October Life Update; Happy Halloween!

Hi readers,

I just wanted to say Happy Halloween to you all and share my pumpkins for this year! I carved three different pumpkins over the last few days and the two above are outside my house right now. I really liked the baby bat and then I went for a scary raven and skull.

At the weekend, my boyfriend and I craved the two below; a witch and her cat. I left these at his house. We both enjoyed spending the time being creative! 

My boyfriend also took me on a ghost walk around Hoghton Tower which we had visited before. It was a really spooky walk around the old manor house with people telling us different tales about the ghostly encounters. We didn't see anything but at one point it felt like someone was tickling my back! We had a good time though and it was lots of fun.    

Today, the house is decorated and I've done some baking. I have also made gift bags for the kids this year as we ran out of sweets last year! So now I just need to wait for the darkness to come and then the fun can began! I hope everyone had a good time to night! 

Oh and I made a new friend too. Look at this cute little bat! 

Stay safe everyone and have lots of fun! 

October Life Update: A Lot Of Ramblings

Hi readers,

So last week I was ill and couldn't write. I had also spent the whole day in Leeds and arrived back late, so I was super tried too. I've been at work today and I'm not much in the mood to write now, but I wanted to post a little about a mix of things instead of missing another week. So here's a very rambling life update.

First off the Steampunk fair was really good. It was the biggest I'd ever gone to and I brought a lot of things, including Christmas presents for my mum. There was a lot of things to see and do even though I was actually ill on the day, but I still had a good time. I was not able to take as many photos as I wanted, so I've only got a few and no good ones of me wearing my costume! This photo above is the view from the top floor of the hotel we were in. I loved seeing all the city lights.

I totally needed a new camera! Also a new computer screen or two as my second screen is just dying. I'm still in debate about getting a laptop too. It would be nice to curl on the sofa or in bed and write. Especially as the nights are getting colder.

Anyway, here are some of things I brought and some business cards I collected;

I really like this candle jar. It's so petty and also looks easy to make, but you can't put a real candle in it because there's paper inside. I might have a go at making one myself. 

I brought the wolf and Toronto key chains together because they were so cute and cheap! The tree of of life my date - soon to be boyfriend!- brought me and I'm so thinking of turning it into a necklace as it would look way better and also I'd love to wear it instead of just carrying it around with me. The actual necklace, which didn't come up that well is a Steampunk style heart with keys and gears, it looks really nice, but not overly Steampunk, so I can wear it often.  

This gnomes were too cute to leave behind! I got the red one of my mum and the brown one of me. I love how they seem to be steampunked with those large goggles. Mine is currently sat on my desk with the clay dragons I got last time.

Also, I couldn't leave this guy behind! He's a battle toad drawn by this very out of the box artist. He also told me he was working on battle snail and I'd have loved to have brought that too. Have to watch out for it next time. 

My collection of business cards and flyers. Some of them might come in handy for connected people. 

With it being October now I've started Halloween! I've already got a few decorations and yesterday I had my first practice at making gingerbread. I need to improve on my icing skills though, but they did turn out okay and they are very tasty. I also made flapjack and I swear taking good photos of food is hard! I've got a few plans building for Halloween too, so hopefully I'll write about them soon.

To tie into this tomorrow, I'm going to be making soap with the young people at the youth center. I say make but really I mean melt and pour stuff, which makes life so much easier. The kids are going to love it and I got ghosts and bat shapes for them to make. Also, taking photos of clear soap is hard. I so need a good camera! Maybe an idea for Christmas.

Speaking of I've already started shopping! Mum and I are doing the advent calendar bags again and we are also doing the Christmas Eve luckily dip. I've had a great idea to make lip scrub and festive shaped soap. Can't wait to start that! I think I'm more excited about Christmas then Halloween this year because of all the things I want to make.

I'm also applying for a new job. Actually it's at the place I work and part-time, so it's going to be real suitable for me. It's receptionist, front of house and a bit of admin, basically it's what I've been volunteering as for the last few months. I need to finish off my application tomorrow now and get it sent in. I'm going to get an interview anyway, but I need to try and my best. It'll be useful to have another job anyway and lucky for me if it's in the place I'm at now.

Recently, I've been enjoying watching autumn settle in, especially in my garden. We put out food for the birds and I love watching them coming and eating. We mainly have blue tits, coal tits, greater tits and black birds. I've yet to see the robin though.

