I'm slowly getting there...

...being ready for Halloween, that is. (Note the word 'slowly'). I simply haven't the time that I wish I had to really put all of my effort into it like I'd like. There is still hope, however! Just today, I went to lunch with my folks, and I needed to stop by Walmart to get another yard of my Halloween fabric for the bedspread I'm making. They had their first Halloween set-up, and I got a cool little hanging lantern with a jack-o-lantern face. (I can't wait to go to sleep with that spooky face glowing in the corner of my room!) I also got a Halloween blankie, some Halloween cookie cutters, and some of those little pumpkin candies. You know the ones I mean. They're basically just candy corn, but they're in the shape of pumpkins. Great little snacks, they are. I hope to make some cookies this weekend with the cookie cutters I got today. The set included a witch, a pumpkin, and a cat. I just have to get the icing and other decorations, and I'll be able to make some creepy little cookies!

Then, in the mail today, I was excited to see that I received my seasonal catalog from The Winfield Collection. If you haven't ever heard of them, they're a company that sells all sorts of woodcraft patterns and supplies. They have patterns for every holiday, and also other things, like cute little benches and stuff. They always come out with a catalog just for the holidays. I am not skilled with woodworking, but the stuff I see in this catalog makes me want to learn. Eventually, when I am finally done with school once and for all, I intend to devote a good deal of my time to learning things I really want to learn, like sewing, prop making, and woodworking. One year, my uncle made a really wonderful Christmas yard display with woodwork. It was Santa in his sleigh (which was life-size), and his reindeer. It was all white, and my uncle had put clear lights on the sleigh, and it was just stunning. I've always remembered that, and have always dreamed of doing that in my own yard. But I also want to do some Halloween woodwork, and The Winfield Collection has some great patterns to choose from. Some of them are even animated. I would recommend them to anyone who loves to decorate for the holidays.

And now, I am off to put my lantern together. It's going to be so cool to have it hanging in the corner of my room. I might just have to leave it up year-round. ;)

Halloween preparations

I am already starting to get a little bit anxious about being ready in time for Halloween. Even though it's next month, I guess I wasn't expecting to be so busy with school that I wouldn't have more time to devote to my decorating. My faux pumpkin still sits on my floor next to my bed, waiting to be transformed into some ghastly creation . Poor guy. He must feel so neglected. I also haven't finished my ceramic ghost holding his little jack-0-lantern. He's been sitting in our dining room forever, and is just too cute to not be included in the Halloween festivities this year. I still want to go back to Michael's and get at least one more pumpkin, as well as a few more things if I can afford them. Being on a budget seriously sucks around the holiday season. There is always way more stuff that I want to buy or create, but either don't have the time or the money for. *sigh* I really want to begin planning a costume. I'd like something different than last year, but am not sure what. I think it's about time to pay the Costume Mansion a visit. Perhaps I can do just that after I get the dreaded algebra test over with this Friday. I must also share that I saw the first house with Halloween decorations the other day! It was while I was doing my run through the neighborhood. As I passed the big, white house with the huge, black gates, I noticed a wooden pumpkin on a stick lining the driveway on the hill, and a banner that said 'Happy Halloween'. It actually made me smile to see someone else who is obviously looking forward to Halloween. But then, they were always into it. I remember those people from when we were kids, and we would trek up their steep driveway to go trick-or-treating. The wife would answer the door with a big bowl of candy, or with a plate full of homemade cookies, and she would seem so happy to see us. Back then, we had quite a few houses around here that were wonderful when it came to Halloween. That doesn't seem to be the case as much anymore. It's nice to know there is still at least one family that still enjoys it.

On another note, one nice thing is that it is slowly beginning to feel like Fall is on its way. The days are indeed getting shorter, and the mornings tend to have a chill in the air. I just love that. I love how after a long, hot summer those first days begin to appear, where you have to put on a sweater when you first get up in the morning. As I sit here writing this, I already feel like Fall is here. I keep waiting for the leaves to start turning red and gold, and for the streets--and our driveway--to be covered with them. The wait is almost over. Not much longer now. :)

More Halloween goodies, and some great news!

I went to Michael's again yesterday. I actually went there for something that was not Halloween related, but of course, being that there was tons of Halloween stuff--old and new--I couldn't just walk out of there without purchasing *something*. I finally got another large pumpkin to carve. They were 40% off, so how could I resist?! I also bought one of those big strobe lights to put inside the pumpkin, which I thought might look kind of cool. I've never used a strobe light, but I've always seen them in the stores and wondered how they looked. I'm finally gonna' find out! Oh, I also got a life-size, foam skull that I thought would look good on the deck railing, along with the lights and other decorations that I plan to put up this year. I couldn't believe the sales that Michael's was having! If only I had more to spend, I could have come home with so much great stuff. Oh, well. All in good time. I really want to go back to TJ Maxx, too. They had some really cute stuff. I was impressed.

Probably the highlight of my day, aside from buying some more Halloween stuff, was that I saw one of the huge Halloween stores, 'Halloween World', already open for business. I did not get a chance to go in, unfortunately, because I was with my mother, and we had errands to run. I will be back down there again tomorrow, though, and will definitely be dropping by to check it out. I also noticed a sign on one of the buildings near the mall that said something about a haunted house, and that they were casting people for it. I don't live near the mall, or I would probably go and see about getting involved.

Halloween is *next* month, people. I can't even believe it's so close.

It's Halloween galore at Michael's!!!

