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  1. Karen B.
    October 28, 2012 @ 4:32 pm

    Victoria,
    You are amazing…and I don’t even believe,based on your picture, you were born yet when disco was all the rage! I love the way the chandelier sparkles. Where did you find battery operated l micro led lights that have a timer. I know the flameless candles set from Costco has timers but a string would be so much fun for outdoor lighting. The jars of candlelight look great with the mums and pumpkins. I love the idea of a chandelier on the front porch…I am now looking for where I could hang one. Wonderful display! The skulls with their googly disco eyes must be just the right amount of scare for little kids trick or treating. 🙂
    Karen

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 28, 2012 @ 6:28 pm

      Sadly, you’re right Karen… I missed the disco-era. And white polyester, and shaggy hair. All the fun kitschy stuff happened over forty years ago… I guess thirty years from now people will think colored denim and leggings are kitsch. Which, I’m sorry but skinny pants do not have the same cultural gravitas!!

      The micro lights I ordered on Amazon… they happened to be perfect, but the description didn’t even say they had a timer, so it was a rare case of actually getting more than you paid for. I will have to look for the led candles with timers, since I’d like to use the pillar candles for the holidays, but only light them for Halloween.

      Reply

      • Karen B.
        October 29, 2012 @ 9:23 am

        I will peruse Amazon, its one of my favorite things to do, they seem to have everything. The timers are really great, they should put them on all lights for outdoor use especially.
        Ah, yes, polyester…it’s scary to think what used to be in my closet…hot pants, boots, oh my.
        Karen

        Reply

        • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
          October 29, 2012 @ 11:16 am

          I buy everything from Amazon. Seriously. They are incredible… If only they sold time-machines, I’d really be happy.

          Reply

    • Tyler J. Yoder
      November 5, 2013 @ 12:01 am

      I CANNOT believe that I didn’t see this post yet! I check your blog religiously, because I adore your taste, and I am obviously now pining for my own chandiscolier. What powers the lights in the jars? What powers the brilliance in your brain?

      Reply

  2. westlakemusings
    October 28, 2012 @ 5:00 pm

    Your porch looks beautiful. After recently going to all that trouble to stain that wood, be careful that your pumpkins don’t leave a mark. I love the candles in the mason jars. It is all lovely.

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 28, 2012 @ 6:31 pm

      Thank you! You’re right… when I was setting out the candle jars, I moved one of the pumpkins and saw that it was starting to get gummy on the bottom… it hadn’t even been there very long so I was surprised.

      They’ve been banished to the front steps, now that their photo-shoot is over.

      Reply

  3. redjim99
    October 28, 2012 @ 5:13 pm

    Great fun, love your crystal balls. I like LED string lights too. Hope you find something for the skulls.

    Jim

    Reply

  4. cheerupitsraining
    October 28, 2012 @ 5:53 pm

    I don’t even like Halloween decorations and I think this is awesome! (granted, that may have something to do with this not being an entirely traditional approach) It’s also pretty great that those white stands the skulls are sitting on resemble spines… well done!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 29, 2012 @ 9:33 am

      Until you pointed it out… I didn’t even notice the spine-like appearance of the plant stands!

      I’m not usually into anything creepy like skulls, but they’re unusually large, and I do always like anything that’s outsized or kind of odd…

      Reply

  5. Loni Found Herself
    October 28, 2012 @ 7:02 pm

    You have fantastic tastes! What a lovely porch, decorated perfectly for one of my favorite holidays.

    Reply

  6. Becky Elmuccio (@craftygrdenmama)
    October 28, 2012 @ 7:46 pm

    Looks great! Hope it is all inside safe and sound with the storm coming!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 29, 2012 @ 9:37 am

      I am SO hoping we don’t lose power. I can forgo opening the refrigerator or watching TV, but the idea of no Internet for days on end is the worst thing I can imagine…

      Reply

  7. livingsimplyfree
    October 28, 2012 @ 8:27 pm

    Your porch is amazing. I would never have thought to use disco balls.

    Reply

  8. RedCandy
    October 28, 2012 @ 8:41 pm

    I couldn’t agree more about holidays and tacky decorations!! I love decorating the house at Christmas. Halloween isn’t really big in Australia…well not yet. I’m noticing more and more Halloween merchandise in the shops every year!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 29, 2012 @ 9:42 am

      Maybe you can be the blogger that makes it popular!!

      I love any excuse to play dress up, and as an adult, there’s really only Halloween!! Plus, it’s just fun, and kind of random… one of the few stress-free holidays.

      Reply

  9. City Girl
    October 28, 2012 @ 11:33 pm

    That was great. I can’t believe you had all those disco balls in storage!! In fact I did not even know they still made them!! LOL. I love what you did though. Its spook-tacular.

    Reply

  10. Jessica
    October 29, 2012 @ 2:03 am

    Love it! Now I regret giving my disco ball away. Lesson learned: hoard everything.

    Do they make tiny solar tea lights? Would your porch get enough sun to charge the cells for them to light up at dusk? That’s all I can think of, other than actually wiring some battery-powered lights together and hooking them up to a timer.