We also have a squirrel or a few! Most people see them as vermin and invading the homes red squirrels which are native to England. But I still like them and find them interesting creatures.

I think they delight in teasing my dog though! She is forever wanting to go out and chase them. She is a terrier too and so has that urge more stronger then other dogs. I think this squirrel was a young one and s/he was burying their nuts under the rocks. I just find them so cute!

Lastly, I'm having a hard time reading The Vampire Lestat. I forgot how long and going on with itself it can be! I still love it and due to the chapters find it an easier layout then Interview With A Vampire, but my deadline of finishing was actually to day and I'm only about a quarter through! I don't know if I'll finish it in two weeks time when I'm now meant to be reviewing it. Then it's Halloween and the review of Queen of the Damned, which I don't think I'm going to get read in two-ish weeks either. So I'm not sure what to do.... I guess find other posts to fill the gaps or not write on those days. Have to figure it out.

I think that's it! Thanks for reading.

December Update: Counting Down To Christmas (Part 2)

Hi readers,

It's another update post today and probably my last before Christmas, though hopefully not my last before the New Year! This last week and the weekend have been a bit stressful though and I still can't wait for Christmas to be over and done with as it just feels like that will solve most of the problems! Anyway, I've hardly had time to think about that today because I've been at work all day and evening. Which is why I'm super glad I decided to get ahead yesterday and write up some of the parts of this post!

Kicking my post off today is an update of what's going on at my other blog. I've just written a nine part fantasy story, which people have seemed to be enjoying. I can't decided if I want to carry on writing or not. This week though it's all about the next six parts of my Trust novella. Yeah, my vampires Brook and Fern are back and this time I decide to bring in a new plot that I've been thinking about and adding in some new vampires. Of course, there are other stories all Christmas/winter themed still available to read and new ones will be up later this week. Here's the link; https://thestoryfiles.wordpress.com/ 

The only thing I made last week is peppermint bark. I've never made it before and it doesn't seem to be that bigger thing in the UK compared to USA. I found a real simple recipe that called for milk chocolate, white chocolate, peppermint oil and candy canes. I melted the milk chocolate first and also a bowl in the microwave- I thought it was heat safe, turns out it wasn't! I then poured that into a silicon tray, added some peppermint oil and let it set. I melted the white chocolate, added the oil to that and poured that on top of the milk chocolate. Then and really I should have done this before- I smashed up some of the candy canes with a rolling pin and sprinkled them on top, I pressed some of the bigger pieces down then I left it over night to set completely.

It turned out okay, though it did need some more peppermint oil! I shared some of with my friends from D and D and they all agreed it reminded them of Areo chocolate (which is mint flavored chocolate, for those that don't know). and they liked it. I've still got some in the fridge and might take some with me on Christmas eve.      

Last week, I decided to make small felt stars with the young people at the youth center. I made this one and had this idea of making more and having a string of them on my bookcase. I've just not had the time to do that though, but it would be a great way to use up some of my scraps of felt. The kids once we had thrown away the yellow silk, which wasn't good for this project, did enjoy making them, so I'd say make felt/fabric stars is a good craft for the kids to do. 

My second thing which I made on Saturday, is this stocking. I found the gingerbread man pattern at http://www.dreamalittlebigger.com/post/distressed-gingerbread-man-felt-stocking-pattern.html and it reminded me of the gingerbread men I made the other week. I know I didn't get it perfect, but I really like it. I wanted to give it ago as on Wednesday I'm running an craft activity at work and thought that getting the kids to design their own stockings would be a great idea. To save time and issues, I've spent time over the weekend and properly some more tomorrow cutting out the stockings, gingerbread men and a few other shapes. I really hope the kids like making them.

Christmas is just a great time to do lots of arts and crafts with kids and there's so many different things they can have a go at making. Today, I made Christmas cards and paper plate wreaths with two different age groups; juniors and seniors all of whom had additional needs. They seemed to have a great time and so did I!

This week I'm still burning Christmas themed Yankee Candles and it's one of my favorite set; Hot Butter Rum, Winter Garden and warm Chestnut. I think they were new and limited from a shopping channel and I've not really seen them around. However, I love the rich warm butter and rum scent which really fills the house. Warm chestnut has this hot earthy/outdoor nut smell to it, which to me is better then real chestnuts! Winter garden smells just like a frost covered evergreen garden. I can't decided my favorite out of them to be honest!

