It's An Addiction

So I know one of the steps of addiction is admitting you have a problem.  Well I'm admitting it, I have a problem, and it's with Halloween decoration (really it's with all holiday decorations).  Where most people have a couple of Halloween totes, I think I pull out nine or ten, not including the several I have for our annual Halloween party/spook alley.  Long ago my husband made a rule, no holiday decorations until the first of the month, so I patiently wait until October 1st to haul down all my totes to begin my spookifying process.  I enjoy every minute of it, and so do my children, especially my oldest.  He actually starts to ask about the Halloween decorations as soon as he sees the leaves changing (he's a smart one that boy), and I think I've passed my addiction to him (oh no his poor wife).  If I think about it, I believe my addiction comes from my own mother,  she doubled my Halloween stash in size, and don't even ask about her Christmas decorations. 

Here she is as Mother Nature, really as the entertainment for several children at a Halloween lunch with close friends.

My mother passed away a few years ago, and truly these holiday times are when I miss her the most.  She was known for her extravagant costumes, and the character to go with it.  So every Halloween when I pull out my creepy stockpile, I remember her, and all the great memories she created.  When somebody is gone, those moments are what you are left with, whether those moments be of your 60 year old mother dressed as Mother Nature,casting spells on small children for littering, or of how she always let me crawl up next to her for a LONG back tickle. 

So on keeping with my Halloween addiction, on October 19th we will be having our next gathering, and it will be a scary one!  We're calling it a Which Craft (it's a play on words : ) ), and along with some of our usual treasures, it will also be full of frightening surprises (keep checking there is plenty more to come).

Notice the eerie black widow painted by local artist Jamie Wayman

Great fall carved acorns both small and large

Plenty of apothecary jars for your creepy crawlies

 Really I think it will be just another Halloween celebration, one with vintage finds, handmade goods, free witches brew (warm cider), and disemboweled pastries (doughnuts).  Load everyone up, on October 19th for some haunted fun with A Huntsville Gathering.  So here's to forgoing my feelings of me being a Halloween hoarder, and hoping that my "addiction" may actually be making for some pretty great memories!