Quick and Simple Halloween Cupcake Topper Tutorial

Halloween is fast approaching and parties are being planned. And with that in mind I've created these easy to make cupcake toppers just for the occasion! Make a mix of plump orange pumpkins, bandage wrapped mummies and flying bats to decorate your party table - or just to amuse yourself on some cupcakes you've made.

Take care if you're making these with young children as there are small parts and pointy cocktail sticks. Always supervise children when they are eating cupcakes with these toppers in.

You Will Need

How much of each depends on how many toppers you want to make:

• Thin card or thick paper in white, orange, black and brown
• A circle punch or a coin to draw around (I use a 1 inch punch)
• A black pen
• A pencil
• Scissors
• Cocktail sticks
• A wet glue such as PVA

Pumpkin Cupcake Topper

1. Use the circle punch (or draw around a coin) on the orange paper to make two circles.

2. Cut a little piece off the top and bottom of each circle so they look more pumpkin shaped.

3. Use the black pen to draw lines down each pumpkin. Make the lines at the side curved to make it look rounder. Cut two small stems out of the brown paper.

4. Spread glue on the back of one of the pumpkins. Spread it thinner around the edges (so it doesn't splurge out in the next step) and add more in the middle. Place a cocktail stick in the centre of the glue.

5. Now press the other pumpkin (lined side facing out) onto the glue to make a double sided topper. Spread glue onto one of the brown stems and stick it to the top of the pumpkin on one side. Making sure the stems will fit together, spread glue on one side of the other stem and fix it to the other side of the pumpkin.

Bat Cupcake Topper

1. Use the hole punch (or draw round a coin) on the black paper to make 2 circles. Cut out two bat wing shapes following the shape in the pictures.

2. Put a little bit of glue on the tip of one wing and stick it onto the left edge of one of the black circles. Do the same with the other wing sticking it across the circle on the right hand side.

3. Spread glue over the back of the black circle. Put more in the middle to help secure the cocktail stick and less around the edges so it doesn't splurge out in the next step. Put the cocktail stick in the middle of the circle.

4. Press the other black circle over the glue to finish the bat cupcake topper.

Mummy Cupcake Topper

1. Use the hole punch (or draw round a coin) on the white paper to make two circles.

2. Use a black pen to draw two black circles for eyes on one of the white circles. Add some lines to make them look like bandages. On the other white circle (which will be the back of the head) just draw some lines for bandages.

3. Spread glue on the the reverse of the circle without the eyes. Put more glue in the middle to help secure the cocktail stick in place and less glue at the edges (so it doesn't splurge out in the next step). Place the cocktail stick in the middle of the circle.

4. Now press down the circle with the eyes onto the glued circle. Make sure it's the right way up!


Now all I have to do is get baking!

October Birthday Ideas

With September drawing to a close and October just beginning I've taken the opportunity to do some virtual shopping and party planning for anyone with a birthday soon. Nearly everyone I know has a birthday in the first half of the year so I love this excuse to keep thinking birthdays!

I think it's great when you can make a birthday extra special with a few little personal touches that mean something to the birthday boy or girl. And with this in mind I've created these mini guides for the month.

Here are my October inspirations:

• the birthstone for the month is opal which is linked with hope and innocence
• the flower for the month is the marigold. Also in season are calla lilies, freesia and lily of the valley
• October is named after the number 8 in Latin
• autumn is in full swing with beautiful gold, orange and red colours
• spooky celebrations are creeping in ready for Halloween at the end of the month
• seasonal foods - figs, celeriac, mushrooms, apples, beetroot, globe artichokes, pheasant, lamb, oysters

 

Birthday Gift Ideas

1. Marigold Necklace £18 at Etsy.com by Because of Annie A real flower set in resin

2. Orange Opal Earrings £6 at Folksy.com by Beadish Delight

3. Set of 8 1920s Dessert Plates £51.28 at Etsy.com by Yonks

4. Autumn Leaves Cushion £44 at WowThankYou.co.uk Free Spirit Designs

5. Fig Scented Candle £10 at Folksy.com by Simply Pretty Beautiful

6. Apple Tree and Bird Birthday Card Set £6 at Etsy.com by Pink Flamingo Handcrafting

Autumn Party Decorations

If you're decorating a party or dinner table for an October birthday the beautiful colours of autumn make a great palette to work with.

A beautiful autumnal table at French Country Cottage

Food Inspirations

For me autumnal food really comes into its own in October with lots of comforting and delicious food. In season this month (based on UK seasons) are figs, kale, cabbages, beetroot, celeriac, grey mullet, oysters, apples. lamb and mushrooms amongst others. 

For my virtual October birthday dinner I'd make a creamy mushroom soup as a starter, grilled lamb with celeriac mash and cabbage for the main course and finish with a delicious apple crumble. (I might make this anyway - why wait until a birthday for an excuse?) My recipe for plum crumble can be found here and it's easy to adapt it to make an apple crumble. Just cut the apples into cubes and put them in a saucepan with sugar to taste and a spoonful of water. Cook for a few minutes until soft then use this as the base instead of the plums. 