It doesn't feel like I've got any new music to share today. I've been listening to my normal things and some natural sound videos on YouTube. I've been listening to Christmas songs -who hasn't?- but due to them being mostly played in shops and at work, and the fact my mum keeps putting them on the TV music channels, I've not really been listening to them in my own time. Though I had to hear Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer a few times because that's one song I just don't hear anywhere else. I just makes me laugh a lot and it far better then some of the depressing Christmas songs. 

I've been getting lots of nice things in my advent count down sack, as the photo shows! I've got a few more things knocking about to, but this week it's mostly been about chocolate. Can't wait to tuck into that! I'm sad I've only got like three more presents to go now, I'm going to miss opening a present a day. Still though, I'll have lots to open on Christmas day! 

Lastly, here's my dog snugging in her new blanket. She's so cute!

Photos:

Christmas house and trees lighting up from: http://giphy.com/gifs/pretty-christmas-bHSCxaHfjZYwE
Yankee Candles 
All others; my own

December Update: Counting Down To Christmas

Hi Readers,

I can't believe it's December already or that it's almost Christmas or that another year is about to end! Everything feels like it's gone too fast, but a part of me can't wait for Christmas to be over with. It always feels like it starts earlier every year. All the shops sweep Halloween away like it didn't happen and start slotting Christmas themed things up. Come the middle of November this just explodes and everything has to be Christmas! Then it's about the decorations, the presents, the food, the final plans. The word is on everyone lips, Christmas songs - old, new, classic, strange ones- are blasting everywhere and the only way to escape is to go and live under a rock for the next few weeks.

That makes me sound like a 'Scrooge', but I actually love Christmas! It just feels so commercialised now, like every other holiday or maybe it's been like that all my life, but as a child I never noticed? I think also this year because I'm finally moving away my family's traditional Christmas I'm feeling more stressed. I was trying to see if I wrote about the Christmas we have in my early posts. I found this one; http://hailscrazyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/a-traditional-christmas.html though it doesn't go into the full details, but you can see how close my family is.

So, the move is that my boyfriend invited me over to have Christmas at his. After lots of thinking, arguing with my mum, doing the pros and cons, I decided to accept. I know I'm in for a very different, much quieter and less chaos/fun time, but the chance to finally say I spent Christmas with a boyfriend out weighs that. And who wouldn't want a quieter/peaceful Christmas day? Anyway, with that very mixed introduction out of the way, here's what's becoming my normal list of things on writing these update posts;  

At my other blog, The Story Files, you can find winter/Christmas themed stories for today, the rest of the week and last week. I've found a very interesting trend on there too and that is that people seemed to enjoy my flash fiction and shorter stories a lot more then the long single stories or part ones. I guess because they are fast to read and more to the point? I don't know, because some of the ones I wrote last week I wasn't too keen on, but people have really been liking them. The link is;
https://thestoryfiles.wordpress.com/ and you can also found it on Facebook, which I've included the link to at the end of this post. Also, if you've written a story and fancy submitting it -I'm still looking for Christmas and New Year themed stories- you can go to my guidelines page on that blog.

Tonight as I write this, I'm busy finishing painting and fake snowing a glass jar lantern. Remember the ones I made at Halloween? Well, that same person who came up with that design did a Christmas one too. I really liked the idea as giving them as extra gifts to people. So I made one for my best friend and forgot to take photos! So, I've now made this one to give to my mum. Even though its' not finished you get the idea. I've included the link to the website is; http://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/magical-christmas-lanterns/

They are really simple, cheap to make and effective. Once again, I had trouble with the drawing, so I blew up the image and that was easier, though the thickness of the glass and roundness of the jar made it harder so I free handed a lot of the roof tops! I just need to do another coat of paint, put on some fake snow and add the sand and candled to the inside.

The other thing on my list to make is this;

A sugar plum fairy felt socking. Which I thought would be easy to make, but the instruction seem to make it really complicated. I think this is a job for mum and me to do. We didn't get a chance this weekend so maybe next? I've got a few other things to get making, hopefully it'll put me in a Christmas mood.

