Today I have to get in high gear and finish my Fall/Halloween decorating and crafting. Every year for twenty years I have hosted a Halloween party and it's coming up the week before Halloween. I always invite close friends and family and the kids dress in costumes. Halloween is special to me. Traditional decorations fill my house; not gory or bloody types. The colors of orange and black are what Halloween is about!

SO, I have been working on some lollipops--both ghost and spider, and getting ready to do my witch hat candy bags which seems to be everyone's favorite. This is a great Martha Stewart craft from a few years back and I make them every year. I have tried to include at least one new "favor" to the party every year but so far my new addition won't be a different favor but a really special cupcake. I will include that picture when I make them for the party!

My love for Halloween takes me back to when I was very little and I enjoyed dressing as a witch every year except for a few years when I dressed as a clown. My Mom never bought me costumes; instead we used an old black skirt of hers, a black tutleneck and a witch's hat. Her skirt was floor length on me so it made it seem as though it were a long gown! Simple, but it worked. On the odd year that I was a clown, that was a pair of striped flannel pajamas that my Mom sewed pom poms on. Plus she would make me up to look like a clown! Being a witch was my favorite though and when I think back to how many years that one paper witch's hat lasted I am amazed! I loved when I was all done trick or treating walking home with my sister in the early dusk, shuffling through the leaves , chilly, hungry and excited to dump out my candy bag. Special times!

Anyway, I haven't been home alot lately between errands and school volunteering so today I must dedicate myself to getting everything ready. So on goes the pot of coffee (can't work without it) and away I go! I'll let you know how it turns out!