Doll Face" by Pascale Douglas. Obviously altered by the computer (see her neck), but lots of great makeup ideas. I've also seen eyeballs extended with white eyeliner or paint to appear more doll-like.
• Joint stockings from Japan. 

8. Japanese Ghost

All you need is white makeup, eyes rimmed with black liner and red eyeshadow, white sheets tied with a thick belt, handfuls of red yarn (attached to wrists with elastic), and (optionally) a white wig. Simple but eerie.

• "Yuurei" editorial by Nikolai de Vera via Twisted Lamb.
• Photo from "Eternal" photo set by Olivier Shows.
• Another image from the "Yuurei" editorial by Nikolai de Vera.

More Good Ideas:

Row by row, from left:

• Glamour mouse, part of Chanel's FW11 ad campaign.
• French burglar family, featured on Oh Happy Day!
• Mary Poppins & chimney sweep costume from Keiko Lynn.
• Ziggy Stardust/David Bowie costume idea from Mini Rodini.
• Easy Guinevere dress instructions from Charter-Magic.
• Beekeeper costume from Martha Stewart.
• Helga from Hey Arnold! costume by Suzanne Bonanno.
• Morton Salt Girl costume concept by Doxophobia.

Finally, see more costume ideas at these posts: Jane Asher's Fancy Dress; Arachnophobia Party Concept; Witch Party Concept; Mad Masquerade Concept (link coming soon); & Sugar Skull D.I.Y. (link coming soon).

Halloween Week 2011: Arachnophobia Party Concept

The Concept

When I saw this cocooned man (also below), I knew I had to do a spider-themed Halloween post. I've titled it the Arachnophobia party concept, in honor of the Jeff Daniels movie (I'll never forget those pulsing larval sacs), but it could easily be a Black Widow party, or for the nerdy, a Shelob's Lair or Aragog's Nest party. Repetition is key here: you need a volume of webs, fake spiders, and ensnared victims to get visitors' skin tingling.

The Host

Simple costumes are better if you're hosting. Just dress in all black and add some of the following spidery touches:

• Spiderweb fake lashes makeup by Erika Uhl. Here's a better D.I.Y. version (better only because it's more visible).
• Spider lace hose, $9 at Sock Dreams.
• Cheese cloth spider web wrap (scroll down) from Martha Stewart.
• Spider sunglasses (scroll down) from Martha Stewart.
• More spider web eye makeup by Daisy Van Winkel.

Other ideas include drawing a spider on your mouth to go with the eye webs, gluing fake spiders onto your face and neck with eyelash glue, and creating a black widow-infested beehive per the urban legend. Martha Stewart also has a spiderweb shawl, a sock spider costume for babies, and a black widow spider costume for Fido.

The Food

For whatever reason, spidery Halloween foods tend to be sweet, so you'll need to balance these out with some savory dishes of your choice (or not): 

1. Pumpkin spider pancakes with black cinnamon syrup from Tidy Mom (variation idea: make crepes & use Nutella)
2. Black spider lollies from Jackie Boucher & Ohdeedoh.
3. Halloween spiderweb cupcakes from Little Birdie Secrets.
4. Itsy Bitsy Spiderwebs cupcakes from Country Living (photo by Con Poulos).
5. Pumpkin chocolate spiderweb tart from Martha Stewart.
6. Along Came a Spider cake from Country Living (photo by Con Poulos).
7. Spider devilled eggs by Joanie Pimentel at Sunset Magazine (photo by Leigh Beisch).
8. Spider ice cubes (with blood red punch!) from Noble Pig.
9. Chocolate spiderweb cake-in-a-jar from I Am Baker.

Not pictured: spun sugar spider nests with choux eggs, creamy tomato soup with web topping, hairy leg spider cookies, licorice spiders, chocolate cake spiders with Pocky legs, & orange-eyed spider cookies.

The Decorations

Spiderwebs & Egg Sacs

More important than the spiders, in my opinion (also, cheaper). Use an array of cheesecloth, glue gun webs, yarn, and the fake spiderwebbing from Halloween stores: 

1. Hanging cocoon man and larva balls, $29.00-$49.00 at Grandin Road. This was the inspiration for this party concept, because I find it so creepy! Here's a D.I.Y. version, too. 
2. Web-covered window with trapped bats from Good Housekeeping (photo by Gemma Comas).
3. Spooky lamp by The Yellow Cape Cod/Sarah Macklem Interiors.
4. Quick spun webs from hot glue, from Martha Stewart.
5. Spiderweb door photo by Sister72.
6. Coffee filter cobwebs from Mega Spooky.
7. Webbed chandelier from Better Homes & Gardens.
8. Spider house from Apartment Therapy.
9. Webbed typewriter from Poetic Home.
10. Cobwebbed candles from Martha Stewart.
11. Spiderweb balloon tutorial from Crafty Crafty.
12. Giant spider web from Target (in-store only).

Not pictured: spider egg sac tutorial. 

The Mother

This part is optional & expensive, but big on impact: have a giant spider mother to greet your guests. On the one hand, you'll definitely get a reaction; on the other hand, I don't think I could sleep with that thing in my house. From left:

• Monstrous 6" long Halloween spider, $148 at Walmart. 
• Gigantic tarantula, $59.99 at Target
• D.I.Y. Halloween spider with PVC legs from Halloween Forum.

