Hallowe'en

This year was the first Hallowe'en where we could start having some proper fun with Rowan.  The previous years, apart from putting him in some themed baby-grows, he's been too young to really do much with.  So this year I prepped a few activities to do, and decorated the house a bit.
Most of the shop bought decorating kits are all ceramic.  These are not overly suitable for a high octane two year old (or indeed any two year old) so I prepared some papier mache balloon frames instead.  I left it a bit late and ended up having some late nights layering up the paper.  I forgot how long this stuff takes to dry!  I also stayed up to carve the pumpkin the night before Hallowe'en. It didn't take very long as I usually use a scalpel instead of a heavy, unwieldly kitchen knife.

 

Ready for Hallowe'en fun

 We had a spooky breakfast of apple monsters.  These were so simple to make.  You cut out a wedge of apple, add a layer of peanut butter then stick half a strawberry on for a tongue.  Using a little more peanut butter, you add blueberries for eyes.  I just wish I could remember which website I found the idea from. 

 

 Apple monsters. I came across this idea online but now

can't find the website to give credit.

 

Rowan ate the berries and peanut butter

from the apple monster. The apple itself

was essentially abandoned. 

Every year I've taken a photo of Rowan in this 

pose with a pumpkin.  I'm hoping to do the same

over the next few years. I think it'll make a great

collage one day! 

 

Walking the line between spooky and friendly 

for a child's Hallowe'en can be tricky. 

This was my first attempt at creating depth with 

pumpkin carving. 

The house decorations were just a few cheapy ones from Hobbycraft.  If I'd had more time I would have liked to have made them myself, but I'm terrible for trying to take on too much then getting stressed about deadlines.  

 Hanging spider.

 

This is currently Rowan's 'say cheese' face

The papier mache balloons were a hit.  We painted them outside in the garden in the morning (hurrah for an unseasonably warm October!) and sprinkled them with glitter. A lot of glitter.  Seriously, the back garden now looks like a 70's disco floor. In the afternoon, when the balloons had dried, we stuck various bits and pieces on them. There are several bits of feral craft pieces roaming the garden now.

I got quite a lot of mileage out of this activity, which was a bit of a relief since I was prepping them for about 3 days.  

 

 Our papier mache creations. Rowan's is on the left.

I think he was going for an evil blood-streaked clown effect.

Mine is on the right. I dunno, it's a pumpkin pirate, or something.

Throughout the day I also toasted the pumpkin seeds from the carved pumpkin, made pumpkin pie, and pumpkin soup and Rowan and I made some biscuits and decorated them. It was a very busy day, and I actually managed to wear Rowan out!  I doubt I can maintain that level of energy indefinitely though.

 Tired Rowan

He was a bit fed up of being photographed at this point

and grumpily told me to stop.  

 Pumpkin pie. I'm not a fan of photos of food. It

never looks appetising to me.