Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

Hi Friends,

May your Halloween be filled with Fun, Magic and Memories. Wishing all of you the timeless treasures of Halloween; the warmth of home, the love of family and the company of good friends.

Check back for more ideas and enjoy the magic that is Halloween.

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Live well,

Yvonne

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Halloween Terror-rium Centerpiece

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

Create an only slightly creepy terror-rium for your Halloween centerpiece.

Materials and Tools:
apothecary-style clear glass jar with lid
sand or dirt
pillow stuffing
green felt
scissors
craft knife
small oval wood discs
balsa wood or cardboard for cemetery gates
granite-textured spray paint
permanent marker
small orange berries or tiny faux pumpkins
small leafless tree branches or twigs

Steps:
1. Fill bottom of glass jar with approximately 2 inches of sand or dirt to form the earth of the cemetery and insert branches into dirt or sand to resemble dead trees.

2. To create the pumpkin patch and cemetery, cut green felt into small curving pieces to resemble turf and pile up orange berries to represent pumpkins.

3. Draw and cut cemetery gates out of balsa wood or thick cardboard.

4. Coat wooden discs and cemetery gates with granite-textured spray paint. Write funny phrases or names on top two-thirds of tombstones; the bottom thirds will be below the earth level. Then, insert tombstones and gates in ground.

5. Create a thin layer of fog over everything by placing small amounts of pillow stuffing over the trees and cemetery area. Tip: Really use your creativity when adding to the cemetery. A nice addition to the tree branches are miniature owls or ravens, either handmade or store-bought. Decorate the grave areas with tiny skeletons or ghosts.

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Spooky Fruit Halloween Centerpiece

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

A little paint is all that's needed to transform plastic fruit and veggies into spooky fruit for a one-of-a-kind Halloween centerpiece.

Materials and Tools:
assorted faux fruit and vegetables
decorative bowl
white craft paint
black spray paint
small detail paintbrush

Steps:
1. Spray paint the fruit and vegetables black and allow to thoroughly dry. This may take a few coats to get the fake produce truly black.

2. Paint scary faces onto the fruit and vegetables with paintbrush and white craft paint. Once dry, display spooky fruit and vegetables in bowl, either mixed in with the real stuff or by itself.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Perfect Pumpkin

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

Fool guests with this faux pumpkin that mirrors the size, color and texture of an actual pumpkin, and is complete with a spider carving.

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Phantom Trio

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

This set of Halloween ghosts is made of weather-resistant materials and comes with colorful lights inside. Set the ghosts up in the yard to provide a not-so-scary welcoming for young trick-or-treaters.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

All Lit Up

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

When you've had your fill of pumpkins and ghosts, try adding some decorative Halloween twigs to the front porch. This set of 5-foot twigs comes pre-lit with 50 orange mini-lights already in place.

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Make It Miniature

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

Handcrafted from natural materials such as tree bark and wood chips, this set of brush ornaments is eco-friendly, biodegradable and a great choice for limited spaces.

Thinking green doesn't have to be boring.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Monday, October 24, 2011

Grim Grinning Ghosts

Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

Who said Halloween has to hamper your home decor? From the store to your door, try this easy idea for celebrating the spooky season in style.

Lit from within, these burlap ghosts can add a surprisingly whimsical feel to a ghoulish holiday.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Skull Decor

Hi Friends,

Skulls fill this creepy dining room decorated by RMSer nyclq, who chose a black-and-white theme. She topped a gauze table runner with a delicate branch centerpiece that holds skull tea lights. The skull theme is carried through to the buffet table, featuring black candelabras and a mummy skeleton. The bright orange window panels are the only pop of color, which adds a dramatic touch to the space.

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Saturday, October 22, 2011

How to Make a Halloween Jack-O'-Totem

Courtesy of Layla Palmer, The Lettered Cottage

Hi Friends,

Materials Needed:
* 3 faux pumpkins
* spool of 3/8" wide black craft ribbon
* black acrylic craft paint
* white acrylic craft paint
* small craft paintbrush
* hot glue gun and glue sticks
* pumpkin-carving tool or sharp knife

Select Pumpkins
Select three similarly shaped faux pumpkins.

