Happy Halloween!

 

 

Have a wonderful Halloween, my Friends.....

Random Acts of Cupcakes...

Guess who was lucky enough to get a "Random Act of Cupcakes" today?? That would be me! Thank you to The Twisted Sifter (Kari Christiansen)! These are her "Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes w/Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting". Can't wait to have one...thanks again, Kari! Very much appreciated...

Boy Humor...

 

In Phoenix this year and found the gas mask at a flea market.  Grandsons cracked up.  Where I put it also cracks them up...

It is on a skull...

Reflections...

 

Photos with mirrors are difficult for me.  Too much light, not enough light, too much reflecting light, not enough reflecting light, and sometimes a reflection of me...rats!



I love the reflection in the mirror...

Soft glow...

Did I mention I like the reflection?

Sorry ~ could not from any angle get a photo of the vanity with eyes at both sides ~ that mirror reflection and me in the photo thing...

Witch shoe w/dying Hydrangeas

 



 

I do like spooking up the bathroom our guests use.  I did remove the motion-activated "scream machine" a couple of years ago.  A few authentic screams and very authentic curses.....so, there you go.  Last year after the season I bought on sale the skeleton hands from Grandin Road.  Such a deal but where do I put them?  They actually make  great night lights with the eyeball candles and LED tea lights.

Cue the spooky music...

Living room mantle

Gargoyle ~skulls ~ bits and pieces

The prairie dog skull from my granddaughter

Full frontal ~ bottom half

When I look at my living room mantle at Halloween I think this would look so great with spooky music.  Music just sets the tone...the mood.  Made the theme music to "The Elephant Man".  It's just creepy music box music....love it....and my mantle at Halloween...

Sentinels...

Whew!  The Sentinels are finished!  I love them and from knee-high (yes, I did) they are scary enough for TOT's.

As previously mentioned I love Pumpkinrot's creatures.  I have five!  I wanted them 7' tall to frame the front door and to be menacing.  So, with buckets of cement, PVC pipe, duct tape, sheets, fabric from a friend's drapery business, chicken wire, Funkins, and sagebrush....they were work.  A lot of firsts for me.  First time to mix cement from a bag...first time to dye fabric (king size sheets)...first time carving Funkins... first time using sagebrush (it's brittle). 

The flicker lights for the heads are a little more showy than my vision.  I like the broken bits from the sagebrush twisted into the fabric.  Seems to give them a "rising from the ground" look.  Also, like the way the fabric flows in the wind.  I still need to add the bats around their heads, a little webbing, etc. and we're good to go.

Sentinels

From knee-high ~ he looks right at you

 

All in all...I'm happy.  Halloween is so close...

PS ~ You do know, Mr. Rot, that this is a huge compliment to you?  You make us try so much harder...

For inspiration...   Pumpkinrot.com 

Caged...

I do like my cages at Halloween. I've added one this year. I put old sock display feet inside the new one. Those sock display feet are weighted on the toes so they appear to be tip-toeing all the time. Too bad it doesn't show up in the photos. Still, I do like my cages....

 

 

Who doesn't like green...

The fabulous sock form display feet....

Caged skull...

Bat on a skull...

Bat and a candle...

Caged bats...

Tablescape...

 

So, Pinterest is a problem. It's a huge time sucker! However, a lot of great ideas, inspirations, and uneasy creepiness is available to all. I found on Pinterest a great spiderweb chair. It was exactly what I was looking for to set a gourd doll on. I've had her since the early 1990's. I asked the Mister if he could, would or should duplicate. He did fabulous!

 

 

 

I like the light on the gourds...
 

 

Hanging with friends...

Working on the living room today...it's a work in progress as you all know.  These skeletons are just hanging with the FCG until closer to Halloween.  They will "hang" outside during Halloween.

Later tonight...the orange lighting that I love...oh, baby!

Beginning...

 

 

 

 

 

It is time to start putting Halloween up, out, around and about the house. We've got things to do and places to be before Halloween this year. So, we have got to get busy and get Halloween rolling...

I am starting here...the black cat mantle...

 

Family Room Mantle
 



Old Minnow Bucket...
 

Black Cats

 

Black Licorice...

The FDA believes that black licorice is bad for you.  Really?  They advise that eating more than 2 ounces a day for 2 weeks could mean a hospital visit for some.  Really?

 

Oh pshaw!  And, that's because I don't know how to spell a wet, slobbery raspberry!

 

I've been known to binge on black licorice.  Also love Black Jack chewing gum.  Also love Sambucca shots.  I realize some folks don't care for the taste but fortunately for me I learned to appreciate the flavor from my grandmother Merckle.  I've read that people are born with the taste for black licorice or not.  I'm one of the blessed that way.

 

Here's to living on the edge!!

 

 

 

For anyone interested in reading the article a link is below.



 

Black Licorice Bad For You?

Planting Experiment...

Ok, so I've been away from home too much this year and last year....blah, blah, blah. 

This spring I thought I'd try an experimental planting.  I broke apart two bucky skulls...not that easy!  I added them to a couple of pots, added some steppable (this is the correct spelling) plants, and I took a few photos.  The next part was easy....I 've been gone, remember?

 

These photos were taken in May 2012
 

These were taken August 2012

Ooops ~ Almost devoured

 

Thankfully white shows up!

This what I learned:  Add a few fingers, hands, feet, something with some height

                                  Place the body parts (skull bits) higher than I think they need to be

                                  Not so many plants in one pot ~ they do grow

                                   

Ghost Girl....

I found this great static prop on Pinterest this morning.  Clockwerk is the creator of this amazing prop!  More photos and the how-we-did-this link below:





To see more:  Ghost Girl

Steampunk Challenge...



Johanna Parker is one of my most favorite folk art designers.  She has a passion for Halloween (I believe it's her birthday!) but she designs for other occassions as well.  She is holding an online auction for this original piece of sculpture.  The artists of Ehag held a "Steampunk Challenge" and this beauty is hers.  Amazing piece of artwork!!

Check out her blog:  Johanna Parker Designs

Candles...

I'm trying a simple project.  Nothing everyone hasn't done already.  I am doing nothing new...just doing.  I looked at some "how-to" ideas.  Seems everyone does pretty much the same.  I wanted white candles.  I ended up with black 2" PVC.  It came in small pieces rather than the 8' length.  I bought the transparent glue sticks.  Didn't think it would matter anyway because I planned on painting them.

So here's what happened to my white, painted candles.  I used transparent glue on black PVC and the Mister liked them that way.  He says they will look great under a blacklight.  I say....but I want white.  I pulled out the blacklight and .........he was right.  Crazy...

With a blacklight...

With no extra lighting...

With light from a lamp...

Can't wait to try them out this Halloween in the graveyard.....