Dress This Mess > Baby Nursery Wall Decor

Happy Hallooooweeeen Everyone - Yup, today is the day your kids have been waiting for.  That's all they'll be thinking of is candy, candy, candy.  Here at the Glossy Flossy's we have our eye on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas - that's right I'm a cyclops, but just for today cause it's Halloween.  
While keeping my eye on those three things I'm helping another Mrs. Glossy Flossy with a baby shower she is showering a friend with.  Yes, you heard me, there is another Mrs. Glossy Flossy who is talented and looooves to entertain, and yes it apparently is the year for babies.  
Remember the shower the future Mrs. 2Wicked gave for her sister and I said I would show you the wall decor that we made for the nursery - well here it is.

The inspiration for these silhouettes was the fabric that I spoke of before that I don't have a pic of and again it is 6am so no one is going to take a pic for me (I might get more organized at some point - but today is not the day.)  FM2W actually did all the work on these, I only provided technical support.

We picked out scrapbook paper that went with the nursery decor made by FM2W's momma, then found images of safari animals on the internet and sized them to fit the IKEA frames.  Printed silhouettes of animals out and FM2W traced it onto the scrapbook paper and cut them out.  The ostrich is actually scanned from the fabric used in the nursery.  A large frame with a large silhouette makes quite the impact. They turned out great and the possibilities are endless.  If your nursery theme is planes, trains, and automobiles you could use those silhouettes or how about cowboys, horses and steers.  For girls how about ballerinas and ...., I've got nothing else.  I don't have any girl grandbabies and I can't think of anything except boy stuff.


Note:  Photographing frames with glass is tricky and beyond our capabilities so we had to have FM2W's momma photograph them (she also photographed the shower.)  A big thanks goes out to her.  My suggestion is to photograph without the glass in the frame.
-Laurie

Dress This Mess > Save the Pumpkins!

Poor little pumpkins...They get snatched from their cozy leafy beds, thrown on a truck, and then tossed into a super sized cardboard box with hundreds of other scared little pumpkins. If that's not bad enough, they are then plucked up by seemingly cute midgets who take them home only to be (gasp!) brutally gutted and have their flesh carved with strange symbols and pictures. THEN (how can it get any worse!) they are thrown out into the cold with a candle up their butt. Oh, the horror!

Haha! I'm sure that this time of year is very stressful for the PETG. You know, the People For Ethical Treatment of Gourds.

In an effort to protected our nation's vulnerable pumpkins In an effort to help out all of those who are, too lazy, too grossed and freaked out by the slimy innards of a pumpkin, or for those of you that just cannot face YET another mess to clean up; here are 8 ways to fabulously decorate your pumpkins without ever having to pick up a knife.

Gold Thumbtack Pumpkins

The crafty gal over at Madigan Made crafty these beauties with lots and lots of gold thumbtacks and Elmer's glue. This would keep your kiddos busy for hours and they are gorgeous!

Ummm, how unbelievably cute are these?! I want to adopt a whole "Angelina & Brad" bunch of them. Two Shades of Pink blog made these cuties and she has a great tutorial. Don't they make you feel all warm and cozy?

Sexy Pumpkins

The only thing these sexy girls will do is glam up your Halloween decor, and they won't try to steal your man or embarrass your family. These are made with old nylons stretched over pumpkins. How clever is that?! What a great way to recycle and reuse.

Candy Corn Pumpkins

These tie-dyed looking goodies were painted with quick and easy spray paint

Mummy Pumpkin

Hand the kids some googly eyes, gauze, and glue; and let them go to town!

Silhouette Pumpkins

These pumpkins use templates and paint to spook up your haunt. You can download the templates over at Women's Day. Wouldn't some silhouettes of your kids or family, or even the dog, be cute all lined up on your porch or mantel?

Ribbon Pumpkins

Got tons of leftover ribbon? Grab your glue gun and some pumpkins and go to town!

Chalkboard Pumpkins

Crafty Lindsey over at LRstitched made this fun pumpkin with black chalkboard spray paint from Lowe's. Think of all the possibilities!

Other people around here, not as lazy or squeamish as me, made some fantastic carved pumpkins this week. They even brought out the power tools:

Me? I'm all cruelty free with my Halloween pumpkins.

~Angela

Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate > Circus Baby Shower

The future Mrs. 2Wicked has thrown a baby shower for her sister!  Of course we at the Glossy Flossy's had to stick our nose into her business because....  that's what we do!  The inspiration for this party was an animal print fabric that was used in the nursery.  (I would show you a picture but it is 6 in the morning and I don't have one and I'm pretty sure anyone I called to take a picture and send it to me would be irritated with me.)  FM2W picked this cute invitation and we were off to the land of elephants, circus tents and all things circus.  Okay, I admit it FM2W was only off to make one "It's a Boy" banner, but I was off to the other land.  


