Just Because It's Summer Doesn't Mean...

Though we are in the throes of summer's endless days, preparing to take our last few family trips, and to stay outside enjoying what's left of the 8p.m. sunset -- something W and I got to do tonight at K+P's house tonight, which was such a nice surprise (thank you!) -- I find myself planning for the coming months. (Reminder for those who told me last year that they wanted custom hand-knit stockings (click here to see blog post "Oh, to Fill Those Stockings") -- order now!)

Here's why: I love celebrating the fall. While my all-time favorite season is summer, I also look forward to the time when summer meets fall, when nights are chilly but not cold, when sitting outside and lighting a fire in the fire pit is a really good thing to do. I love leaving the house in a sweater or sweatshirt and jeans, and feeling a Goldilocks jusssst right comfort. I light a fire in my fireplace nearly every night before bed. My chimney cleaning company loves me.

Currently, I am planning a party here in mid-October, and since I like everything at the party to be as custom and handmade as possible, I went to etsy to search for things to use to get the party it's perfect vibe. The party is a campfire party, with a tug-of-war, three legged race, and potato sack race. It's an all ages party, too, which is cool. I love when the kids and the adults all get to spend time together. After the races (fun prizes will be awarded), we will make s'mores by the fire, sit in a circle, and tell ghost stories.

I was thankful to quickly find invitations for the party from the Ampers & Ink etsy store. I also just went to the site to test the link and saw these awesome "Give Them S'mores" party favor bags, with which to stuff the makings for s'mores. Ordered them, too. God, I love etsy.

While I love and use evite all the time,
nothing beats a genuine paper invitation.

It's not just the party that's got me thinking about fall. I am currently writing an article on Halloween here in the Village, a part of Mountain Lakes that is shut down to traffic and welcomes upwards of 700 trick or treaters on foot. It's quite a sight. People from town donate candy in predetermined locations, which are then shared with homes in the Village. I end up with about 20 big bags of candy, all of which are gone by the 8 p.m. treaters curfew.

In past years on Halloween night, I used to make Cuban sandwiches with a sandwich press for any adult who asked for one. I also had tomato, basil, and mozzarella sandwiches, also pressed. This left me endlessly working, which didn't allow me to enjoy the holiday with my son. Both my son's grandmother's came to help, and I was thankful for that. But after a few years, I cut it back to bagels for the kids and crock pot chili for the adults. This year, I'm scaling back a bit more, but in a really fun way.

While I will still have the chili for friends who stop by, I'm discontinuing a food table. However, I decided to give my son's classmates and friends little tickets ahead of time. Each ticket will be exchanged, on Halloween, for a special goody bag. The bags will have different fun things in each, rubber eyeballs, spider rings, and more. But where could I find special tickets? I didn't want generic 50/50 tickets. I went back to etsy, and look what I found? This shop, Just A Bit of Paper, made me a custom listing with enough for all of my son's friends. The minute I found them, I got excited. No one loves Halloween more than me, except maybe for my friend Francine, so this find was like hitting the jackpot.

The Halloween tickets. Don't you just love them?

The Just A Bit of Paper shopkeeper also sent me a sneak peek of a Christmas tag she's making, one that I am sure will be gracing my boxes of baked treats for family and friends.

Cute vintagey Christmas tags, also by Just A Bit of Paper

Have any great ghost stories that I can share around the campfire? If so, please share them with me. I'm looking forward to telling the one about the man with the golden arm. Just scary enough, if I tell it right, that is?