Halloween CD-Revamped

I know a lot of you have halloween parties, but what do you do for music?  I listen to seasonal music when i'm decorating and to get me in the mood (for the holiday, of course.  you know what i mean!)  But let's be honest, there's not that much out there music wise for holidays other than Xmas.  So i did what a diyer does best, and made my own!

Way back in the day of good ol' free Napster, i looked up any key word pertaining to the holiday, so witch, halloween, vampire, skeleton, werewolf, haunted.  I did not want "scary sounds" like a door creacking, or a witch cackle.  I wanted songs to sing along to, to rock out to, so these are the lucky ones  that made it onto my CD, titled Halloween Revamped.  Some are kiddy songs (at least they sound like it) but they are no less rock out worthy!


1.Every good mix compilation starts with an intro, so the first "song" is the instrumental theme to the fab, yet defunct, tv show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

2.this is halloween-nightmare before xmas.  It ain't a Halloween mix without this song.

3.werewolf watoosie-boris pickett and the cryptkickers. could not find this on youtube!  it's so flippin' hysterical, you guys, if you can find out!

4.halloween-aqua.  Yes, the same people who brought you "i'm a barbie girl" have this awesome halloween song.



5.spooky scary skeletons-they use the word sarcophogas.  Automatic coolness.


6.in our haunted house-andrew gold.

7.vampires in love-marvelous 3



8.we only come out at night-smashing pumpkins

9.headless horseman-bing crosby

10.hex girl-scooby doo movie

11. i put a spell on you-hocus pocus version


12.  superstitious-stevie wonder. 

13.  ghostbusters-seriously, you need this too.

Let's end on 13, "cuz it's a witchy number".   If you've seen me driving around these last few weeks, now you know what i've been listening to.  Do you have any favorites that say "halloween" to you? I would love to make another "revamped" mix.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

No, really...

Remember when i said i loved Halloween?  No really, i love halloween.  Who else does this?  Good decorating, out the window with this set from S. 

Birthday gift, probably 10 years ago from Domestications.

Enjoying Halloween in every part of your house...priceless.  Even when it's totally corny and kinda tacky!

It's the Great Pumpkin Carve

It's the Great Pumpkin Carve, Charlie Brown.  Not to be confused with the Great Pumpkin.  No, this is the Great Pumpkin Carve, which takes place for a mere 3 days the weekend before Halloween on the grounds of the Chaddsford Historical Society. 

Smaller candle lit pumpkins line the path to the entrance, and once inside you see mammoth pumpkins carved with all sorts of intricacies and shading, truly works of art.  Yes, some much more basic than others, but still a "good use of pumpkin."  Each entrant gets a ticket to vote for your favorite, and at the end of the night the "audience choice pumpkin" is crowned.  The rest are judged officially and the winning pumpkins-all locally grown-display their ribbon the remaining evenings.  There are categories like "most artistic, "most halloween," "best use of pumpkin," etc.

We have been going for the last three years, but we had never gone on Carve night.  I am excited to share them with you guys, b/c what says transformation, before and after, or metamorphosis than creating a piece of art?

Get your "ok to muddy up" shoes on, and let's take a walk through!

Isn't this amazing? 

I voted for this cobra.  We have never seen anything like this in the years we've been going, and it really looked great.  I love that this carver put the tealights in the tail.

Such a neat idea!

This one rocked!  From head on it was not effective, and you actually couldn't tell what it was, but from the side...i hoped that the judges look from all angles so this one gets the props it deserves!

At first glance, you're like, whatever, a skull.  But then you see that the eyes are pumpkins, the nose is a witches hat, and the mouth are cats.  So clever!

The entire outside of this pumpkin was shaved to make it white, like Jack Skellington.

A great use of pumpkin, and again something we hadn't seen before.  If you can't tell, it's a BBQ, and there was even a "lid" with a handle.

  This got S's vote, and it just creeped people out at the mention of bedbugs. 

Here is evidence that i am a sucker, b/c yet again i bought something.  This time, instead of a t shirt, i figured i could use this vintage inspired limited edition print as part of my decorations.  Luckily, this free frame came in handy!  Thank goodness i'm hoarding any i come across.  There were so many pumpkins to show you, but i hope you enjoyed some of my favorites!  I love looking forward to this every year, and it is now one of our Halloween traditions.  What are some of your halloween traditions?



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She's my ay-yay-ngel

That was me channelling my inner Steven Tyler.

So yes, last year i admit, i did finegle my cat into a Halloween costume.  At first she wanted nothing to do with it. 

Silly thing, look at her trying to escape!

She gave up rather quickly, and didn't even try to take it off.  Even the halo, miraculously-oh, miraculously!  An angel?  Miracle? You clever thing!- The halo even stayed put all night. 

So comfortable, she even fell asleep! 

What shall she be this year?  I have a few costumes stored away.  Do you guys dress up your pets?  What have they been, or what are they going to be this year?  Do tell!

