5 minute Halloween/Harvest decorations! Quick, easy, & no stress!

Here are some really quick & easy Halloween/Harvest decorations I found this morning.  These take 5 minutes MAX to put together!

(photo BHG)

Candy Corn in a clear glass container with ANY fresh flowers!  Easy and super cute!

(photo BHG)

Use simple construction paper shapes and tape to embellish a simple glass dish!

(photo BHG)

Cut a runner out of orange felt.  Cut the same size out of brown felt.  Cut small circles in the brown felt runner.  Layer on top of the orange.

(Photo BHG)

Use fluorescent green foam circles (craft store) Cut into crescent moon shapes.  Use double stick tape to secure them to a tree to look like creepy eyes!

(photo BHG)

Cut Halloween shapes out of black construction paper and tape to the inside of your windows.  When the room is lit, the shapes will glow!

(photo BHG)

Use strips of orange construction paper secured to a glass votive holder at top and bottom with tape, forming a pumpkin shape.  Add a leaf cut out of green construction paper.  Drop a votive candle in for instant cuteness!

More harvest decorating at Kendall's house

I've completed a few more updates and my home is ready for Halloween & Thanksgiving.


I have bookshelves in my entry, but didn't want to completely dismantle what I already had on the shelves.

Instead, I just added a few pumpkins and harvest items to the mix...

This is the arrangement I made last week with the little pumpkins and gourds I got at the pumpkin patch 6 for $3.  I already had the glass container.  I elevated it on orange and yellow books.  I already had the red coral, but thought it still worked with the colors.

I already had the white pearl vase, and just added some burnt orange silk flowers I found at Hobby Lobby for $2

I already had the Ethiopian basket (it usually holds rocks and small candles).  I arranged mini pumpkins & gourds and a few silk leaves and branches.

This is a fiber optic haunted house that I've had for years.  It changes colors and is super tacky but I love it!

Instead of removing things from the shelves, I just added in little pumpkins tied with raffia.

I've also had this little light up pumpkin "house" for a long time.  I just put it on the bottom bookshelf on top of a stack of books.

I spent a total of about $15 on this bookshelf arrangement!

Project Pumpkin underway!

I finally made it over to the pumpkin patch and went NUTS buying pumpkins and gourds in all shapes and sizes.  I think the guy running the place thought I was completely batty!  Here's what I came home with...

I immediately sat down and put together one of the projects I posted about last week.  Here it is...

 

Isn't that the cutest?!  It was super easy.  Here's the step by step:

1.  Use a medium to large pumpkin.  Wash off pumpkin with wet cloth.

2.  Tape a stencil on pumpkin (I used W for our last name.  You could also use 3 smaller pumpkins & spell out the word BOO.  I would use no smaller than 4" stencil).

3.  With a Sharpie, trace around the stencil.

4.  Use a pumpkin carving knife or paring knife (I used a paring knife) to cut the outline of the letter.

5.  Carefully cut out just the top layer of pumpkin skin inside the traced letter.  (Beware -- the pumpkin will be a little "juicy" so don't be wearing anything too nice!)

6.  Place pumpkin in a pot, urn or other fun container.

7.  Tuck in a sprig of Fall leaves, berries or branches.

8.  Tie a raffia or ribbon bow around the stem.

I absolutely love this project, especially because it can stay up through Thanksgiving.

More to come...check back!

Our Spook-TACKY-ular Halloween Decor!

I was informed by my 8 year old that last year's Halloween decorations were just not scary enough!  Hmmm, a challenge, I hear??  So, presenting our new, GHOULISH, Halloween decor (just looking at it will frighten all you "Marthas" out there, but hey...we do it for the kids right?)

Sidenote -- The pumpkin patch is on my list this week, so I can complete some of those cute pumpkin projects I posted last week!  Check back!

Definitely not far from the truth!

 

Lighted skulls and a severed leg will welcome our trick-or-treaters this year.  Lucky them!

 

Some creepy claws...

 

I can't even explain this one!