Cut Hole
Use a sharp knife or pumpkin-carving knife to cut a hole in the bottom of the first pumpkin. Make sure the hole is big enough for the stem of the second pumpkin to fit into. Repeat this step on the bottom of the second pumpkin.

Adhere Ribbon
Cut random lengths of craft ribbon and hot glue them to each of the pumpkins to form mouths.

Paint Eyes
Paint eyes on each of the pumpkins using a small paintbrush and some black and white acrylic paint.

Hot Glue Pumpkins
Use hot glue to attach the first pumpkin to the second and the second pumpkin to the third.

It's not a trick but a treat, Enjoy!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Friday, October 21, 2011

Witch's Broom Halloween Place Card Holders

Courtesy of Marian Parsons, Mustard Seed Interiors

Hi Friends,

These diminutive brooms add an enchanting touch of whimsy to any Halloween get-together, plus they make great party favors for guests.

Materials Needed:
* twigs, approximately 6" long
* 1 package natural raffia
* hot glue gun and glue sticks
* scissors
* brown paper bag
* brown fine-point permanent marker

Gather Twigs
Take a stroll outside to gather clean, dry twigs. Cut or snap them to a six-inch length.

Cut Raffia
Cut a handful of raffia into a two-inch bunch.

Affix Raffia to Twig
Apply a bead of hot glue around bottom of stick and insert stick into center of raffia bunch, ensuring raffia is evenly distributed around twig. Hold until glue has set. Wrap a long piece of raffia around top of bunch, tying in a knot to fully secure.

Trim Broom
Cut excess raffia used to secure bunch to twig. Trim bottom of broom.

Make Paper Name Card
Measure and cut a 3" x 3/4" pennant-shaped piece out of a brown paper bag and cut a small triangle out of right end. Write guest's name on card using a fine-tipped permanent marker.

Affix Place Card
Apply bead of hot glue to top of twig. Wrap left end of place card around twig, holding it in place until glue sets.
Tip: If desired, form paper banner into "S" shape by squeezing it gently with fingers. This will give the flag the appearance of movement.

The perfect setting for Hallows Eve...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Make a Ghost for Halloween

Courtesy of Shari Hiller

Hi Friends,

Add this ghost to your Halloween decorations and your house will become a favorite haunt of all the little goblins in your neighborhood.

Have you ever seen a ghost? I have. In fact, there's one lurking on my front porch right now. If you'd like to make a ghost to help you hand out treats to the little witches and goblins who come to your door on Halloween, here's what you'll need:

Materials and Tools:
plywood base measuring 12" x 12"
2" x 2" x 6' boards
large plastic foam ball
24 to 40 yards of white gauze
liquid fabric starch
pail
plastic drop cloth
old white socks, rags
hot glue gun
serrated knife

Steps:
1. The first step is to make a frame for your ghost. Drill a pilot hole into the center of the plywood base. Attach one of the 2 x 2 boards to the base with a long wood screw.

2. Cut the foam ball in half using a knife with a serrated edge. With your hot glue gun, attach one half of the foam ball to the top of the board. This creates the head shape.

3. Angle cut two shorter 2 x 2's and screw them into the main 2 by 2. Take an old sock and stuff it lightly with rags. Slide the sock up over the ends of the 2 x 2's to form the shape of hands. To secure them, tape the ends of the socks in place.

4. Because this project is very messy, you are wise to use a plastic drop cloth to protect your floor. Spread the tarp on the floor and set the frame in the center. Pour the liquid starch into the pail, and you're ready to start giving your ghost a little "body."

5. Cut the white gauze into six-foot strips. Dip the strips one at a time into a pail of fabric starch. Pull the gauze out slowly, wringing it out as you go. Begin draping lengths of gauze over the ghost frame until you have created the thickness and shape you desire. Each of our ghosts took about 12 to 20 lengths of gauze.

6. Depending on how you put your frame and your gauze together, you can create a variety of looks for your ghosts: high arms, low arms, hoods or capes. The ghost frame tends to be a bit unsteady. To anchor it, be sure to lay the gauze as flat as possible on the bottom of the ghost. The flattened gauze gives you an area to set bricks or rocks to hold your ghosts down. After all your hard work, you don't want them to fly away in the wind!

