Happy Halloween!

Have an extra spooky, extra sweet fright night!

Favorite Halloween Movies

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions on new Halloween books. I can't wait to add to our collection!

During the month of October, we can't help but induldge ourselves in some good Halloween movies. Our favorites are:

• It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
• Hocus Pocus  - This is best when watched with my sister.  "Amuck, amuck, amuck...."
• The Nightmare Before Christmas 
• Beetlejuice
• Any of the Harry Potter's DVDs.
• Addams Family and Addam's Family Values 

What will you be watching come All Hallow's Eve??

Halloween Book Basket

I love to have a seasonal book basket for my kids.  We really enjoy it, and even though there are a lot of board books, Jake still likes to read them with us too.  Nothing is better than a snugly soft blanket and a basket full of books to read on a cool Autumn day especially today when it's dark and SNOWING!

Some of our favorites:

• Where's Baby's Pumpkin? 
• Who Said Boo? - Mia loves to read this to us.
• Little Spider - Sam thinks it's hilarious to smush the finger puppet spider back in the book for me to pop out bonking his head. 
• Charlie and Lola's Boo! Made You Jump - I love anything Charlie and Lola.
• No More Monsters for Me - an easy reader for Mia 
• I am a Leaf 
• Stellaluna 
• A Halloween Mask for Monster 
• I Spy A Pumpkin 
• The Monster at the End of this Book - my favorite! Who doesn't LOVE Grover?

 I would love to add to our collection. Do you have a favorite book to share with us??

Giveaway Extravaganza

You are cordially invited to Blue Cricket's week long giveaway extravaganza!  It's going to be fun, especially Thursday's, giveaway (November 5th).  Why's that?  Oh, maybe because it's a little something from moi.  It's going to be extra fun and festive to boot.  Mark your calendars!  Next week is going to be so much fun! 

Project overload

This sign would be perfect in my home.

(Picture found at My Sweet Savannah)

Do you know how many projects my silly brain is trying to figure out? 
Procrastination overload.
  Why the overload?  Oh, because it's only 12 days until I set up for this cute showcase kicking off the Holiday season.  Day after day passes with little progress. 

Be there or be square. 

Quick and Easy Spider Earrings

While shopping at Pier One, I saw the cutest pair of spider earrings.  They were jeweled and sparkly and spooky cool.  They had the whole nine yards going for them but, at $9 a pair,  I just didn't want to spend that.  So I made my own.  A pair of Bo Bunny spider brads with the backs snipped off then glued to a earring post and voila!  Quick and easy spider earrings sure to bring spooky delight on Halloween night. 

Butterfly Chandelier

(Full butterfly tutorial found here.)

The sweet little butterfly chandy that started the whole thing.  Full tutorial found here.  Kits found here. 

  

Paper Crafting in your Nursery

As many of you know, I work at a scrapbook store.  Do you know how fun it is to have your "work" be to create something for the store??   For the latest segment that Kelly did on Studio 5, she created a whole paper crafted nursery.  Kelly is brilliant at coming up with ideas and color combinations.  Look how cute her owl picture is!  It's even better in person with all the details of the patterned paper and the ruffled belly.  I had a great time helping create some of these projects. 

I adore the Baby's First Year wall hanging.  It's a perfect way to These wallhanging is so versitile.  You can use it for any event and when you are finished with it on the wall, it simply can convert to a mini album creating a perfect little keepsake. 

Check out the whole nursery segment here.  You'll love the simply adorned lampshade, butterfly speciman picture, the mod podged chair and of course the chandelier. 

Instructions found on the blog here.

The Cat's Meow

Every so often, I find something that I want to make just for me.  When I found this vintage inspired kitty, I knew he should be mine.  For a good month, he sat patiently waiting for me to make him fancy.  Can I tell you that I am in love with him.  I only wish I would of done it earlier.

What's not to love with his vintagey, sparkly appearance and polka dot necktie...

and what party is complete without a little tulle?

I do believe that this guy is the cat's meow. 

**This tassel is too late to list on Etsy, but quite possibly can be duplicated.  If you are interested, don't hesitate to drop me a line and see what we can figure out.**  Sold out!  Thanks for your interest! 

Halloween Tassels at Home

One of my favorite clients and friend sent me pictures of her tassels in action at her home.  Erin's home is always amazing each season and holiday.  Her displays are impeccable and gorgeous.  She is always full of good ideas for decorating.  I love the way she placed her superstitious cat tassel on her candlesticks in the midst of her display on her piano. 

She ordered a custom made bat tassel just recently and she placed it on her candlestick on her mantel.  It looks perfectly at home along side the jack-o-latern and fall greenery.

It's always fun to see where my tassels end up.  If you have a picture of yours, send it to me.  I would love to see it! 