This morning I made Gingerbread men. I've had a mad craving for them over the weekend, but hadn't had the chance to go and buy some, so I made my own today. I was a bit worried after my problems with all the stuff I made over October. However, these guys turned out fine! I followed this simple recipe; https://www.homemadebyyou.co.uk/recipes/baking/gingerbread-family , which I have in my favorite cook book. I stuck with it and took my time over it too. Unlike last time I also stayed in the kitchen the whole time and made sure they didn't burn!

I didn't have a whole family like the recipe calls for and I could only find two cookie cutters. So  I made a big and small gingerbread man. I also decorated them with ice writing pens, because that was all I could find. I can't wait to eat them with my parents later!

One of the smaller ones did have an accident though....I dropped one of the big ones on him when I was transferring them to the rack and his arm snapped off! I was going to leave him undecorated and eat him as my 'tester' but I just couldn't resisted doing this instead....

Halloween is still lingering in me!

This month I'm burning some new Yankee candles. I've had Cosy By The Fire melting in my burner this weekend. It smells really nice, though it is strong. It's like burning wood and warm mulled wine spices. I've also got Winter Glow and it smells piney and just like a winter garden soon after the snow has stopped falling and the sun has come up. That's the only way I can describe it.

I've smelt the other two new releases, Bundle Up and Berry Trifle. I wasn't too keen on the first one because it smelt too piney, but I did like the second one because it was very fruity and I got for the food candles more then the other categories.

At the minute I'm burning a big jar Fireside Treats. I love the smell of toasted marshmallows and a wood burning.   

Music time! With winter coming, I love listening to howling winds and fire places. Here's my current favorite of a winter storm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrg9E2YBgsI This is perfect to listen too whilst burning a candle and reading a good book.

Lastly, I want to share my advent calendar bag with you. My mum heard of this idea about three years ago now and you buy a small present for every day in December and open one per day as you would an advent thing. This is the inside of my bag. Look at all those presents just waiting to be opened!

These are the things I've gotten so far:

The purple thing is a detangle hair brush, a notebook is next to it with a chocolate bear and a Yankee candle behind it. Also some fluffy socks and some jelly babies. I also got a bracelet that my mum made me which is in my jewelry box so it didn't get lost. I wonder what I'll get tomorrow?

Thanks for reading and please check out my blog.


Links;

https://thestoryfiles.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thestoryfiles/


Photos:

Falling snow scene; https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBK8HyMhaJ0x2FwNgj9o348fcQkm6gw9a2q5WJY7USMxOA5_T-uwGrn1h93uYzRJV2-tATh9Y7RfQ-hGZQLXMMti68nRwxHTQzWdWgMbBYqqBLR8snvL2AvT6oS5r4MJ7vm7-HDkufsaI/s1600/tumblr_myvfv4s4Ec1r3t8ico1_500.gif

Yankee Candles; http://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/

The rest; all author's own.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

Hi readers and happy Halloween,

I've spent all day being busy sorting stuff out, carving pumpkins and decorating. I'm now finishing writing this and editing it as I wait for the Trick or Treaters. So, firstly my pumpkins. I decided to go with Sparky from Frankenweenie and Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas. They turned out pretty good and I've already had some neighbors and parents really liking them.

I can't believe how long it took me to make them, even though they were simple designs. I watched nearly all of the second season of American Horror Story and I was glad of the distraction because asylums, torture and hospitals are the worse things for me and I can't really watch stuff with those things in them. I've got the last two episodes to watch now, but the setting has mostly moved out of the asylum now. I'm looking forward to watching the third season a lot more now and that's about witches which I'll be fine with. Anyway, here's my pumpkins close up;  

I'm hoping they'll keep the evil spirits away night! I've had 22 trick or treaters so far and I'm out of sweets. I made 20 party bags up and believed I'd have some to left to eat afterwards and now I'm having to give away my person Halloween sweets. I've never had so many kids before, but it's getting a bit later now, so I might have said goodbye to the last of them. 

I also manged to do the lantern from my last post and I'm really happy with it. I decided to not use the black marker to color in the outline as instructed, because it just wasn't working. So, I used my black glitter paint again and I added some purple glitter paint into the inside to give it more sparkle. I've still got another two to do, though they are going to have to wait till another time now. But I'm not too bothered because I'd love it to be Halloween all the time anyway! I'll be posting them up in November now and showing how I got on with them. Then In December, I'm going to do Christmas scene ones. 

