RavensBlight Band

Ray O’Bannon has been busy in his toy shop coming up with yet another fun papercraft project.

These fellows have bored themselves to death at the cemetery and decided to form a band.theband1

The thing is, each one has their own favorite style of music . . . But they do look good together . . . like a real band!!!

Let’s see . . . What did Ray say their names were?

Oh goodness! Fortunately mine are peacefully quiet.

They each have their own stage . . . they are stand-alone band members . . . You can choose your favorite . . . MIC is to the far right and you can figure out the rest . . . BOOTS on drums and NASH with his bass guitar on the left.

These paper crafts make a great centerpiece for your Halloween Party . . . and they make great gifts for the music lovers in your family. They’re fun to have around to decorate your fall decor . . . They’re wonderful conversation pieces . . . You may be surprised that your dad had a garage band when he was a kid . . . or your tone deaf Uncle Clem was in a band way back when . . .

I hope you enjoy these guys.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Cute Halloween Box Printables

Halloween is always a fun time to make up favor boxes filled with sweet treats.

I’m always looking for some fun treat boxes to print out, cut out, assemble and fill will goodies.halloweencandycorntreatbag

These are great for parties and for your kids to give to friends and classmates. I like this design because it seems appropriate for all age groups and for those who may not share the ghoulishness of the Halloween season.

This is a clever way of wrapping up candy corn characters to adore a cute favor box.

halloweencutefavorboxClick the image to be taken to the PDF for download and printing. Click either image, both are included.

I love Halloween . . . It’s a fun way to participate in a neighborhood activity . . . I like to see the kids and their parents . . . all decked out in costume with that fun anticipation of getting some delicious chocolate candy!

I enjoy going to the store and looking at all the bags upon bags of candy selections. I like to find a good assortment . . . and I especially love it when the store has their buy one get one free special . . . but I haven’t seen that in awhile. And . . . what would I do with all that candy!!!

I like having these boxes around to give to family and friends . . . and to surprise neighbors who don’t go trick-or-treating, but would love to have a few candies. They’re fun to leave on doorsteps. I’m not into ringing the doorbell and running like a fool down the street . . . my quick dashes are a thing of the past . . . but I don’t mind leaving it, ringing the bell and walking away.

The important thing is to spread the cheer of Halloween  . . . early works . . . that’s the whole surprise element!

I found a few more Halloween Favor Boxes that may add to your Halloween fun. You can’t have too many favor boxes.

Have fun with these boxes!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

 

Halloween Books For Kids

I was wondering what Halloween books are available for kids.

I remember a few good ones . . . but it’s always good to expand your Halloween book library.hauntedhouse1

Speaking of libraries . . . I believe I remember one about a boy who was locked in a library and all sorts of strange things happened. It didn’t have anything to do with books . . . but there was some sort of haunting going on . . . I just can’t remember the name of it . . . or what happened to the boy . . .

I was looking around on Amazon and found a few titles that caught my attention:

This should be an excellent place to begin.

Scary, Scary Halloween is for ages 4 years and up. It’s a fun story about these eyes that see ghosts, goblins, witches, etc. passing by . . . You guessed it, the ghosts, etc. are children passing by in costume . . . and the eyes . . . none other than cats who want the children to go away so they can have their Halloween night fun.

We’re Off To Find The Witch’s House is a great adventure story for ages 3 to 7 years. It’s a wonderful read-aloud book that will be read over and over and over again. Four friends dressed in Halloween costumes set out to the witch’s house. They encounter other costumed characters along the way . . . But when they reach their destination . . . They see the witch and hear a loud screech . . . Never fear, the witch invites them inside for Halloween Party. This book is full of rhyming rhythmic text with call-and-response sections. It’s a good read that holds children’s attention.

Halloween Night is recommended for children from 4 to 8 years of age. It has the familiar rhyme of Night Before Christmas. “‘Twas Halloween night, and all through the house/Every creature was stirring, including the mouse.” There’s a grand mansion where all kinds of critters and creatures are preparing a Halloween buffet for the trick-or-treaters . . . but when they peer inside “But what they saw on that shadowy night/Made each little trickster shiver with fright!” It’s a fun read children love.