So, there are some ideas to make an October birthday celebration even more thoughtful and special; after all they do say it's the thought that counts!

Plum Crumble - Seasonal Recipe

When I was little the August Bank Holiday (that's just been on Monday) seemed to mark the end of summer. It was usually the weekend we'd come back from the family holiday and it was only a few days until the start of the new school year. Although it was sad that summer was over, it also meant that autumn was on its way with lots of treats of its own! One of my favourites was (and still is) fruit crumbles. In our back garden we had an apple tree that was starting to fruit and meant lots of lovely tasty treats, but it was a little unreliable and only seemed to share its apples every other year! However, we also had a plum tree which fruited every year and made lovely crumbles of its own.

While out shopping yesterday I spotted some juicy orangy-red plums which are right in the middle of their best season here in the UK. Well, that meant only one thing on my mind - plum crumble! So last night I made one for dessert and here I share the recipe with you.

Plum Crumble Recipe

You will need:

• 6 large plums
• 175g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 90g butter
• 90g brown sugar   

• Optional - cinnamon, nutmeg, crushed nuts or oats for the topping
  

• A baking dish (I used one that was 20cm round)

Serves 4-6 people (depending on how greedy you are! I divided mine into 4 generous portions -because I am greedy...)

Step 1
Turn the oven on and set it to 170C/ 350F. Let it heat up while you prepare the crumble.

Step2
Wash and slice the plums. Arrange them in the bottom of the dish.

Step 3
In a bowl mix together the flour and baking powder. Add pieces of butter and rub it into the flour with your finger tips until it sticks together and looks like crumbs.

Step 4
Use a fork to mix the brown sugar into the flour and butter mixture.

Step 5
Now tip the flour mixture over the top of the fruit in the dish. Pat it down so the mixture covers all the fruit and goes up to the sides of the dish. (The fruit will bubble up as it cooks so this helps to seal it in).

If you want to add any additional toppings, now's the time. I sprinkled mine with a little nutmeg. Cinnamon, crushed nuts and oats also go well either on their own or all mixed together. 

Step 6
Put the crumble into the pre-heated oven and bake for 40 minutes until the top is light golden brown and the fruit is starting to bubble through. If the topping looks like it's getting too brown, cover the dish with foil until the fruit is cooked.

This recipe can be made with any soft fruit you have. Some of my favourites are apple, blackberries or rhubarb.

September Birthday Ideas - thoughtful ideas with links to September

With September only a few days away, here are some specially themed ideas for those with September birthdays - whether you're buying for someone or celebrating yourself.

Each idea has a specific link to the month to make for some thoughtful birthday ideas. 

Cards and Gifts

1. Sapphire Necklace £17.08 Firebird Jewellery Etsy
    The beautiful blue sapphire is the birthstone for September.

2. Set of 7 Soaps £28.91 Soap For Your Soul Etsy
    September is named after the Latin word for seven - so why not have a set of 7 gifts?

3. Plum Nail Polish £11 Nails Inc 
    Plums come into season in September, let your nails match.


4. Apple Tree Card £2.75 Pink Flamingo Handcrafting Folksy
    Another fruit that comes into season in September. This is one of my one of a kind upcycled cards.

5 & 6 Virgo and Libra Prints £12.48 Anne Garrison Studio Etsy
     Virgo is the sign of the zodiac until Sept 22nd when Libra takes over

7. Russet Fabric Card £4.50 Pink Flamingo Crafting Etsy
    The colour the leaves start to turn at the start of autumn. The autumnal equinox is around 21st September
    in the Northern Hemisphere.

8. Aster Notebook £16.43 Wolfies Bindery Etsy
    Asters are the birth flowers for September. In the language of flowers they mean love, faith and wisdom.

Party Decoration Colours

September is a month of equinoxes; the vernal equinox signals the start of autumn in the northern hemisphere and the spring equinox starts off the warmer months in the southern hemisphere. They take place around the 23rd of the month.

With that in mind here are some party decoration colour ideas based on autumn and spring!

September Foods

Whether going out for dinner, throwing a party or cooking a special meal at home, these in season foods are perfects for a September birthday.

Based on what's in season in the UK:

• apples - think apple pie, apple fritters or apple sauce with meats
• pumpkin - pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie
• plums - delicious just cut in half and grilled with a little brown sugar served with creme fraiche
• apricots - wonderful in stews with chicken or in a cake for desert
• aubergine - think ratatouille with courgettes which are also in season
• figs - just beautiful on their own or stuffed and baked
• beetroot - delicious in salads, especially mixed with goat's cheese
• pears - think pear and berry crumble or poached in wine
• oysters, crab, mussels