In the kitchen yesterday, I made gingerbread ghosts, pumpkins and bats. I used a different recipe to the one I normally use and though they turned out okay, they are far from perfect. I think the problems from my Halloween Count Down part 2 post also effect me and again. They do taste fine, but I wish they looked better. I was tempted to put them in the goodie bags for the kids, but then decided against it due to not being sure if the kids were going to be okay with them and if the gingerbread icing would survive. My last biscuits went down so well and I can only hope these do to. I think next year, I'm so going to stick with the recipes I know work and do turn out really good. Who knows what I'll be up to next year, though?

One thing I always think about at Halloween is how many pumpkins are wasted. I know that sounds like an odd thought, but none of of the pumpkin goes to waste in my house and so tonight I made roasted pumpkin seeds. These are really easy to make! I washed and dried the seeds then added in some brown sugar and cinnamon. I cooked in them in the oven for an hour and half on a low setting. They are a tasty and health snack! Plus they can be added to lots of different dishes too.  

With the rest of the pumpkin the plans are to make my mum's pumpkin pie and a pumpkin soup. With her being away at a party, I've not been able to make those tonight and I've frozen the pumpkin so we can use it when she returns. I'll write about that next week because pumpkin pie is something no one should miss out on!

Here's a photo of all the stuff I got to go in the goodie bags. I was hoping to get some toys and maybe theme stationary too, but none of the shops I went to had anything like that. I just liked the idea better then mixing everything in a bowl and the kids really like them. I think I'll have to look at getting some more next year though because this time has been really busy. That's if I do decided to do it again though. 

I've fond memories of trick or treating with my family and friends or else going to parties and I just like the idea of those memories starting in other people. A part of me does wish I was hosting or going to a party tonight though. Oh, well, maybe next year.... 

I think that decorating the house has to be my second favorite part of Halloween. (Pumpkins come first!) Being home alone and not actually having any plans isn't a great feeling and so to cheer myself up, I took a trip into the attic to find my Halloween decorates, yesterday. I found one box that had some stuff in, but nothing worth getting it and the second box had only my large pot lit up pumpkins, Spider chase lights and a box of parrot lights from my 21st birthday party. I'm really not sure where the rest of my stuff has gone to. There must be another box in the attic or else it's stored under my bed. Anyway, I decided to do what I could, but in handing the pot pumpkins to my mum their cardboard box completely split and she got whacked on the head by them. 

I was a little upset that they both smashed but then more so about my mum. She got a concussion and went into shock. I was really thinking my dad would have to drive her to the hospital or a walk in center. But once she had sat down and didn't feel sick and dizzy any more, she seemed okay. That though led to a small argument with my dad as my parents at that moment were getting ready to go away for the weekend and to a Halloween party with my dad's diving club. I felt pretty bad about the whole thing and my dad moaning about my 'wrong time'. I should be use to that over the years, but once again I had been going through the whole debate about not going into the attic and not decorating the house, but deciding that I really needed to. (This enters into another long story, which I'm hoping to write about at some point in November / December) I was hoping to find some super glue and get them repaired, but I can't find any and I've so not had the time today.

Anyway, here's a photo of the front of my house; 

I was hoping to do a little more decorating, but it rained heavily in the night and everything was soaking wet still. It's not meant to rain tonight, but it's been looking like it might do. I wanted to put my skeleton dog out tied up on the grass with an bowl and a bone, but I got scared someone might steal him. Which I know is a bit of a silly thought to have, but yeah.....issues. Don't think most of the kids would have seen him anyway because the front wall is high. Also, I never found the rest of my decorations.

Lastly, I'm about to burn my favorite candle; Happy Halloween from Yankee Candles. I know I've wrote about this one before, but I just love it so much. I got luckily too because I found it at a really good price on Amazon and after deciding there was a high chance I'd never find one at that price in the future due to them now retiring it and the fact they only released a limited number around Halloween anyway. I've got three of them now and one of which I'll never burn because I'm hoarding it away! Also, the photo isn't mine because my camera has run out of battery.  

Thanks for reading! Please remember to follow and share. Also check out my other blog: https://thestoryfiles.wordpress.com/ and get ready for a new month of stories starting tomorrow. 

