"Grrr. Argh"

All Hallows Motifs

 

 

Found these gems mixed in with a book of repro vintage "Seasonal Motifs" scrapbooking paper in Michael's clearance. They're kind of small, and in most cases hard to read (definitely hard to photograph), but I can think of a few things to do with them. ;)

Halloween Watch 2014

Sometimes I swear I live at Michaels and Joanns. This has been one of those weeks where I find myself at either store multiple times and now it's July so the Halloween things are trickling in, which means I'll be there a lot more. Monday all they had was ribbon, the sparkly silver, purple and black décor crap and fall stuff. Today there was a little more. I actually went in hopes of those certain early and predictable yearly items being out-- lucked out on finding one of the two of what I was looking for, but give it another week and that one aisle they have cleared will be full and that one item will (hopefully) be there.

Honestly I'm sick of the sparkly "regal" Halloween end caps-- they don't even merit a pic anymore, but they did have this, which at least made me smile:

And this craft in the kiddy stuff which I only took a picture of to remind me to make my own...

Ultimately, this is what I walked away with...

(Hello Kitty and "stickerz" from Joanns $1 section)

 

Halloween 2013 Kicks Off

Halloween 2013... doesn't that have a great ring to it?

If you're a true Halloween addict you know that July 4th, for most retailers of the crafting sort, usually marks the stocking-up point for the Halloween season. Last night, after spending all last week wading through the heat playing pet sitter to the neighbors dogs, I decided to head out to the craft stores in desperate need of some autumnal relaxation therapy. If I know for sure fall is coming with tangible faux-liage, well then summer doesn't seem so bad.  My Mom had already spoken of such wondrous sightings of fall leaf garlands hovering outside a Joanns she had passed the other day. I feel like I've been living in Joanns the last few months, so no doubt I'd get there soon enough. Instead, I headed to Michael's for a change of scenery. They did not disappoint.

Sure enough, looming large over the entirety of the floral department were the tell tale seasonal signs of fall foliage and polystyrene ghourd-geousness (oooh, did I really just make that pun? my humble apologies) beckoning to us from atop their shelves-- Mom went with me, in dire need herself.

Naughty little me. No pictures were taken... I was selfish this time around and took in all in for myself. Sorry. Mostly it was fall stem arrangements, pumpkins, leaves, crows and owls and spools of Halloween ribbon (the usual for this time of year), but they still serve as a much welcome harbinger of Halloween to come.

Picked these up to thicken up my stain glass, year-round pumpkin patch I started in my window last year and the big one mostly for the skull and bats...

 

And some ribbon to tie my hair back as I start to dig in on this years haunt...

 

 

 

A Quick Face Lift

*before*
 

I stumbled upon this little number at Home Goods last weekend. They've finally put out their Halloween. I was originally eyeing the  plaster house at Michael's as a quick and easy (borderline brainless) craft project to take a break from my heavy lifting haunt projects-- the little kid in me can't resist a 3-D coloring activity like that-- but they weighed a ton and shed plaster dust like crazy. I had a place to put it, but it's on a shelf on the wall over my bed. Wouldn't THAT be fun to wake up like the Wicked Witch, with a plaster house on my head after the shelf gives out in the night...
On a whim I went in to HG to check things out and there it was-- a sad little mess, all by itself, a bit vacant in all it's glittery genericness on the shelf. None-the-less I thought it was cute and packed with potential.

Best of all, it's lite enough to put on those persnickety bed-hovering shelves of mine. I'd much rather be pummeled by some cardboard and glitter than a 5lb plaster cast.

*after*

Some dried out cherry stems for weeds, a new "wreath" and some pumpkin-esque pasta (also found at Home Goods) with stick bits from the yard and it's looking super homey. Still a work in progress, but for the moment I'm enjoying the simplicity.

I almost, kind-of, miss the "Beware" sign, but it's found another, more appropriate home.

Cause Goldfish are just that dangerous... ;)

Little Ghoul Lost

Picked this little one up at Michael's today. Super cute.