Transylvania Sunset
Ectoplasm
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
31 Days of Halloween! Day23- No Recipe Beverages ~ Adult
We are sooo behind...instead of recipes you're just getting images of some drinks we've made...
Transylvania Sunset
Ectoplasm
The Test Tube Shots
Gelled Brain Shots
The C2H6O Lab
Transylvania Sunset
Ectoplasm
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
31 Days of Halloween! Day 22- ooops! ;)
We're so busy here that we need to excuse ourselves from posting today!
We apologize and hope that you are enjoying our 31 Days of Halloween posts!
Unfortunately it looks like we may be a bit shy of a full set this year.
We apologize and hope that you are enjoying our 31 Days of Halloween posts!
Unfortunately it looks like we may be a bit shy of a full set this year.
Monday, October 21, 2013
31 Days of Halloween! Day21- Made: Puppets and Poseables! (featuring: George!)
A merret.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
31 Days of Halloween! Day20- Recipe: Beverages~ Family Friendly
There are a lot of creepy things you can do for family friendly beverages, and they can even taste good ; )
Halloween favorites (Swamp Punch, Mulled Cider, and Cranberry Bog) can be made up very quickly, and seemingly, be consumed even faster! Make sure you have extra supplies on hand to make up more batches during the party.
Swamp Punch
Ingredients (warning: this drink is popular! i frequently make 3 batches of this during a party ; )
2 ~ 2 liter bottles ginger ale
*1 liter raspberry soda or juice (optional) (can buy 2 liter and use half at a time)
16 oz. frozen fruit: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or mixture
1/2 gallon sherbet, lime (or rainbow for a muddled look)
MAKE IN ADVANCE frozen molds ~> make the "ice cubes" from creepy food molds
2 ~ 12 oz. cans frozen concentrate, lime and/or lemon
MAKE IN ADVANCE~> any ice/flavored molds!
Choose your ice/flavor molds (e.g. a rinsed latex glove is great for a creepy hand mold, a gelatin mold [brains and hearts are popular right now], or any ice cube mold).
Mix your frozen concentrate up with half of the water used in the directions on the label. Frozen fruit can be added to this also.
Pour the mix into the mold and freeze solid.
Choose your punchbowl.
Put the ginger ale and the *raspberry soda in the punchbowl. Add frozen fruit and stir.
Add large scoops of the lime sherbet.
Float your molded ice/flavor and you are ready to serve!
The punch can be spiked for adult parties, but I tend to leave the punch non-alcoholic so it can be consumed "as is" or individually spiked. If you spike it, I recommend a plain rum or vodka.
Mulled Cider
1 gallon apple juice or cider
3-4 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
10 allspice berries
6 whole cloves
orange or lemon zest strips (~1/4 of the fruit)
*1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
*1/4+ cup brown sugar (optional)
You can make up half of this at a time, but we go through it so fast at parties when the weather is cool that I make it up a gallon at a time and have another on the stove!
Put the cider and ALL other ingredients listed in a large saucepan/ stew-pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Set aside to allow the flavors to merge (at least 30 minutes) and serve hot!
You can sieve or ladle off the top to leave most of the solids behind.
If the (adult) individual wants to spike their beverage a bit of bourbon can be added.
Cranberry Bog
Halloween favorites (Swamp Punch, Mulled Cider, and Cranberry Bog) can be made up very quickly, and seemingly, be consumed even faster! Make sure you have extra supplies on hand to make up more batches during the party.
Swamp Punch
Ingredients (warning: this drink is popular! i frequently make 3 batches of this during a party ; )
2 ~ 2 liter bottles ginger ale
*1 liter raspberry soda or juice (optional) (can buy 2 liter and use half at a time)
16 oz. frozen fruit: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or mixture
1/2 gallon sherbet, lime (or rainbow for a muddled look)
MAKE IN ADVANCE frozen molds ~> make the "ice cubes" from creepy food molds
2 ~ 12 oz. cans frozen concentrate, lime and/or lemon
MAKE IN ADVANCE~> any ice/flavored molds!
Choose your ice/flavor molds (e.g. a rinsed latex glove is great for a creepy hand mold, a gelatin mold [brains and hearts are popular right now], or any ice cube mold).
Mix your frozen concentrate up with half of the water used in the directions on the label. Frozen fruit can be added to this also.
Pour the mix into the mold and freeze solid.
Choose your punchbowl.
Put the ginger ale and the *raspberry soda in the punchbowl. Add frozen fruit and stir.
Add large scoops of the lime sherbet.
Float your molded ice/flavor and you are ready to serve!
The punch can be spiked for adult parties, but I tend to leave the punch non-alcoholic so it can be consumed "as is" or individually spiked. If you spike it, I recommend a plain rum or vodka.
Mulled Cider
1 gallon apple juice or cider
3-4 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
10 allspice berries
6 whole cloves
orange or lemon zest strips (~1/4 of the fruit)
*1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
*1/4+ cup brown sugar (optional)
You can make up half of this at a time, but we go through it so fast at parties when the weather is cool that I make it up a gallon at a time and have another on the stove!