First up was my other love (ruffled crepe paper is my first love) - accordion pleated paper made into medallions, or fans or rosettes or whatever you want to call them.  I have a serious crush on them.  I also really like them when someone else is folding and pleating the paper.




We made this cute "It's A Boy" banner with elephants and circus tents.  The color is a little off because I took this pic and I'm obviously not a professional photographer or even a very good amateur photographer.

 FM2W was happy and finished but..... I wasn't finished.  Some say it's a sickness or as I heard someone say, "You just can't stop, can you?"  I made mini banners, treat bags, silverware/napkin wrappers that say "BABY", cake stand and Circus entry sign (check out the eeny meeny mini rosettes on the corners of the sign.)  FM2W caught a little of the illness and made the little onesies for guests to leave a message, "Ready to POP" sign for the caramel corn and dug out her hat and gloves as props from when she was the Ringmaster.   Maybe we couldn't stop but look how cute everything turned out.

The food was a delicious.  We mixed up the menu with a Watermelon Feta Salad, Chicken Artichoke Pesto Bundles, Galuptsi (mini cabbage rolls) , Caramel Corn, Mini Cupcakes, Cotton Candy, Cheese Platter, Brownies, Mint Lemonade, and for the favors we had mini bags of frosted animal crackers. Yum!

Next week we will be showing you the animal silhouettes that FM2W and I made for the nursery.
-Laurie

Feast Your Eyes > Halloween Party Food

So you're having a frightful Halloween bash in a week, and then it hits you. What are you going to feed all those hungry people ghouls?! Here are some easy ideas that will feed a legion of zombies or a coven of witches, and won't leave you exhausted on the day of your big party.

All of these ideas uses a party planner's best friend, the mighty crockpot. This girl, (name your crock pot - they like it, and lets be honest, only a woman could make a life so much easier!) will feed all of your guests and even the ones that you didn't even invite. You'll end up with plenty of time to put on your amazing costume and not have guests show up while you're still running around in your stained sweat pants (maybe that only happened to me once). 

Chili Bar:

Grab that favorite chili recipe and whip it up in a large crock pot. Then gather up some great toppers such as: cilantro, fritos, a variety of cheeses, cornbread, onions, sour cream, bacon, and of course some hot sauce. Serve buffet style with some concession style food boats that you can find at a restaurant supply store - no dishes to wash!













Or how about a remix of the chili bar and do a Nacho buffet:

Serve the seasoned meat in your handy dandy crock pot. Add avocados, mexican cheese, chilies, jalapenos, onions, cilantro, salsa, refried beans, olives, diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, and the most important: nacho cheese! Add a gigantic bowl of your favorite tortilla chips and you have an instant dinner.  

Last but not least: Brats & Dogs:

 Cook up your bratwurst in some beer, onions, and water. Bobby Flay has a great recipe here. Place in your cockpot to keep warm. Add some spooky looking sauerkraut, or cooked red cabbage, buns, and condiments. You could also add some fun stuff like pickles, jalapenos, onions,  and a variety of mustard. Serve with some individual bags of chips.

For fun you can spook up your pot with some radish eye balls:

Remember to make it fun and easy! Check back this week for our Halloween tablescape.

~Angela

Frock Me Friday - Halloween Costumes from Your Closet

I was in the store and I saw a person wearing what I thought was a costume.  Hmmmm - a little early for wearing that Halloween costume out.  It was like a train wreck where you're trying not to look but end up following the person around just to look at what they're wearing - stalking would be accurate.  If that person isn't you then you may need this post for some easy costume ideas using items from your closet with one or two items added to make a costume.

First up is Luigi:  

green shirt, overalls, white gloves - you might have to buy the gloves unless you're one of those housekeepers who does the white glove test (please don't come to my house.)  Green baseball cap with circle of white fabric. Use some fabric paint to put the "L" for Luigi on it. Oh and don't forget the moustache!  Not pictured is her friend who came as Mario using the same ideas.

The Circus Ringmaster:

From the closet:  Jacket, boots, black pants.  The jacket was modified a little but nothing permanent.  Took some black felt and cut tuxedo "tails" out and pinned to back of jacket.  Cut cardboard out to make epaulets on shoulders.  Glued felt and fringe on to cardboard and pinned to jacket.  Note:  Glued two felt tabs on bottom of cardboard epaulet to have something to pin to.  Additional items:  Top hat and a whip that was from her closet in our costume trunk from an Indiana Jones costume.

Abraham Lincoln:  

Looks easy and uncomplicated.  But wait remember how tall Abe was ...

