2010 Halloween decorating tips

It’s almost Halloween, and as if my house isn’t scary and cobwebby enough on a regular basis, it’s time to deck the place out.  But who the heck has the time?  Here are some quick and easy Fall 2010 and Halloween decorating tips for Moms like me – you know, the ones whose kids have badgered you that you’re the only house left in creation without decorations up and could you please, pretty please put something scary out so people will come for trick or treat?

Tip #1. Have your husband do all the work.  Yeah, that’s not gonna work.  Let’s move on, shall we?

Tip #2. Mums

That’s right, have a pack of British women come and do it!  No?  Okay, then just hit up your garden center, super market, or local WalMart and get pots of mums.  You don’t even have to go to the trouble of un-potting them and planting them in the ground.  They come in a plethora of gorgeous fall colors, and on their own, they will add a festive autumn look to the front of your house.  I saw many nurseries and grocery stores in my area selling them for $3 each – you can make your house pop for under $20!

Tip #3. Pumpkins

Unlike last year, when the weather did some serious damage to the pumpkin crop, driving up the price of these spectacular fall decorations, pumpkins this year are plentiful, which means prices are down!  I prefer to leave mine whole, because that way, they do double duty as Thanksgiving decor.  If you have a squirrel problem, like we do, you can keep your pumpkins intact by spraying them with a mixture of water and Tabasco sauce, or sprinkle some cayenne pepper on them.  Moth balls around them work as well, but they do detract a bit from your fall landscape.

Tip #4. Kids outside with crayons markers and a pumpkin

This is a before shot, I will post the update after they have their ways with these two unsuspecting pumpkins of the torture, creativity and torment that awaits them.  Even though I like my pumpkins plain, kids do not.  Use paints, markers, or even felt strips and glue to allow your kids to decorate the pumpkins.  Enlist the help of an able bodied grown up if you want to go all the way with that spookily carved Jack-O-Lantern.  You’ll also find other things you can use to decorate your pumpkins – like these Mr. Potato Head pieces I found at Target last year.

I also do not recommend that you enlist the help of my husband, who tends to be a bit too macabre when carving his pumpkins.

Tip #5. Cob webs

Easy to spread out, and a pain to pick up later.  But this is something the kids can do to help out and feel like they’ve decorated, plus it gives the house a spooky but not too scary look.  Let the husband who didn’t help you put the decorations up or those British Mums clean up after Halloween is over.

And in Part 2 I give you some very helpful inside decorating tips #6 thru #10 http:www.beautygirlsmom.com/2010-halloween-decorating-tips-part-2