The Great Jack O' Lantern Blaze

Howdy Friends! I hope you had a super eventful Halloween.

Today, an Autumn/Halloween craft that is the

work of imagination:

blah: enormous pumpkins 

 TADA!: illuminated carvings all made by hand

This is what one can expect at The Great Jack O' Lantern Blaze in the Hudson Valley, New York. It's an outdoor walk-through display featuring many pumpkin carvings lit within, plus sound effects to add to the eerie atmosphere. 

It's an annual spectacle that I attended last year. If you want to experience it for yourself, it runs until the 2nd weekend of November this year. Dates and ticket details here.

Here are a few more pictures:

More spooky pumpkin photos tomorrow!

Have a great day.

Happy Halloween

Hello there everyone!

I want to wish you a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! What are your plans today? I was planning to be at the Village Halloween Parade in New York City volunteering as a puppeteer. I did it last year and I had a really TADA! time! But due to Hurricane Sandy's effects, the parade has been cancelled.

Here are a few Halloween costumes from last year's parade:

Have a fabulous Halloween, filled with tricks and treats! 

Jar-ry, Jar-ry Night

Eeeep! It's Halloween tomorrow! If you celebrate it, are you ready? I have the treats but no decorations. Time to turn some blah into TADA!

If you have jars and vases gathering dust in the cupboard under the sink, now's a good time to take them out.

via Country Living

Add some black crow cut-outs inside the vase and

line these up on a mantle or shelf.

via Country Living

Make a Halloween terrarium using twigs, moss and frightening toys.

via Better Homes and Gardens

Dress up a glass bowl with a mask and fake eyes.

Fill it up with candy.

via Better Homes and Gardens

Add a faux face to a vase, add scoops of candy, and cover with a handmade witch's hat. Encourage guests to help themselves to what's inside.

via Better Homes and Gardens

Cover a jam jar with masking tape {jagged edges encouraged}, draw on a scary face, and add a votive {battery operated for safety} for a ghoulish glow on fright night.

Halloween Decorations

Happy Monday! I've been taking a lot of quiet walks lately. I'm liking the comfortable chill, and I'm loving that the colors of the leaves are slowly changing into their autumn best.

Orange against a blue sky...breathtakingly TADA! I hope the leaves hang-out on the trees as long as possible because I think barren trees are blah.

I come across lots of twigs during my walks. I think they make wonderful crafting materials for Halloween. Here are some ideas from magazines that I put together to show you how twigs can turn from blah to TADA!:

via Martha Stewart

via Better Homes and Gardens

via Martha Stewart

via Good Housekeeping

via Good Housekeeping

via Good Housekeeping

Whether you use these twigs to display Halloween characters like bats and birds, or use them to display Halloween treats, they are sure to add a spooky surprise in your home. Have a nice day!

To those in the US East Coast, wishing you warmth and safety as Hurricane Sandy approaches.

Wrapped in Lace

Hey, hey, it's already Friday! Woohoo!

Today, let's give this blank sheet of paper

a mini make-over. 

Using this genius crafty device, blah will become TADA!:

The blank sheet is now looking fancy with a lace pattern.

All because the craft punch can be placed anywhere 

around the page {less wasted space}!

Together with some tissue paper and baker's twine, we

can use this to wrap presents!

The white over-lay reminds me of eyelet dresses

I used to wear as a child.

Graceful texture and peek-a-boo color 

{go ahead, choose another shade or 

something with print + pattern} 

A TADA! idea for holiday gift wrap!

Have a delightful weekend, everyone.