HAPPY HALLOWEEN - Decorating for the Party

With Halloween here, I just had to share my FAVORITE idea this year found on Pinterest (don't you just LOVE Pinterest?) but originally from Better Homes and Gardens...

How completely awesome is that?  AND there is a tutorial of sorts...find it here on my board.

I love a natural look - I love fall colors - I love garden urns.... 

and this arrangement had it all going for me.  That black urn really makes this, don't you think.

I would do this for my fall decor!

From Mary Carol Garrity - (you have only to check out her books to see why I love her). 

This from her now famous shop - too far away for me to visit - Nell Hills.

So, pumpkins, right?

Love them, but what do you do with them AFTER you go all out and decorate with them?

I know you will say make pies, or toast the seeds... 

but my gag reflex kicks in the minute I touch that inner pumpkin slime...

I'd love to have a big statement like this, but I'd have to do it in funkins

and then...where to store it all?

For the funkin manufacturers out there - (faux pumpkins)

could you make some that look like this?  I would snap those up so fast!

For me, its all about Halloween - 

I kicked off an annual party last year for my clients and friends.

so....

Here's my second annual Black Hat Society party decor 

(costumes were optional, but hats of any kind were mandatory!)  

THE MANTLE

This year I found adorable felt skull garlands at Home Goods.  The skulls needed something to help them stand out against the white mantle, so I bought cheap plastic ivy and spray painted it matte black.

I added these battery operated orange mercury glass lights at the last minute 

(made a huge difference)

(also found at Home Goods)

These garlands....so cute!

Everything else remained as it was - with the exception of adding the crows and the Halloween candles.

THE HALLOWEEN TREE

This was my favorite thing last year, and I loved it so much I had to do it again this year.  I stuck curly willow twigs in styrofoam in an antique urn and decked them out with a variety of lanterns and mini crows.

I can't tell you how happy this tree makes me every time I walk into this room and see this riot of color and craziness.  

MR. SKELLY

He was on the mantle last year, but this year Mr Skelly was happy to spend his time on a small chest in front of the window - draped with bittersweet - atop a wooden planter.

THE KITCHEN

Not a lot of decorating space in the kitchen - but these little ceramic jack-o-lantern votives found a spot on the cook-top hood

and I managed to bring some color to the island with a 'crow and floral' arrangement.

I don't remember where she came from - but my silly jack-o-lantern doll lights up the corner of the kitchen.  I love that she's completely ugly holding her black cat with her weird green hands..

but she looks so awesome when you plug her in!

THE DINING ROOM

I used the large buffet under the window to display Mr. Bones and a colorful arrangement of chinese lanterns and velvet pumpkin stems.  The highlight is my 'Witch's Cupboard', though - a bit of a curiosity with birds nests, mortar and pestle and various potions and skulls.

The bottles are a combination of purchased and concocted - I'm sure some are missing...must have missed a box this year...

LIVING ROOM AND ENTRY

(and I still don't have the curtains back up....)

I love bright orange chinese lanterns.  I remember real ones growing in the backyard as a child - they fascinated me.  They are probably a weed, but this arrangement makes me happy.

 I love the silly skulls ringing the top of the urn, too.  Over in the corner by the french shutters I filled a crock full of fall leaves.  These bright touches in my neutral living room really pop!

I switched out the botanicals for these vampire silhouettes this year!  Love them!

My boys think the coolest thing is this display case with skull and spider....

It never hurts to tuck a little Halloween into unexpected places...

Last year he welcomed visitors on the front door.

This year he hangs on the mirror at the staircase landing.

Also on the landing this year - 

This chalkboard and these fabulous shoes...

I ask you, would a Bad Witch wear shoes this fabulous?

Never.

ENTRY

Speaking of witches, Matilda had a spot in the entry again this year.

She's quite stylish...

That adorable witch tassel was a handmade gift from a friend

The rose hip wreath is perfect for the black front door...

and simple enough that it doesn't vie for attention with this guy...

Mr. Bones II has a perch on my big black urn right by the front door.

Tiny pumpkin lights and a festive hat help him welcome guests.

Mr. Bones III welcomes you to the Dead and Breakfast Inn at the end of the walkway.

Apparently, there are vacancies.....

He's in a bit of a dark spot, so I used a couple strands of battery wire lights to brighten him up a bit...

Welcome to the Dead and Breakfast Inn...

I think one of my favorite Halloween decorations are these pumpkin lights.

I've had them forever and I use them every year.  

Silly, smiling, orange orbs of light...

Girls, it was so fun!

Let's do it again next year!

(for those of you who want to follow Kristy Tate and her amazing books, here's her link...

I hope you are enjoying her book!)

Happy Halloween!!!

EASY SEASONAL PILLOW FOR HALLOWEEN - a tutorial (sort of)

So I was feeling a little lackluster the other day.

I've had a very busy season and I was feeling like I needed a little time off -

even if it was only a few minutes.

I decided to stop at HomeGoods to have a quick look around - 

relax a little - (retail therapy)....

Halloween was in full force.  

I found an awesome Halloween garland of little black and white felt skulls 

that I will put to good use next month.

As I was browsing through table runners, I saw this one.

I thought that colorful embroidered design on the end would make an awesome pillow.

Actually, with the design on both ends, it would make 2 great pillows.

I decided to buy it and see if I could grab a few minutes 

to make something kind of special.

The runner had this great black piping above the design, a perfect finish for the top of the pillow.

Check out the great details on this design - the embroidery, the beading and sequins.
This is very nicely done.

I would have to pay a pretty penny to purchase a pillow like this at Pottery Barn.

In fact, I have paid a pretty penny for Seasonal pillows at PB.

Here's the finished product,

and how it was done...
(I love this, by the way)

First, I cut through all layers of the runner, about 1/2 inch above the black piping (top of pillow).

