Happy Halloween!

Hi Friends,

May your Halloween be filled with Fun, Magic, Memories and Great Design.

Happy Halloween from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Halloween History & Orgin

Courtesy of Halloween Web

Hi Friends,

Thought we would take this opportunity to share a little history about the second most popular Holiday of the year. Hope you enjoy...

Halloween History & Origin
Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It's one of the most popular holidays, second only to Christmas. While millions of people celebrate Halloween without knowing its origins and myths, the history and facts of Halloween make the holiday more fascinating.

Some people view Halloween as a time for fun, putting on costumes, trick-or-treating, and having theme parties. Others view it as a time of superstitions, ghosts, goblins and evil spirits that should be avoided at all costs.

As the Christian debate goes on, celebrating Halloween is a preference that is not always viewed as participating in an evil holiday. Halloween is often celebrated with no reference to pagan rituals or the occult.

Halloween History
Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.

All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day.

Origin of Halloween
While there are many versions of the origins and old customs of Halloween, some remain consistent by all accounts. Different cultures view Halloween somewhat differently but traditional Halloween practices remain the same.

Halloween culture can be traced back to the Druids, a Celtic culture in Ireland, Britain and Northern Europe. Roots lay in the feast of Samhain, which was annually on October 31st to honor the dead.

Samhain signifies "summers end" or November. Samhain was a harvest festival with huge sacred bonfires, marking the end of the Celtic year and beginning of a new one. Many of the practices involved in this celebration were fed on superstition.

The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Salted Caramel Popcorn Balls

Courtesy of Matt Armendariz

Hi Friends,

Gather the ghouls to enjoy this tasty update on a seasonal favorite. Delight Halloween trick-or-treaters or party guests with this recipe of the traditional popcorn ball but with a ghoulish twist. Perfect to fill kids' trick-or-treat bags that's quick and easy but with a personal touch. Forget the fun size candies and celebrate family, friends and neighbors with this Hallow's Eve traditional treat.

Here's How...

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup 
• 2 tbs butter 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons maple extract or rum (for an adults-only treat) 
• 2 tsp baking soda 
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 8 cups popped popcorn 
• 6 pieces cooked bacon, chopped 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Directions:
Combine sugars and corn syrup with 1/3 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugars dissolve. Once mixture has reached 240 degrees Farenheit, remove from the heat and stir in butter.

Return to heat and continue cooking until mixture reaches 300 degrees F. Remove from heat and carefully stir in extract, baking soda and salt. (The mixture will bubble aggressively, so stir with caution.)

Place popcorn, bacon and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and gently fold in caramel mixture until well-coated. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using greased heatproof gloves, take a handful of caramel corn and roll it into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to form 12 balls. Let sit at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving. Wrap individual popcorn balls in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Black & White Halloween Table

Courtesy of Glory Albin

Hi Friends,

Hosting a Halloween party is even sweeter with these elegant ideas for a dessert table display. Enjoy the evening and treats with family and good friends...

Materials Needed:

• 3-5 cake stands (varying colors and sizes) 
• 2 apothecary jars 
• 2-3 candy dishes
• silver candy 
• black and white candy 
• Halloween cookies 
• Halloween cupcakes 
• pumpkins, spiders and other spooky accessories

Choose Black and White
Create the display by mixing up cupcakes, cookies and candies, all tied together by their black and white color scheme. Royal icing spider webs add an elegantly spooky feel to the cupcakes. To make royal icing decorations, simply pipe your desired design (using thick royal icing) onto parchment paper, and allow to fully dry. Royal icing transfers are very delicate, so be sure to make more than you'll need.



Mixing and Matching
Add a mixture of both real and artificial pumpkins to the table, as well as a few glittery spiders.



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Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Happy Columbus Day!

Hi Friends,

Columbus Day is a celebration of discovery and adventure. Hopefully, we have given you great ideas to discover the interior designer in you and the spirit of adventure to create your perfect space.

Happy Columbus Day from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Candy Corn Wreath

Courtesy of Sarah Saucedo

Hi Friends,

A festive Halloween wreath for under $5; what a deal! Candy Corn is a favorite for the season, however, this will work with your favorite candy. Recruit the family and make it a project to create several to share. Your friends and neighbors will appreciate the time and effort of this special gift just for them. Try it, but above all, have fun...

Materials Needed:

• candy corn 
• foam wreath 
• black tape (alternatives: paper streamers, ribbon or fabric) 
• hot glue gun 

Wrap Wreath With Tape
Begin by wrapping the foam wreath with the black crepe paper (you can also use paper streamers, ribbon or fabric).

Establish Spacing
For the first row, lay the candies out to check spacing, and then glue them in place with the glue gun.



Glue, Glue, Glue
Continue to glue the candy corn onto the wreath until it is completely covered. The front can have as many as a few layers of candies while the sides will only have one. Hang the completed wreath from using the crepe paper.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Wooden Pumpkin Display

Courtesy of Janet Shumway

Hi Friends,

Create a fun new twist on fall's most popular decoration in four easy steps with a simple square pumpkin display. Get the family involved and enjoy quality time together while your creative juices are going strong during the pumpkin month.

Materials Needed:

• 3 pieces of 2x4 wood cut into lengths 3 1/2", 5" and 8" 
• orange paint and brush 
• brown paint 
• branch 
• ribbon 
• raffia 
• hot glue gun 
• moss

Paint the Pumpkins
Start by painting the 2x4 blocks. When they've dried, sand the edges to create a shabby chic look.

Make and Apply Wash
First mix up a brown wash: Add a squirt of dark brown paint to about 1/2 cup of water. Apply wash with a rag or sponge brush by brushing it on and then wiping the excess off with a dry rag or paper towel.

Create and Attach Stems
Use large pruners to trim your branch into 3 pieces, creating stems for the pumpkins. Put a very large dab of hot glue right where you want the stem, then push the stem down into it.

Add Embellishments
Cut a piece of wire, then curl the ends by bending them around a screwdriver or pencil. Wrap the curled wire around the pumpkin stem to hold it in place. Glue moss around the base of the stem. Tie a raffia and ribbon bow, then glue them on.

Check back for more great Halloween ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne