Business expense...

Boyfriend pumpkin...

How to get Christopher interested in doing a "pumpkin project," with me...

Pumpkins do not play video games.
Pumpkins do not transform into robots.
Pumpkins do not travel at extreme speeds.


This was not an easy task!

Thank you, Target for having this Darth Vader kit which allowed for about ten minutes of boyfriend pumpkin crafting time.

Basically you open this kit, shove the arms and head into the pumpkin a la Mr Potato head and you are done. We did it on a fake, foamy pumpkin...so he had to use a knife to stab it first...so that was the exciting part.

Also is kinda freaks out the dog, and it was funny for about 30 seconds.

Fall down..

...get back up!

I had amazing fall/Halloween decorations when I lived in Chicago. Most were homemade. I'm not usually bitter about what I left behind when I came home, because it was the best decision I've ever made...but I really want my schtuff back! Some of it Aron and Jason made! Ugh.
Here are some little pics of the past.
Not to dwell on it...just to look at it so that I can rebuild!

 

 

Oh...my sweet boys! Jason was 6 months old, Aron was 3. I can replace and remake everything else in these pictures! I think their dad could replace this pic for me...I'm hoping anyway.

So far in our crazy mouse house...this is what I've got...

Picture of me and my sisters in costume from Haunted Hollow last year, foot bones model that was being thrown out at work (how cool is that? I actually have two right feet!) little owl, Shrek, and a pumpkin.
I'm working on a few pumpkin projects that I will post when we return from New Hampshire next week...and I just finished our outdoor wreath, so we are getting there!!
With every chapter in your life, things change, and I'm not always good at that...but I'm learning.
Chris is amazing at change. He just rolls with it. I love him for that. 
And Oscar...as long as he has a leggy ball and some apple cookies, well he is good to go and change as well!

Oh...and there are these...they help with change too. nom nom nom.

Halloween Wreath

Anyone who has met me more than once,  knows that I have a thing for skulls...I've got skulls in my bathroom, in my living room, on my front porch, on my shoes, jewelry, etc all year round.
So for me, October is just a month when it is *easier* to find them in stores!!

When I was thinking about what I wanted on the front door for the month, I knew it needed a skull, not too scary though. It needed some color to balance out the ugly green-ness of the door that I can't change, something cute and quirky, kinda girly and bright. I know, I know. Say that all five times fast. I can't help it, that's just me.

Anyway...here's what I started with:

I had an old Easter wreath that I made like 4 years ago...it was featured on the ooooold blog. It was getting old and tattered but this is what it looked like new and pretty!

So I cut that bad boy up, took all of the old, (now nasty) Easter ribbons off and then  had an empty foam wreath again.
I just realized that my apartment in Chicago had an ugly green door too. Ugh. What the heck? Moving on...

So I wrapped the wreath in 7/8 in ribbon, alternating a neon-ish green and orange. I used one grosgrain ribbon and one satin ribbon. I just like the mix of the textures. I'm weird like that.
You could hot glue your ribbon in place or use pins...I kinda did both. I pinned as I went, and then added hot glue at the end to anchor it and make sure nothing was going to move once it was outside!

Why green and orange and not the traditional Halloween black and orange? I'm getting to that. Hold your horses. Remember, I like weird and quirky and textures and funk.

After all of the Orange and green was in place, I added a big, store-bought black and white striped bow. I could have made this bow, no sweat...but I'll tell you, when you have a Michael's coupon or the thing is on sale for 40% off, don't be stupid. Use your time and resources wisely :) With the coupon, this bow was less than $2. I couldn't even buy the ribbon I needed for that, let alone spend my time making the thing, stabbing myself with the wired bits, etc. $2 is worth my sanity.

Next to the bow, my favorite part...my skully. He is just a cheapo foam one from Michael's as well. I think he was on sale for $1 or so. I have tons of skulls, but I wouldn't risk putting one of my faves outside on a wreath. That's just asking for a meltdown whenever Chris shuts the door too hard or the wind blows!

Fuzzy spider for good luck. She came already on an alligator-type clip, so I just clipped her right onto a fold of ribbon, and hot glued it just to be safe. She was about $1.50 on sale at Michael's as well.
I don't know if I really like her on there or not. We have so many REAL spiders on our porch...I don't want any of them getting any ideas!

I'm totally not kidding...

Ugh! Now that I've given you a heart attack...Final product:

Kinda off beat, funky, not too scary but has a skully, bright and neon-y, welcoming and Halloweeny...yup, Perfect!

Do you know what time it is???

Well...almost!

Skulls, pumpkins, costumes, skulls, crafts, candy, skulls, Haunted Hallow, skulls, friends, hot chocolate, skulls, hooded sweatshirts, and SKULLS!

I love this time of year!