Trick-or-Treating 2013

October 31, 2013  Rachel was 4 and Joey was 2.  Rachel and Joey were so fun.  They thought everybody should give them candy.  They even "trick-or-treated" other kids.  They were somewhat successful as parents would take candy from their kids to give to Rachel and Joey.







All done!  Now to inspect our loot!




After the kids were in for the night they continued to hear the doorbell ring.  Every time Joey would announce, "It's Melissa!"  I texted her because I thought it was sweet.  So, just as the kids were tucked in their bed, there was a knock at the door.  It was Melissa!  She brought her candy bowl and reverse trick-or-treated them.  Joey went to bed a happy haunter.

Send in The Clowns

October 28, 2013  Clowning around the pumpkin patch.  Rachel 4, Joseph 2.

Trick-or-Treats

When it came down to Halloween Day 2012 Rachel did not want to go as a princess.  She wanted to be a superhero.  It's my fault really.  I wouldn't let her go as a princess to her preschool Halloween party.  Super-Rachel was her second choice.  But, after that day she never wanted to don her crown again.  Do you think it's because superheros have better powers than princesses?  I mean when was the last time you saw Cinderella fly, Sleeping Beauty save someone from disaster or Snow White jump tall building with a single bound?

I debated over Joseph's costume long before Halloween.  I briefly considered dressing him as this cute little monster.  Adorable right?!


The deciding factor, back in September, was the way his dragon bum waddled when he walked.  Don't worry.  I'll show you.


The shoes.  I thought these were absolutely perfect.


Rachel was quick to take Joey's hand and show him the ropes.  She is a wonderful big sister.  In fact, she gets very annoyed if the kids in the carpool don't say hi to him.  Plus she introduces him to everyone, including Grandma.  "Here's my little brother Joey," she says as she nudges him forward with her hand on his back. 


I digress.  I love the look on Rachel's face.  It's like she is daydreaming about all the candy she is going to get.


Joe wore out before we made it all the way around the block. 


Now to inspect the spoils of the evening's adventure.


Rachel and Joey sat up to the table and had a candy feast.  It's because of that feast, and the aforementioned bum waddle, that this video was born.  Click here.

Halloween Plates

A couple of you have asked for a tutorial on the Halloween plates.  I don't have spectacular pictures of each step.  But this should give you the idea.

I bought some plates at DI.  I only used the green and yellow plates for this project.  The yellow ones worked especially well with this project because of the rings around the edges. 


I spray painted them white.  Now here's where I might confuse you.  Half of the plates (the big green ones) I then sprayed black.


I only have pictures for the big plates.  I took the black plate and "painted" it with elmer's glue.  Thinner layers of glue result in smaller cracks.  Thicker glue equals thicker cracks.


I waited until the glue was tacky.  You don't want it wet, but if it's dry the treatment won't work.  Then I painted white craft paint over the top.  Use broad strokes to avoid brush lines.  Plus if you go over the same area twice you run the risk of removing glue with your paint brush.  (I used black paint on top of the white base plates.)


It's super fun to watch the plates as the glue and paint dries.  It only takes a couple of minutes for the cracks to begin to appear.  The lower left plate was black painted on top of a white base.  The other plates you see were white painted on top of black.  I really prefer the darker color on top.


I bought the center medallions from Michaels.  I just modge podged them on. 


One of my favorites.


Side note:  I wasn't satisfied with the way the big plates looked.  The white paint made them look kind of cloudy.  So I painted a thin layer of black over the top then gently buffed them with a paper towel.  It gave them a different quality than the smaller plates but you don't notice from far away.


My last step will be to spray them with a glaze of some sort to keep them from disintegrating.

Trick-or-Treat

Rachel was uber excited to go trick-or-treating for the first time this year.

"Knock, Knock"


"Trick-or-Treat!"
 

"Candy!"


Don't mess with Warrior Tiger.


Rachel insisted on walking.  She walked until she wore a hole in her sock and tights.  Just look at that cute little toe peeking out.


Doug was a heroic dad and carried them the rest of the way.  Needless to say we didn't go to many houses.


Rachel and her loot. 

Little Red Riding Hood

This is the story of Little Red Riding Hood and The Little Woodsman.


Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother wasn't feeling well.  Red was going to take her grandmother some bread and cookies.


Little Red's mom told her to beware of the Big Bad Wolf and not to dawdle.


But once Red was on her way she checked to make sure nobody was around.


Then she sat down and enjoyed a snack.


"What else did my mom put in here?"
 

"Oh!  Was that the wolf?  I'd better get going."


With a cookie in one hand and her basket in the other, Red skipped towards Grandmother's house.


Soon she heard a sound.


She stopped and pulled her hood up over her pigtails.


Then she cautiously resumed her journey,


She stopped periodically to look around and listen for The Wolf.


The forest began to loom menacingly, crowding her happy thoughts.


She raced to Grandma's believing that she would be safe there.


I hesitate to tell you of the horror she experienced.  If it weren't for The Little Woodsman we would have lost poor Red and Grandmother to The Big Bad Wolf.


Grandma was so traumatized that she sent the basket of treats home with Little Red.


This time, however, Red didn't need to watch for the wolf.  She was free to picnic and enjoy her solitude.


She took several breaks along the way home.



She munched on bread and cookies, and gazed at the fall foilage.


On one such stop she was thrilled to spy a friend.
 

She called out to him.


 And invited him to share her goodies.


So they sat together.  Eating.


And talking about the day's events.  Red thanked him over and over for saving the day.


The End