Halloween 2012

I love Halloween.  It's my favorite holiday, as evidenced by last year's posts here and here.  While the only thing scary in my life right now are car and student loan payments, I like the idea of being spooked by something that I know is just pretend.  I also love an excuse as an adult to dress up.  I figured, T being 2, I had one last year to decide what we would be and I had a great one planned, a whole family group costume.  We were going to be the Mario Bros.!  Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach (T) and Toad (K).

Sigh.  Unfortunately, T is 2 going on 12 and she definitely has an opinion of her own.  She told me last week that she wanted to be a ballerina princess.  While I could squeeze this into my orginal plan, I had promised a long time ago that once she could choose for herself, she would decide her Halloween costume. And, side note, she wants her costume to be yellow, pink, and purple.  Ok, darling, whatever you want.

So, I searched the web, looking for inspiration, from none other than my favorite idea website, Pinterest.  (p.s. Are you following me there yet? It's http://pinterest.com/melissa_w_hayes)

Here's some ideas I found:

Source: zulily.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: nancytoussaint.org via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: 50.28.10.151 via Anna on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Christie on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Carolyn on Pinterest

I really like the ribbon edged tutu look, but I didn't find any "how-to's", so I think I should get to work and make my own, don't you?  Well, I've got less than two months so I best get to work!

Happy Halloween!

It's a little embarassing, but Halloween is totally my favorite holiday.  I love the idea of being anything you want for one day.  I love the creativity in decorations, costumes and even yummy treats!  Its a perfect time of year as its not usually too hot or too cold.  Around here, you never know what its going to be like.  Last year, it was sunny in the 80s, this year, its partly cloudy and in the high 50s.  Even though I started working on our costumes at the beginning of October, I was literally hemming T's dress last night and adding details today.  Ah, procrastination...

Anyways, I can't wait to update with some pics tomorrow!  Hopefully my darling is as excited as I am.  I got a little nervous this morning when she was afraid of the Jack-o-lantern!

Halloween decor

Earlier this week, I gave some hints as to what I've been crafting on lately.  I had a surge of energy last night and this morning and got a ton done!  Actually, the surge of energy was more the fear of guests coming over tonight with my house a mess and no decorations up!  Haha! Nothing like a little motivation, huh?

Anyways, here are some of my decorations and beauties!

These are my standard, store bought decorations that I put up each year.  I got both of those Halloween cats for a total of $15 on Halloween day a bunch of years ago, marked down from $45 each!  Sweet!

This is what I've been working on:

My Halloween rag wreath!  Simply tied strips of black netting and orange and yellow fabric around an old grapevine wreath I had.  Love it!  I put it up with 3M Command Strips.  I hope it holds!

Milk jug ghosts!  I may make a few more of these, time (and milk consumption) permitting.  Lesson learned, use Sharpies, not T's washable markers!  The have white Christmas lights in the back of them so they light up at night - so cool! 

 

My piece-de-resistance!  I am in love with this!  Let's take a closer look, shall we?

I spray painted this awesome branch I found and an old clay pot with black glossy spray paint.  I found the paint in my basement from the previous owner and the pot and branch were free, total score!  Once dried, I inserted the branch into potting soil and wrapped black netting and sparkly orange tulle around the base.  I tied strips of orange fabric around some of the branches and the pot to add some color.  The s'mores guys were previously purchased.  I made mummies out of crepe paper and T.P. rolls.  I cut up paper towel rolls and wrapped felt around them, attached a handle and drew faces on them with a Sharpie.  The Frankensteins and Ghosts were totally inspired by this blogger, Kiki creates.  I love how it came out!  I hope my cats don't equally love it!  They tend to knock things over!

To top off my Halloween decoration morning, after I took our dog out one last time before work, I deposited his, um, "stuff" in our trash can only to be followed by a whole mess of scratching.  Upon closer inspection, there was a rat in our can!  Not just a rat mind you.  They get big around here, like R.O.U.S. big!  (Rodents of unusual size!)

It must not have liked me peeking at it cause it let out this unearthly shriek!  So of course I screamed, then our dog started howling.  Lovely.  Still grossed out!

Panic button!

Ok, ok, I know.  My posts have been a bit fewer these days.  Between my sister actually requesting more blog updates and the new tab screen on Internet Explorer saying that blogger has been "less active", I've received the message, loud and clear!

The thing is, I've actually spent a great deal of time writing lately, my thesis that is!  I am aspiring to graduate this December, defending my thesis on December 2nd.  That's the plan and what I've been working towards ever since I found out my boss was leaving the university and I had better get my act in gear.  All along, I've been thinking "December, I have time.  December, I have time..."  Last week, B said to me, "Are you going to be able to finish in two months?"  Two months, who was he kidding, I had until December!  Except that it was the end of September and I'm defending on the second day of December, so really, yeah, two months.

(Here's where I go into a spiral of panic!)

I've been working on the same three experiments/goals since July with limited success.  I've finally finished my first author paper manuscript and got that off my to do list, now my actual thesis is looming in front of me (all while trying to finish those same three experiments).  ARRRGGGHHH!

So, I apologize if I haven't updated more, but between being nauseous (and throwing up in the morning), researching, reading and writing for my thesis, and trying to get these last darn experiments to work when everything in the world of research that can go wrong will, I just haven't been able to do many blog updates.  (Seriously, between cell contamination, my incubator breaking, and my supplies being back ordered, what else can go wrong?  No.  Wait.  I'd rather not find out, thank-you-very-much.)

I have found some time to do some crafting.  I'll try to write some updates about those very soon.  Here are some hints, courtesy of pinterest (are you following me there yet?  check it out! http://pinterest.com/melissa_w_hayes)

Source: makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: kikicreates.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I'm also doing some custom dresses for a friend for their annual family photo shoot.  The material just came in this weekend and is waiting to be washed.  Their two adorable girls will be wearing pillowcase dresses in these fabrics:

So that's the update.  I'm about to get waist deep in the exciting details of the "inflammasome".  If you're interested, maybe I'll write a post about what I actually research.  Since you're probably not interested, I'll write some updates about my craft projects very soon.  Pinky swear!