"Anyone that doesn't agree with leggings as pants can physically fight me.
And I'm going to win because I have a full range of motion due to the fact that I am wearing leggings as pants."

Thursday, September 27, 2007

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yep, the holidays have arrived. And I don't mean Christmas. That's months away, people. I'm talking Halloween.

Because, let me tell you, I don't get sick of Halloween. Ever.

Around this time of year, when the kids are changing their minds daily about what costumes they want for Halloween (and I'm therefore unable to start costume shopping at the Thrift Store), I start buying candy.

Not huge bags of snickers and other yummy chocolate (well, actually I do buy that stuff, but I eat all of it long before neighbor kids arrive on our doorstep).

No, I buy candy to decorate these cupcakes...
Halloween Cupcakes

(click the picture to see it in Flickr with the specific candies labeled)

It takes me awhile to stock up on it, mainly because no one store actually carries everything I want. Basically, I just keep my eyes peeled for anything that would work. A candy store is much more fun when you're buying candy to make these guys. I get really creative and excited. If you've got a good one around, the kind of candy store that sells in bulk is a great place to shop. You really don't need that many of any one type of candy, and at those places, you can really just buy a few of each kind.

This froggy has a tongue made of Laffy Taffy (rounded off at the end) and eyes made with cut marshmallows and m & m's. When you cut the marshmallows or gumdrops in half, the cut surface is nice and sticky, so you can stick other candy right to them.
Halloween Cupcakes- Froggy

This last one's my favorite (my sister did it- actually she did a lot of these) mainly because it reminds me of Kang and Kodos on the Simpsons. The tentacles are Laffy Taffy and the eyeball is a cut gumdrop with a mini chocolate chip shoved point-side into it. If you poke a hole in the gumdrop with a wooden skewer first, the chocolate chip slides in fairly easily.
Kang or Kodos Halloween Cupcake

We got the idea for these from a Martha Stewart Kids (Oh Martha, why won't you bring back the Kids magazine?) They are so much fun. It's great to see what the kids come up with. If you can spare them, cuticle scissors work best for cutting the tiny strips of taffy and licorice. Bigger scissors work well for the marshmallows and cutting longer strips of taffy.

And the best part about buying candy for these is that I don't like most of it, so, unlike the rest of the candy I'll buy in the next 30 days, this will still be around come Halloween.

26 comments:

Cami said...

These are so cute, great faces on all of them. The frog tongue looks almost too real! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, too.

Angeleen said...

I'M NOT WORTHY! I'M NOT WORTHY!

Simply amazing.

Candy is a very bad thing at our house so we can't do stuff like this... at least without some sort of nasty repercussion.

I must be the least fun mom ever.

Angeleen said...

By the way, I tagged you back for the "Nice" award.

Sorry. I couldn't resist. ;)

Wendy said...

Angeleen, I've read your blog and there is no way that you're the least fun mom ever! You've got a couple of very lucky girls.

And, BTW, the candy I use on these is so gross, that none of us really eat it anyway, even the kids.

Mika said...

Those are too cool! I love Halloween too, and love to make things like that. I am trying to figure out how to post Halloween stuff in the midst of Pink October... I just love Halloween too much not to do some Halloween posts. :)

PolkaDot said...

Oh, HELL YEAH!! Those freaking rock. I'm so stealing it for my Halloween fun (bunch of Halloween grinches here, even tho it *started* here!)

You go. Added to my Food Blog list now :-)

moxie said...

effing a. halloween is my christmas. and christmas is my halloween. oooh, that's deep.

Diana Lee said...

These are absolutely adorable!

Anonymous said...

You did a great job with these! The frog tongue is almost too realistic looking, lol. The tentacles are great too. Love 'em and I'll be adding your page to my halloween projects to share with everyone, the flickr details are very helpful :).

Westcoast Walker said...

I am truly inspired. Thank You!

ultra modern cowgirl said...

Those are just hilarious!!! Thanks so much for posting your photos and details!

Shauna said...

I had to call in my 6-year-old when I saw this photo! Let's just say she is very impressed and you've inspired us to make our own monstrous cupcakes soon.

Annejelynn said...

I love these! thanks for sharing them on your blog!

Nathan said...

Those cupcakes are amazing. Really. Thanks so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more with your post! I LOVE Halloween. Now that I see your monster cupcakes I don't feel quite as proud of the ones I made this weekend for my son's monster party. Check out my eyeball candy though, you might like them. http://www.myfamilylovesit.com/blog/index.php/2007/10/06/monster-cupcakes/I may have to steal your tentacle idea for the ones I make for my Halloween party.

9milemom said...

These cupcakes are amazing! The frog is my absolute favorite! I've seen real tongues that don't look quite so real! LOL!

I gave you some blog love and posted your picture of the cupcakes and gave you all the credit with a link to your site! Enjoy...hope it brings you more visitors. I love the jewelry too!

regina said...

I'm so happy to have stumbled my way here. These cupcakes are absolutely inspiring!

I look forward to poking around your section of blogland to see what other delightful creations you have produced. :)

dig this chick said...

These are incredible! Your kiddos are so lucky to have such a creative mama.

Michelle said...

Hello!

Surfed in here recently and am quite enjoying your blog! We tried our hand at making these at our house today. What fun! Thanks for sharing!

Here's a link to ours

http://chmiley.blogspot.com/2007/10/final-product.html

Michelle

Tina Poe said...

So awesome! I am in love!

Siri said...

The cup cakes are so cute and adorable..:D.. I am actually compiling the "Halloween" posts at one place. Can I add urs to "Lets Celebrate Halloween Together" event. For more details, check out my recent post.. tc n byee..:D

niki said...

yahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Volunteer for Green Projects + Global Studies Major at JCC said...

hahaha! these are my favorite, they had all muh friends laughing out loud and we are 20 year olds..haha, awesome work!

Helen in the UK said...

These are brilliant!! Congrats on your creativity :)

sprinkles said...

Love all these cupcakes, but the octopus with one eye is simply the most awesome! I have included them in our 25 Horrible Hairy Halloween Cupcake Idea post at Party Cupcake Ideas.

http://partycupcakeideas.com/25-horrible-hairy-halloween-cupcakes/

Jill said...

Cute cupcakes I linked to your post on my blog because I used your cupcakes as inspiration for my own. Check it out if you wish! http://acountrygirlsramblings.blogspot.com/2012/08/oh-man-i-sure-have-neglected-my-blog.html