Halloween in our new home || OM [one moment] meetup

 

DIY - Mason Jar, ping pong eyeballs, moss

If you know me or have read this blog for a while, you know I love Halloween.  This year, in our new house, I was faced with a big decorating dilemma (insert sad trombone here).  Our decor worked for our Rhode Island colonial and smaller yard.  We had windows that could feature Mortimer or my lady in waiting, Madge. Our new home has walls of windows and sits pretty far from the road.  We live on a dead end street and really don't get much traffic.  For the most part, I'm decorating for the few kids on our street and for myself.

I began pulling the decorations from boxes.  As I set up our gravestones (most of which we had made several years ago) in the front yard, I realized how minuscule it looked compared to our graveyards from years past. The witch and cauldron were unrecognizable from the street.  Maybe it was time for me to throw in my witch hat.  I don't feel like starting over.  Anyway, it took me years to build up my Halloween collection for our old house.

In my sad Charlie Brown shuffle, I put up some things near our front door for the few trick or treaters I expect from the neighborhood.

 DIY ghost milk jug lanterns  - I want to collect enough to make a very long row of ghosts

When I set up the spotlight on the cemetery, serendipitously, it created huge shadows of the gravestones on the wall of the front of the house.  The silhouettes are so creepy and eerie.  They can be easily be seen from the street.  From now on this is the only decor I need each year!  AND, I can create different vignettes by cutting out spiders/webs, zombies, witches, ghosts, anything each year and hanging them in front of the spot light. I don't have to buy more decor and I can still be creative each year.  And think of the money I'll save! Now that's a moment!

What was your moment this week?

How to make edible worms

One of the joys of parenting is getting involved in fun projects with the kids.  Admittedly, some projects are better than others. 

E has his monthly book talk at school today and read one of my favorite childhood books, "How to Eat Fried Worms," by Thomas Rockwell.  There is a movie version that I'll have to find and watch!

 

He drew a picture for his talk.  As we were laughing about how funny it would be to gross out the class with worms, the idea of presenting and eating worms came to mind.  We began exploring our options:  gummy worms - too colorful; fried meat - too labor intensive with possible smelly ramifications.  This is going to be tricky.

We went off to music lessons and I ran to the convenient store.  I roamed the aisles looking for ideas. 
Voila!!  Tootsie Rolls.  We'll try rolling Tootsie Rolls like we do Play Doh.

What you need:

• Several large Tootsie Rolls
• Microwave
• butter knife

What you do:

1.  Place Tootsie Roll (one at a time) in microwave for 10 seconds.
2.  While warm, roll them in your hands making them slightly thicker on one end (head).
3.  Using butter knife, gently add groves to mimic a night crawler.
4.  Make various "S" shapes and let cool on a plate.  They will harden.

This turned out to be lots of fun and I can't wait to hear what his class thought.  He asked his teacher if he could eat fried worms in class and, surprisingly, she said it was okay if I was okay with it.  Tootsie worms, yes!  Real worms, no!  And, yes, this will be added to my Halloween repertoire.

Hump Day Humor - Halloween fun in our home

I love Halloween! I've always had a thing about dressing up like someone or something other than myself and parading around town [something I also did on a normal basis in the mid '80s]. I totally get into the festivities.

In year's past, I used to set up a parlor in my driveway. I'd lay out an old rug, settee, table with lamp, eerie sound effects playing in the background, etc. I'd also serve spiced apple cider. Over the years, we've accumulated a lot of decorations including a crystal ball with a floating head, fog machine, and grave stones. One year, I even made a mini haunted room in our garage for the kids to explore. Needless to say, this all took a lot of time so I've stopped doing as much any more. However, I do still like to bring out some props and dress up a bit.

Here is a fun DIY project for the whole family - Bowl of Brains. This is such an easy prop to make. [I did notice today that cauliflower isn't cheap at $4/head.]

Here's what you need:
cauliflower
toothpicks
large glass bowl
red food coloring (gel works best)

Clean the green off the cauliflower and place it in the bowl. With a tooth pick, wipe some food coloring on the cauliflower. The gel appears like blood clots. Add water and more food coloring to your liking. That is it! The glass magnifies the cauliflower and makes it look brainy. You can add gummy eyeballs or worms for extra grossness. Isn't it simply disgusting?! The kids love it!


This is our family friend, Mortimer...

Mortimer is an academic skeleton that was purchased for my husband's birthday when he started residency (6 long years ago). He typically lives in my studio/office closet because he frightens the children who come over to play. [Mort used to stand by the door of the office until I heard the blood curdling scream of a 6 year old one day. We were so used to his presence that we forgot to close the door when my son had a play date. This will be mentioned in at least one future therapy session, I'm sure.]

Mortimer sits in our window during October. He comes out on to our front porch to wed his headless bride (one of my dress forms all dolled up) on Halloween night. Top hat and all, Mort is a classy guy. I'll try to take a photo this year so I can share this blissful wedding occasion with you.





As the boys get older, our decor seems to get a bit more gross. This year, E decided to take sticky body parts he found at the dollar store and place them into one of many skulls we have around the house. Yes, we have many skulls of varying sizes in our home. I never thought I'd get used to so many skeletal pieces surrounding me, but somehow over the years I've become jaded to them. I assure you none are real, although I do believe you can buy them on Ebay.

Next, there is witch Hazel. She is a Martha Stewart silhouette I bought at Michaels one year. I use a tension curtain rod to hold up her "fiery" cauldron which makes Hazel glow in the window at night.

I'm keeping my "costume" subtle this year. I'm just wearing my horns, striped socks and my spider ring - not a huge departure to my usual wardrobe.






Are you dressing up this year? Do you decorate your house? I'd love to see what you do!

Distracted by Halloween festivities!

Happy Halloween! Today I must finish decorating the house for the festivities. I have to pull Mortimer, our skeleton, out of the closet. Mildred, his headless bride, needs to be dressed. The other 364 days of the year she's a working dress form. I have to dust the cobwebs off my talking crystal ball.


In the past 3 or 4 years, I've set up a lounge in our driveway. We've served spiced apple cider and enjoyed hanging with the neighbors. Apparently, it's become a neighborhood attraction. As such, I've always been the one sitting at home passing out the candy. This year, I'm taking my little one out and my husband will man the fort.

Sadly, it may be my oldest son's last year trick or treating. He's almost 12, going on 16, and already saying he's not sure if he'll go out for long. He is dressing as Angus Young from AC/DC:

My youngest, who is 7, wanted to be something scary and gory. Conceding to his desire without going overboard for his age, I allowed him to buy a Jason mask and a bloody dagger. The dagger cinched the deal even though he has no idea who Jason is. Gone are the days of cute cow costumes.

I am simply wearing horns this year. No comments from the peanut gallery!

I did receive an email yesterday from my cousin warning about candy coins. I'm cautious to pass information along without researching its validity. Every now and then, these emails are true and apparently there was a recall on these candies. Here is the link to Snopes (the first place I typically look) with regard to this warning.