The Babies

Spiders, spiders everywhere! On the walls, in the sink, guarding the cookies, in the flowers, and on the furniture. Which means you'll need a lot of fake spiders. Luckily, they're cheap: the Oriental Trading Company has 144 plastic spiders for $4.00; the Dollar Tree has velvety tarantulas for $1 (in-store only); and Martha Stewart suggests using ink pad spider stamps for glass surfaces. Other options and inspiration:

1. Cheesecloth chandeliers and wall spiders at the Curious Sofa (click through for all the images, it's amazing!).
2. Spooky spider-covered door & web sign from Martha Stewart.
3. Window webs & giant spiders from Better Homes & Gardens.
4. D.I.Y. glitter spiders from Sweet Something Design. 
5. Spider vinyl clings (click through for templates) at Pretty Handy Girl.
6. Haunted tablescape from Good Housekeeping.
7. Spider pumpkin from Brooklyn Limestone. Martha Stewart has spider stencils.
8. Realistic D.I.Y. spiders by moGuyver on Instructables.
9. Spider vase filler (sold out) at Pottery Barn. I love the way this arrangement conveys motion.
10. Balloon spiders from Martha Stewart.
11. D.I.Y. small spiders from Born to Haunt.
12. Spider plates designed by Lisa Storms for Fiskars.

Not pictured: the arachnid descent trick (love this!), a spider sentry, a spiderweb tablecloth with pom-pom spiders, & spider-covered candles & window webs,  

Hope you enjoyed this post! Up next: Halloween Week 2011: Dexter Party Concept.

Halloween Week 2011: Autumnal Options

Not everyone wants spooky, Halloween-specific decorations. People who consider Halloween a one-day holiday and people with conflicting religious beliefs may prefer more neutral seasonal options. The following decoration ideas are dual purpose: suitable for Halloween without being restricted to it. They're also not scary, a bonus for households with small children and easily unnerved adults (ghastlier options will follow, of course).

Note: Almost of all of these are D.I.Y., and if you click on the link you'll get a recipe or tutorial.

Bronze & Gold Decorations

My favorite type of autumnal decoration uses and mixes warmer metallics, like bronze, gold, deep orange, even purple. It's a rich and elegant look. Credits row by row, from left:

• Golden harvest decorations from Country Living, gilded with Caromal Colours (photos by Joseph De Leo).
• Autumn Harvest ornament wreath (sold, similar items available) by Dottie Gray.
• Golden address pumpkins from Twig & Thistle.
• Golden pumpkins also from Country Living, gilded with Caromal Colours (via Dress Design Decor).

More Pumpkin Ideas

Here are some cute pumpkin imitators (and one squash & mini-pumpkin wreath):

1. The Great Pumpkin Cake from A Merrier World.
2. Pumpkin favor pouches from Martha Stewart.
3. Pumpkin lanterns from Martha Stewart.
4. Pumpkin patch cupcakes from Duncan Hines.
5. Halloweegan stuffed peppers from Wing-It Vegan*
6. Mini pumpkin wreath from Better Homes & Gardens.

*Okay, so the jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers are very Halloween. But it's cute, right?  

Here are some fancy pumpkin ideas beyond the usual jack-o-lantern:

1. Patterned pumpkins from...I don't know. I believe Country Living, as they have some very similar pumpkins. Argh! I lost the source and Google Image Search doesn't know either. Please comment if you do.
2. Pretty painted pumpkins by Alisa Burke at I Love to Create.
3. Plaid pumpkins from Real Simple.
4. Leaf decoupage pumpkin from Better Homes & Gardens.
5. White pumpkins by Herz-Allerliebst. 
6. Plaid pumpkins from Better Homes & Gardens.
7. Pumpkin flower pots from Martha Stewart.
8. Glitter pumpkins from Apartment Therapy.
9. Polka dot pumpkin from Home Stories A2Z.
10. Lace-patterned pumpkins from Martha Stewart.
11. Mercury glass pumpkins from Pottery Barn (sold out; similar PB item here & possible D.I.Y. version here).
12. Chevron carved pumpkin from Wit & Whistle.
13. Modern pop art pumpkins from Happy Mundane.
14. Argyle pumpkin from Max & Ellie.
15. Argyle pumpkins from Country Sampler.
16. Celestial pumpkins from Martha Stewart.
17. Flame carved pumpkins from Better Homes & Gardens (click through for stencils).
18. Fall tureen topper from Martha Stewart.

Candy Corn-Inspired Treats

You could argue candy corn is Halloween-only, but I think it's more "good until Thanksgiving." Because I don't think anyone would fault you if you brought that candy corn cheesecake to Thanksgiving dinner (I wouldn't). 

1. Candy corn sugar cookies from Kathie Cooks.
2. White chocolate-dipped pretzel rods from Your Homebased Mom.
3. Candy corn cupcakes from All Things Cupcake.
4. Candy corn cheesecake from Wilton.
5. White chocolate-covered pretzels from Baked Perfection.
6. Candy corn pumpkins from Better Homes & Gardens.

Hope you found some inspiration! Up next is Halloween Week 2011: Arachnophobia Party Concept.