You need a couple of skills to pull this one off.  You must be able to grow some facial hair or buy some and you have to be able to walk on stilts.

From the closet: black jacket, white shirt, black slacks, bow tie - okay you might not have that.

How to make:

Black fabric was cut and sewn to look like a pant leg and then pinned to the bottom of black slacks to cover the stilts.

Stove top hat from costume store.  

Easy Peasy! - if you can walk on stilts.

More costume ideas:

Jason from Halloween Movies:  Mechanics overalls, kitchen knife and the Jason mask from Halloween Costume store.

Go as a graduate:  old cap and gown is all you need.

Last costume is not from the closet (not from any of our closets but different strokes for different folks) but fairly easy and inexpensive.  No pattern needed, basic sewing or gluing skills is all.

Materials:

Faux Fur

Moleskin fabric or other fabric that kind of looks like leather and will not fray when it is cut into strips.

Belt from Goodwill - Is Goodwill like the belt graveyard?

Sword and necklace from Halloween Costume store.

How to make:  

Everything but the shorts - (we like to call it a diaper) was just strips of fur and moleskin wrapped and tied around arms and feet.  The Conan Diaper (still makes me smile to say it) was cut kind of like a diaper pattern and then the sides sewn up.  You could also glue it. The waist was big to get on and off but the belt kept it up and added to the Conan look.

I am officially out of costume ideas for the day.  Look in your own closet and see what you can come up with!

- Laurie

Dress This Mess > Spooktacular Halloween Decor

If my kids had their way, our house would be "Halloweened" all year round. The chorus of "Can we decorate?" usually starts somewhere towards the end of August. In an effort to NOT give the neighbors the impression that we worship anybody other than the big G, I try to hold them off until the last weekend in September. After that, It's game on, or should I say, ghoul on. Oh, come on. That was funny! Here's some ideas to steal for your own Halloween haunt:

A flock of bats:

Use a bat template (download here) and trace onto a folded piece of black cardstock. Then find yourself some bored minions to do all your bidding bat cutting for you. I find that you get great results from them when bribed with dessert...

Add some fun spooky accessories and you have yourself a cool, bat flocked mirror. Feels very Edgar Allen Poe, doesn't it?

Or how about a little scare for your guests as a creepy skeleton peers out from what looks like an ordinary mirror?

You too can do this by taking a cheap mirror and removing the paper backing. First print out your image and decide where you want to place it on the mirror. Next, turn the mirror over and use a razor blade to gently and slowly scrape off the finish from the back of the mirror. Keep checking the position and how the picture looks from the front as you do this. You don't want to completely remove all of the finish from one spot, just remove enough that you can just barely make out an image, as you are peering at the mirror from the front. Once you have the desired effect, tape the image to the back and hang for a great Halloween effect.

Another great and easy way to spookify your home, is to take simple tablecloths and sheets and drape them over your furniture to give it that "abandoned" look.

You can even use it as a fun, Halloween party photo op!

Another great Halloween decorating tip to get the most bang for your holiday decorating buck is by checking out the dollar stores. All the big stores carry fun and pricey decor this time of year, but the dollar store has all the same stuff for, well, only a dollar!

Check out what you can do:

Lots more to come, keep checking back. Happy decorating!

~Angela

Feast Your Eyes > Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Aaah, the leaves are turning and the days are shorter, fall is here! Is it just me, or is everyone else having to use a team of horses to drag your family (or yourself) out of bed on these chilly mornings?

Well never fear, here is a recipe that will work better than any alarm clock, when trying to rustle up your herd in the morning. (I watched a western last night, uh, can you tell?! It stuck with me...)

These gooey babies are a super lazy smeazy version of your everyday cinnamon rolls, using refrigerated pizza dough instead of your usual, break out the big equipment and big biceps, all day rising bread dough. Don't get me wrong partner, (I just can't stop!) true cinnamon rolls are divine, but some days you don't have time to be Paula Deen.

Add some canned pumpkin, maple syrup, brown sugar, and some spices and you have yourself the the best smelling alarm clock ever invented!

Note: When I took this pic I was using the orange as a place holder for some apple cider - then forgot. Story of my life.

Glossy's Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

16 oz (or so) refrigerated pizza dough

3/4 C. canned pumpkin

1/3 C. maple syrup

2 T. room temperature butter

1 1/2 t. pumpkin spice

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

2 T. brown sugar

Chopped pecans (optional)

Frosting:

3/4 C. powdered sugar

1/2 C. room temperature cream cheese

1/3 C. maple syrup

1 T. apple cider

Unroll dough into roughly a 10x12 rectangle onto a well floured surface. Mix all other ingredients together and spread a thick layer onto the dough. Roll up the dough starting on short end, and then slice into 1 1/2 to 2 inch slices. Place into a well greased 9x9 pan and place a towel over the top. Place in an empty microwave to "rise" for 20min. Note: you can skip this step if you want. The rolls will be just as delicious, but I just find that it helps the rolls become a little fluffier. Place into a 350 degree oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Top with frosting while still warm from the oven.