Preview for next month;

The Little Paris Bookshop Review 

Welcome To Night Vale, A Novel Review

November Update 

Possible posts:

My long term health problem

Youth Centre work 

Preparing for Christmas  

October Update : Counting Down To Halloween, Part 3

 Hi readers,

I've got a mixture of things to share with you today in the third and finally count down to Halloween post. Kicking off this time are these Halloween lanterns ; http://adventure-in-a-box.com/enchanting-halloween-lanterns. I fell in love with them and really wanted to give them ago. As soon as I started buying and gathering everything I needed, I had all these ideas to make different ones. The one above is my practice one as art/drawing/painting is a weak spot for me. I'm so glad I decided to have a practice first because I learnt a lot from it. 

I'm pleased with how it turned out, though I wish I couldn't have got the orange background paint a little bit better. There are lots of different ways to make these lanterns and I guess depending on things you might find one way easier then the others. So, how did I make my practice one? Firstly, I printed out some designs that I found free to use online then I cut them out and arranged them on my clean dry jar. I stuck them to the outside with some tape then got a Sharpie permanent marker and drew around them all. I also drew a bumpy line to connect them all and represent a hilly landscape. Next, I painted in the outlines and the bottom of the jar. I used glitter black paint because I love how the candlelight catches of glitter and it just enchants it a bit more. I put on three coats because the paint was thin and I wanted there to be no leakage of the candlelight. 

I then mixed orange glitter paint with water and placed it inside the jar. I swirled it around and tried to get a good coverage. I was happy with it when it was done and left it to try. An hour later, I noticed that the orange paint and water mix hadn't stuck and had pooled at the bottom of the jar. I swirled it around again and spent time rolling the paint around to try and get it to stick. When I went to bed, I left the jar on it's side and whilst most of the paint had settled, it still hadn't dried. I added more paint, because I think I might have used too much water. I left it to dry and though it turned out a little bit patchy in places, it still looks good enough. 

My other one I made today was this The Nightmare Before Christmas image. The photo is a bit bad and I'm sorry about that, but my other problem was I didn't actually get the spray paint right!   

I sprayed too close and too much and thus really didn't get the right effect I needed. The other jar did spray alongside this one, was to make a lantern using the witch/ moon cat village scene from the above link. However, I used too much was was unable to trace the images through. I don't know what I'm going to do with that jar now, maybe just do like I did with my first one and trace them on the outside? 

However, I please to say that I learned from my mistake and I got another jar, which I'll be using for the scene correct, if not a little under colored, but to be honest after all the troubles I've had with stuff today, I don't mind. I did my two others jars which are actually cookie /kitchen food jars that I brought for £1 in ASDA Homewares, at the same time and got a nice effect on them and their lids. I've this awesome idea all set to do with them. I just ran out of time and I don't want to rush them. 

That's the biggest thing I found out about doing this project; not to rush. I'm really bad at drawing and I think my worries about these turning out how I really wanted them has been playing a big part in my mistakes. Now, I'm going to try and stop thinking about that and just get them finished. I want the two cookie jars to go outside on my front porch area - somewhere! I wish I could but the others in the front window, but that's going to be hard to do as it's a jungle of plants and ornaments. Plus we have colored glass so they won't be easily seen. Hopefully, by Halloween I'll have made them and be able to post them up.   

The other project I completed last week was this one. I made a bat and a ghost out of toilet roll tubes. I thought they'd be a good idea for the kids at the youth center as I went back to work since being off ill last Tuesday. I didn't get a chance to do the activity though as I wanted to take it easy and someone else had already set up a dot-to-dot drawing art for the kids to do. I shall be doing them tomorrow though with my felt pumpkins - see part 1 for them- and I know the kids will love them! 

There's lots of different ways to make these. I didn't follow anyone else's pattern and I just free handed it. I got a cardboard tube and flatted the top part. I then shaped the corners into points for the ears. I covered the whole thing in black tissue paper then drew bat wings and cut them out from the same tissue paper. I stuck them on the sides before adding white and black circles of the eyes. I decided to complete the bat with a strip of red and two white fangs. 

For the ghost, I balled up some white tissue paper and stuck it on the top, before measuring out enough white tissue paper to drape across the tube. I stuck it down at the top with some tape then made some black eyes and mouth, which I taped on too. 

I'm happy with how they turned out and just wish I had enough time to make a witch - I've seen one on Pinterest or maybe a vampire or a pumpkin too. I've seen some spider ones which look pretty good too. They are so easy and simple to make, yet look effective. I also thought about getting some white string or thread and hanging them up. A collection of bats would look nice in the hallway.
    