Super Simple Paper Covered Star Tutorial

Want to make a cute star like mine?? My mom wanted me to make her a Halloween star so I took a few really quick and wobbly photos of the process. It's super simple and fun! Best of all, you can do it with any occasion you want. Here's what you need:

• Metal star - any size but best to not go bigger than your paper.
• Several different scrapbook papers. I had got six different papers and used five patterns. I just played with it until I liked the combinations. You could do as little as two different papers just alternating patterns. It's all part of the fun!
• Ribbon to co-ordinate. Optional.
• Regular Mod Podge and Glitter Mod Podge. Glitter Mod Podge is optional, but it's fun!
• Foam brush.
• Paint - spray or acrylic.
• Ink to match your papers.
• Plain paper and pen/pencil/marker/crayon to make pattern.
• Paper cutter and/or scissors.

Here's how:

1. If your star looks like mine, spray paint it quickly to make a solid background. I used matte spray paint to make a nice rough service to adhere the paper to.
2. Make a pattern of one of the star arms. One side is enough, but both sides of the star arm work too. I made a pattern of one side of the arm and flipped it over to trace the pattern for the other side of the star arm.
3. Trace pattern onto scrapbook paper. First one side, then flip your pattern over and trace the other side of the arm.  Cut out with your paper cutter or scissors. 
4. Play with your pattern until you like it. I flipped some of the patterns and found that I liked a combination of six papers the best.

5. Ink all the edges of the paper. You can distress it lightly or heavily. It's all up to you. This step really makes a difference because you are blending the white core of the paper in with the star.
6. Add a light layer of mod podge to your star and start sticking them on. Make sure that you get all of the edges down smoothly. Continue until you have all the papers adhered to your star. (Disclaimer: I admit, I am a lazy crafter.  Mod Podge can be messy.  It's best to done on a table and not on your family room floor with nothing but an old record to protect the floor because your table was covered with ribbon and fabrics.)
7. Smooth out any bubbles adding more mod podge to any areas that have unstuck. Then let dry and add another layer of mod podge on top. When that layer is dry, add a layer of glitter mod podge to make it fun.
8. Add ribbon if you like, then hang up and enjoy! (Yes, I forgot to take a picture of her finished star. I was under a need-the-star-for-a-party-tonight deadline.)

Voila! Super simple and your options are limitless. You could make it girly, boyish, taylored, festive, fun, bright or subdued. If you make one, let me know! I would love to see it and post it on this blog.

Banners Available

If anyone is interested, I have been able to get a little bit more fabric to make some more banners. I just finished up a few custom orders and I have enough to make three one more  Gone!  Thank you!  It's listed in my shop! I'll ship priority within a day of getting your order so you will have as much time possible to enjoy them.

This isn't your ordinary banner. It's all gussied up and spookified with lace, vintage trim and spooky little skeletons.

I've got mine hanging on my front window. It's getting lots of compliments.



Thanks!

Halloween Banner Give Away at Everything Etsy!

Have you ever heard of the blog Everything Etsy?? It's a great blog with loads of information about Etsy and often highlights Etsy artists and their products. When Everything Etsy asked to do a giveaway this week, I couldn't say no.

Up for grabs this week is my Halloween banner! I was so pleased when I finished this project for myself that I had to share with you. This give away is for one finished banner exactly as shown.

While I really like the fabric and just a simple banner look, I wanted to dress this puppy up just a bit so I added lace, vintage trim, pom-poms and a skeletons. Now, I'm not usually a skeleton kind of girl, but this guy spookifies it just right for me.

I am planning on hanging it on my front window to be festive for Halloween but it also looks cute on my downstairs mantel or swagged across the front room. I love that it is unique to me.

Now you can have one too! Just go here and enter to win. She gives you three chances to enter your name. Do one or all three, it's up to you! Give away ends October 12th. I'll ship it out as soon as I get the winners information so that you can enjoy it as long as possible.

Good luck!

Fall Scrolly Pumpkin

I only found two of these little cuties months ago.

One pumpkin was made and sold a while ago.

The other little pumpkin sat sad waiting to be fancied up.

So I fancied him up in sages and tans,

fall berries and leaves,

a red-brown checked ribbon tied like a sash

making this little scrolly pumpkin

ready for the ball.

*Available for purchase here.

Candy Corn Tassel

My poor kids have been brainwashed.

They know exactly what I am looking for when I enter a store.

My li'l Miss Sassy Pants found this candy corn and

begged me to turn it into a tassel.

I obliged and love it. And so does she.

I really adore the details.

Fall leaves and berries on top of tulle.

Mini orange pom-pom trim.

Perfectly festive and happy to look at.

*Available for purchase here. SOLD! Thanks!

Rainy Weekend

This weekend was cold, dark and rainy. Perfect for time to work on crafting pretty things but not so good for getting pictures of these pretty things. But believe me, they are pretty. This week is an exciting week for me. I have officially hit the 100 posts mark on this here ol' blog and want to celebrate but alas, it's too dark to take pictures. So celebrations have to wait till the weather clears up a bit.

In addition to celebrating, another giveaway is planned for this week. So check back soon because it will be worth your time. In the meantime, I finally listed a few new things in the shop.

Thanks!

Megan

We have a winner!!

Congratulations to Alice H. for winning the Halloween banner!

Alice, I've sent you an e-mail for your information. For the rest of you, stay tune for a special offer just for you!