Making gel candles is quick and easy. You can decorate them or color them anyway you want and they make excellent gifts for family and friends. It only takes a few simple ingredients to make wonderful candles at home for a fraction of the cost of new candles. 

Wash the jars you intend to use for your candles and allow them to dry thoroughly. If the jars previously held candles, and have remnants of wax leftover, scrape as much wax away as you can and use boiling water to remove the rest.

Boil 1 cup of distilled water in a pot on a stove. Using distilled water will help to prevent mold. You can also add a tablespoon of salt or 2 tbsp. vodka to the mixture to further prevent mold. Add 10 to 20 drops of scented oil to the mixture, depending on how strong you wish the candle's scent to be. The more drops of scent you add, the stronger the scent will be. Airome essential oils from Country Scents Candles are excellent, high quality essential oils that will make your candles smell amazing. Add several drops of food coloring if you wish your candle to be colored. Food coloring is available at most grocery stores.

Next, you add four packets of Knox powdered gelatin to the boiling mixture. Stir the mixture until the powdered gelatin is completely dissolved. You can purchase Knox powdered gelatin at most grocery stores.

Remove the pot containing the mixture from the stove and add 1 cup of cool or room temperature distilled water to the mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the jars, filling the jar to roughly 1 inch from the rim. Allow it set for a minute and then add your wick, or other decorations. Let the candles sit for about an hour and they'll be ready to enjoy :)

You can also purchase a little kit that contains everything you need to make your own Country Scents Gel Candles at home! 

October is the time of year that many people are gearing up for Halloween. There are parties and other events that giving the host or hostess Halloween gift baskets is the perfect thank you gift. After all, there are gift baskets for almost all other occasions during the year and special events. These gift baskets are filled with goodies to the brim but seldom do people think about Halloween gift baskets for others. They are a great deal of fun and wonderful to give during the celebrations, festivities and activities surrounded around Halloween.

When you think of Halloween gift baskets most people think of children. After all, Halloween is for kids. Yet, many kids love the Halloween gift baskets they do not seem to appreciate them as much as grown ups. One of the best adults to give Halloween gift baskets is to the child's teacher.

You will discover that Halloween is a very busy event for the majority of teachers. Kids need assistance getting their costumes and make-up ready for the holiday events. Naturally, the end of the day is a time that teachers would enjoy Halloween gift baskets to help them relax and have their own treats.

Do you remember the hours and hours your grandmother spent baking those perfect Halloween cookies? Grandmothers enjoy having gifts of appreciation and gratitude. The Halloween gift baskets are ideal for grandmothers to enjoy as the Halloween events come to an end.

There are all kinds of delicious cookies, tasty candies and even chocolate delights that fill Halloween gift baskets. The popularity of Halloween gift baskets is increasing the number of pre-made baskets available from stores. Take a trip to your local gift basket vendor to order a basket ahead of time for October.

Are you out of luck finding a vendor to purchase Halloween gift baskets from? The good news is that many online shops specialize in Halloween gift baskets. Many of these store fronts will take the time to allow you to pick out special items just for the basket to make it more personable and just what you need for the gift. 

Are there some special children in your life such as nieces, nephews, students, grandchildren or more? A condensed version of the Halloween gift baskets are terrific Halloween gifts for these children because they are fun to make and something different than the traditional Halloween bags that are often given out. You can fill a child's pumpkin bucket, little wicker baskets or other unique small Halloween containers with a few pieces of candy, a new toy and perhaps a Halloween themed toothbrush and some healthy, scary toothpaste to help children remember to brush their teeth after all of the Halloween sweets.

Not only are Halloween gift baskets fun to make and to buy, they are enjoyed by everyone that receives them. What other holiday during the year allows children to dress up and eat a ton candy? Additionally, adults get the chance to dress up and let the little kid in them free. There is nothing more fun than passing out Halloween gift baskets during October.

A centerpiece can make a wonderful focal point for holidays and other special occasions that you celebrate in your home. You can have one centerpiece or several. It all depends on the space you have, and the way you want to decorate.  

There are limitless ways to your make your centerpiece unique. Mix and match different festive objects, use various materials and fabrics, include seasonal items, are all good ideas. Here are just a few things to consider adding to your centerpiece.

Fall Vegetables: 

Start with pumpkins and gourds. Arrange them loosely on the space where you're going to set the centerpiece. Add a candle one each. Finish this by sprinkling some colorful leaves all over and around the center piece. If you plan to light the candles, make sure to remove any nearby leaves before lighting it. 

Leaves & Berries: 

Fall leaves and berries can make beautiful displays that are quick and easy to make. Simply take a large bowl and fill it with your favorite colorful leaves and mix in some berries. Set a candle on each of the side of bowl that will help to showcase the various colors. Be sure to move the candle to safe distance from the leaves before lighting. Make matching place cards by either pressing small leaves and gluing them to the card, or cut small leaves out of construction and use those as place cards. 

Floral Displays:

Dried floral arrangements are perfect for fall and winter months. Using your favorite dried flowers make a very simple arrangement. Then using sticks with holders, place photos of things that your are thoughtful for in the holder, and then add them to your arrangement. You can also simply write words on notecards and add those to your display. These could be photo's of family and friends, or their written names. Once you've added your cards, go back through your arrangement adding little pieces to fill any whole or gaps that you might have. 

Carve A Pumpkin:

Carving a pumpkin: isn't reserved for Halloween! You can create an amazing centerpiece with a carved pumpkin any time of year. Look for one that is size you need to fill the space that you plan to use. Add a few smaller, uncarved pumpkins or gourds, to give more depth to your display. Add other items such as leaves, or seasonal decor. 