**Double this recipe for a 9x13 size pan**

Oh. My. Gaww. I want to be woken up every day like this!

~Angela

P.S. Hmm...lotso' leftover pumpkin, are you feeling some pumpkin scones? Maybe those are next!

Frock Me Friday > Dress Like a Lady For Halloween

It's all about Halloween this month, at Chaos & Gloss, and today it's all about how to dress up for Halloween and not look like a "girls gone wild" reject.

All of us gals have seen those costumes; naughty nurse, sexy cop, saucy pirate. Even clowns now run around in skin tight, low cut, jumpsuits. Yea, didn't you know? Clowns are sexy now. What's a normal gal to do, when she wants to dress up for Halloween but she doesn't want to spend her hard earned fashion budget on something that was designed by a playboy bunny & you want to keep your dignity, preferably covered up with some clothes?!


Never fear, today we are going to show you some fabulous ideas, that you won't have to hide from your grandma or pastor, AND you can rock them in your everyday looks. 

Rosie The Riveter

Who is more awesome than Rosie the Riveter? No one, that's who. All you need is a cheap mechanic's jumpsuit or paper coveralls (auto supply stores), and a fabulous scarf. You can finish it off with some great ankle boots which are big right now.

Rosie the Riveter by glossyflossy featuring high heel boots

Or how about a stylish, smart school girl. One that doesn't look like she's on her way to a strip club:

Smart School Girl by glossyflossy featuring block heels

Or a snappy sailor woman, sans creepy ruffled underwear:

Snappy Sailor Woman by glossyflossy featuring dark wash jeans

Or how about Cat Woman? No tail required:

Cat woman by glossyflossy featuring a v neck cardigan

Or last, but not least: Rocker Chick. Not the kind that gets a backstage pass because she wore a bra as a top to the concert.

Rocker Chic by glossyflossy featuring wrap jewelry

Remember, just say "NO!" to costumes that make you look like you don't ever say "NO". Happy Halloween shopping!
~Angela

Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate > Halloween "ACT"ivities

Have you ever been to a party and everyone is standing around talking quietly in little groups and you're secretly thinking, "We're staying 15 minutes and then we're "outtahere."  Disclaimer: If you like those boring, talking quiet parties - STOP READING NOW.  You will find this disturbing.

If you prefer to go to parties where you might see something like this, we have some tips for you (it's not "Open Bar".) 


We like to avoid those kind of parties by starting our parties with an ice breaker game, and here at the Glossy Flossy's we like nothing better than to be a little melodramatic, a little ridiculous, and Halloween is the perfect time to be all those things (and not become a "hot topic" the next morning, unless you want to be...)!

"Wink" is the perfect Halloween party game for fun, drama and a great ice breaker.  As your guests arrive, you pass out instruction cards with a description of their "cause of death." Alternate wording for this card might be "hilarious" death instead of "horrible" death. 

On the back:

You then pick someone to be the killer and when "the killer" winks at someone they have to act out their "death" in the way their card described.

Some causes of death:  Disco Dancing, Howling at the moon, River Dancing, Hugged to death, Shark Attack, Dying like a crazed ape, Doing the YMCA, Swooning like a diva - saying "I've Expired" or laughing to death.  Have fun with this and make up your own.  Make one for that sister-in-law of yours who is always pouting when she doesn't get her way with a "pouting to death" card.  Believe me you will enjoy it immensely!!

Other guests who have not been winked to death by the killer can try to guess the identity of the killer, but a wrong guess and you too are DOA!  


Happy Halloween "Act"ivities!!!  
-Laurie

Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate > Outdoor Girls Movie Night

What better than a girls movie night? How about a movie night where the snacks are free, the floor isn't sticky, there's no lines to wait in, and no one is having a kick boxing match with the back of your seat. You can even wear your pj's if you want. Even better, you don't even have to leave your own house! Add in some fabulous gals like we did, and you have yourself a great party. Check out the all fun we had:

We picked up a great chick flick and used our outdoor movie screen which we dressed up with our DIY'd carnival tent that we made from our Back To School Carnival Party. How cute is that? 

For the seating we went for cozy:

Our concession stand was filled with homemade gourmet pizza, a hot chocolate bar, innocent margaritas, gooey s'more bars without the mess, and of course, popcorn! 

 I don't know if I'll ever go back to the movie theater ever again.
~Angela
P.S. Check back for the how to's and recipes.