10-8-11 The Spookover Table

Friends:

This past Saturday, Eliana had her annual Spookover (a spooky sleepover we host every Halloween season). She dressed up as a character we invented called “Skeletina.”

10-8-11 Eliana as Skeletina for her Monster Mash Spookover

The tablescape was so cute with orange and black the predominant colors. there is a haunted mansion sitting top a formation of glass blocks. The house is surrounded by Halloween haints, a terrifying tree, and a pretty pumpkin patch.

10-8-11 The Spookover Tablescape

Here is a picture of Eliana and her frightful friends.

10-8-11 Eliana and her friends get ready for spooktacular fun!

We began the evening with some fun snack-making. They made yummy mummy dogs, hot dogs cut in half and wrapped in ready-made breadstick dough, then baked in the oven for 12 minutes. Super simple, crazy cute, and terribly tasty!

10-8-11 The girls made yummy mummy dogs

Then it was time for some ghoulish games! First, they played the “Rattle Dem Bones Race.” I gave them each a differed colored skeleton foam puzzle (Wal-Mart $1 each) and they had to reassemble the parts in their proper place. It was a lot harder than they thought because the puzzle was double-sided! LOL The winners won Halloween glow sticks.

10-8-11 The girls play Rattle Dem Bones Race

Next, they played Halloween Bingo (Dollar Tree $1). It was a wordless game so kids of all ages could play this game and it came with a dozen cards.

10-8-11 It's Halloween Bingo!

Then it was Pizza Time! My husband was in charge of the pizza. He made homemade dough (it’s his specialty) and the girls customized their own pizzas with toppings of their choice.

10-8-11 Dad was in charge of the homemade personal pizzas the girls made

While waiting for the pizzas to bake on the stone, the girls had an all-out dance party! No boys… ghouls only!

10-8-11 It's Dance Party Time!!!

The pizzas came out BOO-TIFUL!!!

10-8-11 And the pizzas... AWESOME!

And what is a Monster Mash without the ghastly green Witches’ Brew?!!

10-8-11 What's a Monster Mash without Witches' Brew?!

After pizza, the girls wanted to play some more games and I had a few more activities planned for the evening. Next, we played “Pass the Pumpkin.” They had to pass around a stuffed pumpkin behind their backs. The winner got to keep the stuffed pumpkin.

10-8-11 The girls play Pass the Pumpkin

Then we had a team contest – “Make a Monster.” The girls were given a large sheet of butcher block paper and crayons. Each girl was assigned a section (head, body, legs) and had to work together to draw a monster. The only requirements were that it had to have a head, body, arms, and legs.

10-8-11 Camrynn, Breanne & Eliana create a monster with many legs

They were very creative! After judging by a third-party, it was decided that this team won. Their monster was crazy yet gruesome.

10-8-11 Jasmynn, Ashlynn & Josie create a winning lifesize monster

Finally, we settled down and did a cool craft. We made Sockenstein monsters, wacky monsters made out of kooky socks. The socks are split at the toe, turned inside out, sewn shut to create antennae, stuffed with fiber fill, cut and sewn shut at the bottom, and finally decorated with Googly eyes and fun foam. We used hot glue to affix everything.

10-8-11 The girls created their own Sockenstein monsters out of kooky socks. Adorable!

They came out so cute that the girls wanted to sleep with them. I put in a Halloween movie (The Dog That Saved Halloween) and they all fell asleep before the movie ended.

10-8-11 All partied out... Ashlynn sleeps with her Sockenstein. Notice any similarities?

Camrynn said, “This was the best Halloween party EVER!” Thank you, Cam! I’m glad all the girls had fun. Happy Hauntings!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

10-31-10 Dianne & Karen, out for devilish fun

Friends:

My family did a big Halloween celebration on Saturday night but I love the holiday and love dressing up so when my friend, Karen, invited me to her house for an informal gathering, I leaped at the chance.

10-31-10 Meow!

Eliana’s cousin, Camrynn, was with us and she didn’t have a costume so I quickly threw one together for her. She and Eliana dressed as witches. Good thing I always have supplies on hand.

10-31-10 Camrynn, Maci & Eliana

Karen and her family were so cute. They dressed with a theme as devils. Check out her husband, Barry’s costume! Red hot wicked!

10-31-10 Barry the Devil, on fire!

