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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Favorite Halloween Ideas

Creepy Goodness
It's time to start decorating my cottage for the scariest time of the year.
Actually, I don't think of Halloween as scary but as magical.
Maybe black magical whereas Christmas is white magical.

Anyway...I have big plans for my decor.
But then I had big plans for my potting bench and that never happened.
But in my defense I decided it could wait till next winter to be painted so that 
it's ready for next spring. It was so hot here and I was done with planting for the year.
But I am going to stage it for fall as is.

So these are all really cool Halloween ideas gathered and saved into my 

That idea above involves old photos with led lights for eyes.
You can buy the led lights already wired up on Ebay.
This one is simple black poster board with vintage graphics printed on paper and 
taped inside the black frames. Then put a candle inside.
I think I'd do led candles. Just to be safe.
This idea comes from the Curious Sofa. I adore this and every year I try to think of a way
to incorporate this into my decor. Alas, I don't have a good place to hang these.
If I had a giant tree in the front yard...I'd totally do these and hang them in the tree.

By the way...my Maple tree died in my front yard.
I'm looking at it as a blessing in disguise because I was worried that I should not have planted 
it. Since maples seek out water and it was planted right in line with my water line.

Yes, I think it was good that it died even though I really loved it.
It grew like crazy for five years and then stopped and got sick last year.
This year it died. I'm pretty sure it was caused by root girdling.
That's when the roots grow around and around in a circle till they choke the tree.
I did not pull the roots apart when I planted and I possibly planted it in too small of a hole.
Apparently maples are prone to it.

So....it died at the early part of summer. But....it is still in my yard much to the concern of
my friend and neighbor Petra. 
Every time she sees it she asks when I am going to do something about it.

I keep saying that one of these days my Mom is going to bring up the chainsaw and cut it down.
But my Mom had foot surgery and it has not been of the utmost importance to her.

So last time Petra asked and this was like the fifth time.
I said that I'd decided it should stay through Halloween because it is the perfect Halloween tree and
that I might paint it orange.

She then said the neighbors would be very upset about that.
And she thought it very inconsiderate of me.
I don't think she got it that I was joking.

I truly meant for it to be gone by now. 

And yet it is still there. 

So back to good Halloween ideas.
Isn't this a clever idea? Just photo copy old buildings or print them from your computer.
Cut then out around the roof line and tape around a glass cylinder.
You can find cheap glass cylinders at Michael's.
I can imagine a whole mantel of these or a buffet filled with them.


We sold Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fall and dining room stuff like crazy yesterday at Pier 1.
Everyone is gearing up for the upcoming Holidays.
Our first Christmas shipment comes in tomorrow.

So last night when I got home... I clicked on one of my favorite blogs (really, truly) and found out 
I'd won Debra's giveaway of a Goose Creek Candle!
Oh...boy I was thrilled.
I can't wait to get it and burn it. 
Oh...and Debra has some great Fall and Halloween decorating too on her blog.

Today, my mission is to drag out the big bins of Halloween stuff in my garage and 
start transforming my cottage.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I love all of these ideas. Happy Halloween! I'm inspired to start decorating too:0

Debby said...

I saw that you were a winner. Good for you.
Next time tell that neighbor that you are going to have something obnoxious carved out of the tree trunk.
On New Years Eve. as my husband was leaving to pick me up at the airport, our new neighbor showed up at our door. He wanted to know when we were going to take care of some branches on his fence from our tree. It costed us $1,000 and we did it right after his visit. Geez, tell that neighbor you would gladly remove it if she paid for it. I guess that's not a good idea but she is pretty bold.

Karena said...

Nita you have some very fun ideas for Halloween I had not seen before! Too funny (well not to your neighbor) about the maple tree. Paint it orange and then have it dug up before too much of a fuss is made! Ha!

I am having an amazing Giveaway of Plush Velvet Pumpkins from Love Feast!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Cindy said...

Some great ideas! Congratulations on winning the great candle!
Have a beautiful day with your bins and decorating!
Hugs, Cindy

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

Great Halloween ideas! Thanks for sharing those! Good luck on the tree...I can see how it might be upsetting to the neighbors but she is just going to have to have patience. American Horror Story starts in a couple of weeks!!! ~Hugs, Patti

Lisa said...

OMG, paint it orange!!! Do it the day before it is to be cut down just to see the faces up and down the street.
XO,
Lisa

Debra@CommonGround said...

I had wanted to get to Curious Sofa for the Halloween Open House, but it just never happened. I've always loved her great ideas and the legs under the umbrellas is just so fun! Also love those candle with scary houses would be super easy. and thanks for the shout out, Nita!!

Amy Chalmers said...

I love the candle holder cylinders with the buildings attached~it looks really amazing and is actually a simple project. Taking down a tree is expensive! I can't imagine your mom with a chain saw!! OMG seriously? That would be a heck of a post!!

Anonymous said...

Love your blog! I laughed out loud about the maple tree. Laughed also about your Mom coming over with her chainsaw---what we woman can do!!! Tennis Nanni

Cindi Myers said...

Tell your mom to be CAREFUL!
I cut down a Walnut tree this year with my "Sawzall". They said it couldn't be done but I did it.
I would paint that tree Orange and hang Halloween ornaments from it and after Halloween, I'd paint it red or maybe white and hanging big "snowflakes" on it. Jeez, tell your neighbor/friend to go home and pull the corn cob out of ....
anyway, I AM looking forward to future tree posts!
xoxo - Cindi

michele said...

you have archived some great ones here!

smiles to you.

michele