halloween | Bead Happily Ever After

Treats x 3

Posted on October 30, 2014 by crystal

3pumpkinsFall Greetings Kids!
Just wanted to stop by and say hello….

*Hope there’s a little Halloween candy with your name on it! 😉

*I’m including a little treat for you here, as well . . .

It’s this adorable seasonal illustration by artist Mary Ellen Smith (She has very kindly allowed me to share it with you!) Isn’t it an absolute smile-maker?

Illustration by Mary Ellen Smith of Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps

Illustration by Mary Ellen Smith
Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps

*Oh, and don’t forget to “fall back” this weekend.
Enjoy that extra hour! (What will you do with it?)

Hugs,

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Click the envelope to leave a comment or to read what the other kids are saying! 😀

Tale of a Halloween Scrooge

Posted on October 27, 2010 by crystal

In honor of the season, here’s a Halloween memory . . .

I grew up in a primarily working-class neighborhood. We lived in a big city and our street was full of families with school-age children. There were a few “well-to-do” neighbors, but they were the exception rather than the rule. Most people anxiously awaited their next paycheck.

As a child, I was often told that poor people are the most generous. I’m not sure if that’s absolutely true, but I have witnessed many striking examples of generosity from people of little means, and equally striking examples of stinginess from people who could well afford to be altruistic.

To protect the guilty, I shall refer to a wealthy family in the old neighborhood as the “Smiths”, and to their son, as “Johnny”.

The scenario was the same every Halloween. When we rang the doorbell at the Smith home to trick or treat . . . Mrs. Smith would appear with a large bowl that was about half-full of candy corn.

She’d smile as if she were giving us gold coins, while she carefully dropped TWO pieces of candy corn into each child’s bag. Although we were pretty young, we found this astounding, for we knew that many of our less fortunate neighbors took great pleasure in offering us little bundles of beautifully wrapped treats, even though it must have been a sacrifice for them to do so. Years went by, and although we were always hopeful that Mrs. Smith might change her ways – she never did.

When Mrs. Smith’s son, Johnny, became too old to trick or treat, he took on the role of candy corn dispenser. However, Mrs. Smith was always at his elbow, dramatically urging: “Just two per child, Johnny!”

Johnny!!! Just two!!!”

It’s funny how that memory is so vivid after all these years. It shows how impressionable children can be. At a very early age, I learned that there are people with hearts of pure gold, and there are people who could have hearts of gold . . . but choose not to.

Hugs,

Boo!

Posted on October 25, 2010 by crystal

Happy Halloween Week 🙂

Isn’t it amazing how Halloween decorating becomes more and more popular with every passing year? When I was a kid, although it was an important holiday – especially to kids! 😉 – the decorations were much more sparse than the intricate scenes we see today.

Of course, when I was in grade school, the teachers did sprinkle cardboard cut-outs of jack-o’-lanterns and black cats on bulletin boards and throughout the hallways. You might even see an accordian-fold paper skeleton at a Girl Scout Halloween party – but there was very little outside decorating – anywhere!

As it got closer and closer to Halloween night, many families would carve a pumpkin, and that became the most commonly seen home decoration of the era. (Era? Yikes, I sound old!) 😉

The costumes were not as elaborate in those days either, but had much more of a homemade look. Mom’s make-up, her broom, costume jewelry, bed sheets, cardboard boxes, construction paper, poster paints, tin foil, etc. were magically transformed into costumes for glamorous gypsy fortune tellers, witches, ghosts, robots, spacemen, and more!

It was an innocent time – long before we had to worry about some nut tampering with Halloween candy. It was more the norm than the exception for people to create little “goody bags” of treats to pass out to each child. Grownups would buy several large bags of various Halloween candies and create their own special assortments to give!

In fact, as a child, my very favorite “treat” to receive was that little homemade “bundle” of assorted candies. They were either wrapped up in a decorative Halloween napkin that was twisted closed, or presented in a small Halloween-themed paper bag. Oh how I loved to return home after trick-or-treating and discover what was inside each one of those little surprise packages! 😀

When my own kids were little (in the height of the “only accept wrapped candy” warnings), I remember that I felt rather sad that they would never really experience the Halloween of my youth. They typically received a bunch of mini candy bars during their Halloween rounds. Good, but not the same.

The weekly question is:

What are your favorite memories of Halloweens past?

Smiles,

Giveaway – Paper Art Gift Set

Posted on September 28, 2009 by crystal

Welcome to Week 47 of my weekly giveaways!!