Comfort food

Food is all those substances which, submitted to the action of the stomach, can be assimilated or changed into life by digestion, and can thus repair the losses which the human body suffers through the act of living.
--The Physiology of Taste, Brillat-Savarin via The Sadness of Lemon Cake

The moment i read this, i immediately thought comfort food.  Repairing the losses of the day with food, through food, via food.  I have been having a bit of a tough time at work lately, and to come across this quote, and these thoughts of comfort food, well, comforted me.

 I see this as being different than favorite foods.  There are lots of foods that i love, but wouldn't necessarily consider them a comfort "go to."  Comfort food is basic, unpretentious, and simple.

First and foremost, mashed potatoes.  I don't think it gets more basic! I've always said i wanted a mashed potato station at my wedding, with various toppings.  Namely cheese and bacon.  The best part of Thanksgiving dinner, too.  Well, that and the biscuits.

Apparently all my comfort foods are carbs and starches.  Are they the same things?  Plus, i eat like a child.  Pay 25 bucks (or more) at a buffet, and the first things i scope out are the potatoes and mac and cheese.  It's just not right.

Broccoli cheese soup, only bested by soup in a bread bowl.  It may just be the words "bread bowl" that does it. 

S makes the best fried chicken cutlets. So thin, so crunchy.  They don't even require ketchup accompaniment.  See, one without cheese.  Although cheese would be fab.  As would bacon.  Let's just add cheese and bacon to everything.  I told my dear friend Maggie that her scarf looked like bacon.  She actually agreed once i pointed it out, and said she'd never look at the scarf the same way again.

I was gonna be all, "well, we don't add cheese or bacon here" but we actually can add bacon. In fact, we should.  Bacon and chocolate are a fantastic combination and i implore you to try it.  Not just recommend, friends, implore!

So yeah, i think that's pretty much all the food that's synonymous with comfort to me.  Unless we want to expand that to some of this, which i have been partaking in this week. 

A well deserved glass of vino.

Lest you think i only eat horribly, i love me a big ol' salad. But a salad ain't no comfort food to me. 

So what about you guys, what are your "go to" comfort foods that turn your frowns upside down?

 last image  weheartit, others allrecipes

Drum roll please...

The winner of my very first giveaway (per ghetto-tastic pic i took from random.org) is number 48.....

Sarah from One Tiny Stitch!

Congrats my sister (she's not really my sister, but she knows what i'm referring to)! I'll be emailing you the code and the specifics.

 And just to nip anything in the bud, there were 56 comments, but the last one came in after the contest was closed so it was not counted.  Therefore, 55. Thank you all for playing, and maybe you'll be lucky enough to win the next one.

The score, Halloween style

Spooky skull decoration: 0
Ridiculous cat:1

Luckily it was a clean break and easily repaired with super glue. Could have been a lot worse!

The giveaway is closed-thank you all who entered. You guys rock!

Giveaway ending tonite

In case you never noticed that little "extra, extra" sidebar thingy where i add random nonsense like link parties and thank yous, i wanted to be sure you knew that the

$40 CSN giveaway ends tonite at midnight

That's about as in your face as i care to get, so hopefully that suffices.  And while we're here, let's do a shout out to some friends who i need to thank for awards, etc.  A general "taking care of business" type day.

Marjorie from Crazy Cat Decor bestowed upon me the versatile blogger award and K from Big K, little a  tagged and bestowed me the stylish blogger award.  Thanks ladies, you rock!  I agree with you 100%. HA!

Beth's kick ass Halloween mantel party garnered a feature for my halloween tablescape, so thank you Beth from The stories of A-Z. 

I think that does it.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway, and i can't wait til i can stop saying that!

Phone home

It's like that scene in ET, you know the one?  Where he's hiding in the closet with all the stuffed animals and the camera slowly pans by to see if he's amongst them?  And then it goes past, but comes back with a sort of "wait a minute...."  Yeah, it's like that. 

Ha!  I found it-

The internet is a wondrous place!

Pesky pumpkin problems

*Don't forget the CSN giveaway going on til Monday*

Perhaps these people don't have squirrels....

because mine looks like this. 

Destroyed by squirrels and then violated by ants.

  I would love to know what their secret is.  Do you have a secret to prevent pumpkin destruction?


images 1.bhg 2 and 5. matha stewart. 3.front porch ideas 4.good housekeeping 6 and 7. southern living 8. flickr

A La Heart

I won a giveaway from my sweet bloggy friend Linda at A La Carte.  It was more than just the fall goodies that prompted me to enter, but the thought that i would have actual things around my house from such a kind lady and online friend. 

Along with a lovely note and ninja-like wrapping job, here are my goodies!

Who doesn't love a surprise sachet of candy corn?

The inspector giving the recipe box the once over.

Much better than my current system....

This is even cuter in person, if that's even possible!

This acorn topped canister, isn't it adorable?  It's living on the upstairs bathroom vanity, bringing fall cheer to the otherwise ignored second story.

All the goods.  Thank you so much, Linda!  You are so thoughtful for offering this giveaway, but also for shipping it.  Yowza, those shipping costs are insane.  You see why i'm sticking with online codes!

Speaking of online codes...what the heck, where are you all?  Do you not want free money?  The csn giveaway is on til the 18th!  yeesh!