Show and Tell: Skulls in the Kitchen

A couple of recent acquisitions to share! Both items were found in the last couple of weeks at HomeGoods stores, a new favorite.

The salt & pepper shakers... well, how could I resist? They were with a bunch of pirate-themed items (skulls & nautical motifs), which were fun but not what I'm into. They also had candlestick holders, which were fun, but I had to pick just one item, so these had to come home with me.

I don't have the packaging for the shakers any longer, but I did hold onto the brush package so I could look up the company. The brush isn't available, but the shakers are still available on their website. I now have my eye on the scrubby holder!

Now, pink is just about my least favorite color. I don't own any pink clothes (except for the pajamas that also have margaritas on them) and don't decorate with pink. However, they only had the one brush in stock, so it had to come home with us.

We don't have a dishwasher, and anyone that knows me well knows that I hate doing dishes. However, I've been trying to get into the habit of making sure all of them are clean every night before bed. It really is true -- taking a few minutes every day (or even after each meal) is so much better than waiting until they pile up. I've also been on a candy-making kick (caramels and marshmallows so far) and it's essential that you a) start with a clean kitchen, and b) get everything into a sink of hot-hot-hot, soapy water the second you're done with it. Having fun accessories in the kitchen makes it all more fun. (So many of my tools are orange - it's not Halloween-themed, but it is chipper!)

Now this is just sick

Valley Glen, CA (aka Van Nuys?) is on a mission to outlaw Trick-or-Treating  by the year 2015. Get a load of this announcement in their recent newsletter:

Here's the text, if you have a hard time making it out:

What's happening at City Hall that affects Valley Glen
Halloween decorating...On March 15, Councilmember Mark Newhauser introduced a motion, with Coucnilmember Mary Ellen Simmons, to regulate Halloween home decorating throughout the city. This increasing popular trend offends the general public with themes including witchcraft, the occult and gore.

"It's unsightly, disturbing and a horrible influence on our children" says Councilman Newhauser "It's a small step in our goal to stop the dangerous tradition of "trick or treating" all together (sic) by 2015."

The motion calls for a design committee that homeowners would have to submit ideas to for approval. Newhaurser adds "Traditional fall decorations such as pumpkins, pleasant sunflowers and happy scarecrows will probably be unaffected. Any carved pumpkins with faces although would also have to be approved."

Seriously? Let's skip right past all of the other inane bullshit and jump to the part where they want a committee (probably paid for out of the homeowners' taxes) to approve each and every jack-o-lantern. The whole thing is ludicrous and an example of bad, bad leadership, but that part? Moronic.