The Ghosts and the Goblins Will Come Out Tonight!

I loved Halloween when I was a child. My mother didn't decorate the house or spend time putting together elaborate costumes but I do remember the excitement that I felt each year in anticipation of trick-or-treating. Our costumes were usually homemade and put together at the last minute. I remember a few of them. I was a tomboy so I never wore anything girlie. I remember being a sailor, a clown, an Eskimo (yes, an Eskimo because I had a large winter coat with a furry hood), a baby in footie pajamas, a hobo, a cowboy, and a skeleton. Our neighborhood was large so we always came home with a pillowcase full of candy that lasted for weeks. When we got home, my sister and I would dump out the candy on the living room floor and sort out everything that we didn't like. My father was right there to retrieve the licorice, rootbeer candies, and peanut butter kisses. I can still see him sitting in his chair with a lap full of candy "rejects".

As an adult, I still live in a large neighborhood where Halloween is a big deal! Prior to trick-or-treating, all the little ghosts and goblins (and their parents) meet in our cul-de-sac for a hot dog supper. It is a wonderful event that allows the neighbors to gather, show off their costumes, and socialize prior to hitting the streets for the night. Once the signal is given for trick-or-treating to begin, our house is their first stop. Kids from zero to about thirteen or so, run up our hill for their first treats of the night. This year, we passed out over 500 pieces of candy in about three minutes. Our candy bowl was practically empty and we rested in the front yard waiting for the next round to show up. A crisp, fall night in Georgia...the weather was PERFECT for Trick-or-Treating!












As I reflect on Halloween's from the past, I wanted to post this little poem that my mother used to recite when I was a child. I believe that she made it up but I'm not sure...




The ghosts and the goblins will come out tonight.
The ghosts and the goblins will give you a fright!
The ghosts and the goblins will all trick-or-treat.
You better give them something to eat! BOO!

Happy Halloween to All!

School Days in October

I love things that are associated with my own school days...old desks, textbooks, lunchboxes, and notebooks. I have collected some of these over the years and am always on the lookout for more. This bow-tied teddy shares his desk with items from the season. I found a piece of artwork that one of my girls made in preschool and added it to the desk. The nose and glasses remind me of
the school carnival days; carnival games and prizes, lots of greasy food, and homemade costumes. Great memories for me.



Do you remember the grade school music books? There was usually a section dedicated to each holiday. I found these two songs in a third grade music book; it sits on my piano with a hand holding the page. The hand reminded me of "The Thing" from the 60s show "The Addams Family" so I had to add it to my collection.

King Zor, the Dinosaur costume, kindergarten artwork, and a vintage noisemaker...

A bucket full of Halloween treasures!

Tricks, Treats, Trash, or Treasure?

Decorating for Halloween started early at our home this year. Since I am retired and have time, I decided to get the decorations up by October 1st so that we could enjoy them for the entire month. I find myself collecting items throughout the year (Goodwill is one of my greatest resources!) and I was like a child in a candy store when I opened my boxes of Halloween decorations this year. I had acquired several "new" items and was excited to find just the right spot to display them. The lamp on the Hoosier cabinet above is filled with candy corn. I use this lamp throughout the year and fill it with things like candy corn, peppermints, conversation hearts, marbles, and even crayons. It's a great conversation piece and sheds "light" on the season.

A painted window above the mantel sends a Southern message to those witches who've left their special ingredients behind, ready for the potions of the night! I use this window throughout the year; using acrylic paint makes it very easy to clean and repaint another saying for another season.

And, what do you do with all those stuffed animals that your children collected over the years? You dress them up for Halloween, of course! Large bears are particularly eager to be donned with hats and masks and Halloween "Beanie Babies" are great sidekicks.

Pumpkins and Plaid

I have found that people collect most anything. Several years ago, I saw a picture in a "Country Living" magazine of a bookshelf with several plaid tins stacked together. Being a child of the 50s and 60s, I had an immediate attraction to these plaid tins and to the plaid lunchboxes and thermoses. It was then that I decided to begin my own collection. To date, I have thirty five thermoses of various plaid patterns, five plaid lunch boxes, five plaid tins, one plaid cooler, and one plaid grill. Yes, I said a plaid grill. So cute and very unusual. I keep the plaid collection out all year, as it looks especially festive during Christmas.

A happy pumpkin full of mums standing tall atop the plaid cooler, accompanied by a metal barn lunchbox and a pair of pumpkin clogs.

The barn lunchbox is a duplicate of my very first lunchbox, taken to first grade with me. As you can see, I've loved plaid for a long time!



Another touch of plaid and orange!

Ghosts and Goblins!

Do you remember the story called "Teeny Tiny"? It is about an old woman who took the clothes off of a scarecrow and was haunted each night until she gave them back. As a child, this was one of my all-time favorites, especially at Halloween. I can still hear my mother as she read, "Give me my clothes!" Such a thrill as her voice got louder and louder, each time she read that sentence until the old woman finally shouted, "Take 'em!" A far cry from some of the horror films today but very thrilling in my youth.

In preparing my home for Halloween, I have included some of the treasures from my childhood and many more that I've acquired over the years. The skeleton costume and mask in this photo were found on ebay. I was the lucky winner of this costume and another one of "King Zor: The Dinosaur". This costume was also included in the box when it arrived. Wow! What a find!

No. This is NOT a real frog! Just a rubber version in a jar but it does look like it may just hop out if the lid were lifted.

I am lucky to have two grown daughters who love to decorate as much as I do. The wax on these candles was meticulously dripped by one of my daughters then she added the spider web to get the full effect. Love it!

My father-in-law restored the cash register that was in his father's store. I love to place candy jars around it full of candy from the season! I find my jars at thrift stores. They seem to have the best selection and they obviously have the best prices. One day, I hope to have a store counter with a display case below to place it on and to store some of my favorite antique toys.

Decorations inside and outside the house...there's just not enough room for it all!

Getting Started

October 21, 2011

My name is Judy. I have recently retired after a thirty five year career as a teacher/administrator in Georgia. After years with a routine, I am discovering the joys of sleeping a little later and having time to start and complete projects at home without interruptions. What a joy to make my own schedule full of things that I love to do!

I like to tell people that, after retirement, "Everyday's a holiday!" I love decorating my home for the holidays with items from the past (and present). As a collector of country antiques, collectibles, and old toys, I am always trying to mesh the items I have to create unique looks for each season! Through this blog, I hope to share some of my holiday ideas with those who share the mindset that "Everyday IS a holiday!"