a little more Halloween . . .

 

I do not know what it is about Halloween that I love and I am not sure when it started . . . but it is my favorite holiday.  I know part of it is the time of year.  I love the colors of Autumn and the change in the weather.  I love the silliness of the decorations . . . and just a little bit a spooky.

When the kids were young - we would go all out decorating the front yard.  They would help decorate.  One year we even had our black cat tethered in the front yard near some grave markers.  Every so often she would run through the cemetary setting . . . and give someone a scare.

We don't go to quite as much decorating anymore . . . but I love to put something out so the house is a little spooky for any kids that come to Trick or Treat. 

Richard did a great job and once it was dark . . . it was just the right amount of spooky.  I don't go for chainsaws and gore, but a creepy witch and some grinning Jack-O-Lanterns always set the mood.

The kids . . . along with the little ones had other things going on early in the evening.  Richard and I were left to hand out candy.  Some years we may get a lot of kids Trick or Treat, and there was a year when we had two.  So we never really know what to expect.  The candy was waiting, the weather was wonderful, and we had quite a few little kids come to the door. 

While we were handing out candy and watching "Ghostbusters II" . . . we tried a drink that a friend told me about yesterday.  I wasn't too sure . . . but it was delicious.  And I love how it looks!

Pumpkin Ale - the glass is rimmed with honey and a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon.  It sounded a little strange to me . . . but had to try it.

I didn't get a picture of Charlotte in her candy corn pajamas and beanie . . . or even a picture of her awake with her beanie on.  She had her first set of shots yesterday and was not a happy baby.  They didnt get to our house til a little later in the evening . . . this little pixie just needed some TLC on her first Halloween.

Owen . . . CUTE!  He actually did not like the lion head part of his costume and cried when Ashley tried to put it on him.  A bottle always help when a young lion is cranky.

And then there was the Garden Gnome . . . but according to Lily she was a "Garden Fairy Protector". 

 

These were taken earlier in the day at school.  I love this costume.  She had a party in preschool . . . and Uncle "Jabub" came with me to pick her up from school.  She loved that.  I think this one is going to like Halloween.

Just a couple more Halloween pics before we say good-bye to October.  Lily pretending to be frightened by a glittery spider . . . (glittery spiders are rarely really scary)

I love this picture . . . makes me think of when they were small.  The only thing missing . . . Jake.

I did not want to turn my lights out until Lily had a chance to get to the house, but was worried kids would keep coming to the door.  It was after 8:30, but we have gotten kids even after 9:00.  This was Luke's solution . . . I guess this is a sign that it was good Halloween. 

 

"There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch."

 ~Robert Brault

Shabby Charlottes

I am really enjoying making these little dolls.  (I know, I have said that already.)   I love feedback from my family and I posted earlier that they have given me all sorts of ideas . . . so I think I am going to have to keep making them and maybe try selling them.  I usually don't like making items to sell - I would much rather give the things I make as gifts and I tend to not like making a whole lot of one thing.  But I don't want to stop making these.  And each one is a little different.   The kids suggested I come up with a name for my them . . . so they will be my Shabby Charlotte dolls . . . (in honor of my new granddaughter) 

I finished this little sweetie last night. 

She couldn't just keep sitting around in her slip for Halloween now could she?  I do think she needs some beads . . . so I'm going to string some pink beads to put on her tonight.

Do you ever get making something . . . and the ideas just keep coming?  I think I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about Shabby Charlotte ideas.   : ) 

playing with dolls . . .

I had a great weekend . . . luckily I had an extra day off, so I had time to work on my dolls.  When I made the first one of these - I put on the little skirt and picked her up.  They are sort of plain little doll bodies and it seemed like she needed something underneath the skirt . . . so ever since they get underclothes before they get dressed.

Some underclothes are a little shabbier than others.  : )

This one has to be my favorite so far.  I hope to finish dressing her tomorrow.  I am thinking that she may need some bling.

I did get this little vampire finished tonight.  I haven't given her a name yet . . .I have to think about that for awhile.  I had hoped to have them all done by now, but it looks like I play with dolls again tomorrow night.  Actually I think I am going to make up a bunch of these - even after Halloween . . . Luke, Abbie, and Richard have given me good ideas for some more.

For now they sit and wait . . . .

My rock monster can keep them company.

October fun

We had pumpkin carving night this weekend - which included a big pot of chili, a backyard fire, and s'mores.  We had a great time and I love how all of the Jack-O-Lanterns turned out! 

