boo.

a foolish costume is the hobgoblin of little minds

Why don't kids wear homemade costumes anymore? What's cuter than the scene where Scout's wearing her giant ham costume?

If you answered this,

no need to continue reading.

I can remember seeing The Dime Store window filled with boxes of costumes. The kind with the plastic eye-less faces staring out from the cellophane window. The one piece , non-flame retardant, tie in the back costume, folded up beneath.

Row after row of "Princess", "GI Joe", "Hobo" {'Hobo' how's that one for, vintage non-PC. These days would you really feel good about sending your kid down the street as 'homeless guy'?} , "Gypsy", "Clown" vacant, holes staring back at me. This may have been the beginning of my DIY attitude. Because even back then, holding my mom's hand as we'd walk by, staring back over my shoulder I'd think to myself, "I can totally make that. And so much better"

.........................................................................

by the way, if you can get your hands on this book:

Do. It's a classic by Louis Slobodkin {'The 100 Dresses' } I ended up with the copy that was in our family, growing up. I still bring it out every year. Wonderful illustrations and story.

............................................................................

whoa. careful there, fella.

But I digress, let's get back to the matter at hand. At our house, I'm declaring this the year of the no-store-bought-costumes. I'm tired of parents feeling the need to shell out major money for a COSTUME to be worn ONE night {oh, ok and maybe in the school parade }

I sort of want to be hard core and tell every kid that comes to my door, no candy if your parents paid some ridiculous price for that costume { from halloween express or any of those mail order catalogs encouraging your daughters to look like hookers} but then I realize that's more about the parents than the kids. Above: my mother's masterful work . She made the entire costume, wig and all by hand. { That's red electrical tape wrapped 'round my tights - clever } And the she did the same for my 4 other siblings.

So in the spirit of DIY and Halloween being the ultimate holiday of self expression, this year, get creative. Make-up can go miles {look at little skeleton boy up there}, Goodwill can be a design lab of great ideas. This year, think out side that little cellophane box.

i know you are but what am i

the worst halloween decorator ever and her accuser circa 1999

i was accused this week of being "the worst halloween decorator....ever"

ok. i can handle that. i've been called worse. but i must defend myself here.

first of all, i'm not the worst halloween decorator ever....i once worked with a woman who dressed her muffy bear in a different halloween costume every week and displayed, said bear, in her front window 'scene'.

i'm, simply, not the worst.

i just have a few things going against me.

the weather for one. ya. the 90 degree, autumnal... WEATHER. ever tried getting your fall-on when you have a heat rash on the back of your knees from your new 'fall' boots ?

the other thing is that i'm getting, unfairly, compared to neighbors who really love halloween decorating {on a level you've never experienced}

let me share with you some of my halloween dos~ all with a very restrained hand:

black toile:

this is scary stuff. I had a bathroom papered in toile a few years ago and my, then, 3 year old was terrified to go in to the room. from the mouth of babes. scary. and scarier in black. i like pillows and maybe a runner made of toile.

black crows:

martha {our lord and savior} made the best ones. but she no longer has them available. which sort of blows because my new 'step-dogs', {2 large labs who are akin to having big dumb, blonde quarterbacks lumbering through my home} have taken to playing a swift game of toss-and-chomp with my old ones. not nearly as life like, this one was found at plum party.



the great white pumpkin:

how can you not love a white , or gray , pumpkin. even those crazy organic looking ones are fantastic. they all have that hazy dusty hue? i could stop right here with the decor. oh, except the dogs. the dogs would probably eat these too.

above photos courtesy of housemartin

yes, a wreath. a simple wreath~

when did i become a wreath person? seriously, this is coming perilously close to windsock usage. you know when? when my kids guilted me into it. the black crows, white pumpkins and toile weren't cutting it.

i begrudgingly ended up with the pumpkin number, above {about which joni, duly, teased me} that's not a navy ribbon but i love the idea of using navy instead of ink black.

vintage decor {or vintage inspired}:

a little vintage decor makes for a great touch. weird+vintage is always creepy and it brings a little humor to the party. there are some great 'new' vintage finds out there. {the fact that this is such large type is not exponential to its importance. i just can't get this out of "large" type}

while rummaging around my bookmarked sites, i came across this shot, which seems like it would be such an easy thing to do and with seemingly great results:

another goody found at housemartin

or these ideas from our lord and saviour's home page:

i could rig up the chandie shown above. and if i had a little north eastern, nook of woods in my back yard, this would be doable.

you know what? i could be that mom. that best halloween decorator ever. but first i need to go the beach, and cool off in the surf.