Karen kept bragging about this haunted house in their neighborhood. So we walked around the corner… I was skeptical but WOW!

10-31-10 The Haunted House in Timberlane

Not only is the outside fully decorated…

10-31-10 Even the dead have to rest after all that Halloween partying

But the inside is too and the owners graciously allow visitors inside the monster mansion.

10-31-10 The entrance to the haunted house

Karen, her friend, Lydia, and I had to strike a pose before heading inside.

10-31-10 Dianne, Karen, Lydia & Broomhilda

First was a tour of the dining room. I loved this picture of me with Jeeves, the Butler. He’s kind of a staid gentleman and doesn’t say much…

10-31-10 Dianne & Jeeves, the Butler

There is sooo much going on, it’s hard to focus on one particular peculiarity. But I loved this mini haunted village in the dining room.

10-31-10 A haunted village

I loved how the fireplace was decorated. I sooo want that cobweb runner!

10-31-10 Eliana & Camrynn by the spooky fireplace

There were dancing broomsticks, talking heads (literally), cobwebs, holographic pictures, skulls, and all manners of magical mayhem in this manor.

10-31-10 Eliana & Camrynn, watch the company you keep!

Dracula even offered my head on a platter…

10-31-10 Dianne's head on a platter...

It was a spooktacular spectacle, for sure! We’ll be back next year to see this haunted haven again!

10-31-10 That is one big black cat!!

Then the fact that the Saints won over the Steelers 20-10 in the Louisiana Super Dome made the night a perfect frightful delight! BOO DAT! I hope your Halloween was just as wonderfully wacky and monstrously magical as ours was! A special thank you and hug to my friend, Karen and her family, for sharing their Halloween festivities with us!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

10-30-10 La Familia Fiesta!

Friends:

Since Halloween falls on a Sunday during a Saints Game, our church decided to hold their annual Trick-O-Trunk event on Saturday, October 30, 2010. We all got ready…

10-30-10 Dianne in full Flamenco costume

Our theme this year was “Hola from Southern Spain.”

10-30-10 Dianne and Eliana... Fiesta Flamenca!

Antonio dressed up as “El Matador,” the bullfighter.

10-30-10 La Senorita and El Matador

Trick-O-Trunk is when people park their cars in the church parking lot, decorate the trunks, and kids go trick-o-treating from trunk to trunk.

10-30-10 A groovy graveyard trunk at St. Martha's Trick-O-Trunk

There is a DJ, food, and even a haunted house!

10-30-10 A princess ballerina gets her groove on

The kids love playing spooky games. It’s a big fun fall festival.

10-30-10 Kids play the magic pumpkin

Everyone comes dressed in costume! Families get into the theme…

10-30-10 My brother's family of super heros with one villain, Joker's Harlequin Henchman

Check out this mother and her baby… So cute!

10-30-10 Mary had a little cranky lamb...

We took trips to the Wonderful World of Oz, we walked the plank, and we even traveled down the rabbit hole!

10-30-10 Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter

Halloween is so full of imagination! LOL

10-30-10 A giant Woopie Cushion

The kids had fun trick-o-treating and giving away candy! Notice my spooky backdrop in the background…

10-30-10 Camrynn and Eliana pass out candy at Trick-O-Trunk

Eliana loves hanging out with her friends!

10-30-10 Zombie Cheerleader Tina, Batgirl Camrynn & Flamenca Eliana at Trick-O-Trunk

Eliana and I even met some fellow Flamenco dancers!

10-30-10 A whole Flamenco dancing troupe!

My brother was Batman, the Dark Knight and he had people line up to take pictures with him! Too bad we didn’t charge a fee. LOL

10-30-10 My brother, Gary, is Batman, the Dark Knight

It was a blast and everyone had a great time!!

10-30-10 A bull charges the Matador!

I love how holidays bring the generations together…

10-30-10 Nana and Eliana Bonita

Well now, it’s Halloween and this Senorita is off for more frightful festivities and the Boo Dat (Who Dat!) Saints game…

10-30-10 Dianne poses with Paw Paw Clay in the background

Adios for now… BOO DAT!

Warmly, Dianne

10-29-10 The Spookover Table

Friends:

Eliana had her annual Spookover (a spooky sleepover). It was so much fun! I LOVE decorating so…

10-29-10 The Spookover table centerpiece - a haunted mansion

I dolled up the table with a haunted house theme. Everything was spooktacular!

