Scary pumpkin cake for Halloween

I just finished making a Halloween cake for a bridge party tomorrow night. It is sooooooooo delicious and soooooooooo easy I just have to share the recipe with you.
1 box of Duncan Hines Orange Delight cakemix. Mix just as it says and cook it in a bundt pan. Let cool completely!
2 quarts of orange sherbet softened to almost melted.
Frost the cake with the sherbet really piling it on very very thick! Fill up the center so it will make a complete circle.
Pop the "mess" into the freezer to set it and then you can "lick up the outside rim that has melted and refrozen." Using black and orange jellybeans, put eyes, nose, and a mouth if you wish.............
Serve with Microwavable Hot Fudge Chocolate in a little bowl to be spooned on top of the slices of cake. Slice cake with an electric knife for easy slicing.
Will keep for month (or until all gone) in the freezer. This is Mr. Whoozy's favorite dessert.
SCARY PUMPKIN CAKE

Halloween Hot Pads or Pot holders

These are such fun to make. Be sure to find "insulated batting" at most fabric stores. Just tell them what you want it for and they'll know exactly what you need.

Finished Simple Irish Chain Seasonal Quilt

YEHHHHHHHHHHHHHH it is all finished for the month of October! It is a fun project and shall be working to get the attachments ready for you for November ASAP! I think children will love this project, getting to change the attachments every month! I even have fun doing it myself! ha
HAPPY DAYS!!!!

Simple Irish Chain Seasonal Quilt and Hand Quilting hints!

Just finished putting the final touches to my pumpkins for the Simple Irish Chain Quilt. It has been such fun to make. I made 3 autumn leaves and 4 pumpkins for October. I can leave the 3 autumn leaves on the quilt for November and only have to add "November touches to it. They will be forthcoming very soon! Can't believe how fast this month has flown by!
I am also quilting away on the Amazing Flower Quilt. I am now quilting on the "sunflower" block. I do this quilting at night with a good OTT floor light above me. The light from a light like this makes it easier to make small stitches. When I see the tip of the needle come through, I immediately go back down into the quilt. This makes very tiny even stitches, that I love.
Saw the flower blocks that some of the Florida quilters have gotten done, and wow, they are gorgeous. Such creativity in this project! Most of the actual flower pictures are still on this blog.
If you haven't pulled up the past articles that are on this blog, it might be worth your while. It will perhaps inspire you to try something different. Ruts are only ruts and get deeper and deeper. Think outside the ruts or as they say, "Think outside the box." Happy Days!

Simple Irish Chain Leaves construction

After I cut out the pattern for the leaves, I stacked my fabric for them as shown in the picture. I cut all of them out at one time with a quarter inch seam allowance. Knowing how hard these points would be to "sew, flip and turn," I spray-starched each of them for stability by soaking them with the spray starch and let them dry completely. Once they were dry, I stitched each of them to a layer of coordinating colored felt (orange on orange felt, etc.)with the quarter inch seam allowance left with the raw edge. Leaves are not smooth on the edges, so this gives them a more natural look. I free-motioned stitched in the veins in the leaves with metallic thread to give them a little pizzazz! I happened to have a gold metallic thread and therefore, I used that. Finished, I attached the 1" piece of Velcro to the back of each leaf. I still have 2 more pumpkins to make, and I shall have October and part of Nov.'s attachments finished, as I plan to leave the leaves on the quilt for November.

Simple Irish Chain Attachments Leaves

Having thought about Oct. and Nov. being fall months, it seems reasonable for us to put fall leaves and pumpkins on both months! What a hoot! Of course, you know that I shall come up with a snazzy turkey for us for Thanksgiving! and another surprise that you haven't thought about most likely.......
I suggest that you make these leaves all different sizes. You can print these patterns off from my blog (view Quilters University lesson #5 (May 2010)
Batik leaves in fall colors will be very pretty. I plan on filling up the blank squares of the quilt with pumpkins and fall leaves. Just be creative! This is YOUR project, too! If you're short of time, however, there is felt at fabric stores in all shades of fall colors:orange, red, yellow, brown, light green, purple, orange etc. just be wild and crazy with this.....you'll love it!
These leaves are out of my yard in NC. I remembered that you poor dears in Texas, etc. don't have this kind of leaf falling around your feet like we do, thus, here are some patterns for you!! ENJOY.....don't forget, CHECK THE BLOG every day, as I am really into this fun right now! Happy Days!

Simple Irish Chain Pumpkin Attachments

Make enough of these cute pumpkins for every square if you wish. I bought several fat quarters in shade of orange for each pumpkin to be different.
I'll be putting another pattern for the pumpkins on the blog this week, so check back often.......also for the autumn leaves that I plan to leave on my quilt through November.......CHECK THE BLOG OFTEN!

Simple Irish Chain Pumpkin attachment

Putting a little piece of sticky velcro-type stuff on the back of each attachment works great.

Simple Irish Chain Attachment for October

What fun to make pumpkins for our Simple Irish Chain project.

Simple Irish Chain with attachments for October!

Can't wait for you to see this. It has turned out so much fun!
Be sure to let me see your finished projects, too. I love hearing from you all.
email to : quiltlady14@aol.com Be sure to put Simple Irish Chain in the Subject line! Thanks, B.

Simple Irish Chain Visual #6

VOILA! The first block is finished. Notice that the center block is different from the other 4 This is what creates the CHAIN effect! Study it closely.

Simple Irish Chain Visual #5

This visual shows one little 3 1/2" square block sewn together and pressed. Please notice how every intersection is perfect. That is what you want for sure!
Step #4 shows how to attain this perfection.

Simple Irish Chain Visual #4

Setting up your sewing machine with a little iron and pressing area close by is necessary for making this little quilt, quickly! I press after each step! PRESS WITH A DRY IRON, not steam!

Simple Irish Chain Visual #3

Some people have a difficult time getting intersections to match up perfectly. Look how I pin my little strips together. The pin goes in on the side of the seam and on the side of the seam underneath. Then the pin is turned DIAGONALLY. This simple step makes all the difference.