Spooky Sweets

From the Nestle website, Spooky Sweets - Ghosts on a stick. They also have great cupcake recipes over there.

Halloween Cookie Shapes

Nestle Toll House has a new product they are launching for Halloween. Precut cookie dough shapes you just bake and decorate. They even have matching gift tags you can print out. While you're there, check out the fun online cookie decorating link!

Halloween Party Fun

In the newest issue of Family Circle magazine, they feature a great story on Halloween party ideas. Check out the cupcakes to the right. On the inside, there's a great recipe for Choco-Cinnamon Masks. What a clever idea!

*** Update: Here's a link to a company that sells mask cookie cutters.

Tip Friday: Rubbermaid Shoe Boxes

This week's tip is for those Rubbermaid plastic shoe storage containers. Sure, they're great to store your shoes in, but they are also great for:
- Organizing Make-up
- Storing Rubber Stamps
- Storing Cookie Cutters
- Organzing Notecards
- Storing Arts & Crafts supplies
- Turning into a travel toy box for kids
- * Your Ideas Here *

What do you use those handy containers for?

Ventura County Fire

Fires near my house making news yesterday and today here in Southern California. The first shot is from the left side of my house and the other shot is the right side of my house...

Halloween Cupcakes

Via a 2001 article in the St. Petersburg Times... Halloween Cupcakes! From Frankenstein to Vinnie the Vampire, there are some really creative cupcakes showcased. Via the article, there is a website called Crumbled Cookies mentioned which has some fun recipes like Orange Ooze Cupcakes and Cat Litter Casserole (a seeminly different take on the cat litter cake recipe).

Halloween Cupcake Costume

Check out this clever Hostess cupcake costume constructed of styrofoam, among other things.

Then of course, there's the flapper costume made using cupcake liners as part of the assembly materials.

Cupcakes - the new IN thing

So I was channel surfing yesterday and strolled upon The Tyra Banks Show with some lady on there spewing what's 'hip and trendy.' Apparently aside from a new breed of dogs called the Labradoodle, cupcakes are the new In thing. Uhm... yeah, okay... you're just a day late and a dollar short on that assumption. "Cupcakes are the new cake!" she boasted. Here's a picture I took of my TV screen during the show. Sorry it's not very crisp.

Pumpkin Carving

With Halloween creeping up on us, I thought I'd post a link to a wickedly cool website called Zombie Pumpkins. Cool stencils - some free, some you can purchase, a cool photo gallery, etc.

Candy Corn Soap

One of my all time favorite Halloween candy treats is candy corn. Check out these cute and clever Candy Corn Soaps.

Cookbooks

Things that make you go hmmmm? What's the deal with people putting together cookbooks, but not including photos of the finished product? I for one have never tried a recipe in a cookbook without first seeing a photo of the end result.

Martha's New Baking Handbook

Martha has a new baking book due for release on November 1st. It's called Martha Stewart Baking Handbook.

FreeStyle on HGTV

So, I just got an e-mail this morning talking about a new show on HGTV called FreeStyle and it's hosted by Aaron Foster. Here's the show scoop:
"HGTV's new design series, is out to prove you don't have to pour money into expensive remodeling and painting to revamp a room. We solve your design dilemmas by remixing your existing furniture and accessories to create a fresh, new look. From awkward living rooms to out-of-control offices, our designer will transform your space in one day- for free!"

So, in a nutshell, it's the same concept as Design Remix only it's hosted by a guy and it only takes 1 day as opposed to two. All I have to say is, 'Please, oh please, bring back the crafting shows! Enough with the home redecorating shows already!'

For a list of all the new design/crafty shows appearing on the tube this fall, check This Link out.

Tip Friday: Using Glue

Today's tip topic is glue. Have any other useful tips to share?
- Place glue sticks for your glue gun in the freezer when you're not using them. This will deter those annoying glue strings that form when the glue is heated.
- When you cut the tip off of a new bottle of glue, cut it at and angle to allow for better control when you squeeze the glue out.
- Use to seal wrapped packages together instead of using tape.

Cupcake T-Shirts

Here's a nifty website I stumbled upon and thought I should post it here at Craft & Bake since it's cupcake related. Cupcake inspired garb over at Johnny Cupcakes. They are based out of Boston. Of course the shirts I like are out of stock... figures!

Red lace Bra Cake

I was looking for something entirely different online and came across this link via google... a cake made to resemble a red lace bra. Too funny!

Halloween Suckers

Check out one of the new Halloween Suckers from Target. Super cute!

Snowflake text

Ooh, online virtual craftiness! TypeFlake, a Flash Festival 2004 Finalist allows users to create nifty greetings for with cool type effects. Click on the photo to see it full size.

Papa Johns Pizza

I love modern day technology; especially the ability to order virtually anything tangible online - like pizza delivery! A PapaJohns opened in my town recently and they are set up for online ordering. Gone are the days where I have to call and talk to some bubblegum chewing adolescent on the other end of the phone. I just place my order in a virtual shopping cart, complete with whole and half order toppings for my pizza and usually within twenty minutes my doorbell rings with a friendly delivery person ready to hand over the chow.

