Sunday, October 24, 2010

How Kiki Lowenstein Celebrates Halloween



by Kiki Lowenstein

Hi, everyone! As some of you already know, I'm a huge scrapbooking addict. So it's no surprise that Halloween is one of my very favorite holidays. I mean, who wouldn't love all the cool iconic images like Jack-o-Lanterns, ravens, witches, full moons, ghosts, monsters, spiders, black cats, and candy?

At my house, my daughter Anya and I celebrate this holiday by decorating our home and turning it into a mini-haunted mansion. In the windows, I put "ghosts." These are really easy to make. Just Google "ghosts + clip art" and find a simple outline you like. Then copy that outline onto a sheet of poster paper in pencil. When you get the outline exactly the way you want it, you can either outline it in black marker or simply cut out your ghost and use a marker to make the eyes. Then, tape your ghost to the inside of a window.

Planning a party? Here's a super-easy party favor: Wrap a tissue (such as Kleenex or Puffs) around a sucker. Tie the tissue with a bit of white thread or white raffia and draw a ghostly face on the top.





Another fun craft is making decorative chains. You simply cut strips of orange paper an inch wide and 8 1/2 inches long and black paper to the same dimension. Then tape together the ends as you "link" one chain to the next.


To make a neat centerpiece as shown at the top of this blog, cut the top off of an empty plastic water bottle. Now drop the water bottle into a vase. (Tip: Make sure there's at least a 1/2 inch of room between the walls of the vase and the water bottled.) Fill the space BETWEEN the vase and the water bottle with candy corn. Add water to the water bottle and drop in a bouquet.

Or should that be a BOO-quet? Hmmm.

As you can see, you don't have to be a craft wizard to make stunning Halloween decorations!

Tell me--How do you decorate for Halloween? Have any special tips or secrets?

PS Joanna asked me to tell you that "Signlady" won the box of chocolates for being so sweet. Signlady, make sure to email Joanna at joannaslan@aol.com so she can pop your chocolates into the mail.

7 comments:

-TheseJadeDays- said...

Hey, I really enjoy your posts and the whole blog. who can I get hold of/in contact with to discuss a possible guest blog?

Have a fabulous day,

Jade S
jade@mediatorr.com

Victoria H said...

I love the candy corns in the vase!
As for how I decorate, this year I didn't get any decorating done for Halloween. Things have been hectic. I usually have pumpkins, gourds and such set out. Then a little scarecrow sitting on my porch.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Thanks for the nice compliment, Jade.

Joanna Campbell Slan said...

Victoria, isn't that cute? One word of warning: I spilled a bit of water on the candy corn so I have this mix in the bottom of my vase now. Not a good idea!

Bocci said...

What a great blog-I just became a follower! And thanks for your comment on Bocci's Beefs. When you get a chance, stop back by and become an official follower-we'd love to have all of you!

Bocci and his Parental Unit (that's me) are dedicated to using this blog to promote pet adoption and rescue-we also have select contests and give-a-ways of pet products-thanks!

signlady217 said...

Thanks for the chocolates, Joanna. One of my favorite things to munch.

Can't wait to pick up Book 4 next spring! Keep up the good work! :)

signlady217 said...

I don't decorate for Halloween, but I do like to see what others have done. Better Homes and Gardens always has fantastic ideas on their website; some funny, some elegant, and some just downright gruesome!