Today in the kitchen I made Headstone Biscuits. The recipe for these came with a chocolate moose tray bake graveyard in the third cooking book I own. I made the tray bake three or four years back and it turned out really well. However, I like making the gravestones more! These turned out so good and am way pleased with them. They are a vanilla butter biscuit with a hint of ginger and cinnamon, which I added myself. I spent awhile decorating them too and thinking about what to put on them. I don't think they are going to last very long around here though! My parents have been sneaky eating them since I told them they were like my test run and not for any purpose. 

I've got two other recipes for gingerbread Halloween shapes to try later on now. I'll be writing about them in my Halloween post. Hopefully, I'll get time to make at least one of them, because I've signed up to be a stand in member of staff at work over the half-term holidays, so I might get called in. I so need the money for Christmas and to put towards a car. Anyway, moving on.   

Of course, my candles this week have to be Yankee Halloween ones! I'm still annoyed that there's only the choice of two this year; Witches Brew or Candy Corn. I do like the smell of the Witches Brew as it's just patchouli, which is dark and spicy but not overpowering. The Candy Corn on the other hand isn't sweet enough for me, nor does it fill the room and linger like the Witches Brew and other scents do. I really hope next year Yankee brings out some new candles and/or works on improving the smell. I'm loving my new pumpkin wax tart melter though! The whole range can be found here; http://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/en/uk/halloween/icat/halloween

Comparing these candles to the set I brought off Amazon, I do have to admit that I was more impressed with them. I like the mixture of smells and the different choice I can pick through. I'm burning the purple Witching Hour again, mainly because it was already in my white wax melter. It smells like patchouli, cinnamon and jasmine, though I know there's a few other things too. I've still not tried Witches Brew, Tricks or Treats and Mulled Cider. I'm sure I'll have time before Halloween though. Here's the link if you are interested and please read count down part one for more information. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Halloween-Scented-Wax-Tart-Melts/dp/B00FBM8680/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1445613462&sr=8-21&keywords=Halloween+candles

This week I'm writing my novella Trust. The six parts will cover everyday (starting yesterday and ending Friday) expect Halloween, on which there'll be a Halloween night themed story. Trust is the story of newly made vampire Fern and her maker/lover Brook. It's about Fern's changing and growth as a vampire. It's also about the conflict between other vampires and the challenges they have to face in 2015. 

These next parts -19 to 24- are about the arrival of another vampire, who Fern and Brook have already had a brush with. Fern seems to be falling in love with this other vampire, but has Brook become too distracted trying to defend his home/territory to notice Fern's wondering attention? 

If that's got you as interested as it has me, you can find the full listings here; https://thestoryfiles.wordpress.com/wp-admin/edit.php?category_name=trust-novella

I finished reading The Little Paris Bookshop last Wednesday and I've written a small review to be published sometime in November. I also re-broke my not buying any books promise. It's a bit too late anyway as I've brought about 12 books, which for me is actually good because it should be double or triple that really. I brought The Welcome To Night Vale novel and I'm so into reading it right now. I've posted about Night Vale before, but here's the link to them on YouTube anyway. It really is worth checking out; https://www.youtube.com/user/WelcometoNightVale. I'm sure I'll be reviewing it as soon as I'm done! 

Lastly, I brought two pumpkins at the weekend, sorry there's no photo of them, there was meant to be one but they are currently being stored in my mum's car and I forgot to take a photo and now it's too late. But I'll do one before I get carving them. I've still not decided what to carve actually. I wanted to do a wolf but then saw I'd done that last year. I also wanted to do something that children would recognize, like with my 2013 Minecraft pumpkin. I was thinking of a Disney character, but I'm not that big a fan of anything Disney or animation to motivate me enough. I did think about doing a vampire because I've never done one of them, but I've yet to find a design I like. It'd be interesting to do a matching or connecting pair of something though. I'm sure more research would give me more inspiration and now I've got the pumpkins I can really start doing that. 

Thanks for reading, feel free to leave comments and check out my other blog. I'll be posting next on Halloween night and putting up lots of more photos, so be sure to come back then.    

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Photos; My own. 
(The Frankenstein lantern stared in last week's post, but I got a better a photo of it to share today; )