10-29-10 Individual place setting at the Spookover table

I love the goblets!! Here’s a toast to the ghost with the most…

10-29-10 Make no bones about it... it's a party to wake the dead!

We served witches brew filled with green goo. Delightful and frightful!

10-29-10 A cauldron full of witches brew

The girls were so adorable! Love these costumed cuties!

10-29-10 The costumed cuties at Eliana's Spookover

First, they went on a door-to-door scavenger hunt through the neighborhood. People thought they were trick or treaters or sales girls. LOL Nobody does scavenger hunts anymore!

10-29-10 Camrynn and Eliana are on a Halloween scavenger hunt

Then they played all kinds of games including Candy Corn Drop, Ghoulish Card Games and Candy Corn Relay.

10-29-10 Eliana plays Candy Corn Drop

The girls made candy necklaces and decorated pumpkins for a contest.

10-29-10 Jack-O-Pumpkins await judgment in the pumpkin decorating contest

Here is the winner of the “Spookiest” pumpkin category.

10-29-10 Winner of the Spookiest Pumpkin Creation

At the end of the night, the girls made Super Sundaes at our Spookover Sundae Bar, popped kettle corn, and watched How to Train Your Dragon.

10-29-10 Eliana's super sundae from the Spookover Sundae Bar

It was so much fun!! We had a monster good time!

10-29-10 The monster cupcakes

Boo to you!

10-29-10 Super creative pumpkin!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

10-23-10 Dianne is feeling very Witchy...

Friends:

On Saturday night, it was on to New Iberia, where I was the featured entertainment at Terror-on-the-Teche, an annual Halloween event sponsored by the Iberia Parish Library and Shadows-on-the-Teche. I love the atmosphere of the place. It’s on the grounds of the haunted mansion, under towering oaks draped with Spanish moss. There is a genuine cemetery when you enter the gates!! Families come and sit on benches or blankets on the grass. It’s a spooktacular site for scary stories! I love how everyone comes dressed in costume. Such spirit! (Or is it spirits?!!)

10-23-10 What a cute crowd at Shadows-on-the-Teche!

I told my new children’s book, The Gigantic Sweet Potato, “We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt,” “The Strange Visitor,” “Who Took My Money?,” “The Headless Priest: A True Ghost Story,” and closed with “A Dark, Dark Night.” I enjoyed every minute and the time flew by so quickly! My daughter, Eliana, and her longtime family friend, Rebecca, enjoyed themselves immensely.

10-23-10 Dianne poses with fans. Eliana and Rebecca are in the back.

Gail Garcia and Kristie Rose are two spectacular ladies. Gail, you are FANTASTIC and soooo cute! LOVED your Dorothy from Wizard of Oz costume! I can’t believe your mother made that for you! Thank you for inviting me again! Kristie, thank you for your vivacious attitude and gracious spirit!

10-23-10 Kristie Rose, Dianne de Las Casas and Gail Garcia. Iberia Parish Library rocks!

After our spooks and spectres in the Shadows, we went to Duffy’s Diner with Gail. It has become our tradition when we are in New Iberia. It’s an honest-to-goodness 50s diner and all the wait staff dresses in poodle skirts. There is a juke box, a radio flyer red wagon, and even Elvis and Marilyn!

10-23-10 Elvisana, thank you. Thank you very much.

Here’s Rebecca…

10-23-10 Is that Rebecca with Devilish Elvis and Angelic Marilyn?

Check out this delicious looking shake!!

10-23-10 Rebecca's Pink Cadillac float!

The next day, when I was checking out of our hotel, I saw that I made the front page!! How cool is that?!

10-24-10 Haunting Storytelling article in The Daily Iberian, New Iberia, Louisiana

Then I discovered that Eliana and Rebecca made it in the paper too!!

10-23-10 Haunting Storytelling article cont'd in The Daily Iberian, New Iberia, LA

What a great way to end our visit to New Iberia!! If you want to read the article in its entirety, here it is… http://www.iberianet.com/articles/2010/10/24/news/doc4cc3b0b81eaef686126386.txt

Until next time… BOO!

