Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Okay, this is because I love you.

And because. . . .I'm a bit of a procrastinator. We just carved our pumpkins last night, and so. . . . I just roasted our seeds.

I should be finishing up decorations, dinner, and sitting out the candy, but these pumpkin seeds are so darn addictive that I had to let you know just how good.

Good like fresh pumpkin bread.

Good like lazy days and rainy days, and soft fluffy slippers.

Good like chocolate, on top of more chocolate, topped with nuts, and whipped cream, and a cherry.

They are really, very yummy.  Maybe even the best pumpkin seeds you've ever had.

Crunchy.
Sweet.
Cinnamon Spicy.
Delicious.

Try one, and you'll try 50.  They are also VERY addictive.

Sugar and Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

Raw Pumpkin Seeds
Butter
Granulated Sugar
Cinnamon
Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250.
2. Rinse pumpkin seeds in a colander. Lay flat on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250 for 1 hour.
3. While the seeds are cooking, combine 1/2 cup of sugar with 3 TB of cinnamon. Mix to combine. Set aside.
4. In a skillet, place 2TB butter, on medium high heat.  Add roasted seeds. Cook for 1 minute. Season with salt. Sprinkle a generous amount of sugar/cinnamon mixture on seeds and cook in skillet until the sugar starts to caramelize, about 1 minute.
5. Remove from skillet, and place in a shallow bowl. While hot, sprinkle again with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Toss. Sprinkle again. Let cool slightly before devouring, or you'll burn a hole in your mouth.

Store seeds in an airtight container for 1 week if they last that long.

Product Review - Jovial Einkorn Pasta

Something you don't know about me.

I am a complete Prehistoric History Nut.

Love, love, love all things Caveman and Dinosaur Age.  Maybe that's where my love of Halloween stems from.  Big headed hairy men with gigantic brown teeth. Super scary repitilian monsters.  My kind of party.

So, if you want to get me to eat something, tell me it dates back to Neolithic Period, and my mouth quite literally starts to water.  Tell me to try this pure, ancient species of wheat that was grown roughly12,000 years ago when man transitioned from hunter-gatherer to farming, and I'm all giddy inside.

The grain to which I refer, is called Einkorn, and it was found in  the belly of a Bronze Age man who was found preserved in a glacier in the Italian Alps. His last meal included  Ibex meat, roots, berries and Einkorn wheat.  All preserved perfectly in his stomach.

Fast forward to 2010, and we have a new Pasta popping up in stores under the Jovial brand. They use einkorn seeds to make this delicious, wholesome, pure, organic whole grain pasta.  The taste is slightly nutty, with a lovely firm and creamy texture.

Where Can You Find It?
It's available at your local Whole Foods Store, independant natural food stores across the nation, and at Amazon.

The Cost?
To You: suggested retail price of $3.39 to $3.69 for a 12-oz box
To Me: FREE

For more information about Jovial Foods, their products, and great recipes go to
http://www.jovialfoods.com/

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If your looking for a great recipe to feed your kids this Halloween Night, or any night try out this lovely, FAST recipe from Jovial Foods, found here.

Whole Grain Einkorn Fusilli with Smooth and Smoky Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

8 ounces Whole Grain Einkorn Fusilli

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup minced onion

1/4 cup dry white wine

1-1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 cup tomato puree

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup soft goat cheese

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli for 11 minutes and drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large, deep-sided sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are deep, caramel brown. Pour in wine and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. When the wine has evaporated, stir in the paprika.

Pour in tomato puree and vinegar. Add goat cheese and salt and stir until sauce has melted together. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook another 2 minutes. Toss with pasta, season with additional salt if desired and serve.

Serves 4

Jack O' Lantern Chocolate Cake

Dear Shelbi,

You’re going to think I’m crazy, but let’s face it, you already do. So, I won't be holding back.

The other day when Daddy and I were eating lunch with you at school, this light filled my entire body. It was like sunshine was being poured into a hole at the top of my head, and it flowed down to every inch of my body until I was completely filled with happiness. My heart was so joyous, and peaceful.

I think that’s what it must be like in heaven.

I sat watching you, listening to you talk about this and that and I was so proud of the person you are. I leaned over, and grabbed a tomato off your salad and thought how marvelous it is to sit and share this salad with you. I sipped your chocolate milk, and thought the richness must be better because we are drinking this together.

I know, I’m weird.  Always have been. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.