Put the cider and ALL other ingredients listed in a large saucepan/ stew-pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Set aside to allow the flavors to merge (at least 30 minutes) and serve hot!
You can sieve or ladle off the top to leave most of the solids behind.
If the (adult) individual wants to spike their beverage a bit of bourbon can be added.
Cranberry Bog
Saturday, October 19, 2013
31 Days of Halloween! Day19- Make: Basic Frogs & Baldrics!
There are many types and designs of baldrics and frogs, we will discuss the topic in general and give simple directions for A) altering something you likely have in your closet for an easy costume baldric and frog and B) making a baldric and weapon's frog from scratch.
~ Baldric (n) ~ First known use in the 14th century; the modern word derives from Middle English (baudry and baudrik) and Middle French (baudré), originating in the Old French (baldrei). The baldric is a belt worn over one shoulder and slung diagonally across the body, generally worn to carry a weapon (frequently a sword) or a small musical instrument (like a bugle or trumpet).
~ Frog (n) ~ The source of the word is uncertain. The frog is a scabbard, used to suspend an item (generally a weapon, tool, or musical instrument) from a belt.
A) A simple costume baldric and frog can easily be made from a long scarf (or 2) or a couple belts.
A1) Simply drape the middle of the scarf or the buckled joining of the 2 belts over your right shoulder if you're right-handed (left if you are left-handed) A2) then tie the scarf ends to a plastic loop or/buckle the other end across your opposite hip. A3) You may need to adjust the top buckle of the belts in front of your chest to lengthen or shorten your make-shift baldric. The scarf's loop or/lower buckle of the belt is used like a frog to hold the sword. A4) A simple felt or felt and cardboard disc can be made to buffer the top edge of you "sword".
B) Leather frog and baldric
Making the frog: (simple frog)
need:
-leather
-1 large O ring
-2 small O rings
-2 buckles, 1"
-rivets and/or Chicago screws
1. cut 1 strip leather ---" long and 1" wide
2. cut 1 strip leather ---" long and 1" wide
3. cut 2 strips leather ----" long and 3/4" wide
4. punch holes in 1" wide pieces at ---" and ---"
5. punch holes in 3/4" wide pieces at -----" and ----------
6. set buckle
Sorry, something just came up, hopefully I'll have a chance to revisit this!
from the desk of D
~ Baldric (n) ~ First known use in the 14th century; the modern word derives from Middle English (baudry and baudrik) and Middle French (baudré), originating in the Old French (baldrei). The baldric is a belt worn over one shoulder and slung diagonally across the body, generally worn to carry a weapon (frequently a sword) or a small musical instrument (like a bugle or trumpet).
~ Frog (n) ~ The source of the word is uncertain. The frog is a scabbard, used to suspend an item (generally a weapon, tool, or musical instrument) from a belt.
A) A simple costume baldric and frog can easily be made from a long scarf (or 2) or a couple belts.
A1) Simply drape the middle of the scarf or the buckled joining of the 2 belts over your right shoulder if you're right-handed (left if you are left-handed) A2) then tie the scarf ends to a plastic loop or/buckle the other end across your opposite hip. A3) You may need to adjust the top buckle of the belts in front of your chest to lengthen or shorten your make-shift baldric. The scarf's loop or/lower buckle of the belt is used like a frog to hold the sword. A4) A simple felt or felt and cardboard disc can be made to buffer the top edge of you "sword".
B) Leather frog and baldric
Making the frog: (simple frog)
need:
-leather
-1 large O ring
-2 small O rings
-2 buckles, 1"
-rivets and/or Chicago screws
1. cut 1 strip leather ---" long and 1" wide
2. cut 1 strip leather ---" long and 1" wide
3. cut 2 strips leather ----" long and 3/4" wide
4. punch holes in 1" wide pieces at ---" and ---"
5. punch holes in 3/4" wide pieces at -----" and ----------
6. set buckle
Sorry, something just came up, hopefully I'll have a chance to revisit this!
from the desk of D
Friday, October 18, 2013
31 Days of Halloween! Day18- Made: Oculars, Ears & Tails... oh my!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Bonus Post! The Night Before the Penumbral Eclipse
 |
| Not quite full moon, the night before the penumbral eclipse. |
October 18-19 is the night of the penumbral eclipse, the last eclipse of 2013, and happening during the Hunter's Moon. The Hunter's Moon is the northern hemisphere's moon after the Harvest Moon, the moon nearest the autumnal equinox.
A penumbral eclipse is where the moon is not within Earth's umbral shadow; in other words it will not look like a bite has been taken from the moon, but the moon will be partially darkened by Earth's penumbral shadow.
This effect will be most easily seen from Europe and Africa, due to the moon's height in the sky at the time of the eclipse, but it will be visible across the US too.
The next easy lunar eclipse will be April 15, 2014, visible from Australia and eastern Asia to North and South America.
*I probably should have grabbed the tripod, just wanted to grab these shots quick. All of these images were shot using a handheld Canon SX 280 HS.
Enjoy!
DeWyk
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