HGTV Magazine October 2013

Pillow Pillow Perfect 18 ½" x 18 ½" polyester pillow, $44 for a set of 2, wayfair.com Wood chair Ängsö pine chair in black-brown, $75, ikea.com Welcome mat Entryways Sweet Home Pumpkin Pattern coir doormat, $24.50, wayfair.com Porch light Birds on Branch 14"H x 9"-diameter aluminum outdoor lantern in weathered brown with seeded glass, $165, shadesoflight.com Doorbell Leaf Filigree brass doorbell button, $50, rejuvenation.com Door Masonite Belleville Oak textured 2-panel door, $479, homedepot.com; paint: Candy Corn by Pittsburgh Paints; Woodward I handleset in oil-rubbed bronze, $283, weslock.com for stores Lanterns Savoy Square weathered zinc lanterns, from $59, restorationhardware.com. We filled ours with gourds and mini pumpkins. BOO! how to make a batty pumpkin Paint a pumpkin, including the stem, with white crafts paint (try Deco Art in snow white). While…

You know that house in your neighborhood that gets totally done up every Halloween? The one with a dozen plastic tombstones in the yard (R.I.P. Hugh R. Next!), witches on the roof, a skeleton on the door, and orange twinkle lights everywhere? I love that house. That house invites people to take a long look and have a laugh. If you live in that house, thank you. Thank you for going gangbusters with ghosts, gourds, and goblins, and for entertaining us with all your decorating ideas. It can't be easy to go to such great lengths every year. You must spend hours downloading eerie music to pipe through the speakers hidden in your bushes. I bet you search high and low to find dry ice for your porch cauldron,…

When your July/August issue arrived, I was overjoyed. I said to my husband, "Do I want the happiness of reading it now, or should I let my anticipation build until tomorrow?" He just shook his head and laughed. —Jill Spaulding, Battle Creek, MI Vern's measurement tips couldn't have come at a better time (June's "Design by the Numbers"). We were three weeks away from moving into a new home when the issue arrived. Now we're confident we'll do all our projects right. —Jill Lex, Sugar Hill, GA I had to smile when I read "Hey, Critters, Keep Out" in the June issue, because I have all of those animals in my yard! I love living on the edge of the woods, but there's a lot of work involved. Thank you…

$4,000+ worth of giveaways! Chandelier, page 72 1 winner Orb 29"-diameter chandelier, ballarddesigns.com Dog biscuits, page 68 20 winners Bistro Country Bacon treats in a 12-ounce tin, harrybarker.com Framed print, page 110 5 winners Abstract Herringbone by Paper Dahlia 8" x 8" framed print in sunshine, minted.com Floral trashbin, page 106 20 winners Umbra Blossom Cylinder 14 ½"H x 10"-diameter polypropylene can, containerstore.com Bowl set, page 148 10 winners 9-piece plastic nesting bowls and colanders set (lids not shown) in yellow, orange, and red, oxo.com Summer pillow, page 66 10 winners Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler Elizabeth Greek Key 18" x 18" cotton pillow, jcp.com Patternedrug, page 76 1 winner HGTV HOME Ethos 5' x 7'9" nylon rug in green, shawfloors.com for stores Winter pillow, page 62 10 winners The…

POINT THE WAY Spray-paint the pumpkin and its stem black. Let dry, then use a small crafts brush and white paint to write candy and draw an arrow. Or use adhesive letters and an arrow from a crafts store. SPRAY PAINT: Gloss Black by Krylon CRAFTS PAINT: Deco Art Americana acrylic crafts paint in snow white, $1.50 for 2 ounces, joann.com Genevieve Gorder, Dear Genevieve TWIST UP THE STEMS Brush a foot-long strand of twine with white crafts glue, then wrap it around a marker. While the glue is still sticky, slide the twine off and set it aside on wax paper—this will be the curly topper for your pumpkin. Wrap the stem with another strand of twine, securing with dabs of hot glue every few rotations. Before you reach…

SUPERSTITION: Walk beneath a ladder and something bad will happen. WHERE IT CAME FROM: One popular theory suggests that a ladder propped against a wall, forming a triangle, symbolizes the Holy Trinity in the Christian faith. Walking underneath it is disrespectful, thereby bringing bad luck. SUPERSTITION: Peacock feathers are unlucky. WHERE IT CAME FROM: In Greek mythology peacocks were sacred to Hera, a jealous and temperamental goddess. Experts say the connection to her is what may have earned the feathers a bad rap. SUPERSTITION: Putting shoes on the table causes bad luck at home. WHERE IT CAME FROM: Since footwear touches the floor—generally considered a dirty or "bad" place—it's thought that putting them on the table brings misfortune into your house. SUPERSTITION: Passing someone going the opposite direction on the…