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Happy Halloween!
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All Hallow’s Eve 2023
Tag: Halloween
How I Carve My “Jack-o-Lanterns” For Halloween Night
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For the last five Sundays, I posted photos of the pumpkins I have been carving for Halloween nights. People were admiring my Jack-o-Lanterns and asked, how I carve them. In this blog, I will explain it.
Before I even think about this carving process, I have to look for the right pumpkin in the store or pumpkin patch. The key points, I’m looking for are:
- Does the pumpkin have any nicks or bruises?
- Does the stem look healthy and is not cut too short?
- Is the pumpkin big enough for what I would like to do with it?
- Does the pumpkin have a smooth surface?
- Do I really like the pumpkin or should I keep looking for a better one?
A pumpkin should look healthy. Because it will rot if it has nicks, bruises, or the stem is cut too short. It also should be the right size for the pattern, I have in mind. The pumpkin should be smooth and without warts. Having a bumpy surface makes it harder to apply the stencil and carve the pumpkin. Sometimes, I look at a pumpkin and think: This is not the right one, I just keep looking. Since I started looking for pumpkins at the beginning of October, there is plenty of time to find the perfect one for my project.
Usually on October 30th, I begin to carve pumpkins. This gives me an extra day, in case I’m getting too busy on Halloween. I’ll let you know, how I keep the pumpkins nice and fresh for a day or two before they have their big day on our front porch.
- First I gather all my tools, bowls, stencils, and of course, pumpkins together, before I begin with the carving. A couple of days ago, the girls and I decided on what pattern they like to get carved into their pumpkins.
- After I opened the pumpkin with a kitchen knife, I got those gooey pumpkin guts out. (Usually, I cut it at an angle. The warmth of the candles shrinks it a little bit. That way it stays on the pumpkin and won’t fall inside of it.) When Katelynn was little, she always helped me and said: “We have to get the pumpkin-yikes out of it, before we can carve the pumpkin!” So cute! She still calls it “pumpkin-yikes”.
- I always use the scraper to clean the pumpkin from the rest of the stuff, which keeps the seeds in place. With this tool, I can thin out the walls a little bit more. If the walls are too thick, the pumpkin is harder to carve. But if they are too thin, they can break easier, while I’m carving. Over the last few years, I’ve got a better feeling about it, how thick the walls are supposed to be. 😉
- The pumpkin is clean inside and wiped down on the outside. Now I can apply the stencil with some Scotch tape before I use the poker around the lines. Personally, I do not recommend getting the stencil wet for a better fitting on the pumpkin surface. It takes forever until the paper is try. I never have the patience to wait for that. And poking the holes into wet paper makes a mess because it will rip faster.
- As soon as the pattern is poked into the pumpkin, I remove the stencil. I always keep the stencil sitting next to the pumpkin as a reference. Sometimes a hole is not poked perfectly or the holes are too close together. Some people use a crayon or another marker to connect the lines.
Once the stencil is removed, the carving can begin. A few years ago, I spent a little extra cash to get better carving tools. The tools, they provide with the stencil booklets are good for some carving. But I’ve noticed, I had to re-buy them, because they bent and/or become dull. I love this saw, as you can see in the picture. It has a bigger handle as well. - My little secret to keep the pumpkins in shape for a couple of days: I soak them with a splash of bleach in ice water. Some people wipe them with vinegar and use some vaseline, to prevent them from molding and drying out. But I’m not a fan of the vinegar smell; and the vaseline just looks messy, if it is not applied correctly.
When the “Jack-o-Lanterns” were still damp from soaking them in water, I lit them with a few tea candles to see, how they look in the dark. Katelynn and Sara can’t wait for Halloween night to get the pumpkins on the porch and show them to the kids from the neighborhood.
Are you ready for the results? Here are the “Jack-o-Lanterns” of 2017:
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
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~ October 2017 ~
Kringle Candle Company’s “Wolf’s Bane” & “Fright Night”
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𝑾𝒐𝒍𝒇’𝒔 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒆
While folklore suggests this unassuming yellow woodland flower might repel werewolves, we’re sure its delightful floral fragrance will have you happily howling at the moon!