Warmly, Dianne

10-31-09 Cat Woman and Wonder Woman aren't really enemies

Friends:

The moon was full and we are in New Orleans! That, right there, is a recipe for a special Halloween brew! As a family, we decided to depict Heroes and Villains. My husband Antonio was Batman, my nine year old daughter Eliana was Wonder Woman, I was Cat Woman, my nineteen year old daughter Soleil was Harley Quinn (Joker’s girlfriend and partner in crime), and Soleil’s boyfriend Tomas was The Joker.

10-31-09 Heroes and Villains

Soleil and Tomas headed for Voodoo Fest, a huge music festival in New Orleans City Park. Antonio, Eliana and I went to our church’s Trick-O-Trunk, an annual Halloween celebration where parishioners park their cars in the church parking lot and decorate their trunks. There is music, games, a haunted house, and food. It’s like a big festival and the kids only have to walk from trunk to trunk to go trick-or-treating. So much fun!

10-31-09 The Kids pose like grinning Jack-O-Lanterns

They participated in a Mummy Wrap contest with toilet paper. Eliana, Camrymm, Ashlynn & Sienna won 2nd place for their bow-tastic work! LOL

10-31-09 Eliana, Camrynn the Mummy, Ashlynn & Little Sienna

I had a bit of a brawl with Bat Man. Everyone wanted a picture with him. How dare he still my spotlight when I am on the prowl!

10-31-09 Batman fights Cat Woman

My brother, Gary, was a Star Wars Sith. His daughter, Camrynn, was Princess Leia.

10-31-09 Who will rescue Princess Leia from the evil Sith?

My mom, Josie, is adorable. She intermittently wore a mask but here she is in all her cuteness.

10-31-09 Cutie Nana on Halloween

Here is Eliana next to the coolest Jack-O-Lantern we saw all night!

10-31-09 Eliana next to a Fleur de Lis-O-Lantern at Trick-O-Trunk

We had a blast at Trick-O-Trunk and I loved being with my family again. That was MY biggest treat!!!

10-31-09 Dianne as Cat Woman - Meow!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

10-24-09 Dianne, Eliana & Fan

Friends:

I had the pleasure of being the storyteller at Terror on the Teche at the Shadows on the Teche Plantation in New Iberia, Louisiana. The event was sponsored by the Iberia Parish Library. Shadows on the Teche is an old plantation with its own graveyard! The spooky tales were on the grounds of the plantation. Too cool!

10-24-09 The audience at Terror on the Teche

I had a blast telling funny, spooky and creepy ghost stories. I was so excited to see my friend, Cheryl Robichaux and her little princess, Savannah. I met Cheryl’s husband and his children too. What a beautiful family! Savannah and Caroline came on stage to help me with some magic… “Bloop! I’m awesome!” (Those were the magic words that Caroline and the audience came up with. Too funny!)

10-24-09 Dianne on stage doing magic with Savannah and Caroline

Eliana, my 9 year old daughter, ran around, taking pictures. It was so dark and difficult to get really good pictures with my digital camera but here’s one of me telling a spooky story. Thank you so much, Eliana! You are wonderful and Mommy loves you!

10-24-09 Telling a spooky story

It was such a fun event and I can’t wait to do it again! Here is a picture of me and Eliana with Kristy Rose and Gail Garcia with the Iberia Parish Library. Gail is the director of the library system. They are such a marvelous team and afterwards, we ate at Duffy’s, a 50s diner in New Iberia with delicious diner dishes!

10-24-09 Kristy Rose, Dianne de Las Casas, Gail Garcia & Eliana

Before we left the grounds, Eliana said I had to take a picture of the graveyard. And what is that spooky orb in the picture? A ghost? Who knows…

10-24-09 The Graveyard at Shadows on the Teche Plantation

Eliana and I loved our brief but fun visit to New Iberia. Afterwards, I had to head back to New Orleans to catch a 6:15am flight to Chicago. Thank you to Gail, Kristy, Cheryl, Acadiana Lifestyles magazine, and everyone who came to Terror on the Teche. Have a spooktacular Halloween!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

10-23-09 Diva Witch Dianne & Judy Boyce as Max from Where the Wild Things Are

Friends:

Tonight, I had a spooktacular time at the West Baton Rouge Parish Library. Eliana, my 9 year old daughter accompanied me. She’s such an adorable little witch!

