What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Boo! Eek! It's Halloween At My House

I drug out my Halloween decorations today and threw them up in the living room. Everything is clearly crammed into one corner and one corner only. I didn't think I would be able to get things out this year, but I longed to see my lovelies. I've been involved in swaps for about two years now and Halloween is one of my favorite swap themes. I've swapped with some talented ladies and I wanted to see my treasures from the past two years. So, it is up and out for me to enjoy.
Halloween Town corner. Lots of goodies. My look is certainly more folk art and vintage than it was several years ago.

This wall hanging was made by Jennifer at The Felt Mouse last year. Wicked cute!

A party hat made by me last year (and completely forgotten) with a "Boo To You" sign sent to me this year from Leslie in this year's Very Vintage Halloween Swap. (You can click on her link to see what I sent her.) An array of boo-tiful goodies including the baby on the white pumpkin - scored last year super cheap after the holiday, so new to me this year. The cool candle holder, battery operated candle and raven also came in this year's swap from Leslie aka Junkgirl. The paperweights in front are this year's creative endeavor by me.
See that baby - so dadgum cute! When I bought it it made me think of Andie's Boo - and it still does!

Here's my altered art paperweights a bit closer. They are hard to photograph since they are encased in glass, so they didn't make it to Etsy as planned. Maybe next year. I covered the backs in felt and they have rickrack trim on the edges. Sometimes I have trouble putting together a big collage in a day or so, but these little guys just come together *poof* fast.

A closer close-up. Grammatically correct, I think not. I bought an envelope full of that little girl's photos from Kindergarten to 8th grade. I feel bad making her into a witch - how would she feel if she knew what I have done to her?

The shelf of Goodies. The "BOO" banner in the center, the orange chandelier ornament, the witch's broom (it's a pen!) and the glittery pumpkin are all from Leslie.

The black cat shelf. Trick or Treat tag is from Jennifer and the skeleton is from Leslie, everything else was thrifted or bought after the holiday at 75-90% off.

The three little guys on the left and the "Boo" cupcake are from Hobby Lobby this year. I spotted them on half price day, so home they came. I love it when Hobby Lobby has specials like, "All Resin Items 50% off". That's half the store!

A sweet Bingo card Halloween card from Heidi, a painted pumpkin rock found by The Bean at the thrift last year and lots of other goodies.
Last year's crafty endeavor of pompom animals. I think she is sweet and I had forgotten about her. I made the itty bitty witch shoes the other night during "Dancing with the Stars". Actually, I never "watch" TV, my hands are always busy dong something while I watch TV. The only exception is when I watch "Lost". Can't take my eyes off Lost or I won't know what the h*ll is happening!
A set of nesting owls from my Mom for my birthday this year. I love nesting dolls, per say, and have several not including my Santa ones. These owls are particularly cute - I need to get them out and line them up.

I made this candy corn tonight. It was going to be a Candy Corn Man, but I ended up adding the buttons and rickrack trim to make it more folk art looking. I made the pattern, so I will just make a new pattern tomorrow night and make Mr. Candy Corn man then.

I made a thrift store run today after The Bean and I attended the U of A Insect Festival were we saw things like five inch long cockroaches, eight inch long millipedes, beetles the size of mice and other simply horrifying insects. My head is still itchy from just looking at those things! *Note to self - try not to think about the bed bugs, try not to think about the bed bugs......"

Anyway, back to the thrift score - one purchase only, but I think it was a good one.

A nice realistic fat pumpkin complete with vine for $1.00. It has a $24.99 price tag on it from Hobby Lobby. $1.00 is a good price for me!

6 comments:

  1. Your halloween stuff looks fabulous! That's my goal for this weekend...finish cleaning this place and then get the Halloween stuff put up! We'll see if it actually gets done or not. I'm guessing probably not. lol

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  2. I love it....do you have a booth at a shop? If not, you NEED ONE....you could make a pretty penny.

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  3. I love all your Halloween decorations! They look awesome!

    Hugz,
    Michele

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  4. Love all your Halloween goodies!! You sent a lot of really nice stuff to your Very vintage partner:)

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  5. Your handmade things are gorgeous! I want to make pom pom animals! And witch shoes!!!! and party hats, too for that matter. :)

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