10 years ago, you couldn’t have paid me to share a salad or anything else with ANYBODY. It may surprise you to know (or maybe it won’t and if it doesn’t DO NOT TELL ME) I used to be a relatively selfish person. I never shared the food on my plate, I was always preoccupied with what I’d be doing next and many of my dreams and goals had to do with superficial things.

But then, you came into my life.

And suddenly, all I wanted was for you was to be safe, and happy, and peaceful. And it’s all I’ve ever wanted since.

Everyday that I wake up, I think of you, and how I must never fail you. How I must teach you. How I must show you. How I must love you.

And I do love you. There isn’t anyone in the whole entire universe that I love more, than I love you.

I know I’m not always the perfect mom, nor am I always the nicest mom, but everything I do is to fulfill my destiny of helping you to become the best YOU, you want to be.

And in these 10 short years, I can see you’re almost there. You don’t need my help as much anymore. You’re so smart, and wise, and brilliant beyond your years. With your backbone of steel, innate brilliance, tenacity, fervor and giant heart, you are God’s image of glory. I can see it. I hope you do too.

I just wanted you to know that.
That I love you always.
That I could never be anything but proud of you.
That you are perfect in my eyes.
You are my sun, my light, my peace and my joy.

Smile baby. The world is your oyster.

Love,
Mommy

P.S. Happy 10th Birthday

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This child may look like her father, but her taste for fine culinary foods is all me.
 
I couldn't just show up on her birthday with some store bought birthday cake. Oh no. That would not do.
 
For her, it had to be homemade, it had to be chocolate, and it better be rich.  God knew what he was doing when he made me her Mama.
 
This cake is a chocolate cake.. . . .to the nth degree.
 
It weeps chocolate, quite literally.
 
It calls to you, crying, begging for you to come and partake in it's loveliness. And you must or you will be sorry.
 
So very, very sorry.
 
Jack O' Lantern Chocolate Cake
 

 
 
Ingredients:
 
Cooking Spray
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder, plus more for sifting pan
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups cake flour (you can substitute plain All-Purpose Flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk ( or 3/4 cup milk with 1 TB of lemon juice added)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips plus 1/4 cup for Jack O' Lantern Face
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips plus 1/4 cup for Jack O' Lantern Face
7 ounces of heavy whipping cream
Red liquid food coloring
Yellow liquid food coloring
2 sticks of butter, melted
4 cups powdered sugar
 
1.Preheat the oven to 350. Spray Bundt cake pan with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa powder.
 
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients which should include granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
 
3. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, vanilla, oil, buttermilk and 3/4 cup of plain milk.  Add egg mixture slowly to the dry ingredients, while blending with an electric mixer.  The batter will be very fluid, and almost "runny".  It's much thinner than a traditional batter. Pour into your Bundt cake mold and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.
 
4. While the cake is cooking, prepare the chocolate ganache. In a heat proof bowl melt 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips, heavy cream, and 1 TB of butter over a pot of simmering water. Stir continuously until completely melted. Remove from heat, and place ganache into the refrigerator to cool. Once cool, whisk to lighten.

5. Once the cake is cool, sit the cake flat side up (as it sits when baking in the oven), and using a serrated knife, cut the cake in half.

Place the top half, cut side down onto another plate.

6. Pour and spread ganache evenly over the bottom layer of the cake.

Replace top half of cake, as it where before you cut it. Set aside.

4. Make Jack O' Lantern face. Using a permanent market and wax paper draw a Jack O' Lantern Face. Make sure that the nose is big enough to cover the hole in the center of your Bundt cake form. Flip paper over so that you are not working on the side you wrote on.

In a small glass container, pour 1/4 c. milk chocolate chips, and 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips. Microwave on high until melted, checking and stirring often.

Once the chocolate has melted, pour onto wax paper in the areas indicated by your sketch. It's okay if it's not completely smooth, you will be peeling it off and using the smooth side when you garnish your cake. But if you like, wet your finger and gently rub along the top and the chocolate will smooth out.

Place in freezer to harden.

5. Make orange glaze by mixing 1/4 cup plus 1 TB of milk and red and yellow food coloring until you get the perfect shade of orange (I used 1 drop of red, and 3-4 drops of yellow).   Next, in a medium sized mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar with 1 cup of melted butter. Whisk thoroughly. Continue whisking as you add the orange milk mixture.