The lining provided the perfect backing for the pillow - no sewing required - and a nice black piping all around is a great finishing edge for this pillow-to-be.

I happened to have a perfectly squishy pillow form that fit nicely.   

You could use polyester stuffing if you weren't able to find a pillow form the right size.

(Mine was actually a little larger than the pillow, 

but the length was good and it was soft enough that it still fit snugly inside.)

Once I had the pillow form inside,
I folded the raw edges under 1/2 inch and pinned the top edges together to close.

I used a heavy duty thread, and whip-stitched the edges together.

It only took a few minutes, and it was done.

So cute in my living room!

This was pretty simple and with the runner having this design on both ends, I have one to give away!

That's about $7.50 a pillow (not counting the filling).

This was by far the cutest Halloween runner I found, but I'm keeping my eyes out 

for some great Fall and Christmas runners to turn into pillows!  

MORE ANSWERS TO READERS QUESTIONS

Hard to believe Halloween is just around the corner.

I've been a little pre-occupied with plans for the halloween party this year - 

the

2nd Annual Black Hat Society party

Last year was so fun - I've been deciding what decorations to use

What food to serve.

What treats to give-away...

 I will be hoping for some inspiration at Rogers Gardens next week.

Can't wait for Halloween!!!  Can you?

QUESTIONS FROM READERS:

Hi Claudine, I came across your blog and was reviewing your suggestions for colors.  I am re-painting our house and deciding on the right color.  Our brick is light however the house is painted a darker grey.  

I would like to change the color to complement our brick and was thinking of a taupe color.  I have looked at Sherwin Williams and am debating on using Studio Taupe. 

 I was also looking at Behr colors however did not find anything quite right.  I'm attaching a few pictures of the house for your reference.  We are also replacing the roof so I feel it's the perfect time to change the overall colors.  I would greatly appreciate your suggestions.  Thank you!  

A Midwestern girl looking for help

Vanessa Lloyd

Hi Vanessa and a shout out to the Midwest!  Thanks so much for reading.  
Your brick has a very warm tone, and it may be hard to find the right color that will compliment it - which will be your task to paint the samples and hold them up there to see the effect.  Gray is actually the most popular accent to use with the orange toned brick. Not sure taupe is the way to go as it can have a bit of a purple undertone.  Possibly a beige with a gray undertone. On the other hand, a blue gray, or blue-green gray would be a perfect compliment to your house color - maybe for an accent color? or a door? -

 but here are a few colors to try:

try Benjamin Moore Raccoon Hollow

try Benjamin Moore Brandon Beige

try Benjamin Mooer SMOKEY TAUPE or STONE HEARTH

try BenjaminMoore LOUISBURG GREY

BM Louisburg Gray

Personally, I'm kind of in love with the painted brick look for updating a home these days - so I've included a couple examples of that - just because they look so awesome.  I just spend a week in Utah working with a homeowner who just purchased a red brick house.  

There are a gazillion red brick homes in her town, and the only way to update this look is to paint the brick.  However, you may be very fond of your brick - so this is just a suggestion!  Good Luck!

Hi Claudine,
I was hoping you could help me out. I am really dissatisfied with the color of the walls in my library. 

All the paint in the room is by Benjamin Moore. The walls are Pale Oak, the built-in bookshelf is Revere Pewter, and the trim is Catalina Blue. It is a large room with high ceilings and two walls of very large windows, facing East and North (and one window facing West). It goes without saying the room has a lot of natural light, mostly unobstructed, since we live on the ocean. My original idea was to keep the paint mostly neutral, because the room has a lot of artifacts and texture. I chose the trim to be brighter, shooting for the sea glass hues. I love everything in my library, except for the walls (besides, the wall paint would be the easiest thing to change) -- and for the life of me, I cannot figure out what other color might work. There is so much light in the room, that the color of the bookshelves ends up blending with the wall color. I'm thinking something warmer than Pale Oak might work, as long as there is enough contrast in the bright light. What would you suggest?
Thank you so much,
Natalia

Hi Natalia,
I think you are so blessed to live on the Ocean.  The room is simply lacking contrast.  I know you said you get tons of light, but a room without contrast can get a little 'meh', and I think that's what you are feeling.  The wall and bookcase are too close.  It needs freshening with some soft white. 

Benjamin Moore REVERE PEWTER with white.

 Revere Pewter looks amazing with white.  Try Benjamin Moore DOVE WHITE on the walls, and you could bring that sea glass trim color as an accent wall - Benjamin Moore BEACH GLASS - in your wall niche 

Benjamin Moore BEACH GLASS

and maybe even at the back of the bookcase, similar to this:

Good Luck!

Hi Claudine,

I found your website while searching for ideas on exteriors for brick homes. I saw your write up on Curb Appeal where you discovered white wash for brick homes.

Our home is half orange ugly brick and the other half is white siding, black shutters, black front door, white double garage door, and dark grey shingle roof.

. 

I really like the idea of white wash but because of the ugly orange brick I think it would be better to either paint, lime wash or German Schmear. I also like the taupe and possibly a darker taupe for the shutters and the question would be what to do for the siding and what color and what technique do you recommend.

I have attached some pictures. Let me know if you need other pictures. I’ve also attached pictures of homes that I like.

Thank you,

Carmen Carver

cmcarver@me.com

Carmen,

You are absolutely right.  A white wash over the orange could leave you with peachy pink - and I agree that paint in a taupe or gray would be an amazing look for this home.  I would consider a charcoal or navy for the accent color (shutters, etc.) and for a true update, paint the siding the same color as the brick, as the two toned look is more dated.  Here are some examples of color, and the treatment mentioned above.

 Good luck!  Contact me again once  you have decided what look you like if you need specific recommendations for colors.