Ann's Entitled Life

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey DIY Craft

October 5, 2017 By Ann Leave a Comment

This is a simple to make 15 minute craft for Thanksgiving. Adults and older children will love this adorable little turkey, perfect for tabletop or mantel decor. If you are looking for a simple Thanksgiving craft idea, this easy Thanksgiving turkey DIY craft is it!

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey DIY Craft

• When my niece suggested this one, I was like “eh,” but it is cute. I think it is more kid-ish, so keep that in mind. It would be GREAT for a children’s table centerpiece.

• Because of the hot glue gun, I suggest this craft can be made by older children under adult supervision (and you may want to man the glue gun and then have your child hold the pieces together). Goop might work (although I have not done it), but it will have a longer drying time.

• The pumpkin purchased had folds. This worked great as it hid the ends of the turkey feathers in the pumpkin-body. Keep that in mind when selecting your artificial pumpkin for the turkey’s body.

If you would like to make more Thanksgiving Day Crafts, you might enjoy these:

• Thanksgiving Turkey Jar Craft – Make your own adorable Turkey jar craft. This easy step by step tutorial will show you how to easily make a turkey out of a condiment jar that is perfect for a centerpiece, mantel decor or table decorations this Thanksgiving!

• Turkey Wine Glass DIY – Make your own adorable Turkey Wine Glass, or make three for a set!

• Easy Thanksgiving Wreath DIY – Make this simple yet pretty and easy Thanksgiving Wreath DIY for the holidays. In under an hour you can have festive Thanksgiving decor!

• Dollar Store Craft: Lighted Thanksgiving Centerpiece – you will not believe how easy it is to make a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece with items purchased at a dollar store!

• Floral Horn of Plenty DIY – one of my favorite crafts on this blog, it is simply gorgeous!

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey DIY Craft Materials:

• 2 Googly Eyes (these are large shown)
• 1 Pinecone (this is a large one)
• 1 small artificial Pumpkin
• 2 Orange Pipe Cleaners
• 1 Red Pipe Cleaner
• Glue Gun
• Hot Glue Sticks
• 12 Turkey Feathers

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey DIY Craft Directions:

• Form a beak using two orange pipe cleaners.

• Form a waddle using a red pipe cleaner.

• Hot glue the beak to the end of a large (medium could work too) pinecone.
• Hot glue the waddle to the underside of the pinecone.
• Position, and then hot glue two large googly eyes at the top of the pinecone. Hot glue in place.

• Hot glue the pinecone-head to the pumpkin-body. Hold until dry (this take a LOT of hot glue).

• Position 12 turkey feathers in place on the back of the artificial pumpkin. Stagger for 2-3 rows so the plumage will look more “natural.” If you can hide the ends of the feathers inside the faux pumpkin, do so.
• Hot glue the feathers in place.

• That is it! Your Thanksgiving Turkey is ready for display.

• Disclosure: the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Holiday posts on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• For more Craft posts on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

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Filed Under: Crafts, Holidays, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving

Easy Halloween S’mores Recipe

October 4, 2017 By Ann 4 Comments

Easy Halloween S’mores Recipe

You do not need a campfire to get the great taste of S’mores. Make these delicious Halloween S’mores in your kitchen in about 10 minutes. Great for parties and snacks, these cute Halloween s’mores are a simple sweet treat adults and children will love!

These are one of the easiest treats you can make!! And they taste great.

The etymology of an s’mores suggests it is a contraction of “some more” as in “give me some more of that delicious chocolate-marshmallow-campfire-goodness!!”

Notes:

• These are jumbo marshmallows. The larger the marshmallow, the more difficult it is to work with, so keep that in mind. These take several bites to eat. You can use large marshmallows instead for a quick one-bite treat!

• While we used Mini Reese’s Cups, Tootsie Rolls, and Hershey Kisses for toppers (the kisses worked, and looked the best!), you do not “need” a candy topper.

• These are whole, jumbo marshmallows. They will burn quickly. Pay attention when you brûlée as you will probably need to blow out a fire.

• If you are not sure how fast the candy melts in your local grocery store turnover, but some Wilton chocolates. They are a great consistency and generally easier to work with.

• You do not have to purchase colored chocolate melts. You can buy white chocolate and color the chocolate with coloring.

• When working with chocolate, try and dip the darker color first, then a lighter color.

• If you have too much chocolate from your orange base and it forms a puddle, no worries. Allow it to dry and break off the overflow. No one will notice as you are dipping in yellow chocolate which will cover it.

