Vintage Halloween!

As the spookiest day of the year approaches, Greg and I been looking at some of our vintage Halloween costumes from our childhoods! I've also been checking out free pumpkin carving stencils to share with you and some fun photos of dogs in Halloween costume.

I had to go over to my mom’s house to dig these vintage Halloween photos up. Mom and I had a great time flipping through old photo albums to find some from when I was a kid. Yep, that little girl is me! For my very first Halloween costume I was a bunny rabbit, but I refused to wear the mask. My mom, Linda, is modeling it in her vintage 1970s dungarees. 😉 We're scary, huh?

Of course every little girl wants to be a ballerina, and, believe it or not, I still have that tutu in a box somewhere because I loved it so much as a child. That’s my younger brother, Rob, next to me as a tiger.

My dad traveled to Japan for business and brought me back this beautiful, bright red kimono that I loved! I wore it all the time – not just for Halloween. I wish I still had it, but I haven’t seen it in many years – I’ll have to ask my mom if she still has it.

Then we asked Greg's mom Kathy for some photos. Kathy is our Mrs Fixit who handles all our restorations. (See her tips on how to fix broken ceramics.)  Kathy knew right where her Halloween photos were. Kathy actually made that cheetah costume that Greg is wearing and his sister Laura wore it too. He was obviously a very cool and laid-back cheetah!

Of course, as Greg got older, a scary vampire costume was his preferred choice. I think young Greg looks pretty dashing in that black satin cape. Maybe we'll have to track down a cape for him this year!

I found some great free pumpkin stencils at Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Download the printable stencils to help you carve some really cool pumpkin designs. Decorate your home with a traditional Jack-O'-Lantern, or get a little craftier with flame designs, a howling wolf, or templates of cats and dogs. I spotted a chic fleur-de-lis pattern that will appeal to fans of antique French furniture. Log on to the magazine's website, then prick out the stencil shape with a pin on your pumpkin. You're ready to carve!

We don't celebrate Halloween in any big way, although we usually watch a scary movie to mark the occasion. I don’t dress up my pets - with eight cats and dogs I'd have to start planning the costumes in July! And no doubt our twin cats Lenny and Squiggy would vie for who had the most dramatic costume. Both cats have such big personalities.

But I did just see this funny link to pugs in Halloween costume. As they say on that photo gallery: Halloween was MADE for pugs! My favorite is the Pugtato. The Lord of the Pugs - taking off Gandalf in Lord of the Rings - is hilariously convincing too!

If you're looking for some vintage Halloween lighting to help set the mood, my recent post on Gothic chandeliers and other light fixtures might provide inspiration. It's too late for us to deliver these beauties to you by Halloween 2013, but these romantic and dramatic lights add character and Old World atmosphere to a home all year round.

Wishing you a wonderful vintage Halloween, however you celebrate! Do tell us your plans in the comment box below.