Bring on October!

I am so over summer. Seriously over it!

Not only has it just bit the big one as far as my personal life goes, it's also been ridiculously hot. I know, I know, I live in the Valley of the Sun, as we affectionately like to call it around these parts. The thing is that we have a pattern when it comes to summer - first it's hot, then it's not so hot, but humid with a bit of rain, then it's hot again, then it's our version of fall. That's the understanding here.

This year, however, it's been just plain hot. There have been no breaks hardly from the 110 - 115 degree days. The monsoon took it's sweet time getting here, so the rains have been late as well. When they finally did arrive, they were unable to hold up their end of the bargain which resulted in 110 degree days with 55% humidity.

Now, I know anyone who reads this who lives in the eastern part of the country is wanting to laugh at my 55% humidity. True, you folks deal with 90% humidity on a pretty regular basis. That's the thing though - you know that is part of where you live and you're used to it more or less. Here, we're poorly equipped to deal with this humidity nonsense. Also, your 90% humidity usually comes with 90 degree temperatures. If you pair the heat and the humidity that we had last week, you end up with a heat index somewhere between 135 - 140 degrees.

NOW you can try to tell me about how lame my 55% is.

Of course, as I type this, it's overcast and 86 degrees with 34% humidity, so I'll probably stop whining now.

What all that was for was to say that I'm so OVER summer. I just would like to skip September and head into October, please. Sure, it's still in the high 90's/low 100's here in October, but to me, October is the start of the holiday season. It's the best part of the year as far as I'm concerned! October brings Bubba's second birthday (WHAT??? ALREADY???) and teeny costumes and candy! I love love love me some October.

I want to decorate for Halloween a bit this year. I don't want to be too over the top (I think excessive, garish displays are tacky, except at Christmas ha ha!) but I do want to do more than I have in the past. My friend Shannon from playgroup made these AWESOME leopard print pumpkins that I'm totally going to copy for my mantel. I also won a beautiful black amethyst glass dish on eBay a few months ago that I plan on filling with mini pumpkins and maybe some glittered skulls to put on the dining table. I have my "BOO" letters to hang on the wall, and my fall wreath is already on the door. I will add my Elsie-inspired skeleton out there as well.

You know what I still need? A bunting to hang over my living room mirror. I have all these ideas saved in my Halloween idea file but I have no clue in which direction I want to go with this.

A really eclectic one?

A fabric one?

A homespun country one?

A classic one?

So many ideas! Also, what should it say? I could leave it plain, but that's no fun. I know I don't want to use "BOO" because I already have the altered wooden letters that say that. I was thinking "SPOOKY," but is that too cheesy? "Happy Halloween" is a no brainer usually, but since my mirror is only three feet wide it would mean I'd have to have some teeny flags, and I don't really want to do that either. Any ideas? I'm thinking something around 5-7 letters would work. I could sure use some suggestions!

Of course, I could always go the route of just making random flags that fit the theme and then just sticking them all together.

All images were found on Flickr goodness knows when. If one is yours let me know and I'll give you credit. The last one I took at a shop in Phoenix while antiquing.