PopBetty

A Love Letter to Pop Culture

Colonial Williamsburg Christmas Decoration Inspiration

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My family and I spent Thanksgiving week in Williamsburg, VA. It was a great trip, and since the Christmas season apparently starts in late November, Colonial Williamsburg was already decked with holiday wreaths and garlands. Below are some of my favorites:

Williamsburg christmas wreath

A stunning apple wreath & garland…

Williamsburg christmas garland

…a simple doorway garland with rope & leather wreaths… 

Williamsburg christmas

…and another eye-catching garland bunch, which includes a pineapple and a hedge apple.

Aren't they lovely? It's amazing to me how festive and Christmas-y they look, all without ornaments, ribbons, or lights. Hope you find them as inspiring as I do!

To Try: Stroopwafels, or Dutch Caramel Wafers

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In high school, I went to Holland on a school-sponsored exchange program. One thing I discovered was the delicious stroopwafel, a treat made from two crisp wafers held together by spiced caramel.

Stroopwafels are traditionally placed over a hot mug of coffee or tea. Not only do they act as mug snugglers, but the steam from the beverage softens the wafer and the caramel inside. In other words, they are perfect cold weather treats. 

Daelmans caramel wafers1

Stroop waffle unboxing-1

Stroopwafel on mug

Stroopwafel close-up

I found these at Cost Plus World Market, and recommend the brand (each box contained 8 wafers and cost $4). People in larger cities should also check in the international sections of their grocery stores or at local bakeries. You can buy stroopwafels online at Amazon or from The Vermont Country Store as well, although prices can be steep. 

Have you eaten stroopwafels? If so, what did you think?

Halloween Week: Spooky Coasters D.I.Y. Project

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Spooky coasters header (2)

When I saw this Guinness ad campaign, I knew I had to try a D.I.Y. version because, well, look at it:

Guinness Halloween coasters

Cool, right? The campaign originally ran in Romania as a low-budget way to promote Guinness during Halloween. It was a success.

I decided to copy the ghost coaster (without fingers, as the material I used, cork roll, isn’t suited for detailed cuts), and then design one or two coasters of my own.

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Halloween Week: Costume Ideas That Don’t Require a Bikini Wax

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October is a cold month, and platform shoes and low-cut bustiers (and sleazy dudes) are a party-going nuisance. Unfortunately, retail Halloween costume options for women still consist mostly of “sexy” this or “naughty” that. Which means you’ll probably want to make your own.

Here are some of my favorite costume ideas, most of which are no-sew:

1. Pop Art/Comic Book Character

Comic book heroine

So cool. It’s a popular look, but the makeup is time-consuming enough that it’s not been overdone:

2. Celestial Beings

Celestial being

Pair an elaborate star (made with foam glitter stars & wire) or moon headdress with simple dark clothes:

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Halloween Week: Arachnophobia Party Concept

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The Concept

When I saw this cocooned man (also below), I knew I had to do a spider-themed Halloween post. I’ve titled it the Arachnophobia party concept, in honor of the Jeff Daniels movie (I’ll never forget those pulsing larval sacs), but it could easily be a Black Widow party, or for the nerdy, a Shelob’s Lair or Aragog’s Nest party. Repetition is key here: you need a volume of webs, fake spiders, and ensnared victims to get visitors’ skin tingling.

The Host

Spider Party

Simple costumes are better if you’re hosting. Just dress in all black and add some of the following spidery touches:

Other ideas include drawing a spider on your mouth to go with the eye webs, gluing fake spiders onto your face and neck with eyelash glue, and creating a black widow-infested beehive per the urban legend. Martha Stewart also has a spiderweb shawl, a sock spider costume for babies, and a black widow spider costume for Fido.

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