Halloween on parade

It's all Halloween, all the time for the next 72 hours at our house!  Oh my ghosts and goblins, can you believe it??  We are holiday "freaks" and Halloween kicks off a six month decorating season (thru Easter) which I am absolutely convinced, helps us survive the winter.  I know many people who hate detest Halloween but we fully enjoy the fun aspects of it ~ candy, costumes, decorations, etc.  The devil worship, sinister side of Halloween (which many people are opposed to) doesn't phase us, we are unabashedly 100% commercialized.  What I'm leading up to, in a not so very eloquent way, is if you are not a fan of October 31st, you may want to avoid my blog for the next two days (three including today) as I'm going to devote the next few posts to it.  Now that we've got that out of the way, I thought we'd share a few of our Halloween decorations with you starting with a little 18" black tree that adorns the buffet:

 

Every year we add a couple more items to it ~ some homemade, some store bought.  My favorite is the owl topper which I added a witch hat to (after snapping this photo):

 

How cute is that??  and doesn't he look realistic??  Next the mantel which won't return to "normal" now until long after the New Year:

 

The bare tree branches (on the right) are stuffed into a green bead garland (that's crammed into a glass vase) and then the metal bats and the large feathered crow were hung from them.  Maybe you can see it better here??:

 

To the left of the branch assemblage, are five, black, dancing, glittered, witches back-lit by candles.  The candles are really effective at night, their flickering light creating the illusion that the witches are actually dancing/moving:

   

Cool, huh?  Finally to the left of the dancers is the "matriarch" witch, ever observant of the celebration in process:

 

and that's where we'll call it quits for today.  We'll pick it back up tomorrow.  A little hint of what's to come (in case you're wondering), think sparkle & shine. 

Comments

[Racquel]

You really have gone all out for the Halloween season! I love the 'Matriarch' Witch in the last photo. She is very sinister looking. ;)

[Marnie]

I fail to see the sinister side of this day. I've enjoyed Halloween since I was a kid and never outgrew it. Those dancing witches are a hoot. Last year I had a party and decorated to the hilt, this year not so much. I have to 'visit' someone on Halloween night because I don't get the kids trick-or-treating out here on the farm. Kids all dressed up is the most fun.
Marnie

[Darcy]

Thanks for sharing your awesome and festive decorations. That's what I call, getting into the spirit! Can't wait to see Butter's costume for this year.

[Frances]

Hi Kathleen, I adore Halloween and take it into Thanksgiving with just a few tweaks. I used to go all out for Christmas back when the kids lived here and we had a super big party each year. Since we moved back to TN that no longer happens. In fact we have spent the last few Christmases in a hotel, visiting offspring who cannot house our too numerous family members. But they HAVE to come here for Thanksgiving. It is our big deal and we like to make it fun for all. I love you mantel and tree, the owl is great. I will be checking back to see the rest.
Frances

[VP]

Hi Kathleen - thanks for visiting my place :)

I see Halloween preparations are well under way over at yours, so do enjoy Friday!

[Nancy Bond]

Kathleen, I love your black tree with the owl topper! All your decorations are wonderful. My younger daughter (grandson's Mommy) used to love Halloween better than Christmas, though I think that's probably changed since her son arrived. ;)

[Layanee]

Love the decorations although I never seem to find the energy to decorate for Halloween. I will enjoy yours though! I want to go into that store....Perennial Gardener!

[Cinj]

What fun decorations. We used to have some neighbors that went all out for halloween. I have a few, mostly home made though. They're more fun than store bought in my book.

I like the fact that we can openly celebrate halloween here instead of just having a harvest party like we used to have to call it. I dressed up and took the kids trick or treating in town this weekene. I think I embarrassed Cheesehead. Poor guy!

[Anna]

It looks very professional with that artist touch you add. I would like to see the witches dancing in the candle light. Autumn and decorating for me is like peas and carrots. I love it. I don't have halloween stuff but I do have tons of Autumn things. My kids are all grown up and gone. I miss the twinkle in their eyes at all the sparkle...which I'm looking forward to seeing next.

[Gail]

Kathleen, Your decorations are spectacularly fun! Count me in on the parade of visitors to see the Halloween Treats and the rest of the holidays! I would visit anyway, but this is a added treat!

[Beckie]

Such fun! i usually decorate some, but just haven't been up to it this year. So I will enjoy seeing your clever decorations. I always enjoy seeing the trick or treaters at the door-they could care less about the sinister and are out to just have a great time. Waiting to see more! :)

[Hilary Kanwischer]

Oh my...I am in LOVE with all of your creepy decor. I too LOVE Halloween and it's funny, people either hate it or love it. I'm just like you, but your decor takes the whole dang cake. My goodness, I'm off to look again, everything is just "spook-tacular"!!! :) Have a wonderful Halloween.

[Alice]

Love all your ideas - especially the tree and the adorable owl with the witches hat. I wish we could come trick-or-treating at your house!

[Hilary Kanwischer]

Oh my goodness Kathleen, I LOVE your Halloween decorations. And I'm so with you, I too adore Halloween, it's so fun with the costumes, and candy and pumpkins, it just puts me right into the season. :) Your home looks "Spook-tacular"!!! :)

[Kathleen]

Thank you all for your generous and kind comments everyone. I'm happy so many other people love Halloween too. I hope it's a great night in your town!