DIY halloween mantle

i'm not sure how much of a DIY post this is, but we'll call it that anyways.

what i really want to talk about is why Hobby Lobby closes at 8 PM IN A COLLEGE TOWN.

dumbos.

here's the story:

i've been wanting a mantle for a long time. i feel like most real homes (which we will probably never have until we're like 50) have a beautiful mantle above a cozy fireplace in their living room. which we have none of. i saw a beautiful black mantle at Hobby Lobby last saturday, and i was dying to have it. i finally decided to take the plunge and invest in a mantle, but when i drove to Hobby Lobby last night at 8:30, they were closed.

talk about disappointing.

i went to Michael's thinking for some reason that they might sell something similar, and then i found an unfinished wood one.

it was about 30 dollars cheaper than buying the finished mantle at H.B., so i decided to go for it.

i already had black spray paint so it quickly became

CRAFT TIME in the ping ping household.

poor christian, it was 11 p.m. before i even started putting the mantle up.

here's what i did/used:

1 wooden mantle from Michael's

black matte finish spray paint (i put 2 coats on)

for my decorations:

i used a carafe and a mason jar filled with caramel and original candy corn. i tied them with festive ribbon and put on restickable  halloween labels. 

 a little black crow found at the dollar store last halloween, and decorative mini pumpkins found at our local grocery store.

 my mother-in-law sent us the cute sequiny witch, and i put all of these together, and voila!

 a lot bit cheaper than buying a finished mantle, and a little bit more festive in the Pingree household today.

decorating for halloween

the pingrees are all sort of cheesiness up in here.

we don't do Halloween subtly.

it's all about the crazy colors and we're not concerned about chic halloween decorations.

it's pretty wild.

i didn't even buy any new decorations, but just recycled them from last year.

how are you decorating for Halloween?

have a great weekend, go BYU!

the over-blogged-about halloween party

saturday was the big halloween party and it went great! we had so much fun and all the work paid off.

i loved using halloween decorations from lovetheday.

Lindi, the creator of lovetheday, featured me on the lovetheday facebook fan page.

click HERE to view it!

here are some pictures from our party:

the tablescape consisted of a "cupcake bar" where you could decorate your own cupcake with chocolate or vanilla frosting, candy, sugar ghosts, and sprinkles.

 we had a veggie tray with "finger dip." the "fingers" were baby carrots with sliced almonds stuck on with cream cheese for the "finger nails."

our apothecary jars came in handy! can't wait to decorate them for thanksgiving and christmas.

i made pumpkin squares, dyed the frosting light green, and drew on frankenstein faces with black icing. they were adorable and delish!

cupcake toppers from lovetheday. Vanilla cupcakes with a purple vanilla frosting.

the ribbon wall with a "come in for a bite" sign from lovetheday.

happy halloween sign from lovetheday!

some of the tablescape

the drink table, i don't think there is a picture of the "rotten apple punch" but it was delicious!

poison aka jones soda with fun poison stickers that my sister Les gave to me

your hosts: tarzan and jane 

i made tarzan smile for the picture

broomstick goody bags, napkins and plates.

toffee apple dip with "apple bites." cut up apples with almond slice stuck into them.

my niece julia and my nephew luke. luke was a cowboy and julia was a fifties girl but insisted on being called a "poodle princess."

my side of the fam!

and the pings! missing: katie and dave, ben and lindsey. they were also here and it was so great to have everyone!

t-minus 2 days

the day of our long awaited Dickens-Pingree Family Halloween Party is almost here.

i have been planning for this party since september and while i am nooooo professional party planner, i have worked really hard and am hoping that our party will be great! but who knows.

last night i did a diy inspired by kate magleby and the talents of her sister. her sister made a Ribbon Wall for her very own wedding (this wedding was TO DIE FOR).

click here to see all the details of the ribbon wall and more importantly, their incredible wedding (her dress, the reception, the flowers, the venue... woah baby).

this is how my ribbon wall turned out:

look i told you i wasn't a professional but heyyy in my defense: i'm not planning a wedding (this is just a party people), and for the first time making one, i'd say it turned out well! Also, this is just the wall not the tablescape, i'm thinking it will look pretty cool when everything is set up!

this was pretty easy to make. i just kind of made it all up. all i used was ribbon and a glue gun! if you make a ribbon wall, don't use wired ribbon, it won't stay straight!

this is what my kitchen table has looked like since monday. we've been eating dinner in the living room. poor christian!

24 hours in a day

as october has progressed, we have been more and more busy...

last week- there were midterms.

my schedule for this week consists of:

clean the house, make food, have people over, clean up, sleep, do homework, take tests, clean, make food, clean, have people over, clean up, do home work, do a project, do more homework, have people over, go out with people, plan a party, clean the house, have family over, clean up, try to get some sleep.

my friend maureen asked how i have time for school, cooking, baking, sleeping, homework, planning a party, and a social life.

i don't! 

because the truth is there are only 24 hours a day.

i recently realized that.

christian and i are not perfect. our relationship is far from perfect.

but i'm grateful for the little moments when i remember how lucky i am.

i am oh so lucky.

chin and i have been so busy, and it's time we slow down, take a breather, and realize that we can only do so much.

everything gets done eventually... :)

including the rest of the hand-made apothecary jars!

here is the final project all ready for halloween, and our party!

what moments make you feel lucky?

you are cordially invited

to the first ever Pingree & Dickens Halloween Party.

i've been planning for this party since september.

i love parties.

sorry it's family only- but i thought you might like to see the pretty little invitation

preview of the menu:

skeleton cupcakes

guacamoldy

finger veggie tray & dip

mini mummy pizzas

pumpkin squares

apple bites & goo

rotten apple punch

snack-o-lantern

a cupcake bar

bobbing for apples

and many other surprises...

:)