Monday, October 28, 2024

Halloween Trick or Treating With LilacsNDreams

 

Halloween Trick or Treating With LilacsNDreams

Hello, and welcome to LilacsNDreams! Excuse me it has been a while. I had been sick, and trying hard to get rid of it because I had a scheduled procedure last Monday. Yeah, I was able to do it, and now just spending time healing. 

Sunday, October 27, 2024 is when our little town scheduled Trick or Treating for the kids here. We had fun decorating the outside, and bay window prior to this. Then, when we set up for Trick or Treating I generally sit outside to greet, and make sure they take plenty of candy. Love seeing the littles, their costumes, and some of the parents enjoy watching their kids with the animated figures put out for this time. It makes the holiday season fun, and enjoyable watching it all. 



Here is the front of the house with our little set up. The spider is censored, and does jump out, but never hurts anyone. The headless man kept talking the whole time….slight wind, and it kept blowing right on the sensor that the pumpkin head talked. Now, the scarecrow worked too. When you reached into the bowl to get candy a sensor activated that he would sit straight up with his comment. Sooo fun watching kids with this, the parents enjoyed, they took pictures and some videoed the spider jumping too. 






These pictures give you an idea how the side of the house looked a little bit too. The headstones had been glued to a piece of wood making them a little more sturdy. Then, expandable foam was sprayed around the bottom of the stone and wood. Once it dried the foam was then spray painted a dark brown giving it more of a dirt ground look. We used skeletons, and dressed them with costumes, and they were set with stakes in the ground. It’s nothing fancy, but fun. Better yet watching the kids, and how people look and react is very fun, and enjoyable. 










Thought I would show you some pictures of the night view when the bushes, and lights are all on. The front door has a door cover with a strand of lights around the door frame to appeal to the picture.

Thanks so much for stopping by LilacsNDreams! Glad to have you here. Enjoy the rest of the week with Halloween festivities. Be safe, and see you again soon. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!




Monday, October 7, 2024

Halloween Decorating Home Decor Outside Decor

 

Halloween Decorating Home Decor Outside Decor

Hello, and Welcome to LilacsNDreams! It’s October, some leaves are changing, weather is undecided about being hot or cold, seasons are happening, and right now I am focused with Halloween. I have done some decorating inside the house for the season. I do a lot of fall decor that can also be used for Halloween time too. Most of it can stay out until the house is prepared for Christmas time. 

Today son and I worked on getting the outside decorations done for Halloween. For all we do it takes time. Love doing it to watch and listen to kids, and adults with their reactions, driving by, and so on. Still 1 of my favorite times of the year to enjoy.

We have spent money for decorations, and trying to make things a little different every year. Ever since we have moved in we have been known as the spooky house. So, each year we try to do what the kids enjoy. This year I bought 5 more skeletons making a total of 11. I also bought the 7 foot skeleton too. We have costumes from the past 1-2 years with the masks too. This year we put the costumes on 5 of the skeletons. We have IT, Michael, Georgie, Scream, and some pig face mask from last year. As of this afternoon the skeletons were dressed, and put outside with a metal stake support. We also put up a cob web with a spider on it, and we hung a wrapped body form on it too. In our big bay window we have an animated woman who is holding a head in her hands. On each side of her is a 3 stack of plastic pumpkins that light up. Decorative dome lights have been added outside too. Red one is facing towards spot the cemetery will be at tomorrow. A light faces up to the lady in the window. The other light is showing ITs face on the wall of the house where IT is standing in one of our bushes.






All the pictures above are preparations of the characters being completed, and ready to be put outside. Once the graveyard, big skeleton, tombstones among bushes, and more skeletons are added to the front porch we should have the outside complete. That should be done in 1-2 more days. We are a little behind from our normal decorating schedules, but it is soon completed. 

Sadly, over time it has been noticed that not many people decorate for Halloween anymore. The spirit of the Holidays has been missing. It’s nice to see some still do things, and we enjoy it. Listening to the kids going by the house, the looks they give seeing everything, watching adults driving by slowly and enjoying…this is one of the biggest joys of doing this.

Hope everyone is able to enjoy the fall Halloween season upon us. Thanks for sharing time with LilacsNDReams! Hope to see you again soon. Take care. Toodles!





Monday, September 30, 2024

Methods of Decoupage Generally Used

 



Methods of Decoupage Generally Used

Welcome to LilacsNDreams! There are so many ways of crafting. There are many techniques you can use. Just so many fun ways to create what you want, and decoupage is another popular technique that is used.

What is decoupage some might ask? It is one way of transforming objects into more of a personalized decor for yourself, for gift giving, or maybe to offer online or with vendor fairs too. This can be an easy craft for adults, and for children too. It helps to practice just a little bit so you can get a feel of this technique, and to find the way that works for you that you enjoy.