6. Slowly pour orange glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip to the sides. If you'd like a completely orange cake, tilt the cake delicately and coat the sides completely.

7.Once the glaze has set, peel the hardened chocolate Jack O' Lantern face from the wax paper, and place on top of glazed cake. Serve.

Perfect Halloween Dinner: Black Bean Casserole

It's Fall in Houston, and that means we still have 90 degree weather.

And muggy, thick, air.

Oh, and mosquitoes, let's not forget those.

But we also have ranches, and cowboys, and big bales of hay that look like pumpkins.

And somehow, I don't miss the falling leaves, so much.

We also have beans. Plenty, plenty of beans.

What's that poem?

Beans, beans are good for your heart,
the more you eat the more you fart,
the more you fart, the better you feel,
so eat beans at every meal!

But really, beans shouldn't make you toot, too much.

Just be sure to always RINSE those suckers off  if you're using canned beans to get rid of all that liquid they have been marinating in.  If you're making your beans from scratch, ALWAYS dump the water you soaked them in, or else you might blow somebody out of the bed.

This casserole is perfect for little ghosts and goblins before they go Trick or Treating. It's hearty, full of beautiful fall colors, and loaded with gooey cheese.  The perfect thing to fill up their bellies before they're off to shake down the neighborhood.

Just don't tell them that it's loaded with antioxidants, protein, iron, and magnesium. Your secret is safe with me.

But do tell them, it's full of rabbit droppings, curdled ghost blood, and monkey brains, and I think they'll be sure to gobble it right up.

Black Bean Casserole or Rabbit Dropping and Ghost Blood Casserole with Monkey Brains

Ingredients:

5 cups rice, cooked
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
½ red bell pepper
1 carrot, diced
2 cups chicken
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained
3 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups of shredded cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a skillet on medium heat, cook chicken until browned and cooked all the way through. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add diced onion, celery, pepper, and carrot to the skillet and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes to the skillet, and stir to combine. Stir continuously until warmed through.
5. Place rice into a large bowl. Add cooked vegetables and mix well.
6. Add beans and chicken, and 1 cup of shredded cheese and mix gently, but thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Pour into a greased 13 X 9 inch casserole dish. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheese.
8. Cook in oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and the edges begin to brown.

This casserole freezes great!  Try taking leftovers and making burritos to freeze for an anytime snack.
Grab some tortillas, place a bit of the casserole inside

fold it up

and place it into a labeled freezer bag.

When your ready for a snack, wrap the frozen burrito in a paper towel and microwave for two minutes. Let cool a few minutes and eat!

Chewy Caramel Popcorn Balls

I'm just going to come out and say it, I'm a feminist.

I know, I shouldn't be ashamed, but sometimes in the back of my head I can hear my dad ranting and raving about Jane Fonda, feminism, and Vietnam, and I think uuuggghhh.

But, that's me in a nutshell.  Fighting the power, and all that.

Yesterday, when we were getting into the truck to drive down to the country, Soledad was going on and on about how her big sister Shelbi is NOT the boss.

And while she's telling Shelbi to stick it where the sun doesn't shine, she proceeds to tell Shelbi who the bosses are.  As you might guess, they include me and her father.  And then she says, and the numero uno boss, in charge of everybody is. . . . .

God?
The President?
Me?
Nope. Daddy.

And now she's pouring salt into my wounds, as she hollers some nonsense about Mommy having to do what Daddy says.

And then, quite literally, my head explodes into a thousand tiny pieces as I scream at the top of my lungs "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" 

Silence overtakes the the truck. Not even little Phoebe will make a noise now. For the children know, crazy lady has come out to play. My tongue falls out of my mouth edged with a serpents fork and my voice hardens and deepens into a hoarse moan.

"I. am. a. grown. independent. self. sufficient. woman." I muse, "who makes her own decisions. And NOBODY tells me what to do. ESPECIALLY not Daddy! We are partners. I am not his boss, nor is he mine. We work together. Got it????"

Blank stares everywhere. They're smart enough not to answer that question. But they know, and I know, it's a touchy subject. Sometimes, I have a hard time reconciling my idea of feminism with this very traditional role I have taken as a stay at home mom.

So we travel to the country, and no more nonsense is spoken about traditional women's roles until . . . . . .

Great Uncle Dingaling (for short) comes into the room, and looks at beautiful 6 year old Bella drawing on a pumpkin.

