DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

Make Your Own Scary Halloween Plates!!! I made these Halloween plates by printing on contact paper and adhering it to the bottom of a glass plate. Here is what I did.... 1. I purchased glass plates from the $ Store and washed them. The sticky tag didn't come off nice - so I put some peanut butter on and scrubbed it off. 2. I printed out a circle from my computer and tested on my plate for size - I was lucky the first time - I got a size that worked. It is best if the circle is a little smaller than the flat circle part of the plate. 3. Cut out two pieces of contact paper that will fit over the circle. With one of the cut out contact papers, put double sided tape on the peel off backing and adhere over the printed circle. The plastic side should be facing up to be printed on. I used two varieties of contact paper - one from the $ store and the other from Zellers. The Zellers contact paper was way better quality and not as sh...

   It took a forklift and a cargo net to remove the massive vegetable from Jim Beauchemin's Goffstown, New Hampshire, pumpkin patch.    But from a padded perch at the Topsfield Fair in Massachusetts, the gourd placed Beauchemin on top of New England's giant pumpkin world.    His pumpkin became the New England champion when it tipped the scales at a hefty 1,314.8 pounds.    "The Topsfield Fair is the elite weigh-off in the country," Beauchemin said. "To win it—I call it the pinnacle of my growing years. That's why we do it, the hope of someday winning a title." How to "Go Heavy"    Beauchemin is part of a growing group of giant-pumpkin aficionados who thrill at watching a well-tended pumpkin swell to massive proportions. "You plant a seed the size of your fingernail and end up with a thousand-pound {450-kilogram] pumpkin," said George Hoomis, director of the New England Giant Pumpkin Growers Association. ...

    The  Notting Hill Carnival  is an annual event which since 1964 has taken place on the streets of  Notting Hill ,  Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea  ,  London ,  UK  each August, over two days (the August  bank holiday  Monday and the day beforehand).     It is led by members of the West Indian community, particularly the  Trinidadian and      Tobagonian British  population or 'Trinis', many of whom have lived in the area since the 1950s. The  carnival  has attracted up to 2 million people in the past, making it the second largest  street festival  in the world after the  Trinidad and Tobago Carnival  held in that country.     History    The roots of the Notting Hill Carnival come from two separate but connected strands. The Carnival began in January 1959 in St Pancras Town Hall as a response...

  Water is the element that most characterises Venice and it is no coincidence that the most famous and spectacular festivity in the city takes place on the waters of the Grand Canal. The spectacular eventstarts with a magnificent historical procession consisting of splendid,elaborately carved boats complete with hundreds od figures in gorgeous brocadecostumes.     Even now the  Regata Storica  is one of the most spectacular, picturesque and moving events of Venetian life, capable of both charming the tourists and exciting the locals.    A historical procession commemorates the welcome given to Caterina Cornaro, wife of the King of Cyprus, in 1489 after she renounced her throne in favour of Venice. It is a procession of 16th century style boats, with the famous Bucintoro, the boat representing the Serenissima, at its head.     Then comes the competitio n.  The spectators participate with gusto and shouts of e...

   Candy corn is many things. It’s one of the most well known symbols of Halloween and also a best selling candy every year. Despite its large sales and popularity, it’s often out shined by other candies, especially chocolates.    Enough of that! Here, candy corn is in the spotlight. Learn its history and some fun facts! The Beginning    The corn looking tri-colored confection was invented in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company which was based in Philadelphia. When first invented, the candy was made by hand and had a slightly more difficult process than it does today.    It was not available all year long like it is today. Instead, it was made for only 8 months out of the year and was available seasonally – in the fall when farmers harvested their  real  corn, and of course, around Halloween.    When first sold to customers, the corn lookalike was quite popular among farmers as it actua...

   It's unbelievable at the number of names witches are called from different countries and at different centuries in our history. Plus let me not forget the types of "witchcraft" each one may practice compared to another one. Good or bad witch, male or female and even what kind of heritage you come from. So here's a list of the different ones, all in alphabetical order. Alexandrian - This tradition was begun in the 1960's by Alex Sanders. Alex Sanders lived in England.  He used what are known to be slightly changed Gardnarian traditions and calls himself the "King of Witches." Covens involve both men and women. British Traditional -This is, according to Silver RavenWolf a "mix of Celtic and Gardnarian beliefs." Covens involve both men and women. One can study a course and receive a degree in British Traditional Witchcraft. Celtic Wicca -Celtic Wicca focuses mainly on Celtic and Druidic gods and goddesses (along with a few ot...

   The Corn Palace serves as a multi-use center for the community and region. The facility hosts stage shows, as well as sports events in its arena. The World's Only Corn Palace is an outstanding structure which stands as a tribute to the agricultural heritage of South Dakota.     The original Corn Palace, called "The Corn Belt Exposition" was established in 1892. Early settlers displayed the fruits of their harvest on the building exterior in order to prove the fertility of South Dakota soil. The third and present building was completed for it first festival at the present location in 1921.    The exterior decorations are completely stripped down and new murals are created each year. The theme is selected by the Corn Palace Festival Committee and murals are designed by a local artist. Corn Palace History    The World's Only Corn Palace is Mitchell's premier tourist attraction. Some 500,000 tourists come from a...