Halloween Home Tour at Sunny Simple Life

Halloween home tour.

Welcome to the haunted halls of Sunny Scary Life. Bwaaahahahahahaaaa!

Our dining room table is set for gnarly nacho fest.

I vaunt to show you the spooks and spells we have cast.

The little Halloween village has ghosties and goblins aloft.

A vintage witchy poo flies over the kitchen. She actually was in my hubby's home as a boy.

The front parlor has rather begun to look like a Halloween store. We just kept piling the boogedy boos in here.

Even the china cabinet has been spooked with sparkly trees.

I hope you enjoyed our Halloween peek into our home. You can see more of the house here, here, here and the outside all decorated here.

Halloween Hallway

Even the hallway has been decorated for Halloween.

Easy Homemade Breadcrumbs

I am here to tell you you should never buy store bought bread crumbs again. It is so simple to make them at home. Here is my super simple way to make them whenever you need them.

If I am making something that needs bread crumbs here is what I do. Just stay some bread heels and pop them in the toaster. 

Once toasted I just break them up and put them into my mini food processor and blend them up. You can add seasonings at this point if you want them seasoned. Wah-lah! That is it. You have homemade bread crumbs. It is that simple.

Pumpkins, Halloween Decor and the Garden

Sharing photos snapped from my phone over the last week:

Pumpkins I grew in the garden. So by purpose and others from pumpkins I threw in the compost last year. Who knew seeds wouldn't compost.

A vintage pumpkin candle found at a thrift store. Reminds me of those when I was a kid.

Halloween decor in Q's little reading area. A nod to the little trick or treaters.

We decorate even the patio for Halloween with lights and jack o lanterns.

Some fall flowers and leaves on the patio out back.

A vintage Halloween witch that hung in my hubby's house as a boy.

This is a busy week for our house: homecoming game, homecoming dance preparations, and two Halloween parties for hubby and I Saturday night. I am the queen of cheap costumes. I don't spend much on clothes so I sure am not going to spend much on a costume. I will share a pic on Monday of our costumes.

Simple Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Simple chicken pot pie is a  quick easy meal to prepare and this is one of our favorites when the weather starts cooling down. Simple chicken pot pies freeze well and I keep pre-made pie crusts in the freezer bought when they are on sale. Look for the pie crusts to be on sale around the holidays.

Chicken Pot Pie

Serves 6-8

Prep time 20 minutes

Bake time 25-30 minutes

Recipe is for two pot pies. Double or triple as needed. These freeze wonderfully.

Two pie crusts plus tops.

2 cups cooked diced chicken or turkey ( you can be more generous with the meat is you like)

2 cups of mixed frozen vegetables

1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup ( I use low sodium)

1 can milk or half and half

pepper to taste

egg white 

 Take the bottom parts of the pie crust and prick a few times with a fork. Bake the bottom portion of the at 375 degrees for ten minutes and then put one cup of chopped meat in bottom of crusts.

In a large bowl mix the veggies, cream soup and milk and a dash or two of pepper. Pour over meat. Top with crust and pinch edges. 

Brush top with egg white and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and pie is bubbly.

I love my silicone brush for brushing with egg white, brushing the tops of bread with butter and spreading sauce when hubby barbecues.

A Scary Scarecrow and Happy Halloween

Do you remember a few weeks ago we were going to build a scarecrow in the garden? I had ideas of some that looked like this. While away a couple weekends ago I received a text with a picture of this guy. Hubby had made my scarecrow alright and it was downright scary.

The head lights up and instead of it in the garden he put it right in front of my kitchen window. Now, I don't want to sound like I don't appreciate the effort but seeing that big guy and glowing head in the window is a bit unnerving. I think I will suggest he come down right after Halloween.

Well, all in good fun. We love Halloween around here and decorate everything you can.

Here is our front yard at dusk. On Halloween night we set out a fog machine and eery sounds and get ready for all the trick or treaters. We take a few of the huge candy bars and make homemade labels for them: best costume, cutest costume, scariest costume. Hubby randomly pics a few kids and rewards them at the door with one of the huge candies. Just a little tradition our family keeps up each year.

