Original Halloween

Our mantle outfitted in thrift for Halloween. Most notable,  the round mirror ($8)  topped with
a feather cape ($3) and the vintage Columbia scale ($6) weighing in a  papier-mâché lantern ($1).

I stood behind a newbie thrift convert at check out at the ARC last week. It was refreshing to witness her enthusiasm. Her cart brimming with items she proudly displayed repeating, “Can you believe this?” She continued, “I just stopped in on a whim and had no idea that I could find this here of all places.” She’ll be coming back. She’ll tell all her friends. Many will think she’s exaggerating.

A floating  bud vase substitutes for a crystal ball  holding our fortunes. Last year I picked up this
changing photo of  the soldier for a dollar and placed it in a frame we had at home.
Apparently, this has caught on this year. I've seen the same idea in conventional retail stores
selling for $25 without the frame. Turn any silver into something dark with black candles
(Yes, I bought both at the thrift.) 

Essentially what she’d tapped into was the Halloween surge of merchandise. October is one of the busiest months for thrift.

Some of the best Halloween decor is that which was designed for other use like the
black shawl draped over the lamp or the black lace over the sofa. 

Thrift stores beat any “party” store when it comes to Halloween that sell overstock to thrift stores. New still-in-the-box wigs, costumes and accessories are sold for a fraction of the original cost. Those, highly flammable looking costumes found at the chain discount retailers? They’re also hanging on hooks in thrift stores. 

These original moccasins ($4) were purchased last year.They've held up quite well for my oldest
daughter. I believe they are now too small but she's in denial about that. Guess I would be too. 

Me? I prefer so steer away from the flammable-nylon-made-in-China look and thrift provides a lot options. A dress that Auntie Em sewed for a play some 30 years ago hangs next to a sweet polyester leisure suit that hangs next to seriously fringed suede hangs next to a 40’s vintage gown. That day at the ARC, there were at least a dozen truly breath-taking vintage gowns on the racks. Gone by Saturday, a vintage dealer is happily washing them and mending any snags, eager to hang them on their racks at triple if not quadruple the thrift cost. That mark up doesn’t bother me. Vintage dealers are serving a different market, those who do not wish to weekly burrow into the racks of charitable thrift and are willing to pay the higher cost for the time saved to find something amazing. Eco-points go to them for participating in product re-use.

I'll share the Golightly costumes for next week's post. (One score set me back $8 and can be found retailing online from $100-$200 but there’s no way my older daughter is giving them up and they’ve already been promised to my younger daughter who is chomping at the bit to receive them.) Though I've reservations on sharing Mr. Golightly's. For the first time in our marriage he had to ask, "Honey, can you zip me up?" while in the thrift dressing room. Petite Poe and I had tears in our eyes from laughing. Little Pie was spared, she was at a birthday party.

Papier-mâché lanterns, one dollar each. Someday I want to get messy with papier-mâché.
It's on the crafts bucket list along with sewing.

The Golightly's love Halloween and half the fun is outfitting the home. Yes, some of the items I’ve picked up have origins in China. But, I did save them from the landfill and this sticks with my intention of circulating the stuff we already have in our homes in America and not bringing more stuff into the country. Let's get real. We don't need more stuff in this country. Besides, most the jobs that went into making stuff are no longer in the country. That's what we need, those jobs. 

Wooden cats are easily found in thrift, often less than a dollar a piece.

As long as our  wooden ones don't out number our live cats we're okay.
Candle holder ($4) and candles ($2) are thrift item.

I confess, it was difficult picking what items to feature for this post. Yes, we've a month to go before Halloween. However, decorating for it in the Golightly home is an ongoing process, there is much more to go up or be re-arranged. It's especially important this year to get it right because we are hosting Little Pie's annual Girl Scout troop's Halloween party. It's serious business. Modern Mommie reads tea leaves and she has the gift.

Include Dia de los Muertos in the celebrations and honor the ancestors. 
Though not really a part of this celebration, it's fun to include
Oaxacan folk art (all items less than $10 total).

Little Pie and I made 175 of our crayon pies this weekend to add to her class Halloween treat bags. We figure better to recycle crayons than to purchase plastic mini-bubble blowers that will last less than five minutes and then be chucked into the trash. Plus, the crayon pies cost a penny a piece. Each student will recieve a set of six. 

Little Pies much loved recycled crayon pies.

For instructions on how to make these visit our little sister blog, Mommy Golightly.