• You can dip in your Graham cracker crumbs on just the bottom if you like. We went higher on this one.

• You do not have to do black-purple-orange. You can do black alone, black-purple, black-orange, purple-orange, black-green – whatever color combo you like! Some of these are three colors, some are two, and some are one color.

• You can use a fork inserted into the marshmallow to dip in chocolate or your fingers.

• Remember to allow the chocolate to dry, so you do not make finger prints in the chocolate.

• These are so stinking cute it isn’t funny. These photos truly do not do them justice. Make them; you will be glad you did!

Easy Halloween S’mores Ingredients:

• 24 Jumbo Marshmallows
• 1 cup Black Melting Chocolate
• 1 cup Purple Melting Chocolate
• 1 cup Orange Melting Chocolate
• ¾ cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 24 Hershey Kisses, Tootsie Rolls, or Mini Reese’s Cups (optional)

Easy Halloween S’mores Mise en Place:

• Measuring Cup
• 2 Bowls
• Butane
• Culinary Torch
• Wax Paper
• Spoons
• Fork

Easy Halloween S’mores Directions:

• Place a piece of waxed paper down near your work area.
• Place Graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Set aside.
• Place a cup of black chocolate melts into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Heat in microwave for another 30 seconds; stir. Repeat a third time. Check the consistency of your chocolate. If smooth, do not heat further. If it still does not stir and drips smoothly heat one more time.
• Place a marshmallow on a fork.
• Dip the marshmallow into the black colored chocolate two-thirds the way up the marshmallow.
• Place on wax paper. Allow to dry.
• Place a cup of purple chocolate melts into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Heat in microwave for another 30 seconds; stir. Repeat a third time. Check the consistency of your chocolate. If smooth, do not heat further. If it still does not stir and drips smoothly heat one more time.
• Place a black chocolate covered marshmallow on a fork. If any excess puddles of chocolate dried at the base of the marshmallow, pinch them off.
• Place the black chocolate covered marshmallow into the purple colored chocolate. Dip approximately one-half the way up the purple chocolate.

• Place on wax paper. Allow to dry.

• Place a cup of orange chocolate melts into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Heat in microwave for another 30 seconds; stir. Repeat a third time. Check the consistency of your chocolate. If smooth, do not heat further. If it still does not stir and drips smoothly heat one more time.
• Place a black and purple chocolate covered marshmallow on a fork. If any excess puddles of chocolate dried at the base of the marshmallow, pinch them off.
• Place the black and purple chocolate covered marshmallow into the orange colored chocolate. Dip approximately one-third of the way up the orange chocolate.
• Immediately dip the wet orange chocolate covered bottom of the marshmallow into the Graham crackers.

• Set on wax paper to dry.

• Fire up your culinary torch.
• Quickly brûlée the top of your marshmallow. Try not to light them on fire! (Always use caution when working with an open flame.) If you do, blow out the flame immediately.

• If you are adding a candy tops to the Halloween s’mores, now is the time. Dip the bottom of the candy into melted chocolate, place on top of a Halloween s’more.

• Drizzle with melted colored chocolate.

• Allow Halloween s’mores to dry completely.

• Serve

Easy Halloween S’mores Recipe
By Ann
You do not need a campfire to get the great taste of S’mores. Make these delicious Halloween S’mores in your kitchen in about 10 minutes. Great for parties and snacks, these cute Halloween s’mores are a simple sweet treat adults and children will love!

Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

Directions:

• Place a piece of waxed paper down near your work area.
• Place Graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Set aside.
• Place a cup of black chocolate melts into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Heat in microwave for another 30 seconds; stir. Repeat a third time. Check the consistency of your chocolate. If smooth, do not heat further. If it still does not stir and drips smoothly heat one more time.
• Place a marshmallow on a fork.
• Dip the marshmallow into the black colored chocolate two-thirds the way up the marshmallow.
• Place on wax paper. Allow to dry.
• Place a cup of purple chocolate melts into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Heat in microwave for another 30 seconds; stir. Repeat a third time. Check the consistency of your chocolate. If smooth, do not heat further. If it still does not stir and drips smoothly heat one more time.
• Place a black chocolate covered marshmallow on a fork. If any excess puddles of chocolate dried at the base of the marshmallow, pinch them off.
• Place the black chocolate covered marshmallow into the purple colored chocolate. Dip approximately one-half the way up the purple chocolate.
• Place on wax paper. Allow to dry.
• Place a cup of orange chocolate melts into a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Heat in microwave for another 30 seconds; stir. Repeat a third time. Check the consistency of your chocolate. If smooth, do not heat further. If it still does not stir and drips smoothly heat one more time.
• Place a black and purple chocolate covered marshmallow on a fork. If any excess puddles of chocolate dried at the base of the marshmallow, pinch them off.
• Place the black and purple chocolate covered marshmallow into the orange colored chocolate. Dip approximately one-third of the way up the orange chocolate.
• Immediately dip the wet orange chocolate covered bottom of the marshmallow into the Graham crackers.
• Set on wax paper to dry.
• Fire up your culinary torch.
• Quickly brûlée the top of your marshmallow. Try not to light them on fire! (Always use caution when working with an open flame.) If you do, blow out the flame immediately.
• If you are adding a candy tops to the Halloween s’mores, now is the time. Dip the bottom of the candy into melted chocolate, place on top of a Halloween s’more.
• Drizzle with melted colored chocolate.
• Allow Halloween s’mores to dry completely.

