15 Fall + Halloween Crafts For Kiddos




Welp, there goes summer. Every year of my life seems to always go faster than the last. Do you just blink in your 80's and have a birthday? Shhhheeeeesh! 

To kick off the fall madness, I thought I'd share 15 fun family crafts to get you in the fall and Halloween spirit! BONUS: All of these crafty ideas are cheap and easy enough to get the kids in on the action. 

If you are looking for adult fall fun.. check out these five-star chili recipes.



1. Q-tip Fall Tree Craft bundle a bunch of Q-tips together and voila! Instant paint brush perfect for even the littlest of hands.



2. Autumn Handprint Tree - Use the q-tip hack from #1 to make the leaves or let it be a full-on finger paint free-for-all.




3. Autumn Leaf Mason Jar Candle Holders





4.  Pumpkin Salt Dough Handprint Keepsake I LOVE THIS! Make Christmas tree ornaments while you're at it for an inexpensive super cute gift idea...



5. Craft Stick Spiderweb


6. Tin Can Ghost





7. Glow-in-the-dark Pumpkins.




8. Bubblewrap Corn Sun Catchers




9.  Fall Leaf Sun Catcher 



10.  Salt Dough Leaf Impressions




11. Halloween Glitter Slime Monsters




12. Preserved leaf mobile





13. Fall Leaf Painting 


14. This leaf people craft is a great idea for a family park activity!




15. What fall craft list would be complete without a DIY pine cone bird feeder?




PRO TIPS For HALLOWEEN Hair + Makeup For You And The Kiddos!

Whether you're going for super scary, super cute, or super slutty, these Pro Tips For Party Perfect Halloween Hair + Makeup are super easy to pull off.



HALLOWEEN MAKEUP
These makeup ideas are so cool and so easy!


Use Fishnets as a stencil for perfect Mermaid Scales



Use your natural line to guide a closed, big-mouth Cheshire Cat look. 



Use your upper lip line and chin as a guide for an open mouth!



Use white to draw an extensive outline under your lower lash for cartoon eyes, and finish the look with fake eyelashes.



Use liquid eyeliner to make precise lines that last! There are so many colors available today; the possibilities are endless.




For the crazy eye look, without wearing irritating contacts, incorporate design on eyelids. Hold closed for photos and shock factor.

Make sure the makeup you use is safe for little faces. Crappy makeup can end a Halloween before it starts.

Now that the basics are out of the way, here are a few tutorials that look complicated but are easy to recreate!

First: Double Vision



Oooohhhhh Cheetah! 





 A Skeleton perfect for boys and girls! 



Spoooooooky



Need a look that you can go from work to party fast? 




HALLOWEEN HAIR
These Halloween hairstyles will scare, mystify and even melt a few hearts.




Create a ponytail, then wrap a mummy, spider, or doll... you get the point.



Turn your child's hair into a spooky spiderweb.



 Mmmmm Cupcakes! 



 Tie strips of tulle to a plastic headband for homemade Troll Hair! 





Don't forget the boys! 







5 Star Chili Recipes: Vegetarian to Meat Lovers to 8-Alarm


Happy Fall, Y'All! 

 Waking up to crisp morning leaves falling at my feet and flocks of birds flying south, this can mean only one thing, fall-food season is upon us! So just in case, you were feeling the same, I thought I would share a few of the championship 5-star chili recipes I've saved to make this season. From vegetarian to meat lovers to eight-alarm, here are the best of the best.



30-Minute Chili. Yes, 30-minutes, total! With 5-minutes of prep and 25-minutes cook time, this 30-minute Chili from Southern Living had the reviewers swearing by it as their go-to for quick dinners and potlucks. Kid-approved, too!




This Blue Ribbon Chili recipe has over 2,200 reviews 95% are 5stars and ZERO one star. That means even the shittiest of chefs can pull this one off! Of course, it helps there's a video walkthrough. I'm totally giving this one a try. It's smooth Chili, as opposed to ultra-bean-y Chili. (see above)



This 5-star, 5-step chili recipe from Betty Crocker is super easy and ready in less than 2 hours!



This Vegetarian Chili with Avocado cream from Martha Stewert had the reviewers going wild. One reviewer said, "I was so skeptical of this recipe - fennel and all that CELERY??? I was wrong. This is one of the best vegetarian chilis we've ever made."


Did you know there's an International Chili Society? Every year, ICS holds the world championship Chili-cookoff. So whether you like Texas Chili or 5-alarm, the ICS has a complete list of winners and their championship Chili recipes. To see them all, click here! 



This Creamy White Chili from Taste of Home makes it to the table in under an hour, has 552 5-star reviews, and has one reviewer, a college student, singing its praises. "I got this wonderful chili recipe from my sister-in-law, who made a big batch and served a crowd one night. It was a hit. Plus, it's easy and quick, which is helpful since I'm a college student. In all my years of 4-H cooking, I've never had another dish get so many compliments."


Why stop at 5-alarm? Epicurious is bringing out the fire department for their Ding Dong 8-Alarm chili. Yes, EIGHT! How you wouldn't have to ice down your mouth and ass for 24 hours after a spoonful, I don't know, but if this is your thing, or you hate someone and are going to their potluck, have a go at this insanity.


I remember my first turkey chili. I was floored when I found out it was made with turkey instead of beef. I HAD NO IDEA! Truth be told, I pretty much only use turkey in my Chili now. It's low-fat, heart-healthy, and NO ONE knows the difference. This 5-star turkey recipe is the clear winner with thousands of 5-star recipes. 

This weekend I'm making the turkey chili. Which is your favorite? 

Halloween Eats and Treats The Entire Family Will Love!

 

Thanks to Covid-19, this Halloween will be like nothing we have experienced. And most likely, not in a good way. I keep praying for torrential rain to blame Mother Nature for ruining Halloween, not the pandemic. Still, we can't ignore Halloween. Our kids won't let us! So, to bring a little cheer to the holiday fear... below are some yummy Halloween eats and treats to make the day as memorable as possible, and I'm not talking about hot dogs that look like fingers. Been there. Done that.







Halloween Tie-Die Bunt Cake


Ultimate witch's hat cupcakes!




Super simple Cheese puff pumpkin bags. You can buy decorative bags at the grocery or dollar tree and fill them yourself. Cheap and easy!







Monster Marshmallow pops: So easy, the kids can make them...




Ear wax (caramel) marshmallows: SO gross and so easy to make!



Skeleton Cheese Skull





Spider PB&J! I love Healthy Halloween-inspired treats.


This Monster Meatloaf is so gross. I'm totally feeding it to my family.


Pumpkin drink cooler: GENIUS!


Coffin Bread Bowl: SO EASY! No directions are needed...


Homemade gummy worms: We make these a few times a year. Fun and easy!





What's your favorite? Have you ever tried any?

Check out my Halloween Pinterest Boards for more Halloween inspiration, from costumes to decorations to more eats and treats.