Halloween Party!

Happy Halloween to all you ghouls and guys! I hope you’re busy making plans for a frightfully fun evening with your friends and families. We had a fun fondue party last night with friends from Tucson and Oxnard here at the house, so I simply HAD to decorate! I took the obvious route and turned my decoupaged mannequin into a mummy for the front entrance.






















The eyeball looking out the window of the soul, looks pretty creepy, peeking out of the mummy wrappings. I had a ton of vintage lace from my mom, and wrapped it around the mummy to add a little texture. I promise you, that no vintage lace was harmed in the making, as I didn’t even cut it! That way I can take it off and use it on a sewing project. I think that some of the lace is probably 50 years old.

Remember the Barbies I picked up at the flea market? I just KNEW they would come in handy for something, and yes! I wound bathroom tissue around them and turned them into Mini-Mummies!




































It didn't take very long to wrap the Barbies, and they turned out so cute! That's a plaster cast of Scott's hand holding onto one of the mini-mummies. I made it years ago, and I use it for a candle holder.


















I have a collection of body parts. Don't ask why, it might be the artist in me. I just love them. That's my hand with the finger pointing up. I use it for a bracelet holder.















I used two rolls of tissue, and a bunch of tape on the big mannequin mummy. I love how it turned out, and it was toooo easy! Our guests loved it, and I don’t think I’ll want to take it down after Halloween, especially after spending all that time to make. But, it was worth it.

Everyone raved over the fondue, too. I made two pots, one with cheese and one with chocolate. The girls brought fruits and veggies. The boys brought wine and beer. We had a fabulous time, and couldn't stop eating! Yummers.

The fondue recipes I made are below. I went online to get recipes, and then changed them up a bit to fit what we like to eat. You can do the same thing. We don't eat much meat, but I found these amazing sausages made with chicken and sun dried tomatoes. We pigged out. You can use whatever cheese you love in the cheese fondue, and whatever liqueur that you prefer in the chocolate, like amaretto or rum. I hope you enjoy yourself and be safe, and have fun tonight.
Happy Halloween everyone!



















Killer Cheese Fondue
From the kitchen of: Pattie Donham-Wilkinson

2 - 8 oz. Pkgs. Cream Cheese, cut up in chunks
1 – Round of Brie Cheese, cut up in chunks
1 – Block of Gruyere Cheese, shredded
1 – Dark Lager Beer

Place cheeses in a large bowl, and pour the beer over the cheese, stirring it in. Melt slowly in the microwave, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until melted. Pour into a fondue pot, and light the flame underneath to keep warm.
Serve with:

Sour dough bread chunks
Blanched broccoli
Sausage bites (pre-cooked)
Deglet Noor pitted dates
Honey crisp apples (our favorites)
Oh, and open a can of those crunchy fried onions to dip into, after you dip into the cheese, and prepare for your eyes to roll back in your head!


Death By Chocolate Fondue
From the kitchen of: Pattie Donham-Wilkinson

1 – 11oz. Pkg. Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 – 11oz. Pkg. Ghirardelli milk chocolate bits
1/2 Pint Whipping cream
1/2 Cup Kahlua liqueur

Place chocolate bits in a large bowl, and pour the cream and liqueur over the chocolate, stirring it in. Melt slowly in the microwave, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until melted. Pour into a fondue pot, and light the flame underneath to keep warm.
Serve with:
Marshmallows
Crushed graham crackers
Strawberries
Crushed nuts
Pineapple & Apple chunks
Shredded coconut