Aargh!! Happy Halloween mateys!! This guy graces the corner of the front porch. Bought when pirates were all the rage.

Chickens and Roosters in Kitchen Decor

As long as I have been married, I have always had chickens in my kitchen. I guess a bit much to some but I just love them and then the collection evolves. I decided this deep corner of the kitchen would go to the chickens. 

You can find the rooster canisters here.

Like these canisters I bought on a girls weekend this month. Half off, they had to come home. I am so tickled to find them.

I keep all sorts of useful things in the canisters. Rice, sugar, flour, popcorn, oatmeal and of course one for cookies. These are my second favorite chicken canisters. From a long closed country decor store but I have found similar ones you can order online here: rooster lid glass jars.

This little gal holds my dishwasher tabs. Handy but hidden away. So do you have a favorite animal that you collect home decor items in?

Affiliate link in this post.

Fall Fix Ups

We have had a busy couple of weeks. I have been out of town two weekends in a row and I am not used to being away that much. Yesterday, we did a major Sam's club run and I made some freezer meals and then dinner and so I am wrung out. Ever feel that way?

The house is set for Halloween now and I want to just sit back and enjoy October now. We have homecoming and two Halloween parties coming up. No costumes yet for hubby and I. I am think the t-shirt that says, "This is my costume." 

Went to a pumpkin patch and farm and had a good time with my little one. I just wanted one of each pumpkin and squash.

We watched the hungry dear eat some dropped apples up in Cambria.

Gorgeous sunflowers at the market.

And though I was scared, I decided to try some root touch up on my grey roots. I am trying to now go every other month for a color. I am very happy with it. I have highlights so my roots are a little darker but hey they aren't grey. Saves a lot of money to go half as much.

Decorating in Red and White

My all time favorite cozy color combo is red and white. My home may have a prim rustic side but my vintage kitchen is all red and white galore.

Whether it is Christmas decor.

Or simple gingham gift wrappings, red and white decor just says home and comfort and cozy.

Even down to a couch and quilt, it makes me happy to see it in a room.

Heck, I even love red and white in a cup. My poor man's white chocolate peppermint mocha just makes me happy. Can't wait to make them this year.

But the Queen of red and white is my friend Shelly. Her house makes me smile and is such a treasure to sit in and look around. 

She has a way of display that is so darn cute. I have shared some tours of Shelly's place but if you want to see more of her home then you need to follow her pinterest boards. She refuses to blog, which saddens me but she pins pics of her home and if you scroll down on her pinterest boards to House of Bliss you can see her home everyday and at holidays. You will not be disappointed.

Americana Decor on the Old Washstand and a Handmade Basket from 1840 Farm

We have an old English pine wash stand that was our very first antique bought 21 years ago. I love all the old tiles that are still intact and unbroken.  We love to dress it up with a little Americana.

I have been wanting a handmade fabric egg basket from 1840 Farm for a while so I decided to order one in red,

 white and blue.

Jenn lives on a fifth generation farm in Dover, New Hampshire. I even love the little tag so I left it on to dress it up.

Buying old and handmade objects just appeals to me. The little basket will be cherished and passed down.

You can see Jenn's egg baskets and other handmades at her Etsy shop. You know I think Jenn is living my life up there on her New England farm. Have always felt I was meant to live there.

Where I've Been

Been on a weekend with some girlfriends up the central coast. We stayed at Elle Cottage and had a great time of visiting and running around. Came home to the house decorated for Halloween. You know I think the mister likes to do it without my input. Nonetheless it looks great and spooky and fun. Show you soon. I posted a few pics on my facebook and my instagram and even a video or two.

October Garden Preparations and Paint Stick Plant Markers

Just sharing some pics I snapped with my phone this week. In October the garden awakes again from the summer heat. It is bursting with color right now.

I gathered all my old paint sticks to make plant markers.

Staggering the planting of tomato plants to a couple per month starting in March was the best thing I did. I tore out old plants and had new fresh ready to give me a steady supply of tomatoes. Still picking some everyday. Next year I will plant double the zinnias. The joy they bring me is immeasurable. I pick a bouquet every few days. They are bursting right now.