Halloween a la Martha

Thank you all for your well-wishes and words of advice about my last post--I really appreciate them! It's going to be a few weeks before we can get a toddler bed because we're going out of town but until then I think I might just put the side of the crib down. If Maren's going to get out anyway, maybe I can make it less likely that she'll hurt herself in the process . I'll look into the crib tent, and we may have to start doing the Supernanny thing Sarah suggested at naptime. Again, thank you all, really. Motherhood is not for wimps, indeed!

Have you seen the new Martha craft Halloween stuff at Michael's? If you haven't, get thee to Michael's, pronto! (You may want to call first to make sure they have it--my mom's store does not yet.) One reason I've always had a soft spot for ol' Martha is her unabashed love for Halloween that translates over to really great spooky projects in her magazine and now, products in her craft line. Halloween is my favorite holiday to decorate for so I'm always looking for something new and spooky!

I did a quick reconnaissance run yesterday to check out the new stuff and bought a package of black cupcake boxes, Halloween-colored bakers' twine, neat vintage-looking patterned paper tape, and a spooky witch cling to put in the window. I may go back for more later but this time I got the things I wanted most while they're still in stock. Maybe it's a good thing that they don't take 40% off coupons on the Martha stuff, or I have a feeling I'd be making a trip once a week, coupon in hand! There are many more neat things like glittering kits and bones & bugs to glitter, laboratory-inspired party supplies & favors, and neat patterned paper and stickers.

One thing that I didn't buy was an invitation kit using mock slide holders and plastic specimen slides. I'm hoping to have another Halloween party this year but I'll need a whole lot more than the 6 invitations the kit makes. It does give me some good ideas, and I bet I can find plain slide holders and slides in bulk somewhere else if I start looking now. Hmm, maybe a "mad scientist" theme for my party would be really fun!