7. Allow the ghost to dry, and the gauze to harden. After it is completely dry, you can add a couple of strips of dry gauze and hot glue them into place. This loose gauze will create movement, making your ghost come "alive" on a breezy night! The ghost can be removed from the form, but since they are fairly fragile I recommend that you keep them on the form, if possible.

Your ghost can be placed outside on a covered porch or, for short lengths of time, can be out in the open as long as it is a dry evening. As you can imagine, rain can soften up the dried starch, and leave you with a puddle of gauze instead of a ghost.

So, still not sure you believe in ghosts? Well, add this specter to your Halloween decorations and your house will become a favorite haunt of all the little goblins in your neighborhood. What more proof do you need?

Check back for more great ideas from your friends at Interior Design!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Printable Halloween Party Invites







Courtesy of HGTV

Hi Friends,

Gather the ghouls to eat, drink and be scary. Enjoy these easy-to-do invitations for you Halloween gathering with family and good friends.

Halloween Invitation Haunted House.pdf

Halloween Invitation Monster Mash.pdf

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Live well,
Yvonne

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

From Empty Living Room to a Romantic Writer’s Retreat

BEFORE

AFTER

Hi Friends,

Candice Olson creates a masterpiece design for a writer needing refuge.

Our designer divided the space into a writing area, a meeting area and a seating area and created cohesion with a soft color palette, dramatic architecture and shimmery details. An ideal romantic retreat for a romance writer.

The space had great bones: high ceilings, Palladian windows, crown moldings and hardwood floors, but was missing the “wow” factor. To help achieve this, our designer infused the room with a bit of color. Put up silvery, floral-patterned wallpaper in most of the space, and then paint the rest in a serene shade of cream.

Then, because the space was originally fashioned as two rooms (living and dining) and had columns that separated the two areas, which was ideal for a writer’s retreat and a meeting area.

In the writer’s retreat, a new desk was installed that blends function and fancy. The piece is a combination desk and bookcase done in a light cream with a beautiful dark wood work surface. Added was a great writer’s chair in a soft green that will be the perfect spot to create masterpiece after masterpiece.

Worked in a little seating area for friends, which includes an L-shaped sectional in subtle, silvery linen, and a gorgeous gas fireplace that is surrounded with stone and has a stunning mirror above.

Soft, gauzy sheers with gold satin trim diffuses light softly through the large windows at the front of the room and put the same sheers up to separate the writing space from the meeting space.

In the meeting area, there is a beautiful wooden table where the romance writers can gather (and maybe family for the occasional meal), and chairs in a green patterned fabric and velvet. Along the back wall is a beautiful hutch that is backed in mirror, which serves to reflect the windows and detailing in the writer’s area.

Lighting is always a really effective way to add ambiance to a space. Installed are two antique silver and crystal sconces above the fireplace, and an elegant silver and gold gilded crystal chandelier above the sectional. Above the table in the meeting room is another shimmery fixture that acts as a companion piece to the larger chandelier.

After adding some final romantic details – area rugs, vases, pictures and some books – the redesign was complete.

This large, empty space was crying out for a happy ending. Our designer gave it a dreamy makeover full of traditional details, cool colors and feminine inspirations. Now it’s the perfect blend of fantasy and reality – and is definitely number one on this year’s “best rooms” list. Now that’s divine!

Check back for more ideas and enjoy your writer's space.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Monday, October 17, 2011

How to Make a Silhouette Pumpkin

Courtesy of Layla Palmer, The Lettered Cottage

Hi Friends,

Materials Needed:
medium to large pumpkin
white copy paper
computer and printer
stick pins
black acrylic paint
small flat-edge craft paintbrush
small-tipped detail paintbrush
spool of black lace, beads or other textural fabric trim
hot glue gun and glue sticks
scissors

Find the Flat Side
Rotate the pumpkin until you find the flattest side. It will be easier to paint the silhouette on a smooth flat side than a bumpy one.

