Celebrating Halloween

November 1, 2017

I hope you all had a joyous Halloween.

For me, Halloween is such a fun occasion. This year, because I was so busy with travel and other business commitments, I wasn't able to participate in any of the holiday festivities, but here are some photos of our Halloween preparations at the farm, the decorations at my friend Kevin Sharkey's apartment, and his creative Halloween costume.

Enjoy.

: We lined dozens of pumpkins and gourds along the front stone wall – I love this palette of fall colors.

: In my basement, my executive assistant, Shqipe, bags lots of candy for all the little revelers.

: All this delicious candy came to us from MARS – chocolate brands such as Dove, M&Ms, Snickers, Milky Way and more! http://www.mars.com/

: Shqipe places the loose candies and smaller wrapped chocolate bars in purple tissue paper – a fun Halloween color.

: Then she scrunches up the top, securing all the treats inside.

: She places the M&M packets into the bottom of these cellophane bags. These bags are available online and can be so helpful for a lot of crafts.

: And inserts the tissue paper filled with candy into the bag.

: Shqipa uses green ribbon to tie around the bags – a perfect wicked witch shade of green.

: And here they are – wery nicely packaged Halloween treats for all the trick or treaters that pass by my home.

: Shqipe uses a basket lined in black tissue to hold all the candy bags.

: The basket is filled. Additional bags are placed into plastic bins and put in the basket as it empties.

: Here is Shqipe with a full basket of treats. We gave candy to each staff member with young children and then kept bags by the front gate for all the neighborhood trick or treaters.

: In New York City, Kevin filled his apartment with lots of fun, and spooky Halloween decorations. The credenza was topped with black skulls while silver colored pumpkins lined the surrounding floor.

: This hallway wall is covered with Josef Albers prints. Josef was a German-born American artist whose work formed the basis for some of the most influential art education programs of the 20th century. Kevin affixed lots and lots of mice to give it a creepy crawly effect.

: I think the mice look great on the wall.

: Here is a Guan Yin Buddha – she is sitting near Kevin’s bedroom holding two small plastic pumpkins.

: Kevin covered these skulls in Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter and used them as table centerpieces – in the classic Halloween colors of purple and green. http://www.michaels.com/

: Cookies by Sweet Dani B decorated the kitchen counter. http://sweetdanib.com

: And “Day of the Dead” skulls sat on cake stands nearby.

: Kevin placed a black Funkin on this table next to a vase overflowing with beautiful fall leaves.

: Every room was decorated for Halloween – even the powder room.

: And a light up horse sat on the coffee table ready to greet any and all visitors.

: This year, Kevin dressed in a French Rococo style costume. The ribbons he used are from Hyman Hendler & Sons in New York City. http://www.hymanhendler.com

: During this era, men generally wore a waistcoat, and breeches. Breeches usually stopped near the knee, with white stockings worn underneath and heeled shoes, which usually had large square buckles. Wigs were usually worn by men, preferably white.

: These custom made breeches look great with the jewel trim and ribbons.

: The waistcoat was the most decorative piece – Kevin’s is decorated with the word “Swinger” on the back. He ordered it online and embellished with glitter – done by our own Hosanna Houser. It was also bejeweled by our own Kelly O’Connell.