Uncle Dingaling:   Hey there Bella!

Bella:  Hi.

Uncle Dingaling:  Boy you're getting big!  How old are you now?

Bella:  Six.

Uncle Dingaling:  Wow. Are you drawing on that pumpkin?

Bella:  Yup.

Uncle Dingaling:  Whatcha wanna be when you grow up? (He's thinking artist, because she's drawing on a pumpkin)

Bella:   A mommy.

Uncle Dingaling:   Huh?  I didn't say what do you want to do. . . .muffled stupid laugh. . . . .I said what do you want to be?

Bella:   A MOMMY.

And before he could say on more word, I leapt in there. And I gave him my crazy mommy/lunatic blurb about how being a mommy is a job. Then, I think I said something about choices, valid life decisions, and who knows what else.

I know I didn't need to pipe in. Bella could have set him straight on her own. But I did it because sometimes I need to hear it for myself. I need to know that this thing I do everyday is a valid choice. Intellectually, I know that it is, but sometimes. . . . . . I wonder if I am teaching my girls how to be strong independent women, by staying home and being there mother in this capacity. I shutter, even as I type.

But then that's what feminism is all about. Right? The right to choose. To choose to go to work, or to choose to stay at home.  And my Bella, in her 6 short years, has told me it is valid.  That I am valuable.  That I am good, and needed, and loved. So loved that she wants to be just like me when she grows up.

I should have just kept my mouth shut, and let my feminist little girl school that old man on life.

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So today, we are having popcorn balls.  For many, many reasons.

One being, that Uncle Dingaling might need some balls.  Or better balls, anyway.

And because, sometimes I have balls but might need to remove them.

But most importantly because it's Fall, and nothing says Halloween like Yummy perfect, chewy, gooey balls. Popcorn, that is.

Not the crunchy kind that you find in the store. You bight on those, and you'll lose your teeth.

The soft, pull apart, buttery, caramel, delectable type.  The type you'll only find here or in heaven.

Chewy Caramel Popcorn Balls


Ingredients:
1/2 stick butter
4 cups Mini Marshmallows
1/4 cup brown sugar
3-4 quarts popcorn, popped

Directions:

1. In a large pot, melt the butter on your stove top. Once the butter is melted, add marshmallows and brown sugar. Stir until completely melted, and caramel brown in color. Remove from heat.

2. Add popcorn, and stir gently until completely coated, careful not to crush the popped kernels.

3. Spray hands with cooking spray, and  begin to form the popcorn into loosely fashioned balls. Set on wax paper or Silpat until cooled.  Wrap with Saran Wrap or place into an air tight container until ready to eat.  Stores well for a few days.

Halloween Appetizer: Used Q-tip Kabobs

Time: 10 am Saturday

Place: 6 year old’s Soccer Game.

She’s running . . . running . . . running. Slower as every minute passes.

Her arms are hanging at her side. Her hands, balled up like fists. The run has fizzled into a slow trot. She’s lugging her feet, like she’s wearing lead socks.

Something’s wrong.

The ref blows the whistle, and Bella drags over to the sideline.

Warwick grabs her, sits her down, hands her the water bottle, and gently rubs her back.

“Hey Bella, what’s going on out there? You need to try and stay in front of the ball. Okay? Here, drink some water. Are you feeling alright?”

She nods her head, breathless. “Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just tired, and my head hurts.”

“Oh, it’s probably just the running and the fact that you’re tired. Now that you’ve rested and had some water, I’m sure you’ll feel better.” I say.

With the look of a weathered athlete, she takes one last deep breath, nods her head in approval, hops up and jogs back out to centerfield.

The team is gathered in the middle of the field circled around the coach as he gives them a few last pointers before the end of the half. As she’s listening, I notice Bella raise her hands to her temples and press them hard, trying to ease the pain of her headache.

I manically start rummaging through my purse. I seem to remember putting a bottle of ibuprofen in there last month. I fumble with the top, pull out a pill, shove it into Warwick’s hand, and push him onto the field while yelling, “Hurry, hurry! Go give it to her before the second half starts. Tell her that it’s for her headache! Tell her it will make her feel better!”

He meets Bella at center field, hands her the pill, and then the water bottle, and the two separate. Bella goes back to her game, and Warwick comes back to me.

“Did you tell her it’ll make her head feel better?” I press him.

“No.”

“Did you at least tell her it was for her headache?”

No.” he says again.