10-23-09 Eliana the Adorable Witch

The Monster Mash is an annual tradition at the West Baton Rouge Parish Library. Judy Boyce, the Youth Services Coordinator, asked me to participate this year. The Halloween festivities start at the West Baton Rouge Museum with a trick or treat. Then the trick or treaters, following the fire truck, parade to the library a few blocks away.

10-23-09 The Grand Monster Mash Parade

Eliana and I rode in the library van. Originally, we were supposed to ride in a convertible but the weather was too chilly. One of the firemen took a picture with me. I only knew him as “Big Daddy” because that’s what was on his t-shirt. LOL

10-23-09 Dianne & Big Daddy Fireman

After the parade, everyone went into the library for a cozy spooky storytelling session. It was so much fun.

10-23-09 Telling a spooky story

I even had the children participate with me, dancing and shaking dem bones! A special thank you to Eliana, who took all the performance pictures.

10-23-09 Dianne & kids shaking dem bones

It was a terror-ific time and I loved spooking in the stacks… Thank you to West Baton Rouge Parish Library — Beth, Judy and Jim. You guys rock! And thank you to all the trick or treaters who came to the event. It was monstrously marvelous!

10-23-09 Dianne the Diva Witch

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Boo Book Cover

When Eliana was 4 years old, we created a “Boo Book” for Halloween. She helped me put some poems together and she illustrated inside the book. It was a great coffee table book to display for Halloween. Create your own boo-tiful boo book!

Boo Book Dedication Page

Materials:
2 sheets of orange card stock
Several sheets of regular copy paper
A printer
Decorations such as spiders or Halloween stickers
Crayons and Markers
Stapler

Boo Book Spooky Haunted House by Eliana at Age 4

Instructions:
Create several Halloween poems with your children. Type them on the computer and print them out. Have the children illustrate the poems. Create a book cover and back with the cardstock. Staple the sides to create a book. Decorate with creepy crawly spiders or stickers. Have fun!

Friends:

After my shows, I rushed home so that Eliana and I could get ready for “Trick-O-Trunk” at our church. “Trick-O-Trunk” is a gathering of cars in a parking lot, decorated for Halloween. Instead of the children trick-o-treating from house to house, they go from trunk to trunk. The children don’t have to walk as far and because it’s run by the church, it’s a family affair with members of the church and the community. They also had games, a haunted hay ride, food, and a DJ. Here is Eliana the Pirate posing in front of a decorated trunk.

Eliana the Pirate in front of a Trick-O-Trunk - 10-31-08

We had so much fun! Here is a picture of our Pirate Family – Eliana, Dianne & Antonio. Argh, matey!

The Pirate Family - 10-31-08

On my way home, my stepdad, Clay, called me and said that he wanted to decorate his truck’s tailgate. It was soooo last minute. I arrived home at 4:45pm and Trick-O-Trunk started at 5:00pm! I rushed and put something together quickly, using my spooky backdrop. This is how it came out… not bad for a 20 minute rush job! It was the tallest “trunk” in the parking lot and the only haunted house!

Haunted House Tail Gate on Clay's Truck - 10-31-08

This is Eliana’s favorite Trick-O-Trunk, her “winner.”

Eliana's Trick-O-Trunk Winner - 10-31-08

Eliana had a ton of fun with her cousins, Camrynn, Ashlynn, Jasmynn, and our friend’s daughter, Marie. Here are the costumed cuties…

The Costumed Cuties - 10-31-08

We all had a ball dancing. Eliana danced up a storm with her daddy, shakin’ it to “Suavemente.”

Eliana dancing with Daddy - 10-31-08

Here is Paw Paw (my stepdad, Clay) dancing with Camrynn, the princess.

Paw Paw and Camrynn dancing - 10-31-08

The kids played games, including “Mummy Wrap.” They won 3rd place, wrapping Marie with three rolls of toilet paper to the song “Monster Mash.”

Mummy Wrap Team - 10-31-08

Here is Eliana doing the limbo. Jack be nimble, jack be quick. Jack go under limbo stick… Limbo lower now!

Eliana doing the limbo - 10-31-08

It was such a fun night. Afterwards, Eliana spent the night at Nana and Paw Paw’s. Antonio and I went to the movies in costume! We saw Quarantine and then went out dancing for a little while. What a day and night!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne