DIY Witches Brew Halloween Gift and Favor

witches brew_jsorelle

We have exciting news…Jessica is a contributor to Momtastic. So, if you haven’t visited Momtastic already, make it a point to stop by. Whether you’re in the mood for Hollywood’s latest entertainment news, snack and dinner ideas, family and relationship advice, decor and entertaining tips, DIY ideas or the latest fashion trends, you will find Momtastic to be an amazing resource.

Yesterday, Jessica shared a fabulous, brewtastic Halloween favor idea and FREE PRINTABLE {by Jenna at Fleur de Lis} with an adorable poem, so don’t wait any longer and click here.

{image via j. sorelle}

pomegranate and pear fall salad

fall salad recipe_jsorelle

The colors and flavors of this salad remind me of fall…and it’s so yummy and healthy, you will probably want it year-round.

Fall Pomegranate and Pear Salad
recipe adapted from Dr. Oz

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 3-4 oz. fresh crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1-2 pears, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups kale, stems removed
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1 romaine heart torn into pieces
  • 1 avocado, cut into small pieces {optional}

Dressing Ingredients

  • 1/2-3/4 small shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and pepper, or salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 crushed garlic clove
  • 6 tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions

  • Add shallot, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, garlic, honey and salt and pepper in a small bowl, then whisk in Olive Oil.
  • Prepare salad with lettuce and toppings, then add dressing.
  • You may only need half the dressing for the salad. You can store the remainder of the dressing in the refrigerator for up to one week.

pear and pomegranate fall salad

{images via j. sorelle}

Fall Party Ideas and Favors

fall harvest_astrobrightspapers

For us, fall is a time for football, family, crisp air, colorful leaves, scarecrows and fall harvest food such as apples, pumpkins and squash.

And, just like Anne of Green Gables, we, too, are so glad we live in a world where there are Octobers. So, we decided to celebrate all the things that make fall special…and we did it with Astrobrights Papers.

Honestly, {even with Jenna being obsessed with paper} we often overlook paper when it comes to party decor. We think about it for invitations and labels, but we forget that color paper can add creativity to every aspect of a party, from invitation to decor and table settings to favors. After our Fall Harvest party, we’ve come to the conclusion that…
1. We love Astrobrights Papers.
2. Color paper is a quick and cost-efficient way to customize and add color to any celebration.
3. Everyone needs to #ColorizeYourParty.

Here’s how you can #ColorizeYourParty for fall.

Fall #ColorizeYourParty Activity

  • Keep kids busy with a Dress Up the Scarecrows Activity. Find a scarecrow and clothing template like this, print on colorful Astrobrights Papers, then cut. The kids will feel so proud when their ‘art’ is on display too, so make sure to glue the scarecrows to a wooden popsicle stick, and stick them in a bale of hay.

DIY scarecrow dress up_astrobrights papers

DIY scarecrow dress up_astrobrights papers

scarecrow dress up_astrobrights papers

Fall #ColorizeYourParty Favors

  • Find a cute way to display the favors. We found that the best way to display our favors was a rotating card holder, of course colorized with cut-out images of harvest foods and labeled with cut-out paper letters.
  • Spread the love, and harvest food with seeds inside DIY pumpkin, apple and squash seed packets. Here’s a free seed packet template and how-to instructions are below.
  • Share the beauty of fall by printing seasonal photos of fall on white Astrobrights Papers, and add your favorite quote  to make it a piece of art.
  • Share your most delicious fall recipes with DIY pumpkin, apple and squash recipe cards designed by one of our own, Jenna. Print the fall recipe cards with this free template.

DIY seed packets_Astrobrights Papers

DIY seed packets_Astrobrights Papers

DIY seed packets_astrobrights papers

DIY seed packets_astrobrights papers

DIY recipe cards_astrobrights papers

IMG_6928

Fall #ColorizeYourParty Decor

  • Create a colorful background. Since we loved the quote “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” so much, we wanted it to be a main focus. We used our Silhouette electronic cutting tool to cut words from the quote out of yellow Astrobrights Papers, then taped an orange piece of paper behind it for a pop of color in the background.
  • A fall party wouldn’t be complete with colorful leaves, so make sure to layer and scatter paper leaves everywhere.
  • For a full harvest effect, create a Fall Market sign. Cut out paper pumpkins, squash, apples, letters and numbers and tape them to a vintage window pane so guests feel like they enjoying a stroll through a lovely fall market.
  • Incorporate seasonal crops such as apples, pumpkins, squash, sunflowers, lanterns and bales of hay.

diy fall market sign_astrobrights papers

fall harvest party_astrobrights papers

fall harvest party_astrobrights papers

Tell us, how will you Colorize Your Party? For inspiration, check out Astrobrights Papers on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram.

