Second Set of Halloween Props

Here is the link to the second set of photos of the stuff that I have picked up for the Boo Bash. As you can see I have quite a stash of items and I am in the planning stages of what will go in each room. I thought I had all the room themes planned, but I am doing some modifying since I have the photos to look through.

I absolutely couldn't pull this off if I didn't have my fabulous Halloween Notebook and all the planning pages. I am working on the BB room by room on paper.

It finally stopped raining here and I brought in the things I have had stored in the trunk of the car to inventory. I took photos of everything and have them in a Photobucket slide show. I tried to get it to run on here as a slide show, but couldn't figure it out. So, you will have to click on the link for the Boo Bash purchases to see them. I still have the things that I bought earlier that are stored in the shed. I will try to get them out tomorrow if we have sunshine.

As soon as I get the other photos taken, I will finalize the plans for each room and post about each one with some photos to support my plans.

Spell Book

I found a really neat journal that I am going to use for a Spell Book or maybe a Spell Recipe Book for the kitchen. It even looks the part on the front cover and the pages are parchment looking. I spent several hours tonight reading through posts on the Halloween Forum and found some fun spells to include in the book. I also found a link to something like 500 spells from the television series >Charmed< that is downloading right now. This should give me enough things to make an even bigger Spell Book! Yea!

I forgot to look for a large book when I was out thrifting earlier in the week. I used to have a huge medical book that would be perfect, but I don't know if I kept it or not. I will look tomorrow. Surely I will be able to find something that will work. I think the large hardbound books are only $1 at Goodwill.

I will place one of the Spell Books on the washstand in the entry way.

My excitement is building for the Boo Bash. I went to Walmart today and bought another huge plastic tub to hold some of my new purchases. It is supposed to rain again tomorrow, but I hope to be able to empty my trunk into the tub and bring those things inside so that I can take some photos.

Added to my Halloween stash today!

Woo hoo! I made a haul today and on the cheap, too.

I had to go into work for a luncheon and so decided to stop at Goodwill and the Salvation Army Family Store in the neighboring town where I work part-time. I was really looking for ghosts for my Boo Bash, but found some interesting things instead.

I bought the most adorable ceramic witch's shoe that will be a great addition to my Witch's Kitchen. I also bought two witches that are stand-up about three foot each. One is battery operated, but I don't know if it works or not, but they were only $2 each, so I didn't worry about that. They are nice props.

I also picked up a lighted sign with a ghost and the word Boo! on it, a lighted pumpkin sign, a set of three pumpkins in the plastic sort of shiny stuff that matches all my other lighted jack-0-lanterns, a fantastically scary pumpkin head mask for $1, and a six foot tall Halloween screem guy. Again, I don't know if it works but it was in the box and looks good and was only $3! I'm not sure where he will go, but for the money, I couldn't pass him up.

I also picked up a black graduation robe for $1 that will be tall enough for DH in case he decides to be some type of a ghoul. I also got a couple of kids costumes for $1-$3 that I will use with masks in the bedroom hotels for props.

I've got to get everything out and do some inventoring to see where I stand and take some photos. It has been raining here everyday for the past week and I just haven't been able to empty out my trunk.

I have been working on my menu for the Boo Bash tonight and am just about through with the plans for it. I will share it later.

Things are really moving along. I wish October would get here so that I can decorate some. I am determined to not put up any Halloween until then. Even then, I won't do most of the Haunt stuff until the week before the party.

If it ever stops raining, I will get some photos of my fall decor for the Tour of Homes. Then I will add the Halloween things in before the posting day.

First Boo Bash at Haven Haunt

We are hosting our first ever Boo Bash at Haven Haunt and I am so excited!

I am a Christmas nut, but have never really been into Halloween other than decorating in a non-scary kind of way with lots of pumpkins and fall decor. However, this year, I decided that I wanted to start a new tradition and enjoy the haunting season with a Boo Bash. I picked up the name of the BB from my friends at Magical Holiday Home, which is one of my favorite online communities of Christmas enthusiasts. Gingerbug, the site administrator, holds a Boo Bash every year and the event has spread to more and more members during the past few years.

