More last minute Halloween fun

Welcome! 

Halloween Kaleidoscope 

‘Shadows mutter, mist replies;

darkness purrs

as midnight sighs.’

 - Rusty Fischer

Artist: Johanna Parker

Kids driving you crazy?

“I want to wear my costume today!”

“When can I eat the candy?”

“I changed my mind, I want to be fire truck this year!”

Publicity shot for Hocus Pocus movie

Here are a few things that might make life a little more fun, a little less sugary and a little less stressful.

I thought these deviled eggs were a clever way to add some Halloween fun to your table.

Posted on Pinterest by Karen Head

She also gives some directions, 

although I think the photo is self-explanatory.

Here’s another cute deviled egg idea:

C. Delicious as it Looks

All you need are black olives and your fave deviled egg recipe!

Next I have a quick and easy craft to do

that will light up your Halloween mood!

(Snark, snark.)

GHOSTLY LIGHTS

Courtesy Disney Family

Things you will need:

Clean milk jug, with cap

White paint

Black paint 

Or

black permanent marker

Scissors/Xacto knife

Battery operated light string

Or

Flameless votive candle

Or

Longish light string

Version 1

Photo by One Good Thing by Jillee

Using a white-ish milk jug, sketch out your face.

Fill in features with a black permanent pen

(Such as a Sharpie)

Using the Xacto knife, carefully cut at the bottom, 

back side a square cut on 3 sides only

to make a ‘door’.

Photo credit: Jennifer- Low Carb Inspirations Blog

Place your string of lights and battery holder inside

Secure ‘door’ closed with a piece of strong tape.

(I like packing tape)

You want it convenient to open and close 

to turn your lights on and off.

Option:

If your ghost is used in an inside or protected area,

You can use one longer string of lights, with the light cord going between ghosts (see photo above)

Version 2

Photo credit Third stop on the Right

This version uses flameless 

individual votive candles.

You can cut your door a little differently shaped.

Check the size of your candle to determine what size your hole needs to be.

Remember, you will be removing it to turn off, 

and placing back inside once lit,

so you want enough room to move around in.

Photo credit Thrifty Fun

Option:

Some of the versions show 

you paint the milk jug white, 

then paint the features 

black with acrylic paints.

Photo credit: My Info

Personally, I think this is overkill.

I wanted to offer it as an option however 

so you can make your own choice.

Here are a couple different versions you can make.

Use your imagination!

Photo credit: Missy Dunbar

Photo credit: Parenting Healthy Babies

That’s it for today!

Elsa Lancaster as 

‘The Bride of Frankenstein’

1935

(A favorite of mine!)

‘Til next time,

inkspired

Truth,

 usually discovered before coffee or before 10am:

When filling the dog’s food and water bowls,

pay attention to which bowl you are filling.

The dog is Not Amused with water

in her food bowl.

Hallowe’en paper doll party

Welcome!

All kaleidoscopes by inkspired and KaleidoCam 

“Halloween is an opportunity

to be really creative.”

- Judy Gold

Papel Picado style hand cut tissue paper banners by inkspired

Let’s have some fun with

Halloween paper dolls!

You can print some on full or half pages

and pass them out to any trick-or-treaters.

Even if they are only ‘family’

all ages can enjoy some vintage cut-up fun.

Dolly Dingle was drawn by Grace Drayton

from 1913 -  1933.

You can read more about her in past blogs,

just search for Dolly Dingle.

A vintage Betsy McCall paper doll page

“Believe nothing you hear,

and only one half that you see.”

- Edgar Allan Poe

Dot’s Halloween Frolic vintage paper doll

Mary Engelbreit’s delightful Ann Estelle paper doll 

with 2 pages of costumes.

These are for private use only.

A page of Sheila Young’s Betty Bonnet paper doll series.

“It’s as much fun to scare

as to be scared.”

- Vincent Price

Thank you to 

good housekeeping.com

for the quotes I have used today.

That’s it for today!

‘Til next time,

inkspired

Last minute Halloween activities

 Welcome!

All kaleidoscopes by inkspired and KaleidoCam app

Vintage postcard

I don’t know about where you live, 

but here in Colorado, USA

we are expecting a freezing snow storm 

tomorrow. 

They’re calling it an Arctic Blast.

Perhaps you are also stuck inside due to weather.

I thought it would be fun to do some

simple last minute Halloween crafts/activities.

1924 magazine cover

I thought this easy string craft looked fun.

I used to make similar decorative balls back in the 1970’s!

Let’s Fly Away/Blog E Dicas De Viagen

These cute votive candle holders are easy, 

and most likely you can find all the supplies 

either at home or the dollar stores.

You will need:

White yarn, any thickness

Glass container with mouth large enough to place votive

Flameless votive candles

School type glue, Water

Or

Liquid Starch, water

Optional: fake spiders, various sizes

First cut longish lengths of yarn.

If making with little ones, a bit shorter is easier for them to handle. Practice and find the right size for all.

