Inexpensive, Elegant, and Spooky is something I have been creating for years. Halloween is by far is my favorite event. Since I was a little the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland was (and still is) my favorite ride. Dressing up in a mystical costume was my entire focus from August to October.
Creating creepy is a passion. I am not a fan of gory or bloody Halloween themes. I much prefer the hint of something lurking behind you, or the suggestion that you are being watched. If you have ever been mugged you know what I mean. Yes I know it is a strange relation, but when your heart is racing because you didn’t know… it makes the experience intense.
I spend a lot of time creating a Halloween atmosphere that will coax you into believing you are in Dracula’s Castle and he might be around the corner looking to drain your life. I create Graveyards that imply you are in danger and death is just under your feet. Who knows that gravestone you just brushed against might be hiding a secret.
My goal is create a place that is dark and suggestive. A place where you question, “Am I being watched”, “Could there be something in that bush?”, or “What was that?” I want you to feel comfortable but not too much so.
After I bought our first home it was my goal to make each and every Halloween a special event my family and friends would always remember. In my opinion this kind of childlike excitement keeps us young. I love to dress up and guide my guests through a haunted cemetery filled with homemade tombstones and ghosts. I enjoy eating Halloween themed food and drinking punch laced with frozen body parts.
When I first began creating spooky decorations I was working as an Administrative Assistant for a large Insurance Company and my husband was working as a Retail Store Manager. Needless to say, we did not have a lot of money. To make each year better than the last I would save what I could to buy supplies and props. Most of all I began taking the neat ideas I would see professionals creating and I would create my own. Now I have it down to a science.
Last year I even worked part time at a Halloween store to get the employee discount and find inside knowledge on their sales. I found ways to make the amazing decorations and displays that resemble the ideas placed with Martha Stewart, Better Homes and Garden, and other similar institutions. The key is that these creations are at affordable prices. From invitations to gravestones I make it look good, and you can too with a little time and effort.
The true test and affordability of my creations is when my husband and I both found ourselves unemployed. When the economy tanked we felt the hurt. We were even more strapped than ever before. Thanks to my simple ideas and past planning we had everything we needed to throw an simple yet elegant Halloween celebration. This tradition continues as we are both students in the process of changing our careers. So we are still strapped for cash, but never-the-less able to make Halloween special for our friends and family.
I am hoping to create a place here where you can come for ideas and inspiration. I want to help others create a special Halloween without the frustration of price. So stick around and I hope to have some helpful hints, tricks, and ideas for you to use.
Happy Halloween!
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