Today's Guest: Bee In Our Bonnet

Hello there!  My name is Ashleigh, and I blog with my sister over at Bee In Our Bonnet!  I'm super excited to be here at eighteen25 today!  I'm a huge fan of theirs, and in my dreams all of us sisters are BFFs and we craft together 24/7!

But lets talk about the project I want to share with you!  It's a little cookie project/gift just in time for Halloween.  I'm gonna call it: JACK-O-LANTERN IN A JAR!

I'd like to thank my inspiration for this project: Mr. Potato Head and his bucket of parts.  

It's kind of like an edible, Halloween version of it all.

Just look at the cookie goodness that is happening when you open up this jar!

Although our blog is about all sorts of projects, I find myself baking and making cookies on an out of control level.  So, I have lots of cookie tutorials.  But to make a long story short, you can find my cookie and frosting recipes and lots of directions on

 THIS POST.  

Or, you can use any basic sugar cookie recipe.  

I don't have any specific cookie cutters for these.  I just used a good old knife.  Hey, if we can carve out a super thick pumpkin, we can certainly carve out some sugar cookie dough the same way!

I like to put my royal icing in squeezie bottles.  You can use bags and tips, but I find these a little easier and super kid-friendly, by the way.  So once I mix up some Halloween-ish colors and I'm ready to go.

As I mentioned, this is so easy for kids!  I don't know what the kids will love more: making these, or playing with them later?!  But with a little instruction, kids can easily ice with a solid color.

If you get involved though, the jack-o-lantern parts may get a little bit more detailed!  :)

Let these pumpkin parts dry for at least 12 hours.  Then grab some orange paper plates (dessert size) and encourage your kids to PLAY WITH THEIR FOOD!   They can make all sorts of pumpkin and monster faces.  Then when they're bored with that, they can eat their little snack!

I thought it was cute to add a few patterned paper scraps to my paper plates for the "stem."

So now you have a simple, yummy and darling treat!

You can make a traditional jack-o-lantern and cut each piece out, custom deluxe. 

You can also add in a few basic shape cookie cutters like circles and ovals.

These eyes were made with a heart cookie cutter, cut in half before baking.

You can make these for your own kids to eat, but I thought it would make a really fun gift when packaged up in a jar!  Make sure they have dried for a full 24 hours before you pile them in a jar.

I spray painted the lid of the jar orange, and added a tag and ribbon.  It would be really nice if you gave them a little stack of paper plates too.  You can enjoy the fun of making it, and then let someone else enjoy the fun of creating their own little jack-o-lantern snack!  Wouldn't it be fun to "spook" someone and leave this as an anonymous gift on their porch?  Yep, I'm doin' it! 

Thanks again to Jamie, Jodie and Jen for having me as a guest on the fabulous, eighteen25!

I love it here!  Are you sure you don't want to adopt 2 more sisters?  (just checking)

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We always have room for more sisters!!
(Especially ones that make beautiful cookies)

These are an absolute MUST this Halloween. I love all of your extra details.
And that Jack - O - Lantern in a jar would make the perfect neighbor gift.

Thanks so much for participating with us this year Ashleigh!!

Make sure you swing by Bee In Our Bonnet and check out all of the other yummy goodness that Ashleigh and her sister Kathryn have put together!!

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