Not everyone loves Halloween.

Not everyone in this household loves Halloween.

If none of my other posts have frightened you, surely this will.



Happy Halloween everyone!

About town: Zombie Walk

I'm sure some of you think I'm a bit crazy for going all out for Halloween (and you are probably right) but I'm feeling mighty normal after spending last Saturday with a boardwalk of zombies!
This was our first time at NJ Zombie Walk and we had a great time watching the undead pass us by.






Whoa. Loved how so many people really got into their characters. The only downside were people like me, totally NOT in costume, ruining the whole scene. Otherwise a completely fun day.

Halloween Freebie: Condemned Sign

Now that you have seen this years Halloween invites and decorations, time for a little freebie.

A condemned flyer of your very own. Even if you don't have a stitch of other decorations, I promise you'll create an aura of spookiness with just the suggestion that the authorities want to board your house up. Print a few (or a few hundred) copies and wallpaper your house, yard or fence with these bad boys. Cheap and easy way to get into the spirit.

{DOWNLOAD IT HERE}

If you use it in your haunt, I'd love to see / hear all about it. Drop me a line.

If you like free, check out the collection of free downloads I have listed here.

Halloween Decor Reveal: Welcome to the Asylum.

So now you know the concept and seen the invite, of course there had to be some exterior decor to match. (Prior year's themes have been spider infestation, skeleton invasion and freak show). Welcome to our madhouse...










The neighbors and passing kids seem to get a kick out of it so I'm happy. We've even had a few people who sneak in the gate and take photos of themselves with our fine doctor. Hee-hee.

It could use a little more filler in the form of spider webs and rubber rats but I didn't have those handy so I'll add them before Halloween Monday but I think this is pretty creepy as is.

And yes, I'm already mentally working on next years idea.

For that want to know the details:
-I made the visiting hours sign really easily using a large wooden board, spray paint, a hand cut 'H' and some peel and stick letters. I thought I'd have to hand paint it but this was so much quicker and easier. (Subway style posters could easily be made using the same method)
-I purchased the hospital gown and scrubs online but added the 'property of' design using a stencil made with the silhouette die cutting machine.
-The condemned sign and patient files were designed by me but I found the eerie photographs on the always full of inspiration site Graphics Fairy.

Halloween Invitation Reveal: This Won't Hurt a Bit

With just one more week to Halloween, its time to show you what I've been up to for this years party. Today's reveal is all about the Halloween invitations ( if you are new to the blog, check out last year's carnival freakshow invite or the prior years creature survival kit)

As you might have guessed already from those sneak peeks, this years concept was a creepy abandoned asylum for the criminally insane. So spooky its oft used in Halloween movies (Pennywise from Stephen King's IT, Michael Myers, etc, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc.) I gave it my own little twist by relocating it right in my front yard. But on that in tomorrows post.

Today is all about the mailing. Just some simple amber bottles with a taste of what is to come.




The front is a faux apothocary label and the back label reads:

When the voices in your head
threaten to overtake,
commit to confinement
for society's sake.

When the ghosts in your mind
become too much to bear,
we'll sedate and subdue
with the greatest of care.

We'll listen and treat
whatever your claim,
before we label you
criminally insane!

Your admittal is confirmed
on October thirty one,
processing starts at four
at Kings County Asylum.






For those who like to know the details:
-Labels designed and printed by me
-Bottles were purchased at SKS
-Skull and crossbones stamp by besotted brand.

More on the decor in tomorrow's post. Stay tuned.

Steal this Idea*: Tiny Typography Table

Its Friday (yippee!) - time for another Steal this Idea* feature - a tiny show of appreciation for a well executed tutorial.

Today's idea comes from the talented Rebekah of Wild Ink Press. (you might remember her from the a-may-zing bathroom renovation she shared a while back.)

Rebekah took a simple child sized table and transformed into a subtle (so rare for childrens furniture) stylish homage to her beloved letterpress. She started with this:



and transformed it into this:



Isn't it great? She shared exactly how she did over at Wild Ink Press.

postscript: *When I say steal, I really mean borrow nicely and give proper credit!

**If you have an idea/tutorial you would like me to consider for a feature, email me. I'd love to see!

Maybe?

Maybe for the man room? What do you think?



all via art.com

If you want real vintage poster inspiration, check out the amazing job Amy of ABCD Design did on her last apartement. Swoon.

Autumn Snapshots

I don't usually share much of my 'normal' day to day life here because really, who could possibly care? But once a season I can share a few random but interesting tidbits of living in NYC thanks to the camera phone. Yea autumn!


top row: lemon ice king of corona; the world's best name for a swingers club
bottom row: cemetery in queens; $5 a pound for toads in bklyn's chinatown

In case you missed it, here was Spring and Summer.

What to do with the man cave?

Meet my room archnemesis - the basement, aka man cave.



Before a single stitch of renovation work had started, the hubs struck a claim on the space like gold rush prospector. Not only did he claim this space as a testosterone zone, he made the decor choices as well - the paint color and the flooring. Hooray for bonus space.



As you might have surmised, this is a problem room. No natural light (no duh, its underground), low ceilings, an odd layout (lots of doors and a stairway) and those inconvenient (but important) pillars that cut off the room - nuff said? Having the extra space is definitely awesome but outfitting it? Not so much.



I believe this shot, taken in 2008, was the last time I took a proper photo in here (could that be more unlike me?). After it was finished, the room got an infusion of old furniture we had from our last house (the coffee and sofa table), a craiglist find (mid century sideboard turned entertainment center) and finally a blue sectional sofa from Jennifer Convertibles.

sorry for the penguin lair angle, took a quite snap with my phone

What does this room scream to you? I'll tell you what it screams to me: BROWN! BROWN! BROWN! AH! The hubs has had his chance (3 years!) but its time I pay a little attention downstairs. It will still be his man cave but it needs some color and some fun. It definitely needs a rug. And art! And pillows (manly ones of course!)

Have you finished your basement or tackled a problem area that might lend some inspiration? Any suggestions for improvement with the existing pieces? Please share! I could definitely use the help.

Edited to add: I did post a little about the basement renovation back in 2008. Read all about it here.

Hello again.

I'm back! If you thought we had flown the coop somewhere, you would have been right. We're back from 8 days in India and it was pretty mind blowing. Everything people said about it and more. I have a lot to share from the trip but its back to work today and I'm way too jet lagged to do anything but share just the one shot.


pigeons flying at sunset over new delhi, taken on the masterji kee haveli tour
arranged by the wonderful delhi magic

Another huge thank you to my sisterhood in Halloween craziness for being part of the ghoulish guest series. I hope you enjoyed it!

Nest of Posies / My Insanity /
Sew Woodsy / Go Against the Grain / Tenjune /
Paisley Penguin / The Martha Project

Of course I have my own Halloween hijinks to share as well - invitations and exterior decor coming up.


skull stamp from the gorgeous new line from besotted brand

And finally just when you thought I had completely abandoned all decor topics, I have final room to tackle - the hubs man cave. Just thinking up a plan at this point but here is the way before to get us started. Anything is better than this right?


the man cave, before

Phew! See why October is always my favorite month! What do you want to hear about first?