My cyber friends Cathymac and Luludou also hold Boo Bashes and their plans are underway. I have read the planning of these events for years and have shared in the excitement as the big BB day arrives, and finally decided that I didn't want to be left out again.

I live on a street called Haven Circle and so, the name Haven Haunt seemed perfect for this blog to share my plans and track the progress of the Boo Bash including photos of the event this year and in the future.

Admittedly, I have never been one to get into the ghoul and more Halloweeney side of this holiday, but for some reason, all of sudden this appeals to me. Call it a mid-life crisis, or just finally coming to my senses... Whatever the reason, I have been in full planning mode for the first BB at Haven Haunt for several weeks. Those of you who know me realize that I don't do anything in half measures, so the hunt has been on to find appropriate themes for EACH room in the house and the props to go with them without spending major bucks!

I pride myself on being a thrifty shopper and so I started out shopping early at my favorite thrift stores. As of last week, one of our area Goodwills has not even put out Halloween items and neither has the Salvation Army Family Store or another one of my thrift store haunts. (see I really am perfect for this because haunts are truly what the thrift stores have become for me in recent years!) I find the most amazing and cheap things in my weekly visits.

A pleasant surprise to me was finding lots and lots of goodies at the Resale Barn in a neighboring town. I go there often to purchase novels and I usually donate all my items to this particular store since it is so supportive of the local community. I have found the most amazing props, masks, costumes and all kinds of decor and serving items there during the past few weeks. I will get some photos of them uploaded during the next few days.

In the meantime I will share some of my journey in the planning of this event. I started out by working on my Halloween notebook. Actually, I had tentatively decided to hold a Boo Bash back in February when I downloaded the divider pages for my Halloween notebook. I am ashamed to say that the planning ended with the printed pages. They have remained in a folder until recently when I decided that I needed to forge forward. Notebooks and organized planning is something that I do using the original plans of CEO at www.organizedchristmas.com. These plans came forward with the two splinter groups of Christmas enthusiasts several years ago when CEO closed the message forums on her site. At that time the Magical Holiday Home and Our Home for the Holidays were both born. I remain an active member of both forums. Although they are primarily Christmas based forums, both include sections for all major holidays and the planning that is needed for each one. Each group has members that overlap like myself, but each also has its own unique membership and sections of the boards. I find that it is great to have the reinforcement of both sets of cyber friends and we have all truly become FRIENDS.

It is from my friends at MHH who have inspired me to hold the Boo Bash. The last day of each month is devoted to Halloween and is called the Great Pumpkin Day. That allows at least 12 days a year to be devoted to planning for the holiday. The third Thursday of each month is likewise spent planning and preparing for Thanksgiving and the 25th of each month is designated as Rudolph (or Rudy) Day and is in preparation for Christmas. It is truly a magical way to move through each month. I shop and plan all year for Christmas and so there is no made dash or big financial crunch during the holidays.

Since I procrastinated and didn't get my Boo Bash plans moving back in February, I have had to devote a lot of time and energy during the past few weeks to this event. Fortunately, I am diligent and lucky to have known about the Resale Barn. So, this Boo Bash is really shaping up and I am proud to say that the decor and food items will be great even with only a small time to work on it.

I decided that I wanted to decorate the entire house. At first I was going to only use my scarecrows, pumpkins, fall leaves, and the assorted ceramic Halloween items that I have collected over the years. That would have sufficed for the first Boo Bash, but that is not my style. So, I have been on a planning frenzy.

Things are still not completely finalized as to room themes, but at the moment I have plans for thr front yard, front porch area, entryway, main living area, dining area, kitchen, master bedroom, master bath, hallway, hall bath, two bedrooms, screened porch and the backyard! Let me tell you that is a lot of ground to decorated!!!