Most often, the prize is jewelry!!! But this time I have a little surprise. 🙂

Remember a couple of weeks ago when we all went shopping…. and I found some lovely pumpkin gift tags that were created by etsy artist, FrenchCountry?

Well, she has graciously offered to sponsor this week’s giveaway with a sweet 10-piece assortment of her paper art!

First, we have a Set of 2 French-inspired Bookmarks (or large tags) made on high quality pink card stock, handstamped with walnut ink using script and musical sheet background, feminine motives, butterflies, Paris inspired stamps, and dresses and lace. The edges have been shaded with coordinating ink for a more vintage feel. The sheer pink ribbon gives these tags a touch of elegance!

Next, for the Christmas season, a Set of 4 Gift Tags made on high quality green card stock, featuring a cute little Santa holding a Merry Christmas sign. The crackled background provides a vintage look.

And finally (my favorites!) a Set of 4 Pumpkin Tags – hand stamped and painted on high quality card stock. Whether you use them as gift tags, or to accompany home baked treats, or for writing a little love note to tuck into a lunchbox, this sweet set of tags will add cheer from now through Thanksgiving!

Enter below for your chance to win this charming assortment from frenchcountry!

And be sure to visit her etsy shop for many more lovely cards and tags.

Contest Rules and How To Enter

This week, you will have up to three (3) chances to enter the weekly giveaway.

You can choose any or all of the following 3 ways to enter:

1st Chance:

Leave a comment answering the first weekly question:

With the current economic conditions, will you be trying to make more of your gifts for this holiday season and the year ahead?

2nd Chance:

Leave a comment answering the second weekly question:

Can you tell us if there’s a quotation that means a lot to you? And has it changed the way you live your life?
(Thank you to Cindi for suggesting this question.)

3rd Chance:

Comment on any other post except this one. You can do it today or another day this week. You do not have to tell me that you left a “comment” on another post. The blog program shows me all of the “comments” as they come in – so I do not miss any of them! 😀

The Boring Stuff . . .
You must be 18 yrs. old. After the completion of the contest, the name of the winner will be listed here. The winner will also be notified by email. If no valid email address is given at time of entry, or if winner fails to respond to email within 3 days from the time notification email has been sent, the win will be null and void and a new winner will be chosen. The prize will be mailed by USPS First Class Mail.

All entries must be received by 9:00 p.m. EST on 10/04/09, and the winner will be selected on or about 10/05/09.

Shop ’til We Drop – Friday Favorites

Posted on September 11, 2009 by crystal

For this week’s Friday Favorites, let’s go shopping! 🙂

C’mon, we can all squeeze into the car.

Oh wait . . . not enough seat belts!

Ok, well then grab the mouse. We’ll do it online! 😀

Autumn Pumpkins Pillow

Painting with fabric . . . Here’s a gorgeous example of how a home accessory can truly be a work of art. Wool pumpkins have been hand pieced and applied with a blanket stitch to soft 100% wool fabric. Hand embroidered with a variety of stitches that include: Moss stitch, Spider web, Filling stitch, French knots, Raised chain band, Couching and Fly stitch. The Pillow edge is trimmed using a glass beaded blanket stitch. From ThreeSheepStudio

“Illuminated Jack-O-Lanterns”

Wouldn’t this print be just the thing to display near your doorway to welcome any ghosts or goblins this season? The scene is a pumpkin patch with a row of jack-o-lanterns that appear to be glowing amidst fallen leaves. Bare trees & foliage are silhouetted against the eerie night sky…
GICLEE PRINT of the artist’s original (which was painted in acrylic on canvas). From villagefolkart

Candy Corn Pendant

Adorable, yes? It will be a trick to keep this treat away from friends and family who will want to “borrow” it! 😉 This is a fused art glass pendant which was designed, cut, fused, and annealed by the artist in her home studio.
From jochris12

Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Gift Tags!

Whether you use them as gift tags, or to accompany home baked treats, or for writing a little love note to tuck into a lunchbox, this sweet set of tags will add cheer from now through Thanksgiving! Set of 4 hand stamped and painted pumpkin tags. Made on high quality card stock.
From frenchcountry

Hope you enjoyed today’s shopping trip!!

Next time we’ll rent a bus, ok? lol

Have a super duper weekend, everyone!

I’ll see you on Monday with a new giveaway and new questions. 🙂