Halloween is in two days and I finally managed to put up a themed decoration earlier this week. I am not a huge fan of elaborate Halloween decorations, but I was inspired by this picture (via Apartment Therapy) to create a simple swarm of bats for our front porch, to liven things up for trick-or-treaters on Saturday.
I just cut a bunch of bats out of felt (freehand) in varying sizes and strung them up on clear fishing line. The fishing line goes right through the felt without a needle, so it was super easy. I really like how it came out, especially for such an easy, inexpensive and quick decoration.
G was excited to watch all the cars going by while I was taking these photos.
As you can see, I did finally settle on a front door color. I chose Garden of Paradise by Valspar in a flat finish and I love how it came out! Now, to caulk and paint the front door surround before winter really sets in.
I also spent some time in the past few weeks working on an antique sled someone in my neighborhood left out for trash last year. I LOVE these old sleds, so I didn’t hesitate a moment to bring it home (yes, I am that person who brings trash home).
S sanded it and used steel wool to get off some of the rust last year, and I finally got around to painting and staining it recently. I know a lot of people keep these sleds in their vintage condition for decor, but I can never resist the urge to make things look shiny and new. I used a Rustoleum red gloss paint for the metal and stained the wood with Minwax Dark Walnut. Now, I just need to add a gold or silver ribbon for the pull and it will be a sled fit for a winter wonderland. I can’t believe I’m saying this in October, but I can’t wait to decorate for Christmas!
And, finally, I have a little announcement to make. We are expecting a new addition to our family in late April! We announced it to our friends and family with this fall-themed photo (which I can’t take credit for, I found the idea on Pinterest, of course!).
Like all well-planned situations with kids, this photo did not go as smoothly as we would have liked! We were rushing to do it between house projects on S’s day off. So, as soon as G woke up from a nap, we changed our clothes and ran to get the neighbor next door (a retired professional photographer) who had agreed to take the photo for us, and of course he had stepped out on an errand. So we waited for him for about 20 minutes, in which time G became extremely annoyed because he wanted his lunch, and then we had to bribe him with a cracker to even get him to sit down between us for a few photos (none of which captured a smile!). At least it will be a funny story to tell when he’s older, right? We just love that little guy, and can’t wait to meet his little brother or sister!
Park and Division 