Halloween

Halloween is a MASSIVE event in our house.  The eldest is ridiculously excited, and has asked if we can start getting the decorations up already.  To placate him we've started gathering the things we'll need. 

As a fan of the handmade, we tend to shy away from shop bought stuff and make/forage our own.  So with that in mind, we've been out grabbing bags full of conkers, beautiful, fallen red leaves from maple trees and Virginia creepers, all to line edge of the front path with.

We've also been making candy skulls out of cereal boxes to turn into bunting.  As crochet is now my (very) full-time job, and no longer my hobby, it's been remarkably soothing to draw all these intricate designs on little bits of card, long into the evening.  A friend said "why are you wasting your time, why don't you just buy some?"  and I think the answer is this:

1. Making something, anything, grounds you in a time and a place, it's like  mindfulness for your whole being.
2. Recycling something, anything, has got to be better for the planet than  buying more stuff that you'll probably just through away.
3. Something you've made with your hands you tend to treasure, and bring out year after year, and becomes something special and important to those you love.

So make away dear friends, whatever it may be, and enjoy the season and the excuse to do something together, creating excitement and delight in yourself and those around you.