In a bowl pour starch or glue. Add less than 25% water.

Stir well.

For example, 1 Cup starch, 1/4 cup water.

Elmer’s type glue works well, and may not need any water if it is runny/thin enough.

Clean your glass container with a bit of rubbing alcohol. Dry well.

You can use clean jars, Dollar Store vases,

Baby food jars, etc.

Alecia@ChickenScratch NY

Now the messy part!

Dip pre-cut yarn into starch mixture. Be sure it is moistened throughout. Squeeze off excess liquid. Wrap glass container with soaked yarn, 

 making sure it is overlapping 

with no loose ends. 

End each piece on top of or under another piece.

Wrap as much or as little as you want. Remember for a spider web it has to have lots of ‘holes’.

Let air dry. Be patient, overnight is good.  

When dry, hot glue or Tacky Glue a fake spider on.

Put in a battery-operated flameless candle and enjoy!

Have leftover starch/glue?

No need to throw it all away.

How about we make some lacy yarn pumpkins!

One Little Project, Pinterest

For Lacy yarn Pumpkins you will need:

Colored yarn in your choice of ‘pumpkin’ shades.

Elmer’s type school glue or liquid starch

Balloons, different sizes/shapes 

First, blow up your balloons to desired size.

Tie off end.

 Next, cut longish pieces of yarn.

Have your glue or starch ready in a shallow pan.

A foil or glass pie pan works well.

Saturate a piece of yarn.

Squeeze excess off with your fingers.

Start wrapping carefully around your balloon.

Make sure you start and end each piece of yarn 

under another piece of yarn, 

so it is like a continuous long piece.

You might find it easier if you tie a string around the end of the balloon, so you have something to hold on to.

This will also be helpful for hanging when it’s time to dry.

Be sure to leave space, so your balloon is showing through.

After wrapping, hang balloons upside down over newspapers,

 or throw away pans, garbage bag, etc.

I found tying them onto a broomstick handle

that is propped horizontal between 2 chairs worked well. 

Place newspapers on floor for excess glue to drip onto.

Let dry overnight.

Time to pop the balloon and discard it!

Tightly wrap a piece of brown chenille stem around a pencil.

Use glue to stick the coil on top of the lacy pumpkin.

Wrap a green chenille/pipe cleaner around a few 

strands of pumpkin yarn, and under the brown ‘stem’.

Done!

These look great with several in a bowl or on a plate!

My next easy craft is truly EASY!

DumpaDay.com

You will need cardboard tubes, such as toilet paper inner tubes,

or paper towel tubes, wrapping paper tubes, 

you get the idea!

On your cardboard tube draw with a pencil 

some spooky eye shapes.

-Refer to photo-

Here are some more ideas for eye shapes:

Cheznounoucricri.centerblog.net

Here’s the hard part:

Carefully

Cut out shapes with a sharp pair of scissors

Or an x-acto type knife blade.

Really.

Be careful.

At this point you can paint the tube black if you wish.

Next, break a few glow-in-the-dark sticks.

Run a line of glue inside the prepared tube.

Place glow stick on glue.

Place your ‘spooky eyes’ in a few windows, 

or as part of a spooky table centerpiece.

If the weather is good,

these look stunning placed in and around bushes!

Have fun!

A few more ideas for eye shapes:

Julie Robins, Pinterest

That’s all for today!

‘Til next time,

inkspired

(My continued apologies for a messy format, text in odd sizes and places and other glitches. I am still struggling with the ‘new & improved’ blogger. Sigh.)

Vintage postcard

Truth of the day,

Usually discovered before coffee, or 10am, whichever comes first:

When feeding the dog, make sure you place the food bowl where she can reach it.

Forgetting this and leaving the bowl of food 

on the counter is...

Irritating to the dog.

A Vintage Halloween

Welcome!

 All kaleidoscopes by inkspired and KaleidoCam 

Vintage postcard

Vintage Halloween cards are really fun!

Lots of Jack-o’lanterns, black cats

and the obligatory witches.

Scary witches

Ugly witches

Pin up witches

Cute witches

they played with them all!

Many of the vintage illustrations 

wish you a merry Halloween;

a jolly, or happy Halloween!

Not quite what we say today!

Appreciatelovelaugh.blogspot.com

Here are a few more vintage postcards:

(Many of the vintage cards I found on Pinterest

Were posted by Zazzle.)

1909 magazine cover art

Going to a Halloween party?

Time for some awesome costume ideas -

From the 1920’s - 1930’s!

1920’s bogies books, posted from AboutHome.com, Pinterest

Patterns for children’s costumes

A vintage Spanish dancer and witch Costume patterns

Thank you for sharing with me

some vintage Hallowe’en fun!

‘Til next time,

inkspired

Truth-

usually discovered before coffee and/or 10am:

When watering flowers outside,

it is a good idea to check 

which way the nozzle is pointing

Before

you turn on the water.

🧐