Halloween: An Excuse to Dress Up and Act Silly

         We just recently went to our kids annual Halloween party and as always had a great time. They do such a great job of hosting a family friendly party for parents to bring their kids and for their teenage son to have his friends too.
I wanted to share a few things we did and some creative ideas I found our there in blog-land. First from Formal Fringe I found a great idea for some illuminated skeleton hands.

I really wish I had found this idea before the party. I did however do something I saw a while back and I honestly can't remember where I saw it. I apologize if I'm not giving someone credit for this. But its little light up eye balls made from ping pong balls placed over battery operated votives.

You simply cut a hole and using permanet markers draw on a black dot and some red squiggly lines around it.

This photo does not do them justice,they were very cool!

We placed them all over outside and I have to say they did look great!
I also made these little favor bags for the kids to take home with them that I saw on Pinterest.

Most of the kids who come to the party each year are in theater with our oldest grandson. Theater kids are always ready to help out on the "scary walk" through the woods that the little ones....and the older ones enjoy. They have to hide or position themselves to look like a statue and of course come to life and scare the pajibbers out of everyone. A lot of acting goes into this and the giggles and blood curdling screams always make me laugh.....from far of away of course! You see I'm a chicken and very "G" rated so I don't do haunted houses....or backyard scary walks of any kind!!

Everyone in our family waits to see what Jason ( our youngest son) decides on for his costume. Last year he was Batman complete with theme music. We wondered how he would ever top that....but he did! He came as Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer. Of course he won all of the big prizes!!

He's here with our little Cat in the Hat Niece.

My husband and I went as Frankenstein and I was the Mad Scientist who created him....as all wives have to do over many years haha! Shhh don't tell him I said that!

The costume that I thought was the cutest I've seen in a long time was Patrick( our oldest grandson) and his girlfriend. They came as the 1940's end of WWII famous photo (often called) The Kiss.

These aren't costumes they are the real deal. I think they are a couple of little old souls they both really enjoy nostalgia. So they searched for the actually clothes. His is a Navy uniform from that time period and hers is a 1940 Red Cross nurses dress. I just loved it,what a sweet idea. I get rather worn out with all of gory costumes so this to me was rather refreshing!

The host and hostess!

So many great costume ideas! We ate too much, laughed too much and the kids and Abe Lincoln danced the night way to Dance Central 3!

                There's no better place to be for us than partying with the kiddos!

Babble's Top 50 Etsy Parents Shops and Little Ole ME!

     Thankfully it is the end of another busy and stressful week here in construction land where I work by day. What would we do without weekends to re-charge ourselves? So as I was about to leave the office I decided to do a little web surfing and found my shop in The Top 50 Etsy Parents Shops on Babble.
I'm kind of excited,tickled,thrilled but mostly very,VERY honored......all at the same time!! Go here to see the list of all 50 shops.

There are six catagories, Vintage,Home Goods,Paper Goods,Jewelry,Clothing and Handmade Dolls and Toys which is the catagory I'm in. I am among 12 wonderful toy shops.
If you haven't shopped on Etsy than you have truly missed out on some of the best places to shop. I go there first before I go anywhere else.....and have found so many great gifts from all over the world!

For me making felt toys is my passion.It truly was an Ah ha( moment as Oprah says)when I opened my Etsy shop. I realized what I was suppose to do at the ripe ole age of ....well lets say over 50.....way over 50 haha! I'm never not thinking about ideas or picking the grand-kiddos creative brains. I have so many ideas and never enough time it seems to sit down and create them. I am always happy when I am sewing!!

Stop over and see all the great Etsy shops on Babble, I'm among some of the most incredible artists!!

In Love With Fall But NOT Spiders

Some examples of leaves from down at the creek. I love the contrast against the purple bench.

          It happens every year and still I remain in awe of how incredibly brilliant the trees become this time of year. I am a mid-west girl at heart and I guess couldn't imagine God's amazing color display this time of year. Some mornings as I drive into work the trees look as if they have been set ablaze as the sun comes up!

I took this photo on a back road while waiting for a train to pass.

Is it just me or do your tastes change with the seasons? This time of year I'm loving squash,persimmons,caramel apples, and pumpkin roll....well actually pumpkin anything! But it's no wonder since we are totally surrounded with the most amazing yellows,oranges,and crimson reds.

Since I'm talking about all things fall I must confess something else. You see I have a passion for fall leaves, pine cones, but especially acorns. If you walked into either my office or my work room and opened just about any book you will most likely find a few colorful leaves pressed inside.

 I just can't help myself they are just too pretty to walk past. Besides I might just need a few for a project someday. Ha! Ha! yes I'm well aware that is what all hoarders say on that reality TV show!


Who could resist picking this up?!

 I also may be the only women in America who has ever boxed up and moved a (decent size haha) collection of acorns before! More than likely my purse has a few acorns in the bottom of it from a walk to the car and back. I hoard them like a squirrel or..... like just maybe they aren't going to make them anymore. Oh well we all have something we do that makes us unique......don't we!

And one more quick item I want to share with you. I recently saw a quick and easy way to make spiderwebs for your Halloween decor. Our local Ben Franklin shared this on their facebook page and I just had to try it.

 They couldn't be easier. Simply squirt Elmer's Glue on a piece of wax paper in the shape of a web and then sprinkle any color glitter you like over the glue while it's still wet.

Once it completely dries peel it off of the wax paper and voila you have a pose-able web to add to your decor. They are really very glittery the photo doesn't do them justice. The one thing I won't add is a spider!! Nope no spiders in my decor EVER!! I once threw out a brand new National Geographic magazine because it had a spider on the cover.....yep you guessed it I have a few other small quirks to deal with =)