october tastebud article:

Halloween doesn’t have to be just for the kids. Celebrate this fall holiday with a table set using classic black and white elements with added playful and spooky surprises.
Start with a tablecloth in a bold black and white pattern. This could be a fun animal print or classic damask. I found this material at a local fabric shop and made my own. Next, use the staple white dishes topped with a smaller Halloween themed plate. Try to find and use a variety of these dessert sized plates to keep the table from feeling too formal.
The centerpiece for this table starts with a large white ceramic soup tureen placed on top of a cake platter. Serving soup or chili on Halloween is a great idea for several reasons: you can prepare it ahead of time, it is usually cold and rainy in Kansas City this time of year and it can easily accommodate any extra goblins that may show up on your door step! Surround the soup tureen with acid green hedge apples-these brainy looking fruits add to the theme. Then add in the other spooky choices: wooden blood shot eyeballs, spiders and furry rats or other night time creatures. Hanging spiders from the chandelier with fishing line is another great surprise. Now add in the pumpkins. Stay with the black and white theme by choosing a white pumpkin then painting or stenciling it with black paint. Be creative with varying widths of stripes, scrolly vines or bats and ghosts. You may even choose to write a Halloween message to friends.
This table, with it’s classic color palette and goulish details, is sure to please both the adult and child in all of us. Now it’s time to decide on costumes!

Find it Here (if you dare)
Creepy crawly spiders, webs and rats
The Curious Sofa
3925 W. 69th Terr.
Prairie Village Shops
www.curioussofa.com

Soup Tureen
Nell Hills
4101 N. Mulberry Dr.
Briarcliff Village
Or
Atchison, KS
and
Target Stores

Easy Taco Soup
2 cans of northern beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of shoepeg white corn
1 can of diced green chiles
Packet of taco seasoning
Rotisserie chicken (shred meat)

Add all ingredients to a stock pot
(do not drain beans or veggies)
Thin with chicken stock if needed
Simmer until ready to serve

Top with crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa

are these the cutest pants and little model ever?! i stayed up way too late last night making these. i had seen a similar pair but they were unavailable so i thought i would try making a pair on my own. i'm so happy with the way they turned out and lucy loves her little poppit (pocket). they took a few hours to make, with no pattern so i probably won't be making any for the shop, but i was glad to sew something other than a onesie applique. and now that i'm finally feeling a little less scattered since school has started maybe i'll have time to come up with some more fun clothes for her!

felt flowers and monograms

i finally had a chance to create a new little something and am so excited with the way these cute felt clips turned out! hopefully once we get used to our new schedule i will have a chance to make some for the shop.

and if you are looking for great gift ideas or need something monogrammed, check out my cousin's online business, the monogram girl. she put lucy's name on this cute lunchbag from gymboree!