how october is turning out thus far....

 

• Sparkling Pumpkin Apple Cider and Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream for us to enjoy
• Haunted cobwebs and cheesecloth to adorn the front porch 
• Old horror movies and silent films
• Good ol' Ragtime music, keeping with the theme of Nattie's costume for the month
• Our first Halloween party attended and another one to enjoy this weekend
• Softball games with both cold and hot weather
• The best news of all, the anticipated question answered: We are having a little mister (as Nat calls him already)!

there was a trick after all...

It would seem in my haste last night to finish I forgot to add my little werewolf's ears. Thankfully in conversation with my husband this morning I realized my mistake and now my little lycanthrope can hear!

trick or treat?

a witch's silhouette along with her vampire girl pumpkin face

my little witch owl from mathyld befriends an october owl i made

octavius

and the trick or treating commences...

the white queen looks a bit ghostly...

her halloween project for us both, a cemetery scene in a box

the white queen went to a fall festival...

For Halloween this year, Natalie has chosen to be The White Queen from Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland. It was perfect since she already had a glitzy (Disney Princesses) white gown. All that was needed was a platinum wig, a gilded crown, black eyeliner and extremely dark lipstick.
I'm pretty happy that she keeps choosing such great costumes. I've looked in catalogs, online and in stores and I find, of course Alice, The Mad Hatter and The Red Queen but never The White Queen (hmmm).

We got a nice preview of her costume last week at her school's Fall Festival. Last year was our first year there and I know she had a grand time. I didn't capture quite as many photos this year since my hand were holding a variety of things so I missed the daylight. I managed to get a few shots, especially her pumpkin bowling (which they had to cut her off after a while, she kept knocking them all down)!

an october gathering...

Last Friday I was honored to have a few friends over and spend the morning and afternoon with. It was called an October Gathering where spooky things would be about and everyone pitched in with either a home made baked good or savory treats. Tea, both hot and iced was served along with home made ginger ale and we gathered round the table and ate, shared, laughed and enjoyed the company.

This was the first time I was having any thing like this at the house and I was pretty excited. Natalie helped me attached vintage and spooky labels alike onto bottles and jars. Halloween dolls i have collected from Marshall's took a seat by the entrance door. The front room chandelier held pumpkin jars, coffee filter ghosts and an old bat I had made when Natalie was a baby.  Tables had a ceramic owl votive, a few photos within halloween frames, coffee filter witches and cardboard tube monsters. My mom's silver wear found a place in the kitchen along with a few crafts Nat and I have done in years past. Even the restroom became festive with a witch on a broom and pumpkin rocks. An old piece of artwork with creepy eyes stared at you next to a few painted rocks and vampire teeth.

The chalkboard pumpkin greeted everyone with a welcome and on the back, with cut out eyes and mouth, was drawn a burly mustache with bushy eyebrows in chalk. I had another owl votive stand guard along with my sweet serena the witch owl.

The mood was set with the smells of fresh baked goods from the oven. I made banana nut bread muffins and peanut butter cookies of various sorts (original, dark chocolate, apple jelly and apricot jam). Pandora radio was set on the Early Jazz station for background music. Friends brought home made pumpkin scones, three different types of hummus with pita bread, and a salami, cheese, olives & tomatoes platter.

I had such a tremendously wonderful time I truly did not want it to end! I wish the kitchen/dining area had better lighting to show you more of the decorations and yummy foods. I know that this is the beginning of having friends over and spending time with them and I am looking forward to more times of fellowship and gathering.

all hallow's eve

What a great Halloween we had! We began the day with a little baking. I knew we couldn't have a spooky autumn day without it so I looked around and finally found a yummy recipe Nat and I could do, Halloween Spice Cake. We changed ours just a tad bit. We omitted the cocoa, used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar and poured the batter into muffin tins rather than a loaf pan. It's more of a bread type but it was perfect as mini cakes (what we were calling them). Natalie is very much like me where she likes to name things we have 'created'. She named this Autumn Spice Cake and I'm more inclined to that name than to the Halloween one.

We also didn't add the powdered sugar on top but believe me, it doesn't need it. They came out so good and I even thought maybe next time I will add walnuts to it. After the bread cakes were done, I started to make some Cinnamon Pumpkin seeds as well. I had them in the oven for 20 minutes, took them out, stirred butter, cinnamon and salt and popped them back in for awhile more. Very good too :)



Rick came with a few treats as well, like Boylan's Birch Beer, one of my favorite vintage sodas. Actually, this one was Creamy Red Birch Beer, a soda with both natural birch oils and vanilla. Delicious!



The real photo taking began once my mother in law, step father in law, sister in law and nephew came. Look how cute momma and son are!





Evening was quickly approaching and it was time for Natalie's transformation into the classic story book character Madeline. She was just perfect, with the yellow hat and spray painted red hair as well. She couldn't wait for Halloween to begin and as we waited for my friend, her husband and their daughter to arrive, Nat was eagerly handing out candy for early trick or treaters.



Yvette and family arrived and it was time to saddle up everyone for our neighborhood trick or treating. Even little Ezra costumed up into the cutest hot dog we all wanted to gobble up!

And the night truly begins...











It was a great night. Nat's costume was a hit with almost everyone and she had to complete the charm by saying 'au revoir' after her thank yous for the candy. I had to restrain her for being a mile ahead of the rest of the group but I know how exciting it is for kids. All the kids made out great (how couldn't a storybook character, an autumn witch and a mini hot dog not?) and us parents and grandparents had a great time as well.



Hoping everyone had a wonderful and safe Halloween too :)

serena and tea!

The past few days I have been blessed with a few nice surprises. My aunt and uncle who live in Hemet came over to visit this past Saturday and we all had a great time. I hadn't seen my aunt in quite some time and it was so nice to see her looking healthy, well and jovial too! She brought a few gifts over and it was like christmas! We were blessed with yummy teas like pumpkin cream chai, pomegranate green tea and delicate white teas with honey sticks, tea pots and sets too.

Also this week I got a nice little owl post, literally, from my friend Mathyld. Serena the Wizarding Owl is home at last! She made herself quite comfortable upon arrival and even began to enjoy the new tea pots and such with us.


One of the first things Serena did was to peruse books we have all over the house.


She absolutely fell in love with my new owl tea pot my Aunt gave me. I told her how thrilled I was to receive it :)


Eager to use my first Yixing clay teapot (also given to me by my aunt), I made some delicious Blueberry tea given to me by a dear friend who lives in England right now.


Serena, a bit tired from her long journey from Paris, couldn't wait for a cup herself.


While we waited for it to brew, I showed her the beautiful Yixing Tea set that my aunt gave Natalie...


...and this absolutely darling porcelain set she gave her as well.


I think Serena felt quite at home!



Serena came just in time to be with us for this autumn season and I am ever so thankful to Miss Mathyld for sending her my way...