Vintage Halloween Decorating

Halloween collector and artisan Bruce Elsass throws frightfully whimsical parties in his home decked out in fanciful antique Halloween decorations. Take inspiration from his approach for ways to display your own collectibles. The decor in Bruce's dining room is typical of 1920s party decorating with exotic paper lanterns, colorful streamers, and ghoulish pumpkin faces. The room's focal point is a grinning Beistle black cat centerpiece that's nearly 80 years old.

A contemporary cat holds a lit jack-o'-lantern for the freeloading birds circling his tail. Their backdrop is a former doll's chest made from old orange crates and filled with German papier-mache pumpkins. For collectors, the smaller the pumpkins, the greater their value.

Majolica pottery -- stored year-round in a hutch -- complements the seasonal addition of Halloween decorations. The whimsical rectangular plates in back are paper pieces produced by the American Dennison Company between 1930 and 1950.

A grinning skeleton holds court among cobwebbydesserts. The homemade paper-pulp skeleton is held together with wires. The figure is surrounded by a permanent display case of antique bottles and jars, dressed up for the party with spray-on spiderwebbing. Dare kids and adults at your party to pick up candy and cookies at the skeleton's feet.


To view more go to this website:


http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/indoor-decorating/vintage-halloween-decorations/?page=4

Sneak Peek Open House Dollies

Ok y'all I am calling this a sneak peak LOL  anyways the characters are gettin restless in the old hollow to come out and play.  They are anxiously awaiting an adoption so be sure to stop by and peruse them and if you so like we can fill out the paperwork so one of them can be yours to take home or more ...I know they have been partyin and causing much chaos here at the house and I will be glad to adopt them to a good prim home.....

2 New Patterns Coming Soon

Here are the links...




Halloween Witching Hour Clock

Oh what a primitive clock for Halloween! It roughly measures 15 inches in diameter.  Just take a ...
Price: US$6.50








Primitive Hattie Witch With Cauldron....

Look at this gal, she roughly measures 20 inches tall when complete.  She comes with a bubbling ...
Price: US$8.00

Halloween Bathroom Year Round

 Note click on the word HERE and it will take you to website.  Links not showing up...


So I am thinking about turning my upstair bathroom into a Halloween bathroom.  I saw a lady in a magazine that had an awesome one with shelving across the top to display her wares.  Sooo armed with paint in hand I say lets do this!
I have done some research and found this website that sells toilet bowl covers, carpets soap dispensers has shower curtains, etc....you can view it here.

How kewl is this?

For the more gore fans this website has a blood spattered shower curtain here

You can view a toilet monster here. He attaches to the inside of the toilet to scare people.

Also look at this grim reaper toilet seat, toilet paper holder and more so awesome jackpot!

You can find these lovlies plus gargoyle ones and more here.  Warning they are a bit pricey but worth it.

You can find these awesome bath mats too at this website here.  They have spiderwebs and coffins.

This is the coffin one and the spiderweb is on there also so awesome.

This man Bryan makes custom coffin items.  How about this cabinet and mirror combo. He also have pictures of a kitchen too he made. Click the words custom coffin items to see his site...

Found one more gore curtain and bathmat combo  here .

And blood shower gel here

Oh the joy of shopping today whoohoo!

How Do You Celebrate Halloween?

I know myself, I just got rid of the cheap dollar store decorations and started making my own and buying reproduction and vintage items to display in my home.
I started making vignettes on top of tables, in front of the fireplace and on the fireplace mantle. 
There are many great sites online if you google vintage Halloween that you can be on here for days.
I also started making my kids Halloween costumes instead of buying them in the store.  The kids get so many compliments on them.  Last year they went as karate kids.  The year before they went as a cowboy and firemen.
I still get a flutter when it is time to go trick or treating.  It brings back so many memories from my childhood.
My younger son never fails when it gets dark, he doesn't care how much candy he could get, the monsters are out to get him and he wants to go home LOL  We never fail to come out with a big pillowcase of candy anyway. I say pillowcase because that is what we use instead of the store bought plastic junk.
Maybe this year I will go to or have an adult Halloween party, should be fun.....
Soooo how do you celebrate Halloween?

Newbies 4 Sale

Buzzard Tucks on Etsy and Page 5 of Fall Dolls Cont tab on Website

Americana Nail Hair Angel on Etsy and on Website under summer dolls tab page 5

Long Nose witch on Etsy and website under fall dolls cont tab page 5

Stir Witches  on Etsy and website under fall dolls cont tab page 5

Stick witch on Etsy and website under fall dolls cont tab page 5

Gelda Witch Vacuum Cover

I showed this gal on my facebook fan page last night and she is gone gone gone.......I will take customs on her just go to my website under fall dolls cont page 4

Up for Sale Now

Corny Trickster
  Email me for pricing .....

Vlaud the Nibbler- Email me for pricing.....

Pumpkin Picture Holder

Pumpkin Wire Picture Holder

Pumpkin Picture HolderUsing Fimo soft molding clay is a great and easy to way to bring your ideas to life. While shopping one day, my mom and I came across some small wooden pumpkins. Supplies!! All you need for your Pumpkin Picture HolderShe instantly said I could make them and encouraged me to go out that very day and buy my supplies. Whittling a pumpkin out of wood is far from my artist talents, so I used a medium that I could sculpt with my hands and minimal other tools.

