Monday, December 31, 2012

A Happy 2013 to you! Thanks for a fun 2012!

Happy New Year everyone! I've recently come across a few New Year's related videos and projects that I'd like to share with you. I hope you'll enjoy these, learn a little something, and maybe even do some crafting.
But first, I have to thank Becca from Magikal Seasons for the wonderful prize I received in the mail today. That in itself put me in a happy mood for the new year! Here's my prize, Frozen Jack:


As you can see, Jack is a frozen pumpkin, covered in glittering snow. He has that howling, shivery thing going on that we probably all have in January. I just love him, and I think he looks great on my pink Christmas tree! Thank you so much Becca. This is the perfect winter gift for a Halloween nut like me. You'll want to see the rest of Becca's creations, which are in her Etsy shop:

Becca's Seasons Art Etsy Shop

She has pumpkins, skulls, Bigfoot, the yeti, and all kinds of cool things going on there!
 
Onto the New Year's trivia! The other day, I caught an episode of Burt Wolf's Travels and Traditions. If you've never seen the show before, it involves the host Burt Wolf acting as a luxury tour guide and teaching you about the history of food and ceremony. The episode I watched was about New Year's traditions. Here are a few clips from that show. I bet you'll learn a little something new from these!



I wonder how many people are "fully awake and clear headed" when midnight rolls around?



It's interesting to think about celebrating the new year in spring instead of winter. I can definitely see why this was the original plan for some people. New growth and more sunshine helps to make people feel hopeful each spring, like something new is beginning. Still, I can see something positive in celebrating a new year so soon after Christmas. It's something else to get excited about after the Christmas celebrations have ended. I found the part about the God, Janus very interesting too!


There's Janus, facing both the past and the future. He's the perfect symbol for New Year's Eve.

I'd like to have a nice New Year's hat this year. So I plan to try creating my own. For anyone else who'd like to get hat making along with me, here are some tutorials that might help you! The girl in this first video is one of the more fun and funky crafters I've run across on YouTube:


OK, I just heard her use the term "fun and funky" herself. So I guess we're on the same page!

Some people also like wearing crowns or tiaras for New Year's. I found a clear and simple tutorial for that too. Even if the woman in this video was planning for Jubilee celebrations, I think these crowns would work fine for New Year's Eve. Like the last tutorial, there is a template included.



Mini top hats and crowns can come in handy for Halloween celebrations too. Just imagine these in an orange and black theme!

For any crafters out there who are looking for a last minute New Year's project, I found a page full of them! These projects mostly have a glittery, celestial theme:

51 DIY Ways To Throw The Best New Year's Party Ever

I hope you all have a fun New Year's Eve no matter how you decide to celebrate. As Burt Wolf said earlier, try to stay awake and level headed!


I wish you all a wonderful 2013 and I can't wait for another year of reading your fun, spooky posts. During the past year I have learned so much from your blogs and gotten to know many of you better. I've felt like our Halloween community has grown closer through 2012. So thank you for your friendship and all the entertainment you've provided!

Good luck in the coming year. I look forward to a 2013 filled with your creativity, photography, stories, reviews, and enthusiasm!


16 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Justine! I'm so glad you got your frozen Jack. Wishing you a magical New Year! Loved the Burt Wolf clips.

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  2. Magikal Seasons ~ Thank you! :) Today was the perfect day to receive Jack in the mail. He really lifted my spirits! I've been getting into Burt Wolf's show lately. I always learn a little something and it's fun to watch his travel experiences. I also like the way his tux is coordinated with my blog background. :)

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  3. Happy New Year, Justine! I'm pretty sure the floor in that second last picture was exactly the same as the kitchen floor in the house I grew up in (waaaay back in the 50's)!!

    I must check out some of the Burt Wolf series ... they look interesting! :o)

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  4. Aww... that frosty pumpkin ornament is so cute. And I love your pink tree! So perfect for you! The vintage New Year's image is adorable with that pink tint as well.

    I enjoyed all the videos. I bet there aren't too many people who are "fully awake and clear headed" at midnight though! ;) I thought the little top hat on the headband was a very cute idea!

    Happy New Year!

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  5. Hope you have a Happy New Year's!

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  6. Gone Feral ~ Thank you! :)

    Insomniac's Attic ~ Thanks! Yeah? That's an interesting geometric design for a floor. I really like that picture. I just have to smile at vintage photos of people partying.

    Yeah, Burt Wolf's show is definitely worth checking out! He's on PBS around here, so if you check your local public TV station you might find him.

    Little Gothic Horrors ~ Yeah, I love my new Frozen Jack ornament! Thanks, I enjoy having a pink tree. I thought Jack matched it well with his glitter and purple accents. Yes, that photo does have a bit of a pink tint to it. Did you see the pigs on the wreath in that picture? I've seen so many pigs on vintage Christmas and New Year's postcards lately. I've been trying to find out why, and there are a number of different answers online. So, that might need some further investigation...

    Haha! Yeah, I doubt many of the people who manage to stay awake by midnight are also clear headed. :) My hat is nearly finished, and it's turning out to be nothing like the ones in the videos. Go figure!

    Dex ~ Thanks! You too. :)

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  7. Best wishes and a happy new year from the HalloweenArts department! :)

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  8. Matt ~ Thanks! Best wishes and a happy new year to you too. :) I hope 2013 brings you all kinds of wonderful things!

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  9. Frozen Jack is adorable against the pink tree! Becca's items are adorable!
    Thanx for the DIY link. Will have to go check it out. :0)
    Looking forward to what 2013 has to hold on your blog. Wishing you all the BEST for the coming year!

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  10. What a great post! Loved the Burt Wolf vids (particularly the second one ... love those 30/40s dresses!)

    Great minds think alike ... I bookmarked this top hat, and a few others, earlier this year http://youtu.be/z3Nx0igPai4 :)

    Wishing you the very best in 2013!

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  11. Jeanne ~ Yeah, I really liked Jack on there too. He's sort of the tree topper on that tree for now. I agree! Becca's creations all have such character. I especially like her pumpkin creatures.

    There are so many projects on that DIY page, I couldn't believe it! I had planned to post a few of those, but I just liked too many of them. I managed to get a hat made last night, so maybe I'll try some of the glittery projects on the DIY page today.

    Thank you! :) I can't wait to get back to writing some spooky blog posts. I'm looking forward to your blog posts this year too! I always enjoy your stories, photos, and the amazing art you find! I wish you all the best too.

    Wendy ~ Thank you! Yeah, they were partying down in those old clips. I laughed every time I watched those people dancing in a circle! It's always fun to watch people dancing.

    Oh, would you look at that! I'm a fan of what Thread Banger puts together. They always have a witty/funny way of teaching. I hadn't seen this Thread Banger video before. I've mostly watched their Halloween tutorials. Have you tried making one of those top hats yet?

    Thank you for your New Year wishes! I wish you the very best too! :)

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  12. I had every intention to stay up until midnight but I fell asleep at 10pm. Oh well, maybe next year.

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  13. Julie ~ Yeah, some years are like that. Sometimes you're just tired! This year I was surprised to see it was after 2 AM when I went to sleep. I guess next year you could take a nap in the evening so you'll have lots of energy at midnight! :)

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  14. I'm looking forward to another great year for us Autumn folk!

    Ali
    Rosewood Autumn

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  15. Ali ~ Me too! I think this is going to be an exciting and entertaining year in the blog world. A Happy 2013 to you! :)

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