Madison Burlingham shows off a haunted gingerbread house from a previous crafting session at Sugary Creations.IF YOU GO* What: Haunted Gingerbread House Workshop.* When: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19.* Where: Sugary Creations, 3626 Ringgold Road, East Ridge.* Cost: $30 (includes lunch).* Phone: 423-421-3108.* Website: sugary creations.com.
Gingerbread houses may be a Christmas staple, but their construction isn't limited to snowy chalets.
For Halloween, Sugary Creations owner Catherine Spears will offer an all-ages Haunted Gingerbread House Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 19, to throw some extra spice into the materials list.
"Goblins build our houses, so we never know what to expect," says Spears.
She has seen a bit of their handiwork already, since even goblins need time to gather ingredients. Spears is mum on how much shrunken head or eye of newt may go into the dough, but she has advised that something has altered the traditional gingerbread color.
"It has a spooky, purple cast to it," she says.
The creepy construction crew also has left gaps in the roof and windows that don't match. Forget cookie-cutter perfection. The otherworldly workers have cut some windows like the rounded edges of spider webs and others like tiny, triangular coffins.
This year's house will even have a small front porch, a place to park the broomstick or let a black cat out to prowl.
"We try to think of ways to make it fun," says spooksperson Spears. "We think that by having the house itself look spooky, it helps encourage people down that path."
The basic house will be provided to each participant, along with "an assortment of candies, odds and ends to decorate it with," she says.
"Of course, with children, sometimes they eat as much as they put on the house, but that's part of the fun."
A secret potion disguised as royal icing will serve as the glue to keep the add-ons in place.
Lunch is included in the $30 fee. Mummy pizzas were served one year. This year, the devilish chefs will probably brew up some witches' fingers. If you've never tried them, they taste like sausage balls, Spears says.
Registration is required for the build, which takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ringgold Road bakery. Spears says she needs the number of participants to make sure there are enough houses to go around. The goblins need the head count for other reasons.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.