October is here and Halloween is on our mind! So from Boo Bags and Eerie-sistible Snacks, to Gourd-geous pumpkins and more, we share creative ideas and ways to save this spooky season.
You’ve Been Boo-ed!
Don’t worry, it’s a good thing! Boo Bags are a fun Halloween tradition where a friend of neighbor writes instructions in a short poem that is anonymous and then leaves a gift/bag on your doorstep. Think modern-day chain letter but with fun Halloween treats. Once you’re boo-ed it becomes your turn to continue the trend.
One of the fun part of the boo bag is creating the personalized note. Bust out the markers, paint pens and glitter pens. And don’t forget the Marker Parker! This is one of our favorite things whenever we are crafting. We don’t have to worry about losing caps or markers drying out because the station keeps everything in one spot. It keeps marker caps all in one place. And when markers don’t get lost or dry out, it helps save money too in the long run! We also love that it serves as a caddy making it easy to see colors and take with you anywhere. Marker Parker is great for fall road trips or upcoming holiday travel too as it ensures that markers don’t roll away on the airplane tray. It fits a variety of cap sizes Made of 100% FDA grade silicone, the Marker Parker will last year after year. We also love that it was invented by Marlo, a student. You may have seen this fabulous mommy/daughter duo on Shark Tank. Read more about them here.
And if you’re giving any type of treats out in your blue bag, why not use Big Bee Little Bee Reusable silicon food saver soft shell which snaps closed. It makes it easier to clean and dry than other reusable bags. Its also a lot less bulky than plastic containers. The Big Bee Little Bee SoftShell Snap-Close Silicone Food Storage Container also features Cool Edge technology for safe handling out of the microwave. You can store leftovers, reheat and eat right out of the bag. We also love that it is dishwasher safe! It even has removable panels for that occasional deep cleaning. Plus, what a fun way to deliver some tangerine pumpkins or apple smiles!
Boo baskets can fit any budget from completely handmade to extravagant. We found these adorable printables from The Mama Project for banners. We also loved these signs from The Mommy Nichols and The Celebration Shop. We added ribbon and some other fun things to make them pop. Next, we upcycled some pumpkin candy buckets with acrylic paint. Then we filled it with different items like festive socks, glow sticks and other items from the dollar section.
Eerie-sistible Spooky Snacks
Have fun in the kitchen the whole spooky season, so naturally this should include healthy options too. Save yourself the stomach ache and have some fun with characters too. We had a screaming good time transforming our bananas into ghosts, apples into monster mouths, tangerines into mini pumpkins and more. This is perfect for your trick-or-treating pre-game, to wow guests and get your kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables.
We turned to Melissa’s Produce which is currently the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States operating out of a 330,000 square foot facility located in Los Angeles. Outfitted with conventional and organic fresh fruits and vegetables, value-added goods, and a state-of-the-art CCOF/QAI certified organic packing facility, Melissa’s Produce has come a long way since Sharon and Joe Hernandez founded the business in 1984. We also love that the brand is name after their daughter, who takes an active role in the company too.
Melissa’s Produce has compiled a list of all your essentials for Halloween as well as recipes using Freaky Fruits. These will definitely make your spooky spread hauntingly delicious!
Gourd-geous Pumpkins Without Carving
Whether they are on your porch, mantle, fireplace or the centerpiece for your table, pumpkins are everywhere for Halloween so why not have a little fun and create colorful decor while saving yourself the mess of seeds. Get the whole family involved in gourd-geous pumpkins without any carving, and also in the warm Los Angeles days, this will also allow for your pumpkins to last longer outside too. We love painting pumpkins. We focused on no-carve pumpkin options because we love being creative and minimizing mess! Here are some no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas that you can use to decorate your home for fall. Whether it is paying tribute to the Great Pumpkin with a Snoopy or Charlie Brown painted pumpkin, marbleizing a pumpkin or just letting your little artists get creative, the pumpkin can be a fun palate. Painting a pumpkin is a fun way to decorate for fall without all the mess of carving.
Here are a few more DIY crafts families can do to celebrate the season and also create some keepsakes from all their activities.
How fun and amazingly easy are these fingerprint footballs? We freehand cut a football out of a piece of construction paper (we picked the color based on our favorites teams) and then we selected matching paint, but you can use any color. We dipped a Q-tip into the paint and then dotted the football. We did this until the paper was completely covered. For the laces we took white paint and made a horizontal line and then the kids dipped their thumbs in the white paint and fingerprinted 4-5 times crossing over the line to complete the laces. We strung pony beads on pipe cleaners to make a pumpkin, and used a little math skills by counting to keep everything uniform. It’s fun little keepsake. Popsicle stick farm trucks are a huge hit! We paint popsicle sticks, glue them together to form the truck bed and then in an open square to form the cab. This will become the frame to your child’s picture. You can put any picture you desire to make it look like they are driving the truck. Then you use whatever materials you desire from paper to wheels, pipe cleaners, glitter and more to make the tires and the cargo being carried in the back!