Top: Floral
Mid: Amber
Base: Powder
𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕
Fiendishly delightful citrus notes swirl intriguingly with rare wood accords to create a fragrance that will drive you batty with pleasure!
Top: Fruit
Mid: Patchouli
Base: Citrus
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⛦ Blessed Samhain 2023! ⛦
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Happy Halloween!
Now in the darkening of the year
the veil between the world wears thin
and those gone on ahead draw near.
In the hours of quiet remembrance
that the waning season brings,
we may feel their whispered presence
like the brush of a gentle wind.
Blessed Samhain!
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Samhain ~ The Summer’s End
Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on October 31st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night.
The most magically potent time of this festival is the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.
In the country year, Samhain marked the first day of winter, when the herders led the cattle and sheep down from their summer hillside pastures to the shelter of stable and byre. The hay that would feed them during the winter must be stored in sturdy thatched ricks, tied down securely against storms. Those destined for the table were slaughtered, after being ritually devoted to the gods.
All the harvest must be gathered in, barley, oats, wheat, turnips, and apples for come November, the faeries would blast every growing plant with their breath, blighting any nuts and berries remaining on the hedgerows. Peat and wood for winter fires were stacked high by the hearth. It was a joyous time of family reunion, when all members of the household worked together baking, salting meat, and making preserves for the winter feasts to come.
The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any other time of the year, the dead were able to mingle with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had died during the year traveled into the otherworld. As a feast of the dead, it was believed the dead could, if they wished, return to the land of the living for this one night, to celebrate with their family, tribe, or clan.
https://www.deviantart.com/brightstone/art/Book-of-Shadows-Samhain
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Kevin’s DIY Brewing Witch 2011
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Kevin installed a motor and attached the brew stick in the cauldron. The motor was on a timer, so it seemed like the witch was literally stirring her brew. The funny part about it was, the motor started speeding up and the whole witch tried to keep the brew in control. When that happened, Kevin had to secure the cauldron and make sure, the witch wasn’t flying off. 😄😄😂
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My Jack-o-Lanterns (Part V) 2014 – 2016
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We have arrived at the last part of this year’s “My Jack-o-Lanterns” season. I can’t believe October went by so fast. Here are the pictures of the pumpkins from 2014, 2015, and 2016.
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… to be continued in October 2024.
National Black Cat Day 2023
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Happy National Black Cat Day!
It’s National Black Cat Day on October 27th! Black cats need a little positive PR as their reputation as an omen of bad luck is well-known (and unearned, frankly). In the lead-up to Halloween, National Black Cat Day provides the chance for feline fans to show off their love for the oft-maligned, but always iconic animal.
The black cat carries a unique status among the wide batch of different breads. In some locales, notably Scotland, Britain, and Japan, the presence or appearance of a black cat is indicative of imminent good fortune and prosperity. Beyond these regions, though, public favor of the black cat runs sharply southward. In much of the Western world, black cats are considered to be harbingers of misfortune and wickedness. This unfortunate association stems from an image that will be familiar to many readers, which is that of the black cat serving as a companion to potion-brewing, spell-casting witches everywhere.
This relationship would prove to have severe consequences for owners of black cats in America in the early 17th century. As the Pilgrims established their occupancy on the east coast of the country, they maintained a strict suspicion of anything remotely tied to the perils of witchcraft. The black cat served as a symbol of the supposed evils and Satanic sympathies of witches, and as a result, those found harboring black cats would receive harsh punishments; some would even be sentenced to death.
While, in general, the fears surrounding the demonic potential of witches have subsided significantly, the black cat will be left wondering why it still must suffer the consequences of a damaged collective reputation. According to several animal advocacy groups and adoption agencies, black cats experience lower rates of adoption and higher rates of euthanization relative to other cat breeds. Because of this, National Black Cat Day stands as a fantastic opportunity to subvert these trends and demonstrate appreciation for an animal that could use a little luck.