Holiday Candle Holders: 

Holiday candle holders are a great way to dress up any space in your home. There are several different ways that you can make holders that fit candles of various sizes and heights. Start with the candles you plan to use. Set those up, then start adding items to your display. This could include things such as pine boughs, Holly leaves, berries, ribbons or festive ornaments. Use different sized items to help give your display more dimension. Scented candles can help give your home a lovely seasonal smell too :) 

These are just a few ideas to help you create a beautiful centerpiece for your home. Look through your decorations, craft supplies, or visit your local craft store for even more ideas. Making your decorations is not only fun but rewarding when your family loves the finished product that you created! 

The sky is darkening. You feel a chill and ghostly horrors in the air as the moon shines brightly on this cloudless night. It is the last night of October, October 31st. It is officially Halloween night and you have decided to have a hauntingly exciting Halloween party. How ghoulishly delightful! But where do you start in planning your Halloween holiday celebration. Here are 10 steps to help you in planning a great Halloween Party that will have all those ghosts, wicked witches and grim goblins screaming with delight.

Step 1: Halloween Party Kickoff: Think about who the party is for - for you or your children? An adult Halloween party will be quite different from a children's Halloween party when it comes to planning the Halloween theme of the party, Halloween decorations, Halloween recipes and beverages. Adults and older children usually love to be frightened, but that is not the same for smaller children. So when planning your event keep the ages of your guests in mind. Once you have that figured out, now it is time to pick the date, time and place of your Halloween party. And don't forget the guest list.

Step 2: Halloween invitations: This is where you can have fun and set the mood of your unforgettable night of horror chills and thrills by sending out unique and spookily inviting Halloween party invitations. You can purchase them or make some yourself with some construction paper and some glitter markers, or how about buying some inexpensive Halloween paper eye masks and writing the words on the back. Include all the important information such as date, time, place and a request for RSVP to your Halloween party.

Step 3: Halloween party food and recipes: now the party would not be a party without a lot of great Halloween munchies. Plan a menu and write out your shopping list. Try to do as much in advance as possible, and try to pick Halloween recipes that can be made ahead and stored or frozen. And again, think of the ages of your guests - there are a lot of fun Halloween foods for both kids and adults. Here might be the place to use up some of those Halloween pumpkin guts.

Step 4: Haunted Halloween Pumpkins: plan to buy your pumpkins early to get the best selection. By selecting a variety of shapes and sizes of pumpkins, you will be able to make a variety of interesting jack-o-lanterns ghosts. And don't forget about those miniature pumpkins, they can make great party favors or Halloween decorations also. And the day before the party, carve your pumpkins and double check you have enough candles or use small flashlights to show off their ghostly grins.

Step 5: Halloween Costumes: there is always something exciting about putting on a Halloween costume and taking on another identity. So prepare yourself and your families Halloween party costumes in advance so that you don't have to run around in a panic trying to put something together at the last minute. It is easy to find a lot of great Halloween costume ideas that will not cost a lot of money or time.

Step 6: Halloween Party Games or Activities: Halloween games and craft activities are especially popular for younger Halloween party guests, but this does not mean that adults would not enjoy the fun of Halloween games and showing off their ghostly talents. So think about what Halloween activities your guests would be interested in and gather all the materials you need in advance. Also be sure to have some extra Halloween activities incase a game that you are expecting to take 45 minutes only lasts for 20. And do not forget the Halloween prizes, these can be easily and inexpensively assembled by a quick trip to your local novelty or dollar store or ordered online to be delivered straight to your door.

Step 7: Halloween music and sounds: there is no time then the present to start thinking about what kind of Halloween music you want at your Halloween party celebration. Are you looking for some fun party songs for dancing music, or hauntingly spooky background ghost music for a dinner party, or a collection of sing-a-longs for the kids. Also, you might want to incorporate some Halloween special effects outside with spooky horror sounds as your guests walk up to the front door. There are a lot of special music tapes or CD's available to purchase, or if your try making one on your own - it could be almost as much fun as the Halloween party itself.

Step 8:Halloween Party Favors: party favors add an extra treat of fun to any Halloween party and are a wonderful addition as a Halloween treat for each guest or something they can take home. They do not need to be elaborate Party Favors or costly and can range from a small plastic toy to a homemade individual bundle of snack mix wrapped in Halloween decoration style.

Step 9: Halloween Decorations: decorations for your front yard and house for Halloween can be a lot of fun and again does not need to be costly. You can get a lot of great eerie Halloween effects by experimenting with some horror lighting placed around your indoor and outdoor Halloween decorations. And adding in some Halloween music or ghost sounds can make some of your Halloween decorations come to life.

Step 10: Party Guests Arrival: today is the day - Halloween party Night, and your guests are about to arrive. Have a quick look around to see if all is in order and that your house is a safe setting. Keep a porch light on so everyone sees any steps or other obstacles, and make sure all your guests have a way back home after the Halloween festivities come to an end.

Final note: Remember that your Halloween party does not need to be elaborate, the main component of a great Halloween party are a few willing participants that want to have fun, a few simple Halloween decorations and props, toss in some spooky music and ghost sounds, and definitely the Halloween food - and you will have a smashingly and howling Halloween Party. So when the party starts, enjoy yourself! It will be a spookily great time.

Daryl Plaza is the owner of spooky night.com a website with reviews and resources on Halloween recipes, costumes, music and decoration.

Country Scents Candles has released their limited edition Halloween scents! Any of these scents will make your home smell spookily delicious.

Now sure which scent is right for your home? Check out our scent throw list to see which one will fill your home just the way you want it to.