Letters from Santa

      My son wrote his first Christmas list to Santa this year.
I made sure, even though I got laid off recently, that he had just about everything he asked for. He had straight A's on his report card. For a six year old good marks and a happy mom is important, but I not only got to see straight A's, but his teacher raved about him so when I went in for the parent teacher conferences that I knew there was no way it could be a bad Christmas for him.

    Then there was that inspired moment. people kept posting all these sights willing to take your money to send your child a  Letter from Santa. I thought to myself 'Why give them money? I can do this just as easily as they can. I can even make an envelope with a post mark on it. I wouldn't even have to waste the stamp, so that's exactly what I did! I had some marble looking stationary that I printed it on. You can get cheap stationary from the dollar store these day...

Letter From Santa

Post marked Envelope from North Pole

Halloween Creations 2014

Halloween Props Creation. From this year and last year.
I made some of my best large decorations. Pumpkin Monster is my favorite right now.

Alien mask  stuffed with a balloon, metal fence post, material, scary gloves and eyes drawn on paper.
Garbage bag ghost is  a tomato cage a balloon and face drawn on with a marker.

Home made Headstones made of wood, bag of bones and dollar store skeleton heads and some old garden fencing.

Skeleton - Bought skeleton frame on sale, dollar store knight armor and rats, twig painted like a cigarette and a beer bottle.
Ghoul - Dollar store mask, my kids clothes stuffed with newspaper and dollar store hands and feet.
Bought the small skeleton for 10$

Spider Victim was a Walmart buy. One after seeing the quality I regret. Next year I buy spider cargo netting ) Bungee cord that looks like a spider web and put my own skeleton in it and dress him in some cloth with spider webs on him.  Yeah it would be that easy.

Pumpkin Monster - On clearance Pumpkin mask stuffed with newspaper, scary gloves I had in the shed, cloth I already had at home, fence post pieces of wood tied to it with rope a few hair bands and twist ties to make him stay.That Stomach he's sporting is a balloon tied under there, Looks harder than it was. The worst part was pounding in the pig fence post in the ground. Oh yeah, some paper in the eyes and I drew in eyes

When I bought  the skelton he looked so funny driving him home in my car.

$5 dollars at one of the local dollar stores.

He was a little more expensive. $15 and his eyes light up.

3 foot reaper from walmart for $15. He's vocal and animated by sound.

30$ on sale at Smiths.. My other big splurge this year.

Dollar store knocker

Striped Witch socks for $1 at Walgreens

Witches broom made from a branch that broke off our apple tree and weeds from up the road and some rope.

$2 witches hat from Walgreens, $2 spookie cloth Walmart, Old clothes and my witchy socks from walgreens stuffed with newspaper, $10 on sale witch mask from Smiths, I bought a $4 couldren from Smiths and filled it with my body parts from the dollar store from last year. Logs from my yard

2 Year Anniversary - September 13, 2014

So the impending  Anniversary of my fathers death was yesterday. But this year I was feeling it a bit.So to deal with my angst I did this............

So what if the neighbors think I'm weird... Lately, since he's died, I dive into this holiday. Just not usually in September... I've been adding a little every week since I'm in overtime at work. There will be more to come... I'm having my Fiance' build me a coffin this year to add to the collection. I found a witch mask so I've decided to build me a which and buy a plastic cauldron or make one who knows...

My son helping me with the placement felt he needing to be in the picture, but trying to hide. I made the Headstones last year
My fiance' cut them out of wood we had around the house. The joy of being with a construction workers. My son and I painted them. Obviously I did the lettering, but painting the base color lets him feel like a huge contributor. Which he is.

My son got to place all the bones.
You should always let your children help. They get a kick out of it.

My $5 dollar store find!

My son, an angel, and my skeleton dog from Smiths.

So a little update to my yard.... 10-3-2014

Yes, I drove home with the Skeleton showing in my seat just like this.

My son and the skeleton

A few humorous props don't hurt your Halloween any..

The witch I made this year.

My son keeps taking and playing with the skeletons helmet....