Countdown to Halloween

How do you choose who'll be handing out candy

during a cold & blustery Halloween night?

In our house we use the ever so diplomatic

rock-paper-scissors method to decide.

   Although I've never quite grasped the concept behind the game, I always win! 

 As in..... I'll be parked in front of the warm fireplace

 doing something much more constructive like knitting or Pinning,

 while the Candyman hands out candy to the little ghosts and goblins.

(Have you ever heard of a candywoman?  No, of course not.)

After all, it's only fair that I get to rest after doing all the decorating!

I recently won a $50 gift certificate to Shabby Apple (visit their shop here) from
 Sandi at A Cottage Muse (visit her here to see the vintage treasures in her home
 and the ones she uses to stock her space at Wrentham Country Store).

Sandi's mantel. 

 Don't you love the way she used the rusty old springs?

 For my gift, I chose a set of eight numbered cloth napkins which
 inspired me to decorate our dining room in black & white for Halloween.
I simply folded them and hung them on the rungs of an old ladder.
They add a bright spot to a dark corner and help
conceal some of the many cracks in the plaster walls!

Thank you Sandi and Shabby Apple!

The napkins came tied with the numbered ribbon I've used to hang silhouettes of our

 grandchildren created by my blog friend Tracy of Crow's Feet Chic.

I printed small images in black & white and framed them out

in a pair of matching thrift shop frames.  You can see them up close

in the first picture above.  Thanks again Tracy!

This is the first year we've had the circa 1960's Sears fireplace

in our dining room for Halloween and I used the same rock-paper-scissors

concept when it came to prepping the room for the boo crew.

Well, I guess there weren't any rocks involved, but I made

good use of paper and scissors.

I cut out a pennant banner using construction paper and newspaper I had in the house. 

 I stamped letters on the newspaper and taped each piece to the fireplace. 

No sewing!

A few of my old clocks, vintage black shoes, black licorice in the covered
apothecary jar, and a few dollar store crows to spook it up a bit.
I picked branches and rose hips from our yard and stuffed them into a
vintage vase for my rather sorry excuse of a "floral arrangement".
Floral arranging is not my cup of tea.

I removed my Blue Willow plates from the holder between the
windows and replaced them with 4 circa 1950 framed silhouettes.

Here's the whole set.

My blue & white stagecoach blinds weren't fitting in with the

black & white theme, so they've been temporarily tossed aside for

a no sew valance.  A few pieces of sheet music, some tape, a

paper punch and voila!  (That's what happens when I'm

stuck in the house on a wet, snowy day.  Do you see

the snow covered branches through the window?)

For the table, I filled my tool caddy with scented pine cones and tangerines (they're round and
orange and close enough to pumpkins for me!) and set it on a runner I made from leftover

kitchen curtain fabric.  As you can see there's no cauldron filled with candy yet.
  Why?  Somebody (me) can't leave the chocolate bars alone,
 so we don't buy them until the last possible minute.

In a few days, when you're discussing who'll be handing out

candy, remember the tried and true Ranger method of
rock-paper-scissors.

I always win.  :@

Vickie

I'm joining the parties at:

Knick of Time Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style Wow us Wednesday
Cedar Hill Ranch Cowgirl Up