Great. 90% of feeling better is knowing that you will feel better. I should have just done it myself.

The second half of the game continues, with Bella and her lack luster performance.

The whistle blows again, Warwick runs over to Bella to give her some water, and I hear. . . .

“You didn’t swallow the pill? It’s still in your mouth? Uuuggghhhh.”

So for the remaining 30 seconds we have left of the time out, Warwick, Bella and I try to coax that durn pill down her throat.

We try massive amounts of water. We try rubbing her throat while sending down trickles of water. We even managed to find a lollipop and stick the pill to the end of, trying to somehow get her to suck it down her throat. No dice.

The whistle blows.

“Oh crap. She’s gotta go. Okay, fine then Belly, just. . . . . .chew it.” I stammer, hardly able to say the words, not really believing she’d actually be able to do it.

“Okay.” And with that, the deed was done.

That kid. That fabulous, strong willed, dynamite kid ran back on the field a champion in my book. I don’t care if she never makes another soccer goal in her entire life, because that doesn’t make her a winner. What makes her a winner is that, when her dad gave her a pill she couldn’t swallow, she kept at it. She didn’t spit it out. She sucked on it. Then when it wouldn’t dissolve, 20 minutes later. . . .uuuggghhh. . . she chewed that sucker up, no flinching or gagging, and took that bitter pill like it was candy.

Bravo Bella. Bravo. You’ll always be a champion in my book.

It should be noted that precisely 5 minutes after she chewed on that pill, she felt better.
It should also be noted that the game ended 30 seconds after that.

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Ever had a pill stuck in your mouth, that you just couldn't get down your throat?

Tastes kind of like ear wax.

How do I know what ear wax tastes like?

By digging in my ears of course, and then accidentally putting my finger in mouth. Sorry. Too much information. Whatever. You know you've done it too.

Gross. But that's the point.

It's October.  All nuttiness leads to Halloween.  And grossness.

But these little ditties just look gross, but are actually quite Yum!

They'll have kid's and adults squealing in delight.

Used Q-tip Kabobs
Ingredients:

Jicama, peeled and cut up into strips (you could also use a very large apple and dip into lemon juice to prevent browning)
Mini Marshmallows
Peanut Butter

Directions:

1.  Pierce the end of your marshmallows with a knife.
2.  Skewer a marshmallow on each end of the Jicama stick.
3. Dip the marshmallow ends into peanut butter.

How to Make a Mermaid Costume with Cupcake Liners and a Glue Gun

Reason # 5689 - Why I love Halloween. . . . . .

I get to see my kids in all their glory.

And. . . .I'm guaranteed at least one really good laugh, every year.

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I've got this kid, Shelbi.  She's nine and she knows IT ALL.

I'm as serious as a heart attack..  She really does know it all.

Don't tell her I told you, though. It'll blow my cover. I've been telling her I'm the "Know it All".

But, she doesn't believe me.

The other day, the school nurse called her teacher and said Shelbi's eyesight is really bad.  The nurse told her teacher to move Shelbi immediately to a seat directly in front of the board.

Shelbi was completely mortified by the move. She hurried home from school and informed me of the situation. I told her don't worry, I'll call the nurse tomorrow to see what's going on.

The morning came.
Lunchtime came.
School let out.
Kids came home.
And. . . . .I forgot to call.

Shelbi was slightly perturbed, but not at all surprised that I forgot to do what I said I would do.  So the next morning, she asked if she could leave me a note to call the nurse, IN MARKER, on my bathroom mirror.

To that I said, "Heck No!"

"But you'll forget," she whined.

"No, I won't. I said I'll call, and I will! I just forgot that one time. I'm not going to do it again!"

She huffed, grabbed her backpack and walked out the front door on her way to school.

1 hour passed.
2 hours passed.
3 hours passed.
I forgot to call again.

Until. . . . . I strolled into the kitchen, and saw the plethora of notes tacked all over the kitchen, reminding me to call the nurse.

What can I say?  Hi, my name is Nicki Woo. I have a kid who's a "know it all", and I'm an absent minded liar.

It's okay.  I'm good with that.

So I called the school nurse, and found out she'd made a mistake. Shelbi was redeemed, and got to move back to her old seat.

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Everyday I live with my my kids, I'm so tickled because I get to find out more about their personalities. Like how Shelbi is super responsible, dependable, and genius-like. The type of person you call, when you've only got one call left. Just like her father. Aaaaahhhh. . . .gotta love that man.

