Not too long ago, I took a day when the house was quiet and it was just me and dogs puttering about to transform this little house from ‘tired of summer’ to ‘Halloween bedazzled!’ I love this part of the year, when the home becomes more cozy and whimsical with merry holidays, and Halloween is first on the list, and one of my favorites!
I’ve shared with you here how I discovered Nicol Sayre on a trip for our first anniversary, and I think her beautiful vintage style dolls have set the tone for the ‘vintage Halloween’ look that I like to celebrate with.
I have a weakness for the look of crackled and careworn decorations, slightly tarnished silver and gold with black and white and pops of burnt orange. I like to use sweet holiday inspired dolls and decor mixed with family heirlooms and deeper darker tones.
Come, have a look!:
The spooky dolls on the left are both handmade and purchased at a little boutique in Eureka Springs, Ark. called “Something Simple.” The silver framed photo on the top right are my great-grandparents in the 1930s and the little pumpkin box is also a Nicol Sayre item. On the bottom right you can see an amazingly strange portrait I picked up at the antique mall a few years ago of two little girls— the frame is dark and ornate and the way the girls are captured in the photograph and hand colored is just a little bit odd and unnerving– I love it!
The two witchy dolls in that same photo are also Nicol Sayre pieces and the painting of the woman and the baby is one I painted myself.
The wooden mirrored dresser from the 1920s is one of my most favorite possessions and it stays in our room. It looks beautiful against the peacock green walls and stenciling. You see this piece many times on here because I like to photograph new paintings on it. There is an east facing window right beside it which lets in lots of bright morning light.
Here I’ve put the little handmade dolls from Something Simple, my treasured 1940s editions of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights (in the green case) and a couple of the Boney Bunch candle holders that Yankee Candle puts out each year. There’s a little garland of gourds and other autumn bits and bobs hung across the mirror.
And so…that is Halloween around my house! I always look forward to getting out all my spooky pieces! And while there are lots of versions of Halloween— I like this look best— it’s old timey, a bit muted, and kid friendly. Audrey has been dragging most of this stuff out from the storage cabinet since July. My little decorator just couldn’t resist! I’m so glad she enjoys all this stuff too, and my husband graciously goes along with living with all this odd stuff. He even says he likes it 😉 Well, good!
Well, it’s fall break this week and I need to find something for me and a little miss to entertain ourselves with. Then maybe, just maybe, she’ll snuggle up and take a nap and this mama can get a little painting in! Fingers crossed…
Have a lovely week!
~H
Sleightholm Folk Art 
Heather, everything looks amazing! There is such a cozy feel to this autumnal/Halloween look. I like the touches of whimsy with those fantastic Nicol Sayre pieces and the bewitching portrait of the girls. Of course your artwork looks perfect mixed in here. Can I just say how much I love your stenciled walls, too? Now I want to do that somewhere. Did you stencil these by hand? You're so talented. 🙂
LikeLike
it looks spooktacular ;)realy nice collection. i have some nicol sayre pieces too-love her dolls!!
LikeLike
Trick or Treat! I just love all of your spooky and fun collections for decorating your home. I too love the transformation of feeling that Halloween decorations give to our homes in the fall. Cozy, quirky , and colorful, fall decorations lend themselves to snuggling on the couch with a steaming mug of pumpkin flavored coffee and a mystery book!!
LikeLike
Susan, thanks so much! The stenciling is really a lot easier than you would think. At this point I've done 3 rooms in my house! Its a fun project!
LikeLike
Andrea, thank you! Dont you just love Nicol's dolls? She's one of my most favorite artists!
LikeLike
Winnie, you are so sweet! And so right, fall decor just makes you want to cuddle up with a good book! Hope you're getting some nice cool temperatures and enjoying some pumpkin coffee!
LikeLike
Heather, everything is just amazing! I love the photos and your paintings mixed in to give everything that family history feel. And I forget that you live in OK because when I read about the shop in Eureka Springs I actually squealed out loud. I'm from Springdale and hubby's from Berryville so we always make time for a quick run to ES when we are home visiting family. I don't know that store by name but I'm sure I will after my next visit home.Donna
LikeLike
Heather, you have a fairy tale home. Heaven, there is so much atmosphere here. It looks as if your home comes from another little world.
LikeLike
I adore your decorations sooo much! I always look forward to your Halloween decor posts every year! And after we get the family portrait taken care of, I want to talk about getting a couple of old-timely portraits like you have up! I am just so in love with those 2 paintings!
LikeLike
Everything looks so nice Heather!
LikeLike
Ooooo….lovely and such a wonderful collection…love it:)
LikeLike
My goodness girl, your house looks gorgeous! I feel like such a loser- I haven't decorated at all for fall this year. It's not too late though I suppose, perhaps this lovely post will inspire me to put up a few things this weekend!
LikeLike
Pretty, Pretty Tasha! Always love seeing you bring out your Autumn Decorations!xoxo,merle
LikeLike
Goodness, you are bedecked! We mostly don't do this here in the UK. Some people will fill there house with Halloween decorations, but most settle for a pumpkin or two, some candles and maybe a bit of black and orange bunting. Trick or Treating is more toned down too … most years no one comes knocking here in the country, but I imagine it's different in town.Love the dolls, and that photo of the two little girls is awesome, if I'd been there I'd have been fighting you for that!
LikeLike
Everything looks fabulous! I love the vintage style. It looks as though you are stepping into an old turn of the century mansion…who knows what spirits may lurk there!
LikeLike
love this!!! haven´t fixed any halloweenthings yet here. look so so cozy and wonderful at your place..like a fairytale indeed *love Lycke
LikeLike
Many versions of Halloween, how true that is. I love your version. Mine's a bit gypsyish and sparkly, and very very witchy. This vintage, haunted, Autumnal Halloween is beautiful. I love your decorations. I'm going to come out and be honest though, these young people these days, I HATE their version of Halloween… all guts and gore. Ick.
LikeLike