At The Old Haunted House is home to an assortment of creatures from “a warty green witch and her wee witchy one” to goblins, vampires, bats, black cats, werewolves, spiders, and more. Each page begins with At The Old Haunted House and the number of creatures increase with each turn of the page. Children 3 to 7 years will enjoy this book . . . and the great Halloween celebration the creatures prepare.

Halloween Hustle is a great story about a skeleton that dances and stumbles and falls apart on his way to Ghost’s Halloween Party . . . but never fear, his friends help put him back together  . . . and at the party he’s in tip top shape for the dance contest. It’s a fun read for ages 3 to 7 years.

The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree is the adventure of three bears who explore a spooky old tree . . . It’s a fun Berenstain Bears book for ages 4 to 8 years.

There should be a title or two that may interest you and your children . . . I’m kind of excited about the Halloween Hustle . . . and then there’s Halloween Night  . . . and so many more titles I didn’t add here . . . 

Just click one of the links above and you can have a great time discovering all kinds of Halloween books.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Urban Legend: Halloween Is Second U.S. Holiday In Retail Sales

The largest U.S. Holiday in retail sales is, of course, Christmas.

Is Halloween second?disney_halloween-6

When you think about it . . . decorations, costumes, candy, parties . . . The whole concept of Halloween has grown in popularity over the years. There are elaborate face painting endeavors, people are fascinated by the occult . . . It’s the first major celebration after summer . . . and fall brings something in the air . . . why not ghosts and witches riding on broomsticks . . . bats turning into vampires . . .

There is something special about going out at night wearing a costume and carrying a bag to collect candy as you go door-to-door. It was a major highlight when I was a kid. And, now, as an adult, I like to pass out candy to the costumed trick-or-treaters.

Many of my neighbors go all out with lights and decorations for Halloween . . . 

The thing is, when you think about Halloween . . . the decorations, the parties, the costumes . . . and the candy . . . It doesn’t compare in retail sales as Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day, Easter and even Father’s Day.

The major difference is that there is no gift giving. Christmas, as #1 is the major gift giving holiday. This is followed by Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day.

That brings Halloween to #6.

halloweenbackground20Be that as it may . . . Halloween has truly captured the imagination of many . . . and there are paper crafters and scrapbookers who go all out with their cards and decorations and costumes and parties . . . How about all those pumpkins? The movies? Amusement Parks with their special Halloween attractions?

Yes, but Mother’s Day is still #2 with Valentine’s Day #3 followed by Easter at #4 and Father’s Day at #5.

I’m finding it difficult to allow a good urban legend to die . . . 

All right, so it’s not the second largest U.S. holiday in retail sales behind Christmas . . .

It is still celebrated . . . It’s a huge neighborhood celebration . . . It’s a great kick-off to the end of summer and the beginning of fall. That’s a celebration in and of itself.

I’m going to still celebrate it by reading Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and maybe some of Edgar Allan Poe’s Poems . . . and I may watch a Halloween theme DVD or two . . .

I do like a good ghost story . . .

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon

Witch Shoe Party Favor

Witches, ghosts, goblins, ghouls . . . Pumpkins, skeletons, spiders and spider webs . . . Mummies and monsters . . . Super Heroes and cartoon characters . . . Pirates and Princesses . . . And so very many more “things” that go bump in the night on All Hallows Eve . . . 

Or are in costume greeting us at our door hoping for a sweet treat.witchshoe2

Yes, Halloween is definitely in the air. I noticed Amazon has their Halloween Shop open. I’m sure everyone is looking for just the right costume for each member of their family . . . I wonder what it will be?

These witch shoes are always fun to make and give as gifts this Halloween season. It works for different age groups and can be decorated to go along with the theme of your party or get-together.

You can use your own designer paper for the inner lining and for the shoe as well. It can be creepy or funny . . . depending upon how you view Halloween.

Click the links above for the PDFs of the shoe and the lining. Then find ribbon and buttons and maybe some suitable clipart that will decorate your witch shoe quite nicely. It’s always fun to have designer paper at least for the inner lining, but you can use any solid color . . . cardstock does work well for the shoe . . . it needs to be sturdy to hold your bag of assorted goodies.

This is a fun way for your children to give candy to their school friends . . . and even for their teacher.

Start early with this project . . . you’ll be making dozens of them.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharon