Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Sophisticated Halloween Decorating

Martha Stewart

 
Who else loves decorating for Halloween? I adore it. For years, my daughter and I would duplicate the Halloween craft ideas from Martha Stewart Living.

I am so incredibly disappointed to have received the last issue. I loved that magazine so much. I assume many of you heard that May was the last issue of Martha Stewart Living.

I love this idea above. I have been decorating for years with heirloom pumpkins. The traditional orange pumpkins are not really my style. 

"Brighten your front steps with a tumble of pumpkins that beckons passersby to come slither. This ombré array includes (from top) peachy Porcelain Doll, mottled Kakai, and blood-orange Cinderella Rouge varieties, plus green-dappled Lakota winter squashes. Then scale up the spookiness with pincushion protea—sea-urchin-y blooms that will last all season—and camouflaged rubber snakes, bugs, and lizards."

(via Martha Stewart)

By the way, many followers warned me about how pumpkins do not last in the heat of Florida. Well, I had my heirloom pumpkins in my covered entryway where they are protected from direct sun and some lasted for 6 months!!!

Want to try your hand at these ombréd pumpkins this fall? Depending on where you live, Trader Joe's, Publix, and Whole Foods all carry beautiful heirloom pumpkins.

Here is the faux lizard.


Bearded Dragon Lizard

And the protea if you prefer artificial.


12 Pack of Tropical Needle Protea


A corn snake.


Corn Snake



A coral snake.


Coral Snake



An albino python.


Albino Python


And a Burmese python.


Burmese Python
 

And large spiders.


Big-Legged Spider


The heirloom pumpkins sans creepy crawlers can be used as a beautiful fall display before and after Halloween. Trader Joe's usually gets them in the second week of September which is right around the corner.

I am a huge fan of Printfresh sleepwear and loungewear. They just released their brand new pumpkin patch design that is too darling.


Pumpkin Patch Sleep Shirt


Pumpkin Patch Short Sleep Set


Pumpkin Patch Long Sleep Set



I am ordering my new car today. Then the wait begins!







15 comments:

  1. I would never decorate with fake snakes. Here in Texas, especially at our rural farm, snakes are a real concern. That being said, the heirloom pumpkins are wonderful.

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    1. I am not in rural Texas and have sweet beneficial garden snakes here.

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  2. Beth, for me! Orange is a Very Happy Color! all the Best, Al

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  3. Completely agree Beth, that publication will be missed. Such a wonderful inspiration for chic and achievable home decor.

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  4. Good luck with your new car! I have an Audi Q7 and it’s the best riding car I have ever owned. I have a black with tan interior but now living in Charleston I plan to go with metallic white and tan interior next time. I find that silver and gold cars become invisible during bad weather. Love heirloom pumpkins!

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    1. Nice car. I love Audis. I have black and love it even here in Florida.

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  5. So spill the beans - What color exterior & interior??

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  6. For over a decade our house was decorated with Halloween things made from Martha's templates and recreated from her fab Halloween magazines. Gave all of it away to a young family when my kids went to prep school, I miss it all way more than they do!

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    1. I can't tell you how many wonderful Halloween projects my daughter and I did.

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  7. I'm not really much of a Halloween decorator. Primarily, I think of Halloween as a children's holiday, but I love the Cinderella, or rouge d'etampes, pumpkins. Some years ago when my nephews were little, I discovered a couple of very over-the-top pumpkin carving books; Play With Your Pumpkins, by Joost Elffers, and Extreme Pumpkins, by Tom Nardone. Both perfect for boys, they loved them, and I loved them too! The books are still available, but I'm sure there are now websites that have taken their place.

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    1. Interestingly, Halloween has become much much more of an adult holiday, with Halloween costume parties at homes, bars, etc. I spend hours every year figuring out my costume. Also was very big for dogs in NOVA.

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  8. I'm anxious to hear about your car color choices too. Recently I rented an SUV, something I was seriously considering purchasing for my next car. I loved sitting up high, but did not care at all for the blind spots in the rear - even with cameras - so I guess an SUV is not in my future.

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    1. Crazy and exhausting day yesterday - hope to have it worked out today. I do not like an SUV personally. The Audi Allroad is a luxury wagon that is raised to make it off-road.

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