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Spinning a Yarn with Mother Goose

 
It used to be thought that the original Mother Goose was Bertha, the mother of King Charlemagne. She would tell stories while spinning, hence the term “spinning a yarn.” A natural for entertaining children, you might consider inviting Mother Goose to your harvest and Halloween parties for young children. Teamed up with literary legends, she can share nursery rhymes such as 



Eensy Weensy Spider (this one doesn’t look too eensy or weensy)



               
    Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater

and other childhood favorites:

            Boys and Girls Come Out To Play    
              
 Pussy Cat and the Queen
            ABC Tumbledown D         
                              
Hey Diddle Diddle
            Old Woman, Old Woman   
                             
Smiling Girls, Rosy Boys

            Little Miss Muffet    
                                  
 Jack Be Nimble

    


  
 You could even include the five little pumpkins sitting on a gate…


And go on a treasure hunt to find treats the fairies have

 hidden.




For a complete Mother Goose party plan, please see





It’s almost time for a Halloween chat on 
BYU Sirius Radio 143
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Penny-pinching Halloween Tricks and Treats

Getting ready for Halloween doesn’t have to be tricky. Bits and scraps combined creatively can yield fun little treats, like this serving bowl.  I picked it up for a dollar and decorated it with rick rack and black cats cut out of felt.

These craft store cat wood cut-outs were painted with black chalkboard paint and colorful acrylics. The guests names are printed with colored chalk.

 These silly old cats were made of a recycled pair of my husband’s old black pants, some stuffing, a few buttons and scraps of fabric. 
They serve double duty as decorations and as targets for the black cat knock-off game.


You’ll find complete instruction for these and other 
money-saving projects like the rag garland (below) in 
A Harvest and Halloween Handbook
eBook available from Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com
 

For more Halloween treats, 
please join Kim Power Stilson and me on the 
TalkWorthy show on BYU Sirius Radio 143
October 31st at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Thank you to the UK publication, The Guardian, for including my comment about about replacing witches with Mother Goose for young children at Halloween! 

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2013/oct/07/can-books-make-witches-seem-less-scary

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Hide and Seek with the Fairies

Tales of fairies and witches dot the English countryside at Halloween. My friends know I’m an avowed Anglophile, so it’s no surprise I would invite fairies to my Halloween event. 
This $3 thrift store find was transformed into a magical Halloween dollhouse that is hidden in my yard so the fairies can leave treats  for little people. (I’ve featured this cute cottage before, and like the idea so well that I’m bringing it back for an encore.)
There are flower beds for the little guests and recycled furnishings throughout.
 
Here’s a little kitchen.

 And a living room all decked out for a Halloween party. Fairies do like to recycle, now I know where that zinc canning jar lid went…

For more fairy and child-friendly Halloween ideas, please order 


 You’re invited to sprinkle on your pixie dust and fly over to BYU Sirius Radio 143 for a Halloween chat with Kim Power Stilson and me on October 31st at 3 p.m. Eastern.

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Cool, not Creepy; Save Your Sanity and Pennies


 Halloween decor that is cool, not creepy, can be created by the discerning connoisseur for few $$$. Take the decorations in the photos; most of these objects were purchased for under $30 at thrift stores. With a few orange lights added for warmth, look at the effect that can be created. A festive and artistic display for a favorite holiday that doesn’t cause nightmares to children or the budget..



For more budget-stretching Halloween ideas, download your
own A Harvest and Halloween Handbook eBook


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-harvest-and-halloween-handbook-pam-mcmurtry/1116031757?ean=2940148379744



Save the date
Join Kim Power Stilson 
and me for a chat about 
child-friendly Halloween
activities on October 31 
at 3 p.m. Eastern on 
BYU Sirius Radio 143.
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Halloween Lunchbox Jokes

How did October arrive so quickly?  The serious business of school is well under way; with 26 days to until Halloween you can start the fun early by popping a Halloween riddle or joke in your kids’  lunch every day. Here’s a page to download and print.

