We're Almost Done!

So on we go to perhaps the most difficult room ever to photograph. I have lots of mirrors in every room-never realized how many until I started taking pictures for this blog. Not only do they give you lots of "flash-back" but some major contortion is needed not to be seen taking the picture (usually when I am decked out in p.j.s or gardening clothes) in the reflection. But this room really takes the cake because it is small and kind of like the infamous "hall of mirrors"-reflection in reflection in reflection!

In any case, here we go...

Wow! I guess this picture really makes my case. It is hard to see where one thing stops and the reflections begin!

Let me apologize for the streaks on the mirrors right now. Truly can't see them "in person" but I guess the flash brought them to the fore-front and I am too tired to go back and clean them, retake pictures, delete pictures, re-edit....well, you get the idea. Rest assured that now that I see it, I will get to it...soon....maybe....at least before we expect company...I promise!

This guy used to "live" in the family room front window but since I changed the mood in there this year, he didn't make the cut. But, I like him too much to pack him away, so I thought since this is the bathroom the kids use the most when they are here, he might bring a smile to their faces. And, he gives off a soft orange glow that will probably serve as their night light.

You have now almost seen everything for this year. I will be busy planning this year's Nana & Papa weekend and our Halloween costume party-not to mention sewing costumes-but I still might have a thing or two to share so stay tuned.

Almost done...

So today we will stroll through the kitchen. I've got to say, there isn't much different. Guess the kitchen is the same every year because it houses the stuff that we really need and use on a daily basis. It all just pretty much sits around and clutters the kitchen counters. This year I did clear out a shelf in a cabinet to house the myriad of Halloween serving pieces that I have so the counters are a bit less cluttered than usual.

Still LOVE this pot that I bought at Hallmark many, many years ago! I have never seen another!

This is kind of my catch-all. It holds pot holders, coasters, some paper plates and napkins, extra glass plates, Halloween pasta, etc. Do you see the Wilton Sprinkle Test tube set in there? I bought that last year planning to add it to my laboratory vignette but never did because it was too cutesy. While perusing my blogs the other day I found this on "Home Is Where the Boat Is" and it is the perfect answer so I stuck it in here so I will remember to make this in my "free time".

There now...isn't that a lot more sinister looking than colored sprinkles?

Our old cookie jar from Target many years ago...of course now it only holds Sweet n Low - no cookies for us any more-haha!

Like I said, not all that much different but I still like it! Getting close to the end.

We went to see "Les Miserables" last night and I am so glad we did! The voices were incredible and you kind of forgot you were in the Ocala Civic Theatre for 3 hours! Fun to get out now and then even though it did bring us home way past our bedtime-ha ha! Stay tuned.

Almost an Afterthought!

I think I have mentioned before that the sun room is usually an afterthought when it comes to decorating. I think this happens so often because this is the room where I stack all that is coming down from the previous decor and by the time I get all of that out of there and packed back up I am:1. too TIRED to come up with something wonderful and 2. I have already used up all of the really nice stuff in the rest of the house.

That being said, this is the room that the kids use most frequently when they are here. All of their movies and craft supplies and lots of the games are stored out here. It also holds the table they most enjoy eating at because they can watch the birds come to the feeders and the squirrels running around the yard. So, it is O.K. if this room takes on a bit more of a "cutesy" design and has things the kids will like.

My Pumpkin Man once again hangs in the doorway between the dining room and sun room. I wish I had somewhere else to hang him but he is much wider than even I realized when I bought him and doesn't work just anywhere. I saw him in one store once hanging from the ceiling and I liked him like that but it would require 3 fairly sturdy hooks and I just don't want to do that to my ceilings. I don't like that there is the saying on the wall behind him. I tried to cover it a few ways last year and it just looked worse, so I try not to obsess! The kids love running through him so he is in the best spot for now.

It is impossible to see in this picture but the fireplace has a string of flicker lights, a flicker chandelier and color changing and musical skulls. The little ones gave me the set of skulls and it is always one of the first things they hunt for when they come over-along with most of the other things that make noise and light up like the cackling witch and the luminaria by the front door that is motion activated and scares my husband no matter how many times he sets it off!

I stole borrowed this idea from Pinterest last year. I would love to have it in the family room fireplace because it is so unique but since we light real fires in there, I figured that may not be the best idea. It is really cool at night when this room is only lit with holiday lighting!

Caitlin and Olivia gave me this a few years ago and I love hanging it every year. I really do love when the kids all come back and go all over the house remembering the things they have made and given me as well as all of the things we have crafted together on Nana and Papa weekends. And, you can only imagine how long it takes to look at all of the pictures of Halloweens past!

Many years ago (when we obviously only had 5 grand children), the kids made these wooden garlands as gifts for their family. Each child designed a face and then drew it 5 or 6 times. We drilled small holes and wired them together and added the ribbon for hanging. I still love the different faces and remember who made which each time I look at it!

I know everyone seems to like the chevron pattern these days but I am not one of them. I actually bought 2 down pillows in these covers simply because they were on sale and I wanted the inserts for other pillows. I was going to give them to my daughter but I am always on an "orange" alert knowing I can use that color in many of my seasonal designs. Any way, I shoved them away and didn't think of them until I was pulling something else out. I went ahead and stuck some other pillows in them and threw them on the couch just because I needed a bit more orange and lo and behold, I like them!
 

And, since I have finally gotten almost all of the autumn put away, I did a bit of tweaking in the living room.

I had these black branches and birds and no where to put them, so I added them to the top of the mirror. My grand daughter tells me it is "too much" but it IS the raven room so I am O.K. with that!

And, I just made this pillow so my witch can be a bit more comfortable as she oversees things in this room!

And, last but not least, I just put together this crystal ball. I had seen a tutorial on Pinterest and had all of the stuff already so I gave it a try. My fish bowl isn't quite large enough, but it is what I had so I went with it. Simply printed a picture of Madame Leota and nestled her face in the bowl with some black tulle. I'm still on the fence as to whether she will make the cut for next year.

Only a few more rooms to go. Stay tuned.

Now You See It-Now You Don't

You know I am busy and feeling just a bit pressured when I turn down a chance to head to Wiregrass. My husband asked me this morning if I would like to head down there for the day, but, quite frankly, I have been so busy and out of our house so much recently that I have a list a mile long of little things I must do before I will feel semi-caught up.

And so, with that in mind-and to be able to cross one thing off my list, I tweaked the dining room decor so I could take some pictures and show it to you! Come on along.

This stuff has been on the hutch in past years but had to move here because....

...all of the stuff that used to be on the mantle had to move to the hutch this year and I like it here but not quite as much as I did when it was on the mantle. But, I LOVE my Mr. Bones in the family room now so I will either have to come up with somewhere else for all of these pictures next year or "live with it".

Mr. Bone's "shorter" cousin has found a place to oversee the goings on. And yes, any real cobwebs you may see were "pain stakingly" placed on the chandelier for more spooky effects! I haven't switched the light bulbs to the "flicker" bulbs just yet because they give off almost NO light and I have much sewing to still do at this table!

Still liking the skeleton lamp I made last year-thank you Pinterest!

I love this table runner-got it from the now out of business Bombay Co. I loved all of the seasonal things that store used to carry-especially all of their Halloween. So many things in my decor are from them-sigh.

So one more room down and just a few to go. Hopefully my list will be a lot shorter the next time we meet. Stay tuned.