Martha Stewart Witch Silhouette for the Yard

New Martha Stewart Holidays Yard Decor.

Grandin Road's new line of Halloween decor and decorations inspired by ideas and products featured on the pages of Martha Stewart Living is now available. I picked up the witch and cat silhouettes for the yard. They are from October 2005 issue of Living. I had thought about making them but never came back to the idea. However, they look creepy perfect with a hint of sophistication. The witch comes in several pieces and the broom and lantern, which she wields, come in a separate shipper. The cats (three, sold as set) each arrive in two pieces with detachable tails.

The construction is mostly superior. A few pre-drilled screw holes were missing on the back of the witch but I easily took care of the problem. There is a hinged slot that connects to a support on the back to keep the tall witch from blowing over. The hing is not the best quality but is doing the job so far. She has four ground stakes the keep her upright. All screws, blots and a tiny Phillips screw driver are included. I will post photos of her in a few days. Sadie barked at the cats the first couple of times she encountered their arched backs and frightened tails.

Product Details:
Constructed from heavy-duty plywood
Painted with a rich, black, water-resistant finish
Sturdy ground stakes keep each piece secure and steady
Easy to assemble with just a screwdriver (included)

Unlikely Animal BFF on NGC

Unlikely Animal Friends on National Geographic Channel

Animals have the most interesting, entertaining lives ever.

Retailers deck the halls while calendar says early fall - The Boston Globe

Retailers deck the halls while calendar says early fall - The Boston Globe

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Article explains the rationale to early holiday merchandise sightings. Someone is actually buying the stuff now. However, I agree - as much as I like the holidays - Christmas tree displays leave me a little empty as I begin to enjoy fall apples and pumpkins. Target has some holiday decorations out adjacent to Halloween candy and skulls. The holly and the ivy don't mix so well and are more off putting than the bare, distressed skulls.

Gearing Up for Halloween / Opperation Create Faux Tombstones

I begin decorating for Halloween this weekend and wish to have some photos to show soon. My biggest goal is to make fake tombstones for the yard based on ones from New England cemeteries. The earliest ones from the 1600s are very Edger Allen Poe-ish with sculls and images of the angel of death. Speaking of Poe, I do have some "Nevermore" ravens to festoon the house with.

Here is the tombstone idea I hope to accomplish this frightful season. I took a quick field trip to a Salem, MA cemetery this past Saturday and took a few quick inspiring refrence photos.

Gym Workout

Sadly, was sidetracked by a lingering cold. I told myself I was being kind by not going to gym coughing and sneezing on everyone. Still felt guilt.

focused on:
chest, back, abs, Swiss ball

Sadie as a Puppy

Puppies always seem to lighten the mood. With anger rising up even through the most esteemed ranks, sharing a puppy photo on TGIF seemed the thing to do. She loved her crate as a puppy. She no longer loves the crate and prefers my bed. The expression is misleading. One can read it as discontent of living life behind bars. This is actually the way she looks when she is contented. Big soulful brown puppy eyes are very persuasive.

The OH Lantern Family / 80s Halloween Fun

Six of the eight family members make a creepy, fun display on top of the wardrobe.

Image from the original hang tag that identifies each ghoulish family member.

Released in the fall of 1987, the OH Lantern family, created by special effects wizard Todd Masters, quickly flew off the shelves and racked up $6-million in national sales. They were only sold in gift shops and specialty stores for $9.95 each. The original release consisted of eight family members. In 1988, they also released a baby line of pumpkins that were less detailed and not as successful. The patriarch of the family - of course - is Jack OH Lantern. All members have individual names and biographies printed on their hang tags.

The pumpkins are made of a nerf type of foam that was injected into individual molds. The material allows for numerous details and wrinkles. Mold line clean up varies from pumpkin to pumpkin. They must be stored with care to keep them from being crushed by long term storage. I wrap mine in acid free tissue paper and do not crush them to preserve every toothless grin.

Spanish and other types of moss create a nice base for the spooky pumpkin patch display. Build up the area underneath the moss with blocks of floral foam or boxes to create depth and height. The decade old invasion of faux crows, ravens and buzzards onto the Halloween decorating scene provide additional creepy pumpkin patch props. Fake spiderwebs drape easily acroos the crowns of dead cone flowers inserted into the floral foam. They continue to provide seasonal fun 22 years latter.

Draining the color from the photo produces a sinister effect.