I remember the last year that I went out trick or treating. My best friend and I were 12. She dressed up as a cow-girl and I dressed up like a punk rocker. We were both tall for our age – and with halloween make-up, I’m sure we looked older than we were. That said, we weren’t prepared for the snarky remarks from some of the treat-givers.

“Aren’t you two too old to be trick or treating?’ they said scornfully.

Talk about party poopers!

Yesterday, my six-year old daughter and I got talking about these curmudgeons and we both agreed that it’s a pretty dumb societal rule that you have to give up trick or treating before you hit your teens. In fact, I think it would be pretty darn fun to have an adult trick or treat night.

Thankfully, I get to raid my kids’ trick or treat bags after they go to bed – but not everyone has this opportunity.

To help you put a little child-like fun back into your halloween, I scoured the web for some fun and free halloween printables. If you happen to be having a halloween themed wedding, you can use these. Or just use em for a halloween party.

Free halloween printables from Peekaboo Studios via Paper Glitter.

Nina, 31 & Tom, 29

Seattle, Washington

Wedding Date: July 11, 2009

Number of Guests: 30

Wedding Cost: $12,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: South Lake Union Trolley (SLUT)

Wedding Reception Location: Daniel’s Broiler

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

I knew I wanted a small wedding because I was I wanted to have a close personal relationship with everyone invited. My husband was divorced and already had the big wedding. He really wanted a small affair with just close friends and family.

Here are a few pumpkin theme wedding ideas to get you in the Halloween mood. The first one is my favorite. Imagine creating pumpkin luminaries to line the walkways at your wedding? How fun! (Check out Southern Living for 31 ways to carve your pumpkin.)

A pretty leaf pattern design. Check it out at Country Living.

I’ve never physically met anyone else who collects sea glass (other than my two kids and my husband and a few brief encounters with strangers on the beach.) Sure, I’ve connected online with dozens of other sea glass collectors, but I’ve yet to have a face to face conversation with another sea glass collector. In fact, many people in these parts barely know what sea glass is.

Them: “What are your plans this weekend?”

Me: “I’m going to the North American Sea Glass Festival in Erie, PA.”

Them: “Sea glass?”

Me: “Ya, sea glass. You know. Glass you find on a beach.”

Them: “Oh. Okay. Ya. Glass you find on a beach.”

Me: “But it’s not sharp. It’s been smoothed by the sand and waves and the good stuff is decades old.”

Them: Blank look. Eyes slightly glazed over.

Usually the conversation ends there or changes to another topic.

But things were a bit different this weekend: I was in the company of thousands of sea glass collectors at the North American Sea Glass Festival in Erie, PA.

As one sea glasser put it: “It looks like sea glass is the new buzz word.”

Four years ago, the first North American Sea Glass Festival attracted 1,000 people. This year 6,000 + came through the doors. I think this is only the beginning of the sea glass phenomenon.

An entire industry of jewelers and artisans has blossomed around the sea glass movement. And consumers are loving it. I couldn’t even get near many of the sea glass jewelry booths at the festival because of the crowds.

My passion for sea glass grows stronger each day. What does this have to do with weddings?

Sea glass makes some damn fine jewelry. Stay tuned for posts featuring some of the fabulous artisans who are using sea glass to create affordable and one of a kind wedding jewelry.

(I shot the video above at the North American Sea Glass Festival. Okay, so it’s not award winning footage, but it will give you an idea on how very crazy-busy it was!)

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I am a writer, so naturally I love typewriters. Yes, I am grateful for word processing (I rely heavily on ‘delete’), but I can’t help but be nostalgic for the past.

I like the idea of using the typewriter as a guest book for weddings. Typewriters are so photogenic – plus it’s a walk down memory lane for some of your older guests. The wedding + typewriter trend seems to be still alive and well.

BTW, Craigslist and Kijiji are both great sources for vintage typewriters.