Plans and Radio Show

Taking photos of the faux pumpkins that haven't been carved. Picking them up at post Halloween sales, Goodwill, and garage sales. Getting harder to find older uncarved faux pumpkins in the wild. Working on possible designs for next year.

Found one more short one after the group photo. The 3 in back have base coats and a little color or distressing. We also ordered some larger pumpkins from Funkins last year. The scarecrow head has now been out for many seasons and is showing some wear. We ordered 2 possible large replacements.

Throughline on NPR has been playing the history of Halloween episode from 2021. The 50 minute episode, The Dance of the Dead, you can listen to here. It is kind of fun to relive the late 70s and 80s with the cultural changes in how Halloween is celebrated now.

Behind the scenes

A rare sunny moment on the graveyard. That fence was really only meant to survive the pouring rain of last Halloween. This year we have some delamination. Fingers crossed we might build a more sturdy fence and add a new grave next year.

Looking down from the window where the skeletons dance. Scraps from the same pink foam the gravestones are carved from keeps the faux pumpkins looking in the right direction. I use elastic to attach the pumpkins. Gives them some movement in the wind. If the wind blows one over the elastic keeps them from falling. Shelves from a 4 shelf unit sold at Lowe's allow for drainage and the correct height.

Template used for gravestone placement. The template is used to get the correct placement for the rebar. The gravestones have PVC pipe inside that slip over the rebar. The gravestone base slips over the rebar first.

In this photo photo the template was put back on to make sure the rebar was at the correct angle. Then the gravetsone slips on and nestles in the base. The bases are cut at an angle for the steep bank.

We took more video than photos this year as the only new items were the projection and the big pumpkin stack on the far side of the house. The Halloween album can be found here.

Mr. Old Fashion Halloween is retiring next summer. We are pushing back the post Halloween blues by talking about budget and plans for Halloween 2024. I hope you all had a great season. Today I start taking down the inside decorations.

That's a wrap on Halloween 2023

155 toy and candy treat bages went quickly. Moved on to candy, pretzels, and rice crispy treats. Lost track as some kids got more then 1 treat. Best guess is between 225-250 trick or treating folks. We closed up shop at 9:30. It was a really great night.

Happy Halloween

It looks like cold clear weather during the prime hours for trick or treaters. I hope everyone has a magical Halloween!

Decorations in the neighborhood

So many great decorations and some just appeared on Saturday.

Inside

The foyer. Short video of the Halloween tree lights flickering on.

Witch House

My favorite witch house again this year. Always a delight. Noticed a wheelchair or scooter ramp has been added so the pumpkin arch had to go away. I like the pumpkin stack.

Got the Halloween tree up over the weekend.

Quick film of the new projection running. This projector over heated and died so we repalced it. A filmed walk through will be up after Halloween. Projections from Mr. Chickens's Prop Shop.

Sorrow

I have been quiet and not sharing as much this season. In August Fern was diagnosed with Lymphoma. We didnt know how much time she had left so we chucked schedules and made it all about her. Hubby built a catio for her and her sister Ivy on the back deck for lots of sunshine. We sat outside with her, gave her whatever she wanted to eat, and time stopped when she wanted attention.

Last Thursday the vet came out and helped miss Fern pass at home. All 3 of us have been trying to adjust to a home that feels empty after 13 years of so much joy. Trying to stay busy so the Halloween outside is done and we started running everything nightly on Sunday. We don't add music until Halloween night.

Spooky Decor

A little natural decor near the pumpkins on the side porch.

This shelf runs the length of my office and I was trying to get an image of the collection. Jumped on a ladder to get video panning from left to right. The devil lantern and witch house are from Two Mushrooms and the other lanterns, buckets, and witch are from GrimQuiet.

Hat Box Ghost Craft Class

Next Sunday Michaels is holding this class to make this cute Hat Box Ghost. 2 hour class click the link for available locations.

80 degree temps over the weekend meant a push to get the yard finished by last night. A bit of paint touch up to the cemetery fence and a repair I had forgot about. Tested out a new projection and with a few tweaks I think it might be fun.

Fred Meyer

This tray was one of the better Halloween items at Fred Meyer this year. A very small selection of spooky Halloween.

I did find this apothecary tin sign at my local art supply store. She also has the cute murder of crows back in stock,

Discovered at Walmart a new orange globe light strand that flickers!

Very soft warm light with a subtle flicker. The light strands will be on the entryway stair case railing this year.

Finally, the Home Depot 8 ft pumpkin stack is mine. Missed out on it last year and it sold out online this year. Senor Scary even offered to buy me one in CA to ship to Oregon and the next morning my store had them in stock!

My dining room has 10 foot ceilings and this pumpkin stack looms over the room. We always say how we miss the lights of the yule tree in January. This pumpkin cheer might replace the tree until spring.

Pumpkin Light

Found at an antique mall today. Lovely older plug in incandescent light up pumpkin. Not sure how old it is. The top has a moon and 2 star cut outs.

Halloween Gift Shop

Local shop has set up a cute display.

Close up of the winged skeleton on a broom.

Love the warm glow from the these Jack-O-Lanterns only the micro fine black glitter on the stems was spreading. I'd mask off the pumpkin and hit the stem with a high gloss clear coat to keep the sparkle. Starting the Halloween album for 2023 here.

Halloween Shopping

In another first this year, Anthropologie is offering Halloween Goodies for 2023. Inlcuding this gorgeous spooky village. There are buildings, gravestones, and a gate for the village.

This year I started watching more Halloween shoppers on Youtube inclding Cris the Girl and her shopping trip here. She covers Crate and Barrel, World Market, Williams-Sonoma, and Anthropologie in Florida. My World Market won't have Halloween out until next month.

One of my other favorite shoppers and crafters who owns a lovely vintage home is Christopher Hiedman. His crafting videos for making old school decorations are easy to follow.

With the writers strike I have been spending more time on Youtube and discovered this fun couple of the Grimm Life Collective and they travel to spooky places. They go to filming locations, horror conventions, famous haunted attractions, and graveyards.

Glow

This incredible little guy arrived from The_October_House on IG today. Cute as is only it glows in the dark! 3.5 inches of pure Halloween Happiness.

From the Tim Holtz Halloween 2023 line I found these tiny little treat buckets. They might not be in stores everywhere. Ordered mine online and they arrived in a few days. Used some little rice lights from the Tim Holtz Halloween collection a few years back to show how they look lit up. There is a hole in the bottom for the tiny LED's.

Ikea Halloween

Ikea has Halloween this year! Keyword search Kustfyr to see all the Halloween available. My store has already sold out of some items only they will re-stock. You can order all of the items, right now, online. I like the pendant pumpkin light that is for indoor use only.

So much Halloween out there and I am stil on a quest for the 8 ft. Jack-O-Lantern stack at Home Depot. None as of yet at my store showing in stock and I dont know if I need one. It would be nice to see it in person.

We are off to the Ghosts of Summer convention this weekend. My first year attending. Our summer project has been building a new fence in the back yard. So close to being done. Once that is done I need to drag out Haloween items for paint and repair.

Pumpkin Head

Found today at Market for the Strange in Salem, Oregon. The artist is TransinThesis only the pumpkin heads are not currently up on the site. 3-D printed sculptures the little version is 6 1/2 inches. Flicker light in head.

Really excited about this market that is new this year. Today they had an all ages outdoor market that was packed with so many great vendors. A little Halloween cheer on a sunny day has me dreaming about fall.