Now that my children are older we don’t celebrate Halloween the way we used to. Thankfully my friend, Julie Weller, started hosting a Sweet and Sinister Swap. Our swap has some basic ground rules and some guidelines.  The theme is Vintage Black and White or Cream with a splash of orange, green, purple or red.

For the swap we send our partner:

• Something Sweet
• Something Sinister
• Something Handmade
• Something Thrifted
• Something Home Decor

Once partners are assigned we contact each other and say if there’s any particular aspects of Halloween decor that we don’t like. I’m easy, I like it all!  Ok, I don’t like blood and guts, but otherwise I’m good.

Last Halloween my partner was Julie and knowing how much she loves Disneyland I made her a Haunted Mansion Vignette starring Madame Leota for her Something Sinister.

It has an awesome special effect in the roof that flashes lights into the room and makes scary noises. Madame Leota’s glow in the dark head is in a crystal ball and she’s surrounded by floating objects that you would see inside the Haunted Mansion, like a trumpet and a candelabra. The wallpaper is the same as the Haunted Mansion with creepy eyes that glow in the dark.

There’s a bell for ringing, a pile of spooky skulls and one of my favorite details is the picture of the reclining Cat Lady.

I packed up Julie’s goodies in a box that I decorated with a antique-inspired Mourning Cockade.

Luckily for me, the avalanche of presents from Julie was amazing!  I love how all of my wrapped prezzies look sitting in my dining room. (Louis, in the back, is totally photo bombing!)

Julie made an incredibly sinister and spooky crow in a cage. I ADORE this guy and all of the weird creepy crawlies that keep him company in his cage.

An adorable owl candle and a frightening artists printers tray decorate my mantel. The printers tray has some phenomenal details, like a creepy baby trapped in a spiders web, pumpkins, poison, a rusty key and an odd, ghoulish looking lady stuck in a spider web. I really hit the partner jackpot when Julie assigned herself to me!

Some licorice in a jar that looks like it’s from an apothecary and a charming skeleton photo holder.

And, knowing how much I love Hello Kitty, Julie found some Hot Chocolate with Halloween Hello Kitty and a fun vintage printed tea towel.

Check out my Sweet and Sinister Swap presents adorning my mantel.

Here are some links to other Sweet & Sinister Swaps, including the one that inspired Julie to launch her own, hosted by ArtsyMama. You can get a great idea of the types of items that are handmade and you can see the love and care that goes into selecting each and every item.

ArtsyMama 2007

ArtsyMama 2008

Boxwood Cottage

The Junque Seeker: Featuring prezzies from Terry Frias

Pink in the City

Karen Harvey Cox

Over The Rainebeau

JunkGirl Studio

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope that you’re inspired to participate in a Sweet and Sinister Swap of your own!

xo,

Christine Barker

{PS} Don’t miss my FREE Halloween Printable: You’ve Been Boo’d!

The full set of printables plus instructions can be found here!

 

Would you like some more Halloween Crafting Inspiration?  Don’t Miss:

• My FREE Printable, You’ve Been Boo’d, to spread some Halloween spirit around your neighborhood.
• There’s also the Something Wicked This Way Comes Blog Hop with lots of fun ideas on crafts to make for Halloween.
• I also have a FREE Bewitching Hat Tutorial with easy to follow instructions and a free pattern.
• And if you need some petite Vintage Halloween Images to decorate with, I’ve got a cute Vintage Halloween Collage Sheet in the Scarlet Calliope Etsy Shop.