I Love this Halloween House!

Last week, my friend Tonja and I came across this house.  It was so perfectly dressed for Halloween that I made Shawn drive me by again later so I could snap some pictures of it to share with you.

First, let me preface by saying that I was not meant to be a drive by shooter, photo shooter that is,...but I think the pics are good enough for you to enjoy and maybe get some great ideas for your own Halloween decorating.  

 

The house has caution tape all the way across the yard, tied tree to tree, and as you can see here, around the door too.  Giant bats hang from the trees throughout the yard.

I want the hands!

"Do you think this chair makes my butt look big"?

A visual definition of 'Everyone needs a hand up, not a hand out', these skeletons are in, and out of,  the window over the garage doors.

I am so glad Fall is here!

The Witches’ Spell

Act IV, Scene 1 from Macbeth (1606) by William Shakespeare

1 WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew’d. 2 WITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin’d. 3 WITCH. Harpier cries:—’tis time! ’tis time! 1 WITCH. Round about the caldron go; In the poison’d entrails throw.— Toad, that under cold stone, Days and nights has thirty-one; Swelter’d venom sleeping got, Boil thou first i’ the charmed pot! ALL. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble. 2 WITCH. Fillet of a fenny snake, In the caldron boil and bake; Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing,— For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. ALL. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble. 3 WITCH. Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf; Witches’ mummy; maw and gulf Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark; Root of hemlock digg’d i the dark; Liver of blaspheming Jew; Gall of goat, and slips of yew Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse; Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips; Finger of birth-strangled babe Ditch-deliver’d by a drab,— Make the gruel thick and slab: Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron, For the ingrediants of our caldron. ALL. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble. 2 WITCH. Cool it with a baboon’s blood, Then the charm is firm and good.

Toot Your Horn Tuesdays
Bargain Hunting with Laurie
Hodgepodge Friday 
Flaunt it Friday at Shoestring Decorating
Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper
Under the Table and Dreaming

Ghoulicious Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola Pasta

I'm a pasta lover.  My husband craves meat and I crave pasta.  Recently, Shawn made us this fantastic dish called Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola. The recipe is an old Italian recipe, tried and true, served at Nick and Toni's in The Hampton's and was featured on Barefoot Contessa. 

The ingredients are all traditional Italian with the exception of Vodka (alcohol will cook out) which makes this so good it's scary!   I was hooked before I took the first bite.  Additionally, the sauce is orange and makes it perfect dish to serve this time of year.  The kids, each and every one, asked if we could have this as our Halloween dinner this year instead of chili, corn chowder or tortilla soup.  

Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

About 1/4 cup olive oil

10 cloves garlic - diced (who said Vampires are allergic to garlic?)

1 medium-large onion - diced

1 T red pepper flakes (this gives a little heat, use less for a milder version)

1 T dried oregano

3-4 shots or about 1 cup of Vodka

2   28 oz cans peeled Roma tomatoes, drained (discard juice or save for another dish)

kosher salt 

pepper

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 cup whole cream

Combine first four ingredients and cook until onions are translucent, about 20 minutes.

Add Vodka, cook until reduced

Crush tomatoes and add to onion mixture.  Do not add the tomato juice.

Cover and bake for 1.5 hours at 375°

Your mixture will now look like something like this

Add a small handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.  Return to pan.

Add 1 cup whole cream and stir to blend

Toss with Penne cooked al dente, top with more fresh parmesan and fresh oregano.

  Oh, and my carnivorous husband made this for us again a week later and added some crumbled sausage.  It was equally delicious, so don't fret you carnivores.

Practicing for Halloween serving, I spread a spider web lace tablecloth over the table with a giant Spider above.    Of course I just had to dish it up in a black transferware plate!

Linking up with
Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Foodie Friday,  Finer Things Friday, Funky Junk Interiors, and Ultimate Recipe Swap 
Food On Fridays, hosted by Ann Kroeker
Tasty Tuesday, hosted by Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Tatertots & Jello 
Harrigan Howdy 

 The Heritage Lace Spider Web tablecloth can be purchased at Priscillas Lace and Linens.  She carries about 800 different Heritage Lace products including lots of great Halloween linens.  I love this store!

Wall Corbel to Canopy and Shop Transformation Pictures

 

 It seems we've been working on getting our shop ready to open to the public for a long time...I guess that really is the case!  

Walls are painted different colors to create smaller seating/room areas.  I painted this wall a dark, chocolate brown called Ancient Spice.  There is a very subtle cinnamon color in it if the light hits it just so.  I used one of the wall corbels we carry to create a canopy effect.  

Here is a picture of how all the walls looked in the store before we painted any of them.  I'd post other before pictures but they were on my computer when it crashed and I don't know if they will be salvaged or not.  This gives a good idea of how they looked though.

I hung custom drapes in a  Clarence House English Chintz made by Ma Jolie Maison Fabrics and Drapes on the wall with drapery hooks at each end, allowing the top of the curtains to form a rounded front shape.  Next,  I simply hung the corbel upside down and  over the drapes so it appears that the drapes are really attached to the corbel.  I used rose shaped, screw in drapery holders/tiebacks to hold the drapes open allowing the extra length to puddle on the floor.

 Now, it's time to start hanging plates and bringing in some accessories.  Since my shop is mostly going to be a showcase for the English Transferware I sell, I chose brown, teal and aqua transferware plates to create a grouping around the draperies. 

 I placed a French Settee between the drapes, under the make-shift canopy.  The gold fabric on the settee picks up the same color in the drapes. 

Custom made pillows in the same Chintz as the drapes and an embroidered pillow tie it all together.

 Around this room setting are lots of transferware pieces in teal, aqua, brown and polychrome combining the colors together.
I have filled in just about every nook and cranny of this space with footstools, rugs, etc. 

 How do you think it's looking so far?  I'm anxious to hear your comments.

 Custom draperies and pillows by 
Ma Jolie Maison Fabrics and Drapes All other accessories, including furnishings and transferware available HERE

Three or More Tuesday at The Gypsy's Corner
Craft-o-Maniac
It's So Very Cheri
Carissa Graham

Show and Tell Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design

Making the World Cuter
Toot Your Horn Tuesdays 
Metamorphosis MondayMellow Yellow Monday
Make It For Monday 
Blue Monday
Seasonal Sundays
French Obsession Party