please don't call it spooktacular

Spooktacular. I'll be happy not to ever hear that ersatz word again, especially in conjunction with an October sale at a big box store.

But we did do kind of a fun and crazy – some said spectacular – halloween display at home, in honor of the several hundred kiddies (and parents) who plowed through our neighborhood collecting treats last Wednesday eve. Our theme was creepy doll parts, and we really had fun finding all the little bits and pieces (from the dollar store, garage sales, thrifts, here and there) this last year (yeah, you have to start early and keep throwing the bits into a box until the big reveal). Some of the parts ended up in a crusty tool bucket; some were hung in the trees or stuck on the ends of twigs; some were half buried in a berm, their little crunchy arms and legs akimbo. All the doll eyeballs ended up at the shop, however, where we were encouraging people to stick them into cupcakes or jello. One customer bought some to decorate a meatloaf, which I thought was a brilliant idea.

Our little home display was even better at night, when Robert had uplights shining into all the trees, and we had a moany groany halloween sounds cd blasting outside. It was so much fun. I think we gave away 450 pieces of candy (minus – ahem – just a few that we ate). The kids were sooooo cute, and we appreciated all the clever costumes, many of them not at all store-bought. My favorite quote from a little boy who I had mistakenly identified as a ninja: "NO. I'm a power wanger!" [Rhymes with ranger.] He returned to his parents and said, "Peh! SHE didn't even know what I WAS!"

Just about everybody laughed at our goofy concoctions. We may have offended a few people, too.

Broken porcelain faces and legs stuffed into a bucket with mossy twigs, next to headless doll waving hello.

This little doll went to hospital and never recovered. She's really kind of horrifying.  Look at Granny's picture the wrong way and she appears to have fangs and vampire attributes. 

Mysteriously dead tree. Perfect for random heads and feet.

This formerly lovely bush withered appropriately in time for halloween. Our homemade gravestones tucked right in.

The parts tree.

Skeleton emerging from the berm.

Dollar store dolly (with shredded muslin garment) twisted in the wind.