Resource: https://nationaltoday.com/national-black-cat-day/
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Halloween Season (Part IV) 2010 – 2011
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2010
Katelynn loves going to the pumpkin patch because she can jump in the bounce house, go on hay rides, and pick a pumpkin. Sara just enjoyed crawling around between the pumpkins. Every pumpkin had to be tested by giving it a good slap on top. We also went to the Pirate Days. Unfortunately “Boo at the Zoo” got rained out the day, we went to the Fort Worth Zoo. But it wasn’t the end of the world, either. The girls got out and had fun, anyway.
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2011
Awww! 2011 was one of my favorite Halloween Seasons of all time so far. Katelynn had a crush on “Marvin, the Martian” and wanted to marry him. That’s right. She loved this Looney Toon character so much, that we had to get her a plush Marvin. She said she wanted to become an Astronaut and be the First Woman on Mars. Well, over the years her idea of flying to Mars has changed. But she still wants to be a Paleontogist, now.
Sara was the cutest little garden gnome, I’ve ever seen. It was her first Halloween, she could walk to the houses. But she still had a hard time catching up with her older sister. Her little feet were not fast enough. So, she called Katelynn to wait for her: “Kaitin, Kaitin! I want to go T’ick-o’-T’eat with you!” Sara wasn’t scared of any monsters either. Since we always made a big fest out of Halloween, she must have thought it was normal.
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… to be continued in October 2024
There Was A Little Witch …
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Trick-or-Treat
There was a little witch
who kept her little bat
on the teeny, tiny tip
of her pointy, little hat.
She knocked on many doors
and cackled, “Trick-or-treats!”
while the little bat held out his wings
and gathered tasty sweets.
They shared a midnight feast
besides the Boo Lagoon,
then flew on home to dream sweet dreams
beneath a candy moon.
by Penny Parker Klostermann
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Kringle Candle Company’s “Candy Corn”
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𝕮𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖞 𝕮𝖔𝖗𝖓
Here’s the Kringle Candle Company’s take on the classic creamy vanilla, honey, and light spice that bedevils every autumnal sweet tooth. So far this candle formula is my Halloween favorite.
Top: Creamy Vanilla
Mid: Sweet Honey
Base: Light Spice
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Kevin’s DIY Witches’ Cauldron 2009
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Kevin worked on the cauldron in previous years. But it came out the best on Halloween 2009. He had to cut a hole in the bottom to fit a pipe for the fog maker. A purple light bulb was installed before he aligned the inner cauldron with some dark fabric. Kevin glued some eyeballs and bones on top of the fabric to make them look like the witch just tossed them for her brew in the cauldron. Of course, needed a stand and a “fire”. Kevin got some golfball-sized styrofoam balls, cut a small hole, and spray painted them, so they would look like charcoal. Then he pushed red string lights in the precut holes to make the “charcoal look like it was glowing in the fire. Once the stand and the “charcoal” were in place, he set the cauldron on top of it and let the fog machine do its job. Ta-da! The witch had some brew cooking.
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My Jack-o-Lanterns (Part IV) 2013 – 2014
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Another Sunday has arrived to show off some of my Jack-o-Lanterns of the years 2013 and 2014. Some I carved for our local “Family Fright Night Campout”. And a couple of pumpkins I carved for Halloween night. The white skull pumpkin is from Courtney. She asked me if I could capture a photo of it. It looked so cool I had to add it to my Jack-o-Lantern photo collection.
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… to be continued …
“Rails To The Darkside” At The Connecticut Trolley Museum In East Windsor
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Rails To The Darkside
As the fall chill fills the air, on the darkest of nights, mournful cries of the abandoned dead are heard on the tracks at the Connecticut Trolley Museum. Listen to the tale of yesteryear, as you learn of a hastily moved cemetery whose bodies were left behind, their angry souls seeking their revenge. Come for a scare if you dare… the next trolley ride is an express to the Darkside!
