Oct 26, 2011

Playing Dress Up Never Goes Out of Style!

It's that time of year again when everyone asks "What are you going to be for Halloween?"  It is so much fun to be creative and make your own costumes. Several costumes come to mind that we made over the years. One was a robot made by covering a cardboard box with aluminum foil, cutting holes for arms, legs, and head, adding a wind up key in back-- also covered with foil. Appropriate leggings and arm coverings completed the outfit.  My "Aggie" daughter went to a party her freshman year at A & M as a Longhorn fan decked out in orange apparel and waving a pennant.  She was told that was dangerous. Only the naive....

A local car company ad has their man, Charley, asking "Do you think anyone will want a Charley costume this year?"  Mimi, my 91 year-old MIL told me the other day that she thinks she will be Charley for Halloween.
When we tried,  last night, to guess what one little girl was going to be, she asked "what flies in the air?"  The taunting adult response was "a mosquito" since we are over run with mosquitoes right now. Actually, she plans to be a spring fairy.

Of course, as kids we had a big box of dress-up clothes that included cast off dresses of Mama's, jewelry, purses, shoes, etc.  We even had some old curtains and drapes that were fashioned into "who knows what" designer togs. One year during VBS, my cousin, some friends, and I used the curtains to make what we thought was appropriate garb for Biblical times. We wore said garments for a skit on Friday night. I don't recall anything about the skit, but remember Mama telling me that it was all our Pastor could do to keep from laughing aloud when he saw  our costumes. And, we thought we had some really good costumes, too.

The grands have had some really neat costumes beginning with their first Halloween's when their Mamas made things like a bumble bee costume or a baby elephant suit. And I know they have their "dress up" closets or boxes. One granddaughter had a birthday tea party. I do believe even the ladies who came enjoyed dressing up and wearing a hat. It seems that playing dress up never goes out of style.

My girls and I made costumes for high school plays and special days at school.  The girls also designed costumes for the drama costume contests. Mama, meaning me, usually was the one who sewed the actual garment to be modeled by a Barbie Doll. Lots of late nights were spent working on those projects. The Barbie Dolls at our house had so many designer clothes!

The scavenger hunt this week on ESN is titled: "Dress Up!"  My first thought of Dress Up was not of Halloween and costumes, but of dressing up as in your "Sunday Best" or even for a formal occasion.  People used to dress up a lot more than they do now, or maybe I just don't get out that much anymore.  I searched my store, Hazel's HodgePodge  for Dress up items. I came up with my sun hats. Someone creative could use one of them as part of a costume for Halloween, or they would be good for little girls playing dress up.
You can see more hats Here.
They are reversible and come in ladies and little girl sizes.
Let your imagination go wild.

And then, I found the perfect thing to go with your perfect costume for Trick or Treating. This too cool vintage noise maker from ComycGyrl Collectibles.  All trick or treat-ers used to carry a noise maker.
See and buy this must-have noise maker Here.

Whatever your age, enjoy the season and enjoy dressing up whether in costume or for a special occasion.  Even dress up your home with items from the ESN ecrater sellers.

Oct 21, 2011

Pumpkins and Decorating for Halloween

Halloween will soon be here! There don't seem to be as many decorations out around Silsbee this year as there have been the last few years.  I certainly haven't gotten out any of my scarecrows,etc. this year. Maybe I should spend a little time this afternoon putting  out some Halloween decor.??  I just put Mimi's crocheted orange pumpkin on her dining table. That may be the extent of our Halloween decorations for this year.

Our ESN scavenger hunt this week is for pumpkins.  I have to confess, my beautiful ceramic jack-o-lantern has been sitting among the clutter of my packing table for several weeks.  As is typical here, I have neither decided to use it and find a place for it on the front counter, nor to list it on my ecrater store, Hazel's HodgePodge and take pictures and actually list it. Alas, the poor thing will be here next Halloween, still unused by me.

I did find a couple of things in the ecrater stores that, while they are not pumpkins, are things that would help you decorate for the halloween season.
First, this book from Bargain Express, Haunt Your House for Halloween.  This should supply you with lots of ideas for decorating and costume making.

See it HERE
I also found this Harvest Scarecrow at Eccentric Thrifter.  He would look so good on your porch or in your yard. 
See it HERE.
I hope you enjoy the traditions of the season in the next week or so. Also hope you will stop by the ESN stores and shop.  It is not too early to be Christmas shopping either. 

You are invited to share this blog with your friends.  Comments are appreciated.

Oct 11, 2011

Yellow

It has been longer than I like since I've been here to write and share with you.  Unbelievably, it is October and fall again.  It has been one long, hot, dry summer all over Texas.  The  wild fires have been a very real threat through out the state.

I have been enjoying the cooler fall days.  I finally saw some October Daisies this  past weekend.  I was beginning to think they weren't coming out this year because of the drought.

October Daisies are not as prolific as last year  but still offer a bright spot of color for the fall.

Fall is my favorite time of year and yellow is one of my favorite colors. The current scavenger hunt on ESN is for Yellow.
This is a real treat for me.  The fall colors are always so beautiful. The orange pumpkins, multi-colored changing leaves, yellow and purple chrysanthemums, yellow daisies....
 
One of the lovely yellow things I found was from CarolinaBlueLady.

What could be prettier than this plate with yellow roses?
And a classical fall piece from Eccentric Thrifter.
Autumn Candle Lamp

And Something Yellow from my own Hazel's HodgePodge

Set of Yellow Measuring Cups

Shop all of the stores on ESN to find a wide variety of items in yellow or any other color for that matter.