Print Silhouette
Use a computer and printer to print out a solid black silhouette of someone's face. You can use a family member's profile or simply search for silhouettes online.
Tip: Make sure to measure the flat side of the pumpkin before you print so you'll know how large to print the silhouette.

Cut Out Silhouette
Use scissors to cut out the silhouette, then temporarily attach it to the pumpkin with stick pins.

Trace Silhouette
Use a pencil to trace around the entire silhouette.

Paint Silhouette
Remove the paper silhouette and stick pins, then use a flat-edged paintbrush to fill in the outline with black acrylic paint. Use a small-tipped detail brush around the edges of the silhouette to clean up the design.

Attach Trim
Cut enough trim to completely encircle the silhouette; attach it to the pumpkin with a hot glue gun.

There you have it...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Make a Vintage-Inspired Halloween Banner

Courtesy of Marian Parsons, Mustard Seed Interiors

Hi Friends,

Add a sophisticated touch to your Halloween decorations with this inexpensive hand-painted banner.

Materials Needed:
* 1/2 yard cream canvas fabric
* pencil
* permanent marker
* ruler
* pinking shears or sharp scissors
* computer with Word processor
* printer
* paper
* burnt umber acrylic paint
* No. 2 liner brush
* hemp twine
* hot glue gun and glue sticks

Measure and Cut Fabric
Using a ruler and pencil, measure and mark six 5" x 7" pieces of canvas fabric. Cut along pencil lines with pinking shears or a sharp pair of scissors.

Design, Print and Trace Letters
Choose desired font for banner in Word processor on computer (275 point Blackadder ITC is used in this project). Print text, center fabric over printed text, and tape both paper and fabric to window so font is visible through canvas. Trace the letters' outlines onto canvas with a pencil. Repeat the process with remaining letters and canvas pieces.

Paint Letters
Mix two parts burnt umber acrylic paint with one part water. Following traced pencil lines, paint letters with a No. 2 liner brush. Allow paint to fully dry. Tip: If you don't trust your hand with painting letters, a dark brown paint pen or permanent marker can alternately be used.

Glue Fabric to Twine
Unroll hemp twine and cut to desired length. Turn canvas pieces upside down and in reverse order. Example: For the word "Wicked" the "W" should be on the far right with "I" to the right of it. Run a bead of hot glue along top edge of one canvas piece. Apply hemp twine to hot glue and fold fabric over. Hold in place until glue has set. Repeat with remaining pieces of canvas, leaving two inches of twine between each piece. Hang banner on mantel or porch rail.

Nicely done...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Pumpkin Planter


Hi Friends,

A variation on the classic orange-and-black Halloween decor, a silver planter filled with painted pumpkins makes a stylish display to welcome trick-or-treaters. Submitted by HGTV fan mlively.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Friday, October 14, 2011

Spooky Chic


Hi Friends,

Halloween doesn't have to be just for kids. HGTV fan MissLynnette created a sophisticated setting for an adult Halloween party using black-and-silver place settings, each topped with a jack-o'-lantern.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Ghostly Graveyard


Hi Friends,

After creating tombstones out of Styrofoam, HGTV fan tryanpa completed the look of this spooky cemetery by adding blue lights for an eerie glow after dark.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Personalized Pumpkins



Hi Friends,

Custom pumpkin-carving templates can give your jack-o'-lanterns a personal touch. HGTV fan jmagnussen created templates using photographs of her sons.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Monday, October 10, 2011

Happy Columbus Day!


Hi Friends,

In 1942 Columbus sailed thousands of miles, battling harsh, Dangerous seas… Talk about a rough commute!

Check back for more ideas and share a discovery today with a family member or good friend.


Happy Columbus Day!

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Live well,
Yvonne

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Spice Up Your Dining Room With Stylish Slipcovers

By Georgette Mosley

Hi Friends,

Slipcovers are an easy and creative way to add functionality and style to a room. Check out a way to integrate slipcovers into your dining room design scheme.

Pair a neutral slipcover with colorful table settings to create your own high-style dining room. Complemented by a bold focal wall, these crisp, white slipcovers look especially lovely with lime-green accessories.

Check back for more ideas and enjoy Simple Style!

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Live well,
Yvonne