During this haunted experience, ride vintage trolleys into the dark woods for a fear that you will never forget, visit the vortex tunnel if you dare, and end your experience in the Visitor Center if you can handle the unforeseen horror of death.
Resource: https://ct-trolley.org/events/rails-to-the-darkside/
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Halloween Season (Part III) 2008 – 2009
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2008
Katelynn wanted to help me with the pumpkin carving. So, I’ve got her a little pumpkin she could play with and get the pumpkin guts out. She always loved to say: “We need to get all the pumpkin yikes out!” And then she played with the gooey inside of the pumpkin.
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2009
Sara was only twelve days old when we celebrated Halloween in 2009. She was such a cute little Pumpkin. Katelynn wanted to help with the pumpkins again, while her little sister took a nap. Katelynn was very proud of being a big sister. She really enjoyed taking Sara out for her first Trick-or-Treat. All bundled up we walked through the neighborhood and collected candy on this cool October night. The fresh air was good for the little munchkin.
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… to be continued …
14 Years …
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From the day you came into this world
We were as proud as can be
Blessed with a Daughter
For everyone to see.
So every year we celebrate
This very special day
To mark another milestone
As your life moves on its way.
So happy Birthday to you
We wish you all the happiness in the world
We are thankful all year round
For our very precious girl.
Happy 14th Birthday, Sara!
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Song of The Witches
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Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork and blind worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and Howlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.
(Macbeth)
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Kringle Candle Company’s “Witches Cauldron”
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𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝑪𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒏
Primary notes of clove and cedar dance mysteriously with hints of incense, citrus, and other exotics to create this utterly bewitching fragrance.
Top: Cedar, Clove
Mid: Incense
Base: Incense
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Our Outdoor Halloween Decoration At Daytime ~ 2023
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Happy Halloween!
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Kevin’s DIY Cat Eyes ~ 2008
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Kevin had a couple of motors, he wanted to use for something neat on Halloween. He decided to make moving cat eyes. A couple of tiki candle holders, styrofoam balls, and spray paint needed to be purchased. The strings, wooden picks, black foam sheets, and velvet fabric we had lying around the house. Kevin also installed some mini light bulbs inside the eyeballs. So, they were glowing, while they moved and stared at everyone.
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My Jack-o-Lanterns III (2011 – 2012)
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Happy Halloween Season!
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… to be continued …
Friday 13th In October
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Jason Voorhees: “Mike, Mike. Mike, Mike, Mike … guess what day it is!”
Michael Myers: “*sigh!* … It’s Friday 13th.”
Jason Voorhees: “WOOHOO!”
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Halloween Season (Part II) 2006 – 2007
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2006
… This Halloween season was completely different from last year’s. Katelynn was excited to go to “Trick-or-Treat”. She knocked on the doors with a happy “T’ick-or-T’eeeeat”. Since she couldn’t pronounce the “r”, the neighbors thought she was adorable and gave her a lot of candy. After three houses we had to walk home to empty the bag before we could go out there and get more candy. Oh my, so much candy and no meltdowns anymore.
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The Munster Mansion in Waxahachie, Texas
In 2004 I heard about the Munster Mansion Replica when I watched VH1 while I was preparing dinner. I talked to Kevin about it. And one weekend, we drove from Dallas to Waxahachie. When we found it, we looked at it. The owner, Charles McKee waved at us, and we waved back.
A couple of years later, I read in the Dallas Morning News that the McKees have these weekend tours right before Halloween. Kevin and I got a babysitter for Katelynn, and down we went to Waxahachie again. They used the big parking lot in front of a local school. A school bus and a limousine were busy around the clock, picking guests up and dropping them off. It was a long wait. But once we were on the property, we had a lot of entertainment. One of the firebreathers asked me to pull a nail out of her nose. I replied, “… before this happens I will pass out.” Everybody in line was laughing. 😊
Once we made it inside the mansion, we were not allowed to capture photos or record any film. It made us pay more attention to the tour as well. If you like to see photos and documents, you can go to the official website and check it out for more information. Here is the link:
https://www.munstermansion.com/
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2007
In 2007, Kevin had to go with Katelynn to Trick-or-Treat. I was still recovering from a knee injury and rather stay at home. It was fun. Katelynn was dressed in her “Snow White” costume and received plenty of candy, while the neighbors and I were busy giving out candy. But I have to admit, I missed the door-to-door walk that year.
