It’s finally here again, October my second favorite month of the year. I had to wait to begin setting up this year, we have a new roommate and I didn’t want to scare him off by decorating too early.  I also can’t put out everything out so deciding what to put out has been difficult.

Watch for instructions on making the funnest Halloween curtains for your windows in the next couple of days, and I’ll post a few pictures so you can see how easy they are to do. Best of all, they’re re-usable so you can put them up in seconds each year.

Who didn’t love the Werewolf. His name is Patches.

This was one of everybody’s favorites this year. It’s my Mad Scientist Laboratory and Dessert Station.

I really had fun with this display by dropping small bits of dry ice into the beakers of colored water along the top shelf as the guests arrived, and added more movement by adding a aquarium fish pump with fizzer and bubbler into alternating beakers.

The grow a hands, heart and stomach on the main shelf I purchased at Hallmark. The bottles are lit from beneath by a small light rope in a wooden box painted black with a hole cut just smaller than the bottle.

Neon frosted cupcakes and various cookies, along with gummy worms rounded out the colorful display. I added small eyeballs with included bubble blower (like the mini bubble bottles at weddings) and Halloween clackers and ping pong eyeballs for the tricks.

The Halloween party was a smash, and like always I don’t wait a second to begin packing it all away for another year. My family insists that I keep it up for just a few days longer but I never do. My question is why does it pack up so quickly but take me three weeks to get it all put out.

I have a few ideas to try out next Halloween. I’ll keep you updated over the summer as I finalize the details for Halloween 2009. One of these years I going to finally get to do my Halloween CarnEvil Theme, will it be in 2009?

Once the pictures of this year get back I’ll share a few of the newest decorations in the next few posts. Until then, keep your spirits up.

It’s right around the corner. Halloween is nearly here. Despite years of doing this semi-professionally, you would think I have it all down pat. Though I do have a system, the stress manages to creep in anyway. I know it will all come together but the middle of October always finds me a little spooked.

If you haven’t seen this years Martha Stewart Halloween issue, check it out for some fantastic black light decorating.

Check back next week and if I’m still kicking I will share what I have accomplished this year.

The Halloween at Home Halloween Collection is now open online. Each year, Halloween at Home puts together a collection of merchants offering only the best in Halloween decor, Halloween costumes, Halloween props and more. Check out this years collection by visiting here.

It’s that time again, time to begin pulling out the Halloween decorations. What you say, it’s not even Fall yet?

Well for those not in the know about Halloween, it’s a 3-4 month process to set it all up. More a labor of love really, involving carefully executing each display. It seriously takes me 3 months to set up my Halloween and I start in the house in July working my way out as Fall nears.

I can hardly wait to see it all ready for this years Halloween party. Check back here to see it all in pictures.

If you like the spooky Halloween, the mad scientists and laboratory look for your decoration’s, be sure to look for the Midwest Seasons of Cannon Falls collection due to arrive in stores soon. If you don’t find it locally, check out www.sutterscreek.com later this year.

Without fail they rave over my outdoor decorations. I do it for the kids, they always want to go to the Halloween House for trick-or-treating.

Each May I take stock of my outdoor cut-outs as I decide what new cut-outs I want to add to our collection. The old set usually requires a fresh coat of black light paint, but touch up is quick. Wow do they look good under blacklights I set up in the garage to test while painting.

This year I am adding an alien, firefly’s in a cave and a large UFO to go on the roof of the garage. I want to do this LARGE haunted mansion cut-out but I don’t know if I will get to it this year. Even when I starting painting in June I barley have enough time to finish before the big month.

Try a few cut-outs this year for your yard, use blacklight sensitive acrylic paint’s (I get mine at Michael’s Crafts, about $1.00 a bottle). Then set up a couple of 4′ blacklights near the cut-outs. Your neighbors will love it.

Where you hold your Halloween party is as important as the theme itself. More room is almost always better, think creative and consider moving some of your furnishings into storage for the event.

It’s a risky proposal to plan an outside Halloween party in most of the northern U.S. The weather is cold and in some cases also cold and wet.

Our Halloween party has been held in the house in past years, with overflow and an area for any smokers in the garage. (I decked it out with retro Halloween cut-outs and decorations from the 60’s and 70′) Last year I also set up a tent in the backyard with a patio heater to warm it. Great idea because it offered just the right amount of additional room.

Get a pen and paper and sketch out the party room and or rooms. Mark important areas for decorations, props, food and of course seating. Also remember to include candles in your planning. You want about 50-100 candles of all sizes for your party. Try as in any party to break up the food areas, drink area and others to create conversation pockets. Make a check of available chairs and add an estaimate of how many you will need and add to your party list.

Get planning your party now, Halloween is only a few short months away.