DIY Cooking at Home

Did you know Halloween is the third most popular holiday in America, topped only by Thanksgiving and Christmas? If you have kids, this probably comes as no surprise. Children anticipate Halloween almost as wildly as Christmas morning, mostly because of the candy, but also because of the fun class parties and costume parades that happen each year at school. I often volunteer for our kids' class parties because it's so fun to see all of the cuties in their costumes. Here's a Halloween class treat idea for you: Pumpkin Patch Pudding Cups Steps Tear the foil lids off of the pudding cups and line them up on a rimmed cookie sheet or tray to make them easier to carry. Sprinkle chocolate cookie crumbs (you can use finely-crushed Oreos if you can't find the boxed kind) on top of the pudding. Put four waffle-style pretzels around the perimeter of each pudding cup to look like a fence. Put a candy-corn pumpkin in the center of each "pumpkin patch." Remember to brin

Halloween is almost here! Our kiddos are so excited for the big night, and I have to say, I'm kinda looking forward to it, too. It's a pretty low-key, stress-free, fun evening around here. So, do you need a quick idea for the class treat this year? Or maybe you're just in the mood to whip up something Halloween-ish to make your kids smile when they get home from school. Try these super-easy and cute monster sugar cookies! Just prepare your favorite sugar cookie recipe (or use a mix! Betty Crocker's Sugar Cookie Mix works great), then shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll them in colored sugar--as you can see, we used orange, green and purple--then place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8- 10 minutes and allow to cool slightly before placing the candy eyes in the center. Voila! These would be great for a Monsters, Inc. party, too. Halloween is just fun, don't ya think? You May Also Like: Snickers Salad 8 Simple Halloween Snacks Blac

Hi there! It's a gray Saturday morning here and I'm just out of the shower, typing away with my littlest practicing card tricks and my oldest reading a book beside me. Other than this nagging cough that's overstayed its welcome, our house is the definition of contentment this morning. So, just to shake things up a bit, are you aware that there are only 59 shopping days until Christmas? Just in case that made your pulse beat a little faster, here's a DIY Christmas gift idea for you: coaster sets! Check 'em out: Mason Jar Lid Coasters Anthropologie-Inspired Geometric Coasters Terra Cotta Coasters Botanical Wood Slice Coasters Custom Patterned Coasters Christmas Tile Coasters DIY Marbled Coasters Stenciled Cork Coasters DIY Citrus Coasters DIY Polaroid Coasters

Hi there! You know that kind of sick you get once every few years that just knocks. You. Out. The kind when you want your mommy? I've been miserable the past few days. I just wanna crawl in bed and watch endless episodes of Gilmore Girls on Netflix and have someone bring me chicken noodle soup and tea. I'm only up right now because I have this inexplicable desire and drive to make Home Made Modern the best that it can be, and I figured it wouldn't take too much energy to type. Anyway, I wanted to show you my 97-cent fall banner from Wal-Mart, my new chevron curtains from Tuesday Morning, and my floral Target pillows. But first, here's what the room looked like before: I've never been happy with the wall color, and I used to really like the fabric on the curtains and pillows, but it was time for a change. Here's where we're at now: I love the more saturated color palette. It looks a bit more sophisticated, I think, and not as "cute."

Are you ready for Halloween? The girls had a day off from school Friday so we spent the day figuring out their Halloween costumes. We'll have the cutest ballerina and devil in the universe on October 31! We typically put a pot of chili on the stove and get the girls fed early on trick-or-treat night, then come back here with whichever friends we've picked up along the way for a fire, more chili, and snacks while the kiddos sort and trade their candy. I love it! Here's an easy non-alcoholic Halloween punch to stir up, just to add to the fun. Black Widow Brew 1 package grape Kool-Aid 1 package orange Kool Aid 2 c. sugar 3 qt. water 1 liter ginger ale Mix the Kool-Aid packets with the sugar and water until dissolved. Chill. Add ginger ale just before serving. For extra fun, I rimmed some fancy martini glasses with orange sugar and used an ice-cube mold from the dollar store to make spider-shaped ice cubes. Hope your Halloween is spook-tacular! You may also like: 8 Simp

Hey friends! Do you have a roll of freezer paper in your kitchen? Sure, it comes in handy for wrapping meat, but did you know it has tons of uses in the craft room, too? You've probably seen it used as a stencil, but have you thought of using it to transfer images to fabric and wood? How about as an embroidery pattern? Check out all of these reasons why freezer paper should be in your craft cabinet. How to Transfer Images to Fabric via The Graphics Fairy How to Stencil a Cake via Handmade Charlotte How to Stencil T-Shirts via Home Made Modern How to Stencil a Pillow via About.com How to Use Freezer Paper for Making Patterns and Quilt Pieces via Twiddle Tails How to Make an Embroidery Pattern via Homegrown Hospitality How to Make Your Own Clothing Labels via Awaiting Ada How to Transfer Images to Wood via Ella Claire Inspired