Whooooo goes there?

I've had these packages of reproduction Beistle Halloween decorations for a looooooong time. They so neatly stack within the already enormous pile of Halloween postcards, papers, cards, etc that store within a special Halloween bin. And for the past couple of years I keep thinking to myself "Self, those repro Beistle decs would be fun to alter a little bit. Give 'em some oomph, some pizzazz and more importantly, some glitter."

Unfortunately the dark, rainy weather is making for a subpar photograph, but the idea is still there I hope. I started with a basic light cardstock weight owl Halloween decoration. Applied glitters & Ranger stickles liberally to the eyes, moon, branch and various highlight points.

Wait to dry. Eat some of the Halloween candy I'm supposed to be saving for Saturday.

Dedice that's not enough glitter, so choose more highlight points.

Wait to dry. KitKats are toast.

I took a little black glittered star, wired it and threaded it through the owl's perch. Darn, no candy break here. So, I gathered a length of crepe paper and attached it to the back to form a collar for my owl. There's glue there, right?

So, wait to dry. I'd hate to be allergic to peanuts because Reeses are straight from heaven.

Last step is to make a little Trick or Treat banner by cutting it, glittering it and attaching to my owl. Yes, more drying glue!

Wait to dry. Um, must run to store for more Halloween candy, but at least the owl looks good! If I had more candy, I might tackle another sign, but as it is, my waistline, nor my pocketbook needs more repeat episodes. For this year at least. There's always next H-Owl-oween!

Baby Boo

Fall is usually my favorite season, but I haven't been able to throw my energy into it this year. The kids have noticed the distinct lack of Halloween decor & kind of freaked. Did this mean there wasn't going to be any Halloween themed sugar product in the house? What horrors!

So I spent a couple of hours making them a card...

Plain white cardstock, ancient Creative Memories circle cutting system, old Hero Arts stamps (one a Christmas stamp), Distress Inks, embossing powders, old paper, a bit of free hand cutting and the use of an embossing gun to 'burn' the edges of the skull. Not exactly frightful, but he's got a little bit of personality, eh?
Then, I have a couple of fellow Fright Loving Fiends, er, I mean, Friends, who are really into the holiday, so I had to make them something right ?

This card didn't take nearly as long, but I think it is a great deal more macabre than Mr. Skully Card. When hubby and I went to Paris, one of the places we visited was the Paris Catacombs where the remains from several Paris cemeteries were moved, 'artfully' arranged and are now a tourist attraction. The remains of several famous people of the French Revolution are stored in the Catacombs, including, Robespierre and possibly Marie Antoinette.Simple yes, but freaky fun. I used Sepia Glossy Accents to highlight the skulls and brown crackle paint around the edges to convey the dark, dank atmosphere of the catacombs. The glossy accents really make the skulls pop out of the photo.

Hubby and I were recently able to take in a little spirited fun. A couple of weeks ago, we went to an early showing of the movie, Paranormal Activity. I like to be on the edge of my seat for a good scary movie, but not slasher films. This is right up there in my top 3 Fright Flicks ever now. The others being The Changeling with George C. Scott and a toss up between The Ring or The Descent. Check out the trailer for Paranormal here: Paranormal Activity

Go see it and then lose some sleep like I did when hubby went out of town for a few days. You'd never imagine how many things so bump in the night when you're lying wide awake at 2:30 a.m. Bwahahahahaha....

Whuh happnd?

Proof that living out of a suitcase messes with your brain: your grammar and spelling get thrown right out the window.

Elections came, elections went. The signs are still up as are most of my Halloween decorations. My decorations are getting put away today as I hope the election signs get tossed soon as well.












Where have I been the past couple of weeks? Here: National Youth Workers Convention 2008 and here: The Revolve Tour - THE EVENT FOR TEEN GIRLS By education, I have a psychology degree which, due to my tendency to emphatically bring my work home and thus be a completely miserable person to live with, I don't use. I am still brought to my knees on a regular basis though by the pain that others suffer. Especially with teens.

Even though my own children think their parents are controlling nerds, other teens have long sought us out in times of trouble or as a place to unleash into silliness. We work with a fabulous team who also have hearts for young people, but wow, do we ever feel unequipped to help at times. I won't name all the problems among our group, but the list is long and the pain is deep.

The bright spots? We do see hope and progress. It IS there.

A couple of weeks ago, six youth leaders attended a conference that offered that hope. You can't help but feel it when hundreds of people are assembled together who have a burning desire to help our youth. When we talked to other youth leaders and were reassured that our problems weren't unique, we didn't feel so overwhelmed. We came home armed with information and a renewed sense of urgency to reach out not only to teens, but their families and our community as well. (I have a whole soapbox about community for another time, but maybe not. I feel pretty strongly about the global village. So strongly that I know my thoughts will probably blow some people out of the water, especially in this economy.)

Last weekend, I took girls to a weekend that was JUST FOR THEM. How often do girls get the chance to go wild, act crazy and listen to great speakers and music without the distractions of guys. I love guys (well, most of 'em), but they add a dynamic when mixed with teen girls that throws most girls into a wholly different personality. This weekend they could just be real; without the masks. I hope they feel they could bring some of that reality home with them.

This weekend, I'm home. Glorious home! I even get to completely unpack my bag. Until Thanksgiving week.

Until then, hug a teen. Give them a card of encouragement. If you don't know a teen, smile at one in the mall or behind the counter of your fast food restaurant. You might just make their day. They're usually great kids even if some of their quirks drive you crazy (like we don't all have our own quirks). By communicating that you care, you're becoming a part of their community. The one that believes in them.