Three Things : Halloween

Halloween

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A few weeks ago we had the outside of our house painted. I was waiting until that was finished to start bringing out the Halloween decorations. And now I am so, so excited to get down to the business of decorating.

This is coming into a time of year I just love: Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I have started baskets of supplies for each holiday (adding to last year's stash) and have begun making lists of things I want to put together this year.

Wondertimepumpkin

I love this pumpkin pounding idea over at Wondertime (via Two Straight Lines). I am also going to go for something along the lines of pumpkins that were on the cover of County Home (or Cottage Living or one of those this past month) - they used larger circles that will require a bit more work but had such a cool look. My mom and I strategized on this and decided that I could use a circle cookie cutter (not huge obviously) to start the circle and then use a knife to cut the rest out.

I am in the middle of putting together my a Halloween minibook from last year that I will post when I have finished later this week.

Here's three of the products I have been gathering or am planning to pick up for this season:

Teresa Collins Spooktacular Halloween Circle Tag patterned paper : especially fond of the circles with the lines. The back is black with large white dots (image shows a portion of a 12x12 sheet of paper).

Little Yellow Bicycle Frightful Clear Cut Frames: great for pages in a minibook or as overlays on top of photos.

Evalicious Halloween Mix Button Embellishments: thought these were really cute and could be used in lots of different ways around the house as well as in paper projects.

Dottedline

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47 thoughts

  1. Molly says…
    10/14/2008

    I'm finishing my halloween mini from last year as well. Kind of fun to get in the mood by looking at photos from last year. I was thinking pumpkins with circles as well, saw it in a old MSL. Happy day, Ali!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. sue says…
    10/14/2008

    Cool products Ali! I especially love the button embellishments.
    Your decorating ideas should be in a holiday decorating magazine or book. Very creative.
    Sue

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Hannah says…
    10/14/2008

    fall is my favorite time of year too!!! I just love the color changes, and the smells in the air....the fresh apples, and cider...I can't wait to take our annual color tour next week!!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. MNScrapbookmom says…
    10/14/2008

    I love decorative pumpkins... although, I will always love the traditional carved face pumpkin. This year, I think I will buy a white pumpkin as they seem to be so lovely, and perhaps try this pumpkin pounding technique. Happy Fall Ali... ¥

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Deanna says…
    10/14/2008

    I will be decorating tonight, fun fun fun! For your "holie" pumpkin... a hole saw attachment for the drill works perfect!

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Tisha says…
    10/14/2008

    I think I saw a similar circle pumpkin idea in a BHG - they used a circular apple corer and punched out circles from different colored pumpkins, then put the cores back in the other colored pumpkins! Looked pretty cool! Here's a link to a similar project!
    http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/pumpkin-carving/pumpkin-pileup/

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Kelley says…
    10/14/2008

    I suggest a power drill with different size bits to get circle look you are going for.

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. dinny says…
    10/14/2008

    Another fall fan here! Pumpkin carving is always an adventure around our house. My husband started a tradition of using power tools to carve our pumkins. Drills make PERFECT circles in pumpkins, and the available sizes are whatever bits you can get your hands on! I also found a melon baller makes a cool translucent perfect circle. Here's a pic from a few years back :)
    http://dinnys.com/uploads/DMI_Edgy_pumpkins_LO.jpg
    Happy FALL!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Libby says…
    10/14/2008

    A couple other people have already mentioned this, but a cordless drill with a couple of different bits will get you the perfect circles. Also, I'd recommend using wood booring (sp?) bits. They come in sizes lots of different sizes and if you only drill halfway through the pumpkin you will get the semi-opaque look another commenter mentioned. Good luck!

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  10. Theresa Smith says…
    10/14/2008

    I put those exact mixed button embellishments in my Etsy favorites! I love evalicious!

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Kerry says…
    10/14/2008

    Hi Ali! Looking forward to seeing all you create! Have a good day!

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Viki says…
    10/14/2008

    I second, or is it third the drill idea!
    For other details a drimel tool is good too.
    IT always feels good to take a power tool in hand and use it for something totally different.
    However, it is lots of fun to have a child pound those golf tees into the pumpkin.
    Imagine how it makes them feel!
    Viki

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Anna Willett says…
    10/14/2008

    hey,
    a quick and easy way to put larger holes in a pumpkin is to use a drill with a paddle bit. it is so quick and you really do get a clean perfectly round hole. they come in different sizes too.
    happy carving!
    <3 anna

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Jen says…
    10/14/2008

    I came to comment on the holes on the pumpkin...I see others have the same idea. I used a drill and drill bit one year for holes...it was super fast and super easy!!! And they looked fab-u-lous!!! Here's a link to Martha Stewart for more ideas...http://www.marthastewart.com/article/cookie-cutter-pumpkins?rsc=also_try I'm sure yours will be super cute no matter what you do!!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Linn says…
    10/14/2008

    I love the pumpkin carving idea!

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. michelle says…
    10/14/2008

    Ali -- I have used a drill to make polka-dot pumpkins -- just use a fairly large bit and your jack-o-lantern will be done in a matter of minutes!

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. michelle says…
    10/14/2008

    p.s. my mom has a tradition of spray-painting pumpkins -- bronze, gold, or black. You can add glitter or ribbon. They are really cute and they last a long time. Everyone always comments on them.

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Sue says…
    10/14/2008

    Let me give you a cautionary tale on the cookie cutter idea. I tried this one year after I read it in a Martha Stewart Magazine. The pumpkin shell was so thick that I couldn't get the cookie cutter to penetrate the shell. I started to hammer it in. Now I had a cookie cutter half in and half out of the shell and couldn't get it to budge in either direction. I used the knife to cut out the circle and pushed through the pumpkin circle but scraped my hand on the metal cookie cutter and I STILL couldn't get that darn cookie cutter out of the shell!! So good luck and be careful!

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. Kim says…
    10/14/2008

    Not sure I've seen the cover you're referring to, but last year, my husband carved a couple of our pumpkins with a drill. He used the large cirlce bit. The circles were about 3" diameter. He did it for an alien face pumpkin but it would work for any type. You could use any size bit too. It goes quick.

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Nikki Love says…
    10/14/2008

    We like to cut and paint our pumpkins. I love the 3 Halloween items you chose! Take care and kisses to Simon & the the little angel :) I can't wait for her to get here :D

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Andrea says…
    10/14/2008

    Totally Love the pumpkin idea... I saw them stacked, in a urn, three different sizes with the holes and christmas lights in the them with a few added branches or grape vines and leaves. Like a topiary! Super cute. The mag i read suggested an apple corer!

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  22. tania says…
    10/14/2008

    ali....check your email! :o)

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. kelli says…
    10/14/2008

    You can get large circle cutters for your drill, they use them to cut holes for door knobs, etc. You can get a variety of sizes.

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Joanne says…
    10/14/2008

    here I thought I was going to be so clever and recommend a drill with a key hole cutter...but everyone has said that. Also the Dremmel would work well too....hope you post pictures when you get it done.

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. amy coon says…
    10/14/2008

    Ali the real easy way to do the pumpkin holes are with a cordless drill and various size bits if your husband has one goes really fast and the paddle bit makes great bigger holes------just a tip AMY

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