This Halloween I met Ginny (a.k.a. Lynn Yeager) and Chelsea in Greenwood Cemetery of Brooklyn for a perfectly creepy morning! We couldn't have asked for anything more morbid, magical and spooky to start the day off right. Ginny brought pumpkins to leave for the dead and Chelsea greeted each of us with a mini harvest bouquet. We each left the cemetery rather satisfied. The only thing that could have made things a little scarier was my Ouija board, but I think most spirits were probably still in bed when we arrived there so bright and early!
I love myself some good home-made Halloween costumes! I have been rummaging through my old photos to be inspired and to get excited for this year, and here are the things I have found! I love making my own costume, I usually wait until the very last minute every time, but I think it makes it that much better when it all comes together minutes before you step out the door!!
Here is the year of the Arkansas quarter, as in the coin you insert into the slot of a gumball machine! It was a three partner costume, but the deer got sick and the duck must have been wandering. This was not my idea, Haynes Riley was the master mind, and the sick deer. Anyhow, I was the diamond. Next time you get an AR state quarter, check out the tail side and you will have a better understanding! Also know that Haynes is an AR native and I was desperate for a costume. Pictured above are Brittani/Bear in Lederhosen, Me/Diamond, Ginny as Pretty Baby, & Lily/ Fantastical Unicorn.
This is my best costume by far! Halli and I decided last minute to go for Halloween in our new city, Philly. In an hour and a half we threw together the sweetest costumes we could come up with. It was pretty intense work, Halli is a lollipop and I am cotton candy. Our friend Kara joined us this Halloween, dressed as a cat. It was more than funny, hysterical is more like it. One of my favorite nights ever!
Above are the crabby waitress, secret agent squid, and the flapper fish. This was a year of new friends, when my sister and I met one of our very dearest, Mr. K.P. Millsap in Savannah, Ga. I think this wins for the best group of all time!!
A cloud. This by far is my favorite costume of all time. This is Haynes Riley, the year I met him. The best part is that he told a friend over the phone that he was planning to be a cloud, only she heard clown and so we were really surprised and a little relieved when we were greeted by a cloud at Mr. Riley's Halloween party! Hats off to you Haynes. We all wish you were here in NYC to celebrate with us.
In preparation for Hallow's Eve I want to share with you the music of Dead Man's Bones, a collaboration between actors Zach Shields and Ryan Goseling. Before I left for Paris, Savannah shared with me their debut album, which I immediately added to my ipod. It wasn't until I got to Paris that I realized I had erased my entire ipod's contents and replaced them with the Dead Man's Bones album. It was rare that I had the chance to listen to my own music over there, but when I did it was these guys who helped me through a very tough week abroad! Please watch the simple and brilliant videos (below) of the guys with the Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir.In the Room Where You Sleep video is very reminiscent of the old group photos taken at Halloween parties, which seem to have been very popular in the thirties and forties.
I love Halloween so much, yet I haven't had a chance to think about what I want to be this year. What are your plans for a costume? Also, if you have any ideas for me, please do share!
Last night after a long day of work, I had the pleasure of joining Emily and Paul for a true fall meal! Emily is a great cook and is especially talented when it comes to soups. I arrived at her cozy apartment and on the stove top was one pot of spiked cider and a pot of barley soup (which technically contains gluten, but I let it slide), and in the oven she was roasting potatoes. The three of us sat down to this feast with some jazzy tunes streaming in from the other room. The entire experience was so perfect- so warm, satisfying, and filling. For dessert was homemade rice pudding...mmmm.I kept telling Emily & Paul that it was all so wonderful, I couldn't get over what a great night it had been and then a song came on that reminded me of The Cosby show, and I told them that the only thing that could make the night even more perfect was a little Cosby. And, what do you know... after dinner we all went into the living room, and while Emily and I were brushing up on our French*, Paul turned on the t.v. to find none other than Mr. Cosby himself on the Jay Leno Show!! What a night.
Growing up I looooved myself some Huxtable family (just as well as today- watchthis classic scene!) and on Saturday mornings finding Fat Albert on t.v. was always a treat. Do you remember the J-E-L-L-O Jigglers commercial? Every time this commercial came on it was like a dream for me. I am pretty sure I used to beg my mother to near death to make jello jigglers with me and I am positive it never happened (supposedly it wasn't easy to make these little jigglers). I do however remember making them once at my Aunt Brenda's house, but once just wasn't enough if you ask me!? Even today I totally and completely love anything that Cosby touches. Have you ever sneaked a peek at Nick Jr.'s magical, Little Bill!?? I think it is one of the very best children's shows, Little Bill is so cute and endearing. It has been on for about ten years, I used to watch it with my nieces and more recently nannying in Philly I would catch an episode every now and then. Bill Cosby is my hero. I love the way that he has incorporated his life story into everything he has done and you know that he has put his heart and soul into every little detail. What a dedicated, talented and inspirational individual. Also, his charm, his wit and his charisma...I think I love him!