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… to be continued…
Halloween Cat Poem
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Could Be Halloween
Yowling, prowling, growling cat
Why do you switch your tail like that?
Why do your eyes flash gold and green?
Could be–must be–Halloween!
Slinky, inky, blinky cat,
Why do you arch your back like that?
What scary creatures have you seen?
Could be–must be Halloween!
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Kringle Candle Company’s “Black Cat”
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𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑪𝒂𝒕
Good things happen when this cat crosses your path. A complex blend of wood, citrus, and musk creates a bright freshness.
Top: Spicy Cinnamon
Mid: Clove
Base: Cedar, Frankincense
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Our Outdoor Halloween Decoration 2023
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Kevin had the graveyard decoration up for over a week. But it still looked kinda empty between the gravestones. One of the light chains worked only partially around the half circle. So, I went into the shed and got more decorations out this evening. I laid more skeletons on the ground, wrapped another light chain around the fence, and decorated the big skeleton with more light and a spider on its head. EEK!
When Kevin came home, he installed the owl on the Norwegian Spruce branch, that hangs partially over our driveway, and lit it up with a couple of spotlights. I like the display much better now. Last year we had orange and green lights. This year, we went with orange, pink, and blue.
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DIY – Diddlina “Trick-or-Treat” Bag 2005
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Diddlina is Diddl’s girlfriend. When I was younger, I collected everything about Diddl and his friends. I even made my own journals by drawing pictures of them. In October 2005, I created Katelynn’s Trick-or-Treat- bag myself. The bag I had from a previous occasion. I imaged the concept, traced, and clued the tracing to construction papers. The broom got some tinsel I found in an art supply store. I used a black pen for coloring the face, hands, feet, hat, and costume to give it character. And voilà, Katelynn had a Trick-or-Treat bag like no other.
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DIY-Dollar Tree Jack-o-Lantern Table Decoration
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Kevin suggested, when I’m working on DIY projects I could make one for Katelynn and send it with the other Birthday gift to Dallas. Since I still had the metal pumpkin from the “Happy Halloween” sign left over. I used a wooden stand-up pumpkin from Goodwill, which I got in a two-pack for $2. Target has the same sets for $5. With black and white chalk paint, pumpkin orange acrylic paint, Halloween scrapbook paper, Dollar TreeJenga blocks, a “messy” bow, and a rope around the stem I added some character to the pumpkin. On the backside, I worked on some Thanksgiving decorations. So, when Halloween is over, Katelynn can turn it around for the November holiday.
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Halloween Season (Part I) 2003 – 2005
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2003
This was Katelynn’s First Halloween. She was only 27 days old when I carved the Kitty pumpkin for her. The story behind the pumpkin itself can be found here under this link:
https://underthewhiteoakleaves.com/2022/10/01/my-jack-o-lanterns-2003-2007/
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2004
Katelynn was at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch for the first time. Oh, she had so much fun playing with the straw. Kevin and I had to fish it out of her clothes later, She was so busy throwing the straw in the air, it went everywhere. The next day, we dressed her up as a lamb. I made the costume myself. The head was a bit big for her. She enjoyed going to Trick-or-Treat with it.
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2005
It was the first year, we celebrated Halloween at our new house. I made a DIY-Diddlina candy bag for all the goodies, we would receive from going to Trick-or-Treat. On the other hand, Katelynn was still little and a bit unsure, if she really liked this whole “Trick-or-Treat” thing. When we walked from door to door, she wasn’t very happy. Once she had some candy, it wasn’t nearly as bad anymore. But she did not like the door-to-door walk at all. A year later, this would be a whole other story. …
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… to be continued …
When Witches Go Riding …
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When witches go riding
And black cats are seen,
The Moon laughs and whispers
‘Tis near Halloween.
