Is this a phone call from a ghost?

The audio of this clip has not been edited or manipulated in any way.

We received this message on our answering machine on a blustery day in October. We have no idea what it is or who it is from, but it is definitely the creepiest message we have ever gotten -- ever.

Though there is likely a perfectly reasonable and logical explanation for this message that does not involve ghosts, goblins, Heffalumps or Woozles, it's October -- let's get our spooky on!

Do you know what (if anything) is being said in this recording?

Happy Halloween!!

A Murder of Crows, Unkindness of Ravens

Nevermore!

One of my favorite natural Autumn occurrences is when flocks of black birds flying south for the winter make a stop at our house. It's always just a little bit scary, but exciting! While they are visiting,  the trees are alive with movement. The chatter of the hundreds of birds is like no other sound I have ever heard - it surrounds you.

They often swoop down in large numbers - in perfect  synchronization and cover the ground as they peck at the grass, covering it like a black carpet - swooping up and down from the trees in unison. 

But the most dramatic moment, by far is when somehow at the exact same moment every single bird decides to fly away.


The loud chattering suddenly goes silent and still and the there is a whooshing sound as they all take flight. Hundreds of them in a perfectly choreographed exit - it's breath taking.

Somehow I always manage to be outside to see this show at least once a year and I feel very fortunate that I get front row seats to this spectacle of Autumn splendor.

This annual event definitely inspired this years Halloween decorating.

Dollar Tree sells little black birds every year for Halloween and this year I finally picked up a few. 

I could not be happier with the results. Every time I walk into the dining room and see them I am reminded of my favorite Autumn experience. 

It's also slightly unnerving every time I rediscover their eerie presence in the house! 

Just a few of them with "creepy cloth" (a loose weave mesh cloth sold at Halloween) and the look is complete. It's a huge impact for very little cost or effort!

The color palette  brought down to just black and burgundy with a few orange pops of color really heightens the drama and amps up the creepy factor.
Fun Facts:
A group of Crows is referred to as a 'Murder' of Crows.
A group of Ravens is referred to as an 'Unkindness' of Ravens

I'm not sure what kind of birds are inhabiting our dining room,  but the names alone make the birds a creepy addition to the Halloween decor and seeing them in the house is delightfully unsettling for this spooky time of year!

Orange Twinkle Lights.

Orange Twinkle Lights!

I love Autumn. I love crisp Autumn days and chilly Autumn nights. With autumn comes shorter days and longer nights and an intense urge to cuddle and hibernate. As the days get shorter I like to brighten up the house with orange twinkle lights to make the house feel cozy and bright. I cannot get enough of that warm glow. It totally changes the feel of the house even with no other decorations.

To really get the most out of theses lights, I like to place them around lots of shiny and reflective items like glass and shiny metallic accessories.

Reflective objects double the amount of sparkle giving you twice the bang for your buck!

In the dining room it is the perfect excuse to pull out your 'holiday' serving ware so you can enjoy it even when you are not serving a holiday feast. Even the silver trays from the dollar store take on a whole new opulent feel when surrounded by fall leaves and orange lights.

Lighting can really change the mood, and for me it makes it easier to let go of the last bit of summer when I know I get to put up the orange twinkle lights and bring in that warm cozy glow.

The warmth of the light evokes the same emotions as gathering around the cozy glow of a fireplace as we settle in for winter, or an Autumn bonfire for gathering and telling ghost stories.

Here comes another Autumn full of warmth, light and celebration! Enjoy it!

Decorating for Autumn with Fall Foliage.

Happy October!!

Today is the first day of October, and my Autumn decorating has officially begun.

Though the leaves outside have only just barely started showing a hint of color change, inside the house our fall foliage is at its peak!

Nothing says Autumn like brightly colored fall leaves. Until I find a way to preserve real fall foliage at its peak color, my collection of silk fall leaves will have to do!

Over the years I have collected quite a pile them in the form of leafy garlands, leafy branches and loose leaves. These leaves transform the house into an Autumn wonderland over night.

Whether it is just placing a few scattered leaves on the dining room table or fireplace mantel among other centerpiece items, real or silk fall leaves really bring the Autumn feel into the house with a pop of color, a touch of nature and a hint of texture.

Garlands and leafy branches make it feel like an Autumn celebration every day. I think of the rich Autumn decor from the Van Tassels Halloween party in The legend of Sleepy Hollow.

A fall leaf  lit from behind creates a stunning stained glass window effect, which brings me to my most favorite part of fall decorations, Orange Twinkle Lights! (read more about decorating with orange twinkle lights by clicking the link)

A Nut party!

For the very first day of Autumn lets enjoy the quintessential cozy-at-home activity -- a movie party!

It's time to cuddle on the couch with warm blanket, popcorn, hot coco and an Autumn movie.

As soon as I saw the commercials for this movie with the vibrant autumn foliage, I knew it would be the perfect autumn movie. 

Autumn always makes me feel like a squirrel storing nuts for the winter anyway, so I might as well watch a movie about it! 

I love a good theme so here we go! 

The movie: "The Nut Job" (now available on Netflix as well as DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital Download)

The snacks: NUTS! Peanuts, Cashews, Pecans -- all served in cocoNUT cups!

This movie is about adorable little animals so we threw in some Animal Crackers as well, and because it's a movie we HAD TO have popcorn, both the classic hot buttered popcorn, as well as chocolate and caramel drizzled popcorn.

Just to go totally nuts with the theme, we also served almond milk!

Get your cuddle blankets ready folks, the crisp autumn air is reminding us that winter is on it's way! 

Free Halloween Printable and Tutorial

Halloween is Creeping in...and creatures are stirring in the shadows...

If you would like to have some of the most well mannered mice in your house for Halloween, look no further.

• Just print the solid black mouse printable below on card stock or other thick paper 
• cut them out 
• stick them to the risers on your staircase with circles  of tape on the back

or if you want to save printer ink and you have construction paper on hand, you can do what I did and print just the red outline printable on regular printer paper and use it to cut your mice out of black construction paper.

TIP! If you want to cut several sheets at a time, line them up in a stack and staple them in multiple places (outside of the mouse shapes) before cutting. Then your stack wont shift as you cut and you will get accurate cuts all the way through on detailed areas like tails and nosies and toesies!  Templates Below!

Use this template (above) if you are printing on light colored card stock!

Use this template (above) if you'll be using black paper!

Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!!

New Portrait! Adam Driver

Every once in a while, I become obsessed with the quirky genius of an actor or actress. Here is my latest obsession. I wish I could have had him sit in the studio for a live portrait painting session!

In other words....

<shameless.self.promotion> "Hey, look what I painted!"</shameless.self.promotion>