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Flashback to 2020, when, according to recipe and decor creator Macy Blackwell, TikTok was “almost all dancing,” and foodie Instagram consisted of “still photos with chef-y recipes with 30 ingredients.”
That was when Blackwell tried something different, carving a niche with videos that showed her making cheerful crafts and unfussy recipes. She wanted to showcase “easy things, throwing things in Crock-Pots.” She started to share videos preparing dishes like “dump and bake meatball casserole” and “Crock-Pot beer cheese.” People responded enthusiastically, and Blackwell began to build a following. “I was making simple things, but I was helping a lot of people, and that gave me momentum,” Blackwell says.
A Halloween Showstopper
For Halloween this year, Blackwell decided to make a showstopping cake. “I saw beautiful KitKat cakes for birthdays, and I thought it would be perfect for Halloween,” says Blackwell. “I love a good graveyard scene.”
This is a recipe anyone can make — it uses boxed cake mix, store-bought frosting, and — the key element — KitKats. (Grab some extra to give to trick-or-treaters.)
The cake embodies Blackwell’s signature low-effort, high-reward approach. It’s an ideal project to do with kids, and an impressive treat to bring to a party or showcase as the centerpiece at your own. As Blackwell explains, “People will say ‘Wow, you made that?’ — without spending all day in the kitchen baking.”
One could say it’s both trick and treat, a combination that Blackwell feels right at home in.
“I’ve always felt a little spooky,” she says. “I love tapping into that alter ego.”
The Season That Started It All
Going big on Halloween is only logical, given it’s the season that helped Blackwell first rise to prominence. In October 2021, she and her firefighter husband Cory built a pumpkin arch on their porch.
The husband and wife pair installed a PVC pipe as a base, which they attached to their home with zip ties. They carved silly and spooky faces into craft pumpkins and cut holes in the back so they could string them up, creating a breathtaking jack-o-lantern entryway. “It took us days to figure it all out,” says Blackwell. “Then it completely blew up my account.”
With that autumnal arch, Blackwell cemented herself as a seasonal DIYer to be reckoned with. She now has about 4 million followers between Instagram and TikTok. In Blackwell’s world, every year builds off the one before — every holiday getting more and more fantastic, staking her claim as an icon of eye-catching style, easy recipes, all-out holiday decor, and fun DIY.
“I make anything that sparks joy. I love seeing my kids light up,” says Blackwell, who has two daughters, Lux and Thea. “Whatever I create has to be fun and exciting, with a hint of nostalgia.”
It’s Blackwell’s winning formula.
Homegrown Halloween
Macy Blackwell was born and raised in small-town Indiana. Some of her fondest childhood memories are from the festive celebrations her own mom would orchestrate, from the Fourth of July to Christmas.
“My mom went above and beyond for me and my sister,” Blackwell remembers. “This is before the internet; she would look at magazines for inspiration.”
But Halloween was always a favorite in her family.
“We’d always throw a big party and go trick or treating — these are really good memories,” says Blackwell.
The Big Move
Blackwell stayed put for many years in her home state, where she and Cory raised their two daughters. Then last year, she found herself itching for a change of scenery — a new place with more sunshine and opportunities for her and her family. Cory retired from firefighting to work with his wife on her creator business, so they had plenty of flexibility.
Blackwell decided to ask her followers — she put up an Instagram story soliciting suggestions for places to move.
“People said I would be perfect in the DFW, and I had to look it up,” says Blackwell. The Dallas area “made total sense. I always felt like I vibed with the Dallas and Texas culture. I felt like I would fit in; I’ve always felt extra.”
She took a trip with Cory and fell in love with the neighborhood of Southlake, a Dallas suburb with great schools and a charming downtown. Last summer, she moved her family there, and they are thriving.
“We have 100 days more of sun than in Indiana, which helps so much with the seasonal depression,” says Blackwell. “It’s been the best year of our lives.”
PHOTO CREDIT: courtesy of Macy Blackwell
