TWEAKS+inspiration : Halloween Magic

Happy Halloween! It's actual scary around here as a once-in-a-decade "wind event" is due in Northern California over the weekend. There's a good chance we won't have electrical power as you're reading this. Hopefully, some wind fires will be prevented.

To cope, I'm rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Maybe these little fall vignettes will prompt you to do the same. In my office cabinet, a little 3-D Halloween shadow box from my friend, Jennifer. And an artist model of a foot, bought by my Oregon grandmother when she was studying art in San Francisco in the 1890's. Coupled with a grain basket from Kenya. The idea is look around the house for fall colors, add a pumpkin or two and call it a day.

A tray in the guest room - finials, wooden bowls and a pumpkin. See that little "bronze" handprint? That's my hand at 5 years old. Just use anything that's in the color palette.

Love these little pumpkins, so decorative they don't need carving. Paired with wooden bowls, they look like autumn.

Pumpkins and a few coconuts (OK, those aren't really don't scream "autumn" but I like their "fur"). I'm trying to figure out what shelving to replace these wire shelves in our kitchen. If you have an idea, please let me know.

Jimmy is all ready to go in his fall sweater and his friend has his felted pumpkin body (from Hood River Apple Festival long ago).

Fall is also a great time to get some projects done before the weather turns. Doesn't one thing always lead to the next? The FedEx guy tagged our stained front door with a sticker which removed the stain finish. Then, we realized that the doors were in rough shape after too many winters without sealing (who knew?). To refinish, meant sanding down two layers of primer on the fiberglass door. After talking to the experts, we decided paint was the way to go. So here's the primer and the first coat of Benjamin Moore Aural Grand Entrance' Fairview Taupe paint color. Luis is a fantastic painter so I have high hopes. Whatever fall projects you have going, hope you'll take a minute to create a little Halloween magic!