Colorize your party_astrobrights papers{images via j. sorelle}

j. sorelle received products and/or payment for this post, however we love Astrobrights Papers even if they didn’t send us product, and all opinions are ours, we promise. View all of Astrobrights vibrant colors here

DIY Halloween Monster Cups with Solo Cups

diy monster halloween cups_jsorelle

Sully and Mike Wazowski made their way into our homes as our kids watched Monsters Inc., but these DIY Monsters Cups will make their way into our kids hands and hearts this Halloween with this easy, DIY tutorial. Our kiddos loved it!

You and your kiddos can make 1-eyed, 2-eyed and 3-eyed monster cups this Halloween with minimal supplies and lots of creativity. This would also make for a fun ‘favor’ to bring to school, or a creative activity for the kiddos at a Halloween party. Each cup comes pre-packaged for each child with pre-cut eyes, mouths, teeth, etc in a cellophane bag attached to a blue Solo cup.

monster cups before and after_WITHTEXT

You’ll Need

  • Blue Solo Cups
  • Colorful Craft Felt Stickers
  • Scissors
  • Cellophane Bags
  • Clothes pin
  • Colorful cardstock

Here’s How

  • Use everyday household items to trace different size circles onto the Felt. We used a mason jar lid, a paint lid and a spice bottle for our circles. As for the lips, mouths, teeth, etc, we did it free-hand.
  • Cut the shapes from the felt.
  • Place shapes inside cellophane bags, and make sure each bag has monster ‘parts,’ including eyes, teeth, mouth, etc
  • For the labels, we used our amazing Silhouette Electronic Cutting Tool to cut out the letters. If you don’t have a Silhouette, you can print labels by hand or use stamps on the cardstock. Fold the cardstock and use a stapler to attach your labels to the cellophane bags.
  • Attach to the cup with a clothes pin.
  • For assembly of the cups, just peel the sticker paper off the back of the felt, and stick to the cup where your little monster heart desires. For the eyes, where there are layers of felt, we needed a tiny bit of hot glue to adhere.

DIY halloween monster cups_jsorelle

DIY halloween monster cups

 

DIY halloween monster cups

DIY halloween monster cups

DIY trick or treat bags

DIY halloween trick or treat bag

I’m not sure we could get our children to agree to floss, visit the dentist, go to bed early and eat their green leafy vegetables without some sweet and sugary bribery. Halloween is no exception – it s a sugar-high holiday for kiddos – so why not have ‘fun’ with the kids and talk to them about what you expect of them after they consume of all that addicting sugar…oh, and get their commitment in writing!

How To
Buy a monster or pumpkin tote bag from the Dollar Section at Target
Use the Silhouette Electronic Cutting Tool to create a fun contract. Be sure to mirror the image before printing.
Place the text face-up on the tote bag, and cover it with a thin cotton cloth.
Iron on the image with an iron on medium heat. Press down firmly for 45-60 seconds, let cool for about 30 seconds, and peel off. You will likely have repeat the iron step several times – I know I did for all the letters to stick.
If you don’t have a Silhouette, another option is to use Sharpies or even stencils.

target trick or treat bag

DIY trick or treat bag_jsorelle

diy halloween trick or treat bag

We shopped around for other fabulous DIY bags for you too!
1. Pillowcase Ghosts, Martha Stewart
2. Duct Tape Bag, Dukes and Duchesses
3. Silhouette Bag, Uncommon Designs
4. Witch Hat, So You Think You’re Crafty
5. Wild Things Tote, Bloesem Kids
6. Graphic Tote, Country Living

DIY halloween treat bags_jsorelle

{images via j. sorelle, Martha StewartUncommon Designs, Dukes and Duchesses, Country Living, So You Think Your Crafty, Bloesem Kids}