T-Shirt & Tank Top Folding 101

Posting this tutorial for myself so as not to forget to try it, but for those that also missed the demo on Martha's Show, here it is. Click photo to enlarge.
There are many demos online demonstrating this method, including this video and this video (which also includes how to fold a tank top). Clearly Martha didn't invent this, but it's still pretty cool and new to me!
Oh, and I might as well add this one too for the heck of it. :)

Tip Friday: Ice Cube Trays

Today's tip is using ice cube trays for things other than frozen water. Have any useful ideas? Here are a few I've got:
- Use as a paint palette to mix paints
- Use to make melt and pour soaps (example of some I made a few years ago in photo)
- Use to freeze tomato paste or soup stocks
- Use as Jello molds
- Freeze some cubes of whatever drink you are making (lemonade, orange juice, etc.) that way the ice won't dillute the flavor once added to the drink. You can also add mint sprigs to the frozen cubes.

* 100 days until Christmas!

Martha on DVD

I just got the latest issue of MS Living and there is a two page ad promoting 3 DVD's due to hit shelves October 11th. HOLIDAYS,CLASSIC THANKSGIVINGand FAMILY DINNERS. Or, you can get the 3 BOXED SETfor $29.98. The first one is the only one I plan on getting, so I just pre-ordered it. The DVD set comes with a bonus DVD for New Year's, that is apparently exclusive to the set.

Calling all Homemade Halloween Costume Makers

I just stumbled upon this website hosting a Halloween Costume Contest. Grand Prize is a $150 gift certificate to Amazon, a portable DVD player or a $150 gift certificate to Birthday Express!

Online Stencil Maker

Better Homes & Gardens has a nifty online Pumpkin Stencil Maker that allows visitors to design a pumpkin face to their liking using the various templates that they provide. After you get the design how you want it, you can enlarge or reduce the size of the different features. When it's to your liking, it can be printed out! Above is one I designed using their program. I forsee some crafty pumpkin shirts in my kids' future! The website also offers some great Pumpkin Carving Tips.

Desperate Housewives Set

Here are a couple photos that I mentioned yesterday from the Universal backlot where Desperate Housewives is currently being filmed. I took these a couple of weeks ago.

Slime Time Live

I took my oldest son to a taping of Slime Time Live last Saturday. The kids were told to bring a spare change of clothes because they would be 'slimed.' Indeed they were! Big D had the famous green slime all over the side of his head and his clothes. It smelled like apples.

Martha - the new show

I tuned into Martha's new show today. Not so sure about it. Her first guess was Marcia Cross (Bree Van De Camp from Desperate Housewives). Speaking of Desperate Housewives, I had a chance to go to the backlot at Universal recently while DH was filming. I'll post a couple photos soon.

Cupcake Behind Glass

I'm doing some volunteer work for my son's school this year as the Chairperson for the PTA Reflections Art program. Nothing works as a better bribe to get massive amounts of kids to participate than by coaxing them with a class party... with the reward being free cupcakes. At Back to School Night a few days ago to drive the point home, I used a glass display box, added some red felt to the bottom, plopped a homemade cupcake inside - complete with a cherry on top! - and voila! Behold the golden, errr blue cupcake! Kudos to Clare Crespo for the inspiration for this fab idea!

Theme Park Cupcake

Went to Knott's Berry Farm recently and spotted a bakery complete with cupcake offerings! Here's a shot of a delicious chocolate cupcake with light tasting vanilla icing and a sugar shape on top.

Tip Friday: Dental Floss

The tip for this Friday is the ingenuous use of dental floss to slice a cake. Much to the surprise of friends and family members at Christmas a few years ago, I broke out with a container of dental floss (mint flavored, btw!) and sliced a homemade cake into straight, even portions in a snap. Have any other uses other than its intended use?

Cupcake Central

I've recently discovered Cupcake Central; a site owned by the Reynolds Wrap folks.

Tip Friday: Baby Wipes

Thanks to my crafty neighbor, "G", for popping by a couple of weeks ago with a brand new brick of baby wipes and the following tip: Use Baby wipes to clean your rubber stamps, I've decided to start something called Tip Friday. Every Friday I'll post a money saving or time saving tip that'll generally be craft or food related. Aside from the obvious (ala wiping baby), what's your baby wipe use tip? Submit it through the comments button below.
Baby Wipes
- Use to clean your rubber stamps
- Use to remove makeup

Hurricane Katrina Animal Blog Drive

Beginning yesterday and continuing throughout this weekend, Blogs across the world are being asked to participate in the Hurricane Katrina Blog Drive. I've set up all donations from Craft & Bake to go directly to the Humane Society Disaster Relief Fund. (Click link to donate) Money raised will go directly to helping animals left abandoned and homeless from the hurricane. You can donate as little as $1. My challenge to all readers is to donate the cost of one meal they have today. If you spend $6.39 on lunch, please donate that amount (or more!) to the Humane Society via the above link. You probably have about that much on your dresser, in your couch cushions or in your car right now.

After you donate, please go to THIS TALLY SITE and record your donation (in the weblog drop down menu you can choose Craft & Bake as the referring site). Afterwards, you can go here to see just how much money has been raised by blog readers. $302,615.00 as of this posting so far!!!

UPDATE: Craft & Bake is currently on the blog LEADER board as one of the leading donation blogs!!!!!!!!

Martha Stewart Halloween Cupcakes!

Ooh, have you seen the Martha Stewart Halloween Cupcakes in the new Kids magazine?