HAPPY ALL HALLOWS EVE!!!!!!!

    Wishing you all a very HAPPY ALL HALLOWS EVE.

HAVE A SEAT & A HALLOWEEN TREAT!

One day! Just one tiny day left until Halloween. It came so fast I did not get enough time to do everything, like make some spooky throw pillows.

I love the Trick or Treat ones and these silhouettes are lovely.

How gorgeous! I have to find that Spooky fabric.

Jack has always been a favourite of mine or perhaps a little Hocus Pocus.

These all look so simple to make but I think I may just go a little batty next Halloween.

How wonderfully festive with the black, orange and white. Love the Trick Treat and the 31.

I think I will leave the chairs on the porch for Halloween next time and cover them with delicous pillows.

Whether elaborate or simple I think these Halloween pillows add the finishing touch to any decor.

And what a perfect chair to put one of these pillows in. What can I say about this hauntingly charismatic beauty. It takes my breath away. If I had this chair I would be the Queen of Halloween.

I don't know how far you go on All Hallows Eve but when we did stay home I always had a little spooky dinner to set the mood.

These tables are simply fabulous. I could sit down to a little Eye of Newt Soup at any one of them.

Or perhaps a romantic dinner either outside, depending on where you live or a dark, delightful midnight feast.

Now how about something a little special for the Trick or Treaters. A pretty table full of goodies would be so lovely.

I adore this idea and so easy. You could just use some fabric or a cheap black sheet. Set it up near you front door and let the littles ones pick their own treats.

If you don't get many Trick or Treaters why not have your friends and their kids gather out your house for an early or late treat table full of goodies.

And let's not forget the adults. While the kids are out haunting the streets (supervised of course) the mommies and daddies can get together for some delicous big kid treats of their own.

Whatever you decide to do I hope you have a wonderfully spooky Halloween and brace yourself........their coming!

TRICK OR TREAT BAGS AND A LITTLE HAUNTING!

Usually on Halloween we make popcorn and settled in for a night of Scary movies. Since our little baby was born we spend Halloween at our sons to help out with her while my son ( who loves to scare the kids) and his wife do the Halloween treats so I have been catching up on all of my Halloween movies for the past week.

Last night I shut off all of the lights, lit the candles and lanterns and we snuggled in to watch "Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter." It started out really well and Rufus Sewell plays the head vampire so that was reason enough for me to watch it. It is beautifully shot but I must admit it got a bit slow and I fell asleep. I will watch the end tonight.

I almost forgot to put out my favourite primitive Halloween decoration. This was one of the first vintage pieces I ever bought. Because it is large and delicate I keep it in the closet so until I went in there the other day I completely forgot about it. I just love this whirlygig with it's moon, cat and twirling ghosts and witches.

When I was little and went trick or treating, I always loved to get a treat bag. Usually they were filled with little candies, maybe a small chocolate bar and gum. We never did get many trick or treaters because we are so far out in the country but I always liked to make special treat bags. Now my daughter-in-law makes them.

Depending on how many little ones you get at your door you could make some very cute bags. Like these adorable polka dot ones.

These potato stencil bags are so cute and a nice project for you kids. Cheap too, just potatoes, brown paper bags and paint.

These wicked witch bags would be so nice for your own kids or grandkids.

These pumpkins from Martha Stewart would be nice for a Halloween Party or if you have some special kids in you neighbourhood you like to do a little something for.  They are quite easy just crepe paper and floral tape.

I just love these too. You can buy the coloured bags, stamps and construction paper at any craft store.

How cute are these. Black bags and lovely tags I would like one for Halloween!

You can buy some really sweet ready made bags too like these striped ones from THE TOM KAT SHOP.

 

So it's not too late to get a little creative if you have the time but whatever you do you will be invaded by little ghost, goblins and witches in around 48 hours.

WHY A JACK-O-LANTERN?

The witches and ghosts are upon us and it will soon be time to carve the pumpkins. Ever wonder why we call them Jack-O-Lanterns?

A lighting of vegetables comes from the British Isles. The actually used turnips, (that must have been hard to carve), which they would use for the Gaelic festival of Samhain. They would carve these turnips and put a candle inside.

The lit turnip was used to light your way on Samhain, to represent spirits and to protect your home from evil. But why the name Jack you might ask.

As legend has it, there lived in Ireland a stingy, thieving farmer named Jack. He was being chased by the villagers for something he had stolen when he came upon the devil. The devil told him it was time to die but Jack came up with a plan where the devil turned himself into a coin and Jack would pay the villagers for what he had stolen. When the coin disappeared the Christian villagers would fight amongst themselves allowing for more souls for the devil to take. Great plan and the devil agreed

.

Turning himself into a gold coin and hopping into Jack's wallet the devil found himself trapped as Jack wrapped his wallet with the sign of the cross.

Jack agreed to let the devil go on one condition. He would never take Jack's soul. The devil agreed.

One day the inevitable came and Jack died. Being such a bad person he was not welcome in heaven and having made the pact with the devil he was not welcome in hell either. Jack complained to the devil about wondering in the darkness so the devil tossed him an ember from hell that would never burn out.

Jack carved himself out a turnip ( his favourite vegetable) and placed the ember inside. He roamed the earth with his turnip lit like a lantern and became know as "Jack-O-Lantern."

Through out history the Jack-O-Lantern became a symbol to ward off evil. In Europe they were put on porches and in windows to ward off vampires. It was said when a vampire saw the glowing turnip they would not bother the person living in the house.

When people came to America from the British Isles they brought the tradition with them only instead of the turnip they used pumpkins which were plentiful and I am sure much easier to carve.

So when you are carving your pumpkins this year, think about how they are not just a jolly orange smiling or spooky face but they are protecting your home from the spirits of All Hallows Eve.

  

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