Countdown to Halloween 2011

Well, eleven days left before Halloween and we still have some important decisions to make! First of all, Charlie needs to decide whether he will be a ghost this year or, like last year, a snowman! Thank goodness he's a cat and doesn't complain about those being his only two choices!

In any event, the best way I know  to save money on cat Halloween costumes is to adopt an all white cat!

And Charlie agrees!



And here he is as a snowman.
I can see why he can't make a decision!

Here, Charlie models his ghost costume.















Now, I need to decide if my gigantic papier mache witch will make an appearance this season! I made her last year during the summer. If you are unfamiliar with this media but love show-stopping party props without spending hundreds of dollars on stuff that will sit in storage for 11 months (and scare the "hell" out of you every time you go down into the basement.....not that this ever happened to me or anything!) then you do need to get familiar with papier mache! My witch joined these "regulars" at my annual family party........



You have to wonder, what kind of people actually buy creatures like this!
Well......I did!

Newspaper, flour, water, masking tape, paint and lots of crazy finishing touches are all you need! Cheap! Just bunch up newspaper and tape it to hold. Make a body and head shape. Mix flour with water until you have a craft glue consistency. Tear newspaper strips. Dip strips into flour paste. (Cat owner? Warning! 3/4 of my cats try to lick the paste - ewww!) Cover form. Minimum 3 layers. Allow it to dry for a few days. Paint and decorate! And if you think you're not "artsy" enough?....oh for heaven's sake! It's HALLOWEEN! Anything goes! And that includes the dust on everything in my house!.....seasonally categorized as "decoration!"



If you place a witch like this in front of a mirror, once the drinks start to flow you will receive many nice compliments on the "pair" of them! Happened to me...will probably happen to you! (Make one - get one!)

Saturday is my party for the "kids." Today is Thursday and I've been busy decorating all week. The best celebratory effect comes from the crepe paper streamer "tent" I put up every year. Attach long strips in black and orange from the center lighting fixture to all 4 corners of the room. Nestle spooky creatures in the fixture on branches spray painted black. Large spiders are great, but so are vultures! Here is one of my silent sentinels!





For efficiency, I bring the black dinner plates out days early, but in my house they need to be run through the dishwasher just before party time - just in case! One year I caught one of my cats curled up in a cute little ball dead-center on a dinner plate just before show time! Around here, you never know!

Hey, what did you guys have to eat at your mom's fabulous party?
Oh, you know, Halloween stuff!....toad legs, eye of newt, hair of cat.......!

                            (He he he!)








One last thing on my "to-do" list for today! Set up the whoopie cushions! This year I am placing them on the guys' seats, covering them in black fabric and enlisting the girls to help by having them tell their husbands that they are playing a trick on me and they should sit down together only when signaled! Will it work? I will let you know! On one hand, all three of the sons-in-law are pretty smart guys - on the other -  well, basically, they are guys! Hopefully they will be distracted by the food and free beer - until they sit down, that is! That is my hope! We'll see!

Come back soon for more Halloweeeeeen!
Part three, right here!