A Monday Distraction

Each year, we have a massive Halloween party. I bake for days, spend a gazillion dollars at the local cheese shop, arrange half a dozen bouquets of orange flowers, and decorate my whole house with orange pumpkins and similar Halloween knickknacks.

This year, however, I decided to elevate the decor, finding a way to incorporate a literary theme. At Etsy, I found this wonderful print, a steal at just $11. This artist also has quotes available from Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, Robert Louis Stevenson and other literary greats.

Another fun Shakespeare find: these labels for potion bottles featuring the ingredients mentioned by the Weird Sisters in Macbeth. Or, try one of the disturbing Shakespearean prints in the Immortal Longings shop, like this one of Titus Andronicus. (It's not my style, but it seems very popular.)

If you're not careful, Etsy can become a time-suck black hole. I recommend setting a timer for 15 or 30 minutes and allowing yourself just that much time. Otherwise, the whole day will be shot, and you'll wind up with six vintage purses, four original art prints, a new set of throw pillows and a bracelet made entirely of buttons. Trust me, it happens.