The Scariest Place in a Home!

The Scariest Place in a Home!.

A New Twist to Pumpkins

It’s the icon of the holiday season…pumpkins.  Remember how you used to pick the biggest one for decorating for Halloween?  Then realized you had to carry it to the check-out, to the car, to the house and then to the porch?  In my house, biggest was synonymous with heaviest.

Here are some fun and unusual ways to decorate this icon throughout the holiday season. That’s why we’ve collected the most creative examples of carved, painted, etched, pierced, glued and electrified pumpkins to raise the bar for your own pumpkin fest.

So whether you’re a novice carver or an expert DIY-er, you’ll find some inspirational ways to jack up your lantern and pump up your pumpkin to make your neighbors scream… or at least say, “Wow!”

1. Decoupage Pumpkin

Photo: pocketfulofdreams.co.uk

2. Porcupine Pumpkin

Photo: marthastewart.com

3. Clock Pumpkin (It really works!)

Photo: builtbykids.com

4. Gold Thumbtack Pumpkin

Photo: madiganmade.com

5. Steampunk Pumpkin

Photo: lostetter.wordpress.com/

6. Ombre Pumpkin

Photo: http://fun.kyti.me/

7. Pumpkin Bowl

Photo: quick-dish.tablespoon.com

8. Dry Ice Pumpkin

Photo: chemistry.about.com

9. Pumpkin Vase

Photo: kojo-designs.com

10. Cheeseburger Pumpkin

Photo: milkteaandpolkadots.blogspot.com/

11. Mini Vampire Pumpkins

Photo: marthastewart.com

12. Instagram Pumpkin

Photo: swelldesigner.blogspot.com/

13. Polyhedral Pumpkins

Photo: mathcraft.wonderhowto.com

14. Embroidered Pumpkins

Photo: greeneyed.com

15. Cannibal Pumpkin

themetapicture.com

16. Crayon-Dripped Pumpkins

Photo: jennymayandswede.blogspot.com

17. Death Star Pumpkin

Photo: fantasypumpkins.com

18. Chalkboard Pumpkin

Photo: zakkalife.blogspot.com

19. Lace Patterned Pumpkin

Photo: marthastewart.com

20. Glitter Pumpkin

Photo: swelldesigner.blogspot.com

21. Cookie Cutter Pumpkins

Photo: southernliving.com

22. Volkswagen Microbus Pumpkin

Photo: thefancy.com

23. “Liberace” Pumpkins

Photo: auntpeaches.com

24. Detailed Design Pumpkin

Photo: http://thebluebrick.ca/

25. Stocking Pumpkins

Photo: http://blog.makezine.com/

26. Pumpkin Diaramas

Photo: ohsolovelyvintage.blogspot.com

Photo: kitcheninferno.blogspot.com

27. Argyle Pumpkins

Photo: http://www.that-is-all.com/

28. Celtic Pumpkins

Photo: picasaweb.google.com/106122037578918150251

29. Pumpkin Teeth

Photo: thecraftsdept.marthastewart.com

30. Gold Leaf Pumpkins

Photo: stripesandsequins.com

31. Epsom Salt Pumpkin

Photo: davisdaybyday.blogspot.com

32. Pumpkin Messages

Photo: http://blog.dofaso.com

33. Color-Block Pumpkins

Photo: happymundane.com

34. Priceless-Work-of-Art Pumpkin

Photo: intricateart.com

35. “Orange” Pumpkins

Photo: momtastic.com

36. Glazed Pumpkins

Photo: centsationalgirl.com

37. Mardi Gras Pumpkin

Photo: swelldesigner.blogspot.com

38. Stem Nose Pumpkin

Photo: fun-gallery.com

39. Pumpkin Votive

Photo: flickr.com/pommes_frites

40. Pumpkin Portraits

Photo: rolandbv.blogspot.com

Photo: fun-gallery.com

Photo: dailybits.com

41. Pumpkin Bird Feeder

Photo: themotherhuddle.com

42. Pumpkin Caterpillar

Photo: bhg.com

43. Chevron Pumpkin

Photo: birchandbird.com

44. Googly-Eyed Pumpkins

Photo: marthastewart.com

45. Polka Dot Pumpkin

Photo: ohmyowls.com

46. Dip-Dyed Pumpkins

Photo: apartmentherapy.com

47. Ribbon-Wrapped Pumpkins

Photo: inspiredwhims.com

48. Pumpkin Carousels

Photo: thespottedfox.com

49. Leaf Print Pumpkin

Photo: bhg.com

50. Pumpkin Cheshire Cat

Photo: flickr.com/charleym143

51. Pumpkin Keg

Photo: celebrations.com

And for the lazy pumpkin decorator…

52. Harry Potter Pumpkin

Photo: thedragonsfairytail.blogspot.com

For more pumpkin-centric DIY, consider:

Pumpkin Carving 101 How To: Preserve Your Jack o’ Lantern 6 Pumpkin Carving Tools to Put the ‘Jack’ in Your Lantern

Bob Villa 52 Unexpected and Amazing Pumpkins

Showing Tips to Sell Your Home

Ever wonder why some homes sit on the market? Think it’s price? Not always. Our friends at Realtor magazine concluded that sometimes it’s the way the house appears that holds an offer back. Find out what can help you move your home from for sale to sold. What would a SOLD sign do for you?tm

Simple Tips for Better Home Showings

1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.

2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.

3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.

4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help.

5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.

6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well-maintained.

7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal, place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.

8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.

10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.

11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.

12. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.

13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Show off the view if you have one.

14. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.

15. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.

16. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and let the real estate practitioner know where they’ll be to eliminate surprises.

17. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and money. While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.

18. Leave the home. It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.