Your pumpkin can be any size. Though the bigger the pumpkin the better it will hold up your picture. Mine are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches tall. One small package of Fimo will yield a perfect size pumpkin. I use white clay because I like to paint my pumpkins after they are done baking. If you would rather not paint them, you could instead buy the orange tinted clay.
Fimo Pumpkin Shaping

To start, roll your clay into a ball. Then, press down on the top with your finger to give a slight dip, like all pumpkins have at the top where the stem is. Our pumpkins won’t have stems, but instead will have a metal coil to hold a photo. You will next need a toothpick. Start at the very top and press the toothpick down to the bottom, using the sides and not the pointy end. This creates the ridges. Continue this around the pumpkin until you get your desired look.

Wrap wire around kabobNext you need the coil. I use a 16 gauge crafting wire to do so. Using needle nose pliers, you will clasp the wire at the very end and twist the wire around itself. Cut it off at the desired length.

To make the little coils that come off the stem, I use a kabob stick, and twist a 26 gauge green crafting wire around it. Leave a small amount of straight part at the end to stick in the pumpkin.

Before baking, make sure to create the holes that the wire will go in. Do not bake with the wire in the clay. Make sure you allow the Fimo to completely cool before painting or gluing in the wire. If you are going to paint the Fimo, then I would wait until you are completely done painting before you glue in the wire. I generally use acrylic paints. When gluing, I use a metal glue or multipurpose permanent craft glue. You want it to be as strong as possible so it can hold up its picture.

Once you are done painting and your wire is glued in, use a sealer to hold in the paint and make it more durable. There are many different sealers you can use, and I have yet to experiment with all of them. There are spray sealers, paint on sealers, and sealers that are made especially for clay. Then you also have your choice of matte or shiny. I like the shiny and spray on sealers.

In the end, find your spookiest pictures and display for the world to see!

Tutorial and photos submitted by Jill King. Thank you, Jill!

Flying Bat Pinata

This bat pinata, created using the technique of papier-mache, is creepy enough to be the center of your party decorations. Just be careful after dark; he might swoop down and give you a fright.

Tip: When using black tissue paper, wear gloves and cover your work surface because the dye may run and stain

Paste Layers of Tissue Paper on Balloon


Begin by resting a large balloon on an empty jar (this will prevent the damp tissue from discoloring or sticking to the work surface). Dab diluted craft glue (2 parts glue to 1 part water) on a small section of the balloon, and cover with two full layers of newspaper. For each strip of paper, apply glue and overlap each one slightly before brushing on more glue. After the second layer, tie a long piece of string around center (this will hang your pinata), then continue with 2 more layers of newspaper, followed by black tissue, from the balloon's crown to its knot. Repeat for small balloon (this will become the bat's head), but don't include the string.



Note: This picture is meant to illustrate the technique, but you will be using newspaper and black tissue paper, rather than orange tissue paper, for this project.

Next: Step 2 Hang to Dry

Step 2


Hang to Dry

Using clothespins, hang the tissue-covered large and small balloons from the clothesline by their knots; let dry completely (several hours or overnight).

Step 3


Cut Hole for Candy

Cut a hole in top of body (the large balloon) with utility knife, and save the piece to use for ears. Pop the balloon by making a slit with scissors next to the knot; remove. Cover cut edge with tissue and fill the body with wrapped candy.

Step 4


Assemble the Bat

Pop and remove the balloon from smaller piece. Place small sphere (the head) onto large one (the body). Drape several layers of black tissue paper over the head toward the body and around the neck, brushing with diluted glue until neck is secure. Let dry. Draw or print our bat face template; trace onto white card stock. Cut out features; attach with undiluted glue. Cut ears from reserved piece; glue in place.

Step 5


Make the Wings

Sketch large wing shapes on black poster board, and cut them out. Secure wings to the sides of the bat's body with black duct tape. Paste black tissue paper over the joints to cover the tape. Next, use tape to attach a length of string to the end of each wing. (This will allow you to suspend the wings as if in flight.) Cover the tape with tissue paper. To hang the bat, suspend from body string. Then, tack the two wing strings to the ceiling to make the bat look as if it is flying

Balloons


Jars

Craft glue, by Martha Stewart Crafts, from marthastewartcrafts.com

Black tissue paper, $.89 for 10 sheets, from Create for Less

Medium artist's paintbrush

Clothespins and clothesline

Small scissors, $10, by Martha Stewart Create, from Walmart or marthastewartcrafts.com

Craft knife, $12.99, by Martha Stewart Crafts, from Michaels or marthastewartcrafts.com

String

Candy

White card stock, by Martha Stewart Crafts, from marthastewartcrafts.com

Black poster board

Bat face template

http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/pdf1/1004_batface.pdf

Sooooo

I wanted to have a Christmas open house but that is not going to happen as I am so backed up with Halloween that I will be making it until Easter LOL But I will do special orders on things and maybe get a few pieces done here and there. I also have many swaps and the dolls to get out for the Prim Elegance Magazine soooo busy busy busy.....Somewhere in here I also got to work in kids Halloween costumes too...

I listed 2 newbies on Etsy, their pics are above.....