Sun City resident crafts a boo-tiful Halloween home

Lucy Tracy, a Sun City resident, loves Halloween. What she loves even more is decorating for Halloween with specific items and designers she loves. 

“I can’t resist Mary Engelbreit, a favorite for Halloween and other holidays,” Tracy said.

Mary Engelbreit is a famous artist and illustrator known for her whimsical drawings and inspirational quotes that have appeared on various products for over 40 years. Tracy is a supportive fan.

“I have attended some of Mary’s workshops,” she said.

Tracy also sports a few items from Mom’s Enterprises.

“It’s a local Illinois company creating one-of-a-kind art pieces. I also favor pieces from a designer, Stephen Brown, with whom I had an opportunity to work with, while decorating the White House. Brown’s company, Glitterville, has colorful and glittering fun holiday décor. Lucy’s husband, Gary, also helps decorate their home by woodworking and creating whimsical wood items that Lucy paints,” Tracy said.

Tracy has formed a fun kid’s zone for her four grandchildren to join her in making crafts or playing. The featured toys at this time of the year are Halloween-themed.

“My oldest grandchild is Lucy at age six, her brother Will is four, and then there are Asher, five, and Ellie, three. We have two children, Greg and Leigh Ann, who provided us with these treasured grandchildren. The grandkids love coming here and enjoy the Halloween festivities as much as we do,” Tracy said.

Tracy’s dedication to her craft is truly inspiring. Her crafted items are meticulously done, with figures adorned with tiny symbols and faces all with intricate details. She has painted thousands of thimbles with tiny symbols, and her work has been showcased at various craft sales, a “BOOtique,” and the Artisan Fair in Sun City.

Stepping into Tracy’s home, one can see her love of Halloween. Her home Is adorned with a collection of witches in a corner of the bedroom and antique truck toys filled with Halloween and fall items, for example. 

Tracy said, “The toy trucks were Gary’s when he was a kid.” Every corner and room is a treasure trove of decorations.

Tracy receives lots of inspiration going to workshops, classes, and retreats.

“I have been going to a retreat in Vermont hosted by French General and Melene Dupre. It will be my sixteenth year attending this event. I find many kindred spirits there. We craft, eat, laugh, and have fun,” she said.

Tracy journals her life events in a creative way, too.

“Many French designs inspire the journal. It includes antique France-inspired fabrics designed by French General for Moda fabrics. The journals have pockets sewn on them that hold memorabilia and photos.”

See some of Tracy’s work at the Del Webb Artisan Fair on October 20, at Prairie View Lodge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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