DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

Cherry Cake Fresh cherries are one of the highlights of summer fruit, but beware their high-staining juice. Dishtowels, aprons, and your shirt all are at risk of becoming pink polka dotted. Fingernails stained burgundy from pitting deep red cherries, I was baking a sweet surprise for some friends. A golden crusted cake with cherries peaking through the top was sure to delight. Old-fashioned flavor and simple preparation make this one of my go-to summer desserts. I love cakes you can whip up quickly in a bowl, pour into a pan and bake. With a short list of ingredients, all you need is a  springform pan   and some parchment paper. Springform pans are handy to have in your tool kit and parchment paper is incredibly useful. Here, it’s cut into rounds to line the pan. You can also purchase pre-cut rounds from most cooking stores. For simplicity sake I’m calling this a cake. The original recipe called it a torte. I think it’s really a French clafouti; a countr...

A metal lamp frame and chicken wire are repurposed for this simple project that can be decorated for all seasons. Paint them black and add artificial spiders to create a creepy cobweb effect that is perfect for Halloween. Materials Needed: small roll of chicken wire wire cutters work gloves needle-nose pliers black satin spray paint wire lampshade frame (optional) Option One: Use a Lampshade Frame to Create Cloche Put on work gloves and roll out chicken wire. Gently wrap wire around lampshade frame to estimate how much is needed to fully cover sides (Image 1). Remove shade and use wire cutters to cut wire to appropriate size. Wrap wire tightly around frame, pinching over top and bottom edges (Image 2). Cut excess wire if needed to make it fit properly. Image 1 Image 2 + Trim Wire and Connect Ends Trim excess wire where ends of chicken wire meet (Image 1). Using your fingers or needle-nose pliers, gently twist wire together to connect the end...

America's Best Haunted Houses - Top 13 Scariest 2013 The fastest growing industry in America is the Halloween industry. We’ve seen it grow over the last ten years from a 1-billion dollar industry to a near 10-billion dollar industry. Halloween has grown to levels no one ever expected. Today, we see millions of home owners decorating their houses, turning their garages into haunted houses, changing their backyards into cemeteries and inviting people from around the neighborhood into their own personal HAUNTED HOUSE! Today tens of thousands of home owners buy zombies, monsters, tombstones, and crypts and even use specialized lighting to display and showcase their masterpiece. Many even create CGI FX in their windows. The days of Halloween being a kid’s holiday all about trick-or-treating are OVER! Even moms are getting into the act buying Halloween themed decorations to make the interior of the house Halloween themed as well. Halloween is not an official holiday. The...