There’s a whole month-full of bad Halloween jokes in


For a bit of fun, join host Kim Power Stilson and me as we talk about Halloween on BYU SIRIUS Radio 143
October 31st at 3 p.m. Eastern. I promise no tricks, only treats!
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Take a (Treat) Walk! More Halloween Fun and Games

This used to be called a carnival Cake Walk, but on Halloween what child needs an entire cake? I modified a sweet concept with one-serving-size treats like cupcakes, popcorn balls, caramel apples, tarts, crispy rice treats, trick-or-treat candy, cookies and wrapped fudge. This was  my all-time favorite game at the Buena Vista School Halloween carnival and I hope the child in each of you has a chance to walk the Treat Walk. 

Set up the game as shown in the illustration with pictures taped to  the floor. Play music for a few seconds; when it stops roll a die or pick a card with an icon on it, whoever is standing on that picture wins and gets to pick a treat! This is a great game for kids of all ages.


For complete instructions for creating a Treat Walk, please see:
A Harvest and Halloween Handbook
For a really special treat, join me for the BYU Sirius Radio 143 TalkWorthy program on Halloween with host Kim Power Stilson 
at 3 p.m. Eastern.
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Hidden Treasures

It is said, Heaven is in the details. In people, as in life, sometimes the treasures are tucked away in hidden corners.
  
Hidden treasures are waiting for you in 
A Harvest and Halloween Handbook

Come discover the hidden secrets of  Halloween on 
October 31 at 3 p.m. on Sirius BYU Radio 143
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A Holiday Idea Shop

I applaud you women, men and children, for all of your wonderful generosity and the love you give your families and friends.
If you need new ideas for a get-together; new themes, a great new recipe, maybe a unique decorating project
A Harvest and Halloween Handbook is here to help; it is an  
 Idea Shop 
 filled with charming suggestions for creating your best harvest and Halloween celebration with hot new ideas and the best of traditions past. With eight party plans, including invitations, menus and recipes, decor, games, costumes and more, you can create a personalized fete and have a very happy Halloween.

In A Harvest and Halloween Handbook You’ll find all you need for:
Mother Goose’s Nursery Party for preschoolers


An Enchanted Evening of magic, sparkle and romance

 
A night of thanks and remembrance


A fun fireside with favorite tales of the past and fall literature

A festival celebrating the blessings of the harvest


A vintage silly old cat party


A whimsical autumn picnic


A Pumpkin Patch Carnival for up to 200 children


Unique and unusual decorations 


Delicious foods and refreshments; gourmet and easy


Lots of fun and games!

(Did I mention there’s a 32 page coloring book included?)


Come home to A Harvest and Halloween Handbook!

eBook available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com



Please join me today for a podcast with Stacy from national publicist Annie Jennings’ “The World of Success” at 1:30 Eastern.
 http://anniejenningspr.com/jenningswire/podcast/ 
 
And don’t forget our date! 
Halloween at 3 p.m. Eastern on BYU Siruis Radio 143.



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Amazing Entries

 Trick-or-treat!


Treat your family and friends to an amazing entry. There are SOOO many ways to create a scene to surprise and delight guests.


I am trying hard not to buy that first bag of candy, knowing full well that it never makes it to Halloween 🙂 Here is a collection of fun things to do while you prepare for the big day; think outside the box and introduce a new, amazing theme!




Fill your Halloween with fun! 
Join me for a chat with host Kim Power Stilson 
on Ocotober 31st at 3 p.m. Eastern 
on BYU Sirius Radio 143.
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Bounce House Time!

If you are haven’t done so, now’s a good time to call a party rental company and reserve a bounce house for your Halloween carnival.  They’ll deliver it, set it up and pick it up when the party’s over.

Bounce house etiquette: 
no shoes
no swords
have fun!
For more great games and party ideas, download your
A Harvest and Halloween Handbook today:
If you need help this Halloween, tune into BYU Sirius Radio 143 for an informative chat about the traditions and history of Halloween – guaranteed SCARY!
October 31st and 3 p.m. Eastern.

 For a load of fun – sign up as a follower below, send me your email address and I’ll send you a free 32 page Halloween carnival coloring book to download and print for your little pumpkins!