Getting Ghoulish

I'm having a blast preparing for Halloween festivities this weekend, it's kept me very busy Josh and I are throwing a Halloween Bonfire on Friday, followed by Kent Halloween on Saturday. While the forecast calls for snow (yes, snow!), everyone is gathering costumes and getting ready to brave the cold.

Don't you love this pumpkin display? Eerie!

photo via Martha Stewart


I've been baking all week in preparation of the party; cowboy cookies, pumpkin pie and caramel apples are all on the menu. I can't wait to decorate my table and share photos! Until then I'll get back to cooking and costuming. Halloween awaits! Have a ghoulish week!

Down with the Sickness

This weekend was a blast. I've caught some sort of bug, but instead of tending to my health on Saturday I celebrated our last Homecoming with Josh and friends. It was well worth it, but now I'm sicker than before.

Since I'm all cooped up, I taught myself to knit, which is turning out to be so much fun!

It's so easy to do and really relaxing; if you've never knit before, I suggest you try it.

I'll be back in full blogging force in a few days! The leaves are all falling here and it's getting to be the most beautiful time of year. Enjoy some pumpkin inspiration in the meantime, I l-o-v-e the faux bois Pumpkin!

photos via Country Living

Isn't this the sweetest?!?!

photo via Martha Stewart

Off With Her Head

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday. Ghouls and Goblins, Witches' Brew, and Pumpkins are just my thing; and for the past 5 years I've celebrated All Hallows Eve in Kent, OH.

Practically a 3-ring circus, 10,000+ people diverge on our tiny downtown in costumes that would make Howard Stern blush. Throw in a SWAT team (yes, I said SWAT team), a college-worth of kids drunk off their arses, 18 fraternities, 11 bars and you have yourself a par-tay! Ok, so on paper it sounds like an arrest for public intoxication waiting to happen, but I promise you...it's the time of your life.

A la Mean Girls, it's an excuse for girls to dress as skanky as possible without actually becoming strippers, a mistake many make in their first few years.

But a great costume takes meticulous planning. A) You want to look good. B) You want to stay warm, it can get down into the 30's at night. and C) You wanna be something that no one else is going to be (or at least be the best of what you are).

With a million manufactured costumes, how do you ensure you'll stand out in the crowd?

I think the key is finding the right costume and dressing it to the nines. Last year, my friend Lisa and I were Pin-ups. Both our costumes were store bought, then I added ribbon, star buttons for my 'rank', a silk cord off Josh's Class A uniform, and I even borrowed the classic 'envelope' cap from one of the female cadets. We had our hair done the day of and since stockings with seams were too expensive, we drew lines up the backs of our legs with marker.

The end result was a blast! We each received a handful of compliments, which made the costume worth all the effort.

This year I'm heading my bets. I'm being Medusa and Josh is being Perseus. I'll let you look up the mythology, but in short: Medusa was the most beautiful creature, cursed by a jealous Athena. Her hair turned to snakes and any man who gazed upon her turned to stone. Perseus eventually kills Medusa, by chopping off her head.

I'm opting for a simple white, Grecian style dress, though green isn't out of the question. Some leggings underneath will ensure warmth. I'll accessorize with gold and some snake bangles I found at the local vintage store. After scouring the Internet however, I've realized this hideous thing is the only snake headpiece sold separately from a otherwise hideous costume. But of course, Martha was reading my mind when she came up with this up do' created with cheap extensions and rubber snakes. Much better, no?

(photo via Martha Stewart)

I'm super excited to put it all together and even more excited to partake in my last Kent Halloween. What costume will you be donning this Halloween?

Autumn's Bounty.

Autumn is that time of year when I step outside and really appreciate all that God has given us. I breathe deep and smell the Earth. I look around and see bright oranges, reds and yellows popping from the trees.

But why 'leave' (ha, I made a funny) it all for the trees? Bringing the outdoors in is a great way to celebrate the Harvest and decorate for Fall!

I'm anticipating the changing of the trees so I can make this amazing Leaf Garland from Martha Stewart. It's sweet, simple, and keeps the Leaf Collecting truck from chuggin' down my block more than once! Done properly, Martha swears it'll last all season. You can't beat that.

If you live in a no-leaf zone, try Martha's Gourd Garland; it's just as cute and practical. I wish I had a sweet little wood fence just like this one to hang them on. Gourds are another great way to decorate. They can be carved just like Pumpkins and most are edible. What better way to celebrate Halloween than to carve a creamy colored Butternut Squash into a Ghost then devour the insides?

And one can't forget the almighty Pumpkin. King of the Fall decorations, Pumpkins come in so many shapes, colors and varieties it'll make your head spin! Josh and I enjoy taking a trip Heritage Farms which is nearby and spending the day perusing the fields for that perfectly poised Pumpkin.

Pumpkins, along with Gourds, are sturdy veggies. Go ahead and buy in early October. Create beautiful outdoor or indoor displays and leave the little (or big) guys in a cool,dry place. Come Halloween, you can carve what you like and the rest will last into Thanksgiving. If you plan on creating an outdoor display, rest your orange moons on newspaper to keep out ground moisture.

And let's not forget Corn Stalks and Hay Bales. Decorating with these items couldn't be more Eco-friendly! Both are leftovers from harvested wheat and corn and are inexpensive and readily available. While I've seen some grocers charge an arm and a leg for Corn Stalks, I suggest checking the classifieds or stopping by that local farm you always gawk over on your way out of town.

See, wasn't that easy? Being Eco-friendly and chic is so easy, I barely even mentioned it! Don't worry you can thank me when your porch is covered in Pumpkins and Hay. Look for Pumpkin Farms in your area, that way you can have a whole day of fun and support the locals. Happy Gourding!

(all photos from MarthaStewart.com)