And just like that, Halloween is over!

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween! We have a double curse when it comes to Halloween. We live on a busy street AND our neighbors are generally older and don't participate in passing out candy. Still, year after year, Hub and I buy tons of candy in hopes that many goblins pay us a visit. This year we had a total of 7. 4 of which were much too old to be trick-or-treating, but they were in costume... which actually made me more afraid they were going to stick us up for all our loot!

Pardon my need to keep some sort of privacy. ;)

We had a nice weenie & marshmallow roast on our front porch after the twins went to sleep. This was the first year we've done that... and we had so much fun with it I think we've just started a new tradition!

My mind has been a little preoccupied these past few days, but that hasn't stopped me from making mental to-do craft lists!  I just haven't had the time or energy to sit down and actually do them. Soon, though.

Trick-or-Treat Silhouettes

I absolutely love silhouettes but I have never quite gotten myself around to trying them. Yesterday, I ran across this blog and instantly fell in love with the idea. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy getting my twins to cooperate (they are 16 months old, after all), but the results turned out fantastic nonetheless.

I did make a few tweaks. Since I don't see myself making oodles of silhouettes in the near future, I only glued down the head and gently taped the "hat". This way, come Christmas - or any other fun holiday (Birthday hats, perhaps?) - I can easily switch out the accessories for something more fitting.

I haven't decided on a frame yet. I'm thinking some cheap 8x10 shadow boxes?



I can't believe it, but these goblins were featured at:

Kitchen Window

My kitchen window  looking out towards our side yard. 

I spend many, many hours each day at the kitchen sink and looking out this window. Why not fill it with things that make me happy and fill my heart with love?

Starting at the top, you'll notice the hanging bats. These were made following these directions from Martha Stewart's website.  I loved them too much to hang them on the porch so I hung them here in the window where they slowly sway and rotate.

Further down on the window I've hung two Halloween necklace crafts that our oldest daughter had made a few years ago. I love their imperfections.

Lined up along the window sill are 8 Fiesta Ware cups and saucers. This was a gift from my mother-in-law a few months back and I just couldn't stand keeping them tucked away in a cabinet. I love their cheerful colors.  At the start of fall, I didn't want to put them away for the season so I draped some leaf garland around them and placed my Halloween candle things, and my old dollar store crow, on top.

I love this window. As I said earlier, I spend a lot of time here. I think the reason I love it the most is because I get to watch my oldest daughter get on and off the bus from this window. When she's waiting for the bus, she will swing in the over-sized swing hanging from our huge black walnut tree.

Mr. Spooky Ooky

Prior to the twins, I had these things called time and energy. I had made these tombstones out of large sheets of Styrofoam insulation, a Dremel, and various paints.
It was a long, messy project that took weeks to make three.


This was our first Halloween in our first home. You can see the 3 gravestones I made and the monument (far right) that Super-Hub made.



We also made our first Mr. Spooky Ooky. He's a Styrofoam manequin head purchased from Hobby Lobby, some chicken wire, a broom stick, some zip-ties and old sheets. First Mr. Spooky Ooky was stolen directly from our side yard. We had him lit up with a blue spotlight that made him appear to glow in that creepy "night vision" green color.

Last year we didn't make a new one - too sleep deprived from the twins - but this year we made Second Mr. Spooky Ooky and attached him securely to the front porch. :) We live on a busy street and enjoy watching people drive by look at him since he looks very real.

I am easily amused.