And Halloween, like all holidays, brings another opportunity for their very faceted personalities to shine through.

This year, Shelbi has informed me that she wants to be a Mermaid.

Nice. I thought.  A little surprising, though.

She hasn't gone for the "pretty" since she was 4. But okay, I can dig it.

But then she says, "A dead one.  I want to be a dead mermaid."

And I think, I've never been so proud of that kid in my entire life.  That's pure genius.

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I get it, if you don't want to be a DEAD MERMAID.  It's not for everybody. 

But on the chance that you want to be an ALIVE MERMAID, you can use this tutorial also. Just nix the killer net, dripping blood, and white no-blood circulating face with black out eyes.

You can be pretty if you want.  We won't judge.

Mermaid Costume made with Cupcake Liners and a Glue Gun

What You’ll Need:
Long Skirt (made of stretchable material) - We purchased our's from goodwill for $5.00.
Skin tight shirt (if it's cold outside)
1 yard Sheer Costume Fabric *
1 yard Silky Costume Fabric (both fabrics should be in complimentary colors)
Glue Gun
Scissors
2 boxes (32 ct) of Silver (Aluminum) Cupcake Liners
Ribbon
Needle
Thread

*All costume fabric is currently 60% off at JoAnn Fabrics.

Mermaid’s Flippers at the end of the Tail.

Using your child as a guide, decide how large you would like the tail to be. The dimensions on our flippers are as follows.

1. Using the diagram as a pattern, cut the silky costume fabric to those exact dimensions. Repeat. You should have two pieces of material shaped in wedges with the dimensions of 16 inches.

2. Next, following the same pattern, but changing the dimensions to 15”, cut the sheer costume fabric to resemble the first cutout. This should also be done twice.

3. Again, following the same pattern, but changing the dimensions to 14”, cut the sheer costume fabric to resemble the first and second cutouts. This should be done twice.

4. Using a glue gun, finish the edges of each piece of material by placing a thin line of glue (on the back side of the fabric) along the edge and gently tucking over. This will ripple the ends of the fabric, and give the tail more body, once it is sewn onto the skirt.

5. Take one fabric cutout of each size (14, 15, 16”) and place one on top of the other, right side up. The 16” cutout should be on the bottom, with the 15” in the middle, and the 14” on top. Sew the edges together to keep in place.

6. Lay your skirt on a flat even surface. Using your scissors make one large 16” slit on the right side of the skirt, and one on the left.

7. Sew the fabric cutouts (that have now been layered and sewn together) to the new opening slits in the skirt.

Part II: The Scales on the Tail.

1. Place the skirt with flipper attached onto a flat table.

2. Remove the paper cupcake liners from the aluminum liners (you will not be using the white paper liners). Cut each aluminum liner in half.

3. Starting at the bottom of the skirt, hot glue each liner directly onto the skirt. Only place glue along the top edge of the liner, so that the scales can gently lift off the skirt. This gives a more realistic look.

4. Continue to layer the liners until you reach the waist of the skirt. Turn the skirt over, and repeat on the back side.

Part III: The top.

1. Using the same silky costume material you used in the tail, find a piece of material that will fit all a way around your child’s torso, with at least an extra 8 inches on each side (enough extra material to be able to crudely tie the top together in the back). Cut the fabric in the shape of the diagram below. The exact dimensions will be determined by the size of your child.

2. Very crudely quick sew the edges of the fabric the make the ends look finished.

3. With the material laying flat on the table, wrong side up, pull the shorter top end over about one inch. Sew into place. Pull a long ribbon through the opening. This will tie around your child’s neck.

4. Wrap the bottom half of the material around your child’s torso, and tie in the back.

A little bit extra. . . .

Our mermaid, met a sad demise, so she is also draped in netting costume fabric. She's lost some of the color in her skin thanks to light foundation, and her untimely death.  Though she does still have a dewey Mermaid glow from her magical powers and glitter.

There looks to have been some sort of struggle, that blackened her eyes that are also hightlighted with a pearly gray eyeshadow.  Her sweet lips are still red from the blood that ran through her veins but now seeps through a crack in her skull, and drips from the side of her mouth.

Tragic. Yet still beautiful. Now, that's Halloween.

* Shelbi has informed me that she is going to tie on seashells, and/or fake fish hooks to add to the beauty of her fish net.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!