A Vintage Inspired Halloween

Browsing around blog land I have come to realize that I may be the only one that has not decorated for Fall yet. Why not? For 2 simple reasons:

1. I find it hard to get in the Fall spirit when it is still the temperature is still hovering between 90 and 100.
 
2. My family really loves for me to decorate for Halloween.

One year I didn't put anything up for Halloween and that was pretty scary. My now 8 year old has always loved to watch the transformation and she threw a full on fit that year that it was Halloween and we didn't have one single Halloween decoration out. Now she's sure to remind me that it is coming up and will even ask her father to get the Halloween bucket out of the attic as a visual reminder that I need to put the decorations up.

This is our mantel from last year, it's been the typical Halloween mantel for us...

 
 
Some dollar store items mixed in with some pumpkins and lights. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less... and sometimes is nothing :) .
 
This year I'm wanting to change it up a bit. If you know me, you know that I am a vintage lover to my core. I'll take dusty and rusty over brand new and sparkly any day. I was absolutely tickled to see that Hobby Lobby had some vintage reproductions in their Halloween section. I need to set a week aside to go in daily to use my 40% off coupon. Scratch that, I just realized they have marked Halloween 40% off!
 
I decided to browse Pinterest to get some ideas...
  
 
 
 
I pinned all of these that were linked back to various blogs and websites but soon found out that they all came from the very talented Johanna Parker Design. I love how authentic they look, I'm sure they look even more like actual vintage pieces in person.
 
I also found some really fun collections that are displayed beautifully. This wall collection would be so fun above the mantel or as a display wall for your trick or treaters to drool over when you open the door.
 
 
 
 

And I love this collection of crepe paper characters. I'm learning that crepe paper was essential when it came to decorating.
 
 
 
 
 
 
And I love how this one mixes some Halloween in with their dishes and everyday things. {And the link leads to a slideshow with some other great ideas!}
 
 

 
 
 
Have I got your vintage loving creative juices flowing? Well, then here are a couple vintage themed printables that I found and will be definitely using somehow with my decorations.
 
 
 
 
Click here for the fun cupcake toppers and here for the vintage Halloween banner.
 
I'm looking forward to using some of these ideas I've shared with you to bring a little Halloween in to our home. I have already asked my husband to save all the tree branches he plans on trimming off our tree this weekend for my Halloween decorating. Stay tuned and I will be posting pictures soon! 
 
 

 




All That Glitters...


Sooooo, I felt like I was getting on a roll with getting new blog posts up, but since (and during) the last time I put a new blog post up I was in the middle of getting my girls ready for school, my girls started school (=new schedule to get used to), I fell a little behind on orders and needed to catch up, I decided I wanted to devote more time to my retail space that I have not given it  and I got sick...BUT, the good news is I'm slowly working out a schedule that will let me post more often.

Anywho, let's get down to what you came for...glitter!!


 
 
I recently ordered some new German glass glitter from Meyer Imports and while paint was drying on orders, I have been having some fun with it. I have used it before on chipboard letters and turned them in to magnets. While digging through my craft hoard  stash I found an obscene amount of wood clothes pins and the glue and glitter started flying.
 
 


 
 
Working with the glass glitter is a really easy, fun and cheap way to add a little sparkle to ordinary things. Meyer Imports also sells a glue that works great, but I've also had really good luck with the Elmer's Glue All glue. Make sure it's not the school glue though, it's not strong enough to hold the heavy glitter on your item.
 
 
I'm a big fan of the glitter in a simple jar for decoration also. My girls and I made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby one day and I found some really cute small jars and tags that I thought would work for small wish jars. When the 11 year old excitedly agrees and asks for one for her room, you snap the supplies up.
 
 
 
 
 
 
I just used some small stamps I had on hand with some Tim Holtz metal tags and tied it on with some red and white baker's twine. How fun would these be as Christmas ornaments? I'm also debating about putting them in my Etsy shop, some sparkle to balance out all the wood.
 
In my downtime watching paint dry I also start looking at things I have lying around to reuse for something fun. I had a thick cardboard tube that had potential. I took it out to my saw, cut off a chunk of it and craftiness ensued.
 
 
 
 
I cut random pieces out to make it in to a quirky little crown.
 
 



That this quirky girl decided to try on...