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 29, 2012 @ 10:38 am

      Oh the things I should have hoarded!!!!

      I have to do some research on my light options. A solar option would be great as long as it had a panel I could put on the floor or something… the roof-overhang shades the upper part of the wall most of the day.

      Reply

  11. mrscarmichael
    October 29, 2012 @ 3:40 am

    I’m on my way for candy and a makeover!

    Reply

  12. Danielle
    October 29, 2012 @ 4:09 am

    Oh my goodness… I want a disco light fixture and my family is going to hate me for it!! How did I not know this was missing from my life; it’s genius!

    Your porch looks actually quite elegant which is well deserved after all the hard work you guys have put into it.

    Happy Halloween!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 29, 2012 @ 11:08 am

      I clearly think Disco balls are the ultimate in high style… so I can’t imagine your family would turn their nose up at the idea!!

      Possibly martial law is necessary? Where you explain that there is no room for discussion—once a year your house gets to have its own party outfit.
      Happy Halloween!

      Reply

  13. crazyinsuburbia
    October 29, 2012 @ 7:31 am

    Thank you! I’ve been looking over my Halloween decorations trying to figure out what was missing. After reading your blog, it’s clear. Disco balls.

    Also, since you clearly subscribe to my belief that sparkles make everything better, check out ‘Christmas in the South: Or If You Can’t Fry It, Spraypaint it Gold’.

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 29, 2012 @ 11:10 am

      Everything is better with Disco balls. EVERYTHING.
      The only way it could be better? If I had big hair and a southern accent.

      You think maybe I’m kidding. But I’m not.

      Reply

  14. sarajanelle
    October 29, 2012 @ 8:46 am

    This is amazing, Happy Halloween! 🙂

    Reply

  15. twopurplecouches
    October 29, 2012 @ 9:23 am

    Soooo cool!!! I am very envious of your disco ball collection!

    Reply

  16. the home tome
    October 29, 2012 @ 10:34 am

    So elegant! And great up-cycling, woo! I am also a fan of the disco ball – though I have only one (a Christmas ornament). Love all your candles and the big smooshy pumpkin (surely that’s its official name…)

    Am assuming you had to pull all this inside for The Storm? Hope you are okay down there!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 29, 2012 @ 11:15 am

      Ugh… Yes. We brought it all in. What a mess… Some of it will go back out if Halloween clears up, but I won’t bother with all of it.

      I’m so glad I have a blog, so I didn’t feel like it was a total waste of hot glue and enthusiasm!!

      Hopefully Halloween night is fine. I’ll be disappointed if we don’t get any trick-or-treaters!!

      Reply

  17. Jennifer S
    October 29, 2012 @ 3:00 pm

    I love this! Glam and tacky simultaneously. The lights/disco ball/chandelier combo is genius! I’m sorry the storm looks like it may derail Halloween… and definitely hope all remains well with your safety, power, property, and Internet!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 31, 2012 @ 3:15 pm

      Well, we lost power until yesterday afternoon… nice to have hot water and Internet back. We were incredibly lucky not to have any bad damage.

      Reply

  18. Áine Warren
    October 29, 2012 @ 3:20 pm

    Oh I love what you’ve done here. The disco ball chandelier is amazing!

    Reply

  19. Alex @ northstory
    October 29, 2012 @ 8:50 pm

    I love this. I have my mason jars ready. Tealights bought at IKEA. Alas no disco balls. Though my sorry ass did forget to buy the top thing on my To Buy List – the HYLLIS shelf – but that has nothing to do with Halloween. I’ll let you know if the tealights get blown out by the Hurricane winds. At this point if I get to get out trick or treating not in a snowsuit, score!!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      October 31, 2012 @ 3:18 pm

      Our electricity went out nearly immediately. I couldn’t believe it—it hadn’t even gotten bad yet!

      Looking at some of the photos of places not too far from us, I feel incredibly lucky we were spared that kind of disaster!!
      Happy Halloween!!

      Reply

  20. Jimaie
    November 21, 2012 @ 5:54 pm

    oh man, I LOVE this! I was doing a google search for battery operated tea lights in mason jars since that’s what we’re using as decor/ambiance for our evening NYE (10yr wedding anniversary) renewal ceremony next month and yours look so fantastic! I was worried they might look tacky but I think they’ll be just dandy! 🙂 I seriously adore that disco ball chandelier, so genius. Things that sparkle just speak to me 🙂 Hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

    Reply

    • Victoria Elizabeth Barnes
      November 22, 2012 @ 7:32 am

      Sparkly and me are best friends… Clearly, you are a woman after my own heart.

      I think once they’re lit, you notice the overall effect, rather than the actual tea light. I mean, they’re not quite as charmingly-hazardous as real fire… but once you get them all on and arranged, I think you’ll be happy. Plus, I think it helps if you have a LOT. You know, more is better…

      Your party sounds amazing! And so much fun to plan! I want to do something like that in a few years too… mostly because I miss our wedding so much.
      Happy Thanksgiving!!

      Reply

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