{quotable thursdays}

A memento mori, for hallowe'en is almost upon us!

What you are now, we once were. 

What we are now, you shall be.

{danse macabre}

Happy Hallowe'en!!!

xo

L

{pumpkin carving (a little late!)}

I apologise--you are probably all pumpkined out by now, but things have been far too busy and I'm just now catching up on some long overdue blog posts.
A few weeks ago, before Hallowe'en, I had friends & their kids over for my annual pumpkin carving. Loads of fun... There were over 20 people, including 7 kids & all in all, I think we carved around 15 pumpkins!

{my invite}

{disguises for the kids & kids at heart}

{homemade mini pumpkin pies}

{amazing Day of the Dead el papel picado my sister who lives in Mexico gave me}

{mini pumpkin pies}

{some of the kids' pumpkins}

{guests}

{more pumpkins}

{end of the night shot}

{carving my cat pumpkin}

I also went to a Hallowe'en party where I dressed up in 1930s dress...

{my hair done up in a 1930s updo}

{& my fancy mask!}

Hope you all had a good Hallowe'en!!

xo, 

L

{quotable thursdays}

{via etsy}

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.                 -George Eliot                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Happy autumn! & for my fellow Canadians, Happy Thanksgiving this weekend!!!

{via martha stewart}

{via Rosemary Milner}

{autumn leaves via it's friday I'm in love}

{toile pumpkins via reverie}

{autumnal table via sweetest occasion}

{autumn comforts, marcus design}

{fall apples, via terrier & lobster}

xo
L

{pumpkin carving party}

Last night I had a pumpkin carving party with new colleagues. I had a really fun time decorating (which ensured that my place will be festive for trick or treaters next week).
I made bats out of black bristol board. Unfortunately, they never wanted to hang right, no matter how I applied the string. Although I think I still got the general effect. I made large ones for the front porch, and small ones for hanging from tree branches in my house. I also cut out some silhouettes, which look good against the white of my house (a witch's profile, a scaredy cat & a tree):

{check out that gorgeous fall foliage}

{the advantage of having a white house is that you can still see all the decorations at night, as the black silhouettes stand out nicely against the white}

{here I dangled small bats from this branch, surrounded by gourds}

{added a few spiders for good measure}

{this one was near the fire place, and I also cut out a silhouette of a black crow. caw caw}

I also made pom-poms in black & orange, and bought some skeleton lanterns. I've made pom-poms for my living space in pinks, & blogged about making these and the bunting (click here & here (for martha stewart directions on pom-poms click here)). 

{diy pom-poms}

{the kitchen has a window into the living room, which I opened up to facilitate talking/hosting. I decorated the kitchen window/opening with apples & a skeleton lantern}

{pom-poms against fall foliage}

I attempted to make yummy chocolate-chocolate cupcakes, but the cupcakes were quite wet (yet pretty delicious) and the experimental icing didn't really turn out either. But I decorated them with spider webs & spiders, and put them near a raven:

{black & orange spidery cupcakes}

I quite like that raven:

{in the words of Edgar Allen Poe: "Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'"}

Drinks were ready, food out & my guests arrived bearing pumpkins, knives & drinks (a perfect combo!!).
...& we got to carving:

{carving my pumpkin}

{our pumpkins!!}

thanks to all who shared in the festivities--it was loads of fun!
Enjoy pumpkin carving this season. If you'd like more hallowe'en inspiration, check out my blog from last year on the danse macabre, gravestones & costumes.
On a side note, today is my Dad's 65th birthday, Happy Happy Birthday bapu-ji...wish I could spend it with you!!!
xo
L

{pumpkin carving}

I'm hosting a pumpkin carving this coming weekend. I used to do these in Montreal, and it was always a blast. I've been trolling the web & pinterest for pumpkin carving ideas & images.
I used this image on my invite:

{via i mockery}

vintage hallowe'en cards are seriously some of the most bizarre things I've ever seen:

{3 above via wordplay}

{crazy pumpkin head via vintage postcards}

{via very vintage}

{these 2 via halloween wallpaper. What is going on in these images? Telling children that you might be attacked by a policeman, or if you dangle some strange unknown square device on a string a crazy pumpkin head may follow you? ha!}

{these 6 from i mockery. Strange cats seem to be the order of the day in these vintage postcards. or a crazy pumpkin with x-ray vision! & what's with the policeman again?!}

This advert is hilarious:

{via jezebel}

I have been looking at ideas for decorations too. I love this door & flying bats. If I find time I hope to do something like this: 

{from ohdeedoh}

{from style at home}

I love this look:

{from carina gardner}

& more mice from Martha Stewart:

I also love these framed silhouettes & prints: 

{from mommy on the bus}

{the crafting chicks}

Below are some images from pumpkin carving events in my flat in Montreal. I'll be sure to post some of the actual event this year!

Happy Pumpkin Carving my ghoulish readers!!!

xo

L