Decoupage can be done with napkins…which is popular with so many designs. You can also use tissue paper, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, fabrics, etc. With some of the projects you can also consider some sort of embellishments to finish some projects with too.

First you’ll want to choose a base you want to design with. Wood, tin, glass, ceramic, metal, or terra cotta. I have also seen different baskets that were done with decoupage too. Once you have the base chosen you wish to use you can than pick something to stick on the surface. 

Once you have made your choices you will then want to decide which method of decoupage you would like to do. You have ironing, burning, using press n seal cling wrap, and just plain old mod podge too. You will find that using the ironing method helps with making your design smoother, helps with removing bubbles, and other things that would make the surface not so smooth.

You will want to make sure you have other supplies there for you to use with making your creation. Scissors to cut and trim, some brushes, nail files or emory boards, maybe some sandpaper instead of the files, parchment paper…not wax paper, a mat or whatever you want to work on, and some might prefer to use a squeegee too. 

Before you start decoupaging make sure your surface is sanded if needed, and clean too. You will want to prepare the item you wish to decoupage. If it’s a napkin you will want to separate the 2 ply because you only need to use the 1 sheet. You may also need to cut, or tear the item to better fit with the surface you have chosen to use. Sometimes you will want the surface painted so your design better shows too. Keep in mind once things have dried you will want to add a protective coating too. You can do this with mod podge, or you can also use an acrylic sealer as well.








These pictures were used from Pinterest. Great place to find techniques, get some ideas of what others have created, and so on. I would also suggest visiting DiyDreaming on Facebook, and view some of her reels that she shares with some of the methods used. It will better help in understanding what to do with the mod podge, ironing, burning, press n seal, using parchment paper…not wax paper.

I want to thank everyone for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Hope this gave you a little something to think about. Enjoy, and have fun crafting. Take care, and see you again soon. Toodles!





Monday, September 16, 2024

LilacsNDreams Facebook Marketplace Listings for Sale

 



LilacsNDreams Facebook Marketplace Listings for Sale

Hi! Welcome to LilacsNDreams! Hope everyone is doing well, and had a great holiday weekend on last weekend. 

My motivation has been horrid! I have in mind things I want to do, accomplish, tasks to be done, things to craft, organize, and so on. Instead my list seems to grow, or doesn’t get any shorter.  I spend time reading, and looking at other crafters that have completed, and are sharing their items. I long to be doing the same thing they are. I wish I had much more support from our son since we live in his home. The more negative he is with me, the more I lose my ambition to do things.

So, anyway I decided 1 task at a time so I can better complete things. This past week and a half I spent time with our bedroom. Reorganizing a few things, removing some things, going through couple containers in the room, etc. I am getting a pile ready for donations. I also found some items not to donate, but better to sell them. So, I now have 6 items listed for sale on the Facebook Marketplace. So far I have 4 chandeliers hanging light pendants. All of them are brand new in boxes, never used, and boxes only opened so that I could picture items. Friday I listed a pair of brand new denim wedge sandals, and an expensive flat iron too. 

It’s time to downsize things I won’t use, have changed my mind about, don’t have our own home to decorate for us, and so on. Time to let things go, downsize, and clean. 


Adorable silver nickel hanging chandelier


This is my favorite. Chandelier to add with your country cottage home decors



This hanging light pendant has the cover you can add to the bottom, or you don’t have to use it if you desire not to



This is a single black matte light pendent. Simple, but stylish to add to many different areas in the home

These are Ana Dukes Wedge Sandal in denim. LOVE these! Was so anxious that I did not pay attention to the strap wraps around the ankle. Stylish, cute, but unfortunately I cannot wear due to the location of the buckle strap.



This is a BIO IONIC 1 inch flat iron. Used 1 time. It heats, very nice, but something I need to downsize…I own too many irons. 

So, that is what I have listed so far. More to come. I have a brand new handbag, and a vintage Coach purse that I pictured and need to list. Before I list items I try to research a little bit to see what others are offering of same/like items. Their conditions, their prices, and so on. Everything is being listed with LilacsNDreams ~ Lilacs Lambirth with Facebook Marketplace. At this time I am doing a meet up, and cash purchases. 

Thanks for stopping by everyone! I appreciate the visits, and those who stop by LilacsNDreams! Take care, and see you again soon. Toodles!







Monday, September 2, 2024

Labor Day Weekend and Celebrations LilacsNDreams


 Labor Day Weekend and Celebrations LilacsNDreams

Welcome everyone to LilacsNDreams! It’s holiday weekend, so I won’t keep you all long.

I wanted to wish you all a safe, and enjoyable holiday. Hope everyone had a great weekend with all you did. Take care, and be safe! 

Thanks for stopping by LilacsNDreams! Catch up with you on your next visit. Toodles!