So, I went to Michael's again today, and could not BELIEVE all the Halloween stuff they had out! I was so excited to see that they had a bunch of new stuff this year. Unfortunately, I am on a bit of a budget, so I was only able to buy a few small things (which made my day, nonetheless!). I've decided that I want to carve more fake pumpkins this year, in addition to a few real ones, and I'd like to start carving them now. I want a fairly good assortment by the time Halloween gets here. I figure that with all the time and effort that I put into my jack-o-lantern designs, it would be nice to have some that will last for many Halloweens to come. I'll have to go back and get a few in different sizes. I purchased some new carving tools that are designed specifically for fake pumpkins. They're stronger than the regular tools, and should work great on real pumpkins, too. I also bought a medium-sized, ceramic pumpkin candle holder, and one of those pumpkin lights that's designed to flicker like a real candle. Besides the strings of lights that I always line the deck with, I think I also want to put out some of these jack-o-lantern candle holders using flicker lights instead of real candles. As much as I love real candlelight, I love the idea of coming home late on Halloween night to my house glowing with spooky little jack-o-lanterns. It's the only safe way to go without worrying about burning the place down. LOL I saw that Michael's now has tall candle pillars that are made out of real wax, but they use the LED flicker lights. They had several different decorated ones, like a witch, a skeleton, spider webs, and a haunted house. They glow and flicker like a real candle, but these also make spooky sounds! I was thinking about getting some and putting them along the railing of our deck. One other thing that I thought was cool was a large light-up sign that counts down the days until Halloween. I would love to put that sucker at the end of our driveway for all to see. Michael's had some big, new props, too-- like a life-size bride and groom that has a motion sensor. The bride carries her head in one of her hands, and the groom says funny things like, "You look like you've seen a ghost. You must have met my bride!" and then finishes with an evil laugh. The other customers in the store really got a kick out of these guys whenever they walked by them, and I think they'd be a great touch to any haunt. There were quite a few other animated props that I would love to add to my haunt this year. I love nothing more than finding new things to add to my collection every year. I can't wait to go back and get some more stuff later on this week. Hooray! Halloween is coming soon!! Pics coming soon!! ;)

Fall days

Aside from the wonderful, cool weather, and Halloween, there are other things that always make me look forward to the fall season. One thing that my family and I have always made a point of doing towards the end of September is taking a nice drive up to Apple Hill. This is a beautiful area, about an hour from Lake Tahoe, filled with vineyards, orchards, pumpkin patches, and Christmas tree lots. Each year, starting around the end of September, all of the largest, most popular ranches open up to the public and begin getting ready for the holidays. My favorite ranch is called High Hill Ranch. Aside from their delicious homemade pies and apple cider, there are tons of arts and crafts, food vendors, jewelry, and wine sellers. I love to go to Apple Hill the first time right before Halloween to look at all of the Halloween stuff, and then again right before Christmas. As usual, I am looking forward to visiting High Hill Ranch when it opens up next month.

It's beckoning....

Halloween, that is. I don't care that it's still a little ways away. So it isn't next month...as if that would stop me! I am already feeling like I want to start putting up decorations, as if to give it a warm welcome. I blame, in part, the weather, which is quite unlike weather we normally have this time of year. This week, it has suddenly gone from 100-degrees, to a much cooler, almost fall-like temperature. Naturally, I am loving it. My favorite time of the year is quickly approaching. Even though we are still in the summer season, right now it feels as if we are in the early stages of Fall. There has been a nice, cool breeze, and I swear that once or twice I have caught that heavenly scent that smells how Fall should smell. It's the smell of damp leaves, and fires burning in wood stoves somewhere in the distance. I have always said that Halloween has its own smell. It's one of my favorites; like the smell of a freshly carved pumpkin. Or, better yet, the wonderful smell of a jack-o-lantern when its lid begins to burn. But it's mostly when I begin to see signs of Fall and Halloween in all the stores around town that my desire to decorate really kicks into gear. We are almost in September now, and Halloween will be here before we know it. This is the part that I think I love most of all. That is, the anticipation of it, and all the preparation that goes into it. I am anxiously looking forward to it as I do every year. Mostly, though, I can't wait to visit my favorite stores again, and to seeing what new stuff I'll find to add to my collection. Yep, Halloween is on its way, and I'm going to be good 'n ready for it!

Halloween in New Orleans

About five years ago, I had the privilege of spending my favorite holiday, Halloween, in my favorite city- New Orleans. I fell in love with this amazing place through the vampire novels of Anne Rice, and when I finally saw New Orleans in person for the first time, I felt as if I already knew it. I didn't feel like I was in a strange, new place; rather, I felt like I almost belonged there; like I had come home. I knew it would be my kind of place when I read about it in the books, and I was right. I left there not wanting to leave, and I couldn't wait to return. I would get my wish a few years later.

My second visit to the Crescent City was during my favorite time of the year- October! We planned it specifically so that I could be there during Halloween. It was my dream to be there during this time. I knew that Halloween in New Orleans was HUGE. The people at our hotel had told me the first time I was there that Halloween was like a mini-Mardi Gras. People come from literally all over the place to be there for this holiday, and you have to book your hotel reservations far in advance or you'll have trouble finding a place to stay. My brother and his wife went along this time, and the three of us got dressed up and spent Halloween night in the French Quarter. What a crazy sight to see! I have wanted to go back there for Halloween ever since. They have all sorts of great things to do. It is definitely one of the best places to be on All Hallow's Eve! Another fun thing to do is to take a haunted history ghost tour, or a vampire tour, through the French Quarter.

Endless Night Ball
http://www.endlessnight.com/

The Vampire Lestat Fan Club ball
http://www.vampirelestatfanclub.com/

Haunted History Tours
http://www.hauntedhistorytours.com/

New Orleans- America's most haunted city??
http://www.neworleansghosts.com/haunted_new_orleans.htm