Makes 24 Easy Halloween S’mores

• Disclosure the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Recipes on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

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Filed Under: Desserts, Halloween, Holiday Cookies and Sweets, Holidays, Recipes

Fresh Pine DIY Candle

October 3, 2017 By Ann Leave a Comment

Fresh Pine DIY Candle

Make your own homemade fresh pine scented candles. This candle making craft is easier than you think. You can make these in no time flat using this step by step how to make a fresh pine candle tutorial. Make a few and give them as gifts!

A wonderfully scented holiday candle which is perfect for fall and winter festivities when you want to bring the smell of freshly cut pine trees indoors. Get into candle making! It honestly is not difficult to do!

If you are looking for more candle recipes to try, you have come to the right place!

• Homemade Cinnamon and Spice Candles – so easy to make and smells ooooooh so good!
• Sinus Relief Blend DIY Candle – help open up those passages.
• Homemade Vanilla Sugar Candle– The sugar makes for a beautiful glistening look and smells a lot like home baked cookies.
• Homemade Coffee Bean Soy Candle – The wonderful scent of fresh coffee – in a candle!
• Homemade Mason Jar Soy Candle – any color, any scent! Truly customizable!
• How to Make a Candy Corn Candle – if you like candy corn…
• Homemade Autumn Spice Soy Candles tutorial – my favorite of all the candle “recipes” on this blog!

Fresh Pine DIY Candle Materials:

• 2 cups Soy Wax
• 1 Candlewick (with a weighted bottom)
• Large Nonstick Pot
• Wooden Spoon or Spatula
• Chopstick or Wood Stick or Pencil
• 1 Crayon, any color – It is vital that you DO NOT use food coloring as it will not distribute in the mixture. You could use Candle dye that works with all soy candle wax.
• 10 drops Pine Essential Oil OR Wintergreen Essential Oil
• 1 Mason Jar or Jelly Jar

Fresh Pine DIY Candle Directions:

• Place your candlewick in a jar allowing the wick to drop to the bottom.
• To hold the candlewick in place, wrap the top around a pencil or chopstick.
• Place the stick over the jar and let the bottom of it drop to the bottom. A weighted candlewick does this nicely and settles on its own.

• Begin by heating the soy wax flakes on low heat right on your stove top. It is best to use a nonstick pot to help avoid burning and sticking.
• Continue to stir the soy candle flakes as they slowly melt. Be sure to keep the liquid moving so it does not stick or clump.
• Add in 10 drops Pine Essential Oil OR Wintergreen Essential Oil. You may use more or less essential oils if you like.
• If you would like to color your candle can now tint the soy flakes with a crayon (any color is fine, green was used in this tutorial) or candle dye. It is vital that you DO NOT use food coloring as it will not distribute in the mixture, it will clump and not mix.

• Remove the mixture from the stove and slowly (and carefully!) pour it into the jar.
• Immediately re-center the candlewick if needed.
• Store the candle in a cool place until it sets. Do not touch it while it is setting. Let it sit for a full 3-4 hours before moving.
• Once the mixture has hardened, remove the pencil and you can snip the candlewick to shorten it.

• Light and enjoy!

Safety tip: never leave a lit candle unattended!

Note: None of this is meant as medical advice. I am not a doctor, and do not play one on the internet. Please consult a physician if you have any questions about using essential oils so your doctor can better explain to you the benefits, possible side effects, and any warnings about essential oils.

• Disclosure: the links in this post may be affiliate links.

• For more Craft posts on Ann’s Entitled Life, click here.

• If you enjoyed this post, be sure to sign up for the Ann’s Entitled Life weekly newsletter, and never miss another article!