~ Author Unknown ~
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DIY-Dollar Tree Vintage Witch Sign
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Do you remember me posting the Halloween Vintage Black Cat Sign, two days ago? There was still the “Happy Halloween” panel left over. Brandy from “Making It My Own DIYs” had a very cute idea. But I did my own spin on it.
I had a black frame I got from Goodwill. The frame had some scratches, so I sanded it and repainted it with black chalk paint and dapped PLAIDs “Pumpkin Orange” with a round sponge brush. Once the frame was completely dry I glued a couple of Jenga blocks on the “Happy Halloween” panel, before I secured it to the picture frame. Next, I did the little skeleton witch. Once she was done, I made a messy bow and added everything to the frame. Now, she looks more like a Halloween Skeleton Witch/Fairy. The project turned out great. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same, as what we see in videos. It’s always good to bring our own creativity to the plate.
Brandy’s Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htCuIpYASOM&list=TLPQMDIxMDIwMjPnVXFfUuEHyQ&index=1
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Halloween Kringle Candles 2020
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I’m so excited, my Halloween Kringle Candles have arrived today. In mid-July the Kringle Candle Company had a special for their Halloween Kringle Tumblers. I believe they could be ordered only for several hours before the sale was over. Kringle Candle Co. had different Halloween candles later in the year, but I wanted to get my fingers on those tumbler candles. In July, I got an email from them saying when they have the sale ready for the Kringle tumblers. Me being crazy for Halloween and candles, had to go for that deal. The online store had plenty of selections to choose from. However, I went for four different scents and purchased six candles in total.
- 2 Witches Cauldron
- 2 Graveyard Night
- 1 Black Cat
- 1 Day of The Dead
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Who is this Kringle Candle Company?
The original founder of the Kringle Candle Co. was no other, than Michael Kittredge II himself. He was also the founder of the Yankee Candle Co., which has been in business since 1969. After selling candles nationally and internationally for the past 30 years, Michael Kittredge II sold the Yankee Candle Co. to Forstmann, Little & Co. in 1998. Michael Kittredge II retired from candle making.
In 2008, Michael Kittredge III, the son of the Yankee Candle Co. founder, made his own first candle. And it came naturally to him to make and sell candles himself. In 2009 the Kringle Candle Co. was born and has the flagship store with the candle factory/packing and shipping on an 18,000 sqft. property in Bernardson, Massachusetts. Over 10 years later, the company is still in business, growing its product line and sending the candles all over the United States. Many of the Kringle Candles can be also outside the USA.
Unfortunately, Michael Kittredge died due to cancer in Boston on July 24, 2019. He was 67 years old. May he rest in peace. And we are thankful for the millions of amazing-smelling candles over the past 50+ years.
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DIY-Halloween Costume 2004 🐑
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In 2004, I saw a little lamb costume for Katelynn. She was so cute. Unfortunately, I made the hat piece a little bit too big. But that was okay. She had a lot of fun getting candy on Halloween night.
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DIY-Dollar Tree Halloween Vintage Black Cat Sign
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Since I love Halloween and am stuck on a budget, I looked at some DIYs on YouTube. I stumbled across Brandy’s “Making It My Own DIYs”. Her videos are so inspiring and make a Dollar store item look like It’s worth a lot more Dollars. And it is so much fun to be creative. I fell in love with her Halloween Vintage Black Cat Sign in one of her videos. So, I gathered all the materials I could find in Dollar Tree, Goodwill, and Temu. And here is my own creation. I made it my own DIYs. 😉
Brandy’s Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htCuIpYASOM&list=TLPQMDIxMDIwMjPnVXFfUuEHyQ&index=1
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Tanja's Little Corner of The World 