Here We Go!

Wow! Don't know if it is just because I am a year older or if it is because I had to do some major rearranging this year, but getting my Halloween decorating done has taken me most of this week! I am not complaining mind you! In fact, I pretty much enjoyed every minute - until it came to getting all of the autumn stuff put away, but that is another story!

Some of the things you see are the same as last year - basically because I just love them the way they are. Others will be a major difference - mostly because the places I used to have for display are just no longer here! I had fun but it definitely takes longer coming up with whole new vignettes - and, as you know, tweaking  can now begin! Let's start with the living room...welcome to our Halloween house!

Be sure and mark your calendars!

As I was decorating, I realized that a few "themes" seem to prevail in my Halloween decor - witches and skeletons and pumpkins and ravens...oh my! I would have liked to keep one theme per room, but alas, it was not to be so you will see a little of each creeping into most rooms - but it seems like the witches and ravens are predominant in the living room.

Enter my new sign. Oh my! I always seem to act first with my heart and then my brain. That was just the case with the GR knock off sign that I made. I am in love with all pallet signs these days and when I saw this beauty, I was all over it. And, I wanted it large! Just never really thought about where it would go. Fast forward to decorating day week and I find myself walking from one room to the other trying to find it a home. I also wanted it to stay close to my witch vignette, so over the foyer mirror was really the only option. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but it is growing on me.

Another thing I can't seem to get enough of are these flickering light candelabras...I love them and they are so much safer than lighting real taper candles!

I am still in LOVE with the witch that I bought several years ago...and spent WAY TOO MUCH on. I am not sure why she speaks to me, but she does. Every year when I take her out and "fluff" her up, I see more and more detail that I never noticed before! Can you believe those boots are actually leather?

Again, I am opening myself up for some serious ribbing with this one, but I have broad shoulders so let the fun begin!

Still one of my favorite finds from Pinterest. Wish I could find another idea this good to make as gifts this year. I bought all of my supplies the other day but still not sold on what I'm planning! Hate it when that happens!

The pictures on the couch table are some of our family costume parties over the years. Looking back I realize what a crazy group we are...so many memories and so much fun!

I don't know why this branch keeps reappearing. I made it years ago to fill in some space or other and that was supposed to be it. For some reason, I kept it and as long as it holds together, I guess I will use it in this room because the other predominant theme in here is the ravens.

The pictures on this table are from the witches' teas we used to attend in Tampa. Always loved those teas but the dates got harder and harder to make. Sure wish someone a little closer to home did something similar!

I seemed to use A LOT of candle groupings this year. Maybe that is because I own so many black candle holders and I like the pop of silver or orange mercury glass thrown in.

I am not crazy about where I had to hang my GR Halloween mirror but I was not taking down the new "mirrored" mirror where this beauty used to go, so I put it here. I hung it a bit low because it is one of those crazy concave mirrors and the kids enjoy looking into it - never know who you will see looking back at you!

I love my Poe "Raven" vignette!
 

I bought 4 boxes of these battery operated taper candles last year and was going to buy more this year but it doesn't look like GR is carrying them any more. I stuck them in and around a lot of my vignettes and it lets you have candle light in places where an open flame would not be a good idea! Glad I bought the ones I did last year!

So that is the living room for this year. I realized on rereading this blog post how many times I "gushed" about things that I love but Halloween just does that to me. I can see orange and black somewhere in February and I swear I start to spoon. I love the colors, smells and sounds of the holiday - yes, I have several surprise sound effects hidden around the house. The kids love them...hubby, not so much. No matter how many years the keep reappearing, he seems to forget about them over and over - and gets scared every time - over and over! You'd think he would learn, wouldn't you. More - much more - to come. Stay tuned!