Lily did not like digging out the insides of the pumpkins.  We did get her finally to use the scraper once the seeds were taken out, but she pretty much made up her mind that she did not like this slimy stuff and was not going to touch it. 

She did like making rock monsters . . . I love watching her little hands at work!  I had lots of different colors of paint for her to choose from . . . she wanted to paint both of her rocks black.

They seem to be happy monsters!

And this seems to be one happy little guy!

Owen wasn't able to join us the night we carved pumpkins.  I had hoped to get a picture of all three of the little ones wearing their candy corn beanies.   Owens dad is a San Francisco Giants fan, so I crocheted his using black instead of yellow.  Thanks Ashley for sending me this picture of him wearing his beanie.  GO GIANTS!

And in all of the confusion I didn't get a good picture of Lily and Charlotte with their beanies on . . . we couldn't seem to catch Charlotte when she was awake.

 

I also crocheted a little this weekend . . . another beanie modeled by a skeleton of course (it's October - so that makes complete sense) and a little stuffed pumpkin. 

Try not to worry . . .

I noticed this sitting on the desk of one of my coworkers this morning.  Simply put . . . very good advice.

doll faces . . .

 

We were supposed to carve pumpkins last night - but we decided to wait until Saturday . . . that just seemed to work out better for everyone.  I ended up babysitting both Lily and Charlotte for a couple out hours though - which was wonderful.  I did get a couple more doll faces done . . . but that's about it.  I thought my time was better spent with these two little doll faces!

Decorations and Dolls

I had almost forgotten this little FRIGHT garland I had.  There is just something about Halloween decorations that I like - just can't get enough of them - don't know exactly why . . . the colors, the time of year, the silliness of a little black tree with ghosts and Jack O"Lantern ornaments . . .

. . . glittery spiders!!! 

I only got two of my doll faces on last night . . . but it's a start.  I love embroidering the faces and giving them their own little doll personalities.  I am looking forward to working on them again tonight.  Although we are carving pumpkins tonight - I may have to stay up late to work on my dolls.

Charlotte tried her beanie on for me.  : )  This just makes me smile . . . She just makes me smile!

A baby is a little bit of heaven on earth.

dolls and beanies

My doll bodies are stained and ready to go.  I love staining fabric with coffee . . . each one is sort of unique and I love the smell once they dry.  I just brushed strong coffee on these with a paint brush and put them in the oven at 250 for about 7 minutes to dry them.  Strange looking little doll bodies - don't you think?  So tonight - I am hoping to give them faces.

I crocheted this candy corn beanie for Charlotte last night.  (while I was watching the Cardinals get their butts kicked by the Giants) . . . not a fun game for the St. Louis fanatic who I happen to be married to.  He took it pretty well . . . I think he was happy when the game was over. 

I started another beanie for Owen . . . hopefully will get that done on my lunch break today.  I may have to make one for Lily too - just so I can get a picture of all three of them wearing them.  Next crochet project . . . more beanies for Charlotte.  Our weather has finally changed and I think she has already outgrown some of the little ones that she has. 

Last week I was frustrated because I wasn't making time to do the things I like do . . . feeling much better about that this week.  (I still wish I could somehow get a few more hours added to every day.)

Sunday Smiles

I had some fun with Lily and photo props this week.

She really is a ham when it comes to having her picture taken.

I think she really has the hang of these things . . . I love seeing her smile!

I found this cotton yarn in bag of yarn that I went through last week.  I crocheted a beanie this afternoon and still have a lot of it left.  I remember crocheting some flower shaped wash clothes a few years back - I think I may have to use some of this up making some more.  While I'm thinking about it I can't remember what ever happened to those little cotton wash cloths.  I don't remember giving them to anyone . . . but I can't seem to remember if I still have them either.  (I hate when I do that)  They are pink . . . and would be perfect for Charlotte's bath time.  I will have to look and see if I can find them this week.

Just a simple little beanie . . . some crochet therapy on a Sunday afternoon.  It was sort of a lazy Sunday.  We were up late last night.  Jake, Kasey, and I were sitting around the table talking sometime around midnight and felt the earth shake.  I haven't felt an earthquake in years.  It measured 5.3 and was centered about 300 miles from where we live . . .

 A two hour nap this afternoon . . . means I am up and awake later than usual tonight.  So I stuffed these little dolls that I want to finish this week.  Tomorrow I will stain them with coffee - then the fun part . . . hair, faces, and clothes.  So even though it was a lazy Sunday . . . I did find the time to do what I like to do.  Five o'clock is going to come awful early in the morning.  I better get some sleep.