Chocolate Peanut Butter Halloween Tarts

I have always loved to bake,

but some days you just don't have the time

to make a complicated dessert.

Enter Chocolate Peanut Butter

Halloween Tarts....

These little pies really took no time at all to put together.

Here's the recipe from Taste of Home:

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix

1 ¾ cups cold milk

1 package (6 count) individual graham cracker tart shells

Whipped topping

Optional:  Halloween candy, sprinkles, etc.

In the top of a double boiler over simmering water,

melt chips with oil, stirring until smooth.

(I used a Pyrex bowl on top of a pot of simmer water for my double boiler)

Remove top pan from water and cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk pudding and milk until thick.

Fold in peanut butter mixture.  Spoon into tart shells.

Chill for 15 minutes.

Top with dollop of whipped cream and decorate

as desired.

See now?

That was nice & simple...

and my husband & kids loved them!

Happy Halloween, friends!

Halloween Home

I've never been a huge Halloween decorator, 

but I am happy to add a little touch here & there.

So let's see what I've done this year.

Dining Room:

I have used these vintage looking pumpkin heads for many years now.

You may be sick of seeing them every year, 

but I love them, so they make a yearly appearance. 

The 3 tiered tray in the kitchen got some Halloween love, too!

Do you go all out for Halloween or

are you just a little here & there decorator like me?

Halloween

I've been trying to put up a few photos of my Halloween decor for weeks now.

I finally got a chance to do it.  

Phew...I made it with a few days to spare!  

I didn't put out a lot of Halloween decor this year.

Just a few of my favorite vintage looking pieces here & there.

Happy Halloween!  

 

Spookley the Ghost Pillow

Hello!

I don't know if you recall the little Halloween pillow I made a couple of years ago.  

He was inspired by a pillow I had seen at Target.
(You can read about it here.)

I named him Jack........

Jack the Pumpkin pillow was one of my more popular posts 

here at Random Thoughts.

When I began decorating for Halloween this year, 

I put Jack in his rightful spot on my sitting room sofa.  

Then I got to thinking.

Wouldn't it be nice if Jack had a friend?

Because who doesn't want a fun friend to hang out with as we

anticipate the arrival of Halloween.

Enter Spookley the Ghost..............

Spookley is, like Jack, made of soft fleece

and is all hand stitched.

Nothing fancy here.  

I drew Spookley free hand so I could have him just the way I wanted him,

but there are tons of ghost templates on the internet

should you not wish to draw your own.

They look kind of cute together, don't they?

 The countdown to Halloween is on!

 

Vintage Halloween in the Dining Room

Hello all! 

My computer issues have finally been resolved.  

We ended up buying a new computer!

I'm sure I've missed lots of Fall & Halloween fun in the past week.

Try as I might, I'll never get caught up on visiting

all of you to see everything I missed last week. 

I pulled out my vintage looking Pumpkin head people for Halloween.  

I know you've probably seen them before.

 I love them, so I display them every year,
in different ways.

Traditional Halloween colors of

black, orange, silver & white.

Lots of glitter too.

Here's a closer look:

I can't believe we are almost halfway through October already.  

Just where does the time go?

Halloween will be here before we know it.

Enjoy the week, my friends!

See you soon.

Linking to:

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

 

The Year in Review 2012- Part 3

I hope you are enjoying my 2012 Year in Review posts. 

 

I've enjoyed looking back, seeing what I accomplished this year,

although it has been hard choosing which

posts to feature.

 

This is my 3rd and final part of The Year in Review. 

If you would like to check out Part 1 and Part 2

here are the links...Part 1, Part 2.

 

Let's see, I believe I left off with September.

In September 2012,

 

 

we added new tile to our fireplace.

This one might be a good post to review

if you missed it, especially if you need a laugh.

 

Also in September,

our home was featured at Debbiedoos

for her home tours.

 

 

 

I was both honored & crippled with fear

at sharing our home with all of you.   lol

The kind comments left here & at Debbiedoos

touched my heart!  You girls are the best!

 

In October 2012,

 

 

I sewed this cute Jack the Pumpkin pillow.

 

October was a month for weddings...

my niece got married

and

 

 

the Mister & I celebrated our 20th anniversary!

 

In November 2012,

 

I put together a fall tablescape...

 

 

featuring pinecones and acorns.

 

I also made these cute & silly candy bar wrappers

 

 

in honor of Thanksgiving.

 

In December 2012,

 

 

I got warmed up for the holiday baking season

and

 I shared a holiday favorite,

 

 

my white wire shelf.

 

 2012 was an excellent year.

Thank you so much for being here with me.

I appreciate each & every one of you!

 

Here's to an awesome 2013!

Halloween Crazy

I think I've gone Halloween crazy.

There was a time when I had very little in the way of Halloween decor.

Of course that was before blogging! 

Here's a little something I put together for my favorite blue dresser:

I really wanted to layer this vignette, but

with the window, I struggled to put anything up against it.

I've had this pumpkin box for a few years now.

I can't remember where I bought it.

I raised it up on a cake pedestal

and gave it a sparkly spider.

Black & white plate, most likely from TJ Maxx.

The stuffed pumpkin was a purchase from Boyd's Bears

in Gettysburg, PA some years ago.

The vintage looking pumpkin votive came

from a booth at an antique shop.  

My favorite Debbie Mumm Halloween plates 

that I've had for years.

I added another cake plate & a wire cloche.

The ornaments were found a few years ago

at Tuesday Morning.

And there I go, playing in PicMonkey again!

What an obsession,  I tell ya!

Are you ready for the big day?

Linking to:

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll thru Life 

The Jack O Lantern's Dinnerscape

I can't believe how quickly time is moving along lately.

Is there really only 1 week until Halloween?

Before you know it, we will all be under

the magical spell of Christmas!

Please join Jack for a little dinner.....

I just realized this is a fairly thrifty tablescape.

I used my black & white checkered tablecloth again.

Purchased at Kohls. 

Dotted chargers:  Hobby Lobby, on clearance 60 cents each

Orange dinner plates:  Dollar Tree

Black appetizer plates:  Oneida Outlet

Napkins:  Etsy shop, Urban Style Stitches

Napkin Rings:  Given to me by my Mom

Black Flatware:  Cambridge, Home Goods

Goblets:  Kmart

For my centerpiece, I borrowed my sister's Jack O Lantern.

She made this in ceramics in the late 70s,

but hasn't decorated with him in years.  

Luckily, she was willing to pull him out of storage for me.

The little Treats glass figure is from Kohls. 

My Mom bought it for me last year.   

The salt & pepper shakers were on

clearance last year, and are from Target.

Jack says, "Enough with the details...let's eat!"

Linking to:

Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

Halloween Mantel

I have been inspired by so many of you wonderful ladies that

I did something that I have never done before.....

I put together a Halloween Mantel!

My very first Halloween Mantel!

It's always difficult to get pictures of my mantel because of the

reflections in the mirror, so please bear with me.

I wanted the mantel to have a vintage feel to it.

I know you've most likely seen these fellas on my blog in the past.

My Dee Foust pumpkinhead people along with a few bottle brush trees.

I love them!

Mercury glass is a favorite of mine.

It adds to the vintage feel,

and gives alot of sparkle too!

Did you decorate your mantel for Halloween this year?

Linking to:

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Share it One More Time at One More Time
Vintage Inspiration Fridat at Common Ground