Happy Halloween

Wishing you a very happy and safe Halloween!

(And if you happen to see the Great Pumpkin, send him our way.)

Halloween Party: Costumes and Cocktails

This weekend, we had our "Costumes and Cocktails" party. We had an unbelievably great time! Little Briggs went to visit his grandmother for the night, so we were having a "fun night" with our friends. We decorated our house and kept the lights dim to create a "Haunted House" vibe.

Bat cutouts, crepe paper, spider webs, and orange lighting created a "bat cave" out of the hallway off of our front entry.
Some of the girls before all of the guests arrived (from left: Jenny, me, Melissa, Misty, and Tasha.)
How CLEVER is this costume?!? They were "Peeping Tom," complete with a window and everything!
Quite possibly the cutest thing I have ever seen. This "Bun Baker" used the costume party as an opportunity to let all of us know that the stork would be once again visiting our street. Everyone stopped to read her apron and said "wait....." followed by a squeal. HANDS DOWN greatest way to let people know!
The classic angel and devil with a twist-she is the devil and he the angel. Love it.
Spartans cheerleaders from Saturday Night Live! (And she MADE these costumes....can you believe it?!?)

Mad Scientist came in with a FABULOUS entry and these costumes were so realistic!

We were the "Leg Lamp" and the "Fragile Box" from A Christmas Story.

Somewhere along the night, the alien "statue" got a makeover.

My mother lent me these fabulous aliens...they are huge! My husband put purple lights under one of them and the eyes were literally glowing. (Bad picture, but it was dark.)

Meringue ghosts (my mother made these and cake pops for my party...she is my "go-to" person for desserts!)

White lunch bags turned into ghosts lining the staircase. These detail shots are during the day (when there was better lighting) but glow sticks illuminated them at night.

Cake pops!

Crows were popping up all over the house. They look slightly disheveled (the one on the left is even missing a leg) because Briggs finds them fascinating and has carried them around the house all season.

I dyed this cheesecloth with black dye and got this gray, tattered looking cloth that was perfect for the staircase.

Even poor little Topper was exhausted by the end of the party.

We had such an amazing time. Thank you so much to all of our guests for coming!

Old Window Frame Mirror....and Etsy Shop!

Today is my birthday! I am going to spend the day hanging out with my little man and having a quiet dinner with my husband tonight. I am also celebrating my newest creation: a vintage window frame turned mirror.

I took an old window and created this by hand. It took forever, but the results are worth the work.

I used several techniques to get this spotted, patina effect. The reflection is soft and timeworn.

I treated the window frame to protect it from chipping any further and attached hardware for hanging.

And...it's for sale!! When I finished, I was CERTAIN I was going to keep this, but after walking around my house over and over looking for its spot...I just don't have the room. I have officially started my Etsy shop. This is the first item, but there will be many to follow!

Visit my Etsy Shop

Halloween Party Decorating: An Eerie Table

Planning on how to decorate your table for a Halloween party? Try this! I covered my table in a plain, inexpensive black table cloth and draped cheesecloth over it. I gently tugged the cheesecloth to create "tears" in it. This gives the illusion of ragged clothes and spider webs.

You can find the cheesecloth at any hardware store with the staining products. It's so easy and creates a great effect!

Halloween Crafts: A Scary Candle

I'm usually a "pretty Halloween decorations" kind of person, but when you are having a party, a few creepy ones are a must.

I lit this red candle and let the melted wax drip over the white candle and...

This is the result! They look like candles dripping blood.

I paired them with this "severed hand" I found at the Dollar Store. Yuck, but perfect for a "haunted party." At least the vintage candle holders make it a little bit "pretty," right?

Halloween Crafts: A Creepy Grin

All week I will be crafting for our annual Halloween party. This is, perhaps, the easiest way to jazz up your standard candle and bring a little whimsy to your house Halloween night.

I took a vase that had an already tired white pillar candle in it. (below)

I cut a "jack-o-lantern" style evil grin into black construction paper and wrapped it around the glass.

I made several of these to put all around my house. There is something about the simplicity of the cutout in the rough black construction paper that is just delicious. It's a grown-up version of our childhood crafts....and there is no holiday like Halloween to bring out our inner child.

Five Amazing Years

Five years ago today, I married the man of my dreams.

We have created a beautiful family and an amazing life together. I look forward to everything in store for us.

I love you,