Halloween Decorations 2013

If you have met Chris or I, you probably know that we love all things Halloween. Kind of obsessed. So knowing that, it probably comes as no surprise that I always have a ton of fun decorating the house for the season.

Each year I pick up a few more things, usually on clearance. If you can stand to wait, hit up the stores on November 1st and get some really good items for like 70% off. And then next Halloween, when you go through your Halloween decorations stash, you'll be surprised when you find all this new stuff you completely forgot about and hardly remember. Try it out. You'll love it.

So anyway, by our 50th anniversary, we're probably going to have more Halloween decorations than real decor. Then you can come visit our haunted house year round. haha But anyway, here's where we stand so far.

I just started acquiring our little outdoor cemetery. I have a 40% off coupon for Michaels on Sunday, so I'm thinking about going to get some skeleton limbs to have climbing out of the graves. Maybe I'll even leave a shovel in the ground? Also, I may need to get or make a couple larger tombstones.

This guy isn't really Halloween so much as just autumnal, but whatever. He's cute.

And how cute are these little wooden signs?

A close up on my tiny graveyard.

We also have a pumpkin that's on a timer so its face glows at night. And you can just barely see the glow-in-the-dark skull in the window. (Also, you can see that I finally finished dividing my irises! Yay! Cross it off the end-of-summer to do list!)

Ok. Now come on inside and see what other decorations we have brewing ... if you dare. Mwah ha ha. (Ok, I'm lame). Oh, and in case you can't tell from the picture, I simply wrapped our usual drift wood wreath with a garland of sparkly purple leaves from Michaels and then hung a cute little sign and a spider from it.

Inside, things get a little darker ... (both the decorations and my photography. Oops!) Looks like a murder took place in the kitchen!

Perhaps these nefarious potions had something to do with it?

The cute bottles are just casually mixed in with my kitchen stuff on the back of the oven. Thought that would be a fun find for someone snooping around my house.

And this purple feather wreath has taken the place of the usual mirror in the entryway area.

This picture is terrible, but I draped gauze on the bannister and hung this scary chained ghost guy that we bought a couple Halloweens ago at an apple orchard.

Oh no! Looks like the bloody murder has moved into the dining room as well! Perhaps the victim was trying to get to Chris's computer to send an email for help? Haha Or look up the best way to kill a vampire? Who knows?

 These are self-adhesive decals, by the way. I didn't paint the walls and floor. $5 at Target.

 Still love love love the banner my mom made for us.

 I draped the other doorway in the living room with lighted garland. And then of course, there's Wise Crackin' Jack just hanging out.

Have you been properly introduced to our little friend?

We found him at an apple orchard as well, but he wasn't for sale. He was just part of the decor. So we got his name and looked him up online the moment we got home. A short while later, he showed up at our doorstep and has been a member of our scary little family ever since. What a guy.

Like my pitcher full of eyeballs? Shall I pour you a glass? Or do you need a zombie finger sticky note to mark your favorite pumpkin recipe in a magazine?

 Here's another new addition. How freaking awesome is this? Wasn't on sale when I went to Michaels today, but I just had to have it. LOVE IT. Especially in front of my black pillar candle holders. :-)

See that orange pumpkin in the background of the picture above? Here's that little superstar:

This was one of the items I bought last year after Halloween was over and saved a stupid amount of money by waiting. Halloween can be so expensive if you're not careful!

Here's my little tableau in progress. I use a battery-powered tea light for the skull because it's not a very big cavern in there. Sort of a fire hazard, and that's just not good for anyone.

Even my laundry room has a scary look about it. But I have to chalk this one up to happy terrifying accident. haha We ran on Monday with our running group and wore some of our zombie clothes. We finally decided it was time to give them a wash, but I didn't want to move them to the dryer because they're so tattered. Why shouldn't I hang bloody garments to dry from the ceiling in my dark basement? Boy I hope nobody peers in the windows. Then again, it might keep the burglars away. Who wants to mess with someone who killed a bride and at least one other guy?

 My frame wall is also feeling a bit more spooky.

Here's a freebie decorating tip. Chris loves the seasonal Halloween cereals, so I just cut up the boxes and taped them right to the glass of a few frames. It's cute and it cost nothing at all! Not everything about Halloween has to cost an arm and a leg (or require decorating with them, for that matter. haha)

And then of course, we have some old favorites:

I forgot to take pictures of a few other things, like the cute "Fraidy Cats Welcome" sign my mom gave me and the pumpkin garland hanging over the window in the dining room. But it's all up and looking spooktacular as well. :-) Even the zombie soap in the bathroom, which isn't a Halloween decoration at all. Just an awesome souvenir from Hawaii ...

What are you guys up to for October? Any spooky decorations?