Happy Halloween & Meal Plan for 10/31/11

Just stopping in to share some Halloween Fun this morning. I'm so excited because this evening I am helping Baby Girl hand out candy to all the TOT's at HER new place. That should bring a nice close to the Halloween weekend for me. It's always so busy, and I never really remember that little fact. We had two parties to attend this weekend and dressing up was too fun. I'm always so giddy when I can het PC to dress up - I don't know why - I just do. My inspiration came while looking at the internet, but I don't really remember exactly what I was looking for. But inspiration struck and I started gathering supplies from all over the house. Do you see a costume in this pile?

Then I had to test out a DIY idea for body glitter (just mix glitter with Aloe Vera Gel). I was very excited that this worked so well.

 Got it figured out yet? Then it was off to the thrift store to see if I could put together a companion. Not what we planned but I knew it was meant to be as I walked around and found this guy on different racks in the store - he came together too easily, I just knew he was meant to be my date.

Still stumped? Well, party night #1 came with 2 hours of hair and makeup (by Baby Girl) and we were ready to dive right in! So can you tell what we are?

And didn't she do a great job on my makeup?!

If you guessed Aqua Man and a Mermaid - you would be correct!  I was excited about putting these two together for the low price tag of around 20 bucks!  I hope you all have a safe and scary Halloween!  I have to get ready for the TOT's tonight - I think I'll just throw on my old standby School Costume - The Not Too Scary Witch...Tata for now!

My Menu Plan for this Week!  Linked up with The Organizing Junkie - I Love all of the meal ideas I get from thee bloggers!

Straight Out of the Camera - Halloween Decor Update

After hoping along in blogland during the Mantel Party and Fall Decorating party, I got a few new ideas and went to work updating our "elegantly spooky" look.  I spent a total of 20 bucks this year and basically it's a whole new look from previous years with a few classic or sentimental standbys. Just wanted to share and it's Straight Out of The Camera Sunday over at Murietta 365...so here they are...Sraight out of The Camera:

Beginning in our entry, this writing desk belonged to my great grandmother and now it's Momma's...Do you see the cute "C" pumpkin? Baby Girl bought that for me at Kirkland's.Isn't is darling?

Need a closer look...

Spooky books...

Moving into the living room...this Glass conch (electric candle underneath) was perfect for the table...a black shawl...a pond tree...some spiders...too spooky. All of this came from Momma's boxes.

Turn around and this delicious tablescape is what you see....Momma might kill me over the chalkboard when she figures out what it is...but I Loved this idea, those are all dollar store or 99cents store decorations...except the candelabra and candlesticks...

Then the new & improved Halloween fireplace...I LOVE IT!

I had so much fun making the bats and decorating my pillar candles and the mirror...

Then I started rearranging a few things on the mantel..I love my crows!

Then I went crazy with the Black Gossamer ribbon....those skeletons still need something though...

Well that's all the updates - I had so much fun creating the look. I want to show a pretty cool huse next time - My SIL - this Sunday is Scary movie night at her house and I am taking my camera - their house is over the top...wait til you see it - gorgeous. Oh! I almost forgot I have a Halloween Bridal Shower tonight - I can't wait to take pictures because that house is also gogreous and I can't wait to see their decorations...they love Halloween too!  Gotta go wrap my present - Tata for now!

An Autumn Brew (warning - lots of eye candy)...

"Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble."~ Shakespeare "Macbeth"

While I have been quite in blogland, I have been busy in the world, making memories. October is a busy month for us, many birthdays (family and friends), usually an escape of some sort...mourning summer I suppose and of course, the landmark holiday, Halloween. A landmark because it it the beginning of the end of the year.  a time full of wonder and celebration...my favorite time of the year. October and I have had a love affair since I was a child kicking up the leaves on Elsmere Ave, eating bowls of Cincinnati chili and anxiously awaiting the door to door compliments on the fabulous costume Momma whipped up and of course the reward of candy, popcorn balls and coins! Yes, along our route in my fabulous (to me) hometown, there was a large house that gave out half dollars...a treat indeed! I believe my papa & mam- ma loved Halloween as much as we did because they decorated the front porch to be scary and fun, with 9 children, they had a cast of characters for years!  This is the time of year when mam-ma would make popcorn balls and chex mix (REAL chex mix). Races to the heat registers would begin to ensue, first one there felt the warmth rush from the floor as if a dragon lived in the basement just to warm our bodies. Yes, I have been in Love with October for as long as I can remember.  So while I have been quiet here, my soul stirs, I find I tend to journal more and  take a lot of photos in October...because the world becomes alive with magic, both natural and the Home Brewed kind...so today I would like to share some of the Home Brewed Magic that I have spotted....

PC and I went to breakfast last week and instead of going to our usual cafe, we ventured into the mountains and ended up at the Evergreen Cafe...what a treat!  As I ewwwd and awwed over the labor of love in the owner's Halloween decorations, I plotted to bring Baby Girl up for breakfast in a few days with camera in tow...PC is not as understanding as I'd like when it comes to snapping photos with my big ol' camera in restaurants...it's really where he draws the line...anywho...Baby Girl was game and we had a fabby morning...here you go!

As you walk in...you immediately know the spirit of creativity lives here...and we thought it was just a cafe...

The ceiling demands attention as many of the spiders descend and ascend as the door opens and closes...

The garden window has this great treatment (sorry it's dark) with fanciful witches and and the undead...

The walls are filled with all sorts of fun and spooky pictures, flowers and creatures of the night...

This little arrangement, very interactive, sits over the cook's window...

Almost forgot we were at a restaurant, huh?  Great food!

After breakfast we walked across the street, Baby Girl commenting how the town of Wrightwood reminded her of the small town in The Proposal (an all-time Fav of mine) and I agreed.  Quiet, artsy and full of characters.  We happened upon such a treasure of a shop, SK Jones Galleries - I HAVE TO SHARE - you can tell instantly that a talented artist is at work in this shop...

the jewlery is unique and gorgeous...

 the furnishings understated, artistic and beautiful,...

the spirit of the space is playful...

 and the artwork truly authentic...Suzan has taken the journey and arrived at her authentic self...

I love her window panes. Magic in the making.

Awwww...can you smell the crispness in the air...the magic?  I can!  But alas, I have to go make some numbers do magic -off to do algebra homework!! Tata for now!

Linking up with Show & Tell Friday