 

Rest in peace, whoever you are...

 

And we had to have spiderwebs...

 

A warm welcome from the cackling, rattling caged grim reaper!

 

Creepy...

 

To complete the tackiness, one MUST have an inflatable angry jack-o-lantern!!

 

Mom in da house!!!

Free Gift from HGTV!

For those of you who don't mind the pumpkin guts, copy and paste the link below into your web browser for FREE pumpkin carving templates from HGTV!

http://www.hgtv.com/holidays-occasions/hgtv-exclusive-pumpkin-carving-templates/index.html

Painted Pumpkins - and no more pumpkin guts!

I just love painting pumpkins! It brings back memories of childhood and painting pumpkins with my Girl Scout buddies. Plus you don't have to dig out pumpkin guts, bonus! (photos courtesy of BHG)

Easy peasy pumpkin painting! Freehand stripes, dots, stars, the possibilities are endless. How about your kids' school mascot or logo? What a great way to use up leftover paint from other projects!

Flashy spiderweb! Freehand a spiderweb on the top half of your pumpkin. You can use the glitter paint shown above or paint pens would be easy too! Look for gems to glue to your pumpkin, creating the spiders. Have any gemstone costume jewelry? Great way to use it!


Doilies! Craft stores carry paper doilies in a variety of sizes and patterns. Affix doily to pumpkin using pins or tape and then paint inside the holes with color of your choice. So cute!!

Creepy crows! Okay, this takes a little artistic talent, but I love this! What else could you paint on your pumpkin? A large spider? A bat? Your mother-in-law? (only kidding)

Out of my gourd, about GOURDS!

Continuing with my Fall decorating ideas, here are some wonderful things you can do with GOURDS! I just love these freaky little vegetables, especially the oddly shaped and bumpy ones! You can find these just about anywhere, but my favorite place to buy them (for cheap!) is at a local pumpkin patch. I visit one held at a church here in Katy every year, but local schools often do these too! I decorate AND help a good cause. Makes me all warm inside! (:

(all photos courtesy of BHG)

Gourd or mini pumpkin votive holders. Appropriate for Halloween through Thanksgiving! You could use these as pathway lighting for Halloween or centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table.

I love these apothecary jars! They are such a versatile decorating item. Fill with gourds, mini pumpkins and fall foliage through Thanksgiving and then Christmas ornaments to carry you through the holiday season. Group them in 3's or 5's for a "WOW" display!

Another glass jar idea!

Cute, cute, cute! How about something different for your Halloween party or Thanksgiving gathering: Set up a "Candy Bar" using hollowed out gourds or mini pumpkins for your containers. Fill with candy corn, butterscotch hard candy, caramels, black jelly beans, etc. Be sure to drop a glass votive holder in the opening to hold the treats (okay, that was a "duh" moment!)

Happy Fall Y'all!

I haven't posted in awhile, much to my dismay. LIFE has been taking all of my energy right now! I still haven't completed all those projects I posted about. It's nagging at me, but eventually it will all get done (I'm hopeful!)

In the meantime, I found some easy, inexpensive and absolutely SPOOKTACULAR pumpkin carving projects Enjoy! (all photos courtesy of BHG)

All you need is a drill and several size bits to make the holes! Easy peasy!

Sketch the squares and then use a pumpkin carving or other sharp knife to carve out the square (but only the outer skin. Don't carve all the way through!) The deeper the cut, the more the pumpkin will glow when lit. You can use a knife or a lemon zester to make the lines.

This one take a little skill, but how cool is this?! Craft stores carry a variety of monogram letters in different fonts and sizes. Trace the letter on your pumpkin and then carve carefully. This is a display that could stay up through Thanksgiving. Gotta love that!



Love this idea! Carve out your house numbers on pumpkins. You can stack directly on the porch or elevate with an urn. Again, your craft stores have the number stencils. This is another idea that could stay up through Thanksgiving. I love how they accented with the Fall leaves!

You could also spell out "BOO" on 3 pumpkins. Fun!!