*I found out on Wednesday that I am leaving for Paris on Monday night with a family I currently work part-time for. I can hardly wait to see the fun that Paris has to offer for the little girl. I hear there is lots to do there for the kiddos, such as pony rides and free carousels! I promise to take lots of pictures.
For the past week I have been at work organizing my bedroom and my life. Since I moved to New York I have had to downsize quite a bit and and my bedroom is no longer just a place for sleep, but yet again it is my studio, my office, and my library (part of me feels like I am back in college)! It is almost put together, finally. The only thing still missing is shelves, but that will change on Saturday for my dear friend Paul is going to help me install them so I have a place to keep my fabrics and books. Today I spent hanging my little inspiration board above my computer desk and working on a few projects at my new work desk! I am so excited to have a "working" bedroom. Things flow nicely in here. I like things to function in order. Here is a peek at my favorite details. There are still books and boxes on the floor, so until they are all put away- there are no photos of the entire room! Maybe next week.
Back in May on Ed & Ginny B. Stelling's beautiful wedding day, I spent the afternoon fashioning them a cake topper with a vintage bride and groom that Ginny bought on eBay and a bag full of odds and ends, ribbons and vintage hearts that she had brought along specifically for such last minute projects. The topper I made was quirky, but I thought it was really sweet & fitting for Ginny. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of it, but that topper lead to the birth of the cake topper shown here. Ginny's sister Amy is getting married at the end of this week and she has commissioned me to make a topper for her and her fiance' Barry. I loved the colors they requested- celadon green, jadeite green, light blue, & yellow. My favorite part is that the cake is going to be a single tiered coconut cake (my favorite!), on a green jadeite-glass cake stand. I can't wait to see pictures from the day of! The bride and groom of this topper is also a vintage piece that Amy found and had sent to me. The other bits and pieces can be found at my all time favorite place, when I am feeling rich, Tinsel Trading. Also, a few of the bits are from my personal collection of "odds & ends", lord knows... I have enough to sink a ship! If you are interested in having a custom topper made for your wedding cake, please contact me at haylieb.waring@gmail.com, I would be happy to fit your wants & needs! xo
Update: Amy Merrick has unearthed a photo of the topper I made for Ginny B.! Yay!! Thanks Amy. Here 'tis:
So, for the past two days I have been trying to keep a mouse out of my house! I am the first to admit that when it comes down to mice and rats, I turn into a big ol' baby at the sight of one. I don't like them, I don't think they are cute and when I find them skittering by on the floor of my bedroom when I am trying to get some work done, I don't sleep for three days. I have been up cleaning, organizing, rearranging and filling holes under my radiator. I also flinch at every little noise and my eyes are as sensitive as a motion detector. I am miserable. Tonight when I came home from a pleasant evening in Bryant Park, I noticed that the fabric I had stuffed under my door before I left had been tampered with, and when I walked into my room I discovered that a certain little rodent had been on my bed (currently my mattress is on the floor due to a lack of steady income, I hope that this will change very very soon)!!! What is a girl to do?? I got out my handy glue gun and paper and I stuffed every little hole in the house that I could find. I hope this solves the problem, but it isn't going to fix my restless nights. I won't sleep until I know for certain that this little critter has left for good! I know this seems ridiculous and I know that you are going to say that the mouse is more scared of me than I am of him, but I am not so sure. If he is afraid of me, why does he attempt to sneak into my room repeatedly? Why wouldn't he leave and never come back after the 4th, 5th, & 6th time I scared him away!? Mice freak me out because they are so skittish and the jump and run so so fast-eeek! Oh, and I forgot to mention that as I was walking down the street two weeks ago, a rat ran over the top of my foot while wearing open shoes!! I screamed and ran like never before while men on their front stoops chuckled. Sometimes I think the rodents are after me, maybe they can smell the fear. I apologize for such a grotesque posting, I just needed to vent a little. Now, please say a little prayer for me that I never see that mouse again. Please!?
This Halloween I met Ginny (a.k.a. Lynn Yeager) and Chelsea in Greenwood Cemetery of Brooklyn for a perfectly creepy morning! We couldn't have asked for anything more morbid, magical and spooky to start the day off right. Ginny brought pumpkins to leave for the dead and Chelsea greeted each of us with a mini harvest bouquet. We each left the cemetery rather satisfied. The only thing that could have made things a little scarier was my Ouija board, but I think most spirits were probably still in bed when we arrived there so bright and early!
